Question ID 002dba45

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 002dba45
Line is defined by . Line is perpendicular to line in the xy-plane. What is the slope of line ?
ID: 002dba45 Answer
Correct Answer: .1764, .1765, 3/17

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that line is perpendicular to line in the xy-plane. This means that the
slope of line is the negative reciprocal of the slope of line . The equation of line , , is written in
slope-intercept form , where is the slope of the line and is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of
the line. It follows that the slope of line is . The negative reciprocal of a number is divided by the
number. Therefore, the negative reciprocal of is , or . Thus, the slope of line is . Note that 3/17,

.1764, .1765, and 0.176 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f224df07
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: f224df07
A cargo helicopter delivers only 100-pound packages and 120-pound
packages. For each delivery trip, the helicopter must carry at least 10
packages, and the total weight of the packages can be at most 1,100 pounds.
What is the maximum number of 120-pound packages that the helicopter can
carry per trip?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 5
D. 6

ID: f224df07 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Let a equal the number of 120-pound packages, and let b equal the number of 100-pound
packages. It’s given that the total weight of the packages can be at most 1,100 pounds: the inequality
represents this situation. It’s also given that the helicopter must carry at least 10
packages: the inequality represents this situation. Values of a and b that satisfy these two inequalities

represent the allowable numbers of 120-pound packages and 100-pound packages the helicopter can transport.
To maximize the number of 120-pound packages, a, in the helicopter, the number of 100-pound packages, b, in the
helicopter needs to be minimized. Expressing b in terms of a in the second inequality yields , so the

minimum value of b is equal to . Substituting for b in the first inequality results in

. Using the distributive property to rewrite this inequality yields
, or . Subtracting 1,000 from both sides of this inequality
yields . Dividing both sides of this inequality by 20 results in . This means that the maximum
number of 120-pound packages that the helicopter can carry per trip is 5.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and may result from incorrectly creating or solving the system of inequalities.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID cb8f449f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: cb8f449f

The system of equations above has solution (x,

y). What is the value of x ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: cb8f449f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Adding the corresponding sides of the two equations eliminates y and yields , as

shown.

If (x, y) is a solution to the system, then (x, y) satisfies both equations in the system and any equation derived
from them. Therefore, .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and may be the result of errors when solving the system.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 548a4929
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 548a4929
The function is defined by . The graph of in the xy-plane has an x-intercept at
and a y-intercept at , where and are constants. What is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 548a4929 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The x-intercept of a graph in the xy-plane is the point on the graph where . It's given
that function is defined by . Therefore, the equation representing the graph of is
. Substituting for in the equation yields . Subtracting from both
sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the
x-intercept of the graph of in the xy-plane is . It's given that the x-intercept of the graph of
is . Therefore, . The y-intercept of a graph in the xy-plane is the point on the graph where
. Substituting for in the equation yields , or . Therefore, the y-
intercept of the graph of in the xy-plane is . It's given that the y-intercept of the graph of
is . Therefore, . If and , then the value of is , or .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e62cfe5f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: e62cfe5f
According to a model, the head width, in millimeters, of a worker bumblebee
can be estimated by adding 0.6 to four times the body weight of the bee, in
grams. According to the model, what would be the head width, in millimeters,
of a worker bumblebee that has a body weight of 0.5 grams?
ID: e62cfe5f Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 2.6. According to the model, the head width, in millimeters, of a worker bumblebee can be
estimated by adding 0.6 to 4 times the body weight, in grams, of the bee. Let x represent the body weight, in
grams, of a worker bumblebee and let y represent the head width, in millimeters. Translating the verbal
description of the model into an equation yields . Substituting 0.5 grams for x in this equation yields
, or . Therefore, a worker bumblebee with a body weight of 0.5 grams has an estimated
head width of 2.6 millimeters. Note that 2.6 and 13/5 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 01682aa5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 01682aa5
Line is defined by . Line is perpendicular to line in the xy-plane. What is the slope of line ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 01682aa5 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It’s given that line is perpendicular to line in the xy-plane. This means that the slope of
line is the negative reciprocal of the slope of line . If the equation for line is rewritten in slope-intercept
form , where and are constants, then is the slope of the line and is its y-intercept.
Subtracting from both sides of the equation yields . Dividing both sides of
this equation by yields . It follows that the slope of line is . The negative reciprocal of a
number is divided by the number. Therefore, the negative reciprocal of is , or . Thus, the slope of line
is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the slope of line , not line .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the reciprocal, not the negative reciprocal, of the slope of line .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the negative, not the negative reciprocal, of the slope of line .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a5834ea4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: a5834ea4

For the given linear function , which table gives three values of and their corresponding values of ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: a5834ea4 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. For the given linear function , must equal for all values of . Of the given choices,
only choice B gives three values of and their corresponding values of for the given linear function .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID bf4a8b6a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: bf4a8b6a
A company that provides whale-watching tours takes groups of people at a time. The company’s revenue is
dollars per adult and dollars per child. If the company’s revenue for one group consisting of adults and children
was dollars, how many people in the group were children?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: bf4a8b6a Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Let represent the number of children in a whale-watching tour group. Let represent the
number of adults in this group. Because it's given that people are in a group and the group consists of adults
and children, it must be true that . Since the company's revenue is dollars per child, the total
revenue from children in this group was dollars. Since the company's revenue is dollars per adult, the
total revenue from adults in this group was dollars. Because it's given that the total revenue for this group
was dollars, it must be true that . The equations and
form a linear system of equations that can be solved to find the value of , which represents the number of
children in the group, using the elimination method. Multiplying both sides of the equation by
yields . Subtracting from yields
, which is equivalent to , or
. Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, people in the group were
children.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the number of adults in the group, not the number of children in the group.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7e3f8363
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 7e3f8363
In the xy-plane, the graph of the linear function contains the points and . Which equation defines ,
where ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 7e3f8363 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. In the xy-plane, an equation of the graph of a linear function can be written in the form
, where represents the slope and represents the y-intercept of the graph of . It’s
given that the graph of the linear function , where , in the xy-plane contains the point . Thus,
. The slope of the graph of a line containing any two points and can be found using the
slope formula, . Since it’s given that the graph of the linear function contains the points and
, it follows that the slope of the graph of the line containing these points is , or .
Substituting for and for in yields .

Choice A is incorrect. This function represents a graph with a slope of and a y-intercept of .

Choice B is incorrect. This function represents a graph with a slope of and a y-intercept of .

Choice D is incorrect. This function represents a graph with a slope of and a y-intercept of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0dd6227f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 0dd6227f
At how many points do the graphs of the equations and intersect in the xy-plane?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 0dd6227f Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Each given equation is written in slope-intercept form, , where is the slope
and is the y-intercept of the graph of the equation in the xy-plane. The graphs of two lines that have
different slopes will intersect at exactly one point. The graph of the first equation is a line with slope . The
graph of the second equation is a line with slope . Since the graphs are lines with different slopes, they will
intersect at exactly one point.

Choice A is incorrect because two graphs of linear equations have intersection points only if they are parallel
and therefore have the same slope.

Choice C is incorrect because two graphs of linear equations in the xy-plane can have only , , or infinitely
many points of intersection.

Choice D is incorrect because two graphs of linear equations in the xy-plane can have only , , or infinitely
many points of intersection.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b1228811
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: b1228811
Marisa needs to hire at least 10 staff members for an upcoming project. The
staff members will be made up of junior directors, who will be paid $640 per
week, and senior directors, who will be paid $880 per week. Her budget for
paying the staff members is no more than $9,700 per week. She must hire at
least 3 junior directors and at least 1 senior director. Which of the following
systems of inequalities represents the conditions described if x is the number
of junior directors and y is the number of senior directors?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: b1228811 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Marisa will hire x junior directors and y senior directors. Since she needs to hire at least 10
staff members, . Each junior director will be paid $640 per week, and each senior director will be paid
$880 per week. Marisa’s budget for paying the new staff is no more than $9,700 per week; in terms of x and y, this
condition is . Since Marisa must hire at least 3 junior directors and at least 1 senior director,
it follows that and . All four of these conditions are represented correctly in choice B.

Choices A and C are incorrect. For example, the first condition, , in each of these options
implies that Marisa can pay the new staff members more than her budget of $9,700. Choice D is incorrect
because Marisa needs to hire at least 10 staff members, not at most 10 staff members, as the inequality
implies.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7efe5495
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 7efe5495

The solution to the given system of equations is . What is the value of ?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 7efe5495 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given by the first equation in the system that . Substituting for in the
equation yields , or .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c1bd5301
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: c1bd5301
A model predicts that a certain animal weighed pounds when it was born and that the animal gained pounds
per day in its first year of life. This model is defined by an equation in the form , where is the
predicted weight, in pounds, of the animal days after it was born, and and are constants. What is the value of
?
ID: c1bd5301 Answer
Correct Answer: 241

Rationale

The correct answer is . For a certain animal, it's given that a model predicts the animal weighed pounds
when it was born and gained pounds per day in its first year of life. It's also given that this model is defined by
an equation in the form , where is the predicted weight, in pounds, of the animal days after
it was born, and and are constants. It follows that represents the predicted weight, in pounds, of the animal
when it was born and represents the predicted rate of weight gain, in pounds per day, in its first year of life.
Thus, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 71189542
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 71189542
A group of 202 people went on an overnight camping trip, taking 60 tents
with them. Some of the tents held 2 people each, and the rest held 4 people
each. Assuming all the tents were filled to capacity and every person got to
sleep in a tent, exactly how many of the tents were 2-person tents?
A. 30
B. 20
C. 19
D. 18

ID: 71189542 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Let x represent the number of 2-person tents and let y represent the number of 4-person
tents. It is given that the total number of tents was 60 and the total number of people in the group was 202. This
situation can be expressed as a system of two equations, and . The first equation can be

rewritten as . Substituting for y in the equation yields

. Distributing and combining like terms gives . Subtracting 240 from
both sides of and then dividing both sides by gives . Therefore, the number of 2-
person tents is 19.

Alternate approach: If each of the 60 tents held 4 people, the total number of people that could be accommodated
in tents would be 240. However, the actual number of people who slept in tents was 202. The difference of 38

accounts for the 2-person tents. Since each of these tents holds 2 people fewer than a 4-person tent,

gives the number of 2-person tents.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice may result from assuming exactly half of the tents hold 2 people. If that were
true, then the total number of people who slept in tents would be ; however, the total number
of people who slept in tents was 202, not 180. Choice B is incorrect. If 20 tents were 2-person tents, then the
remaining 40 tents would be 4-person tents. Since all the tents were filled to capacity, the total number of people
who slept in tents would be ; however, the total number of people who slept in
tents was 202, not 200. Choice D is incorrect. If 18 tents were 2-person tents, then the remaining 42 tents would
be 4-person tents. Since all the tents were filled to capacity, the total number of people who slept in tents would
be ; however, the total number of people who slept in tents was 202, not 204.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 64c85440
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: 64c85440
In North America, the standard width of a parking space is at least 7.5 feet
and no more than 9.0 feet. A restaurant owner recently resurfaced the
restaurant’s parking lot and wants to determine the number of parking
spaces, n, in the parking lot that could be placed perpendicular to a curb that
is 135 feet long, based on the standard width of a parking space. Which of
the following describes all the possible values of n ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 64c85440 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Placing the parking spaces with the minimum width of 7.5 feet gives the maximum possible
number of parking spaces. Thus, the maximum number that can be placed perpendicular to a 135-foot-long curb

is . Placing the parking spaces with the maximum width of 9 feet gives the minimum number of
parking spaces. Thus, the minimum number that can be placed perpendicular to a 135-foot-long curb is

. Therefore, if n is the number of parking spaces in the lot, the range of possible values for n is
.

Choices A and C are incorrect. These choices equate the length of the curb with the maximum possible number
of parking spaces. Choice B is incorrect. This is the range of possible values for the width of a parking space
instead of the range of possible values for the number of parking spaces.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7a5a74a6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 7a5a74a6

If x is the solution to the equation above,

what is the value of ?
A.
B.

C.

D.

ID: 7a5a74a6 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Because 2 is a factor of both and 6, the expression can be rewritten as .
Substituting for on the left-hand side of the given equation yields ,

or . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields .

Adding 11 to both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by 2 yields

Alternate approach: Distributing 3 to the quantity on the left-hand side of the given equation and

distributing 4 to the quantity on the right-hand side yields , or

. Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Adding 29 to both sides of this equation

yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by 2 yields . Therefore, the value of is ,

or .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of x, not . Choices C and D are incorrect. If the value of is

or , it follows that the value of x is or , respectively. However, solving the given equation for x
yields . Therefore, the value of can’t be or .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 968e9e51
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: 968e9e51

Which of the following ordered pairs is a solution to

the system of inequalities above?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 968e9e51 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The solutions to the given system of inequalities is the set of all ordered pairs that
satisfy both inequalities in the system. For an ordered pair to satisfy the inequality , the value of the

ordered pair’s y-coordinate must be less than or equal to the value of the ordered pair’s x-coordinate. This is true
of the ordered pair , because . To satisfy the inequality , the value of the ordered pair’s y-

coordinate must be less than or equal to the value of the additive inverse of the ordered pair’s x-coordinate. This
is also true of the ordered pair . Because 0 is its own additive inverse, is the same as .
Therefore, the ordered pair is a solution to the given system of inequalities.

Choice A is incorrect. This ordered pair satisfies only the inequality in the given system, not both

inequalities. Choice B incorrect. This ordered pair satisfies only the inequality in the system, but not
both inequalities. Choice C is incorrect. This ordered pair satisfies neither inequality.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9f3cb472
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 9f3cb472
Line in the xy-plane has a slope of and passes through the point . Which equation defines line ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 9f3cb472 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The equation that defines line in the xy-plane can be written in slope-intercept form
, where is the slope of line and is its y-intercept. It’s given that line has a slope of .
Therefore, . Substituting for in the equation yields , or .
It’s also given that line passes through the point . Substituting for and for in the equation
yields , or . Adding to both sides of this equation yields .
Substituting for in the equation yields .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect. This equation defines a line that has a slope of , not , and passes through the point
, not .

Choice C is incorrect. This equation defines a line that passes through the point , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID aa85b138
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: aa85b138

A tree had a height of 6 feet when it was planted. The equation above can be
used to find how many years n it took the tree to reach a height of 14 feet.
Which of the following is the best interpretation of the number 2 in this
context?
A. The number of years it took the tree to double its height
B. The average number of feet that the tree grew per year
C. The height, in feet, of the tree when the tree was 1 year old
D. The average number of years it takes similar trees to grow 14 feet

ID: aa85b138 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The height of the tree at a given time is equal to its height when it was planted plus the
number of feet that the tree grew. In the given equation, 14 represents the height of the tree at the given time, and
6 represents the height of the tree when it was planted. It follows that represents the number of feet the tree
grew from the time it was planted until the time it reached a height of 14 feet. Since n represents the number of
years between the given time and the time the tree was planted, 2 must represent the average number of feet the
tree grew each year.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from interpreting the coefficient 2 as doubling instead of as increasing by 2
each year. Choice C is incorrect. The height of the tree when it was 1 year old was feet, not 2 feet.

Choice D is incorrect. No information is given to connect the growth of one particular tree to the growth of
similar trees.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 15daa8d6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 15daa8d6

In the given equation, is a constant. If the equation has infinitely many solutions, what is the value of ?
ID: 15daa8d6 Answer
Correct Answer: 2

Rationale

The correct answer is . An equation with one variable, , has infinitely many solutions only when both sides of
the equation are equal for any defined value of . It's given that , where is a constant. This
equation can be rewritten as . If this equation has infinitely many solutions, then both sides
of this equation are equal for any defined value of . Both sides of this equation are equal for any defined value of
when . Therefore, if the equation has infinitely many solutions, the value of is .

Alternate approach: If the given equation, , has infinitely many solutions, then both sides of
this equation are equal for any value of . If , then substituting for in yields
, or . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 12ee1edc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 12ee1edc

In the given equation, b is a constant. If the equation has no

solution, what is the value of b ?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 10

ID: 12ee1edc Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. This equation has no solution when there is no value of x that produces a true statement.

Solving the given equation for x by dividing both sides by gives . When , the right-

hand side of this equation will be undefined, and the equation will have no solution. Therefore, when , there

is no value of x that satisfies the given equation.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Substituting 4, 6, and 10 for b in the given equation yields exactly one solution,
rather than no solution, for x. For example, substituting 4 for b in the given equation yields , or

. Dividing both sides of by 2 yields . Similarly, if or , and , respectively.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 620fe971
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 620fe971
A team of workers has been moving cargo off of a ship. The equation below models the approximate number
of tons of cargo, y, that remains to be moved x hours after the team started working.

The graph of this equation in the xy-plane is a line. What is the best
interpretation of the x-intercept in this context?
A. The team will have moved all the cargo in about 4.8 hours.
B. The team has been moving about 4.8 tons of cargo per hour.
C. The team has been moving about 25 tons of cargo per hour.
D. The team started with 120 tons of cargo to move.

ID: 620fe971 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The x-intercept of the line with equation y = 120 – 25x can be found by substituting 0 for y
and finding the value of x. When y = 0, x = 4.8, so the x-intercept is at (4.8, 0). Since y represents the number of
tons of cargo remaining to be moved x hours after the team started working, it follows that the x-intercept refers
to the team having no cargo remaining to be moved after 4.8 hours. In other words, the team will have moved all
of the cargo after about 4.8 hours.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from incorrectly interpreting the value 4.8. Choices C and D are incorrect
and may result from misunderstanding the x-intercept. These statements are accurate but not directly relevant
to the x-intercept.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 6a87902f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 6a87902f

At how many points do the graphs of the given equations intersect in the xy-plane?
A. Zero
B. Exactly one
C. Exactly two
D. Infinitely many

ID: 6a87902f Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. A system of two linear equations in two variables, and , has zero points of intersection if
the lines represented by the equations in the xy-plane are distinct and parallel. The graphs of two lines in the
xy-plane represented by equations in slope-intercept form, , are distinct if the y-coordinates of their
y-intercepts, , are different and are parallel if their slopes, , are the same. For the two equations in the given
system, and , the values of are and , respectively, and the values of are both .
Since the values of are different, the graphs of these lines have different y-coordinates of the y-intercept and
are distinct. Since the values of are the same, the graphs of these lines have the same slope and are parallel.
Therefore, the graphs of the given equations are lines that intersect at zero points in the xy-plane.

Choice B is incorrect. The graphs of a system of two linear equations have exactly one point of intersection if the
lines represented by the equations have different slopes. Since the given equations represent lines with the
same slope, there is not exactly one intersection point.

Choice C is incorrect. The graphs of a system of two linear equations can never have exactly two intersection
points.

Choice D is incorrect. The graphs of a system of two linear equations have infinitely many intersection points
when the lines represented by the equations have the same slope and the same y-coordinate of the y-intercept.
Since the given equations represent lines with different y-coordinates of their y-intercepts, there are not
infinitely many intersection points.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 6e6a3241
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 6e6a3241

Which of the following graphs in the xy-plane could be used to

solve the system of equations above?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 6e6a3241 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The graph of a system of equations is the graph that shows the lines represented by each of
the equations in the system. The x-intercept of the graph of each given equation can be found by substituting 0
for y in each equation: , or , and , or . The y-intercept of the graph of each

equation can be found by substituting 0 for x in each equation: , or , and or .

Using these x- and y- intercept values, the line that has equation passes through the points and

, and the line that has equation passes through the points and . Only the lines in
choice C pass through these points and can be used to solve the given system of equations.
Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. In choices A and B, neither line passes through and or and

. In choice D, although one line passes through and the other line doesn’t pass through
and .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e470e19d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: e470e19d
The function is defined by . What is the x-intercept of the graph of in the xy-plane?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: e470e19d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The given function is a linear function. Therefore, the graph of in the xy-plane
has one x-intercept at the point , where is a constant. Substituting for and for in the given
function yields . Adding to both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this
equation by yields . Therefore, the x-intercept of the graph of in the xy-plane is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f7e39fe9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: f7e39fe9

The table shows four values of and their corresponding values of . There is a linear relationship between
and that is defined by the equation , where is a constant. What is the value of ?
ID: f7e39fe9 Answer
Correct Answer: 11

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that is defined by the equation , where is a constant.
It's also given in the table that when , . Substituting for and for in the equation
yields, . Adding to both sides of this equation yields . Dividing
both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f5929f7a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: f5929f7a

The solution to the given system of equations is . What is the value of ?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: f5929f7a Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given by the first equation in the system that . Substituting for in the
second equation in the system yields . Multiplying the left-hand side of this equation by and the
right-hand side by yields . Adding to both sides of this equation yields .
Multiplying both sides of this equation by yields .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5cf1bbc9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 5cf1bbc9

The graph of the function , where , gives the total cost , in dollars, for a certain video game system and
games. What is the best interpretation of the slope of the graph in this context?
A. Each game costs .
B. The video game system costs .
C. The video game system costs .
D. Each game costs .

ID: 5cf1bbc9 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The given graph is a line, and the slope of a line is defined as the change in the value of for
each increase in the value of by . It’s given that represents the total cost, in dollars, and that represents
the number of games. Therefore, the change in the value of for each increase in the value of by represents
the change in total cost, in dollars, for each increase in the number of games by . In other words, the slope
represents the cost, in dollars, per game. The graph shows that when the value of increases from to , the
value of increases from to . It follows that the slope is , or the cost per game is . Thus, the best
interpretation of the slope of the graph is that each game costs .

Choice B is incorrect. This is an interpretation of the y-intercept of the graph rather than the slope of the graph.

Choice C is incorrect. The slope of the graph is the cost per game, not the cost of the video game system.
Choice D is incorrect. Each game costs , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 74c03c21
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 74c03c21
A bus traveled on the highway and on local roads to complete a trip of . The trip took . The bus
traveled at an average speed of on the highway and an average speed of on
local roads. If is the time, in hours, the bus traveled on the highway and is the time, in hours, it traveled on local
roads, which system of equations represents this situation?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 74c03c21 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. If the bus traveled at an average speed of on the highway for
hours, then the bus traveled miles on the highway. If the bus traveled at an average speed of on
local roads for hours, then the bus traveled miles on local roads. It's given that the trip was miles. This
can be represented by the equation . It's also given that the trip took hours. This can be
represented by the equation . Therefore, the system consisting of the equations and
represents this situation.

Choice A is incorrect. This system of equations represents a situation where the trip was miles and took
hours.

Choice C is incorrect. This system of equations represents a situation where the trip was miles and took
hours, and the bus traveled at an average speed of on the highway and on local roads.

Choice D is incorrect. This system of equations represents a situation where the bus traveled at an average speed
of on the highway and on local roads.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9c7741c6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 9c7741c6
On a 210-mile trip, Cameron drove at an average speed of 60 miles per hour
for the first x hours. He then completed the trip, driving at an average speed
of 50 miles per hour for the remaining y hours. If , what is the value of y
?
ID: 9c7741c6 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 3. It’s given that Cameron drove 60 miles per hour for x hours; therefore, the distance
driven at this speed can be represented by . He then drove 50 miles per hour for y hours; therefore, the

distance driven at this speed can be represented by . Since Cameron drove 210 total miles, the equation
represents this situation. If , substitution yields , or .

Subtracting 60 from both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by 50

yields .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8a87c2c8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 8a87c2c8

The solution to the given system of equations is . What is the value of ?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 8a87c2c8 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Adding the second equation in the given system to the first equation in the given system
yields . Adding like terms in this equation yields . Thus, the
value of is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ed92fb68
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: ed92fb68

If the system of equations above has solution ,

what is the value of ?
A. 0
B. 9
C. 18
D. 38

ID: ed92fb68 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Adding the given equations yields 9x + 9y = 162. Dividing each side of the equation 9x + 9y =
162 by 9 gives x + y = 18.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from incorrectly adding the equations. Choice B is incorrect and may result
from conceptual or computational errors. Choice D is incorrect. This value is equivalent to y – x.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3e9eaffc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 3e9eaffc
Caleb used juice to make popsicles. The function approximates the volume, in fluid ounces, of
juice Caleb had remaining after making popsicles. Which statement is the best interpretation of the y-intercept of
the graph of in the xy-plane in this context?
A. Caleb used approximately fluid ounces of juice for each popsicle.
B. Caleb had approximately fluid ounces of juice when he began to make the popsicles.
C. Caleb had approximately fluid ounces of juice when he began to make the popsicles.
D. Caleb used approximately fluid ounces of juice for each popsicle.

ID: 3e9eaffc Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. An equation that defines a linear function can be written in the form ,
where represents the slope and represents the y-intercept, , of the line of in the xy-plane. The
function is linear. Therefore, the graph of the given function in the xy-plane has a y-
intercept of . It’s given that gives the approximate volume, in fluid ounces, of juice Caleb had
remaining after making popsicles. It follows that the y-intercept of means that Caleb had
approximately fluid ounces of juice remaining after making popsicles. In other words, Caleb had
approximately fluid ounces of juice when he began to make the popsicles.

Choice A is incorrect. This is an interpretation of the slope, rather than the y-intercept, of the graph of
in the xy-plane.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 19fdf387
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 19fdf387
In the xy-plane, the graph of intersects the graph of at
the point . What is the value of a ?
A. 3
B. 6
C. 9
D. 12

ID: 19fdf387 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Since the graph of intersects the graph of at the point , the ordered

pair is the solution to the system of linear equations consisting of and , and the value

of a is the value of x in the solution of this system. Since both and are equal to y, it follows that
. Subtracting x from and adding 6 to both sides of the equation yields . Therefore, the value of

a is 9.

Choices A and B are incorrect and may result from a calculation or conceptual error in solving the system of
equations consisting of and . Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of b, not a.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a775af14
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: a775af14
In the xy-plane, the graph of the linear function contains the points and . Which equation defines ,
where ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a775af14 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. In the xy-plane, the graph of a linear function can be written in the form ,
where represents the slope and represents the y-intercept of the graph of . It’s given that the
graph of the linear function , where , in the xy-plane contains the point . Thus, . The slope
of the graph of a line containing any two points and can be found using the slope formula,
. Since it’s given that the graph of the linear function contains the points and , it
follows that the slope of the graph of the line containing these points is , or . Substituting for
and for in yields .

Choice A is incorrect. This function represents a graph with a slope of and a y-intercept of .

Choice B is incorrect. This function represents a graph with a slope of and a y-intercept of .

Choice D is incorrect. This function represents a graph with a slope of and a y-intercept of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID dae126d7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: dae126d7
The boiling point of water at sea level is 212 degrees Fahrenheit . For
every 550 feet above sea level, the boiling point of water is lowered by about
. Which of the following equations can be used to find the boiling point B
of water, in , x feet above sea level?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: dae126d7 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that the boiling point of water at sea level is 212°F and that for every 550 feet above
sea level, the boiling point of water is lowered by about 1°F. Therefore, the change in the boiling point of water x

feet above sea level is represented by the expression . Adding this expression to the boiling point of

water at sea level gives the equation for the boiling point B of water, in °F, x feet above sea level:

, or .

Choices A and B are incorrect and may result from using the boiling point of water at sea level as the rate of
change and the rate of change as the initial boiling point of water at sea level. Choice C is incorrect and may
result from representing the change in the boiling point of water as an increase rather than a decrease.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID bf5f80c6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: bf5f80c6

Which point ( , ) is a solution to the given inequality in the -plane?

A. ( , )
B. ( , )
C. ( , )
D. ( , )

ID: bf5f80c6 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice D is correct. For a point to be a solution to the given inequality in the xy-plane, the value of the
point’s y-coordinate must be less than the value of , where is the value of the x-coordinate of the
point. This is true of the point because , or . Therefore, the point is a
solution to the given inequality.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. None of these points are a solution to the given inequality because each point’s
y-coordinate is greater than the value of for the point’s x-coordinate.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c307283c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: c307283c

What is an equation of the graph shown?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: c307283c Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. An equation of a line can be written in the form , where is the slope of the line
and is the y-intercept of the line. The line shown passes through the point , so . The line
shown also passes through the point . The slope, , of a line passing through two points and
can be calculated using the equation . For the points and , this gives
, or . Substituting for and for in yields , or
. Therefore, an equation of the graph shown is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is an equation of a line with a slope of , not .

Choice B is incorrect. This is an equation of a line with a slope of , not .

Choice D is incorrect. This is an equation of a line with a slope of , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 80da233d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: 80da233d
A certain elephant weighs 200 pounds at birth and gains more than 2 but
less than 3 pounds per day during its first year. Which of the following
inequalities represents all possible weights w, in pounds, for the elephant
365 days after birth?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 80da233d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that the elephant weighs 200 pounds at birth and gains more than 2 pounds but
less than 3 pounds per day during its first year. The inequality represents this

situation, where d is the number of days after birth. Substituting 365 for d in the inequality gives
, or .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from solving the inequality . Choice B is incorrect and

may result from solving the inequality for a weight range of more than 1 pound but less than 2 pounds:
. Choice C is incorrect and may result from calculating the possible weight

gained by the elephant during the first year without adding the 200 pounds the elephant weighed at birth.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 271f7e3f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 271f7e3f

For the function f defined above, what is the

value of ?
A.
B.

C.

D.

ID: 271f7e3f Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The value of can be calculated by finding the values of and . The value

of can be found by substituting 9 for x in the given function: . This equation can be rewritten

as , or 4. Then, the value of can be found by substituting 1 for x in the given function:

. This equation can be rewritten as , or 2. Therefore, , which is

equivalent to 2.

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may result from incorrectly substituting values of x in the given function or
making computational errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 70e29454
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 70e29454

In the equation above, a and b are constants. If the equation has infinitely
many solutions, what are the values of a and b ?
A. and
B. and
C. and
D. and

ID: 70e29454 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Distributing the a on the left-hand side of the equation gives 3a – b – ax = –1 – 2x.
Rearranging the terms in each side of the equation yields –ax + 3a – b = –2x –1. Since the equation has infinitely
many solutions, it follows that the coefficients of x and the free terms on both sides must be equal. That is, –a =
–2, or a = 2, and 3a – b = –1. Substituting 2 for a in the equation 3a – b = –1 gives 3(2) – b = –1, so b = 7.

