Solving Equations Drill

Solve each of the following equations for x.

1. 2x + 3 = 7 + x

2. –2x + 4 = 5x – 10

3. (4x + 5) – (–2x + 11) = x + 4

4.
1
x + 1 = 3x − 4
2

5.
3 1
x + x = x + 1
4 3

6. 2kx + 3 – x – 3 = x – 1

7. 12x + 16 = 8x + 20y + 12z

8. 3x + 2y – 4 = 7x + 8z + 2

9. y(x + 4) = 2x + 7

10. (x – 3)(x + 4) = (x – 2)(x + 5)

Translation Drill
Translate from English to math.

1. The number of robins is 4 less than 3 times the number of

bluebirds.

2. After a 15 percent decrease in the original purchase price,

a certain stock is worth $92 per share.

3. Average speed if the total distance traveled in two and

one-half hours is D miles.

4. The product of x and y is equivalent to their sum

increased by 5.

5. Jose’s age in 5 years will be 1 year more than double what

Beatrice’s age was 2 years ago.

6. If 2 more blue chips are added to a pile, the ratio of blue

to red chips will be 3:1.

7. The total of the ages of Rachel’s siblings if she has one

sibling that is 3 years younger and three siblings that are
2, 4, and 5 years older.

8. If the number of dimes in a piggy bank is decreased by 2,

then 3 out of every 5 coins in the piggy bank will be
dimes.
 9. The product of x decreased by y and one-third the sum of
x and half of y.

10. If the value of Martine’s assets increased by $10,000,

then the combined assets of Martine and Angela would be
twice what Martine’s assets would be if they were
increased by half.

Slope-lntercept Form Drill

Write the equation for the line that passes through each set of
points.

1. (5, 5), (4, 3)

2. (–7, 3), (–5,1)

3. (–3, 4.5), (3, 4.5)

4. (–5,–4), (8,–3)

5.
1 1 1
(− ,7 ), (3 , 0)
2 2 4

Linear Equations Practice Set

DIRECTIONS: Keep a calculator handy as you work through this practice set,
but reserve it for those questions that have a calculator icon next to them—
and even on those questions, use it only if you really need it. Questions
without the icon are intended to be done without a calculator, to help you
prepare for the no-calculator section of the SAT.
1. If and b = 24, what is the value of 7a + 8?
1
a = b
3

A) 5
B) 29
C) 56
D) 64

2. If 4x + 5 is 4 less than 10, what is the value of 2x?

A)
1

B)
1

C) 4
D) 8

3. In the xy‑plane above, a point (not shown) with

coordinates (a, b) lies on the graph of the linear function h.
 If a and b are positive integers, what is the ratio of a to b?
A) 2:3
B) 3:2
C) 5:6
D) 6:5

3
(8x + 12) + 5 = 8x + 12
4

4. Based on the equation above, what is the value of 5x + 1?

5. A line that passes through the origin in the xy-plane has a

slope of 73 . Which of the following is a point on the line?
A) (−14, −6)
 B) (−6,−14)
C) (−6, 14)
D) (14, 6)

6. Sara is waiting in line to ride the amusement park’s

newest roller coaster. The number of people in front of her
can be represented by the equation P = 34 − 2m, where P
is the number of people in front of her and m is the number
of minutes Sara has waited in line. What is the meaning of
the value 34 in this equation?
A) Sara will reach the front of the line within 34 minutes.
B) Sara started with 34 people in front of her.
C) Sara moves up in the line at a rate of 34 people per
hour.
D) Sara moves up in the line at a rate of 34 people per
minute.

7. If |d — 9| + 5 = 11, what is a possible value of d?

8. A line passes through the origin and points (−4, c) and (c,
−9). What is one possible value of c?
A) 4
B) 6
C) 9
D) 12

w = 240 + 1.2d

9. The weight of a flask containing a solution can be

modeled by the equation above, where w is the weight in
grams and d is the number of drops of solution that are in
the flask. What is d when w is 300?
A) 50
 B) 120
C) 276
D) 600

10. For some value b, which of the following expressions is

equal to −2?
A) |b − 2| − 2
B) |b − 2| + 2
C) |b + 2| − 1
D) |2 − b| + 1

11. Sunjay is traveling to a national park. The number of

miles he needs to travel can be represented by the
equation M = 172 − 57h, where M is the the number of
miles to the national park and h is the number of hours
Sunjay has to travel. What is the meaning of the value 57
in this equation?
A) Sunjay started at a distance 57 miles from the national
park.
B) Sunjay will reach the national park in 57 hours.
C) Sunjay travels to the national park at a rate of 57
miles per hour.
D) Sunjay has traveled 172 miles in 57 hours.
12. What is the equation of the line connecting the midpoint
of line segment AB with point C in the figure above?
A) y = −2x − 2
B) y = −2x + 5
C)
2
y = x + 6
3

