Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations

Practice Test 5:
Answers and
Explanations
PRACTICE TEST 5 ANSWER KEY
Section 1: Section 2: Section 3: Section 4:

Reading Writing & Language Math (No Calculator) Math (Calculator)
1. A 27. C 1. B 23. C 1. C 11. C 1. A 20. B

2. D 28. D 2. D 24. A 2. B 12. A 2. B 21. D
3. B 29. B 3. C 25. D 3. D 13. A 3. A 22. C
4. C 30. D 4. B 26. C 4. C 14. D 4. C 23. C
5. B 31. A 5. A 27. B 5. B 15. C 5. A 24. A
6. C 32. B 6. D 28. A 6. D 16. 10 6. A 25. C
7. B 33. C 7. C 29. D 7. A 17. 1 7. D 26. A
8. A 34. D 8. A 30. A 8. A 18. 20 8. C 27. A
9. D 35. A 9. D 31. A 9. B 19. 32 9. C 28. B
10. B 36. B 10. C 32. B 10. C 20. 18 10. D 29. C
11. B 37. A 11. B 33. C 11. B 30. A
12. C 38. D 12. C 34. A 12. A 31. 4
13. C 39. A 13. A 35. D 13. C 32. 40
14. B 40. C 14. D 36. B 14. C 33. 20
15. D 41. A 15. B 37. C 15. A 34. 400
16. B 42. C 16. B 38. C 16. B 35. 3
17. D 43. D 17. C 39. A 17. A 36. 4
18. A 44. B 18. C 40. B 18. A 37. 8
19. C 45. A 19. B 41. D 19. B 38. 345
20. B 46. A 20. A 42. D
21. B 47. D 21. D 43. A
22. A 48. D 22. D 44. B
23. C 49. B
24. A 50. C
25. D 51. B
26. C 52. C
2 | Cracking the New SAT

PRACTICE TEST 5 EXPLANATIONS
Section 1: Reading
1. A At the beginning of the passage, the death of a wealthy financier and the impact of his death is de-
scribed, stating that he died without making one loyal friend to mourn him, but that it seemed to those
living in the great vortices of business as if the earth, too, shuddered under a blow. The following
paragraphs discuss Manderson’s life and his rise to power in the financial world. The passage does
mention a change in Manderson’s life, but it also says that how the change came about none could
with authority say, so eliminate (B). The passage does mention that Manderson died without mak-
ing any loyal friends, but the focus of the passage as a whole is not to discuss why he failed to make
friends, so (C) is incorrect. While the passage does explain that Manderson was more successful
after he changed from a gambler of genius to one who worked with steady labour, the passage is
focusing on Manderson specifically, not on the advantages of hard work over risky speculations in
general. Therefore, (A) is the best answer.
2. D While the passage does say that Manderson died without making one loyal friend to mourn him, it
does not indicate that he was harsher in manner toward those he considered inferior. Eliminate
(A). The fourth paragraph indicates that it was Manderson’s father, not Manderson himself, who
during a long life had quietly continued to lend money. Eliminate (B). The passage does indicate that
Manderson was educated in European ideals, but that is not what he is chiefly known for. Choice
(C) is not the correct answer. However, the third paragraph does say that he stood in every eye as the
unquestioned guardian of stability, the stamper-out of manipulated crises, the foe of the raiding chief-
tains that infest the borders of Wall Street. Thus, Manderson could be described as having power and
determination to protect the security of the financial sector, making (D) the correct answer.
3. B The answer to the previous question is (D), which states that Manderson was known chiefly for
his power and determination to protect the security of the financial sector. The lines referenced in
(A) do not discuss Manderson’s power or determination in any way, so you can eliminate (A). The
lines referenced in (B) say that Manderson stood in every eye as the unquestioned guardian of stability,
the stamper-out of manipulated crises, the foe of the raiding chieftains that infest the borders of Wall
Street. These lines describe how Manderson was known for his power and determination to protect
the stability and security of the financial sector, or Wall Street. Choice (B) is the correct answer.
Neither the lines referenced in (C) or (D) mention Manderson’s power and ability to protect the
financial sector, so eliminate them.
4. C The first paragraph states that the…brain of Sigsbee Manderson was scattered by a shot from an
unknown hand. Therefore, Manderson’s death was the result of a shot, making the cause of death
known. Eliminate (A). The passage does say that Manderson’s death was a harsh reminder of the
vanity of such wealth, not a reminder of the fact that prosperity is more important than good health.
Therefore, (B) is incorrect. The passage says that Manderson died without making one loyal friend
Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 3

to mourn him, and it also says that to those living in the great vortices of business as if the earth
too shuddered under a blow. Therefore, Manderson’s death had a greater impact upon those in
the business world than upon his personal connections, so (C) is the correct answer. The final
paragraph says, at his father’s death, when Manderson was thirty years old, some new revelation of
the power and the glory of the god he served seemed to have come upon him. Therefore, Mander-
son’s father, not Manderson himself, died when Manderson was thirty years old. The passage
does not state how old Manderson was when he died, so (D) is incorrect.
5. B The answer to the previous question is (C): Manderson’s death had a greater impact on Man-
derson’s business connections than on his personal connections. The information in lines 3–5
does not compare the impact that Manderson’s death had on his personal connections to his
business connections, so eliminate (A). Lines 5–12, however, demonstrate that Manderson
died without making one loyal friend to mourn him, and when he died it seemed to those living in
the great vortices of business as if the earth too shuddered under a blow. Choice (B) supports the
answer to the previous question. The information in lines 16–26 details Manderson’s impor-
tance to the business community but not to his personal connections. Therefore, (C) is incor-
rect. Choice (D) does not compare the impact of Manderson’s death in the business world to
the impact of his death among his personal connections, so you can eliminate this choice as
well. Choice (B) is the answer.
6. C The sentence that the question references states, he had a niche apart in its temples. The word its
refers to the trading world mentioned in the previous sentence. Therefore, the sentence is refer-
ring to the temples of the trading world. City chapels and sanctuaries of calm are unrelated to
business, so you can eliminate (A) and (B). Factory storehouses are somewhat related to business,
but, because the question refers specifically to trade rather than production, prominent market-
places is a better fit to replace the temples. Thus, the correct answer is (C).
7. B These lines focus on Manderson’s approach to finance early in his career. He is described as a
gambler of genius, an infant prodigy, and one who had a brain better endowed than any opposed
to it. Therefore, Manderson must have had a natural talent for business, so (B) is the correct
answer. None of the other choices are supported by this part of the passage.
8. A Lines 48–52 state that at St. Helena it was laid down that war is a beautiful occupation and that
the young Manderson had found the…dogfight of the Stock Exchange of New York. The reference
to St. Helena introduces a comparison between war and work at the Stock Exchange, which
supports (A). The lines in question do not mention a dilemma, so eliminate (B). The sentence
may refer to something that occurred in the past, but the reason that the author introduces the
topic of St. Helena is not simply to cite a historical fact, so (C) is incorrect. The author implies
that Manderson found working at the Stock Exchange to be a beautiful occupation similar to
war, but the author’s reason for introducing the topic of St. Helena is not to suggest that others
should work at the Stock Exchange or go to war, so (D) is incorrect. Thus, the best answer
is (A).

9. D The change in line 53 refers to how Manderson approached business after the death of his
father. The passage does not state that Manderson became a rival of his father’s business, so (A)
is incorrect. Because Manderson was already working on the Stock Exchange when he experi-
enced a change, the change mentioned could not have been Manderson’s change from soldier
to business magnate, so (B) is incorrect. While the passage does mention Manderson’s early
bad manner, it does not actually say that he was disrespectful, only that in his method of doing
business he found his hand against every man’s. Further, he became a powerful business tycoon,
not a clerk. Choice (C) is incorrect. The second-to-last paragraph states that Manderson was
initially little more than a gambler of genius, so he must have been a clever speculator. The final
paragraph indicates that after the change, he turned to steady labour in his father’s banking busi-
ness, or in other words, he became a steadfast and industrious banker. Choice (D) is the correct
answer.
10. B In context, the word elastic describes the word adaptability. The sentence as a whole discusses
the fact that Manderson changed from a gambler of genius to one who worked with steady
labour. Therefore, Manderson must have been very adaptable, and the word elastic in this case
must mean something similar to “able to change easily.” Rubbery, expandable, and looped do
not match this meaning; eliminate (A), (C), and (D). Flexible does match this meaning, so (B)
is the correct answer.
11. B The blurb states that Jay is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, not an impartial
onlooker. In the passage, Jay argues that the United States should remain as a single country,
rather than dividing into smaller, separate nations. Thus, (A) is incorrect. Because Jay is a
Founding Father of the United States, he can appropriately be described as a leader, and he
argues that the United States should never be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien
sovereignties. Because he is a leader and argues for a particular outcome, (B) is well supported
by the passage. According to the blurb, Jay wrote his essay in 1787, while United States citizens
were still debating whether to remain as a single nation or divide into separate nations, so he
was not discussing a historical decision; he was discussing an issue current in his time. Choice
(C) is incorrect. Because Jay argues for a particular position—that the United States should
never be split into a number of…sovereignties—he is not seeking a compromise. Choice (D) is
not the correct answer.
12. C In this line, Jay states that the people must cede, or give up, some of their natural rights to the
government. He then says that they must give up these rights in order to vest it with requisite
powers. Because people are giving their rights to the government, they must be giving the gov-
ernment power. Thus, a good word to put in place of the word vest might be “give.” Because
clothe, abandon, and belong do not mean “give,” eliminate (A), (B), and (D). Because endow
means “give,” (C) is the correct answer.

