Plane Geometry Test Topics

None of these questions would appear on the Math 2 test, but that’s only because the Math 2 test
makers assume you know plane geometry cold. To perform well on Math 2 solid geometry,
coordinate geometry, and trigonometry questions, you must first be able to do the kind of plane
geometry questions you’ll see here. In this chapter, we’ll use these questions to review the plane
geometry you’re expected to know for the Mathematics 2 subject test. We will also use these
questions to demonstrate some effective problem-solving techniques, alternative methods, and
test-taking strategies that apply to geometry questions.

ADDING AND SUBTRACTING SEGMENT LENGTHS

The simplest type of plane geometry you may have to do is like Example 1, which involves adding
and subtracting segment lengths. It’s typical of Math 2 that the lengths you have to add and subtract
are algebraic expressions rather than numbers.

Example 1

Figure  1

In  Figure  1,  the length  of      is  3a  +   15, and the length  of      is  7a  +   5.  If  Y   is  the midpoint

of   ,  what    is  the length  of  ?

1.

(A) 5   +   4a

(B) 5   −   2a

(C) 25  +   4a

(D) 20  +   5a

(E) 10  +   5a