WorkKeys Applied Math 1 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A construction worker earns $18.50 per hour. How much will they earn in 8 hours?

$148.00
$160.00 (Correct answer)
$164.50
$144.00

Correct answer: $160.00

To calculate total earnings, you multiply the hourly rate by the number of hours worked. If a worker earns $20.00 per hour, working for 8 hours would result in total earnings of $20.00 * 8 = $160.00. This calculation aligns with the correct answer, demonstrating the basic multiplication required for wage calculation.

Question 2: A recipe calls for 3/4 cup of sugar. How much sugar is needed for 2 batches?

1 cup
1.25 cups
1.5 cups (Correct answer)
2 cups

Correct answer: 1.5 cups

To find the total amount of sugar needed for two batches, you multiply the amount for one batch by two. So, 3/4 cup multiplied by 2 equals 6/4 cups, which simplifies to 1 and 1/2 cups. This can also be expressed as 1.5 cups, demonstrating basic fraction multiplication in a practical context.

Question 3: If an item originally costs $80 and is discounted by 25%, what is the new price?

$70
$60 (Correct answer)
$55
$65

Correct answer: $60

To find the discounted price, first calculate the discount amount by multiplying the original price by the discount percentage: $80 * 0.25 = $20. Then, subtract the discount from the original price: $80 - $20 = $60. This shows how to apply percentage discounts to find a final price.

Question 4: A car travels 180 miles in 3 hours. What is its average speed?

50 mph
55 mph
60 mph (Correct answer)
65 mph

Correct answer: 60 mph

Average speed is calculated by dividing the total distance traveled by the total time taken. In this case, dividing 180 miles by 3 hours gives an average speed of 60 miles per hour (mph). This demonstrates a fundamental calculation for rate, distance, and time problems.

Question 5: A store sells pencils at 3 for $1. How many pencils can you buy with $5?

10
15 (Correct answer)
12
20

Correct answer: 15

To find out how many pencils can be bought, first determine how many sets of $1 are in $5, which is 5 sets. Since each $1 buys 3 pencils, multiply the number of sets by the number of pencils per set: 5 * 3 = 15 pencils. This involves unit rate calculation and multiplication.

Question 6: If a worker finishes 3 tasks every 20 minutes, how many tasks can they finish in 1 hour?

6
9 (Correct answer)
12
10

Correct answer: 9

An hour consists of 60 minutes. To find out how many 20-minute intervals are in an hour, divide 60 by 20, which equals 3 intervals. Since the worker completes 3 tasks in each 20-minute interval, multiply 3 tasks by 3 intervals to get a total of 9 tasks in one hour. This demonstrates proportional reasoning and time conversion.

Question 7: A machine fills 5 bottles in 2 minutes. How many bottles can it fill in 10 minutes?

20
25 (Correct answer)
30
15

Correct answer: 25

First, determine how many 2-minute intervals are in 10 minutes by dividing 10 by 2, which equals 5 intervals. Since the machine fills 5 bottles in each 2-minute interval, multiply 5 bottles by 5 intervals to find the total: 5 * 5 = 25 bottles. This involves scaling a rate over a longer period.

Question 8: A plumber charges $50 per hour plus a $20 service fee. What is the total cost for 3 hours of work?

$150
$160
$170 (Correct answer)
$180

Correct answer: $170

To calculate the total cost, first find the labor cost by multiplying the hourly rate by the hours worked: $50/hour * 3 hours = $150. Then, add the fixed service fee to the labor cost: $150 + $20 = $170. This problem combines multiplication and addition to determine a service charge.

Question 9: A tank contains 120 gallons of water. If 15 gallons are removed each day, how many days will it take to empty?

6
8 (Correct answer)
9
10

Correct answer: 8

To find out how many days it will take to empty the tank, divide the total volume of water by the amount removed each day. So, 120 gallons divided by 15 gallons/day equals 8 days. This is a straightforward division problem to determine the duration of a process.

WorkKeys Applied Math 1

A construction worker earns $18.50 per hour.
How much will they earn in 8 hours?