CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 409

Skill 1: Understanding Geometric Relationships

Lesson 1: Intersecting and parallel lines

D C
y°
180 − x°
x° 180 − x°
x°
180 − x° x°
x° x°
x°
180 − x°
x°
A B E
Helpful Tip
In the figure above, ABCD is a parallelogram, and
point B lies on AE . If x = 40, what is the value of y ? When dealing with parallel lines, especially in
complicated figures, we can simplify things by
A) 40 B) 50 C) 60 D) 70
considering angles in pairs. The important pairs
form one of four letters: F, Z, C, or U.
(Medium) Since ABCD is a parallelogram, we can take
advantage of the Parallel Lines Theorem.

The Intersecting Lines Theorem x°

y°
When two lines cross, four angles are formed. The
vertical angles are congruent and adjacent angles x° y°
are supplementary (that is, they have a sum of 180 ).

180 − x°
x°
x° w°
180 − x°
180 − w° 180 − z°
The Parallel Lines Theorem z°

When two parallel lines are crossed by a third

line, eight angles are formed. If the third line is
perpendicular to one of the parallel lines, then
it’s perpendicular to the other and all eight
angles are right angles. Otherwise, all four acute First, let’s mark up the diagram with what we know from
angles are congruent, all four obtuse angles are the Parallel Lines Theorem.
congruent, and any acute angle is supplementary
to any obtuse angle. D C
y° 180 − y°

x°
x°
180 − y° y° x°
A B E

Since the pairs of opposite sides are parallel, the consec-

utive angles in the parallelogram must be supplemen-
tary (that is, have a sum of 180 ). Notice that these pairs

10_SAT2019.indd 409 3/25/18 2:52 PM

 410 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

of consecutive angles form “U”s or “C”s as mentioned (Hard) Although our diagram includes parallel lines,
in the previous Helpful Tip. This implies that opposite it doesn’t seem to show any of the parallel line “letter
angles are congruent in a parallelogram. pairs” that we discussed above, because no line directly
connects the parallel lines. We can fix this problem by
Since ABE is a straight (180 ) angle: drawing an extra line that’s parallel to l and m through
y + x + x + x = 180 the vertex of the angle.
Substitute x = 40 and simplify: y + 120 = 180
Subtract 120: y = 60
Therefore, the correct answer is (C).

43°
43° l
36°
43° 36°
x° l
m
36°
Now we have two “Z” pairs of angles (otherwise
m known as “alternate interior” pairs) that show that the
middle angle is actually the sum of two smaller angles
In the figure above, lines l and m are parallel. of 36 and 43 , and therefore, x = 36 + 43 = 79, and the
What is the value of x? correct answer is (B).

A) 43 B) 79 C) 86 D) 101

10_SAT2019.indd 410 3/25/18 2:52 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 411

Lesson 2: Triangles

Angle Sum Theorem Exterior Angle Theorem

The sum of the measures of the angles in any tri- If the side of a triangle is extended beyond a ver-
angle is 180 . tex, it makes an exterior angle with the adjacent
side. The measure of this exterior angle is equal
to the sum of the two remote interior angles.
a°
b° c°

a° b°

c°

(a+b)°
We can prove this with the “draw an extra line” a°
trick. If we take any triangle, pick any of its ver-
tices, and draw a line through that vertex that is
parallel to the opposite side, we get a picture like The Triangle Inequality
the one above. Since the line we’ve drawn is a
180 angle, and since the “Z” angle pairs must be The sum of any two sides of a triangle must always
congruent, we’ve proven that a + b + c = 180. be greater than the third side.

Side-Angle Theorem
The largest angle in a triangle is always across a+b>c
from the largest side, and the smallest angle is c
b b+c>a
always across from the smallest side.
c+a>b

60° a
c
a a<b<c

70° 50°
b

Isosceles Triangle Theorem

If two sides in a triangle are congruent, the two
angles across from those sides are also congru-
ent. Conversely, if two angles in a triangle are
congruent, the two sides across from them are
also congruent.

10_SAT2019.indd 411 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 412 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

You may remember from studying geometry that any

B “inscribed” angle (an angle inside a circle with a vertex
on the circle) intercepts an arc on the circle that is twice
its measure. Since angle ABC is an inscribed angle that
intercepts a 180 arc, it must have a measure of 90 and
therefore, x + y = 90.

x° 108° y°
b°
A D C

In the figure above, if AD = DB = DC, what is the

value of x + y ? a°
c°
A) 72
B) 90
C) 96
D) 108 The figure above shows three intersecting lines.
What is the value of c in terms of a and b ?

(Medium) Since angle ADB and angle BDC are supple- A) 180 - a - b
mentary and AD = DB = DC, we can take advantage of B) 180 - a + b
the Isosceles Triangle Theorem to mark up the diagram.
C) 90 + b - a
B
D) a+b

x° y°
(Easy) First, we should notice that two of the angles are
“vertical” to two interior angles of the triangle, and the
other is an exterior angle.
x° 108° 72° y° b°
A D C

Now let’s look at triangle ABC. Since its interior angles a° b°

must have a sum of 180 , x + x + y + y = 180, and therefore, a°
2x + 2y = 180 and x + y = 90. So the correct answer is (B). c°
Notice that this fact is independent of the measures of the
other two (108 and 72 ) angles. As long as AD = DB = DC,
this relationship will hold. We can see these angle relation-
ships if we notice that these three segments could all be Since the c angle is an exterior angle to the triangle, the
radii of a circle centered at D. Exterior Angle Theorem tells us that c = a + b, so the cor-
rect answer is (D).
B
Alternately, we could just choose reasonable values
x° y° for a and b, like a = 50 and b = 90, and then analyze the
diagram in terms of these values. This would imply that
the interior angles of the triangle are 50 , 90 , and 40 ,
and c would then be the measure of the supplement of
x° 108° 72° y°
A C 40 , which is 140 . If we then plug these values for a and
D b into all of the choices, the only one that yields 140 is D.

10_SAT2019.indd 412 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 413

Lesson 3: The xy-plane

y Working in the Coordinate Plane

A B Finding Segment Midpoints. To find the coordi-

nates of a midpoint, just average the coordinates
of the endpoints.

x y
O (x1, y 1) x1 + x2 y1 + y2
,
Note: Figure not drawn to scale. 2 2
(x2 , y 2 )
In the xy-plane above, points A and B lie on the
graph of the line y = 6. If OB has a slope of 1 and x
2 O
AB = 5, what is the slope of OA ?

Finding Slopes. To find the slope of a line in the

xy-plane from any two points on the line, use the
slope formula.

(Medium-hard) To analyze this diagram, we must recall y

the definition of slope from Chapter 7, Lesson 5.
(x2 , y 2 )
y
rise = y2 − y1
A 5 B (x1 , y 1 )

run = x2 − x1
6 6 x
O
x
O 7 C 5 D
12
rise y2 − y1
slope = =
run x2 − x1
First, let’s drop two perpendicular segments from A
and B to points C and D, respectively, on the x-axis. Since
A and B lie on the line y = 6, they are both 6 units from the Finding Areas. Remember that the area of a
x-axis, and so AC = BD = 6. Then, since the slope of OB figure is just the number of unit squares that fit
is ½, BD/OD = ½, and therefore, OD = 12. Since AB = 5, inside it. You don’t always need to use a special
CD = 5 also, and therefore, OC = 12 - 5 = 7. (Don’t formula to find the area of a figure. Even for very
worry that OC looks shorter than CD in the diagram. complicated shapes, you can sometimes find the
Remember, the figure is not drawn to scale!) This gives us area just by counting squares.
everything we need to find the slope of OA , which con-
nects (0, 0) to (7, 6). By the slope formula from Chapter 7, y
Lesson 5, slope = (6 - 0)/(7 - 0) = 6/7 = 0.857.

