Online Math Pre-test: Test Preparation Guide

Online Math Pre-tests

State Assessments

Many parents are anxious about how their children will perform on high-stakes math tests. If you fall into this group, giving your child an online pre-test can be a great way to get a sense of how he or she measures up to the standards. Even better, you can use the test results to identify the areas where your child is struggling and get him or her up to speed before test day.

To get standards-based online practice tests, visit your state's the department of education website. Most states have a section on their websites devoted to testing, and it usually includes practice tests and answer keys categorized by subject and grade level. Some states even offer tests from the past several years, so your child can take multiple pre-tests.

Most of these tests are in PDF format, so you can download and print them for your child. If you don't have access to a printer, just have your child read the questions directly from the computer screen and write the answers on a separate sheet of paper. Then, you can score the test and go over the correct answers with your child.

In-class Quizzes and Exams

Online pre-tests can also be an effective way to help your child prepare for an upcoming math exam or quiz. However, you can search the Internet for tests, worksheets that specifically cover the topic your child needs to study.

Searching for resources online can be overwhelming due to the huge quantity of content that's available, so you should get a clear idea of what your child will be tested on before you start your search. For instance, simply knowing your 8th grader has a geometry test coming up probably won't be enough.

First, you'll need to know the scope of the test. Is it just over a specific skill, like calculating the volume of a cylinder, or will it cover a whole chapter or unit, like finding the volumes of three-dimensional shapes? If it's just a quiz on a certain skill, you can use that information to target your search; however, if the test covers a whole unit, it's unlikely you'll find a free online pre-test that closely matches the content of your child's test. It may be easier to search for separate online worksheets covering each specific topic (like volume of a cylinder, volume of a cone, etc.) and create a pre-test using questions you select from each worksheet.