Praxis Core 2023-2024 For Dummies (For Dummies (Career/Education))

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with the Praxis Core
	Chapter 1 Previewing the Praxis
		Why Take the Praxis?
		Breaking Down the Praxis
			Knowing what topics the Praxis covers
			Seeing what types of questions you can expect
		Understanding How the Test Is Scored
	Chapter 2 Getting Ready for Test Day
		Registering for the Test
		Using Your Time Wisely
			Budgeting your study time leading up to test day
			Budgeting your time while taking the test
		When Test Day Has Arrived
			Knowing what to bring and what to leave at home
			Getting familiar with computer testing
		If You’re Retaking the Test
	Chapter 3 Practicing the Praxis: Sampling Some Practice Questions
		Going through the Pre-Assessment Questions
		Reading practice questions
		Writing practice questions
		Mathematics practice questions
		Looking at the Pre-Assessment Answers
		Assessing Your Results
			Identifying categories where you struggled
			Understanding where you went wrong specifically
Part 2 Mastering Math Concepts
	Chapter 4 Count on It: Number and Quantity
		Working with Integers: Whole Numbers and Their Opposites
			Doing basic operations with integers
			Finding factors of whole numbers
			Employing some helpful divisibility rules
			Finding multiples of integers
			Determining the greatest common factor and least common multiple
			Exponents and square roots
		Computing with Fractions and Mixed Numbers
			Simplifying fractions
			Converting between fractions and mixed numbers
			Performing basic operations on fractions and mixed numbers
		Working with Decimals and Percents
			Converting among decimals, percents, fractions, and mixed numbers
			Determining percent change
			Performing basic operations on decimals
		Understanding the Number Line
			Interpreting numeration and place values
			Knowing the basics of order
			Finding orders of magnitude
			Finding numbers in sequences
		Following Orders: The Order of Operations
			Remembering GEMDAS
			Using the order of operations within itself
		Reasoning with Quantities
			Using the two major systems of measurement
			Converting units of measurement
			Basic word problems
			Working with unit rates
		Practice Questions about Number and Quantity
		Answers and Explanations
	Chapter 5 Introducing Letters: Algebra
		Variables: When Letters Represent Numbers
			Laying out the terms: Variable terms and expressions
			Let’s get together: Combining like terms
			Multiplying and dividing terms and expressions
			Combining fractions that have variables
			When variable values are given
		Working with Equations
			Solving for x and other variables
			Undoing addition and subtraction
			Undoing multiplication and division
			Multistep equations
			Proportions
			Systems of equations
			Solving for variables in terms of other variables
		Solving Inequalities
			Following two more rules when solving inequalities
			Graphing inequalities
			Describing solution steps
		Factoring in Algebra
			Factoring terms out of bigger terms
			Using reverse FOIL
		Decoding Algebra Word Problems
			Translating English into mathematical language
			Algebraic word problems
		Thinking Outside the Algebra Box
			Recognizing relational patterns
			Algebraic reasoning
		Practice Questions about Algebra
		Answers and Explanations
	Chapter 6 Grasping Geometry Concepts
		Understanding the Building Blocks of Geometry
			Getting to the point
			Defining lines and parts of lines
			Moving along planes in space
			Getting the right angles on angles
			Recognizing congruence
		Understanding Angle Measures and Relationships
			Distinguishing degrees of angle measure and naming angles
			Working with angle relationships
		Knowing Common Shapes and Their Basic Properties
			Defining polygons in general
			Analyzing triangles: Three-sided polygons
			Identifying facts about quadrilaterals
			Working with other types of polygons
			Knowing the basic facts about circles
		Working with Shapes that Are Alike
			Forming conclusions about congruent shapes
			Working with similar shapes
		Figuring out Geometric Formulas
			Finding the perimeter
			Circling the circumference
			Getting into the area
			Finding the right volume
		Combining Shapes
			Coming together: Shapes that have joined without an invasion
			Preparing for invasion: When one shape invades another
		Knowing the Ways of the XY Coordinate Plane
			Naming coordinate pairs
			Identifying linear equations and their graphs
			Using the distance and midpoint formulas
			Finding meaning in intersecting graphs
			Transforming coordinate plane figures
		Touching on Right Triangles
			Knowing what Pythagoras discovered
			Working with special right triangles
		Practice Questions about Geometry
		Answers and Explanations
	Chapter 7 Statistics and Probability
		Representing Data
			Tables
			Bar graphs and line graphs
			Pie charts
			Stem-and-leaf plots
			Box-and-whisker plots
			Venn diagrams
			Scrambling around scatter plots
			Loitering around line plots
		Analyzing Data
			Combing through comparisons
			Homing in on the range
			Measuring arithmetic mean, median, or mode
			Looking for outliers
			Measuring the spread of data
			Scrutinizing samples for data analysis
			Interpreting linear models
		Calculating Probability
			Determining the likelihood of an event
			Using complements
		Pointing Out Scientific Notation Facts
		Practice Questions about Statistics and Probability
		Answers and Explanations
	Chapter 8 Test-Taking Strategies for Core Math
		Using Helpful Shortcuts
			Solving equations versus determining what must be solved
			Using estimation and approximation
			Using the calculator
			Identifying calculations you can make in your head
			The art of guessing as a last resort
			Working backward
		Narrowing Down Answer Choices
			Eliminating obviously wrong answer choices
			Avoiding the most common wrong answers
		Tackling the Constructed Response
			Tips for preparing responses and answering questions
			Some proper ways of representing answers
			Avoiding careless errors
Part 3 Refining Your Reading Comprehension Skills
	Chapter 9 Reading Comprehension: Finding Meaning and Identifying Purpose
		Previewing the Praxis Reading Test
			Knowing what the test contains
			Applying a general strategy
		Mastering Short-Passage Questions
			Ferreting out the main idea
			Discerning the author’s tone and intent
			Putting vocabulary in context
		Looking at Long-Passage Questions
			Purpose and paraphrase
			Arguments and support
			Getting the hang of “If” questions
			Sample questions for long passages
		Visual- and Quantitative-Information Questions
			Rethinking charts and graphs
			Getting graphs
		Practice Reading-Comprehension Questions
		Answers and Explanations
	Chapter 10 Test-Taking Strategies for Core Reading
		Which to Read First: The Passage or the Question
		Examining Strategies for the Various Passages
			Approaching long and short passages
			Approaching the paired passages
		Approaching Questions about Charts and Graphs
		Eliminating Wrong Answers
Part 4 Fine-Tuning Your Writing Skills
	Chapter 11 Acing the Essay
		Perusing the Types of Prompts: “Picking a Side” versus “Exploring an Idea”
			Writing persuasively in the argumentative essay
			Sticking to the facts in the informative essay
		Creating a Solid Essay
			Making an outline: Essential or overrated?
