SSAT Middle Level Math : Operations

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Middle Level Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #21 : How To Subtract Variables

Jim and Jack are having tea together. There are 10 sugar cubes on a small tray. Jim takes 1 cube for his tea, and Jack takes twice as many cubes as Jim. How many sugar cubes remain?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The first step is to convert the following into a mathematical equation:

There are 10 sugar cubes on a small tray. Jim takes 1 cube for his tea, and Jack takes twice as many cubes as Jim.

The equation for the remaining cubes would be:

Therefore, 7 is the correct answer. 

Example Question #123 : Operations

There are 9 cats in a shelter. Bob adopts 2 of the cats. Anita then adopts more cats than Bob adopted, but fewer than the majority of the cats remaining. How many cats did Anita adopt?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

If Anita adopted more cats than Bob, then she adopted more than 2 cats. 

Given that Bob adopted 2 cats, there are 7 cats remaining. A majority of the remaining cats would be 4. 

Given that Anita adopted more than 2 cats, but less than 4, she must have adopted 3 cats; therefore, 3 is the correct answer. 

Example Question #172 : Ssat Middle Level Quantitative (Math)

Tom has 8 pretzel sticks. He gives one stick to his sister, and then breaks what remains in half. Tom eats 5 of the half-pretzel sticks. How many half-pretzel sticks remain?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

If Tom has 8 pretzel sticks and gives one stick to his sister, then he will have 7 pretzel sticks remaining. If he then breaks what remains in half, he will have 14 half-pretzel sticks. If Tom eats 5 of the half-pretzel sticks, 9 half-pretzel sticks will therefore remain. 

Example Question #101 : Operations

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Subtract the numbers and keep the variable:

Answer:

Example Question #101 : Variables

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First distribute the subtraction sign through the terms in the parentheses. 

Subtraction of a negative is the same as adding a positive.

Rewrite.

Group all like terms together.

Evaluate the terms in each parentheses.

Rewrite in simplest form.

 is the correct answer.

Example Question #101 : Variables

Simplify:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First distribute the  to the terms inside the parentheses.  

Rewrite.

Rewrite putting like terms together.

Evaluate each set of terms in the parentheses.

The constant is 

Rewrite in simplest form.

 is the correct answer.

Example Question #31 : How To Subtract Variables

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The first step in simplifying the expression

 is to distribute the  to all terms inside the parentheses.

Rewrite.

Group like terms together. Rewrite.

Evaluate the terms in the parentheses.

There are no terms to combine with and the constant which is 

Rewrite in simplest form.

 is the correct answer.

Example Question #101 : Variables

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Distribute the 4 to all terms in the parentheses.

Rewrite.

Combine like terms.

Rewrite in simplest form.

 is the correct answer.

Example Question #101 : Variables

Simplify:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When solving this problem we need to remember our order of operations, or PEMDAS. 

PEMDAS stands for parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, and addition/subtraction. When you have a problem with several different operations, you need to solve the problem in this order and you work from left to right for multiplication/division and addition/subtraction.

Parentheses: We are not able to add a variable  to a number, so we move to the next step. 

Multiplication: We can distribute (or multiply) the 

Addition/Subtraction: Remember, we can't add a variable  to a number, so the  is left alone.

Example Question #42 : How To Subtract Variables

Simplify:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When solving this problem we need to remember our order of operations, or PEMDAS. 

PEMDAS stands for parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, and addition/subtraction. When you have a problem with several different operations, you need to solve the problem in this order and you work from left to right for multiplication/division and addition/subtraction.

Parentheses: We are not able to add a variable  to a number, so we move on to the next step

Multiplication: We can distribute the negative sign to the  and 

Remember, a negative times a negative will equal a positive, so we have a 

Finally we can combine like terms

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