CliffsNotes PSAT/NMSQT Cram Plan

by Jane R. Burstein, Carolyn C. Wheater

Overview

CliffsNotes PSAT/NMSQT Cram Plan uses calendars to create a specific study plan for PSAT test-takers depending on how much time they have left before they take the test.

The PSAT/NMSQT is taken by over 3 million 10th graders and 11th graders every year as a pretest for the SAT and also to award prestigious college scholarships via the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC/NMSQT).

Features of this plan-to-ace-the-exam product include:

• Timed, boxed calendars for preparing to take the test-two-month study calendar, one-month study calendar, and one-week study calendar
• Diagnostic test that helps test-takers pinpoint strengths and weaknesses so they can focus their review on topics in which they need the most help
• Subject reviews that cover everything on the exam: reading, math, and writing
• Full-length model practice test with answers and explanations

The PSAT/NMSQT is administered once a year in October.

Go with the name you've known and trusted for years-CliffsNotes!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780544974272
Publisher:	Cliffs Notes Inc.
Publication date:	07/03/2018
Series:	Cliffsnotes Test Prep
Edition description:	New edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

JANE R. BURSTEIN has been a PSAT, SAT, and ACT tutor for over 30 years. She taught at Herricks High School in New Hyde Park, New York, for 36 years.

CAROLYN WHEATER is a math instructor at the Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City and writes extensively on standardized test mathematics.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

About the Test xi

Using a Graphing Calculator xi

About This Book xii

General Test-Taking Strategies xii

I Two-Month Cram Plan 1

II One-Month Cram Plan 5

III One-Week Cram Plan 9

IV Diagnostic Test 11

Answer Sheet 13

Section 1 Reading Test 15

Section 2 Writing and Language Test 24

Section 3 Math Test-No Calculator 29

Section 4 Math Test-Calculator 34

Answer Key 41

Section 1 Reading Test 41

Section 2 Writing and Language Test 41

Section 3 Math Test-No Calculator 41

Section 4 Math Test-Calculator 41

Answer Explanations 42

Section 1 Reading Test 42

Section 2 Writing and Language Test 44

Section 3 Math Test-No Calculator 46

Section 4 Math Test-Calculator 48

Scoring the Diagnostic Test 52

V Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: The Reading Test 53

A Overview 53

B Content 54

1 U.S. and World Literature 54

2 Analysis in History/Social Studies 54

3 Science 54

C Focus Skills 54

1 Words in Context 55

2 Command of Evidence 58

a Skills: Comprehend, Find the Main Idea, and Determine the Primary Purpose 58

b Skills: Make Inferences, Locate Evidence, and Find Relationships 60

c Skills: Synthesize and Extend Reasoning 62

d Skills: Understand Structure and Evaluate Persuasiveness 64

3 Analysis of Data in Graphics 66

4 Disciplinary Literacy 68

a Literature 68

b History/Social Studies 70

c Science 71

D Additional Practice 74

Answer Explanations 81

VI Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: The Writing and Language Test 85

A The Format of the Writing and Language Test 85

B Specific Skills Tested on the Writing and Language Test 85

1 Conventions of Punctuation 85

a Apostrophes 85

b Commas 87

c Colons 91

d Semicolons 93

e Dashes 94

f Parentheses 95

g Question Marks and Exclamation Marks 96

2 Conventions of Usage in Standard Written English 97

a Pronoun Use 97

b Agreement 101

c Comparisons 104

d Verb Use 107

e Modification 110

f Parallelism 112

g Sentence Structure 113

3 Rhetoric 115

a Style 115

b Writing Strategy 116

c Organization 117

d Redundancy 119

e Idioms 120

f Diction and Vocabulary 121

g Quantitative Literacy 122

C Additional Practice 124

Answer Explanations 127

VII Tier 2 Vocabulary 129

VIII The Heart of Algebra 137

A Linear Expressions and Functions 137

Practice 138

Answers 139

B Linear Equations in One Variable 139

Practice 140

Answers 141

C Linear Inequalities in One Variable 142

Practice 142

Answers 143

D Graphs of Linear Equations and Inequalities in Two Variables 144

Practice 145

Answers 146

E Systems of Linear Equations in Two Variables 147

Substitution Method 148

Elimination Method 148

Practice 148

Answers 150

F Systems of Linear Inequalities in Two Variables 151

Practice 151

Answers 154

IX Problem Solving and Data Analysis 157

A Ratios and Rates 157

Practice 157

Answers 158

B Proportions and Percents 159

Practice 160

Answers 161

C Measurement and Unit Conversions 162

Practice 162

Answers 163

D Scatterplots and a Line or Curve of Best Fit 164

Practice 165

Answers 168

E Linearand Exponential Growth 169

Practice 170

Answers 172

F Two-Way Tables and Probability 172

Practice 173

Answers 175

G Statistics 176

Practice 176

Answers 178

X Passport to Advanced Math 179

A Equivalent Expressions and Isolating Variables 179

Practice 179

Answers 180

B Compositions of Functions and Transformations 181

Practice 185

Answers 187

C Solving Quadratic Equations 188

Practice 189

Answers 190

D Systems of Equations Consisting of One Linear and One Non-Linear Equation 191

Practice 192

Answers 194

E Arithmetic Operations on Polynomials 196

Practice 197

Answers 198

F Zeros and Factors of Polynomials 199

Practice 200

Answers 201

G Arithmetic Operations on Rational Expressions 202

Practice 203

Answers 205

H Rational Exponents and Radicals 206

Practice 207

Answers 208

I Rational and Radical Equations 209

Practice 210

Answers 211

XI Additional Topics in Math 215

A Volume, Area, and Perimeter 215

Practice 215

Answers 217

B Pythagorean Theorem 217

Practice 218

Answers 220

C Congruence and Similarity 220

Practice 222

Answers 223

D Trigonometric Ratios 224

Practice 226

Answers 228

E Geometry of the Circle 228

Practice 229

Answers 231

F Radians, Degrees, and Arc Lengths 233

Practice 234

Answers 236

G Circles in the Coordinate Piane 237

Practice 237

Answers 239

H Complex Numbers 240

Practice 241

Answers 242

XII Full-Length Practice Test with Answer Explanations 245

Answer Sheet 245

Section 1 Reading Test 247

Section 2 Writing and LanguageTest 259

Section 3 Math Test - No Calculator 268

Section 4 Math Test - Calculator 274

Answer Key 288

Section 1 The Reading Test 288

Section 2 The Writing and Language Test 288

Section 3 Math Test - No Calculator 289

Section 4 Math Test-Calculator 289

Answer Explanations 290

Section 1 The Reading Test 290

Section 2 The Writing and Language Test 294

Section 3 Math Test - No Calculator 298

Section 4 Math Test - Calculator 300

Scoring the Full-Length Practice Test 306

Appendix: Using a Graphing Calculator 309

A Evaluate a Numerical Expression 309

B Evaluate Trigonometric Ratios and Functions 311

C Perform Arithmetic with Complex Numbers 313

D Solve an Equation Using Zeros (x-intercepts) 315

E Solve an Equation or Inequality Using Intersecting Graphs 317

F Solve a System of Equations Using Intersecting Graphs 319

G Find Statistical Measures of Center 321

H Create a Plot of Data Points and Find an Equation to Fit Them 322