D) y = 2x − 2

13. Line y = mx + 5 passes through point (a, b), where a ≠ 0

and b ≠ 0. If m is a constant, what is the slope of the line
in terms of a and b?
 A)
b−5

B)
a−5

C)
5−b

D)
5−a

14. Julius has budgeted $150 per month for electricity. Last
month his electricity bill was $190 based on a rate of $0.12
per kilowatt hour. Which of the equations below represents
the number of kilowatt hours, k, by which Julius needs to
reduce his electricity usage this month in order to meet his
budget?
A)
k
= 40
0.12

B)
k
= 40
12

C) 0.12k = 40
D) 0.12k = 150

15. The line with the equation 3 x − 8 y = 2 is graphed in the

2 7

xy-plane. What is the x-coordinate of the x-intercept of the

line?
16. A factory produces parts on two eight-hour shifts per day.
Each shift produces the parts at a different, but constant,
rate. The number of parts produced by each shift are
added to obtain a cumulative total for the day. If the
cumulative number of parts produced by the end of two
hours of the second shift was 320 and the cumulative
number produced by the end of five hours of the second
shift was 440, how many parts per hour did the first shift
produce?
A) 30
B) 40
C) 70
D) 240
17. In the graph above, what is the speed, to the nearest 5
miles per hour, between 1 and 2 hours?

18. Last week, Kimmy practiced piano p minutes each day for
5 days, and Carl practiced cello c minutes each day for 6
days. Which of the following represents the total number of
 minutes Kimmy and Carl practiced their instruments last
week?
A) 11pc
B) 30pc
C) 5p + 6c
D) 6p + 5c

19. The total inventory of a certain automobile dealer

consists of 13 sport utility vehicles, 14 pickup trucks, 15
sedans, and 26 vehicles that are not one of these three
types. How many vehicles are in the dealer’s inventory?
A) 50
B) 80
C) 120
D) 160

20. The number of members that joined the Spanish club

between 2000 and 2010 is twice the number of members
who joined between 1990 and 2000. If 17 members joined
the Spanish club between 1990 and 2000 and m members
joined between 2000 and 2010, which of the following
equations is true?
A) 17m = 2
B) 2m = 17
C) m + 2 = 17
 D)
m
= 17
2

Answers and Explanations

Solving Equations Drill

2x + 3 − x = 7 + +x − x

1. x + 3 = 7

x = 4

−2x + 4 + 2x + 10 = 5x − 10 + 2x + 10

2. 14 = 7x

2 = x

4x + 5 + 2x − 11 = x + 4

6x − 6 = x + 4

3. 6x − x − 6 + 6 = x − x + 4 + 6

5x = 10

x = 2

1
2( x + 1) = 2(3x − 4)
2

x + 2 = 6x − 8

4. x − x + 2 + 8 = 6x − x − 8 + 8

10 = 5x

2 = x
 3 3 4 1
( x) + ( x) = x + 1
3 4 4 3

9 4
x + x = x + 1
12 12

13
x = x + 1
5. 12

13 12
x − x = x − x + 1
12 12

1
x = 1
12

x = 12

2kx + 3 − x − 3 = x − 1 − x − 3

2kx − x = −4
6.
x(2k − 1) = −4

−4
x =
2k−1

12x+16 8x+20y+12z
=
4 4

3x + 4 = 2x + 5y + 3z
7.
3x − 2x + 4 − 4 = 2x + 5y + 3z − 2x − 4

x = 5y + 3z − 4

8.
3x + 2y − 4 − 3x − 8z − 2 = 7x + 8z + 2 − 3x − 8x − 2

2y − 8z − 6 = 4x

2y−8z−6 4x
=
4 4

y−4z−3
= x
2
 xy + 4y = 2x + 7

xy + 4y − 2x − 4y = 2x + 7 − 2x − 4y

9. xy − 2x = 7 − 4y

x(y − 2) = 7 − 4y

7−4y
x =
y−2

x(x + 4) − 3(x + 4) = x(x + 5) − 2(x + 5)

2 2
x + 4x − 3x − 12 = x + 5x − 2x − 10

2 2
x + x − 12 = x + 3x − 10
10.
x − 12 − x + 10 = 3x − 10 − x + 10

−2 = 2x

−1 = x
Translation Drill
1. R = 3B − 4
2. $92 = (1.00 − 0.15)P = 0.85P
3.
D
S =
2.5

