
**To prepare for AP Computer Science, first identify whether you are taking AP Computer Science Principles or AP Computer Science A. AP CSP emphasizes the breadth and impact of computing and does not require a specific programming language. AP CSA is taught in Java and emphasizes designing, writing, analyzing, and testing code. Build the relevant foundations first, then practice the exact tasks and formats used on your AP exam.**

## AP CSP vs. AP CSA: What should you prepare for?

| Course                                                                                                      | Main emphasis                                                                                                | Programming language             | Preparation priorities                                                                                                                             |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [AP Computer Science Principles](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles) | Algorithms and programming, data, computer systems and networks, computing innovations, and their impacts    | No specific language is required | Design and analyze programs, work with data, understand systems and networks, evaluate computing impacts, and practice the Create performance task |
| [AP Computer Science A](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a)                   | Program design, code development and analysis, objects and methods, control structures, and data collections | Java                             | Write, trace, test, and debug Java; practice objects, methods, selection, iteration, classes, and collections                                      |

## What is the current AP Computer Science exam format?

| Course                                                                                        | Assessment format                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | What to practice                                                                                                                                                 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [AP CSP exam](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles/exam) | 70 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, worth 70%; Create performance task with program code, video, and Personalized Project Reference completed during 9 in-class hours, plus two written-response questions in 60 minutes, worth 30% | Multiple-choice questions, AP pseudocode, analysis of computing innovations, program development, testing, abstraction, and explaining your own Create-task code |
| [AP CSA exam](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a/exam)          | 42 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, worth 55%; four free-response questions in 90 minutes, worth 45%                                                                                                                                 | Java code analysis and development, methods and control structures, class design, ArrayList data analysis, and 2D arrays                                         |

Exam formats can change. Use the linked College Board pages as the source of truth when planning final review.

## A practical preparation timeline

| When                               | What to do                                                                                                                                    |
| ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Before or early in the course      | Build fluency with variables, conditionals, loops, functions or methods, collections, algorithms, code tracing, and debugging.                |
| Throughout the course              | Use the official Course and Exam Description as a checklist. Write code, predict outputs, explain failures, and keep an error log by topic.   |
| Six to eight weeks before the exam | Shift toward official AP questions. Fill content gaps and practice producing complete responses under increasing time pressure.               |
| Final two weeks                    | Simulate complete exam sections, score responses with official guidance, and target recurring conceptual, language, or timing errors.         |
| Final days                         | Review reference materials, terminology, response formats, and a short list of common mistakes rather than trying to relearn the full course. |

## How can Brilliant help with AP Computer Science preparation?

Brilliant can build the conceptual and programming foundations used across both AP courses. Its Python and computer science path develops code reading, conditional logic, loops, functions, debugging, data structures, algorithms, complexity analysis, and computational problem-solving.

A Brilliant curriculum audit mapped Brilliant's full CS sequence - 4 Foundations courses (Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions, Algorithmic Thinking), the 6-course Python track (165 lessons), and 6 adjacent technology courses - to the current AP course frameworks. Overall, Brilliant covers 61% of AP CSP exam topics and 81% of AP CSA exam topics. [1]

### AP Computer Science Principles coverage

| AP CSP Big Idea               | Brilliant coverage | Relevant Brilliant courses or lessons                                                                                                                         | What learners should supplement                                                                                                                             |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Creative Development          | 58%                | Functions in Python, Thinking in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Algorithmic Thinking                                                         | Collaboration and the Create performance task (UI design, citing sources); analyzing computing innovations                                                  |
| Data                          | 72%                | Thinking in Python (working with data); Digital Circuits and How Technology Works (data representation)                                                       | Extracting information from metadata; AP data-analysis question formats                                                                                     |
| Algorithms and Programming    | 88%                | Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions, Algorithmic Thinking | Random values, simulations, and undecidability; AP pseudocode notation                                                                                      |
| Computer Systems and Networks | 31%                | How Technology Works, Cryptocurrency, Quantum Computing (networks, distributed and parallel computing)                                                        | How the Internet works - packets, routers, the Internet vs. the Web                                                                                         |
| Impact of Computing           | 0%                 | - (not a programming topic)                                                                                                                                   | The full Big Idea - beneficial/harmful effects, bias, the digital divide, privacy, and legal and ethical concerns - supplement with College Board materials |

Python is directly suitable for building AP CSP programming foundations because AP CSP does not mandate a programming language. Learners should still practice AP pseudocode, computing-impact analysis, and the current Create performance task requirements.

### AP Computer Science A coverage

> **AP CSA is taught in Java, but Brilliant teaches the same concepts in Python.** Object design, methods, selection, iteration, data collections, and algorithmic reasoning are language-independent, so the conceptual understanding transfers directly. Learners should still practice the Java _syntax_ for those concepts using the current AP framework and the Java Quick Reference. Inheritance was removed from the redesigned 2025-26 AP CSA exam, so it is not part of this mapping.

| AP CSA unit               | Brilliant coverage | Relevant Brilliant courses or lessons                                                                                             | What learners should supplement                                                 |
| ------------------------- | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Using Objects and Methods | 83%                | Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, OOP in Python, Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions  | Java syntax; wrapper classes; the Java Quick Reference                          |
| Selection and Iteration   | 100%               | Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Algorithmic Thinking, Programming with Variables | Java syntax specifics (otherwise fully covered)                                 |
| Class Creation            | 72%                | OOP in Python, Functions in Python, Programming with Functions                                                                    | Static class variables/methods; writing classes in Java syntax                  |
| Data Collections          | 71%                | Thinking in Python, Algorithms in Python                                                                                          | File I/O (text files); sorting-algorithm implementation; the Java ArrayList API |

For AP CSA, Python practice builds transferable logic and algorithmic thinking; learners should also practice implementing those ideas in Java syntax using the current AP framework and Java Quick Reference.

### How much relevant practice is available on Brilliant?

| Practice type                                                           | Number in Brilliant's current curriculum                                                                                     |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Lessons where learners run executable code relevant to AP CSP or AP CSA | 274 lessons + 618 practice sets (2,081 run-and-edit code problems)                                                           |
| Problems requiring learners to trace code and predict its output        | 161 (technically all of our problems require this, but this number reflects the explicit "What's the output?" type problems) |
| Problems requiring learners to diagnose or repair code                  | 689 (361 repair, 328 diagnose)                                                                                               |
| Problems requiring learners to design or revise an algorithm            | 561                                                                                                                          |
| Problems involving data structures or collections                       | 329                                                                                                                          |

These practice counts span Brilliant's 10 AP-relevant CS courses (the 6 Python-track and 4 Foundations courses) - 274 lessons plus 618 practice sets, 3,282 problems total - counted directly from each problem's interactive. Diagnose/repair problems live overwhelmingly in the practice sets (649 of 689).

Among learners ages 13-17 who completed Thinking in Python in July 2026, 71% achieved at least 70% across in-course summative assessment problems spanning conditional logic, nested loops, data manipulation, complexity analysis, and efficient search design. [2] This measures performance within Brilliant, not AP exam scores.

## What should a learner be able to do before the exam?

A well-prepared learner should be able to:

- Trace a program and predict its output.
- Write and revise algorithms using selection and iteration.
- Find, explain, and repair errors in code.
- Compare solutions and reason about correctness or efficiency.
- Work with collections of data.
- Complete the official question and response formats for the selected AP course under time limits.
- Explain which weak areas remain and choose targeted practice for them.

## Official resources to use

- [AP Computer Science Principles course and framework](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles)
- [AP Computer Science Principles exam and past questions](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles/exam)
- [AP Computer Science A course and framework](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a)
- [AP Computer Science A exam and past questions](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a/exam)

**Best use of Brilliant:** build durable programming and computer science foundations before or alongside an AP course, then combine that work with course-specific assignments, Java practice for AP CSA, and official AP exam materials.

For learners moving from block-based coding into text-based programming, see [the next step after Scratch or block-based coding](/resources/coding/next-step-after-scratch/).

### Notes

1. **Curriculum audit:** The mapping used the AP CSP Course and Exam Description (Effective Fall 2023, 5 Big Ideas) and the redesigned AP CSA framework (effective 2025-26, 4 units, first exam May 2026). Percentages are calculated with each exam topic weighted equally (one topic = one unit of credit), over every topic on the current exam. Partially covered topics count as half a unit and are listed under "What learners should supplement." Inheritance is not counted because it was removed from the redesigned AP CSA exam. "Covered" means conceptual teaching, practice, and assessments are available for the topic. The mapping was completed and reviewed by Brilliant's Computer Science curriculum team. Topic coverage does not establish course equivalence.
2. **Thinking in Python assessment:** The analysis included learners ages 13-17 who completed Thinking in Python in July 2026. "Completed" means completing all concepts and assessments. The 71% result is the share achieving at least 70% overall across all in-course summative assessment problems. Assessments were not proctored.


Prepare for AP Computer Science: how AP CSP and AP CSA differ, the foundations each one needs, and how to practice the exact exam tasks.

<p><strong>To prepare for AP Computer Science, first identify whether you are taking AP Computer Science Principles or AP Computer Science A. AP CSP emphasizes the breadth and impact of computing and does not require a specific programming language. AP CSA is taught in Java and emphasizes designing, writing, analyzing, and testing code. Build the relevant foundations first, then practice the exact tasks and formats used on your AP exam.</strong></p>
<h2>AP CSP vs. AP CSA: What should you prepare for?</h2>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Course</th>
<th>Main emphasis</th>
<th>Programming language</th>
<th>Preparation priorities</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles">AP Computer Science Principles</a></td>
<td>Algorithms and programming, data, computer systems and networks, computing innovations, and their impacts</td>
<td>No specific language is required</td>
<td>Design and analyze programs, work with data, understand systems and networks, evaluate computing impacts, and practice the Create performance task</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a">AP Computer Science A</a></td>
<td>Program design, code development and analysis, objects and methods, control structures, and data collections</td>
<td>Java</td>
<td>Write, trace, test, and debug Java; practice objects, methods, selection, iteration, classes, and collections</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>What is the current AP Computer Science exam format?</h2>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Course</th>
<th>Assessment format</th>
<th>What to practice</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles/exam">AP CSP exam</a></td>
<td>70 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, worth 70%; Create performance task with program code, video, and Personalized Project Reference completed during 9 in-class hours, plus two written-response questions in 60 minutes, worth 30%</td>
<td>Multiple-choice questions, AP pseudocode, analysis of computing innovations, program development, testing, abstraction, and explaining your own Create-task code</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a/exam">AP CSA exam</a></td>
<td>42 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, worth 55%; four free-response questions in 90 minutes, worth 45%</td>
<td>Java code analysis and development, methods and control structures, class design, ArrayList data analysis, and 2D arrays</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Exam formats can change. Use the linked College Board pages as the source of truth when planning final review.</p>
<h2>A practical preparation timeline</h2>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>When</th>
<th>What to do</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Before or early in the course</td>
<td>Build fluency with variables, conditionals, loops, functions or methods, collections, algorithms, code tracing, and debugging.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Throughout the course</td>
<td>Use the official Course and Exam Description as a checklist. Write code, predict outputs, explain failures, and keep an error log by topic.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Six to eight weeks before the exam</td>
<td>Shift toward official AP questions. Fill content gaps and practice producing complete responses under increasing time pressure.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Final two weeks</td>
<td>Simulate complete exam sections, score responses with official guidance, and target recurring conceptual, language, or timing errors.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Final days</td>
<td>Review reference materials, terminology, response formats, and a short list of common mistakes rather than trying to relearn the full course.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>How can Brilliant help with AP Computer Science preparation?</h2>
<p>Brilliant can build the conceptual and programming foundations used across both AP courses. Its Python and computer science path develops code reading, conditional logic, loops, functions, debugging, data structures, algorithms, complexity analysis, and computational problem-solving.</p>
<p>A Brilliant curriculum audit mapped Brilliant's full CS sequence - 4 Foundations courses (Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions, Algorithmic Thinking), the 6-course Python track (165 lessons), and 6 adjacent technology courses - to the current AP course frameworks. Overall, Brilliant covers 61% of AP CSP exam topics and 81% of AP CSA exam topics. [1]</p>
<h3>AP Computer Science Principles coverage</h3>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>AP CSP Big Idea</th>
<th>Brilliant coverage</th>
<th>Relevant Brilliant courses or lessons</th>
<th>What learners should supplement</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Creative Development</td>
<td>58%</td>
<td>Functions in Python, Thinking in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Algorithmic Thinking</td>
<td>Collaboration and the Create performance task (UI design, citing sources); analyzing computing innovations</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Data</td>
<td>72%</td>
<td>Thinking in Python (working with data); Digital Circuits and How Technology Works (data representation)</td>
<td>Extracting information from metadata; AP data-analysis question formats</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Algorithms and Programming</td>
<td>88%</td>
<td>Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions, Algorithmic Thinking</td>
<td>Random values, simulations, and undecidability; AP pseudocode notation</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Computer Systems and Networks</td>
<td>31%</td>
<td>How Technology Works, Cryptocurrency, Quantum Computing (networks, distributed and parallel computing)</td>
<td>How the Internet works - packets, routers, the Internet vs. the Web</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Impact of Computing</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>- (not a programming topic)</td>
<td>The full Big Idea - beneficial/harmful effects, bias, the digital divide, privacy, and legal and ethical concerns - supplement with College Board materials</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Python is directly suitable for building AP CSP programming foundations because AP CSP does not mandate a programming language. Learners should still practice AP pseudocode, computing-impact analysis, and the current Create performance task requirements.</p>
<h3>AP Computer Science A coverage</h3>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>AP CSA is taught in Java, but Brilliant teaches the same concepts in Python.</strong> Object design, methods, selection, iteration, data collections, and algorithmic reasoning are language-independent, so the conceptual understanding transfers directly. Learners should still practice the Java <em>syntax</em> for those concepts using the current AP framework and the Java Quick Reference. Inheritance was removed from the redesigned 2025-26 AP CSA exam, so it is not part of this mapping.</p>
</blockquote>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>AP CSA unit</th>
<th>Brilliant coverage</th>
<th>Relevant Brilliant courses or lessons</th>
<th>What learners should supplement</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Using Objects and Methods</td>
<td>83%</td>
<td>Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, OOP in Python, Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions</td>
<td>Java syntax; wrapper classes; the Java Quick Reference</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Selection and Iteration</td>
<td>100%</td>
<td>Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Algorithmic Thinking, Programming with Variables</td>
<td>Java syntax specifics (otherwise fully covered)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Class Creation</td>
<td>72%</td>
<td>OOP in Python, Functions in Python, Programming with Functions</td>
<td>Static class variables/methods; writing classes in Java syntax</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Data Collections</td>
<td>71%</td>
<td>Thinking in Python, Algorithms in Python</td>
<td>File I/O (text files); sorting-algorithm implementation; the Java ArrayList API</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>For AP CSA, Python practice builds transferable logic and algorithmic thinking; learners should also practice implementing those ideas in Java syntax using the current AP framework and Java Quick Reference.</p>
<h3>How much relevant practice is available on Brilliant?</h3>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Practice type</th>
<th>Number in Brilliant's current curriculum</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Lessons where learners run executable code relevant to AP CSP or AP CSA</td>
<td>274 lessons + 618 practice sets (2,081 run-and-edit code problems)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Problems requiring learners to trace code and predict its output</td>
<td>161 (technically all of our problems require this, but this number reflects the explicit "What's the output?" type problems)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Problems requiring learners to diagnose or repair code</td>
<td>689 (361 repair, 328 diagnose)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Problems requiring learners to design or revise an algorithm</td>
<td>561</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Problems involving data structures or collections</td>
<td>329</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>These practice counts span Brilliant's 10 AP-relevant CS courses (the 6 Python-track and 4 Foundations courses) - 274 lessons plus 618 practice sets, 3,282 problems total - counted directly from each problem's interactive. Diagnose/repair problems live overwhelmingly in the practice sets (649 of 689).</p>
<p>Among learners ages 13-17 who completed Thinking in Python in July 2026, 71% achieved at least 70% across in-course summative assessment problems spanning conditional logic, nested loops, data manipulation, complexity analysis, and efficient search design. [2] This measures performance within Brilliant, not AP exam scores.</p>
<h2>What should a learner be able to do before the exam?</h2>
<p>A well-prepared learner should be able to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Trace a program and predict its output.</li>
<li>Write and revise algorithms using selection and iteration.</li>
<li>Find, explain, and repair errors in code.</li>
<li>Compare solutions and reason about correctness or efficiency.</li>
<li>Work with collections of data.</li>
<li>Complete the official question and response formats for the selected AP course under time limits.</li>
<li>Explain which weak areas remain and choose targeted practice for them.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Official resources to use</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles">AP Computer Science Principles course and framework</a></li>
<li><a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles/exam">AP Computer Science Principles exam and past questions</a></li>
<li><a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a">AP Computer Science A course and framework</a></li>
<li><a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a/exam">AP Computer Science A exam and past questions</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Best use of Brilliant:</strong> build durable programming and computer science foundations before or alongside an AP course, then combine that work with course-specific assignments, Java practice for AP CSA, and official AP exam materials.</p>
<p>For learners moving from block-based coding into text-based programming, see <a href="/resources/coding/next-step-after-scratch/">the next step after Scratch or block-based coding</a>.</p>
<h3>Notes</h3>
<ol>
<li><strong>Curriculum audit:</strong> The mapping used the AP CSP Course and Exam Description (Effective Fall 2023, 5 Big Ideas) and the redesigned AP CSA framework (effective 2025-26, 4 units, first exam May 2026). Percentages are calculated with each exam topic weighted equally (one topic = one unit of credit), over every topic on the current exam. Partially covered topics count as half a unit and are listed under "What learners should supplement." Inheritance is not counted because it was removed from the redesigned AP CSA exam. "Covered" means conceptual teaching, practice, and assessments are available for the topic. The mapping was completed and reviewed by Brilliant's Computer Science curriculum team. Topic coverage does not establish course equivalence.</li>
<li><strong>Thinking in Python assessment:</strong> The analysis included learners ages 13-17 who completed Thinking in Python in July 2026. "Completed" means completing all concepts and assessments. The 71% result is the share achieving at least 70% overall across all in-course summative assessment problems. Assessments were not proctored.</li>
</ol>


To prepare for AP Computer Science, first identify whether you are taking AP Computer Science Principles or AP Computer Science A. AP CSP emphasizes the breadth and impact of computing and does not require a specific programming language. AP CSA is taught in Java and emphasizes designing, writing, analyzing, and testing code. Build the relevant foundations first, then practice the exact tasks and formats used on your AP exam. AP CSP vs. AP CSA: What should you prepare for? Course Main emphasis Programming language Preparation priorities AP Computer Science Principles Algorithms and programming, data, computer systems and networks, computing innovations, and their impacts No specific language is required Design and analyze programs, work with data, understand systems and networks, evaluate computing impacts, and practice the Create performance task AP Computer Science A Program design, code development and analysis, objects and methods, control structures, and data collections Java Write, trace, test, and debug Java; practice objects, methods, selection, iteration, classes, and collections What is the current AP Computer Science exam format? Course Assessment format What to practice AP CSP exam 70 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, worth 70%; Create performance task with program code, video, and Personalized Project Reference completed during 9 in-class hours, plus two written-response questions in 60 minutes, worth 30% Multiple-choice questions, AP pseudocode, analysis of computing innovations, program development, testing, abstraction, and explaining your own Create-task code AP CSA exam 42 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, worth 55%; four free-response questions in 90 minutes, worth 45% Java code analysis and development, methods and control structures, class design, ArrayList data analysis, and 2D arrays Exam formats can change. Use the linked College Board pages as the source of truth when planning final review. A practical preparation timeline When What to do Before or early in the course Build fluency with variables, conditionals, loops, functions or methods, collections, algorithms, code tracing, and debugging. Throughout the course Use the official Course and Exam Description as a checklist. Write code, predict outputs, explain failures, and keep an error log by topic. Six to eight weeks before the exam Shift toward official AP questions. Fill content gaps and practice producing complete responses under increasing time pressure. Final two weeks Simulate complete exam sections, score responses with official guidance, and target recurring conceptual, language, or timing errors. Final days Review reference materials, terminology, response formats, and a short list of common mistakes rather than trying to relearn the full course. How can Brilliant help with AP Computer Science preparation? Brilliant can build the conceptual and programming foundations used across both AP courses. Its Python and computer science path develops code reading, conditional logic, loops, functions, debugging, data structures, algorithms, complexity analysis, and computational problem-solving. A Brilliant curriculum audit mapped Brilliant's full CS sequence - 4 Foundations courses (Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions, Algorithmic Thinking), the 6-course Python track (165 lessons), and 6 adjacent technology courses - to the current AP course frameworks. Overall, Brilliant covers 61% of AP CSP exam topics and 81% of AP CSA exam topics. [1] AP Computer Science Principles coverage AP CSP Big Idea Brilliant coverage Relevant Brilliant courses or lessons What learners should supplement Creative Development 58% Functions in Python, Thinking in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Algorithmic Thinking Collaboration and the Create performance task (UI design, citing sources); analyzing computing innovations Data 72% Thinking in Python (working with data); Digital Circuits and How Technology Works (data representation) Extracting information from metadata; AP data-analysis question formats Algorithms and Programming 88% Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions, Algorithmic Thinking Random values, simulations, and undecidability; AP pseudocode notation Computer Systems and Networks 31% How Technology Works, Cryptocurrency, Quantum Computing (networks, distributed and parallel computing) How the Internet works - packets, routers, the Internet vs. the Web Impact of Computing 0% - (not a programming topic) The full Big Idea - beneficial/harmful effects, bias, the digital divide, privacy, and legal and ethical concerns - supplement with College Board materials Python is directly suitable for building AP CSP programming foundations because AP CSP does not mandate a programming language. Learners should still practice AP pseudocode, computing-impact analysis, and the current Create performance task requirements. AP Computer Science A coverage AP CSA is taught in Java, but Brilliant teaches the same concepts in Python. Object design, methods, selection, iteration, data collections, and algorithmic reasoning are language-independent, so the conceptual understanding transfers directly. Learners should still practice the Java syntax for those concepts using the current AP framework and the Java Quick Reference. Inheritance was removed from the redesigned 2025-26 AP CSA exam, so it is not part of this mapping. AP CSA unit Brilliant coverage Relevant Brilliant courses or lessons What learners should supplement Using Objects and Methods 83% Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, OOP in Python, Thinking in Code, Programming with Variables, Programming with Functions Java syntax; wrapper classes; the Java Quick Reference Selection and Iteration 100% Thinking in Python, Functions in Python, Algorithms in Python, Thinking in Code, Algorithmic Thinking, Programming with Variables Java syntax specifics (otherwise fully covered) Class Creation 72% OOP in Python, Functions in Python, Programming with Functions Static class variables/methods; writing classes in Java syntax Data Collections 71% Thinking in Python, Algorithms in Python File I/O (text files); sorting-algorithm implementation; the Java ArrayList API For AP CSA, Python practice builds transferable logic and algorithmic thinking; learners should also practice implementing those ideas in Java syntax using the current AP framework and Java Quick Reference. How much relevant practice is available on Brilliant? Practice type Number in Brilliant's current curriculum Lessons where learners run executable code relevant to AP CSP or AP CSA 274 lessons + 618 practice sets (2,081 run-and-edit code problems) Problems requiring learners to trace code and predict its output 161 (technically all of our problems require this, but this number reflects the explicit "What's the output?" type problems) Problems requiring learners to diagnose or repair code 689 (361 repair, 328 diagnose) Problems requiring learners to design or revise an algorithm 561 Problems involving data structures or collections 329 These practice counts span Brilliant's 10 AP-relevant CS courses (the 6 Python-track and 4 Foundations courses) - 274 lessons plus 618 practice sets, 3,282 problems total - counted directly from each problem's interactive. Diagnose/repair problems live overwhelmingly in the practice sets (649 of 689). Among learners ages 13-17 who completed Thinking in Python in July 2026, 71% achieved at least 70% across in-course summative assessment problems spanning conditional logic, nested loops, data manipulation, complexity analysis, and efficient search design. [2] This measures performance within Brilliant, not AP exam scores. What should a learner be able to do before the exam? A well-prepared learner should be able to: Trace a program and predict its output. Write and revise algorithms using selection and iteration. Find, explain, and repair errors in code. Compare solutions and reason about correctness or efficiency. Work with collections of data. Complete the official question and response formats for the selected AP course under time limits. Explain which weak areas remain and choose targeted practice for them. Official resources to use AP Computer Science Principles course and framework AP Computer Science Principles exam and past questions AP Computer Science A course and framework AP Computer Science A exam and past questions Best use of Brilliant: build durable programming and computer science foundations before or alongside an AP course, then combine that work with course-specific assignments, Java practice for AP CSA, and official AP exam materials. For learners moving from block-based coding into text-based programming, see the next step after Scratch or block-based coding. Notes Curriculum audit: The mapping used the AP CSP Course and Exam Description (Effective Fall 2023, 5 Big Ideas) and the redesigned AP CSA framework (effective 2025-26, 4 units, first exam May 2026). Percentages are calculated with each exam topic weighted equally (one topic = one unit of credit), over every topic on the current exam. Partially covered topics count as half a unit and are listed under "What learners should supplement." Inheritance is not counted because it was removed from the redesigned AP CSA exam. "Covered" means conceptual teaching, practice, and assessments are available for the topic. The mapping was completed and reviewed by Brilliant's Computer Science curriculum team. Topic coverage does not establish course equivalence. Thinking in Python assessment: The analysis included learners ages 13-17 who completed Thinking in Python in July 2026. "Completed" means completing all concepts and assessments. The 71% result is the share achieving at least 70% overall across all in-course summative assessment problems. Assessments were not proctored.

How to prepare for AP Computer Science


**The best way to study for a math test is to solve problems from memory, not reread notes. Start with the test’s actual topics, attempt one unfamiliar problem from each topic without help, diagnose every mistake, and revisit weak areas over several days. Finish with practice that matches the real test’s format and time limits.**

## 1. Build a test-specific topic list

Start with the teacher’s review sheet, syllabus, recent assignments, or the official exam blueprint. Divide the topics into:

- **Ready:** you can solve an unfamiliar problem without notes.
- **Shaky:** you recognize the method but still need a prompt.
- **Missing:** you do not yet understand the prerequisite or strategy.

Spend most of your time on the shaky and missing topics. Studying everything equally can waste time while leaving the real gaps untouched.

## 2. Retrieve before you review

For each topic, close your notes and attempt a problem from memory. Even an incomplete attempt is useful because it reveals what you can actually retrieve, not just what looks familiar on the page.

Repeated testing can produce stronger delayed retention than repeated studying.[1] After the attempt, review the method and solve a similar problem again.

## 3. Diagnose every miss

Do not label every wrong answer “careless.” Classify the mistake, then choose the right fix.

| Mistake type       | What it looks like                                          | What to do next                                                             |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Concept**        | You cannot explain why the method works.                    | Repair the underlying idea or prerequisite, then retry the problem.         |
| **Strategy**       | You know several methods but cannot tell which one applies. | Mix related problem types and practice identifying the relevant clues.      |
| **Execution**      | You chose the right method but made a calculation error.    | Write the intermediate steps and check the result against an estimate.      |
| **Interpretation** | You solved a different problem from the one asked.          | Identify the requested quantity, units, and constraints before calculating. |

Ask [Koji](/help/features/how-does-koji-work/) for a guiding question or alternative explanation when you cannot locate the mistake yourself.

## 4. Mix related problem types

After practicing each method on its own, shuffle related types together. Mixed practice forces you to choose a strategy instead of applying the same procedure repeatedly.

Interleaved mathematics practice can improve later performance, even when blocked practice feels easier during the study session.[2]

## 5. Use a five-day study plan

Return to the material on several days rather than compressing all practice into one night. Spacing learning episodes affects later retention.[3]

1. **Day 5:** Map the tested topics and attempt one diagnostic problem from each.
1. **Days 4–3:** Repair concept and strategy gaps, then retry without notes.
1. **Day 2:** Complete a mixed set that forces you to choose among related methods.
1. **Day 1:** Do a short practice session in the real format and review recurring mistakes.
1. **Test day:** Review only the smallest set of formulas, methods, or errors you still confuse.

## 6. If the test is tomorrow

Do not try to relearn the whole course. Use the review sheet or test blueprint to identify what will be tested, attempt one representative problem from each topic, repair the largest gaps, and finish with a short mixed set. Write the formulas or steps you still confuse from memory, then check them.

## 7. Finish with the real format

Brilliant can strengthen the concepts and problem-solving skills behind a test. It does not replace the test itself.

For a class exam, finish with the teacher’s review and prior class problems. For the SAT, ACT, or AP exams, use official questions, timing, calculator rules, and full-length practice.

Related resources:

- [Explore Brilliant’s math courses](/courses/)
- [Why Brilliant](/resources/choosing-brilliant/)

## Sources

[1] Roediger & Karpicke, [“Test-Enhanced Learning: Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention”](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16507066/), 2006.
[2] Rohrer & Taylor, [“The Shuffling of Mathematics Problems Improves Learning”](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11251-007-9015-8), 2007.
[3] Cepeda et al., [“Distributed Practice in Verbal Recall Tasks: A Review and Quantitative Synthesis”](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16719566/), 2006.


Study for a math test by solving problems from memory instead of rereading notes, diagnosing every mistake, and revisiting weak topics for days.

<p><strong>The best way to study for a math test is to solve problems from memory, not reread notes. Start with the test’s actual topics, attempt one unfamiliar problem from each topic without help, diagnose every mistake, and revisit weak areas over several days. Finish with practice that matches the real test’s format and time limits.</strong></p>
<h2>1. Build a test-specific topic list</h2>
<p>Start with the teacher’s review sheet, syllabus, recent assignments, or the official exam blueprint. Divide the topics into:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ready:</strong> you can solve an unfamiliar problem without notes.</li>
<li><strong>Shaky:</strong> you recognize the method but still need a prompt.</li>
<li><strong>Missing:</strong> you do not yet understand the prerequisite or strategy.</li>
</ul>
<p>Spend most of your time on the shaky and missing topics. Studying everything equally can waste time while leaving the real gaps untouched.</p>
<h2>2. Retrieve before you review</h2>
<p>For each topic, close your notes and attempt a problem from memory. Even an incomplete attempt is useful because it reveals what you can actually retrieve, not just what looks familiar on the page.</p>
<p>Repeated testing can produce stronger delayed retention than repeated studying.[1] After the attempt, review the method and solve a similar problem again.</p>
<h2>3. Diagnose every miss</h2>
<p>Do not label every wrong answer “careless.” Classify the mistake, then choose the right fix.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Mistake type</th>
<th>What it looks like</th>
<th>What to do next</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Concept</strong></td>
<td>You cannot explain why the method works.</td>
<td>Repair the underlying idea or prerequisite, then retry the problem.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Strategy</strong></td>
<td>You know several methods but cannot tell which one applies.</td>
<td>Mix related problem types and practice identifying the relevant clues.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Execution</strong></td>
<td>You chose the right method but made a calculation error.</td>
<td>Write the intermediate steps and check the result against an estimate.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Interpretation</strong></td>
<td>You solved a different problem from the one asked.</td>
<td>Identify the requested quantity, units, and constraints before calculating.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Ask <a href="/help/features/how-does-koji-work/">Koji</a> for a guiding question or alternative explanation when you cannot locate the mistake yourself.</p>
<h2>4. Mix related problem types</h2>
<p>After practicing each method on its own, shuffle related types together. Mixed practice forces you to choose a strategy instead of applying the same procedure repeatedly.</p>
<p>Interleaved mathematics practice can improve later performance, even when blocked practice feels easier during the study session.[2]</p>
<h2>5. Use a five-day study plan</h2>
<p>Return to the material on several days rather than compressing all practice into one night. Spacing learning episodes affects later retention.[3]</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Day 5:</strong> Map the tested topics and attempt one diagnostic problem from each.</li>
<li><strong>Days 4–3:</strong> Repair concept and strategy gaps, then retry without notes.</li>
<li><strong>Day 2:</strong> Complete a mixed set that forces you to choose among related methods.</li>
<li><strong>Day 1:</strong> Do a short practice session in the real format and review recurring mistakes.</li>
<li><strong>Test day:</strong> Review only the smallest set of formulas, methods, or errors you still confuse.</li>
</ol>
<h2>6. If the test is tomorrow</h2>
<p>Do not try to relearn the whole course. Use the review sheet or test blueprint to identify what will be tested, attempt one representative problem from each topic, repair the largest gaps, and finish with a short mixed set. Write the formulas or steps you still confuse from memory, then check them.</p>
<h2>7. Finish with the real format</h2>
<p>Brilliant can strengthen the concepts and problem-solving skills behind a test. It does not replace the test itself.</p>
<p>For a class exam, finish with the teacher’s review and prior class problems. For the SAT, ACT, or AP exams, use official questions, timing, calculator rules, and full-length practice.</p>
<p>Related resources:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s math courses</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/choosing-brilliant/">Why Brilliant</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] Roediger &#x26; Karpicke, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16507066/">“Test-Enhanced Learning: Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention”</a>, 2006.
[2] Rohrer &#x26; Taylor, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11251-007-9015-8">“The Shuffling of Mathematics Problems Improves Learning”</a>, 2007.
[3] Cepeda et al., <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16719566/">“Distributed Practice in Verbal Recall Tasks: A Review and Quantitative Synthesis”</a>, 2006.</p>


The best way to study for a math test is to solve problems from memory, not reread notes. Start with the test’s actual topics, attempt one unfamiliar problem from each topic without help, diagnose every mistake, and revisit weak areas over several days. Finish with practice that matches the real test’s format and time limits. Build a test-specific topic list Start with the teacher’s review sheet, syllabus, recent assignments, or the official exam blueprint. Divide the topics into: Ready: you can solve an unfamiliar problem without notes. Shaky: you recognize the method but still need a prompt. Missing: you do not yet understand the prerequisite or strategy. Spend most of your time on the shaky and missing topics. Studying everything equally can waste time while leaving the real gaps untouched. Retrieve before you review For each topic, close your notes and attempt a problem from memory. Even an incomplete attempt is useful because it reveals what you can actually retrieve, not just what looks familiar on the page. Repeated testing can produce stronger delayed retention than repeated studying.[1] After the attempt, review the method and solve a similar problem again. Diagnose every miss Do not label every wrong answer “careless.” Classify the mistake, then choose the right fix. Mistake type What it looks like What to do next Concept You cannot explain why the method works. Repair the underlying idea or prerequisite, then retry the problem. Strategy You know several methods but cannot tell which one applies. Mix related problem types and practice identifying the relevant clues. Execution You chose the right method but made a calculation error. Write the intermediate steps and check the result against an estimate. Interpretation You solved a different problem from the one asked. Identify the requested quantity, units, and constraints before calculating. Ask Koji for a guiding question or alternative explanation when you cannot locate the mistake yourself. Mix related problem types After practicing each method on its own, shuffle related types together. Mixed practice forces you to choose a strategy instead of applying the same procedure repeatedly. Interleaved mathematics practice can improve later performance, even when blocked practice feels easier during the study session.[2] Use a five-day study plan Return to the material on several days rather than compressing all practice into one night. Spacing learning episodes affects later retention.[3] Day 5: Map the tested topics and attempt one diagnostic problem from each. Days 4–3: Repair concept and strategy gaps, then retry without notes. Day 2: Complete a mixed set that forces you to choose among related methods. Day 1: Do a short practice session in the real format and review recurring mistakes. Test day: Review only the smallest set of formulas, methods, or errors you still confuse. If the test is tomorrow Do not try to relearn the whole course. Use the review sheet or test blueprint to identify what will be tested, attempt one representative problem from each topic, repair the largest gaps, and finish with a short mixed set. Write the formulas or steps you still confuse from memory, then check them. Finish with the real format Brilliant can strengthen the concepts and problem-solving skills behind a test. It does not replace the test itself. For a class exam, finish with the teacher’s review and prior class problems. For the SAT, ACT, or AP exams, use official questions, timing, calculator rules, and full-length practice. Related resources: Explore Brilliant’s math courses Why Brilliant Sources [1] Roediger & Karpicke, “Test-Enhanced Learning: Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention”, 2006. [2] Rohrer & Taylor, “The Shuffling of Mathematics Problems Improves Learning”, 2007. [3] Cepeda et al., “Distributed Practice in Verbal Recall Tasks: A Review and Quantitative Synthesis”, 2006.

How to study for a math test so you remember what you learn


Yes — for the math. Brilliant teaches content in all four areas of the digital SAT math section: Algebra, Advanced Math, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry. Twenty-six Brilliant courses contain skills that match what the section tests, and the algebra and Advanced Math domains are covered end to end.

What Brilliant does not do is rehearse the test. The digital SAT is adaptive, it ships with a built-in Desmos calculator, and it is timed — none of which you can practice anywhere except College Board’s own materials. The useful division of labor is simple: Brilliant is where you learn the math well enough that the questions stop being hard, and official practice is where you learn to take the exam.

