Also know as the Calculation Section of the SAT, the math portion of the SAT has questions dealing with geometry and algebra. Nervous test-takers can breath easy; you will not be tested on any particularly advanced mathematical concepts. The newest revision of the SAT has broken down the math portion into three sections. Two sections are 25 minutes long, and the last one is 20 minutes long. All problems now come as multiple choice.
The mathematics sections of the SAT follow the same point scale as the reading and writing sections. A score is rated on a 200 to 800 scale, with an 800 point score being perfect. The final test score of the SAT adds all three of the these sections together. This means that a perfect score is 2400 points. Scoring highly on the math portion of the SAT can help carry the rest of your total score higher. Most testers pass the SAT with an average score of about 1500.
Scoring well on math in the SAT is all about practice. Given the nature of the subject, there are few quick routes or shortcuts to success. Luckily, practicing for the math SAT is easy. Workbooks have been published with SAT preparation in mind, and are often available at local bookstores. Even better, the Internet provides dozens of printable study guides and drill pages with math problems that are similar to the ones found on the SAT. Repetition and practice is the most practical and effective way of the preparing for math on the SAT.
Different universities and colleges look for different scores when looking over a student's SAT. Institutions such as Yale and Harvard look for a math score between 690 and 790 when considering applications. Other colleges, such as the San Diego State University, Andrews University and Spalding University, will accept math scores in the high 400s to low 500s. In general, research universities require higher math SAT scores than liberal arts colleges.