One Powerful 800 Math & 36 Math Tip

If you’re looking for a perfect 800 on the New SAT Math test or 36 on the ACT Math test, there literally is no room for error – most of the time getting even one question wrong will torpedo your perfect score. Of course, getting a score in the high 700s or 30s is still great, but it’s pretty painful to fall short by just a question or two.

What can we do to maximize your chances at perfection? I’ve given general advice on the what I call the 1600 SAT and 36 ACT Edge elsewhere on Reason Prep, but in this article I’m going to get super specific and give you a tip that can improve your odds of achieving a top ACT or SAT Math score.

First, try this Geometry question:

Now watch this video to see the five (5!) different ways that this problem can be solved. As I explain in the vid, you don’t need to know how to do all methods, nor do you need to use all the methods on the test. But the more ways you know how to solve a problem, the more likely you can verify your answer, skyrocketing the likelihood of a +1.