Module

Math
27 QUESTIONS

DIRECTIONS
The questions in this section address a number of important math skills.
Use of a calculator is permitted for all questions.

,a-nH
NOTES

Unless otherwise indicated:

• All variables and expressions represent real numbers.
• Figures provided are drawn to scale.
• All figures lie in a plane.
• The domain of a given function f is the set of all real numbers x for which f(x)
is a real number.

li04ii1Ut31
REFERENCE

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£

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3
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£
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V = 3 £wh

The number of degrees of arc in a circle is 360.

The number of radians of arc in a circle is 2n.
The sum of the measures in degrees of the angles of a triangle is 180.
 Module
1

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-1 - - - - - - - - ~ -2 ----
The line graph shows the percent of cars for sale at a y
used car lot on a given day by model year. .. 6
15%
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Model year ~ ~

For what model year is the percent of cars for sale the The graph of a system of linear equations is shown.
smallest? What is the solution (x, y) to the system?
A) 2012 A) (4, −5)
B) 2013 B) (0, 3)
C) 2014 C) (0, −2)
D) 2015
D) (−2, 3)
 Module
1

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3
The total cost, in dollars, to rent a surfboard consists
of a $25 service fee and a $10 per hour rental fee. A
person rents a surfboard for t hours and intends to
spend a maximum of $75 to rent the surfboard.
Which inequality represents this situation?
A) 10t ≤ 75
B) 10 + 25t ≤ 75
C) 25t ≤ 75
D) 25 + 10t ≤ 75
 Module
1

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The graph shown will be translated up 4 units. Which of the following
will be the resulting graph?
 Module
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 Module
1

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-5 ------~ -8 ------~
s = 40 + 3t The table gives the distribution of votes for a new
school mascot and grade level for 80 students.
The equation gives the speed s, in miles per hour, of
a certain car t seconds after it began to accelerate. Grade level
What is the speed, in miles per hour, of the car Mascot Sixth Seventh Eighth Total
5 seconds after it began to accelerate?
Badger 4 9 9 22
A) 40 Lion 9 2 9 20
B) 43 Longhorn 4 6 4 14
Tiger 6 9 9 24
C) 45
Total 23 26 31 80
D) 55
If one of these students is selected at random, what is
the probability of selecting a student whose vote for
new mascot was for a lion?
1
A)
9
1
-6 - - - - - - ~ B)
5
The function f is defined by f (x ) = x 2 + x + 71.
1
What is the value of f (2) ? C)
4
2
D)
3

-
7 - - - - - - ~

An event planner is planning a party. It costs the

event planner a onetime fee of $35 to rent the venue -9 - - - - - - ~
and $10.25 per attendee. The event planner has a Triangles ABC and DEF are congruent, where A
budget of $300 . What is the greatest number of corresponds to D, and B and E are right angles. The
attendees possible without exceeding the budget? measure of angle A is 18° . What is the measure of
angle F ?
A) 18°
B) 72°
C) 90°
D) 162°
 Module
1

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- 10 - - - - - - - - 13 - - - - - - -
If 4x + 2 = 12 , what is the value of 16x + 8 ? 3x + 6 = 4y
A) 40 3x + 4 = 2y
B) 48 The solution to the given system of equations is
C) 56 (x, y). What is the value of y ?
D) 60

- 14 - - - - - - -
-
11 - - - - - - - The function f is defined by
Which expression is equivalent to (m4q 4z −1)(mq5 z 3), f (x ) = (x − 6)(x − 2)(x + 6). In the xy-plane, the
graph of y = g (x ) is the result of translating the
where m, q, and z are positive?
graph of y = f (x ) up 4 units. What is the value
A) m4q 20z −3 of g(0) ?

B) m5q9z 2
C) m6q8z −1
D) m20q12z −2

- 15 - - - - - - -
The function f (w ) = 6w 2 gives the area of a
rectangle, in square feet (ft 2), if its width is w ft and
its length is 6 times its width. Which of the following
12
- - - - - - - -
is the best interpretation of f (14) = 1,176 ?
An airplane descends from an altitude of 9,500 feet to
5,000 feet at a constant rate of 400 feet per minute. A) If the width of the rectangle is 14 ft, then the area
What type of function best models the relationship of the rectangle is 1,176 ft 2 .
between the descending airplane’s altitude and time? B) If the width of the rectangle is 14 ft, then the
A) Decreasing exponential length of the rectangle is 1,176 ft.
B) Decreasing linear C) If the width of the rectangle is 1,176 ft, then the
length of the rectangle is 14 ft.
C) Increasing exponential
D) If the width of the rectangle is 1,176 ft, then the
D) Increasing linear
area of the rectangle is 14 ft 2 .
 Module
1

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-16 - -
The number of bacteria in a liquid medium doubles
-18 - -
The function h is defined by h(x) = 4x + 28. The
every day. There are 44,000 bacteria in the liquid graph of y = h(x ) in the xy-plane has an x-intercept
medium at the start of an observation. Which of the
following represents the number of bacteria, y, in the at (a, 0) and a y-intercept at (0, b), where a and b
liquid medium t days after the start of the are constants. What is the value of a + b ?
observation? A) 21
1 B) 28
A) y = (44,000)t
2 C) 32
D) 35
B) y = 2(44,000)t

 1 t
C) y = 44,000 
 2 

D) y = 44,000(2)t 19
y < 5x + 6
For which of the following tables are all the values of
x and their corresponding values of y solutions to the
given inequality?

A) x y
17 3 17
5 27
x h(x)
7 37
0 1.23
2 1.54 B) x y
4 1.94
3 17
5 35
The table shows the exponential relationship 7 37
between the number of years, x, since Hana started
training in pole vault, and the estimated height h(x), C) x y
in meters, of her best pole vault for that year. Which 3 25
of the following functions best represents this 5 35
relationship, where x ≤ 4 ? 7 45

A) h(x) = 1.12(0.23)x D) x y
B) h(x) = 1.12(1.23) x 3 21
5 31
C) h(x) = 1.23(0.12)x 7 41
D) h(x) = 1.23(1.12)x
 Module
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- 20 - - - - - - - - 23 - - - - - - -
y = 4x + 1 Which of the following equations represents a circle
4y = 15x − 8 in the xy-plane that intersects the y-axis at exactly
one point?
The solution to the given system of equations is
(x , y ). What is the value of x − y ? A) (x − 8)2 + (y − 8)2 = 16
B) (x − 8)2 + (y − 4)2 = 16
C) (x − 4)2 + (y − 9)2 = 16
D) x 2 + (y − 9)2 = 16

