Mathematics: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data
What is tested
The Mathematics domain spans number sense and operations (fractions, decimals, percents, order of operations, exponents, radicals), ratios and proportions, percent increase and decrease, algebraic expressions and equations, inequalities, linear equations and slope, systems of equations, factoring and quadratics, geometry (perimeter, area, volume, angle relationships, Pythagorean theorem, similar figures), coordinate geometry, unit conversion, and statistics and probability (mean, median, mode, range, simple probability, counting principle), often embedded in word problems.
Traps that appear in questions
Percent questions confuse "percent of" with "percent increase," and successive percents are not added but multiplied. Negative signs are lost when distributing, especially before a parenthesis. Students substitute the diameter where the radius belongs, forget to convert units before computing, or mix units in a rate problem. "At least" and "at most" flip inequality directions. Averaging two averages gives the wrong overall mean unless the groups are the same size. Geometry answers may look right yet use the wrong formula (circumference instead of area, for example).
Rule of thumb
Write the formula, substitute values with units attached, compute, then estimate to check whether the answer is reasonable. If the estimate and the calculation disagree, recheck the setup before rechecking the arithmetic.
Worked example
A price of $80 rises 25%, then falls 20%. New price after the increase: 80 times 1.25 = 100. After the decrease: 100 times 0.80 = 80. The net change is zero, not the 5% increase that subtracting 20 from 25 would suggest.