These are the October 2026 International SAT Math answers that students argued about on Reddit, worked out step by step. We read the 693 comments in the public r/SAT "Official October 3, 2026, International SAT Discussion Thread" and found 29 Math questions that students recalled. Mr. O worked 11 of them through in full: 8 where students recalled enough to pin the question down, and 3 where the recall probably fits the version worked below but some details differ. For those we show Mr. O's answer and a full solution. For the other 18, the thread does not give enough detail to solve them fully, so we solve what we can from what students remembered and say exactly what is missing. To practice the same skills, use the October 2026 SAT Math practice questions.
Short answer: nothing on this page is official or verified. The questions come from students' memories in an openly available Reddit thread. Students said many times that numbers changed from one test-taker to the next, so your numbers may not match the ones worked here. Learn the method; do not memorize the final number.
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This is the Math part of our SAT October 2026 Reddit discussion coverage. The October 3, 2026 International SAT Reddit recap covers the whole test. The English side is split into October 2026 vocab, Reading questions, and Grammar and transitions. US test-takers sat a different form on October 3, 2026, and a separate US recap is coming.
October 2026 International SAT Math answers at a glance
The table lists all 29 recalled questions, grouped by the four College Board Math domains. "Mr. O" means Mr. O worked the question through in full, and the worked answer is his. "Not enough detail" means the thread does not give enough detail to solve the question fully, so Reddit's answers could not be settled.
| # | What students recalled | Domain | Reddit's split | Mr. O's answer | Seen before? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "ty" system with no solution, find t | Algebra | −1 (2) vs 1 (1) | t = 1 (Mr. O, Hard) | Yes: June 2026 US, November 2025 |
| 2 | 9(4x + 1) = 7 and ty = 4x − 7, no solution | Algebra | about 10 (1) vs 13 (1) | Possible match to #1; recall incomplete | Same as #1 if it is the same question |
| 3 | 11x + 12y = s and 12x − 11y = s | Algebra | 3 different answers, 1 each | Not enough detail; recall does not fit the choices | Cannot be checked |
| 4 | −13y < c | Algebra | −9 (1, self-doubted) | Not enough detail; too little recalled | Cannot be checked |
| 5 | Shared salary word problem | Algebra | "D" (1) | Not enough detail; nothing recalled | Cannot be checked |
| 6 | a(x + k)(x + r)(x + s), compare p with krs | Advanced Math | not enough info (25) vs p > (16) vs p = (6) | Not enough information (Mr. O, Hard) | No similar earlier question found |
| 7 | Rewrite as a/4, b/4, c/4, find a + b + c | Advanced Math | −16 (4) most common; 12 other values | −32 (Mr. O, Hard) | Yes: December 2024, March 2024 |
| 8 | Cooling liquid, temperature at t = 0 | Advanced Math | 362 (6) vs 361 (2) | 362 kelvins (Mr. O, Intermediate) | No similar earlier question found |
| 9 | f(x) = a/x + b shifted | Advanced Math | 8/x + 12 (4 vs 0) | Not enough detail; values missing | Cannot be checked |
| 10 | Doubling time, "500 ... (2/3)t" | Advanced Math | no answer posted | Not enough detail; equation incomplete | Cannot be checked |
| 11 | Quadratic and line, exactly one solution | Advanced Math | 39 or −39 (1) vs −115 (1) | Not enough detail; equations missing | Cannot be checked |
| 12 | Two equations with more than one intersection | Advanced Math | no answer posted | Not enough detail; too vague | Cannot be checked |
| 13 | p(x) = f(x) · g(x), "maybe x11" | Advanced Math | no answer posted | Not enough detail; functions missing | Cannot be checked |
| 14 | Factor question with a constant a | Advanced Math | "option C?" (1, unconfirmed) | Not enough detail; polynomial missing | Cannot be checked |
| 15 | Gamers from 3 countries, why no generalizing | PSDA | not random from all gamers (10) vs unequal countries (5) vs too small (2) | Not selected at random from all gamers (Mr. O, Hard) | No similar earlier question found |
| 16 | Coin ages, one coin added | PSDA | no answer posted | Mean rises, median stays (Mr. O, Hard) | Yes: October 2024 |
| 17 | "Cherry tree" scatterplot | PSDA | "y values of all the dots" (1) | Possible match: apricot tree, 30 pounds (Easy) | No similar earlier question found |
| 18 | "A is x percent of B", answer as p/1000 | PSDA | 600 (5), 550 (3), 650 (2), 700 (2) | Not enough detail; definition of P missing | Cannot be checked |
| 19 | Another "find a percentage P" | PSDA | 243 (1) | Not enough detail; nothing recalled | Cannot be checked |
| 20 | Satellite signal, speed times time | PSDA | 3 different answers, 1 each | Not enough detail; time value missing | Cannot be checked |
| 21 | Right triangle, 3r > 13s, which value is greatest | Geometry and Trig | sin r/sin s (8) vs sin r/cos s (4) vs cos r (2) | sin r/sin s (Mr. O, Hard) | No similar earlier question found |
| 22 | Right square prism, find the base edge | Geometry and Trig | "base area 48" (1) | Version worked below: edge 11 (Intermediate) | Yes: May 2026 International, August 2026 |
| 23 | Right rectangular prism, surface area | Geometry and Trig | 223.2 (2 vs 0) | Possible match: 672 (Hard) | No similar earlier question found |
| 24 | Circle G with a radius 3 units greater | Geometry and Trig | 64 (3), 81 (2), 49 (2) | Worked from the numbers students recalled: 64 for the radius-5 version | Cannot be checked |
| 25 | Quadrilateral GMHN with center G | Geometry and Trig | 4 different answers, 1 each | Not enough detail; shape and numbers conflict | Cannot be checked |
| 26 | Right trapezoid under a similar triangle | Geometry and Trig | 20 (1) vs 20.28 (1) | Not enough detail; recalled numbers conflict | Cannot be checked |
| 27 | Square pyramid, height 2x grows by 1 | Geometry and Trig | no answer posted | Not enough detail; base unclear | Cannot be checked |
| 28 | Triangle with "other leg 32" | Geometry and Trig | 32 (2 vs 0) | Not enough detail; nothing else recalled | Cannot be checked |
| 29 | Semicircle areas | Geometry and Trig | no answer posted | Not enough detail; numbers missing | Cannot be checked |
"Cannot be checked" means the thread does not give enough detail to compare the question with earlier SATs. Difficulty labels (Easy, Intermediate, Hard) are TTA difficulty ratings, The Test Advantage's own, not College Board data.
