The GED Mathematical Reasoning test is one of four subject exams; it runs 115 minutes in two parts, with no calculator on the first part and a TI-30XS or on-screen calculator on the second. This guide explains the format, scoring and tested content, works through an official no-calculator sample question, teaches the percent-change and inequality habits that catch common setup errors, and includes one complete practice word problem with a full answer and explanation.
What the test measures
GED Mathematical Reasoning measures algebraic problem solving and quantitative problem solving in roughly a 55-to-45 split, across basic math, geometry, basic algebra, and graphs and functions.
Mathematical Reasoning is one of four subject exams that make up the GED® test, alongside Reasoning Through Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. You do not have to take all four at once; each subject is scheduled separately. The math exam measures two broad abilities: algebraic problem-solving, weighted about 55 percent of the score, and quantitative problem-solving, weighted about 45 percent.
The issuer groups the content into four areas: basic math, geometry, basic algebra, and graphs and functions. In practice that means fractions, decimals and rates feed into equations, inequalities, coordinate graphs, and measurement questions. Deeper assessment targets exist beyond these headings; the official study guides linked from the test page break them down skill by skill.
A note on scope: fees, scheduling rules and eligibility details are set state by state in the United States, so always confirm the specifics for your own state before you book.
Sources: Test Subjects - GED (official overview page) — Mathematical Reasoning test topics, time, format, price; GED Educator Handbook, Edition 7 (US) — Test basics, Mathematical Reasoning section, scores, GED Ready, retakes
Format, timing and calculator rules
The test lasts 115 minutes in two parts. No calculator is allowed on the first part. On the second, use the on-screen calculator; at a test center you may also bring your own TI-30XS.
The structure matters for how you study, because the two parts test different things. The first part is completed without any calculator, so mental and pencil-and-paper arithmetic must carry you there. After a short break, you retrieve your calculator for the remaining questions.
You are not expected to memorize formulas. A math formula sheet and a calculator reference sheet are provided both in the test center and on screen. Question formats include standard multiple choice plus technology-enhanced types: drag and drop, fill-in-the-blank, select-an-area and drop-down items.
- Length: 115 minutes, including a 3-minute break between the two parts
- Calculator: none on part 1; TI-30XS (your own, in the test center) or the on-screen version on part 2
- Provided: calculator reference sheet and math formula sheet
- Item types: multiple choice, drag and drop, fill-in-the-blank, select an area, drop down
Sources: Test Subjects - GED (official overview page) — Mathematical Reasoning test topics, time, format, price; GED Educator Handbook, Edition 7 (US) — Test basics, Mathematical Reasoning section, scores, GED Ready, retakes
Scoring and the four-subject credential
You need at least 145 to pass Mathematical Reasoning, and 145 or higher in all four subjects to earn the GED credential.
Scores range from 100 to 200. A score of 145–164 is the GED Passing Score, which demonstrates the skills a graduating high school senior needs. Scores of 165–174 earn the GED College Ready designation, and 175–200 earn GED College Ready + Credit, which may qualify you for up to 10 college credit hours — 3 of them for math. A score below 145 falls in the Below Passing band and means those skills were not yet demonstrated.
The credential itself requires a passing score in all four subjects, not just math. Scores are typically available within one day of testing and arrive in your GED.com account through the Enhanced Score Report, which lists the specific skills worth reviewing if you retake.
The no-calculator section
About 12 percent of the points come from calculator-prohibited questions testing foundational arithmetic: the four operations, exponents and roots, order of operations, scientific notation, and basic number sense.
The issuer publishes a dedicated tips document for this part of the test, and it is worth studying precisely because the skills are concrete: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing rational numbers; working with squares, square roots and exponents; applying the order of operations; reading scientific notation; and using number sense to compare and estimate values.
Try this original ordering example: put 3/4, 0.3, 2/5, 1/5 and 0.08 from smallest to largest. Convert the fractions to decimals: 3/4 = 0.75, 2/5 = 0.4 and 1/5 = 0.2. Comparing 0.75, 0.3, 0.4, 0.2 and 0.08 gives 0.08 < 1/5 < 0.3 < 2/5 < 3/4. Converting to a common format makes the comparison easier without a calculator.
Number-sense items also use the number line directly. For example, the distance between −8 and −3 is the absolute value of their difference: |−8 − (−3)| = |−5| = 5. Practicing these conversions and small computations by hand keeps part 1 from costing you time.
Sources: Tips for the Calculator-Prohibited Section of the Mathematical Reasoning GED® Test — Skill list, share of points, sample questions; Mathematical Reasoning - GED (official subject page) — Sample question overview and calculator note
Algebraic problem-solving in practice
Two habits cover a large share of algebra items: track the base in percent problems, and translate word phrases into equations or inequalities before computing.
