Question ID 858fd1cf

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 858fd1cf

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

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 858fd1cf Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. It’s given that the circle has its center at -1, 1 and that line 𝑡 is tangent to this circle at the point 5, - 4.
Therefore, the points -1, 1 and 5, - 4 are the endpoints of the radius of the circle at the point of tangency. The slope of a
𝑑-𝑏
line or line segment that contains the points 𝑎, 𝑏 and 𝑐, 𝑑 can be calculated as 𝑐 - 𝑎 . Substituting -1, 1 for 𝑎, 𝑏 and 5, - 4 for
𝑑-𝑏 -4 - 1 5 5
𝑐, 𝑑 in the expression yields , or - 6 . Thus, the slope of this radius is - 6 . A line that’s tangent to a circle is
𝑐-𝑎 5 - -1
perpendicular to the radius of the circle at the point of tangency. It follows that line 𝑡 is perpendicular to the radius at the
5 6
point 5, - 4, so the slope of line 𝑡 is the negative reciprocal of the slope of this radius. The negative reciprocal of - is .
6 5
6
Therefore, the slope of line 𝑡 is 5 . Since the slope of line 𝑡 is the same between any two points on line 𝑡, a point lies on line
6
𝑡 if the slope of the line segment connecting the point and 5, - 4 is 5 . Substituting choice C, 10, 2, for 𝑎, 𝑏 and 5, - 4 for 𝑐, 𝑑
𝑑-𝑏 -4 - 2 6
in the expression 𝑐-𝑎
yields 5 - 10
, or 5 . Therefore, the point 10, 2 lies on line 𝑡.

6
6 -4 - 26 6
Choice A is incorrect. The slope of the line segment connecting 0, and 5, - 4 is 5, or - , not .
5 5-0 25 5

-4 - 7 6
Choice B is incorrect. The slope of the line segment connecting 4, 7 and 5, - 4 is 5-4
, or -11, not 5 .

-4 - 1 5 6
Choice D is incorrect. The slope of the line segment connecting 11, 1 and 5, - 4 is , or , not .
5 - 11 6 5

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 9adb86ed
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 9adb86ed

Points and lie on a circle with center . The radius of this circle is inches. Triangle has a perimeter of
inches. What is the length, in inches, of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 9adb86ed Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. Since it's given that 𝑃 is the center of a circle with a radius of 9 inches, and that points 𝑄 and 𝑅 lie on
¯ ¯ ¯
that circle, it follows that 𝑃𝑄 and 𝑅𝑃 of triangle 𝑃𝑄𝑅 each have a length of 9 inches. Let the length of 𝑄𝑅 be 𝑥 inches. It
follows that the perimeter of triangle 𝑃𝑄𝑅 is 9 + 9 + 𝑥 inches. Since it's given that the perimeter of triangle 𝑃𝑄𝑅 is 31
inches, it follows that 9 + 9 + 𝑥 = 31, or 18 + 𝑥 = 31. Subtracting 18 from both sides of this equation gives 𝑥 = 13.
¯
Therefore, the length, in inches, of 𝑄𝑅 is 13.

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

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

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID c8345903
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: c8345903

The circle above has center O, the length of arc is , and

. What is the length of arc ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: c8345903 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. The ratio of the lengths of two arcs of a circle is equal to the ratio of the measures of the central
angles that subtend the arcs. It’s given that arc is subtended by a central angle with measure 100°. Since the sum

of the measures of the angles about a point is 360°, it follows that arc is subtended by a central angle with

measure . If s is the length of arc , then s must satisfy the ratio . Reducing the

fraction to its simplest form gives . Therefore, . Multiplying both sides of by

yields .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the length of an arc consisting of exactly half of the circle, but arc is greater than half
of the circle. Choice C is incorrect. This is the total circumference of the circle. Choice D is incorrect. This is half the
length of arc , not its full length.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 76c73dbf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 76c73dbf

