hiset math practice test

A widely recognized high school equivalency exam, similar to the GED, designed for individuals who didn’t complete high school but want to earn a diploma-equivalent credential.

A home improvement store offers to finance the purchase of any single item with zero interest for one year, with a down payment of $50. The remainder of the purchase price will be split into 12 equal monthly payments. Which of the following equations represents the relationship between an item's purchase price, s dollars, and the amount, a dollars, of each monthly payment under this offer?
  • A. s = a-50/12
  • B. s = a/12 -50
  • C. s = 12a + 50
  • D. s = 12a - 50
  • E. s = 12 (a + 50)
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

To determine the relationship between the item's purchase price \( s \) and the monthly payment \( a \), consider the financing terms. After a $50 down payment, the remaining amount to finance is \( s - 50 \). This amount is divided into 12 equal monthly payments, leading to the equation \( s - 50 = 12a \). Rearranging this gives \( s = 12a + 50 \), confirming option C. Options A and B misrepresent the relationship by incorrectly adjusting the down payment or monthly payments. Option D incorrectly subtracts the down payment from the total, while option E miscalculates the total by incorrectly adding the down payment to the monthly payment before multiplying.

Other Related Questions

What are the solutions to (x-2)(x+4) = 0?
  • A. -4 and 2
  • B. -3 and 1
  • C. -2 and 4
  • D. -1 and 1
  • E. -1 and 3
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

To solve the equation (x-2)(x+4) = 0, we apply the zero product property, which states that if a product of factors equals zero, at least one of the factors must equal zero. Setting each factor to zero gives us the equations x - 2 = 0 and x + 4 = 0. Solving these yields x = 2 and x = -4, confirming that the solutions are -4 and 2. Options B, C, D, and E provide incorrect pairs of solutions that do not satisfy the original equation when substituted back in. Each of these pairs results in non-zero products for the factors, thus failing to meet the requirement of the equation.
Isabel earns $15.80 per hour for the first 8 hours she works each day. She earns 1.5 times her hourly rate for all time after the first 8 hours. How much does Isabel earn on a day when she works 8.5 hours?
  • A. 126.4
  • B. 138.25
  • C. 189.6
  • D. 201.45
  • E. 237
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

To determine Isabel's earnings for an 8.5-hour workday, first calculate her earnings for the first 8 hours at $15.80 per hour, which totals $126.40 (8 hours × $15.80/hour). For the additional 0.5 hours, she earns 1.5 times her hourly rate, which is $23.70 (1.5 × $15.80). Therefore, for the extra half hour, she earns $11.85 (0.5 hours × $23.70/hour). Adding these amounts together gives $138.25 ($126.40 + $11.85). Option A ($126.40) only accounts for the first 8 hours. Option C ($189.60) incorrectly assumes full-time pay without considering the overtime rate. Option D ($201.45) miscalculates the overtime pay, while Option E ($237) overestimates by not applying the correct hourly rates.
Each month, the charge for a lawn care service consists of a flat fee of $25, plus $5 each time the lawn is mowed. Which of the following equations represents the total monthly charge, A(m), in dollars, as a function of the number of times the lawn is mowed, m?
  • A. A(m) = 5(25)m
  • B. A(m) = 5 + 25m
  • C. A(m) = 5m + 25
  • D. A(m) = 25m + 5
  • E. A(m) = m + 5 + 25
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

The equation A(m) = 5m + 25 accurately represents the total monthly charge for the lawn care service. Here, the term 5m accounts for the $5 charge per mowing, and the flat fee of $25 is added to this total. Option A incorrectly multiplies the flat fee by the number of mowings, which misrepresents the structure of the charges. Option B misplaces the flat fee, summing it with the number of mowings instead of adding it as a fixed cost. Option D incorrectly places the flat fee as a coefficient of m, which distorts the relationship. Option E combines the charges incorrectly, failing to clearly separate the flat fee from the per-mow charge.
Which of the following expressions is equivalent to: 6x³ + 7x² + 1/x?
  • A. 63 + 72 + 1/x
  • B. 63 + 72 + 1
  • C. 6x² + 7x + 1/x
  • D. 6x² + 7x + 1
  • E. 6x² + 7x² + 1
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

The expression 6x³ + 7x² + 1/x can be simplified by factoring out the highest degree of x and rearranging the terms. Option C, 6x² + 7x + 1/x, contains the correct coefficients for the x terms, but with the degrees adjusted appropriately. Option A incorrectly suggests a constant sum of 63 and 72, which does not relate to the original expression. Option B also misrepresents the original expression by omitting the variable terms entirely. Option D fails to maintain the degree of x in the cubic term, while option E mistakenly combines the x² terms incorrectly, resulting in an inaccurate expression.