MATRIC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield MATRIC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A learner scored 36 out of 50 in a test. What is this as a percentage? → 72%
2. Which type of rock is formed when magma cools and solidifies, either below or on the Earth's surface? → Igneous
3. What is the past tense of the verb 'to bring'? → Brought
4. If trading stock costing R5 000 is sold for R8 000, what is the gross profit? → R3 000
5. What is the SI unit of force? → Newton
6. Which organelle is known as the powerhouse of the cell? → Mitochondrion
7. Choose the antonym (opposite) of 'expand'. → Contract
8. Which gas is taken in by humans during breathing and used in cellular respiration? → Oxygen
9. What is the gradient of the line joining the points A(2; 3) and B(6; 11)? → 2
10. Which of the following is a PUSH factor that drives people to leave their home area? → Drought and crop failure
11. Solve for x: log_2(x) = 5. → 32
12. What is the basic accounting equation? → Assets = Owner's Equity + Liabilities
13. What is the term for the flat, low-lying land on either side of a river that is periodically flooded and covered with deposited sediment? → Flood plain
14. What term describes permanently frozen subsoil found in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions that remains frozen throughout the year? → Permafrost
15. Money the owner takes out of the business for personal use is recorded as: → Drawings
16. In the sentence 'She read the article quickly', which word is the adverb? → quickly
17. Convert 2.5 kilometres to metres. → 2 500 m
18. What type of bond forms between a metal and a non-metal through the transfer of electrons? → Ionic bond
19. What is the contour interval on a map? → The fixed difference in elevation between consecutive contour lines
20. DNA carries the genetic code. What are the four bases of DNA? → A, T, G and C
21. Which quantity is a vector? → Velocity
22. What is the basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms? → The cell
23. South Africa's most populous metropolitan area, which forms the economic heartland of the country, is located in which province? → Gauteng
24. Identify the figure of speech: 'The wind whispered through the trees.' → Personification
25. What is the term for the process of wearing away and transporting surface material by agents such as water, wind, and ice? → Erosion
26. Natural selection was proposed as a mechanism of evolution by which scientist? → Charles Darwin
27. What is the term for the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas in search of better employment and services? → Rural-urban migration
28. On a topographic map, what does a contour line represent? → A line connecting points of equal altitude above sea level
29. A taxi charges a flat fee of R12 plus R3 per kilometre. What does a 10 km trip cost? → R42
30. Which type of economic activity involves providing services to consumers rather than producing goods? → Tertiary sector