HSPT Quantitative : How to make geometric comparisons

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Quantitative

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #21 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

 

 

Examine (a), (b), and (c) and find the best answer.

a) The area of a square with a side length of \(\displaystyle 2\)

b) The area of a square with a side length of \(\displaystyle 3\)

c) The area of a circle with a radius of \(\displaystyle 2\)

Possible Answers:

a = c < b

a = b < c

c < b < a

c > b > a

Correct answer:

c > b > a

Explanation:

a) The area of a square with a side length of \(\displaystyle 2\)

To find the area of a square, square the side length: \(\displaystyle 2^{2}=4\)

b) The area of a square with a side length of \(\displaystyle 3\)

\(\displaystyle 3^{2}=9\)

c) The area of a circle with a radius of \(\displaystyle 2\)

To find the area of a circle, multiply the radius by \(\displaystyle 2\pi\).

\(\displaystyle 2\cdot2\pi=4\pi\approx12.56\) (Here, we rounded \(\displaystyle \pi\) to \(\displaystyle 3.14\), because an exact number isn't necessary to answer the question.)

Therefore (c) is larger than (b) which is larger than (a).

Example Question #22 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

Examine (a), (b), and (c) to find the best answer:

a) the interior angle of an equilateral triangle

b) the interior angle of a square

c) the interior angle of a regular pentagon

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle c< a< b\)

\(\displaystyle a>b>c\)

\(\displaystyle a=b=c\)

\(\displaystyle a< b< c\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle a< b< c\)

Explanation:

Since the interior angles of a triangle add up to \(\displaystyle 180\), each angle of an equilateral triangle is \(\displaystyle 60\) degrees.

Each of the interior angles of a square is \(\displaystyle 90\) degrees.

The interior angles of a pentagon add up to \(\displaystyle 540\), so each angle in a regular pentagon is \(\displaystyle 108\) degrees.

\(\displaystyle 60< 90< 108\)

Example Question #23 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

Examine (a), (b), and (c) to find the best answer:

a) half the volume of a cube with dimensions \(\displaystyle 4\) inches by \(\displaystyle 4\) inches by \(\displaystyle 4\) inches

b) the volume of a cube with dimensions \(\displaystyle 4\) inches by \(\displaystyle 4\) inches by \(\displaystyle 2\) inches

c) the volume of a cube with dimensions \(\displaystyle 2\) inches by \(\displaystyle 2\) inches by \(\displaystyle 2\) inches

Possible Answers:

(a) is equal to (b) but not (c)

(a) is equal to (c) but not (b)

(a), (b), and (c) are all unequal

(a), (b), and (c) are all equal

Correct answer:

(a) is equal to (b) but not (c)

Explanation:

Find the three volume by multiplying height by length by width:

a) \(\displaystyle 4\cdot4\cdot4=64\)

    Half of this volume is \(\displaystyle 32\).

b) \(\displaystyle 2\cdot4\cdot4=32\)

c) \(\displaystyle 2\cdot2\cdot2=8\)

Remember that we are only looking at half of the volume in a).

Therefore (a) and (b) are equal but (c) is not.

Example Question #24 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

Examine (a), (b), and (c) to find the best answer:

a) area of a rectangle with side lengths \(\displaystyle 5\) and \(\displaystyle 3\)

b) area of a rectangle with side lengths \(\displaystyle 3\) and \(\displaystyle 4\)

c) area of a square with side length \(\displaystyle 4\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle b< a< c\) 

\(\displaystyle b>a>c\) 

\(\displaystyle a=b>c\) 

\(\displaystyle a=b< c\) 

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle b< a< c\) 

Explanation:

Area is calculated by multiplying the side lengths:

a) area of a rectangle with side lengths \(\displaystyle 5\) and \(\displaystyle 3\)

\(\displaystyle 5\cdot3=15\)

b) area of a rectangle with side lengths \(\displaystyle 3\) and \(\displaystyle 4\)

\(\displaystyle 3\cdot4=12\)

c) area of a square with side length \(\displaystyle 4\)

\(\displaystyle 4\cdot4=16\)

Therefore (b) is less than (a), which is less than (c).

Example Question #25 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

Examine (a), (b), and (c) to find the best answer:

a) side length of a cube with a volume of \(\displaystyle 64\) inches cubed

b) side length of a square with an area of \(\displaystyle 64\) inches squared

c) side length of a square with an area of \(\displaystyle 36\) inches squared

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \ a< c< b\)

\(\displaystyle c>b>a\)

\(\displaystyle c< b< a\)

\(\displaystyle a>c>b\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \ a< c< b\)

Explanation:

To find the side length of a cube from its volume, find the cube root:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt[3]{64}=4\)

To find the side length of a square from its area, find the square root:

b) \(\displaystyle \sqrt{64}=8\)

c) \(\displaystyle \sqrt{36}=6\)

 

(a) is smaller than (c), which is smaller than (b)

Example Question #26 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

What are the relationships between the areas of these shapes?

a. A circle with radius \(\displaystyle 5\)

b. A square with side \(\displaystyle 5\)

c. A rectangle with side lengths of \(\displaystyle 4\) and \(\displaystyle 6\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle a=b>c\)

\(\displaystyle a=b=c\)

\(\displaystyle a>b>c\)

\(\displaystyle a< b=c\)

\(\displaystyle a=b< c\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle a>b>c\)

Explanation:

First, we find the areas of a, b, and c.

