1

Math word Problem: Here is the general approach to any word

problem:

1. Read through the whole question. Do this to get a sense of whats
going on. You want to know the basic situation described, the type of
information youve been given, andmost important of allwhat
exactly you are being asking.

2. Identify the different variables or unknowns and label them. For
example, if the problem discuss the Charlies and Veronicas warts, you
may wish to use c to represent Charlies warts and v to represent
Veronicas warts. Notice that we didnt use x and y. If we had,
might later fogort whether x re*resented Charlies warts or Veronicas.

3. Translate the problem to math. This usually entails rewriting the
English sentences into equations or statements. The sentence
Veronica has four fewer warts than Charlie had would become: v=c-4.
Notice that the math terms are not in the same order as the English
terms in the sentence. When you translate, you are translate the idea.
The idea here is four fewer warts than Charlie. That means c-4, not 4-
c.

4. Tackle the math. Solve the equations. Make sure youve determined
the value that the question is asking you for. If allowed the use
calculator, use it .

5. Check your work, if you have time.









2



P208
Questions of Fractions, ratios, and proportions: 1-5
1. At College X, the faculty-to-student ratio is 1:9. If two-third of the students are
female and one-quarter of the faculty is female, what fraction of the combined
students and faculty are female?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E) It cannot be determined from the information given.



2. An empty metal box weighs 10 percent of its total weight when filled with
vanish. If the weight of a party filled box is one half that of a completely filled box,
what fraction of the box is filled?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

3. A piece of string is marked in segments of

the length of the string and also in

segments of

the length of the string. The string is then cut at each mark. What is
the number of different length of the bits of string?
(A)6 (B) 4 (C)5 (D) 2 (E)3

4. An assortment of candies consists of x chocolates and y buttercreams. If 2
chocolates are added and 3 buttercreams are removed, what fractions of the
remaining candies, in terms of x and y, are chocolates?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

3


(E)

5. A batch of cookies was divided among three tins:

of all the cookies were

places in either the blue or the green tin, and the rest were placed in the red tin.
If

of all the cookies were placed in the blue tin, what fraction of the cookies that
were placed in the other tins were placed in the green tin?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

Explanation:
1B. Asking the female fraction for total students and faculties.



Notice that we have only fractions to work with. So we can pick up any intelligent
numbers to work with.

Method 1: pick intelligent numbers.
Pick a number for the smallest given quantity described in the question__ the
number of female faculty:
if theres 1 female member of the faculty, then the total number of faculty is 4
times 1, or 4. (one-quarter of the faculty is female)
There 9 times as many students, or 36 students.( the faculty-to-student ratio is
1:9)

of 36 students are female, so there are 36

24 female students.
Therefore, the total number of female is 1+24, or 25,
and the total number of students and faculty is 36+4, or 40.
That makes the fraction

, or

.
Method 2: direct use fraction
Asking the female fraction for total students and faculties.

Female Fraction=




Notice that we have only fractions to work with. So we can pick up a intelligent
number or just work with fractions.

F: S=1:9

4


Total Female:

F+

S=

+6 (suppose F=1, then S=9,)

Total number of faculty and student: F+S=1+9

Female fraction =

See below diagram will be more clear:


2D. Asking what fraction of vanish for the box partly filled. It can be written as
follows:

Notice that we have only fractions to work with, so we can pick up any intelligent
number or just work with fractions directly.
1) Pick intelligent numbers.
Since you are dealing with percents, pick 100, so say box weighs 100 pounds
when full.
In this case, the weight of the metal box is 10 percent, or

, of 100 pounds, which

is 10 pounds.
That leaves 100-10=90 of vanish to fill the box.
The weight of the partly filled box is half of 100 pounds, or 100=50 pounds.
Since the box itself weighs 10 pounds, so 50-10=40 pounds of vanish are in the
partly filled box.
Since the box has the capacity to hold 90 pounds of vanish, the box is

full.


