Question ID d1b66ae6

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: d1b66ae6

If satisfies the system of equations

above, what is the value of y ?

ID: d1b66ae6 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is . One method for solving the system of equations for y is to add corresponding sides of the two
equations. Adding the left-hand sides gives , or 4y. Adding the right-hand sides yields . It

follows that . Finally, dividing both sides of by 4 yields or . Note that 3/2 and 1.5 are examples of
ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 3cdbf026
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 3cdbf026

The graph of the equation is a line in the xy-plane, where a and k are

constants. If the line contains the points and , what is the value of
k?

A.

B.

C. 2

D. 3

ID: 3cdbf026 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. The value of k can be found using the slope-intercept form of a linear equation, , where m is

the slope and b is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept. The equation can be rewritten in the form

. One of the given points, , is the y-intercept. Thus, the y-coordinate of the y-intercept must be equal to .
Multiplying both sides by k gives . Dividing both sides by gives .

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

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 2937ef4f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 2937ef4f

Hector used a tool called an auger to remove corn from a storage bin at a constant
rate. The bin contained 24,000 bushels of corn when Hector began to use
the auger. After 5 hours of using the auger, 19,350 bushels of corn remained in the
bin. If the auger continues to remove corn at this rate, what is the total number of
hours Hector will have been using the auger when 12,840 bushels of corn remain in
the bin?

A. 3

B. 7

C. 8

D. 12

ID: 2937ef4f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. After using the auger for 5 hours, Hector had removed 24,000 – 19,350 = 4,650 bushels of corn from the

storage bin. During the 5-hour period, the auger removed corn from the bin at a constant rate of bushels per
hour. Assuming the auger continues to remove corn at this rate, after x hours it will have removed 930x bushels of corn.
Because the bin contained 24,000 bushels of corn when Hector started using the auger, the equation 24,000 – 930x = 12,840
can be used to find the number of hours, x, Hector will have been using the auger when 12,840 bushels of corn remain in the
bin. Subtracting 12,840 from both sides of this equation and adding 930x to both sides of the equation yields 11,160 = 930x.
Dividing both sides of this equation by 930 yields x = 12. Therefore, Hector will have been using the auger for 12 hours when
12,840 bushels of corn remain in the storage bin.

Choice A is incorrect. Three hours after Hector began using the auger, 24,000 – 3(930) = 21,210 bushels of corn remained,
not 12,840. Choice B is incorrect. Seven hours after Hector began using the auger, 24,000 – 7(930) = 17,490 bushels of corn
will remain, not 12,840. Choice C is incorrect. Eight hours after Hector began using the auger, 24,000 – 8(930) = 16,560
bushels of corn will remain, not 12,840.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 2b15d65f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 2b15d65f

An economist modeled the demand Q for a certain product as a linear function of

the selling price P. The demand was 20,000 units when the selling price was $40
per unit, and the demand was 15,000 units when the selling price was $60 per unit.
Based on the model, what is the demand, in units, when the selling price is $55 per
unit?

A. 16,250

B. 16,500

C. 16,750

D. 17,500

ID: 2b15d65f Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. Let the economist’s model be the linear function , where Q is the demand, P is the selling
price, m is the slope of the line, and b is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the line in the xy-plane, where . Two pairs
of the selling price P and the demand Q are given. Using the coordinate pairs , two points that satisfy the function are

and . The slope m of the function can be found using the formula . Substituting

the given values into this formula yields , or . Therefore, . The value of
b can be found by substituting one of the points into the function. Substituting the values of P and Q from the point
yields , or . Adding 10,000 to both sides of this equation
yields . Therefore, the linear function the economist used as the model is . Substituting
55 for P yields . It follows that when the selling price is $55 per unit, the demand is
16,250 units.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may result from calculation or conceptual errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID be9cb6a2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: be9cb6a2

The cost of renting a backhoe for up to days is for the first day and for each additional day. Which of the
following equations gives the cost , in dollars, of renting the backhoe for days, where is a positive integer and ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: be9cb6a2 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. It's given that the cost of renting a backhoe for up to 10 days is $ 270 for the first day and $ 135 for
each additional day. Therefore, the cost 𝑦, in dollars, for 𝑥 days, where 𝑥 ≤ 10, is the sum of the cost for the first day, $ 270,
and the cost for the additional 𝑥 - 1 days, $ 135𝑥 - 1. It follows that 𝑦 = 270 + 135𝑥 - 1, which is equivalent to
𝑦 = 270 + 135𝑥 - 135, or 𝑦 = 135𝑥 + 135.

Choice A is incorrect. This equation represents a situation where the cost of renting a backhoe is $ 135 for the first day and
$ 270 for each additional 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.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 45cfb9de
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: 45cfb9de

Adam’s school is a 20-minute walk or a 5-minute bus ride away from his house.
The bus runs once every 30 minutes, and the number of minutes, w, that Adam
waits for the bus varies between 0 and 30. Which of the following inequalities gives
the values of w for which it would be faster for Adam to walk to school?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 45cfb9de Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. It is given that w is the number of minutes that Adam waits for the bus. The total time it takes Adam to
get to school on a day he takes the bus is the sum of the minutes, w, he waits for the bus and the 5 minutes the bus ride
takes; thus, this time, in minutes, is w + 5. It is also given that the total amount of time it takes Adam to get to school on a
day that he walks is 20 minutes. Therefore, w + 5 > 20 gives the values of w for which it would be faster for Adam to walk to
school.

