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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


Your answers are highlighted below.
Question 1

What is the probability that two randomly selected people were born on the same day of the week?  Assume that all days are equally probable.

A
\( \large \dfrac{1}{7}\)
Hint:
It doesn't matter what day the first person was born on. The probability that the second person will match is 1/7 (just designate one person the first and the other the second). Another way to look at it is that if you list the sample space of all possible pairs, e.g. (Wed, Sun), there are 49 such pairs, and 7 of them are repeats of the same day, and 7/49=1/7.
B
\( \large \dfrac{1}{14}\)
Hint:
What would be the sample space here? Ie, how would you list 14 things that you pick one from?
C
\( \large \dfrac{1}{42}\)
Hint:
If you wrote the seven days of the week on pieces of paper and put the papers in a jar, this would be the probability that the first person picked Sunday and the second picked Monday from the jar -- not the same situation.
D
\( \large \dfrac{1}{49}\)
Hint:
This is the probability that they are both born on a particular day, e.g. Sunday.
Question 1 Explanation: 
Topic: Calculate the probabilities of simple and compound events and of independent and dependent events (Objective 0026).
Question 2

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 2 Explanation: 
Topic: Interpret meaning of slope in a real world situation (Objective 0022).
Question 3

Use the graph below to answer the question that follows:

 

The graph above best matches which of the following scenarios:

A

George left home at 10:00 and drove to work on a crooked path. He was stopped in traffic at 10:30 and 10:45. He drove 30 miles total.

Hint:
Just because he ended up 30 miles from home doesn't mean he drove 30 miles total.
B

George drove to work. On the way to work there is a little hill and a big hill. He slowed down for them. He made it to work at 11:15.

Hint:
The graph is not a picture of the roads.
C

George left home at 10:15. He drove 10 miles, then realized he‘d forgotten something at home. He turned back and got what he‘d forgotten. Then he drove in a straight line, at many different speeds, until he got to work around 11:15.

Hint:
A straight line on a distance versus time graph means constant speed.
D

George left home at 10:15. He drove 10 miles, then realized he‘d forgotten something at home. He turned back and got what he‘d forgotten. Then he drove at a constant speed until he got to work around 11:15.

Question 3 Explanation: 
Topic: Use qualitative graphs to represent functional relationships in the real world (Objective 0021).
Question 4

The expression \( \large {{7}^{-4}}\cdot {{8}^{-6}}\) is equal to which of the following?

A
\( \large \dfrac{8}{{{\left( 56 \right)}^{4}}}\)
Hint:
The bases are whole numbers, and the exponents are negative. How can the numerator be 8?
B
\( \large \dfrac{64}{{{\left( 56 \right)}^{4}}}\)
Hint:
The bases are whole numbers, and the exponents are negative. How can the numerator be 64?
C
\( \large \dfrac{1}{8\cdot {{\left( 56 \right)}^{4}}}\)
Hint:
\(8^{-6}=8^{-4} \times 8^{-2}\)
D
\( \large \dfrac{1}{64\cdot {{\left( 56 \right)}^{4}}}\)
Question 4 Explanation: 
Topics: Laws of exponents (Objective 0019).
Question 5

Which of the following is equal to eleven billion four hundred thousand?

A
\( \large 11,400,000\)
Hint:
That's eleven million four hundred thousand.
B
\(\large11,000,400,000\)
C
\( \large11,000,000,400,000\)
Hint:
That's eleven trillion four hundred thousand (although with British conventions; this answer is correct, but in the US, it isn't).
D
\( \large 11,400,000,000\)
Hint:
That's eleven billion four hundred million
Question 5 Explanation: 
Topic: Place Value (Objective 0016)
Question 6

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 6 Explanation: 
Topic: Scientific Notation (Objective 0016)
Question 7

The "houses" below are made of toothpicks and gum drops.

Which of the following does not represent the number of gumdrops in a row of h houses?

A
\( \large 2+3h\)
Hint:
Think of this as start with 2 gumdrops on the left wall, and then add 3 gumdrops for each house.
B
\( \large 5+3(h-1)\)
Hint:
Think of this as start with one house, and then add 3 gumdrops for each of the other h-1 houses.
C
\( \large h+(h+1)+(h+1)\)
Hint:
Look at the gumdrops in 3 rows: h gumdrops for the "rooftops," h+1 for the tops of the vertical walls, and h+1 for the floors.
D
\( \large 5+3h\)
Hint:
This one is not a correct equation (which makes it the correct answer!). Compare to choice A. One of them has to be wrong, as they differ by 3.
Question 7 Explanation: 
Topic: Translate among different representations (e.g., tables, graphs, algebraic expressions, verbal descriptions) of functional relationships (Objective 0021).
Question 8

Here are some statements:

I) 5 is an integer    II)\( -5 \)  is an integer    III) \(0\) is an integer

Which of the statements are true?

