GED subjects: what's actually on the exam

The GED is made up of four subjects, each sat as its own separate exam. You don't have to clear all four in a single day — you space them out to suit you and move at your own pace. Here's what each one actually asks of you, along with timing and format, so nothing on test day is a surprise. Want to try it? Jump straight to our free practice test preview for all four subjects.

At a glance

• Reasoning Through Language Arts — 150 minutes (includes a written essay)
• Mathematical Reasoning — 115 minutes
• Science — 90 minutes
• Social Studies — 70 minutes

Every subject is answered on a computer using a mix of question styles — standard multiple-choice alongside drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank, hot-spot ("select an area"), and drop-down items. You need at least 145 on each subject to pass — see how GED scoring works.

Mathematical Reasoning

You don't need a "maths brain" to pass — you need the right preparation. The paper leans on applying maths to everyday, real-life situations rather than abstract theory.

• What it covers: core number skills and basic maths, geometry, foundational algebra, and graphs and functions.
• Timing: 115 minutes in total, which includes about two minutes of instructions and a short break between the two parts to collect your calculator.
• Tools: you're given a formula sheet and a calculator reference sheet (on screen and at the centre), an on-screen calculator is available on the second part, and you may bring your own TI-30XS. You won't need to memorise formulas.

Go deeper: GED Math preparation guide.

Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA)

Reading and writing come down to communication — something you already do constantly. RLA simply checks how well you understand what you read and how clearly you can write.

• What it covers: reading for meaning across informational and literary texts, identifying and constructing arguments, and grammar and language use.
• Timing: 150 minutes across three sections, including a 45-minute extended-response essay and a 10-minute break between the later parts.
• The essay: you weigh two passages, decide which argument is better supported by evidence, and explain why — so it's about analysis, not opinion.

Go deeper: GED RLA preparation guide.

Science

If you understand a few basic scientific ideas and how they work, you're in good shape — GED Testing Service reports this is one of the higher-passing subjects. It rewards reasoning from evidence more than recall.

• What it covers: reading for meaning in science, designing and interpreting experiments, and using numbers and graphics to make sense of scientific information.
• Timing: 90 minutes, with no break.
• Tools: an on-screen calculator and calculator reference sheet, and your own TI-30XS if you prefer. You don't memorise formulas — any information you need is provided in the question.

Go deeper: GED Science preparation guide.

Social Studies

Think of it as making sense of the news: the context you need to understand your country, the wider world, and society. Crucially, it's not a memory test — you won't be asked to recall capitals or dates, but to reason from information you're given.

• What it covers: reading for meaning in social studies, analysing historical events and arguments, and working with numbers and graphs that present social-studies data.
• Timing: 70 minutes, with no break.
• Tools: an on-screen calculator and calculator reference sheet, plus your own TI-30XS if you wish.

Go deeper: GED Social Studies preparation guide.

How the subjects are taken

All four are computer-based and taken separately at an authorised testing centre — you don't sit them all in one sitting. That structure is a real advantage: you can concentrate on one subject, clear it, and move on. For the official, current content outlines, GED Testing Service publishes them at ged.com.

On cost, the fees on ged.com are shown per US state and don't apply here — for the verified figure that matters in Pakistan, see our GED fees page. Once you understand the subjects, the natural next steps are the eligibility check and the registration walkthrough.