How much knowledge do students need for the high school final exams in mathematics? A comparison between Hungary and Germany

Abstract

In this paper we compare the final exams in mathematics in Hungary and Germany (exemplified by the federal state Berlin). Both the high school curricula and the examination systems in these two countries vary considerably. Therefore we have to consider not only the “level” of mathematical knowledge which is needed to pass the exams but also the wideness of knowledge and skills which students need and the "predictability" of the examination tasks. We take these factors into account by analyzing Hungarian and German examination assignments during the last five years. Due to lack of space, we restrict to the fields of non-linear equations, functions and analysis. The results we get based on these topics are symptomatic also for other fields. Both in Hungary and in Berlin (as in the most federal states of Germany) there are two levels of exams. Here we compare the "lower level" exams (intermediate level in Hungary and basic courses in Berlin).