School Improvement in Maryland

Evolution of an Item

Mathematics

  

Sample 1

Original Revised

To rent a jetski at the shore, a customer must pay a $100 deposit on the jetski in addition to the $5 rental fee per hour. When the jetski is returned without damage, the customer gets half of the deposit back.

Which equation represents the total cost (c) over time (t) for jetskies returned without damage?

  1. c=5t+5O
  2. c=5t+1OO
  3. c=50t+5
  4. c=lOOt+5

Look at the sign below.

ROWBOAT RENTALS
$5.00 per hour
PLUS
$100.00 deposit
Deposit will be refunded if
boat is returned undamaged.

Which equation below represents returning a rowboat undamaged? Let c be the total cost in dollars and t be the time in hours.

  1. c=5t+l00
  2. c=500t
  3. c=lOOt+5
  4. c=5t *

Reason

The term “jetski” was changed in this item for several reasons. Not all students will know what a “jetski” is, and some may become confused. “Jetski” is a licensed name for a commercially produced product the usage of which may require expensive permissions. The rental rate of $5 per hour is not realistic for a jetski. The sign graphic was added to decrease wordiness. Language was simplified to reduce wordiness. Return of only half of a deposit is not common, so a more realistic refund of the entire deposit was incorporated. Distractors were revised to match the revisions in the stem and were placed in a staggered pattern according to length.

Sample 2

Original Revised

One hundred students at Heritage High School were sampled and asked their preference for a school mascot. The table below displays the results of the poll.

Mascot Tiger Lion Dolphin Hawk
Number of Votes 19 22 17 42

The total population of the school is 1550. Based on the survey, how many students at Heritage High School will vote for the mascot to be a lion?

  1. 341
  2. 22
  3. 651
  4. 42

A random sample of 100 students at Heritage High School voted on a school mascot. The table below shows the results of the vote.

MASCOT VOTES

Mascot Tiger Lion Dolphin Hawk
Number of Votes 19 22 17 42

The total population of the school is 1,550. Predict how many High School want the mascot to be the lion.

  1. 22
  2. 42
  3. 341 *
  4. 651

Reason

The language in this item was simplified to avoid wordliness. Terms (such as “vote”) were standardized and concepts were simplified to avoid confusion. Distractors were stacked in numerical order.