How to Tackle the EBAU Mathematics II Exam in 90 Minutes

A concrete plan for time management and answer order for the exam in the Valencia region.

The Mathematics II exam for the EBAU (Spain's university entrance exam) in the Valencia region lasts ninety minutes. That isn't much time. More than once I've seen brilliant students walk out feeling they were missing half an hour — not because they didn't know the problems, but because they tackled them in the wrong order. This article isn't a content review: it's an operational plan for managing the clock without sacrificing rigour.

How the exam is structured

The paper offers two blocks of problems. The student must choose one problem per block plus a third, freely chosen from the remaining ones. In practice, that means handing in three worked problems out of the four offered, each worth roughly 2.5 points in its most recent version. Each problem is usually split into two or three parts with uneven weighting.

It's worth understanding this structure before starting, since it shapes the first decision: which three problems to attempt. Choosing well isn't the same as choosing fast.

The first five minutes aren't for writing

This is the rule that's hardest to internalise and that pays off the most. The first five minutes of the exam aren't for solving — they're for reading all four problems in full and jotting a quick mark in the margin for two things: how long each will take, and which parts you're confident about.

"Anyone who starts writing before reading the whole exam is betting before seeing their cards."

With that map made, choosing the three problems stops being a reflex and becomes a considered decision. The general rule I recommend: start with the most approachable problem, not the flashiest one. A clean matrix-algebra problem or an analysis question with clear derivatives builds the confidence needed to then tackle geometry or probability, which usually demand more focus.

Time allocation: 5 + 25 + 25 + 25 + 10

The scheme that works best in the classroom is this:

• 5 minutes of orderly reading and selection.
• 25 minutes per problem (three problems).
• 10 minutes of final review.

Twenty-five minutes for one EBAU problem is a reasonable margin: it leaves time to work through it calmly, mark each part clearly, and go back if a calculation doesn't add up. If after fifteen minutes on a problem you can't see a way forward, move on and come back to it at the end.

If you get stuck

Getting stuck is common and not a big deal. The real mistake is staring at a blank page. Three rules:

1. Reread the entire question, not just the part you're stuck on. The missing piece of information is often two lines earlier.
2. Write down what you do know: the domain, the sign, the derivative, the associated system. Force the pen to move.
3. If you're not unstuck within two minutes, skip to the next problem. You'll come back with a clearer head.

Mistakes that cost half a point without the student noticing

I've spent years marking EBAU-style exams, and most lost points don't come from content — they come from small, systematic slips:

• Forgotten domain. An optimisation problem where the endpoint of the interval isn't ruled out. Usually costs 0.25-0.5 points.
• Correctly computed derivative, wrongly substituted. The final number is wrong, and the student doesn't catch it because "the formula was right."
• Inverted probability. Confusing P(A|B) with P(B|A) is the costliest mistake in the probability block.
• Sign and units in geometry. A direction vector with a flipped sign that carries through the whole calculation.
• No written conclusion. "The maximum is 5" is half a sentence. Without "attained at x=2," the marker can dock a point.

None of these mistakes are about knowing less. They're about reading carelessly or not reviewing.

The last ten minutes

Final review doesn't mean rereading everything. It means three things:

1. Reread the original question for each part and check you've answered exactly that.
2. Check the order of magnitude of your results. A probability of 3.7 can't be right. Neither can a negative integral where the function is positive.
3. Close each problem with a clear conclusion sentence, underlined or boxed.

What to bring

A minor but important point: a scientific calculator is allowed (no graphing calculators), a non-erasable ink pen plus at least one spare, and a ruler. A wristwatch is allowed and very useful; smartwatches are not. Bring water if the exam centre allows it.

Before the exam: the day before

Don't study the day before. Spend at most an hour reviewing the formula sheet and common mistakes, have an early dinner, and sleep. The EBAU Mathematics II exam is won in the months beforehand, not the night before — but it can be lost with one bad night's sleep.

If you want to work on this strategy with exam-style mock papers, in our Bachillerato programme we spend the last six weeks of the course entirely on timed practice with the official marking template. You can also read more about how the EBAU exam in Valencia is structured in this other article on the format and cut-off scores.