SATs tips booklet…

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General tips1) Read the question carefully – highlighting key information.2) Remember your top tips when answering questions (see below).3) If you cannot do a question, miss it out and come back to it.4) On the mental test, do not panic and tackle each question as it comes.5) Jot down any information not given in the mental test.6) Show your working out – you may get a mark.7) Use the methods your teacher has shown you in class!!!!8) If you finish before the end, go back and check your work.

TIPS ON THE WRITTEN PAPERS

TIP 1 – CROSS ITEMS OFF AS YOUR WRITE THINGS IN THE BOXES

TIP 2 – FUNCTION MACHINES – WORK THEM BACKWARDS TO FIND THE MISSING NUMBERS

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As you write the correct answer in the box, cross it

off the top

To get the numbers before the number you have got, work it

backwards.

TIP 3 – TABLES – CIRCLE THE BIT YOU ARE INTERESTED AND WRITE ANY NUMBERS ON

TIP 4 – READ THE UNITS ASKED FOR IN THE ANSWER

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This question needs a number as the answer…

This question needs a word as

the answer

TIP 5 – SUBTRACTION QUESTIONS – ALWAYS USE A NUMBER LINE

TIP 6 – LOOK OUR FOR ‘USE A RULER’

Tip 7 – FRACTIONS LIKE THIS…

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Draw your number line to guarantee your

mark

Make sure you do! You will lose

marks if you don’t!

Count how many parts there are and write this number. It’s

easy then!

Tip 8 – TRANSFORMATION QUESTIONS (Rotation, Translation, reflection) : Use tracing paper

Tip 9 – Multi-step word problems: Do one bit at a time

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Trace the shape by copying with a

ruler and then move carefully.

Do the first bit first…

And then do the next bit…

Tip 10 – Counting perimeters on grids – Mark off as you count!

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Tip 11 – Division questions – Use chunking or number line

Tip 12 – Questions with mixed units – Make them all look the same!

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Mark off the sides as you count them

Tip 13 – Venn or Carroll Diagrams – Cross off the numbers as you put them in.

Tip 14 – Multiplication calculations – Use the grid method!

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Cross out the numbers as you put them in the diagram! Don’t forget the ‘outside bit!

Tip 15 – Mixed fractions, decimals and % - Make them all the same

Tip 16 – Questions using certain numbers – Make sure you follow the instructions!

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Get them all as fractions,

decimals or percentages

Follow instructions

carefully!

Only use the numbers that are

there!

Tip 16 – Using coins questions – Make sure the coins exist!

Tip 17 – Questions involving time problem solving – Use a number line!

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The only coins you can use are:

1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and

£2

Draw your number line! It will guarantee

that you get the mark!

Tip 18 – Questions with lots of sums to work out – Work them out and write the answer next to them!

Tip 19 – Questions involving scales – mark on the relevant bits.

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Write the answers to each bit next to them

Work out what each division is worth and label the relevant bit

Tip 20 -Graph questions – always label the numbers and write the amount on the bar.

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Tip 22 – Check the Units in the answer!

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Always label the vertical axis and

write the amount on the bars

If you don’t give your answer in

cm you will NOT get a mark!

Tip 23 – On the calculator paper, look out for these… Do not do written methods! Use the calculator!

Tip 24 – To look for right-angles, use the edge of a square piece of paper!

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Use the calculator! Do

not forget as you will waste a lot of

time!

Remember as well… greater than does not include 450!

Put the corner of a square piece of

paper in the corners of the

shapes to check!

Tip 25 – Tick box questions with explanation sections…

Tip 26 – Number line questions – Label the lines on the number line and then answer!

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Do not just tick the box, you will not get a mark!

You must explain!

Label the sections on the

number line first and then answer.

Tip 27 – Missing number problems on the calculator paper – use the calculator and do inverse operation if needed!

Tip 28 – Area questions with the shape over the grid! Draw the lines over the shape and then count!

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Divide 504 by SINGLE DIGIT first and see what you

have left!Read the question

carefully – do not put a 2 digit number in!

Draw the lines over the shape –

it will then be easier to count!

Tip 29 – Draw lines to the line graph to work out the answers

Tip 30 – Remember AB means the line which goes from A to B!

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Draw lines from the correct axes

to get the answer!

Tip 30 – For NASTY coordinate questions, draw on the lines to the axes and then work it out!

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Draw straight lines to the axes

and label!

Tip 31 – For drawing questions, start by measuring the line and then draw angle!

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Start by drawing the 8cm line and

then measure the angle.

Tip 32 – When you are asked to use ALL of the numbers, use them all ONCE!

Tip 33 – Remember your methods for questions like this!

Tip 33 – Remember the knuckle trick for days in the month!

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Cross the numbers off as

you put them in!

Only use the numbers In the

squares.

Look for easy ways – 10 x £2.75

Look for multiples – 10 x £2.75

Write the Days in a row – make sure you don’t

miss any!

Tip 34 – Remember how to read a timetable!

Tip 35 – Remember coordinates – across the corridor and up the stairs!

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Circle the bit you are interested in!

Remember how it works. This is the 7:43 train from Perth which gets to Success Hill at 07:57

Put a dot where the vertex is first.

Tip 36 – Get the units all the same!1

Tip 37 – When checking how many sides the shapes have, mark them off!1

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Tip 38 – Write on tables and charts so you have all of the information!

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Put them all as the same units so you can see which is smallest!

Tick off the sides as you count!

Add the information so you can answer it easily!

Tip 39 – Questions involving BRACKETS – you do them first!

Tip 40 – Look for important words!

Tip 41 – Look for equivalent fractions to make the question easier!

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Remember – you will do the brackets first and separately!

The word DIFFERENT, EVEN and LESS THAN 20 are crucial!

Follow the rules or you will lose the mark!

Look for equivalent fractions to help you!

Tip 42 – Remember the rules for fractions of numbers!

Tip 43 – Remember angle rules!

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First, divide the number by the bottom number!

Next, multiply it by the top number!

Remember – NOT TO SCALE means, you don’t measure it!

Remember – angles on a straight line add up to 180°

Label any information on the diagram!

Tip 44 - Remember percentage means ‘out of 100’

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Get the fraction to be out of 100! Then you have done it!