MTEL Math Elementary (68) study materials
MTEL Math Elementary (68) study resources

MTEL Math Elementary (68) practice questions

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Question 1Number Sense and Operations

A student writes the number 4,706. What is the value of the digit 7 in this number?

  1. 7,000
  2. 7
  3. 700 Correct answer.
  4. 70

Explanation

In 4,706 the digit 7 sits in the hundreds place, so its value is 7 hundreds, or 700. Place value is determined by the position of the digit relative to the decimal point.

Question 2Number Sense and Operations

Which number is read as 'three hundred forty thousand, twenty-six'?

  1. 304,026
  2. 340,260
  3. 34,026
  4. 340,026 Correct answer.

Explanation

'Three hundred forty thousand' gives 340,000, and 'twenty-six' fills the ones and tens places with 26, while the hundreds place of the thousands group is zero. Writing the groups together gives 340,026.

Question 3Number Sense and Operations

Which of the following numbers is irrational?

  1. 22/7
  2. square root of 2 Correct answer.
  3. square root of 9
  4. 0.125

Explanation

An irrational number cannot be written as a ratio of two integers, and its decimal form neither terminates nor repeats. The square root of 2 is a classic example of such a number.

Question 4Number Sense and Operations

Compute 5 + 3 x 4 using the standard order of operations.

  1. 17 Correct answer.
  2. 23
  3. 27
  4. 32

Explanation

Multiplication is performed before addition, so 3 x 4 = 12 first. Then 5 + 12 = 17.

Question 5Number Sense and Operations

Which fraction in simplest form is equivalent to 0.6?

  1. 6/10
  2. 3/5 Correct answer.
  3. 6/100
  4. 1/6

Explanation

The decimal 0.6 means 6 tenths, which is 6/10. Reducing 6/10 by dividing numerator and denominator by 2 gives 3/5 in simplest form.

Question 6Number Sense and Operations

Which list is ordered from least to greatest?

  1. -7, -3, 0, 4 Correct answer.
  2. 4, 0, -3, -7
  3. -3, -7, 0, 4
  4. 0, -3, -7, 4

Explanation

On a number line, values increase as you move right, and negative numbers with larger absolute values are farther left. So -7 is least, followed by -3, then 0, then 4.

Question 7Number Sense and Operations

What is the greatest common factor of 24 and 36?

  1. 12 Correct answer.
  2. 6
  3. 2
  4. 4

Explanation

The factors common to both numbers are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12, and the largest of these is 12. Another route is to factor 24 = 2^3 x 3 and 36 = 2^2 x 3^2, then take 2^2 x 3 = 12.

Question 8Number Sense and Operations

A recipe uses 2/3 cup of sugar for one batch. How much sugar is needed for 4 batches?

  1. 2/12 cups
  2. 8/3 cups Correct answer.
  3. 8/12 cups
  4. 6/3 cups

Explanation

Multiplying 2/3 by 4 means multiplying the numerator by 4, giving 8/3. This improper fraction equals 2 2/3 cups.

Question 9Number Sense and Operations

Compute 7/8 - 1/4.

  1. 6/8
  2. 3/8
  3. 5/8 Correct answer.
  4. 6/4

Explanation

Rewrite 1/4 as 2/8 so the denominators match, then subtract the numerators: 7/8 - 2/8 = 5/8. The result is already in simplest form.

Question 10Number Sense and Operations

Which expression is equal to 3.6 x 10^3?

  1. 3,600 Correct answer.
  2. 360
  3. 36
  4. 36,000

Explanation

Multiplying by 10^3 moves the decimal point three places to the right. Starting at 3.6, that yields 3,600.

Question 11Number Sense and Operations

A store sells notebooks at 3 for $4.50. At this rate, what is the cost of 8 notebooks?

  1. $13.50
  2. $12.00 Correct answer.
  3. $10.50
  4. $9.00

Explanation

The unit price is $4.50 divided by 3, which is $1.50 per notebook. Multiplying $1.50 by 8 gives $12.00.

Question 12Number Sense and Operations

What is 25% of 240?

  1. 60 Correct answer.
  2. 48
  3. 96
  4. 120

Explanation

Twenty-five percent equals one quarter, so divide 240 by 4 to get 60. Equivalently, 0.25 x 240 = 60.

Question 13Number Sense and Operations

A jacket originally priced at $80 is on sale for 30% off. What is the sale price?

