ACT Math : ACT Math

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #52 : Graphing

Coordinate_pair_1

What are the coordinates of Point A, and in which quadrant is it located?

Possible Answers:

, Quadrant II

, Quadrant II

, Quadrant IV

, Quadrant IV

Correct answer:

, Quadrant IV

Explanation:

Coordinate points are given x-coordinate first, y-coordinate second.  Quadrants are numbered counter-clockwise, with Quadrant I consisting of positive x-coordinates and positive y-coordinates, Quadrant II consisting of negative x-coordinates and positive y-coordinates, Quadrant III consisting of negative x-coordinates and negative y-coordinates, and Quadrant IV consisting of positive x-coordinates and negative y-coordinates.

(3, -2), Quadrant IV is correct because it lists the coordinates in the correct order and correctly identifies the Quadrant.

(3, -2), Quadrant II is incorrect because, while it lists the coordinates in the correct order, it misidentifies the Quadrant.

(-2, 3), Quadrant IV is incorrect because, while it correctly identifies the Quadrant, it lists the coordinates in the incorrect order.

(-2, 3), Quadrant II is incorrect because it both lists the coordinates in the incorrect order and misidentifies the Quadrant.

Example Question #53 : Graphing

Which graph correctly represents the position of the point at ?

Possible Answers:

Coordinate_pair_4

Coordinate_pair_2

Coordinate_pair_5

Coordinate_pair_3

Correct answer:

Coordinate_pair_3

Explanation:

Coordinate points are given x-coordinate first, y-coordinate second.  The correct representation plots the point one unit to the left of the origin on the x-axis and four units up from the origin on the y-axis.

Example Question #244 : Coordinate Plane

Coordinate_pair_6

Which of the following correctly identifies Points A and B, in that order, on the line?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Coordinate points are given x-coordinate first, y-coordinate second.

(-2, 1), (2, 4) is correct because it list the coordinates of each point in the correct order.

(1, -2), (4, 2) is incorrect because it lists the coordinates of each point in the incorrect order.

(2, 4), (-2, 1) is incorrect because, while it lists the coordinates of each point correctly, it misidentifies the points.

(4, 2), (1, -2) is incorrect because it both lists the coordinates of each point in the incorrect order and misidentifies the points.

Example Question #54 : Graphing

What is the distance between (7, 13) and (1, 5)?

 

Possible Answers:

10

7

None of the answers are correct

5

12

Correct answer:

10

Explanation:

The distance formula is given by d = square root [(x2 – x1)2 + (y2 – y1)2].  Let point 2 be (7,13) and point 1 be (1,5).  Substitute the values and solve.

Example Question #881 : Act Math

What is the slope of this line?Screen_shot_2013-07-13_at_5.10.26_pm

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The slope is found using the formula .

We know that the line contains the points (3,0) and (0,6). Using these points in the above equation allows us to calculate the slope.

Example Question #252 : Coordinate Plane

What is the amplitude of the function if the marks on the y-axis are 1 and -1, respectively?

Screen_shot_2013-07-16_at_10.04.45_am

Possible Answers:

π

1

3π

2π

0.5

Correct answer:

1

Explanation:

The amplitude is half the measure from a trough to a peak.

Example Question #882 : Act Math

What is the midpoint between  and ?

Possible Answers:

None of the answers are correct

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The x-coordinate for the midpoint is given by taking the arithmetic average (mean) of the x-coordinates of the two end points. So the x-coordinate of the midpoint is given by 

The same procedure is used for the y-coordinates. So the y-coordinate of the midpoint is given by 

Thus the midpoint is given by the ordered pair 

Example Question #254 : Coordinate Plane

If the graph has an equation of , what is the value of ?Screen_shot_2013-07-16_at_9.41.58_am

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

 is the -intercept and equals  can be solved for by substituting  in the equation for , which yields 

Example Question #881 : Act Math

The equation  represents a line.  This line does NOT pass through which of the four quadrants?

Possible Answers:

I

Cannot be determined

IV

II

III

Correct answer:

III

Explanation:

Plug in  for  to find a point on the line:

Thus,  is a point on the line.

Plug in   for  to find a second point on the line:

 is another point on the line.

Now we know that the line passes through the points  and .  

A quick sketch of the two points reveals that the line passes through all but the third quadrant.

Example Question #6 : How To Graph A Line

Line

Refer to the above red line. A line is drawn perpendicular to that line, and with the same -intercept.  Give the equation of that line in slope-intercept form.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we need to find the slope of the above line. 

The slope of a line. given two points  can be calculated using the slope formula

Set :

 

The slope of a line perpendicular to it has as its slope the opposite of the reciprocal of 2, which would be . Since we want this line to have the same -intercept as the first line, which is the point , we can substitute  and  in the slope-intercept form:

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