What's on the SAT?

The SAT tests 2 things: reading and writing, and math. Each has its own section, and each section covers 4 content domains, the groups of skills College Board tests. There's no essay and no separate science section, though some passages and word problems are about science.

The counts below are College Board's, for the questions that count toward your score: 50 in Reading and Writing and 40 in Math. Each section also has 4 unscored pretest questions that look like the rest, for 98 questions in all. For timing and modules, see How long is the SAT, and how is it structured?

Reading and Writing

Each question comes with its own short passage, 25 to 150 words long, and has 4 answer choices. Passages come from literature, history and social studies, the humanities and science, and some include a table or graph.

• Craft and Structure (about 28%, 13 to 15 questions): what a word means in context (Words in Context), why an author built a text a certain way (Text Structure and Purpose), and how two texts on one topic relate (Cross-Text Connections). Typical question: which word or phrase best fits the blank in the passage?
• Information and Ideas (about 26%, 12 to 14 questions): a text's main idea and details (Central Ideas and Details), which quotation or data supports a claim (Command of Evidence), and what logically follows (Inferences). Typical question: which data from the graph best support the researcher's claim?
• Standard English Conventions (about 26%, 11 to 15 questions): grammar and punctuation. Boundaries is about where sentences and clauses start and end; Form, Structure, and Sense is about verbs, pronouns, agreement and modifiers. Typical question: which punctuation correctly completes the sentence?
• Expression of Ideas (about 20%, 8 to 12 questions): choosing the transition that connects 2 ideas (Transitions), and using notes to reach a writing goal (Rhetorical Synthesis). Typical question: which transition best connects these 2 sentences?

Math

About 75% of Math questions are multiple choice. The other 25% ask you to type in your answer. About 30% are word problems set in science, social science or real-world situations. You can use a calculator on every question, and a reference sheet lists common formulas. See Which calculators are allowed on the SAT?

• Algebra (about 35%, 13 to 15 questions): linear equations in 1 and 2 variables, linear functions, systems of 2 linear equations, and linear inequalities. Typical question: a phone plan costs $20 plus $5 per gigabyte; which equation gives the cost?
• Advanced Math (about 35%, 13 to 15 questions): equivalent expressions, nonlinear functions, and nonlinear equations and systems: quadratic, exponential, polynomial, rational, radical and absolute value. Typical question: what are the solutions of x² - 5x + 6 = 0?
• Problem Solving and Data Analysis (about 15%, 5 to 7 questions): ratios, rates and units; percentages; mean, median and spread; scatterplots and models; probability; margin of error; and judging studies and experiments. Typical question: a jacket costs $60 after a 25% discount; what was the original price?
• Geometry and Trigonometry (about 15%, 5 to 7 questions): area and volume; lines, angles and triangles; right triangles and trigonometry; and circles. Typical question: what's the area of a circle with a radius of 6?

Questions from all 4 domains appear in every module. College Board's Reading and Writing and Math pages and its test specifications have the full details.

How Aniko covers it

Aniko uses the same 8 domains and the same skills, and it isn't affiliated with College Board. In the app, the Reading and Writing section is often labeled Reading.

• Your study plan gives your weak skills the most practice. See How is my study plan built?
• Practice tests mix the domains in about the SAT's proportions. See How do Aniko practice tests work?
• Analytics shows your mastery of every domain and skill. See Use Analytics to find your weak spots.

Frequently asked questions