Oxford University Mathematician takes Australian High School Maths Exam

University of Oxford Mathematician Dr Tom Crawford sits the HSC Mathematics Standard paper taken by high school students in Australia.

The paper in the video is the 2023 version of the exam from the New South Wales region. You can download the exam paper and mark scheme for yourself at the links below.

The exam paper and all questions contained within are the property of the New South Wales Government. Material is used under a 'fair use' policy for educational purposes.

You can also follow Tom on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @tomrocksmaths.

[noahhosking]

Standard 1 math is the basic course in NSW, the most advanced high school math course is math extension 2

[horseios]

Can you please do HSC Maths extension 2. its far more difficult than this and I think we would all love to see you attempt it

[reggrunow]

This is the most basic maths standard that kids can take in NSW. That is, the kids who don’t do well at, or have no need for difficult maths.

[ryanclayton]

This isn't our top Maths. This is the easy math

[IdontknowV]

Please take the VCE Exams like the Mathematical Methods 3/4 exam and the Specialist Mathematics 3/4 exam; they’re the tough ones.

[mcmontage]

bro flipped us off in the thumbnail thinking we wouldn't notice

[ragaloft]

Tom,
As a father of two children, one of which is about to sit this standard maths exam (the other will do the advanced version), I couldn’t agree more that the real life practicality of the questions shines through. Despite the apparent simplicity of this lower level exam, I feel there are (sadly) many adults that lack these life skills. Great video. Thanks 🙏

[DADADRTR]

In 1982 I didn't pass this one, but now I'm a senior electrical engineer, managing a diverse team for a major organisation in Canberra.
For anyone doubting themselves (imposter syndrome?) it's never too late to learn & realise your potential; particularly if you're AuDHD like me.

[rhettboy]

Glad to see you did the one with simpler mathematics but better real world applicability. For the other end of the spectrum it would be fun to see you work through the extension 2 paper

[amazinggrace]

Told my husband I was watching an Oxford professor take an Australian math test and he was having a blast. He understood why it was fun ….for me lol.

[josephcarney]

standard 1 is the lowest level of maths offered in NSW. standard 2, advanced, extension 1, and extension 2 are all courses in NSW more difficult than standard 1, as an extension 2 student, I would love to see you attempt a past exam, the last question is always notoriously difficult.

[skyro]

Please try either the Advanced paper or Extension 2 for this Australian HSC math paper!

[KoiMorris]

Great job on that exam! I loved the practicality of the questions in the exam s well. All math exam papers at the end of high school level education should be like that, especially if one is not going to university afterwards. That exam shows students things that could actually come up in their life and that they may need to work out for themselves. That exam was the easiest one I've seen you do.

[fier]

To find 10% GST (goods and services tax) simply divide the price by 11.

[Dcmazters]

Hey Tom, if you’re going to do an Australian exam either do specialist math or extension 2

[michaelturk]

Hi Tom. Nicely done. This paper is the lowest level of (effectively) 6 levels. Your deduction was correct, this paper is for students who are not undertaking tertiary studies, and insufficient for vocational/post-secondary education in trades or occupations requiring more than minimal mathematics. By the way, did you notice a hint of interstate rivalry in Q15? Hint: Which state's capital city is missing!

As a matter of background all NSW high school maths students are expected to be proficient in the use of an approved calculator, (usually a Casio fx..AU model). Also students are usually encouraged to look at the end of the paper to use a supplied formula sheet (quite short for this exam, but four pages for more advanced).

When I first started coaching NSW HSC students after school in mathematics, I was very surprised by the variety (and complexity of more advanced papers) of the discrete mathematics as in my high school, undergraduate and postgraduate study I only came across PERT/CPM networks for use in project management.

[srinath]

Never have I ever seen a video that required the need of using my brain for an hour and 20 mins. This was my first.

[hamedaw]

Please try VCE 2023 Math Specialists Exam, this is the hardest Math exam in all of Australia. The one you completed was standard - basic math!

[braynaguilar]

Interesting choice, I would have thought you'd have a go at the extension 1 or 2 papers; nonetheless, still great to see Australia being represented in this channel!

[oenonut]

This is awesome…I don’t feel so dull for the version I did 20 yrs ago.
But you’d be marked down on your workings in a few spots….point 6 of the general rules. Could get the answer right but the workings weren’t clear…and that was at level 2 extension!
It was brutal! Appreciate it now.