Free ALEKS practice test

This free ALEKS-style practice test is 20 math questions in 45 minutes across the four areas that decide placement above College Algebra: algebra, functions and graphs, exponentials and logarithms, and trigonometry. Every set is newly generated and every answer comes with the working. The real ALEKS PPL is open response, so solve each one on paper before you look at the options.

Last checked

  • 20

    questions

  • 45 min

    time limit

  • Free

    score and answers

No sign-up. Every answer is explained at the end.

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts · How the questions are made

How is this practice test different from the real ALEKS?

It covers the same math but not the same format: the real test adapts to you and makes you type every answer, while this one is a fixed mix with four options each.

Questions20 here; up to 30 on ALEKS PPLSourcedUC Santa Cruz Math Placement, "What is ALEKS?"
Answer formatFour options here; open response (type the answer) on ALEKSPublished by the ownerMcGraw Hill ALEKS, "ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning"
AdaptiveNo here; yes on ALEKS, which picks each question from your earlier answersPublished by the ownerMcGraw Hill ALEKS, "ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning"
Time45 minutes here (about 2 minutes a question); most people take 60 to 90 minutes on ALEKSSourcedUniversity of Maine, Math Placement Exam
AreasAlgebra (6), functions and graphs (5), exponentials and logs (5), trigonometry (4)LifeScore
ResultPercent correct, a breakdown by area and the working for every questionLifeScore
PriceFree, no sign-up, a new set every timeLifeScore

How do you get the most from an ALEKS practice test?

Treat it like the real thing: no calculator, no notes, and an answer on paper before you look at the four options. Then read the working for every miss, not just the score.

  • Cover the options with your hand or a sheet of paper. If your answer is not there, you made a slip; find it before you pick.
  • Do not guess. On ALEKS a blank box gives you nothing to eliminate, so a guess here hides a gap you will meet on test day.
  • Note the area of each miss. The breakdown at the end shows whether algebra, functions, logs or trig cost you most.
  • Take a fresh set after reviewing. The numbers change every time, so you cannot remember your way to a better score.

What do ALEKS-style questions look like, worked through?

Five from a sample set, one or two from each area, with the slip each wrong option stands for.

Example 1 · Quadratic equation

Solve: x² + 10x + 16 = 0

  • A. x = 2 or x = 8
  • B. x = −8 or x = −2
  • C. x = −8 or x = 2
  • D. x = −2 or x = 8
Answer B. Find two numbers that multiply to 16 and add to 10: 2 and 8. So (x + 2)(x + 8) = 0, and each bracket can be zero: x = −8 or x = −2. The signs in the brackets are the opposite of the solutions, which is the most common slip.

Example 2 · Composition

f(x) = 3x + 5 and g(x) = x² − 2. Find f(g(2)).

  • A. 119
  • B. 11
  • C. 14
  • D. 2
Answer B. Work from the inside out. g(2) = 2² − 2 = 2. Then f(2) = 3 × 2 + 5 = 11. Doing f first gives g(f(2)) = 119, a different number.

Example 3 · Exponential equation

Solve: 3^(x − 2) = 81

  • A. x = 83
  • B. x = 2
  • C. x = 6
  • D. x = 4
Answer C. Write 81 as a power of 3: 81 = 3^4. With the same base on both sides, the exponents are equal: x − 2 = 4, so x = 6.

Example 4 · Logarithmic equation

Solve: log base 5 of (x − 1) = 2

  • A. x = 26
  • B. x = 11
  • C. x = 33
  • D. x = 24
Answer A. Rewrite the log as a power: x − 1 = 5^2 = 25. So x = 25 + 1 = 26. Check that the argument is positive: 26 − 1 = 25 > 0.

Example 5 · Exact values

What is the exact value of sin(225°)?

  • A. 1/2
  • B. √3/3
  • C. √2/2
  • D. −√2/2
Answer D. 225° is in quadrant III with a reference angle of 45°, where only tangent is positive. sin(45°) = √2/2, and the quadrant sets the sign, so sin(225°) = −√2/2.

Want more than one free set? Train the same math on a clock.

One free set shows the gaps. Timed mocks close them.

The ACCUPLACER Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 20 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

The ACCUPLACER Pass Pack is 640 questions: 8 full ACCUPLACER-style mocks and 20 drills, every answer worked out. Its Advanced Algebra and Functions part covers the algebra, functions, exponentials, logarithms and trigonometry on this page. It is multiple choice and not adaptive, so it trains the math, not the ALEKS screen.

See the ACCUPLACER Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked
8
timed mocks
20
topic drills
1
score predictor

What does my practice score mean for ALEKS?

It tells you which areas are ready, not which course you will place into. ALEKS scores from 0 to 100 as the share of its placement topics you have mastered, and the topic list starts at fractions and whole numbers, which this test leaves out. A strong result here (16 or more of 20) says the upper topics that decide Precalculus and Calculus I placement are in good shape.

Most colleges we checked put Calculus I at an ALEKS score of 76 and Precalculus at 61. See ALEKS scores for each college’s cut-offs and links to their pages, and the ALEKS test guide for retakes and the Prep and Learning Module.

Where can I practise more placement math for free?

The other placement tests use the same math. The free ACCUPLACER math practice test has a ten-question Advanced Algebra and Functions drill, the closest match to the upper half of ALEKS. The TSI math practice test and PERT math practice test cover algebra, functions and statistics at a slightly lower level.

Place one course higher

Every course you test out of is a semester and its tuition you do not repeat.

The ACCUPLACER Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 20 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

The ACCUPLACER Pass Pack is 640 questions: 8 full ACCUPLACER-style mocks and 20 drills, every answer worked out. Its Advanced Algebra and Functions part covers the algebra, functions, exponentials, logarithms and trigonometry on this page. It is multiple choice and not adaptive, so it trains the math, not the ALEKS screen.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The ACCUPLACER Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the Pass Pack and price How our questions are built and checked
8
timed mocks
20
topic drills
1
score predictor

Frequently asked questions

Is this the real ALEKS test?

No. It is an original practice test in the same subject areas. ALEKS is McGraw Hill’s product, sold to colleges; you take the real assessment through your college.

How many questions are on the real ALEKS PPL?

Up to 30, chosen adaptively, and all open response. See the ALEKS test guide.

Are the answers checked?

Yes, twice. The code that writes each question computes the answer, and a separate check works the problem another way (substituting back into the equation, evaluating the log or the sine numerically) and confirms exactly one option is right. Our automated tests run that check on 400 sets.

What score do I need on ALEKS?

Your college decides. Many use about 46 for College Algebra, 61 for Precalculus and 76 for Calculus I. ALEKS scores lists sourced examples.

Should I use a calculator?

No. ALEKS shows a built-in calculator only on some questions, so practise without one. Every question here is designed to be done by hand.

Is there a paid ALEKS course on LifeScore?

No. The closest is the ACCUPLACER Pass Pack: 640 placement questions whose Advanced Algebra and Functions part covers the same algebra, functions, logs and trig. It is multiple choice, so keep solving on paper first.

LifeScore is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to McGraw Hill or any college. ALEKS is a registered trademark of McGraw Hill LLC, and other test names are trademarks of their owners. These are original practice questions generated and answer-checked by our own code, not ALEKS questions, and the result is not an ALEKS score or a placement. Reviewed 12 November 2026 by the LifeScore Editorial Team.