SAT Math Study Guide
SAT Math Study Guide
Linear Equations
SOLVING
NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS
Function Notation
Example
g(x) = −10x + 2
What is the value of g(4)? For what value of x does g(x) = 12?
Domain 1: Algebra
Points on a graph
The function notation f(c) = d means the graph of function f passes through the point (c, d) in the xy-plane.
Example
In the xy-plane, the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of the graph of the function h is k. Which of the
following must be equal to k?
A)h(−1)
B)h(0)
C)h(1)
Explanation:
The y-intercept is the point where the graph intersects the y-axis. This point has x-value 0. When
the input of function h is 0, the output is h(0).
This means the y-intercept is (0, h(0)). It is given that the y-coordinate of the y-intercept of
function h is k, so the y-intercept is (0, k).
Example
In the linear function f, f(0) = 6 and f(1) = 11. Which equation defines f?
A) f(x) = 11x + 6
B) f(x) = 5x
C) f(x) = 5x + 11
D) f(x) = 5x + 6
Explanation:
The function notation f(c) = d means that the function f has an output of d when x = c, and the
graph of y = f(x) contains the point (c, d).
It is given that f(0) = 6 and f(1) = 11, so the line contains the points (0, 6) and (1, 11).
Each equation from the choices is in slope-intercept form f(x) = mx + b, where m is the slope and
b is the y-intercept. Use the two known points to find m and b.
slope m
Plug the points (x1, y1) = (0, 6) and (x2, y2) = (1, 11) into the slope formula and simplify.
y 2− y 1
m= Slope formula
x 2−x 1
11−6 Plug in (x1, y1) = (0, 6)
m=
1−0 and (x2, y2) = (1, 11)
5
m= Subtract
1
The slope m is 5.
y-intercept b
The point (0, 6) has x-coordinate 0, so it is the point where the graph intersects the y-axis and the
y-intercept b is 6.
Plug m = 5 and b = 6 into f(x) = mx + b.
Example
For the linear function g, the table shows three values of x and their corresponding values of g(x).
Which equation defines g(x)?
A) g(x) = 5x + 22
B) g(x) = 22x + 27
C) g(x) = 27x + 31
Explanation:
Each equation from the choices is in slope-intercept form g(x) = mx + b, where m is the slope
and b is the y-intercept. Use the values in the given table to calculate the slope m and y-intercept b
for g(x).
slope m
The slope m of a line that represents a function f is equal to the change in f(x) divided by the
corresponding change in x.
Each row in the table represents a pair of corresponding values of x and g(x). Find the change
in g(x) and the corresponding change in x for any two rows and divide to calculate the slope m.
The slope m is 5.
Domain 1: Algebra
y-intercept b
The y-intercept is the function value at the point where a graph intersects the y-axis and has
x-value 0. Identify from the table that when x = 0, the value of f(x) is 22. Therefore, the
y-intercept b is 22.
−1
2. The function h is defined by h ( x )= x−34 . For what value of x does h ( x )=−49?
2
3. In the linear function g, g(0) = −6 and g(5) = −3. Which equation defines g?
A) g ( x )=−3 x−6
3
B) g ( x )= x−6
5
3
C) g ( x )= x
5
5
D) g ( x )= x−6
3