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

ID: 76c73dbf Answer

Correct Answer: 10

Rationale
199
The correct answer is 10. It's given that the graph of 𝑥2 + 𝑥 + 𝑦2 + 𝑦 = 2
in the xy-plane is a circle. The equation of a
2 2
circle in the xy-plane can be written in the form 𝑥 - ℎ + 𝑦 - 𝑘 = 𝑟2 ,
where the coordinates of the center of the circle are
2
ℎ, 𝑘 and the length of the radius of the circle is 𝑟. The term 𝑥 - ℎ in this equation can be obtained by adding the square of
half the coefficient of 𝑥 to both sides of the given equation to complete the square. The coefficient of 𝑥 is 1. Half the
1 1 1 199
coefficient of 𝑥 is 2 . The square of half the coefficient of 𝑥 is 4 . Adding 4 to each side of 𝑥2 + 𝑥 + 𝑦2 + 𝑦 = 2 yields
1 199 1 12 199 1
𝑥2 + 𝑥 + + 𝑦 2 + 𝑦 = + , or 𝑥 + + 𝑦2 + 𝑦 = + . Similarly, the term 𝑦 - 𝑘2 can be obtained by adding the square
4 2 4 2 2 4
12 1 199 1 1
of half the coefficient of 𝑦 to both sides of this equation, which yields 𝑥 + + 𝑦2 + 𝑦 + = + + , or
2 4 2 4 4
12 12 199 1 1 12 12 12 12 2
𝑥+ +𝑦+ = + + . This equation is equivalent to 𝑥 + + 𝑦 + = 100, or 𝑥 + + 𝑦 + = 10 . Therefore,
2 2 2 4 4 2 2 2 2
the length of the circle's radius is 10.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID e50afdd3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: e50afdd3

The graph of the given equation is a circle in the xy-plane. The point lies on the circle. Which of the following is a
possible value for ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: e50afdd3 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. An equation of the form 𝑥 - ℎ2 + 𝑦 - 𝑘2 = 𝑟2 , where ℎ, 𝑘, and 𝑟 are constants, represents a circle in the
xy-plane with center ℎ, 𝑘 and radius 𝑟. Therefore, the circle represented by the given equation has center -4, 19 and radius
11. Since the center of the circle has an x-coordinate of -4 and the radius of the circle is 11, the least possible x-
coordinate for any point on the circle is -4 - 11, or -15. Similarly, the greatest possible x-coordinate for any point on the
circle is -4 + 11, or 7. Therefore, if the point 𝑎, 𝑏 lies on the circle, it must be true that -15 ≤ 𝑎 ≤ 7. Of the given choices,
only -14 satisfies this inequality.

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

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

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 2266984b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 2266984b

The equation above defines a circle in the xy-plane. What are the
coordinates of the center of the circle?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 2266984b Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The standard equation of a circle in the xy-plane is of the form , where
are the coordinates of the center of the circle and r is the radius. The given equation can be rewritten in standard form by
completing the squares. So the sum of the first two terms, , needs a 100 to complete the square, and the sum

of the second two terms, , needs a 64 to complete the square. Adding 100 and 64 to both sides of the given

equation yields , which is equivalent to

. Therefore, the coordinates of the center of the circle are .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may result from computational errors made when attempting to complete the
squares or when identifying the coordinates of the center.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 69b0d79d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 69b0d79d

Point O is the center of the circle above, and the measure of is . If

the length of is 18, what is the length of arc ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 69b0d79d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. Because segments OA and OB are radii of the circle centered at point O, these segments have equal
lengths. Therefore, triangle AOB is an isosceles triangle, where angles OAB and OBA are congruent base angles of the
triangle. It’s given that angle OAB measures . Therefore, angle OBA also measures . Let represent the

measure of angle AOB. Since the sum of the measures of the three angles of any triangle is , it follows that
, or . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields , or

radians. Therefore, the measure of angle AOB, and thus the measure of arc , is radians. Since is a

radius of the given circle and its length is 18, the length of the radius of the circle is 18. Therefore, the length of arc

can be calculated as , or .

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ebbf23ae
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: ebbf23ae

A circle in the xy-plane has a diameter with endpoints and . An equation of this circle is
, where is a positive constant. What is the value of ?

ID: ebbf23ae Answer

Correct Answer: 5

Rationale
2 2
The correct answer is 5. The standard form of an equation of a circle in the xy-plane is 𝑥 - ℎ + 𝑦 - 𝑘 = 𝑟2 , where ℎ, 𝑘, and
𝑟 are constants, the coordinates of the center of the circle are ℎ, 𝑘, and the length of the radius of the circle is 𝑟. It′s given
2 2
that an equation of the circle is 𝑥 - 2 + 𝑦 - 9 = 𝑟2 . Therefore, the center of this circle is 2, 9. It’s given that the endpoints
of a diameter of the circle are 2, 4 and 2, 14. 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 - 𝑥2 2 + 𝑦1 - 𝑦2 2 . Substituting the
√
center of the circle 2, 9 and one endpoint of the diameter 2, 4 in this formula gives a distance of √2 - 22 + 9 - 42 , or
√02 + 52 , 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 Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b8a225ff
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: b8a225ff

Circle A in the xy-plane has the equation . Circle B has the same center as circle A. The radius
of circle B is two times the radius of circle A. The equation defining circle B in the xy-plane is ,
where is a constant. What is the value of ?

