AccelePrep for the ACT Test 2nd Edition Student Text

112 • S URGE TO S UCCESS ! M ATH T EST P REP

GEOMETRY

You probably know a lot of geometry formulas such as: s s s Perimeter triangle 1 2 3 r rea S A circle 2 And these may be useful for solving problems on the test. But what if you don’t quite remember how to use the formula? Or can’t remember at all? We have some super strategies to use to get points just from the pictures.

STRATEGY ALERT A picture is worth a point. The test directions say –Šƒ– –Š‡ ϐ‹‰—”‡• ƒ”‡ ‘– necessarily drawn to scale. But in practice, they are drawn to scale whenever possible. This means that you can often solve a geometry problem using the picture that comes with it.

GUESSTIMATING

Sometimes it is possible to arrive at a correct answer simply by making a rough approximation, or “guesstimating.” For example, if the angles below weren’t labeled, could you determine their approximate degree measure just by eyeballing? If you can visualize these angles successfully, you can accurately approximate almost any angle on the test (except in those special cases ™Š‡”‡ ϐ‹‰—”‡• ƒ”‡ ‘– †”ƒ™ –‘ •…ƒŽ‡ȌǤ