MSAP Numerical Reasoning — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A store reduces a $120 item by 15%. What is the sale price?

$99.00
$102.00 (Correct answer)
$105.00
$108.00

Correct answer: $102.00

A 15% discount means you pay 85% of $120: 120 × 0.85 = $102.00.

Question 2: What is 3/8 expressed as a decimal?

0.325
0.375 (Correct answer)
0.425
0.475

Correct answer: 0.375

Dividing 3 by 8 gives 0.375.

Question 3: A worker earns $18 per hour and works 40 hours per week. What is the annual salary over 52 weeks?

$37,440 (Correct answer)
$36,000
$38,400
$35,520

Correct answer: $37,440

18 × 40 × 52 = $37,440 annual salary.

Question 4: If 5 workers complete a job in 12 days, how many days would 4 workers take at the same rate?

9 days
12 days
15 days (Correct answer)
16 days

Correct answer: 15 days

Total work = 5 × 12 = 60 worker-days; 4 workers need 60 ÷ 4 = 15 days.

Question 5: What is 125% of 80?

90
95
100 (Correct answer)
105

Correct answer: 100

125% of 80 = 80 × 1.25 = 100.

Question 6: A train travels 240 miles in 3 hours. What is its average speed in miles per hour?

70 mph
75 mph
80 mph (Correct answer)
85 mph

Correct answer: 80 mph

Speed = Distance ÷ Time = 240 ÷ 3 = 80 mph.

Question 7: Which fraction is equivalent to 0.6?

3/4
2/3
3/5 (Correct answer)
5/8

Correct answer: 3/5

0.6 = 6/10, which simplifies to 3/5.

Question 8: A map uses a scale of 1:50,000. If two towns are 8 cm apart on the map, what is the actual distance in kilometers?

2 km
4 km (Correct answer)
6 km
8 km

Correct answer: 4 km

8 cm × 50,000 = 400,000 cm = 4 km.

Question 9: If 3 apples cost $1.50, how much do 10 apples cost at the same rate?

$4.50
$5.00 (Correct answer)
$5.50
$6.00

Correct answer: $5.00

Each apple costs $1.50 ÷ 3 = $0.50; 10 × $0.50 = $5.00.

Question 10: A recipe requires 2.5 cups of flour for 12 cookies. How much flour is needed for 30 cookies?

5.25 cups
5.5 cups
6 cups
6.25 cups (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 6.25 cups

2.5 × (30 ÷ 12) = 2.5 × 2.5 = 6.25 cups.

Question 11: The ratio of boys to girls in a class is 3:5. If there are 40 students in total, how many are boys?

12
15 (Correct answer)
18
24

Correct answer: 15

Boys make up 3/8 of the class: 3/8 × 40 = 15.

Question 12: A car uses 8 liters of fuel per 100 km. How many liters are needed for a 450 km journey?

32 liters
34 liters
36 liters (Correct answer)
38 liters

Correct answer: 36 liters

8 × (450 ÷ 100) = 8 × 4.5 = 36 liters.

Question 13: A job pays $25 per hour plus a $50 daily bonus. What is the total pay for working 7 hours in a day?

$200
$225 (Correct answer)
$250
$275

Correct answer: $225

25 × 7 = $175 in hourly pay, plus $50 bonus = $225.

Question 14: A container holds 75% of its capacity when it contains 60 liters. What is the full capacity of the container?

70 liters
75 liters
80 liters (Correct answer)
85 liters

Correct answer: 80 liters

If 60 liters = 75%, then full capacity = 60 ÷ 0.75 = 80 liters.

Question 15: A student scored 68, 74, 81, and 79 on four tests. What score is needed on a fifth test to achieve an average of 76?

74
76
78 (Correct answer)
80

Correct answer: 78

Target total = 76 × 5 = 380; 380 − (68 + 74 + 81 + 79) = 380 − 302 = 78.

Question 16: An investment of $5,000 earns 4% simple interest per year. What is the total value after 3 years?

$5,600 (Correct answer)
$5,800
$6,000
$5,500

Correct answer: $5,600

Simple interest = 5,000 × 0.04 × 3 = $600; total value = $5,000 + $600 = $5,600.

Question 17: A store sells 3 items for $7.50. How much would 2 items cost at the same unit rate?

$4.50
$5.00 (Correct answer)
$5.50
$6.00

Correct answer: $5.00

Unit price = $7.50 ÷ 3 = $2.50; 2 × $2.50 = $5.00.

Question 18: A population of 20,000 grows by 5% in one year. What is the population after one year?

20,500
21,000 (Correct answer)
21,500
22,000

Correct answer: 21,000

20,000 × 1.05 = 21,000.

Question 19: A box contains 12 red, 8 blue, and 5 green marbles. What fraction of the marbles are blue?

8/25 (Correct answer)
4/13
8/20
2/5

Correct answer: 8/25

Total marbles = 12 + 8 + 5 = 25; blue fraction = 8/25.

Question 20: A 6% sales tax is added to a $45 purchase. What is the total cost?

$47.50
$47.70 (Correct answer)
$48.00
$47.90

Correct answer: $47.70

Tax = $45 × 0.06 = $2.70; total = $45.00 + $2.70 = $47.70.

Question 21: A cyclist travels at 15 mph for 2 hours, then at 12 mph for 1.5 hours. What is the total distance covered?

42 miles
45 miles
48 miles (Correct answer)
51 miles

Correct answer: 48 miles

Distance = (15 × 2) + (12 × 1.5) = 30 + 18 = 48 miles.

MSAP Numerical Reasoning

A store reduces a $120 item by 15%.
What is the sale price?

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