NIC Easy Math Placement - North Idaho College

Also known as NICEMP. This is a NEW Math Placement for NIC, and is a self-guided math survey.

The NIC Easy Math Placement is here to help you find a good first math class at NIC. Choose your assessment carefully, as the first attempt is the only one that will be processed by Admissions. Alternative placement options exist if you want to challenge the placement you receive. After you take the assessment, meet with an advisor or a Math Consultant in the Math Education Center to determine your next steps and/or register for a math class.

It is best to take the NIC Easy Math Placement before taking the ALEKS.
Placement is free.
Take the placement when it’s convenient for you!
Take as much time as you need to work through the math questions.
Math Consultants in the Math Education Center (MEC) are available for drop-in questions.
Choice of 1 of the 4 Math level tests that fit your math skills.

Instructions

Read through the FOUR assessment options below to determine where to start.

Click on the assessment blocks below to expand the description and learn more about each assessment. Each assessment has examples listed in the description to help you find the correct starting point.
When you find the math level that looks most familiar to your most recent math experience follow the link to start the assessment. (If none of the content looks familiar, take Assessment I.)
Once you start the assessment, answer the questions as honestly as possible - even if it has been a while since you took a math class.

Still not sure if this is where you should start?

Start here if your last math class was Algebra or anything below, and, after reading the following course description, the content sounds familiar.

Course Description: Students will be able to apply principles of whole number operations, fractions, decimals, percents, integers, ratios and proportions, and algebraic equations. Also, included is important skill building in basic computational skills, the language of mathematics, and problem-solving required for pre-college level math courses.

Here are some examples of math from Basic Math or Pre-Algebra:

Simplify: 3x - 2 - x - ¹²⁄₃
If three less than three times a number is 96, what is the number?
What percent of 88 is 20?
Simplify the following expression:
If a salad dressing recipe at a restaurant has a 3:2 ratio of milk to dry dressing mix, how much dry dressing mix should be added to 9 cups of milk?
Solve for x: 3x - 10 = 50

Start Assessment I

Still not sure if this is where you should start?

Start here if your last math class was Algebra I, Geometry, or Integrated Math A/B and, after reading the following course description, the content sounds familiar.

Course Description: Students will be able to apply principles of integers, variables, polynomials, exponents, factoring, solving, and graphing first-degree equations. Algebra I provides important skill-building for more advanced mathematics courses. Students will have a procedural and conceptual understanding of basic algebraic concepts.

Here are some examples of math from Algebra I:

Simplify:

^{(-3)² - 4(−1)}

_{(−2)² + 3}
Solve: 3(x-2) - 7x = 4(3x + 2)
Solve: -3x + 2 ≥ 11
Identify the interval on which the following inequality is true: 3x - 8 < 13
Simplify: 3x² + 2x - 10 if x = -3
Factor: x² - 7x + 10
Reduce:
Graph the equation: y = -2x + 5
Find the equation of a line that goes through (2,3) and (8,-11)
Simplify: (3x + 7)(x - 5)
Solve the system of equations:
Graph the line perpendicular to

that goes through the point (5,7)

Start Assessment II

Still not sure if this is where you should start?

Start here if your last math class was Algebra II, Geometry, or Integrated Math C/D and, after reading the following course description, the content sounds familiar.

Course Description: Students will be able to apply principles of linear, quadratic, and rational equations, radicals, circles and parabolas, complex numbers, functions, exponents, and logarithms. Intermediate Algebra develops skills necessary for success in algebra-based, college-level math courses. The procedural and conceptual development is in algebraic concepts beyond first-year high school algebra.

Math examples from Algebra II:

Given a graph, give the equation of the line in slope-intercept form.
Simplify:

$the fraction with numerator 3 x squared minus 13 x minus 10 and denominator 4 x minus 20$
Solve:

$the fraction with numerator 3 and denominator x plus 7 minus 5 equals the fraction with numerator 2 and denominator x minus 3$
Rationalize:

$the fraction with numerator 3 and denominator the square root of x plus 2$
Find the coordinate for the vertex, x-intercepts, and axis of symmetry for:
Find the domain for:

$f of x equals the fraction with numerator the square root of 3 x minus 2 and denominator x minus 5$
Complete the square to find the equation of a circle:
Put in vertex form:
Given the expression,

, factor
Solve:

Start Assessment III

Still not sure if this is where you should start? Below are the two levels that are covered in this self-guided assessment.

Start here if your last math class was Pre-calculus I - advanced function notation, behavior, and graphing where the following information looks familiar:

Course Description: Students will be able to apply principles of polynomial and rational equations, functions and their inverses, graphs, systems of equations, complex numbers, sequences, and exponential and logarithmic functions.

Examples of Pre-Calculus I material could be some of the following:

List the number of roots, the end behavior, the x-intercepts, and their multiplicities, of the the following polynomial:
Find the f^-1(x) given f(x) = 3x + 5
Find the next number in the following sequence: 1,8,15,22,29,36,_
Find the partial sum of the following arithmetic series: 5 + 8 + 11 + 14 + 17 + 20 + 23
Graph the function:

Start here if your last math class was Trigonometry or if you took an introductory (AP) Calculus class in high school, and the following information looks familiar:

Course Description: Students will be able to apply principles of angles, fundamental identities, and identity verifications of Trigonometry, and solving and graphing trigonometric functions. Both procedural and conceptual understanding of trigonometric concepts in terms of the Cartesian coordinate plane, and the rectangular and polar coordinate systems are developed.

NOTE: If your goal is Calculus, the class is usually only taken by students planning a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medical applications (like a doctor), or Math pathways.

Examples of Pre-Calculus II/Trigonometry material could be some of the following:

Given that θ = -π/4; in what quadrant is the terminal point on a unit circle?
If f(θ) = √2/3 find θ.
What is the value of sin²(ψ) + cos²(ψ) ?
If

, what shape is the graph?
Find the amplitude, period, and phase shift of the following trigonometric function:

Start Assessment IV