Analysis of the math from the last 10 released SATs

	A	B	C	D
1	Visit mathchops.com to practice the most common questions on the SAT through customized games.
2	Tag Name	Frequency	Description
3	algebra moves	114	Targets specific algebraic skills, including isolating a variable, combining like terms, distributing, squaring both sides, and many others (see the rest of the list). Includes every possible variation of ax + b = cx + d.	0.1965517241
4	linear functions	104	Pretty much everything you can think of related to y = mx + b...Slope, y-intercept, perpendicular and parallel lines, isolating y, standard form, plugging in points.	0.1793103448
5	statistics and probability	76	Mostly basic probability and mean, median, mode. Lots of different formats (table, box/whisker plot, word problem).	0.1310344828
6	proportion	75	Ratios, percents, rates, conversions.	0.1293103448
7	quadratic	70	Basics like factoring and FOIL. Also some tricks like u-substitution, factor by grouping, complete the square.	0.1206896552
8	slope	65	Use the slope formula. Go back and forth from equation to graph. Find the equation when given two points. Find the slope based on a word problem.	0.1120689655
9	geometry	55	Area/Perimeter/Volume. Basic trig. Special right triangles. Angle chasing. Radians.	0.09482758621
10	system of equations	50	Substitution, elimination, multiply then eliminate.	0.08620689655
11	powers	49	Exponents (including fractional and negative), radicals. No logarithms.	0.08448275862
12	y intercept	47	Usually either asking you to plug in 0 for x or figure it out based on the wordy description.
13	plug in	46	You have a value or a point that needs to be plugged into an equation or function.
14	algebra translation	46	Convert a word problem into an equation.
15	ratio	33	Part:part, part:whole.
16	percent	32	All variations: basic, increase/decrease, markup, discount.
17	functions	31	The basic f(x) notation is used extensively.
18	table	30	Other question types (slope, probability) are presented in table form.
19	combine like terms	29	Frequently included in other question types.
20	read graph	27	Many are quite basic questions, like finding the highest point on a line graph.
21	distribute	25	3(x + 2) = 3x + 6
22	decimals	25	Almost never appears in the non-calculator section.
23	fractions	24	Evenly split between calculator and non-calculator, but usually a part of something else. You would not be directly tested on something like 3/4 + 5/7.
24	exponential growth	21	Be comfortable with this: Final = Initial(1+/- rate)^time. Sometimes there are fractional exponents.
25	factoring	20	The basics, plus zero product property, difference of two squares, perfect square trinomials, factor by grouping, u-substitution.
26	radicals	20	Arithmetic operation, translate to fractional power, solve as part of an equation.
27	median	20	Presented lots of ways: word problem, table, box and whisker plot, value/frequency histogram.
28	slope formula	19	Find the slope when given two points.
29	meaning of constant	18	Identify the slope or y-intercept in the word problem.
30	line of best fit	18	These are usually just slope questions. Sometimes they ask about specific points.
31	answer is not x	18	You might solve for x but then be asked, "What is 2x - 3?"
32	pick numbers	15	This is never required but is often helpful.
33	probability	14	Almost all probability questions are in the form of table data. The key is to identify the numerator and the denominator: "What is the probability of selecting a female from the group of left-handed students?"
34	isolate variable	13	These usually require several algebraic moves (+/- from both sides, factor something out).
35	FOIL	13	Usually just the basics: (x+3)(x-4)
36	questions about a study	13	Often something about margin of error or the setup of the study.
37	substitution (systems)	12	If y = 3x + 2 and 3x + 4y = 10, what is the value of x?
38	conversion	12	They give you the conversion but you have to execute it correctly (oz/pounds, $5/pound, etc.)
39	exponents	11	All basic operations, fractional, negative.
40	negatives	11	Arithmetic, distributing the negative over a parenthesis. Like fractions, they aren't directly tested.
41	similar triangles	11	Set up a proportion based on similar triangles.
42	average	11	Arithmetic mean. Mostly basic but a few advanced ones, like the average sum trick.
43	elimination (systems)	11	If 2x + y = 10 and 2x - 3y = 2, what is the value of y?
44	function shifts	11	Mostly parabolas. Sometimes helpful to know -b/2a.
45	plug in zero for intercept	11	If 3x + 4y = 24, what is the x-intercept? Equations and word problems.
46	fractional exponent	10	Rewrite radicals as fractional exponents and vice versa
47	plug in answers	10	Like picking numbers, it’s not required but it’s often helpful.
48	inequality	9	Usually something like 2x + 8 < 12, although you sometimes have to graph a system of linear inequalities.
49	angle chasing	9	180 in a line, 180 in a triangle, corresponding angles, vertical angles
50	square both sides	8	It's often better to plug in the answers but sometimes you have to square both sides to get rid of the radical.
51	match constants	8	If 3x + 4y = ax + by, what is a + b?
52	given graph, find equation	7	Usually a linear equation, testing your knowledge of slope and y-intercept.
53	rectangle area	7	Basic or part of an algebraic word problem, sometimes quadratic.
54	algebra LCD	7	Something like x/(x+2) + 2x/(x+3)
55	distribute negative	6	A common trap in equations.
56	no solution	6	If ax + 4 = 5x + 8, what value of 'a' would result in zero solutions?
57	box_whisker	6	Usually asks for the median or range. The toughest one asks you to identify the correct plot based on the data.
58	quadratic and linear system	6	These almost always require the substitution method and sometimes involve other skills, like factoring.
59	perpendicular	6	Know that perpendicular lines have negative, reciprocal slopes
60	30_60_90	6	Know the side/angle relationships for 30_60_90 triangles.
61	u substitution	6	An advanced factoring technique.
62	infinite solutions	6	If ax + 4 = 5x + 4, what value of 'a' would result in infinite solutions?
63	standard deviation	6	Just know that S.D. is related to how spread out the data points are.
64	factor out constant	6	As in converting 3x + 6 into 3(x+2). Usually part of the factoring process.
65	SOHCAHTOA	5	Set up the basic ratios. Know that similar triangles have the same trig ratios. Sometimes combined with the Pythagorean Theorem.
66	range	5	Table, box and whisker plot, list of numbers.
67	difference of two squares	5	This has to be automatic – often part of something else.
68	percent increase	5	The price was $20. Now it's $28. What's the percent increase?
69	value_frequency	5	Bar graph or table. Usually part of median or arithmetic mean question.
70	percent decrease	5	The price was $80. Now it's $60. What's the percent decrease?
71	pythagorean theorem	5	Often combined with SOHCAHTOA or similar triangles.
72	-b/2a	5	Use this to find the x-coordinate of the vertex.
73	perfect square trinomial	5	Useful for completing the square. Sometimes required as part of a multistep solution.
74	scales don't match	5	The origin won't be included, or the scales increase at different rates.
75	circle equation	5	Know horizontal and vertical shifts, how to find the radius. You sometimes need to complete the square.
76	margin of error	5	You just have to be familiar with the concept. You don't have to calculate it.
77	c = product of roots, b = -sum	4	Use when in x^2 + bx + c form. Usually not required but often helpful.
78	What happens when you add a number?	4	Know how outliers affect the mean and median.
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