34R ,Your question is definatly not superfluous in this topic.
There was no requirement 20 years ago to have Grade 12 Maths,Physics to join Qantas,nor was there any requirement to pay your own way to Sydney,yet alone pay for your own testing
I know if you did the rounds of the senior QF Captains (and they answered honestly) that you'll find some who don't have these subjects.
20 years ago the only outfit to require senior Maths and Physics was TAA,but of course if you came in from regionals that were taken over like Air Queensland then that didn't matter.
Just for interest I have flown the all singing all dancing aircraft and now I'm back to a more regional type of aircraft...no prizes for guessing which one is the more demanding!.