<p>On page 529 #13 (About half way down the page)
Is there a shortcut to this problem besides subtracting males and females for all 10 years.</p>
<p>The SAT is testing critical thinking. Look at the problem logically. Quickly eliminate the years you know won’t work like 1999 because they’re both 1000 or 1990 because they’re both 600. The problem doesn’t require the subtraction of all dates. Just use some logic to narrow your choices and once you do, then you can quickly subtract. </p>
<p>There might be another shortcut, but that’s what I would do. Hopefully there is an easier way.</p>
<p>Draw the line y=x (the line passing through the bottom left and upper right corners of the grid). Now simply choose the point furthest from this line (1992).</p>
<p>I don’t understand your issue with taking the 10 extra seconds to see that most of the points have a difference of 0 or 50.</p>
<p>Anything on the line y=x is going to have a difference of 0, so you’re looking for points far away from that line. You only have a couple options, so just take the time and do the question right. It seems like it would take more time to adapt a shortcut to this type of question than it would to simply do all of the (tiny) calculations in your head and arrive at an answer.</p>
<p>1992 has the greatest difference, at 150.</p>
<p>^ I 100% agree… But even without drawing a line… just subtract each one in your mind! won’t take ya seconds… SAT doesn’t test how many shortcuts you can use… sometimes, the most direct way is the most efficient ya know…
And no worries, you don’t have to worry about time to THAT extent… it’ll backfire then cuz u’ll make hasty mistakes… </p>
<p>it would take you a lot if you’re THAT used to using your calculator that you’d need it to calculate the difference… then your prob would be to learn how to do mental math quickly…</p>
<p>I simultaneously agree and disagree with some of the other posters (if this is possible). If you want to maximize your score it important to know as many strategies as possible (some of these will be shortcuts, some will avoid careless errors, etc.). But you should try to learn the straightforward way to solve problems as well. In fact, I always recommend trying to solve each problem that you attempt in up to four different ways </p>
<p> Using an SAT specific math strategy.
The quickest way you can think of.
The way you would do it in school.
The easiest way for you.</p>
<p>Practicing as many methods as possible will lead you to choose the method that is best for you when actually taking the test. Furthermore, you should always try to “check” your answers using a method different from how you originally solved the problem. This will eliminate “careless” errors.</p>