<p>The SAT I math/critical reading sections measure 2 things: test-taking ability and memorization. Nothing to do with mathematical aptitude. The AP tests do a much better job of measuring your grasp of a subject (although they are not perfect either - it’s still possible to get a 5 on an AP test just by studying and memorizing a lot, but you have to have some basic aptitude in the subject to do that). The math concepts tested on the SAT I are very easy (up to Algebra 2 if I recall correctly) but the College Board tries to catch students by inserting traps, the “guessing penalty”, etc. You don’t need to be good at math to do well on the SAT I - you just have to read a few guide books and remember all the tips.</p>