20 Random Questions

Hints will display for most wrong answers; explanations for most right answers. You can attempt a question multiple times; it will only be scored correct if you get it right the first time.

I used the official objectives and sample test to construct these questions, but cannot promise that they accurately reflect what’s on the real test. Some of the sample questions were more convoluted than I could bear to write. See terms of use. See the MTEL Practice Test main page to view questions on a particular topic or to download paper practice tests.

MTEL General Curriculum Mathematics Practice

Please wait while the activity loads.
If this activity does not load, try refreshing your browser. Also, this page requires javascript. Please visit using a browser with javascript enabled.

If loading fails, click here to try again

Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

A biology class requires a lab fee, which is a whole number of dollars, and the same amount for all students. On Monday the instructor collected $70 in fees, on Tuesday she collected $126, and on Wednesday she collected $266. What is the largest possible amount the fee could be?

A	$2 Hint: A possible fee, but not the largest possible fee. Check the other choices to see which are factors of all three numbers.
B	$7 Hint: A possible fee, but not the largest possible fee. Check the other choices to see which are factors of all three numbers.
C	$14 Hint: This is the greatest common factor of 70, 126, and 266.
D	$70 Hint: Not a factor of 126 or 266, so couldn't be correct.

Question 1 Explanation:

Topic: Use GCF in real-world context (Objective 0018)

Question 2

Here is a method that a student used for subtraction:

Which of the following is correct?

A	The student used a method that worked for this problem and can be generalized to any subtraction problem. Hint: Note that this algorithm is taught as the "standard" algorithm in much of Europe (it's where the term "borrowing" came from -- you borrow on top and "pay back" on the bottom).
B	The student used a method that worked for this problem and that will work for any subtraction problem that only requires one regrouping; it will not work if more regrouping is required. Hint: Try some more examples.
C	The student used a method that worked for this problem and will work for all three-digit subtraction problems, but will not work for larger problems. Hint: Try some more examples.
D	The student used a method that does not work. The student made two mistakes that cancelled each other out and was lucky to get the right answer for this problem. Hint: Remember, there are many ways to do subtraction; there is no one "right" algorithm.

Question 2 Explanation:

Topic: Analyze and justify standard and non-standard computational techniques (Objective 0019).

Question 3

Use the samples of a student's work below to answer the question that follows:

This student divides fractions by first finding a common denominator, then dividing the numerators.

$ \large \dfrac{2}{3} \div \dfrac{3}{4} \longrightarrow \dfrac{8}{12} \div \dfrac{9}{12} \longrightarrow 8 \div 9 = \dfrac {8}{9}$ $ \large \dfrac{2}{5} \div \dfrac{7}{20} \longrightarrow \dfrac{8}{20} \div \dfrac{7}{20} \longrightarrow 8 \div 7 = \dfrac {8}{7}$ $ \large \dfrac{7}{6} \div \dfrac{3}{4} \longrightarrow \dfrac{14}{12} \div \dfrac{9}{12} \longrightarrow 14 \div 9 = \dfrac {14}{9}$

Which of the following best describes the mathematical validity of the algorithm the student is using?

A	It is not valid. Common denominators are for adding and subtracting fractions, not for dividing them. Hint: Don't be so rigid! Usually there's more than one way to do something in math.
B	It got the right answer in these three cases, but it isn‘t valid for all rational numbers. Hint: Did you try some other examples? What makes you say it's not valid?
C	It is valid if the rational numbers in the division problem are in lowest terms and the divisor is not zero. Hint: Lowest terms doesn't affect this problem at all.
D	It is valid for all rational numbers, as long as the divisor is not zero. Hint: When we have common denominators, the problem is in the form a/b divided by c/b, and the answer is a/c, as the student's algorithm predicts.

Question 3 Explanation:

Topic: Analyze Non-Standard Computational Algorithms (Objective 0019).

