SAT / ACT Coordinate Geometry Review

Here is a brief review of the coordinate geometry concepts tested on the

ACT. There are some practice problems at the end of the worksheet.
Please note: there is no review of how to graph an equation on this
worksheet. Questions testing this concept are infrequent and if you do
see one, remember that you can just plug the equation into your graphing
calculator and have it do the work for you!
 Part 1
The Cartesian Grid
Every real point (x, y) has a place on this grid. For instance, the point
A(3, 1) can be found by counting over on the x-axis three units to the
right of the origin (0, 0), and then counting on the y-axis one unit up
from the origin.

The Cartesian grid can be broken up into four quadrants with respect to
the x-axis and y-axis. The signs of x and y depend on the quadrant in
which the point lies.
 1
Example 1 A triangle has as vertices (0, –2), (0, 6), and (5, 4 2 ). How
many square units are in its area?
Solution: The correct answer is 20.

y
6
Q(0, 6)

H P(5, 4.5)
4

5
x

-2
R(0, -2)

In the triangle PQR, use QR = 8 as base and PH = 5 as altitude.

1 1
Area = 2 bh= 2 ( 8 )( 5 )=20.
Example 2 What is the area of the triangle whose vertices have
coordinates (0, 0), (5, 1), and (2, 6)?

y
R P(2, 6) S
6

R(5, 1)
T
O(0, 0) 5
x

Solution: The correct answer is 14.

Box the triangle OPQ into rectangle ORST as shown.

∆OPQ = Rect ORST – (∆ORP + ∆PSQ + ∆OQT)
Rect ORST = 6 × 5 = 30
1
∆ OPR= ( 6 ×2 )=6
2
1
∆ PSQ= ( 5 ×3 )=7.5
2
1
∆ OPR= ( 6 ×2 )=6
2
1
∆ OQT = ( 5 ×1 ) =2.5
2
Total = 16.
∆ OPQ=¿ 30 – 16 = 14
Example 3 In the figure, PQRS is a square of side 6. What are the
coordinates of vertex Q?
Solution: The correct answer is (0,−3 √ 2).
Let OQ = OP = a. By Pythagorean Theorem,
OP 2+OQ 2=PQ 2
a 2+ a2=62
2a 2=36
a 2=18
a = √ 18=3 √ 2
Coordinates of Q are (0, −a ) = (0, −3 √ 2).

Example 4 In which quadrants does the graph of the equation xy = 4 lie?

Solution: The correct answer is QI and QIII.

Since xy is positive, x and y must be both positive or both negative.
Thus, the graph is in quadrants I and III.

Example 5 What is the total number of points whose coordinates satisfy

both equations xy = –6 and y = x?
Solution: The correct answer is 0. The line y = x lies in QI and QIII.
The curve xy = –6 lies in QII and QIV. There are no intersections.

Part 2
Distance between points
 The distance d between two points whose coordinates are
(x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is
2 2
√
d= ( x 2−x 1 ) + ( y 2− y1 )

Example 1 Find the distance between the following points:

A (–4, 3) and B (1, –2).
Solution: To solve this problem, you can turn the line segment AB into a
hypotenuse of a right triangle, find the legs, and use the Pythagorean
Theorem. Draw through points A and B dotted lines parallel to the
coordinate axes and add an imaginary point C where they intersect at the
right angle. How long would the legs be? The vertical leg goes up the y
axis from –2 all the way to 3, so it would be 5 units long. The horizontal
leg goes across the x axis from –4 to 1, so it is also 5 units long.

Now we can apply the Pythagorean Theorem:

a2 + b2 = c2, so 52 + 52 = c2, c2 = 50, c = √ 50 = 5√ 2

To solve this problem, you can also use the distance formula:
2 2
√
d= ( x 2−x 1 ) + ( y 2− y1 )
 2 2
¿ √ ( 1+ 4 ) + (−2−3 )
2 2
¿ √ 5 + (−5 )
¿ √ 25+25

¿ √ 50

¿ 5 √2

Example 2 In the figure, what is the area of the semicircular region in

terms of π ?

