• Familiarize yourself with the directions ahead of time.
  • The test does not require you to memorize formulas. Commonly used formulas are provided in the test book at the beginning of each mathematics section. It is up to you to decide which formula is appropriate.
  • Read the problem carefully. Note key words that tell you what the problem is asking. Ask yourself the following questions before you solve each problem: What is the question asking? What do I know?
  • With some problems, it may be useful to draw a sketch or diagram of the given information.
  • Use the test book for scratchwork. You are not expected to do all the reasoning and figuring in your head. You will not receive credit for anything written in the booklet, but you will be able to check your work easily later.
  • Decide when to use a calculator.
  • For multiple-choice questions, you may want to refer to the answer choices before you determine your answer.
  • Eliminate choices. If you don't know the correct answer to a question, try some of the choices. It's sometimes easier to find the wrong answers than the correct one. On some questions, you can eliminate all the incorrect choices.
  • Make sure your answer is a reasonable answer to the question asked. This is especially true for student-produced response questions where no answer choices are given.
  • All figures are drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated.