If your child finished Practice Test A and assumes they are done with official math practice, they are not — Practice Test C is the new math release on the portal.
This guide covers Math only (not ELA), mapped from TestNav screenshots and SHSATlab blueprints. For ELA cuts on Practice Test A, see Practice Test A: 2025 vs. 2026 — every ELA change. For ELA on Practice Test C vs. A, see Practice Test C vs. Practice Test A ELA.
Three math forms at a glance
| 2025 Practice Test A | 2026 Practice Test A | 2026 Practice Test C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math questions | 57 | 50 | 50 |
| Full test total | 114 | 100 | 100 |
| Time (standard) | 180 min | 180 min | 180 min |
| Same problem set as prior year? | — | Yes (shortened A) | No — all new items |
| Multiple choice | 44 | ~39* | 38 |
| Grid-in / typed entry | 7 grid-ins | ~6* | 8 (5 numeric + 3 keypads) |
| TEI (drag, multi-select, etc.) | 6 | ~6* | 5 |
| Must answer to advance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Go back in Math | No | No | No |
2026 Practice Test A per-question Math transcript is in progress; format counts follow the 2025 digital test scaled to 50.
Parent takeaway: Your child is not facing a new skill list. All three forms still hit the same 14 math topic areas SHSATlab uses in diagnostics (30 topics total with ELA). What changes is how many questions per topic — especially on Practice Test C.
Math navigation (unchanged — and easy to miss)
These rules apply to Practice Test A and Practice Test C on the portal:
Prep implication: There is no “skip and come back” in Math. Train a best guess and move on habit. Full rules: SHSAT navigation rules changed in 2026.
Practice Test A Math: 2025 (57) vs. 2026 (50)
What stayed the same
What changed: seven fewer questions
The 2026 portal breadcrumb shows MATH / 50 OF 50. The 2025 digital capture showed 57 math items (numbered Q58–114 on the full test).
We have not yet published a question-by-question list of which seven 2025 items were cut on 2026 Practice Test A Math (2026 screenshot transcript in progress). For prep today:
Format mix: 2025 Practice Test A Math (verified)
| Format | Count | Question # (2025 full test) |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice | 44 | Most items |
| Grid-in | 7 | Q60, Q61, Q67, Q72, Q86, Q94, Q114 |
| Inline dropdown | 1 | Q66 (stamps word problem) |
| Multi-select | 1 | Q68 (equivalent expressions — pick two) |
| Drag expression boxes | 1 | Q76 |
| Drag equation steps | 1 | Q88 |
| Graph multi-select | 1 | Q99 (notebook cost graph) |
| Number-line inequality ray | 1 | Q106 |
Prep note: If your child only practiced multiple choice math, they are under-prepped for 2026. Grid-ins and TEIs are normal on every official digital form.
2025 Practice Test A Math — topic map (all 57 questions)
SHSATlab tags each item to one of 14 math skills. Below is the 2025 Practice Test A inventory (one primary topic per question).
| Topic | 2025 Q# | Stem pattern (abbrev.) |
|---|---|---|
| Ratios, Proportions & Rates | 62, 70, 79, 83, 86, 92 | Sum with ratio chains; rectangle perimeter ratio; coin value chain; scale drawing; pine/oak ratio grid-in; slides per minute |
| Unit Rates & Conversions | 58, 59, 74, 95, 110 | Scale diagram; mph → ft/sec; lorgs/dalts currency; reading pages per minute; feet/inches to cm |
| Word Problems & Modeling | 61, 66, 72, 77, 80, 87, 109 | Pet survey; stamps (dropdown); consecutive integers grid-in; meat price; student/faculty ratio; age problem; chair profit |
| Algebraic Expressions | 64, 68, 76, 96, 100, 107, 112 | Simplify expression; multi-select equivalents; drag equivalent expression; solve for x in terms of other variables; exponent expression |
| Probability & Counting | 73, 78, 91, 108 | Red pencil fraction; two cards without replacement; cookie pairs; handball color |
| Charts, Tables & Data | 65, 81, 84, 103, 104, 113 | Mean from grades; commute pie chart; quiz mean; biology score ranges; schools bar graph; fruit/veg frequency |
| Number Theory | 63, 82, 85, 90, 97, 98 | Possible values set; factors of 91; consecutive integers formula; GCF stick length; multiples neither 2 nor 3; odd count in range |
| Linear Equations | 60, 88, 94 | Solve for w grid-in; drag steps for 24 = −0.5(x+8); 62 = 9x + 13 grid-in |
| Fractions, Decimals & Mixed Numbers | 89, 102, 105, 114 | Complex fraction expression; percent thickness error; repeating decimal digit; fractional grid-in |
| Coordinate Plane & Number Lines | 75, 93, 99, 101, 111 | Shaded area on graph; possible point M on number line; graph multi-select; WX:XY:YZ on number line; JK/JM/LM positions |
| Inequalities | 71, 106 | MC number-line solution; TEI ray for −3 < 2x − 5 |
| Lines, Angles & Triangles | 67 | Parallelogram angle grid-in |
| Surface Area & Volume | 69 | Pyramid surface area |
Not on 2025 Practice Test A Math: a dedicated circle circumference/area multiple-choice block — geometry was mostly surface area, coordinate area, and one parallelogram angle item.
