European Baccalaureate Mathematics (5-period course) exam-day guide
European Baccalaureate Mathematics (5-period course) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID
Bring the identity document your school or examination centre requires (national ID card, passport, or residence permit). Confirm with the provider which forms are accepted and whether a school-issued card is sufficient; do not assume a student card alone will be accepted.
Admission/convocation document
Your school or the examination centre issues the convocation or candidate number slip. Confirm with the provider whether it must be printed or may be shown on a phone, and check that your name and candidate number match your ID.
Permitted calculator
The 5-period mathematics course assumes a graphing calculator. Confirm with the provider which models are allowed and whether memory must be cleared or a mode set before the exam. Bring fresh batteries and a backup calculator if the centre permits it.
Spare batteries and small tools
Pack spare batteries for the calculator, a ruler, a compass, a protractor, and a pencil sharpener. Confirm with the provider whether any of these are restricted; some centres supply geometry sets.
Pens, pencils, eraser
Bring at least two black or blue pens for final answers and pencils for graphs and constructions. Confirm with the provider which ink colour is required for answers that are scanned.
Formula booklet or permitted reference sheet
The European Baccalaureate mathematics exam normally provides a formula booklet. Confirm with the provider whether it is supplied at the desk or whether you must bring your own copy, and whether annotations in it are allowed.
Clear pencil case or transparent bag
Many centres require a transparent container. Confirm with the provider what may be on the desk and whether a clear bottle of water without a label is allowed.
Watch (non-smart)
A simple analogue or digital watch helps you pace the paper if the room clock is not visible. Smart watches and phones are normally prohibited at the desk; confirm with the provider where devices must be stored.
Know your seat, room, and arrival time
Check the timetable and room allocation the day before. Arrive with enough margin for ID checks; confirm with the provider what happens if you arrive late and whether extra time is granted for lateness.
Plan for breaks and food
Eat a normal breakfast and bring water. Confirm with the provider whether toilet breaks are supervised and whether you may leave the room during the exam; do not count on a scheduled break during a single paper.
Review your own weak topics only
In the last day, re-read your own summary of formulas and typical method steps (integration by parts, hypothesis-testing structure, vector geometry). Do not start new topics; confirm with the provider which topics are in scope for your option.
Check language and dictionary rules
The European Baccalaureate is delivered in the language sections. Confirm with the provider whether a dictionary is permitted in the mathematics paper and whether the question paper is provided in your language section.
Plan the day
Work through one full past-style paper under timed conditions, then mark it yourself against the marking scheme. List every lost mark by cause (misread question, method error, arithmetic slip, missing unit or justification) and turn the list into a short revision sheet. Re-do only the questions you lost marks on.
Rebuild your one-page formula and method sheet from memory, then check it against the official formula booklet. Focus on the topics that carry the most marks in your course: calculus (differentiation, integration techniques, areas and volumes), sequences and series, complex numbers, vectors and lines/planes, probability and distributions, and hypothesis testing.
Practise calculator routines you will need: graphing a function, finding roots and intersections, numerical integration, solving systems, and computing probabilities from the normal and binomial distributions. Confirm with the provider which calculator model is permitted so you practise on the right device.
Check administrative details: timetable, room, start time, ID document, calculator model, and any access arrangements. Confirm with the provider anything that is unclear rather than relying on rumour.
Do a light review only: read your formula sheet and the list of lost-mark causes. Stop intensive problem-solving in the evening. Prepare your bag with ID, convocation, calculator, spare batteries, pens, pencils, ruler, compass, eraser, and water.
Set two alarms, plan the route and transport, and decide what you will eat for breakfast. Aim for a full night's sleep; sleep is more valuable than one more exercise.
Eat breakfast, arrive early, and keep conversation light. Before entering the room, check that your calculator is in the mode you want and that its memory state complies with the centre's rules. Confirm with the provider whether you must show a cleared memory.
At your desk, read the front page of the paper carefully: number of questions, marks per question, suggested time, and instructions on answer books and graphs. Write your candidate number where instructed and check that you have every page.
First five minutes: scan the whole paper and mark questions as 'sure', 'possible', and 'hard'. Start with the sure questions to bank marks and build confidence, but do not spend more than the suggested time on any one part.
Show method: write the formula you use, substitute, and state the result with units where relevant. In 'show that' questions, work forwards from the given data and make the reasoning explicit. In proof questions, state assumptions and conclude clearly.
For calculus and graphing questions, sketch the curve or region before integrating, and check whether an area is above or below the axis. For probability, define the event and the distribution before computing. For hypothesis testing, state H0 and H1, the significance level, the test statistic, the p-value or critical value, and the conclusion in context.
Keep an eye on the clock: divide the remaining time by the remaining marks and spend roughly that per mark. Leave the last ten minutes to check arithmetic, units, significant figures, and that every question has an answer or an attempt. Cross out rough work clearly if the centre requires it.
Rules to check
Bring the identity document required by your centre and place it on the desk if asked. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and what to do if your ID is lost or expired.
Phones, smart watches, and any wearable or earbud device must be switched off and stored where the centre directs, not on your person. Confirm with the provider where devices are kept and the consequences of a device being found at the desk.
Use only the calculator model and reference materials permitted for your course. Confirm with the provider the list of allowed models, whether memory must be cleared, and whether a formula booklet is supplied or must be brought.
Follow the centre's rules on communication: no talking, no borrowing equipment, and no passing materials once the exam has started. Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need anything.
Toilet breaks are usually supervised and may not be allowed in the final part of the exam. Confirm with the provider the break policy and whether time lost is made up.
Write in the language of your section unless the paper instructs otherwise, and answer in the spaces or answer books indicated. Confirm with the provider the rules on extra answer sheets and on which ink colour is required.
Marks are awarded for method as well as for the final answer. Show your working, state formulas, and give the final answer clearly; an unsupported correct answer may not receive full marks.
If you believe there is a printing error or a missing page, raise your hand immediately and do not attempt to correct the paper yourself. Confirm with the provider the procedure for reporting problems during the exam.