  1. $54
  2. $50
  3. $24
  4. $56 Correct answer.

Explanation

The discount is 0.30 x $80 = $24, and subtracting that from $80 gives $56. Alternatively, paying 70% of $80 also yields $56.

Question 14Number Sense and Operations

Which number is a prime number?

  1. 91
  2. 97 Correct answer.
  3. 57
  4. 51

Explanation

A prime number has exactly two distinct positive factors, 1 and itself. The number 97 is not divisible by 2, 3, 5, or 7, and no other prime up to its square root divides it, so it is prime.

Question 15Number Sense and Operations

What is the least common multiple of 6 and 8?

  1. 24 Correct answer.
  2. 12
  3. 16
  4. 48

Explanation

Multiples of 6 include 6, 12, 18, 24, and multiples of 8 include 8, 16, 24, so the smallest shared multiple is 24. Using prime factors, 6 = 2 x 3 and 8 = 2^3, and 2^3 x 3 = 24.

Question 16Number Sense and Operations

Compute (-5) + (-8).

  1. -13 Correct answer.
  2. 3
  3. -3
  4. 13

Explanation

Adding two negative numbers gives a negative sum whose absolute value is the sum of the absolute values. Since 5 + 8 = 13, the result is -13.

Question 17Number Sense and Operations

A number line shows a point located 3 units to the left of -2. What number is at that point?

  1. 5
  2. 1
  3. -1
  4. -5 Correct answer.

Explanation

Moving left on a number line means subtracting, so -2 - 3 = -5. The point lies five units left of zero.

Question 18Number Sense and Operations

Which expression has the same value as 4 x (6 + 3)?

  1. 4 + 6 x 3
  2. 4 x 6 + 4 x 3 Correct answer.
  3. 4 x 6 + 3
  4. (4 + 6) x 3

Explanation

The distributive property states that a x (b + c) = a x b + a x c. Applying it, 4 x (6 + 3) equals 4 x 6 + 4 x 3, both of which equal 36.

Question 19Number Sense and Operations

Which decimal is equivalent to 5/8?

  1. 0.625 Correct answer.
  2. 0.58 repeating
  3. 0.58
  4. 0.85

Explanation

Dividing 5 by 8 gives 0.625, a terminating decimal. The denominator 8 has only 2 as a prime factor, so the decimal terminates.

Question 20Number Sense and Operations

A student claims that 0.45 is greater than 1/2 because 45 is greater than 1 and 2. What is the flaw in the reasoning?

  1. The student used the wrong operation and should have added.
  2. The claim is correct because 45 is larger than 2.
  3. The comparison ignores place value and the meaning of the fraction. Correct answer.
  4. The student should have compared 45 with 12 instead.

Explanation

Comparing a decimal to a fraction requires a common form; 1/2 equals 0.5, and 0.45 is less than 0.5. The student compared digits and whole numbers without regard to place value or the value of the fraction.

Question 21Number Sense and Operations

What is 2^4 x 2^3 expressed as a single power?

  1. 2^12
  2. 2^7 Correct answer.
  3. 4^7
  4. 2^1

Explanation

When multiplying powers with the same base, add the exponents: 4 + 3 = 7, giving 2^7. This equals 128.

Question 22Number Sense and Operations

Which number is between 3/5 and 7/10 on a number line?

  1. 0.55
  2. 0.65 Correct answer.
  3. 0.75
  4. 0.5

Explanation

Converting to decimals, 3/5 = 0.6 and 7/10 = 0.7, so a value between them must lie strictly between 0.6 and 0.7. Only 0.65 satisfies this.

Question 23Number Sense and Operations

A number is divisible by 6 if and only if it is divisible by which pair of numbers?

  1. 2 and 4
  2. 3 and 4
  3. 1 and 6 only
  4. 2 and 3 Correct answer.

Explanation

Since 6 = 2 x 3 and 2 and 3 are relatively prime, a number is divisible by 6 exactly when it is divisible by both 2 and 3. Testing divisibility by 2 and 3 together is therefore sufficient.

Question 24Number Sense and Operations

A shirt costs $40. Its price is increased by 25%, then the new price is decreased by 20%. What is the final price?

  1. $38
  2. $45
  3. $42
  4. $40 Correct answer.

Explanation

Increasing $40 by 25% gives $50. Decreasing $50 by 20% subtracts $10, giving $40, so the final price equals the original. The two percent changes act on different bases, which is why they do not cancel to zero change in general.

