Question ID 26fac581

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 26fac581

If , what is
the value of ?

A. 2

B. 5

C. 7

D. 12

ID: 26fac581 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. Adding the like terms on the left-hand side of the given equation yields . Dividing both
sides of this equation by 5 yields .

Choice B is incorrect and may result from subtracting 5, not dividing by 5, on both sides of the equation .
Choice C is incorrect. This is the value of x, not the value of . Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of , not
the value of .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 3b6b5f30
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 3b6b5f30

Hector used a tool called an auger to remove corn from a storage bin at a
constant rate. The bin contained 24,000 bushels of corn when Hector began to
use the auger. After 5 hours of using the auger, 19,350 bushels of corn remained
in the bin. If the auger continues to remove corn at this rate, what is the total
number of hours Hector will have been using the auger when 12,840 bushels of
corn remain in the bin?

A. 3

B. 7

C. 8

D. 12

ID: 3b6b5f30 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. After using the auger for 5 hours, Hector had removed 24,000 – 19,350 = 4,650 bushels of corn from

the storage bin. During the 5-hour period, the auger removed corn from the bin at a constant rate of
bushels per hour. Assuming the auger continues to remove corn at this rate, after x hours it will have removed 930x
bushels of corn. Because the bin contained 24,000 bushels of corn when Hector started using the auger, the equation
24,000 – 930x = 12,840 can be used to find the number of hours, x, Hector will have been using the auger when 12,840
bushels of corn remain in the bin. Subtracting 12,840 from both sides of this equation and adding 930x to both sides of
the equation yields 11,160 = 930x. Dividing both sides of this equation by 930 yields x = 12. Therefore, Hector will have
been using the auger for 12 hours when 12,840 bushels of corn remain in the storage bin.

Choice A is incorrect. Three hours after Hector began using the auger, 24,000 – 3(930) = 21,210 bushels of corn
remained, not 12,840. Choice B is incorrect. Seven hours after Hector began using the auger, 24,000 – 7(930) = 17,490
bushels of corn will remain, not 12,840. Choice C is incorrect. Eight hours after Hector began using the auger, 24,000 –
8(930) = 16,560 bushels of corn will remain, not 12,840.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a0127d06
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: a0127d06

If x is the solution to the equation above,

what is the value of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: a0127d06 Answer

Correct Answer: B
Rationale

Choice B is correct. Because 2 is a factor of both and 6, the expression can be rewritten as .

Substituting for on the left-hand side of the given equation yields , or

. Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Adding 11

to both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by 2 yields .

Alternate approach: Distributing 3 to the quantity on the left-hand side of the given equation and distributing 4 to
the quantity on the right-hand side yields , or . Subtracting from
both sides of this equation yields . Adding 29 to both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both

sides of this equation by 2 yields . Therefore, the value of is , or .

Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of x, not . Choices C and D are incorrect. If the value of is or

, it follows that the value of x is or , respectively. However, solving the given equation for x yields

. Therefore, the value of can’t be or .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID f0581e16
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: f0581e16

Alan drives an average of 100 miles each week. His car can travel an average of
25 miles per gallon of gasoline. Alan would like to reduce his weekly expenditure
on gasoline by $5. Assuming gasoline costs $4 per gallon, which equation can
Alan use to determine how many fewer average miles, m, he should drive each
week?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: f0581e16 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. Since gasoline costs $4 per gallon, and since Alan’s car travels an average of 25 miles per gallon, the

expression gives the cost, in dollars per mile, to drive the car. Multiplying by m gives the cost for Alan to drive

m miles in his car. Alan wants to reduce his weekly spending by $5, so setting m equal to 5 gives the number of
miles, m, by which he must reduce his driving.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Choices A and B transpose the numerator and the denominator in the fraction. The

fraction would result in the unit miles per dollar, but the question requires a unit of dollars per mile. Choices A and C
set the expression equal to 95 instead of 5, a mistake that may result from a misconception that Alan wants to reduce
his driving by 5 miles each week; instead, the question says he wants to reduce his weekly expenditure by $5.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 48bad848
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 48bad848

Megan’s regular wage at her job is p dollars per hour for the first 8 hours of work
in a day plus 1.5 times her regular hourly wage for work in excess of 8 hours that
day. On a given day, Megan worked for 10 hours, and her total earnings for that
day were $137.50. What is Megan’s regular hourly wage?

