SAT Prep: MathematicsLAKESIDE HIGH SCHOOL

SPONSORED BY THE PTSA

CAROL L. COX

4 step attack

Step 1. Estimate the question’s difficulty

Step 2. Read the question.

Step 3. Skip or do.

Step 4. Look for the fastest approach.

PLAN for the next 3 sessions:

Review the basics of Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2

Go over SAT specific topics

SAT strategies

• Simultaneous Equations• Symbols• Special Triangles• Ratios• Rates• Remainders• Averages• Percents• Multiple and strange figures• Combinations

Linear Functions:

Standard form: Ax + By = CSlope intercept form: y = mx + bPoint slope form:

Quadratic functions:Standard Form: a + bx + c = 0Vertex Form: + k = 0

SLOPE:

Positive Negative HorizontalUndefined

DISTANCE FORMULA

MIDPOINT FORMULA

Examples

p. 77, # 6 p. 78, # 11p. 611, # 13p. 676, #18p. 696, #11P 708, #12, 14

Simultaneous equationsp. 390, #1

Rate, ratios, and proportions

Make sure you read carefully and understand what the question is asking:

Part to part: gives you the whole number and onepart number. You need to find the other part.

Part to whole: give you the parts and not the whole. Remember, the whole is the sum of the parts.

It was recently estimated by the

Extraterrestrial Alien Monitoring Agency, that

unregistered extraterrestrials outnumber

registered ones by about six-to-five. If there

are a total of 2,002 extraterrestrials, about

how many of them are registered?

Out of every 50 CDs produced in a certain factory, 20 are scratched. What is the ratio of unscratched CDs produced to scratched CDs produced?

a. 2: 5b. 3: 5c. 2: 3d. 3:2e. 5:2

Ratio problems

Page 391, # 7, 8Page 456, # 3Page 457, # 9Page 458, # 14, 18Page 577, # 10Page 673, #3

Percent: Remember that the whole is 100 %. When you see a percent problem, remember:

• If you are solving for a percent = Percent

• If you need to solve for a partPercent x Whole = Part

Examples:

page 393, # 15 and 16

Page 577, #9

If the percent goes up and down in a problem, start with 100 and track the changes through the problem.

Example: page 457, # 7, #16

Rates: A rate is a ratio that compares quantities represented by different units.

Picking numbers to and back solving can work well for these kind of problems.

Example: page 392, #9 If David paints at the rate of h houses per day, how many houses does he paint in d days?

Rate Examples

Page 457, #10, #11

Averages: On the SAT, there is usually a spin to the typical average problem. Just remember…

formula,

Example: Page 393, # 13, #14Page 459, #20