13. C In these lines, Jay indicates that the reason an individual adopts a pro-separatist view should
be based on truth. This best supports (C). The wishes, prayers, and efforts are mentioned at the
beginning of this paragraph. However, the paragraph also mentions that it has until lately
been a received and uncontradicted opinion that the prosperity of the people of America depended
on their continuing firmly united. The words until lately indicate a change, and so it is not clear
that the majority of the people were against dividing the country. Choice (A) is incorrect. Jay
does say that some insist that instead of looking for safety and happiness in union, we ought to seek
it in a division of the States. However, the passage does not indicate that those individuals value
independence over happiness and safety, only that they believe that they should seek happi-
ness and safety through a different method than remaining united. Eliminate (B). While the
passage does indicate that the prosperity of the people will not best be served by dividing
the nation into smaller confederacies, Jay does not indicate that the reason those individu-
als threaten the nation’s prosperity is that they encourage political turmoil. Therefore, (D) is
incorrect.
14. B Lines 25–29 state that politicians now appear, who insist that…we ought to seek in it a division
of the states into distinct confederacies. At the end of the essay, Jay gives his own opinion, saying
that the country should never be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien sovereignties,
disagreeing with the politicians. In the last two paragraphs, Jay argues against the claim that
the nation should be divided by demonstrating that the people of the country are linked by
strong bonds. This best supports (B). Jay does mention that the people must cede…some of their
natural rights to the government. However, immediately before he makes this statement, he
says that this fact is undeniable, so he is not trying to disagree with this claim, which is why
(A) is incorrect. It is the politicians who believe that the country should be divided, not Jay,
so (C) goes against Jay’s argument and is incorrect. The second paragraph indicates that many
politicians support the idea of division, so they are not astonished by it. Choice (D) is therefore
incorrect.
15. D The statement in (A) is simply a fact that Jay says is undeniable, and it does not relate to the
reason that Jay mentions the opinion of the politicians. Eliminate (A). Choice (B) references
the lines referred to in question 14, but question 14 asks why Jay uses those lines, not what the
lines say. In order to discover why Jay uses those lines, you must examine how they relate to
other parts of the passage, so (B) is incorrect. The lines referenced in (C) indicate that many
people support the idea of division, but they do not explain why Jay introduces the idea of
division in the previous sentence, so (C) is incorrect. Choice (D) provides the reference that
proves that (B) from question 14 is the correct answer: Jay does not support the idea of divi-
sion because the people of the country are united to each other by the strongest ties, should never
be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien sovereignties. Because this is Jay’s point of
view, he must have introduced the point of view of the politicians—the point of view that
division would be beneficial—in order to counter that point of view. Choice (D) is the correct
answer.

16. B The distinction made in these lines is between detached and distant territories and one connected,
fertile, wide-spreading country. The first part of the comparison could be described as secluded
provinces, while the second part fits with unified dominion, as in (B). Jay does mention both
independence, which is similar to self-reliance, and liberty in the lines referenced. However,
he does not make a distinction between these two concepts, so (A) is incorrect. Jay does not
mention marketplaces anywhere in these lines, so (C) is incorrect. He does discuss the idea of
division throughout the passage, but he does not compare division with independence, so (D)
is also incorrect. Choice (B) is the correct answer.
17. D In lines 47–48, Jay states that a succession of navigable waters forms a kind of chain round its
borders, as if to bind it together. This indicates that waterways act as boundaries that encircle
the nation, so you can eliminate (A). In lines 49–53, Jay states that the most noble rivers in
the world…present them with highways for…exchange of their commodities. This indicates that
rivers facilitate trade, so you can eliminate (B). In these same lines Jay states that the rivers
create highways for the easy communication of friendly aids. Because the rivers create channels for
exchanging messages, or communications, (C) is incorrect. The passage makes no mention of
drinking water, so (D) is the correct answer.
18. A In line 34, Jay discusses a change that has been wrought. The change he is referring to is the
change in opinion of those who used to be opposed to separate confederacies but are now in
favor of them. In line 34, Jay indicates he is unsure what wrought this change. Thus, wrought
means something like “brought about” or “caused.” Because neither ornamented, finished, nor
engraved match the meaning of caused, eliminate (B), (C), and (D). The correct answer is (A).
19. C Leading up to lines 55–58, Jay states that Providence has been pleased to give this one connected
country to one united people. He then goes on to list the ways in which the people are united.
This emphasizes the ways in which the people are united, so (C) is the correct answer. Choice
(A) discusses the impossibility of dividing the United States into separate countries. Jay does
not state that dividing the countries into separate countries is impossible, only that the coun-
try should never be split. Choice (A) goes beyond the passage and is therefore incorrect. Jay
mentions that the people of the United States are a people descended from the same ancestors,
speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of govern-
ment. However, these are facts that are already true about the people, rather than methods of
keeping the people together, so (B) is incorrect. The same line relates to (D), but the question
asks about the rhetorical purpose of the lines, or why Jay makes his statement, not what the
statement is. Choice (D) does not accurately describe the purpose of the lines, so eliminate it
as well.
20. B Jay does not make any predictions in the final paragraph, so you can eliminate (A). However,
in this paragraph he does finally give his opinion on the issue of whether the United States
should be split into separate confederacies; he states clearly that this country…should never be
split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien sovereignties, which supports (B). He does not

introduce any metaphors in this paragraph, so (C) is incorrect, and he does not qualify any
previous statements, so (D) is also incorrect. Choice (B) is the best answer.
21. B The correct answer is (B). The passage is primarily about the difference between the works of
the two writers, not their personal lives, which is why (A) is not correct. The primary purpose
is not to advocate a method of evaluating plays, so the answer is not (C). The answer isn’t (D)
because both writers’ works are analyzed within their time periods, not within a greater his-
torical context.
22. A Choice (A) is correct. The author writes that late in life Heywood conceived the design of writ-
ing the lives of all the poets of the world, including his contemporaries. Since the project was not
carried out, we do not have this knowledge, but it would have been a great contribution had
he completed the project. Choice (B) is not correct because we have no reason to think he was
involved in more projects that we don’t know about. Choice (C) is also not correct; while we
know he was involved in 200 plays and that he acted in some, we don’t know that he acted in
more than 200 plays. Choice (D) is a matter of opinion and not supported in the passage.
23. C Only (C) addresses Heywood’s contributing knowledge of other seventeenth-century play-
wrights. Choices (A), (B), and (D) discuss his output as a writer, his personal connections, and
his style. But only (C) addresses his possible contribution to the history of the period in which
he worked.
24. A The author describes Middleton as a writer possessing great incisiveness, creativity, and inven-
tiveness. In lines 75–76 the author praises one of Middleton’s characters as having a strange-
ness such as is hardly paralleled in the whole range of Elizabethan drama. However, the author
also points out that Middleton’s works often lack pathos, tenderness, and humanity. This
mixed reaction is best summarized in (A). Choice (B) can be eliminated because although the
author was not overly impressed with Middleton’s style, disgust is too extreme. Additionally, the
author does not believe that Middleton displayed much in the way of tenderness. Choice (C)
can be eliminated, as the author is never bewildered by any aspect of Middleton’s writing.
Apathy and dislike are both too extreme to describe the author’s view of Middleton’s work, so
(D) can be eliminated.
25. D Choice (D) is correct. In lines 44–46, the author states that Middleton’s works are superior
to Heywood’s in force of imagination, depth of passion, and fullness of matter. Choice (A) is
directly contradicted by line 33, which states that Heywood possessed a sweet and humane
spirit. Choices (B) and (C) are not supported in the passage.
26. C As is noted in the explanation for question 26, Middleton’s plays are more imaginative and
passionate than those of Heywood. Only (C) addresses this directly. Choices (A) and (B) focus
on aspects of Heywood’s writing and career, and (D) makes an observation about Middleton’s
character. Only (C) focuses on the differences between the two writers.

27. C Lines 11–18 indicate that a number of Heywood’s plays were negligently lost. Therefore, (A) is
not correct. These lines also indicate that some actors prevented them from going to print, so
(D) is wrong. Heywood also admits it was never any great ambition...to be...read, so (B) is also
not the answer. Choice (C) is the correct answer because it is never mentioned in the passage.
28. D If you fill in the blank with your own definition, you should get something like “idea.” When
you look through the answer choices, “idea” is closest to (D), intention. All the others are trap
answers. Choice (A) would seem to relate to a writing project, but we are looking for the idea
of the project, not the first draft of it. Choice (B) doesn’t make sense in the context of the
sentence. And while the final product might be a biography, Heywood is still at the beginning
phase of the project. Therefore, (C) can be eliminated.
29. B In lines 46–48, the author says that Middleton’s sentiments are not so fine as Heywood’s. The
lines which follow state that Middleton depresses the mind, makes ironic and unfeeling observa-
tions, and views the world not as a sympathizing poet but as a sagacious cynic. Taking all of this
together, it can be surmised that the author finds Middleton’s sentiments less appealing and
beneficial than Heywood’s. Choice (B) best matches this meaning. Although the author men-
tions that he finds Middleton’s writing less skillful and exact than Heywood’s, these qualities
are not discussed in these lines. Therefore, (C) and (D) can be eliminated. Choice (A) is a trap
answer, as it is a more common definition for fine, but it doesn’t make sense in context.
30. D The correct answer is (D). The phrase incisive intellect cuts its way to the heart of a character as
with a knife describes the power of Middleton’s writing. Choice (D) best captures this idea.
The author never mentions how Middleton got his inspiration, so (A) can be eliminated. The
passage doesn’t give us enough information about Middleton’s emotional life to prove (B), so it
can be eliminated. Choice (C) discusses dramatists in general rather than the single dramatist
under discussion.
31. A The opening line of this passage is a question: Remember acid rain? This is a rhetorical question
the author asks to demonstrate that many people may have forgotten about acid rain because
it has been 25 years since acid rain was popularized in the media and addressed by legislation.
This best supports (A). While it is true that the author states later in the paragraph that acid
rain significantly declined, the author does not introduce acid rain in order to discuss the posi-
tive aspects of its decline, so (C) is incorrect. Choice (D) can be eliminated because it does not
make sense for the author to write an article about something she knows nothing about.
32. B The passage opens with a review of the occurrence of acid rain and how it was addressed, then
reviews differing recovery for both regions affected by acid rain, and closes with what is likely
to happen in the future (The soils of the central Appalachians will continue to release sulfate into
the water for years to come, but…), which best matches (B). Both (C) and (D) are too narrow in
their scope, so they can be eliminated. Acid rain is not an unknown phenomenon, and there
were both positive and negative results from solutions to it, so eliminate (A).

