Free Practice Questions for WACE Maths Applications
Exam-style questions and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
Loading practice questions...
Explore More Australia and New Zealand Academic Entrance Exams
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
Key Facts: WACE Maths Applications Exam
2 sections
Calculator-free (35%) and calculator-assumed (65%) make up the written examination
SCSA Mathematics Applications ATAR Year 12 syllabus
150 minutes
Total working time: 50 minutes calculator-free plus 100 minutes calculator-assumed
SCSA Mathematics Applications ATAR Year 12 syllabus
6 topics
Three Unit 3 topics and three Unit 4 topics are examined
SCSA Mathematics Applications ATAR Year 12 syllabus
5-10 questions
Section One Calculator-free contains 5 to 10 questions
SCSA Mathematics Applications ATAR Year 12 syllabus
8-13 questions
Section Two Calculator-assumed contains 8 to 13 questions
SCSA Mathematics Applications ATAR Year 12 syllabus
50% weighting
The exam contributes 50% of the final course mark, with school assessment the other 50%
SCSA WACE Manual and course outline
From 2025
Current syllabus is the Mathematics Applications ATAR Year 12 version for teaching from January 2025
SCSA Mathematics Applications syllabus (2025)
100
Free original multiple-choice practice questions here
OpenExamPrep
WACE ATAR Mathematics Applications is the Year 12 applied-mathematics ATAR course in Western Australia, set by SCSA on Units 3 and 4. The exam has two sections: Section One Calculator-free (35%, 50 minutes, 5-10 questions) and Section Two Calculator-assumed (65%, 100 minutes, 8-13 questions), using short-answer and extended-answer questions rather than multiple choice. The six examinable topics are bivariate data analysis, growth and decay in sequences, graphs and networks, time series analysis, loans/investments/annuities, and networks and decision mathematics. There is no fixed pass mark; the standardised exam mark is combined 50/50 with school assessment and scaled into an ATAR. This 100-question bank provides original multiple-choice practice drilling the same Unit 3 and Unit 4 content and skills.
Sample WACE Maths Applications Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the WACE Maths Applications exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1In a scatterplot of two numerical variables, the variable plotted on the horizontal axis that is used to predict the other is called the:
2A scatterplot shows points that fall close to a straight line that slopes downwards from left to right. The correlation is best described as:
3Pearson's correlation coefficient r for a data set is -0.92. This indicates a:
4The least-squares regression line for predicting weekly sales (y, in $1000s) from advertising spend (x, in $1000s) is y = 3.2 + 1.5x. What does the gradient 1.5 mean in context?
5Using the regression line y = 3.2 + 1.5x (sales in $1000s, advertising in $1000s), the predicted sales when advertising spend is $6000 is:
6The coefficient of determination for a linear model is r-squared = 0.81. The best interpretation is that:
7If the coefficient of determination is r-squared = 0.64 and the scatterplot slopes upwards, the correlation coefficient r equals:
8A regression line is fitted to data on plant height (cm) versus age (days) for ages 5 to 30 days. Using the line to predict the height at age 60 days is an example of:
9A residual is defined as:
10For the line y = 12 - 0.8x, the actual data value at x = 5 is y = 9. The residual at this point is:
About the WACE Maths Applications Exam
WACE ATAR Mathematics Applications is the applied Year 12 ATAR mathematics course in Western Australia, examined by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) on Units 3 and 4. The course focuses on using mathematics to solve practical problems involving statistics, finance, sequences and networks. Unit 3 covers bivariate data analysis, growth and decay in sequences, and graphs and networks; Unit 4 covers time series analysis, loans/investments/annuities, and networks and decision mathematics. The written examination has a calculator-free Section One (35%, 50 minutes) and a calculator-assumed Section Two (65%, 100 minutes) using short-answer and extended-answer questions. The examination mark is combined equally with school assessment to produce the final course mark used in ATAR calculation.
Exam sponsor: School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA), Western Australia. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Two sections. Section One Calculator-free is worth 35% of the exam (5-10 questions); Section Two Calculator-assumed is worth 65% (8-13 questions). Both use short-answer and extended-answer questions covering Unit 3 and Unit 4 content.
Time Limit
150 minutes working time (Section One 50 minutes, Section Two 100 minutes) plus 10 minutes reading time before Section Two.
