The 20th and the 21st SAT Questions for the day are back to ‘RACECAR’ questions. These are the ones to use the strategy of eliminating all of the possible answers. I favor the language arts questions because of my own ability to solve them rapidly. For the same reason, however, I am wary of the pitfalls inherent in rushing. Therefore, my strategies for the questions relating to improving sentences and to choosing words to fill in blanks include the admonishment to pace appropriately; to be sure to answer the question asked; and to eliminate all of the other possibilities.
These strategies to CHECK your answer once you feel you know the answer are my ways to make sure you do not skim the ‘RACECAR’ questions too rapidly, as I have done, on occasion. I know that each correct answer on the SAT test counts one point. I know some students miss answers they know because they are too casual on those questions.
However, you have to understand, too, that the way you work on the type of questions and answers that you understand and all of the ones you can check rapidly—such as the questions and answers I call ‘RACECAR’ questions and answers—are quite different from most mathematics questions. Most of the mathematics questions and answers cannot be solved quickly enough to allow you to eliminate all of the other answers.
In short: As I have noted many times: Do not use the same ‘elimination’ strategy in the math portions of the test that you use in the language arts and some other portions of the test.
Pacing does not allow you the time to work the problems to eliminate the wrong answers in the mathematics section and in some other sections of the test.
The correct strategy to use when you have calculations to do is:
1) Figure out what you need to know. Read the problem while visualizing it.
2) Notice what you do know. BE AWARE THAT YOU HAVE MORE INFO THAN YOU NEED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
3) Write down the question as simply as you can.
4) Calculate carefully to find the answer—making notes and pictures.
5) Look for the answer in the multiple choice list.
6) Mark the answer on your answer sheet and mark the booklet to come back; and
7) Move on.
The catch in mathematics is that you have extra information. This is where the scholastic aptitude test kicks in to find out if you are able to pace yourself and to move on while you are still aware that you have not used everything you can do.
You will find that you have more information, but you still do not know what to do with it sometimes. Jot down what you know. Make some predictions and guesstimates—Guess about an answer, and mark the problem to come back. Do not keep doodling with it. You have too much information if you do not know the answer.
Come back to this column, and we will talk about the math problems on Wednesday. There are some helpful things to do about the mathematics section that will help you—if you are a whiz in math or even if you are not a whiz in math.
