General PSAT Knowledge
How many questions are in each section of the PSAT?
Reading & Writing: 54 Questions
Math: 70 Questions
If 18 + k = 30, what is the value of k?
k = 12
Read the following sentence. What needs to be changed about the italic portion?
(1) The ancient Egyptians ate food that was not much different from what we eat today. Because the Nile River supplied them with a constant water source, the Egyptians could grow many different kinds of crops in their desert environment. Common crops included grains, vegetables, and fruit.
A. NO CHANGE
B. eat
C. have eaten
D. had eaten
A – The word is correct as written in the past tense form.
What is the "process of elimination"?
It is a method for narrowing down a list of options by removing those that are unlikely to be correct. Use this to help increase your chances of getting a question correct.
The city that hosted the 2024 Olympic Games
Paris, France
What are the 2 sections of the PSAT?
Math & Reading/Writing.
Aubrey can run at a pace of 6 miles per hour. Running at the same rate, how many miles can she run in 90 minutes?
(A) 4
(B) 6
(C) 8
(D) 9
(E) 12
(D) 9
Read the following sentence. What needs to be changed about the italic portion?
(3) The bread was usually flat and round but might be shaped in rolls for special occasions. It could be plain or filled with beans, vegetables, or other ingredients. If sweet bread was desired, it would be flavored with honey, fruit, or dates.
A. NO CHANGE
B. on
C. with
D. into
D – The correct word is “into.” This preposition is used when movement, action, or a transformation of state occurs.
True or false: Is it important to pace yourself when taking the PSAT?
True.
Managing your time is important. Try to spend about a minute on each question, and don't waste time stuck on hard questions! Once time is up for a section, you cannot work on it anymore.
Who is Luke Skywalker's father?
Darth Vader
Why do students take the PSAT?
- Practice for the SAT
- Help plan for college and career paths
- Qualify for Merit Scholarships
What formula is L x W x H?
Area
A= L x W x H
Read the following sentence. What needs to be changed about the italic portion?
Excepted by art historians as the first truly American art movement, the Hudson River School movement began in the early nineteenth century.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Accepted
C. Excepting
D. Accepting
B: This question is testing two commonly confused words: accept and except. Except means an exclusion, while accept can mean to either receive or recognize something.
(A) and (C). The -ed form of the word fits in this context, so (B) is correct.
What is one way to familiarize yourself with the structure of the PSAT?
Taking practice tests!
Official tests are free and available at the College Board website, the organization that develops and administers the PSAT and SAT. Piqosity has also launched a completely free digital PSAT practice test.
What is the chemical symbol for oxygen?
O
How long is the PSAT?
134 minutes/ 2 hours and 14 minutes.
What equation appears in the form y=mx+b?
Slope-intercept form
Read the following sentence. What mistakes or weaknesses need to be corrected?
First introduced by Senator John Sherman of Ohio, the U.S. Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890.
A. NO CHANGE
B. In 1890, first introduced by Senator John Sherman of Ohio, the U.S. Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act.
C. The U.S. Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act, first introduced by Senator John Sherman of Ohio, in 1890.
D. The U.S. Congress, first introduced by Senator John Sherman of Ohio, passed the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890.
C: Modifying phrases must be placed as close as possible to what they modify. The intended meaning is not that the U.S. Congress was “first introduced by Senator John Sherman of Ohio”. Only (C) correctly places the modifying phrase adjacent to the Act, so (C) is correct.
True or False: Should you leave any questions blank on the PSAT?
FALSE! This is a crucial tip, and a key reason that some students score lower than they should on the PSAT!
There are no penalties for incorrect answers on the PSAT or SAT.
That means that if you don’t know the answer, you should always guess something! Even if it’s a complete guess, you’ll have a 25% chance of guessing the answer correctly.
What is the real name of the superhero character Spider-Man?
Peter Parker
What does PSAT stand for?
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test
-2 (x – 3) = 17. Solve for x.
A. -22/3
B. -10
C. -7
D. -11/2
D. -11/2
Read the following sentence. What needs to be changed about the italic portion?
He decided to culture the mold; and found that a broth filtered from it inhibited the growth of several species of bacteria.
A. NO CHANGE
B. mold and found
C. mold, and found
D. mold. And found
B: As written, the sentence uses a semicolon to join the sentence’s parts. The first part of the sentence is an independent clause with the subject-verb “He decided.” The second part does not contain a subject or express a complete thought, so eliminate any answer choices that punctuate the sentence
(B) is correct because the word “and” joins the compound verb “decided … and found”; no extra punctuation is necessary.
True or false: Do you have to complete the test in order?
False!
You do not need to complete questions on the PSAT in order. Every student has different strengths and should attack the test with those strengths in mind to get as many points as you can.
Remember, you can skip around within each section, but you cannot work on a section other than the one you’ve been instructed to do. Doing this will invalidate your test and will have you removed from the testing site.
How many bones do sharks have?
None