- 21 - - - - - - -
A right triangle has legs with lengths of
24 centimeters and 21 centimeters. If the length of
this triangle’s hypotenuse, in centimeters, can be
written in the form 3 d , where d is an integer, what -24 - - - - - - -
In triangles ABC and DEF , angles B and E each
is the value of d ?
have measure 27° and angles C and F each have
measure 41° . Which additional piece of information
is sufficient to determine whether triangle ABC is
congruent to triangle DEF ?
A) The measure of angle A
B) The length of side AB
C) The lengths of sides BC and EF
-22 - - - - - - - D) No additional information is necessary.
The floor of a ballroom has an area of 600 square

meters. An architect creates a scale model of the floor

of the ballroom, where the length of each side of the

1
model is times the length of the corresponding
10 25
- - - - - - - -
side of the actual floor of the ballroom. What is the The result of increasing the quantity x by 1,800% is
684. What is the value of x ?
area, in square meters, of the scale model?
A) 12,996
A) 6 B) 12,312
B) 10 C) 38
C) 60 D) 36
D) 150
 Module
1

26 27

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
A window repair specialist charges $220 for the first x(x + 1) − 56 = 4x(x − 7)
two hours of repair plus an hourly fee for each
What is the sum of the solutions to the given
additional hour. The total cost for 5 hours of repair is equation?
$400 . Which function f gives the total cost, in
dollars, for x hours of repair, where x ≥ 2 ?

A) f (x ) = 60x + 100
B) f (x ) = 60x + 220
C) f (x ) = 80x
D) f (x ) = 80x + 220

STOP
If you finish before time is called, you may check your work on this module only.
Do not turn to any other module in the test.
 Module
2

Math
27 QUESTIONS

The questions in this section address a number of important math skills.

Use of a calculator is permitted for all questions.

,a-nH
Unless otherwise indicated:
• All variables and expressions represent real numbers.
• Figures provided are drawn to scale.
• All figures lie in a plane.
• The domain of a given function fis the set of all real numbers x for which f(x)
is a real number.

li04ii1Ut31

G ~
£
x
CJw b~ ~ 0 '~
45°
b a x--../3 s
A =nr 2 A= Rw A =_!bh c2 = a2 + b2 Special Right Triangles
2
C=2nr

62h E}
£

V= Rwh V= nr 2h
@
V = i,.r3
3
4 V=½nr 2h
£
1
V = 3 £wh

The number of degrees of arc in a circle is 360.

The number of radians of arc in a circle is 2n.
The sum of the measures in degrees of the angles of a triangle is 180.
 Module
2

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-1 - - - - - - - - ~ -3 ----
An object’s speed is 64 yards per second. What is the y
object’s speed, in feet per second? (1 yard = 3 feet) 1p ,
I

A) 61 8
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B) 67 6
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C) 94
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and y. Which table gives three values of x and their
The scatterplot shows the relationship between
two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also corresponding values of y for this relationship?
shown.
A) x y
y
20 0 0
18 1 –7
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12 x y
.,,,; ('
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2 C) x y
X
u 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 0 –5
Which of the following equations best represents the 1 –7
line of best fit shown? 2 –9

A) y = x + 3.4 D) x y
B) y = x − 3.4 0 –5
C) y = −x + 3.4 1 –3
D) y = −x − 3.4 2 –1
 Module
2

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-4 ------~ -7 ------~
What is the perimeter, in inches, of a rectangle with a The function f is defined by f (x ) = 4x . For what
length of 4 inches and a width of 9 inches? value of x does f (x ) = 8 ?
A) 13
B) 17
C) 22
D) 26

-8 - - - - - - ~
Of 300,000 paper clips, 234,000 are size large. What
percentage of the paper clips are size large?
A) 22%
5
- ------~ B) 33%
7m = 2(n + p) C) 66%
The given equation relates the positive numbers m, D) 78%
n, and p. Which equation correctly gives m in terms
of n and p ?
2(n + p)
A) m =
7

B) m = 2(n + p)
9

C) m = 2(n + p) − 7 f (x) = 8x + 4
The function f gives the estimated height, in feet,
of a willow tree x years after its height was first
D) m = 2 − n − p − 7
measured. Which statement is the best interpretation
of 4 in this context?
A) The tree will be measured each year for 4 years.
B) The tree is estimated to grow to a maximum
height of 4 feet.
C) The estimated height of the tree increased by
4 feet each year.
-6 - - - - - - ~ D) The estimated height of the tree was 4 feet when
73, 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 85, 91 it was first measured.
What is the median of the data shown?
 Module
2

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- 10 - - - - - - ~ - 12 - - - - - - ~
y = 76 66x = 66x
y = x2 − 5 How many solutions does the given equation have?
The graphs of the given equations in the xy-plane A) Exactly one
intersect at the point (x , y ). What is a possible value B) Exactly two
of x ? C) Infinitely many
76 D) Zero
A) −
5

B) −9

C) 5

13
D) 76 - - - - - - - ~

Vivian bought party hats and cupcakes for $71. Each

package of party hats cost $3, and each cupcake cost
$1. If Vivian bought 10 packages of party hats, how
many cupcakes did she buy?

-11 - - - - - - ~
Each side of equilateral triangle S is multiplied by a
scale factor of k to create equilateral triangle T. The
length of each side of triangle T is greater than the 14
- - - - - - - ~
length of each side of triangle S. Which of the
following could be the value of k ? The exponential function g is defined by
g (x ) = 19 · a x , where a is a positive constant. If
29
A) g(3) = 2,375, what is the value of g(4) ?
28

B) 1

28
C)
29

D) 0
 Module
2

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-15 - - - - - - - - - -16 -
y
In right triangle RST , the sum of the measures of 50

angle R and angle S is 90 degrees. The value of 40

15 i::Q
\.
sin(R) is
4
. What is the value of cos(S) ?
g 30 ~
\
0..
15 s \
A)
15 uo 20
\

15 10 \
B) I\
4
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4 15 u 10 20 30 40 50 6 ) 70 80 90 100
X

C) Company A
15
The graph shows the relationship between the
D) 15 number of shares of stock from Company A, x, and
the number of shares of stock from Company B, y,
that Simone can purchase. Which equation could
represent this relationship?
A) y = 8x + 12
B) 8x + 12y = 480
C) y = 12x + 8
D) 12x + 8y = 480
 Module
2

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- 17 - - - - - - ~ - 19 - - - - - - ~
Keenan made 32 cups of vegetable broth. Keenan
Which expression is equivalent to
then filled x small jars and y large jars with all the
8x(x − 7) − 3(x − 7) vegetable broth he made. The equation 3x + 5y = 32
, where x > 7 ?
2x − 14 represents this situation. Which is the best
interpretation of 5y in this context?
x−7
A) A) The number of large jars Keenan filled
5
B) The number of small jars Keenan filled
8x − 3
B) C) The total number of cups of vegetable broth in
2 the large jars
8x 2 − 3x − 14 D) The total number of cups of vegetable broth in
C) the small jars
2x − 14

8x 2 − 3x − 77
D)
2x − 14

-20 - - - - - - ~
A circle in the xy -plane has a diameter with
-
18 - - - - - - ~
endpoints (2, 4) and (2, 14). An equation of this
x
The function f is defined by f (x ) = (−8)(2) + 22 . circle is (x − 2)2 + (y − 9)2 = r 2 , where r is a positive
What is the y-intercept of the graph of y = f (x) in constant. What is the value of r ?
the xy-plane?

