Writing
Reading
%'s, Ratios, Probability, Averages & Graphs
Geometry and Algebra
College Choice
100
Fix the Punctuation:
There are four presidents portrayed on Mount Rushmore, Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt
There are four presidents portrayed on Mount Rushmore: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt
(this is a list)
100
Strategy: Is it better to read the questions first or the passage first?
The passage! Unlike in the writing section, you can’t answer questions by just reading the line the question is about. You’ll end up having to read more around it to understand the full context of the quote, and likely wind up lost or confused (especially if it is a dense passage). You’ll actually save time if you just read it all the way through once!
100
If you cut a cake into thirds, and each slice in fifths, how much of the cake would you eat if you had 2 slices?
2/15ths
If the cake is cut into thirds (⅓), then each piece is cut into fifths, each piece is divided by five. (⅓) /5 is 1/15. Two slices would be 2/15
100
If a triangle has sides of lengths 3 and 7, which of the following could not be the third side of the triangle?
A. 14 B. 5 C. 8 D. 9
A. 14
Two sides of a triangle must always add up to or be greater than the third side. 3+7=10, which is smaller than 14, so 14 cannot be a side of the triangle
100
Name four parts of a college application
High school transcript
Standardized test scores
Letters of recommendation
Personal essay
Supplemental essays (usually “why do you want to go to xyz university?”)
List/description of extracurriculars
200
Choose the Correct Transition:
A. Besides or B. Due
to having long tusks, elephants have huge feet
A. Besides having long tusks, elephants have huge feet
(We need to indicate elephants have large feet in addition to large tusks)
200
Vocab: Anomaly
Noun: Something different from the norm
This result is an anomaly and very rarely happens.
200
What is the average test score for the class if five students received scores of: 92, 80, 45, 95, and 68?
76
Add up the scores:
92+80+45+95+68= 380
Divide by the number of scores added together (5)
380/5 = 76
200
2y + 3x = 38
y - 2x = 12
Solve for x
X = 2
Isolate Y on each side:
Y = 12 + 2x
Y= (38 - 3x)/2 = 19 - (3/2)x
Set the two equations equal to each other and then isolate x
12 + 2x = 19 - (3/2)x
(7/2)x = 7
7x = 14
x=2
200
How many schools should you ideally be applying to?
5-8
This is usually broken down into 1-2 safety schools, 2-3 “target”/“likely” schools, and 2-3 reach schools
300
Eliminate Wordiness:
The town mayor was elected by over 60 percent of the town’s residents, a majority.
The town mayor was elected by over 60 percent of the town’s residents, a majority.
(60 percent is inherently a majority, so there’s no need to repeat the fact)
300
Words in Context:
“The Tanaina live in an environment that could euphemistically be described as “difficult.” Survival, especially in the wild, is always precarious”
In this sentence, the author considers the word “difficult” as:
(A) an exaggeration
(B) an estimate
(C) an understatement
(D) a contradiction
(E) a preconception
An understatement
(The next sentence let’s us know that their lifestyle is truly a hard one to live- in fact, it is precarious. So, calling it difficult would be an understatement, not fully serving to convey how hard their lifestyle is)
300
There are 100 people working on a performance: 52 dancers, 12 stage technicians, and 36 musicians. Among the dancers, 14 are ballet dancers, 20 are jazz dancers, and 18 are modern dancers.
What is the probability of selecting a ballet dancer from those working on the performance, given that the person selected is a dancer?
14/52
Pay attention to the wording. We already know we have picked a dancer- we just need to know the number of ballerinas among the dancers
300
If 3x-2 = 9-x+8, what is the value of x?
A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6
6
You can plug in numbers, or you can re-write this so the two sides of the equation have the same base of 3
3x-2 = 9-x+8→ 3x-2 = 32(-x+8)
Then solve for x-2=2(-x+8)
300
True or False: Public schools are always cheaper than private schools
False
Public schools can be cheap, especially if they offer lower in-state tuition. However, they often have less funds available for scholarships, while you could get a free ride to a well-endowed private school. So, you won’t know what’s cheapest til you get those financial aid letters!
