Top SAT Math Scores Go To Students Who Use the Best Math Strategies.

In the study of geometry, students are taught that it is important to prove or justify statements or answers based on theorem and fact. But the SAT is not purely about math; it is about finding solutions to problems using any one of a variety of methods.

In some cases, facts, formulas and definitions are completely unnecessary. This is often the case for questions involving drawn figures. On the SAT, if a question does not indicate that the “figure is not drawn to scale” then that figure is, definitely and absolutely, 100% guaranteed drawn to scale.

So, how can you use this fact to help you to solve an SAT question? You could, for example, fill in missing angles, distances, and congruent parts. You can assume that if something looks larger than something else, it is.  Of course it is important to keep geometric theorems in mind, but sometimes it is more efficient and effective to ask yourself a question such as:

Which angles look congruent?

Which triangle appears to be the largest?

Which line is longer?

How many times larger is one circle than the other? 

How much greater is one area than another? 

As long as you are observant, your assumptions will always be correct and you can save yourself lots of valuable time!