HiSET: Math : HiSet: High School Equivalency Test: Math

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HiSET: Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #181 : Hi Set: High School Equivalency Test: Math

A right cone has slant height 20; its base has radius 10. Which of the following gives its volume to the nearest whole number?

(Round to the nearest whole number).

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 942

\displaystyle 2,094

\displaystyle 1,885

\displaystyle 3,142

\displaystyle 1,814

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1,814

Explanation:

The volume of a cone, given radius \displaystyle r and height \displaystyle h, can be calculated using the formula

\displaystyle V = \frac{1}{3} \pi r^{2}h.

We are given that \displaystyle r = 10, but we are not given the value of \displaystyle h. We are given slant height \displaystyle l = 20, and since the cone is a right cone, its radius, height, and slant height can be related using the Pythagorean relation

\displaystyle r^{2}+ h^{2}= l^{2}.

Substituting 10 for \displaystyle r and 20 for \displaystyle l, we can find \displaystyle h:

\displaystyle 10^{2}+ h^{2}= 20^{2}

\displaystyle 100+ h^{2}=400

\displaystyle 100+ h^{2} - 100 =400 - 100

\displaystyle h^{2} =300

\displaystyle h = \sqrt{300 }

Now substitute in the volume formula:

\displaystyle V = \frac{1}{3} \pi r^{2}h

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{3} \pi (10^{2}) \sqrt{300}

\displaystyle \approx \frac{1}{3} \cdot 3.1416 \cdot 100 \cdot 17.3

\displaystyle \approx 1813.8

To the nearest whole, this is 1,814.

Example Question #181 : Hi Set: High School Equivalency Test: Math

The volume of a cone is . Which of the following most closely approximates the radius of the base of the cone if its height is ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The volume of a cone is given by the formula 

\displaystyle V= \frac{1}{3}\pi r^2h

We are given that \displaystyle h=1. Thus, the volume of our cone is given by

\displaystyle V= \frac{1}{3}\pi r^2.

We are given that the volume of our cone is \displaystyle 12.56.

Thus,

\displaystyle 12.56=\frac{1}{3}\pi r^2

so

\displaystyle \frac{12.56 \times3}{\pi} = r^2

and

\displaystyle 12 = r^2.

Thus, 

\displaystyle \sqrt{12}=r.

so the correct answer is \displaystyle \sqrt{12}\;cm.

 

Example Question #121 : Measurement And Geometry

The surface area of a sphere is equal to \displaystyle 100 \pi. Give the volume of the sphere.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{1,000}{3}\pi

\displaystyle \frac{250 }{3}\pi

\displaystyle \frac{500}{3}\pi

\displaystyle 250 \pi

\displaystyle 500 \pi

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{500}{3}\pi

Explanation:

The surface area of a sphere can be calculated using the formula

\displaystyle A = 4 \pi r^{2}

Solving for \displaystyle r:

Set \displaystyle A = 100 \pi and divide both sides by \displaystyle 4 \pi:

\displaystyle 4 \pi r^{2} = 100 \pi

\displaystyle \frac{4 \pi r^{2}}{4 \pi} = \frac{100 \pi}{4 \pi}

\displaystyle r^{2} =25

Take the square root of both sides:

\displaystyle r = \sqrt{25} = 5

Set \displaystyle r=5 in the volume formula:

\displaystyle V= \frac{4}{3} \pi r^{3}

\displaystyle V= \frac{4}{3} \pi \left (5 \right )^{3} = \frac{4}{3} \pi \left (125 \right ) = \frac{500}{3}\pi,

the correct response.

Example Question #1 : Spheres

A sphere has surface area \displaystyle 64 \pi. Give its volume.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 128 \pi

\displaystyle 256 \pi

\displaystyle \frac{64}{3}\pi

\displaystyle 64 \pi

\displaystyle \frac{256}{3}\pi

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{256}{3}\pi

Explanation:

The surface area \displaystyle A of a sphere, given its radius \displaystyle r, is equal to

\displaystyle A= 4 \pi r^{2}

Substitute \displaystyle 64\pi for \displaystyle A and solve for \displaystyle r:

\displaystyle 4 \pi r^{2} = 64 \pi

Divide by \displaystyle 4 \pi:

\displaystyle \frac{4 \pi r^{2}}{4 \pi} = \frac{64 \pi}{4 \pi}

\displaystyle r^{2} = 16

Extract the square root:

\displaystyle r= 4

Substitute for \displaystyle r in the volume formula:

\displaystyle V = \frac{4}{3} \pi r^{3}= \frac{4}{3} \pi \cdot 4^{3} =\frac{4}{3} \pi \cdot 64 = \frac{256}{3}\pi,

the correct response.

Example Question #1 : Apply Concepts Of Density In Modeling Situations

A farmer has to make a square pen to hold chickens. If each chicken has to have  of area to roam and there are \displaystyle 25 chickens total, what is the length of the amount of fencing required to pen in the chickens?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A square has area formula

 \displaystyle A = l^2

The total area required for the chickens will be

since each chicken requires  of space and there are \displaystyle 25 chickens.

Thus, we have

\displaystyle 25 = l^2

for the length of our chicken fence.

\displaystyle l = 5

Since there are four sides of a square and each side has a length of 5, the total length of fence required is

.

