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 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 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 16 17 . It's given that the equation 3𝑘𝑥 + 13 = 17 𝑥 + 36 has no solution. A linear equation in the form
48

𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏 = 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑, where 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, and 𝑑 are constants, has no solution only when the coefficients of 𝑥 on each side of the
equation are equal and the constant terms aren't equal. Dividing both sides of the given equation by 3 yields
𝑘𝑥 + 13 = 48
51 𝑥 + 3 , or 𝑘𝑥 + 13 = 17 𝑥 + 12. Since the coefficients of 𝑥 on each side of the equation must be equal, it follows
36 16

that the value of 𝑘 is 1617 . Note that 16/17, .9411, .9412, and 0.941 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

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 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 -22. The given equation can be rewritten as -2𝑡 + 3 = 38. Dividing both sides of this equation by -2
yields 𝑡 + 3 = - 19. Subtracting 3 from both sides of this equation yields 𝑡 = - 22. Therefore, -22 is the value of 𝑡 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 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 313, or 39, yields 39 𝑥 +3 6 = 39 𝑥13
+6
, or 13𝑥 + 6 = 3𝑥 + 6.
Subtracting 3𝑥 + 6 from both sides of this equation yields 10𝑥 + 6 = 0. Dividing both sides of this equation by 10 yields
𝑥 + 6 = 0. Therefore, if 𝑥 +3 6 = 𝑥13
+6
, then the value of 𝑥 + 6 is 0. It follows that of the given choices, the value of 𝑥 + 6 is
between -2 and 2.

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 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 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