Area = 14.5 square units

x

10_SAT2019.indd 413 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 414 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

(Medium) To find the midpoint of a segment, we just

y
need to take the average of the endpoints. Point M, the
midpoint of AB, therefore has coordinates
A(−2, 12) D (14, 14)
− 2 + 4 12 + 0
, = (1, 6 ) , and point N, the midpoint
⎝ 2 2 ⎠
14 + 14 6 + 14
C (14, 6) of CD, has coordinates , = (14 , 10 ).
⎝ 2 2 ⎠
By the Slope Formula, then, the slope of MN is
x
O B(4, 0) 10 − 6 4
= = 0.307 or 0.308 .
14 − 1 13

In the figure above, point M (not shown) is the

midpoint of AB and point N (not shown) is the
midpoint of CD . What is the slope of MN ?

10_SAT2019.indd 414 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 415

Lesson 4: The Pythagorean Theorem and

the Distance Formula

y The Pythagorean Theorem

If a, b, and c represent the sides of a right triangle
A(2, 18) B(15, 18) in which c is the longest side (the hypotenuse),

a 2 + b 2 = c2
A

D (−3, 6) C (24, 6) c
x
O b

What is the perimeter of quadrilateral ABCD in B

C a
the figure above?

Special Right Triangles

The SAT Math test expects you to be familiar with
four families of special right triangles: 45 -45 -
(Medium) The perimeter of a figure is the distance 90 triangles, 30 -60 -90 triangles, 3-4-5 tri-
around its edges. It’s easy to find the lengths of AB angles, and 5-12-13 triangles. Take some time
and DC because they are horizontal. The length of a to familiarize yourself with these particular side-
horizontal segment is just the difference between the side relationships and side-angle relationships
x-coordinates of its endpoints. The length of AB is 15 - so that you can use these relationships when you
2 = 13, and the length of DC is 24 - (-3) = 27. To find recognize these triangles in SAT Math questions.
the lengths of AD and BC , we can drop two vertical
lines from points A and B to the bottom edge. This shows
that AD and BC are hypotenuses of two right triangles 45° s 2 2x 60°
as shown in the figure below. s x

30°
y 45°
s x 3
A(2, 18) B(15, 18)
13
12 12 5x 13y
5 13 9 3x 5y
D (−3, 6) C (24, 6)
x 4x 12y
O

(3x)2 + (4x)2 = (5x)2 (5y)2 + (12y)2 = (13y)2

(Take a minute to confirm the lengths of all the segments
9x2 + 16x2 = 25x2 25y 2 + 144y 2 = 169y 2
for yourself.) With this information, we can find AD and
BC by the Pythagorean Theorem.

10_SAT2019.indd 415 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 416 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

So, according to our diagram: AD2 = 52 + 122 = 169 Take the square root: AD = 13
BC 2 = 92 + 122 = 225 BC = 15
Notice that triangle on the left is a 5-12-13 special right Therefore, the perimeter of ABCD is 13 + 15 + 27 +
triangle, and the triangle on the right is a 3-4-5 special 13 = 68.
right triangle. Noticing these relationships provides a
shortcut to using the Pythagorean Theorem.

The Distance Formula

d = ( x 2 − x1 )2 + ( y 2 − y1 )2

We can generalize the technique we used in the previous problem to find the distance between any two points
in the xy-plane. Just think of this distance as the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle, as in the figure
below. In other words, the Pythagorean Theorem and the Distance Formula are one and the same.
y
(x2 , y 2 )

d
|y2 − y1 |

(x1 , y 1 ) |x2 − x1 | (x2 , y 1 )

x
O

By the Pythagorean Theorem: |x2 − x1|2 + |y2 − y1|2 = d2

Take the square root: d = ( x 2 − x1 )2 + ( y 2 − y1 )2

The 3-D Distance Formula

d = ( x 2 − x1 )2 + ( y 2 − y1 )2 + ( z 2 − z1 )2

If we need to find the distance between two points in three-dimensional xyz-space, we just need to use a modi-
fied version of the distance formula that includes the extra z-dimension. You can see where this formula comes
from if you imagine trying to find the length of the longest diagonal through a rectangular box.

B
w
D l C

The length of this diagonal, AC, is also the hypotenuse of right triangle ABC, and so its length is given by the
Pythagorean Theorem.
Pythagorean Theorem for ABC: AC = ( AB )2 + (BC )2
Pythagorean Theorem for BDC: (BC)2 = (BD)2 + (DC)2
Substitute: AC = ( AB )2 + (BD )2 + (DC )2

AC = l 2 + w 2 + h 2
Since AB = h, BD = w, and DC = l

10_SAT2019.indd 416 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 417

Exercise Set 1: Geometry (No Calculator)

1 4

M Q N l

x°
m

(x + 5)° y°
P O

In the figure above, MNOP is a square and Q is the

20 Lines l and m are parallel in the figure above.
midpoint of MN . If QO = , what is the area of Which of the following expresses the value of y in
3
square MNOP ? terms of x ?
A) 95 - 2x
B) 165 - 2x
C) 175 - 2x
2 D) 185 - 2x

5
40° y
l
87°
x°
(3, 13) (12, 13)
m

(3, 5) (18, 5)

x
O
Lines l and m are parallel in the figure above. What
is the value of x ?
In the figure above, what is the distance between
3 the midpoints (not shown) of the two line
segments?
A) 68 B) 73 C) 76
a°
D) 78

240° 6
c° What is the perimeter of an equilateral triangle
b° inscribed in a circle with circumference 24 ?
A) 36 2 B) 30 3

C) 36 3 D) 24 6

In the figure above, what is the value of a + b + c ?

10_SAT2019.indd 417 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 418 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Exercise Set 1: Geometry (Calculator)

Questions 7–9 are based on the figure below. 11

y
A(3, 15)
y°
x
B(10, 12) 3m

2y° y°

2m + 5
C(10, 2)
x Note: Figure not drawn to scale.
O

In the figure above, what is the value of x ?

Note: Figure not drawn to scale.
A) 5 2 B) 5 3 C) 15 2 D) 15 3
7
In the figure above, what is the perimeter of
quadrilateral ABCO, to the nearest integer?
Questions 12–15 are based on the information
below.

In the xy-plane, ABCD is a square. Point A has

coordinates (-1, 2) and point B has coordinates
8 (3, 5).
In the figure above, what is the area, in square
units, of ABCO ? 12
Which of the following could be the coordinates
of C ?
A) (0, 9) B) (6, 0) C) (2, -2) D) (-4, 6)

9
13
In the figure above, point K (not shown) is the mid-
point of OA, and point M (not shown) is the What is the area of square ABCD ?
midpoint of AB. What is the slope of KM ? A) 25 B) 28 C) 30 D) 32

14
What is the slope of BC ?
A) - 4 B) - 3 C) 3 D) 4
10 3 4 4 3
In the xy-plane, point H has coordinates (2, 1) and
point J has coordinates (11, 13). If HK is parallel to 15
the x-axis and JK is parallel to the y-axis, what it What is the distance between C and the midpoint
the perimeter of triangle HJK ? of AB ?

