Statistics and Probability Tests
Statistics and Probability is one of the most feared and misunderstood subjects in all of High School. The curriculum itself is very broad, yet still carries the theme of searching for unknowns. Learning how to simplify or express math statements in the most rudimentary form is the key to doing well with this subject. The underlying principal that students need to see clearly is to look at the whole picture and find like terms or bloated terms and begin by simplifying those first. The curriculum centers on determining the likelihood of something to happen or not happen. These calculations can be simple or very complex. The best advice any teacher will give you, when it comes to probability, is to plan out your approach to the problems flawlessly. This is the one form of math where you should be thinking and planning, more than calculating to be successful. You will soon start to see the breakdown of each standard area as I get clarification on the exact question formats from national samples. All of my tests are based on the trends seen in national assessments. This particular topic has only had two runs and they are still rewriting questions. As those new samples become available to the general public, I will create all the standard areas.
- Sample Statistics Common Core Test Version 1 - This sample focus on the statistics end of the most common question we have seen. We also include a few probability problems.
- Sample Probability Common Core Test Version 2 - This sample is more focused on determine the chances of possible outcomes. It is more of a process test.
- Multiple Choice Questions Form A - The questions you will find here are in direct response to the new core curriculum. Several adjustments were made to the standards in section, since they were first issued.
- Short Response Questions Form B - The new adjustments are also reflected in shirt answers as well.
How to Do Well on Statistics and Probability Tests
Students often have difficulty preparing for assessments with this subject. This is due to what we discussed previously. It is seen as an outside of the box topic area. To do well with any outlier subject area requires a slightly different approach. Planning how to study is often the key here. When you hear that a test date is announced, I would highly recommend that you take the first day just to plan how you will put yourself and your schedule in motion for a successful outcome. The first thing you need to do is to set aside a series of study slots. At this point students begin to have slightly complicated life. Sports, activities, and work schedules often get in the way. Factor how much time you have into your plan. This is a topic that will require a great deal of time, cramming simply does not work. The more practice you get, the better. A good idea is to form a study group with a few students. Work on a problem each and then pass your work around and grade each problem. Focus on the concepts and not the formulas. What I mean by this is for you to understand the variables in the formulas and where they fit into problems. Take note of how many different skills are to be tested on the assessment. Plot out all of these skills. I would recommend doing each problem type twice in a row and be critical of yourself. In addition to the skills, put together a series of flashcards that cover all the vocabulary you will encounter with each skill. Once your work has been graded, review it and note the mistakes that you have made. You will often make similar mistakes. The more time you spend working on a specific skill, the better prepared you will be.