{"id":633,"date":"2025-01-08T18:35:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T18:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=633"},"modified":"2025-01-09T19:14:45","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T19:14:45","slug":"whats-tested-on-the-mcat-math","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-math\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s Tested on the MCAT: Math"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The MCAT requires you to solve math problems based on knowledge of chemistry, physics, and statistical reasoning, among other things. Although the current MCAT has very few heavy calculations, there are many questions that require you to demonstrate your ability to manipulate some math. This guide covers the essential math concepts, tips, and strategies you need for success. Learn how to approach MCAT math problems with confidence so you can maximize your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/whats-a-good-mcat-score\/\">MCAT score.&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>[ READ NEXT: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-2\/\">What\u2019s Tested on the MCAT?<\/a><strong> <\/strong><strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>MCAT Math: Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no specific \u201cMath Section\u201d on the MCAT, but every science section has the potential to ask you to perform certain calculations. While it might seem that most of the MCAT math-based questions will be in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/whats-tested-on-the-mcat-chemistry-and-physics\/\">Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section<\/a> of the exam, there can be questions requiring you to perform calculations, work with statistics, or manipulate experimental data in the other science sections as well.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_promobox  avia-builder-el-first  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Can you use a calculator on the MCAT?<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>No, you are not permitted to bring or use a calculator at any time during your MCAT exam. While this may seem daunting, any math on the MCAT is fundamental and any calculations you\u2019ll have to do are limited. However, we highly recommend practicing calculations by hand during your test prep. Please note that an understanding of calculus is not required for the MCAT, and a periodic table will be provided on Test Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div  style='background:#240f6e;color:#ffffff;border-color:#240f6e;' class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_iconlist  rounded-corner-effect'>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Expert MCAT Tip<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Estimation of square roots and logarithms is generally sufficient to the first decimal place; don\u2019t struggle to become more precise because it won\u2019t be necessary on Test Day.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>What types of math are on the MCAT?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To be prepared for the MCAT, you should be adept at doing the following types of math without the use of a calculator.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_heading '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue818' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Basic arithmetic<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>You&#8217;ll have to be prepared for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, proportions, ratios, percentages, and estimations of calculated values.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><br><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue8c5' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Basic algebra<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>You&#8217;ll have to be familiar with concepts like isolating a variable, slope-intercept and simultaneous equations.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><br><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue896' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Conversions<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Be ready for\/to convert&nbsp;metric-metric, metric-English (conversion factors will be provided), and dimensional analysis.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><br><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue829' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Exponents<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>You should also be prepared for related concepts like&nbsp;scientific notation and estimates of square roots.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><br><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue861' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Exponentials<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>&#8230;and logarithms (base 10 and natural), and semi-log and log-log graphs.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><br><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue897' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  > Trigonometry<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>You&#8217;ll be tested on topics including sine, cosine, and tangent functions as well as inverse functions, and sine and cosine values of common angles.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><br><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue842' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Coordinate geometry<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Be sure to review&nbsp;slope-intercept calculations, as well as vector addition and subtraction.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><br><li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue8c4' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Basic statistics<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Be ready for questions including mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and interpretation of <em>p<\/em> and <em>r<\/em> values.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li><br><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2>MCAT Math: Tips &amp; Strategies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No calculator? No problem. Learn how to tackle MCAT math with these expert tips and strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_iconlist  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >MCAT Math Tip #1: Go Back to the Basics<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Take the time to review basic math concepts so you\u2019re prepared on Test Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Master Arithmetic: <\/strong>Ensure you&#8217;re comfortable with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.<\/li><li><strong>Brush Up on Algebra:<\/strong> Review basic algebra formulas and how to manipulate equations.<\/li><li><strong>Understand Exponent and Logarithms: <\/strong>These are crucial for calculations involving concentrations and acid-base chemistry.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >MCAT Math Tip #2: Practice, Practice, Practice<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Set aside time in your MCAT study schedule to devote to math practice so you can comfortably solve problems without a calculator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Dedicate time daily:<\/strong> Even 15 minutes of practice a day can significantly improve your speed and accuracy.<br><\/li><li><strong>Use practice materials: <\/strong>Take a realistic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/mcat\/free\/mcat-free-practice-test\">MCAT practice test<\/a> to get a feel for the math you can expect on the MCAT.<strong><br><\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Analyze your mistakes:<\/strong> Don&#8217;t just move on after you complete practice questions; if you answer certain questions incorrectly, understand why you got it wrong and learn from it.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_sidebar  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >MCAT Math Tip #3: Develop a Strategic Approach<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Make the most of your time on Test Day by using these strategies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Read the question carefully:<\/strong> Identify key information and what exactly is being asked in each question you encounter on the MCAT.<br><\/li><li><strong>Estimate and round:<\/strong> Don&#8217;t waste time on exact calculations if close enough is good enough.<br><\/li><li><strong>Use the provided noteboard:<\/strong> Organize your thoughts and calculations clearly during the test.<br><\/li><li><strong>Eliminate answer choices:<\/strong> The MCAT tests real-world scenarios, so rule out obviously incorrect options to narrow down your answer choices.<br><\/li><li><strong>Check your work:<\/strong> If you have time, double-check your calculations before submitting your answer.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>After factoring in time for reading the passages, you should aim to spend on average one minute per MCAT question. Don\u2019t waste valuable test time doing advanced calculations when less time and energy can garner the same results. Ultimately, the most important factor you should consider about math on the MCAT is how well prepared you are for the content and the critical reasoning required on the test as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>[ RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/mcat\/mcat-practice-questions-math\/\">MCAT Math Practice Questions<\/a> <strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Written by Kaplan experts, reviewed by Aeri Kim and Logan Emlet. Aeri Kim has been teaching MCAT prep at Kaplan for over <em>eight<\/em> years and also works on the MCAT content development team, helping optimize our courses to better suit student needs in real-time. She holds a BS in Biological Sciences as well as a PhD in Structural Biochemistry. Logan Emlet serves as an MCAT Product Manager at Kaplan North America. Since beginning his journey with Kaplan in 2013 as a teacher, he has guided thousands of students through the complexities of the MCAT.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_sidebar '><div id=\"text-72\" class=\"widget clearfix widget_text\">\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p><code><br \/>\n<span data-sumome-listbuilder-embed-id=\"412169cd3aa9977143b6f06c0fae300dfc947b95c5705249ca54c9f4a812a953\"><\/span><br \/>\n<\/code><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div id=\"text-73\" class=\"widget clearfix widget_text\">\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p><code><br \/>\n<span data-sumome-listbuilder-embed-id=\"69112752ce12d39d65c983f7db76907ae236d4cb30c38eaf7538c5f1d3530ae0\"><\/span><br \/>\n<\/code><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The MCAT requires you to solve math problems based on knowledge of chemistry, physics, and statistical reasoning, among other things. Although the current MCAT has very few heavy calculations, there are many questions that require you to demonstrate your ability to manipulate some math. This guide covers the essential math concepts, tips, and strategies you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44354,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[3],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=633"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47756,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633\/revisions\/47756"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}