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1951 AHSME Problems

Revision as of 09:23, 28 August 2011 by Pina1234 (talk | contribs) (→‎Problem 23)

Problem 1

The percent that $M$ is greater than $N$ is:

$\mathrm{(A) \ } \frac {100(M - N)}{M} \qquad \mathrm{(B) \ } \frac {100(M - N)}{N} \qquad \mathrm{(C) \ } \frac {M - N}{N} \qquad \mathrm{(D) \ } \frac {M - N}{M} \qquad \mathrm{(E) \ } \frac {100(M + N)}{N}$

Solution

Problem 2

A rectangular field is half as wide as it is long and is completely enclosed by $x$ yards of fencing. The area in terms of $x$ is:

$(\mathrm{A})\ \frac{x^2}2 \qquad (\mathrm{B})\ 2x^2 \qquad (\mathrm{C})\ \frac{2x^2}9 \qquad (\mathrm{D})\ \frac{x^2}{18} \qquad (\mathrm{E})\ \frac{x^2}{72}$

Solution

Problem 3

If the length of a diagonal of a square is $a + b$, then the area of the square is:

$\mathrm{(A) \ (a+b)^2 } \qquad \mathrm{(B) \ \frac{1}{2}(a+b)^2 } \qquad \mathrm{(C) \ a^2+b^2 } \qquad \mathrm{(D) \ \frac {1}{2}(a^2+b^2) } \qquad \mathrm{(E) \ \text{none of these} }$

Solution

Problem 4

A barn with a flat roof is rectangular in shape, $10$ yd. wide, $13$ yd. long and $5$ yd. high. It is to be painted inside and outside, and on the ceiling, but not on the roof or floor. The total number of sq. yd. to be painted is:

$\mathrm{(A) \ } 360 \qquad \mathrm{(B) \ } 460 \qquad \mathrm{(C) \ } 490 \qquad \mathrm{(D) \ } 590 \qquad \mathrm{(E) \ } 720$

Solution

Problem 5

Mr. A owns a home worth $10,000$ dollars. He sells it to Mr. B at a $10 \%$ profit based on the worth of the house. Mr. B sells the house back to Mr. A at a $10 \%$ loss. Then:

$\textrm{(A)}\ \text{A comes out even} \qquad\textrm{(B)}\ \text{A makes 1100 on the deal} \qquad\textrm{(C)}\ \text{A makes 1000 on the deal}$ $\textrm{(D)}\ \text{A loses 900 on the deal} \qquad\textrm{(E)}\ \text{A loses 1000 on the deal}$

Solution

Problem 6

The bottom, side, and front areas of a rectangular box are known. The product of these areas is equal to:

$\textrm{(A)}\ \text{the volume of the box} \qquad\textrm{(B)}\ \text{the square root of the volume} \qquad\textrm{(C)}\ \text{twice the volume}$ $\textrm{(D)}\ \text{the square of the volume} \qquad\textrm{(E)}\ \text{the cube of the volume}$

Solution

Problem 7

An error of $.02"$ is made in the measurement of a line $10"$ long, while an error of only $.2"$ is made in a measurement of a line $100"$ long. In comparison with the relative error of the first measurement, the relative error of the second measurement is:

$\mathrm{(A) \ } \text{greater by }.18 \qquad\mathrm{(B) \ } \text{the same} \qquad \mathrm{(C) \ } \text{less} \qquad\mathrm{(D) \ } 10\text{ times as great} \qquad\mathrm{(E) \ } \text{correctly described by both}$

Solution

Problem 8

The price of an article is cut $10 \%.$ To restore it to its former value, the new price must be increased by:

$\mathrm{(A) \ } 10 \% \qquad\mathrm{(B) \ } 9 \% \qquad \mathrm{(C) \ } 11\frac{1}{9} \% \qquad\mathrm{(D) \ } 11 \% \qquad\mathrm{(E) \ } \text{none of these answers}$

