Question ID f1b6e2c7

Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: f1b6e2c7

Triangles ABC and DEF are shown above. Which of the

following is equal to the ratio ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: f1b6e2c7 Answer

Correct Answer:
B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. In right triangle ABC, the measure of angle B must be 58° because the sum of the measure of angle A,
which is 32°, and the measure of angle B is 90°. Angle D in the right triangle DEF has measure 58°. Hence, triangles ABC and
DEF are similar (by angle-angle similarity). Since is the side opposite to the angle with measure 32° and AB is the

hypotenuse in right triangle ABC, the ratio is equal to .

Alternate approach: The trigonometric ratios can be used to answer this question. In right triangle ABC, the ratio

. The angle E in triangle DEF has measure 32° because . In triangle DEF, the ratio

. Therefore, .

Choice A is incorrect because is the reciprocal of the ratio . Choice C is incorrect because , not

. Choice D is incorrect because , not .

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID aa3e102c
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: aa3e102c

A rectangular poster has an area of square inches. A copy of the poster is made in which the length and width of the
original poster are each increased by . What is the area of the copy, in square inches?

ID: aa3e102c Answer

Correct Answer:
2592/5, 518.4
Rationale
The correct answer is 518.4. It's given that the area of the original poster is 360 square inches. Let 𝑙 represent the length, in
inches, of the original poster, and let 𝑤 represent the width, in inches, of the original poster. Since the area of a rectangle is
equal to its length times its width, it follows that 360 = 𝑙𝑤. It's also given that a copy of the poster is made in which the
length and width of the original poster are each increased by 20%. It follows that the length of the copy is the length of the
20
original poster plus 20% of the length of the original poster, which is equivalent to 𝑙 + 100 𝑙 inches. This length can be
rewritten as 𝑙 + 0.2𝑙 inches, or 1.2𝑙 inches. Similarly, the width of the copy is the width of the original poster plus 20% of the
20
width of the original poster, which is equivalent to 𝑤 + 100
𝑤 inches. This width can be rewritten as 𝑤 + 0.2𝑤 inches, or 1.2𝑤
inches. Since the area of a rectangle is equal to its length times its width, it follows that the area, in square inches, of the
copy is equal to 1.2𝑙1.2𝑤, which can be rewritten as 1.21.2𝑙𝑤. Since 360 = 𝑙𝑤, the area, in square inches, of the copy can be
found by substituting 360 for 𝑙𝑤 in the expression 1.21.2𝑙𝑤, which yields 1.21.2360, or 518.4. Therefore, the area of the copy,
in square inches, is 518.4.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID a32dc091
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: a32dc091

The length of a rectangle’s diagonal is , and the length of the rectangle’s shorter side is . What is the length of the
rectangle’s longer side?

ID: a32dc091 Answer

Correct Answer:
12
Rationale
The correct answer is 12. The diagonal of a rectangle forms a right triangle, where the shorter side and the longer side of the
rectangle are the legs of the triangle and the diagonal of the rectangle is the hypotenuse of the triangle. It's given that the
length of the rectangle's diagonal is 3√17 and the length of the rectangle's shorter side is 3. Thus, the length of the
hypotenuse of the right triangle formed by the diagonal is 3√17 and the length of one of the legs is 3. By the Pythagorean
theorem, if a right triangle has a hypotenuse with length 𝑐 and legs with lengths 𝑎 and 𝑏, then 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 = 𝑐2 . Substituting 3√17
2
for 𝑐 and 3 for 𝑏 in this equation yields 𝑎2 + 32 = 3√17 , or 𝑎2 + 9 = 153. Subtracting 9 from both sides of this equation
yields 𝑎2 = 144. Taking the square root of both sides of this equation yields 𝑎 = ± √144 , or 𝑎 = ± 12. Since 𝑎 represents a
length, which must be positive, the value of 𝑎 is 12. Thus, the length of the rectangle's longer side is 12.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 781bcb4a
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: 781bcb4a

A circle has a circumference of centimeters. What is the diameter, in centimeters, of the circle?

ID: 781bcb4a Answer

Correct Answer:
31
Rationale
The correct answer is 31. The circumference of a circle is equal to 2𝜋𝑟 centimeters, where 𝑟 represents the radius, in
centimeters, of the circle, and the diameter of the circle is equal to 2𝑟 centimeters. It's given that a circle has a circumference
of 31𝜋 centimeters. Therefore, 31𝜋 = 2𝜋𝑟. Dividing both sides of this equation by 𝜋 yields 31 = 2𝑟. Since the diameter of the
circle is equal to 2𝑟 centimeters, it follows that the diameter, in centimeters, of the circle is 31.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 47e845d4
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: 47e845d4

