LAST MINUTE REMINDERS for the SAT
TEST
- Remember
that each of the correct answers is worth 10 points
- Remember
that the questions increase in difficulty by thirds within each
section
SENTENCE COMPLETION
- Be sure
and look for the clue words (words that show an action or have
an importance) in the sentence that will point you to the correct answer
- Remember
to be alert for words of contrast such as but, although, in spite
of, etc. ? these words change the direction or flow of the sentences
READING COMPREHENSION
- Remember
to read questions first
- In the
case of the comparative reading passages, remember that the first third
of the questions are descriptive questions about passage number one, the
second third of the questions are descriptive questions about passage
number two, and the last third are comparative questions. So read the
first third of the questions over then read passage number one, then read
the rest the questions over and read passage number two
- Remember
that frequently they ask you questions that about what both authors of
the compared passages would agree on. In this case look for answers that
anyone would agree to...sort of a "duh" answer.
- If you
can narrow the answers to main idea questions down to two, frequently
you can distinguish which is the better answer by reading the first of
the passage over and the last of the passage over. This usually indicates
the main idea of the passage.
- Be aware
of the fact there will usually be at least one minority passage and that
negative answers can be ruled out in the case of this passage.
MATH
- Remember
with percentage problems that it frequently helps to do your addition
and subtraction on the percentage side
- Remember
with word problems that you must get the numbers out of the words as you
read the problem
- Remember
that in the case of simultaneous equations which or stacked up or side
by side you must focus on the targets, i.e. what you're looking for and
then the decide how to manipulate the equations to get to that goal.
- In the
case of word problems that have simultaneous equations embedded in them,
remember to determine who or what you're looking for, put everything in
those terms, and solve.
- In the
case of made up functions, remember to focus on the new instructions -
orders that you're given and follow them, substituting the values for
the variables.
- When you
see triangles, remember that if they're asking you questions about triangles,
they usually can be attacked this way: 1 - if the triangle contains a
90 degree angle look and see if you can get the answer best by solving
for area or use the Pythagorean theorem to solve the question 2 - if they're
asking questions that have to do with angles, they are usually centered
around the fact there are 180 degrees in a triangle 3 - if they don't
give you any angles, they are usually asking if you remember that the
sum of any two sides of the triangle must exceed the third side.
- Remember
that questions about circles nearly always have something to do with the
radius or the diameter
- In the
case of volume questions, remember that volume is usually simply area
times heigh
- If questions
have to do with coordinate points on a graph, remember to plot them carefully
to determine the distance between the points
- Remember
that with a change in average problem you must work with the totals that
the averages generate
- Remember
that the mode is the most frequent or common score or value
- Remember
that the median is the midpoint, i.e. half of the values or scores are
above it and half of the values or scores are below it
- Remember
to look for the special sequences that he SAT asks for: 1 ?? special sequences
where they ask questions about the ones or the units values of numbers
that are being raised to different powers. Remember that the sequence
repeats. 2 ?? Sequences where they give you an odd number of consecutive
integers and ask questions around the fact that the sum or the product
of those integers is zero
- Remember
in the quantitative comparison section, if they give you very little or
no boundaries on the variables involved "D" is the answer you have to
talk yourself out of, i.e. your first consideration.
- Remember
a digit is a counting number (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)
- Remember
an integer is a positive and negative whole number and ZERO