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MTEL General Curriculum Mathematics Practice
Question 1 |
The following story situations model \( 12\div 3\):
I) Jack has 12 cookies, which he wants to share equally between himself and two friends. How many cookies does each person get?
II) Trent has 12 cookies, which he wants to put into bags of 3 cookies each. How many bags can he make?
III) Cicely has $12. Cookies cost $3 each. How many cookies can she buy?
Which of these questions illustrate the same model of division, either partitive (partioning) or measurement (quotative)?
I and II | |
I and III | |
II and IIIHint: Problem I is partitive (or partitioning or sharing) -- we put 12 objects into 3 groups. Problems II and III are quotative (or measurement) -- we put 12 objects in groups of 3. | |
All three problems model the same meaning of division |
Question 2 |
Which of the following is an irrational number?
\( \large \sqrt[3]{8}\) Hint: This answer is the cube root of 8. Since 2 x 2 x 2 =8, this is equal to 2, which is rational because 2 = 2/1. | |
\( \large \sqrt{8}\) Hint: It is not trivial to prove that this is irrational, but you can get this answer by eliminating the other choices. | |
\( \large \dfrac{1}{8}\) Hint: 1/8 is the RATIO of two integers, so it is rational. | |
\( \large -8\) Hint: Negative integers are also rational, -8 = -8/1, a ratio of integers. |
Question 3 |
The first histogram shows the average life expectancies for women in different countries in Africa in 1998; the second histogram gives similar data for Europe:
How much bigger is the range of the data for Africa than the range of the data for Europe?
0 yearsHint: Range is the maximum life expectancy minus the minimum life expectancy. | |
12 yearsHint: Are you subtracting frequencies? Range is about values of the data, not frequency. | |
18 yearsHint: It's a little hard to read the graph, but it doesn't matter if you're consistent. It looks like the range for Africa is 80-38= 42 years and for Europe is 88-64 = 24; 42-24=18. | |
42 yearsHint: Read the question more carefully. |
Question 4 |
The letters A, and B represent digits (possibly equal) in the ten digit number x=1,438,152,A3B. For which values of A and B is x divisible by 12, but not by 9?
\( \large A = 0, B = 4\) Hint: Digits add to 31, so not divisible by 3, so not divisible by 12. | |
\( \large A = 7, B = 2\) Hint: Digits add to 36, so divisible by 9. | |
\( \large A = 0, B = 6\) Hint: Digits add to 33, divisible by 3, not 9. Last digits are 36, so divisible by 4, and hence by 12. | |
\( \large A = 4, B = 8\) Hint: Digits add to 39, divisible by 3, not 9. Last digits are 38, so not divisible by 4, so not divisible by 12. |
Question 5 |
Taxicab fares in Boston (Spring 2012) are $2.60 for the first \(\dfrac{1}{7}\) of a mile or less and $0.40 for each \(\dfrac{1}{7}\) of a mile after that.
Let d represent the distance a passenger travels in miles (with \(d>\dfrac{1}{7}\)). Which of the following expressions represents the total fare?
\( \large \$2.60+\$0.40d\) Hint: It's 40 cents for 1/7 of a mile, not per mile. | |
\( \large \$2.60+\$0.40\dfrac{d}{7}\) Hint: According to this equation, going 7 miles would cost $3; does that make sense? | |
\( \large \$2.20+\$2.80d\) Hint: You can think of the fare as $2.20 to enter the cab, and then $0.40 for each 1/7 of a mile, including the first 1/7 of a mile (or $2.80 per mile).
Alternatively, you pay $2.60 for the first 1/7 of a mile, and then $2.80 per mile for d-1/7 miles. The total is 2.60+2.80(d-1/7) = 2.60+ 2.80d -.40 = 2.20+2.80d. | |
\( \large \$2.60+\$2.80d\) Hint: Don't count the first 1/7 of a mile twice. |
Question 6 |
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?
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. | |
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. | |
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. | |
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 7 |
\( \large \dfrac{17}{24}\) Hint: You might try adding segments so each quadrant is divided into 6 pieces with equal area -- there will be 24 regions, not all the same shape, but all the same area, with 17 of them shaded (for the top left quarter, you could also first change the diagonal line to a horizontal or vertical line that divides the square in two equal pieces and shade one) . | |
\( \large \dfrac{3}{4}\) Hint: Be sure you're taking into account the different sizes of the pieces. | |
\( \large \dfrac{2}{3}\) Hint: The bottom half of the picture is 2/3 shaded, and the top half is more than 2/3 shaded, so this answer is too small. | |
\( \large \dfrac{17}{6} \) Hint: This answer is bigger than 1, so doesn't make any sense. Be sure you are using the whole picture, not one quadrant, as the unit. |
Question 8 |
Solve for x: \(\large 4-\dfrac{2}{3}x=2x\)
\( \large x=3\) Hint: Try plugging x=3 into the equation. | |
\( \large x=-3\) Hint: Left side is positive, right side is negative when you plug this in for x. | |
\( \large x=\dfrac{3}{2}\) 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. | |
\( \large x=-\dfrac{3}{2}\) Hint: Left side is positive, right side is negative when you plug this in for x. |
Question 9 |
A car is traveling at 60 miles per hour. Which of the expressions below could be used to compute how many feet the car travels in 1 second? Note that 1 mile = 5,280 feet.
