MPT Strands
The seven curriculum strands of the Ontario MPT
The Ontario Mathematics Proficiency Test is organised around seven strands of the provincial curriculum. Each strand pulls a roughly proportional share of questions on the test, so candidates who over-prepare in one area and skip another tend to score worse than candidates who spread their practice evenly. Pick a strand below for a plain-English breakdown of the content, the most common pitfalls, and links straight into free practice on Numera.
New to the MPT? Start with the full MPT guide first — it covers the test format, scoring, registration, and accommodations.
- Number Sense
Fractions, integers, decimals, ratios, and the relationships between them. Typically the largest strand on the MPT.
- Algebra
Equations, inequalities, patterning, and proportional functions — the symbolic backbone of the test.
- Geometry
Measurement, spatial reasoning, properties of shapes, and transformations grounded in classroom contexts.
- Data & Probability
Collecting, representing, and interpreting data; theoretical and experimental probability.
- Financial Literacy
Budgeting, simple and compound interest, taxes, and personal finance applied to real student scenarios.
- Proportional Reasoning
Ratios, rates, scaling, and the cross-cutting reasoning that ties number sense to algebra and measurement.
- Pedagogy
How children develop mathematical understanding, common misconceptions, and effective classroom representations.