Algebra: the 5 questions students recalled
TTA's difficulty ratings for the October 2026 Math practice set cover 34 Algebra questions: 7 Easy, 15 Intermediate and 12 Hard. The "ty" system below is one of the Hard ones, and it was the Algebra question Reddit argued about most.
What was t in the "ty" system with no solution?
What students recalled: a system of two equations, one of them written with ty, where t is a constant. The question asked for the value of t.
Reddit's answer split: 3 students posted an answer. 2 said t = −1 and 1 said t = 1.
The version worked below: a fill-in question with the system 18x + 6y = 8y + 9 and ty = 1/5 + 9x. It asks for the t that gives the system no solution.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer: t = 1.
- First equation: 18x + 6y = 8y + 9. Subtract 6y and 9 from both sides: 18x − 9 = 2y, so y = 9x − 4.5.
- Second equation: ty = 1/5 + 9x. Divide by t: y = (9/t)x + 1/(5t).
- No solution means the two lines are parallel: same slope, different y-intercepts. Set the slopes equal: 9/t = 9, so t = 1.
- Check the intercepts. With t = 1 they are −4.5 and 0.2. They differ, so the lines never meet.
Why −1 fails: with t = −1 the second line has slope −9. A slope of 9 and a slope of −9 cross once, so the system has exactly one solution, not zero. One possible source of the mix-up is a different fill-in question, about an absolute-value function, whose answer is −1. That link is a guess and is unverified.
Desmos tip: type both equations exactly as given, then add a slider for t. Drag it until the two lines run side by side without touching. That happens at t = 1. See the Desmos for the Digital SAT page for the slider technique.
TTA difficulty rating: Hard.
Seen before? Yes. A similar question with different numbers appeared on the June 2026 US SAT (89% similar text) and twice on the November 2025 SAT (87% and 82%).
Practice this exact skill in the free Systems of Two Linear Equations lesson notes.
Was t about 10 or 13 in the 9(4x + 1) = 7 and ty = 4x − 7 system?
What students recalled: one student remembered equations "like 9(4x + 1) = 7 and ty = 4x − 7" and a question asking for the t that gives no solution.
Reddit's answer split: 1 reply said t was about 10 (from "−2 = −20 ÷ t"). 1 reply said 13, found with a Desmos slider.
Can it be solved? Possibly. This is probably the same "no solution, find t" question as the one above, but the recalled numbers do not match the version worked above.
Show the answer
Not settled. As recalled, 9(4x + 1) = 7 has no y in it, so it cannot be one line of an x-y system. Part of that equation is missing, and neither 10 nor 13 can be checked. The method is the same as above: write both lines as y = mx + b, set the slopes equal, and confirm the intercepts are different. In the version worked above, that gives t = 1.
TTA difficulty rating: Hard, if it is the same question.
Seen before? If this is the same question as the one above, yes: June 2026 US and November 2025.
What was (x, y) in the 11x + 12y = s and 12x − 11y = s system?
What students recalled: a Module 1 system, "11x + 12y = s and 12x − 11y = s", with the poster unsure of the signs. Recalled choices: (s, 0), (10, 230), (10, −230) and (s, −s).
Reddit's answer split: 3 different answers, 1 student each: (10, −10/23), (s, −s/230) and (s, 0). The first poster later agreed they had written the question down wrong.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled, but the math shows the recall is off. Solve the system exactly as typed, by elimination:
- Multiply the first equation by 11: 121x + 132y = 11s.
- Multiply the second by 12: 144x − 132y = 12s.
- Add them. The y terms cancel: 265x = 23s, so x = 23s/265.
- Put that back into the first equation: 12y = s − 11(23s/265) = 12s/265, so y = s/265.
The pair (23s/265, s/265) matches none of the recalled choices. That supports the replies saying the signs or numbers were remembered wrong. On test day, the method is what counts: multiply so one variable cancels, then back-substitute.
Desmos tip: if s is a letter, type both equations and add a slider for s. Click the intersection point and watch how its coordinates change as s changes.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
What did the −13y < c inequality question ask?
What students recalled: one student remembered a Module 2 inequality "−13y < c".
Reddit's answer split: 1 student chose −9 and doubted it. No one replied.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: the value or condition on c, the rest of the inequality, and what the question asked for. The rule this item almost certainly tests: when you divide both sides by a negative number, flip the inequality. So −13y < c becomes y > −c/13. Forgetting the flip is the most common mistake on this type.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail. Study the rule in the free Linear Inequalities lesson notes.
What was the answer to the shared salary question?
What students recalled: only the phrase "shared salary question".
