Guessing Strategy: Process of Elimination

When forced to make a blind guess...

• Switch between your two favorite letters.

• Always choose the same letter every time.

• Random letter every time.

• Leave it blank, no big dea.

If you can only eliminate one answer, you should follow the strategy to stick with your favorite letter.

• True

• False

When you eliminate two answers choices it is time to change up your guessing strategy.

• No, stick to the strategy of guessing your favorite letter.

• Yes, at this point you're likely familiar with the problem enough to keep working.

• Yes, at this point you're likely familiar with the problem enough to make your best guess.

The best way to test your mathematical instincts on problems where you can only eliminate 2 answers is to

• Approximate the numbers

• Guess a random answer.

• Go with guessing your favorite letter.

• Study your practice test and know your tendencies.

When Eliminating, what strategies should we use?

• Approximating

• Finding Round Answers and Short Cuts

• Trying random formulas we have memorized

• Avoiding Temptation

What is the basic strategy for approximating?

• Plug in numbers you think make sense and see how the problem turns out.

• If you have even a general idea of what the right answer might be (even a ballpark figure will do), you will often be able to eliminate one or two of the most blatant outliers and make an educated guess.

• Use the answers in the question to make an educated guess.

On the ACT, the answer choice 'Cannot be Determined', is used how often?

• Less than 15% of the time

• Less than 20% of the time

• Less than 25% of the time

What is the basic strategy for Finding the Round Answers and Shortcuts? Check all that apply.

• The ACT favors shortcuts and round answers due to time constraints and calculator limitations.

• The ACT only chooses round number answers, never decimals or fractions.

• If you can eliminate answer choices that would not produce nice, round numbers, you can often find your right answer

True or False:

Many of the answer choices on the ACT are generated based on common student errors.

• True

• False

What is the basic strategy for Avoiding Temptation?

• If an answer choice seems immediately appealing, especially on a difficult question, it might just be a trap based on common mistakes.

• Some answers make you think the problem is more simple than it really is.

• Sometimes plugging in numbers works out even though it shouldn't.