Historically, each math section on the SAT has been arranged by increasing difficulty. In other words, the questions start relatively easy and get progressively more challenging, capping out at Question 22. Since the advent of the digital SAT, College Board has made the test adaptive. According to the Princeton Review:
The first module of each digital SAT section is a mix of easy, medium, and difficult questions. The second module that you’ll receive will depend on your performance on the first module. If you do well, the second module will have fewer easy questions and more difficult questions, whereas if you do not do as well, the second module will have more easy questions and fewer difficult questions. The final section score is based both on how many questions you get correct and which second module you receive.
The goal of this weekly challenge is to provide exposure to some of the tougher questions and to present novel and clever approaches to problem solving.
The image at the right shows the typical formula chart embedded into each SAT math section.
Questions from each math section of the SAT will test mastery of algebra, advanced math, problem-solving, data analysis, geometry, and trigonometry.
About one-third of the math questions on the SAT are contextual word problems, requiring you to apply your math skills to real-life scenarios involving science and social studies.
Click HERE for an in-depth look at the types of math specifically tested.