Question 25Number Sense and Operations

Which statement correctly compares the values of the square root of 50 and 7?

  1. The square root of 50 equals 7.
  2. The square root of 50 is less than 7. Correct answer.
  3. The two values cannot be compared.
  4. The square root of 50 is greater than 7.

Explanation

Since 7^2 = 49 and 50 is greater than 49, the square root of 50 is slightly greater than 7; however, 7.1^2 = 50.41, so the root lies between 7 and 7.1, meaning it is less than 7 only if the comparison is reversed. Careful: the correct ordering is that the root of 50 exceeds 7, so compare by squaring both sides: 50 > 49 implies root 50 > 7.

Question 26Number Sense and Operations

Which statement correctly describes the value of the digit 7 in the number 4,782?

  1. It represents 7 hundreds, or 700. Correct answer.
  2. It represents 7 ones, or 7.
  3. It represents 7 thousands, or 7,000.
  4. It represents 7 tens, or 70.

Explanation

In a base-ten numeral, each position is ten times the value of the position to its right. In 4,782 the digits from left to right sit in the thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones places, so the 7 occupies the hundreds place. Its value is therefore 7 × 100 = 700.

Question 27Number Sense and Operations

A student rounds 6,458 to the nearest hundred and writes 6,400. Which statement best evaluates this work?

  1. It is incorrect; the correct rounded value is 6,500 because the tens digit is 5. Correct answer.
  2. It is incorrect; the correct rounded value is 6,460 because rounding keeps two decimal places.
  3. It is correct because the hundreds digit 4 stays the same.
  4. It is correct because 6,458 is closer to 6,400 than to 6,600.

Explanation

To round to the nearest hundred, locate the hundreds digit (4) and check the digit to its right (5). A tens digit of 5 or more rounds the hundreds digit up, so 6,458 rounds to 6,500. The student looked only at the hundreds digit and ignored the deciding tens digit.

Question 28Number Sense and Operations

Which comparison is true?

  1. 0.58 > 0.6
  2. 0.6 > 0.58 Correct answer.
  3. 0.6 < 0.58
  4. 0.6 = 0.58

Explanation

Compare place values from left to right after aligning the decimals. Both numbers have 0 in the tenths place? No: 0.6 has 6 tenths and 0.58 has 5 tenths, so 0.6 is larger. Writing 0.6 as 0.60 makes the comparison clear: 60 hundredths exceeds 58 hundredths.

Question 29Number Sense and Operations

Which fraction is equivalent to the repeating decimal 0.333...?

  1. 1/3 Correct answer.
  2. 33/100
  3. 1/30
  4. 3/10

Explanation

A repeating decimal can be converted by setting x = 0.333... and multiplying by 10 to get 10x = 3.333.... Subtracting gives 9x = 3, so x = 3/9 = 1/3. Checking by division confirms that 1 ÷ 3 produces the repeating digit 3 indefinitely.

Question 30Number Sense and Operations

What is the value of 5/6 ÷ 1/3?

  1. 5/2 Correct answer.
  2. 5/18
  3. 2/5
  4. 18/5

Explanation

Dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal, so 5/6 ÷ 1/3 = 5/6 × 3/1. Multiplying numerators and denominators gives 15/6, which simplifies to 5/2. The result makes sense because 1/3 fits into 5/6 two and a half times.

Question 31Number Sense and Operations

A student writes 7/8 as a decimal and gets 0.875. Which check confirms this result?

  1. Multiply 0.875 by 8; the product should be 7. Correct answer.
  2. Add 0.875 to 8; the sum should be 7.
  3. Multiply 0.875 by 7; the product should be 8.
  4. Divide 0.875 by 8; the quotient should be 7.

Explanation

The fraction 7/8 means 7 divided by 8, so the decimal d must satisfy 8 × d = 7. Multiplying 0.875 by 8 gives exactly 7, confirming the conversion. This inverse-operation check is a reliable way to verify any fraction-to-decimal conversion.

Question 32Number Sense and Operations

What is the value of 3/4 + 5/6?

  1. 19/12 Correct answer.
  2. 8/10
  3. 15/24
  4. 4/5

Explanation

The least common denominator of 4 and 6 is 12, so rewrite 3/4 as 9/12 and 5/6 as 10/12. Adding the numerators gives 19/12, which is greater than 1 and can also be written as 1 7/12.

