FREE ALEKS Math Practice Test
TL;DR: Take a free ALEKS Math Placement practice test. ALEKS is an adaptive math placement test used by colleges to determine which math course you place into. The questions in this practice test cover the range of topics ALEKS actually tests.
Key takeaways:
- ALEKS Math Placement is adaptive — questions adjust to your demonstrated knowledge level.
- Most ALEKS sessions take 60 to 90 minutes; you have up to 3 hours.
- ALEKS provides its own on-screen calculator on questions where it determines one is needed.
- Scores range 0 to 100; placement cutoffs vary by college and target course.
- You can usually retake ALEKS after completing 5-10 hours of the integrated Prep & Learning module.
For this practice test, we’ve selected 20 real questions from past exams for your ALEKS Mathematics Practice test. You will have the chance to try out the most common ALEKS Math questions. For every question, there is an in-depth explanation of how to solve the question and how to avoid mistakes next time.
Use our free ALEKS Math practice tests and study resources (updated for 2026) to ace the ALEKS Math test! Make sure to follow some of the related links at the bottom of this post to get a better idea of what kind of mathematics questions you need to practice. For education statistics and research, visit the National Center for Education Statistics.
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10 Sample ALEKS Math Practice Questions
1- What is \(5231.48245\) rounded to the nearest tenth?_______
2- 15 is what percent of 75?_______
3- Last Friday Jacob had $32.52. Over the weekend he received some money for cleaning the attic. He now has $44. How much money did he receive?______
4- Simplify. \(\frac{\frac{1}{2}-\frac{x+5}{4}}{\frac{x^2}{2} – \frac{5}{2}} \)?______
5- Solve.\(5 + 8 × (–2) – [4 + 22 ×5] ÷ 6\) =?______
6- A man owed $4265 on his car. After making \(55\) payments of $77 each, how much did he have left to pay?______
7- Find all values of \(x\) in this equation: \( 4x^2 + 14x + 6 = 0\)?______
8- Solve.\((x^6)^\frac{5}{8}\)?______
9- If a vehicle is driven 32 miles on Monday, 35 miles on Tuesday, and 29 miles on Wednesday, what is the average number of miles driven each day?______
10- In the following triangle what is the value of \(x\)?______
11- Find the factors of \( x^2 + 5x – 6\)?______
12- A ladder leans against a wall forming a \(60^\circ\) angle between the ground and the ladder. If the bottom of the ladder is 30 feet away from the wall, how long is the ladder?______
13- What is the distance between the points \((1, 3)\) and \((–2, 7)\)?______
14- Write the \(\frac{4}{140}\) as a decimal?______
15- If \( f(x) = x – \frac{5}{3} \) and \(f ^{–1}\) is the inverse of \(f(x)\), what is the value of
\( f ^{–1}(5)?\)_______
16- Anita’s trick–or–treat bag contains 12 pieces of chocolate, 18 suckers, 18 pieces of gum, 24 pieces of licorice. If she randomly pulls a piece of candy from her bag, what is the probability of her pulling out a piece of sucker?______
17- What is the value of cos \(30^\circ\)?______
18- If \(\ \theta \) is an acute angle and \( sin \theta = \frac{3}{5} \) then \(cos \theta =? \)______
19- Solve.
\(|9 – (12 ÷ | 2 – 5 |)| =?\)______
20- What’s the reciprocal of \(\frac{x^3}{16}?\)______
Best ALEKS Math Prep Resource for 2026
Answers:
1- 4
Underline the tenth place: \(5231.\underline{\\4}8245\) Look to the right if it is 5 or bigger, add 1 to the underlined digit. Then, round up the decimal to 5231.5
2- 20
\( 75 × \frac{x}{100} = 15 \) ⇒\( 75 × x = 1500 ⇒ x = \frac{1500}{75} = 20\)
3- 11.48$
\($44 – $32.52 = $11.48\)
4- \(\frac{-x-3}{2x^2-10}\)
\(\frac{\frac{1}{2}-\frac{x+5}{4}}{\frac{x^2}{2}-\frac{5}{2}} =\frac{\frac{1}{2}-\frac{x+5}{4}}{\frac{x^2-5}{2}} = \frac{2(\frac{1}{2}-\frac{x+5}{4})}{x^2-5}\)
⇒Simplify:
\( \frac{1}{2} -\frac{x+5}{4} = \frac{-x-3}{4}\)
\(\frac{2(\frac{-x-3}{4})}{x^2-5} =\frac{\frac{-x-3}{2}}{x^2-5}=\frac{-x-3}{2(x^2-5)}=\frac{-x-3}{2x^2-10}\)
5- \(–30\)
Use PEMDAS (order of operation): \( 5 + 8 × (–2) – [4 + 22 ×5] ÷ 6 = 5 + 8 × (–2) – [4 + 110] ÷ 6 = 5 + 8 × (–2) – [114] ÷ 6 = 5 + (–16) – 19 = 5 + (–16) – 19 = –11 – 19 = –30\)
6- $30
\(55×$77=$4235\) Payable amount is:\($4265-$4235=$30\)
7- \( – 3\)
\(x1,2 = \frac{-b ± \sqrt{(b^2-4ac)} }{2a}\)
\(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\)
\(4x^2 + 14x + 6 = 0\) ⇒then: a = 4, b = 14 and c = 6
\(x = \frac{-14 + \sqrt{14^2 – 4,4,6} }{2,4} = – \frac{1}{2}\)
\(x = \frac{-14 – \sqrt{14^2 – 4,4,6} }{2,4} = – 3\)
8- \(x^{\frac{ 15}{4}}\)
\( (x^6)^{\frac{5}{8}} = x^{6 × \frac{5}{8}} = x^{\frac{ 30}{8}} =x^{\frac{ 15}{4}} \)
9- 32
\(32 + 35 + 29 = 96\)
Average = \( \frac{96}{3} = 32\)
10- \(45^\circ\)
\(90^\circ + 45^\circ = 135^\circ\)
\(180^\circ- 135^\circ = 45^\circ\)