4. xy = x + y + 5
5. J + 5 = 2(B − 2) + 1
6.
B+2 3
=
R 1

7. (R − 3) + (R + 2) + (R + 4) + (R + 5)
8.
3
D − 2 = C
5

9.
1 1
(x − y)( (x + y))
3 2

10.
1
(M + 10, 000) + A = 2(M + M)
2

Slope-lntercept Form Drill

3−5 −2
m = ( ) = = 2
4−5 −1

5 = 2(5) + b
1.
b = −5

y = 2x − 5

1−3 −2
m = = = −1
−5−(−7) 2

3 = −1(−7) + b
2.
b = −4

y = −x − 4
 4.5−4.5 0
m = = = 0
3−(−3) 6

4.5 = 0(−3) + b
3.
b = 4.5

y = 4.5

−3−(−4) 1
m = =
8−(−5) 13

1
−3 = (8) + b
4. 13

8
b = −3
13

1 8
y = x − 3
13 13

1 15 −30
0−7 −
2 2 4
m = 1 1
= 3
= 15
= −2
3 −(− ) 3
4 2 4 4

1
0 = −2(3 ) + b
5. 4

1
b = 6
2

1
y = −2x + 6
2
Linear Equations Practice Set
1. D
Difficulty: Easy
Strategic Advice: Substitute the given value for b to solve
for a, and then plug that value into the second equation.

Getting to the Answer: Start with a = 13 (24) = 8. Plug this

value into the second equation: 7(8) + 8 = 56 + 8 = 64.
Choice (D) is correct.

2. B
Difficulty: Easy
Strategic Advice: Translate the wording into an equation
and solve for 2x.
Getting to the Answer: The phrase “4 less than 10” means
10 − 4, or 6. So 4x + 5 = 6. Simplifying, 4x = 1, and
. Choice (B) is correct.
4x 1
= 2x =
2 2

3. D
Difficulty: Hard
Strategic Advice: Because the line passes through the point
(0, 0), the ratio of y:x, where x and y are the coordinates of
any point on the line, will be the slope. Keep in mind that the
question asks for the ratio of x:y, so your final answer will be
the reciprocal of the slope.
Getting to the Answer: Using the point (6, 5), the slope is
5:6, but this is the trap choice (C) since the question asks for
the ratio of a:b rather than b:a. Therefore, (D), 6:5 is correct.

4. 6
Difficulty: Medium
Strategic Advice: Look for any patterns in the given
equation that may help you efficiently solve the equation.
Getting to the Answer: Notice that the term 8x + 12
appears on both sides of the equation, so rewrite the equation
as 5 = 4 (8x + 12) − 4 (8x + 12). So 5 = 4 (8x + 12). Thus,
4 3 1

5 = 2x + 3, so 2x = 2, and x = 1. The value of 5x + 1 is 5(1)

+ 1 = 6.

5. B
Difficulty: Medium
Strategic Advice: Set up an equation in y = mx + b format,
then plug the values in the choices into that equation.
Getting to the Answer: Since the line passes through the
origin, the y-intercept is 0, and the equation is simply
x. For (B),−14 = (−6) = 7(−2) = −14. There’s no
7 7
y =
3 3

need to go any further.

6. B
Difficulty: Easy
Strategic Advice: Describe what the parts of the given
equation mean in terms of the wording of the stem, then
evaluate the choices.
Getting to the Answer: The equation is in y = mx + b
format, so the number of people in front of Sara is 34 when m
= 0, and the number of people in front of Sara decreases at
the rate of 2 people per minute. Only (B) is a correct
interpretation.

7. 3 or 15
Difficulty: Easy
Strategic Advice: Isolate the term inside the absolute value
signs. This can be either positive or negative values of the
same magnitude. Since this is a Grid-in question, you only
need to solve for one or the other.
Getting to the Answer: Start with |d − 9| = 11 − 5 = 6.
One solution is d − 9 = 6, so d = 15. (If d − 9 = −6, then d =
3.)

8. B
Difficulty: Hard
Strategic Advice: Since the line passes through the origin,
the equation for the line is y = mx. Write two equations for
the slope using the given points and solve for c.
Getting to the Answer: Using the first point, the slope of
the line is −4−0
c−0
= −
c

4
. Using the second point, the slope is

Since the slope is constant, set these two

−9−0 9
= − .
c−0 c

expressions equal to each other and solve for c : −

c

4
= −
9

c
.

So, c2 = 36, and c = ±6. Only (B) matches.

9. A
Difficulty: Easy
Strategic Advice: Plug the given value for w into the
equation and solve for d.
Getting to the Answer: Start with 300 = 240 + 1.2d. Solve
to find that 60 = 1.2d, and d = 50. Choice (A) is correct.

10. A
Difficulty: Medium
Strategic Advice: Regardless of the value of b, the absolute
value term must be greater than or equal to 0. Evaluate the
choices accordingly.
Getting to the Answer: For (A), if b − 2 = 0, then the
expression equals −2. (A) is correct.