A

I only

B

I and II only

C

I and III only

D

I, II, and III

Hint:
The integers are ...-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ....
Question 8 Explanation: 
Topic: Characteristics of Integers (Objective 0016)
Question 9

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 9 Explanation: 
Topic: Analyze and justify standard and non-standard computational techniques (Objective 0019).
Question 10

Which of the following inequalities describes all values of x  with \(\large  \dfrac{x}{2}\le \dfrac{x}{3}\)?

A
\( \large x < 0\)
Hint:
If x =0, then x/2 = x/3, so this answer can't be correct.
B
\( \large x \le 0\)
C
\( \large x > 0\)
Hint:
If x =0, then x/2 = x/3, so this answer can't be correct.
D
\( \large x \ge 0\)
Hint:
Try plugging in x = 6.
Question 10 Explanation: 
Topics: Inequalities, operations (Objective 0019) (not exactly sure how to classify, but this is like one of the problems on the official sample test).
Question 11

Which of the numbers below is not equivalent to 4%?

A
\( \large \dfrac{1}{25}\)
Hint:
1/25=4/100, so this is equal to 4% (be sure you read the question correctly).
B
\( \large \dfrac{4}{100}\)
Hint:
4/100=4% (be sure you read the question correctly).
C
\( \large 0.4\)
Hint:
0.4=40% so this is not equal to 4%
D
\( \large 0.04\)
Hint:
0.04=4/100, so this is equal to 4% (be sure you read the question correctly).
Question 11 Explanation: 
Converting between fractions, decimals, and percents (Objective 0017).
Question 12

The "houses" below are made of toothpicks and gum drops.

How many toothpicks are there in a row of 53 houses?

A

212

Hint:
Can the number of toothpicks be even?
B

213

Hint:
One way to see this is that every new "house" adds 4 toothpicks to the leftmost vertical toothpick -- so the total number is 1 plus 4 times the number of "houses." There are many other ways to look at the problem too.
C

217

Hint:
Try your strategy with a smaller number of "houses" so you can count and find your mistake.
D

265

Hint:
Remember that the "houses" overlap some walls.
Question 12 Explanation: 
Topic: Recognize and extend patterns using a variety of representations (e.g., verbal, numeric, pictorial, algebraic). (Objective 0021).
Question 13

A solution requires 4 ml of saline for every 7 ml of medicine. How much saline would be required for 50 ml of medicine?

A
\( \large 28 \dfrac{4}{7}\) ml
Hint:
49 ml of medicine requires 28 ml of saline. The extra ml of saline requires 4 ml saline/ 7 ml medicine = 4/7 ml saline per 1 ml medicine.
B
\( \large 28 \dfrac{1}{4}\) ml
Hint:
49 ml of medicine requires 28 ml of saline. How much saline does the extra ml require?
C
\( \large 28 \dfrac{1}{7}\) ml
Hint:
49 ml of medicine requires 28 ml of saline. How much saline does the extra ml require?
D
\( \large 87.5\) ml
Hint:
49 ml of medicine requires 28 ml of saline. How much saline does the extra ml require?
Question 13 Explanation: 
Topic: Apply proportional thinking to estimate quantities in real world situations (Objective 0019).
Question 14

M is a multiple of 26.  Which of the following cannot be true?

A

M is odd.

Hint:
All multiples of 26 are also multiples of 2, so they must be even.
B

M is a multiple of 3.

Hint:
3 x 26 is a multiple of both 3 and 26.
C

M is 26.

Hint:
1 x 26 is a multiple of 26.
D

M is 0.

Hint:
0 x 26 is a multiple of 26.
Question 14 Explanation: 
Topic: Characteristics of composite numbers (Objective 0018).
Question 15

A family on vacation drove the first 200 miles in 4 hours and the second 200 miles in 5 hours.  Which expression below gives their average speed for the entire trip?

A
\( \large \dfrac{200+200}{4+5}\)
Hint:
Average speed is total distance divided by total time.
B
\( \large \left( \dfrac{200}{4}+\dfrac{200}{5} \right)\div 2\)
Hint:
This seems logical, but the problem is that it weights the first 4 hours and the second 5 hours equally, when each hour should get the same weight in computing the average speed.
C
\( \large \dfrac{200}{4}+\dfrac{200}{5} \)
Hint:
This would be an average of 90 miles per hour!
D
\( \large \dfrac{400}{4}+\dfrac{400}{5} \)
Hint:
This would be an average of 180 miles per hour! Even a family of race car drivers probably doesn't have that average speed on a vacation!
Question 15 Explanation: 
Topic: Solve a variety of measurement problems (e.g., time, temperature, rates, average rates of change) in real-world situations (Objective 0023).
Question 16

Given that 10 cm is approximately equal to 4 inches, which of the following expressions models a way to find out approximately how many inches are equivalent to 350 cm?

