ISEE Upper Level Quantitative : ISEE Upper Level (grades 9-12) Quantitative Reasoning

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Upper Level Quantitative

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Example Questions

Example Question #7 : How To Find The Angle Of A Sector

Circlesectorgeneral9

The arc-length for the shaded sector is \displaystyle 9.31.  What is the value of \displaystyle x, rounded to the nearest hundredth?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 44.18˚

\displaystyle 15.83˚

\displaystyle 78.13˚

\displaystyle 58.62˚

\displaystyle 83.14˚

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 58.62˚

Explanation:

Remember that the angle for a sector or arc is found as a percentage of the total \displaystyle 360 degrees of the circle.  The proportion of \displaystyle x to \displaystyle 360 is the same as \displaystyle 9.31 to the total circumference of the circle.

The circumference of a circle is found by:

\displaystyle C = 2*\pi*r

For our data, this means:

\displaystyle C = 2*9.1*\pi=18.2\pi

Now we can solve for \displaystyle x using the proportions:

\displaystyle \frac{x}{360} = \frac{9.31}{18.2\pi}

Cross multiply:

\displaystyle 18.2x\pi=3351.6

Divide both sides by \displaystyle 18.2\pi:

\displaystyle x=58.61798980953807

Therefore, \displaystyle x is \displaystyle 58.62˚.

Example Question #8 : How To Find The Angle Of A Sector

Circlesectorgeneral7.5

The area of the shaded sector in circle O is \displaystyle 2.81\pi.  What is the angle measure \displaystyle x, rounded to the nearest hundredth?

 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 94.13˚

\displaystyle 17.98˚

\displaystyle 78.41˚

\displaystyle 23.11˚

\displaystyle 67.44˚

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 17.98˚

Explanation:

Remember that the angle for a sector or arc is found as a percentage of the total \displaystyle 360 degrees of the circle.  The proportion of \displaystyle x to \displaystyle 360 is the same as \displaystyle 4.5\pi to the total area of the circle.

The area of a circle is found by:

\displaystyle A = \pi * r^2

For our data, this means:

\displaystyle A = 7.5^2\pi = 56.25\pi

Now we can solve for \displaystyle x using the proportions:

\displaystyle \frac{x}{360} = \frac{2.81\pi}{56.25\pi}

Cross multiply:

\displaystyle 56.25x\pi=1011.6\pi

Divide both sides by \displaystyle 56.25\pi:

\displaystyle x=17.984

Therefore, \displaystyle x is \displaystyle 17.98˚.

Example Question #9 : How To Find The Angle Of A Sector

Circlesectorgeneral6

The area of the shaded sector in circle O is \displaystyle 4.5\pi.  What is the angle measure \displaystyle x?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 120˚

\displaystyle 90˚

\displaystyle 150˚

\displaystyle 60˚

\displaystyle 45˚

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 45˚

Explanation:

Remember that the angle for a sector or arc is found as a percentage of the total \displaystyle 360 degrees of the circle.  The proportion of \displaystyle x to \displaystyle 360 is the same as \displaystyle 4.5\pi to the total area of the circle.

The area of a circle is found by:

\displaystyle A = \pi * r^2

For our data, this means:

\displaystyle A = 6^2\pi = 36\pi

Now we can solve for \displaystyle x using the proportions:

\displaystyle \frac{x}{360} = \frac{4.5\pi}{36\pi}

Cross multiply:

\displaystyle 36x\pi=1620\pi

Divide both sides by \displaystyle 36\pi:

\displaystyle x=45

Therefore, \displaystyle x is \displaystyle 45˚.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Angle Of A Sector

Icecreamcone 3

Refer to the above figure, Which is the greater quantity?

(a) The area of \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC

(b) The area of the orange semicircle 

Possible Answers:

(b) 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

Correct answer:

(b) is the greater quantity

Explanation:

\displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC has angles of degree measure 30 and 60; the third angle must measure 90 degrees, making \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC a right triangle.

For the sake of simplicity, let \displaystyle BC = 1; the reasoning is independent of the actual length. The smaller leg of a 30-60-90 triangle has length equal to \displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3} times that of the longer leg; this is about

\displaystyle AB = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{3} \approx \frac{1.7}{3} \approx 0.57

 

 The area of a right triangle is half the product of its legs, so 

\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} \cdot 1 \cdot 0.57 = 0.5 \cdot 0.57 \approx 0.285

Also, if \displaystyle BC = 1, then the orange semicircle has diameter 1 and radius \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}. Its area can be found by substituting \displaystyle r = \frac{1}{2} in the formula:

\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi r^{2}

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi \left ( \frac{1}{2} \right ) ^{2}

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi \cdot \left ( \frac{1}{4 } \right )

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{8} \cdot \pi

\displaystyle \approx 0. 125 \cdot 3.14

\displaystyle \approx 0. 3925

The orange semicircle has a greater area than \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC

Example Question #191 : Plane Geometry

Inscribed angle 2

In the above figure, \displaystyle \overline{AD} is a diameter of the circle.

Which is the greater quantity?

