WAEC 2017 past questions

Checked by the Skolra question team · Last updated 23 October 2026

We hold 663 questions from the 2017 WAEC papers in 15 subjects, each with the answer and an explanation. Below are ten of them, from ten subjects, and then every 2017 paper we hold.

Ten WAEC 2017 questions with answers

1. From the Mathematics paper

   1.

   Simplify the expression $\frac{a^2 b^4 - b^2 a^4}{ab(a + b)}$

   1. A
      a²b(b − a)
   2. B
      ab(b − a)
      Correct
   3. C
      ab(a − b)
   4. D
      ab²(a − b)
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Step 1: Factor the numerator.
   a²b⁴ − b²a⁴ = a²b²(b² − a²) = a²b²(b − a)(b + a)

   Step 2: Cancel with denominator.
   = a²b²(b − a)(b + a) / [ab(a + b)]
   = a²b²(b − a)(a + b) / [ab(a + b)]
   = a²b²(b − a) / (ab)
   = ab(b − a)

2. From the Physics paper

   2.

   Plane waves through a narrow gap emerge as circular waves. This phenomenon is known as

   1. A
      interference
   2. B
      diffraction
      Correct
   3. C
      refraction
   4. D
      reflection
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Diffraction is the bending and spreading of waves when they pass through a narrow opening or around an obstacle. When plane waves pass through a gap whose width is comparable to their wavelength, they spread out and emerge as approximately circular wavefronts — a classic demonstration of diffraction.

3. From the Chemistry paper

   3.

   Solubility curve can be used in the determination of the

   1. A
      density of a saturated solution at various temperatures
   2. B
      pH of a solution at different temperatures
   3. C
      effect of temperature on the solubility of a solute
      Correct
   4. D
      rate of dissolution at different concentrations
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   A solubility curve is a graph of solubility (mass of solute per 100 g of solvent) plotted against temperature. It directly shows how the solubility of a substance changes with temperature, allows identification of the saturation point at any given temperature, and can be used to estimate the mass of crystals that will deposit when a saturated solution is cooled.

4. From the Biology paper

   4.

   The structural similarities in Paramecium and Euglena are in the

   1. A
      Possession of a cell membrane enclosing cytoplasm with a nucleus
      Correct
   2. B
      Possession of cilia covering the entire body surface
   3. C
      Presence of chloroplasts for photosynthesis
   4. D
      Possession of flagella for locomotion
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   Both Paramecium and Euglena are unicellular eukaryotic protists that share the structural feature of being enclosed by a cell membrane with cytoplasm containing a distinct nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. Paramecium uses cilia (not flagella) for locomotion, while Euglena uses a flagellum. Only Euglena possesses chloroplasts, and only Paramecium is covered with cilia. Their shared cell membrane-nucleus-cytoplasm organisation is the key structural similarity.

5. From the Government paper

   5.Local government are vital in modern politics as they ________
   1. A
      Control the national defence budget
   2. B
      Bring government closer to the grassroots
      Correct
   3. C
      Manage the country's foreign policy
   4. D
      Make laws for the entire country
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Local governments serve as the third tier of government and are established to bring governance closer to the people at the grassroots level. They address the specific needs of local communities, mobilize local resources, and encourage popular participation in governance at the most immediate level.

6. From the Economics paper

   6.

   parallel markets are usually the results of

   1. A
      Increased volume of international trade
   2. B
      Rapid technological advancement in production
   3. C
      Free market competition among many sellers
   4. D
      Government price controls that create shortages or surpluses
      Correct
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: D

   Parallel markets (black markets) arise when government-imposed price controls set official prices below (or above) the market equilibrium, creating excess demand or supply. Buyers and sellers then transact outside official channels at prices that reflect the true market equilibrium.

7. From the Civic Education paper

   7.Drugs abuse often lead to?
   1. A
      A stronger immune system against disease
   2. B
      Addiction and other health complications
      Correct
   3. C
      Improved concentration and better academic performance
   4. D
      Increased physical strength and stamina
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Drug abuse means taking drugs in a way, quantity or for a purpose that was not medically prescribed, and it always harms the user rather than helping them.

   So the civic lesson is simple: drug abuse does not build the body or the mind — it breaks them down, which is why addiction and health complications is the correct consequence.

8. From the Commerce paper

   8.A disadvantage of rail transport is that?
   1. A
      It is restricted to fixed routes, so goods must be transferred to another means of transport to reach their final destination
      Correct
   2. B
      It makes it difficult for the sender to track the consignment while in transit
   3. C
      It increases the risk of damage to fragile and perishable goods in transit
   4. D
      It costs more per unit to transport goods over short distances than over long distances
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   Rail transport runs only on fixed tracks between fixed stations. It cannot go door-to-door the way a lorry or van can. So goods carried by rail almost always need to be loaded onto a road vehicle (or another mode) at the station before they reach the final buyer or warehouse. This lack of flexibility — needing a connecting means of transport to complete the journey — is the classic disadvantage of rail transport taught in commerce.

9. From the Agricultural Science paper

   9.The practice of mating closely related animals is called
   1. A
      Line breeding
   2. B
      Inbreeding
      Correct
   3. C
      Out-breeding
   4. D
      Crossbreeding
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Inbreeding is the mating of closely related animals, such as sire to daughter, son to dam, or full brother to full sister. Farmers sometimes use it deliberately to fix a desirable trait in a herd, but it is risky because it raises the chance that harmful recessive genes meet up, lowering vigour and fertility in the offspring (a problem called inbreeding depression).

10. From the Further Mathematics paper

    10.$\alpha$ and $\beta$ are the roots of the equation $2x^{2} - 3x + 4 = 0$. Find $\frac{\alpha}{\beta} + \frac{\beta}{\alpha}$
    1. A
       -5/4
    2. B
       7/8
    3. C
       -7/8
       Correct
    4. D
       5/2
    Show answerHide answer

    Answer: C

    For the quadratic 2x² − 3x + 4 = 0, using the root-sum and root-product rules: sum of roots α + β = −(−3)/2 = 3/2, and product of roots αβ = 4/2 = 2.

    We need α/β + β/α. Combining over a common denominator gives (α² + β²)/(αβ). And α² + β² can be written as (α + β)² − 2αβ, which uses only the sum and product we already know.

    So: (α² + β²)/(αβ) = [(3/2)² − 2(2)] / 2 = [9/4 − 4] / 2 = (−7/4) / 2 = −7/8.

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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