How to score in the 600s range in math?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>Hey there,</p>

<p>I am a rising senior and I plan on taking the SAT in October. I've been taking practice tests in the Blue Book, and while I consistently score in the high 700s on both Critical Reading and Writing, I do quite poorly on the Math section and always receive a score within the 450-520 (or so) range. I have never been very good at math - it's just not my forte. </p>

<p>The problems I mainly struggle with include those that deal with graphs and those that deal with geometry. Sometimes, I have trouble with some of the word problems as well. </p>

<p>My goal is to get at least a 600 on this section. I heard that you don't have to answer any of the level 5 problems to get a 700, so what does that mean for me? Can I get away without answering some of the level 4 problems too and get a 600? </p>

<p>Unfortunately, I don't have the money to go out and buy a review book. I've wasted so much money on review books for other tests and just don't have the audacity to ask my parents for an SAT prep book, lol. Will "The New SAT" by Sparknotes (which is online) suffice? Any other, I don't know, posts here on CC that are especially helpful for math? </p>

<p>Does anyone who took the time to read this post have any advice to offer? Lol.
I'm really desperate and would greatly appreciate anyone's help or advice. </p>

<p>Thanks in advance,
Brooke Taylor</p>

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<p>The math section is divided into three parts - easy, medium, and hard problems. They are laid out in order - starts easy, and gets progressively harder. Most kids get about 90% of the easy problems correct (the 10% wrong being from careless mistakes), about 60% of the mediums (the rest falling to careless mistakes and just not thinking things through, etc.), and only a few of the hard problems.</p>

<p>Advice:
First of all, the big hunky review book isn’t worth it. Second, focus. The easy problems are doable, and you can get them correct. You just need to calm down and focus, and get them right. Don’t worry about answering every single problem. Focus on getting the ones you know, right. As you move through the section, just relax and focus - don’t make careless mistakes. If you get to a problem that you know you cannot answer, don’t answer it. As long as the problems that you do answer are enough to do okay - probably 600 or over.</p>

<p>Math is not my forte either. I got a 620 in May, after getting solid 500s in practice tests (sometimes it’s just luck!). I had:
12 numbers and operations questions
20 algebra and functions
15 geometry and measurement
7 data analysis</p>

<p>Not all math tests are the same, but there are the numbers for your information. It really varies, and if you don’t like graphs, some word problems, and geometry, it might be just luck of the draw to a certain extent. However, I would just review basic geometry stuff like …all the interior angles of a triangle add up to 180 degrees, a straight angle is 180 degrees, and stuff like that. Note that at the beginning of each math section, any formulas you need to know are listed. Use that to you advantage.</p>

<p>To study, I’d just find practice problems online - they are everywhere, and they’re free - and when you can’t do one, point out to yourself what you would have had to know in order to solve it.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Wow, thanks guys! I appreciate your advice and help. Last night I took a math practice test and scored a 570, but maybe I just got lucky lol I always score lower on other practice tests. Thanks for the advice, I won’t waste my money on a review book; instead, I will just pinpoint my weaknesses and find specific strategies for them. I noticed that I never seem to get the questions that ask things like: “If x and y are integers, 7 < y < 16, and x/y = 2/5, how many possible values are there for x?”. Or “How many prime factors does 105 have?”. I just can’t answer questions that ask for a possible number of values, factors, multiples, etc. because they seem so tedious, as the only way I can seem to answer, for example, the latter question is to divide 105 over and over again by the primes I know. </p>

<p>Any tips for those types of questions? Lol I would really appreciate it because I think I could get a 600 if I knew how to answer them lol. </p>

<p>Thanks guys! :D</p>

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<p>Dividing a number into smaller components:</p>

<p>Look at the digit at the far right. If it’s a 5 or a 0, you know it’ll divide by 5. If it’s even, you know it’ll divide by 2.</p>

<p>Now add up the value of the digits. If it’s 9 or a multiple of 9 (like 4527) it’s divisible by 9. Now add the digits again. Every time you get to 9+ get rid of the 9 and keep the remainder (like 8247024 is
8+2=10, get rid of 9 and keep the 1
1+4=5 so keep going
5+7=12, get rid of the 9 and keep the 3
3+0=3 so keep going
3+2=5 so keep going
5+4=9. So this large number should be divisible by 9. This is called casting out 9s, and it works. You also can add all the digits, which gives you 27, which adds up to 9.</p>

<p>And of course, anything divisible by 9 is divisible by 3.</p>

<p>Also, if the last 2 digits of a number are divisible by 4, the entire number is (Think leap year.)</p>

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<p>The SAT is a big factor in the college admissions process so I don’t think it’s such a waste to spend $22 on the Collegeboard book. If you really don’t want to ask your parents, then go to your college counselor’s room and borrow his/her SAT book. Go somewhere and photo copy the test and you can practice from there. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Thanks WordWorker! And Entric, I actually have the Blue Book, but that’s all I have for the SAT. Stupidly, I bought like 3 prep books for the ACT because I thought I liked it more, when in reality I despise it and refuse to take it again. So now, at the worst time ever to make this decision, I finally decided to just stick with the SAT lol <em>facepalm</em>. </p>

<p>I was at the bookstore and saw all of these SAT prep books such as Princeton Review, Barron’s 2400, Barron’s SAT, Gruber’s SAT 2400, the list goes on. I was overwhelmed and just wanted to buy all of them lol but obviously, that isn’t happening so it’s really just me, the Blue Book, and the internet. </p>

<p>And I really need this 600+ math score!</p>