The advanced course is especially ideal for pupils who do not find GCSE maths particularly challenging and who often have extra time in their second year of GCSEs, having taken their Maths GCSE a year early.
The qualification is commonly offered in private schools and is useful in allowing pupils to determine whether or not to pursue maths in subsequent stages of their schooling.
An FSMQ Unit at Advanced level is roughly equivalent to a single AS module with candidates receiving 10 UCAS points for an A grade.
Coursework is often a key part of the FSMQ, but is sometimes omitted depending on the examining board.
[1] Edexcel withdrew the qualification, the last exam being held in June 2004.