Choices A and B are incorrect because w – 5 is not the total length of time for Adam to wait for and then take the bus to
school. Choice C is incorrect because the inequality should be true when walking 20 minutes is faster than the time it takes
Adam to wait for and ride the bus, not less.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b7e6394d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: b7e6394d

Alan drives an average of 100 miles each week. His car can travel an average of
25 miles per gallon of gasoline. Alan would like to reduce his weekly expenditure
on gasoline by $5. Assuming gasoline costs $4 per gallon, which equation can
Alan use to determine how many fewer average miles, m, he should drive each
week?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: b7e6394d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. Since gasoline costs $4 per gallon, and since Alan’s car travels an average of 25 miles per gallon, the

expression gives the cost, in dollars per mile, to drive the car. Multiplying by m gives the cost for Alan to drive m

miles in his car. Alan wants to reduce his weekly spending by $5, so setting m equal to 5 gives the number of miles, m,
by which he must reduce his driving.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Choices A and B transpose the numerator and the denominator in the fraction. The fraction

would result in the unit miles per dollar, but the question requires a unit of dollars per mile. Choices A and C set the
expression equal to 95 instead of 5, a mistake that may result from a misconception that Alan wants to reduce his driving by
5 miles each week; instead, the question says he wants to reduce his weekly expenditure by $5.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 95cad55f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: 95cad55f

A laundry service is buying detergent and fabric softener from its supplier. The
supplier will deliver no more than 300 pounds in a shipment. Each container of
detergent weighs 7.35 pounds, and each container of fabric softener weighs
6.2 pounds. The service wants to buy at least twice as many containers of
detergent as containers of fabric softener. Let d represent the number of
containers of detergent, and let s represent the number of containers of fabric
softener, where d and s are nonnegative integers. Which of the following systems
of inequalities best represents this situation?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 95cad55f Answer

Correct Answer: A
Rationale
Choice A is correct. The number of containers in a shipment must have a weight less than or equal to 300 pounds. The total
weight, in pounds, of detergent and fabric softener that the supplier delivers can be expressed as the weight of each
container multiplied by the number of each type of container, which is 7.35d for detergent and 6.2s for fabric softener. Since
this total cannot exceed 300 pounds, it follows that . Also, since the laundry service wants to buy at
least twice as many containers of detergent as containers of fabric softener, the number of containers of detergent should
be greater than or equal to two times the number of containers of fabric softener. This can be expressed by the inequality
.

Choice B is incorrect because it misrepresents the relationship between the numbers of each container that the laundry
service wants to buy. Choice C is incorrect because the first inequality of the system incorrectly doubles the weight per
container of detergent. The weight of each container of detergent is 7.35, not 14.7 pounds. Choice D is incorrect because it
doubles the weight per container of detergent and transposes the relationship between the numbers of containers.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ee2f611f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: ee2f611f

A local transit company sells a monthly pass for $95 that allows an unlimited
number of trips of any length. Tickets for individual trips cost $1.50, $2.50, or
$3.50, depending on the length of the trip. What is the minimum number of trips
per month for which a monthly pass could cost less than purchasing individual
tickets for trips?

ID: ee2f611f Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 28. The minimum number of individual trips for which the cost of the monthly pass is less than the
cost of individual tickets can be found by assuming the maximum cost of the individual tickets, $3.50. If n tickets costing
$3.50 each are purchased in one month, the inequality 95 < 3.50n represents this situation. Dividing both sides of the
inequality by 3.50 yields 27.14 < n, which is equivalent to n > 27.14. Since only a whole number of tickets can be purchased, it
follows that 28 is the minimum number of trips.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID fdee0fbf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: fdee0fbf

In the xy-plane, line k intersects the y-axis at the point and passes through
the point . If the point lies on line k, what is the value of w ?

ID: fdee0fbf Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 74. The y-intercept of a line in the xy-plane is the ordered pair of the point of intersection of the

line with the y-axis. Since line k intersects the y-axis at the point , it follows that is the y-intercept of this line.
An equation of any line in the xy-plane can be written in the form , where m is the slope of the line and b is the y-
coordinate of the y-intercept. Therefore, the equation of line k can be written as , or . The value of
m can be found by substituting the x- and y-coordinates from a point on the line, such as , for x and y, respectively. This
results in . Solving this equation for m gives . Therefore, an equation of line k is . The value of w
can be found by substituting the x-coordinate, 20, for x in the equation of line k and solving this equation for y. This gives
, or . Since w is the y-coordinate of this point, .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID e6cb2402
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: e6cb2402

In the given equation, is a constant. The equation has no solution. What is the value of ?

ID: e6cb2402 Answer

Correct Answer: .9411, .9412, 16/17

Rationale
16 48
The correct answer is 17
. It's given that the equation 3𝑘𝑥 + 13 = 17
𝑥 + 36 has no solution. A linear equation in the form
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏 = 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑, where 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, and 𝑑 are constants, has no solution only when the coefficients of 𝑥 on each side of the
equation are equal and the constant terms aren't equal. Dividing both sides of the given equation by 3 yields
48 36 16
𝑘𝑥 + 13 =
51
𝑥 +
3
, or 𝑘𝑥 + 13 = 17
𝑥 + 12. Since the coefficients of 𝑥 on each side of the equation must be equal, it follows
16
that the value of 𝑘 is . Note that 16/17, .9411, .9412, and 0.941 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.
17

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b988eeec
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: b988eeec

The functions and are defined as and . If the function is defined as

, what is the x-coordinate of the x-intercept of the graph of in the xy-plane?

