How Often Each SHSAT Topic and Standard Is Tested

The DOE has never published how often each topic or New York State learning standard appears on the SHSAT. Its released questions are the only public evidence. Across the 1,313 questions it printed in 2018, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, these are the topics and standards tested most often: the ones worth studying first.

Each printing counts, so a question reprinted in a later year counts again there. Topics are this site’s question types and standards its analysis of each question; a question can have more than one of each, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

Math topics

Every Math topic: questions printed each year, and its share of the year’s questions
Topic	2018	2023	2024	2025	2026	All years
Fractions and decimals	7 (6%)	14 (12%)	20 (18%)	8 (7%)	21 (11%)	70 (11%)
Linear equations	11 (10%)	11 (10%)	8 (7%)	13 (11%)	22 (11%)	65 (10%)
Probability	11 (10%)	9 (8%)	9 (8%)	11 (10%)	21 (11%)	61 (9%)
Percents	10 (9%)	13 (11%)	16 (14%)	5 (4%)	12 (6%)	56 (9%)
Proportions and scale	5 (4%)	10 (9%)	13 (11%)	7 (6%)	21 (11%)	56 (9%)
Number properties	11 (10%)	13 (11%)	4 (4%)	9 (8%)	10 (5%)	47 (7%)
Number line and absolute value	8 (7%)	7 (6%)	8 (7%)	8 (7%)	11 (6%)	42 (6%)
Algebraic expressions	6 (5%)	4 (4%)	7 (6%)	8 (7%)	11 (6%)	36 (5%)
Ratios	9 (8%)	3 (3%)	2 (2%)	8 (7%)	12 (6%)	34 (5%)
Unit conversion	7 (6%)	6 (5%)	1 (1%)	8 (7%)	8 (4%)	30 (5%)
Counting and arrangements	7 (6%)	4 (4%)	2 (2%)	7 (6%)	10 (5%)	30 (5%)
Inequalities	5 (4%)	2 (2%)	5 (4%)	6 (5%)	12 (6%)	30 (5%)
Area and perimeter	4 (4%)	5 (4%)	7 (6%)	4 (4%)	8 (4%)	28 (4%)
Arithmetic and order of operations	3 (3%)	5 (4%)	8 (7%)	2 (2%)	10 (5%)	28 (4%)
Mean, median, mode and range	5 (4%)	7 (6%)	4 (4%)	5 (4%)	5 (3%)	26 (4%)
Rates and speed	3 (3%)	6 (5%)	4 (4%)	3 (3%)	9 (5%)	25 (4%)
Circles	3 (3%)	2 (2%)	2 (2%)	3 (3%)	7 (4%)	17 (3%)
Volume and surface area	2 (2%)	4 (4%)	5 (4%)	2 (2%)	4 (2%)	17 (3%)
Angles and lines	3 (3%)	6 (5%)	1 (1%)	2 (2%)	5 (3%)	17 (3%)
Tables, charts and graphs	3 (3%)	6 (5%)	2 (2%)	2 (2%)	4 (2%)	17 (3%)
Exponents and roots	1 (1%)	5 (4%)	4 (4%)	1 (1%)	1 (1%)	12 (2%)
Two-variable problems	4 (4%)	1 (1%)	–	3 (3%)	3 (2%)	11 (2%)
Patterns and sequences	1 (1%)	2 (2%)	2 (2%)	1 (1%)	1 (1%)	7 (1%)
Coordinate plane	1 (1%)	1 (1%)	1 (1%)	1 (1%)	1 (1%)	5 (1%)
Triangles and the Pythagorean theorem	–	–	1 (1%)	–	–	1 (0%)
Functions and slope	–	–	1 (1%)	–	–	1 (0%)