\( \large 60\dfrac{\text{miles}}{\text{hour}}\cdot 5280\dfrac{\text{feet}}{\text{mile}}\cdot 60\dfrac{\text{minutes}}{\text{hour}}\cdot 60\dfrac{\text{seconds}}{\text{minute}}
\) Hint: This answer is not in feet/second. | |
\( \large 60\dfrac{\text{miles}}{\text{hour}}\cdot 5280\dfrac{\text{feet}}{\text{mile}}\cdot \dfrac{1}{60}\dfrac{\text{hour}}{\text{minutes}}\cdot \dfrac{1}{60}\dfrac{\text{minute}}{\text{seconds}}
\) Hint: This is the only choice where the answer is in feet per second and the unit conversions are correct. | |
\( \large 60\dfrac{\text{miles}}{\text{hour}}\cdot \dfrac{1}{5280}\dfrac{\text{foot}}{\text{miles}}\cdot 60\dfrac{\text{hours}}{\text{minute}}\cdot \dfrac{1}{60}\dfrac{\text{minute}}{\text{seconds}}\) Hint: Are there really 60 hours in a minute? | |
\( \large 60\dfrac{\text{miles}}{\text{hour}}\cdot \dfrac{1}{5280}\dfrac{\text{mile}}{\text{feet}}\cdot 60\dfrac{\text{minutes}}{\text{hour}}\cdot \dfrac{1}{60}\dfrac{\text{minute}}{\text{seconds}}\) Hint: This answer is not in feet/second. |
Question 10 |
The picture below shows identical circles drawn on a piece of paper. The rectangle represents an index card that is blocking your view of \( \dfrac{3}{5}\) of the circles on the paper. How many circles are covered by the rectangle?

4Hint: The card blocks more than half of the circles, so this number is too small. | |
5Hint: The card blocks more than half of the circles, so this number is too small. | |
8Hint: The card blocks more than half of the circles, so this number is too small. | |
12Hint: 2/5 of the circles or 8 circles are showing. Thus 4 circles represent 1/5 of the circles, and \(4 \times 5=20\) circles represent 5/5 or all the circles. Thus 12 circles are hidden. |
Question 11 |
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?
I only | |
I and II only | |
I and III only | |
I, II, and IIIHint: The integers are ...-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, .... |
Question 12 |
What set of transformations will transform the leftmost image into the rightmost image?
A 90 degree clockwise rotation about (2,1) followed by a translation of two units to the right.Hint: Part of the figure would move below the x-axis with these transformations. | |
A translation 3 units up, followed by a reflection about the line y=x.Hint: See what happens to the point (5,1) under this set of transformations. | |
A 90 degree clockwise rotation about (5,1), followed by a translation of 2 units up. | |
A 90 degree clockwise rotation about (2,1) followed by a translation of 2 units to the right.Hint: See what happens to the point (3,3) under this set of transformations. |
Question 13 |
Which of the following is the equation of a linear function?
\( \large y={{x}^{2}}+2x+7\) Hint: This is a quadratic function. | |
\( \large y={{2}^{x}}\) Hint: This is an exponential function. | |
\( \large y=\dfrac{15}{x}\) Hint: This is an inverse function. | |
\( \large y=x+(x+4)\) Hint: This is a linear function, y=2x+4, it's graph is a straight line with slope 2 and y-intercept 4. |
Question 14 |
A family went on a long car trip. Below is a graph of how far they had driven at each hour.
Which of the following is closest to their average speed driving on the trip?
\( \large d=20t\) Hint: Try plugging t=7 into the equation, and see how it matches the graph. | |
\( \large d=30t\) Hint: Try plugging t=7 into the equation, and see how it matches the graph. | |
\( \large d=40t\) | |
\( \large d=50t\) Hint: Try plugging t=7 into the equation, and see how it matches the graph. |
Question 15 |
Kendra is trying to decide which fraction is greater, \( \dfrac{4}{7}\) or \( \dfrac{5}{8}\). Which of the following answers shows the best reasoning?
