HSPT Math : HSPT Mathematics

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #33 : Geometry

The ratio of the length of a side of one square to the length of the side of another square is \(\displaystyle \frac{a}{b}\). Give the ratio of the area of the second square to the area of the first square.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{a^2}{b^2}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{b^2}{a}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{b^2}{a^2}\)

\(\displaystyle 2\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{b}{a^2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{b^2}{a^2}\)

Explanation:

The area of a square can be found as follows:

 

\(\displaystyle Area=x^2\)

 

Where:

 

\(\displaystyle x=Side\ Length\)

 

So we can write:

 

\(\displaystyle \frac{Area\ 2}{Area\ 1}=\frac{b^2}{a^2}\)

Example Question #34 : Geometry

What is the area of a square if the length of one side is \(\displaystyle \sqrt{3}\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 9\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{3}\)

\(\displaystyle 3\sqrt{3}\)

\(\displaystyle 3\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 3\)

Explanation:

The area of a square is found by multiplying one side by itself.

\(\displaystyle A=s\times s=s^2\)

We are given the side length, allowing us to solve.

\(\displaystyle s=\sqrt{3}\)

\(\displaystyle A=(\sqrt{3})^2=3\)

Example Question #1 : Trapezoids

Trapezoid

 

What is the area of the above trapezoid?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 109.18\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 218.36\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 142.04\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 96.48\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 76.32\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 109.18\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

Explanation:

To find the area of a trapezoid, multiply one half (or 0.5, since we are working with decimals) by the sum of the lengths of its bases (the parallel sides) by its height (the perpendicular distance between the bases). This quantity is

\(\displaystyle A = 0.5 \cdot (7.2 + 13.4) \cdot 10.6 =0.5 \cdot 20.6 \cdot 10.6 = 109.18\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

Example Question #251 : Geometry

Find the area of the trapezoid:

Question_7

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 28\)

\(\displaystyle 35\)

\(\displaystyle 56\)

\(\displaystyle 49\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 28\)

Explanation:

The area of a trapezoid can be determined using the equation \(\displaystyle A=\frac{1}{2}(b_1+b_2)h\).

\(\displaystyle A=\frac{1}{2}(6+8)(4)\)

\(\displaystyle A=\frac{1}{2}(14)(4)\)

\(\displaystyle A=(7)(4)=28\)

Example Question #2 : Trapezoids

Trapezoid

 

What is the area of the trapezoid?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 198\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 135\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 99\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 105\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 63\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 99\textrm{ m}^{2}\)

Explanation:

To find the area of a trapezoid, multiply the sum of the bases (the parallel sides) by the height (the perpendicular distance between the bases), and then divide by 2.

\(\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} \cdot (7 + 15) \cdot 9 = \frac{1}{2} \cdot 22 \cdot 9 = 99 \textrm{ m}^2\)

Example Question #31 : Geometry

A triangle has a base of \(\displaystyle \small 43\) and an area of \(\displaystyle \small 2042.5\). What is the height?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \small 93\)

\(\displaystyle \small 95\)

\(\displaystyle \small 48\)

\(\displaystyle \small 190\)

\(\displaystyle \small 47\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \small 95\)

Explanation:

The area of a triangle is found by multiplying the base by the height and dividing by two:

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{b\cdot h}{2}\)

In this problem we are given the base, which is \(\displaystyle \small 43\), and the area, which is \(\displaystyle \small 2042.5\).  First we write an equation using \(\displaystyle \small h\) as our variable.

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{43\cdot h}{2}=2042.5\)

To solve this equation, first multply both sides by \(\displaystyle \small 2\), becuase multiplication is the opposite of division and therefore allows us to eliminate the \(\displaystyle \small 2\).

The left-hand side simplifies to:

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{43\cdot h}{2}\cdot 2=43\cdot h\)

The right-hand side simplifies to:

\(\displaystyle \small 2042.5\cdot 2=4085\)

So our equation is now:

\(\displaystyle \small \small 43\cdot h=4085\)

Next we divide both sides by \(\displaystyle \small \small 43\), because division is the opposite of multiplication, so it allows us to isolate the variable by eliminating \(\displaystyle \small \small 43\).

