DAT Question

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

checkamundo

Don't know what i'm doing
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Messages
119
Reaction score
0
I was wondering if, at the testing center for the DAT, you're allowed to touch the screen at all? I was wondering because I usually do that when doing the angle discrimination of the PAT
 
Just ask the person when you get there. (I've heard that some people weren't allowed. I asked and they had no problem with it.)

checkamundo said:
I was wondering if, at the testing center for the DAT, you're allowed to touch the screen at all? I was wondering because I usually do that when doing the angle discrimination of the PAT
 
chordata said:
Just ask the person when you get there. (I've heard that some people weren't allowed. I asked and they had no problem with it.)
I didn't ask. The monitor had so many finger prints on it already, I just joined the crowd.
 
Damn my ISP and 404 errors!
 
My test center had not problem with bringing my hand/fingers to the screen. They told me that you cannot use paper or any measuring devices and place them against the screen to trace or measure the angles.

Ask the center to make sure. Also, when you practice try doing the angles with and without you touching the screen. This will prepare you for both situations and will help you get an even better score if they do let you use your hand.

Good luck.
 
checkamundo said:
I was wondering if, at the testing center for the DAT, you're allowed to touch the screen at all? I was wondering because I usually do that when doing the angle discrimination of the PAT

I would refrain from counting upon screen touching. It's going to waste unnecessary time with no guarantee of improved score from there. I believe there are going to be a lot more of acute angles compared to the bigger ones, making this section of PAT extremely difficult to some candidates. Always look at the limits of each answer first and eliminate some wrong ones from there where possible, and compare rest of the tiny angles by paying close attention to their vertices.
 
i put my hands all over the computer and did well on the PAT... i think it helps
 
KAP said:
i put my hands all over the computer and did well on the PAT... i think it helps

Would you mind telling us more how putting hands/fingers on the screen helps discriminate the angles?
 
If you place your fingers over the two lines on the angle, thereby making a triangle, you can note the length of the 3rd side created by your finger. If you do the same for another angle, and make sure to place your finger the same distance away from the apex, you can discriminate between the two angles just on the length of your finger that fits between the two lines.

This might work on a computer that has a high resolution and has a flat screen, but most of the computers at my center were older and had curved screens and poor resolution. So be careful when you study to make sure you can do the angle section withput counting pixels at the base of the angle or putting your hand to the computer screen.
 
howui3 said:
If you place your fingers over the two lines on the angle, thereby making a triangle, you can note the length of the 3rd side created by your finger. If you do the same for another angle, and make sure to place your finger the same distance away from the apex, you can discriminate between the two angles just on the length of your finger that fits between the two lines.

This might work on a computer that has a high resolution and has a flat screen, but most of the computers at my center were older and had curved screens and poor resolution. So be careful when you study to make sure you can do the angle section withput counting pixels at the base of the angle or putting your hand to the computer screen.

I guess most if not all computers at Sylvan centers are 15" old and curved monitors. Besides, how confident can we tell from our finger via the method you just mentioned? For instance, it seems to me that one needs be able to judge the right distance from the apex as well as accurately remembering where the reference point has been on the finger of concern... How do you best make use of the finger(s)?
 
Top