The length of a rectangle’s diagonal is , and the length of the rectangle’s shorter side is . What is the length of the
rectangle’s longer side?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 47e845d4 Answer

Correct Answer:
B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. A rectangle’s diagonal divides a rectangle into two congruent right triangles, where the diagonal is the
hypotenuse of both triangles. It’s given that the length of the diagonal is 5√17 and the length of the rectangle’s shorter side
is 5. Therefore, each of the two right triangles formed by the rectangle’s diagonal has a hypotenuse with length 5√17 , and a
shorter leg with length 5. To calculate the length of the longer leg of each right triangle, the Pythagorean theorem,
2
𝑎2 + 𝑏 = 𝑐2 , can be used, where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are the lengths of the legs and 𝑐 is the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle.
2 2
Substituting 5 for 𝑎 and 5√17 for 𝑐 in the equation 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 = 𝑐2 yields 5 + 𝑏2 = 5√17 , which is equivalent to
2 2 2
25 + 𝑏 = 2517, or 25 + 𝑏 = 425. Subtracting 25 from each side of this equation yields 𝑏 = 400. Taking the positive square
root of each side of this equation yields 𝑏 = 20. Therefore, the length of the longer leg of each right triangle formed by the
diagonal of the rectangle is 20. It follows that the length of the rectangle’s longer side is 20.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from dividing the length of the rectangle’s diagonal by the length of the rectangle’s
shorter side, rather than substituting these values into the Pythagorean theorem.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from using the length of the rectangle’s diagonal as the length of a leg of the right
triangle, rather than the length of the hypotenuse.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the square of the length of the rectangle’s longer side.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID ca6db4cf
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: ca6db4cf

In the figure shown, points , , , and lie on line segment , and line segment intersects line segment at
point . The measure of is , the measure of is , the measure of is , and the measure
of is . What is the measure, in degrees, of ?

ID: ca6db4cf Answer

Correct Answer:
123
Rationale
The correct answer is 123. The triangle angle sum theorem states that the sum of the measures of the interior angles of a
triangle is 180 degrees. It's given that the measure of ∠𝑆𝑄𝑋 is 48° and the measure of ∠𝑆𝑋𝑄 is 86°. Since points 𝑆, 𝑄, and 𝑋
form a triangle, it follows from the triangle angle sum theorem that the measure, in degrees, of ∠𝑄𝑆𝑋 is 180 - 48 - 86, or 46.
It's also given that the measure of ∠𝑆𝑊𝑈 is 85°. Since ∠𝑆𝑊𝑈 and ∠𝑆𝑊𝑅 are supplementary angles, the sum of their
measures is 180 degrees. It follows that the measure, in degrees, of ∠𝑆𝑊𝑅 is 180 - 85, or 95. Since points 𝑅, 𝑆, and 𝑊 form a
triangle, and ∠𝑅𝑆𝑊 is the same angle as ∠𝑄𝑆𝑋, it follows from the triangle angle sum theorem that the measure, in degrees,
of ∠𝑊𝑅𝑆 is 180 - 46 - 95, or 39. It's given that the measure of ∠𝑉𝑇𝑈 is 162°. Since ∠𝑉𝑇𝑈 and ∠𝑆𝑇𝑈 are supplementary angles,
the sum of their measures is 180 degrees. It follows that the measure, in degrees, of ∠𝑆𝑇𝑈 is 180 - 162, or 18. Since points 𝑅,
𝑇, and 𝑈 form a triangle, and ∠𝑈𝑅𝑇 is the same angle as ∠𝑊𝑅𝑆, it follows from the triangle angle sum theorem that the
measure, in degrees, of ∠𝑇𝑈𝑅 is 180 - 39 - 18, or 123.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID b655c17a
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: b655c17a

A cylindrical can containing pieces of fruit is filled to the top with syrup before
being sealed. The base of the can has an area of , and the height of the can

is 10 cm. If of syrup is needed to fill the can to the top, which of the
following is closest to the total volume of the pieces of fruit in the can?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: b655c17a Answer

Correct Answer:
C
Rationale

Choice C is correct. The total volume of the cylindrical can is found by multiplying the area of the base of the can, ,

by the height of the can, 10 cm, which yields . If the syrup needed to fill the can has a volume of , then the
remaining volume for the pieces of
fruit is .

Choice A is incorrect because if the fruit had a volume of , there would be of syrup needed

to fill the can to the top. Choice B is incorrect because if the fruit had a volume of , there would be

of syrup needed to fill the can to the top. Choice D is incorrect because it is the total volume of the
can, not just of the pieces of fruit.
Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 5252bfaf
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: 5252bfaf

What is the length of one side of a square that has the same
area as a circle with radius 2 ?

A. 2

B.

C.

D.

