Chapter 14

Safety in Numbers: Facing the Mathematical Reasoning Test

IN THIS CHAPTER

Identifying the skills you need for the Math test

Getting a handle on the test format

Preparing for the test using a few tried-and-true strategies

Welcome to the dreaded Mathematical Reasoning test (or Math test for short). Although you may have done everything to avoid math in high school, you can’t escape this test if you want to pass the GED. To tell you the truth, test takers really do have nightmares about this test, but don’t worry! This chapter helps you prepare, not for having nightmares, but for taking the test successfully.

Most of the questions on the other GED test sections are about reading comprehension: You’re given a passage and are expected to understand it well enough to correctly answer the questions that follow. Although you can prepare for the other tests by doing a lot of reading and taking sample tests, you don’t have to come in with a lot of knowledge or great skills in the test areas themselves.

The Mathematical Reasoning test is different. It tests your understanding of mathematical concepts and your ability to apply them to situations you may find in the real world. That means you have to spend time solving as many problems as you can and improving your math skills as much as possible before you take this test. This chapter gets you started by introducing the test format and the skills it covers and then providing some tips and tricks for tackling the test.

Looking at the Skills the Math Test Covers

To do well on the Math test, you need to have a general understanding of numbers, their relationships to one another, measurements, geometry, data analysis and statistics, probability, patterns, functions, and algebra. (If you don’t know what we mean by these terms, check out the next section “Understanding the Test Format.”) In essence, to be successful on this test, you need to have the mathematical knowledge base that most high-school graduates have, and you need to know how to apply it to solve real-life problems.

The GED Math test provides a formula sheet for you to use during the test. Keep in mind that you may not need all the formulas provided, and you may not need a formula for every question. Part of the fun of math is knowing which formula to use for which problems and figuring out when you don’t need one at all.

The Math test assesses the following four areas.

• Number operations and number sense: Surprise, surprise — these problems deal with numbers. Here’s a breakdown of the two topics in this category:
  • Number operations are the familiar actions you take in math problems and equations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You probably mastered these operations in grade school; now all you have to do is practice them.
  • Number sense is the ability to understand numbers. You’re expected to be able to recognize numbers (not a difficult task), know their relative values (that 5 is larger than 3, for example), and know how to use them (which takes us back to number operations). In addition, number sense includes the ability to estimate (or approximate) the result of number operations — which is always a handy skill on a timed test.
• Measurement and geometry: Here, you get a chance to play with mathematical shapes and manipulate them in your head. You get to use the Pythagorean relationship (or theorem) to do all sorts of interesting calculations, and you get to use measurements to do things like find the volume of ice cream in a cone or the amount of paint you need to cover a wall. If you relax, you can have fun with these questions and then maybe even use a lot of the knowledge in real life. This category breaks down into two topics:
  • Measurement involves area, volume, time, and the distance from here to there. Measurement of time is a good thing to know when taking any test because you want to make sure you run out of questions before you run out of time!
  • Geometry is the part of mathematics that deals with measurement. It also deals with relationships and properties of points, lines, angles, and planes. This branch of math requires you to draw, use, and understand diagrams.
• Data analysis, statistics, and probability: If you pay attention and practice the concepts in this category, you’ll be able to think more clearly about the next political poll that shows that every representative of the party sponsoring the poll is good and all others are evil. This category breaks down into the following types:
  • Data analysis allows you to analyze data. You probably already practice this skill without realizing it. When you read about stock performance or lack of performance, calculate or read about baseball statistics, or figure out how many miles per gallon your car gets, you’re doing data analysis.
  • Statistics and probability are part of data analysis. Statistics is the interpretation of collections of random numbers and can be used to prove one thing or another; probability tells you how often an event is likely to happen.
• Algebra, functions, and patterns: You most likely use these concepts in everyday life, although you may not know that you do. Here’s a breakdown of the three types in this category:
  • Algebra is a form of mathematics used to solve problems by using letters to represent unknown numbers, creating equations from the information given, and solving for the unknown numbers — thus, turning them into known numbers. If you ever said something like, “How much more does the $10 scarf cost than the $7.50 one?” you were really solving this equation: .
  • Functions are part of mathematics. They involve the concept that one number can be determined by its relationship with another. A dozen always consists of 12 units, for example. If you were buying two dozen eggs, you’d be buying eggs.
  • Patterns are the predictable repeat of a situation. For example, if someone told you the first four numbers in a pattern were 1, 2, 3, 4 and asked you what the next number was, you’d say “5” pretty fast. This simple pattern involves adding 1 to each number to get the next one. Most patterns get more complicated than this one, but, if you keep your wits about you, you can figure out how to solve them.

