Ed-Co ACT Math Review

Welcome to Ed-Co High School's ACT review page for mathematics! This page is occasionally updated, reshaped, and revised, so please be aware that you may periodically find things that have been changed or improved. We are currently in the process of rebuilding this site, so let us know if we need to make any changes, and we hope you find it to be a useful resource before taking the math portion of the ACT test!

The ACT Mathematics Test is a 60-question, 60-minute test designed to measure the mathematical skills students have typically acquired in courses taken by the end of 11th grade. All of the math questions are five-choice, multiple-choice questions and nine scores are reported for the mathematics section: a score for the math section overall and 8 reporting category scores based on specific mathematical knowledge and skills.

Roughly 57-60% of the test covers Preparing for Higher Math and includes the more recent mathematics that students are learning broken down into these 5 categories:

Number & Quantity (7-10%): Demonstrate knowledge of real and complex number systems. Students will understand and reason with numerical quantities in many forms, including integer and rational exponents, and vectors and matrices.

Algebra (12-15%): Solve, graph, and model multiple types of expressions. Students will employ many different kinds of equations, including but not limited to linear, polynomial, radical, and exponential relationships. The student will find solutions to systems of equations, even when represented by simple matrices, and apply their knowledge to applications.

Functions (12-15%): The questions in this category test knowledge of function definition, notation, representation, and application. Questions may include but are not limited to linear, radical, piecewise, polynomial, and logarithmic functions. Students will manipulate and translate functions, as well as find and apply important features of graphs.

Geometry (12-15%): Define and apply knowledge of shapes and solids, such as congruence and similarity relationships or surface area and volume measurements. Understand composition of objects, and solve for missing values in triangles, circles, and other figures, including using trigonometric ratios and equations of conic sections.

Statistics & Probability (8-12%): Describe center and spread of distributions, apply and analyze data collection methods, understand and model relationships in bivariate data, and calculate probabilities, including the related sample spaces.

The remaining 40-43% of the test (Integrating Essential Skills) measures how well you can synthesize and apply your understandings and skills to solve more complex problems that address concepts such as rates and percentages; proportional relationships; area, surface area, and volume; average and median; and expressing numbers in different ways. You will also be asked to solve non-routine problems that involve combining skills in chains of steps; applying skills in varied contexts; understanding connections; and demonstrating fluency.

Modeling is an overall measure of how well you use modeling skills across mathematical topics and represents all questions that involve producing, interpreting, understanding, evaluating, and improving models. Each question is counted in their appropriate reporting category above in addition to modeling.

Last update May 22, 2023.