A) 50 B) 125 C) 50
4 4 2

D) 125
2

10_SAT2019.indd 418 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 419

EXERCISE SET 1: GEOMETRY ANSWER KEY

No Calculator 4. C Using the Crossed Lines Theorem and the

Parallel Lines Theorem, we can mark up the diagram
1. 16/9 or 1.77 or 1.78 If we define x as the like this:
length of QN , then the length of one side of the square is
2x, and so the area of square MNOP is (2x)(2x) = 4x2. To l
find this value, we can apply the Pythagorean Theorem
(x + 5)°
to right triangle QNO: x°
2
(x + 5)° m
20 y°
x 2 + ( 2 x )2 = x°
⎝ 3 ⎠ x°
20 (x + 5)° y°
Simplify: 5x 2 =
9
Divide by 5: 20 4
x2 = = This shows that x + y + x + 5 = 180, and so y = 175 - 2x.
45 9
Multiply by 4: 16
4x 2 = = 1.77 or 1.78 5. B The midpoint of the top segment is
9
3 + 12 13 + 13 15
, = , 13 , and the midpoint of
2. 133 The key is to notice simple relationships ⎝ 2 2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠
between angles until we get around to x. the bottom segment is 3 + 18 5 + 5 21 ,
, = ,5
⎝ 2 2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠
therefore, the distance between them is
2
40° 21 15
47° − + (13 − 5)2 = 3 2 + 82 = 7 3
93° 133° l ⎝2 2 ⎠
87°
x°
47°
6. C To solve this problem we must draw a diagram
m and find the relationship between the radius of the circle
and the sides of the triangle. By the Isosceles Triangle
Theorem, if all three sides of a triangle are congruent, then
3. 210 Draw three lines as shown: all three angles must be congruent. Since these angles
also must have a sum of 180 , they must each be 60 . If we
draw the bisectors of each of these angles, we divide the
a° triangle into six smaller triangles. These smaller triangles
are congruent 30 -60 -90 triangles, as shown here:

240°
c°
b°

Since the polygon divides into 3 triangles, the sum of its 6 12

internal angles is (3)(180 ) = 540 . Therefore a + b + c +
240 + 90 = 540, and so a + b + c = 210. 6 3

Since the circumference of the circle (2 r) is 24 , its

radius is 12. Since each of the hypotenuses of our right
triangles is also a radius of the circle, we can find all
of the sides of these triangles using the 30 -60 -90
relationships. Each side of the equilateral triangle is
therefore 2 (6 3 ) = 12 3 , and its perimeter is therefore

3 (12 3 ) = 36 3 .

10_SAT2019.indd 419 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 420 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Calculator have measure 15. Using the Pythagorean Theorem or the

45 -45 -90 shortcut, we can see that x =15 2.
7. 43 Using the distance formula, we can calcu-
late the lengths of each segment. OA = 234 ≈ 15.30 ,
12. A The key to questions 12 through 15 is a good
AB = 58 ≈ 7.6 1 , BC = 10, and OC = 104 ≈ 10.20 . diagram in the xy-plane that represents the given
Therefore, the perimeter is approximately 15.30 + 7.61 + information:
10 + 10.20 = 43.11, which rounds to 43.
y
8. 107 Since we do not have a formula that directly
C2(0, 9)
calculates the area of such an odd-shaped quadrilateral,
we must analyze its area in terms of simpler shapes. D2(−4, 6)
The simplest way to do this is by drawing a box around 4 B(3, 5)
it. This turns the area of interest into a rectangle minus 3
three right triangles, all of which have areas that can be M
A(−1, 2)
easily calculated. C1(6, 1)
x
y D1(2, −2)
A(3, 15) (10, 15)
22.5 10.5
B(10, 12) If ABCD is a square, then the points A, B, C, and D must
appear in that order around the square. Notice that to get
150 − 22.5 − 10.5 − 10 = 107
from point A to point B, we must move 4 units to the right
and 3 units up. This means that, in order to get to point
C along a perpendicular of the same length, we must go
10
C (10, 2) either 3 units right and 4 units down, or 3 units left and
x 4 units up. This puts us either at (6, 1) or (0, 9).
O

13. A The diagram shows that AB is the length of the

hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs 3 and 4. You
9. 6/5 or 1.2 The midpoint of OA is (1.5, 7.5) and should recognize this as the special 3-4-5 right triangle.
the midpoint of AB is (6.5, 13.5); therefore, the slope If AB = 5, then the area of the square is 52 = 25.
of the segment between them is 6/5.
14. A Notice that the slope of BC is the same regard-
10. 36 If point K is on the same horizontal line as (2, 1), less of which option we choose for C. In either case, the
it must have a y-coordinate of 1, and if it is on the same slope formula tells us that the slope is -4/3.
vertical line as (11, 13), it must have an x-coordinate
of 11. Therefore, K is the point (11, 1), and so HK = 9, JK =
15. D The midpoint of AB (point M above) is (1, 3.5).
12, and HJ = 92 + 122 = 225 = 15 . Notice that it is a We can use the distance formula to find the distance
3-4-5 triangle! between this point and either of the possible locations
of C. (Notice that the distance is the same either way.)
11. C Since the sum of the interior angles of any tri- Alternately, we might notice that MC is the hypotenuse
angle is 180 , y + y + 2y = 4y = 180, and therefore y = of a right triangle with legs 5 and 2.5. Either way, we get a
45. Therefore, this is a 45 -45 -90 right triangle. Since 125
value of .
two angles are equal, the two opposite sides must also be 2
equal, so 3m = 2m + 5 and so m = 5 and the two legs each

10_SAT2019.indd 420 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 421

Lesson 5: Circles

Which of the following equations represents a cir- What is the area, in square centimeters, of a circle
cle in the xy-plane that passes through the point with circumference of 16 centimeters?
(1, 5) and has a center of (3, 2) ?
A) 8
A) ( x − 3)2 + ( y − 2)2 = 13
B) 16
B) (x - 3)2 + (y - 2)2 = 13
C) 32
C) (x - 1)2 + (y - 5)2 = 13
D) 64
D) (x - 3)2 + (y - 2)2 = 25

(Easy) If the circumference of the

circle is 16 centimeters: 2 r = 16
Equations of Circles Divide by 2 : r=8
( x − h )2 + ( y − k )2 = r 2 Therefore, by the
area formula: Area = r 2 = (8)2 = 64
A circle is defined as the set of all points in a plane So the correct answer is (D).
that are a fixed distance, r, from a fixed point,
(h, k). The distance r is called the radius and (h, k)
is the center.
Circumference of a Circle
y
circumference = d = 2 r
(x, y ) 1d
r

Start
(h, k )
d circumference
πd π=
diameter
3d
x
O
2d
Therefore, by the Distance Formula, any point
(x, y) on the circle must satisfy the equation The number ( 3.14159  .  .  .) is defined as the
number of diameters it takes to get around a
r = ( x − h) + ( y − k )
2 2
circle. Put another way, is the ratio of the cir-
cumference of any circle to its diameter. Since any
or (x - h)2 + (y - k)2 = r 2 diameter is twice the radius,

circumference circumference
π= = and so
diameter 2r
circumference = 2 r
(Easy) Since our circle has a center at (3, 2), its equa-
tion must have the form (x - 3)2 + (y - 2)2 = r 2, which Area of a Circle
eliminates choice (C). To find r, the radius, we sim-
ply have to find the distance between the center and A = r2
any point on the circle. By the distance formula, this If we cut any circle into tiny enough sectors, and
is (3 − 1)2 + (2 − 5)2 = 4 + 9 = 13 , and therefore, reassemble them as shown below, we can create
a parallelogram-like shape that has a height of
( 13 ) = 13. The correct answer is (B). If you chose
2
r2 =
r and a length that is half of the circumference,
(A), keep in mind that the equation for a circle has r2 on or r.
the right side, not r.