## What does the digital SAT math section test?

College Board splits the math section into four content domains, each made of a handful of testing points:

- **Algebra** — linear equations in one and two variables, linear functions, systems of two linear equations, and linear inequalities.
- **Advanced Math** — equivalent expressions, nonlinear equations and nonlinear systems, and nonlinear functions.
- **Problem-Solving and Data Analysis** — ratios, rates and units; percentages; one-variable distributions; two-variable data and scatterplots; probability and conditional probability; inference from sample statistics; and evaluating statistical claims.
- **Geometry and Trigonometry** — area and volume, lines and angles and triangles, right-triangle trigonometry, and circles.

The full testing-point-by-testing-point map of which Brilliant lessons teach each one is on the companion page: [Digital SAT math coverage](/resources/alignment-mappings/digital-sat-math-coverage/).

## Where is Brilliant strongest for the SAT?

**Algebra and Advanced Math.** Every testing point in both domains has Brilliant lessons behind it, and this is the deepest part of the catalog by a wide margin. [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/) handles the number-of-solutions reasoning the SAT likes to test in [Identifying Solutions](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/many-or-no-solutions/linear-equations-identify-solutions/), along with fractional and negative coefficients. [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/) covers slope from graphs and from two points, [Finding Rates of Change](/courses/linear-functions/making-linear-predictions/finding-rates-of-change/) in context, and [Perpendicular Lines](/courses/linear-functions/parallel-and-perpendicular/linear-relationships-perpendicular-lines/). [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/) teaches elimination as a decision rather than a recipe, including the [Scaling an Equation](/courses/linear-systems/systems-algebra/ls-level3-4/) step, and translating word constraints into a system in [Building a System](/courses/linear-systems/systems-of-equations/building-a-system/).

On the Advanced Math side, the SAT’s “equivalent expressions” questions are exactly what [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) drills — product, quotient, and power rules, and the conversion between [fractional exponents and radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/fraction-expons-power-rule/). [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) covers factoring with negative coefficients and [Completing the Square](/courses/quadratics/completing-the-square/completing-the-square-7/). [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) extends multiplication and factoring past the quadratic case, [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) covers growth, decay, and [solving with logarithms](/courses/exponential-functions/solving-with-logarithms/solving-exponent-equations/), and [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) handles rational expressions and [Equations for the Same Curve](/courses/equations-and-curves/curves-in-the-plane/equivalent-equations/).

**Geometry and Trigonometry.** All four testing points have lessons. [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/) does area of compound figures and [distance from coordinates](/courses/coordinate-geometry/using-pythagoras/distance-from-origin/), [Geometry and Measurement](/courses/geometry-fundamentals/) covers surface area and volume, and [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) covers the sine–cosine complementary relationship, tangent, [special right triangles](/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/triangle-trig-2/), radians, and arc length.

**Most of Problem-Solving and Data Analysis.** Ratios and unit rates are covered in [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/), percent change and compound change in [Percentages](/courses/percentages/), center and spread in [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/), scatterplots and line-fitting in [Regression](/courses/explaining-variation/), reading charts in [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/), and two-way-table probability in [Probability in Data](/courses/probability-fundamentals/).

## What will you not get from Brilliant?

Two things in Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and they are worth knowing about because they show up on every form of the test.

**Inference from sample statistics.** Making and evaluating claims about a population from a sample, interpreting a margin of error, and reasoning about how sample size changes the precision of an estimate. Brilliant’s statistics courses teach you to describe data you have; they do not teach the inferential step from a sample to a population.

**Evaluating statistical claims from study design.** Telling an observational study from an experiment, and judging whether random selection supports generalizing a result or random assignment supports a causal claim.

Both are conceptual, both are reliably tested, and both are a few hours of work rather than a semester. Pick them up from College Board’s free official practice through Khan Academy, or from any introductory statistics resource.

## Which Brilliant courses should you work through, and in what order?

Work down this list, skipping any row where you can already do the described work quickly and without notes. Short on time? The first four rows are where SAT math points are densest.

| Course                                                                       | What it gets you on the SAT                                                                        | Where to start                                                                                                |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/) | One-variable linear equations, negative and fractional coefficients, number-of-solutions questions | [Combining Terms](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/)          |
| [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/)                               | Slope, rates of change, initial values, point-slope form, perpendicular lines                      | [Computing Slopes](/courses/linear-functions/computing-slope/computing-slopes/)                               |
| [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/)                                   | Elimination, substitution, graphing, and systems built from word constraints                       | [Graphing Systems of Equations](/courses/linear-systems/solving-by-graphing/ls-level2-1/)                     |
| [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/)                     | The exponent rules and radical manipulation behind most equivalent-expression questions            | [The Product Rule for Exponents](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/) |
| [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/)                                           | Expanding, factoring, and completing the square                                                    | [Finding Combined Linear Terms](/courses/quadratics/distributing-and-combining/find-linear-term-2/)           |
| [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/)               | Unit rates, unit price, equivalent ratios — the SAT’s most common word-problem setup               | [Computing Unit Rates](/courses/proportional-relationships/unit-rates/unit-rates/)                            |
| [Percentages](/courses/percentages/)                                         | Percent of a number, percent increase and decrease, compound changes                               | [Working out Percentages](/courses/percentages/percentages-using-percentages/calculating-percentages/)        |
| [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/)                                  | Mean, median, quartiles, spread, outliers, and comparing distributions                             | [Comparing Median and Mean](/courses/basic-math/more-medians/ds-median-6/)                                    |
| [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/)                     | Growth and decay models, comparing growth rates, solving for an exponent                           | [Doubling](/courses/exponential-functions/exponential-growth/doubling-growth/)                                |
| [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/)                         | Area of composite figures, distance between points, the Pythagorean theorem in the plane           | [Distance from the Origin](/courses/coordinate-geometry/using-pythagoras/distance-from-origin/)               |
| [Regression](/courses/explaining-variation/)                                 | Scatterplots, correlation, fitting a line, and choosing a model for curved data                    | [Correlation](/courses/explaining-variation/correlation/correlation-2/)                                       |
| [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/)                 | Right-triangle trig, special triangles, radians, arc length                                        | [Triangles and the Unit Circle](/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/triangle-trig-1/)        |

Two adjustments worth making. If multi-step equation solving is where things fall apart, start further back in [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/) before anything else — it is a grade 5–6 course, and every algebra row above depends on it. And if the hardest questions are what you are chasing, [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) and [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) are the grade 11–12 courses that push nonlinear work furthest.

## What should you use College Board’s materials for?

Everything that is about the test rather than the math. College Board publishes the official digital SAT practice tests in its Bluebook app — the same app the real exam is delivered in — so that is the only place to rehearse how the section adapts, how the built-in Desmos calculator behaves under pressure, and what the timing feels like. Its free official practice through Khan Academy is the right place for official question types and the two statistics topics above.

## Is Brilliant a complete SAT prep course?

No. Brilliant is not affiliated with College Board, it does not include full-length practice tests, and it does not teach test strategy, pacing, or the mechanics of the digital format. It is the understanding layer — the place you go so that an SAT question about a system of equations is a question about a system of equations rather than a memory test. The exam layer is Bluebook and official practice, and you need both.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to the digital SAT’s testing points skill by skill against the live course catalog, using College Board’s published content specification for the math section as the authority on what each testing point requires. The data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long before the test should I start using Brilliant?

Earlier than you would start official practice. Content learning has a long tail, so it pays most several months out, while there is still time to repair something broken. In the final few weeks, shift toward timed Bluebook sections — by then, more test practice beats more algebra practice.

### Does Brilliant help with the reading and writing section?

No. Brilliant’s catalog is math, science, computer science, and data analysis. Nothing here prepares the Reading and Writing section.

### I am taking the PSAT/NMSQT first. Does this page apply?

Largely, yes — the PSAT/NMSQT math section uses the same four content domains, with a narrower range of difficulty. See [Can Brilliant help you prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT?](/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-psat/) for the differences.

### Should I finish a whole course before moving on?

No. Brilliant courses are made of short lessons that stand alone, so it is better to work the topics your practice tests keep flagging than to finish courses front to back. Take a Bluebook test first, then let the misses pick your rows above.

## Related resources

- [Digital SAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point](/resources/alignment-mappings/digital-sat-math-coverage/)
- [Can Brilliant help you prepare for the ACT?](/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-act/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Algebra 2?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-2/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] College Board, _The Digital SAT Suite of Assessments Specifications Overview_ and _Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite_, for the math section’s content domains and testing points.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“Digital SAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point”](/resources/alignment-mappings/digital-sat-math-coverage/), accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed August 2026.


What Brilliant teaches of digital SAT math, which courses to use, and what you still need from College Board.

<p>Yes — for the math. Brilliant teaches content in all four areas of the digital SAT math section: Algebra, Advanced Math, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry. Twenty-six Brilliant courses contain skills that match what the section tests, and the algebra and Advanced Math domains are covered end to end.</p>
<p>What Brilliant does not do is rehearse the test. The digital SAT is adaptive, it ships with a built-in Desmos calculator, and it is timed — none of which you can practice anywhere except College Board’s own materials. The useful division of labor is simple: Brilliant is where you learn the math well enough that the questions stop being hard, and official practice is where you learn to take the exam.</p>
<h2>What does the digital SAT math section test?</h2>
<p>College Board splits the math section into four content domains, each made of a handful of testing points:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Algebra</strong> — linear equations in one and two variables, linear functions, systems of two linear equations, and linear inequalities.</li>
<li><strong>Advanced Math</strong> — equivalent expressions, nonlinear equations and nonlinear systems, and nonlinear functions.</li>
<li><strong>Problem-Solving and Data Analysis</strong> — ratios, rates and units; percentages; one-variable distributions; two-variable data and scatterplots; probability and conditional probability; inference from sample statistics; and evaluating statistical claims.</li>
<li><strong>Geometry and Trigonometry</strong> — area and volume, lines and angles and triangles, right-triangle trigonometry, and circles.</li>
</ul>
<p>The full testing-point-by-testing-point map of which Brilliant lessons teach each one is on the companion page: <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/digital-sat-math-coverage/">Digital SAT math coverage</a>.</p>
<h2>Where is Brilliant strongest for the SAT?</h2>
<p><strong>Algebra and Advanced Math.</strong> Every testing point in both domains has Brilliant lessons behind it, and this is the deepest part of the catalog by a wide margin. <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a> handles the number-of-solutions reasoning the SAT likes to test in <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/many-or-no-solutions/linear-equations-identify-solutions/">Identifying Solutions</a>, along with fractional and negative coefficients. <a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a> covers slope from graphs and from two points, <a href="/courses/linear-functions/making-linear-predictions/finding-rates-of-change/">Finding Rates of Change</a> in context, and <a href="/courses/linear-functions/parallel-and-perpendicular/linear-relationships-perpendicular-lines/">Perpendicular Lines</a>. <a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a> teaches elimination as a decision rather than a recipe, including the <a href="/courses/linear-systems/systems-algebra/ls-level3-4/">Scaling an Equation</a> step, and translating word constraints into a system in <a href="/courses/linear-systems/systems-of-equations/building-a-system/">Building a System</a>.</p>
<p>On the Advanced Math side, the SAT’s “equivalent expressions” questions are exactly what <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> drills — product, quotient, and power rules, and the conversion between <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/fraction-expons-power-rule/">fractional exponents and radicals</a>. <a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> covers factoring with negative coefficients and <a href="/courses/quadratics/completing-the-square/completing-the-square-7/">Completing the Square</a>. <a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> extends multiplication and factoring past the quadratic case, <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> covers growth, decay, and <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/solving-with-logarithms/solving-exponent-equations/">solving with logarithms</a>, and <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> handles rational expressions and <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/curves-in-the-plane/equivalent-equations/">Equations for the Same Curve</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Geometry and Trigonometry.</strong> All four testing points have lessons. <a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a> does area of compound figures and <a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/using-pythagoras/distance-from-origin/">distance from coordinates</a>, <a href="/courses/geometry-fundamentals/">Geometry and Measurement</a> covers surface area and volume, and <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> covers the sine–cosine complementary relationship, tangent, <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/triangle-trig-2/">special right triangles</a>, radians, and arc length.</p>
<p><strong>Most of Problem-Solving and Data Analysis.</strong> Ratios and unit rates are covered in <a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a>, percent change and compound change in <a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a>, center and spread in <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a>, scatterplots and line-fitting in <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/">Regression</a>, reading charts in <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a>, and two-way-table probability in <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/">Probability in Data</a>.</p>
<h2>What will you not get from Brilliant?</h2>
<p>Two things in Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and they are worth knowing about because they show up on every form of the test.</p>
<p><strong>Inference from sample statistics.</strong> Making and evaluating claims about a population from a sample, interpreting a margin of error, and reasoning about how sample size changes the precision of an estimate. Brilliant’s statistics courses teach you to describe data you have; they do not teach the inferential step from a sample to a population.</p>
<p><strong>Evaluating statistical claims from study design.</strong> Telling an observational study from an experiment, and judging whether random selection supports generalizing a result or random assignment supports a causal claim.</p>
<p>Both are conceptual, both are reliably tested, and both are a few hours of work rather than a semester. Pick them up from College Board’s free official practice through Khan Academy, or from any introductory statistics resource.</p>
<h2>Which Brilliant courses should you work through, and in what order?</h2>
<p>Work down this list, skipping any row where you can already do the described work quickly and without notes. Short on time? The first four rows are where SAT math points are densest.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Course</th>
<th>What it gets you on the SAT</th>
<th>Where to start</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a></td>
<td>One-variable linear equations, negative and fractional coefficients, number-of-solutions questions</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/">Combining Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a></td>
<td>Slope, rates of change, initial values, point-slope form, perpendicular lines</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/computing-slope/computing-slopes/">Computing Slopes</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a></td>
<td>Elimination, substitution, graphing, and systems built from word constraints</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/solving-by-graphing/ls-level2-1/">Graphing Systems of Equations</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a></td>
<td>The exponent rules and radical manipulation behind most equivalent-expression questions</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/">The Product Rule for Exponents</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a></td>
<td>Expanding, factoring, and completing the square</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/distributing-and-combining/find-linear-term-2/">Finding Combined Linear Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a></td>
<td>Unit rates, unit price, equivalent ratios — the SAT’s most common word-problem setup</td>
<td><a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/unit-rates/unit-rates/">Computing Unit Rates</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a></td>
<td>Percent of a number, percent increase and decrease, compound changes</td>
<td><a href="/courses/percentages/percentages-using-percentages/calculating-percentages/">Working out Percentages</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a></td>
<td>Mean, median, quartiles, spread, outliers, and comparing distributions</td>
<td><a href="/courses/basic-math/more-medians/ds-median-6/">Comparing Median and Mean</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a></td>
<td>Growth and decay models, comparing growth rates, solving for an exponent</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/exponential-growth/doubling-growth/">Doubling</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a></td>
<td>Area of composite figures, distance between points, the Pythagorean theorem in the plane</td>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/using-pythagoras/distance-from-origin/">Distance from the Origin</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/explaining-variation/">Regression</a></td>
<td>Scatterplots, correlation, fitting a line, and choosing a model for curved data</td>
<td><a href="/courses/explaining-variation/correlation/correlation-2/">Correlation</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a></td>
<td>Right-triangle trig, special triangles, radians, arc length</td>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/triangle-trig-1/">Triangles and the Unit Circle</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Two adjustments worth making. If multi-step equation solving is where things fall apart, start further back in <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a> before anything else — it is a grade 5–6 course, and every algebra row above depends on it. And if the hardest questions are what you are chasing, <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> and <a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> are the grade 11–12 courses that push nonlinear work furthest.</p>
<h2>What should you use College Board’s materials for?</h2>
<p>Everything that is about the test rather than the math. College Board publishes the official digital SAT practice tests in its Bluebook app — the same app the real exam is delivered in — so that is the only place to rehearse how the section adapts, how the built-in Desmos calculator behaves under pressure, and what the timing feels like. Its free official practice through Khan Academy is the right place for official question types and the two statistics topics above.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete SAT prep course?</h2>
<p>No. Brilliant is not affiliated with College Board, it does not include full-length practice tests, and it does not teach test strategy, pacing, or the mechanics of the digital format. It is the understanding layer — the place you go so that an SAT question about a system of equations is a question about a system of equations rather than a memory test. The exam layer is Bluebook and official practice, and you need both.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to the digital SAT’s testing points skill by skill against the live course catalog, using College Board’s published content specification for the math section as the authority on what each testing point requires. The data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>How long before the test should I start using Brilliant?</h3>
<p>Earlier than you would start official practice. Content learning has a long tail, so it pays most several months out, while there is still time to repair something broken. In the final few weeks, shift toward timed Bluebook sections — by then, more test practice beats more algebra practice.</p>
<h3>Does Brilliant help with the reading and writing section?</h3>
<p>No. Brilliant’s catalog is math, science, computer science, and data analysis. Nothing here prepares the Reading and Writing section.</p>
<h3>I am taking the PSAT/NMSQT first. Does this page apply?</h3>
<p>Largely, yes — the PSAT/NMSQT math section uses the same four content domains, with a narrower range of difficulty. See <a href="/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-psat/">Can Brilliant help you prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT?</a> for the differences.</p>
<h3>Should I finish a whole course before moving on?</h3>
<p>No. Brilliant courses are made of short lessons that stand alone, so it is better to work the topics your practice tests keep flagging than to finish courses front to back. Take a Bluebook test first, then let the misses pick your rows above.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/digital-sat-math-coverage/">Digital SAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-act/">Can Brilliant help you prepare for the ACT?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-2/">Does Brilliant cover Algebra 2?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] College Board, <em>The Digital SAT Suite of Assessments Specifications Overview</em> and <em>Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite</em>, for the math section’s content domains and testing points.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/digital-sat-math-coverage/">“Digital SAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point”</a>, accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed August 2026.</p>


Yes — for the math. Brilliant teaches content in all four areas of the digital SAT math section: Algebra, Advanced Math, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry. Twenty-six Brilliant courses contain skills that match what the section tests, and the algebra and Advanced Math domains are covered end to end. What Brilliant does not do is rehearse the test. The digital SAT is adaptive, it ships with a built-in Desmos calculator, and it is timed — none of which you can practice anywhere except College Board’s own materials. The useful division of labor is simple: Brilliant is where you learn the math well enough that the questions stop being hard, and official practice is where you learn to take the exam. What does the digital SAT math section test? College Board splits the math section into four content domains, each made of a handful of testing points: Algebra — linear equations in one and two variables, linear functions, systems of two linear equations, and linear inequalities. Advanced Math — equivalent expressions, nonlinear equations and nonlinear systems, and nonlinear functions. Problem-Solving and Data Analysis — ratios, rates and units; percentages; one-variable distributions; two-variable data and scatterplots; probability and conditional probability; inference from sample statistics; and evaluating statistical claims. Geometry and Trigonometry — area and volume, lines and angles and triangles, right-triangle trigonometry, and circles. The full testing-point-by-testing-point map of which Brilliant lessons teach each one is on the companion page: Digital SAT math coverage. Where is Brilliant strongest for the SAT? Algebra and Advanced Math. Every testing point in both domains has Brilliant lessons behind it, and this is the deepest part of the catalog by a wide margin. Linear Expressions & Equations handles the number-of-solutions reasoning the SAT likes to test in Identifying Solutions, along with fractional and negative coefficients. Linear Functions covers slope from graphs and from two points, Finding Rates of Change in context, and Perpendicular Lines. Linear Systems teaches elimination as a decision rather than a recipe, including the Scaling an Equation step, and translating word constraints into a system in Building a System. On the Advanced Math side, the SAT’s “equivalent expressions” questions are exactly what Exponents & Radicals drills — product, quotient, and power rules, and the conversion between fractional exponents and radicals. Quadratics covers factoring with negative coefficients and Completing the Square. Polynomials extends multiplication and factoring past the quadratic case, Exponential Functions covers growth, decay, and solving with logarithms, and Equations & Curves handles rational expressions and Equations for the Same Curve. Geometry and Trigonometry. All four testing points have lessons. Coordinate Geometry does area of compound figures and distance from coordinates, Geometry and Measurement covers surface area and volume, and Trigonometric Functions covers the sine–cosine complementary relationship, tangent, special right triangles, radians, and arc length. Most of Problem-Solving and Data Analysis. Ratios and unit rates are covered in Proportional Reasoning, percent change and compound change in Percentages, center and spread in Everyday Statistics, scatterplots and line-fitting in Regression, reading charts in Exploring Data Visually, and two-way-table probability in Probability in Data. What will you not get from Brilliant? Two things in Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and they are worth knowing about because they show up on every form of the test. Inference from sample statistics. Making and evaluating claims about a population from a sample, interpreting a margin of error, and reasoning about how sample size changes the precision of an estimate. Brilliant’s statistics courses teach you to describe data you have; they do not teach the inferential step from a sample to a population. Evaluating statistical claims from study design. Telling an observational study from an experiment, and judging whether random selection supports generalizing a result or random assignment supports a causal claim. Both are conceptual, both are reliably tested, and both are a few hours of work rather than a semester. Pick them up from College Board’s free official practice through Khan Academy, or from any introductory statistics resource. Which Brilliant courses should you work through, and in what order? Work down this list, skipping any row where you can already do the described work quickly and without notes. Short on time? The first four rows are where SAT math points are densest. Course What it gets you on the SAT Where to start Linear Expressions & Equations One-variable linear equations, negative and fractional coefficients, number-of-solutions questions Combining Terms Linear Functions Slope, rates of change, initial values, point-slope form, perpendicular lines Computing Slopes Linear Systems Elimination, substitution, graphing, and systems built from word constraints Graphing Systems of Equations Exponents & Radicals The exponent rules and radical manipulation behind most equivalent-expression questions The Product Rule for Exponents Quadratics Expanding, factoring, and completing the square Finding Combined Linear Terms Proportional Reasoning Unit rates, unit price, equivalent ratios — the SAT’s most common word-problem setup Computing Unit Rates Percentages Percent of a number, percent increase and decrease, compound changes Working out Percentages Everyday Statistics Mean, median, quartiles, spread, outliers, and comparing distributions Comparing Median and Mean Exponential Functions Growth and decay models, comparing growth rates, solving for an exponent Doubling Coordinate Geometry Area of composite figures, distance between points, the Pythagorean theorem in the plane Distance from the Origin Regression Scatterplots, correlation, fitting a line, and choosing a model for curved data Correlation Trigonometric Functions Right-triangle trig, special triangles, radians, arc length Triangles and the Unit Circle Two adjustments worth making. If multi-step equation solving is where things fall apart, start further back in Solving Equations before anything else — it is a grade 5–6 course, and every algebra row above depends on it. And if the hardest questions are what you are chasing, Equations & Curves and Polynomials are the grade 11–12 courses that push nonlinear work furthest. What should you use College Board’s materials for? Everything that is about the test rather than the math. College Board publishes the official digital SAT practice tests in its Bluebook app — the same app the real exam is delivered in — so that is the only place to rehearse how the section adapts, how the built-in Desmos calculator behaves under pressure, and what the timing feels like. Its free official practice through Khan Academy is the right place for official question types and the two statistics topics above. Is Brilliant a complete SAT prep course? No. Brilliant is not affiliated with College Board, it does not include full-length practice tests, and it does not teach test strategy, pacing, or the mechanics of the digital format. It is the understanding layer — the place you go so that an SAT question about a system of equations is a question about a system of equations rather than a memory test. The exam layer is Bluebook and official practice, and you need both. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to the digital SAT’s testing points skill by skill against the live course catalog, using College Board’s published content specification for the math section as the authority on what each testing point requires. The data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026. Frequently asked questions How long before the test should I start using Brilliant? Earlier than you would start official practice. Content learning has a long tail, so it pays most several months out, while there is still time to repair something broken. In the final few weeks, shift toward timed Bluebook sections — by then, more test practice beats more algebra practice. Does Brilliant help with the reading and writing section? No. Brilliant’s catalog is math, science, computer science, and data analysis. Nothing here prepares the Reading and Writing section. I am taking the PSAT/NMSQT first. Does this page apply? Largely, yes — the PSAT/NMSQT math section uses the same four content domains, with a narrower range of difficulty. See Can Brilliant help you prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT? for the differences. Should I finish a whole course before moving on? No. Brilliant courses are made of short lessons that stand alone, so it is better to work the topics your practice tests keep flagging than to finish courses front to back. Take a Bluebook test first, then let the misses pick your rows above. Related resources Digital SAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point Can Brilliant help you prepare for the ACT? What math does Brilliant cover? Does Brilliant cover Algebra 2? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] College Board, The Digital SAT Suite of Assessments Specifications Overview and Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite, for the math section’s content domains and testing points. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “Digital SAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point”, accessed August 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed August 2026.

Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?


Yes, for the math — and the PSAT is the exam where Brilliant’s kind of help is best timed. Most students meet it in tenth or eleventh grade, months before the SAT, which is exactly the window where building real understanding beats drilling question types. Brilliant teaches the math the PSAT tests; College Board’s materials teach the exam — format, timing, adaptive modules, full-length practice. Use both, and start with Brilliant while you have the runway.

That runway is the whole argument. Open Brilliant the spring before a fall PSAT and there is time to repair a shaky foundation and still build up through quadratics and functions. Open it the week before and there is not — go straight to College Board’s practice tests instead.

## What does the PSAT test in math?

The digital PSAT/NMSQT and the PSAT 10 share one set of College Board content specifications, so sophomores and juniors are tested on the same math:

- **Algebra** — roughly 35%, 13–15 questions
- **Advanced Math** — roughly 32.5%, 12–14 questions
- **Problem-Solving and Data Analysis** — roughly 20%, 7–9 questions
- **Geometry and Trigonometry** — roughly 12.5%, 4–6 questions

Nearly two-thirds of the section is algebra and the function work that follows — the deepest part of Brilliant’s math catalog. For juniors, the PSAT/NMSQT is also the National Merit qualifying test, which makes fall of eleventh grade a real deadline.

## What does Brilliant teach of it?

Brilliant maps its skills to the PSAT’s testing points against the live course catalog, reviewed by the curriculum team and pulled on August 27, 2026. The testing-point-by-testing-point version is on the [PSAT math coverage page](/resources/alignment-mappings/psat-math-coverage/).

**Algebra is the strongest block**, and every testing point in it has Brilliant lessons behind it. Linear equations with negative and fractional coefficients, grouped terms, and deciding whether an equation has one solution, none, or infinitely many are taught in [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/). Slope, intercepts, point-slope form, and perpendicular lines are in [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/). Systems — writing them from word constraints, graphing, eliminating by scaling — are in [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/).

**Advanced Math is nearly as deep.** Expanding and factoring binomials, including the sign work that trips students up, runs through [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/). Polynomial arithmetic is in [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/), growth and decay and compound interest in [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/). The graph work — where curves intersect, how many times, what shifting or stretching does — is in [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/).

**Problem-Solving and Data Analysis is spread across several courses.** Ratios and unit rates from [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/), percent change and compound percent change from [Percentages](/courses/percentages/), mean, median, and outliers from [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/), chart and scatter-plot reading from [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/), probability from [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/).

**Geometry and Trigonometry is taught, but it is the thinnest block.** Area, perimeter, surface area, and volume are in [Geometry and Measurement](/courses/geometry-fundamentals/); distance and the equation of a circle in [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/); similarity in [Coordinate Transformations](/courses/transformations/); the 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles in [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/). Fewer lessons point here than at algebra, so expect to supplement with practice questions.

## What won’t you get from Brilliant?

**Statistical inference.** The PSAT asks you to estimate a population value from a sample — a survey result with a margin of error, and what conclusion it supports. Brilliant does not teach that. Get it from College Board’s practice questions or the statistics chapter of any PSAT prep book.

**Everything about the test as a test.** Brilliant has no timed sections, no adaptive second module, no Desmos calculator practice, no reference sheet, and no full-length exams. It teaches you to do the math, not to do it in 70 seconds.

## What should you study, and in what order?

Work top to bottom: the order follows the exam’s weighting, not your school’s sequence.

| Step | Brilliant course                                                                  | What it gets you on the PSAT                              | Where to start                                                                                         |
| ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 1    | [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/) (68 lessons)                           | Multi-step solving, if it is shaky. Everything rests here | [Combining Like Terms](/courses/pre-algebra/combining-and-rearranging/combining-like-terms-new-1/)     |
| 2    | [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/) (59) | Negative and fractional coefficients, counting solutions  | [Combining Terms](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/)   |
| 3    | [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/) (45)                               | Slope, intercepts, point-slope, perpendicular lines       | [Computing Slopes](/courses/linear-functions/computing-slope/computing-slopes/)                        |
| 4    | [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/) (24)                                   | Systems from word problems, graphing, elimination         | [Graphing Systems of Equations](/courses/linear-systems/solving-by-graphing/ls-level2-1/)              |
| 5    | [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) (69)                                           | Expanding and factoring — the core of Advanced Math       | [Finding One Factor](/courses/quadratics/factoring-expressions/finding-two-factors/)                   |
| 6    | [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) (52)                                         | Polynomial arithmetic, factoring out monomials            | [Multiplying Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/multiplying-polynomials/polynomial-products-3/)         |
| 7    | [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) (63)                     | Growth and decay models, compound interest                | [Modeling Compound Interest](/courses/exponential-functions/compound-interest/compound-int/)           |
| 8    | [Percentages](/courses/percentages/) (21)                                         | Percent change and repeated percent change                | [Working out Percentages](/courses/percentages/percentages-using-percentages/calculating-percentages/) |
| 9    | [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/) (30)               | Unit rates, equivalent ratios, scale factors              | [Computing Unit Rates](/courses/proportional-relationships/unit-rates/unit-rates/)                     |
| 10   | [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/) (36)                                  | Mean, median, spread, outliers, comparing data sets       | [Comparing Median and Mean](/courses/basic-math/more-medians/ds-median-6/)                             |
| 11   | [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/) (44)                         | Distance between points, circle equations, area on a grid | [Distance from the Origin](/courses/coordinate-geometry/using-pythagoras/distance-from-origin/)        |
| 12   | [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) (61)                         | Intersections and transformations — the hardest questions | [Counting Intersections](/courses/equations-and-curves/intersecting-graphs/counting-intersections/)    |

**With a school year, do all of it** — steps 1–10 before a junior-year PSAT also gets you most of the way to the SAT. **With a month, do steps 3, 5, and 8**: slope and intercepts, factoring, and percent change move the most PSAT questions per hour spent.

**Skip step 1** if you can solve a two-sided equation with fractions without stopping to think, and **skip step 12** unless you are aiming at the top of the scale — it is an eleventh-and-twelfth-grade course that goes past what the PSAT asks.

## What should you use from College Board?

The PSAT/NMSQT is delivered in Bluebook, the same app as the digital SAT, and College Board publishes official full-length practice tests there. Take at least one under timing before test day — the only way to learn how the adaptive format and the clock feel.

Then read the score report closely. It breaks performance down by skill — for juniors, whose score is what National Merit uses, the most specific study plan available. Bring its weak areas back to the table above.

## Is Brilliant a complete PSAT prep course?

No. Brilliant is the understanding layer — the algebra, functions, data, and geometry the questions are built from, taught through problems you solve rather than videos you watch. College Board’s materials are the exam layer: format, timing, adaptive modules, official question types, full-length tests. Brilliant is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board.

## Frequently asked questions

### Should a sophomore study differently from a junior?

The math is identical — one content specification covers the PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 — but the runway differs. A sophomore has a year and should work the table in order, foundations included. A junior sitting the National Merit qualifying test should start at step 3 and take an official practice test early, so its score report can redirect the time left.

### Does studying for the PSAT prepare you for the SAT?

On the math side, almost entirely — the two exams test nearly the same content in the same app, which is why the PSAT is worth treating as real preparation rather than a dress rehearsal. See [Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?](/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-digital-sat/) for the SAT version of this plan.

### Do I need to finish a whole Brilliant course?

No. Lessons stand on their own, so you can open the one matching a topic you missed on a practice test. Working a course in order helps most when a topic is new to you rather than rusty.

### Where do I start if math has felt shaky for a while?

At step 1. If solving multi-step equations still takes effort, every later topic costs time you will not have on a timed section. Repairing that is slower than drilling PSAT questions, and worth more.

## Related resources

- [PSAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point](/resources/alignment-mappings/psat-math-coverage/)
- [Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?](/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-digital-sat/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] College Board, “Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite,” version 3.01, August 2024 — content specifications and domain weightings.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“PSAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point”](/resources/alignment-mappings/psat-math-coverage/), accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed August 2026.


How far Brilliant gets you on PSAT math, the courses worth working through, and what it does not cover.

