Mathematical Reasoning

Overview
Official information regarding the Mathematical Reasoning test is at GED.com.

The Mathematical Reasoning test runs 115 minutes and is given as follows:
Part I
• 5 questions
• 12 minutes
• content: basic math
• calculator not allowed
• “scratch paper” in the form of a marker with a wipe-off board provided
Break
• 3 minutes
Part II
• approximately 40 questions
• 100 minutes
• content: basic math, basic algebra, geometry, graphs/functions
• calculator allowed
• “scratch paper” in the form of a marker with a wipe-off board provided

A passing score is 145 (out of 200).

Mathematical Reasoning provides you with the following on-screen tools:
• on-screen calculator – english
• on-screen calculator – spanish
• calculator reference sheet – english
• calculator reference sheet – spanish
• mathematics formula sheet – english
• mathematics formula sheet – spanish
• mathematics symbol selector

The TI-30XS MultiView Scientific Calculator, pictured at the top of this page, is the official calculator of the GED. The GED provides an on-screen TI-30XS MultiView Scientific Calculator during the test, but you will need the handheld TI-30XS MultiView Scientific Calculator while you study before the test, especially outside of class. As a supplement to the on-screen calculator, you should bring your own handheld calculator for use at the test. No other brand of handheld calculator is allowed. The TI-30XS MultiView Scientific Calculator is available for about $20.00 from many different vendors, including Amazon, Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples, and Walmart, to name a few.

Mathematical Reasoning requires you to have a “deep” rather than “shallow” understanding of math fundamentals. Some questions will test only one skill in one topic. Other questions will test your ability to combine more than one skill in more than one topic.

Although the Mathematical Reasoning module does provide a Mathematics Formula Sheet to help with calculations involving algebra and geometry, this sheet is limited in such areas as:
• Not specifying supplementary formulas related to provided formulas.
For example, the provided formula for the Pythagorean Theorem is a² + b² = c².
In order to answer questions pertaining to the Pythagorean Theorem, you will need to be familiar with such supplementary formulas as c = √c² .
• Not necessarily providing guidance regarding order of operations.
For example, because of Order of Operations, the way in which you enter numbers into the calculator can have a major impact on division involving scientific notation:
9.5 × 10⁸ ÷ 4.75 × 10^-7 = 20
(9.5 × 10⁸) ÷ (4.75 × 10^-7) = 2.0 × 10¹⁵