Question ID 25a1d328

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions Medium

ID: 25a1d328

In the linear function , and . Which equation defines ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 25a1d328 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. An equation defining can be written in the form , where , represents the
slope of the graph of in the xy-plane, and represents the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph. It’s
given that and . It follows that the points and are on the graph of
in the xy-plane. The slope can be found by using any two points, and , and the formula .
Substituting and for and , respectively, in the slope formula yields , or
. Substituting for and for in the equation yields ,
or . Adding to both sides of this equation yields . Substituting for and for in
the equation yields . Since , it follows that the equation that defines is
.

Choice A is incorrect. For this function, , not .

Choice B is incorrect. For this function, , not , and , not .

Choice C is incorrect. For this function, , not , and , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 71d6c6f2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions Medium

ID: 71d6c6f2

For the linear function , is a constant and . What is the value of ?

ID: 71d6c6f2 Answer

Correct Answer: 39

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that for the linear function , is a constant and . Substituting for
and for in the given equation yields . Subtracting from both sides of this equation
yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Substituting for in the
given equation, , yields . Substituting for in this equation yields
, or . Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e3f4c118
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in Hard

one variable

ID: e3f4c118

If , what is the value of ?

ID: e3f4c118 Answer

Correct Answer: 11

Rationale

The correct answer is . Subtracting from each side of the given equation yields .
Adding to each side of this equation yields . Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 0969c4e8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in Medium

two variables

ID: 0969c4e8

Line is defined by . Line is parallel to line in the xy-plane. What is the slope of line ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 0969c4e8 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that line is defined by . For an equation of a line written in the form
, is the slope of the line and is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the line. It follows that the slope
of line is . It's also given that line is parallel to line in the xy-plane. Since parallel lines have equal slopes, line
also has a slope of .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of line , not the slope of line .

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2321f18a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions Medium

ID: 2321f18a

The pressure exerted on a scuba diver at sea level is . For each

foot the scuba diver descends below sea level, the pressure exerted on the scuba diver increases by
. What is the total pressure, in , exerted on the scuba diver at feet below sea level?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 2321f18a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that the pressure exerted on a scuba diver at sea level is
. It's also given that for each foot the scuba diver descends below sea level, the
pressure exerted on the scuba diver increases by . The total pressure, in , exerted on the scuba diver at
feet below sea level can be represented by the expression . Substituting for in this expression
yields , or . Therefore, the total pressure exerted on the scuba diver at feet below sea
level is .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the pressure, in , exerted on the scuba diver at sea level, not at feet below sea
level.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the rate by which the pressure, in , exerted on the scuba diver increases for each foot
the scuba diver descends below sea level.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2d1e5eff
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations Hard

in one variable and
systems of
equations in two
variables

ID: 2d1e5eff

In the given system of equations, is a constant. The graphs of the equations in the given system
intersect at exactly one point, , in the xy-plane. What is the value of ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 2d1e5eff Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given that the graphs of the equations in the given system intersect at exactly one point, ,
in the xy-plane. Therefore, is the only solution to the given system of equations. The given system of equations
can be solved by subtracting the second equation, , from the first equation, . This
yields , or . Since the given system has only one
solution, this equation has only one solution. A quadratic equation in the form , where , , and are
constants, has one solution if and only if the discriminant, , is equal to zero. Substituting for , for ,
and for in the expression yields . Setting this expression equal to zero
yields , or . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields
. Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Substituting for in the equation
yields , or . Factoring from the right-
hand side of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields
, which is equivalent to , or . Taking the square root of both
sides of this equation yields . Adding to both sides of this equation yields .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 005e9982
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Hard

ID: 005e9982

The given function models the number of advertisements a company sent to its clients each year,
where represents the number of years since , and . If is graphed in the xy-
plane, which of the following is the best interpretation of the y-intercept of the graph in this context?

A. The minimum estimated number of advertisements the company sent to its clients during the
years was .

B. The minimum estimated number of advertisements the company sent to its clients during the
years was .

C. The estimated number of advertisements the company sent to its clients in was .

D. The estimated number of advertisements the company sent to its clients in was .

ID: 005e9982 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The y-intercept of a graph in the xy-plane is the point where . For the given function , the y-
intercept of the graph of in the xy-plane can be found by substituting for in the equation
, which gives . This is equivalent to , or . Therefore, the
y-intercept of the graph of is . It’s given that the function models the number of advertisements
a company sent to its clients each year. Therefore, represents the estimated number of advertisements the
company sent to its clients each year. It's also given that represents the number of years since . Therefore,
represents years since , or . Thus, the best interpretation of the y-intercept of the graph of
is that the estimated number of advertisements the company sent to its clients in was .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 68298043
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations Hard

in one variable and
systems of
equations in two
variables

ID: 68298043

In the given system of equations, is a constant. The system has exactly one distinct real solution.
What is the value of ?

ID: 68298043 Answer

Correct Answer: 17.5, 35/2

Rationale

The correct answer is . Subtracting the second equation from the first equation yields
, or . This is equivalent to
. It's given that the system has exactly one distinct real solution; therefore, this equation
has exactly one distinct real solution. An equation of the form , where , , and are constants, has
exactly one distinct real solution when the discriminant, , is equal to . The equation
is of this form, where , , and . Substituting these values into
the discriminant, , yields . Setting the discriminant equal to yields
, or . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields
. Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Note that 35/2 and 17.5 are examples of
ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 65244c8d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations Hard

in one variable and
systems of
equations in two
variables

ID: 65244c8d

What is the smallest solution to the given equation?

