Test format
The Test’s Structure
The math section of the ACT test has 60 questions and a time limit of 60 minutes. We’re teaching it first since it’s the top priority for most students, but it’s actually the second section of the four on the exam.
ACT math questions can be roughly divided by difficulty into easy, medium, and hard questions. Questions 1–20 of the math test are mainly easy problems, questions 21–40 are mostly medium problems, and the final questions, 41–60, are mostly hard problems. So, it makes sense to take the test in order from beginning to end, and expect that the later questions will take more time to answer.
Question categories
Although the questions aren’t grouped by category on the exam, it’s helpful to understand the breakdown and identify your strengths/weaknesses, as some questions appear more frequently than others.
- Pre-algebra: Very common
- Elementary algebra: Very common
- Intermediate algebra: Very common
- Plane geometry: Common
- Coordinate geometry: Common
- Trigonometry: Uncommon
Since you’ll be tested on everything, you’ll need to learn and practice everything. However, it’s good to be aware of how much of an impact that practice will have on your overall score. For example, trigonometry might be your weakest subject, but there are very few questions on that topic. So, it may be more beneficial for you to practice geometry if you’re also weak in that area.