Reddit's answer split: 1 student answered "D" and 1 reply said "Yes".
Reddit split 25 to 16 on the a(x + k) question. Take one free adaptive Math section and see which skills cost you points.
Try 5 Free →Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: every number and the question itself. A letter answer cannot be compared across students either, because one commenter noted that answer options may be in a different order on different versions. To practice turning a pay or salary story into an equation, use the free Word Problems lesson notes.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
Advanced Math: the 9 questions students recalled
Advanced Math is the largest domain in TTA's October 2026 Math practice set: 37 questions, rated 13 Easy, 11 Intermediate and 13 Hard. Two of those 13 Hard questions are the most argued-about questions in the thread (#6 and #7). One student summed up Math Module 2 as full of function and constant questions.
Was p greater than krs, or was there not enough information?
What students recalled: a polynomial f(x) = a(x + k)(x + r)(x + s) with a, r and s positive, and f(0) = p. The choices compared p with k · rs (greater, less, equal) plus a "not enough information" option. Students recalled versions with k = 55, 48, 44, 41, 36, 28 and 24. It was the most discussed Math item in the thread, with 86 mentions, and several students placed it near the end of Module 2.
Reddit's answer split: 25 students said "not enough information", 16 said p > krs, and 6 said p = krs. The split followed the wording students remembered. The 7 comments that recalled "positive constant" chose not enough information; one wrote, "a is positive but it could be a fraction as well". The 4 that recalled "Positive integer and A>1 the ques said" chose p > krs.
The version worked below: h(x) = a(x + 39)(x + r)(x + s), where a, r and s are positive constants. The graph crosses the x-axis at exactly three points and h(0) = p. The question asks which comparison of p and 39rs must be true. Students recalled several values of k; in the version worked below, k = 39.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer: there is not enough information to compare p and 39rs.
- Plug in x = 0: h(0) = a(0 + 39)(0 + r)(0 + s) = 39ars. So p = 39ars.
- Compare p = 39ars with 39rs. Since 39rs is positive, divide both by it. The question becomes: is a bigger than 1, equal to 1, or smaller than 1?
- The item says only that a is a positive constant. If a = 0.5, then p < 39rs. If a = 1, they are equal. If a = 3, then p > 39rs.
- All three are possible, so none of them "must be true". The answer is not enough information.
Why p > krs fails here: it quietly assumes a is greater than 1, for example a whole number of at least 2. The version worked below never says that. If the version you saw really said "a is an integer greater than 1", then p > krs would be right for it, but that wording comes only from student memory and is unverified. The "three x-intercepts" detail only tells you the roots −39, −r and −s are different. It does not tell you anything about a.
Desmos tip: graph y = a(x + 39)(x + 2)(x + 3) with a slider for a. Here 2 and 3 are test values we picked for r and s, not numbers from the test. The y-intercept is 234a, and 39 × 2 × 3 = 234. Slide a from 0.5 to 2 and watch the y-intercept move from below 234 to above it. That is "not enough information" you can see.
Several students wondered whether this was an unscored pretest question, because a "not enough information" answer is rare. No one outside the College Board can know which questions are unscored, so treat that as a guess.
TTA difficulty rating: Hard.
Seen before? No similar earlier question found.
Was a + b + c equal to −16 or −32?
What students recalled: an expression that could be rewritten with coefficients a/4, b/4 and c/4, and a question asking for a + b + c. In this version the choices were −32, −16, −8 and −2. Other students recalled versions with a/6 (choices 0, −120, −360 and −720) and a/8.
Reddit's answer split: no consensus. The most repeated value was −16, from 4 students. 2 students each said −36, −48, −224 and "option A". Single students said −208, −64, −23, −920, −360 (the a/6 version), "about +223 or −233", and "somewhere in the 220 to 240 range" (the a/8 version). One more asked about −217.
The version worked below: −14(3x − 4)2 + 6(3x − 2)2 is rewritten as (a/4)x2 + (b/4)x + c/4. The choices are the same −32 / −16 / −8 / −2 set students recalled.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer: −32.
- The fast route: plug in x = 1. The right side becomes a/4 + b/4 + c/4 = (a + b + c)/4.
- The left side at x = 1: −14(3 − 4)2 + 6(3 − 2)2 = −14(1) + 6(1) = −8.
- So (a + b + c)/4 = −8, and a + b + c = −32.
Check by expanding: −14(9x2 − 24x + 16) = −126x2 + 336x − 224, and 6(9x2 − 12x + 4) = 54x2 − 72x + 24. The sum is −72x2 + 264x − 200. Multiply each coefficient by 4: a = −288, b = 1,056 and c = −800. Their sum is −32.
Why the popular answers fail: −8 is the stop-early trap: it is (a + b + c)/4, not a + b + c. −224 is just the constant from the first term. Mr. O found no route to −16 in the version worked here; how 4 students reached it is unverified.
Other versions: the thread does not give enough detail to solve the a/6 and a/8 versions fully, but the same trick works. Plug in x = 1, then multiply by the denominator.
Desmos tip: define f(x) = −14(3x − 4)^2 + 6(3x − 2)^2, then type f(1). Desmos shows −8. Multiply by 4. This is faster than the regression several students tried, and one of them said regression gave strange values.
TTA difficulty rating: Hard.
Seen before? Yes. A similar question with different numbers appeared on the December 2024 SAT (84% similar) and the March 2024 SAT (75%).
Was the starting temperature 362 or 361 kelvins?
What students recalled: a temperature model in kelvins with the numbers 362 and 296 (some recalled 295 or 361), and a question about the temperature at t = 0.