Make sure you understand how to solve problems involving these four math concepts. (Check out Chapter 15 for practice problems, where we walk you through strategies on solving each type of math question you’ll see on the GED test.) If you already have a firm grasp on these topics, go ahead and take the practice tests in Chapters 23 and 31. However, if you need to review most of this material, read the following section and Chapter 15 for more info, and then take the mini–practice test in Chapter 16. You can check your answers and read the explanations when you’re done. If you need to review certain concepts even more, be sure to do so. Then you can take the full practice tests.

Understanding the Test Format

Math isn’t scary, and it has yet to appear as the villain in any major Hollywood horror films (at least that we know about). In fact, math can even be fun when you put your mind to it. In any case, the Mathematical Reasoning test assesses your abilities in math, so you have to be ready for it. This is the one GED test subject that requires a special way of thinking and understanding — improving your ability to think mathematically will make passing this test easier.

The Mathematical Reasoning test is 115 minutes long and consists of multiple-choice, drop-down, fill-in-the-blank, and hot-spot items, but it doesn’t have any type of essay question. You really have to be thankful for small mercies.

To get ready for the Math test, you first have to relax and realize that math is your friend — perhaps not a lifetime friend but a friend at least until you finish the test. You also need to consider that you’ve been using math all your life (and probably didn’t even know it). When you tell a friend that you’ll be over in 20 minutes, for example, you use math. When you see a sale sign in the store and mentally figure out whether you can afford the sale-priced item, you use math. When you complain about the poor mileage your car gets (and can prove it), you use math. You already know more math than you thought, and we show you the rest in this chapter.

Revealing Some Helpful Prep Pointers

As you prepare for the Mathematical Reasoning test, do the following:

• Master arithmetic fundamentals. About half of the Math test depends on basic arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, and fractions). The better you know the fundamentals, the better you can do on the test.
• Understand how to solve problems. To get a handle on how to solve basic mathematical problems, do a lot of practice problems before the test. The more problems you solve, the more natural solving problems will become. Borrow or buy as many math books as you can, and use the sample questions in them to develop your problem-solving skills. (Be sure to get one that also provides the answers so you can check your work.) Check every answer immediately after you work the question. If you answered it incorrectly, figure out why. If you still have trouble with that problem, ask someone to explain the solution to you. You can also check online for free math quiz websites that provide worksheets with answers. YouTube is also a good place to look for lessons on how to handle a particular math problem.
• Understand the rules of math. Textbooks are full of rules, theorems, hypotheses, and so on. Read over as many of these rules as you can, and try to explain the main ones to a friend. If you can explain a particular rule (the Pythagorean theorem, for example) to a friend and he or she understands it, you’ve mastered the rule. If you can’t explain it, ask someone to help you better understand the rule. If you’re not sure where to start, begin by looking at the formula sheet provided on the GED test (check out an example in Chapter 23 or 31). Try to explain what each formula does and how it works.
• Sign up for a math prep class or a math study group. The loneliest time is sitting in a room staring at a wrong answer without anyone to ask why it’s wrong. If you’re having trouble with math, swallow your pride and enroll for a math class or study group where you can get some help and have access to someone who can answer your questions.

• Take practice tests and check your answers. See Parts VI and VII in this book for two full-length practice tests. As you take the practice tests, answer every question and adhere to the time limits. Then, be sure to check your answers. Going through the answer explanations can help you figure out which areas you need more work on. Even if you get an answer correct, reading the explanation can be helpful.

  The only part of the test you can’t duplicate is the feeling of sitting in the examination room just before you start the test. But the more practice tests you take, the more comfortable you’ll be when test day finally arrives.

• Get familiar with the calculator ahead of time. You’re probably familiar with calculators that add, subtract, multiply, and divide. The calculator included on-screen in the GED Math test is a scientific calculator, which means it does all those operations and a whole lot more, such as calculating fractions, percentages, exponents, and problems involving parentheses. Note that you won’t be able to use the calculator on the first five questions of the test, and you won’t necessarily use all the keys on the calculator to take the test. Many test centers require you to preview a short film on how to use the calculator before taking the Math test. Call your local administrator to find out whether the film is available at your site. If not, you can always watch it on the Internet at www.gedtestingservice.com/testers/calculator, or check out www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoLZLsRXuKE. It’s worth the time to watch it.

• Read and make sure you understand what you read. What all the GED test sections have in common is that they all assess, in one way or another, reading comprehension; if you can’t read and understand the items, you can’t answer them. As we mention time and time again in this book, just reading isn’t always enough — you have to stop and ask yourself questions about what you read. A good way to practice this skill is to find an old math textbook. Don’t worry about the grade level or even the content. If it’s full of problems to solve, it’ll work. Read through each problem and ask yourself these questions: What does this problem want me to find? How can I calculate it? What is the answer in general terms?

  If you need more practice reading and understanding math problems, check out one of the following books (all published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.):

  • Basic Math and Pre-Algebra For Dummies by Mark Zegarelli
  • Basic Math and Pre-Algebra Workbook For Dummies by Mark Zegarelli
  • Math Word Problems For Dummies by Mary Jane Sterling