MAP Test Practice for 8th Grade

MAP Test Practice for 8th Grade


The MAP Growth 8th Grade test measures how ready middle schoolers are for their next step: high school. Adaptive and personalized, it provides a clear picture of real progress across the concepts students need to thrive in high school.
I’m Ariav Schlesinger, a MAP Growth specialist with more than ten years of experience helping high-school students strengthen their academic foundation. I’m dedicated to turning challenges into success through focused practice, proven strategies, and meaningful growth that prepares students for life beyond the classroom.

  • Free 8th Grade MAP Growth sample questions across math, reading, and language usage, with clear explanations and problem-solving strategies.
  • Comprehensive information about the skills measured at the 8th grade level.
  • Practical tips and FAQs to help parents support effective MAP Growth preparation at home.

Find everything you need to prepare for the 8th Grade MAP Growth test:

Sample Math Questions | Sample Reading Questions | Sample Language Usage Questions | Scores Explained | How to Prep | Our PrepPack | FAQs

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8th Grade Free Sample Questions

MAP Math

The 8th Grade MAP Math section assesses deeper understanding of mathematical reasoning. Students face algebraic expressions, geometric applications, and multi-step word problems that require logic and persistence.

Main Math Areas:

  • Number Sense and Computation
  • Algebraic Concepts and Linear Equations
  • Geometry and Measurement
  • Ratios, Rates, and Proportional Reasoning
  • Statistics and Probability

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 1: Math

Map 8Th Grade MAP Q1 Q

What is the value of α?

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Wrong

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Correct!

View Explanation

The correct answer is (D).

Let us Break This Down Step by Step

Look at point C on the diagram. The angle labeled 145 degrees is formed by extending one side of triangle ABC, so this 145 degree angle is an exterior angle to triangle ABC.

The exterior angle equals the sum of the two remote interior angles. The two remote interior angles to the 145 degree angle are angle ABC (given as 60 degrees) and angle BAC (which is alpha, the unknown). So write the equation:
60 + alpha = 145.

Subtract 60 from both sides:
alpha = 145 - 60
alpha = 85 degrees.

Answer (A) is incorrect because 65 degrees would make 60 + 65 = 125 degrees, which does not equal the given exterior angle 145 degrees.
Answer (B) is incorrect because 70 degrees would make 60 + 70 = 130 degrees, not 145 degrees.
Answer (C) is incorrect because 75 degrees would make 60 + 75 = 135 degrees, not 145 degrees.
Answer (D) is correct because 60 + 85 = 145, matching the exterior angle.

Alternative Solution
This question can also be solved using the inner angles of the triangle. ∢ACB and ∢BCD are supplementary angles and therefore they add up to 180°. Thus:
∢BCD + ∢ACB = 180° → 145° + ∢ACB = 180° → ∢ACB = 35°
Looking at the triangle ∆ABC you now have two angles whose value you know, and the missing value of α. In a triangle the angles add up to 180°, therefore:
∢BAC + ∢ABC + ∢ACB → α + 60° + 35° = 180° → α = 85°

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 2: Math

A company produced 6,398 items to be packed into equal-sized boxes.
Each box can hold no more than 450 items.

How many boxes will be completely filled?

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Wrong

Correct!

Wrong

View Explanation

The correct answer is (C)

Let's Break This Down Step by Step

To find out how many boxes can be completely filled, we need to divide the total number of items by the number of items that can fit in one box.

6398 ÷ 450

Perform the division

Now, we perform the division operation.

6398 ÷450 = 14 with a remainder of } 98

The whole number part of the result, which is 14, represents the number of boxes that are completely filled. The decimal part represents the items that will go into a partially filled box.

Solution

The number of boxes that will be completely filled is 14. Therefore, the correct option is C. - 14

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 3: Math

Solve for y:

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Correct!

Wrong

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View Explanation

The correct answer is B. y = -102.

Let's Break This Down Step by Step

We have 2y/3 +17=−51. Our goal is to isolate y— get y alone on one side. Think of the equation like a balanced scale: whatever you do to one side you must do to the other to keep it balanced.

