FCTC Firefighter Math Applications 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A pumper truck delivers water at 250 GPM. A structure fire requires 500 GPM. How many pumper trucks are needed to meet the demand?
- 1 truck
- 2 trucks (Correct answer)
- 3 trucks
- 4 trucks
Correct answer: 2 trucks
500 ÷ 250 = 2 trucks needed.
Question 2: A firefighter climbs 14 steps per floor. If each step is 8 inches high, how tall (in feet) is a 5-story building?
- 42 feet
- 46.67 feet (Correct answer)
- 48 feet
- 56 feet
Correct answer: 46.67 feet
14 steps × 8 inches × 5 floors = 560 inches ÷ 12 = 46.67 feet.
Question 3: Engine 7 travels to a fire scene at 45 mph and covers a distance of 6.75 miles. How long (in minutes) does the response take?
- 7 minutes
- 8 minutes
- 9 minutes (Correct answer)
- 10 minutes
Correct answer: 9 minutes
Time = distance ÷ speed = 6.75 ÷ 45 = 0.15 hours × 60 = 9 minutes.
Question 4: A standpipe system is pressurized to 100 psi. Friction loss per 100 feet of hose is 15 psi. For a 200-foot hose, what is the nozzle pressure?
- 55 psi
- 70 psi (Correct answer)
- 75 psi
- 85 psi
Correct answer: 70 psi
100 psi - (15 psi × 2) = 100 - 30 = 70 psi nozzle pressure.
Question 5: A hazmat spill covers an area 18 feet wide and 25 feet long. What is the total area of the spill?
- 350 sq ft
- 400 sq ft
- 425 sq ft
- 450 sq ft (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 450 sq ft
18 × 25 = 450 square feet.
Question 6: If a fire doubles in size every 60 seconds, and it starts at 10 square feet, how large will it be after 3 minutes?
- 40 sq ft
- 60 sq ft
- 80 sq ft (Correct answer)
- 100 sq ft
Correct answer: 80 sq ft
After 3 doublings: 10 × 2³ = 10 × 8 = 80 square feet.
Question 7: A department has 48 firefighters. If 25% are assigned to Station 1, 33% to Station 2, and the rest to Station 3, how many are at Station 3?
- 18
- 19
- 20 (Correct answer)
- 22
Correct answer: 20
48 × 0.25 = 12; 48 × 0.33 = 15.84 ≈ 16; 48 - 12 - 16 = 20.
A pumper truck delivers water at 250 GPM.
A structure fire requires 500 GPM.
How many pumper trucks are needed to meet the demand?