Math Section

Test Preparation ACT Preparation
1

<p>I'm aiming for a 35-36 on the section. I recently bought the Barrons 2007 prep book and it had over 130+ pages on math content. For the people who scored a 35-36, what exactly did you do to prep? I must admit, math is my weakest point so I'm doing a few math problems here and there from the Barrons book but should I seriously learn/relearn everything from the book? </p>

<p>I can't remember if synthetic division was tested last time I took the ACT. I heard Barrons have a tendency to overprep. Is that a good thing (better to be overprepped than not prepped enough)? Well anyways, what are your advice for someone prepping for this section?</p>

<p>Btw, I haven't taken any practice tests yet. I want to prep first, then go straight to the practice tests.</p>

2

<p>Best advice for prepping: practice the test with the exact timing simulation. Get the "Real ACT" book and spend a full 60 minutes on one of the sections. See where your mistakes are, and see if they're based around a common math principle (trig, geometry, algebra II, etc.) and focus on that.</p>

<p>Also, download the program "SAT_OS" for your TI calculator. The program does midpoint and distance formulas INSTANTLY...it saved me a good 5 minutes on the test, which helped me get a 35 on the Math section.</p>

3

<p>okay so i got a 36... but a lot of it for me was watching my careless, CARELESS errors. i caught 3 of them 10 minutes before and so i went through the ENTIRE section again 'cause i started to freak LOL.</p>

<p>i've NEVER done synethetic division on the ACT.. i highly doubt it? but it never hurts. i think overprepping is fine if you're aiming that high in math. means you can only miss one.</p>

<p>what i would do is just do a lot of math sections from practice tests? see what you're messing up on and focus on it. get that material down COLD. and make sure you're able to use your calculator really well (like madboy121 said, possibly download SAT_OS. IF YOU GET IT, make sure you know the program COLD. otherwise you'll just waste time on the test trying to figure out how to use it..). but yeah your calculator is a gift.. on the december test, there was a matrix question, and i had completely forgotten about matricies 'cause that was like 9th grade. so i plugged in all the matricies on my calculator LOL. yeahboy! </p>

<p>yeahh but practice helps. good luck! :D</p>

4

<p>What kind of matricies is it? I'm kind of ksdjflkdsjkf on matrices, and I can't remember how to solve them in the calculator, so if you can help me on that I'll really appreciate it!! </p>

<p>What other programs aside from SAT_OS do you recommend I use as well?</p>

5

<p>Oh, and does the SAT_OS work with TI-83?</p>

6

<p>i think that it does work the TI-83. i'm not exactly sure though... i never got around to downloading it hahha.</p>

<p>as for matricies, it should? be the same as it is for the TI-84 which i have. you press SECOND, then MATRIX (it's the text above the x^(-1) button). go over to edit, and set the dimensions of your matrix. then plug in the numbers. when you're done, just SECOND--> QUIT or you can SECOND ---> MATRIX again, press ENTER for the matrix you want to use (under the NAME page when the MATRIX app is open), and it will show up on on your home page as [A] or ..etcetc. you can then do functions with the matricies. ie if you have created two matricies ([A] and **), you can multiply them by making then appear on your homepage as [A]. </p>

<p>yeapyeapp. i hope that makes sense? if not just reply or PM me. :)</p>

7

<p>Yes. "SAT_OS" works on a TI-83. That's the calculator I used.</p>

8

<p>It doesnt work with a TI-83; only with a TI-83+</p>

<p>I have a TI-83 (no +) and it didnt work on mine.</p>

9

<p>Does anyone remember if synthetic division was tested?</p>

10

<p>i don't see how it could be tested much at all where you'd ever NEED to know it.</p>

<p>If you get a problem like find the zeroes of 5x^4+3x^2+.....=0, then don't do synthetic division. You might mess up and they have answers choices that are easy mistakes people make. Just plug it into equation solver (seriously, this boosts your math score like 10 points, no joke). If it asks you something like ....</p>

<p>Divide (4x^3+3x^2+2x+3)/(x+3), which I could never see happening, and never have, then synthetic division would be somewhat useful, but again you could use the five answers they give you and type them in your graphing calculator, along with the big mess i wrote ^^up there, and then go on to the next problem while they graph, then see which ones overlap and you have your answer!</p>

<p>btw I've gotten a 36 3times on math and an 800 on Math IIC, here are my recommendations:
don't freak out over a problem, skip it. I got stumped once in October on math and it took 5 minutes .. almost ran out of time
USE THE ANSWERS if the question is hard. For example, if they ask you, what is the area of a triangle and there are a bunch of huge answers like:
a) 2148root3
b) 258pi
c) 42029
d) 222root5
e) 111root5
When I see this problem, I cross out D immediately. That is the answer that the people will get if they forget to multiply times 1/2 .. (area triangle = 1/2 * b* h). This is a great strategy to use if you get stumped ... go with E unless you can actually solve the problem.
use your calculator, it's your ticket to a 36. It's nearly impossible to finish 60 problems flawlessly without having a calculator to check. I generally do problems one way and then quickly double check with my calculator if I can keep the right pace.
hope that helped.</p>