(Each incorrect choice fails because, when substituted, it does not satisfy the original equation.)

“Remember: solve one inverse operation at a time, keep the equation balanced by doing the same thing to both sides, watch your negative signs, and always check your answer by substituting it back into the original equation.”

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Reading

The 8th Grade MAP Reading section challenges students to analyze structure, tone, and argument within both fiction and nonfiction. It measures how well students interpret text, identify figurative language, and draw evidence-based conclusions.

Reading Types:

  • Literary Texts (fiction, poetry, drama)
  • Informational Texts (articles, essays, scientific passages)
  • Vocabulary in Context (prefixes, roots, and idioms)

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 1: Reading

Read the paragraph. Then answer the question.

It can be hard to wrap your head around the huge size of the universe and the tiny size of an atom. You could read hundreds of science books and still not get a sense for it. A short video called Powers of Ten provides a tour of the universe in just eight minutes. The video begins with a couple having a picnic, and then zooms out ten times further every ten seconds until the whole Earth is visible, then the Solar System, then the Milky Way Galaxy, and finally reaching the edge of the known universe. Then, the video quickly zooms back in to the couple and every 10 seconds keeps moving 10 times closer to a human hand until cells are visible, then molecules, and finally atoms. At the end of the video the viewer feels like both an ant and a giant!

Which of the following sentences from the passage contains an idiom?

Correct!

Wrong

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View Explanation

The correct answer is (A).

Let's Break This Down Step by Step

An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be figured out simply by understanding the individual words. For example, "kick the bucket" does not mean literally kicking a bucket; it means to die. Good test-taking strategy: ask, "If I interpret this sentence literally, does it make sense?"

A. "It can be hard to wrap your head around the huge size of the universe."
Read literally, the phrase would mean putting your head in a wrap. That does not make sense here. People use this phrase to mean "understand." This signals an idiom.

B. "You could read thousands of books and still not get a sense for it."
This reads literally: even after reading many books, you still would not understand. No unusual, nonliteral meaning. Not an idiom.

C. "The video provides a guided tour of the universe."
This is a metaphorical use of "guided tour" but it is a straightforward comparison meaning the video shows different parts of the universe in order. The phrase is literal enough and not an idiom that hides its meaning.

D. "The viewer feels like both an ant and a giant."
This is a simile or figurative comparison: it compares scale feelings. It is not an idiom because its meaning (feeling very small and very large) follows from the words.

Only sentence A contains a fixed expression whose meaning ("understand") is not the literal meanings of the words. Therefore A is the idiom.

Select the correct answer
Answer (A) is correct.

Answer (B) is incorrect because the sentence is literal. "Read thousands of books and still not get a sense for it" plainly means you would still not understand, and the words mean what they say. There is no special nonliteral meaning.

Answer (C) is incorrect because "provides a guided tour" is a clear comparison describing how the video presents material; it is not a fixed idiom whose meaning cannot be deduced from the words. It is a literal or metaphorical description, not an idiom.

Answer (D) is incorrect because it is a simile or figurative comparison. The sentence compares feelings of scale. That is figurative language, but not an idiom; the words convey their meaning directly through comparison.

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 2: Reading

Read the passage.

Fleas are small flightless insects that live as parasites on animals' bodies. They typically live on fur or feathers, their strong claws preventing them from being dislodged. They feed on the blood of their host, which might be a dog, a cat, a bird, a reptile, or a human, but a flea can live more than a hundred days without eating. Imagine not eating for a hundred days! The female flea consumes 15 times her own body weight in blood every day; imagine eating 1300 pounds of pasta in one day! One final and amazing fact is that fleas can jump up to eight inches, which is approximately 200 times their own height. That is the same as you jumping to the top of the Empire State Building.

How does the author pull the reader into the text?

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Correct!

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View Explanation

The correct answer is (B).

