CLEP College Algebra Exam Prep Course
Full course with 350+ practice questions and a practice exam
Self-paced prep for the CLEP College Algebra exam. 10 chapters covering all 4 content areas the exam tests, with a quiz after every subchapter. 60 questions, 90 minutes, with an on-screen scientific calculator. A score of 50 earns 3 transferable college credits.
- Backup ACE/NCCRS credit path — earn the credit even if you don't pass
- Lifetime access — no deadlines, no expiry, study at your own pace
- Credits accepted at 2,900+ U.S. colleges
Pricing
$19 for this course with lifetime access, or $29 a month for all 28 CLEP subjects. Every plan also unlocks the ACE/NCCRS course in the same subject.
- All 10 chapters and 50 lessons
- Five-question quiz after every subchapter
- Readiness score tracker
- Worked examples for every equation type
- Lifetime access, no expiry
- All 28 CLEP prep courses
- Every chapter, lesson and quiz
- Readiness tracker per subject
- Backup ACE/NCCRS credit path
- Cancel or pause anytime
- Lifetime access to all 28 subjects
- All current and future courses
- 12-month ACE/NCCRS backup path
- Pay once, never renew
What are ACE and NCCRS?
Two independent bodies that review online courses and recommend them for college credit. The American Council on Education (ACE) and the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) put courses through faculty panels that assess rigor and learning outcomes, then publish a credit recommendation. When you complete one, the credentialing body issues an official transcript you send to your college — the same kind of transfer credit a student moving from another university would bring with them.
- Reviewed by faculty panels, not by the course provider
- Official transcript issued on completion
- Recognized at 2,100+ colleges, many of which also take CLEP and DSST
Both routes, one plan
Buying CLEP College Algebra prep also opens the ACE/NCCRS course in the same subject — College Algebra — at no extra cost. So exam day isn't the only way through. If the score doesn't land, the course is already sitting in your account: complete it self-paced, no proctor and no 90-minute timer, and earn the three credits through coursework instead.
- Same subject, same 3 semester hours, different path
- Unlocked automatically — no extra fee, no application
- CLEP can still be retaken after three months
Each college sets its own transfer policy, so confirm yours accepts the route you plan to use.
Check your college's policy before you buy. We keep 280+ school pages listing accepted exams, required scores and credits awarded.
Check your collegeCLEP College Algebra exam format and topics
The exam covers a one-semester college algebra course across 4 content areas. About 60 questions in 90 minutes, some of them unscored pretest items. Roughly half are routine problems and half require applying concepts. A TI-30XS MultiView scientific calculator is built into the exam software for the whole test. Pass mark is 50.
| Content area | Weighting | Questions | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functions and their properties | 30% | ≈18 | Definition, representation and modeling; domain and range; evaluation; algebra of functions; graphs, intercepts, symmetry and transformations; inverse functions |
| Algebraic operations | 25% | ≈15 | Operations with exponents; factoring and expanding polynomials; operations with algebraic expressions; absolute value; properties of logarithms |
| Equations and inequalities | 25% | ≈15 | Linear, quadratic and absolute value equations and inequalities; systems of equations and inequalities; exponential and logarithmic equations |
| Number systems and operations | 20% | ≈12 | Real numbers; complex numbers; factorials and the binomial theorem |
| 4 content areas | 100% | ≈60 | 90 minutes · scientific calculator provided · score 50 for an ACE recommendation of 3 semester hours |
Functions on the exam may be linear, polynomial (degree 5 or less), rational, absolute value, power, exponential, logarithmic or piecewise-defined.
How hard is the exam?
About half the questions are routine skills — factor this, solve that — and half are nonroutine problems that ask you to apply a concept in an unfamiliar setting. Functions carry the most weight, so graphs, transformations and inverses matter as much as solving equations. The calculator handles arithmetic, but it won't factor or graph for you.
- Start with functions and their properties — 30% of the exam
- Know logarithm rules for both operations and equations
- Don't skip complex numbers and the binomial theorem
Exam fee and booking
Register with College Board for $97. Test centers may add an administration fee. You can test at a center or remotely with a proctor, year-round. Scores are reported immediately for multiple-choice exams, and you send them to your college yourself.
- Passing score 50, for 3 semester hours
- Retake permitted after three months
- Free for active-duty military via DANTES
The on-screen calculator is a scientific TI-30XS, not a graphing calculator, so practice sketching graphs from equations by hand.
Check your collegeCourse chapters and lessons
10 chapters across 53 instructional hours. Expand any chapter to see the lessons inside it.
Chapter 1 Algebraic Foundations
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1.1 Real Numbers and Their Properties
Real numbers and their properties, integer exponents and scientific notation, radicals and rational exponents — the algebraic operations the exam starts from.