\( \dfrac{4}{7}\) is \( \dfrac{3}{7}\)away from 1, and \( \dfrac{5}{8}\) is \( \dfrac{3}{8}\)away from 1. Since eighth‘s are smaller than seventh‘s, \( \dfrac{5}{8}\) is closer to 1, and is the greater of the two fractions. | |
\( 7-4=3\) and \( 8-5=3\), so the fractions are equal.Hint: Not how to compare fractions. By this logic, 1/2 and 3/4 are equal, but 1/2 and 2/4 are not. | |
\( 4\times 8=32\) and \( 7\times 5=35\). Since \( 32<35\) , \( \dfrac{5}{8}<\dfrac{4}{7}\)Hint: Starts out as something that works, but the conclusion is wrong. 4/7 = 32/56 and 5/8 = 35/56. The cross multiplication gives the numerators, and 35/56 is bigger. | |
\( 4<5\) and \( 7<8\), so \( \dfrac{4}{7}<\dfrac{5}{8}\)Hint: Conclusion is correct, logic is wrong. With this reasoning, 1/2 would be less than 2/100,000. |
Question 16 |
How many lines of reflective symmetry and how many centers of rotational symmetry does the parallelogram depicted below have?
4 lines of reflective symmetry, 1 center of rotational symmetry.Hint: Try cutting out a shape like this one from paper, and fold where you think the lines of reflective symmetry are (or put a mirror there). Do things line up as you thought they would? | |
2 lines of reflective symmetry, 1 center of rotational symmetry.Hint: Try cutting out a shape like this one from paper, and fold where you think the lines of reflective symmetry are (or put a mirror there). Do things line up as you thought they would? | |
0 lines of reflective symmetry, 1 center of rotational symmetry.Hint: The intersection of the diagonals is a center of rotational symmetry. There are no lines of reflective symmetry, although many people get confused about this fact (best to play with hands on examples to get a feel). Just fyi, the letter S also has rotational, but not reflective symmetry, and it's one that kids often write backwards. | |
2 lines of reflective symmetry, 0 centers of rotational symmetry.Hint: Try cutting out a shape like this one from paper. Trace onto another sheet of paper. See if there's a way to rotate the cut out shape (less than a complete turn) so that it fits within the outlines again. |
Question 17 |
Cell phone plan A charges $3 per month plus $0.10 per minute. Cell phone plan B charges $29.99 per month, with no fee for the first 400 minutes and then $0.20 for each additional minute.
Which equation can be used to solve for the number of minutes, m (with m>400) that a person would have to spend on the phone each month in order for the bills for plan A and plan B to be equal?
\( \large 3.10m=400+0.2m\) Hint: These are the numbers in the problem, but this equation doesn't make sense. If you don't know how to make an equation, try plugging in an easy number like m=500 minutes to see if each side equals what it should. | |
\( \large 3+0.1m=29.99+.20m\) Hint: Doesn't account for the 400 free minutes. | |
\( \large 3+0.1m=400+29.99+.20(m-400)\) Hint: Why would you add 400 minutes and $29.99? If you don't know how to make an equation, try plugging in an easy number like m=500 minutes to see if each side equals what it should. | |
\( \large 3+0.1m=29.99+.20(m-400)\) Hint: The left side is $3 plus $0.10 times the number of minutes. The right is $29.99 plus $0.20 times the number of minutes over 400. |
Question 18 |
In each expression below N represents a negative integer. Which expression could have a negative value?
\( \large {{N}^{2}}\) Hint: Squaring always gives a non-negative value. | |
\( \large 6-N\) Hint: A story problem for this expression is, if it was 6 degrees out at noon and N degrees out at sunrise, by how many degrees did the temperature rise by noon? Since N is negative, the answer to this question has to be positive, and more than 6. | |
\( \large -N\) Hint: If N is negative, then -N is positive | |
\( \large 6+N\) Hint: For example, if \(N=-10\), then \(6+N = -4\) |
Question 19 |
The table below gives the result of a survey at a college, asking students whether they were residents or commuters:
Based on the above data, what is the probability that a randomly chosen commuter student is a junior or a senior?
\( \large \dfrac{34}{43}\) | |
\( \large \dfrac{34}{71}\) Hint: This is the probability that a randomly chosen junior or senior is a commuter student. | |
\( \large \dfrac{34}{147}\) Hint: This is the probability that a randomly chosen student is a junior or senior who is a commuter. | |
\( \large \dfrac{71}{147}\) Hint: This is the probability that a randomly chosen student is a junior or a senior. |
Question 20 |
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?
\( \large0.26\) Hint: Please reread the question. | |
\( \large0.2625\) Hint: This is one-quarter of the distance between 0.26 and 0.27, which is not what the question asked. | |
\( \large0.265\) | |
\( \large0.27\) 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. |
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