A) (0, 14)
B) (0, 2)
C) (0, 22)
D) (0, −8)
-21 - - - - - - ~
Line ℓ is defined by 3y + 12x = 5. Line n is
perpendicular to line ℓ in the xy-plane. What is the
slope of line n ?
 Module
2

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- 22 - - - - - - - - 24 - - - - - - -
–5x + 13 = 73 −9x 2 + 30x + c = 0
What is the sum of the solutions to the given In the given equation, c is a constant. The equation
equation? has exactly one solution. What is the value of c ?
146 A) 3
A) −
5 B) 0
C) −25
B) −12
D) −53

C) 0

26
D)
5

-
25 - - - - - - -

Which of the following expressions has a factor of

x + 2b , where b is a positive integer constant?

23 A) 3x 2 + 7x + 14b

For the exponential function f, the value of f (1) is k, B) 3x 2 + 28x + 14b

where k is a constant. Which of the following C) 3x 2 + 42x + 14b
equivalent forms of the function f shows the value of
k as the coefficient or the base? D) 3x 2 + 49x + 14b

A) f (x ) = 50(1.6)x+1
B) f (x ) = 80(1.6)x
C) f (x ) = 128(1.6)x−1
D) f (x ) = 204.8(1.6)x−2
 Module
2

.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
26
-27 - - - - - - - - ~
Data Set A Data Set B The perimeter of an equilateral triangle is
12 12~-----
10-+------
624 centimeters. The height of this triangle is
10
~ 8 ~ 8+------i k 3 centimeters, where k is a constant. What is the
g. 6 g. 6+---l value of k?
~
µ. 4 ~
µ.
4-+-~--t

0
2
~ I
2
0-+--+---+---+---+---+
10 20 30 40 50 60 10 20 30 40 50 60
Integer Integer

Two data sets of 23 integers each are summarized in

the histograms shown. For each of the histograms,
the first interval represents the frequency of integers
greater than or equal to 10, but less than 20. The
second interval represents the frequency of integers
greater than or equal to 20, but less than 30, and so
on. What is the smallest possible difference between
the mean of data set A and the mean of data set B?
A) 0
B) 1
C) 10
D) 23

STOP
If you finish before time is called, you may check your work on this module only.
Do not turn to any other module in the test.
 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 1

Math
Module 1
(27 questions)

QUESTION 1
Choice C is correct. For the given line graph, the percent of cars for sale at a used
car lot on a given day is represented on the vertical axis. The percent of cars for
sale is the smallest when the height of the line graph is the lowest. The lowest
height of the line graph occurs for cars with a model year of 2014.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors. Choice B is incorrect
and may result from conceptual errors. Choice D is incorrect and may result from
conceptual errors.

QUESTION 2
Choice A is correct. The solution to this system of linear equations is represented
by the point that lies on both lines shown, or the point of intersection of the two
lines. According to the graph, the point of intersection occurs when x = 4 and
y =-5, or at the point ^4, - 5h. Therefore, the solution ^x, y h to the system is
^4, - 5h.

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 3
Choice D is correct. The cost of the rental fee depends on the number of hours
the surfboard is rented. Multiplying t hours by 10 dollars per hour yields a rental
fee of 10t dollars. The total cost of the rental consists of the rental fee plus the
25 dollar service fee, which yields a total cost of 25 + 10t dollars. Since the
person intends to spend a maximum of 75 dollars to rent the surfboard, the total
cost must be at most 75 dollars. Therefore, the inequality 25 + 10t # 75
represents this situation.

32 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 1

Choice A is incorrect. This represents a situation where the rental fee, not the total
cost, is at most 75 dollars. 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 4
Choice A is correct. When a graph is translated up 4 units, each point on the
resulting graph is 4 units above the point on the original graph. In other words, the
y-value of each point on the graph increases by 4. The graph shown passes
through the points ^1, - 1h, ^2, - 2h, and ^3, - 1h. It follows that when the graph
shown is translated up 4 units, the resulting graph will pass through the points
^1, - 1 + 4h, ^2, - 2 + 4h, and ^3, - 1 + 4h. These points are ^1, 3h, ^2, 2h, and ^3, 3h,
respectively. Of the given choices, only the graph in choice A passes through the
points ^1, 3h, ^2, 2h, and ^3, 3h.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the result of translating the graph down, rather than
up, 4 units. Choice C is incorrect. This is the result of translating the graph left,
rather than up, 4 units. Choice D is incorrect. This is the result of translating the
graph right, rather than up, 4 units.

QUESTION 5
Choice D is correct. In the given equation, s is the speed, in miles per hour, of a
certain car t seconds after it began to accelerate. Therefore, the speed of the car,
in miles per hour, 5 seconds after it began to accelerate can be found by
substituting 5 for t in the given equation, which yields s = 40 + 3 ^5h, or s = 55.
Thus, the speed of the car 5 seconds after it began to accelerate is 55 miles per
hour.

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 6
The correct answer is 77. It’s given that the function f is defined by
f ^xh= x 2 + x + 71. Substituting 2 for x in function f yields f ^2h=^2h2 + 2 + 71,
which is equivalent to f ^2h= 4 + 2 + 71, or f ^2h= 77. Therefore, the value of
f ^2h is 77.

QUESTION 7
The correct answer is 25. The total cost of the party is found by adding the
onetime fee of the venue to the cost per attendee times the number of attendees.
Let x be the number of attendees. The expression 35 + 10.25x thus represents
the total cost of the party. It’s given that the budget is $300, so this situation can
be represented by the inequality 35 + 10.25x # 300. Subtracting 35 from both
sides of this inequality gives 10.25x # 265. Dividing both sides of this inequality
by 10.25 results in approximately x # 25.854. Since the question is stated in
terms of attendees, rounding 25.854 down to the greatest whole number gives
the greatest number of attendees possible, which is 25.

33 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 1

QUESTION 8
Choice C is correct. If one of these students is selected at random, the probability
of selecting a student whose vote for the new mascot was for a lion is given by the
number of votes for a lion divided by the total number of votes. The given table
indicates that the number of votes for a lion is 20 votes, and the total number of
votes is 80 votes. The table gives the distribution of votes for 80 students, and
the table shows a total of 80 votes were counted. It follows that each of the
80 students voted exactly once. Thus, the probability of selecting a student
whose vote for the new mascot was for a lion is 2080
, or 14 .

