Numbers and Operations
Understanding Numbers
Numbers are everywhere, from counting your steps to managing your allowance. The PSAT tests your ability to work with integers, fractions, decimals, and percentages.
Arithmetic Operations
Knowing how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide is the foundation of all mathematics. You'll also need to be comfortable with order of operations (PEMDAS), exponents, and roots.
Real-World Connections
We use these operations every day: splitting a bill, calculating discounts, or converting measurements. On the PSAT, you might need to compare values or find the result of a multi-step calculation.
Quick Tips
- Always pay attention to the sign (positive or negative).
- Convert fractions to decimals when needed for easier computation.
- Check if your answer makes sense in context.
Examples
Adding 3/4 and 1/2: Convert to common denominator, 3/4 + 2/4 = 5/4.
Calculating a 20% discount on a $50 shirt: \(50 \times 0.2 = 10\), so the sale price is $40.
In a Nutshell
Mastering numbers and how to use them forms the base of all PSAT Math.