A. $11.75

B. $12.50

C. $13.25

D. $13.75

ID: 48bad848 Answer

Rationale
Choice B is correct. Since p represents Megan’s regular pay per hour, 1.5p represents the pay per hour in excess of 8
hours. Since Megan worked for 10 hours, she must have been paid p dollars per hour for 8 of the hours plus 1.5p dollars
per hour for the remaining 2 hours. Therefore, since Megan earned $137.50 for the 10 hours, the situation can be
represented by the equation 137.5 = 8p + 2(1.5)p. Distributing the 2 in the equation gives 137.5 = 8p + 3p, and combining
like terms gives 137.5 = 11p. Dividing both sides by 11 gives p = 12.5. Therefore, Megan’s regular wage is $12.50.

Choices A and C are incorrect and may be the result of calculation errors. Choice D is incorrect and may result from
finding the average hourly wage that Megan earned for the 10 hours of work.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 6e706172
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 6e706172

A certain product costs a company $65 to make. The product is sold by a

salesperson who earns a commission that is equal to 20% of the sales price of
the product. The profit the company makes for each unit is equal to the sales
price minus the combined cost of making the product and the commission. If
the sales price of the product is $100, which of the following equations gives the
number of units, u, of the product the company sold to make a profit of $6,840 ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 6e706172 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is correct. The sales price of one unit of the product is given as $100. Because the salesperson is awarded a
commission equal to 20% of the sales price, the expression 100(1 – 0.2) gives the sales price of one unit after the
commission is deducted. It is also given that the profit is equal to the sales price minus the combined cost of making the
product, or $65, and the commission: 100(1 – 0.2) – 65. Multiplying this expression by u gives the profit of u units: (100(1
– 0.2) – 65)u. Finally, it is given that the profit for u units is $6,840; therefore (100(1 – 0.2) – 65)u = $6,840.

Choice B is incorrect. In this equation, cost is subtracted before commission and the equation gives the commission, not
what the company retains after commission. Choice C is incorrect because the number of units is multiplied only by the
cost but not by the sale price. Choice D is incorrect because the value 0.2 shows the commission, not what the company
retains after commission.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 10298d3e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 10298d3e

If , what is the value of ?

ID: 10298d3e Answer

Correct Answer: 60

Rationale
The correct answer is 60. Subtracting 𝑡 from both sides of the given equation yields 2 ( 3𝑡 - 10 ) = 40 + 3𝑡. Applying the
distributive property to the left-hand side of this equation yields 6𝑡 - 20 = 40 + 3𝑡. Adding 20 to both sides of this
equation yields 6𝑡 = 60 + 3𝑡. Subtracting 3𝑡 from both sides of this equation yields 3𝑡 = 60. Therefore, the value of 3𝑡 is
60.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID e83a38d3
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: e83a38d3

What value of p is the solution of

the equation above?

ID: e83a38d3 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 1.2. One way to solve the equation is to first distribute the terms outside
the parentheses to the terms inside the parentheses: . Next, combine like terms on the left side of
the equal sign: . Subtracting 10p from both sides yields . Finally, dividing both sides by

gives , which is equivalent to . Note that 1.2 and 6/5 are examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 85dbadcc
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 85dbadcc

If , the value of is between which of the following pairs of values?

A. and

B. and

C. and

D. and

ID: 85dbadcc Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
𝑥+6 𝑥+6
Choice B is correct. Multiplying both sides of the given equation by 313, or 39, yields 39 3
= 39
13
, or 13𝑥 + 6 = 3𝑥 + 6
. Subtracting 3𝑥 + 6 from both sides of this equation yields 10𝑥 + 6 = 0. Dividing both sides of this equation by 10 yields
𝑥+6 𝑥+6
𝑥 + 6 = 0. Therefore, if = , then the value of 𝑥 + 6 is 0. It follows that of the given choices, the value of 𝑥 + 6 is
3 13
between -2 and 2.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 132adad0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 132adad0

What value of is the solution to the given equation?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 132adad0 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. For the given equation, 𝑥 + 5 is a factor of both terms on the left-hand side. Therefore, the given
1 1 3 4 1
equation can be rewritten as 4
- 𝑥 + 5 = - 7, or
3 12
-
12
𝑥 + 5 = - 7, which is equivalent to - 𝑥 + 5 = - 7. Multiplying both
12
sides of this equation by -12 yields 𝑥 + 5 = 84. Subtracting 5 from both sides of this equation yields 𝑥 = 79.

