GRE Math : Coordinate Geometry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : How To Find The Equation Of A Perpendicular Line

Which of the following is a line perpendicular to the line passing through  and ?

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find if something is perpendicular, you need to first know the slope of your given line. Based on your points, this is easy. Recall that slope is merely:

This is:

Since a perpendicular line has a slope that is both opposite in sign and reciprocal, you need to choose a line with a slope of .  The only possible option is, therefore, 

 

Example Question #1481 : Gre Quantitative Reasoning

find the distance between points x and y

X: (6,3)

Y: (11,15)

Possible Answers:

19

5

8

12

13

Correct answer:

13

Explanation:

easiest way to do this is by plotting the points and turining it into a right triangle by using delta x and delta y

 

the delta x is 11-6 = 5

the delta y is 15-3 = 12

 

those form the two legs of the right triangle; the hypotenuse is the distance

dx2 +dy2= h2

25+144 = h2

169 = h2

h = 13

Example Question #101 : Coordinate Geometry

Quantity A: The distance between the points with rectangular coordinates (6,0) and (10,0)

Quantity B: The distance between the points with rectangular coordinates (1,1) and (–2,4)

Possible Answers:

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

Quantity B is greater.

Quantity A is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

Correct answer:

Quantity B is greater.

Explanation:

We can see that the distance between the two points in Quantity A is 4 because they have the same y-coordinate and x-coordinates that are 4 apart (10 – 6).

Quantity B is a little trickier to figure out and requires either the use of the formula below or creating a right triangle out of the two points.

Using the formula √[(–2 – 1)2 + (4 – 1)2] is √[9 + 9] which equals √18.

Although we don't know the square root of 18 automatically, we know that it will fall between √16 and √25 or 4 and 5.  Since Quantity A is 4 and Quantity B has to be between 4 and 5, Quantity B is greater.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of A Line With Distance Formula

What is the distance between the two points, (1,1) and (7,9)?

Possible Answers:

7.5

5

10

3

51/2

Correct answer:

10

Explanation:

distance2 = (x2 – x1)2 + (y2 – y1)2

Looking at the two order pairs given, x1 = 1, y1 = 1, x2 = 7, y2 = 9. 

distance2 = (7 – 1)2 + (9 – 1)= 62 + 82 = 100

distance = 10

Example Question #4 : How To Find The Length Of A Line With Distance Formula

What is the distance between  and ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

distance2 = (x2 – x1)2 + (y2 – y1)2 + (z2 – z1)2

              = (4 – 2)2 + (6 – 3)2 + (5 – 4)2

              = 22 + 32 + 12

              = 14

distance = √14

Example Question #5 : How To Find The Length Of A Line With Distance Formula

A man travels north 40 meters, while at the same time his wife travels south 20 meters from his initial starting place. He then travels west 100 meters, and his wife travels east 60 meters, followed by him backtracking east 30 meters while his wife stays in the same spot.

Find the approximate value for half the distance between them.

Possible Answers:

56

110

144

72

220

Correct answer:

72

Explanation:

The man travels 40 meters north, 100 meters west, and 30 meters east. After he backtracks, he now has a cumulative distance west of 70 meters and he is 40 meters north. His wife has travelled east 60 meters and south 20 meters. Their positions can be modelled by the following points:

We can use the distance fomula to find the distance between the two points.

Half of this distance would be 71.59, approximately 72 meters.

Example Question #1 : How To Graph A Function

Suppose

To obtain the graph of , shift the graph  a distance of  units              .

Possible Answers:

Upwards

To the left

To the right

Downwards

Up and right

Correct answer:

Upwards

Explanation:

There are four shifts of the graph y = f(x):

y = f(x) + c shifts the graph c units upwards.

y = f(x) – c shifts the graph c units downwards.

y = f(x + c) shifts the graph c units to the left.

y = f(x – c) shifts the graph c units to the right.

Example Question #1481 : Gre Quantitative Reasoning

Which of the following terms are linear?

Possible Answers:

sin(x)

yz

all of these terms are linear

x2

x

Correct answer:

x

Explanation:

Linear terms have only one variable in a product and no exponents other than 0 or 1. x2 has an exponent other than 0 or 1 so it is not linear. yz has two variables so is also not a linear term. Linear terms cannot have functions of variables either, so sin(x) is not linear.  

We can also think of these terms somewhat like graphing equations. Linear equations are straight lines. You might recognize, for example, that x2 should be a parabola. Sin(x) has a graph that looks like a harmonic wave. Clearly these two shaps aren't straight lines!

Example Question #1 : Graphing

The slope of a line segment with points  and  is:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The formula for calculating slope is rise over run, or the difference in  divided by the difference in . In this case, the difference in  is 5 while the difference in  is 5, resulting in a slope of  or 1.

Example Question #1 : Graphing

What is the slope of the linear line that passes through the origin and the point ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Slope of a line given 2 points can be found using 

.  

Therefore  

or 

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