Official Taxonomy Map
The canonical naming source — College Board's exact domains, skills, weights (R&W + Math)
6 min read
This is the single source of truth for what the SAT is called and how it's weighted. Every MERIDIAN document uses these exact College Board names — no synonyms, no invented labels. All wording below is quoted from College Board's official specifications; sources are cited per table. If any other MERIDIAN doc ever conflicts with this one, this doc wins.
Official source documents (College Board):
- Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite (v3.01, Aug 2024) — the full technical spec. R&W taxonomy = Table 10; Math = Table 16. → https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/assessment-framework-for-digital-sat-suite.pdf
- Digital SAT Suite Specifications Overview — public summary; R&W = Table 2, Math = Table 3 (matches the Framework). → https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/digital-sat-test-spec-overview.pdf
- Content Domains (validity page) → https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/higher-ed-professionals/sat-validity/content-domains
Official book = the one you uploaded. The Official Digital SAT Study Guide (College Board, ISBN 9781457316708) is the current official book and the source of your 637-page scan. ⚠️ The Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd Edition (ISBN 9781457316845) is the pre-2024 paper-test guide — obsolete; do not use it.
READING & WRITING — official Table 2 (= Framework Table 10)
54 questions (50 operational + 4 unscored pretest), 64 min (two 32-min modules). All four-option multiple choice; one short passage (25–150 words) per question. Within each module, questions run Craft & Structure → Information & Ideas → Standard English Conventions → Expression of Ideas, easiest-to-hardest within groupings. Percentages/counts are of the 50 operational questions.
| Content Domain | Official description (verbatim) | Skill/Knowledge Testing Points (exact) | Operational distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft and Structure | "Students will use comprehension, vocabulary, analysis, synthesis, and reasoning skills and knowledge to use and determine the meaning of high-utility academic words and phrases in context, evaluate texts rhetorically, and make supportable connections between multiple topically related texts." | Words in Context · Text Structure and Purpose · Cross-Text Connections | ≈28% / 13–15 Q |
| Information and Ideas | "Students will use comprehension, analysis, and reasoning skills and knowledge as well as what is stated and implied in texts (including in any accompanying informational graphics) to locate, interpret, evaluate, and integrate information and ideas." | Central Ideas and Details · Command of Evidence — Textual · Command of Evidence — Quantitative · Inferences | ≈26% / 12–14 Q |
| Standard English Conventions | "Students will use editing skills and knowledge to make text conform to core conventions of Standard English sentence structure, usage, and punctuation." | Boundaries · Form, Structure, and Sense | ≈26% / 11–15 Q |
| Expression of Ideas | "Students will use revision skills and knowledge to improve the effectiveness of written expression in accordance with specified rhetorical goals." | Rhetorical Synthesis · Transitions | ≈20% / 8–12 Q |
MATH — official Table 3 (= Framework Table 16)
44 questions (40 operational + 4 unscored pretest), 70 min (two 35-min modules). ≈75% four-option multiple choice, ≈25% student-produced response (grid-in). Calculator permitted throughout. Easiest-to-hardest within each module. Percentages/counts are of the 40 operational questions.
