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100+ Free NSC Maths Literacy Practice Questions

Pass your National Senior Certificate (Matric) Mathematical Literacy exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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A bag of maize meal weighs 2,5 kg. A spaza shop buys 40 such bags. What is the total mass in kilograms?

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Key Facts: NSC Maths Literacy Exam

NSC Mathematical Literacy is a CAPS matric subject assessed via two 3-hour papers of 150 marks each (300 total, 75% of the final mark) plus 25% School-Based Assessment, covering finance, measurement, maps/plans, data handling and probability in real-life contexts.

Sample NSC Maths Literacy Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NSC Maths Literacy exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A grocery till slip shows a subtotal of R350,00 before VAT. South Africa's standard VAT rate is 15%. How much VAT is added to the slip?
A.R35,00
B.R15,00
C.R45,50
D.R52,50
Explanation: VAT at 15% is calculated as 15/100 x R350,00 = R52,50. VAT is added to the VAT-exclusive subtotal to give the final amount payable of R402,50.
2Thandi earns R12 000 per month. Her medical aid deduction is R1 800. What percentage of her monthly salary is deducted for medical aid (rounded to one decimal place)?
A.12,0%
B.18,0%
C.15,0%
D.6,7%
Explanation: Percentage = (part / whole) x 100 = (1 800 / 12 000) x 100 = 15,0%. This is a common income-and-expenditure calculation in NSC Mathematical Literacy finance.
3A water tariff charges R8,50 per kilolitre. A household uses 24 kilolitres in a month. What is the cost of the water used, before any fixed charges?
A.R204,00
B.R192,00
C.R282,50
D.R165,00
Explanation: Cost = rate x quantity = R8,50 x 24 = R204,00. Tariff-system questions require multiplying the per-unit rate by the number of units consumed.
4An item is marked R250,00 and offered at a 20% discount. What is the sale price?
A.R230,00
B.R200,00
C.R210,00
D.R50,00
Explanation: A 20% discount means the customer pays 80% of the marked price: 0,80 x R250,00 = R200,00. Alternatively, discount = R50,00, so R250 - R50 = R200.
5A recipe needs 750 ml of milk. How many litres of milk is this?
A.7,5 litres
B.0,075 litres
C.75 litres
D.0,75 litres
Explanation: There are 1 000 ml in 1 litre, so 750 ml ÷ 1 000 = 0,75 litres. Converting between millilitres and litres is a core measurement skill.
6A map has a bar scale where 2 cm represents 5 km. A road measures 6 cm on the map. What is the actual distance of the road?
A.10 km
B.12 km
C.15 km
D.30 km
Explanation: If 2 cm = 5 km, then 1 cm = 2,5 km. So 6 cm = 6 x 2,5 = 15 km. Bar-scale problems convert measured map distance to real distance using the scale ratio.
7The following marks were scored by 5 learners: 12, 15, 18, 20, 25. What is the mean (average) of these marks?
A.18
B.20
C.15
D.90
Explanation: Mean = sum of values ÷ number of values = (12 + 15 + 18 + 20 + 25) ÷ 5 = 90 ÷ 5 = 18. The mean is a measure of central tendency.
8A die (numbered 1 to 6) is rolled once. What is the probability of rolling an even number?
A.1/6
B.1/3
C.1/2
D.2/3
Explanation: The even numbers on a die are 2, 4 and 6 — that is 3 favourable outcomes out of 6 possible outcomes. Probability = 3/6 = 1/2.
9A rectangular room is 5 m long and 4 m wide. What is the area of the floor?
A.9 m²
B.18 m²
C.20 m²
D.40 m²
Explanation: Area of a rectangle = length x width = 5 m x 4 m = 20 m². Floor area is needed to work out how much carpet or tiling is required.
10R5 000 is invested at 8% simple interest per year. How much interest is earned after 3 years?
A.R400
B.R1 200,64
C.R1 296
D.R1 200
Explanation: Simple interest = P x r x t = R5 000 x 0,08 x 3 = R1 200. Simple interest is calculated only on the original principal each year.

