Verbatim quotes from 4 official Cambridge examiner reports (2023–2025). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things Cambridge markers flag year after year.

Show-that questions

In 'show that' questions, candidates frequently used circular reasoning by starting from the given answer and working backwards, or skipped essential algebraic steps such as expanding brackets.

— Cambridge examiner, 4024 Paper 2, May/June 2023

Expressions treated as equations

Some candidates treated algebraic expressions as equations, inappropriately setting them equal to zero or attempting to 'solve' when the question asked to simplify or factorise.

— Cambridge examiner, 4024 Paper 1, May/June 2023

Standard form arithmetic errors

Candidates made errors in standard form calculations by attempting to add or subtract numbers in standard form without first converting them to the same power of 10.

— Cambridge examiner, 4024 Paper 1, May/June 2023

See how to avoid these in the Mathematics D 4024 exam guide

Avoid these

Most Common Mistakes — Mathematics D (4024)

Based on analysis of 4 official Cambridge examiner reports (2023, 2024, 2025). Avoid these errors to maximise your marks.

Show-that questions — circular arguments, skipping bracket expansion

Paper 2 · Widespread in Paper 2, 2023

Expressions treated as equations — adding '=0' to solve an expression

Paper 1 · Common in algebra questions, Paper 1, 2023

Standard form arithmetic errors — subtracting numbers before adjusting powers

Paper 1 · Seen in Paper 1 non-calculator arithmetic, 2023

Inequality sign not reversed when dividing by negative

Paper 1 · Recurring in inequality questions, Paper 1, 2023

Time format errors — 3.6 hours written as 3h 6min instead of 3h 36min

Paper 2 · Seen in speed/distance/time questions, Paper 2, 2023

Focus your revision

Topics Students Struggle With Most

Proportionality with multiple variables

Candidates struggled to set up equations involving joint or inverse proportion, particularly when more than two variables were involved.

Paper 2

Vector proofs (collinearity)

Candidates found it difficult to prove that three points are collinear using vectors, often failing to show that one vector is a scalar multiple of another.

Paper 2

Perpendicular bisector proofs

Questions requiring the equation of a perpendicular bisector were poorly answered, with candidates confusing the midpoint with the gradient relationship.

Paper 2

Function notation f(x+5)

Candidates confused f(x) + 5 with f(x + 5), not understanding that f(x + 5) requires substituting (x + 5) everywhere x appears in the function.

Paper 1

Cone-from-sector problems

Candidates struggled to connect the arc length of a sector to the circumference of the cone's base, a key relationship in these problems.

Paper 2

Histogram frequency density

Many candidates plotted frequency instead of frequency density on histograms, and could not calculate frequency density = frequency ÷ class width.

Paper 1, Paper 2

Circle theorem reasoning

Candidates could often find missing angles but failed to name or explain the circle theorem used, losing marks that require geometric reasoning.

Paper 1, Paper 2

3D trigonometry

Candidates struggled to identify the correct right-angled triangle within a 3D shape and often applied trigonometric ratios in the wrong plane.

Paper 2

Conversion between units of area and volume

The 2025 P22 report notes 'Conversion from m² to cm² proved challenging for many. The most common error was 610, using the linear conversion factor of 100. Other errors involved multiplying or dividing by an incorrect power of 10.' The same paper saw candidates struggle to relate cm³ to litres.

Paper 2

Set notation and Venn diagrams

Under the revised 2025 syllabus, set notation was assessed explicitly. Candidates confused A', A ∩ B, A ∪ B', and (A ∪ B)'; many listed elements when asked for the count, or gave the count when asked for a list. Shading the wrong region on a Venn was common.

Paper 1, Paper 2

Surds — simplification and rationalising the denominator

New 2025 syllabus content. The s25 P12 report observed candidates using methods like '√175 − √28 = √(175 − 28) = √147' and rationalising errors that introduced unnecessary negative signs, indicating that many were unfamiliar with the convention that surds combine multiplicatively, not additively.

Paper 1

Recurring decimal to fraction conversion

New 2025 syllabus content. Candidates frequently misread the dot/bar notation as a terminating decimal (e.g. 0.17 = 0.1777) or wrote answers as decimal-over-integer fractions rather than integer-over-integer. The algebraic method (let x = decimal, multiply by 10^n, subtract) was poorly known.

Paper 1

About

Mathematics D (4024) — Cambridge O Level Full Archive 2002–2026

This page contains all 379 available papers for Cambridge O Level Mathematics D (4024) — 49 exam sessions from 2002 to 2026. Each session includes question papers, mark schemes, and where available, examiner reports and grade threshold documents. All files are free to download as PDF — no account required.

Cambridge O Level Mathematics D (4024) is examined through multiple paper components. Question papers are available in two or three variants per session (v1, v2, v3) — each variant is sat in a different time zone but covers the same syllabus content and is equivalent in difficulty. The paper number in the filename indicates which component: for example, 4024_qp_12 is Paper 1, Variant 2.

Mark schemes for 4024 show the exact marking points accepted by Cambridge examiners. Many questions have multiple acceptable phrasings — look for 'accept', 'allow', and 'credit' in the mark scheme to understand the full range of valid responses. Examiner reports (where available) reveal the most common errors made by the cohort and what top-band answers looked like, making them essential reading before the actual exam.

The most effective way to use this archive is to attempt past papers under timed exam conditions, then analyse your mark scheme results by component. Track which paper components and question types you score lowest on — this tells you exactly where to focus revision. Grade threshold documents show the minimum mark needed for each grade in that specific session, which helps calibrate how your practice scores translate to actual grades.

Same subject

Mathematics D 4024 at other levels

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics

Subject code: 0580

Cambridge AS & A Level Mathematics

Subject code: 9709

FAQs

Questions, answered.

You can download all Cambridge Mathematics D 4024 past papers right here on PapersDaddy. We have 49 exam sessions from 2002–2026 — including question papers, mark schemes, examiner reports, and grade thresholds for 4024. Click any session below to view and download PDFs.

Yes! Every Cambridge O Level Mathematics D (4024) exam session includes the corresponding mark scheme alongside the question paper. Mark schemes show exactly how marks are allocated, helping you understand what examiners look for in top-scoring answers.

Start with recent 4024 papers (2025–2023) to understand current trends. Practice under timed conditions, then mark yourself using the mark scheme. Read examiner reports to learn common mistakes. For targeted revision, use Mathematics D 4024 topical past papers to focus on specific topics.

We have Cambridge O Level Mathematics D (4024) papers from May/June, October/November, and March sessions (where applicable), covering 2002–2026. That's 49 exam sessions in total.