ACT Review

ACT Review

Time management

• 60 questions/60 minutes• This is an AVERAGE time per question• If you work 20 minutes and have answered 20

questions, you are behind

Time management

• Some questions will be quick; others will take more

• Build up a time bank• Many questions take 10-15 seconds• Save extra time for other questions

• Use time bank on more difficult questions

Time management

• Do some questions in 10 seconds• Spend extra time on tough ones• Do not OBSESS• There are some questions you will not know• Do not dig in your heels and be determined to get it• Mark it and move on• Be sure to stay on the right question on answer sheet

• Stay on right bubble

Time management

• On the hard questions:• Take a quick educated guess• Circle the question number in the exam booklet• Mark the answer on the bubble sheet• This keeps you on the right number on the bubble sheet• If you do run out of time, at least you will have and

answer on the sheet; you will not accidentally leave an answer blank

• Remember: • There is no guessing penalty on the ACT

Estimation

• Calculators• Allowed on ACT• Should not need to use them often (if at all)

• Questions will take longer using calculator

Estimation

• ACT does not want you spending time calculating

• You will never see this on ACT

• ACT is looking for concepts• Many answers do not even require

computation

8.625*1.678

Estimation

• Frequently, trig answers are only the set up of the equation

• Answer choices are not decimal calculations• Example:• a. • b.

12 tan 4212 / tan 42

Estimation

• Close enough usually good enough• Example: calculate when• Use or approximately 48 rather than doing

exact calculation on calculator• Answers will usually be sufficiently different to

get the correct one

2 r 8r 6*8

Other strategies

• Look at the answers first• This will help you attack the problem• If the answers are all integers, then estimation is a

good idea• If the answers are expressions, then computation is

not necessary. Leave the calculator on the desk.

Other strategies

• Guess and test• Legitimate strategy• Use when you have no idea on a problem• Use when there are a few obviously wrong

answers• Use when it is the quickest way (difficult I know)• e.g. finding GCF

Bill’s Rules

• Use Bill’s Rule #1• Write down the computation, equation, etc.• You are under pressure; you will not be able to do even

simple calculations in your head.• Your will forget something, e.g. negatives, parentheses,

order of operations• Do not rely on your brain for this; use your brain for

concepts

Bill’s Rules

• Use Bill’s rule #2• Go back to the definition, principle, etc.• Think about what concepts is being discussed• Recall relationship• Write it down

Straight lines

• Slope intercept form of line• Point slope form of line• Slope of a line• Intercepts of line• Slope of lines• Parallel• Perpendicular

Straight lines

• Distance between points• Midpoint between points

Trig

• SOH CAH TOA• Pythagorean identities• Special right triangles• Pythagorean triples

Trig

• Pythagorean triples (and their multiples)• 3, 4, 5 (6, 8, 10) (9, 12, 15)• 5, 12, 13• 8, 15, 17• 7, 24, 25

Functions

• Odd/even functions• Basic function shapes• Function manipulation• Vertical shift• Vertical stretch• Horizontal shift• Horizontal stretch

Equations

• Solutions to equations• Make statement “true”

• Graphical interpretation of solutions• X-intercepts• Zeros of a function

Quadratic equations

• Solutions• Number of solutions• Graphical representations

• Quadratic formula• Usage• Discriminant• Discriminant values

Miscellaneous

• Basic probability• Multiplication rule• Permutations• Combinations

• The goal is to pass• Score as many points as possible• Maximize your score• A perfect paper is unattainable