SAT Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

Question 1

Which equation represents a translation of the function y = f(x) 4 units to the right?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

y = f(x - 4). Horizontal translations are caused by addition or subtraction done inside of the function notation. Since this is a subtraction, the translation is to the right.

Question 2

A trophy shop has been commissioned to create spherical trophies for a soccer tournament. Each spherical soccer trophy has a radius of 1 inch, while an actual regulation soccer ball has a radius of 4 inches.

Which of the following expresses the ratio of the volume of the spherical trophy to the volume of the actual soccer ball?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

1:64. When looking to find the relationship between the volumes of the two spherical figures in the question stem, we’ll want to keep in mind the formula for the volume of a sphere: \displaystyle \frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}

So, if we plug each radius into this formula, we’ll arrive at:

\displaystyle \frac{4}{3}\pi (1)^{3} = \frac{4}{3}\pi \displaystyle \frac{4}{3}\pi(4)^{3} = \frac{4}{3}\pi(64)

Thus, the ratio between the two volumes is:

\displaystyle \frac{\frac{4}{3}\pi}{\frac{4}{3}\pi(64)} Since the \displaystyle \frac{4}{3}\picomponent cancels in both the numerator and the denominator, the ratio of the volumes is 1:64. Be sure to arrange the ratio in the order asked for in the question stem! Additionally, you’ll want to keep in mind that when a change in scale is applied to multiple dimensions, the scale changes exponentially! We can actually save some time on questions like this if we recognize this relationship. For instance, here, the “scale factor,” or change in scale from the smaller radius to the larger radius is 4, but since the relationship we’re looking for compares volume to volume, we need to account for the fact that the scale factor has been taken to the third power for the three dimensional measurement at hand. Thus, the ratio of the volumes will be 1 to 4³, or 1 to 64.

Question 3

In the figure below, AD || BC. mAC = 13. mBC = 5. If mBD = 15, what is mAD?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

9. Correct answer: B. To find AD , we first need to know AB. Since AB belongs to both triangles, we’ll use what we know about triangle ABC to find AB, using the Pythagorean Theorem. AB is a short side, so we’ll call it a. The Pythagorean Theorem is a² + b² = c2 (a and b are the shorter sides, c is the hypotenuse) Plugging in gives a² + 5² = 13². Squaring gives a² + 25 = 169. Subtracting 25 on each side gives a² = 144 . Taking the square roots gives a=12 . This means AB = 12. To find AD, we’ll use the Pythagorean Theorem again, with a representing AD this time. Plugging in gives a² + 12² = 15². Squaring gives a² + 144 = 225. Subtracting 144 from each side gives a² = 81. Taking the square root gives a = 9, which is length of AD.

Question 4

Starting from her home, Mirinda rides her bike in a straight line due south for \displaystyle 24 kilometers, then turns and rides in a straight line due west for \displaystyle 7 kilometers, at which point she stops. Assuming that she can ride in any direction with no barriers, what is the distance of her shortest route back home?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

25 kilometers. This problem forces you to visualize a right triangle from the information provided in the story. When Mirinda makes a turn from heading directly south to heading directly west, that is a \displaystyle 90-degree right angle. And the shortest distance to get from her endpoint ( \displaystyle 24 km south and \displaystyle 7km west) back home is a diagonal line that connects the triangle:

So that shortest distance home is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with shorter sides \displaystyle 7and \displaystyle 24.

To solve, you can use the Pythagorean Theorem: \displaystyle a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}, where \displaystyle a and \displaystyle b are lengths of the shorter sides and \displaystyle c is the length of the hypotenuse. This then means that: \displaystyle 7^{2}+24^{2}=c^{2} This simplifies to: \displaystyle 49+576=c^{2}

So \displaystyle c^{2}=625 and \displaystyle c=25.

Note that \displaystyle 7:24:25is a relatively-common Pythagorean triplet and is one you should consider memorizing. You should absolutely memorize \displaystyle 3:4:5and \displaystyle 5:12:13as side ratios, with \displaystyle 7:24:25and \displaystyle 8:15:17as much lower priority (as they are tested much less frequently, and you can always use Pythagorean Theorem if you do not know them offhand).

Question 5

The above table shows the growth of two plants in cm.

