Special Education Math Exam

Mild/Moderate Special Education Distance Education Program

All students are required to successfully complete the Special Education Math Exam prior to admittance to a Special Education program (students must past at a criterion of 95 percent or higher). The test is consistent with the Utah State Sixth Grade Core Curriculum and reflects some of the basic math skills and concepts needed to teach students with mild/moderate disabilities. This test will be offered at your local USU extension center during the first five weeks of each semester. Please call the USU extension center to make an appointment to take the test. Plan on approximately two hours to complete the test. You will have a maximum of two opportunities to pass this exam before remediation is required. You will then be allowed only one more opportunity to pass the exam. You will not be permitted to use a calculator. The process for retaking the exam can be found at the following link.

Math Exam Process

Practice Exam Information

If you need to brush up on your math skills, find a copy of a sixth grade math text at one of the schools in your local community and/or you can use the practice test and answer key to practice the concepts and skills addressed in the test.

Practice Test (image files)

Answer Key (image files)

Because of reported problems with these practice test PDF files, they have also been made available as image files. Simply download the ZIP file from the alternate link and extract the files using a ZIP program (i.e., WinZip, PowerArchiver, or WindowsXP native ZIP support). You will have several image files, numbered in order, which are each a page from the respective PDF.

Math Skills and Concepts

The exam addresses the following skills and concepts:
 1.  Round whole numbers
 2.  Convert fractions, decimals, percents, and graphic representations.
 3.  Identify numbers of greatest value, including fractions and decimals.
 4.  Identify the equation represented by an exponent.
 5.  Identify the coordinates for points on a graph.
 6.  Identify appropriate equations to solve word problems, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division of whole numbers, fractions, and money.
 7.  Identify missing numbers or symbols in an equation.
 8.  Add, subtract, multiply, and divide:
     a.  Whole numbers
     b.  Fractions (express in simplest form)
     c.  Decimals
     d.  Mixed numbers (express in simplest form)
     e.  Negative numbers
 9.  Find:
     a.  Multiples
     b.  Greatest common factors
     c.  Prime numbers
     d.  Equivalent fractions
     e.  Simplest form of fractions
     f.  Averages
     g.  Area
     h.  Reciprocals
 10.  Compute arithmetic sequences.
 11.  Interpret graphs.
 12.  Solve story problems involving:
     a.  Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
     b.  Units of measurement
     c.  Basic probability
     d.  Percentage
     e.  Multiple steps that include time, money, fractions, and percents
 13.  Identify basic geometric objects.

Utah State University
Mild/Moderate Special Education Distance Education Program
2865 Old Main Hill
Logan, Utah 84322-2865
Phone: 435.797.7575 Fax: 435.797.3572