How To Score 80+ In Your Maths Exams or WASSCE Maths Exams
Many students fear Maths exams or their pending WASSCE Maths exams, but the final paper is actually very predictable. If you understand the core topics, plan your practice, and use the right exam strategy, an A is realistic.
This guide will walk you through how to move from average scores (40-60) to 80+ in your Maths exams or WASSCE Maths exams using simple, practical steps.
Know The 6 Key WASSCE Maths Exams Topics
WASSCE Maths exams questions are built around a few recurring areas. If you are strong in these six strands or topics, your score will jump higher:
1) Algebra
– Linear equations, simultaneous equations, quadratic equations
– Inequalities, simple functions, variations, sequences and series
2) Trigonometry
– Sine, cosine, tangent ratios
– Angles of elevation and depression
– Trig in real life word problems
3) Geometry
– Angles, triangles, polygons, circles
– Proofs and simple constructions
– Properties of shapes and parallel lines
4) Mensuration
– Perimeter, area, volume
– 2D shapes like rectangles, triangles, circles
– 3D shapes like cubes, cylinders, cones and spheres
5) Statistics
– Mean, median, mode, range
– Frequency tables, bar charts, pie charts, histograms
– Probability basics
6) Word Problems
– Percentages, profit and loss
– Simple and compound interest
– Time, distance, speed, work rate, ratios and proportions
Quick Assignment: Create a checklist and rate yourself in each of these strands or topics. If you find out that you are weak in certain topics, you must give them more attention.
Practice WASSCE Past Questions Every Day
WAEC loves patterns. WASSCE questions may not repeat word for word, but the style and structure often follow the same format.
– Get at least 5 to 10 years of past questions.
– Solve paper by paper, not just random questions.
– After each practice, mark your work, correct your mistakes, and note topics you do not understand.
It is best to treatyour WASSCE past questions like your main textbook. The more you solve, the more familiar the final exam becomes.
Train With A Timer To Build Speed And Accuracy
WASSCE Maths is not only about your knowledge depth. It is also about how fast and accurate you are under pressure.
Try this:
– Pick 10 questions and give yourself 15 to 20 minutes.
– Aim to solve them fully within the time you have given yourself.
– At first, you may not finish. That is fine. Keep training.
Over time, your brain learns to think faster and recognize question patterns quickly. This is how you avoid running out of time in the exam hall during your maths exams.
Learn Shortcuts And Smart Methods
Shortcuts do not replace understanding, however they save you time. Examples include:
– Using factorization tricks for quadratic equations.
– Knowing special angle values in trigonometry (30°, 45°, 60°).
– Using simple formulas for area and volume from memory.
– Spotting when estimation can help you choose an option quickly in objectives.
Anytime you learn a new method, practice it on several questions. The goal is to make it feel natural.
Focus On Understanding, Not Cramming
Those who excel in WASSCE Maths exams are the ones that understood strands or topics very well, not memorizing steps blindly.
– When you see a maths solution, ask yourself: “Why did they do this step?”
– Try to explain the method used in your own words.
– Teach the solution to a friend or to yourself out loud. If you can explain it clearly, you understand it.
If a topic confuses you, go back to the basics. Watch a simple explanation, read your notes again, ask your friends or teachers, and then try easy questions before moving to harder ones.
Practice Word Problems Daily
Maths word problems carry big marks and appear mostly in the section B or theory part of the paper.
Common areas include:
– Money and percentage questions
– Time, distance and speed
– Ratio and proportion
– Work rate problems
– Mensuration
– Statistics
– Sharing, discounts, interest, and tax
– Set Problems
From today, set a target to solve at least 5 word problems every day. As you practice, train your eyes to:
1. Identify what is given.
2. Identify what you are asked to find.
3. Translate the story into an equation.
Once you build this habit, those long “story questions” become easier and less scary.
Use A Smart Exam Strategy
Knowing Maths is one thing. Using a good exam strategy is another. Follow this simple plan in the exam:
1. Start With Easy Questions
Go through your exam paper quickly and answer all the questions you find easy. This boosts your confidence and secures early marks.
2. Skip Hard Questions First
If a question looks too long or confusing, circle it and move on. Do not waste 15 minutes on one question while others that you know are waiting.
3. Show All Your Working
Especially in theory, do not jump steps. Even if your final answer is wrong, correct working can still earn you method marks.
4. Manage Your Time
– Set rough time limits for each section.
– Leave the last 5 to 10 minutes to check your answers and calculations.
5. Stay Calm And Read Twice
Many students lose marks not because they cannot solve the question, but because they misunderstood it. Always read questions twice before you start.
8. Build A Consistent Study Routine
You cannot jump from 40% to 80% in one week. You need a plan.
A simple weekly routine might look like this:
– Monday to Friday: 45–60 minutes of one topic + 5–10 past questions.
– Saturday: Solve one full past paper under timed conditions.
– Sunday: Review mistakes, re-solve wrong questions, and revise formulas.
Take note, consistency matters more than long, stressful study marathons once in a while.
80+ In WASSCE MATHS EXAMS Is Possible
WASSCE Maths Exams is not something difficult. More students get A1 every year, and you can be one of them if you:
– Master the core topics
– Practice past questions consistently
– Train with time
– Understand, do not cram
– Use a clear exam strategy
Just start today with one small step. Then pick a topic, solve a few past questions, and build from there. Your 80+ begins with what you do daily, not on the exam day.
