CAEC Mathematics with a Calculator 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A car travels 480 km on 40 litres of fuel. What is the fuel efficiency in km/L?

10 km/L
12 km/L (Correct answer)
15 km/L
8 km/L

Correct answer: 12 km/L

Fuel efficiency = 480 ÷ 40 = 12 km/L.

Fuel efficiency is calculated by dividing the distance travelled by the amount of fuel consumed: 480 km ÷ 40 L = 12 km/L. This means the car can travel 12 kilometres on every litre of fuel. Fuel efficiency is an important practical concept for budgeting travel costs and comparing vehicles.

Question 2: A jacket originally costs $180. It is on sale for 35% off. What is the sale price?

$63.00
$117.00 (Correct answer)
$145.00
$108.00

Correct answer: $117.00

Discount = 35% of $180 = $63. Sale price = $180 − $63 = $117.

To find the sale price: First calculate the discount: 35% × $180 = 0.35 × 180 = $63. Then subtract the discount from the original price: $180 − $63 = $117. Alternatively, since 35% is taken off, 65% remains: 0.65 × $180 = $117. Percentage discounts are a common type of problem on numeracy assessments.

Question 3: What is the area of a rectangle with a length of 14 m and a width of 9 m?

23 m²
46 m²
126 m² (Correct answer)
63 m²

Correct answer: 126 m²

Area of a rectangle = length × width = 14 × 9 = 126 m².

The formula for the area of a rectangle is A = l × w, where l is the length and w is the width. Substituting the values: A = 14 m × 9 m = 126 m². Area is measured in square units. This type of calculation is used in home improvement, landscaping, and construction planning.

Question 4: A store sells 3 items for $7.50. How much would 8 items cost?

$18.00
$20.00 (Correct answer)
$22.50
$24.00

Correct answer: $20.00

Cost per item = $7.50 ÷ 3 = $2.50. Cost of 8 items = 8 × $2.50 = $20.00.

To solve this unit rate problem: Step 1 — Find the cost per item: $7.50 ÷ 3 = $2.50 per item. Step 2 — Multiply by 8: $2.50 × 8 = $20.00. Unit rate problems are practical and appear frequently in everyday shopping and finance situations.

Question 5: A recipe requires 2.5 cups of flour per batch. How many cups of flour are needed for 4 batches?

8 cups
9 cups
10 cups (Correct answer)
6.5 cups

Correct answer: 10 cups

Total flour = 2.5 × 4 = 10 cups.

This is a straightforward multiplication problem using decimals: 2.5 cups × 4 batches = 10 cups. Decimal multiplication problems involving everyday situations such as cooking are common on numeracy assessments. Always check that the answer is reasonable — 10 cups for 4 batches (2.5 cups each) makes sense.

Question 6: A savings account earns 3% simple interest per year. If you deposit $2,000, how much interest will you earn after 2 years?

$60
$120 (Correct answer)
$180
$240

Correct answer: $120

Simple interest = Principal × Rate × Time = $2,000 × 0.03 × 2 = $120.

Simple interest is calculated using the formula I = P × r × t, where P is the principal ($2,000), r is the annual interest rate (3% = 0.03), and t is the time in years (2). So I = $2,000 × 0.03 × 2 = $120. After 2 years, the account balance would be $2,000 + $120 = $2,120. Note that simple interest does not compound — interest is only calculated on the original principal.

CAEC Mathematics with a Calculator 2

A car travels 480 km on 40 litres of fuel.
What is the fuel efficiency in km/L?