Which part of the math exam is a 'nightmare' for 10th-grade students in Ho Chi Minh City?

On the morning of June 7th, over 76,000 students in Ho Chi Minh City continued their 10th-grade math exam, which was also the final subject for those not applying to specialized schools. Among the questions, the three practical math questions were a source of anxiety for many candidates.

Students discuss math before the 10th grade exam.

PHOTO: NGOC LONG

At the exam site at Hong Bang Secondary School (District 5), Nguyen Thai Duc Huy, a student from Hong Bang Secondary School, said that his 10th grade exam yesterday went quite smoothly, with the Literature exam being a bit challenging while the English exam was easy. "For Math, the Ho Chi Minh City exam is always difficult every year, so I think it will be the same this year. When solving the problems, I will focus on the geometry section because it's easier to score points on, especially questions a and b," the male student shared.

Meanwhile, practical math is the part of the exam that worries Huy the most, because "I just solve practice problems instead of knowing how to practice practical math effectively." Besides school and extra classes, Huy said he also listened to some "TikTok teachers" solving math problems in other provinces and cities. Applying to Tran Khai Nguyen High School (District 5), Huy said he needs to score 6-7 points on today's exam.

Sharing the same sentiment, Pham Hiep Duy Khang, a fellow student at the same school, expressed his concern: "In the math exam, the practical questions are my 'nightmare,' because if question c in the geometry section were a calculation problem, I could still improvise. I hope the exam only 'hits' a few difficult questions to 'block' the score." Sharing his exam-taking strategy, Khang said he would focus on solving the easy questions first, then move on to the more advanced ones.

Similar to Huy, Khang said he also watched TikTok to review some key formulas, but not very often. He mainly focused on solving practice problems to improve his reflexes. With the final stretch approaching, Khang said he had solved about 10 math problems and hoped to be accepted into his first choice, Saigon Practice High School (District 5, part of Saigon University).

The candidates were cheerful before entering the examination room.

PHOTO: NGOC LONG

As for Tran Nguyen Khang, a student from Vinschool Central Park Primary, Secondary, and High School (Binh Thanh District), the practical math section scares him because the exam questions can come in many different forms, requiring candidates to understand the problem in order to accurately set up equations based on x and y. "I did well in Literature and English, so I hope my scores can help 'carry' the math exam," the male student specializing in Literature shared.

To prepare well for the practical math section of the exam, Tran Thi Nguyet Minh, a student from Nguyen Binh Khiem Secondary School (Nha Be District), said she even contacted her math-specialized friends for advice and guidance, in addition to solving many questions of this type. "The literature exam was very good, the English exam was manageable, but I'm afraid the math exam will be difficult. This is my 'nightmare'," the female student confessed.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, informed that the 10th grade math exam will cover the following knowledge areas: Geometry and Measurement; Numbers and Algebra; Statistics and Probability. The purpose of the exam is to assess mathematical abilities such as mathematical thinking and reasoning, mathematical problem-solving, and mathematical modeling. Three questions on practical math are worth 3.5 points, while the plane geometry problem is worth 3 points.

This morning, June 7th, more than 76,000 students took the 10th grade math exam.

PHOTO: NGOC LONG

This afternoon (June 7th), candidates will continue taking the specialized subject exam if they registered for specialized schools. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, the 2025 exam has 76,435 registered candidates and a total enrollment quota of 70,070 places, meaning approximately 91.7% of candidates will be admitted to public schools. On the other hand, the total enrollment quota for private schools is nearly 19,500 places, helping to reduce competition pressure compared to previous years.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/noi-dung-nao-trong-mon-toan-la-ac-mong-voi-thi-sinh-thi-lop-10-tphcm-185250607091218905.htm