| Content Domain | Official description (verbatim, condensed) | Skill/Knowledge Testing Points (exact) | Operational distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra | "Students will analyze, fluently solve, and create linear equations and inequalities as well as analyze and fluently solve equations and systems of equations using multiple techniques." | Linear equations in one variable · Linear equations in two variables · Linear functions · Systems of two linear equations in two variables · Linear inequalities in one or two variables | ≈35% / 13–15 Q |
| Advanced Math | "Students will demonstrate the ability to progress to more advanced math courses, including … absolute value, quadratic, exponential, polynomial, rational, radical, and other nonlinear equations." | Equivalent expressions · Nonlinear equations in one variable and systems of equations in two variables · Nonlinear functions | ≈35% / 13–15 Q |
| Problem-Solving and Data Analysis | "Using quantitative reasoning, students will … solve problems using percentages, proportional relationships, ratios, rates, and units; analyze and interpret distributions of data; … find relative frequency, probabilities, and conditional probabilities; fit models to data …; calculate, compare, and interpret mean, median, and range …; understand basic study design; and interpret margin of error." | Ratios, rates, proportional relationships, and units · Percentages · One-variable data: distributions and measures of center and spread · Two-variable data: models and scatterplots · Probability and conditional probability · Inference from sample statistics and margin of error · Evaluating statistical claims: observational studies and experiments | ≈15% / 5–7 Q |
| Geometry and Trigonometry | "Students will solve problems associated with length, area, volume, and scale factors …; determine congruence, similarity, and sufficiency …; solve problems using the Pythagorean theorem, right triangle and unit circle trigonometry, and properties of special right triangles; and use properties and theorems relating to circles …" | Area and volume · Lines, angles, and triangles · Right triangles and trigonometry · Circles | ≈15% / 5–7 Q |
SAT-only content (harder than PSAT, confirmed on the Content Domains page): margin of error; evaluating statistical claims (observational studies & experiments); trigonometry within Right triangles; and Circles. These four are prime hard-Module-2 territory — prioritise them for the 1600 push.
OFFICIAL RESOURCES (use these, free)
- Bluebook practice tests (official adaptive full-lengths) → https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students
- Student Question Bank / My Practice (official questions, filter by domain·skill·difficulty) → https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice/student-question-bank · portal: https://mypractice.collegeboard.org
- Official SAT Prep on Khan Academy (CB's official free partner; ~5-min video walk-throughs per skill at 3 difficulty levels) → https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/digital-sat
- Schoolhouse.world (free official live tutoring; CB partner) → https://schoolhouse.world
- The Official Digital SAT Study Guide (the book you uploaded) — instruction + 4 official practice tests (same as Bluebook's).
Official video: College Board YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@CollegeBoard ; Khan Academy SAT → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb6Pzsn8oIFv1N8eGem570A ; plus the in-course Khan video explanations tied to your Bluebook results.
HOW MERIDIAN MAPS TO THIS TAXONOMY
Every skill point above has a MERIDIAN module/section (names already match College Board):
- R&W: Words in Context → FORGE · Words-in-Context; Text Structure & Purpose, Central Ideas, Cross-Text → FORGE · Craft & Structure + Cross-Text; Command of Evidence (Textual + Quantitative) → FORGE · Command of Evidence; Inferences → FORGE · Inferences; Boundaries + Form/Structure/Sense → CODEX · Grammar Ruleset Vault; Transitions + Rhetorical Synthesis → FORGE · Transitions + Rhetorical Synthesis. Worked examples for all 11 → CODEX · R&W Question-Type Playbook.
- Math: Algebra → FORGE · Algebra System; Advanced Math → FORGE · Advanced Math System; Problem-Solving & Data → FORGE · Problem-Solving & Data System; Geometry & Trig → FORGE · Geometry & Trig System; formulas → CODEX · Math Formula Vault; worked examples for all 14 → CODEX · Math Question-Type Playbook.
REFERENCE CARD — OFFICIAL TAXONOMY
R&W (50 op): Craft&Structure 28% (Words in Context · Text Structure & Purpose · Cross-Text)
· Information&Ideas 26% (Central Ideas · Command of Evidence Textual/Quantitative · Inferences)
· Standard English Conventions 26% (Boundaries · Form, Structure, and Sense)
· Expression of Ideas 20% (Rhetorical Synthesis · Transitions)
MATH (40 op): Algebra 35% · Advanced Math 35% · Problem-Solving & Data Analysis 15% · Geometry & Trigonometry 15%
SAT-only (hard-module focus): margin of error · observational studies/experiments · trigonometry · circles
Source: CB Assessment Framework v3.01 (Tables 10/16) = Spec Overview (Tables 2/3). This doc = canonical names.
MERIDIAN™ · © 2026 · For Neo's personal study use. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the College Board. SAT® is a trademark of the College Board.
MERIDIAN · SIGNAL · OFFICIAL TAXONOMY MAP | v1.0
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