Reddit's answer split: 6 students said 362 and 2 said 361.
The version worked below: a fill-in question about a liquid in a beaker. The model is g(t) = 296 + (362 − 296)(2.72)−0.104t, and it asks for the temperature when the beaker was placed on the table.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer: 362 kelvins. "When the beaker was placed on the table" means t = 0. Any positive number to the power 0 is 1, so g(0) = 296 + (362 − 296)(1) = 296 + 66 = 362. The 296 is the room temperature the liquid cools toward. The 362 is where it starts.
About 361: this probably comes from a version with different numbers, and the thread does not give enough detail to solve that version fully. One student also asked about a "298 + ..." version, and another said they got a second kelvin question, so there may have been more than one cooling question.
TTA difficulty rating: Intermediate.
Seen before? No similar earlier question found.
Was g(x) equal to 8/x + 12 in the a/x + b function question?
What students recalled: "f(x) = a/x + b and g(x + 6)", with a question asking for the new function.
Reddit's answer split: 4 students said 8/x + 12, and no one disagreed.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: the values of a and b and the exact transformation. One thing the math does tell us: if g(x) = f(x + 6), then g(x) = a/(x + 6) + b, with x + 6 in the denominator. An answer like 8/x + 12, with x alone in the denominator, comes from a vertical shift, g(x) = f(x) + k, which only changes b. So either the item was a vertical shift by 6, or the recall of "g(x + 6)" is off. Practice both kinds in the free Function Transformations lesson notes.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
How many minutes did it take the quantity to double?
What students recalled: a model typed as "500^(2/3)t" and a question asking how many minutes it took for something to double.
Reddit's answer split: no answer was posted (3 comments).
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. "500^(2/3)t" is not a complete model: the growth base or factor is missing, so we cannot solve it. The method for doubling time: in a model of the form A · 2t/k, the quantity doubles every k minutes. In a model of the form A · 2bt, it doubles every 1/b minutes. For any other base, set the growth part equal to 2 and solve, or graph it against y = 2 in Desmos. The free Growth Factors and Linear vs Exponential Models lesson notes cover all three forms.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
Where did the quadratic and the line have exactly one solution?
What students recalled: a system of a quadratic and a linear equation, with a question about the value where there is exactly one solution.
Reddit's answer split: 1 student said "39 or −39", 1 said −115. A reply pointed out that the values were different for different people.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: both equations. The method: substitute the line into the quadratic to get one quadratic equation in x. "Exactly one solution" means the line just touches the parabola, so the discriminant b2 − 4ac must equal 0. An answer of "39 or −39" is the kind of pair you get when the last step is a square root. The free Solution Counts and Matching Terms lesson notes teach this exact setup.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
Which pair of equations had more than one intersection?
What students recalled: one student asked about "an equation" that would give more than one solution if it intersected another, with two equations given to check.
Reddit's answer split: no answer posted.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully. It may be the same question as the one above.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: the equations and the choices. The method: graph both equations in Desmos and count the crossing points, or substitute and check the discriminant. A positive discriminant means two solutions, zero means one, and a negative one means none.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
What was p(x) = f(x) · g(x) in the x to the 11th power question?
What students recalled: a Module 2 question asking for p(x) where p(x) = f(x) · g(x), with an exponent the student thought was "maybe ^11".
Reddit's answer split: no answer posted.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: f, g and the choices. The rule: when you multiply two polynomials, their degrees add, and the leading coefficients multiply. For example, degrees 5 and 6 give degree 11. That example is ours, not the test's.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
Which factor was right in the factor question with a constant a?
What students recalled: a Module 1 question with a constant a, asking for a factor or a value tied to a factor.
Reddit's answer split: 1 student asked whether it was option C, and no one confirmed. Another said Desmos regression made it easy.
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Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: the polynomial and the choices. The rule: (x − k) is a factor of a polynomial exactly when the polynomial equals 0 at x = k. In Desmos, graph the polynomial with a slider for a and read the x-intercepts.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
Problem-Solving and Data Analysis: the 6 questions students recalled
TTA's October 2026 Math practice set has 14 Problem-Solving and Data Analysis questions, rated 6 Easy, 3 Intermediate and 5 Hard. One student who also took the August test said data analysis was the only part they struggled with.
Why couldn't the gamers study be generalized to all gamers?
What students recalled: a study of about 122 gamers chosen at random from 3 countries, and a question about why the results could not apply to all gamers. One student wrote, "IT FELT LIKE AN ENG QUESTION".
Reddit's answer split: 10 students said the gamers were not chosen from all gamers (only 3 countries). 5 said the number of gamers from each country was not equal. 2 said the sample was too small. 1 said "C" without saying what it was.
The version worked below: a researcher studied melatonin levels and gaming time for 125 gamers chosen at random from three countries (25 from Sweden, 49 from South Korea, 51 from the United States). The question asks which part of the study stops the results from being generalized to all gamers.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer: the gamers were not selected at random from all gamers.
A random sample lets you generalize only to the group you sampled from. These 125 gamers came from three countries, so at most the results apply to gamers in those three countries, not to all gamers.
Why the runner-up answers fail: unequal numbers from each country do not change who could have been picked, so they do not block generalizing. "Too small" is not the problem the question points to: the issue is which population the gamers came from, not how many there were. Some students objected that the gamers were random. They were, but only from three countries.
TTA difficulty rating: Hard.
Seen before? No similar earlier question found. One student said a similar question had come up before, but the TTA repetition report found no close match on 20 earlier SATs.
Did adding the 130-year-old coin raise the mean, the median, or both?
