Statistics and geometry can seem disconnected from other areas of math, experts say, and teachers often get less preservice training in how to convey these concepts in the classroom. As a result, students can develop early gaps in their understanding of fundamental ideas—like similarity in shapes or conditional probability—that undermine their performance years later.
The following statistics and geometry questions come from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, dubbed the “nation’s report card,” from grades 4, 8, and 12.
Test your own knowledge, and then see how U.S. students fared.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2022 Math Assessment, Grades 4, 8, and 12.
This story is part of Miscalculating Math, a deep examination of math instruction.
Overview and key data: Advocates say reforms in math teaching are pushing out statistics and geometry and driving a drop in students’ math scores. Here’s what you need to know.
Q&As: Hear three professionals talk about how they use statistics and geometry in their careers.
Handy guide: Find tips, lesson ideas, and free resources for beefing up instruction in statistics and geometry.
Quiz: Test your knowledge of math concepts, and then see how U.S. students fared.
Complete Coverage: There’s even more to explore on this topic. Check out the complete collection, Miscalculating Math.
