Top Self-Study Resources for the NCEA Level 1 Maths Externals (1.3 and 1.4)
Updated for 2025
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Overview:
Exam date: Thursday morning, 13 November 2025.
Duration: 3 hours.
Year 11s will take one, or both, of the following Mathematics external exams:
1.3 - Interpret and apply mathematical and statistical information in context (5 credits). 1.3 is stats-based.
1.4 - Demonstrate Mathematical Reasoning (5 credits). 1.4 is algebra-based.
If you're not sure which exam(s) you're taking, check with your school. Then, jump to the relevant section of this blog.
We’re not affiliated with any of the resources we're about to recommend. These are simply the ones we use most often with our students at Trajectory Education, and we know they work. Both externals are relatively new (first introduced in 2023), so good resources are a little sparse compared to older NCEA standards.
Resources for 1.3 (Stats) - 5 credits
Summary | Cost | |
#1 Past exams
NZQA
 | You should work through: - the 2025 sample assessment (this is the new in-person exam style). - the 2023 assignment (still highly relevant, though the format of the test was different). It's partially redacted due to copyright, so you won't be able to do the whole thing. Best for: All students. Past exam papers are the best possible prep you can do. Past NCEA Level 1 exam papers can be found here | Free |
#2 AS 1.3
workbook
Sigma
 | A slim workbook which good starting point if you’re new to the 1.3 material. It doesn’t go super deep, but it covers the basics. Best for: Students just starting out, or those who need a quick refresher before tackling past exams. | ~$12 from major booksellers |
#3 AS 1.3 workbook
Walkermaths
 | Has more content and more practice than the Sigma book. It was written for the earlier format of 1.3, but it still covers the same underlying skills. Best for: Motivated students looking for plenty of practice on the leadup to the exam. | ~$18 from major booksellers |
Note: Up until 2025, 1.3 has been an “assignment-style” task completed at school. From 2025, it moves to an in-person exam — so the format of the test is slightly different.
Bonus shout-out: The YouTube channel Infinity Plus One, run by NZ Math teacher Mr. Chandar K, has brilliant walkthroughs of past exams. He's a legend in the game and well worth checking out.
Resources for 1.4 (Algebra) - 5 credits
The 1.4 external exam is focused around Algebra with a bit of graphing thrown in there too. It's considered the more difficult of the two external exams.
Summary | Cost | |
#1 Past exams NZQA  | You should work through the 2023 (pilot) and 2024 past exams.
Best for: All students. Past exam papers are the best possible prep you can do. Past NCEA Level 1 exam papers can be found here | Free |
#2 Unofficial practice exams
Sneddon Maths
 | A fantastic resource to supplement the small pool of official past exams. These 2 exams were written by a teacher and give students more exposure to the types of problems they’ll face. Best for: All students, after first going through the official (NZQA) past exams. Find the unofficial practice exams here (SneddonMaths) | Free |
#3 AS 1.4 workbook
Walkermaths
 | We use this book constantly with the students that we tutor one-on-one. It’s skills-based, with both targeted skills and also mini practice tests. Best for: Students who already know the Algebra basics but need to sharpen particular skills through repetition. Not the best for absolute beginners to Algebra. | ~$18 from major booksellers. |
Bonus shout-out: Again, the YouTube channel Infinity Plus One has brilliant walkthroughs of past exams.
As a final tip, remember that reading back over your notes is not studying. The best way to prepare is with reinforcement through practice, which is what these resources aim to do.
If you’d rather not go it alone, we're here to help. We've been helping Christchurch students smash these assessments since 2023. Our 1 : 1 tutoring is led by tutors who understand these assessments inside and out.