Math Test Taking Strategies for Multiple Choice Tests

I created this lesson because I was didn’t feel like my eighth grade pre-algebra students understood how to take a multiple choice math test intelligently. What I learned was that many of them felt that by using strategies such as working backwards and estimation, they were cheating! They resisted using many of the skills successful test-takers use because of this. Amazing!

I challenged my students to determine the correct answer without using any traditional solving methods and without a calculator. We discussed how multiple strategies may be applied to solve a problem. These examples merely illustrate one option!

My students take the Indiana Statewide Testing for Academic Progress Plus (ISTEP+). These materials would be appropriate for students taking any math test with a multiple choice format.

I hope that in the future my students will benefit from this instruction by using these strategies in all sorts of multiple choice testing situations including standardized ECA (End of Course Assessment), SAT, and ACT exams.

I have included a set of 15 practice problems to use as a follow up to this lesson to give students an opportunity to practice these strategies.

Included:
- A strategy list for students.
- Suggestions for discussion and use.
- A PowerPoint presentation is versatile with three sample problems for each of the nine strategies to allow you to choose the most appropriate examples for your students.
- Answer keys for each problem are included within the presentation.
- A 15 question practice worksheet with an answer key.

Time: I used two examples of each strategy and it took me two 45 minute class periods.

Need a collection of word problems for students to practice? Check these out!
Word Problems Task Card Bundle


Math Test Taking Strategies for Multiple Choice Tests by Activities by Jill is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.