8 SAT Math Predictions for the October SAT (2025)

The SAT loves percentage comparisons, and I’m predicting you’ll see a multi-step percent problem.

For example: the mass of one object is a percentage of another, and then connected to a third. These problems often look intimidating but can be solved in seconds with Desmos lists and equations.

👉Pro tip: set up your equations systematically in Desmos—no need to do all the algebra by hand.

Expect to see a quadratic regression problem that involves a vertical translation. You may be given a table of values, and your job will be to run a regression to find the equation, then adjust for the translation.

👉 Remember: if you’re asked for the y-intercept, make sure to shift the graph back down (or up) before solving.

👉 These problems often involve different pricing tiers.

Calculate the total for the first group, then add the cost for the remaining people (subtracting the first group from the total count).

Tip: The final y-intercept will NEVER be obvious.

Be ready for a classic exponential function problem.

👉You might be asked to interpret growth/decay based on percentages, then evaluate after a certain number of time intervals. Desmos can once again do the heavy lifting: define the function, plug in the values, and apply the percent change formula.

Here’s one that shows up often: a polynomial with very high exponents (like x¹⁸ or x⁹).

👉 The SAT may ask for the maximum value of a coefficient. The shortcut: multiply the “outside” numbers together and add one. It sounds almost too easy, but it works every time.

Another twist on exponential equations: you’ll need to interpret the wording carefully.

👉 If the problem says something happens “every 3 hours,” that means you divide the time variable by 3. Many students mistakenly multiply, so watch for that phrasing.

Proof problems show up occasionally, and this year I’m predicting a triangle congruence problem.

👉 Look out for the ambiguous case (SSA/ASS). On the SAT, if a proof relies on that case, it’s not valid. Always sketch the triangles, mark given information, and eliminate options that only reference one triangle.

Finally, I see a trigonometry setup problem making its way onto the test.

You’ll be given an angle and a side (adjacent or opposite), and you’ll need to pick the correct trig function to solve for the missing side. The key is identifying whether you’re working with sine, cosine, or tangent.

👉If you freeze on test day, remember: narrow it down. Often, you’ll have a 50/50 shot by identifying whether it’s adjacent/hypotenuse (cosine) or opposite/adjacent (tangent).