326 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

Exercise Set 1 (No Calculator)

1 7
The “range” of a set of data is defined as the If p varies inversely as q and p = 4 when q = 6,
absolute difference between the least value and the which of the following is another solution for p
greatest value in the set. Four positive integers have and q ?
an average (arithmetic mean) of 7.5. A) p = 8 and q = 12
a. What is the greatest possible range of this set? B) p = 8 and q = 10
C) p = 12 and q = 1
D) p = 12 and q = 2
b. What is the least possible range of this set?
8
A set of n numbers has an average (arithmetic
mean) of 3k and a sum of 12m, where k and m are
both positive. Which of the following is equivalent
2 to n ?
If the median of 2, 4, 6, and b is 4.2, what is the 4m 4k k
A) B) C)
average (arithmetic mean) of these four numbers? k m 4m

m
D)
4k

3 9

The average (arithmetic mean) of 2, 5, 8 and k is 0. If y varies inversely as the square of x, then when x
What is the median of these numbers? is multiplied by 4, y will be
A) divided by 16
B) divided by 2
C) multiplied by 2
4 D) multiplied by 16
A set of numbers has a sum of 48 and an average
of 6. How many numbers are in the set? 10
Let f(x, y) = Ax2y 3 where A is a constant.
If f(a, b) = 10, what is the value of f(2a, 2b) ?
A) 100
5 B) 260
If the average (arithmetic mean) of 4 and x is equal C) 320
to the average (arithmetic mean) of 2, 8, and x, D) 500
what is the value of x ?
11
A set of four integers has a mode of 7 and a
median of 4. What is the greatest possible average
6 (arithmetic mean) of this set?
The median of a set of 22 consecutive even integers A) 3.50
is 25. What is the largest number in the set? B) 3.75
C) 4.00
D) 4.25
CHAPTER 8 / THE SAT MATH TEST: PROBLEM SOLVING AND DATA ANALYSIS 327

Exercise Set 1 (Calculator)

12 16
Four positive integers have a mode of 4 and a If y = Ax3 and y = 108 when x = 3, then for what
median of 3. What is their sum? value of x does y = 62.5 ?

13
Five different integers have an average (arithmetic
mean) of 10. If none is less than 5, what is the 17
greatest possible value of one of these integers?
A set of four positive integers has a median of 2
and a mode of 2. If the average (arithmetic mean)
of this set is 3, what is the largest possible number
in the set?

14
If b varies inversely as a, and b = 0.5 when a = 32,
then for how many ordered pairs (a, b) are a and b
both positive integers?

18
If y varies inversely as x and the graph of their
relation in the xy-plane passes through the point
(2, 15), what is the value of y when x = 4 ?

15
The median of 11 consecutive integers is 28. What is
the least of these integers?
328 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

19 21
At a fixed temperature, the volume of a sample of
Roll Frequency gas varies inversely as the pressure of the gas. If the
1 4 pressure of a sample of gas at a fixed temperature
2 5 is increased by 50%, by what percent is the volume
decreased?
3 4
4 6 A) 25%
5 5 1
B) 33 %
3
6 6
C) 50%
2
A six-sided die was rolled 30 times and the results D) 66 %
3
are tabulated above. What is the difference
between the average (arithmetic mean) of the rolls
and the median of the rolls?
A) 0.1
B) 0.2
22
C) 0.3
If the graph of y = f(x) in the xy-plane contains
D) 0.4
the points (4, 3) and (16, 6), which of the following
could be true?
A) y varies directly as the square of x
B) y varies inversely as the square of x
20 C) y varies directly as the square root of x

If y varies inversely as the square of x, and y = 4 D) y varies inversely as the square root of x
when x = 2, then what is the value of y when x = 3 ?
16
A)
9
B) 8
3
C) 3
D) 9
CHAPTER 8 / THE SAT MATH TEST: PROBLEM SOLVING AND DATA ANALYSIS 329

