SSAT Upper Level Math : Decimals with Fractions

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Decimals With Fractions

Express  \displaystyle \frac{8}{15} as a decimal.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0.\overline{5}

\displaystyle 0.5\overline{8}

\displaystyle 0.5\overline{3}

\displaystyle 0.5

\displaystyle 0.52

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0.5\overline{3}

Explanation:

Divide 8 by 15:

 \displaystyle \frac{8}{15} = 8 \div 15 = 0.5333... 

The 3 repeats, so the correct choice is \displaystyle 0.5\overline{3}.

Example Question #2 : Decimals With Fractions

Give the decimal equivalent of \displaystyle \frac{11}{18}.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0.\overline{611}

\displaystyle 0.611

\displaystyle 0.61

\displaystyle 0.\overline{61}

\displaystyle 0.6\overline{1}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0.6\overline{1}

Explanation:

Divide 11 by 18:

\displaystyle \frac{11}{18} = 11 \div 18 = 0.61111...

The 1 repeats infinitely, so this can be rewritten as \displaystyle 0.6\overline{1}.

Example Question #3 : Decimals With Fractions

Give the decimal equivalent of \displaystyle \frac{5}{27}.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0.185

\displaystyle 0.1\overline{85}

\displaystyle 0.18\overline{5}

\displaystyle 0.186

\displaystyle 0.\overline{185}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0.\overline{185}

Explanation:

Divide 5 by 27:

\displaystyle \frac{5}{27} = 5 \div 27 = 0.185185185...

The group "185" repeats infinitely, so this can be written as \displaystyle 0.\overline{185}.

Example Question #4 : Decimals With Fractions

Give the decimal equivalent of \displaystyle \frac{7}{36}.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0.\overline{19}

\displaystyle 0.195

\displaystyle 0.19\overline{4}

\displaystyle 0.194

\displaystyle 0.19

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0.19\overline{4}

Explanation:

Divide 7 by 36: 

\displaystyle \frac{7}{36} = 7 \div 36 = 0.19444444...

The 4 repeats infinitely, so this can be rewritten as \displaystyle 0.19\overline{4}.

Example Question #5 : Decimals With Fractions

Write the value of this expression as a decimal:

\displaystyle \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{2}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 1.08\overline{3}

\displaystyle 0.91\overline{6}

\displaystyle 0.\overline{923076}

\displaystyle 1.25

\displaystyle 0.\overline{3}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1.08\overline{3}

Explanation:

Simplify the sum by taking the least common denominator, which is 12:

\displaystyle \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{2}

\displaystyle = \frac{1\cdot 4}{3\cdot 4} + \frac{1\cdot 3}{4\cdot 3} + \frac{1\cdot 6}{2\cdot 6}

\displaystyle = \frac{ 4}{12} + \frac{3}{12} + \frac{6}{12} = \frac{13}{12}

Divide 13 by 12:

\displaystyle \frac{13}{12} = 1. 08333333... = 1.08\overline{3}

Example Question #6 : Decimals With Fractions

Let \displaystyle a = \frac{3}{5}\displaystyle b= \frac{2}{3}\displaystyle c = \frac{4}{7}

Which of the following is closest to \displaystyle a + b + c ?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 1.9

\displaystyle 1.6

\displaystyle 1.5

\displaystyle 1.7

\displaystyle 1.8

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1.8

Explanation:

\displaystyle a + b + c

\displaystyle = \frac{3}{5}+ \frac{2}{3}+ \frac{4}{7}

\displaystyle = \frac{3 \times 21}{5 \times 21}+ \frac{2\times 35}{3 \times 35}+ \frac{4\times 15}{7 \times 15}

\displaystyle = \frac{63}{105}+ \frac{70}{105}+ \frac{60}{105} = \frac{193}{105}

\displaystyle = 193 \div 105 \approx 1.84

The correct choice is 1.8.

Example Question #7 : Decimals With Fractions

Let \displaystyle a =3 \frac{3}{5} and \displaystyle b=1 \frac{5}{6}

Which of the following is closest to \displaystyle a - b ?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 1.6

\displaystyle 1.4

\displaystyle 1.5

\displaystyle 1.7

\displaystyle 1.8

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1.8

Explanation:

\displaystyle a - b = 3\frac{3}{5} - 1\frac{5}{6}

\displaystyle = \frac{18}{5} - \frac{11}{6}

\displaystyle = \frac{18\times 6 }{5 \times 6} - \frac{11\times 5}{6\times 5}

\displaystyle = \frac{108}{30} - \frac{55}{30}

\displaystyle = \frac{53}{30}

\displaystyle = 53 \div 30 \approx 1.77

The correct choice is 1.8.

 

Example Question #241 : Rational Numbers

Define an operation \displaystyle \blacklozenge as follows:

For all real numbers \displaystyle a,b:

 \displaystyle a\blacklozenge b = a^{2} - b^{2}

Which of the following is closest to \displaystyle \frac{1}{2} \blacklozenge \frac{1}{3} ?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0.3

\displaystyle 0.2

\displaystyle 0.1

\displaystyle 0.15

\displaystyle 0.25

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0.15

Explanation:

\displaystyle a\blacklozenge b = a^{2} - b^{2}

\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} \blacklozenge \frac{1}{3} =\left ( \frac{1}{2} \right ) ^{2} - \left ( \frac{1}{3} \right )^{2}= \frac{1}{4} - \frac{1}{9}= \frac{9}{36} - \frac{4}{36}= \frac{5}{36}

\displaystyle = 5 \div 36 = 0.13888...

The correct choice is 0.15.

Example Question #1371 : Ssat Upper Level Quantitative (Math)

Let \displaystyle a =1 \frac{4}{9}\displaystyle b = 1\frac{3}{8}, and \displaystyle c= \frac{1}{2}.

Which of the following is closest to \displaystyle a bc ?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 1

\displaystyle 1.3

\displaystyle 1.4

\displaystyle 1.2

\displaystyle 1.1

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1

Explanation:

\displaystyle a bc=1 \frac{4}{9} \times 1\frac{3}{8} \times \frac{1}{2}= \frac{13}{9} \times \frac{11}{8} \times \frac{1}{2}= \frac{143}{144}= 143 \div 144 \approx 0.99

The correct response is 1.

Example Question #7 : Decimals With Fractions

Simplify and express as a decimal:

\displaystyle \frac{4\frac{2}{3}}{5\frac{3}{5}}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0.8\overline{3}

\displaystyle 0.875

\displaystyle 0.8

\displaystyle 0.\overline{8}

\displaystyle 0.9

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0.8\overline{3}

Explanation:

\displaystyle \frac{4\frac{2}{3}}{5\frac{3}{5}} = 4\frac{2}{3} \div 5\frac{3}{5} = \frac{14}{3} \div \frac{28}{5} = \frac{14}{3} \times \frac{5} {28} = \frac{1}{3} \times \frac{5} {2} = \frac{5}{6}

\displaystyle \frac{5}{6}= 5 \div 6 = 0.8333...

so the correct response is \displaystyle 0.8\overline{3}.

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