Choice A is incorrect and may be the result of a conceptual error when finding the value of b. Choices C and D are
incorrect and may result from making a sign error when simplifying.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b31c3117
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: b31c3117

The Karvonen formula above shows the relationship between Alice’s target
heart rate H, in beats per minute (bpm), and the intensity level p of different
activities. When , Alice has a resting heart rate. When , Alice has
her maximum heart rate. It is recommended that p be between 0.5 and 0.85
for Alice when she trains. Which of the following inequalities describes Alice’s
target training heart rate?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: b31c3117 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. When Alice trains, it’s recommended that p be between 0.5 and 0.85. Therefore, her target
training heart rate is represented by the values of H corresponding to . When ,
, or . When , , or . Therefore, the inequality that

describes Alice’s target training heart rate is .

Choice B is incorrect. This inequality describes Alice’s target heart rate for . Choice C is incorrect.

This inequality describes her target heart rate for . Choice D is incorrect. This inequality describes

her target heart rate for .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f09097b1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: f09097b1
An agricultural scientist studying the growth of corn plants recorded the
height of a corn plant at the beginning of a study and the height of the plant
each day for the next 12 days. The scientist found that the height of the plant
increased by an average of 1.20 centimeters per day for the 12 days. If the
height of the plant on the last day of the study was 36.8 centimeters, what
was the height, in centimeters, of the corn plant at the beginning of the
study?
ID: f09097b1 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 22.4. If the height of the plant increased by an average of 1.20 centimeters per day for 12
days, then its total growth over the 12 days was centimeters. The plant was 36.8 centimeters

tall after 12 days, so at the beginning of the study its height was centimeters. Note that 22.4

and 112/5 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Alternate approach: The equation can be used to represent this situation, where h is the

height of the plant, in centimeters, at the beginning of the study. Solving this equation for h yields 22.4
centimeters.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c17d9ba9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: c17d9ba9
A number is at most less than times the value of . If the value of is , what is the greatest possible value of
?
ID: c17d9ba9 Answer
Correct Answer: -2

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that a number is at most less than times the value of , or
. Substituting for in this inequality yields , or . Thus, if the value of is ,
the greatest possible value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c5082ce3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: c5082ce3
The score on a trivia game is obtained by subtracting the number of incorrect
answers from twice the number of correct answers. If a player answered
40 questions and obtained a score of 50, how many questions did the player
answer correctly?
ID: c5082ce3 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 30. Let x represent the number of correct answers from the player and y represent the
number of incorrect answers from the player. Since the player answered 40 questions in total, the equation
represents this situation. Also, since the score is found by subtracting the number of incorrect

answers from twice the number of correct answers and the player received a score of 50, the equation
represents this situation. Adding the equations in the system of two equations together yields

. This can be rewritten as . Finally, solving for x by dividing both sides of the

equation by 3 yields .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2e0290c3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 2e0290c3

The graph shows the relationship between the number of shares of stock from Company A, , and the number of
shares of stock from Company B, , that Simone can purchase. Which equation could represent this relationship?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 2e0290c3 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The graph shown is a line passing through the points and . Since the
relationship between and is linear, if two points on the graph make a linear equation true, then the equation
represents the relationship. Substituting for and for in the equation in choice B, , yields
, or , which is true. Substituting for and for in the equation
yields , or , which is true. Therefore, the equation
represents the relationship between and .

Choice A is incorrect. The point is not on the graph of this equation, since , or , is
not true.
Choice C is incorrect. The point is not on the graph of this equation, since , or , is
not true.

Choice D is incorrect. The point is not on the graph of this equation, since , or
, is not true.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c651cc56
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: c651cc56

Some values of the linear function f are shown in the table

above. What is the value of ?
A. 6
B. 7
C. 8
D. 9

ID: c651cc56 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. A linear function has a constant rate of change, and any two rows of the table shown can be
used to calculate this rate. From the first row to the second, the value of x is increased by 2 and the value of
is increased by . So the values of increase by 3 for every increase by 1 in the value of x. Since

, it follows that . Therefore, .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the third x-value in the table, not . Choices C and D are incorrect and may

result from errors when calculating the function’s rate of change.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c22b5f25
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: c22b5f25
In the xy-plane, the points and lie on the graph of
which of the following linear functions?
A.

B.
C.

D.

ID: c22b5f25 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. A linear function can be written in the form , where m is the slope and b is the

y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the line. The slope of the graph can be found using the formula .

Substituting the values of the given points into this formula yields or , which simplifies

to . Only choice C shows an equation with this slope.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and may result from computation errors or misinterpreting the given
information.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 11e1ab81
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 11e1ab81

The graph above shows the distance traveled d, in feet, by a product on a

conveyor belt m minutes after the product is placed on the belt. Which of the
following equations correctly relates d and m ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 11e1ab81 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The line passes through the origin. Therefore, this is a relationship of the form ,

where k is a constant representing the slope of the graph. To find the value of k, choose a point on the
graph of the line other than the origin and substitute the values of m and d into the equation. For example, if the
point is chosen, then , and . Therefore, the equation of the line is .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from calculating the slope of the line as the change in time over the change
in distance traveled instead of the change in distance traveled over the change in time. Choices C and D are
incorrect because each of these equations represents a line with a d-intercept of 2. However, the graph shows a
line with a d-intercept of 0.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4fe4fd7c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 4fe4fd7c

A company’s total cost , in dollars, to produce x shirts is given by the

function above, where m is a constant and . The total cost to produce
100 shirts is $800. What is the total cost, in dollars, to produce 1000 shirts?
(Disregard the $ sign when gridding your answer.)
ID: 4fe4fd7c Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 3500. The given information includes a cost, $800, to produce 100 shirts. Substituting
and into the given equation yields . Subtracting 500 from both sides of

the equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by 100 yields . Substituting the

value of m into the given equation yields . Substituting 1000 for x in this equation and solving for

gives the cost of 1000 shirts: , or 3500.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 620abf36
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 620abf36
If , what is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 620abf36 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Subtracting from both sides of the given equation yields , or
. Therefore, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d62ad380
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: d62ad380
An artist paints and sells square tiles. The selling price P, in dollars, of a painted tile is a linear function of the
side length of the tile s, in inches, as shown in the table below.

Side length, s (inches) Price, P (dollars)

3 8.00
6 18.00
9 28.00
Which of the following could define the relationship between s and P ?
A.

B.
C.

D.

ID: d62ad380 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The relationship between s and P can be modeled by a linear equation of the form P = ks + a,

where k and a are constants. The table shows that P increases by 10 when s increases by 3, so k = . To solve

for a, substitute one of the given pairs of values for s and P: when s = 3, P = 8, so , which yields a =

–2. The solution is therefore .

Choice A is incorrect. When s = 3, P = 8, but 3(3) + 10 = 19 ≠︀8. Choice B is incorrect. This may result from using the
first number given for P in the table as the constant term a in the linear equation P = ks + a, which is true only
when s = 0. Choice D is incorrect and may result from using the reciprocal of the slope of the line.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 092ad67d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 092ad67d

The solution to the given system of equations is . What is the value of ?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 092ad67d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Adding the first equation to the second equation in the given system yields
, or . Combining like terms in this equation yields
. Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Thus, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3122fc7b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 3122fc7b
A linear model estimates the population of a city from to . The model estimates the population was
thousand in , thousand in , and thousand in . To the nearest whole number, what is the value
of ?
ID: 3122fc7b Answer
Correct Answer: 257

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that a linear model estimates the population of a city from to .
Since the population can be estimated using a linear model, it follows that there is a constant rate of change for
the model. It’s also given that the model estimates the population was thousand in , thousand in
, and thousand in . The change in the population between and is , or ,
thousand. The change in the number of years between and is , or , years. Dividing
by gives , or , thousand per year. Thus, the change in population per year from to
estimated by the model is thousand. The change in the number of years between and is
, or , years. Multiplying the change in population per year by the change in number of years yields
the increase in population from to estimated by the model: , or , thousand. Adding the
change in population from to estimated by the model to the estimated population in yields the
estimated population in . Thus, the estimated population in is , or , thousand.
Therefore to the nearest whole number, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 23dedddd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 23dedddd
In the linear function , and . Which equation defines ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 23dedddd Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Since is a linear function, it can be defined by an equation of the form ,
where and are constants. It's given that . Substituting for and for in the equation
yields , or . Substituting for in the equation yields
. It's given that . Substituting for and for in the equation
yields , or . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Substituting
for in the equation yields . Therefore, an equation that defines is
.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c8fb6bcb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: c8fb6bcb

The given function represents the perimeter, in , of a rectangle with a length of and a
fixed width. What is the width, in , of the rectangle?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: c8fb6bcb Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that represents the perimeter, in , of a

rectangle with a length of and a fixed width. If represents a fixed width, in , then the perimeter, in ,
of a rectangle with a length of and a fixed width of can be given by the function .
Therefore, . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both
sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the width, in , of the rectangle is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d909cd31
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: d909cd31

One of the two equations in a system of linear equations is given. The system has infinitely many solutions. Which of
the following could be the second equation in the system?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: d909cd31 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given that the system has infinitely many solutions. A system of two linear equations has
infinitely many solutions when the two linear equations are equivalent. Dividing both sides of the given equation
by yields . Dividing both sides of choice C by also yields , so choice C is
equivalent to the given equation. Thus, choice C could be the second equation in the system.

Choice A is incorrect. The system consisting of this equation and the given equation has one solution, not
infinitely many solutions.

Choice B is incorrect. The system consisting of this equation and the given equation has one solution, not
infinitely many solutions.

Choice D is incorrect. The system consisting of this equation and the given equation has no solution, not
infinitely many solutions.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 56dc8045
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 56dc8045

The function models the volume of liquid, in milliliters, in a container seconds after it begins draining from a hole
at the bottom. According to the model, what is the predicted volume, in milliliters, draining from the container each
second?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 56dc8045 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that the function models the volume of liquid, in milliliters, in a container
seconds after it begins draining from a hole at the bottom. The given function can be rewritten
as . Thus, for each increase of by , the value of decreases by , or . Therefore, the
predicted volume, in milliliters, draining from the container each second is milliliters.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the amount of liquid, in milliliters, in the container before the liquid begins
draining.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4f669597
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 4f669597

What value of p is the solution of

the equation above?
ID: 4f669597 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 1.2. One way to solve the equation is to first distribute the terms

outside the parentheses to the terms inside the parentheses: . Next, combine like terms on

the left side of the equal sign: . Subtracting 10p from both sides yields . Finally, dividing

both sides by gives , which is equivalent to . Note that 1.2 and 6/5 are examples of ways to

enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f2bbd43d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: f2bbd43d

The point is a solution to the system of inequalities in the xy-plane. Which of the following could be the
value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: f2bbd43d Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that the point is a solution to the given system of inequalities in the xy-
plane. This means that the coordinates of the point, when substituted for the variables and , make both of the
inequalities in the system true. Substituting for in the inequality yields , which is true.
Substituting for in the inequality yields . Subtracting from both sides of this
inequality yields . Dividing both sides of this inequality by yields . Therefore, must be a
value less than . Of the given choices, only is less than .

Choice B is incorrect. Substituting for and for in the inequality yields ,

or , which is not true.

Choice C is incorrect. Substituting for and for in the inequality yields , or

, which is not true.

Choice D is incorrect. Substituting for and for in the inequality yields , or

, which is not true.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c01f4a95
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: c01f4a95

For the linear function , is a constant and . What is the value of ?

ID: c01f4a95 Answer
Correct Answer: 39

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that for the linear function , is a constant and . Substituting
for and for in the given equation yields . Subtracting from both sides of this
equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Substituting
for in the given equation, , yields . Substituting for in this
equation yields , or . Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 431c3038
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 431c3038
In an article about exercise, it is estimated that a 160-pound adult uses 200
calories for every 30 minutes of hiking and 150 calories for every 30 minutes
of bicycling. An adult who weighs 160 pounds has completed 1 hour of
bicycling. Based on the article, how many hours should the adult hike to use
a total of 1,900 calories from bicycling and hiking?
A. 9.5
B. 8.75
C. 6
D. 4

ID: 431c3038 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Since a 160-pound adult uses 200 calories for every 30 minutes of hiking, then the same adult
uses calories after hiking for h 30-minute periods. Similarly, the same adult uses calories after

bicycling for b 30-minute periods. Therefore, the equation represents the situation where

a 160-pound adult uses a total of 1,900 calories from hiking for h 30-minute periods and bicycling for b 30-minute
periods. It’s given that the adult completes 1 hour, or 2 30-minute periods, of bicycling. Substituting 2 for b in the
equation yields , or . Subtracting 300 from

both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides by 200 yields . Since h represents the
number of 30-minute periods spent hiking and there are 2 30-minute periods in every hour, it follows that the

adult will need to hike for , or 4 hours to use a total of 1,900 calories from bicycling and hiking.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from solving the equation . This represents 0 30-minute
periods bicycling instead of 2. Choice B is incorrect and may result from solving the equation
. This represents 1 30-minute period of bicycling instead of 2. Choice C is incorrect. This

may result from determining that the number of 30-minute periods the adult should hike is 8, but then
subtracting 2 from 8, rather than dividing 8 by 2, to find the number of hours the adult should hike.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 868fc236
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 868fc236

The table above gives the typical amounts of energy per gram, expressed in
both food calories and kilojoules, of the three macronutrients in food. If x
food calories is equivalent to k kilojoules, of the following, which best
represents the relationship between x and k ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 868fc236 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The relationship between x food calories and k kilojoules can be modeled as a proportional
relationship. Let and represent the values in the first two rows in the table: and

. The rate of change, or , is ; therefore, the equation that best represents the

relationship between x and k is .

Choice A is incorrect and may be the result of calculating the rate of change using . Choice C is
incorrect because the number of kilojoules is greater than the number of food calories. Choice D is incorrect and
may be the result of an error when setting up the equation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ce314070
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: ce314070
If , what is the
value of ?
A.

B.
C.
D.

ID: ce314070 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Multiplying the given equation by 2 on each side yields . Applying the

distributive property, this equation can be rewritten as , or .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and may result from calculation errors in solving the given equation for and
then substituting that value of x in the expression .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7e1bff94
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 7e1bff94
The table gives the number of hours, , of labor and a plumber’s total charge , in dollars, for two different jobs.

There is a linear relationship between and . Which equation represents this relationship?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 7e1bff94 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given that there is a linear relationship between a plumber's hours of labor, , and the
plumber's total charge , in dollars. It follows that the relationship can be represented by an equation of the
form , where is the rate of change of the function and is a constant. The rate of change of
can be calculated by dividing the difference in two values of by the difference in the corresponding values
of . Based on the values given in the table, the rate of change of is , or . Substituting for in the
equation yields . The value of can be found by substituting any value of and
its corresponding value of for and , respectively, in this equation. Substituting for and for
yields , or . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields .
Substituting for in the equation yields .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9f6f96ff
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 9f6f96ff
A wire with a length of inches is cut into two parts. One part has a length of inches, and the other part has a
length of inches. The value of is more than times the value of . What is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 9f6f96ff Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It's given that a wire with a length of inches is cut into two parts. It's also given that one
part has a length of inches and the other part has a length of inches. This can be represented by the equation
. It's also given that the value of is more than times the value of . This can be represented by
the equation . Substituting for in the equation yields , or
. Subtracting from each side of this equation yields . Dividing each side of this equation
by yields . Substituting for in the equation yields , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This value represents less than half of the total length of inches; however,
represents the length of the longer part of the wire, since it's given that the value of is more than times the
value of .

Choice B is incorrect. This value represents less than half of the total length of inches; however, represents
the length of the longer part of the wire, since it's given that the value of is more than times the value of .

Choice C is incorrect. This represents a part that is more than the length of the other part, rather than more
than times the length of the other part.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2875ba81
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 2875ba81

The solution to the given system of equations is . What is the value of y?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 2875ba81 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The given system of linear equations can be solved by the elimination method. Multiplying
each side of the second equation in the given system by yields , or .
Subtracting this equation from the first equation in the given system yields
, which is equivalent to , or .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of , not the value of .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 265f2a53
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 265f2a53
When line is graphed in the xy-plane, it has an x-intercept of and a y-intercept of . What is the
slope of line ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 265f2a53 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given that when line is graphed in the xy-plane, it has an x-intercept of and a
y-intercept of . The slope, , of a line can be found using any two points on the line, and ,
and the slope formula . Substituting the points and for and ,

respectively, in the slope formula yields , or . Therefore, the slope of line is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the slope of a line that has an x-intercept of and a y-intercept of .

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0cadb20e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 0cadb20e
The function is defined by , and , where is a constant. What is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 0cadb20e Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given that and , where is a constant. Therefore, for the given
function , when , . Substituting for and for in the given function yields
. Multiplying both sides of this equation by yields . Subtracting from both sides of
this equation yields . Therefore, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of if .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of if .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of if .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ce6b52d8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: ce6b52d8
If , what is the value of ?
ID: ce6b52d8 Answer
Correct Answer: 60

Rationale

The correct answer is . Subtracting from both sides of the given equation yields .
Applying the distributive property to the left-hand side of this equation yields . Adding to
both sides of this equation yields . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields .
Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f81a0503
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: f81a0503
In the xy-plane, line passes through the points and . Which equation defines line ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: f81a0503 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. An equation defining a line in the xy-plane can be written in the form , where
represents the slope and represents the y-intercept of the line. It’s given that line passes through the
point ; therefore, . The slope, , of a line can be found using any two points on the line,
and , and the slope formula . Substituting the points and for and
, respectively, in the slope formula yields , or . Substituting for and for in
the equation yields .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 28c2253f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 28c2253f
Characteristics for Rock Types
Rock type Weight(lb/ftper3volume Cost per
) pound
Basalt 180 $0.18
Granite 165 $0.09
Limestone 120 $0.03
Sandstone 135 $0.22
A city is planning to build a rock retaining wall, a monument, and a garden in
a park. The table above shows four rock types that will be considered for use
in the project. Also shown for each rock type is its weight per volume, in
pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft3), and the cost per pound, in dollars. Only
basalt, granite, and limestone will be used in the garden. The rocks in the
garden will have a total weight of 1,000 pounds. If 330 pounds of granite is
used, which of the following equations could show the relationship between
the amounts, x and y, in ft3, for each of the other rock types used?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 28c2253f Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It’s given that the weight of the granite used in the garden is 330 pounds. The weight of the
3 3
limestone used in the garden is a product of its weight per volume, in lb/ft , and its volume, in ft . Therefore, the
weight of the limestone used in the garden can be represented by
3
, where x is the volume, in ft , of the
limestone used. Similarly, the weight of the basalt used in the garden can be represented by , where y is the
3
volume, in ft , of the basalt used. It’s given that the total weight of the rocks used in the garden will be 1,000
pounds. Thus, the sum of the weights of the three rock types used is 1,000 pounds, which can be represented by
the equation . Subtracting 330 from both sides of this equation yields
.

Choice A is incorrect. This equation uses the weight per volume of granite instead of limestone. Choice B is
incorrect. This equation uses the weight per volume of granite instead of basalt, and doesn’t take into account
the 330 pounds of granite that will be used in the garden. Choice D is incorrect. This equation doesn’t take into
account the 330 pounds of granite that will be used in the garden.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 042aa429
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 042aa429
If and , what is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 042aa429 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The value of can be found by substituting for in the given equation ,
which yields , or . The value of can be found by substituting for in the given
equation , which yields , or . The value of the expression can be
found by substituting the corresponding values into the expression, which gives . This expression is
equivalent to , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from calculating as , rather than

.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e77a76ce
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: e77a76ce
Which of the following systems of linear equations has no solution?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: e77a76ce Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. A system of two linear equations in two variables, and , has no solution if the graphs of
the lines represented by the equations in the xy-plane are distinct and parallel. The graphs of two lines in
the xy-plane represented by equations in slope-intercept form, , where and are constants, are
parallel if their slopes, , are the same and are distinct if their y-coordinates of the y-intercepts, , are different.
In the equations and , the values of are each , and the values of are and ,
respectively. Since the slopes of these lines are the same and the y-coordinates of the y-intercepts are different,
it follows that the system of linear equations in choice A has no solution.

Choice B is incorrect. The two lines represented by these equations are a horizontal line and a line with a slope
of that have the same y-coordinate of the y-intercept. Therefore, this system has a solution, , rather
than no solution.

Choice C is incorrect. The two lines represented by these equations have different slopes and the same y-
coordinate of the y-intercept. Therefore, this system has a solution, , rather than no solution.

Choice D is incorrect. The two lines represented by these equations are a vertical line and a horizontal line.
Therefore, this system has a solution, , rather than no solution.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 1bc11c4e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 1bc11c4e

The given function models the number of gallons of gasoline that remains from a full gas tank in a car after driving
miles. According to the model, about how many gallons of gasoline are used to drive each mile?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 1bc11c4e Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that the function models the number of gallons that remain from a full gas tank
in a car after driving miles. In the given function , the coefficient of is . This
means that for every increase in the value of by , the value of decreases by . It follows that for each
mile driven, there is a decrease of gallons of gasoline. Therefore, gallons of gasoline are used to drive
each mile.

Choice B is incorrect and represents the number of gallons of gasoline in a full gas tank.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b3c7ca1d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: b3c7ca1d
Which of the following systems of linear equations has no solution?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: b3c7ca1d Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. A system of two linear equations in two variables, and , has no solution if the graphs of
the lines represented by the equations in the xy-plane are distinct and parallel. The graphs of two lines in
the xy-plane represented by equations in slope-intercept form, , where and are constants, are
parallel if their slopes, , are the same and are distinct if their y-coordinates of the y-intercepts, , are different.
In the equations and , the values of are each , and the values of are and ,
respectively. Since the slopes of these lines are the same, and the y-coordinates of the y-intercepts are different,
it follows that the system of linear equations in choice C has no solution.

Choice A is incorrect. The lines represented by the equations in this system are a vertical line and a horizontal
line. Therefore, this system has a solution, , rather than no solution.

Choice B is incorrect. The two lines represented by these equations have different slopes and the same y-
coordinate of the y-intercept. Therefore, this system has a solution, , rather than no solution.

Choice D is incorrect. The two lines represented by these equations are a horizontal line and a line with a slope
of that have the same y-coordinate of the y-intercept. Therefore, this system has a solution, , rather than
no solution.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 113b938e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 113b938e

The equation above represents the speed y, in feet per second, of Sheila’s
bicycle x seconds after she applied the brakes at the end of a ride. If the
equation is graphed in the xy-plane, which of the following is the best
interpretation of the x-coordinate of the line’s x-intercept in the context of
the problem?
A. The speed of Sheila’s bicycle, in feet per second, before Sheila applied the brakes
B. The number of feet per second the speed of Sheila’s bicycle decreased each second after Sheila applied the
brakes
C. The number of seconds it took from the time Sheila began applying the brakes until the bicycle came to a
complete stop
D. The number of feet Sheila’s bicycle traveled from the time she began applying the brakes until the bicycle came
to a complete stop

ID: 113b938e Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It’s given that for each point on the graph of the given equation, the x-coordinate
represents the number of seconds after Sheila applied the brakes, and the y-coordinate represents the speed of
Sheila’s bicycle at that moment in time. For the graph of the equation, the y-coordinate of the x-intercept is 0.
Therefore, the x-coordinate of the x-intercept of the graph of the given equation represents the number of
seconds it took from the time Sheila began applying the brakes until the bicycle came to a complete stop.

Choice A is incorrect. The speed of Sheila’s bicycle before she applied the brakes is represented by the y-
coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph of the given equation, not the x-coordinate of the x-intercept. Choice B
is incorrect. The number of feet per second the speed of Sheila’s bicycle decreased each second after Sheila
applied the brakes is represented by the slope of the graph of the given equation, not the x-coordinate of the x-
intercept. Choice D is incorrect and may result from misinterpreting x as the distance, in feet, traveled after
applying the brakes, rather than the time, in seconds, after applying the brakes.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2e1a7f66
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 2e1a7f66
Figure A and figure B are both regular polygons. The sum of the perimeter of figure A and the perimeter of figure B
is inches. The equation represents this situation, where is the number of sides of figure A and
is the number of sides of figure B. Which statement is the best interpretation of in this context?
A. Each side of figure B has a length of inches.
B. The number of sides of figure B is .
C. Each side of figure A has a length of inches.
D. The number of sides of figure A is .

ID: 2e1a7f66 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that figure A and figure B (not shown) are both regular polygons and the sum of the
perimeters of the two figures is . It’s also given that is the number of sides of figure A and is the
number of sides of figure B, and that the equation represents this situation. Thus, and
represent the perimeters, in inches, of figure A and figure B, respectively. Since represents the perimeter, in
inches, of figure B and is the number of sides of figure B, it follows that each side of figure B has a length of
.

Choice B is incorrect. The number of sides of figure B is , not .

Choice C is incorrect. Since the perimeter, in inches, of figure A is represented by , each side of figure A has a
length of , not .

Choice D is incorrect. The number of sides of figure A is , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5e422ff9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 5e422ff9

In the solution to the system of equations

above, what is the value of y ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 5e422ff9 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Multiplying both sides of by 5 results in . Multiplying both sides of

by 2 results in . Subtracting the resulting equations yields , which

simplifies to . Dividing both sides of by results in .

Choices A and B are incorrect and may result from incorrectly subtracting the transformed equation. Choice C is
incorrect and may result from finding the value of x instead of the value of y.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 637022d2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 637022d2

The given equation describes the relationship between the number of birds, , and the number of reptiles, , that
can be cared for at a pet care business on a given day. If the business cares for reptiles on a given day, how
many birds can it care for on this day?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 637022d2 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The number of birds can be found by calculating the value of when in the given
equation. Substituting for in the given equation yields , or . Subtracting
from both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields .
Therefore, if the business cares for reptiles on a given day, it can care for birds on this day.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 74c98c82
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: 74c98c82
An event planner is planning a party. It costs the event planner a onetime fee of to rent the venue and
per attendee. The event planner has a budget of . What is the greatest number of attendees possible without
exceeding the budget?
ID: 74c98c82 Answer
Correct Answer: 16

Rationale

The correct answer is . The total cost of the party is found by adding the onetime fee of the venue to the cost
per attendee times the number of attendees. Let be the number of attendees. The expression thus
represents the total cost of the party. It's given that the budget is , so this situation can be represented by
the inequality . The greatest number of attendees can be found by solving this inequality for
. Subtracting from both sides of this inequality gives . Dividing both sides of this inequality by
results in approximately . Since the question is stated in terms of attendees, rounding down
to the nearest whole number, , gives the greatest number of attendees possible.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 36ab4122
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 36ab4122
Megan’s regular wage at her job is p dollars per hour for the first 8 hours of
work in a day plus 1.5 times her regular hourly wage for work in excess of
8 hours that day. On a given day, Megan worked for 10 hours, and her total
earnings for that day were $137.50. What is Megan’s regular hourly wage?
A. $11.75
B. $12.50
C. $13.25
D. $13.75

ID: 36ab4122 Answer

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Since p represents Megan’s regular pay per hour, 1.5p represents the pay per hour in excess
of 8 hours. Since Megan worked for 10 hours, she must have been paid p dollars per hour for 8 of the hours plus
1.5p dollars per hour for the remaining 2 hours. Therefore, since Megan earned $137.50 for the 10 hours, the
situation can be represented by the equation 137.5 = 8p + 2(1.5)p. Distributing the 2 in the equation gives 137.5 =
8p + 3p, and combining like terms gives 137.5 = 11p. Dividing both sides by 11 gives p = 12.5. Therefore, Megan’s
regular wage is $12.50.

Choices A and C are incorrect and may be the result of calculation errors. Choice D is incorrect and may result
from finding the average hourly wage that Megan earned for the 10 hours of work.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e9ef0e6b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: e9ef0e6b
A model estimates that whales from the genus Eschrichtius travel to miles in the ocean each day during their
migration. Based on this model, which inequality represents the estimated total number of miles, , a whale from
the genus Eschrichtius could travel in days of its migration?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: e9ef0e6b Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that the model estimates that whales from the genus Eschrichtius travel to
miles in the ocean each day during their migration. If one of these whales travels miles each day for days,
then the whale travels miles total. If one of these whales travels miles each day for days, then the
whale travels miles total. Therefore, the model estimates that in days of its migration, a whale from
the genus Eschrichtius could travel at least and at most miles total. Thus, the inequality
represents the estimated total number of miles, , a whale from the genus
Eschrichtius could travel in days of its migration.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5a7ab8e8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 5a7ab8e8

How many solutions does the given equation have?

A. Exactly one
B. Exactly two
C. Infinitely many
D. Zero

ID: 5a7ab8e8 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. If the two sides of a linear equation are equivalent, then the equation is true for any value. If
an equation is true for any value, it has infinitely many solutions. Since the two sides of the given linear equation
are equivalent, the given equation has infinitely many solutions.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2704399f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 2704399f

Which of the following systems of equations has the same solution as the
system of equations graphed above?

A.

B.
C.

D.

ID: 2704399f Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The solution to a system of equations is the coordinates of the intersection point of the
graphs of the equations in the xy-plane. Based on the graph, the solution to the given system of equations is best

approximated as . In the xy-plane, the graph of is a horizontal line on which every y-coordinate is 0,

and the graph of is a vertical line on which every x-coordinate is . These graphs intersect at the point

. Therefore, the system of equations in choice A has the same solution as the given system.
Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. If graphed in the xy-plane, these choices would intersect at the points ,

, and , respectively, not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f02b4509
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: f02b4509
A moving truck can tow a trailer if the combined weight of the trailer and the boxes it contains is no more than
pounds. What is the maximum number of boxes this truck can tow in a trailer with a weight of pounds if each
box weighs pounds?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: f02b4509 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that the truck can tow a trailer if the combined weight of the trailer and the boxes it
contains is no more than pounds. If the trailer has a weight of pounds and each box weighs
pounds, the expression , where is the number of boxes, gives the combined weight of the trailer and
the boxes. Since the combined weight must be no more than pounds, the possible numbers of boxes the
truck can tow are given by the inequality . Subtracting from both sides of this
inequality yields . Dividing both sides of this inequality by yields , or is less than or
equal to approximately . Since the number of boxes, , must be a whole number, the maximum number of
boxes the truck can tow is the greatest whole number less than , which is .

Choice B is incorrect. Towing the trailer and boxes would yield a combined weight of pounds, which is
greater than pounds.