What students recalled: a frequency table of coin ages, with one coin added. The student asked whether the new coin was older or younger than the rest.
Reddit's answer split: no answer posted.
The version worked below: Vivek has 50 coins whose ages run from 60 to 90 years in a frequency table. He adds a 130-year-old coin, so the new coin is older than every coin in the table. The question asks how the mean and median change.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer: the mean goes up, and the median stays the same.
- Total age: 60 × 10 + 65 × 5 + 70 × 4 + 75 × 12 + 80 × 4 + 85 × 5 + 90 × 10 = 3,750. The mean is 3,750 ÷ 50 = 75.
- Median of 50 coins: the average of the 25th and 26th. The running counts are 10, 15, 19, 31, so both are 75. The median is 75.
- Add the 130-year-old coin: the mean becomes 3,880 ÷ 51, about 76.1. That is higher.
- The median of 51 coins is the 26th, which is still 75.
One very old coin pulls the mean up, but it only shifts the middle by one place, and the middle sits inside a block of twelve 75-year-old coins.
TTA difficulty rating: Hard.
Seen before? Yes. A similar question with different data appeared on the October 2024 SAT (84% similar).
What was the cherry tree scatterplot question asking?
What students recalled: a "cherry tree" question with an answer about "the y values of all the dots".
Reddit's answer split: 1 student gave that answer. No one else answered.
The version worked below (possible match only): a scatterplot for a dwarf apricot tree. It plots the weight of apricots in each growing season after the tree was transplanted, and asks for the weight in the 4th season, to the nearest pound.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer for the version worked here: 30 pounds. Find 4 on the x-axis and read the dot above it. It sits at 30. The answer "the y values of all the dots" points to a different question about the same kind of graph, so this stays a possible match only.
TTA difficulty rating: Easy.
Seen before? No similar earlier question found. Practice reading graphs in the free Reading Data lesson notes.
Was P 600, 550, 650 or 700 in the "A is x percent of B" question?
What students recalled: a question one student called "Q22" in the harder Module 2: "A is x percent of B", find P, with the answer written as p/1000. One version was recalled as "a = 4.68b and a = 0.00032c". Another student recalled "468 and 0.072 percent".
Reddit's answer split: 600 (5 students), 550 (3), 650 (2), 700 (2), 673 (1) and 5.5 (1). One student first said 1000, then took it back. Students also said the numbers changed for everyone.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: what P stood for (which quantity is what percent of which) and one consistent set of numbers. The two recalled versions do not even agree (0.00032 is 0.032%, not 0.072%). The method: "A is x percent of B" means A = (x/100) × B. So a = 4.68b means a is 468% of b. When two equations share the same a, write b and c each in terms of a, then compare them. The free Percent Change lesson notes cover this chain.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
What was the other "find a percentage for P" question?
What students recalled: one student said they did not get the question above, but did get a different question asking for a percentage P.
Reddit's answer split: 1 student, answer 243.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: every number and the question. We cannot check 243.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
How far did the satellite signal travel?
What students recalled: a satellite signal with a speed in scientific notation (recalled as about 1.28 × 108 by one student and 2.88 × 105 by another) times the time to reach the signal, with a unit change by 103.
Reddit's answer split: 3 different answers, 1 student each: "option C", a four-digit number after rounding; "23xxx"; and 34072, which a reply said came from forgetting to divide by 103. Another reply said there were different numbers for everyone.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: the time value and the unit the answer had to be in. The method: distance = speed × time. Then convert units, for example divide by 103 to go from meters to kilometers. Write the units next to every number so you can see which ones cancel. Study it in the free Rates, Unit Conversions and Ratios lesson notes.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
Geometry and Trigonometry: the 9 questions students recalled
TTA's October 2026 Math practice set has 15 Geometry and Trigonometry questions, rated 3 Easy, 7 Intermediate and 5 Hard. That is 33% Hard, the lowest Hard share of the four domains in the set. Students said circles, trig and perpendicular lines came up a lot, and one said the Module 2 geometry was relatively easy.
Which value was greatest: sin r/sin s, sin r/cos s, or cos r?
What students recalled: a Module 2 right triangle with acute angles r and s, a condition like 3r > 13s (another student recalled 5r > 22s), and a question asking which value is greatest. One student called it a time trap.
Reddit's answer split: 8 students said sin r/sin s, 4 said sin r/cos s, 2 said cos r, and 1 guessed "B" while running out of time.
The version worked below: a right triangle (figure not drawn to scale) with acute angles r° and s° and the condition 3r > 19s. It asks which value must be the greatest. The choices include sin r°, sin r°/sin s° and sin r°/cos s°.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer: sin r°/sin s°.
- The two acute angles of a right triangle add to 90, so r = 90 − s.
- Put that into 3r > 19s: 3(90 − s) > 19s, so 270 > 22s. That means s is less than about 12.3°, and r is more than about 77.7°.
- For complementary angles, cos s = sin r. So sin r/cos s is always exactly 1.
- cos r = sin s, which is less than sin 12.3°, about 0.21. And sin r is less than 1.
- sin r/sin s = sin r/cos r = tan r. Since r > 77.7°, tan r is more than about 4.6. That is the greatest.
Why sin r/cos s fails: it looks big, but for complementary angles it always equals 1. Why cos r fails: the student who chose it tested r and s in a 4 to 15 ratio. That makes r the small angle, which breaks the condition. The condition forces r to be the big angle.
Other versions: with 3r > 13s, you get s < 16.9° and tan r > 3.3. With 5r > 22s, you get s < 16.7° and tan r > 3.3. In every recalled version, sin r/sin s wins.