25 π
Solution: The correct answer is 2 .
Determine the diameter and the radius of the semicircle:
d = √ ( 0−8 )2+ ( 6−0 )2 = √ 64+36 = √ 100 = 10,
1
r= 2
d = 5,
1 1 2 25 π
Area = 2 πr 2= 2 π( 5 ) = 2 .

Part 3
Midpoint of Line Segments
The coordinates of the midpoint M(x, y) of the line segment that joins the
points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are

x 1+ x 2 y1+ y2
x= , y=
2 2

Example 1 Find the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment

joining the following points: (1, 2) and (5, 8).

Solution: The correct answer is (3, 5).

Let (x, y) be the coordinates of the midpoint, then:

1+ 5 2+ 8
x= 2
=3, y= 2
¿5

Coordinates are (3, 5).

Example2 Find the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment

joining the following points: (5, 8) and (3, –4).
Solution:

( x ¿ ¿ m, y m )= ( 5+2 3 , 8−4
2 ) = (4, 2)
¿
Example 3 M is the midpoint of line segment PQ ´ . The coordinates of
point P are (5, –3) and of point M are (5, 7). Find the coordinates of
point Q.

Solution: Let the coordinates of Q be (x, y). Then

5+ x −3+ y
2
=¿ 5 and 2
=¿ 7

5 + x =10 –3 + y = 14
x=5 y = 17

Coordinates of Q are (5, 17)

Example 4 The coordinates of the vertices of the triangle ABC are
A(–2, –2), B(8, –2), and C(1, 6).

(a) In radical form, find the length of median CM.

(b) Write an equation of the locus of points equidistant from A and B.

Solution:
(a) The correct answer is 2√ 17.

Determine the coordinates of the point M:

−2+8
x = 2 =3, y = –2
The coordinates of M are (3, –2).
CM = √ ( 3−1 )2 + (−2−6 )2
= √ 4 +64
¿ √ 68
¿ 2 √ 17 .

(b) The correct answer is x = 3.

Locus is vertical line through M whose equation is x = 3.

Part 4
 Circle

The graph of the equation x2 + y2 = r2 is a circle of radius r with center at

the origin.

Example 1 Find the equation of the circle centered at (0, 0) and passing
through the point (–5, 12):

Solution:
r 2= (−5 )2+ 122 =25+144=169,

x2 + y2 = 169
Example 2 Which of the following points lies inside the circle x2 + y2 =
25?

A) (3, 4)
(B) (–4, 3)
(C) (4, 2√ 2 ¿
(D) (4, 2√ 3 ¿
(E) None of these

Solution: (C) The given circle has a radius of 5 and center at the origin.
Points A and B are at distance 5 from the origin and lie on the circle.

√ 32 +4 2=√ (−4 )2 +32=5

The distance of D from the origin is
2 2
√ 4 + ( 2 √3 ) =√16+ 12=√ 28>5
D lies outside the circle. The distance of point C from the origin is
2 2
√ 4 + ( 2 √2 ) = √16+ 8=√ 24< 5
C lies inside the circle.

Example 3 If the equations x2 + y2 = 16 and y = x2 + 2 are graphed on

the same set of axes, how many points of intersection are there?
Solution: Sketch both graphs as indicated.

x2 + y2 = 16 is a circle of radius 4 and center at origin. y = x2 + 2 is a

parabola. Several points are (0, 2), (±1, 3), (±2, 6). The graphs intersect
in two points.

Part 5
Slope
The slope of a line segment measures the change in vertical distance,
rise, in relation to the change in horizontal distance, run.

