Mathematical Reasoning
25%of exam
Language Arts
25%of exam
ReadingArgumentsGrammarEssayEvidenceTone
Science
25%of exam
ExperimentsDataLife SciencePhysical ScienceEarth SpaceVariables
Social Studies
25%of exam
CivicsU.S. HistoryEconomicsGeographySourcesGraphs
Quick Facts
- Exam
- GED
- Subjects
- 4 tests
- Pass
- 145 each
- Scale
- 100-200
- Ready
- 165-174
- Credit
- 175-200
- Time
- 7 hours total
- Math
- 115 min
- RLA
- 150 min
- Science
- 90 min
- Social
- 70 min
- Cost
- State varies
- Retakes
- 2 no wait
Operation Order
PEMDAS keeps operation order
ParenthesesExponentsMultiply/divideAdd/subtract
Area vs Perimeter
Area
- Inside space
- Square units
- Multiply dimensions
Perimeter
- Outside distance
- Length units
- Add sides
Inside vs around
Math Picker
- Percent change→Decimal rate
- Unknown x→Inverse operations
- Line graph→Slope
- Right triangle→Pythagorean
- Circle/cylinder→Radius formulas
- Data set→Order first
Score Basics
- 145
- Passing score
- 165-174
- College Ready
- 175-200
- Credit eligible
- 100-144
- Below passing
- All four
- Pass separately
- No averaging
- Each test counts
- Retakes
- Rules vary
Mean vs Median
Mean
- Average
- Uses all values
- Outlier-sensitive
Median
- Middle value
- Order first
- Outlier-resistant
Average vs middle
Math Basics
- Percent
- Decimal times whole
- Discount
- Subtract percent amount
- Markup
- Add percent amount
- Ratio
- Quantity comparison
- Rate
- Different units
- Unit rate
- Per one unit
- Probability
- Favorable over total
- Scientific notation
- Decimal times power
Algebra + Graphs
- Distribute
- Multiply each term
- Like terms
- Same variable power
- Linear equation
- Isolate variable
- Inequality
- Flip for negative
- Slope
- Rise over run
- y=mx+b
- Slope plus intercept
- Function
- Input gives output
- Quadratic
- Second-degree equation
Geometry + Data
- Area
- Inside square units
- Perimeter
- Distance around
- Volume
- Space inside solid
- Pythagorean
- Right triangles only
- Radius
- Center to edge
- Diameter
- Across through center
- Mean
- Arithmetic average
- Median
- Ordered middle
Essay Evidence
RACE anchors text evidence
Restate claimAnswer promptCite textExplain link
Claim vs Evidence
Claim
- Arguable position
- Needs proof
- Essay stance
Evidence
- Text support
- Facts/examples
- Proves claim
Position vs proof
RLA Picker
- Ask main point→Central idea
- Ask implied→Inference
- Ask attitude→Tone
- Ask why written→Purpose
- Ask stronger argument→Evidence
- Ask sentence fix→Grammar
RLA Reading
- Central idea
- Whole passage point
- Inference
- Supported conclusion
- Tone
- Author attitude
- Purpose
- Why written
- Detail
- Supports main idea
- Context clues
- Meaning from nearby words
- Text structure
- How organized
- Evidence
- Text-based support
Inference vs Guess
Inference
- Text clues
- Reasonable support
- Best conclusion
Guess
- Outside hunch
- Weak support
- Not text-based
Support decides
RLA Writing
- Claim
- Arguable position
- Counterclaim
- Opposing argument
- Thesis
- Main essay stance
- Reasons
- Why claim works
- Organization
- Logical order
- Transitions
- Idea bridges
- Comma splice
- Comma joins sentences
- Parallel structure
- Matching grammar forms
Experiment Variables
IV changes; DV measures
Independent: changedDependent: measuredControl: baselineConstants: same
Independent vs Dependent
Independent
- Changed by tester
- Suspected cause
Dependent
- Measured outcome
- Possible effect
Change vs measure
Data Source Picker
- Changed on purpose→Independent variable
- Measured result→Dependent variable
- Baseline group→Control group
- Numbers graph→Trend
- Original document→Primary source
- Market graph→Supply/demand
- Political image→Cartoon clues
Science Practices
- Hypothesis
- Testable prediction
- Independent variable
- Changed on purpose
- Dependent variable
- Measured outcome
- Control group
- Baseline comparison
- Constants
- Kept the same
- Data
- Measured information
- Trend
- Overall pattern
- Conclusion
- Evidence-based result
Correlation vs Causation
Correlation
- Move together
- May be coincidence
Causation
- Directly produces
- Needs controls
Association vs cause
Science Content
- Life science
- Cells and ecosystems
- Physical science
- Matter and forces
- Earth/space
- Earth and universe
- Photosynthesis
- Light makes sugar
- Natural selection
- Traits shift generations
- Energy flow
- Producers to consumers
- Plate tectonics
- Moving crust plates
- Net force
- Total force
Government Branches
Legislative, Executive, Judicial share power
Legislative: lawsExecutive: enforcesJudicial: interprets
Primary vs Secondary
Primary
- Original evidence
- Firsthand record
Secondary
- Later interpretation
- Uses primary sources
Original vs later
Civics + Government
- Separation
- Three branches
- Checks/balances
- Branches limit branches
- Federalism
- Shared government power
- Rights
- Protected freedoms
- Legislation
- Lawmaking process
- Courts
- Interpret laws
- Elections
- Choose representatives
- Citizenship
- Rights plus duties
Supply vs Demand
Supply
- Seller quantity
- Usually rises with price
Demand
- Buyer quantity
- Usually falls with price
Seller vs buyer
Economics + Geography
- Supply
- Seller quantity
- Demand
- Buyer quantity
- GDP
- Total output
- Inflation
- Rising prices
- Labor market
- Workers and jobs
- Trade
- Exchange across borders
- Public goods
- Shared benefits
- Migration
- People moving
Source Skills
- Primary source
- Original evidence
- Secondary source
- Later interpretation
- Bias
- One-sided tendency
- Propaganda
- Persuasive manipulation
- Map
- Spatial information
- Graph
- Numeric relationship
- Cartoon
- Visual argument
- Author POV
- Writer viewpoint
Common Traps
Pass score
145 each subject ≠ No averaging scores
Calculator access
Math part two ≠ Social/science allowed
Essay evidence
Use source text ≠ Avoid outside opinion
Area/perimeter
Area square units ≠ Perimeter length units
Inequality flip
Flip for negative ≠ Keep for positive
Correlation/causation
Correlation pairs trends ≠ Causation needs controls
Mean/median
Mean uses all ≠ Median needs order
Primary/secondary
Primary original ≠ Secondary interprets
Last Minute
- 1.Pass each subject at 145
- 2.No subject score averaging
- 3.Math formulas are supplied
- 4.RLA essay uses evidence
- 5.Science asks data reasoning
- 6.Social studies is source-heavy
- 7.Order data before median
- 8.Flip inequalities only negative
- 9.Correlation is not causation
- 10.Primary source is original
- 11.Read graph labels first
- 12.Prices vary by state
- 13.Retakes may require waiting
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