Choice C is incorrect. Towing the trailer and boxes would yield a combined weight of pounds, which is
greater than pounds.

Choice D is incorrect. Towing the trailer and boxes would yield a combined weight of pounds, which is
greater than pounds.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 686b7cad
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: 686b7cad
A proposal for a new library was included on an election ballot. A radio show stated that times as many people
voted in favor of the proposal as people who voted against it. A social media post reported that more people
voted in favor of the proposal than voted against it. Based on these data, how many people voted against the
proposal?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 686b7cad Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that a radio show stated that times as many people voted in favor of the proposal
as people who voted against it. Let represent the number of people who voted against the proposal. It follows
that is the number of people who voted in favor of the proposal and , or , is how many more people
voted in favor of the proposal than voted against it. It's also given that a social media post reported that
more people voted in favor of the proposal than voted against it. Thus, . Since , the
value of must be half of , or . Therefore, people voted against the proposal.

Choice B is incorrect. This is how many more people voted in favor of the proposal than voted against it, not the
number of people who voted against the proposal.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the number of people who voted in favor of the proposal, not the number of people
who voted against the proposal.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 90bd9ef8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: 90bd9ef8
The average annual energy cost for a certain home is $4,334. The
homeowner plans to spend $25,000 to install a geothermal heating system.
The homeowner estimates that the average annual energy cost will then be
$2,712. Which of the following inequalities can be solved to find t, the
number of years after installation at which the total amount of energy cost
savings will exceed the installation cost?
A.
B.
C.

D.

ID: 90bd9ef8 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The savings each year from installing the geothermal heating system will be the average
annual energy cost for the home before the geothermal heating system installation minus the average annual
energy cost after the geothermal heating system installation, which is dollars. In t years, the

savings will be dollars. Therefore, the inequality that can be solved to find the number of years
after installation at which the total amount of energy cost savings will exceed (be greater than) the installation
cost, $25,000, is .

Choice A is incorrect. It gives the number of years after installation at which the total amount of energy cost
savings will be less than the installation cost. Choice C is incorrect and may result from subtracting the average
annual energy cost for the home from the onetime cost
of the geothermal heating system installation. To find the predicted total savings, the predicted average cost
should be subtracted from the average annual energy cost before the installation, and the result should be
multiplied by the number of years, t. Choice D is incorrect and may result from misunderstanding the context.

The ratio compares the average energy cost before installation and the average energy cost after

installation; it does not represent the savings.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 6f6dfe3e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 6f6dfe3e

The table shows three values of and their corresponding values of , where is a constant, for the linear
relationship between and . What is the slope of the line that represents this relationship in the xy-plane?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 6f6dfe3e Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The slope, , of a line in the xy-plane can be found using two points on the line,
and , and the slope formula . Based on the given table, the line representing the relationship
between and in the xy-plane passes through the points , , and , where is a
constant. Substituting two of these points, and , for and , respectively, in the
slope formula yields , which is equivalent to , or . Therefore, the slope of
the line that represents this relationship in the xy-plane is .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8f0c82e2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: 8f0c82e2
The minimum value of is less than times another number . Which inequality shows the possible values of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 8f0c82e2 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that the minimum value of is less than times another number . Therefore,
the possible values of are all greater than or equal to the value of less than times . The value of times
is given by the expression . The value of less than is given by the expression . Therefore, the
possible values of are all greater than or equal to . This can be shown by the inequality .

Choice A is incorrect. This inequality shows the possible values of if the maximum, not the minimum, value of
is less than times .

Choice C is incorrect. This inequality shows the possible values of if the maximum, not the minimum, value of
is times less than , not less than times .

Choice D is incorrect. This inequality shows the possible values of if the minimum value of is times less
than , not less than times .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5ad9eff0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 5ad9eff0
The width of a rectangular dance floor is w feet. The length of the floor is 6
feet longer than its width. Which of the following expresses the perimeter, in
feet, of the dance floor in terms of w ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 5ad9eff0 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It is given that the width of the dance floor is w feet. The length is 6 feet longer than the
width; therefore, the length of the dance floor is . So the perimeter is .

Choice A is incorrect because it is the sum of one length and one width, which is only half the perimeter. Choice
C is incorrect and may result from using the formula for the area instead of the formula for the perimeter and
making a calculation error. Choice D is incorrect because this is the area, not the perimeter, of the dance floor.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 038d87d7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 038d87d7
A neighborhood consists of a -hectare park and a -hectare residential area. The total number of trees in the
neighborhood is . The equation represents this situation. Which of the following is the best
interpretation of x in this context?
A. The average number of trees per hectare in the park
B. The average number of trees per hectare in the residential area
C. The total number of trees in the park
D. The total number of trees in the residential area

ID: 038d87d7 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that a neighborhood consists of a -hectare park and a -hectare residential area
and that the total number of trees in the neighborhood is . It's also given that the equation
represents this situation. Since the total number of trees for a given area can be determined
by taking the number of hectares times the average number of trees per hectare, this must mean that the terms
and correspond to the number of trees in the park and in the residential area, respectively. Since
corresponds to the number of trees in the park, and is the size of the park, in hectares, must represent the
average number of trees per hectare in the park.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 441558e7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 441558e7
Scientists collected fallen acorns that each housed a colony of the ant species P. ohioensis and analyzed each
colony's structure. For any of these colonies, if the colony has worker ants, the equation , where
, gives the predicted number of larvae, , in the colony. If one of these colonies has worker ants,
which of the following is closest to the predicted number of larvae in the colony?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 441558e7 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that the equation , where , gives the predicted
number of larvae, , in a colony of ants if the colony has worker ants. If one of these colonies has worker
ants, the predicted number of larvae in that colony can be found by substituting for in the given equation.
Substituting for in the given equation yields , or . Of the given choices, is
closest to the predicted number of larvae in the colony.

Choice B is incorrect. This is closest to the predicted number of larvae in a colony with worker ants.

Choice C is incorrect. This is closest to the number of worker ants for which the predicted number of larvae in a
colony is .

Choice D is incorrect. This is closest to the predicted number of larvae in a colony with worker ants.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f0773a55
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: f0773a55

The graph represents the total charge, in dollars, by an electrician for hours of work. The electrician charges a
onetime fee plus an hourly rate. What is the best interpretation of the slope of the graph?
A. The electrician’s hourly rate
B. The electrician’s onetime fee
C. The maximum amount that the electrician charges
D. The total amount that the electrician charges

ID: f0773a55 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that the electrician charges a onetime fee plus an hourly rate. It's also given that
the graph represents the total charge, in dollars, for hours of work. This graph shows a linear relationship in
the xy-plane. Thus, the total charge , in dollars, for hours of work can be represented as , where
is the slope and is the y-intercept of the graph of the equation in the xy-plane. Since the given graph
represents the total charge, in dollars, by an electrician for hours of work, it follows that its slope is , or the
electrician’s hourly rate.

Choice B is incorrect. The electrician's onetime fee is represented by the y-coordinate of the y-intercept, not the
slope, of the graph.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b544a348
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: b544a348

In the solution to the system of equations

above, what is the value of x ?
ID: b544a348 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 7. Subtracting the second equation from the first equation eliminates the variable y.

Dividing both sides of the resulting equation by 4 yields x = 7.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9ed4c1a2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 9ed4c1a2
What is the slope of the graph of in the xy-plane?
ID: 9ed4c1a2 Answer
Correct Answer: 13.75, 55/4

Rationale

The correct answer is . In the xy-plane, the graph of an equation in the form , where and are
constants, has a slope of and a y-intercept of . Applying the distributive property to the right-hand side
of the given equation yields . Combining like terms yields . This equation is
in the form , where and . It follows that the slope of the graph of
in the xy-plane is . Note that 55/4 and 13.75 are examples of ways to enter a correct
answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 45bba652
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 45bba652
If , what is
the value of ?
A. 2
B. 5
C. 7
D. 12

ID: 45bba652 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Adding the like terms on the left-hand side of the given equation yields .
Dividing both sides of this equation by 5 yields .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from subtracting 5, not dividing by 5, on both sides of the equation
. Choice C is incorrect. This is the value of x, not the value of . Choice D is incorrect. This is the
value of , not the value of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID fb43b85f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: fb43b85f
A line passes through the points and in the xy-plane. What is the slope of the line?
ID: fb43b85f Answer
Correct Answer: 1.636, 18/11

Rationale

The correct answer is . For a line that passes through the points and in the xy-plane, the
slope of the line can be calculated using the slope formula, . It's given that a line passes through the
points and in the xy-plane. Substituting for and for in the slope
formula, , yields , or . Therefore, the slope of the line is . Note that 18/11 and
1.636 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID eafdbbbd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: eafdbbbd

What value of is the solution to the given equation?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: eafdbbbd Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. For the given equation, is a factor of both terms on the left-hand side. Therefore, the
given equation can be rewritten as , or , which is equivalent to
. Multiplying both sides of this equation by yields . Subtracting from both
sides of this equation yields .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of for which the left-hand side of the given equation equals , not .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of for which the left-hand side of the given equation equals , not .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of for which the left-hand side of the given equation equals , not
.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3ce92ce8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 3ce92ce8

For the given function , the graph of in the xy-plane is parallel to line . What is the slope of line ?
ID: 3ce92ce8 Answer
Correct Answer: 2

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that function is defined by . Therefore, the equation
representing the graph of in the xy-plane is , and the graph is a line. For a linear equation
in the form , represents the slope of the line. Since the value of in the equation is ,
the slope of the line defined by function is . It's given that line is parallel to the line defined by function .
The slopes of parallel lines are equal. Therefore, the slope of line is also .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8a6de407
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 8a6de407
The function f is defined by , where m and b are constants. If
and , what is the value of m ?

ID: 8a6de407 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 2. The slope-intercept form of an equation for a line is , where m is the slope
and b is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept. Two ordered pairs, and , can be used to compute the

slope using the formula . It’s given that and ; therefore, the two ordered pairs

for this line are and . Substituting these values for and gives , or 2.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d02193fb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: d02193fb

The shaded region shown represents the solutions to which inequality?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: d02193fb Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The equation for the line representing the boundary of the shaded region can be written in
slope-intercept form , where is the slope and is the y-intercept of the line. For the graph
shown, the boundary line passes through the points and . Given two points on a line, and
, the slope of the line can be calculated using the equation . Substituting the points
and for and in this equation yields , which is equivalent to , or
. Since the point represents the y-intercept, it follows that . Substituting for and for
in the equation yields as the equation of the boundary line. Since the shaded region
represents all the points above this boundary line, it follows that the shaded region shown represents the
solutions to the inequality .
Choice A is incorrect. This inequality represents a region below, not above, a boundary line with a slope of , not
.

Choice B is incorrect. This inequality represents a region below, not above, the boundary line shown.

Choice C is incorrect. This inequality represents a region whose boundary line has a slope of , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e53688cb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two linear

equations in two
variables

ID: e53688cb

The solution to the given system of equations is . What is the value of ?

ID: e53688cb Answer
Correct Answer: 18

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given by the second equation in the system that . Substituting for in
the first equation in the system, , yields . Subtracting from both sides of this
equation yields .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 41fdc0b8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 41fdc0b8

The table above shows the population of Greenleaf, Idaho, for the years 2000 and 2010. If the relationship between
population and year is linear, which of the following functions P models the population of Greenleaf t years after
2000?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 41fdc0b8 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It is given that the relationship between population and year is linear; therefore, the function
that models the population t years after 2000 is of the form , where m is the slope and b is the

population when . In the year 2000, . Therefore, . The slope is given by

. Therefore, , which is equivalent to the

equation in choice A.

Choice B is incorrect and may be the result of incorrectly calculating the slope as just the change in the value of
P. Choice C is incorrect and may be the result of the same error as in choice B, in addition to incorrectly using t to
represent the year, instead of the number of years after 2000. Choice D is incorrect and may be the result of
incorrectly using t to represent the year instead of the number of years after 2000.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8c515062
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 8c515062
A candle is made of ounces of wax. When the candle is burning, the amount of wax in the candle decreases by
ounce every hours. If ounces of wax remain in this candle, for how many hours has it been burning?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 8c515062 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that the candle starts with ounces of wax and has ounces of wax remaining
after a period of time has passed. The amount of wax the candle has lost during the time period can be found by
subtracting the remaining amount of wax from the amount of wax the candle was made of, which yields
ounces, or ounces. This means the candle loses ounces of wax during that period of time. It’s given that the
amount of wax decreases by ounce every hours. If represents the number of hours the candle has been
burning, it follows that . Multiplying both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the
candle has been burning for hours.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from using the equation rather than to represent the
situation, and then rounding to the nearest whole number.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the amount of wax, in ounces, remaining in the candle, not the number of hours it
has been burning.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from using the equation rather than to represent the
situation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 948087f2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities in

one or two variables

ID: 948087f2

Which of the following ordered pairs (x, y) satisfies the

system of inequalities above?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 948087f2 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Any point (x, y) that is a solution to the given system of inequalities must satisfy both
inequalities in the system. The second inequality in the system can be rewritten as . Of the given
answer choices, only choice D satisfies this inequality, because inequality is a true statement. The

point also satisfies the first inequality.

Alternate approach: Substituting into the first inequality gives , or , which is a true

statement. Substituting into the second inequality gives , or , which is a true statement.
Therefore, since satisfies both inequalities, it is a solution to the system.

Choice A is incorrect because substituting −2 for x and −1 for y in the first inequality gives , or

, which is false. Choice B is incorrect because substituting −1 for x and 3 for y in the first inequality
gives , or , which is false. Choice C is incorrect because substituting 1 for x and 5 for y in the

first inequality gives , or , which is false.

Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID beca03de
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: beca03de
A rectangle has a length that is times its width. The function represents this situation, where is
the area, in square feet, of the rectangle and . Which of the following is the best interpretation of in this
context?
A. The length of the rectangle, in feet
B. The area of the rectangle, in square feet
C. The difference between the length and the width of the rectangle, in feet
D. The width of the rectangle, in feet

ID: beca03de Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that a rectangle has a length that is times its width. It's also given that the
function represents this situation, where is the area, in square feet, of the rectangle and .
The area of a rectangle can be calculated by multiplying the rectangle's length by its width. Since the rectangle
has a length that is times its width, it follows that represents the width of the rectangle, in feet, and
represents the length of the rectangle, in feet. Therefore, the best interpretation of in this context is that it's
the length of the rectangle, in feet.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the best interpretation of , not , in the given function.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the best interpretation of , not , in the given function.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a5663025
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: a5663025

A system of equations consists of a quadratic equation and a linear equation.

The equations in this system are graphed in the xy-plane above. How many
solutions does this system have?
A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3

ID: a5663025 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The solutions to a system of two equations correspond to points where the graphs of the
equations intersect. The given graphs intersect at 2 points; therefore, the system has 2 solutions.

Choice A is incorrect because the graphs intersect. Choice B is incorrect because the graphs intersect more than
once. Choice D is incorrect. It’s not possible for the graph of a quadratic equation and the graph of a linear
equation to intersect more than twice.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d0a7871e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: d0a7871e

If is a solution to the system of equations above, which of the

following could be the value of x ?
A. –1
B. 0
C. 2
D. 3

ID: d0a7871e Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

2
Choice A is correct. It is given that y = x + 1 and y = x + x. Setting the values for y equal to each other yields x + 1
2 2
= x + x. Subtracting x from each side of this equation yields x = 1. Therefore, x can equal 1 or –1. Of these, only
–1 is given as a choice.

2 2
Choice B is incorrect. If x = 0, then x + 1 = 1, but x + x = 0 + 0 = 0 ≠︀1. Choice C is incorrect. If x = 2, then x + 1 = 3,
2 2 2 2
but x + x = 2 + 2 = 6 ≠︀3. Choice D is incorrect. If x = 3, then x + 1 = 4, but x + x = 3 + 3 = 12 ≠︀4.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID dd4ab4c4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: dd4ab4c4

Which of the following is a factor of

the polynomial above?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: dd4ab4c4 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The first and last terms of the polynomial are both squares such that and

. The second term is twice the product of the square root of the first and last terms:
. Therefore, the polynomial is the square of a binomial such that

, and is a factor.

Choice A is incorrect and may be the result of incorrectly factoring the polynomial. Choice C is incorrect and
may be the result of dividing the second and third terms of the polynomial by their greatest common factor.
Choice D is incorrect and may be the result of not factoring the coefficients.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b8caaf84
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: b8caaf84
If and , which of the following is
equivalent to ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: b8caaf84 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that and . Substituting the values for p and v into the
expression yields . Multiplying the terms yields

. Using the distributive property to rewrite yields . Therefore, the entire

expression can be represented as . Combining like terms yields

Choice A is incorrect and may result from subtracting, instead of adding, the term . Choice C is incorrect.
This is the result of multiplying the terms . Choice D is incorrect and may result from distributing

2, instead of , to the term .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7f81d0c3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 7f81d0c3

What values satisfy the

equation above?
A. and

B. and

C. and

D. and

ID: 7f81d0c3 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Using the quadratic formula to solve the given expression yields

. Therefore, and satisfy the given

equation.

Choices A and B are incorrect and may result from incorrectly factoring or incorrectly applying the quadratic
formula. Choice D is incorrect and may result from a sign error.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 52931bfa
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 52931bfa
Which expression is equivalent to , where ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 52931bfa Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The given expression has a common factor of in the denominator, so the expression can be
rewritten as . The three terms in this expression have a common factor of . Since it's given
that , can't be equal to , which means can't be equal to . Therefore, each term in the expression,
, can be divided by , which gives .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ad2ec615
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: ad2ec615
Which of the following is equivalent to the
expression ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: ad2ec615 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The term x

4 can be factored as . Factoring –6 as yields values that add to –1,
2
the coefficient of x in the expression.

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may result from finding factors of –6 that don’t add to the coefficient of x
2
in the original expression.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 42c71eb5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 42c71eb5

Which of the following is equivalent to

the expression above?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 42c71eb5 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The given expression can be rewritten as . Applying the

distributive property, the expression can be rewritten as ,

or . Adding like terms yields . Substituting for in the given

expression yields . By the rules of exponents, the expression is equivalent to

. Applying the distributive property, this expression can be rewritten as

, or . Adding like terms gives . Substituting

for in the rewritten expression yields , and adding like terms

yields .

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Choices C and D may result from rewriting the expression as ,

instead of as . Choices B and C may result from rewriting the expression as ,

instead of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 52b1700c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 52b1700c
Time (years) Total amount (dollars)

Rosa opened a savings account at a bank. The table shows the exponential relationship between the time , in years,
since Rosa opened the account and the total amount , in dollars, in the account. If Rosa made no additional
deposits or withdrawals, which of the following equations best represents the relationship between and ?
A. msup
B. msup
C. msup

D. msup

ID: 52b1700c Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It’s given that the relationship between and is exponential. The table shows that the
value of increases as the value of increases. Therefore, the relationship between and can be represented
by an increasing exponential equation of the form , where and are positive constants. The table
shows that when , . Substituting for and for in the equation yields
, which is equivalent to , or . Substituting for in the equation
yields . The table also shows that when , . Substituting for
and for in the equation yields , or .
Dividing both sides of this equation by yields approximately . Subtracting from both sides of
this equation yields that the value of is approximately . Substituting for in the equation
yields . Therefore, of the choices, choice C best represents the
relationship between and .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a05bd3a4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: a05bd3a4
Which of the following expressions is
equivalent to ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a05bd3a4 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

2 2
Choice C is correct. The expression can be written as a difference of squares x – y , which can be factored as
2
(x + y)(x – y). Here, y = 5, so , and the expression therefore factors as .

Choices A and B are incorrect and may result from misunderstanding how to factor a difference of squares.
2
Choice D is incorrect; (x + 5)(x – 1) can be rewritten as x + 4x – 5, which is not equivalent to the original
expression.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f89af023
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: f89af023
A rectangular volleyball court has an area of 162 square meters. If the length
of the court is twice the width, what is the width of the court, in meters?
A. 9
B. 18
C. 27
D. 54

ID: f89af023 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that the volleyball court is rectangular and has an area of 162 square meters. The
formula for the area of a rectangle is , where A is the area, is the length, and w is the width of the

rectangle. It’s also given that the length of the volleyball court is twice the width, thus . Substituting the
given value into the formula for the area of a rectangle and using the relationship between length and width for
this rectangle yields . This equation can be rewritten as . Dividing both sides of this

equation by 2 yields . Taking the square root of both sides of this equation yields . Since the

width of a rectangle is a positive number, the width of the volleyball court is 9 meters.

Choice B is incorrect because this is the length of the rectangle. Choice C is incorrect because this is the result of
using 162 as the perimeter rather than the area. Choice D is incorrect because this is the result of calculating w
in the equation instead of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e53add44
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: e53add44

The function S above models the annual salary, in dollars, of an employee n

years after starting a job, where a is a constant. If the employee’s salary
increases by 4% each year, what is the value of a ?
A. 0.04
B. 0.4
C. 1.04
D. 1.4

ID: e53add44 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. A model for a quantity S that increases by a certain percentage per time period n is an

exponential function in the form , where I is the initial value at time for r% annual
increase. It’s given that the annual increase in an employee’s salary is 4%, so . The initial value can be found

by substituting 0 for n in the given function, which yields . Therefore, . Substituting

these values for r and I into the form of the exponential function yields

, or . Therefore, the value of a in the given function is 1.04.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and may result from incorrectly representing the annual increase in the
exponential function.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b4a6ed81
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: b4a6ed81
The expression is equivalent to , where is a constant. What is the value of ?
ID: b4a6ed81 Answer
Correct Answer: 6

Rationale

The correct answer is . Applying the distributive property to the expression yields .
Since is equivalent to , it follows that is also equivalent to .
Since these expressions are equivalent, it follows that corresponding coefficients are equivalent. Therefore,
and . Solving either of these equations for will yield the value of . Dividing both sides of
by yields . Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID cc776a04
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: cc776a04
Which of the following is an equivalent form of
?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: cc776a04 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The first expression can be rewritten as . Applying the

distributive property to this product yields . This difference can be

rewritten as . Distributing the factor of through the

second expression yields . Regrouping like terms, the expression

becomes . Combining like terms yields

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and likely result from errors made when applying the distributive property or
combining the resulting like terms.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 926c246b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 926c246b

The equation above estimates the global data traffic D, in terabytes, for the
year that is t years after 2010. What is the best interpretation of the number
5,640 in this context?
A. The estimated amount of increase of data traffic, in terabytes, each year
B. The estimated percent increase in the data traffic, in terabytes, each year
C. The estimated data traffic, in terabytes, for the year that is t years after 2010
D. The estimated data traffic, in terabytes, in 2010

ID: 926c246b Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Since t represents the number of years after 2010, the estimated data traffic, in terabytes, in
2010 can be calculated using the given equation when . Substituting 0 for t in the given equation yields

, or . Thus, 5,640 represents the estimated data traffic, in terabytes, in 2010.

Choice A is incorrect. Since the equation is exponential, the amount of increase of data traffic each year isn’t
constant. Choice B is incorrect. According to the equation, the percent increase in data traffic each year is 90%.
Choice C is incorrect. The estimated data traffic, in terabytes, for the year that is t years after 2010 is represented
by D, not the number 5,640.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ff2c1431
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: ff2c1431

The given equation relates the positive numbers , , and . Which equation correctly gives in terms of and
?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: ff2c1431 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that the equation relates the positive numbers , , and .
Dividing both sides of the given equation by yields . Subtracting from both sides of this equation
yields , or . It follows that the equation correctly gives in terms of and
.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 252a3b3a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 252a3b3a

Which of the following could be the equation of the graph shown in the xy-plane?
A.
B.
C.
D. msup

ID: 252a3b3a Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Each of the given choices is an equation of the form , where , ,
, and are positive constants. In the xy-plane, the graph of an equation of this form has x-intercepts at ,
, and . The graph shown has x-intercepts at , , and . Therefore, and .
Of the given choices, only choices A and B have and . For an equation in the form
, if all values of that are less than or greater than correspond to negative y-
values, then the sum of all the exponents of the factors on the right-hand side of the equation is even. In the
graph shown, all values of less than or greater than correspond to negative y-values. Therefore, the sum
of all the exponents of the factors on the right-hand side of the equation must be
even. For choice A, the sum of these exponents is , or , which is odd. For choice B, the sum of these
exponents is , or , which is even. Therefore, could be the equation of the
graph shown.
Choice A is incorrect. For the graph of this equation, all values of less than correspond to positive, not
negative, y-values.

Choice C is incorrect. The graph of this equation has x-intercepts at , , and , rather than x-
intercepts at , , and .

Choice D is incorrect. The graph of this equation has x-intercepts at , , and , rather than x-
intercepts at , , and .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID cc6ccd71
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: cc6ccd71

The graph of is shown, where the function is defined by and , , , and

are constants. For how many values of does ?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four

ID: cc6ccd71 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. If a value of satisfies , the graph of will contain a point and thus
touch the x-axis. Since there are points at which this graph touches the x-axis, there are values of for
which .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 911383f2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 911383f2

What is the product of the solutions to

the given equation?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 911383f2 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. By the zero-product property, if , then , , or

. Solving each of these equations for yields , , or . The product of these solutions is

Choice A is incorrect and may result from sign errors made when solving the given equation. Choice B is
incorrect and may result from finding the sum, not the product, of the solutions. Choice C is incorrect and may
result from finding the sum, not the product, of the solutions in addition to making sign errors when solving the
given equation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b80d10d7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: b80d10d7

What is the solution to the

equation above?
A. 0
B. 2
C. 3
D. 5

ID: b80d10d7 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Since is equivalent to 1, the right-hand side of the given equation can be rewritten as

, or . Since the left- and right-hand sides of the equation have the same

denominator, it follows that . Applying the distributive property of multiplication to the

expression yields , or . Therefore, . Subtracting x and 2 from both sides of
this equation yields .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. If , then . This can be rewritten as , which is

a false statement. Therefore, 0 isn’t a solution to the given equation. Substituting 3 and 5 into the given equation
yields similarly false statements.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d4950429
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: d4950429
A rectangle has a length of units and a width of units. If the rectangle has an area of square units,
what is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: d4950429 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The area of a rectangle is equal to its length multiplied by its width. Multiplying the given
length, units, by the given width, units, yields square units. If the rectangle has an area of
square units, it follows that , or . Subtracting from both sides of this
equation yields . Factoring the left-hand side of this equation yields .
Applying the zero product property to this equation yields two solutions: and . Since is the
rectangle’s length, in units, which must be positive, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the width, in units, of the rectangle, not the value of .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the area, in square units, of the rectangle, not the value of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 752055d1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 752055d1
A scientist initially measures bacteria in a growth medium. hours later, the scientist measures
bacteria. Assuming exponential growth, the formula gives the number of bacteria in the growth
medium, where and are constants and is the number of bacteria hours after the initial measurement. What
is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 752055d1 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that the formula gives the number of bacteria in a growth medium,
where and are constants and is the number of bacteria hours after the initial measurement. It’s also
given that a scientist initially measures bacteria in the growth medium. Since the initial measurement is
hours after the initial measurement, it follows that when , . Substituting for and for
in the given equation yields , or , which is equivalent to . It’s
given that hours later, the scientist measures bacteria, or when , . Substituting for ,
for , and for in the given equation yields . Dividing each side of this
equation by yields , or , which is equivalent to . Dividing both sides of this
equation by yields . Therefore, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of the reciprocal of .

Choice C is incorrect. This is the value of the reciprocal of .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID fcdf87b7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: fcdf87b7

If the ordered pair satisfies the system of equations above,

what is one possible value of x ?
ID: fcdf87b7 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is either 0 or 3. For an ordered pair to satisfy a system of equations, both the x- and y-values
of the ordered pair must satisfy each equation in the system. Both expressions on the right-hand side of the
given equations are equal to y, therefore it follows that both expressions on the right-hand side of the equations
are equal to each other: . This equation can be rewritten as , and then through

factoring, the equation becomes . Because the product of the two factors is equal to 0, it can be
concluded that either or , or rather, or . Note that 0 and 3 are examples of ways to

enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a520ba07
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: a520ba07

Which of the following expressions is equivalent

to the expression above?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a520ba07 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. One of the properties of radicals is . Thus, the given expression can be

rewritten as
1 2 2
. Simplifying by taking the cube root of each part gives x ⋅ y , or xy .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may be the result of incorrect application of the properties of exponents
and radicals.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5b6af6b1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 5b6af6b1
Which expression is equivalent to ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 5b6af6b1 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Applying the distributive property to the given expression yields .
Applying the distributive property once again to this expression yields
, or . This expression can be
rewritten as . Thus, is equivalent to .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 652054da
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 652054da
An oceanographer uses the equation to model the speed s, in knots,
of an ocean wave, where p represents the period of the wave, in seconds.
Which of the following represents the period of the wave in terms of the
speed of the wave?
A.
B.

C.

D.

ID: 652054da Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that p represents the period of the ocean wave, so the equation can be

solved for p to represent the period of the wave in terms of the speed of the wave. Multiplying both sides of the

equation by the reciprocal of will isolate p. This yields , which simplifies to .

Therefore, .

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may result from errors made when rearranging the equation to solve for p.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a255ae72
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: a255ae72
If and , which of the
following is equal to ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a255ae72 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that and . Using the distributive property, the expression

can be rewritten as . Substituting and for and , respectively, in

this expression yields . Expanding this expression yields

. Combining like terms, this expression can be

rewritten as .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may result from an error in using the distributive property, substituting, or
combining like terms.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 95ed0b69
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 95ed0b69

The given equation relates the distinct positive numbers , , and . Which equation correctly expresses in
terms of and ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 95ed0b69 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. To express in terms of and , the given equation must be solved for . Since it's
given that is a positive number, is not equal to zero. Therefore, multiplying both sides of the given
equation by yields the equivalent equation . Since it's given that is a positive number, is
not equal to zero. Therefore, dividing each side of the equation by yields the equivalent equation
.

Choice B is incorrect. This equation is equivalent to .

Choice C is incorrect. This equation is equivalent to .