ID: 5252bfaf Answer

Correct Answer:
C
Rationale

Choice C is correct. The area A of a circle with radius r is given by the formula . Thus, a circle with radius 2 has area

, which can be rewritten as . The area of a square with side length s is given by the formula . Thus, if a

square has the same area as a circle with radius 2, then . Since the side length of a square must be a positive

number, taking the square root of both sides of gives . Using the properties of square roots, can

be rewritten as , which is equivalent to . Therefore, .

Choice A is incorrect. The side length of the square isn’t equal to the radius of the circle. Choices B and D are incorrect and
may result from incorrectly simplifying the expression .

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 58288e6e
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: 58288e6e

In the figure above, and intersect at point P, , and .

What is the measure, in degrees, of ? (Disregard the degree symbol when
gridding your answer.)

ID: 58288e6e Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 30. It is given that the measure of is . Angle MPR and are collinear and therefore

are supplementary angles. This means that the sum of the two angle measures is , and so the measure of is

. The sum of the angles in a triangle is . Subtracting the measure of from yields the sum of the
other angles in the triangle MPR. Since , the sum of the measures of and is . It is
given that , so it follows that triangle MPR is isosceles. Therefore and must be congruent. Since
the sum of the measure of these two angles is , it follows that the measure of each angle is .

An alternate approach would be to use the exterior angle theorem, noting that the measure of is equal to the sum of

the measures of and . Since both angles are equal, each of them has a measure of .

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 8e44ef09
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: 8e44ef09

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: 8e44ef09 Answer

Correct Answer:
B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. It's given that the right triangle is isosceles. In an isosceles right triangle, the two legs have equal
lengths, and the length of the hypotenuse is √2 times the length of one of the legs. Let 𝑙 represent the length, in inches, of
each leg of the isosceles right triangle. It follows that the length of the hypotenuse is 𝑙√2 inches. The perimeter of a figure is
the sum of the lengths of the sides of the figure. Therefore, the perimeter of the isosceles right triangle is 𝑙 + 𝑙 + 𝑙√2 inches.
It's given that the perimeter of the triangle is 94 + 94√2 inches. It follows that 𝑙 + 𝑙 + 𝑙√2 = 94 + 94√2 . Factoring the left-
hand side of this equation yields 1 + 1 + √2 𝑙 = 94 + 94√2 , or 2 + √2 𝑙 = 94 + 94√2 . Dividing both sides of this equation by
94 + 94√2
2 + √2 yields 𝑙 = . Rationalizing the denominator of the right-hand side of this equation by multiplying the right-hand
2 + √2
2 - √2 94 + 94√2 2 - √2
side of the equation by 2 - 2 yields 𝑙 = 2 + 2 2 - 2 . Applying the distributive property to the numerator and to the
√ √ √
188 - 94√2 + 188√2 - 94√4 94√2
denominator of the right-hand side of this equation yields 𝑙 = 4 - 2√2 + 2√2 - √4
. This is equivalent to 𝑙 = 2 , or 𝑙 = 47√2
. Therefore, the length, in inches, of one leg of the isosceles right triangle is 47√2 .

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 322870b1
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: 322870b1

In triangles and , angles and each have measure , , and . Which additional piece of
information is sufficient to prove that triangle is similar to triangle ?

A. and

B. and

C. The measures of angles and are and , respectively.

D. The measures of angles and are and , respectively.

ID: 322870b1 Answer

Correct Answer:
D
Rationale
Choice D is correct. Two triangles are similar if they have three pairs of congruent corresponding angles. It’s given that
angles 𝐿 and 𝑅 each measure 60°, and so these corresponding angles are congruent. If angle 𝑀 is 70°, then angle 𝑁 must be
50° so that the sum of the angles in triangle 𝐿𝑀𝑁 is 180°. If angle 𝑇 is 50°, then angle 𝑆 must be 70° so that the sum of the
angles in triangle 𝑅𝑆𝑇 is 180°. Therefore, if the measures of angles 𝑀 and 𝑇 are 70° and 50°, respectively, then corresponding
angles 𝑀 and 𝑆 are both 70°, and corresponding angles 𝑁 and 𝑇 are both 50°. It follows that triangles 𝐿𝑀𝑁 and 𝑅𝑆𝑇 have
three pairs of congruent corresponding angles, and so the triangles are similar. Therefore, the additional piece of information
that is sufficient to prove that triangle 𝐿𝑀𝑁 is similar to triangle 𝑅𝑆𝑇 is that the measures of angles 𝑀 and 𝑇 are 70° and 50°,
respectively.

Choice A is incorrect. If the measures of two sides in one triangle are proportional to the corresponding sides in another
triangle and the included angles are congruent, then the triangles are similar. However, the two sides given are not
proportional and the angle given is not included by the given sides.