ID: 65244c8d Answer

Correct Answer: -3

Rationale

The correct answer is . Squaring both sides of the given equation yields , which can be
rewritten as . Subtracting and from both sides of this equation yields
. This quadratic equation can be rewritten as . According to the zero product
property, equals zero when either or . Solving each of these equations for
yields or . Therefore, the given equation has two solutions, and . Of these two solutions, is
the smallest solution to the given equation.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 5822c232
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent Hard

expressions

ID: 5822c232

Which expression is equivalent to ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 5822c232 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Factoring the denominator in the second term of the given expression gives . This
expression can be rewritten with common denominators by multiplying the first term by , giving
. Adding these two terms yields . Using the distributive property to rewrite this expression gives
. Combining the like terms in the numerator of this expression gives .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 9c086e5a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Medium

ID: 9c086e5a

The table shows three values of and their corresponding values of for the equation .
In the table, is a constant. What is the value of ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 9c086e5a Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that the table shows three values of and their corresponding values of for the
equation . It's also given that when the corresponding value of is , and is a constant.
Substituting for and for in the given equation yields , or . Therefore, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4782fd69
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Medium

ID: 4782fd69

The function models the value, in dollars, of a certain bank account by the end of
each year from through , where is the number of years after . Which of the following
is the best interpretation of “ is approximately equal to ” in this context?

A. The value of the bank account is estimated to be approximately dollars greater in than in
.

B. The value of the bank account is estimated to be approximately dollars in .

C. The value, in dollars, of the bank account is estimated to be approximately times greater in
than in .

D. The value of the bank account is estimated to increase by approximately dollars every years
between and .

ID: 4782fd69 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that the function models the value, in dollars, of a certain bank
account by the end of each year from through , where is the number of years after . It follows that
represents the estimated value, in dollars, of the bank account years after . Since the value of is the
value of when , it follows that “ is approximately equal to ” means that is approximately
equal to when . In the given context, this means that the value of the bank account is estimated to be
approximately dollars years after . Therefore, the best interpretation of the statement “ is
approximately equal to ” in this context is the value of the bank account is estimated to be approximately
dollars in .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 696e199b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations Medium

in one variable and
systems of
equations in two
variables

ID: 696e199b

What is the solution to the given equation?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 696e199b Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Since the left-hand side of the given equation has a factor of in both the numerator and the
denominator, the solution to the given equation can be found by solving the equation . Adding to both
sides of this equation yields . Substituting for in the given equation yields , or .
Therefore, the solution to the given equation is .

Choice A is incorrect. Substituting for in the given equation yields , or , which is false.

Choice B is incorrect. Substituting for in the given equation yields , or , which is false.

Choice D is incorrect. Substituting for in the given equation yields , or , which is false.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c9f2f07d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Medium

ID: c9f2f07d

The function is given. Which table of values represents ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: c9f2f07d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that and . Substituting

 for in the equation yields .
Substituting for in this equation yields , or . Substituting for
in the equation yields , or .
Substituting for in the equation yields , or
. Therefore, when then , when then , and when then . Thus,
the table of values in choice B represents .

Choice A is incorrect. This table represents rather than .

Choice C is incorrect. This table represents rather than .

Choice D is incorrect. This table represents rather than .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 6fbfbe0d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations Medium

in one variable and
systems of
equations in two
variables

ID: 6fbfbe0d

The given equation relates the positive numbers , , and . Which equation correctly expresses in
terms of and ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 6fbfbe0d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. To express in terms of and , the given equation can be rewritten such that is isolated on one
side of the equation. Since it’s given that is a positive number, is not equal to zero. Therefore, dividing both
sides of the given equation by yields the equivalent equation , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This equation is equivalent to .

Choice C is incorrect. This equation is equivalent to .

Choice D is incorrect. This equation is equivalent to .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7eea65e3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two Medium

linear equations in
two variables

ID: 7eea65e3

Which of the following systems of linear equations has no solution?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 7eea65e3 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. A system of two linear equations in two variables, and , has no solution if the graphs of the lines
represented by the equations in the xy-plane are distinct and parallel. The graphs of two lines in the xy-plane
represented by equations in slope-intercept form, , where and are constants, are parallel if their
slopes, , are the same and are distinct if their y-coordinates of the y-intercepts, , are different. In the equations
and , the values of are each , and the values of are and , respectively. Since the
slopes of these lines are the same and the y-coordinates of the y-intercepts are different, it follows that the system of
linear equations in choice A has no solution.

Choice B is incorrect. The two lines represented by these equations are a horizontal line and a line with a slope of
that have the same y-coordinate of the y-intercept. Therefore, this system has a solution, , rather than no
solution.

Choice C is incorrect. The two lines represented by these equations have different slopes and the same y-coordinate of
the y-intercept. Therefore, this system has a solution, , rather than no solution.

Choice D is incorrect. The two lines represented by these equations are a vertical line and a horizontal line. Therefore,
this system has a solution, , rather than no solution.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2eb1f9e1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in Medium

two variables

ID: 2eb1f9e1

A line in the xy-plane has a slope of and passes through the point . The equation
defines the line, where and are constants. What is the value of ?

ID: 2eb1f9e1 Answer

Correct Answer: 9

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that the equation defines the line. In this equation, represents the
slope of the line and represents the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the line. It’s given that the line has a slope of .
Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4b0b4e54
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions Hard

ID: 4b0b4e54

The function gives the temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit, that corresponds to a temperature of
kelvins. If a temperature increased by kelvins, by how much did the temperature increase, in
degrees Fahrenheit?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 4b0b4e54 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that the function gives the temperature, in degrees
Fahrenheit, that corresponds to a temperature of kelvins. A temperature that increased by kelvins means that
the value of increased by kelvins. It follows that an increase in by increases by , or .
Therefore, if a temperature increased by kelvins, the temperature increased by degrees Fahrenheit.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 0dac9e81
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in Medium

two variables

ID: 0dac9e81

In the xy-plane, line passes through the points and . Which equation defines line ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 0dac9e81 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. An equation defining a line in the xy-plane can be written in the form , where
represents the slope and represents the y-intercept of the line. It’s given that line passes through the point
; therefore, . The slope, , of a line can be found using any two points on the line, and
, and the slope formula . Substituting the points and for and ,
respectively, in the slope formula yields , or . Substituting for and for in the equation
yields .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c8de424b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions Medium

ID: c8de424b

A model predicts that a certain animal weighed pounds when it was born and that the animal
gained pounds per day in its first year of life. This model is defined by an equation in the form
, where is the predicted weight, in pounds, of the animal days after it was born,
and and are constants. What is the value of ?