5



2) Algebra Method

B=10%B+10%V(F) 90%B= 10%V(F) (1)

2B + 2 V(P) = B+V(F)B=V(F)-2V(P) (2)

Solve above simultaneous equation
(2) 90% B= 90% V(F)-90% (3)
(3)-(1) 0=80%V(F)-90% (4)
80%V(F)=90%

3.E
Youve been asked for the numbers of different lengths of the bits of string.
Diagram: suppose the length of the string is 12 in. mark every of the string, each
length will be 3in. Cut every 1/3 of the string, each length will be 4in. between
and 1/3 will be 1in. and 2 in.

There are 3 number of different lengths of the bits of the string.

4C. Pay attention to what youre asked for___it can be written as follows:


=

6


Other tin means no blue tin.
Notice that actual numbers for the cookies are not given, we have only fractions
to work with.

Diagram:

5D. what you are been asked? It can be written as follows:


=

7








Percents: 6-10
Percents show up frequently in math word problem. And that just makes sense,
really. Percents are common in everyday life___money, tases, etc.

6. In 1966, the operative mortality rate in open heart surgery at a certain hospital
was 8.1 per 100 cases. By 1974, the operative mortality rate had declined to 4.8
per 100 cases. If the rate declined by 20 percent from 1973 to 1974, by
approximately what percent did it decline from 1966 to 1973?
(A) 6% (B) 21% (C) 26% (D)41% (E)49%

7. If Ms. Delong travels to state A to purchase camping equipment, she must pay
the prevailing sales tax of 8 percent on what she buys. The store will ship her
purchase to her home in state B without charging tax, but with a fixed shipping
fee of $3.20. What is the least amount of money she can spend, so that having
the purchase shipped will not be more expensive than paying the sales
tax?(Disregard the $ sign when gridding in your answer.)

Write the actual numeric answer on the top of the table
The first line is the fraction lines
The second line is the decimal points,
Darken one of the circles or ovals


8



8. At a certain store, each item that normally costs $20.00 or less is on sale for 80
percent of its normal price, and each item that normally costs more than $20.00 is
on sale for 75 percent of its normal price. If a customer purchase c items, each of
which normally costs $15.00, and d items, each of which normally costs $24.00,
what is the average (arithmetic mean) amount, in dollars that she pays for each
item?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

9. At car dealership X, the total profit from sales increased by 10 percent over the
previous year, while the number of cars sold decreased by 10 percent over the
previous year. Approximately what was the average percent increase in profit per
car over the previous year?
(A)18% (B)20% (C)22% (D) 23% (E)25%
10. A magazines survey of its subscribers finds that 20 percent are male. If 70
percent of the subscribers are married, and 10 percnet of these are male, what
pecent of the male subscribers are not married? (Disregard % sign when gridding
your answer.


9







Explanation:
6. C
asking decline percent from 1966 to 1973. It can be written as follows:


(1)
We know rate of 1966=8.1%
Find the rate of 1973: from subject we know:


=20% (2)
Plug rate of 1974=4.8% into (2)
Get rate of 1973=6%
Plug 6% into (1) get

26%
7. 40
asking: sale tax on her purchase=fixed shipping fee of $3.20.
Suppose she purchase amount is $x
8% x=3.20
x=

=40
4 0
/ /
. . . .
0 0 0

10

















8D. asking average amount she spend for each item, it can be written as follows:



=

9.C
Asking average percent increase in profit per car over the previous year, it can be
represented as following:

Where c1 is the cost of each car in previous year, and c2 is the cost of each car in
this year.
Number of cars sold decreased 10% can be represented as

=10% (1)
Where n1 is the number of car sold in previous year, and n2 is the number of car
sold in this year.

Total profit increase 10% can be represented as

=10% (2)
Where P1 is the total profit in previous year, and the total profit in this year.
P1=c1xn1 (3)

11


P2=c2xn2 (4)
Pick up easier numbers:
C1=10, n1=10, then
P1=100
Substitute n1 into (1)

Get n2=9

Substitute p1 into (2)

=10%
Get p2=110
C2=

So

10.65
What youre asked for?



See diagram below:
Put up 100 as the number of subscribers
Number of male in subscribers is 100x20%=20
Find the number of not married male in subscribers
Number of married in subscribers is 100x70%=70
Married male in married person is 70x10%=7
So we get not married male is 20-7=13


=

12














RATES 11-12
The paradigmatic word problem is probably the rates word problem. A rate is
just a ratio involving unites. It represents the units of one item per unites of
another. So we can solve for a rate like so:
Rate=



The rate that youll most often encounter is speed. Speed is the specifically the
ratio of distance to time. Here is the formula:
rate=

This can also be wittern as either of the following:
Time=

Distance=Rate time

13


All three equations say the same thing. And if we have any two of the three
components(Rates, time, and distance), we can sole for the third.

