Higher Applications of Maths 2027: the exam, the project and practice questions

How Higher Applications of Maths is assessed

The two parts add up to 110 marks, and your grade, A to D, comes from that total (course specification). Qualifications Scotland also publishes a data booklet for the course on the course page. In the 2027 timetable, the paper runs from 13:00 to 15:05 on Monday 26 April, and you sit it in a room with computers.

The project

You research a topic and report on it using statistics: collecting or choosing data, analysing it, and interpreting and communicating what you find. It is set during the course at a time that suits you, so check your school's deadline. At 30 of 110 marks, it is worth more than a quarter of your grade.

Who it is for, and what comes before

The specification says the course suits students who have done National 5 Applications of Mathematics or National 5 Mathematics, people returning to education, and anyone who wants maths skills useful in other subjects and at work. It is a different course from Higher Maths, which is more abstract and leads into calculus.

Practice questions

We wrote these questions for this guide, one from each skill area.

Finance

Question: £2,000 is saved at 3.5% compound interest a year. How much is there after 4 years? Answer: 2,000 × 1.035⁴ = £2,295.05.

Statistics

Question: find the mean and standard deviation of 4, 6, 7, 9 and 14. Answer: the mean is 40 ÷ 5 = 8. The squared deviations from 8 add up to 16 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 36 = 58, so the sample standard deviation is √(58 ÷ 4) = 3.81. In the exam your software does this, so the marks are in choosing the right measure and explaining it. Check with the Standard Deviation Calculator.

Probability

Question: a game costs £2 to play and pays £10 with probability 0.15. What is the expected gain per game? Answer: 10 × 0.15 − 2 = −£0.50, so on average you lose 50p a game. Try a probability question from our Probability course and press Mark.

Planning and decision making

Question: activity C (4 days) can start only after A (3 days) and B (5 days) are both finished, and D (2 days) follows C. What is the shortest time to complete the project? Answer: C must wait for the longer of A and B, so the critical path is B, C, D: 5 + 4 + 2 = 11 days. A has 2 days of float.

Data modelling

Question: a phone plan costs C = 25 + 0.12m pounds for m minutes. Find the cost of 300 minutes, and say what 25 means. Answer: C = 25 + 0.12 × 300 = £61. The 25 is the fixed monthly charge, paid even with no calls.

Common mistakes

• Numbers without meaning. Say what a result shows in context, not just the value.
• Simple interest instead of compound. Use the multiplier for each year.
• The shorter path through a network. The critical path is the longest one.
• Leaving the project late. It is 30 marks, so plan its stages early.
• Not practising with the software you will use in the exam.

Use a daily paper as a short timed prelim

Sit today's Higher Applications of Maths paper for a short timed prelim. For prelim dates and how prelims are used, see the prelims guide.

Read next

Scotland · HigherHigher Maths Practice Questions and 2027 Exam GuideHigher Maths practice questions with worked answers, plus the 2027 exam date, both papers, the formulae list and 2026 grade boundaries.