ID: c8de424b Answer

Correct Answer: 241

Rationale

The correct answer is . For a certain animal, it's given that a model predicts the animal weighed pounds when
it was born and gained pounds per day in its first year of life. It's also given that this model is defined by an equation
in the form , where is the predicted weight, in pounds, of the animal days after it was born, and
and are constants. It follows that represents the predicted weight, in pounds, of the animal when it was born and
represents the predicted rate of weight gain, in pounds per day, in its first year of life. Thus, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 84877fd5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions Hard

ID: 84877fd5

For groups of or more people, a museum charges per person for the first people and for
each additional person. Which function gives the total charge, in dollars, for a tour group with
people, where ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 84877fd5 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. A tour group with people, where , can be split into two subgroups: the first people and
the additional people. Since the museum charges per person for the first people and for each
additional person, the charge for the first people is and the charge for the additional people is
. Therefore, the total charge, in dollars, is given by the function , or
.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 670da52f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two Medium

linear equations in
two variables

ID: 670da52f

One of the two equations in a system of linear equations is given. The system has infinitely many
solutions. Which equation could be the second equation in this system?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 670da52f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that the system has infinitely many solutions. A system of two linear equations has
infinitely many solutions when the two linear equations are equivalent. When one equation is a multiple of another
equation, the two equations are equivalent. Multiplying each side of the given equation by yields .
Thus, is equivalent to the given equation and could be the second equation in the system.

Choice A is incorrect. The system consisting of this equation and the given equation has one solution rather than
infinitely many solutions.

Choice B is incorrect. The system consisting of this equation and the given equation has one solution rather than
infinitely many solutions.

Choice C is incorrect. The system consisting of this equation and the given equation has no solutions rather than
infinitely many solutions.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5bfaf155
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations Medium

in one variable and
systems of
equations in two
variables

ID: 5bfaf155

The given equation relates the numbers and , where is not equal to and . Which equation
correctly expresses in terms of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 5bfaf155 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. To express in terms of , the given equation must be solved for . Subtracting from both sides
of the given equation yields . Since is not equal to , multiplying both sides of this equation by yields
. It's given that , which means is not equal to . Therefore, dividing both sides of
by yields , or .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8217606b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations Hard

in one variable and
systems of
equations in two
variables

ID: 8217606b

In the given equation, and are positive constants. The sum of the solutions to the given equation is
, where is a constant. What is the value of ?

ID: 8217606b Answer

Correct Answer: .0625, 1/16

Rationale

The correct answer is . Let and represent the solutions to the given equation. Then, the given equation can be
rewritten as , or . Since this equation is equivalent to the given
equation, it follows that . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields
, or . Therefore, the sum of the solutions to the given equation, , is equal to
. Since it's given that the sum of the solutions to the given equation is , where is a constant, it
follows that . Note that 1/16, .0625, 0.062, and 0.063 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Alternate approach: The given equation can be rewritten as , where and are positive
constants. Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . The solutions for a quadratic
equation in the form , where , , and are constants, can be calculated using the quadratic
formula, and . It follows that the sum of the solutions to a quadratic equation
in the form is , which can be rewritten as
, which is equivalent to , or . In the equation ,
, , and . Substituting for and for in yields , which
can be rewritten as . Thus, the sum of the solutions to the given equation is . Since it's given
that the sum of the solutions to the given equation is , where is a constant, it follows that .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a51ff0d6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Hard

ID: a51ff0d6

The function is defined by the given equation. For what value of does reach its minimum?

ID: a51ff0d6 Answer

Correct Answer: -7

Rationale

The correct answer is . For a quadratic function defined by an equation of the form , where
, , and are constants and , the function reaches its minimum when . In the given function, ,
, and . Therefore, the value of for which reaches its minimum is .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 55326c43
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Medium

ID: 55326c43

The equation gives the estimated number of employees at a restaurant, where is the
number of years since the restaurant opened. Which of the following is the best interpretation of the
number in this context?

A. The estimated number of employees when the restaurant opened

B. The increase in the estimated number of employees each year

C. The number of years the restaurant has been open

D. The percent increase in the estimated number of employees each year

ID: 55326c43 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. For an exponential function of the form , where and are constants, the initial
value of the function—that is, the value of the function when —is and the value of the function increases by a
factor of each time increases by . Since the function gives the estimated number of employees at
a restaurant and is the number of years since the restaurant opened, the best interpretation of the number in this
context is the estimated number of employees when , or when the restaurant opened.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c38751a4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Medium

ID: c38751a4

The function gives the predicted body mass , in , of a certain animal days
after it was born in a wildlife reserve, where . Which of the following is the best interpretation of
the statement “ is approximately equal to ” in this context?
A. The predicted body mass of the animal was approximately days after it was born.

B. The predicted body mass of the animal was approximately days after it was born.

C. The predicted body mass of the animal was approximately days after it was born.

D. The predicted body mass of the animal was approximately days after it was born.

ID: c38751a4 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. In the statement " is approximately equal to ," the input of the function, , is the
value of , the elapsed time, in days, since the animal was born. The approximate value of the function, , is the
predicted body mass, in kilograms, of the animal after that time has elapsed. Therefore, the predicted body mass of the
animal was approximately days after it was born.

Choice A is incorrect. This would be the best interpretation of the statement " is approximately equal to ."

Choice C is incorrect. The number is the number of weeks, not the number of days, after the animal was born.

Choice D is incorrect. This would be the best interpretation of the statement " is approximately equal to ."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 98f7ab7a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Hard

ID: 98f7ab7a

Function is defined by , where and are constants. In the xy-plane, the graph of
has a y-intercept at . The product of and is . What is the value of ?