11. column A column B
A motorist travels 90 miles at a rate of 20 miles per hour. He returns the same
distance at a rate of 40 miles per hour.
30 miles per hour 3

12. A riverboat leaves Mildura and travels upstream to Renmark at an average
speed of 6 miles per hour. It return by the same route at an averge speed of 9
miles per hour. What is its average speed for the round trip, in miles per hour?
(A)7.0 (B)7.2 (C) 7.5 (D)7.8 (E)8.2



Averages 13-14
Some problems simply test your ability to use the average formula and/or
understand the difference between mean, median, and mode.

13. The average age of the members of a five-man rock group is 42. After the
original drummer quits and is replaced by a 27-year-old, the average age of the
rock group is now 38. What is the age of the original drummer?
(A) 44 (B) 45 (C)46 (D)47 (E)48

14. If Tims test scores in math class were 92, 78, 92, 77, and 86. Whick of the
following is greater than 85?
I. The mode of the test scores
II. The median of the test scores
III. The average (arithmetic mean) of the test scores
(A) I only (B) II only (C) I and II only (D) I and III only (E)I, II, and III


Explanation:
12. B
What youve been asked for?
The average speed for round trip=

=7.2


14


11. A
what youve been asked for
The average speed for entire trip=

=26.7
Column A>column B
Average
13.D
asked for the original drummers age.
From diagram:
The total age of original 5-man group is 42x5=210
The total age of new 5man group is 38x5=190
Change a drummer, the total age of 5-man group will reduce 210-190=20
This is the difference of original drummer and new drummer of age 27.
So the age of original drummer is
20+27=47



14.C
We have to know what are the mode, median, and average.
mode simply means the most frequently appearing number in a set.
Here the 92 is the mode, because it is the only number that appears more
than once.
median means the number that falls in the middle after the number s haave
been arranged in ascending order.
Arrange the number: 77, 78, 86, 92, 92. Here 86 is the median.
average (arithmetic mean) is the sum of the score divided by the number of
scores.
Here is (77+78+86+92+92)=85.
Only average equals to 86, So the answer is C

15-16

15


15. On four successive days, a farmer picks exactly twice as many apples each day
as on the previous day. If in the course of the four days he picks a total of 12,000
apples, how many apples does he pick on the second of the four days?



16. If 8<x<9, and x
2
=(10-y)(10+y), which of the following is a possible value for y?
(A) -7 (B) -6 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 5

Explanations:
15. 1600
The second day he picks up x apples,
then the first day he picks up

x,
third day: 2x,
fourth day: 4x
Then the total apples:

x+x+2x+4x=12000
Solve the equation
7

x=12000
X=1600


16. E
Form 8<x<9
We have 64<x
2
<81 (1)
From x
2
=(10-y)(10+y)
We have x
2
=100-y
2
(2)

16


Substitute (2) into (1)
64<100-y
2
<81
-36<-y
2
<-19
36>y
2
>19
6>y>
So the possible value of y is 5 in following answer.

17-18
17. A travel agent offers a vacation plan which costs z dollars for the first day,
and

dollars for each additional day. How much dose a vacation of y days cost, in
dollars, where y>1.
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

18. Last year, the P members of a partnership divided D dollars profit evenly
among themselves. If N people join the partnership during the year, how much
more profit in the course of the year must the partnership make for the amount
of profit per partner to remain the same?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

17.D
Asked total cost of y days
z+

(y-1)=

18.B
Suppose total profit increase x
Last year this year
member P P+N
total profit D x+D
profit for each member

Solve x
D(P+N)=P(x+D)

=x+D

17


x=

0-00
0. Eric played 25 times game, he won 20 times, Find the percent he won. How
many times he has to play to reach win percent for 90% if he wins afterwards.
00. In a party, some kids share some candies, each kid gets 6 candies, no more
left, no more less. After 2 new kids come, each kid can only gets 4 dandies. How
many candies? And how many kids in original?

