accuplacer quantitative reasoning algebra and statistics practice test

Commonly used by colleges and universities to place students into appropriate courses.

Lanelle traveled 9.7 miles of her delivery route in 1.2 hours. At this same rate, which of the following is closest to the time it will take for Janelle to travel 20 miles?
  • A. 2 hours
  • B. 2.5 hours
  • C. 5 hours
  • D. 5.5 hours
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

To determine the time it will take for Janelle to travel 20 miles, we first calculate Lanelle's speed. She traveled 9.7 miles in 1.2 hours, giving a speed of approximately 8.08 miles per hour (9.7 miles ÷ 1.2 hours). Using this speed, we can find the time for 20 miles by dividing the distance by the speed: 20 miles ÷ 8.08 mph ≈ 2.48 hours, which rounds to about 2.5 hours. Option A (2 hours) underestimates the time based on Lanelle's speed. Options C (5 hours) and D (5.5 hours) greatly overestimate the time needed. Thus, 2.5 hours is the most accurate estimate for Janelle's travel time.

Other Related Questions

Trevani bought a book. She paid a total of $13.50, including 8% sales tax. How much tax did Trevani pay on the book?
  • A. $0.96
  • B. $1.00
  • C. $1.04
  • D. $1.08
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

To find the amount of sales tax Trevani paid, first determine the price before tax. The total amount paid, $13.50, includes an 8% tax. To find the pre-tax amount, divide the total by 1.08 (which accounts for the original price plus tax): $13.50 ÷ 1.08 = $12.50. Next, calculate the sales tax by subtracting the pre-tax amount from the total: $13.50 - $12.50 = $1.00. This confirms that Trevani paid $1.00 in tax. - Option A ($0.96) is incorrect as it underestimates the tax. - Option C ($1.04) slightly overestimates the tax. - Option D ($1.08) incorrectly assumes the total is all tax without accounting for the book's price.
Fred, Norman, and Dave own a total of 128 comic books. If Dave owns 44 of them, what is the average (arithmetic mean) number of comic books owned by Fred and Norman?
  • A. 42
  • B. 44
  • C. 46
  • D. 48
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

To find the average number of comic books owned by Fred and Norman, first determine how many comic books they collectively own. Since Dave has 44 comic books, subtract this from the total: 128 - 44 = 84. Fred and Norman together own 84 comic books. To find the average for the two, divide this number by 2: 84 ÷ 2 = 42. Option B (44) incorrectly assumes Fred and Norman have more than they actually do. Option C (46) miscalculates the average by not considering the correct total for Fred and Norman. Option D (48) similarly overestimates their combined ownership. Thus, the average is accurately calculated as 42.
A salesperson's commission is k percent of the selling price of a car. Which of the following represents the commission, in dollars, on 2 cars that sold for $14,000 each?
  • A. 280k
  • B. 28,000k
  • C. 14,000/(100+2k)
  • D. (28,000+k)/100
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

To determine the commission on 2 cars sold for $14,000 each, first calculate the total selling price: 2 × $14,000 = $28,000. The commission, being k percent of this total, is expressed as (k/100) × $28,000, which simplifies to $280k. Option B, 28,000k, incorrectly suggests the commission is k percent of the total without dividing by 100. Option C, 14,000/(100+2k), misrepresents the calculation entirely by altering the formula. Option D, (28,000+k)/100, incorrectly adds k to the total selling price before calculating the percentage, which is not aligned with commission calculation principles.
Square S has area 2√2 square units. What is the length of a side of square S?
  • A. ∜128
  • B. ∜32
  • C. ∜8
  • D. ∜2
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

To find the length of a side of square S, we use the formula for the area of a square, which is \( \text{Area} = \text{side}^2 \). Given that the area is \( 2\sqrt{2} \), we set up the equation \( \text{side}^2 = 2\sqrt{2} \). Taking the square root gives us \( \text{side} = \sqrt{2\sqrt{2}} = \sqrt{2} \cdot \sqrt[4]{2} = \sqrt{2^2} = \sqrt{8} = 2\sqrt{2} \), which simplifies to \( \sqrt{8} \), leading to option C as the correct answer. Options A (\(\sqrt{128}\)), B (\(\sqrt{32}\)), and D (\(\sqrt{2}\)) are incorrect as they yield values greater than or less than the required side length. Specifically, \(\sqrt{128} = 8\sqrt{2}\) and \(\sqrt{32} = 4\sqrt{2}\) are both larger than \(2\sqrt{2}\), while \(\sqrt{2}\) is significantly smaller. Thus, option C accurately represents the side length of square S.