SAT

PREP
HOW TO MAXIMIZE
YOUR MATH SCORE
SAT MATH
SAT isn’t your typical school test. There are two types of questions that you’ll run into:
multiple-choice (MC) and student-produced response (SPR) questions.

WHAT DOES THE DIGITAL SAT MATH TEST MEASURE?

This test is actually a brief test of arithmetic, algebra, and a bit of geometry.

ORDER OF DIFFICULTY

Questions are arranged in a loose order of difficulty. The earlier questions are generally easier
and the last few are harder, but the level of difficulty may jump around a little. Focus on the
questions that are easiest for you, and do your best to get those right before moving on to the
tougher ones.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO
FINISH
THE MATH BREAKDOWN
The Math section of the Digital SAT is split into two modules. Each module contains 22
questions, of which 16 or 17 are MC and the rest SPR. Questions on the second module
are, on average, easier or harder based on your performance on the first module.

Question Type Breakdown

70% Problem Solving 15-16 questions per module
(MC)
30% Word Problems 6-7 questions per module
Content Breakdown
35% Algebra 7-8 questions per module
35% Advanced Math 7-8 questions per module
15% Problem-Solving and Data 3-4 questions per module
Analysis
15% Geometry and 3-4 questions per module
Trigonometry
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

One way to eliminate answers on the Math Test is by looking for ones that are the
BALLPARKING.
wrong size, or that are not “in the ballpark.”

Ex.: Joy plants three rows of corn in her garden. The

row on the south edge of the garden receives more
sunlight than the row on the north edge of the
garden. Therefore, the corn on the north edge of
the garden is 30% shorter than that on the south.
If the corn on the south edge of the garden is 50
inches tall, how tall is the corn on the north edge
of the garden, in inches?
The question asks for the height of the corn on
the north edge of the garden and states that the
A) 30 corn there is shorter than the corn on the south
B) 33 edge, which is 50 inches tall. You are asked to
C) 35 find the height of the corn on the north edge, so
D) 65 the correct answer must be less than 50.
Eliminate (D), which is too high.
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

One way to eliminate answers on the Math Test is by looking for ones that are the
BALLPARKING.
wrong size, or that are not “in the ballpark.”

Ex.: Joy plants three rows of corn in her garden. The

row on the south edge of the garden receives more
sunlight than the row on the north edge of the
garden. Therefore, the corn on the north edge of
the garden is 30% shorter than that on the south.
If the corn on the south edge of the garden is 50
inches tall, how tall is the corn on the north edge
of the garden, in inches? Answer Key
A) 30
B) 33
C) 35
D) 65
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

You never know what a question is going to ask you to do, so make sure to always read the final
READ
question before THE FINAL QUESTION.
solving. Underline what you are actually solving for and any key words you think you might
forget about as you
Ex.:
solve the question.
If 16x – Then,
4?
try
2 = 30, to ballpark
what before
is the value you– solve.
of 8x

A) 12 The question asks for the value of an expression,

B) 15 but don’t just dive in and solve for the variable.
C) 16 First, see if you can eliminate answers by
D) 28 Ballparking, which can also work on algebra
questions. To go to 8x from 16x you would just
divide by 2; 30 divided by 2 is 15, so 28 is too big.
15 is not correct neither because ignores the -2
and -4.
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

You never know what a question is going to ask you to do, so make sure to always read the final
READ
question before THE FINAL QUESTION.
solving. Underline what you are actually solving for and any key words you think you might
forget about as you
Ex.:
solve the question.
If 16x – Then, try
2 = 30,
value of 8x – 4 ?
to ballpark
what is the before you solve.

A) 12
B)
C)
15
16 Answer Key
D) 28
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

When dealing with complicated math questions, take it one little piece at a time. If you try to do
moreONE PIECE
than one step AT Aif you
at a time, especially TIME.
do it in your head, you are likely to make
mistakes or fall for trap answers. After each step, take a look at the answer choices and
determine whether you can eliminate any.
Ex.: A paper airplane is thrown from the top of a hill
and travels horizontally at 9 feet per second. If the
plane descends 1 foot for every 3 feet travelled
horizontally, how many feet has the plane
descended after 5 seconds of travel?

A) 3 The question asks how many feet the plane has

descended after 5 seconds. There are a few things
B) 10
going on here. The plane is traveling horizontally, and
C) 15 it is also descending. Start by figuring out how far it
D) 20 travels horizontally. It moves in that direction at 9
feet per second for 5 seconds, so it moves horizontally
9 × 5 = 45 feet. It descends 1 foot
for every 3 traveled horizontally. If it goes 45 feet
horizontally, it will descend more than 3 feet, so
eliminate (A). Now figure out how many “3 feet” are
in 45 feet.
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

When dealing with complicated math questions, take it one little piece at a time. If you try to do
moreONE PIECE
than one step AT Aif you
at a time, especially TIME.
do it in your head, you are likely to make
mistakes or fall for trap answers. After each step, take a look at the answer choices and
determine whether you can eliminate any.
Ex.: A paper airplane is thrown from the top of a hill
and travels horizontally at 9 feet per second. If the
plane descends 1 foot for every 3 feet travelled
horizontally, how many feet has the plane
descended after 5 seconds of travel?

A) 3
B)
C)
10
15 Answer Key
D) 20 𝟒𝟓 ÷ 𝟑=𝟏𝟓
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

When dealing with complicated math questions, take it one little piece at a time. If you try to do
moreONE PIECE
than one step AT Aif you
at a time, especially TIME.
do it in your head, you are likely to make
mistakes or fall for trap answers. After each step, take a look at the answer choices and
determine whether you can eliminate any.
Ex.: Which of the following is equivalent to the
expression ?

The question asks for an expression that is equivalent to

the difference of two polynomials. Start with one tiny
piece of this ugly-looking question. The first set of
parentheses starts with a term containing . Check in the
second set of parentheses for the same combination of
variables and exponents. The first term there matches,
so the first step to take is – = There are no other
terms with , so the correct answer must contain .
Eliminate (B) and (D).
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

When dealing with complicated math questions, take it one little piece at a time. If you try to do
moreONE PIECE
than one step AT Aif you
at a time, especially TIME.
do it in your head, you are likely to make
mistakes or fall for trap answers. After each step, take a look at the answer choices and
determine whether you can eliminate any.
Ex.: Which of the following is equivalent to the
expression ?

