IGCSE Add Math Exam Guide
0606 vs 4037: IGCSE and O Level Additional Mathematics Compared
Written by Rig, our founder
8 years teaching IGCSE & SPM maths · Updated 26 June 2026
If you have seen both 0606 and 4037 attached to “Additional Mathematics” and wondered which your child is taking, here is the short answer: they are Cambridge’s two codes for the same subject, 0606 being the IGCSE version and 4037 the O Level version, and the mathematics is essentially identical. The choice is almost always the centre’s, not the student’s, and it changes very little about how you prepare.
What is actually the same
For practical purposes, treat 0606 and 4037 as the same exam:
- The syllabus content is the same Additional Mathematics: functions, quadratics, calculus, logarithms and exponentials, trigonometry, series, vectors, and the rest of the 14 topics.
- The assessment shape is the same: two written papers (a non-calculator paper and a calculator paper) and no coursework.
- The method and the mark schemes are the same: the working-for-marks discipline, the command words, and the common mistakes.
This is why every topic note, formula list and past-paper on this site applies whichever code your centre uses. A student prepared for 0606 is prepared for 4037, and vice versa.
What actually differs
| 0606 (IGCSE) | 4037 (O Level) | |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | IGCSE Additional Mathematics | O Level Additional Mathematics |
| Grade scale | A* to G | A* to E |
| Offered by | Most international schools / IGCSE centres | Some O Level centres and schools |
| Content & papers | Additional Mathematics, two papers | Essentially the same |
The differences are administrative: the qualification label, the grade scale, and which centres enter candidates for which code. For university and sixth-form progression, both are recognised Cambridge Additional Mathematics qualifications and do the same job: proving you can handle advanced maths and bridging into A Level Maths.
What you should actually do
- Confirm the code your centre uses. Ask your school or exam centre whether candidates are entered for 0606 or 4037. It determines your entry route and timetable, nothing about the maths.
- Then forget about it. Prepare the same way for either: full syllabus coverage, past papers to time, mark schemes read closely.
- Don’t confuse this with the real decision. The choice that matters is not 0606 vs 4037, it is whether to take Additional Mathematics at all, and how it differs from standard IGCSE Maths 0580. Those are the questions worth your attention.
Whichever code is on the entry, the subject is the same demanding, method-heavy Additional Mathematics, and the preparation that earns an A or A* is the same too. Our vetted tutors teach it online 1-to-1 across Malaysia (RM80/hr, 1.5-hour classes); every student starts with a free 1-hour trial over WhatsApp.