Example Question #121 : Measurement And Geometry

Census

Source: United States Census Bureau

The average population density of a geographic area is defined to be the average number of residents per square mile.

Above is a table with the land areas and populations of five states.Which state among the five has the greatest population density?

Possible Answers:

Kentucky

Tennessee

Arkansas

Mississippi

Alabama

Correct answer:

Tennessee

Explanation:

For each state, divide the population by the land area. We can round each figure to the nearest whole for simplicity's sake.

Alabama:

\displaystyle 4,860,000 \div 50,645 \approx 96 persons per square mile.

Arkansas:

\displaystyle 2,980,000 \div 52,035 \approx 57 persons per square mile.

Kentucky:

\displaystyle 4,430,000 \div 39,486 \approx 112 persons per square mile.

Mississippi:

\displaystyle 2,990,000 \div 46,923 \approx 64 persons per square mile.

Tennessee:

\displaystyle 6,600,000 \div 41,235 \approx 160 persons per square mile.

Tennessee has the greatest population density among the five states. 

Example Question #3 : Apply Concepts Of Density In Modeling Situations

Census

Source: United States Census Bureau

The average population density of a geographic area is defined to be the average number of residents per square mile.

Above is a table with the population densities and the land areas of five states. Of the five, which state has the greatest population?

Possible Answers:

South Dakota

North Dakota

Vermont

Wyoming 

Alaska

Correct answer:

South Dakota

Explanation:

Multiply the population density of each state by its corresponding area to get an estimate of the population (round to the nearest thousand for simplicity's sake):

Alaska:

\displaystyle 1.3 \times 570,641 \approx 742,000

North Dakota:

\displaystyle 11.0 \times 69,001 \approx 759,000

South Dakota:

\displaystyle 11.1 \times 75,811 \approx 842,000

Vermont:

\displaystyle 67.9 \times 9,217 \approx 626,000

Wyoming:

\displaystyle 6.0 \times 97,093 \approx 583,000

Of the five states, South Dakota is the most populous.

Example Question #1 : Apply Concepts Of Density In Modeling Situations

County 1

The average population density of a geographic area is defined to be the average number of residents per square mile.

Above is the map of a county whose population is about 120,000. Which of the following is the best estimate of the average population density?

Possible Answers:

150 persons per square mile

50 persons per square mile

100 persons per square mile

200 persons per square mile

250 persons per square mile

Correct answer:

100 persons per square mile

Explanation:

The county is in the shape of a trapezoid with bases of length \displaystyle B = 44 and \displaystyle b= 33, and with height \displaystyle h = 30. Its area in square miles can be found by substituting in the formula for the area of a trapezoid:

\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} (B+b)h

\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} (44+33) (30)

\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} (77) (30)

\displaystyle A = 1,155 square miles

Divide the population by this area to obtain an estimate of the population density:

\displaystyle 120,000\div 1,155 \approx 44.8 \approx 103.9 persons per square mile.

Of the given choices, 100 persons per square mile comes closest.

Example Question #1 : Apply Concepts Of Density In Modeling Situations

The graphic below shows a blueprint for a swimming pool.

Swimming pool dimensions

If the pool is going to be 66 inches deep, how many cubic feet of water will it be able to hold? (1 ft = 12 in)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 6600\,ft^3

\displaystyle 1200\,ft^3

\displaystyle 220\,ft^3

\displaystyle 2400\,ft^3

\displaystyle 13,200\,ft^3

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 6600\,ft^3

Explanation:

Notice that the outer dimensions of the blueprint are the dimensions for the entire pool, including the concrete, while the inner dimensions are for the part of the pool that will be filled with water. Therefore, we want to focus on just the inner dimensions.

Notice that the depth is given in inches, while the dimensions are in feet. Convert 66 inches to feet by dividing 66 by 12, since 12 inches makes a foot:

\displaystyle 66\;in\cdot\frac{1 ft}{12 in}=5.5 ft

The inch units cancel out and leave us with just the feet units. 66 in is 5.5 ft.

Now we have all of the information we need to solve for the volume of the pool. The pool is a rectangular prism, and the formula for volume of a rectangular prism is

\displaystyle length\cdot width\cdot height

(In this case, the "height" of the swimming pool is its depth.)

The blueprint shows that the pool is 40 ft long and 30 ft wide. Plugging in the measurements from the problem, we get

\displaystyle 40\,ft\cdot30\,ft\cdot5.5\,ft

Multiplying this out, we get \displaystyle 6,600\,ft^3.

Example Question #1 : Data Analysis, Probability, And Statistics


Researchers performed a survey of the populations of several small islands. The data is represented by the following histogram. 

Bar graph data 2

What percentage of islands surveyed had a population of less than 140?

Possible Answers:

35%

0%

65%

55%

30%

Correct answer:

65%

Explanation:

On the horizontal axis of a histogram, you have labels representing ranges of values. For example, the label "140–159" represents the range of islands with populations between 140 and 159. 

The question asks for the percent of islands with populations under 140. The ranges that are smaller than 140 are the "120–139" range and the "100–119" range. Match the bars of each with the percents on the vertical (y) axis. The percents corresponding to these ranges are 35% and 30%, respectively.

Adding both of these percents yields the answer, 65%.

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