A
\( \large 350\times \left( \dfrac{10}{4} \right)\)
Hint:
The final result should be smaller than 350, and this answer is bigger.
B
\( \large 350\times \left( \dfrac{4}{10} \right)\)
Hint:
Dimensional analysis can help here: \(350 \text{cm} \times \dfrac{4 \text{in}}{10 \text{cm}}\). The cm's cancel and the answer is in inches.
C
\( \large (10-4) \times 350 \)
Hint:
This answer doesn't make much sense. Try with a simpler example (e.g. 20 cm not 350 cm) to make sure that your logic makes sense.
D
\( \large (350-10) \times 4\)
Hint:
This answer doesn't make much sense. Try with a simpler example (e.g. 20 cm not 350 cm) to make sure that your logic makes sense.
Question 16 Explanation: 
Topic: Applying fractions to word problems (Objective 0017) This problem is similar to one on the official sample test for that objective, but it might fit better into unit conversion and dimensional analysis (Objective 0023: Measurement)
Question 17

Below is a pictorial representation of \(2\dfrac{1}{2}\div \dfrac{2}{3}\):

Which of the following is the best description of how to find the quotient from the picture?

A

The quotient is \(3\dfrac{3}{4}\). There are 3 whole blocks each representing \(\dfrac{2}{3}\) and a partial block composed of 3 small rectangles. The 3 small rectangles represent \(\dfrac{3}{4}\) of \(\dfrac{2}{3}\).

B

The quotient is \(3\dfrac{1}{2}\). There are 3 whole blocks each representing \(\dfrac{2}{3}\) and a partial block composed of 3 small rectangles. The 3 small rectangles represent \(\dfrac{3}{6}\) of a whole, or \(\dfrac{1}{2}\).

Hint:
We are counting how many 2/3's are in
2 1/2: the unit becomes 2/3, not 1.
C

The quotient is \(\dfrac{4}{15}\). There are four whole blocks separated into a total of 15 small rectangles.

Hint:
This explanation doesn't make much sense. Probably you are doing "invert and multiply," but inverting the wrong thing.
D

This picture cannot be used to find the quotient because it does not show how to separate \(2\dfrac{1}{2}\) into equal sized groups.

Hint:
Study the measurement/quotative model of division. It's often very useful with fractions.
Question 17 Explanation: 
Topic: Recognize and analyze pictorial representations of number operations. (Objective 0019).
Question 18

Use the graph below to answer the question that follows.

 

Which of the following is a correct equation for the graph of the line depicted above?

 
A
\( \large y=-\dfrac{1}{2}x+2\)
Hint:
The slope is -1/2 and the y-intercept is 2. You can also try just plugging in points. For example, this is the only choice that gives y=1 when x=2.
B
\( \large 4x=2y\)
Hint:
This line goes through (0,0); the graph above does not.
C
\( \large y=x+2\)
Hint:
The line pictured has negative slope.
D
\( \large y=-x+2\)
Hint:
Try plugging x=4 into this equation and see if that point is on the graph above.
Question 18 Explanation: 
Topic: Find a linear equation that represents a graph (Objective 0022).
Question 19

The chart below gives percentiles for the number of sit-ups that boys of various ages can do in 60 seconds (source , June 24, 2011)

 

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

A

95% of 12 year old boys can do 56 sit-ups in 60 seconds.

Hint:
The 95th percentile means that 95% of scores are less than or equal to 56, and 5% are greater than or equal to 56.
B

At most 25% of 7 year old boys can do 19 or more sit-ups in 60 seconds.

Hint:
The 25th percentile means that 25% of scores are less than or equal to 19, and 75% are greater than or equal to 19.
C

Half of all 13 year old boys can do less than 41 sit-ups in 60 seconds and half can do more than 41 sit-ups in 60 seconds.

Hint:
Close, but not quite. There's no accounting for boys who can do exactly 41 sit ups. Look at these data: 10, 20, 41, 41, 41, 41, 50, 60, 90. The median is 41, but more than half can do 41 or more.
D

At least 75% of 16 year old boys can only do 51 or fewer sit-ups in 60 seconds.

Hint:
The "at least" is necessary due to duplicates. Suppose the data were 10, 20, 51, 51. The 75th percentile is 51, but 100% of the boys can only do 51 or fewer situps.
Question 19 Explanation: 
Topic: Analyze and interpret various graphic and nongraphic data representations (e.g., frequency distributions, percentiles) (Objective 0025).
Question 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?

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