ACT Sample Math Test A Solutions
ACT Sample Math Test A Solutions
ACT Sample Math Test A Solutions
ACT MATHEMATICS TEST QUESTIONS
(http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/math/math_01.html)
An actual ACT Mathematics Test contains 60 questions to be answered in 60 minutes.
DIRECTIONS: Solve each problem, choose the Note: Unless otherwise stated, all of the following
correct answer, and then fill in the corresponding should be assumed.
oval on your answer document.
1. Illustrative figures are NOT necessarily
Do not linger over problems that take too much drawn to scale.
time. Solve as many as you can; then return to the 2. Geometric figures lie in a plane.
others in the time you have left for this test. 3. The word line indicates a straight line.
4. The word average indicates arithmetic
You are permitted to use a calculator on this test. mean.
You may use your calculator for any problems you
choose, but some of the problems may best be
done without using a calculator.
Set 1
1. A car averages 27 miles per gallon. If gas costs $4.04 per gallon, which of the following is closest to
how much the gas would cost for this car to travel 2,727 typical miles?
A. $ 44.44
$4.04 per gallon
B. $109.08 2,727 miles x 101 gallons
÷ 27 mpg 404
C. $118.80
101 gallons 404
D. $408.04 $408.04 total
E. $444.40
2. When x = 3 and y = 5, by how much does the value of 3x2 – 2y exceed the value of 2x2 – 3y ?
F. 4
3 –2
G. 14
2 3
H. 16
J. 20 3 5
9 5 14
K. 50
Page 2 of 25
3. What is the value of x when 2x + 3 = 3x – 4 ?
A. –7
2 3 3 – 4
B. 2 2
C. 1 3 4
4 4
D. 7
E. 7
4. What is the greatest common factor of 42, 126, and 210 ?
F. 2
42 2∙3∙7 To get the GCF of a set of
G. 6 126 2∙3∙7∙3 numbers, line up the prime
factorization of each and
H. 14 210 2 ∙ 3 ∙ 7 ∙ 5
multiply any prime factors
J. 21 42 2∙3∙7 that exist in every line.
K. 42
5. Sales for a business were 3 million dollars more the second year than the first, and sales for the third
year were double the sales for the second year. If sales for the third year were 38 million dollars, what
were sales, in millions of dollars, for the first year?
A. 16
B. 17.5 y x 3
Let:
z 2y
C. 20.5 1
D. 22 2 So:
3 38
E. 35
y 38 2 19
19 3 16
Page 3 of 25
G. are NOT equal.
7. Abandoned mines frequently fill with water. Before an abandoned mine can be reopened, the water
must be pumped out. The size of pump required depends on the depth of the mine. If pumping out a
mine that is D feet deep requires a pump that pumps a minimum of 4 – 250 gallons per minute,
pumping out a mine that is 150 feet deep would require a pump that pumps a minimum of how many
gallons per minute?
A. 362
150 ∙ 150
4 ∙ 150 250
B. 500 25
E. 1,750
8. The length, in inches, of a box is 3 inches less than twice its width, in inches. Which of the following
gives the length, l inches, in terms of the width, w inches, of the box?
F. l = w + 3
K. l = 2w – 3
Page 4 of 25
9. In quadrilateral PQRS below, sides PS and QR are parallel for what value of x ?
A. 158
10. How many irrational numbers are there between 1 and 6 ?
F. 1
K. Infinitely many
11. A typical high school student consumes 67.5 pounds of sugar per year. As part of a new nutrition
plan, each member of a track team plans to lower the sugar he or she consumes by at least 20% for the
coming year. Assuming each track member had consumed sugar at the level of a typical high school
student and will adhere to this plan for the coming year, what is the maximum number of pounds of
sugar to be consumed by each track team member in the coming year?
A. 14
E. 66
Page 5 of 25
12. In the standard (x, y) coordinate plane below, 3 of the vertices of a rectangle are shown. Which of
the following is the 4th vertex of the rectangle?
B
Step 1: Draw two sides of the rectangle.
A
Step 2: The missing point appears to be below and to
the left of point C. So, determine the vector that adds
C to B to get A.
D
2, 1
: 1, 1
F. (3,–7)
: 3, 2
G. (4,–8)
Step 3: Subtract the vector, , from C to get the
H. (5,–1)
missing point, D.