Explansation 0-00
0.

=80%,

=90%
20+x=2590%+90%x
10%x=22.5-20
x=25
checking

=90%

00.
algebra
6x=4(x+2)
2x=8
x=4 kids
6x4=24 candies
math
2 new kids get 2x4=8 candies altogether, these are the total candies of original
kids give up
Each original kid gives 6-4=2 candies
So the number of original kids is
8canides


Geometry word problem 6-12

18


6. In the rectangular coordinate system below, the circle is tangent to the x and y
axes ad has center (2,2). Line segment OB connects the origin to a point on the
circle that passes through the center of the circle. What is the length of OB?

(A)2 (B)2+ (C) 4 (D)2+2 (E)4

7. If each curved portion of the boundary of the figure below is formed from the
circumferences of two semicircles, each with a radius of 2, and each of the
parallel sides has length 4, what is the area of the shaded figure?

(A) 16 (B) 32 (C) 16-8 (D) 32-8 (E)32-4

8. How many cylindrical oil drums, with a diameter of 1.5 feet and a length of 4
feet, would be needed to hold the contents of a full cylindrical fuel tank, with a
diameter of 12 feet and a length of 60 feet?
(A) 640 (B) 720 (C)840 (D) 880 (E)960

9. CAN A and can B are both right circular cylinders. The radius of can A is twice
the radius of can B, while the height of can A is half the height of can B. If it costs
$4.00 to fill half of can B with a certain brand of gasoline, how much would it cost
to completely fill can A with the same brand of gasoline?
(A) $1 (B) $2 (C) $8 (E)$16



19


10. A certain box has demensions of n, 2n, and 3n, where n is an integer. Which of
the following could be the surface area of the box?
(A) 48 (B) 64 (C) 150 (D) 198 (E)220

11. If a square is formed by joining the point A(-2, 1), B (1, 5), C(5, 2), and D(2,-2).
What is the area of square ABCD?


12. Points A and B are at opposite ends of a circle pond with diameter d. A bridge
connects point A with point C, and another bridge connect point C with point B.
the two bridge are of equal length. What is the ratio of the distance from A to B
when traveling along the two bridges, to the distance when traveling along the
edge of the pond?

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

6.D, 7.B, 8.E, 9.E, 10.D, 11.25 , 12.A

Test 1-20
1. One number is 3 times another number and their sum is 60. What is the lesser
of two numbers?
(A) 12 (B) 15 (C) 20 (D) 40 (E) 45

2. Which of the following is not a prime number?
(A) 2 (B) 19 (C) 37 (D) 51 (E) 67

3. Six years from now, Clyde will be twice as old as his cousin Bonnie will be then.
If Clyde is now 16 years old, how many years old is Bronnie?

20


(A)2 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 10 (E)11


4. A high school band is composed of 13 freshmen, 20 sophomores, 16 juniors,
and 15 seniors. What is the probability that a band member chosen from random
will be a sophomore?


(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

Answer: 1B, 2D, 3C, 4D

5. One number is 5 times another number and their sum is -60. What is the lesser
of the two numbers?
(A) -5 (B) -10 (C) -12 (D) -48 (E)-50

6. A positive integer n is defined as a prime interlude if n-1 and n+1 are both
prime numbers. Which of the following is NOT a prime interlude?
(A) 4 (B) 18 (C) 30 (D) 72 (E)90

7. Six years from now, Clyde will be twice as old as his cousin Bonnie will be then.
If Clyde is now C years old, how many years old is Bronnie?
(A)

(B) C-12 (C)

(D) C-6 (E)

8. A class contains five juniors and five seniors. If one member of the class is
assigned at random to present a paper on a certain subject, and another member
of the class is random assigned to assist him, what is the probability that both will
be juniors?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

Answer: 5E, 6E,7C,8C

Quantitative comparisons:
Column A Column B
x>0, x=4y
9. x+y xy

21



10.

