STEM Regent Competition 2025 (Freshmen)

EQUATIONS

POLYNOMIALS

FUNCTIONS

VOCABULARY

QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS

STATISTICS

Homeostasis

Ecosystems & Ecology

Cells, cells, cells!

Genetics & DNA

The Amazing Human Body

Graphs & Tables

100

g(x)=3x^2+5x+2

Find g(2) (30s)

g(2)= 24

100

Factor: (10s)

2x^2 + 8x

2x(x+4)

100

Is this relation a function? Explain why or why not. (45s)

{(1,2), (2,3), (3,4), (4,2)}

YES, ALL X-value have one output

100

What is the constant term? (5s)

x + 8 - 2x^3- x^2

100

What are the coordinates of the vertex? (10s)

y = (x - 3)^2 + 2

(3,2)

100

(15s)

2) 30

100

Homeostasis in single-celled organisms is maintained through the proper functioning of

(10s)

(a) organelles

(b) guard cells

(d) antibodies

A. Organelles

100

Which interaction is an example of competition between two species?

(10s)

(a) mice and chipmunks eating sunflower seeds at a bird feeder

(b) mold growing on a tree that has fallen in the forest

(d) a lion stalking, killing, and eating a zebra

A) mice and chipmunks eating sunflower seeds at a bird feeder

100

Which statement concerning the functioning of cells is correct?

(10s)

(a) Mitochondria transfer energy from organic compounds to form ATP molecules.

(b) Vacuoles are the sites of DNA synthesis.

(d) The cell membrane prevents the diffusion of all poisons into a cell from its environment.

A) Mitochondria transfer energy from organic compounds to form ATP molecules.

100

When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, human skin cells produce the protein melanin. This protein helps protect skin cells from damage caused by UV light. This is an example of

(10s)

(a) reproduction

(b) natural selection

(d) gene expression

D. Gene Expression

100

In humans, two organ systems work together to move oxygen throughout the body and deliver it to cells. Which system directly delivers oxygen to body cells?

(10s)

(a) nervous

(b) respiratory

(d) circulatory

B) Respiratory

100

Which statement best represents the information shown in the graph? (30s)

(1) Frogs tolerate more acidic conditions than the other organisms.

(2) All nine species survive equally well in the same habitat, regardless of acidity.

(3) Perch are more sensitive to acidic conditions than are snails.

(4) Mayfly larvae and trout are equally sensitive to acidity.

(1) Frogs tolerate more acidic conditions than the other organisms.

200

h(x)=abs(3-x)

Find h(2) (30s)

h(2)=1

200

Simplify: (30s)

(3x^2-2x+5) + (4x^2+3x-7)

7x^2 + x - 2

200

f(x) = -2x + 3 and the domain {-2, 0, 4} what is the range? (30s)

{7, 3, -5}

200

What is the degree of the polynomial? (5s)

x + 8 - 2x^3- x^2

200

What is the equation of the axis of symmetry? (30s)

y = x^2 + 4x + 5

x= - 2

200

15s

2) 50

200

Tourists travel to the Adirondacks in the fall to see the changing colors in the leaves of the trees. The leaves turn from green to many shades of red, yellow, and orange, as the chlorophyll slowly breaks down. A decrease in green chlorophyll in the chloroplasts will directly result in

(10s)

(1) an increase in the glucose and oxygen produced

(2) a decrease in the glucose and oxygen produced

(3) an increase in the glucose and a decrease in the carbon dioxide produced

(4) a decrease in the glucose and an increase in the carbon dioxide produced

(2) a decrease in the glucose and oxygen

produced

200

Within ten years after the introduction of a new mosquito spray, very few of the descendants of the targeted mosquito populations were killed by the usual dose of the spray. The best explanation for this is that

(30s)

(a) ingesting the spray caused the mosquitoes to become resistant to it

(b) the spray polluted the water in which the mosquitoes deposited their eggs

(d) existing variations in the mosquito population provided resistance to the spray

D) existing variations in the mosquito population provided resistance to the spray

200

A sea slug found along the eastern coast of North America is known to have an interesting relationship with algae. The sea slug incorporates part of the algae into its tissues. This allows the sea slug to directly use energy from the Sun.

Which structures from the algae would the sea slug need to take in to accomplish this? (10s)

(1) nuclei

(2) mitochondria

(3) chloroplasts

(4) ribosomes

3) chloroplasts

200

Mutations can be beneficial to a species because they

(10s)

(a) can lead to some members of a species having favorable traits in a changing environment

(b) allow organisms to mate with other species

(d) cause the reproductive rate of a species to decrease

A) can lead to some members of a species having favorable traits in a changing environment

200

Human body systems interact with each other. The list below illustrates the results of one body system functioning normally.