J. (8,–3) 6, 5
K. (9,–3) : 3, 2
: 3, 7
Optional Step 4: Plot D to see if the result looks like a
rectangle.
Page 6 of 25
Set 2
1. The lead of a screw is the distance that the screw advances in a straight line when the screw is
turned 1 complete turn. If a screw is inches long and has a lead of inch, how many complete
turns would get it all the way into a piece of wood?
A. 5
B. 10
1 5
2 5 8 40
C. 15 2 2 ∙ 20
1 1 2 1 2
D. 20 8 8
E. 25
2. If xy = 144, x + y = 30, and x > y, what is the value of x – y ?
F. 4
Note that: 30
G. 6
Fastest method is to try values that add to 30:
H. 18
2 ∙ 28 56
J. 22 4 ∙ 26 104
K. 24 6 ∙ 24 144
Then, don’t forget to subtract: 24 6 18
3. Which of the following is the sine of A in the right triangle below?
A.
Remember: SOH – CAH – TOA
B.
Then, sin
C.
D.
E.
Page 7 of 25
4. Ding’s Diner advertised this daily lunch special: “Choose 1 item from each column—only $4.95!”
Thus, each daily lunch special consists of a salad, a soup, a sandwich, and a drink.
How many different daily lunch specials are possible?
F. 4
Salads Soups Sandwiches Drinks
G. 14
H. 30 cole slaw onion meat loaf milk
J. 120 lettuce tomato chicken cola ∙ ∙ ∙
potato hamburger coffee
K. 180 ham tea
tenderloin
5. The volume, V, of the right circular cone with radius r and height h, shown below, can be found
using the formula . A cone‐shaped paper cup has a volume of 142 cubic centimeters and a
height of 8.5 centimeters. What is the radius, to the nearest centimeter, of the paper cup?
Step 1: Step 2: Substitute values:
A. 2
142 ∙ 9
B. 4
Trick:
C. 8 ~
Approximate
~
D. 12 values at each
~ 16
step
E. 16
~ 4
6. A boat departs Port Isabelle, Texas, traveling to an oil rig. The oil rig is located 9 miles east and 12
miles north of the boat’s departure point. About how many miles is the oil rig from the departure
point?
F. 3 Recall: Pythagorean Triples
G. or use Pythagorean Theorem
H. 15 12 3 4 5
J. 21 6 8 10
K. 225 9 9 12 15
So, 15
Page 8 of 25
8. Which of the following is a factor of the polynomial: – – ?
F. x – 1
2 – 3 – 5 10
G. 2x – 3
H. 2x – 5 2 – 5 2 – 5 5 ∙ 2 10
2 – 5 2 – 5) 5 2 3
J. 2x + 5
K. 3x + 5 1 2 – 5
9. What is x, the second term in the geometric series … ?
(Note: In a geometric series the ratio of any term to the following term is constant.)
A.
The numerators are all 1, so Then, the denominator of x
B. let’s look at the ratios of the is: 4 ∙ 3 12
denominators:
And, finally:
C. 108
3 1
36
D. 12
So, the ratio of succeeding
E. denominators is 3.
Page 9 of 25
10. What is the slope of any line parallel to the line 9x + 4y = 7 ?
F. –9
9 4 7
G. Parallel lines have the same slope. 9 9
In slope‐intercept form, the 4 9 7
H. 4 4
coefficient of is the slope.
J. 7 9 7
K. 9 4 4
11. A DVD player with a list price of $100 is marked down 30%. If John gets an employee discount of
20% off the sale price, how much does John pay for the DVD player ?
A. $86.00
B. $77.60 $100 ∙ 70% ∙ 80%
D. $50.00 $56
E. $44.00
12. ?
(Note: i = )
F. 9i
G. 9 + i √ 81 9
H. 9 – i
J. 9
K. –9
Page 10 of 25
Set 3
1. What is the degree measure of the acute angle formed by the hands of a 12‐hour clock that reads
exactly 1 o’clock?
12
A. 15° 1 The arc from 12 to 1 on a
B. 30°
clock is of a circle.
C. 45°
D. 60° ˚
Then, 30˚
E. 72°
2. What is the probability that a number selected at random from the set {2, 3, 7, 12, 15, 22, 72, 108}
will be divisible by both 2 and 3 ?
