Question 1Multiple choice
A coat that normally costs $120 is on sale for 35% off. What is the sale price?
Is the ACCUPLACER hard?
The ACCUPLACER adapts to you: your answer to each question sets the difficulty of the next. Strong students still meet questions they cannot answer, because that is how it finds your level. The content is high school math, reading and grammar.
| Content | High school math, reading and grammar |
|---|---|
| Format | Adaptive multiple choice |
| Time limit | None in most cases; your school confirms |
| Who sets the score you need | Your college |
Why it feels hard
On an adaptive test, right answers bring harder questions, so a strong student still meets questions they cannot answer. That is normal: there is no pass or fail, only placement.
If your last math class was years ago, fractions, percents and factoring cost points until you practice them again.
How to prepare
- Ask your college which tests you take and the score you need for your first course.
- Take a short diagnostic to find your weakest test.
- Study that test for a week: one lesson a day, then timed practice.
- Sit a full practice test before the real one.
If you place lower than you hoped
Colleges set their own retest rules. College Board recommends a first retest two weeks (14 days) after your first test, and a third only after three more months, using the wait to study.
Try 3 questions
Question 2Multiple choice
The box plot shows the scores of a class on a test. What is the interquartile range of the scores?
Street trees
Planting trees along city streets is often treated as decoration, something to do once the serious work of fixing roads and pipes is finished. That view sells trees short. A mature tree shades the pavement and nearby buildings, and on a hot afternoon a tree-lined street can be several degrees cooler than a bare one. That difference matters: in a heat wave, cooler neighborhoods see fewer people hospitalized for heat illness. Trees also soak up rainwater that would otherwise rush into storm drains. Counted this way, a street tree is not decoration. It is equipment.
Question 3Multiple choice
The author ends the passage with the sentence “It is equipment” mainly to
Next step
Questions people ask
Can you fail the ACCUPLACER?
No. There is no pass or fail. Your scores place you into courses, and your college sets the scores for each course.
How long should I study for the ACCUPLACER?
College Board suggests at least one week of practice for each test subject. Start with the test you are weakest in.
Can I retake the ACCUPLACER?
Usually, yes. Each college sets its own retest policy; College Board recommends waiting 14 days before a first retest.