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GED Mathematics

Introduction

The Mathematics section of the GED is the longest of the test's five sections in terms of the time you have in which to complete it. It consists of 50 questions and is allotted ninety minutes, leaving approximately 1.8 minutes per question.

Math Section	Number of questions	Time given	Use of calculator
Part I	25	45 minutes	Yes
Part II	25	45 minutes	No

1. Question Types

   a. Multiple-choice

Of the fifty math questions, forty of them will be multiple-choice.

You are given a problem and 5 possible answer choices. You must choose the answer choice that best answers the question being asked.

The other ten questions are “alternate format” questions of the following forms:

   b. Standard Grid

Instead of choosing from a group of answers, you must find the answer value and “bubble” it in using the Standard Grid provided. Notice that it allows for decimal or fractional answers. There are multiple ways to express the same value. As long as your answer is equivalent to the correct answer, it will be accepted as correct. For example, .75, 0.75, and ¾ are all equivalent and will be accepted, as long as you bubble it in correctly.

Standard Grid Diagram

Standard Grid problems will never require you to enter a negative number.

Repeating decimals should be rounded off or converted into a fraction. 5.33333… could be 5.33 or 5 1/3. If the number were something like 5.55666, however, you would round up and off to 5.56. As a general mathematical rule of thumb, you should round off to the nearest hundredth (the second number after the decimal).

   c. Coordinate Plane Grid

To answer a graphing problem, you are given a coordinate plane grid. You will need to bubble in the space that corresponds to the coordinate (x,y) value of your answer.

Coordinate Plane Grid Diagram

   a. Formulas

You are provided a list of formulas that you may use for the entire test.

If you need to find the volume of a cone, for example, you can find the formula under “Volume”.

Then you can calculate the volume by plugging the radius and height into the formula.

Volume =1/3 x pi x r2 x h

We will examine formulas more closely in the lessons to come.

   b. Calculator

You will be given a solar-powered Casio fx-260 calculator to use for Part I of the Math test.

Familiarize yourself with this calculator or a similar one that has the same functions. Notice, for example, that you must press “SHIFT” once in order to use the functions printed above each button.

This will be an important tool. However, do not be dependent on it. In Part II, you will not be able to use the calculator. If you finish early, you are allowed to go back and work on Part I, but you do not get to use the calculator.

3. Content

The GED Mathematics exam deals with four general areas. The following lessons break down those four categories.

1. Working with Numbers

•  Number Operations and Number Sense

2. Simple Algebra

•  Algebra, Functions, and Patterns

3. Geometry and Graphing

• Measurement, Geometry and Coordinate Geometry

    4. Statistical Math

•  Data analysis, reading graphical representations of data
•  Statistics and probability

Math Lessons

1. Math Approach
2. Lesson 1A
3. Lesson 1B
4. Lesson 2A
5. Lesson 2B
6. Lesson 3A
7. Lesson 3B
8. Lesson 4
9. Summary
10. Practice Test

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