On the afternoon of 2/6, at the Truong Vuong High School test center, many students completed their specialized entrance exams for 10th grade, leaving in a torrential rain. Those taking the specialized physics exam left unusually late compared to other subjects.

Nha Uyen, from Asia International School, stated that groups taking the specialized physics exam were given an additional 15 minutes, causing them to leave last. The reason was an incorrect formula in the exam data. Specifically, the exam had 5 questions, each worth 2 points. Question one provided the formula: BC² = AB² + AC² - 2AB × AB × cosA. Uyen believed the correct formula should be BC² = AB² + AC² - 2AB × AC × cosA.

"Just before the submission deadline, a proctor announced that the formula in question one was incorrect and provided a correction," Uyen shared.

Question 1 from the Ho Chi Minh City 10th-grade specialized physics exam, as recalled by a test-taker, on 2/6. Photo: Le Nguyen

At the same test center, Hoang Ba, a student from Tran Dai Nghia Middle-High School, confirmed that this was the cosine theorem formula used for question one. Ba noticed the error early on but continued to solve it, thinking it might be intentional or would be addressed later.

"Some friends also questioned it, but the exam invigilator stated that their duty was only to record and report, not to independently adjust the specialized content," the male student recounted.

Ba corrected the formula himself and continued with the exam, so he was not significantly affected. The male student assessed the exam as long and difficult. Question 2 involved new knowledge, while the others were familiar problem types but required a high level of application.

A department leader confirmed the discovery of data errors in the 10th-grade specialized physics exam and stated that adjustments were made. All test-takers received an additional 15 minutes. This official added that the specialized department is reviewing the issue and may cancel the question, awarding all test-takers 2 points if the error directly impacted results.

The admission score for regular 10th-grade classes is the total of three subjects, plus priority and incentive points (if applicable). For specialized classes, the formula is the total score of the three aforementioned subjects with a coefficient of one, plus the specialized subject score with a coefficient of two.

Le Nguyen