Percent change is multiplicative, so a rise and a fall of the same size do not cancel. Suppose an $80 jacket rises 25%, then falls 25%. The factors are 1.25 and 0.75: 80 × 1.25 = 100, then 100 × 0.75 = $75. The fall acted on the new base of $100, not the original $80. Whenever a problem stacks percentages, write the factor chain first and identify what each percentage acts on.
Phrases in word problems map to specific structures. 'Per' and 'each' signal a rate; 'total of' or 'equals' signals an equation; 'at least' and 'no more than' signal inequalities that include the boundary value. Name the unknown and its unit, write the relationship, and only then compute — this ordering catches setup errors before arithmetic locks them in.
Inequalities carry one rule worth drilling: multiplying or dividing both sides by a negative number reverses the direction of the sign. Solving −2x + 3 ≤ 9: subtract 3 to get −2x ≤ 6, divide by −2 and flip the sign to get x ≥ −3. Skipping the flip gives x ≤ −3, the opposite region of the number line. Check by substituting a value from your answer — 0 satisfies the original inequality, confirming the direction.
Practice problem: from words to an equation
Translate the fixed fee and hourly charge into an equation, then check your answer in the original bill.
Work this problem before revealing the answer, using pencil and paper as if you were in the no-calculator part.
Practice exercise
A repair service charges a $60 call-out fee plus $45 for each hour of work. One customer's total bill came to $285. How many hours of work did the bill include?
Show answer
5 hours.
Translate the words first. 'Each hour' signals a rate multiplied by an unknown, so let h be the number of hours. 'Total of' signals an equation balancing the bill: 60 + 45h = 285. The flat fee does not multiply by hours — that is the setup decision this problem tests. Subtract 60 from both sides: 45h = 225. Divide by 45: h = 5. Check by substituting back: 60 + 45 × 5 = 60 + 225 = 285, which matches the bill. The tempting shortcut, 285 ÷ 45 ≈ 6.3 hours, fails because it divides the entire bill, flat fee included, by the hourly rate; the substitution check exposes that error immediately.
How to prepare
Use the issuer's free study guide, take the GED Ready® practice test, and practice the no-calculator skills by hand alongside calculator fluency.
The issuer offers a free Math Study Guide that walks through the skills being tested, and the GED Ready® practice test for math, which predicts your readiness. Its score bands are: Likely to Pass (145–200), Too Close to Call (134–144), and Not Likely to Pass (100–133). A Likely to Pass prediction is valid for 60 days, so if you reach it, schedule the real test while it stands. Whatever your band, the Enhanced Score Report lists the skills to improve, which turns your study time into targeted review rather than blanket rereading.
On the calculator question many candidates ask about: part 1 forbids any calculator, and part 2 allows the on-screen calculator or your own TI-30XS in the test center. That split shapes your practice — drill fractions, decimals, order of operations and estimation by hand, and separately learn the TI-30XS functions covered in the official calculator reference sheet so the device speeds you up rather than puzzles you.
Two more official tools are worth using before test day. The Computer-Based Testing Tutorial walks you through the test interface, so the format itself is familiar. And because the formula sheet is provided on screen, spend your memorization budget on knowing which formula a question needs — perimeter versus area versus volume — rather than on recalling the formulas themselves.
- Work through the free Math Study Guide to see the tested skills
- Take GED Ready® for math; a Likely to Pass prediction is valid for 60 days
- Complete the Computer-Based Testing Tutorial before test day
- Drill no-calculator arithmetic by hand; learn the TI-30XS with the official reference sheet
- Practice choosing the right formula, since the formula sheet supplies the formulas themselves
Sources: GED Educator Handbook, Edition 7 (US) — Test basics, Mathematical Reasoning section, scores, GED Ready, retakes; Test Subjects - GED (official overview page) — Mathematical Reasoning test topics, time, format, price; Tips for the Calculator-Prohibited Section of the Mathematical Reasoning GED® Test — Skill list, share of points, sample questions
Costs, retakes and scheduling
Prices and retake rules vary by state and test delivery method. Eligible failed tests at U.S. test centers can qualify for one discounted retake within 12 months; the program excludes online proctored and international testing.
Because pricing is state-specific, check the cost-per-state page on the official site for your actual fee. Pay-as-you-go pricing means you pay for each subject as you take it, so you can spread four exams across multiple appointments. If you cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your appointment, you receive a full refund.
For an eligible failed subject attempt at a U.S. test center, GED Testing Service waives its own fee for one discounted retake taken within 12 months. State and testing center fees may still apply. Online proctored and international tests are excluded from this program; check your state policy before budgeting for a retake. Use the Enhanced Score Report to identify the skills that need more work.
Sources: GED Educator Handbook, Edition 7 (US) — Test basics, Mathematical Reasoning section, scores, GED Ready, retakes; Test Subjects - GED (official overview page) — Mathematical Reasoning test topics, time, format, price; Exhibit 12-VOUCHER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES - GED — Discounted Retake Program (Does not apply
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