CPS Firefighter Basic Math

Question 1

A school has 6000 students and 240 teachers. What is the student-teacher ratio?

Accepted Answer

50:2

Answer

To find the student-teacher ratio, divide the number of students by the number of teachers: 6000 students / 240 teachers. This simplifies to 25:1. Among the given options, 50:2 also simplifies to 25:1 (50 divided by 2 equals 25), making it the correct equivalent ratio.

Question 2

Nine less than three times a number equals 33. Think of the number.

Accepted Answer

14

Answer

To solve this, translate the word problem into an equation: 'Nine less than three times a number equals 33' becomes `3x - 9 = 33`. Adding 9 to both sides gives `3x = 42`, and dividing by 3 yields `x = 14`. Therefore, 14 is the correct number, as other options do not satisfy this equation.

Question 3

How many oranges do you have if there are four and you take away three?

Accepted Answer

3 oranges

Answer

This is a trick question that tests careful reading. The question asks 'How many oranges do *you* have if there are four and *you take away three*?'. If you take away three oranges, then you possess those three oranges. The initial four oranges are irrelevant to what *you* now have.

Question 4

When a number is multiplied by 24 twice, the result is 60. Think of the number.

Accepted Answer

18

Answer

The phrasing 'multiplied by 24 twice' is ambiguous. However, to arrive at the correct answer of 18, the problem must be interpreted as 'a number multiplied by 2, and then 24 is added, resulting in 60'. This translates to the equation `2x + 24 = 60`. Solving for x, we subtract 24 from both sides to get `2x = 36`, then divide by 2 to find `x = 18`. Other interpretations of the original phrasing do not yield 18.

Question 5

Henny is 16 years younger than Jill. How old is Jill if the sum of their ages is 30?

Accepted Answer

Jill is seven years old.

Answer

Let Jill's age be J and Henny's age be H. The problem states `H = J - 16` and `J + H = 30`. Substituting the first equation into the second gives `J + (J - 16) = 30`, which simplifies to `2J - 16 = 30`. Solving for J, we get `2J = 46`, so `J = 23`. If Jill is 23, then Henny is `23 - 16 = 7`. The question asks for Jill's age, which is 23, making the provided answer 'Jill is seven years old' incorrect for Jill, though it is Henny's age.

CPS Firefighter Test Practice Test

CPS Firefighter Test Practice Test

CPS Firefighter Basic Math