In the thoughts of every test-taker, it is obvious that success is the ultimate word that rings a bell throughout the preparatory process. While many set targets on specific values, others will prefer not to be in a tight corner—they are inclined to give a range. In whichever way, the most dreaded subject on all the tests is mathematics, and for the SAT, many would opt to be given much more non-mathematical questions if there was a way, forgetful of how it plays an important role in everyday life, including what is most preferred.
SAT mathematics is quite simple for a well-prepared test taker. Scoring a mark above 400-500 does not require much work. Even if no questions are answered correctly, a whopping 200 points are awarded for participation. Hurray! That is interesting and welcoming, right? So, is it not very unpleasant to fail? However, since it is an exam, getting marks that do not meet a particular requirement is embarrassing. Thus, follow these few paragraphs to ace your score.
Understand The Test
Unfortunately, what test-takers do not pay much attention to is that “for every test, one is required to understand its purpose”. Approximately, 80% of people approach a test solely by relying on test materials such as past papers, topical books, sample questions, and preparatory test questions, without paying much attention to what the test entails, why the test is important to their personal growth in a particular field, and how much the test seeks to evolve the person’s capabilities other than being a requirement for an application or standing out among other competitors. Hence, their attitude and enthusiasm towards learning and preparation are mostly poor.
The majority group approaches all efforts with utmost disparagement and, painfully, goes through the preparatory process either in a short number of days or writes to fulfil the requirement as prescribed. Unable to obtain the target score, they either fail or are inept to obtain the target. As a result, it is preferable that the test be taken as a full course, which seeks to develop your faculties into a platform that allows you to enter a new level of the academic ladder. The SAT mathematics seeks to bring all mathematics learners together on a single platform to be examined irrespective of their academic background. It offers the opportunity to standardize one’s mathematics analytical prowess to the international scale of assessment that is essential to undergraduate studies worldwide. Therefore, test takers must see it as such.
The scope
Thousands of documents circulate and have been posted on websites and many platforms, all together, trying to either give a glimpse of or sometimes offer a helping hand to those found to be mathematically vulnerable. While some are meaningfully great books, others are woefully written and throw more dust into the eyes of the SAT mathematically-blind. More often than not, materials offer information either below or beyond the scope. Those who prefer to study independently, however, are vulnerable to ever-increasing learning. Simply and quite factually, mathematics has no boundary. Confusing you further, it is a subject that has many branches and sometimes, its name seems manipulated to lose its essence but still finds relevance in one way or the other. Simply put, everything seen, felt or heard has some traces of mathematics.
So, like many other courses taken, the scope of SAT mathematics is defined by four thematic areas: Algebra, Statistics and Data Analysis, Geometry, and a little bit of Advanced Mathematics. In fact, these thematic areas are so broad as to be taken as a full course for more than five years. Although the test draws its questions in these areas, many get perplexed as to the approach to getting the right answers. Yeah! What throws many into the pool of confusion is how sometimes answers are closely related. However, the examiners do not go beyond this scope — all the questions only require that the basic principles are well understood and applied. A single miss or being unable to prepare to the core of these areas can be very detrimental to giving a test taker a very bad score. Pertinently, a test taker must be rigorous in preparation with all meticulousness to have an easy moment on the day of accountability.
The Questions and the Right Answers
Questions are just mind teasers. Unlike some mathematics exams, the SAT questions are quite practical. It involves putting to test, how a test taker can reason through a problem in a short period of time (approximately less than 1.5 minutes) and produce an answer. Generally, it is tagged down to the core principles and the underlying concept of analysis. In fact, knowing all the principles in the four main thematic areas is important, but it is advantageous that one is open-minded. While the majority of the questions require applying the concepts learnt, there are a few that will just be about using a general mathematics rule to get answers correct.
A golden rule: Do not choose an answer because you’ve got a solution. Choose an answer because that is the answer. Due to the fact that the test is practical, understand when an answer is an answer and when it requires that an answer be not realistic. An example, and the most common one, is choosing negatives for things that cannot be negative. In other instances, the answers may be in approximated values, either to the nearest tenth, hundredth, or thousandth. Choose answers that are at a close range to your solution, but a realistic one, of course. That notwithstanding, maintain your answers if the answer choices have not been approximated.
Also, approach the question with confidence. Do not belittle any question, nor should you be demeaned by a question. None of them is above you. Understand the purpose, overcome the hurdles, and win them as an expert. Nonetheless, it is necessary to learn and recognize the language of mathematics. Learn the meaning of certain terms and jargons. For instance, understand when an “of” means a multiplication, and when it is only an English word. Take such jargons seriously because examiners often times hide their tricks around them. As an answer seeker, you must be an Archaeologist of questions, from unveiling to revealing.
In conclusion, the SAT mathematics is quite an easy practical analytic mathematics test that needs a short time of thinking to initiate a solution, choose the right answers, and obtain a higher score that can put you high in international competition for undergraduate studies. The test focuses on high school algebra, statistics and data analysis, geometry, and a few topics that are apropos to being understood as a high school graduate. It levels out mathematical differences for all test takers. Its questions are based on understanding the basic concepts in mathematics, appreciating the practicality of mathematics, and being judgmental about choices. There is hope as one gains a full grasp of the afore-discussion. You wish to pass with flying colors, right? Quite easy with an expert. A bit coaching with your studies will pitch you at the most confident level. So, approach an expert and, thus, take a bold step, register with Dexterity Educational Consult, and let us help you have your dreams come through!
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