Cambridge International AS & A Level Mathematics 9709 · exams in 2026 and 2027
The 9709 syllabus, topic by topic
The current Cambridge International AS & A Level Mathematics 9709 syllabus is for exams in 2026 and 2027. It is examined in 6 papers and lists 38 numbered topics. AS Level: Paper 1 with Paper 2 (pure only — cannot count towards A Level), Paper 4 or Paper 5. A Level: Papers 1 and 3, then either Papers 4 and 5 or Papers 5 and 6 — Papers 4 and 6 cannot be combined.
Cambridge publishes the syllabus, not how often each topic is examined. Beside the topics below is what Quanta measured on 42 real 9709 papers (Paper 1): the share of the marks each topic carried. The biggest is Series, at 17.1% of Paper 1.
Source: Cambridge AS & A Level Mathematics 9709 syllabus, 2026–2027 (PDF, version 4, published December 2025).
Updated 5 October 2026
The 9709 papers
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Pure Mathematics 110 to 12 structured questions1 hour 50 minutes · 60% of AS · 30% of A Level | 1 hour 50 minutes | 75 | 60% of AS · 30% of A Level |
| Paper 2: Pure Mathematics 26 to 8 structured questions1 hour 15 minutes · 40% of AS · AS only | 1 hour 15 minutes | 50 | 40% of AS · AS only |
| Paper 3: Pure Mathematics 39 to 11 structured questions1 hour 50 minutes · 30% of A Level only | 1 hour 50 minutes | 75 | 30% of A Level only |
| Paper 4: Mechanics6 to 8 structured questions1 hour 15 minutes · 40% of AS · 20% of A Level | 1 hour 15 minutes | 50 | 40% of AS · 20% of A Level |
| Paper 5: Probability & Statistics 16 to 8 structured questions1 hour 15 minutes · 40% of AS · 20% of A Level | 1 hour 15 minutes | 50 | 40% of AS · 20% of A Level |
| Paper 6: Probability & Statistics 26 to 8 structured questions1 hour 15 minutes · 20% of A Level only | 1 hour 15 minutes | 50 | 20% of A Level only |
- AS Level: Paper 1 with Paper 2 (pure only — cannot count towards A Level), Paper 4 or Paper 5.
- A Level: Papers 1 and 3, then either Papers 4 and 5 or Papers 5 and 6 — Papers 4 and 6 cannot be combined.
AS Level routes are graded a to e; A Level routes A* to E. Exams run in the June and November series; schools in India can also enter in March. When each series’ papers come out →
Paper 1 — Pure Mathematics 1
“In past papers” is each topic’s share of all the marks on 42 Paper 1 sittings from 2020 to 2025, and how many of those sittings it appeared on. Each question part is counted once, under the topic it mainly tests.
| # | Topic | In past papers |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | QuadraticsQuadratics guide | 9% · 282 mkon 38/42 |
| 1.2 | FunctionsFunctions guide | 14.4% · 455 mkon 42/42 |
| 1.3 | Coordinate geometryCoordinate geometry guide | 12.3% · 389 mkon 42/42 |
| 1.4 | Circular measureCircular measure guide | 9.1% · 288 mkon 42/42 |
| 1.5 | TrigonometryTrigonometric identities & equations guide | 10.7% · 337 mkon 41/42 |
| 1.6 | SeriesArithmetic and geometric progressions guide · Binomial expansion guide | 17.1% · 540 mkon 42/42 |
| 1.7 | DifferentiationDifferentiation guide | 15.2% · 478 mkon 42/42 |
| 1.8 | IntegrationIntegration guide | 12.1% · 381 mkon 42/42 |
Paper 2 — Pure Mathematics 2
Quanta hasn’t mapped these papers, so the topics are listed without counts — the numbering and names are Cambridge’s.
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 2.1 | Algebra |
| 2.2 | Logarithmic and exponential functions |
| 2.3 | Trigonometry |
| 2.4 | Differentiation |
| 2.5 | Integration |
| 2.6 | Numerical solution of equations |
Paper 3 — Pure Mathematics 3
Quanta hasn’t mapped these papers, so the topics are listed without counts — the numbering and names are Cambridge’s.