11- \((x – 1)(x + 6)\)
\( x^2 + 5x – 6 = (x – 1)(x + 6)\)
12-
The relationship among all sides of special right triangle \(30^\circ-60^\circ- 90^\circ\) is provided in this triangle:
13- 5
\(C = \sqrt{(x_A- x_B)^2 + (y- y_B)^2 ) }\)
\(C = \sqrt{(1-(-2))^2 + (3- 7)^2}\)
\(C = \sqrt{(3)^2 + (- 4)^2 )} \)
\(C = \sqrt{9 + 16}\)
\(C = \sqrt{25} = 5\)
14- \(0.02857143 \cong 0.0286 \)
\( \frac{4}{140} = \frac{1}{35} = 0.02857143 \cong 0.0286 \)
15- \(\frac{20}{3} \)
\( f(x) = x – \frac{5}{3} ⇒( y = x) (– \frac{5}{3} ) ⇒y+ \frac{5}{3} = x \)
\(f^{-1} = x+ \frac{5}{3} \)
\(f ^{–1}(5) = 5 + \frac{5}{3} = \frac{20}{3} \)
16- \(\frac{ 1}{4}\)
Probability \(=\frac{number of desired outcomes}{number of total outcomes} = \frac{18}{12+18+18+24} = \frac{18}{72} =\frac{ 1}{4}\)
17- \(\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\)
\(cos 30^\circ = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\)
18- cosθ=\(\frac{4}{5}\)
sinθ\(=\frac{3}{5}\)⇒ we have following triangle, then \(c=\sqrt{5^2-3^2 }=\sqrt{25-9}=\sqrt{16}=4) \)
cosθ\(=\frac{4}{5}\)
19- 5
\(|9 – (12 ÷ | 2 – 5 |)| = |(9-(12÷|-3|))|=|9-(12÷3)|=|9-4|=|5|=5\)
20- \( \frac{16}{x^3 }\)
\( \frac{x^3}{16 } \) ⇒ reciprocal is:\( \frac{16}{x^3 }\)
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Do you know What Does ALEKS Stands for?
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Everything you need to know about how to prepare for the ALEKS Math Test is here: How to Prepare for the ALEKS Math Test?
If you are looking for free resources, you’ll get help from the sort of following websites to pass the ALEKS math test: Top 10 Free Websites for ALEKS Math Preparation
The Best Books to Ace the ALEKS Math Test
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Recommended EffortlessMath Books
For a structured workbook covering every ALEKS topic, the ALEKS Math for Beginners walks through every concept with worked examples. For complete placement-test prep, the ALEKS Math Test Prep Bundle bundles the workbook with practice tests.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the ALEKS Math Placement test?
You have up to 3 hours, but most students finish in 60 to 90 minutes. The test is untimed in the sense that you choose how long to spend on each question, but the overall session has a cap.
Is a calculator allowed on ALEKS?
ALEKS provides its own on-screen calculator on questions where the system decides one is appropriate. You cannot bring your own. Many questions are calculator-free by design.
How is ALEKS scored?
Your ALEKS score is a percentage from 0 to 100 representing the percent of the ALEKS Math Placement knowledge graph you’ve mastered. Higher scores place you into higher-level math courses. Cutoffs vary by college — check your school’s specific table.
What’s a good ALEKS score for College Algebra?
Cutoffs vary, but a common range is 30-46 for entry into College Algebra at many universities. 61+ often places you into Pre-Calculus, and 76+ into Calculus I. Always confirm with your target college.
What topics are on the ALEKS Math Placement test?
Arithmetic and fractions, percents and proportions, basic algebra (linear equations, inequalities), intermediate algebra (quadratics, exponents, polynomials), coordinate geometry, basic trigonometry, and pre-calculus topics. The adaptive engine zeroes in on your boundary of knowledge.
Can I retake the ALEKS test?
Yes. Most colleges allow up to 5 attempts per ALEKS Placement subscription, with a 24-48 hour wait between attempts. Many require you to complete 3-5 hours of the Prep & Learning module between retakes.
What’s the Prep & Learning module?
After your first ALEKS attempt, you get access to a personalized learning module that targets the specific topics you missed. Working through this module before retaking the test usually raises your score significantly.
How long should I study for ALEKS?
If you’ve recently taken algebra, 1-2 weeks of focused review is usually enough. If math is rusty, plan on 4-6 weeks. The Prep & Learning module that ALEKS provides is the most efficient way to study because it targets your weak spots directly.
Can I bring scratch paper to ALEKS?
If you take ALEKS at home with a proctor, you’ll typically need to use the on-screen scratch pad and dry-erase board. If you take it at a testing center, paper scratch is often allowed — confirm with your specific site.
Where can I find more ALEKS practice?
EffortlessMath has the ALEKS Math Formula Cheat Sheet and the ALEKS Math for Beginners workbook covering every topic the test can ask about, plus a full ALEKS Math Test Prep Bundle.
Related EffortlessMath Lessons
If a topic on this practice test feels rusty, these short lessons go deeper:
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