Answer Key
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

To make sure you have the best shot at reaching the correct answer quickly and accurately,
TACKLING
follow this basic approach. WORD PROBLEMS.
WORD PROBLEM BASIC APROACH
1. Read the Final Question (RTFQ). Read
and underline the actual question that is
being asked.
2. Let the answers help. Let the answer
type to help determine how to start
working on the question.
3. Work using Bite-Sized Pieces. Find one
piece to start with, then work piece-by-
piece until the final question has been
answered.
4. Use POE. Check to see whether any
answers can be eliminated after each bite-
RTFQ: The final question will start
sized with something like Which of the following, What is, or How
piece.
many. Find the final question (it’s usually at the end) and write down key words. If the question
asks for the value of a variable or the measure of an angle, write down which variable or which
angle. If it asks for a specific part of a graph or a word problem, write down which part.
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.

Let TACKLING WORD
the answers point the way: PROBLEMS.
On MC the answer type often gives a clue about how to
approach the question. Do the answers have numbers? variables=? Equations? Graphs? A
bunch of words? Use that information to get started.

Work in Bite-Sixed Pieces: Rather than trying to plan the entire question up front, just get
started. Work the question one bite-sized at a time, reading more along the way and making
notes on the scratch papers. The final question and the answer types usually reveal the best
approach.

Use POE: On some questions, it’s possible to eliminate answers along the way while working in
bite-sized pieces. If the question asks an equation representing a situation, for example, an
answer that gets any piece of the equation wrong can be eliminated. Eliminate answers that
don’t work when you plug them in, answers that are clearly too big, too small, or have the
wrong sign, and answers that contradict information given in the question.
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.
 TACKLING
Ex.: WORD
Lines l and m extend from PROBLEMS.
two sides of the regular
hexagon as shown. If A = 120, what is the value of
B, in degrees?
Start by marking the angle that is A° as 120° on the
A) 30
figure. This angle looks like 120°, so B can’t possibly
B) 60 equal 90° or 140°. Eliminate (C) and (D). To find the
C) 90 exact value of B, you need to find the measure of the
D) 140 angle opposite it, which is one of the angles from the
triangle. The angle of the upper-left corner of the
triangle is formed by drawing a straight line from the
angle that is A°, or 120°. There are 180° in a straight
line, so the upper-left corner of the triangle measures
180° – 120° = 60°. Label this angle as well. Since the
hexagon is regular, all the interior angle are equal.
Label the one next to A°. The bottom corner forms a
straight line with this angle, therefore it measures 60°.
The upper-right corner also measures 60°. B° is
opposite, it measures 60° as well.
WAYS TO ELIMINATE WRONG
ANSWERS.
 TACKLING
Ex.: WORD
Lines l and m extend from PROBLEMS.
two sides of the regular
hexagon as shown. If A = 120, what is the value of
B, in degrees?

A) 30
B) 60
C) 90 60°
D) 140 60° 60°
120°
60°
120°
FUNDAMENTALS
LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU
EXPECT TO SEE ON THE TEST
 The Instructions
Unless otherwise indicated:
• All variables and expressions represent real numbers.
• Figures provided are drawn to scale.
• All figures lie in a plane.
• The domain of a given function f is the set of all real numbers x for which f(x) is a real
number.

For MC questions, solve each problem and choose the correct answer from the choices
provided. Each MC question has a single correct answer.

For SPR questions, solve each problem and enter your answer as described below.
• If you find more than one correct answer, enter only one answer.
• You can enter up to 5 characters for a positive answer and up to 6 characters (including the
negative sign) for a negative answer.
• If your answer is a fraction that doesn’t fit in the provided space, enter the decimal
equivalent.
• If your answer is a decimal that doesn’t fit in the provided space, enter it by truncating or
rounding to the fourth digit.
Examples
Acceptable ways to Unacceptable: will
Answer
enter answer NOT receive credit
3.5
31/2
3.5 3.50
3 1/2
7/2
2/3
0.66
.6666
.66
.6667
.67
0.666
0.67
0.667
-1/3
-.33
-.3333
-0.33
-0.333
FRACTIONS
Fractions represent part of a whole. They stand for division.
The expression is exactly the same thing as x ÷ y.

OPERATION WITH FRACTIONS

1. Addition and Subtraction:
5. Reducing (Simplifying):
• Fractions with the same denominator
Divide both the numerator and
the
• Fractions with different denominator denominator by the largest
number that
2. Multiplication: is a factor of both.

6. Converting Mixed Numbers to

3. Division: Fractions
• Multiply the integer by the
denominator.
• Add this product to the
numerator.
• Place this sum over the
denominator.
PRACTICE 1
A. Solve each of the following problems by C. Rewrite each problem by either
performing the indicated operations in the distributing or factoring and then solve.
proper order.

B. Convert the following mixed numbers to D. Work these problems.

fractions.
DECIMALS
Another way to expressing a fraction.
To find a fraction’s decimal equivalent, simply divide the numerator by the
denominator.
EXPONENTS
Exponents are kind of shorthand. Many numbers are the product of the same value
multiplied over and
over again.

Exponent: 5, the little number. Denotes the number of times that 2 is to be used
as a factor.
Base: 2, the big number under the 5. The number that is multiplied by itself.
4. Negative exponents.
PROPERTIES OF EXPONENTS:
1. Multiplying powers with the same base. 5. Power of a product.

2. Dividing Powers with the same base. 6. Power of a quotient.

3. Raising a power to a power.

SQUARE ROOTS
The radical sign ( ) indicates the square root of a number. Note that square roots
cannot be negative. If the test-writers want you to think about a negative solution, they
won’t use the radical sign; instead, they’ll say x^2 = 25 because then x = 5 or x = −5.

THE ONLY RULES YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. Fractional exponents.
PRACTICE 2
A. Calculate each of the answers to the following C. If x > 0, which of the following is
questions. equivalent to .

a. None
b. I and II only
c. II and III only
d. I, II and III
B. For the equations and , if a > 1, what
is the value of x?

a. 5
b. 10
c. 15
d. 20
HOW TO READ CHARTS AND
• The Scatterplot: is a graph with distinct data points, each representing one piece
GRAPHS
of information. On the scatterplot below, each dot represents the number of
televisions sold at a certain price point.

Here is how to read it: To find the cost of a television when 225 televisions are sold,
start at 225 on the vertical axis and draw a horizontal line to the right until you hit
a data point. Once you hit a point, draw a straight line down from the point to the
horizontal axis and read the number the line hits, which should be $1,500. To
determine the number of televisions sold when they cost a certain amount, reverse
the steps—start at the bottom, draw up until you hit a point, and then move left
until you intersect the vertical axis.
EXAMPLE
A certain store sells televisions ranging in price from $500 to $5,000 in increments of
$500. The graph below shows the total number of televisions sold at each price during
the last 12 months. Approximately how much more revenue did the store collect from
the televisions it sold priced at $3,500 than it did from the televisions it sold priced at
$1,000 ?

