Sat math Essentials

20.
4
7.
1
14.
3
21.
4
From this list, you can see how important it is to
complete the first fifteen questions of one section before
you get bogged down in the more difficult questions
that follow. Because all the questions are worth the
same amount, you should be sure to get the easiest
questions correct. So make sure that you answer the
first 15 questions well! These are typically the questions
that are easiest to answer correctly. Then, after you are
satisfied with the first fifteen questions, answer the rest.
If you can’t figure out how to solve a question after 30
seconds, move onto the next one. Spend the most time
on questions that you think you can solve, not the
questions that you are confused about.
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T E C H N I Q U E S A N D S T R AT E G I E S
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3 2

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Pace Yourself
We just told you that you have about a minute to
answer each question. But this doesn’t mean you should
rush! There’s a big difference between rushing and pac-
ing yourself so you don’t waste time.
Many students rush when they take the SAT. They
worry they won’t have time to answer all the questions.
But here’s some important advice: It is better to answer
most questions correctly and leave some blank at the
end than to answer every question but make a lot of
careless mistakes.
As we said, on average you have a little over a
minute to answer each math question on the SAT. Some
questions will require less time than that. Others will
require more. A minute may not seem like a long time
to answer a question, but it usually is. As an experiment,
find a clock and watch the second hand move as you sit
silently for one minute. You’ll see that a minute lasts
longer than you think.
So how do you make sure you keep on a good
pace? The best strategy is to work on one question at a
time. Don’t worry about any future questions or any
previous questions you had trouble with. Focus all
your attention on the present question. Start with
Question 1. If you determine an answer in less than a
minute, mark it and move to Question 2. If you can’t
decide on an answer in less than a minute, take your
best guess from the answer choices you haven’t elimi-
nated, circle the question, and move on. If you have
time at the end of the section, you can look at the ques-
tion again. But in the meantime, forget about it. Con-
centrate on Question 2.
Follow this strategy throughout each section: