There are two ISEE math sections: Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics Achievement. The ISEE Quantitative Reasoning section evaluates the development of your child’s reasoning skills. This section assesses how well your child thinks mathematically, as opposed to how much math s/he has learned. Little to no calculations are required in the ISEE Quantitative Reasoning section, as the importance of this section is your child’s mathematical reasoning ability and thinking.
There are two different types of questions on the ISEE Quantitative Reasoning: Word Problems and Quantitative Comparison Questions (only on middle and upper levels). All of the questions on the ISEE Quantitative Reasoning section are grade specific at each level.
All of the questions in both of the ISEE Math sections, Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics Achievements, are associated with the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). The following NCTM branches are used as the basis for the ISEE Quantitative Reasoning section:
The Word Problem questions present background information in the form of a text, as opposed to mathematical notation. The question is then followed by four answer choices, one of which is the correct answer.
Below, you can see an example of a Word Problem from an Upper Level ISEE test:
Answer: A (1 : 16)
The Quantitative Comparison Questions, found only on the middle and upper levels, present two quantities for comparison. There are two columns, Column A and Column B, displaying the quantities to be compared. The answer choices among the Quantitative Comparison Questions are always the same four options:
Below, you can see an example of a Quantitative Comparison question from an Upper Level ISEE test:
Answer: C (the two parts are equal)
There may be problems that are easier for you and other problems that are more difficult for you. A good strategy is to first answer the questions that you know and then return to the more difficult questions. If you are still unsure what the answer is, use the rest of your time coming up with the best guess. Even if you do not know the answer at all, it is a good idea to guess on the ISEE, as points are not deducted for incorrect answers.
Help your child prepare for the ISEE Quantitative Reasoning section with TestPrep-Online! We will offer ISEE Practice Test packs, which include ISEE Quantitative Reasoning, word problems, and quantitative comparisons. The ISEE Practice Test pack includes realistic practice tests as well as helpful tips, allowing your child to become familiar with the test structure. Help your child start preparing for the ISEE test with TestPrep-Online so that s/he can come to the test with confidence and ready to succeed.
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