Make visual example 4 solution June 11, 2008
Posted by Jason McDonald in : Video Lessons , add a commentThis solution is to example 4 in my #1 SAT math strategy post.
Click the right upper corner of the video to make it FULL SCREEN. Be sure your computer volume is on.
Make visual example 3 solution
Posted by Jason McDonald in : Video Lessons , add a commentThis solution is to example 3 in my #1 SAT math strategy post.
Click the right upper corner of the video to make it FULL SCREEN. Be sure your computer volume is on.
Make visual example 2 solution
Posted by Jason McDonald in : Video Lessons , 1 comment so farThis solution is to example 2 in my #1 SAT math strategy post.
Click the multi-directional arrow icon to make it FULL SCREEN. Be sure your computer volume is on.
Make visual example 1 solution
Posted by Jason McDonald in : Video Lessons , 3 commentsThis solution is to example 1 in my #1 SAT math strategy post.
Click the multi-directional arrow icon to make it FULL SCREEN. Be sure your computer volume is on.
Rate pie lesson
Posted by Jason McDonald in : Video Lessons , 1 comment so farAverage pie lesson
Posted by Jason McDonald in : Video Lessons , 6 commentsThis lesson covers how to use average pies on SAT questions.
SAT math pacing plan examples June 2, 2008
Posted by Jason McDonald in : SAT tips , add a commentIf you haven’t already taken an SAT practice test, take one before reading this section. Use the score from your practice test or from an official SAT as a baseline. Add 50 points to this score in each section — this is your target score. This target score should be realistic and attainable.
As you may already know (if not, be sure to take my free five-day e-course), you should not answer all the questions if you want to maximize your math score. You’ll only have to answer nearly all of the questions if you’re realistically shooting for 750-800. If that’s the case, you’re pacing is great; go study some time-saving math strategies!
So, how long should you spend on each problem? Long enough so that you get 75 to 90 percent of the ones you spend time on correct. At what point should you circle a question in your booklet and move on? The actual time cap per problem depends on your target score. Let’s do a couple examples:
Pacing Plan Example 1:
Jimmy Dean took the SAT and scored 410 in math. His target score for the next practice test should be 460 (410 + 50). How many questions should Jimmy omit in the 20-question section? On average, how long should he spend on each problem? What should his time cap be per problem?
Let’s start with a few relevant rows pulled from the pacing table in Day 1 of the five-day e-course:
| Target Score (800 possible) |
Attempt this many questions (54 possible) |
Accuracy on attempted questions | Omit this fraction of section |
| 400 | 17 | 75 % | 2/3 |
| 450 | 28 | 75 % | 3/5 |
| 500 | 29 | 90 % | 1/2 |
How many questions should Jimmy omit in the 20-question section? From the middle row above, Jimmy should omit 3/5 of problems in each section. For the 20-question section he should omit 12 questions (3/5 of 20) and focus on 8. Notice he would NOT omit three questions, do two, omit three, do two, etc. It would be better for him to omit 12 trickier and time-consuming questions. In other words, he should pick his eight problems to focus on from the first half or two-thirds of the test.
On average, how long should he spend on each problem? There are 70 minutes to complete 28 problems. This gives an average of 2.5 minutes per problem (70 ÷ 28).
What should his time cap be per problem? Jimmy doesn’t have to limit himself to the average time on every problem. Many problems will take less than half the average, so it’s ok if several problems take 1.5 times the average, or about 3.5 minutes in Jimmy’s case.
Pacing Plan Example 2:
Jimmy’s sister Jane took the PSAT and scored 59 in math (projected to 590 for the SAT). Her target score for the next practice test should be 640 (590 + 50). How many questions should Jane omit in the 16-question section? On average, how long should she spend on each problem? What should her time cap be per problem?
Again, we’ll start with a few relevant rows pulled from the pacing table:
| Target Score (800 possible) |
Attempt this many questions (54 possible) |
Accuracy on attempted questions | Omit this fraction of section |
| 600 | 43 | 90 % | 1/5 |
| 650 | 48 | 92 % | 1/10 |
| 700 | 51 | 95 % | 1/20 |
How many questions should Jane omit in the 16-question section? From the middle row above, Jane should omit 1/10 of problems in each section. For a 16-question section she would omit one or two questions (1/10 of 16 = 1.6). It would be better for her to omit the trickier and time-consuming questions. In other words, she should skip one or two of the questions towards the end of the section.
