SAT Math : SAT Mathematics

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #69 : Systems Of Equations

A system of two linear equations has no solution.

One of the equations is 

\(\displaystyle 4x+ 9y = 21\).

Which of the following could be the other equation?

Possible Answers:

None of the other choices gives a correct answer.

\(\displaystyle y = -\frac{4}{9}x+ 21\)

\(\displaystyle y = \frac{4}{9}x+ 21\)

\(\displaystyle y = \frac{9}{4}x+ 21\)

\(\displaystyle y = -\frac{9}{4}x+ 21\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle y = -\frac{4}{9}x+ 21\)

Explanation:

One way to solve this is to know that the two equations of a linear system without a solution - an inconsistent system - are represented by a pair of parallel lines, which are lines with the same slope. To find the slope of the line of the equation \(\displaystyle 4x+ 9y = 21\), rewrite the equation in the slope-intercept form \(\displaystyle y = mx+b\), with \(\displaystyle m\) the slope of the line. This is done by solving for \(\displaystyle y\), so isolate \(\displaystyle y\) in the equation as follows:

\(\displaystyle 4x+ 9y = 21\)

\(\displaystyle 4x+ 9y - 4x = 21 - 4x\)

\(\displaystyle 9y = - 4x + 21\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{9y }{9}= \frac{- 4x + 21}{9}\)

\(\displaystyle y =- \frac{4 }{9}x+ \frac{ 21}{9}\)

The slope of the line is \(\displaystyle - \frac{4 }{9}\), the coefficient of \(\displaystyle x\).

The equations in all four choices are already in slope-intercept form, so examine the coefficient of \(\displaystyle x\) in each. The equation \(\displaystyle y = -\frac{4}{9}x+ 21\) is the only one with \(\displaystyle x\)-coefficient \(\displaystyle - \frac{4 }{9}\), so its slope is also \(\displaystyle - \frac{4 }{9}\). Since the lines of the equations are of the same slope, they are parallel, and the equations form a system of equations with no solution. The correct response is therefore \(\displaystyle y = -\frac{4}{9}x+ 21\).

Example Question #2061 : Sat Mathematics

If \(\displaystyle x+2y=6\) and \(\displaystyle y-z=7\), find the value of \(\displaystyle x+2z\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 12\)

\(\displaystyle -8\)

\(\displaystyle 14\)

\(\displaystyle 20\)

\(\displaystyle -14\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -8\)

Explanation:

There are three variables, but only 2 equations. With fewer equations than variables, it is not possible to solve for the value of each variable separately, but we can eliminate variables to manipulate the equation into the form we want.

Multiply the second equation by \(\displaystyle -2\) on both sides, resulting in \(\displaystyle -2y+2z=-14\).

Then add the equations together (allowed since we are adding the same thing to both sides, just in a different form):

\(\displaystyle (x+2y)+(-2y+2z)=6+(-14))\)

Simplify:

\(\displaystyle x+2z=-8\)

Resist the urge to keep working, since that's exactly what they've asked for. Done!

Example Question #71 : How To Find The Solution For A System Of Equations

\(\displaystyle -3x-2y=48\)

\(\displaystyle 3x+7y=-63\)

At what point on a graph do these lines intersect.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle (0,0)\)

\(\displaystyle (48,-63)\)

\(\displaystyle (5,-7)\)

\(\displaystyle (-14,-3)\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle (-14,-3)\)

Explanation:

Use the addition method to eliminate one variable and therefore solve the system of equations. 

\(\displaystyle -3x-2y=48\)

\(\displaystyle 3x+7y=-63\)

__________________

\(\displaystyle 5y=-15\)

\(\displaystyle y=-3\)

Now substitute to find x.

