Impossible maths questions leaves students and parents stumped

There is a reason the exam questions have been becoming more difficult

As thousands of Year 11 students across the UK tackle their mock exams, one thing has teachers and parents equally stumped: the rise of the so-called “impossible” GCSE maths question. Lindsey Wright, Head of Maths Education at Tutors Valley , said the final one or two questions in recent maths papers are becoming so complex they feel almost unreachable, forcing students to fundamentally rethink how they prepare.

“These last questions often require applying multiple topics at once,” Lindsey said. “Students who haven’t practised layered problem-solving can freeze, even if they know all the underlying content.”

Students agree. On Reddit , one user said: “This kind of question sucks because it’s not something you’ve