When prepping for the SPI you may be concerned about how much math is on the SPI exam. This is a reasonable thing to wonder about. For a number of years, there was some light math on the exam. Also, many curriculums review a number of physical equations and present problems based on these. There is good news in this regard for those who may not be so fond of the subject!
In recent years, the SPI exam has undergone some changes. The purpose of these was to better test the sonographer’s knowledge and proficiency as a tech, not necessarily his or her math skills. In short, there is less math on the exam now than there was before. Yay!
However, some addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills will come in handy. Don’t worry too much, though. Most of it is basic. As for those equations that have been studied, reviewed, and in some cases memorized, those are still useful. While you may not have to solve mathematical equations with them, they key us in on important relationships between different variables.
For example, one of the first equations we learn is frequency = propagation speed / wavelength. This shows us that if frequency changes, it causes wavelength to change as well. They are related. Equations help us understand what is related and how it relates. This is a big part of understanding ultrasound physics, and knowledge of this will be tested on the exam.
There is no need to cram an extensive study of mathematics into your preparation for the SPI. Focus your energy instead on keeping those equations handy and use them to help you see how things are working together. Not only will it help make for a successful test outcome, it helps improve a tech’s skills in the field.