F.
G. Numbers divisible by 2 are even.
Numbers divisible by 3 have digits that add to a number divisible by 3.
H. Now, let’s test each of the numbers.
So, 3 out of the 8 numbers are
J.
divisible by both 2 and 3.
2, 3, 7, 12, 15, 22, 72, 108
K. 3
8
3. A circle has a circumference of 16 feet. What is the radius of the circle, in feet?
A.
B. 4
16 2
C. 8 2 2
D. 16 8
E. 32
Page 11 of 25
4. A rectangle with a perimeter of 30 centimeters is twice as long as it is wide. What is the area of the
rectangle in square centimeters?
F. 15
G. 50 6 30
H. 200 5
J. 3 5 ∙ 10 50
K. 6
5. In the standard (x,y) coordinate plane, what are the coordinates of the midpoint of a line segment
whose endpoints are (–3,0) and (7,4) ?
A. (2,2)
B. (2,4)
7, 4
C. (5,2) 3, 0
D. (5,4) 4, 4 2 2, 2
E. (5,5)
6. Points A, B, C, and D are on a line such that B is between A and C, and C is between B and D. The
distance from A to B is 6 units. The distance from B to C is twice the distance from A to B, and the
distance from C to D is twice the distance from B to C. What is the distance, in units, from the midpoint
of BC to the midpoint of CD ?
F. 18
G. 14
H. 12
J. 9 Requested length is between the two points:
K. 6 ∙ 12 ∙ 24 6 12 18
7. Which of the following statements must be true whenever n, a, b, and c are positive integers such
that n < a, c > a, and b > c ?
A. a < n Simplifies to:
B. b – n > a – n
C. b < n
D. n + b = a + c
all values are positive
E. 2n > a + b
Page 12 of 25
8. The distribution of Jamal’s high school grades by percentage of course credits is given in the circle
graph below. What is Jamal’s grade point average if each A is worth 4 points; each B, 3 points; and each
C, 2 points?
70% ∙ 4 2.8
F. 3.0
20% ∙ 3 0.6
G. 3.4 10% ∙ 2 0.2
H. 3.6 3.6
J. 3.7
K. Cannot be determined from the given information
9. What is the difference between 1.8 and 1.08 ?
(Note: A bar indicates a digit pattern that is repeated.)
A. 0.71
: 1.80 1.7 99 99 99 99 … 1.79
B. 0.71
C. 0.719 1.7 99 99 99 99 99 …
1.0 80 80 80 80 80 …
D. 0.72
0.7 19 19 19 19 19 …
E. 0.72
10. Which of the following equations represents the linear relationship between time, t, and velocity, v,
shown in the table below?
F. v = 32t
t 0 1 2
G. v = 32t + 120
H. v = 120t
v 120 152 184
J. v = 120t + 32
K. v = 120t + 120
"m" is the uniform difference between terms.
"b" is the value of the function at: t 0
Page 13 of 25
11. An industrial cleaner is manufactured using only the 3 secret ingredients A, B, and C, which are
mixed in the ratio of 2:3:5, respectively, by weight. How many pounds of secret ingredient B are in a 42‐
pound (net weight) bucket of this cleaner?
A. 4.2
:2 10 42
B. 12.6
:3 4.2
C. 14.0 :5
: 3 3 ∙ 4.2 12.6
D. 18.0 10
E. 21.0
12. If n = 8 and 16 ∙ 2m = 4n – 8, then m = ?
F. –4
G. –2 16 ∙ 2 4 Then, since: 2 1:
H. 0 2 ∙2 4 m 4 0
J. 1 2 1 4
K. 8
Page 14 of 25
Set 4
1. In the figure below, A, B, C, and D are collinear, FC is parallel to ED, BE is perpendicular to ED, and the
measures of FAB and EBA are as marked. What is the measure of FCB ?
A. 33° 147˚ x
B. 57°
C. 63° enlarge
Use the external angle theorem:
D. 84° 147˚ 90˚
E. Cannot be determined from the given information 57˚
2. Which of the following is an equation of the circle with its center at (0,0) that passes through (3,4) in
the standard (x,y) coordinate plane?
F. x– y = 1 General equation of a circle:
G. x + y = 25
H. x2 + y = 25 , is the center of the circle.
is the radius of the circle.
