To provide an interpretation of the results on the TIMSS eighth grade mathematics achievement scale in relation to the students’ performance on the assessment items, TIMSS describes achievement at four points along the scale as International Benchmarks: Advanced International Benchmark (625), High International Benchmark (550), Intermediate International Benchmark (475), and Low International Benchmark (400). The descriptions of mathematics achievement at the International Benchmarks were updated from TIMSS 2015 based on an analysis of the items that students with average achievement at each of the benchmarks answered successfully in TIMSS 2019.

Exhibit 3.7 summarizes what eighth grade students who reached each of the TIMSS International Benchmarks in 2019 could do in mathematics. The progression in mathematics achievement is evident from benchmark to benchmark, from demonstrating some knowledge of whole numbers and basic graphs at the Low International Benchmark to applying and reasoning in a variety of complex situations at the Advanced International Benchmark. As much as possible, each description references achievement in the four content areas covered in the assessment at the eighth grade: number, algebra, geometry, and data and probability. The following tables show the target percentages for the content and cognitive domains.

The interactive map of the benchmark descriptions links to example items. It provides an overview of the mathematics understanding demonstrated by the eighth grade students who performed at the four levels of the achievement scale. The following sections provide more information about students’ achievement in TIMSS 2019 at each International Benchmark as well as more detailed descriptions of each level together with example items.