How is Waec Mathematics Marked? (2022 Marking Guide)

How is Waec Mathematics Marked? (2022 Marking Guide): As a curious student like myself, you must be asking yourself how WAEC Mathematics papers are being marked and graded. Don’t worry, I understand your curiosity. That’s why I have taken it upon myself to share with you everything you need to know about the latest WAEC Mathematics Marking Scheme.

I will also be showing you how WAEC Mathematics Percentage is calculated and also how to an idea of what your grade will be based on your performance in the examination. Without any further delay, let’s dive in!

How is Waec Mathematics Marked? (2022 Marking Guide)

How many sections does WAEC Mathematics Have?

WAEC Mathematics questions usually consist of two sections – Paper 1 and Paper 2.

Paper 1 of WAEC Mathematics consists of 50 multiple-choice questions which you only have 1hr 30mins to answer. Paper 1 carries 50 marks and it makes up 40% of the total mark for WASSCE Mathematics.

On the other hand, Paper 2 consists of 15 theory questions in total and you have 2 hours and 30 minutes to be done with the section. Paper 2 is further divided into two subsections which are known as Section A and Section B respectively. Waec candidates are to answer only ten (10) out of the overall 15 questions.

You are to answer all questions in section A while you only have to answer about 5 section B questions. Overall, paper 2 carries a total of 100 marks which makes 60% of the total mark for Waec Mathematics.

Both Paper 1 and 2 are usually written together in a day. Once candidates are done with the exam and have submitted their answer scripts to the examiners, the next step is to transport the scripts for marking.

Breakdown of How WAEC Mathematics Scripts are Marked

Examiners separate marks for WAEC mathematics into three categories. They include:

• Method (M)
• Accuracy (A)
• Independent accuracy marks that are not preceded by the M mark (B)

Note: The M mark is awarded for steps where the right techniques are utilized accurately. Meaning if the question is solved correctly without any numerical errors, you will get your full mark for Method (M).

How WAEC Mathematics is Marked (Marking Guide/Scheme)

As revealed in our previous post on how WAEC scripts are generally marked, Paper 1 which is the OBJ section will be marked by a programmed machine. The section covers only 40% of the total score for Mathematics despite the fact that it consists of 50 questions with each carrying one mark.

Let’s take, for example, if you manage to get 35 of the 50 questions in Section A correctly, that means your score for the section alone is 35/50. When converted, your score over 40 will then be 28 (35/50 x 40). Therefore, getting 35 questions right in the obj section will give you a score of 28 out of the 40% that section A carries.

Now that you’ve known how to calculate your score for the OBJ section, let’s talk about how Section B is being marked and graded.

WAEC Mathematics Theory section (Section B) constitutes 60% of the whole score for the subject. This section is not marked by the computer, which means that WAEC examiners are the ones that will do the marking amongst themselves. All the questions you are to answer in the Maths Theory section carry a total of 100 marks and we will have to convert what you score to 60%.

For instance, if you scored 70/100 in the math theory section, the equivalence of your score in 60% will be 42 out of 60.

Recall that you scored 28 and 42 in sections A and B respectively. When we add these scores together, your overall score in WAEC Mathematics will be 70%. Also, don’t forget what grades each score stands for under the official WASSCE grading system;

OFFICIAL WAEC GRADING SYSTEM

• 75% – 100% is graded as A1 which stands for “Excellent”
• 70% – 74% is graded as B2 which stands for “Very Good”
• 65% – 69% is graded as B3 which stands for “Good”
• 60% – 64% is graded as C4 which stands for “Upper Credit”
• 55% – 59% is graded as C5 which stands for “Credit”
• 50% – 54% is graded as C6 which stands for “Lower Credit”
• 45% – 49% is graded as D7 which stands for “Pass”
• 40% – 44% is graded as E8 which also stands for “Pass”
• 0 – 39% is graded as F9 which stands for “fail”

Since 70% was the overall score gotten according to our example, that means such a candidate will have a B2 grade in WAEC mathematics which means “Very Good”. Similarly, if it had been a 78% or 52% score, the grade would have been A1 or C6 respectively.

To score A1 in WAEC Mathematics, you need to have a score of 75% and above in both sections of the examination.

How to score better grades in WAEC Mathematics

If you had noticed, the score margin between these grades is very close and just an extra of 2 marks can make a difference for you. Therefore, that makes every single mark important. To score better grades in WAEC mathematics, you must maximize every opportunity you have to score as high as possible.

Also, you should avoid mistakes that can make WAEC deduct your marks. To achieve this, you must be familiar with some certain rules and guidelines about the exam which attract penalties if not followed properly. Let’s talk about these rules and guidelines next.

Important Rules and Guidelines You Should Be Familiar With Before Writing WAEC Mathematics

• Examiners will deduct two points if you misunderstand the data and present it incorrectly.
• Examiners will subtract one mark for an answer that does not meet the accuracy requirement.
• Deductions under iii and iv above will not be made more than once in a single question.
• For early approximations that do not significantly simplify the succeeding work, 1 mark is deducted.
• Deductions can only be made from A or B grades, not M grades.
• Examiners shall subtract one point for the omission of an important work if the results are generated from work that they cannot decipher or that is completely suppressed.
• Once a proper answer is given, examiners will disregard any further effort.
• For geometric proofs, 1 point is deducted for omitting a crucial reason or providing an incorrect justification. However, this should not be done more than once in a question.
• A mark is subtracted for each unit omitted or incorrectly entered. However, this should not be done more than once in a question.
• If a single question is attempted more than once, the student will receive a grade for the best effort.
• SOS (see other solutions) must be written in addition to the others.
• If more questions are attempted, the rubric allows for the lowest possible score for those extra questions to be erased. The examiner will mark MQA ANSWERED to show that he was aware when marking.
• Unless otherwise specified, equivalent approaches that are not mentioned in the instruction will be accepted and assigned appropriate marks.
• The overall score is 100, which will be rounded up to the nearest whole number.

Remember folks, every single mark is important for you in WAEC mathematics. A single point is capable of having you a higher grade.

You Might Also Need This:

1. How To Check WAEC Result 2022 (Through SMS & Online )
2. How To Retrieve WAEC Examination Number (Procedures)

This brings us to the end of this post and I’m sure by now, you know how WAEC mathematics scripts are marked. If you wish to ask any further question on how WAEC mark Mathematics questions, then don’t hesitate to ask them below via the comment section. Also, don’t forget to use the share button to pass across this information to your friends who might also need this.