7
Choice A is incorrect. This is the value of 𝑥 for which the left-hand side of the given equation equals 12
, not -7.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of 𝑥 for which the left-hand side of the given equation equals 0, not -7.

209
Choice D is incorrect. This is the value of 𝑥 for which the left-hand side of the given equation equals - , not -7.
12

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a96d6772
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: a96d6772

The width of a rectangular dance floor is w feet. The length of the floor is 6 feet
longer than its width. Which of the following expresses the perimeter, in feet, of
the dance floor in terms of w ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: a96d6772 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. It is given that the width of the dance floor is w feet. The length is 6 feet longer than the width;
therefore, the length of the dance floor is . So the perimeter is .

Choice A is incorrect because it is the sum of one length and one width, which is only half the perimeter. Choice C is
incorrect and may result from using the formula for the area instead of the formula for the perimeter and making a
calculation error. Choice D is incorrect because this is the area, not the perimeter, of the dance floor.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 997897bb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 997897bb

A candle is made of ounces of wax. When the candle is burning, the amount of wax in the candle decreases by
ounce every hours. If ounces of wax remain in this candle, for how many hours has it been burning?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 997897bb Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is correct. It’s given that the candle starts with 17 ounces of wax and has 6 ounces of wax remaining after a
period of time has passed. The amount of wax the candle has lost during the time period can be found by subtracting the
remaining amount of wax from the amount of wax the candle was made of, which yields 17 - 6 ounces, or 11 ounces.
This means the candle loses 11 ounces of wax during that period of time. It’s given that the amount of wax decreases by
1 11
1 ounce every 4 hours. If ℎ represents the number of hours the candle has been burning, it follows that = . Multiplying
4 ℎ
both sides of this equation by 4ℎ yields ℎ = 44. Therefore, the candle has been burning for 44 hours.

1 ℎ 1 11
Choice A is incorrect and may result from using the equation 4
=
11
rather than 4
=
ℎ
to represent the situation, and
then rounding to the nearest whole number.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the amount of wax, in ounces, remaining in the candle, not the number of hours it has been
burning.

1 6 1 11
Choice C is incorrect and may result from using the equation = rather than = to represent the situation.
4 ℎ 4 ℎ

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 2157c59a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 2157c59a

Each side of a -sided polygon has one of three lengths. The number of sides with length is
times the number of sides with length . There are sides with length . Which equation must be true for the
value of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 2157c59a Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. It’s given that each side of a 30-sided polygon has one of three lengths. It's also given that the
number of sides with length 8 centimeters cm is 5 times the number of sides 𝑛 with length 3 cm. Therefore, there are
5 × 𝑛, or 5𝑛, sides with length 8 cm. It’s also given that there are 6 sides with length 4 cm. Therefore, the number of
3 cm, 4 cm, and 8 cm sides are 𝑛, 6, and 5𝑛, respectively. Since there are a total of 30 sides, the equation
𝑛 + 6 + 5𝑛 = 30 represents this situation. Combining like terms on the left-hand side of this equation yields 6𝑛 + 6 = 30.
Therefore, the equation that must be true for the value of 𝑛 is 6𝑛 + 6 = 30.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1b90ba5a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 1b90ba5a

If , what is the value of ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 1b90ba5a Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. Subtracting 4𝑥 + 4 from both sides of the given equation yields 1𝑥 + 4 = 29, or 𝑥 + 4 = 29. Therefore,
the value of 𝑥 + 4 is 29.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice B is incorrect. This is the value of 𝑥, not 𝑥 + 4.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID f20aa8f7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: f20aa8f7

An agricultural scientist studying the growth of corn plants recorded the height
of a corn plant at the beginning of a study and the height of the plant each day
for the next 12 days. The scientist found that the height of the plant increased by
an average of 1.20 centimeters per day for the 12 days. If the height of the plant
on the last day of the study was 36.8 centimeters, what was the height, in
centimeters, of the corn plant at the beginning of the study?

ID: f20aa8f7 Answer

Rationale
The correct answer is 22.4. If the height of the plant increased by an average of 1.20 centimeters per day for 12 days,
then its total growth over the 12 days was centimeters. The plant was 36.8 centimeters tall after 12
days, so at the beginning of the study its height was centimeters. Note that 22.4 and 112/5 are
examples of ways to enter a correct answer.

Alternate approach: The equation can be used to represent this situation, where h is the height of
the plant, in centimeters, at the beginning of the study. Solving this equation for h yields 22.4 centimeters.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 942649b5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 942649b5

A tree had a height of 6 feet when it was planted. The equation above can be
used to find how many years n it took the tree to reach a height of 14 feet. Which
of the following is the best interpretation of the number 2 in this context?