The slope m of a line passing through the points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is
given by
rise ∆ y y 2− y 1
m= = =
run ∆ x x 2−x 1
= tan θ

Remember:
If a line has a positive slopes, it rises from left to right
If a line has a negative slope, it falls from left to right.
A slope of 0 means, that the line is horizontal.
An undefined slope means that the line is vertical.

Example 1 Find the slopes of the line segments containing the following
pairs of points: (1, –3) and (–2, 1).
1−(−3) −4
Solution: m=
−2−1
=
3

Example 2 If the angle of inclination of a straight line is 30° , what is

the slope of this line?
 3
Solution: The correct answer is √3 .
Slope = tangent of angle of inclination.
1 1 √3 √ 3
m = tan 30° = √3 = √ 3 ∙ √3 = 3
.

Part 6
 Linear Equations: Slope y-intercept form
The graph of an equation of the form y = mx + b, called slope y-intercept
form, is a straight line whose slope is m and whose y-intercept is b. Y-
intercept is a point on the coordinate plane where a graph crosses y-axis.
Example 1 What is the slope of the graph of the equation 3x – 2y = 8?

Solution: The correct answer is 1.5.

3x – 2y = 8
– 2y = –3x + 8
3
y = 2x – 4

Example 2 Find the slope and y-intercept of the line 5x + 2y = 10.

Solution: Isolate the y to get the equation into y = mx + b form:
2y = –5x + 10
5
y = –2x + 5
5
m = – 2 (slope), b = 5 (y-intercept)
Example 3 What is the y–intercept of the line whose equation is 5x – 2y
= 6?
Solution: The correct answer is –3.
5x – 2y = 6?
– 2y = –5x + 6
5
y = 2 x−3
Y-intercept equals –3.

Example 4 What is the equation of the locus of points equidistant from

the points (3, 0) and (0, 3)?
Solution: The locus is the perpendicular bisector of PQ. This locus is a
line bisecting the first quadrant angle. Its equation is y = x.

Example 5 A straight line joints the points (0, 1) and (4, 5). For any
point (x, y) on this line, write an equation relating y and x.

Solution: The correct answer is y = x + 1.

The equation of a line in point slope form is y = mx + b.
Since the line passes through the point (0, 1), its y-intercept is b = 1.
Slope of the line:
5−1 4
m= = =1.
4−0 4
Equation of the line is y = x + 1.

Example 6 At what point do the graphs of the equation y = x – 3 and y =

2x – 5 intersect?
Solution: The correct answer is (2, –1).
Solve the two equations simultaneously.
y = x – 3, y = 2x – 5
x – 3 = 2x – 5,
x = 2, y = 2 – 3 = – 1

Example 7 What is the equation of the graph in the figure?

Solution:
The graph consists of the two straight lines y = x in the first and third
quadrants, and y = –x in the second and fourth. The equation is therefore
|y| = |x|.

Part 7
Linear Equations: Slope-Point Form
 Parallel Lines

The ACT writers like to test the creation of equations. Often you will be
given information such as the slope and one point on a line, or just two
points from a given line. From that information, you will need to create
an equation for those points.
The equation of a straight line passing through a given point (x1, y1) and
having slope m is y – y1 = m (x – x1).
Two lines are parallel if and only if their slopes are equal: m|| = m.
The equation of a line parallel to the x-axis is y = k where k is a
constant.

The equation of a line parallel to the y-axis is x = c where c is a

constant.

Example1 The slope of a line is –3 and the point (4, 1) is on the line.
What is the equation of the line?
Solution:
y – 1 = –3(x – 4)
y – 1 = –3x +12
3x + y –13 = 0 (standard form) or y = –3x + 13 (slope y-intercept form)

Example 2 Find the equation of a line parallel to 2x – 3y = 6 that passes

through the point (3, 4)
Solution: Put the equation into form y = mx + b to see the slope:
– 3y = – 2x + 6
2 2
y = 3x – 2 ⇒ m = 3
Using the point slope form, find the equation of the parallel line:
2
y – 4 = 3 (x – 3)
3(y – 4) = 2(x – 3)
3y – 12 = 2x – 6
3y = 2x + 6
2
y= 3 x + 2 (slope y-intercept form) or 2x – 3y + 6 = 0 (standard form).