J. x2 + y2 = 5
K. x2 + y2 = 25 Recall: Pythagorean Triples
or use Pythagorean Theorem
4 3 4 5
So, 5
0, 0 3
Resulting equation:
0 0 5
25
Page 15 of 25
Use the following information to answer questions 3–5.
Taher has decided to create a triangular flower bed border. He plans to use
3 pieces of rectangular lumber with lengths 4, 5, and 6 feet, as shown in the
figure below. Points A, B, and C are located at the corners of the flower bed.
3. Taher plans to cut the 3 pieces of lumber for the flower bed border from a single piece of lumber.
Each cut takes inch of wood off the length of the piece of lumber. Among the following lengths, in
inches, of pieces of lumber, which is the shortest piece that he can use to cut the pieces for the flower
bed border?
A. 178 4 5 6
lumber
B. 179
C. 180
Total measure of the lumber is:
D. 181
4 feet + inch + 5 feet + inch + 6 feet = 16 feet + inch
E. 182
15 ∙ 12 180
4. The measure of ABC in the figure is x°. Which of the following is an expression for b° ?
F. x°
G. 2x° b appears to be the measure of the external angle at B.
H. (90 + x)° So, b 180
J. (180 – x)°
Therefore, b˚ 180 ˚
K. (180 – )°
5. After arranging the flower bed, Taher decides that the flower bed would look more attractive if 1 of
the angles in the triangle were a right angle. He decides to place the right angle at vertex A and to leave
the lengths of AB and AC as 4 and 5 feet, respectively. To the nearest 0.1 foot, how long of a piece of
lumber would he need to replace the 6‐foot piece represented by BC ?
A. 3.0 Use the Pythagorean Theorem
B. 3.3 4 5
16 25
C. 6.0 5 41
D. 6.4
Then, since: 36 49
4
E. 7.8
We conclude that: 6 7
Page 16 of 25
6. Which one of the following expressions has an even integer value for all integers a and c ?
F. 8a + 2ac
G. 3a + 3c Only even coefficients will
guarantee an even result.
H. 2a + c
J. a + 2c
K. ac + a2
7. A neighborhood recreation program serves a total of 280 children who are either 11 years old or 12
years old. The sum of the children’s ages is 3,238 years. How many 11‐year‐old children does the
recreation program serve?
A. 55 Find based on information in
B. 122 Info Table Number Total Age the “Total Age” column:
11‐year olds 11 11 12 ∙ 280 3,238
C. 132
12‐year olds 280 12 ∙ 280 3,360 3,238
D. 158
Total 280 3,238 122
E. 208
8. The geometric figure shown below consists of a square and 4 semicircles. The diameters of the
semicircles are the sides of the square, and each diameter is 10 centimeters long. Which of the following
is the closest approximation of the total area, in square centimeters, of this geometric figure?
10
Area Area of square 4 ∙ Area of semicircle
Area of square 2 ∙ Area of circle
10 2∙ ∙5
F. 100
100 50
G. 160
~100 157 257
H. 260
J. 400
K. 730
Page 17 of 25
9. Which of the following expressions is the closest approximation to the height h, in feet, of the roof
truss shown below?
10. Quadrilateral ABCD is drawn on the standard (x,y) coordinate plane as shown below, with points E
and F on AD. Point G is the center of rectangle BCEF. How many coordinate units long is AG ?
B: 6, 4
E: 12, 0
F. G: 18, 4 2 9, 2
Add the green and orange lines to
G.
the illustration as shown. Then G is
Then, calculate: AG
H. the midpoint of BE.
J. Plan: find the coordinates of G, then 9 0 2 0
11. What is the x‐intercept of the graph of y = x2 – 4x + 4 ?
A. –2
0 –4 4
B. –1
0 2 2
C. 0
2
D. 1
E. 2
Page 18 of 25
12. For all nonzero real numbers p, t, x, and y such that , which of the following expressions is
equivalent to t ?
F.
Starting equation:
G.
Cross multiply: 2 3
H.
J. Multiply both sides by 2 :
K.
Combine and simplify:
Page 19 of 25
Set 5
1. Ms. Hernandez began her math class by saying:
I'm thinking of 5 numbers such that their mean is equal to their median. If 4 of the numbers are 14,
8, 16, and 14, what is the 5th number?