ID: b988eeec Answer

Correct Answer: -12

Rationale
1 3
The correct answer is -12. It's given that the functions 𝑓 and 𝑔 are defined as 𝑓𝑥 = 4 𝑥 - 9 and 𝑔𝑥 = 4 𝑥 + 21. If the function ℎ
1 3 1 3
is defined as ℎ𝑥 = 𝑓𝑥 + 𝑔𝑥, then substituting 4 𝑥 - 9 for 𝑓𝑥 and 4 𝑥 + 21 for 𝑔𝑥 in this function yields ℎ𝑥 = 4 𝑥 - 9 + 4 𝑥 + 21.
4
This can be rewritten as ℎ𝑥 = 𝑥 + 12, or ℎ𝑥 = 𝑥 + 12. The x-intercept of a graph in the xy-plane is the point on the graph
4
where 𝑦 = 0. The equation representing the graph of 𝑦 = ℎ𝑥 is 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 12. Substituting 0 for 𝑦 in this equation yields
0 = 𝑥 + 12. Subtracting 12 from both sides of this equation yields -12 = 𝑥, or 𝑥 = - 12. Therefore, the x-coordinate of the x-
intercept of the graph of 𝑦 = ℎ𝑥 in the xy-plane is -12.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 70feb725
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: 70feb725

During a month, Morgan ran r miles at 5 miles per hour and biked b miles at
10 miles per hour. She ran and biked a total of 200 miles that month, and she biked
for twice as many hours as she ran. What is the total number of miles that Morgan
biked during the month?

A. 80

B. 100

C. 120

D. 160

ID: 70feb725 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. The number of hours Morgan spent running or biking can be calculated by dividing the distance she
traveled during that activity by her speed, in miles per hour, for that activity. So the number of hours she ran can be

represented by the expression , and the number of hours she biked can be represented by the expression . It’s given

that she biked for twice as many hours as she ran, so this can be represented by the equation , which can be
rewritten as . It’s also given that she ran r miles and biked b miles, and that she ran and biked a total of 200 miles.
This can be represented by the equation . Substituting for b in this equation yields , or .
Solving for r yields . Determining the number of miles she biked, b, can be found by substituting 40 for r in
, which yields . Solving for b yields .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they don’t satisfy that Morgan biked for twice as many hours as she ran. In choice
A, if she biked 80 miles, then she ran 120 miles, which means she biked for 8 hours and ran for 24 hours. In choice B, if she
biked 100 miles, then she ran 100 miles, which means she biked for 10 hours and ran for 20 hours. In choice C, if she biked
120 miles, then she ran for 80 miles, which means she biked for 12 hours and ran for 16 hours.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1a621af4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: 1a621af4

A number is at most less than times the value of . If the value of is , what is the greatest possible value of ?

ID: 1a621af4 Answer

Correct Answer: -14

Rationale
The correct answer is -14. It's given that a number 𝑥 is at most 2 less than 3 times the value of 𝑦. Therefore, 𝑥 is less than or
equal to 2 less than 3 times the value of 𝑦. The expression 3𝑦 represents 3 times the value of 𝑦. The expression 3𝑦 - 2
represents 2 less than 3 times the value of 𝑦. Therefore, 𝑥 is less than or equal to 3𝑦 - 2. This can be shown by the inequality
𝑥 ≤ 3𝑦 - 2. Substituting -4 for 𝑦 in this inequality yields 𝑥 ≤ 3-4 - 2 or, 𝑥 ≤ - 14. Therefore, if the value of 𝑦 is -4, the greatest
possible value of 𝑥 is -14.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID af2ba762
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: af2ba762
According to data provided by the US Department of Energy, the average price per gallon of regular gasoline in the
United States from September 1, 2014, to December 1, 2014, is modeled by the function F defined below, where is
the average price per gallon x months after September 1.

The constant 2.74 in this function estimates which of the following?

A. The average monthly decrease in the price per gallon

B. The difference in the average price per gallon from September 1, 2014, to December 1, 2014

C. The average price per gallon on September 1, 2014

D. The average price per gallon on December 1, 2014

ID: af2ba762 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. Since 2.74 is a constant term, it represents an actual price of gas rather than a measure of change in gas
price. To determine what gas price it represents, find x such that F(x) = 2.74, or 2.74 = 2.74 – 0.19(x – 3). Subtracting 2.74
from both sides gives 0 = –0.19(x – 3). Dividing both sides by –0.19 results in 0 = x – 3, or x = 3. Therefore, the average price
of gas is $2.74 per gallon 3 months after September 1, 2014, which is December 1, 2014.

Choice A is incorrect. Since 2.74 is a constant, not a multiple of x, it cannot represent a rate of change in price. Choice B is
incorrect. The difference in the average price from September 1, 2014, to December 1, 2014, is F(3) – F(0) = 2.74 – 0.19(3 –
3) – (2.74 – 0.19(0 – 3)) = 2.74 – (2.74 + 0.57) = –0.57, which is not 2.74. Choice C is incorrect. The average price per gallon
on September 1, 2014, is F(0) = 2.74 – 0.19(0 – 3) = 2.74 + 0.57 = 3.31, which is not 2.74.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID e1248a5c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: e1248a5c

In the system of equations below, a and c are constants.

If the system of equations has an infinite number of solutions , what is the
value of a ?

A.

B. 0

C.

D.

ID: e1248a5c Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. A system of two linear equations has infinitely many solutions if one equation is equivalent to the other.
This means that when the two equations are written in the same form, each coefficient or constant in one equation is equal
to the corresponding coefficient or constant in the other equation multiplied by the same number. The equations in the given
system of equations are written in the same form, with x and y on the left-hand side and a constant on the right-hand side of
the equation. The coefficient of y in the second equation is equal to the coefficient of y in the first equation multiplied by 3.
Therefore, a, the coefficient of x in the second equation, must be equal to 3 times the coefficient of x in the first equation:

, or .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. When , , or , the given system of equations has one solution.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ae2287e2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: ae2287e2

A certain product costs a company $65 to make. The product is sold by a

salesperson who earns a commission that is equal to 20% of the sales price of the
product. The profit the company makes for each unit is equal to the sales price
minus the combined cost of making the product and the commission. If the sales
price of the product is $100, which of the following equations gives the number of
units, u, of the product the company sold to make a profit of $6,840 ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: ae2287e2 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. The sales price of one unit of the product is given as $100. Because the salesperson is awarded a
commission equal to 20% of the sales price, the expression 100(1 – 0.2) gives the sales price of one unit after the
commission is deducted. It is also given that the profit is equal to the sales price minus the combined cost of making the
product, or $65, and the commission: 100(1 – 0.2) – 65. Multiplying this expression by u gives the profit of u units: (100(1 –
0.2) – 65)u. Finally, it is given that the profit for u units is $6,840; therefore (100(1 – 0.2) – 65)u = $6,840.

