SAT Question of the Day
2014-06-18 09:00:10
Two different students, Alex and Benny, working together can complete a project in 6 hours. Working alone, Alex can do the job in 10 hours. How many hours will it take Benny to do the job alone?
(A) 2.5 hours
(B) 4 hours
(C) 10 hours
(D) 12 hours
(E) 15 hours
The correct answer is E
Explanation: Start by figuring out how much of the job Alex is doing. Since it takes Alex 10 hours alone and 6 hours with Benny, Alex is doing 60% of the job (that is, in 6 hours, Alex will have done 60% of the total job). Benny must be responsible for the remaining 40% of the job, meaning that 6 hours must be the amount of time it takes him to do 40% of the job. Set up a proportion:
100% = 40%
x hours 6 hours
Cross multiply: 100% of 6 = 40% of x, so 6 = .4x. Divide both sides by .4 to get x = 15.
SAT Question of the Day
2014-06-20 09:00:52
Eleanor was trying to ______ herself from her complicated legal entanglements, but her attempts ironically served to make her further embroiled in them.
(A) lodge
(B) extricate
(C) impugn
(D) muddle
(E) enfranchise
The correct answer is B
Explanation: To find the missing word, try to predict its meaning by using clues in the sentence. Here, we know Eleanor had "entanglements" and that "her attempts ironically" made her "further embroiled." The main clues are, thus, "ironically" and "but," both of which suggest that what she was trying to do was the opposite of getting "further embroiled." This suggests the missing word must mean something like "free" or "dislodge." Choice B is correct, then: "extricate" means "to free oneself of entanglements or difficulties."
None of the other choices work, either:
lodge: to make or become firmly embedded somewhere
impugn: to call something into question or dispute it
muddle: to make something untidy or complicated
enfranchise: to free from slavery or to grant the right to vote to someone
SAT Question of the Day
2014-06-25 09:00:17
Seeing the play for the first time in three decades, it seemed more melodramatic to the actress than she had thought it was when she appeared in its original Broadway production.
(A) Seeing the play for the first time in three decades, it seemed more melodramatic to the actress
(B) After seeing the play for the first time in three decades, the actress thought it had seemed more melodramatic to her
(C) When the actress saw the play for the first time in three decades, it seemed more melodramatic to her
(D) Having seen the play for the first time in three decades, it seemed more melodramatic to the actress
(E) The actress saw the play for the first time in three decades, it seemed more melodramatic to her
The correct answer is C
Explanation: As written, this sentence contains a modifier error. The phrase "seeing the play for the first time in three decades" is an introductory modifier and, as such, needs to be followed by its subject, which logically needs to be "the actress," not "it," since the actress is the one who saw the play. Choice C corrects this error by reworking the modifier so that it includes the subject "the actress" in it.
SAT Question of the Day
2014-06-27 09:00:14
€ ™ ¶ ∫ fl
If the five symbols above are placed in a row so that € cannot be in the middle spot, how many different arrangements are possible?
The correct answer is 96
Explanation: Imagine that there are five spots available, like this:
__ __ __ __ __
Now, think of the number of symbols that can go in each slot. Start with the middle slot, since that cannot have the € symbol in it. Thus, there would be only 4 symbols that could be placed there, out of 5:
__ __ 4 __ __
Now, for the first slot, there are 4 symbols left to choose from, the three that weren't placed in the center spot plus the added € symbol, which is allowed to go in that slot. There would be 3 available for the next slot, 2 for the one after that, and 1 for the last slot (The symbol not yet used in the other slots):
_4_ _3_ _4_ _2_ _1_
Multiply these together to find the total number of arrangements available: 4 x 3 x 4 x 2 x 1 = 96
SAT Question of the Day
2014-07-07 09:00:42
Giancarlo spent three weeks working on a project for his science class. During the second week, he worked 1 2/3 times the number of hours he worked during the first week. During the third week, he worked twice the number of hours he worked during the second week. If he worked an average of 12 hours per week during the three weeks, how many hours did Giancarlo work the third week?
(A) 6
(B) 10
(C) 16
(D) 20
(E) 24
The correct answer is D
Explanation: Start with the most specific piece of information. Here, that is the fact that he worked an average of 12 hours a week, which means he worked a total of 36 hours over the three weeks (since 12 x 3 is 36).
Now, set up an equation using x for the number of hours he worked week 1. If he worked x hours week 1, he would've worked 5/3 times x hours the second week, and 10/3 times x hours the third week. These weeks would have to sum to 36. Thus,
x + (5/3)x + (10/3)x = 36.
Simplify to get 6x = 36. Solve for x by dividing both sides by 6 to get x = 6.