ID: b8a225ff Answer

Correct Answer: 16

Rationale
The correct answer is 16. An equation of a circle in the xy-plane can be written as 𝑥 - 𝑡2 + 𝑦 - 𝑢2 = 𝑟2 , where the center of
the circle is 𝑡, 𝑢 , the radius of the circle is 𝑟, and where 𝑡, 𝑢, and 𝑟 are constants. It’s given that the equation of circle A is
2 2 2 2 2
𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 5 = 4, which is equivalent to 𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 5 = 2 . Therefore, the center of circle A is -5, 5 and the radius of
circle A is 2. It’s given that circle B has the same center as circle A and that the radius of circle B is two times the radius
of circle A. Therefore, the center of circle B is -5, 5 and the radius of circle B is 22, or 4. Substituting -5 for 𝑡, 5 for 𝑢, and 4
2 2 2 2 2
for 𝑟 into the equation 𝑥 - 𝑡2 + 𝑦 - 𝑢2 = 𝑟2 yields 𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 5 = 4 , which is equivalent to 𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 5 = 16. It follows
2 2
that the equation of circle B in the xy-plane is 𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 5 = 16. Therefore, the value of 𝑘 is 16.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b0a72bdc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: b0a72bdc

What is the diameter of the circle in the xy-plane with equation ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: b0a72bdc Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
2 2
Choice B is correct. The standard form of an equation of a circle in the xy-plane is 𝑥 - ℎ + 𝑦 - 𝑘 = 𝑟2 , where the
coordinates of the center of the circle are ℎ, 𝑘 and the length of the radius of the circle is 𝑟. For the circle in the xy-plane
2 2
with equation 𝑥 - 5 + 𝑦 - 3 = 16, it follows that 𝑟2 = 16. Taking the square root of both sides of this equation yields
𝑟 = 4 or 𝑟 = - 4. Because 𝑟 represents the length of the radius of the circle and this length must be positive, 𝑟 = 4.
Therefore, the radius of the circle is 4. The diameter of a circle is twice the length of the radius of the circle. Thus, 24
yields 8. Therefore, the diameter of the circle is 8.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the radius of the circle. Choice C is incorrect. This is the square of the radius of the circle.

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 249d3f80
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 249d3f80

Point is the center of a circle. The measure of arc on this circle is . What is the measure, in degrees, of its
associated angle ?

ID: 249d3f80 Answer

Correct Answer: 100

Rationale
The correct answer is 100. It's given that point 𝑂 is the center of a circle and the measure of arc 𝑅𝑆 on the circle is 100°. It
¯ ¯
follows that points 𝑅 and 𝑆 lie on the circle. Therefore, 𝑂𝑅 and 𝑂𝑆 are radii of the circle. A central angle is an angle formed
by two radii of a circle, with its vertex at the center of the circle. Therefore, ∠𝑅𝑂𝑆 is a central angle. Because the degree
measure of an arc is equal to the measure of its associated central angle, it follows that the measure, in degrees, of
∠𝑅𝑂𝑆 is 100.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ab176ad6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: ab176ad6

The equation defines a circle in the

xy‑plane. What is the radius of the circle?

ID: ab176ad6 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 11. A circle with equation , where a, b, and r are constants, has center

and radius r. Therefore, the radius of the given circle is , or 11.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 3e577e4a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 3e577e4a

A circle in the xy-plane has its center at . Line is tangent to this circle at the point . What is the
slope of line ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 3e577e4a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. A line that's tangent to a circle is perpendicular to the radius of the circle at the point of tangency. It's
given that the circle has its center at -4, - 6 and line 𝑘 is tangent to the circle at the point -7, - 7. The slope of a radius
𝑡-𝑟
defined by the points 𝑞, 𝑟 and 𝑠, 𝑡 can be calculated as . The points -7, - 7 and -4, - 6 define the radius of the circle at
𝑠-𝑞
-6 - -7 1
the point of tangency. Therefore, the slope of this radius can be calculated as -4 - -7
, or 3 . If a line and a radius are
1
perpendicular, the slope of the line must be the negative reciprocal of the slope of the radius. The negative reciprocal of 3
is -3. Thus, the slope of line 𝑘 is -3.