Which of the following statements best describes the growth of these two plants?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Plant A shows exponential growth while Plant B is linear.. Each hour doubles the height of Plant A. Doubling is a characteristic of exponential growth \displaystyle (2t). Each hour adds \displaystyle 5cm to the height of Plant B. Additive and subtractive trends are characteristic of linear growth \displaystyle (5t).

Question 6

The writer is considering deleting the underlined sentence. Should the writer do this?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

No, because this is useful and relevant contextual information.. The writer should not delete the underlined sentence. This information supports the main idea of the paragraph, and the sentence appears in the correct place in the logical organization of the paragraph.

Choice B is incorrect because this sentence does not explain the previous sentence; rather, it adds a detail that is further explained in the next sentence.

Choice C is incorrect because moving the sentence would interrupt the organizational flow of the paragraph.

Choice D is incorrect because this information does not interrupt the flow of ideas in the paragraph.

Question 7

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.

After agreeing to another ceasefire; they returned to their former claimed areas.

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Ceasefire, they returned. A semicolon can join to independent clauses - clauses that can stand alone as sentences. “After agreeing to another ceasefire” is an introductory phrase; therefore, the comma is necessary to separate it from the independent clause.

Question 8

Haiti

[1]

Although my friends and family were skeptical of whether <1> I would be safe, I boarded the plane in New York boldly <2>and flew to Haiti. My college roommate had agreed to take medical supplies to a rural clinic where his brother was a physician, and I agreed to go and help.

[2]

When me and my roommate <3>landed at the airport in the capital Port au Prince, the chaos inside the airport was frightening. Dozens of men approached us while gesturing to our luggage, and yelling at us in Creole. They wanted us to select their taxis. I was thrilled <4>when my roommate smiled at someone who called our names through the crowd.

[3]

Papi, our designated transporter, was a Haitian man in his early twenties who works <5>for the physician. He warmly welcomed us to his country, and seemed to have a great sense of humor.<6> He laughed nonstop during our ride through the capital city. Once we were on the open highway, Papi taught us basic Creole greetings to pass the time during our excessively long four-hour commute. <7>

[4]

The mountainous town where we would spend the week was beautiful, and I immediately fell in love with the place and its people. The views rocked! <8>Even though I could not fluently speak Creole, I made the most of my time with the land and its inhabitants. Several daily tasks kept me busy that week. The medical clinic was a modest two-room building, and their <9>staff needed help reorganizing the supply pantry. I removed, counted, sorted, and restocked supplies, <10>before adding the additional resources we brought from the United States. After I cleaned and organized the supply pantry, I assisted a visiting nutritionist with distributing vitamins to the locals. <11>

[5]

Each evening, two dozen young children would sit on the porch where my roommate and I stayed. They laughed constantly, they <12>always found joy in the simplest of things. They did teach <13>us to count in Creole and read children’s stories to us in French. They invited us to kick balls with them and chase yard chickens. Even though they did not have many toys, the children entertained one another with conversation, laughter and storytelling.

[6]

When it was time to leave Haiti and return to New York, I was sad to say goodbye. Although my roommate and I delivered medical supplies to their community, the people gave us memories that will last the rest of our lives.<14>

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Its. The mountainous town where we would spend the week was beautiful, and I immediately fell in love with the place and its people. The views rocked! <8>Even though I could not fluently speak Creole, I made the most of my time with the land and its inhabitants. Several daily tasks kept me busy that week. The medical clinic was a modest two-room building, and their <9>staff needed help reorganizing the supply pantry. I removed, counted, sorted, and restocked supplies, <10>before adding the additional resources we brought from the United States. After I cleaned and organized the supply pantry, I assisted a visiting nutritionist with distributing vitamins to the locals. <11>

A. NO CHANGE

B. it’s

C. its

D. ones

The correct answer is C because of case and number and personal pronouns. Collective nouns, such as medical clinic, are institutions, not people.

Question 9

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.

It was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston.

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

William Hyde Wollaston discovered it in 1803.. The original sentence uses the passive voice. To emphasize who discovered palladium, use the active voice, represented by the sentence “William Hyde Wollaston discovered it in 1803.” Here, the sentence states the subject, Wollaston, before the noun (discovered).

Question 10

Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

freed slaves in the rebelling states but not in the bordering Union states. The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Confederate held states that were rebelling. The border states of Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware, and Maryland were not affected. All Union states had either already freed their slaves, or would do so in separate state and federal actions. Slavery was not actually illegal until the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, however.

SAT Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

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