Although the term "GED test" is often used, students must pass 5 individual tests in order to obtain their GED. These are known collectively as the testing battery. The five tests in the battery are: Language Arts, Writing; Social Studies; Science; Language Arts, Reading; and Mathematics. The Language Arts, Writing test is further divided into Part I and Part II, and the Mathematics test is split into a calculator-optional portion and a calculator-free one.
Depending on the state and district, students may or may not have to take all of the tests at the same time. Due to the length of the testing battery, most districts divide the tests into two or more days, and testing sessions are not always consecutive. In larger districts, students are usually given the option of taking their tests on multiple consecutive days or evenings, or they can take them on two consecutive weekends, depending on which time frame is more convenient for them.