CBE: Algebra Prep
Hi I'm Nicholas. Math is one of my favorite ways to make sense of the world, from the patterns in everyday life to the ideas behind the problems we solve. Through this site, I'm sharing strategies and practice that can make challenging concepts feel more approachable. I hope it becomes a useful resource for students working toward their goals and a small way for me to pass along what I've learned.
Understand the challenge
Credit by Exam (CBE) gives students a way to demonstrate subject proficiency for credit recovery or acceleration. The supplied UT High School study guide covers Grade 8 Math, with questions drawn from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
For a student who is ready for the next challenge, success on the CBE can open the door to move beyond Pre-Algebra and begin Algebra I in 8th grade. That early step can create a strong path through Geometry in 9th grade and Algebra II in 10th grade, giving students a solid foundation for the advanced math and problem-solving skills that assessments such as the SAT are designed to measure.
This site helps you prepare by exploring the seven objectives, trying the guide's sample questions, and building stamina with timed practice. Start with a skill you want to strengthen, then bring everything together in a mixed exam.
65
multiple-choice questions
3 hours
exam time
7
objectives
Format and objectives are from the supplied study guide. It also specifies a graphing calculator and provided formula sheets. Read the study guide ↗
One skill at a time
Explore what each objective covers, then try a short quiz using the study guide’s actual examples. The question counts below are approximate, as listed in the guide.
Choose a strategy, use appropriate tools, and explain why your answer makes sense. These skills are woven into the other objectives.
Applied example · guide question 5
A polygon is dilated by a factor of 2. How can you use its coordinates to justify the new position of a vertex?
Classify real numbers, estimate square roots, compare values, and move between ordinary numbers and scientific notation.
Sample · guide question 1
Which number is in the incorrect place on the real-number diagram?
Connect slopes, tables, graphs, and equations. Recognize functions, model rates of change, and work with similar figures and dilations.
Sample · guide question 4
Fran bikes 21 miles in 3 hours. Which table and equation model her distance if her rate stays constant?
Solve equations and inequalities, apply the Pythagorean theorem, and reason about angles, volume, and surface area.
Sample · guide question 6
A cone-shaped model is 8 inches tall and 10 inches in diameter. How much clay is needed?
Follow reflections, rotations, translations, and dilations on a coordinate plane, and explain how they affect shape, size, and congruence.
Sample · guide question 8
Triangle ABC has been transformed into triangle A′B′C′. Which transformation connects the two?
Interpret scatterplots, describe associations, calculate mean absolute deviation, and understand representative random samples.
Sample · guide question 9
Find the mean absolute deviation of a set of ten values. What does that number tell you about the data?
Compare loans and interest, plan savings for college, and evaluate the consequences of everyday financial decisions.
Sample · guide question 10
Akira saves $200 a month for five years, with $5,000 from her parents. Can she cover a first year of college costing $17,000?
Put it all together
Start a 65-question, three-hour practice exam. Move between questions, check your progress, and review your answers when you finish.
Mixed practice uses released STAAR questions. It follows the guide’s length and timing; it is not an official CBE or an exact match to its objective weights.
Start Practicing →