A prospective teacher needs to know the different mathematical properties, such as commutative, associative, distributive, identity and the closure properties. It is also important to know the definitions and principles behind the additive and multiplicative inverse properties. The test will ask questions regarding the definitions of each of the properties and will also ask questions to identify the property in certain questions.
Geometry plays a large role in the Praxis II. The test will cover topics such as types of angles, type of triangles, squares, rectangles, circles, spheres, cones and cubes. Test takers should also be familiar with perimeter, area and volume, and how each can be determined for a specific shape. Other geometry terms the test taker should be familiar with are perpendicular and parallel. Triangles play a large role in the Praxis II. Test takers must know how to determine the area of a triangle, know the different types of triangles, be able to define what the hypotenuse of a triangle is and the Pythagorean Theorem.
Students should be well-versed in basic arithmetic terms such as least common factor, greatest common factor, prime numbers, real numbers, rational numbers, place value, estimations, decimals and fractions. Students also need to know rounding, percentages, time and money for the test. The test also covers average, mean, mode and range, including how to figure each item and the definitions for each term.
Ideas to know for algebra on the Praxis test include the order of operations, slope intercept, factoring, exponents, equalities and inequalities. Test takers should also be aware of polynomials, what they are and how to solve different types of polynomial questions such as adding, subtracting, dividing and factoring polynomials.
The Praxis II covers different types of graphs, such as bar, line, scatter, table, pie and pictographs. Students will be asked to identify and define each type of graph on the test. Test takers should be familiar with Venn diagrams, along with tables, stem and leaf plots and histograms.