\(\displaystyle -3x-2(-3)=48\)

\(\displaystyle -3x+6=48\)

\(\displaystyle -3x=42\)

\(\displaystyle x=-14\)

\(\displaystyle (-14,-3)\)

Example Question #72 : How To Find The Solution For A System Of Equations

 A farmer sells only apples and oranges at his stand. Apples are $0.55 each and oranges are $0.65 each. If he makes $33.45 in one day after selling 55 total pieces of fruit, how many of each fruit did he sell?

Possible Answers:

32 oranges and 23 apples

25 oranges and 30 apples

47 oranges and 23 apples

32 oranges and 21 apples

Correct answer:

32 oranges and 23 apples

Explanation:

Translate the word problem into a system of equations:

\(\displaystyle A+O=55\)

\(\displaystyle 0.55A+0.65O=33.45\)

Use the first equation to solve for A in terms of O, or vice versa. 

\(\displaystyle A=55-O\)

Use substitution to solve for O in the second equation.

\(\displaystyle 0.55(55-O)+0.65O=33.45\)

\(\displaystyle 30.25-0.55O+0.65O=33.45\)

\(\displaystyle 30.25+0.1O=33.45\)

\(\displaystyle 0.1O=3.2\)

\(\displaystyle O=32\)

Now plug the value for O back into the first equation to solve for A.

\(\displaystyle A+32=55\)

\(\displaystyle A=23\)

Example Question #2061 : Sat Mathematics

If \(\displaystyle 3x + 72 = 9x + 120\), what does \(\displaystyle x\) equal?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle -16\)

\(\displaystyle -8\)

\(\displaystyle 8\)

\(\displaystyle -4\)

\(\displaystyle 32\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -8\)

Explanation:

Subtract \(\displaystyle 9x\) and \(\displaystyle 72\) from the both sides to get \(\displaystyle -6x = 48\)

Divide both sides by \(\displaystyle -6\), to get

 \(\displaystyle x=\frac{48}{-6}=-8\)

Example Question #2062 : Sat Mathematics

 

 

The graph below is the graph of a piece-wise function in some interval.  Identify, in interval notation, the decreasing interval.

 

Domain_of_a_sqrt_function

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \left ( -\infty ,-2\right )\cup \left ( 1,3\right]\)

\(\displaystyle \left ( -\infty ,\infty \right )\)

\(\displaystyle \left ( 1,3 \right )\)

\(\displaystyle (-\infty ,-2]\cup (-\infty ,1)\cup (1,3)\)

\(\displaystyle \left ( -\infty ,-2\right ]\cup \left ( 1,3 \right )\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \left ( 1,3 \right )\)

Explanation:

As is clear from the graph, in the interval between \(\displaystyle -2\) (\(\displaystyle -2\) included) to \(\displaystyle 1\), the \(\displaystyle f(x)\) is constant at \(\displaystyle 1\) and then from \(\displaystyle x=1\) (\(\displaystyle 1\) not included) to \(\displaystyle x=3\) (\(\displaystyle 3\) not included), the \(\displaystyle f(x)\) is a decreasing function.

Example Question #2063 : Sat Mathematics

Which of the following graphs correctly represents the quadratic inequality below (solutions to the inequalities are shaded in blue)?

\(\displaystyle y\geq2(x+1)^2\)

Possible Answers:

Incorrect3

Incorrect1

Incorrect4

Correct

Incorrect2

Correct answer:

Correct

Explanation:

To begin, we analyze the equation given: the base equation, \(\displaystyle y=x^{2}\) is shifted left one unit and vertically stretched by a factor of 2. The graph of the equation \(\displaystyle y\geq2(x+1)^2\) is:

Graph of equation

To solve the inequality, we need to take a test point and plug it in to see if it matches the inequality. The only points that cannot be used are those directly on our parabola, so let's use the origin \(\displaystyle (0,0)\). If plugging this point in makes the inequality true, then we shade the area containing that point (in this case, outside the parabola); if it makes the inequality untrue, then the opposite side is shaded (in this case, the inside of the parabola). Plugging the numbers in shows:

\(\displaystyle 0\geq2(0+1)^2\)

Simplified as:

\(\displaystyle 0\geq2\)

Which is not true, so the area inside of the parabola should be shaded, resulting in the following graph:

Correct

Example Question #2064 : Sat Mathematics

Sally spent $5.75 on pens and pencils for school. Each pencil cost 25 cents, and each pen cost 50 cents. If the number of pens Sally bought is one more than the number of pencils she bought, how many pencils and pens did she buy altogether?