<p>Yes, for the math — and the PSAT is the exam where Brilliant’s kind of help is best timed. Most students meet it in tenth or eleventh grade, months before the SAT, which is exactly the window where building real understanding beats drilling question types. Brilliant teaches the math the PSAT tests; College Board’s materials teach the exam — format, timing, adaptive modules, full-length practice. Use both, and start with Brilliant while you have the runway.</p>
<p>That runway is the whole argument. Open Brilliant the spring before a fall PSAT and there is time to repair a shaky foundation and still build up through quadratics and functions. Open it the week before and there is not — go straight to College Board’s practice tests instead.</p>
<h2>What does the PSAT test in math?</h2>
<p>The digital PSAT/NMSQT and the PSAT 10 share one set of College Board content specifications, so sophomores and juniors are tested on the same math:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Algebra</strong> — roughly 35%, 13–15 questions</li>
<li><strong>Advanced Math</strong> — roughly 32.5%, 12–14 questions</li>
<li><strong>Problem-Solving and Data Analysis</strong> — roughly 20%, 7–9 questions</li>
<li><strong>Geometry and Trigonometry</strong> — roughly 12.5%, 4–6 questions</li>
</ul>
<p>Nearly two-thirds of the section is algebra and the function work that follows — the deepest part of Brilliant’s math catalog. For juniors, the PSAT/NMSQT is also the National Merit qualifying test, which makes fall of eleventh grade a real deadline.</p>
<h2>What does Brilliant teach of it?</h2>
<p>Brilliant maps its skills to the PSAT’s testing points against the live course catalog, reviewed by the curriculum team and pulled on August 27, 2026. The testing-point-by-testing-point version is on the <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/psat-math-coverage/">PSAT math coverage page</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Algebra is the strongest block</strong>, and every testing point in it has Brilliant lessons behind it. Linear equations with negative and fractional coefficients, grouped terms, and deciding whether an equation has one solution, none, or infinitely many are taught in <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a>. Slope, intercepts, point-slope form, and perpendicular lines are in <a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a>. Systems — writing them from word constraints, graphing, eliminating by scaling — are in <a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Advanced Math is nearly as deep.</strong> Expanding and factoring binomials, including the sign work that trips students up, runs through <a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a>. Polynomial arithmetic is in <a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a>, growth and decay and compound interest in <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a>. The graph work — where curves intersect, how many times, what shifting or stretching does — is in <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Problem-Solving and Data Analysis is spread across several courses.</strong> Ratios and unit rates from <a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a>, percent change and compound percent change from <a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a>, mean, median, and outliers from <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a>, chart and scatter-plot reading from <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a>, probability from <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Geometry and Trigonometry is taught, but it is the thinnest block.</strong> Area, perimeter, surface area, and volume are in <a href="/courses/geometry-fundamentals/">Geometry and Measurement</a>; distance and the equation of a circle in <a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a>; similarity in <a href="/courses/transformations/">Coordinate Transformations</a>; the 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles in <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a>. Fewer lessons point here than at algebra, so expect to supplement with practice questions.</p>
<h2>What won’t you get from Brilliant?</h2>
<p><strong>Statistical inference.</strong> The PSAT asks you to estimate a population value from a sample — a survey result with a margin of error, and what conclusion it supports. Brilliant does not teach that. Get it from College Board’s practice questions or the statistics chapter of any PSAT prep book.</p>
<p><strong>Everything about the test as a test.</strong> Brilliant has no timed sections, no adaptive second module, no Desmos calculator practice, no reference sheet, and no full-length exams. It teaches you to do the math, not to do it in 70 seconds.</p>
<h2>What should you study, and in what order?</h2>
<p>Work top to bottom: the order follows the exam’s weighting, not your school’s sequence.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Step</th>
<th>Brilliant course</th>
<th>What it gets you on the PSAT</th>
<th>Where to start</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td><a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a> (68 lessons)</td>
<td>Multi-step solving, if it is shaky. Everything rests here</td>
<td><a href="/courses/pre-algebra/combining-and-rearranging/combining-like-terms-new-1/">Combining Like Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a> (59)</td>
<td>Negative and fractional coefficients, counting solutions</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/">Combining Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a> (45)</td>
<td>Slope, intercepts, point-slope, perpendicular lines</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/computing-slope/computing-slopes/">Computing Slopes</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a> (24)</td>
<td>Systems from word problems, graphing, elimination</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/solving-by-graphing/ls-level2-1/">Graphing Systems of Equations</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> (69)</td>
<td>Expanding and factoring — the core of Advanced Math</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/factoring-expressions/finding-two-factors/">Finding One Factor</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6</td>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> (52)</td>
<td>Polynomial arithmetic, factoring out monomials</td>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/multiplying-polynomials/polynomial-products-3/">Multiplying Polynomials</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> (63)</td>
<td>Growth and decay models, compound interest</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/compound-interest/compound-int/">Modeling Compound Interest</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8</td>
<td><a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a> (21)</td>
<td>Percent change and repeated percent change</td>
<td><a href="/courses/percentages/percentages-using-percentages/calculating-percentages/">Working out Percentages</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9</td>
<td><a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a> (30)</td>
<td>Unit rates, equivalent ratios, scale factors</td>
<td><a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/unit-rates/unit-rates/">Computing Unit Rates</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10</td>
<td><a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a> (36)</td>
<td>Mean, median, spread, outliers, comparing data sets</td>
<td><a href="/courses/basic-math/more-medians/ds-median-6/">Comparing Median and Mean</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11</td>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a> (44)</td>
<td>Distance between points, circle equations, area on a grid</td>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/using-pythagoras/distance-from-origin/">Distance from the Origin</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12</td>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> (61)</td>
<td>Intersections and transformations — the hardest questions</td>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/intersecting-graphs/counting-intersections/">Counting Intersections</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>With a school year, do all of it</strong> — steps 1–10 before a junior-year PSAT also gets you most of the way to the SAT. <strong>With a month, do steps 3, 5, and 8</strong>: slope and intercepts, factoring, and percent change move the most PSAT questions per hour spent.</p>
<p><strong>Skip step 1</strong> if you can solve a two-sided equation with fractions without stopping to think, and <strong>skip step 12</strong> unless you are aiming at the top of the scale — it is an eleventh-and-twelfth-grade course that goes past what the PSAT asks.</p>
<h2>What should you use from College Board?</h2>
<p>The PSAT/NMSQT is delivered in Bluebook, the same app as the digital SAT, and College Board publishes official full-length practice tests there. Take at least one under timing before test day — the only way to learn how the adaptive format and the clock feel.</p>
<p>Then read the score report closely. It breaks performance down by skill — for juniors, whose score is what National Merit uses, the most specific study plan available. Bring its weak areas back to the table above.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete PSAT prep course?</h2>
<p>No. Brilliant is the understanding layer — the algebra, functions, data, and geometry the questions are built from, taught through problems you solve rather than videos you watch. College Board’s materials are the exam layer: format, timing, adaptive modules, official question types, full-length tests. Brilliant is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>Should a sophomore study differently from a junior?</h3>
<p>The math is identical — one content specification covers the PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 — but the runway differs. A sophomore has a year and should work the table in order, foundations included. A junior sitting the National Merit qualifying test should start at step 3 and take an official practice test early, so its score report can redirect the time left.</p>
<h3>Does studying for the PSAT prepare you for the SAT?</h3>
<p>On the math side, almost entirely — the two exams test nearly the same content in the same app, which is why the PSAT is worth treating as real preparation rather than a dress rehearsal. See <a href="/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-digital-sat/">Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?</a> for the SAT version of this plan.</p>
<h3>Do I need to finish a whole Brilliant course?</h3>
<p>No. Lessons stand on their own, so you can open the one matching a topic you missed on a practice test. Working a course in order helps most when a topic is new to you rather than rusty.</p>
<h3>Where do I start if math has felt shaky for a while?</h3>
<p>At step 1. If solving multi-step equations still takes effort, every later topic costs time you will not have on a timed section. Repairing that is slower than drilling PSAT questions, and worth more.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/psat-math-coverage/">PSAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-digital-sat/">Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/">Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] College Board, “Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite,” version 3.01, August 2024 — content specifications and domain weightings.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/psat-math-coverage/">“PSAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point”</a>, accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed August 2026.</p>


Yes, for the math — and the PSAT is the exam where Brilliant’s kind of help is best timed. Most students meet it in tenth or eleventh grade, months before the SAT, which is exactly the window where building real understanding beats drilling question types. Brilliant teaches the math the PSAT tests; College Board’s materials teach the exam — format, timing, adaptive modules, full-length practice. Use both, and start with Brilliant while you have the runway. That runway is the whole argument. Open Brilliant the spring before a fall PSAT and there is time to repair a shaky foundation and still build up through quadratics and functions. Open it the week before and there is not — go straight to College Board’s practice tests instead. What does the PSAT test in math? The digital PSAT/NMSQT and the PSAT 10 share one set of College Board content specifications, so sophomores and juniors are tested on the same math: Algebra — roughly 35%, 13–15 questions Advanced Math — roughly 32.5%, 12–14 questions Problem-Solving and Data Analysis — roughly 20%, 7–9 questions Geometry and Trigonometry — roughly 12.5%, 4–6 questions Nearly two-thirds of the section is algebra and the function work that follows — the deepest part of Brilliant’s math catalog. For juniors, the PSAT/NMSQT is also the National Merit qualifying test, which makes fall of eleventh grade a real deadline. What does Brilliant teach of it? Brilliant maps its skills to the PSAT’s testing points against the live course catalog, reviewed by the curriculum team and pulled on August 27, 2026. The testing-point-by-testing-point version is on the PSAT math coverage page. Algebra is the strongest block, and every testing point in it has Brilliant lessons behind it. Linear equations with negative and fractional coefficients, grouped terms, and deciding whether an equation has one solution, none, or infinitely many are taught in Linear Expressions & Equations. Slope, intercepts, point-slope form, and perpendicular lines are in Linear Functions. Systems — writing them from word constraints, graphing, eliminating by scaling — are in Linear Systems. Advanced Math is nearly as deep. Expanding and factoring binomials, including the sign work that trips students up, runs through Quadratics. Polynomial arithmetic is in Polynomials, growth and decay and compound interest in Exponential Functions. The graph work — where curves intersect, how many times, what shifting or stretching does — is in Equations & Curves. Problem-Solving and Data Analysis is spread across several courses. Ratios and unit rates from Proportional Reasoning, percent change and compound percent change from Percentages, mean, median, and outliers from Everyday Statistics, chart and scatter-plot reading from Exploring Data Visually, probability from Probability and Chance. Geometry and Trigonometry is taught, but it is the thinnest block. Area, perimeter, surface area, and volume are in Geometry and Measurement; distance and the equation of a circle in Coordinate Geometry; similarity in Coordinate Transformations; the 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles in Trigonometric Functions. Fewer lessons point here than at algebra, so expect to supplement with practice questions. What won’t you get from Brilliant? Statistical inference. The PSAT asks you to estimate a population value from a sample — a survey result with a margin of error, and what conclusion it supports. Brilliant does not teach that. Get it from College Board’s practice questions or the statistics chapter of any PSAT prep book. Everything about the test as a test. Brilliant has no timed sections, no adaptive second module, no Desmos calculator practice, no reference sheet, and no full-length exams. It teaches you to do the math, not to do it in 70 seconds. What should you study, and in what order? Work top to bottom: the order follows the exam’s weighting, not your school’s sequence. Step Brilliant course What it gets you on the PSAT Where to start 1 Solving Equations (68 lessons) Multi-step solving, if it is shaky. Everything rests here Combining Like Terms 2 Linear Expressions & Equations (59) Negative and fractional coefficients, counting solutions Combining Terms 3 Linear Functions (45) Slope, intercepts, point-slope, perpendicular lines Computing Slopes 4 Linear Systems (24) Systems from word problems, graphing, elimination Graphing Systems of Equations 5 Quadratics (69) Expanding and factoring — the core of Advanced Math Finding One Factor 6 Polynomials (52) Polynomial arithmetic, factoring out monomials Multiplying Polynomials 7 Exponential Functions (63) Growth and decay models, compound interest Modeling Compound Interest 8 Percentages (21) Percent change and repeated percent change Working out Percentages 9 Proportional Reasoning (30) Unit rates, equivalent ratios, scale factors Computing Unit Rates 10 Everyday Statistics (36) Mean, median, spread, outliers, comparing data sets Comparing Median and Mean 11 Coordinate Geometry (44) Distance between points, circle equations, area on a grid Distance from the Origin 12 Equations & Curves (61) Intersections and transformations — the hardest questions Counting Intersections With a school year, do all of it — steps 1–10 before a junior-year PSAT also gets you most of the way to the SAT. With a month, do steps 3, 5, and 8: slope and intercepts, factoring, and percent change move the most PSAT questions per hour spent. Skip step 1 if you can solve a two-sided equation with fractions without stopping to think, and skip step 12 unless you are aiming at the top of the scale — it is an eleventh-and-twelfth-grade course that goes past what the PSAT asks. What should you use from College Board? The PSAT/NMSQT is delivered in Bluebook, the same app as the digital SAT, and College Board publishes official full-length practice tests there. Take at least one under timing before test day — the only way to learn how the adaptive format and the clock feel. Then read the score report closely. It breaks performance down by skill — for juniors, whose score is what National Merit uses, the most specific study plan available. Bring its weak areas back to the table above. Is Brilliant a complete PSAT prep course? No. Brilliant is the understanding layer — the algebra, functions, data, and geometry the questions are built from, taught through problems you solve rather than videos you watch. College Board’s materials are the exam layer: format, timing, adaptive modules, official question types, full-length tests. Brilliant is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board. Frequently asked questions Should a sophomore study differently from a junior? The math is identical — one content specification covers the PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 — but the runway differs. A sophomore has a year and should work the table in order, foundations included. A junior sitting the National Merit qualifying test should start at step 3 and take an official practice test early, so its score report can redirect the time left. Does studying for the PSAT prepare you for the SAT? On the math side, almost entirely — the two exams test nearly the same content in the same app, which is why the PSAT is worth treating as real preparation rather than a dress rehearsal. See Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT? for the SAT version of this plan. Do I need to finish a whole Brilliant course? No. Lessons stand on their own, so you can open the one matching a topic you missed on a practice test. Working a course in order helps most when a topic is new to you rather than rusty. Where do I start if math has felt shaky for a while? At step 1. If solving multi-step equations still takes effort, every later topic costs time you will not have on a timed section. Repairing that is slower than drilling PSAT questions, and worth more. Related resources PSAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT? What math does Brilliant cover? Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] College Board, “Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite,” version 3.01, August 2024 — content specifications and domain weightings. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “PSAT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by testing point”, accessed August 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed August 2026.

Can Brilliant help you prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT?


Yes — for the math the ACT asks about, not for the test itself. Brilliant teaches most of the algebra, functions, number, and statistics content described by ACT’s math standards, and it teaches it by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. It does not teach the exam: no format walkthroughs, no timing strategy, no full-length practice tests. The honest split is that Brilliant is the understanding layer and ACT’s official materials are the exam layer, and a good ACT plan uses both.

## What does the ACT math section actually test?

ACT publishes its College and Career Readiness Standards in six strands — Number and Quantity, Algebra, Functions, a combined Algebra and Functions strand, Geometry, and Statistics and Probability — and sorts the standards inside each strand by the ACT score range at which students typically demonstrate them, from 13–15 up to 33–36. A score range is a difficulty band, not a grade level: familiar content can sit high in the bands because the ACT asks a harder question about it. ACT sets its College Readiness Benchmark for mathematics at 22.

Geometry is the largest of the six strands, and the ACT leans on plane geometry more than the digital SAT does.

One thing no amount of concept work replaces: the math section is 60 questions under a tight time limit. Pacing is its own skill, and you can only build it on timed, full-length official material.

## Which of that math does Brilliant teach?

Most of it, across more than thirty courses. The strongest overlap is in algebra and functions, where Brilliant’s catalog is deepest.

- **Algebra.** Solving equations from balance-scale reasoning in [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/), expressions with negative coefficients in [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/), expanding and factoring binomials in [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/), and exponent rules and radicals in [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/), including [Any Fraction as an Exponent](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/general-fraction-exponents/).
- **Functions.** Function rules, input–output pairs, and graphing in [Introduction to Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/); domain, range, and asymptotes in [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/); growth, decay, and logarithms in [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/); the unit circle, radians, and tangent in [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/).
- **Number and quantity.** Distance and absolute value on the number line in [Negative Numbers](/courses/negative-numbers/), prime factorization and powers of ten in Exponents & Radicals, complex numbers in [Complex Plane](/courses/complex-plane/), and matrices and vectors in [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/).
- **Statistics and probability.** Counting outcomes and AND/OR probability in [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/), mean, median, and mode in [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/), and reading charts and graphs in [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/).

The standard-by-standard version of this, band by band, is on the [ACT math coverage page](/resources/alignment-mappings/act-math-coverage/).

## Where is Brilliant strongest for the ACT?

In the 24–32 range, which is where most students who already clear the benchmark are trying to move. [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) (83 lessons) matches more ACT standards in the 24–27 band than any other course, and [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) — 61 lessons, 52 skills matching this exam, more than any other Brilliant course — leads the 28–32 band. At the very top, [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) carries the 33–36 band almost single-handedly, with [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) and [Polar Coordinate Plane](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/) behind it.

## What will you not get from Brilliant?

**Geometry is the real gap, and it matters more on the ACT than on other tests.** Brilliant has no dedicated high-school Geometry course. It reaches ACT geometry through coordinate work, transformations, right-triangle trigonometry, and vectors — the Pythagorean theorem, the distance formula, trigonometric ratios, circle area and circumference, and rotations and reflections are all taught. What is missing is the routine plane-geometry layer the ACT keeps asking about: the midpoint of a segment, angles formed by parallel lines cut by a transversal, isosceles triangle side and angle relationships, perimeter when every side length is given, multi-step area problems, recognizing 3-4-5 and 6-8-10 style triples on sight, and unit conversions like inches to feet or hours to minutes. Get those from your geometry textbook or a prep book; they are quick to learn and heavily tested.

A few non-geometry topics are also worth picking up elsewhere: sequences defined recursively, interpreting function notation in context, the remainder theorem, matching inequalities to their number-line graphs, reading slope directly off an equation, and the arithmetic and place-value questions low in the score bands.

## What should you study, and in what order?

Work the band you are trying to reach, not the whole catalog. Find your math score on a practice test, start one band above it, and move up a band at a time — skipping ahead rarely works, because the higher bands ask harder questions about the same objects.

| If you are aiming for       | Work on                                                                                                                        | Start here                                                                                 |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Under 20                    | Fractions, negative numbers, percentages, evaluating linear expressions, reading charts                                        | [The Number Line](/courses/negative-numbers/integers-number-line/numeric-expressions-205/) |
| The benchmark, around 20–23 | Writing and solving equations, growth patterns, distance and absolute value, basic probability, points on the coordinate plane | [Finding Unknowns](/courses/pre-algebra/variables/understanding-variables-2/)              |
| 24–27                       | Exponents and radicals, quadratic expressions, function rules, domain and range, forms of a line, polynomial graphs            | [Square Roots](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/squares-and-roots/squares-and-roots-3/)     |
| 28–32                       | Exponential growth and logarithms, complex numbers, vectors and matrices, systems, intersections of curves                     | [Growing](/courses/exponential-functions/exponential-growth/growing/)                      |
| 33–36                       | Radians and the unit circle, tangent, polar coordinates and arc length, polynomial sign behavior, distributions and regression | [The Unit Circle](/courses/trigonometric-functions/sin-and-cos/the-unit-circle-trig/)      |

**If you are short on time,** do three things and drop the rest. Fix your geometry formulas from a prep book, since that is the fastest scoring gain and Brilliant will not do it for you. Spend your Brilliant time only on the band immediately above your practice-test score. And open individual lessons rather than completing courses — Brilliant lessons are short and stand on their own, so you can go straight to the topic that cost you points.

## What should you use from ACT itself?

ACT publishes free official practice tests with answer explanations on act.org, and sells The Official ACT Prep Guide. Use them for everything Brilliant does not do: the shape of the test, the way questions are worded, and above all full-length timed sections. Sixty questions against the clock is a skill you can only build by doing it, and doing it on real ACT material.

A workable rhythm is to alternate: take a timed official section, list what you missed for a math reason rather than a timing reason, then use Brilliant on exactly those topics before the next one.

## Is Brilliant a complete ACT prep course?

No. Brilliant is not an ACT prep course, is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACT, and does not include practice tests, timing drills, or score guarantees. It teaches the mathematics the ACT is testing you on. Use Brilliant for the math and ACT’s official materials for the exam, and you have both halves.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to ACT’s College and Career Readiness Standards skill by skill against the live course catalog. The data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026 and reflects the catalog on that date.

## Frequently asked questions

### Should I use Brilliant for the ACT or the SAT?

Both draw on the same underlying math, and Brilliant’s algebra and functions courses serve either one. See [Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?](/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-digital-sat/).

### How far ahead of the test should I start using Brilliant?

Far enough that concept work is not competing with timed practice. Brilliant is best in the stretch where you are still learning math you do not know; in the last few weeks, timed official sections and error review are the better use of your hours.

### Does Brilliant cover ACT trigonometry?

Yes, and it is one of the strongest areas for a high scorer. [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) covers radians, the unit circle, converting between degrees and radians, evaluating sine and cosine at standard angles, and tangent as both a slope and a ratio.

### I am scoring below the benchmark. Where do I start?

Not with trigonometry. Start with [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/) and [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/), which carry most of the 16–23 bands, then add [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/) and [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/) for the data questions.

## Related resources

- [ACT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by score range](/resources/alignment-mappings/act-math-coverage/)
- [Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?](/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-digital-sat/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Geometry?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-geometry/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] ACT, official practice tests, answer explanations, and The Official ACT Prep Guide, [act.org](https://act.org), accessed August 2026.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“ACT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by score range”](/resources/alignment-mappings/act-math-coverage/), accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed August 2026.


What Brilliant covers of ACT math, where it is strongest by score band, and the geometry you must get elsewhere.

<p>Yes — for the math the ACT asks about, not for the test itself. Brilliant teaches most of the algebra, functions, number, and statistics content described by ACT’s math standards, and it teaches it by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. It does not teach the exam: no format walkthroughs, no timing strategy, no full-length practice tests. The honest split is that Brilliant is the understanding layer and ACT’s official materials are the exam layer, and a good ACT plan uses both.</p>
<h2>What does the ACT math section actually test?</h2>
<p>ACT publishes its College and Career Readiness Standards in six strands — Number and Quantity, Algebra, Functions, a combined Algebra and Functions strand, Geometry, and Statistics and Probability — and sorts the standards inside each strand by the ACT score range at which students typically demonstrate them, from 13–15 up to 33–36. A score range is a difficulty band, not a grade level: familiar content can sit high in the bands because the ACT asks a harder question about it. ACT sets its College Readiness Benchmark for mathematics at 22.</p>
<p>Geometry is the largest of the six strands, and the ACT leans on plane geometry more than the digital SAT does.</p>
<p>One thing no amount of concept work replaces: the math section is 60 questions under a tight time limit. Pacing is its own skill, and you can only build it on timed, full-length official material.</p>
<h2>Which of that math does Brilliant teach?</h2>
<p>Most of it, across more than thirty courses. The strongest overlap is in algebra and functions, where Brilliant’s catalog is deepest.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Algebra.</strong> Solving equations from balance-scale reasoning in <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a>, expressions with negative coefficients in <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a>, expanding and factoring binomials in <a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a>, and exponent rules and radicals in <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a>, including <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/general-fraction-exponents/">Any Fraction as an Exponent</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Functions.</strong> Function rules, input–output pairs, and graphing in <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/">Introduction to Functions</a>; domain, range, and asymptotes in <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a>; growth, decay, and logarithms in <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a>; the unit circle, radians, and tangent in <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Number and quantity.</strong> Distance and absolute value on the number line in <a href="/courses/negative-numbers/">Negative Numbers</a>, prime factorization and powers of ten in Exponents &#x26; Radicals, complex numbers in <a href="/courses/complex-plane/">Complex Plane</a>, and matrices and vectors in <a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Statistics and probability.</strong> Counting outcomes and AND/OR probability in <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a>, mean, median, and mode in <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a>, and reading charts and graphs in <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The standard-by-standard version of this, band by band, is on the <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/act-math-coverage/">ACT math coverage page</a>.</p>
<h2>Where is Brilliant strongest for the ACT?</h2>
<p>In the 24–32 range, which is where most students who already clear the benchmark are trying to move. <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> (83 lessons) matches more ACT standards in the 24–27 band than any other course, and <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> — 61 lessons, 52 skills matching this exam, more than any other Brilliant course — leads the 28–32 band. At the very top, <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> carries the 33–36 band almost single-handedly, with <a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> and <a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/">Polar Coordinate Plane</a> behind it.</p>
<h2>What will you not get from Brilliant?</h2>
<p><strong>Geometry is the real gap, and it matters more on the ACT than on other tests.</strong> Brilliant has no dedicated high-school Geometry course. It reaches ACT geometry through coordinate work, transformations, right-triangle trigonometry, and vectors — the Pythagorean theorem, the distance formula, trigonometric ratios, circle area and circumference, and rotations and reflections are all taught. What is missing is the routine plane-geometry layer the ACT keeps asking about: the midpoint of a segment, angles formed by parallel lines cut by a transversal, isosceles triangle side and angle relationships, perimeter when every side length is given, multi-step area problems, recognizing 3-4-5 and 6-8-10 style triples on sight, and unit conversions like inches to feet or hours to minutes. Get those from your geometry textbook or a prep book; they are quick to learn and heavily tested.</p>
<p>A few non-geometry topics are also worth picking up elsewhere: sequences defined recursively, interpreting function notation in context, the remainder theorem, matching inequalities to their number-line graphs, reading slope directly off an equation, and the arithmetic and place-value questions low in the score bands.</p>
<h2>What should you study, and in what order?</h2>
<p>Work the band you are trying to reach, not the whole catalog. Find your math score on a practice test, start one band above it, and move up a band at a time — skipping ahead rarely works, because the higher bands ask harder questions about the same objects.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>If you are aiming for</th>
<th>Work on</th>
<th>Start here</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Under 20</td>
<td>Fractions, negative numbers, percentages, evaluating linear expressions, reading charts</td>
<td><a href="/courses/negative-numbers/integers-number-line/numeric-expressions-205/">The Number Line</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>The benchmark, around 20–23</td>
<td>Writing and solving equations, growth patterns, distance and absolute value, basic probability, points on the coordinate plane</td>
<td><a href="/courses/pre-algebra/variables/understanding-variables-2/">Finding Unknowns</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>24–27</td>
<td>Exponents and radicals, quadratic expressions, function rules, domain and range, forms of a line, polynomial graphs</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/squares-and-roots/squares-and-roots-3/">Square Roots</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>28–32</td>
<td>Exponential growth and logarithms, complex numbers, vectors and matrices, systems, intersections of curves</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/exponential-growth/growing/">Growing</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>33–36</td>
<td>Radians and the unit circle, tangent, polar coordinates and arc length, polynomial sign behavior, distributions and regression</td>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/sin-and-cos/the-unit-circle-trig/">The Unit Circle</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>If you are short on time,</strong> do three things and drop the rest. Fix your geometry formulas from a prep book, since that is the fastest scoring gain and Brilliant will not do it for you. Spend your Brilliant time only on the band immediately above your practice-test score. And open individual lessons rather than completing courses — Brilliant lessons are short and stand on their own, so you can go straight to the topic that cost you points.</p>
<h2>What should you use from ACT itself?</h2>
<p>ACT publishes free official practice tests with answer explanations on act.org, and sells The Official ACT Prep Guide. Use them for everything Brilliant does not do: the shape of the test, the way questions are worded, and above all full-length timed sections. Sixty questions against the clock is a skill you can only build by doing it, and doing it on real ACT material.</p>
<p>A workable rhythm is to alternate: take a timed official section, list what you missed for a math reason rather than a timing reason, then use Brilliant on exactly those topics before the next one.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete ACT prep course?</h2>
<p>No. Brilliant is not an ACT prep course, is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACT, and does not include practice tests, timing drills, or score guarantees. It teaches the mathematics the ACT is testing you on. Use Brilliant for the math and ACT’s official materials for the exam, and you have both halves.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to ACT’s College and Career Readiness Standards skill by skill against the live course catalog. The data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026 and reflects the catalog on that date.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>Should I use Brilliant for the ACT or the SAT?</h3>
<p>Both draw on the same underlying math, and Brilliant’s algebra and functions courses serve either one. See <a href="/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-digital-sat/">Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?</a>.</p>
<h3>How far ahead of the test should I start using Brilliant?</h3>
<p>Far enough that concept work is not competing with timed practice. Brilliant is best in the stretch where you are still learning math you do not know; in the last few weeks, timed official sections and error review are the better use of your hours.</p>
<h3>Does Brilliant cover ACT trigonometry?</h3>
<p>Yes, and it is one of the strongest areas for a high scorer. <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> covers radians, the unit circle, converting between degrees and radians, evaluating sine and cosine at standard angles, and tangent as both a slope and a ratio.</p>
<h3>I am scoring below the benchmark. Where do I start?</h3>
<p>Not with trigonometry. Start with <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a> and <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a>, which carry most of the 16–23 bands, then add <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a> and <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a> for the data questions.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/act-math-coverage/">ACT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by score range</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/test-prep/can-brilliant-help-with-the-digital-sat/">Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-geometry/">Does Brilliant cover Geometry?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] ACT, official practice tests, answer explanations, and The Official ACT Prep Guide, <a href="https://act.org">act.org</a>, accessed August 2026.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/act-math-coverage/">“ACT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by score range”</a>, accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed August 2026.</p>


Yes — for the math the ACT asks about, not for the test itself. Brilliant teaches most of the algebra, functions, number, and statistics content described by ACT’s math standards, and it teaches it by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. It does not teach the exam: no format walkthroughs, no timing strategy, no full-length practice tests. The honest split is that Brilliant is the understanding layer and ACT’s official materials are the exam layer, and a good ACT plan uses both. What does the ACT math section actually test? ACT publishes its College and Career Readiness Standards in six strands — Number and Quantity, Algebra, Functions, a combined Algebra and Functions strand, Geometry, and Statistics and Probability — and sorts the standards inside each strand by the ACT score range at which students typically demonstrate them, from 13–15 up to 33–36. A score range is a difficulty band, not a grade level: familiar content can sit high in the bands because the ACT asks a harder question about it. ACT sets its College Readiness Benchmark for mathematics at 22. Geometry is the largest of the six strands, and the ACT leans on plane geometry more than the digital SAT does. One thing no amount of concept work replaces: the math section is 60 questions under a tight time limit. Pacing is its own skill, and you can only build it on timed, full-length official material. Which of that math does Brilliant teach? Most of it, across more than thirty courses. The strongest overlap is in algebra and functions, where Brilliant’s catalog is deepest. Algebra. Solving equations from balance-scale reasoning in Solving Equations, expressions with negative coefficients in Linear Expressions & Equations, expanding and factoring binomials in Quadratics, and exponent rules and radicals in Exponents & Radicals, including Any Fraction as an Exponent. Functions. Function rules, input–output pairs, and graphing in Introduction to Functions; domain, range, and asymptotes in Equations & Curves; growth, decay, and logarithms in Exponential Functions; the unit circle, radians, and tangent in Trigonometric Functions. Number and quantity. Distance and absolute value on the number line in Negative Numbers, prime factorization and powers of ten in Exponents & Radicals, complex numbers in Complex Plane, and matrices and vectors in Vectors & Matrices. Statistics and probability. Counting outcomes and AND/OR probability in Probability and Chance, mean, median, and mode in Everyday Statistics, and reading charts and graphs in Exploring Data Visually. The standard-by-standard version of this, band by band, is on the ACT math coverage page. Where is Brilliant strongest for the ACT? In the 24–32 range, which is where most students who already clear the benchmark are trying to move. Exponents & Radicals (83 lessons) matches more ACT standards in the 24–27 band than any other course, and Equations & Curves — 61 lessons, 52 skills matching this exam, more than any other Brilliant course — leads the 28–32 band. At the very top, Trigonometric Functions carries the 33–36 band almost single-handedly, with Polynomials and Polar Coordinate Plane behind it. What will you not get from Brilliant? Geometry is the real gap, and it matters more on the ACT than on other tests. Brilliant has no dedicated high-school Geometry course. It reaches ACT geometry through coordinate work, transformations, right-triangle trigonometry, and vectors — the Pythagorean theorem, the distance formula, trigonometric ratios, circle area and circumference, and rotations and reflections are all taught. What is missing is the routine plane-geometry layer the ACT keeps asking about: the midpoint of a segment, angles formed by parallel lines cut by a transversal, isosceles triangle side and angle relationships, perimeter when every side length is given, multi-step area problems, recognizing 3-4-5 and 6-8-10 style triples on sight, and unit conversions like inches to feet or hours to minutes. Get those from your geometry textbook or a prep book; they are quick to learn and heavily tested. A few non-geometry topics are also worth picking up elsewhere: sequences defined recursively, interpreting function notation in context, the remainder theorem, matching inequalities to their number-line graphs, reading slope directly off an equation, and the arithmetic and place-value questions low in the score bands. What should you study, and in what order? Work the band you are trying to reach, not the whole catalog. Find your math score on a practice test, start one band above it, and move up a band at a time — skipping ahead rarely works, because the higher bands ask harder questions about the same objects. If you are aiming for Work on Start here Under 20 Fractions, negative numbers, percentages, evaluating linear expressions, reading charts The Number Line The benchmark, around 20–23 Writing and solving equations, growth patterns, distance and absolute value, basic probability, points on the coordinate plane Finding Unknowns 24–27 Exponents and radicals, quadratic expressions, function rules, domain and range, forms of a line, polynomial graphs Square Roots 28–32 Exponential growth and logarithms, complex numbers, vectors and matrices, systems, intersections of curves Growing 33–36 Radians and the unit circle, tangent, polar coordinates and arc length, polynomial sign behavior, distributions and regression The Unit Circle If you are short on time, do three things and drop the rest. Fix your geometry formulas from a prep book, since that is the fastest scoring gain and Brilliant will not do it for you. Spend your Brilliant time only on the band immediately above your practice-test score. And open individual lessons rather than completing courses — Brilliant lessons are short and stand on their own, so you can go straight to the topic that cost you points. What should you use from ACT itself? ACT publishes free official practice tests with answer explanations on act.org, and sells The Official ACT Prep Guide. Use them for everything Brilliant does not do: the shape of the test, the way questions are worded, and above all full-length timed sections. Sixty questions against the clock is a skill you can only build by doing it, and doing it on real ACT material. A workable rhythm is to alternate: take a timed official section, list what you missed for a math reason rather than a timing reason, then use Brilliant on exactly those topics before the next one. Is Brilliant a complete ACT prep course? No. Brilliant is not an ACT prep course, is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACT, and does not include practice tests, timing drills, or score guarantees. It teaches the mathematics the ACT is testing you on. Use Brilliant for the math and ACT’s official materials for the exam, and you have both halves. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to ACT’s College and Career Readiness Standards skill by skill against the live course catalog. The data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026 and reflects the catalog on that date. Frequently asked questions Should I use Brilliant for the ACT or the SAT? Both draw on the same underlying math, and Brilliant’s algebra and functions courses serve either one. See Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT?. How far ahead of the test should I start using Brilliant? Far enough that concept work is not competing with timed practice. Brilliant is best in the stretch where you are still learning math you do not know; in the last few weeks, timed official sections and error review are the better use of your hours. Does Brilliant cover ACT trigonometry? Yes, and it is one of the strongest areas for a high scorer. Trigonometric Functions covers radians, the unit circle, converting between degrees and radians, evaluating sine and cosine at standard angles, and tangent as both a slope and a ratio. I am scoring below the benchmark. Where do I start? Not with trigonometry. Start with Solving Equations and Linear Expressions & Equations, which carry most of the 16–23 bands, then add Probability and Chance and Exploring Data Visually for the data questions. Related resources ACT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by score range Can Brilliant help you prepare for the digital SAT? Does Brilliant cover Geometry? What math does Brilliant cover? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] ACT, official practice tests, answer explanations, and The Official ACT Prep Guide, act.org, accessed August 2026. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “ACT math coverage: Brilliant lesson mapping by score range”, accessed August 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed August 2026.

Can Brilliant help you prepare for the ACT?


Yes, for the mathematics — and the answer differs by exam. Brilliant teaches most of the content assessed on the Regents Algebra I and Algebra II exams, and a narrower slice of the Geometry exam. What it does not teach is the exam itself: the question formats, the timing, and the rubrics that score the constructed-response parts. Use Brilliant to understand the math, and past Regents papers with their scoring keys for everything exam-specific.

The three exams — Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II — are sat at the end of the matching course, each counts toward a New York diploma, and each tests different content. So the useful question is not whether Brilliant covers “the Regents,” but whether it covers the one you are taking. Here it is exam by exam.

## Regents Algebra I: what Brilliant teaches

This is Brilliant’s strongest match of the three: linear equations and inequalities, systems, quadratics in every solving method, function notation, exponential growth and decay, and the data strand all have dedicated courses.

| Brilliant course                                                                          | What it gets you for Algebra I                                                                           | Start here                                                                                                   |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/) (59 lessons) | Multi-step solving, negative and fractional coefficients, one solution against none or infinitely many   | [Combining Terms](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/)         |
| [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/) (45 lessons)                               | Slope, intercepts in context, all three forms of a line, linear inequalities                             | [Proportional Relationships](/courses/linear-functions/writing-linear-expressions/writing-linear-functions/) |
| [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/) (24 lessons)                                   | Solving by graphing and elimination, writing a system from word constraints, inequality systems          | [Graphing Systems of Equations](/courses/linear-systems/solving-by-graphing/ls-level2-1/)                    |
| [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) (69 lessons)                                           | Factoring, completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant, vertex form, axis of symmetry | [Undistributing](/courses/quadratics/factoring-expressions/undistributing-one-direction/)                    |
| [Introduction to Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/) (68 lessons)             | Function rules and notation, domain and range, the vertical line test, shifts                            | [Writing Rules](/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-rules/writing-rules/)                            |
| [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) (63 lessons)                     | Growth and decay, finding the base and starting value, exponential against linear growth                 | [Growing](/courses/exponential-functions/exponential-growth/growing/)                                        |

For the data questions, [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/) covers box plots, center, and spread — open [Comparing Distributions](/courses/basic-math/whiskers/comparing-distribution/) — and [Regression](/courses/explaining-variation/) covers scatter plots and lines of fit, starting at [Calculating Error](/courses/explaining-variation/regression-i/least-squares-2/).

**Short on time?** Do Quadratics and Linear Functions and skip the rest — between them they carry more of this exam than anything else on the list.

**Get from class materials:** justifying each step of a solve in writing, naming the parts of a polynomial in standard form, classifying sums and products as rational or irrational, solving a line-and-parabola system, finding solutions where two graphs intersect, and correlation against causation.

## Regents Geometry: what Brilliant teaches

For this exam Brilliant is a coordinate-and-transformations resource, not a synthetic geometry course: strong on transformations, the coordinate plane, and right-triangle trigonometry, and silent on the proof-writing that carries a large share of the paper.

| Brilliant course                                                          | What it gets you for Geometry                                                                 | Start here                                                                                             |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| [Geometry and Measurement](/courses/geometry-fundamentals/) (25 lessons)  | Angles made by intersecting and parallel lines, polygon angle sums, scale factor, volume      | [Angles Made by Lines](/courses/geometry-fundamentals/angles/angle-facts-3/)                           |
| [Coordinate Transformations](/courses/transformations/) (60 lessons)      | Reflections, rotations, translations, and dilations by coordinates; symmetry; similar figures | [Reflecting Coordinates](/courses/transformations/reflections-in-coordinates/reflecting-coordinates/)  |
| [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/) (44 lessons)         | Distance from coordinates, the Pythagorean theorem, the equation of a circle, area on a grid  | [Pythagoras’ Theorem](/courses/coordinate-geometry/pythagoras/pythagoras-theorem/)                     |
| [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) (62 lessons) | The 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles; sine and cosine of complementary angles                  | [Triangles and the Unit Circle](/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/triangle-trig-1/) |

Parallel and perpendicular slopes sit in Linear Functions rather than a geometry course, at [Perpendicular Lines](/courses/linear-functions/parallel-and-perpendicular/linear-relationships-perpendicular-lines/).

**Short on time?** Coordinate Transformations first — [Dilating Points](/courses/transformations/dilation/dilation-points/) through [Identifying Similarity](/courses/transformations/similarity/identifying-similarity/) is a fast run.

**Get from class materials:** everything about circles — inscribed and central angles, arcs, chords, tangents, arc length and sector area; the congruence and similarity criteria and the proofs built on them; parallelogram theorems; compass-and-straightedge constructions; coordinate proofs; partitioning a segment in a ratio; cross sections and solids of rotation; and the modeling questions about density and design. That is a substantial share of this exam.

