Science appears at SPM in two layers: one subject everybody takes, and a set of electives on top of it.
Sains — the core subject
Sains is one of the six compulsory subjects. It is general science covering material from all three disciplines, and it is what a student sits when they do not take the pure sciences. It is a real subject with a real grade, but it is not a substitute for Physics, Chemistry or Biology in an entry requirement that names those subjects.
The pure science electives
- Fizik — Physics.
- Kimia — Chemistry.
- Biologi — Biology.
These are separate electives with separate grades, normally taken together in a full science package, and normally taken alongside Additional Mathematics. A student who takes the pure sciences still sits Sains as part of the core.
Sains Tambahan
Sains Tambahan is an applied science elective in its own right, sitting between the core Sains paper and the full pure-science set. It suits a student who wants more science than the core provides without carrying all three pure subjects. Whether a given course accepts it in place of a pure science is a question for that course, and the answer is often no.
Matematik Tambahan, and why it decides so much
Matematik Tambahan — Additional Mathematics — is the elective that goes with the sciences and covers the calculus, trigonometry and statistics that Mathematics does not. It is not a science subject, but it is the one that most often decides whether a science package leads anywhere.
Engineering, computing, actuarial science, physics and most quantitative degrees expect it. A student who takes the three pure sciences but drops Additional Mathematics has a package that looks complete and is not, and that gap is usually discovered when the entry requirements are read — which is a reason to read them in Form 4.
The practical questions
- Does the intended course name Fizik, Kimia or Biologi specifically, or does it accept Sains?
- Does it require Matematik Tambahan, and does the package the student is choosing include it?
- If the school offers a two-science package, which two, and does that combination meet the requirement?
理科在 SPM 分成两层：一科人人都考，以及在其之上的一组选修。
Sains——核心科目
Sains（科学）是六科必修之一，属于涵盖三门学科内容的普通科学，也是不修纯理科的学生所考的那一科。它是有正式等级的正式科目，但在指明物理、化学或生物的入学要求里，它无法取代那些科目。
纯理科选修
- Fizik——物理。
- Kimia——化学。
- Biologi——生物。
三者是各自独立、各出成绩的选修科，通常在完整理科配套中一起修读，并搭配附加数学。修纯理科的学生，仍要考核心科的 Sains。
Sains Tambahan
Sains Tambahan（附加科学）是一门独立的应用科学选修，位置介于核心 Sains 与完整纯理科之间。它适合想比核心科多修一些理科、又不想扛下三门纯理科的学生。某一课程是否接受它取代纯理科，要问那个课程，而答案往往是否定的。
Matematik Tambahan，以及它为何这么关键
Matematik Tambahan（附加数学）是与理科搭配的选修科，涵盖普通数学没有的微积分、三角与统计。它不是理科科目，却往往是决定一个理科配套能否通往目标的关键。
工程、电脑、精算、物理与大多数量化学位都要求它。修了三门纯理科却没修附加数学的学生，配套看起来完整、实际上不完整；而这个缺口通常要到读入学要求时才发现——这正是应该在中四就读的理由。
实际该问的问题
- 目标课程指明的是 Fizik、Kimia 或 Biologi，还是接受 Sains？
- 它是否要求 Matematik Tambahan？学生要选的配套里有没有？
- 如果学校开的是两门理科的配套，是哪两门？这个组合符合要求吗？
More in this section本部分其他文章
SPM and the national syllabusSPM 与国家课程
- What is the national syllabus, and what is SPM?什么是国家课程？SPM 又是什么？
- How is SPM graded?SPM 如何评分？
- Are students still streamed into Science and Arts?SPM 还分理科班与文科班吗？
- Which commerce subjects are there at SPM?SPM 有哪些商科科目？
- English and Bahasa Melayu in SPMSPM 的英文与马来文
- When is SPM, and can I sit as a private candidate?SPM 什么时候考？可以以自修生身份报考吗？
Next step下一步
A question this page did not answer?这一页没答到你的问题？
Tell us the exam and the subject and we will answer it directly, usually within one working day.把考试与科目告诉我们，我们会直接回答，通常在一个工作日内。