12.Practice.Tests.for.the.SAT_2015-2016_1128p

12 Practice Tests for the SAT
Practice Test Two Answers an d Exp l anations
219
I
a topic can still understand them. Choice (D) is an opposite;
the author of Passage 1 thinks they are insufficiently
challenging. Choice (E) matches your prediction.
24. c
Difficu l ty: Medium
When you finish reading the second passage, it's a good
idea to check what the passages had in common and what
they agreed and disagreed on. Both passages discuss the
ideal of making a museum into a place where people learn
actively rather than passively. They only differ in how to
accomplish this.
Choice (A) is a misused detail; only Passage 1 mentions
funding, and it does so only briefly. Choice (B) is a misused
detail; only Passage 2 is concerned with this. Choice (C) is
correct; both passages advocate active learning. Choice (D) is
an opposite; neither passage claims to desire this. Choice (E)
is an opposite; Passage 1 in particular seems opposed to this.
SECTION 7
1. c
Difficu l ty: Low
Strategic A d vice: On symmetry problems, draw a line and
see if each half is a perfect reflection of the other side.
Getting t h e Answer:
Choices (A), (D), and (E) have one line of symmetry; (B)
doesn't have any.
2. E
Difficu l ty: Low
Strategic A d vice: Since there are numbers in the answer
choices, Backsolving is a good strategy for this problem.
If you decide to solve it algebraically, be careful and
meticulous when translating the words into an equation.
Getting t h e Answer:
To solve the problem algebraically, first translate from
English to math. ''The sum of 50 and j" is (50 + 1).
"Divide this sum by j, the result is 3":
15;; You could also Backsolve. Start with (C):
50
-
=
3 > 3. Since the result is more .than 3, you need a bigger
number. Try 20 next:
20
2
SO - > 3. Again, you need a
bigger number, so you know (E) must be correct.
3. D
Difficu l ty: Medium
Strategic A d vice: When faced with a geometry problem
with lots of unknowns, try to establish what you do know. In
this case, you can easily figure out the measures of all the
angles. Use that to help you find the lengths of the sides.
Getting to t h e Answer:
Angle R is 70° and angle S is 40°, so angle Pis 180° -
70° - 40° = 70°. Since angle P = angle R = 70°, the sides
opposite those angles are of equal length, and 4 + a= 5 +
b. Therefore, a = b + 1. That matches (D).
4. A
Difficu l ty: Low
Strategic A d vice: Work carefully! Negative exponents can
be tricky. You may find it helpful to write out each answer
choice.
Getting to t h e Answer:
To get from 3.26691 to 0.00326691, you must move
the decimal point three places to the left. Therefore,
0.00326691 = 3.26691 x 10-3.
5. E
Difficu l ty: Medium
Strategic A d vice: Before you start solving each question,
make sure you know what the question stem is asking for.
You are not asked to solve for x in this question, something
that might trip up less observant test takers.
Getting to t h e Answer:
1
x2 = 4, so Vx = 4. To solve for x, just square both sides:
X= 16
Now plug this into the expression you are asked to find:
x2 = 162 = 256
cso.+/) = 3
J
50 +j=3j
50 =2}
f = 25