Choice D is incorrect. This equation is equivalent to .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 463eec13
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 463eec13
If , which of the following expressions is

equivalent to ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 463eec13 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Taking the square root of an exponential expression halves the exponent, so

, which further reduces to . This can be rewritten as .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from neglecting the denominator of the given expression and from

incorrectly calculating the square root of 16. Choice B is incorrect and may result from rewriting as rather

than . Choice C is incorrect and may result from taking the square root of the variables in the numerator

twice instead of once.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 341ba5db
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 341ba5db

What is the minimum value of the given function?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 341ba5db Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. For a quadratic function defined by an equation of the form , where ,
, and are constants and , the minimum value of the function is . In the given function, , ,
and . Therefore, the minimum value of the given function is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of for which the given function reaches its minimum value, not the
minimum value of the function.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 6e02cd78
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 6e02cd78
In the xy-plane, what is the y-coordinate of the point of intersection of the
graphs of and ?

ID: 6e02cd78 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 1. The point of intersection of the graphs of the given equations is the solution to the
system of the two equations. Since and , it follows that , or
. Applying the distributive property to the left-hand side of this equation yields

. Subtracting from and adding 3 to both sides of this equation yields .

Factoring the left-hand side of this equation yields . By the zero product property, if
, it follows that . Adding 2 to both sides of yields . Substituting 2 for x in
either of the given equations yields . For example, substituting 2 for x in the second given equation yields

, or . Therefore, the point of intersection of the graphs of the given equations is . The y-
coordinate of this point is 1.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 11ccf3e1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 11ccf3e1

The given equation relates the numbers , , and . Which equation correctly expresses in terms of and ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 11ccf3e1 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Subtracting from each side of the given equation results in . Dividing each
side of this equation by results in .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 50e40f08
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 50e40f08

If the given function is graphed in the xy-plane, where , what is the x-coordinate of an x-intercept of the
graph?
ID: 50e40f08 Answer
Correct Answer: -6, 4

Rationale

The correct answer is either or . The x-intercepts of a graph in the xy-plane are the points where .
Thus, for an x-intercept of the graph of , . Substituting for in the equation
yields . By the zero product property, and .
Subtracting from both sides of the equation yields . Adding to both sides of the equation
yields . Therefore, the x-coordinates of the x-intercepts of the graph of are and .
Note that -6 and 4 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 13e57f0a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 13e57f0a

What is the positive solution to the given equation?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 13e57f0a Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Multiplying each side of the given equation by yields . To complete
the square, adding to each side of this equation yields , or .
Taking the square root of each side of this equation yields two equations: and .
Subtracting from each side of the equation yields . Dividing each side of this equation by
yields , or . Therefore, is a solution to the given equation. Subtracting from each side of the
equation yields . Dividing each side of this equation by yields . Therefore, the
given equation has two solutions, and . Since is positive, it follows that is the positive solution to the
given equation.

Alternate approach: Adding and to each side of the given equation yields . The right-
hand side of this equation can be rewritten as . Factoring out the common factor of
from the first two terms of this expression and the common factor of from the second two terms yields
. Factoring out the common factor of from these two terms yields the expression
. Since this expression is equal to , it follows that either or . Adding to
each side of the equation yields . Dividing each side of this equation by yields .
Therefore, is a positive solution to the given equation. Subtracting from each side of the equation
yields . Therefore, the given equation has two solutions, and . Since is positive, it follows that
is the positive solution to the given equation.

Choice A is incorrect. Substituting for in the given equation yields , which is false.

Choice C is incorrect. Substituting for in the given equation yields , which is false.

Choice D is incorrect. Substituting for in the given equation yields , which is false.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID be0c419e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: be0c419e
Immanuel purchased a certain rare coin on January 1. The function , where , gives
the predicted value, in dollars, of the rare coin years after Immanuel purchased it. What is the best interpretation
of the statement “ is approximately equal to ” in this context?
A. When the rare coin's predicted value is approximately dollars, it is greater than the predicted value, in
dollars, on January 1 of the previous year.
B. When the rare coin’s predicted value is approximately dollars, it is times the predicted value, in dollars, on
January 1 of the previous year.
C. From the day Immanuel purchased the rare coin to years after Immanuel purchased the coin, its predicted
value increased by a total of approximately dollars.
D. years after Immanuel purchased the rare coin, its predicted value is approximately dollars.

ID: be0c419e Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that the function gives the predicted value, in dollars, of a
certain rare coin years after Immanuel purchased it. It follows that represents the predicted value, in
dollars, of the coin years after Immanuel purchased it. Since the value of is the value of when ,
it follows that “ is approximately equal to ” means that is approximately equal to when .
Therefore, the best interpretation of the statement “ is approximately equal to ” in this context is years
after Immanuel purchased the rare coin, its predicted value is approximately dollars.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a1bf1c4e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: a1bf1c4e

Which of the following is equivalent to

the expression above?
A. (x + 3)2 + 5
B. (x + 3)2 – 5
C. (x – 3)2 + 5
D. (x – 3)2 – 5

ID: a1bf1c4e Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The given quadratic expression is in standard form, and each answer choice is in vertex
form. Completing the square converts the expression from standard form to vertex form. The first step is to
rewrite the expression as follows: . The first three terms of the revised

expression can be rewritten as a perfect square as follows: . Combining the

constant terms gives .

Choice A is incorrect. Squaring the binomial and simplifying the expression in choice A gives .

Combining like terms gives , not . Choice C is incorrect. Squaring the binomial and

simplifying the expression in choice C gives . Combining like terms gives , not

. Choice D is incorrect. Squaring the binomial and simplifying the expression in choice D gives

. Combining like terms gives , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 802549ac
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 802549ac

Which of the following is a solution to

the given equation?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 802549ac Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Applying the distributive property on the left- and right-hand sides of the given equation
yields , or . Subtracting from and adding

to both sides of this equation yields . Subtracting 6 from both sides of this equation and then

dividing both sides by 10 yields .

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Substituting 0, , or for x in the given equation will result in a false

statement. If , the given equation becomes ; if , the given equation becomes ; and if
, the given equation becomes . Therefore, the values 0, , and aren’t solutions to the given

equation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a4f61d75
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: a4f61d75

In the equation above, a is a constant and . If the equation has two

integer solutions, what is a possible value of a ?
ID: a4f61d75 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is either 7, 8, or 13. Since the given equation has two integer solutions, the expression on the
left-hand side of this equation can be factored as , where c and d are also integers. The product of c

and d must equal the constant term of the original quadratic expression, which is 12. Additionally, the sum of c
and d must be a negative number since it’s given that , but the sign preceding a in the given equation is
negative. The possible pairs of values for c and d that satisfy both of these conditions are and , and

, and and . Since the value of is the sum of c and d, the possible values of are

, , and . It follows that the possible values of a are 7, 8, and

13. Note that 7, 8, and 13 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a31417d1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: a31417d1
From 2005 through 2014, the number of music CDs sold in the United States
declined each year by approximately 15% of the number sold the preceding
year. In 2005, approximately 600 million CDs were sold in the United States.
Of the following, which best models C, the number of millions of CDs sold in
the United States, t years after 2005?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a31417d1 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. A model for a quantity C that decreases by a certain percentage per time period t is an

exponential equation in the form , where I is the initial value at time for r% annual

decline. It’s given that C is the number of millions of CDs sold in the United States and that t is the number of
years after 2005. It’s also given that 600 million CDs were sold at time , so . This number declines by

15% per year, so . Substituting these values into the equation produces , or

Choice A is incorrect and may result from errors made when representing the percent decline. Choices C and D
are incorrect. These equations model exponential increases in CD sales, not exponential decreases.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 6d04c89d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 6d04c89d
The expression is equivalent to , where b is a constant and . What is the value of b?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 6d04c89d Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Since the given expressions are equivalent and the numerator of the second expression is
of the numerator of the first expression, the denominator of the second expression must also be of the
denominator of the first expression. By the distributive property, is equivalent to ,
or . Therefore, the value of is .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID db888cd6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: db888cd6

The graph gives the estimated number of catalogs , in thousands, a company sent to its customers at the end of
each year, where represents the number of years since the end of , where . Which statement is
the best interpretation of the y-intercept in this context?
A. The estimated total number of catalogs the company sent to its customers during the first years was .
B. The estimated total number of catalogs the company sent to its customers from the end of to the end of
was .
C. The estimated number of catalogs the company sent to its customers at the end of was .
D. The estimated number of catalogs the company sent to its customers at the end of was .

ID: db888cd6 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The y-intercept of the graph is the point at which the graph crosses the y-axis, or the point
for which the value of is . Therefore, the y-intercept of the given graph is the point . It's given that
represents the number of years since the end of . Therefore, represents years since the end of ,
which is the same as the end of . It's also given that represents the estimated number of catalogs, in
thousands, that the company sent to its customers at the end of the year. Therefore, represents
catalogs. It follows that the y-intercept means that the estimated number of catalogs the company sent to
its customers at the end of was .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 6ecdbcb4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 6ecdbcb4

The function is given. Which table of values represents ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 6ecdbcb4 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that and . Substituting

for in the equation yields .
Substituting for in this equation yields , or . Substituting
for in the equation yields , or .
Substituting for in the equation yields , or
. Therefore, when then , when then , and when then .
Thus, the table of values in choice B represents .
Choice A is incorrect. This table represents rather than .

Choice C is incorrect. This table represents rather than .

Choice D is incorrect. This table represents rather than .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 203774bc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 203774bc
The product of two positive integers is . If the first integer is greater than twice the second integer, what is
the smaller of the two integers?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 203774bc Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Let be the first integer and let be the second integer. If the first integer is greater than
twice the second integer, then . If the product of the two integers is , then .
Substituting for in this equation results in . Distributing the to both terms in the
parentheses results in . Subtracting from both sides of this equation results in
. The left-hand side of this equation can be factored by finding two values whose product is
, or , and whose sum is . The two values whose product is and whose sum is are
and . Thus, the equation can be rewritten as , which is
equivalent to , or . By the zero product property, it follows
that and . Subtracting from both sides of the equation yields .
Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Since is a positive integer, the value of is not .
Adding to both sides of the equation yields . Substituting for in the equation
yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by results in . Therefore, the two
integers are and , so the smaller of the two integers is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the larger of the two integers.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c4cd5bcc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: c4cd5bcc
In the xy-plane, the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph of the
function f is c. Which of the following must be equal to c ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: c4cd5bcc Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. A y-intercept is the point in the xy-plane where the graph of the function crosses the y-axis,
which is where . It’s given that the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph of function f is c. It follows

that the coordinate pair representing the y-intercept must be . Therefore, c must equal .

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because , , and would represent the y-value of the coordinate
where , , and , respectively.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 062f86db
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 062f86db

What is the positive solution to the given equation?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 062f86db Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The left-hand side of the given equation can be factored as . Therefore, the
given equation, , can be written as . Applying the zero product
property to this equation yields and . Subtracting from both sides of the equation
yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Adding to both sides of
the equation yields . Therefore, the two solutions to the given equation, ,
are and . It follows that is the positive solution to the given equation.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 735a0a00
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 735a0a00

The equation gives the estimated stock price , in dollars, for a certain company days after a new product
launched, where . Which statement is the best interpretation of in this context?
A. The company's estimated stock price increased every day after the new product launched.
B. The company's estimated stock price increased every days after the new product launched.
C. day after the new product launched, the company's estimated stock price is .
D. days after the new product launched, the company's estimated stock price is .

ID: 735a0a00 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. In the given equation, represents the number of days after a new product launched, where
, and represents the estimated stock price, in dollars, for a certain company. Therefore, the best
interpretation of in this context is that day after the new product launched, the company's
estimated stock price is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 717a1964
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 717a1964

What is one of the solutions to the given equation?

ID: 717a1964 Answer
Correct Answer: 2, -12

Rationale

The correct answer is either or . The left-hand side of the given equation can be rewritten by factoring. The
two values that multiply to and add to are and . It follows that the given equation can be rewritten
as . Setting each factor equal to yields two equations: and .
Subtracting from both sides of the equation results in . Adding to both sides of the
equation results in . Note that 2 and -12 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 78d5f91a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 78d5f91a

For the function f defined above, what is

the value of ?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 78d5f91a Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Substituting for x in the given function f gives ,

which simplifies to . This further simplifies to , or

.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from correctly substituting for x in the function but incorrectly
simplifying the resulting expression to , or . Choice B is incorrect and may result

from arithmetic errors. Choice D is incorrect and may result from correctly substituting for x in the function

but incorrectly simplifying the expression to , or 11.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d675744f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: d675744f

Which of the following is the graph in the xy-

plane of the given equation?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: d675744f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The y-intercept of the graph of an equation is the point , where b is the value of y when

. For the given equation, when . It follows that the y-intercept of the graph of the given equation

is . Additionally, for the given equation, the value of y doubles for each increase of 1 in the value of x.
Therefore, the graph contains the points , , , and . Only the graph shown in choice D

passes through these points.

Choices A and B are incorrect because these are graphs of decreasing, not increasing, exponential functions.
Choice C is incorrect because the value of y increases by a growth factor greater than 2 for each increase of 1 in
the value of x.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 67f4b449
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 67f4b449
The function gives the area of a rectangle, , if its width is and its length is
times its width. Which of the following is the best interpretation of ?
A. If the width of the rectangle is , then the area of the rectangle is .
B. If the width of the rectangle is , then the length of the rectangle is .
C. If the width of the rectangle is , then the length of the rectangle is .
D. If the width of the rectangle is , then the area of the rectangle is .

ID: 67f4b449 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The function gives the area of the rectangle, in , if its width is . Since the value of
is the value of if , it follows that means that is if . In the
given context, this means that if the width of the rectangle is , then the area of the rectangle is .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from interpreting as the width, in , of the rectangle if its area is
, rather than as the area, in , of the rectangle if its width is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 44076c7d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 44076c7d

For the quadratic function , the table shows three values of and their corresponding values of . Which
equation defines ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 44076c7d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The equation of a quadratic function can be written in the form ,
where , , and are constants. It’s given in the table that when , the corresponding value of is .
Substituting for and for in the equation gives , which
is equivalent to , or . It’s given in the table that when ,
the corresponding value of is . Substituting for and for in the equation
gives , or . It’s given in the table that when , the
corresponding value of is . Substituting for and for in the equation
gives , which is equivalent to , or .
Adding to the equation gives .
Dividing both sides of this equation by gives . Since , substituting for
into the equation gives . Subtracting from both sides of this equation
gives . Substituting for in the equations and gives
and , respectively. Since , substituting for in the
equation gives , or . Subtracting from both sides of
this equation gives . Dividing both sides of this equation by gives . Substituting for
into the equation gives , or . Subtracting from both sides of this
equation gives . Substituting for , for , and for in the equation gives
, which is equivalent to , or .
Therefore, defines .

Choice A is incorrect. If , then when , the corresponding value of is , not

.
Choice B is incorrect. If , then when , the corresponding value of is , not .

Choice C is incorrect. If , then when , the corresponding value of is , not ,

and when , the corresponding value of is , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f44a29a8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: f44a29a8
An object’s kinetic energy, in joules, is equal to the product of one-half the
object’s mass, in kilograms, and the square of the object’s speed, in meters
per second. What is the speed, in meters per second, of an object with a
mass of 4 kilograms and kinetic energy of 18 joules?
A. 3
B. 6
C. 9
D. 36

ID: f44a29a8 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that an object’s kinetic energy, in joules, is equal to the product of one-half the
object’s mass, in kilograms, and the square of the object’s speed, in meters per second. This relationship can be

represented by the equation , where K is the kinetic energy, m is the mass, and v is the speed.

Substituting a mass of 4 kilograms for m and a kinetic energy of 18 joules for K results in the equation

, or . Dividing both sides of this equation by 2 yields . Taking the square root of
both sides yields and . Since speed can’t be expressed as a negative number, the speed of the object

is 3 meters per second.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from computation errors. Choice C is incorrect. This is the value of rather

than v. Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of rather than v.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d71f6dbf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: d71f6dbf
The height, in feet, of an object x seconds after it is thrown straight up in the
air can be modeled by the function . Based on the
model, which of the following statements best interprets the equation
?
A. The height of the object 1.4 seconds after being thrown straight up in the air is 1.64 feet.
B. The height of the object 1.64 seconds after being thrown straight up in the air is 1.4 feet.
C. The height of the object 1.64 seconds after being thrown straight up in the air is approximately 1.4 times as great
as its initial height.
D. The speed of the object 1.4 seconds after being thrown straight up in the air is approximately 1.64 feet per
second.

ID: d71f6dbf Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The value 1.4 is the value of x, which represents the number of seconds after the object was
thrown straight up in the air. When the function h is evaluated for x = 1.4, the function has a value of 1.64, which
is the height, in feet, of the object.

Choices B and C are incorrect and may result from misidentifying seconds as feet and feet as seconds.
Additionally, choice C may result from incorrectly including the initial height of the object as the input x. Choice
D is incorrect and may result from misidentifying height as speed.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 630897df
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 630897df
The speed of sound in dry air, v, can be modeled by the formula
, where T is the temperature in degrees Celsius and v is
measured in meters per second. Which of the following correctly expresses T
in terms of v ?
A.

B.
C.

D.

ID: 630897df Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. To express T in terms of v, subtract 331.3 from both sides of the equation, which gives v –

331.3 = 0.606T. Dividing both sides of the equation by 0.606 gives .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and are the result of incorrect steps while solving for T.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5805e747
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 5805e747
Which expression is equivalent to ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 5805e747 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Applying the distributive property, the given expression can be written as
. Grouping like terms in this expression yields . Combining like
terms in this expression yields .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 6676f055
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 6676f055

An engineer wanted to identify the best angle for a cooling fan in an engine in
order to get the greatest airflow. The engineer discovered that the function
above models the airflow , in cubic feet per minute, as a function of the
angle of the fan , in degrees. According to the model, what angle, in
degrees, gives the greatest airflow?
A. –0.28
B. 0.28
C. 27
D. 880

ID: 6676f055 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The function f is quadratic, so it will have either a maximum or a minimum at the vertex of
the graph. Since the coefficient of the quadratic term (–0.28) is negative, the vertex will be at a maximum. The
equation f( ) = –0.28(
2
– 27) + 880 is given in vertex form, so the vertex is at = 27. Therefore, an angle of 27
degrees gives the greatest airflow.

Choices A and B are incorrect and may be the result of misidentifying which value in a quadratic equation in
vertex form represents the vertex. Choice D is incorrect. This choice identifies the maximum value of f( ) rather

than the value of for which f( ) is maximized.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 29ed5d39
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 29ed5d39

The given equation relates the numbers and , where is not equal to and . Which equation correctly
expresses in terms of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 29ed5d39 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. To express in terms of , the given equation must be solved for . Subtracting from both
sides of the given equation yields . Since is not equal to , multiplying both sides of this equation
by yields . It's given that , which means is not equal to . Therefore, dividing both
sides of by yields , or .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 90bcaa61
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 90bcaa61
The function gives the number of bacteria in a population minutes after an initial
observation. How much time, in minutes, does it take for the number of bacteria in the population to double?
ID: 90bcaa61 Answer
Correct Answer: 410

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that minutes after an initial observation, the number of bacteria in a
population is . This expression consists of the initial number of bacteria, , multiplied by the
expression . The time it takes for the number of bacteria to double is the increase in the value of that
causes the expression to double. Since the base of the expression is , the expression will double
when the exponent increases by . Since the exponent of the expression is , the exponent will increase
by when increases by . Therefore the time, in minutes, it takes for the number of bacteria in the
population to double is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 895628b5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 895628b5

Which ordered pair is the solution to the given system of equations?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 895628b5 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The second equation in the given system of equations is . Substituting
for in the first equation of the given system yields . Factoring out of the left-hand
side of this equation yields . An expression with a factor of the form is equal
to zero when . Each side of this equation has a factor of , so each side of the equation is equal to
zero when . Substituting for into the equation yields
, or , which is true. Substituting for into the second equation in the given
system of equations yields , or . Therefore, the solution to the system of equations is the
ordered pair .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from switching the order of the solutions for and .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 26eb61c1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 26eb61c1
Which expression is equivalent to ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 26eb61c1 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Since each term of the given expression has a common factor of , it may be rewritten
as , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This expression is equivalent to , not .

Choice B is incorrect. This expression is equivalent to , not .

Choice D is incorrect. This expression is equivalent to , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8f65cddc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 8f65cddc

The given equation relates the positive numbers , , and . Which equation correctly expresses in terms of and
?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 8f65cddc Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Multiplying each side of the given equation by yields the equivalent equation .
Dividing each side of this equation by yields , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This equation is not equivalent to the given equation.

Choice B is incorrect. This equation is not equivalent to the given equation.

Choice D is incorrect. This equation is not equivalent to the given equation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID dd8ac009
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: dd8ac009
Time (years) Total amount (dollars)

Sara opened a savings account at a bank. The table shows the exponential relationship between the time , in years,
since Sara opened the account and the total amount , in dollars, in the account. If Sara made no additional
deposits or withdrawals, which of the following equations best represents the relationship between and ?
A. msup

B. msup

C. msup
D. msup

ID: dd8ac009 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that the relationship between and is exponential. The table shows that the value
of increases as the value of increases. Therefore, the relationship between and can be represented by an
increasing exponential equation of the form , where and are positive constants. The table
shows that when , . Substituting for and for in the equation yields
, which is equivalent to , or . Substituting for in the equation
yields . The table also shows that when , . Substituting for
and for in the equation yields , or .
Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Subtracting from both sides of this equation
yields . Substituting for in the equation yields .
Therefore, of the choices, choice B best represents the relationship between and .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 42f19012
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 42f19012
Which expression is equivalent to , where ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 42f19012 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Since , multiplying the exponent of the given expression by yields an equivalent
expression: . Since , the expression can be rewritten as .
Applying properties of exponents, this expression can be rewritten as . An expression of the form
, where and , is equivalent to . Therefore, is equivalent to .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 281a4f3b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 281a4f3b
A certain college had 3,000 students enrolled in 2015. The college predicts
that after 2015, the number of students enrolled each year will be 2% less
than the number of students enrolled the year before. Which of the following
functions models the relationship between the number of students enrolled,
, and the number of years after 2015, x ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 281a4f3b Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Because the change in the number of students decreases by the same percentage each year,
the relationship between the number of students and the number of years can be modeled with a decreasing
exponential function in the form , where is the number of students, a is the number of

students in 2015, r is the rate of decrease each year, and x is the number of years since 2015. It’s given that 3,000
students were enrolled in 2015 and that the rate of decrease is predicted to be 2%, or 0.02. Substituting these
values into the decreasing exponential function yields , which is equivalent to
.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and may result from conceptual errors when translating the given information
into a decreasing exponential function.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f237ccfc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: f237ccfc
The sum of and can be written in the form
, where a, b, and c are constants. What is the value of
?
ID: f237ccfc Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 32. The sum of the given expressions is . Combining like

terms yields . Based on the form of the given equation, , , and . Therefore,
.

Alternate approach: Because is the value of when , it is possible to first make that

substitution into each polynomial before adding them. When , the first polynomial is equal to
and the second polynomial is equal to . The sum of 30 and 2 is 32.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a391ed22
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: a391ed22

The expression above is equivalent to , where a, b, and c

are constants. What is the value of b?
ID: a391ed22 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is . The expression can be written in the form , where

a, b, and c are constants, by multiplying out the expression using the distributive property of multiplication over

addition. The result is . This expression can be rewritten by

multiplying as indicated to give , which can be simplified to , or

. This is in the form , where the value of b is . Note that 5/2 and 2.5 are examples

of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c77ef2fb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: c77ef2fb
Blood volume, , in a human can be determined using the equation
, where is the plasma volume and H is the hematocrit (the
fraction of blood volume that is red blood cells). Which of the following
correctly expresses the hematocrit in terms of the blood volume and the
plasma volume?
A.

B.

C.
D.

ID: c77ef2fb Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The hematocrit can be expressed in terms of the blood volume and the plasma volume by

solving the given equation for H. Multiplying both sides of this equation by yields

. Dividing both sides by yields . Subtracting 1 from both sides yields

. Dividing both sides by yields .

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may result from errors made when manipulating the equation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5ae186b4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 5ae186b4

What is the solution to the given equation?

ID: 5ae186b4 Answer
Correct Answer: -9

Rationale

The correct answer is . Since is in the denominator of a fraction in the given equation, can't be equal to .
Since isn't equal to , multiplying both sides of the given equation by yields an equivalent equation,
. Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, is the solution to the given
equation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 364a2d25
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 364a2d25

If one solution to the system of equations above is ,

what is one possible value of x ?
ID: 364a2d25 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is either 8 or 9. The first equation can be rewritten as . Substituting for y in

the second equation gives . By applying the distributive property, this can be rewritten as

. Subtracting 72 from both sides of the equation yields . Factoring the left-hand

side of this equation yields . Applying the Zero Product Property, it follows that and
. Solving each equation for x yields and respectively. Note that 8 and 9 are examples of ways

to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 100030d9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 100030d9
A rubber ball bounces upward one-half the height that it falls each time it hits
the ground. If the ball was originally dropped from a distance of 20.0 feet
above the ground, what was its maximum height above the ground, in feet,
between the third and fourth time it hit the ground?
ID: 100030d9 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 2.5. After hitting the ground once, the ball bounces to feet. After hitting
the ground a second time, the ball bounces to feet. After hitting the ground for the third time, the

ball bounces to feet. Note that 2.5 and 5/2 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7ba694f3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 7ba694f3
The number of bacteria in a liquid medium doubles every day. There are bacteria in the liquid medium at the
start of an observation. Which represents the number of bacteria, , in the liquid medium days after the start of
the observation?
A. msup

B. msup

C. msup

D. msup

ID: 7ba694f3 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Since the number of bacteria doubles every day, the relationship between and can be
represented by an exponential equation of the form , where is the number of bacteria at the start of
the observation and the number of bacteria increases by a factor of every day. It’s given that there are
bacteria at the start of the observation. Therefore, . It’s also given that the number of bacteria doubles,
or increases by a factor of , every day. Therefore, . Substituting for and for in the equation
yields .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect. This equation represents a situation where the number of bacteria is decreasing by half,
not doubling, every day.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c7a187a7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: c7a187a7

If the given function is graphed in the xy-plane, where , what is an x-intercept of the graph?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: c7a187a7 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that . The x-intercepts of a graph in the xy-plane are the points where
. Thus, for an x-intercept of the graph of function , . Substituting for in the equation
yields . Factoring the right-hand side of this equation yields
. By the zero product property, and . Subtracting from both
sides of the equation yields . Adding to both sides of the equation yields
. Therefore, the x-intercepts of the graph of are and . Of these two x-intercepts,
only is given as a choice.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a26c29f7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: a26c29f7
The function is defined by . In the xy-plane, the graph of is the result of shifting the graph
of down units. Which equation defines function ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a26c29f7 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. If the graph of is the result of shifting the graph of down units in the
xy-plane, the function can be defined by an equation of the form . It’s given that
and the graph of is the result of shifting the graph of down units. Substituting for
and for in the equation yields .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect. This equation defines a function for which the graph of is the result of shifting
the graph of up, not down, units.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0980fcdd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 0980fcdd

A solution to the given system of equations is . Which of the

following is a possible value of xy ?
A. 0
B. 6
C. 12
D. 36

ID: 0980fcdd Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Solutions to the given system of equations are ordered pairs that satisfy both equations

in the system. Adding the left-hand and right-hand sides of the equations in the system yields
, or . Subtracting y from both sides of this equation yields .

Taking the square root of both sides of this equation yields and . Therefore, there are two solutions
to this system of equations, one with an x-coordinate of 6 and the other with an x-coordinate of . Substituting

6 for x in the second equation yields , or ; therefore, one solution is . Similarly,

substituting for x in the second equation yields , or ; therefore, the other solution is
. It follows then that if is a solution to the system, then possible values of are and

. Only 0 is among the given choices.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the x-coordinate of one of the solutions, . Choice C is incorrect and may result

from conceptual or computational errors. Choice D is incorrect. This is the square of the x-coordinate of one of
the solutions, .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e1391dd6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: e1391dd6
According to Moore’s law, the number of transistors included on
microprocessors doubles every 2 years. In 1985, a microprocessor was
introduced that had 275,000 transistors. Based on this information, in which
of the following years does Moore’s law estimate the number of transistors to
reach 1.1 million?
A. 1987
B. 1989
C. 1991
D. 1994

ID: e1391dd6 Answer

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Let x be the number of years after 1985. It follows that represents the number of 2-year

periods that will occur within an x-year period. According to Moore’s law, every 2 years, the number of
transistors included on microprocessors is estimated to double. Therefore, x years after 1985, the number of

transistors will double times. Since the number of transistors included on a microprocessor was 275,000, or
.275 million, in 1985, the estimated number of transistors, in millions, included x years after 1985 can be modeled

as . The year in which the number of transistors is estimated to be 1.1 million is represented by the

value of x when . Dividing both sides of this equation by .275 yields , which can be

rewritten as . Since the exponential equation has equal bases on each side, it follows that the exponents

must also be equal: . Multiplying both sides of the equation by 2 yields . Therefore, according
to Moore’s law, 4 years after 1985, or in 1989, the number of transistors included on microprocessors is estimated
to reach 1.1 million.

Alternate approach: According to Moore’s law, 2 years after 1985 (in 1987), the number of transistors included on a
microprocessor is estimated to be , or 550,000, and 2 years after 1987 (in 1989), the number of

transistors included on microprocessors is estimated to be , or 1,100,000. Therefore, the year that

Moore’s law estimates the number of transistors on microprocessors to reach 1.1 million is 1989.
Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. According to Moore’s law, the number of transistors included on
microprocessors is estimated to reach 550,000 in 1987, 2.2 million in 1991, and about 6.2 million in 1994.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3c600337
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 3c600337
The function is defined by . What is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 3c600337 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The value of is the value of when . Substituting for in the given function
yields , or , which is equivalent to . Therefore, the value of is
.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 87a3de81
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 87a3de81

If a is a solution of the equation above and

, what is the value of a ?

ID: 87a3de81 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 3. The solution to the given equation can be found by factoring the quadratic expression.
The factors can be determined by finding two numbers with a sum of 1 and a product of . The two numbers

that meet these constraints are 4 and . Therefore, the given equation can be rewritten as . It

follows that the solutions to the equation are or . Since it is given that , a must equal 3.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4209aefe
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 4209aefe
The function models the value, in dollars, of a certain bank account by the end of each year
from through , where is the number of years after . Which of the following is the best
interpretation of “ is approximately equal to ” in this context?
A. The value of the bank account is estimated to be approximately dollars greater in than in .
B. The value of the bank account is estimated to be approximately dollars in .
C. The value, in dollars, of the bank account is estimated to be approximately times greater in than in .
D. The value of the bank account is estimated to increase by approximately dollars every years between
and .