ID: 98f7ab7a Answer

Correct Answer: 20

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that . Substituting for in the equation
yields . It’s given that the y-intercept of the graph of is .
Substituting for and for in the equation yields , which is
equivalent to , or . Adding to both sides of this equation yields . It’s
given that the product of and is , or . Substituting for in this equation yields .
Dividing both sides of this equation by yields .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID e7f2ab9c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations Hard

in one variable and
systems of
equations in two
variables

ID: e7f2ab9c

In the given equation, and are positive constants. The product of the solutions to the given equation
is , where is a constant. What is the value of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: e7f2ab9c Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The left-hand side of the given equation is the expression . Applying the
distributive property to this expression yields . Since the first two terms of this expression
have a common factor of and the last two terms of this expression have a common factor of , this expression
can be rewritten as . Since the two terms of this expression have a common factor of
, it can be rewritten as . Therefore, the given equation can be rewritten as .
By the zero product property, it follows that or . Subtracting from both sides of the equation
yields . Subtracting from both sides of the equation yields . Dividing
both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the solutions to the given equation are and . It
follows that the product of the solutions of the given equation is , or . It’s given that the product of the
solutions of the given equation is . It follows that , which can also be written as . It’s
given that and are positive constants. Therefore, dividing both sides of the equation by yields
. Thus, the value of is .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 06ee10bb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Medium

ID: 06ee10bb

A company opens an account with an initial balance of . The account earns interest, and no
additional deposits or withdrawals are made. The account balance is given by an exponential function
, where is the account balance, in dollars, years after the account is opened. The account balance
after years is . Which equation could define ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 06ee10bb Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Since it's given that the account balance, , in dollars, after years can be modeled by an
exponential function, it follows that function can be written in the form , where is the initial value of
the function and is a constant related to the growth of the function. It's given that the initial balance of the account is
, so it follows that the initial value of the function, or , must be . Substituting for
in the equation yields . It's given that the account balance after years, or when
, is . It follows that , or . Dividing each side of the
equation by yields . Taking the th root of both sides of this

equation yields , or is approximately equal to . Substituting for in the equation

yields , so the equation could define .

Choice B is incorrect. Substituting for in this function indicates an initial balance of , rather than
.

Choice C is incorrect. Substituting for in this function indicates an initial balance of , rather than
. Additionally, this function indicates the account balance is decreasing, rather than increasing, over time.

Choice D is incorrect. This function indicates the account balance is decreasing, rather than increasing, over time.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 06fac60b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Hard

ID: 06fac60b

The function gives the value, in dollars, of a certain piece of equipment after months of use. If the
value of the equipment decreases each year by of its value the preceding year, what is the value of
?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 06fac60b Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. For a function of the form , where , , and are constants and , the value of
decreases by for every increase of by . In the given function, , , and
. Therefore, for the given function, the value of decreases by , or , for every increase of by
. Since represents the value, in dollars, of the equipment after months of use, it follows that the value of the
equipment decreases every months by of its value the preceding months. Since there are months in a
year, the value of the equipment decreases each year by of its value the preceding year. Thus, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 11059bb6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Percentages Hard

and Data Analysis

ID: 11059bb6

In , Zinah earned more than in , and in Zinah earned more than in . If

Zinah earned times as much in as in , what is the value of ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 11059bb6 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that in Zinah earned more than in . Let represent the amount Zinah
earned in and let represent the amount that Zinah earned in . This situation can be represented by the
equation , or . It’s also given that in Zinah earned more than in . Let
represent the amount Zinah earned in . This situation can be represented by the equation , or
. Substituting for in the equation yields , or . If Zinah
earned times as much in as in , then the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID c9e4bac1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions Hard

ID: c9e4bac1

A quadratic function models a projectile's height, in meters, above the ground in terms of the time, in
seconds, after it was launched. The model estimates that the projectile was launched from an initial
height of meters above the ground and reached a maximum height of meters above the ground
seconds after the launch. How many seconds after the launch does the model estimate that the
projectile will return to a height of meters?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: c9e4bac1 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that a quadratic function models the projectile's height, in meters, above the ground in
terms of the time, in seconds, after it was launched. It follows that an equation representing the model can be written
in the form , where is the projectile's estimated height above the ground, in meters,
seconds after the launch, is a constant, and is the maximum height above the ground, in meters, the model
estimates the projectile reached seconds after the launch. It's given that the model estimates the projectile reached a
maximum height of meters above the ground seconds after the launch. Therefore, and .
Substituting for and for in the equation yields . It's also
given that the model estimates that the projectile was launched from an initial height of meters above the ground.
Therefore, when , . Substituting for and for in the equation
yields , or . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields
. Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Substituting for in the equation
yields . Therefore, the equation
models the projectile's height, in meters, above the ground seconds after it was
launched. The number of seconds after the launch that the model estimates that the projectile will return to a height of
meters is the value of when . Substituting for in yields
. Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields .
Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Taking the square root of both sides of this equation
yields two equations: and . Adding to both sides of the equation yields .
Adding to both sides of the equation yields . Since seconds after the launch represents the
time at which the projectile was launched, must be the number of seconds the model estimates that the projectile
will return to a height of meters.

Alternate approach: It's given that a quadratic function models the projectile's height, in meters, above the ground in
terms of the time, in seconds, after it was launched. It's also given that the model estimates that the projectile was
launched from an initial height of meters above the ground and reached a maximum height of meters above the
ground seconds after the launch. Since the model is quadratic, and quadratic functions are symmetric, the model
estimates that for any given height less than the maximum height, the time the projectile takes to travel from the given
height to the maximum height is the same as the time the projectile takes to travel from the maximum height back to
the given height. Thus, since the model estimates the projectile took seconds to travel from meters above the
ground to its maximum height of meters above the ground, the model also estimates the projectile will take
more seconds to travel from its maximum height of meters above the ground back to meters above the ground.
Thus, the model estimates that the projectile will return to a height of meters seconds after it reaches its maximum
height, which is seconds after the launch.