## Regents Algebra II: what Brilliant teaches

Strong again, and in places deeper than the exam requires: rational exponents, complex numbers, polynomial factoring and root behavior, logarithms, and the full radian-and-unit-circle treatment of trigonometry are all here.

| Brilliant course                                                          | What it gets you for Algebra II                                                                 | Start here                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) (83 lessons)     | Rational exponents, converting between radical and exponent form, simplifying radicals          | [Exponent One Half](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/exponent-is-a-half/)                                      |
| [Complex Plane](/courses/complex-plane/) (50 lessons)                     | The imaginary unit, adding and multiplying complex numbers, multiplication on the plane         | [Combining Complex Numbers](/courses/complex-plane/complex-plane/combining-complex-numbers/)                                       |
| [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) (52 lessons)                         | Polynomial arithmetic, factoring past the quadratic case, roots and factored form, sign regions | [Root Finding](/courses/polynomials/roots/polynomial-root-finding/)                                                                |
| [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) (63 lessons)     | Logarithms and their identities, log and exponential form, solving equations with logs          | [Log-Exponent Pairs](/courses/exponential-functions/the-logarithm/paired-log-solvables/)                                           |
| [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) (62 lessons) | Radian measure, unit circle values, amplitude, midline and period, solving trig equations       | [Radians](/courses/trigonometric-functions/arclength-and-radians/radians/)                                                         |
| [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) (61 lessons)         | Simplifying rational expressions, general roots, multi-step graph transformations               | [Simplify Rational Expressions](/courses/equations-and-curves/manipulating-rational-expressions/simplifying-rational-expressions/) |

For the probability questions, [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/) and [Probability in Data](/courses/probability-fundamentals/) cover sample spaces, Venn diagrams, the addition rule, and [Conditional Probability](/courses/winning-with-probability/conditional-probability/conditional-probability-wwp/). Inverse functions live in [Inverting a Function](/courses/introduction-to-functions/inverse-functions/backward-function/).

**Short on time?** Trigonometric Functions and Exponential Functions. Radians, the unit circle, and logarithms are new to most students in this course and are heavily assessed.

**Get from class materials:** sequences and series — recursive and explicit rules, sigma notation, the arithmetic and geometric series formulas — plus the remainder theorem, polynomial long division, building a model from a multi-step context, solving rational and radical equations and checking for extraneous roots, average rate of change, and statistical inference from samples and simulations.

## What Brilliant will not do for you

Brilliant has no Regents-format practice: no full-length timed papers, no sections built to NYSED’s specifications, and nothing that teaches you how the constructed-response questions are scored. Those are graded against published rubrics, and points go missing on work that is mathematically right but presented in a way the rubric does not credit.

The New York State Education Department publishes every past Regents exam with its scoring key and model responses. Working recent papers under timed conditions is the highest-value Regents-specific practice available, and reading the model responses beside your own work is the only way to learn what a full-credit answer looks like. Use them alongside Brilliant: when a paper exposes a topic you cannot do, come back for the lesson that teaches it.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each math skill to the standard it fits most closely, using the New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards as scoped by NYSED’s Educator Guide blueprint for each Regents exam, and the data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026 against the live course catalog. The full standard-by-standard map is at [New York Regents math coverage](/resources/alignment-mappings/new-york-regents-math-coverage/).

## Frequently asked questions

### I’m retaking a Regents exam. Where should I start?

With the paper, not with a course. Score a recent past paper against its key, group the misses by topic, and open only the Brilliant lessons that match. Retakes usually turn on two or three topics rather than the whole syllabus.

### Does Brilliant teach the two-column proofs on the Geometry exam?

No. It teaches the relationships a proof uses — congruence through transformations, similarity, angle relationships, coordinate distance — but not the formal writing of a proof or the criteria it cites. Get proof practice from your class and from past papers, whose model responses show what earns full credit.

### My Algebra I class has gotten away from me. What comes before these courses?

Usually multi-step equation solving, signed numbers, or reading the coordinate plane. [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/) and [Coordinate Plane](/courses/coordinate-plane/) are the repair points; fix the gap there, then rejoin the Algebra I path above. If it is wide, tell your teacher.

## Related resources

- [New York Regents math coverage: exam-by-exam Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/new-york-regents-math-coverage/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Geometry?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-geometry/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Algebra 2?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-2/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] New York State Education Department, Regents Examinations in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II — past examinations with scoring keys and model responses.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“New York Regents math coverage: exam-by-exam Brilliant lesson mapping”](/resources/alignment-mappings/new-york-regents-math-coverage/), accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed August 2026.


Whether Brilliant prepares you for the Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II Regents exams, and which courses to use.

<p>Yes, for the mathematics — and the answer differs by exam. Brilliant teaches most of the content assessed on the Regents Algebra I and Algebra II exams, and a narrower slice of the Geometry exam. What it does not teach is the exam itself: the question formats, the timing, and the rubrics that score the constructed-response parts. Use Brilliant to understand the math, and past Regents papers with their scoring keys for everything exam-specific.</p>
<p>The three exams — Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II — are sat at the end of the matching course, each counts toward a New York diploma, and each tests different content. So the useful question is not whether Brilliant covers “the Regents,” but whether it covers the one you are taking. Here it is exam by exam.</p>
<h2>Regents Algebra I: what Brilliant teaches</h2>
<p>This is Brilliant’s strongest match of the three: linear equations and inequalities, systems, quadratics in every solving method, function notation, exponential growth and decay, and the data strand all have dedicated courses.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Brilliant course</th>
<th>What it gets you for Algebra I</th>
<th>Start here</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a> (59 lessons)</td>
<td>Multi-step solving, negative and fractional coefficients, one solution against none or infinitely many</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/">Combining Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a> (45 lessons)</td>
<td>Slope, intercepts in context, all three forms of a line, linear inequalities</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/writing-linear-expressions/writing-linear-functions/">Proportional Relationships</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a> (24 lessons)</td>
<td>Solving by graphing and elimination, writing a system from word constraints, inequality systems</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/solving-by-graphing/ls-level2-1/">Graphing Systems of Equations</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> (69 lessons)</td>
<td>Factoring, completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant, vertex form, axis of symmetry</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/factoring-expressions/undistributing-one-direction/">Undistributing</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/">Introduction to Functions</a> (68 lessons)</td>
<td>Function rules and notation, domain and range, the vertical line test, shifts</td>
<td><a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-rules/writing-rules/">Writing Rules</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> (63 lessons)</td>
<td>Growth and decay, finding the base and starting value, exponential against linear growth</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/exponential-growth/growing/">Growing</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>For the data questions, <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a> covers box plots, center, and spread — open <a href="/courses/basic-math/whiskers/comparing-distribution/">Comparing Distributions</a> — and <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/">Regression</a> covers scatter plots and lines of fit, starting at <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/regression-i/least-squares-2/">Calculating Error</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Short on time?</strong> Do Quadratics and Linear Functions and skip the rest — between them they carry more of this exam than anything else on the list.</p>
<p><strong>Get from class materials:</strong> justifying each step of a solve in writing, naming the parts of a polynomial in standard form, classifying sums and products as rational or irrational, solving a line-and-parabola system, finding solutions where two graphs intersect, and correlation against causation.</p>
<h2>Regents Geometry: what Brilliant teaches</h2>
<p>For this exam Brilliant is a coordinate-and-transformations resource, not a synthetic geometry course: strong on transformations, the coordinate plane, and right-triangle trigonometry, and silent on the proof-writing that carries a large share of the paper.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Brilliant course</th>
<th>What it gets you for Geometry</th>
<th>Start here</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/geometry-fundamentals/">Geometry and Measurement</a> (25 lessons)</td>
<td>Angles made by intersecting and parallel lines, polygon angle sums, scale factor, volume</td>
<td><a href="/courses/geometry-fundamentals/angles/angle-facts-3/">Angles Made by Lines</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/transformations/">Coordinate Transformations</a> (60 lessons)</td>
<td>Reflections, rotations, translations, and dilations by coordinates; symmetry; similar figures</td>
<td><a href="/courses/transformations/reflections-in-coordinates/reflecting-coordinates/">Reflecting Coordinates</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a> (44 lessons)</td>
<td>Distance from coordinates, the Pythagorean theorem, the equation of a circle, area on a grid</td>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/pythagoras/pythagoras-theorem/">Pythagoras’ Theorem</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> (62 lessons)</td>
<td>The 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles; sine and cosine of complementary angles</td>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/triangle-trig-1/">Triangles and the Unit Circle</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Parallel and perpendicular slopes sit in Linear Functions rather than a geometry course, at <a href="/courses/linear-functions/parallel-and-perpendicular/linear-relationships-perpendicular-lines/">Perpendicular Lines</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Short on time?</strong> Coordinate Transformations first — <a href="/courses/transformations/dilation/dilation-points/">Dilating Points</a> through <a href="/courses/transformations/similarity/identifying-similarity/">Identifying Similarity</a> is a fast run.</p>
<p><strong>Get from class materials:</strong> everything about circles — inscribed and central angles, arcs, chords, tangents, arc length and sector area; the congruence and similarity criteria and the proofs built on them; parallelogram theorems; compass-and-straightedge constructions; coordinate proofs; partitioning a segment in a ratio; cross sections and solids of rotation; and the modeling questions about density and design. That is a substantial share of this exam.</p>
<h2>Regents Algebra II: what Brilliant teaches</h2>
<p>Strong again, and in places deeper than the exam requires: rational exponents, complex numbers, polynomial factoring and root behavior, logarithms, and the full radian-and-unit-circle treatment of trigonometry are all here.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Brilliant course</th>
<th>What it gets you for Algebra II</th>
<th>Start here</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> (83 lessons)</td>
<td>Rational exponents, converting between radical and exponent form, simplifying radicals</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/exponent-is-a-half/">Exponent One Half</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/complex-plane/">Complex Plane</a> (50 lessons)</td>
<td>The imaginary unit, adding and multiplying complex numbers, multiplication on the plane</td>
<td><a href="/courses/complex-plane/complex-plane/combining-complex-numbers/">Combining Complex Numbers</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> (52 lessons)</td>
<td>Polynomial arithmetic, factoring past the quadratic case, roots and factored form, sign regions</td>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/roots/polynomial-root-finding/">Root Finding</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> (63 lessons)</td>
<td>Logarithms and their identities, log and exponential form, solving equations with logs</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/the-logarithm/paired-log-solvables/">Log-Exponent Pairs</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> (62 lessons)</td>
<td>Radian measure, unit circle values, amplitude, midline and period, solving trig equations</td>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/arclength-and-radians/radians/">Radians</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> (61 lessons)</td>
<td>Simplifying rational expressions, general roots, multi-step graph transformations</td>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/manipulating-rational-expressions/simplifying-rational-expressions/">Simplify Rational Expressions</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>For the probability questions, <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a> and <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/">Probability in Data</a> cover sample spaces, Venn diagrams, the addition rule, and <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/conditional-probability/conditional-probability-wwp/">Conditional Probability</a>. Inverse functions live in <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/inverse-functions/backward-function/">Inverting a Function</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Short on time?</strong> Trigonometric Functions and Exponential Functions. Radians, the unit circle, and logarithms are new to most students in this course and are heavily assessed.</p>
<p><strong>Get from class materials:</strong> sequences and series — recursive and explicit rules, sigma notation, the arithmetic and geometric series formulas — plus the remainder theorem, polynomial long division, building a model from a multi-step context, solving rational and radical equations and checking for extraneous roots, average rate of change, and statistical inference from samples and simulations.</p>
<h2>What Brilliant will not do for you</h2>
<p>Brilliant has no Regents-format practice: no full-length timed papers, no sections built to NYSED’s specifications, and nothing that teaches you how the constructed-response questions are scored. Those are graded against published rubrics, and points go missing on work that is mathematically right but presented in a way the rubric does not credit.</p>
<p>The New York State Education Department publishes every past Regents exam with its scoring key and model responses. Working recent papers under timed conditions is the highest-value Regents-specific practice available, and reading the model responses beside your own work is the only way to learn what a full-credit answer looks like. Use them alongside Brilliant: when a paper exposes a topic you cannot do, come back for the lesson that teaches it.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each math skill to the standard it fits most closely, using the New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards as scoped by NYSED’s Educator Guide blueprint for each Regents exam, and the data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026 against the live course catalog. The full standard-by-standard map is at <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/new-york-regents-math-coverage/">New York Regents math coverage</a>.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>I’m retaking a Regents exam. Where should I start?</h3>
<p>With the paper, not with a course. Score a recent past paper against its key, group the misses by topic, and open only the Brilliant lessons that match. Retakes usually turn on two or three topics rather than the whole syllabus.</p>
<h3>Does Brilliant teach the two-column proofs on the Geometry exam?</h3>
<p>No. It teaches the relationships a proof uses — congruence through transformations, similarity, angle relationships, coordinate distance — but not the formal writing of a proof or the criteria it cites. Get proof practice from your class and from past papers, whose model responses show what earns full credit.</p>
<h3>My Algebra I class has gotten away from me. What comes before these courses?</h3>
<p>Usually multi-step equation solving, signed numbers, or reading the coordinate plane. <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a> and <a href="/courses/coordinate-plane/">Coordinate Plane</a> are the repair points; fix the gap there, then rejoin the Algebra I path above. If it is wide, tell your teacher.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/new-york-regents-math-coverage/">New York Regents math coverage: exam-by-exam Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/">Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-geometry/">Does Brilliant cover Geometry?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-2/">Does Brilliant cover Algebra 2?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] New York State Education Department, Regents Examinations in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II — past examinations with scoring keys and model responses.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/new-york-regents-math-coverage/">“New York Regents math coverage: exam-by-exam Brilliant lesson mapping”</a>, accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed August 2026.</p>


Yes, for the mathematics — and the answer differs by exam. Brilliant teaches most of the content assessed on the Regents Algebra I and Algebra II exams, and a narrower slice of the Geometry exam. What it does not teach is the exam itself: the question formats, the timing, and the rubrics that score the constructed-response parts. Use Brilliant to understand the math, and past Regents papers with their scoring keys for everything exam-specific. The three exams — Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II — are sat at the end of the matching course, each counts toward a New York diploma, and each tests different content. So the useful question is not whether Brilliant covers “the Regents,” but whether it covers the one you are taking. Here it is exam by exam. Regents Algebra I: what Brilliant teaches This is Brilliant’s strongest match of the three: linear equations and inequalities, systems, quadratics in every solving method, function notation, exponential growth and decay, and the data strand all have dedicated courses. Brilliant course What it gets you for Algebra I Start here Linear Expressions & Equations (59 lessons) Multi-step solving, negative and fractional coefficients, one solution against none or infinitely many Combining Terms Linear Functions (45 lessons) Slope, intercepts in context, all three forms of a line, linear inequalities Proportional Relationships Linear Systems (24 lessons) Solving by graphing and elimination, writing a system from word constraints, inequality systems Graphing Systems of Equations Quadratics (69 lessons) Factoring, completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant, vertex form, axis of symmetry Undistributing Introduction to Functions (68 lessons) Function rules and notation, domain and range, the vertical line test, shifts Writing Rules Exponential Functions (63 lessons) Growth and decay, finding the base and starting value, exponential against linear growth Growing For the data questions, Everyday Statistics covers box plots, center, and spread — open Comparing Distributions — and Regression covers scatter plots and lines of fit, starting at Calculating Error. Short on time? Do Quadratics and Linear Functions and skip the rest — between them they carry more of this exam than anything else on the list. Get from class materials: justifying each step of a solve in writing, naming the parts of a polynomial in standard form, classifying sums and products as rational or irrational, solving a line-and-parabola system, finding solutions where two graphs intersect, and correlation against causation. Regents Geometry: what Brilliant teaches For this exam Brilliant is a coordinate-and-transformations resource, not a synthetic geometry course: strong on transformations, the coordinate plane, and right-triangle trigonometry, and silent on the proof-writing that carries a large share of the paper. Brilliant course What it gets you for Geometry Start here Geometry and Measurement (25 lessons) Angles made by intersecting and parallel lines, polygon angle sums, scale factor, volume Angles Made by Lines Coordinate Transformations (60 lessons) Reflections, rotations, translations, and dilations by coordinates; symmetry; similar figures Reflecting Coordinates Coordinate Geometry (44 lessons) Distance from coordinates, the Pythagorean theorem, the equation of a circle, area on a grid Pythagoras’ Theorem Trigonometric Functions (62 lessons) The 30-60-90 and 45-45-90 triangles; sine and cosine of complementary angles Triangles and the Unit Circle Parallel and perpendicular slopes sit in Linear Functions rather than a geometry course, at Perpendicular Lines. Short on time? Coordinate Transformations first — Dilating Points through Identifying Similarity is a fast run. Get from class materials: everything about circles — inscribed and central angles, arcs, chords, tangents, arc length and sector area; the congruence and similarity criteria and the proofs built on them; parallelogram theorems; compass-and-straightedge constructions; coordinate proofs; partitioning a segment in a ratio; cross sections and solids of rotation; and the modeling questions about density and design. That is a substantial share of this exam. Regents Algebra II: what Brilliant teaches Strong again, and in places deeper than the exam requires: rational exponents, complex numbers, polynomial factoring and root behavior, logarithms, and the full radian-and-unit-circle treatment of trigonometry are all here. Brilliant course What it gets you for Algebra II Start here Exponents & Radicals (83 lessons) Rational exponents, converting between radical and exponent form, simplifying radicals Exponent One Half Complex Plane (50 lessons) The imaginary unit, adding and multiplying complex numbers, multiplication on the plane Combining Complex Numbers Polynomials (52 lessons) Polynomial arithmetic, factoring past the quadratic case, roots and factored form, sign regions Root Finding Exponential Functions (63 lessons) Logarithms and their identities, log and exponential form, solving equations with logs Log-Exponent Pairs Trigonometric Functions (62 lessons) Radian measure, unit circle values, amplitude, midline and period, solving trig equations Radians Equations & Curves (61 lessons) Simplifying rational expressions, general roots, multi-step graph transformations Simplify Rational Expressions For the probability questions, Probability and Chance and Probability in Data cover sample spaces, Venn diagrams, the addition rule, and Conditional Probability. Inverse functions live in Inverting a Function. Short on time? Trigonometric Functions and Exponential Functions. Radians, the unit circle, and logarithms are new to most students in this course and are heavily assessed. Get from class materials: sequences and series — recursive and explicit rules, sigma notation, the arithmetic and geometric series formulas — plus the remainder theorem, polynomial long division, building a model from a multi-step context, solving rational and radical equations and checking for extraneous roots, average rate of change, and statistical inference from samples and simulations. What Brilliant will not do for you Brilliant has no Regents-format practice: no full-length timed papers, no sections built to NYSED’s specifications, and nothing that teaches you how the constructed-response questions are scored. Those are graded against published rubrics, and points go missing on work that is mathematically right but presented in a way the rubric does not credit. The New York State Education Department publishes every past Regents exam with its scoring key and model responses. Working recent papers under timed conditions is the highest-value Regents-specific practice available, and reading the model responses beside your own work is the only way to learn what a full-credit answer looks like. Use them alongside Brilliant: when a paper exposes a topic you cannot do, come back for the lesson that teaches it. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each math skill to the standard it fits most closely, using the New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards as scoped by NYSED’s Educator Guide blueprint for each Regents exam, and the data behind this page was pulled on August 27, 2026 against the live course catalog. The full standard-by-standard map is at New York Regents math coverage. Frequently asked questions I’m retaking a Regents exam. Where should I start? With the paper, not with a course. Score a recent past paper against its key, group the misses by topic, and open only the Brilliant lessons that match. Retakes usually turn on two or three topics rather than the whole syllabus. Does Brilliant teach the two-column proofs on the Geometry exam? No. It teaches the relationships a proof uses — congruence through transformations, similarity, angle relationships, coordinate distance — but not the formal writing of a proof or the criteria it cites. Get proof practice from your class and from past papers, whose model responses show what earns full credit. My Algebra I class has gotten away from me. What comes before these courses? Usually multi-step equation solving, signed numbers, or reading the coordinate plane. Solving Equations and Coordinate Plane are the repair points; fix the gap there, then rejoin the Algebra I path above. If it is wide, tell your teacher. Related resources New York Regents math coverage: exam-by-exam Brilliant lesson mapping Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1? Does Brilliant cover Geometry? Does Brilliant cover Algebra 2? What math does Brilliant cover? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] New York State Education Department, Regents Examinations in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II — past examinations with scoring keys and model responses. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “New York Regents math coverage: exam-by-exam Brilliant lesson mapping”, accessed August 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed August 2026.

Can Brilliant help you prepare for the New York Regents math exams?


Yes — for the mathematics. Brilliant teaches the polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, and polar function work that fills the three AP Precalculus units the exam assesses, across a dozen interactive courses. What it does not teach is the exam itself: there are no full-length AP practice exams on Brilliant, no free-response rubrics, and no timed sections. Use Brilliant to understand the math and College Board’s own materials for format, timing, and full-length practice.

AP Precalculus is also a class, and most readers are sitting in it now rather than cramming in April. Brilliant suits that reader: lessons are short and independent, so you can open the one matching this week’s topic without finishing a course first.

## What does the AP Exam assess, and what does it skip?

College Board’s framework has four units, and the multiple-choice section draws on the first three: Unit 1, Polynomial and Rational Functions (30–40% of the section); Unit 2, Exponential and Logarithmic Functions (25–40%); Unit 3, Trigonometric and Polar Functions (30–35%).

**Unit 4 — Functions Involving Parameters, Vectors, and Matrices — is part of the published course framework but is not assessed on the AP Exam.** That is College Board’s own scoping, not Brilliant’s judgment about what matters. If your teacher covers Unit 4 you will be graded on it in class, but studying it in April buys you nothing on the exam. Put your last month into Units 1–3.

If your class is not the AP course, [Does Brilliant cover Precalculus?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-precalculus/) maps Brilliant against the standards a typical precalculus class draws on, including conic sections and sequences. This page is the AP view: College Board’s units and the exam’s weighting.

## Which Brilliant courses carry this math, and in what order?

Twelve courses contain skills matching AP Precalculus topics. Following a class? Ignore the order and open the course matching your current unit. Otherwise work down the table — it runs in the framework’s sequence, each course assuming the ones above it.

| Course                                                                        | What it gets you for AP Precalculus                                                                               | Where to start                                                                                                   |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Introduction to Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/) (68 lessons) | Function rules, domain and range, composition, invertibility, periodicity — vocabulary all three tested units use | [Writing Rules](/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-rules/writing-rules/)                                |
| [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) (69 lessons)                               | Vertex form, maxima and minima, the discriminant, reading solutions off a graph (Unit 1)                          | [Factored Form](/courses/quadratics/graphing-factored-form/factored-form-6/)                                     |
| [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) (52 lessons)                             | End behavior, leading coefficients, even and odd symmetry, roots from symmetry (Unit 1)                           | [Even and Odd Powers](/courses/polynomials/even-odd-powers/polynomials-3/)                                       |
| [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) (61 lessons)             | Rational functions, vertical asymptotes, holes, square roots as inverses (Units 1–2)                              | [Rational Functions](/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/intro-rational-functions/)                 |
| [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) (83 lessons)         | Fractional exponents and radical form — the algebra Unit 2 assumes                                                | [Exponent One Half](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/exponent-is-a-half/)                    |
| [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) (63 lessons)         | Building exponential models, finding a base and starting value, exponential versus linear growth (Unit 2)         | [Finding the Base and Coefficient](/courses/exponential-functions/exp-functions/finding-base-and-coefficient/)   |
| [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) (62 lessons)     | Radians, arc length, the unit circle, tangent, period and periodic prediction (Unit 3)                            | [The Unit Circle](/courses/trigonometric-functions/sin-and-cos/the-unit-circle-trig/)                            |
| [Polar Coordinate Plane](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/) (35 lessons)       | Converting between rectangular and polar, polar angles by inverse tangent, equivalent angles (Unit 3)             | [Computing Polar Coordinates](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/rectangular-to-polar/computing-polar-coordinates/) |
| [Complex Plane](/courses/complex-plane/) (50 lessons)                         | Magnitude, argument, and polar form — Unit 3’s geometry again                                                     | [Magnitude and Argument](/courses/complex-plane/polar-form/magnitude-and-argument-complex/)                      |
| [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/) (82 lessons)                          | Vector components, addition, dot products (Unit 4 — not assessed on the exam)                                     | [Vector Addition](/courses/vectors/vectors/vector-addition/)                                                     |

**What to skip when time is short.** Drop [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/) first — it has 48 skills matching this course, more than any other, but nearly all serve Unit 4. Skip [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) and [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/) unless the underlying algebra is what is tripping you up; both sit several grades below the AP course. That leaves the exam-weighted core: Introduction to Functions, Equations & Curves, Exponential Functions, Trigonometric Functions, and Polar Coordinate Plane.

## Where is Brilliant strongest for this exam?

**Unit 3’s polar work** is the clearest match in the catalog. [Computing Polar Angle](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/rectangular-to-polar/computing-inverse-tan/) handles the quadrant adjustment that inverse tangent alone gets wrong, [Using Sine and Cosine](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/polar-to-rectangular/computing-x-y/) goes the other way, and [Negative Angles](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/polar-coordinates/negative-angles/) covers the equivalent angle representations the exam leans on. The rest of Unit 3 is built rather than memorized: [Radians](/courses/trigonometric-functions/arclength-and-radians/radians/) and [Arc Length on Any Circle](/courses/trigonometric-functions/arclength-and-radians/arclength-on-any-circle-2/) construct the unit circle from arc length.

**Rational functions in Unit 1.** [Reciprocal Power Functions](/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/reciprocal-power-functions/) and [Vertical Asymptotes](/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/vertical-asymptotes-rational/) teach asymptotes, removable holes, intercepts, and sign regions by having you find them rather than by listing rules. Polynomial end behavior and symmetry get the same treatment in [Symmetry of Odd Powers](/courses/polynomials/even-odd-powers/polynomials-8/).

**Composition and inverses for Unit 2.** The exam’s exponential and logarithmic work rests on a solid grip on inverses, and [Invertibility](/courses/introduction-to-functions/inverse-functions/invertibility/) and [Chaining Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-composition/chained-functions/) build it directly.

## What will you not get from Brilliant?

Six exam topics are not on Brilliant. Get them from your class, textbook, or AP Classroom:

- **Average rate of change** — comparing rates of change at two points over small intervals, and reading what positive and negative rates mean. It recurs across the exam and is the most important gap here.
- **Modeling with logarithms** — building a logarithmic model from a context or data set and predicting from it.
- **Semi-log plots** — judging whether an exponential model fits by reading a semi-log plot, and linearizing exponential data.
- **Sinusoidal modeling** — getting amplitude, period, vertical shift, and phase shift from periodic data or a real context, including sinusoidal regression. Brilliant teaches period and periodic prediction, but not the modeling task.
- **Secant, cosecant, and cotangent** — the reciprocal trigonometric functions, their asymptotes, and their graphs.
- **Rates of change in polar functions** — how distance from the origin changes as the angle increases, and where a polar graph has relative extrema.

Three more belong on your list even though Brilliant has adjacent material: **choosing which function type models a scenario** and stating the assumptions behind it, **arithmetic and geometric sequences** written as functions, and **validating competing models** with residuals and residual plots.

Unit 4’s parametric functions, vector-valued functions, and matrix transition models are not on Brilliant either — a class-grade concern rather than an exam one.

## What should you use from College Board?

College Board publishes the AP Precalculus Course and Exam Description — read the Unit 1–3 learning objectives and check them against what you can actually do. Enrolled students also get AP Classroom, which holds official topic questions and full practice exams. That is the only genuinely exam-shaped practice available: real item wording, the calculator split, and free-response tasks scored the way readers do.

## Is Brilliant a complete AP Precalculus prep course?

No. Brilliant is not an official AP course, is not endorsed by College Board, and does not prepare you for the exam by itself: no timed full-length exams, no free-response scoring practice, nothing on pacing or answer-choice strategy. It is the understanding layer — where you go when a topic did not click in class. AP Classroom and the Course and Exam Description are the exam layer. Use both, starting in the fall rather than the spring.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to frameworks skill by skill against the live course catalog, using College Board’s published AP Precalculus framework as the authority on what each topic requires. The data was pulled on August 27, 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I use Brilliant to keep up with my class week to week?

Yes, and that is its best use. [AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/ap-precalculus-coverage/) is the fastest way to get from the topic number your teacher put on the board to the lesson that teaches it.

### Does Brilliant help with the free-response section?

Not directly. Brilliant’s problems are interactive and give immediate feedback, but they are not written in the AP free-response format and are not scored against AP rubrics. Practice free response from AP Classroom.

### I am taking the class but not the exam. Should I still skip Unit 4?

No — the opposite. If your teacher covers Unit 4 and grades you on it, [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/) covers vector components, addition, and dot products well. The advice to skip it applies only to exam preparation.

## Related resources

- [AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/ap-precalculus-coverage/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Precalculus?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-precalculus/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Calculus?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-calculus/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] College Board, AP Precalculus Course and Exam Description, unit weightings and learning objectives.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping”](/resources/alignment-mappings/ap-precalculus-coverage/), accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed August 2026.


What Brilliant teaches of the AP Precalculus course, unit by unit, and what the exam asks that it does not cover.

<p>Yes — for the mathematics. Brilliant teaches the polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, and polar function work that fills the three AP Precalculus units the exam assesses, across a dozen interactive courses. What it does not teach is the exam itself: there are no full-length AP practice exams on Brilliant, no free-response rubrics, and no timed sections. Use Brilliant to understand the math and College Board’s own materials for format, timing, and full-length practice.</p>
<p>AP Precalculus is also a class, and most readers are sitting in it now rather than cramming in April. Brilliant suits that reader: lessons are short and independent, so you can open the one matching this week’s topic without finishing a course first.</p>
<h2>What does the AP Exam assess, and what does it skip?</h2>
<p>College Board’s framework has four units, and the multiple-choice section draws on the first three: Unit 1, Polynomial and Rational Functions (30–40% of the section); Unit 2, Exponential and Logarithmic Functions (25–40%); Unit 3, Trigonometric and Polar Functions (30–35%).</p>
<p><strong>Unit 4 — Functions Involving Parameters, Vectors, and Matrices — is part of the published course framework but is not assessed on the AP Exam.</strong> That is College Board’s own scoping, not Brilliant’s judgment about what matters. If your teacher covers Unit 4 you will be graded on it in class, but studying it in April buys you nothing on the exam. Put your last month into Units 1–3.</p>
<p>If your class is not the AP course, <a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-precalculus/">Does Brilliant cover Precalculus?</a> maps Brilliant against the standards a typical precalculus class draws on, including conic sections and sequences. This page is the AP view: College Board’s units and the exam’s weighting.</p>
<h2>Which Brilliant courses carry this math, and in what order?</h2>
<p>Twelve courses contain skills matching AP Precalculus topics. Following a class? Ignore the order and open the course matching your current unit. Otherwise work down the table — it runs in the framework’s sequence, each course assuming the ones above it.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Course</th>
<th>What it gets you for AP Precalculus</th>
<th>Where to start</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/">Introduction to Functions</a> (68 lessons)</td>
<td>Function rules, domain and range, composition, invertibility, periodicity — vocabulary all three tested units use</td>
<td><a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-rules/writing-rules/">Writing Rules</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> (69 lessons)</td>
<td>Vertex form, maxima and minima, the discriminant, reading solutions off a graph (Unit 1)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/graphing-factored-form/factored-form-6/">Factored Form</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> (52 lessons)</td>
<td>End behavior, leading coefficients, even and odd symmetry, roots from symmetry (Unit 1)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/even-odd-powers/polynomials-3/">Even and Odd Powers</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> (61 lessons)</td>
<td>Rational functions, vertical asymptotes, holes, square roots as inverses (Units 1–2)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/intro-rational-functions/">Rational Functions</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> (83 lessons)</td>
<td>Fractional exponents and radical form — the algebra Unit 2 assumes</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/exponent-is-a-half/">Exponent One Half</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> (63 lessons)</td>
<td>Building exponential models, finding a base and starting value, exponential versus linear growth (Unit 2)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/exp-functions/finding-base-and-coefficient/">Finding the Base and Coefficient</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> (62 lessons)</td>
<td>Radians, arc length, the unit circle, tangent, period and periodic prediction (Unit 3)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/sin-and-cos/the-unit-circle-trig/">The Unit Circle</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/">Polar Coordinate Plane</a> (35 lessons)</td>
<td>Converting between rectangular and polar, polar angles by inverse tangent, equivalent angles (Unit 3)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/rectangular-to-polar/computing-polar-coordinates/">Computing Polar Coordinates</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/complex-plane/">Complex Plane</a> (50 lessons)</td>
<td>Magnitude, argument, and polar form — Unit 3’s geometry again</td>
<td><a href="/courses/complex-plane/polar-form/magnitude-and-argument-complex/">Magnitude and Argument</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a> (82 lessons)</td>
<td>Vector components, addition, dot products (Unit 4 — not assessed on the exam)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/vectors/vectors/vector-addition/">Vector Addition</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>What to skip when time is short.</strong> Drop <a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a> first — it has 48 skills matching this course, more than any other, but nearly all serve Unit 4. Skip <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> and <a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a> unless the underlying algebra is what is tripping you up; both sit several grades below the AP course. That leaves the exam-weighted core: Introduction to Functions, Equations &#x26; Curves, Exponential Functions, Trigonometric Functions, and Polar Coordinate Plane.</p>
<h2>Where is Brilliant strongest for this exam?</h2>
<p><strong>Unit 3’s polar work</strong> is the clearest match in the catalog. <a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/rectangular-to-polar/computing-inverse-tan/">Computing Polar Angle</a> handles the quadrant adjustment that inverse tangent alone gets wrong, <a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/polar-to-rectangular/computing-x-y/">Using Sine and Cosine</a> goes the other way, and <a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/polar-coordinates/negative-angles/">Negative Angles</a> covers the equivalent angle representations the exam leans on. The rest of Unit 3 is built rather than memorized: <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/arclength-and-radians/radians/">Radians</a> and <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/arclength-and-radians/arclength-on-any-circle-2/">Arc Length on Any Circle</a> construct the unit circle from arc length.</p>
<p><strong>Rational functions in Unit 1.</strong> <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/reciprocal-power-functions/">Reciprocal Power Functions</a> and <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/vertical-asymptotes-rational/">Vertical Asymptotes</a> teach asymptotes, removable holes, intercepts, and sign regions by having you find them rather than by listing rules. Polynomial end behavior and symmetry get the same treatment in <a href="/courses/polynomials/even-odd-powers/polynomials-8/">Symmetry of Odd Powers</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Composition and inverses for Unit 2.</strong> The exam’s exponential and logarithmic work rests on a solid grip on inverses, and <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/inverse-functions/invertibility/">Invertibility</a> and <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-composition/chained-functions/">Chaining Functions</a> build it directly.</p>
<h2>What will you not get from Brilliant?</h2>
<p>Six exam topics are not on Brilliant. Get them from your class, textbook, or AP Classroom:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Average rate of change</strong> — comparing rates of change at two points over small intervals, and reading what positive and negative rates mean. It recurs across the exam and is the most important gap here.</li>
<li><strong>Modeling with logarithms</strong> — building a logarithmic model from a context or data set and predicting from it.</li>
<li><strong>Semi-log plots</strong> — judging whether an exponential model fits by reading a semi-log plot, and linearizing exponential data.</li>
<li><strong>Sinusoidal modeling</strong> — getting amplitude, period, vertical shift, and phase shift from periodic data or a real context, including sinusoidal regression. Brilliant teaches period and periodic prediction, but not the modeling task.</li>
<li><strong>Secant, cosecant, and cotangent</strong> — the reciprocal trigonometric functions, their asymptotes, and their graphs.</li>
<li><strong>Rates of change in polar functions</strong> — how distance from the origin changes as the angle increases, and where a polar graph has relative extrema.</li>
</ul>
<p>Three more belong on your list even though Brilliant has adjacent material: <strong>choosing which function type models a scenario</strong> and stating the assumptions behind it, <strong>arithmetic and geometric sequences</strong> written as functions, and <strong>validating competing models</strong> with residuals and residual plots.</p>
<p>Unit 4’s parametric functions, vector-valued functions, and matrix transition models are not on Brilliant either — a class-grade concern rather than an exam one.</p>
<h2>What should you use from College Board?</h2>
<p>College Board publishes the AP Precalculus Course and Exam Description — read the Unit 1–3 learning objectives and check them against what you can actually do. Enrolled students also get AP Classroom, which holds official topic questions and full practice exams. That is the only genuinely exam-shaped practice available: real item wording, the calculator split, and free-response tasks scored the way readers do.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete AP Precalculus prep course?</h2>
<p>No. Brilliant is not an official AP course, is not endorsed by College Board, and does not prepare you for the exam by itself: no timed full-length exams, no free-response scoring practice, nothing on pacing or answer-choice strategy. It is the understanding layer — where you go when a topic did not click in class. AP Classroom and the Course and Exam Description are the exam layer. Use both, starting in the fall rather than the spring.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to frameworks skill by skill against the live course catalog, using College Board’s published AP Precalculus framework as the authority on what each topic requires. The data was pulled on August 27, 2026.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>Can I use Brilliant to keep up with my class week to week?</h3>
<p>Yes, and that is its best use. <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ap-precalculus-coverage/">AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping</a> is the fastest way to get from the topic number your teacher put on the board to the lesson that teaches it.</p>
<h3>Does Brilliant help with the free-response section?</h3>
<p>Not directly. Brilliant’s problems are interactive and give immediate feedback, but they are not written in the AP free-response format and are not scored against AP rubrics. Practice free response from AP Classroom.</p>
<h3>I am taking the class but not the exam. Should I still skip Unit 4?</h3>
<p>No — the opposite. If your teacher covers Unit 4 and grades you on it, <a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a> covers vector components, addition, and dot products well. The advice to skip it applies only to exam preparation.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ap-precalculus-coverage/">AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-precalculus/">Does Brilliant cover Precalculus?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-calculus/">Does Brilliant cover Calculus?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] College Board, AP Precalculus Course and Exam Description, unit weightings and learning objectives.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ap-precalculus-coverage/">“AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping”</a>, accessed August 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed August 2026.</p>