33. C The passage states that while a large portion of that sulfate was retained in the soil, and not
immediately deposited into water bodies in the Appalachia region; it goes on to say that now the
soils are leaching their stored sulfate back into the water. The best answer is (C). Choice (D) is the
opposite of what the passages states—the Adirondacks had less soil sulfate retention, so those
lakes became very acidic but then recovered much more quickly. Choice (A) is incorrect—acid
rain is the primary cause of acidification of lakes. Choice (B) is not true because soils with
sulfate stored are beginning to leach that sulfate into the lakes.
34. D The question asks what the effect of government regulation on the issue of acid rain was, so
eliminate (C) because it addresses pollution markets rather than acid rain. As it was not carbon
dioxide emissions that caused acid rain, (A) is incorrect. Choice (B) is deceptive; while the
Supreme Court did uphold government regulation, this did not occur until after acid rain had
been addressed and reduced by the Clean Air Act. The best answer is (D).
35. A The question is asking for the primary purpose of the passage, so the answer should be gen-
eral. Choices (B), (C), and (D) are all too specific to address the general point of the passage.
Choice (A) is the best answer as it covers the major points addressed. It indicates that acid rain
is still a problem because streams here aren’t recovering from acidification and that there is more
that can be done about the predicament.
36. B The point the author is making is that specific regional geologies can have both positive and
negative aspects. This best matches (B). Choice (A) contains language that is present in the
passage, but the passage does not say that cutting across soil is how to learn the most about
geology. Choice (C) refers to organisms being affected by geology, which is not addressed
in these lines. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) is too extreme—the geology of Virginia has good
points, such as coal, and bad points, such as the soil retention of sulfate.
37. A The irony of the Adirondacks is that while the lakes there were initially much more adversely
affected by acid rain than those in the Appalachian region due to the lack of protection from
its soil, the Adirondack lakes recovered more quickly because no sulfate was stored in their
soil. This is best reflected in (A). Choice (B) is the opposite of what is stated in the passage; the
Adirondack lakes that weren’t sheltered by sulfate soil retention recovered almost immediately
after sulfate emissions declined. Choice (C) is deceptive, as it was the Appalachian region that
has coal, not the Adirondacks. Because the geology of the Adirondacks is not an outcome of
acid rain, acid rain is something that occurred and affected the Adirondack region; (D) is in-
correct. Therefore, the best answer is (A).
38. D The question asks you to weaken the author’s argument, so the first step is to understand what
the author says. The passage states that studies showed that because of the increasing acidity of
rainfall, nearly a quarter of the lakes and streams in the Adirondack Mountains had become un-
inhabitable by fish. In other words, the author is saying that it was the increase of acid rain that
caused the lakes and streams of the Adirondack Mountains to become polluted. The best choice

that goes against this claim is (D). It says the acidification of the lakes can be attributed to post-
glacial land uplift, rather than acid rain. Both (A) and (B) do not work because the rate of acid
rain in Virginia/southern North America has no effect on acid rain in the Adirondacks. Choice
(C) does not work because an increase in the birth rate of turtles does not show that acid rain
didn’t cause acidification and harm to fish populations.
39. A In the seventh paragraph, the author states that a recent Supreme Court decision upheld the federal
government’s authority to regulate these pollutants, but it merely set the stage for a larger battle with
the power industry. This suggests that the author believes the power industry will not willingly
regulate the pollutants they emit, which makes (A) the best answer. Choices (B) and (C) are
not supported by the text of the passage; both the Supreme Court and the EPA are described as
attempting to address the environmental impact of acid rain and other issues. Choice (D) does
not address the pollution emissions discussed in the paragraph, so it is incorrect.
40. C Be careful! The question wants to know which statement isn’t true. Choice (A) is supported
by the first paragraph, which states that the result of the cap-and-trade program was that
acid rain has all but disappeared from news headlines. Choice (B) is supported by the line
weathered soil has a much higher capacity for sulfate to stick to it. Choice (D) is supported by the
second-to-last paragraph in which the author discusses further steps to improve the quality of
lakes in the Appalachian region. Choice (C) is not supported, as it was after acid rain ended
that the acidification levels of lakes in the Appalachian region began to rise, so that statement
is not true of all the lakes in North America. The correct answer is (C).
41. A Kentucky had the highest recorded amount of SO4 concentration in 1998, but by 2010 it had
the lowest concentration, which is stated in (A). Choice (B) cannot be correct, as Virginia had
a higher SO4 concentration in surface water than did any of the other three states, so it was
less protected by the soil retention of sulfate. Choice (C) is incorrect, as Tennessee and West
Virginia’s concentration levels fluctuated, with no clear relationship between the two. Choice
(D) is incorrect because West Virginia showed no decline in SO4 concentration from 2008 to
2010.
42. C The author mentions infections and cancers as examples of the types of ailments that site-specific and
conservative drug doses can more effectively help than other drug delivery systems that are not
characterized by these attributes. The answer that best matches this description is (C). Choice (A)
is not supported because the passage discusses treating these types of illnesses, not curing them.
Choice (D) is also incorrect because it references vaccines rather than treatments. Choice (B) is
disproven by the passage; the paragraph clearly refers to drugs used to predominantly treat infec-
tions and cancers. This implies that there are currently effective treatments for cancers, but there
may be even better ones out there. The best answer is (C).

43. D The author states that the fibers range in size from nanometers to micrometers, which is an
attribute that is intrinsically difficult to obtain from other fiber-fabrication processes. The only
choice that matches this is (D). Choices (A) and (C) are not correct because precise fiber mea-
surements and cellular measurements are not mentioned in the passage. Choice (B) is decep-
tively worded; the passage is describing the sizes of the fibers for the first time. Because there is
no additional information being given about the size, (B) cannot be correct.
44. B In context, residual refers to the solvent that evaporates, as opposed to that which forms the
collection of non-woven fibers, so it is the extra material that results from the electrospinning
process. Therefore, the correct answer should match the meaning “extra.” Because durable,
steadfast, and inhabiting do not match this meaning, eliminate (A), (C), and (D). The remain-
ing choice, (B), does match this meaning, making it the correct answer.
45. A The author of Passage 1 prefers natural polymers to synthetic polymers because they possess
lower levels of toxicity, immunogenicity, and improved biocompatibility as compared to synthetic
polymers. This is best supported by (A). The author of Passage 1 does not discuss blending
natural polymers with synthetic polymers—that’s the author of Passage 2, so eliminate (B).
Choice (D) is too extreme; while the author states that these polymers can have greater benefit
when combined, it does not say that collagen and elastin are not effective when used individu-
ally. Choice (C) is not discussed in either passage, so it cannot be the correct answer. Therefore,
(A) is correct.
46. A Passage 2 begins by discussing why there has been an increase in research and use of synthetic
polymers as opposed to natural ones and reviews the positive attributes of synthetic. It then
goes on to say in the second and final paragraph that researchers should not limit themselves
to a purist approach, and a blend of polymer types may result in the most beneficial base yet
of electrospun scaffolds. This best matches (A). Choice (C) is the opposite of this—the author
does not think a purist approach is important to have. Choice (D) is too specific and does
not address the connection between natural and synthetic polymers. Choice (B) goes too far;
although the passage states that synthetic polymers can be created in laboratories, it does not
say that they are easier to work with than natural fibers, only that many possible products can
be made from them. The correct answer is (A).
47. D In this line, the author is discussing the ability of synthetic polymers to be made to address a
wider range of properties. This means tailored must mean something like “changed or modi-
fied,” which best matches (D). Choices (A), (B), and (C) are all other meanings of tailored that
don’t fit in this context.
48. D Although the author asserts that synthetic polymers have clear benefits over natural ones, he
goes on to say that a blend of the two may create an even better option because they both
have positive properties. Choice (D) is the only choice that matches the general point of the
paragraph. Choice (A) is too specific because it addresses only the first line of the paragraph.
Choice (B) is the opposite of what is stated in the paragraph; the author does not support

the purist approach. Choice (C) is not addressed in the passage, so it is not correct. The best
answer is (D).
49. B Don’t forget to use POE! Passage 2 focuses on the positive aspects of synthetic polymers and the
importance of keeping an open approach to building these drug delivery systems. Choice (B) is
supported by the author’s assertion that because synthetic polymers can be created in laboratories…
[they] can be engineered to address any particular clinical need. Choice (A) is too vague and does
not match the information presented in Passage 2 regarding synthetic polymers having many
benefits over natural polymers. Eliminate (A). The passage states that the hydrophilicity and
hydrophobicity of a polymer are related to its solubility, but it never states that one has more
affect on solubility than the other. This makes (C) incorrect. Because there is no evidence from
Passage 2 to support (D), the only possible answer is (B).
50. C Hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity are only mentioned in Passage 2, not both passages. There-
fore, eliminate (A). Differing electrical charges and viscosity are mentioned only in Passage 1,
so (B) can be eliminated as well. The topics in (C) and (D) are addressed in both passages, but
(D) goes too far. Passage 1 states that natural polymers typically possess positive aspects, not
that they necessarily do, while Passage 2 argues for trying blended polymer bases. So eliminate
(D). Passage 1 does state that site-specificity, stability, and dosage measurement all impact how
well electrospun scaffold work, while Passage 2 states that it is the aim of researchers to precisely
fine-tune the properties of electrospun scaffolds. Choice (C) is the best-supported answer.
51. B Both passages discuss blended polymer bases: Passage 1 discusses the combination of collagen
and elastin, while Passage 2 encourages research on synthetic and natural base blends, so elim-
inate (A). Choice (C) is incorrect because Passage 1 refers to both the efficacy of different drug
delivery systems for cancers and infections, while Passage 2 does not refer to disease at all, just
merely medical applications. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) is inaccurate for Passage 1 because the
author of that passage clearly favors natural polymer bases. Only (B) matches both passages,
as Passage 1 explains how electrospinning works, and Passage 2 discusses the need to look at
combining polymer bases and continued interest in this field in the last paragraph.
52. C The tones differ in that Passage 1 strongly believes natural polymers are the best, while Passage
2 states that although synthetic polymers have more positive characteristics, both have benefits
that should be utilized. This makes (C) the best answer. Choice (B) can be eliminated because
biased and subjective mean the same thing. Choices (A) and (D) can be eliminated as the
author of Passage 1 is neither belligerent nor pessimistic.

