MATHEMATICS · CSAT (대학수학능력시험)
MATHEMATICS/11
Mathematics
Mathematics · 2020 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE)
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
5.0 / 5
100
100 min
Common-section function analysis and calculus, followed by elective items that differentiate top scores.
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
100
Duration
100 min
Session difficulty
5.0 / 5
Calculator policy
No calculators in any CSAT section. All arithmetic must be done by hand. English includes a listening section with broadcast audio.
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
KICE Mathematics assesses common Mathematics I and II content plus one elective from Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics through 30 questions in 100 minutes, 100 points, about 50% EBS linkage, and roughly 30% short-answer questions in 2024.
Common items continued to reward algebraic fluency, calculus modeling, and graph interpretation before the elective block.
KICE designs Mathematics items from the national curriculum achievement standards and publishes all questions and answers after the exam.
EBS-linked items about 50% means concepts, source themes, or problem types are linked, but wording and contexts are commonly transformed.
KICE publishes annual test-design directions (출제 방향) emphasising syllabus-faithful items, EBS textbook linkage (~50% of Korean, Mathematics, and English items), and post-2024 exclusion of extreme “killer” items outside public-education scope.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Cognitive skills emphasised in official test design.
Function and Graphical reasoning
Weight: 30100%Calculus/elective problem solving
Weight: 30100%Algebraic fluency
Weight: 2583%Short-answer accuracy
Weight: 1550%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
Calculus: Missing endpoint checks after finding critical points. — Write endpoints and stationary points in one table before comparing va…
Functions: Solving algebraically without respecting the domain. — Write the domain beside the function before any manipulation.
Short answer: Carrying a sign or fraction error into the final integer. — Recalculate the final two lines independently before marking.
Elective: Switching strategies mid-question and losing track of assumptions. — State the theorem or distribution being used before calcul…
Pacing: Spending too long on a high-number item because it looks familiar. — Set a hard stop and return only after all accessible questio…
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Official body
Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE)
Grading system
KICE standard score (mean 100, SD 20; range 0–200) with percentile and Grade 1–9 from national distribution
Scale band
Std score
Scale band
Percentile
Scale band
1
Scale band
2
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
1. Win the common section first
The 22 common questions carry most of the paper. Drill standard function, sequence, and calculus routines until early items are completed with minimal hesitation.
2. Treat short answer as exact arithmetic
Because no calculator is allowed, write clean intermediate steps and check signs, fractions, and endpoint substitutions before entering the integer answer.
3. Graph before solving
For functions, draw intercepts, monotonic intervals, asymptotes, or tangent behavior. Many items become inequalities about the graph rather than pure computation.
4. Study one elective deeply
Elective questions reward specialization. Build a compact formula and theorem sheet for Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics and test it on full mocks.
5. Use a two-pass clock
Finish routine questions first, mark candidate killer items, then return with remaining time. One unsolved hard item should not cost three medium items.
6. Review EBS by method
Classify EBS-linked problems by transformation, not page number. Ask what method transfers if the constants or graph are changed.
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
No data available in official reports
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Common Mathematics I: functions, exponential/logarithmic functions, trigonometry, sequences
Official topic weighting
Common Mathematics II: limits, differentiation, integration, function analysis
Official topic weighting
Elective: Calculus
Official topic weighting
Geometry, or Probability and Statistics
Official topic weighting
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Common Mathematics II: limits, differentiation, integration, function analysis
Common Mathematics I: functions, exponential/logarithmic functions, trigonometry, sequences
Elective: Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Mathematics: 30 questions: 22 common, 8 elective, including multiple choice and short answer
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Common Mathematics I: functions, exponential/logarithmic functions, trigonometry, sequences
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiCommon Mathematics II: limits, differentiation, integration, function analysis
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiElective: Calculus
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiGeometry, or Probability and Statistics
Official topic weighting
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
KICE Mathematics assesses common Mathematics I and II content plus one elective from Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics through 30 questions in 100 minutes, 100 points, about 50% EBS linkage, and roughly 30% short-answer questions in 2024.
- 2Message
Common items continued to reward algebraic fluency, calculus modeling, and graph interpretation before the elective block.
- 3Message
KICE designs Mathematics items from the national curriculum achievement standards and publishes all questions and answers after the exam.
- 4Message
EBS-linked items about 50% means concepts, source themes, or problem types are linked, but wording and contexts are commonly transformed.
- 5Message
KICE publishes annual test-design directions (출제 방향) emphasising syllabus-faithful items, EBS textbook linkage (~50% of Korean, Mathematics, and English items), and post-2024 exclusion of extreme “killer” items outside public-education scope.
- 6Pitfall
Calculus: Missing endpoint checks after finding critical points. — Write endpoints and stationary points in one table before comparing va…
- 7Pitfall
Functions: Solving algebraically without respecting the domain. — Write the domain beside the function before any manipulation.
- 8Pitfall
Short answer: Carrying a sign or fraction error into the final integer. — Recalculate the final two lines independently before marking.