Yes — for the mathematics. Brilliant teaches the polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, and polar function work that fills the three AP Precalculus units the exam assesses, across a dozen interactive courses. What it does not teach is the exam itself: there are no full-length AP practice exams on Brilliant, no free-response rubrics, and no timed sections. Use Brilliant to understand the math and College Board’s own materials for format, timing, and full-length practice. AP Precalculus is also a class, and most readers are sitting in it now rather than cramming in April. Brilliant suits that reader: lessons are short and independent, so you can open the one matching this week’s topic without finishing a course first. What does the AP Exam assess, and what does it skip? College Board’s framework has four units, and the multiple-choice section draws on the first three: Unit 1, Polynomial and Rational Functions (30–40% of the section); Unit 2, Exponential and Logarithmic Functions (25–40%); Unit 3, Trigonometric and Polar Functions (30–35%). Unit 4 — Functions Involving Parameters, Vectors, and Matrices — is part of the published course framework but is not assessed on the AP Exam. That is College Board’s own scoping, not Brilliant’s judgment about what matters. If your teacher covers Unit 4 you will be graded on it in class, but studying it in April buys you nothing on the exam. Put your last month into Units 1–3. If your class is not the AP course, Does Brilliant cover Precalculus? maps Brilliant against the standards a typical precalculus class draws on, including conic sections and sequences. This page is the AP view: College Board’s units and the exam’s weighting. Which Brilliant courses carry this math, and in what order? Twelve courses contain skills matching AP Precalculus topics. Following a class? Ignore the order and open the course matching your current unit. Otherwise work down the table — it runs in the framework’s sequence, each course assuming the ones above it. Course What it gets you for AP Precalculus Where to start Introduction to Functions (68 lessons) Function rules, domain and range, composition, invertibility, periodicity — vocabulary all three tested units use Writing Rules Quadratics (69 lessons) Vertex form, maxima and minima, the discriminant, reading solutions off a graph (Unit 1) Factored Form Polynomials (52 lessons) End behavior, leading coefficients, even and odd symmetry, roots from symmetry (Unit 1) Even and Odd Powers Equations & Curves (61 lessons) Rational functions, vertical asymptotes, holes, square roots as inverses (Units 1–2) Rational Functions Exponents & Radicals (83 lessons) Fractional exponents and radical form — the algebra Unit 2 assumes Exponent One Half Exponential Functions (63 lessons) Building exponential models, finding a base and starting value, exponential versus linear growth (Unit 2) Finding the Base and Coefficient Trigonometric Functions (62 lessons) Radians, arc length, the unit circle, tangent, period and periodic prediction (Unit 3) The Unit Circle Polar Coordinate Plane (35 lessons) Converting between rectangular and polar, polar angles by inverse tangent, equivalent angles (Unit 3) Computing Polar Coordinates Complex Plane (50 lessons) Magnitude, argument, and polar form — Unit 3’s geometry again Magnitude and Argument Vectors & Matrices (82 lessons) Vector components, addition, dot products (Unit 4 — not assessed on the exam) Vector Addition What to skip when time is short. Drop Vectors & Matrices first — it has 48 skills matching this course, more than any other, but nearly all serve Unit 4. Skip Exponents & Radicals and Linear Functions unless the underlying algebra is what is tripping you up; both sit several grades below the AP course. That leaves the exam-weighted core: Introduction to Functions, Equations & Curves, Exponential Functions, Trigonometric Functions, and Polar Coordinate Plane. Where is Brilliant strongest for this exam? Unit 3’s polar work is the clearest match in the catalog. Computing Polar Angle handles the quadrant adjustment that inverse tangent alone gets wrong, Using Sine and Cosine goes the other way, and Negative Angles covers the equivalent angle representations the exam leans on. The rest of Unit 3 is built rather than memorized: Radians and Arc Length on Any Circle construct the unit circle from arc length. Rational functions in Unit 1. Reciprocal Power Functions and Vertical Asymptotes teach asymptotes, removable holes, intercepts, and sign regions by having you find them rather than by listing rules. Polynomial end behavior and symmetry get the same treatment in Symmetry of Odd Powers. Composition and inverses for Unit 2. The exam’s exponential and logarithmic work rests on a solid grip on inverses, and Invertibility and Chaining Functions build it directly. What will you not get from Brilliant? Six exam topics are not on Brilliant. Get them from your class, textbook, or AP Classroom: Average rate of change — comparing rates of change at two points over small intervals, and reading what positive and negative rates mean. It recurs across the exam and is the most important gap here. Modeling with logarithms — building a logarithmic model from a context or data set and predicting from it. Semi-log plots — judging whether an exponential model fits by reading a semi-log plot, and linearizing exponential data. Sinusoidal modeling — getting amplitude, period, vertical shift, and phase shift from periodic data or a real context, including sinusoidal regression. Brilliant teaches period and periodic prediction, but not the modeling task. Secant, cosecant, and cotangent — the reciprocal trigonometric functions, their asymptotes, and their graphs. Rates of change in polar functions — how distance from the origin changes as the angle increases, and where a polar graph has relative extrema. Three more belong on your list even though Brilliant has adjacent material: choosing which function type models a scenario and stating the assumptions behind it, arithmetic and geometric sequences written as functions, and validating competing models with residuals and residual plots. Unit 4’s parametric functions, vector-valued functions, and matrix transition models are not on Brilliant either — a class-grade concern rather than an exam one. What should you use from College Board? College Board publishes the AP Precalculus Course and Exam Description — read the Unit 1–3 learning objectives and check them against what you can actually do. Enrolled students also get AP Classroom, which holds official topic questions and full practice exams. That is the only genuinely exam-shaped practice available: real item wording, the calculator split, and free-response tasks scored the way readers do. Is Brilliant a complete AP Precalculus prep course? No. Brilliant is not an official AP course, is not endorsed by College Board, and does not prepare you for the exam by itself: no timed full-length exams, no free-response scoring practice, nothing on pacing or answer-choice strategy. It is the understanding layer — where you go when a topic did not click in class. AP Classroom and the Course and Exam Description are the exam layer. Use both, starting in the fall rather than the spring. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to frameworks skill by skill against the live course catalog, using College Board’s published AP Precalculus framework as the authority on what each topic requires. The data was pulled on August 27, 2026. Frequently asked questions Can I use Brilliant to keep up with my class week to week? Yes, and that is its best use. AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping is the fastest way to get from the topic number your teacher put on the board to the lesson that teaches it. Does Brilliant help with the free-response section? Not directly. Brilliant’s problems are interactive and give immediate feedback, but they are not written in the AP free-response format and are not scored against AP rubrics. Practice free response from AP Classroom. I am taking the class but not the exam. Should I still skip Unit 4? No — the opposite. If your teacher covers Unit 4 and grades you on it, Vectors & Matrices covers vector components, addition, and dot products well. The advice to skip it applies only to exam preparation. Related resources AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping Does Brilliant cover Precalculus? Does Brilliant cover Calculus? What math does Brilliant cover? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] College Board, AP Precalculus Course and Exam Description, unit weightings and learning objectives. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled August 27, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “AP Precalculus coverage: unit-by-unit Brilliant lesson mapping”, accessed August 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed August 2026.

Can Brilliant help you prepare for AP Precalculus?


Yes, for the maths — and it is a two-year tool, not a revision-week one. Brilliant teaches most of the number, algebra, ratio, probability and statistics content in the Department for Education’s subject content for GCSE Mathematics, and it teaches it by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. Geometry and measures is the weak area. And Brilliant does not teach the exam: no past papers, no mark schemes, no timing. Use Brilliant to understand the maths and your exam board’s past papers for everything about sitting it.

## Does your tier change the answer?

GCSE maths is sat at one of two tiers — Foundation, graded 1–5, and Higher, graded 4–9 — and both are drawn from the same six areas of the DfE’s subject content: number; algebra; ratio, proportion and rates of change; geometry and measures; probability; and statistics. Higher does not add a seventh area. It adds the extra content the DfE prints in bold inside the six.

Brilliant’s lessons are not sorted by tier, so use your board’s specification, which marks Higher content explicitly, to decide what is in scope for you. Do not guess from how advanced a topic sounds — several that look like Higher material are examined at Foundation. Everything below applies to both tiers; Higher students simply go further into the same courses.

## Which parts of GCSE does Brilliant teach?

**Algebra is the deepest match by a distance** — the great majority of the algebra statements have Brilliant lessons behind them. Solving linear equations with the unknown on both sides is in [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/); factorising, completing the square and the quadratic formula run through [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/), including [Completing Any Square](/courses/quadratics/quadratic-formula/quads-qf-1/); simultaneous equations are in [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/); sequences and the nth term are the whole spine of [Visual Algebra](/courses/systems-of-equations/), from [Building Patterns](/courses/systems-of-equations/patterns/patterns-intro/) to [Quadratic Patterns](/courses/systems-of-equations/quadratic-patterns/quadratic-patterns/). Function notation, inverse functions and composite functions are in [Introduction to Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/), starting at [Finding the Rule](/courses/introduction-to-functions/introducing-functions/finding-the-rule/).

**Number is strong on indices, surds and standard form.** [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) is the single largest contributor to this framework: index laws at [The Product Rule for Exponents](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/), prime factorisation, fractional indices, simplifying surds at [Scaling Square Roots](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/operations-on-radicals/scaling-square-roots/), and standard form at [Powers of 10](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/scientific-notation/powers-of-10/). The four operations on fractions and negatives come from [Fractions](/courses/math-fundamentals/) and [Negative Numbers](/courses/negative-numbers/), which are the repair points if arithmetic is what goes wrong.

**Ratio and percentages are covered where the arithmetic is.** Ratio notation, sharing in a ratio and unit rates are in [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/), percentage change in [Percentages](/courses/percentages/), and growth, decay and compound interest in [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/).

**Probability and statistics are well served.** Possibility spaces, Venn diagrams, combined events and [Conditional Probability](/courses/winning-with-probability/conditional-probability/conditional-probability-wwp/) come from [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/) and [Probability in Data](/courses/probability-fundamentals/); averages, spread and box plots from [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/); charts from [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/); and scatter graphs and lines of best fit from [Regression](/courses/explaining-variation/).

**Geometry and measures is the thin one.** What is there is good: transformations in [Coordinate Transformations](/courses/transformations/), Pythagoras and circle equations in [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/), right-angled trigonometry and exact values in [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/), vectors in [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/), and angle facts, area, surface area and volume in [Geometry and Measurement](/courses/geometry-fundamentals/) — but that last course is 25 lessons pitched well below GCSE, and there is no GCSE-level geometry course behind it.

The statement-by-statement version of all of this is on the [GCSE maths coverage page](/resources/alignment-mappings/gcse-maths-coverage/), which lists each DfE content statement beside the Brilliant lessons that teach it.

## What will you have to get elsewhere?

**Most of classical geometry.** Ruler-and-compass constructions, bisectors and loci; circle theorems and the vocabulary they use — chords, tangents, arcs, sectors and segments; the SSS, SAS, ASA and RHS congruence criteria; the properties of the special quadrilaterals; plans and elevations and the faces, edges and vertices of solids; and the sine rule, the cosine rule and the ½ab sin C area formula. That is a substantial share of the geometry papers, and none of it is on Brilliant.

**The accuracy and measures strand.** Rounding to a given number of decimal places or significant figures, error intervals, upper and lower bounds, estimating to check a calculation, converting between standard and compound units, and scale drawings and maps.

**A short list of specifics.** Rearranging a formula to change the subject; recurring decimals as fractions; gradients and areas under graphs, including distance-time and velocity-time graphs; solving equations by iteration; drawing conclusions about a population from a sample; and the experimental side of probability, from frequency trees to relative frequency settling towards theoretical probability as trials increase.

## Which courses should you use, and in what order?

Over two years, work down this list. Skip any row you can already do quickly and without notes.

| Course                                                                            | What it gets you for GCSE                                                     | Start here                                                                                                    |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/) (68 lessons)                           | The repair point if solving falls apart; everything below assumes it          | [Combining Like Terms](/courses/pre-algebra/combining-and-rearranging/combining-like-terms-new-1/)            |
| [Percentages](/courses/percentages/) (21)                                         | Percentage of an amount, increase and decrease, repeated percentage change    | [Percent Increase](/courses/percentages/percentages-percent-increase/percent-increase/)                       |
| [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/) (30)               | Ratio notation, sharing in a ratio, unit rates, direct and inverse proportion | [Setting Up Ratios](/courses/proportional-relationships/setting-up-ratios/new-color-1/)                       |
| [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/) (59) | Expanding, factorising, solving, inequalities and their solution sets         | [Combining Terms](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/)          |
| [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/) (45)                               | Gradient and intercept, y = mx + c, parallel and perpendicular lines          | [Change per One](/courses/linear-functions/computing-slope/vertical-change/)                                  |
| [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/) (36)                                  | Mean, median, mode, range, box plots, outliers, comparing distributions       | [Means](/courses/basic-math/means/ds-mean-0/)                                                                 |
| [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/) (31)                 | Possibility spaces, Venn diagrams, combined and conditional probability       | [Comparing Likelihoods](/courses/winning-with-probability/introduction/comparing-likelihood/)                 |
| [Coordinate Transformations](/courses/transformations/) (60)                      | Reflection, rotation, translation, enlargement, congruence and similarity     | [Reflecting Coordinates](/courses/transformations/reflections-in-coordinates/reflecting-coordinates/)         |
| [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) (69)                                           | Factorising, completing the square, the formula, roots and turning points     | [Multiplying Expressions](/courses/quadratics/multiplying-variable-expressions/representing-products/)        |
| [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) (83)                     | Index laws, fractional and negative indices, surds, standard form             | [The Product Rule for Exponents](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/) |
| [Visual Algebra](/courses/systems-of-equations/) (66)                             | Sequences and the nth term of linear and quadratic sequences                  | [Building Patterns](/courses/systems-of-equations/patterns/patterns-intro/)                                   |
| [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/) (24)                                   | Simultaneous equations by graphing, substitution and elimination              | [Graphing Systems of Equations](/courses/linear-systems/solving-by-graphing/ls-level2-1/)                     |
| [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/) (44)                         | Pythagoras, distance between points, the equation of a circle, area on a grid | [Pythagoras’ Theorem](/courses/coordinate-geometry/pythagoras/pythagoras-theorem/)                            |
| [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) (62)                 | Sine, cosine, tangent, the exact values, arc length, sine and cosine graphs   | [The Pythagorean Identity](/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/pythagorean-identity/)        |
| [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) (63)                     | Growth and decay, compound interest, exponential graphs                       | [Growing](/courses/exponential-functions/exponential-growth/growing/)                                         |
| [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/) (82)                                      | Column vectors, vector addition and subtraction, scalar multiples             | [Vectors](/courses/vectors/vectors/vector-shifts/)                                                            |

The first nine rows carry most of what both tiers examine, so they make a sensible Year 10 block and the rest suit Year 11. If you are following a scheme of work, ignore the order and open the course matching this week’s topic — Brilliant lessons are short and stand alone, so nothing needs finishing front to back. One thing to schedule separately: put geometry revision somewhere Brilliant is not, starting in Year 10 rather than the term before the exam.

## What should you use alongside Brilliant?

Past papers from your own board — AQA, Edexcel, OCR or WJEC — with their mark schemes, and the formulae sheet your board provides. Papers are where you practise what Brilliant cannot give you: three papers in sequence, one of them non-calculator, questions worded the way your board words them, and method marks that go missing on work that is right but badly presented. Sit a paper, read the mark scheme beside your own answer, group the losses by topic, then open only the lessons that match.

## Is Brilliant a complete GCSE maths course?

No. Brilliant is not affiliated with any exam board or with the DfE, it has no past papers, no timed papers and no mark schemes, and it does not cover the geometry listed above. It is the understanding layer — where you go when a topic did not land in class. Your board’s papers and specification are the exam layer, and you need both.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the content statement it fits most closely, using the DfE’s subject content for GCSE Mathematics as the authority on what each statement requires. The data was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalogue.

## Frequently asked questions

### I am on Foundation tier. Is any of this too advanced?

Some of it goes past what your papers ask, but not in the places you would expect, so do not sort by difficulty. Use your board’s specification, which marks Higher content, to choose which lessons inside a course to open.

### I am resitting. Where should I start?

With a past paper, not with a course. Mark it, group the losses by topic, and open only the matching lessons — resits usually turn on a handful of topics rather than the whole specification.

### Does Brilliant go beyond GCSE?

Yes. [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/), [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/), [Complex Plane](/courses/complex-plane/), [Polar Coordinate Plane](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/) and [Calculus](/courses/calculus-nutshell/) sit past GCSE and are better suited to A-level study.

## Related resources

- [GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/gcse-maths-coverage/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Geometry?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-geometry/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] Department for Education, _Mathematics: GCSE subject content and assessment objectives_, for the six content areas and the Foundation and Higher tier structure.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”](/resources/alignment-mappings/gcse-maths-coverage/), accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed September 2026.


How much of GCSE maths Brilliant teaches, which courses to work through across two years, and where the gaps are.

<p>Yes, for the maths — and it is a two-year tool, not a revision-week one. Brilliant teaches most of the number, algebra, ratio, probability and statistics content in the Department for Education’s subject content for GCSE Mathematics, and it teaches it by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. Geometry and measures is the weak area. And Brilliant does not teach the exam: no past papers, no mark schemes, no timing. Use Brilliant to understand the maths and your exam board’s past papers for everything about sitting it.</p>
<h2>Does your tier change the answer?</h2>
<p>GCSE maths is sat at one of two tiers — Foundation, graded 1–5, and Higher, graded 4–9 — and both are drawn from the same six areas of the DfE’s subject content: number; algebra; ratio, proportion and rates of change; geometry and measures; probability; and statistics. Higher does not add a seventh area. It adds the extra content the DfE prints in bold inside the six.</p>
<p>Brilliant’s lessons are not sorted by tier, so use your board’s specification, which marks Higher content explicitly, to decide what is in scope for you. Do not guess from how advanced a topic sounds — several that look like Higher material are examined at Foundation. Everything below applies to both tiers; Higher students simply go further into the same courses.</p>
<h2>Which parts of GCSE does Brilliant teach?</h2>
<p><strong>Algebra is the deepest match by a distance</strong> — the great majority of the algebra statements have Brilliant lessons behind them. Solving linear equations with the unknown on both sides is in <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a>; factorising, completing the square and the quadratic formula run through <a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a>, including <a href="/courses/quadratics/quadratic-formula/quads-qf-1/">Completing Any Square</a>; simultaneous equations are in <a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a>; sequences and the nth term are the whole spine of <a href="/courses/systems-of-equations/">Visual Algebra</a>, from <a href="/courses/systems-of-equations/patterns/patterns-intro/">Building Patterns</a> to <a href="/courses/systems-of-equations/quadratic-patterns/quadratic-patterns/">Quadratic Patterns</a>. Function notation, inverse functions and composite functions are in <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/">Introduction to Functions</a>, starting at <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/introducing-functions/finding-the-rule/">Finding the Rule</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Number is strong on indices, surds and standard form.</strong> <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> is the single largest contributor to this framework: index laws at <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/">The Product Rule for Exponents</a>, prime factorisation, fractional indices, simplifying surds at <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/operations-on-radicals/scaling-square-roots/">Scaling Square Roots</a>, and standard form at <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/scientific-notation/powers-of-10/">Powers of 10</a>. The four operations on fractions and negatives come from <a href="/courses/math-fundamentals/">Fractions</a> and <a href="/courses/negative-numbers/">Negative Numbers</a>, which are the repair points if arithmetic is what goes wrong.</p>
<p><strong>Ratio and percentages are covered where the arithmetic is.</strong> Ratio notation, sharing in a ratio and unit rates are in <a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a>, percentage change in <a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a>, and growth, decay and compound interest in <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Probability and statistics are well served.</strong> Possibility spaces, Venn diagrams, combined events and <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/conditional-probability/conditional-probability-wwp/">Conditional Probability</a> come from <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a> and <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/">Probability in Data</a>; averages, spread and box plots from <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a>; charts from <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a>; and scatter graphs and lines of best fit from <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/">Regression</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Geometry and measures is the thin one.</strong> What is there is good: transformations in <a href="/courses/transformations/">Coordinate Transformations</a>, Pythagoras and circle equations in <a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a>, right-angled trigonometry and exact values in <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a>, vectors in <a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a>, and angle facts, area, surface area and volume in <a href="/courses/geometry-fundamentals/">Geometry and Measurement</a> — but that last course is 25 lessons pitched well below GCSE, and there is no GCSE-level geometry course behind it.</p>
<p>The statement-by-statement version of all of this is on the <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gcse-maths-coverage/">GCSE maths coverage page</a>, which lists each DfE content statement beside the Brilliant lessons that teach it.</p>
<h2>What will you have to get elsewhere?</h2>
<p><strong>Most of classical geometry.</strong> Ruler-and-compass constructions, bisectors and loci; circle theorems and the vocabulary they use — chords, tangents, arcs, sectors and segments; the SSS, SAS, ASA and RHS congruence criteria; the properties of the special quadrilaterals; plans and elevations and the faces, edges and vertices of solids; and the sine rule, the cosine rule and the ½ab sin C area formula. That is a substantial share of the geometry papers, and none of it is on Brilliant.</p>
<p><strong>The accuracy and measures strand.</strong> Rounding to a given number of decimal places or significant figures, error intervals, upper and lower bounds, estimating to check a calculation, converting between standard and compound units, and scale drawings and maps.</p>
<p><strong>A short list of specifics.</strong> Rearranging a formula to change the subject; recurring decimals as fractions; gradients and areas under graphs, including distance-time and velocity-time graphs; solving equations by iteration; drawing conclusions about a population from a sample; and the experimental side of probability, from frequency trees to relative frequency settling towards theoretical probability as trials increase.</p>
<h2>Which courses should you use, and in what order?</h2>
<p>Over two years, work down this list. Skip any row you can already do quickly and without notes.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Course</th>
<th>What it gets you for GCSE</th>
<th>Start here</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a> (68 lessons)</td>
<td>The repair point if solving falls apart; everything below assumes it</td>
<td><a href="/courses/pre-algebra/combining-and-rearranging/combining-like-terms-new-1/">Combining Like Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a> (21)</td>
<td>Percentage of an amount, increase and decrease, repeated percentage change</td>
<td><a href="/courses/percentages/percentages-percent-increase/percent-increase/">Percent Increase</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a> (30)</td>
<td>Ratio notation, sharing in a ratio, unit rates, direct and inverse proportion</td>
<td><a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/setting-up-ratios/new-color-1/">Setting Up Ratios</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a> (59)</td>
<td>Expanding, factorising, solving, inequalities and their solution sets</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/">Combining Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a> (45)</td>
<td>Gradient and intercept, y = mx + c, parallel and perpendicular lines</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/computing-slope/vertical-change/">Change per One</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a> (36)</td>
<td>Mean, median, mode, range, box plots, outliers, comparing distributions</td>
<td><a href="/courses/basic-math/means/ds-mean-0/">Means</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a> (31)</td>
<td>Possibility spaces, Venn diagrams, combined and conditional probability</td>
<td><a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/introduction/comparing-likelihood/">Comparing Likelihoods</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/transformations/">Coordinate Transformations</a> (60)</td>
<td>Reflection, rotation, translation, enlargement, congruence and similarity</td>
<td><a href="/courses/transformations/reflections-in-coordinates/reflecting-coordinates/">Reflecting Coordinates</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> (69)</td>
<td>Factorising, completing the square, the formula, roots and turning points</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/multiplying-variable-expressions/representing-products/">Multiplying Expressions</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> (83)</td>
<td>Index laws, fractional and negative indices, surds, standard form</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/">The Product Rule for Exponents</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/systems-of-equations/">Visual Algebra</a> (66)</td>
<td>Sequences and the nth term of linear and quadratic sequences</td>
<td><a href="/courses/systems-of-equations/patterns/patterns-intro/">Building Patterns</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a> (24)</td>
<td>Simultaneous equations by graphing, substitution and elimination</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/solving-by-graphing/ls-level2-1/">Graphing Systems of Equations</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a> (44)</td>
<td>Pythagoras, distance between points, the equation of a circle, area on a grid</td>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/pythagoras/pythagoras-theorem/">Pythagoras’ Theorem</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> (62)</td>
<td>Sine, cosine, tangent, the exact values, arc length, sine and cosine graphs</td>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/pythagorean-identity/">The Pythagorean Identity</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> (63)</td>
<td>Growth and decay, compound interest, exponential graphs</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/exponential-growth/growing/">Growing</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a> (82)</td>
<td>Column vectors, vector addition and subtraction, scalar multiples</td>
<td><a href="/courses/vectors/vectors/vector-shifts/">Vectors</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The first nine rows carry most of what both tiers examine, so they make a sensible Year 10 block and the rest suit Year 11. If you are following a scheme of work, ignore the order and open the course matching this week’s topic — Brilliant lessons are short and stand alone, so nothing needs finishing front to back. One thing to schedule separately: put geometry revision somewhere Brilliant is not, starting in Year 10 rather than the term before the exam.</p>
<h2>What should you use alongside Brilliant?</h2>
<p>Past papers from your own board — AQA, Edexcel, OCR or WJEC — with their mark schemes, and the formulae sheet your board provides. Papers are where you practise what Brilliant cannot give you: three papers in sequence, one of them non-calculator, questions worded the way your board words them, and method marks that go missing on work that is right but badly presented. Sit a paper, read the mark scheme beside your own answer, group the losses by topic, then open only the lessons that match.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete GCSE maths course?</h2>
<p>No. Brilliant is not affiliated with any exam board or with the DfE, it has no past papers, no timed papers and no mark schemes, and it does not cover the geometry listed above. It is the understanding layer — where you go when a topic did not land in class. Your board’s papers and specification are the exam layer, and you need both.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the content statement it fits most closely, using the DfE’s subject content for GCSE Mathematics as the authority on what each statement requires. The data was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalogue.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>I am on Foundation tier. Is any of this too advanced?</h3>
<p>Some of it goes past what your papers ask, but not in the places you would expect, so do not sort by difficulty. Use your board’s specification, which marks Higher content, to choose which lessons inside a course to open.</p>
<h3>I am resitting. Where should I start?</h3>
<p>With a past paper, not with a course. Mark it, group the losses by topic, and open only the matching lessons — resits usually turn on a handful of topics rather than the whole specification.</p>
<h3>Does Brilliant go beyond GCSE?</h3>
<p>Yes. <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a>, <a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a>, <a href="/courses/complex-plane/">Complex Plane</a>, <a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/">Polar Coordinate Plane</a> and <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/">Calculus</a> sit past GCSE and are better suited to A-level study.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gcse-maths-coverage/">GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-geometry/">Does Brilliant cover Geometry?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/">Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] Department for Education, <em>Mathematics: GCSE subject content and assessment objectives</em>, for the six content areas and the Foundation and Higher tier structure.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gcse-maths-coverage/">“GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”</a>, accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed September 2026.</p>


Yes, for the maths — and it is a two-year tool, not a revision-week one. Brilliant teaches most of the number, algebra, ratio, probability and statistics content in the Department for Education’s subject content for GCSE Mathematics, and it teaches it by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. Geometry and measures is the weak area. And Brilliant does not teach the exam: no past papers, no mark schemes, no timing. Use Brilliant to understand the maths and your exam board’s past papers for everything about sitting it. Does your tier change the answer? GCSE maths is sat at one of two tiers — Foundation, graded 1–5, and Higher, graded 4–9 — and both are drawn from the same six areas of the DfE’s subject content: number; algebra; ratio, proportion and rates of change; geometry and measures; probability; and statistics. Higher does not add a seventh area. It adds the extra content the DfE prints in bold inside the six. Brilliant’s lessons are not sorted by tier, so use your board’s specification, which marks Higher content explicitly, to decide what is in scope for you. Do not guess from how advanced a topic sounds — several that look like Higher material are examined at Foundation. Everything below applies to both tiers; Higher students simply go further into the same courses. Which parts of GCSE does Brilliant teach? Algebra is the deepest match by a distance — the great majority of the algebra statements have Brilliant lessons behind them. Solving linear equations with the unknown on both sides is in Linear Expressions & Equations; factorising, completing the square and the quadratic formula run through Quadratics, including Completing Any Square; simultaneous equations are in Linear Systems; sequences and the nth term are the whole spine of Visual Algebra, from Building Patterns to Quadratic Patterns. Function notation, inverse functions and composite functions are in Introduction to Functions, starting at Finding the Rule. Number is strong on indices, surds and standard form. Exponents & Radicals is the single largest contributor to this framework: index laws at The Product Rule for Exponents, prime factorisation, fractional indices, simplifying surds at Scaling Square Roots, and standard form at Powers of 10. The four operations on fractions and negatives come from Fractions and Negative Numbers, which are the repair points if arithmetic is what goes wrong. Ratio and percentages are covered where the arithmetic is. Ratio notation, sharing in a ratio and unit rates are in Proportional Reasoning, percentage change in Percentages, and growth, decay and compound interest in Exponential Functions. Probability and statistics are well served. Possibility spaces, Venn diagrams, combined events and Conditional Probability come from Probability and Chance and Probability in Data; averages, spread and box plots from Everyday Statistics; charts from Exploring Data Visually; and scatter graphs and lines of best fit from Regression. Geometry and measures is the thin one. What is there is good: transformations in Coordinate Transformations, Pythagoras and circle equations in Coordinate Geometry, right-angled trigonometry and exact values in Trigonometric Functions, vectors in Vectors & Matrices, and angle facts, area, surface area and volume in Geometry and Measurement — but that last course is 25 lessons pitched well below GCSE, and there is no GCSE-level geometry course behind it. The statement-by-statement version of all of this is on the GCSE maths coverage page, which lists each DfE content statement beside the Brilliant lessons that teach it. What will you have to get elsewhere? Most of classical geometry. Ruler-and-compass constructions, bisectors and loci; circle theorems and the vocabulary they use — chords, tangents, arcs, sectors and segments; the SSS, SAS, ASA and RHS congruence criteria; the properties of the special quadrilaterals; plans and elevations and the faces, edges and vertices of solids; and the sine rule, the cosine rule and the ½ab sin C area formula. That is a substantial share of the geometry papers, and none of it is on Brilliant. The accuracy and measures strand. Rounding to a given number of decimal places or significant figures, error intervals, upper and lower bounds, estimating to check a calculation, converting between standard and compound units, and scale drawings and maps. A short list of specifics. Rearranging a formula to change the subject; recurring decimals as fractions; gradients and areas under graphs, including distance-time and velocity-time graphs; solving equations by iteration; drawing conclusions about a population from a sample; and the experimental side of probability, from frequency trees to relative frequency settling towards theoretical probability as trials increase. Which courses should you use, and in what order? Over two years, work down this list. Skip any row you can already do quickly and without notes. Course What it gets you for GCSE Start here Solving Equations (68 lessons) The repair point if solving falls apart; everything below assumes it Combining Like Terms Percentages (21) Percentage of an amount, increase and decrease, repeated percentage change Percent Increase Proportional Reasoning (30) Ratio notation, sharing in a ratio, unit rates, direct and inverse proportion Setting Up Ratios Linear Expressions & Equations (59) Expanding, factorising, solving, inequalities and their solution sets Combining Terms Linear Functions (45) Gradient and intercept, y = mx + c, parallel and perpendicular lines Change per One Everyday Statistics (36) Mean, median, mode, range, box plots, outliers, comparing distributions Means Probability and Chance (31) Possibility spaces, Venn diagrams, combined and conditional probability Comparing Likelihoods Coordinate Transformations (60) Reflection, rotation, translation, enlargement, congruence and similarity Reflecting Coordinates Quadratics (69) Factorising, completing the square, the formula, roots and turning points Multiplying Expressions Exponents & Radicals (83) Index laws, fractional and negative indices, surds, standard form The Product Rule for Exponents Visual Algebra (66) Sequences and the nth term of linear and quadratic sequences Building Patterns Linear Systems (24) Simultaneous equations by graphing, substitution and elimination Graphing Systems of Equations Coordinate Geometry (44) Pythagoras, distance between points, the equation of a circle, area on a grid Pythagoras’ Theorem Trigonometric Functions (62) Sine, cosine, tangent, the exact values, arc length, sine and cosine graphs The Pythagorean Identity Exponential Functions (63) Growth and decay, compound interest, exponential graphs Growing Vectors & Matrices (82) Column vectors, vector addition and subtraction, scalar multiples Vectors The first nine rows carry most of what both tiers examine, so they make a sensible Year 10 block and the rest suit Year 11. If you are following a scheme of work, ignore the order and open the course matching this week’s topic — Brilliant lessons are short and stand alone, so nothing needs finishing front to back. One thing to schedule separately: put geometry revision somewhere Brilliant is not, starting in Year 10 rather than the term before the exam. What should you use alongside Brilliant? Past papers from your own board — AQA, Edexcel, OCR or WJEC — with their mark schemes, and the formulae sheet your board provides. Papers are where you practise what Brilliant cannot give you: three papers in sequence, one of them non-calculator, questions worded the way your board words them, and method marks that go missing on work that is right but badly presented. Sit a paper, read the mark scheme beside your own answer, group the losses by topic, then open only the lessons that match. Is Brilliant a complete GCSE maths course? No. Brilliant is not affiliated with any exam board or with the DfE, it has no past papers, no timed papers and no mark schemes, and it does not cover the geometry listed above. It is the understanding layer — where you go when a topic did not land in class. Your board’s papers and specification are the exam layer, and you need both. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the content statement it fits most closely, using the DfE’s subject content for GCSE Mathematics as the authority on what each statement requires. The data was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalogue. Frequently asked questions I am on Foundation tier. Is any of this too advanced? Some of it goes past what your papers ask, but not in the places you would expect, so do not sort by difficulty. Use your board’s specification, which marks Higher content, to choose which lessons inside a course to open. I am resitting. Where should I start? With a past paper, not with a course. Mark it, group the losses by topic, and open only the matching lessons — resits usually turn on a handful of topics rather than the whole specification. Does Brilliant go beyond GCSE? Yes. Equations & Curves, Polynomials, Complex Plane, Polar Coordinate Plane and Calculus sit past GCSE and are better suited to A-level study. Related resources GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping Does Brilliant cover Geometry? Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1? What math does Brilliant cover? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] Department for Education, Mathematics: GCSE subject content and assessment objectives, for the six content areas and the Foundation and Higher tier structure. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”, accessed September 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed September 2026.

Can Brilliant help with GCSE maths?


Yes for the Pure maths, and partly for the Statistics. **This page covers Brilliant's maths content only.** A Level Mathematics is one qualification made of Pure, Statistics **and** Mechanics, with no optional papers, and Sections P to S — Mechanics — are outside this page's scope. To see Brilliant's science courses, go to [brilliant.org/science](/science/).

What Brilliant does have is the Pure content, and a lot of it: algebra and functions, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, exponentials and logarithms, differentiation, integration and vectors, taught by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. Use Brilliant for the mathematics and your exam board’s past papers for the exam.

## What is on the A Level Mathematics syllabus?

The Department for Education prescribes the subject content and every exam board — AQA, Edexcel, OCR, MEI — writes its papers to it. It is organised into lettered sections: A to J are Pure Mathematics, K to O are Statistics, P to S are Mechanics. AS is the first-year subset of the same content.

The [A Level maths coverage page](/resources/alignment-mappings/a-level-maths-coverage/) lists which Brilliant lesson teaches each content statement — use it to get from a topic your teacher put on the board to the lesson.