Section 2: Writing and Language
The Nobel Prize and the School of...

1. B The word in the blank should match with what one would expect in the following sentence.
Therefore, there are few surprises on the list because most of the winners are what people
expect. Choices (A) and (C) have similar meanings, but (B) is the most precise word for the
context.
2. D The choices all say essentially the same thing and are all grammatically correct. Look for the
most concise choice that maintains the meaning of the sentence. In this case, (D) is the most
concise, and Europeans is parallel with the other item in the list, Americans.
3. C The pronoun their refers to winner. Their is plural and winner is singular, so eliminate (A) and
(D). Choice (B) is singular, but one’s is used to refer to non-specific subjects. His or her refers to
a singular specific noun, so (C) is correct.
4. B Choice (B) links with the word surprising in the previous paragraph, and the rest of this para-
graph goes on to discuss the surprise of where Nobel laureates in Literature have earned their
degrees. Choice (A) links the ideas regarding age and schools, but it does not account for the
substance of this paragraph, which has to do with non-traditional schools of Nobel laureates
in Literature. Choices (C) and (D) are off topic with the remainder of the paragraph.
5. A The idea before the punctuation, These winners share an average age (64) and geographical diver-
sity with those in other categories, is complete. The idea after the punctuation, though they have
a much wider diversity in educational backgrounds is not complete. Because (B) and (D) both
contain STOP punctuation, they can be eliminated. Choice (C) can be eliminated because it
creates a run-on sentence by replacing though with however. Only (A) remains, making it the
best answer.
6. D The underlined portion in the passage contains a fragment; eliminate (A). Choice (B) also
creates a sentence fragment, so it can be eliminated as well. Between (C) and (D), (D) is the
most concise answer choice.
7. C The underlined pronoun they is plural, and it refers to the Nobel committee, which is singular.
Eliminate (A), (B), and (D) because they all contain plural pronouns. The only possible answer
is (C).
8. A The subject of the verb requires is work, both of which are singular. Eliminate (B) and (C). In
order to remain consistent with the verb in the following sentence, provide, no change is neces-
sary. Choice (A) is therefore the best answer.

9. D Choices (A) and (B) are more or less identical, so they cannot both be correct. Choice (C) is
more concise than the original sentence, but it changes the meaning, so it should be elimi-
nated. Choice (D) is more concise, noting that findings and discoveries refer to the same thing;
it also preserves the meaning of the original sentence. Choice (D) is the best answer.
10. C Sentence 6 is discussing a contrast between where work in Literature takes place versus where
work in other disciplines does. The sentence should come after the discussion of the universi-
ties where quality non-literary work occurs and before the discussion of literature’s exception
to this rule. This shift happens between sentences 3 and 4, so that is where sentence 6 belongs,
as (C) suggests.
11. B The paragraph as a whole suggests that great authors can come from anywhere, not just elite
schools. Choice (B) best summarizes that argument, suggesting that great authors can come
from any level of school or no school at all.
I’d Rather Be With an Animal

12. C The items in this list include dog, cat, fish, and horse. In a list of three or more items, there
should be a comma after every item in that list prior to the conjunction, so in this case, that
means dog, cat, fish, or horse. Eliminate (A) and (D). Choice (B) adds an extra comma after
the conjunction or, which is incorrect. Choice (C) is the best answer.
13. A Then is for time; than is for comparison. This sentence contains a comparison, so then is incor-
rect. Eliminate (C) and (D). Fewer refers to things that can be counted; less refers to things that
cannot be counted. In this case, the 3,000 veterinary-school graduates are obviously countable,
making (A) the correct answer.
14. D The first part of the sentence states that it may be time to bring the dream [of being a veteri-
narian] back. This part of the sentence should therefore address the advantages of becoming a
veterinarian, which only (D) does.
15. B The chart shows 52% growth among Veterinary Technologists and Technicians, 26% growth
among Health Technologists and Technicians, and 14% growth among all occupations.
Therefore, the chart projects a growth rate for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians that is
approximately three times that of all other occupations, as (B) suggests.
16. B The idea before the punctuation, For many years, veterinarians have provided a series of basic
services for household pets, is complete. The idea after the punctuation, From basic check-ups
and shots to neutering and defanging, is not complete. Choices (A) and (C) can therefore be
eliminated, as both contain STOP punctuation. Choice (D) includes a comma, but it is in an
awkward spot. Choice (B) works because a single dash is used just like a colon—it can come
before a complete or incomplete idea, but it must come after a complete idea.

17. C The pronoun they is referring to veterinarians. However, as the sentence is written, it sounds
like the pets are required to perform more and more procedures. In order to be as precise as
possible, select the choice that makes it clear it is the veterinarians that are performing the pro-
cedures. In this case, that’s (C).
18. C Read the question carefully. It asks for the choice that best emphasizes that many pet own-
ers consider their pets to be more human than animal. Choice (C) provides this emphasis by
describing a human-to-human relationship between human and pet.
19. B Sentence 5 introduces the basic idea of this paragraph: Pet owners are treating their pets more
like humans than they have in the past, so it should be placed early in the paragraph. Sentence
1 provides a good link to the previous paragraph with the reference this, but sentence 5 fits
directly afterward, as (B) suggests.
20. A The phrase for instance is unnecessary and should therefore be set off with commas. The sen-
tence is correct as written, so the answer is (A).
21. D Choices (A), (B), and (D) all say essentially the same thing, but (D) does so in the most concise
way possible. Choice (C) is also concise, but it changes the meaning of the sentence. The best
answer is therefore (D).
22. D Be precise! Stuff can refer to many things, as can (B) and (C). The best answer is (D), the stability,
because it is the most precise of the choices.
Veterans in School
23. C As written, the sentence creates a comma splice. Choice (A) can be eliminated, as can (D) for
the same reason. Of the remaining choices, (C) is better because it indicates the contrast that
is being set up in this sentence.
24. A This sentence first discusses twenty years prior to 1944 and then goes on to discuss veterans.
The answer that best encapsulates both components is (A). The other choices may capture one
component of the sentence, but only (A) captures both.
25. D Make sure the pronoun case is consistent in the sentence. They’re is the contraction of they are,
there is used for location or in phrases like, “There’s something happening here,” and their is
possessive. In this sentence, the pronoun is referring to talk of military bonuses, making (D) the
correct answer.
26. C The sentence says that a group of veterans demanded bonuses after marching to Washington.
Choice (A) contains a misplaced modifier, stating that Washington was attempted to achieve
its bonus demands. Choice (B) contains the ambiguous pronoun it and changes the mean-
ing of the sentence. Choice (D) also changes the meaning of the sentence by stating that the
bonuses were demanded for Washington, not the veterans. The only correct answer is (C).

27. B If you can’t cite a reason to use a comma, don’t use one. In this case, no commas are necessary,
so the best answer is (B).
28. A The earlier parts of the paragraph refer to a similar standoff as the one described in the previ-
ous paragraph and the economic collapse of the Great Depression—both of which Congress
was looking to avoid. Choice (A) best captures the idea that Congress was trying to avoid both
outcomes. The other choices do not address the earlier parts of the paragraph at all.
29. D As written, the sentence refers to a revolution in the United States. This is not what the para-
graph is suggesting, so it’s worth clarifying that this was a revolution in university education in
the United States, as (D) suggests.
30. A This sentence discusses the early 1960s, which is in the past. Eliminate (B) and (C). Because
the previous sentence states that nearly half of all veterans had used the G.I. Bill, the verb in
this sentence should be consistent—had changed goes with had used. Therefore, the sentence is
correct as written, and (A) is the answer.
31. A The previous sentence says the following: For the first time in American history, college was truly
democratic: It was not limited to the very wealthy. The sentence that follows should expand on
this idea. Choices (B) and (D) contradict the idea, and (C) is irrelevant. Only (A) effectively
expands on the idea that college was now truly democratic.
32. B The earlier paragraphs discuss the G.I. Bill in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. This paragraph dis-
cusses the G.I. Bill’s recent history. Choices (C) and (D) do not address time at all, so they can
be eliminated. Choice (A) suggests that there have been bad periods for the G.I. Bill, which is
not supported by the passage. Therefore, (B) is the best answer.
33. C Use the context! The clue comes in the next part of the sentence: changed the face of education
as we know it, and we feel its effects. The most precise word in this context is influential, so the
correct answer is (C).
The Ecological Recovery of Detroit

34. A Use the context! The following sentence discusses fighting and the region being the most vola-
tile of the early 1800s. While (B), (C), and (D) may all be true, none of them are consistent
with the information in the paragraph. Only (A) is consistent.
35. D This sentence discusses the influence of the beaver, or the beaver’s influence. Note that the
word whose indicates possession. Because animal refers to beaver, they should both demon-
strate possession. Choice (D) is therefore the correct answer. Choice (B) may be tempting, but
it does not agree with the earlier part of the sentence, which refers to the beaver’s influence, not
the beaver itself.