Question 33Number Sense and Operations

A number has exactly four factors: 1, 3, 9, and 27. Which statement about this number is true?

  1. It is a prime number because 3 is one of its factors.
  2. It is a perfect square because 9 is one of its factors.
  3. It is neither prime nor composite.
  4. It is a composite number that is a power of 3. Correct answer.

Explanation

The number described is 27, since its factors are exactly 1, 3, 9, and 27. A number with a factor other than 1 and itself is composite, and 27 = 3 × 3 × 3, so it is a power of 3. It is not prime because it has factors besides 1 and 27.

Question 34Number Sense and Operations

Which expression is equal to 8 + 4 × 2?

  1. (8 + 4) × 2
  2. 8 + (4 × 2) Correct answer.
  3. 8 × 4 + 2
  4. (8 + 4) × (2 + 0)

Explanation

Order of operations requires multiplication before addition, so 8 + 4 × 2 = 8 + 8 = 16. Grouping symbols around the multiplication, as in 8 + (4 × 2), preserve this standard order and also give 16. The other groupings change which operation is performed first.

Question 35Number Sense and Operations

Which property justifies the statement 6 × (5 + 9) = (6 × 5) + (6 × 9)?

  1. The identity property of multiplication
  2. The associative property of multiplication
  3. The commutative property of multiplication
  4. The distributive property of multiplication over addition Correct answer.

Explanation

The distributive property states that a × (b + c) = (a × b) + (a × c), so a factor multiplied by a sum equals the sum of the individual products. Here the factor 6 is distributed to both 5 and 9. The equality holds because multiplication is being spread across an addition.

Question 36Number Sense and Operations

A diver starts at 12 meters below sea level and rises 5 meters, then descends 9 meters. Which integer represents the diver's final position relative to sea level?

  1. 16
  2. -8
  3. -16 Correct answer.
  4. -2

Explanation

Starting 12 meters below sea level is -12. Rising 5 meters gives -12 + 5 = -7, and descending 9 meters gives -7 - 9 = -16. The final position is 16 meters below sea level, written as the integer -16.

Question 37Number Sense and Operations

What is the product (-4) × (-3) × (-2)?

  1. -9
  2. -24 Correct answer.
  3. 9
  4. 24

Explanation

The product of two negative integers is positive, so (-4) × (-3) = 12. Multiplying by the third negative factor gives 12 × (-2) = -24. With three negative factors, the product is negative because an odd number of negatives yields a negative result.

Question 38Number Sense and Operations

Which value is the opposite of the absolute value of -7?

  1. -7 Correct answer.
  2. 1/7
  3. 7
  4. 0

Explanation

The absolute value of -7 is 7, since absolute value gives distance from zero. The opposite of 7 is -7, found by changing its sign. Combining the two ideas, the opposite of |-7| is -7.

Question 39Number Sense and Operations

A number is multiplied by 10^4. The result is 0.35. What is the original number?

  1. 3,500
  2. 0.000035 Correct answer.
  3. 350
  4. 0.0000035

Explanation

Multiplying by 10^4 moves the decimal point four places to the right. Working backward, divide 0.35 by 10,000, which moves the decimal point four places to the left, giving 0.000035. Checking forward, 0.000035 × 10,000 = 0.35.

Question 40Number Sense and Operations

Which expression is equal to 0.00062 written in scientific notation?

  1. 6.2 × 10^-4 Correct answer.
  2. 0.62 × 10^-3
  3. 6.2 × 10^4
  4. 62 × 10^-5

Explanation

Scientific notation writes a number as a factor between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10. Moving the decimal point in 0.00062 four places to the right gives 6.2, so the exponent must be -4 to keep the value unchanged. Thus 0.00062 = 6.2 × 10^-4.

Question 41Number Sense and Operations

A sweater is priced at $60. The store applies a 15% discount, then adds 8% sales tax to the discounted price. What is the total cost?

  1. $64.80
  2. $51.00
  3. $55.08 Correct answer.
  4. $55.20

Explanation

A 15% discount leaves 85% of the price, so 0.85 × $60 = $51.00. Sales tax of 8% makes the total 1.08 × $51.00 = $55.08. Applying the tax to the discounted price, not the original price, is the key step.

Question 42Number Sense and Operations

A class has 12 girls and 18 boys. Which ratio expresses girls to the total number of students in simplest form?

