DSE maths revision plan: what to do from S4 to the exam
The 2027 DSE maths exam is on 12 April. This plan splits revision into S4 to S5, the first term of S6, the last three months and the last month, with what to focus on in Paper 1 and Paper 2.
Short answer: in S4 and S5, build the basics and keep a mistakes notebook. In the first term of S6, finish the syllabus and practise past-paper questions by topic. In the last three months, do full timed papers every week. In the last month, focus on your mistakes and formulas. In 2027, DSE Mathematics Compulsory Part Papers 1 and 2 are on the morning of Monday 12 April (HKEAA 2027 HKDSE examination timetable). Days to the exam: —.
First, know how DSE maths is examined
| Paper | Time | Weight | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (conventional questions) | 2¼ hours | 65% | Section A(1) elementary questions, 35 marks; Section A(2) harder questions, 35 marks; Section B, 35 marks |
| Paper 2 (multiple choice) | 1¼ hours | 35% | 45 questions, about 100 seconds each |
In 2026, 42,701 day-school candidates sat maths: 83.8% reached level 2 or above, 40.1% level 4 or above and 15.8% level 5 or above (HKEAA press release on the 2026 HKDSE results).
Stage 1: S4 to S5, build the basics
- After each topic, write the standard steps in your notes, for example the three ways to solve Quadratic equations in one unknown.
- Keep a mistakes notebook: write down the step that went wrong and whether it was a concept error or a calculation slip.
- Go back over your mistakes once a week, rather than only doing new questions.
- Junior topics such as factorisation, percentages and Pythagoras' theorem still appear in Section A. Fix weak spots early.
Stage 2: first term of S6, finish the syllabus
- Finish the remaining topics, such as Measures of dispersion.
- Do past-paper questions topic by topic to learn how DSE asks them.
- Practise "use part (a) to do part (b)": the later parts of Section B questions often need earlier results.
Stage 3: the last three months, full papers
- Do at least one timed Paper 1 and one timed Paper 2 every week.
- Control your speed in Paper 2: if a question has no clear way in after two minutes, skip it and come back at the end.
- After each paper, record why you lost marks and on which question types, and practise those types the next week.
The last month: mistakes and formulas
- Focus on your mistakes notebook and formulas. Do not chase new hard questions.
- Check your calculator mode (degrees, Deg) and the keys you are used to.
- Keep normal sleep, and go to bed early the night before.
Example weekly timetable
| Day | S4 to S5 | Last three months |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 20 minutes a day: practice on that day's topic | 30 minutes a day: weak topics |
| Saturday | Review the mistakes notebook | Timed Paper 1 |
| Sunday | Rest or read ahead | Timed Paper 2, then mark it and record mistakes |
Plan your time around your goal
If you are aiming for level 2, spend your time on Section A. You do not need to finish every Section B question, but try part (a) of each. If you are aiming for level 4 or above, practise full proofs and the reasoning in long questions.
A few minutes a day with Sprout
Sprout, the online maths teacher at Sprout Classroom, is free with no sign-up. The S4 course is open now. Each lesson takes a few minutes, a wrong answer shows the reason straight away, and questions you got wrong come back at the end of the lesson. Lessons are in Chinese for now.