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{43\cdot h}{43}= h\)

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{4085}{43}=95\)

\(\displaystyle \small h=95\)

So the height of the triangle is \(\displaystyle \small 95\).

 

 

 

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Area Of A Triangle

Triangle

Note: Figure NOT drawn to scale.

The above triangle has area 36 square inches. If \(\displaystyle x = 4.5 \textrm{ in}\), then what is \(\displaystyle y\) ?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle y = 26 \textrm{ in}\)

\(\displaystyle y = 32 \textrm{ in}\)

\(\displaystyle y = 24\textrm{ in}\)

\(\displaystyle y = 16 \textrm{ in}\)

\(\displaystyle y = 20 \textrm{ in}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle y = 16 \textrm{ in}\)

Explanation:

The area of a triangle is one half the product of its base and its height - in the above diagram, that means

\(\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2}xy\).

Substitute \(\displaystyle A = 36, x = 4.5\), and solve for \(\displaystyle y\).

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} \cdot 4.5 \cdot y = 36\)

\(\displaystyle 2.25 y = 36\)

\(\displaystyle 2.25 y \div 2.25= 36\div 2.25\)

\(\displaystyle y = 16 \textrm{ in}\)

Example Question #2 : Area Of A Triangle

Please use the following shape for the question. 5x3-adams-graphoc

What is the area of this shape?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 15\ in^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 32.5\ in^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 40\ in^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 25\ in^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 21\ in^{2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 32.5\ in^{2}\)

Explanation:

From this shape we are able to see that we have a square and a triangle, so lets split it into the two shapes to solve the problem. We know we have a square based on the 90 degree angles placed in the four corners of our quadrilateral. 

Since we know the first part of our shape is a square, to find the area of the square we just need to take the length and multiply it by the width. Squares have equilateral sides so we just take 5 times 5, which gives us 25 inches squared.

We now know the area of the square portion of our shape. Next we need to find the area of our right triangle. Since we know that the shape below the triangle is square, we are able to know the base of the triangle as being 5 inches, because that base is a part of the square's side. 

To find the area of the triangle we must take the base, which in this case is 5 inches, and multipy it by the height, then divide by 2. The height is 3 inches, so 5 times 3 is 15. Then, 15 divided by 2 is 7.5. 

We now know both the area of the square and the triangle portions of our shape. The square is 25 inches squared and the triangle is 7.5 inches squared. All that is remaining is to added the areas to find the total area. Doing this gives us 32.5 inches squared. 

Example Question #2 : Area Of A Triangle

What is the area of the triangle?

Question_11

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \small 35\)

\(\displaystyle \small 42\)

\(\displaystyle \small 70\)

\(\displaystyle \small 84\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \small 35\)

Explanation:

Area of a triangle can be determined using the equation:

\(\displaystyle \small A=\frac{1}{2}bh\)

\(\displaystyle \small A=\frac{1}{2}(14)(5)=35\)

Example Question #3 : Area Of A Triangle

Bill paints a triangle on his wall that has a base parallel to the ground that runs from one end of the wall to the other. If the base of the wall is 8 feet, and the triangle covers 40 square feet of wall, what is the height of the triangle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 10\: feet\)

\(\displaystyle 11\: feet\)

\(\displaystyle 8\: feet\)

\(\displaystyle 20\: feet\)

\(\displaystyle 9\: feet\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 10\: feet\)

Explanation:

In order to find the area of a triangle, we multiply the base by the height, and then divide by 2.

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{b\cdot h}{2}\)

In this problem we are given the base and the area, which allows us to write an equation using \(\displaystyle \small h\) as our variable.

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{8\cdot h}{2}=40\)

Multiply both sides by two, which allows us to eliminate the two from the left side of our fraction.

The left-hand side simplifies to:

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{8\cdot h}{2}\cdot 2=8\cdot h\)

The right-hand side simplifies to:

\(\displaystyle \small 40\cdot 2=80\)

Now our equation can be rewritten as:

\(\displaystyle \small 8\cdot h=80\)

Next we divide by 8 on both sides to isolate the variable:

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{8\cdot h}{8}=h\)

\(\displaystyle \small \frac{80}{8}=10\)

\(\displaystyle \small h=10\)

Therefore, the height of the triangle is \(\displaystyle \small 10 \: feet\).

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