11.

(A)if column A is greater
(B)if Column B is greater
(C)if the columns are equal
(D) if more information is needed to determine the relationship
(E)

Answer: 9D, 10A, 11A

12. The expression

is how much more than x?

13. A video store sells a certain video for $32, which is 60 percent more than it
costs the store to purchase this video. During an inventory sale, employees are
invited to purchase remaining video at 25 percent off the stores cost. If an
employee purchases this video during the sale, the employees purchase price
would be what percent of the price the store originally charged for the
video?(Disregard the % sign when gridding your answer.)

22



Answer: 12.

, 13. 46.8 or 46.9

Essential Math strategies P131
Picking numbers
Picking numbers is an extremely handy strategy for handling abstract problem.
Picking numbers makes abstract problem concrete.
Step1: Pick simple numbers to stand in for the variables
Step2: Answer the question using the numbers you picked.
Step3: Try out all the answer choice using the numbers you picked, elimination
those that gives you a different result.
Step4: Try out different values if more than one answer choice works.

Dont worry. Step 4 is rarely necessary.

P132, 1-3
1. If a sausage-making machine produces 3,000 sausages in h hours, how many
sausages can it produce in m minutes?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

2. If a>1, what is the value of

(A) a (B) a+3 (C)

(D)

(E)

3. If r=3s, s=5t, t=2u, and u0, what is the value of

?
(A) 30 (B) 60 (C) 150 (D) 300 (E)600

23



Answer: 1. D, 2. C, 3. E
Strategy tip:
1. When a problem involves a unit conversion----for instance, from minutes to
hours or cents to dollars----you can pick numbers that do the converting for you,
such as 60 for the number of minutes, or 100 for the number of cents.(m=60, h=2)
3. When picking numbers for several related variables, start with the smallest
variable---i.e. the one all the other ones build up. (u=1)

4. A antique dealer usually charge 20 percent more than his purchase price for
any vase sold in his store. During a clearance sell, all items are marked 10 percent
off. If the dealer sell a vase during the clearance sale, his profit on the vase (sale
price minus purchase price) is what percent of the purchase price of the vase?
(A) 8% (B)9% (C) 10% (D) 11% (E)12%

5. In a certain orchestra, each musician plays exactly one instrument. If

of the
musicians play brass instruments, and the number of musicians playing wind
instruments is

greater than the number of musicians plying brass instruments,

what fraction of the musicians in the orchestra play neither brass nor wind
instruments?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

Answer: 4.A, 5.C
Tips:
4. On percent questions that contain unknown values, such as the price of the
vase in question 4, try picking 100 for the value.
5. One fraction problems that contain unknown values, in 5, try picking the largest
denominator in the answer choice for the value.
Backsolving:
Picking numbers technique just wont work for some math problem, you can try
backsoling instead. When you backsolve, you simply plug the answer choice back
into the question until you find one that works. If you do it systematically, it
shouldnt take you too much time. Heres the system.
Step 1: Start with (C)
Step 2: Eliminate choices you know are too big or too small.
Step 3: Keep going until you find the choice that works.

24


6. Employee X is paid $12.5 an hour for the first 36 hours he works in a week, and
is paid double that rate for every hour over that. Employee Y is paid $15.00 and
hour for the first 40 hours she works in a week, and is paid 1.5 times that rate for
every hour over that. On a certain week, both employees worked the same
number of hours and were paid the same amount. How many hours did each
employee work that week?
(A)48 (B) 50 (C) 54 (D) 60 (E)64

Answer: 6. D
P137
7. At Central Park Zoo, the ratio of sea lions to penguins is 4 to 11. If there are 84
more penguins than sea lions, how many sea lions are there?
(A) 24 (B) 36 (C) 48 (D) 72 (E)121

8. What is the value of x if

= 0
(A) -2 (B) -1 (C)0 (D) 1 (E) 2

Answer: 7. C, 8.D
Tips;
8. If you dont know which direction to go after youve tried and eliminated (C),
pick the next easiest number to work with.
QC Strateges
Picking up numbers can be a useful strategy on QCs. But there are several other
strategies that will help you to breeze through this question type. Never fogot
that on this question type youve just looking for the relative size of the two
quantities. So look for ways to compare rather than calculate.