ID: 4209aefe Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that the function models the value, in dollars, of a certain
bank account by the end of each year from through , where is the number of years after . It
follows that represents the estimated value, in dollars, of the bank account years after . Since the
value of is the value of when , it follows that “ is approximately equal to ” means that
is approximately equal to when . In the given context, this means that the value of the bank
account is estimated to be approximately dollars years after . Therefore, the best interpretation of the
statement “ is approximately equal to ” in this context is the value of the bank account is estimated to be
approximately dollars in .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5bf0f84a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 5bf0f84a

The function above models the height h, in feet, of an object above ground
t seconds after being launched straight up in the air. What does the number
72 represent in the function?
A. The initial height, in feet, of the object
B. The maximum height, in feet, of the object
C. The initial speed, in feet per second, of the object
D. The maximum speed, in feet per second, of the object

ID: 5bf0f84a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The variable t represents the seconds after the object is launched. Since , this

means that the height, in feet, at 0 seconds, or the initial height, is 72 feet.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may be the result of misinterpreting the function in context.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c048055c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: c048055c
A model predicts that the population of Springfield was in . The model also predicts that each year for
the next years, the population increased by of the previous year's population. Which equation best
represents this model, where is the number of years after , for ?
A. msup

B. msup

C. msup

D. msup

ID: c048055c Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It's given that a model predicts the population of Springfield in was . The model
also predicts that each year for the next years, the population increased by of the previous year's
population. The predicted population in one of these years can be found by multiplying the predicted population
from the previous year by . Since the predicted population in was , the predicted population
year later is . The predicted population years later is this value times , which is
, or . The predicted population years later is this value times , or
. More generally, the predicted population, , years after is represented by the equation
.

Choice A is incorrect. Substituting for in this equation indicates the predicted population in was
rather than .

Choice B is incorrect. Substituting for in this equation indicates the predicted population in was
rather than .

Choice C is incorrect. This equation indicates the predicted population is decreasing, rather than increasing, by
each year.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 70ebd3d0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 70ebd3d0

The function N defined above can be used to model the number of species of
brachiopods at various ocean depths d, where d is in hundreds of meters.
Which of the following does the model predict?
A. For every increase in depth by 1 meter, the number of brachiopod species decreases by 115.
B. For every increase in depth by 1 meter, the number of brachiopod species decreases by 10%.
C. For every increase in depth by 100 meters, the number of brachiopod species decreases by 115.
D. For every increase in depth by 100 meters, the number of brachiopod species decreases by 10%.

ID: 70ebd3d0 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The function N is exponential, so it follows that changes by a fixed percentage for each

increase in d by 1. Since d is measured in hundreds of meters, it also follows that the number of brachiopod
species changes by a fixed percentage for each increase in ocean depth by 100 meters. Since the base of the
exponent in the model is 0.90, which is less than 1, the number of brachiopod species decreases as the ocean
depth increases. Specifically, the number of brachiopod species at a depth of meters is 90% of the

number of brachiopod species at a depth of d meters. This means that for each increase in ocean depth by 100
meters, the number of brachiopod species decreases by 10%.

Choices A and C are incorrect. These describe situations where the number of brachiopod species are decreasing
linearly rather than exponentially. Choice B is incorrect and results from interpreting the decrease in the
number of brachiopod species as 10% for every 1-meter increase in ocean depth rather than for every 100-meter
increase in ocean depth.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2683b5db
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 2683b5db

In a city, the property tax T, in dollars, is calculated using the formula above,
where P is the value of the property, in dollars. Which of the following
expresses the value of the property in terms of the property tax?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 2683b5db Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. To express the value of the property in terms of the property tax, the given equation must be
solved for P. Multiplying both sides of the equation by 100 gives . Adding 40,000 to both sides
of the equation gives . Therefore, .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from multiplying 40,000 by 0.01, then subtracting 400 from, instead of
adding 400 to, the left-hand side of the equation. Choice B is incorrect and may result from multiplying 40,000 by
0.01. Choice C is incorrect and may result from subtracting instead of adding 40,000 from the left-hand side of
the equation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 45df91ee
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 45df91ee

If the given function is graphed in the xy-plane, where , what is the y-intercept of the graph?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 45df91ee Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The x-coordinate of any y-intercept of a graph is . Substituting for in the given equation
yields . Since any nonzero number raised to the power is , this gives , or
. The y-intercept of the graph is, therefore, the point .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 97158b3a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 97158b3a
The area A, in square centimeters, of a rectangular painting can be represented by the expression ,
where is the width, in centimeters, of the painting. Which expression represents the length, in centimeters, of the
painting?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 97158b3a Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given that the expression represents the area, in square centimeters, of a
rectangular painting, where is the width, in centimeters, of the painting. The area of a rectangle can be
calculated by multiplying its length by its width. It follows that the length, in centimeters, of the painting is
represented by the expression .

Choice A is incorrect. This expression represents the width, in centimeters, of the painting, not its length, in
centimeters.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the difference between the length, in centimeters, and the width, in centimeters, of
the painting, not its length, in centimeters.

Choice D is incorrect. This expression represents the area, in square centimeters, of the painting, not its length,
in centimeters.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d8ace155
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: d8ace155
A company opens an account with an initial balance of . The account earns interest, and no additional
deposits or withdrawals are made. The account balance is given by an exponential function , where is the
account balance, in dollars, years after the account is opened. The account balance after years is .
Which equation could define ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: d8ace155 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Since it's given that the account balance, , in dollars, after years can be modeled by an
exponential function, it follows that function can be written in the form , where is the initial
value of the function and is a constant related to the growth of the function. It's given that the initial balance of
the account is , so it follows that the initial value of the function, or , must be .
Substituting for in the equation yields . It's given that the account
balance after years, or when , is . It follows that , or
. Dividing each side of the equation by yields
. Taking the th root of both sides of this equation yields , or is approximately
equal to . Substituting for in the equation yields , so the
equation could define .

Choice B is incorrect. Substituting for in this function indicates an initial balance of , rather than
.

Choice C is incorrect. Substituting for in this function indicates an initial balance of , rather than
. Additionally, this function indicates the account balance is decreasing, rather than increasing, over
time.

Choice D is incorrect. This function indicates the account balance is decreasing, rather than increasing, over
time.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c3a72da5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: c3a72da5
Which of the following is equivalent to the sum of
and ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: c3a72da5 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Adding the two expressions yields . Because the pair of terms and

and the pair of terms and each contain the same variable raised to the same power, they are like

terms and can be combined as and , respectively. The sum of the given expressions therefore simplifies

to .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from adding the coefficients and the exponents in the given expressions.
Choice B is incorrect and may result from adding the exponents as well as the coefficients of the like terms in
the given expressions. Choice C is incorrect and may result from multiplying, rather than adding, the coefficients
of the like terms in the given expressions.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID dba7432e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: dba7432e
x f (x)
0 5
1
2
3
The table above gives the values of the function f for some values of x.
Which of the following equations could define f ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: dba7432e Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Each choice has a function with coefficient 5 and base 2, so the exponents must be analyzed.
When the input value of x increases, the output value of f(x) decreases, so the exponent must be negative. An

exponent of –x yields the values in the table: , , , and .

Choices A and B are incorrect and may result from choosing equations that yield an increasing, rather than
decreasing, output value of f(x) when the input value of x increases. Choice C is incorrect and may result from
choosing an equation that doesn’t yield the values in the table.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 16de54c7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 16de54c7

If the given expression is rewritten in the form , where k

is a constant, what is the value of k ?
ID: 16de54c7 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 4. It’s given that can be rewritten as ; it follows that

. Expanding the left-hand side of this equation yields

. Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields

. Using properties of equality, and . Either equation can be

solved for k. Dividing both sides of by yields . The equation can be rewritten

as . It follows that . Solving this equation for k also yields . Therefore, the value of k

is 4.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2f958af9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 2f958af9

The formula above expresses the square of the speed v of a wave moving
along a string in terms of tension T, mass m, and length L of the string. What
is T in terms of m, v, and L ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 2f958af9 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. To write the formula as T in terms of m, v, and L means to isolate T on one side of the

equation. First, multiply both sides of the equation by m, which gives , which simplifies to mv
2=

LT. Next, divide both sides of the equation by L, which gives , which simplifies to .

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may be the result of incorrectly applying operations to each side of the
equation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d9137a84
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: d9137a84
Which expression represents the product of and ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: d9137a84 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The product of and can be represented by the expression

. Applying the distributive property to this expression yields
, or . This expression is equivalent to
, or .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 876a731c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 876a731c

If (x, y) is a solution of the system of equations above and

x > 0, what is the value of xy ?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 9

ID: 876a731c Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Substituting for y in the second equation gives . This equation can be
solved as follows:

Apply the distributive property.

Subtract 2x and 6 from both sides of the equation.
Combine like terms.
Factor both terms on the left side of the equation
by 2x.
Thus, and are the solutions to the system. Since , only needs to be considered. The value

of y when is . Therefore, the value of xy is .

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and likely result from a computational or conceptual error when solving this
system of equations.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f1c81b3b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: f1c81b3b
The exponential function is defined by , where is a positive constant. If , what is the
value of ?
ID: f1c81b3b Answer
Correct Answer: 11875

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that the exponential function is defined by , where is a
positive constant, and . It follows that when , . Substituting for and
for in the given equation yields . Dividing each side of this equation by yields .
Taking the cube root of both sides of this equation gives . Substituting for and for in the equation
yields , or . Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID bef4b1c6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: bef4b1c6

What is the positive solution to the given equation?

ID: bef4b1c6 Answer
Correct Answer: 5

Rationale

The correct answer is . Multiplying both sides of the given equation by results in .
Applying the distributive property of multiplication to the right-hand side of this equation results in
. Subtracting from both sides of this equation results in . The right-hand side
of this equation can be rewritten by factoring. The two values that multiply to and add to are and . It
follows that the equation can be rewritten as . Setting each factor equal
to yields two equations: and . Subtracting from both sides of the equation
results in . Adding to both sides of the equation results in . Therefore, the positive
solution to the given equation is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3e9cc0c2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 3e9cc0c2
Which of the following is equivalent to
?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 3e9cc0c2 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Multiplying (1 – p) by each term of the polynomial within the second pair of parentheses
2 2 2 3 3 3 4
gives (1 – p)1 = 1 – p; (1 – p)p = p – p ; (1 – p)p = p – p ; (1 – p)p = p – p ; (1 – p)p
4 = p4 – p5; (1 – p)p5 = p5
6
– p ; and (1 – p)p
6 = p6 – p7. Adding these seven expressions together and combining like terms gives 1 + (p –
2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7
p) + (p – p ) + (p – p ) + (p – p ) + (p – p ) + (p – p ) – p , which can be simplified to 1 – p .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may result from incorrectly identifying the highest power of p in the
expressions or incorrectly combining like terms.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7348f046
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 7348f046

Which of the following is equivalent to

the given expression?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 7348f046 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Distributing the negative sign to the terms in the second parentheses yields .

This expression can be rewritten as . Combining like terms results in .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from not distributing the negative sign to the 7. Choice B is incorrect and
may result from adding to instead of subtracting . Choice D is incorrect and may result from

adding the product of and x to the product of 3 and 7.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0aaef7aa
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 0aaef7aa
The function is defined by . What is the value of when is equal to ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 0aaef7aa Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that . Substituting for in this equation yields .
Dividing each side of this equation by yields . Taking the cube root of each side of this equation yields
. Therefore, when is equal to , the value of is .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 928498f3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 928498f3

What are the solutions to the

given equation?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 928498f3 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The quadratic formula, , can be used to find the solutions to an

equation in the form . In the given equation, , , and . Substituting these

values into the quadratic formula gives , or .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from using as the quadratic formula. Choice C is

incorrect and may result from using as the quadratic formula. Choice D is incorrect and may

result from using as the quadratic formula.

Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID b7cd6ca6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: b7cd6ca6
The equation gives the estimated number of employees at a restaurant, where is the number of
years since the restaurant opened. Which of the following is the best interpretation of the number in this context?
A. The estimated number of employees when the restaurant opened
B. The increase in the estimated number of employees each year
C. The number of years the restaurant has been open
D. The percent increase in the estimated number of employees each year

ID: b7cd6ca6 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. For an exponential function of the form , where and are constants, the
initial value of the function—that is, the value of the function when —is and the value of the function
increases by a factor of each time increases by . Since the function gives the estimated
number of employees at a restaurant and is the number of years since the restaurant opened, the best
interpretation of the number in this context is the estimated number of employees when , or when the
restaurant opened.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b47419f4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: b47419f4

Which of the following is equivalent to

the expression above?
A.
B.

C.
D.

ID: b47419f4 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. By distributing the minus sign through the expression , the given expression can

be rewritten as , which is equivalent to . Combining like terms gives

, or .

Choice B is incorrect and may be the result of failing to distribute the minus sign appropriately through the

second term and simplifying the expression . Choice C is incorrect and may be the result of

multiplying the expressions and . Choice D is incorrect and may be the result of

multiplying the expressions and .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8838a672
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 8838a672

Which of the following expressions is equivalent

to the expression above?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 8838a672 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Using the distributive property, the given expression can be rewritten as
. Combining like terms, this expression can be rewritten as

, which is equivalent to .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may result from an error when applying the distributive property or an
error when combining like terms.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0b3d25c5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 0b3d25c5
Which of the following is equivalent to
, where ?
A.
B.
C.

D.

ID: 0b3d25c5 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The given expression can also be written as . The trinomial can

be rewritten in factored form as . Thus, the entire expression can be rewritten as . Simplifying

the exponents yields .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and may result from errors made when simplifying the exponents in the

expression .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e8779461
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: e8779461

The solution to the given system of equations is . What is the value of ?

ID: e8779461 Answer
Correct Answer: 99

Rationale

The correct answer is . In the given system of equations, the second equation is . Subtracting
from both sides of this equation yields . In the given system of equations, the first equation is
. Substituting for in this equation yields , or . Therefore, the
solution to the given system of equations is . Thus, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f5e8ccf1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: f5e8ccf1

The function f is defined above. Which of the following is NOT an x-intercept

of the graph of the function in the xy-plane?
A.

B.
C.

D.

ID: f5e8ccf1 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The graph of the function f in the xy-plane has x-intercepts at the points , where

. Substituting 0 for in the given equation yields . By the zero product

property, if , then , , or . Solving each of these linear

equations for x, it follows that , , and , respectively. This means that the graph of the function

f in the xy-plane has three x-intercepts: , , and . Therefore, isn’t an x-intercept of the

graph of the function f.

Alternate approach: Substitution may be used. Since by definition an x-intercept of any graph is a point in the
form where k is a constant, and since all points in the options are in this form, it need only be checked

whether the points in the options lie on the graph of the function f. Substituting for x and 0 for in the

given equation yields , or . Therefore, the point doesn’t

lie on the graph of the function f and can’t be an x-intercept of the graph.

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because each of these points is an x-intercept of the graph of the function f in
the xy-plane. By definition, an x-intercept is a point on the graph of the form , where k is a constant.

Substituting for x and 0 for in the given equation yields , or . Since

this is a true statement, the point lies on the graph of the function f and is an x-intercept of the graph.
Performing similar substitution using the points and also yields the true statement ,

illustrating that these points also lie on the graph of the function f and are x-intercepts of the graph.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3918e8bc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 3918e8bc
An object is kicked from a platform. The equation represents this situation, where is the
height of the object above the ground, in meters, seconds after it is kicked. Which number represents the height,
in meters, from which the object was kicked?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 3918e8bc Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that the equation represents this situation, where is the
height, in meters, of the object seconds after it is kicked. It follows that the height, in meters, from which the
object was kicked is the value of when . Substituting for in the equation yields
, or . Therefore, the object was kicked from a height of meters.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 1dd13816
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 1dd13816

The given expression is equivalent to , where is a constant. What is the value of ?

ID: 1dd13816 Answer
Correct Answer: 9

Rationale

The correct answer is . The given expression can be rewritten as . By applying

the distributive property, this expression can be rewritten as , which is equivalent to
. Adding like terms in this expression yields . Since it's given that
is equivalent to , it follows that is equivalent to .
Therefore, the coefficients of in these two expressions must be equivalent, and the value of must be .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2d2ab76b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 2d2ab76b

When the equations above are graphed in the xy-plane, what are the
coordinates (x, y) of the points of intersection of the two graphs?
A.
and
B.
and
C.
and
D.
and

ID: 2d2ab76b Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The two equations form a system of equations, and the solutions to the system correspond to
the points of intersection of the graphs. The solutions to the system can be found by substitution. Since the
2
second equation gives y = 3, substituting 3 for y in the first equation gives 3 = x – 1. Adding 1 to both sides of the
2
equation gives 4 = x . Solving by taking the square root of both sides of the equation gives x = ±2. Since y = 3 for
all values of x for the second equation, the solutions are (2, 3) and (–2, 3). Therefore, the points of intersection of
the two graphs are (2, 3) and (–2, 3).

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may be the result of calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID da602115
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: da602115
If , what is the positive value of ?
ID: da602115 Answer
Correct Answer: 28

Rationale

The correct answer is . The given absolute value equation can be rewritten as two linear equations:
and , or . Adding to both sides of the equation
results in . Dividing both sides of this equation by results in . Adding to both sides of the
equation results in . Dividing both sides of this equation by results in .
Therefore, the two values of are , or , and , or . Thus, the positive value of is .

Alternate approach: The given equation can be rewritten as , which is equivalent to

. Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . This equation can be rewritten as
two linear equations: and , or . Therefore, the positive value of is
.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7e5a3640
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 7e5a3640
Bacteria are growing in a liquid growth medium. There were cells per milliliter during an initial observation.
The number of cells per milliliter doubles every hours. How many cells per milliliter will there be hours after the
initial observation?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 7e5a3640 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Let represent the number of cells per milliliter hours after the initial observation. Since
the number of cells per milliliter doubles every hours, the relationship between and can be represented by
an exponential equation of the form , where is the number of cells per milliliter during the initial
observation and the number of cells per milliliter increases by a factor of every hours. It’s given that there
were cells per milliliter during the initial observation. Therefore, . It’s also given that the
number of cells per milliliter doubles, or increases by a factor of , every hours. Therefore, and .
Substituting for , for , and for in the equation yields . The number of
cells per milliliter there will be hours after the initial observation is the value of in this equation when
. Substituting for in the equation yields , or .
This is equivalent to , or . Therefore, hours after the initial observation, there
will be cells per milliliter.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4eaf0a3a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: 4eaf0a3a
Which expression is equivalent to , where and are positive?
A. msup
B. msup
C. msup
D. msup

ID: 4eaf0a3a Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. For positive values of and , , , and . Therefore, the

given expression, , can be rewritten as . This expression is equivalent to , which can be

rewritten as , or .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4993b828
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 4993b828
The area , in square centimeters, of a rectangular cutting board can be represented by the expression ,
where is the width, in centimeters, of the cutting board. Which expression represents the length, in centimeters,
of the cutting board?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 4993b828 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It's given that the expression represents the area, in square centimeters, of a
rectangular cutting board, where is the width, in centimeters, of the cutting board. The area of a rectangle can
be calculated by multiplying its length by its width. It follows that the length, in centimeters, of the cutting board
is represented by the expression .

Choice A is incorrect. This expression represents the area, in square centimeters, of the cutting board, not its
length, in centimeters.

Choice B is incorrect. This expression represents the width, in centimeters, of the cutting board, not its length.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the difference between the length, in centimeters, and the width, in centimeters, of
the cutting board, not its length, in centimeters.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c602140f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Equivalent

expressions

ID: c602140f

Which of the following is equivalent to

the expression above?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: c602140f Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

2
Choice B is correct. Expanding all terms yields (x – 11y)(2x – 3y) – 12y(–2x + 3y), which is equivalent to 2x –
2 2 2
22xy – 3xy + 33y + 24xy – 36y . Combining like terms gives 2x – xy – 3y .
2

Choice A is incorrect and may be the result of using the sums of the coefficients of the existing x and y terms as
the coefficients of the x and y terms in the new expressions. Choice C is incorrect and may be the result of
incorrectly combining like terms. Choice D is incorrect and may be the result of using the incorrect sign in front
of the 12y term.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 981aca65
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 981aca65

In the given function , is a constant. The graph of function in the xy-plane, where , is translated
units down and units to the right to produce the graph of . Which equation defines function ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 981aca65 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that the graph of is produced by translating the graph of units
down and units to the right in the xy-plane. Therefore, function can be defined by an equation in the form
. Function is defined by the equation , where is a constant.
Substituting for in the equation yields . Substituting
for in the equation yields , or . Therefore,
the equation that defines function is .

Choice A is incorrect. This equation defines a function whose graph is produced by translating the graph of
units down and units to the left, not units down and units to the right.

Choice C is incorrect. This equation defines a function whose graph is produced by translating the graph of
units to the left, not units down and units to the right.

Choice D is incorrect. This equation defines a function whose graph is produced by translating the graph of
units to the right, not units down and units to the right.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3b4b8831
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: 3b4b8831

What is the negative solution to the given equation?

ID: 3b4b8831 Answer
Correct Answer: -3

Rationale

The correct answer is . Dividing both sides of the given equation by yields . Taking the square root
of both sides of this equation yields the solutions and . Therefore, the negative solution to the
given equation is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f5247e52
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear equations

in one variable and
systems of equations
in two variables

ID: f5247e52

In the equation above, a and c are positive constants. How many times does
the graph of the equation above intersect the graph of the equation
in the xy-plane?
A. Zero
B. One
C. Two
D. More than two

ID: f5247e52 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It is given that the constants a and c are both positive; therefore, the graph of the given
quadratic equation is a parabola that opens up with a vertex on the y-axis at a point below the x-axis. The graph
of the second equation provided is a horizontal line that lies above the x-axis. A horizontal line above the x-axis
will intersect a parabola that opens up and has a vertex below the x-axis in exactly two points.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and are the result of not understanding the relationships of the graphs of the
two equations given. Choice A is incorrect because the two graphs intersect. Choice B is incorrect because in
order for there to be only one intersection point, the horizontal line would have to intersect the parabola at the
vertex, but the vertex is below the x-axis and the line is above the x-axis. Choice D is incorrect because a line
cannot intersect a parabola in more than two points.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5c00c2c1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Advanced Math Nonlinear functions

ID: 5c00c2c1
There were no jackrabbits in Australia before 1788 when 24 jackrabbits were
introduced. By 1920 the population of jackrabbits had reached 10 billion. If
the population had grown exponentially, this would correspond to a 16.2%
increase, on average, in the population each year. Which of the following
functions best models the population of jackrabbits t years after 1788?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 5c00c2c1 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. This exponential growth model can be written in the form , where is the

population t years after 1788, A is the initial population, and r is the yearly growth rate, expressed as a decimal.
Since there were 24 jackrabbits in Australia in 1788, . Since the number of jackrabbits increased by an

average of 16.2% each year, . Therefore, the equation that best models this situation is
.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and may result from misinterpreting the form of an exponential growth model.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b1b5300b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: b1b5300b
Prices of 14 Different Cars
Type of car Priced at no more Priced greater Total
than $25,000 than $25,000
Nonhybrid 5 3 8
Hybrid 2 4 6
Total 7 7 14
The table above shows information about 14 cars listed for sale on an auto dealership’s website. If one
of the cars listed for sale is selected at random, what is the probability that the car selected will be a
hybrid car priced at no more than $25,000 ?
A.

B.

C.
D.

ID: b1b5300b Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that there are 2 hybrid cars priced at no more than $25,000. It’s also given that there
are 14 cars total for sale. Therefore, the probability of selecting a hybrid priced at no more than $25,000 when one

car is chosen at random is .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a hybrid car priced greater than $25,000 when choosing
one car at random. Choice C is incorrect. This is the probability, when choosing randomly from only the hybrid
cars, of selecting one priced at no more than $25,000. Choice D is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a
hybrid car when selecting at random from only the cars priced greater than $25,000.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d28c29e1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: d28c29e1
The International Space Station orbits Earth at an average speed of 4.76
miles per second. What is the space station’s average speed in miles per
hour?
A. 285.6
B. 571.2
C. 856.8
D. 17,136.0

ID: d28c29e1 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Since 1 minute = 60 seconds and 1 hour = 60 minutes, it follows that 1 hour = (60)(60), or 3,600
seconds. Using this conversion factor, the space station’s average speed of 4.76 miles per second is equal to an

average speed of , or 17,136 miles per hour.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the space station’s average speed in miles per minute. Choice B is incorrect. This is
double the space station’s average speed in miles per minute, or the number of miles the space station travels on
average in 2 minutes. Choice C is incorrect. This is triple the space station’s average speed in miles per minute,
or the number of miles the space station travels on average in 3 minutes.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 1adb39f0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 1adb39f0
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line
of best fit for the data is also shown. Which of the following is closest to the
difference between the y-coordinate of the data point with and the y-
value predicted by the line of best fit at ?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 5
D. 12

ID: 1adb39f0 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The data point with has a y-coordinate of 12. The y-value predicted by the line of best

fit at is approximately 11. The difference between the y-coordinate of the data point and the y-value

predicted by the line of best fit at is , or 1.

Choices B and C are incorrect and may result from incorrectly reading the scatterplot. Choice D is incorrect. This
is the y-coordinate of the data point at .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b4912cc5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: b4912cc5
The population density of Iceland, in people per square kilometer of land
area, increased from 2.5 in 1990 to 3.3 in 2014. During this time period, the
land area of Iceland was 100,250 square kilometers. By how many people did
Iceland’s population increase from 1990 to 2014?
A. 330,825
B. 132,330
C. 125,312
D. 80,200

ID: b4912cc5 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The increase in Iceland’s population can be found by multiplying the increase in population
density, in people per square kilometer, by the area, in square kilometers. It’s given that the population density of
Iceland was 2.5 people per square kilometer in 1990 and 3.3 people per square kilometer in 2014. The increase in
population density can be found by subtracting 2.5 from 3.3, which yields 0.8. It’s given that the land area of
Iceland was 100,250 square kilometers. Thus, the increase in population is , or 80,200.

Alternate approach: It’s given that the population density of Iceland, in people per square kilometer of land area,
in 1990 was 2.5. Since the land area of Iceland was 100,250 square kilometers, it follows that the population of
Iceland in 1990 was , or 250,625. Similarly, the population of Iceland in 2014 was , or

330,825. The population increase is the difference in the population from 1990 to 2014, or ,
which yields 80,200. Therefore, Iceland’s population increased by 80,200 from 1990 to 2014.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the population of Iceland in 2014. Choice B is incorrect and may result from
dividing 3.3 by 2.5, instead of subtracting 2.5 from 3.3. Choice C is incorrect and may result from dividing the
population of Iceland in 1990 by 2.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 37930b2a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Evaluating statistical

Data Analysis claims:
Observational
studies and
experiments

ID: 37930b2a
Residents of a town were surveyed to determine whether they are satisfied
with the concession stand at the local park. A random sample of
200 residents was selected. All 200 responded, and 87% said they are
satisfied. Based on this information, which of the following statements
must be true?
I. Of all the town residents, 87% would say they are satisfied with the concession stand at the local park.
II. If another random sample of 200 residents were surveyed, 87% would say they are satisfied.
A. Neither
B. I only
C. II only
D. I and II

ID: 37930b2a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The purpose of surveying a random sample of residents is to approximate the percent of the
town residents that are satisfied with the concession stand. The sample doesn’t necessarily get the same result
as surveying every resident of the town, nor would another sample necessarily have identical results. Therefore,
although it’s possible that either statement I or statement II could prove true by surveying every resident of the
town, these statements cannot be proven true solely based on the results of the sample.

Choice B is incorrect because surveying a sample of the town residents may not have the same result as
surveying all the town residents. Choices C and D are incorrect because surveying a different sample of
residents could yield different results.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4c774b00
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 4c774b00
Ages of 20 Students Enrolled in a College Class
Age Frequency
18 6
19 5
20 4
21 2
22 1
23 1
30 1
The table above shows the distribution of ages of the 20 students enrolled in
a college class. Which of the following gives the correct order of the mean,
median, and mode of the ages?
A. mode < median < mean
B. mode < mean < median
C. median < mode < mean
D. mean < mode < median

ID: 4c774b00 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The mode is the data value with the highest frequency. So for the data shown, the mode is 18.
The median is the middle data value when the data values are sorted from least to greatest. Since there are 20
ages ordered, the median is the average of the two middle values, the 10th and 11th, which for these data are both
19. Therefore, the median is 19. The mean is the sum of the data values divided by the number of the data values.

So for these data, the mean is .

Since the mode is 18, the median is 19, and the mean is 20, .
Choices B and D are incorrect because the mean is greater than the median. Choice C is incorrect because the
median is greater than the mode.

Alternate approach: After determining the mode, 18, and the median, 19, it remains to determine whether the
mean is less than 19 or more than 19. Because the mean is a balancing point, there is as much deviation below
the mean as above the mean. It is possible to compare the data to 19 to determine the balance of deviation above
and below the mean. There is a total deviation of only 6 below 19 (the 6 values of 18); however, the data value 30
alone deviates by 11 above 19. Thus the mean must be greater than 19.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a456cfd2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: a456cfd2
Data value Frequency

The frequency table summarizes the data values in a data set. What is the maximum data value in the data set?
ID: a456cfd2 Answer
Correct Answer: 14

Rationale

The correct answer is . The maximum value is the largest value in the data set. The frequency refers to the
number of times a data value occurs. The given frequency table shows that for this data set, the data value
occurs three times, the data value occurs three times, the data value occurs eight times, the data value
occurs eight times, the data value occurs nine times, the data value occurs eleven times, the data value
occurs nine times, the data value occurs zero times, and the data value occurs six times. Therefore, the
maximum data value in the data set is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e1ad3d41
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: e1ad3d41
Eye color
Coat color
Deep blue Light brown Total
Cream-tortoiseshell 16 16 32
Chocolate 12 4 16
Total 28 20 48
The data on the coat color and eye color for 48 Himalayan kittens available
for adoption were collected and summarized in the table above. What
fraction of the chocolate-colored kittens has deep blue eyes?
A.
B.