About the NSC Maths Literacy Exam

Mathematical Literacy is a Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (matric) subject set under the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) by the Department of Basic Education and quality-assured by Umalusi. It is the applied, everyday-mathematics alternative to Mathematics, and a candidate following the academic pathway may take only one of the two. The final external examination has two papers of 150 marks each (300 total) written over 3 hours each, contributing 75% of the final mark, with School-Based Assessment making up the other 25%. Paper 1 emphasises finance and data handling at cognitive Levels 1-2 (knowing and routine procedures), while Paper 2 emphasises measurement and maps/plans at Levels 3-4 (multi-step procedures and reasoning). All questions are set in authentic contexts such as bills, packaging, maps, recipes and statistics, and a calculator is permitted.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

3 hours per paper (two papers)

Passing Score

Graded on 7 NSC achievement levels; a subject pass is typically 30-40% depending on the candidate's subject combination.

Exam Fee

No separate subject fee for full-time public-school candidates; part-time and supplementary candidates pay provincial registration fees (around R100-R250+ per subject). (Department of Basic Education (DBE), quality-assured by Umalusi)

NSC Maths Literacy Exam Content Outline

32%

Finance

Financial documents, tariff systems, budgets, interest, banking, taxation, inflation and currency exchange.

18%

Measurement

Conversions, perimeter, area, volume, surface area, time, speed and rates.

16%

Data handling

Representing and interpreting data, mean/median/mode and measures of spread.

12%

Maps, plans and representations

Scale, maps, floor plans, models and directions.

10%

Numbers and calculations

Percentages, ratio, proportion and calculations in everyday contexts.

8%

Probability

Theoretical and relative-frequency probability and interpreting likelihood.

4%

Patterns and relationships

Number patterns, linear relationships and interpreting graphs.

How to Pass the NSC Maths Literacy Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Graded on 7 NSC achievement levels; a subject pass is typically 30-40% depending on the candidate's subject combination.
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 3 hours per paper (two papers)
  • Exam fee: No separate subject fee for full-time public-school candidates; part-time and supplementary candidates pay provincial registration fees (around R100-R250+ per subject).

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NSC Maths Literacy Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the finance topic first: it carries the most marks across both papers, so practise VAT, interest, budgets, tariff systems and SARS tax tables until they are automatic.
2Always read the context carefully and underline the actual question; many marks are lost by answering what was not asked or ignoring rounding instructions.
3Show every calculation step. The marking guidelines award method marks, so a wrong final answer can still earn marks if the working is shown.
4Practise unit conversions (ml to litres, mg to g, cm to km, hours to minutes) because measurement and maps questions depend on them.
5Work through full past papers under timed conditions (3 hours per paper) to build stamina for the long, context-heavy questions.
6Learn to read graphs, tables, maps, floor plans and till slips quickly, since interpreting real documents is the core skill being tested.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Mathematical Literacy and Mathematics in the NSC?

Mathematical Literacy applies maths to real-life, workplace and financial contexts, while Mathematics covers abstract topics like algebra, calculus and trigonometry. A candidate on the academic pathway may take only one of the two, not both.

How is NSC Mathematical Literacy assessed?

The final external examination has two papers of 150 marks each, written over 3 hours each (300 marks total), which count for 75% of the final mark. School-Based Assessment, including an assignment, an investigation, tests and an internal exam, makes up the remaining 25%.

What does each Mathematical Literacy paper focus on?

Paper 1 concentrates on finance and data handling at lower cognitive levels (knowing and routine procedures), while Paper 2 concentrates on measurement and maps/plans at higher levels (multi-step procedures, reasoning and reflecting). Both integrate numbers, patterns and basic skills.

Can I use a calculator in the Mathematical Literacy exam?

Yes. An approved non-programmable calculator is permitted, and candidates are expected to show all calculations and round answers appropriately as instructed in each question.

What is the pass mark for Mathematical Literacy?

Results are reported on the 7 NSC achievement levels (1 to 7). For the National Senior Certificate, a subject is generally passed at 30-40% depending on the candidate's overall combination of seven subjects.

Who sets and quality-assures the NSC Mathematical Literacy exam?

The Department of Basic Education sets the CAPS curriculum and the DBE exam, while Umalusi is the quality-assurance body that standardises and approves the results. Many independent schools write the IEB version of the qualification.