Solution

Problem 9

An equilateral triangle is drawn with a side length of $a.$ A new equilateral triangle is formed by joining the midpoints of the sides of the first one. then a third equilateral triangle is formed by joining the midpoints of the sides of the second; and so on forever. the limit of the sum of the perimeters of all the triangles thus drawn is:

$\mathrm{(A) \ } \text{Infinite} \qquad\mathrm{(B) \ } 5\frac{1}{4}a \qquad \mathrm{(C) \ } 2a \qquad\mathrm{(D) \ } 6a \qquad\mathrm{(E) \ } 4\frac{1}{2}a$

Solution

Problem 10

Of the following statements, the one that is incorrect is:

$\textrm{(A)}\ \text{Doubling the base of a given rectangle doubles the area.}$ $\textrm{(B)}\ \text{Doubling the altitude of a triangle doubles the area.}$ $\textrm{(C)}\ \text{Doubling the radius of a given circle doubles the area.}$ $\textrm{(D)}\ \text{Doubling the divisor of a fraction and dividing its numerator by 2 changes the quotient.}$ $\textrm{(E)}\ \text{Doubling a given quantity may make it less than it originally was.}$

Solution

Problem 11

The limit of the sum of an infinite number of terms in a geometric progression is $\frac {a}{1 \minus{} r}$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg) where $a$ denotes the first term and $\minus{} 1 < r < 1$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg) denotes the common ratio. The limit of the sum of their squares is:

$\textrm{(A)}\ \frac {a^2}{(1 \minus{} r)^2} \qquad\textrm{(B)}\ \frac {a^2}{1 \plus{} r^2} \qquad\textrm{(C)}\ \frac {a^2}{1 \minus{} r^2} \qquad\textrm{(D)}\ \frac {4a^2}{1 \plus{} r^2} \qquad\textrm{(E)}\ \text{none of these}$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg)

Solution

Problem 12

At $2: 15$ o'clock, the hour and minute hands of a clock form an angle of:

$\textrm{(A)}\ 30^{\circ} \qquad\textrm{(B)}\ 5^{\circ} \qquad\textrm{(C)}\ 22\frac {1}{2}^{\circ} \qquad\textrm{(D)}\ 7\frac {1}{2} ^{\circ} \qquad\textrm{(E)}\ 28^{\circ}$

Solution

Problem 13

$A$ can do a piece of work in $9$ days. $B$ is $50\%$ more efficient than $A$. The number of days it takes $B$ to do the same piece of work is:

$\textrm{(A)}\ 13\frac {1}{2} \qquad\textrm{(B)}\ 4\frac {1}{2} \qquad\textrm{(C)}\ 6 \qquad\textrm{(D)}\ 3 \qquad\textrm{(E)}\ \text{none of these answers}$

Solution

Problem 14

In connection with proof in geometry, indicate which one of the following statements is incorrect:

$\textrm{(A)}\ \text{Some statements are accepted without being proved.}$ $\textrm{(B)}\ \text{In some cases there is more than one correct order in proving certain propositions.}$ $\textrm{(C)}\ \text{Every term used in a proof must have been defined previously.}$ $\textrm{(D)}\ \text{It is not possible to arrive by correct reasoning at a true conclusion if, in the given, there is an untrue proposition.}$ $\textrm{(E)}\ \text{Indirect proof can be used whenever there are two or more contrary propositions.}$

Solution

Problem 15

The largest number by which the expression $n^3-n$ is divisible for all possible integral values of $n$, is:

$\textbf{(A)}\ 2\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 3\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 4\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 5\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 6$

Solution

Problem 16

If in applying the quadratic formula to a quadratic equation

\[f(x) \equiv ax^2 + bx + c = 0,\]

it happens that $c = \frac{b^2}{4a}$, then the graph of $y = f(x)$ will certainly:

$\textbf{(A)}\ \text{have a maximum}\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ \text{have a minimum}\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \text{be tangent to the x-axis}\\ \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \text{be tangent to the y-axis}\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{lie in one quadrant only}$

Solution

Problem 17

Indicate in which one of the following equations $y$ is neither directly nor inversely proportional to $x$:

$\textbf{(A)}\ x+y = 0\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 3xy = 10\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ x = 5y\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 3x+y = 10$

Solution

Problem 18

The expression $21x^2+ax+21$ is to be factored into two linear prime binomial factors with integer coefficients. This can be one if $a$ is:

$\textbf{(A)}\ \text{any odd number}\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ \text{some odd number}\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \text{any even number}\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \text{some even number}\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{zero}$

Solution

Problem 19

A six place number is formed by repeating a three place number; for example, $256256$ or $678678$, etc. Any number of this form is always exactly divisible by:

$\textbf{(A)}\ 7\text{ only}\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 11\text{ only}\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 13\text{ only}\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 101\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 1001$

Solution

Problem 20

When simplified and expressed with negative exponents, the expression $(x+y)^{-1}(x^{-1}+y^{-1})$ is equal to:

$\textbf{(A)}\ x^{-2}+2x^{-1}y^{-1}+y^{-2}\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ x^{-2}+2^{-1}x^{-1}y^{-1}+y^{-2}\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ x^{-1}y^{-1}$ $\textbf{(D)}\ \text{some even number}\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{zero}$

Solution

Problem 21

Given: $x > 0, y > 0, x > y$ and $z\not = 0$. The inequality which is not always correct is:

$\textbf{(A)}\ x+z > y+z\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ x-z > y-z\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ xz > yz$ $\textbf{(D)}\ \frac{x}{z^{2}}>\frac{y}{z^{2}}\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ xz^{2}> yz^{2}$

Solution

Problem 22

The values of $a$ in the equation: $\log_{10}(a^{2}-15a) = 2$ are:

$\textbf{(A)}\ \frac{15\pm\sqrt{233}}{2}\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 20,-5\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \frac{15\pm\sqrt{305}}{2}$ $\textbf{(D)}\ \pm20\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{none of these}$

Solution

Problem 23

The radius of a cylindrical box is $8$ inches and the height is $3$ inches. The number of inches that may be added to either the radius or the height to give the same nonzero increase in volume is:

$\textbf{(A)}\ 1\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 5\frac{1}{3}\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \text{any number}\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \text{non-existent}\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{none of these}$

Solution

Problem 24

Solution

Problem 25

Solution

Problem 26

Solution

Problem 27

Solution

Problem 28

Solution

Problem 29

Solution

Problem 30

Solution

Problem 31

Solution

Problem 32

Solution

Problem 33

Solution

Problem 34

Solution

Problem 35

Solution

Problem 36

Solution

Problem 37

Solution

Problem 38

Solution

Problem 39

Solution

Problem 40

Solution

Problem 41

Solution

Problem 42

Solution

Problem 43

Solution

Problem 44

Solution

Problem 45

Solution

Problem 46

Solution

Problem 47

Solution

Problem 48

Solution

Problem 49

The medians of a right triangle which are drawn from the vertices of the acute angles are $5$ and $\sqrt{40}$. The value of the hypotenuse is:

$\textbf{(A)}\ 10\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 2\sqrt{40}\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \sqrt{13}\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 2\sqrt{13}\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{none of these}$

Solution

Problem 50

Tom, Dick and Harry started out on a $100$-mile journey. Tom and Harry went by automobile at the rate of $25$ mph, while Dick walked at the rate of $5$ mph. After a certain distance, Harry got off and walked on at $5$ mph, while Tom went back for Dick and got him to the destination at the same time that Harry arrived. The number of hours required for the trip was:

$\textbf{(A)}\ 5\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 6\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 7\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 8\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \text{none of these answers}$

Solution

See also

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