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PSAT/NMSQT Prep 2022 � 2023: 2 Practice Tests + Proven Strategies + Online (2022)

PSAT/NMSQT Prep 2022 � 2023: 2 Practice Tests + Proven Strategies + Online (2022) provides an in-depth review of exam topics, offering structured explanations, solved examples, and tips to boost your success.

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    PSAT/ NMSQT ® Prep 2022–2023 PSAT/NMSQT ® is a registered trademark of the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product.

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    Editors-in-Chief M. Dominic Eggert; Alexandra Strelka, MA Contributing Editors Dr. Brandon Deason, MD; Katy Haynicz-Smith, MA; J. Scott Mullison; Kathryn Sollenberger, MEd; Glen Stohr, JD Special thanks to our faculty authors and reviewers Michael Cook; Christopher Cosci; Boris Dvorkin; John Evans; Chason Goldschmitz; Emily Graves; Jonathan Habermacher; Jack Hayes; Jo L’Abbate; Bird Marathe; Karen McCulloch; Melissa McLaughlin; Gail Rivers; Anne Marie Salloum; Jason Selzer; Gordon Spector; Caroline Sykes; Bob Verini, MFA; Bonnie Wang; and Ethan Weber Additional special thanks to Laura Aitcheson; Deborah Becak; Isaac Botier; Brian Carlidge; Mark Feery; Paula L. Fleming, MA, MBA; Joanna Graham; Rebekah Hawthorne; Ryan Henry; Rebecca Knauer; Abnia Loriston, MEd; Camellia Mukherjee; Kristin Murner, PhD; Aishwarya Pillai; Michael Wolff; Amy Zarkos; and the countless others who made this project possible PSAT/NMSQT ® is a registered trademark of the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product. This publication is designed to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered as of its publication date, with the understanding that knowledge and best practice constantly evolve. The publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal, accounting, or other professional service. If medical or legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This publication is not intended for use in clinical practice or the delivery of medical care. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the publisher nor the editors assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property arising out of or related to any use of the material contained in this book. ©2022 by Kaplan, Inc. Published by Kaplan Publishing, a division of Kaplan, Inc. 750 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 All rights reserved. The text of this publication, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN-13: 978-1-5062-8217-6 Kaplan Publishing print books are available at special quantity discounts to use for sales promotions, employee premiums, or educational purposes. For more information or to purchase books, please call the Simon & Schuster Special Sales department at 866-506-1949.

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    TABLE OF CONTENTS How to Use This Book PART 1: The PSAT and You CHAPTER 1: Inside the PSAT PSAT Structure PART 2: PSAT Math CHAPTER 2: Prerequisite Skills and Calculator Use Math Fundamentals Calculator Use CHAPTER 3: The Method for PSAT Math Questions How to Do PSAT Math A Note about Grid-ins Reflect PART 2A: The Heart of Algebra CHAPTER 4: Linear Equations and Graphs

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    How Much Do You Know? Solving Equations Word Problems Linear Graphs On Test Day How Much Have You Learned? Reflect CHAPTER 5: Systems of Linear Equations How Much Do You Know? Substitution Combination Number of Possible Solutions On Test Day How Much Have You Learned? Reflect PART 2B: Data Analysis CHAPTER 6: Ratios, Proportions, and Percents How Much Do You Know? Ratios and Proportions Unit Conversion Percents Percent Change On Test Day How Much Have You Learned?

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    Reflect CHAPTER 7: Tables, Statistics, and Probability How Much Do You Know? Tables and Graphs Statistics Surveys and Data Samples Probability On Test Day How Much Have You Learned? Reflect PART 2C: Passport to Advanced Math CHAPTER 8: Functions How Much Do You Know? Function Notation Graphs of Functions Describing Real-Life Situations with Functions On Test Day How Much Have You Learned? Reflect CHAPTER 9: Quadratics How Much Do You Know? Solving Quadratics by Factoring Classic Quadratics

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    Completing the Square The Quadratic Formula Graphs of Quadratics Systems of Quadratic and Linear Equations On Test Day How Much Have You Learned? Reflect PART 3: PSAT Reading CHAPTER 10: The Method for PSAT Reading Questions How to Do PSAT Reading How Much Have You Learned? Reflect CHAPTER 11: PSAT Reading Passage Strategies How Much Do You Know? PSAT Reading Strategies—Keywords, Margin Notes, and the Big Picture Summary How Much Have You Learned? Reflect CHAPTER 12: PSAT Reading Question Types How Much Do You Know? How to Unpack PSAT Reading Question Stems How Much Have You Learned? Reflect

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    CHAPTER 13: Answering PSAT Reading Questions How Much Do You Know? How to Answer PSAT Reading Questions How Much Have You Learned? Reflect PART 4: PSAT Writing and Language CHAPTER 14: The Method for PSAT Writing and Language Questions How to Do PSAT Writing and Language CHAPTER 15: Spotting and Fixing Errors: Sentence Structure, Punctuation, and Agreement How Much Do You Know? Sentence Structure: The Basics Sentence Structure: Commas, Dashes, and Colons Agreement: Verbs Agreement: Pronouns Agreement: Modifiers Agreement: Idioms How Much Have You Learned? Reflect PART 5: Countdown to Test Day CHAPTER 16: Countdown to Test Day PART 6: Practice Tests

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    PSAT Practice Test 1 Answer Key Answers and Explanations PSAT Practice Test 2 Answer Key Answers and Explanations

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    How to Use This Book This book is designed to help you score high on any pencil and paper PSAT exam into the spring of 2023. We understand that your time is limited and that this book is hefty, but nobody expects you to read every word. Nor do we expect you to go in order. If you need more work on the Writing and Language section than on Math, for example, then feel free to skip over the math chapters. The most efficient way to use this book is to spend the most time on those areas that give you trouble, starting with those that are tested most often. If you’re not sure, use the pretests we provide in each chapter to figure out how much time to spend on that material.

