SAT Multiple Choice Questions

Multiple choice questions constitute about 75% of the Math questions on the SAT. The remaining 25% of the questions are grid-in or student response questions. As you can guess, multiple choice questions present you with 5 possible answer choices and only one of the answer choices is the correct answer. The multiple choice questions are ears, since the answer is always right in front of you. You just need to pick the right one! We are making it sound easy isn't it? The advantage of multiple choice questions is that you may not have to calculate the answer all the way.

There are various techniques available for you to identify the right answer. We will cover those in a minute. However be warned that SAT is famous for carefully laid out traps. Questions that seemingly look simple and straightforward aren't necessarily so. You should be careful and must not fall in the trap! Some answers may be very close to others in value and some may be testing completely opposite concepts.

The best strategy is to have a solid foundation and understanding of all basic math skills in Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry. Following tips and tricks can be very beneficial.

Tips and Tricks for Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Snapwiz plugging in answer choice strategy: In Multiple Choice questions the answer is listed as one of the choices. One of the ways to solve these is to substitute the answer choice in the question and work backwards. You need not use all of the choices since you might get it right the first time or after the second or third time. If you are taking this route, it's a good idea to start with answer choice C and work backward and forward until you have found the right answer.
2. Snapwiz Plugging in your Own Number Strategy: Afraid of algebra equations? Often time's algebra questions can be solved by plugging in your own numbers in the variable. If you see variables in the answer choices, consider using plugging-in your own numbers. You will be pleasantly surprised how easy it can be to solve such questions.
3. Snapwiz Elimination Strategy: SAT Math section may have some very obvious wrong answers. These are answers that violate some very basic math principal's e.g. absolute value of a function as negative, sum of internal angles of a triangle greater than 180 degrees and so on. If you are able to eliminate some of these answer choices, you can guess from among the remaining ones. Remember the basic tenet, if you are able to eliminate even one answer choice, guess! If you can eliminate even one obviously incorrect answer and work with limited choices, you improve your probability of getting the right answer.
4. Snapwiz Guessing Strategy: On the SAT, you will face some questions that are very complicated and you may not have sufficient time to solve them. What should you do? Remember, an incorrect answer does negatively impact your score. To be precise, you are penalized with a negative 0.25 points if you get a wrong answer on a multiple choice question. However if you are able to eliminate even one answer choice, you should guess. The reason: simple probability. Your odds of getting the right answer increases Use your common sense, sound judgment and logical thinking to narrow down on the answer.
5. Using Math Concepts: If any of the above strategies don't work for you, you do need to apply Math concept to answer the questions. However be careful! You will be presented with confusing or very similar concepts. Sometimes you will be required to solve the question all the way to the answer because there might be slight differences between the multiple answers. It is a good idea to mark or underline key words as the SAT questions are designed
6. The Calculator Strategy: Truth be told, you will not need a calculator for any of the questions on the Math section. However having a calculator can be helpful, provided you know how to smartly use one. Remember: most SAT questions do not need calculator. Therefore if you find yourself doing extensive calculations to arrive at an answer. Stop and step back. You may be on the wrong path and there is probably an easier approach to solving the problem that you may have overlooked.
7. Annotation Strategy: The diagrams and graphs are accurately represented in the test unless stated otherwise. You can use the test paper as scratch paper to write. You can also use approximation as most questions do not involve long calculations.
8. Order of Difficulty: The questions are organized in such a way that the easier questions are asked first and then getting progressively difficult. You can improve your score by getting the easy ones under your belt first quickly since they require less time. This helps build your confidence and you can work at a steady pace through the more difficult questions.
9. Practice! Practice! Practice! The more questions you solve as your SAT preparation the more chances are you would get a question in SAT that you would have solved earlier. As you practice solving questions apply the tips and tricks listed above and fine tune your Math skills.