The SAT math section is not a straightforward math test. Yes, it does test your math skills, but mostly it tests your math skills under intense time pressure. So you need to be able to find the right answer in the shortest amount of time possible. Often, this means not solving out problems like you […]
Math
What Subjects Should I Study for SAT Math?
I get this question all the time. Students, rightfully so, want to know where they’ll get the most bang for their buck. Here’s an analysis of all the questions in the Blue Book. (Click on the chart for a larger view.)
How to Study for the SAT On Your Own
Phillip Keller, veteran math teacher and SAT tutor, and author of the fabulous The New Math SAT Game Plan: The Strategic Way to Score Higher, has created a great video Going It Alone: Math SAT Prep Without a Tutor or a Course. He covers: What do you need to accomplish? What resources will help you […]
SAT Strategy: Keep Going
Lately, my students have been turning back in the middle of the road. It’s shown up a couple of times this week, particularly on this problem which is Test 5, Section 2, Question 12 from the Blue Book. My students see that if three numbers out of […]
Math – Estimating
Estimating is a lost art on the SAT. You can put yourself in an excellent guessing position by estimating the answer on easy and medium questions. I often use this strategy with the plug-the-answers-in strategy. I can quickly eliminate several wrong answers and then only need to check one or two answers to see which […]
Math – Solving Averages Using Rock Piles
My favorite way to solve averages problems is using Phillip Keller’s concept of rock piles from his terrific book The New Math SAT Game Plan: The Strategic Way to Score Higher. (You can download the first three chapters here.) Back to the stone age Let’s say I have 3 piles of rocks. […]