M
A
T
H
E
M
A
T
I
C
S
April 27 & 28, 2011
PRAIRIE
STATE
ACHIEVEMENT
EXAMINATION
What is the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE)?
The PSAE is the state achievement test for all public high school juniors. It tests five academic subjects, including mathematics. The PSAE assesses the progress of high schools and individual students in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards.
What are the Illinois Learning Standards in mathematics?
The Illinois Learning Standards are descriptions of the specific knowledge and skills that students should learn in Illinois public schools. They also have a real connection to entry-level jobs and post-high school education.
There are 5 learning standards in mathematics. They are:
►Number Sense
►Measurement
►Algebra
►Geometry
►Probability, Statistics & Data Analysis
How and when will scores be received and reported?
Students will receive the PSAE
scores during the summer. PSAE scores will appear on each student’s
transcript. The ACT sub-scores are
placed on the transcript upon a student’s request.
What are the mathematics test portions?
The mathematics assessment is made
of two test
components: ACT and WORK KEYS.
| DAY 1: | The ACT mathematics
component consists of 60 multiple choice questions during 60 minutes. |
| DAY 2: | The WORK KEYS mathematics component consists of 33 multiple choice questions during 45 minutes. |
What mathematics do I need to know?
| ACT |
|
Pre-algebra (23%) Elementary Algebra (17%) Intermediate Algebra (15%) Coordinate Geometry (15%) Plane Geometry (23%) Trigonometry (7%) |
| WORK KEYS |
|
Application of mathematical reasoning and problem solving techniques to
work-related word problems: quantity, time, money, measurement, averages,
proportions and percents. |
| 1. |
Know the directions before you come in to take the
test. |
| 2. |
Even though the instructions use the disclaimer that
the diagrams are not to scale, they generally are. |
| 3. |
Pace yourself—answer the easy items first. Be sure
you attempt each question. |
| 4. |
Read each question carefully and thoroughly. Circle
key words in questions. |
| 5. |
Calculators are to be used wisely. Be sure you are
using one that you are comfortable using. |
| 6. |
Solve the problems. Occasionally it can be worked
backwards from the answer, but that may be time consuming. |
| 7. |
Make sure your answer is reasonable, is one of the
choices and answers the question asked. |
| 8. |
If you find a question that you are not able to
answer quickly, circle it, make a reasonable guess and come back to it
later. |
| 9. |
Use logic to answer difficult questions. If you are
unable to work the problem it is acceptable to guess. There is no
penalty for guessing. It is important that you have an answer for every
item. |
| 10. |
Draw a diagram for questions involving geometric
questions. |
| 11. |
Be sure you bubble your answer completely. It is
very important that you darken the center of the bubble. Mark your
answers carefully. |
| 12. |
For questions with variables in your answer, assign
numeric values to the variables can be helpful. |
| 13. |
If time permits, review your work. |
| 14. |
Eat a good breakfast before taking any test. |
| 15. |
If you get frustrated or panic, close your eyes and
take a few deep breaths. Regroup and move on. |
|
PSAE Information |
||
|
ACT assessment information |
||
|
WorkKeys assessment
information |
||
|
Illinois State Board of Educaiton |
||
|
Illinois Mathematics
Learning Standards |
April 27 & 28, 2011
