With very few exceptions, then, the most difficult SAT math problems will be clustered at the end of the multiple choice segments or the second half of the grid-in questions. Hence, multiple choice questions are arranged in increasing difficulty (questions 1 and 2 will be the easiest, questions 14 and 15 will be the hardest), but the difficulty level resets for the grid-in section (meaning questions 16 and 17 will again be "easy" and questions 19 and 20 will be very difficult). On each subsection, question 1 will be "easy" and question 15 will be considered "difficult." However, the ascending difficulty resets from easy to hard on the grid-ins.
Don't worry too much about the no-calculator section, though: if you're not allowed to use a calculator on a question, it means you don't need a calculator to answer it.Įach math subsection is arranged in order of ascending difficulty (where the longer it takes to solve a problem and the fewer people who answer it correctly, the more difficult it is). The first math subsection (labeled "3") does not allow you to use a calculator, while the second math subsection (labeled as "4") does allow the use of a calculator.
The third and fourth sections of the SAT will always be math sections. These are all hard SAT Math questions from College Board SAT practice tests, which means understanding them is one of the best ways to study for those of you aiming for perfection. We've put together what we believe to be the 15 most difficult questions for the current SAT, with strategies and answer explanations for each. Want to test yourself against the most difficult SAT math questions? Want to know what makes these questions so difficult and how best to solve them? If you're ready to really sink your teeth into the SAT math section and have your sights set on that perfect score, then this is the guide for you.