			Dividing up your essay into sections
			Don’t box yourself in: Theses aren’t set in stone
			Citing the sources
			Some additional writing pointers
		Turning a Good Essay into a Great One
			Adding interesting anecdotes
			Painting a picture with words
			Anticipating objections against your position
		Understanding How the Essay Is Scored
		Checking Out Some Practice Prompts
			Prompts for argumentative essays
			Prompts for informative/explanatory essays
		Reviewing a Sample Essay
		Evaluating Your Essay
	Chapter 12 Giving Grammar a Glance
		Getting a Grip on the Parts of Speech
			Finding nouns as subjects and objects
			Putting verbs to work
			Using adjectives to describe people, places, and things
			Calling on adverbs to describe actions and conditions
			Getting the lowdown on pronouns
			Considering conjunctions
			Perusing prepositions
		Making Sense of Sentence Structure
			Independent clauses versus everything else
			The sentence skeleton: Identifying the main subject and verb
			Run-ons and comma splices
		Pondering Punctuation
			Commas
			Semicolons
			Apostrophes
		Misplaced Modifiers
		Redundancy and Double Negatives
		Homophones: “They’re in there with their bear”
			Which one has the apostrophe?
			Spelled and used differently, but sound the same
		Capitalization: What You Need to Know
		Practice Questions about Grammar
		Answers and Explanations
	Chapter 13 Test-Taking Strategies for Core Writing
		Knowing the Types of Selected-Response Writing Questions
			Type 1: Answering usage questions
			Type 2: Showing your research skills
			Type 3: Making sentence corrections
			Type 4: Regarding revision-in-context questions
		Identifying and Correcting Errors in Selected-Response Items
			Eliminating the obviously wrong choices
			Don’t be afraid to say it’s right the way it is
			The art of guessing as a last resort
			A word of advice about trusting your ear
		Mastering the Essay
Part 5 Tackling Praxis Core Practice Tests
	Chapter 14 Practice Exam 1
		Answer Sheet for Practice Exam 1
		Part 1: Reading
		Part 2: Writing
		Argumentative Essay
		Source-Based Essay
		Part 3: Mathematics
	Chapter 15 Practice Exam 1: Answers and Explanations
		Part 1: Reading
		Part 2: Writing
			Argumentative essay
			Source-based essay
		Part 3: Mathematics
		Answer Key
	Chapter 16 Practice Exam 2
		Answer Sheet for Practice Exam 2
		Part 1: Reading
		Part 2: Writing
		Argumentative Essay
		Source-Based Essay
		Part 3: Mathematics
	Chapter 17 Practice Exam 2: Answers and Explanations
		Part 1: Reading
		Part 2: Writing
			Argumentative Essay
			Source-Based Essay
		Part 3: Mathematics
		Answer Key
Part 6 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 18 Ten Common Math Errors to Avoid
		Misusing Negative Signs
		Confusing Perimeter and Area
		Incorrectly Combining Like Terms
		Messing Up When Moving Decimals
		Not Solving for the Actual Variable
		Misrepresenting “Less Than” in Word Problems
		Mixing Up Supplementary and Complementary Angles
		Finding a False Median
		Fearing Fractions
		Forgetting about Fractions in Formulas
	Chapter 19 Ten Mistakes to Avoid on the Praxis Reading and Writing Exams
		Avoiding Mistakes Common to the Writing and Reading Tests
			Don’t look for patterns in the answers
			Don’t change answers merely for the sake of changing them
		Sidestepping Mistakes on the Writing Test
			Don’t equate different with wrong
			Don’t assume something must be correct just because it sounds fancier or more complex
			Don’t turn the essay into a thesaurus explosion
			Don’t paint yourself into a corner with a rigid thesis
		Evading Mistakes on the Reading Test
			Don’t rule out the “too obvious”
			Don’t word-match
			Don’t ignore your outside knowledge
			Don’t try to answer more than the question asks you to
Index
	EULA