SAT Math Intensive Practice Set

Digital SAT Math: Success Strategies & Format

Success on the Digital SAT (DSAT) Math section requires a fundamental shift in strategy
compared to the paper format. The Math section is now divided into two distinct modules. Your
performance on the first module determines the difficulty level of the second module, a system
known as multistage adaptive testing. Because the second module can significantly impact
your scoring potential, accuracy in Module 1 is paramount. One of the most significant changes
is the integration of the Desmos Graphing Calculator directly into the testing interface.
Mastering Desmos is no longer optional; it is a critical efficiency tool. You should use it to solve
systems of equations, find intersections, and visualize complex functions instantly. However, do
not let it replace your conceptual understanding, as some problems are designed to be faster
with mental math or algebraic manipulation. Importantly, there is no guessing penalty on the
DSAT. You should never leave a question blank. If you are stuck, use the "Mark for Review"
feature and move on, but ensure every single bubble has an answer before the timer expires.
Time management is key: you have 35 minutes per module to answer 22 questions, giving you
roughly 95 seconds per question. Use your time wisely by tackling easier questions quickly to
bank time for the challenging "hard" module questions at the end.

Section 1: High-Level Practice Problems

1. If 4x - 12 = 2x + 10, what is the value of 3x + 5?
2. A linear function f is defined by f(x) = mx + b. If f(3) = 7 and f(5) = 15, find f(10).
3. In the xy-plane, the graph of y = x² - 6x + 8 intersects the line y = 3 at two points. Find
the distance between these points.
4. The population of a city increases by 4% every year. If the initial population is 50,000, which
expression represents the population after t years?
5. A right triangle has a hypotenuse of length 13 and one leg of length 5. Find the area of the
triangle.
6. Solve for x: √(2x + 7) - 3 = 2.
7. A data set consists of 10 integers with a mean of 15. If an 11th integer, k, is added, the new
mean is 17. What is k?
8. In the circle with center O, the measure of central angle AOB is 60°. If the radius is 12,
what is the length of arc AB?
9. If 2^(3x-1) = 32, what is the value of x?
10. A rectangle has a perimeter of 40. If the length is 4 more than the width, find the area.
10. A rectangle has a perimeter of 40. If the length is 4 more than the width, find the area.
11. For the system 3x + 2y = 12 and kx - 4y = 8, for what value of k will there be no solution?
12. If cos(x) = sin(25°), where 0 < x < 90°, what is the value of x?
13. A cylindrical tank has a volume of 100π. If the height is 4, what is the radius?
14. Find the sum of the roots of the equation x² - 14x + 40 = 0.
15. A store offers a 20% discount on an item, followed by an additional 10% off the discounted
price. What is the total percent decrease?
16. What is the minimum value of the function g(x) = (x-3)² + 5?
17. If tan(θ) = 1, and θ is in the first quadrant, what is sin(θ)?
18. The line L passes through (0,2) and is perpendicular to y = -1/3x + 5. Find the equation of L.
19. Solve for x: |3x - 6| + 2 = 11.
20. A marble is drawn from a bag containing 5 red, 8 blue, and 7 white marbles. What is the
probability it is not blue?

