Latin in classical high schools and mathematics in scientific high schools. This is followed by humanities in the humanities major, business economics for technical institutes specializing in economics (Administration, Finance, and Marketing), tourism and business disciplines for tourism, and design, construction, and systems for the "Construction, Environment, and Territory" major. These are just some of the subjects currently awaiting Italian high school graduates who are called upon to take the written exam that defines their course of study.

The bell rang at 8:30 a.m. throughout Italy , and as the ministerial envelopes were opened, the first clues began to emerge. At the classical high school , a passage from the first book of Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria , one of the most important pedagogical works of antiquity, was presented. In the chosen passage, the author reflects on the role of music in the formation of the perfect orator . Students are required to understand and interpret the text, perform linguistic and stylistic analysis, and delve deeper into the subject, accompanied by personal reflections.

In the science program , the math test is divided into two problems . The first concerns the water level of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome, used as a water reserve. Students must analyze tabulated data from 2016 and 2017 sampling and construct a mathematical model describing the lake's level changes over time. The second problem is a classic functional analysis, with the various analysis steps and the corresponding graph. This is followed by eight questions. Students must choose four of them. The questions include other real-life situations involving playful and sporting aspects: a volleyball tournament and a game of scopone. According to rumors, the game "Cover the Spot" is also mentioned.

At the beginning of the math test, the students found a quote by Albert Einstein about the uncertainty of mathematics applied to reality, taken from "Geometrie und Erfahrung," a 1921 lecture. "To the extent that the theorems of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain, and to the extent that they are certain, they do not refer to reality." The closing quote of the exams is: "Mathematics is the most beautiful game in the world. It absorbs more than chess, gambles more than poker, and lasts longer than Monopoly. It is free, and can be played anywhere. Archimedes did it in a bathtub" by Professor Richard J. Trudeau, Dots and Lines, Kent State University Press, 1976.