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Lines in the Plane practice questions — SAT Math

13 free multiple-choice problems on lines in the plane, ordered to match SAT Math difficulty, each with a full worked solution. No account needed — and there's a fresh problem set every day.

Problems & worked solutions

Problem #0417 International

Problem 1Lines in the Plane

The line 2x3y+6=02x - 3y + 6 = 0 crosses the xx-axis at:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. (3,0)(-3, 0)✓ correct
  2. B. (0,3)(0, -3)
  3. C. (0,2)(0, 2)
  4. D. (3,0)(3, 0)

2x+6=0x=32x + 6 = 0 \Rightarrow x = -3, so the line crosses the xx-axis at (3,0)(-3, 0).

Problem #0418 International

Problem 2Lines in the Plane

Determine aRa \in \mathbb{R} so that A(1,2)A(1, 2), B(3,4)B(3, 4), and C(a,5)C(a, 5) are collinear.

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 22
  2. B. 33
  3. C. 44✓ correct
  4. D. 55

AB=(2,2)\overrightarrow{AB} = (2, 2), AC=(a1,3)\overrightarrow{AC} = (a - 1, 3). Collinear ⇒ a12=32a1=3a=4\dfrac{a - 1}{2} = \dfrac{3}{2} \Rightarrow a - 1 = 3 \Rightarrow a = 4.

Problem #0415 International

Problem 3Lines in the Plane

A line perpendicular to y=2x+1y = 2x + 1 passing through the origin has slope:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 2-2
  2. B. 12-\dfrac{1}{2}✓ correct
  3. C. 12\dfrac{1}{2}
  4. D. 22

m1m2=1m2=12m_1 \cdot m_2 = -1 \Rightarrow m_2 = -\dfrac{1}{2}.

Problem #0932 US SAT

Problem 4Lines in the Plane

The lines y=2x+3y = 2x + 3 and y=2x1y = 2x - 1 are:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. parallel and distinct✓ correct
  2. B. the same line
  3. C. perpendicular
  4. D. intersecting at exactly one point

Both lines have slope 22 but different yy-intercepts (33 and 1-1).

Same slope, different intercept ⇒ parallel and distinct (never meet).

Problem #0931 US SAT

Problem 5Lines in the Plane

The distance from the point (0,0)(0, 0) to the line 3x+4y10=03x + 4y - 10 = 0 is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 11
  2. B. 22✓ correct
  3. C. 107\dfrac{10}{7}
  4. D. 1010

With (x0,y0)=(0,0)(x_0, y_0) = (0, 0) and the line 3x+4y10=03x + 4y - 10 = 0:

d=3(0)+4(0)1032+42=1025=105=2d = \dfrac{|3(0) + 4(0) - 10|}{\sqrt{3^{2} + 4^{2}}} = \dfrac{|-10|}{\sqrt{25}} = \dfrac{10}{5} = 2.

Problem #0414 International

Problem 6Lines in the Plane

A line parallel to y=3x+2y = -3x + 2 passing through (1,4)(1, 4) has equation:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. y=3x+1y = 3x + 1
  2. B. y=3x+4y = -3x + 4
  3. C. y=3x+7y = -3x + 7✓ correct
  4. D. y=13x+4y = \dfrac{1}{3}x + 4

Slope =3= -3. Line through (1,4)(1, 4): y4=3(x1)y=3x+7y - 4 = -3(x - 1) \Rightarrow y = -3x + 7.

Problem #0416 International

Problem 7Lines in the Plane

The distance from A(2,3)A(2, 3) to the line 3x4y+5=03x - 4y + 5 = 0 is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 15\dfrac{1}{5}✓ correct
  2. B. 25\dfrac{2}{5}
  3. C. 35\dfrac{3}{5}
  4. D. 11

d=3243+59+16=15=15d = \dfrac{|3 \cdot 2 - 4 \cdot 3 + 5|}{\sqrt{9 + 16}} = \dfrac{|-1|}{5} = \dfrac{1}{5}.

Problem #0412 International

Problem 8Lines in the Plane

The yy-intercept of y=2x+5y = -2x + 5 is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 5-5
  2. B. 2-2
  3. C. 55✓ correct
  4. D. 22

The constant term in slope-intercept form is the yy-intercept: b=5b = 5.

Problem #0413 International

Problem 9Lines in the Plane

The equation of the line through A(0,1)A(0, 1) and B(2,5)B(2, 5) is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. y=x+5y = x + 5
  2. B. y=2x1y = 2x - 1
  3. C. y=2x+1y = 2x + 1✓ correct
  4. D. y=2x+5y = -2x + 5

Slope =2= 2. The line through (0,1)(0, 1): y1=2(x0)y=2x+1y - 1 = 2(x - 0) \Rightarrow y = 2x + 1.

Problem #0929 US SAT

Problem 10Lines in the Plane

The slope of the line y=3x+5y = -3x + 5 is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. 55
  2. B. 33
  3. C. 3-3✓ correct
  4. D. 53\dfrac{5}{3}

The line is in slope-intercept form y=mx+by = mx + b with m=3m = -3 and b=5b = 5.

So the slope is 3-3.

3 more Lines in the Plane questions in the app

Also covered in Lines in the Plane practice across every exam.

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