Choice B is incorrect. In this equation, cost is subtracted before commission and the equation gives the commission, not
what the company retains after commission. Choice C is incorrect because the number of units is multiplied only by the cost
but not by the sale price. Choice D is incorrect because the value 0.2 shows the commission, not what the company retains
after commission.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 52cb8ea4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: 52cb8ea4

If is the solution to the system of equations above,

what is the value of ?

A.

B.

C. 5

D. 13

ID: 52cb8ea4 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. Subtracting the second equation, , from the first equation, , results in
, or . Combining like terms on the left-hand side of this equation yields
.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from miscalculating as . Choice C is incorrect and may result from
miscalculating as 5. Choice D is incorrect and may result from adding 9 to 4 instead of subtracting 9 from 4.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 0b46bad5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 0b46bad5

In the equation above, a and b are constants and . Which of the following
could represent the graph of the equation in the xy-plane?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 0b46bad5 Answer

Correct Answer: C
Rationale
Choice C is correct. The given equation can be rewritten in slope-intercept form, , where m
represents the slope of the line represented by the equation, and k represents the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the line.
Subtracting ax from both sides of the equation yields , and dividing both sides of this equation by b yields

, or . With the equation now in slope-intercept form, it shows that , which means the y-

coordinate of the y-intercept is 1. It’s given that a and b are both greater than 0 (positive) and that . Since ,
the slope of the line must be a value between and 0. Choice C is the only graph of a line that has a y-value of the y-
intercept that is 1 and a slope that is between and 0.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the slopes of the lines in these graphs aren’t between and 0.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID c362c210
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: c362c210

The points plotted in the coordinate plane above represent the possible numbers
of wallflowers and cornflowers that someone can buy at the Garden Store in order
to spend exactly $24.00 total on the two types of flowers. The price of each
wallflower is the same and the price of each cornflower is the same. What is the
price, in dollars, of 1 cornflower?

ID: c362c210 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 1.5. The point corresponds to the situation where 16 cornflowers and 0 wallflowers are
purchased. Since the total spent on the two types of flowers is $24.00, it follows that the price of 16 cornflowers is $24.00,
and the price of one cornflower is $1.50. Note that 1.5 and 3/2 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1035faea
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: 1035faea

A psychologist set up an experiment to study the tendency of a person to select

the first item when presented with a series of items. In the experiment, 300 people
were presented with a set of five pictures arranged in random order. Each person
was asked to choose the most appealing picture. Of the first 150 participants,
36 chose the first picture in the set. Among the remaining 150 participants, p
people chose the first picture in the set. If more than 20% of all participants chose
the first picture in the set, which of the following inequalities best describes the
possible values of p ?

A. , where

B. , where

C. , where

D. , where

ID: 1035faea Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. Of the first 150 participants, 36 chose the first picture in the set, and of the 150 remaining participants, p

chose the first picture in the set. Hence, the proportion of the participants who chose the first picture in the set is .

Since more than 20% of all the participants chose the first picture, it follows that .

This inequality can be rewritten as . Since p is a number of people among the remaining 150
participants, .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and may be the result of some incorrect interpretations of the given information or of
computational errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 16889ef3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 16889ef3

Oil and gas production in a certain area dropped from 4 million barrels in 2000 to
1.9 million barrels in 2013. Assuming that the oil and gas production decreased at
a constant rate, which of the following linear functions f best models the
production, in millions of barrels, t years after the year 2000?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 16889ef3 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. It is assumed that the oil and gas production decreased at a constant rate. Therefore, the function f that
best models the production t years after the year 2000 can be written as a linear function, , where m is the rate
of change of the oil and gas production and b is the oil and gas production, in millions of barrels, in the year 2000. Since
there were 4 million barrels of oil and gas produced in 2000, . The rate of change, m, can be calculated as

, which is equivalent to , the rate of change in choice C.

Choices A and B are incorrect because each of these functions has a positive rate of change. Since the oil and gas
production decreased over time, the rate of change must be negative. Choice D is incorrect. This model may result from
misinterpreting 1.9 million barrels as the amount by which the production decreased.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d7bf55e1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: d7bf55e1

A movie theater sells two types of tickets, adult tickets for $12 and child tickets for
$8. If the theater sold 30 tickets for a total of $300, how much, in dollars, was
spent on adult tickets? (Disregard the $ sign when gridding your answer.)

ID: d7bf55e1 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 180. Let a be the number of adult tickets sold and c be the number of child tickets sold. Since the
theater sold a total of 30 tickets, a + c = 30. The price per adult ticket is $12, and the price per child ticket is $8. Since the
theater received a total of $300 for the 30 tickets sold, it follows that 12a + 8c = 300. To eliminate c, the first equation can be
multiplied by 8 and then subtracted from the second equation:

Because the question asks for the amount spent on adult tickets, which is 12a dollars, the resulting equation can be
multiplied by 3 to give 3(4a) = 3(60) = 180. Therefore, $180 was spent on adult tickets.

Alternate approach: If all the 30 tickets sold were child tickets, their total price would be 30($8) = $240. Since the actual total
price of the 30 tickets was $300, the extra $60 indicates that a certain number of adult tickets, a, were sold. Since the price
of each adult ticket is $4 more than each child ticket, 4a = 60, and it follows that 12a = 180.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 771bd0ca
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 771bd0ca

What value of is the solution to the given equation?