Section 2: Detailed Answer Key & Explanations

1. 38: To solve 4x - 12 = 2x + 10, first isolate the variable x by subtracting 2x from both sides of
the equation, resulting in 2x - 12 = 10. Next, add 12 to both sides to get 2x = 22. Dividing by 2, we
find x = 11. The question asks for the value of 3x + 5. Substitute 11 into the expression: 3(11) +
5 = 33 + 5 = 38. This is a classic SAT Algebra problem where solving for x is only the first step.
2. 35: First, find the slope (m) of the linear function using the coordinates (3, 7) and (5, 15).
Slope m = (15 - 7) / (5 - 3) = 8 / 2 = 4. Now use the point-slope form to find the y-intercept (b).
Using (3, 7): 7 = 4(3) + b, so 7 = 12 + b, which means b = -5. The full function is f(x) = 4x - 5. To
find f(10), substitute 10 into the function: f(10) = 4(10) - 5 = 40 - 5 = 35. You could also realize
that for every increase of 2 in x, y increases by 8; thus from x=5 to x=10 (an increase of 5), y
increases by 5 * 4 = 20, leading to 15 + 20 = 35.
3. 4: Set the quadratic equal to the line: x² - 6x + 8 = 3. Subtract 3 from both sides to form
a standard quadratic equation: x² - 6x + 5 = 0. Factoring this equation gives (x - 5)(x - 1) =
0, so the intersection points occur at x = 5 and x = 1. Since both points lie on the horizontal line y
= 3, the distance between them is the difference in their x-coordinates: 5 - 1 = 4. Alternatively,
you could graph both in Desmos and use the distance tool or simply subtract the x-values of the
intersection points.
4. 50,000(1.04)^t: This is a standard exponential growth problem. The general formula for
exponential growth is P = I(1 + r)^t, where I is the initial amount, r is the growth rate as a decimal,
and t is time. Here, I = 50,000 and r = 0.04 (4%). Adding 1 to the growth rate gives a multiplier of
1.04. Therefore, the expression representing the population after t years is 50,000(1.04)^t.
Understanding the structure of exponential functions is vital for the "Problem Solving and Data
Analysis" category on the SAT.
5. 30: To find the area of a right triangle, you need the base and the height (the two legs). Use
the Pythagorean theorem a² + b² = c² to find the missing leg. 5² +
b² = 13² leads to 25 + b² = 169. Subtracting 25 gives b² = 144, so b = 12.
This is a 5-12-13 Pythagorean triple. The area formula is (1/2) * base * height, so Area = (1/2) *
5 * 12 = 30. Remembering common triples like 3-4-5 and 5-12-13 can save significant time on
the geometry portion of the test.
6. 9: Start by isolating the radical term. Add 3 to both sides of the equation √(2x + 7) - 3 = 2
to get √(2x + 7) = 5. To remove the square root, square both sides of the equation:
(√(2x + 7))² = 5², which simplifies to 2x + 7 = 25. Subtract 7 from both sides to
get 2x = 18. Finally, divide by 2 to find x = 9. It is always a good habit to plug the answer back
into the original equation to check for extraneous solutions, especially with radical and rational
equations.
7. 37: The mean is defined as the sum of values divided by the number of values. If 10 integers
have a mean of 15, their sum is 10 * 15 = 150. When an 11th integer k is added, the new total
number of integers is 11 and the new mean is 17. Thus, the new sum is 11 * 17 = 187. To find k,
subtract the original sum from the new sum: 187 - 150 = 37. This problem tests your ability to
manipulate the mean formula to find sums, a very common task in the data analysis section.
8. 4π: The length of an arc is a fraction of the circle's total circumference. The formula for arc
length is (central angle / 360) * 2πr. Here, the central angle is 60° and the radius r is 12.
Plug these into the formula: (60 / 360) * 2π(12) = (1/6) * 24π = 4π. Understanding that
the ratio of the arc length to circumference is equal to the ratio of the central angle to 360
degrees is the key to solving most circle-based geometry problems on the SAT.
9. 2: To solve an exponential equation like 2^(3x-1) = 32, try to express both sides with the same
base. Since 32 is a power of 2 (2^5), the equation becomes 2^(3x-1) = 2^5. Once the bases are
equal, you can set the exponents equal to each other: 3x - 1 = 5. Add 1 to both sides to get 3x =
6, then divide by 3 to find x = 2. Recognizing powers of 2, 3, and 5 is extremely helpful for the
"Advanced Math" section of the Digital SAT.
10. 96: Let w be the width. Then the length l = w + 4. The perimeter formula for a rectangle is P =
2l + 2w. Substituting the given values: 40 = 2(w + 4) + 2w. Simplify the equation: 40 = 2w + 8 +
2w, which becomes 40 = 4w + 8. Subtract 8 from both sides to get 32 = 4w, meaning w = 8.
Since the width is 8, the length is 8 + 4 = 12. The area of a rectangle is length times width: 12 * 8
= 96. Ensure you answer the specific question asked (area) rather than stopping after finding the
