Upcoming Dates
Please note the following upcoming dates and times for the Mathematics Proficiency Test.
January 2025
Registration: Monday, December 9 - Friday, December 20,2024
Examination On: Friday, January 10, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
OR 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
April 2025
Registration: Monday, March 17 - Friday, March 28, 2025
Examination On: Monday, April 14, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
August 2025
Registration: Monday, July 14 - Friday, July 25, 2025
Examination On: Thursday, August 14, 2025 & Friday, August 15, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
OR 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Who is exempted from the Test?
Students who possess one of the following within the last five (5) years are exempt from taking the Mathematics Proficiency Test (MPT) and can go on to register for ECON 1003- Introduction to Maths for Social Science I, ECON 1005 – Introduction to Statistics or SOCI 1005- Introductory Statistics for Behavioural Sciences .
Grades 1 to 4 in ALL CAPE Mathematics Unit 1 or 2
- Grades A, B or C in Cambridge ‘A’ Level Mathematics
- Grade 1 or 2 in CXC / CSEC General Proficiency Mathematics
- Grades 1 or 2 in CXC / CSEC Additional Mathematics
- Grades 9, 8, 7 or 6 in GCSE Mathematics under the new grading scheme (A or B under the old grading scheme)
- Grade B or above in CORE 103 - Practical Mathematics from the Barbados Community College
- Pass the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Mathematics Proficiency Test
- A passing grade in the Faculty’s Preliminary Mathematics for Social Sciences course
- Grades 7, 6, 5 and 4 for the International Baccalaureate (IB) in (a) Mathematical Studies SL, (b) Mathematics SL, (c) Mathematics HL and (d) Further Mathematics HL *
- Grades 7, 6, 5 and 4 for the International Baccalaureate (IB) in Mathematics HL and Further Mathematics Grade B or higher in relevant Mathematics course for Associate Degrees from the Barbados Community College,Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, T.A. Marryshow Community College, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College. Associate Degrees from other community colleges or two-year colleges will be assessed by the Department of Economics
N.B.: SL = standard level HL = higher level
*From 2021, the names of the IB mathematics courses will be replaced by Mathematics Analysis and Approaches (SL/HL) and Mathematics and Interpretations (SL/HL)
Failure in the test
Persons who failed or chose not take the test without being exempted are required to pass the remedial course
ECON 0101 – Preliminary Mathematics for Social Sciences before they can register for the following Level I core courses:
ECON 1003 – Maths for Social Sciences I, ECON 1005 – Introduction to Statistics or SOCI 1005- Introductory Statistics for Behavioural Sciences.
ECON 0101 - Preliminary Mathematics for Social Sciences is coordinated by the Department of Economics is offered in both semesters and Summer School for a fee of Bds $500. Note that this fee is additional to any other tuition fees.
About the test
The tests lasts for two hours and covers the following areas:
Computations
- Perform Computation using any of the four basic operations with real numbers
- Convert among fractions, percentages and decimals
- Express a value to a given number of decimal places
- Calculate any fraction or percentage of a given quantity
- Express one quantity as a fraction or percentage of another
- Compare two quantities using ratios
- Divide a quantity in a given ratio
- Solve problems using fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, rates, and proportions, and arithmetic mean
Number Theory
- Distinguish among sets of numbers (natural, whole, integers, rational, irrational)
- Order a set of real numbers
- Identify a given set of numbers as a subset of another set
- List the set of factors or a set of multiples of a given positive integer
- Compute the highest common factor or lowest common multiple of two or more positive integers
- Use properties of numbers and operations in computational tasks
- Solve problems involving concepts in number theory
Consumer Arithmetic
- Calculate discount, sales tax, profit or loss
- Express a profit, loss, discount, markup and purchase tax as a percentage of some value
- Solve problems involving simple interest
- Solve problems involving compound interest, appreciation and depreciation
- Solve problems involving measures and money (e.g., exchange rate)
Sets
- Explain concepts relating to sets
- Represent a set in various forms
- Describe relationships among sets using set notation and symbol
- List subsets of a given set
- Determine elements in intersections, unions and complements of sets
- Construct Venn diagrams to represent relationships among sets
- Solve problems involving the use of Venn diagrams
- Solve problems in Number Theory and Algebra using concepts in Set Theory
Statistics
- Differentiate between types of data (discrete vs continuous, grouped vs ungrouped)
- Determine class features for a given set of data (class interval, class boundaries, class limits, class midpoint class width)
- Construct statistical diagrams (pie charts, bar chars, line graphs, histograms, frequency polygons)
- Interpret statistical diagrams
- Determine measures of central tendency for raw, ungrouped and grouped data (mean, median, mode)
- Determine the most appropriate measure for the average of a set of data
- Determine the measures of dispersion for raw, ungrouped and grouped data (range, interquartile range and semi-interquartile range)
- Construct a cumulative frequency table for ungrouped and grouped data
- Draw cumulative frequency curve (Ogive)
- Use statistical diagrams
- Determine the proportion or percentage of the sample above or below a given value from raw data, table, or frequency curve
- Identify the sample space for an experiment
- Determine experimental and theoretical probabilities of event
- Make inference from statistics
Algebra
- Use symbols to represent numbers, operations, variables, and relations
- Translate statements expressed algebraically into verbal phrases
- Perform the arithmetic operations involving directed numbers
- Perform the four basic operations with algebraic expressions
- Substitute numbers for algebraic symbols in simple algebraic expressions
- Perform binary operations
- Apply the distributive law to factorise or expand;algebraic expressions
- Simplify algebraic functions
- Use the laws of indices to manipulate expressions with integral indices
- Solve linear equations in one unknown
- Solve simultaneous linear equations in two unknowns, algebraically
- Solve a simple linear inequality in one unknown
- Change the subject of formulae
- Factorise algebraic expressions
- Solve quadratic equations
- Solve word problems
- Prove two algebraic expressions to be identical
Relations, Functions and Graphs
- Explain concepts associated with relations
- Represent a relation in various ways
- State the characteristics that define a function
- Use functional notation
- Distinguish between a relation and function
- Draw and interpret graphs of linear of linear functions
- Determine the intercepts of the graph of linear functions
- Determine the gradient of a straight line
- Determine the equation of a straight line
- Solve graphically a system of two linear equations in two variables
- Represent the solution of linear inequalities in one variable using set notation, the number line, graph,
- Draw a graph to represent a linear inequality in two variables
- Derive composite functions
- State the relationship between a function and its inverse
- Derive the inverse of a function
- Determine the roots of a quadratic function using the quadratic formula or the factorisation method
- Determine the minimum or maximum value of a function
- Determine the domain and range of a function
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many times can you sit the Mathematics Proficiency Test (MPT)?
Only once.
- If I pay for the test and then cannot sit it at the specified time can I use that receipt to sit it at the next available sitting?
Yes you can, but you have to ensure that you register again for the new test.
- Can the MPT be written outside of Cave Hill Campus?
No, that facility is not available as yet.