A) $175,000
B) $250,000
C) $275,000
D) $350,000
EXAMPLE
A certain store sells televisions ranging in price from $500 to $5,000 in increments of
$500. The graph below shows the total number of televisions sold at each price during
the last 12 months. Approximately how much more revenue did the store collect from
the televisions it sold priced at $3,500 than it did from the televisions it sold priced at
$1,000 ?

A) $175,000
B) $250,000
C) $275,000
D) $350,000
Answer Key
The tvs sold at $3,500 were 150, the tvs sold at
$1,000 were 250.
HOW TO READ CHARTS AND
• Line Graph: is similar to a scatterplot in that it shows different data points that
GRAPHS
relate the two variables. The difference with a line graph, though, is that the points
have been connected to create a continuous line.

Here is how to read it: Start at the axis that represents the data given and draw a
straight line up or to the right until you intersect the graph line. Then move left or
down until you hit the other axis. For example, in February, indicated by an F on
the horizontal axis, Always Sunny Sunscreen had $2.5 million in sales. Be sure to
notice the units on each axis.
EXAMPLE
The forecasted monthly sales of Always Sunny Sunscreen are presented in the figure
below. For which period are the forecasted monthly sales figures strictly decreasing
and then strictly increasing?

A) January to March
B) February to April
C) June to August
D) September to November
EXAMPLE
The forecasted monthly sales of Always Sunny Sunscreen are presented in the figure
below. For which period are the forecasted monthly sales figures strictly decreasing
and then strictly increasing?

A) January to March
B) February to April
C) June to August
D) September to November

Answer Key
a. January: increasing. Eliminate this
option.
b. February: decreasing. Possible
answer.
April: increasing. Correct answer.
HOW TO READ CHARTS AND
• The Bar Graph (or Histogram): shows the number of items that belong to a
GRAPHS
particular category. If the variable at the bottom is given in ranges instead of
distinct items, the graph is called a histogram, but you read it the same way.

Here is how to read it: The height of each bar corresponds to a value on the
vertical axis. In this case, the bar above Chile hits the line that intersects with 15
on the vertical axis, so there are 15 million people in Chile. Again, watch the units
to make sure you know what the numbers on the axes represent.
EXAMPLE
The populations of five countries are shown in the graph below. If population density is
defined as , and the area of Paraguay is 400,000 square kilometers, what is the
population density of Paraguay, in people per square kilometer?

A) 0.08
B) 0.8
C) 1.25
D) 12.5
EXAMPLE
The populations of five countries are shown in the graph below. If population density is
defined as , and the area of Paraguay is 400,000 square kilometers, what is the
population density of Paraguay, in people per square kilometer?

A) 0.08
B) 0.8
C) 1.25
D) 12.5

Answer Key
Let’s read the graph to find the population:
5 millions people.
HOW TO READ CHARTS AND
• Two-way Table: way to represent data without actually graphing it. Instead of
GRAPHS
having the variables represented on the vertical and horizontal axes, the data will
be arranged in rows and columns. The top row will give the headings for each
column, and the left-most column will give the headings for each row. The numbers
in each box indicate the data for the category represented by the row and the
column the box is in.

Here is how to read it: If you want to find the number of computers produced on
Tuesday morning, you can start in the Morning Shift column and look down until
you find the number in the row that says Tuesday, or you can start in the row for
Tuesday and look to the right until you find the Morning Shift column. Either way,
EXAMPLE
Computer production at a factory occurs during two shifts, as shown in the chart
above. If computers are produced only during the morning and afternoon shifts, on
which of the following pairs of days is the greatest total number of computers
produced?

A) Monday and Thursday

B) Tuesday and Thursday
C) Wednesday and Friday
D) Tuesday and Friday
EXAMPLE
Computer production at a factory occurs during two shifts, as shown in the chart
above. If computers are produced only during the morning and afternoon shifts, on
which of the following pairs of days is the greatest total number of computers
produced?

A) Monday and Thursday

B) Tuesday and Thursday
C) Wednesday and Friday
D) Tuesday and Friday
Answer Key
a. Monday: 200 + 375 = 575
Thursday: 250 + 315 = 565
Total: 1140 pcs
b. Tuesday: 245 + 330 = 575 d. Tuesday: 245 + 330 = 575
Thursday: 565 Friday: 225 + 360 = 585
Total: 1140 pcs Total: 1160 pcs.
c. Wednesday: 255 + 340 = 595 Correct answer: C.
Friday: 225 + 360 = 585
Total: 1180 pcs.
Every time you encounter a figure or graphic on the SAT, you should make sure you
understand how to read it by checking the following:
PRACTICE 3
3. If , what is the value of x?
1. Which of the following represents the
statement “the sum of the squares of x and y is
A) 1
equal to the square root of the difference of x
B) 2
and y”?.
C) 4
D) 6

4. In the question below, a and b are positive

integers and is in its simplest reduced
form, what is the value of a?

2. If a = -2, then =?
A) 2
A) −22 B) 9
B) −18 C) 18
C) 32 D) 40
D) 58?
PRACTICE 3
5. If 7 times a number is 84, what is 4 times the 8. Which of the following graphs shows a
number? strong positive association between x and
y?
A) 16
B) 28
C) 48
D) 56

6. If 3x = 12, what is the value of ?

E) 4
F) 6

7. If , what is the value of x ?

A) 4
B) 16
C) 32
D) 256
PRACTICE 3
9. If each number in the following sum were
increased by t, the new sum would be 4.22.
What is the value of t?

A) 0.24
B) 0.29
C) 0.33
D) 0.37

10.If and x and n are both positive integers, what

is the value of n?

A) 2
B) 4
C) 6
D) 8
ALGEBRA
DIGITAL SAT ALGEBRA: CRACKING
THE SYSTEM
The Digital SAT generally tests algebra concepts that you most likely learned in eighth or ninth
grade. So, you are probably pretty familiar with the level of algebra on the test. However, the
test-writers are fairly adept at wording algebra questions in a way that is confusing or
distracting in order to make the questions more difficult than the mathematical concepts that
are being tested.

In this way, the Digital SAT Math Test is not only a test of your math skills, but also, and possibly
even more important to your score improvement, your reading skills. It is imperative that you
read the questions carefully and translate the words in the question into mathematical symbols.
ENGLISH MATH EQUIVALENTS
is, are, were, did, does, costs =
what (or any unknown value) any variable (x, y, m)
more, sum +
less, difference
of, times, product
ratio, quotient, out of, per
 A Little Terminology
Here are some words that you will need to know to understand the following explanations. These
words may even show up in the text of a question, so make sure you are familiar with them.

