TExES Mathematics 4-8 (115)

The 115 exam is a computer-administered test (CAT) taken at Pearson VUE test centers. All 100 questions appear in one continuous session, with questions from all six domains.

Key Facts About TExES Mathematics 4-8 (115)

The official framework divides the exam into six domains and nineteen competencies.

TExES 115 Domains

TExES 115 Competencies

• Single-answer multiple choice with four choices: most of the exam.
• Select-all-that-apply questions with more choices: credit usually requires every correct choice and no incorrect ones. This guide practices that thinking with Roman-numeral questions ("I and III only").
• Questions with tables, graphs, box plots, scatter plots and described geometric figures.
• Classroom scenarios: a student's work or explanation, a lesson plan step or an assessment item, followed by a question about the misconception, the best next step or the best question to ask.
• Content reaches beyond grade 8. Expect quadratics with complex roots, exponential and rational functions, rates of change and area under a curve, normal distributions, confidence intervals and regression, because a middle school teacher must know where the mathematics leads.

An on-screen scientific calculator, similar to a TI-30XS, is available for the whole exam. There is no graphing calculator, so you must be able to sketch and reason about graphs by hand.

The on-screen Definitions and Formulas page includes derivative notation; probability of unions, intersections and conditional probability; the imaginary unit; the inverse and determinant of a two-by-two matrix; compound interest; the greatest integer function; circumference; areas of triangles, rhombuses, trapezoids and circles; surface area of a sphere and lateral area of a cylinder; volumes of cylinders, cones, spheres and prisms; and the Laws of Sines and Cosines.

Common Trap: Many formulas are not on the page. Memorize the Pythagorean theorem, slope, distance and midpoint formulas, the quadratic formula, the vertex formula x = −b/(2a), arithmetic and geometric sequence rules, permutations and combinations, the area of rectangles and parallelograms, surface area of prisms and pyramids, the mean and standard deviation, and simple interest.

Only scored questions count. Your raw score is converted to a scaled score from 100 to 300, and the passing score is 240. There is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question. Your score report shows your performance in each domain, which helps you plan a retake if you need one. You may retake the exam after 30 days, and Texas allows five total attempts unless TEA grants a waiver.