Full Description

Gruber’s Complete PSAT/NMSQT Guide 2011

THE MOST TRUSTED AND EFFECTIVE ADVICE IN TEST PREP
“Dr. Gary Gruber has developed a method that will raise students’ test scores by sharpening their thinking skills.”—Boston Globe

“By learning Dr. Gruber’s strategies, a student can increase his or her IQ to do well on any exam.”—Teen Magazine

“His methods make the questions seem amazingly simple to solve.”—Library Journal

“With the aid of your books, my scores improved so dramatically that I am now anticipating acceptance into schools that I was reluctant to even apply to.”—Lauren F., New Jersey

NO GIMMICKS, NO TRICKS, JUST EASY STRATEGIES THAT WILL ACTUALLY RAISE YOUR SCORE.
—Includes 3 full-length practice tests
—Inside info on how PSAT questions are created
—Strategies that will save you study time by pointing you directly to the answer

GET THE SKILLS THAT UNLOCK THE ANSWERS
With the explanation to a question, you can answer that one question. With the Gruber strategies, you can answer thousands of questions! These strategies show you how to think about problems instead of trying to solve each one individually.

USE THE MOST TRUSTED METHODS
• More schools use Dr. Gruber’s books for test-prep courses than any other test prep books.
• PBS chose Dr. Gruber to train teachers nationally to improve the nation’s test scores.
• National learning centers, state agencies, and state education departments have contracted with Dr. Gruber to improve test scores and critical-thinking ability.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO STUDY TO GET THE TOP SCORE

• Exclusive 4-Hour Cram Session
• PSAT-Specific Math and Grammar Review
• Guide to the Most Frequently Used PSAT Vocabulary
• Essential Strategies for Math, Critical Reading, and Writing Skills
• And Everything Else You Need

“GRUBER CAN RING THE BELL ON ANY NUMBER OF STANDARDIZED EXAMS.”
—Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION xiii

I. Important Facts About the PSAT / xiv
II. The I nside Track on How PSAT Questions Are Developed and How They Vary from Test to Test / xxi
III. What Are Critical-Thinking Skills? / xxii
IV. Strategies for Women / xxiv
V. Multi -Level Approaches to the Solution of Problems / xxv
VI. A Four-Hour Study Program for the PSAT / xxviii
VII. Long er-Range Study Program and Helpful Steps
for Using This Book / xxix
VIII. Format of the PSAT / xxx

PART 1

DO YOU HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF WINNING A NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP? 1
Critical Reading / 2
Math / 4
Writing Skills / 5
Answers / 6
Scoring / 7
Explanatory Answers for the National Merit Scholarship
Diagnostic Test / 8

PART 2

THE 101 MOST IMPORTANT MATH QUESTIONS
YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SOLVE 13

101 Math Questions Answer Sheet / 14
101 Math Questions Test / 16
101 Math Questions: Answers, Diagnosis, Solutions, Generalizations, Rules / 27
101 Math Questions: Answers / 28
Basic Skills Math Diagnosis / 30
Solutions, Generalizations, Rules / 31

PART 3

STRATEGY SECTION 41

5 General Strategies / 42
32 Easy-to-Learn Strategies / 44
How to Learn the Strategies / 44
Important Note on the Allowed Use of Calculators on the PSAT / 44
Important Note on Math Questions on the PSAT / 45
The Grid-Type Math Question / 45
Practice with Grids / 47
Answers / 48
Use of a Calculator in the Grid-Type Question / 49
19 Math Strategies / 51
Critical Reading Strategies / 80
4 Sentence Completion Strategies / 81
Introduction to Passage Reading / 87
Summary / 94
6 Reading Comprehension Strategies / 95
3 Vocabulary Strategies / 105
Hot Prefixes and Roots / 108
Words Commonly Mistaken for Each Other / 113
The Most Important/Frequently Used PSAT Words and
Their Opposites / 116

PART 4

MINI-MATH REFRESHER 119
Algebra and Arithmetic / 120
Geometry / 123

PART 5

COMPLETE PSAT MATH REFRESHER 129

Session 1—Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Deviations, Ratios and Proportions, Variations, and Comparison of Fractions / 131
Fractions, Decimals, Percentages / 132
Deviations / 135
Ratios and Proportions / 136
Variations / 136
Comparison of Fractions / 137
Practice Test 1 / 140
Answer Key for Practice Test 1 / 149
Answers and Solutions for Practice Test 1 / 149

Session 2—Rate Problems / 153
Word Problem Setup / 154
Distance and Time / 156
Work / 157
Mixture / 157
Cost / 158
Practice Test 2 / 159
Answer Key for Practice Test 2 / 168
Answers and Solutions for Practice Test 2 / 168

Session 3—Area, Perimeter, and Volume Problems / 178
Area, Perimeter, and Volume / 179
Practice Test 3 / 187
Answer Key for Practice Test 3 / 196
Answers and Solutions for Practice Test 3 / 196

Session 4—Algebra Problems / 202
Algebraic Properties / 203
Fundamental Laws of Our Number System / 203
Algebraic Expressions / 204
Equations / 204
Algebra of Graphs / 206
Inequalities / 213
Exponents and Roots / 218
Practice Test 4 / 219
Answer Key for Practice Test 4 / 227
Answers and Solutions for Practice Test 4 / 227

Session 5—Geometry Problems / 232
Basic Definitions / 233
Triangles / 235
Properties of Triangles / 236
Four-Sided Figures / 239
Many-Sided Figures / 240
Circles / 240
Practice Test 5 / 243
Answer Key for Practice Test 5 / 251
Answers and Solutions for Practice Test 5 / 251