Term: An equation is like a sentence, and a term is the equivalent of a word. It can be just a
number, just a variable, or a number multiplied by a variable. For example, 18, −2x, and 5y are
the terms in the equation 18 − 2x = 5y.

Expression: If an equation is like a sentence, then an expression is like a phrase or a clause. An

expression is a combination of terms and mathematical operations with no equals or inequality
sign. For example, 9 × 2 + 3x is an expression.

Polynomial: A polynomial is any expression containing two or more terms. Binomials and
trinomials are both examples of polynomials. Binomials have two terms, and trinomials have
three terms.

Don’t forget the Golden

Rule for equations:
Whatever you do to the
terms on one side of the
equals sign, you must do to
the terms on the other side
of it as well.
EXAMPLE
Suppose the evaporation rate of water in a lake is given by the equation , where E is the
evaporation rate in gallons/day, Ta is the air temperature, Td is the dew point temperature, V is
the volume of water in the lake, Tw is the water temperature, and h is the number of hours the
water is exposed to sunlight. Which of the following expresses Tw in terms of Ta, Td, V, E, and h?
EXAMPLE
Suppose the evaporation rate of water in a lake is given by the equation , where E is the
evaporation rate in gallons/day, Ta is the air temperature, Td is the dew point temperature, V is
the volume of water in the lake, Tw is the water temperature, and h is the number of hours the
water is exposed to sunlight. Which of the following expresses Tw in terms of Ta, Td, V, E, and h?

Answer Key
SOLVING RADICAL EQUATIONS
Radical equations are just what the name suggests: an equation with a radical (√) in it.

Ex.: If , what is the value of x?

A)
B)
C) 5
D) 25

SOLVING RATIONAL EQUATIONS

The built-in calculator or a calculator you bring can help on a lot of algebra questions. However,
there are times when you will need to solve an equation algebraically by hand.

Ex.: If , what is the value of ?

A) B)
C) 2 D) 3
SOLVING RADICAL EQUATIONS
Radical equations are just what the name suggests: an equation with a radical (√) in it.

Ex.: If , what is the value of x? Answer Key

A)
B)
C) 5
D) 25

SOLVING RATIONAL EQUATIONS

The built-in calculator or a calculator you bring can help on a lot of algebra questions. However,
there are times when you will need to solve an equation algebraically by hand.
Answer Key
Ex.: If , what is the value of ?
𝑟 2
A) B) =
3 3
C) 2 D) 3
 Extraneous solutions
Sometimes solving a rational or radical expression makes funny things happen. Look at the
following example.
Ex.: Which of the following contains the solution
set to the equation below?
Extra Answers
Any time you are solving for
A) {0, 5} a variable, make sure your
B) {0, 4, 5} solutions actually work. If
C) {0} they do not, they are
extraneous, or extra.
D) {5}

SOLVING FOR EXPRESSIONS

Some algebra questions on the Digital SAT ask you to find the value of an expression rather
than the value of a variable. In most cases, you can find the value of the expression without
finding the value of the variable.
Ex.: If 4x + 2 = 4, what is the value 4x − 6 ?

A) −6
B) −4
C) 4
D) 8
 Extraneous solutions
Sometimes solving a rational or radical expression makes funny things happen. Look at the
following example.
Ex.: Which of the following contains the Answer Key
solution set to the equation below?

A) {0, 5}
B) {0, 4, 5}
C) {0}
D) {5}

SOLVING FOR EXPRESSIONS

Extraneous
solution
Some algebra questions on the Digital SAT ask you to find the value of an expression rather
than the value of a variable. In most cases, you can find the value of the expression without
finding the value of the variable.
Ex.: If 4x + 2 = 4, what is the value 4x − 6 ?

A) −6
B) −4
C) 4
D) 8
 Extraneous solutions
Sometimes solving a rational or radical expression makes funny things happen. Look at the
following example.
Ex.: Which of the following contains the Answer Key
solution set to the equation below?

A) {0, 5}
B) {0, 4, 5}
C) {0}
D) {5}

SOLVING FOR EXPRESSIONS

Extraneous
solution
Some algebra questions on the Digital SAT ask you to find the value of an expression rather
than the value of a variable. In most cases, you can find the value of the expression without
finding the value of the variable.
Ex.: If 4x + 2 = 4, what is the value 4x − 6 ? Answer Key
A) −6
B) −4
C) 4
D) 8
 Solving for expressions
Ex.: If , what is the value of ?

A)
B)
C) 5
D) 25

 Solving Systems of Equations

Some SAT questions will give you two or more equations involving two or more variables and ask
for the value of an expression or one of the variables. These questions are very similar to the
questions containing one variable. The test-writers would like you to spend extra time trying to
solve for the value of each variable, but that is not always necessary.

Ex.: If 4x + y = 14 and 3x + 2y = 13, Ex.: Given the system of equations,

what is the value of x − y =? what is the value of -10a – 2b +
2c?
_______
A) -52 C) 8
B) -26 D) 26
 Solving for expressions
Ex.: If , what is the value of ?
Answer Key
A)
B)
C) 5
D) 25

 Solving Systems of Equations

Some SAT questions will give you two or more equations involving two or more variables and ask
for the value of an expression or one of the variables. These questions are very similar to the
questions containing one variable. The test-writers would like you to spend extra time trying to
solve for the value of each variable, but that is not always necessary.

Ex.: If 4x + y = 14 and 3x + 2y = 13, Ex.: Given the system of equations,

what is the value of x − y =? what is the value of -10a – 2b +
2c?
_______
A) -52 C) 8
B) -26 D) 26
 Solving for expressions
Ex.: If , what is the value of ?
Answer Key
A)
B)
C) 5
D) 25

 Solving Systems of Equations

Some SAT questions will give you two or more equations involving two or more variables and ask
for the value of an expression or one of the variables. These questions are very similar to the
questions containing one variable. The test-writers would like you to spend extra time trying to
solve for the value of each variable, but that is not always necessary.
Answer Key
Ex.: If 4x + y = 14 and 3x + 2y = 13,
what is the value of x − y =?

1
_______
 Solving for expressions
Ex.: If , what is the value of ?
Answer Key
A)
B)
C) 5
D) 25

 Solving Systems of Equations

Some SAT questions will give you two or more equations involving two or more variables and ask
for the value of an expression or one of the variables.
Answer Key
Ex.: Given the system of equations,
what is the value of -10a – 2b +
2c?

A) -52 C) 8
B) -26 D) 26
 Number of solutions of systems of
eqs.:eqs.
Some Digital SAT Math equations won’t even ask you to solve for the solution(s) to a system of
they’ll simply ask you how many solutions there are.
- Zero solutions: when both linear equations have the same slope.
- One solution: when the two lines intersect in one point.
- Infinitely many solutions: both equations are identical, they represent the same line.