Example 3 Find the equation of the straight line through the point (5, –
4) and parallel to the line y = 3x – 2.

Solution: The slope of y = 3x – 2 is 3. The desired line, therefore, has

slope 3. The equation of the parallel line is y = 3x + b, where b is the
unknown y-intercept. Substitute x = 5 and y = –4 into the equation, and
determine the value of b:
y = 3x + b
–4 = 3(5) + b
–4 = 15 + b
b = –19
y = 3x – 19

Part 8
Perpendicular Lines
Two lines are perpendicular if and only if their slopes are negative
1
reciprocals: m⟘= – m .

Example1 Find the equation of a line perpendicular to the line 2y – x + 4

that passes through the point (–2, –4).
Solution: Put the equation into form y = mx + b to find the slope:
2y = x – 4
1
y =2 x – 2
1
m= 2 ⇒ m⟘ = –2 (negative reciprocal)
Using the point slope form, find the equation of the parallel line:
y + 4= –2(x + 2)
y + 4= –2x – 4
y = –2x – 8
Example 2 A line j is drawn perpendicular to the graph of the line
whose equation is 2x + 3y = 5. What is the slope of line j?

3
Solution: The correct answer is 2 .
Find slope of 2x + 3y = 5. Solve for y:
3y = –2x + 5
−2 5
y = 3 x+3
−2
The slope is 3 .
−2
The slope of the perpendicular line is negative reciprocal of 3 , which is
3
2
.

Example 3 A triangle has vertices R (1, 2), S (7, 10), and T (–1, 6).
What kind of a triangle is RST?
Solution:
10−2 8 4
Slope of RS = 7−1 = =
6 3

6−2 4
Slope of RT = −1−1 = −2 =−2

10−6 4 1
Slope of ST = 7−(−1) = =
8 2

Since the slope of ST is the negative reciprocal of the slope of RT, TR ⟘

ST and the triangle is a right triangle.

Part 9
 Parabola, Ellipse, Hyperbola

The graph of the general quadratic function y = ax2 + bx + c is a

parabola with an axis of symmetry parallel to the y-axis. The equation
−b
of the axis of symmetry is x= 2 a .
The graph of ax2 + by2 = c, where a, b, and c are positive, is an ellipse
with center at the origin. The ellipse is symmetric with respect to the
origin.

The graph of ax2 – by2 = c, where a, b, and c are positive, is a hyperbola

symmetric with respect to the origin and having intercepts only on the x-
axis.
Example 1 Write an equation of the axis of symmetry of the graph of
the function f (x) = 2x – x2.

Solution: The correct answer is x = 1.

Find the x-intercepts of the parabola y = 2x – x2:
y = 0, 2x – x2 = 0, x (2 – x) = 0, x = 0 or x = 2.
The axis of symmetry is a vertical line halfway between x = 0 and x = 2.
Its equation is x = 1.

2 y
f x = 2  x-x2

x
0 1 2

x=1
-2

Example 2 Given the function {(x, y) | y = x2 – 2x – 4} whose domain is

–2 ≤ x ≤ 4. If this function is graphed, what are the coordinates of the
turning point of the graph?

Solution: The correct answer is (1, –5).

The turning point of the graph is the vertex of the parabola:
Determine the coordinates of the vertex:
−b −−2
x= 2a = 2( 1)
=1, y = 12−2 ∙1−4=−5.
Turning point is (1, –5).
Example 3 The graph of the relation x2 = y2 + 3 is
(A) an ellipse
(B) a parabola
(C) a circle
(D) a hyperbola
(E) a straight line

Solution: The correct answer is (D).

x2 = y2 + 3 or x2 – y2 = 3, which is a hyperbola.