Question 4

Four children randomly line up, single file. What is the probability that they are in height order, with the shortest child in front? All of the children are different heights.

A	$ \large \dfrac{1}{4}$ Hint: Try a simpler question with 3 children -- call them big, medium, and small -- and list all the ways they could line up. Then see how to extend your logic to the problem with 4 children.
B	$ \large \dfrac{1}{256} $ Hint: Try a simpler question with 3 children -- call them big, medium, and small -- and list all the ways they could line up. Then see how to extend your logic to the problem with 4 children.
C	$ \large \dfrac{1}{16}$ Hint: Try a simpler question with 3 children -- call them big, medium, and small -- and list all the ways they could line up. Then see how to extend your logic to the problem with 4 children.
D	$ \large \dfrac{1}{24}$ Hint: The number of ways for the children to line up is $4!=4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1 =24$ -- there are 4 choices for who is first in line, then 3 for who is second, etc. Only one of these lines has the children in the order specified.

Question 4 Explanation:

Topic: Apply knowledge of combinations and permutations to the computation of probabilities (Objective 0026).

Question 5

The column below consists of two cubes and a cylinder. The cylinder has diameter y, which is also the length of the sides of each cube. The total height of the column is 5y. Which of the formulas below gives the volume of the column?

A	$ \large 2{{y}^{3}}+\dfrac{3\pi {{y}^{3}}}{4}$ Hint: The cubes each have volume $y^3$. The cylinder has radius $\dfrac{y}{2}$ and height $3y$. The volume of a cylinder is $\pi r^2 h=\pi ({\dfrac{y}{2}})^2(3y)=\dfrac{3\pi {{y}^{3}}}{4}$. Note that the volume of a cylinder is analogous to that of a prism -- area of the base times height.
B	$ \large 2{{y}^{3}}+3\pi {{y}^{3}}$ Hint: y is the diameter of the circle, not the radius.
C	$ \large {{y}^{3}}+5\pi {{y}^{3}}$ Hint: Don't forget to count both cubes.
D	$ \large 2{{y}^{3}}+\dfrac{3\pi {{y}^{3}}}{8}$ Hint: Make sure you know how to find the volume of a cylinder.

Question 5 Explanation:

Topic: Derive and use formulas for calculating the lengths, perimeters, areas, volumes, and surface areas of geometric shapes and figures (Objective 0023).

Question 6

Which of the numbers below is the decimal equivalent of $ \dfrac{3}{8}?$

A	0.38 Hint: If you are just writing the numerator next to the denominator then your technique is way off, but by coincidence your answer is close; try with 2/3 and 0.23 is nowhere near correct.
B	0.125 Hint: This is 1/8, not 3/8.
C	0.375
D	0.83 Hint: 3/8 is less than a half, and 0.83 is more than a half, so they can't be equal.

Question 6 Explanation:

Topic: Converting between fractions and decimals (Objective 0017)

Question 7

Which of the following sets of polygons can be assembled to form a pentagonal pyramid?

A	2 pentagons and 5 rectangles. Hint: These can be assembled to form a pentagonal prism, not a pentagonal pyramid.
B	1 square and 5 equilateral triangles. Hint: You need a pentagon for a pentagonal pyramid.
C	1 pentagon and 5 isosceles triangles.
D	1 pentagon and 10 isosceles triangles.

Question 7 Explanation:

Topic:Classify and analyze three-dimensional figures using attributes of faces, edges, and vertices (Objective 0024).

Question 8

The speed of sound in dry air at 68 degrees F is 343.2 meters per second. Which of the expressions below could be used to compute the number of kilometers that a sound wave travels in 10 minutes (in dry air at 68 degrees F)?

