SAT Math · 10% of the test
Additional Topics in Math
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.
What's actually tested
Although smallest by weight, this category is high-leverage because the formulas you need are short and memorizable. A single weekend of formula drilling can move a student from 4-out-of-6 to 6-out-of-6 in this category, which on a balanced form is worth 30+ scaled points.
Subtopics
Click any subtopic to see filed practice questions, worked solutions, and a short tactical guide.
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.
Sample practice questions in this topic
- Easy Right triangle trigonometry In a right triangle, the two legs have lengths 7 and 24. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
- Easy Right triangle trigonometry What is the value of sin(30°)?
- Medium Right triangle trigonometry In a right triangle, the two legs have lengths 3 and 4. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
- Medium Right triangle trigonometry What is the value of sin(30°)?
- Medium Right triangle trigonometry In a right triangle, the two legs have lengths 3 and 4. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
- Hard Right triangle trigonometry What is the value of sin(45°)?
- Easy Right triangle trigonometry In a right triangle, the two legs have lengths 5 and 12. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
- Easy Right triangle trigonometry What is the value of sin(30°)?
- Medium Right triangle trigonometry In a right triangle, the two legs have lengths 5 and 12. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
- Medium Right triangle trigonometry What is the value of sin(30°)?
- Medium Right triangle trigonometry In a right triangle, the two legs have lengths 3 and 4. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
- Hard Right triangle trigonometry What is the value of sin(45°)?
See all 56 questions in Additional Topics in Math →
How students lose points here
Using degrees when the formula expects radians, forgetting that the area of a sector scales with the angle fraction, and slipping a square in the volume of a sphere. The good news: nearly every common mistake on this topic comes from one of three or four recurring patterns. Spend an hour reviewing those patterns and your accuracy on this topic typically jumps two or three percentage points immediately, which on a balanced test is worth ten to twenty scaled score points depending on your band.
How to study this topic
Memorize the geometry and trigonometry formula sheet cold. Most items in this category test recognition of which formula applies, not derivation. A reasonable session looks like fifteen practice items, untimed, with you reading the worked solution after every one — even the questions you got right, because being right by accident teaches nothing. After two or three such sessions, attempt a timed mini-set of ten items. If your accuracy stays above 80%, move on. If it doesn't, drill the lowest-accuracy subtopic for another session before you push forward.