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MTEL General Curriculum Mathematics Practice
Question 1 |
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?

AHint: Rise is more than 30 inches. | |
BHint: Run is almost 24 feet, so rise can be almost 2 feet. | |
CHint: Run is 12 feet, so rise can be at most 1 foot. | |
DHint: Slope is 1:10 -- too steep. |
Question 2 |
Here is a student's work solving an equation:
\( x-4=-2x+6\)
\( x-4+4=-2x+6+4\)
\( x=-2x+10\)
\( x-2x=10\)
\( x=10\)
Which of the following statements is true?
The student‘s solution is correct.Hint: Try plugging into the original solution. | |
The student did not correctly use properties of equality.Hint: After \( x=-2x+10\), the student subtracted 2x on the left and added 2x on the right. | |
The student did not correctly use the distributive property.Hint: Distributive property is \(a(b+c)=ab+ac\). | |
The student did not correctly use the commutative property.Hint: Commutative property is \(a+b=b+a\) or \(ab=ba\). |
Question 3 |
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 4 |
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 5 |
Use the expression below to answer the question that follows.
\(\large \dfrac{\left( 155 \right)\times \left( 6,124 \right)}{977}\)
Which of the following is the best estimate of the expression above?
100Hint: 6124/977 is approximately 6. | |
200Hint: 6124/977 is approximately 6. | |
1,000Hint: 6124/977 is approximately 6. 155 is approximately 150, and \( 6 \times 150 = 3 \times 300 = 900\), so this answer is closest. | |
2,000Hint: 6124/977 is approximately 6. |
Question 6 |
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 7 |
M is a multiple of 26. Which of the following cannot be true?
M is odd.Hint: All multiples of 26 are also multiples of 2, so they must be even. | |
M is a multiple of 3.Hint: 3 x 26 is a multiple of both 3 and 26. | |
M is 26.Hint: 1 x 26 is a multiple of 26. | |
M is 0.Hint: 0 x 26 is a multiple of 26. |
Question 8 |
Use the four figures below to answer the question that follows:
How many of the figures pictured above have at least one line of reflective symmetry?
\( \large 1\) | |
\( \large 2\) Hint: The ellipse has 2 lines of reflective symmetry (horizontal and vertical, through the center) and the triangle has 3. The other two figures have rotational symmetry, but not reflective symmetry. | |
\( \large 3\) | |
\( \large 4\) Hint: All four have rotational symmetry, but not reflective symmetry. |
Question 9 |
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 10 |
The equation \( \large F=\frac{9}{5}C+32\) is used to convert a temperature measured in Celsius to the equivalent Farentheit temperature.
A patient's temperature increased by 1.5° Celcius. By how many degrees Fahrenheit did her temperature increase?
1.5°Hint: Celsius and Fahrenheit don't increase at the same rate. | |
1.8°Hint: That's how much the Fahrenheit temp increases when the Celsius temp goes up by 1 degree. | |
2.7°Hint: Each degree increase in Celsius corresponds to a \(\dfrac{9}{5}=1.8\) degree increase in Fahrenheit. Thus the increase is 1.8+0.9=2.7. | |
Not enough information.Hint: A linear equation has constant slope, which means that every increase of the same amount in one variable, gives a constant increase in the other variable. It doesn't matter what temperature the patient started out at. |
Question 11 |
At a school fundraising event, people can buy a ticket to spin a spinner like the one below. The region that the spinner lands in tells which, if any, prize the person wins.
If 240 people buy tickets to spin the spinner, what is the best estimate of the number of keychains that will be given away?
40Hint: "Keychain" appears on the spinner twice. | |
80Hint: The probability of getting a keychain is 1/3, and so about 1/3 of the time the spinner will win. | |
100Hint: What is the probability of winning a keychain? | |
120Hint: That would be the answer for getting any prize, not a keychain specifically. |
Question 12 |
In which table below is y a function of x?
![]() Hint: If x=3, y can have two different values, so it's not a function. | |
![]() Hint: If x=3, y can have two different values, so it's not a function. | |
![]() Hint: If x=1, y can have different values, so it's not a function. | |
![]() Hint: Each value of x always corresponds to the same value of y. |
Question 13 |
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 14 |
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 15 |
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.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. | |
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.... | |
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. | |
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 16 |
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 17 |
Which of the numbers below is a fraction equivalent to \( 0.\bar{6}\)?
\( \large \dfrac{4}{6}\) Hint: \( 0.\bar{6}=\dfrac{2}{3}=\dfrac{4}{6}\) | |
\( \large \dfrac{3}{5}\) Hint: This is equal to 0.6, without the repeating decimal. Answer is equivalent to choice c, which is another way to tell that it's wrong. | |
\( \large \dfrac{6}{10}\) Hint: This is equal to 0.6, without the repeating decimal. Answer is equivalent to choice b, which is another way to tell that it's wrong. | |
\( \large \dfrac{1}{6}\) Hint: This is less than a half, and \( 0.\bar{6}\) is greater than a half. |
Question 18 |
Which of the following nets will not fold into a cube?
![]() Hint: If you have trouble visualizing, cut them out and fold (during the test, you can tear paper to approximate). | |
![]() | |
![]() Hint: If you have trouble visualizing, cut them out and fold (during the test, you can tear paper to approximate). | |
![]() Hint: If you have trouble visualizing, cut them out and fold (during the test, you can tear paper to approximate). |
Question 19 |
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. |
Question 20 |
In January 2011, the national debt was about 14 trillion dollars and the US population was about 300 million people. Someone reading these figures estimated that the national debt was about $5,000 per person. Which of these statements best describes the reasonableness of this estimate?
It is too low by a factor of 10Hint: 14 trillion \( \approx 15 \times {{10}^{12}} \) and 300 million \( \approx 3 \times {{10}^{8}}\), so the true answer is about \( 5 \times {{10}^{4}} \) or $50,000. | |
It is too low by a factor of 100 | |
It is too high by a factor of 10 | |
It is too high by a factor of 100 |
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