Choice A is incorrect. The model estimates that seconds after the launch, the projectile reached a height of
meters, not meters.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a65952d9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent Medium

expressions

ID: a65952d9

Which expression is equivalent to , where ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: a65952d9 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The given expression has a common factor of in the denominator, so the expression can be
rewritten as . The three terms in this expression have a common factor of . Since it's given that
, can't be equal to , which means can't be equal to . Therefore, each term in the expression,
, can be divided by , which gives .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9198f2d6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving One-variable data: Hard

and Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 9198f2d6

The table shown summarizes the number of employees at each of the restaurants in a town.
Number of employees Number of restaurants

to

to

to

to

to
Which of the following could be the median number of employees for the restaurants in this town?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 9198f2d6 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. If a data set contains an odd number of data values, the median is represented by the middle data
value in the list when the data values are listed in ascending or descending order. Since the numbers of employees are
given as ranges of values rather than specific values, it's only possible to determine the range in which the median falls,
rather than the exact median. Since there are restaurants included in the data set and the numbers of employees
are listed in ascending order, it follows that the median number of employees will be represented by the ninth
restaurant in the list. Since the first restaurants each have to employees, numbers of employees in the to
range would be represented by the first and second restaurants in the list. The next restaurants each have to
employees. Therefore, numbers of employees in the to range will be represented by the third through sixth
restaurants in the list. The next restaurants each have to employees. Therefore, numbers of employees in the
to range will be represented by the seventh and eighth restaurants in the list. Since the next restaurants each
have to employees, numbers of employees in the to range will be represented by the ninth through
fifteenth restaurants in the list. This means that the ninth restaurant in the list, which has the median number of
employees for the restaurants in this town, has a number of employees in the to range. Of the given choices, the
only number of employees in the to range is .
Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the position of the median in the list, not the value of the median.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ea2c91c1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Ratios, rates, Hard

and Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: ea2c91c1

For an electric field passing through a flat surface perpendicular to it, the electric flux of the electric field
through the surface is the product of the electric field’s strength and the area of the surface. A certain
flat surface consists of two adjacent squares, where the side length, in meters, of the larger square is
times the side length, in meters, of the smaller square. An electric field with strength volts per
meter passes uniformly through this surface, which is perpendicular to the electric field. If the total
electric flux of the electric field through this surface is , what is the electric flux, in
, of the electric field through the larger square?

ID: ea2c91c1 Answer

Correct Answer: 4176

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that the side length of the larger square is times the side length of the smaller
square. This means that the area of the larger square is , or , times the area of the smaller square. If the area of the
smaller square is represented by , then the area of the larger square can be represented by . Therefore, the flat
surface of the two adjacent squares has a total area of , or . It’s given that an electric field with strength
volts per meter passes uniformly through this surface and the total electric flux of the electric field through this
surface is . Since it's given that the electric flux is the product of the electric field’s strength and
the area of the surface, the equation , or , can be used to represent this situation.
Dividing each side of this equation by yields . Substituting for in the expression for the area of the
larger square, , yields , or , square meters. Since the area of the larger square is square meters, the
electric flux, in , of the electric field through the larger square can be determined by multiplying the area
of the larger square by the strength of the electric field. Thus, the electric flux is , or
.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b22cac33
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Percentages Hard

and Data Analysis

ID: b22cac33

The positive number is of the number , and is of the number . If is of , which of

the following is closest to the value of ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: b22cac33 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It's given that is of . It follows that . It's also given that is of . It follows
that . Since and , it follows that . Multiplying each side of this equation by
yields . If is of , then . It follows that . Multiplying each side of this equation by
yields . It follows that the value of is approximately . Therefore, of the given choices, is
closest to the value of .

Choice A is incorrect. This is closest to the value of if is of , rather than if is of , and if is of

, rather than if is of .

Choice B is incorrect. This is closest to the value of if is greater than , rather than of .

Choice C is incorrect. This is closest to the value of if is greater than , rather than of .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID c7a13932
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Inference from Medium

and Data Analysis sample statistics
and margin of error

ID: c7a13932

Based on a random sample from a population, a researcher estimated that the mean value of a certain
variable for the population is , with an associated margin of error of . Which of the following is the
most appropriate conclusion?

A. It is plausible that the actual mean value of the variable for the population is between and .

B. It is not possible that the mean value of the variable for the population is less than or greater
than .

C. Every value of the variable in the population is between and .

D. The mean value of the variable for the population is .

ID: c7a13932 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that based on a random sample from a population, the estimated mean value for a certain
variable for the population is , with an associated margin of error of . This means that it is plausible that the
actual mean value of the variable for the population is between and . Therefore, the most
appropriate conclusion is that it is plausible that the actual mean value of the variable for the population is between
and .

Choice B is incorrect. The estimated mean value and associated margin of error describe only plausible values, not all
the possible values, for the actual mean value of the variable, so this is not an appropriate conclusion.

Choice C is incorrect. The estimated mean value and associated margin of error describe only plausible values for the
actual mean value of the variable, not all the possible values of the variable, so this is not an appropriate conclusion.

Choice D is incorrect. Since is the estimated mean value of the variable based on a random sample, the actual
mean value of the variable may not be exactly . Therefore, this is not an appropriate conclusion.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f59a7e23
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Percentages Hard

and Data Analysis

ID: f59a7e23

is greater than . What is the value of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: f59a7e23 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that is greater than . It follows that , which is equivalent
to , or . Subtracting from each side of this equation yields .
Dividing each side of this equation by yields , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This would be the value of if were of , not greater than .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 7989c1bb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Ratios, rates, Hard

and Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 7989c1bb

A certain town has an area of square miles. What is the area, in square yards, of this town?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 7989c1bb Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Since the number of yards in mile is , the number of square yards in square mile is
. Therefore, if the area of the town is square miles, it is
, in square yards.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from dividing the number of yards in a mile by the square mileage of the town.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from multiplying the number of yards in a mile by the square mileage of the town.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from dividing the number of square yards in a square mile by the square mileage
of the town.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 10fd67a3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Ratios, rates, Medium

and Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 10fd67a3

An object has a mass of grams and a volume of cubic centimeters. What is the density, in grams
per cubic centimeter, of the object?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 10fd67a3 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that the object has a mass of grams and a volume of cubic centimeters. Dividing
the mass, in grams, of the object by the volume, in cubic centimeters, of the object gives the density, in grams per cubic
centimeter, of the object. It follows that the density of the object is , which is equivalent to grams
per cubic centimeter, or grams per cubic centimeter.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d708c5e3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Percentages Medium

and Data Analysis

ID: d708c5e3

The population of City A increased by from to . If the population is times the

population, what is the value of ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: d708c5e3 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given that the population of City A increased by from to . Therefore, the
population of City A in includes of the population of City A in plus an additional of the population
of City A in . This means that the population of City A in is of the population in . Thus, the
population of City A in is , or , times the population. Therefore, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect. This would be the value of if the population in was of the population in .

