Test Structure & Question Types

Test Structure

Sections Types of Questions Number of Questions Times
Critical Reading Sentence Completion
Passage-based Reading
Total Reading Questions		 19
48
67		 70 min.
(two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section)
Writing Identifying Sentence Errors
Improving Sentences
Improving Paragraphs
Essay Writing
Total Writing Questions		 18
25
6
1 Essay
49 + Essay		 60 min.
(two 25-minute sections and one 10-minute section)
Math Multiple-choice
Grid-ins
Total Math Questions		 44
10
54		 70 min.
(two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section)
Total 3 hrs. 45 min.

Question Types

There are two types of questions on the Quantitative portion of the PSAT and SAT:

  • Multiple-Choice Questions
  • Grid-in Questions

Both question types measure your child’s ability to:

  • Understand and apply mathematical concepts to problems
  • Reason and solve real-life Math problems

The directions and format for the Multiple-Choice Questions are as follows:

Directions:
For this section, solve each problem and decide which is the best of the choices given. Fill in the corresponding circle on the answer sheet. You may use any available space for scratch work.Notes:

  1. The use of a calculator is permitted.
  2. All numbers used are real numbers.
  3. Figures that accompany problems in the test are intended to provide information useful in solving the problems. They are drawn as accurately as possible EXCEPT when it is stated in a specific problem that the figure is not drawn to scale. All figures lie in a plane unless otherwise indicated.
  4. Unless otherwise specified, the domain of any function f is assumed to be the set of all real numbers x for which f(x) is a real number.

 

SAT Reference Information

The information below is provided on the SAT. However, it is important for students to know when and how to use these formulas without having to review them during test time. Students should use the reference information on an as needed basis, if necessary.

geometry

The directions and format for the Grid-ins Questions are as follows:

test_sample