Bluebook SAT Test SAT Word Problems Practice 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A $1,200 investment earns 5% simple interest per year. How many years will it take for the investment to reach $1,500?
- 4
- 5 (Correct answer)
- 6
- 7
Correct answer: 5
Interest needed = $300. Using I = Prt: 300 = 1200 × 0.05 × t → t = 5 years.
Question 2: An airplane flies 1,800 miles with a tailwind in 3 hours and returns into a headwind in 4.5 hours. What is the speed of the wind in mph?
- 50
- 100 (Correct answer)
- 150
- 200
Correct answer: 100
Tailwind speed = 600 mph; headwind speed = 400 mph. Wind = (600 − 400)/2 = 100 mph.
Question 3: A 30-foot ladder leans against a wall with its base 18 feet from the wall. How high up the wall does it reach?
- 18
- 20
- 24 (Correct answer)
- 26
Correct answer: 24
h² + 18² = 30² → h² = 576 → h = 24 feet.
Question 4: A company's revenue grew from $4 million to $5.2 million. What was the percent increase?
- 25%
- 28%
- 30% (Correct answer)
- 32%
Correct answer: 30%
Percent increase = (5.2 − 4)/4 × 100 = 1.2/4 × 100 = 30%.
Question 5: A box contains red, blue, and green marbles in the ratio 2:3:5. If there are 20 green marbles, how many total marbles are in the box?
- 30
- 35
- 40 (Correct answer)
- 45
Correct answer: 40
Green = 5 parts = 20 marbles → 1 part = 4. Total = 10 parts × 4 = 40 marbles.
Question 6: Two friends start from the same point and walk in opposite directions at 4 mph and 5 mph. How far apart are they after 3 hours?
- 21 miles
- 24 miles
- 27 miles (Correct answer)
- 30 miles
Correct answer: 27 miles
They separate at 4 + 5 = 9 mph. Distance = 9 × 3 = 27 miles.
Question 7: A gym membership costs $50 to join plus $30/month. A competing gym has no joining fee but costs $80/month. After how many months are the total costs equal?
- 1 (Correct answer)
- 2
- 3
- 4
Correct answer: 1
50 + 30m = 80m → 50 = 50m → m = 1 month.
Bluebook SAT Test SAT Word Problems Practice 5
A $1,200 investment earns 5% simple interest per year.
How many years will it take for the investment to reach $1,500?