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    Chapter Organization Most chapters start with a section called “How Much Do You Know?” that helps you get a sense of how comfortable you already are with the material in the chapter. Answers and explanations follow immediately in the “Check Your Work” section. Each lesson in a chapter starts with a question typical of the way the PSAT tests a given topic and ends with a set of practice questions called “Try on Your Own.” There is yet another practice set at the end of each chapter called “How Much Have You Learned?” to reinforce the concepts explained in the chapter. Answers and Explanations for the “Try on Your Own” and “How Much Have You Learned?” sections are found at the end of each chapter for easy reference. Practice Tests There are two practice tests at the back of this book, both with full answer explanations. We recommend that you spread them out: take one when you first start to study for the PSAT and the second about a week before your test date. You’re Already on Your Way You already have many of the skills you’ll need to excel on the PSAT, but you’ll need to adapt those skills to the structure of the exam. For example, you already know how to read. You’ve probably also created outlines for essays you’ve written in school. This book will teach you to adapt to the PSAT by outlining a passage as you read it. It will also teach you to adapt your math skills to solve questions more efficiently, locate grammar issues quickly and confidently, and prioritize the topics that get tested the most. SmartPoints ® Different topics are worth different numbers of points on the PSAT because

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    they show up more or less frequently in questions. By studying the information released by the College Board, Kaplan has been able to determine how often certain topics are likely to show up on the PSAT, and therefore how many points these topics are worth on test day. If you master a given topic, you can expect to earn the corresponding number of SmartPoints on test day. We have used a 600-point scale for SmartPoints because that’s the number of points you can earn within the Math and Verbal subscores: the PSAT scoring scale is 160–760, so there are 760 − 160 = 600 points to be earned within each major section of the test. The breakdown of SmartPoints for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language are summarized in the following tables. Keep in mind that these values are approximate because testing administrations differ. Math SmartPoints ® Category # of Points Subcategories Linear Equations 110 Linear equations, linear graphs, word problems Functions 105 Functions, graphs of functions, functions in word problems Ratios, Proportions, and Percents 80 Setting up a proportion to solve for an unknown, unit conversion, calculating percent and percent change Quadratics 60 Quadratic equations, parabolas, modeling data, mixed systems of equations Statistics and Probability 60 Descriptive statistics, probability, tables and charts, data samples Systems of Linear Equations 45 Systems of equations, number of possible solutions Geometry 35 Triangles, circles, 3-dimensional figures Inequalities 35 Inequalities, graphical representations of

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    inequalities Scatterplots 35 Scatterplots, lines of best fit, modeling data Exponents, Radicals, Polynomials, and Rational Expressions 25 Exponents, radicals, polynomial operations, graphs of polynomials, modeling growth and decay, rational expressions/equations Imaginary Numbers 5 Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing complex numbers Trigonometry 5 Sine, cosine, tangent TOTAL 600 Reading SmartPoints ® Category # of Points Subcategories Inference questions 90 Making deductions Command of Evidence questions 60 Citing evidence Detail questions 45 Finding details in the text Vocab-in-Context questions 45 Determining the meaning of a word as it is used in the passage Function questions 40 Explaining why the author included a certain detail Global questions 20 Determining central ideas and themes, summarizing TOTAL 300 Writing & Language SmartPoints ® Category # of Points Subcategories Sentence Structure 85 Correcting run-ons and fragments, using

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    correct conjunctions, punctuation Development 85 Word choice, relevance, revising text Agreement 60 Subject-verb agreement, verb tense, pronoun agreement, modifiers, idioms Organization 40 Transitions, sentence placement Conciseness 20 Avoiding wordiness and redundancy Graphs 10 Drawing inferences from a graph included with a passage TOTAL 300 Extra Chapters The chapters in this book will help you answer most questions on test day, but there is some additional content that will be covered on the PSAT. To cover this content and take your preparation to the next level, we have provided 12 additional chapters online. See Digital Resources below to learn how to access these extra materials. Digital Resources To access the online resources that accompany this book, which include extra practice sets and study planning guidance as well as 12 additional chapters of instruction and practice, follow the steps below: 1. Go to kaptest.com/moreonline . 2. Have this book available as you complete the on-screen instructions. 3. Once you have registered your book, sign into your online resources at kaptest.com . Are you registered for the PSAT? Kaplan cannot register you for the official PSAT. If you have not already registered for the upcoming PSAT, talk to your high school guidance

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    counselor or visit the College Board’s website at www.collegeboard.org to register online and for information on registration deadlines, test sites, accommodations for students with disabilities, and fees. The PSAT/NMSQT is generally administered on only two days in mid- October. For the first time, the College Board also scheduled an additional test date on January 26, 2021. This may have been a one-time occurrence; it is probably best to plan to test in October. Be sure to register well in advance of your test date. Your high school guidance counselor may also have more information about registering for the PSAT. Homeschooled students can contact the guidance office of a local high school to make arrangements to take the exam at that school. Don’t Forget Your Strengths As your test date approaches, shift your practice to your strengths. Let’s say you’re good at geometry. You might not need the instructional text covering geometry in this book, but in the final week before your test date, you should still do a few geometry practice questions. Think about it: your strengths are your most reliable source of points on test day. Build that confidence in the final stretch. And just as if the PSAT were an athletic event, get plenty of sleep in the days leading up to it. Let’s Get Started Want to get a feel for the PSAT before you start studying? Take one of the practice tests at the back of this book. Otherwise, start by identifying the sections of the test you think will give you the most trouble. Choose a high- yield topic and dig in. On test day, you’ll be glad you did!

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