Castilla y León PAU Mathematics II exam-day guide
Castilla y León PAU Mathematics II · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Bring your DNI or passport
You must be able to prove your identity at the call. Carry the original document, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted for candidates without Spanish nationality.
Bring the exam call/signature sheet
Print or download the official call document showing your name, the exam centre, the date and the time. It tells you which room or building to go to and sometimes the seat assignment procedure.
Bring blue or black pens and a pencil
Take at least two pens of the same colour plus a pencil, eraser and sharpener for graphs and scratch work. Write the final answers in pen; keep pencil only for sketches and rough calculations.
Bring a scientific calculator
The calculator must not be programmable, must not store text or formulas, and must not connect to any network. Check the exact model restrictions in the current call, because permitted models can change between years.
Bring a ruler, set square and compass
Geometry and conics questions often ask for a drawing or for reading a graph. A graduated ruler and a compass let you sketch accurately and check distances and radii.
Leave the mobile phone switched off and out of reach
A phone on your person, even switched off, can be treated as a serious irregularity. Leave it in the bag at the back of the room or hand it in as the invigilators instruct.
Know which block you are answering
The paper normally offers several questions per block and you choose a fixed number from each. Decide your block strategy before the exam so you do not lose time reading everything twice.
Bring water and a light snack
The exam is long and there is usually no break. A small bottle of water and something easy to eat between blocks helps concentration; confirm that drinks are allowed in your room.
Bring a watch
Rooms do not always have a visible clock, and phones cannot be used. A simple wristwatch lets you keep to your time plan without asking the invigilator.
Review your formula sheet from memory
You cannot bring notes, so before the exam rewrite from memory the key formulas: distance point-line, angle between lines, scalar and vector products, conic equations, integration by parts, and normal distribution tables if permitted.
Check the centre location and travel time
Visit or map the building in advance and add a margin for transport delays. Arrive early; late entry after the exam has started may be refused.
Confirm the schedule and any access rules with the provider
Dates, start times, permitted materials and access conditions are set by the organising institution. Check the official call for your centre rather than relying on second-hand information.
Plan the day
Stop learning new theory. Work through two or three complete past papers under timed conditions, using the same block structure as the real exam. Mark them yourself against the official solutions and list every error by type: calculation slip, misread question, missing formula, or wrong method. Spend the remaining time only on the two or three error types that appear most often. Rewrite your personal formula sheet by hand each day until you can reproduce it without looking. Confirm the exam centre, room and start time, and check the calculator model against the current call.
Do one light timed session of about 60 to 90 minutes, focusing on the block you find hardest, then stop. Prepare your materials in one bag: ID, call document, pens, pencil, eraser, calculator with fresh batteries, ruler, compass, watch, water. Check transport and set two alarms. Eat and sleep normally; do not stay up revising, because the exam rewards clear arithmetic more than last-minute memorisation.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the centre with at least 20 to 30 minutes to spare. Keep the phone switched off and in your bag. Before entering, skim your formula sheet one last time, concentrating on the formulas you most often forget. Once seated, read the whole paper during the first few minutes, mark which questions you will answer in each block, and write a time budget on the corner of the sheet.
Start with the questions you can solve cleanly to secure marks, then return to the harder ones. For each question, write the statement of what is given and what is asked, show the main steps, and box the final answer with units where relevant. Do not erase working; examiners award method marks. If a calculation stalls, leave it, move on, and come back. Keep about 10 minutes at the end to check signs, arithmetic, domains and whether you have answered exactly the required number of questions per block.
Rules to check
Carry your original identity document throughout the exam and place it on the desk if the invigilators ask. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted if you do not hold a Spanish DNI.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, materials and timing. Do not start writing before the signal or continue after the final signal; writing after time is called can lead to annulment of your paper.
Mobile phones, smart watches, headphones and any device that stores or transmits information must be switched off and kept out of reach. Possession during the exam may be treated as an irregularity regardless of whether it was used.
Use only the calculator models permitted by the current call. Programmable or graphing calculators and any device with communication capability are normally excluded; check the official list before the exam.
Write your answers in the language of the exam and show sufficient working. Answers without justification may receive little or no credit even when the final result is correct.
Respect the block structure: answer exactly the number of questions required from each block. Extra answers beyond the required number are usually not marked, and answering the wrong block can cost all the marks for those questions.
Do not communicate with other candidates or exchange materials during the exam. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait for an invigilator; confirm with the provider whether accompanied exits are allowed in your centre.
Scoring and appeal procedures are set by the organising institution. Check the official call for how marks are weighted, how review or appeal requests are filed, and the deadlines that apply.