Hi, I just signed up for the SAT II in Physics and Math 2. Are there any tips or tricks I should absolutely know prior to taking these tests? I know the Physics one does not provide a formula sheet, and I think math II doesn’t either. I don’t have a review book for the Physics exam, as I’ve been relying on practice problems from the internet, khan academy videos, youtube videos, and other websites that exclusively review Physics material. Additionally, I’ve taken AP Physics this year. For math II I have the Barron’s review book. I already taken everything up to Calc BC, but I have skipped pre-calc in the process. I also am taking the exam in August.
Any advice would be deeply appreciated.
Thank you!
Hi there! The SAT Subject Tests do indeed not provide you with a formula sheet. My advice would be:
- Read every word. While taking the test, bear in mind a single word could change the entire meaning of a question.
- Do Dimensional Analysis if needed. If there’s a word problem and you do not know see a shortcut immediately, you can always do dimensional analysis. However, doing this can be very time consuming so I’d recommend skipping the question first and coming back to it later.
- Know the recurring questions. For example, in every SAT Subject Test Math II that I have seen, there was a question about a triangle (whose sides are known) that’s been rotated 360 degrees, asking for its volume. You could either apply the formula for a cone (1/3hr^2), or you could use calculus: find an equation for the hypotenuse and rotate it around the x-axis fpr example, by calculating the integral of piy^2 dx. Another tip: just plug it into your graphing calculator, don’t work it out by hand. Link to the wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_of_revolution.
- Volume/surface area/perimeter relationship (#goals). Whenever you know one of these two, but not the other one, and are asked to use the equation you don’t know, use integration/differentiation. The equation of the perimeter often equals the derivative with respect to the radius of the equation for the volume, when we’re speaking about something like a circle (surface area/perimeter) or a sphere (volume/surface area). However, I must say, using this trick is rather cheeky. Examples:
- Sphere: Volume = 4/3pir^3. Surface area = 4pir^2
- Circle: Surface area = pir^2. Perimeter = 2pir.
I hope these could be of any help. Good luck with your SAT Subject Tests!