On average, how long should she spend on each problem? There are 70 minutes to complete 48 problems. This gives an average of 1.5 minutes per problem (70 ÷ 48).
What should her time cap be per problem? Jane doesn’t have to limit herself to the average time on every problem. Many problems will take less than half the average, so it’s ok if several problems take 1.5 times the average, or a little more than 2 minutes (1.5 × 1.5 = 2.25).
Summary
The number of problems you attempt as well as the time you allow for each problem depends on your target score. From the above examples, Jane needs to omit 1/10 problems while Jimmy needs to omit 6/10! Jane can’t afford to spend 2.5 minutes on any problem, while Jimmy should spend 2.5 minutes on most problems he attempts or else he’ll bomb them!
Some Common Pacing Questions
So, will I actually have time on the test to do the above calculations?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! You need to develop your pacing plan now on practice tests so it’s second nature when you take the “real deal.”
While I’m taking my test should I glance at my watch before every problem so I know when it’s been 2 minutes?
For your next practice test, the answer is yes. But after that, you’ll have a sense of when it’s time to circle a question and move on without looking at your watch for each problem.
Why only add 50 points to my most recent score? If Jimmy’s last test score was 410, why shouldn’t he shoot for 600?
It’s not realistic for him to score 600 by pacing alone. This entire pacing topic is based on how to increase your score without even learning any new math concepts or strategies! Once Jimmy maximizes his score through pacing (the easiest, quickest way to improve his score), then he can review some essential SAT math skills and learn some SAT math strategies to increase his score even further. It’s possible for Jimmy to improve to 600, but only by learning new strategies, skills and adjusting his pacing as his score improves.
Don’t stop now
Now that you know how to figure out your optimal pacing plan, take a few minutes to answer the following questions for your next math practice SAT exam:
What is YOUR target math score? (add 50 points to your last math score)
How many questions should you omit in the 8-question, 10-question, 16-question, and 20-question sections? Reminder: the 8 and 10-question sections are the multiple-choice and grid-in subsections of the 18-question section. Each has it’s own order of difficulty even though the numbering doesn’t start over!
On average, how long should you spend on each problem?
What should your time cap be per problem?
If you figure out the answers the above four questions, and more importantly, follow that pacing plan, you’re sure to score higher than your last test.
SAT math strategy prerequisite
Posted by Jason McDonald in : SAT tips , 12 commentsThink with your pencil!
No matter how rusty students’ math skills are, they could benefit first from learning SAT math strategies to increase their score. When I tutor students for the SAT, they often start our tutoring session with “I had NO idea how to do lots of those problems.” I can often tell which problems they couldn’t get right before they even ask me a question.
I simply look at their test booklet and over 80% of the time, if a problem has no writing near it, they didn’t get it. I don’t ask them which of the six essential strategies they tried because I know they didn’t. Why didn’t they? They were like a deer in headlights.
Whether you know the essential six math strategies or not, you need to know where to begin when you’re stuck. The saying in whitewater kayaking is, “When in doubt, move your paddle.” This helps someone struck with fear and not sure which way to go.
Heading in any direction is better than not moving at all, even if it’s the wrong direction! Simply recognizing you’re moving in the wrong direction is enough to tell you to change course! Physical movement keeps the brain involved and doesn’t allow you to “freeze up.”
The SAT question writers have an amazing ability to write questions that lead you to think, “I have no idea what to do here.” The saying that applies to the SAT is, “When in doubt, move your pencil.” If you’re stumped on a geometry problem with a diagram, create a crude protractor or ruler and start measuring! Sketch your own diagram if it doesn’t have one! If a problem is “wordy” or confusing, display the information differently. Make a table or a chart. Draw a tree diagram or a simple picture.
If you’re stuck on a problem with variables, make up numbers or plug in answer choices; and more importantly – write them down and work them through (think with your pencil)! Do anything that gets your pencil moving! If your pencil is moving, your brain is engaged. If your brain is engaged, you are one step closer to a solution; even if that solution is, “I’ll come back to this problem later if I have time.”
The most important fact you need to experiment with is it takes little to no more time to write stuff down than it does to do it in your head. The points you gain by avoiding errors and sparking ideas when stumped, by far, outweigh the time it takes to move your pencil. If you review your practice test and find yourself saying, “I should have got that right,” or “that was a stupid mistake,” you need to write more stuff down and let your pencil do the thinking.
Don’t let the limited blank space intimidate you – use scratch paper. Ask for it before the test begins.