Let's Break This Down Step by Step

First, read the very first sentence: "Fleas are small flightless insects that live as parasites on animals' bodies." That sentence starts by giving concrete, specific information about fleas. It does not speak directly to the reader or prompt the reader to imagine something. It puts the reader into the subject by describing the subject itself.

Continue scanning the next lines. The author gives vivid facts and comparisons (strong claws, feeding on blood, surviving without eating, consuming 15 times her body weight, jumping 200 times their height). These are detailed descriptions and striking facts about fleas. The presence of many descriptive facts and precise details shows that the author is drawing the reader in by describing the fleas in a way that surprises and interests.

Now compare the technique you identified to each answer choice. The technique is detailed description and factual detail. That matches option C: "By describing fleas in detail." The other options refer to different techniques such as using familiar topic, second person, or strong adjectives, so we must check if those apply. They do not match the primary way the author pulls readers in.

Select the correct answer and confirm
(C) is correct because the passage immediately uses concrete descriptions and specific, surprising facts to capture interest.

Answer (A) is incorrect because the author does not begin by discussing a familiar topic to create a connection. Fleas are not introduced as a familiar, everyday conversation topic for the reader; instead the passage opens with factual description and surprising details about fleas.
Answer (B) is incorrect because the passage is not written in second person. Second person uses the pronoun you and addresses the reader directly. This passage mostly uses third-person description about fleas and occasional imaginative comparisons (imagine not eating for a hundred days) but does not speak to the reader as "you" to pull them in.
Answer (D) is incorrect because while the author uses some vivid facts and images, the primary device is not simply strong adjectives. The passage relies on concrete details, statistics, and comparisons rather than mainly on adjective choice. Strong adjectives alone would be descriptive words, but here the hook comes from the detailed facts and comparisons.

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 3: Reading

What is the meaning of the word bidirectional?

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Correct!

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View Explanation

Answer (B) is correct because the prefix bi- means "two."

Let's Break This Down Step by Step

Look at the word bidirectional and spot the beginning part that is not the main word. The prefix is bi-. A prefix is a meaningful chunk added to the front of a base word to change its meaning.

Think of familiar words with bi-. For example, bicycle (two wheels), binary (having two parts), and bilingual (speaks two languages). In each case bi- means two.

The base directional relates to direction. Adding bi- gives bidirectional, which literally means having two directions or moving in two directions. That matches the meaning "two."

Since bi- means two, the correct choice is B.

Select the correct answer and confirm
The correct answer is (B) is correct.

Why the other options are incorrect
Answer (A) is incorrect because one is usually shown by the prefix uni- or mono- (for example unicycle has one wheel). Bi- does not mean one.
Answer (C) is incorrect because three is indicated by tri- or ter- as in triangle or tricycle, not bi-.
Answer (D) is incorrect because four is indicated by quad- or tetra- as in quadrilateral or tetrapod. The prefix bi- does not mean four.

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Language Usage

The 8th Grade MAP Language Usage section measures students’ command of grammar, sentence structure, and clarity in writing. At this level, students edit for tone, precision, and logical flow.

Main Language Areas:

  • Mechanics (capitalization, punctuation, spelling)
  • Parts of Speech
  • Usage and Sentence Clarity
  • Writing Process and Development

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 1: Language Usage

Which of the following sentences uses vivid imagery?

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Correct!

View Explanation

The correct answer is (D).

Let's Break This Down Step by Step

Imagery is descriptive language that appeals to the senses and helps the reader form a vivid picture. Teachers often tell students to ask: Does this sentence let me see, hear, feel, taste, or smell something?

For each sentence, ask: Which senses does this sentence engage? Is it specific and descriptive enough to create a picture in my mind?

 Evaluate Option A: "Loud planes fly over our house." 

  • This sentence uses the word loud, which appeals to sound, but it is fairly general. It tells us there is noise, but it does not paint a detailed scene or include sensory specifics beyond a single adjective. 

Evaluate Option B: "Plankton are tiny ocean creatures." 

  • This is factual and informative. It names what plankton are and uses the adjective tiny, but it does not use sensory detail that builds a vivid mental image of an experience. 

