<p>Does anyone have stories about how he or she improved their math score, what books
they used, or resources they used on CC? </p>
<p>If anyone can link some threads which talk about the math sections in detail and how to improve etc, I will be so happy!</p>
<p>Cheers
Eddy</p>
<p>Hi Eddy,</p>
<p>I improved my math score from a 620 to a 770. This was seven years ago, when I was training to be an SAT tutor. My biggest issue was my reliance on high school math—meaning I always wanted to solve the questions with a calculator, a formula, or a method that will drilled into me in high school or college. I had to learn to look at the questions differently. First, I had to read more carefully and second, I had to think of other solution methods than the ones with which I was the most comfortable. I improved using my company’s materials and by categorizing the questions into a blue book database. I started to see patterns when I did that. </p>
<p>The 800 eludes me, not because I don’t know how to do the questions, but because I make a single careless mistake (i.e., solving for x instead of for x + 1, forgetting to flip the sign on an inequality, etc.). But I’ll get it one of these days. I’ve had a couple of my students get it, so it’s just a matter of time—and careful calculations.</p>
<p>Thanks for this, I often here on CC that it is important to see patterns; however, I dont completely understand what people mean when they say ‘recognise patterns’. Do they mean recognise similar questions i.e. the questions themselves and/or the questions that you are getting wrong? How can I frame my study or what do I need to do to see these patterns? </p>
<p>Thanks in advance</p>
<p>The easiest way to see patterns is to take a lot of practice questions.</p>
<p>For example, whenever I see a right triangle, I immediately think of my Pythagorean triples. The SAT is limited to the subject matter it can test, so that will never change. However, they will change how they present the questions.</p>
<p>If you want to frame your study. Go through all your old practice tests and identify the concept(s) being tested in each question, and see what keywords indicate that.</p>
<p>The best example I can think of is cylinder questions. If you sort all of they cylinder questions in the blue book, you’ll see they test two things: 1) the volume formula and 2) hidden right triangles. </p>
<p>For volume formula questions, you’ll never be asked to find the volume. Instead, you’ll be asked to find the height of the cylinder or find the area of a base (which is easily determined once you find the radius using the volume formula). For hidden triangle questions, you’ll be asked to find the distance from a point on one base to a point on the other base. It’s a right triangle question, and you use the volume to find the height and base of the triangle.</p>
<p>Basically what they said. None of the math questions are particularly hard, but they can be tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing. Just take a bunch of tests and look through their explanations. They tend to throw the same things at you over and over (specific triangles, quadratic ratios( such as (a+b)^2 or difference of two squares, etc). You just have to be able to recognize them and use specific strategies to solve them.</p>
<p>Okay I will do this when I get onto the math section and post again here If I feel as If I am going the wrong way about my study.
Thanks for all the help!</p>
<p>Eddy</p>
<p>I think the best way to improve is just by working through as many practice questions as possible. And whenever you get a question wrong, stop and spend some time reviewing the topic. I found this site to be very helpful for practicing SAT math: [SAT</a> Math Practice | Free SAT Practice Test](<a href=“http://www.freesatpracticetest.com/sat-math-practice/]SAT”>http://www.freesatpracticetest.com/sat-math-practice/)</p>
<p>It’s a directory with links to all the free SAT math practice sites.</p>
<p>I was able to raise my score from a 580 to a 700+ in two weeks (still going). I used Barrons Math Workbook for studying the topics I didn’t know and then I solved all of the questions and understood what I got wrong and how not to make that mistake again (1 week). After finishing the Barrons Workbook, I opened youtube and watched random math sat videos particularly on the topics I wasn’t so good at (2 days). I then used Dr. Chungs and finished 43/50 of the tips. (1 week)</p>
<p>Make the Collegeboard guide your best friend and you’ll be all set. ^_^</p>