New York State 4th Grade Math Test Preparation Guide

Math Skills for 4th Graders

General Strategies and Concepts

Problem-solving skills will be an important part of this exam. For instance, he or she may be asked to identify which information is necessary to solve a given problem. It's equally important for your 4th grader to determine if solutions are reasonable and recognize invalid problem-solving approaches.

Your student should also know how to use different strategies, such as process of elimination and making organized lists, to solve a wide variety of problems. Your 4th grader must begin developing an understanding of how math ideas are connected and how they build upon one another. Across all mathematical areas, it's crucial that your child can communicate answers and explanations using appropriate terminology.

Specific Math Skills

Number Sense and Operations

At the 4th grade level, your child should be able to add and subtract whole numbers up to 10,000 and decimal amounts up to the hundredths place. Students also learn how to round numbers to the nearest ten and hundred, and they use estimation to check their answers' reasonableness. Your 4th grader will be tested on how to multiply a 2-digit number by a 1-digit number and how to divide a 2-digit dividend by a 1-digit divisor. In addition, your child will learn to add and subtract proper fractions.

Geometry

In geometry, your 4th grader will identify and name a variety of polygons. As your child develops an understanding of polygons, he or she will also learn to identify points, line segments, rays, edges, faces and vertices. Be sure your student can recognize intersecting, parallel and perpendicular lines, and also determine the area and perimeter of geometric figures. Lastly, your child should know how to classify angles as right, straight, acute or obtuse.

Measurement

To prepare your 4th grader for measurement items, you'll want to ensure that he or she can select appropriate units of measure for everyday items. For instance, if your child is given a short piece of yarn, he or she should know that inches or centimeters are the most appropriate units for measuring it. At this grade level, your child should also know how to measure the capacity and mass of objects and understand equivalent units of measure. In addition, your student will be asked to make change using dollars and coins and calculate elapsed time.

Algebra

In 4th grade, your student will evaluate mathematical relationships using number sentences containing one operation. It's also important that your child is able to use 'greater than,' 'less than' or 'equal to' signs when comparing fractions and decimals up to the hundredths place. Additionally, your child should be able to use, recognize and model algebraic patterns and functions.

Statistics and Probability

As your child begins learning about statistics and probability, he or she will use direct observation, experiments and surveys to collect data. It's important that your child can accurately record data using tables, pictographs and bar graphs, and make reasonable predictions based on data.