36. B This sentence contains a word from a foreign language, so the rest of the sentence should
clarify what that word means. While all the choices are true, only (B) effectively clarifies the
meaning of the foreign word.
37. C The idea before the punctuation, Their plans were successful, and within a very short span, is
incomplete. The idea after the punctuation, Furs had become the dominant trade items in the
region, is complete. Therefore, (A), (B), and (D) can be eliminated because STOP punctuation
is used only between two complete ideas. Choice (C) is therefore the correct answer.
38. C Be precise! It is unclear what the word it refers to in the sentence as written, so eliminate (A).
Choice (D) also lacks precision, so it can be eliminated as well. Choice (B) changes the in-
tended meaning, so it not correct. Choice (C) expresses the idea most precisely and maintains
the original meaning.
39. A The pronoun it refers back to the beaver, which is singular. Choice (C) can be eliminated
because the pronoun they is plural. Choice (D) can be eliminated because one is used with un-
known subjects. It’s in (B) is singular, but it changes the tense unnecessarily. Choice (A) is the
correct answer.
40. B Without the phrase by factories, there’s not enough information in this sentence. It would be
unclear what would later replace the beaver habitat. It is therefore essential to keep by factories
to keep this sequence intact, as (B) suggests.
41. D Choose the most precise answer that is consistent with the tone of the passage. Choice (A) may
say the correct thing, but it does so in oddly informal language. Choices (B) and (C) change
the meaning, so they can be eliminated. Only (D) matches the tone and preserves the mean-
ing of the sentence.
42. D Use Process of Elimination. Between 1990 and 2010, the population did decrease, but not by
half, eliminating (A). Throughout the twentieth century, the population increased and then
decreased, eliminating (B). Between 1890 and 1950, the population increased, eliminating (C).
Between 1950 and 2010, however, the population decreased by nearly half. Choice (D) is the
correct answer.
43. A This sentence is correct as written. Choices (B) and (C) contain idiom errors by using of
instead of have, so they can be eliminated. Choice (D) changes the meaning of the sentence.
Therefore, (A) is the correct answer.
44. B Always compare like things. As the sentence is currently written, cities are being compared
to parts of Detroit. Compare parts to parts, or change the construction of the sentence. Both
(A) and (D) can be eliminated because they compare cities to parts. Choice (C) is not clear
what parts it is referring to and can be eliminated as well. In this context, the best choice is
(B), which changes the introductory phrase to describe the uniqueness of what is occurring in
Detroit.

Section 3: Math (No Calculator)
1. C When the question asks for a specific value and there are numbers in the answer choices, Plug
36 6
In the Answers! Try (B), plugging in 3 for m. The equation becomes − = 3 or
3+2 3−2
36 6
− = 3. Even without a calculator, you can see that this will not come out nicely. Try (C),
5 1
36 6 36 6
and make m = 4. − = 3 or − = 3 . This becomes 6 – 3 = 3, which is true,
4+2 4−2 6 2
so (C) is correct.
2. B One approach to inequalities is to Plug In. To plug in on inequalities, pick values for the
variable that are true for some answers and false for others. Make x = 2. If x is 2, the inequal-
ity becomes −3(2) + 2 < 11, or −4 < 11. This is true, so 2 must be included in the range of the
correct answer. Eliminate (A) and (C). Next, pick a number that’s included in (B) but not in
(D); make x = 4. If x is 4, the inequality becomes −3(4) + 2 < 11, or −10 < 11. That’s also true,
so eliminate (D) and choose (B).
Another approach is to work the inequality algebraically. Begin by subtracting 2 from both
sides:
−3x + 2 < 11
−2 −2
−3x < 9
Next, divide both sides by −3. Note that when you divide or multiply both sides of an inequal-
ity by a negative, you must flip the inequality sign:
−3 x 9
<
−3 −3
x > −3
This matches (B).
3. D Because the second equation is already solved for y, it is easiest to substitute for y in the first
equation. Replace y with 5x – 8 in the first equation:
3x + (5x – 8) = 4
8x – 8 = 4
8x = 12
The question wants the value of 8x, so the answer is (D).

4. C When asked for a specific value and given numbers in the answer choices, Plug In the Answers.
Start with a positive value that appears in more than one answer choice, such as z = 9. The
equation becomes 92 – 4(9) – 45 = 0, which equals 81 – 36 – 45 = 0. This is true, so eliminate
(B) and (D), which don’t include 9. Try z = –5. This becomes 25 + 20 – 45 = 0, which is true,
so the correct answer is (C). Alternatively, you could solve this equation by factoring the qua-
dratic: (z – 9)(z + 5) = 0, so z = 9 or –5.
5. B Because you want the value of w, you want to eliminate the s terms. If you add the two equa-
tions together, the s terms will cancel:
2w + 2s = 14
+ 3w – 2s = 1
5w = 15
Divide both sides by 5, and you find that w = 3, which is (B).
6. D Because there are variables in the answer choices, plug in. Say h = 2. If the initial popu-
lation is 10, then after 1 hour it will double to 20, and after 2 hours it will double to 40.
Check the answers with h = 2, and eliminate any that do not equal 40. Choice (A) becomes
10(2) + 10, which is 30, so eliminate (A). Choice (B) becomes 10(3)2, or 10(9), which is 90,
so eliminate (B). Choice (C) becomes 202, which is way too big. Choice (D) becomes 10(22),
which is 40. The correct answer is (D).
7. A The easiest approach is to plug in points on each graph into the given equation. Choices (B)
and (D) have point (0, 4), and because that’s the only point without a fraction, it’s easiest to
start here. Make x = 0 and y = 4 in the given equation: 3(0) – 6 (4) = 4, or –24 = 4. This isn’t
true, so point (0, 4) shouldn’t be on the graph of the equation; eliminate (B) and (D). Both
⎛4 ⎞
(A) and (C) share the point ⎜ , 0 ⎟ , so you know this point is on the graph. Instead, test the
⎝3 ⎠
⎛ 2⎞ ⎛ 2⎞
other point. Plug point ⎜ 0, − ⎟ from (A) into the equation: 3(0) – 6 ⎜ − ⎟ = 4; 4 = 4. This
⎝ 3⎠ ⎝ 3⎠
works, so the answer is (A). Alternatively, you could solve the equation for y by putting it into
1 2
slope-intercept form. You get y = x − , so you’re looking for a graph with a positive slope
2 3
2
less than 1 and a y-intercept of − , which only matches (A).
3

8. A This one seems complicated, but if you can find the area of the trapezoidal end, you just have
to multiply it by the length to find the volume. Redraw the trapezoid on your paper, and label
everything you know. If you have the trapezoid area formula memorized—great! Use it! If not,
you can just divide the trapezoid into simpler shapes, like so:
24
12
10 10
12
If the top edge is 24, and the rectangle in the middle is 12 inches wide, then 12 inches remain
for the short pieces on the ends of the top edge, and when divided evenly between the two
pieces, each one is 6 inches. The triangles on the end are 6-8-10 triangles, so the height is 8
inches. Label these sides on your drawing.
24
6 12 6
10 8 8 10
12
Now, find the areas of the rectangle and the two triangles and add them all up. The rectangle
is 8 by 12 for an area of 96. The triangle area formula is one-half base times height, but you
have two triangles with the same base and height, so their total area is 6 times 8, or 48. The
area of the trapezoid is 96 + 48 = 144. Multiply that by the length of 48 to get a volume of
6,912 cubic inches, which is (A).
9. B To determine the maximum profit, or greatest value for P(x), the quadratic must be changed
from the standard form, f(x) = ax 2 + bx + c, to the vertex form, f(x) = a(x – h)2 + k, where
(h, k) is the vertex. Start by factoring out the –2 coefficient on the x2 and x terms to get
P(x) = –2(x 2 – 10x) – 48. The part in parentheses needs to be a squared binomial. To complete
the square, divide the b term by 2, then square it to find the c term of the completed square:
10 52
− = 5 and = 25, so the quadratic inside the parentheses is x 2 – 10x + 25, or (x – 5)2.
2 2
Now the equation is P(x) = –2(x – 5)2 + 48, but adding the 25 inside the parentheses changed
the value of the equation. When the 25 is multiplied by the –2 outside the parentheses, the

value is –50. To correct for this, 50 must be added to the equation to bring it back to its origi-
nal value. So the equation is really P(x) = –2(x – 5)2 – 48 + 50 or P(x) = –2(x – 5)2 + 2. There-
fore, the vertex of the parabola is (5, 2). The y-coordinate, or P(x), corresponds to the profit,
so the maximum profit is 2. The question states that the profit is calculated “in thousands of
dollars,” so that 2 really indicates a profit of $2,000. Choice (B) is therefore the answer.
10. C Plugging in can help you understand what’s happening in a function. At t = 0, Rachel is at
home. D(0) = 475, which means Rachel’s home must be 475 meters from school. This is (C).
11. C If this question was in the calculator-permitted section, you could use your graphing calculator
to test these functions. Because you don’t have that option, you need to plug in and use Process of
Elimination. You also can’t calculate e very easily on paper, but it is a constant, so you can round
it to 3 instead. Start with a simple value such as x = 0. For (A), you get –3 + 30, or –3 + 1, which
is –2. The y-intercept of d(x) is positive, so eliminate (A). Choice (B) is 3 – 30 = 3 – 1 = 2, so hang
2 2 2
on to it. Choice (C) is = = 1 . This is also positive, so keep it. Choice (D) is ,
1+3 0
1+1 1 + 30
which is again equal to 1, so hold onto it. Now try a value like x = 5, where the graphs start to
flatten out. Choice (B) is 3 – 3 –5, which is difficult to calculate, but it is 3 minus something very
small, so you can call it approximately 3. This fits with the graph of d(x), so keep it. Choice (C)
2
is 1 + 3−10 , which is 2 divided by 1 plus something very small, so approximately just 2. Choice
2
(D) is 1 + 310 , or 2 divided by something huge. This will be very, very small, so eliminate (D).
Finally, try x = –5 with (B) and (C). For (B), the equation becomes 3 – 35. This will be a very
large negative number, so eliminate (B) and select (C).
12. A With variables in the question and answer choices, plug in. Use easy numbers in the equation
r i
V = , such as r = 6 and m = 3, so V = 2. Now plug this value for V into the equation O =
m v
i
to get O = so 2O = i. Pick easy numbers for this equation, like O = 5 and i = 10. Now that
2
you have all the values, put a circle around the value for m, which is 3, because that is the tar-
get answer. Check each choice by carefully plugging in the values to see which one equals 3.
Only (A) does, so that is the correct answer.