Make One column look like the other
9. Column A Column B
Joe has a nickels and 3 dimes in his pocket.
The ratio of
Nickels to dimes 0.6
In Joes pocket

10. Column A Column B
x>0>y
(2x+2y)
2
4x
2
+4y
2


25



Do the same thing to both column
11. Column A Column B
x>2
x
3
-1

12. Column A Column B

13. Column A Column B

Compare Piece by piece
14. Column A Column B

15. Column A Column B
w>x>y>z>0
w-z x-y

Backsolve with the Centered information
Weve seen that picking numbers can be a worthwhile strategy on QCs. The same
is true of backsolving, but once again you have to be careful. When you have
centered information, a number in one column, and a variable in the other
column, sometimes you can plug in the number for variable in the centered
information and see whether the number is too large, too small, or just right. You
can think of this as the Goldilocks approach. But watch out! The goldilocks
approach has a bear trap. If the number appear just right, you must double check
to see whether another number could work too, making (D) the correct answer.

16. Column A Column B
y is a positive integer
1.15<

y 6

Answer: 9.A, 10.B, 11.D, 12.A, 13. A, 14.A, 15. D, 16.C

26



Essential Math Strategies RECAP p143

How to attack math Strategically for select questions
Do all the questions you can handle easily first. Do the tough stuff after
youve answered all of the other questions in a set.
Look for shortcuts and backdoor approach to the answer. Choose the
approach that works best for you.
Make sure, especially towards the end of a question set, that you have read
the question carefully and are answering the question thats been asked of
you.
Grid-In Strategies
Sometimes Grid-Ins have more than one possible answer. Just pick a sfe
answer, and fill in the grid carefully.
Start with the left-most column when filling in the grid.
Dont bother to round up on decimal answer choice.
QC Strategies
Pick numbers, making sure to pick twice and to pick different kinds of
numbers the second time.
Make one column look like the other
Do the same thing to both column
Compare piece by piece
Backsolve with the centered information
Regular Math strategies
Pick numbers
Backsolve
How to pick numbers on regular math questions
Step 1: Pick simple numbers to stand in for the variables.
Step 2: Answer the questions using the number(s) you picked.
Step 3: Try out all the answer choices, eliminating those that give you a different
result.
Step 4: Try out different value if more than one answer choice works.
How to backsolve on regular math questions
Step 1: Start with (C)
Step 2: Eliminate choice you know are too big or too small.
Step 3: Keep going until you find the choice that works.


27


Copy 20 questions on p145-148
Answer: p149-152
1E, 2B, 3C, 4B, 5C, 6E, 7A, 8B, 9D, 10B, 11A, 12E, 13C, 14C, 15B, 16C, 17C, 18A,
19A,
20. 3/28, 6/56, 9/84 or .107

P156-166
Hand write the questions and solved
P168-178
Hand write the questions and solved
Copy 180-192 questions
1A, 2B, 3C, 4E, 5. 2, 6C, 7D, 8A, 9E, 10C, 11B, 12C, 13B
Copy 195-198 20questions
1D, 2C, 3E, 4E,5C, 6C, 7E, 8,B, 9D, 10C, 11A, 12A, 13D, 14A, 15D, 16A, 17B, 18. 8,
19. 6, 20. 154

Geometry word problem p233-255, 6-
6D, 7B, 8E, 9E, 10D, 11. 25, 12A


Oddball word problem p243
What to do when you encounter a question type youve never seen before?
How to deal with clock questions, combination questions, weird definition
questions, pattern problems, etc, etc, etc.
How to be ready for anything?

Word problem are often oddballs, because they deal with real world
situations, word problem can be used to test just about every math and
logic skill under the sun.

On the test day, or in your whole live, you may encounter oddballs. Thats
just the nature of the game. But bear in mind that just because a question
seems completely new for you, it doesnt have to be difficult.

Copy questions, solve hand writting



28


Copy p252-255 , 20 questions
Copy answer on hand
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)