Evaluate Option C: "The National Mall is a park in Washington, D.C." 

  • This is a straightforward factual statement that gives location information. It does not use sensory description or imagery. 

Evaluate Option D: "Smooth flat stones skip across the lake creating rippling patterns." 

  • This sentence uses several sensory and descriptive words: smooth, flat (touch and shape), skip (action you can visualize), lake (setting), creating rippling patterns (visual detail). Together these words build a clear, dynamic picture of stones moving across water and the visual patterns they make. This is strong imagery. 

Choose the answer. 

  • Compare all options: Option D contains multiple sensory, descriptive details and active imagery. The others are either factual or only lightly descriptive. 

Answer (A) is incorrect because it only gives a single, general sensory word "loud." It names a sound but does not create a vivid picture or use multiple sensory details.

Answer (B) is incorrect because it is a factual definition. It uses the adjective "tiny" but does not produce sensory detail that helps the reader imagine an experience.

Answer (C) is incorrect because it is purely informational. It names a place and its function but provides no sensory description or imagery.

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 2: Language Usage

Read the following sentence

Don’t spend time with Spencer’s circle of friends; they are the wolves of the school, and they are incredibly rude.

Which of the following poetic and literary devices is used in the sentence on the left?

Correct!

Wrong

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Wrong

Wrong

Wrong

View Explanation

The correct answer is A.

Let's Break This Down Step by Step

Metaphor: direct comparison (says X is Y) without using like or as.

Simile: comparison using like or as.

Oxymoron: two contradictory words placed together (e.g., deafening silence).

Onomatopoeia: a word that imitates a sound (e.g., buzz).

Foreshadowing: hinting at future events in a story.

Personification: giving human traits to non-human things.

They are the wolves of the school” directly calls Spencer’s friends wolves, that’s a direct comparison, so it’s a metaphor.

Simile: would require like or as (e.g., they are like wolves).

Oxymoron: no contradictory word pair appears.

Onomatopoeia: no sound-imitating word.

Foreshadowing: the sentence describes character, not a hint of future events.

Personification: personification gives human qualities to non-humans; here humans are compared to animals, so the figure is a metaphor, not personification.

MAP 8th Grade Sample Question 3: Language Usage

Which sentence is written correctly?

Correct!

Wrong

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View Explanation

The correct answer is A.

Let's Break This Down Step by Step

An introductory clause starts the sentence and depends on the main clause to complete the thought. For example, a clause that begins with while is usually an introductory dependent clause. An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.

When a sentence begins with a dependent introductory clause, it should be followed by a comma before the main clause. Example: While the rain fell, we stayed inside.

  • A. While the storm raged, the students waited quietly in the classroom. 
  • Analysis: The sentence begins with the dependent clause While the storm raged followed by a comma, then a complete independent clause. Grammar and punctuation are correct. The sentence is complete and clear. 

 

  • B. The students waited quietly in the classroom while the storm raged they listened. 
  • Analysis: This sentence runs two independent ideas together without proper punctuation or a conjunction. It needs either a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction plus comma to separate the clauses, for example: The students waited quietly in the classroom while the storm raged. They listened. 

 

  • C. While the storm raged the students waited quietly, in the classroom, for it to stop, they read. 
  • Analysis: This sentence misuses commas and strings ideas in a confusing, choppy way. The introductory clause lacks a required comma after raged. The commas around in the classroom are unnecessary and break the flow. The final comma and the clause they read create a run-on feel. A corrected version would be: While the storm raged, the students waited quietly in the classroom and read. 

 

  • D. The students waiting quietly, the storm raged outside. 
  • Analysis: This is a misplaced or incorrect participial construction. The phrase The students waiting quietly is not a complete clause by itself and should be written as a dependent clause or rephrased: While the students waited quietly, the storm raged outside. As written, it creates a fragment or a dangling construction that does not correctly connect ideas. 

Compare all options and choose the correct, properly formed sentence. 