Choice B is incorrect. If the measures of two sides in one triangle are proportional to the corresponding sides in another
triangle and the included angles are congruent, then the triangles are similar. However, the angle given is not included
between the proportional sides.

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

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 80219788
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: 80219788

In the figure above, and .

What is the length of ?

ID: 80219788 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 4.5. According to the properties of right triangles, BD divides triangle ABC into two similar triangles,
ABD and BCD. The corresponding sides of ABD and BCD are proportional, so the ratio of BD to AD is the same as the ratio of

DC to BD. Expressing this information as a proportion gives . Solving the proportion for DC results in .
Note that 4.5 and 9/2 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID a8668873
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: a8668873

In the figure above, .

What is the value of x ?

A. 72

B. 66

C. 64

D. 58

ID: a8668873 Answer

Correct Answer:
C
Rationale
Choice C is correct. Since , it follows that is an isosceles triangle with base RU. Therefore, and
are the base angles of an isosceles triangle and are congruent. Let the measures of both and be

. According to the triangle sum theorem, the sum of the measures of the three angles of a triangle is . Therefore,
, so .

Note that is the same angle as . Thus, the measure of is . According to the triangle exterior

angle theorem, an external angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the opposite interior angles. Therefore, is equal to
the sum of the measures of and ; that is, . Thus, the value of x is 64.
Choice B is incorrect. This is the measure of , but is not congruent to . Choices A and D are incorrect
and may result from a calculation error.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID f367a7bb
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: f367a7bb

In the right triangle shown above, what

is the length of ?

ID: f367a7bb Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 4. Triangle PQR has given angle measures of 30° and 90°, so the third angle must be 60° because the
measures of the angles of a triangle sum to 180°. For any special right triangle with angles measuring 30°, 60°, and 90°, the
length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is 2x, where x is the length of the side opposite the 30° angle.
Segment PQ is opposite the 30° angle. Therefore, 2(PQ) = 8 and PQ = 4.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 50266a50
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: 50266a50

In triangle , angle is a right angle, point lies on , point lies on , and is parallel to . If the length of
is units, the length of is units, and the area of triangle is square units, what is the length of , in
units?

ID: 50266a50 Answer

Correct Answer:
14.66, 14.67, 44/3
Rationale
44
The correct answer is . It's given that in triangle 𝑅𝑆𝑇, angle 𝑇 is a right angle. The area of a right triangle can be found using
3
1
the formula 𝐴 = 𝑙 𝑙 ,
2 1 2
where 𝐴 represents the area of the right triangle, 𝑙1 represents the length of one leg of the triangle, and
¯ ¯
𝑙2 represents the length of the other leg of the triangle. In triangle 𝑅𝑆𝑇, the two legs are 𝑅𝑇 and 𝑆𝑇. Therefore, if the length of
¯ 1
𝑅𝑇 is 72 and the area of triangle 𝑅𝑆𝑇 is 792, then 792 = 72𝑆𝑇, or 792 = 36𝑆𝑇. Dividing both sides of this equation by 36
2
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
yields 22 = 𝑆𝑇. Therefore, the length of 𝑆𝑇 is 22. It's also given that point 𝐿 lies on 𝑅𝑆, point 𝐾 lies on 𝑆𝑇, and 𝐿𝐾 is parallel to
¯
𝑅𝑇. It follows that angle 𝐿𝐾𝑆 is a right angle. Since triangles 𝑅𝑆𝑇 and 𝐿𝑆𝐾 share angle 𝑆 and have right angles 𝑇 and 𝐾,
¯ ¯
respectively, triangles 𝑅𝑆𝑇 and 𝐿𝑆𝐾 are similar triangles. Therefore, the ratio of the length of 𝑅𝑇 to the length of 𝐿𝐾 is equal to
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
the ratio of the length of 𝑆𝑇 to the length of 𝑆𝐾. If the length of 𝑅𝑇 is 72 and the length of 𝐿𝐾 is 24, it follows that the ratio of
¯ ¯ 72 ¯ ¯ 22
the length of 𝑅𝑇 to the length of 𝐿𝐾 is , or 3, so the ratio of the length of 𝑆𝑇 to the length of 𝑆𝐾
24
is 3. Therefore, = 3.
𝑆𝐾
22
Multiplying both sides of this equation by 𝑆𝐾 yields 22 = 3𝑆𝐾. Dividing both sides of this equation by 3 yields = 𝑆𝐾. Since
3
¯ ¯ 22 ¯ ¯ 22 44
the length of 𝑆𝑇, 22, is the sum of the length of 𝑆𝐾, 3
, and the length of 𝐾𝑇, it follows that the length of 𝐾𝑇 is 22 - 3
, or 3
.
Note that 44/3, 14.66, and 14.67 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 0476ccd6
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: 0476ccd6

In the figure, parallel lines and are intersected by lines and . If and , what is the value of ?