10_SAT2019.indd 421 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 422 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

(Hard) The first thing we should do is draw radius OP.

Since this is a radius to the point of tangency, it is per-
r πr pendicular to the tangent. We should also write in the
given measures.
r
The area of the circle is 100 : (OP)2 = 100
πr Divide by : (OP)2 = 100
Take square root: OP = 10
Since the area of any parallelogram is equal to its base
times its height, the area of a circle is ( r)(r) = r2.
M

P
Tangents to Circles
269
A tangent line to a curve is a line that touches the 10 Q
curve without crossing it. A tangent line to any
circle is perpendicular to the radius at the point O 244
of tangency.

Notice that OP is the height of triangle MOQ if MQ

is taken as its base. If we can find the length of base MQ,
bh
we can simply use the triangle angle formula A = .
2
To find MQ, we can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find
MP and PQ and just add them together.
Pythagorean Theorem for
( 269 )
2
triangle OPM: 102 + ( MP )2 =

Pythagorean Theorem for

( 244 )
2
M triangle OPQ: 102 + ( PQ)2 =
P Simplify: 100 + (MP)2 = 269
100 + (PQ)2 = 244
Q
Subtract 100: (MP)2 = 169
O (PQ)2 = 144
Take square root: MP = 13
PQ = 12

In the figure above, MQ is tangent to the circle at Therefore MQ =

point P, MO = 269 , and OQ = 244 . If the circle MP + PQ =
bh 25 ×10
has an area of 100 , what is the area of triangle 13 + 12 = 25, so: Area of MOQ = = = 125
2 2
MOQ ?

10_SAT2019.indd 422 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 423

Lesson 6: Radians, chords, arcs, and sectors

What is the degree measure of an angle that mea- π radians π

sures 4.5 radians? 90° = 90° × = radians
180° 2
A) 4.5 B) π° C) 810° D) 4π°
π 180°
40 9 π radians = π × = 180°
π radians

(Medium) Although many students will get this question 3π 3π 180°

radians = × = 270°
wrong, it is very simple if you know how to convert radi- 2 2 π radians
ans to degrees. All we need to do to convert any radian
measure to a degree measure is to multiply it by the 180°
2π radians = 2π × = 360°
conversion factor 180° (as explained below). π radians
π radians
180° 810°
Therefore, 4.5 radians = 4.5 radians × = ,
π radians π
and the correct answer is (C).

Take some time to memorize the radian mea-

The Radian sures of the common degree measures above.
A radian is simply the radius of a circle used as a Put them on flashcards and study them until
“measuring stick” for an arc on the circle and for you’ve mastered them.
its corresponding central angle.

A
1 radian

B
1 radius

The circle above has an area of 100 square centi-

meters. If chord AB is 8 centimeters long, how far,
Because circumference = 2 r, a full rotation
in centimeters, is AB from the center of the circle?
of 360 equals 2 radians, and 180 equals
radians.
A) 6 B) 8 C) 72 D) 84
π radians
Therefore, we may use as a conversion
180°
factor to convert a degree measure to radians,
(Medium) First, let’s draw three extra line segments:
and 180° as a conversion factor to convert
π radians A
a radian measure to degrees. 10 4
x 4
π radians π B
30° = 30° × = radians 10
180° 6

π radians π
45° = 45° × = radians
180° 4 Since r2 = 100 , r = 10. If we draw a perpendicular from
the center to the chord, the length of this segment is the
π radians π distance from the center to the chord. This segment also
60° = 60° × = radians
180° 3 bisects the chord, dividing it into two equal segments of 4
centimeters each. This allows us to use the Pythagorean
Theorem to find this distance: 42 + x2 = 102

10_SAT2019.indd 423 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 424 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Simplify: 16 + x2 = 100 (Medium) Since the circle has a radius of 12, its circum-
Subtract 16: x2 = 84 ference is 2 (12) = 24 . Since AC is a diameter, then the
measure of arc AC is half the circumference, or 12 . If
Take square root: x = 84
the length of arc AB is 7 , then the length of arc BC is
Therefore, the correct answer is (D). 12 - 7 = 5 . Since the central angle of x is the same
fraction of 360 as its arc BC is to the
x 5p
entire circumference, =
360 24p

Chords Cross multiply: 24 x = 1,800

A chord is any line segment that connects two Divide by 24 : x = 75

points on a circle. The longest chord in a circle is
its diameter, which passes through the center. Therefore, the correct answer is (C).

The perpendicular segment from the center of

the circle to a chord always bisects that chord.
Arcs and Sectors
An arc is a continuous part of the circumference
of a circle. Every arc has a corresponding central
angle. The ratio of an arc length to the circum-
ference is equal to the ratio of its central angle
to 360 (or, in radians, 2 ).

O
x°
A r

B
12
O x° B
(

m AB x
=
2πr 360

C A sector is a part of the interior of a circle bounded

Note: Figure not drawn to scale. by an arc and two radii. The ratio of a sector area
to the area of the circle is equal to the ratio of its
In the figure above, AC is a diameter of the circle central angle to 360 (or, in radians, 2 ).
with center O, OB = 12, and the length of arc AB is
7 . What is the value of x ?
A) 60
r
B) 72 O
x°
C) 75
D) 78

area of sector x
=
pr 2
360

10_SAT2019.indd 424 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 425

(Medium-Hard) Since OA, OB, and OC are all radii,

A triangles AOB and BOC are isosceles. Therefore, we
B
can analyze the diagram with the Isosceles Triangle
Theorem and the Angle Sum Theorem:

7 A B
70° 70°
O
20°
7 20°
40°
140°
O
C 20°
Note: Figure not drawn to scale.

In the figure above, AC is a diameter of the circle C

with center O, OB = 7, and the measure of ACB is
20 . What is the area of the shaded sector?
Since the central angle of the sector is 40 , the area of the
sector is 40 /360 = 1/9 the area of the circle. Since the
A) 14p area of the circle is (7)2 = 49 , the area of the sector is
12
49 /9 square units. Therefore, the correct answer is (D).

B) 14p
9

C) 49p
12

D) 49p
9

10_SAT2019.indd 425 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 426 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Lesson 7: Areas and volumes

Reference Information
Every SAT Math section will include the following Reference Information. Take some time to familiarize
yourself with these area and volume formulas.

l
45° s 2
r c 2x 60° s
w h b x
30° 45°
b a s
x 3
1
A= r2 A = lw A= bh c 2 = a2 + b 2 Special Right Triangles
C= r 2

r r h h
h
h
r w
w
l l
4 3 1 2 1
V = lwh V= r 2h V= r V= rh V= lwh
3 3 3

The number of degrees of arc in a circle is 360.