Session 6—Miscellaneous Problems / 261
Averages, Medians, and Modes / 262
Properties of Integers / 263
Approximations / 265
Combinations / 266
Probability / 267
The Absolute Value Sign / 267
Functions / 267
Practice Test 6 / 268
Answer Key for Practice Test 6 / 276
Answers and Solutions for Practice Test 6 / 276

Session 7—Tables, Charts, and Graphs / 281
Charts and Graphs / 282
Tables and Charts / 282
Graphs / 283
Bar Graphs / 283
Circle Graphs / 284
Line Graphs / 285
Practice Test 7 and Solutions / 286

Session 8—Modern Math / 291
Sets / 292
Relations / 293
Solution Sets / 293
Axioms / 294
Closed Sets / 294
Mathematical Symbols / 294
Practice Test 8 and Solutions / 295

PART 6

THE PSAT WRITING SKILLS TEST 303
Types of Questions on the PSAT Writing Test / 304
Identifying Errors / 304
Sample Questions with Answers / 304
Improving Sentences / 307
Sample Questions with Answers / 307
Explanatory Answers / 309
Improving Paragraphs / 311
Sentence Order / 311
Diction / 313
Sentence Relationship / 314
Irrelevancy / 315
Economy / 316
Clarity / 317
Paragraphing / 319

PART 7

A BRIEF REVIEW OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR 321
Frequent Grammatical Problems / 322
Correct Usage: Choosing the Right Word / 330

PART 8

THREE PSAT PRACTICE TESTS 335
Five Important Reasons for Taking These Practice Tests / 336
10 Tips for Taking the Practice Tests / 337
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 1 / 339

PSAT Practice Test 1 / 342

How Did You Do on This Test? / 370
Answer Key for Practice Test 1 / 371
PSAT Score Conversion Table / 375
PSAT/NMSQT Percentiles and Mean Scores / 376
National Merit Scholarship Selection Index Percentiles and Mean Score / 377
Explanatory Answers for PSAT Practice Test 1 / 378
What You Must Do Now to Raise Your PSAT Score / 399
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 2 / 401

PSAT Practice Test 2 / 404

How Did You Do on This Test? / 434
Answer Key for Practice Test 2 / 435
PSAT Score Conversion Table / 439
PSAT/NMSQT Percentiles and Mean Scores / 440
National Merit Scholarship Selection Index Percentiles and Mean Score / 441
Explanatory Answers for PSAT Practice Test 2 / 442
What You Must Do Now to Raise Your PSAT Score / 459
Answer Sheet for Practice Test 3 / 461

PSAT Practice Test 3 / 464

How Did You Do on This Test? / 492
Answer Key for Practice Test 3 / 493
PSAT Score Conversion Table / 497
PSAT/NMSQT Percentiles and Mean Scores / 498
National Merit Scholarship Selection Index Percentiles and Mean Score / 499
Explanatory Answers for PSAT Practice Test 3 / 500
What You Must Do Now to Raise Your PSAT Score / 518

Excerpt

Excerpt

This book is the most up-to-date and complete book on the current PSAT. EVERY EXAM is patterned after the PSAT, and all the strategies and techniques deal with the PSAT. The PSAT incorporates all the Gruber Critical-Thinking Strategies.

This book was written by Dr. Gary Gruber, the leading authority on standard tests such as the SAT, PSAT, and ACT, who knows more than anyone else in the test-prep market exactly what is being tested for in the PSAT. In fact, the procedures to answer the PSAT questions rely more heavily on the Gruber Critical-Thinking Strategies than ever before, and this is the only book that has the exact thinking strategies you need to use to maximize your PSAT score. Gruber’s SAT books are used more than any other books by the nation’s school districts and are proven to get the highest documented school district SAT scores.

Dr. Gruber has published more than 35 books with major publishers on test-taking and critical-thinking methods, with over 7 million copies sold. He has also authored over 1,000 articles on his work in scholarly journals and nationally syndicated newspapers, has appeared on numerous television and radio shows, and has been interviewed in hundreds of magazines and newspapers. He has developed major programs for school districts and for city and state educational agencies for improving and restructuring curriculum, increasing learning ability and test scores, increasing motivation and developing a “passion” for learning and problem solving, and decreasing the student dropout rate. For example, PBS (Public Broadcasting System) chose Dr. Gruber to train the nation’s teachers on how to prepare students for the PSAT and SAT through a national satellite teleconference and videotape. His results have been lauded by people throughout the country from all walks of life.

Dr. Gruber is recognized nationally as the leading expert on standardized tests. It is said that no one in the nation is better at assessing the thinking patterns of how a person answers questions and providing the mechanism to improve the faulty thinking approaches. SAT score improvements by students using Dr. Gruber’s techniques have been the highest in the nation. Gruber’s unique methods have been and are being used by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), by the nation’s learning centers, by international encyclopedias, by school districts throughout the country, in homes and workplaces across the nation, and by a host of other entities.

His goal and mission is to get people’s potential realized and the nation impassioned with learning and problem solving so that they don’t merely try to get a “fast” uncritical answer, but actually enjoy and look forward to solving the problem and learning.
For more information on Gruber courses and additional Gruber products, visit: www.drgarygruber.com.

Reviews

Reviews

Customer Reviews:

Specs / Support

Trade Paper Specfications

• Length: 11 in
• Width: 8.50 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 31.00 oz
• Page Count: 0.0000 pages