What Kind of Math Is on the GED Test?

<p>The General Educational Development (GED) exam is the most commonly used test to demonstrate high school equivalency in the US, used by roughly forty states as well the military and federal prison systems. It consists of four distinct tests on the subjects of reading, mathematics, social studies, and science, which can each be taken or retaken individually until all are passed. GED prep courses, designed to teach students all they need to pass the exam, are available across the nation, but are not required in some states that administer the exam. Many people worry about the mathematics section of the exam, which serves to test familiarity with basic math subjects often taught in high schools, like algebra and geometry. However, there are a number of options available, even aside from prep courses, which can give you what you need to study and pass the exam. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td><b>What's the GED?</b></td><td> A high school equivalancy exam, consisting of four subjects</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Math Concepts Covered</b></td><td> Arithmetic, fractions, percentages, exponents</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Algebra &amp; Geometry Covered</b></td><td> Solving for variables, reading graphs, using formulas for area, volume, etc.</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Preparation Recommendations</b></td><td> Prep courses, online practice questions and exams</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---WhatKindOfBasicMathIsOnTheGED">What Kind of Basic Math is on the GED?</h3> <p>A knowledge of arithmetic fundamentals is necessary to pass the GED's math section. Examinees will be expected to be able perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, often in the form of word problems to deduce answers such as price per hour. An understanding of fractions, percentages, and decimal values, and how they relate to each other, is also important, as questions may ask for you to do things like sort a list of fractions, decimals, and whole numbers by value from greatest to least or vice versa. Test takers should also be familiar with the concept of exponents and root values, particularly square roots. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatKindOfAlgebraAndGeometryQuestionsMightAppearOnTheGED">What Kind of Algebra and Geometry Questions Might Appear on the GED?</h3> <p>For geometry and algebra, a list of necessary formulas will be provided to examinees, so there is no need to be concerned about memorization. While formulas are provided, it is still critical to understand how and when to use these formulas and what they are used for. Test takers will need to know how to solve for a variable, and construct equations with variables in them using information given in word problems. It is also important to know how to plot these equations on a graph, and how to read and interpret graphs in general. Geometry questions heavily make use of the formulas, asking for the diameter, radius, area, surface area or volume of objects and shapes, usually accompanied by an image to help clarify what formula should be used. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatCanIDoToPrepareForTheMathematicsSectionOfTheGEDExam">What Can I do to Prepare for the Mathematics Section of the GED Exam?</h3> <p>The GED website offers some practice exam questions and samples of concepts. Many different study guides and access to online resources are also available to purchase. Some states' departments of education websites will offer additional study resources for free. Depending on your state, other exams, such as the TASC or HiSET, also test high school equivalency and those practice resources could also be used. Be sure to check with the department of education in your state to find out what the requirements are and what options are available at the beginning of your journey to high school equivalency.</p>