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WorkKeys Observation study materials
WorkKeys Observation study resources

WorkKeys Observation practice questions

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Question 1Applied Mathematics

A worker earns $14.50 per hour and works 38 hours in a week. What is the gross pay for the week?

  1. $565.50
  2. $551.00 Correct answer.
  3. $494.00
  4. $522.00

Explanation

Gross pay equals the hourly rate multiplied by hours worked. Multiplying $14.50 by 38 gives $551.00.

Question 2Applied Mathematics

A recipe calls for 2.5 cups of flour for 12 muffins. How much flour is needed for 30 muffins at the same rate?

  1. 5.0 cups
  2. 7.5 cups
  3. 4.8 cups
  4. 6.25 cups Correct answer.

Explanation

Set up a proportion: 2.5 cups per 12 muffins equals x cups per 30 muffins. Solving gives x = 2.5 x 30 / 12 = 6.25 cups.

Question 3Applied Mathematics

A shipment crate weighs 48.6 kilograms. About how many pounds is that, using 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds?

  1. 107 pounds Correct answer.
  2. 22.1 pounds
  3. 48.6 pounds
  4. 97.2 pounds

Explanation

Multiply kilograms by the conversion factor: 48.6 x 2.2 = 106.92, which rounds to about 107 pounds.

Question 4Applied Mathematics

A box contains 5 red, 3 blue, and 2 green parts. If one part is drawn at random, what is the probability it is blue?

  1. 3/10 Correct answer.
  2. 1/2
  3. 2/5
  4. 1/3

Explanation

Probability equals the number of favorable outcomes divided by total outcomes. There are 3 blue parts out of 10 total, giving 3/10.

Question 5Applied Mathematics

A store marks a $60 jacket down by 25%. What is the sale price?

  1. $48
  2. $45 Correct answer.
  3. $15
  4. $35

Explanation

The discount is 25% of $60, which is $15. Subtracting the discount from the original price gives $60 - $15 = $45.

Question 6Applied Mathematics

A machine produces 240 parts in 6 hours. At the same rate, how many parts does it produce in 9 hours?

  1. 300
  2. 400
  3. 320
  4. 360 Correct answer.

Explanation

The rate is 240 parts divided by 6 hours, or 40 parts per hour. Multiplying 40 by 9 hours gives 360 parts.

Question 7Applied Mathematics

A rectangular floor measures 12 feet by 15 feet. How many square yards of carpet are needed to cover it?

  1. 18 square yards
  2. 60 square yards
  3. 20 square yards Correct answer.
  4. 180 square yards

Explanation

The area is 12 x 15 = 180 square feet. Since one square yard is 9 square feet, dividing 180 by 9 gives 20 square yards.

Question 8Applied Mathematics

A worker's timesheet shows 7.75 hours on Monday, 8.5 hours on Tuesday, and 6.25 hours on Wednesday. What is the total time worked?

  1. 23 hours
  2. 22.5 hours Correct answer.
  3. 21.5 hours
  4. 22 hours

Explanation

Add the three values: 7.75 + 8.5 + 6.25 = 22.5 hours. Grouping the decimals first (0.75 + 0.5 + 0.25 = 1.5) confirms the total.

Question 9Applied Mathematics

A tank holds 500 liters and is currently 40% full. How many more liters are needed to fill it?

  1. 300 liters Correct answer.
  2. 250 liters
  3. 350 liters
  4. 200 liters

Explanation

The tank currently holds 40% of 500, which is 200 liters. The remaining capacity is 500 - 200 = 300 liters.

Question 10Applied Mathematics

A customer buys 3 items priced at $4.25, $7.80, and $2.95 and pays with a $20 bill. How much change should they receive?

  1. $4.75
  2. $5.00 Correct answer.
  3. $6.00
  4. $5.25

Explanation

The total is $4.25 + $7.80 + $2.95 = $15.00. Subtracting from $20.00 leaves $5.00 in change.

Question 11Applied Mathematics

A car travels 180 miles on 6 gallons of gas. What is the fuel efficiency in miles per gallon?

  1. 24 mpg
  2. 36 mpg
  3. 30 mpg Correct answer.
  4. 18 mpg

Explanation

Fuel efficiency is distance divided by gallons used. Dividing 180 miles by 6 gallons gives 30 miles per gallon.