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

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

QUESTION 9
Choice B is correct. It’s given that triangle ABC is congruent to triangle DEF .
Corresponding angles of congruent triangles are congruent and, therefore, have
equal measure. It’s given that angle A corresponds to angle D, and that the
measure of angle A is 18°. It’s also given that the measures of angles B and E are
90°. Since these angles have equal measure, they are corresponding angles. It
follows that angle C corresponds to angle F . Let x° represent the measure of
angle C. Since the sum of the measures of the interior angles of a triangle is 180°,
it follows that 18° + 90° + x° = 180°, or 108° + x° = 180°. Subtracting 108° from
both sides of this equation yields x° = 72°. Therefore, the measure of angle C is
72°. Since angle C corresponds to angle F , it follows that the measure of angle F
is also 72°.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the measure of angle D, not the measure of angle F .
Choice C is incorrect. This is the measure of angle E, not the measure of angle F .
Choice D is incorrect. This is the sum of the measures of angles E and F , not the
measure of angle F .

QUESTION 10
Choice B is correct. Multiplying both sides of the given equation by 4 yields
^4h^4x + 2h=^4h^12h, or 16x + 8 = 48. Therefore, the value of 16x + 8 is 48.

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 11
Choice B is correct. Applying the commutative property of multiplication, the
expression ^m 4 q 4 z -1h^mq 5 z 3h can be rewritten as ^m 4 mh^q 4 q 5h^z -1 z 3h. For
positive values of x, ^x ah^x bh= x a + b . Therefore, the expression ^m 4 mh^q 4 q 5h^z -1 z 3h
can be rewritten as ^m 4 + 1h^q 4 + 5h^z -1 + 3h, or m 5 q 9 z 2 .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from multiplying, not adding, the exponents.
Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.
Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

34 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 1

QUESTION 12
Choice B is correct. It′s given that the airplane descends at a constant rate of
400 feet per minute. Since the altitude decreases by a constant amount during
each fixed time period, the relationship between the airplane′s altitude and time is
linear. Since the airplane descends from an altitude of 9,500 feet to 5,000 feet,
the airplane′s altitude is decreasing with time. Thus, the relationship is best
modeled by a decreasing linear function.

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 13
The correct answer is 1. Subtracting the second equation from the first equation
in the given system of equations yields ^3x - 3xh + ^6 - 4h= 4y - 2y , which is
equivalent to 0 + 2 = 2y , or 2 = 2y . Dividing each side of this equation by 2 yields
1= y .

QUESTION 14
The correct answer is 76. It’s given that the graph of y = g ^xh is the result of
translating the graph of y = f ^xh up 4 units in the xy-plane. It follows that the
graph of y = g ^xh is the same as the graph of y = f ^xh + 4. Substituting g ^xh
for y in the equation y = f ^xh + 4 yields g ^xh= f ^xh + 4. It’s given that
f ^xh=^x - 6h^x - 2h^x + 6h. Substituting ^x - 6h^x - 2h^x + 6h for f ^xh in the
equation g ^xh= f ^xh + 4 yields g ^xh=^x - 6h^x - 2h^x + 6h + 4. Substituting 0 for
x in this equation yields g ^0h=^0 - 6h^0 - 2h^0 + 6h + 4, or g ^0h= 76. Thus, the
value of g ^0h is 76.

QUESTION 15
Choice A is correct. The function f gives the area of the rectangle, in ft 2 , if its
width is w ft. Since the value of f ^14h is the value of f ^w h if w = 14, it follows that
f ^14h= 1,176 means that f ^w h is 1,176 if w = 14. In the given context, this means
that if the width of the rectangle is 14 ft, then the area of the rectangle is 1,176 ft 2 .

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
interpreting f ^w h as the width, in ft, of the rectangle if its area is w ft 2 , rather than
as the area, in ft 2 , of the rectangle if its width is w ft.

QUESTION 16
Choice D is correct. Since the number of bacteria doubles every day, the
relationship between t and y can be represented by an exponential equation of
the form y = a ^bht , where a is the number of bacteria at the start of the
observation and the number of bacteria increases by a factor of b every day. It’s
given that there are 44,000 bacteria at the start of the observation. Therefore,
a = 44,000. It’s also given that the number of bacteria doubles, or increases by a
factor of 2, every day. Therefore, b = 2. Substituting 44,000 for a and 2 for b in
the equation y = a ^bht yields y = 44,000 ^2ht .

35 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 1

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. This equation represents a situation where the number of
bacteria is decreasing by half, not doubling, every day.

QUESTION 17
Choice D is correct. The table shows an increasing exponential relationship
between the number of years, x, since Hana started training in pole vault and the
estimated height h ^xh, in meters, of her best pole vault for that year. The
relationship can be written as h ^xh= Ca x , where C and a are positive constants.
It’s given that when x = 0, h ^xh= 1.23. Substituting 0 for x and 1.23 for h ^xh in
h ^xh= Ca x yields 1.23 = Ca 0 , or 1.23= C . Substituting 1.23 for C in h ^xh= Ca x
yields h ^xh= 1.23a x . It’s also given that when x = 2, h ^xh= 1.54. Substituting 2 for
x and 1.54 for h ^xh in h ^xh= 1.23a x yields 1.54 = 1.23a 2 . Dividing each side of
a2
this equation by 1.23 yields 1.54
1.23
= 11.23
.23
, or a 2 is approximately equal to 1.252.
Since a is positive, a is approximately equal to 1.252, or 1.12. Substituting 1.12
for a in h ^xh= 1.23a x yields h ^xh= 1.23 ^1.12hx .

Choice A is incorrect. When x = 0, the value of h ^xh in this function is equal to

1.12 rather than 1.23, and it is decreasing rather than increasing. Choice B is
incorrect. When x = 0, the value of h ^xh in this function is equal to 1.12 rather
than 1.23. Choice C is incorrect. This function is decreasing rather than
increasing.

QUESTION 18
Choice A is correct. The x-intercept of a graph in the xy-plane is the point on the
graph where y = 0. It’s given that function h is defined by h ^xh= 4x + 28.
Therefore, the equation representing the graph of y = h ^xh is y = 4x + 28.
Substituting 0 for y in the equation y = 4x + 28 yields 0 = 4x + 28. Subtracting
28 from both sides of this equation yields -28 = 4x . Dividing both sides of this
equation by 4 yields -7 = x . Therefore, the x-intercept of the graph of y = h ^xh in
the xy-plane is ^-7, 0h. It’s given that the x-intercept of the graph of y = h ^xh is
^a, 0h. Therefore, a =-7. The y-intercept of a graph in the xy-plane is the point on
the graph where x = 0. Substituting 0 for x in the equation y = 4x + 28 yields
y = 4 ^0h + 28, or y = 28. Therefore, the y-intercept of the graph of y = h ^xh in the
xy-plane is ^0, 28h. It’s given that the y-intercept of the graph of y = h ^xh is ^0, bh.
Therefore, b = 28. If a =-7 and b = 28, then the value of a + b is -7 + 28, or 21.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of b, not a + b. Choice C is incorrect and

may result from conceptual or calculation errors. Choice D is incorrect. This is the
value of -a + b, not a + b.