C.
D.

ID: e1ad3d41 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The table shows that there are a total of 16 kittens that have a chocolate-colored coat. Of the
16 with a chocolate-colored coat, 12 have deep blue eyes. Therefore, the fraction of chocolate-colored kittens with

deep blue eyes is simply the ratio of those two numbers, or .

Choice A is incorrect; this is the fraction of all chocolate-colored kittens. Choice B is incorrect; this is the
fraction of kittens with deep blue eyes that have a chocolate-colored coat. Choice C is incorrect; this is the
fraction of cream-tortoiseshell-colored kittens with deep blue eyes.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3726e079
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 3726e079
If and , what is the value of ?

ID: 3726e079 Answer

Correct Answer: 24

Rationale

The correct answer is . The equation can be rewritten as . It's given that .

Substituting for in the equation yields . Multiplying both sides of this equation
by yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8e528129
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 8e528129
Pure beeswax has a density of 0.555 ounce per cubic inch. An online
company sells pure beeswax at a price of $8.00 per ounce. What is the
selling price, in dollars per cubic inch, for pure beeswax purchased from this
company?
ID: 8e528129 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 4.44. The selling price, in dollars per cubic inch, is found by multiplying the density, in

ounces per cubic inch, by the unit price, in dollars per ounce: yields .
Thus, the selling price, in dollars per cubic inch, is 4.44.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 53d97af5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: 53d97af5
A study was done on the weights of different types of fish in a pond. A
random sample of fish were caught and marked in order to ensure that none
were weighed more than once. The sample contained 150 largemouth bass,
of which 30% weighed more than 2 pounds. Which of the following
conclusions is best supported by the sample data?
A. The majority of all fish in the pond weigh less than 2 pounds.
B. The average weight of all fish in the pond is approximately 2 pounds.
C. Approximately 30% of all fish in the pond weigh more than 2 pounds.
D. Approximately 30% of all largemouth bass in the pond weigh more than 2 pounds.

ID: 53d97af5 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The sample of 150 largemouth bass was selected at random from all the largemouth bass in
the pond, and since 30% of the fish in the sample weighed more than 2 pounds, it can be concluded that
approximately 30% of all largemouth bass in the pond weigh more than 2 pounds.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Since the sample contained 150 largemouth bass, of which 30% weighed more
than 2 pounds, this result can be generalized only to largemouth bass in the pond, not to all fish in the pond.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0301c5dc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: 0301c5dc
The table below shows the number of state parks in a certain state that contain camping facilities and bicycle
paths.
Has bicycle paths Does not have bicycle paths
Has camping facilities 20 5
Does not have camping facilities 8 4
If one of these state parks is selected at random, what is the probability that
it has camping facilities but does not have bicycle paths?
A.
B.

C.

D.

ID: 0301c5dc Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The total number of state parks in the state is . According to the table, 5 of

these have camping facilities but not bicycle paths. Therefore, if a state park is selected at random, the

probability that it has camping facilities but not bicycle paths is .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the probability that a state park selected at random from the state parks with
camping facilities does not have bicycle paths. Choice C is incorrect. This is the probability that a state park
selected at random from the state parks with bicycle paths does not have camping facilities. Choice D is
incorrect. This is the probability that a state park selected at random from the state parks without bicycle paths
does have camping facilities.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0ae37ff3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: 0ae37ff3
In a bag, there are red, white, blue, and yellow cubes. If one of these cubes is selected at random, what is
the probability of selecting a cube that is neither blue nor yellow?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 0ae37ff3 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that there are red, white, blue, and yellow cubes in the bag. Therefore,
there are a total of , or , cubes in the bag. If the cube is neither blue nor yellow, then it must be
either red or white. Therefore, the probability of selecting a cube that is neither blue nor yellow is equivalent to
the probability of selecting a cube that is either red or white. If one of these cubes is selected at random, the
probability of selecting a cube that is either red or white is equal to the sum of the number of red cubes and
white cubes divided by the total number of cubes in the bag. There are red cubes, white cubes, and total
cubes in the bag. Therefore, the probability of selecting a red or white cube is , which is equivalent to , or
. Thus, if one cube is selected at random, the probability of selecting a cube that is neither blue nor yellow is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a cube that is either blue or yellow, rather than the
probability of selecting a cube that is neither blue nor yellow.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9bb4107c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 9bb4107c

The graph shows the momentum , in newton-seconds, of an object seconds after the object started moving, for
. What is the average rate of change, in newton-seconds per second, in the momentum of the object
from to ?
ID: 9bb4107c Answer
Correct Answer: .5, 1/2

Rationale

The correct answer is . For the graph shown, represents time, in seconds, and represents momentum, in
newton-seconds. Therefore, the average rate of change, in newton-seconds per second, in the momentum of the
object between two x-values is the difference in the corresponding y-values divided by the difference in the x-
values. The graph shows that at , the corresponding y-value is . The graph also shows that at , the
corresponding y-value is . It follows that the average rate of change, in newton-seconds per second, from
to is , which is equivalent to , or . Note that 1/2 and .5 are examples of ways to enter a correct
answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3f2ee20a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 3f2ee20a
The results of two independent surveys are shown in the table below.
Men's Height
Group Sample size Mean (centimeters) Standard deviation (centimeters)
A 2,500 186 12.5
B 2,500 186 19.1
Which statement is true based on the table?
A. The Group A data set was identical to the Group B data set.
B. Group B contained the tallest participant.
C. The heights of the men in Group B had a larger spread than the heights of the men in Group A.
D. The median height of Group B is larger than the median height of Group A.

ID: 3f2ee20a Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Standard deviation is a measure of spread, so data sets with larger standard deviations tend
to have larger spread. The standard deviation of the heights of the men in Group B is larger than the standard
deviation of the heights of the men in Group A. Therefore, the heights of the men in Group B had a larger spread
than the heights of the men in Group A.

Choice A is incorrect. If two data sets are identical, they will have equivalent means and equivalent standard
deviations. Since the two data sets have different standard deviations, they cannot be identical. Choice B is
incorrect. Without knowing the maximum value for each data set, it’s impossible to know which group contained
the tallest participant. Choice D is incorrect. Since the means of the two groups are equivalent, the medians
could also be the same or could be different, but it's impossible to tell from the given information.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d0efc1dd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: d0efc1dd
15, 14, 18, 17, x
The mean and the median of the five numbers above are equal. Which of the
following is NOT a possible value of x ?
A. 6
B. 11
C. 16
D. 21

ID: d0efc1dd Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. If x is 6, then the five numbers in the given list are 15, 14, 18, 17, 6. The mean of these five

numbers is the sum of all the values divided by the number of values, or . The
median of these five numbers can be found by ordering the numbers from least to greatest and determining the
middle value. When ordered from least to greatest, the numbers in the given list are 6, 14, 15, 17, 18, and the middle
value is 15. Since the mean is 14 and the median is 15, the mean and median aren’t equal when x is 6.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. If any of these values is substituted for x, the mean and median of the data set
would be equal.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2e74e403
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 2e74e403
In the given scatterplot, a line of best fit for the data is shown.

Which of the following is closest to the slope of this line of best fit?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 2e74e403 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. A line of best fit is shown in the scatterplot such that as the value of increases, the value of
decreases. It follows that the slope of the line of best fit shown is negative. The slope of a line in the xy-plane
that passes through the points and can be calculated as . The line of best fit shown passes
approximately through the points and . Substituting for and for in
yields the slope of the line being approximately , which is equivalent to , or . Therefore, of
the given choices, is the closest to the slope of this line of best fit.

Choice A is incorrect. The line of best fit shown has a negative slope, not a positive slope.
Choice B is incorrect. The line of best fit shown has a negative slope, not a positive slope.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f8f79e11
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: f8f79e11
A park ranger asked a random sample of visitors how far they hiked during
their visit. Based on the responses, the estimated mean was found to be 4.5
miles, with an associated margin of error of 0.5 miles. Which of the following
is the best conclusion from these data?
A. It is likely that all visitors hiked between 4 and 5 miles.
B. It is likely that most visitors hiked exactly 4.5 miles.
C. It is not possible that any visitor hiked less than 3 miles.
D. It is plausible that the mean distance hiked for all visitors is between 4 and 5 miles.

ID: f8f79e11 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The given estimated mean has an associated margin of error because from sample data, the
population mean can’t be determined precisely. Rather, from the sample mean, an interval can be determined
within which it’s plausible that the population’s mean is likely to lie. Since the estimated mean is 4.5 miles with
an associated margin of error of 0.5 miles, it follows that between miles and miles, or
between 4 and 5 miles, is plausibly the mean distance hiked for all visitors.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Based on the estimated mean, no determination can be made about the number
of miles hiked for all visitors to the park.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 707db2d3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 707db2d3
For the finale of a TV show, viewers could use either social media or a text
message to vote for their favorite of two contestants. The contestant
receiving more than 50% of the vote won. An estimated 10% of the viewers
voted, and 30% of the votes were cast on social media. Contestant 2 earned
70% of the votes cast using social media and 40% of the votes cast using a
text message. Based on this information, which of the following is an
accurate conclusion?
A. If all viewers had voted, Contestant 2 would have won.
B. Viewers voting by social media were likely to be younger than viewers voting by text message.
C. If all viewers who voted had voted by social media instead of by text message, Contestant 2 would have won.
D. Viewers voting by social media were more likely to prefer Contestant 2 than were viewers voting by text
message.

ID: 707db2d3 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It is given that Contestant 2 earned 70% of the votes cast using social media and 40% of the
votes cast using a text message. Based on this information, viewers voting by social media were more likely to
prefer Contestant 2 than were viewers voting by text message.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. There is not enough information about the viewers to reach these conclusions.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9a144a01
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 9a144a01
Which of the following is true about the values of and
for ?
A. For all , it is true that .
B. For all , it is true that .
C. There is a constant c such that if , then , but if , then .
D. There is a constant c such that if , then , but if , then .

ID: 9a144a01 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. At , the value of is less than the value of , which is equivalent to

. As the value of x increases, the value of remains less than the value of until , which is

when the two values are equal: , which is equivalent to . Then, for , the value of is
greater than the value of . So there is a constant, 3, such that when , then , but when

, then .

Choice A is incorrect because when . Choice B is incorrect because when .

Choice D is incorrect because when and when .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 63573fea
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 63573fea
During the first month of sales, a company sold 1,300,000 units of a certain
type of smartphone. During the same month, 15% of the units sold were
returned. If sales and the return rate remain the same for each of the next 5
months, about how many units of this smartphone will be returned to the
company during this 6-month period?
A. 195,000
B. 975,000
C. 1,170,000
D. 6,630,000

ID: 63573fea Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Of the 1,300,000 units sold during the first month, 15% were returned, so
units were returned during the first month. If the units were sold and returned at

the same rate for the next 5 months, then a total of smartphone units were returned

during the 6-month period.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the number of units that were returned in 1 month. Choice B is incorrect. This is the
number of units that were returned in 5 months. Choice D is incorrect. This is the number of units sold and not
returned during the first 6 months.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 03a16790
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 03a16790
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, and . A line of best fit is also shown.

Which of the following is closest to the slope of the line of best fit shown?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 03a16790 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. A line of best fit is shown in the scatterplot such that as the value of increases, the value of
decreases. Thus, the slope of the line of best fit shown is negative. The slope of a line passing through two
points, and , can be calculated as . The line of best fit shown passes approximately
through the points and . Substituting and for and , respectively, in
gives , which is equivalent to , or . Therefore, of the given choices, is closest to the
slope of the line of best fit shown.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect. The line of best fit shown has a negative slope, not a positive slope.

Choice D is incorrect. The line of best fit shown has a negative slope, not a positive slope.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b4f5a7ca
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Evaluating statistical

Data Analysis claims:
Observational
studies and
experiments

ID: b4f5a7ca
A survey was conducted using a sample of history professors selected at
random from the California State Universities. The professors surveyed were
asked to name the publishers of their current texts. What is the largest
population to which the results of the survey can be generalized?
A. All professors in the United States
B. All history professors in the United States
C. All history professors at all California State Universities
D. All professors at all California State Universities

ID: b4f5a7ca Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Selecting a sample at random when conducting a survey allows the results to be generalized
to the population from which the sample was selected, but not beyond this population. In this situation, the
population that the sample was selected from is history professors from the California State Universities.
Therefore, the largest population to which the results of the survey can be generalized is all history professors at
all California State Universities.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Since the sample was selected at random from history professors from the
California State Universities, the results of the survey can’t be generalized to all professors in the United States,
all history professors in the United States, or all professors at all California State Universities. All three of these
populations may use different texts and therefore may name different publishers.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID fea831fc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: fea831fc
On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere set off on his midnight ride from Charlestown
to Lexington. If he had ridden straight to Lexington without stopping, he
would have traveled 11 miles in 26 minutes. In such a ride, what would the
average speed of his horse have been, to the nearest tenth of a mile
per hour?
ID: fea831fc Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 25.4. The average speed is the total distance divided by the total time. The total distance is

11 miles and the total time is 26 minutes. Thus, the average speed is miles per minute. The question asks for

the average speed in miles per hour, and there are 60 minutes in an hour; converting miles per minute to miles
per hour gives the following:

Therefore, to the nearest tenth of a mile per hour, the average speed of Paul Revere’s ride would have been 25.4
miles per hour. Note that 25.4 and 127/5 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e03f3477
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: e03f3477
A sample consisting of adults who own televisions was selected at random for a study. Based on the sample, it
is estimated that of all adults who own televisions use their televisions to watch nature shows, with an
associated margin of error of . Which of the following is the most plausible conclusion about all adults who
own televisions?
A. More than of all adults who own televisions use their televisions to watch nature shows.
B. Between and of all adults who own televisions use their televisions to watch nature shows.
C. Since the sample included adults who own televisions and not just those who use their televisions to watch
nature shows, no conclusion can be made.
D. Since the sample did not include all the people who watch nature shows, no conclusion can be made.

ID: e03f3477 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that based on a sample selected at random, it's estimated that of all adults
who own televisions use their televisions to watch nature shows, with an associated margin of error of .
Subtracting the margin of error from the estimate and adding the margin of error to the estimate gives an
interval of plausible values for the true percentage of adults who own televisions who use their televisions to
watch nature shows. This means it's plausible that between , or , and , or
, of all adults who own televisions use their televisions to watch nature shows. Therefore, of the given
choices, the most plausible conclusion is that between and of all adults who own televisions
use their televisions to watch nature shows.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice C is incorrect. To make a plausible conclusion about all adults who own televisions, the sample must be
selected at random from all adults who own televisions, not just those who use their televisions to watch nature
shows.

Choice D is incorrect. Since the sample was selected at random from all adults who own televisions, a plausible
conclusion can be made about all adults who own televisions.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d693f563
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: d693f563
Last year, Cedric had plants in his garden. This year, the number of plants in Cedric’s garden is greater than
the number of plants in his garden last year. How many plants does Cedric have in his garden this year?
ID: d693f563 Answer
Correct Answer: 56

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that Cedric had plants in his garden last year and that the number of
plants in Cedric's garden this year is greater than the number of plants in his garden last year. It follows
that the number of plants in Cedric’s garden this year is plus of , which is equal to , or
. This expression is equivalent to , or . Therefore, Cedric has plants in his garden this
year.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f46139df
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: f46139df
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, and . A line of best fit for the data is also shown.

At , which of the following is closest to the y-value predicted by the line of best fit?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: f46139df Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. On the line of best fit, an x-value of corresponds to a y-value between and .
Therefore, at , is closest to the y-value predicted by the line of best fit.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 07f2829b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 07f2829b
International Tourist
Arrivals, in millions
Country 2012 2013
France 83.0 84.7
United 66.7 69.8
States
Spain 57.5 60.7
China 57.7 55.7
Italy 46.4 47.7
Turkey 35.7 37.8
Germany 30.4 31.5
United 26.3 32.2
Kingdom
Russia 24.7 28.4
The table above shows the number of international tourist arrivals, rounded
to the nearest tenth of a million, to the top nine tourist destinations in both
2012 and 2013. Based on the information given in the table, how much
greater, in millions, was the median number of international tourist arrivals to
the top nine tourist destinations in 2013 than the median number in 2012, to
the nearest tenth of a million?

ID: 07f2829b Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 1.3. The median number of tourists is found by ordering the number of tourists from least
to greatest and determining the middle value from this list. When the number of tourists in 2012 is ordered from
least to greatest, the middle value, or the fifth number, is 46.4 million. When the number of tourists in 2013 is
ordered from least to greatest, the middle value, or the fifth number, is 47.7 million. The difference between these
two medians is . Note that 1.3 and 13/10 are examples of ways to enter a

correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7ac5d686
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 7ac5d686
An inspector begins a day of work with a large sample of shirts that need to
be checked for defects. The inspector works at a constant rate throughout
the morning. What type of model is best to model the number of shirts
remaining to be checked for defects at any given time throughout the
morning?
A. A linear model with a positive slope
B. A linear model with a negative slope
C. An exponential growth model
D. An exponential decay model

ID: 7ac5d686 Answer

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Since the work is done at a constant rate, a linear model best models the situation. The
number of shirts remaining is dependent on the length of time the inspector has worked; therefore, if the
relationship were graphed, time would be the variable of the horizontal axis and the number of remaining shirts
would be the variable of the vertical axis. Since the number of shirts decreases as the time worked increases, it
follows that the slope of this graph is negative.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from incorrectly reasoning about the slope. Choices C and D are incorrect
and may result from not identifying the constant rate of work as a characteristic of a linear model.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 181cc4d6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 181cc4d6
Rectangle A has length 15 and width w. Rectangle B has length 20 and the
same length-to-width ratio as rectangle A. What is the width of rectangle B in
terms of w ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 181cc4d6 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that rectangle A has length 15 and width w. Therefore, the length-to-width ratio of
rectangle A is 15 to w. It’s also given that rectangle B has length 20 and the same length-to-width ratio as

rectangle A. Let x represent the width of rectangle B. The proportion can be used to solve for x in

terms of w. Multiplying both sides of this equation by x yields , and then multiplying both sides of this

equation by w yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by 15 yields . Simplifying this

fraction yields .

Choices B and D are incorrect and may result from interpreting the difference in the lengths of rectangle A and
rectangle B as equivalent to the difference in the widths of rectangle A and rectangle B. Choice C is incorrect and
may result from using a length-to-width ratio of w to 15, instead of 15 to w.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7fd284ac
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 7fd284ac

The scatterplot above shows data for ten charities along with the line of best fit. For the charity with the greatest
percent of total expenses spent on programs, which of the following is closest to the difference of the actual
percent and the percent predicted by the line of best fit?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 7fd284ac Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The charity with the greatest percent of total expenses spent on programs is represented by
the highest point on the scatterplot; this is the point that has a vertical coordinate slightly less than halfway
between 90 and 95 and a horizontal coordinate slightly less than halfway between 3,000 and 4,000. Thus, the
charity represented by this point has a total income of about $3,400 million and spends about 92% of its total
expenses on programs. The percent predicted by the line of best fit is the vertical coordinate of the point on the
line of best fit with horizontal coordinate $3,400 million; this vertical coordinate is very slightly more than 85.
Thus, the line of best fit predicts that the charity with the greatest percent of total expenses spent on programs
will spend slightly more than 85% on programs. Therefore, the difference between the actual percent (92%) and
the prediction (slightly more than 85%) is slightly less than 7%.

Choice A is incorrect. There is no charity represented in the scatterplot for which the difference between the
actual percent of total expenses spent on programs and the percent predicted by the line of best fit is as much as
10%. Choices C and D are incorrect. These choices may result from misidentifying in the scatterplot the point
that represents the charity with the greatest percent of total expenses spent on programs.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2df8f293
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: 2df8f293
Each vertex of a -sided polygon is labeled with one of the letters through , with a different letter at each
vertex. If one vertex is selected at random, what is the probability that the letter will be at the selected vertex?
(Express your answer as a decimal or fraction, not as a percent.)
ID: 2df8f293 Answer
Correct Answer: .0714, 1/14

Rationale

The correct answer is . If one vertex of the polygon is selected at random, the probability that the letter will
be at the selected vertex is equal to the number of vertices labeled with the letter divided by the total number
of vertices. It's given that each vertex is labeled with one of the letters through , with a different letter at
each vertex. It follows that there is vertex labeled with the letter . It's also given that the polygon is -sided.
It follows that there are a total of vertices. Thus, the probability that the letter will be at the selected vertex
is . Note that 1/14, .0714, and 0.071 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7cab9fe1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 7cab9fe1
Which expression represents the result of increasing a positive quantity by ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 7cab9fe1 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The result of increasing a positive quantity by can be represented by the expression
. Therefore, the result of increasing a positive quantity by can be found by substituting for
in the expression , which gives , or . Thus, the expression represents the
result of increasing a positive quantity by .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the result of decreasing a positive quantity by .

Choice C is incorrect. This is the result of increasing a positive quantity by .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the result of decreasing a positive quantity by .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 445dd032
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 445dd032
Tanya earns $13.50 per hour at her part-time job. When she works z hours,
she earns dollars. Which of the following expressions gives the
amount, in dollars, Tanya will earn if she works hours?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 445dd032 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that when Tanya works z hours, she earns dollars. Since her hourly rate is

constant, if she works 3 times as many hours, or hours, she will earn 3 times as many dollars, or .

Choice B is incorrect. This expression represents adding 3 dollars to the dollars Tanya will earn. Choice C

is incorrect. This expression can be rewritten as , which implies that Tanya earns $16.50 per hour, not

$13.50. Choice D is incorrect. This expression adds 3 to the number of hours Tanya works, rather than
multiplying the hours she works by 3.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 121dc44f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 121dc44f
The population of City A increased by from to . If the population is times the population,
what is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 121dc44f Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It's given that the population of City A increased by from to . Therefore, the
population of City A in includes of the population of City A in plus an additional of the
population of City A in . This means that the population of City A in is of the population in .
Thus, the population of City A in is , or , times the population. Therefore, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect. This would be the value of if the population in was of the population in .

Choice B is incorrect. This would be the value of if the population in was of the population in .

Choice D is incorrect. This would be the value of if the population increased by , not , from to
.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 939c46d1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 939c46d1

The glass pictured above can hold a maximum volume of 473 cubic
centimeters, which is approximately 16 fluid ounces. Jenny has a pitcher that
contains 1 gallon of water. How many times could Jenny completely fill the
glass with 1 gallon of water?
A. 16
B. 8
C. 4
D. 3

ID: 939c46d1 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It is given that the volume of the glass is approximately 16 fluid ounces. If Jenny has 1 gallon

of water, which is 128 fluid ounces, she could fill the glass times.

Choice A is incorrect because Jenny would need fluid ounces = 256 fluid ounces, or 2 gallons, of water to

fill the glass 16 times. Choice C is incorrect because Jenny would need only fluid ounces = 64 fluid ounces

of water to fill the glass 4 times. Choice D is incorrect because Jenny would need only fluid ounces = 48
fluid ounces to fill the glass 3 times.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID fc46af57
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: fc46af57
A bag containing 10,000 beads of assorted colors is purchased from a craft
store. To estimate the percent of red beads in the bag, a sample of beads is
selected at random. The percent of red beads in the bag was estimated to be
15%, with an associated margin of error of 2%. If r is the actual number of
red beads in the bag, which of the following is most plausible?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: fc46af57 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It was estimated that 15% of the beads in the bag are red. Since the bag contains 10,000 beads,
it follows that there are an estimated red beads. It’s given that the margin of error is 2%,
or beads. If the estimate is too high, there could plausibly be red

beads. If the estimate is too low, there could plausibly be red beads. Therefore, the most

plausible statement of the actual number of red beads in the bag is .

Choices A and D are incorrect and may result from misinterpreting the margin of error. It’s unlikely that more
than 1,700 beads or fewer than 1,300 beads in the bag are red. Choice C is incorrect because 200 is the margin of
error for the number of red beads, not the lower bound of the range of red beads.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7b65bb28
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 7b65bb28
Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Station 4 Station 5
$3.699 $3.609 $3.729 $3.679 $3.729
In the table above, Melissa recorded the price of one gallon of regular gas
from five different local gas stations on the same day. What is the median of
the gas prices Melissa recorded?
A. $3.679
B. $3.689
C. $3.699
D. $3.729

ID: 7b65bb28 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The median of a data set is the middle value when the data is in ascending or descending
order. In ascending order, the gas prices are $3.609, $3.679, $3.699, $3.729, and $3.729. The middle number of this
list is 3.699, so it follows that $3.699 is the median gas price.

Choice A is incorrect. When the gas prices are listed in ascending order, this value isn’t the middle
number. Choice B is incorrect. This value represents the mean gas price. Choice D is incorrect. This value
represents both the mode and the maximum gas price.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8a714fa1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 8a714fa1
Which of the following represents the result of increasing the
quantity x by 9%, where ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 8a714fa1 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Increasing the positive quantity x by 9% is the result of adding 9% of x to x. 9% of x can be

represented algebraically as , or . Adding this expression to x yields , or .

Choice B is incorrect. This represents 9% of x. Choice C is incorrect. This represents increasing x by 9, not by 9%.
Choice D is incorrect. This represents increasing x by 0.09, not by 9%.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8e2e424e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 8e2e424e
The number k is 36% greater than 50. If k is the product of
50 and r, what is the value of r ?
A. 36
B. 3.6
C. 1.36
D. 0.36

ID: 8e2e424e Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It’s given that the number k is 36% greater than 50. Therefore, the value of k is the number 50

plus 36% of 50. This can be rewritten as . Multiplying the terms yields 18, so

, or . It’s also given that k is the product of 50 and r, which can be rewritten as .
Substituting 68 for k yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by 50 yields .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the percentage that k is greater than 50. Choice B is incorrect and may result from a
calculation error. Choice D is incorrect. This would be the value of r if k were 36% of 50, instead of 36% greater
than 50.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID be00d896
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: be00d896
For which of the following data sets is the mean
greater than the median?
A. 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
B. 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80
C. 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512
D. 7, 107, 107, 207, 207, 207, 307, 307, 307

ID: be00d896 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. If the values in a data set are ordered from least to greatest, the median of the data set will be
the middle value. Since each data set in the choices is ordered and contains exactly 9 data values, the 5th value
in each is the median. It follows that the median of the data set in choice C is 32. The sum of the positive
differences between 32 and each of the values that are less than 32 is significantly smaller than the sum of the
positive differences between 32 and each of the values that are greater than 32. If 32 were the mean, these sums
would have been equal to each other. Therefore, the mean of this data set must be greater than 32. This can also
be confirmed by calculating the mean as the sum of the values divided by the number of values in the data set:

Choices A and B are incorrect. Each of the data sets in these choices is symmetric with respect to its median, so
the mean and the median for each of these choices are equivalent. Choice D is incorrect. The median of this data
set is 207. Since the sum of the positive differences between 207 and each of the values less than 207 is greater
than the sum of the positive differences between 207 and each value greater than 207 in this data set, the mean
must be less than the median.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3d985614
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 3d985614

Each dot in the scatterplot above represents the height x, in feet, in the high
jump, and the distance y, in feet, in the long jump, made by each student in a
group of twenty students. The graph of which of the following equations is a
line that most closely fits the data?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 3d985614 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. A line that most closely fits the data is a line with an approximately balanced number of data
points above and below the line. Fitting a line to the data shown results in a line with an approximate slope of 3
and a y-intercept near the point . An equation for the line can be written in slope-intercept form,

, where m is the slope and b is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept. The equation in
choice C fits the data most closely.

Choices A and B are incorrect because the slope of the lines of these equations is 0.82, which is a value that is
too small to be the slope of the line that fits the data shown. Choice D is incorrect. The graph of this equation has
a y-intercept at , not . This line would lie below all of the data points, and therefore would not

closely fit the data.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 560fab82
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 560fab82
The table shows the frequency of values in a data set.
Value Frequency

What is the minimum value of the data set?

ID: 560fab82 Answer
Correct Answer: 19

Rationale

The correct answer is . The minimum value of a data set is the least value in the data set. The frequency refers
to the number of times a value occurs. The given table shows that for this data set, the value occurs times,
the value occurs time, the value occurs times, and the value occurs times. Therefore, of the values
, , , and given in the data set, the minimum value of the data set is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d94018fd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: d94018fd

Each of the dot plots shown represents the number of glue sticks brought in by each student for two classes, class
A and class B. Which statement best compares the standard deviations of the numbers of glue sticks brought in by
each student for these two classes?
A. The standard deviation of the number of glue sticks brought in by each student for class A is less than the
standard deviation of the number of glue sticks brought in by each student for class B.
B. The standard deviation of the number of glue sticks brought in by each student for class A is equal to the
standard deviation of the number of glue sticks brought in by each student for class B.
C. The standard deviation of the number of glue sticks brought in by each student for class A is greater than the
standard deviation of the number of glue sticks brought in by each student for class B.
D. There is not enough information to compare these standard deviations.

ID: d94018fd Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Standard deviation is a measure of the spread of a data set from its mean. The dot plot for
class A and the dot plot for class B have the same shape. Thus, the frequency distributions for both class A and
class B are the same. Since both class A and class B have the same frequency distribution of glue sticks brought
in by each student, it follows that both class A and class B have the same spread of the number of glue sticks
brought in by each student from their respective means. Therefore, the standard deviation of the number of glue
sticks brought in by each student for class A is equal to the standard deviation of the number of glue sticks
brought in by each student for class B.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e21d10a7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: e21d10a7
One of a planet's moons orbits the planet every days. A second moon orbits the planet every days. How
many more days does it take the second moon to orbit the planet times than it takes the first moon to orbit the
planet times?
ID: e21d10a7 Answer
Correct Answer: 1015

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that the first moon orbits the planet every days. Therefore, it takes the
first moon , or , days to orbit the planet times. It’s also given that the second moon orbits the
planet every days. Therefore, it takes the second moon , or , days to orbit the planet times.
Since it takes the first moon days and the second moon days, it takes the second moon
, or , more days than it takes the first moon to orbit the planet times.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f04d40b2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: f04d40b2
From a population of people, were chosen at random and surveyed about a proposed piece of
legislation. Based on the survey, it is estimated that of people in the population support the legislation, with an
associated margin of error of . Based on these results, which of the following is a plausible value for the total
number of people in the population who support the proposed legislation?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: f04d40b2 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It’s given that an estimated of people in the population support the legislation, with an
associated margin of error of . Subtracting and adding the margin of error from the estimate gives an interval
of plausible values for the true percentage of people in the population who support the legislation. Therefore, it’s
plausible that between and of people in this population support the legislation. The corresponding
numbers of people represented by these percentages in the population can be calculated by multiplying the total
population, , by and by , which gives and ,
respectively. It follows that any value in the interval to is a plausible value for the total number of
people in the population who support the proposed legislation. Of the choices given, only is in this
interval.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the number of people in the sample, rather than in the population, who support the
legislation.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the number of people in the sample who do not support the legislation.