A	$ \large 343.2\times 60\times 10$ Hint: In kilometers, not meters.
B	$ \large 343.2\times 60\times 10\times \dfrac{1}{1000}$ Hint: Units are meters/sec $\times$ seconds/minute $\times$ minutes $\times$ kilometers/meter, and the answer is in kilometers.
C	$ \large 343.2\times \dfrac{1}{60}\times 10$ Hint: Include units and make sure answer is in kilometers.
D	$ \large 343.2\times \dfrac{1}{60}\times 10\times \dfrac{1}{1000}$ Hint: Include units and make sure answer is in kilometers.

Question 8 Explanation:

Topic: Use unit conversions and dimensional analysis to solve measurement problems (Objective 0023).

Question 9

Below is a portion of a number line.

Point A is one-quarter of the distance from 0.26 to 0.28. What number is represented by point A?

A	$ \large0.26$ Hint: Please reread the question.
B	$ \large0.2625$ Hint: This is one-quarter of the distance between 0.26 and 0.27, which is not what the question asked.
C	$ \large0.265$
D	$ \large0.27$ Hint: Please read the question more carefully. This answer would be correct if Point A were halfway between the tick marks, but it's not.

Question 9 Explanation:

Topic: Using number lines (Objective 0017)

Question 10

The least common multiple of 60 and N is 1260. Which of the following could be the prime factorization of N?

A	$ \large2\cdot 5\cdot 7$ Hint: 1260 is divisible by 9 and 60 is not, so N must be divisible by 9 for 1260 to be the LCM.
B	$ \large{{2}^{3}}\cdot {{3}^{2}}\cdot 5 \cdot 7$ Hint: 1260 is not divisible by 8, so it isn't a multiple of this N.
C	$ \large3 \cdot 5 \cdot 7$ Hint: 1260 is divisible by 9 and 60 is not, so N must be divisible by 9 for 1260 to be the LCM.
D	$ \large{{3}^{2}}\cdot 5\cdot 7$ Hint: $1260=2^2 \cdot 3^2 \cdot 5 \cdot 7$ and $60=2^2 \cdot 3 \cdot 5$. In order for 1260 to be the LCM, N has to be a multiple of $3^2$ and of 7 (because 60 is not a multiple of either of these). N also cannot introduce a factor that would require the LCM to be larger (as in choice b).

Question 10 Explanation:

Topic: Least Common Multiple (Objective 0018)

Question 11

If two fair coins are flipped, what is the probability that one will come up heads and the other tails?

A	$ \large \dfrac{1}{4}$ Hint: Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities.
B	$ \large \dfrac{1}{3} $ Hint: This is a very common misconception. There are three possible outcomes -- both heads, both tails, and one of each -- but they are not equally likely. Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities.
C	$ \large \dfrac{1}{2}$ Hint: The possibilities are HH, HT, TH, TT, and all are equally likely. Two of the four have one of each coin, so the probability is 2/4=1/2.
D	$ \large \dfrac{3}{4}$ Hint: Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities.

Question 11 Explanation:

Topic: Calculate the probabilities of simple and compound events and of independent and dependent events (Objective 0026).

Question 12

There are six gumballs in a bag — two red and four green. Six children take turns picking a gumball out of the bag without looking. They do not return any gumballs to the bag. What is the probability that the first two children to pick from the bag pick the red gumballs?

A	$ \large \dfrac{1}{3}$ Hint: This is the probability that the first child picks a red gumball, but not that the first two children pick red gumballs.
B	$ \large \dfrac{1}{8}$ Hint: Are you adding things that you should be multiplying?
C	$ \large \dfrac{1}{9}$ Hint: This would be the probability if the gumballs were returned to the bag.
D	$ \large \dfrac{1}{15}$ Hint: The probability that the first child picks red is 2/6 = 1/3. Then there are 5 gumballs in the bag, one red, so the probability that the second child picks red is 1/5. Thus 1/5 of the time, after the first child picks red, the second does too, so the probability is 1/5 x 1/3 = 1/15.

Question 12 Explanation:

Topic: Calculate the probabilities of simple and compound events and of independent and dependent events (Objective 0026).

