SAT Math
All SAT Math topics
The official SAT math taxonomy, with subtopics and a count of practice items in each. Click any topic to drill it.
The SAT doesn't pull questions from a vague pool of "math problems." Every item is written against a specific subtopic in a published taxonomy, and the test form is balanced so each topic shows up in roughly the same proportion every time. That's why drilling by topic works: if you're missing 3 out of 4 questions on linear systems, the test guarantees you'll see linear systems again on test day. Fix the topic, fix your score.
Below is the complete list of topics and subtopics covered by the SAT math section, with the number of practice questions we've filed in each. The rough percentages reflect the College Board's published weightings for the digital SAT.
Heart of Algebra
33% of test 56 practice questions
Heart of Algebra covers linear equations, linear inequalities, systems of two linear equations, and the relationship between linear functions and their graphs. It is the largest single content category on the SAT Math section by item count.
Linear equations in one variable
Solving ax + b = c style equations and isolating a variable.
Linear functions and their graphs
Slope, intercepts, and reading linear graphs in context.
Systems of two linear equations
Solving 2-by-2 systems by substitution, elimination, or graphing.
Linear inequalities and systems of inequalities
Solving inequalities and reading shaded regions in the plane.
Passport to Advanced Math
28% of test 56 practice questions
Passport to Advanced Math focuses on the algebra that bridges into precalculus: quadratic functions and equations, polynomial expressions and their factored forms, rational expressions, exponential functions, and radical expressions.
Quadratic functions and equations
Solving, factoring, vertex form, and parabolic models.
Polynomial expressions and factoring
Multiplying, factoring, and the zeros of polynomials.
Rational expressions and equations
Simplifying ratios of polynomials and solving rational equations.
Exponential expressions and radicals
Exponent rules, scientific notation, and exponential growth/decay.
Problem Solving & Data Analysis
29% of test 56 practice questions
Problem Solving & Data Analysis covers ratios and proportional reasoning, percentages, unit conversions, statistical measures, scatterplots and lines of best fit, two-way tables, and probability.
Ratios, proportions, and units
Setting up ratios and converting between units.
Percentages and percent change
Percent of, percent change, and successive percent changes.
Mean, median, and standard deviation
Measures of center and spread, and comparing data sets.
Scatterplots, tables, and probability
Reading scatterplots, two-way tables, and computing simple probabilities.
Additional Topics in Math
10% of test 56 practice questions
Additional Topics covers plane and coordinate geometry (areas, volumes, circle theorems), right-triangle and unit-circle trigonometry, and a small number of complex-number arithmetic items.
Right triangle trigonometry
SOH-CAH-TOA, special right triangles, and the Pythagorean theorem.
Circles, arcs, and sectors
Circle equations, arc length, sector area, and central angles.
Volume and surface area
Prisms, cylinders, cones, spheres, and pyramids.
Complex numbers
Adding, subtracting, multiplying complex numbers.
Why drill by topic instead of by full test?
Mixed-topic practice has its place — it builds endurance, simulates pacing, and exposes weak spots. But once you've identified those weak spots, mixed practice is one of the slowest ways to fix them. If algebraic translation problems are eating your score, doing one of them every twenty minutes inside a full test won't drill the pattern into your hands. Doing fifteen of them in a row will. That's what the topic pages on this site are for.
Recommended sequence
For most students we suggest working topics in this rough order: linear equations, then linear systems, then ratios and percents, then quadratic functions, then geometry, then everything else. The early topics show up everywhere on the test — including inside questions whose surface category is something else — so locking them down early pays compounding returns.