- 1.2 Integer Exponents and Scientific Notation
- 1.3 Radicals and Rational Exponents
- 1.4 Simplifying Radical Expressions
Chapter 2 Polynomials & Factoring
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2.1 Operations on Polynomials
Operations on polynomials, factoring by GCF and grouping, trinomials, special formulas, and a general factoring strategy.
- 2.2 Factoring: GCF and Grouping
- 2.3 Factoring Trinomials
- 2.4 Special Factoring Formulas
- 2.5 Factoring Strategy
Chapter 3 Rational & Radical Expressions
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3.1 Simplifying Rational Expressions
Simplifying, multiplying, dividing, adding and subtracting rational expressions, complex fractions, and radical expressions.
- 3.2 Multiplying and Dividing Rational Expressions
- 3.3 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions
- 3.4 Complex Fractions
- 3.5 Radical Expressions
Chapter 4 Linear Equations & Inequalities
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4.1 Linear Equations in One Variable
Linear equations and formulas, linear and compound inequalities, and absolute value equations and inequalities.
- 4.2 Formulas and Applications
- 4.3 Linear Inequalities
- 4.4 Compound Inequalities — AND (intersection) and OR (union) compound inequalities
- 4.5 Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities
Chapter 5 Systems of Linear Equations
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5.1 Systems of Two Linear Equations
Two- and three-variable systems of linear equations, applications, and systems of linear inequalities.
- 5.2 Applications of 2×2 Systems
- 5.3 Systems of Three Linear Equations
- 5.4 Systems of Linear Inequalities
Chapter 6 Quadratic Equations & Functions
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6.1 Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring
Solving quadratics by factoring, completing the square and the quadratic formula, the discriminant, parabolas, and quadratic inequalities.
- 6.2 Square Root Property and Completing the Square
- 6.3 The Quadratic Formula and Discriminant
- 6.4 Quadratic Functions and Parabolas
- 6.5 Quadratic Inequalities
Chapter 7 Functions & Their Graphs
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7.1 Relations, Functions, and Function Notation
Relations and function notation, domain and range, basic graphs, piecewise functions, transformations, combining functions, and inverses — the largest area on the exam at 30%.
- 7.2 Domain and Range
- 7.3 Graphs of Basic Functions
- 7.4 Piecewise-Defined Functions
- 7.5 Transformations of Functions
- 7.6 Combining Functions
- 7.7 Inverse Functions
Chapter 8 Polynomial & Rational Functions
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8.1 Polynomial Functions and End Behavior
Polynomial end behavior and zeros, polynomial division and the remainder theorem, rational functions and their graphs, and polynomial and rational inequalities.
- 8.2 Zeros of Polynomial Functions
- 8.3 Polynomial Division and the Remainder Theorem
- 8.4 Rational Functions and Their Graphs
- 8.5 Polynomial and Rational Inequalities
Chapter 9 Exponential & Logarithmic Functions
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9.1 Exponential Functions
Exponential and logarithmic functions, the properties of logarithms, solving exponential and logarithmic equations, and growth and decay applications.
- 9.2 Logarithmic Functions
- 9.3 Properties of Logarithms
- 9.4 Solving Exponential and Logarithmic Equations
- 9.5 Applications
Chapter 10 Sequences & Series
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10.1 Sequences and Recursive Definitions
Sequences and recursive definitions, arithmetic and geometric sequences and series, infinite geometric series, and sigma notation.
- 10.2 Arithmetic Sequences and Series
- 10.3 Geometric Sequences and Series
- 10.4 Infinite Geometric Series
- 10.5 Sigma Notation
Practice exam Practice final exam
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Practice final exam — 100 multiple-choice questions
A full-length practice final that mirrors the exam's content areas and question style. Your score feeds the readiness tracker, so you know when you're ready to book the real exam.
These chapters make up the CLEP College Algebra exam prep class. They cover every content area on the official exam outline, and some topics go further than the exam requires.
Take the CLEP exam for the fastest route to 3 credits. If it doesn't go your way, your plan also includes a backup course that earns the credit through coursework.
See pricingColleges that accept CLEP College Algebra
CLEP is recognized at more than 2,900 U.S. colleges, but each one sets its own minimum score and decides how many credit hours to award. Check yours before you book the exam.
Browse college credit policies
Policies change. Every college page lists the date the policy was checked, and we recommend confirming minimum scores and credit awards with the Registrar before you schedule an exam. TransferCredit.org is an independent education service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the institutions listed.
Practice tests and study guides
Five questions in the style of the CLEP College Algebra exam, drawn from the chapters above. No sign-up needed — see where you stand before you buy.