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

Choice C is incorrect. This is the slope of the radius of the circle at the point of tangency, not the slope of line 𝑘.

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 24cec8d1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 24cec8d1

A circle has center , and points and lie on the circle. In triangle , the measure of is . What is the
measure of , in degrees? (Disregard the degree symbol when entering your answer.)

ID: 24cec8d1 Answer

Correct Answer: 46

Rationale
¯
The correct answer is 46. It's given that 𝑂 is the center of a circle and that points 𝑅 and 𝑆 lie on the circle. Therefore, 𝑂𝑅
¯
and 𝑂𝑆 are radii of the circle. It follows that 𝑂𝑅 = 𝑂𝑆. If two sides of a triangle are congruent, then the angles opposite
them are congruent. It follows that the angles ∠𝑅𝑆𝑂 and ∠𝑂𝑅𝑆, which are across from the sides of equal length, are
congruent. Let 𝑥° represent the measure of ∠𝑅𝑆𝑂. It follows that the measure of ∠𝑂𝑅𝑆 is also 𝑥°. It's given that the
measure of ∠𝑅𝑂𝑆 is 88°. Because the sum of the measures of the interior angles of a triangle is 180°, the equation
𝑥° + 𝑥° + 88° = 180°, or 2𝑥 + 88 = 180, can be used to find the measure of ∠𝑅𝑆𝑂. Subtracting 88 from both sides of this
equation yields 2𝑥 = 92. Dividing both sides of this equation by 2 yields 𝑥 = 46. Therefore, the measure of ∠𝑅𝑆𝑂, in
degrees, is 46.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 9e44284b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 9e44284b

In the xy-plane, the graph of is a

circle. What is the radius of the circle?

A. 5

B. 6.5

C.

D.

ID: 9e44284b Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. One way to find the radius of the circle is to rewrite the given equation in standard form,
, where is the center of the circle and the radius of the circle is r. To do this, divide the

original equation, , by 2 to make the leading coefficients of and each equal to 1:

. Then complete the square to put the equation in standard form. To do so, first rewrite

as . Second, add 2.25 and 0.25 to

both sides of the equation: . Since ,

, and , it follows that . Therefore, the radius of the circle is

5.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may be the result of errors in manipulating the equation or of a misconception
about the standard form of the equation of a circle in the xy-plane.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 9acd101f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 9acd101f

The equation represents circle A. Circle B is obtained by shifting circle A down units in the xy-
plane. Which of the following equations represents circle B?

A. msup

B. msup

C. msup

D. msup

ID: 9acd101f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
2 2
Choice D is correct. The graph in the xy-plane of an equation of the form 𝑥 - ℎ + 𝑦 - 𝑘 = 𝑟2 is a circle with center ℎ, 𝑘 and
2 2 2
a radius of length 𝑟. It's given that circle A is represented by 𝑥2 + 𝑦 - 1 = 49, which can be rewritten as 𝑥2 + 𝑦 - 1 = 7 .
Therefore, circle A has center 0, 1 and a radius of length 7. Shifting circle A down two units is a rigid vertical translation of
circle A that does not change its size or shape. Since circle B is obtained by shifting circle A down two units, it follows
that circle B has the same radius as circle A, and for each point 𝑥, 𝑦 on circle A, the point 𝑥, 𝑦 - 2 lies on circle B. Moreover,
if ℎ, 𝑘 is the center of circle A, then ℎ, 𝑘 - 2 is the center of circle B. Therefore, circle B has a radius of 7 and the center of
2 2 2
circle B is 0, 1 - 2, or 0, - 1. Thus, circle B can be represented by the equation 𝑥2 + 𝑦 + 1 = 7 , or 𝑥2 + 𝑦 + 1 = 49.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the equation of a circle obtained by shifting circle A right 2 units.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the equation of a circle obtained by shifting circle A up 2 units.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the equation of a circle obtained by shifting circle A left 2 units.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 244ff6c4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 244ff6c4

