The Most Common ACT Math Problem Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them on Test Day
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Students in the middle of ACT prep are pretty familiar with all the tips and tricks for completing each portion. However, when it comes to the math section, many test errors come from simple mistakes that your student can avoid if they know what to look for.
After spending so much time poring over the ACT guide and pounding practice tests, you don’t want your child to lose points on small things like misreading the questions, mismanaging time, or applying the wrong formulas to the equations. Learning the most common mistakes students make on ACT math problems can help your child avoid making them when test time rolls around.
Rushing the Early Questions That Should Be Easy Points
The ACT math section has 60 questions that cover a range of math concepts, like:
- Number and quantity
- Intermediate and elementary algebra
- Plane and coordinate geometry
- Functions
- Complex numbers
- Statistics and probability, including prime numbers
Students have one hour to take this portion of the test, so instinct says that’s about one minute per question. One thing to keep in mind is that the questions start off easier and progressively get harder, so most students will get through the beginning questions faster. Some feel pressured to get through the easy questions first so that they will have more time later for the hardest ACT math problems later on in the test.
However, rushing through the beginning of the test is an easy way to make careless mistakes on basic concepts like algebra and arithmetic. Instead of rushing, set a pace and try to stick to it. If a question takes more than 30 seconds to solve, skip over it for the moment and come back to it when you have more time.
Tutor tip: While you’re taking practice tests, slow down in the beginning and complete each question thoroughly. This can help you build both a rhythm and confidence as you progress, and you can apply this timing and technique to the real test on exam day.
Misreading the Question—or Solving the Wrong Thing
One of the biggest ACT math tips that might seem obvious but is very important is to read each question carefully, especially when it comes to word problems. Small errors in reading can cause students to apply the wrong formula or operation, which completely throws off the result. Some common wording traps on the ACT include:
Not
Except
Closest to
Units
Paying attention to these keywords ensures that you understand the problem and that you’re on the right path to finding the result. As you scan the problems, underline or circle keywords and paraphrase the question. Word problems can sometimes be lengthy, so break them down by picking out the most important information and then applying the correct concepts to solve them.
Overusing the Calculator (and Letting It Slow You Down)
Calculators are allowed on the test, as many math topics for the ACT require them to get the right answer. On the day of the test, make sure that your child brings an approved calculator that they’ve used before. Today is not the day to test out a new calculator for the first time! Students should be prepared with a calculator that is familiar to them so that they don’t waste time trying to figure out its uses and functions while trying to solve the test problems.
A calculator can help speed up solving algebraic expressions, graphing functions, and calculating logarithms. Sometimes, though, a calculator can be more of a hindrance than a help. Relying too heavily on a calculator, especially for easier problems, can end up costing more time than it’s worth, which leads to stress to stay on pace to finish all the questions on time.
Instead, students should use mental math when possible, especially on simpler problems. This leads to smarter calculator use, which can impact both pacing and accuracy as your student progresses through the exam.
Weak Geometry Foundations and Multi-Step Setups
Geometry can feel more difficult than other ACT math concepts because it requires visualization and reasoning. Whereas other topics require plugging in numbers and formulas into a calculator to get a result, geometry is a bit more abstract in that students need to translate word problems into shapes, angles, and space. Students also do not have a reference sheet, so they need to have all the necessary formulas memorized in order to apply them.
On this part of the test, students need to use multi-step reasoning to solve problems. This is kind of like solving two problems in one question, so it’s easy to feel pressured to finish quickly and move on to the next problem.
When students are on the geometry portion of the test, these tips can help avoid common mistakes:
- Take care to draw clean diagrams that show each step.
- Look for patterns in problems.
- Skip questions wisely. If time is running out, come back to these questions later.
How Tutors Help Students Break These Patterns for Good
Preparing for the ACT math test is no small feat. To give your child a leg up on test prep, consider hiring a private tutor who can help your child every step of the way. At Alexander Tutoring, our private tutors work one-on-one with students to assess their strengths and weaknesses, make individualized lessons and learning plans, and meet them where they are. Best of all, a private tutor has insider tips and knowledge, including the most common test day mistakes, so they can share this wealth of knowledge with their students as they prep.
If your child is starting out on the road to ACT prep, reach out to the professionals at Alexander Tutoring. Our tutors are experts in their fields of math and science, and have a passion for sharing that knowledge with their students to rewrite the narrative from “I hate math” to “I can do this!”
Contact us now for your risk-free trial lesson and evaluation, and help put your student on the path to ACT success!
