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WASSCE Liberia study materials
WASSCE Liberia study resources

WASSCE Liberia: Mathematics - WASSCE Liberia

WASSCE Liberia · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

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Mathematics - WASSCE Liberia

Mathematics - WASSCE Liberia

The Mathematics paper tests numerical fluency, algebraic manipulation, geometry and mensuration, trigonometry, statistics, and probability. Objective questions test speed and accuracy; theory questions test method, so a correct answer with no working can lose marks. Read the command word: calculate needs figures, show that needs a chain of reasoning.

Core rules and concepts

  • Apply BODMAS and keep signs attached to terms when collecting like terms.
  • In mensuration, write the formula first, substitute with units, then simplify.
  • Angle facts: angles on a straight line sum to 180°, angles at a point to 360°, and alternate angles between parallel lines are equal.
  • Statistics: mean = total ÷ number of values; median needs ordered data; mode is the most frequent value.
  • Probability: P(event) = favourable outcomes ÷ total outcomes, and 0 ≤ P ≤ 1.

Worked example

Solve 2x/3 + 5 = 11. Subtract 5 from both sides: 2x/3 = 6. Multiply both sides by 3: 2x = 18. Divide by 2: x = 9. Check: 2(9)/3 + 5 = 6 + 5 = 11. The reasoning matters because each inverse operation must be applied to the whole equation.

Traps that cost marks

Dropping negative signs; multiplying only one term; mixing units such as cm and m; rounding before the final answer; using the wrong formula for area and volume; and giving a bare answer in a theory question.