Question 13

The Americans with Disabilties Act (ADA) regulations state that the maximum slope for a wheelchair ramp in new construction is 1:12, although slopes between 1:16 and 1:20 are preferred. The maximum rise for any run is 30 inches. The graph below shows the rise and runs of four different wheelchair ramps. Which ramp is in compliance with the ADA regulations for new construction?

A	A Hint: Rise is more than 30 inches.
B	B Hint: Run is almost 24 feet, so rise can be almost 2 feet.
C	C Hint: Run is 12 feet, so rise can be at most 1 foot.
D	D Hint: Slope is 1:10 -- too steep.

Question 13 Explanation:

Topic: Interpret meaning of slope in a real world situation (Objective 0022).

Question 14

The histogram below shows the number of pairs of footware owned by a group of college students.

Which of the following statements can be inferred from the graph above?

A	The median number of pairs of footware owned is between 50 and 60 pairs. Hint: The same number of data points are less than the median as are greater than the median -- but on this histogram, clearly more than half the students own less than 50 pairs of shoes, so the median is less than 50.
B	The mode of the number of pairs of footware owned is 20. Hint: The mode is the most common number of pairs of footwear owned. We can't tell it from this histogram because each bar represents 10 different numbers-- perhaps 8 students each own each number from 10 to 19, but 40 students own exactly 6 pairs of shoes.... or perhaps not....
C	The mean number of pairs of footware owned is less than the median number of pairs of footware owned. Hint: This is a right skewed distribution, and so the mean is bigger than the median -- the few large values on the right pull up the mean, but have little effect on the median.
D	The median number of pairs of footware owned is between 10 and 20. Hint: There are approximately 230 students represented in this survey, and the 41st through 120th lowest values are between 10 and 20 -- thus the middle value is in that range.

Question 14 Explanation:

Topics: Analyze and interpret various graphic and data representations, and use measures of central tendency (e.g., mean, median, mode) and spread to describe and interpret real-world data (Objective 0025).

Question 15

A teacher has a list of all the countries in the world and their populations in March 2012. She is going to have her students use technology to compute the mean and median of the numbers on the list. Which of the following statements is true?

A	The teacher can be sure that the mean and median will be the same without doing any computation. Hint: Does this make sense? How likely is it that the mean and median of any large data set will be the same?
B	The teacher can be sure that the mean is bigger than the median without doing any computation. Hint: This is a skewed distribution, and very large countries like China and India contribute huge numbers to the mean, but are counted the same as small countries like Luxembourg in the median (the same thing happens w/data on salaries, where a few very high income people tilt the mean -- that's why such data is usually reported as medians).
C	The teacher can be sure that the median is bigger than the mean without doing any computation. Hint: Think about a set of numbers like 1, 2, 3, 4, 10,000 -- how do the mean/median compare? How might that relate to countries of the world?
D	There is no way for the teacher to know the relative size of the mean and median without computing them. Hint: Knowing the shape of the distribution of populations does give us enough info to know the relative size of the mean and median, even without computing them.

Question 15 Explanation:

Topic: Use measures of central tendency (e.g., mean, median, mode) and spread to describe and interpret real-world data (Objective 0025).

Question 16

Which of the following is equal to one million three hundred thousand?

A	$\large1.3\times {{10}^{6}}$
B	$\large1.3\times {{10}^{9}}$ Hint: That's one billion three hundred million.
C	$\large1.03\times {{10}^{6}}$ Hint: That's one million thirty thousand.
D	$\large1.03\times {{10}^{9}}$ Hint: That's one billion thirty million

Question 16 Explanation:

Topic: Scientific Notation (Objective 0016)

Question 17

How many factors does 80 have?

A	$ \large8$ Hint: Don't forget 1 and 80.
B	$ \large9$ Hint: Only perfect squares have an odd number of factors -- otherwise factors come in pairs.
C	$ \large10$ Hint: 1,2,4,5,8,10,16,20,40,80
D	$ \large12$ Hint: Did you count a number twice? Include a number that isn't a factor?

