QCE General Maths: the problem-solving task, two internal exams and the two external papers

How QCE General Maths is assessed

Checked on 11 November 2026 against the QCAA General Mathematics syllabus (2025 version 1.3, January 2026). Units 1 and 2 are reported as satisfactory or unsatisfactory and prepare you for the rest.

The QCAA adds internal and external marks to give a total out of 100 and subject experts set the A to E cut-offs on it. The exam does not rescale your internal marks. Each internal exam samples three of the five topics in its unit.

The two external papers

The external assessment covers Units 3 and 4 and may draw on assumed knowledge from Units 1 and 2. Both papers allow 5 minutes perusal and 90 minutes working time. You may use a handheld QCAA-approved scientific calculator, but no notes. The QCAA gives you the formula book.

Across the whole exam, about 60% of the marks are simple familiar questions, 20% complex familiar and 20% complex unfamiliar. Complex unfamiliar questions are the ones where the method is not obvious from how the problem is posed. The 2026 external assessments run from Monday 26 October to Tuesday 17 November 2026; the 2027 timetable was not published when this page was checked.

What changed for 2026

• You calculate both the correlation coefficient r and its square r², with technology.
• Critical path analysis uses activity on arc networks only.
• The Hungarian algorithm can be used to minimise or maximise, on up to 5 × 5 square matrices.
• The formula book was updated, and its formulas are now printed in the syllabus.

What Units 3 and 4 cover

• Unit 3, Bivariate data and time series analysis, sequences and Earth geometry. Bivariate data analysis (two topics), time series analysis, growth and decay in sequences, and Earth geometry and time zones.
• Unit 4, Investing and networking. Loans, investments and annuities (two topics), graphs and networks, and networks and decision mathematics (two topics).

Use the Linear Regression calculator to check a line of best fit and its correlation, and the Algebra course for the equation skills underneath.

Worked examples

Regression and r²

A technology fit of weekly study hours against test score gives r = 0.82. Then r² = 0.82² = 0.6724, so about 67% of the variation in test scores is explained by the variation in study hours; the other 33% comes from other factors. State that as a sentence, not a bare number.

A reducing balance loan

A $20,000 loan at 6% per annum, compounded monthly, is repaid at $400 a month. Each month the balance is multiplied by 1.005 and then the repayment comes off:

That gives V₁ = $19,700.00 and V₂ = 19,700 × 1.005 − 400 = $19,398.50. Interest in month 1 is 20,000 × 0.005 = $100, so only $300 of the first repayment cuts the debt.

A network with activities on arcs

Activity A takes 3 weeks, B takes 4, C takes 5 after A, D takes 2 after B, and E takes 3 after both C and D. The two routes are A, C, E at 3 + 5 + 3 = 11 weeks and B, D, E at 4 + 2 + 3 = 9 weeks, so the critical path is A, C, E and the project takes 11 weeks. E cannot start until week 8, but D finishes by week 6, so D and B each have a float of 2 weeks.

Using the daily papers as a practice exam

Each daily paper has 8 original questions and 25 to 35 marks, a short timed paper of 35 to 45 minutes, not a QCAA exam. Queensland has no state trials; the past papers on the QCAA General Mathematics page, with marking guides, are your full-length practice. The 2025 syllabus moved some subject matter, so check older papers against the current content.

The Year 12 Statistics paper only overlaps with Unit 3 in its correlation and regression and data interpretation questions. Skip hypothesis testing, the binomial and normal distributions and sampling questions, which are not in QCE General Maths. For loans, networks and time zones, use the course and the QCAA's sample papers.

Grades, results and ATAR

Results are reported as A to E with the mark out of 100. The 2026 results are released from 9:00 am on Wednesday 16 December 2026, and ATARs on 18 December 2026. QTAC builds an ATAR from five best scaled results, and a General and an Applied Mathematics subject cannot both count.

Exam answers

Answers and a worked mark scheme for the daily paper come with today's paper once it's marked. They are ours, not the QCAA's.

Common mistakes in QCE General Maths

• Quoting r without a sentence. Say what r² means in the context of the variables.
• Using the annual rate each month. Divide the annual rate by 12 for monthly compounding.
• Skipping the units in modelling. The problem-solving task marks the formulate and evaluate stages, not just the answer.
• Stopping at a number in Paper 2. Complex unfamiliar questions ask you to justify the decision.

Read next

Australia · QCEQCE General Maths formula sheet: the QCAA formula bookThe QCAA General Mathematics formula book for QCE exams: every formula, what is not on it, and worked finance, geometry and Earth examples.