Ex.: Which of the following systems of equations has an

infinite number of solutions?

A) x = 5
y = 10

B) x = 10y
y = 10x

C) y = -4x – 10
y = -4x - 15

D) y =
4y = 2x + 20
 Number of solutions of systems of
eqs.:eqs.
Some Digital SAT Math equations won’t even ask you to solve for the solution(s) to a system of
they’ll simply ask you how many solutions there are.
- Zero solutions: when both linear equations have the same slope.
- One solution: when the two lines intersect in one point.
- Infinitely many solutions: both equations are identical, they represent the same line.

Ex.: Which of the following systems of equations has an

infinite number of solutions?
Answer Key
A) x = 5
y = 10

B) x = 10y
y = 10x

C) y = -4x – 10
y = -4x - 15

D) y =
4y = 2x + 20
 Solving Inequalities
In an equation, one side equals the other. In an inequality, one side does not equal the other.
Solving inequalities is pretty similar to solving equations. You can
Symbols
collect like terms, and you can simplify by performing the same≠ is not equal to
operation to both sides. All you have to remember is that if you
> is greater than
multiply or divide both sides of an inequality by a negative number,
< is less than
the direction of the inequality symbol changes. ≥ is greater than or equal to, at least
≤ is less than or equal, no more than

Ex.: If −3x + 6 ≥ 18, which of the following must

be true?

A) x ≤ −4
B) x ≤ 8
C) x ≥ −4
D) x ≥ −8
Ex.: If, what is one possible value of m?

_______
 Solving Inequalities
In an equation, one side equals the other. In an inequality, one side does not equal the other.
Solving inequalities is pretty similar to solving equations. You can
Symbols
collect like terms, and you can simplify by performing the same≠ is not equal to
operation to both sides. All you have to remember is that if you
> is greater than
multiply or divide both sides of an inequality by a negative number,
< is less than
the direction of the inequality symbol changes. ≥ is greater than or equal to, at least
≤ is less than or equal, no more than

Ex.: If −3x + 6 ≥ 18, which of the following must

be true? Answer Key
A) x ≤ −4
B) x ≤ 8
C) x ≥ −4
D) x ≥ −8
Ex.: If, what is one possible value of m?

_______
 Solving Inequalities
In an equation, one side equals the other. In an inequality, one side does not equal the other.
Solving inequalities is pretty similar to solving equations. You can
Symbols
collect like terms, and you can simplify by performing the same≠ is not equal to
operation to both sides. All you have to remember is that if you
> is greater than
multiply or divide both sides of an inequality by a negative number,
< is less than
the direction of the inequality symbol changes. ≥ is greater than or equal to, at least
≤ is less than or equal, no more than

Ex.: If, what is one possible value of m?

_______
𝑨𝒏𝒚 𝒏𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏𝟕 𝒂𝒏𝒅𝟏𝟓𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈𝟏𝟓.

Answer Key

7 ≤ 𝑚<15
 Writing your own equations
Sometimes you’ll be asked to take a word problem and create a system of equations or
inequalities from that information. In general, you will not be asked to solve this system of
equations/inequalities, so if you are able to locate and translate the information in the question,
you have a good shot at getting the correct answer.
Ex.: Aubrie, Bera, and Kea are running a lemonade and
snack stand to earn money. They are selling lemonade
for $1.07 a cup and chocolate chip cookies for $0.78
each. Their customers arrive on foot or by car. During
a three-hour period, they had 47 customers each
buying only one item and made $45.94. Aubrie, Bera,
and Kea need to determine if they have enough
supplies for tomorrow. Solving which of the following
system of equations will let them know how many cups
of lemonade, x, and how many cookies, y, they sold
today?
 Writing your own equations
Sometimes you’ll be asked to take a word problem and create a system of equations or
inequalities from that information. In general, you will not be asked to solve this system of
equations/inequalities, so if you are able to locate and translate the information in the question,
you have a good shot at getting the correct answer.
Ex.: Aubrie, Bera, and Kea are running a lemonade and
snack stand to earn money. They are selling lemonade
for $1.07 a cup and chocolate chip cookies for $0.78
each. Their customers arrive on foot or by car. During
a three-hour period, they had 47 customers each
buying only one item and made $45.94. Aubrie, Bera, Answer Key
supplies for tomorrow. Solving which of the following Once you identify which variable
and Kea need to determine if they have enough

system of equations will let them know how many cups represents lemonade and which
one
represents cookies, you can begin
of lemonade, x, and how many cookies, y, they sold

to write your equation.

today?
 Writing your own equations
Sometimes you’ll be asked to take a word problem and create a system of equations or
inequalities from that information. In general, you will not be asked to solve this system of
equations/inequalities, so if you are able to locate and translate the information in the question,
you have a good shot at getting the correct answer.
Ex.: Max uses a humidifier in his son’s bedroom. The
humidifier must be filled with 0.5 gallons of water
before it starts running, and it has to be refilled with
0.07 gallons of water each week. Which of the
following equations models the total gallons of water,
g, needed to run the humidifier for w weeks?

A) g = 0.07 + 0.5w

B) g = 0.07(0.5 + w)

C) g = 0.5(0.07 + w)

D) g = 0.5 + 0.07w
 Writing your own equations
Sometimes you’ll be asked to take a word problem and create a system of equations or
inequalities from that information. In general, you will not be asked to solve this system of
equations/inequalities, so if you are able to locate and translate the information in the question,
you have a good shot at getting the correct answer.
Ex.: Max uses a humidifier in his son’s bedroom. The
humidifier must be filled with 0.5 gallons of water
before it starts running, and it has to be refilled with
0.07 gallons of water each week. Which of the
following equations models the total gallons of water,
g, needed to run the humidifier for w weeks?

