Over the course of helping hundreds of students dramatically raise their SAT and (now) DSAT scores, I’ve noticed something tricky about the Math section. Namely: even someone who’s gotten straight As in math since middle school might struggle to get a high score in that section, at least at first.
And here’s why. Since sixth grade or so, your academic math classes have likely followed a fairly predictable path. The choreography probably goes something like this: Arithmetic/Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra 2. If you’re more advanced, this continues on to Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry and Calculus. If you’re currently a Sophomore, you might be in Geometry, Algebra 2 or some version of Pre-Calculus. If you’re a Junior, you might already be in Calculus…though you might only be learning Algebra 2, depending on where in the progression you are and how your school arranges things.
But disturbingly, when you finally sit for the SAT, you might find that the topics afforded the most space in the Math sections are NOT the subtopics you’ve learned most recently! That year of Geometry you just mastered this or last year? There’s only an itty-bitty sprinkling of Digital SAT questions in that subject area, while those Percentage and Linear Equation problems you learned back in middle school (and soon purged from your mind!) are all over the test! Furthermore, several questions might be pitched way beyond what you’re currently learning. And finally, if you try to look up what math the SAT does test you on, you end up with a lot of unhelpful, vague and non-descriptive terms, like “Algebra” and “Advanced Math.” (I mean, those could mean a LOT of things!)
It’s enough to drive any high schooler mad—that is, until they understand what math they need to wipe the dust off of and upgrade, which math topics they need to simply remember from class…and what which topics don’t fall anywhere near the SAT bullseye (and therefore aren’t worth studying at the moment).
ARTICLE CONTENTS
1. Structure of the Digital SAT Math Section
2. Which Math Topics Are Tested on the SAT?
Problem Solving and Data Analysis
3. Conclusion
Structure of the SAT Math Test
So, what are these mystical math topics of which I speak? The ones that will swiftly carry you to a full 800 possible points on the Math portion of the Digital SAT? Lucky for you, I’m breaking down all the content that you’ll need to learn to master the SAT Math section in today’s post. But first, you need to understand the framework of the test.
The Digital SAT Math section tests your ability to quickly and correctly answer math questions from a wide range of subjects: from number fundamentals all the way up to certain Pre-Calculus topics. The Math section is actually divided into two different modules: Module 1 (which is roughly the same for everybody) and Module 2 (which is easier or harder for you, depending on how well you performed in Module 1!). Each of the two Modules has the same timing and structure: 22 questions in 35 minutes. (Multiply the time by 1.5 for an extended time test taker and by 2 if you get double time!)
About 75% of the questions (~33 Questions in total) in the SAT Math modules are multiple choice questions, each giving you four answer choices (A, B, C and D) to choose from. However, peppered throughout the section are approximately 11 self-produced questions, formerly known as “grid-in” questions. For these self-produced questions, you have to supply the answer all on your own—you’re not given answer options to choose from—and then type in your answer into the BlueBook app. Obviously, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with these different question types—and exactly how to supply your answers come test day—to ensure you don’t make careless errors and get docked points!
If you have trouble completing all 22 questions within the 35 minutes you’re allotted (for regular-time test takers) in either Module, you’ll need a guessing strategy. Do I have advice for how to proceed in that domain? Yup, you—wait for it—guessed it!
Which Math Topics Are Tested on the SAT?
Finally we arrive at the heart of things. Below are ALL and the ONLY the math topics you need to learn to earn an 800 on the Digital SAT’s Math section!
Basic math facts
First, there are simply certain Math facts you need to understand just to navigate ANY problem at all on the test! Consider knowing them akin to needing to first know your alphabet before you can read and comprehend complicated Reading texts.
