GED Math : GED Math

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GED Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1811 : Ged Math

A triangle on a coordinate plane has the following vertices: \(\displaystyle (5, 5), (10, 2), (8, -2)\). What is the perimeter of the triangle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 18.04\)

\(\displaystyle 17.92\)

\(\displaystyle 23.10\)

\(\displaystyle 14.53\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 17.92\)

Explanation:

Since we are asked to find the perimeter of the triangle, we will need to use the distance formula to find the length of each side. Recall the distance formula:

\(\displaystyle \text{Distance}=\sqrt{(y_2-y_1)^2+(x_2-x_1)^2}\)

Start by finding the distance between the points \(\displaystyle (5, 5)\text{ and }(10, 2)\):

\(\displaystyle \text{Distance}=\sqrt{(2-5)^2+(10-5)^2}=\sqrt{9+25}=\sqrt{34}\)

Next, find the distance between \(\displaystyle (10, 2)\text{ and }(8, -2)\).

\(\displaystyle \text{Distance}=\sqrt{(-2-2)^2+(8-10)^2}=\sqrt{16+4}=\sqrt{20}\)

Then, find the distance between \(\displaystyle (5, 5)\text{ and }(8, -2)\).

\(\displaystyle \text{Distance}=\sqrt{(-2-5)^2+(8-5)^2}=\sqrt{49+9}=\sqrt{58}\)

Finally, add up the lengths of each side to find the perimeter of the triangle.

\(\displaystyle \text{Perimeter}=\sqrt{54}+\sqrt{20}+\sqrt{58}=17.92\)

Example Question #2 : Distance Formula

Find the distance between the points \(\displaystyle (9,17)\) and \(\displaystyle (413,65)\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 407\)

\(\displaystyle 202\)

\(\displaystyle 404\)

\(\displaystyle 144\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 407\)

Explanation:

Find the distance between the points \(\displaystyle (9,17)\) and \(\displaystyle (413,65)\).

To find the distance between two points, we will use distance formula (clever name). Distance formula can be thought of as a modified Pythagorean Theorem. What distance formula does is essentially treats our two points as the ends of a hypotenuse on a right triangle, then uses the two side lengths to find the hypotenuse.

Distance formula:

\(\displaystyle D=\sqrt{(x_1-x_2)^2+(y_1-y_2)^2}\)

Pythagorean Theorem

\(\displaystyle c^2=a^2+b^2\)

If the connection isn't clear, don't worry, we can still solve for distance.

\(\displaystyle D=\sqrt{(413-9)^2+(65-17)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle D=\sqrt{(404)^2+(48)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle D=\sqrt{165520}\)

\(\displaystyle D=406.84\approx 407\)

So our answer is 407

Example Question #131 : Coordinate Geometry

What is the distance between the points \(\displaystyle (5, 1)\) and \(\displaystyle (-5, 10)\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{146}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{181}\)

\(\displaystyle 12\sqrt{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 6\sqrt{3}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{181}\)

Explanation:

Recall the distance formula:

\(\displaystyle \text{Distance}=\sqrt{(x_1-x_2)^2+(y_1-y_2)^2}\)

Plug in the given points to find the distance between them.

\(\displaystyle \text{Distance}=\sqrt{(5-(-5))^2+(1-10)^2}=\sqrt{100+81}=\sqrt{181}\)

The distance between those points is \(\displaystyle \sqrt{181}\).

Example Question #11 : Distance Formula

Find the length of the line connecting the following points.

\(\displaystyle (19,47)\) \(\displaystyle (99,123)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 150\)

\(\displaystyle 145\)

\(\displaystyle 110\)

\(\displaystyle 330\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 110\)

Explanation:

Find the length of the line connecting the following points.

\(\displaystyle (19,47)\) \(\displaystyle (99,123)\)

To find the length of a line, use distance formula.

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(y_1-y_2)^2+(x_1-x_2)^2}\)

What we are really doing is making a right triangle and using Pythagorean Theorem to find the hypotenuse. 

Let's plug in our points and find the distance!

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(123-47)^2+(99-19)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(76)^2+(80)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(5776+6400}=\sqrt{12176}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{12176}\approx 110\)

So our answer is 110

Example Question #11 : Distance Formula

What is the distance between the points \(\displaystyle (4,5)\) and \(\displaystyle (22,6)\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 3\sqrt{5}\)

\(\displaystyle 5\sqrt{13}\)

\(\displaystyle 10\sqrt{7}\)

\(\displaystyle 19\)

\(\displaystyle 25\sqrt{3}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 5\sqrt{13}\)

Explanation:

Remember that you can consider your two points as:

\(\displaystyle (x_1,y_1)\) and \(\displaystyle (x_2,y_2)\)

From this, remember that the distance formula is:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{(x_1-x_2)^2+(y_1-y_2)^2}\)

Now, for your data, this is:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{(22-4)^2+(6-5)^2}\)

or

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{(18)^2+(1)^2}=\sqrt{324+1}=\sqrt{325}\)

You can simplify this value a little. Identify the prime factors of \(\displaystyle 325\) and move any number that appears in a pair of factors from the interior to the exterior of the square root symbol:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{5\cdot5\cdot13}=5\sqrt{13}\)

 

Example Question #851 : Geometry And Graphs

What is the distance between the two points \(\displaystyle (-10,15)\) and \(\displaystyle (-11,-20)\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{1226}\)

\(\displaystyle 15\sqrt{22}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2283}\)

\(\displaystyle 19\sqrt{13}\)

\(\displaystyle 55\sqrt{19}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{1226}\)

Explanation:

Remember that you can consider your two points as:

\(\displaystyle (x_1,y_1)\) and \(\displaystyle (x_2,y_2)\)

From this, remember that the distance formula is:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{(x_1-x_2)^2+(y_1-y_2)^2}\)

Now, for your data, this will look like the following.  Be very careful with the negative signs:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{(-11-(-10))^2+(-20-15)^2}\)

or

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{(-1)^2+(-35)^2}=\sqrt{1+1225}=\sqrt{1226}\)

\(\displaystyle 1226\) is only factorable into \(\displaystyle 2\) and \(\displaystyle 613\); therefore, your answer is in its final form already.

