ACT Math Strategies

ACT Math Strategies

Picking Numbers

Strategic Guessing

Using Answers

Traditional Math

Polya Tools

Make a list

Make a chart

Draw a graph

draw a picture

create a template

Make a List

Make a list or tree diagram to solve a problem when you need to organize information. This works well on problems of probability with coin flips.

Picking Numbers

Picking numbers is a way to make abstract math more concrete with easy numbers that follow the rules set up in the problem. Students may choose to use this strategy when working with number properties. Students may identify these as word problems with variables, but not numbers. What are the benefits of picking numbers? If the problem deals with percentages, what percentage do you think students should work with?

Draw a graph

This may be considered to be the same as drawing a picture, and the reason to make the abstract more concrete is the same.

Backsolving

At times, it may be easier for a student to work backward from the answers than it is to work toward the answers. Questions that ask students to identify "which of the following” are good questions for backsolvinng (using answers). If a student plans to backsolve, which answer would you recommend they start with? Why? Other than cases where the stduent does not know the traditional math, when could this strategy be helpful?

Strategic Guessing

Strategic guessing is a great way to reduce the number of potential answers, and it can be used in combination with other methods. Students can eliminate impossible solutions (i.e. repeated answers) and oddball answers. Students could also make estimates of measurements. Which type of strategic guessing strategy can be used with each problem?

Draw a Picture

Drawing a picture can help with geometry problems that do not have a picture with them.

Are there other problems you can think of where pictures might be helpful?

Traditional Math

Traditional math can be used on nearly any ACT Math problem. Often, this way is the quickest and most efficient way to solving problems on the test. This is the method we teach in most math classes. When might a student use traditional math? When might a student not use traditional math? What are times in which a student MUST use traditional math?

Create a Template

Templates may look like partial diagrams or models. These can be used to make abstract concepts more concrete.

Make a Chart

Charts can be a way to organize the information. Students that are coming to use from middle school will know proportion charts as one way to solve problems that involve division and multiplication. The question on the right represents a "distance-rate-time" (DRT) problem where tablees can also be helpful.