• Muscle cells receive oxygen.

• Nerve cells receive glucose.

• Lungs get rid of carbon dioxide.

• Some gland cells send chemical signals to organs. Which body system most directly enables all these functions to occur?

(1) circulatory system (2) excretory system

(3) digestive system (4) immune system

(1) Circulatory System

200

Even though these plants grow in different environments, they most likely control water loss through (30s)

(1) the synthesis of proteins in their roots

(2) the functioning of the cell membranes in their flowers

(3) the actions of the guard cells in their leaves

(4) the storage of glucose in the vacuoles in their stems

(3) the actions of the guard cells in their leaves

300

Solve for x: (45s)

2(4x+1)=5+3(2x-3)

x=-3

300

Multiply: (10s)

(x + 3)^2

x^2+6x+9

300

Write the equation of the line in slope-intercepted form with a slope of -3 that passes through the point (2, 4). (45s)

y=-3x+10

300

A mathematical sentence without an equal sign, such as 2x + 1 is called an... (10s)

Expression

300

What are the coordinates of the vertex of (30s)

h(x) = -x^2 - 6x - 9?

(-3,0)

300

(1min)

2) mean = median

300

The protein in a hamburger is broken down into amino acids. Which two processes are involved in the breakdown of the protein and the absorption of the amino acids into the bloodstream?

(15s)

(1) synthesis and mitosis (2) digestion and diffusion

(3) mitosis and digestion (4) active transport and replication

(2) digestion and diffusion

300

Identify an organism in this food web that carries out autotrophic nutrition. (10s)

Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:

— grasses

— trees

— flowering plants

300

Which three processes usually result in the greatest variety of possible gene combinations?

(30s)

(1) mutation, meiosis, and fertilization

(2) differentiation, mitosis, and fertilization

(3) cloning, meiosis, and fertilization

(4) differentiation, mutation, and fertilization

(1) mutation, meiosis, and fertilization

300

When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, human skin cells produce the protein melanin. This protein helps protect skin cells from damage caused by UV light. This is an example of

(30s)

(1) a gene that cannot be passed on to offspring

(2) natural selection producing a new species

(3) sexual reproduction that will produce variation

(4) environmental factors affecting gene expression

300

Test anxiety and stress can trigger many responses in the human body. It can stimulate increased heart and respiratory rates and increased sweating. These physical responses to increased stress are examples of

(10s)

(1) competition

(2) infections

(3) gene manipulation

(4) feedback mechanisms

300

The graph below represents the white-tailed deer population in a certain area of New York State during two different years (A and B).

One reason that the population of deer is greater during Year B than during Year A could be that, during Year B, there were fewer

(30s)

(1) resources available

(2) decomposers adding nutrients to the soil

(3) white-tail deer predators present

(4) white-tail deer born

(3) white-tail deer predators present

400

Solve for x: (45s)

2x-(3/4)=(5/8)

x=11/16 or 0.6875

400

Factor: (30s)

x^2 + 5x + 4

(x+1)(x+4)

400

A phone plan costs $20 per month plus $0.10 per megabyte of data. Write an equation to represent the total cost, C, of the plan for using m megabytes. (30s)

C = 0.10m + 20

400

Write the expression in standard form: (15s)

x + 8 - 2x^3- x^2

-2x^3 - x^2 + x + 8

400

What is the range of the function (45s)

h(x) = x^2 + 4x + 5

y>=1

400

(30s)

(67)/(67+42) ≈ 0.615

400

Some individuals cannot produce insulin. As a result, their cells will

(10s)

(1) produce another molecule to take over the function of insulin

(2) synthesize more glucose for energy production

(3) not respond appropriately to changes in blood glucose levels

(4) divide at a faster rate than when insulin is available

(3) not respond appropriately to changes in blood glucose levels

400

A self-sustaining ecosystem in a glass tank must include

(10s)

(1) producers, decomposers, light, and water

(2) herbivores, consumers, decomposers, and water

(3) decomposers, heterotrophs, light, water, and carbon

(4) heterotrophs, water, and carbon dioxide

(1) producers, decomposers, light, and water

400

Once implanted into a recipient, bioengineered blood vessels made from a plastic-like material become covered with the recipient’s own cells. An advantage of using these bioengineered vessels is that

