Plane Geometry

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SAT Math › Plane Geometry

Questions 1 - 10
1

Circle_graph_area3

100_π_

50_π_

25_π_

10_π_

20_π_

Explanation

Circle_graph_area2

2

The base angle of an isosceles triangle is 15 less than three times the vertex angle. What is the vertex angle?

Explanation

Every triangle contains 180 degrees. An isosceles triangle has one vertex angle and two congruent base angles.

Let = vertex angle and = base angle

So the equation to solve becomes .

3

A triangle has the following side lengths:

Which of the following correctly describes the triangle?

Acute and isosceles

Obtuse and isosceles

Acute and scalene

Obtuse and scalene

None of these

Explanation

The triangle has two sides of equal length, 13, so it is by definition isosceles.

To determine whether the triangle is acute, right, or obtuse, compare the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two shortest sides to the square of the length of the longest side. The former quantity is equal to

The latter quantity is equal to

The former is greater than the latter; consequently, the triangle is acute. The correct response is that the triangle is acute and isosceles.

4

What is the area of a square that has a diagonal whose endpoints in the coordinate plane are located at (-8, 6) and (2, -4)?

100

100√2

50√2

50

200√2

Explanation

Square_part1

Square_part2

Square_part3

5

Right triangle 7

What is the perimeter of the triangle above?

Explanation

The figure shows a right triangle. The acute angles of a right triangle have measures whose sum is , so

Substituting for :

This makes a 45-45-90 triangle. By the 45-45-90 Triangle Theorem, the length of leg is equal to that of hypotenuse , the length of which is 12, divided by . Therefore,

Rationalize the denominator by multiplying both halves of the fraction by :

By the same reasoning, .

The perimeter of the triangle is

6

Right triangle 7

What is the perimeter of the triangle above?

Explanation

The figure shows a right triangle. The acute angles of a right triangle have measures whose sum is , so

Substituting for :

This makes a 45-45-90 triangle. By the 45-45-90 Triangle Theorem, the length of leg is equal to that of hypotenuse , the length of which is 12, divided by . Therefore,

Rationalize the denominator by multiplying both halves of the fraction by :

By the same reasoning, .

The perimeter of the triangle is

7

Find the length of the diameter given the radius is 5.

Explanation

To solve, simply use the formula for the diameter of a circle

where r is 5. Thus,

Remember, the diameter is the longest distance across a circle, and since the radius is 5, you can simply double that. Thus, the answer is 10.

8

A right triangle has legs of 15m and 20m. What is the length of the hypotenuse?

30m

45m

35m

40m

25m

Explanation

The Pythagorean theorem is a2 + b2 = c2, where a and b are legs of the right triangle, and c is the hypotenuse.

(15)2 + (20)2 = c2 so c2 = 625. Take the square root to get c = 25m

9

The base angle of an isosceles triangle is 15 less than three times the vertex angle. What is the vertex angle?

Explanation

Every triangle contains 180 degrees. An isosceles triangle has one vertex angle and two congruent base angles.

Let = vertex angle and = base angle

So the equation to solve becomes .

10

A right triangle has legs of 15m and 20m. What is the length of the hypotenuse?

30m

45m

35m

40m

25m

Explanation

The Pythagorean theorem is a2 + b2 = c2, where a and b are legs of the right triangle, and c is the hypotenuse.

(15)2 + (20)2 = c2 so c2 = 625. Take the square root to get c = 25m

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