(a) \displaystyle m \angle CAD

(b) \displaystyle m \angle CBD

Possible Answers:

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

Correct answer:

(a) and (b) are equal

Explanation:

That \displaystyle \overline{AD} is a diameter of the circle is actually irrelevant to the problem. Two inscribed angles of a circle that both intercept the same arc, as \displaystyle \angle CAD and \displaystyle \angle CBD both do here, have the same measure.

Example Question #62 : Circles

\displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC is inscribed in a circle.  is a semicircle. \displaystyle m \angle A = 40 ^{\circ }.

Which is the greater quantity? 

(a) 

(b) 

Possible Answers:

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

Correct answer:

(a) is the greater quantity

Explanation:

The figure referenced is below:

Inscribed angle

 is a semicircle, so  is one as well; as a semicircle, its measure is \displaystyle 180 ^{\circ }. The inscribed angle that intercepts this semicircle, \displaystyle \angle B, is a right angle, of measure \displaystyle 90 ^{\circ }\displaystyle m \angle A = 40 ^{\circ }, and the sum of the measures of the interior angles of a triangle is \displaystyle 180 ^{\circ }, so 

\displaystyle m \angle C = 180 ^{\circ } - (m \angle A + m \angle B )

\displaystyle = 180 ^{\circ } - (40 ^{\circ } +90 ^{\circ } )

\displaystyle = 180 ^{\circ } - 130 ^{\circ }

\displaystyle = 50 ^{\circ }

\displaystyle \angle C has greater measure than \displaystyle \angle A, so the minor arc intercepted by  \displaystyle \angle C, which is , has greater measure than that intercepted by \displaystyle \angle A, which is . It follows that the major arc corresponding to the latter, which is , has greater measure than that  corresponding to the former, which is .

Example Question #191 : Geometry

Inscribed angle 3

In the above figure, \displaystyle O is the center of the circle, and . Which is the greater quantity?

(a) \displaystyle OC

(b) \displaystyle AC

Possible Answers:

(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

Correct answer:

(a) is the greater quantity

Explanation:

Construct \displaystyle \overline{OD}. The new figure is below:

 Inscribed angle 3

, so . It follows that their respective central angles have measures

\displaystyle m \angle AOD = 60 ^{\circ }

and

\displaystyle m \angle AOC < 60 ^{\circ }.

Also, since  and  -  being a semicircle - by the Arc Addition Principle, \displaystyle \angle DAO, an inscribed angle which intercepts this arc, has half this measure, which is \displaystyle 60 ^{\circ }. The other angle of \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ADO, which is \displaystyle \angle ADO, also measures \displaystyle 60 ^{\circ }, so  \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ADO is equilateral.

 

\displaystyle OD = OC, since all radii are congruent;

\displaystyle OA = OA by reflexivity;

\displaystyle m \angle AOC < m \angle AOD

By the Side-Angle-Side Inequality Theorem (or Hinge Theorem), it follows that \displaystyle AC < AD. Since \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ADO is equilateral, \displaystyle AD = OD, and since all radii are congruent, \displaystyle OD = OC. Substituting, it follows that \displaystyle AC < OC.

Example Question #191 : Geometry

Trapezoid \displaystyle ABCD is inscribed in a circle, with \displaystyle \overline{AD} a diameter. 

Which is the greater quantity?

(a) 

(b) 

Possible Answers:

(b) is the greater quantity

(a) is the greater quantity

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(a) and (b) are equal

Correct answer:

(a) and (b) are equal

Explanation:

Below is the inscribed trapezoid referenced, along with its diagonals.

Inscribed angle 3

\displaystyle \overline{AD} ||\overline{BC}, so, by the Alternate Interior Angles Theorem, 

\displaystyle \angle ACB \cong \angle CAD, and their intercepted angles are also congruent - that is,

By the Arc Addition Principle, 

.

Example Question #191 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Quantitative Reasoning

Circle 2

In the above figure, \displaystyle \overline{AD} is a diameter of the circle. Which is the greater quantity?

(a) \displaystyle m \angle ADB

(b) \displaystyle m \angle ACB

Possible Answers:

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(a) is the greater quantity

(a) and (b) are equal

(b) is the greater quantity

Correct answer:

(a) and (b) are equal

Explanation:

Both \displaystyle \angle ADB and \displaystyle \angle ACB are inscribed angles of the same circle which intercept the same arc; they are therefore of the same measure. The fact that \displaystyle \overline{AD} is a diameter of the circle is actually irrelevant to the problem.

Example Question #191 : Plane Geometry

Tangents 1

Figure NOT drawn to scale.

Refer to the above diagram.  is the arithmetic mean of  and .

Which is the greater quantity?

(a) \displaystyle m \angle NTO

(b) \displaystyle 60 ^{\circ }

 

Possible Answers:

(a) and (b) are equal

(a) is the greater quantity

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(b) is the greater quantity

Correct answer:

(a) and (b) are equal

Explanation:

 is the arithmetic mean of  and , so

By arc addition, this becomes

Also, , or, equivalently,

, so

Solving for :

Also,

 

If two tangents are drawn to a circle, the measure of the angle they form is half the difference of the measures of the arcs they intercept, so

 

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