Topic frequency table (2025 → scaled 2026 A)
| SHSATlab math topic | 2025 A (57) | 2026 A (~50)† | 2026 C (50) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ratios, Proportions & Rates | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Unit Rates & Conversions | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Word Problems & Modeling | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| Algebraic Expressions | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| Probability & Counting | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Charts, Tables & Data | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Number Theory | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| Fractions, Decimals & Mixed Numbers | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Coordinate Plane & Number Lines | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Linear Equations (One Variable) | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Inequalities | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Lines, Angles & Triangles | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Area, Perimeter & Circles | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Surface Area & Volume | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 57 | 50 | 50 |
†2026 A column scales 2025 counts × 50/57 (rounded) until the 2026 item-level transcript is complete.
Reading the shift: Shortening Practice Test A does not remove ratios or algebra — it removes about seven repeats across crowded buckets. Practice Test C is where the mix changes: more probability, more percents, and circles show up three times.
Practice Test C Math (2026) — what is actually new
Practice Test C is not Practice Test A with different numbers. We mapped all 50 items from TestNav (48 stems verified; Q35 and Q46 need recapture).
Format mix on Practice Test C (verified)
| Format | Count | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice | 38 | Most of section |
| Grid-in (numeric) | 5 | Q15, 22, 29, 32, 42 |
| Expression keypad | 2 | Q5 (pages in terms of n); Q28 (solve for z) |
| Inequality keypad | 1 | Q41 (bookstore notebooks) |
| Multi-select (4 answers) | 1 | Q8 — fractions equivalent to 0.75 |
| Number-line probability click | 1 | Q12 — spinner + coin |
| Circle table TEI | 1 | Q20 — match area/circumference to Circle A or C |
| Inline dropdown (percent range) | 1 | Q44 — smartphone width ±4% |
| Box-plot drag-fill | 1 | Q49 — range, IQR, difference |
The probability block (Practice Test C)
Questions 33–37 cluster probability skills:
On 2025 Practice Test A, probability appeared four times in 57 questions (~7%). On Practice Test C, the cluster alone is five verified items in 50 (~10%+). That is closer to Practice Test B’s heavy probability weight than to Practice Test A.
Prep implication: A child who aced Practice Test A math can still lose points on Practice Test C if probability was under-drilled.
Circles and percents (Practice Test C)
Practice Test C includes:
2025 Practice Test A had percent items (Q102 metal thickness) and no dedicated circle circumference MC in the 57-question map. Do not let your child treat circles as “rare” because A was light on them.
Sample stems — Practice Test C only (not on 2025 A)
| Q | Topic | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Number Theory | Prime factorization of 756 |
| 8 | Fractions TEI | Select four fractions equal to 0.75 |
| 12 | Probability TEI | Spinner + coin on 0–1 number line |
| 20 | Circles TEI | Area/circumference table |
| 32 & 49 | Charts | Box plot — grid-in and drag-fill on same graphic |
| 41 | Inequalities TEI | Write $12.50 + 4.75n le 35$ |
TEI comparison: 2025 A vs. 2026 C
Digital math still requires interface fluency, not just calculation.
| TEI pattern | 2025 Practice Test A | 2026 Practice Test C |
|---|---|---|
| Equivalent expressions | Q68 — select two | Q8 — select four fractions |
| Expression build | Q76 — drag boxes | Q5, Q28 — keypad entry |
| Equation-solving steps | Q88 — drag steps | — |
| Graph points | Q99 — multi-select on graph | — |
| Inequality number line | Q106 — drag ray | — |
| Inequality write | — | Q41 — keypad |
| Probability number line | — | Q12 — click probability |
| Circle attributes | — | Q20 — table rows |
| Percent range | Q66 — inline dropdown (stamps) | Q44 — min/max dropdowns |
| Box plot | Charts MC (Q103) | Q49 — drag-fill range/IQR/difference |
See also: SHSAT TEI question formats — Practice Test A & B guide.
What did NOT change (and still matters)
How families should use all three tests
| Goal | 2025 Practice Test A | 2026 Practice Test A | 2026 Practice Test C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timed 50-question math pacing | No — wrong length | Yes — primary | Yes — second official form |
| Ratio chains & coin conversions | Yes — extra reps | Yes | Different ratio setups |
| Algebraic TEI practice | Yes — drag/steps | Yes | Keypad expressions |
| Probability depth | Light (4/57) | ~Similar | Heavy — must do |
| Circles | Almost none | TBD | Three items |
| Score compare to 2026 test day | Risky (57 vs 50) | Better | Better — but different mix |
Do not convert “38/57” on 2025 math to “38/50” on 2026 without context. Use percent correct by topic or a diagnostic that tags all 14 math skills.
Minimum official math plan for 2026:
Quick checklist after reading this
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