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 3.1 | Algebra |
| 3.2 | Logarithmic and exponential functions |
| 3.3 | Trigonometry |
| 3.4 | Differentiation |
| 3.5 | Integration |
| 3.6 | Numerical solution of equations |
| 3.7 | Vectors |
| 3.8 | Differential equations |
| 3.9 | Complex numbers |
Paper 4 — Mechanics
Quanta hasn’t mapped these papers, so the topics are listed without counts — the numbering and names are Cambridge’s.
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 4.1 | Forces and equilibrium |
| 4.2 | Kinematics of motion in a straight line |
| 4.3 | Momentum |
| 4.4 | Newton’s laws of motion |
| 4.5 | Energy, work and power |
Paper 5 — Probability & Statistics 1
Quanta hasn’t mapped these papers, so the topics are listed without counts — the numbering and names are Cambridge’s.
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 5.1 | Representation of data |
| 5.2 | Permutations and combinations |
| 5.3 | Probability |
| 5.4 | Discrete random variables |
| 5.5 | The normal distribution |
Paper 6 — Probability & Statistics 2
Quanta hasn’t mapped these papers, so the topics are listed without counts — the numbering and names are Cambridge’s.
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 6.1 | The Poisson distribution |
| 6.2 | Linear combinations of random variables |
| 6.3 | Continuous random variables |
| 6.4 | Sampling and estimation |
| 6.5 | Hypothesis tests |
What changed in this syllabus
This is version 4, published December 2025, for exams in 2026 and 2027.
- Cambridge states there are no significant changes which affect teaching: the later versions corrected typing errors, updated page headers and a web link.
- Textbooks endorsed for exams from 2020 are still suitable.
Revising for 9709
- 9709 grade boundaries — the raw mark every paper needed for each grade, all 11 series since 2023.
- Most common topics in 9709 — every topic ranked by what it carried across 42 real papers.
- 9709 topical past papers — every question filed under the syllabus topic it tests, with its paper and marks.
- All 42 mapped 9709 past papers — each with its code, filename and its own topic breakdown.
- How Cambridge paper codes work — what 0580/42/O/N/25 and 9709_s25_qp_12 each mean.
- How to revise from mark schemes and how to find your weak topics.
- Source: Cambridge AS & A Level Mathematics 9709 syllabus, 2026–2027 (PDF, Cambridge International).
Practise Mathematics against real mark schemes
Quanta has real Cambridge A Level Maths 9709 past-paper questions, broken into skill checkpoints, marked criterion by criterion the way examiners mark — and it tracks which skills you’re missing. Free for individual students.
Start practising freeCommon questions
What topics are in A Level Maths 9709?
38 numbered topics: Pure Mathematics 1 (8), Pure Mathematics 2 (6), Pure Mathematics 3 (9), Mechanics (5), Probability & Statistics 1 (5), Probability & Statistics 2 (5). The full list is above in Cambridge’s numbering, with the share of the marks each one has carried on the papers Quanta has mapped.
How many papers are there in 9709?
6: Paper 1 (Pure Mathematics 1, 75 marks), Paper 2 (Pure Mathematics 2, 50 marks), Paper 3 (Pure Mathematics 3, 75 marks), Paper 4 (Mechanics, 50 marks), Paper 5 (Probability & Statistics 1, 50 marks), Paper 6 (Probability & Statistics 2, 50 marks). AS Level: Paper 1 with Paper 2 (pure only — cannot count towards A Level), Paper 4 or Paper 5. A Level: Papers 1 and 3, then either Papers 4 and 5 or Papers 5 and 6 — Papers 4 and 6 cannot be combined.
Which 9709 topic comes up most?
On the 42 Paper 1 papers Quanta has mapped, Series (1.6) carried the most: 17.1% of the marks, appearing on 42 of them. The full ranking →
Is the 9709 syllabus changing?
This syllabus covers exams in 2026 and 2027. Cambridge states there are no significant changes which affect teaching: the later versions corrected typing errors, updated page headers and a web link. For later years, check the syllabus page for 9709 on Cambridge International’s website — Cambridge publishes the next syllabus well before it is first examined.