1) THINGS TO JUST MEMORIZE
Yes, you can use the built-in Desmos calculator (or your own hand-held calculator) for the entire Math section of the Digital SAT. That said, if you have to use it for every single step of every single problem…you might not be able to finish in time! Do yourself a favor: please know your multiplication/division tables down cold! In addition, you would really benefit from being familiar with these math facts as well: your perfect squares up to 25², perfect cubes up to 6³, powers of 2 up to 2¹⁰, common Pythagorian triples, and comprehensive fraction to decimal to percent conversions. But the good news is that you don’t even need to look those numbers up: I’ve done the hard work for you and written them all out here.
2) NUMBER BASICS
You’ll need to understand the Number System (words like “rational,” “integer,” and “whole number,” etc.) and Number Properties (odd/even, positive/negative, primes, etc.). Knowing these will help you immensely when you manipulate Fractions and solve Ratios and Proportions. In addition, you should know your Order of Operations and the basics of Solving Equations.
Problem solving and data analysis
The first category of Math that the College Board itself gives a name to is aptly named “Problem Solving and Data Analysis.” This topic covers 15% (7 questions) of the SAT Math section. Though this may not seem like a ton of questions, you actually will need to understand these math skills for the SUBSEQUENT Math topic categories in this post, so don’t blow them off!
3) PROBLEM SOLVING
To get to the heart of most math problems, you first need to understand how to translate the English words found in word problems into math. Next, you’ll need to master Percentage problems, like percent increase, percent decrease and percent change. After that, you’ll need to deftly navigate Fractions, Ratios and Proportions, like I wrote about here. (And don’t forget about effortlessly calculating fractions with my Advanced Fraction Tricks!) Once you’re able to navigate fractions with ease, you can handle solving Ratio and even Compound Ratio questions! FINALLY, we get to all the flavors of multi-step word problems. This includes Algebra Word Problems (Distance, Work, Average, and Rate Conversion questions), as well as Statistics (Mean, Median, Mode, Range, Standard Deviation, and Margin of Error concepts), Probability, and Counting Principles.
4) DATA
Many SAT questions will require you to interpret Charts, Graphs, Scatterplots and Two-Way Tables, as well as other types of data: Stacked Graphs, Bar Graphs, Stem-Leaf Plots, Histograms, Dot Plots, and Box-Whisker Plots. These work in conjunction with “Problem Solving” questions, as many times, you’ll have to locate the correct numbers from a chart or table to THEN find a probability or median, etc. Finally, you will need to correctly evaluate Statistical Claims.
Algebra
The next type of Math, which the College Board merely calls “Algebra,” means Pre-Algebra/Arithmetic and Algebra I—basically, anything having to do with lines and linear equations—and a full 35% (15 questions) of the Digital SAT Math section focuses on this kind of math! Feel like these topics are beneath you? Well…you’d be surprised to know that most of my private students come to me making the MOST of their SAT Math mistakes on exactly these questions, and I have a theory as to why.
See, you probably learned these topics a few years ago, even as early as late elementary school! However, you likely learned the “7th grade math” topics…with “7th grade” difficulty (i.e. EASY). NOW, though, the Digital SAT is asking you to take those “easy” math topics and raise the difficulty level to that of a Junior in high school. Thus, you have to upgrade your knowledge of these seemingly simple topics.
5) ALGEBRA
On the Digital SAT, you need to understand Linear Equations—how to recognize them, how to model them, and what a linear equation means in the real world. You’ll need to understand all about Graphing Lines, as well as a few “linear” topics that are typically considered “Coordinate Geometry”: the Distance Formula and the Midpoint Formula. Next, you need to master Systems of Linear Equations, which is putting two linear equations together: how many solutions (if any) does your system have, and what is it? You’ll also need to upgrade your knowledge of Inequalities, Compound Inequalities, and Absolute Values and even how to put Inequalities and Absolute Values together in an equation!
Advanced Math
The third category of Math is vaguely termed “Advanced Math,” which also covers 35% (15 questions) of the math tested on the Digital SAT! To break it down into layman’s terms, these are the topics that cover what’s generally thought of as Algebra 2 and Functions. Depending on how your school organizes and sequences your math curriculum, you’d probably learn these in “Algebra 2” and “Pre-Calculus.”