ID: 771bd0ca Answer

Correct Answer: -22

Rationale
The correct answer is -22. The given equation can be rewritten as -2𝑡 + 3 = 38. Dividing both sides of this equation by -2
yields 𝑡 + 3 = - 19. Subtracting 3 from both sides of this equation yields 𝑡 = - 22. Therefore, -22 is the value of 𝑡 that is the
solution to the given equation.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 90095507
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 90095507

Townsend Realty Group Investments

Property Purchase price Monthly rental
address (dollars) price (dollars)

Clearwater
128,000 950
Lane

Driftwood
176,000 1,310
Drive

Edgemont
70,000 515
Street

Glenview
140,000 1,040
Street

Hamilton
450,000 3,365
Circle

The Townsend Realty Group invested in the five different properties listed in the
table above. The table shows the amount, in dollars, the company paid for each
property and the corresponding monthly rental price, in dollars, the company
charges for the property at each of the five locations. Townsend Realty purchased
the Glenview Street property and received a 40% discount off the original price
along with an additional 20% off the discounted price for purchasing the property
in cash. Which of the following best approximates the original price, in dollars, of
the Glenview Street property?

A. $350,000

B. $291,700

C. $233,300

D. $175,000

ID: 90095507 Answer

Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. Let x be the original price, in dollars, of the Glenview Street property. After the 40% discount, the price of
the property became dollars, and after the additional 20% off the discounted price, the price of the property became
. Thus, in terms of the original price of the property, x, the purchase price of the property is . It follows that

. Solving this equation for x gives . Therefore, of the given choices, $291,700 best
approximates the original price of the Glenview Street property.

Choice A is incorrect because it is the result of dividing the purchase price of the property by 0.4, as though the purchase
price were 40% of the original price. Choice C is incorrect because it is the closest to dividing the purchase price of the
property by 0.6, as though the purchase price were 60% of the original price. Choice D is incorrect because it is the result of
dividing the purchase price of the property by 0.8, as though the purchase price were 80% of the original price.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 98d3393a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 98d3393a

Line in the xy-plane is perpendicular to the line with equation

. What is the slope of line ?

A. 0

B.

C.

D. The slope of line is undefined.

ID: 98d3393a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. It is given that line is perpendicular to a line whose equation is x = 2. A line whose equation is a
constant value of x is vertical, so must therefore be horizontal. Horizontal lines have a slope of 0, so has a slope of 0.

Choice B is incorrect. A line with slope is perpendicular to a line with slope 2. However, the line with equation x = 2 is
vertical and has undefined slope (not slope of 2). Choice C is incorrect. A line with slope –2 is perpendicular to a line with

slope . However, the line with equation x = 2 has undefined slope (not slope of ). Choice D is incorrect; this is the
slope of the line x = 2 itself, not the slope of a line perpendicular to it.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID e8f9e117
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: e8f9e117

The formula above is Ohm’s law for an electric circuit with current I, in amperes,
potential difference V, in volts, and resistance R, in ohms. A circuit has a resistance
of 500 ohms, and its potential difference will be generated by n six-volt batteries
that produce a total potential difference of volts. If the circuit is to have a
current of no more than 0.25 ampere, what is the greatest number, n, of six-volt
batteries that can be used?

ID: e8f9e117 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 20. For the given circuit, the resistance R is 500 ohms, and the total potential difference V generated
by n batteries is volts. It’s also given that the circuit is to have a current of no more than 0.25 ampere, which can be

expressed as . Since Ohm’s law says that , the given values for V and R can be substituted for I in this

inequality, which yields . Multiplying both sides of this inequality by 500 yields , and dividing both
sides of this inequality by 6 yields . Since the number of batteries must be a whole number less than 20.833, the
greatest number of batteries that can be used in this circuit is 20.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b8e73b5b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: b8e73b5b

Ken is working this summer as part of a crew on a farm. He earned $8 per hour for
the first 10 hours he worked this week. Because of his performance, his crew
leader raised his salary to $10 per hour for the rest of the week. Ken saves 90% of
his earnings from each week. What is the least number of hours he must work the
rest of the week to save at least $270 for the week?

A. 38

B. 33

C. 22

D. 16

ID: b8e73b5b Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. Ken earned $8 per hour for the first 10 hours he worked, so he earned a total of $80 for the first 10 hours
he worked. For the rest of the week, Ken was paid at the rate of $10 per hour. Let x be the number of hours he will work for
the rest of the week. The total of Ken’s earnings, in dollars, for the week will be . He saves 90% of his earnings each

week, so this week he will save dollars. The inequality represents the condition that he

will save at least $270 for the week. Factoring 10 out of the expression gives . The product of 10 and 0.9

is 9, so the inequality can be rewritten as . Dividing both sides of this inequality by 9 yields , so
. Therefore, the least number of hours Ken must work the rest of the week to save at least $270 for the week is 22.

Choices A and B are incorrect because Ken can save $270 by working fewer hours than 38 or 33 for the rest of the week.
Choice D is incorrect. If Ken worked 16 hours for the rest of the week, his total earnings for the week will be
, which is less than $270. Since he saves only 90% of his earnings each week, he would save even
less than $240 for the week.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 78391fcc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 78391fcc

f(x) 21 18 15 12

The table above shows some values of x and their corresponding values for
the linear function f. What is the x-intercept of the graph of in the xy-
plane?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 78391fcc Answer

Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. The equation of a linear function can be written in the form , where , m is the slope
of the graph of , and b is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph. The value of m can be found using the

slope formula, . According to the table, the points and lie on the graph of .

