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HESI A2 Math study materials
HESI A2 Math study resources

HESI A2 Math: Word Problems and Applied Arithmetic

HESI A2 Math · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

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Word Problems and Applied Arithmetic

Word Problems and Applied Arithmetic is the domain where the arithmetic is easy but the setup decides the mark. Items ask you to read a short scenario, identify the quantity requested, and combine operations - often two or three - in the right order. Expect rates, averages, ratio sharing, percent applications, and simple dosage or cost scenarios.

Translation cues

  • "of" usually means multiply; "per" means divide.
  • "is" or "was" signals an equals sign.
  • "how many more" asks for a difference, not a total.
  • "split equally" means divide; "each" often means multiply per group.
  • "remaining" or "left" means subtract from a previous total.

A repeatable method

  1. Read the question stem last and underline what is being asked.
  2. List every given quantity with its unit.
  3. Convert to one unit system before calculating.
  4. Choose operations and estimate the answer roughly.
  5. Compare the exact answer to the estimate and label it.

Common structures

  • Unit rate: divide quantity by time or by count, then multiply for the new amount.
  • Average: sum of the values ÷ number of values.
  • Ratio sharing: add the ratio parts, divide the total by that sum to find one part, then multiply by the specific share.
  • Percent change and discount: apply the rate to the original amount, then add or subtract.

Worked example

A class of 32 students has boys and girls in the ratio 3:5. How many girls are there?

  1. Ratio parts: 3 + 5 = 8.
  2. One part: 32 ÷ 8 = 4 students.
  3. Girls: 5 × 4 = 20. Boys: 3 × 4 = 12.
  4. Check: 20 + 12 = 32 and 12/20 simplifies to 3/5, so the answer is 20 girls.

Traps that cost marks

Solving for the wrong group - boys when girls were asked. Mixing minutes and hours in a rate without converting. Applying a discount and then using the discounted price as the base for a second percentage. Dropping the second step in a two-part question. Giving a fractional answer when the context demands a whole number of people, tablets, or vials. Choosing an answer just because that number appears in the problem.