SSAT Middle Level Math : How to find the whole from the part

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Whole And Part

Sarah, Robert, and Tristen each had the same number of cookies. Given the information below, which of the following could be the number of cookies each child had?

Sarah put her cookies into groups of 6 with none left over.

Robert put his cookies into groups 3 with none left over.

Tristen put his cookies into groups of 4 with none left over.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 27\)

\(\displaystyle 21\)

\(\displaystyle 24\)

\(\displaystyle 30\)

\(\displaystyle 18\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 24\)

Explanation:

This question is simply asking which number is divisible by 3, 4 and 6 with none left over. The only number that has 3, 4, and 6 as factors is 24.

Example Question #2 : Whole And Part

Angela bought \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}\) of a pound of candy for $4.00. What was the price per pound?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \$1.00\)

\(\displaystyle \$10.00\)

\(\displaystyle \$8.00\)

\(\displaystyle \$2.00\)

\(\displaystyle \$16.00\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \$16.00\)

Explanation:

If \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}\) of a pound of candy costs $4 then the price of a full pound will be 4 times as much.  Thus 4 times $4 is $16.  

Example Question #1 : Whole And Part

500 is two-fifths of what number?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 200\)

\(\displaystyle 1,200\)

\(\displaystyle 1,000\)

\(\displaystyle 1,250\)

\(\displaystyle 400\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 1,250\)

Explanation:

Let \(\displaystyle N\) be the number desired. The question can be rewritten as the multiplication statement:

\(\displaystyle \frac{2}{5} \cdot N = 500\)

Solve:

\(\displaystyle \frac{5} {2}\cdot \frac{2}{5} \cdot N =\frac{5} {2}\cdot 500\)

\(\displaystyle N =\frac{2,500} {2}=1,250\)

Example Question #3 : Whole And Part

Which of the following numbers is divisible by 9 without a remainder?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 712\)

\(\displaystyle 711\)

\(\displaystyle 709\)

\(\displaystyle 708\)

\(\displaystyle 710\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 711\)

Explanation:

A number is divisible by 9 without a remainder when each of its digits add up to a number that is divisble by 9. When looking at the number 711, we can see that:

\(\displaystyle 7+1+1=9\)

Given that 9 is divisble by 9, (equlaing 1, no remainder), 711 is divisble by 9. 

Example Question #4 : Whole And Part

Bernard is baking cookies. He has to bake 48 cookies and has 6 pounds of cookie dough to make them. After he bakes 8 cookies, how many pounds of cookie dough does he have left?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 2\) pounds

\(\displaystyle 3\) pounds

\(\displaystyle 5\) pounds

\(\displaystyle 1\) pound

\(\displaystyle 4\) pounds

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 5\) pounds

Explanation:

If Bernard bakes 8 cookies, that means he has used one-sixth of the cookie dough because 48 divided by 8 equals 6. Thus, 8 is one-sixth of 48. 

Therefore, he would have used one-sixth of the dough, or the equivalent of 1 pound. 

This would leave 5 pounds of dough remaining. 

Example Question #5 : Whole And Part

In a rectangle, each corner has a value in degrees of A (first corner), B (second corner), C (third corner), and D (fourth corner). 

What is the sum of corners A, B, and C?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 360^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 40^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 180^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 90^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 270^{\circ}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 270^{\circ}\)

Explanation:

In a rectangle, each corner is equal to 90 degrees. All corners are of equal degrees. Thus, the sum of any three corners would equal the product of 90 and 3, which is 270. Therefore, the correct answer is 270 degrees. 

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Whole From The Part

Captain Hook, Captain Jack, and Captain James each had the same number of shipmates. Given the information below, which of the following could be the number of shipmates each captain had?

Captain Hook put his shipmates into groups of \(\displaystyle 9\) with none left over.

Captain Jack put his shipmates into groups of \(\displaystyle 6\) with none left over.

Captain James put his shipmates into groups of \(\displaystyle 4\) with none left over.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 36\)

\(\displaystyle 35\)

\(\displaystyle 54\)

\(\displaystyle 30\)

\(\displaystyle 24\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 36\)

Explanation:

For this question we look at the multiples of each group and find the smallest factor that is common to all three groups.

Captain Hook: \(\displaystyle 9, 18, 27, \bold{36}, 45, 54\)

Captain Jack: \(\displaystyle 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, \bold{36}\)

Captain James: \(\displaystyle 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, \bold{36}\)

Therefore, the smallest number that is divisible by \(\displaystyle 9, 6,\) and \(\displaystyle 4\) is \(\displaystyle 36\).

 

Example Question #1 : Whole And Part

Luke bought \(\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}\) of a pound of cake for \(\displaystyle \$6.00\). What was the price per pound?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \$9.50\)

\(\displaystyle \$9.00\)

\(\displaystyle \$5.00\)

\(\displaystyle \$6.00\)

\(\displaystyle \$4.00\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \$9.00\)

Explanation:

If \(\displaystyle x\) is the price per pound, then the formula for this equation is \(\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}x=6\)

Isolate \(\displaystyle x\) by multiplying the inverse of \(\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}\), which is \(\displaystyle \frac{3}{2}\), to both sides.

\(\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}x\bigg(\frac{3}{2}\bigg)=6\bigg(\frac{3}{2}\bigg)\)

\(\displaystyle x=9\)

Example Question #2 : Whole And Part

Mark bought \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}\) of an acre for \(\displaystyle \$20,000\). What was the price for the whole acre?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \$80,000\)

\(\displaystyle \$140,000\)

\(\displaystyle \$820,000\)

\(\displaystyle \$5,000\)

\(\displaystyle \$160,000\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \$160,000\)

Explanation:

If \(\displaystyle x\) is the price per acre, then the formula for this equation is \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}x=20,000\)

Isolate \(\displaystyle x\) by multiplying the inverse of \(\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}\), which is \(\displaystyle \frac{8}{1}\), to both sides.

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}x\bigg(\frac{8}{1}\bigg)=20,000\bigg(\frac{8}{1}\bigg)\)

\(\displaystyle x=160,000\)

Example Question #4 : How To Find The Whole From The Part

\(\displaystyle 400\) is two-thirds of what number?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 600\)

\(\displaystyle 800\)

\(\displaystyle 423\)

\(\displaystyle 300\)

\(\displaystyle 1200\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 600\)

Explanation:

If \(\displaystyle N\) be the number desired. The question can be rewritten as the multiplication statement:

\(\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}N=400\)

Solve:

\(\displaystyle \bigg(\frac{3}{2}\bigg)\frac{2}{3}N=\bigg(\frac{3}{2}\bigg)400\)

\(\displaystyle N=\frac{1200}{2}=600\)

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