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SAT Math: Concepts And Tricks

Subjects : sat, math
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. If there are m ways one event can happen and n ways a second event can happen - then there are m × n ways for the 2 events to happen






2. Average the smallest and largest numbers Example: What is the average of integers 13 through 77? Work: (13+77)/2 Answer: 45






3. Parentheses - Exponents -Multiplication and Division(reversible) - Addition and Subtraction (reversible)






4. To add or subtract fraction - first find a common denominator - then add or subtract the numerators






5. To find the reciprocal of a fraction switch the numerator and the denominator






6. Multiply te coefficients and the variables separately Example: 2a*3a Work: (23)(aa) Answer: 6a^2






7. Multiply the exponents






8. Expressed A?B (' A union B ') - is the set of all members contained in either A or B or both.






9. The median is the value that falls in the middle of the set - the mode is the value that appears most often






10. Divisible by 2 if: last digit is even - divisible by 4 if: last two digits form a multiple of 4






11. Growth pattern in which the individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate; j-curve graph-- logarithmic - FORMULA: y=a(1+r)^ EXPLANATION: a = initial amount before measuring growth/decay r = growth/decay rate (often a percent) x = number of






12. Part = Percent x Whole






13. This is the key to solving most fraction and percent word problems. Part is usually associated with the word is/are and whole is associated with the word of. Example: 'half of the boys are blonds' whole: all of the boys part: blonds






14. Use the sum - Example: if the average of 4 #s is 7 - and the #s are 3 - 5 - 8 - and ____ - what is the fourth #? Work: sum= 4*7 =28 3+5+8=16 28-16=? Answer: 12






15. A rectangle is a four-sided figure with four right angles opposite sides are equal - diagonals are equal; Area of Rectangle = length x width






16. Integers that have no common factor other than 1 - to determine whether two integers are relative primes break them both down to their prime factorizations






17. A parallelogram has two pairs of parallel sides - opposite sides are equal - opposite angles are equal - consecutive angles add up to 180 degrees; Area of Parallelogram = base x height






18. Notation: f(x) read: 'f of x' evaluation: if you want to evaluate the function for f(4) - replace x with 4 everywhere in the equation






19. Volume of a Cylinder = pr^2h






20. Sum=(Average) x (Number of Terms)






21. The absolute value of a number is the distance of the number from zero - since absolute value is distance it is always positive






22. To increase: add decimal version of percent to one and times that # to the # you want to increase. Example: increase 40 by 25% Work: 1.25*40=? Answer: 50






23. Add up numbers and divide by the number of numbers - Average=(sum of terms)/(# of terms)






24. Domain: all possible values of x for a function range: all possible outputs of a function






25. To predict whether the sum - difference - or product will be even or odd - just take simple numbers such as 1 and 2 and see what happens; there are rules like 'odd times even is odd' - but there's no need to memorize them






26. pr^2






27. To solve a proportion - cross multiply






28. To add a positive and negative integer first ignore the signs and find the positive difference between the two integers - attatch the sign of the original with higher absolute value - to subtract negative integers simply change it into an addition pr






29. 1. Re-express them with common denominators 2. Convert them to decimals






30. Direct variation: equation: y=kx - where k is a nonzero constant trick: y changes directly as x does inverse variation: equation: xy=k trick: y doubles as x halves and vice-versa






31. To multiply fractions - multiply the numerators and multiply the denominators






32. For all right triangles: a^2+b^2=c^2






33. Divisible by 3 if: sum of it's digits is divisible by 3 - divisible by 9 if: sum of digits is divisible by 9






34. To multiply or divide integers - firstly ignore the sign and compute the problem - given 2 negatives make a positive - 2 positives make a positive - and one negative - and one positive make a negative attach the correct sign






35. Example: If the ratio of males to females is 1 to 2 - then what is the ratio of males to people? - work: 1/(1+2) answer: 1/3






36. To find the prime factorization of an integer just keep breaking it up into factors until all the factors are prime






37. 2pr






38. Integers are whole numbers; they include negtavie whole numbers and zero - Rational numbers can be expressed as a ratio of two integers - irration numbers are real numbers that cant be expressed precisely as a fraction or decimal.






39. A square is a rectangle with four equal sides; Area of Square = side*side






40. To find the slope of a line from an equation - put the equation into slope-intercept form (m is the slope): y=mx+b






41. An isosceles triangle has 2 equal sides and the angles opposite the equal sides (base angles) are also equal - an equaliteral is a triangle where all 3 sides are equal - thus the angles are equal - regardless of side length the angle is always 60 deg






42. Average A per B: (total A)/(total B) - Example: average speed formula - total distance/ total time - Basically: Don't just average the 2 speeds






43. Use units to keep things straight (make sure you use 1 unit for each thing) Example: use just inches in your cross multiplication - not inches and feet






44. Combine like terms






45. Use special triangles - pythagorean theorem - or distance formula: v(x2-x1)²+(y2-y1)²






46. Probability= Favorable Outcomes/Total Possible Outcomes






47. To solve an inequality do whatever is necessary to both sides to isolate the variable. When you multiply or divide both sides by a negative number you must reverse the sign






48. Surface Area = 2lw + 2wh + 2lh






49. If a right triangle's leg-to-leg ratio is 3:4 - or if the leg-to-hypotenuse ratio is 3:5 or 4:5 - it's a 3-4-5 triangle and you don't need to use the Pythagorean theorem to find the third side






50. Multiplying: multiply the #s inside the root - but KEEP the ROOT sign - dividing: divide the #s inside the root - but KEEP the ROOT sign