Choice B is incorrect. This would be the value of if the population in was of the population in .

Choice D is incorrect. This would be the value of if the population increased by , not , from to .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 796b120b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Two-variable data: Medium

and Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 796b120b

In the given scatterplot, a line of best fit for the data is shown.

Which of the following is closest to the slope of this line of best fit?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 796b120b Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. A line of best fit is shown in the scatterplot such that as the value of increases, the value of
decreases. It follows that the slope of the line of best fit shown is negative. The slope of a line in the xy-plane that
passes through the points and can be calculated as . The line of best fit shown passes
approximately through the points and . Substituting for and for in
yields the slope of the line being approximately , which is equivalent to , or . Therefore, of the given
choices, is the closest to the slope of this line of best fit.

Choice A is incorrect. The line of best fit shown has a negative slope, not a positive slope.
Choice B is incorrect. The line of best fit shown has a negative slope, not a positive slope.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0f1d42fd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Ratios, rates, Hard

and Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 0f1d42fd

The density of a certain type of wood is kilograms per cubic meter. A sample of this type of wood is
in the shape of a cube and has a mass of kilograms. To the nearest hundredth of a meter, what is
the length of one edge of this sample?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 0f1d42fd Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that the density of a certain type of wood is kilograms per cubic meter ,
and a sample of this type of wood has a mass of . Let represent the volume, in , of the sample. It follows
that the relationship between the density, mass, and volume of this sample can be written
as , or . Multiplying both sides of this equation by yields . Dividing both
sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the volume of this sample is . Since it’s given that the
sample of this type of wood is a cube, it follows that the length of one edge of this sample can be found using the
volume formula for a cube, , where represents the volume, in , and represents the length, in m, of one
edge of the cube. Substituting for in this formula yields . Taking the cube root of both sides of this
equation yields , or . Therefore, the length of one edge of this sample to the nearest hundredth of
a meter is .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d1c59f81
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Ratios, rates, Medium

and Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: d1c59f81

The ratio to is equivalent to the ratio to . If the value of is , what is the value of ?

ID: d1c59f81 Answer

Correct Answer: 90

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that the ratio of to is equivalent to the ratio to . It follows that .
Multiplying each side of this equation by yields , or . Dividing each side of this equation by
yields . Substituting for in this equation yields , which is equivalent to , or .
Therefore, if the value of is , the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ff37e18d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving One-variable data: Hard

and Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: ff37e18d

Weight (pounds) Frequency

The frequency table summarizes a data set of the weights, rounded to the nearest pound, of
tortoises. A weight of pounds is added to the original data set, creating a new data set of the
weights, rounded to the nearest pound, of tortoises. Which statement best compares the mean and
median of the new data set to the mean and median of the original data set?

A. The mean of the new data set is greater than the mean of the original data set, and the median of the
new data set is greater than the median of the original data set.

B. The mean of the new data set is greater than the mean of the original data set, and the medians of
the two data sets are equal.

C. The mean of the new data set is less than the mean of the original data set, and the median of the
new data set is less than the median of the original data set.

D. The mean of the new data set is less than the mean of the original data set, and the medians of the
two data sets are equal.

ID: ff37e18d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The mean of a data set is the sum of the values in the data set divided by the number of values in
the data set. The new data set consists of the weights of the tortoises in the original data set and one additional
weight, . Since the additional weight, , is greater than any of the values in the original data set, the mean of the
new data set is greater than the mean of the original data set. If a data set contains an odd number of data values, the
median is represented by the middle data value in the list when the data values are listed in ascending or descending
order. Since the original data set consists of the weights of tortoises and is in ascending order, the median of the
original data set is represented by the middle value, or the value. Based on the frequencies shown in the table, the
value in this data set is . If a data set contains an even number of data values, the median is between the two
middle data values when the values are listed in ascending or descending order. Since the new data set consists of the
weights of tortoises, the median of the new data set is between the and data values when the values are
arranged in ascending order. To keep the data in ascending order, the additional value of would be placed at the
bottom of the frequency table with a frequency of . Therefore, based on the frequencies in the table, the and
values in the new data set are both . It follows that the median of the new data set is , which is the same as
the median of the original data set. Therefore, the mean of the new data set is greater than the mean of the original
data set, and the medians of the two data sets are equal.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 78cc3297
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving One-variable data: Medium

and Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 78cc3297

The table shows the frequency of values in a data set.

Value Frequency

What is the minimum value of the data set?

ID: 78cc3297 Answer

Correct Answer: 19

Rationale

The correct answer is . The minimum value of a data set is the least value in the data set. The frequency refers to the
number of times a value occurs. The given table shows that for this data set, the value occurs times, the value
occurs time, the value occurs times, and the value occurs times. Therefore, of the values , , , and
given in the data set, the minimum value of the data set is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b869812a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Percentages Hard

and Data Analysis

ID: b869812a

The regular price of a shirt at a store is . The sale price of the shirt is less than the regular
price, and the sale price is greater than the store's cost for the shirt. What was the store’s cost, in
dollars, for the shirt? (Disregard the sign when entering your answer. For example, if your answer is
, enter )

ID: b869812a Answer

Correct Answer: 1.8, 9/5

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that the regular price of a shirt at a store is , and the sale price of the shirt is
less than the regular price. It follows that the sale price of the shirt is , or ,
which is equivalent to . It’s also given that the sale price of the shirt is greater than the store’s cost for the
shirt. Let represent the store’s cost for the shirt. It follows that , or . Dividing both
sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the store’s cost, in dollars, for the shirt is . Note that 1.8
and 9/5 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 04943c5d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Ratios, rates, Medium

and Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 04943c5d

For a certain rectangular region, the ratio of its length to its width is to . If the width of the
rectangular region increases by units, how must the length change to maintain this ratio?
A. It must decrease by units.

B. It must increase by units.

C. It must decrease by units.

D. It must increase by units.

ID: 04943c5d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

𝓁 , or 𝓁
Choice B is correct. It’s given that the ratio of the rectangular region’s length to its width is to . This can be written
𝓁
as a proportion: , or . This proportion can be rewritten as . If the width

can be found by replacing 𝓁 with 𝓁

of the rectangular region increases by , then the length will increase by some number in order to maintain this ratio.

