For those not familiar with the grid-in section of the SAT math section, they are questions in which an answer is put into the bubble. These are the rules from the SAT math test so that you can become familiar with them. We are going to add our opinions on them in parentheses.
Rules for Grid-ins on the SAT Math Section
- Mark no more than one circle in any column. (This is important to understand and comprehend fully.)
- You will only receive credit if the circles are correctly filled in. (Because of this, a person should take their time and make sure the circles are filled in appropriately.)
- Answers can be gridded in any position if they are shorter than the columns provided (For example, a person can start their answers in any column provided.)
- It is not required to write your answer in the boxes provided at the top, but it is suggested. (When something is suggested, it is usually a good idea to follow the advice and that is the case in this situation.)
- Some problems can have more than one correct answer. If so, pick only one to grid in. (Knowing the right answer is important, of course, but following directions and only filling in one grid is even more important.)
- Answers cannot be negative (This is a key clue that should save some people a long time if a negative answer comes up.)
- Mixed numbers must be gridded as improper fractions (Understanding fractions - basic math - is important for those taking the SAT. Brushing up on fractions is a good idea for those who never had math as a strong area of knowledge.)
There are other rules about decimals and rounding up or down that should be followed closely as well. The good thing about grid-ins on the SAT math section is that they do not cause a person to lose points for wrong answers. Because of this, grid-ins should always be answered. After doing the work, even if the answer is not 100% definitely correct, it is a good idea to take the chance and guess with a grid-in.
Here are some other things to take into consideration when taking the math section of the SAT. It should be noted that these are tips the test makers DO NOT want people to know about.
- Zero - Marking an answer 0.4 instead of .4 will be considered wrong, which is an important thing to note when answering grid-in questions on the math section of the SAT.
- Far Left First - Answers should ALWAYS be started in the far left column. This is not something required by the test, but it forces a person to carry out decimals as far as possible. Additionally, it can help a person stop from putting the 0 in front of a decimal, which would make an answer incorrect and worth no points.
- Fractions - When it comes to fractions on the grid-in sections of the SAT math portion, it should be noted that they do NOT need to be reduced. Additionally, decimal or fraction form is acceptable when giving a grid-in answer. Because of this, time spent not reducing a fraction down can be spent answering other questions and increasing the overall score.
- It Should Fit - When filling in a grid-in answer, it is vital that the answer fit in the number of spaces provided. Because of this, really large numbers that do not fit in the given amount of spaces cannot be correct.
- Use Boxes First - Before bubbling the answers, the boxes should be filled out first. This is because careless mistakes are common when taking the math portion of the SAT. Anything written in the boxes does not count for an answer, so it is a good way to make sure an answer that is bubbled is done so correctly.
Additional Grid-in Tricks:
Here are some other things to note when taking the grid-ins on the math section of the SAT.
- No Negatives or Symbols - Negative numbers and math symbols are never used as grid-in answers. Knowing this can help a person know whether or not their answer is even close to being correct. For example, some questions may ask a person to disregard the percentage symbol when writing an answer. So, an answer that is 15% should be written in as 15 and not .15. This is a common mistake that many people make when taking the grid-ins section of the SAT.
- Decimals not Fractions - Sometimes a test question will be given that has an answer in fraction form that will not fit into the bubbles. In these cases, the number should be switched to decimal form in order to fit on the grid-in bubbles. This is another way that test makers try to trick people taking the math section of the SAT so the bell curve is followed when people take the test.
Overall Rule for Grid In Sections
The most important thing a test taker can do is trust themselves when they do the work required to get an answer and are confident that it is correct. Frequently, people taking the SAT math section will second guess themselves out of nervousness or frustration and end up getting a lower score than they actually could get. Because of this, it is important for a person to trust their gut when answering questions on the math section of the SAT. Additionally, as mentioned, the fact no points are lost with a wrong answer on the grid-ins section means that a person should guess as long as they can make an educated guess about the correct answer. This is the single most important factor about improving a math score on the SAT.
