GMAT Math : Geometry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #751 : Geometry

Define functions  and  as follows:

Give the -coordinate of the point of intersection of their graphs.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we rewrite both functions with a common base:

 is left as it is.

 can be rewritten as 

To find the point of intersection of the graphs of the functions, set 

Since the powers of the same base are equal, we can set the exponents equal:

Now substitute in either function:

, the correct answer.

 

Example Question #31 : Coordinate Geometry

Define a function  as follows:

Give the -intercept of the graph of .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since the -intercept is the point at which the graph of  intersects the -axis, the -coordinate is 0, and the -coordinate is :

,

The  -intercept is the point .

Example Question #8 : Graphing

Evaluate .

Possible Answers:

The system has no solution.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Rewrite the system as 

and substitute  and  for  and , respectively, to form the system

Add both sides:

        

.

Now backsolve:

Now substitute back:

and

Example Question #141 : Advanced Geometry

What are the possible values of  if the parabola of the quadratic function   is concave upward and does not intersect the -axis?

Possible Answers:

The parabola cannot exist for any value of .

Correct answer:

The parabola cannot exist for any value of .

Explanation:

If the graph of  is concave upward, then 

If the graph does not intersect the -axis, then  has no real solution, and the discriminant  is negative:

 

For the parabola to have both characteristics, it must be true that  and , but these two events are mutually exclusive. Therefore, the parabola cannot exist.

Example Question #12 : Graphing

Which of the following equations has as its graph a vertical parabola with line of symmetry  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The graph of  has as its line of symmetry the vertical line of the equation

Since  in each choice, we want to find  such that 

so the correct choice is .

Example Question #142 : Advanced Geometry

Which of the following equations has as its graph a concave-right horizontal parabola?

Possible Answers:

None of the other responses gives a correct answer.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A horizontal parabola has as its equation, in standard form,

,

with  real,  nonzero.

Its orientation depends on the sign of . In the equation of a concave-right parabola,  is positive, so the correct choice is .

Example Question #143 : Advanced Geometry

The graphs of the functions  and  have the same line of symmetry.

If we define , which of the following is a possible definition of  ?

Possible Answers:

None of the other responses gives a correct answer.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The graph of a function of the form  - a quadratic function - is a vertical parabola with line of symmetry 

The graph of the function  therefore has line of symmetry 

, or 

We examine all four definitions of  to find one with this line of symmetry.

 

:

, or 

 

:

, or 

 

, or 

 

, or 

 

Since the graph of the function  has the same line of symmetry as that of the function , that is the correct choice.

Example Question #144 : Advanced Geometry

Give the -coordinate of a point at which the graphs of the equations 

and 

intersect.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can set the two quadratic expressions equal to each other and solve for .

 and , so

The -coordinates of the points of intersection are 2 and 6. To find the -coordinates, substitute in either equation:

One point of intersection is .

The other point of intersection is .

 

1 is not among the choices, but 41 is, so this is the correct response.

Example Question #5 : How To Graph A Quadratic Function

Give the set of intercepts of the graph of the function .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The -intercepts, if any exist, can be found by setting :

The only -intercept is .

 

The -intercept can be found by substituting 0 for :

The -intercept is .

 

The correct set of intercepts is .

Example Question #995 : Problem Solving Questions

Give the -coordinate of a point of intersection of the graphs of the functions

and 

.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The system of equations can be rewritten as

.

We can set the two expressions in  equal to each other and solve:

We can substitute back into the equation , and see that either  or . The latter value is the correct choice.

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