𝓁 . This equation can be rewritten using the distributive property as 𝓁

The value of and with in the equation, which gives

𝓁 , the right-hand side of this equation can be rewritten by substituting 𝓁 for

. Since

𝓁 𝓁
, which gives
, or . Therefore, if the width of the rectangular region increases by units, the length must
increase by units in order to maintain the given ratio.

Choice A is incorrect. If the width of the rectangular region increases, the length must also increase, not decrease.

Choice C is incorrect. If the width of the rectangular region increases, the length must also increase, not decrease.

Choice D is incorrect. Since the ratio of the length to the width of the rectangular region is to , if the width of the
rectangular region increases by units, the length would have to increase by a proportional amount, which would have
to be greater than units.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 79c54a4d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and Medium

and Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: 79c54a4d

Each vertex of a -sided polygon is labeled with one of the letters through , with a different
letter at each vertex. If one vertex is selected at random, what is the probability that the letter will be
at the selected vertex? (Express your answer as a decimal or fraction, not as a percent.)

ID: 79c54a4d Answer

Correct Answer: .0714, 1/14

Rationale

The correct answer is . If one vertex of the polygon is selected at random, the probability that the letter will be at
the selected vertex is equal to the number of vertices labeled with the letter divided by the total number of vertices.
It's given that each vertex is labeled with one of the letters through , with a different letter at each vertex. It
follows that there is vertex labeled with the letter . It's also given that the polygon is -sided. It follows that there
are a total of vertices. Thus, the probability that the letter will be at the selected vertex is . Note that 1/14,
.0714, and 0.071 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d9e83476
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and Medium

Trigonometry triangles

ID: d9e83476

Quadrilateral is similar to quadrilateral , where , , , and correspond to , ,

, and , respectively. The measure of angle is , the measure of angle is , and the
measure of angle is . The length of each side of is times the length of each
corresponding side of . What is the measure of angle ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: d9e83476 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that quadrilateral is similar to quadrilateral , where , , , and
correspond to , , , and , respectively. Since corresponding angles of similar quadrilaterals are congruent, it
follows that the measure of angle is equal to the measure of angle . It's given that the measure of angle is .
Therefore, the measure of angle is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the measure of angle .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect. This is times the measure of angle .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9f2728be
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles Hard

Trigonometry

ID: 9f2728be

The graph of in the xy-plane is a circle. What is the length of the circle’s
radius?

ID: 9f2728be Answer

Correct Answer: 10

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that the graph of in the xy-plane is a circle. The equation
of a circle in the xy-plane can be written in the form , where the coordinates of the center of
the circle are and the length of the radius of the circle is . The term in this equation can be obtained
by adding the square of half the coefficient of to both sides of the given equation to complete the square. The
coefficient of is . Half the coefficient of is . The square of half the coefficient of is . Adding to each side
of yields , or
. Similarly, the term can be obtained by adding the square of half the
coefficient of to both sides of this equation, which yields , or
. This equation is equivalent to , or
. Therefore, the length of the circle's radius is .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a0d55a7e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and Hard

Trigonometry triangles

ID: a0d55a7e

In convex pentagon , segment is parallel to segment . The measure of angle is

degrees, and the measure of angle is degrees. What is the measure, in degrees, of angle ?

ID: a0d55a7e Answer

Correct Answer: 47

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that the measure of angle is degrees. Therefore, the exterior angle formed by
extending segment at point has measure , or , degrees. It's given that segment is parallel to
segment . Extending segment at point and extending segment at point until the two segments
intersect results in a transversal that intersects two parallel line segments. One of these intersection points is point ,
and let the other intersection point be point . Since segment is parallel to segment , alternate interior angles
are congruent. Angle and the exterior angle formed by extending segment at point are alternate interior
angles. Therefore, the measure of angle is degrees. It's given that the measure of angle in pentagon
is degrees. Therefore, angle has measure , or , degrees. Since angle in pentagon
is an exterior angle of triangle , it follows that the measure of angle is the sum of the measures of
angles and . Therefore, the measure, in degrees, of angle is , or .

Alternate approach: A line can be created that's perpendicular to segments and and passes through point .
Extending segments and at points and , respectively, until they intersect this line yields two right
triangles. Let these intersection points be point and point , and the two right triangles be triangle and
triangle . It's given that the measure of angle is degrees. Therefore, angle has measure ,
or , degrees. Since the measure of angle is degrees and the measure of angle is degrees, it
follows that the measure of angle is , or , degrees. It's given that the measure of angle is
degrees. Therefore, angle has measure , or , degrees. Since the measure of angle is
degrees and the measure of angle is degrees, it follows that the measure of angle is , or
, degrees. Since angles , , and angle in pentagon form segment , it follows that the
sum of the measures of those angles is degrees. Therefore, the measure, in degrees, of angle is
, or .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 3f2b93ef
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and Hard

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: 3f2b93ef

A rectangle is inscribed in a circle, such that each vertex of the rectangle lies on the circumference of
the circle. The diagonal of the rectangle is twice the length of the shortest side of the rectangle. The
area of the rectangle is square units. What is the length, in units, of the diameter of the circle?

ID: 3f2b93ef Answer

Correct Answer: 66

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that each vertex of the rectangle lies on the circumference of the circle. Therefore,
the length of the diameter of the circle is equal to the length of the diagonal of the rectangle. The diagonal of a
rectangle forms a right triangle with the shortest and longest sides of the rectangle, where the shortest side and the
longest side of the rectangle are the legs of the triangle and the diagonal of the rectangle is the hypotenuse of the
triangle. Let represent the length, in units, of the shortest side of the rectangle. Since it's given that the diagonal is
twice the length of the shortest side, represents the length, in units, of the diagonal of the rectangle. By the
Pythagorean theorem, if a right triangle has a hypotenuse with length and legs with lengths and , then
. Substituting for and for in this equation yields , or .
Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Taking the positive square root of both sides of this
equation yields . Therefore, the length, in units, of the rectangle’s longest side is . The area of a rectangle
is the product of the length of the shortest side and the length of the longest side. The lengths, in units, of the shortest
and longest sides of the rectangle are represented by and , and it’s given that the area of the rectangle is
square units. It follows that , or . Dividing both sides of this
equation by yields . Taking the positive square root of both sides of this equation yields . Since
the length, in units, of the diagonal is represented by , it follows that the length, in units, of the diagonal is , or
. Since the length of the diameter of the circle is equal to the length of the diagonal of the rectangle, the length, in
units, of the diameter of the circle is .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID fde10025
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles Hard

