The Praxis Core exam is comprised of 3 parts: reading, writing, and math. Many people worry about the math section, especially if it’s been several years since they took a math class. To prepare for the exam, it’s helpful to know what to expect. Here are a few things that you should know about the exam.
The Exam
The Praxis Core math exam consists of 56 questions. These need to be completed in 85 minutes. That means that you have approximately 90 seconds per question. The exam is taken on a computer unless you request accommodations. Before beginning the exam, you’ll have a few minutes to check out the test format and ask any questions that you have about it.
Test Breakdown
The Praxis Core math exam is broken down into the following 4 parts:
- Number and quantity (approximately 1/3 of the exam) covers ratios, proportions, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, radicals, integers, and solving word problems.
- Algebra and functions (approximately 1/3 of the exam) covers real-life math problems, properties of operations, linear equations, functions, graphing, and modeling.
- Geometry (approximately 1/5 of the exam) covers geometrical figures, theorem circles, angles, area, surface area, volume, and geometric concepts.
- Statistics and probability (approximately 1/5 of the exam) covers statistical variability, distribution, random sampling, probability, linear models, and interpreting data.
How well do you know the content in each category? Then, determine what you should focus on for your studies.
Types of Questions
The types of questions found on the exam are similar to other computer-based Praxis exams. Some of the question formats include:
- Choosing the correct oval
- Selecting the right check box
- Indicating the choice in a drop-down menu
- Typing in the correct answer
- Picking the specified part of the graph
As a helpful hint for dealing with graph questions, try reading the question before perusing the graph. Then, you know what information to look for to quickly find the correct response.
Tools
In your quest to pass the Praxis Core math section, you have 2 resources to help you. The first is scratch paper, which is provided for you. Use the scratch paper to make notes, work through problems, note questions you need to come back to, and complete anything else that you need to do while taking the exam.
The other tool at your disposal is an on-screen calculator. Utilize the calculator by using the mouse or typing on your keyboard. Once you’ve completed the computation, the calculator gives you the option to “transfer display” so the answer will appear in the single answer box. To save time, only use the calculator on difficult or time-consuming calculations.
It’s important to be comfortable with the format of the exam. Then, you can focus on reviewing the content and preparing to ace the Praxis math exam!
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