Guided Practice
Learn
Guided practice is a critical step in your SAT/ACT preparation journey. After completing your diagnostic assessment and analyzing your scores, it's time to work through problems with step-by-step support. This lesson will walk you through solving diagnostic-style questions with detailed explanations for each step.
Why Guided Practice Matters
- Builds confidence: Working through problems with guidance helps you understand the reasoning process
- Identifies thinking patterns: You'll learn to recognize common problem structures
- Develops strategies: Each solved example teaches you techniques you can apply independently
- Bridges the gap: Connects your current skills to test requirements
Examples
Example 1: Data Interpretation
A survey of 200 students found that 45% prefer online learning, 35% prefer in-person learning, and the rest have no preference. How many students have no preference?
Step 1: Identify what we know: 45% + 35% = 80% have a preference
Step 2: Calculate the percentage with no preference: 100% - 80% = 20%
Step 3: Find 20% of 200: 0.20 x 200 = 40 students
Example 2: Ratio Problem
If the ratio of correct answers to incorrect answers on a test is 7:3, and there are 50 questions total, how many did the student answer correctly?
Step 1: Total parts = 7 + 3 = 10 parts
Step 2: Each part = 50 / 10 = 5 questions
Step 3: Correct answers = 7 x 5 = 35 questions
Practice Quiz
Work through these 10 guided practice questions. Click to reveal the answer and explanation for each.
Question 1: A class has 32 students. If 75% passed a test, how many students passed?
Answer: 24 students
Calculation: 0.75 x 32 = 24
Question 2: The ratio of boys to girls in a club is 5:4. If there are 36 members total, how many are boys?
Answer: 20 boys
Total parts = 5 + 4 = 9. Each part = 36/9 = 4. Boys = 5 x 4 = 20
Question 3: If a student scores 85, 90, and 82 on three tests, what score is needed on the fourth test for an average of 88?
Answer: 95
Sum needed for average of 88 over 4 tests = 88 x 4 = 352. Current sum = 85 + 90 + 82 = 257. Needed: 352 - 257 = 95
Question 4: A price increases from $80 to $100. What is the percent increase?
Answer: 25%
Increase = $100 - $80 = $20. Percent increase = (20/80) x 100 = 25%
Question 5: If 3/5 of a number is 45, what is the number?
Answer: 75
Let x = the number. (3/5)x = 45. x = 45 x (5/3) = 75
Question 6: A graph shows that sales increased from 150 units in January to 195 units in February. What is the percent increase?
Answer: 30%
Increase = 195 - 150 = 45. Percent = (45/150) x 100 = 30%
Question 7: If the probability of rain is 0.35, what is the probability it will NOT rain?
Answer: 0.65 or 65%
P(not rain) = 1 - P(rain) = 1 - 0.35 = 0.65
Question 8: A survey shows 120 out of 400 people prefer brand A. What percentage is this?
Answer: 30%
(120/400) x 100 = 30%
Question 9: If a car travels 240 miles in 4 hours, what is its average speed in miles per hour?
Answer: 60 mph
Speed = Distance / Time = 240 / 4 = 60 mph
Question 10: The median of 5 numbers is 12. If the numbers are 8, 10, 12, 15, and x, and x > 15, what could x be?
Answer: Any value greater than 15 (e.g., 16, 20, etc.)
Since the numbers when ordered are 8, 10, 12, 15, x, the median (middle value) is 12 regardless of x, as long as x > 15.
Check Your Understanding
After completing the practice questions above, reflect on these points:
- Which types of problems felt most comfortable?
- Where did you need to look at the explanation?
- What patterns do you notice in how problems are solved?
Next Steps
- Review any problems where you needed help
- Practice similar problems without looking at explanations
- Move on to the next lesson to explore targeted skills