“GARY GRUBER IS THE LEADING EXPERT ON THE SAT” — HOUSTON CHRONICLE GRUBER’S COMPLETE GUIDE 2009 EFFECTIVE STUDY TOOLS THAT ARE ACTUALLY FUN • The 101 Most Important Math Questions You Need to Know • The World’s Shortest SAT Test (16 Questions) • The 291 Most Important SAT Words • Proven Strategies for Solving Problems Quickly • Tons of Practice SAT Questions, Each Question Explained in Detail and Linked to a Gruber Strategy or Basic Skill THE EASIEST, FASTEST WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE • Unique Diagnostic Test Shows You Why You Got Questions Wrong—And How to Get Them Right • The Gruber 150,000-Word Vocabulary Builder • Inside Info on How SAT Questions Are Created • Student-Praised Writing, Vocab, Math, and Reading Sections • 5 Full-Length SAT Practice Tests GARY R. GRUBER, PHD “THE BEST BOOK ON THE SAT.” —CBS RADIO SAT MORE THAN 7 MILLION GRUBER BOOKS SOLD! 12th Edition THE MOST TRUSTED AND EFFECTIVE SAT* PREP GUIDE WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING: “Gary Gruber is the most prominent guru of SAT preparation.”—Chicago Tribune “His methods make the questions seem amazingly simple to solve.” —Library Journal “Dr. Gruber knows the ins and outs of the SAT.” —Los Angeles Times WHAT STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND EDUCATORS ARE SAYING: “The work that Gary Gruber does should be given to every student and every teacher.” —Dr. Shirley Thornton, former Deputy Superintendent, California State Department of Education “I’ve gone through almost all the SAT books I can get a hold of, and so far the best is the Gruber’s SAT book. I wish I could have found it earlier.” —Online review “With the aid of your books, my scores improved so dramatically that I am now anticipating acceptance into schools that I was reluctant to even apply to.” —Lauren Frasciello, Princeton, New Jersey “In regards to the breadth and quality of material offered, the difference between Gruber’s and other publications is quite astonishing. Indeed, only Gruber’s deserves the highest recommendation in SAT preparation.” —Online review * ® SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this book. USE THE MOST TRUSTED METHODS • More schools use Dr. Gruber’s books for SAT courses than any other SAT books. • PBS chose Dr. Gruber to train teachers nationally to improve the nation’s SAT scores. • National learning centers, state agencies, and state education departments have contracted with Dr. Gruber to improve SAT scores and critical thinking ability. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO STUDY TO GET THE TOP SCORE • Five Full-Length SAT Practice Tests • An Extensive Vocabulary Builder • Advice on Tackling the Essay Section GET THE SKILLS THAT UNLOCK THE ANSWERS • Essential Strategies for Writing, Vocab, Math, and Critical Reading • And Everything Else You Need Gary R. Gruber, PhD, is recognized nationally as the leading expert on the SAT, test-taking methods, and critical thinking skills. His books on test taking and critical thinking skills have sold more than 7 million copies. Visit www.drgarygruber.com. ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-1202-4 ISBN-10: 1-4022-1202-X www.sourcebooks.com EAN $19.95 U.S. $21.99 CAN £10.99 UK Study Aids/Reference * With the explanation to a question, you can answer that one question. With the Gruber strategies, you can answer thousands of questions! These strategies show you how to think about problems instead of trying to solve each one individually, and can be used consistently on every SAT test. “GARY GRUBER IS THE LEADING EXPERT ON THE SAT” —HOUSTON CHRONICLE www.sourcebookscollege.com GUIDE 2009 SAT “THE BEST BOOK ON THE SAT.” — CBS RADIO GRUBER’S COMPLETE 12th Edition * SAT * SAT * FEATURES THE EXCLUSIVE GRUBER SYSTEM THAT HAS RAISED ACTUAL SAT SCORES BY MORE THAN 600 POINTS! Gruber_FNLcvr_SAT09_Updated:Layout 1 5/23/08 11:40 AM Page 1 GUIDE 2009 Gary R. Gruber, PhD GRUBER’S COMPLETE SAT 12th Edition * *SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board. The College Entrance Examination Board is not associated with and does not endorse this book. 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/1/08 3:51 PM Page i Copyright © 2008 by Gary R. Gruber Cover design © 2008 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in ren- dering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. —From a Declaration of Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations Published by Sourcebooks, Inc. P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410 (630) 961-3900 Fax: (630) 961-2168 www.sourcebooks.com Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file with the publisher. Printed and bound in Canada WC 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/2/08 1:14 PM Page ii Recent and Forthcoming Study Aids from Dr. Gary Gruber Include: Gruber’s Essential Guide to Test Taking: Grades 6-9 Gruber’s Essential Guide to Test