General Information
Test Item Specifications
- Given data about sharks and the amount of food they eat, students will be able to solve for the unknown in percentage problems.
- Given information about a shark's growth, students will be able to graph coordinates and interpret a linear graph.
- Given the conversion factor, students will be able to convert from metric to English units.
Students will solve real-world problems involving multiplication and/or division of fractions and decimals.
Items may include fractions and mixed numbers.
Items may include decimals through the hundredths place.
Fractions and decimals may not be used in the same item. In fractions that must be simplified, the numerator and denominator must be simplified to lowest terms with no more than two common prime factors, e.g., 2, 3, 5, or 7.
Items may include up to three procedural steps.
Items may involve checking for reasonableness of answers, especially when dealing with remainders.
Items should be set in a real-world or mathematical context.
Graphics may be used, as appropriate.
For multiple-choice items, options that are fractions should be in simplest form.
Sample Test Items (2)
Test Item # | Question | Difficulty | Type |
Sample Item 1 | Mr. Nichols wants to store 25½ cups of stew in containers. Each container holds a maximum of 1½ cups of stew. What is the minimum number of containers Mr. Nichols needs to hold all the stew? | N/A | MC: Multiple Choice |
Sample Item 2 | The Rolanda family drove 1,600 miles in 3 days. On the first day, they traveled ½ of the total distance. On the second day, they traveled ¼ of the remaining distance. What was the total distance, in miles, the Rolanda family traveled on the third day? |
N/A | GR: Gridded-Response |
Related Resources
Lesson Plans
Name | Description |
Sandy's Candy Machine | In this Model Eliciting Activity (MEA), students will use the 4 operations with decimal numbers and calculate profit (including negative numbers) as well as use the resulting data to help a business owner make decisions about their candy stores. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
Which Food Should I Feed My Cat? | The students will convert fractions into decimals and multiply to determine the amount of food to feed their assigned cat. Using this amount, they will calculate (division of decimals) the number of servings and the price per serving of cat food. Students will work with three brands of food and enter the data into their charts. Finally, the students will analyze the data to determine the most affordable food. |
Problem-Solving Task
Name | Description |
Space Math - Comparing Planets Orbiting Other Stars | This NASA lesson utilizes real world data about the size of planets orbiting other stars. Students are asked to use this data to compare the size of the planets to Earth and Jupiter. Lesson includes a visual representation and an answer key. |
Project
Name | Description |
Fractions - Cookie Project | This Math Project includes a rubric. |
Teaching Ideas
Name | Description |
Baby Whale Formula-SeaWorld Classroom Activity | In this problem solving activity, students will practice measuring and making calculations in the context of providing nutrients to a baby whale that was rescued. |
Caribou Caravan-SeaWorld Classroom Activity | Students will trace the migration route of caribou (reindeer) and learn the animal's natural history. |
Space Math - Big Moons and Small Planets | Students use a scale representation of the top 26 small planets and large moons in the solar system to compare their relative sizes to Earth. Students will use simple fractions to solve real world problems. |
Feeding Time-SeaWorld Classroom Activity | Students determine the cost to feed a group of ocean animals in captivity, thus solving a real-life problem. |
Calculating Sharks-SeaWorld Classroom Activity | |