11

<p>Thanks for the advice! Is equation solver a program for the TI-83(+)? If so, where can I get it?</p>

<p>I'm using Barrons for prep and the stuff they go over is unbelievable. Factoring polynomials, factoring multiplication and division fractions, etc... do I really need to know all of this?</p>

12

<p>An equation solver is in a TI-83. I'm surprised they don't teach all high school kids how to use it, it's really useful. To get into it (all calculators are preloaded with it), go to "Math" ... then down to the bottom ... hit enter .. and then up. </p>

<p>-You need to type in an equation that equals zero, using the variable "x"
-Once you're done, press "down" once
-To "solve" for "x", hit alpha (the green button), then enter. It might take a few seconds, but it's worth it</p>

<p>Now you're probably wondering, why did I put solve in parentheses .... well, lets do a practice problem and you'll see.</p>

<p>It wouldn't be unusual for an ACT question to ask to find the intersection of
f(x)=x^2+x-1 and
g(x)=3x-4
Now, since you're probably less lazy than me, you'll set them equal to each other, factor, the whole deal. Now don't get me wrong, you could do that, and you're welcome to. But you can make mistakes and it usually takes longer. Instead, try plugging this into your calculator. If they are equal to each other, x^2+x-1=3x-4 .. now you have to bring everything to one side for the TI-83 (sorry, no 89's on the ACT :/) ... so plug in x^2+x-1-(3x-4)=0 ... that's fine, no need to expand that negative, it does it for you. Now go "down" with your arrow. Now this part is the hardest part, but I'm sure you'll get it ... this equation has the possibility of having two answers b/c it's 2nd degree. Now your 83 is too wimpy to spit out all the answers (a 89 will!) so it picks the closest answer to your "guess" (that's the number you have typed in the spot where it says x=851.299999999999 <---- an example #
So, what you generally do is plug in a positive number, then a negative number, and it'll give you the answers. Keep in mind your guesses can be far off.
My only caution with this is if you have an equation with something like 5/x=9.It doesn't like when you divide by x, so you might be better solving that by hand. If you're confused about what i've typed, just ask, i'll help. </p>

<p>To your second question, you should know this, and actually it could be on the ACT. Factoring 2nd degree polynomials and expanding them is all over the place (example: what is (3x+2)(5x-4) expanded) .. also stuff like a+b-2(2a-3b) is on there a lot, where you have to be careful with the negative sign. So yes, I would look over those things, and if they're not on your ACT, they're useful for math class anyways.</p>

13

<p>Thanks! I can't get a calculator until I go back to school on the 8th, so if I have any questions concerning the equation solver, I'll PM you. </p>

<p>I have no problem factoring 2nd degree polynomials, but what about 3rd and 4th degree?</p>

14

<p>you basically do the same thing, you could do it with logs, exponents, and sin graphs too.
examples:
f(x)=sinx
g(x)=logx
you would type in 0=sinx-logx ... since sinx=logx .. remember there could be multiple answers (i'm not rly sure ... ), in which case you should look at the answers act gives you and keep going until you get enough ....</p>

<p>f(x)=3x^3-2x^2
g(x)=x+1
you would type in 3x^3-2x^2-x-1=0 ... since they are = ... there could be up to 3 solutions so just keep guessing around until you get them.</p>

<p>same thing for 4th degree but up to 4 solutions ...</p>

<p>this makes it look harder than it actually is .. it's so easy once you get the hang of it ..... just practice for like 15 min and you'll have it down pat.</p>

15

<p>Know:
ASA
SSA
SSS</p>

16

<p>know this also .. I forgot</p>

<p>[P=>Q]<=>[~Q=>~P] is something to know. If you don't know what that means, this is what it means</p>

<p>If I buy a pizza, I will go the the mall</p>

<p>has the same "truth value" as</p>

<p>If I do NOT go to the mall, then I will NOT buy pizza </p>

<p>(Negate both sides and flip 'em around)</p>

17

<p>rob, did that actually show up on the test? It was in Barrons I know, but I never saw it on the real deal.</p>

<p>Also, if you're trying to find the zeros of 3rd or higher degree polynomial it might be more efficient to plug the equation into Y1 and use 2nd --> calc --> zero to find the intersect than to keep trying random numbers to guess</p>

18

<p>1) yes it was on the october test ACT and the psat this year! (It's a really easy topic once you memorize the formula, so I was happy to see it!)</p>

<p>2) it's actually much faster to use equation solver. you have to do left bound/right bound on graphing ... trust me it's 20x faster once you get used to it ... guessing isn't hard once you get used to it, it takes 1 sec tops.</p>

19

<p>don't call me stupid...but i try to follow ur equation solver...but got lost...i plug everything in....what do i put in the left bound..thing...</p>

20

<p>i won't lol! I'm not mean ... anyways usually you should just leave your bound and not mess with it, the default setting works well. What you mess with is where it says</p>

<p>x=232323232323232323.249242999999999 or something like that, here is where you put your guess and type alpha solve</p>

<p>did that help or no?</p>