The Best ACT Math Prep Books of 2024

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Looking for the best ACT Math Prep Book? Well, look no further, because we have compiled the list of the best prep books that you can use in 2020. And along with recommended ACT Math prep books, we also help you select the best books for yourself. Continue reading to learn more about books for ACT Math preparation.

If you want to just get back to studying, get our top pick for ACT Math prep books here.
Our Top Favorite
The Official ACT Prep Guide 2019-2020, (Book + 5 Practice Tests + Bonus Online Content)
Our Top Runner Up
Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT
Our Top Value Pick
ACT Prep by Magoosh: ACT Prep Guide with Study Schedules, Practice Questions, and Strategies to Improve Your Score
Book Title
The Official ACT Prep Guide
Ultimate Guide To the Math Act
Act Prep
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Our Top Favorite
The Official ACT Prep Guide 2019-2020, (Book + 5 Practice Tests + Bonus Online Content)
Book Title
The Official ACT Prep Guide
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Our Top Runner Up
Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT
Book Title
Ultimate Guide To the Math Act
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Our Top Value Pick
ACT Prep by Magoosh: ACT Prep Guide with Study Schedules, Practice Questions, and Strategies to Improve Your Score
Book Title
Act Prep
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime

Last update: 2024-05-04

Our Favorites for Best ACT Math Prep Books

The Official ACT Prep Guide 2022- 2023

First on our list of best ACT Math prep books, we have what is called the ‘Red Book’ of ACT. The Official ACT Prep Guide book tops our list for obvious reasons. While unofficial practice questions are helpful (and we have listed half a dozen such books in this article), this official guide gets to the heart of the exam by providing actual test questions as appeared on previous ACT tests.

What Makes This ACT Math Prep Book Unique

  • Official ACT guide to be used as a practice tool in conjunction with ‘Black’ Book’ referenced below.
  • The book contains 5 full-length tests providing more than 10 hours of simulated practice
  • You can also attempt hundreds of additional online practice questions
  • All questions are those found on the previous ACT tests

Why Choose this ACT Math Prep Book

  • Also comes with a never-before-attempted full-length practice test with over 200 questions
  • Ideal for those who need a practice guide that is not too comprehensive
On Sale
The Official ACT Prep Guide 2022-2023: The ONLY Official Prep Guide From the Makers of the ACT
  • ACT (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 1105 Pages - 05/10/2022 (Publication Date) - John Wiley & Sons Inc (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-05-04


ACT Prep Black Book

Here is an ACT prep guide that helps you understand the thought process or methodology behind the test questions.

What Makes This ACT Math Prep Book Unique

  • The book has to be used in conjunction with the ACT Red Book. The ACT Prep Black Book provides tips and tricks to tackle questions listed in the Red Book.
  • Along with practising test questions, the Black Book also teaches you a problem-solving process that can be applied across questions
  • This approach helps you reduce the amount of time spent on each question
  • The second edition of the book includes the latest changes, especially on the ACT Essay

Why Choose this ACT Math Prep Book

  • Fully updated ACT prep guide
  • Makes students confident in their ability to quickly answer questions in a logical manner
  • Includes more than 600 practice questions and 3 practice tests
On Sale
ACT Prep Black Book: The Most Effective ACT Strategies Ever Published
  • Barrett, Mike (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 580 Pages - 02/15/2018 (Publication Date) - ACT Prep Books (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-05-04


Barron’s ACT

Third on our list of favourites for ACT Math preparation is Barron’s ACT, specifically Barron's ACT 36 (4th edition). This ACT Math prep book is one big guide to the content, strategies and practices questions for each section of the exam.

What Makes This ACT Math Prep Book Unique

  • Each subsequent edition of the guide reflects the most recent changes in the ACT
  • Math chapters are divided among algebra (pre-algebra, elementary and intermediate algebra), geometry (plane and coordinate geometry) and trigonometry
  • Better than Princeton Review’s ACT (reviewed below) in the sense that even less motivated students!

