If you’ve ever stared down at a math problem, unsure of how to begin to solve it, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, college admissions tests like the ACT and SAT are timed, so you have precious little time to panic over a difficult problem. If you don’t know what to do, should you guess on the ACT? If needed, yes!

Knowing ACT math test tips, strategies, and formulas to help you solve questions the “right” way is essential to doing well on the ACT, but having a backup plan is arguably just as important. Use the ACT guessing tips in this guide to get past the questions that leave you stumped so you don’t have to leave the answer sheet blank.

Should you guess on the ACT math test?

While you’ll ideally be able to solve questions on the ACT test as intended, guessing on the ACT math test is absolutely the right choice if you can’t figure out the answer. You won’t lose points for wrong answers on the ACT, so guessing is better than not answering at all! 

Your ACT test score is calculated by averaging the scores you get on each of the four required sections: English, math, reading, and science. That means that a higher score on one section can compensate for a lower score to give you a better composite (total) score. Only a select few students who take the test get a perfect 36 composite score, but leaving questions blank guarantees you will not be among them. 

7 strategies to help you guess on the ACT

Guessing doesn’t have to mean picking a completely random answer. Sometimes, guessing is ignoring (or not knowing) the “correct” way to solve a problem and using the multiple-choice answers to your advantage. Try these seven ACT guessing strategies on the next problem that stumps you to give yourself your best chance at selecting the correct answer.

1. Skip questions and come back

The easiest thing you can do to prepare for guessing on the ACT math test is to skip questions that confuse you. You aren’t required to answer the questions on the test in order, and by skipping questions that you get stuck on, you can breeze through the questions you understand immediately. Not only does this keep your momentum going, but it also increases the amount of time you have to solve difficult questions.

Having good time management on the ACT is essential to doing well. You have 60 minutes to complete 60 questions on the ACT math test, which equates to a minute per question. Say you knock out 30 questions and only spend 30 seconds on each. That leaves you with 45 minutes to do the 30 questions that will take you more time, but now you’ll have an average of a minute and a half to puzzle through each one rather than just one minute.

2. Know your calculator

Fortunately, calculators are allowed on the ACT math test, so make sure you know how to use yours. Quick calculations done by a calculator rather than by hand will save you precious seconds you can use for questions that will take you more time. This is especially true when you have to do multiple calculations to find the right answer.

Make sure you know how to do these key skills on your ACT-approved calculator before you sit down to take the test:

• How to navigate the homescreen
• How to use basic functions (e.g., addition)
• How to enter fractions and decimals, and how to convert between them
• How to apply exponents and roots
• How to graph a function

Graphing calculators and scientific calculators have more capabilities than you may ever need. Reach out to an ACT math tutor to learn how to access the features you do need quickly and efficiently.

3. Use process of elimination

You’ve likely been using the process of elimination for most of your school life, and this skill is especially handy for tests like the ACT. The ACT math test is multiple choice and each question has five possible answers. Usually, at least one of them can be immediately or very quickly discarded as incorrect, which leaves you with four possible answers. That increases your odds at getting the question right by complete random guessing from 20% to 25%.

Try to eliminate a couple of answer choices before you make a guess. Just by reading the question thoroughly, you’ll likely narrow it down to the best of your ability and have an answer in mind. If you’re still unsure, that’s a good time to guess.

Most strategies around guessing the correct answer involve the process of elimination. Try to eliminate one or two answers quickly that just don’t make sense, because if you’re right, your guess is statistically more likely to be the correct answer.

4. Eyeball the diagrams

Diagrams on the ACT math test are useful in guessing the correct answer even if you aren’t sure how to solve the problem. If you need to calculate a dimension of a shape, for example, consider how large that dimension looks compared to other parts of the diagram that are already labeled. In doing this, you can ensure that your answer makes logical sense.

Although questions on the ACT math test state that the pictures and diagrams are not necessarily drawn to scale, they’re usually close. You can typically look at a diagram or picture on the test and eyeball it to help you eliminate incorrect answer options. If you need to calculate a dimension of a shape, for example, consider how large that dimension looks compared to other parts of the diagram that are already labeled. In doing this, you can ensure that your answer makes logical sense.

5. Plug in answers

Plugging in the answers (PITA) is a tried-and-true strategy that you can use when you’re asked to provide a numerical answer. It involves using the provided possible answers and plugging them into the equation you’re being asked to solve. Consider this sample question:

• If 2(x – 5) = -26, then x = ?

-¾

-½

-12

-5

-8

To use PITA, replace x in the formula with each of the answers until the equation is solved. For example, if you use answer B. -½, the equation would look like:

• 2(-½ – 5) = -26

However, if you actually solved the left side, you’d find that it would equal -11, not -26, so B. is not the correct answer. If you continue plugging in answers, you’ll eventually find that the answer is E. -8.

6. Plug in your own numbers

Plugging in numbers (PIN) is similar to PITA, but it’s used when the answers provided include variables (mathematical expressions) rather than just numbers. Consider this sample question:

• If y > y2, which of the following must be true about y?

y = -1

0 < y < 1

y < – 1

y = 0

-1 < y < 0

Pick your own number that’s easy to work with. For example, pick “0.5” and try solving y > y2 when y = 0.5.

• 0.5 > 0.25

That number works, so you know that answers C. y < – 1 and D. y = 0 can’t be the answer. Now, try “-0.5.”

• -0.5 > -0.25

You know that -0.5 is not greater than -0.25, so this is incorrect. Any answers that suggest y can be less than 0 can reasonably be ruled out. That means your answer is B!

7. Never leave a question blank

Whatever you do, never leave a question on the ACT blank! Remember that you aren’t penalized for wrong answers. If you’re down to a minute left and you still have three questions to answer that you don’t know how to solve, pick an answer or a letter that calls to you. With a random guess, you have a 20% chance of getting that question right, which is objectively better than a 0% chance by not answering at all.

Is it OK to guess on the ACT for all sections?

The ACT does not deduct points for wrong answers, so if you don’t know the answer, you should make your best guess on all five sections of the ACT. Strategies like PITA and PIN won’t help you on the other sections because they’re specific to math, but general guessing strategies are still useful.

• Skip questions and come back: All ACT test sections have strict time limits, so maximizing your time management is essential.
• Use process of elimination: Unlike the math test, the English, reading, and science sections of the ACT have four possible answer choices. That already increases your odds of guessing the right answer. If you can eliminate even one, that gives you a 33% chance!
• Eyeball the diagrams: The English and reading sections don’t have diagrams, but the science section does. In a pinch, you can make guesses based on the proportions of the graphs.
• Never leave a question blank: This is true for the entire test! No matter what, make sure you answer every question.

Prepare for the ACT with an expert tutor

Even though you wouldn’t want to guess the answer to every question on the ACT math test, knowing how to whittle down the possible answers in a pinch can help you reach your goal score. The answer to, “Should you guess on the ACT?” is more complex than a simple yes or no, but the #1 thing to remember is to make sure you’ve answered every question.

Sometimes, the pressure of taking a test like the ACT can make you panic and forget how to solve a question you’d normally understand. ACT test prep tutors for every subject test can prepare you for any situation, including how to guess on ACT math questions.