A) g = 0.07 + 0.5w Answer Key

B) g = 0.07(0.5 + w)

C) g = 0.5(0.07 + w)

D) g = 0.5 + 0.07w
 Writing your own equations
Sometimes you’ll be asked to take a word problem and create a system of equations or
inequalities from that information. In general, you will not be asked to solve this system of
equations/inequalities, so if you are able to locate and translate the information in the question,
you have a good shot at getting the correct answer.
Ex.: To save on helium costs, a balloon is inflated with both
helium
and nitrogen gas. Between the two gases, the balloon
can be
inflated up to 8 liters in volume. The density of helium
is 0.20
grams per liter, and the density of nitrogen is 1.30
grams per
liter. The balloon must be filled so that the volumetric
average
density of the balloon is lower than that of air, which
has a
density of 1.20 grams per liter. Which of the following
systems of inequalities best describes how the balloon
will be filled, if x
represents the number of liters of helium and y
represents the
number of liters of nitrogen?
 Writing your own equations
Sometimes you’ll be asked to take a word problem and create a system of equations or
inequalities from that information. In general, you will not be asked to solve this system of
equations/inequalities, so if you are able to locate and translate the information in the question,
you have a good shot at getting the correct answer.
Ex.: To save on helium costs, a balloon is inflated with both
helium
and nitrogen gas. Between the two gases, the balloon
can be
inflated up to 8 liters in volume. The density of helium
is 0.20
grams per liter, and the density of nitrogen is 1.30
grams per
liter. The balloon must be filled so that the volumetric Answer Key
average
density of the balloon is lower than that of air, which
has a
density of 1.20 grams per liter. Which of the following
systems of inequalities best describes how the balloon
will be filled, if x
represents the number of liters of helium and y
represents the
number of liters of nitrogen?
 Writing your own equations
Sometimes you’ll be asked to take a word problem and create a system of equations or
inequalities from that information. In general, you will not be asked to solve this system of
equations/inequalities, so if you are able to locate and translate the information in the question,
you have a good shot at getting the correct answer.
Ex.: A tailor is ordering red and blue ribbon to use when
creating a set of dresses. The tailor wants to include at
least 200 meters of ribbon in her order, and she will
order no more than 3 times as much blue ribbon as red
ribbon. Each spool of red ribbon contains 22.86
meters, and each spool of blue ribbon contains 18.29
meters. If r and b are nonnegative integers and
represent the number of spools of red and blue ribbon,
respectively, that the tailor will order, which of the
inequalities below best represents this scenario?

A) C)

B) D)
 Writing your own equations
Sometimes you’ll be asked to take a word problem and create a system of equations or
inequalities from that information. In general, you will not be asked to solve this system of
equations/inequalities, so if you are able to locate and translate the information in the question,
you have a good shot at getting the correct answer.
Ex.: A tailor is ordering red and blue ribbon to use when
creating a set of dresses. The tailor wants to include at
least 200 meters of ribbon in her order, and she will
order no more than 3 times as much blue ribbon as red
ribbon. Each spool of red ribbon contains 22.86
meters, and each spool of blue ribbon contains 18.29
meters. If r and b are nonnegative integers and
represent the number of spools of red and blue ribbon,
respectively, that the tailor will order, which of the Answer Key
inequalities below best represents this scenario?

A) C)

B) D)
 Simplifying Expressions
If a question contains an expression that can be factored, it is very likely that you will need to
factor it to solve the question. So, you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to factor.

Because factoring or expanding is

usually the key to finding the
answer on such questions, learn to
recognize expressions that could
be either factored or expanded.
This will earn you more points. The
test-writers
will try to hide the answer by
factoring or expanding the result.

Ex.: Which of the following is equivalent to

 Simplifying Expressions
If a question contains an expression that can be factored, it is very likely that you will need to
factor it to solve the question. So, you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to factor.

Because factoring or expanding is

usually the key to finding the
answer on such questions, learn to
recognize expressions that could
be either factored or expanded.
This will earn you more points. The
test-writers
will try to hide the answer by
factoring or expanding the result.

Answer Key
Ex.: Which of the following is equivalent to
 Multiplying binomials. Combine like
terms
When manipulating long, complicated algebraic expressions, combine all similar terms before
doing anything else.

Ex.:
SOLVING QUADRATIC EQUATIONS
To solve quadratic equations, remember everything you’ve learned so far: look for direct
solutions and either factor or expand when possible.

Ex.: If , what is the value of x?

 Factoring quadratics This is

much easier
To solve a quadratic, you might also have to factor the equation. using the
built-in
graphing
Ex.: In the expression + kx + 12, k is a negative calculator
integer. Which of the following is a possible value
of k?

A) −13
B) −12
C) −6
D) 7
SOLVING QUADRATIC EQUATIONS
To solve quadratic equations, remember everything you’ve learned so far: look for direct
solutions and either factor or expand when possible.

Ex.: If , what is the value of x?

 Factoring quadratics
To solve a quadratic, you might also have to factor the equation.

Answer Key
Ex.: In the expression + kx + 12, k is a negative
integer. Which of the following is a possible value
of k?

A) −13 Only value

B) −12 included in
C) −6 the options
D) 7
 Digital SAT favorites
The test-writers play favorites when it comes to quadratic equations. There are three equations
that they use often. You should memorize these and be on the lookout for them. Whenever you
see a quadratic that contains two variables, it is frequently one of these three.

Ex.: If 2x – 3y = 5, what is the value of

A) 12
B) 25
C) 100

Before factoring most quadratics, you

need to set the equation equal to zero.
Ex.: If , which of the following is a possible value
for x?
Why? Well, if
ab = 0, what do you know about a and b?
A) -7
At least one of them must equal 0, right?
B) -1
That’s the key fact you need to solve
C) 1
most quadratics.
D) 3
 Digital SAT favorites
The test-writers play favorites when it comes to quadratic equations. There are three equations
that they use often. You should memorize these and be on the lookout for them. Whenever you
see a quadratic that contains two variables, it is frequently one of these three.

Ex.: If 2x – 3y = 5, what is the value of

A) 12
B) 25
C) 100

Answer Key
 Digital SAT favorites
The test-writers play favorites when it comes to quadratic equations. There are three equations
that they use often. You should memorize these and be on the lookout for them. Whenever you
see a quadratic that contains two variables, it is frequently one of these three.

Before factoring most quadratics, you

need to set the equation equal to zero.
Ex.: If , which of the following is a possible value
for x?
Why? Well, if
ab = 0, what do you know about a and b?
A) -7
At least one of them must equal 0, right?
B) -1
That’s the key fact you need to solve
C) 1
most quadratics.
Answer Key D) 3
 The Quadratic Formula and the
Discriminant
In addition to solving easily factorable quadratics, the test-writers would also like to see you
demonstrate your understanding of the quadratic formula.

Ex.: What is the product of all the solutions to the

equation
=0?

A)
B) 2 When a quadratic is in the form y = ax^2 + bx +
C) 4 c, the product of the roots is equal to the value of
D) 4 c divided by the value of a. In this case, that’s 6 ÷
3 = 2!
Important tips

Ex.: Ifthethevalue
equation has exactly one real solution, what is
of the constant k?

______
Important tips
Ex.: Ifsolution,
the equation has exactly one real
what is the value of the constant
k?
−𝟗
______

Answer Key
GROWTH AND DECAY
There’s one more equation with an exponent that’s tested frequently on the Digital SAT: the
growth and decay formula. Real –world examples include population growth, radioactive decay,
and compound interest, to name a few. The growth or decay can be a percent or a multiple,
which changes what’s inside the parentheses.

