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Health & Fitness

30-Minute Math Workout for SAT/ACT Students

 

Last week, I reduced speed reading to a 20-minute course, courtesy of Tim Ferriss’ advice (Four Hour Work Week, Times Bestseller).  Now I’m reducing the essentials of the math prep to a few potent steps.  You can begin these steps in just 30 minutes or less, knowing that you will have forged ahead of the crowd in test prep.

 

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  1. Six minutesContent knowledge is power.  Therefore, identify and understand the content of the SAT Math and ACT Math, so you can optimize your study time. Acknowledge the areas that you are weakest in. Then obtain 3x5 index cards so you can write math formulas and rules you don’t know.  Here’s the inside scoop:

 

               Math Content of SAT:

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  •     Algebra + functions, 33%
  •     Geometry/coordinate geometry, 29%
  •     Data, statistics,  14%
  •     Number theory + percents, 24%
  •  

            Math content of the ACT:

 

  •   19 algebra questions = 31%
  •   23 plane geometry + coordinate geometry =  38%
  •   14 pre-algebra = 23%
  •     4 trig  questions = 6%

 

 

2. Nine minutes Scrutinize the Table of contents of the Official Collegeboard SAT , or Real ACT  by Peterson.  Highlight with color your weakest math topics.  Next, commit to a plan to read and study those pages within the next 5 days. Don’t wait too long -- your motivation may wane.

 

3.  Five minutes:  Find about two dozen 3x5 index cards, and fasten them with a band or collect in an inexpensive box. These cards will be used by you to write all the new and forgotten math rules and formulas. Eventually, you can stick these cards on a kitchen wall.

 

4.  Nine minutes: Finally, study the following strategies.  If you don’t understand them, refer to a popular SAT or ACT review book, or ask a seasoned tutor to explain them to you. These well-known strategies (and ones very similar) are taught by 90% of the high end tutoring companies you've read about on the internet.

 

1. ANALYZE the Answer Choices (eliminate poor answers first).

2. BACKsolve the Answer Choices (Use the answers given and plug them into the problem.)

3. PIN Numbers (Choose a simple number, such as 1 or 2,  to replace the variable.)

4. SPLIT the Question into Parts

5. DIAGRAM (visualize) the Question and draw the figures.

6. If you can eliminate 1 or 2 answers,  guess on the SAT.  For the ACT, always fill in an answer, because there is no penalty for guessing.

7. For the ACT, try the middle value first.  Solve the problem.  If it’s too big, cross off any numbers that are larger than the one you tried.  Then, try the remaining answers.

8. For both SAT and ACT, read all words of the problem carefully.  Underline/circle what the problem asks you to solve.

 

Theresa Yin-Michna, M.A. has taught over 2,000 hours of test prep.  She enjoys seeing her students succeed.  93% of her students were accepted at one of their top 3  colleges. Visit her at www.TheresaMichna.com, or Michna.theresa@gmail.com.


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