400
Fix the Illogical Comparison:
In order to win the game, you must score more points than anyone playing
In order to win the game, you must score more points than anyone else playing
(Don’t include yourself when discussing who you must score more points than- “else” excludes yourself)
400
While our understanding of the origins and development of eukaryotic organelles continues to grow with each successive discovery in cellular physiology, there remain vast stretches of darkness where our current evidence and hypotheses fall abjectly short. If science is to continue making great strides, then new discoveries- whether or not they align with conventional theories- must be scrutinized with the full benefit of an open, objective, and inquisitive mind.
The last paragraph suggests that the author would most likely find which of the following intellectual attitudes to be distasteful?
A. Close-minded B. Scrutiny C. Skepticism D. Petulance
A. Close-minded
(The last sentence of the paragraph basically states that for scientific advancements to be made, scientists must be open-minded to new theories. Scrutiny and Skepticism would be alright in moderation, and while Petulance (sulky/childishness) may be distasteful, the paragraph lacks evidence that this is the trait the author would find to be negative in the scientific community
400
Doug buys a sofa at price of $91
If the markup rate at Brandon's Furniture Store is 40 percent, what is the wholesale (original) price of the sofa?
$65
We know the markup (how much more the store charged the customer than the couch was worth) is 40%. That means to find the original price, our equation is x (worth of the couch) + .4x (40 percent worth of the couch) for 1.4 x = 91. Thus, x = 65
In other words, the customer bought the couch for 140% (1.4) of what it was worth. 91/1.4= 65
400
If f(x)= 3x2 and g(x)= 7x-2, what is g(f(2))?
A. 24 B. 82 C. 432 D. 536
Work from the inside out. What does f(2) equal?
3(2)2= 12
Plug 12 into g(x)
7(12)-2= 82
400
What is the difference between Early Action and Early Decision?
Early Action is non-binding, meaning you can apply to multiple Early Action schools. However, Early Action is somewhat rare. Most kinds of early application programs are Early Decision, and are binding. You can only apply to a max of one Early Decision program, and if you get accepted, it is binding (meaning you must go to that school, unless they offer insufficient financial aid and would be a significant financial burden on your family)
500
Pick the Right Commonly Confused Word:
The young lady was greatly affected/effected when her boyfriend proposed; he had the affect/effect of being able to make her cry.
The young lady was greatly affected when her boyfriend proposed; he had the effect of being able to make her cry.
(Affect means to have an impact on something, while effect is the change itself. With few exceptions, affect is used as a verb and effect is used as a noun)
500
When will coach Katelyn graduate from college?
Class of 2023
500
C. y= ½ x +3
To find a perpendicular line, you need a slope that is inverse and of the opposite sign of the original slope. The slope of k is -2 (rise over run, 6/-3=-2), so the slope of a perpendicular line would be ½ (-2 becomes 2, and is then inverted to ½)
500
In the figure above, triangle ABC is inscribed in the circle with center O and diameter AC. If AB=AO, what is the degree measure of∠ABO?
A. 15 B. 30 C. 45 D. 60
D. 60
We know that at least lines AB and AO are equal. However, since the distance from the center of the circle (O) to any point (A, B) on the circumference is equal, we know AO and BO are equal, therefore AO=BO=AB. Since all sides are equal, the triangle ABO is equilateral. All equilateral triangles have 3 angles of 60 degrees each, so angle ABO is 60 degrees
500
True or False: Some colleges will make you choose a major right when you apply
True
They are a minority, but some colleges will make you declare a major before you even start, especially if you are applying to a specialty school (like an IT school) or a specific college within a university (like an arts college inside of a larger university). These majors can be changed, but may be a bit more difficult if the program is full.