PSAT Math Information

The PSAT Math section is composed of two sub-sections: a 45-minute calculator-optional
section, and a 25-minute no-calculator section. These sections include a total of 48 questions:
40 multiple-choice questions and 8 student-produced response (or "grid-in") questions. The
multiple-choice questions provide four possible answers; students must determine which of the
four choices is the correct solution to the question. The grid-in questions require students to
calculate and grid the correct answers; no answer choices are given. Some grid-in questions can
have more than one correct answer.

The PSAT Math questions focus on four areas: heart of algebra; problem solving and data
analysis; passport to advanced math, and additional topics in math, including limited geometry,
trigonometry, and pre-calculus. The chart below provides more information about the specific
skills these questions test.

Math Area Examples

Heart of analyzing and fluently solving equations and systems of equations; creating expressions,
Algebra equations, and inequalities to represent relationships between quantities and to solve
problems; rearranging and interpreting formulas

Problem substitution and simplifying algebraic expressions; properties of exponents; algebraic
Solving & Data word problems; linear equations and inequalities; systems of equations and inequalities;

Analysis rational and radical equations; equations of lines; absolute value; direct and inverse
variation; quadratic equations; algebraic functions

Passport to area and perimeter of a polygon; area and circumference of a circle; volume;
Advanced Math Pythagorean theorem; isosceles, equilateral, and right triangles; parallel and

perpendicular lines; coordinate geometry; slope; transformations

Additional data interpretation; statistics; mean, median, and mode; probability
Topics in Math

PSAT Scores - How PSAT Scoring
Works

PSAT scores are calculated in much the same way as the new SAT scores:

 Students earn 1 point for each question answered correctly.
 Students neither lose nor gain points for questions answered incorrectly.
 Students neither lose nor gain points for questions that are skipped.

The PSAT is divided into two sections: Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing. Because
there is no penalty for guessing, a student's raw score for both of the main test areas is the
number of questions answered correctly. Raw scores are then converted to scaled scores
ranging between 160 and 760 (760 is the highest possible score for each section). The raw
scores are added together for the total PSAT score, or Selection Index, which ranges between
320 and 1520.
Unlike the SAT, the PSAT does not contain a scored essay portion. However, the College Board
will provide high schools with the option of administering a practice essay portion, called
ScoreWrite. If your school chooses to administer this practice essay, it will not be scored by the
College Board, and will not count toward your PSAT score. Its sole purpose will be to provide
students with practice for the essay portion of the SAT.

Developing a PSAT Strategy

Guessing

Because there is no penalty for wrong answers, it is in your child’s best interest to guess on any
question he or she is unsure of. Sometimes the best way to find the correct answer is to
eliminate the incorrect answers. Here are some more tips for success:

Developing a PSAT Strategy cont’d

 Answer all the questions you are certain you know how to answer, either because
you are confident in the answer choice you’ve selected or because you are able to
eliminate all the choices that don’t work, leaving you with one answer that does work.

 For those questions you are not sure how to answer, eliminate as many answer
choices as possible (that is, those answer choices that you know can’t be correct). If you
are able to eliminate one or more answer choice, it’s in your best interest to make an
educated guess from the remaining choices. However, circle the question number in
your test booklet (not on your answer sheet) so that you can come back to it at the end
if you have time.

 If you are unable to eliminate any answer choices for a question, skip it. Put a star
next to the question number in your test booklet (not on your answer sheet) so that you
can come back to it at the end if you have time. If after further review you are still
unable to eliminate any answer choices, guess.

 Remember that PSAT questions generally increase in difficulty as you work through each
type of question in a section (except on the reading passage questions, which progress
chronologically through the passage). Use this knowledge to your advantage: focus
your time and energy on the questions you have the best chance of answering
correctly (most likely the ones toward the beginning and middle of the section), and
guess on questions that are too challenging and time-consuming (most likely the
ones toward the end of the section).

Tips for Eliminating Answer Choices

Multiple-Choice Math Questions

 If you’re not sure how to approach a question, consider whether you can solve it by
plugging the answer choices back into the problem for the unknown value.

Grid-In Math Questions

 Because the grid-in math questions don’t list answer choices, you can’t eliminate answer
choices. However, because you do not lose points for incorrect answers, you should
answer all of these questions even if you aren’t sure if you have found the correct
answer. Try to use the information given in the question to make an educated guess.

Learn to look for keywords that tell you what type of problems you will solve

 Rate of change, a dollar amount per mile both represent slope
 Started at or initial deposit can represent y-intercept
 If you are given 2 coordinate pairs (that means 2 points) you can find the slope
 If you are given 2 coordinate pairs you can find the slope intercept equation
 If you are given the word ratio you probably can solve with equivalent fractions
 If it says systems of equations you know you will have to eliminate or substitute one of

the sentences to solve
 If the wording uses two categories such as people and money and the categories have

two labels you are probably going to have to use systems of equations to solve i.e.
o If you have 20 people (which includes kids and adults) and adult tickets are $15
each while kid’s tickets are $7. How many adult and kids tickets can you buy if
you have $400?
o A + K = 20 and 15A + 5K = 400
o You have 2 equations and would use system of equations substitution.

 If one side of your equation has a square root you would need to square both sides of
the equation to get rid of the square root

 Be familiar with Special right triangles formula