Algebra is the single largest topic area on the Digital SAT Math section, and it shows up in two very different flavors: straightforward equation-solving, and word problems that require translating a real-world situation into an algebraic expression before you can solve anything. The word-problem type is often the harder of the two, not because the algebra itself is difficult, but because a single misread detail (splitting a cost evenly versus per person, or mixing up which quantity is "more than" which) can lead to a perfectly reasonable-looking wrong answer.
A few habits make these problems far more manageable. When a word problem describes one quantity in terms of another (like a bill split between two people, where one person's cost is a certain amount more than the other's), write out each piece as its own small expression before combining them, and resist the urge to jump straight to a final formula. When a problem gives you one equation and asks for the value of a different expression built from the same variable, solve for the variable first, then substitute directly; don't try to shortcut the relationship between the two expressions. And for slope questions, remember that the slope-intercept form y = mx+b puts the slope in an unmistakable spot: whatever multiplies x is the slope, regardless of what order the equation is written in.
Below are 7 SAT Math-style algebra practice problems covering writing expressions from word problems, evaluating linear expressions, identifying the slope of a line, solving linear equations, and working with reciprocals. Work through each problem, select your answer, and check whether you got it right. Every problem includes a complete, step-by-step explanation. Once you've worked through these, keep building your skills with the free SAT Math Question Bank, with thousands more digital SAT practice problems and instant explanations.
