A Level Maths Past Papers: AQA, Edexcel & OCR

A Level Mathematics is one of the most demanding — and most rewarding — subjects at sixth form. It requires genuine fluency across pure mathematics, statistics, and mechanics, and the ability to apply techniques to unfamiliar problems under time pressure.

Past papers are the gold standard revision tool. This guide covers A Level Maths past papers for the three main UK exam boards: AQA, Pearson Edexcel, and OCR.

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AQA A Level Mathematics (7357)

Paper Structure

Paper	Content	Duration	Marks
Paper 1	Pure Mathematics	2h	100
Paper 2	Pure Mathematics and Mechanics	2h	100
Paper 3	Pure Mathematics and Statistics	2h	100

All three papers draw on Pure Mathematics. Papers 2 and 3 include applied components (Mechanics and Statistics respectively).

Pure Mathematics Topics

• Algebra and functions (including surds, indices, partial fractions)
• Coordinate geometry (straight lines, circles, parametric equations)
• Sequences and series (arithmetic, geometric, binomial expansion)
• Trigonometry (radians, identities, equations)
• Exponentials and logarithms
• Calculus: differentiation and integration (including integration by parts, substitution)
• Differential equations and numerical methods
• Proof (direct, by contradiction, by exhaustion)
• Vectors

Mechanics Topics (Paper 2)

• Kinematics (constant and variable acceleration)
• Forces and Newton’s Laws
• Moments
• Projectiles

Statistics Topics (Paper 3)

• Statistical sampling methods
• Data presentation and interpretation
• Probability
• Statistical distributions (Normal, Binomial)
• Hypothesis testing

Where to Find AQA A Level Maths Past Papers

• AQA.org.uk — papers from 2018 onwards (post-linear reform)
• Physics & Maths Tutor — topic-sorted questions, excellent for targeted practice
• Madas Maths — additional practice papers

Important: A Level Maths was reformed in 2017. Only use post-2018 papers for AQA unless explicitly practising for content that hasn’t changed.

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Edexcel A Level Mathematics (9MA0)

Paper Structure

Paper	Content	Duration	Marks
Paper 1	Pure Mathematics 1	2h	100
Paper 2	Pure Mathematics 2	2h	100
Paper 3	Statistics and Mechanics	2h	100

Edexcel provides a formulae booklet in all papers. Know which formulae are given and which must be memorised.

Where to Find Edexcel A Level Maths Past Papers

• Pearson qualifications (qualifications.pearson.com) — official papers
• Physics & Maths Tutor — mark-scheme aligned worked solutions
• Edexcel Maths (examsolutions.net) — video walkthroughs for past paper questions

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OCR A Level Mathematics (H240)

OCR offers two A Level Maths specifications:

• H240 — OCR A (Mathematics A)
• H230 — OCR B (MEI Mathematics)

Paper Structure (H240)

Paper	Content	Duration	Marks
Paper 1	Pure Mathematics	2h	100
Paper 2	Pure Mathematics and Statistics	2h	100
Paper 3	Pure Mathematics and Mechanics	2h	100

Where to Find OCR Maths Past Papers

• OCR.org.uk — official papers
• PMT (Physics & Maths Tutor) — OCR A and OCR B coverage

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How to Use A Level Maths Past Papers

Complete Papers in Full, Under Timed Conditions

A Level Maths papers are 2 hours each. Practising individual questions is useful, but regularly completing full papers under time pressure develops the stamina and time management you need on exam day. Aim for one full paper per week in the months before your exams.

Use the Mark Scheme as a Learning Tool

After marking your work, don’t just note what you got wrong — analyse why you got it wrong:

• Did you not know the method?
• Did you know the method but make an arithmetic error?
• Did you run out of time?

Each failure mode requires a different fix.

Identify Your Weakest Topics

Track your marks by topic across multiple past papers. If you consistently drop marks on integration by parts, or hypothesis testing, or projectiles — those are your revision priorities. Don’t spend revision time on topics you already understand.

Learn From Model Answers

For questions you got wrong, work through a model answer or video solution. Understanding the correct method is more valuable than simply noting what you got wrong.

Practise Show-That Questions

A Level Maths papers include “show that” questions where the answer is given and you must produce the working. These are high-risk — many students find them harder than open-ended questions because they can’t reverse-engineer from the answer. Practise these specifically.

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Formulae to Memorise (AQA/Edexcel/OCR)

These are not provided in the formulae booklet and must be memorised:

• Quadratic formula: x = (−b ± √(b² − 4ac)) / 2a
• sin²θ + cos²θ = 1 and derived identities
• Binomial expansion for (1+x)ⁿ (|x|<1)
• Derivative of sin x = cos x; derivative of cos x = −sin x
• ∫eˣ dx = eˣ + c; ∫1/x dx = ln|x| + c

Check the specific formulae booklet for your exam board — the list of what’s given differs between AQA, Edexcel and OCR.

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Need Help with A Level Maths?

Tutopiya’s A Level Maths tutors provide expert one-to-one online sessions covering AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications. From Pure to Statistics to Mechanics, our tutors explain concepts clearly and help you develop the exam technique to maximise your marks.

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