Simultaneous Equations on the SAT

Today we are going to talk about simultaneous equations on the SAT. Traditionally, students take what I call the isolate and dominate approach to simultaneous equations. That is, instead of seeing how the equations relate to each other in an attempt to find the right answer, students figure out what one of the values equals, plugs that new equation into the prompt, solves for x or y and then re-plugs in that number.

That is a lot of work!

That Isolate and dominate approach absolutely works on the SAT, in algebra 2, and on your simultaneous equation problems. But there HAS to be a better way. This is the SAT, after all. The SAT Blue Book talks a lot of smack about this not being a logic test and you not needing test preparation. “Just paying attention to your teachers will be enough,” they say. As if all high school curricula are the same. As if all high school teachers are equally adequate and no students receive private tutoring for high school subjects.

Richard Koch wrote a great book called The 80/20 Principle. In it, he says that you should never play a game where you do not create the rules. Unfortunately, you have to take the SAT to get into a great university. Because you cannot create the rules, you need to do everything in your power to tip the game in your favor. That’s why using what we learn in high school, isolate and dominate simultaneous equations is not really going to work on this test. Instead, we need to think of a smarter way. In todays lesson, you learn the most effective way to dominate the SAT simultaneous equation problems.

I hope this video helped you. If it did, leave some comments in the field below. Don’t forget to ask any questions you may have about the SAT, the SAT math, the SAT kit, or anything else you are worried about. I have an admissions guide that is pretty spot-on, so give me your email below and I’ll send you the link. See ya next time!