HSC Maths Standard 1: Course, Assessment and Exam Guides (NESA)
HSC Mathematics Standard 1 gives every student a school-based grade from A to E, with an optional 80 mark HSC exam.
About the course
HSC Mathematics Standard 1 is a 2 unit course. Your school reports a grade from A to E, built equally from knowing the content and working mathematically with it. The HSC exam is optional: if you sit it, your HSC mark and band come from that exam alone.
Decide early whether you will sit the optional exam, because it needs the Mathematics Standard 1 (Examination) enrolment.
Which syllabus does the 2027 cohort sit?
The 2027 HSC cohort sits Mathematics Standard 11-12 (2024). NESA says it is implemented from 2026, that Year 12 teaching starts in Term 4 2026, and that the first HSC examination for it is in 2027. It replaces the Mathematics Standard Stage 6 Syllabus (2017), which cohorts up to and including 2026 sit. One syllabus covers both Standard 1 and Standard 2, and this guide covers Standard 1 only. For how the HSC syllabuses are changing, see the HSC syllabus guide.
How is Mathematics Standard 1 assessed?
There are two results, and they are reported separately on your NESA credential.
| Result | Based on | Reported as |
|---|---|---|
| School-based assessment | Your school's Year 12 tasks, judged against NESA's Achievement Level Descriptions | A grade from A to E |
| Optional HSC exam | The exam only | An HSC mark and performance band, on a separate line |
| Component: knowledge and understanding of course content | 50% of school assessment | Mandatory, set by NESA |
| Component: skills in working mathematically | 50% of school assessment | Mandatory, set by NESA |
Schools decide the number, type and weighting of tasks, with NESA's limits on take-home tasks and task weightings set out in how the HSC works. Formal tasks focus on Year 12 outcomes, and Year 11 content is assumed knowledge that may be assessed.
If you are entered for the exam, your school also sends NESA an estimated exam mark, based on something like a trial HSC paper. You are not told it. NESA uses it only if an illness or misadventure application succeeds. For what the bands mean, see HSC bands, and for the wider system see how the HSC works.
What does the course cover?
Year 12 Standard 1 has four areas of study and seven focus areas:
- Algebra: algebraic relationships, including simultaneous linear equations (and break-even points) and graphs of practical situations.
- Financial mathematics: investment (simple and compound interest), then depreciation, loans and credit cards.
- Measurement: right-angled triangles (Pythagoras' theorem, trigonometric ratios and bearings), then ratios and rates (scale drawings, unit prices, distance-time graphs, fuel consumption).
- Statistics: bivariate data analysis (scatter plots and lines of best fit), then relative frequency and probability.
The Year 11 Mathematics Standard course comes first and is assumed knowledge for Year 12.
What is the Mathematics Standard 1 exam like?
NESA's specification is one written paper worth 80 marks, with 2 hours of working time plus 10 minutes of reading time. A reference sheet is provided, and NESA-approved calculators may be used.
| Section | Marks | What it holds |
|---|---|---|
| I | 15 | Objective-response questions |
| II | 65 | Questions that may have parts, 25 to 30 items in all, with at least two items worth 4 or 5 marks |
Check the NESA exam timetable for your date.
Common questions
Is the Mathematics Standard 1 exam compulsory?
No. The exam is optional. A student who wants to sit it must also enrol in Mathematics Standard 1 (Examination), course number 15232, alongside the 2 unit course, number 15231.
Sources
- Mathematics Standard 11-12 (2024) Syllabus, NESA, 2024, pp. 6, 9-10, 25-43, 48-50, 53. Implementation dates, the Year 12 Standard 1 course structure and content, school-based assessment requirements, reporting on credentials, and the Standard 1 HSC exam specifications.
Syllabus and assessment material referenced in this guide is used under licence, © Copyright NSW Education Standards Authority. See our NESA licensing notice. The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) does not endorse this product or service. NESA takes no responsibility for any errors in the reproduction of NESA Materials. Any sample examination papers or model answers accompanying the NESA Materials are not part of the NESA Materials and are in no way endorsed or authorised by NESA.