What is the 5th number Ms. Hernandez is thinking of?
A. 13 First, order the numbers given:
8 14 14 16
B. 14 8, 14, 14, 16. 14
5
C. 15 Then notice that no matter
52 70
what the 5th number is, the
D. 16
median of the five numbers 18
E. 18 will be 14.
2. The graph of a certain hyperbola, y = h(x), is shown in the standard
(x,y) coordinate plane below.
Among the following graphs, which best represents y = –h(x) ?
F.
G.
H. K.
J.
Page 20 of 25
3. In the figure below, H F; E, G, and I are collinear; and G is the midpoint of FH.
To prove that HI FE given the conditions stated above, which of the following is a logical order for
the 5 steps in the table below?
Statement Reason
A. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 One of the keys to solving this problem is to note that you must
B. 1, 2, 3, 5, 4 establish that vertical angles exist Step 4 before you can do
anything with them Step 2 . Hence, Step 4 must precede Step 2.
C. 1, 2, 4, 3, 5
D. 1, 4, 2, 3, 5 The only answer given that has Step 4 before Step 2, and has Step 5
last is answer D. So, this must be the solution.
E. 1, 5, 4, 2, 3
4. Each of the variables t, w, x, y, and z represents a different positive real number. Given the equations
below, which of the 4 variables w, x, y, and z necessarily has the greatest value?
1.23w = t
1.01x = t
0.99y = t
1.23 1.01 0.99 0.23
0.23z = t
F. w The greatest value results from the division
with the smallest denominator.
G. x
H. y
J. z
K. Cannot be determined from the given information
Page 21 of 25
5. Which of the following is equivalent to ?
A.
5 3
5
B.
5 5 3
C. ∙ ∙
5 5
D. 5 25 3
5
E.
8 25
5
6. In the 2 × 2 matrix below, b1 and b2 are the costs per pound of bok choy (Chinese greens) at Market 1
and Market 2, respectively; r1 and r2 are the costs per pound of rice flour at these 2 markets,
respectively. In the following matrix product, what does q represent?
F. The cost of r1 pounds of rice flour at $0.50 per pound
G. The cost of a half‐pound of rice flour at Market 1
H. The total cost of a half‐pound of bok choy and a half‐pound of rice flour at Market 1
J. The total cost of a half‐pound of bok choy and a half‐pound of rice flour at Market 2
K. The total cost of a half‐pound of rice flour at Market 1 and a half‐pound of rice flour at Market 2
0.5 0.5
7. The 2 diagrams below show a circle of radius 1 inch with shaded sectors of angle x°, for 2 different
values of x.
One of the following is the graph in the standard (x,y) coordinate plane of the area, y, of a shaded
sector with angle x°, for all values of x between 0 and 360. Which is that graph?
D.
E.
8. If h(x) = x³ + x and g(x) = 2x + 3, then g(h(2)) = ?
F. 7
2 2 2 10
G. 10
H. 17
10 2 ∙ 10 3 23
J. 19
K. 23
Page 23 of 25
9. In the figure below, points A and B are on opposite banks of a small stream. Point C
is on the same bank of the stream as point B and approximately 18 meters from B.
The measure of CBA is 45°, and the measure of BCA is 60°.
Which of the following expressions gives the approximate distance, in meters,
between point A and point B ?
(Note: For PQR, where p, q, and r are the lengths of the sides opposite P,
∠ ∠ ∠
Q, and R, respectively, .)
10. Each side of the smaller square in the figure below is x inches long, and each side of the larger
square is c inches longer than a side of the smaller square. The area of the larger square is how many
square inches greater than the area of the smaller square?
2
F. c
G. xc
H. 4c 2
2
J. (x + c) 2
2
K. 2xc + c
Page 24 of 25
11. A cube with edges inch long is shown below. What is the length, in inches, of a diagonal that runs
from one corner of the cube to the opposite corner?
A. 1 1 1
2 2 2
B.
C. 3 √3 √3
4 √4 2
D.
E.
1 D D B B E
2 G H G K F
3 E C C D D
4 K J G J J
5 A B A D E
6 F H F F K
7 D D B B A
8 K H H H K
9 D C C A E
10 K G G H K
11 D C B E E
12 F F F K F