What is the value of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 244ff6c4 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. A trigonometric ratio can be found using the unit circle, that is, a circle with radius 1 unit. If a central
angle of a unit circle in the xy-plane centered at the origin has its starting side on the positive x-axis and its terminal side
intersects the circle at a point 𝑥, 𝑦, then the value of the tangent of the central angle is equal to the y-coordinate divided
92𝜋 92 2
by the x-coordinate. There are 2𝜋 radians in a circle. Dividing by 2𝜋 yields , which is equivalent to 15 + . It follows
3 6 3
92𝜋
that on the unit circle centered at the origin in the xy-plane, the angle 3
is the result of 15 revolutions from its starting
2𝜋 92𝜋 2𝜋
side on the positive x-axis followed by a rotation through 3
radians. Therefore, the angles 3
and 3
are coterminal
92𝜋 2𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋
angles and tan
3
is equal to tan .
3
Since 3
is greater than 2
and less than 𝜋, it follows that the terminal side of the
𝜋
angle is in quadrant II and forms an angle of , or 60°, with the negative x-axis. Therefore, the terminal side of the angle
3
√3
1 3 2𝜋
intersects the unit circle at the point - ,√ . It follows that the value of tan is 2
1 , which is equivalent to -√3 . Therefore,
2 2 3 -
2
92𝜋
the value of tan is -√3 .
3

1 92𝜋 1 92𝜋
Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of 92𝜋 , not tan 3
. Choice C is incorrect. This is the value of 𝜋,
tan 3
not tan 3
.
tan 3

𝜋 92𝜋
Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of tan 3 , not tan 3
.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 0acfddb5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 0acfddb5

A circle has center , and points and lie on the circle. Line segments and are tangent to the circle at
points and , respectively. If the radius of the circle is millimeters and the perimeter of quadrilateral is
millimeters, what is the distance, in millimeters, between points and ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 0acfddb5 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. It's given that the radius of the circle is 168 millimeters. Since points 𝑀 and 𝑁 both lie on the circle,
segments 𝐺𝑀 and 𝐺𝑁 are both radii. Therefore, segments 𝐺𝑀 and 𝐺𝑁 each have length 168 millimeters. Two segments
that are tangent to a circle and have a common exterior endpoint have equal length. Therefore, segment 𝑀𝐻 and
segment 𝑁𝐻 have equal length. Let 𝑥 represent the length of segment 𝑀𝐻. Then 𝑥 also represents the length of segment
𝑁𝐻. It's given that the perimeter of quadrilateral 𝐺𝑀𝐻𝑁 is 3,856 millimeters. Since the perimeter of a quadrilateral is
equal to the sum of the lengths of the sides of the quadrilateral, 3,856 = 168 + 168 + 𝑥 + 𝑥, or 3,856 = 336 + 2𝑥.
Subtracting 336 from both sides of this equation yields 3,520 = 2𝑥, and dividing both sides of this equation by 2 yields
1,760 = 𝑥. Therefore, the length of segment 𝑀𝐻 is 1,760 millimeters. A line segment that's tangent to a circle is
perpendicular to the radius of the circle at the point of tangency. Therefore, segment 𝐺𝑀 is perpendicular to segment 𝑀𝐻.
Since perpendicular segments form right angles, angle 𝐺𝑀𝐻 is a right angle. Therefore, triangle 𝐺𝑀𝐻 is a right triangle
with legs of length 1,760 millimeters and 168 millimeters, and hypotenuse 𝐺𝐻. By the Pythagorean theorem, if a right
2
triangle has a hypotenuse with length 𝑐 and legs with lengths 𝑎 and 𝑏, then 𝑎2 + 𝑏 = 𝑐2 . Substituting 1,760 for 𝑎 and 168
for 𝑏 in this equation yields 1,7602 + 1682 = 𝑐2 , or 3,125,824 = 𝑐2 . Taking the square root of both sides of this equation
yields ±1,768 = 𝑐. Since 𝑐 represents a length, which must be positive, the value of 𝑐 is 1,768. Therefore, the length of
segment 𝐺𝐻 is 1,768 millimeters, so the distance between points 𝐺 and 𝐻 is 1,768 millimeters.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the distance between points 𝐺 and 𝑀 and between points 𝐺 and 𝑁, not the distance between
points 𝐺 and 𝐻.

