Intro to SAT/ACT Math

Comparison Old SAT Math ACT Math New SAT Math 3 sections (25, 25, 20 min) Multiple-choice (5 choices) and grid-ins Wrong answer penalty In order of difficulty per section Covers: Arithmetic Algebra 1 Geometry Algebra 2 Data Analysis 1 section (60 min) Multiple-choice (5 choices) No wrong answer penalty In order of difficulty Covers: Arithmetic Algebra 1 Geometry Algebra 2 Data Analysis Trigonometry (4 problems) 2 sections: No calc use: 25 min, 20 questions Calc use: 55 min, 38 questions Multiple-choice (4 choices) No wrong answer penalty In order of difficulty per section Covers: Heart of Algebra Problem Solving and Data Analysis Passport to Advanced Math Additional Topics in Math

Cheat 1: Make a target When faced with difficult or abstract problems, use your math common sense in order to find an answer. Pick a reasonable number and plug it in where appropriate. You now have a “target answer” that you can use to find the right answer choice. This is especially useful in problems with variables in the answer choices. NOTE: If you get more than one right answer, start over with a new number!

Now try it on your own:

Cheat 2: Plug-n-chug When you have numbers in the answer choices, it is sometimes easier to try each of them until you find the right answer. Starting with choice C can help. If it’s right, you’re done. If it’s wrong, you can usually tell if you need to go up or down. If a question ask for the greatest or least possible value, start with the greatest or least value given

Now try it on your own:

A few mini-cheats Let the answer choices be your guide: Variables? Try making a target. Numbers? Try plugging-n-chugging. If you’re given answers in radical or rational notation, then work the problem in the same notation. Watch for “hidden” information: For example: if the problem says, “The ratio of men to women is 2 to 3,” then it has already told you that the total number of people must be a multiple of 5. Another example: if the problem says, “A line passes through the origin and contains the point (2, 3),” then it has already given you the slope.

Math Skills Inventory Do these problems for homework. Answer as many as you can without looking anything up!

What is the formula for percent change? What is the average formula?

What is a median? What is a mode?

Define each of the terms in: y=mx+b What is the midpoint formula? What is the distance formula? Describe each of these slopes: How does a quadratic formula graph? What is FOIL?

Describe each of these transformations: What is the formula for finding the area of a parallelogram? Describe the relationships of the lines and angles in this figure: What is the formula for finding the area of a trapezoid? Describe the relationship between the interior angle of a circle and the corresponding arc length and sector area. What is the triangle inequality theorem? What is a Pythagorean triplet? Give two examples. What is the formula for finding the sum of the interior angles of a polygon?

What is the formula for finding a simple probability? How do you find the probability of two independent events both occurring? What is the formula for finding the nth term of an arithmetic sequence? What is the formula for finding the nth term of an geometric sequence? What is the formula for finding the permutation of r choices out of n items? What is the formula for finding the combination of r choices out of n items? What is a union of sets? What is an intersection of sets?

Fill in the denominators:

How’d you do?