3 to Watch: The 'Probables' edition (2024)

FAQs

What is the most probable multiple choice answer? ›

However, the most general assumption is often that 'C' is the correct answer, due to which it can be called the most popular multiple choice answer.

I'm sure you've heard this at some point “if you don't know the answer, always guess C. because it's the most common correct option”. That's just a myth, and generally there are no most common answers on multiple choice tests.

Every answer choice on the SAT will have a statistically even distribution of 1 in 4 for each answer choice letter, A, B, C, or D. In other words? There is no most common answer on the SAT. Ultimately, guessing C (or any letter!) will give you the correct answer only a statistical 25% of the time.

The truth is that it doesn't matter which letter you pick, only that you stick to the one you choose. The best strategy, and the one that will maximize your overall point gain, is to pick your favorite letter and fill it in for every blind guess.

Eliminate the highest and lowest options. Certain questions have answers that are closely related or almost identical, except for one detail. This should be your clue to choose one of the two similar answers. The similar choices cannot both be correct, but either of them may be the correct answer.

Myth 2: C is the best guess letter and is right more often than any other letter. C or H are right (and wrong) as often as any other answer choice. The only guess letter you don't want to use when you are completely guessing is E or K because they only show up on the math test.

Because the ACT has no penalty for guessing, you should always guess on the ACT if you don't know the answer. After all, leaving a question blank and guessing are functionally the same.

Circle or underline key words in questions.

Watch for words like "all," "always," "never," "none," "few," "many," some," "sometimes." (see Descriptive Words, page 13.) Try to recall a concept from memory or think out the answer before looking at the options.

Choose the longest answer.

"Test makers have to make sure that right answers are indisputably right," he says. "Often this demands some qualifying language. They may not try so hard with wrong answers." If one choice is noticeably longer than its counterparts, he says it's likely the correct answer.

What are the odds of guessing on a multiple choice test? ›

The multiple-choice questions on this test have four choices, so your odds are 1 out of 4 that you can pick correctly. To put it another way, you have a 25 percent chance of guessing correctly. These aren't great odds, so you have to find a way to increase them. To do so, you use the process of elimination.

It is hard to write a good multiple choice exam, so instructors often fall into patterns, particularly when formulating wrong-but-attractive choices. If you learn to recognize frequently used options, they will be easier to eliminate.

First things first: There is no guessing penalty, so you've got nothing to lose by guessing.

This boom or bust may be appealing to some and wildly inconsistent for others. For those guessing on only a few of the last ten questions, A/F would be the better option. The Safe Bet: Answer choice E/K is the safest choice because it, so far, has always had one correct answer.

Unfamiliar question types: The SAT has a unique question format that is different from what you might be used to in school tests. For example, the reading comprehension section has questions that require critical thinking skills, and the math problems are often worded in a tricky way.

C or H are right (and wrong) as often as any other answer choice. The only guess letter you don't want to use when you are completely guessing is E or K because they only show up on the math test.

Multiple-choice questions on Advanced Placement exams have five options: A, B, C, D, and E. A random sample of the correct choice on 400 multiple-choice questions on a variety of AP exams shows that B was the most common correct choice, with 90 of the 400 questions having B as the answer.

Because the ACT has no penalty for guessing, you should always guess on the ACT if you don't know the answer. After all, leaving a question blank and guessing are functionally the same.