Desmos tip: switch Desmos to degree mode first (settings wrench, then Degrees). One student got different answers in degree and radian mode, and this is why. Then test r = 80 and s = 10: sin 80/sin 10 is about 5.67, sin 80/cos 10 is 1, cos 80 is about 0.17, and sin 80 is about 0.98.
TTA difficulty rating: Hard.
Seen before? No similar earlier question found. Review the identity in the free Right-Triangle Trigonometry lesson notes.
What was the base edge of the right square prism?
What students recalled: a Module 1 right square prism with a height of 19 and a volume "like 3000 something". The student noticed that 193 did not equal the volume and solved 19x2 = volume instead.
Reddit's answer split: 1 reply said "Area of base was 48".
The version worked below: a fill-in question with a height of 15 and a volume of 1,815 cubic units, asking for the length of a base edge. The numbers differ by version.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer for the version worked here: 11. The volume of a right square prism is (base edge)2 × height. So 15s2 = 1,815, which gives s2 = 121 and s = 11.
About the Reddit numbers: the student's method, 19x2 = volume, is right. But the "base area 48" reply does not fit the recalled numbers: 48 × 19 = 912, not a number in the 3,000s. With a height of 19 and a volume between 3,000 and 4,000, the base area would be between about 158 and 211. So at least one recalled number is off.
Common slips: cubing the height (the student caught this one) and stopping at the base area (121 in the version worked here) when the question asks for the edge.
TTA difficulty rating: Intermediate.
Seen before? Yes. A lightly edited version appeared on the May 2026 International SAT (95% similar) and the August 2026 SAT (93%).
Was the right rectangular prism answer 223.2?
What students recalled: a right rectangular prism surface-area question.
Reddit's answer split: 2 students said 223.2, and no one disagreed. A third asked whether it was right.
The version worked below (possible match only): a rectangular-prism surface-area question. Prisms X and Y are similar, with surface areas of 52 and 832 square centimeters, and X has a volume of 10.5 cubic centimeters. It asks for the volume of Y.
Show the answer
Mr. O's answer for the version worked here: 672. The ratio of surface areas is 832 ÷ 52 = 16. Area grows with the square of the length ratio, so the length ratio is 4. Volume grows with the cube: 43 = 64. So the volume of Y is 10.5 × 64 = 672 cubic centimeters. The common slip is multiplying the volume by 16, the area ratio, which gives 168.
223.2 cannot come from these numbers, so Reddit's item is either a different version or a different question.
TTA difficulty rating: Hard.
Seen before? No similar earlier question found. The free Area, Perimeter and Volume lesson notes cover similar solids.
Was circle G's constant 64, 81 or 49?
What students recalled: circle F and a circle G whose radius was "3 units greater". Some said 2 units greater. Students could not agree on the module.
Reddit's answer split: 64 (3 students), 81 (2) and 49 (2). Two commenters realized they were probably talking about different questions.
Can it be solved? Partly. The thread does not give enough detail to solve every version, so one version is worked from the numbers students recalled.
Show the answer
Settled for one version only. In the version where circle F's equation ends in 25, the radius of F is 5. Circle G's radius is 3 greater, so 8. In the form (x − h)2 + (y − k)2 = r2, the constant is 82 = 64. In the version with radius 7 and "2 units greater", the new radius is 9 and the constant is 81, which matches one student's "(√49 + 2)2". The trap: adding 3 to 25 instead of to the radius. The "49" answers seem to come from a different circle question.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail. Practice circle equations in the free Circles lesson notes.
How long was GH in the GMHN quadrilateral?
What students recalled: quadrilateral GMHN with G at the center of a circle and two points on the circle, forming a square, with the radius given and the diagonal asked for. Another student recalled that the perimeter was given instead.
Reddit's answer split: 4 different answers, 1 student each: about 5,438; 1,015; 1,639; and GH = 1,716. One student wrote, "all the values were different for everybody".
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: one consistent description (square or rectangle; radius or perimeter given) and the numbers. The methods for both readings: GM and GN are radii. If GMHN is a square with side r, the diagonal GH = r√2. If it is a rectangle with one side equal to the radius r and perimeter P, the other side is (P − 2r)/2, and GH = √(r2 + ((P − 2r)/2)2) by the Pythagorean theorem.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
Was the big triangle's hypotenuse 20 in the right trapezoid question?
What students recalled: a Module 2 figure: a large triangle whose bottom part is a right trapezoid with bases 10 (bottom) and 8 (top), and whose top part is a smaller triangle similar to the big one. The small triangle's left leg equals the trapezoid's height. Find the big triangle's hypotenuse. Recalled choices included 20 and 16.
Reddit's answer split: 1 student said 20 (choice A), and 1 said 20.28.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled, and the recalled numbers conflict. If the small triangle sits on the trapezoid's top base of 8 and the big triangle's base is 10, similarity gives a scale factor of 8/10 = 4/5. Then the small triangle's height is 4/5 of the big triangle's height, and the trapezoid's height is only 1/5 of it. Those two cannot be equal. So at least one number or condition was remembered wrong, and 20 cannot be checked. The method once the numbers are right: set up the similarity ratio, find the missing legs, then use the Pythagorean theorem.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
How much did the square pyramid's volume increase?
What students recalled: a square pyramid with a base of "46 or something" and a height of 2x, asking how much the volume increases when the height increases by 1. One student called it hard.
Reddit's answer split: no answer posted. One reply gave a method: use x = 1 (height 2), then x = 3/2 (height 3), and subtract.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: whether 46 was the base edge or the base area, and whether the base also depended on x. The method: a pyramid's volume is (1/3) × base area × height. If the base stays the same, adding 1 to the height adds (1/3) × base area to the volume. The reply's method gives the same result.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
Was x equal to 32 in the right triangle question?