dimensions.
11. -6: A system of linear equations has no solution if the lines are parallel, meaning they have
the same slope but different y-intercepts. First, find the slope of the first line by putting it in y =
mx + b form: 2y = -3x + 12, so y = -1.5x + 6. The slope is -1.5. Now, do the same for the second
line: -4y = -kx + 8, so y = (k/4)x - 2. For the slopes to be equal, k/4 must equal -1.5. Multiplying
both sides by 4 gives k = -6. Since the y-intercepts (6 and -2) are already different, k = -6 ensures
the lines never intersect.
12. 65: This problem tests the complementary angle identity for sine and cosine: cos(x) =
sin(90° - x). If cos(x) = sin(25°), then x and 25° must be complementary angles
(they must sum to 90 degrees). Therefore, x + 25 = 90. Subtracting 25 from both sides gives x =
65. This identity is a frequent guest on the SAT, so remember that the sine of an angle is always
equal to the cosine of its complement.
13. 5: The volume of a cylinder is given by the formula V = πr²h. Substitute the known
values into the equation: 100π = π * r² * 4. Divide both sides by π to get 100 =
4r². Next, divide by 4 to isolate r², resulting in 25 = r². Taking the square root of
both sides gives r = 5. Geometry formulas are provided in the reference sheet on the DSAT, but
knowing them by heart allows you to set up and solve these algebraic geometry problems much
faster.
14. 14: There are two ways to solve this. First, you can factor the quadratic into (x - 10)(x - 4) = 0,
which gives roots x = 10 and x = 4. The sum is 10 + 4 = 14. A faster method for the SAT is using
Vieta's Formulas: for any quadratic ax² + bx + c = 0, the sum of the roots is -b/a. Here, a =
1 and b = -14, so the sum is -(-14)/1 = 14. Knowing these shortcuts for polynomial roots is a
massive advantage in the "Advanced Math" section.
15. 28%: Do not simply add the percentages (20 + 10 = 30 is a common trap!). Instead, think in
terms of multipliers. A 20% discount means you pay 80% of the price (0.80). An additional 10%
off that price means you pay 90% of the new price (0.90). The total multiplier is 0.80 * 0.90 =
0.72. If you are paying 72% of the original price, the total discount is 100% - 72% = 28%. Using
multipliers is the most efficient way to handle compound percentage changes on the SAT.
16. 5: The function g(x) = (x-3)² + 5 is written in vertex form, y = a(x - h)² + k, where
(h, k) is the vertex of the parabola. For this function, the vertex is at (3, 5). Since the coefficient a
is positive (1), the parabola opens upward, meaning the y-coordinate of the vertex is the
minimum value of the function. Therefore, the minimum value is 5. Understanding vertex form
allows you to identify maximums and minimums of quadratic functions instantly without
needing to expand or calculate derivatives.
√2/2: If tan(θ) = 1, then sin(θ) / cos(θ) = 1, meaning sin(θ) = cos(θ).
In the first quadrant, the angle where sine and cosine are equal is 45°. The sine of 45°
is √2/2. You can also visualize a right triangle where the opposite side and adjacent side
are both 1 (since tan is opposite/adjacent). Using the Pythagorean theorem, the hypotenuse is
√(1² + 1²) = √2. Then, sin(θ) = opposite / hypotenuse = 1 / √2,
which rationalizes to √2/2.
y = 3x + 2: Perpendicular lines have negative reciprocal slopes. The slope of the given line is
-1/3, so the slope of line L must be the negative reciprocal of -1/3, which is 3. We are told the
line L passes through (0, 2), which is the y-intercept (b = 2). Plugging the slope m = 3 and the
intercept b = 2 into the slope-intercept form y = mx + b, we get y = 3x + 2. This tests your
knowledge of linear relationships and the properties of perpendicular lines in the coordinate
plane.
5, -1: First, isolate the absolute value expression by subtracting 2 from both sides of |3x - 6| + 2
= 11, giving |3x - 6| = 9. An absolute value equation |A| = B splits into two cases: A = B and A = -B.
Case 1: 3x - 6 = 9. Adding 6 gives 3x = 15, so x = 5. Case 2: 3x - 6 = -9. Adding 6 gives 3x = -3, so
x = -1. Both solutions are valid. Absolute value problems are common on the SAT and always
require checking both the positive and negative scenarios.
3/5: Probability is defined as the number of successful outcomes divided by the total number of
outcomes. The total number of marbles in the bag is 5 (red) + 8 (blue) + 7 (white) = 20 marbles.
The question asks for the probability that the marble is NOT blue. There are 5 + 7 = 12 non-blue
marbles (red and white). Therefore, the probability is 12 / 20. Simplifying this fraction by dividing
both the numerator and denominator by 4 yields 3 / 5. Always read carefully to see if the
question asks for a specific color or the negation of a color.