Passing Score
No fixed pass mark. The standardised examination mark is combined 50/50 with the school-assessment mark to form the final course mark, which TISC scales into an ATAR; there is no simple pass or fail cut-off.
Exam / Certification Fees
There is no separate sitting fee for the ATAR course examination; Year 12 exam costs are covered by WACE enrolment and school fees administered through SCSA.
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Bivariate data analysis (3.1)
Scatterplots and the response/explanatory variable distinction; Pearson's correlation coefficient and describing strength, direction and form; the least-squares regression line, slope and intercept interpretation; interpolation versus extrapolation; residuals and residual plots; the coefficient of determination; log and reciprocal transformations to linearise data; and association versus causation including confounding.
Growth and decay in sequences (3.2)
Arithmetic sequences (common difference, nth term, linear growth and decay) and geometric sequences (common ratio, nth term, exponential growth and decay); first-order recurrence relations; and using sequences to model practical situations such as simple interest, compound interest, depreciation and population change.
Graphs and networks (3.3)
Vertices, edges, degree and the handshaking lemma; adjacency matrices; simple, connected, complete and bipartite graphs; subgraphs and complements; planar graphs and Euler's formula v - e + f = 2; walks, trails and paths; Eulerian and semi-Eulerian trails; Hamiltonian and semi-Hamiltonian graphs; trees and weighted graphs.
Time series analysis (4.1)
Constructing and describing time series plots; identifying trend, seasonality, cycles and irregular fluctuations; smoothing with simple and centred moving averages; calculating seasonal indices by the average percentage method; deseasonalising data; fitting a least-squares trend line; and forecasting with seasonal adjustment.
Loans, investments and annuities (4.2)
Modelling compound-interest loans and investments with recurrence relations; the effect of compounding frequency; the effective annual interest rate; reducing-balance loans and repayments; future value and present value; annuities and perpetuities; and reading and completing amortisation tables.
Networks and decision mathematics (4.3)
Shortest-path problems in weighted graphs; minimum spanning trees using Prim's and Kruskal's algorithms; critical-path analysis with activity networks, forward and backward scanning, earliest and latest start times and float; project crashing; and flow networks with maximum-flow/minimum-cut and assignment problems.
Preparing for the WACE Maths Applications Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No fixed pass mark. The standardised examination mark is combined 50/50 with the school-assessment mark to form the final course mark, which TISC scales into an ATAR; there is no simple pass or fail cut-off.
- Assessment: Two sections. Section One Calculator-free is worth 35% of the exam (5-10 questions); Section Two Calculator-assumed is worth 65% (8-13 questions). Both use short-answer and extended-answer questions covering Unit 3 and Unit 4 content.
- Time limit: 150 minutes working time (Section One 50 minutes, Section Two 100 minutes) plus 10 minutes reading time before Section Two.
- Exam / certification fees: There is no separate sitting fee for the ATAR course examination; Year 12 exam costs are covered by WACE enrolment and school fees administered through SCSA. Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
WACE Maths Applications: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the WACE Mathematics Applications exam structured?
It has two sections. Section One Calculator-free is worth 35% with 5-10 questions in 50 minutes, and Section Two Calculator-assumed is worth 65% with 8-13 questions in 100 minutes. Both use short-answer and extended-answer questions.
What topics are examined in Mathematics Applications?
The exam covers Units 3 and 4: bivariate data analysis, growth and decay in sequences, and graphs and networks (Unit 3), plus time series analysis, loans/investments/annuities, and networks and decision mathematics (Unit 4).
Is there a pass mark for the ATAR course examination?
No. The standardised examination mark is combined 50/50 with the school-assessment mark to form the final course mark, which TISC scales into an ATAR. There is no simple pass or fail cut-off.
Can I use a calculator in the Mathematics Applications exam?
Only in Section Two. Section One is calculator-free, while Section Two is calculator-assumed and expects an approved CAS or graphics calculator. A formula sheet is provided for the examination.
Are these official SCSA practice questions?
No. These are original OpenExamPrep multiple-choice questions modelled on the Unit 3 and Unit 4 syllabus content. SCSA publishes official past ATAR course examinations and marking keys separately on its website.
How long is the Mathematics Applications examination?
Total working time is 150 minutes: 50 minutes for the calculator-free section and 100 minutes for the calculator-assumed section, with 10 minutes of reading time before Section Two.