The number of radians of arc in a circle is 2 .
The sum of the measures in degrees of the angles of a triangle is 180.

(Medium) To find the mass of the tube, we must multiply

its density by its volume. To find its volume, we must sub-
tract the volume of cylindrical hole from the volume of
the wooden cylinder. The large cylinder has a radius of 2
(remember, the diameter is 4 and so the radius is 4 ¸ 2 =
2) and a length of 10, so its volume is (2)2(10) = 40 . The
cylindrical hole has a radius of 1 (because its diameter
is 2) and a length of (0.40)(10) = 4, so the volume of the
hole is (1)2(4) = 4 . Therefore the total volume of the
The figure above shows a wooden cylindrical tube closed tube is 40 - 4 = 36 113.1. Since the mass
with a length of 10 centimeters and a diameter of is equal to the volume times the density, its mass is
4 centimeters with a cylindrical hole with a diame- (113.1)(4.2) = 475 grams, so the correct answer is (D).
ter of 2 centimeters that extends 40% of the length
of the tube. The tube is closed on the end opposite
to the hole. The density of the wood is 4.2 grams
per cubic centimeter. What is the mass of this tube,
to the nearest gram? (Recall that mass = density ´
volume)
A) 151 grams
B) 343 grams
C) 468 grams
D) 475 grams

10_SAT2019.indd 426 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 427

In this case, we can look at this area in two different

y ways: as a rectangle plus two right triangles, or as a bigger
rectangle minus two right triangles:
A(2, 18) B(15, 18) y

A(2, 18) B(15, 18)

13
D (−3, 6) C (24, 6) 12 12
x
O 5 13 9
D (−3, 6) C (24, 6)
x
O
What is the area, in square units, of quadrilateral
ABCD above?

A(2, 18) B(15, 18)

5 13 9
(Medium) You might remember this figure from Lesson
12 12
4, in which we found its perimeter. Now we are asked to
find its area. Unfortunately, we are not given any formula
for calculating the area of this kind of quadrilateral. (You D (−3, 6) 27 C (24, 6)
might remember that its technical name is a trapezoid, x
O
but in fact we don’t need to know anything special about
trapezoids to solve this problem.) In such situations, it
helps to remember the Strange Area Rule. We should get the same result from either method.
With the first method, the area of the trapezoid is the
area of the rectangle plus the areas of two right trian-
Strange Area Rule
gles. This gives us a total area of (12)(13) + (1/2)(5)(12) +
When asked to find a “strange area,” that is, the (1/2)(9)(12) = 156 + 30 + 54 = 240. With the second
area of a region for which you do not have a sim- method, the area of the trapezoid is the area of the
ple formula, try to analyze the region into the large rectangle minus the areas of the two right trian-
sum or the difference of simpler shapes. gles. This gives us a total area of (12)(27) - (1/2)(5)(12) -
(1/2)(9)(12) = 324 - 30 - 54 = 240. Bingo!

10_SAT2019.indd 427 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 428 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Lesson 8: Similar figures

(Medium) The key to this question is noticing that the

D two triangles are similar. That is, that they are the same
shape, although they may be different sizes.
x°
m B
Similarity
P 10 In geometry, similar really just means the same
8 shape. Two figures are similar if and only if all
pairs of corresponding angles are congruent, and
A 7 all pairs of corresponding sides are proportional.
x°

C Helpful Tip
Always be on the lookout for similar triangles in
In the figure above, AB and CD are line segments SAT Math questions, because they allow you to
that intersect at point P. What is the value of m? set up equations based on equal angles or pro-
portional sides. You can then solve these equa-
tions to find missing parts!

AA (Angle-Angle) Similarity Theorem

If two triangles have two pairs of congruent corresponding angles, then (1) the remaining pair of corresponding
angles must be congruent, and (2) the triangles must be similar.

B
E
y° ABC ∼ DEF
y°
ACB ≅ DFE
x°
D AB AC BC
x° = =
A F DE DF EF
C

SAS (Side-Angle-Side) Similarity Theorem

If two triangles have two pairs of proportional corresponding sides, and the corresponding angles between
those sides are also congruent, then the triangles must be similar.

B
E
ABC ∼ DEF
AB AC ACB ≅ DFE
=
DE DF
x° ABC ≅ DEF
D
x° AB AC BC
A F = =
DE DF EF
C

Perimeters, Areas, and Volumes of Similar Figures

If two polygons are similar with corresponding sides in ratio of a:b, then the corresponding perimeters of
those figures have a ratio of a:b and their corresponding areas have a ratio of a2:b2. If two solids have corre-
sponding lengths in a ratio of a:b, then their volumes have a ratio of a3:b3.

10_SAT2019.indd 428 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 429

Coming back to our diagram, if AB and CD inter-

sect at point P, the Crossed Lines Theorem tells us that c
APC and BPD must be congruent, and so, by the AA
Theorem, APC BPD. Therefore, the corresponding
a
sides are proportional:
8 7
=
10 m
Cross multiply: 8m = 70
Divide by 8: m = 70/8 = 8.75
Garden b d

Walkway

8 cm
The figure above shows a scale drawing of a rect-
angular garden surrounded by a walkway that is 6
feet wide. If the ratio of a to b is 5:8, and the ratio
of c to d is 3:4, what is the area of the garden (not
including the walkway), in square feet?

The figure above shows a fluted glass filled with

water to a height of 8 centimeters. The interior of
the glass is a right cone. If the water in the glass (Hard) Since the ratio of the width of the garden to its
has a volume of 64 milliliters, how many more length is 5 to 8, let’s call the width of the garden 5x and
milliliters of water must be added so that the water the length of the garden 8x, where all lengths are in feet.
reaches a height of 12 centimeters? (1 milliliter = 1 Now, since the walkway is 6 feet wide all around, c =
cubic centimeter) 5x + 6 + 6 = 5x + 12 feet, and d = 8x + 6 + 6 = 8x + 12 feet.
Since we are given the ratio of these two lengths, we can
set up an equation and solve.
5x + 12 3
=
8 x + 12 4

Use the Law of Cross-Multiplication:

(Hard) Many students will make this problem harder by
20x + 48 = 24x + 36
1
trying to use the cone volume formula (V = πr2h). This Subtract 20x and 36 from both sides: 12 = 4x
3
is messy and unnecessary. Instead, notice that the origi- Divide by 4: 3=x
nal volume of water and the final volume of water are Recall that the length and width of the garden are 5x and
similar cones. Since the heights of these cones are in a 8x, so the dimensions are 5(3) = 15 feet and 8(3) = 24 feet,
ratio of 12:8, or 3:2, each length in the larger cone is 1.5 and so the area of the garden is (15)(24) = 360 square feet.
times the corresponding length in the smaller cone. By
the theorem on the previous page, this means that the
volume of the larger cone is (1.5)3 = 3.375 times the vol-
ume of the smaller one, which is 3.375(64) = 216 milli-
liters, which means we must add 216 - 64 = 152 more
milliliters of water.

