College Entrance Exams: General Math Coverage

To an applicant going through a lot of stress, math sections of college entrance tests may appear as odd assortments of numbers, problems and headaches.  Fortunately, there is an inherent pattern to it—a method to the “madness,” if you will.
Since the tests almost always draw from general high school math, here’s a listing of some topics and subtopics you can expect to see on most exams.
Algebra

• polynomial factoring
• ratio and proportion
• word problems
• simplifying algebraic expressions
• matrices
• linear equations
• graphs and lines
• rational expressions
• exponents and roots
• factoring
• polynomials
• squares
• quadratic equations
• inequalities
• negative numbers

Geometry

• dimension calculation (length, area, etc.)
• Euclidean geometry
• non-Euclidean geometry
• angles
• proof and logic questions
• circumference, diameter, area, etc.
• word problems

Trigonometry

• trigonometric functions (sin, cosin, tan and inverse)
• identities
• laws
• word problems

Arithmetic

• MDAS = multiplication, division, addition, subtraction
• Integers
• fractions
• percents
• decimals
• real numbers
• values
• algebraic principles
• word problems

Others

• statistics
• sets
• sequences/series (Fibonacci, et al)
• probability = combinations and permutations
• probability
• logic
• diagrams
• lines, points, infinities

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