The SAT Math Test

Class Location: The Internet.

Description: This course is designed to help you learn about the SAT Math Test.

Objective: Learn the structure of the SAT Math test, as well as tips and strategies.

Don’t panic. It’s time to face the math portion of the SAT. The prospect probably fills you with anxiety, but don’t worry. With some preparation, you’ll be just fine.

The latest revision of the SAT includes three math sections—two that last 25 minutes each and one that lasts 20 minutes. Each section includes two types of questions—multiple choice and those where you must come up with the answer on your own, or “grid-in” questions. Questions appear in order of difficulty within each type group, from easiest to hardest. So, for instance, if the first section includes a group of multiple-choice questions and a group of grid-in questions, the first multiple-choice question will be the easiest, and the last will be the hardest. Then, the questions will become easier again as you switch to the grid-in group, with the first grid-in question the easiest and the last the hardest. The multiple-choice questions comprise 81 percent of your total math score, with 19 percent coming from the grid-in questions.

As intimidating as the math section can be, you’ll be fine as long as you understand basic arithmetic, algebra, and geometry and practice sufficiently. The SAT isn’t going to test you on advanced calculus. A few tips will help you make it through without hyperventilating.

• Since the questions get progressively harder, try not to spend too long on the earlier questions. If you find one of the first questions very hard, you may have misinterpreted it, so reread it carefully. Try not to skip any of the earlier questions. At the very least, you can use process of elimination to narrow your choices on the multiple-choice questions.
• Write in your test booklet as much as you need, and mark exactly what you are trying to answer. The test will intentionally include answer choices that are correct responses to different questions, so make sure you know exactly what problem you need to solve.
• Simplify the problems if possible. If you find yourself having to make extremely long calculations, you’re probably doing it the hard way. If the question includes information you’re not using, take a second look at it. It might give you an easier way to solve the problem.
• Work backward if you must. Working forward is the easiest method if you know the proper formula. If you’ve forgotten it, working backward can do the trick. This means taking an answer choice and plugging it into the formula to see whether it works.
• If the multiple-choice answers are very disparate, figuring out an approximate number can save you some calculation time. Use easy numbers whenever you need to plug in a value.
• Drawing diagrams can help you solve problems. Just be sure to keep them simple.
• Stay calm and rational. If you have no idea how to solve a problem, look at the answer choices for clues.

• For the grid-in section, you won’t have multiple-choice answers to help you. You need to come up with the solutions on your own. If you come up with an answer that doesn’t fit in the grid space provided, you’ve probably made a mistake. Re-check your work.