Tomorrow's Youth Today - GED Mathematics Test by Natalie Bottomley

· The mathematics test will make up 20% of the entire GED exam.

· The math test is divided into two sections. You will have 45 minutes to complete each section.

· The first section consists of 25 questions, and you will be provided with a calculator. For the second, also 25 questions, you cannot use a calculator.

· The two sections of the mathematics test will consist of a total of 50 questions: forty multiple choice questions, ten fill-in-the-blanks on a number grid, and two coordinate plane graphing questions.

· All of the 50 questions will be in word problem format, and within these word problems you will find charts, graphs, diagrams, and tables. In your test booklet, you will be provided with a formula page for both sections. The formula page provides you with formulas for area, perimeter, volume, coordinate geometry, Pythagorean relationship, measures of central tendency, simple interest, distance, and total cost.

· There will be 4 content areas tested on the exam: number and operations and number sense (20-30%), measurement and geometry (20%-30%), data analysis, statistics, and probability (20-30%), and algebra, functions, and patterns (20%-30%).

Example 1 (number sense and operations): Byung wanted to participate in the Run to Benefit Cancer Research. His goal was to get 50 people to pledge money to help sponsor his effort. Three of his relatives helped him get 12 pledges each, and he was able to get 32 people to pledge to donate on his own. By how many pledges did he exceed his original goal?

a) 62

b) 94

c) 44

d) 48

e) 18

Example 2 (measurement and geometry): Maria has a cylinder-shaped vase that she wants to fit with at least 2 inches to spare on a middle shelf of a shelf case. The vase has a volume of 62.8 cubic inches and a radius of 2 inches (pi = 3.14). What must the height of the shelf space be to fit the vase so that it is 2 inches below the shelf above it?

a) 5 in.

b) 6 in.

c) 7 in.

d) 4 in.

e) 2 in.

Example 3 (data analysis, statistics and probability): The Georgetown Little League sold 1600 raffle tickets for a trip to Florida . Members of the Rangers team sold 320 of the raffle tickets. What is the probability that the winning ticket was sold by a member of the Rangers?

a) 1/4

b) 1/5

c) 1/2

d) 1/50

e) not enough information

Example 4 (algebra): The expression 3(2x + y) – 2(x + y) is equal to which of the following expressions?

a) 3x + y

b) 3x + 5y

c) 6x + 3y

d) 10x – 6y

e) 5x – 2y

Click here for answers and explanations.