If you plan to take a mathematics course at Edmonds Community College, your initial placement into the math program is very important. If you are placed in a course at too high a level for you, that could set you up for failure. On the other hand, placement in a course at too low a level could have you repeating material that you have already mastered. In either case, it is not a good use of your time, so placement at the proper level is best in terms of your learning and for planning your educational program here.
At the Web sites listed below are some resources to help you try to achieve proper placement into a mathematics class. First, there are some links to Web sites that offer practice tests or sample questions. These can be used to familiarize yourself with the style of questions that may be asked, and to remind you of certain topics in mathematics that may be tested. If you see a question that makes you feel that you knew how to solve the problem at one time, but just need a little reminder of how to do it, then that is probably a topic that you should review before taking the actual Accuplacer test. This will help you avoid placing into too low a level of math course. On the other hand, if you see a question that looks completely unfamiliar, about a topic that you never mastered, then that is probably a topic that you should not spend time reviewing. This will help you avoid placing into too high a level of math course.
Once you have decided what topics you think you should review, you can use the links we have provided to mathematics review Web sites. On those sites, look for material on the particular topics you need to review. Alternatively, you might also find mathematics texts in the EdCC Library or a local library. Once again, you should probably only spend time reviewing material that you had previously mastered, and not on material that you have never learned before. This will help you to place at the proper level.
- Sample Tests or Test Questions
- On the following Web sites you can find practice Accuplacer tests or sample questions. Note that, although the format and content of the questions are similar to what you will see when you take the actual Accuplacer test, the questions are not exactly the same as those on the Accuplacer test itself. They should only be used to familiarize yourself with this style of question and to get some idea of what areas you might wish to review before taking the test.
- Math Review Resources
- The following links are to sites where you can find review materials on a variety of mathematics topics. There are also many mathematics books available in the EdCC Library and most public libraries. You are advised to spend time only on those topics that you have previously learned in past math classes but need to review. Don’t expect to master a new topic that you never previously learned and be able to place into a math course beyond that level after just a quick review of these materials.