10_SAT2019.indd 429 3/26/18 9:43 AM

 430 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Exercise Set 2: Geometry (No Calculator)

1 5
A cereal company sells oatmeal in two sizes of Which of the following equations represents a circle
cylindrical containers. The radius of the larger in the xy-plane that intersects the x-axis at (3, 0) and
container is twice that of the smaller, and the (9, 0) ?
height of the larger container is 50% greater than
A) (x - 6)2 + (y - 4)2 = 25
the smaller. If the smaller container holds 10
ounces of oatmeal, how many ounces can the B) (x - 3)2 + (y - 9)2 = 25
larger container hold? C) (x - 6)2 + (y - 4)2 = 36
D) (x - 3)2 + (y - 9)2 = 36

D P N

In the figure above, P and N are the centers of the

circles and PN = 6. What is the area of the shaded
Note: Figure not drawn to scale. region?

In the figure above, CD is tangent to both circles, A) 18π − 9 3 B) 24π − 9 3

which are tangent to each other. If the smaller circle
has a circumference of 4 and the larger circle has C) 24π − 18 3 D) 36π − 18 3
a circumference of 16 , what is the length of CD ?
7

P (9, k)
3
What is the area, in square inches, of a circle with
diameter 6 2 inches?
4 5 4 5
A) 9 B) 9 C) 36 D) 36
x
O (3, 0) (9, 0)
4
What is the length of the longest line segment that The diagram above shows a hexagon with all sides
connects two vertices of a rectangular box that is congruent and all angles congruent. What is the
6 units wide, 4 units long, and 2 units tall? value of k ?
A) 6 2 B) 6 3 C) 12 2 D) 12 3
A) 12 B) 48 C) 56

D) 58

10_SAT2019.indd 430 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 431

Exercise Set 2: Geometry (Calculator)

8 11

y The Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt, has a height

of 140 meters and a volume of 2.6 million cubic
D (14, 14) meters. If a scale model of the Great Pyramid is
A(−2, 12)
to be built that is 2 meters high, what will be the
volume, in cubic meters, of this model?

C (14, 6)

x
O B(4, 0)
12
Which of the following equations defines a circle
What is the area, in square units, of the that is tangent to the y-axis?
quadrilateral above?
A) (x - 2)2 + (y + 3)2 = 2
B) (x - 2)2 + (y + 3)2 = 3
C) (x - 2)2 + (y + 3)2 = 4
D) (x - 2)2 + (y + 3)2 = 9
9
What is the degree measure, to the nearest whole
degree, of an angle that measures 5.6 radians? Questions 13 and 14 refer to the diagram below.

E F
9

10 B C
15

A D G
10
O x° N The figure above shows two rectangles that share
a common vertex, and AF is a line segment that
passes through C.
M
13
(

In the figure above, arc MN has a length of 11.5. What is the ratio of the area of rectangle ABCD to
To the nearest integer, what is the value of x ? the area of rectangle AEFG ?
A) 3:5
B) 9:25
C) 5:8
D) 25:64

10_SAT2019.indd 431 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 432 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

14 15
If CD = 9, what is the perimeter of rectangle AEFG ?
A) 67.2
x°
B) 72.6
C) 76.2 4x°
D) 78.6 O
8

Point O is the center of the circle above. What is the

area of the shaded region?

A) 64p -16 3
3
B) 16p
-8 3
3
C) 64p -12 3
3
D) 64p - 8 3
3

10_SAT2019.indd 432 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 433

EXERCISE SET 2: GEOMETRY ANSWER KEY

No Calculator 5. A All of the equations are clearly equations of

circles, so our only task is to verify that one of these
1. 60 If the smaller cylinder has a radius of r and equations is satisfied by both point (3, 0) and point (9, 0).
a height of h, its volume is r 2h. The larger cylinder Simply by plugging these coordinates into the equations,
therefore must have a radius of 2r and a height of 1.5h, we can verify that only the equation in (A) is true for both
and a volume of (2r)2(1.5h) = 6 r 2h. Since this is 6 times points: (3 - 6)2 + (0 - 4)2 = 25 and (9 - 6)2 + (0 - 4)2 = 25.
the volume of the smaller cylinder, it must hold 10 ´ 6 =
60 ounces of oatmeal.
6. C In this problem, we have to take advantage of
the Strange Area Rule from Lesson 7. First we should
2. 8 First, let’s draw the radii to the points of tan- draw the segments from P and N to the points of
gency, the segment joining the centers, and the segment intersection. Since each of these segments is a radius,
from the center of the smaller circle that is perpendicu- they have equal measure (6), and form two equilateral
lar to the radius of the larger circle. Since the tangent 60 -60 -60 triangles.
segment is perpendicular to the radii, these segments
form a rectangle and a right triangle.
6 6
6 3 3
60°
C = 120° −
P 60° N P N 3
6
x 3 3
2 D 6

x
6 2
The shaded region is composed of two circle “segments,”
10
each of which is a sector minus a triangle, as shown
in the figure above. The sector, since it has a 120 cen-
tral angle, has an area 1/3 of the whole circle, or (1/3)
( (6)2) = 12 and the triangle has area 3(3 3 ) = 9 3 .
Since the circumference of the smaller circle is 4 , its Therefore, the shaded region has an area of
radius is 2, and since the circumference of the larger (2)(12p −9 3 ) = 24p −18 3 .
circle is 16 , its radius is 8. The hypotenuse of the right
triangle is the sum of the two radii: 2 + 8 = 10. One of 7. B Each side of the hexagon has length 9 - 3 = 6.
the legs of the right triangle is the difference of the two Each interior angle of a regular hexagon has measure
radii: 8 - 2 = 6. (6 - 2)(180 )/6 = 120 , so the segments shown form two
Pythagorean Theorem: x2 + 62 = 102 30 -60 -90 triangles with lengths shown below.
Simplify: x2 + 36 = 100
y
Subtract 36: x2 = 64
Take square root: x=8
P(9, k)
3. B Diameter = 2r: 2r = 6 2
3 3
120° 3
Divide by 2: r=3 2
Area formula: A = (3 2)2 3 3
6
Simplify: A = (9 4) x
O (3, 0) (9, 0)
Simplify: A=9 5

4. C From the 3-D Distance Formula back in Therefore, k = 3 3 + 3 3 = 6 3 .

Lesson 4, the length of the diagonal is 6 +4 +2 =
2 2 2

36 + 16 + 4 = 56

10_SAT2019.indd 433 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 434 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Calculator 14. A If CD = 9, we can find AD by the Pythagorean

8. 142 First, let’s draw a rectangle around the figure Theorem. (AD)2 + (CD)2 = (AC)2
as shown. Substitute: (AD)2 + 92 = 152
Simplify: (AD) 2 + 81 = 225
y Subtract 81: (AD) 2 = 144
16 Take square root: AD = 12
D(14, 14)
2 16 This means that the perimeter of ABCD is 12 + 9 + 12 +
A(−2, 12) 8 9 = 42. Since the ratio of the perimeters of similar
42 5
C(14, 6)
figures equals the ratio of corresponding sides, =
12 p 8
36
30
6 Cross multiply: 5p = 336
x Divide by 5: p = 67.2
6 B(4, 0) 10
15. A The two radii and the chord form an isosceles
This shows that the area we want is the area of the rect- triangle. x + x + 4x = 180
angle minus the areas of the three triangles: (16)(14) - Simplify: 6x = 180
(1/2)(2)(16) - (1/2)(12)(6) - (1/2)(10)(6) = 224 - 16 - 36 - Divide by 6: x = 30
30 = 142. Therefore, the diagram should look like this:

9. 321 To convert any angle from radians

to degrees, we just multiply by the conversion factor 4 3
(180 )/( radians). 5.6 ´ 180 / = 320.86 321 . 30°
8
60° 4 4 3
10. 66 In a circle with radius 10, and arc of length 60° 30°
11.5 has a radian measure of 11.5/10 = 1.15 radians. O
8
In degrees, this equals 1.15 ´ 180 / = 65.89 66 .

