SAT Math Tips

Strategy Tips

1. Manage your time wisely: You get about 1.5 minutes per question in the Math section. Don't spend too long on any single problem — if you're stuck, mark it and move on. You can always come back if time permits.
2. Use the process of elimination: Even if you're unsure of the answer, you can often eliminate 1–2 obviously wrong choices, which significantly improves your odds if you need to guess.
3. Plug and chug answer choices: For many algebra problems, it's faster to test the given answer choices (starting with B or C, since they're in numerical order) rather than solving algebraically.
4. Use your calculator strategically: While a calculator is allowed on one section, don't rely on it for simple arithmetic. Save it for complex calculations, graphing, or checking your work.
5. Know your formulas: While some formulas are provided, you should memorize common ones like the quadratic formula, distance formula, area formulas, and slope formula to save time.
6. Read questions carefully: The SAT often includes tricky wording or asks for something slightly different than you expect (like the word not). Highlight or underline key words to understand the question better.
7. Show your work: Even though this is multiple choice, writing out steps helps you catch careless errors and makes it easier to check your work if you have time.
8. Label question type: When practicing for the SAT, write down the question type. This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses for SAT math.

Type of Math Problem on SAT