This means that Giancarlo worked 6 hours the first week. The question asks for the number of hours he worked the third week, which would be 10/3 times 6, or 20 hours. Thus, choice D is correct.
Study Apps for the Wireless Student
2014-06-26 21:32:27
So much of education has become digital as we type instead of hand-write essays, research topics online instead of visit a library, and even watch live lectures from the comfort of our beds instead of trekking to campus. Luckily, there is a plentitude of smart phone and tablet studying apps that are as assiduous as you are in this tech-savvy education world.
For the unorganized/those who love to organize:
If you’ve grown bored of your daily planner (be it a phone calendar or tangible diary), check out iStudiez. This app syncs across iOS and Mac devices and tracks your schedules as well as your assignments and grades.
For those who get hand cramps easily:
Check out Dragon Dictation to dictate notes, emails, texts, and even Facebook messages.
Also, look into a picture-to-PDF creator like Genius Scan. This app can turn your printed notes into online documents that can be viewed from your favorite cloud storage system.
For those who hate studying/love studying:
Rule numero uno of studying: actually study. If you have less than stellar impulse control, get Self-Control for Mac or Cold Turkey for PC. For specified periods of time, these apps help you circumvent the sites that distract you the most (*cough* Facebook *cough*).
And when you finally start to study but are bogged down by the monotony of regular flash-cards, create some online flash-cards with Quizlet. Create your cards on the website or directly through the phone app, and you’ll always have your notecards no matter where your day may take you. The website also creates study guides and games to help you learn your material.
For the writer of essays (aka all of us):
The easiest (and most easily forgotten) part of an essay is the bibliography. Use the EasyBib app and simply take a photo of the book barcode to create citations in MLA, APA, or Chicago format (you’ll need to keep your Purdue OWL handy for online sources though).
Happy Studying!
SAT vocab:
circumvent: (v). to avoid
assiduous: (adj.) hard working
plentitude: (n.) abundance
monotony: (n.) tedious sameness
Photos courtesy of iTunes
SAT Question of the Day
2014-07-02 09:00:46
In a certain isosceles triangle, one side is 5 and one side is 13. Which of the following CANNOT be the measure of the third side?
I. 5
II. 12
III. 13
(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) I and II
(D) II and III
(E) None of the above
The correct answer is C
Explanation: The triangle must be isosceles according to the question. Thus, two sides must be identical. This means that only 5 and 13 are possibilities for the missing side, eliminating option II. 5, however, also does not work, as a 5-5-13 triangle cannot exist, as the two short sides sum to less than the third side, and a side of a triangle must be shorter than the sum of the other two sides. As this question asks for the possibilities that do NOT work, choice C is correct.
SAT Question of the Day
2014-07-04 09:00:43
The 4th of July is a holiday celebrating America's independence from Great Britain, (A) (B)
but nearly all the countries in the world have a holiday celebrating their own
(C) (D)
historic founding. No error
(E)
The correct answer is D
Explanation: The error in this sentence occurs at choice D, where the singular noun "holiday" is used to describe what must be a plural noun. Every country in the world cannot have the same "holiday." As such, this pronoun error could be corrected by changing "a holiday" to "holidays."
SAT Question of the Day
2014-07-09 09:00:21
Gene Kelly performed a ______ of tasks for the film Singin' in the Rain: he conceived, choreographed, co-directed, and starred in the hit film musical.
(A) recitation
(B) multitude
(C) remonstrance
(D) misapprehension
(E) dearth
The correct answer is B
Explanation: To find the missing word, try to predict its meaning by using clues in the sentence. Here, the main clue is the colon. Colons are used to separate explanatory information from the rest of a sentence. Thus, here, the list of things Kelly did on Singin' in the Rain describes the types of "tasks" he did for the film. It is implied that he did many tasks, meaning the missing word should refer to the number of tasks he did. Choice B is correct, then: a "multitude" is "a large number of something."
None of the other choices work, either:
recitation: a repetition of facts
remonstrance: a forceful protest
misapprehension: a misunderstanding
dearth: a lack of something
SAT Question of the Day
2014-07-11 09:00:51
A certain number is made up of the digits ABC. If A < B < C < 6, and if AB > C, what is one possible value of ABC?
The correct answer is 234, 235, or 345.
Explanation: All three numbers have to be less than 6, meaning C can be either 3, 4, or 5, A can be 1, 2, or 3, and B can be 2, 3, or 4. Since AB has to be greater than C, AB must multiply to be larger than 6. This means A must be 2 and B must be 3 or 4, or A is 3 and B is 4. There are three distinct answers then: 234, 235, or 345.