One of the biggest problems with people taking the SAT math portion is careless mistakes. Even smart students who study sometimes make careless mistakes that cost them points on their overall SAT score. It is important to remember that the SAT is more about testing the way you take tests rather than how much knowledge you have. To do this, the SAT test makers use tricky questions to try to get students to score lower.
Some common careless mistakes include not ordering operations correctly, assumptions about a number (like whether or not it is a prime number), or even something simple like forgetting a negative sign in front of a final answer. Other common SAT math mistakes include subtracting instead of adding or solving a problem for the wrong variable. Because SAT math questions are random, it can be difficult to notice when you are consistently making careless mistakes.
It should be noted that the wrong answers are not just random answers. They are usually created to intentionally trip up or confuse people taking the test. In fact, a lot of the wrong answers may seem correct depending on how a person interprets the question being asked. SAT test makers have been doing this for years to great effect. Over the years, they have learned common mistakes that people make and intentionally offer answer choices that are close but not correct.
The problem with making careless mistakes on the SAT is that a person could be making them and think they are doing well when in actuality they are going to get a low overall score on the SAT math section. Because of this, it is important to read questions carefully and know exactly what they want as an answer. The best advice to overcome this is to be careful when taking the SAT math portion and know the test makers are out to trick you.
SAT Rules & Tips
Below are some tips and techniques to help prevent careless mistakes when taking the math portion of the SAT. None of these rules are set in stone, but they make a good foundation for anyone who is serious about getting a higher score on the math section of the SAT.
- Read Slowly - Reading the questions slowly and carefully will help make sure the question is understood completely. Sometimes, a single word change can make the entire question different. Because of this, the slower a person reads the more they are able to comprehend what is actually being asked in the question. This increases the chance of a person getting the correct answer to the SAT math question.
- Know When to Solve and When to Skip - Knowing whether or not a problem is easily solvable is important for those who want to score high on the SAT math section. For problems that are easy to solve - even if they are complex - a person should jump into the question and solve it. However, if the equation isn't known or the question isn't totally understood, it's probably better to skip it at first. Knowing the difference is important for those who want to get the highest score possible on the SAT math section.
- About 10 Seconds - If it takes less than around ten seconds to solve a complex math question on the SAT, chances are the answer is wrong. Easy questions on the SAT are easy and difficult ones are extremely hard. If it does not seem difficult, a person may be answering the question incorrectly. It is also important to remember that test makers intentionally try to make difficult questions seem easy so that students who do not read carefully and comprehend fall for a wrong answer. If it seems too easy and is not supposed to be easy, there is probably some trickery going on and it is recommended to read the remainder of the question.
- Read it Again - Questions should be read twice before they are answered. This is because the people who make the SAT test like to give a series of steps then throw a curve ball and ask something entirely different. For those who do not read the entire question carefully, the chances are high that the wrong answer will be chosen.
- Write it Down - One important thing that a lot of people forget when taking the math portion of the SAT is to write their work down. Doing this can help you make sure the math is being done correctly. This may seem like a very simple step - and it is - but employing this practice can dramatically increase the chances of getting an answer correct. Additionally, having the problem written down allows a person to go back and double check the work more easily. All of this adds up to help for the SAT math section.
- Calculators Help - Because calculators are allowed, a calculator should be used instead of doing math mentally. This can help increase the chances you are going to get the correct answer. While some people may be impressed by those who can crunch large numbers in their mind easily, the fact is that the SAT math test is all about getting the right answer, not showing off "rain man" math skills. This is why having a calculator and using it even for simple arithmetic is important.
- Idiots are Wise - While some people with superior math skills may think that using a calculator makes a person less intelligent or mentally adept, the truth is that using the calculator is actually the smarter choice when dealing with the math section of the SAT. There are no witnesses when taking the test so showing off mental math abilities does not make sense at all. Using a calculator may seem like something that is not needed, but when it comes to the SAT math portion, it is a wise choice indeed.
- About Guessing - On the multiple choice math sections of the SAT, the general rule is that if one or more answers can be definitely removed as possibilities, it may be a good idea to take a guess depending on the odds. For the easier questions on the beginning of the test this is the case even more. When no options can be eliminated, however, it is a good idea to skip the question rather than try to answer it.
Why are all these tips important? When taking the SAT it is easy to become confused and make a simple mistake. From stress to nervousness there are a lot of feelings at play when taking the SAT - even for those who seem calm, cool and collected on the outside. Because of this, simple mistakes like adding instead of subtracting or forgetting a negative sign can be easily made even by the most careful people. This is why taking the time to prepare for the SAT math section is so important for those who want to do as best as they can. Remember that sometimes it is not about getting a perfect 800, but each person getting the best possible score that they can. This is what makes the SAT such a useful and frustrating test.
