How to Pass Quebec's Secondary 4 Math Ministry Exam

Why this exam matters for the diploma

To earn a Secondary School Diploma (DES), students need, among other requirements, 4 credits of Secondary 4 mathematics. The course is therefore a diploma requirement, and the ministerial exam is part of how it is evaluated.

According to the Ministry of Education's information document, the exam assesses a single competency: Uses mathematical reasoning (in French, Déployer un raisonnement mathématique). For the 2025-2026 school year, the exam was weighted at 50% of that competency, with the other half coming from school-based assessment. The Ministry confirms this weighting each year, so check the current document with your school.

The other competency, Solves a situational problem, is assessed in class by the teacher. On the report card, Quebec's official weightings give it 30% of the math mark, compared with 70% for mathematical reasoning. In short: the exam matters a lot, but so does the whole year.

What the exam looks like

Each of the three sequences (Cultural, Social and Technical, Technical and Scientific, Science) has its own exam, but they share the same format:

The official time is 3 hours, plus an extra 15 minutes if needed. Sessions are held in January, June and August. Parts A and B are marked right or wrong. Part C, worth 60% of the marks, is scored with a five-criterion rubric: forming an appropriate conjecture, using concepts and processes correctly, applying suitable reasoning, organizing the steps, and justifying them.

Topic weight depends on the sequence. In 2025-2026, geometry accounted for 46% to 54% of the marks in CST, while algebra accounted for 48% to 54% in SN. TS was more evenly split across algebra, geometry, and probability and statistics.

A 6 to 8 week study plan

Starting early means shorter, regular sessions instead of a last-week cram. Aim for three or four sessions of 45 to 60 minutes per week:

1. Weeks 1 and 2: find the gaps. Go back over this year's tests, list the concepts you missed and sort them by field (algebra, geometry, probability and statistics).
2. Weeks 3 and 4: fix weak topics. Prioritize the chapters that carry the most weight in your sequence, using short Part A and B style exercises.
3. Weeks 5 and 6: application situations. Do two or three Part C problems per session, writing out a complete solution as you would on exam day.
4. Week 7: full mock exam. Three timed hours, no help, then mark it with the rubric.
5. Week 8: consolidate. Write your memory aid, redo the mock exam mistakes, and protect your sleep.

The Ministry's document says teachers invite students to prepare a memory aid one week before the exam: one letter-size sheet, both sides, handwritten only (no photocopies). Writing it yourself is excellent review in its own right.

Practising with past exams

Ministerial exam content is confidential and sharing it is prohibited, so be wary of "real exams" circulating on social media. Teachers, however, often have access to past or practice exams released for teaching purposes. They are your best resource, so ask for them.

• Do at least one mock exam under real conditions: 3 hours, calculator, memory aid, no phone.
• Mark the application situations against all five criteria, not just the final answer. A correct answer with no work earns very little.
• Keep an error log: for every mistake, write the cause (reading, calculation, concept, justification) and redo the question two days later.

Managing your three hours

Sixteen tasks in three hours is enough time if you plan it. A split that works well:

• Parts A and B (about 30 to 40 minutes). They are worth only 40 marks. If a question stalls you, circle it and come back.
• Part C (about 2 hours). Budget around 20 minutes per situation and start with the ones that look most familiar.
• Review (10 to 15 minutes). Reread the questions and check units, the rounding asked for, and your concluding sentence.

In an application situation, a partial but clear solution can still earn marks. Writing down what you know always beats a blank page.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Missing or messy work. Two rubric criteria are about organizing and justifying your steps.
• Not answering the actual question. End every situation with a sentence that answers exactly what was asked.
• A calculator that was not reset. Stored data and programs must be cleared before the exam, and a student caught with stored data gets 0%. Learn how to reset your model well before exam day.
• A phone in your pocket. Having any personal mobile device, even switched off or unused (smartwatches and wireless earbuds included), also means a mark of 0%.
• An overloaded memory aid. If you cannot read it under pressure, it will not help. Keep formulas, one or two model examples and your personal traps.

Exam day, and how parents can help

The night before, pack the allowed materials: a reset calculator, ruler, set square, compass, protractor, pencils and the memory aid. In the morning, a real breakfast and arriving without rushing make a genuine difference to focus.

For parents, the Ministry's guide for parents (in French) sums it up: encourage your teen to read each question carefully, show their work and explain their reasoning. Students with special needs may be eligible for accommodations, so raise this with the school well before the exam.

If your teen would benefit from structured support, Stellaire Académie offers math tutoring for CST, TS and SN. You can book a session to build a review plan together.

Frequently asked questions