NPOST Police Test Mathematics and Arithmetic Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer drives 18 miles to a location at an average speed of 45 mph. On the return trip, heavy traffic reduces the average speed to 30 mph. What was the officer's average speed for the entire round trip?
- 37.5 mph
- 36 mph (Correct answer)
- 35 mph
- 40 mph
Correct answer: 36 mph
To find the average speed, you must divide the total distance by the total time. First, calculate the time for each leg of the trip. Time = Distance / Speed. Trip 1: 18 miles / 45 mph = 0.4 hours. Trip 2: 18 miles / 30 mph = 0.6 hours. Total distance is 18 + 18 = 36 miles. Total time is 0.4 + 0.6 = 1.0 hour. Average speed = 36 miles / 1.0 hour = 36 mph.
Question 2: A police department's evidence room contains 1,200 items. 35% of the items are drug-related, and 40% of the remaining items are firearms. How many items in the evidence room are firearms?
- 420
- 480
- 312 (Correct answer)
- 780
Correct answer: 312
First, find the number of drug-related items: 1,200 * 0.35 = 420. Next, find the number of remaining items: 1,200 - 420 = 780. Finally, calculate 40% of the remaining items to find the number of firearms: 780 * 0.40 = 312.
Question 3: An officer needs to secure a rectangular crime scene that is 75 feet long and 45 feet wide. What is the minimum length of police tape needed to completely enclose the perimeter of the scene?
- 120 feet
- 3,375 feet
- 240 feet (Correct answer)
- 195 feet
Correct answer: 240 feet
The perimeter of a rectangle is calculated using the formula P = 2(length + width). P = 2 * (75 feet + 45 feet). P = 2 * (120 feet). P = 240 feet. The officer will need 240 feet of tape to enclose the scene.
Question 4: An officer works a 10-hour shift and spends 1/4 of the time on patrol, 1/5 on paperwork, and 1/10 on a community meeting. How many hours are left for other duties?
- 5.5 hours
- 4 hours
- 5 hours
- 4.5 hours (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 4.5 hours
First, calculate the time spent on each task: Patrol = 1/4 * 10 = 2.5 hours. Paperwork = 1/5 * 10 = 2 hours. Meeting = 1/10 * 10 = 1 hour. Total time spent = 2.5 + 2 + 1 = 5.5 hours. Time remaining = 10 - 5.5 = 4.5 hours.
Question 5: A patrol car has a 16-gallon fuel tank. If the car gets 22 miles per gallon, and starts a shift with a full tank, how many gallons will be left after driving 253 miles?
- 11.5 gallons
- 4.5 gallons (Correct answer)
- 5.5 gallons
- 1.5 gallons
Correct answer: 4.5 gallons
First, determine how many gallons were used. Gallons used = Total miles / miles per gallon. Gallons used = 253 miles / 22 mpg = 11.5 gallons. Then, subtract the used gallons from the full tank capacity: 16 gallons - 11.5 gallons = 4.5 gallons remaining.
Question 6: Three officers recover stolen property valued at $1,800, $2,350, and $1,130. What is the average value of the property recovered per officer?
- $1,760 (Correct answer)
- $5,280
- $1,850
- $1,500
Correct answer: $1,760
To find the average, first sum the total value of the recovered property: $1,800 + $2,350 + $1,130 = $5,280. Then, divide the total value by the number of officers: $5,280 / 3 = $1,760. The average value per officer is $1,760.
NPOST Police Test Mathematics and Arithmetic Questions and Answers 1
An officer drives 18 miles to a location at an average speed of 45 mph.
On the return trip, heavy traffic reduces the average speed to 30 mph.
What was the officer's average speed for the entire round trip?