Why Choose this ACT Math Prep Book

  • Very well-written and easy-to-follow
  • You will also find the additional statistics and probability questions in the math practice tests easy to follow
  • Comprehensive practice tests better prepare for the actual test
On Sale
ACT 36 with Online Test: Aiming for the Perfect Score (Barron's ACT Prep)
  • Book - act 36 with online test: aiming for the perfect score (barron's test prep)
  • Language: english
  • Binding: paperback

Last update: 2024-05-04


Runner Ups for Best ACT Math Prep Books

Ultimate Guide To the Math Act

For runners up for the best ACT Math Prep Book, we have the Ultimate Guide To The Math Act. We recommend this book because it serves its purpose wonderfully, explaining math concepts in an explicit and concise manner.

What Makes This ACT Math Prep Book Unique

  • The first part of the book identifies learning gaps. There are mathematical principles on the one hand, and the problems students face while learning them on the other
  • The second part of the book contains strategies and tips and tricks to help students ace the test
  • The book (mostly) explains the answers to questions thoroughly
  • It also covers every possible aspect of ACT Math, with a step-by-step explanation of concepts and test questions to help you learn how to apply those concepts

Why Choose this ACT Math Prep Book

  • The concepts presented in the book have been tested on the ACT
  • Provides references to actual questions from the Real ACT Prep Guide
  • These questions provide the most effective way to practice for the test
On Sale
Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT
  • Corn, Richard F (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 268 Pages - 08/10/2018 (Publication Date) - Richard Corn, LLC (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-05-04


Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2020

Adding to our list for the best ACT Prep Book is Princeton Review ‘s ACT Math guide, called Cracking the ACT. This book has been helping students with ACT Math for quite a few years and is quite comprehensive in its outlook.

What Makes This ACT Math Prep Book Unique

  • Offers a complete review of the concepts and strategies, as well as provides practice questions
  • The Math section has been covered thoroughly
  • The book is especially unique in its approach of helping you understand the thought process while taking the test
  • For instance, it teaches you how to use the process of elimination and save time by identifying which questions to tackle first and so on…

Why Choose this ACT Math Prep Book

  • Princeton Review ‘s ACT Math guide has clear presentation of material with each section containing drills and example questions
  • The book contains four full practice tests
  • You can take two further tests online with an instant scoring feature to know how well you are doing
  • Some students, however, may find the comprehensiveness of the book tiring and cumbersome
On Sale
Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2020: 6 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies (College Test Preparation)
  • The Princeton Review (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 848 Pages - 12/03/2019 (Publication Date) - Princeton Review (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-05-04


Value Picks for Best ACT Math Prep Books

Act Prep by Magoosh

For value picks, we have ACT Prep by Magoosh: ACT Prep Guide with Study Schedules, Practice Questions, and Strategies to Improve your Score. Magoosh is an online test prep community aimed to take the boredom away from ACT prep.

What Makes This ACT Math Prep Book Unique

  • Written by world-famous authorities who know how to make ACT Math prep enjoyable
  • You can reach out to the online community any time, which means you don’t feel you are studying alone
  • Tips and questions not only help you prepare for the exam format but also choose the best test date
  • More than 300 practice questions prepared by our expert ACT tutors and tested on students

Why Choose this ACT Math Prep Book

  • Comes with answer keys and detailed explanations
  • Provides a study schedule teaching you how to best manage your preparation time
  • Also offers fun activities to keep you focused and engaged, something not all ACT prep guides can manage
ACT Prep by Magoosh: ACT Prep Guide with Study Schedules, Practice Questions, and Strategies to Improve Your Score
  • Magoosh (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 562 Pages - 07/19/2018 (Publication Date) - Writers of the Round Table Press (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-05-04


ACT Prep Plus 2021

Last but not least, we have Kaplan, a notable guide in all test prep lists. We have added this to our value picks because questions run easier than actual ACT questions.

