TCE Mathematics Methods: TASC Level 4, calculus, functions and probability

Five criteria in the exam

There is also a Level 3 course, Mathematics Methods Foundation (MTM315117), with its own exam. This guide is about the Level 4 course.

Two sections, one calculator rule

The exam is three hours, with 15 minutes of preparation time. The specification divides it into two sections, each with five parts, in separate question-and-response booklets. Sections A and B are not equal in weight, and the weighting is shown by the time and mark allocations. Section A is collected 80 minutes after the exam starts, and calculators can be used from that time; Section B can be started at any stage, but without a calculator before the 80-minute mark. You may use the Mathematics Methods Information Sheet and TASC-approved calculators.

All criteria are marked numerically out of 36. The marking rules are the same as for the other TASC mathematics courses: a one-mark item needs no working, a two-mark item needs relevant working (a correct answer with none gets at most 1.5 marks), and items of three marks or more need working shown.

Worked examples

A circular function derivative (Criterion 6)

The gradient of y = sin 2x at x = π/6 is 2cos(π/3) = 1. Keep the chain rule factor of 2 in the working, because it is the usual place to lose a mark.

A binomial probability (Criterion 8)

A machine produces a faulty item 30% of the time. In a sample of 10, the probability of exactly 3 faulty items is:

Define the random variable and its distribution (X is binomial with n = 10 and p = 0.3) before you use the formula.

Practise a normal distribution question, then press Mark:

Awards and ratings

TASC decides the award from 13 ratings: 8 internal and 5 external.

Compare with the Level 3 courses: EA in Methods asks for 11 A ratings, one more than Biology or General Mathematics at Level 3. The ATAR uses best results from Level 3 and 4 courses over two years, with the TCE and at least four Satisfactory Achievement awards required. Results are out on Wednesday 16 December 2026.

Dates

Use the daily papers as practice

Providers set their own trial exams. Uni-Sine's free daily papers can work as short timed practice, each 8 questions worth 25 to 35 marks and marked as you go: Year 12 Maths Advanced and Methods and Year 11 Maths Advanced and Methods. Neither is a TASC exam.

• They fit: exponentials and logarithms, trigonometric equations, differentiation, stationary points, area under a curve and integration.
• They do not fit: parametric differentiation, partial fractions and differential equations are beyond the course. For binomial and normal distributions and inference, use the Year 12 Statistics paper.
• Do the first questions without your calculator, to match the first 80 minutes of the real paper.

Exam answers

Answers and a worked mark scheme come with each daily paper once it is marked. They are Uni-Sine's own, not TASC solutions.

Mistakes in TCE Methods

• Reaching for the calculator before the 80-minute mark.
• Dropping the chain rule factor when differentiating a circular function of 2x.
• Writing a probability without defining the distribution and its parameters.
• Giving angles in degrees when the course uses radians for calculus.

Read next

Australia · TCETCE Maths Methods formula sheet: the TASC information sheetThe TASC Mathematics Methods external exam information sheet for the TCE: all five pages, what is not on it, and worked calculator-free examples.