Test Taking Tip: Plugging In
Plugging In is a common test taking skill that is taught in standardized test courses for test like the SAT, PSAT and ACT. This skill involves replacing (or plugging in) your own vlaues to replace variables in a problem. There are many variations on plugging in, but the essential process has 4 steps:
- Identify the problem as a plug in (variables)
- Replace the variables in the problem with values
- Calulate an answer based on your values
- Replace the values into the answer list and match to your answers to get the correct response.
This is a powerful strategy that can typically be utilized on 10-15 or the 54 Math problems on an SAT. Better yet, it is most typically used on the more difficult problems to further enhance its value
A forum like this article or a blog is not the best to demonstate the power of a strategy like Plugging In, so I would refer the reader to the graphics and video linked to this article.
Dr Steven Greene is the owner and lead instructor at mAke the grAde AcAdemic services, a Dresher based educational consulting and tutoring company specializingin Math, Science and Test Prep and College Admissions. More info: 215 540 8378 or sgreene@makethegrade.net