Question 12Applied Mathematics

A ladder leans against a wall, reaching 12 feet up. Its base is 5 feet from the wall. How long is the ladder?

  1. 13 feet Correct answer.
  2. 17 feet
  3. 11 feet
  4. 7 feet

Explanation

The wall, ground, and ladder form a right triangle, so use the Pythagorean theorem: 5 squared plus 12 squared equals 25 + 144 = 169. The square root of 169 is 13 feet.

Question 13Applied Mathematics

A worker is paid time-and-a-half for hours over 40 in a week. If the base rate is $16 per hour and the worker puts in 46 hours, what is the total pay?

  1. $688
  2. $784 Correct answer.
  3. $800
  4. $736

Explanation

Regular pay is 40 x $16 = $640. Overtime is 6 hours at $24 per hour ($16 x 1.5), which is $144. The total is $640 + $144 = $784.

Question 14Applied Mathematics

A mixture requires a sand-to-cement ratio of 4 to 1. If 36 pounds of sand are used, how many pounds of cement are needed?

  1. 32 pounds
  2. 9 pounds Correct answer.
  3. 4 pounds
  4. 144 pounds

Explanation

The ratio 4 to 1 means sand is four times the cement. Dividing 36 pounds of sand by 4 gives 9 pounds of cement.

Question 15Applied Mathematics

A rectangular room is 18 feet long and 14 feet wide. What is its perimeter?

  1. 46 feet
  2. 64 feet Correct answer.
  3. 32 feet
  4. 252 feet

Explanation

Perimeter of a rectangle is 2 times the sum of length and width. That gives 2 x (18 + 14) = 2 x 32 = 64 feet.

Question 16Applied Mathematics

A worker reads 45 pages in 90 minutes. At that rate, how many minutes will it take to read 120 pages?

  1. 180 minutes
  2. 240 minutes Correct answer.
  3. 360 minutes
  4. 200 minutes

Explanation

The reading rate is 45 pages per 90 minutes, or one page every 2 minutes. Multiplying 120 pages by 2 minutes per page gives 240 minutes.

Question 17Applied Mathematics

A price rises from $80 to $92. What is the percent increase?

  1. 18%
  2. 20%
  3. 12%
  4. 15% Correct answer.

Explanation

Percent change equals the amount of change divided by the original value. The increase is $12, and 12 divided by 80 equals 0.15, or 15%.

Question 18Applied Mathematics

A container holds 3/4 gallon of liquid. If 2/3 of it is poured out, how much liquid remains?

  1. 1/2 gallon
  2. 1/3 gallon
  3. 1/4 gallon Correct answer.
  4. 5/12 gallon

Explanation

If 2/3 is poured out, 1/3 remains. Multiplying 3/4 by 1/3 gives 3/12, which simplifies to 1/4 gallon.

Question 19Applied Mathematics

A delivery van makes 8 stops per hour. How many stops will it make in a 7.5-hour shift?

  1. 64
  2. 56
  3. 68
  4. 60 Correct answer.

Explanation

Multiply the rate by the time: 8 stops per hour times 7.5 hours equals 60 stops.

Question 20Applied Mathematics

A worker needs to cut 5 equal pieces from a board that is 7 feet 6 inches long. How long is each piece in inches?

  1. 16 inches
  2. 18 inches Correct answer.
  3. 20 inches
  4. 15 inches

Explanation

Convert 7 feet 6 inches to inches: 7 x 12 = 84, plus 6, equals 90 inches. Dividing 90 by 5 gives 18 inches per piece.

Question 21Applied Mathematics

A savings account earns 4% simple interest per year. How much interest is earned on $1,500 after 3 years?

  1. $120
  2. $240
  3. $60
  4. $180 Correct answer.

Explanation

Simple interest is principal times rate times time: $1,500 x 0.04 x 3 = $180.

Question 22Applied Mathematics

A team packs 1,200 boxes in 5 days. At the same rate, how many days will it take to pack 2,880 boxes?

  1. 10 days
  2. 9 days
  3. 12 days Correct answer.
  4. 14 days

Explanation

The rate is 1,200 divided by 5, or 240 boxes per day. Dividing 2,880 by 240 gives 12 days.

Question 23Applied Mathematics

A box of 24 pens costs $7.20. What is the cost per pen?

  1. $0.32
  2. $0.28
  3. $0.36
  4. $0.30 Correct answer.

