SHORT Q&A, Enduring Points, SAT Test Strategy: Patterns
Today’s Question for the Day is Math, short, visual, and patterned.
As you may know, I tend to write long answers to imprint a short pattern that I believe is useful for many other questions and answers, in life as well as on standardized tests. This is one of those. I have a long answer for today. However, I am putting that “answer” for how to use this solution for other problems in another column later today.
For now, I want you to look at today’s math question, the visual, and the multiple choice list of possible answers on the college board site. While you are on the site, please do read the explanation of the answer, whether you get it right the first time or not.
I cannot improve upon today’s explanation except for one thing, and this is how I, personally, got the answer correct in a short time without spending the longer time I usually do making sure all the other answers do NOT fit. That is, I was able to eliminate all but the correct answer faster by adding one thing to the way the College Board advises. After you do the question and read the explanation, come back for that visual assistance I used. http://www.collegeboard.com/
First, note that there is a warning that the drawing may not be to scale. When that warning is on a drawing, there is usually a good reason not to just think you can do something like, say, measure which is the longest line. However, this gives me a clue that IF it were to scale, I would be assisted in my quest for the answer.
Therefore, I visualize the question, to scale, as much as I can from the information given. And, from the information given, the example is somewhat to scale. All I know is that each increment is smaller than the increment after it. Conveniently, for my brain, the labels are alphabetically progressing, left to right. One thing I note in my visual is that the E is the point that could be the end of the longest line, and the A would be the other end of the longest line including these alphabetical points.
What it tests (and tests well): Can you follow patterns? Can you notice what you can and cannot prove from information given? Can you construct new information from patterns and information given?
Later, I want to elaborate upon why these are important aspects to your aptitude for learning and how you can improve your skills, despite a feeling sometimes that they are innate. Actually, realizing what you know, connecting to what you know, and finding out what is missing to complete the evidence of what is true are learned skills. Learning to prove what is not true is sometimes more difficult than proving what is true.
That is why a test with the answer given is still a test. On the SAT, for example, you have the answer. Does that mean you are going to get it right each time?
No, the test designers do not intend for you to get all of the answers correct. The test is designed to find the students who have more aptitude for learning than others and to find which areas are most developed in these students. Displaying the areas of your talents and interests can be helpful here. This can be beneficial to you.
When you discover an ability to learn some of these concepts, you may notice some question types that you like to do or recognize more than others. In short, you may find some abilities you have by practicing the styles of questions. If you practice in a game format, you are more likely to notice this than in a classroom style format.
All this, and more, is tested by this extremely brief Q&A. Look at it on the College Board site, please. This is the way it will appear on the test. There will be many questions testing whether you are able to discern what some people can discern from the information you are provided, including what proof you do NOT have. This process of evaluating the evidence you have is important for all critical thinking—whether you are a lawyer, a doctor, a judge, an architect, a writer, a copywriter, a voter, a parent, a student, a cashier, a truck driver, a farmer, a baby, or—well, you get the idea.
