How’s your Geometry? Statistics? Rusty, maybe? For your sake, we’ll hope not, because the Math section, one of the three you’ll take on the PSAT, is a doozy. The other two, Critical Reading and Writing Skills will knock your socks off, too, but let’s deal with one problem at a time, okay?
PSAT Mathematics Basics
Let's review the basics before we get into the different types of PSAT Math questions, okay? Okay.
- You can bring your own approved calculator
- Contains two 25-minute sections
- Contains 38 questions total
- Two different types of questions
- Can earn you between 20 and 80 points, or 1/3 of your PSAT Score.
PSAT Math Average Scores
The average Math score for 2009 was a 47 for juniors and a 44 for sophomores, so most of your fellow PSAT-takers are getting about half right, half wrong, although you'll have to do better than that to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship, which is the "NMSQT" part of the PSAT.
What's a good PSAT score, anyway?
PSAT Math Question Types
As I stated before, you'll have two different types of questions to complete on the PSAT Math section:
PSAT Math Practice
Because the PSAT is really just a precursor for the SAT, practicing for the PSAT Math section is easy. Try out some of my PSAT/SAT Math practice quizzes to see how you'll perform when test day rolls around.
