Distribution of Mathematics Questions: 2019 and 2022

The distribution of items among the various mathematical content areas is a critical feature of the assessment design, as it reflects the relative importance given to each of the curricular content areas within mathematics. As has been the case with past NAEP assessments in mathematics, the categories receive different emphasis at each grade level.

Target and actual percentage distribution of questions in NAEP mathematics, by grade and content area: 2022

	Grade 4		Grade 8
Content Area	Target	Actual	Target	Actual
Number properties and operations	40	38	20	24
Measurement	20	17	15	15
Geometry	15	15	20	17
Data analysis, statistics, and probability	10	13	15	15
Algebra	15	17	30	29
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2022 Mathematics Assessment.

Target and actual percentage distribution of questions in NAEP mathematics at grade 12, by content area: 2019

Content Area	Target	Actual
Number properties and operations	10	13
Measurement and Geometry	30	30
Data analysis, statistics, and probability	25	24
Algebra	35	33
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2019 Mathematics Assessment.