WHAT’s on ACT ? • [EA] Pre and Elementary Algebra - solving for an unknown quantity.

Solving equations, evaluating expressions, order of operations, mean, median, mode, proportions, percentages, etc.

• [AG] Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry – Graphing on the coordinate plane, graphing lines, slope, linear and quadratic functions, distance, midpoint, Your calculator should be VERY helpful for most of these questions.Advanced Algebra concepts– simplifying expressions, exponent rules, radicals, factoring, rational expressions, etc.

• [GT] Plane Geometry/Trigonometry – Geometry – area, perimeter, SA, Volume, Angles, Triangles, Quadrilaterals, Circles, etc. There are only four (4) trig questions on the ACT and these are among the easiest on the test, (SOHCAHTOA) is frequently seen on ACT.

Analyze your weak/strong area

ACT Prep Session #1

The 4 Questions for Strategic Problem Solving

The 4 Questions

• What do I want to know?• What do I know already?• What can I do with what I know already?• Is it what I want to know? Am I done?

Practice

1. If f(x) = 6x²+9, then f(-2)=?_________

•What do I want to know?•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

Practice

2. John wants to make fruit salad. He has a recipe that serves 6 people and uses 4 oranges, 5 pears, 10 apples, and 2 dozen strawberries. If he wants to serve 18 people, how many pears will John need?

•What do I want to know?•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

Practice

3. What is the area in the standard (x,y) coordinate plane of a triangle with vertices at (1,2), (-6,2), and (1,-5).

_______________

•What do I want to know?•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

Practice4. Jimmy’s school is 1.2 miles from his house, on the same street. If he walks down the street directly from the school to his house, he passes a candy store and a grocery store. The candy store is 0.35 miles from the school, and the grocery store is 0.67 miles from the candy store. How many miles is it from the grocery store to Jimmy’s house?___________________________________

•What do I want to know?•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

Practice

5. Harry is a piano student who can learn 2 new pieces a week. If his piano teacher gives him 3 new pieces every week for 4 weeks, how many weeks will it take Harry to learn all the pieces?_______________________________________

_________

•What do I want to know?•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

Practice

6. If , then x=?2

33

x

x

____

•What do I want to know?•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

Practice

• 6. In a recent survey, 14 people found their mayor to be “very competent”. This number is exactly 20% of the people surveyed. How many people were surveyed?

•What do I want to know?•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

Practice

• 6. If x²=50, then which of the following could be true?

a) -8 < x < -7b) -7 < x < -6c) 5 < x < 6d) 25 < x < 26e) 50 < x < 51 •What do I want to know?

•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

Practice

• 6. If m is an even integer less than 6, what is the next greater integer in terms of m ?

a) m+1b) m+2c) m+3d) 2me) 6 - m •What do I want to know?

•What do I know already?•What can I do with that?•Is that what I want to know?

ACT Prep Session #2

ACT Strategies Picking numbers & Backsolving

Practice

ACT Prep Session #3

Word Problems

Common English-Math Translations

Add Subtract Multiply Divide Equal

Plus Minus Times Quotient Is

Sum Difference Product Per

More than Less than Each

Increased by Decreased by Of

Total

In all

PracticeIn a group of 3 numbers, the second number is 3 less than 4 times the first number, and the third number is 6 more than twice the first. If the second number is 14, what is the third number?

Story ProblemsA factory produces cans of mixed nuts. Each can contains p ounces of peanuts, and twice as many ounces of cashews, almonds, and brazil nuts combined. Peanuts cost 15 cents an ounce, and all other nuts cost 20 cents an ounce. Which of the following expresses the cost of a can of nuts in dollars?A. 0.15 x 3pC. 0.15p x 0.20pE.

B. 0.15p + 0.20pD. 0.15p + 0.20(2p)

0.15

0.20(2 )

p

p

Story ProblemsJack bought a painting for $200. A year later, a friend bought it from him for $170. What percent of the original price did Jack lose in the transaction?

Story ProblemsCasey scored 150, 195, and 160 in 3 bowling games. What must she score on her next bowling game if she wants to have an average score of exactly 175 for the 4 games?

Practice