SAT Math : Coordinate Geometry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

What are the -intercept(s) of the following line:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can factor and set  equal to zero to determine the -intercepts.

satisfies this equation.

 

Therefore our -intercepts are  and .

Example Question #11 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

Which of the following lines does not intersect the line ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Parallel lines never intersect, so you are looking for a line that has the same slope as the one given. The slope of the given line is –4, and the slope of the line in y = –4x + 5 is –4 as well. Since these two lines have equal slopes, they will run parallel and can never intersect.

Example Question #12 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

Find the y-intercept of .

Possible Answers:

3

7

5

12

14

Correct answer:

7

Explanation:

To find the y-intercept, set x equal to zero and solve for y.

This gives y = 3(0)2 + 2(0) +7 = 7.

Example Question #173 : Geometry

The slope of a line is m=\frac{4}{3}. The line passes through (2,7). What is the x-intercept?

Possible Answers:

(0,9\frac{2}{3})

None of the available answers

(4\frac{1}{3},0)

(0,4.3)

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The equation for a line is:

y=mx+b, or in this case

y=\frac{4}{3}x+b

We can solve for b by plugging in the values given

7=\frac{4}{3}\times 2+b

7=2\frac{2}{3}+b

b=7-2\frac{2}{3}=4\frac{1}{3}

Our line is now

y=\frac{4}{3}x+4\frac{1}{3}

Our x-intercept occurs when \dpi{100} y=0, so plugging in and solving for \dpi{100} x:

\dpi{100} 0=\frac{4}{3}x+4\frac{1}{3}

\dpi{100} -\frac{13}{3}=\frac{4}{3}x

\dpi{100} x=-\frac{13}{4}

Example Question #15 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

Determine the x-intercept for the equation:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The x-intercept is the x-value when the value of .  Substitute this value and solve for .

The x-intercept is .

Example Question #14 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

What is the y intercept of 

Possible Answers:

y=-3

y=3

y=12

The line does not cross the y axis.

Correct answer:

y=3

Explanation:

To find the y intercept, substitute x=0

Example Question #15 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

At what point does the line  intersect the y-axis?

Possible Answers:

None of the given answers

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We know that in slope-intercept form, , that  represents the y-intercept. So, let's rewrite this line and put it in slope-intercept form.

Therefore, when . With this in mind, our y-intercept is 

Example Question #16 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

Give the area of the triangle on the coordinate plane that is bounded by the -axis, and the lines of the equations  and .

Possible Answers:

None of the other choices gives the correct response.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

It is necessary to find the vertices of the triangle, which can be done by finding the three points at which two of the three lines intersect. 

The intersection of the -axis - the line  - and the line of the equation , is found by noting that if , then, by substitution, ; this point of intersection is at , the origin. 

The intersection of the -axis and the line of the equation  is the -intercept of the latter line. Since its equation is written in slope-intercept form , with  the -coordinate of the -intercept, this intercept is .

The intersection of the lines with equations  and  can be found using the substitution method, setting  in the latter equation and solving for :

Since , making  the point of intersection.

The lines in question are graphed below, and the triangle they bound is shaded:

Triangle z

If we take the vertical side as the base, its length is seen to be 3; the height is the horizontal distance to the opposite vertex, which is its -coordinate . The area is half the product of the two, or

.

Example Question #26 : X And Y Intercept

Give the area of the triangle on the coordinate plane that is bounded by the lines of the equations  and .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

It is necessary to find the coordinates of the vertices of the triangle, each of which is the intersection of two of the three lines.

The intersection of the lines of the equations  and  can easily be found by noting that since , by substitution, , making the point of intersection .

The intersection of the lines of the equations  and  can be found by substituting   for  in the latter equation and evaluating :

The point of intersection is .

 

The intersection of the lines of the equations  and  can be found by substituting   for  in the latter equation and solving for :

, so , and this point of intersection is .

The lines in question are graphed below, and the triangle they bound is shaded:

Triangle z

We can take the vertical side as the base of the triangle; its length is the difference of the -coordinates:

The height is the horizontal distance from this side to the opposite side, which is the difference of the -coordinates:

The area is half their product:

Example Question #21 : How To Find X Or Y Intercept

Give the area of the triangle on the coordinate plane that is bounded by the axes and the line of the equation .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

It is necessary to find the vertices of the triangle, each of which is a point at which two of the three lines intersect.

The two axes intersect at the origin, making this one vertex.

The other two points of intersection are the intercepts of the line of equation . Since this equation is in slope-intercept form , where  is the -coordinate of the -intercept, then , and the -intercept is the point . The -coordinate of the -intercept, , can be found by setting  and solving for :

.

The three vertices are located at 

The line in question is shown below, with the bounded triangle shaded in:

Triangle z

 

The lengths of its legs are equal to the absolute values of the nonzero coordinates of its two intercepts - . The area of this right triangle is half their product:

.

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