The Praxis I Math Test

The best source of information about the math test is the "Tests at a Glance" section on the Praxis web site located at http://www.ets.org/praxis. A printable version of Tests at a Glance can be downloaded from http://www.ets.org/praxis. THey provide content outlines, sample questions in each content area with rationale for the best answers and test taking strategies. Information on this page is grouped under the following headings:

• General Information
• Topics Tested
• Hints for the Test

General Information

Here's a list of information about the math test, taken from ETS's "Praxis I" booklet, (pages 31-32 and 49-52):

• -the CBT test lasts 55 minutes and contains 29 questions
• -the PPST test lasts 60 minutes and contains 40 questions
• -the math test examines your understanding of key concepts in math
• -the math test examines your ability to solve problems and use mathematical reasoning
• -the math test requires you to read and interpret visuals (graphs, tables, charts)

Topics Tested

• numbers, number properties
• fractions
• decimals
• ratios and proportions
• percentages
• representing numbers in more than one way
• place value of numbers
• commutative, associative, and distributive properties
• addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
• estimate and evaluate estimates
• interpret and assign simple probability
• solve simple equations and inequalities
• predict results of changing some part of an equation
• discover patterns in procedures
• interpret graphics
• determine if statements based on data are true/false
• determine average, range, median, mode
• draw conclusions from data
• U.S. and metric systems of measurement
• convert from one measurement to another, within the same system
• read calibrated scales
• determine measurements needed to solve a problem
• know and use formulas to measure lines, area, and volume
• recognize geometric properties (symmetry, Pythagorean theory)
• use basic logic
• interpret statements using and/or, if-then, some, all, none
• determine if an argument is valid/invalid

Hints for the Test

Again, I'm not an expert in math, but here are some suggestions that we'd follow if we were preparing for this test:

Diagnose your abilities. Determine how much you know and what you need to know. Start by answering the sample question in ETS's Tests at a Glance booklet. Look at your grades in math classes. Take a practice SAT, GRE, or ACT math test. Compare what you can do with the goals of the test.

Plan your strategy. Think about what you need to do to pass the test, what you already know, and your time schedule. Plan a schedule that has some flexibility but will get you to where you need to be.

Get help. Find a tutor, a friend, a software program, a workbook, or some combination of these tools to help you prepare.

Look for ways to practice. When you're cooking at night, turn the measurement into a word problem. Talk out loud as you solve it. When you get gas for the car, figure your miles per gallon. Consider the statistics you read in newspapers and magazines -- how might they be distorted? Before you go into the grocery story, estimate your expenses. Keep track of what you're buying as you shop (in your head), and compare your total to what the cashier figures. Help a child learn how to measure his/her height and weight. Convert quarts to gallons and back again. The more you use math, the easier it becomes.

Math anxiety. Math anxiety is a real phenomenon. Talk to an experienced math teacher/tutor about it. Read about math anxiety and how it might be overcome. Imagine you are an elementary teacher -- how might you help a student overcome math anxiety?

Form a study group. Find others who must take this exam and work out some practice sessions with them. You might split the cost of a group tutorial. Each person might become an expert in one of the five areas of the test, and help the others to improve within their area of expertise. Teach each other what you know.

Make practice tests. Imagine you're working for ETS. What questions might you ask a potential teacher? Why?

Listen to a voice of experience. Talk to practicing teachers who have taken the math test. What kinds of questions do they recall? What do they wish they had done to prepare? What are their suggestions?