Trigonometry

ID: fde10025

A circle in the xy-plane has its center at . Line is tangent to this circle at the point .
Which of the following points also lies on line ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: fde10025 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It’s given that the circle has its center at and that line is tangent to this circle at the point
. Therefore, the points and are the endpoints of the radius of the circle at the point of
tangency. The slope of a line or line segment that contains the points and can be calculated as .
Substituting for and for in the expression yields , or . Thus, the slope of
this radius is . A line that’s tangent to a circle is perpendicular to the radius of the circle at the point of tangency. It
follows that line is perpendicular to the radius at the point , so the slope of line is the negative reciprocal of
the slope of this radius. The negative reciprocal of is . Therefore, the slope of line is . Since the slope of line
is the same between any two points on line , a point lies on line if the slope of the line segment connecting the point
and is . Substituting choice C, , for and for in the expression yields ,
or . Therefore, the point lies on line .

Choice A is incorrect. The slope of the line segment connecting and is , or , not .

Choice B is incorrect. The slope of the line segment connecting and is , or , not .

Choice D is incorrect. The slope of the line segment connecting and is , or , not .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 8970ec84
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and Hard

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: 8970ec84

The perimeter of an equilateral triangle is centimeters. The height of this triangle is

centimeters, where is a constant. What is the value of ?

ID: 8970ec84 Answer

Correct Answer: 104

Rationale

The correct answer is . An equilateral triangle is a triangle in which all three sides have the same length and all
three angles have a measure of . The height of the triangle, , is the length of the altitude from one vertex. The
altitude divides the equilateral triangle into two congruent 30-60-90 right triangles, where the altitude is the side across
from the angle in each 30-60-90 right triangle. Since the altitude has a length of , it follows from the
properties of 30-60-90 right triangles that the side across from each angle has a length of and each hypotenuse
has a length of . In this case, the hypotenuse of each 30-60-90 right triangle is a side of the equilateral triangle;
therefore, each side length of the equilateral triangle is . The perimeter of a triangle is the sum of the lengths of each
side. It's given that the perimeter of the equilateral triangle is ; therefore, , or .
Dividing both sides of this equation by yields .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1dbbea6b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and Hard

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: 1dbbea6b

In the triangle shown, what is the value of ?

ID: 1dbbea6b Answer

Correct Answer: .6956, .6957, 16/23

Rationale

The correct answer is . In a right triangle, the sine of an acute angle is defined as the ratio of the length of the side
opposite the angle to the length of the hypotenuse. In the triangle shown, the length of the side opposite the angle with
measure is units and the length of the hypotenuse is units. Therefore, the value of is . Note that
16/23, .6956, .6957, 0.695, and 0.696 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 50cd2366
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and Hard

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: 50cd2366

An isosceles right triangle has a perimeter of inches. What is the length, in inches, of one
leg of this triangle?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 50cd2366 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

times the length of one of the legs. Let 𝓁 represent the length, in
Choice B is correct. It's given that the right triangle is isosceles. In an isosceles right triangle, the two legs have equal

inches, of each leg of the isosceles right triangle. It follows that the length of the hypotenuse is 𝓁
lengths, and the length of the hypotenuse is
inches. The

triangle is 𝓁 𝓁 𝓁
perimeter of a figure is the sum of the lengths of the sides of the figure. Therefore, the perimeter of the isosceles right
inches. It's given that the perimeter of the triangle is inches. It follows that
𝓁 𝓁 𝓁 . Factoring the left-hand side of this equation yields 𝓁 , or

𝓁 . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields 𝓁 . Rationalizing the

denominator of the right-hand side of this equation by multiplying the right-hand side of the equation by yields

𝓁 . Applying the distributive property to the numerator and to the denominator of the right-hand

side of this equation yields 𝓁 . This is equivalent to 𝓁 , or 𝓁 . Therefore, the

length, in inches, of one leg of the isosceles right triangle is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the length, in inches, of the hypotenuse.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID cb6de2ae
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and Hard

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: cb6de2ae

The perimeter of an equilateral triangle is centimeters. The three vertices of the triangle lie on a
circle. The radius of the circle is centimeters. What is the value of ?

ID: cb6de2ae Answer

Correct Answer: 284/3, 94.66, 94.67

Rationale

The correct answer is . Since the perimeter of a triangle is the sum of the lengths of its sides, and the given
triangle is equilateral, the length of each side is , or , centimeters (cm). Right triangle can be formed,
where is the midpoint of one of the triangle’s sides, is one of this side’s endpoints, and is the center of the
circle. It follows that is , or , cm. Additionally, triangle has angles measuring , , and ,
where the measure of angle is and the measure of angle is . It follows that the length of side
is half the length of hypotenuse , and the length of side is times the length of side . It’s given
that cm. Therefore, cm and cm, which is equivalent to cm.
Since cm, it follows that . Multiplying both sides of this equation by yields .
Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Note that 284/3, 94.66, and 94.67 are examples of ways to
enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 02545fec
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume Hard

Trigonometry

ID: 02545fec

A cube has an edge length of inches. A solid sphere with a radius of inches is inside the cube,
such that the sphere touches the center of each face of the cube. To the nearest cubic inch, what is the
volume of the space in the cube not taken up by the sphere?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 02545fec Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The volume of a cube can be found by using the formula , where is the volume and is
the edge length of the cube. Therefore, the volume of the given cube is , or cubic inches. The volume
of a sphere can be found by using the formula , where is the volume and is the radius of the sphere.
Therefore, the volume of the given sphere is , or approximately cubic inches. The volume of
the space in the cube not taken up by the sphere is the difference between the volume of the cube and volume of the
sphere. Subtracting the approximate volume of the sphere from the volume of the cube gives
cubic inches.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard