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MTEL General Curriculum Mathematics Practice

 Question 1

Store B

Hint:
This saves 15% and C saves 25%.

Store D

Hint:
This is about 20% off, which is less of a discount than C.
Question 1 Explanation:
Topic: Understand the meanings and models of integers, fractions, decimals,percents, and mixed numbers and apply them to the solution of word problems (Objective 0017).
 Question 2

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 $$\large 28 \dfrac{4}{7}$$ mlHint: 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 $$\large 28 \dfrac{1}{4}$$ mlHint: 49 ml of medicine requires 28 ml of saline. How much saline does the extra ml require? C $$\large 28 \dfrac{1}{7}$$ mlHint: 49 ml of medicine requires 28 ml of saline. How much saline does the extra ml require? D $$\large 87.5$$ mlHint: 49 ml of medicine requires 28 ml of saline. How much saline does the extra ml require?
Question 2 Explanation:
Topic: Apply proportional thinking to estimate quantities in real world situations (Objective 0019).
 Question 3

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

Hint:
A possible fee, but not the largest possible fee. Check the other choices to see which are factors of all three numbers.

$7 Hint: A possible fee, but not the largest possible fee. Check the other choices to see which are factors of all three numbers. $14

Hint:
This is the greatest common factor of 70, 126, and 266.

$70 Hint: Not a factor of 126 or 266, so couldn't be correct. Question 3 Explanation: Topic: Use GCF in real-world context (Objective 0018)  Question 4 Which of the lists below is in order from least to greatest value?  A $$\large \dfrac{1}{2},\quad \dfrac{1}{3},\quad \dfrac{1}{4},\quad \dfrac{1}{5}$$Hint: This is ordered from greatest to least. B $$\large \dfrac{1}{3},\quad \dfrac{2}{7},\quad \dfrac{3}{8},\quad \dfrac{4}{11}$$Hint: 1/3 = 2/6 is bigger than 2/7. C $$\large \dfrac{1}{4},\quad \dfrac{2}{5},\quad \dfrac{2}{3},\quad \dfrac{4}{5}$$Hint: One way to look at this: 1/4 and 2/5 are both less than 1/2, and 2/3 and 4/5 are both greater than 1/2. 1/4 is 25% and 2/5 is 40%, so 2/5 is greater. The distance from 2/3 to 1 is 1/3 and from 4/5 to 1 is 1/5, and 1/5 is less than 1/3, so 4/5 is bigger. D $$\large \dfrac{7}{8},\quad \dfrac{6}{7},\quad \dfrac{5}{6},\quad \dfrac{4}{5}$$Hint: This is in order from greatest to least. Question 4 Explanation: Topic: Ordering Fractions (Objective 0017)  Question 5 An above-ground swimming pool is in the shape of a regular hexagonal prism, is one meter high, and holds 65 cubic meters of water. A second pool has a base that is also a regular hexagon, but with sides twice as long as the sides in the first pool. This second pool is also one meter high. How much water will the second pool hold?  A $$\large 65\text{ }{{\text{m}}^{3}}$$Hint: A bigger pool would hold more water. B $$\large 65\cdot 2\text{ }{{\text{m}}^{3}}$$Hint: Try a simpler example, say doubling the sides of the base of a 1 x 1 x 1 cube. C $$\large 65\cdot 4\text{ }{{\text{m}}^{3}}$$Hint: If we think of the pool as filled with 1 x 1 x 1 cubes (and some fractions of cubes), then scaling to the larger pool changes each 1 x 1 x 1 cube to a 2 x 2 x 1 prism, or multiplies volume by 4. D $$\large 65\cdot 8\text{ }{{\text{m}}^{3}}$$Hint: Try a simpler example, say doubling the sides of the base of a 1 x 1 x 1 cube. Question 5 Explanation: Topic: Determine how the characteristics (e.g., area, volume) of geometric figures and shapes are affected by changes in their dimensions (Objective 0023).  Question 6 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 6 Explanation: Topic: Translate among different representations (e.g., tables, graphs, algebraic expressions, verbal descriptions) of functional relationships (Objective 0021).  Question 7 The histogram below shows the frequency of a class's scores on a 4 question quiz. What was the mean score on the quiz?  A $$\large 2.75$$Hint: There were 20 students who took the quiz. Total points earned: $$2 \times 1+6 \times 2+ 7\times 3+5 \times 4=55$$, and 55/20 = 2.75. B $$\large 2$$Hint: How many students are there total? Did you count them all? C $$\large 3$$Hint: How many students are there total? Did you count them all? Be sure you're finding the mean, not the median or the mode. D $$\large 2.5$$Hint: How many students are there total? Did you count them all? Don't just take the mean of 1, 2, 3, 4 -- you have to weight them properly. Question 7 Explanation: Topics: Analyze and interpret various graphic representations, and use measures of central tendency (e.g., mean, median, mode) and spread to describe and interpret real-world data (Objective 0025).  Question 8 The expression $$\large{{8}^{3}}\cdot {{2}^{-10}}$$ is equal to which of the following?  A $$\large 2$$Hint: Write $$8^3$$ as a power of 2. B $$\large \dfrac{1}{2}$$Hint: $$8^3 \cdot {2}^{-10}={(2^3)}^3 \cdot {2}^{-10}$$ =$$2^9 \cdot {2}^{-10} =2^{-1}$$ C $$\large 16$$Hint: Write $$8^3$$ as a power of 2. D $$\large \dfrac{1}{16}$$Hint: Write $$8^3$$ as a power of 2. Question 8 Explanation: Topic: Laws of Exponents (Objective 0019).  Question 9 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?  A $$\large 3.10m=400+0.2m$$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. B $$\large 3+0.1m=29.99+.20m$$Hint: Doesn't account for the 400 free minutes. C $$\large 3+0.1m=400+29.99+.20(m-400)$$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. D $$\large 3+0.1m=29.99+.20(m-400)$$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 9 Explanation:
Identify variables and derive algebraic expressions that represent real-world situations (Objective 0020).
 Question 10

Point B is halfway between two tick marks.  What number is represented by Point B?

 A $$\large 0.645$$Hint: That point is marked on the line, to the right. B $$\large 0.6421$$Hint: That point is to the left of point B. C $$\large 0.6422$$Hint: That point is to the left of point B. D $$\large 0.6425$$
Question 10 Explanation:
Topic: Using Number Lines (Objective 0017)
There are 10 questions to complete.

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