Question 17 Explanation:

Topic: Understand and apply principles of number theory (Objective 0018).

Question 18

Which of the following is equivalent to $ \dfrac{3}{4}-\dfrac{1}{8}+\dfrac{2}{8}\times \dfrac{1}{2}?$

A	$ \large \dfrac{7}{16}$ Hint: Multiplication comes before addition and subtraction in the order of operations.
B	$ \large \dfrac{1}{2}$ Hint: Addition and subtraction are of equal priority in the order of operations -- do them left to right.
C	$ \large \dfrac{3}{4}$ Hint: $ \dfrac{3}{4}-\dfrac{1}{8}+\dfrac{2}{8}\times \dfrac{1}{2}$=$ \dfrac{3}{4}-\dfrac{1}{8}+\dfrac{1}{8}$=$ \dfrac{3}{4}+-\dfrac{1}{8}+\dfrac{1}{8}$=$ \dfrac{3}{4}$
D	$ \large \dfrac{3}{16}$ Hint: Multiplication comes before addition and subtraction in the order of operations.

Question 18 Explanation:

Topic: Operations on Fractions, Order of Operations (Objective 0019).

Question 19

A family has four children. What is the probability that two children are girls and two are boys? Assume the the probability of having a boy (or a girl) is 50%.

A	$ \large \dfrac{1}{2}$ Hint: How many different configurations are there from oldest to youngest, e.g. BGGG? How many of them have 2 boys and 2 girls?
B	$ \large \dfrac{1}{4}$ Hint: How many different configurations are there from oldest to youngest, e.g. BGGG? How many of them have 2 boys and 2 girls?
C	$ \large \dfrac{1}{5}$ Hint: Some configurations are more probable than others -- i.e. it's more likely to have two boys and two girls than all boys. Be sure you are weighting properly.
D	$ \large \dfrac{3}{8}$ Hint: There are two possibilities for each child, so there are $2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 =16$ different configurations, e.g. from oldest to youngest BBBG, BGGB, GBBB, etc. Of these configurations, there are 6 with two boys and two girls (this is the combination $_{4}C_{2}$ or "4 choose 2"): BBGG, BGBG, BGGB, GGBB, GBGB, and GBBG. Thus the probability is 6/16=3/8.

Question 19 Explanation:

Topic: Apply knowledge of combinations and permutations to the computation of probabilities (Objective 0026).

Question 20

Solve for x: $\large 4-\dfrac{2}{3}x=2x$

A	$ \large x=3$ Hint: Try plugging x=3 into the equation.
B	$ \large x=-3$ Hint: Left side is positive, right side is negative when you plug this in for x.
C	$ \large x=\dfrac{3}{2}$ Hint: One way to solve: $4=\dfrac{2}{3}x+2x$ $=\dfrac{8}{3}x$.$x=\dfrac{3 \times 4}{8}=\dfrac{3}{2}$. Another way is to just plug x=3/2 into the equation and see that each side equals 3 -- on a multiple choice test, you almost never have to actually solve for x.
D	$ \large x=-\dfrac{3}{2}$ Hint: Left side is positive, right side is negative when you plug this in for x.

Question 20 Explanation:

Topic: Solve linear equations (Objective 0020).

Once you are finished, click the button below. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect. Get Results

There are 20 questions to complete.

←

List

→

Return

Shaded items are complete.

1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20
End

Return

If you found a mistake or have comments on a particular question, please contact me (please copy and paste at least part of the question into the form, as the numbers change depending on how quizzes are displayed). General comments can be left here.

