NECO past questions and answers

Try ten NECO past questions

Below are ten of them, from eight subjects. Tap "Show answer" to check yourself and read why.

1. From the 2004 NECO English Language paper

   1.Choose from the options lettered A - E the one that is nearest in Meaning to the underlined words or expressions in the following questions The voice of the best singer reverberated across the room.
   1. A
      Trembled
   2. B
      Echoed
      Correct
   3. C
      Intensified
   4. D
      Vibrated
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   Answer: B

   Reverberated means that the sound was reflected again and again off the walls of the room, so it rang out and continued to be heard — in other words, it echoed across the room. That is the nearest meaning to the underlined word.

   Vibrated is a trap: it describes rapid physical shaking of an object or surface, not the way a sound travels and resounds through a space, so it misses the sense of the word.

2. From the 2008 NECO Mathematics paper

   2.If A = $\frac{1}{2}$h (a + b), make 'a' the subject of the formula
   1. A
      a = (2A - hb)/h
      Correct
   2. B
      a = 2A/h + b
   3. C
      a = (2A - b)/h
   4. D
      a = A/h - b
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   A = ½h(a + b), and we want to make a the subject.

   Multiply both sides by 2 to clear the fraction: 2A = h(a + b).

   Divide both sides by h: 2A/h = a + b.

   Now subtract b from both sides to isolate a: a = 2A/h − b.

   Writing this as one fraction over h gives a = (2A − hb)/h, which is the correct answer.

   A candidate who adds b instead of subtracting it (sign slip while moving b across the equals sign) gets a = 2A/h + b, which is wrong.

   Another common mistake is forgetting to multiply b by h before combining over the common denominator, giving the wrong fraction a = (2A − b)/h.

3. From the 2009 NECO Physics paper

   3.A stone is thrown with a speed of 10ms at an angle of 30° to the horizontal, Calculate its time of flight, (g = 10ms²)
   1. A
      1.0 s
      Correct
   2. B
      1.7 s
   3. C
      2.0 s
   4. D
      0.5 s
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   The time of flight for a projectile launched with speed u at angle θ to the horizontal is given by:

   T = 2u sinθ / g

   Substituting u = 10 m/s, θ = 30°, and g = 10 m/s²:

   T = (2 × 10 × sin30°) / 10
   T = (2 × 10 × 0.5) / 10
   T = 10 / 10
   T = 1.0 s

   So the stone stays in the air for 1 second before landing.

4. From the 2009 NECO Chemistry paper

   4.What volume of carbon (IV) oxide in dm ³ is produced at s.t.p. when 2.50g of CaCO₃ reacts with excess acid according to the following equation? CaCO₃(s) + 2HCI(aq) → CaCl₂(aq) + H₂O(1) + CO₂(g)[CaCO₂ 100; molar volume of a gas at s.t.p. = 22.4dm ³]
   1. A
      0.56dm³
      Correct
   2. B
      5.60dm³
   3. C
      0.28dm³
   4. D
      1.12dm³
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   Step 1: Find the moles of CaCO₃ reacted.

   Molar mass of CaCO₃ = 100 g/mol (given). Moles = mass ÷ molar mass = 2.50 g ÷ 100 g/mol = 0.025 mol.

   Step 2: Use the mole ratio from the equation.

   CaCO₃(s) + 2HCl(aq) → CaCl₂(aq) + H₂O(l) + CO₂(g)

   1 mole of CaCO₃ produces 1 mole of CO₂, so 0.025 mol CaCO₃ produces 0.025 mol CO₂.

   Step 3: Convert moles of CO₂ to volume at s.t.p.

   Volume = moles × molar volume = 0.025 mol × 22.4 dm³/mol = 0.56 dm³.

5. From the 2001 NECO Biology paper

   5.Which plant stores food in its roots?
   1. A
      Cassava
      Correct
   2. B
      Sugarcane
   3. C
      Maize
   4. D
      Onion
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   Cassava stores food (mainly starch) in its swollen, fleshy storage roots. These tuberous roots are a major source of carbohydrate in tropical regions. Maize stores food in its seeds (endosperm), sugarcane stores sucrose in its stem, and the onion stores food in its bulb, which is a modified leaf structure. Cassava's storage roots are the plant part harvested for food.

6. From the 2009 NECO Government paper

   6.Nigeria endorsed the ECOWAS policy of free movement of people within the region in
   1. A
      1980
   2. B
      1990
   3. C
      1975
   4. D
      1979
      Correct
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: D

   Nigeria, as a founding member of ECOWAS, signed on to the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment on 29 May 1979 in Dakar, Senegal.

   This protocol guaranteed ECOWAS citizens the right to enter, reside and establish economic activities in other member states, and it set out a phased roadmap (entry, residence, then establishment) spread over fifteen years.

7. From the 2003 NECO Economics paper

   7.Which of the following is NOT a component of agriculture?
   1. A
      Crop farming
   2. B
      Forestry
   3. C
      Mining
      Correct
   4. D
      Livestock farming
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   Agriculture as a sector of the Nigerian economy has four recognised components: crop farming, livestock farming, forestry, and fishing. These are the branches a student is expected to know when agriculture is broken down in economics.

8. From the 2004 NECO Commerce paper

   8.Profit in partnership is shared according to
   1. A
      The amount of capital each partner contributed, regardless of any agreement
   2. B
      The terms agreed upon by the partners in the partnership agreement
      Correct
   3. C
      The number of years each partner has been in the business
   4. D
      Equal shares among all partners, as fixed by company law
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Profit in a partnership is shared according to the terms agreed upon by the partners in the partnership agreement (the partnership deed). When people form a partnership, the deed they draw up states, among other things, how profits and losses will be divided — this may be equally, or in a ratio based on capital contributed, workload, or any formula the partners accept.

9. From the 2005 NECO English Language paper

   9.Choose from the options lettered A - E the one that most appropriately completes each sentence. It’s important for you and _____ to be there.
   1. A
      myself
   2. B
      me
      Correct
   3. C
      I
   4. D
      mine
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   Answer: B

   me is the word that correctly completes the sentence: "It's important for you and me to be there."

10. From the 2008 NECO Mathematics paper

    10.In proving the congruence of two triangles, which of the following is not important?
    1. A
       Two angles and a corresponding side being equal
    2. B
       The two triangles having equal areas
       Correct
    3. C
       Three corresponding sides being equal
    4. D
       Two sides and the included angle being equal
    Show answerHide answer

    Answer: B

    Congruence of two triangles means they are exactly the same shape and size, so that one can be placed over the other with a perfect fit. This is proved using recognised tests: SSS (three sides equal), SAS (two sides and the included angle equal), and ASA/AAS (two angles and a corresponding side equal). Any one of these is enough to guarantee congruence.

The questions come from past JAMB, WAEC and NECO papers. We use software to help write the answer options and explanations, and every answer is checked twice before it goes on the site. How we check

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