SAT Saturday: Ratios & Percentages Data Analysis

August 22, 2026

SAT Saturday: Problem-Solving & Data Analysis

Close-up of a student writing answers on a test sheet with a pencil and smartwatch. — Image by Andy Barbour via Pexels

Welcome to Week #17 of SAT Saturday! Approximately 15% of the SAT Math section focuses on Problem-Solving and Data Analysis. This domain measures your ability to interpret ratios, percentages, proportional relationships, unit conversions, scatterplots, and data tables. Today, we are reviewing last week’s Advanced Math solutions and taking on two key data-driven practice questions!

📝 Week #17 Practice Questions: Ratios & Percentages

Question 33: Percentages (Part of a Whole)

A shipment contains 8,000 chocolate bars, and 2,000 of them contain nuts. What percentage of the chocolate bars contains nuts?

A) 25%
B) 40%
C) 60%
D) 75%

Question 34: Reading Ratios from Data Tables

A group of 24 students was polled about their enjoyment of biology and chemistry classes:

Class Subject	Enjoys	Doesn’t Enjoy	Total
Biology	14	10	24
Chemistry	18	6	24

Which ratio statement is true?

A) The ratio of students who enjoy biology to students who enjoy chemistry is 7:8.
B) The ratio of students who enjoy chemistry to students who don’t enjoy chemistry is 9:4.
C) The ratio of students who enjoy biology to students who don’t enjoy chemistry is 7:2.
D) The ratio of students who don’t enjoy biology to students who enjoy chemistry is 5:9.

(Work out your calculations! Full step-by-step explanations will be revealed in next week’s SAT Saturday post.)

💡 Quick SAT Math Tip for Week #17

The Percentage & Ratio Checklist:

Percentage Formula: Percent = (Part / Whole) · 100%
Simplifying Ratios: Always divide both sides of a ratio by their Greatest Common Factor (GCF) to reduce to simplest form (e.g., 14:18 reduces to 7:9).
Order Matters: Pay close attention to the order requested in ratio word problems (“A to B” means A:B or A/B).

🏆 Week #16 Answer Key & Detailed Explanations

Let’s review the step-by-step solutions for last week’s Advanced Math and Exponents questions.

Question 31: Custom Operations & Exponent Rules

Correct Answer: A) 1

The Concept:

Custom operation problems define a brand-new rule using standard arithmetic symbols. Always substitute the given values into the operator’s formula carefully and apply fundamental exponent rules.

Step-by-Step Breakdown:

The operation is defined as $Unique math operation graphic: a (star) b = a ^ (2 + b)$ .
We need to evaluate 100 * -2 , where a = 100 and b = -2
Substitute the values into the given rule: 100 * -2 = 100 ^ (-2 + 2)
Simplify the exponent: -2 + 2 = 0 ⇒ 100º
Apply the Zero Exponent Rule: Any non-zero base raised to the power of 0 is equal to 1 (xº = 1).

100º = 1

Question 32: Exponential Growth Functions (Grid-In Style)

An investor deposits $2,500 into a high-yield savings account that earns 6% interest compounded annually. The value of the account after t years can be modeled by the function V(t) = c(x)^t, where c and x are constants. What is the value of x ?

Correct Answer: 1.06

The Concept:

This grid-in problem tests your ability to construct an exponential growth equation directly from a real-world financial context.

Step-by-Step Breakdown:

Identify the Initial Amount (c): The starting deposit is $2,500, so c = 2500.
Determine the Growth Factor (x): Because the account balance earns interest, it represents exponential growth. To calculate the growth factor base (x), add the annual percentage rate (as a decimal) to 1: 6% = 0.06 ⇒ x= 1 + 0.06 = 1.06
Form the Full Equation:

V(t) = 2500(1.06)^t

Therefore, the value of the constant x is 1.06.

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