All ISEE Upper Level Quantitative Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #2 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Triangle
is acute; . Which is the greater quantity?
(a)
(b)
It is impossible to tell from the information given.
(a) is greater.
(b) is greater.
(a) and (b) are equal.
(b) is greater.
Since is an acute triangle, is an acute angle, and
,
(b) is the greater quantity.
Example Question #5 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Triangle
Given: . . Which is the greater quantity?
(a) 18
(b)
(b) is the greater quantity
(a) is the greater quantity
(a) and (b) are equal
It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given
(a) is the greater quantity
Suppose there exists a second triangle such that and . Whether , the angle opposite the longest side, is acute, right, or obtuse can be determined by comparing the sum of the squares of the lengths of the shortest sides to the square of the length of the longest:
, making obtuse, so .
We know that
and
.
Between and , we have two sets of congruent sides, with the included angle of the latter of greater measure than that of the former. It follows from the Side-Angle-Side Inequality (or Hinge) Theorem that between the third sides, is the longer. Therefore,
.
Example Question #1 : How To Find If Two Triangles Are Similar
Which is the greater quantity?
(a)
(b)
(a) and (b) are equal
(b) is greater
It is impossible to tell from the information given
(a) is greater
(a) and (b) are equal
, so by definition, the sides are in proportion.
(a)
Substitute and solve for :
(b)
Substitute and solve for :
The two are equal.
Example Question #2 : How To Find If Two Triangles Are Similar
Which is the greater quantity?
(a)
(b)
It is impossible to tell from the information given.
(a) is greater.
(a) and (b) are equal.
(b) is greater.
(a) is greater.
, so by definition, the sides are in proportion. Therefore,
.
Substitute:
, so (a) is greater.
Example Question #1 : How To Find The Area Of A Triangle
Triangle B has a height that is twice that of Triangle A and a base that is one-half that of Triangle A. Which is the greater quantity?
(a) The area of Triangle A
(b) The area of Triangle B
It is impossible to tell from the information given.
(a) and (b) are equal.
(b) is greater.
(a) is greater.
(a) and (b) are equal.
Let and be the base and height of Triangle A. Then the base and height of Triangle B are and , respectively.
(a) The area of Triangle A is .
(b) The area of Triangle B is .
Therefore, (a) and (b) are equal.
Example Question #2 : How To Find The Area Of A Triangle
Two triangles on the coordinate plane have a vertex at the origin and a vertex at , where .
Triangle A has its third vertex at .
Triangle B has its third vertex at .
Which is the greater quantity?
(a) The area of Triangle A
(b) The area of Triangle B
It is impossible to tell from the information given
(b) is greater
(a) and (b) are equal
(a) is greater
(b) is greater
(a) Triangle A has as its base the horizontal segment connecting and , the length of which is 10. Its (vertical) altitude is the segment from to this horizontal segment, which is part of the -axis; its height is therefore the -coordinate of this point, or .
The area of Triangle A is therefore
(b) Triangle B has as its base the vertical segment connecting and , the length of which is 10. Its (horizontal) altitude is the segment from to this vertical segment, which is part of the -axis; its height is therefore the -coordinate of this point, or .
The area of Triangle B is therefore
, so . (b), the area of Triangle B, is greater.
Example Question #2 : How To Find The Area Of A Triangle
A triangle has sides 30, 40, and 80. Give its area.
None of the other responses is correct
None of the other responses is correct
By the Triangle Inequality Theorem, the sum of the lengths of the two shorter sides of a triangle must exceed the length of its longest side. However,
;
Therefore, this triangle cannot exist, and the correct answer is "none of the other responses is correct".
Example Question #1 : How To Find The Area Of A Triangle
The above depicts Square ; , and are the midpoints of , , and , respectively. Which is the greater quantity?
(a) The area of
(b) The area of
It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given
(b) is the greater quantity
(a) and (b) are equal
(a) is the greater quantity
(a) and (b) are equal
For the sake of simplicity, assume that the square has sidelength 2; this reasoning is independent of the actual sidelength.
Since , , and are the midpoints of their respective sides, , as shown in this diagram.
The area of , it being a right triangle, is half the product of the lengths of its legs:
The area of is half the product of the length of a base and the height. Using as the base, and as an altitude:
The two triangles have the same area.
Example Question #1 : Equilateral Triangles
is an equilateral triangle. Points are the midpoints of , respectively. is constructed.
Which is the greater quantity?
(a) The perimeter of
(b) Twice the perimeter of
(b) is greater.
It is impossible to tell from the information given.
(a) is greater.
(a) and (b) are equal.
(a) and (b) are equal.
If segments are constructed in which the endpoints form the midpoints of the sides of a triangle, then each of the sides of the smaller triangle is half as long as the side of the larger triangle that it does not touch. Therefore:
The perimeter of is:
,
which is twice the perimeter of .
Note that the fact that the triangle is equilateral is irrelevant.
Example Question #21 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Quantitative Reasoning
Column A Column B
The perimeter The perimeter
of a square with of an equilateral
sides of 4 cm. triangle with a side
of 9 cm.
The quantity in Column A is greater.
There is not enough info to determine a relationship between the columns.
The quantity in Column B is greater.
The quantities in both columns are equal.
The quantity in Column B is greater.
Perimeter involves adding up all of the sides of the shape. Therefore, the square's perimeter is or 16. An equialteral shape means that all of the sides are equal. Therefore, the perimeter of the triangle is or 27. Therefore, Column B is greater.