4. 邏輯推理法
SAT數學題中有一類題和數學運運算毫無關聯,采用邏輯推理即可完成。此類題題目較少,但十分新穎。乍一看讓人有些迷惑不解,其實只要掌握了恰當的方法,解題十分容易。
例題:
Family
Numbers of Consecutive
Nights
Jackson
10
Callan
5
Epstein
8
Liu
6
Benton
8
The table above shows the number of consecutive nights that each of five families stayed at a certain hotel during a 14-night period. If the Liu family’s stay did not overlap with the Benton family’s stay, which of the 14 nights could be a night on which only one of the five families stayed at the hotel?
A. The 3rd B. The 5th C. The 6th D. The 8th E. The 10th
解答:此題只要借助線段,便一目了然了。既然原文說“the Liu family’s stay did not overlap with the Benton family’s stay”,而且兩家剛好加在一起正好是14晚,那么不妨將這14晚設為一段長14cm的線段,從6cm處分割:
Liu Benton family family︳______ ____︳_________________︳
0 6cm 14cm
︳________10cm__________︳
︳________10cm__________︳
由于Jackson family是剩余家庭里呆得時間最長的,所以只要從他家看起即可。該題可以簡單轉化為一段長10cm的線段在14cm范圍內左右移動,要么露出最左面的 0~4cm空間(不包括4),要么留出最右面的10~14cm(不包括10)。所以沒有被 Jackson family所覆蓋的只有這兩個區間,也就是說只有一家居住的只能是前三天或后三天,答案為A。
從上面的最后一道例題我們不難看出,對于中國學生而言,答好數學題的前提是讀題能力,即英語能力,試想如果考生 consecutive(連續的), overlap(重疊)等詞認識有障礙,那么即使最后能猜出詞義,也必然會浪費一定時間。所以,考生仍然要通過多做題來熟悉數學中的常用單詞,特別是代數 和幾何方面的專用名詞,如divisible(可被整除的),quotient(商),round to(四舍五入),equivalent equation(同解方程/等價方程),infinite decimal(無窮小數), recurring decimal(循環小數),concentric circles(同心圓),adjacent angle(鄰角),segment of a circle(弧形),circumference/perimeter (周長),cross section(橫截面),coordinate system(坐標系),Pythagorean theorem(勾股定理),等等。如果大家能熟練數學掌握方面的詞匯,并通過真題不斷進行練習,那么最后考出理想的數學成績甚至800分滿分對聰明的中 國考生而言絕非難事。