SSAT Upper Level Math : SSAT Upper Level Quantitative (Math)

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Upper Level Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #801 : Ssat Upper Level Quantitative (Math)

Given:  and  and .

Which of the following statements would not be enough, along with what is given, to prove that ?

Possible Answers:

The given information is enough to prove the triangles similar.

Correct answer:

The given information is enough to prove the triangles similar.

Explanation:

Two pairs of corresponding angles are stated to be congruent in the main body of the problem; it follows from the Angle-Angle Similarity Postulate that the triangles are similar. No further information is needed.

Example Question #4 : How To Find If Two Acute / Obtuse Triangles Are Similar

. Which of the following is the ratio of the area of  to that of  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

 The similarity ratio of  to  is equal to the ratio of two corresponding sidelengths, which is given as ; the similarity ratio of  to  is the reciprocal of this, or .

The ratio of the area of a figure to that of one to which it is similar is the square of the similarity ratio, so the ratio of the area of  to that of  is 

Example Question #5 : How To Find If Two Acute / Obtuse Triangles Are Similar

 

Which of the following is true about ?

Possible Answers:

 is scalene and acute.

None of the other responses is correct.

 is isosceles and acute.

 is scalene and obtuse.

 is isosceles and obtuse.

Correct answer:

 is scalene and obtuse.

Explanation:

Corresponding angles of similar triangles are congruent, so the measures of the angles of  are equal to those of .

Two of the angles of  have measures  and ; its third angle measures 

.

One of the angles having measure greater than  makes  - and, consequently,  - an obtuse triangle. Also, the three angles have different measures, so the sides do as well, making  scalene.

Example Question #6 : How To Find If Two Acute / Obtuse Triangles Are Similar

.

Which of the following correctly gives the relationship of the angles of  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Corresponding angles of similar triangles are congruent, so .

Consequently, 

Therefore,

.

Example Question #1 : How To Find If Two Acute / Obtuse Triangles Are Similar

Which of the following correctly gives the relationship of the angles of 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Corresponding sides of similar triangles are in proportion; since ,

Therefore, 

The angle opposite the longest (shortest) side of a triangle is the angle of greatest (least) measure, so

.

Example Question #1 : How To Find If Two Acute / Obtuse Triangles Are Similar

.

Order the triangles by perimeter, least to greatest.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

 and  are corresponding sides of their respective triangles, and , so it easily follows from proportionality that each side of  is shorter than its corresponding side in . Therefore,  is of lesser perimeter than . By the same reasoning, since ,   is of lesser perimeter than .

The correct response is

Example Question #11 : How To Find If Two Acute / Obtuse Triangles Are Similar

.

.

Evaluate .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Corresponding sides of similar triangles are in proportion, so

Therefore,  as well. 

Again, by similarity,

Example Question #141 : Properties Of Triangles

.

.

Which of the following scenarios is possible ?

I)  is an acute triangle.

II)  is an obtuse triangle with  the obtuse angle.

III)  is an obtuse triangle with  the obtuse angle.

IV)  is an obtuse triangle with  the obtuse angle.

Possible Answers:

II, III, and IV only

II and IV only

I and III only

I, II, III, and IV

I only

Correct answer:

I and III only

Explanation:

Corresponding angles of similar triangles are congruent, so  and . Since , it follows that . Since a triangle cannot have two angles that measure more than , both  and  are acute. No information is given about , so  can be acute, right, or obtuse. Therefore, scenarios (I) and (III) are possible, but not (II) or (IV).

Example Question #13 : How To Find If Two Acute / Obtuse Triangles Are Similar

.

Which of the following is true about  ?

Possible Answers:

None of the other responses is correct.

 is scalene and obtuse.

 is scalene and acute.

 is isosceles and acute.

 is isosceles and obtuse.

Correct answer:

 is isosceles and acute.

Explanation:

Corresponding sides of similar triangles are in proportion, so 

 and .

Substituting, we have from the first statement

Since  is isosceles. 

We can compare the sum of the squares of the lesser two sides to that of the greatest. 

The sum of the squares of the lesser two sides is greater than the square of the third, so  is acute.

Example Question #51 : Acute / Obtuse Triangles

 

Which of the following is true about ?

Possible Answers:

 is scalene and acute.

None of the other responses is correct.

 is scalene and obtuse.

 is isosceles and obtuse.

 is isosceles and acute.

Correct answer:

 is isosceles and acute.

Explanation:

Corresponding angles of similar triangles are congruent, so the measures of the angles of  are equal to those of .

, so . Also , so

.

All three angles have measure less than , so  is acute. Also, two of the angles are congruent, so by the Converse of the Isosceles Triangle Theorem,  is isosceles.

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