  • Option A follows standard rules for introductory dependent clauses and punctuation and presents a single clear idea without errors. 
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Understanding Your 8th Grader’s MAP Growth Scores

After your child takes the MAP Growth Test, you'll receive a Family Report that shows how your child is learning and progressing over time. This report uses the RIT scale, a consistent measurement tool that tracks skills in reading, math, and language usage regardless of grade level.

Key Components of MAP Growth Scores

Your child's Family Report includes four main measurements:

  • RIT Score - Shows the difficulty level your child can handle and tracks growth over time
  • Percentile Ranks - Compares performance to peers nationally
  • Growth Norms - Measures progress compared to students at the same starting level
  • Projected Proficiency - Predicts performance on state exams and readiness for high school coursework
  • Understanding RIT growth helps families and teachers set realistic goals and track learning progress as your child prepares for the transition to high school.

Do you want to understand these scores in detail? Learn more about interpreting MAP Growth scores and what each metric means for high school readiness.

Start Practicing Now!

How Can Parents Help at Home?

8th Grade MAP Growth Test Preparation: Setting Your Child Up for High School

The 8th Grade MAP Growth Test is more than an assessment. It is a predictor of high school success. Strong scores demonstrate readiness for honors classes, AP coursework, and the academic rigor that defines high school achievement.

Analyze Together 

  • Review sample math and reading questions as a team 
  • Discuss how your child reached their answers 
  • Identify problem-solving strategies that work 

Encourage Deeper Reading 

  • Talk about symbolism, tone, and author's purpose 
  • Move beyond plot summary to analytical thinking 
  • Practice the critical reading skills required in high school 

Promote Problem-Solving 

  • Let your child explain multi-step math approaches 
  • Work through algebra concepts together 
  • Build the logical reasoning needed for high school math 

Balance Confidence and Challenge 

  • Celebrate effort and improvement, not just scores 
  • Frame mistakes as learning opportunities 
  • Build resilience for high school's increased demands 

Preparing Your Child for 8th Grade Success with Our MAP Test Prep Pack

We created the 8th Grade MAP Growth Preparation Pack specifically to prepare students for high school success. This comprehensive resource strengthens the core skills needed for honors courses, advanced math, and college-prep English.

What’s Included:

  • Full-Length Practice Tests: Simulate the adaptive MAP test to build focus and endurance.
  • Step-by-Step Quizzes: Focused drills in algebra, reading comprehension, and grammar.
  • Video Lessons: Short lessons breaking down tricky topics and question types.
  • Study & Parent Guides: Practical tips for tracking growth and motivating consistent study habits.

The transition from middle school to high school is critical. Strong 8th Grade MAP Growth scores open doors to honors classes, advanced placement opportunities, and long-term academic success. Our MAP Growth Preparation Pack ensures your child enters high school ready to excel.

Free MAP 8th Grade PDF Test Practice

Download here:

MAP Test Practice 8th Grade PDF



Ask Ariav

Ariav Schlesinger  is a certified teacher with a Master's in Education and a MAP Growth specialist with over a decade of experience developing 8th Grade MAP-aligned questions. His materials include clear explanations that strengthen advanced reasoning across math, reading, and language usage, build problem-solving and analytical skills, and help 8th graders gain confidence and perform their best on the MAP Growth test.

FAQs About the MAP Test Prep for 8th Grade

Yes. It measures skills directly connected to Common Core benchmarks in math, reading, and writing.

Preparation reduces anxiety and allows students to demonstrate their true capabilities.

Students scoring in the 95th percentile or above may be flagged for gifted program consideration.

Each section includes around 40–43 adaptive questions that adjust to ability level. 

Each section takes about an hour, but the test is untimed so students can work at their own pace.

Practice tests, topic quizzes, video lessons, and detailed explanations across all sections.

Starting 3–4 weeks before the test allows for gradual skill-building and review.

Most students score between 225–235 in math and reading; growth over time is what matters most.

Yes. MAP Growth reports let you see consistent learning gains between fall, winter, and spring tests.

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