SAT Math Strategies

Math section is divided into two smaller sections

1. 25 minute, 20 question section (NO CALCULATOR)
2. 50 minute, 38 question section (CALCULATOR PERMITTED)
General Strategies
1. Reference Sheet - Make sure to refer to the reference sheet provided at the
beginning of the section for ideas when you get stuck. Also, become familiar with it
so you know which formula(s) you don't have to memorize.
2. That is the Question Underline what you need to solve for after reading the
question. This will help you focus and guide your approach to solve the problem.
Sometimes students solve for the wrong variable.
3. Never Leave Any Question Blank! the SAT no longer takes away points for
wrong answers so always guess. Never leave anything blank.
4. Process of Elimination - Always use process of elimination. Cross out answers
you know cant be right. If youre unsure at that point, then guess and you will have
gone from a 25% chance to a 50% chance of getting the question correct.
5. Test-taking Approach for the short section, for questions 1 15, know that
the order of the questions goes from easy medium hard. This is important for
selecting which questions you plan to work on. Then, for questions 16-20, the same
concept rule applies. You should be spending most of your time on the easy and
medium questions. For the long section, the rule does not apply. In that case, do the
ones you think are easiest first. Then do the medium ones and only then work on
the hard ones. Any question you skip but plan to work on later, circle the number of
the question. Any question you know you will not be able to solve, then mark the
number of the question with an X and guess immediately.
6. Educated Guessing on Grid-Ins - Try 1, 2, 100 on the grid in questions if youre
not sure what the answer is. If the question involves angles, try 30, 45, 60, 120.

Specific Strategies
1. Plug-In - use whenever there are algebra or number theory problems that
involve undefined variables.
Steps to Plug-In:
a. pick values for undefined variable(s)
b. calculate what you're looking for based on this/these values...this is the
expected answer
c. then plug in values into answers and see which one gives you the same answer
as the expected answer.
d. always try easy values such as 1, 2, 3 or sometimes even 0...the choice of value
depends on the conditions specified in the problem.
e. sometimes you have to try at least two values
2. Can't Get Wrong Questions - There are some questions you can't get wrong
simply based on the fact that you are given the possible answers and just need to
go through each one and check the conditions given in the problem until it works.
Like if I say x/y is an integer and answer a is x = 3 and y = 2 then you know option

a can't be right because 3/2 = 1.5 which is not an integer. You would then keep
trying the other options until everything works out.
3. Not All Equations Are Created Equal - know how to work with equations to
either solve for variables or expressions.
Try expanding expressions or factoring them. Example, (a+b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab +
b^2 etc
If you are given a set of equations then try to add them or subtract them. Make sure
they are lined correctly before you do this. This means term containing x in one
equation is lined up with the term containing x in the other equation etc
There are two ways to handle an equation to solve for a variable:
a. solve for the variable then use it to calculate whatever you need.
b. solve for expression directly from equation.
For example, if you are given the x + y = 2 and they ask what is 2x + 2y then that
is
2(x+y) = 2*2 = 4.
4. Definition problem - The SAT will give you a definition for a function you have
never seen before. Think of it as a definition. Then, plug in numbers into definition
and calculate the answer. For example, if they say for all integers a and b let a*b =
a + b then 2*3 = 2 + 3 = 5. Sometimes answers will be given in terms of the
symbol itself. Simply calculate each answer and then figure out which one is right.
5. Exponents - For questions involving exponents, look for ways to rewrite numbers
not in exponential form in terms of the base. For example, 2^x = 16(2^3) is 2^x =
(2^4)(2^3) which is then 2^x = 2^7 so x = 7 after using properties of exponents
6. Geometry - For geometry problems, it is useful to sketch a diagram or to mark
on the diagram given the information stated in the problem.