SAT Math Tips Marios A.

Pappas

Coordinate Geometry

The (x,y) Coordinate Plane

The (x,y) coordinate plane is described by two perpendicular lines, the x-axis and they-axis.
The intersection of these axes is called the origin. The location of any other point on the
plane (which extends in all directions without limit) can be described by a pair of coordinates.

Distance
The Math Test occasionally asks test takers to measure the distance between two points
on the coordinate plane. If you are given two points, (𝑥! , 𝑦! ) and (𝑥! , 𝑦! ) their distance will
always be given by the following formula:

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = *(𝑥!" 𝑥# )! + (𝑦! − 𝑦# )!

Midpoint
If the endpoints of a line segment are (𝑥! , 𝑦! ) and ( 𝑥! , 𝑦! ) then the midpoint of the line
$"# $$ %"# %$
segment is: M( , ! )
!

Slope of a line
The slope of a line is a measurement of how steeply the line climbs or falls as it moves from
left to right. More technically, the slope is a line’s vertical change divided by its horizontal
change, also known as “rise over run.” Given two points on a line, (𝑥! , 𝑦! ) and (𝑥" , 𝑦" ), the
slope of that line can be calculated using the following formula:
𝐲𝟐 − 𝐲𝟏
𝐦=
𝐱𝟐 − 𝐱𝟏

Parallel lines are lines that don’t intersect. In other words, parallel lines are lines that share
the exact same slope, hence 𝒎𝟏 = 𝒎𝟐 .

Perpendicular lines are lines that intersect at a right angle (or 90o). In coordinate
𝟏
geometry, perpendicular lines have negative reciprocal slopes, hence 𝐦𝟐 = −
𝐦𝟏
SAT Math Tips Marios A. Pappas

Equation of a line
The general form for the equation of a line is given by the formula y = mx+b, where
m is the slope of the line and b the y-intercept (x=0).
Example:
What is the slope of the line defined by the equation 5x + 3y = 6?
To answer this question, isolate the y so that the equation fits the slope-intercept form.

5𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 6
3𝑦 = −5𝑥 + 6
5
𝑦 =− 𝑥+2
3

6
The slope of the line is − and the y-intercept is 2.
7

The equation of a line that passes through the point P(x!, y! ) with slope m is given by:
𝐲 − 𝐲𝐨 = 𝐦(𝐱 − 𝐱 𝐨 )

Useful Properties
• If two lines are parallel then they have the same slope
• If two lines are perpendicular then the product of their slopes equals -1.
• In order to find the x-intercept of a line let 𝑦 = 0 and find 𝑥. In order to find the
y-intercept of a line let 𝑥 = 0 and find 𝑦.
• Solving the simultaneous system of two lines will give you the point of their
interception. If the system has no solution then the lines do not intersect. If the
system has an infinite number of solutions then the two equations represent the same
line.

Distance of a Point from a Line

Given a line with equation 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0 and a point (𝑥& , 𝑦& ), the formula for the least
distance between the ljne and the point is :
|𝑎𝑥& + 𝑏𝑦& + 𝑧|
𝑑=
√𝑎" + 𝑏"
Parabola
A parabola is the graph associated with a quadratic function, i.e. a function of the form
.
SAT Math Tips Marios A. Pappas

Vertex Form
Instead of the standard (quadratic) form, parabola could be expressed in the vertex form
f(x) = a(x − h)! + k , where h and k represent the x and the y coordinate of the
vertex respectively.

Notice that the vertical line x=h is the axis of symmetry for the parabola.

Circle
The equation of circle with radius 𝑟 and center at (ℎ, 𝑘) is:

(𝑥 − ℎ)! + (𝑦 − 𝑘)! =𝑟 !

Given the equation (𝑥 − ℎ)! + (𝑦 − 𝑘)! =𝑟 ! of a circle you are able to determine
whether a point (𝑎, 𝑏) is inside, outside or on the circle.

If (𝑎 − ℎ)! + (𝑏 − 𝑘)! > 𝑟 ! then the point is outside the circle.

If (𝑎 − ℎ)! + (𝑏 − 𝑘)! = 𝑟 ! then the point is on the circle.
If (𝑎 − ℎ)! + (𝑏 − 𝑘)! < 𝑟 ! then the point is inside the circle.

Circumference=2πr

Circle Area= π𝑟 !

θ EFG IJKLMN OJGMPF EFJE

= =
7CD !πF πF$