What the board asks

We went through the ISC board papers, question by question, and matched each question to a topic. Here is what was asked, how often, and what was never asked.

Mathematics: 309 topics in the 2027 syllabus, across 11 units. The board has asked 255 of them at least once. 54 were never asked in the papers we checked.

Pick a unit

M10 Linear Programming

This unit carries about 5 marks in the paper. We split it into 12 topics: each is one thing an examiner can ask, and you can practise it on paper in 5 to 25 minutes. The board has asked 11 of them. 1 were never asked. The top 5 topics make 77% of all the times this unit was asked. Last asked: Specimen 2027.

The syllabus says: Up to three non-trivial constraints.

11asked by the board at least once

1in the syllabus, never asked

26times a topic of this unit was asked

3hours for one attempt at every topic

What the papers ask most

  • Formulate an LPP from a word problem8 times, last 2026
  • Word problem: budget and capacity limits, maximise profit or count4 times, last 2026
  • Draw the feasible region for up to three constraints3 times, last 2023
  • Word problem: manufacturing with machine or labour hours, maximise profit3 times, last 2020
  • Solve a given LPP graphically: bounded region, maximise2 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Two-statement or assertion-reason on existence of optimal solutionsonce, last Specimen 2027
  • Write the constraints from a given shaded feasible regiononce, last Specimen 2027
  • Bounded, unbounded or infeasible region; change a constraintonce, last Specimen 2027
  • Objective optimal at two points: find coefficients or valueonce, last Specimen 2027
  • Minimise over an unbounded region with the half-plane checkonce, last 2017

In the syllabus, never asked (1)

They can still come, because they are in the syllabus. Give each one clean attempt. Your plan has two practice questions for each.

  • LP terminology, advantages, limitations and application areasStatement

All the topics in Mathematics: Linear Programming →

The 10 topics Mathematics papers ask most

Counted on the board papers from 2018 to the 2027 specimen paper, which every unit has been checked against.

  1. 1.Formulate an LPP from a word problemM10 Linear Programming · asked 7 times since 2018
  2. 2.Scalar and vector projection of one vector on anotherM8 Vector Algebra · asked 6 times since 2018
  3. 3.Mean (expected value) of a random variableM11 Probability · asked 6 times since 2018
  4. 4.Find the inverse of an invertible algebraic function and verifyM1 Relations and Functions · asked 5 times since 2018
  5. 5.Principal value of expressions and nested inverse trigM1 Relations and Functions · asked 5 times since 2018
  6. 6.Evaluate or show zero without expanding, using propertiesM2 Algebra: Matrices and Determinants · asked 5 times since 2018
  7. 7.Prove a determinant equals a factorised expression using propertiesM2 Algebra: Matrices and Determinants · asked 5 times since 2018
  8. 8.Definite integral of a modulus functionM5 Calculus: Integrals · asked 5 times since 2018
  9. 9.Case study or linked parts on lines and planesM9 Three-Dimensional Geometry · asked 5 times since 2018
  10. 10.Equations solved with the complementary identitiesM1 Relations and Functions · asked 4 times since 2018

See when each unit comes in your plan