Conquering the SAT Math Section with Learning Differences

Written by Chelsea Cylinder | Apr 22, 2026 1:13:10 PM

Many students find SAT Math challenging, but for students with neurodiverse learning styles and processing difficulties, the struggle can feel amplified. The SAT asks students to remember math concepts that they learned years ago, and you or your student might be asking: How can we possibly be expected to do that? The good news is that you’re not alone, and ACT/SAT tutors at Bass Educational Services can provide your child with strategies and tools to help them tackle the Math section and feel confident going into the test.

Let’s start by looking at some com- mon learning differences that may make the Math section more challenging. Here are some of the most common and how they might impact the Math section:

Dyscalculia: A specific learning disability that affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and learn mathematical facts. This may make problems such as memorization, multi-step questions, estimation, and number sense more difficult.
Dyslexia: For students with Dyslexia, complex word problems can be particularly challenging. Reading, comprehending, and decoding word problems may take time away from doing calculations. In addition, students with Dyslexia may switch numbers, which may lead to incorrect calculations, even if the student understands the formula or equation perfectly.
Executive Functioning Issues: This can manifest as difficulty with critical thinking and synthesis, breaking a large task into smaller parts, and retention. Students may struggle to follow multi-step processes or remember which equations to use.
Visual-Spatial Difficulties: Challenges in visualizing concepts or equations. These students often learn best with a visual, hands-on, action-based approach.

Math Strategies for Students with Learning Differences

So what strategies would I use? Here are some key strategies for students with learning differences:

An executive-function-based approach is essential for students who struggle with procedural memory and organization. These strategies turn math into a predictable, logical process:

Decode the Question: Before solving, I teach students to restate the question in their own words. This makes the question much easier to understand because it enables students to identify exactly what the question is asking. This is particularly helpful for long, complex word problems.
Use Visuals as Anchor Points: I like to incorporate visuals and visual aids as much as possible. Math problems can get wordy. Having visuals that the students can take with them from week to week helps them retain the material. In addition, math lends itself nicely to visuals. I like to encourage students to draw out what a question is asking, so that we can truly understand the task at hand.
Pattern Recognition: A lot of math problems use similar equations and techniques. I like to teach students to identify the “templates” that the SAT uses, and once we identify those, I teach students the steps to solve them. This way, if a student encounters that type of question, they can answer it easily and feel confident in their answer choice.

Desmos: The Ultimate Math Shortcut

My favorite part of the SAT Math section is the incredible Desmos calculator, which is built into the test and is available for students to use for any question. The Desmos calculator can help students answer questions without actually having to do any manual calculations. In other words, for many questions, students don’t actually have to do any math to get the question right. While the Desmos calculator can’t assist with every question, it can make a huge difference for many of them.

I love teaching students the tips and tricks of the Desmos calculator and helping them identify when it can be used, and I always incorporate Desmos into my tutoring right away. Not only is it helpful, but it’s a tool that immediately boosts confidence, relieves pressure, and increases morale for all students.

You can practice with the Desmos calculator anytime for free by visiting desmos.com/calculator. In our tutoring, we’ll go over exactly how to use it, but to give a preview, here are some some examples of math problems that the Desmos calculator can help solve:

Type of Problem	What Desmos Does	Why It's a Game Changer
Solving Systems of Equations	Desmos can instantly graph multiple equations and show students where they intersect.	Eliminates manual substitution and potential arithmetic errors.
Finding Mean, Median, Mode, Range, and Standard Deviation	This is personally my favorite trick. Desmos can solve all of these statistical questions with no calculations involved.	These questions appear extremely frequently on the test. Knowing that you don’t have to take the time to solve them avoids calculation errors, saves a lot of time, and is often an exciting relief for students.
Graphing to Find Key Points	Desmos automatically marks vertices, intercepts (roots), and minimum/maximums.	This helps students instantly visualize graphs, saving them time on factoring and/or using the quadratic formula.
Visualizing Inequalities	Desmos automatically shades the solution areas for inequalities.	This makes it easy to check if a test point (like an answer choice) falls within the valid shaded region, which is the subject of many inequality questions.
Converting Decimals to Fractions	Desmos can allow students to easily switch between fractions and decimals.	This helps students avoid rounding and calculation errors and takes less pressure off of the need to memorize different fraction-to-decimal conversions.

There are so many amazing strategies to help students with learning differences excel at the SAT Math section.

Throughout the tutoring, I incorporate all of these strategies while also taking the time to carefully craft a personalized curriculum that caters to each of my student’s strengths and interests. Every student is different, and I will curate an SAT preparation plan that will be best for your student and will put them on the path to success. Together, we will come up with a detailed plan that will help your child feel confident. With these strategies, and with this customized plan, your student will conquer the Math section in no time!

At Bass Educational Services, we specialize in supporting students who learn differently. Our consultants help families evaluate testing options, secure accommodations, choose the right test, and prepare strategically and always with a strengths-based, student-centered approach.

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