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

Choice C is incorrect. This is the distance between points 𝑀 and 𝐻 and between points 𝑁 and 𝐻, not the distance
between points 𝐺 and 𝐻.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ca2235f6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: ca2235f6

A circle has center , and points and lie on the circle. The measure of arc is and the length of arc is
inches. What is the circumference, in inches, of the circle?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: ca2235f6 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. It’s given that the measure of arc 𝐴𝐵 is 45° and the length of arc 𝐴𝐵 is 3 inches. The arc measure of
45° 3 inches
the full circle is 360°. If 𝑥 represents the circumference, in inches, of the circle, it follows that =
360°
. This equation
𝑥 inches
45 3 1 3
is equivalent to 360
= , or
𝑥 8
= . Multiplying both sides of this equation by 8𝑥 yields 1 ( 𝑥 ) = 3 ( 8 ) , or 𝑥 = 24. Therefore,
𝑥
the circumference of the circle is 24 inches.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the length of arc 𝐴𝐵.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from multiplying the length of arc 𝐴𝐵 by 2.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from squaring the length of arc 𝐴𝐵.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 9d159400
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 9d159400

Which of the following equations represents a circle in the xy-plane that intersects the y-axis at exactly one point?

A. msup

B. msup

C. msup

D. msup

ID: 9d159400 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. The graph of the equation 𝑥 - ℎ2 + 𝑦 - 𝑘2 = 𝑟2 in the xy-plane is a circle with center ℎ, 𝑘 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
2 2
be equivalent to the length of the circle's radius. In other words, if the graph of 𝑥 - ℎ + 𝑦 - 𝑘 = 𝑟2 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 - 42 + 𝑦 - 92 = 16, or
𝑥 - 42 + 𝑦 - 92 = 42 . This equation is in the form 𝑥 - ℎ2 + 𝑦 - 𝑘2 = 𝑟2 , where ℎ = 4, 𝑘 = 9, and 𝑟 = 4, and represents a circle
in the xy-plane with center 4, 9 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 Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 89661424
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 89661424

A circle in the xy-plane has its center at and has a radius of . An equation of this circle is
, where , , and are constants. What is the value of ?

ID: 89661424 Answer

Correct Answer: -52

Rationale
The correct answer is -52. The equation of a circle in the xy-plane with its center at ℎ, 𝑘 and a radius of 𝑟 can be written in
2 2
the form 𝑥 - ℎ + 𝑦 - 𝑘 = 𝑟2 . It's given that a circle in the xy-plane has its center at -5, 2 and has a radius of 9. Substituting
2 2
-5 for ℎ, 2 for 𝑘, and 9 for 𝑟 in the equation 𝑥 - ℎ2 + 𝑦 - 𝑘2 = 𝑟2 yields 𝑥 - -5 + 𝑦 - 22 = 92 , or 𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 22 = 81. It's also
given that an equation of this circle is 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0, where 𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐 are constants. Therefore,
2 2
𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 22 = 81 can be rewritten in the form 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0. The equation 𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 22 = 81, or
𝑥 + 5𝑥 + 5 + 𝑦 - 2𝑦 - 2 = 81, can be rewritten as 𝑥2 + 5𝑥 + 5𝑥 + 25 + 𝑦2 - 2𝑦 - 2𝑦 + 4 = 81. Combining like terms on the
left-hand side of this equation yields 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 10𝑥 - 4𝑦 + 29 = 81. Subtracting 81 from both sides of this equation yields
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 10𝑥 - 4𝑦 - 52 = 0, which is equivalent to 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 10𝑥 + -4𝑦 + -52 = 0. This equation is in the form
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0. Therefore, the value of 𝑐 is -52.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 981275d2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 981275d2

In the xy-plane, the graph of the equation above is a circle. Point P is on the circle
and has coordinates . If is a diameter of the circle, what are the
coordinates of point Q ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 981275d2 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The standard form for the equation of a circle is , where are the
coordinates of the center and r is the length of the radius. According to the given equation, the center of the circle is
. Let represent the coordinates of point Q. Since point P and point Q are the endpoints

of a diameter of the circle, the center lies on the diameter, halfway between P and Q. Therefore, the following

relationships hold: and . Solving the equations for and , respectively, yields

and . Therefore, the coordinates of point Q are .

Alternate approach: Since point P on the circle and the center of the circle have the same y-coordinate,

it follows that the radius of the circle is . In addition, the opposite end of the diameter must have the same

y-coordinate as P and be 4 units away from the center. Hence, the coordinates of point Q must be .

