US Universities: The SAT Mathematics Test

All You Need To Know About the Math Section of the SAT:

Math will be your third and fourth sections on the SAT, right after Reading and Writing & Language. You’ll first get a 25-minute section, during which you can’t use a calculator. After a short break, you’ll move onto the 55-minute section. During this longer section, you’re allowed to use your calculator.

Both sections will begin with multiple-choice questions, each of which will feature four answer choices. Then you’ll be asked for some student-produced responses, more commonly known as "grid-ins." On the calculator section, some of these grid-ins will relate to one another as part of an Extended Thinking question.

Here’s the breakdown of time, number of questions, and question types on the SAT math sections.

The 3 main categories

While the math section doesn’t place a large emphasis on geometry problems, it does focus on algebra, solving equations, and data interpretation from tables and graphs. College Board sorts the question types into three main categories: Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, and Problem Solving and Data Analysis. These three realms describe about 90% of the SAT math questions. The remaining 10% are simply called Additional Topics, and they mainly include geometry, basic trigonometry, and complex numbers.

Heart of Algebra

SAT math questions in the Heart of Algebra category are to do with linear equations, inequalities, functions, and graphs. Below are the official topics as defined by College Board, followed by a summary of tasks you’ll need to be prepared for to tackle these questions and some example problems.

Official Topics

Solving linear equations and linear inequalities (in these expressions, x is a constant or the product of a constant)
Interpreting linear functions
Linear inequality and equation word problems
Graphing linear equations
Linear function word problems
Systems of linear inequalities word problems
Solving systems of linear equations

Summary of Tasks

Use multiple steps to simplify an expression or equation or solve for a variable.
Solve for a variable within functions or systems of inequalities with two variables (usually x and y).
Determine whether a given point is in a solution set or what value would make an expression have no solution.
Select a graph that shows an algebraic equation, or, on the flip side, choose the equation that describes a graph.
Indicate how a graph would be affected by a given change in its equation.

Passport to Advanced Math

While Heart of Algebra questions are focused on linear equations, Passport to Advanced Math questions have to do with nonlinear expressions, or expressions in which a variable is raised to an exponent that’s not zero or one. These questions will ask you to work with quadratic equations, exponential expressions, and word problems. Read on for the full list of topics that fall under Passport to Advanced Math, followed by a summary of tasks and three sample SAT questions.

Official Topics

Solving quadratic equations
Interpreting nonlinear expressions
Quadratic and exponential word problems
Radicals and rational exponents
Operations with rational expressions and polynomials
Polynomial factors and graphs
Nonlinear equation graphs
Linear and quadratic systems
Structure in expressions
Isolating quantities
Functions

Summary of Tasks

Solve equations by factoring or using other methods to rewrite them in another form.
Add, subtract, multiply, or divide two rational expressions or divide two polynomial expressions and simplify your results.
Select a graph that matches a nonlinear equation or an equation that corresponds to a graph.
Determine the equation of a curve from a description of a graph.
Figure out how a graph would change if its equation changed.

Problem Solving and Data Analysis

This third and final major category includes questions that ask you to work with rates, ratios, percentages, and data from graphs and tables. Read on for the official topics, a summary of tasks, and three sample questions.

Official Topics

Ratios, rates, and proportions
Percents
Units
Table data
Scatterplots
Key features of graphs
Linear and exponential growth
Data inferences
Center, spread, and shape of distributions
Data collection and conclusions

Summary of Tasks

Solve multi-step problems to calculate ratio, rate, percentage, unit rate, or density.
Use a given ratio, rate, percentage, unit rate, or density to solve a multistep problem.
Select an equation that best fits a scatterplot.
Use tables to summarize data, such as probabilities.
Estimate populations based on sample data.
Use statistics to determine mean, median, mode, range, and/or standard deviation.
Evaluate tables, graphs, or text summaries.
Determine the accuracy of a data collection method.

Additional Topics in Math

While 90% of your questions will fall into the Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, or Problem Solving and Data Analysis categories, the remaining 10% will simply be classified as Additional Topics. These topics include geometry, trigonometry, and problems with complex numbers.

Official Topics