Table of Contents
Part 1 The SAT and You 1
Chapter 1 Inside the SAT 3
SAT Structure 3
Part 2 SAT Math 9
Chapter 2 Prerequisite Skills and Calculator Use 11
Math Fundamentals 11
Calculator Use 20
Chapter 3 The Method for SAT Math Questions 23
How to Do SAT Math 23
A Note About Grid-ins 29
Next Steps 31
Part 2A The Heart of Algebra 35
Chapter 4 Linear Equations and Graphs 37
How Much Do You Know? 38
Solving Equations 42
Word Problems 46
Linear Graphs 50
On Test Day 54
How Much Have You Learned? 55
Next Steps 59
Chapter 5 Systems of Linear Equations 67
How Much Do You Know? 68
Substitution 71
Combination 73
Number of Possible Solutions 76
On Test Day 79
Pythagorean Theorem 349
Special Right Triangles 353
Circles 356
Arc Length and Sectors 359
Three-Dimensional Figures 364
On Test Day 370
How Much Have You Learned? 371
Next Steps 378
Chapter 14 Trigonometry 391
How Much Do You Know? 392
Sine, Cosine, and Tangent 395
On Test Day 399
How Much Have You Learned? 400
Next Steps 402
Chapter 15 Imaginary Numbers 407
How Much Do You Know? 408
Arithmetic Operations with Complex Numbers 411
On Test Day 414
How Much Have You Learned? 415
Next Steps 417
Chapter 16 SAT Math: Timing and Section Management Strategies 421
SAT Math Timing and Triage 421
Part 3 SAT Reading 431
Chapter 17 The Method for SAT Reading Questions 433
How to Do SAT Reading 433
How Much Have You Learned? 452
Next Steps 461
Chapter 18 SAT Reading Passage Strategies 463
How Much Do You Know? 464
SAT Reading Strategies-Keywords, Margin Notes, and the Big Picture Summary 469
How Much Have You Learned? 481
Chapter 19 SAT Reading Question Types 493
How Much Do You Know? 494
How to Unpack SAT Reading Question Stems 497
How Much Have You Learned? 504
Next Steps 506
Chapter 20 Answering SAT Reading Questions 509
How Much Do You Know? 510
How to Answer SAT Reading Questions 517
How Much Have You Learned? 540
Next Steps 545
Chapter 21 Paired Passages and Primary Source Passages 553
How Much Do You Know? 554
How to Approach SAT Paired Passages and Primary Sources 558
How Much Have You Learned? 567
Next Steps 571
Chapter 22 Literature Passages 579
How Much Do You Know? 580
How to Read Literature for the SAT 584
How Much Have You Learned? 591
Next Steps 595
Chapter 23 SAT Reading: Timing and Section Management Strategies 601
Timing 601
Section Management 601
How Much Have You Learned? 603
Part 4 SAT Writing and Language 631
Chapter 24 The Method for SAT Writing and Language Questions 633
How to Do SAT Writing and Language 633
Chapter 25 Spotting and Fixing Errors: Sentence Structure, Punctuation, and Agreement 639
How Much Do You Know? 640
Sentence Structure: The Basics 643
Sentence Structure: Commas, Dashes, and Colons 648
Agreement: Verbs 654
Agreement: Pronouns 659
Agreement: Modifiers 664
Agreement: Parallelism 670
Agreement: Idioms 673
How Much Have You Learned? 679
Next Steps 682
Chapter 26 Spotting and Fixing Issues: Conciseness, Organization, Development, and Graphs 691
How Much Do You Know? 692
Conciseness 697
Organization: Transitions 702
Organization: Sentence Placement 706
Development: Word Choice 711
Development: Relevance 715
Development: Revising Text 719
Introductions and Conclusions 723
Graphs 727
How Much Have You Learned? 731
Next Steps 735
Chapter 27 SAT Writing and Language: Timing and Section Management Strategies 743
Timing 743
Section Management 743
How Much Have You Learned? 744
Part 5 SAT Essay 761
Chapter 28 The Method for the SAT Essay 763
Should I Write the SAT Essay? 763
Essay Essentials 767
Dissecting the Prompt 770
What the Graders Want 777
How Much Have You Learned? 784
Part 6 Countdown to Test Day 787
Chapter 29 Countdown to Test Day 789
Part 7 Practice Tests 793
SAT Practice Test 1 795
SAT Practice Test 2 877
