Edexcel IAL P2 mock exam: what is on it and how to revise
The WMA12 paper format, free P2 mini-mocks to sit, a 2-week and a 4-week revision plan, and the P2 mistakes that cost the most marks. Everything here is free.
By Pete Bromfield, former Head of Maths with IB examining experience (independent)
What is on the IAL P2 mock
Your school writes or chooses your mock, so ask your teacher which units and topics are in it. Most mocks copy the real Pearson Edexcel exam, which for P2 Pure Mathematics 2 is one paper:
| Paper | Time | Marks | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Mathematics P2 | 1 h 30 min | 75 | Allowed |
As listed on Pearson's website. P2 is examined on its own, so a mock for several units is several separate papers. More on P2: IAL P2 past papers · P2 topics and questions · IAL formula sheet.
Sit a free IAL P2 mock
Sit one paper under timed conditions before you revise: the marks you lose tell you which topics to fix first.
Start here
Two P2 mini-mocks, free to sit
Our own P2 papers at the real exam's pace (75 marks in 90 minutes), answered on screen.
Every question is free to read and a free account marks your answers; the mark scheme comes with an A Level plan or the free 7-day trial.
The real thing
Pearson's own P2 past papers
Pearson publishes IAL papers and mark schemes on its website. Our page links to every P2 paper Pearson has made public and has an exam timer.
Print it
Practice exam (PDF)
P2 Mathematical Proof: a printable exam with its own mark scheme.
2-week IAL P2 mock revision plan
Ten days on the P2 topics, in the order our Examiner Insights rank them, then four days on papers. Each topic links to its revision page and a Skill Builder.
- Days 1 and 2
Factor and remainder theorems, proof
- Days 3 and 4
Sequences and series
- Day 5
Exponentials and logarithms
- Day 6
Integration, area and the trapezium rule
- Day 7
Trig identities and equations
- Day 8
Circles
- Day 9
Stationary points and optimisation
- Day 10
Binomial expansion
- Day 11
P2 mini-mock A, timed
Sit P2 mini-mock A in one go: 34 minutes, with the formula booklet.
- Day 12
Mark it and fix the gaps
Check your answers, put every lost mark in My mistakes, then do the Skill Builders for your two weakest topics.
- Day 13
A full paper, timed
Sit a recent paper from the IAL P2 past papers: 1 hour 30 minutes for 75 marks. Short of time? Do P2 mini-mock B instead.
- Day 14
Formulas and calculator
Learn the IAL formulas not in the booklet, then run the calculator exam-day checklist. Rest the evening before.
4-week IAL P2 mock revision plan
Four weeks lets you go through every P2 topic in more depth and sit three timed papers. Topics where students lose the most marks come first.
Show the 4 weeks, topic by topic
- Week 1
Factor and remainder theorems, proof · Sequences and series · Exponentials and logarithms
Start with a diagnostic: P2 mini-mock A (34 minutes), timed. Then:
- Week 2
Integration, area and the trapezium rule · Trig identities and equations · Circles
End the week by redoing everything in My mistakes.
- Week 3
Stationary points and optimisation · Binomial expansion, then a full paper
At the weekend, sit a full paper from the IAL P2 past papers, timed, and mark it.
- Week 4
Papers and the last gaps
Sit P2 mini-mock B and another full P2 past paper, each timed. Spend the days between on the Skill Builders for your weakest topics, the formulas not in the booklet and the calculator checklist.
Want the four weeks ticked off and a reminder each Monday? Mock Season Plan counts back from your mock date. Only 12 days? Use the 12-day IAL Maths mock plan.
The IAL P2 mistakes that cost the most marks
From our summary of Pearson Edexcel’s published examiner reports for IAL P2 (WMA12). Check your mock against each one.
Logarithms: log laws not shown, and roots not rejected
Fix: One log law per line, then remove the log (log₂ A = 3 ⇒ A = 2³). Reject any root that makes an argument ≤ 0 and say why.
Trapezium rule: strip width and brackets
Fix: h = (b − a)/n for n strips; write ½h[first + last + 2(middle ones)] in full.
Factor theorem: "= 0" not set up from the start; roots not justified
Fix: Write "f(−3) = 0" first. To justify the number of roots, factorise fully and use the discriminant of the quadratic factor.
Proof: examples instead of general cases; weak conclusions
Fix: Cover every case with algebra (3k, 3k + 1, 3k + 2), and finish with a sentence stating what has been shown.
Geometric series: r the wrong way up; sum to infinity with |r| ≥ 1
Fix: r = later term ÷ earlier term. Only use S∞ = a/(1 − r) when |r| < 1.
Worked examples of each, and the rest of the list: where IAL P2 students lose marks.
Make your mock revision count: free account
- The whole mark scheme of a free mini-mockOpen the full mark scheme of the P1 mini-mock A (our free sample), not just its first 5 questions.
- Build your own mockPick your weak topics and take a test made from the free questions, then mark it.
- My mistakesEvery question you get wrong goes into one list, ready to retry before the mock.
Make a free account: no card needed5 more practice questions on every topic with instant feedback, answers and mark schemes on free questions, and your streak and progress on any device.
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Common questions
What is on the IAL P2 mock exam?
Your school sets it, so check with your teacher. The real P2 Pure Mathematics 2 exam (WMA12/01) is one paper of 1 hour 30 minutes for 75 marks, and a calculator is allowed.
Is there a free IAL P2 mock paper?
Yes. Our P2 mini-mocks are free to sit. Every question is free to read and a free account marks your answers; the mark scheme comes with an A Level plan or the free 7-day trial. Pearson publishes its own P2 past papers on its website; our IAL P2 past papers page links to each one.
Can I use a calculator in IAL P2?
Yes. A calculator is allowed in every Edexcel IAL Maths unit, including P2. Show your working anyway: many marks are for the method.
How long should I revise for my IAL P2 mock?
Two weeks is enough for a focused plan: ten days on the P2 topics, then papers. Four weeks lets you cover every topic in more depth and sit three timed papers. Both plans are on this page.
Which units are in an IAL Maths mock?
Ask your teacher: it depends on which units you are taking next. Each unit is a separate paper, and each has its own page here: P1, P2, P3, P4, S1, M1.
Other IAL units
IAL P1 mock exam · IAL P3 mock exam · IAL P4 mock exam · IAL S1 mock exam · IAL M1 mock exam · all A Level Maths mock exams
Also for P2: P2 topics and questions · IAL Maths hub · Examiner Insights · IAL Skill Builders · exam season plans
Independent revision resource, not produced or endorsed by Pearson Edexcel, AQA or OCR. Every mock paper and question on this page is our own; the boards' papers are linked on their own websites.
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