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Preparation
for the
ITBS

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Introduction
Welcome to Preparation for the ITBS!
This section is designed to help you get ready for the Iowa Test of Basic
Skills (ITBS). You have been building your math skills, and soon you will
have a chance to put them to work.
This booklet will do two things:

First, we will teach you about the ITBS and give you helpful hints
about how the test works. You will take a practice test so you can
become more familiar with the test. The practice ITBS in this booklet
is a simulation of the nationally administered test that you will take.
After you take the practice test, youll know exactly what to expect
from the real thing.

Second, you will spend time reviewing some of the math you have
already learned. The ITBS tests very specific skills. But dont worry
you have already learned all the math you need to know. Were just
going to give you a chance to practice your math skills on the kinds of
questions the ITBS will ask.

Once you have learned all about the ITBS, worked through a number of
practice problems, and taken the practice test, you will be ready to do your
best. Be sure to ask your teacher any questions you have about the test.

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The ITBS is an important test, but it doesnt determine how smart you are.
Instead, the ITBS is meant to show you and your teacher how much math
you have learned so far. You should do your best on the ITBS, like you
would on any test, but do not let it make you too nervous or anxious. As
you go through this booklet, work hard and pay close attention to
everything your teacher tells you about the test, and you will be ready for
success on the ITBS.

Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

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What do I need to know

about the ITBS?
The ITBS is a test that is different from the other tests you take in school. On
the ITBS, you dont get a better score if you finish quickly.

There are 121 questions (28 Concepts, 20 Estimation, 18 Problem

Solving, 14 Data Interpretation, and 41 Computation) on the math part
of the ITBS. You will have 80 minutes to finish the test20 minutes for
Concepts, 10 minutes for Estimation, 18 minutes for Problem Solving, 12
minutes for Data Interpretation, and 20 minutes for Computation. That
doesnt give you much time. But dont feel like you have to hurry to
finish the ITBS on time. Its better to do fewer questions and get them
right than to try to do too many questions and get most of them wrong.

Dont rush through the test thinking that youll go back and fix your
mistakes later. Its always better to go slowly and to get the questions
right the first time. If you do have time left over, go back and check your
answers again.

Dont spend too much time on one question. If youve tried hard on a
question and youre still not sure you know the answer, dont worry.
Just take your best guess and move on to the next question. The ITBS
mixes easy questions with hard ones, so the next question may be
easier than the one you couldnt do.
Another important thing to remember is that on the ITBS, there is no
penalty for guessing.

You should always do your best to answer a question, or eliminate as

many wrong answers as you can. But if you havent narrowed the
answer down to one choice, you should still guess. You can only gain
points!
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After all, this is a multiple choice test. The answer is right in front of you.
You just need to be able to pick it out!

Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade

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Bubbles
The ITBS is a computer-scored test. This means that instead of your teacher
correcting your test, a computer will score it. The computer looks at the
bubbles on your answer sheet, and it doesnt care what you wrote in the
test booklet. The only thing it sees is your pencil marks on the answer sheet.
Filling in the bubbles is easy. There are some rules you need to follow,
though, to be sure that the computer reads your answer correctly.
Fill in each bubble completely, and fill in only one bubble for each question.

Correct:
Incorrect:
Incorrect:
Incorrect:

A
J

B
K

C
L

D
M

If you make a mistake and need to change your answer, be sure to erase
completely.

Correct:
Incorrect:
Incorrect:

A
J

B
K

C
L

D
M

On the ITBS, the fourth answer choice on Computations questions is N,

meaning that the correct answer is not given. If you do not see your answer
among the answer choices after you have solved a
Computation problem, try solving the problem again. If
you still do not see your answer among the choices,
mark the bubble for N.

Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

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You need to be careful about not writing on the answer sheets, except to fill
in your answers. However, you do have lots of extra space in the test
booklet that you can use. You can write all over the white space provided in
the test booklet, and you should. Dont try to do the math in your head.
Use the blank space under the questions to write out number sentences or
draw pictures that will help you solve the problem.

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How do I tackle an
ITBS Question?
Read the problem.
Write out what you know in the white areas of the booklet. Use a
number sentence, a diagram, a picture, or whatever helps you
understand what the problem is asking and what things are involved.

Solve the problem and match your answer to one of the choices.
If you cant solve the problem because you dont know what number
sentence to write or diagram to draw, then go to the answers. Try to
eliminate answers that dont make sense by putting them into the
question to see if they fit.

Mr. Dillon bought 9 12 pounds of hamburger meat

and 14 14 pounds of pork for a barbecue. How
much more pork did he buy than hamburger?
A 5 12 pounds
B 5 14 pounds
C 5 pounds

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D 4 34 pounds

Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

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How do I make sure I

chose the right answer?
Ask yourself these questions:
Did I use the right pieces of information?
Sometimes you don't need to use all the facts and numbers in the
question.

Does my answer make sense?

See if your answer should be greater than or less than the numbers in
the problem.

Did I answer the question?

