Plane Geometry
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SAT Math › Plane Geometry
100_π_
50_π_
25_π_
10_π_
20_π_
Explanation
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 .
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.
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

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

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
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.
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
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 .
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