Mississippi Real Estate Exam Math Practice: Key Formulas and Problems

Mississippi Real Estate Exam Math Practice

Math questions appear on both the national and state sections of the Mississippi real estate exam. Most candidates find 5–10 math questions across the 120-question exam. While math is a small percentage of your score, missing several math questions can make the difference between passing and failing at the 75% threshold.

Commission Calculations

Commission problems are the most common math questions on the Mississippi exam.

Formula: Commission = Sale Price x Commission Rate

Example: A home sells for $185,000. The total commission is 6%. The listing broker and buyer's broker split 50/50. What does the listing salesperson earn if their split with their broker is 60/40?

Step 1: Total commission = 185,000 x 0.06 = $11,100 Step 2: Listing broker's share = 11,100 x 0.50 = $5,550 Step 3: Listing salesperson's share = 5,550 x 0.60 = $3,330

Answer: $3,330

Reverse commission problem: A seller nets $175,000 after paying a 6% commission. What was the sale price?

Formula: Net = Sale Price x (1 - Commission Rate) 175,000 = Sale Price x 0.94 Sale Price = 175,000 / 0.94 = $186,170 (rounded)

Proration Problems

Proration questions test your ability to divide costs between buyer and seller at closing.

Standard approach: Calculate daily rate, then multiply by the number of days.

Example: Annual property taxes are $2,400. Closing is September 15. The seller has not paid taxes for the year (paid in arrears). How much does the seller owe at closing?

Step 1: Daily rate = 2,400 / 365 = $6.58/day Step 2: Days from Jan 1 to Sept 15 = 258 days (31+28+31+30+31+30+31+31+15) Step 3: Seller's share = 6.58 x 258 = $1,697.64

Note: Some courses use a 360-day year (banker's year) and 30-day months. Follow whatever method your course uses consistently.

Loan and Interest Calculations

Simple interest formula: Interest = Principal x Rate x Time

Example: A buyer takes out a $150,000 loan at 7% annual interest. What is the interest for the first month?

150,000 x 0.07 / 12 = $875

Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio: Formula: LTV = Loan Amount / Appraised Value

Example: A home appraises for $200,000. The buyer puts 10% down. What is the LTV?

Down payment = 200,000 x 0.10 = $20,000 Loan = 200,000 - 20,000 = $180,000 LTV = 180,000 / 200,000 = 0.90 = 90%

Area Calculations

Rectangle: Area = Length x Width Triangle: Area = 0.5 x Base x Height

Example: A rectangular lot is 150 feet wide and 200 feet deep. How many square feet?

150 x 200 = 30,000 square feet

Converting to acres: 1 acre = 43,560 square feet 30,000 / 43,560 = 0.689 acres

Trust Account Math

Mississippi-specific: A salesperson receives a $5,000 earnest money check on a Friday. By what day must the broker deposit the funds?

Salesperson delivers to broker: by Monday (next business day) Broker deposits: within 3 business days of receipt, so by Thursday

Know the timeline: it appears on the state section.

Practice Strategy

Work through 20–30 math problems before exam day. Use a calculator on the actual exam — PSI provides a basic calculator at the testing center. Practice working problems in the same format you will see on test day.

[CARealestate.com/states/mississippi](https://carealestate.com/states/mississippi) includes math-focused practice questions alongside the Mississippi state law content. Use both to build complete exam readiness.