A. The number of years it took the tree to double its height

B. The average number of feet that the tree grew per year

C. The height, in feet, of the tree when the tree was 1 year old

D. The average number of years it takes similar trees to grow 14 feet

ID: 942649b5 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is correct. The height of the tree at a given time is equal to its height when it was planted plus the number of
feet that the tree grew. In the given equation, 14 represents the height of the tree at the given time, and 6 represents the
height of the tree when it was planted. It follows that represents the number of feet the tree grew from the time it was
planted until the time it reached a height of 14 feet. Since n represents the number of years between the given time and
the time the tree was planted, 2 must represent the average number of feet the tree grew each year.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from interpreting the coefficient 2 as doubling instead of as increasing by 2 each
year. Choice C is incorrect. The height of the tree when it was 1 year old was feet, not 2 feet. Choice D is
incorrect. No information is given to connect the growth of one particular tree to the growth of similar trees.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID faae220a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: faae220a

If , what is the
value of ?

A. 2

B.

C.

D.

ID: faae220a Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is correct. Multiplying the given equation by 2 on each side yields . Applying the

distributive property, this equation can be rewritten as , or .

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect and may result from calculation errors in solving the given equation for and then
substituting that value of x in the expression .

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 5a724248
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 5a724248

Townsend Realty Group Investments

Property Purchase price Monthly rental
address (dollars) price (dollars)

Clearwater
128,000 950
Lane

Driftwood
176,000 1,310
Drive

Edgemont
70,000 515
Street

Glenview
140,000 1,040
Street

Hamilton
450,000 3,365
Circle

The Townsend Realty Group invested in the five different properties listed in the
table above. The table shows the amount, in dollars, the company paid for each
property and the corresponding monthly rental price, in dollars, the company
charges for the property at each of the five locations. Townsend Realty
purchased the Glenview Street property and received a 40% discount off the
original price along with an additional 20% off the discounted price for
purchasing the property in cash. Which of the following best approximates the
original price, in dollars, of the Glenview Street property?

A. $350,000

B. $291,700

C. $233,300

D. $175,000

ID: 5a724248 Answer

Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. Let x be the original price, in dollars, of the Glenview Street property. After the 40% discount, the price
of the property became dollars, and after the additional 20% off the discounted price, the price of the property

became . Thus, in terms of the original price of the property, x, the purchase price of the property is . It

follows that . Solving this equation for x gives . Therefore, of the given choices,
$291,700 best approximates the original price of the Glenview Street property.

Choice A is incorrect because it is the result of dividing the purchase price of the property by 0.4, as though the purchase
price were 40% of the original price. Choice C is incorrect because it is the closest to dividing the purchase price of the
property by 0.6, as though the purchase price were 60% of the original price. Choice D is incorrect because it is the result
of dividing the purchase price of the property by 0.8, as though the purchase price were 80% of the original price.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 4500f713
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: 4500f713

A science teacher is preparing the 5 stations of a science laboratory. Each

station will have either Experiment A materials or Experiment B materials, but
not both. Experiment A requires 6 teaspoons of salt, and Experiment B requires
4 teaspoons of salt. If x is the number of stations that will be set up for
Experiment A and the remaining stations will be set up for Experiment B, which
of the following expressions represents the total number of teaspoons of salt
required?

A.

B.

C.

D.

ID: 4500f713 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is correct. It is given that x represents the number of stations that will be set up for Experiment A and that there
will be 5 stations total, so it follows that 5 – x is the number of stations that will be set up for Experiment B. It is also
given that Experiment A requires 6 teaspoons of salt and that Experiment B requires 4 teaspoons of salt, so the total
number of teaspoons of salt required is 6x + 4(5 – x), which simplifies to 2x + 20.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect and may be the result of not understanding the description of the context.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d73c79d1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Math Algebra Linear equations in

one variable

ID: d73c79d1

What value of is the solution to the given equation?

ID: d73c79d1 Answer

Correct Answer: -22

Rationale
The correct answer is -22. The given equation can be rewritten as -2𝑡 + 3 = 38. Dividing both sides of this equation by -2
yields 𝑡 + 3 = - 19. Subtracting 3 from both sides of this equation yields 𝑡 = - 22. Therefore, -22 is the value of 𝑡 that is
the solution to the given equation.

Question Difficulty: Hard