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MTEL General Curriculum Mathematics Practice
Question 1 |
A sales companies pays its representatives $2 for each item sold, plus 40% of the price of the item. The rest of the money that the representatives collect goes to the company. All transactions are in cash, and all items cost $4 or more. If the price of an item in dollars is p, which expression represents the amount of money the company collects when the item is sold?
\( \large \dfrac{3}{5}p-2\) Hint: The company gets 3/5=60% of the price, minus the $2 per item. | |
\( \large \dfrac{3}{5}\left( p-2 \right)\) Hint: This is sensible, but not what the problem states. | |
\( \large \dfrac{2}{5}p+2\) Hint: The company pays the extra $2; it doesn't collect it. | |
\( \large \dfrac{2}{5}p-2\) Hint: This has the company getting 2/5 = 40% of the price of each item, but that's what the representative gets. |
Question 2 |
What is the greatest common factor of 540 and 216?
\( \large{{2}^{2}}\cdot {{3}^{3}}\) Hint: One way to solve this is to factor both numbers: \(540=2^2 \cdot 3^3 \cdot 5\) and \(216=2^3 \cdot 3^3\). Then take the smaller power for each prime that is a factor of both numbers. | |
\( \large2\cdot 3\) Hint: This is a common factor of both numbers, but it's not the greatest common factor. | |
\( \large{{2}^{3}}\cdot {{3}^{3}}\) Hint: \(2^3 = 8\) is not a factor of 540. | |
\( \large{{2}^{2}}\cdot {{3}^{2}}\) Hint: This is a common factor of both numbers, but it's not the greatest common factor. |
Question 3 |
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 4 |
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 5 |
The polygon depicted below is drawn on dot paper, with the dots spaced 1 unit apart. What is the perimeter of the polygon?

\( \large 18+\sqrt{2} \text{ units}\) Hint: Be careful with the Pythagorean Theorem. | |
\( \large 18+2\sqrt{2}\text{ units}\) Hint: There are 13 horizontal or vertical 1 unit segments. The longer diagonal is the hypotenuse of a 3-4-5 right triangle, so its length is 5 units. The shorter diagonal is the hypotenuse of a 45-45-90 right triangle with side 2, so its hypotenuse has length \(2 \sqrt{2}\). | |
\( \large 18 \text{ units}
\) Hint: Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the lengths of the diagonal segments. | |
\( \large 20 \text{ units}\) Hint: Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the lengths of the diagonal segments. |
Question 6 |
The window glass below has the shape of a semi-circle on top of a square, where the side of the square has length x. It was cut from one piece of glass.

What is the perimeter of the window glass?
\( \large 3x+\dfrac{\pi x}{2}\) Hint: By definition, \(\pi\) is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter; thus the circumference is \(\pi d\). Since we have a semi-circle, its perimeter is \( \dfrac{1}{2} \pi x\). Only 3 sides of the square contribute to the perimeter. | |
\( \large 3x+2\pi x\) Hint: Make sure you know how to find the circumference of a circle. | |
\( \large 3x+\pi x\) Hint: Remember it's a semi-circle, not a circle. | |
\( \large 4x+2\pi x\) Hint: Only 3 sides of the square contribute to the perimeter. |
Question 7 |
On a map the distance from Boston to Detroit is 6 cm, and these two cities are 702 miles away from each other. Assuming the scale of the map is the same throughout, which answer below is closest to the distance between Boston and San Francisco on the map, given that they are 2,708 miles away from each other?
21 cmHint: How many miles would correspond to 24 cm on the map? Try adjusting from there. | |
22 cmHint: How many miles would correspond to 24 cm on the map? Try adjusting from there. | |
23 cmHint: One way to solve this without a calculator is to note that 4 groups of 6 cm is 2808 miles, which is 100 miles too much. Then 100 miles would be about 1/7 th of 6 cm, or about 1 cm less than 24 cm. | |
24 cmHint: 4 groups of 6 cm is over 2800 miles on the map, which is too much. |
Question 8 |
The expression \( \large{{8}^{3}}\cdot {{2}^{-10}}\) is equal to which of the following?
\( \large 2\) Hint: Write \(8^3\) as a power of 2. | |
\( \large \dfrac{1}{2}\) Hint: \(8^3 \cdot {2}^{-10}={(2^3)}^3 \cdot {2}^{-10}\) =\(2^9 \cdot {2}^{-10} =2^{-1}\) | |
\( \large 16\) Hint: Write \(8^3\) as a power of 2. | |
\( \large \dfrac{1}{16}\) Hint: Write \(8^3\) as a power of 2. |
Question 9 |
Which of the lists below contains only irrational numbers?
\( \large\pi , \quad \sqrt{6},\quad \sqrt{\dfrac{1}{2}}\) | |
\( \large\pi , \quad \sqrt{9}, \quad \pi +1\) Hint: \( \sqrt{9}=3\) | |
\( \large\dfrac{1}{3},\quad \dfrac{5}{4},\quad \dfrac{2}{9}\) Hint: These are all rational. | |
\( \large-3,\quad 14,\quad 0\) Hint: These are all rational. |
Question 10 |
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?
\( \large 2+3h\) Hint: Think of this as start with 2 gumdrops on the left wall, and then add 3 gumdrops for each house. | |
\( \large 5+3(h-1)\) Hint: Think of this as start with one house, and then add 3 gumdrops for each of the other h-1 houses. | |
\( \large h+(h+1)+(h+1)\) 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. | |
\( \large 5+3h\) 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 11 |
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). | |
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. | |
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. | |
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 12 |
Which of the following is equal to eleven billion four hundred thousand?
\( \large 11,400,000\) Hint: That's eleven million four hundred thousand. | |
\(\large11,000,400,000\) | |
\( \large11,000,000,400,000\) Hint: That's eleven trillion four hundred thousand (although with British conventions; this answer is correct, but in the US, it isn't). | |
\( \large 11,400,000,000\) Hint: That's eleven billion four hundred million |
Question 13 |
Here is a mental math strategy for computing 26 x 16:
Step 1: 100 x 16 = 1600
Step 2: 25 x 16 = 1600 ÷· 4 = 400
Step 3: 26 x 16 = 400 + 16 = 416
Which property best justifies Step 3 in this strategy?
Commutative Property.Hint: For addition, the commutative property is \(a+b=b+a\) and for multiplication it's \( a \times b = b \times a\). | |
Associative Property.Hint: For addition, the associative property is \((a+b)+c=a+(b+c)\) and for multiplication it's \((a \times b) \times c=a \times (b \times c)\) | |
Identity Property.Hint: 0 is the additive identity, because \( a+0=a\) and 1 is the multiplicative identity because \(a \times 1=a\). The phrase "identity property" is not standard. | |
Distributive Property.Hint: \( (25+1) \times 16 = 25 \times 16 + 1 \times 16 \). This is an example of the distributive property of multiplication over addition. |
Question 14 |
Elena is going to use a calculator to check whether or not 267 is prime. She will pick certain divisors, and then find 267 divided by each, and see if she gets a whole number. If she never gets a whole number, then she's found a prime. Which numbers does Elena NEED to check before she can stop checking and be sure she has a prime?
All natural numbers from 2 to 266.Hint: She only needs to check primes -- checking the prime factors of any composite is enough to look for divisors. As a test taking strategy, the other three choices involve primes, so worth thinking about. | |
All primes from 2 to 266 .Hint: Remember, factors come in pairs (except for square root factors), so she would first find the smaller of the pair and wouldn't need to check the larger. | |
All primes from 2 to 133 .Hint: She doesn't need to check this high. Factors come in pairs, and something over 100 is going to be paired with something less than 3, so she will find that earlier. | |
All primes from \( \large 2\) to \( \large \sqrt{267}\).Hint: \(\sqrt{267} \times \sqrt{267}=267\). Any other pair of factors will have one factor less than \( \sqrt{267}\) and one greater, so she only needs to check up to \( \sqrt{267}\). |
Question 15 |
Which of the following sets of polygons can be assembled to form a pentagonal pyramid?
