DSAT Problem Solving Strategies 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A rate problem says a car travels 240 miles in 4 hours. A student must find how far it travels in 7 hours at the same rate. Which setup is correct?
- 240 ÷ 7
- 240 × 7 ÷ 4 (Correct answer)
- 240 + 7 × 4
- 240 ÷ 4 + 7
Correct answer: 240 × 7 ÷ 4
Unit rate = 240 ÷ 4 = 60 mph; distance in 7 hours = 60 × 7 = 420 miles, equivalent to 240 × 7 ÷ 4.
Question 2: On the DSAT, when a geometry problem provides a figure but says 'not drawn to scale,' what should you do?
- Measure the figure with the edge of your answer sheet
- Trust the labeled values and use formulas, ignoring visual proportions (Correct answer)
- Assume all angles are right angles
- Skip the problem and guess
Correct answer: Trust the labeled values and use formulas, ignoring visual proportions
Labeled values and given information are always accurate; visual appearance in non-scale figures can be misleading and must be ignored.
Question 3: A student sees two linear equations and must find their intersection. Which method is fastest when one equation is already solved for y?
- Graphing both lines
- Substitution (Correct answer)
- Elimination by multiplying both equations
- Guessing and checking each answer choice
Correct answer: Substitution
When one equation is solved for y, substituting that expression into the other equation immediately reduces the system to one variable.
Question 4: Which strategy should you use when an SAT problem has variables in the answer choices and you're unsure how to set up the algebra?
- Pick a simple number for the variable and test each answer choice (Correct answer)
- Always choose the middle answer choice
- Pick the answer with the most variables
- Leave it blank to save time
Correct answer: Pick a simple number for the variable and test each answer choice
Plugging in a simple number (like x = 2) lets you compute a concrete target value and then check which answer choice matches.
Question 5: A problem asks: 'What is 15% of 80?' A student wants the quickest mental math approach. Which is best?
- Convert 15% to 15/100 and multiply by 80
- Find 10% of 80 and add half of that result (Correct answer)
- Divide 80 by 15
- Multiply 80 by 1.15
Correct answer: Find 10% of 80 and add half of that result
10% of 80 is 8; half of 8 is 4; 8 + 4 = 12, giving 15% of 80 quickly without a calculator.
Question 6: When a DSAT problem involves a system with no solution, what must be true about the two linear equations?
- They have the same y-intercept but different slopes
- They have the same slope but different y-intercepts (Correct answer)
- They have different slopes and different y-intercepts
- They are identical equations
Correct answer: They have the same slope but different y-intercepts
Parallel lines (same slope, different y-intercepts) never intersect, so the system has no solution.
Question 7: A student is stuck on a hard problem with 90 seconds left. What is the most strategic action?
- Skip it and move on to review easier problems
- Eliminate obviously wrong answers, then guess among remaining choices (Correct answer)
- Write out all work even if incomplete
- Leave the answer blank since wrong answers aren't penalized on the DSAT
Correct answer: Eliminate obviously wrong answers, then guess among remaining choices
Since the DSAT has no penalty for wrong answers, eliminating clearly wrong choices improves your odds and you should always guess.
DSAT Problem Solving Strategies 3
A rate problem says a car travels 240 miles in 4 hours.
A student must find how far it travels in 7 hours at the same rate.
Which setup is correct?