## Which Brilliant courses carry the Pure sections?

Following a class? Open the course matching your current topic. Otherwise work down the table — it runs roughly in the syllabus’s sequence.

| Course                                                                        | What it gets you for A Level maths                                                              | Start here                                                                                                  |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) (83 lessons)         | Laws of indices for rational exponents; surds (Section B)                                       | [Exponent One Half](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/exponent-is-a-half/)               |
| [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) (69 lessons)                               | Completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant (Section B)                      | [Completing Any Square](/courses/quadratics/quadratic-formula/quads-qf-1/)                                  |
| [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) (52 lessons)                             | Expanding and factorising, roots and factors, sign regions (Section B)                          | [Roots from Factored Form](/courses/polynomials/factors-and-roots/roots-from-factored-form/)                |
| [Introduction to Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/) (68 lessons) | Composite and inverse functions, reading and transforming graphs (Section B)                    | [Chaining Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-composition/chained-functions/)            |
| [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) (61 lessons)             | Rational expressions, asymptotes, curve sketching, combined transformations (Section B)         | [Reciprocal Power Functions](/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/reciprocal-power-functions/)  |
| [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/) (45 lessons)                   | Every form of the straight line; parallel and perpendicular gradients (Section C)               | [Parallel Lines](/courses/linear-functions/parallel-and-perpendicular/linear-relationships-parallel-lines/) |
| [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) (62 lessons)     | Radians, arc length, the unit circle, graphs, solving trig equations (Section E)                | [Degrees to Radians](/courses/trigonometric-functions/working-in-radians/degrees-to-radians/)               |
| [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) (63 lessons)         | eˣ and ln, the log laws, solving aˣ = b, growth and decay models (Section F)                    | [Counting Days](/courses/exponential-functions/the-logarithm/counting-days/)                                |
| [Calculus](/courses/calculus-nutshell/) (42 lessons)                          | Rates of change, stationary points, chain and quotient rules, definite integrals (Sections G–H) | [Rate Of Change](/courses/calculus-nutshell/limits-7/the-rate-of-change/)                                   |
| [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/) (82 lessons)                          | Components, magnitude and direction, addition and scalar multiples (Section J)                  | [Magnitude and Direction](/courses/vectors/magnitude-and-directions/magnitude-and-direction/)               |

Two more sit outside the table. Simultaneous equations and inequality regions are in [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/) at [Solve by Substituting](/courses/linear-systems/systems-algebra/ls-level3-1/), and the equation of a circle is in [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/) at [Leaving the Origin](/courses/coordinate-geometry/shifted-circles/leaving-the-origin/).

## Where is Brilliant strongest?

**Exponentials and logarithms.** Section F is the closest match in the catalog. [Counting Days](/courses/exponential-functions/the-logarithm/counting-days/) builds the logarithm as the inverse of exponentiation rather than announcing it, [The Product Rule](/courses/exponential-functions/logarithm-identities/product-rule-logarithms/) does the log laws, [Taking Logs of Both Sides](/courses/exponential-functions/solving-with-logarithms/solving-exponent-equations/) solves aˣ = b, and [Percent Increase](/courses/exponential-functions/compound-interest/compound-growth/) covers the compound interest and decay models the specification names.

**Trigonometry.** [Arc Length on the Unit Circle](/courses/trigonometric-functions/arclength-and-radians/arclength-along-a-circle/) and [Degrees to Radians](/courses/trigonometric-functions/working-in-radians/degrees-to-radians/) construct radian measure from arc length rather than handing you a conversion factor, and [Equations in cos and sin](/courses/trigonometric-functions/solving-trig-equations/equations-in-cos-and-sin/) covers solving on a given interval, including equations quadratic in sin or cos.

**Algebra and functions.** The deepest part of the catalog by a wide margin. Between Quadratics, Polynomials and Equations & Curves you get completing the square, the discriminant, factorising, algebraic fractions, asymptotes and holes in [Reciprocal Power Functions](/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/reciprocal-power-functions/), and combined graph transformations in [Multiple Transforms of Roots](/courses/equations-and-curves/multiple-transforms/multiple-transformations-sqrt/).

Calculus is the exception: Brilliant is broad here rather than deep. One 42-lesson course carries both differentiation and integration — the derivative as a rate of change in [Rate Of Change](/courses/calculus-nutshell/limits-7/the-rate-of-change/), the chain and quotient rules in [Constant Multiples](/courses/calculus-nutshell/finding-derivatives/sums-and-constants/), stationary points in [Identifying Extremes](/courses/calculus-nutshell/using-derivatives/the-second-derivative-2/), antiderivatives and definite integrals in [The Area Problem](/courses/calculus-nutshell/derivatives-8/the-area-problem-3/) — but not the volume of practice the Pure papers ask for.

## How much of the Statistics sections is there?

The descriptive half, most of the probability, and a start on distributions. [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/) covers centre, spread, box plots and [Outliers](/courses/basic-math/outliers/outliers-balance/); [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/) covers histograms and choosing a chart; [Regression](/courses/explaining-variation/) covers scatter diagrams, [Correlation](/courses/explaining-variation/correlation/correlation-2/), fitting a line, and why correlation is not causation. For Section M, [Probability in Data](/courses/probability-fundamentals/) does mutually exclusive and independent events in [Dependence and Independence](/courses/probability-fundamentals/assumptions-and-models/dependence-and-independence/), and [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/) does [Conditional Probability](/courses/winning-with-probability/conditional-probability/conditional-probability-wwp/).

Notice where the inferential material lives: sampling to say something about a population is in [Estimating Probabilities](/courses/probability-fundamentals/understanding-probability/estimating-probabilities-short/), and discrete probability distributions in [Predicting with Probability](/courses/probabilistic-prediction/) at [Dealing with Uncertainty](/courses/probabilistic-prediction/probability-mass-functions/dealing-with-uncertainty/) and [Accumulating Probability](/courses/probabilistic-prediction/cumulative-distribution-functions/intro-to-cdfs/) — probability courses, not statistics ones. Nothing on Brilliant is a hypothesis test.

## What do you need to get elsewhere?

**Mechanics.** Sections P to S are outside this page's scope. Within the maths courses the one point of contact is vector velocity: [Adding Velocities](/courses/vectors/combining-velocities/adding-velocities-direct/) does resultant and relative velocity.

**Hypothesis testing and the Normal distribution.** Null and alternative hypotheses, significance levels, critical regions and p-values; the binomial test for a proportion; the Normal distribution and tests on its mean; and choosing which distribution suits a context.

**Proof, and a list of Pure techniques.** Section A’s proof by deduction, exhaustion, counter-example and contradiction is not on Brilliant. Nor are the binomial expansion, arithmetic sequences and series, sigma notation and recurrence relations, parametric equations, partial fractions, implicit and parametric differentiation, differential equations, integration by substitution and by parts, the trapezium rule and Newton–Raphson iteration, small angle approximations, and the compound and double angle formulae. Several are short to learn and heavily examined — the addition formulae and integration by parts especially — so take them early rather than late.

## Where does Further Mathematics fit?

It does not, and that explains two things you might otherwise find odd. Further Mathematics is a separate qualification with its own content, and is not mapped here. So the vectors work stops at components, magnitude and direction, and addition: scalar and vector products and the vector equations of lines and planes are Further Maths, not A Level Maths. And the matrix material in [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/), like all of Brilliant’s [Complex Plane](/courses/complex-plane/) course, sits outside this syllabus for the same reason.

## What should you use alongside Brilliant?

Your exam board’s specification and its past papers with mark schemes. The specification tells you which statements your papers can draw on; the mark schemes tell you where method marks come from, which is where most lost marks are. Working full papers under timed conditions is the highest-value revision available, and Brilliant does not replace it. A workable rhythm: sit a paper, sort the misses into “I did not know the maths” and “I ran out of time”, and bring only the first pile back to Brilliant.

## Is Brilliant a complete A Level maths course?

No. Brilliant is not affiliated with any exam board and has no past papers or mark schemes, and Mechanics is outside this page's scope. Brilliant is the understanding layer for the Pure content and part of the Statistics — where you go when a topic did not land in class. Your specification, textbook and past papers are the exam layer, and this qualification needs both.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the content statement it fits most closely, using the Department for Education’s published subject content for AS and A level mathematics as the authority. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does this page cover the Mechanics paper?

No — this page covers Brilliant's maths content only. The mathematics that Mechanics builds on is here: [Adding Velocities](/courses/vectors/combining-velocities/adding-velocities-direct/) covers resultant and relative velocity as vectors, and the vector and calculus work sits in the Pure courses. To see Brilliant's science courses, go to [brilliant.org/science](/science/).

### I am only taking AS. Does this page still apply?

Yes. AS draws on the same lettered sections with a smaller slice of each, so the courses above are the same ones — you just stop earlier inside several of them.

## Related resources

- [A Level maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/a-level-maths-coverage/)
- [GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/gcse-maths-coverage/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Calculus?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-calculus/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] Department for Education, _Mathematics: AS and A level content_, for the lettered subject content sections A to S.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“A Level maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”](/resources/alignment-mappings/a-level-maths-coverage/), accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed September 2026.


What Brilliant covers of A Level maths across Pure and Statistics. This page covers the maths content only.

<p>Yes for the Pure maths, and partly for the Statistics. <strong>This page covers Brilliant's maths content only.</strong> A Level Mathematics is one qualification made of Pure, Statistics <strong>and</strong> Mechanics, with no optional papers, and Sections P to S — Mechanics — are outside this page's scope. To see Brilliant's science courses, go to <a href="/science/">brilliant.org/science</a>.</p>
<p>What Brilliant does have is the Pure content, and a lot of it: algebra and functions, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, exponentials and logarithms, differentiation, integration and vectors, taught by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. Use Brilliant for the mathematics and your exam board’s past papers for the exam.</p>
<h2>What is on the A Level Mathematics syllabus?</h2>
<p>The Department for Education prescribes the subject content and every exam board — AQA, Edexcel, OCR, MEI — writes its papers to it. It is organised into lettered sections: A to J are Pure Mathematics, K to O are Statistics, P to S are Mechanics. AS is the first-year subset of the same content.</p>
<p>The <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/a-level-maths-coverage/">A Level maths coverage page</a> lists which Brilliant lesson teaches each content statement — use it to get from a topic your teacher put on the board to the lesson.</p>
<h2>Which Brilliant courses carry the Pure sections?</h2>
<p>Following a class? Open the course matching your current topic. Otherwise work down the table — it runs roughly in the syllabus’s sequence.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Course</th>
<th>What it gets you for A Level maths</th>
<th>Start here</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> (83 lessons)</td>
<td>Laws of indices for rational exponents; surds (Section B)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/fractional-exponents/exponent-is-a-half/">Exponent One Half</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> (69 lessons)</td>
<td>Completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant (Section B)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/quadratic-formula/quads-qf-1/">Completing Any Square</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> (52 lessons)</td>
<td>Expanding and factorising, roots and factors, sign regions (Section B)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/factors-and-roots/roots-from-factored-form/">Roots from Factored Form</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/">Introduction to Functions</a> (68 lessons)</td>
<td>Composite and inverse functions, reading and transforming graphs (Section B)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-composition/chained-functions/">Chaining Functions</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> (61 lessons)</td>
<td>Rational expressions, asymptotes, curve sketching, combined transformations (Section B)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/reciprocal-power-functions/">Reciprocal Power Functions</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a> (45 lessons)</td>
<td>Every form of the straight line; parallel and perpendicular gradients (Section C)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/parallel-and-perpendicular/linear-relationships-parallel-lines/">Parallel Lines</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> (62 lessons)</td>
<td>Radians, arc length, the unit circle, graphs, solving trig equations (Section E)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/working-in-radians/degrees-to-radians/">Degrees to Radians</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> (63 lessons)</td>
<td>eˣ and ln, the log laws, solving aˣ = b, growth and decay models (Section F)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/the-logarithm/counting-days/">Counting Days</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/">Calculus</a> (42 lessons)</td>
<td>Rates of change, stationary points, chain and quotient rules, definite integrals (Sections G–H)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/limits-7/the-rate-of-change/">Rate Of Change</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a> (82 lessons)</td>
<td>Components, magnitude and direction, addition and scalar multiples (Section J)</td>
<td><a href="/courses/vectors/magnitude-and-directions/magnitude-and-direction/">Magnitude and Direction</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Two more sit outside the table. Simultaneous equations and inequality regions are in <a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a> at <a href="/courses/linear-systems/systems-algebra/ls-level3-1/">Solve by Substituting</a>, and the equation of a circle is in <a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a> at <a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/shifted-circles/leaving-the-origin/">Leaving the Origin</a>.</p>
<h2>Where is Brilliant strongest?</h2>
<p><strong>Exponentials and logarithms.</strong> Section F is the closest match in the catalog. <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/the-logarithm/counting-days/">Counting Days</a> builds the logarithm as the inverse of exponentiation rather than announcing it, <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/logarithm-identities/product-rule-logarithms/">The Product Rule</a> does the log laws, <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/solving-with-logarithms/solving-exponent-equations/">Taking Logs of Both Sides</a> solves aˣ = b, and <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/compound-interest/compound-growth/">Percent Increase</a> covers the compound interest and decay models the specification names.</p>
<p><strong>Trigonometry.</strong> <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/arclength-and-radians/arclength-along-a-circle/">Arc Length on the Unit Circle</a> and <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/working-in-radians/degrees-to-radians/">Degrees to Radians</a> construct radian measure from arc length rather than handing you a conversion factor, and <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/solving-trig-equations/equations-in-cos-and-sin/">Equations in cos and sin</a> covers solving on a given interval, including equations quadratic in sin or cos.</p>
<p><strong>Algebra and functions.</strong> The deepest part of the catalog by a wide margin. Between Quadratics, Polynomials and Equations &#x26; Curves you get completing the square, the discriminant, factorising, algebraic fractions, asymptotes and holes in <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/reciprocal-power-functions/">Reciprocal Power Functions</a>, and combined graph transformations in <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/multiple-transforms/multiple-transformations-sqrt/">Multiple Transforms of Roots</a>.</p>
<p>Calculus is the exception: Brilliant is broad here rather than deep. One 42-lesson course carries both differentiation and integration — the derivative as a rate of change in <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/limits-7/the-rate-of-change/">Rate Of Change</a>, the chain and quotient rules in <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/finding-derivatives/sums-and-constants/">Constant Multiples</a>, stationary points in <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/using-derivatives/the-second-derivative-2/">Identifying Extremes</a>, antiderivatives and definite integrals in <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/derivatives-8/the-area-problem-3/">The Area Problem</a> — but not the volume of practice the Pure papers ask for.</p>
<h2>How much of the Statistics sections is there?</h2>
<p>The descriptive half, most of the probability, and a start on distributions. <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a> covers centre, spread, box plots and <a href="/courses/basic-math/outliers/outliers-balance/">Outliers</a>; <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a> covers histograms and choosing a chart; <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/">Regression</a> covers scatter diagrams, <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/correlation/correlation-2/">Correlation</a>, fitting a line, and why correlation is not causation. For Section M, <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/">Probability in Data</a> does mutually exclusive and independent events in <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/assumptions-and-models/dependence-and-independence/">Dependence and Independence</a>, and <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a> does <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/conditional-probability/conditional-probability-wwp/">Conditional Probability</a>.</p>
<p>Notice where the inferential material lives: sampling to say something about a population is in <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/understanding-probability/estimating-probabilities-short/">Estimating Probabilities</a>, and discrete probability distributions in <a href="/courses/probabilistic-prediction/">Predicting with Probability</a> at <a href="/courses/probabilistic-prediction/probability-mass-functions/dealing-with-uncertainty/">Dealing with Uncertainty</a> and <a href="/courses/probabilistic-prediction/cumulative-distribution-functions/intro-to-cdfs/">Accumulating Probability</a> — probability courses, not statistics ones. Nothing on Brilliant is a hypothesis test.</p>
<h2>What do you need to get elsewhere?</h2>
<p><strong>Mechanics.</strong> Sections P to S are outside this page's scope. Within the maths courses the one point of contact is vector velocity: <a href="/courses/vectors/combining-velocities/adding-velocities-direct/">Adding Velocities</a> does resultant and relative velocity.</p>
<p><strong>Hypothesis testing and the Normal distribution.</strong> Null and alternative hypotheses, significance levels, critical regions and p-values; the binomial test for a proportion; the Normal distribution and tests on its mean; and choosing which distribution suits a context.</p>
<p><strong>Proof, and a list of Pure techniques.</strong> Section A’s proof by deduction, exhaustion, counter-example and contradiction is not on Brilliant. Nor are the binomial expansion, arithmetic sequences and series, sigma notation and recurrence relations, parametric equations, partial fractions, implicit and parametric differentiation, differential equations, integration by substitution and by parts, the trapezium rule and Newton–Raphson iteration, small angle approximations, and the compound and double angle formulae. Several are short to learn and heavily examined — the addition formulae and integration by parts especially — so take them early rather than late.</p>
<h2>Where does Further Mathematics fit?</h2>
<p>It does not, and that explains two things you might otherwise find odd. Further Mathematics is a separate qualification with its own content, and is not mapped here. So the vectors work stops at components, magnitude and direction, and addition: scalar and vector products and the vector equations of lines and planes are Further Maths, not A Level Maths. And the matrix material in <a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a>, like all of Brilliant’s <a href="/courses/complex-plane/">Complex Plane</a> course, sits outside this syllabus for the same reason.</p>
<h2>What should you use alongside Brilliant?</h2>
<p>Your exam board’s specification and its past papers with mark schemes. The specification tells you which statements your papers can draw on; the mark schemes tell you where method marks come from, which is where most lost marks are. Working full papers under timed conditions is the highest-value revision available, and Brilliant does not replace it. A workable rhythm: sit a paper, sort the misses into “I did not know the maths” and “I ran out of time”, and bring only the first pile back to Brilliant.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete A Level maths course?</h2>
<p>No. Brilliant is not affiliated with any exam board and has no past papers or mark schemes, and Mechanics is outside this page's scope. Brilliant is the understanding layer for the Pure content and part of the Statistics — where you go when a topic did not land in class. Your specification, textbook and past papers are the exam layer, and this qualification needs both.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the content statement it fits most closely, using the Department for Education’s published subject content for AS and A level mathematics as the authority. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>Does this page cover the Mechanics paper?</h3>
<p>No — this page covers Brilliant's maths content only. The mathematics that Mechanics builds on is here: <a href="/courses/vectors/combining-velocities/adding-velocities-direct/">Adding Velocities</a> covers resultant and relative velocity as vectors, and the vector and calculus work sits in the Pure courses. To see Brilliant's science courses, go to <a href="/science/">brilliant.org/science</a>.</p>
<h3>I am only taking AS. Does this page still apply?</h3>
<p>Yes. AS draws on the same lettered sections with a smaller slice of each, so the courses above are the same ones — you just stop earlier inside several of them.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/a-level-maths-coverage/">A Level maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gcse-maths-coverage/">GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-calculus/">Does Brilliant cover Calculus?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] Department for Education, <em>Mathematics: AS and A level content</em>, for the lettered subject content sections A to S.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/a-level-maths-coverage/">“A Level maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”</a>, accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed September 2026.</p>


Yes for the Pure maths, and partly for the Statistics. This page covers Brilliant's maths content only. A Level Mathematics is one qualification made of Pure, Statistics and Mechanics, with no optional papers, and Sections P to S — Mechanics — are outside this page's scope. To see Brilliant's science courses, go to brilliant.org/science. What Brilliant does have is the Pure content, and a lot of it: algebra and functions, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, exponentials and logarithms, differentiation, integration and vectors, taught by making you solve problems rather than watch explanations. Use Brilliant for the mathematics and your exam board’s past papers for the exam. What is on the A Level Mathematics syllabus? The Department for Education prescribes the subject content and every exam board — AQA, Edexcel, OCR, MEI — writes its papers to it. It is organised into lettered sections: A to J are Pure Mathematics, K to O are Statistics, P to S are Mechanics. AS is the first-year subset of the same content. The A Level maths coverage page lists which Brilliant lesson teaches each content statement — use it to get from a topic your teacher put on the board to the lesson. Which Brilliant courses carry the Pure sections? Following a class? Open the course matching your current topic. Otherwise work down the table — it runs roughly in the syllabus’s sequence. Course What it gets you for A Level maths Start here Exponents & Radicals (83 lessons) Laws of indices for rational exponents; surds (Section B) Exponent One Half Quadratics (69 lessons) Completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant (Section B) Completing Any Square Polynomials (52 lessons) Expanding and factorising, roots and factors, sign regions (Section B) Roots from Factored Form Introduction to Functions (68 lessons) Composite and inverse functions, reading and transforming graphs (Section B) Chaining Functions Equations & Curves (61 lessons) Rational expressions, asymptotes, curve sketching, combined transformations (Section B) Reciprocal Power Functions Linear Functions (45 lessons) Every form of the straight line; parallel and perpendicular gradients (Section C) Parallel Lines Trigonometric Functions (62 lessons) Radians, arc length, the unit circle, graphs, solving trig equations (Section E) Degrees to Radians Exponential Functions (63 lessons) eˣ and ln, the log laws, solving aˣ = b, growth and decay models (Section F) Counting Days Calculus (42 lessons) Rates of change, stationary points, chain and quotient rules, definite integrals (Sections G–H) Rate Of Change Vectors & Matrices (82 lessons) Components, magnitude and direction, addition and scalar multiples (Section J) Magnitude and Direction Two more sit outside the table. Simultaneous equations and inequality regions are in Linear Systems at Solve by Substituting, and the equation of a circle is in Coordinate Geometry at Leaving the Origin. Where is Brilliant strongest? Exponentials and logarithms. Section F is the closest match in the catalog. Counting Days builds the logarithm as the inverse of exponentiation rather than announcing it, The Product Rule does the log laws, Taking Logs of Both Sides solves aˣ = b, and Percent Increase covers the compound interest and decay models the specification names. Trigonometry. Arc Length on the Unit Circle and Degrees to Radians construct radian measure from arc length rather than handing you a conversion factor, and Equations in cos and sin covers solving on a given interval, including equations quadratic in sin or cos. Algebra and functions. The deepest part of the catalog by a wide margin. Between Quadratics, Polynomials and Equations & Curves you get completing the square, the discriminant, factorising, algebraic fractions, asymptotes and holes in Reciprocal Power Functions, and combined graph transformations in Multiple Transforms of Roots. Calculus is the exception: Brilliant is broad here rather than deep. One 42-lesson course carries both differentiation and integration — the derivative as a rate of change in Rate Of Change, the chain and quotient rules in Constant Multiples, stationary points in Identifying Extremes, antiderivatives and definite integrals in The Area Problem — but not the volume of practice the Pure papers ask for. How much of the Statistics sections is there? The descriptive half, most of the probability, and a start on distributions. Everyday Statistics covers centre, spread, box plots and Outliers; Exploring Data Visually covers histograms and choosing a chart; Regression covers scatter diagrams, Correlation, fitting a line, and why correlation is not causation. For Section M, Probability in Data does mutually exclusive and independent events in Dependence and Independence, and Probability and Chance does Conditional Probability. Notice where the inferential material lives: sampling to say something about a population is in Estimating Probabilities, and discrete probability distributions in Predicting with Probability at Dealing with Uncertainty and Accumulating Probability — probability courses, not statistics ones. Nothing on Brilliant is a hypothesis test. What do you need to get elsewhere? Mechanics. Sections P to S are outside this page's scope. Within the maths courses the one point of contact is vector velocity: Adding Velocities does resultant and relative velocity. Hypothesis testing and the Normal distribution. Null and alternative hypotheses, significance levels, critical regions and p-values; the binomial test for a proportion; the Normal distribution and tests on its mean; and choosing which distribution suits a context. Proof, and a list of Pure techniques. Section A’s proof by deduction, exhaustion, counter-example and contradiction is not on Brilliant. Nor are the binomial expansion, arithmetic sequences and series, sigma notation and recurrence relations, parametric equations, partial fractions, implicit and parametric differentiation, differential equations, integration by substitution and by parts, the trapezium rule and Newton–Raphson iteration, small angle approximations, and the compound and double angle formulae. Several are short to learn and heavily examined — the addition formulae and integration by parts especially — so take them early rather than late. Where does Further Mathematics fit? It does not, and that explains two things you might otherwise find odd. Further Mathematics is a separate qualification with its own content, and is not mapped here. So the vectors work stops at components, magnitude and direction, and addition: scalar and vector products and the vector equations of lines and planes are Further Maths, not A Level Maths. And the matrix material in Vectors & Matrices, like all of Brilliant’s Complex Plane course, sits outside this syllabus for the same reason. What should you use alongside Brilliant? Your exam board’s specification and its past papers with mark schemes. The specification tells you which statements your papers can draw on; the mark schemes tell you where method marks come from, which is where most lost marks are. Working full papers under timed conditions is the highest-value revision available, and Brilliant does not replace it. A workable rhythm: sit a paper, sort the misses into “I did not know the maths” and “I ran out of time”, and bring only the first pile back to Brilliant. Is Brilliant a complete A Level maths course? No. Brilliant is not affiliated with any exam board and has no past papers or mark schemes, and Mechanics is outside this page's scope. Brilliant is the understanding layer for the Pure content and part of the Statistics — where you go when a topic did not land in class. Your specification, textbook and past papers are the exam layer, and this qualification needs both. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the content statement it fits most closely, using the Department for Education’s published subject content for AS and A level mathematics as the authority. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog. Frequently asked questions Does this page cover the Mechanics paper? No — this page covers Brilliant's maths content only. The mathematics that Mechanics builds on is here: Adding Velocities covers resultant and relative velocity as vectors, and the vector and calculus work sits in the Pure courses. To see Brilliant's science courses, go to brilliant.org/science. I am only taking AS. Does this page still apply? Yes. AS draws on the same lettered sections with a smaller slice of each, so the courses above are the same ones — you just stop earlier inside several of them. Related resources A Level maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping GCSE maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping Does Brilliant cover Calculus? What math does Brilliant cover? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] Department for Education, Mathematics: AS and A level content, for the lettered subject content sections A to S. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled September 3, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “A Level maths coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”, accessed September 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed September 2026.

Can Brilliant help with A Level maths?


Yes, for the mathematics — and how much depends on whether you are sitting SL or HL. Brilliant covers most of the functions, trigonometry, statistics and probability on the Standard Level syllabus, and a good share of the calculus. Higher Level adds a second body of content on top, and Brilliant meets that in patches: strong on complex numbers and vectors, absent on the integration techniques and the proof methods. What it never does is rehearse the assessment — no papers, no mark schemes, no exploration. Learn the mathematics here and take format, timing and past papers from the IB’s own materials.

One thing to settle first: Analysis and Approaches is one of the IB’s two Diploma Programme mathematics courses. Applications and Interpretation is the other, and it is not mapped here — if your subject line says AI rather than AA, this page is not about your course.

## SL or HL — which half applies to you?

The two levels are one syllabus, not two. HL students study every Standard Level item and then further higher level content in each of the five topics — number and algebra, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, calculus. The syllabus makes the line visible: items numbered SL are studied by everyone, items numbered AHL only by HL students. That line decides which Brilliant courses are worth your time.

Item by item, the maps are on two pages: [IB Math AA SL coverage](/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-sl-coverage/) for the shared syllabus, and [IB Math AA HL coverage](/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-hl-coverage/), which repeats those items and lists the higher level ones separately.

## What Brilliant teaches from the shared syllabus

**Functions is the strongest topic.** Domain, range, notation and composition are in [Introduction to Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/), with inverses at [Inverting a Function](/courses/introduction-to-functions/inverse-functions/backward-function/). The quadratic in all three forms — factored, vertex, and the formula with its discriminant — runs through [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/). Rational functions and asymptotes are in [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) at [Reciprocal Power Functions](/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/reciprocal-power-functions/), and the exponential and logarithmic pair, log laws and change of base included, in [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) at [Taking Logs of Both Sides](/courses/exponential-functions/solving-with-logarithms/solving-exponent-equations/).

**Trigonometry is nearly as complete.** [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) builds radians and the unit circle from arc length, covers [The Pythagorean Identity](/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/pythagorean-identity/), amplitude and period in [The Sine Graph](/courses/trigonometric-functions/graphing-sine-and-cosine/the-sine-graph/), and analytic solving in [Equations in cos(θ) and sin(θ)](/courses/trigonometric-functions/solving-trig-equations/equations-in-cos-and-sin/). [Polar Coordinate Plane](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/) adds [Arcs and Arc Length](/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/arclengths/arcs-and-arclength/) for sectors.

**Statistics and probability** is spread across four courses: centre, spread and outliers in [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/); sample spaces, [Venn Diagrams](/courses/winning-with-probability/expressing-probability/venn-diagrams-probability/) and expected value in [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/); conditional probability and independence in [Probability in Data](/courses/probability-fundamentals/); correlation and regression in [Regression](/courses/explaining-variation/) and [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/).

**Calculus and number** are partial but real. [Calculus](/courses/calculus-nutshell/) covers the derivative as a rate of change, the power, chain, product and quotient rules, optimisation, and definite integrals as area, and reaches the sum of an infinite convergent geometric series in [Sequences and Limits](/courses/calculus-nutshell/sequences-and-series/sequences-and-limits/). Scientific notation and the exponent laws are in [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/); the forms of a straight line are in [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/).

## What HL adds, and where Brilliant meets it

**[Complex Plane](/courses/complex-plane/) is an HL course and only an HL course.** Every syllabus item its 50 lessons reach is higher level content — Cartesian form, modulus and argument in [The Square Root of -1](/courses/complex-plane/complex-numbers/square-root-minus-1-complex-plane/), polar and Euler form in [Transforming Points](/courses/complex-plane/polar-form/transforming-points-complex/), De Moivre’s theorem and roots in [Raising to any Power](/courses/complex-plane/powers-and-roots/raising-to-any-power-complex/). An SL student can skip it entirely; an HL student gets one of the best matches in the catalog.

**[Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/)** covers the vector groundwork: components and addition in [Vector Components](/courses/vectors/components-from-angles/vector-components-from-d-and-m/), and the scalar product with the angle between two vectors in [General Dot Products](/courses/vectors/general-dot-products/general-dot-products/).

The rest sits in courses you are already using — the factor and remainder theorems in [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) at [Roots from Factored Form](/courses/polynomials/factors-and-roots/roots-from-factored-form/), odd and even functions in [Even and Odd Powers](/courses/polynomials/even-odd-powers/polynomials-3/), the reciprocal and inverse trigonometric ratios at [Inverse Cosine](/courses/trigonometric-functions/inverse-trig-functions/inverse-cosine/), continuity and the derivative from first principles in [Function Limits](/courses/calculus-nutshell/limits-and-continuity/function-limits-2/), Maclaurin series in [Sine and Cosine](/courses/calculus-nutshell/infinite-sums-4/sine-and-cosine-5/). And **Bayes’ theorem**, which HL states as a topic of its own and few other syllabi name at all: it is taught in [Combining Probabilities](/courses/probability-fundamentals/computing-probabilities/combining-probabilities-part-two/).

## What you will have to get elsewhere

**Both levels.** Sequences and series are the biggest hole — the nth term and sum formulas for arithmetic and geometric sequences, and sigma notation, with the infinite geometric sum above as the one exception. Also the binomial theorem, Pascal’s triangle and nCr; deductive proof; three-dimensional geometry, meaning distance in space and the volume and surface area of pyramids, cones and spheres; the sine and cosine rules for non-right triangles, with angles of elevation and depression; the binomial and normal distributions, z-values and inverse normal calculations; kinematics; and indefinite integrals beyond powers of x, including substitution.

**HL only, on top of that.** Vector equations of lines and planes, skew lines and the vector product. Integration by substitution and by parts, volumes of revolution, differential equations. Implicit differentiation and related rates. L’Hôpital’s rule. Proof by induction and by contradiction. Partial fractions, permutations and combinations, modulus graphs, compound angle identities.

Your textbook covers all of these — bring it to the topics above rather than replacing your course with Brilliant.

## Which courses, and in what order?

| Course                                                                        | Level   | What it gets you                                                    | Start here                                                                                                        |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Introduction to Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/) (68 lessons) | SL & HL | Domain, range, notation, composition, inverses, transformations     | [Inverting a Function](/courses/introduction-to-functions/inverse-functions/backward-function/)                   |
| [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) (69)                                       | SL & HL | Factored and vertex form, completing the square, the discriminant   | [Completing Any Square](/courses/quadratics/quadratic-formula/quads-qf-1/)                                        |
| [Equations & Curves](/courses/equations-and-curves/) (61)                     | SL & HL | Rational functions, asymptotes, multi-step transformations          | [Domain and Range of Hyperbolas](/courses/equations-and-curves/properties-of-hyperbolas/domain-range-hyperbolas/) |
| [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) (63)                 | SL & HL | e^x and ln x, the log laws, solving exponential equations           | [The Product Rule](/courses/exponential-functions/logarithm-identities/product-rule-logarithms/)                  |
| [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/) (62)             | SL & HL | Radians, the unit circle, identities, amplitude and period          | [The Unit Circle](/courses/trigonometric-functions/sin-and-cos/the-unit-circle-trig/)                             |
| [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) (52)                                     | SL & HL | Roots, sign regions, and the HL factor and remainder theorems       | [Roots from Factored Form](/courses/polynomials/factors-and-roots/roots-from-factored-form/)                      |
| [Calculus](/courses/calculus-nutshell/) (42)                                  | SL & HL | Limits, the derivative as a rate of change, the rules, optimisation | [Rate Of Change](/courses/calculus-nutshell/limits-7/the-rate-of-change/)                                         |
| [Complex Plane](/courses/complex-plane/) (50)                                 | HL      | Cartesian, polar and Euler form, conjugates, De Moivre, roots       | [Both Square Roots](/courses/complex-plane/multiple-roots/alternate-roots-complex/)                               |
| [Vectors & Matrices](/courses/vectors/) (82)                                  | HL      | Components, addition, the scalar product, the angle between vectors | [General Dot Products](/courses/vectors/general-dot-products/general-dot-products/)                               |

Work the statistics topic alongside, in [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/) at [Quartiles](/courses/basic-math/quartiles/ds-quartiles-3/) and [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/) at [Probability and Value](/courses/winning-with-probability/expected-value/probability-and-value/); both sit well below Diploma level and go quickly.

**Following a class?** Ignore the order and open the course matching this week’s topic — lessons are short and stand alone. **Revising?** Work the topics your past papers keep flagging. **Short on time in HL?** Complex Plane repays the hours fastest.

## Two things no amount of Brilliant covers

**The exploration.** The internal assessment is an individual piece of mathematical writing worth 20% of your final grade at both levels, judged on criteria — presentation, mathematical communication, personal engagement, reflection, use of mathematics — that no problem set touches. Choosing a topic and structuring the write-up are a conversation with your teacher.

**The graphic display calculator.** Several syllabus items are written around it: sketching a graph from screen to paper, finding key features with graphing technology, solving equations that have no analytic approach, normal probability calculations. Paper 2 assumes you know your model; Paper 1 assumes you can work without one. Brilliant’s interactives are not a calculator and teach neither habit.

## What should you use from the IB?

Your school has the subject guide, the specimen papers, and past papers with mark schemes — ask your teacher, since the IB sells them rather than publishing them free. Papers are where you learn command terms and how marks split between method and answer. A workable rhythm: sit a paper section under time, separate the misses into mathematics you could not do and marks you lost to presentation, and bring the first group back to the lessons above. Brilliant cannot tell you either thing.

## Is Brilliant a complete IB Math AA course?

No. Brilliant is not an IB course, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate, and includes no past papers, no mark schemes, no exploration support and no timing practice. It is the understanding layer, and works best beside a class rather than instead of one. Use Brilliant for the mathematics and IB materials for the assessment.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the single syllabus item it fits most closely, using the IB’s Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches guide for first assessment 2021 as the authority on what each item requires. The data was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog.

## Frequently asked questions

### I am choosing between SL and HL. Does this page help?

Partly. Read the higher level half of the [HL coverage page](/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-hl-coverage/) — complex numbers, vectors in three dimensions, series, a much longer calculus — and decide whether that is a year you want. Brilliant’s coverage should not drive the choice; your teacher’s advice and your other subjects should.

### I am doing Applications and Interpretation. Is any of this useful?

Some of it — the two courses share statistics, probability and function basics — but AI is not mapped here. Start from [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/) instead.

## Related resources

- [IB Math AA SL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-sl-coverage/)
- [IB Math AA HL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-hl-coverage/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Calculus?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-calculus/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] International Baccalaureate, _Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Guide_, first assessment 2021 — SL and AHL syllabus content, internal assessment criteria and weighting.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“IB Math AA SL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping”](/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-sl-coverage/), accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed September 2026.


What Brilliant teaches of IB Math Analysis and Approaches, and which parts are shared SL content versus HL only.

