MTTC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield MTTC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which assessment best informs a teacher about a student's independent reading level? → An informal reading inventory (IRI)
2. Which of the following best describes 'reflective practice' in teaching? → Systematically analyzing one's own teaching to improve student outcomes
3. Which literary device is used in the sentence: 'The wind whispered through the trees'? → Personification
4. What type of energy is stored in the chemical bonds of food? → Chemical potential energy
5. A teacher is planning a lesson on fractions. Which sequence reflects the correct concrete-to-abstract progression? → Manipulatives → pictorial models → symbolic notation
6. When writing analytically on the MTTC PRE, which element is most critical for a well-developed argument? → Evidence that directly supports the thesis statement
7. According to the periodic table, elements in the same group (column) share which property? → The same number of valence electrons
8. According to Le Chatelier's principle, if pressure is increased on a gaseous equilibrium system, the reaction shifts toward: → The side with fewer moles of gas
9. In teaching algebraic thinking, which activity best supports the development of variable understanding? → Using balance scales to model equations
10. What products form when hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in a neutralization reaction? → NaCl and H₂O
11. Which statement best describes the trend in atomic radius across a period (left to right) in the periodic table? → Atomic radius decreases because nuclear charge increases without adding new energy levels
12. In the reaction 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O, how many moles of water are produced from 4 moles of H₂? → 4
13. Which of the following best defines 'civics' as a school subject? → The study of citizens' rights, responsibilities, and how government works
14. Which of the following statements most accurately describes how a minor regional dispute in the Balkans escalated into World War I? → the operation of the European alliance system
15. A data set has values: 4, 8, 6, 5, 3, 8, 9. What is the mode? → 8
16. As a gauge of a country's economic success, the gross domestic product (GDP) has the following significant limitations: → nonmarket activities.
17. Which pair of atoms represents isotopes of the same element? → ¹²C and ¹⁴C
18. Which of Newton's laws of motion states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction? → Third law
19. Which process describes water changing directly from a solid to a gas without passing through the liquid phase? → Sublimation
20. Which type of chemical reaction is represented by: A + BC → AC + B? → Single replacement
21. According to professional standards for Michigan teachers, which behavior demonstrates ethical conduct? → Maintaining professional boundaries with students and families
22. Which of the following sources of strife in Britain's colonies in North America is best represented by Bacon's Rebellion? → disputes between landed elites and poor farmers
23. Which of the following describes a 'growth mindset' as applied in an educational setting? → The understanding that abilities can be developed through effort and learning
24. Which of the following safety precautions would be most crucial for students to adhere to throughout this experiment? → Wear safety glasses when heating and cooling the flasks.
25. Which type of text structure is signaled by words like 'first,' 'next,' and 'finally'? → Sequence/chronological order
26. Which state of matter has a definite volume but no definite shape? → Liquid
27. What is the correct electron configuration for a neutral iron atom (Fe, atomic number 26)? → [Ar] 3d⁶ 4s²
28. In a simple circuit, if the resistance is doubled while the voltage remains constant, what happens to the current? → Current is halved
29. Which measure of central tendency is most affected by an outlier? → Mean
30. What is the result of simplifying the expression (2x³y²)(3xy⁴)? → 6x⁴y⁶