Example Question #852 : Geometry And Graphs

A line has slope \(\displaystyle \frac{3}{4}\) and \(\displaystyle y\)-intercept \(\displaystyle (0, -7)\). Give its \(\displaystyle x\)-intercept.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \left (- 9 \frac{1}{3}, 0 \right )\)

\(\displaystyle \left ( 9 \frac{1}{3}, 0 \right )\)

\(\displaystyle \left (5\frac{1}{4}, 0 \right )\)

\(\displaystyle \left (-5\frac{1}{4}, 0 \right )\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \left ( 9 \frac{1}{3}, 0 \right )\)

Explanation:

The \(\displaystyle x\)-intercept will be a point \(\displaystyle (a,0)\) for some value \(\displaystyle a\). We use the slope formula

\(\displaystyle \frac{y_{2}- y _{1}}{x_{2}- x _{1}} = m\),

setting \(\displaystyle m = \frac{3}{4}, x_{1} =0, x_{2} = a, y_{1} = -7, y_{2} =0\),

and solving for \(\displaystyle a\):

\(\displaystyle \frac{0- (-7)}{a-0} = \frac{3}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{ 7}{a} = \frac{3}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{ 7}{a} \cdot a = \frac{3}{4} \cdot a\)

\(\displaystyle 7= \frac{3}{4} \cdot a\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{4} {3}\cdot 7= \frac{4} {3}\cdot \frac{3}{4} \cdot a\)

\(\displaystyle a = \frac{28} {3} = 9 \frac{1}{3}\)

The \(\displaystyle x\)-intercept is \(\displaystyle \left ( 9 \frac{1}{3}, 0 \right )\).

Example Question #141 : Coordinate Geometry

A line has slope \(\displaystyle \frac{3}{4}\) and \(\displaystyle x\)-intercept \(\displaystyle (5, 0)\). Give its \(\displaystyle y\)-intercept.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \left (0, -6 \frac{2} {3}\right )\)

\(\displaystyle \left (0, -3 \frac{3}{4} \right )\)

\(\displaystyle \left (0, 6 \frac{2} {3}\right )\)

\(\displaystyle \left (0, 3 \frac{3}{4} \right )\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \left (0, -3 \frac{3}{4} \right )\)

Explanation:

The \(\displaystyle y\)-intercept will be the point \(\displaystyle (0, b)\) for some value \(\displaystyle b\). We use the slope formula

\(\displaystyle \frac{y_{2}- y _{1}}{x_{2}- x _{1}} = m\),

setting \(\displaystyle m = \frac{3}{4}, x_{1} = 5, x_{2} = 0, y_{1} = 0, y_{2} = b\),

and solving for \(\displaystyle b\):

\(\displaystyle \frac{b-0}{0- 5} = \frac{3}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{b }{ - 5} = \frac{3}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{b }{ - 5} \cdot (-5) = \frac{3}{4} \cdot (-5)\)

\(\displaystyle b= \frac{-15}{4} = -3 \frac{3}{4}\)

The \(\displaystyle y\)-intercept is \(\displaystyle \left (0, -3 \frac{3}{4} \right )\).

Example Question #1 : Other Coordinate Geometry

Axes 1

Above is the graph of the equation \(\displaystyle y = - \frac{2}{5}x - 3\).

Which of the following is the graph of the inequality \(\displaystyle y \le - \frac{2}{5}x - 3\) ?

Possible Answers:

Axes 1

Axes 1

Axes 1

Axes 1

Correct answer:

Axes 1

Explanation:

The inequality symbol of the statement 

\(\displaystyle y \le - \frac{2}{5}x - 3\)

allows for the two quantities to be equal, so the line of the equation

\(\displaystyle y = - \frac{2}{5}x - 3\)

must be part of the graph of the inequality. Therefore, we must select one of the choices with a solid line. Of the two such choices, we can determine which one to select by choosing a test point on one side of the line and substituting the coordinates in the inequality.

The easiest point to select is the origin, or \(\displaystyle (0,0)\).  Set \(\displaystyle x,y = 0\) in the inequality:

\(\displaystyle y \le - \frac{2}{5}x - 3\)

\(\displaystyle 0 \le - \frac{2}{5} (0) - 3\)

\(\displaystyle 0 \le 0 - 3\)

\(\displaystyle 0 \le - 3\)

This is false, so we want the choice that does not include the point \(\displaystyle (0,0)\). The correct choice is the graph:

Axes 1

 

Example Question #1811 : Ged Math

When rolling a \(\displaystyle \small 6\)-sided die, what is the probability of rolling \(\displaystyle \small 3\) or greater?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{1}{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{1}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{2}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{1}{6}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{2}{3}\)

Explanation:

When rolling a die, the following outcomes are possible:

\(\displaystyle \small 1,2,3,4,5,6\)

Of the \(\displaystyle \small 6\) outcomes, \(\displaystyle \small 4\) outcomes are \(\displaystyle \small 3\) or greater. Therefore,

\(\displaystyle \small P=\frac{4}{6}=\frac{2}{3}\)

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