 When the growth or decay rate is a percent of the total population:

final amount = original amount(1 rate

 When the growth or decay is a multiple of the total population:

final amount = original amount(multiplier
Ex.: Becca deposits $100 into a bank account
that earns an anual interest rate of 4%. If
she does not make any additional deposits
and makes no withdrawals, how long will it
take her, in years, to increase the value of
her account by at least 60%?

A) 12
B) 15
C) 25
D) 30
GROWTH AND DECAY
There’s one more equation with an exponent that’s tested frequently on the Digital SAT: the
growth and decay formula. Real –world examples include population growth, radioactive decay,
and compound interest, to name a few. The growth or decay can be a percent or a multiple,
which changes what’s inside the parentheses.

 When the growth or decay rate is a percent of the total population:

final amount = original amount(1 rate

 When the growth or decay is a multiple of the total population:

final amount = original amount(multiplier
Ex.: Becca deposits $100 into a bank account
that earns an anual interest rate of 4%. If
she does not make any additional deposits
and makes no withdrawals, how long will it
Answer Key
take her, in years, to increase the value of
her account by at least 60%?

A) 12
B) 15
C) 25
D) 30
GROWTH AND DECAY
There’s one more equation with an exponent that’s tested frequently on the Digital SAT: the
growth and decay formula. Real –world examples include population growth, radioactive decay,
and compound interest, to name a few. The growth or decay can be a percent or a multiple,
which changes what’s inside the parentheses.

 When the growth or decay rate is a percent of the total population:

final amount = original amount(1 rate

 When the growth or decay is a multiple of the total population:

final amount = original amount(multiplier
Ex.: An invasive species was discovered to have population 0f 2100
individuals after 10 years of uninhibited growth. The equation gives
the number of individuals in the population, where t is the number of
years after the uninhibited growth began, P is the current number of
individuals in the population, and G is the number of individuals in
the population when the uninhibited growth began. What is the value
of G?

A) 30
B) 700
C) 2100
D) 6300
GROWTH AND DECAY
There’s one more equation with an exponent that’s tested frequently on the Digital SAT: the
growth and decay formula. Real –world examples include population growth, radioactive decay,
and compound interest, to name a few. The growth or decay can be a percent or a multiple,
which changes what’s inside the parentheses.

 When the growth or decay rate is a percent of the total population:

final amount = original amount(1 rate

 When the growth or decay is a multiple of the total population:

final amount = original amount(multiplier
Ex.: An invasive species was discovered to have population 0f 2100
individuals after 10 years of uninhibited growth. The equation gives
the number of individuals in the population, where t is the number of
years after the uninhibited growth began, P is the current number of
individuals in the population, and G is the number of individuals in
the population when the uninhibited growth began. What is the value
of G? Answer Key
A) 30
B) 700
C) 2100
D) 6300
WHEN VALUES ARE ABSOLUTE
Absolute value is a measure of the distance between a number and 0, therefore is always
positive. The absolute value of a number is written as .

When solving for the value of a variable inside the abolute value bars, it is important to
remember that the variable could be either positive or negative. For example, if = 2, then x = 2
or x = -2, as both 2 and -2 are a distance of 2 from 0.

Ex.: Which of the following is the value of if y

and z are the solutions to the equation

A) -3
B) -2
C) 1
D) 3
WHEN VALUES ARE ABSOLUTE
Absolute value is a measure of the distance between a number and 0, therefore is always
positive. The absolute value of a number is written as .

When solving for the value of a variable inside the abolute value bars, it is important to
remember that the variable could be either positive or negative. For example, if = 2, then x = 2
or x = -2, as both 2 and -2 are a distance of 2 from 0.

Ex.: Which of the following is the value of if y

and z are the solutions to the equation
Answer Key
A) -3
B) -2
C) 1
D) 3
PRACTICE 4. Algebra
3. The equation expresses the relationship
1. For the inequality 3 > 9x – 3, which of the
among a, c, d and z. Which of the
following is a possible value of x?
following equations expresses z in terms
of a, c and d?
A) 0
B) 2/3
C) 3
D) 6
2. A student spends 4 hours each day working on
history and science assignments. It takes the
student ¼ of an hour to complete a history
assignment and ½ of an hour to complete a 4. For the equation , the value of m is -3.
science assignment. Which of the following Which of the following contains all
equations represents the number of history possible solutions to the equation?
assignments, b, and science assignments, s,
the student can complete each day? A) -3, 3
B) -2
C) -2, -7
A) C) D) 3, 6
B) D)
PRACTICE 4. Algebra
7. If what is the value of x?
5. If x + 6 > 0 and 1 – 2x > -1, which of the
following values of x is NOT a solution?

A) -6
B) -4
C) 0
A) 2
D) 1/2
6. If the product of x and y is 76, and x is twice 8. A tadpole that has just hatched from an
the square of y, which of the following pairs of egg weighs t grams. The equation
equtions could be used to determine the values displays the weight y, in grams, of the
of x and y? tadpole w weeks after it hatches. If the
tadpole reaches a weight of 9.72 grams at
A) C) 5 weeks, what is the value of t?

B) D) _________
PRACTICE 4. Algebra
11.The graph of the equation ax + ky = 6 is a
9. How many solutions exist to the equation
line in the xy-plane, where a and k are
constants. It the line contains the points (-
2, -6) and (0, -3), what is the value of k?
A) 0
B) 1
A) -2
C) 2
B) -1
D) 3
C) 2
10.The sum of three numbers, a, b, and c, is 400. D) 3
One of the numbers, a, is 40 percent les tan
the sum of b and c. What is the value of b + c? 12.In the system of equations
;
A) 40
B) 60 p is a constant. If the system has no
C) 150 solution,
D) 250 what is the value of p?

_________
PRACTICE 4. Algebra
13.How many solutions does the given system of 15.A quadratic equation is provided, where r
equations have? and s are constants. What are the
solutions for x?

A) Exactly one
B) Exactly two
C) Infinitely many
D) Zero

14.In the following system of equations, if (x,y) is

the solution to the system, what is the value of
16.If −6 < −4r + 10 ≤ 2, what is the least
A)
possible value of 4r + 3 ?
B)
A) 2
C)
B) 5
D) C) 8
D) 11
 OTHER
DIGITAL SAT
ALGEBRA
STRATEGIES
HOW TO AVOID ALGEBRA ON THE
DIGITAL SAT
Strategies to avoid using algebra and making commong mistakes.

 PLUGGING IN THE ANSWERS (PITA)

On many Digital SAT algebra questions, even very difficult ones, you will be able to find the
correct answer without using any algebra at all. You will do this by working backward from the
answer choices instead of trying to solve the problem using your standard math-class methods.

