The document provides an item analysis of a June 2011 Algebra 2/Trigonometry Regents exam, identifying questions that students struggled with and potential reasons for their mistakes. It analyzes student performance on each of the 44 questions across four parts of the exam, noting the mathematical concept or skill required and the most common incorrect answers selected. Suggestions are also provided for some questions to help teachers address misunderstandings.

1. Algebra 2 / Trig Grade Item Analysis
June 2011 Regents Exam
Part I
Question Strand & Skills Needed Answer A Answer B Answer C Answer D Suggestions
# Performance
Indicator
1 vocabulary Did not know vocab Did not know Did not know Correct answer
vocab vocab
2 Knowing that Correct answer
2
subbing -10 for x
should be (-10)(-10)
3 series Correct answer Not sure why they
picked c
4 understand Correct answer Mixing it up as a Test taking
reference angles and cofunctions strategies aka plug
quadrants and chug
5 Like bases yield Correct answer Didn’t get like Test taking
equal exponents bases…just did strategies…aka
2x+5=3x or did plug and chug
changed base 8 to
2
4
5 4
6 Converting log form log 5 / log 4 5x4 Correct answer 4 instead of 5
to exponent form
th
7 Simplifying radicals Correct answer Took 4 root of 16 Took square root Multiplied
but not the exponents
variables
8 Exponential graphs ?????? Correct answer It looks the same ??????? Test taking
and its but didn’t verify strategies…plug
transformations points and chug choices
in calc
9 Sequences Correct answer Incorrectly Knew it was Ignored the
counted terms negative and every negative?
And/or used other term has a
geometric formula
incorrectly
10 Law of Cosines Correct answer Found angle B Found angle A 180 -53
instead instead

2. 11 Calculate Period Mixed frequency Correct answer Changed to the Normal period =
and amplitude reciprocal for 2pi
some reason
12 The range of the …possibly ????? Because it has a + Correct answer Again, plug and
function confusing it with 7 at the end? chug in calc
undefined value
13 Calculate Correct answer Permutation Permutation
combination
14 Determine whether Misunderstanding Misunderstanding Correct answer Concept of open vs
a relation is a of concept of of concept of closed
function asymptote asymptote
15 Calculator and Rounding error Correct answer Input error… Input error…
appropriate 126.43 and 126.43
rounding of trig rounding error
functions to nearest
degree
16 Rationalizing the Multiplied Multiplied by Correct answer Incorrect
denominator numerator and instead distribution in
denominator by of conjugate denominator
17 Solving exponential Used log instead of Doubled it instead Correct answer 75,000/4.75
equations using logs ln of tripled
18 Series Correct answer
19 Graphing inverse trig Correct answer Icky question !!!
functions

3. 20 Rules of Logs Didn’t know what Cube root 3 Did not include C Correct answer
was going on in the radical
21 Radical equations Didn’t check for Factored Correct answer Plug and Chug
extraneous roots incorrectly
st
22 Completing the Forgot to square it Correct answer Squared 1 then Just squared it
square divided by 2
23 Knowledge of Simplification error Simplification Correct Answer Didn’t know the
Pythagorean error difference btn csc
identities and and sec
simplifying trig
rational expressions
24 Interpret table and Incorrect Incorrect Forgot to multiply Correct answer
apply the info to denominator (aka denominator and by the number of
calculating mean total number of numerator minutes by x
students) number of
students
25 Calculate radian ????? ?????? Correct answer Picked larger
measure applied to instead of smaller
a clock
26 Binomial Expansion Correct answer Used wrong term Used wrong term Didn’t take into
(find the coefficient and didn’t consider consideration the
of a particular term) the minus sign minus sign
27 Determine type of Just didn’t know Just didn’t know Correct answer Just didn’t know
regression based on
scatter plot
Part II
Question Strand & Skills Needed Suggestions
# Performance
Indicator
28 Double distributing and
multiplying and adding and
subtracting fractions
29 Normal distribution of
data
30 Sum and product of roots Must have an equal sign
and the role they play in the
quadratic equation.
31 Plug, chug, and proper use
of calculator

4. 32 Function notation This is not a one to one function…bad question
and determine
inverse function
33 Factor gcf and difference of
two squares
34 Clear understanding of rules
of exponents with heavy
emphasis on negative
exponents
35 Function Notation and
composition of function
Part III
36 Sum of Trig Functions Do teachers teach this to handle this level of understanding because of the nature of this
course?
37 Solving Inequalites and Had to remember the rule that when you multiply and divide by a negative must flip the
Absolute Value , state the inequality
appropriate solution set,
and graphing it
38 Binomial Probability Many students did exactly 3 instead of at most
Part IV
39 System of Equation Many teachers leave it out of curriculum