Development of a Mathematics Placement Examination for the University of Tennessee at Martin

Abstract

This study is the development of a mathematics placement examination for The University of Tennessee at Martin. This mathematics placement examination is designed to identify each of the following: 1) students needing remedial mathematics work. 2) students requiring intermediate algebra prior to more advanced work, 3) students proficient in algebra but deficient in trigonometrys 4) students needing a review in algebra and trigonometry, and 5) students sufficiently proficient in college algebra and trigonometry to warrant their admission to calculus. The forty-five minute UTM Mathematics Placement Examination consists of forty items. Scores are obtainable for arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, arithmetic-algebra, algebra-trigonometry, and total. Subject area items are distributed throughout the test with items arranged in increasing difficulty. Students place their answers on IBM sheets. These sheets are then graded on the IBM 1230 Optical Scanner.