ID: 0476ccd6 Answer

Correct Answer:
101/2, 50.5
Rationale
101
The correct answer is 2
. In the figure, lines 𝑞, 𝑟, and 𝑠 form a triangle. One interior angle of this triangle is vertical to the
angle marked 𝑎°; therefore, the interior angle also has measure 𝑎°. It's given that 𝑎 = 43. Therefore, the interior angle of the
triangle has measure 43°. A second interior angle of the triangle forms a straight line, 𝑞, with the angle marked 𝑏°. Therefore,
the sum of the measures of these two angles is 180°. It's given that 𝑏 = 122. Therefore, the angle marked 𝑏° has measure
122° and the second interior angle of the triangle has measure 180 - 122°, or 58°. The sum of the interior angles of a triangle
is 180°. Therefore, the measure of the third interior angle of the triangle is 180 - 43 - 58°, or 79°. It's given that parallel lines 𝑞
and 𝑡 are intersected by line 𝑟. It follows that the triangle's interior angle with measure 79° is congruent to the same side
interior angle between lines 𝑞 and 𝑡 formed by lines 𝑡 and 𝑟. Since this angle is supplementary to the two angles marked 𝑤°,
the sum of 79°, 𝑤°, and 𝑤° is 180°. It follows that 79 + 𝑤 + 𝑤 = 180, or 79 + 2𝑤 = 180. Subtracting 79 from both sides of this
101
equation yields 2𝑤 = 101. Dividing both sides of this equation by 2 yields 𝑤 = 2
. Note that 101/2 and 50.5 are examples of
ways to enter a correct answer.
Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 1b8d255c
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: 1b8d255c

Triangles and are similar. Each side length of triangle is times the corresponding side length of triangle
. The area of triangle is square inches. What is the area, in square inches, of triangle ?

ID: 1b8d255c Answer

Correct Answer:
135/8, 16.87, 16.88
Rationale
135
The correct answer is 8
. It's given that triangles ABC and DEF are similar and each side length of triangle ABC is 4 times the
corresponding side length of triangle DEF. For two similar triangles, if each side length of the first triangle is 𝑘 times the
2
corresponding side length of the second triangle, then the area of the first triangle is 𝑘 times the area of the second triangle.
Therefore, the area of triangle ABC is 42 , or 16, times the area of triangle DEF. It's given that the area of triangle ABC is 270
square inches. Let 𝑎 represent the area, in square inches, of triangle DEF. It follows that 270 is 16 times 𝑎, or 270 = 16𝑎.
270 135
Dividing both sides of this equation by 16 yields = 𝑎, which is equivalent to
16
= 𝑎. Thus, the area, in square inches, of
8
135
triangle DEF is . Note that 135/8, 16.87, and 16.88 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.
8

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 826cc11e
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: 826cc11e

In the figure above, is parallel to .

What is the length of ?

ID: 826cc11e Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 30. In the figure given, since is parallel to and both segments are intersected by , then
angle BDC and angle AEC are corresponding angles and therefore congruent. Angle BCD and angle ACE are also congruent
because they are the same angle. Triangle BCD and triangle ACE are similar because if two angles of one triangle are
congruent to two angles of another triangle, the triangles are similar. Since triangle BCD and triangle ACE are similar, their
corresponding sides are proportional. So in triangle BCD and triangle ACE, corresponds to and corresponds to

. Therefore, . Since triangle BCD is a right triangle, the Pythagorean theorem can be used to give the value

of CD: . Taking the square root of each side gives . Substituting the values in the proportion

yields . Multiplying each side by CE, and then multiplying by yields . Therefore, the

length of is 30.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 0c2d89f4
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: 0c2d89f4

In the figure above, . If and

, what is the length of ?

ID: 0c2d89f4 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 6. Since , and are both similar to 3-4-5 triangles. This means that they
are both similar to the right triangle with sides of lengths 3, 4, and 5. Since , which is 3 times as long as the

hypotenuse of the 3-4-5 triangle, the similarity ratio of to the 3-4-5 triangle is 3:1. Therefore, the length of (the

side opposite to ) is , and the length of (the side adjacent to ) is . It is also given that
. Since and , it follows that , which means that the similarity ratio of to

the 3-4-5 triangle is 2:1 ( is the side adjacent to ). Therefore, the length of , which is the side opposite to , is
.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID ffc86e95
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: ffc86e95

A right circular cone has a volume of cubic feet and a height of 9 feet. What
is the radius, in feet, of the base of the cone?

A.

B.

C.