Choice D is incorrect. This is a plausible value for the total number of people in the population who do not
support the proposed legislation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8917ce38
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 8917ce38
Which of the following speeds is equivalent to 90 kilometers per
hour? (1 kilometer = 1,000 meters)
A. 25 meters per second
B. 32 meters per second
C. 250 meters per second
D. 324 meters per second

ID: 8917ce38 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Since 1 kilometer is equal to 1,000 meters, it follows that 90 kilometers is equal to
meters. Since 1 hour is equal to 60 minutes and 1 minute is equal to 60 seconds, it follows

that 1 hour is equal to seconds. Now is equal to , which reduces

to or 25 meters per second.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ec787383
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: ec787383
A distance of furlongs is equivalent to how many feet?
ID: ec787383 Answer
Correct Answer: 40260

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that and . It follows that a

distance of furlongs is equivalent to , or feet.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7e6c745f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 7e6c745f
Food Protein Cost
1 large egg 6 grams $0.36
1 cup of milk 8 grams $0.24
The table above shows the amount of protein in two foods and the cost of
each food. Based on the table, what is the ratio of the cost per gram of
protein in a large egg to the cost per gram of protein in a cup of milk?
A. 1 : 2
B. 2 : 3
C. 3 : 4
D. 2 : 1

ID: 7e6c745f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The cost per gram of protein in 1 large egg is $0.36 ÷ 6 = $0.06. The cost per gram of protein in
1 cup of milk is $0.24 ÷ 8 = $0.03. It follows that the ratio of the cost per gram of protein in a large egg to the cost
per gram of protein in a cup of milk is 0.06:0.03, which can be rewritten as 2:1.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from finding the ratio of the cost per gram of protein in a cup of milk to the
cost per gram of protein in a large egg (the reciprocal of the ratio specified in the question). Choices B and C are
incorrect and may result from incorrectly calculating the unit rates or from errors made when simplifying the
ratio.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 709e04de
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 709e04de
The value of is times . The value of is what percent greater than ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 709e04de Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that the value of is times . This can be written as , which
is equivalent to , or . It follows that the value of is of plus
of . Therefore, the value of is greater than .

Choice A is incorrect. This gives a value of that is , not , times .

Choice C is incorrect. This gives a value of that is , not , times .

Choice D is incorrect. This gives a value of that is , not , times .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 642519d7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Evaluating statistical

Data Analysis claims:
Observational
studies and
experiments

ID: 642519d7
A polling agency recently surveyed 1,000 adults who were selected at
random from a large city and asked each of the adults, “Are you satisfied with
the quality of air in the city?” Of those surveyed, 78 percent responded that
they were satisfied with the quality of air in the city. Based on the results of
the survey, which of the following statements must be true?
1. Of all adults in the city, 78 percent are satisfied with the quality of air in the city.
2. If another 1,000 adults selected at random from the city were surveyed, 78 percent of them would report they
are satisfied with the quality of air in the city.
3. If 1,000 adults selected at random from a different city were surveyed, 78 percent of them would report they
are satisfied with the quality of air in the city.
A. None
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. I and III only

ID: 642519d7 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Statement I need not be true. The fact that 78% of the 1,000 adults who were surveyed
responded that they were satisfied with the air quality in the city does not mean that the exact same percentage
of all adults in the city will be satisfied with the air quality in the city. Statement II need not be true because
random samples, even when they are of the same size, are not necessarily identical with regard to percentages
of people in them who have a certain opinion. Statement III need not be true for the same reason that statement
II need not be true: results from different samples can vary. The variation may be even bigger for this sample
since it would be selected from a different city. Therefore, none of the statements must be true.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because none of the statements must be true.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 912cd125
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: 912cd125
For a science project, Anka recorded whether it rained each weekday and weekend day for 12 weeks. Her
results are summarized in the table below.
Weekday and Weekend Day Rain for 12 Weeks
Rain No rain Total
Number of weekdays 12 48 60
Number of weekend days 8 16 24
Total 20 64 84
If one of the days on which there was no rain is selected at random, what is
the probability the day was a weekend day?
A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 912cd125 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. There were 64 days with no rain. It was a weekend day for 16 of those 64 days. So 16 out of 64
of the days with no rain were weekend days. Because the day is selected at random, each day has an equal

chance of being selected, so the probability is .

Choice A is incorrect. It is the probability that a day selected at random from any one of the days during the 12
weeks is a weekend day with no rain. Choice C is incorrect. It is the probability that a day selected at random
from the weekend days has no rain. Choice D is incorrect. It is the probability that a day selected at random from
the days with no rain is a weekday.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ba61d95f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: ba61d95f
The population of Greenville increased by from to . If the population is times the
population, what is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: ba61d95f Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Let be the 2015 population of Greenville. It's given that the population increased by
from 2015 to 2016. The increase in population can be written as . The 2016 population of Greenville is
given as the sum of the 2015 population of Greenville and the increase in population from 2015 to 2016. This can
be rewritten as , or . Therefore, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the percent, represented as a decimal, that the population increased from 2015 to
2016, not the value of .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of if the population increased by , not , from 2015 to 2016.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 873d2838
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 873d2838
The population density of Cedar County is people per square mile. The county has a population of
people. What is the area, in square miles, of Cedar County?
ID: 873d2838 Answer
Correct Answer: 370

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that the population density of Cedar County is people per square mile
and the county has a population of people. Based on the population density, it follows that the area of
Cedar County is , or square miles.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8cbf1415
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 8cbf1415
In a group, % of the items are red. Of all the red items in the group, % also have stripes. What percentage of
the items in the group are red with stripes?
A. %
B. %
C. %
D. %

ID: 8cbf1415 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that in a group, of the items are red. It follows that the number of red items in
the group can be represented by , where represents the total number of items in the group. It’s also given
that of all the red items in the group, also have stripes. It follows that the number of items in the group that
are red and have stripes can be represented by , or . The expression represents of .
Since represents the total number of items in the group, it follows that of the items in the group are red
and have stripes.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from subtracting from rather than calculating of .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from adding and rather than calculating of .

Choice D is incorrect and may result from calculating the percentage that is of rather than calculating
of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 3c5b19ef
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 3c5b19ef

The scatterplot above shows the number of visitors to a railroad museum in

Pennsylvania each year from 1968 to 1980, where t is the number of years
since 1968 and n is the number of visitors. A line of best fit is also shown.
Which of the following could be an equation of the line of best fit shown?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 3c5b19ef Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. An equation of a line of best fit can be written in the form , where a is the y-
intercept of the line and b is the slope. In the scatterplot shown, the line of best fit intersects the y-axis just over
halfway between 10,000 and 20,000, or approximately 16,000. The line of best fit also intersects the graph at

. Using the slope formula and two points that lie on the graph such as and

, the slope can be approximated as , or 4,800. Only choice A has a y-intercept near

the estimate of 16,000 and a slope near the estimate of 4,800. Therefore, an equation of the line of best fit could be
.

Choice B is incorrect because the values for the slope and the y-coordinate of the y-intercept are switched.
Choice C is incorrect because the value for the slope is approximately double the actual slope. Choice D is
incorrect because the values for the slope and the y-intercept are switched and because the slope is
approximately double the actual slope.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 73ddfdac
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 73ddfdac
A distance of furlongs is equivalent to how many feet?
ID: 73ddfdac Answer
Correct Answer: 73920

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that and . It follows that a

distance of furlongs is equivalent to , or feet.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 96a45430
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 96a45430
A number n is increased 6%. If the result is
318, what is the value of n ?
A. 199
B. 299
C. 300
D. 337

ID: 96a45430 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The decimal equivalent of 6% is 0.06. Since increasing the number n by 6% yields the number
318, this situation can be represented by the equation , or . Dividing both sides of

this equation by 1.06 yields .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the result when n is increased by 60%, not by 6%. Choice B is incorrect. This is the
approximate result of decreasing 318 by 6%. Choice D is incorrect. This is the approximate result of increasing
318 by 6%.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5c3c2e3c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 5c3c2e3c
The weights, in pounds, for 15 horses in a stable were reported, and the
mean, median, range, and standard deviation for the data were found. The
horse with the lowest reported weight was found to actually weigh 10 pounds
less than its reported weight. What value remains unchanged if the four
values are reported using the corrected weight?
A. Mean
B. Median
C. Range
D. Standard deviation

ID: 5c3c2e3c Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The median weight is found by ordering the horses’ weights from least to greatest and then
determining the middle value from this list of weights. Decreasing the value for the horse with the lowest weight
doesn’t affect the median since it’s still the lowest value.

Choice A is incorrect. The mean is calculated by finding the sum of all the weights of the horses and then
dividing by the number of horses. Decreasing one of the weights would decrease the sum and therefore decrease
the mean. Choice C is incorrect. Range is the difference between the highest and lowest weights, so decreasing
the lowest weight would increase the range. Choice D is incorrect. Standard deviation is calculated based on the
mean weight of the horses. Decreasing one of the weights decreases the mean and therefore would affect the
standard deviation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 61b87506
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 61b87506
For the values and , the ratio of to is to . If is multiplied by , what is multiplied by in order to
maintain the same ratio?
ID: 61b87506 Answer
Correct Answer: 17

Rationale

The correct answer is . If one value is multiplied by a number, then the other value must be multiplied by the
same number in order to maintain the same ratio. It’s given that is multiplied by . Therefore, in order to
maintain the same ratio, must also be multiplied by .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 30db8f77
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: 30db8f77
At a conference, there are a total of attendees. Each attendee is assigned to either group A, group B, or group
C. If one of these attendees is selected at random, the probability of selecting an attendee who is assigned to group
A is and the probability of selecting an attendee who is assigned to group B is . How many attendees are
assigned to group C?
ID: 30db8f77 Answer
Correct Answer: 88

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that there are a total of attendees and each attendee is assigned to either
group A, group B, or group C. It's also given that if one of these attendees is selected at random, the probability of
selecting an attendee who is assigned to group A is and the probability of selecting an attendee who is
assigned to group B is . It follows that there are , or , attendees who are assigned to group A
and , or , attendees who are assigned to group B. The number of attendees who are assigned to group
C is the number of attendees who are not assigned to group A or group B. In other words, the number of
attendees who are assigned to group C is the total number of attendees minus the number of attendees who are
assigned to group A and group B. Therefore, the number of attendees who are assigned to group C is
, or .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9110c120
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 9110c120

Which of the following statements about the means and medians

of data set A and data set B is true?
A. Only the means are different.
B. Only the medians are different.
C. Both the means and the medians are different.
D. Neither the means nor the medians are different.

ID: 9110c120 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The mean of a data set is the sum of the values divided by the number of values. The mean of

data set A is , or 5. The mean of data set B is , or 14.5. Thus, the means are different. The median of a
data set is the middle value when the values are ordered from least to greatest. The medians of data sets A and B
are both 5. Therefore, the medians are the same, so only the means are different.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b2f6f17d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: b2f6f17d
A customer’s monthly water bill was $75.74. Due to a rate increase, her
monthly bill is now $79.86. To the nearest tenth of a percent, by what percent
did the amount of the customer’s water bill increase?
A. 4.1%
B. 5.1%
C. 5.2%
D. 5.4%

ID: b2f6f17d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. To find the percent increase of the customer’s water bill, the absolute increase of the bill, in
dollars, is divided by the original amount of the bill, and the result is multiplied by 100%, as follows:

; .

Choice A is incorrect. This choice is the difference rounded to the nearest tenth, which is the

(absolute) increase of the bill’s amount, not its percent increase. Choice B is incorrect and may be the result of
some calculation errors. Choice C is incorrect and is the result of dividing the difference between the two bill
amounts by the new bill amount instead of the original bill amount.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ab7740a8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: ab7740a8
In which of the following tables is the relationship between the values of x
and their corresponding y-values nonlinear?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: ab7740a8 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The relationship between the values of x and their corresponding y-values is nonlinear if the
rate of change between these pairs of values isn’t constant. The table for choice D gives four pairs of values:

, , , and . Finding the rate of change, or slope, between and by using the slope

formula, , yields , or 6. Finding the rate of change between and yields , or

12. Finding the rate of change between and yields , or 24. Since the rate of change isn’t

constant for these pairs of values, this table shows a nonlinear relationship.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. The rate of change between the values of x and their corresponding y-values in
each of these tables is constant, being 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Therefore, each of these tables shows a linear
relationship.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 38a9ac45
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: 38a9ac45
If 1,200 customers register for new accounts at a social media website every
day, what fraction of the first 60,000 new accounts are registered in the first
5 days?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 38a9ac45 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. If 1,200 customers register for new accounts every day, then (1,200)(5) = 6,000 customers
registered for new accounts in the first 5 days. Therefore, of the first 60,000 new accounts that were registered,

, or , were registered in the first 5 days.

Choice A is incorrect. The fraction represents the fraction of accounts registered in 1 of the first 5 days.
Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or computation errors. Choice D is incorrect. The fraction

represents the fraction of the first 60,000 accounts that were registered in 1 day.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID eb672707
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: eb672707
How many tablespoons are equivalent to teaspoons?
ID: eb672707 Answer
Correct Answer: 14/3, 4.666, 4.667

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that teaspoons is equivalent to tablespoon. Therefore, teaspoons is
equivalent to , or tablespoons. Note that 14/3, 4.666, and 4.667 are examples of
ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 881ef5f5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 881ef5f5
If a is the mean and b is the median of nine consecutive
integers, what is the value of ?

ID: 881ef5f5 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 0. Any nine consecutive integers can be written as , , , , , , ,

, . The mean of the integers is their sum divided by 9: ,

which simplifies to . So . Since there is an odd number of integers (nine), the median is the integer
in the middle when all the integers are ordered from least to greatest: . So . Therefore,
, which is 0.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID cb4894f9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: cb4894f9
A triathlon is a multisport race consisting of three different legs. A triathlon participant completed the cycling leg
with an average speed of miles per hour. What was the average speed, in yards per hour, of the
participant during the cycling leg?
ID: cb4894f9 Answer
Correct Answer: 34672

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that . It follows that an average speed of
miles per hour is equivalent to , or yards per hour.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID b6569d0e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: b6569d0e
United States
Presidents
from 1789 to
2015
Ages Number
40–44 2
45–49 7
50–54 13
55–59 11
60–64 7
65–69 3
The table above gives the number of United States presidents from 1789 to
2015 whose age at the time they first took office is within the interval listed.
Of those presidents who were at least 50 years old when they first took
office, what fraction were at least 60 years old?
A.

B.

C.
D.

ID: b6569d0e Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The sample space is restricted to the presidents who were at least 50 years old when they
first took office. Therefore, the sum of the values in the final four rows of the table, , is the

total number of presidents in the sample space. The number of presidents who were at least 60 years old is the
sum of the values in the final two rows of the table: . Thus, the fraction of the 34 presidents who were

at least 50 years old when they first took office who were at least 60 years old is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the fraction of all presidents in the table who were at least 60 years old when they
first took office. Choice C is incorrect and may result from treating the number of presidents who were between
50 and 59 years old when they first took office, instead of the number of presidents who were at least 50 years
old, as the sample space. Choice D is incorrect and may result from a calculation error.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 1180401d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 1180401d
The total area of a coastal city is 92.1 square miles, of which 11.3 square
miles is water. If the city had a population of 621,000 people in the year 2010,
which of the following is closest to the population density, in people per
square mile of land area, of the city at that time?
A. 6,740
B. 7,690
C. 55,000
D. 76,000

ID: 1180401d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The land area of the coastal city can be found by subtracting the area of the water from the
total area of the coastal city; that is, square miles. The population density is the population

divided by the land area, or , which is closest to 7,690 people per square mile.

Choice A is incorrect and may be the result of dividing the population by the total area, instead of the land area.
Choice C is incorrect and may be the result of dividing the population by the area of water. Choice D is incorrect
and may be the result of making a computational error with the decimal place.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f6cbb04a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: f6cbb04a

The equation above can be used to calculate the distance d, in miles,

traveled by a car moving at a speed of 55 miles per hour over a period of t
hours. For any positive constant k, the distance the car would have traveled
after hours is how many times the distance the car would have traveled
after hours?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: f6cbb04a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. Since the distance is equal to the amount of time multiplied by a constant, the given
equation represents a proportional relationship between distance and time in this situation. Since
, the time when hours is 3 times the time when hours. Therefore, the distance traveled
after hours is 3 times the distance after hours.

Choices B and D are incorrect and may result from interpreting the proportional relationship between time and
distance as additive rather than multiplicative. Choice C is incorrect and may result from an arithmetic error.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 96c3e32d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 96c3e32d
One side of a flat board has an area of square inches. If a pressure of pounds per square inch of area is
exerted on this side of the board, what is the total force, in pounds, exerted on this side of the board?
ID: 96c3e32d Answer
Correct Answer: 16606

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that one side of a flat board has an area of square inches. If a
pressure of pounds per square inch of area is exerted on this side of the board, the total force exerted on this
side of the board is , or pounds.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4096a482
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: 4096a482
Based on a random sample from a population, a researcher estimated that the mean value of a certain variable for
the population is , with an associated margin of error of . Which of the following is the most appropriate
conclusion?
A. It is plausible that the actual mean value of the variable for the population is between and .
B. It is not possible that the mean value of the variable for the population is less than or greater than .
C. Every value of the variable in the population is between and .
D. The mean value of the variable for the population is .

ID: 4096a482 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It's given that based on a random sample from a population, the estimated mean value for a
certain variable for the population is , with an associated margin of error of . This means that it is plausible
that the actual mean value of the variable for the population is between and . Therefore, the
most appropriate conclusion is that it is plausible that the actual mean value of the variable for the population is
between and .

Choice B is incorrect. The estimated mean value and associated margin of error describe only plausible values,
not all the possible values, for the actual mean value of the variable, so this is not an appropriate conclusion.

Choice C is incorrect. The estimated mean value and associated margin of error describe only plausible values
for the actual mean value of the variable, not all the possible values of the variable, so this is not an appropriate
conclusion.

Choice D is incorrect. Since is the estimated mean value of the variable based on a random sample, the
actual mean value of the variable may not be exactly . Therefore, this is not an appropriate conclusion.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9eb896c5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 9eb896c5

Which of the following could be the equation for a line of best fit for the
data shown in the scatterplot above?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 9eb896c5 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The data show a strong linear relationship between x and y. The line of best fit for a set of
data is a linear equation that minimizes the distances from the data points to the line. An equation for the line of
best fit can be written in slope-intercept form, , where m is the slope of the graph of the line and b is
the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph. Since, for the data shown, the y-values increase as the x-values
increase, the slope of a line of best fit must be positive. The data shown lie almost in a line, so the slope can be

roughly estimated using the formula for slope, . The leftmost and rightmost data points have

coordinates of about and , so the slope is approximately , which is a little greater than
3. Extension of the line to the left would intersect the y-axis at about . Only choice A represents a line with a

slope close to 3 and a y-intercept close to .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from switching the slope and y-intercept. The line with a y-intercept of
and a slope of 0.8 is farther from the data points than the line with a slope of 3 and a y-intercept of .

Choices C and D are incorrect. They represent lines with negative slopes, not positive slopes.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 94c65646
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 94c65646
is of what number?
ID: 94c65646 Answer
Correct Answer: 450

Rationale

The correct answer is . Let represent the number that is of. This can be written as ,
or . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, is of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9e2bf782
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 9e2bf782
A fish hatchery has three tanks for holding fish before they are introduced
into the wild. Ten fish weighing less than 5 ounces are placed in tank A.
Eleven fish weighing at least 5 ounces but no more than 13 ounces are
placed in tank B. Twelve fish weighing more than 13 ounces are placed in
tank C. Which of the following could be the median of the weights, in ounces,
of these 33 fish?
A. 4.5
B. 8
C. 13.5
D. 15

ID: 9e2bf782 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The median of a set of numbers is the middle number when the values in the set are ordered
from least to greatest. There are 33 fish, so in an ordered list of the weights, the 17th value would be the median
weight. The 10 fish in tank A weigh the least, and these 10 weights would be the first 10 values on the ordered list.
The 11 fish in tank B have the next set of higher weights, and so would be the 11th through 21st weights in the
ordered list, which includes the median weight as the 17th value. The fish in tank B weigh at least 5 ounces but
no more than 13 ounces; of the given choices, only 8 ounces falls within this range of values.

Choice A is incorrect. It’s given that tank A has ten fish weighing less than 5 ounces. Since there are more than
ten fish in tanks B and C combined, the median weight cannot be less than 5 ounces. Choice C and D are
incorrect. It’s given that tank C has twelve fish weighing more than 13 ounces. There are more than twelve fish in
tanks A and B combined, so the median weight can’t be more than 13 ounces.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7b731fc3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 7b731fc3
What number is greater than ?
ID: 7b731fc3 Answer
Correct Answer: 161

Rationale

The correct answer is . For a number to be greater than , it follows that the number is
, which can be written as . This expression is equivalent to
, or , which is equal to . Therefore, is greater than .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e9f4521a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: e9f4521a
is of . What is the value of ?
ID: e9f4521a Answer
Correct Answer: 52

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that is of . It follows that . Multiplying both sides of this
equation by gives . Therefore, the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 89c39d77
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 89c39d77
A competition consisted of four different events. One participant completed the first event with an average speed of
miles per hour. What was this average speed, in yards per hour?
ID: 89c39d77 Answer
Correct Answer: 35728

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that . It follows that an average speed of
miles per hour is equivalent to , or yards per hour.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8193e8cd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and One-variable data:

Data Analysis Distributions and
measures of center
and spread

ID: 8193e8cd

The mean of the list of numbers above is what fraction of

the sum of the five numbers?
ID: 8193e8cd Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is . The mean of the list of numbers is found by dividing the sum of the numbers by the

number of values in the list. Since there are 5 numbers in the list, the mean is of the sum of the numbers.
Note that 1/5 and .2 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID fdfc90e4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: fdfc90e4
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, and . A line of best fit for the data is also shown.

At , which of the following is closest to the y-value predicted by the line of best fit?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: fdfc90e4 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. At , the line of best fit has a y-value between and . The only choice with a value
between and is choice C.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the difference between the y-value predicted by the line of best fit and the actual y-
value at rather than the y-value predicted by the line of best fit at .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the y-value predicted by the line of best fit at rather than at .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the y-value predicted by the line of best fit at rather than at .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 1e562f24
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: 1e562f24
To estimate the proportion of a population that has a certain characteristic, a random sample was selected from the
population. Based on the sample, it is estimated that the proportion of the population that has the characteristic is
, with an associated margin of error of . Based on this estimate and margin of error, which of the following
is the most appropriate conclusion about the proportion of the population that has the characteristic?
A. It is plausible that the proportion is between and .
B. It is plausible that the proportion is less than .
C. The proportion is exactly .
D. It is plausible that the proportion is greater than .

ID: 1e562f24 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It’s given that the estimate for the proportion of the population that has the characteristic is
with an associated margin of error of . Subtracting the margin of error from the estimate and adding
the margin of error to the estimate gives an interval of plausible values for the true proportion of the population
that has the characteristic. Therefore, it’s plausible that the proportion of the population that has this
characteristic is between and .

Choice B is incorrect. A value less than is outside the interval of plausible values for the proportion of the
population that has the characteristic.

Choice C is incorrect. The value is an estimate for the proportion based on this sample. However, since the
margin of error for this estimate is known, the most appropriate conclusion is not that the proportion is exactly
one value but instead lies in an interval of plausible values.

Choice D is incorrect. A value greater than is outside the interval of plausible values for the proportion of
the population that has the characteristic.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 89f8d08a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: 89f8d08a
A store manager reviewed the receipts from 80 customers who were
selected at random from all the customers who made purchases last
Thursday. Of those selected, 20 receipts showed that the customer had
purchased fruit. If 1,500 customers made purchases last Thursday, which of
the following is the most appropriate conclusion?
A. Exactly 75 customers must have purchased fruit last Thursday.
B. Exactly 375 customers must have purchased fruit last Thursday.
C. The best estimate for the number of customers who purchased fruit last Thursday is 75.
D. The best estimate for the number of customers who purchased fruit last Thursday is 375.

ID: 89f8d08a Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It’s given that the manager took a random selection of the receipts of 80 customers from a
total of 1,500. It’s also given that of those 80 receipts, 20 showed that the customer had purchased fruit. This

means that an appropriate estimate of the fraction of customers who purchased fruit is , or . Multiplying

this fraction by the total number of customers yields . Therefore, the best estimate for the
number of customers who purchased fruit is 375.

Choices A and B are incorrect because an exact number of customers can’t be known from taking a random
selection. Additionally, choice A may also be the result of a calculation error. Choice C is incorrect and may
result from a calculation error.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a3384df0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: a3384df0
Penguin Exhibit

Type of penguin Male Female Total

Chinstrap 41 59 100
Emperor 8 27 35
Gentoo 49 54 103
Macaroni 42 40 82
Total 140 180 320
The number of penguins in a zoo exhibit, sorted by gender and type of
penguin, is shown in the table above. Which type of penguin has a female
population that is the closest to being of the total female penguin
population in the exhibit?
A. Chinstrap
B. Emperor
C. Gentoo
D. Macaroni

ID: a3384df0 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. It is given that there are 180 female penguins in the exhibit. Therefore, of the female

penguins is penguins. According to the table, there are 59 female chinstrap penguins, 27 female
emperor penguins, 54 female gentoo penguins, and 40 female macaroni penguins. So the female chinstrap

penguin population is the closest to 60, or of the total female population in the exhibit.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may result from reading data from the table incorrectly. Since the total

female penguin population is 180, of the total female penguin population is 60. The numbers of female
emperor (27), female gentoo (54), and female macaroni (40) penguins are not as close to 60 as the number of
female chinstrap penguins (59).

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 566759ef
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Percentages

Data Analysis

ID: 566759ef
Thomas installed a new stove in his restaurant. At the time of installation, the
stove had a value of $800. Thomas estimates that each year the value of the
stove will depreciate by 20% of the previous year’s estimated value. What is
the estimated value of the stove exactly 2 years after Thomas installed it?
A. $480
B. $512
C. $556
D. $640

ID: 566759ef Answer

Rationale

Choice B is correct. If the stove’s value depreciates by 20% of the previous year’s estimated value, then each year
it retains 100% – 20% = 80%, or 0.80, of the previous year’s estimated value. Since the stove’s value was $800 when
Thomas installed it, the estimated value after two years would be (0.80)(0.80)($800) = $512.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of the stove if each year it had depreciated by 20% of the original value
rather than by 20% of the previous year’s estimated value. Choice C is incorrect and may be the result of a
computational error. Choice D is incorrect. This is the estimated value of the stove 1 year after Thomas installed
it, not 2 years.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9ee22c16
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Inference from

Data Analysis sample statistics and
margin of error

ID: 9ee22c16
A random sample of 400 town voters were asked if they plan to vote for Candidate A or Candidate B for mayor.
The results were sorted by gender and are shown in the table below.

Plan to Plan to
vote for vote for
Candidate Candidate
A B
Female 202 20
Male 34 144
The town has a total of 6,000 voters. Based on the table, what is the best estimate of the number of voters who
plan to vote for Candidate A?

ID: 9ee22c16 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 3,540. According to the table, of 400 voters randomly sampled, the total number of men and
women who plan to vote for Candidate A is . The best estimate of the total number of voters in

the town who plan to vote for Candidate A is the fraction of voters in the sample who plan to vote for Candidate

A, , multiplied by the total voter population of 6000. Therefore, the answer is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 46b2e169
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: 46b2e169
A box contains red pens and blue pens. If one of these pens is selected at random, what is the probability of
selecting a red pen? (Express your answer as a decimal or fraction, not as a percent.)
ID: 46b2e169 Answer
Correct Answer: .26, 13/50

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that a box contains red pens and blue pens. If one of these pens is
selected at random, the probability of selecting a red pen is the number of red pens in the box divided by the
number of red and blue pens in the box. The number of red and blue pens in the box is , or . Since
there are red pens in the box, it follows that the probability of selecting a red pen is . Note that 13/50 and
.26 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f8696cd8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: f8696cd8
Human Resources Accounting
Bachelor’s degree 4 3
Master’s degree 2 6
The table above shows the number of people who work in the Human
Resources and Accounting departments of a company and the highest level
of education they have completed. A person from one of these departments
is to be chosen at random. If the person chosen works in the Human
Resources department, what is the probability that the highest level of
education the person completed is a master’s degree?
A.

B.

C.
D.

ID: f8696cd8 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. In total, there are 6 people in the Human Resources department. Of those 6, 2 have a master’s
degree as their highest level of education. Therefore, the probability of an employee selected at random from the

Human Resources department having a master’s degree is , which simplifies to .

Choice A is incorrect; it is the probability that an employee selected at random from either department will be in
the Human Resources department and have a master’s degree. Choice C is incorrect; it is the probability that an
employee with a master’s degree selected at random will be in the Human Resources department. Choice D is
incorrect; it is the probability that an employee selected at random from either department will have a master’s
degree.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 50b2807e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 50b2807e
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, and .

Which of the following equations is the most appropriate linear model for the data shown?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 50b2807e Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The data points suggest that as the variable increases, the variable decreases, which
implies that an appropriate linear model for the data has a negative slope. The data points also show that when
is close to , is greater than . Therefore, the y-intercept of the graph of an appropriate linear model has a y-
coordinate greater than . The graph of an equation of the form , where and are constants, has a y-
intercept with a y-coordinate of and has a slope of . Of the given choices, only choice D represents a graph
that has a negative slope, , and a y-intercept with a y-coordinate greater than , .

Choice A is incorrect. The graph of this equation has a positive slope, not a negative slope, and a y-intercept with
a y-coordinate less than , not greater than .
Choice B is incorrect. The graph of this equation has a y-intercept with a y-coordinate less than , not greater
than .