2 pentagons and 5 rectangles.Hint: These can be assembled to form a pentagonal prism, not a pentagonal pyramid. | |
1 square and 5 equilateral triangles.Hint: You need a pentagon for a pentagonal pyramid. | |
1 pentagon and 5 isosceles triangles. | |
1 pentagon and 10 isosceles triangles. |
Question 16 |
Which of the numbers below is not equivalent to 4%?
\( \large \dfrac{1}{25}\) Hint: 1/25=4/100, so this is equal to 4% (be sure you read the question correctly). | |
\( \large \dfrac{4}{100}\) Hint: 4/100=4% (be sure you read the question correctly). | |
\( \large 0.4\) Hint: 0.4=40% so this is not equal to 4% | |
\( \large 0.04\) Hint: 0.04=4/100, so this is equal to 4% (be sure you read the question correctly). |
Question 17 |
In the triangle below, \(\overline{AC}\cong \overline{AD}\cong \overline{DE}\) and \(m\angle CAD=100{}^\circ \). What is \(m\angle DAE\)?

\( \large 20{}^\circ \) Hint: Angles ACD and ADC are congruent since they are base angles of an isosceles triangle. Since the angles of a triangle sum to 180, they sum to 80, and they are 40 deg each. Thus angle ADE is 140 deg, since it makes a straight line with angle ADC. Angles DAE and DEA are base angles of an isosceles triangle and thus congruent-- they sum to 40 deg, so are 20 deg each. | |
\( \large 25{}^\circ \) Hint: If two sides of a triangle are congruent, then it's isosceles, and the base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal. | |
\( \large 30{}^\circ \) Hint: If two sides of a triangle are congruent, then it's isosceles, and the base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal. | |
\( \large 40{}^\circ \) Hint: Make sure you're calculating the correct angle. |
Question 18 |
A publisher prints a series of books with covers made of identical material and using the same thickness of paper for each page. The covers of the book together are 0.4 cm thick, and 125 pieces of the paper used together are 1 cm thick.
The publisher uses a linear function to determine the total thickness, T(n) of a book made with n sheets of paper. What are the slope and intercept of T(n)?
Intercept = 0.4 cm, Slope = 125 cm/pageHint: This would mean that each page of the book was 125 cm thick. | |
Intercept =0.4 cm, Slope = \(\dfrac{1}{125}\)cm/pageHint: The intercept is how thick the book would be with no pages in it. The slope is how much 1 extra page adds to the thickness of the book. | |
Intercept = 125 cm, Slope = 0.4 cmHint: This would mean that with no pages in the book, it would be 125 cm thick. | |
Intercept = \(\dfrac{1}{125}\)cm, Slope = 0.4 pages/cmHint: This would mean that each new page of the book made it 0.4 cm thicker. |
Question 19 |
How many factors does 80 have?
\( \large8\) Hint: Don't forget 1 and 80. | |
\( \large9\) Hint: Only perfect squares have an odd number of factors -- otherwise factors come in pairs. | |
\( \large10\) Hint: 1,2,4,5,8,10,16,20,40,80 | |
\( \large12\) Hint: Did you count a number twice? Include a number that isn't a factor? |
Question 20 |
The pattern below consists of a row of black squares surrounded by white squares.
How many white squares would surround a row of 157 black squares?
314Hint: Try your procedure on a smaller number that you can count to see where you made a mistake. | |
317Hint: Are there ever an odd number of white squares? | |
320Hint: One way to see this is that there are 6 tiles on the left and right ends, and the rest of the white tiles are twice the number of black tiles (there are many other ways to look at it too). | |
322Hint: Try your procedure on a smaller number that you can count to see where you made a mistake. |
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