GMAT Math : Word Problems

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Math

Create An Account

All GMAT Math Resources

22 Diagnostic Tests 693 Practice Tests Question of the Day Flashcards Learn by Concept

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Understanding Measurement

Restate 100 miles per hour in feet per second (rounded to the nearest whole number).

Possible Answers:

$74 \textrm{ ft/sec}$

$49 \textrm{ ft/sec}$

$147 \textrm{ ft/sec}$

$68 \textrm{ ft/sec}$

$136 \textrm{ ft/sec}$

Correct answer:

$147 \textrm{ ft/sec}$

Explanation:

One mile is equal to 5,280 feet, and one hour is equal to 3,600 seconds, The speed can be converted as follows:

$\frac{100 \textrm{ mi}}{1\textrm{ hr}} = \frac{100 \textrm{ mi } \times 5,280 \textrm{ ft / mi } }{1\textrm{ hr} \times 3,600 \textrm{ sec / hr}}$

$= 146 \frac{2}{3} \textrm{ ft / sec }$

or, rounded, 147 feet per second.

Report an Error

Example Question #51 : Word Problems

Convert $45 ^{\circ }\textrm{ C}$ to Fahrenheit (to the nearest tenth).

$F = \frac{9}{5} C + 32$

Possible Answers:

$138.6 ^{\circ } \textrm{ F}$

$113 ^{\circ } \textrm{ F}$

$57^{\circ } \textrm{ F}$

$-7 ^{\circ } \textrm{ F}$

$7.2 ^{\circ } \textrm{ F}$

Correct answer:

$113 ^{\circ } \textrm{ F}$

Explanation:

The Celsius-to-Fahrenheit conversion formula is:

$F = \frac{9}{5} C + 32$

Substitute 45 for :

$F = \frac{9}{5} \cdot 45+ 32 = 81 +32 = 113$

The answer is $113 ^{\circ } \textrm{ F}$ .

Report an Error

Example Question #52 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Convert $80 ^{\circ } F$ to degrees Celsius (nearest whole degree).

$F = \frac{9}{5} C + 32$

Possible Answers:

$27 ^{\circ }C$

$176^{\circ }C$

$44^{\circ }C$

$202^{\circ }C$

$12^{\circ }C$

Correct answer:

$27 ^{\circ }C$

Explanation:

If is the Fahrenheit temperature, then the equivalent Celsius temperature is

$C = \frac{5}{9} (F - 32)$ .

Substitute F = 80 into the equation.

$C = \frac{5}{9} (80 - 32)$

$C = \frac{5}{9} \cdot 48 = \frac{5}{9} \cdot \frac{48}{1} = \frac{5}{3} \cdot \frac{16}{1} = \frac{80}{3} =26 \frac{2}{3}$

This rounds up to $27 ^{\circ }C$ .

Report an Error

Example Question #53 : Problem Solving Questions

Using the conversion factor 2.54 centimeters = 1 inch, rewrite 100 square inches in square centimeters (nearest tenth).

Possible Answers:

$155.0 \textrm{ cm}^{2}$

$645.2 \textrm{ cm}^{2}$

$1,550.0 \textrm{ cm}^{2}$

$6,45 1.6 \textrm{ cm}^{2}$

$64.5 \textrm{ cm}^{2}$

Correct answer:

$645.2 \textrm{ cm}^{2}$

Explanation:

1 inch = 2.54 centimeters, so 1 square inch = $2.54 ^{2} = 6.4516$ square centimeters.

100 square inches are equal to $6.4516 \times 100 = 645.16$ square centimeters, which rounds to 645.2 square centimeters.

Report an Error

Example Question #53 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Jason skips a rock across the surface of a pond. The rock bounces three times over the pond's surface. If the second bounce is half the distance of the first bounce, and the third bounce is one quarter of the second bounce, and the total distance between bounces is 65 inches, how many inches did the rock travel on the first bounce?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We need to translate the words into a mathematical equation. Since we need to solve for the distance the rock travels on the first bounce, let's use a variable to represent that distance.

