Introduction:

To the Student

ABOUT FCAT /

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The Sunshine State Standards, adopted by the State Board of

Education in 1996, identify the skills and essential knowledge that

students should learn. To judge whether students are meeting these

standards, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) was

developed.

The reading portion of FCAT is given in grade 4, and the

mathematics portion is given in grade 5. Both sections are given

during grade 8 and again in grade 10. This book is about the

mathematics portion of the grade 8 FCAT.

The grade 8 FCAT for mathematics tests the following five

content areas. It emphasizes all these content areas equally:

~ (1) Number Sense, Concepts, and Operations

~ (2) Measurement

~ (3) Geometry and Spatial Sense

~ (4) Algebraic Thinking

~ (5) Data Analysis and Probability

There will be three types of questions on the test:

~ (1) Multiple-choice. The majority of the questions will be in

multiple-choice format.

~ (2) Gridded-response. In this format, you must first solve a

problem and then write the answer in a special grid.

~ (3) Performance tasks. The third type of question on the test is

called a "performance task." In these tasks, you must show your

work and perhaps explain your answer in words. There are two

types of performance tasks: short-response and extended-

response. (Examples of each type will be shown later.)

The FCAT mathematics test is divided into two parts, with

approximately 28 questions in each part. You will be given 80

minutes to do each part. After the test is completed, it will be sent to

a team of Florida educators for scoring.