(30s)

(1) they contain antibodies that will block an immune response

(2) viruses and bacteria will not infect the cells on these blood vessels

(3) they do not trigger an immune response

(4) the engineered blood vessels can be inherited by future generations

(3) they do not trigger an immune response

400

The human pancreas contains cells that secrete insulin. Only these cells produce insulin because

(30s)

(1) cells eliminate the parts of the genetic code they do not use

(2) all other cells lack the genes for insulin production

(3) different cells use different parts of the genetic information that they contain

(4) they are the only cells associated with the digestion of sugar

(3) different cells use different parts of the genetic information that they contain

400

The human pancreas contains cells that secrete insulin. Insulin functions as a chemical to:

(10s)

(a) reduce blood glucose levels

(b) increase blood sugar levels

(d) synthesize amino acids from proteins

A) Reduce blood glucose levels

400

Four model cells were prepared by using dialysis tubing and filling each of them with the same solution. Each of the model cells originally weighed 20 grams. Next, each model cell was placed in a beaker. Each of the four beakers contained a different concentration of water. After 24 hours, the mass of each model cell was measured and recorded in the data table below.

(30s)

What was the concentration of water in the cells at the start of the experiment?

Acceptable responses

include, but are not limited to:

— The concentration in the original cells was 80% because the mass of the model cell was the same as it was at the start.

— The same amount of water diffused into and out of cell in the 80% concentration.

500

Solve the system: (2min)

2x+y=5

y=1-x

(4,-3)

500

Factor: (1min)

3x^2 - 6x - 24

3(x+2) (x-4)

500

A shipping company charges $5 to ship a package, x, and $2 to store a package, y. They handled 30 packages total the other day and made $90. Write a system of equations to represent the situation. (1min)

5x + 2y = 90

x + y = 30

500

What are two methods you can use to multiply two binomials? (30s)

You can either use tiles or the distributive property or the box method.

500

What are the roots of the function

f(x) = x^2 – 9

in the form (x, y)? (45s)

(3,0),(-3,0)

500

(1min)

(4) an outlier is greater than

Q3 + 1.5 ⋅IRQ = 66 + 1.5(66 − 60.5) = 74.25

500

In humans, lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose in the presence of a particular enzyme. It is most likely that the enzyme that breaks down lactose

(30s)

(1) breaks down several other types of food in the stomach

(2) is involved in other reactions when the temperature and pH are ideal

(3) helps in the synthesis of complex sugars during autotrophic nutrition

(4) is not involved in other types of reactions because enzymes are specific

500

(10s)

(1) an increase in the glucose and oxygen produced

(2) a decrease in the glucose and oxygen produced

(3) an increase in the glucose and a decrease in the carbon dioxide produced

(4) a decrease in the glucose and an increase in the carbon dioxide produced

(2) a decrease in the glucose and oxygen

produced

500

Which statement best describes the offspring that result from these methods?

(30s)

(1) Both models A and B produce offspring that have fewer chromosomes than the parent cells.

(2) Both models A and B result in offspring that have more chromosomes than the parent cells.

(3) Model A produces offspring with genetic information different from the parent. Model B produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parents.

(4) Model A produces offspring with identical genetic information to the parent cells. Model B produces offspring that are genetically different from the parent cells.

500

In an experiment using a particular frog species, nuclei were removed from the intestinal cells of tadpoles and transplanted into eggs whose nuclei had been removed. A small number of these eggs developed into normal frogs. This suggests that the nuclei of tadpole intestinal cells

(30s)

(1) can undergo meiosis and form gametes

(2) contain all of the genetic information needed for frog development

(3) will undergo mitosis and form a new zygote

(4) fused with the frog genes already present in the zygotes

(2) contain all of the genetic information needed for frog development

500

A person refuses to get the measles vaccine because they claim that the vaccination will cause them to develop the measles. This claim is unsupported because the measles vaccination contains only

(30s)

(1) antibodies to fight the flu, not the actual flu virus

(2) the chicken pox virus, not the measles virus

(3) the active measles virus that stimulates the immune system to make measles antigens

(4) parts of the measles virus that triggers the immune system to fight the measles

500

The students claimed that the Saratoga Creek restoration that started in 1999 was successful at reducing the Phragmites population.

(30s)

Identify evidence from the above chart that supports this claim.

Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:

— The Phragmites population went from 60% in 2008 to 0% in 2015.

— The frequency of the invasive grass decreased after 2008.

— The population went from about 36% in 1999 to 0% in 2015.