Taking: Grades 3-5 Gruber’s SAT 2400 Gruber’s SAT Math Workbook Gruber’s SAT Reading Workbook Gruber’s SAT Writing Workbook www.sourcebooks.com www.drgarygruber.com 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/1/08 3:51 PM Page iii 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/1/08 3:51 PM Page iv Important Note About This Book and Its Author IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS BOOK AND ITS AUTHOR • v This book is the most up-to-date and complete book on the current SAT. EVERY EXAM is pat- terned after the SAT, and all the strategies and techniques deal with the SAT. The SAT incor- porates all the Gruber Critical Thinking Strategies. This book was written by Dr. Gary Gruber, the leading authority on the SAT, who knows more than anyone else in the test-prep market exactly what is being tested for in the SAT. In fact, the procedures to answer the SAT questions rely more heavily on the Gruber Critical Thinking Strategies than ever before, and this is the only book that has the exact thinking strategies you need to use to maximize your SAT score. Gruber’s SAT books are used more than any other books by the nation’s school districts and are proven to get the highest docu- mented school district SAT scores. Dr. Gruber has published more than 30 books with major publishers on test-taking and critical thinking methods, with over 7 million copies sold. He has also authored over 1,000 arti- cles on his work in scholarly journals and syndicated nationally in newspapers, has appeared on numerous television and radio shows, and has been interviewed in hundreds of magazines and newspapers. He has developed major programs for school districts and for city and state educational agencies for improving and restructuring curriculum, increasing learning ability and test scores, increasing motivation and developing a “passion” for learning and problem solving, and decreasing the student dropout rate. For example, PBS (Public Broadcasting System) chose Dr. Gruber to train the nation’s teachers on how to prepare students for the SAT through a national satellite teleconference and videotape. His results have been lauded throughout the country from all walks of life. Dr. Gruber is recognized nationally as the leading expert on standardized tests. It is said that no one in the nation is better at assessing the thinking patterns of “how” a person answers questions and providing the mechanism to improve the faulty thinking approaches. SAT score improvements by students using Dr. Gruber’s techniques have been the highest in the nation. Gruber’s unique methods have been and are being used by Public Television (PBS), the nation’s learning centers, international encyclopedias, school districts throughout the country, in homes and workplaces across the nation, and by a host of other entities. His goal and mission is to get people’s potential realized and the nation “impassioned” with learning and problem solving so that they don’t merely try to get a “fast” uncritical answer, but actually enjoy and look forward to solving the problem and learning. For more information on Gruber courses and additional Gruber products, visit www.drgarygruber.com. Important: Many books do not reflect the current SAT questions. Don’t practice with ques- tions that misrepresent the actual questions on the SAT. For example, the math questions cre- ated by the test makers are oriented to allow someone to solve many problems without a calculator as fast as with one and some faster without a calculator. This book reflects the SAT more accurately than any other commercial book, and the strategies contained in it are exactly those needed to be used on the SAT. It is said that only Dr. Gruber has the expertise and ability to reflect the exam far more closely than any competitor! Don’t trust your future with less than the best material. 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/1/08 3:51 PM Page v 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/1/08 3:51 PM Page vi THE AUTHOR HAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU • vii What Are Critical Thinking Skills? First of all, I believe that intelligence can be taught. Intelligence, simply defined, is the aptitude or ability to reason things out. I am convinced that you can learn to think logically and figure things out better and faster, particularly in regard to SAT Math and Verbal problems. But some- one must give you the tools. Let us call these tools strategies. And that’s what Critical Thinking Skills are all about—strategies. Learn the Strategies to Get More Points The Critical Thinking Skills (beginning on page 59) will sharpen your reasoning ability so that you can increase your score up to 300 points on each part of the SAT. These Critical Thinking Skills—5 General Strategies, 19 Math Strategies, and 16 Verbal Strategies—course right through this book. The Explanatory Answers for the 5 Practice Tests