13. A In the breakdown of how students spend their time, two percents are missing: homework and
entertainment. Use the information about the central angle of the homework sector to calcu-
late that percent.
36° x%
=
360° 100% , so x = 10%
Now, add up that homework percent with all the other given percents to get 85%, leaving 15%
for entertainment. To calculate the areas of these two sectors, start with the area of the circle,
defined as A = pr 2. The radius is 10, so the area is 100. Entertainment is 15% of that, or 15,
and homework is 10% of the area, or 10. Therefore, the area of the entertainment sector is 5
greater than the area of the homework sector, making (A) the correct answer.
m
14. D Plug in! Because you want to focus on the term, make c, l, and o all equal 0. Those terms
100
m
can be eliminated from the function, so you’re left with g(m) = + 625 . Next, try a few
100
numbers. If m = 0, then the player must start with g(0) = 625 gems. Eliminate (A). You can
also eliminate (B) because there have been 0, not 100, minutes in this match. Next, make
m = 100. After 100 minutes, the player has 626 gems. The player is not earning 100 gems per
minute; rather, in 100 minutes, the player has earned 1 additional gem from the starting value
of 625. Eliminate (C) and select (D).
15. C There is a lot going on in this problem, which gives you a lot of opportunities to use Process
of Elimination! Start with the easiest piece of information: In this case, that would be the line
y = –x + a. The question says that a and b are positive constants, so this is a straight line with
a negative slope and a positive y-intercept. Eliminate (B) because the line in that graph has a
positive slope, and eliminate (D) because it has a negative y-intercept. Now look at the number
of solutions. The question states that there are two, meaning that all three equations meet at
two different points. Choice (A) has only one point of intersection for the three equations, so
eliminate it and select (C).
16. 10 When given two inequalities and asked to determine some combination of their values, make
sure to try all four possible combinations of the limits. If both f and g were at their high ends,
the values would be 3 and 2, respectively, and fg would be 6. At the low ends, f = –2 and g = –5,
so fg = 10. Next, try f = –2 (the low value of f ) with g = 2 (the high value of g) to get fg = –4.
Lastly, try f = 3 (the high value of f ) and g = –5 (the low value of g) to get fg = –15. Of the four
possible combinations, the maximum value for fg = 10.

17. 1 Because you are asked to find the value of 5x, look for a way to manipulate the equations to
give you that result. In this case, if you add the two equations together, the y expressions disap-
pear and you’re left with 5x:
2x – 3y = 4
+ 3x + 3y = −3
5x = 1
Therefore, 5x must equal 1.
18. 20 Whenever you see figures with 5, 12, and 13 as the measurements, you should think of the
Pythagorean triple with those numbers. However, you don’t actually have any triangles here,
so you’ll have to draw them. You can form a 5-12-13 triangle by making a right triangle and
using the 13 inches as the hypotenuse as shown below. This will separate the top shelf into a
rectangle that is 5 inches wide and a triangle that is 5 inches wide. Because each shelf is the
same height, you can draw one of these triangles at the edge of each of the three shelves. There-
fore, each shelf is 5 inches wider than the one above it. The top shelf would be 10 inches, the
middle shelf would be 15 inches, and the bottom shelf would be 20 inches.
12 12 13
5 5
12 12 13
10 5
12 12 13
15 5
x
y2 − y1
19. 32 Because you have two points, you can use the slope formula: m = . You need the point
x 2 − x1
on the line where y = 0. Therefore, you can use the slope formula again, reusing one of the
known points and making the other point (x, 0):
1 −4 − 0
=
10 −8 − x

Cross-multiply and solve:
−8 – x = −40
−x = −32
x = 32
20. 18 When given a point on a function, you can plug in that point. You are actually given three
points, but the one with the variable is useless and there only as a distraction. Of the other two
points, (2, 0) is easier to use. Plug in 2 for x and 0 for y, or q(x).0 = 4(2)3 – b(2)2 +14(2) + 12
0 = 32 – 4b + 28 + 12
0 = 72 – 4b
4b = 72
b = 18
Section 4: Math (Calculator)

1. A Plug in! Make s = 5. If there are 5 students at the school, the students will throw away
5 × 2 = 10 pounds of garbage. The non-students throw away 350 pounds, so in total there will be
10 + 350 = 360 pounds of garbage. This is your target. Plug in s = 5, and eliminate any choice
that does not equal 360. The only answer that works is (A).
2. B The target heart rate is based on the maximum heart rate, so start there. Rayyan’s maximum
heart rate is the difference between 220 and 20, or 220 – 20 = 200. His target heart rate is
55
55% of this value, or (200) = 110. Choice (B) is correct.
100
3. A Plug in! Make w = 4. Choices (C) and (D) are true for the moment, so keep them around. Be-
cause −4 is less than −3, keep (A) and eliminate (B). Next, try another number: make w = 4.5.
Because −4.5 is less than −3, keep (A). However, 4.5 isn’t 4, nor is it an integer, so eliminate (C)
and (D). You’re left with (A).
4. C First, find the total number of people that could ride the roller coaster if all the seats had work-
ing seatbelts. Multiply the 18 cars by the 2 people that can ride in each car to get 36 total seats.
At this point, you can ballpark. Some seats have broken belts, so (D) is too large. Most seats
have working belts, so (A) and (B) are too small. Therefore, (C) must be the answer. Alterna-
tively, you can make a ratio box:
Working Broken Total

Ratio 8 1
Multiplier
Actual numbers 36

If the ratio of working to broken seatbelts is 8 to 1, that means there are 9 in each group. Put
that number if the upper right box under Total (in the Ratio row). The total actual number of
seats is 36, so with 9 in each group, there must be 4 groups. This is your multiplier, so fill in
the Multiplier row with 4s. Finally, multiply each number of the ratio by the multiplier to get
the actual numbers in the bottom row. When you are done, it should look like this:
Working Broken Total

Ratio 8 1 9
Multiplier 4 4 4
Actual numbers 32 4 36
Therefore, there are 32 working seatbelts, so 32 people can ride the roller coaster.
5. A The curve of the graph shows that the bacteria in the colony are growing at a faster and faster
rate over time, or growing exponentially. Check out each choice to see which one fits with
that type of growth. Choice (A) describes exponential growth, so it could be the correct
answer. Choice (B) is the opposite of what happens—bacteria growth is slow at first and then
increases—so eliminate (B). Choice (C) describes growth at a constant rate, which would be a
straight line, so that can be eliminated. Choice (D) projects the growth of the colony as it goes
off the chart. Continue drawing the curve at its current rate of increase, and you will see that
the next hour will result in a number much higher than 100 bacteria. Choice (A) is the correct
answer because it is the only one that describes exponential growth.
6. A You want to start by getting rid of the fraction. To do so, you multiply both sides by the de-
nominator of the fraction. Therefore, begin by multiplying both sides by 4:
3x − 2
(4) = ( 4 )x
4
3x – 2 = 4x
Next, you want to collect all the x terms on one side of the equation, so subtract 3x from both
sides:
3x – 2 = 4x
–3x –3x
−2 = x
Therefore, (A) is correct.
7. D Plugging in can help you understand what’s happening in a function. The question states that
there are initially no marbles in the water. At m = 0, the height of the water in the beaker is 5.
Doubling this original height results in a new height of 10 centimeters. Plug In the Answers
for m to see which one makes H(m) = 10. Choice (D) does.

8. C When asked for a specific value, Plug In the Answers. Start with (B), and assume you
have 3 matches. Together, the energy produced by the 3 matches equals 3 × 1,100 joules =
3,300 joules. Each joule equals 0.239 calories, so multiply 3,300 by 0.239 to get 788.7 calo-
ries for the 3 matches. This is not nearly enough, so eliminate (B) and the smaller value, 2, in
(A). Choice (B) produced an answer that was about a third of the required amount of 2,100
calories, so (C) is likely correct. Use the same steps to calculate that 8 matches would produce
8,800 joules or 2,103.2 calories, just slightly more than required. Therefore, (C) is the answer.
9. C When you’re adding two inequalities, you can simply stack the inequalities and add:
1<r <4
+0< s <5
1<r +s<9
This gives you (C).
10. D Use Process of Elimination. The line has a negative y-intercept, so the equation must in-
clude −2. Eliminate (A). The slope of the line shown is positive: It goes from lower left to
upper right. Choice (B) has a negative slope, so eliminate it. Choice (C) has a slope of 0
(because there is no x-term), so eliminate that option and select (D).
11. B Following the description in the question, the reaction starts out with a constant level of poten-
tial energy before it increases. Therefore, (C) and (D) can be eliminated because they feature a
drop in potential energy, not an increase. The question also states that the “resulting products”
have less potential energy than the “reactants” at the start of the reaction. This means that the
end of the line should be lower than the start of the line, so (B) is the answer.
12. A Probability is defined by the number of outcomes fulfilling the requirements, divided by the
total number of possible outcomes. Start by finding the number of births in August in the
Central region. The number on the chart is 120. The label on the chart says the numbers
are “in thousands,” which means there were 120,000 births in this category. To find the total
number of births in the United States in these three months, either add up all the numbers in
the last row OR all the numbers in the right column. Either way, you get 1,200, which means
there were 1,200 thousand total births. Now make the probability:
120 1
=
1, 200 10
Because the numerator and denominator are both in thousands, you can just drop those and
avoid the confusion of all those zeroes. The correct answer is (A).

