School Improvement in Maryland

Sample Assessments: Each sample assessment item gives an idea of how an assessment item on the MSA might be presented. The items appropriately measure the content of the VSC and may be formatted similarly to those appearing on the MSA; however, these are sample items only and have not appeared on any MSA form.

Standard 2.0 Knowledge of Geometry

Topic D. Congruence and Similarity

Indicator 1. Apply the properties of similar polygons

Objective a. Determine similar parts of polygons

Assessment limit: Use the length of corresponding sides or the measure of corresponding angles and rational numbers with no more than 2 decimal places (0 – 1000)

Extended Constructed Response (ECR) Item

Cedric is making a scale model of his school. The dimensions of his school and of his model are shown below.

Step A

What is the length, in feet, of side x of the model?

Step B

  • Use what you know about similar polygons to justify why your value of side x is correct. Use words, numbers, and/or symbols in your justification.
  • If Cedric changes the length of his model from 3 feet to 6 feet, explain how this change will affect the value of side x. Use words, numbers, and/or symbols in your explanation.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_math_8_014.xml

Correct Answer:
Step A
0.75 or

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Selected Response Item

Triangles LMN and RST, shown below, are similar.

geometric images

What is the length of segment RT?

  1. 4 cm
  2. 5 cm
  3. 6 cm
  4. 15 cm
/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_math_8_016.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item

Trapezoid LMNQ and trapezoid RTSU, shown below, are similar.

geometric images

What is the measure, in degrees, of angleR

  1. 30°
  2. 45°
  3. 135°
  4. 150°
/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_math_8_017.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Student Produced Response (SPR) Item

Parallelograms FGHI and WXYZ are similar.

parallelogram FGHI at 14in x 15in, and parallelogram WXYZ at 6in sq.

What is the measure, in inches, of segment YZ?

blank SPR form

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_math_8_018.xml

Correct Answer:
5.6

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Resources for Objective 2.D.1.a:
Thinking Skills | SAMPLE ASSESSMENTS |