11. C
Difficulty: Medium
Strategic Advice: Relating the wording to the equation, 172
is the starting distance to the park. This is reduced by 57
miles for each hour of travel.
Getting to the Answer: (A) is incorrect per the analysis. (B)
is incorrect because h is the number of hours, not 57 (which is
an absurd value as well). The analysis shows that 57 is the
number of miles traveled each hour, so (C) is correct.

12. A
Difficulty: Hard
Strategic Advice: Determine the coordinates of the points.
Find the midpoint of AB using x- and y-value averages, then
determine the equation connecting that midpoint to point C
expressed in slope-intercept form.
Getting to the Answer: Point A is (−6, 2), point B is (0,6),
and point C is (2, −6). The x-value of the midpoint of AB is
= −3, and the y-value is = 4. The slope of the line
−6+0 2+6

2 2

passing through this point, (−3, 4), and point C is

= −2. The only choices with −2x are (A) and
−6−4 −10
=
2−(−3) 5

(B). You could solve for the y-intercept, but a quick glance at
the figure enables you to see that (A) is correct.

13. A
Difficulty: Hard
Strategic Advice: Plug the values a and b into y = mx + 5
and solve for m.
Getting to the Answer: The equation becomes b = ma + 5,
so ma = b − 5. Divide both sides by a to get m = b−5
a
, which

is (A).

14. C
Difficulty: Easy
Strategic Advice: Use the units to help convert the wording
into an equation.
Getting to the Answer: The unit given in the stem is 0.12
dollars per kilowatt hour, so when multiplied by kilowatt
hours, the units work out to dollars:
$0.12
× k kilowatthours = 0.12kdollars.
1 kilowatthour

The amount by which Julius wants to reduce his electric bill is

$40. So, delete the units and set this equal to 40 to get 0.12k
= 40. Choice (C) is correct.

15. 3
Difficulty: Medium
Strategic Advice: At the x-intercept of the line, y = 0.
Getting to the Answer: To find the x-intercept, replace y in
the equation with 0, and solve for x:

2 7
x − y = 2
3 8

2 7
x − (0) = 2
3 8

2
x = 2
3

3
x = 2( )
2

x = 3

The correct answer is 3.

16. A
Difficulty: Hard
Strategic Advice: The cumulative number of parts produced
at the start of the second shift is the number produced in 8
hours by the first shift. Find the slope of the production for the
second shift, then the initial amount, using the form of an
equation y = mx + b. The amount at the beginning of the
second shift will be the amount produced by the first shift.
Use that value to determine the rate of production for the first
shift.
Getting to the Answer: The slope (production per hour) of
the second shift is 440−320
5−2
=
120

3
= 40. Plug in the values

from the end of the second hour to get the y-intercept for the
second shift: 320 = 2(40) + b, so b = 320 − 80 = 240. This is
the cumulative total number of parts after the first shift. Since
the first shift is 8 hours long, the production rate is
240parts parts

8hrs
= 30
hr
. Choice (A) is correct.

17. 25
Difficulty: Medium
Strategic Advice: Since the y-axis is miles and the x-axis is
hours, the slope of the line will be speed in miles per hour.
Getting to the Answer: The y-value at 2 hours is about 75,
and the y-value at 1 hour is 50. Thus, the slope between
these points is 75−50
2−1
= 25.

18. C
Difficulty: Easy
Strategic Advice: Translate the wording into an equation
and evaluate the choices.
Getting to the Answer: The question asks for the total
practice minutes for both students. For Kimmy, that is 5p, and
for Carl, that is 6c. The total will be the sum of the two terms.
Since the terms have different variables, they cannot be
combined, so (C) is correct.

19. C
Difficulty: Medium
Strategic Advice: Take advantage of the fact that the total
inventory must be divisible by 3, 4, and 5; otherwise, there
would be fractional cars and trucks.
Getting to the Answer: Since 3 × 4 × 5 = 60, the total
inventory must be evenly divisible by 60. Only (C) meets that
requirement. For the record, if you chose to set up and solve
an equation to arrive at the answer, the correct starting
equation would be as follows (t is the total number of
vehicles): 13 t + 14 t + 15 t + 26 = t. This simplifies to 20t +
15t + 12t + 1,560 = 60t, so 1,560 = 13t, and t = 120.

20. D
Difficulty: Easy
Strategic Advice: Translate the wording into an equation
and isolate m.
Getting to the Answer: Since twice as many members
joined between 2000 and 2010 as the 17 who joined between
1990 and 2000, m = 2 × 17 = 34. Divide both sides by 2 to
get m2
=
34

2
= 17, which is (D).