Let "" = distance traveled on the first bounce.

Notice that we can describe the distances traveled on the 2nd and 3rd bounces in terms of :

Distance traveled on the 2nd bounce is half the distance of the 1st bounce, so 2nd bounce = $\frac{1}{2}x$

Distance traveled on the 3rd bounce is 1/4 of the 2nd bounce, so, 3rd bounce = $\frac{1}{4}*\frac{1}{2}x=\frac{1}{8}x$

The total distance, then, is:

$x+\frac{1}{2}x+\frac{1}{8}x=65$

$\frac{13}{8}x=65$

$x=65\bigg(\frac{8}{13}\bigg)$

x=40

Report an Error

Example Question #51 : Word Problems

Three years ago, Anna was four times as old as Jeff. Today Anna is three times as old as Jeff.

How old was Anna three years ago?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, we set up the variables and the equations. Let:

= Anna's age three years ago

= Jeff's age three years ago. So:

A+3 = Anna's age today

J+3 = Jeff's age today

Therefore: A = 4J and (A+3) = 3 (J+3) . Then we solve for the system of equations:

A - 4J = 0

(A+3) - 3 (J+3) = 0 or A - 3J = 6

When we solve for J first we get J = 6 .

Then we solve for A using the first equation of the system:

A = 4J = 4 (6) = 24

Therefore Anna was 24 years old three years ago.

Report an Error

Example Question #14 : Measurement Problems

kilometer is approximately $3.9\times10^4$ inches. How many kilometers are there in 1,170,000 inches?

Possible Answers:

$\frac{117}{39}$

$\frac{17}{4}$

$\frac{171}{39}$

$\frac{10}{39}$

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since

$1 \text{ km}=3.9\times10^4 \text{ inches}$ ,

$1 \text{ inch}= \frac{1}{(3.9\times10^4)} \text{ km}$

Therefore we multiply 1,170,000 by 1/(3.9*10⁴) to obtain the number of kilometers in 1,170,000 inches.

$\frac{1170000}{3.9\times 10^{4}}=\frac{1170}{39}=30$

Report an Error

Example Question #13 : Measurement Problems

If one liter of gasoline costs $\$1.50$ , how much would eighteen gallons of gasoline cost? (One gallon is approximately 3.8 liters.)

Possible Answers:

$\$96.20$

$\$88.90$

$\$108.40$

$\$102.60$

$\$100.80$

Correct answer:

$\$102.60$

Explanation:

One gallon of gasoline is about 3.8 liters of gasoline. The number of liters in eighteen gallons is:

$18\times 3.8=68.4$

One liter costs $\$1.50$ . Therefore, eighteen gallons ( 68.4 liters) will cost:

$68.4\times 1.50=68.4\times 1 +\frac{68.4}{2}=68.4+34.2=102.6=\$102.60$

Report an Error

Example Question #58 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

If an object travels at a speed of 10 feet per second, how many feet does it travel in half an hour?

Possible Answers:

$6000\:ft$

$3000\:ft$

$30,000\:ft$

$18,000\:ft$

$1800\:ft$

Correct answer:

$18,000\:ft$

Explanation:

If an object travels at 10 feet per second, then in half an hour it will travel 10 feet for every second there is in 30 minutes. We can set this multiplication up as follows:

$10\frac{feet}{sec}\cdot60\frac{sec}{min}\cdot30\:min=18,000\:ft$

Here we can see that the units of seconds are cancelled after the first operation, and the units of minutes are cancelled after the second operation, leaving us with the unit of feet for our answer.

Report an Error

Example Question #52 : Word Problems

Fill in the blank:

$3\frac{1}{4} \textup{ pounds } = \underline{ \: \: \: \: \: \: \: \: \: \: \: \: }\textup{ounces}$

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

One pound is equal to 16 ounces.

Multiply:

$3 \frac{1}{4} \times 16 = 52$

52 ounces is the correct choice.