A	\( \large \dfrac{1}{4}\) Hint: Try a simpler question with 3 children -- call them big, medium, and small -- and list all the ways they could line up. Then see how to extend your logic to the problem with 4 children.
B	\( \large \dfrac{1}{256} \) Hint: Try a simpler question with 3 children -- call them big, medium, and small -- and list all the ways they could line up. Then see how to extend your logic to the problem with 4 children.
C	\( \large \dfrac{1}{16}\) Hint: Try a simpler question with 3 children -- call them big, medium, and small -- and list all the ways they could line up. Then see how to extend your logic to the problem with 4 children.
D	\( \large \dfrac{1}{24}\) Hint: The number of ways for the children to line up is \(4!=4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1 =24\) -- there are 4 choices for who is first in line, then 3 for who is second, etc. Only one of these lines has the children in the order specified.

A	\( \large 2{{y}^{3}}+\dfrac{3\pi {{y}^{3}}}{4}\) Hint: The cubes each have volume \(y^3\). The cylinder has radius \(\dfrac{y}{2}\) and height \(3y\). The volume of a cylinder is \(\pi r^2 h=\pi ({\dfrac{y}{2}})^2(3y)=\dfrac{3\pi {{y}^{3}}}{4}\). Note that the volume of a cylinder is analogous to that of a prism -- area of the base times height.
B	\( \large 2{{y}^{3}}+3\pi {{y}^{3}}\) Hint: y is the diameter of the circle, not the radius.
C	\( \large {{y}^{3}}+5\pi {{y}^{3}}\) Hint: Don't forget to count both cubes.
D	\( \large 2{{y}^{3}}+\dfrac{3\pi {{y}^{3}}}{8}\) Hint: Make sure you know how to find the volume of a cylinder.

A	\( \large 343.2\times 60\times 10\) Hint: In kilometers, not meters.
B	\( \large 343.2\times 60\times 10\times \dfrac{1}{1000}\) Hint: Units are meters/sec \(\times\) seconds/minute \(\times\) minutes \(\times\) kilometers/meter, and the answer is in kilometers.
C	\( \large 343.2\times \dfrac{1}{60}\times 10\) Hint: Include units and make sure answer is in kilometers.
D	\( \large 343.2\times \dfrac{1}{60}\times 10\times \dfrac{1}{1000}\) Hint: Include units and make sure answer is in kilometers.

A	\( \large0.26\) Hint: Please reread the question.
B	\( \large0.2625\) Hint: This is one-quarter of the distance between 0.26 and 0.27, which is not what the question asked.
C	\( \large0.265\)
D	\( \large0.27\) Hint: Please read the question more carefully. This answer would be correct if Point A were halfway between the tick marks, but it's not.

A	\( \large2\cdot 5\cdot 7\) Hint: 1260 is divisible by 9 and 60 is not, so N must be divisible by 9 for 1260 to be the LCM.
B	\( \large{{2}^{3}}\cdot {{3}^{2}}\cdot 5 \cdot 7\) Hint: 1260 is not divisible by 8, so it isn't a multiple of this N.
C	\( \large3 \cdot 5 \cdot 7\) Hint: 1260 is divisible by 9 and 60 is not, so N must be divisible by 9 for 1260 to be the LCM.
D	\( \large{{3}^{2}}\cdot 5\cdot 7\) Hint: \(1260=2^2 \cdot 3^2 \cdot 5 \cdot 7\) and \(60=2^2 \cdot 3 \cdot 5\). In order for 1260 to be the LCM, N has to be a multiple of \(3^2\) and of 7 (because 60 is not a multiple of either of these). N also cannot introduce a factor that would require the LCM to be larger (as in choice b).

A	\( \large \dfrac{1}{4}\) Hint: Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities.
B	\( \large \dfrac{1}{3} \) Hint: This is a very common misconception. There are three possible outcomes -- both heads, both tails, and one of each -- but they are not equally likely. Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities.
C	\( \large \dfrac{1}{2}\) Hint: The possibilities are HH, HT, TH, TT, and all are equally likely. Two of the four have one of each coin, so the probability is 2/4=1/2.
D	\( \large \dfrac{3}{4}\) Hint: Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities.

