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
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