QUESTION 19
Choice A is correct. Substituting 3 for x in the given inequality yields y < 5 ^3h + 6,
or y < 21. Therefore, when x = 3, the corresponding value of y is less than 21.
Substituting 5 for x in the given inequality yields y < 5 ^5h + 6, or y < 31. Therefore,
when x = 5, the corresponding value of y is less than 31. Substituting 7 for x in

36 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 1

the given inequality yields y < 5 ^7h + 6, or y < 41. Therefore, when x = 7, the
corresponding value of y is less than 41. For the table in choice A, when x = 3,
the corresponding value of y is 17, which is less than 21; when x = 5, the
corresponding value of y is 27, which is less than 31; and when x = 7, the
corresponding value of y is 37, which is less than 41. Therefore, the table in
choice A gives values of x and their corresponding values of y that are all
solutions to the given inequality.

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 20
The correct answer is 35. The first equation in the given system of equations
defines y as 4x + 1. Substituting 4x + 1 for y in the second equation in the given
system of equations yields 4 ^4x + 1h= 15x - 8. Applying the distributive property
on the left-hand side of this equation yields 16x + 4 = 15x - 8. Subtracting 15x
from each side of this equation yields x + 4 =-8. Subtracting 4 from each side of
this equation yields x =-12. Substituting -12 for x in the first equation of the
given system of equations yields y = 4 ^-12h + 1, or y =-47. Substituting -12
for x and -47 for y into the expression x - y yields -12 - ^-47h, or 35.

QUESTION 21
The correct answer is 113. It’s given that the legs of a right triangle have lengths
24 centimeters and 21 centimeters. In a right triangle, the square of the length of
the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two legs. It
follows that if h represents the length, in centimeters, of the hypotenuse of the
right triangle, h 2 = 24 2 + 21 2 . This equation is equivalent to h 2 = 1,017. Taking the
square root of each side of this equation yields h = 1,017 . This equation can be
rewritten as h = 9 $ 113 , or h = 9 $ 113 . This equation is equivalent to
h = 3 113 . It’s given that the length of the triangle’s hypotenuse, in centimeters,
can be written in the form 3 d . It follows that the value of d is 113.

QUESTION 22
Choice A is correct. It’s given that the length of each side of a scale model is
1
10
times the length of the corresponding side of the actual floor of a ballroom.
Therefore, the area of the scale model is b 10 l , or
2
1 1
100
, times the area of the actual
floor of the ballroom. It’s given that the area of the floor of the ballroom is
600 square meters. Therefore, the area, in square meters, of the scale model is
` 100 j^600h, or 6.
1

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.

37 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 1

QUESTION 23
Choice C is correct. The graph of the equation ^x - hh2 + ^y - kh2 = r 2 in the
xy-plane is a circle with center ^h, kh and a radius of length r. The radius of a circle
is the distance from the center of the circle to any point on the circle. If a circle in
the xy-plane intersects the y-axis at exactly one point, then the perpendicular
distance from the center of the circle to this point on the y-axis must be equal to
the length of the circle’s radius. It follows that the x-coordinate of the circle’s
center must be equivalent to the length of the circle’s radius. In other words, if the
graph of ^x - hh2 + ^y - kh2 = r 2 is a circle that intersects the y-axis at exactly one
point, then r = h must be true. The equation in choice C is ^x - 4h2 + ^y - 9h2 = 16,
or ^x - 4h2 + ^y - 9h2 = 4 2 . This equation is in the form ^x - hh2 + ^y - kh2 = r 2 , where
h = 4, k = 9, and r = 4, and represents a circle in the xy-plane with center ^4, 9h
and radius of length 4. Substituting 4 for r and 4 for h in the equation r = h
yields 4 = 4 , or 4 = 4, which is true. Therefore, the equation in choice C
represents a circle in the xy-plane that intersects the y-axis at exactly one point.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the equation of a circle that does not intersect the
y-axis at any point. Choice B is incorrect. This is an equation of a circle that
intersects the x-axis, not the y-axis, at exactly one point. Choice D is incorrect.
This is the equation of a circle with the center located on the y-axis and thus
intersects the y-axis at exactly two points, not exactly one point.

QUESTION 24
Choice C is correct. Since angles B and E each have the same measure and
angles C and F each have the same measure, triangles ABC and DEF are similar,
where side BC corresponds to side EF . To determine whether two similar
triangles are congruent, it is sufficient to determine whether one pair of
corresponding sides are congruent. Therefore, to determine whether
triangles ABC and DEF are congruent, it is sufficient to determine whether
sides BC and EF have equal length. Thus, the lengths of BC and EF are sufficient
to determine whether triangle ABC is congruent to triangle DEF .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors. Choice B is incorrect
and may result from conceptual errors. Choice D is incorrect. The given
information is sufficient to determine that triangles ABC and DEF are similar, but
not whether they are congruent.

QUESTION 25
Choice D is correct. It’s given that the result of increasing the quantity x by
1,800% is 684. It follows that x + b 1100
,800
l x = 684, which is equivalent to
x + 18x = 684, or 19x = 684. Dividing each side of this equation by 19 yields
x = 36. Therefore, the value of x is 36.

Choice A is incorrect. The result of increasing the quantity 12,996 by 1,800% is

246,924, not 684. Choice B is incorrect. The result of increasing the quantity
12,312 by 1,800% is 233,928, not 684. Choice C is incorrect. The result of
increasing the quantity 38 by 1,800% is 722, not 684.

38 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 1

QUESTION 26
Choice A is correct. It’s given that the window repair specialist charges $220 for
the first two hours of repair plus an hourly fee for each additional hour. Let n
represent the hourly fee for each additional hour after the first two hours. Since
it’s given that x is the number of hours of repair, it follows that the charge
generated by the hourly fee after the first two hours can be represented by the
expression n ^x - 2h. Therefore, the total cost, in dollars, for x hours of repair is
f ^xh= 220 + n ^x - 2h. It’s given that the total cost for 5 hours of repair is $400.
Substituting 5 for x and 400 for f ^xh into the equation f ^xh= 220 + n ^x - 2h
yields 400 = 220 + n ^5 - 2h, or 400 = 220 + 3n. Subtracting 220 from both sides
of this equation yields 180 = 3n. Dividing both sides of this equation by 3 yields
n = 60. Substituting 60 for n in the equation f ^xh= 220 + n ^x - 2h yields
f ^xh= 220 + 60 ^x - 2h, which is equivalent to f ^xh= 220 + 60x - 120, or
f ^xh= 60x + 100. Therefore, the total cost, in dollars, for x hours of repair is
f ^xh= 60x + 100.

Choice B is incorrect. This function represents the total cost, in dollars, for
x hours of repair where the specialist charges $340, rather than $220, for the
first two hours of repair. Choice C is incorrect. This function represents the total
cost, in dollars, for x hours of repair where the specialist charges $160, rather
than $220, for the first two hours of repair, and an hourly fee of $80, rather than
$60, after the first two hours. Choice D is incorrect. This function represents the
total cost, in dollars, for x hours of repair where the specialist charges $380,
rather than $220, for the first two hours of repair, and an hourly fee of $80, rather
than $60, after the first two hours.

