QUESTION OF THE DAY Troy was ------- when he wasn’t elected class president: his spirits were so low that there was nothing we could say or do to cheer.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Troy was ------- when he wasn’t elected class president: his spirits were so low that there was nothing we could say or do to cheer him up.

(A) unctuous(B) disconsolate(C) ebullient(D) inscrutable(E) tenacious

Warm-Up: MathIf r is an even integer and s is an odd integer, which of the following must be true?

I. r(r + s) is even II. s2 – r is oddIII. 3r + 2s is odd

(A) None

(B) I and II only

(C) I and III only

(D) II and III only

(E) I, II, and III

How the SAT is ScoredRaw Score• Students receive 1 point for every correct answer. • For every incorrect answer to a MC question, they

lose 1/4 point. • There is no guessing penalty for grid-in questions.

Scaled Score• Each section is scored 200-800. (Critical Reading,

Writing, Mathematics)• The maximum score is 2400.• The average score is 1500.

The SAT is Standardized•norm-referenced vs. criterion-referenced

SAT Distribution Curve

200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Section Score

The Bell Curve

500400 600200 800

SAT TEST STRATEGIES

• Answer all the easy questions first • Keep moving if you get stuck --don't spend too

much time on any 1 question• Use POE (process of elimination)• Make an educated guess• Circle the questions you skip• Circle your answers in your test book• Check you answer sheet regularly to make sure

you're answering the right question• ALWAYS answer ALL Math Grid-ins• LEAVE IT BLANK IF YOU DON’T KNOW AT ALL

• Know the test directions• Keep track of time (wear a watch)• Read the questions & answers carefully• Think positively• Stay focused• Concentrate on your own progress• Get a good night’s sleep• Get all materials together the day before

– Pencils, calculator, jacket

• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!

About the Math Section• Multiple-Choice Questions

– Straightforward– 5 answer choices– Calculator permitted– Formula sheet given– Lose ¼ for wrong answer

• Grid-In Questions– Write your response in the

grid– No penalty for wrong answer

Guessing: Can it work?What happens if a student guesses on five questions?

Result:no gain, no loss.

But if we could eliminate a few answers each time…

About the Math Section• 3 Sections

– 2 25-minute sections– 1 20-minute section

• Multiple Choice & Grid In– Gradually increase in order of difficulty

• Concepts – Numbers and operations– Algebra I, II, & III– Geometry– Statistics, probability, & data analysis

Critical Thinking:Knowing what to do NEXTNEXT!

But how do we teach it?

Systematic Thinking: The 4-Step Method for Problem Solving

STEP 1: Understand the problem.STEP 2: Analyze important information.STEP 3: Plan and solve.

STEP 4: Check your work.

This method…• standardizes the language of problem

solving.• provides students with a systematic

approach.

Using the 4-Step Method•Mark buys a set of 3 tennis balls. The tennis balls are packaged in a cylindrical container. The container has a height of 10 inches and the top of the container has a diameter of 6 inches. How much space is inside the container?

• A 30 cubic inches• B 60 cubic inches• C 60 cubic inches• D 90 cubic inches

STEP 1: Understand the problem.

Scan the problem; what is it basically about? This problem is about the volume of a cylinder.

Restate the question in your own words.

What is the volume of a cylinder with a height of 10 inches and a diameter of 6 inches?

•Mark buys a set of 3 tennis balls. The tennis balls are packaged in a cylindrical container. The container has a height of 10 inches and the top of the container has a diameter of 6 inches. How much space is inside the container?

STEP 2: Analyze important information.

• Underline the clues.• Rewrite the important information in a

helpful way.I can draw it.

10 in

.

6 in.3 in.

•Mark buys a set of 3 tennis balls. The tennis balls are packaged in a cylindrical container. The container has a height of 10 inches and the top of the container has a diameter of 6 inches. How much space is inside the container?

STEP 3: Plan and solve.

My work: V r2h

(3)2(10)

(9)(10)

90in2

What do you

KNOW?

What do you

NEED?

How can you use

what you KNOW to find what

you NEED?

I know the dimensions of the cylinder.

I need to figure out the volume of the canister.

I will use the formula V r2h and substitute the correct values.

STEP 4: Check your work.

Is your answer reasonable?Yes. 90 is about 270. That’s a reasonable volume.

Can you solve the problem another way?Yes, I can use a chart instead.

Formula Values

d 6

r 3

r2 9

h 10

V r2h V (9)(10) 90

Did you answer the right question?Yes, I figured out the volume of the cylinder.

Try It Out!

•The Environmental Club receives a certain amount of money from the school to host a teach-in. They budget 40% of the funds for a guest speaker, 25% for books, 20% for use of the auditorium, and the remainder for lunch. If the club plans to spend $90 on lunch for the participants, how much do they plan to spend on the guest speaker?

•

(A)$40(B) $120(C) $150(D)$240(E) $600

STEP 1: Understand the problem.

STEP 2: Analyze important information.

STEP 3: Plan and solve.

STEP 4: Check your work.

4-Step Method for Problem Solving

MATH SECTION STRATEGIES

1. Estimate the question’s difficulty– Basic/easy

• Info needed to solve is in the question stem or diagram• Takes 1-2 steps to solve

– Moderately difficult– Hard

• Info needed to solve is hidden

2. Read the question– Circle “trap” words or words that may cause you to

make a mistake

MATH SECTION STRATEGIES3. Skip or do

– If you’re clueless, circle it in your booklet and move on

– Come back to the ones you had trouble with if time permits

4. Look for the fastest approach– Be suspicious of easy answers– Be cautious in your approach– If the chosen method involves lots of calculating,

look for another route– There’s usually a shortcut

Practice the Strategy

1. Estimate the question’s difficulty2. Read the question3. Skip or do4. Look for the fastest approach

Tackling Multiple Choice Questions

• Familiarize yourself with the directions• Ask yourself: What is the question asking?

What do I know?• Limit your time on any one question

• Know the math formulas that will be given to save time from having to flip back

GIVEN FORMULAS• Area of a triangle• Perimeter of a triangle• Special right triangle angles• Area of a circle• Circumference of a circle• Volume of a cylinder• Area of a rectangle• Degrees in a circle, triangle, and straight line