Using SAT® Skills Insight™

Using SAT® Skills Insight™

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SAT 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.

Mathematics Skill Groups: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1. Number and Operations

Academic Skills

A typical student in this score band can do the following:

  • SKILL 1: Identify, use, and represent fractions and percents in arithmetic and algebraic settings
  • SKILL 2: Use properties of even and odd numbers, multiples, and factors
  • SKILL 3: Identify and use the names for place values in solving problems involving decimal representations (e.g., tenths and hundredths)
  • SKILL 4: Use properties of inequalities to compare and order numbers

Suggestions for Improvement

To prepare for the next score band, try the following:

  • Solve problems using ideas from basic set theory and basic number theory
  • Recognize and apply ratio, proportion, or percent in solving problems
  • Use properties of real number operations, ordering, and the zero-product property
  • Solve problems involving counting techniques

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, use, and represent fractions and percents in arithmetic and algebraic settings

Which of the following is equivalent to 3 percent of x ?

  • 0.03x
  • 0.3x
  • 3x
  • 30x
  • 300x
Answer: A
Skill 2—Example

Use properties of even and odd numbers, multiples, and factors

If d is an odd integer and n is an even integer, then 2d + 5n must be

  • even
  • odd
  • a multiple of 5
  • a multiple of 7
  • the square of an integer
Answer: A
Skill 3—Example

Identify and use the names for place values in solving problems involving decimal representations (e.g., tenths and hundredths)

What is 2.0645 rounded to the nearest tenth?

  • 2.0
  • 2.1
  • 2.6
  • 2.06
  • 2.066
Answer: B
Skill 4—Example

Use properties of inequalities to compare and order numbers

If n is an integer and n over 10 less then 7 over 10 less then n plus 2 over 10, then n =

  • 3
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 10
Answer: C