The GED exam consists of four separate subject tests, with a total of approximately 160–175 questions across all sections. However, the exact number of questions on the GED varies slightly by subject and test version, as some items are experimental and unscored. Here’s the standard breakdown:
- Reasoning Through Language Arts: ~46 questions + 1 extended-response essay (150 minutes)
- Mathematical Reasoning: ~45–49 questions (115 minutes)
- Science: ~34–40 questions (90 minutes)
- Social Studies: ~34–40 questions (70 minutes)
Note that the questions include multiple formats: multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank, hot spot, and short answer (in Science and Social Studies). The Language Arts essay is scored separately but counts as part of the overall assessment.
Understanding Question Variability
The questions on the GED are not all weighted equally. Some items—like the essay or multi-part data analysis tasks—carry more scoring value. Additionally, the GED Testing Service occasionally includes unscored pilot questions to evaluate future test items. These do not affect your score but may increase the total number of questions you encounter.
Because the exam uses computer-adaptive and scaled scoring, your final result (100–200 per subject) depends on both the difficulty and correctness of your responses—not just the raw number of questions answered.
To prepare effectively, focus on mastering content and question types, not memorizing exact counts. Official GED Ready practice tests mirror the real exam’s structure and timing.
Remember: you must pass each subject individually (score ≥145), regardless of total question count.
Success comes from understanding how the questions on the GED assess skills—not from counting them.