Using SAT® Skills Insight™
closeSAT Skills Insight is only a general guide. Its goal is to help you determine and improve your current skill levels in the areas tested on the SAT.
Review Your Options: Begin by determining the level your skills are at right now. Look at each score band to see what types of skills it requires. Decide how comfortable you feel with the skills described. Don’t worry if you’re not an exact match for any one score band; it’s normal to have some of the skills in the next higher or lower band.
Make Your Selection: Start by looking at the scores you earned on the PSAT/NMSQT®, SAT, and any practice tests you have taken. Then choose a separate score band for each section of the SAT—for example, 300–390 for math, 400–490 for critical reading, and 500–590 for writing.
Once you’ve chosen your bands, you can look at the areas that need improvement to help you achieve more.
1. Number and Operations
NextAcademic Skills
A typical student in this score band can do the following:
- SKILL 1: Identify factors of whole numbers
- SKILL 2: Solve word problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers
Suggestions for Improvement
To prepare for the next score band, try the following:
- Recall basic mathematical facts/definitions about exponential notation, including scientific notation
- Identify a rule that describes a numerical pattern in a sequence
Skill Examples
The example questions below demonstrate the Academic Skills found in this score band. Without looking at the answers, try out the questions to see how comfortable you feel with the skills they test.
Skill 1—Example
Identify factors of whole numbers
Each of the following is a factor of 80 EXCEPT
- 5
- 8
- 12
- 16
- 40
Skill 2—Example
Solve word problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers
Conall had a box of 36 candy bars to sell for a class fundraiser. He sold 10 of the bars on his own, and his mother sold half of the remaining bars to her coworkers. If no other bars were sold, what fraction of Conall’s original 36 bars remained unsold?
