News-Record.com

I enjoyed the article about the new SAT in Sunday's News & Record page A11. How would a SAT preparation class answer the math sample questions?

Question one requires a knowledge of ratios of a strategy called plug in. The rule for ratios is, a ratio is the sum of it parts what ever is done to one part of the ratio must be done to all parts of the ratio.

• The ratio is 3 : 2 sum 5.
• I need 20 students so I multiply the sum by 4.
• 4 x 5 = 20
• 4 x 3 = 12 the students borrowed 3 books
• 4 x 2 = 8 the students borrowed 2 books
• 12 : 8 = 20 the number of students
• OR plug in Answers are in order choose middle one C
• 10 x 3 = 30 books for 10 students
• 52 - 30 = 22 books left
• 22 divided by 2 = 11 students
• 10 + 11 = 21 not 20 students Answer is too small, I would then choose E which would be too big
• So D is the correct answer
• Answer D 12 x 3 = 36 books for 12 students
• 52 - 36 = 16 books left
• 16 divided by 2 = 8 students
• 12 + 8 = 20 students

Question 2 requires that the student understands absolute notation. Student could use Plug in to find correct answer. In this case answer C is correct.

• x - 3 = (-2) - 3 = 5
• once you have performed the math there are no negative numbers in absolute notation
• Answer A is for the student who likes algebra
• (-8) - 3 = -5 not a positive 5 which is not correct

Question 3 requires knowledge or right triangles. Student could use POE (process of elimination) or just do it (JDI) strategy to solve.

• A face of the cube is composed of two triangles, each having a 90, 45, and 45 degree angle.
• The diagonal would be 32 = 4 to the power of 2 + 4 to the power of 2
• The square root of 32 would be 5.656 the diagonal.
• AB length would be one side, 4 would be a second side, and 5.656 would be the third side.
• 32 + 16 = 48
• and the square root of 48 = 6.928 or 6.93 Answer E is correct.
• POE would discard answers A & B as too small
• AB would be between 5 and 6.

While knowledge is the best weapon on the test strategies can aid a student in finding the correct answer. Which is what the SAT measures --- the number of correct answers!

If you want free SAT preparation for your child check out Ron's SAT Blog at

Weblog: http://danewton.bravejournal.com

RSS:  http://danewton.bravejournal.com/feed.rss

Details of where free instruction can be obtained is given.

Your article was good since it didn't upset any sacred cows. It had good general information.

I could not resist the opportunity to tweak the purists about the SAT and SAT preparation efforts. A student with good common sense can do well on the SAT test. The best preparation would be to know nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, pronouns, tense, and clauses. If one doesn?t know all of that, then you have to do something to choose the right answer.

Improving Sentences

In light of that situation, let us look at question one for improving sentences.

• A would be correct if nothing were wrong with the sentence.
• Substitute answers one by one into the question.
• Do any of them sound dumb, wrong, or sensible.
• The word avoiding doesn?t sound right in the sentence.
• So answers A and B are wrong.
• What is the shortest or most direct way to say this.
• Well skin is not they!
• And signaling is not really needed
• So answers C and D are wrong.
• I will go with answer E

Question two illustrates something in question one I didn?t mention. The old 2:3 combination. Two answers use required and three use requiring.

• Do I need the pronouns he or it? Nope.
• So A & B are wrong.
• How did Franklin do this?
• Answer D appears correct.
• Nothing is gained by the words and or to.
• So C and E are wrong.

Identifying Sentence Errors

Question one is interesting because we get to choose what is wrong not correct it.

• Answer A is right
• Answer B is right
• Answer C is really awkward
• Answer D is right
• Answer E is wrong because of C
• The word at doesn?t go with last, in, or end. It does go with the word the,.

Question two is similar to question one. We get to choose again.

• A has no problems
• B has no problems
• C doesn?t sound right
• D has no problems
• What other word would be better than to be in answer C?
• As
I think would be better.
• So E is wrong and I go with answer C.
• Did Warren set up the governor to be a villain in the future or right now?

I hope I haven?t raised English teachers? blood pressure with my suggestions above. For those who say that I am not demonstrating English prowice, I agree. I thought you knew what the SAT measured! It measures the sum of the number of question correct minus 25% of the questions answered wrong. A student doesn?t have to know why the sentence is wrong just that it is indeed wrong.

Besides the student has an opportunity to display his or her English skills on the essay test question. We should not allow a student into college who doesn?t know English is another complaint I get. Colleges have remedial English courses for freshman! I also recall that a college student is not only permitted to learn but is encouraged to learn. I have the opinion that the SAT should not be the only criteria for getting into a college.