Choices B and D are incorrect because the points given in these choices lie on a diameter that is perpendicular to the
diameter . If either of these points were point Q, then would not be the diameter of the circle. Choice C is

incorrect because is the center of the circle and does not lie on the circle.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 196e8e6e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 196e8e6e

In the xy-plane, a circle has center with coordinates . Points and lie on the circle. Point has coordinates
, and is a right angle. What is the length of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 196e8e6e Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
¯ ¯
Choice A is correct. It's given that points 𝐴 and 𝐵 lie on the circle with center 𝐶. Therefore, 𝐴𝐶 and 𝐵𝐶 are both radii of the
¯ ¯ ¯
circle. Since all radii of a circle are congruent, 𝐴𝐶 is congruent to 𝐵𝐶. The length of 𝐴𝐶, or the distance from point 𝐴 to
point 𝐶, can be found using the distance formula, which gives the distance between two points, 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 and 𝑥2 , 𝑦2 , as
𝑥 - 𝑥 2 + 𝑦1 - 𝑦2 2 . Substituting the given coordinates of point 𝐴, ℎ + 1, 𝑘 + √102 , for 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 and the given coordinates of
√ 1 2
2 2
point 𝐶, ℎ, 𝑘, for 𝑥2 , 𝑦2 in the distance formula yields √ℎ + 1 - ℎ2 + 𝑘 + √102 - 𝑘 , or √12 + √102 , which is equivalent to
¯ ¯
√1 + 102 , or √103 . Therefore, the length of 𝐴𝐶 is √103 and the length of 𝐵𝐶 is √103 . It's given that angle 𝐴𝐶𝐵 is a right
¯ ¯ ¯
angle. Therefore, triangle 𝐴𝐶𝐵 is a right triangle with legs 𝐴𝐶 and 𝐵𝐶 and hypotenuse 𝐴𝐵. By the Pythagorean theorem, if
2
a right triangle has a hypotenuse with length 𝑐 and legs with lengths 𝑎 and 𝑏, then 𝑎2 + 𝑏 = 𝑐2 . Substituting √103 for 𝑎
2 2
and 𝑏 in this equation yields √103 + √103 = 𝑐2 , or 103 + 103 = 𝑐2 , which is equivalent to 206 = 𝑐2 . Taking the positive
¯
square root of both sides of this equation yields √206 = 𝑐. Therefore, the length of 𝐴𝐵 is √206 .

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

¯ ¯
Choice C is incorrect. This would be the length of 𝐴𝐵 if the length of 𝐴𝐶 were 103, not √103 .

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID e80d62c6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: e80d62c6

The equation represents circle A. Circle B is obtained by shifting circle A down units in the xy-
plane. Which of the following equations represents circle B?

A. msup

B. msup

C. msup

D. msup

ID: e80d62c6 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. The standard form of an equation of a circle in the xy-plane is 𝑥 - ℎ2 + 𝑦 - 𝑘2 = 𝑟2 , where the
coordinates of the center of the circle are ℎ, 𝑘 and the length of the radius of the circle is 𝑟. The equation of circle A,
𝑥2 + 𝑦 - 22 = 36, can be rewritten as 𝑥 - 02 + 𝑦 - 22 = 62 . Therefore, the center of circle A is at 0, 2 and the length of the
radius of circle A is 6. If circle A is shifted down 4 units, the y-coordinate of its center will decrease by 4; the radius of the
circle and the x-coordinate of its center will not change. Therefore, the center of circle B is at 0, 2 - 4, or 0, - 2, and its
radius is 6. Substituting 0 for ℎ, -2 for 𝑘, and 6 for 𝑟 in the equation 𝑥 - ℎ2 + 𝑦 - 𝑘2 = 𝑟2 yields 𝑥 - 02 + 𝑦 - -22 = 62 , or
2 2
𝑥2 + 𝑦 + 2 = 36. Therefore, the equation 𝑥2 + 𝑦 + 2 = 36 represents circle B.

Choice B is incorrect. This equation represents a circle obtained by shifting circle A up, rather than down, 4 units.

Choice C is incorrect. This equation represents a circle obtained by shifting circle A right, rather than down, 4 units.

Choice D is incorrect. This equation represents a circle obtained by shifting circle A left, rather than down, 4 units.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a38c0183
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: a38c0183

Circle A (shown) is defined by the equation . Circle B (not shown) is the result of shifting circle A
down units and increasing the radius so that the radius of circle B is times the radius of circle A. Which equation
defines circle B?