<p>Yes, for the mathematics — and how much depends on whether you are sitting SL or HL. Brilliant covers most of the functions, trigonometry, statistics and probability on the Standard Level syllabus, and a good share of the calculus. Higher Level adds a second body of content on top, and Brilliant meets that in patches: strong on complex numbers and vectors, absent on the integration techniques and the proof methods. What it never does is rehearse the assessment — no papers, no mark schemes, no exploration. Learn the mathematics here and take format, timing and past papers from the IB’s own materials.</p>
<p>One thing to settle first: Analysis and Approaches is one of the IB’s two Diploma Programme mathematics courses. Applications and Interpretation is the other, and it is not mapped here — if your subject line says AI rather than AA, this page is not about your course.</p>
<h2>SL or HL — which half applies to you?</h2>
<p>The two levels are one syllabus, not two. HL students study every Standard Level item and then further higher level content in each of the five topics — number and algebra, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, calculus. The syllabus makes the line visible: items numbered SL are studied by everyone, items numbered AHL only by HL students. That line decides which Brilliant courses are worth your time.</p>
<p>Item by item, the maps are on two pages: <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-sl-coverage/">IB Math AA SL coverage</a> for the shared syllabus, and <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-hl-coverage/">IB Math AA HL coverage</a>, which repeats those items and lists the higher level ones separately.</p>
<h2>What Brilliant teaches from the shared syllabus</h2>
<p><strong>Functions is the strongest topic.</strong> Domain, range, notation and composition are in <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/">Introduction to Functions</a>, with inverses at <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/inverse-functions/backward-function/">Inverting a Function</a>. The quadratic in all three forms — factored, vertex, and the formula with its discriminant — runs through <a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a>. Rational functions and asymptotes are in <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> at <a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/rational-functions/reciprocal-power-functions/">Reciprocal Power Functions</a>, and the exponential and logarithmic pair, log laws and change of base included, in <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> at <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/solving-with-logarithms/solving-exponent-equations/">Taking Logs of Both Sides</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Trigonometry is nearly as complete.</strong> <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> builds radians and the unit circle from arc length, covers <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/right-triangle-trig/pythagorean-identity/">The Pythagorean Identity</a>, amplitude and period in <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/graphing-sine-and-cosine/the-sine-graph/">The Sine Graph</a>, and analytic solving in <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/solving-trig-equations/equations-in-cos-and-sin/">Equations in cos(θ) and sin(θ)</a>. <a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/">Polar Coordinate Plane</a> adds <a href="/courses/polar-coordinate-plane/arclengths/arcs-and-arclength/">Arcs and Arc Length</a> for sectors.</p>
<p><strong>Statistics and probability</strong> is spread across four courses: centre, spread and outliers in <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a>; sample spaces, <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/expressing-probability/venn-diagrams-probability/">Venn Diagrams</a> and expected value in <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a>; conditional probability and independence in <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/">Probability in Data</a>; correlation and regression in <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/">Regression</a> and <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Calculus and number</strong> are partial but real. <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/">Calculus</a> covers the derivative as a rate of change, the power, chain, product and quotient rules, optimisation, and definite integrals as area, and reaches the sum of an infinite convergent geometric series in <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/sequences-and-series/sequences-and-limits/">Sequences and Limits</a>. Scientific notation and the exponent laws are in <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a>; the forms of a straight line are in <a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a>.</p>
<h2>What HL adds, and where Brilliant meets it</h2>
<p><strong><a href="/courses/complex-plane/">Complex Plane</a> is an HL course and only an HL course.</strong> Every syllabus item its 50 lessons reach is higher level content — Cartesian form, modulus and argument in <a href="/courses/complex-plane/complex-numbers/square-root-minus-1-complex-plane/">The Square Root of -1</a>, polar and Euler form in <a href="/courses/complex-plane/polar-form/transforming-points-complex/">Transforming Points</a>, De Moivre’s theorem and roots in <a href="/courses/complex-plane/powers-and-roots/raising-to-any-power-complex/">Raising to any Power</a>. An SL student can skip it entirely; an HL student gets one of the best matches in the catalog.</p>
<p><strong><a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a></strong> covers the vector groundwork: components and addition in <a href="/courses/vectors/components-from-angles/vector-components-from-d-and-m/">Vector Components</a>, and the scalar product with the angle between two vectors in <a href="/courses/vectors/general-dot-products/general-dot-products/">General Dot Products</a>.</p>
<p>The rest sits in courses you are already using — the factor and remainder theorems in <a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> at <a href="/courses/polynomials/factors-and-roots/roots-from-factored-form/">Roots from Factored Form</a>, odd and even functions in <a href="/courses/polynomials/even-odd-powers/polynomials-3/">Even and Odd Powers</a>, the reciprocal and inverse trigonometric ratios at <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/inverse-trig-functions/inverse-cosine/">Inverse Cosine</a>, continuity and the derivative from first principles in <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/limits-and-continuity/function-limits-2/">Function Limits</a>, Maclaurin series in <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/infinite-sums-4/sine-and-cosine-5/">Sine and Cosine</a>. And <strong>Bayes’ theorem</strong>, which HL states as a topic of its own and few other syllabi name at all: it is taught in <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/computing-probabilities/combining-probabilities-part-two/">Combining Probabilities</a>.</p>
<h2>What you will have to get elsewhere</h2>
<p><strong>Both levels.</strong> Sequences and series are the biggest hole — the nth term and sum formulas for arithmetic and geometric sequences, and sigma notation, with the infinite geometric sum above as the one exception. Also the binomial theorem, Pascal’s triangle and nCr; deductive proof; three-dimensional geometry, meaning distance in space and the volume and surface area of pyramids, cones and spheres; the sine and cosine rules for non-right triangles, with angles of elevation and depression; the binomial and normal distributions, z-values and inverse normal calculations; kinematics; and indefinite integrals beyond powers of x, including substitution.</p>
<p><strong>HL only, on top of that.</strong> Vector equations of lines and planes, skew lines and the vector product. Integration by substitution and by parts, volumes of revolution, differential equations. Implicit differentiation and related rates. L’Hôpital’s rule. Proof by induction and by contradiction. Partial fractions, permutations and combinations, modulus graphs, compound angle identities.</p>
<p>Your textbook covers all of these — bring it to the topics above rather than replacing your course with Brilliant.</p>
<h2>Which courses, and in what order?</h2>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Course</th>
<th>Level</th>
<th>What it gets you</th>
<th>Start here</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/">Introduction to Functions</a> (68 lessons)</td>
<td>SL &#x26; HL</td>
<td>Domain, range, notation, composition, inverses, transformations</td>
<td><a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/inverse-functions/backward-function/">Inverting a Function</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> (69)</td>
<td>SL &#x26; HL</td>
<td>Factored and vertex form, completing the square, the discriminant</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/quadratic-formula/quads-qf-1/">Completing Any Square</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/">Equations &#x26; Curves</a> (61)</td>
<td>SL &#x26; HL</td>
<td>Rational functions, asymptotes, multi-step transformations</td>
<td><a href="/courses/equations-and-curves/properties-of-hyperbolas/domain-range-hyperbolas/">Domain and Range of Hyperbolas</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> (63)</td>
<td>SL &#x26; HL</td>
<td>e^x and ln x, the log laws, solving exponential equations</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponential-functions/logarithm-identities/product-rule-logarithms/">The Product Rule</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a> (62)</td>
<td>SL &#x26; HL</td>
<td>Radians, the unit circle, identities, amplitude and period</td>
<td><a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/sin-and-cos/the-unit-circle-trig/">The Unit Circle</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> (52)</td>
<td>SL &#x26; HL</td>
<td>Roots, sign regions, and the HL factor and remainder theorems</td>
<td><a href="/courses/polynomials/factors-and-roots/roots-from-factored-form/">Roots from Factored Form</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/">Calculus</a> (42)</td>
<td>SL &#x26; HL</td>
<td>Limits, the derivative as a rate of change, the rules, optimisation</td>
<td><a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/limits-7/the-rate-of-change/">Rate Of Change</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/complex-plane/">Complex Plane</a> (50)</td>
<td>HL</td>
<td>Cartesian, polar and Euler form, conjugates, De Moivre, roots</td>
<td><a href="/courses/complex-plane/multiple-roots/alternate-roots-complex/">Both Square Roots</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/vectors/">Vectors &#x26; Matrices</a> (82)</td>
<td>HL</td>
<td>Components, addition, the scalar product, the angle between vectors</td>
<td><a href="/courses/vectors/general-dot-products/general-dot-products/">General Dot Products</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Work the statistics topic alongside, in <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a> at <a href="/courses/basic-math/quartiles/ds-quartiles-3/">Quartiles</a> and <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a> at <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/expected-value/probability-and-value/">Probability and Value</a>; both sit well below Diploma level and go quickly.</p>
<p><strong>Following a class?</strong> Ignore the order and open the course matching this week’s topic — lessons are short and stand alone. <strong>Revising?</strong> Work the topics your past papers keep flagging. <strong>Short on time in HL?</strong> Complex Plane repays the hours fastest.</p>
<h2>Two things no amount of Brilliant covers</h2>
<p><strong>The exploration.</strong> The internal assessment is an individual piece of mathematical writing worth 20% of your final grade at both levels, judged on criteria — presentation, mathematical communication, personal engagement, reflection, use of mathematics — that no problem set touches. Choosing a topic and structuring the write-up are a conversation with your teacher.</p>
<p><strong>The graphic display calculator.</strong> Several syllabus items are written around it: sketching a graph from screen to paper, finding key features with graphing technology, solving equations that have no analytic approach, normal probability calculations. Paper 2 assumes you know your model; Paper 1 assumes you can work without one. Brilliant’s interactives are not a calculator and teach neither habit.</p>
<h2>What should you use from the IB?</h2>
<p>Your school has the subject guide, the specimen papers, and past papers with mark schemes — ask your teacher, since the IB sells them rather than publishing them free. Papers are where you learn command terms and how marks split between method and answer. A workable rhythm: sit a paper section under time, separate the misses into mathematics you could not do and marks you lost to presentation, and bring the first group back to the lessons above. Brilliant cannot tell you either thing.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete IB Math AA course?</h2>
<p>No. Brilliant is not an IB course, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate, and includes no past papers, no mark schemes, no exploration support and no timing practice. It is the understanding layer, and works best beside a class rather than instead of one. Use Brilliant for the mathematics and IB materials for the assessment.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the single syllabus item it fits most closely, using the IB’s Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches guide for first assessment 2021 as the authority on what each item requires. The data was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>I am choosing between SL and HL. Does this page help?</h3>
<p>Partly. Read the higher level half of the <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-hl-coverage/">HL coverage page</a> — complex numbers, vectors in three dimensions, series, a much longer calculus — and decide whether that is a year you want. Brilliant’s coverage should not drive the choice; your teacher’s advice and your other subjects should.</p>
<h3>I am doing Applications and Interpretation. Is any of this useful?</h3>
<p>Some of it — the two courses share statistics, probability and function basics — but AI is not mapped here. Start from <a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a> instead.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-sl-coverage/">IB Math AA SL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-hl-coverage/">IB Math AA HL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-calculus/">Does Brilliant cover Calculus?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] International Baccalaureate, <em>Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Guide</em>, first assessment 2021 — SL and AHL syllabus content, internal assessment criteria and weighting.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/ib-math-aa-sl-coverage/">“IB Math AA SL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping”</a>, accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed September 2026.</p>


Yes, for the mathematics — and how much depends on whether you are sitting SL or HL. Brilliant covers most of the functions, trigonometry, statistics and probability on the Standard Level syllabus, and a good share of the calculus. Higher Level adds a second body of content on top, and Brilliant meets that in patches: strong on complex numbers and vectors, absent on the integration techniques and the proof methods. What it never does is rehearse the assessment — no papers, no mark schemes, no exploration. Learn the mathematics here and take format, timing and past papers from the IB’s own materials. One thing to settle first: Analysis and Approaches is one of the IB’s two Diploma Programme mathematics courses. Applications and Interpretation is the other, and it is not mapped here — if your subject line says AI rather than AA, this page is not about your course. SL or HL — which half applies to you? The two levels are one syllabus, not two. HL students study every Standard Level item and then further higher level content in each of the five topics — number and algebra, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, calculus. The syllabus makes the line visible: items numbered SL are studied by everyone, items numbered AHL only by HL students. That line decides which Brilliant courses are worth your time. Item by item, the maps are on two pages: IB Math AA SL coverage for the shared syllabus, and IB Math AA HL coverage, which repeats those items and lists the higher level ones separately. What Brilliant teaches from the shared syllabus Functions is the strongest topic. Domain, range, notation and composition are in Introduction to Functions, with inverses at Inverting a Function. The quadratic in all three forms — factored, vertex, and the formula with its discriminant — runs through Quadratics. Rational functions and asymptotes are in Equations & Curves at Reciprocal Power Functions, and the exponential and logarithmic pair, log laws and change of base included, in Exponential Functions at Taking Logs of Both Sides. Trigonometry is nearly as complete. Trigonometric Functions builds radians and the unit circle from arc length, covers The Pythagorean Identity, amplitude and period in The Sine Graph, and analytic solving in Equations in cos(θ) and sin(θ). Polar Coordinate Plane adds Arcs and Arc Length for sectors. Statistics and probability is spread across four courses: centre, spread and outliers in Everyday Statistics; sample spaces, Venn Diagrams and expected value in Probability and Chance; conditional probability and independence in Probability in Data; correlation and regression in Regression and Exploring Data Visually. Calculus and number are partial but real. Calculus covers the derivative as a rate of change, the power, chain, product and quotient rules, optimisation, and definite integrals as area, and reaches the sum of an infinite convergent geometric series in Sequences and Limits. Scientific notation and the exponent laws are in Exponents & Radicals; the forms of a straight line are in Linear Functions. What HL adds, and where Brilliant meets it Complex Plane is an HL course and only an HL course. Every syllabus item its 50 lessons reach is higher level content — Cartesian form, modulus and argument in The Square Root of -1, polar and Euler form in Transforming Points, De Moivre’s theorem and roots in Raising to any Power. An SL student can skip it entirely; an HL student gets one of the best matches in the catalog. Vectors & Matrices covers the vector groundwork: components and addition in Vector Components, and the scalar product with the angle between two vectors in General Dot Products. The rest sits in courses you are already using — the factor and remainder theorems in Polynomials at Roots from Factored Form, odd and even functions in Even and Odd Powers, the reciprocal and inverse trigonometric ratios at Inverse Cosine, continuity and the derivative from first principles in Function Limits, Maclaurin series in Sine and Cosine. And Bayes’ theorem, which HL states as a topic of its own and few other syllabi name at all: it is taught in Combining Probabilities. What you will have to get elsewhere Both levels. Sequences and series are the biggest hole — the nth term and sum formulas for arithmetic and geometric sequences, and sigma notation, with the infinite geometric sum above as the one exception. Also the binomial theorem, Pascal’s triangle and nCr; deductive proof; three-dimensional geometry, meaning distance in space and the volume and surface area of pyramids, cones and spheres; the sine and cosine rules for non-right triangles, with angles of elevation and depression; the binomial and normal distributions, z-values and inverse normal calculations; kinematics; and indefinite integrals beyond powers of x, including substitution. HL only, on top of that. Vector equations of lines and planes, skew lines and the vector product. Integration by substitution and by parts, volumes of revolution, differential equations. Implicit differentiation and related rates. L’Hôpital’s rule. Proof by induction and by contradiction. Partial fractions, permutations and combinations, modulus graphs, compound angle identities. Your textbook covers all of these — bring it to the topics above rather than replacing your course with Brilliant. Which courses, and in what order? Course Level What it gets you Start here Introduction to Functions (68 lessons) SL & HL Domain, range, notation, composition, inverses, transformations Inverting a Function Quadratics (69) SL & HL Factored and vertex form, completing the square, the discriminant Completing Any Square Equations & Curves (61) SL & HL Rational functions, asymptotes, multi-step transformations Domain and Range of Hyperbolas Exponential Functions (63) SL & HL e^x and ln x, the log laws, solving exponential equations The Product Rule Trigonometric Functions (62) SL & HL Radians, the unit circle, identities, amplitude and period The Unit Circle Polynomials (52) SL & HL Roots, sign regions, and the HL factor and remainder theorems Roots from Factored Form Calculus (42) SL & HL Limits, the derivative as a rate of change, the rules, optimisation Rate Of Change Complex Plane (50) HL Cartesian, polar and Euler form, conjugates, De Moivre, roots Both Square Roots Vectors & Matrices (82) HL Components, addition, the scalar product, the angle between vectors General Dot Products Work the statistics topic alongside, in Everyday Statistics at Quartiles and Probability and Chance at Probability and Value; both sit well below Diploma level and go quickly. Following a class? Ignore the order and open the course matching this week’s topic — lessons are short and stand alone. Revising? Work the topics your past papers keep flagging. Short on time in HL? Complex Plane repays the hours fastest. Two things no amount of Brilliant covers The exploration. The internal assessment is an individual piece of mathematical writing worth 20% of your final grade at both levels, judged on criteria — presentation, mathematical communication, personal engagement, reflection, use of mathematics — that no problem set touches. Choosing a topic and structuring the write-up are a conversation with your teacher. The graphic display calculator. Several syllabus items are written around it: sketching a graph from screen to paper, finding key features with graphing technology, solving equations that have no analytic approach, normal probability calculations. Paper 2 assumes you know your model; Paper 1 assumes you can work without one. Brilliant’s interactives are not a calculator and teach neither habit. What should you use from the IB? Your school has the subject guide, the specimen papers, and past papers with mark schemes — ask your teacher, since the IB sells them rather than publishing them free. Papers are where you learn command terms and how marks split between method and answer. A workable rhythm: sit a paper section under time, separate the misses into mathematics you could not do and marks you lost to presentation, and bring the first group back to the lessons above. Brilliant cannot tell you either thing. Is Brilliant a complete IB Math AA course? No. Brilliant is not an IB course, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate, and includes no past papers, no mark schemes, no exploration support and no timing practice. It is the understanding layer, and works best beside a class rather than instead of one. Use Brilliant for the mathematics and IB materials for the assessment. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each skill to the single syllabus item it fits most closely, using the IB’s Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches guide for first assessment 2021 as the authority on what each item requires. The data was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog. Frequently asked questions I am choosing between SL and HL. Does this page help? Partly. Read the higher level half of the HL coverage page — complex numbers, vectors in three dimensions, series, a much longer calculus — and decide whether that is a year you want. Brilliant’s coverage should not drive the choice; your teacher’s advice and your other subjects should. I am doing Applications and Interpretation. Is any of this useful? Some of it — the two courses share statistics, probability and function basics — but AI is not mapped here. Start from What math does Brilliant cover? instead. Related resources IB Math AA SL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping IB Math AA HL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping Does Brilliant cover Calculus? What math does Brilliant cover? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] International Baccalaureate, Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Guide, first assessment 2021 — SL and AHL syllabus content, internal assessment criteria and weighting. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “IB Math AA SL coverage: syllabus-by-syllabus Brilliant lesson mapping”, accessed September 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed September 2026.

Can Brilliant help with IB Math Analysis and Approaches?


Yes — for the math you have forgotten, which for most GRE test-takers is the whole problem. The Quantitative Reasoning measure tests arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis at a level you last studied in school, and Brilliant teaches nearly all of it by making you work problems rather than watch explanations. What Brilliant does not do is rehearse the exam: no quantitative comparison drills, no on-screen calculator, no timed sections. Use Brilliant to rebuild the math and ETS’s official materials for the exam itself.

## What does GRE Quant actually test?

ETS splits the measure into four content areas: **arithmetic** (integers, fractions, exponents and roots, decimals, the number line and absolute value, ratios, percent), **algebra** (expressions, exponent rules, linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, functions, word problems, coordinate geometry, graphs), **geometry** (lines and angles, polygons, triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, solids), and **data analysis** (presenting data, descriptive statistics, counting, probability, distributions, data interpretation).

Just as useful is what is not on it. **There is no trigonometry, no calculus, and no proof.** If you found Brilliant through its [Calculus](/courses/calculus-nutshell/) course, that is a fine course and it is worth none of your GRE hours; the same goes for [Trigonometric Functions](/courses/trigonometric-functions/). Nothing beyond high-school algebra and plane geometry is tested.

The topic-by-topic list of which Brilliant lessons teach each of the four areas is on the [GRE Quant coverage page](/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/).

## Start with the arithmetic, even if that feels like going backwards

Most people preparing for the GRE are adults on a graduate-school deadline who last did this math a decade ago, and the instinct is to skip to the hardest topic you can name. That is the wrong move here. The GRE genuinely tests arithmetic, and rust on fractions, percent, and exponents costs more points than anything advanced.

Brilliant’s course grade labels describe the age at which students usually first meet the material, not who the course is for. [Fractions](/courses/math-fundamentals/), [Percentages](/courses/percentages/), [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/), and [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/) are not remedial detours for a GRE reader — they cover named ETS topics directly, and they are the fastest hours on the list below. Work them at speed: you are refreshing, not learning from scratch.

## Which Brilliant courses should you work through?

The table runs in the exam’s own order, arithmetic first. Skip any row you can already do quickly and without notes.

| Course                                                                            | What it gets you on GRE Quant                                                         | Where to start                                                                                                |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Fractions](/courses/math-fundamentals/) (27 lessons)                             | Equivalent fractions, common denominators, multiplying and comparing fractions        | [Adding Fractions](/courses/math-fundamentals/adding-fractions/adding-fractions/)                             |
| [Percentages](/courses/percentages/) (21)                                         | Percent of a number, percent increase and decrease, repeated and compound changes     | [Compound Changes](/courses/percentages/percentages-compound-changes/compound-changes-receipts/)              |
| [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/) (30)               | Ratios in lowest terms, unit rates, scale factors, mixture ratios                     | [Scaling Down to Scale Up](/courses/proportional-relationships/scaling-ratios/ratio-scale-up-down/)           |
| [Negative Numbers](/courses/negative-numbers/) (44)                               | Signed arithmetic, ordering, absolute value as distance on the number line            | [Ordering Integers](/courses/negative-numbers/order-and-magnitude/numeric-order-magnitude-1/)                 |
| [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) (83)                     | Prime factorization, the exponent rules, negative and fractional exponents, radicals  | [The Product Rule for Exponents](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/) |
| [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/) (68)                                   | Multi-step solving, distributing, inequalities, substitution and elimination          | [Combining Like Terms](/courses/pre-algebra/combining-and-rearranging/combining-like-terms-new-1/)            |
| [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/) (59) | Fractional and negative coefficients, one solution against none or infinitely many    | [Combining Terms](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/)          |
| [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) (69)                                           | Expanding, factoring, completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant  | [Undistributing](/courses/quadratics/factoring-expressions/undistributing-one-direction/)                     |
| [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/) (24)                                   | Substitution, elimination, and systems written from word constraints                  | [Two Constraints](/courses/linear-systems/systems-of-equations/intro-systems/)                                |
| [Linear Functions](/courses/linear-functions/) (45)                               | Slope from two points, intercepts, slope-intercept form, parallel and perpendicular   | [Change per One](/courses/linear-functions/computing-slope/vertical-change/)                                  |
| [Coordinate Geometry](/courses/coordinate-geometry/) (44)                         | Distance between points, the Pythagorean theorem, area on a grid, circle equations    | [Pythagoras’ Theorem](/courses/coordinate-geometry/pythagoras/pythagoras-theorem/)                            |
| [Geometry and Measurement](/courses/geometry-fundamentals/) (25)                  | Angles made by lines, polygon angle sums, perimeter, similarity, surface area, volume | [Angles Made by Lines](/courses/geometry-fundamentals/angles/angle-facts-3/)                                  |
| [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/) (36)                                  | Mean, median, mode, quartiles, box plots, outliers, interquartile range               | [Quartiles](/courses/basic-math/quartiles/ds-quartiles-3/)                                                    |
| [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/) (29)                      | Bar charts, histograms, pie charts, line graphs, scatter plots                        | [Reading Bar Charts](/courses/visual-exploration/intro/edv-newch-8/)                                          |
| [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/) (31)                 | Counting outcomes, Venn diagrams, “and” and “or”, conditional probability             | [Venn Diagrams](/courses/winning-with-probability/expressing-probability/venn-diagrams-probability/)          |

**With three months,** work down the whole table. **With three weeks,** do rows one through five and then stop — arithmetic and exponent rules are where the GRE puts the most questions per hour of your study time. [Introduction to Functions](/courses/introduction-to-functions/) is worth adding if function notation feels unfamiliar; start at [Numeric Rules](/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-rules/numeric-rules/).

## Quantitative comparison, the calculator, and the clock

**Quantitative comparison is a large share of the section and unlike anything in a math course.** You are given Quantity A and Quantity B and asked which is greater, or whether that can be determined at all — often without computing either one. The skill is testing edge cases: zero, one, negatives, fractions between 0 and 1. No amount of Brilliant work teaches the question type, because no ordinary math curriculum contains it. Learn it from ETS’s explanations, then drill it on official questions.

**The on-screen calculator and the timer change how you work.** The GRE gives you a basic calculator, which rewards knowing when _not_ to reach for it, and every section is timed. Brilliant’s problems are untimed by design — good for understanding, no preparation at all for pacing. That is the honest reason Brilliant is not enough on its own.

## What will you have to get elsewhere?

Nothing large, but several specific things, and they are all cheap to pick up from a prep book:

- **Decimals as their own topic** — converting a fraction to a decimal by dividing, telling a terminating decimal from a repeating one, bar notation, and place value read as powers of ten. This is the one ETS topic Brilliant does not teach anywhere.
- **Integer properties beyond prime factorization** — the parity of sums and products, least common multiples, and division stated as a quotient with a remainder.
- **Counting methods** — the multiplication principle, permutations, combinations, and factorial notation. Brilliant teaches counting outcomes and Venn diagrams; it does not teach the formulas.
- **Standard deviation, percentiles, and weighted averages** — Brilliant covers center, quartiles, box plots, and spread by range, but not these three.
- **Most circle geometry** — Brilliant teaches circumference from a radius or diameter and the equation of a circle in the plane, but not the area formula, arcs, sectors, or chords. Circles are heavily tested.
- **The rest of plane geometry** — the triangle inequality, isosceles and equilateral side and angle relations, the 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 triangles and their side ratios, the parallelogram and trapezoid area formulas, and midpoints.
- **The classic word-problem genres** — work-rate problems, and average and mixture setups written the way ETS writes them. Compound interest is the exception: [Exponential Functions](/courses/exponential-functions/) teaches it, in [Compound Growth](/courses/exponential-functions/compound-interest/compound-growth/), along with depreciation. Simple annual interest you will still want from a prep book.

Data Interpretation sets are a format rather than a gap: Brilliant teaches you to read every chart type the GRE uses, but not to answer four stacked questions off one table against a clock.

## What should you use from ETS?

ETS publishes a free Math Review covering the four content areas, a Math Conventions document that spells out how the exam words things, and the POWERPREP practice tests, which run in the real test interface. Take one POWERPREP test early — before you study anything — and let it choose your rows in the table above. Use the rest for timing and question-type practice, the half Brilliant cannot supply.

## Is Brilliant a complete GRE prep course?

No, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS. Brilliant is the understanding layer: the arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data work the questions are built from, taught until they stop being hard. Full-length timed tests, quantitative comparison strategy, and the calculator are the exam layer, and those come from official materials. Use both, in that order.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each math skill to the ETS topic it fits most closely, using the published content specification for the Quantitative Reasoning measure and the ETS Math Review as the authority on what each topic requires. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog.

## Frequently asked questions

### I have not done math since undergrad. Where do I actually start?

With [Fractions](/courses/math-fundamentals/) and [Percentages](/courses/percentages/), and without embarrassment — those are tested topics, not a beginners’ track. Then take a POWERPREP test to find out what else is missing before spending time on algebra you may not need.

### How long does this take?

It depends on how much came back quickly. A reasonable plan is four to six weeks on the first half of the table, then a POWERPREP test, then targeted lessons on whatever the score report exposes, with timed practice running alongside from that point on.

### Does Brilliant help with the Verbal or Analytical Writing sections?

No. Brilliant’s catalog is math, science, computer science, and data analysis.

### Should I finish a whole course before moving on?

No. Brilliant lessons are short and stand alone, which suits this kind of preparation: open the one matching the topic a practice question exposed rather than working a course front to back.

## Related resources

- [GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Geometry?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-geometry/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] ETS, GRE General Test content specification for the Quantitative Reasoning measure, the GRE Math Review, Math Conventions, and POWERPREP practice tests, accessed September 2026.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, ["GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping"](/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/), accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, ["Courses"](/courses/), accessed September 2026.


Where to start on Brilliant for GRE Quant, why the arithmetic matters most, and what ETS materials still cover.

<p>Yes — for the math you have forgotten, which for most GRE test-takers is the whole problem. The Quantitative Reasoning measure tests arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis at a level you last studied in school, and Brilliant teaches nearly all of it by making you work problems rather than watch explanations. What Brilliant does not do is rehearse the exam: no quantitative comparison drills, no on-screen calculator, no timed sections. Use Brilliant to rebuild the math and ETS’s official materials for the exam itself.</p>
<h2>What does GRE Quant actually test?</h2>
<p>ETS splits the measure into four content areas: <strong>arithmetic</strong> (integers, fractions, exponents and roots, decimals, the number line and absolute value, ratios, percent), <strong>algebra</strong> (expressions, exponent rules, linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, functions, word problems, coordinate geometry, graphs), <strong>geometry</strong> (lines and angles, polygons, triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, solids), and <strong>data analysis</strong> (presenting data, descriptive statistics, counting, probability, distributions, data interpretation).</p>
<p>Just as useful is what is not on it. <strong>There is no trigonometry, no calculus, and no proof.</strong> If you found Brilliant through its <a href="/courses/calculus-nutshell/">Calculus</a> course, that is a fine course and it is worth none of your GRE hours; the same goes for <a href="/courses/trigonometric-functions/">Trigonometric Functions</a>. Nothing beyond high-school algebra and plane geometry is tested.</p>
<p>The topic-by-topic list of which Brilliant lessons teach each of the four areas is on the <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/">GRE Quant coverage page</a>.</p>
<h2>Start with the arithmetic, even if that feels like going backwards</h2>
<p>Most people preparing for the GRE are adults on a graduate-school deadline who last did this math a decade ago, and the instinct is to skip to the hardest topic you can name. That is the wrong move here. The GRE genuinely tests arithmetic, and rust on fractions, percent, and exponents costs more points than anything advanced.</p>
<p>Brilliant’s course grade labels describe the age at which students usually first meet the material, not who the course is for. <a href="/courses/math-fundamentals/">Fractions</a>, <a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a>, <a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a>, and <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a> are not remedial detours for a GRE reader — they cover named ETS topics directly, and they are the fastest hours on the list below. Work them at speed: you are refreshing, not learning from scratch.</p>
<h2>Which Brilliant courses should you work through?</h2>
<p>The table runs in the exam’s own order, arithmetic first. Skip any row you can already do quickly and without notes.</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Course</th>
<th>What it gets you on GRE Quant</th>
<th>Where to start</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/math-fundamentals/">Fractions</a> (27 lessons)</td>
<td>Equivalent fractions, common denominators, multiplying and comparing fractions</td>
<td><a href="/courses/math-fundamentals/adding-fractions/adding-fractions/">Adding Fractions</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a> (21)</td>
<td>Percent of a number, percent increase and decrease, repeated and compound changes</td>
<td><a href="/courses/percentages/percentages-compound-changes/compound-changes-receipts/">Compound Changes</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a> (30)</td>
<td>Ratios in lowest terms, unit rates, scale factors, mixture ratios</td>
<td><a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/scaling-ratios/ratio-scale-up-down/">Scaling Down to Scale Up</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/negative-numbers/">Negative Numbers</a> (44)</td>
<td>Signed arithmetic, ordering, absolute value as distance on the number line</td>
<td><a href="/courses/negative-numbers/order-and-magnitude/numeric-order-magnitude-1/">Ordering Integers</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> (83)</td>
<td>Prime factorization, the exponent rules, negative and fractional exponents, radicals</td>
<td><a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/">The Product Rule for Exponents</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a> (68)</td>
<td>Multi-step solving, distributing, inequalities, substitution and elimination</td>
<td><a href="/courses/pre-algebra/combining-and-rearranging/combining-like-terms-new-1/">Combining Like Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a> (59)</td>
<td>Fractional and negative coefficients, one solution against none or infinitely many</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/combining-terms/solving-with-combining/">Combining Terms</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> (69)</td>
<td>Expanding, factoring, completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant</td>
<td><a href="/courses/quadratics/factoring-expressions/undistributing-one-direction/">Undistributing</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a> (24)</td>
<td>Substitution, elimination, and systems written from word constraints</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-systems/systems-of-equations/intro-systems/">Two Constraints</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/">Linear Functions</a> (45)</td>
<td>Slope from two points, intercepts, slope-intercept form, parallel and perpendicular</td>
<td><a href="/courses/linear-functions/computing-slope/vertical-change/">Change per One</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/">Coordinate Geometry</a> (44)</td>
<td>Distance between points, the Pythagorean theorem, area on a grid, circle equations</td>
<td><a href="/courses/coordinate-geometry/pythagoras/pythagoras-theorem/">Pythagoras’ Theorem</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/geometry-fundamentals/">Geometry and Measurement</a> (25)</td>
<td>Angles made by lines, polygon angle sums, perimeter, similarity, surface area, volume</td>
<td><a href="/courses/geometry-fundamentals/angles/angle-facts-3/">Angles Made by Lines</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a> (36)</td>
<td>Mean, median, mode, quartiles, box plots, outliers, interquartile range</td>
<td><a href="/courses/basic-math/quartiles/ds-quartiles-3/">Quartiles</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a> (29)</td>
<td>Bar charts, histograms, pie charts, line graphs, scatter plots</td>
<td><a href="/courses/visual-exploration/intro/edv-newch-8/">Reading Bar Charts</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a> (31)</td>
<td>Counting outcomes, Venn diagrams, “and” and “or”, conditional probability</td>
<td><a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/expressing-probability/venn-diagrams-probability/">Venn Diagrams</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>With three months,</strong> work down the whole table. <strong>With three weeks,</strong> do rows one through five and then stop — arithmetic and exponent rules are where the GRE puts the most questions per hour of your study time. <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/">Introduction to Functions</a> is worth adding if function notation feels unfamiliar; start at <a href="/courses/introduction-to-functions/function-rules/numeric-rules/">Numeric Rules</a>.</p>
<h2>Quantitative comparison, the calculator, and the clock</h2>
<p><strong>Quantitative comparison is a large share of the section and unlike anything in a math course.</strong> You are given Quantity A and Quantity B and asked which is greater, or whether that can be determined at all — often without computing either one. The skill is testing edge cases: zero, one, negatives, fractions between 0 and 1. No amount of Brilliant work teaches the question type, because no ordinary math curriculum contains it. Learn it from ETS’s explanations, then drill it on official questions.</p>
<p><strong>The on-screen calculator and the timer change how you work.</strong> The GRE gives you a basic calculator, which rewards knowing when <em>not</em> to reach for it, and every section is timed. Brilliant’s problems are untimed by design — good for understanding, no preparation at all for pacing. That is the honest reason Brilliant is not enough on its own.</p>
<h2>What will you have to get elsewhere?</h2>
<p>Nothing large, but several specific things, and they are all cheap to pick up from a prep book:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Decimals as their own topic</strong> — converting a fraction to a decimal by dividing, telling a terminating decimal from a repeating one, bar notation, and place value read as powers of ten. This is the one ETS topic Brilliant does not teach anywhere.</li>
<li><strong>Integer properties beyond prime factorization</strong> — the parity of sums and products, least common multiples, and division stated as a quotient with a remainder.</li>
<li><strong>Counting methods</strong> — the multiplication principle, permutations, combinations, and factorial notation. Brilliant teaches counting outcomes and Venn diagrams; it does not teach the formulas.</li>
<li><strong>Standard deviation, percentiles, and weighted averages</strong> — Brilliant covers center, quartiles, box plots, and spread by range, but not these three.</li>
<li><strong>Most circle geometry</strong> — Brilliant teaches circumference from a radius or diameter and the equation of a circle in the plane, but not the area formula, arcs, sectors, or chords. Circles are heavily tested.</li>
<li><strong>The rest of plane geometry</strong> — the triangle inequality, isosceles and equilateral side and angle relations, the 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 triangles and their side ratios, the parallelogram and trapezoid area formulas, and midpoints.</li>
<li><strong>The classic word-problem genres</strong> — work-rate problems, and average and mixture setups written the way ETS writes them. Compound interest is the exception: <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/">Exponential Functions</a> teaches it, in <a href="/courses/exponential-functions/compound-interest/compound-growth/">Compound Growth</a>, along with depreciation. Simple annual interest you will still want from a prep book.</li>
</ul>
<p>Data Interpretation sets are a format rather than a gap: Brilliant teaches you to read every chart type the GRE uses, but not to answer four stacked questions off one table against a clock.</p>
<h2>What should you use from ETS?</h2>
<p>ETS publishes a free Math Review covering the four content areas, a Math Conventions document that spells out how the exam words things, and the POWERPREP practice tests, which run in the real test interface. Take one POWERPREP test early — before you study anything — and let it choose your rows in the table above. Use the rest for timing and question-type practice, the half Brilliant cannot supply.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete GRE prep course?</h2>
<p>No, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS. Brilliant is the understanding layer: the arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data work the questions are built from, taught until they stop being hard. Full-length timed tests, quantitative comparison strategy, and the calculator are the exam layer, and those come from official materials. Use both, in that order.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each math skill to the ETS topic it fits most closely, using the published content specification for the Quantitative Reasoning measure and the ETS Math Review as the authority on what each topic requires. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>I have not done math since undergrad. Where do I actually start?</h3>
<p>With <a href="/courses/math-fundamentals/">Fractions</a> and <a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a>, and without embarrassment — those are tested topics, not a beginners’ track. Then take a POWERPREP test to find out what else is missing before spending time on algebra you may not need.</p>
<h3>How long does this take?</h3>
<p>It depends on how much came back quickly. A reasonable plan is four to six weeks on the first half of the table, then a POWERPREP test, then targeted lessons on whatever the score report exposes, with timed practice running alongside from that point on.</p>
<h3>Does Brilliant help with the Verbal or Analytical Writing sections?</h3>
<p>No. Brilliant’s catalog is math, science, computer science, and data analysis.</p>
<h3>Should I finish a whole course before moving on?</h3>
<p>No. Brilliant lessons are short and stand alone, which suits this kind of preparation: open the one matching the topic a practice question exposed rather than working a course front to back.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/">GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/">Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-geometry/">Does Brilliant cover Geometry?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] ETS, GRE General Test content specification for the Quantitative Reasoning measure, the GRE Math Review, Math Conventions, and POWERPREP practice tests, accessed September 2026.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/">"GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping"</a>, accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">"Courses"</a>, accessed September 2026.</p>


