Summary of the Math Section of CAHSEE

Math CAHSEE in a Nutshell

The CAHSEE test is administered for the students of public schools of California who intend to obtain a high school diploma. Taking this test is compulsory for all the students except for those who are disabled but having the eligibility certificate required for this purpose. This exam consists of two sections in which the candidates have to prove their skills and abilities and attain the required scores so that the test authorities are convinced about the competence of the test takers for getting the high school diploma.

The test of Mathematics test corresponds to the academic standards of the State Board of Education in California. The objective of this test is summed up in the points below:

    • The students taking this test must comply with the standards of this test as it intends to assess the basic skills of arithmetic possessed by the students.
    • The high school diploma granted to the students is meant to test the skills of calculation that the test takers must possess in order to obtain the same.
  • It is expected that the students with a high school diploma must prove that they are professed with grade-level skills of mathematics.

As far a Math test is concerned, the first part of Algebra pertains to the academic contents of California. The candidates have to answer multiple-choice questions on the following topics in this test:

  • Geometry and Measurement
  • Probability and Data Analysis
  • Statistics
  • Reasoning in Mathematics
  • Algebra

There are 14 questions asked on Number Sense, 12 questions on Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability, 17 questions on Algebra and Functions, 8 questions on Mathematical Reasoning, 17 questions on Measurement and Geometry and 12 questions on Algebra 1. Besides this, the scores of Mathematics should demonstrate that the test takers have strong skills in the fundamental concepts of mathematics along with strong abilities to calculate the answers. The other topics on which the candidates need to show their skills includes working on problems involving decimals, percentages and fractions. The test takers must be able to answer 55 percent of the test items correctly or obtain a scaled score of 350 for passing the Math section of CAHSEE test.

The candidates can attempt this section in the second half of grade ten for the first time. The test is taken in two different sessions and the total working time and the test administration granted to the students is approximately around 1 hour 30 minutes for both the sessions of this test. If a candidate is unable to pass the test for the first time or in grade ten, he/she will be allowed to retake the test or any of its portions twice. On the other hand, the candidates of grade twelve get an opportunity to retake a portion or the entire test from three to five times.

The candidates taking the math test should concentrate on adequate preparation on the topics that are listed for the same in order to achieve their desired targets for obtaining the high school diploma. However, along with achieving the required scores in this section of the test, the test takers must also fulfill the State and local requirements that are part of the procedure for getting this diploma.

The answer sheets of this section test is evaluated by experts in this subject that is inclusive of teachers, administrators and educators of California. This is to ensure that the questions of the Math section correspond to the academic standards of California and no unfair criteria are allowed while reviewing the performance of the students.

Earning a high school diploma is a challenging option for the students who are studying in the public schools of California as the students are required to take the test of English and Mathematics for demonstrating their basic skills in these subjects. On the whole, scoring well in Mathematics test helps the candidates to move ahead towards their aim of earning a high school diploma.