11. 7.58 If two similar solids have sides in ratio of

a:b, then their volumes are in a ratio of a3:b3 . The ratio
of the heights is 140:2 = 70:1, so the ratio of volumes is
As we saw in question 6, this portion of the circle is
703:13 = 343,000:1. This means that the volume of the
called a “segment,” and we find its area by taking the
model is 2,600,000 ¸ 343,000 7.58 cubic meters. area of the sector minus the area of the triangle. The sec-
tor has area (120/360)( 82) = 64 /3, and the triangle has
12. C As a quick sketch will verify, in order for a area (1 / 2)(8 3 )(4) = 16 3 , so the segment has an area
circle to be tangent to the y-axis, its radius must equal
the absolute value of the x-coordinate of its center. of 64p/3 −16 3 .
Since the center of each square is (2, -3), the radius must
be 2. The only circle with a radius of 2 is (C).

13. D By the AA Theorem, triangle ACD is similar

to triangle AFG, and so rectangle ABCD is similar to
rectangle AEFG. The ratio of the corresponding sides is
equal to the ratio of their diagonals, which is 15:24 = 5:8.
Therefore, the ratio of their areas is 52:82 = 25:64.

10_SAT2019.indd 434 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 435

Skill 2: Understanding Basic Trigonometry

Lesson 9: The basic trigonometric functions

p p The Unit Circle

Which of these is equivalent to cos - sin ?
4 6
The unit circle is just a circle with radius 1 centered
(No calculator)
at the origin of the xy-plane. When using the unit
1- 3 circle, all angles must be in standard position,
A) that is, with vertex at the origin and measured
2
counterclockwise from the positive x-axis (just
2- 3 like the angle q in the following figure).
B)
2
y
2 -1
C)
2 (0, 1)
(x1, y1) = (cos θ sin θ)
3- 2
D) 1
2 y
θ 1 x
x1
(−1, 0) (1, 0)

The Basic Trigonometric Functions

(0, −1)
Any of the three basic trigonometric functions, like
all functions, takes an input number and transforms
it into an output number. A trigonometric function When an angle, q, is in standard position, its
takes an angle, q, as an input and constructs a right terminal ray intersects the unit circle in the point
triangle with q as one of its acute angles. The out- (x1, y1). If we drop a vertical line segment from this
put is then the ratio of two sides of that triangle as point to the x-axis, we form a right triangle with
defined by the mnemonic SOH-CAH-TOA. legs of length x1 and y1 and a hypotenuse of length
1 (as shown above).
So now let’s go back to the definitions of the
hypotenuse basic trigonometric functions. In terms of this
opposite right triangle, what are the sine, cosine, and
tangent of q?
θ
opposite y
adjacent sin θ = = 1 = y1
hypotenuse 1

opposite adjacent adjacent x

sin θ = cos θ = cos θ = = 1 = x1
hypotenuse hypotenuse hypotenuse 1
oppositee opposite y1
tan θ = tan θ = =
adjacent adjacent x1
But these definitions are limited, because they
This suggests three important theorems:
only work when q is an acute angle. What if it’s a
larger angle, like 135 , or even a negative angle, • The sine of any angle is the y-coordinate of its
like -20 ? To find the trigonometric ratios for corresponding point on the unit circle.
these angles, we use the unit circle. • The cosine of any angle is the x-coordinate of
its corresponding point on the unit circle.
• The tangent of any angle is the ratio of the
y-coordinate to the x-coordinate of its cor-
responding point on the unit circle.

10_SAT2019.indd 435 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 436 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

(Medium-hard) First, you may find it useful to convert situation on the unit circle so we can visualize it. (We
the angles to degree measures using the conversion fac- don’t want to confuse the angles called x and y in the
tor (180 / radians). This gives us /4 radians = 45 and problem with the x-coordinates and y-coordinates in the
/6 radians = 30 . We should recognize these as angles xy-plane. For this reason, let’s label the terminal rays for
in two Special Right Triangles: the angles “angle x” and “angle z.”) Recall that the sine
of any angle is the y-coordinate of the point on the unit
circle that corresponds to that angle. If sin x = a, then
a is the y-coordinate of the point on the unit circle that
45° s 2 2x 60° corresponds to “angle x,” as shown in the diagram. If
s x
sin z = -a, then -a is the y-coordinate of the point on the
30° unit circle that corresponds to “angle z.” There are two
45° possible locations for “angle z” as shown in the diagram.
s x 3
angle x y
Using the definitions for sine and cosine above, these Quadrant (0, 1) Quadrant
s 1 2 II a I
triangles show us that cos 45° = = = and
s 2 2 2
x 1 p p 2 1 2 −1 x
sin 30° = = . Therefore, cos − sin = − = (−1, 0) (1, 0)
2x 2 4 6 2 2 2
p 2 1 2 −1 −a
− sin = − = and the correct answer is (C). Quadrant Quadrant
6 2 2 2 III (0, −1) IV
angle z? angle z?
If sin x = a and sin z = -a, where x and z are in
p
radians, and < x < p , which of the following At this point, it may be easiest to simply pick a value for
2
could be the value of z in terms of x ? “angle x” that is between /2 (≈ 1.57) and (≈ 3.14), such
as x = 2. Since sin 2 ≈ 0.909 (remember to put your calcu-
A) -x lator into “radian mode”), a = 0.909. Now we just need to
B) x - find which angle among the choices has a sine of - 0.909.

C) 2 + x A) sin( - 2) = 0.909
p B) sin(2 - ) = -0.909
D) x -
2
C) sin(2 + 2) = 0.909
p D) sin(2 - /2) = 0.416
(Hard) The statement < x < p indicates that x is an
2 Therefore, the correct answer is (B).
angle in quadrant II, where the sine (the y-value of the
points on the unit circle) is positive. Let’s draw this

10_SAT2019.indd 436 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 437

The Pythagorean Identity

sin2 x + cos2 x = 1 for all values of x
An identity is an algebraic equation that is true for all values of the unknown, and not just for particular values.
We can prove the Pythagorean Identity by just applying the Pythagorean Theorem to our right triangle and
thinking about the trigonometric ratios.

hypotenuse
opposite

θ
adjacent

Apply Pythagorean Theorem: (opposite)2 + (adjacent)2 = (hypotenuse)2

2 2 2
opposite adjacent hypotenuse
Divide by (hypotenuse)2: + =
⎝ hypotenuse ⎠ ⎝ hypotenuse ⎠ ⎝ hypotenuse ⎠
Simplify using trig definitions: sin2 q + cos2 q = 1

Now we’ll have to find the value of sin b cos b, which

1 we can find with the given equation.
If b is an angle measure such that sin b = ,
what is the value of (sin b - cos b) ?
2 3cos b 1
Given equation: sin b =
3 cos b
A) 1
Multiply by cos b: 1
3 sin b cos b =
3
B) 2 Substitute sin b cos b = 1
3 3
1 1
into original expression: 1 − 2 sin b cos b =1 − 2 × =
C) 3 -1 3 3
3
So the correct answer is (A).
D) 3+ 2
3

(Medium) The expression we are trying to evaluate

includes squared trigonometric ratios, so we will prob-
ably have to take advantage of the Pythagorean Identity.
Expression to evaluate: (sin b - cos b)2
FOIL: sin2 b - 2sin b cos b + cos2 b
Rearrange using Commu-
tative Law of Addition: sin2 b + cos2 b - 2sin b cos b
Substitute sin2 b + cos2 b = 1: 1 - 2sin b cos b

10_SAT2019.indd 437 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 438 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Lesson 10: The trigonometry of complementary angles

(Medium-hard) Let’s start by drawing a picture of this

a p situation. Since y is the measure of an acute angle, we can
If sin y = and 0 < y < , which of the following
b 2 imagine it as the interior angle of a right triangle. Since
π its sine is equal to a/b, we can say that the opposite side
is equal to sin − y ?
⎝2 ⎠ has measure a and the hypotenuse has measure b.

