DSAT Problem Solving Strategies 3

Question 1

A rate problem says a car travels 240 miles in 4 hours. A student must find how far it travels in 7 hours at the same rate. Which setup is correct?

Accepted Answer

240 × 7 ÷ 4

Answer

Unit rate = 240 ÷ 4 = 60 mph; distance in 7 hours = 60 × 7 = 420 miles, equivalent to 240 × 7 ÷ 4.

Question 2

On the DSAT, when a geometry problem provides a figure but says 'not drawn to scale,' what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Trust the labeled values and use formulas, ignoring visual proportions

Answer

Labeled values and given information are always accurate; visual appearance in non-scale figures can be misleading and must be ignored.

Question 3

A student sees two linear equations and must find their intersection. Which method is fastest when one equation is already solved for y?

Accepted Answer

Substitution

Answer

When one equation is solved for y, substituting that expression into the other equation immediately reduces the system to one variable.

Question 4

Which strategy should you use when an SAT problem has variables in the answer choices and you're unsure how to set up the algebra?

Accepted Answer

Pick a simple number for the variable and test each answer choice

Answer

Plugging in a simple number (like x = 2) lets you compute a concrete target value and then check which answer choice matches.

Question 5

A problem asks: 'What is 15% of 80?' A student wants the quickest mental math approach. Which is best?

Accepted Answer

Find 10% of 80 and add half of that result

Answer

10% of 80 is 8; half of 8 is 4; 8 + 4 = 12, giving 15% of 80 quickly without a calculator.

(DSAT) Digital SAT Practice Test