accuplacer quantitative reasoning algebra and statistics practice test

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

Valentina attends several meetings each day, as shown in the table below. Which of the following describes this pattern?
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  • A. The number of meetings increases by the same amount each day.
  • B. The number of meetings decreases by the same amount each day.
  • C. Each day, the number of meetings increases by the same percent over the previous day's number of meetings.
  • D. Each day, the number of meetings decreases by the same percent over the previous day's number of meetings.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

The pattern of Valentina's meetings indicates that the number of meetings increases by a consistent percentage each day, reflecting exponential growth. This is evident when comparing the daily totals, which show a proportional rise rather than a fixed increase. Option A is incorrect because it suggests a linear growth, where the same number of meetings is added daily, which is not observed. Option B implies a consistent decrease, which contradicts the observed increase in meetings. Option D also misrepresents the data by suggesting a percentage decrease, which does not align with the trend of increasing meetings.

Other Related Questions

In the xy-plane above, the circle has center (0, 0) and AB is a diameter of the circle. What is the equation of the line passing through points A and B?
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  • A. y=-2/3 x
  • B. y=2/3 x
  • C. y=3/2 x
  • D. y=4x
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

The line passing through points A and B, which are endpoints of a diameter of the circle centered at (0, 0), must be a straight line that passes through the origin. Option B, \(y = \frac{2}{3}x\), represents a line with a positive slope, indicating that as x increases, y also increases, which is consistent with the properties of a diameter. Option A, \(y = -\frac{2}{3}x\), has a negative slope, suggesting a downward trend, which does not align with the upward direction of a diameter in the first quadrant. Option C, \(y = \frac{3}{2}x\), has a steeper slope than option B, which may not accurately represent the diameter's angle unless specified. Option D, \(y = 4x\), has an even steeper slope, making it unlikely to be the diameter unless A and B are positioned at extreme angles, which is not given in the problem.
Malia collected information about whether the members of the 36 households on her block subscribed to cable television and home phone services. Her results are shown in the table below.\nIf a household on Malia's block is selected at random and does subscribe to cable television, what is the probability the members of the household also subscribe to home phone service?
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  • A. 14/18
  • B. 14/26
  • C. 18/36
  • D. 14/36
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

To determine the probability that a household subscribes to home phone service given that it subscribes to cable television, we focus on the relevant subset of households. Malia found 18 households that subscribe to cable, out of which 14 also subscribe to home phone service. Thus, the probability is calculated as the number of households with both services (14) divided by the total number of households with cable (18), resulting in 14/18. Option B (14/26) incorrectly uses the total number of households with home phone service instead of just those with cable. Option C (18/36) misinterprets the probability as a ratio of all households rather than those who subscribe to cable. Option D (14/36) inaccurately represents the total number of households instead of focusing on the cable subscribers.
3√2- 2/(√2) =
  • A. 2√2
  • B. √2
  • C. 3
  • D. 4
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

To solve the expression \( 3\sqrt{2} - \frac{2}{\sqrt{2}} \), we first simplify \( \frac{2}{\sqrt{2}} \). This can be rewritten as \( \frac{2\sqrt{2}}{2} = \sqrt{2} \). Thus, the expression becomes \( 3\sqrt{2} - \sqrt{2} \), which simplifies to \( 2\sqrt{2} \). Option B (\( \sqrt{2} \)) is incorrect as it does not account for the subtraction from \( 3\sqrt{2} \). Option C (3) is incorrect because it misrepresents the value obtained after simplification. Option D (4) is also incorrect, as it does not relate to the expression at all.
Fred, Norman, and Dave own a total of 128 comic books. If Dave owns 44 of them, what is the average (arithmetic mean) number of comic books owned by Fred and Norman?
  • A. 42
  • B. 44
  • C. 46
  • D. 48
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

To find the average number of comic books owned by Fred and Norman, first determine how many comic books they collectively own. Since Dave has 44 comic books, subtract this from the total: 128 - 44 = 84. Fred and Norman together own 84 comic books. To find the average for the two, divide this number by 2: 84 ÷ 2 = 42. Option B (44) incorrectly assumes Fred and Norman have more than they actually do. Option C (46) miscalculates the average by not considering the correct total for Fred and Norman. Option D (48) similarly overestimates their combined ownership. Thus, the average is accurately calculated as 42.