English Language Arts topics

Every English Language Arts topic: questions printed each year, and its share of the year’s questions
Topic	2018	2023	2024	2025	2026	All years
Text structure	28 (25%)	31 (27%)	22 (19%)	28 (25%)	46 (23%)	155 (24%)
Central idea and theme	20 (18%)	25 (22%)	23 (20%)	24 (21%)	30 (15%)	122 (19%)
Textual evidence	16 (14%)	24 (21%)	21 (18%)	24 (21%)	35 (17%)	120 (18%)
Word meaning and figurative language	14 (12%)	13 (11%)	13 (11%)	14 (12%)	29 (14%)	83 (13%)
Development of ideas and characters	7 (6%)	13 (11%)	7 (6%)	16 (14%)	16 (8%)	59 (9%)
Author's purpose and point of view	9 (8%)	8 (7%)	9 (8%)	6 (5%)	18 (9%)	50 (8%)
Introductions and conclusions	4 (4%)	4 (4%)	6 (5%)	3 (3%)	6 (3%)	23 (4%)
Key details	12 (11%)	2 (2%)	1 (1%)	1 (1%)	4 (2%)	20 (3%)
Supporting details	3 (3%)	2 (2%)	5 (4%)	2 (2%)	7 (3%)	19 (3%)
Inferences and conclusions	6 (5%)	2 (2%)	3 (3%)	2 (2%)	3 (1%)	16 (2%)
Punctuation	3 (3%)	4 (4%)	3 (3%)	2 (2%)	4 (2%)	16 (2%)
Sentence structure	3 (3%)	3 (3%)	2 (2%)	3 (3%)	4 (2%)	15 (2%)
Grammar and usage	2 (2%)	2 (2%)	2 (2%)	4 (4%)	5 (2%)	15 (2%)
Transitions	1 (1%)	2 (2%)	2 (2%)	2 (2%)	5 (2%)	12 (2%)
Precise language and style	2 (2%)	1 (1%)	3 (3%)	1 (1%)	4 (2%)	11 (2%)
Combining and revising sentences	–	1 (1%)	1 (1%)	2 (2%)	5 (2%)	9 (1%)
Organization	2 (2%)	1 (1%)	2 (2%)	1 (1%)	3 (1%)	9 (1%)

NYS standards

Every standard’s official wording, with its questions

Math standards, most tested first: questions printed each year
Standard	2018	2023	2024	2025	2026	All years
7.RP.3 multistep ratio and percent problems	13	15	15	9	19	71
7.EE.4a two-step equations	8	13	7	7	14	49
7.NS.1c rational number subtraction	7	6	10	7	13	43
6.NS.3 multi-digit decimal operations	7	6	11	7	10	41
7.SP.8b sample spaces for compound events	8	6	5	8	13	40
6.RP.3b unit rate problems	8	6	5	8	12	39
6.RP.3d converting measurement units	9	7	1	9	11	37
6.RP.3c percent as a rate per 100	6	9	9	4	8	36
7.EE.1 linear expressions with rational coefficients	4	6	10	6	8	34
6.SP.8a uniform probability models	6	5	5	7	10	33
7.NS.3 four operations with rational numbers	7	5	5	6	10	33
6.EE.7 one-step equations	7	6	3	7	7	30
6.EE.2c evaluating expressions and order of operations	5	5	5	5	9	29
7.EE.4b two-step inequalities	4	2	5	5	11	27
6.NS.4 common factors and multiples	7	5	2	6	7	27
6.SP.5c range, center, and overall pattern	5	6	4	5	5	25
7.RP.2b constant of proportionality	1	3	7	3	10	24
6.RP.3 ratio and rate reasoning	3	6	5	3	6	23
6.NS.1 dividing fractions by fractions	2	2	7	3	9	23
7.EE.4 equations and inequalities from problems	5	1	2	6	8	22
6.G.1 area of polygons	4	2	6	4	5	21
7.SP.8a compound event as fraction of outcomes	3	5	3	2	7	20
6.RP.1 ratio concepts and language	5	3	1	4	7	20
8.EE.7b linear equations with rational coefficients	3	2	2	4	8	19
6.NS.6c positioning rational numbers and points	3	5	3	3	4	18
7.G.4 circle area and circumference	3	2	2	3	7	17
7.G.5 angle relationships and equations	3	6	1	2	5	17
7.EE.2 rewriting expressions to show relationships	3	5	2	3	4	17
7.NS.2a rational number multiplication	2	4	2	2	6	16
6.EE.8 writing simple inequalities	2	2	3	3	6	16
7.G.1 scale drawings	2	4	3	2	3	14
7.EE.3 multi-step rational number problems	2	2	2	2	5	13
8.G.5 angle sums, transversals, angle-angle similarity	2	4	–	2	5	13
7.NS.2b rational number division	1	1	1	2	7	12
7.NS.1b rational number addition	3	–	3	3	3	12
7.NS.2d fractions to decimals by long division	2	1	2	2	4	11
6.NS.7a inequality as relative position	1	5	2	1	2	11
6.EE.5 solutions and substitution	3	2	1	3	2	11
6.NS.2 multi-digit division	1	3	3	1	2	10
6.EE.1 whole-number exponent expressions	2	3	1	2	2	10
7.SP.1 box plots and interquartile range	–	6	2	–	2	10
6.NS.7c absolute value as distance	1	2	4	1	2	10
6.G.2 volume with fractional edge lengths	1	3	1	1	2	8
6.SP.5a number of observations	2	1	2	2	1	8
7.NS.1d properties for adding and subtracting	1	2	1	1	3	8
7.NS.2c properties for multiplying and dividing	1	1	–	2	4	8
6.EE.6 variables representing unknown numbers	1	1	2	1	3	8
6.G.5 perfect squares and perfect cubes	–	4	3	–	–	7
6.EE.2a writing algebraic expressions	1	1	1	1	3	7
7.RP.1 unit rates with fractions	–	–	3	–	4	7
7.RP.2c proportional relationship equations	–	–	2	2	3	7
7.G.6 area, surface area, and volume	1	–	3	1	2	7
6.RP.3a tables of equivalent ratios	1	–	2	2	2	7
6.SP.3 measures of center and variation	2	–	1	2	2	7
6.SP.5 summarizing data sets	3	–	–	2	2	7
6.SP.7 long-run relative frequency	1	1	1	1	2	6
8.EE.8c systems in real-world problems	2	–	–	2	2	6
6.G.3 polygons in the coordinate plane	1	1	1	1	1	5
6.SP.1b samples and populations	–	1	2	–	2	5
7.RP.2a testing for proportionality	–	–	1	1	3	5
8.EE.7 linear equations in one variable	1	–	1	1	2	5
6.SP.6 probability from 0 to 1	–	–	1	1	3	5
6.G.4 nets and surface area	1	–	2	1	1	5
6.EE.2b parts of an expression	1	–	2	1	1	5
6.EE.9 dependent and independent variables	–	–	–	1	3	4
6.SP.8b probability models from observed frequencies	1	–	–	1	2	4
7.RP.2d points on proportional graphs	–	–	2	–	2	4
6.RP.2 unit rate concept	1	–	1	1	1	4
8.EE.2 square and cube roots	–	2	1	–	–	3
8.EE.1 integer exponent properties	–	1	–	–	1	2
8.G.4 similarity and dilations	–	1	1	–	–	2
6.NS.5 positive and negative numbers	–	–	–	–	2	2
6.EE.3 generating equivalent expressions	–	–	1	–	1	2
6.EE.4 identifying equivalent expressions	–	–	–	1	1	2
6.NS.7d absolute value versus order	–	–	2	–	–	2
8.NS.1 decimal expansions and irrational numbers	–	1	–	–	–	1
7.G.3 slicing three-dimensional solids	–	–	–	–	1	1
6.SP.8 probability models for simple events	–	–	–	–	1	1
7.NS.1a opposite quantities making 0	–	–	–	–	1	1
6.NS.7 ordering and absolute value	–	–	–	–	1	1
6.NS.7b order statements in context	–	–	–	–	1	1
8.F.4 modeling with linear functions	–	–	1	–	–	1
7.SP.4 comparative inferences about populations	–	–	1	–	–	1