D. 3

ID: ffc86e95 Answer

Correct Answer:
A
Rationale

Choice A is correct. The equation for the volume of a right circular cone is . It’s given that the volume of the

right circular cone is cubic feet and the height is 9 feet. Substituting these values for V and h, respectively, gives

. Dividing both sides of the equation by gives . Dividing both sides of the equation by 9

gives . Taking the square root of both sides results in two possible values for the radius, or . Since

the radius can’t have a negative value, that leaves as the only possibility. Applying the quotient property of square

roots, , results in , or .
Choices B and C are incorrect and may result from incorrectly evaluating . Choice D is incorrect and may result from

solving instead of .

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 7df6c308
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: 7df6c308

A graphic designer is creating a logo for a company. The logo is shown in the figure
above. The logo is in the shape of a trapezoid and consists of three congruent
equilateral triangles. If the perimeter of the logo is 20 centimeters, what is the
combined area of the shaded regions, in square centimeters, of the logo?

A.

B.

C.

D. 16

ID: 7df6c308 Answer

Correct Answer:
C
Rationale
Choice C is correct. It’s given that the logo is in the shape of a trapezoid that consists of three congruent equilateral
triangles, and that the perimeter of the trapezoid is 20 centimeters (cm). Since the perimeter of the trapezoid is the sum of

the lengths of 5 of the sides of the triangles, the length of each side of an equilateral triangle is . Dividing up one
equilateral triangle into two right triangles yields a pair of congruent 30°-60°-90° triangles. The shorter leg of each right
triangle is half the length of the side of an equilateral triangle, or 2 cm. Using the Pythagorean Theorem, , the
height of the equilateral triangle can be found. Substituting and and solving for b yields

cm. The area of one equilateral triangle is , where and . Therefore, the area
of one equilateral triangle is . The shaded area consists of two such triangles, so its area is

Alternate approach: The area of a trapezoid can be found by evaluating the expression , where is the length
of one base, is the length of the other base, and h is the height of the trapezoid. Substituting , , and

yields the expression , or , which gives an area of for the trapezoid.

Since two-thirds of the trapezoid is shaded, the area of the shaded region is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the height of the trapezoid. Choice B is incorrect. This is the area of one of the equilateral
triangles, not two. Choice D is incorrect and may result from using a height of 4 for each triangle rather than the height of
.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID ff91d3f5
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: ff91d3f5

A triangle with angle measures 30°, 60°, and 90° has a perimeter of .
What is the length of the longest side of the triangle?

ID: ff91d3f5 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 12. It is given that the triangle has angle measures of 30°, 60°, and 90°, and so the triangle is a special
right triangle. The side measures of this type of special triangle are in the ratio . If x is the measure of the shortest

leg, then the measure of the other leg is and the measure of the hypotenuse is 2x. The perimeter of the triangle is given

to be , and so the equation for the perimeter can be written as . Combining like terms

and factoring out a common factor of x on the left-hand side of the equation gives . Rewriting the

right-hand side of the equation by factoring out 6 gives . Dividing both sides of the equation by the

common factor gives x = 6. The longest side of the right triangle, the hypotenuse, has a length of 2x, or 2(6), which
is 12.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 3d76697e
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: 3d76697e

In triangle ABC, the measure of angle A is . If triangle ABC is isosceles, which

of the following is NOT a possible measure of angle B ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 3d76697e Answer

Correct Answer:
D
Rationale

Choice D is correct. The sum of the three interior angles in a triangle is . It’s given that angle A measures . If angle
B measured , the measure of angle C would be . Thus, the measures of the angles in the
triangle would be , , and . However, an isosceles triangle has two angles of equal measure. Therefore, angle B
can’t measure .

Choice A is incorrect. If angle B has measure , then angle C would measure , and , ,
and could be the angle measures of an isosceles triangle. Choice B is incorrect. If angle B has measure , then angle

C would measure , and , , and could be the angle measures of an isosceles triangle.
Choice C is incorrect. If angle B has measure , then angle C would measure , and , ,

and could be the angle measures of an isosceles triangle.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 7c3910ec
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: 7c3910ec

The area of triangle ABC above is at least 48 but no more than 60. If y is an
integer, what is one possible value of x ?

ID: 7c3910ec Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is either , , or . The area of triangle ABC can be expressed as or . It’s given
that the area of triangle ABC is at least 48 but no more than 60. It follows that . Dividing by 6 to isolate y in this
compound inequality yields . Since y is an integer, . In the given figure, the two right triangles
shown are similar because they have two pairs of congruent angles: their respective right angles and angle A. Therefore, the

following proportion is true: . Substituting 8 for y in the proportion results in . Cross multiplying and

solving for x yields . Substituting 9 for y in the proportion results in . Cross multiplying and solving for x yields

. Substituting 10 for y in the proportion results in . Cross multiplying and solving for x yields . Note that
10/3, 15/4, 25/6, 3.333, 3.75, 4.166, and 4.167 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 6ffffff4
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: 6ffffff4

A cube has a surface area of 54 square meters. What is the

volume, in cubic meters, of the cube?