Explanation

Unit price is total cost divided by quantity. Dividing $7.20 by 24 gives $0.30 per pen.

Question 24Applied Mathematics

A rectangular garden is enlarged so that both its length and width double. How does the area change?

  1. It doubles
  2. It triples
  3. It quadruples Correct answer.
  4. It stays the same

Explanation

Area equals length times width. Doubling both dimensions multiplies the area by 2 x 2 = 4, so the area quadruples.

Question 25Applied Mathematics

A worker's average of four test scores is 85. Three scores are 80, 90, and 88. What is the fourth score?

  1. 82 Correct answer.
  2. 86
  3. 84
  4. 88

Explanation

The total of four scores must be 4 x 85 = 340. The three known scores sum to 258, so the fourth is 340 - 258 = 82.

Question 26Applied Mathematics

A pipe delivers water at a rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. How many gallons will it deliver in 1 hour?

  1. 25
  2. 250
  3. 60
  4. 150 Correct answer.

Explanation

To find the total gallons, multiply the rate by the number of minutes in an hour. Since 1 hour = 60 minutes, 2.5 gallons/minute × 60 minutes = 150 gallons.

Question 27Applied Mathematics

A rectangular metal sheet measures 1.5 meters by 80 centimeters. What is its area in square meters?

  1. 0.12
  2. 1.2 Correct answer.
  3. 12
  4. 120

Explanation

Convert all measurements to the same unit before multiplying. 80 centimeters = 0.8 meters, so area = 1.5 m × 0.8 m = 1.2 square meters.

Question 28Applied Mathematics

A worker's hourly wage is $14.50. For hours worked beyond 40 in a week, the wage is 1.5 times the regular rate. If the worker puts in 46 hours, what is the total pay for the week?

  1. $696.00
  2. $710.50 Correct answer.
  3. $580.00
  4. $667.00

Explanation

Calculate regular pay for the first 40 hours and overtime pay for the extra hours. Regular pay = 40 × $14.50 = $580.00; overtime rate = 1.5 × $14.50 = $21.75; overtime pay = 6 × $21.75 = $130.50; total = $580.00 + $130.50 = $710.50.

Question 29Applied Mathematics

A map uses a scale of 1 inch = 25 miles. On the map, two cities are 3.5 inches apart. If the map is enlarged so that the scale becomes 1 inch = 10 miles, how many inches apart will the cities be on the enlarged map?

  1. 1.4
  2. 8.75 Correct answer.
  3. 14
  4. 3.5

Explanation

First find the actual distance: 3.5 inches × 25 miles/inch = 87.5 miles. Then, using the new scale, the map distance is 87.5 miles ÷ 10 miles/inch = 8.75 inches.

Question 30Graphic Literacy

A bar graph shows monthly sales for four stores. The bar for Store A reaches the line labeled 40, the bar for Store B reaches 55, Store C reaches 25, and Store D reaches 70. Which store had the highest sales?

  1. Store D Correct answer.
  2. Store A
  3. Store B
  4. Store C

Explanation

On a bar graph, the height of each bar corresponds to its value, so the tallest bar represents the greatest amount. Store D's bar reaches 70, which is higher than 55, 40, and 25.

Question 31Graphic Literacy

A line graph plots temperature over a day, with hours on the horizontal axis and degrees on the vertical axis. The line rises from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then falls from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. At what time does the graph show the highest temperature?

  1. 8 p.m.
  2. 2 p.m. Correct answer.
  3. 8 a.m.
  4. 5 p.m.

Explanation

The highest point of a line graph occurs where the line stops rising and begins to fall. Since the line rises until 2 p.m. and then descends, the peak value is at 2 p.m.

Question 32Graphic Literacy

A circle graph shows a household budget divided into four slices: rent 50%, food 25%, utilities 15%, and savings 10%. Which two categories together make up exactly 75% of the budget?

  1. Rent and savings
  2. Food and utilities
  3. Utilities and savings
  4. Rent and food Correct answer.

Explanation

In a circle graph, slice sizes are proportional to percentages of the whole. Rent (50%) plus food (25%) equals 75%, while every other pair sums to less.

Question 33Graphic Literacy

A table lists package weights: Box 1 is 12 kg, Box 2 is 9 kg, Box 3 is 15 kg, and Box 4 is 9 kg. Which weight appears most often in the table?

