Hello everyone! I’ve noticed many on the forums are asking about attending university in Spain, especially about the EvAU exam, often called the ‘Spanish Gaokao.’ As someone who’s been through it, I’d like to talk about one of the most discussed subjects: Mathematics! Specifically, Matemáticas II, a mandatory subject for science students. So, how hard is it? Let’s dive straight into some real exam questions so you can see for yourself.
Spain’s university entrance exam, known as EvAU or EBAU, has slightly different questions for each autonomous community, but the core knowledge areas are generally the same. Mathematics II primarily tests three main areas: Algebra, Analysis (which is calculus), and Geometry. The exam format usually gives you two options, each with 4-5 main problems. You only need to choose one option to complete, offering a good degree of flexibility.
Examples from Recent Past Papers
I’ve found a few representative questions online; you can find more past papers for the Spanish PCE exam and other past papers for university Spanish language exams here. You don’t need to solve them; the main goal is to get a feel for the question types and their depth.
1. Analysis (Calculus) Problem
Given the function f = / , find its domain, asymptotes, intervals of increase and decrease, and local extrema.
2. Algebra Problem
Given a 3×3 matrix A with a parameter a, discuss the rank of the matrix A based on the different values of the parameter a. Then, for a=1, find the inverse of matrix A.
So, how does this level of difficulty compare to the national college entrance exam in China (the Gaokao)? My personal take is that the Spanish math exam focuses more on the understanding and application of fundamental concepts and theorems. It rarely features ‘tricky’ or ‘oddball’ questions that require clever tricks or intense calculation skills. They are basically free points. To make the comparison more direct, here’s a simple table:
| Focus Area | Spanish EvAU Math | China’s Gaokao Math |
|---|
| Conceptual Understanding | Highly emphasized | Emphasized |
| Calculation Load | Moderate | High |
| Requirement for Tricks/Techniques | Low | Very high |
| Breadth of Knowledge | Broader | Deeper |
If you achieved an above-average score in math in your home country’s high school curriculum and diligently follow the Spanish high school syllabus, mastering all the topics, then you should have no problem handling the EvAU math exam. The key is to understand the definitions, not to rely on rote memorization or endlessly grinding through practice problems. I hope today’s sharing was helpful! Friends who are preparing for or have already taken the exam are welcome to join the discussion and share their experiences!