English Language Arts standards, most tested first: questions printed each year
Standard	2018	2023	2024	2025	2026	All years
7R1 textual evidence and inferences	39	40	39	40	60	218
7R5 structure and genre features	30	35	29	32	57	183
7R3 plot elements and ideas	18	34	23	37	51	163
7R2 theme or central idea	23	27	26	26	37	139
7R4 word meaning and choice	20	19	19	24	44	126
7R6 point of view and author position	13	12	13	9	25	72
7L1 grammar and usage conventions	5	6	5	9	13	38
7R8 evaluating arguments and claims	2	3	9	4	7	25
7L5 figurative language and word relationships	7	2	5	1	9	24
7L5c connotation and denotation	4	4	3	5	6	22
7L2 capitalization, punctuation, and spelling	4	5	3	4	5	21
7L5a interpreting allusions	2	5	3	4	4	18
7W2a introducing and organizing a topic	2	3	4	3	6	18
7W2d transitions in informative writing	2	2	3	2	8	17
7L3a precise and concise language	2	2	4	2	6	16
7W2b developing a topic	2	2	3	2	7	16
7L4a context clues	3	2	1	1	5	12
7W2e concluding informative writing	1	2	2	1	3	9
7W2f informative writing style	–	1	–	1	3	5
7L4b Greek and Latin affixes and roots	–	1	–	1	1	3
7W1b supporting claims with evidence	1	–	2	–	–	3
7W1a introducing claims and counterclaims	2	–	1	–	–	3
7L3 knowledge of language	–	–	–	–	2	2
7W1e concluding an argument	1	–	1	–	–	2
7W1c precise language for arguments	–	–	1	–	–	1
7W1d transitions in arguments	1	–	–	–	–	1
7W1f argument style and tone	1	–	–	–	–	1