Placement Tests

 

Students are often required to take a placement test to determine which math course they should take. There is a relationship between a student’s placement score and the grade that student will receive in the class.

 

How are these placement scores determined?

 

Here is a table of the data for a section of MAT 171. In the table x is the placement score and y is the final 171 average.

 

x	61	40	19	25	61	48	38	56	33	55	85	25	15	83
y	63	80	36	61	89	81	66	76	70	94	92	73	55	86

 

Here is a chart of the data along with the line of best fit.

Using the linear regression equation we can determine “cut-off” scores for the placement test. For instance, if we want to know what placement score will result in a final grade of C, we use 70 as final average in the regression equation.

So, a student making at least 40 on this placement test can expect to make at least a C in MAT 171.