So, as I mentioned I downloaded a copy of the test and am just having a look, The use of a caluculator is permitted. What??? I know for a fact we could not use a calculator. Why bother with a math section if they can use a calculator?
I think I was allowed to use a calculator, but in any case, I'm not too worried. My degree is in math and I work in a math heavy industry and I cannot add or multiply to save my life. Testing arithmetic is kind of pointless, especially for someone in high school. The skills that are important and the ones they are trying to test are logical and analytical skills, and those can be tested while allowing the use of a calculator. If I remember correctly, all the math questions are word problems, and no calculator in the world is going to help if someone doesn't know how to set up the problem.
If I remember correctly, all the math questions are word problems, and no calculator in the world is going to help if someone doesn't know how to set up the problem.
I didn't read through the whole math section but there were not many word problems in the part I did read. They gave the geometrical formulas right at the top of the section too.
I just took the SATs this morning and it I barely touched my calculator; most of it could be done without one. Many of the questions dealt with the logistics of setting up problems instead of solving them, so the calculator was only helpful if you wanted to plug in some numbers to check the answer. But seriously, the math section was ridiculous.
Many of the questions dealt with the logistics of setting up problems instead of solving them,
That actually makes a lot of sense. How often does anyone have to actually solve a math problem any more? You do have to be able to set up the solution though.
From what I understand (I haven't taken it yet, and my friends and I prefer not to discuss it), there's now some trigonometry included in the math section, which requires the calculator to solve. I think.
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I didn't read through the whole math section but there were not many word problems in the part I did read. They gave the geometrical formulas right at the top of the section too.
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That actually makes a lot of sense. How often does anyone have to actually solve a math problem any more? You do have to be able to set up the solution though.
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