ISAT - International Student Admissions Test International Student Admissions Mathematical Problem-Solving 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student borrows $2,400 at a simple interest rate of 5% per year. What is the total amount of interest owed after 3 years?
- $360 (Correct answer)
- $432
- $120
- $720
Correct answer: $360
Simple interest = P × r × t = 2,400 × 0.05 × 3 = $360. The principal is not compounded, so interest accumulates linearly each year at $120/year.
Question 2: Two trains depart from cities 300 km apart and travel toward each other. Train A travels at 60 km/h and Train B at 90 km/h. How many hours will it take for them to meet?
- 2 hours (Correct answer)
- 2.5 hours
- 3 hours
- 1.5 hours
Correct answer: 2 hours
Their combined closing speed is 60 + 90 = 150 km/h. Time = distance ÷ combined speed = 300 ÷ 150 = 2 hours.
Question 3: A university charges $18,000 per semester. International students receive a 15% scholarship but must also pay an 8% international fee applied to the discounted price. What is the final amount owed?
- $16,524 (Correct answer)
- $15,300
- $17,100
- $16,200
Correct answer: $16,524
Discounted price: $18,000 × (1 − 0.15) = $15,300. Then add the 8% fee: $15,300 × 1.08 = $16,524. The fee applies to the already-reduced amount, not the original.
Question 4: Machine A can complete a production job in 4 hours; Machine B can complete the same job in 6 hours. How long (in hours) will it take the two machines working together to finish the job?
- 2.4 hours (Correct answer)
- 2 hours
- 3 hours
- 5 hours
Correct answer: 2.4 hours
Machine A's rate = 1/4 job/hr; Machine B's rate = 1/6 job/hr. Combined rate = 1/4 + 1/6 = 5/12 job/hr. Time = 1 ÷ (5/12) = 12/5 = 2.4 hours.
Question 5: A rectangular garden has a length that is 3 meters more than twice its width. If the area of the garden is 44 square meters, what is the width?
- 4 m (Correct answer)
- 5 m
- 6 m
- 3.5 m
Correct answer: 4 m
Let width = w; length = 2w + 3. Area: w(2w + 3) = 44 → 2w² + 3w − 44 = 0. Discriminant = 9 + 352 = 361. w = (−3 + 19) / 4 = 4 m. Check: length = 11, area = 44 ✓.
Question 6: A recipe requires 2.5 cups of flour for every 0.75 cups of sugar. If a baker uses 6 cups of flour, how many cups of sugar are needed?
- 1.8 cups (Correct answer)
- 2.2 cups
- 1.5 cups
- 2.0 cups
Correct answer: 1.8 cups
Set up the proportion: 2.5/0.75 = 6/x. Cross-multiply: x = (6 × 0.75) / 2.5 = 4.5 / 2.5 = 1.8 cups.
ISAT - International Student Admissions Test International Student Admissions Mathematical Problem-Solving 1
A student borrows $2,400 at a simple interest rate of 5% per year.
What is the total amount of interest owed after 3 years?