  1. 12 kg
  2. 18 kg
  3. 15 kg
  4. 9 kg Correct answer.

Explanation

The mode is the value that occurs most frequently in a data set. The weight 9 kg appears twice, while 12 kg and 15 kg each appear once, and 18 kg does not appear at all.

Question 34Graphic Literacy

A floor plan uses a scale where 1 inch on the drawing equals 4 feet in the real room. A wall measures 6 inches on the drawing. How long is the actual wall?

  1. 18 feet
  2. 30 feet
  3. 24 feet Correct answer.
  4. 10 feet

Explanation

With a scale of 1 inch to 4 feet, multiply the drawing length by the scale factor. Six inches times 4 feet per inch equals 24 feet.

Question 35Graphic Literacy

A diagram shows a process with arrows pointing from Step 1 to Step 2, from Step 2 to Step 3, and from Step 3 back to Step 1. What does this arrangement of arrows indicate?

  1. Steps occur in random order
  2. The process repeats in a cycle Correct answer.
  3. The process ends after Step 3
  4. Step 2 can be skipped

Explanation

Arrows in a flow diagram show the direction of movement between steps. When the last step points back to the first, the sequence forms a repeating loop rather than a one-time path.

Question 36Graphic Literacy

A pictograph uses one full symbol to represent 5 students. A row for Grade 6 shows 3 full symbols. How many students does the row represent?

  1. 15 students Correct answer.
  2. 8 students
  3. 10 students
  4. 20 students

Explanation

In a pictograph, multiply the number of symbols by the value each symbol represents. Three symbols times 5 students per symbol equals 15 students.

Question 37Graphic Literacy

A chart's legend shows a solid black bar for 2023 and a striped bar for 2024. In a grouped bar chart, the solid black bar next to the label 'East' is taller than the striped bar. What does this mean?

  1. East had more in 2023 than in 2024 Correct answer.
  2. East had no data for 2024
  3. East's totals were equal both years
  4. East had more in 2024 than in 2023

Explanation

The legend maps each fill pattern to a year, so the solid black bar represents 2023. A taller solid bar means the 2023 value for East exceeds its 2024 value.

Question 38Graphic Literacy

A scatter plot shows points rising from lower left to upper right, with points closely clustered along a line. Which statement best describes the relationship?

  1. A perfect inverse relationship
  2. Strong positive correlation Correct answer.
  3. Strong negative correlation
  4. No correlation

Explanation

A pattern rising left to right indicates that as one variable increases, the other also increases, which is positive correlation. Tight clustering around a line makes the relationship strong.

Question 39Graphic Literacy

A chart's vertical axis starts at 50 rather than 0 and shows values from 50 to 60. A bar for Product X reaches 58 and a bar for Product Y reaches 54. Which caution applies when comparing these bars?

  1. The axis start point does not affect bar comparison
  2. The chart cannot show any comparison at all
  3. The bars understate differences because the axis is compressed
  4. The bars exaggerate small differences because the axis is truncated Correct answer.

Explanation

When a value axis does not begin at zero, bar heights are proportional only to the portion of the scale shown. Small real differences then appear as large visual differences, exaggerating the gap.

Question 40Graphic Literacy

A table shows production output: January 200 units, February 250 units, March 300 units, April 300 units. What is the mean monthly output for these four months?

  1. 262.5 units Correct answer.
  2. 275 units
  3. 250 units
  4. 300 units

Explanation

The mean is the sum of all values divided by the number of values. The sum is 200 + 250 + 300 + 300 = 1050, and 1050 divided by 4 equals 262.5.

Question 41Graphic Literacy

A wiring diagram uses a dashed line to represent a low-voltage control wire and a solid line for a power wire. A dashed line runs from a switch to a relay coil. What does the dashed line indicate about that connection?

  1. It carries main power to the relay
  2. It is a ground connection only
  3. It is a low-voltage control connection Correct answer.
  4. It is a mechanical linkage

Explanation

Diagrams use line styles as a code, and the legend defines what each style means. Since dashed lines represent low-voltage control wire, the dashed run to the relay coil is a control connection.

Question 42Graphic Literacy

A line graph tracks two products over six months. Product A's line rises steadily, while Product B's line stays flat. In month 6, Product A's line crosses above Product B's line. What happened between the two products?

