The New Rules (Mechanics)
How many questions are on the new ACT Math section?
45 (Down from 60)
What does P.I.T.A. stand for?
Plug In The Answers
How can your Answer Sheet help you with a Geometry problem?
Use the corner for a 90o gauge or fold it for 45o
What is "Calculator Discipline"?
Only using the calculator for complex math, not simple arithmetic like 8 x 7
How many total minutes do you have to complete the Math section?
60 Minutes
When using P.I.T.A., which answer choice should you usually start with?
B or C (the middle values)
True or False: ACT diagrams are usually drawn to scale
True (roughly 95% of the time)
What is the "3-Pass System"?
Pass 1 (Layups), Pass 2 (Work), Pass 3 (Hard/Paragraphs)
On average, how many seconds do you now have per question?
80 seconds (Up from 60)
If a question asks for the value of "x" and the answers are all numbers, what strategy is fastest?
P.I.T.A.
What is the "Pencil Ruler" hack?
Pinching your pencil to "measure" a known side, then moving that pinch to an unknown side to estimate.
If you get stuck on Question #40 for 2 minutes, what should you do?
Abandon it, bubble your Anchor Letter, and move to #41. Don't let one hard question ruin the rest of the test!
How many answer choices are there for every math question now?
4 (A, B, C, D or F, G, H, J)
What is an "Outlier"?
An answer choice that is mathematically "insane" or far away from the other choices. Kill it first!
In a triangle, the third side must be LESS than the _____ and GREATER than the _____
Less than the Sum; Greater than the Difference
What should you eat for breakfast on Wednesday?
Protein and complex carbs (Eggs, Oatmeal, etc.). Avoid the sugar crash!
What is the "Golden Rule" if you have 30 seconds left and 5 blank bubbles?
Use your Anchor Letter for all of them
You see an algebraic expression like (x+3)2 and the answers are also expressions. What strategy do you use?
PIN (Plug In a Number). Let x=2 and see which choice matches
If you see √3 in the answer choices of a triangle problem, what "Special Right" triangle should you look for?
A 30-60-90 Triangle
What is our team motto for Wednesday?
One Team. One Goal. Go Spartans!