In the late 1950s, large numbers of students were approaching college age and wanted
to attend college. Financial aid to students was increasing, and most colleges desired increasing enrollments. It was in this environment that ACT's founders established The American College Testing Program, Inc., now known as ACT. The ACT Assessment
Test was designed to serve the following purposes:
• to help students make better decisions about which colleges to attend and
which programs to study
• to provide information helpful to colleges both in the process of admitting
students
and in ensuring their success after enrollment
The ACT mathematics test is a graduation requirement mandated by the state
of Illinois.

THE ACT MATHEMATICS TEST
The ACT Mathematics Test is a 60-question, 60-minute test designed to assess the mathematical skills students typically acquired in courses taken up to the beginning
of grade 12. The test presents multiple-choice questions that require students to use
reasoning skills to solve practical problems in mathematics. Knowledge of basic
formulas and computational skills are assumed as background knowledge for the
problems, but complex formulas and extensive computation are required. The
material covered on the test emphasizes the major content areas that are
prerequisites to successful performance in entry-level courses in college mathematics.
Use of calculators is permitted on the ACT Mathematics Test. To check if your
calculator is permitted, visit www.actstudent.org
Listed below are approximate percentages of the test devoted to each content area:
Pre-Algebra (23%)
Elementary Algebra (17%)
Intermediate Algebra (15%)
Coordinated Geometry (15%)
Plane Geometry (23%)
Trigonometry (7%)