A	\( \large \dfrac{1}{3}\) Hint: This is the probability that the first child picks a red gumball, but not that the first two children pick red gumballs.
B	\( \large \dfrac{1}{8}\) Hint: Are you adding things that you should be multiplying?
C	\( \large \dfrac{1}{9}\) Hint: This would be the probability if the gumballs were returned to the bag.
D	\( \large \dfrac{1}{15}\) Hint: The probability that the first child picks red is 2/6 = 1/3. Then there are 5 gumballs in the bag, one red, so the probability that the second child picks red is 1/5. Thus 1/5 of the time, after the first child picks red, the second does too, so the probability is 1/5 x 1/3 = 1/15.

A	\(\large1.3\times {{10}^{6}}\)
B	\(\large1.3\times {{10}^{9}}\) Hint: That's one billion three hundred million.
C	\(\large1.03\times {{10}^{6}}\) Hint: That's one million thirty thousand.
D	\(\large1.03\times {{10}^{9}}\) Hint: That's one billion thirty million

A	\( \large8\) Hint: Don't forget 1 and 80.
B	\( \large9\) Hint: Only perfect squares have an odd number of factors -- otherwise factors come in pairs.
C	\( \large10\) Hint: 1,2,4,5,8,10,16,20,40,80
D	\( \large12\) Hint: Did you count a number twice? Include a number that isn't a factor?

A	\( \large \dfrac{7}{16}\) Hint: Multiplication comes before addition and subtraction in the order of operations.
B	\( \large \dfrac{1}{2}\) Hint: Addition and subtraction are of equal priority in the order of operations -- do them left to right.
C	\( \large \dfrac{3}{4}\) Hint: \( \dfrac{3}{4}-\dfrac{1}{8}+\dfrac{2}{8}\times \dfrac{1}{2}\)=\( \dfrac{3}{4}-\dfrac{1}{8}+\dfrac{1}{8}\)=\( \dfrac{3}{4}+-\dfrac{1}{8}+\dfrac{1}{8}\)=\( \dfrac{3}{4}\)
D	\( \large \dfrac{3}{16}\) Hint: Multiplication comes before addition and subtraction in the order of operations.

A	\( \large \dfrac{1}{2}\) Hint: How many different configurations are there from oldest to youngest, e.g. BGGG? How many of them have 2 boys and 2 girls?
B	\( \large \dfrac{1}{4}\) Hint: How many different configurations are there from oldest to youngest, e.g. BGGG? How many of them have 2 boys and 2 girls?
C	\( \large \dfrac{1}{5}\) Hint: Some configurations are more probable than others -- i.e. it's more likely to have two boys and two girls than all boys. Be sure you are weighting properly.
D	\( \large \dfrac{3}{8}\) Hint: There are two possibilities for each child, so there are \(2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 =16\) different configurations, e.g. from oldest to youngest BBBG, BGGB, GBBB, etc. Of these configurations, there are 6 with two boys and two girls (this is the combination \(_{4}C_{2}\) or "4 choose 2"): BBGG, BGBG, BGGB, GGBB, GBGB, and GBBG. Thus the probability is 6/16=3/8.

A	\( \large x=3\) Hint: Try plugging x=3 into the equation.
B	\( \large x=-3\) Hint: Left side is positive, right side is negative when you plug this in for x.
C	\( \large x=\dfrac{3}{2}\) Hint: One way to solve: \(4=\dfrac{2}{3}x+2x\) \(=\dfrac{8}{3}x\).\(x=\dfrac{3 \times 4}{8}=\dfrac{3}{2}\). Another way is to just plug x=3/2 into the equation and see that each side equals 3 -- on a multiple choice test, you almost never have to actually solve for x.
D	\( \large x=-\dfrac{3}{2}\) Hint: Left side is positive, right side is negative when you plug this in for x.

