I’d like to share with you a powerful technique that I teach students in my 6-Week Math SAT Bootcamp …
(By the way, the LAST program of this school year starts on Tuesday, April 28. Get the details here: https://mathsatbootcamp.com)
If you’re like most students, you’ve been taught that when it comes to solving word problems on the SAT (or ACT or any other math test), the first thing you should do is read the problem from beginning to end.
That’s terrible advice!
Let me explain …
Math is its own language, but word problems are written in English.
To solve the problem, you’ll have to “translate” the question from English to Math. Make sense?
In order to do that, you’ll first have to FIND the question.
A word problem will usually contain many words that have nothing to do with the math question you’re being asked to answer.
So instead of reading all those words first, just find the question! (Hint: it’s usually not at the beginning of the word problem, but rather at the end.)
Once you’ve found the question and translated it from English to Math, you can answer the question. Simple!
The truth is that word problems are designed to trick you …
Many students will waste a lot of time trying to figure them out and end up completely confused. Sometimes they’ll even make up a question they’re not being asked.
To review, here are the two steps for solving any word problem:
1) Find the question;
2) Answer the question.
It’s simple but powerful techniques like these that have enabled students in my Math SAT Bootcamp to raise their math score on the SAT by up to 100 points in just 6 weeks.
Want to experience this for yourself? The LAST 6-week Math SAT Bootcamp of the school year starts next week, on Tuesday evening, April 28, and it ends just in time for the June 6th test date.
Seats are limited, but there are still a few spots available if you act fast. I hope you can join us!
To see these “2 Simple Steps for Solving Word Problems” in action, watch this excerpt from the Mr. D Math SAT Prep DVD:
