What if I say that SAT Math is not purely a Math test? Most questions in the math section do not test much of your math knowledge. Instead, it tests your reasoning skills. Contrary to the belief that one needs to perform lengthy calculations, math problems are quite simple and straight-forward. Students get confused in the language of the word problems. They fail to understand what exactly is being asked.

The Grid-in section on the SAT test is a 25-minute section having ten student-response questions that do not have answer choices. Hence, you would have to find the answer on your own. Be careful while filling the grids with decimals. Rounding up decimal and ensuring that the decimal is filled in properly is important. While a calculator can save time on the SAT, you should not develop a habit of not working without it. Many questions on the SAT can be solved without using a calculator. If at all you have to use a calculator ensure that it’s set to degrees not Radians.

There are hundreds of math strategies that can save you time and also show you the simplest approach to solving even the most complex math problems on the SAT.

Let us talk about the Math section first. The good thing about SAT is that it does not include questions  from pre-calculus, calculus or trigonometry. Knowing the basic math concepts is not enough to do well on the SAT. Questions on the SAT are simple, yet confusing. SAT practice tests abound in SAT pre test questions that are designed to make students comfortable with the SAT test pattern.

How many times do you read the introduction to a book? Perhaps NEVER. Isn’t it? The preface contains directions to use the book in the right way. Another good idea to do well on the math section is reviewing the math basics. It would do no harm to memorize formulas such as (a + b) (a – b) = a² – b².  Areas of geometrical figures such as triangles, sphere, circle and polygons should be clear to the student.

Do you know the difference between whole numbers and real numbers? Or, that between Real numbers and integers? If not, then it’s time to go back to your high school math and look into these concepts.

Unlike most other tests, the SAT (officially SAT I) does not judge students on the basis of their subject knowledge. A lot of research goes into preparing the SAT. The aim of test creators is to make it a fair test for all. This is the reason why this exam evaluates students on the basis of parameters such as reasoning skills, test taking skills, time management, and to some extent, intelligence quotient.

There is no shortage of test preparation books. Visit a book shop and you will be confused seeing SAT test books by different authors. Reading books is not enough. Most Sat aspirants read the same books. Then why only some fair well? You might cite factors such as luck, IQ etc. to answer this question. However, the truth is that (research-based) students who undergo test preparation often get better marks than the un-coached students.

There are three main sections on the SAT- Reading, Writing, and Math. A student is expected to have the basic knowledge of high school math and English. Hard work pays. But isn’t it better to do smart hard work than plain hard work? An online test preparation program can expose your child to researched & proven strategies to take the test. Explanation of ‘why rather than just ‘what’ can make your child develop a better approach to attacking problems on the SAT test.

With an online tutoring program for the SAT Reasoning test, your child can learn the best of both-Math and English. Test Preparation is a rather expensive affair. Visit any of the test preparation institutes in your city and your eyes would pop up seeing those 4-digit coaching fee! It would be wrong to question the skills of the tutors teaching in those institutes. But would not it be a little impractical to opt for a private test preparation institute when you can learn everything taught there (or even more) with an online tutoring program?

Read this- You do not get extra credit for answering a tough Math problem in comparison to answering an easy one.

Still, students waste a lot of time trying to solve tough problems on the SAT. In fact, College Board puts some tough questions on the SAT to trick the students. Here is the best known secret to fetching high SAT scores- Answer fewer questions. Yes, you read it right. Never try attempting every single question. Instead, answer only those problems that you can solve in less time.

SAT test preparation should help you analyze various strategies that can help you spot the easy questions. Beware of those long Critical Reading passages that have just one or two questions. It is better to attack those passages that have 3-4 questions.

Which is the best strategy to prepare for the SAT? There is no ‘best’ strategy. You can figure out which strategy work the best for you under the guidance of an experienced mentor. SAT test preparation asks for patience, hard work, analysis, time management, and determination.

The SAT test, as well all know, tests our reasoning skills. The Math section contains questions of different difficulty levels. While you might feel the need to use a calculator for simple questions, problems that involve lengthy calculations might eat up your time if you do not use a calculator.

When to use the calculator? If you are good at math, and you can do basic arithmetic in your head, you are lucky. However, if math problems do trouble you, using a calculator would be a good decision.  Again, the same problem can attract use of calculator in different ways.

To give an example, let us see how a math problem can be solved in different ways using a calculator, and without it too.

If 16 × 25 × 36 = (4a) ² Find a

Options: (A) 6     (B) 15     (C) 30     (D) 36     (E) 60

Approach 1: Too much use of calculator

Calculate 16 × 25 × 36 = 14400

See that (4a) ² = 16a²

So, 16a² = 14400

Use the calculator to divide 14400 with 16 to get a² = 900

Again use the calculator to find the Square root of 900. Therefore, a = 30

Approach 2: Little use of calculator

16 × 25 × 36 = 16a²

The 16 on LHS can be cancelled with the 16 on the RHS

Multiply 25 x 36 using a calculator to get 900

So we get 900 = a²

Take the square root of 900 using the calculator. So the answer is a = 30

Smart Approach: No Calculator

Cancel the 16 on both side of the equation.

Also note that 25 x 36 = a² can be written as 5² x 6² = a²

Hence a = 30

Believers of the SAT Monster now reason that the Writing section has intensified the difficulty level of the SAT test. The College Board, however, explains that the essay scoring system follows a holistic approach, taking the whole essay into picture.

SAT scores hold importance for college admissions. Therefore, you should start preparing for the SAT test at least a year before the test date. Free SAT practice tests can help you understand the actual structure of the SAT, and thus prepare you to do well in the test.

Work hard on all the three sections- Math, Critical Reading and Writing. Research shows that coached students score better than those who do not take coaching for test preparation. Join an affordable SAT test preparation program and crack the SAT.