Mathematics - Think. Solve. Excel
What is ICAS Mathematics?
ICAS Mathematics encourages creative problem-solving and analytical thinking, helping students develop confidence and mastery beyond the classroom—whether they’re in Year 2 or Year 12. It’s the perfect way to grow mathematical skills in a fun, challenging, and globally recognised format.
What is ICAS Mathematics?
ICAS Mathematics is a dynamic, skill-based competition designed to ignite curiosity and challenge young minds. From solving complex puzzles to spotting patterns and cracking problems, students in Years 2 to 12 can stretch their mathematical thinking in a fun and rewarding way—perfect for aspiring problem-solvers and future innovators.
Why is Mathematics Essential in STEM?
Mathematics is the foundation of all STEM fields—from coding and robotics to architecture and space exploration. By building strong maths skills, students develop the logical reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical abilities needed to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and beyond. ICAS Mathematics helps students unlock this potential and take the first step toward exciting, future-ready careers.
What Skils Are Being Tested?
Number & Arithmetic
Number & Arithmetic
Algebra & Patterns
Algebra & Patterns
Measurement & Units
Measurement & Units
Space & Geometry
Space & Geometry
Chance & Data
Chance & Data
- The primary school level papers of ICAS Mathematics assessments challenge and extend high-achieving school students while reinforcing key numeracy skills in these crucial foundational years. It provides them with a strong building block for future learning.
- When completing the Maths exam, students answer a variety of questions on topics such as arithmetic, patterns, geometry, data and pre-algebra, which increase in complexity throughout the paper and encourage the use of higher-order thinking skills.
- The Maths exam Introductory paper, for students in the equivalent of Year 2, assesses concepts such as skip counting, place value, time and probability. The questions in the Maths test may require students to solve number problems involving whole numbers up to 100, continue simple linear patterns with numbers and shapes, or read a basic table with frequencies and tallies.
- ICAS Mathematics tests more sophisticated skills as school students progress through the years. For example, in Paper A (Year 3) of the Maths exam, students may be asked to order and compare halves, quarters and eighths, multiply and divide by single digits using different techniques, describe 2D and 3D shapes or read and interpret common graphs. Papers B and C (Years 4 and 5) of the Maths exam assess knowledge of number sentences, areas and perimeters, metrics units, symmetry, angles and many other topics.
- Finally, in Paper D (Year 6) of the Maths assessment, in addition to more advanced questions on decimals and fractions, metric units and probabilities, questions may require students to complete number sentences involving all four equations, solve problems involving parallel and perpendicular lines, or interpret and compare column graphs, dot plots and tables. Our Maths tests are designed to test a wide variety of skills.
- The high school level papers of ICAS Mathematics assessments challenge and extend high-achieving students while preparing them for the advanced level of mathematics involved in various STEM subjects. When undertaking the Maths competition, students answer a variety of questions on topics such as algebra, measurement, geometry, chance and data, which increase in complexity throughout the paper and encourage the use of higher-order thinking skills.
- Maths exam Papers E and F, for students in the equivalent of Year 7 and Year 8, assess advanced content such as order of operations, angle properties and numerical probabilities, as well as new areas such as algebra, index notation, prime numbers, the cartesian plane and descriptive statistics. For example, questions in the Maths test may require students to solve percentage and ratio problems, interpret authentic graphs to solve linear equations, solve problems using angle sum of triangles and quadrilaterals, or calculate mean, median, mode and range.
- Mathematics assessment Papers G and H (Year 9 and Year 10) set the foundation for the final years of schooling by challenging and extending students on a range of mathematical topics. Students may be asked to convert terminating and recurring decimals to fractions, factorise linear expressions, solve linear equations graphically and algebraically, calculate various geometrical measurements, solve problems using congruence conditions for triangles, find probabilities of events involving ‘and’, ‘or’ and ‘at least’, or recognise the effect of outliers on measures of location and spread.
- Maths test Papers I and J (Years 11 and 12) also help students to prepare for their critical final years of schooling. Questions may require students to apply index laws involving integer and fractional indices, solve financial problems using simple and compound interest, solve and graph advanced algebraic equations and transformations, use trigonometry in 3D problems, calculate conditional probabilities or interpret histograms, box plots and scatterplots. While senior high school students often set aside some of their previous extracurricular activities, ICAS Maths assessments provide valuable exam experience and performance insights.