QUESTION 27
The correct answer is 29
3
. Applying the distributive property to the left-hand side
of the given equation, x ^x + 1h - 56, yields x 2 + x - 56. Applying the distributive
property to the right-hand side of the given equation, 4x ^x - 7h, yields 4x 2 - 28x .
Thus, the equation becomes x 2 + x - 56 = 4x 2 - 28x . Combining like terms on the
left- and right-hand sides of this equation yields 0 =^4x 2 - x 2h + ^-28x - xh + 56,
or 3x 2 - 29x + 56 = 0. For a quadratic equation in the form ax 2 + bx + c = 0, where
a, b, and c are constants, the quadratic formula gives the solutions to the
_-b ! b 2 - 4ac i
equation in the form x = 2a
. Substituting 3 for a, -29 for b, and 56 for
c from the equation 3x - 29x + 56 = 0 into the quadratic formula yields
2

_29 ! ^-29h2 - 4^3h^56hi

x= 2^3h
, or x = 29
6
! 13
6
. It follows that the solutions to the given

equation are 29
6
+ 13
6
and 29
6
- 13
6
. Adding these two solutions gives the sum of the

solutions: 29
6
+ 13
6
+ 29
6
- 13
6
, which is equivalent to 29
6
+ 29
6
, or 29
3
. Note that 29/3,
9.666, and 9.667 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

39 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 2

Math
Module 2
(27 questions)

QUESTION 1
Choice D is correct. Since 1 yard is equal to 3 feet, 64 yards is equal to
64 yards c 13 yard
feet
m, or 192 feet. It follows that 64 yards per second is equivalent to
192 feet per second. Therefore, the object’s speed is 192 feet per second.

Choice A is incorrect. A speed of 61 feet per second is equivalent to 61

3
, not 64,
yards per second. Choice B is incorrect. A speed of 67 feet per second is
equivalent to 67
3
, not 64, yards per second. Choice C is incorrect. A speed of
94 feet per second is equivalent to 94
3
, not 64, yards per second.

QUESTION 2
Choice A is correct. The line of best fit shown has a positive slope and intersects
the y-axis at a positive y-value. The graph of an equation of the form y = mx + b,
where m and b are constants, has a slope of m and intersects the y-axis at a
y-value of b. Of the given choices, only y = x + 3.4 represents a line that has a
positive slope, 1, and intersects the y-axis at a positive y-value, 3.4.

Choice B is incorrect. This equation represents a line that intersects the y-axis at
a negative y-value, not a positive y-value. Choice C is incorrect. This equation
represents a line that has a negative slope, not a positive slope. Choice D is
incorrect. This equation represents a line that has a negative slope, not a positive
slope, and intersects the y-axis at a negative y-value, not a positive y-value.

QUESTION 3
Choice D is correct. It’s given that the graph shows the linear relationship
between x and y. The given graph passes through the points ^0, - 5h, ^1, - 3h,
and ^2, - 1h. It follows that when x = 0, the corresponding value of y is -5, when
x = 1, the corresponding value of y is -3, and when x = 2, the corresponding
value of y is -1. Of the given choices, only the table in choice D gives these three
values of x and their corresponding values of y for the relationship shown in the
graph.

40 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 2

Choice A is incorrect. This table represents a relationship between x and y such

that the graph passes through the points ^0, 0h, ^1, - 7h, and ^2, - 9h. Choice B is
incorrect. This table represents a relationship between x and y such that the
graph passes through the points ^0, 0h, ^1, - 3h, and ^2, - 1h. Choice C is
incorrect. This table represents a linear relationship between x and y such that
the graph passes through the points ^0, - 5h, ^1, - 7h, and ^2, - 9h.

QUESTION 4
Choice D is correct. The perimeter of a figure is equal to the sum of the
measurements of the sides of the figure. It’s given that the rectangle has a length
of 4 inches and a width of 9 inches. Since a rectangle has 4 sides, of which
opposite sides are parallel and equal, it follows that the rectangle has two sides
with a length of 4 inches and two sides with a width of 9 inches. Therefore, the
perimeter of this rectangle is 4 + 4 + 9 + 9, or 26 inches.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the sum, in inches, of the length and the width of the
rectangle. Choice B is incorrect. This is the sum, in inches, of the two lengths and
the width of the rectangle. Choice C is incorrect. This is the sum, in inches, of the
length and the two widths of the rectangle.

QUESTION 5
Choice A is correct. Dividing each side of the given equation by 7 yields
2^n + ph
m= 7
.

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

Choice C is incorrect. This equation is equivalent to 7 + m = 2 ^n + ph, not
7m = 2 ^n + ph. Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or
calculation errors.

QUESTION 6
The correct answer is 79. The median of a data set with an odd number of values
is the middle value of the set when the values are ordered from least to greatest.
Because the given data set consists of nine values that are ordered from least to
greatest, the median is the fifth value in the data set. Therefore, the median of the
data shown is 79.

QUESTION 7
The correct answer is 2. Substituting 8 for f ^xh in the given equation yields
8 = 4x . Dividing the left- and right-hand sides of this equation by 4 yields x = 2.
Therefore, the value of x is 2 when f ^xh= 8.

QUESTION 8
Choice D is correct. The proportion of the paper clips that are size large can be
written as 234,000
300,000
, or 0.78. Therefore, the percentage of the paper clips that are
size large is 0.78 ^100h, or 78%.

41 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 2

Choice A is incorrect. This is the percentage of the paper clips that are not size
large. 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 9
Choice D is correct. It’s given that the function f ^xh= 8x + 4 gives the estimated
height, in feet, of a willow tree x years after its height was first measured. For a
function defined by an equation of the form f ^xh= mx + b, where m and b are
constants, b represents the value of f ^xh when x = 0. It follows that in the given
function, 4 represents the value of f ^xh when x = 0. Therefore, the best
interpretation of 4 in this context is that the estimated height of the tree was
4 feet when it was first measured.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors. Choice B is incorrect
and may result from conceptual errors. Choice C is incorrect and may result from
conceptual errors.

QUESTION 10
Choice B is correct. Since the point ^x, y h is an intersection point of the graphs of
the given equations in the xy-plane, the pair ^x, y h should satisfy both equations,
and thus is a solution of the given system. According to the first equation, y = 76.
Substituting 76 in place of y in the second equation yields x 2 - 5 = 76. Adding 5
to both sides of this equation yields x 2 = 81. Taking the square root of both sides
of this equation yields two solutions: x = 9 and x =-9. Of these two solutions,
only -9 is given as a choice.

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. This is the value of coordinate y, rather than x, of the
intersection point ^x, y h.

QUESTION 11
Choice A is correct. It’s given that each side of equilateral triangle S is multiplied
by a scale factor of k to create equilateral triangle T. Since the length of each side
of triangle T is greater than the length of each side of triangle S, the scale factor
of k must be greater than 1. Of the given choices, only 29 28
is greater than 1.