A. msup

B. msup

C. msup

D. msup

ID: a38c0183 Answer

Correct Answer: A
Rationale
Choice A is correct. According to the graph, the center of circle A has coordinates -2, 0, and the radius of circle A is 3. It’s
given that circle B is the result of shifting circle A down 6 units and increasing the radius so that the radius of circle B is 2
times the radius of circle A. It follows that the center of circle B is 6 units below the center of circle A. The point that's 6
units below -2, 0 has the same x-coordinate as -2, 0 and has a y-coordinate that is 6 less than the y-coordinate of -2, 0.
Therefore, the coordinates of the center of circle B are -2, 0 - 6, or -2, - 6. Since the radius of circle B is 2 times the radius
of circle A, the radius of circle B is 23. A circle in the xy-plane can be defined by an equation of the form
2 2
𝑥 - ℎ + 𝑦 - 𝑘 = 𝑟2 , where the coordinates of the center of the circle are ℎ, 𝑘 and the radius of the circle is 𝑟. Substituting
-2 for ℎ, -6 for 𝑘, and 23 for 𝑟 in this equation yields 𝑥 - -22 + 𝑦 - -62 = 232 , which is equivalent to 𝑥 + 22 + 𝑦 + 62 = 22 32 ,
2 2 2 2
or 𝑥 + 2 + 𝑦 + 6 = 49. Therefore, the equation 𝑥 + 2 + 𝑦 + 6 = 49 defines circle B.

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

Choice C is incorrect. This equation defines a circle that’s the result of shifting circle A up, not down, by 6 units and
increasing the radius.

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID fb58c0db
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: fb58c0db

Points A and B lie on a circle with radius 1, and arc has length . What

fraction of the circumference of the circle is the length of arc ?

ID: fb58c0db Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is . The circumference, C, of a circle is , where r is the length of the radius of the circle.

For the given circle with a radius of 1, the circumference is , or . To find what fraction of the

circumference the length of arc is, divide the length of the arc by the circumference, which gives . This

division can be represented by . Note that 1/6, .1666, .1667, 0.166, and 0.167 are examples of ways to
enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID acd30391
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: acd30391

A circle in the xy-plane has equation . Which of the

following points does NOT lie in the interior of the circle?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: acd30391 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The circle with equation has center and radius 5. For a point to be
inside of the circle, the distance from that point to the center must be less than the radius, 5. The distance between

and is , which is greater than 5. Therefore, does NOT lie

in the interior of the circle.

Choice A is incorrect. The distance between and is ,

which is less than 5, and therefore lies in the interior of the circle. Choice B is incorrect because it is the center of

the circle. Choice C is incorrect because the distance between and is

, which is less than 5, and therefore in the interior of the circle.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 6585d841
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 6585d841

In the xy-plane, the graph of the given equation is a circle. What is the length of the circle's radius?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 6585d841 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. It's given that in the xy-plane, the graph of the given equation is a circle. The equation of a circle in the
2 2
xy-plane can be written in the form 𝑥 - ℎ + 𝑦 - 𝑘 = 𝑟2 , where ℎ, 𝑘 is the center of the circle and 𝑟 is the length of the
circle's radius. Subtracting 6𝑦 from both sides of the equation 𝑥2 + 14𝑥 + 𝑦2 = 6𝑦 + 109 yields 𝑥2 + 14𝑥 + 𝑦2 - 6𝑦 = 109.
14 2 -6 2 14 2 -6 2
By completing the square, this equation can be rewritten as 𝑥2 + 14𝑥 + 2
+ 𝑦2 - 6𝑦 + 2
= 109 + 2
+ 2
. This
2 2
equation can be rewritten as 𝑥2 + 14𝑥 + 49 + 𝑦2 - 6𝑦 + 9 = 109 + 49 + 9, or 𝑥 + 7 + 𝑦 - 3 = 167. Therefore, 𝑟2 = 167.
Taking the square root of both sides of this equation yields 𝑟 = √167 and 𝑟 = - √167 . Since 𝑟 is the length of the circle's
radius, 𝑟 must be positive. Therefore, the length of the circle's radius is √167 .

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

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

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1efd7ef3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 1efd7ef3

What is the value of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 1efd7ef3 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. The sine of a number 𝑡 is the y-coordinate of the point arrived at by traveling a distance of 𝑡 units
counterclockwise around the unit circle from the starting point 1, 0. Since the unit circle has a circumference of 2𝜋 units,
it follows that one full rotation around the circle is equal to a distance of 2𝜋 units. Therefore, a distance of 42𝜋 units
around the circle from the starting point 1, 0 would result in exactly 21 full rotations, arriving back at the point 1, 0. So,
sin42𝜋 is equal to the y-coordinate of the point 1, 0, which is 0.

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 is the value of cos42𝜋, not sin42𝜋.

Question Difficulty: Hard