Using these two points in the slope formula yields , or . Substituting for m in the slope-intercept form
of the equation yields . The value of b can be found by substituting values from the table and solving; for

example, substituting the coordinates of the point into the equation gives ,
which yields . This means the function given by the table can be represented by the equation . The
value of the x-intercept of the graph of can be determined by finding the value of x when . Substituting

into yields , or . This corresponds to the point .

Choice A is incorrect and may result from substituting the value of the slope for the x-coordinate of the x-intercept. Choice C
is incorrect and may result from a calculation error. Choice D is incorrect and may result from substituting the y-coordinate
of the y-intercept for the x-coordinate of the x-intercept.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1e11190a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: 1e11190a

Store A sells raspberries for per pint and blackberries for per pint. Store B sells raspberries for per pint
and blackberries for per pint. A certain purchase of raspberries and blackberries would cost at Store A or
at Store B. How many pints of blackberries are in this purchase?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 1e11190a Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice C is correct. It’s given that store A sells raspberries for $ 5 . 50 per pint and blackberries for $ 3 . 00 per pint, and a
certain purchase of raspberries and blackberries at store A would cost $ 37 . 00. It’s also given that store B sells raspberries
for $ 6 . 50 per pint and blackberries for $ 8 . 00 per pint, and this purchase of raspberries and blackberries at store B would
cost $ 66 . 00. Let 𝑟 represent the number of pints of raspberries and 𝑏 represent the number of pints of blackberries in this
purchase. The equation 5 . 50𝑟 + 3 . 00𝑏 = 37 . 00 represents this purchase of raspberries and blackberries from store A and
the equation 6 . 50𝑟 + 8 . 00𝑏 = 66 . 00 represents this purchase of raspberries and blackberries from store B. Solving the
system of equations by elimination gives the value of 𝑟 and the value of 𝑏 that make the system of equations true.
Multiplying both sides of the equation for store A by 6.5 yields 5 . 50𝑟6 . 5 + 3 . 00𝑏6 . 5 = 37 . 006 . 5, or
35 . 75𝑟 + 19 . 5𝑏 = 240 . 5. Multiplying both sides of the equation for store B by 5.5 yields 6 . 50𝑟5 . 5 + 8 . 00𝑏5 . 5 = 66 . 005 . 5,
or 35 . 75𝑟 + 44𝑏 = 363. Subtracting both sides of the equation for store A, 35 . 75𝑟 + 19 . 5𝑏 = 240 . 5, from the corresponding
sides of the equation for store B, 35 . 75𝑟 + 44𝑏 = 363, yields 35 . 75𝑟 - 35 . 75𝑟 + 44𝑏 - 19 . 5𝑏 = 363 - 240 . 5, or
24 . 5𝑏 = 122 . 5. Dividing both sides of this equationby 24.5 yields 𝑏 = 5. Thus, 5 pints of blackberries are in
this purchase.

Choices A and B are incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors. Choice D is incorrect. This is the number
of pints of raspberries, not blackberries, in the purchase.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID e2e3942f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: e2e3942f

In the system of equations above, a is a constant. If the system of equations

has no solution, what is the value of a ?

A.

B. 0

C. 1

D. 2

ID: e2e3942f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. A system of two linear equations has no solution when the graphs of the equations have the same slope
and different y-coordinates of the y-intercepts. Each of the given equations is written in the slope-intercept form of a linear
equation, , where m is the slope and b is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph of the equation. For
these two linear equations, the y-coordinates of the y-intercepts are different: and . Thus, if the system of equations
has no solution, the slopes of the two linear equations must be the same. The slope of the first linear equation is 2.
Therefore, for the system of equations to have no solution, the value of a must be 2.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and may result from conceptual and computational errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 963da34c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: 963da34c

A shipping service restricts the dimensions of the boxes it will ship for a certain
type of service. The restriction states that for boxes shaped like rectangular
prisms, the sum of the perimeter of the base of the box and the height of the box
cannot exceed 130 inches. The perimeter of the base is determined using the
width and length of the box. If a box has a height of 60 inches and its length is
2.5 times the width, which inequality shows the allowable width x, in inches, of the
box?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 963da34c Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. If x is the width, in inches, of the box, then the length of the box is 2.5x inches. It follows that the
perimeter of the base is , or 7x inches. The height of the box is given to be 60 inches. According to the
restriction, the sum of the perimeter of the base and the height of the box should not exceed 130 inches. Algebraically, this
can be represented by , or . Dividing both sides of the inequality by 7 gives . Since x represents
the width of the box, x must also be a positive number. Therefore, the inequality represents all the allowable
values of x that satisfy the given conditions.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect and may result from calculation errors or misreading the given information.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 0366d965
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: 0366d965

x y

3 7

k 11

12 n

The table above shows the coordinates of three points on a line in the xy-plane,
where k and n are constants. If the slope of the line is 2, what is the value of
?

ID: 0366d965 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 30. The slope of a line can be found by using the slope formula, . It’s given that the slope of

the line is 2; therefore, . According to the table, the points and lie on the line. Substituting the

coordinates of these points into the equation gives . Multiplying both sides of this equation by gives

, or . Solving for k gives . According to the table, the points and also lie

on the line. Substituting the coordinates of these points into gives . Solving for n gives .
Therefore, , or 30.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID aee9fd2d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: aee9fd2d

If , the value of is between which of the following pairs of values?

A. and

B. and

C. and

D. and

ID: aee9fd2d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
𝑥+6 𝑥+6
Choice B is correct. Multiplying both sides of the given equation by 313, or 39, yields 39 3
= 39
13
, or 13𝑥 + 6 = 3𝑥 + 6.
Subtracting 3𝑥 + 6 from both sides of this equation yields 10𝑥 + 6 = 0. Dividing both sides of this equation by 10 yields
𝑥+6 𝑥+6
𝑥 + 6 = 0. Therefore, if 3 = 13 , then the value of 𝑥 + 6 is 0. It follows that of the given choices, the value of 𝑥 + 6 is
between -2 and 2.