What students recalled: only "the triangle's other leg was 32" and a question asking for x.
Reddit's answer split: 2 students said 32, and no one disagreed.
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: the figure, the other side lengths and what x labeled. We cannot check 32. The free Triangles lesson notes cover the right-triangle rules this kind of item uses.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
What were the semicircle areas?
What students recalled: a semicircles question. One student said, in two separate comments, that they forgot to divide the circle areas by 2. The same student paired it with a "tangent lines forming a rectangle" question, which may be the GMHN item above.
Reddit's answer split: no answer posted (3 comments).
Can it be solved? The thread does not give enough detail to solve it fully.
Show the answer
Not settled. Missing: the figure and the numbers. The rule that student tripped on: a semicircle's area is half a circle's, (1/2)πr2. If you are given the diameter d, that is πd2/8.
Seen before? Cannot be checked: the thread does not give enough detail.
How do I know if I got the hard Module 2 in Math?
You cannot know for sure from the thread. The College Board's test structure page says Module 1 has "a broad mix of easy, medium, and hard questions" and that, based on how you do, "the second module of questions will either be more difficult or less difficult". Math has 44 questions in two 35-minute modules, so 22 per module.
Here is what the thread said about Math Module 2, counted comment by comment:
| What students said about Math Module 2 | Comments |
|---|---|
| Hard, or harder than English or earlier tests (the top-scored Math comment, at 10 upvotes, said they could not finish it in time; a reply said September Math was easy by comparison) | 7 |
| Easy or medium (including one who found it much easier than September, one easier than August, and one who compared it to Bluebook Practice Tests 5 and 6) | 10 |
| Ran short of time in Math (ran out, guessed, omitted, or said they needed extra time) | 7 |
| Had 10 to 15 minutes left in Module 1 | 3 |
Some comments fall in two rows. Three students called Module 2 easy and still ran out of time; a reply blamed that on Desmos speed. Most comments rated English Module 2 as the hardest part of the day.
The best clue we can give: the items students placed in Math Module 2 (the a(x + k)(x + r)(x + s) comparison, the a/4 expression and the 3r > 13s trig item) all have a TTA difficulty rating of Hard. Seeing them is a hint you had the harder module. It is not proof; only your score report can tell you. Scores for the October 3 test come out on October 16, 2026, per the College Board score release table. Our guide to when SAT scores come out explains the release window.
How hard was the October 2026 International SAT Math practice set vs August, September and October 2025?
TTA's difficulty ratings for the October 2026 Math practice set: 29% Easy, 36% Intermediate, 35% Hard. That puts it 8th of the 21 Math practice sets TTA rates on its share of Easy questions. These are The Test Advantage's own difficulty ratings, not College Board data.
Updated October 13, 2026: these figures now cover the full October bank, which includes the US form, and use our re-rated difficulty labels.
| TTA Math practice set | Questions | Easy | Intermediate | Hard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 106 | 31 (29%) | 38 (36%) | 37 (35%) |
| September 2026 | 194 | 63 (32%) | 71 (37%) | 60 (31%) |
| August 2026 (US and International) | 201 | 42 (21%) | 72 (36%) | 87 (43%) |
| October 2025 | 209 | 90 (43%) | 68 (33%) | 51 (24%) |
| 20 earlier Math practice sets combined | 3,883 | 1,029 (27%) | 1,366 (35%) | 1,488 (38%) |
The share of Hard items by domain shows where October's hard questions sit:
| Domain (Hard questions / domain questions) | October 2026 | September 2026 | August 2026 | October 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra | 12 / 34 (35%) | 14 / 59 (24%) | 24 / 69 (35%) | 6 / 42 (14%) |
| Advanced Math | 13 / 37 (35%) | 24 / 60 (40%) | 28 / 66 (42%) | 14 / 58 (24%) |
| Problem-Solving and Data Analysis | 5 / 14 (36%) | 9 / 36 (25%) | 13 / 26 (50%) | 9 / 30 (30%) |
| Geometry and Trigonometry | 5 / 15 (33%) | 13 / 30 (43%) | 22 / 40 (55%) | 11 / 30 (37%) |
October 2026, September 2026 and October 2025 also have a "Variations" section that is not counted in the domain rows. Two facts stand out. First, Reddit found many of the Hard questions: 6 of the 20 International-form questions now rated Hard match recalled questions (the "ty" system, the a(x + 39) comparison, the a/4 expression, the trig item, the gamers study and the coin ages), and a 7th is a possible match (the similar prisms). Second, the re-rated mix no longer backs the "easy camp" in the thread: about a third of the questions are Hard.
Did the October 2026 SAT Math section repeat old questions?
Partly. In the TTA repetition report for October 2026, 24 of the 74 International-form Math practice questions (32.4%) closely resemble questions from earlier SATs. The report compares each question with 20 earlier SATs from March 2024 to September 2026, using the passage, question stem and answer choices. A match means the same question or the same question frame with names or numbers changed, not always an identical question.
| Domain | Repeated / items |
|---|---|
| Algebra | 10 / 24 |
| Advanced Math | 6 / 27 |
| Problem-Solving and Data Analysis | 3 / 11 |
| Geometry and Trigonometry | 5 / 12 |
The earlier SATs with the most October matches were November 2025 (7 questions), December 2025 (5), December 2024 (5), October 2024 (4) and June 2026 US (3).
