Cracking The SAT Premium

Be  Good

“Good”  numbers make    a

problem less    confusing   by

simplifying the arithmetic.

This    is  your    chance  to

make    the SAT easier

for you.

Many times you’ll find that there is an advantage to picking a particular number, even a very large one,
because it makes solving the problem more straightforward.

Here’s an example.

14.If   60  equally priced  downloads   cost    x   dollars,    then    how much    do  9   downloads   cost?

A)

B)

C) 60 x +   9

D)

Here’s How to Crack It

Should you plug in 2 for x? You could, but plugging in 120 would make the problem easier. After all, if 60
downloads cost a total of $120, then each download costs $2. Write x = 120 in your test booklet.

If each download costs $2, then 9 downloads cost $18. Write an 18 in your test booklet and circle it. You
are looking for the answer choice that works out to 18 when you plug in $120 for x. Let’s try each choice:

A) ≠ 18

B) ≠ 18

C) 60(120) + 9 ≠ 18

D)  =   18  Here’s  your    answer.