Hints will display for most wrong answers; explanations for most right answers.   You can attempt a question multiple times; it will only be scored correct if you get it right the first time.  To see five new questions, reload the page.

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

 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?

 A $$\large \dfrac{3}{5}p-2$$Hint: The company gets 3/5=60% of the price, minus the $2 per item. B $$\large \dfrac{3}{5}\left( p-2 \right)$$Hint: This is sensible, but not what the problem states. C $$\large \dfrac{2}{5}p+2$$Hint: The company pays the extra$2; it doesn't collect it. D $$\large \dfrac{2}{5}p-2$$Hint: This has the company getting 2/5 = 40% of the price of each item, but that's what the representative gets.
Question 1 Explanation:
Topic: Use algebra to solve word problems involving fractions, ratios, proportions, and percents (Objective 0020).
 Question 2

#### If two fair coins are flipped, what is the probability that one will come up heads and the other tails?

 A $$\large \dfrac{1}{4}$$Hint: Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities. B $$\large \dfrac{1}{3}$$Hint: This is a very common misconception. There are three possible outcomes -- both heads, both tails, and one of each -- but they are not equally likely. Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities. C $$\large \dfrac{1}{2}$$Hint: The possibilities are HH, HT, TH, TT, and all are equally likely. Two of the four have one of each coin, so the probability is 2/4=1/2. D $$\large \dfrac{3}{4}$$Hint: Think of the coins as a penny and a dime, and list all possibilities.
Question 2 Explanation:
Topic: Calculate the probabilities of simple and compound events and of independent and dependent events (Objective 0026).
 Question 3

#### a

Hint:
The slope of line a is negative.

#### b

Hint:
Wrong slope and wrong intercept.

#### c

Hint:
The intercept of line c is positive.

#### d

Hint:
Slope is 2 -- for every increase of 1 in x, y increases by 2. Intercept is -5 -- the point (0,-5) is on the line.
Question 3 Explanation:
Topic: Find a linear equation that represents a graph (Objective 0022).
 Question 4

#### 2

Hint:
$$10^3 \times 10^4=10^7$$, and note that if you're guessing when the answers are so closely related, you're generally better off guessing one of the middle numbers.

#### 20

Hint:
$$\dfrac{\left( 4\times {{10}^{3}} \right)\times \left( 3\times {{10}^{4}} \right)}{6\times {{10}^{6}}}=\dfrac {12 \times {{10}^{7}}}{6\times {{10}^{6}}}=$$$$2 \times {{10}^{1}}=20$$

#### 200

Hint:
$$10^3 \times 10^4=10^7$$

#### 2000

Hint:
$$10^3 \times 10^4=10^7$$, and note that if you're guessing when the answers are so closely related, you're generally better off guessing one of the middle numbers.
Question 4 Explanation:
Topics: Scientific notation, exponents, simplifying fractions (Objective 0016, although overlaps with other objectives too).
 Question 5

#### Each individual cube that makes up the rectangular solid depicted below has 6 inch sides.  What is the surface area of the solid in square feet?

 A $$\large 11\text{ f}{{\text{t}}^{2}}$$Hint: Check your units and make sure you're using feet and inches consistently. B $$\large 16.5\text{ f}{{\text{t}}^{2}}$$Hint: Each square has surface area $$\dfrac{1}{2} \times \dfrac {1}{2}=\dfrac {1}{4}$$ sq feet. There are 9 squares on the top and bottom, and 12 on each of 4 sides, for a total of 66 squares. 66 squares $$\times \dfrac {1}{4}$$ sq feet/square =16.5 sq feet. C $$\large 66\text{ f}{{\text{t}}^{2}}$$Hint: The area of each square is not 1. D $$\large 2376\text{ f}{{\text{t}}^{2}}$$Hint: Read the question more carefully -- the answer is supposed to be in sq feet, not sq inches.
Question 5 Explanation:
Topics: Use unit conversions to solve measurement problems, and derive and use formulas for calculating surface areas of geometric shapes and figures (Objective 0023).
There are 5 questions to complete.

If you found a mistake or have comments on a particular question, please contact me (please copy and paste at least part of the question into the form, as the numbers change depending on how quizzes are displayed).   General comments can be left here.