EXERCISE SET 1 ANSWER KEY

No Calculator 10. C f(a, b) = Aa2b3 = 10. f(2a, 2b) = A(2a)2(2b)3 =

32(Aa2b3) = 32(10) = 320.
1a. 26 If the average of 4 numbers is 7.5, they must
have a sum of 4 × 7.5 = 30. To maximize the range, we
must maximize one of the numbers by minimizing the 11. B If this set has a mode of 7, then at least two of the
other 3 by setting them all equal to 1 (the smallest posi- numbers are 7. If the median is 4, then the two middle
tive integer). The numbers therefore are 1, 1, 1, and 27, numbers must have a sum of (2)(4) = 8. Therefore the two
and the range is 27 − 1 = 26. middle numbers are 1 and 7, and the sequence must be n,
1, 7, 7. To maximize the average, we must maximize n,
but n can’t be 1, because then the set would not have a
1b. 1 To minimize the range, we “cluster” the num-
mode of 7. It must be the next lower integer, 0, and the
bers as closely together as possible. The tightest cluster
average is (0 + 1 + 7 + 7)/4 = 3.75.
of integers with a sum of 30 is 7, 7, 8, and 8, which gives a
range of 8 − 7 = 1.

2. 4.1 If the set contains four numbers, its median is Calculator

the average of the middle two numbers, so the middle
two numbers must have a sum of (2)(4.2) = 8.4. Thus the 12. 11 The only four numbers that satisfy these condi-
four numbers must be 2, 4, 4.4, and 6. (Notice that tions are 1, 2, 4, and 4.
the question did not say that all numbers were integers.)
The average of these is 16.4/4 = 4.1. 13. 24 If the average of five numbers is 10, their sum
is 5 × 10 = 50. To maximize one, we must minimize the
3. 3.5 If the average of these numbers is 0, their sum of the other four. If none is less than five, and all are
sum must be (4)(0) = 0, and therefore k = −15 and different integers, they are 5, 6, 7, 8, and 24.
the numbers, in increasing order, are −15, 2, 5, and 8. The
median is (2 + 5)/2 = 3.5. 14. 5 If the variables vary inversely, their product is
constant. (0.5)(32) = 16. The only pairs of positive inte-
4. 8 6 = 48/n, so n = 8. gers with a product of 16 are (1, 16), (2, 8), (4, 4), (8, 2), and
(16, 1).

5. 8 4+ x 2+8+ x
= 15. 23 If the middle number is 28, there are five num-
2 3
bers less than 28, and five greater. Since they are consec-
Cross-multiply: 12 + 3x = 20 + 2x
utive integers, the least is 28 − 5 = 23.
Subtract 2x and 12: x=8

6. 46 The median divides the set into two equal 16. 2.5 Since 108 = A(3)3, A = 4, so if 62.5 = 4x3, x = 2.5.
parts, so 11 of these numbers must be less than 25 and
11 must be greater than 25. Since they are consecutive 17. 7 At least two of the integers must be 2 and none
even integers, the 11 numbers above the median must be can be less than 1. If the sum must be 4 × 3 = 12, the set
26, 28, 30, 32, . . . 46. including the largest possible number is 1, 2, 2, and 7.

7. D If p and q vary inversely, their product is a con- 18. 7.5 The product of x and y is 2 × 15 = 30, so y =
stant. 4 × 6 = 24, and the only other pair with a product 30/4 = 7.5.
equal to 24 is (D) 12 and 2.
19. C Average = (1 × 4 + 2 × 5 + 3 × 4 + 4 × 6 + 5 × 5 +
8. A n = sum/average = 12m/3k = 4m/k 6 × 6)/30 = 3.7. Median = average of 15th and 16th roll:
(4 + 4)/2 = 4. 4 − 3.7 = 0.3.
9. A The equation relating x and y is y = k/x2. If x = 1,
then y = k. If x is multiplied by 4, then x = 4 and y = k/16, 20. A y and x2 must have a constant product of
so y has been divided by 16. 4 × 22 = 16. Therefore, y = 16/9.
330 McGraw-Hill Education: SAT

21. B Pick values for the original pressure and volume, y is a constant:
such as 2 and 3. If they vary inversely, their product is 22. C For both ordered pairs,
x
the constant 2 × 3 = 6. If the pressure is increased by 3 6 3
= = , so y is directly proportional to the
50%, it becomes (1.5)(2) = 3, and so the volume becomes 4 16 2
6/3 = 2, a change of −33 1/3%.
square root of x.