Maths Genie vs PMT Past Papers: Which Is Best?

Maths Genie or PMT: the quick decision

Choose PMT if your priority is accessing a broad, exam-board-based library for repeated past-paper practice. Choose Maths Genie if you want to move between full papers, individual topics and video lessons that reteach the mathematics.

PMT is particularly useful when you already understand the course and want more exam material. Maths Genie is usually the more joined-up option when a paper exposes a weak topic and you need teaching before attempting further questions.

Using both can work well: one can supply additional papers while the other provides a learn–practise–test route. Whichever you choose, confirm the qualification, exam board, specification and, at GCSE, tier before downloading resources.

Maths Genie vs PMT past papers at a glance

These rows describe genuine trade-offs. A large paper archive is useful only if you select the correct documents and learn from errors. Equally, video teaching produces little progress unless you follow it with independent practice.

Which site is better for full past papers?

For pure exam-paper access, PMT has the edge for many students. Its paper area covers several qualifications and exam boards, with routes to question papers and mark schemes. Some collections also provide model answers or video solutions. This works well when your task is specific, such as completing a named paper under timed conditions.

GCSE resources can be divided by paper, making it easier to focus on Paper 1, Paper 2 or Paper 3 where that structure applies. A Level material is similarly arranged around specifications and components. However, coverage varies, so do not assume every paper includes both a model answer and video support.

Maths Genie also provides exam-board-specific paper hubs. Start at the GCSE Maths revision hub or A Level Maths revision hub, then select the correct board. Dedicated collections include Edexcel GCSE Maths past papers, AQA GCSE Maths past papers and AQA A Level Maths past papers.

Maths Genie’s advantage is the surrounding course structure. If marking reveals difficulty with completing the square or conditional probability, you can return to the relevant topic, study the explanation and attempt focused practice. The mark scheme becomes a diagnostic tool rather than the end of the exercise.

Choose PMT for a document-led paper archive. Choose Maths Genie when full papers need to form part of a broader learning cycle.

Which is better for GCSE Maths past papers by topic?

Students searching for GCSE Maths past papers by topic usually need either authentic questions grouped by skill or teaching followed by exam-style practice.

PMT is strong for the first purpose. Its GCSE material is divided into broad areas such as number, algebra, ratio and proportion, geometry and measures, probability, and statistics. These lead to narrower topic packs. Board-specific collections include Foundation and Higher resources, while some Edexcel material is also organised by grade.

This precision helps after a mock. If your error log shows repeated problems with transformations, you can practise that topic without completing another mixed paper and waiting for it to appear. The trade-off is that sorting questions does not teach the method. Notes, solutions and selected videos may help, but a solution to one question is not necessarily a complete lesson.

Maths Genie is stronger for the second purpose. Its course pages connect exam-style practice with teaching material. The Edexcel GCSE Maths video library, for example, is organised by topic and includes Foundation and Higher content. Available topic resources may include question banks, worksheets, videos and revision guidance.

Choose Maths Genie when you cannot yet explain or reproduce the method independently. Watch the lesson, rewrite the key steps without looking and then answer questions. PMT may be quicker when the method is already secure and you need concentrated practice.

Which is better for A Level Maths topic practice?

At A Level, distinguishing learning from drilling is especially important. Completing more integration questions will not necessarily help if you cannot identify which method is appropriate.

PMT provides detailed topic collections for major specifications. Material can divide pure mathematics, statistics and mechanics into areas such as algebra and functions, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, integration and hypothesis testing. Some collections distinguish Year 1 from Year 2 or separate questions by period. Depending on the page, students may find questions, mark schemes, model answers, worksheets and selected video solutions.

This is useful when you need narrow targeting. After studying integration by substitution, for example, you can practise that subtopic without searching complete papers. Older-specification questions require care: although the underlying mathematics may remain relevant, terminology, permitted methods and assessment style may differ from the current specification.

The Maths Genie A Level Maths hub begins with the exam board and connects topics to practice and learning material. Its Edexcel A Level Maths video lessons include pure mathematics, statistics and mechanics topics from across the course.

Maths Genie therefore offers continuity when a concept needs explanation before practice. PMT remains valuable when understanding is secure and further subtopic-based examination questions are the priority.

Does PMT include video teaching?

PMT provides video solutions for selected resources, including some GCSE topic sets, full papers and A Level collections. These can show how working develops rather than giving only final mark-scheme points.

A solution video is not the same as a dedicated lesson for every topic. It normally begins with an examination question and may assume that you already recognise the required facts, formulae or strategy. Its main purpose is to solve that particular problem.

Maths Genie provides topic video catalogues at GCSE and A Level. The lessons explain content and apply it to exam-style questions, which is more helpful when you do not know how to begin.

Use this distinction:

• If you know the method but cannot identify where your working lost marks, a solution video may be sufficient.
• If you do not understand why a method works or when to use it, begin with a topic lesson.

It is therefore inaccurate to say PMT has no Maths videos. Its videos serve selected solutions, while Maths Genie builds video teaching into a topic-revision route.

Match the resource to your revision problem

Choose PMT for additional exam practice

PMT is a sensible starting point when you can complete most skills without prompts and need practice with wording, mixed topics and time pressure. Its organisation also helps when a teacher gives you an exact board and paper reference.

Do not measure progress by completed PDFs. Mark each paper, classify every lost mark and revisit the underlying topic. Otherwise, repeated papers may simply rehearse the same errors.

Choose Maths Genie for repairing knowledge gaps

Maths Genie is more suitable when practice reveals missing knowledge or an insecure method. Its topic videos and connected questions shorten the route from diagnosing a weakness to addressing it.

For example, if a GCSE paper shows that you cannot form equations from a geometrical context, copying one worked answer may encourage imitation. Reviewing equations through a topic lesson and then answering varied questions is more likely to develop transferable understanding.

Use both for teaching and breadth

A practical revision sequence is:

1. Complete a full paper under the correct time conditions.
2. Mark it with the official mark scheme.
3. Record each error by topic and cause.
4. Use a Maths Genie lesson when knowledge or method is missing.
5. Attempt focused questions without viewing the solution first.
6. Use additional PMT papers or topic packs to test the skill in unfamiliar contexts.
7. Repeat full-paper practice later.

This avoids two common traps: watching explanations without practising and completing papers without correcting weaknesses.

Check the qualification before downloading

Neither site can prevent you from choosing unsuitable material. Verify:

• Qualification: GCSE, International GCSE, AS or A Level.
• Exam board: use the board specified by your school or college.
• Specification: check the qualification code where possible.
• Tier: GCSE Foundation and Higher papers are not interchangeable.
• Paper or component: distinguish calculator and non-calculator papers, or pure mathematics, statistics and mechanics components, as required.
• Resource type: identify whether the document is an official past paper, specimen material, practice paper or topic worksheet.

Older papers can supply useful mathematics practice, but they should not automatically be treated as exact models of the current assessment. Ask your teacher if their relevance is unclear.

Final verdict

PMT is the better fit for students seeking a broad, document-led collection of full papers and tightly grouped past-paper questions. Maths Genie is the better fit when papers need to connect directly with topic teaching, particularly through dedicated GCSE and A Level video lessons.

Start with PMT for additional exam practice when your knowledge is secure. Start with Maths Genie when you are still developing understanding or repeatedly exposing the same conceptual gaps. The strongest overall method is to learn the topic, practise it independently and then apply it in a timed paper.