Placement Test Study Materials
Since students are only permitted to take the Math Placement Test once, they are highly recommended to study for this test. Before taking the Math Placement Test students should review the topics that may be found on the test and the available study materials.
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Math Placement B Test
The Math Placement B Test is a computerized test that lasts 75 minutes comprised of 40 questions.
Test Topics:
Common topics that may be found on the B Test are as follows:
- Arithmetic of signed numbers, fractions, mixed numbers, decimals, scientific notation
- The number line -- rational and real numbers
- Properties of numbers -- distributive property, prime factors, divisibility, order of operations, least common multiple, greatest common divisor
- Exponents -- integral and fractional exponents, laws of exponents, simplification of expressions containing exponents and radicals
- Applied problems and formulas -- word problems, percent, ratio and proportion, geometric formulas, units of measure
- Linear equations -- slope, intercepts, slope-intercept form, parallel lines, solving linear equations
- Solving linear inequalities and inequalities involving absolute value
- Graphing -- ordered pairs, linear equations and inequalities, parabolas, and other equations
- Pythagorean Theorem, distance in the plane, perimeter, area and basic properties of geometric figures including triangles, circles, and parallelograms
- Systems of equations in two and three variables, and applications
- Polynomials -- addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
- Factoring -- common monomial factor, quadratics, by grouping
- Solving quadratic equations, complex numbers
- Simplifying rational expressions, complex fractions, solving fractional equations
- Logarithms and exponentials
- Right triangle trigonometry
Study Materials:
The Math Placement B Test assesses students' algebra skills. The Math Placement Test can place students out of Math 1050 Precollege Mathematics I and Math 1075 Precollege Mathematics II.
The Department of Mathematics has compiled a practice test with solutions.
- Math Placement B Test Sample Questions [pdf]
- Math Placement B Test Sample Question Answers [pdf]
The Department of Mathematics course pages provide sample syllabi and practice midterms and finals.
The Ohio State Universtity, University Libraries has nearly 200 Math and Statistics textbooks available as ebooks or download. Students can search through these books on the University Libraries Mathematics & Statistics-Supplemental Books and Videos page.
Math Placement D Test
The Math Placement D Test is a computerized test that lasts 75 minutes comprised of 25 questions.
Test Topics:
Common topics that may be found on the D Test are as follows:
- Fundamental concepts of algebra -- including all topics on the B test listed above
- Equations and inequalities -- linear and quadratic equations, fractional equations, equations with radicals, equations quadratic in form, inequalities and sets, equations and inequalities in absolute value, quadratic inequalities, systems of two equations in two variables
- Functions -- coordinate systems, relations, one to one functions, domain and range, graphs of functions (expansions, contractions, translations and reflections), determination of symmetry and asymptotes, composite and inverse functions
- Quadratic functions (properties and graphs), graphs of polynomial functions of degree >2, rational functions (properties and graphs), conic sections (standard forms and graphs)
- Exponential and logarithmic functions, properties and graphs, solving log and exponential equations
- Right triangle trigonometry, angles, evaluation of trig and inverse trig functions
- General trigonometry, trig functions and their properties, evaluating trig functions, reference angles, graphs of trig and inverse trig functions, amplitude, phase shift
- Analytic trigonometry, trig identities and equations, addition formulas and multiple angle formulas, sum and product formulas, law of sines and cosines, vectors
- Complex numbers, definition, conjugates, inverses, complex roots of equations, trig form of complex numbers, powers and roots of complex numbers, DeMoivre's theorem
Study Materials:
The Math Placement D Test assesses students' precalculus skills. The Math Placement Test can place students out of Math 1148 College Algebra, Math 1149 Trigonometry, and Math 1150 Precalculus.
The Department of Mathematics has compiled a practice test with solutions.
- Math Placement D Test Sample Questions [pdf]
- Math Placement D Test Sample Question Answers [pdf]
The Department of Mathematics course pages provide sample syllabi and practice midterms and finals.
The Ohio State University, University Libraries has nearly 200 Math and Statistics textbooks available as ebooks or download. Students can search through these books on the University Libraries Mathematics & Statistics-Supplemental Books and Videos page.