A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Eighth Grade Items

Science

Air is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Describe one way that air can be shown to exist.

Correct Answer Examples:

  1. Wind, flags blowing, waving arms, spreading smell.
  2. Air resistance makes things fall slowly.
  3. Barometers show that air exists.
Physics
International Average Percent Correct: 33%; United States, 51%; Singapore, 51%; England, 35%; Japan, 28%; France, 23%; Germany, 22%.

Mathematics

The length of a rectangle is 6 cm, and its perimeter is 16 cm. What is the area of the rectangle in square centimeters?

12 square cm

Measurement
International Average Percent Correct: 40%; Singapore, 86%; Korea, 66%; Japan, 65%; Canada, 41%; France 36%; United States, 22%.

Copyright © 1994 by IEA, The Hague


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Last Updated -- June 9, 1998, (pjk)