  1. Product B's sales overtook Product A's sales
  2. Both products' sales became equal and stayed equal
  3. Product A's sales overtook Product B's sales Correct answer.
  4. Product A's sales began to decline

Explanation

Where two lines cross, the values are equal at that point; after the crossing, the line that continues higher represents the larger value. Product A rises past the flat line of Product B, so A overtakes B.

Question 43Graphic Literacy

A circle graph shows that 40% of a company's expenses are labor and 25% are materials. The labor slice is drawn with a central angle. What central angle should the labor slice have?

  1. 120 degrees
  2. 180 degrees
  3. 144 degrees Correct answer.
  4. 90 degrees

Explanation

A full circle is 360 degrees, and each slice's angle equals its percentage of 360. Forty percent of 360 is 0.40 times 360, which equals 144 degrees.

Question 44Graphic Literacy

A process diagram shows a decision diamond labeled 'Weight over 10 kg?' with a 'Yes' arrow leading to Step A and a 'No' arrow leading to Step B. An item weighs 14 kg. Which step does the diagram direct it to?

  1. Both steps
  2. Neither step
  3. Step B
  4. Step A Correct answer.

Explanation

A decision diamond branches the path based on whether a condition is met. Since 14 kg is over 10 kg, the 'Yes' branch applies, which leads to Step A.

Question 45Graphic Literacy

A map legend indicates that one inch equals 50 miles. Two cities are 3.5 inches apart on the map. What is the actual distance between them?

  1. 150 miles
  2. 225 miles
  3. 175 miles Correct answer.
  4. 200 miles

Explanation

Multiply the measured map distance by the scale factor to find real distance. Three and a half inches times 50 miles per inch equals 175 miles.

Question 46Graphic Literacy

A bar chart compares defects found at three workstations: Station 1 has 12, Station 2 has 8, and Station 3 has 4. Approximately what fraction of all defects came from Station 3?

  1. One-sixth Correct answer.
  2. One-fourth
  3. One-half
  4. One-third

Explanation

The total is 12 + 8 + 4 = 24 defects, and Station 3 accounts for 4 of them. The fraction 4/24 simplifies to 1/6.

Question 47Graphic Literacy

A table of shipping rates lists weight ranges: up to 5 kg costs 8 dollars, 5.1 to 10 kg costs 12 dollars, and 10.1 to 20 kg costs 18 dollars. What does a 10 kg package cost?

  1. 18 dollars
  2. 15 dollars
  3. 8 dollars
  4. 12 dollars Correct answer.

Explanation

Rate tables assign a charge based on which range the value falls into. A 10 kg package falls within the 5.1 to 10 kg range, so it costs 12 dollars.

Question 48Graphic Literacy

A stacked bar chart shows each department's spending split into salaries, supplies, and travel, with the segments stacked on top of one another. Department X's total bar reaches 100, and the salaries segment reaches 60. What does the salaries segment represent?

  1. The amount spent on travel
  2. The number of employees in Department X
  3. 60% of Department X's total spending Correct answer.
  4. 60 dollars of spending in total

Explanation

In a stacked bar, the whole bar represents the total, and each segment is a part of that total. A segment ending at 60 of a 100 total is 60% of the department's spending.

Question 49Graphic Literacy

A diagram shows a machine part with a dimension line marked '3.0 cm' and a tolerance note of 'plus or minus 0.2 cm.' What range of lengths is acceptable?

  1. 2.9 cm to 3.1 cm
  2. 3.0 cm to 3.2 cm
  3. 2.8 cm to 3.2 cm Correct answer.
  4. 2.6 cm to 3.4 cm

Explanation

A tolerance of plus or minus 0.2 cm means the actual value may be 0.2 above or below the stated dimension. Subtracting and adding 0.2 to 3.0 gives an acceptable range of 2.8 to 3.2 cm.

Question 50Graphic Literacy

A line graph shows a company's output falling sharply from month 1 to month 3, leveling off from month 3 to month 5, then rising sharply from month 5 to month 7. During which period was output unchanged?

  1. Month 1 to month 7
  2. Month 1 to month 3
  3. Month 3 to month 5 Correct answer.
  4. Month 5 to month 7

Explanation

A flat, horizontal segment on a line graph indicates that the value stayed the same over that interval. The line is level only between month 3 and month 5.