The first thing to realize is that SAT math is not the same as the math you learned in school. They are the same, of course, but people taking the SAT math section need to realize that it is more about the way the questions are asked on the SAT. Here are some things to consider before taking the math section of the SAT.
SAT Math: What Works for You?
When it comes to solving math problems, there is more than one way to come to the same (correct) answer. The important thing to remember for test takers is that they should use whatever works best for them. For those who haven't yet gotten an 800 on the math section of the SAT, we will have some tips and techniques to help ace the math portion of the SAT. By studying and learning from the advice we give as well as using our practice tests, a person can radically increase their score on the math part of the SAT.
It should be noted that the techniques we give you may not work well for school assignments where the teacher wants to know if a student understands the whole process of getting to a particular answer. Having said that, when taking the SAT math section, it is all about getting the correct answer no matter how you get there. This is good news for those who know shortcuts that can give them math answers quickly so they can finish the entire test - and ace it as well.
To achieve the highest score, the trick is to NOT answer all of the questions on the test. Instead, a person should only answer those questions they absolutely know they are going to get correct. This may not always be possible, but by using good judgement, a person should be able to pick out which answers they feel most confident about on a test.
For example, if there's a question that is extremely difficult, it may be better to skip it rather than take the time to try to figure it out. The time taken to solve the unfamiliar problem could be better spent answering easier questions for a guaranteed full point at the end of the test. Having said that, once you finish the other questions, it makes sense to go back to any questions you skipped if you have the time left. Then again, if you find trouble with a problem and do not understand it completely, it is better to skip it rather than guess and try to answer it.
Pacing on the SAT Math Section
Another important aspect of taking the SAT math portion that should be considered is pacing. For example, no more than one third of the time given should be taken on the easy questions while a third of the time is used to try to solve the medium and hard questions on the test.
While these divisions of time are good for some, the exact amount of time spent on each section will vary from student to student. For those who have tested around 600 and do not think they can do much better, it may be possible to skip the hardest questions on the test in order to get the highest score possible.
Instead of spending time on problems that are not understood, the time is better spent reviewing other answers to make sure they are correct, which can help the overall final score of the SAT math section. If the concept or question is totally understood it is okay to answer the tougher questions, but even those who have tested over 600 should be careful when taking the math portion of the SAT.
While skipping some difficult questions is a good idea, it is important for a test taker to keep up with how many questions have been skipped. Taking a look at the test paper bubble sheet can give a person a good idea of how many questions have been skipped. When getting to the end of the test, it may sometimes be worth it to go back and try skipped questions again, but knowing whether or not this is a good idea is most important.
SAT Math Section: Should You Guess on the Test?
This is a question that many people who are about to take the SAT ask. The answer depends on the person taking the test, of course, but there are some general rules that apply.
- Elimination - If one or more answer choices can be eliminated for certain, it is usually a good idea to take a guess. The chances are that your score will slowly go up. A pure guess has a one in five chance of resulting in a full point on the test while if you eliminate two answers, the chance of getting the right answer goes up to one in three.
- Pacing - For those who adequately pace themselves during the test, taking the time to go back and guess on an answer if some options can be eliminated is easier and may result in a higher overall SAT score.
- Really Tough Questions - Some questions may be hard to understand or about concepts that are not known about. In these cases, it is usually a very good idea to skip the question entirely rather than try to guess the answer.