in the book direct you to those strategies that may be used to answer specific types of SAT ques- tions. We can readily prove that the strategies in Part 2 of this book are usable for more than 90 percent of the questions that will appear on your SAT. Each additional correct answer gives you approximately 10 points. It is obvious, then, that your learning and using the 40 easy-to-understand strategies in this book will very likely raise your SAT score substantially. Are the Practice Tests in This Book Like an Actual SAT? If you compare any one of the 5 Practice Tests in this book with an actual SAT, you will find the book test very much like the actual test in regard to format, question types, and level of difficulty. Compare our book tests with one of the official tests, published by the College Board! Building Your Vocabulary Can Make a Big Difference on Your Test Although Antonyms no longer appear on the SAT, Vocabulary will still be tested, especially on Sentence Completions, and Reading Comprehension. This book includes four vital sections to build your vocabulary: 1. 3,400 Word List 2. 100 Vocabulary Tests 3. 366 Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes 4. The 291 Most Important/Frequently Used SAT Words 5. The Hot Prefixes and Roots The Author Has Something Important to Tell You About How to Raise Your SAT Score 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/1/08 3:51 PM Page vii viii • THE AUTHOR HAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU If you have time, it is important for you to study this word-building instructional material. You will find that many, many words in the 3,400 Word List will actually show up in the Sentence Completion and Reading Comprehension sections of the Verbal part of your SAT. We repeat that each additional correct answer adds approximately 10 points to your score. Knowing the meanings of the words in the 3,400 Word List will, therefore, help you consider- ably to “rake in” those precious points. Study the 366 Latin and Greek Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes We have developed a list of roots, prefixes, and suffixes which contains the 50 prefixes and roots that give you the meaning of more than 150,000 words. Learning all 366 will increase your vocabulary immensely. You may also wish to study the Hot Prefixes and Roots in Appendix A. Study the 291 Most Important/Frequently Used SAT Words We have developed a list of most frequently used words and their opposites related to specific categories for easy memorization. Study these words. Study the Mini- Math Refresher If you believe you are weak in the basic math skills area, study the Mini- Math Refresher. The material in the section is keyed to the Complete Math Refresher section for more complete instruction. Take the 101 Most Important Math Questions Test To see what are your weak basic math skills areas, take the 101 Most Important Math Questions Test and look at the solutions to the questions. The questions are keyed to the Complete Math Refresher so you can further brush up on your weak areas by referring to those pages in the Complete Math Refresher part for those questions you missed. The Explanatory Answers to Questions Are Keyed to Specific Strategies and Basic Skills The Explanatory Answers in this book are far from skimpy—so unlike those of other SAT books. Our detailed answers will direct you to the strategy that will help you to arrive at a cor- rect answer quickly. In addition, the Math solutions in the book refer directly to the 150-page Math Refresher section, particularly useful in case your Math skills are “rusty.” Lift That SAT Score By using the material in this book, that is, by taking the tests, learning the specific strategies, refreshing your basic skills, etc., as described above, you should increase your SAT score substantially. —Gary Gruber 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/1/08 3:51 PM Page viii I. Important Facts About the SAT/ xiii II. The Inside Track on How SAT Questions Are Developed and How They Vary from Test to Test / xx III. What Are Critical Thinking Skills? / xxi IV. Strategies for Women / xxiii V. Multi- Level Approaches to Solution of Problems / xxiv VI. A Four- Hour Study Program for the SAT / xxvii VII. Longer-Range Study Program and Helpful Steps for Using This Book / xxviii VIII. Format of the SAT / xxix Contents INTRODUCTION xiii PART 1 STRATEGY DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR THE SAT 1 Directions for Taking the Diagnostic Test / 2 Strategy Diagnostic Test Answer Sheet / 3 Section 1: Verbal Ability / 4 Section 2: Math Ability / 12 Strategy Diagnostic Test Answer and Diagnostic Table (Keyed to Strategies in book) / 18 PART 2 THE SHORTEST SAT TEST—16 QUESTIONS TO APPROXIMATE YOUR SAT SCORE 23 Verbal (Critical Reading) / 24 Math / 25 Writing / 26 Answers / 27 Shortest SAT Test: What You Did Wrong, Explanatory Answers and Scoring, Strategies and Basic Skills Needed to Improve / 28 PART 3 THE 101 MOST IMPORTANT MATH QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SOLVE 29 101 Math Questions Answer Sheet / 30 101 Math Questions Test / 32 101 Math Questions: Answers / 45 Basic Skills Math Diagnosis / 47 Solutions, Generalizations, Rules / 48 1FM-pg116.qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5/1/08 3:51 PM Page ix [...]