A. 18

B. 27

C. 36

D. 81

ID: 6ffffff4 Answer

Correct Answer:
B
Rationale

Choice B is correct. The surface area of a cube with side length s is equal to . Since the surface area is given as 54

square meters, the equation can be used to solve for s. Dividing both sides of the equation by 6 yields .
Taking the square root of both sides of this equation yields and . Since the side length of a cube must be a
positive value, can be discarded as a possible solution, leaving . The volume of a cube with side length s is

equal to . Therefore, the volume of this cube, in cubic meters, is , or 27.

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

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 0bd5d440
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: 0bd5d440

The volume of right circular cylinder A is 22 cubic centimeters. What is the volume,
in cubic centimeters, of a right circular cylinder with twice the radius and half the
height of cylinder A?

A. 11

B. 22

C. 44

D. 66

ID: 0bd5d440 Answer

Correct Answer:
C
Rationale

Choice C is correct. The volume of right circular cylinder A is given by the expression , where r is the radius of its
circular base and h is its height. The volume of a cylinder with twice the radius and half the height of cylinder A is given by

, which is equivalent to . Therefore, the volume is twice the volume of cylinder A, or

.

Choice A is incorrect and likely results from not multiplying the radius of cylinder A by 2. Choice B is incorrect and likely
results from not squaring the 2 in 2r when applying the volume formula. Choice D is incorrect and likely results from a
conceptual error.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID e781a2aa
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: e781a2aa

A manufacturer determined that right cylindrical containers with a height that is 4

inches longer than the radius offer the optimal number of containers to be
displayed on a shelf. Which of the following expresses the volume, V, in cubic
inches, of such containers, where r is the radius, in inches?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: e781a2aa Answer

Correct Answer:
D
Rationale

Choice D is correct. The volume, V, of a right cylinder is given by the formula , where r represents the radius of the
base of the cylinder and h represents the height. Since the height is 4 inches longer than the radius, the expression
represents the height of each cylindrical container. It follows that the volume of each container is represented by the
equation . Distributing the expression into each term in the parentheses yields .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from representing the height as instead of . Choice B is incorrect and may result
from representing the height as instead of . Choice C is incorrect and may result from representing the volume of a

right cylinder as instead of .

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID e82fa297
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: e82fa297

What is the area, in square units, of the triangle formed by connecting the three points shown?

ID: e82fa297 Answer

Correct Answer:
24.5, 49/2
Rationale
The correct answer is 24.5. It's given that a triangle is formed by connecting the three points shown, which are -3, 4, 5, 3, and
4, - 3. Let this triangle be triangle A. The area of triangle A can be found by calculating the area of the rectangle that
circumscribes it and subtracting the areas of the three triangles that are inside the rectangle but outside triangle A. The
rectangle formed by the points -3, 4, 5, 4, 5, - 3, and -3, - 3 circumscribes triangle A. The width, in units, of this rectangle can
be found by calculating the distance between the points 5, 4 and 5, - 3. This distance is 4 - -3, or 7. The length, in units, of this
rectangle can be found by calculating the distance between the points 5, 4 and -3, 4. This distance is 5 - -3, or 8. It follows
that the area, in square units, of the rectangle is 78, or 56. One of the triangles that lies inside the rectangle but outside
triangle A is formed by the points -3, 4, 5, 4, and 5, 3. The length, in units, of a base of this triangle can be found by calculating
the distance between the points 5, 4 and 5, 3. This distance is 4 - 3, or 1. The corresponding height, in units, of this triangle
can be found by calculating the distance between the points 5, 4 and -3, 4. This distance is 5 - -3, or 8. It follows that the area,
1
in square units, of this triangle is 81, or 4. A second triangle that lies inside the rectangle but outside triangle A is formed by
2
the points 4, - 3, 5, 3, and 5, - 3. The length, in units, of a base of this triangle can be found by calculating the distance
between the points 5, 3 and 5, - 3. This distance is 3 - -3 , or 6. The corresponding height, in units, of this triangle can be
found by calculating the distance between the points 5, - 3 and 4, - 3. This distance is 5 - 4, or 1. It follows that the area, in
1
square units, of this triangle is 2 16, or 3. The third triangle that lies inside the rectangle but outside triangle A is formed by
the points -3, 4, -3, - 3, and 4, - 3. The length, in units, of a base of this triangle can be found by calculating the distance
between the points 4, - 3 and -3, - 3. This distance is 4 - -3, or 7. The corresponding height, in units, of this triangle can be
found by calculating the distance between the points -3, 4 and -3, - 3. This distance is 4 - -3, or 7. It follows that the area, in
1
square units, of this triangle is 77, or 24.5. Thus, the area, in square units, of the triangle formed by connecting the three
2
points shown is 56 - 4 - 3 - 24.5, or 24.5. Note that 24.5 and 49/2 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID a1933fd0
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: a1933fd0

Triangle above is a right triangle, and .