A) a 2 - b2
a
b
B) b2 - a 2 a
a
y
C) a 2 - b2
b
Now we can find the length of the remaining leg
D) b2 - a 2 (let’s call it k) in terms of a and b using the Pythagorean
b Theorem: k2 + a2 = b 2
Subtract a : 2 k2 = b 2 - a2
Take the square root: k = b2 − a 2
Trigonometry of Complementary Angles

⎛π ⎞ Also, we know that the other acute angle has a mea-

sin ⎜⎜ − x ⎟⎟⎟ = cos x sure of p - y , so let’s complete the picture:
⎜⎝ 2 ⎠
2
⎛π ⎞
cos ⎜⎜ − x ⎟⎟⎟ = sin x
⎜⎝ 2 ⎠
The two acute angles in a right triangle are com- b π
−y
plements of one another, that is, they have a sum 2 a
of 90 (or, in radians, π ). So, if one of the angles
2 y
has a radian measure of x, the other has a
π
measure of − x. b2 − a2
2
If we look at the trigonometric ratios for this new π
angle, we see that these ratios are related to the Now, finding the value of sin − y is just a matter
⎝2 ⎠
trigonometric ratios of its complement by the
of using the definition of sine: SOH.
following rule: The trigonometric ratio of any
angle equals the cofunction of its complement. π b2 − a 2
sin −y =
⎝2 ⎠ b

π So the correct answer is (D).

c −x
2 b

⎛π ⎞ a
⎜ − x⎟
sin ⎜
⎜ ⎟
⎟= = cos x
⎝2 ⎠ c

⎛π ⎞ b
cos⎜
⎜ − x⎟
⎟= c = sin x
⎟
⎜
⎝2 ⎠

10_SAT2019.indd 438 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 CHAPTER 10 / THE SAT MATH: ADDITIONAL TOPICS 439

Exercise Set 3: Trigonometry (No Calculator)

1 6
What is the greatest possible value of f if a p
If sin x = and 0 < x < , which of the following
8 sin 2 x 1 b 2
f (x) = − ?
2 2
expressions is equal to b ?
a
1
A) sin
⎝x⎠

2 1
B)
π
π a
2
cos − x
If cos = a , what is the value of ? ⎝2 ⎠
⎝3 ⎠ ⎝3⎠
C) 1 - sin2 x

π
D) sin −x
⎝2 ⎠

3
If (sin x - cos x)2 = 0.83, what is the value of 7
(sin x + cos x)2 ? If sin b = a, which of the following could be the
value of cos (b + ) ?

A) a2 - 1

4 B) a2 - 1
π - 1 - a2
sin C)
Which of the following is equivalent to ⎝6 ⎠ ?
π D) 1 - a2
cos
⎝ 3⎠
1 1 3
A) B) C) D) 1 8
6 3 2
p cos x 3
If 0 < x < and = , what is the value of
2 1 − sin 2 x 2
5 cos x ?
y A) 1
9
II I B) 1
3
x 4
O C)
9
III IV
D) 2
3
If sin q < 0 and sin q cos q < 0, then q must be in
which quadrant of the figure above?

A) I B) II C) III D) IV

10_SAT2019.indd 439 3/25/18 2:53 PM

 440 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

EXERCISE SET 3: TRIGONOMETRY ANSWER KEY

No Calculator a negative times a positive is a negative). Since cos q is

only positive in quadrants I and IV (because cosine cor-
1. 7/2 or 3.5 The discussion in Lesson 9 about the responds to the x-coordinates on the unit circle), q must
definition of the sine function and the unit circle made it be in quadrant IV.
clear that the value of the sine function ranges from -1 to 1.
Therefore, the maximum value of 8 sin 2 x - 1 is 6. B First, notice that a/b and b/a are recipro-
8(1) 1 7 or 3.5. 2 2 cals. Next, we can use the identity in Lesson 10 that
− =
2 2 2 π
sin x = cos − x to see that choice (B) is just the
⎝2 ⎠
2. 1/36 or .027 or .028 An radian measure of /3 reciprocal of sin x. Alternately, we can just choose a value
is equivalent to 60 . If you haven’t memorized the fact of x, like x = 1, and evaluate sin 1 = 0.841. The correct
that cos(60 ) = ½, you can derive it from the Reference answer is the expression that gives a value equal to the
Information at the beginning of every SAT Math section, reciprocal of 0.841, which is 1/0.841 = 1.19. Plugging
which includes the 30 -60 -90 special right triangle. in x = 1 gives (A) 0.841, (B) 1.19, (C) 0.292, (D) 0.540.
Since a = ½, (a/3)2 = (1/6)2 = 1/36.
7. C Recall from the Pythagorean Identity that
3. 1.17 (sin x - cos x)2 = 0.83 cos b = ± 1 − sin 2 b . Substituting sin b = a gives
FOIL: sin2 x - 2sin x cos x + cos2 x = 0.83 cosb = ± 1 − a 2 . The angle b + is the reflection of
Regroup: sin2 x + cos2 x - 2sin x cos x = 0.83 angle b through the origin, so cos(b + ) is the opposite
Simplify: 1 - 2sin x cos x = 0.83
Subtract 1: -2sin x cos x = -0.17 of cos b, which means that cos(b + p ) = ± 1 − a 2 .
Multiply by -1: 2sin x cos x = 0.17
Evaluate this expression: (sin x + cos x)2 8. D Recall from the Pythagorean Identity that
FOIL: sin2 x + 2sin x cos x + cos2 x cos2 x = 1 - sin2 x.
cos x 3
Regroup: sin2 x + cos2 x + 2sin x cos x =
Substitute: 1 + 0.17 = 1.17 1 − sin 2 x 2
Substitute cos2 x = 1 - sin2 x: cos x 3
=
4. D sin( /6) = ½ and cos( /3) = ½, so sin( /6)/ cos2 x 2
cos( /3) = 1. Cancel common factor: 1 3
=
cos x 2
5. D If sin q < 0, then q must be either in quadrant III Reciprocate: 2
cos x =
or in quadrant IV. (Remember that sine corresponds to 3
the y-coordinates on the unit circle, so it is negative in
those quadrants where the y-coordinates are negative.)
If sin q cos q < 0, then cos q must be positive (because

10_SAT2019.indd 440 3/25/18 2:53 PM