Reread the question to be sure you used the correct operation and
understood what the problem asked.

Did I do the math correctly?

Check your math. Try reversing what you did, using a number sentence
from the same family of facts. For example, if you said 148 99 = 49,
check your subtraction by adding 49 + 99. Make sure you carried and
regrouped when needed and that you lined up the digits properly when
using decimals.

Did I fill in my answer correctly?

When all 7 tracks are in service, a train station

has 28 trains coming in each hour. With full
service, how many trains come into the
station in 12 hours?

196

336

2352

Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

McGraw-Hill School Division

Look at page 6 to see how to do this.

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Process of Elimination
On a multiple-choice test like the ITBS, here are three ways to find the
correct answer for a question.
First, you can make a calculation and choose the answer choice that
matches your answer.

Juan knows the capitals of 23 states. How

many more capitals does he have to learn if
he wants to know the capitals of all 50
states?
A

16

21

27

31

50
 23
27

Second, you can draw a diagram to help you figure out the question, or use
the picture given to find your answer.
1
5
8

Eliminate all even numbers.

7
4

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Steps:
Eliminate any numbers in the rectangle.

Which number is inside the triangle,

is NOT inside the rectangle or the
hexagon, and is odd?

Eliminate any numbers in the hexagon.

Double check that your answer is odd
and that its only inside the triangle.

Inside the triangle AND the rectangle.

Correct! Inside only the triangle and odd.

Inside the the triangle AND the hexagon.

Even number.

Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

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Third, when you arent sure which answer is correct, you can use the process
of elimination to eliminate the answer choices you know are wrong.

Steps:
Eliminate all
shapes with no
square corners or
more than 1
square corner.
Eliminate all
shapes with more
than 2 sides equal.
Check that your
answer has 1
square corner and
2 equal sides.

Which shape has only one square corner

and only two sides that are the same length?
A

Correct! 1 square corner,

two equal sides

Four square corners,

4 equal sides

1 square corner,
no two sides equal

no square corners

Whenever you can, you should try to solve math problems to find the right
answers. However, if you have trouble or if you arent sure how to answer
the question, the process of elimination can help you narrow down your
answer choices.

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Sometimes the process of elimination will narrow your choices down to just
one answer. Other times, though, it will narrow your choices down to two
or even three answers. In these cases, after you have eliminated the wrong
answers, you should take a guess from among the choices that are left.

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Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

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Vocabulary
Many of the questions on the ITBS will use math vocabulary. Here is a short
list of some of the terms you should review before the test.

Term

Example(s)

Definition

Family of facts
Value
Equivalent
Factor
Multiple
Mean
Line of symmetry
Congruent
Reflection
Perimeter
Area
Radius
Diameter
Circumference
Acute angle

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Obtuse angle
Right angle

x-axis/y-axis
Coordinates
Quadrilateral
Pentagon
Hexagon
Octagon
Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

11

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Charts and Graphs

The ITBS will ask you some questions based on a chart or a graph. The most
important thing for you to do is to make sure you understand the
information in the chart or graph before trying to answer the question.
When you see a chart or graph, first take a minute to look at the information
it gives you. Pay special attention to the units in the question. Is the chart
or graph showing you ones, tens, hundreds, or thousands? If there are
symbols used in the chart or graph, does each symbol represent one person
or thing, or more than one person or thing?
Example:
Favorite Book of
Students at Whiting Middle School
BOOK

NUMBER OF STUDENTS

Alice in Wonderland
Charlottes Web
The Chosen
Oliver Twist
The Hobbit
NOTE: Each

represent? ______

What is the total number of students who

were asked about their favorite book?
J

13

26

M 9

How many total

13
______

are in all the rows?

Multiply the number of

each
represents:

by the quantity

13  2  26

12

Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

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What does a

represents two students.

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Preparing for the ITBS

A multiple-choice test can be the easiest kind of test. Why? Because you
know that one of the choices is the right answer. All you have to do is
figure out which one it is.
Sandwiches Sold at ABC Variety Store
30
25
20

Make sure
that you
understand
the scale on
each graph.

Number
15
of Sandwiches 10
5
0

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Sat.

Sun.

Days

6
Sometimes one
of the answers
does not make
sense.
Eliminate that
choice right
away.

Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri.

How much greater is the number of

sandwiches sold in the store on the most
busy day than the number of sandwiches
sold on the least busy day?
Check that you
found the correct
A 5
data in the table.
B 10
C

15

20

Saturday: 25 sandwiches
Wednesday: 5 sandwiches

Luther went on a 250-mile bicycle trip. The

ride took place over 4 days. The first day
Luther rode 68 miles. The second day he rode
73 miles. The third day he only rode 36 miles.
How far does Luther have to ride on the
fourth day to finish his trip?
J

427 miles

173 miles

73 miles

M 57 miles

Success on Standardized Tests for the ITBS Grade 6

Write it all out:

68
73
36
177

250
177
73

If your answer is
not given, go
back.
Check
that you
understood
the question.
Check the
numbers you
copied.
Check your
calculations.

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