Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT & PSAT [Paperback]

Kurt Trenkmann (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1882228006 | ISBN-13: 978-1882228003 | Publication Date: September 1996

Most SAT preparation books on the market offer a review of arithmetic algebra and geometry and include general strategies with practice exams. Unlike these traditional study guides, this book is a supplement with 34 specific shortcuts and strategies for the mathematics portion of SAT and PSAT college entrance exams. Fractions, quantitative comparisons, square roots, algebraic expressions, and geometric concepts are just a few of the topics that are covered. Each shortcut is described in a step-by-step method and examples are provided. A concise summary of formulas and concepts along with a glossary of terms is also included. Students who need an extra edge on the mathematical portion of these tests will benefit from the specific strategies in this book.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT and the New PSAT/NMSQT contains the most ex tensive and unique collection of math shortcuts and strategies for the College Entran ce Exam (SAT and PSAT) available today. Not merely a review of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, an d some general strategies, Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT and the New PSAT/NMSQT illustrates 34 speci fic shortcuts and techniques that supplement other test preparations programs. Complete wit h step-by-step examples, answers to all exercises, an extensive glossary and index, a concise summ ary of geometry formulas and concepts, easy to understand explanations, and explanations of applie d math fundamentals, Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT and the New PSAT/NMSQT is a highly recommended a ddition to all school and community SAT and PSAT reference book collections. -- Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

We believe this SAT study-guide offers a unique format as well as innovative content.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 101 pages
• Publisher: Achievement Publishing (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882228006
• ISBN-13: 978-1882228003
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,210,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a winner!, January 21, 2003

By 

"fisky" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT & PSAT (Paperback)

To help my nephew prepare for the SAT, I bought several products: Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT by Achievement Publishing, Cracking the SAT by Princeton Review, Kaplan's SAT Online training program (by far, the most expensive), and last-year's Kaplan SAT CD software. The best products by far were Cracking the SAT (Princeton Review) and Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT.

Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT is a short, quick read of 34 tips with related examples. (By the way, don't take the title LITERALLY. You probably won't "ace" the SAT. It's a common practice to tout a book by giving it an ambitious title.)

I didn't care for Kaplan's math format at all. Cracking the SAT (Princeton Review) was easier to understand and gave clearer tips to crack the hard problems, but Math Shortcuts... was easiest of all to learn. It's barely 100 pages, far less intimidating than the other books. I was able to read it and do all the examples in two evening sessions.

I took a sample SAT myself and scored in the low to mid 600s in math and verbal, but I'd didn't have a clue how to solve some of the math questions. (By the way, "Cracking the SAT" (Princeton Review) explains why the harder questions are things you'll never see in high school math classes.) After reading Math Shortcuts, I retested on the last five of twenty-five questions on two sample math sections to see how I improved.

As you know, the last questions are always the hardest. On these 10 hardest questions, before reading Math Shortcuts, I got 3 correct, 3 wrong, and 4 that I didn't attempt. After reading Math Shortcuts, I got 10 correct. I doubt that I could get a perfect score consistently, but the book obviously helped me. Since there are three math sections (not just two), my math score would probably have improved by over 100 points. (However, I took a lot of math in college and use it at work, so my results might not reflect that of the typical high school student.)

My nephew confirmed that he liked Math Shortcuts to Ace the Sat best of all. After studying the book, he took a sample SAT and increased his math score 90 points.

He found Kaplan's SAT online to be the least useful of all.

In summary, I'd highly recommend Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT by Achievement Publishing to improve SAT math scores. For verbal and overall study, I'd recommend Cracking the SAT by Princeton Review. It does a good job of explaining how and when to guess and how the SAT is scored. Its explanations of how crack analogies was clearer than Kaplan. Its grouping of common SAT vocabulary words into common categories was far superior to Kaplain's memorization approach.

One final warning to parents. Don't expect your kids to do well on the SAT because they are good students. The SAT doesn't measure that. Get them some good study resources a few months before the test; otherwise, your student will be handicapped when he/she takes the SAT compared to students who have used good resources.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mostly Common Sense!, July 22, 2003

By 

"markdesai1" (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT & PSAT (Paperback)

I purchased this book to help me prepare for the SAT I. I have always been good in school math classes, but the SAT I promotes speed and guessing over meticulous work, so I decided to give this book a try, as I was constantly running out of time on practice exams. Much to my dismay, most of the "shortcuts" found in this book are common sense to most 11th graders, and nearly anyone who has taken elementary high school math. I did not find any of the shortcuts to be helpful.

If you are a 500-550 math student, then this may be the book for you. For anyone aiming for a 650-700 or higher, this book is worthless. Nearly all of the shortcuts found in this book are also found in any decent SAT prep book, such as Barron's How to Prepare for the SAT I. Barron's provides more tactics, more (and better) practice problems, and costs about the same.

If you think there are any shortcuts in this book that are worth the price, you will be severely dissapointed.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Help for SAT, July 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Math Shortcuts to Ace the SAT & PSAT (Paperback)

This is a very well understood and clearly written book. It helped me greatly for the SAT and it will definetely help you. I give it a 5 star rating. And it also has a great price tag!