the basics of new sat math
unlike the old sat in which the concepts varied over tests, the new sat is very specific about exactly the types of questions that you’ll see on test day. while this knowledge might seem academic (why should i care? don’t i just have to get the question right?), knowing how often a certain concept pops up will help you prioritize your prep time.
trigonometry, one of the concepts that everybody is worried about, falls under a section called additional topics in math. since there are a few other question types that fall under additional topics, you’ll likely seeing a grand total of two trigonometry questions. so before you knock yourself out over sohcahtoa and the unit circle, back away from the 600-page trig book and take a deep breath: there are far better ways to spend your prep time.
basic facts about the math section
- time allotted: 80 minutes
- total questions: 58
- calculator portion: 38 questions, 55 minutes (about 1:30 minutes per question)
- no-calculator portion: 20 questions, 25 minutes (1:15 minutes per question)
new sat math question types:
- multiple-choice (always with four options): 45 questions
- student-produced response (fancy speak for “what’s the answer, buddy?”): 13 questions
| concept | # of questions | percent of the test |
| heart of algebra | 19 | 33% |
| problem solving and data analysis | 17 | 29% |
| passport to advanced math | 16 | 28% |
| additional topics in math | 6 | 10% |
here is a high-level breakdown of each concept:
heart of algebra:
this is your meat-and-potatoes algebra, the basic stuff. no exponents next to your ‘x’s. this is what we call linear equations. 4x + 1 = 7. of course, the test won’t ask you to solve basic equations like that. instead, it’ll give you really long word problems in which the solutions amounts to something like 3n – 3 = 12. and assuming that’s the right equation, all you’ll have to do is solve for ‘n’.
problem solving and data analysis:
this is basically the graph and table section: bar charts, pie graphs, tedious tables with a bunch of figures for you to sort through. there will also be a fair number of word problems that ask anything involving ratios and percents, to questions dealing with median and mode.
passport to advanced math:
this is the part most are dreading, high-order polynomials. however, often it’s nothing more than the 
variety will often be buried under a mass of verbiage, as in a 12-line word problem that you must solving using a polynomial. often, you’ll have to find creative ways to balance the equation and solve for ‘x’.
additional topics:
this is the frustratingly vague section in which all the remainders got thrown in to, in no particular order, they are geometry, coordinate geometry and trigonometry.
for everything you need to master all parts of the sat math section, check out magoosh’s sat ebook!
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