PAU Applied Mathematics for Social Sciences II - Canary Islands / ULPGC & ULL exam-day guide
PAU Applied Mathematics for Social Sciences II - Canary Islands / ULPGC & ULL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official ID document
Bring the original photo ID (DNI, passport, or NIE card) that matches the name on your registration. A photocopy or a photo on your phone is normally not accepted. If you have any doubt about which document is valid for your call, confirm with the provider (the university or the specific exam venue) before the exam day.
Exam call / registration receipt
Print or download the call document (resguardo de matrícula or citación) showing your assigned venue, date, and time. Some venues ask to see it at the door; keep it accessible. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or a digital version is accepted.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (at least two)
Written exams are answered in ink. Bring two or three pens of the same colour and test them beforehand. Pencil is normally reserved for rough work or graphs, and work done in pencil may not be marked. Confirm with the provider if you are unsure about the pen colour rule.
Pencil, eraser, and sharpener
Useful for sketching functions, drawing regions in linear programming, and doing rough calculations before committing to ink. Keep rough work clearly separated or crossed out if the venue instructs you to do so.
Approved calculator
Check the call for the calculator rule: some calls allow a non-programmable scientific calculator, others restrict or ban graphing/programmable models. Bring one you know well and have practised with. If the call is ambiguous, confirm with the provider in advance; do not rely on a programmable model being accepted.
Ruler and set square
Helpful for drawing axes, feasible regions, and straight lines accurately in linear programming and geometry questions. A transparent ruler is practical and rarely restricted.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock, and phones are usually collected or switched off. A plain analogue or digital watch lets you pace the paper. Smartwatches are normally not allowed; confirm with the provider if you are unsure.
Clear water bottle, no label
A small transparent bottle with the label removed is commonly accepted. Food and drink rules vary by venue; confirm with the provider if you need to bring medication or food for a documented reason.
No phone, smartwatch, or notes at the desk
Leave phones switched off and stored as the venue instructs (often in a bag at the front or in a designated area). Bringing unauthorised material to the desk can lead to expulsion from the exam. Confirm with the provider where devices must be left.
Know your seat and arrival time
Check the venue list and arrive with margin (often 15–30 minutes before the start) to find your room and seat. Late-arrival rules vary; confirm with the provider how late entry is handled.
Plan your route and transport
Identify the building and room in advance, allow for traffic or public-transport delays, and note a backup route. If the venue is unfamiliar, a quick visit or map check the day before reduces stress.
Review the exam structure and timing
Know how many questions, whether there are options, the weighting, and the total time. This lets you allocate minutes per question on the day. Check the official call for the exact structure of your sitting; confirm with the provider if anything is unclear.
Plan the day
Do a final review of the core blocks: matrices and systems of equations, determinants and rank; linear programming (constraints, feasible region, vertices, objective function); limits, continuity, and derivatives with applications (monotonicity, extrema, optimisation, tangent lines); integrals and areas; probability (conditional probability, independence, Bayes, binomial and normal distributions); and descriptive statistics (central tendency, dispersion, correlation, regression). Work through one full past-style paper under timed conditions and mark it against the solutions, listing the specific error types rather than just the topics.
Build a one-page formula and method sheet in your own handwriting: derivative rules, integration techniques you actually use, normal-distribution standardisation, binomial formula, regression formulas, and the steps for solving a linear-programming problem. Rewrite it once more from memory to test recall.
Target your two weakest areas with focused practice: redo the questions you got wrong, then attempt similar ones without looking at the solutions. For linear programming, practise drawing the feasible region and reading off vertices accurately; for probability, practise deciding between binomial and normal and when to apply a continuity correction.
Do a light review only: reread your method sheet and the corrected mistakes from your timed paper. Do not start new topics. Check the exact time, building, room, and transport plan, and lay out your ID, call document, pens, calculator, ruler, and watch in one place.
Confirm the calculator and material rules from the official call one last time, and confirm with the provider anything still ambiguous (ID type, device storage, late entry). Set an alarm, eat a normal meal, and aim for a full night's sleep; cramming new material the night before rarely pays off.
Eat a proper breakfast, take your ID and materials, and arrive at the venue with margin. Keep your phone off and stored before entering the room. Once seated, read the instructions and the whole paper before writing.
Check the number of questions and any choice, then allocate time per question and leave 5–10 minutes at the end to review. Start with questions you can do confidently to secure marks, and flag harder ones to return to.
Show working: in mathematics, method marks are often awarded even when the final answer is wrong. Write clearly, label graphs with axes and scales, state the constraints and the objective function explicitly in linear programming, and give final answers with units or context where relevant. If a result looks unreasonable, sanity-check it (probabilities between 0 and 1, areas positive, extrema consistent with the derivative sign).
Check that every question has an attempt, that answers are in ink, and that graphs are labelled. Verify arithmetic in final answers and make sure you have not left a choice question unanswered. Hand in as the invigilators instruct.
Rules to check
Bring the original ID that matches your registration and keep it on the desk if asked; without acceptable ID you may be refused entry. If you are unsure which document is accepted, confirm with the provider before the exam day.
Phones, smartwatches, and any other electronic devices must be switched off and stored as the venue instructs, not kept at your desk. Unauthorised material at the desk can lead to the exam being annulled.
Only the materials permitted by the official call may be used (typically pens, pencil, eraser, ruler, and possibly an approved calculator). Check the calculator rule in the call and confirm with the provider if it is ambiguous.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, starting, and finishing. Do not begin writing before the start signal and stop writing when told; late writing can be penalised.
Scoring normally rewards correct method as well as the final answer, so write the steps, justify conclusions, and present graphs clearly. Read the official call for the exact weighting and marking criteria of your sitting.
If you need to leave the room (for example, for the toilet), raise your hand and wait for an invigilator; leaving without permission may be treated as misconduct. Specific break rules vary by venue, so confirm with the provider if you have a medical need.
Any suspicion of copying, talking, or using unauthorised aids can lead to expulsion and annulment of the exam. Keep your eyes on your own paper and your materials visible.
Check the official call for rules on late arrival, early departure, and what happens if you miss the sitting; these policies differ between calls and venues, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.