Grid-Ins

Although most of the questions on the Math Test are multiple choice, about 20% are student-produced response questions, also known as grid-ins. Instead of choosing a correct answer from a list of options, you solve problems and enter your answers in the grids on the answer sheet.

Gridding-In Answers

  • Mark no more than 1 bubble in any column.
  • Only answers indicated by filling in the bubble will be scored (you won’t receive credit for anything written in the boxes above the bubbles).
  • It doesn't matter which column you begin entering your answer in; as long as the responses are in the grid area, you’ll get credit.
  • The grid can hold only 4 decimal places and only positive numbers and zero.
  • Unless a problem indicates otherwise, answers can be entered on the grid as a decimal or a fraction.
  • Fractions like 3 over 24 don’t need to be reduced to their lowest terms.
  • All mixed numbers need to be converted to improper fractions before being recorded in the grid.
  • If the answer is a repeating decimal, grid the most accurate value the grid will accommodate.

Here’s an example of instructions you’ll see on the test:

4 examples of grid-in instructions for the Math Test, each with 4 columns of bubbles with rows numbered 0 to 9 including decimal points and fraction lines. Example 1 shows the 1st row has the number 7 filled in, the 2nd row has the fraction lined filled in, the 3rd row has the number 1 filled in, the 4th row has the number 2 filled revealing the answer seven-twelfths. Example 2 shows the 2nd row has the number 2 filled in, the 3rd row has the decimal point filled in, the 4th row has the number 5 filled revealing the answer 2.5. Example 3 shows three ways to grid-in the answer two-thirds; in diagram 1, the 2nd row has the number 2 filled in, the 3rd row has the fraction line filled in, the 4th row has the number 3 filled in; in diagram 2, the 1st row has the decimal point filled in, rows 2 to 4 have the number 6 filled in; diagram 3 is the same as diagram 2, except the 4th row has the number 7 filled in. Example 4 shows two ways to grid-in the answer 201; in diagram 1, the 2nd row has the number 2 filled, the 3rd has the number 0 filled in, the 4th row has the number 1 filled in; in diagram 2, the first row has the number 2 filled in, the 2nd row has the number 0 filled in, the 3rd row has the number 1 filled in. Note: You may start your answers in any column, space permitting. Columns you don't need to use should be left blank.