13. C To subtract two inequalities, it is best to make a chart of values for each variable, and then solve for
the extremes of each variable:
p q p –q
−1 −4 3
−1 3 −4
3 −4 7
3 3 0
The extreme values for p – q are −4 and 7, so −4 ≤ p – q ≤ 7, as in (C).
14. C When asked for a specific value and given numbers in the answer choices, Plug In the Answers.
The question asks for the minimum value, so start with 5 for N, which equals 0.447, which can
be multiplied by 100 to make a percent. 0.447(100) = 44.7% margin of error. The researchers
want a margin of error of only 5%, so this is too large. Eliminate (A). To get a smaller mar-
gin of error, a larger denominator is needed, so a larger value of N should be used. Try (B):
1 1
= 0.224 or 22.4%. That’s still too high, so keep going. For (C), = 0.05 or 5.0%. This
20 400
matches the 5% margin of error the researchers wanted, so (C) is correct.
x
15. A To find the value of y , you will need the values of x and y individually. The easiest way to do so
here is to subtract one equation from the other: the x-terms will cancel and you will be able to solve
for the value of y. To avoid negatives, subtract the first equation from the second:
3x + 2y = 23
− (3x + y = 16)
y= 7
Next, plug y = 7 into the first equation and solve for x:
3x + 7 = 16
−7 −7
3x = 9
x = 3
x 3
If x = 3 and y = 7, then = , as in (A).
y 7
16. B Plugging in the Answers is the most efficient method to solve this problem. Plugging in x = –3
gets 9 = –3. On the SAT, only positive roots are considered, and x = –3 is an extraneous solution.
Therefore, eliminate (A) and (C). Next, plug in x = 7, and 49 = 7, so (B) is the correct answer.

17. A If b represents the number of beef meatballs sold, t represents the number of turkey meatballs sold.
There was a total of 2,321 meatballs sold, so b + t = 2,321. This should be one of your two equa-
tions. Eliminate (B) and (C). Mike’s sold beef meatballs for $1.50 each, so the amount made on
beef meatballs is $1.50 × b, or 1.5b. Similarly, the amount for turkey meatballs is $2 × t, or 2t. The
total sales would be 1.5b + 2t = 3,876, which matches (A).
18. A When asked for a specific amount, Plug In the Answers. Start with (B) and assume that there are
630 layers. If each layer is 102µ thick, then the total thickness is 630 × 102 = 64,260µ. An inch
equals 0.0254 meters; convert that to micrometers by multiplying by 1,000,000 to get 25,400µ
in one inch. The total thickness of 630 layers is much more than that, so (B) can be eliminated.
Choices (C) and (D) are too big as well, so (A) is the answer; 250 layers would have thickness of
25,500µ, which is very close to the given value.
y2 − y1 6−3
19. B Start by finding the slope of line l. Use the slope formula: m = , so m = . The y-
x 2 − x1 2−0
3
intercept of line l is the point (0, 3), so the slope-intercept equation for line l is y = x + 3 . If line
2
3
m has the same y-intercept but half the slope, then the equation for line m is y = x + 3 . Because
4
the points given in the choices have x-values of either 2 or 4, you can plug 2 or 4 into the equation
3 9
of line m and determine which point lies on m. For x = 2, y = (2 ) + 3 = , so eliminate (A) and
4 2
3
(C) because they contain the wrong y-value for x = 2. Now try x = 4: y = ( 4 ) + 3 = 6 , so elimi-
4
nate (D) and select (B).
20. B The best approach to this problem would be to Plug In the Answers. Start with (B) and assume
that there are 6 employees in entry-level positions. Those 6 people represent 10% of the employees
without master’s degrees. This means that there are 60 people without master’s degrees—6 equals
10% of 60. If 25% of the employees do have their master’s degrees, then 75% do not. Set up an
75
equation to solve for the total: 60 = × Total , so Total = 80 employees. This is a whole number,
100
so 6 could be the number of employees in entry-level positions. Following these same steps with
each of the other answer choices leads to a number of total employees that is not a whole number.
That isn’t possible, so (B) is the correct answer.

21. D The trick to dealing with imaginary numbers is to use the fact that i2 = –1 to try to get some of the
i’s to disappear. In this case, by looking at the choices, you need the i in the denominator to disap-
pear. To do this, multiply the denominator by the factor that will turn the i into an i2: In this case,
that is (2 + 4). You can’t multiply the denominator without also multiplying the numerator by the
same factor, like this:
3 + 6i 2 + 4i (3 + 6i ) (2 + 4i )
× or
2 − 4i 2 + 4i (2 − 4i ) (2 + 4i )
Now, use FOIL to multiply the factors in the numerator and denominator together, and then col-
lect like terms.
6i + 12i + 12i + 24i 2 6 + 24i + 24i 2
=
4 + 8i − 8i − 16i 2 4 − 16i 2
Replace all the i2 terms with –1, multiply, and collect like terms as needed:
6 + 24i + 24( −1) 6 + 24i + 24( −1) −18 + 24i
= =
4 − 16( −1) 4 + 16( −1) 20
−18 20
Finally, break the numerator into two separate pieces to get + i , which is (D) in reduced
20 24
form.
22. C You can plug in to help keep track of the information in this function. Let’s say that there are 4
members in a family, so n = 4, and each flight costs $100 per person, so f = 100. Because you are
concerned only with the difference between the flights and driving, you can ignore the d, b, l, s,
d, and h in this equation. In order to fly, the family would spend $400. We can set the total cost
of driving, r, to $250. Therefore, the family would save $150 by driving. Plug n = 4, f = 100, and
r = 250 into the answers, and you will see that this is (C).
23. C There is a lot to keep track of in this problem, so break the information into bite-sized pieces and
write each step down. From the mean, you can calculate the total age of the members of the family
because mean = total ÷ number of things. In this case, 20 = total ÷ 6, so the total is 120. The mode is
39, so there must be at least two 39s on the list of ages. These account for 78 of the total 120 years
of age, leaving only 42 years for the remaining four family members. Therefore, these must be the
highest numbers on the list. Make six spots on your paper, one for each family member, and start
filling them in, like this:
______ ______ ______ ______ ___39__ ___39__
The median is 14, which means the average of the two middle numbers is 14. One of the dogs is
one-third as old as a parent, and the parents are 39, so one dog is 13. This is less than the median,
so it goes just to the left of the middle. The number to the right of the middle must be 15, because
the average of 13 and 15 is 14. Fill these numbers in as well.
______ ______ ___13__ ___15__ ___39__ ___39__

These two middle numbers must represent the dogs because they are elderly and the children are in
elementary school. The numbers placed so far add up to 106, so 14 of the total years remain for the
ages of the two children. The younger child is one-third the age of the dog that is 15, so that child
is 5. Subtract that 5 from the 14 remaining to find that the older child is 9, which is (C).
24. A The graph of f(x – 4) + 2 transforms the graph of f(x) in the following ways: The “(x – 4)” means
the graph moves 4 units to the right, and the “+ 2” means the graph moves 2 units up. The slope
or amplitude of the graph doesn’t change because there isn’t a coefficient in front of the x. You can
eliminate (C) and (D) because they don’t have the same slope as the original. Choice (B) moves the
graph up 2 units, but it doesn’t displace the graph to the right 4 units; eliminate (B) and select (A).
Even though it looks the same as the original equation, if you use a particular point, you can see
that it does work. The point (0, –2) is on the original graph. If you move this point 4 units to the
right and 2 units up, you get (4, 0), which is a point only on the graph in (A).
25. C Check out each answer choice against the data, and use Process of Elimination. Choice (A) is
about the data in Table A. While it is true that twice as many people preferred Brand X, most peo-
ple got Brand X first. It is difficult to tell from this study design how the general population would
feel if they tasted Brand Y first. Eliminate (A). Table B also shows twice as many votes for Brand
X as Brand Y, but all those voters were women. Because the study design did not include equal
numbers of women and men, it cannot be determined if all people prefer Brand X or if women
just tend to prefer Brand X and men prefer Brand Y. Eliminate (B). Choice (C) refers to Table C,
where the numbers also show a 2 to 1 preference for Brand X. These numbers are more reasonable,
though, as there is no clear skewing of the data. None of the categories have 0 votes in them. More
importantly, the description of this part of the research says that it was randomly decided which
soda participants tasted first, and it was evenly split between the two brands. This table is the best
support by far for the statement, so eliminate (D) and select (C).
18 5
26. A Plug in! You know that x = and y = − must work for both equations in the correct answer,
7 7
so start plugging in and eliminating answer choices that contain equations that don’t work for
those values. Because the equation 3x – y = 7 is in two choices, start with that one. Because this
equation does not work with the values given for x and y, eliminate (B) and (C). Between (A) and
(D), the easiest equation to work with is x – y = 7. You can quickly see that this is not true with
values you have for x and y, so eliminate (D) and select (A).

