COURSE NAME: SAT Math Test Preparation

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to help students prepare for the math section of
the SAT, a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. The course
covers topics tested on the math section of the exam, such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and
data interpretation, and provides students with strategies and practice materials to improve their
scores.
DOCUMENT TYPE: Study Guide (Question and Answer format)

SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST

The SAT is a standard assessment tool used by colleges to evaluate the readiness of applicants
for undergraduate studies. The exam is comprised of multiple-choice, grid-in, and essay questions
and covers critical reading, math, and writing skills. The critical reading sections assess your
ability to comprehend and analyze written material, while the math sections test your
mathematical reasoning and problem-solving abilities. The writing sections evaluate your ability
to write a clear and well-organized essay, as well as your grammar and usage skills. The SAT is
administered over a duration of 3 hours and 45 minutes.

MATHEMATICS QUESTIONS

The Math section of the exam consists of multiple-choice questions that assess your problem-
solving skills and ability to apply mathematical concepts in various contexts. The questions cover
a range of topics, including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, data interpretation, basic statistics,
probability, and word problems. You will be expected to answer around 42 to 46 multiple-choice
questions in total across the three Math sections. To succeed on these questions, you will need
to demonstrate logical thinking and the ability to apply your math skills effectively.

TIP #1 USING MARKS

Using marks such as underlining or circling can be a helpful strategy when taking a test. By
highlighting what you are looking for, you can ensure that you are answering the correct question.
As an example, consider the following math problem:

If x + y = 9, then x - y = ?
The correct approach to solving this problem would be to first circle or underline the equation you
are trying to solve, in this case "x - y = ?" Next, you would use the given information to solve for
the value of x or y. In this case, you could solve for x by subtracting y from both sides of the
equation "x + y = 9", which would give you "x = 9 - y". Substituting this expression back into the
equation "x - y = ?" would give you "(9 - y) - y = ?" or "9 - 2y = ?" Finally, you would solve for the
value of y by subtracting 9 from both sides of the equation, which would give you "9 - 2y - 9 = ?"
or "-2y = ?" and "y = -?"
By following this process, you can avoid common mistakes such as solving for the wrong variable
or using the wrong equation. Remember to always pay attention to what you are being asked to
solve for, and double-check your work before moving on to the next question.

TIP #2 ORGANIZING INFORMATION

One effective strategy for tackling word problems is to "organize" the information given in the
problem. This involves writing down the relevant numbers and/or letters and rearranging them in
a useful way that helps you understand the problem better. By doing this, you can eliminate some
of the unnecessary wording and focus on the key elements of the problem.

For example, consider the following math problem:

In this case, the key information is the age of John and his relationship to his brother's age. You
could organize this information by writing it down as follows:

John: 30 years old Brother: ? years old John: twice as old as brother
By writing down this information, you can see that the problem is asking you to find the age of
John's brother. You can then use the given information to solve for this value. In this case, you
would divide John's age by 2 to find that his brother is 15 years old.

By organizing the information in this way, you can eliminate some of the unnecessary wording
and focus on the key elements of the problem, which can make it easier to solve.

TIP #3 WORKING BACKWARD

Working Backward Sometimes it can be helpful to solve a problem by working backward from the
answer choices. This can be a useful strategy if you are having trouble understanding the problem
or if you don't know where to start. By starting with the answer choices, you can eliminate any
options that are clearly incorrect, which can make it easier to find the correct answer.

For example, consider the following math problem:

-3 -1 1 3 9 To solve this problem using the "working backward" strategy, you could start by
plugging in the answer choices one by one and seeing which one gives you a result that satisfies
the equation. For example, if you plug in -3 for x, you would get (-3)² + 6(-3) + 9 = 0, which
simplifies to 9 - 18 + 9 = 0. This is not a valid solution, so you can eliminate choice A. If you try
choice B (-1), you will get (-1)² + 6(-1) + 9 = 0, which simplifies to 1 - 6 + 9 = 0. This is also not a
valid solution, so you can eliminate choice B as well. If you try choice C (1), you will get (1)² + 6(1)
+ 9 = 0, which simplifies to 1 + 6 + 9 = 0. This is not a valid solution either, so you can eliminate
choice C. If you try choice D (3), you will get (3)² + 6(3) + 9 = 0, which simplifies to 9 + 18 + 9 =
0. This is not a valid solution, so you can eliminate choice D as well. Finally, if you try choice E
(9), you will get (9)² + 6(9) + 9 = 0, which simplifies to 81 + 54 + 9 = 0. This is not a valid solution
either, so you can eliminate choice E as well. Since all the answer choices have been eliminated,
you can conclude that the correct answer is not given.
In this example, the "working backward" strategy allowed you to quickly eliminate a number of
answer choices, which made it easier to see that the correct answer was not given. This can be
a useful strategy if you are having trouble understanding the problem or if you don't know where
to start.

TIP #4 SUBSTITUTING SIMPLE NUMBERS

Substituting numbers for variables can be a helpful strategy for understanding and solving math
problems. When using this technique, it is important to use simple numbers, as they are easier to
work with and can help you see the pattern more clearly.

For example, consider the following math problem:

To solve this problem using the "substituting simple numbers" strategy, you could start by plugging
in a few different values for x and seeing what happens. For example, if you plug in 1 for x, you
would get y = 3(1) + 2 = 5. If you plug in 2 for x, you would get y = 3(2) + 2 = 8. And if you plug in
3 for x, you would get y = 3(3) + 2 = 11.

From these examples, you can see that the value of y increases by 3 for each increase of 1 in the
value of x. In other words, y = 3x + 2 is a linear equation with a slope of 3 and a y-intercept of 2.
By substituting simple numbers, you were able to understand the pattern of the equation and find
its general form.

Using this strategy can be especially useful if you are having trouble understanding a problem or
if you don't know where to start. By plugging in a few simple numbers, you can get a sense of
how the variables are related and use that information to solve the problem.