Choice B is incorrect. If each side of equilateral triangle S is multiplied by a scale

factor of 1, the length of each side of triangle T would be equal to the length of
each side of triangle S. Choice C is incorrect. If each side of equilateral triangle S
is multiplied by a scale factor of 28
29
, the length of each side of triangle T would be
less than the length of each side of triangle S. Choice D is incorrect and may
result from conceptual or calculation errors.

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 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 2

QUESTION 12
Choice C is correct. If the two sides of a linear equation are equivalent, then the
equation is true for any value. If an equation is true for any value, it has infinitely
many solutions. Since the two sides of the given linear equation 66x = 66x are
equivalent, the given equation has infinitely many solutions.

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 13
The correct answer is 41. The number of cupcakes Vivian bought can be found by
first finding the amount Vivian spent on cupcakes. The amount Vivian spent on
cupcakes can be found by subtracting the amount Vivian spent on party hats
from the total amount Vivian spent. The amount Vivian spent on party hats can be
found by multiplying the cost per package of party hats by the number of
packages of party hats, which yields $3 $ 10, or $30. Subtracting the amount
Vivian spent on party hats, $30, from the total amount Vivian spent, $71, yields
$71 - $30, or $41. Since the amount Vivian spent on cupcakes was $41 and each
cupcake cost $1, it follows that Vivian bought 41 cupcakes.

QUESTION 14
The correct answer is 11,875. It’s given that the exponential function g is defined
by g ^xh= 19 $ a x , where a is a positive constant, and g ^3h= 2,375. It follows that
when x = 3, g ^xh= 2,375. Substituting 3 for x and 2,375 for g ^xh in the given
equation yields 2,375 = 19 $ a 3 . Dividing each side of this equation by 19 yields
125 = a 3 . Taking the cube root of both sides of this equation gives a = 5.
Substituting 4 for x and 5 for a in the equation g ^xh= 19 $ a x yields g ^4h= 19 $ 5 4 ,
or g ^4h= 11,875. Therefore, the value of g ^4h is 11,875.

QUESTION 15
Choice B is correct. The sine of any acute angle is equal to the cosine of its
complement. It’s given that in right triangle RST , the sum of the measures of
angle R and angle S is 90 degrees. Therefore, angle R and angle S are
complementary, and the value of sin R is equal to the value of cos S. It’s given that
the value of sin R is 15
4
, so the value of cos S is also 15
4
.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of tan S. Choice C is incorrect. This is the
value of 1
cos S
. Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of tan1 S .

QUESTION 16
Choice B is correct. The graph shown is a line passing through the points ^0, 40h
and ^60, 0h. Since the relationship between x and y is linear, if two points on the
graph make a linear equation true, then the equation represents the
relationship. Substituting 0 for x and 40 for y in the equation in choice B,

43 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 2

8x + 12y = 480, yields 8 ^0h + 12 ^40h= 480, or 480 = 480, which is true.
Substituting 60 for x and 0 for y in the equation 8x + 12y = 480 yields
8 ^60h + 12 ^0h= 480, or 480 = 480, which is true. Therefore, the equation
8x + 12y = 480 represents the relationship between x and y.

Choice A is incorrect. The point ^0, 40h is not on the graph of this equation, since
40 = 8 ^0h + 12, or 40 = 12, is not true. Choice C is incorrect. The point ^0, 40h is
not on the graph of this equation, since 40 = 12 ^0h + 8, or 40 = 8, is not true.
Choice D is incorrect. The point ^0, 40h is not on the graph of this equation, since
12 ^0h + 8 ^40h= 480, or 320 = 480, is not true.

QUESTION 17
Choice B is correct. The given expression has a common factor of 2 in the
8x^x - 7h- 3^x - 7h
denominator, so the expression can be rewritten as 2^x - 7h
. The three
terms in this expression have a common factor of ^x - 7h. Since it’s given that
x > 7, x can’t be equal to 7, which means ^x - 7h can’t be equal to 0. Therefore,
8x^x - 7h- 3^x - 7h
each term in the expression, , can be divided by ^x - 7h, which
2^x - 7h
8x - 3
gives 2
.

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 18
Choice A is correct. The y-intercept of the graph of y = f ^xh in the xy-plane
occurs at the point on the graph where x = 0. In other words, when x = 0, the
corresponding value of f ^xh is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept. Substituting 0
for x in the given equation yields f ^0h=^-8h^2h0 + 22, which is equivalent to
f ^0h=^-8h^1h + 22, or f ^0h= 14. Thus, when x = 0, the corresponding value of
f ^xh is 14. Therefore, the y-intercept of the graph of y = f ^xh in the xy-plane is
^0, 14h.

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. This could be the y-intercept for f ^xh=^-8h^2hx , not
f ^xh=^-8h^2hx + 22.

QUESTION 19
Choice C is correct. It’s given that the equation 3x + 5y = 32 represents the
situation where Keenan filled x small jars and y large jars with all the vegetable
broth he made, which was 32 cups. Therefore, 3x represents the total number of
cups of vegetable broth in the small jars and 5y represents the total number of
cups of vegetable broth in the large jars.

Choice A is incorrect. The number of large jars Keenan filled is represented by y,

not 5y . Choice B is incorrect. The number of small jars Keenan filled is
represented by x, not 5y . Choice D is incorrect. The total number of cups of
vegetable broth in the small jars is represented by 3x , not 5y .

44 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 2

QUESTION 20
The correct answer is 5. The standard form of an equation of a circle in the
xy-plane is ^x - hh2 + ^y - kh2 = r 2 , where h, k, and r are constants, the
coordinates of the center of the circle are ^h, kh, and the length of the radius of the
circle is r. It′s given that an equation of the circle is ^x - 2h2 + ^y - 9h2 = r 2 .
Therefore, the center of this circle is ^2, 9h. It’s given that the endpoints of a
diameter of the circle are ^2, 4h and ^2, 14h. The length of the radius is the
distance from the center of the circle to an endpoint of a diameter of the circle,
which can be found using the distance formula, ^x1 - x2h2 + ^y1 - y2h2 .
Substituting the center of the circle ^2, 9h and one endpoint of the diameter ^2, 4h
in this formula gives a distance of ^2 - 2h2 + ^9 - 4h2 , or 0 2 + 5 2 , which is
equivalent to 5. Since the distance from the center of the circle to an endpoint of
a diameter is 5, the value of r is 5.