27. A You need to rewrite the equation, PV = nRT to solve for R. To isolate R, divide both sides of the
equation by nT:
PV nR
=
nT nT
PV
=R
nT
This matches (A).
9a 2 36 9
28. B Plug In! If a = 2, the fraction 3a + 2 becomes , which reduces to . This is equivalent to
8 2
4 1
+ C , or + C . Therefore, C must be 4. This is the target answer. Plug a = 2 into the
3(2 ) + 2 2
answer choices to find that only (B) equals 4. Another approach would be to manipulate the equa-
9a 2 4 9a 2 4
tion to solve for C. If is equivalent to + C , then C must be – .
3a + 2 3a + 2 3a + 2 3a + 2
9a 2 − 4
This can be simplified to . From here, the numerator can be factored into (3a – 2)(3a + 2),
3a + 2
and the (3a + 2) term cancels with the one in the denominator, leaving C = 3a – 2.
29. C Plug In! It helps to look carefully at what’s happening in the question to choose good numbers here.
Laurence is charged $1.50 per listing, so making x = 2 will make that easy to deal with. Because
the pictures are 25 cents each, make y = 4, so it costs Laurence $1 for pictures per listing. Finally,
there’s a percent charge on the final selling cost, so make z = 100.
Now, work the question with the numbers given. Profit is revenue – costs, so for 2 items selling
at an average of $100 each, Laurence has revenue of 2($100) = $200. Laurence is charged
2($1.50) = $3 in listing fees for two items. Each listing has 4 pictures, so Laurence’s picture fee
for 2 listings is 2(4)($0.25) = $2. Finally, the site charges 5% of the final selling price. If the final
selling price is $100, the site charges $5 per item, or 2($5) = $10 for both items. Laurence’s profit
is therefore $200 − $3 − $2 − $10 = $185. This is your target. Finally, make x = 2, y = 4, and
z = 100 in each answer choice and eliminate any choice that does not equal 185. The only choice
that works is (C).

30. A Start by drawing a picture, which would look something like this:
35° 30°
x 1,500
A line has been drawn from the top of the mountain down to level ground, forming a right angle,
and the distance from the right angle to the starting point has been labeled as x. Now, there are
right triangles, so trig identities can be used. For the 35˚ angle, you are dealing with the opposite
h
and adjacent sides, so you can say that tan 35˚ = , which can also be written as x tan 35˚ = h.
x
The easiest way to solve the problem from this point is probably to Plug In the Answers. Start with
(B). If the height is 7,000, you can use your calculator to determine that x would be approximately
h
10,000. Now you can set up a second equation: tan 30˚ = x + 1500 . Use your values for h and
x to see if it works. You get .577 =.61. This is close, but not correct. Try (A) and make h = 5,000.
Using the same steps, you will get an x-value of approximately 7,143. Plug h = 5,000 and x = 7,143
into the second equation, and you will see that they work. The answer is (A). Alternatively, you
could have solved the problem algebraically by isolating h in both equations and then setting them
equal to each other: x tan 35˚ = (x + 1,500)(tan 30˚). But if you do this, don’t forget to plug your
x-value back into the equation to solve for h as the last step.
31. 4 To find the points of intersection, set the two equations equal to each other: x 2 – x – 6 = 2x – 2.
The x 2 term tells you that this is a quadratic, so manipulate the equation until it is set equal
to 0, and use FOIL to solve. The equation becomes x 2 – 3x – 4 = 0. Factor the left side to get
(x – 4)(x + 1) = 0, and then set each factor equal to 0 and solve: x equals 4 or –1. The question asks
for the positive x-coordinate (and only positive numbers can be the answer to Grid-Ins), so 4 is
correct.

32. 40 Because this is a Grid-In, and variables cannot be entered into a Grid-In, you know that all the
terms with variables will eventually cancel each other out. Therefore, you need to just multiply this
equation out very carefully, watching the negative signs along the way. Start inside the brackets,
and do one step at a time.
– [ 4(r2 + 2r – 3) – 3r(r – 1) – (r + 4)(r + 7) ] =

– [ 4r 2 + 8r – 12 – 3r 2 +3r – (r 2 + 11r + 28) ] =
– [ 4r 2 + 8r – 12 – 3r 2 +3r – r 2 – 11r – 28 ] =
– [ 4r 2 – 3r 2 – r 2 + 8r +3r – 11r – 12– 28 ] =
– [– 40 ] = 40
33. 20 Even with 0 years of experience, an employee at Company X will make $20,000. No salaries are
less than this, so it can be assumed that this is the minimum starting salary. Because the answer
states “in thousands,” 20 is the correct answer.
34. 400 The density of silver is given in “grams per cubic centimeter.” Even if you don’t remember that
Density = Mass ÷ Volume, you can figure out that you need to take the value in grams and divide it
by the value in cubic centimeters. Plug In the values you know, and solve for the volume.
2,100 grams
10.5 =
Volume
Therefore, Volume = 2,100 ÷ 10.5 = 200 cubic centimeters. That is for one nugget, so multiply by 2
to get the volume of two nuggets: 400.
35. 3 The first step in solving this equation is to simplify the rational expression on the right side. Factor
the numerator to see whether it contains a factor that matches the denominator.
x 2 − x − 12 ( x − 4 )( x + 3)
2x − 5 = = =x−4
x +3 x+3
Now square both sides of the equation to get rid of the radical on the left.
( 2x − 5 ) 2
= ( x − 4 )2
2x – 5 = x 2 – 8x + 16
Manipulate the equation until it is set equal to 0, then factor it and solve for x.
x 2 – 10x + 21 = 0
(x – 7)(x – 3) = 0
x = 3 and 7
Now plug both solutions back into the original equation to see which one is extraneous, meaning it
does not make the equation true.
When you plug 3 into the original equation, it doesn’t work because 2(3) − 5 , but 7 does work,
so 3 is the extraneous solution.

36. 4 There are a couple of ways to go about solving this problem. The circle will cross the axes where
either x = 0 or y = 0. Start by Plugging In these values and solving the equation. If x = 0, the equation
x 2 – 4x + y2 – 6y = 3 becomes y2 – 6y = 3. This can be re-written as y2 – 6y – 3 = 0, which won’t
factor nicely. You could use the quadratic formula to get the exact values for y, but it is clear
that there will be two of them. The same is true if y = 0: x 2 – 4x = 3, so x 2 – 4x – 3 = 0, which
will again have two solutions. Therefore, the circle crosses the axes at 4 points. Another approach
would be to manipulate the given equation into the standard circle form of (x – h)2 + (y – k)2 = r 2,
where the center is (h, k), and the radius is r. To do this, you must complete the squares in the
equation: x2 – 4x is the start of the quadratic x2 – 4x + 4 or (x – 2)2, and y2 – 6y is the start of
the quadratic y2 – 6y + 9 or (y – 3)2. When you complete these squares, you add 4 and 9 to
the left side of the equation, so you must also add them to the right side. The equation becomes
(x – 2)2 + (y – 3)2 = 16. This tells you that the center is at (2, 3), and the radius is 4. Draw a quick
sketch of the circle, and count the points of intersection with the axes.
The circle crosses the axes 4 times.
37. 8 To find the cost per minute charged to Jayda’s account, you first need to undo the effect of the
taxes charged to her account. The total bill is the cost of the minutes plus an additional 9% of that
cost. Translate the English to math:
9
$21.80 = cost + (cost)
100
Simplify the right side of the equation by adding the two cost terms:
100 9 109
$21.80 = cost + cost = cost = 1.09 cost
100 100 100
Now divide both sides by 1.09 to get cost = $20. This cost is for 250 minutes, so divide $20 by 250
to get a cost of $0.08 per minute. The question asks for the cost in cents, so 8 is the correct answer.

38. 345 Call the total number of minutes for the month m. If Jayda had this charge on her cell phone plan,
she would have to pay the 9% tax, or ($0.08m)(1.09). You want this charge to be less than the cost
of the prepaid card, so the equation should look like this:
($0.08m)(1.09) ≥ $30
Divide both sides by $0.08 and then by 1.09 to get m = 344.03. Rounded up to the nearest whole
number, m = 345.

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Practice Test 5:

Section 1: Section 2: Section 3: Section 4:

1. A 27. C 1. B 23. C 1. C 11. C 1. A 20. B

2 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 3

4 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 5

6 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 7

8 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 9

10 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 11

12 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 13

The Nobel Prize and the School of...

14 | Cracking the New SAT

I’d Rather Be With an Animal

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 15

16 | Cracking the New SAT

The Ecological Recovery of Detroit

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 17

18 | Cracking the New SAT

This matches (B).

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 19

Divide both sides by 5, and you find that w = 3, which is (B).

20 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 21

large negative number, so eliminate (B) and select (C).

Only (A) does, so that is the correct answer.

22 | Cracking the New SAT

of 625. Eliminate (C) and select (D).

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 23

Therefore, 5x must equal 1.

known points and making the other point (x, 0):

24 | Cracking the New SAT

Section 4: Math (Calculator)

Working Broken Total

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 25

Working Broken Total

Therefore, (A) is correct.

26 | Cracking the New SAT

This gives you (C).

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 27

The extreme values for p – q are −4 and 7, so −4 ≤ p – q ≤ 7, as in (C).

Next, plug y = 7 into the first equation and solve for x:

28 | Cracking the New SAT

That isn’t possible, so (B) is the correct answer.

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 29

______ ______ ______ ______ ___39__ ___39__

______ ______ ___13__ ___15__ ___39__ ___39__

30 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 31

This matches (A).

32 | Cracking the New SAT

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 33

– [ 4(r2 + 2r – 3) – 3r(r – 1) – (r + 4)(r + 7) ] =

34 | Cracking the New SAT

The circle crosses the axes 4 times.

Practice Test 5: Answers and Explanations | 35

36 | Cracking the New SAT

You might also like

__ _39 _39__

__ _13 _15 _39 _39__