  1. 2 to 3
  2. 12 to 18
  3. 2 to 5 Correct answer.
  4. 3 to 2

Explanation

The total number of students is 12 + 18 = 30, so the ratio of girls to all students is 12 to 30. Dividing both terms by their greatest common factor of 6 gives 2 to 5. The ratio 2 to 3 would compare girls to boys rather than to the whole class.

Question 43Number Sense and Operations

A map uses a scale of 1 inch to 12 miles. Two towns are 3.5 inches apart on the map. How far apart are they in reality?

  1. 36 miles
  2. 48 miles
  3. 42 miles Correct answer.
  4. 15.5 miles

Explanation

Set up the proportion 1 inch / 12 miles = 3.5 inches / d miles. Cross-multiplying gives d = 12 × 3.5 = 42 miles. The scale factor is applied to the entire measured distance, including the half inch.

Question 44Number Sense and Operations

A quantity increases from 40 to 50. What is the percent increase?

  1. 80%
  2. 20%
  3. 10%
  4. 25% Correct answer.

Explanation

Percent change is the amount of change divided by the original amount, then multiplied by 100. The change is 50 - 40 = 10, and 10 ÷ 40 = 0.25, which is 25%. Dividing by the new value instead of the original is a common error.

Question 45Number Sense and Operations

What is the value of the expression 2 + 3 × (8 - 5)^2?

  1. 83
  2. 11
  3. 29 Correct answer.
  4. 225

Explanation

Evaluate the parentheses first: 8 - 5 = 3. Then apply the exponent: 3^2 = 9. Multiply 3 × 9 = 27, and finally add 2 to get 29, following the order of operations.

Question 46Number Sense and Operations

A student claims that 1/2 + 1/3 = 2/5. Which reasoning identifies the error?

  1. The student's answer is correct because 1 + 1 = 2 and 2 + 3 = 5.
  2. The student should have multiplied the denominators to get 1/6.
  3. The student added numerators and denominators separately instead of using a common denominator. Correct answer.
  4. The student should have subtracted the smaller denominator from the larger one.

Explanation

Fractions can be added only when they refer to the same-sized parts, which requires a common denominator. Rewriting gives 3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6, not 2/5. Adding numerators and denominators separately treats the denominator as a count rather than as the size of each part.

Question 47Number Sense and Operations

Which number is irrational?

  1. 22/7
  2. 0.75
  3. The square root of 16
  4. The square root of 2 Correct answer.

Explanation

An irrational number cannot be written as a ratio of two integers and has a nonterminating, nonrepeating decimal expansion. The square root of 2 is approximately 1.41421356... and never repeats or terminates, so it is irrational. The other choices are all rational.

Question 48Number Sense and Operations

A store sells pencils in packs of 6 and erasers in packs of 8. A teacher wants to buy the same number of pencils and erasers with no items left over. What is the least number of each item the teacher can buy?

  1. 14 pencils and 14 erasers
  2. 24 pencils and 24 erasers Correct answer.
  3. 2 pencils and 2 erasers
  4. 48 pencils and 48 erasers

Explanation

The number of each item must be a common multiple of 6 and 8, and the least such number is the least common multiple. The multiples of 6 are 6, 12, 18, 24, ... and of 8 are 8, 16, 24, ..., so the LCM is 24. Buying 24 of each uses 4 packs of pencils and 3 packs of erasers with nothing left over.

Question 49Number Sense and Operations

Which statement about the number 1 is correct in the context of prime and composite numbers?

  1. 1 is prime because its only factor is itself.
  2. 1 is composite because it divides every whole number.
  3. 1 is prime because it is odd.
  4. 1 is neither prime nor composite because it has exactly one factor. Correct answer.

Explanation

A prime number has exactly two distinct factors, 1 and itself, and a composite number has more than two factors. The number 1 has only one factor, namely 1, so it fits neither definition. This is why 1 is classified separately as a unit rather than as prime or composite.

Question 50Number Sense and Operations

A number is multiplied by 0.25. By what factor does the result compare to the original number?

  1. The result is three quarters of the original number.
  2. The result is 25 more than the original number.
  3. The result is one quarter of the original number. Correct answer.
  4. The result is four times the original number.

Explanation

Multiplying by 0.25 is the same as multiplying by 1/4, since 0.25 = 25/100 = 1/4. Multiplying any number by 1/4 produces one quarter of that number. For example, 20 × 0.25 = 5, which is a quarter of 20.