MTEL General Curriculum Mathematics Practice

A biology class requires a lab fee, which is a whole number of dollars, and the same amount for all students. On Monday the instructor collected $70 in fees, on Tuesday she collected $126, and on Wednesday she collected $266. What is the largest possible amount the fee could be?

$2

$7

$14

$70

Here is a method that a student used for subtraction:

Which of the following is correct?

The student used a method that worked for this problem and can be generalized to any subtraction problem.

The student used a method that worked for this problem and that will work for any subtraction problem that only requires one regrouping; it will not work if more regrouping is required.

The student used a method that worked for this problem and will work for all three-digit subtraction problems, but will not work for larger problems.

The student used a method that does not work. The student made two mistakes that cancelled each other out and was lucky to get the right answer for this problem.

Use the samples of a student's work below to answer the question that follows:

This student divides fractions by first finding a common denominator, then dividing the numerators.

Which of the following best describes the mathematical validity of the algorithm the student is using?

It is not valid. Common denominators are for adding and subtracting fractions, not for dividing them.

It got the right answer in these three cases, but it isn‘t valid for all rational numbers.

It is valid if the rational numbers in the division problem are in lowest terms and the divisor is not zero.

It is valid for all rational numbers, as long as the divisor is not zero.

Four children randomly line up, single file. What is the probability that they are in height order, with the shortest child in front? All of the children are different heights.

The column below consists of two cubes and a cylinder. The cylinder has diameter y, which is also the length of the sides of each cube. The total height of the column is 5y. Which of the formulas below gives the volume of the column?

Which of the numbers below is the decimal equivalent of \( \dfrac{3}{8}?\)

0.38

0.125

0.375

0.83

Which of the following sets of polygons can be assembled to form a pentagonal pyramid?

2 pentagons and 5 rectangles.

1 square and 5 equilateral triangles.

1 pentagon and 5 isosceles triangles.

1 pentagon and 10 isosceles triangles.

The speed of sound in dry air at 68 degrees F is 343.2 meters per second. Which of the expressions below could be used to compute the number of kilometers that a sound wave travels in 10 minutes (in dry air at 68 degrees F)?

Below is a portion of a number line.

Point A is one-quarter of the distance from 0.26 to 0.28. What number is represented by point A?

The least common multiple of 60 and N is 1260. Which of the following could be the prime factorization of N?

If two fair coins are flipped, what is the probability that one will come up heads and the other tails?

There are six gumballs in a bag — two red and four green. Six children take turns picking a gumball out of the bag without looking. They do not return any gumballs to the bag. What is the probability that the first two children to pick from the bag pick the red gumballs?

A

B

C

D

The histogram below shows the number of pairs of footware owned by a group of college students.

Which of the following statements can be inferred from the graph above?

The median number of pairs of footware owned is between 50 and 60 pairs.

The mode of the number of pairs of footware owned is 20.

The mean number of pairs of footware owned is less than the median number of pairs of footware owned.

The median number of pairs of footware owned is between 10 and 20.

A teacher has a list of all the countries in the world and their populations in March 2012. She is going to have her students use technology to compute the mean and median of the numbers on the list. Which of the following statements is true?

The teacher can be sure that the mean and median will be the same without doing any computation.

The teacher can be sure that the mean is bigger than the median without doing any computation.

The teacher can be sure that the median is bigger than the mean without doing any computation.

There is no way for the teacher to know the relative size of the mean and median without computing them.

Which of the following is equal to one million three hundred thousand?

How many factors does 80 have?

Which of the following is equivalent to \( \dfrac{3}{4}-\dfrac{1}{8}+\dfrac{2}{8}\times \dfrac{1}{2}?\)

A family has four children. What is the probability that two children are girls and two are boys? Assume the the probability of having a boy (or a girl) is 50%.

Solve for x: \(\large 4-\dfrac{2}{3}x=2x\)