WAEC 2018 past questions

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

We hold 860 questions from the 2018 WAEC papers in 18 subjects, each with the answer and an explanation. Below are ten of them, from ten subjects, and then every 2018 paper we hold.

Ten WAEC 2018 questions with answers

1. From the Mathematics paper

   1.

   The mean of 1, 3, 5, 7 and x is 4. Find the value of x

   1. A
      8
   2. B
      4
      Correct
   3. C
      6
   4. D
      2
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Sum of all values = mean × count = 4 × 5 = 20

   1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + x = 20

   16 + x = 20

   x = 4

2. From the Physics paper

   2.

   Which of the following is emitted in a process of natural radioactivity?

   1. A
      Neutrons
   2. B
      Protons
   3. C
      Alpha particles
      Correct
   4. D
      X-rays
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   Natural radioactivity is the spontaneous disintegration of unstable nuclei, emitting alpha particles (⁴₂He nuclei), beta particles (electrons or positrons), and gamma rays. X-rays are produced externally (e.g. in X-ray tubes), while free protons and neutrons are not products of natural radioactive decay.

3. From the Chemistry paper

   3.

   Which of the following methods can be used to seperate blood cells from plasma?

   1. A
      distillation
   2. B
      paper chromatography
   3. C
      centrifugation
      Correct
   4. D
      filtration
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   Centrifugation subjects the blood sample to a high centrifugal force that causes the denser blood cells to sediment to the bottom of the tube while the lighter plasma remains as a supernatant layer above them. Blood cells are far too small to be retained by a filter, and distillation or chromatography are not suited to separating intact cellular components from a biological fluid.

4. From the Biology paper

   4.

   The ascent of water in tall trees is mainly due to

   1. A
      Root pressure from the absorption of water by root hairs
   2. B
      Transpiration pull creating tension in the xylem
      Correct
   3. C
      Osmosis pulling water from cell to cell upward
   4. D
      Capillarity in the narrow xylem vessels
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Transpiration pull is the primary mechanism driving the ascent of water in tall trees. As water evaporates from leaf surfaces through stomata (transpiration), it creates a tension (negative pressure) that pulls water upward through the continuous column of water in the xylem vessels — explained by the cohesion-tension theory. Water molecules cohere strongly to each other and adhere to xylem walls. Root pressure and capillarity contribute but are insufficient to explain water movement to heights of 100 m or more.

5. From the Government paper

   5.

   The theory of separation of power is associated with?

   1. A
      Thomas Hobbes
   2. B
      John Stuart Mill
   3. C
      Jean-Jacques Rousseau
   4. D
      Montesquieu
      Correct
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: D

   The doctrine of separation of powers is most closely associated with Montesquieu (Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu), the French political philosopher who elaborated it in his influential work The Spirit of the Laws (1748). He argued that political liberty could only be preserved if legislative, executive, and judicial powers were held by separate and distinct bodies.

6. From the Economics paper

   6.

   demand pull inflation is likely to be caused by?

   1. A
      A decrease in the money supply leading to spending cuts
   2. B
      Excess demand in the economy outpacing productive capacity
      Correct
   3. C
      A rise in import prices due to currency depreciation
   4. D
      An increase in production costs of raw materials
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: B

   Demand-pull inflation occurs when aggregate demand in an economy exceeds aggregate supply, causing prices to rise as too much money chases too few goods. It is typically associated with periods of economic boom, high employment, and rising consumer and government spending. Unlike cost-push inflation (driven by rising production costs), demand-pull inflation originates on the demand side of the economy.

7. From the Civic Education paper

   7.The group of individuals in the society that are most prone to human trafficking are?
   1. A
      Religious and traditional leaders
   2. B
      Bank workers and businessmen
   3. C
      Women and children
      Correct
   4. D
      Civil servants and retirees
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   Women and children are the group most prone to human trafficking in society. They are often targeted because they are physically weaker, more trusting, less able to defend themselves, and are frequently lured with false promises of jobs, education, marriage or a better life abroad, only to be exploited for forced labour, domestic servitude, prostitution or child labour.

8. From the Christian Religious Studies paper

   8.

   The parents of Moses did the following to ensure his survival except__________

   1. A
      Presented him before Pharaoh to plead for mercy
      Correct
   2. B
      Made a waterproof basket of papyrus reeds for him
   3. C
      Had his sister stand watch by the river
   4. D
      Hid him for three months after birth
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   Moses' parents hid him, made a basket, placed him in the Nile, and had Miriam watch — they never presented him to Pharaoh; that was not part of their plan to save him (Exodus 2:2–4).

9. From the Commerce paper

   9.Commercial agents who are authorized to keep goods untill they are sold are?
   1. A
      Commission agents
   2. B
      Brokers
   3. C
      Del credere agents
   4. D
      Factors
      Correct
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: D

   Factors are the correct answer. A factor is a mercantile agent who is given actual possession of the goods by the principal and is authorized to keep and hold them until a buyer is found, then sell them, usually in the factor's own name.

10. From the Agricultural Science paper

    10.The structure of loam could be described as
    1. A
       Crumb
       Correct
    2. B
       Single-grained
    3. C
       Platy
    4. D
       Columnar
    Show answerHide answer

    Answer: A

    Loam is the soil type made up of a fairly balanced mixture of sand, silt and clay. Because of this balanced mixture, the soil particles clump together into small, rounded, porous aggregates (peds) that crumble easily between the fingers — this is called a crumb structure.

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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