QUESTION 21
The correct answer is 14 . For an equation in slope-intercept form y = mx + b, m
represents the slope of the line in the xy-plane defined by this equation. It’s given
that line , is defined by 3y + 12x = 5. Subtracting 12x from both sides of this
equation yields 3y =-12x + 5. Dividing both sides of this equation by 3 yields
y =- 12
3
x + 53 , or y =-4x + 53 . Thus, the slope of line , in the xy-plane is -4.
Since line n is perpendicular to line , in the xy-plane, the slope of line n is the
negative reciprocal of the slope of line ,. The negative reciprocal of -4 is
- ^-14h = 14 . Note that 1/4 and .25 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

QUESTION 22
Choice D is correct. By the definition of absolute value, if -5x + 13 = 73, then
-5x + 13 = 73 or -5x + 13 =-73. Subtracting 13 from both sides of the
equation -5x + 13 = 73 yields -5x = 60. Dividing both sides of this equation by
-5 yields x =-12. Subtracting 13 from both sides of the equation
-5x + 13 =-73 yields -5x =-86. Dividing both sides of this equation by -5
yields x = 86
5
. Therefore, the solutions to the given equation are -12 and 86
5
, and it
follows that the sum of the solutions to the given equation is -12 + 5 , or 5 .
86 26

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

Choice B is incorrect. This is a solution, not the sum of the solutions, to the given
equation. Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation
errors.

QUESTION 23
Choice C is correct. For the form of the function in choice C, f ^xh= 128 ^1.6hx - 1 ,
the value of f ^1h can be found as 128 ^1.6h1 - 1 , which is equivalent to 128 ^1.6h0 , or
128. Therefore, k = 128, which is shown in f ^xh= 128 ^1.6hx - 1 as the coefficient.

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.

45 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 2

QUESTION 24
Choice C is correct. It’s given that the equation -9x 2 + 30x + c = 0 has exactly
one solution. A quadratic equation of the form ax 2 + bx + c = 0 has exactly one
solution if and only if its discriminant, -4ac + b 2 , is equal to zero. It follows that for
the given equation, a =-9 and b = 30. Substituting -9 for a and 30 for b into
b 2 - 4ac yields 30 2 - 4 ^-9h^ch, or 900 + 36c. Since the discriminant must equal
zero, 900 + 36c = 0. Subtracting 36c from both sides of this equation yields
900 =-36c. Dividing each side of this equation by -36 yields -25 = c.
Therefore, the value of c is -25.

Choice A is incorrect. If the value of c is 3, this would yield a discriminant that is

greater than zero. Therefore, the given equation would have two solutions, rather
than exactly one solution. Choice B is incorrect. If the value of c is 0, this would
yield a discriminant that is greater than zero. Therefore, the given equation would
have two solutions, rather than exactly one solution. Choice D is incorrect. If the
value of c is -53, this would yield a discriminant that is less than zero. Therefore,
the given equation would have no real solutions, rather than exactly one solution.

QUESTION 25
Choice D is correct. Since each choice has a term of 3x 2 , which can be written as
^3xh^xh, and each choice has a term of 14b, which can be written as ^7h^2bh, the
expression that has a factor of x + 2b, where b is a positive integer constant, can
be represented as ^3x + 7h^x + 2bh. Using the distributive property of
multiplication, this expression is equivalent to 3x ^x + 2bh + 7 ^x + 2bh, or
3x 2 + 6xb + 7x + 14b. Combining the x-terms in this expression yields
3x 2 + ^7 + 6bh x + 14b. It follows that the coefficient of the x-term is equal to
7 + 6b. Thus, from the given choices, 7 + 6b must be equal to 7, 28, 42, or 49.
Therefore, 6b must be equal to 0, 21, 35, or 42, respectively, and b must be equal
to 06 , , 6 , or 42
21 35
6 6
, respectively. Of these four values of b, only 42
6
, or 7, is a
positive integer. It follows that 7 + 6b must be equal to 49 because this is the only
choice for which the value of b is a positive integer constant. Therefore, the
expression that has a factor of x + 2b is 3x 2 + 49x + 14b.

Choice A is incorrect. If this expression has a factor of x + 2b, then the value of b
is 0, which isn’t positive. Choice B is incorrect. If this expression has a factor of
x + 2b, then the value of b is 21
6
, which isn’t an integer. Choice C is incorrect. If
this expression has a factor of x + 2b, then the value of b is 356
, which isn’t an
integer.

QUESTION 26
Choice B is correct. The histograms shown have the same shape, but data set A
contains values between 20 and 60 and data set B contains values between 10
and 50. Thus, the mean of data set A is greater than the mean of data set B.
Therefore, the smallest possible difference between the mean of data set A and
the mean of data set B is the difference between the smallest possible mean of
data set A and the greatest possible mean of data set B. In data set A, since there

46 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS

 SAT ANSWER EXPLANATIONS n MATH: MODULE 2

are 3 integers in the interval greater than or equal to 20 but less than 30,
4 integers greater than or equal to 30 but less than 40, 7 integers greater than or
equal to 40 but less than 50, and 9 integers greater than or equal to 50 but less
^3 $ 20h+^4 $ 30h+^7 $ 40h+^9 $ 50h
than 60, the smallest possible mean for data set A is 23
. In
data set B, since there are 3 integers greater than or equal to 10 but less than 20,
4 integers greater than or equal to 20 but less than 30, 7 integers greater than or
equal to 30 but less than 40, and 9 integers greater than or equal to 40 but less
^3 $ 19h+^4 $ 29h+^7 $ 39h+^9 $ 49h
than 50, the largest possible mean for data set B is 23
.
Therefore, the smallest possible difference between the mean of data set A and
^3 $ 20h+^4 $ 30h+^7 $ 40h+^9 $ 50h ^3 $ 19h+^4 $ 29h+^7 $ 39h+^9 $ 49h
the mean of data set B is 23
- 23
,
^3 $ 20h-^3 $ 19h+^4 $ 30h-^4 $ 29h+^7 $ 40h-^7 $ 39h+^9 $ 50h-^9 $ 49h
which is equivalent to 23
. This
3^20 - 19h+ 4^30 - 29h+ 7^40 - 39h+ 9^50 - 49h
expression can be rewritten as 23
, or 23 , which
23

is equal to 1. Therefore, the smallest possible difference between the mean of

data set A and the mean of data set B is 1.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the smallest possible difference between the ranges,
not the means, of the data sets. Choice C is incorrect. This is the difference
between the greatest possible mean, not the smallest possible mean, of data
set A and the greatest possible mean of data set B. Choice D is incorrect. This is
the smallest possible difference between the sum of the values in data set A and
the sum of the values in data set B, not the smallest possible difference between
the means.

QUESTION 27
The correct answer is 104. An equilateral triangle is a triangle in which all three
sides have the same length and all three angles have a measure of 60°. The height
of the triangle, k 3, 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 60° angle in each 30-60-90 right triangle.
Since the altitude has a length of k 3, it follows from the properties of
30-60-90 right triangles that the side across from each 30° angle has a length of
k and each hypotenuse has a length of 2k . 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 2k . 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 624; therefore, 2k + 2k + 2k = 624, or 6k = 624. Dividing both sides of this
equation by 6 yields k = 104.

47 SAT PRACTICE TEST #10 ANSWER EXPLANATIONS