SACE
Mathematics

SACE Stage 1 Essential Mathematics is the most accessible Stage 1 Mathematics subject aligned to the SACE Board Essential Mathematics subject outline, and covers six topics — Calculations, Time and Ratio; Earning and Spending; Geometry; Data in Context; Measurement; and Investing — developing practical numeracy and financial literacy skills in real-world, everyday contexts relevant to personal, vocational, and community life. Stage 1 Essential Mathematics is assessed entirely through school-assessed coursework and does not include an external SACE examination. It is typically studied as a pathway toward Stage 2 Essential Mathematics and is well suited to students who benefit from a practical and contextualised approach to mathematics during Stage 1.

SACE Stage 1 Mathematics is the most rigorous Stage 1 Mathematics subject aligned to the SACE Board Mathematics subject outline, and covers six topics — Functions, Graphs and Polynomials; Matrices, Real and Complex Numbers; Vectors in the Plane and Further Trigonometry; Geometry, Sequences and Series; Trigonometry, Counting and Statistics; and Differential Calculus, Growth and Decay — developing the formal algebraic, calculus, and mathematical reasoning skills that are directly required for Stage 2 Mathematical Methods and Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics. Stage 1 Mathematics is assessed entirely through school-assessed coursework and is the essential prerequisite for students planning to continue to the most demanding Stage 2 Mathematics subjects.

SACE Stage 1 General Mathematics is the standard-level Stage 1 Mathematics subject aligned to the SACE Board General Mathematics subject outline, and covers six topics — Investing and Borrowing; Measurement; Statistical Investigation; Applications of Trigonometry; Linear and Exponential Functions and Graphs; and Matrices and Networks — developing broad applied mathematical skills across financial mathematics, measurement, statistics, trigonometry, functions, and discrete mathematics in practical and contextualised settings. Stage 1 General Mathematics is assessed entirely through school-assessed coursework and is the recommended prerequisite for Stage 2 General Mathematics. It provides a wide-ranging mathematical foundation suitable for students planning university study in fields that benefit from applied mathematics without the abstract depth of Stage 1 Mathematics.

SACE Stage 2 Essential Mathematics is the most accessible Stage 2 Mathematics subject aligned to the SACE Board Essential Mathematics subject outline, and covers five topics — Scales, Plans and Models; Measurement; Business Applications; Statistics; and Investments and Loans — developing practical numeracy, financial literacy, and data skills in real-world contexts relevant to personal, vocational, and community settings. Stage 2 Essential Mathematics is assessed through a combination of school-assessed coursework and a SACE external examination, and contributes to the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank. It is the most accessible ATAR-eligible SACE Mathematics subject and is well suited to students whose post-secondary plans do not require formal algebraic or calculus-based mathematics.

SACE Stage 2 Mathematical Methods is the calculus-based Stage 2 Mathematics subject aligned to the SACE Board Mathematical Methods subject outline, and covers six topics — Further Differentiation and Applications; Discrete Random Variables; Integral Calculus; Logarithmic Functions; Continuous Random Variables; and Sampling and Confidence Intervals — developing the formal calculus and statistical inference skills required for university study in STEM, commerce, and quantitative disciplines. Mathematical Methods is assessed through a combination of school-assessed coursework and a SACE external examination, and contributes to the ATAR. It is the standard mathematics entry requirement for most science and engineering university degree programmes in South Australia and is the direct continuation of Stage 1 Mathematics.

SACE Stage 2 General Mathematics is the applied Stage 2 Mathematics subject aligned to the SACE Board General Mathematics subject outline, and covers five topics — Modelling with Linear Relationships; Modelling with Matrices; Statistical Models; Financial Models; and Discrete Models — developing broad applied mathematical skills across linear programming, matrix modelling, statistical inference, financial mathematics, and network and decision mathematics. Stage 2 General Mathematics is assessed through a combination of school-assessed coursework and a SACE external examination, and contributes to the ATAR. It is the recommended continuation of Stage 1 General Mathematics and is well suited to students planning university study in fields that benefit from applied and quantitative mathematical reasoning.

SACE Stage 2 Specialist Mathematics is the most advanced Stage 2 Mathematics subject aligned to the SACE Board Specialist Mathematics subject outline, and is studied concurrently with Mathematical Methods. It covers six topics — Mathematical Induction; Complex Numbers; Functions and Sketching Graphs; Vectors in Three Dimensions; Integration Techniques and Applications; and Rates of Change and Differential Equations — developing the abstract algebraic, proof-based, vector, complex number, and advanced calculus content that distinguishes Specialist Mathematics from all other SACE Mathematics subjects. Specialist Mathematics is assessed through a combination of school-assessed coursework and a SACE external examination, and contributes to the ATAR. It provides the highest level of mathematical rigour available in the SACE and is the strongest preparation for university study in mathematics, physics, and engineering in South Australia.