MIP Mathematics in Practice

The test measures the ability to apply the basic arithmetical operations - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division - quickly and correctly in „daily life“ situations.

Application
The test is primarily conceived for personnel selection, career counseling, diagnosis and assessment. Additional areas of use are within clinical settings. It is also used for training purposes at universities and colleges.

Theoretical background
The object of measurement is Calculation capacity, i.e. the ability to adequately apply the basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) on “daily life” mathematical issues.

Theoretically the test has to be placed in the borderland between a cognitive intelligence test and a test of knowledge. It contains numerical as well as verbal and logical components in the sense of Thurstone’s model for primary abilities, and a knowledge element.

Administration
“Daily life” calculation tasks are presented on the screen in writing. For calculation purposes, paper and pencil are provided.

Scoring
The number of correctly solved items constitutes the score for Calculation capacity. The print-out shows raw- and standard-scores for the total performance.

Reliability
The split-half reliability coefficients vary between rtt=.89 and .91 for respondents with different educational levels.

Validity
The face validity is evident – the respondents think immediately of “calculations, arithmetic”. The logical  validity is given by the operational definition of the task. Content validity has been proven by correlation with a numerical test. Prognostic validity could be demonstrated for occupations demanding, among other prerequisites, a high degree of Calculation capacity. Criteria used were “completed occupational education without complications” and “poor performance on the job

Norms
Norms for a European sample of 2607 persons are available. They are composed of 2346 Swedish and 261 Austrian adults. Subgroup norms according to EU-educational level 1-3 and 4-5 are also presented.