Skill Builder: Estimating , A Powerful Tool for SHSAT Success

Time management during test-taking is more important than ever with the SHSAT transitioning to a digital format. Students can no longer skip tricky, difficult questions and return to them later. Once a question is answered, that answer is locked in, meaning the digital CAT format turns the SHSAT into a one-way street—students can only move forward. This change encourages students to be mindful of their time as they navigate their way through the test.

With this in mind, it's beneficial for students to tackle the easier questions quickly and confidently. We’re not suggesting that they rush through any question carelessly; rather, we encourage them to answer the simpler questions confidently without hesitation. This approach allows them to move on to the rest of the test, preserving their time for those more challenging questions that may require a bit more thought and effort.

One tip for managing time is to use estimation to zero in on the correct answer, which can help minimize the need for lengthy calculations. Here are two quick examples from the 2018 Practice Test B that illustrate this approach.

Example 1: Question 93. The Chens spend $5 of every $8 they earn on planned expenses. If the family earns $29,600 in one year, how much will they spend on planned expenses that year?

A) $1,850

B) $3,700

C) $5,920

D) $18,500

Answer: The question is very straightforward, and we can see right away that the only computation required to find the answer is to find 5/8 of $ 29,600. Computing that might not take long. But a quick scan of the choices tells us that the actual computation isn't even needed. In other words, we don't need a precise answer to know that three of the four choices cannot be the answer.

If we estimate, we know that 1/2 of around $30,000 is $15,000. So, our answer will be a bit more than $15,000. Choices A, B, and C can be eliminated. The answer is D) $18,500.

Here is another example from the 2018 Practice Test B.

Example 2: Question 79. Bryana bought 1¾ yards of cloth at $8.00 per yard. If there was an 8% sales tax, what was the total cost of the cloth?

A) $12.96

B) $14.08

C) $15.12

D) $16.08

Answer: We can quickly figure out that the cost of 1¾ yards of cloth is $8 + $6 = $14. The next step would be to calculate the 8% sales tax which would be added to the $14. We know that 10% of $14 is $1.40. So, we can estimate that the total cost of the cloth including sales tax will be a bit less than $15.40, or ($14 + $1.40). So, we can eliminate Choices A and B because they are too small, and we can eliminate choice D because it is too big. Our answer is C) $15.12.

The two above examples show us that on straightforward questions, we often do not have to find a precise answer. Many of the wrong choices can be eliminated and we can find the answer by estimating wisely. Doing so saves us time, a valuable resource, which we can then apply later to difficult questions.

For more practice and explanations, please check out our other blog posts and visit the NYCGPrep Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@NYCGPrep