ACT Math : Arithmetic

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #21 : Sale Prices

James goes to the store to buy a new pair of shoes. He sees a pair he likes for  that are marked  off. Ignoring sales tax, how much does James pay for the shoes? Round to the nearest cent.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find how much is remaining after  is taken off, subtract  from  (the total price of the original pair of shoes) and multiply it by the shoe's price.
 which rounds to 

Example Question #21 : Sale Prices

How much do you save if you bought a shirt that normally costs 19.99 at a 25% discount? Ignore sales tax and round your answer to the nearest cent.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find how much money you save on a sale. Turn the sale percentage into a decimal and multiply it by the normal price:

Example Question #21 : Sale Prices

Denzel is going to the store to buy a guitar. He sees one he likes that's listed at  but on sale for  off. How much will Denzel pay if he chooses to buy the guitar (ignore sales tax, round to the nearest cent)?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the sales price of an item given that it is  off, first subtract  from . This gives , which means Denzel is paying for  of the guitar's original price. Next, convert that into a decimal and multiply by the guitar's cost:

Example Question #21 : How To Find The Sale Price

Julie only has to spend on a prom dress on tax free weekend.  She has narrowed her search down to her four favorites:  a red dress costing  but marked down  a blue dress costing  marked down , a yellow dress costing  marked down , and a purple dress costing  marked down .  Which dress can Julie buy?  

Possible Answers:

blue dress

red dress

She cannot afford any of the dresses.  

purple dress

yellow dress

Correct answer:

yellow dress

Explanation:

This is a percentages problem.  To find the price of an item on sale by a certain percentage, you subtract that percentage decimal from 1.0, and multiply that number by the cost of the dress. Then, you compare that number to the amount she has to see if she can afford it. 

Red dress price= 

Blue dress price= 

Yellow dress price= 

Purple dress price= 

Since the yellow dress is the only dress under her total amount of money, that is the only dress she can afford.  

Example Question #131 : Percentage

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A pair of headphones normally sells for . If the headphones are on a -off discount, how expensive are they?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the new sale price, apply the discount to the original price in decimal form.

 ---> 

Example Question #24 : Sale Prices

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A car ordinarily sells for , but a savvy consumer walks out having paid only  of that price. How much did the customer pay?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Applying our equation from above:

 ---> 

So, the customer paid , or  of the original price.

Example Question #21 : Sale Prices

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

Some clothes are on sale at  off retail. If a customer buys three pairs of jeans for a total of , what was the original price of one pair of jeans?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can apply our formula, but first we should divide the total price by , then fill in what we know:

 ---> 

So, one pair of jeans without discount costs .

Example Question #1297 : Act Math

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A pack of batteries is on sale for  of the normal price. If ten packs cost , what is the non-discounted price of one pack of batteries?

Round to the nearest .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can apply our formula, if we remember to first divide by :

 ---> 

Thus, our rounded answer is .

 

Example Question #31 : How To Find The Sale Price

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A video game is normally priced at . If the game is subsequently purchased for , what was the discount, as a percent, on the purchase?

Possible Answers:

There is not enough information to answer the question.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the discount as a percent, simply divide the sale price by the original price, and multiply by  (to convert from a decimal to a percent).

 --> 

Thus, the game was purchased on a  discount.

Example Question #1293 : Act Math

To find the sale price for a single item or group of like items, one can use the equation , where  is the discounted price,  is the original price, and  is the percent to be discounted in decimal form.

A steak dinner at Steaks 'R Us is normally priced at . The restaurant gives a discount to a preferred customer, and they eat for . What was the discount, as a percent, on the dinner?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the discount as a percent, simply divide the sale price by the original price, and multiply by  (to convert from a decimal to a percent).

 --> 

Thus, the game was purchased on approximately  discount.

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