6) ALGEBRA 2
Algebra 2 covers a lot of ground, starting with tricky Exponents/Powers/Roots. Then, you need to know how to Factor Quadratic Polynomials and graph the resulting Parabolas. Can you find the Vertex, Axis of Symmetry, Sum of the Roots and Product of the Roots? Next, you’ll need to know how to manipulate Complex Fractions and Rational Expressions. Finally, you’ll need to know how to perform Compound Interest problems, deal with Sequences, and solve Systems of (Non)Linear Equations (i.e. finding out where a line and a polynomial intersect)!
7) FUNCTIONS
The moment you see “F(x),” you know you’re dealing with a Function. Most of the time, they’re simply the equations you’ve already been using, but just with “F(x)” instead of the “y.” If you’ve never worked with Functions before, you’ll need to understand Function Vocabulary and basics—as well as Coordinate Geometry Vocabulary—so you can nab a few extra points. If you already know what Functions are, you’ll need to brush up on Finding the Domain, Finding the Range, Composite Functions, and Transformation of Functions. Finally, you’ll need to learn how to graph and solve Exponential Functions!
geometry and trigonometry
Something that always amuses me is that certain types of Math—math that schools spend a LOT of time teaching you!—are treated like afterthoughts on the Digital SAT’s Math section! In fact, ALL of “Geometry and Trigonometry” is lumped into this category…which comprises only 15% (7 questions) of the Digital SAT’s Math sections!
8) PLANE (2-D) GEOMETRY
Plane Geometry refers to two-dimensional shapes and geometric concepts, like these: Lines and Angles, Triangles (equilateral, isosceles, right triangles, “special” right triangles), Polygons (quadrilaterals—like parallelograms, rectangles, squares, rhombuses and trapezoids—as well as other shapes), and Circles. Expect to be able to find Perimeters, Areas, Interior and Exterior Angles, and lengths in Similar Triangles. Also expect to be able to graph Circles on the Coordinate Plane!
9) SOLID (3-D) GEOMETRY
The moment you talk about “Volume” or “Surface Area” of a shape that’s in three dimensions, you’re talking about Solid Geometry. All solids that the Digital SAT can test you on can be broken down into these three categories: Prisms, Pyramids, and Spheres.
10) TRIGONOMETRY
You’d be surprised at which Trig concepts show up on the Digital SAT—and the Trig concepts that don’t! For a top SAT Math score, you need to be familiar with these few concepts, so you can nab the two or three questions on the test about Trig: SOHCAHTOA (Sine, Cosine and Tangent ratios), Complementary Angle Relationships, Radians, and the value of the basic Trig ratios for Special Angles.
conclusion
After YEARS teaching this stuff and getting fantastic scores (and college acceptances!) for my students, I’ve captured it all in my new course: The Ultimate Digital SAT Math Guide!
This binge-able, pauseable, and repeatable video + ebook course teaches you all the content and strategies you need to know to ace the Digital SAT’s Math Section…in less than 3 hours! Using my own computer screen to demonstrate, I walk you through every aspect of the test, from its initially intimidating new Blue Book format (what’s the Desmos calculator, and how do you use it??) to how to nail down YOUR specific math weaknesses….and turn them into strengths.
If you want to master all the Math concepts I just mentioned—as well as learn my “Math ninja” problem-solving tricks, create your own personalized study plan, AND get permanent access to my proprietary Digital SAT Math Cheat Sheet—you can purchase The Ultimate Digital SAT Math Guide here:
Alternatively, if you want to be taught one-on-one by the real human behind the course—moi—you can find out how private tutoring with me works. Or, if you already know you’re ready to take the plunge into success, contact me here to inquire about availability for a tutoring package or hourly sessions.