- 9Pitfall
Elective: Switching strategies mid-question and losing track of assumptions. — State the theorem or distribution being used before calcul…
- 10Pitfall
Pacing: Spending too long on a high-number item because it looks familiar. — Set a hard stop and return only after all accessible questio…
- 11Strength
1. Win the common section first: The 22 common questions carry most of the paper. Drill standard function, sequence, and calculus rou
- 12Strength
2. Treat short answer as exact arithmetic: Because no calculator is allowed, write clean intermediate steps and check signs, fractions, and end
- 13Strength
3. Graph before solving: For functions, draw intercepts, monotonic intervals, asymptotes, or tangent behavior. Many items bec
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2020 2020
Mathematics
KICE Mathematics assesses common Mathematics I and II content plus one elective from Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics through 30 questions in 100 minutes, 100 points, about 50% EBS linkage, and roughly 30% short-answer questions in 2024. 2020: Common items contin
KICE Mathematics assesses common Mathematics I and II content plus one elective from Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics through 30 questions in 100 minutes, 100 points, about 50% EBS linkage, and roughly 30% short-answer questions in 2024.
Common items continued to reward algebraic fluency, calculus modeling, and graph interpretation before the elective block.
KICE designs Mathematics items from the national curriculum achievement standards and publishes all questions and answers after the exam.
Calculus: Missing endpoint checks after finding critical points. — Write endpoints and stationary points in one table before comparing va…
Functions: Solving algebraically without respecting the domain. — Write the domain beside the function before any manipulation.
- Total marks
- 100
- Duration
- 100 min
- Session difficulty
- 5.0 / 5
- Calculator policy
- No calculators in any CSAT section. All arithmetic must be done by hand. English includes a listening section with broadcast audio.
Session analysis
KICE Mathematics assesses common Mathematics I and II content plus one elective from Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics through 30 questions in 100 minutes, 100 points, about 50% EBS linkage, and roughly 30% short-answer questions in 2024. 2020: Common items continued to reward algebraic fluency, calculus modeling, and graph interpretation before the elective block. Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) emphasises common-section function analysis and calculus, followed by elective items that differentiate top scores.. Priority revision: Common Mathematics I: functions, exponential/logarithmic functions, trigonometry, sequences, Common Mathematics II: limits, differentiation, integration, function analysis, Elective: Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics. The 22 common questions carry most of the paper. Drill standard function, sequence, and calculus routines until early items are completed with minimal hesitation.
Updated 2026-07-03
Paper breakdown
Mathematics: 30 questions: 22 common, 8 elective, including multiple choice and short answer
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by syllabus topic
Revision priority from official test-design weighting.
Mark accessibility
Estimated difficulty spread based on official design.
Common-section function analysis and calculus, followed by elective items that d
Paper structure
Official paper breakdown for this subject.
Mathematics
100·10·100%
Official syllabus scope
KICE Mathematics assesses common Mathematics I and II content plus one elective from Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics through 30 questions in 100 minutes, 100 points, about 50% EBS linkage, and roughly 30% short-answer questions in 2024.
2020 session trend
Common items continued to reward algebraic fluency, calculus modeling, and graph interpretation before the elective block.
Difficulty verdict
Rated 5/5 for November sessions. Common-section function analysis and calculus, followed by elective items that differentiate top scores.
What examiners measure
1. Use algebra, functions, sequences, limits, differentiation, and integration to solve unfamiliar problems. 2. Model situations with equations, inequalities, graphs, and geometric or probabilistic structures. 3. Carry out accurate symbolic manipulation and short-answer calculation without a calculator. 4. Connect common-section methods with the chosen elective domain. 5. Recognize high-discrimination items and preserve time for accessible marks.
Where the marks are
Highest-weight syllabus areas: Common Mathematics I: functions, exponential/logarithmic functions, trigonometry, sequences; Common Mathematics II: limits, differentiation, integration, function analysis; Elective: Calculus, Geometry, or Probability and Statistics.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Common items continued to reward algebraic fluency, calculus modeling, and graph interpretation before the elective block.
- KICE designs Mathematics items from the national curriculum achievement standards and publishes all questions and answers after the exam.
- EBS-linked items about 50% means concepts, source themes, or problem types are linked, but wording and contexts are commonly transformed.
- The official timing is 100 min for 30 questions; pacing practice should match the actual OMR marking burden.
- Distractors usually represent common misconceptions, not random wrong answers, so elimination must be evidence-based.
- High-discrimination items often combine two syllabus domains or require interpreting a new source, graph, table, or scenario.
- A full mock should include answer-sheet transfer and a post-test error log organized by domain and mistake type.
- KICE mathematics items are built to reward reasoning path clarity even in multiple-choice form.
- The hardest items often hide a simple invariant, graph property, or symmetry after the setup is simplified.
- 2020: ceiling 141. Common section time management issues widely reported.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 100 min
- Total marks
- 100
- Weighting
- 100%
- Question types
- 30 questions: 22 common, 8 elective, including multiple choice and short answer
- The 22 common questions carry most of the paper. Drill standard function, sequence, and calculus routines until early items are completed with minimal hesitation.
- Because no calculator is allowed, write clean intermediate steps and check signs, fractions, and endpoint substitutions before entering the integer answer.
- For functions, draw intercepts, monotonic intervals, asymptotes, or tangent behavior. Many items become inequalities about the graph rather than pure computation.
Common mistakes
Calculus
Missing endpoint checks after finding critical points.
How to avoid: Write endpoints and stationary points in one table before comparing values.
Functions
Solving algebraically without respecting the domain.
How to avoid: Write the domain beside the function before any manipulation.
Short answer
Carrying a sign or fraction error into the final integer.
How to avoid: Recalculate the final two lines independently before marking.
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.