Here’s What The First SAT Test Looked Like

“If a package containing twenty cigarettes costs fifteen cents, how many cigarettes can be bought for ninety cents?” That's 1926 for you.

Smithsonian Magazine has a look at the very first SAT test, which was administered in 1926. At first glance, it doesn't seem as difficult as the test is today, however there was a huge time difference which made the original test much more difficult to finish. Today, test-takers are allotted 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete 170 questions; in 1926, they were given 97 minutes for 315 questions. (For a detailed, historical analysis, check out the Smithsonian's notes.)

Shall we take a look and see how you'd do?

The easy part: your name. You know this one.

The easy part: your name. You know this one.

This exam starts off with a vocab section. Ready? Match the correct word with the definitions on the left. The trickier part here might have actually been sorting through the answers. The format's a bit confusing.

You've got this.

This exam starts off with a vocab section. Ready? Match the correct word with the definitions on the left. The trickier part here might have actually been sorting through the answers. The format's a bit confusing.

Math: These Algebra questions don't seem too tough. Take a look at questions 1, 3, and 9 — those are pretty jarring.

Stay calm. Concentrate. It's only the rest of your life.

Math: These Algebra questions don't seem too tough. Take a look at questions 1, 3, and 9 — those are pretty jarring.


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Via: smithsonianmag.com

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