\(\displaystyle a=\pi r^2=\pi (5)^2=25\pi\)

\(\displaystyle b=s^2=(5)^2=25\)

\(\displaystyle c=(l)(w)=(4)(6)=24\)

Now we put them in order of size.

\(\displaystyle a>b>c\)

Example Question #27 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

Find the relationship between the perimeters of these shapes.

a. A square with area \(\displaystyle 36\)

b. A circle with diameter \(\displaystyle 12\)

c. A pentagon with side length \(\displaystyle 6\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle a=b=c\)

\(\displaystyle a< c< b\)

\(\displaystyle a>b>c\)

\(\displaystyle a< b=c\)

\(\displaystyle a=c< b\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle a< c< b\)

Explanation:

First, find the perimeter of the shapes.

Since the area of \(\displaystyle a\) is \(\displaystyle 36\), its side length is \(\displaystyle 6\), giving it a perimeter of \(\displaystyle 24\).

The perimeter of \(\displaystyle b\) is \(\displaystyle \pi *d=12\pi\).

The perimeter of \(\displaystyle c\) is \(\displaystyle 5*6=30\).

 

Since \(\displaystyle \pi>3\), \(\displaystyle 12\pi>36\).

Therefore, \(\displaystyle a< c< b\).

Example Question #28 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

Find the relationship between these lengths.

a. Side of a square of area \(\displaystyle 49\)

b. Side of a square with perimeter \(\displaystyle 28\)

c. Diameter of a circle with area \(\displaystyle \frac{49\pi}{4}\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle a=b< c\)

\(\displaystyle a=b=c\)

\(\displaystyle a>b=c\)

\(\displaystyle a< b< c\)

\(\displaystyle a>b>c\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle a=b=c\)

Explanation:

First, find the lengths given.

Since the square in \(\displaystyle a\) has area \(\displaystyle 49\), the side length is \(\displaystyle 7\)\(\displaystyle (A_{square}=side^2)\)

All sides of a square have equal lengths, so \(\displaystyle b\) gives us a length of \(\displaystyle 28/4=7\).

The area of a circle is \(\displaystyle \pi r^2\), and diameter is \(\displaystyle 2r\). Since area is \(\displaystyle \frac{49\pi}{4}\), \(\displaystyle r=\frac{7}{2}\), giving us \(\displaystyle d=7\).

The three lengths are equal, so \(\displaystyle a=b=c\).

Example Question #29 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

Find the relationship between the areas of the following shapes.

a. Square with perimeter \(\displaystyle 44\)

b. Triangle with base \(\displaystyle 12\) and height \(\displaystyle 10\)

c. Circle with circumference \(\displaystyle 24\pi\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle c>b>a\)

\(\displaystyle c=a>b\)

\(\displaystyle c< b< a\)

\(\displaystyle c=a=b\)

\(\displaystyle c>a>b\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle c>a>b\)

Explanation:

First, find the areas.

Since the perimeter of \(\displaystyle a\) is \(\displaystyle 44\), its side length is \(\displaystyle 11\), making the area \(\displaystyle 121\).

For triangles, \(\displaystyle A=\tfrac{1}{2}b*h\), so the area of \(\displaystyle b\) is \(\displaystyle 60\).

For \(\displaystyle c\), circumference is \(\displaystyle 2\pi r\), making \(\displaystyle r=12\), giving us an area of \(\displaystyle 144\pi\).

Putting them in order, we get \(\displaystyle c>a>b\).

 

Example Question #30 : How To Make Geometric Comparisons

Find the relationship between the perimeters of the following shapes.

a. Regular hexagon with side length \(\displaystyle 7\)

b. Square with side length \(\displaystyle 10\)

c. Equilateral triangle with side length \(\displaystyle 14\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle a>b>c\)

\(\displaystyle a=b=c\)

\(\displaystyle a< b< c\)

\(\displaystyle a=c>b\)

\(\displaystyle b>a=c\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle a=c>b\)

Explanation:

Find the perimeters first.

\(\displaystyle a=6*(7)=42\)

\(\displaystyle b=4*(10)=40\)

\(\displaystyle c=3*(14)=42\)

Putting them in order of size:

\(\displaystyle a=c>b\)

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors