Mathematics: Reading and Writing Math Precisely
The Mathematics domain on this assessment measures how precisely you read, write, and reason with mathematical language, not only whether you can compute. Expect items that ask you to translate between words and symbols, interpret multi-step word problems, and choose exact terminology.
Core rules and concepts
- Operation vocabulary: sum, difference, product, quotient. 'Per' signals a rate; 'of' often signals multiplication with fractions and percentages.
- Order in comparison phrases: 'five less than n' is n − 5, not 5 − n. 'Divided by' behaves the same way: 'n divided by 4' is n ÷ 4.
- Symbol-to-words mapping: 3(x + 4) is 'three times the sum of x and four,' while 3x + 4 is 'three times x, plus four.' Parentheses mark the grouped quantity.
- Inequality language: 'at least' means ≥, 'at most' and 'no more than' mean ≤, 'exceeds' means >, and 'is fewer than' means <.
- Number forms: standard, expanded, and word form. In decimals, 'and' marks the decimal point (3.07 = three and seven hundredths).
Worked example
'Which expression means five less than twice a number n?' Twice n is 2n. 'Five less than' removes 5 from that amount, so the expression is 2n − 5. Test it with n = 10: the phrase should give 20 − 5 = 15, and 2n − 5 = 15. The distractor 5 − 2n gives −15, and 2(n − 5) gives 10; both reverse the intended order.
Traps that cost marks
- Reversing subtraction and division phrases such as 'less than' and 'divided by.'
- Confusing 0.5 with 0.05, or reading 3.07 as 'three and seven tenths.'
- Dropping units in rates and then comparing unlike quantities.
- Solving the arithmetic but answering a different question than the one asked, such as total cost instead of change.