McGRAW-HILLS CONQUERING SAT MATH
THIRD EDITIONRobert Postman Professor of Mathematics and Education
Mercy College, New York
Ryan Postman Mathematics Department
Pasack Hills High School, New Jersey
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book shows you how to get your highest possible score on the New SAT: Mathematics Test. Hundreds of high school students, just like you, field tested this book. Much of what is here reflects these students opinions about what was most helpful to them.
The book has also been reviewed by many high school teachers and college faculty, and it incorporates many of their suggestions about what will be most helpful to you. This book has over 600 realistic SAT problems with explained answers. Many of those problems are in five SAT Math Practice Tests. The rest of the problems are in the chapters that review all of the mathematics concepts on the new SAT. These review chapters have hundreds more examples and practice exercises to help you sharpen your mathematics skills. Special thanks go to Elizabeth Postman, a mathematics teacher, who was a driving force behind the development of this book.
Thanks go to Judy Brendel, Mathematics Supervisor, who supported the development of this book. Particular thanks go to John Uhl, Janet Telesmanich, Charleen Martinelli, Kevin Killian, and Michelle Gaeta. These talented mathematics teachers reviewed the SAT Math Practice Tests. Thanks are due also to the hundreds of high school students who reviewed every part of this book. Thanks are also due to Texas Instruments for permission to use images of their calculators.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Conquering SAT Math, Third Edition, covers all the mathematics topics and all the problem types on the new version of the SAT.
It is the SAT you will take. Every page in this book was field tested by high school students and reviewed by experienced high school math teachers. We listened very carefully to student and teacher recommendations to create a book that will work for you. You learn mathematics by doing mathematics. The review sections of this book contain hundreds of examples and practice problems. The review sections also feature worked-out model SAT problemsmore than 300 practice SAT problems with explained answers.
There are another 270 SAT problems with explained answers in five SAT Mathematics Practice Tests. Thats more than 600 worked-out SAT practice problems in all. We review each of the 17 major areas on the SAT in 17 separate chapters. Each chapter begins with a clear review and practice with answers. Next come several worked-out SAT problems to show you how to apply the mathematics concepts to the SAT format. Then comes a whole set of practice SAT problems in each chapter, with explained answers.
The problems generally increase in difficulty. The five mathematics practice tests follow the review chapters. Each test reflects the mix of mathematics problems you will find on the real SAT. The tests are deliberately a little more difficult than the actual SAT. You will get an estimated mathematics score range for each test you complete. We show you strategies for answering SAT multiple choice and grid-in math questions.
However, the most important strategy is to think mathematically, just like the people who make up the test do. These test writers always have particular mathematics skills and concepts in mind as they write an item. Knowing how to spot those concepts is usually the secret to getting a high score. Youll learn that from this book.
You Decide How Much Review You Need
This book is designed to help you no matter how much SAT mathematics preparation you need.
I need to practice SAT problems.
I need to take practice SAT Tests.
I need to take practice SAT Tests.
Work through the review chapters and then take the practice tests. I need to practice SAT problems.