Math: 1a621af4

ID: 1a621af4

(SAT Suite Question Bank > Find Questions > Assessment: SAT + Test: Math + Domain: Algebra)

Comment: When following a chain of conditions or parameters, it often helps to work through them in reverse order.

Method 1: Using the above method, we know we are looking for the greatest possible value of x. Keep working backwards through the conditions.

y is -4 --> y = -4

3 times the value of y --> 3 * (-4) = -12

2 less than [the above] --> -12 - 2 = -14

x is at most [the above]

The correct answer must be -14.

Method 2: If you are comfortable with the algebra, you could model the line, but then that begs the question, Why not solve without the graph? Still, if you like to see the answer for confirmation, there is nothing wrong with inputting the equation x ≤ 3y - 2 and hovering over the point y = -4 or even adding y = -4 as a second equation and looking for the point of intersection.

Remember, the question is not asking about the maximum or minimum value of y, but about the maximum value of x when y is -4. Once again, the correct answer is -14.

Method 3:  A more textbook approach would be write out the inequality step by step, but that is kind of what we have done above, twice, so there is little to add at this point.