SAT Math requires using expert top tips. The next SAT exam date is just around the corner! Many students around the world will be sitting the SAT on the 1st of October. Whether you are going into your last week of preparation or taking your first practice test, the SAT can be a daunting task. The Maths section can prove especially overwhelming for students, especially those who are not studying Maths for their A Levels.
The SAT Maths section consists of two parts. The first section is a non-calculator section with 20 questions to complete in 25 minutes. The second section is the calculator section with 38 questions to complete in 55 minutes. These are the last two sections on the SAT, which means that you will have already completed both the Reading and Writing sections. Concentration can be difficult to maintain at this stage and it is important to keep the brain engaged as you approach the second half of the test. However, there are some easy tips that students can follow to approach these sections with confidence.
Strategy
There are two types of questions on the maths sections: multiple choice and grid in. On the non-calculator section, there are 15 multiple choice questions and 5 grid in questions. For the grid in questions, you are not given any multiple-choice answers and need to write in the answer you have found once completing the question. It is useful to know that the Maths section gets harder as you progress through it. However, what a lot of students don’t consider is that the grid-in questions start from an easy level again. This means that question 16 is much easier than question 15. If you are getting stuck completing the hard questions, make the time work for you. Do questions 1 to 10 and then go to questions 16 to 18. This makes sure that you will get to all the easy and medium level questions before tackling the hard ones. You will then be maximising the amounts of points you can get in each section. This works for the calculator section as well. There are 30 multiple choice questions and 8 grid-in questions. For this section, do questions 1-20 and then go on to do questions 31-34 before tackling the more difficult questions.
Annotate
The SAT is still a paper-based exam until 2023. This means that you can write and annotate all the questions. The more you write down, the less your brain needs to remember – so get underlining! When you first start reading a question, make sure to underline any key words and underline what the question is asking you to look for. You wouldn’t want to miss a point because you found the area instead of the perimeter of the circle. In the SAT, you are not permitted to use highlighters. When you are practicing questions or sitting a practice test, make sure you are using a pencil to get used to underlining correctly.
Write it down
Do the “working out!” It is such an easy step to skip, but if you do it will hurt you in the long run. It is so easy to miss that negative sign when multiplying or to forget that you are dividing by 8 and not subtracting by 8 if you don’t write down your working out. Although it may feel like you don’t have the time to do this, writing down your working out usually saves time. You will have to reread the question less and you won’t tire your brain out as quickly.
Techniques
With multiple choice Maths questions, using algebra is not always the simplest way. The answer is right in front of you – you just need to pick the right one! There are several techniques that you can use to make the multiple-choice work for you. Vela Education would be happy to recommend some of our experienced tutors that frequently partner with us.
Practice
The SAT is a standardised test which means that the format remains the same and the questions and scoring are consistent. By practicing the exam, you can understand which question types or knowledge areas need improvement. By conscientiously going through your corrections, you can change how you approach these questions. Practice will also build stamina and accuracy. Along with practicing the exam, make sure you are doing simple math exercises like your multiplication tables. Feeling confident when it comes to your mental arithmetic will help build confidence for the non-calculator section.
The best approach to taking the SAT is to start early and work consistently. Vela Education is here to help you navigate this complex process, so please do not hesitate to get in touch.