BSEP - Basic Skills Education Program Arithmetic Reasoning Word Problems Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A supply clerk issues 3/5 of his stock of 2,500 pencils. The following day, he issues 1/4 of the remaining pencils. How many pencils are left in stock?
- 1,000
- 750 (Correct answer)
- 1,500
- 250
Correct answer: 750
First, calculate the number of pencils issued on the first day: (3/5) * 2500 = 1500 pencils. Then, find the remaining stock: 2500 - 1500 = 1000 pencils. On the second day, he issues 1/4 of the remaining pencils: (1/4) * 1000 = 250 pencils. Finally, subtract the second day's issue from the remaining stock to find the final amount: 1000 - 250 = 750 pencils.
Question 2: A vehicle travels at a rate of 60 miles per hour. If a trip takes 4 hours and 30 minutes, what is the total distance traveled in miles?
- 240 miles
- 255 miles
- 270 miles (Correct answer)
- 300 miles
Correct answer: 270 miles
To solve this, use the formula Distance = Rate × Time. First, convert the time to hours. 30 minutes is 0.5 hours, so the total time is 4.5 hours. Then, multiply the rate by the time: 60 mph * 4.5 hours = 270 miles.
Question 3: A rectangular storage room is 15 feet long and 8 feet wide. If boxes that are each 2 feet by 2 feet need to be stored flat on the floor, what is the maximum number of boxes that can fit?
- 30 (Correct answer)
- 120
- 28
- 40
Correct answer: 30
First, find the area of the storage room: Area = Length × Width = 15 ft × 8 ft = 120 square feet. Next, find the area of one box: 2 ft × 2 ft = 4 square feet. To find how many boxes can fit, divide the total area of the room by the area of one box: 120 sq ft / 4 sq ft = 30 boxes.
Question 4: If a soldier can complete a training course in 8 hours, what fraction of the course can they complete in 6 hours?
- 1/4
- 2/3
- 3/4 (Correct answer)
- 1/8
Correct answer: 3/4
The problem can be set up as a ratio of the time spent to the total time required. The fraction is 6 hours / 8 hours. This fraction can be simplified by dividing both the numerator and the denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 2. So, 6 ÷ 2 / 8 ÷ 2 = 3/4.
Question 5: A team of 5 people can process 150 applications in a day. If 2 more people join the team, and everyone works at the same rate, how many applications can the team process in one day?
- 180
- 210 (Correct answer)
- 30
- 240
Correct answer: 210
First, determine the rate of work for one person. If 5 people process 150 applications, then one person processes 150 / 5 = 30 applications per day. With 2 more people, the team has 5 + 2 = 7 people. Now, multiply the number of people by the individual rate: 7 people * 30 applications/person = 210 applications.
Question 6: A purchase of $80 is discounted by 20%. An 8% sales tax is then calculated on the discounted price. What is the final cost?
- $69.12 (Correct answer)
- $64.00
- $70.00
- $68.48
Correct answer: $69.12
First, calculate the discount amount: $80 * 0.20 = $16. Subtract the discount from the original price to get the discounted price: $80 - $16 = $64. Next, calculate the sales tax on the discounted price: $64 * 0.08 = $5.12. Finally, add the sales tax to the discounted price to get the final cost: $64 + $5.12 = $69.12.
BSEP - Basic Skills Education Program Arithmetic Reasoning Word Problems Questions and Answers
A supply clerk issues 3/5 of his stock of 2,500 pencils.
The following day, he issues 1/4 of the remaining pencils.
How many pencils are left in stock?