The three score tiers define review scope, not an exact number of correct answers
According to the official syllabus (2025 edition), the CSCA Math exam lasts 60 minutes and contains 48 single-choice questions, with a full score of 100. However, the official side has not published the point value of each question, so we cannot precisely convert "60, 75, 85" into "how many questions to answer correctly." In this article, the three score tiers serve only as a reference for review scope: they tell you what to learn first, what to learn later, and what you can temporarily set aside—they are not a score cutoff.
We counted 7 past papers with 333 questions in total (each question counted once, by its main tested point). The results are as follows:
- 16 knowledge points appeared in all 7 papers, totaling 223 questions, or 67% of all questions
- 26 knowledge points appeared in at least 5 papers, totaling 290 questions, or 87%
- 41 knowledge points appeared at least once, totaling 333 questions, i.e. all questions
- 13 knowledge points never appeared
This data determines the review paths for the three tiers: the 60-point tier corresponds to those 16 must-know points; the 75-point tier extends to 26; the 85-point tier covers all 41, fills in the content not yet tested according to the syllabus, and at the same time builds speed and accuracy.
60-point tier: first master the 16 must-know points
What to study (numbers in parentheses are question counts in the 7 past papers)
- Functions: definitions and relationships of trigonometric functions (36), logarithms and logarithmic functions (16), concept of functions (12), graphs and properties of sine and cosine functions (10), inverse functions (9)
- Sequences: arithmetic sequences (21), concept of sequences and related formulas (13), geometric sequences (13)
- Analytic geometry: rectangular coordinate plane (23), circles (14), parallel and perpendicular lines in the plane (12), ellipses (10), angle of inclination and slope of a line in the plane (9), equations of lines in the plane (8)
- Sets and inequalities: solving quadratic inequalities in one variable (10), operations on sets (7)
These 16 knowledge points account for 67% of the questions and are the highest-value block.
To what level should you practice
- For every must-know point, you should be able to "see the question, judge what it tests, and write down the first step"
- First practice by knowledge point; once you can consistently answer basic questions correctly, start doing full papers
- Classify wrong answers by knowledge point and go back to relearn the corresponding point, rather than only looking at the answer
What you can leave for now
- Temporarily set aside the other 25 tested knowledge points
- Do not touch the 13 untested knowledge points for now
- Put highly comprehensive difficult questions aside for now, and return to them once the must-know points are stable
75-point tier: expand from 16 to 26 points
The 10 new points (each tested in at least 5 papers; 67 questions in total)
- Parabolas (10), solving fractional inequalities (7), trigonometric reduction formulas (7), double-angle formulas for sine, cosine and tangent (7), properties of inequalities (6), monotonicity of functions (6), even-odd properties of functions (6), the four operations with complex numbers (6), intersection points of lines in the plane (6), hyperbolas (6)
How far you should practise
- Be able to work through medium-difficulty questions on all 26 points on your own
- Start timing yourself: finish a full paper in 60 minutes, which averages 75 seconds per question
- Follow this order: answer the questions you know first, skip the ones you get stuck on, and come back to them at the end
- For every wrong question, be able to say exactly which knowledge point the error came from, and whether it was a gap in ability or a careless slip
What you can leave for now
- The 15 points tested in only 1 to 4 papers: do not study them systematically yet
- The 13 points never tested: keep putting them off
85-point tier: cover all 41 points, then fill the gaps in the syllabus
Add 15 more (tested in 1 to 4 papers; 43 questions in total)
- Power functions (5), graphs and properties of tangent and cotangent functions (5), half-angle formulas (5), linear operations on plane vectors (4), coordinates and operations of plane vectors (4), the classical probability model (4), relationships between sets (3), exponential functions (3), the definition of complex numbers (3), the definition of sets (2), and product-to-sum and sum-to-product formulas, the concept of plane vectors, the scalar product of plane vectors, the definition and properties of probability, and independence of random events (1 each)
Fill in untested topics according to the syllabus
- 13 points have never been tested, such as permutations and combinations, the binomial theorem, conditional probability, random variables, the normal distribution, and numerical characteristics of data (mean, variance)
- "Never tested" does not mean "will not be tested": the normal distribution and mean/variance both appear in the official syllabus
- For these points, aim only to handle basic questions; there is no need to dig deep
How far you should practise
- Be able to handle all 41 points independently, leaving no blanks on the less common ones
- Finish a full paper within 60 minutes and still leave time for checking
- Do not lose points on questions you can answer: track and correct careless mistakes specifically
- Training cycle: full-paper mock exam → sort wrong questions by knowledge point → go back to those points and fill the gaps → mock exam again
How to choose among the three tiers
- Base the choice on three things: your most recent full-paper performance, how well you have mastered the 16 must-know points, and whether you can finish within 60 minutes
- If the must-know points still show obvious gaps → follow the 60-point tier first
- If the must-know points are stable but gaps remain among the 26 points → follow the 75-point tier
- If all 26 points are stable and you want to aim high → follow the 85-point tier
- Common misunderstandings: treating the three tiers as exact numbers of correct answers; starting by studying all 41 points at once and ending up with shaky must-know points; doing only past papers without looking at the syllabus
- The three tiers are only suggestions for review order, not official score cutoffs. The official website states that each university sets its own CSCA score requirements according to its programme requirements; for the specifics, refer to the admissions instructions of your target school.
Next steps
- Start with a 15-minute diagnostic on CSCA.PRO (24 questions) to identify which modules are weak.
- Then go to the Learning Center to study and practise by knowledge point.
- Path: diagnostic → study using the tier checklist → full-paper mock exam → return to the Learning Center to close gaps on missed questions.