Report an Error

All GMAT Math Resources

22 Diagnostic Tests 693 Practice Tests Question of the Day Flashcards Learn by Concept

Popular Subjects

Statistics Tutors in Denver, LSAT Tutors in Chicago, Reading Tutors in Philadelphia, GMAT Tutors in Houston, MCAT Tutors in Atlanta, Spanish Tutors in Philadelphia, LSAT Tutors in Washington DC, ACT Tutors in San Francisco-Bay Area, GMAT Tutors in Denver, GRE Tutors in Chicago

Popular Courses & Classes

SAT Courses & Classes in Boston, SAT Courses & Classes in Chicago, ACT Courses & Classes in Los Angeles, ISEE Courses & Classes in Philadelphia, ACT Courses & Classes in Phoenix, SSAT Courses & Classes in Boston, GRE Courses & Classes in Denver, ISEE Courses & Classes in Los Angeles, SAT Courses & Classes in Phoenix, ISEE Courses & Classes in New York City

Popular Test Prep

GMAT Test Prep in Denver, SSAT Test Prep in San Francisco-Bay Area, MCAT Test Prep in Chicago, GRE Test Prep in Dallas Fort Worth, MCAT Test Prep in Phoenix, ACT Test Prep in Los Angeles, SAT Test Prep in New York City, ACT Test Prep in Washington DC, LSAT Test Prep in San Francisco-Bay Area, SSAT Test Prep in Phoenix

DMCA Complaint

If you believe that content available by means of the Website (as defined in our Terms of Service) infringes one or more of your copyrights, please notify us by providing a written notice (“Infringement Notice”) containing the information described below to the designated agent listed below. If Varsity Tutors takes action in response to an Infringement Notice, it will make a good faith attempt to contact the party that made such content available by means of the most recent email address, if any, provided by such party to Varsity Tutors.

Your Infringement Notice may be forwarded to the party that made the content available or to third parties such as ChillingEffects.org.

Please be advised that you will be liable for damages (including costs and attorneys’ fees) if you materially misrepresent that a product or activity is infringing your copyrights. Thus, if you are not sure content located on or linked-to by the Website infringes your copyright, you should consider first contacting an attorney.

Please follow these steps to file a notice:

You must include the following:

A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf; An identification of the copyright claimed to have been infringed; A description of the nature and exact location of the content that you claim to infringe your copyright, in \ sufficient detail to permit Varsity Tutors to find and positively identify that content; for example we require a link to the specific question (not just the name of the question) that contains the content and a description of which specific portion of the question – an image, a link, the text, etc – your complaint refers to; Your name, address, telephone number and email address; and A statement by you: (a) that you believe in good faith that the use of the content that you claim to infringe your copyright is not authorized by law, or by the copyright owner or such owner’s agent; (b) that all of the information contained in your Infringement Notice is accurate, and (c) under penalty of perjury, that you are either the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf.

Send your complaint to our designated agent at:

Charles Cohn Varsity Tutors LLC
101 S. Hanley Rd, Suite 300
St. Louis, MO 63105

Or fill out the form below:

Do not fill in this field

Contact Information

* Full legal name

Company name

* Phone number

* Email address

Address

* Address1

Address2

* City

* State

* Zipcode

* Country

Complaint Details

* URL of copyrighted work (where your original material is located)

* Please describe the copyrighted work so that it may be easily identified

I am the owner, or an agent authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

I have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.

This notification is accurate.

I acknowledge that there may be adverse legal consequences for making false or bad faith allegations of copyright infringement by using this process.

* Signature (your digital signature is legally binding)

Email address:
Your name:
Feedback:

GMAT Math : Word Problems

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Math

All GMAT Math Resources

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Understanding Measurement

Example Question #51 : Word Problems

Example Question #52 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Example Question #53 : Problem Solving Questions

Example Question #53 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Example Question #51 : Word Problems

Example Question #14 : Measurement Problems

Example Question #13 : Measurement Problems

Example Question #58 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Example Question #52 : Word Problems

All GMAT Math Resources

Report an issue with this question

DMCA Complaint

Contact Information

Address

Complaint Details