Abitur Mathematics exam-day guide
Abitur Mathematics · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission document and photo ID
Bring the invitation/admission letter issued by your school or the examining authority together with a valid photo ID. Which ID types are accepted (national ID, passport, school ID) varies by Bundesland and school - confirm with the provider which documents are valid and whether a copy is enough.
Approved calculator
Check which calculator model your course has used and whether it is permitted (graphing calculators, CAS, and programmable models are restricted or banned in many Länder). Confirm the exact allowed model and any reset/memory-clearing requirement with your teacher before exam day.
Formulary / Merkhilfe and tables
Many Länder provide an official formula collection and statistical tables (e.g., standard normal table, binomial coefficients). Find out in advance whether these are handed out or whether you must bring your own annotated copy, and which annotations are allowed.
Writing and drawing equipment
Bring several pens (blue or black, as required), pencils, eraser, sharpener, a ruler, and a set square. For geometry or curve sketching, a ruler is usually expected; check whether compasses or protractors are permitted for your specific tasks.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock. A simple analogue or digital watch without communication features is usually safe; smartwatches and fitness trackers are typically forbidden. Confirm the provider's rule on watches.
No phone or smart devices at your place
Mobile phones, smartwatches, and other connected devices must normally be switched off and stored away from your desk. In some Länder, having a device accessible can be treated as an attempt to cheat. Ask where to leave devices.
Water and a small snack
Long written exams often allow a drink in a closed bottle and sometimes a snack during breaks. Rules differ; confirm what is allowed at your desk versus only during breaks.
Know the permitted auxiliary materials list
Each Land publishes a list of allowed aids for the Abitur (e.g., Wörterbuch for languages, Gesetzestexte for some subjects). Read the version for your examination year and mark anything unclear for your teacher to confirm.
Plan your route and arrival time
Arrive well before the stated start; late arrival can mean exclusion or reduced writing time depending on the school's rules. Confirm the building, room, and reporting time with the provider.
Review the task structure and choice rules
Know in advance how many tasks you must solve and whether there is a choice (e.g., choose 2 of 3). The exact selection rules are set in the exam instructions - confirm them with your teacher so you do not lose time deciding.
Clarify the use of a dictionary or thesaurus (language subjects)
For mathematics this is usually irrelevant, but if you take a language subject, confirm which monolingual or bilingual dictionary is permitted and whether it may contain annotations.
Confirm the procedure for a medical absence or mishap
If you are ill or something goes wrong on the day, there are formal rules about attestation and re-taking. Do not guess - confirm the procedure and deadlines with the provider in advance.
Plan the day
Stop learning new content. Re-read your own summary sheets for the main topic areas: analysis (functions, derivatives, integrals, curve discussion), linear algebra/analytic geometry (vectors, lines, planes, systems of equations), and stochastics (probability, binomial distribution, hypothesis testing). Work through one full past paper under timed conditions to practise pacing, then mark it yourself against the official solutions.
Check your equipment against the checklist: calculator batteries or charging, spare pens, ruler, formula collection. Verify the exam room, start time, and which aids are allowed. If anything is unclear (calculator model, annotations in the formula book), ask your teacher now rather than on the day.
Do targeted practice on your weakest two topic areas instead of reviewing everything. For each, solve two or three representative tasks and write down the typical solution steps, including the standard phrases expected in a German-language solution (Ansatz, Ableitung, Stammfunktion, Schnittpunkt, Erwartungswert, Signifikanzniveau).
Light review only: formula sheet, standard procedures, and a list of common errors (sign errors, forgetting the constant of integration, mixing up binomial coefficient and probability, misreading whether the calculator is in degree or radian mode). Prepare clothes, ID, admission letter, and equipment in one place. Sleep at a normal time; do not start a new topic.
Eat a normal breakfast, arrive early, and check that your calculator is set to the correct angle mode and that its memory is cleared if required. Keep your phone switched off and stored as instructed. Once seated, read the cover page carefully: number of tasks, choice rules, time allowed, and permitted aids.
Read all tasks before writing. Mark which ones you will solve according to the choice rules, and note the point values to budget time. A rough rule: allocate minutes roughly in proportion to the points available, and keep 10–15 minutes at the end for checking.
Start with the task you are most confident about to build momentum, but do not exceed your time budget. Write down the approach even when a result is uncertain - method marks are often awarded. Show intermediate steps, label sketches with axes and units, and state the meaning of results in context (e.g., what a probability or an expected value represents).
Check that every required task has an answer, that units and rounding are consistent with the instructions, and that you have not left blank parts you could partially solve. Verify the calculator mode and re-check arithmetic in key results. Hand in all sheets, including drafts if required.
Rules to check
Bring the admission letter and the photo ID accepted by your school; without them you may be turned away. Which ID is accepted is set locally - confirm with the provider.
Only the aids listed for your examination may be on your desk. Phones and smart devices must be switched off and stored away; using or even accessing unauthorized aids can be treated as an attempt to cheat, with serious consequences for the whole Abitur.
You may normally leave the room only in exceptional cases and usually accompanied; plan toilet breaks before the exam. The exact break rules are set by the school - confirm them with the provider.
The time allowed and the number of tasks, including any choice between tasks, are stated on the exam paper. Follow those instructions exactly; solving more tasks than required does not usually earn extra credit.
Write legibly and in the required language of the examination; unclear or unlabeled work may not be marked. Solutions must show the reasoning, not only final results.
If you fall ill or cannot complete the exam, report it immediately and follow the formal attestation procedure; do not simply leave. The deadlines and accepted forms of medical evidence vary - confirm with the provider.
Scoring follows the official expected solutions and the published weightings; partial credit is given for correct method even when the final result is wrong, so document your steps.
Any suspicion of cheating is handled under the examination regulations of your Land and school, which may include exclusion from the exam. The precise procedure is not uniform - confirm the applicable rules with the provider.