SAT Practice Test 7: Math Section 1: Question 22. Math Module 1. S1Q22

Here's how to do Question 22 from the first math section of SAT Practice Test 7.
First of all, the last question on the first math section is usually stupid hard. Most kids are cooked. Less than 25 percent of all students will get this problem right, which means a lower percentage than if everyone guessed randomly.
ETS is really, really good at creating hard problems for you to miss. And eventually, you will come up against a hard problem you have no idea how to do. When it happens, go firmly *against* your instincts because your instincts are **wrong**. Just pick the hardest, weirdest, nastiest-looking answer.
In this case, the hardest, weirdest, nastiest-looking answer is either (C) or (D) because those two answers have squared terms in them so they are the ugliest and least comfortable for an average test-taker.
As far as actually doing this problem, you quite literally just have to let that fancy calculator of yours calculate for you. Take a few minutes to learn how to put this stuff in your calculator correctly. Your calculator then does all the work for you. There is no thinking on your part required.
So, please, go find SAT practice problems that look just like this one. They're not hard to find. Learn how to put this stuff in your calculator correctly, and you are golden.