In addition to all the algebra concepts and step methods you have learned, you must also arm yourself with some broad SAT test-taking strategies. If you don’t have the correct overall approach to the SAT, all the algebra work you’ve done will fall to the wayside.

So let’s start at a party. Imagine your friends invited you to a cool house party. Hundreds of people are going to be there, and the party promises to be great fun—legal fun, of course. You had to work that day, so you arrive at the party several hours after it started.

When you walk into the house, do you search for your friends first, or do you pick out the scariest-looking person and start talking to him? Unless you like being snubbed, odds are you go through the house the first time looking for friends and other people you know. On a second pass, you might chat with some strangers, but because this is sometimes awkward, you don’t jump into meeting them at the start.