I’m just wondering what math topics will appear on the SAT so I could study them I’m not asking for specific questions on the test just the topics that appear on the test if thats legal to say
Check the collegeboard site for practice tests. I would assume similar to the PSAT, did you take it?
Yrah I did and I linked it on khan academy and it told me things I need to study but Im not sure the things I’m studying will be on the test
This is a very reasonable question. You don’t want to waste time studying things that aren’t going to be tested. For now, the best guide we have to what is on the tests is what is on the four official practice tests. So, as @mommdc suggested, check those out.
SAT Math will go from basic algebra to a little bit of precalculus. The ones that you should focus on the most is Heart of Algebra since it makes up a large of portion of the test. I took the March SAT and I’ll try to recall SOME of the topics on the test (I have a really bad memory but I’ll try haha)
Heart of Algebra (33%): systems of equations, linear equations, inequalities, lines in the coordinate plane. (These are all guaranteed on the test)
Problem Solving and Data Analysis (the hardest one in my opinion; 29%): be able to understand word problems and identify the problem in context. Also be familiar with interpreting graphs, scatter plots, and tables. Problems relating with mean, mode, and median will also be on the SAT.
Passport to Advanced Math (28%): this is an advanced version of Heart of Algebra. You’ll be dealing with polynomials, quadratics, exponentials, radicals, rewriting and manipulating expressions.
Additional Topics (the more uncommon ones, but still recommend to prepare for them; 10%): geometry (lines and angles, triangles, and circles), trig, complex numbers (i or radical -1). If you must choose one, defintely go for geometry.
Thank you!! I was also wondering will there be stuff on polynomials and imaginary numbers? And how to divide polynomials etc?
@dodgerman711 Formally speaking, imaginary numbers are a subset of the complex numbers, so yes. 
And the new SAT seems to be more algebra-heavy, so there will be quite a few questions on polynomials.
Do you know other math topics that will appear on the new SAT?
@MITer94 do you know any other math topics that would appear on the new SAT?
@potatotush I was wondering what is complex numbers are exactly?
@dodgerman711 Wikipedia gives a nice introduction ([here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_number)) (note: I use Wikipedia relentlessly)
You can think of complex numbers as a 2-dimensional analogue of the real numbers (similar to points in the Cartesian plane vs. the number line) where i is an imaginary unit. They come up frequently when talking about roots of polynomials.
@MITer94 wait is it that -1,-i,i,1 thing?
@dodgerman711 Basically. i is defined to be a solution to the equation x^2 + 1 = 0, i.e. i^2 = -1 and is called the imaginary unit.
Then a complex number z is formally defined as a number of the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers.
Real numbers are technically a subset of the complex numbers since we can let b = 0.
Imaginary numbers are numbers with no real part, i.e. numbers of the form bi where b is real.
A well-known theorem in algebra states that every single-variable polynomial with complex coefficients has such a complex root. But the proof of this theorem might be too advanced for you.
I don’t understand that we’ll but I’ll probably learn it through video. I mean no insult to your explanation it’s just that I’m not good at reading a math explanation Im good at watching a math video
Okay, well do whatever suits you best. I try to be as careful and precise as I can when explaining things, but sometimes that may involve reading more carefully or drawing pictures.
I’ll try to explain complex numbers a little differently. First off NO, imaginary number i (√-1) is PART of complex numbers but it’s not the definition. Extra: It’s called imaginary number because really it’s impossible to have √-1, so imaginary number i represents it.
As for the SAT goes, just remember this (you can see it better if you write it out):
i is the solution to x^2=-1
i=√-1
i^2=-1
i^3=-i
i^4=1
i^5=√-1
and it just repeats over and over again. It’s basically a pattern.
Here’s what complex numbers really are: a+bi. That’s it. With a and b being real numbers and i=√-1.
So in the SAT, you’ll have a problem like this:
(-3-2i)(4-i)
In this case, you’ll use the regular FOIL method and make sure to apply the imaginary number rule. (HINT: i^2=-1)
idk if this clear things up. If you want, you can help yourself to these videos ^-^
Imaginary Numbers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CmwjC_1mQA
Adding/Subtracting Complex Numbers (you don’t need the graphing part)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss1F8i2s5IY
Multiplying/Dividing Complex Numbers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03kgmv50gBM
Happy Studying!
Thanks