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 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 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 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 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 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 days is for the first day and for
each additional day. Therefore, the cost , in dollars, for days, where , is the sum of the cost for the first day,
, and the cost for the additional days, . It follows that , which is
equivalent to , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This equation represents a situation where the cost of renting a backhoe is for the first day
and 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 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 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 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 . It's given that a number is at most less than times the value of . Therefore, is less
than or equal to less than times the value of . The expression represents times the value of . The expression
represents less than times the value of . Therefore, is less than or equal to . This can be shown by
the inequality . Substituting for in this inequality yields or, . Therefore, if the
value of is , the greatest possible value of is .

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 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
The correct answer is . It's given that the functions and are defined as and .
If the function is defined as , then substituting for and for in this
function yields . This can be rewritten as , or . The x-
intercept of a graph in the xy-plane is the point on the graph where . The equation representing the graph of
is . Substituting for in this equation yields . Subtracting from both sides of this
equation yields , or . Therefore, the x-coordinate of the x-intercept of the graph of in the xy-
plane is .

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
The correct answer is . It's given that the equation has no solution. A linear equation in the
form , where , , , and are constants, has no solution only when the coefficients of on each side
of the equation are equal and the constant terms aren't equal. Dividing both sides of the given equation by yields
, or . Since the coefficients of on each side of the equation must be
equal, it follows that the value of is . Note that 16/17, .9411, .9412, and 0.941 are examples of ways to enter a
correct answer.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 . The given equation can be rewritten as . Dividing both sides of this
equation by yields . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Therefore, is
the value of 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 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 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
Choice B is correct. Multiplying both sides of the given equation by , or , yields , or
. Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both
sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, if , then the value of is . It follows that of
the given choices, the value of is 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: 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
The correct answer is . Multiplying the first equation in the given system by yields . Subtracting the
second equation in the given system, , from yields
, which is equivalent to , or . Dividing
both sides of this equation by yields . The value of can be found by substituting for in either of the two
given equations. Substituting for in the equation yields , or .
Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields
, or . Therefore, the value of is , or . Note that 9/5 and 1.8 are examples of ways to enter a
correct answer.

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 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 per pint and blackberries for per pint, and a
certain purchase of raspberries and blackberries at store A would cost . It’s also given that store B sells
raspberries for per pint and blackberries for per pint, and this purchase of raspberries and blackberries at
store B would cost . Let represent the number of pints of raspberries and represent the number of pints of
blackberries in this purchase. The equation represents this purchase of raspberries and
blackberries from store A and the equation represents this purchase of raspberries and
blackberries from store B. Solving the system of equations by elimination gives the value of and the value of that
make the system of equations true. Multiplying both sides of the equation for store A by yields
, or . Multiplying both sides of the equation
for store B by yields , or . Subtracting both
sides of the equation for store A, , from the corresponding sides of the equation for store B,
, yields , or . Dividing
both sides of this equationby yields . Thus, 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 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 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

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 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