Yes — for the math you have forgotten, which for most GRE test-takers is the whole problem. The Quantitative Reasoning measure tests arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis at a level you last studied in school, and Brilliant teaches nearly all of it by making you work problems rather than watch explanations. What Brilliant does not do is rehearse the exam: no quantitative comparison drills, no on-screen calculator, no timed sections. Use Brilliant to rebuild the math and ETS’s official materials for the exam itself. What does GRE Quant actually test? ETS splits the measure into four content areas: arithmetic (integers, fractions, exponents and roots, decimals, the number line and absolute value, ratios, percent), algebra (expressions, exponent rules, linear and quadratic equations, inequalities, functions, word problems, coordinate geometry, graphs), geometry (lines and angles, polygons, triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, solids), and data analysis (presenting data, descriptive statistics, counting, probability, distributions, data interpretation). Just as useful is what is not on it. There is no trigonometry, no calculus, and no proof. If you found Brilliant through its Calculus course, that is a fine course and it is worth none of your GRE hours; the same goes for Trigonometric Functions. Nothing beyond high-school algebra and plane geometry is tested. The topic-by-topic list of which Brilliant lessons teach each of the four areas is on the GRE Quant coverage page. Start with the arithmetic, even if that feels like going backwards Most people preparing for the GRE are adults on a graduate-school deadline who last did this math a decade ago, and the instinct is to skip to the hardest topic you can name. That is the wrong move here. The GRE genuinely tests arithmetic, and rust on fractions, percent, and exponents costs more points than anything advanced. Brilliant’s course grade labels describe the age at which students usually first meet the material, not who the course is for. Fractions, Percentages, Proportional Reasoning, and Solving Equations are not remedial detours for a GRE reader — they cover named ETS topics directly, and they are the fastest hours on the list below. Work them at speed: you are refreshing, not learning from scratch. Which Brilliant courses should you work through? The table runs in the exam’s own order, arithmetic first. Skip any row you can already do quickly and without notes. Course What it gets you on GRE Quant Where to start Fractions (27 lessons) Equivalent fractions, common denominators, multiplying and comparing fractions Adding Fractions Percentages (21) Percent of a number, percent increase and decrease, repeated and compound changes Compound Changes Proportional Reasoning (30) Ratios in lowest terms, unit rates, scale factors, mixture ratios Scaling Down to Scale Up Negative Numbers (44) Signed arithmetic, ordering, absolute value as distance on the number line Ordering Integers Exponents & Radicals (83) Prime factorization, the exponent rules, negative and fractional exponents, radicals The Product Rule for Exponents Solving Equations (68) Multi-step solving, distributing, inequalities, substitution and elimination Combining Like Terms Linear Expressions & Equations (59) Fractional and negative coefficients, one solution against none or infinitely many Combining Terms Quadratics (69) Expanding, factoring, completing the square, the quadratic formula, the discriminant Undistributing Linear Systems (24) Substitution, elimination, and systems written from word constraints Two Constraints Linear Functions (45) Slope from two points, intercepts, slope-intercept form, parallel and perpendicular Change per One Coordinate Geometry (44) Distance between points, the Pythagorean theorem, area on a grid, circle equations Pythagoras’ Theorem Geometry and Measurement (25) Angles made by lines, polygon angle sums, perimeter, similarity, surface area, volume Angles Made by Lines Everyday Statistics (36) Mean, median, mode, quartiles, box plots, outliers, interquartile range Quartiles Exploring Data Visually (29) Bar charts, histograms, pie charts, line graphs, scatter plots Reading Bar Charts Probability and Chance (31) Counting outcomes, Venn diagrams, “and” and “or”, conditional probability Venn Diagrams With three months, work down the whole table. With three weeks, do rows one through five and then stop — arithmetic and exponent rules are where the GRE puts the most questions per hour of your study time. Introduction to Functions is worth adding if function notation feels unfamiliar; start at Numeric Rules. Quantitative comparison, the calculator, and the clock Quantitative comparison is a large share of the section and unlike anything in a math course. You are given Quantity A and Quantity B and asked which is greater, or whether that can be determined at all — often without computing either one. The skill is testing edge cases: zero, one, negatives, fractions between 0 and 1. No amount of Brilliant work teaches the question type, because no ordinary math curriculum contains it. Learn it from ETS’s explanations, then drill it on official questions. The on-screen calculator and the timer change how you work. The GRE gives you a basic calculator, which rewards knowing when not to reach for it, and every section is timed. Brilliant’s problems are untimed by design — good for understanding, no preparation at all for pacing. That is the honest reason Brilliant is not enough on its own. What will you have to get elsewhere? Nothing large, but several specific things, and they are all cheap to pick up from a prep book: Decimals as their own topic — converting a fraction to a decimal by dividing, telling a terminating decimal from a repeating one, bar notation, and place value read as powers of ten. This is the one ETS topic Brilliant does not teach anywhere. Integer properties beyond prime factorization — the parity of sums and products, least common multiples, and division stated as a quotient with a remainder. Counting methods — the multiplication principle, permutations, combinations, and factorial notation. Brilliant teaches counting outcomes and Venn diagrams; it does not teach the formulas. Standard deviation, percentiles, and weighted averages — Brilliant covers center, quartiles, box plots, and spread by range, but not these three. Most circle geometry — Brilliant teaches circumference from a radius or diameter and the equation of a circle in the plane, but not the area formula, arcs, sectors, or chords. Circles are heavily tested. The rest of plane geometry — the triangle inequality, isosceles and equilateral side and angle relations, the 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 triangles and their side ratios, the parallelogram and trapezoid area formulas, and midpoints. The classic word-problem genres — work-rate problems, and average and mixture setups written the way ETS writes them. Compound interest is the exception: Exponential Functions teaches it, in Compound Growth, along with depreciation. Simple annual interest you will still want from a prep book. Data Interpretation sets are a format rather than a gap: Brilliant teaches you to read every chart type the GRE uses, but not to answer four stacked questions off one table against a clock. What should you use from ETS? ETS publishes a free Math Review covering the four content areas, a Math Conventions document that spells out how the exam words things, and the POWERPREP practice tests, which run in the real test interface. Take one POWERPREP test early — before you study anything — and let it choose your rows in the table above. Use the rest for timing and question-type practice, the half Brilliant cannot supply. Is Brilliant a complete GRE prep course? No, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS. Brilliant is the understanding layer: the arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data work the questions are built from, taught until they stop being hard. Full-length timed tests, quantitative comparison strategy, and the calculator are the exam layer, and those come from official materials. Use both, in that order. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps each math skill to the ETS topic it fits most closely, using the published content specification for the Quantitative Reasoning measure and the ETS Math Review as the authority on what each topic requires. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026 against the live course catalog. Frequently asked questions I have not done math since undergrad. Where do I actually start? With Fractions and Percentages, and without embarrassment — those are tested topics, not a beginners’ track. Then take a POWERPREP test to find out what else is missing before spending time on algebra you may not need. How long does this take? It depends on how much came back quickly. A reasonable plan is four to six weeks on the first half of the table, then a POWERPREP test, then targeted lessons on whatever the score report exposes, with timed practice running alongside from that point on. Does Brilliant help with the Verbal or Analytical Writing sections? No. Brilliant’s catalog is math, science, computer science, and data analysis. Should I finish a whole course before moving on? No. Brilliant lessons are short and stand alone, which suits this kind of preparation: open the one matching the topic a practice question exposed rather than working a course front to back. Related resources GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping What math does Brilliant cover? Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1? Does Brilliant cover Geometry? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] ETS, GRE General Test content specification for the Quantitative Reasoning measure, the GRE Math Review, Math Conventions, and POWERPREP practice tests, accessed September 2026. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, skill hierarchy version 397, pulled September 3, 2026. [3] Brilliant, "GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping", accessed September 2026. [4] Brilliant, "Courses", accessed September 2026.

Can Brilliant help you prepare for GRE Quant?


Yes, for the math — and the first useful thing to say is how little math the Quantitative Reasoning section still asks for. The GMAT Focus Edition removed geometry from Quant outright, and moved Data Sufficiency out of Quant into Data Insights. What remains is arithmetic and algebra, and Brilliant teaches essentially all of it. What Brilliant does not teach is the exam: the question formats, the adaptive scoring, the clock. Use Brilliant for the math and GMAC’s official materials for the test.

If you are studying from a prep book written before the Focus Edition, or from someone who sat the old GMAT, your picture of this section is wrong in an expensive way. Circle theorems, triangle area, coordinate geometry, and the whole Data Sufficiency answer-choice ritual are not in Quant any more. Time spent on them is time not spent on what is.

## What does Quant still test?

Two content areas. **Arithmetic**: the four operations on integers, fractions, and decimals; signed numbers and order of operations; powers and roots; value, order, factors, multiples, divisibility, and remainders; ratios, unit rates, and percents; mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation; and counting methods. **Algebra**: writing, expanding, and factoring expressions; exponent and radical rules on variables; solving linear and quadratic equations, systems, absolute-value equations, and inequalities; translating a described situation into algebra; and elementary probability, sequences, and partial sums.

That is the whole list, and it is one question type — problem solving with five answer choices, 21 questions in 45 minutes.

## What does Brilliant teach of it?

Every topic on that list has Brilliant lessons behind it.

- **Arithmetic and number.** Fraction operations in [Fractions](/courses/math-fundamentals/); signed numbers, order of operations, and absolute value as distance in [Negative Numbers](/courses/negative-numbers/), starting at [The Number Line](/courses/negative-numbers/integers-number-line/numeric-expressions-205/).
- **Powers, roots, and estimation.** [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) is the largest single source of GMAT-matching skills in the catalog, and it works both halves of the exam: numeric powers and roots at [Order and Evaluation](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/exponent-order-of-operations/exponent-order-of-ops-1/), prime factorization at [Prime Factors](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/prime-factorization/prime-factors/), order-of-magnitude estimating at [Powers of 10](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/scientific-notation/powers-of-10/), and the exponent rules applied to variables at [The Product Rule for Exponents](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/).
- **Rates, ratios, and percents.** [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/) covers unit rates at [How Much for One](/courses/proportional-relationships/unit-rates/how-much-for-one/) and mixtures at [Setting Up Ratios](/courses/proportional-relationships/setting-up-ratios/new-color-1/); [Percentages](/courses/percentages/) covers percent change and the repeated-change questions this exam likes, at [Compound Changes](/courses/percentages/percentages-compound-changes/compound-changes-receipts/).
- **Expressions and equations.** [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/) and [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/) carry the linear work, including how many solutions an equation admits at [No Solutions](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/many-or-no-solutions/linear-equations-num-solutions/). [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/) covers factoring at [Undistributing](/courses/quadratics/factoring-expressions/undistributing-one-direction/) and the formula and discriminant at [Completing Any Square](/courses/quadratics/quadratic-formula/quads-qf-1/). [Polynomials](/courses/polynomials/) goes past the quadratic case; [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/) handles simultaneous equations at [Two Constraints](/courses/linear-systems/systems-of-equations/intro-systems/).
- **Word problems, sequences, and probability.** Turning a situation into an equation is taught directly, from [Finding Unknowns](/courses/pre-algebra/variables/understanding-variables-2/) up. Sequences sit in [Visual Algebra](/courses/systems-of-equations/) as growing patterns — [Describing Patterns](/courses/systems-of-equations/linear-expressions/pattern-expression/) — and elementary probability in [Probability and Chance](/courses/winning-with-probability/), at [Venn Diagrams](/courses/winning-with-probability/expressing-probability/venn-diagrams-probability/).
- **Descriptive statistics.** [Everyday Statistics](/courses/basic-math/) covers mean, median, and mode and, more usefully here, how those summaries move when the data changes — [Adding a Point](/courses/basic-math/more-medians/ds-median-5/) and [Outliers](/courses/basic-math/outliers/outliers-balance/).

The topic-by-topic version, with every lesson listed under the GMAC topic it serves, is on the [GMAT Quant coverage page](/resources/alignment-mappings/gmat-quant-math-coverage/).

## What about Data Insights?

Treat it as a separate ask with a different course list. Data Insights holds the quantitative content that used to live in Quant — Data Sufficiency — plus Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, Multi-Source Reasoning, and Two-Part Analysis.

Graphics Interpretation is where Brilliant helps most. [Exploring Data Visually](/courses/visual-exploration/) teaches bar and pie charts at [Reading Bar Charts](/courses/visual-exploration/intro/edv-newch-8/), trends at [Line Graphs](/courses/visual-exploration/visualize-data/making-comparisons-edv/), and scatter plots at [Observing Relationships](/courses/visual-exploration/scatter-plots/compare-categories/). Box plots and quartiles are in Everyday Statistics at [Quartiles](/courses/basic-math/quartiles/ds-quartiles-3/); correlation and fitted lines are in [Regression](/courses/explaining-variation/), at [Correlation](/courses/explaining-variation/correlation/correlation-2/). For spreadsheet-style tables and reasoning across sources, [Data Tables](/courses/visual-exploration/shape-data/tables-to-histograms/) and the case study at [Best Property Type](/courses/visual-exploration/case-study/case-study-airbnb-best-property/) are the closest fit, with [Probability in Data](/courses/probability-fundamentals/) behind them.

Data Sufficiency deserves a straight answer. Brilliant teaches the mathematics such a question is about, and reasoning about what a set of constraints does and does not pin down is taught directly at [Constraints](/courses/pre-algebra/reasoning-about-variables/consequences-14/). It does not rehearse the format — two numbered statements, five fixed answer choices, the discipline of stopping before you solve. That is drill work, and it belongs with official questions.

## What will you need to get elsewhere?

A short list, all of it named by GMAC:

- **Permutations and combinations.** Brilliant’s counting work is systematic listing of outcomes, not the formulas for arrangements and selections.
- **Standard deviation.** Everyday Statistics gives you mean, median, mode, quartiles, and outliers, but not standard deviation.
- **Distance–rate–time and combined-work problems.** The two classic GMAT templates — two travellers, or two workers finishing a job together. The underlying rate reasoning is here; those setups are not.
- **Divisibility shortcuts and least common multiple.** Prime factorization and remainders are taught; the quick divisibility tests and LCM work the exam rewards are not.
- **Sums of the first n terms.** Sequences are built well, but the partial-sum formulas are not covered.
- **Two-Part Analysis**, in Data Insights, which is a question format rather than a body of math.

Each is a few hours from a prep book, not a semester.

## Which courses, in what order?

Diagnose first. Take an official practice exam, sort the misses into arithmetic and algebra, and open only what they point at.

If the misses are arithmetic, work [Negative Numbers](/courses/negative-numbers/), [Fractions](/courses/math-fundamentals/), [Percentages](/courses/percentages/), and [Proportional Reasoning](/courses/proportional-relationships/), in that order. If they are algebra, work [Solving Equations](/courses/pre-algebra/), then [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/), then [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/), then [Linear Systems](/courses/linear-systems/). [Exponents & Radicals](/courses/exponents-and-radicals/) earns its time either way.

**Short on time?** Percentages and Quadratics. Percent reasoning runs through the whole section, and factoring is the algebra skill most Quant questions are built to reward.

## Is Brilliant a complete GMAT prep course?

No. Brilliant is not affiliated with or endorsed by GMAC, and it has no full-length adaptive exams, no timing drills, and no practice in the Data Insights question formats. Because the Focus Edition asks for less math than it used to, Brilliant reaches a large share of what Quant tests — but reaching the content and being ready to sit the exam are different things, and the distance between them is entirely format, adaptive scoring, and pace. GMAC’s Official Guide and the official practice exams on mba.com are the exam layer. Brilliant is the understanding layer, and it pays most in the months before timed practice starts, not the weeks.

## How this mapping was made

Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to frameworks skill by skill against the live course catalog, using GMAC’s published description of the Focus Edition’s Quantitative Reasoning and Data Insights content as the authority on what each topic requires. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does the GMAT still test geometry?

Not in Quantitative Reasoning. The Focus Edition removed it, which is why Brilliant’s geometry courses are not part of a GMAT plan. If you are choosing between exams, the GRE does still test geometry — see the [GRE Quant coverage page](/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/).

### I keep missing Data Sufficiency questions. Will Brilliant fix that?

Partly. If the underlying algebra is shaky, yes — go to [Linear Expressions & Equations](/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/) and [Quadratics](/courses/quadratics/). If you are missing them because you keep solving when you only needed to decide whether you could, that is format practice, and only official questions build it.

### These courses look like school math. Am I in the right place?

Yes, and that is the point. Quant tests arithmetic and algebra most test-takers last studied a decade earlier. Brilliant’s lessons are short and stand alone, so you can open the one that matches a topic you missed rather than restarting algebra.

## Related resources

- [GMAT Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/gmat-quant-math-coverage/)
- [GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping](/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/)
- [Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?](/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/)
- [What math does Brilliant cover?](/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/)
- [Explore Brilliant’s courses](/courses/)

## Sources

[1] GMAC, GMAT Focus Edition exam structure and Quantitative Reasoning and Data Insights content descriptions, [mba.com](https://mba.com), accessed September 2026.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, [“GMAT Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”](/resources/alignment-mappings/gmat-quant-math-coverage/), accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, [“Courses”](/courses/), accessed September 2026.


What the GMAT Focus Edition still tests, how much of it Brilliant teaches, and which courses fit Data Insights.

<p>Yes, for the math — and the first useful thing to say is how little math the Quantitative Reasoning section still asks for. The GMAT Focus Edition removed geometry from Quant outright, and moved Data Sufficiency out of Quant into Data Insights. What remains is arithmetic and algebra, and Brilliant teaches essentially all of it. What Brilliant does not teach is the exam: the question formats, the adaptive scoring, the clock. Use Brilliant for the math and GMAC’s official materials for the test.</p>
<p>If you are studying from a prep book written before the Focus Edition, or from someone who sat the old GMAT, your picture of this section is wrong in an expensive way. Circle theorems, triangle area, coordinate geometry, and the whole Data Sufficiency answer-choice ritual are not in Quant any more. Time spent on them is time not spent on what is.</p>
<h2>What does Quant still test?</h2>
<p>Two content areas. <strong>Arithmetic</strong>: the four operations on integers, fractions, and decimals; signed numbers and order of operations; powers and roots; value, order, factors, multiples, divisibility, and remainders; ratios, unit rates, and percents; mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation; and counting methods. <strong>Algebra</strong>: writing, expanding, and factoring expressions; exponent and radical rules on variables; solving linear and quadratic equations, systems, absolute-value equations, and inequalities; translating a described situation into algebra; and elementary probability, sequences, and partial sums.</p>
<p>That is the whole list, and it is one question type — problem solving with five answer choices, 21 questions in 45 minutes.</p>
<h2>What does Brilliant teach of it?</h2>
<p>Every topic on that list has Brilliant lessons behind it.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Arithmetic and number.</strong> Fraction operations in <a href="/courses/math-fundamentals/">Fractions</a>; signed numbers, order of operations, and absolute value as distance in <a href="/courses/negative-numbers/">Negative Numbers</a>, starting at <a href="/courses/negative-numbers/integers-number-line/numeric-expressions-205/">The Number Line</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Powers, roots, and estimation.</strong> <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> is the largest single source of GMAT-matching skills in the catalog, and it works both halves of the exam: numeric powers and roots at <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/exponent-order-of-operations/exponent-order-of-ops-1/">Order and Evaluation</a>, prime factorization at <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/prime-factorization/prime-factors/">Prime Factors</a>, order-of-magnitude estimating at <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/scientific-notation/powers-of-10/">Powers of 10</a>, and the exponent rules applied to variables at <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/power-product-rules/product-rule-exponents/">The Product Rule for Exponents</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Rates, ratios, and percents.</strong> <a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a> covers unit rates at <a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/unit-rates/how-much-for-one/">How Much for One</a> and mixtures at <a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/setting-up-ratios/new-color-1/">Setting Up Ratios</a>; <a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a> covers percent change and the repeated-change questions this exam likes, at <a href="/courses/percentages/percentages-compound-changes/compound-changes-receipts/">Compound Changes</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Expressions and equations.</strong> <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a> and <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a> carry the linear work, including how many solutions an equation admits at <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/many-or-no-solutions/linear-equations-num-solutions/">No Solutions</a>. <a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a> covers factoring at <a href="/courses/quadratics/factoring-expressions/undistributing-one-direction/">Undistributing</a> and the formula and discriminant at <a href="/courses/quadratics/quadratic-formula/quads-qf-1/">Completing Any Square</a>. <a href="/courses/polynomials/">Polynomials</a> goes past the quadratic case; <a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a> handles simultaneous equations at <a href="/courses/linear-systems/systems-of-equations/intro-systems/">Two Constraints</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Word problems, sequences, and probability.</strong> Turning a situation into an equation is taught directly, from <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/variables/understanding-variables-2/">Finding Unknowns</a> up. Sequences sit in <a href="/courses/systems-of-equations/">Visual Algebra</a> as growing patterns — <a href="/courses/systems-of-equations/linear-expressions/pattern-expression/">Describing Patterns</a> — and elementary probability in <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/">Probability and Chance</a>, at <a href="/courses/winning-with-probability/expressing-probability/venn-diagrams-probability/">Venn Diagrams</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Descriptive statistics.</strong> <a href="/courses/basic-math/">Everyday Statistics</a> covers mean, median, and mode and, more usefully here, how those summaries move when the data changes — <a href="/courses/basic-math/more-medians/ds-median-5/">Adding a Point</a> and <a href="/courses/basic-math/outliers/outliers-balance/">Outliers</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The topic-by-topic version, with every lesson listed under the GMAC topic it serves, is on the <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gmat-quant-math-coverage/">GMAT Quant coverage page</a>.</p>
<h2>What about Data Insights?</h2>
<p>Treat it as a separate ask with a different course list. Data Insights holds the quantitative content that used to live in Quant — Data Sufficiency — plus Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, Multi-Source Reasoning, and Two-Part Analysis.</p>
<p>Graphics Interpretation is where Brilliant helps most. <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/">Exploring Data Visually</a> teaches bar and pie charts at <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/intro/edv-newch-8/">Reading Bar Charts</a>, trends at <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/visualize-data/making-comparisons-edv/">Line Graphs</a>, and scatter plots at <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/scatter-plots/compare-categories/">Observing Relationships</a>. Box plots and quartiles are in Everyday Statistics at <a href="/courses/basic-math/quartiles/ds-quartiles-3/">Quartiles</a>; correlation and fitted lines are in <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/">Regression</a>, at <a href="/courses/explaining-variation/correlation/correlation-2/">Correlation</a>. For spreadsheet-style tables and reasoning across sources, <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/shape-data/tables-to-histograms/">Data Tables</a> and the case study at <a href="/courses/visual-exploration/case-study/case-study-airbnb-best-property/">Best Property Type</a> are the closest fit, with <a href="/courses/probability-fundamentals/">Probability in Data</a> behind them.</p>
<p>Data Sufficiency deserves a straight answer. Brilliant teaches the mathematics such a question is about, and reasoning about what a set of constraints does and does not pin down is taught directly at <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/reasoning-about-variables/consequences-14/">Constraints</a>. It does not rehearse the format — two numbered statements, five fixed answer choices, the discipline of stopping before you solve. That is drill work, and it belongs with official questions.</p>
<h2>What will you need to get elsewhere?</h2>
<p>A short list, all of it named by GMAC:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Permutations and combinations.</strong> Brilliant’s counting work is systematic listing of outcomes, not the formulas for arrangements and selections.</li>
<li><strong>Standard deviation.</strong> Everyday Statistics gives you mean, median, mode, quartiles, and outliers, but not standard deviation.</li>
<li><strong>Distance–rate–time and combined-work problems.</strong> The two classic GMAT templates — two travellers, or two workers finishing a job together. The underlying rate reasoning is here; those setups are not.</li>
<li><strong>Divisibility shortcuts and least common multiple.</strong> Prime factorization and remainders are taught; the quick divisibility tests and LCM work the exam rewards are not.</li>
<li><strong>Sums of the first n terms.</strong> Sequences are built well, but the partial-sum formulas are not covered.</li>
<li><strong>Two-Part Analysis</strong>, in Data Insights, which is a question format rather than a body of math.</li>
</ul>
<p>Each is a few hours from a prep book, not a semester.</p>
<h2>Which courses, in what order?</h2>
<p>Diagnose first. Take an official practice exam, sort the misses into arithmetic and algebra, and open only what they point at.</p>
<p>If the misses are arithmetic, work <a href="/courses/negative-numbers/">Negative Numbers</a>, <a href="/courses/math-fundamentals/">Fractions</a>, <a href="/courses/percentages/">Percentages</a>, and <a href="/courses/proportional-relationships/">Proportional Reasoning</a>, in that order. If they are algebra, work <a href="/courses/pre-algebra/">Solving Equations</a>, then <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a>, then <a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a>, then <a href="/courses/linear-systems/">Linear Systems</a>. <a href="/courses/exponents-and-radicals/">Exponents &#x26; Radicals</a> earns its time either way.</p>
<p><strong>Short on time?</strong> Percentages and Quadratics. Percent reasoning runs through the whole section, and factoring is the algebra skill most Quant questions are built to reward.</p>
<h2>Is Brilliant a complete GMAT prep course?</h2>
<p>No. Brilliant is not affiliated with or endorsed by GMAC, and it has no full-length adaptive exams, no timing drills, and no practice in the Data Insights question formats. Because the Focus Edition asks for less math than it used to, Brilliant reaches a large share of what Quant tests — but reaching the content and being ready to sit the exam are different things, and the distance between them is entirely format, adaptive scoring, and pace. GMAC’s Official Guide and the official practice exams on mba.com are the exam layer. Brilliant is the understanding layer, and it pays most in the months before timed practice starts, not the weeks.</p>
<h2>How this mapping was made</h2>
<p>Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to frameworks skill by skill against the live course catalog, using GMAC’s published description of the Focus Edition’s Quantitative Reasoning and Data Insights content as the authority on what each topic requires. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026.</p>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<h3>Does the GMAT still test geometry?</h3>
<p>Not in Quantitative Reasoning. The Focus Edition removed it, which is why Brilliant’s geometry courses are not part of a GMAT plan. If you are choosing between exams, the GRE does still test geometry — see the <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/">GRE Quant coverage page</a>.</p>
<h3>I keep missing Data Sufficiency questions. Will Brilliant fix that?</h3>
<p>Partly. If the underlying algebra is shaky, yes — go to <a href="/courses/linear-expressions-and-equations/">Linear Expressions &#x26; Equations</a> and <a href="/courses/quadratics/">Quadratics</a>. If you are missing them because you keep solving when you only needed to decide whether you could, that is format practice, and only official questions build it.</p>
<h3>These courses look like school math. Am I in the right place?</h3>
<p>Yes, and that is the point. Quant tests arithmetic and algebra most test-takers last studied a decade earlier. Brilliant’s lessons are short and stand alone, so you can open the one that matches a topic you missed rather than restarting algebra.</p>
<h2>Related resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gmat-quant-math-coverage/">GMAT Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gre-quant-math-coverage/">GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping</a></li>
<li><a href="/resources/math/does-brilliant-cover-algebra-1/">Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1?</a></li>
<li><a href="/help/courses-and-curriculum/what-math-does-brilliant-cover/">What math does Brilliant cover?</a></li>
<li><a href="/courses/">Explore Brilliant’s courses</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>[1] GMAC, GMAT Focus Edition exam structure and Quantitative Reasoning and Data Insights content descriptions, <a href="https://mba.com">mba.com</a>, accessed September 2026.
[2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026.
[3] Brilliant, <a href="/resources/alignment-mappings/gmat-quant-math-coverage/">“GMAT Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”</a>, accessed September 2026.
[4] Brilliant, <a href="/courses/">“Courses”</a>, accessed September 2026.</p>


Yes, for the math — and the first useful thing to say is how little math the Quantitative Reasoning section still asks for. The GMAT Focus Edition removed geometry from Quant outright, and moved Data Sufficiency out of Quant into Data Insights. What remains is arithmetic and algebra, and Brilliant teaches essentially all of it. What Brilliant does not teach is the exam: the question formats, the adaptive scoring, the clock. Use Brilliant for the math and GMAC’s official materials for the test. If you are studying from a prep book written before the Focus Edition, or from someone who sat the old GMAT, your picture of this section is wrong in an expensive way. Circle theorems, triangle area, coordinate geometry, and the whole Data Sufficiency answer-choice ritual are not in Quant any more. Time spent on them is time not spent on what is. What does Quant still test? Two content areas. Arithmetic: the four operations on integers, fractions, and decimals; signed numbers and order of operations; powers and roots; value, order, factors, multiples, divisibility, and remainders; ratios, unit rates, and percents; mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation; and counting methods. Algebra: writing, expanding, and factoring expressions; exponent and radical rules on variables; solving linear and quadratic equations, systems, absolute-value equations, and inequalities; translating a described situation into algebra; and elementary probability, sequences, and partial sums. That is the whole list, and it is one question type — problem solving with five answer choices, 21 questions in 45 minutes. What does Brilliant teach of it? Every topic on that list has Brilliant lessons behind it. Arithmetic and number. Fraction operations in Fractions; signed numbers, order of operations, and absolute value as distance in Negative Numbers, starting at The Number Line. Powers, roots, and estimation. Exponents & Radicals is the largest single source of GMAT-matching skills in the catalog, and it works both halves of the exam: numeric powers and roots at Order and Evaluation, prime factorization at Prime Factors, order-of-magnitude estimating at Powers of 10, and the exponent rules applied to variables at The Product Rule for Exponents. Rates, ratios, and percents. Proportional Reasoning covers unit rates at How Much for One and mixtures at Setting Up Ratios; Percentages covers percent change and the repeated-change questions this exam likes, at Compound Changes. Expressions and equations. Solving Equations and Linear Expressions & Equations carry the linear work, including how many solutions an equation admits at No Solutions. Quadratics covers factoring at Undistributing and the formula and discriminant at Completing Any Square. Polynomials goes past the quadratic case; Linear Systems handles simultaneous equations at Two Constraints. Word problems, sequences, and probability. Turning a situation into an equation is taught directly, from Finding Unknowns up. Sequences sit in Visual Algebra as growing patterns — Describing Patterns — and elementary probability in Probability and Chance, at Venn Diagrams. Descriptive statistics. Everyday Statistics covers mean, median, and mode and, more usefully here, how those summaries move when the data changes — Adding a Point and Outliers. The topic-by-topic version, with every lesson listed under the GMAC topic it serves, is on the GMAT Quant coverage page. What about Data Insights? Treat it as a separate ask with a different course list. Data Insights holds the quantitative content that used to live in Quant — Data Sufficiency — plus Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, Multi-Source Reasoning, and Two-Part Analysis. Graphics Interpretation is where Brilliant helps most. Exploring Data Visually teaches bar and pie charts at Reading Bar Charts, trends at Line Graphs, and scatter plots at Observing Relationships. Box plots and quartiles are in Everyday Statistics at Quartiles; correlation and fitted lines are in Regression, at Correlation. For spreadsheet-style tables and reasoning across sources, Data Tables and the case study at Best Property Type are the closest fit, with Probability in Data behind them. Data Sufficiency deserves a straight answer. Brilliant teaches the mathematics such a question is about, and reasoning about what a set of constraints does and does not pin down is taught directly at Constraints. It does not rehearse the format — two numbered statements, five fixed answer choices, the discipline of stopping before you solve. That is drill work, and it belongs with official questions. What will you need to get elsewhere? A short list, all of it named by GMAC: Permutations and combinations. Brilliant’s counting work is systematic listing of outcomes, not the formulas for arrangements and selections. Standard deviation. Everyday Statistics gives you mean, median, mode, quartiles, and outliers, but not standard deviation. Distance–rate–time and combined-work problems. The two classic GMAT templates — two travellers, or two workers finishing a job together. The underlying rate reasoning is here; those setups are not. Divisibility shortcuts and least common multiple. Prime factorization and remainders are taught; the quick divisibility tests and LCM work the exam rewards are not. Sums of the first n terms. Sequences are built well, but the partial-sum formulas are not covered. Two-Part Analysis, in Data Insights, which is a question format rather than a body of math. Each is a few hours from a prep book, not a semester. Which courses, in what order? Diagnose first. Take an official practice exam, sort the misses into arithmetic and algebra, and open only what they point at. If the misses are arithmetic, work Negative Numbers, Fractions, Percentages, and Proportional Reasoning, in that order. If they are algebra, work Solving Equations, then Linear Expressions & Equations, then Quadratics, then Linear Systems. Exponents & Radicals earns its time either way. Short on time? Percentages and Quadratics. Percent reasoning runs through the whole section, and factoring is the algebra skill most Quant questions are built to reward. Is Brilliant a complete GMAT prep course? No. Brilliant is not affiliated with or endorsed by GMAC, and it has no full-length adaptive exams, no timing drills, and no practice in the Data Insights question formats. Because the Focus Edition asks for less math than it used to, Brilliant reaches a large share of what Quant tests — but reaching the content and being ready to sit the exam are different things, and the distance between them is entirely format, adaptive scoring, and pace. GMAC’s Official Guide and the official practice exams on mba.com are the exam layer. Brilliant is the understanding layer, and it pays most in the months before timed practice starts, not the weeks. How this mapping was made Brilliant’s curriculum team maps skills to frameworks skill by skill against the live course catalog, using GMAC’s published description of the Focus Edition’s Quantitative Reasoning and Data Insights content as the authority on what each topic requires. The data behind this page was pulled on September 3, 2026. Frequently asked questions Does the GMAT still test geometry? Not in Quantitative Reasoning. The Focus Edition removed it, which is why Brilliant’s geometry courses are not part of a GMAT plan. If you are choosing between exams, the GRE does still test geometry — see the GRE Quant coverage page. I keep missing Data Sufficiency questions. Will Brilliant fix that? Partly. If the underlying algebra is shaky, yes — go to Linear Expressions & Equations and Quadratics. If you are missing them because you keep solving when you only needed to decide whether you could, that is format practice, and only official questions build it. These courses look like school math. Am I in the right place? Yes, and that is the point. Quant tests arithmetic and algebra most test-takers last studied a decade earlier. Brilliant’s lessons are short and stand alone, so you can open the one that matches a topic you missed rather than restarting algebra. Related resources GMAT Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping GRE Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping Does Brilliant cover Algebra 1? What math does Brilliant cover? Explore Brilliant’s courses Sources [1] GMAC, GMAT Focus Edition exam structure and Quantitative Reasoning and Data Insights content descriptions, mba.com, accessed September 2026. [2] Brilliant, standards alignment database, pulled September 3, 2026. [3] Brilliant, “GMAT Quant coverage: topic-by-topic Brilliant lesson mapping”, accessed September 2026. [4] Brilliant, “Courses”, accessed September 2026.

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