What Makes This ACT Math Prep Book Unique

  • Offers effective strategies and study methods, with detailed reviews for each section of the ACT
  • Purchasing the book gives you access to additional practice tests and explanations, as well as online video lessons
  • Offers scoring and analysis features as well

Why Choose this ACT Math Prep Book

  • Additional features include access to an online centre with quizzes and videos, valid for a year
  • Ideal for students who want to understand the sections of ACT as well as the fundamental concepts
On Sale
ACT Prep Plus 2021: 5 Practice Tests + Proven Strategies + Online (Kaplan Test Prep)
  • Kaplan Test Prep (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 876 Pages - 06/02/2020 (Publication Date) - Kaplan Test Prep (Publisher)

Last update: 2024-05-04


How to Choose the Best ACT Math Prep Book for You

There are both official and unofficial ACT Math prep books in the market. But how do you go about choosing the best one for you? Here are a few helpful tips before we wrap things up.

These tips are especially beneficial because there are various versions of books available online, and you can buy these cheaply on Kindle. But just because a book is easily available doesn’t mean it is the best ACT Math prep book.

To start off, you need to take your personal budget in your account. This is a book that you probably need to use only once in your life, which means you have to find something that doesn’t put a damper on your resources.

Secondly, you also need to keep your goals in mind. This includes how much you aim to score, and how you will manage your study time. Reading reviews can be helpful in this regard so you know the ACT guide you are planning to buy has the relevant features or not.

Thirdly and most importantly, the prep book you choose should be in accordance with your strengths and weaknesses, such as grammar, math, reading strategies etc.

Wrapping Things Up: The Best ACT Math Prep Book

To conclude, here are the best ACT Math prep book we looked at today:

Our Top Favorite
The Official ACT Prep Guide 2019-2020, (Book + 5 Practice Tests + Bonus Online Content)
Our Top Runner Up
Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT
Our Top Value Pick
ACT Prep by Magoosh: ACT Prep Guide with Study Schedules, Practice Questions, and Strategies to Improve Your Score
Book Title
The Official ACT Prep Guide
Ultimate Guide To the Math Act
Act Prep
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Our Top Favorite
The Official ACT Prep Guide 2019-2020, (Book + 5 Practice Tests + Bonus Online Content)
Book Title
The Official ACT Prep Guide
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Our Top Runner Up
Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT
Book Title
Ultimate Guide To the Math Act
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime
Our Top Value Pick
ACT Prep by Magoosh: ACT Prep Guide with Study Schedules, Practice Questions, and Strategies to Improve Your Score
Book Title
Act Prep
Prime Eligible?
Amazon Prime

Last update: 2024-05-04

This wraps up our guide on the best ACT Math prep books. Each book has its own strengths and weaknesses, and you should pick one that aligns with your study goals. While The Official ACT ‘Red Book’ helps you learn from past questions, you will also have to purchase the Black Book in order to dig deep into the concepts.

For most students, studying in the ACT isn’t a particularly enjoyable experience. It requires a lot of self-discipline to practice on your own, whether it is English, Math, Reading or Science. That is why you can also go for Act Prep by Magoosh. They make the learning process enjoyable, based on the feedback on their YouTube channel. Plus you can always reach out their online community so you don’t feel alone while studying for the ACT.

If you found this post helpful, you’re definitely going to like our other entrance exam resource guides here.

You may also like these other entrance exam resources:

> The Best ACT Review Books

> The Best Calculators for the ACT

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Professor Conquer

Professor Conquer started Conquer Your Exam in 2018 to help students feel more confident and better prepared for their tough tests. Prof excelled in high school, graduating top of his class and receiving admissions into several Ivy League and top 15 schools. He has helped many students through the years tutoring and mentoring K-12, consulting seniors through the college admissions process, and writing extensive how-to guides for school.

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