CPT - Descriptions of the Computerized Placement Test

Reading Comprehension
This test is designed to measure how well you understand what you read. Some questions ask you to decide how two sentences are related. Others ask you questions about reading passages of various lengths. You will be asked to interpret and draw conclusions from what you have read.

Sample Questions for Reading Comprehension

Narrative Question:
Read the statement or passage and then choose the best answer to the question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the statement or passage.

There are two types of pottery that I do. There is production pottery - mugs, tableware, the kinds of things that sell easily. These pay for my time to do the other work, which is more creative and satisfies my needs as an artist.

The author of this passage implies that:

A) artists have a tendency to waste valuable time
B) creativity and mass-production are incompatible
C) most people do not appreciate good art
D) pottery is not produced by creative artist

Sentence Relationship Question:
Two underlined sentences are followed by a question or statement about them. Read each pair of sentences and then choose the best answer to the question or the best completion of the statement.

The Midwest is experiencing its worst drought in fifteen years.
Corn and soybean prices are expected to be very high this year.

What does the second sentence do?

A) It restates the idea found in the first.
B) It states an effect.
C) It gives an example.
D) It analyses the statement made in the first.

Sentence Skills
Two kinds of questions are given in this test. You will be asked to correct a sentence by choosing a word or phrase to substitute for an underlined portion of the sentence. In the other type of question, you will be asked to rewrite a sentence in a specific way without changing the meaning.

Sample Questions for Sentence Skills

Sentence Correct Question:
Select the best version of the underlined part of the sentence. The first choice is the same as the original sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.

Ms Rose planning to teach a course in biology next summer.

A) planning
B) are planning
C) with a plan
D) plans

Construction Shift Question:
Rewrite the sentence in your head, following the directions given below. Keep in mind that your new sentence should be well written and should have essentially the same meaning as the sentence given you.

Being a female jockey, she was often interviewed.

Rewrite, beginning with
She was often interviewed
The next words will be

A) on account of she was
B) by her using
C) because she was
D) being as she was

 

Elementary Algebra

There are also three categories in the Elementary Algebra Test:

1) Operations with integers and rational numbers, includes:

• computation with integers and negative rationals,
• the use of absolute values, and ordering

2) Operations with algebraic expressions:

• evaluations of simple formulas
• expressions, and adding
• subtracting monomials and polynomials
• the evaluation of positive rational roots and exponents
• simplifying algebraic fractions, and factoring

3) Equation solving, inequalities, and word problems including

• solving verbal problems presented in algebraic context
• geometric reasoning
• the translation of written phrases into algebraic equations
• graphing

Sample Questions for Elementary Algebra

If a number is divided by 4, and then 3 is subtracted, the result is 0.
What is the number?

A) 12
B) 4
C) 3
D) 2

16X - 8

A) 8x
B) 8 (2x-x)
C) 8 (2x-1)
D) 8 (2x-8)

If X2 - X - 6 = 0, then X is:

A) -2 or 3
B) -1 or 6
C) 1 or -6
D) 2 or -3

Arithmetic

The Arithmetic test measures your skill in three primary categories:
1) Operations with whole numbers and fractions. This includes:

• addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
• recognizing equivalent fractions and mixed numbers

2) Operations with decimals and percents which includes:

• addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
• percent problems, decimal recognition, fraction
• percent equivalencies, and estimation problems

3) Applications and problems solving include:

• rate, percent, and measuring problems
• geometry problems
• distribution of a quantity into its fractional parts

Sample Questions for Arithmetic
Solve the following problems and choose your answer from the alternatives given. You may use the paper you have been given for scratch work.

All of the following are ways to write 20 percent of N EXCEPT

A) 0.20N
B) 20N/100
C) 1N/5
D) 20N

Which of the following is closest to the square root of 10.5

A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 8

Three people who work full time are to work together on a project, but their total time on the project is to be equivalent to that of only one person working full time. If one of the people is budgeted for 1/2 of his time to the project and a second person for 1/3 of her time, what part of the third worker's time should be budgeted to this project?

A) 1/3
B) 1/4
C) 1/6
D) 1/8

College-Level Mathematics

The College-Level Mathematics test assesses proficiency form intermediate algebra through precalculus. The categories covered include:
1) Algebraic operations include:

• simplifying rational algebraic expressions
• factoring and expanding polynomials
• manipulating roots and exponents

2) Solutions of equations and inequalities includes:

• the solution of linear and quadratic equations by factoring
• expanding polynomials
• manipulating roots and exponents

3) Coordinate geometry which asks questions about:

• plane geometry
• the coordinate plane, straight lines, conics, sets of points in a plane
• graphs of algebraic functions

4) Application and other algebra topics such as:

• complex numbers
• series and sequence
• determinants, permutations
• combinations, fractions
• word problems

5) Functions and trigonometry presents questions about:

• polynomial, algebraic, exponential, logarithmic
• trigonometric functions

Sample Questions for College-Level Mathematics

If f (x) = X⁴ - x + 2, then f (-x)=

A) X⁴ - X
B) X⁴ + X
C) X⁴ - X + 2
D) X⁴ + X + 2

The equation x2 + 2ix - 4 = 0 has as its roots

Additional Questions and Information
If you have additional questions or concerns about the test, or the testing environment, or need any additional information or assistance concerning the Computerized Placement Tests, please notify your Test Administrator.

Answers to the Sample Questions

Reading Comprehension
1) B
2) B

Sentence Skills
1) D
2) C

Elementary Algebra
1) A
2) C
3) A

Arithmetic
1) D
2) A
3) C

College-Level Mathematics
1) D
2) E

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