accuplacer arithmetic full length practice test

Commonly used by colleges and universities to place students into appropriate courses.

½% of 20 is?
  • A. 1/10
  • B. 1/4
  • C. 5
  • D. 10
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

To find ½% of 20, convert ½% to a decimal: ½% = 0.005. Then, multiply 0.005 by 20, resulting in 0.1. This value can be expressed as a fraction: 0.1 = 1/10, which corresponds to option A. Option B (1/4) equals 0.25, which is larger than ½% of 20. Option C (5) and option D (10) are significantly higher than 0.1. Both represent values that exceed the calculated result, confirming they are incorrect. Thus, option A is the only choice that accurately reflects ½% of 20.

Other Related Questions

At the Crest Coffee Shop, the cost of a plain bagel was $0.75 last year. This year the cost of a plain bagel is $0.90. By what percent did the cost of a plain bagel increase from last year to this year?
  • A. 10%
  • B. 15%
  • C. 17%
  • D. 20%
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D

To determine the percent increase in the cost of a plain bagel, the formula used is: \[ \text{Percent Increase} = \left( \frac{\text{New Price} - \text{Old Price}}{\text{Old Price}} \right) \times 100 \] Substituting the given values: \[ \text{Percent Increase} = \left( \frac{0.90 - 0.75}{0.75} \right) \times 100 = \left( \frac{0.15}{0.75} \right) \times 100 = 20\% \] Option A (10%) underestimates the increase, while B (15%) and C (17%) also fail to reflect the correct calculation. Therefore, the accurate calculation confirms a 20% increase in cost.
Linda has borrowed 8 more books than Susan from the school library. Richard has borrowed half as many books as Linda has. If Richard has borrowed 17 books from the library, how many books has Susan borrowed?
  • A. 25
  • B. 26
  • C. 34
  • D. 42
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

To determine how many books Susan has borrowed, start with Richard's 17 books. Since Richard has borrowed half as many books as Linda, Linda must have borrowed 34 books (17 x 2). Given that Linda has borrowed 8 more books than Susan, we can set up the equation: Linda's books = Susan's books + 8. Therefore, if Linda has 34 books, we find Susan's total by subtracting 8: 34 - 8 = 26. Option A (25) is incorrect as it underestimates Susan's total. Option C (34) mistakenly suggests Susan borrowed the same amount as Linda. Option D (42) overestimates Susan's total by not accounting for the difference of 8 books. Thus, the only valid option is 26.
165 is what percent of 150?
  • A. 95%
  • B. 110%
  • C. 111%
  • D. 115%
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

To find what percent 165 is of 150, divide 165 by 150 and then multiply by 100. This calculation yields 110%, indicating that 165 is 110% of 150. Option A (95%) is incorrect as it underestimates the relationship between the two numbers. Option C (111%) slightly overestimates the value, while Option D (115%) significantly exaggerates it. Each of these options fails to accurately represent the proportion of 165 to 150, reinforcing that 110% is the precise measure of this relationship.
What is 0.3 percent of 90?
  • A. 0.027
  • B. 0.27
  • C. 0.3
  • D. 2.7
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

To find 0.3 percent of 90, convert the percentage to a decimal by dividing by 100, resulting in 0.003. Then, multiply 0.003 by 90, yielding 0.27. Option A (0.027) is too small, as it miscalculates the multiplication. Option C (0.3) represents the percentage itself, not the calculated value of 0.3 percent of 90. Option D (2.7) is ten times larger than the correct answer, indicating a misunderstanding of the percent calculation. Thus, B (0.27) accurately represents 0.3 percent of 90.