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Math placement test

Foundation (UTP Stage I) Math (pre-university math) is required in the following cases:

  • if you are studying in Foundation (UTP Stage I);
  • if you are in International Year One (UTP Stage II) and you did not take math in year 12 (or equivalent);
  • or if you are in International Year One (UTP Stage II) and you scored less than 60% in year 12 math (or equivalent).

If you are required to enrol in Foundation (UTP Stage I) Math, you will write the online Math Placement Test one or two months before your intake starts to place you in the first-term course best suited to your math skills.

Why is math important? 

Every student must have a university-level math credit to graduate from the University of Manitoba. Math skills are also crucial for students who wish to study business, engineering, or science.

ICM provides you with the opportunity to continue with your university studies while upgrading your math skills.

In addition, to enrol in a university-level math course, and be successful in it, year 12 math (or equivalent) or Foundation (UTP Stage I) math is required as a pre-requisite.

Year 12 math (or equivalent) or Foundation (UTP Stage I) math is also a pre-requisite for university-level science courses, including chemistry, biology, and physics. You can learn more about pre-requisites.

Do I need to write the Math Placement Test? 

Students are required to write the Math Placement Test if they are:

  • starting at ICM in Foundation (UTP Stage I)
  • did not take math in year 12 (or equivalent)
  • scored less than 60% in year 12 math (or equivalent)

If you need to write the Math Placement Test, don’t worry! The test is not a pass or fail test. It will have no effect on your GPA or grades at ICM. It is only to place you in the most appropriate math course for your level.

If you are unsure if you are required to write the Math Placement Test, please contact us.

What is the Math Placement Test? 

The Math Placement Test is used to determine your current math skill level. The test is multiple-choice questions completed online. An email with instructions to access the test will be emailed to you approximately one month before course registration opens.

The Math Placement Test covers algebra and pre-calculus and will include questions from many of the following subject areas:

  • algebra and pre-calculus
  • graphs and functions
  • polynomial functions
  • rational functions
  • roots of polynomial functions
  • inverse functions
  • exponential functions
  • logarithmic functions and properties
  • exponential and log equations
  • log and exponential
  • trigonometric functions
  • inverse trigonometric functions
  • systems of equations
  • trigonometry and applications
  • sequences
  • linear functions
  • quadratic functions and max/min problems
  • rational and polynomial functions
  • composite and inverse functions
  • properties of trig functions
  • graphs and inverse trig functions
  • tri-identities
  • sum and difference formulas, double angle formulas

Once you receive the instructions, there are no set test times – you may write the test online as soon as you are prepared. The test will be available until course registration ends, but you are strongly encouraged to write your Math Placement Test prior to course registration so your registration is not delayed.

After writing the test, you will be placed in Introduction to Algebra (MTH 099) or Foundations of Mathematics (MTH103), which is equivalent to grade 12 mathematics. Students starting their math studies at ICM in MTH 099 will also need to complete MTH 103.

In addition, all students must successfully complete year 12 math, or MTH 103 (with a grade of C or higher), before being eligible to enrol in university-level math and certain university-level sciences.

You should not be nervous about the test! If you don’t score well on the test, we’ll place in you a math class that reviews more basic math topics to help prepare you for moving forward in your math studies.

Are there resources to help me prepare for the Math Placement Test? 

Absolutely! The Math Placement Test includes a mandatory pre-test. This is a great way to assess your current math knowledge and identify areas for improvement. You can write the pre-test as many times as you’d like.

How do I write the Math Placement Test? 

Students who need to write the Math Placement Test will be emailed approximately one month before course registration starts with a link to write the test. Please be sure your email address on your Letter of Offer is current. If you need to update your email address, please contact us.

The link will be available for approximately one month and there are no set test times for students to write the test. You may click on the link and write the test online as soon as you are prepared. You should write the test before course registration opens.

Can I write the test if I haven’t received my visa yet? 

Yes! You do not need your visa to write the Math Placement Test.

I wrote the test last term. Can I use those results? 

If you wrote the test last semester and experienced visa delays, you have two options available to you:

  • Use last term’s results.  If you’d like to do this, please contact us and we will update your file
  • Write the test again and try to improve your results from last term

I lost internet access. What do I do? 

Students only have one attempt to write the test, so it is important to write the test where you have a good internet connection. We understand this is not always possible. If your internet disconnects while you are writing the test, please contact us and we will let you know your options. Please make sure to provide your student ID in your email.

How can I find out my results? 

You can see your Math Placement Test results as soon as you complete the test. You will also be emailed details about your placement after you complete the test.

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