Content Strand 5: Algebraic Sense - Item Specification (8-2005)

AS03 (Evaluating and Solving) Evaluate expressions and formulas considering order of operations; solve one- and two-step equations with one variable (1.5.5, 1.5.6)

Item Format:

· Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer items may be used to test this learning target.

Stimulus, Stem, and Prompt Rules:

· Stimulus may include pictorial representations, tables, charts, or graphs.
· Stimulus may include the use of variables to represent unknown quantities in expressions or equations.
· Stimulus should avoid the use of the letters a, b, c, d or x as variables.
· Equations will require a maximum of two steps to solve and will have whole number solutions.
· Stimulus may include or involve order of operations.

Mathematical Vocabulary and Terms:

· Terms that may be used: equation, expression, solve, symbol, unknown, variable, formula
· Terms that may be used with definitions or examples: evaluate, function
· Term that may not be used: set up

Item Characteristics:

a) Items may ask students to evaluate an expression or formula considering order of operations, using given values for the variables.
b) Items may ask students to write a simple expression for a given situation and evaluate the expression considering order of operations, using given values for the variables.
c) Items may ask students to solve a single-variable one- or two-step equation for a given situation.
d) Items may ask students to write and solve a single-variable one- or two-step equation for a given situation.