GED Math Passing Score: 145, and How Many Questions You Can Miss

Here’s something that surprises most people: by our estimate, you can miss more than a third of the GED math test and still pass.

The catch? GED Testing Service doesn’t publish the exact math behind the score. And plenty of sites still quote numbers from versions of the test that were retired years ago.

So in this guide you’ll get:

• How many questions 145 takes, and how many you can miss
• A quick tool that turns a practice result into a likely score
• What each score level means, and the old numbers to ignore
• What to do if you land just under 145

Let’s start with the short answer.

The short answer: 145 out of 200

The GED math passing score is 145 out of 200. You need 145 in each of the four subjects.

The subjects aren’t averaged. Think of a driving test: acing the written part won’t save a failed road test. In the same way, a high Science score can’t cover a low math one.

How many questions can you miss? About 16 to 19

Our best estimate is about 16 to 19 of the roughly 46 questions.

Why only an estimate? Because 145 isn’t a count of right answers. It’s a converted number, and three things make the conversion fuzzy:

• Your score is scaled. Picture swapping dollars for pesos at an exchange counter. Your right answers go in, a number from 100 to 200 comes out, and GED Testing Service has never published the exchange rate.
• Test forms differ a little. Two people can get slightly different versions, one a touch harder. Scaling makes 145 mean the same on both, so the number of right answers behind it can shift.
• Questions may not all count the same. A drag-and-drop question with four parts is more work than a one-click multiple choice. Point values and partial credit aren’t published, so treat every part of a question as if it counts.

Test-prep publishers usually say 145 takes about 60 to 65% of the points. Our own scoring model puts the low end nearer 58%. Here’s what that range looks like on 46 questions:

You may see sites say you can miss 24 or more. We wouldn’t bet your test fee on it. Plan for the harder end instead.

Bottom line: aim for 30 right in practice, and answer every question. A blank is always wrong. A guess is sometimes right.

Is your practice score enough? Check here

Enter how many you got right on a practice test, and this shows the score band you’re probably in. You can drag the slider, use the arrow keys or type the number.

No practice result yet? Our free practice test gives you one in about two hours.

Does a higher score help? Only for college

Your GED certificate is the same whether you score 145 or 200. Nobody gets a fancier diploma for extra points.

Higher scores only matter if you’re heading to college. There they can let you skip placement tests or earn credit. Here are the official score levels, per subject:

So if college isn’t in your plans yet, 145 is the only number that matters. To see where all four of your subjects stand, try the GED score calculator.

Old numbers you’ll see online (ignore them)

Plenty of pages still quote numbers from older versions of the test. If you see any of these, the page is out of date:

• “You need 150.” The pass mark dropped to 145 in 2016.
• “410 out of 800.” That scale was retired at the end of 2013.
• “The top score is 164.” The scale goes up to 200.
• “50 questions in two halves.” It’s about 46, with about 5 in a short first part where you have no calculator.

After the test: when your score shows up

Scores are usually ready within 24 hours, and can take up to three business days.

Log in to GED.com to see your score and a list of the skills that cost you points. Hang on to that list. It works like a mechanic’s report on your car: it tells you exactly what to fix, so you don’t waste time on the parts that already work.

Your scores also don’t expire. The GED Policy Manual says scores on the current test stay valid, though a state can set its own rule. If you passed a subject years ago, check your state’s page before you count on it.

Scored under 145? Here’s what happens next

If you just missed, that stings. It’s also very common. GED Testing Service found that about 80 to 82% of people who had passed three subjects were still working on math.

The good news? You retake math only, and every subject you’ve passed stays passed. You can usually go again soon:

• At a test center: two retakes with no wait, then 60 days between attempts.
• Online: one retake with no wait, then 60 days between attempts.

At a test center, GED Testing Service waives its own fee for two retakes within 12 months. Your state or test center may still charge something.

Our page on what to do after failing GED math has the full rules and a four-week plan for round two.

How to close the gap to 145

A score of 135 to 144 is often only a few questions short. And those misses usually sit in one or two topics.

Think of a leaky roof. You find the two spots that drip and patch those. You don’t rebuild the house, and you don’t need to start math over either.

1. Take one full, timed test. Our free practice test has 46 questions in 115 minutes, with no calculator for the first part. Note which topics you miss most.
2. Put most of your time into algebra. Expressions and equations (about 30%) and graphs and functions (about 25%) make up over half the test. Practice equations and graphs and functions first.
3. Drill your weakest topic in short sets. A 25-question set on one skill teaches you more than another full test. Pick one from practice by topic.
4. Do a few problems by hand each day. The first five questions have no calculator. People slip most on fractions, negative numbers and exponents.
5. Know your tools. Read what’s on the formula sheet and learn the TI-30XS calculator before test day.