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Hello

How does one answer this type of problem? It seems that the latest tests have at least one question like this and I am not sure what kind of math this is.

This problem is on the practice test available at CB.

23. If a triangle has exactly one of its vertices on a circle,
which of the following CANNOT be the number of
points that the triangle and the circle have in common?
(A) Two
(B) Three
(C) Four
(D) Five
(E) Six

Thanks in advance

Edit: Found the answer. I was looking for something more than just drawing the various triangles. Kinda silly question.

By Pat57575 (Pat57575) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 05:24 pm: Edit

The answer would be E, b/c five is the maximum number of points the triangle and circle could have in common. Each side of the triangle can have up to two points of intersection with the circle, but we know that two of the sides share one of these points (the vertice on the circle). Therefore the max number that the two could have in common would be five.

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 05:28 pm: Edit

Great answer.

That sounds a lot more intelligent than my own answer about "drawing" out.

Thanks a lot.

By Virgo007 (Virgo007) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 07:37 pm: Edit

I was just like starin at the problem like "what"...damn im stupid as hell

By Mattymatt (Mattymatt) on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 12:39 am: Edit

lol that question was actually easy. But so trivial and irrelevant to mathematical reasoning abilities that I fear the ETS has run out of questions

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 01:25 am: Edit

It was indeed very easy...so easy that I probably would have missed if given during a real test. I looked at it for a while and thought I was missing something really complicated. However, 30 seconds after posting here, it downed on me that it must be a simple deduction.

I don't think that there was anything of this kind in the Real 10 SAT book. I am very happy that I followed a link to the CB site where they have the 2002, 2001 exams as well as this practice one. I guess that is the beauty of taking preparatory tests.

I hope that we will find some newer tests and verify the evolution of certain questions.

That is definitely not one to solve with a Ti-89

By Virgo007 (Virgo007) on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 01:32 pm: Edit

oh yeah thanks! just rub it in.. :\

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 02:21 pm: Edit

Virgo ... not meant to rub it in!

I also stared at it for the longest time when I practiced. After that, I looked at it some more and had no clue Then I decided to post it BECAUSE I could not find the answer. I believe that typing the question out gave me the path to solve it.

Our brain works in funny ways!