THE EFFECTS OF A PLACEMENT TEST TO COUNSEL STUDENTS IN PRECALCULUS MATHEMATICS REGISTRATION

The two purposes of this study were to use a mathematics placement test (1) to make a recommendation to each student entering Math 110 (College Algebra and Trigonometry) at Brigham Young University for his placement in (a) Math 100E (Intermediate Algebra), (b) Math 100F (Review of Intermediate Algebra), or (c) Math 110A (Polynomials and Synthetic Division) and (2) to determine if this recommendation had any effect in reducing the failure rate in Math 110A. The placement test instrument (the "Basic Algebra and Advanced Algebra Form A/3B" published by the Mathematical Association of America) was accepted as valid and reliable for these purposes. No significant relationship was found between the student's following the course recommendation and his Math 110A grade. The average Math 110A grade was "B-" for students who did take the placement test and "C+" for students who did not take the placement test. A set of four predicting functions was found which correctly predicted 82% of the students Math 110A grades but predicted passing grades (456 of 504 students) better than failing grades (48 of 112 students). It was concluded that the placement test did help reduce the failure rate in Math 110A. It was recommended that students entering Math 110 be required to take the placement test.