 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 11\)

\(\displaystyle 15\)

\(\displaystyle 12\)

\(\displaystyle 8\)

\(\displaystyle 7\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 15\)

Explanation:

Let x be the number of pencils and y be the number of pens Sally purchased. We are told that each pencil costs 25 cents. Because, the total amount she spent was given in dollars, we want to convert 25 cents to dollars. Because there are 100 cents in one dollar, 25 cents  = $0.25. Similarly, each pen costs $0.50.

The amount that Sally spent on pencils is equal to the product of the number of pencils and the cost per pencil. We can model the amount of money spent on pencils as 0.25x.

Likewise, the amount Sally spent on pens is equal to the product of the number of pens and the cost per pen, or 0.5y.

Since we are told that Sally spent $5.75 total on pens and pencils combined, we can write the following:

\(\displaystyle 0.25x + 0.5y = 5.75\)

We are also told that the number of pens is one greater than the number of pencils. We can thus write:

\(\displaystyle y = x + 1\)

We now have two equations and two unknowns. In order to solve this system of equations, we can take the value of y = x + 1 and substitute it into the other equation.

\(\displaystyle 0.25x + 0.5(x + 1) = 5.75\)

Distribute.

\(\displaystyle 0.25x + 0.5x + 0.5 = 5.75\)

Combine x terms.

\(\displaystyle 0.75x + 0.5 = 5.75\)

Subtract 0.5 from both sides.

\(\displaystyle 0.75x = 5.25\)

Divide both sides by 0.75.

\(\displaystyle \\x = 7 \\y = x + 1 = 8\)

This means Sally bought 7 pencils and 8 pens. The question asks us to find the number of pens and pencils purchased altogether, which would equal

\(\displaystyle 7 + 8=15\)

The answer is 15.

Example Question #2065 : Sat Mathematics

If 

\(\displaystyle 4x = 2y\)

and 

\(\displaystyle y + x = 10\)

What is \(\displaystyle x\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{3}{10}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{10}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle 2\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{10}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{4}{10}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{10}{3}\)

Explanation:

First, solve this equation for y and then substitute the answer into the second equation:

\(\displaystyle \\4x = 2y \\\\y = \frac{4x}{2}=2x\)

Now substitute into the second equation and solve for x:

\(\displaystyle \\y + x = 10 \\2x + x = 10\)

To solve for x, add the coefficients on the x variables together then divide both sides by three. 

\(\displaystyle \\2x+x=10 \\3x=10 \\\\x=\frac{10}{3}\)

Example Question #2066 : Sat Mathematics

The park is full of people walking their dogs. If Mary counts 45 heads and 140 legs, how many dogs are present in the park?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 15\)

\(\displaystyle 35\)

\(\displaystyle 30\)

\(\displaystyle 25\)

\(\displaystyle 20\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 25\)

Explanation:

Set \(\displaystyle x\) as the number of people and \(\displaystyle y\) as the number of dogs.

 

The head equation is going to be:

\(\displaystyle x + y = 45\)

The legs equation is going to be:

\(\displaystyle 2x + 4y = 140\) 

Manipulating the first equation to solve for \(\displaystyle x\) results in the following.

\(\displaystyle \\x + y{\color{Red} -y} = 45{\color{Red} -y} \\x=45-y\)

Plugging in

\(\displaystyle x = 45 - y\) into the second equation and solving for \(\displaystyle y\), you get

\(\displaystyle \\2(45-y)+4y=140 \\90-2y+4y=140 \\90+2y=140 \\2y=50 \\y=25\)

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