Plugging In the Answers is a technique for solving word problems in which the answer choices
are all numbers. Using this powerful technique can solve many algebra problems on the Digital
SAT simply and quickly.

In algebra class at school, you solve word problems by using equations. Then, you check your
solution by plugging in your answer to see if it works. Why not skip the equations entirely by
simply checking the four possible solutions on the multiple-choice questions? One of these is the
correct answer. You don’t have to do any algebra, you will seldom have to try more than two
choices, and you will never have to try all four. Note that you can use this technique only for
questions that ask for a specific amount.
EXAMPLE
This is an example of using PITA instead of writing equations.

On a certain assignment, student X takes 20 seconds per gramar question and 35 seconds per
punctuation question. On the same assignment, student Y takes 30 seconds per gramar question
and 55 seconds per punctuation question. It takes 310 seconds for student X to cmplete the
assignment and 480 seconds for student Y to complete the assignment. If those are the oly two
types of questions on the assignment, how many punctuation questions are on the assignmnet?
IMPORTANT TIPS:
A) 5  The questions is asking for a specific value. One of the options must be the answer to the
B) 6 question, so start with the options and plug them into the equation.
C) 7  Make sure you know what the answers represent. Write this on you scratch paper and
D) 8 label it.
 Notice that the answer choices are in numerically ascending order. The test-writers do
this all the time, use it to your advantage by starting with one of the middle answer
choices. If it ends up being too big or too small, you should be able to eliminate more
than one answer. If the first choice you plug in happens to work, you can just stop there.
Try B first.
 Look at B and ask yourself, “if the number of punctuation is 6, what’s the next thing I can
figure out?”. Let’s calculate how much time each student spends on punctuation
questions. Did both students complete 6
punctuation questions? Yes. Did
both students complete 5
gramar questions? Yes. Are you
done? YES!!
Try this one by yourself:

Ex.: Zoë won the raffle at a fair. She will receive the
prize money in 5 monthly payments. If each
payment is half as much as the previous month’s
payment and the total of the payments is $496,
what is the amount of the first payment?

A) $256
B) $96
C) $84
D) $16
Try this one by yourself:

Ex.: Zoë won the raffle at a fair. She will receive the
prize money in 5 monthly payments. If each
payment is half as much as the previous month’s
payment and the total of the payments is $496,
what is the amount of the first payment?

A) $256
Answer Key
B) $96
C) $84
D) $16
 Here are the steps for solving a
problem using the PITA approach:
This technique also works on questions that aren’t word problems but still ask for a specific value
and have numbers in the answer choices.

Ex.: The system of equations below is satisfied by

which of the following ordered pairs (x,y)?

A) (-5, 4)
B) (4, -2)
C) (5, 4)
D) (5, -4)
This technique also works on questions that aren’t word problems but still ask for a specific value
and have numbers in the answer choices.

Ex.: The system of equations below is satisfied by

which of the following ordered pairs (x,y)?

Answer Key
A) (-5, 4)
B) (4, -2)
C) (5, 4)
D) (5, -4)
Ex.: Abaked
bakery sold exactly 85% of the cupcakes it
on Tuesday. Which of the following could be
the total number of cupcakes baked on Tuesday?

A) 130
B) 140
C) 145
D) 150
Ex.: Abaked
bakery sold exactly 85% of the cupcakes it
on Tuesday. Which of the following could be
the total number of cupcakes baked on Tuesday?

A) 130
B) 140
C) 145
D) 150
Answer Key
SOLVING RATIONAL EQUATIONS
A rational equation is basically an equation in which one (or more) of the terms is a fractional
one.
Ex.: Which of the following is a possible value of x – 3
in the equation below?

Answer Key
A) 5

B) 25
PLUGGING IN YOUR OWN NUMBERS
Plugging In the answers enables you to find the answer to questions whose answer choice are all
numbers. What about questions that have answer choices containing variables? Plugging in your
own numbers could work.

Plugging In is easy. It has three

steps:

1. Pick numbers for the variables in the

question.
2. Use your numbers to find the answer to
the questions.
3. Plug your number(s) for the variable(s)
into the answer choices and eliminate
Ex.: choices
Which of the following that don’t to
is equivalent
found in Step 2.
equal the answer you

A. C.
B. D.
PLUGGING IN YOUR OWN NUMBERS
Plugging In the answers enables you to find the answer to questions whose answer choice are all
numbers. What about questions that have answer choices containing variables? Plugging in your
own numbers could work.

Answer Key

Ex.: Which of the following is equivalent to

A. C.
B. D.
Try this one by yourself:

Ex.: During a special sale at a furniture store, Erica

bought a floor lamp at a 10% discount. She paid a
total of t dollars, which included the discounted
price of the floor lamp and a 6% sales tax on the
discounted price. In terms of t, what was the
original price of the floor lamp?

A)
B)
C)
D)
Try this one by yourself:

Ex.: During a special sale at a furniture store, Erica

bought a floor lamp at a 10% discount. She paid a
total of t dollars, which included the discounted
price of the floor lamp and a 6% sales tax on the
discounted price. In terms of t, what was the
original price of the floor lamp?
Answer Key

A)
g(x) + 2
B)
4
C) 12
D) 36
108
324
 ADVANCED
ARITHMETIC
ADVANCED ARITHMETIC
ANSWERS
PRACTICE 1 (Page 19)
KEY
A. C. D.
1. 109 1. 6(57 + 13) = 420
2. 38 2. 51(48 + 50 + 52) = 7650
3. -3 3. ab + ac - ad
4. 10 4. x(y – z)
5. 15 5. c(ab + xy)
PRACTICE 2 (Page 22)
B. D.
A.
6. 3 1. 0.374
2. 1547.7
3. 186
4. -2.89

B. Correct answer: c

C. Correct answer: c
ANSWERS KEY
PRACTICE 3 (Page 36) 1. Correct answer: A 4. Correct answer: C

1. Correct answer: A
2. Correct answer: A
3. Correct answer: C
4. Correct answer: B
5. Correct answer: C 2. Correct answer: B
6. Correct answer: D
7. Correct answer: D 5. Correct answer: A
8. Correct answer: D
9. Correct answer: D
10. Correct answer: B
3. Correct answer: A
PRACTICE 4 (Page 83)

11. Correct answer: A

6. Correct answer: A
ANSWERS KEY
PRACTICE 4 (Page 83) 10. Correct answer: D

7. Correct answer: B

12.Correct answer: 6

1st. equation:

8. Correct answer: 0.04

11.Correct answer: C

grams

9. Correct answer: C
ANSWERS KEY
PRACTICE 4 (Page 83)

13. Correct answer: D 16.Correct answer: D

15.Correct answer: A

14.Correct answer: C