Choice C is incorrect. The graph of this equation has a positive slope, not a negative slope.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 58171b5e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Two-variable data:

Data Analysis Models and
scatterplots

ID: 58171b5e
Each year, the value of an investment increases by of its value the previous year. Which of the following
functions best models how the value of the investment changes over time?
A. Decreasing exponential
B. Decreasing linear
C. Increasing exponential
D. Increasing linear

ID: 58171b5e Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Because the value of the investment increases each year, the function that best models how
the value of the investment changes over time is an increasing function. It′s given that each year, the value of
the investment increases by of its value the previous year. Since the value of the investment changes by a
fixed percentage each year, the function that best models how the value of the investment changes over time is
an exponential function. Therefore, the function that best models how the value of the investment changes over
time is an increasing exponential function.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 51c9d65f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Ratios, rates,

Data Analysis proportional
relationships, and
units

ID: 51c9d65f
For a certain rectangular region, the ratio of its length to its width is to . If the width of the rectangular region
increases by units, how must the length change to maintain this ratio?
A. It must decrease by units.
B. It must increase by units.
C. It must decrease by units.
D. It must increase by units.

ID: 51c9d65f Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that the ratio of the rectangular region’s length to its width is to . This can be
𝓁
written as a proportion: , or . This proportion can be rewritten as 𝓁 , or 𝓁 . If
the width of the rectangular region increases by , then the length will increase by some number in order to
maintain this ratio. The value of can be found by replacing 𝓁 with 𝓁 and with in the equation,
which gives 𝓁 . This equation can be rewritten using the distributive property as
𝓁 . Since 𝓁 , the right-hand side of this equation can be rewritten by substituting 𝓁 for
, which gives 𝓁 𝓁 , or . Therefore, if the width of the rectangular region increases by
units, the length must increase by units in order to maintain the given ratio.

Choice A is incorrect. If the width of the rectangular region increases, the length must also increase, not
decrease.

Choice C is incorrect. If the width of the rectangular region increases, the length must also increase, not
decrease.

Choice D is incorrect. Since the ratio of the length to the width of the rectangular region is to , if the width
of the rectangular region increases by units, the length would have to increase by a proportional amount,
which would have to be greater than units.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e9ed719f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Problem-Solving and Probability and

Data Analysis conditional
probability

ID: e9ed719f
The table summarizes the distribution of color and shape for tiles of equal area.
Red Blue Yellow Total
Square
Pentagon
Total
If one of these tiles is selected at random, what is the probability of selecting a red tile? (Express your answer as a
decimal or fraction, not as a percent.)
ID: e9ed719f Answer
Correct Answer: .3, 3/10

Rationale

The correct answer is . It’s given that there are a total of tiles of equal area, which is the total number of
possible outcomes. According to the table, there are a total of red tiles. The probability of an event occurring is
the ratio of the number of favorable outcomes to the total number of possible outcomes. By definition, the
probability of selecting a red tile is given by , or . Note that 3/10 and .3 are examples of ways to enter a
correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID bcb66188
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: bcb66188
Triangle is similar to triangle , where angle corresponds to angle and angles and are right
angles. If , what is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: bcb66188 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. If two triangles are similar, then their corresponding angles are congruent. It's given that
right triangle is similar to right triangle and angle corresponds to angle . It follows that angle
is congruent to angle and, therefore, the measure of angle is equal to the measure of angle . The sine ratios
of angles of equal measure are equal. Since the measure of angle is equal to the measure of angle ,
. It's given that . Therefore, is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of , not the value of .

Choice C is incorrect. This is the reciprocal of the value of , not the value of .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the reciprocal of the value of , not the value of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f67e4efc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: f67e4efc
A right circular cylinder has a volume of . If the height of the cylinder
is 5, what is the radius of the cylinder?
A. 3
B. 4.5
C. 9
D. 40

ID: f67e4efc Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. The volume of a right circular cylinder with a radius of r is the product of the area of the
base, , and the height, h. The volume of the right circular cylinder described is and its height is 5. If the

radius is r, it follows that . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Taking the
square root of both sides yields or . Since r represents the radius, the value must be positive.

Therefore, the radius is 3.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from finding that the square of the radius is 9, but then from dividing 9 by 2,
rather than taking the square root of 9. Choice C is incorrect. This represents the square of the radius. Choice D is
incorrect and may result from solving the equation for , not r, by dividing by on both sides

and then by subtracting, not dividing, 5 from both sides.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 33e29881
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: 33e29881
In right triangle , the sum of the measures of angle and angle is degrees. The value of is .
What is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 33e29881 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The sine of any acute angle is equal to the cosine of its complement. It’s given that in right
triangle , the sum of the measures of angle and angle is degrees. Therefore, angle and angle are
complementary, and the value of is equal to the value of . It's given that the value of is , so
the value of is also .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of .

Choice C is incorrect. This is the value of .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5afbdc8e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: 5afbdc8e
What is the length of one side of a square that has the same
area as a circle with radius 2 ?
A. 2
B.
C.
D.

ID: 5afbdc8e Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The area A of a circle with radius r is given by the formula . Thus, a circle with radius

2 has area , which can be rewritten as . The area of a square with side length s is given by the formula

. Thus, if a square has the same area as a circle with radius 2, then . Since the side length of a

square must be a positive number, taking the square root of both sides of gives . Using the

properties of square roots, can be rewritten as , which is equivalent to . Therefore,

Choice A is incorrect. The side length of the square isn’t equal to the radius of the circle. Choices B and D are
incorrect and may result from incorrectly simplifying the expression .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 1f0b582e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: 1f0b582e
Square X has a side length of centimeters. The perimeter of square Y is times the perimeter of square X. What
is the length, in centimeters, of one side of square Y?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 1f0b582e Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The perimeter, , of a square can be found using the formula , where is the length of
each side of the square. It's given that square X has a side length of centimeters. Substituting for in the
formula for the perimeter of a square yields , or . Therefore, the perimeter of square X is
centimeters. It’s also given that the perimeter of square Y is times the perimeter of square X. Therefore, the
perimeter of square Y is , or , centimeters. Substituting for in the formula gives .
Dividing both sides of this equation by gives . Therefore, the length of one side of square Y is
centimeters.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 686b5212
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 686b5212

In the figure, line is parallel to line , and both lines are intersected by line . If , what is the value of ?
ID: 686b5212 Answer
Correct Answer: 57

Rationale

The correct answer is . Based on the figure, the angle with measure and the angle vertical to the angle with
measure are same side interior angles. Since vertical angles are congruent, the angle vertical to the angle
with measure also has measure . It’s given that lines and are parallel. Therefore, same side interior
angles between lines and are supplementary. It follows that . If , then the value of
can be found by substituting for in the equation , which yields , or
. Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this
equation by yields . Thus, if , the value of is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 81b664bc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 81b664bc

In the figure above, , , and are parallel. Points B and E lie on

and , respectively. If , and , what is the
length of , to the nearest tenth?
A. 16.8
B. 17.5
C. 18.4
D. 19.6

ID: 81b664bc Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Since , , and are parallel, quadrilaterals and are similar. Let x

represent the length of . With similar figures, the ratios of the lengths of corresponding sides are equal. It

follows that . Multiplying both sides of this equation by 18.5 and by x yields , or

. Dividing both sides of this equation by 9 yields , which to the nearest tenth is 17.5.

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may result from errors made when setting up the proportion.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 902dc959
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: 902dc959

In the figure above, what is the

value of ?
A.
B.

C.

D.

ID: 902dc959 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Angle A is an acute angle in a right triangle, so the value of tan(A) is equivalent to the ratio of
the length of the side opposite angle A, 20, to the length of the nonhypotenuse side adjacent to angle A, 21.

Therefore, .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of sin(A). Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of cos(A). Choice D is
incorrect. This is the value of tan(B).

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ec5d4823
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: ec5d4823
What is the volume, in cubic centimeters, of a right rectangular prism that
has a length of 4 centimeters, a width of 9 centimeters, and a height of
10 centimeters?
ID: ec5d4823 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 360. The volume of a right rectangular prism is calculated by multiplying its dimensions:
length, width, and height. Multiplying the values given for these dimensions yields a volume of

cubic centimeters.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 94364a79
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 94364a79
Two nearby trees are perpendicular to the ground, which is flat. One of these trees is feet tall and has a shadow
that is feet long. At the same time, the shadow of the other tree is feet long. How tall, in feet, is the other tree?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 94364a79 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Each tree and its shadow can be modeled using a right triangle, where the height of the tree
and the length of its shadow are the legs of the triangle. At a given point in time, the right triangles formed by
two nearby trees and their respective shadows will be similar. Therefore, if the height of the other tree is , in
feet, the value of can be calculated by solving the proportional relationship . This
equation is equivalent to , or . Multiplying each side of the equation by yields .
Therefore, the other tree is tall.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from calculating the difference between the lengths of the shadows, rather
than the height of the other tree.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from calculating the difference between the height of the -foot-tall tree
and the length of the shadow of the other tree, rather than calculating the height of the other tree.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from a conceptual or calculation error.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID e336a1d2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: e336a1d2
A cube has an edge length of inches. What is the volume, in cubic inches, of the cube?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: e336a1d2 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The volume, , of a cube can be found using the formula , where is the edge length
of the cube. It's given that a cube has an edge length of inches. Substituting inches for in this equation
yields cubic inches, or cubic inches. Therefore, the volume of the cube is cubic
inches.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the perimeter, in inches, of the cube.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the area, in square inches, of a face of the cube.

Choice C is incorrect. This is the surface area, in square inches, of the cube.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c0586eb5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: c0586eb5
A cylinder has a diameter of inches and a height of inches. What is the volume, in cubic inches, of the cylinder?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: c0586eb5 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The base of a cylinder is a circle with a diameter equal to the diameter of the cylinder. The
volume, , of a cylinder can be found by multiplying the area of the circular base, , by the height of the
cylinder, , or . The area of a circle can be found using the formula , where is the radius of the
circle. It’s given that the diameter of the cylinder is inches. Thus, the radius of this circle is inches. Therefore,
the area of the circular base of the cylinder is , or square inches. It’s given that the height of the
cylinder is inches. Substituting for and for in the formula gives , or
cubic inches.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the area of the circular base of the cylinder.

Choice B is incorrect and may result from using , instead of , as the value of in the formula for the area of a
circle.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from using , instead of , for the radius of the circular base.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 151eda3c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: 151eda3c
A manufacturing company produces two sizes of cylindrical containers that
each have a height of 50 centimeters. The radius of container A is 16
centimeters, and the radius of container B is 25% longer than the radius of
container A. What is the volume, in cubic centimeters, of container B?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 151eda3c Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. If the radius of container A is 16 centimeters and the radius of container B is 25% longer than
the radius of container A, then the radius of container B is centimeters. The volume of a

cylinder is , where r is the radius of the cylinder and h is its height. Substituting and into

yields that the volume of cylinder B is cubic centimeters.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from multiplying the radius of cylinder B by the radius of cylinder A rather
than squaring the radius of cylinder B. Choice C is incorrect and may result from multiplying the radius of
cylinder B by 25 rather than squaring it. Choice D is incorrect and may result from taking the radius of cylinder B
to be 25 centimeters rather than 20 centimeters.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 933fee1a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 933fee1a

Triangles ABC and DEF are shown above. Which of the

following is equal to the ratio ?
A.

B.
C.

D.

ID: 933fee1a Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. In right triangle ABC, the measure of angle B must be 58° because the sum of the measure of
angle A, which is 32°, and the measure of angle B is 90°. Angle D in the right triangle DEF has measure 58°.
Hence, triangles ABC and DEF are similar (by angle-angle similarity). Since is the side opposite to the angle

with measure 32° and AB is the hypotenuse in right triangle ABC, the ratio is equal to .

Alternate approach: The trigonometric ratios can be used to answer this question. In right triangle ABC, the ratio

. The angle E in triangle DEF has measure 32° because . In triangle DEF,

the ratio . Therefore, .

Choice A is incorrect because is the reciprocal of the ratio . Choice C is incorrect because

, not . Choice D is incorrect because , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a4c05a1b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: a4c05a1b

In the figure shown, lines and are parallel, and line intersects both lines. If , which of the following
must be true?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a4c05a1b Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. In the figure shown, the angle measuring is congruent to its vertical angle formed by lines
and , so the measure of the vertical angle is also . The vertical angle forms a same-side interior angle pair
with the angle measuring . It's given that lines and are parallel. Therefore, same-side interior angles in the
figure are supplementary, which means the sum of the measure of the vertical angle and the measure of the
angle measuring is , or . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields
. Substituting for in the inequality yields . Adding to both sides of this
inequality yields . Subtracting from both sides of this inequality yields , or .
Thus, if , it must be true that .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect. must be equal to, not less than, .

Choice D is incorrect. must be equal to, not greater than, .

Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 38517165
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: 38517165
A circle has a circumference of centimeters. What is the diameter, in centimeters, of the circle?
ID: 38517165 Answer
Correct Answer: 31

Rationale

The correct answer is . The circumference of a circle is equal to centimeters, where represents the
radius, in centimeters, of the circle, and the diameter of the circle is equal to centimeters. It's given that a
circle has a circumference of centimeters. Therefore, . Dividing both sides of this equation by
yields . Since the diameter of the circle is equal to centimeters, it follows that the diameter, in
centimeters, of the circle is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID d3fe472f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: d3fe472f
Triangle is similar to triangle , such that , , and correspond to , , and respectively. The
length of each side of triangle is times the length of its corresponding side in triangle . The measure
of side is . What is the measure of side ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: d3fe472f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. It's given that triangle is similar to triangle , such that , , and correspond to
, , and , respectively. Therefore, side corresponds to side . Since the length of each side of triangle
is times the length of its corresponding side in triangle , it follows that the measure of side is
times the measure of side . Thus, since the measure of side is , then the measure of side is
, or .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the measure of side , not side .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID fd8745fc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: fd8745fc
In triangle , the measures of and are each . What is the measure of , in degrees? (Disregard
the degree symbol when entering your answer.)
ID: fd8745fc Answer
Correct Answer: 84

Rationale

The correct answer is . The sum of the measures of the interior angles of a triangle is . It's given that in
triangle , the measures of and are each . Adding the measures, in degrees, of and gives
, or . Therefore, the measure of , in degrees, is , or .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID c7bed21d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: c7bed21d
Quadrilateral is similar to quadrilateral , where , , , and correspond to , , , and ,
respectively. The measure of angle is , the measure of angle is , and the measure of angle is .
The length of each side of is times the length of each corresponding side of . What is the
measure of angle ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: c7bed21d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It's given that quadrilateral is similar to quadrilateral , where , , , and
correspond to , , , and , respectively. Since corresponding angles of similar quadrilaterals are
congruent, it follows that the measure of angle is equal to the measure of angle . It's given that the measure
of angle is . Therefore, the measure of angle is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the measure of angle .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect. This is times the measure of angle .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 8e7689e0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 8e7689e0
The number of radians in a 720-degree angle can be written as , where
a is a constant. What is the value of a ?
ID: 8e7689e0 Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 4. There are radians in a angle. An angle measure of is 4 times greater than
an angle measure of . Therefore, the number of radians in a angle is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID de550be0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: de550be0

For the triangle shown, which expression represents the value of ?

A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: de550be0 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is correct. For the right triangle shown, the lengths of the legs are units and units, and the length of
the hypotenuse is units. The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the
lengths of the two legs is equal to the square of the length of the hypotenuse. Therefore, .
Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Taking the square root of both sides of this
equation yields . Since is a length, must be positive. Therefore, . Thus, for
the triangle shown, represents the value of .

Choice B is incorrect. For the triangle shown, this expression represents the value of , not .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 901e3285
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 901e3285
In triangle ABC, the measure of angle A is . If triangle ABC is isosceles,
which of the following is NOT a possible measure of angle B ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 901e3285 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. The sum of the three interior angles in a triangle is . It’s given that angle A measures
. If angle B measured , the measure of angle C would be . Thus, the measures

of the angles in the triangle would be , , and . However, an isosceles triangle has two angles of equal
measure. Therefore, angle B can’t measure .

Choice A is incorrect. If angle B has measure , then angle C would measure , and

, , and could be the angle measures of an isosceles triangle. Choice B is incorrect. If angle B has
measure , then angle C would measure , and , , and could be the angle
measures of an isosceles triangle. Choice C is incorrect. If angle B has measure , then angle C would measure

, and , , and could be the angle measures of an isosceles triangle.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 2adbf1b1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 2adbf1b1

In the figure, lines and are parallel. If and , what is the value of ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 2adbf1b1 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Vertical angles, which are angles that are opposite each other when two lines intersect, are
congruent. The figure shows that lines and intersect. It follows that the angle with measure and the angle
with measure are vertical angles, so . It's given that and . Substituting
for and for in the equation yields . Subtracting from both sides
of this equation yields . Adding to both sides of this equation yields , or .
Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . It's given that lines and are parallel, and the figure
shows that lines and are intersected by a transversal, line . If two parallel lines are intersected by a
transversal, then the same-side interior angles are supplementary. It follows that the same-side interior angles
with measures and are supplementary, so . Substituting for in this equation yields
. Substituting for in this equation yields , or .
Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Therefore, the value of is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of , not .

Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of or , not .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 74d8b897
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 74d8b897
An angle has a measure of radians. What is the measure of the angle in degrees?
ID: 74d8b897 Answer
Correct Answer: 81

Rationale

The correct answer is . The measure of an angle, in degrees, can be found by multiplying its measure, in
radians, by . Multiplying the given angle measure, radians, by yields
, which is equivalent to degrees.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a0cacec1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: a0cacec1
An angle has a measure of radians. What is the measure of the angle, in degrees?

ID: a0cacec1 Answer

Correct Answer: 192

Rationale

The correct answer is . The measure of an angle, in degrees, can be found by multiplying its measure, in
radians, by . Multiplying the given angle measure, , by yields
, which simplifies to degrees.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9ec76b54
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: 9ec76b54
A right triangle has legs with lengths of centimeters and centimeters. What is the length of this triangle's
hypotenuse, in centimeters?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 9ec76b54 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the lengths
of the two legs is equal to the square of the length of the hypotenuse. It's given that the right triangle has legs
with lengths of centimeters and centimeters. Let represent the length of this triangle's hypotenuse, in
centimeters. Therefore, by the Pythagorean theorem, , or . Taking the positive square
root of both sides of this equation yields , or . Therefore, the length of this triangle's
hypotenuse, in centimeters, is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the square of the length of the triangle’s hypotenuse.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f1c1e971
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: f1c1e971
The measure of angle is radians. The measure of angle is radians greater than the measure of angle .
What is the measure of angle , in degrees?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: f1c1e971 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. It’s given that the measure of angle is radians, and the measure of angle is
radians greater than the measure of angle . Therefore, the measure of angle is equal to radians.
Multiplying by to get a common denominator with yields . Therefore, is equivalent to
, or . Therefore, the measure of angle is radians. The measure of angle , in degrees, can be
found by multiplying its measure, in radians, by . This yields , which is equivalent to degrees.
Therefore, the measure of angle is degrees.

Choice A is incorrect. This is the number of degrees that the measure of angle is greater than the measure of
angle .

Choice B is incorrect. This is the measure of angle , in degrees.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 1c3d613c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 1c3d613c

Triangle ABC and triangle DEF are shown. The relationship between the side
lengths of the two triangles is such that . If the
measure of angle BAC is 20°, what is the measure, in degrees, of angle EDF ?
(Disregard the degree symbol when gridding your answer.)
ID: 1c3d613c Answer
Rationale

The correct answer is 20. By the equality given, the three pairs of corresponding sides of the two triangles are in
the same proportion. By the side-side-side (SSS) similarity theorem, triangle ABC is similar to triangle DEF. In
similar triangles, the measures of corresponding angles are congruent. Since angle BAC corresponds to angle
EDF, these two angles are congruent and their measures are equal. It’s given that the measure of angle BAC is 20°,
so the measure of angle EDF is also 20°.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 08b7a3f5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: 08b7a3f5
A triangular prism has a height of and a volume of . What is the area, , of the
base of the prism? (The volume of a triangular prism is equal to , where is the area of the base and is the
height of the prism.)
ID: 08b7a3f5 Answer
Correct Answer: 27

Rationale

The correct answer is . It's given that a triangular prism has a volume of and
the volume of a triangular prism is equal to , where is the area of the base and is the height of the prism.
Therefore, . It's also given that the triangular prism has a height of . Therefore, .
Substituting for in the equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by
yields . Therefore, the area, , of the base of the prism is .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 856372ca
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 856372ca
In the xy-plane, a circle with radius 5 has center . Which of the
following is an equation of the circle?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 856372ca Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. An equation of a circle is , where the center of the circle is and
the radius is r. It’s given that the center of this circle is and the radius is 5. Substituting these values into

the equation gives , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This is an equation of a circle that has center . Choice C is incorrect. This is an
equation of a circle that has center and radius . Choice D is incorrect. This is an equation of a circle

that has radius .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID bf8d843e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: bf8d843e

In above, what is the

length of ?
A. 4
B. 6
C.
D.

ID: bf8d843e Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Triangles ADB and CDB are both triangles and share . Therefore,

triangles ADB and CDB are congruent by the angle-side-angle postulate. Using the properties of

triangles, the length of is half the length of hypotenuse . Since the triangles are congruent,

. So the length of is .

Alternate approach: Since angle CBD has a measure of , angle ABC must have a measure of . It follows

that triangle ABC is equilateral, so side AC also has length 12. It also follows that the altitude BD is also a median,
and therefore the length of AD is half of the length of AC, which is 6.

Choice A is incorrect. If the length of were 4, then the length of would be 8. However, this is incorrect

because is congruent to , which has a length of 12. Choices C and D are also incorrect. Following the same

procedures as used to test choice A gives a length of for choice C and for choice D. However,

these results cannot be true because is congruent to , which has a length of 12.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 95ba2d09
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 95ba2d09

In the xy-plane above, points P, Q, R, and T lie on the circle with center O.
The degree measures of angles and are each 30°. What is the
radian measure of angle ?
A.

B.

C.
D.

ID: 95ba2d09 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. Because points T, O, and P all lie on the x-axis, they form a line. Since the angles on a line add
up to , and it’s given that angles POQ and ROT each measure , it follows that the measure of angle QOR
is . Since the arc of a complete circle is or radians, a proportion can be set up

to convert the measure of angle QOR from degrees to radians: , where x is the
radian measure of angle QOR. Multiplying each side of the proportion by gives . Solving for x

gives , or .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from subtracting only angle POQ from to get a value of and then
finding the radian measure equivalent to that value. Choice B is incorrect and may result from a calculation
error. Choice D is incorrect and may result from calculating the sum of the angle measures, in radians, of angles
POQ and ROT.
Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID 6dd463ca
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 6dd463ca

In the figure above, segments AE and BD are parallel. If angle BDC measures
58° and angle ACE measures 62°, what is the measure of angle CAE ?
A. 58°
B. 60°
C. 62°
D. 120°

ID: 6dd463ca Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that angle ACE measures . Since segments AE and BD are parallel, angles BDC

and CEA are congruent. Therefore, angle CEA measures . The sum of the measures of angles ACE, CEA, and
CAE is since the sum of the interior angles of triangle ACE is equal to . Let the measure of angle CAE
be . Therefore, , which simplifies to . Thus, the measure of angle CAE is .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the measure of angle AEC, not that of angle CAE. Choice C is incorrect. This is the
measure of angle ACE, not that of CAE. Choice D is incorrect. This is the sum of the measures of angles ACE and
CEA.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0815a5af
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 0815a5af

The circle shown has center , circumference , and diameters and . The length of arc is twice the
length of arc . What is the length of arc ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 0815a5af Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. Since and are diameters of the circle shown, , , , and are radii of the
circle and are therefore congruent. Since and are vertical angles, they are congruent. Therefore,
arc and arc are formed by congruent radii and have the same angle measure, so they are congruent arcs.
Similarly, and are vertical angles, so they are congruent. Therefore, arc and arc are
formed by congruent radii and have the same angle measure, so they are congruent arcs. Let represent the
length of arc . Since arc and arc are congruent arcs, the length of arc can also be represented by
. It’s given that the length of arc is twice the length of arc . Therefore, the length of arc can be
represented by the expression . Since arc and arc are congruent arcs, the length of arc can also
be represented by . This gives the expression . Since it's given that the circumference is
, the expression is equal to . Thus , or . Dividing
both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the length of arc is , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the length of arc , not arc .

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium
Question ID a5aee181
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: a5aee181
The length of a rectangle’s diagonal is , and the length of the rectangle’s shorter side is . What is the length
of the rectangle’s longer side?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a5aee181 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. A rectangle’s diagonal divides a rectangle into two congruent right triangles, where the
diagonal is the hypotenuse of both triangles. It’s given that the length of the diagonal is and the length of
the rectangle’s shorter side is . Therefore, each of the two right triangles formed by the rectangle’s diagonal has
a hypotenuse with length , and a shorter leg with length . To calculate the length of the longer leg of each
right triangle, the Pythagorean theorem, , can be used, where and are the lengths of the legs and
is the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle. Substituting for and for in the equation
yields , which is equivalent to , or . Subtracting from
each side of this equation yields . Taking the positive square root of each side of this equation yields
. Therefore, the length of the longer leg of each right triangle formed by the diagonal of the rectangle is .
It follows that the length of the rectangle’s longer side is .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from dividing the length of the rectangle’s diagonal by the length of the
rectangle’s shorter side, rather than substituting these values into the Pythagorean theorem.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from using the length of the rectangle’s diagonal as the length of a leg of the
right triangle, rather than the length of the hypotenuse.

Choice D is incorrect. This is the square of the length of the rectangle’s longer side.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 13d9a1c3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Right triangles and

Trigonometry trigonometry

ID: 13d9a1c3

In the right triangle shown above, what

is the length of ?

ID: 13d9a1c3 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 4. Triangle PQR has given angle measures of 30° and 90°, so the third angle must be 60°
because the measures of the angles of a triangle sum to 180°. For any special right triangle with angles
measuring 30°, 60°, and 90°, the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is 2x, where x is the
length of the side opposite the 30° angle. Segment PQ is opposite the 30° angle. Therefore, 2(PQ) = 8 and PQ = 4.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4ff7b652
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Lines, angles, and

Trigonometry triangles

ID: 4ff7b652
Right triangles and are similar, where and correspond to and , respectively. Angle has a
measure of . What is the measure of angle ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: 4ff7b652 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is correct. It’s given that triangle is similar to triangle . Corresponding angles of similar
triangles are congruent. Since angle and angle correspond to each other, they must be congruent.
Therefore, if the measure of angle is , then the measure of angle is also .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from concluding that angle and angle are complementary rather than
congruent.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from concluding that angle and angle are supplementary rather than
congruent.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID a2e76b60
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: a2e76b60
A cylindrical can containing pieces of fruit is filled to the top with syrup
before being sealed. The base of the can has an area of , and the
height of the can is 10 cm. If of syrup is needed to fill the can to the
top, which of the following is closest to the total volume of the pieces of fruit
in the can?
A.
B.
C.
D.

ID: a2e76b60 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The total volume of the cylindrical can is found by multiplying the area of the base of the
can, , by the height of the can, 10 cm, which yields . If the syrup needed to fill the can has a

volume of , then the remaining volume for the pieces of

fruit is .

Choice A is incorrect because if the fruit had a volume of , there would be of

syrup needed to fill the can to the top. Choice B is incorrect because if the fruit had a volume of , there

would be of syrup needed to fill the can to the top. Choice D is incorrect because it is the
total volume of the can, not just of the pieces of fruit.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 37dde49f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: 37dde49f

The glass pictured above can hold a maximum volume of 473 cubic
centimeters, which is approximately 16 fluid ounces. What is the value of k, in
centimeters?
A. 2.52
B. 7.67
C. 7.79
D. 10.11

ID: 37dde49f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Using the volume formula and the given information that the volume of the glass

is 473 cubic centimeters, the value of k can be found as follows:

Therefore, the value of k is approximately 10.11 centimeters.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Substituting the values of k from these choices in the formula results in
volumes of approximately 7 cubic centimeters, 207 cubic centimeters, and 217 cubic centimeters, respectively,
all of which contradict the given information that the volume of the glass is 473 cubic centimeters.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 82c8325f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Circles

Trigonometry

ID: 82c8325f
A circle in the xy-plane has its center at and the point lies on the circle. Which equation represents
this circle?
A. msup
B. msup
C. msup
D. msup

ID: 82c8325f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. A circle in the xy-plane can be represented by an equation of the form
, where is the center of the circle and is the length of a radius of the circle. It's
given that the circle has its center at . Therefore, and . Substituting for and for in
the equation yields , or . It's
also given that the point lies on the circle. Substituting for and for in the equation
yields , or , which is equivalent to
, or . Substituting for in the equation yields
. Thus, the equation represents the circle.

Choice A is incorrect. The circle represented by this equation has its center at , not , and the
point doesn't lie on the circle.

Choice B is incorrect. The point doesn't lie on the circle represented by this equation.

Choice C is incorrect. The circle represented by this equation has its center at , not , and the point
doesn't lie on the circle.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID cf53cb56
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Geometry and Area and volume

Trigonometry

ID: cf53cb56

In the xy-plane shown, square ABCD has its diagonals on the x- and y-axes.
What is the area, in square units, of the square?
A. 20
B. 25
C. 50
D. 100

ID: cf53cb56 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is correct. The two diagonals of square ABCD divide the square into 4 congruent right triangles, where

each triangle has a vertex at the origin of the graph shown. The formula for the area of a triangle is ,
where b is the base length of the triangle and h is the height of the triangle. Each of the 4 congruent right

triangles has a height of 5 units and a base length of 5 units. Therefore, the area of each triangle is ,

or 12.5 square units. Since the 4 right triangles are congruent, the area of each is of the area of square ABCD.
It follows that the area of the square ABCD is equal to , or 50 square units.

Choices A and D are incorrect and may result from using 5 or 25, respectively, as the area of one of the 4
congruent right triangles formed by diagonals of square ABCD. However, the area of these triangles is 12.5.
Choice B is incorrect and may result from using 5 as the length of one side of square ABCD. However, the length
of a side of square ABCD is .

Question Difficulty: Medium