What is the length of side ?

ID: a1933fd0 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 24. The sine of an acute angle in a right triangle is equal to the ratio of the length of the side opposite
the angle to the length of the hypotenuse. In the triangle shown, the sine of angle B, or , is equal to the ratio of the

length of side to the length of side . It’s given that the length of side is 26 and that . Therefore,

. Multiplying both sides of this equation by 26 yields .

By the Pythagorean Theorem, the relationship between the lengths of the sides of triangle ABC is as follows:
, or . Subtracting 100 from both sides of yields . Taking

the square root of both sides of yields .

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID aa4596b3
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: aa4596b3

The dimensions of a right rectangular prism are 4 inches by 5 inches by 6 inches.

What is the surface area, in square inches, of the prism?

A. 30

B. 74

C. 120

D. 148

ID: aa4596b3 Answer

Rationale
Choice D is correct. The surface area is found by summing the area of each face. A right rectangular prism consists of three
pairs of congruent rectangles, so the surface area is found by multiplying the areas of three adjacent rectangles by 2 and
adding these products. For this prism, the surface area is equal to , or ,
which is equal to 148.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the area of one of the faces of the prism. Choice B is incorrect and may result from adding the
areas of three adjacent rectangles without multiplying by 2. Choice C is incorrect. This is the volume, in cubic inches, of the
prism.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID f56f10ce
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Area and volume

PSAT 10 Trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].3 [Link].7 [Link].1

[Link].1

ID: f56f10ce

In the xy-plane shown, square ABCD has its diagonals on the x- and y-axes. What
is the area, in square units, of the square?

A. 20

B. 25

C. 50

D. 100

ID: f56f10ce Answer

Correct Answer:
C
Rationale
Choice C is correct. The two diagonals of square ABCD divide the square into 4 congruent right triangles, where each triangle

has a vertex at the origin of the graph shown. The formula for the area of a triangle is , where b is the base length
of the triangle and h is the height of the triangle. Each of the 4 congruent right triangles has a height of 5 units and a base

length of 5 units. Therefore, the area of each triangle is , or 12.5 square units. Since the 4 right triangles are

congruent, the area of each is of the area of square ABCD. It follows that the area of the square ABCD is equal to
, or 50 square units.
Choices A and D are incorrect and may result from using 5 or 25, respectively, as the area of one of the 4 congruent right
triangles formed by diagonals of square ABCD. However, the area of these triangles is 12.5. Choice B is incorrect and may
result from using 5 as the length of one side of square ABCD. However, the length of a side of square ABCD is .

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 7eb63aa4
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Right triangles and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry trigonometry

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].4 [Link].6

[Link].7 [Link].8

ID: 7eb63aa4

In the triangle shown, what is the value of ?

ID: 7eb63aa4 Answer

Correct Answer:
.6956, .6957, 16/23
Rationale
16
The correct answer is 23
. 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
16
measure 𝑥° is 16 units and the length of the hypotenuse is 23 units. Therefore, the value of sin𝑥° is 23
. 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 a639d262
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: a639d262

In the figure above, what is the

length of ?

A. 2.2

B. 2.3

C. 2.4

D. 2.5

ID: a639d262 Answer

Correct Answer:
C
Rationale

Choice C is correct. First, is the hypotenuse of right , whose legs have lengths 3 and 4. Therefore,

, so and . Second, because corresponds to and because

corresponds to , is similar to . The ratio of corresponding sides of similar triangles is constant, so

. Since and it’s given that and , . Solving for NQ results in , or

2.4.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and may result from setting up incorrect ratios.

Question Difficulty:
Hard
Question ID 5e7aa61a
Assessment Test Domain Skill

PSAT/NMSQT & Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

PSAT 10 Trigonometry triangles

Difficulty Standard ID

[Link].1 [Link].8 [Link].9

[Link].10 [Link].11 [Link].1
[Link].4 [Link].5

ID: 5e7aa61a
Intersecting lines r, s, and t are shown below.

What is the value of x ?

ID: 5e7aa61a Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 97. The intersecting lines form a triangle, and the angle with measure of is an exterior angle of this
triangle. The measure of an exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the measures of the two nonadjacent interior
angles of the triangle. One of these angles has measure of and the other, which is supplementary to the angle with
measure , has measure of . Therefore, the value of x is .

Question Difficulty:
Hard