AEPA Middle Grades Mathematics (NT203) Study Guide and Test Prep

About Our NES Middle Grades Mathematics Course & Study Guide

This course covers all of the topics included in the NES Middle Grades Mathematics test (used in place of the AEPA Middle Grades Mathematics exam), giving you a simple and effective way to review all the material you need to know for the exam. You can use our lessons to review word problems, basic arithmetic operations, number patterns, sequences, and much more! Our comprehensive NES NT203 study guide also features brief quizzes to check your knowledge along the way, as well as chapter tests and a final exam that can help you assess your overall readiness for the exam.

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NES Middle Grades Mathematics Information

This computer-based test is used in the state of Arizona to assess the readiness of prospective teachers who want to teach mathematics in middle grades.

• Number of Questions: 150
• Question Type: Multiple-choice questions
• Time Limit: 5 hours
• Exam Cost: $119

NES Middle Grades Mathematics Breakdown

Syllabus & Course Information

All of the lessons included in this NES Middle Grades Mathematics (NT203) study guide have been designed to align with a concept area you'll need to know on the exam. Short video lessons address topics such as integers, exponential expressions, rational numbers and fractions. Once you complete this course, you should be familiar with:

Number Sense and Operations

Number sense and operations lay the groundwork for most mathematics and are vital knowledge for instructors and their middle-grade students. These concepts provide the foundation for middle-grade learners to advance to learning algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. Number sense is an understanding of the value of numbers, the relationships between numbers, and representations of numbers. Operations are the tasks performed using numbers, such as multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.

Skills candidates must demonstrate in this domain are:

• Understand place values for whole numbers and decimals
• Convert between representations, such as fractions to decimals or percentages
• Estimate Values
• Explain how operations and algorithms affect numbers

Questions in this domain may ask candidates to apply concepts and solve operations problems. Number-theory concepts that apply to these questions include prime factorization, inequalities, greatest common factors, least common multiples, and questions of divisibility. Operations problems may ask candidates to perform operations on decimals, fractions, integers, percentages, and ratios.

Algebra and Functions

Middle grades are also where educators introduce students to the basic concept of higher math and may even begin teaching algebra and concepts related to calculus. Candidates must understand these concepts and higher math to convey the basic knowledge to students and prepare them for future studies. This includes expanding on the number and operation sense of the previous domain to understand patterns and functions. This domain also explores techniques used in algebra, linear and nonlinear relations, and the basic concepts of calculus.

Skills candidates must demonstrate in this domain are:

• Analyze patterns and their graphic transformations
• Understand data and numbers conveyed through different means
• Convert word problems to algebraic notation
• Manipulate expressions
• Convert equations and inequalities to slope-intercept form.

Questions from this domain will likely ask candidates to solve problems of direct proportions and indirect proportions, equations and inequalities that are linear or non-linear, solve reality-based problems using linear and non-linear equations or inequalities, and either solve or convert problems to slope-intercept form.

Measurement and Geometry

The measurement and geometry domain focuses on space, shapes, and the relationship of points, lines, and angles to determine dimensions, properties, and shapes. Middle-grade educators typically introduce students to the main concepts of geometry to prepare them for more complex concepts in the upper-grade levels.

Skills candidates must demonstrate in this domain are:

• Ability to measure the length and calculate area and volume from length measurements
• Use inductive and deductive reasoning
• Identify several two-dimensional shapes and their properties
• Convert between customary and metric measurements
• Identify when two shapes are similar or congruent
• Calculate right-triangle sides based on the Pythagorean theorem
• Use two-dimensional and three-dimensional coordinate systems.

Questions in the measurement and geometry domain may ask candidates to calculate area and volume for two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and solve problems using the properties of polygons. Candidates may also be asked to apply algebra to coordinate plane questions.

Statistics, Probability, and Discrete Mathematics

The statistics, probability, and discrete mathematics domain of the AEPA Middle Grades Mathematics (NT203) exam addresses how numbers and calculations can be used to predict outcomes and find correlations between events or situations. This involves the principles of statistics, including the gathering of data, calculating and simulating probabilities, logical statements in mathematics, and set theory.

Skills candidates must demonstrate in this domain are:

• Demonstrate various sampling techniques for statistics and probabilities
• Understand the difference between univariate and bivariate data
• Graph equations, inequalities, and expressions on a coordinate plane
• Represent numerical data visually and use different types of representation
• Identify the properties of number series and number sequences
• Understand and reach conclusions using mathematical logic, such as negation statements, conditional statements, and biconditional statements

Questions in the statistics, probability, and discrete mathematics section will evaluate how well candidates can apply these skills to solve real-world and purely mathematical problems. Questions may include the application of set theory to problem-solving, calculation of simple event probabilities, calculation of compound event probabilities, discuss the effect of sampling bias on statistical data, and conclusion of data with differing numbers of variables.

NES Middle Grades Mathematics Exam Preparation & Registration

By working with this course and study guide, you can familiarize yourself with all the topics found on the NES NT203 exam. This is made up of 450 easy-to-follow lessons grouped by subject into 54 chapters. These brief video lessons will refresh your memory of what you learned in college and perhaps introduce you to some material that is new to you. Through the lessons, you'll learn about properties of numbers as well as how to perform operations using functions, algebra, and negative numbers. You'll also acquire knowledge of linear and nonlinear functions, standard units of measurement, angles and triangles. After completing each lesson, test your knowledge with the short quiz that accompanies it. These quizzes will introduce you to the kind of question format you will see on the actual test.

The test is available year-round, by appointment, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The test is given at various locations throughout Arizona. Registration can be completed online, and you will select the exam you want to take and the date you want to take it. You can also specify who you would like to receive your scores. When you appear for the test, you will need to bring a government-issued photo identification card.

NES Middle Grades Mathematics Exam Scoring

Test results are available immediately after the test, and your score report is released within two weeks. A score of at least 220 points is required to pass the NES Middle Grades Mathematics exam.

Number Sense and Operations

This subarea makes up about 17% of the test questions. You will demonstrate your understanding of and ability to apply various number-theory concepts in problem-solving situations.

Algebra and Functions

This subarea makes up the largest portion of the test questions, at 33%. You will need to comprehend and be able to apply algebraic concepts, work with linear relations and applications, and comprehend nonlinear relations and elements of calculus.

Measurement and Geometry

Twenty-five percent of the test questions deal with issues of measurement and geometry. You'll need to be able to analyze, calculate and understand concepts relating to units and unit conversions in customary and metric systems. You should be prepared to demonstrate mastery of Euclidean geometry.

Statistics, Probability and Discrete Mathematics

This subarea comprises 25% of the test questions. You'll need to know how to collect and analyze data and be able to determine probability. Display your competencies with permutations and combinations, graphs, and the use of logic to solve problems.

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