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: Hard

Question ID 466b87e3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: 466b87e3

In the system of equations above, c is a constant. If the system has

no solution, what is the value of c ?

ID: 466b87e3 Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is . A system of two linear equations has no solution when the graphs of the equations have the
same slope and different y-intercepts. Each of the given linear equations is written in the slope-intercept form, ,
where m is the slope and b is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph of the equation. For these two linear equations,
the y-intercepts are and . Thus, if the system of equations has no solution, the slopes of the graphs of the two

linear equations must be the same. The slope of the graph of the first linear equation is . Therefore, for the system of

equations to have no solution, the value of c must be . Note that 1/2 and .5 are examples of ways to enter a correct
answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID f718c9cf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: f718c9cf

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

ID: f718c9cf Answer

Correct Answer: 1.8, 9/5

Rationale
9
The correct answer is 5 . Multiplying the first equation in the given system by 2 yields 10𝑥 + 28𝑦 = 90. Subtracting the second
equation in the given system, 10𝑥 + 7𝑦 = 27, from 10𝑥 + 28𝑦 = 90 yields 10𝑥 + 28𝑦 - 10𝑥 + 7𝑦 = 90 - 27, which is equivalent
to 10𝑥 + 28𝑦 - 10𝑥 - 7𝑦 = 63, or 21𝑦 = 63. Dividing both sides of this equation by 21 yields 𝑦 = 3. The value of 𝑥 can be found
by substituting 3 for 𝑦 in either of the two given equations. Substituting 3 for 𝑦 in the equation 10𝑥 + 7𝑦 = 27 yields
10𝑥 + 73 = 27, or 10𝑥 + 21 = 27. Subtracting 21 from both sides of this equation yields 10𝑥 = 6. Dividing both sides of this
6 3 3 9
equation by 10 yields 𝑥 = 10 , or 𝑥 = 5 . Therefore, the value of 𝑥𝑦 is 5 3, or 5 . Note that 9/5 and 1.8 are examples of ways to
enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 628300a9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 628300a9

A science teacher is preparing the 5 stations of a science laboratory. Each station

will have either Experiment A materials or Experiment B materials, but not both.
Experiment A requires 6 teaspoons of salt, and Experiment B requires 4 teaspoons
of salt. If x is the number of stations that will be set up for Experiment A and the
remaining stations will be set up for Experiment B, which of the following
expressions represents the total number of teaspoons of salt required?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 628300a9 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. It is given that x represents the number of stations that will be set up for Experiment A and that there will
be 5 stations total, so it follows that 5 – x is the number of stations that will be set up for Experiment B. It is also given that
Experiment A requires 6 teaspoons of salt and that Experiment B requires 4 teaspoons of salt, so the total number of
teaspoons of salt required is 6x + 4(5 – x), which simplifies to 2x + 20.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and may be the result of not understanding the description of the context.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a1fd2304
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: a1fd2304

How many liters of a 25% saline solution must be added to 3 liters of a 10% saline
solution to obtain a 15% saline solution?

ID: a1fd2304 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 1.5. The total amount, in liters, of a saline solution can be expressed as the liters of each type of saline
solution multiplied by the percent concentration of the saline solution. This gives , , and ,
where x is the amount, in liters, of 25% saline solution and 10%, 15%, and 25% are represented as 0.10, 0.15, and 0.25,
respectively. Thus, the equation must be true. Multiplying 3 by 0.10 and distributing 0.15 to

yields . Subtracting 0.15x and 0.30 from each side of the equation gives
. Dividing each side of the equation by 0.10 yields . Note that 1.5 and 3/2 are examples of ways to
enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a7a14e87
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: a7a14e87

In the xy-plane, line k is defined by . Line j is perpendicular to line k, and

the y-intercept of line j is . Which of the following is an equation of line j ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: a7a14e87 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. It’s given that line j is perpendicular to line k and that line k is defined by the equation . This
equation can be rewritten in slope-intercept form, , where m represents the slope of the line and b represents
the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the line, by subtracting x from both sides of the equation, which yields . Thus,
the slope of line k is . Since line j and line k are perpendicular, their slopes are opposite reciprocals of each other. Thus,
the slope of line j is 1. It’s given that the y-intercept of line j is . Therefore, the equation for line j in slope-intercept form
is , which can be rewritten as .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 023c0a8d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: 023c0a8d

For the function f, if for all values of x,

what is the value of ?

A.

B.

C. 0

D. 2

ID: 023c0a8d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. It’s given that for all values of x. If , then will equal . Dividing both sides

of by 3 gives . Therefore, substituting 2 for x in the given equation yields , which can be
rewritten as .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of the constant in the given equation for f. Choice C is incorrect and may result from
substituting , rather than , into the given equation. Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of x that yields for
the left-hand side of the given equation; it’s not the value of .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 3f8a701b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 3f8a701b

The equation , where a and b are constants, has no solutions.

Which of the following must be true? I. II. III.

A. None

B. I only

C. I and II only

D. I and III only

ID: 3f8a701b Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. For a linear equation in a form to have no solutions, the x-terms must have equal
coefficients and the remaining terms must not be equal. Expanding the right-hand side of the given equation yields
. Inspecting the x-terms, 9 must equal a, so statement I must be true. Inspecting the remaining terms, 5

can’t equal . Dividing both of these quantities by 9 yields that b can’t equal . Therefore, statement III must be true.

Since b can have any value other than , statement II may or may not be true.

