In this guide
Let me be upfront about what these are and aren't. "Tricks" won't teach you algebra you don't know, and any guide promising a 200-point jump from three secret hacks is selling something. What these strategies do is make you faster and more reliable on questions within your reach — and give you a way in when you're stuck. Used well, they're worth real points. Here are the six I teach every student, with worked examples.
Trick 1: Plug in the answers (backsolving)
When a multiple-choice question gives you numerical answers and the algebra looks messy, don't solve forward — test the answers. The correct choice is sitting right in front of you; you just have to find which one works.
If (x − 2)(x + 3) = 14, which could be the value of x? (A) 2 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 7
Backsolve, start with B: (4 − 2)(4 + 3) = 2 × 7 = 14. That's it — the answer is (B) 4. No expanding, no quadratic formula, no factoring.
Why start at B? Answers are usually ordered small to large. Testing a middle value tells you which direction to go if it's wrong, so you rarely test more than two.
When to use it
Answers are plain numbers, and setting up the equation feels harder than checking a value. Especially useful on word problems where the translation is the hard part.
Trick 2: Pick your own numbers
When a question is all variables — answers included — you can often replace the variables with easy numbers, compute a concrete result, and see which answer choice matches.
If a store marks up an item by p percent and then discounts it by p percent, the final price compared to the original is: (A) unchanged (B) higher (C) lower (D) depends on the item.
Pick a number. Let the price be $100 and p = 20. Mark up 20%: $120. Discount 20%: $120 − $24 = $96. That's less than $100 — every time, for any p. The answer is (C) lower. Testing one clean number beats a page of algebra.
Pick smart numbers
Use 100 for percent problems, avoid 0 and 1 (they hide differences), and don't reuse a number already in the problem. If two answer choices happen to match your number, pick a second number to break the tie.
Trick 3: Read the question last (on word problems)
On dense word problems, jumping straight into the paragraph means you read it not knowing what you're looking for. Flip it: read the actual question at the bottom first, then read the setup knowing exactly which quantity to hunt for.
This does two things. It stops you solving for the wrong variable, and it tells your brain which numbers in the paragraph actually matter. A lot of "hard" data questions are just easy questions wearing two paragraphs of costume — reading the ask first strips the costume off.
Trick 4: Let Desmos do the work
The built-in graphing calculator is available on every question, and it turns whole categories of problems into a few clicks. The four highest-value moves:
- Solve equations graphically. Type it as
y =and read where it crosses the x-axis. - Find intersections. Graph two equations, click the crossing point — Desmos labels the coordinates.
- Find vertices and roots. Graph a parabola and Desmos marks its turning point and x-intercepts.
- Evaluate instantly. Use it as a scientific calculator for anything arithmetic.
What is the minimum value of y = x² − 6x + 4?
In Desmos: type the equation, and it marks the vertex at (3, −5). The minimum value is −5. No completing the square, no vertex formula.
There's a lot more it can do — sliders, tables, restricting domains. The full walkthrough is in the complete Desmos guide.
Trick 5: Estimate to eliminate
Sometimes you don't need the exact answer — you need to rule out three wrong ones. A quick estimate often does that faster than a full solve.
A question asks for 48% of 812. (A) about 160 (B) about 240 (C) about 390 (D) about 490.
Estimate: 48% is just under half. Half of 812 is 406, so the answer is a bit under 406. Only (C) about 390 is in range. No precise multiplication needed.
Estimation is also your safety check on Desmos and hand calculations: if you expected "around 400" and got 40, you know you slipped a decimal somewhere.
Trick 6: The two-pass pacing method
This is less flashy than the others and worth more than all of them combined. Within each module:
- Pass one: do every question you can finish in under a minute. The instant you feel a question will be a slog, flag it and move on.
- Pass two: go back to the flagged ones with the time you saved. Now you can afford to think.
The failure mode this prevents is the single most common timing disaster: sinking four minutes into one hard question early, then speeding through — and missing — five easy ones at the end. Every question is worth the same point. Collect the cheap ones first. And remember: no blanks, ever. With no guessing penalty, mark your best guess on anything you can't finish.
Bonus: memorize the formulas that aren't given
The reference sheet has geometry area/volume formulas, but not slope, the quadratic formula, exponent rules, or trig ratios. Know those cold so you never lose time flipping back. The formula sheet has all of them with worked examples.
Frequently asked questions
Are SAT Math "tricks" a substitute for knowing the math?
No, and be wary of anyone who says otherwise. Strategies like plugging in answers or picking numbers are force multipliers — they make you faster and more accurate on questions you could already solve, and they rescue you when you are stuck. But they sit on top of real content knowledge, not in place of it.
When should I plug in the answer choices?
Plugging in works best when the answers are simple numbers and the algebra is messy or you are unsure how to set it up. Start with choice B or C since answers are usually ordered, so you often only need one or two tries to find the one that works.
Is it faster to use Desmos or solve by hand?
It depends on the question. Desmos is faster and safer for graphing, intersections, roots, and vertices. Hand algebra is faster for short, clean manipulations. The skill is recognizing which is which within a few seconds — top scorers switch fluidly between the two.
How do I stop running out of time on the math section?
Use a two-pass approach. On the first pass, answer everything you can do quickly and flag the rest. On the second pass, spend your banked time on the hard ones. Most timing problems come from grinding on one tough question early instead of moving on.
Should I memorize formulas or rely on the reference sheet?
The reference sheet gives you geometry formulas like area and volume, but it does not include the quadratic formula, slope, exponent rules, or trig ratios. Memorize those. Flipping to the reference sheet costs time, so know the common ones cold and use the sheet only as a backup.
Where to go next
- Avoid the flip side of these tricks in common SAT math mistakes.
- Master the calculator with the Desmos guide.
- Chase the top tier with how to get 700+.
- Try these strategies live in the practice questions.