Among the 10 questions Mr. O worked from Reddit's recall, 4 had been seen before: the "ty" system (June 2026 US, November 2025), the a/4 expression (December 2024, March 2024), the coin-age table (October 2024) and the square prism (May 2026 International, August 2026). The two most argued-about questions, the a(x + 39) comparison and the trig item, had no earlier match.
One student said "ALL THE QUESTIONS WERE SEEN BEFORE ON PRACTICE TESTS". The repetition report does not support "all": about a third of the October practice questions resemble earlier SATs. We did not compare against official Bluebook practice tests. To practice the older questions that came back, start with the October 2025 SAT Math question bank and the September 2026 SAT Math question bank.
Which October Math questions could Reddit not settle?
For 18 of the 29 recalled questions, the thread does not give enough detail to solve them fully. We worked one version of the circle question from the numbers students recalled (64) and showed that two recalls cannot be right as typed (the 11x + 12y system and the right trapezoid). The rest are missing the numbers or the question itself:
- Missing the full equation: the 9(4x + 1) = 7 system, the −13y < c inequality, the a/x + b shift, the doubling-time model, the quadratic-and-line system, p(x) = f(x) · g(x), and the factor question.
- Missing what was asked: the "A is x percent of B" question (600 / 550 / 650 / 700), the 243 percentage, the satellite signal and the shared salary question.
- Missing the figure: GMHN, the square pyramid, the "other leg 32" triangle and the semicircles.
If you remember one of these clearly, the method in each answer box still works with your own numbers.
Where can I practice October 2026 SAT Math questions?
The fastest way to check yourself is to work through the October 2026 SAT Math question bank: 106 questions sorted into Algebra, Advanced Math, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry, each with a worked answer. It covers the same skills Mr. O used above: no-solution systems, rewriting expressions with x = 1, and complementary-angle trig. The October 2026 SAT Reading and Writing question bank (300 questions sorted by domain and difficulty) covers the English side.
- Desmos speed: several students ran out of time on items they called easy. The Desmos for the Digital SAT page and our complete Desmos guide cover sliders, degree mode and the f(1) trick used above.
- Formulas: the prism, pyramid and semicircle items all hinge on one formula. Keep the SAT Math formulas list close.
- Free skill practice: the lesson notes linked above are free with a free account. For more questions, use the October 2026 Math question bank.
- Estimate your score: plug your Module 1 and Module 2 counts into the Digital SAT score calculator.
- A full adaptive section: create a free account and take one full-length adaptive SAT section free, with a real Module 1 to Module 2 route and a scaled score.
- Earlier tests: every monthly practice set is listed on the SAT question bank page. For the last two international Math recaps, see September 2026 SAT Math answers and August 2026 International SAT Math answers.
The next SAT dates are November 7, 2026 (scores November 20) and December 5, 2026 (scores December 18), per the College Board release table linked above.
Took the US test? See the October 3, 2026 US SAT Math recap, every Reddit question solved (and the US Reading and Writing recap).
How we built this page
We read all 693 comments in the public r/SAT "Official October 3, 2026, International SAT Discussion Thread" on October 3, 2026. The thread is openly available. We listed every Math question a student recalled and counted each answer claim once per student. Nothing here is verified or official. These are student memories, and students said many times that numbers and answer order changed between versions. We do not name commenters, and quotes are kept short.
Mr. O worked each recalled question from what students described, and we checked it against TTA's October 2026 practice materials and repetition report. For the 8 clear questions and the 3 possible ones, Mr. O solved each one by hand. Question text on this page is shortened or paraphrased. Difficulty ratings and the repetition report (text similarity of passage, stem and answer choices against 20 earlier SATs, with each candidate checked by hand) are The Test Advantage's own work, not College Board data. Official dates and the module structure come from the College Board pages linked above, fetched October 3, 2026. Written by Mr. Osama Ahmad.
October 2026 SAT scores are out. See what 28 r/SAT students and 12 Test Advantage students scored, who went up, and why about a third of October's Reading and Writing passages repeated earlier tests: October 2026 SAT scores: what Reddit and TTA students got.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was on the October 2026 International SAT Math section?
Students on r/SAT recalled 29 Math questions: 5 Algebra, 9 Advanced Math, 6 Problem-Solving and Data Analysis and 9 Geometry and Trigonometry. The most discussed were a polynomial comparison with a 'not enough information' choice, an a + b + c expression, a complementary-angle trig item and a sampling question about gamers. Nothing here is official.
Are these the official October 2026 SAT Math answers?
No. They come from student memories in the public r/SAT discussion thread, and nothing is verified. Mr. O worked 11 of the recalled questions in full, and the page shows Mr. O's answers with step-by-step solutions. Students said their numbers differed by version.
Did the October 2026 SAT Math section repeat old questions?
Partly. In the TTA repetition report for October 2026, 24 of the 74 International-form Math practice questions (32.4%) closely resemble questions from 20 earlier SATs, most often November 2025, December 2025 and December 2024. Among the recalled questions, the 'ty' system, the a/4 expression, the coin-age table and the square prism had earlier versions.
How do I know if I got the hard Module 2 in Math?
You cannot be sure until scores arrive. The College Board says the second module is more or less difficult based on how you do in Module 1. Items students placed in Math Module 2, such as the a(x + k)(x + r)(x + s) comparison and the 3r > 13s trig item, have a TTA difficulty rating of Hard. That is a hint, not proof.
When do October 3, 2026 SAT scores come out?
The College Board's score release table lists October 16, 2026 for students who tested on October 3, 2026. The next test dates are November 7, 2026 (scores November 20) and December 5, 2026 (scores December 18).