Albert Einstein Mathematics Baccalaureate Exam Topics

The exam the young Einstein actually passed

In 1895, at age 16, Albert Einstein failed the entrance exam for the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich — but not in math: his marks in algebra and geometry were already excellent; it was the literary subjects (French, history, zoology) where he fell short. The principal of the Polytechnic then encouraged him to finish his secondary studies by taking the Matura, so he could be admitted directly, and the future genius headed off to the Aarau Cantonal School. In September 1896, he earned his Swiss Matura with mostly excellent grades, including top marks of 6/6 (the best grade) in algebra, geometry, and physics — finally setting the record straight on a long-standing school myth.

Dive into these two original exams (algebra & geometry) that the teenage Einstein faced, complete with the original questions and detailed solutions: see if you can measure up to the future father of relativity! 🧮✨