... E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 A B C D E A B C D E A B C D... Student-Produced (“grid type”) 18 8 10 25 11 18 6 25 5 minute break Section 7: CRITICAL READING Sentence Completions 1 paired short passage (about 13 0 wds each) 1 passage (400–550 wds) 1 passage (550–700 wds) 24 5 4 5–7 8 10 25 1FM-pg 116 .qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5 /1/ 08 3: 51 PM Page xxx xxx • INTRODUCTION Number of Questions Number of Minutes Section 8: MATH Regular Math 16 16 20 Section 9: CRITICAL READING... Strategies / 11 8 9 Reading Comprehension Strategies / 13 3 Critical Reading Strategies / 12 5 3 Vocabulary Strategies / 14 8 PA R T 5 MINI-MATH REFRESHER 15 5 PA R T 6 COMPLETE SAT MATH REFRESHER 16 5 Session #1 Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, etc / 16 8 Session #3—Area, Perimeter, and Volume Problems / 219 Fractions, Decimals, Percentages / 16 8 Area, Perimeter, and Volume Problems / 219 Deviations / 17 1 Practice... 60– 61 Critical Reading Study the following Verbal Strategies beginning on page 11 8 (first 3 questions): Sentence Completion Strategies 1, 2, pages 11 8 12 0 Vocabulary Strategies 1, 2, and 3, pages 14 8 15 3 Reading Comprehension Strategies 1 and 2, pages 13 3 13 7 Study the 2 91 Most Important/Frequently Used SAT Words and Their Opposites, page 359 Math Study the Mini-Math Refresher beginning on page 15 5... ⌬ ϭ (A) 1 (B) 5 (C) 6 (D) 7 (E) 8 3 If s equals 1/ percent of t, what percent of s is t? 2 (A) 2% (B) 200% (C) 2,000% (D) 20,000% (E) 200,000% Answers, Strategy, and Page in Book for Questions: ANSWER STRATEGY Verbal 1 C 2 C Sentence Completion 1 Sentence Completion 2, 4 Math 1 E 2 E 3 D Math 2 Math 8 Math 2 and 7 PAGE 245 246, 249 17 6 19 3 17 6, 19 1 1FM-pg 116 .qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5 /1/ 08 3: 51 PM Page... page to take the test 1FM-pg 116 .qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5 /1/ 08 3: 51 PM Page 3 STRATEGY DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR THE SAT • 3 Strategy Diagnostic Test Answer Sheet SECTION 1 Verbal Ability SECTION 2 Math Ability 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C... (first 3 questions for each strategy): Strategy 2, page 71 Strategy 4, page 80 Strategy 8, page 90 Strategy 12 , page 98 Strategy 13 , page 10 0 Strategy 14 , page 10 2 Strategy 17 , page 10 9 Strategy 18 , page 11 2 If you have time, take Practice Test 1 starting on page 554 Do sections 1 10 Check your answers with the explanatory answers starting on page 618 , and look again at the strategies and basic skills... (Answer B) Here’s an example from a recent SAT If y Ϫ x ϭ 5 and 2y ϩ z ϭ 11 , find the value of x ϩ y ϩ z (A) 3 (B) 6 (C) 8 (D) 16 (E) 55 Solution: Subtract equation y Ϫ x ϭ 5 from 2y ϩ z ϭ 11 We get 2y Ϫ y ϩ z Ϫ (Ϫ x) ϭ 11 Ϫ 5 So, y ϩ z ϩ x ϭ 6 (Choice B) * Note: See Math Strategy #13 on p 10 0 1FM-pg 116 .qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5 /1/ 08 3: 51 PM Page xxi INTRODUCTION • xxi III What Are Critical Thinking Skills?... 1 1 1 1 1 Which is greater, 7 ᎏᎏ ϫ 8 ᎏᎏ ϫ 6 ᎏᎏ or 8 ᎏᎏ ϫ 6 ᎏᎏ ϫ7? 7 8 6 8 6 1 1 1 1 1 Long and tedious way: Multiply 7ᎏᎏϫ 8 ᎏᎏϫ 6 ᎏᎏ and compare it with 8 ᎏᎏϫ 6 ᎏᎏϫ7 7 8 6 8 6 Error in doing the problem the “long way”: You don’t have to calculate; you just have to compare, so you need a strategy for comparing two quantities 1 1 Critical Thinking Way: 1 Observe: There is a common 8 ᎏᎏ and 6 ᎏᎏ 8 6 1. .. Section 2: MATH Regular Math 20 20 25 10 Sections of the SAT* 5 minute break Section 3: EXPERIMENTAL* Could be Writing, Critical Reading, or Math varies 25 Section 4: CRITICAL READING Sentence Completions 1 short passage (60 12 5 wds) 1 short passage (60 12 5 wds) 1 passage (650–850 wds) OR Double reading passage (350–450 wds each) 24 8 2 2 11 13 25 11 13 1 minute break Section 5: WRITING (Multiple-Choice) . Edition * SAT * SAT * FEATURES THE EXCLUSIVE GRUBER SYSTEM THAT HAS RAISED ACTUAL SAT SCORES BY MORE THAN 600 POINTS! Gruber_FNLcvr _SAT0 9_Updated:Layout 1 5/23/08 11 :40 AM Page 1 GUIDE 2009 Gary. trust your future with less than the best material. 1FM-pg 116 .qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5 /1/ 08 3: 51 PM Page v 1FM-pg 116 .qxd:22678_0000-FM.qxd 5 /1/ 08 3: 51 PM Page vi THE AUTHOR HAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT. Decimals, Percentages / 16 8 Deviations / 17 1 Ratios and Proportions / 17 2 Variations / 17 3 Comparison of Fractions / 17 3 Practice Test 1 / 17 6 Answer Key for Practice Test 1 / 18 6 Answers and Solutions