Choice A is incorrect. For the given equation to have no solution, both and must be true. Choice B is incorrect

because it must also be true that . Choice C is incorrect because when , there are many values of b that lead to
an equation having no solution. That is, b might be 5, but b isn’t required to be 5.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a04050d8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: a04050d8

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 the 180 food
calories in a granola bar come entirely from p grams of protein, f grams of fat, and
c grams of carbohydrate, which of the following expresses f in terms of p and c ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: a04050d8 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. It is given that there are 4.0 food calories per gram of protein, 9.0 food calories per gram of fat, and 4.0
food calories per gram of carbohydrate. If 180 food calories in a granola bar came from p grams of protein, f grams of fat,
and c grams of carbohydrate, then the situation can be represented by the equation . The equation can
then be rewritten in terms of f by subtracting 4p and 4c from both sides of the equation and then dividing both sides of the

equation by 9. The result is the equation .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect and may be the result of not representing the situation with the correct equation or
incorrectly rewriting the equation in terms of f.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID daad7c32
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear functions

ID: daad7c32

An object hangs from a spring. The formula relates the length , in

centimeters, of the spring to the weight w, in newtons, of the object. Which of the
following describes the meaning of the 2 in this context?

A. The length, in centimeters, of the spring with no weight attached

B. The weight, in newtons, of an object that will stretch the spring 30 centimeters

C. The increase in the weight, in newtons, of the object for each one-centimeter increase in the length of the spring

D. The increase in the length, in centimeters, of the spring for each one-newton increase in the weight of the object

ID: daad7c32 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. The value 2 is multiplied by w, the weight of the object. When the weight is 0, the length is 30 + 2(0) = 30
centimeters. If the weight increases by w newtons, the length increases by 2w centimeters, or 2 centimeters for each one-
newton increase in weight.

Choice A is incorrect because this describes the value 30. Choice B is incorrect because 30 represents the length of the
spring before it has been stretched. Choice C is incorrect because this describes the value w.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 567ac7ab
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Systems of two

linear equations in
two variables

ID: 567ac7ab

One of the two equations in a linear system is . The system has no

solution. Which of the following could be the other equation in the system?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 567ac7ab Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. A system of two linear equations written in standard form has no solution when the equations are
distinct and the ratio of the x-coefficient to the y-coefficient for one equation is equivalent to the ratio of the x-coefficient to
the y-coefficient for the other equation. This ratio for the given equation is 2 to 6, or 1 to 3. Only choice B is an equation that
isn’t equivalent to the given equation and whose ratio of the x-coefficient to the y-coefficient is 1 to 3.

Choice A is incorrect. Multiplying each of the terms in this equation by 2 yields an equation that is equivalent to the given
equation. This system would have infinitely many solutions. Choices C and D are incorrect. The ratio of the x-coefficient to
the y-coefficient in (choice C) is to 2, or to 1. This ratio in (choice D) is 6 to 2, or 3 to 1.
Since neither of these ratios is equivalent to that for the given equation, these systems would have exactly one solution.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 830120b0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear inequalities

in one or two
variables

ID: 830120b0

Which of the following consists of the y-coordinates of all the points that
satisfy the system of inequalities above?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 830120b0 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. Subtracting the same number from each side of an inequality gives an equivalent inequality. Hence,
subtracting 1 from each side of the inequality gives . So the given system of inequalities is equivalent to
the system of inequalities and , which can be rewritten as . Using the transitive property
of inequalities, it follows that .

Choice A is incorrect because there are points with a y-coordinate less than 6 that satisfy the given system of inequalities.
For example, satisfies both inequalities. Choice C is incorrect. This may result from solving the inequality for
x, then replacing x with y. Choice D is incorrect because this inequality allows y-values that are not the y-coordinate of any

point that satisfies both inequalities. For example, is contained in the set ; however, if 2 is substituted into the

first inequality for y, the result is . This cannot be true because the second inequality gives .
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID c4ea43ef
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: c4ea43ef

To earn money for college, Avery works two part-time jobs: A and B. She earns $10
per hour working at job A and $20 per hour working at job B. In one week, Avery
earned a total of s dollars for working at the two part-time jobs. The graph above
represents all possible combinations of numbers of hours Avery could have
worked at the two jobs to earn s dollars. What is the value of s ?

A. 128

B. 160

C. 200

D. 320

ID: c4ea43ef Answer

Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. Avery earns $10 per hour working at job A. Therefore, if she works a hours at job A, she will earn
dollars. Avery earns $20 per hour working at job B. Therefore, if she works b hours at job B, she will earn dollars. The
graph shown represents all possible combinations of the number of hours Avery could have worked at the two jobs to earn s
dollars. Therefore, if she worked a hours at job A, worked b hours at job B, and earned s dollars from both jobs, the following
equation represents the graph: , where s is a constant. Identifying any point from the graph and
substituting the values of the coordinates for a and b, respectively, in this equation yield the value of s. For example, the point
, where and , lies on the graph. Substituting 16 for a and 0 for b in the equation yields
, or . Similarly, the point , where and , lies on the graph. Substituting 0 for a and
8 for b in the equation yields , or .

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. If the value of s is 128, 200, or 320, then no points on the graph will satisfy this
equation. For example, if the value of s is 128 (choice A), then the equation becomes .
The point , where and , lies on the graph. However, substituting 16 for a and 0 for b in
yields , or , which is false. Therefore, doesn’t satisfy the equation, and so the value
of s can’t be 128. Similarly, if (choice C) or (choice D), then substituting 16 for a and 0 for b yields
and , respectively, which are both false.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID cb58833c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Math Algebra Linear equations in

two variables

ID: cb58833c

The line with the equation is graphed in the xy‑plane. What is the
x-coordinate of the x‑intercept of the line?

ID: cb58833c Answer

Rationale

The correct answer is 1.25. The y-coordinate of the x-intercept is 0, so 0 can be substituted for y, giving .

This simplifies to . Multiplying both sides of by 5 gives . Dividing both sides of by 4 gives

, which is equivalent to 1.25. Note that 1.25 and 5/4 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard