Key Idea: “Which Is Equivalent To…”

These questions ask you to find the expression or equation that means the same thing as the original — after simplifying or rearranging it correctly.

General Rule:

• Use valid algebraic moves (distributive property, combining like terms, factoring, etc.).

• Apply the order of operations (PEMDAS) correctly.

• The correct answer is the one that is mathematically identical to the original expression.

Why this matters for the SAT:

“Equivalent” questions test your ability to simplify, rearrange, and recognize algebraic structure.
They appear often in algebra, factoring, and equation manipulation problems.