Pass This Way!
Sixty-seven percent, 67% (or .67 or 67/100) of the people who answered today's question were correct.
A lot of people who attempted this extremely visual question did not answer correctly. Why not?
Read the question. Use your scratch paper. Jot down everything you know is true. This one is fast.
Ongoing terminology: You know diameter and radius. You do not even have to know the names of these lines of division to do this problem, but look at this problem to realize how easy it is in relation to those two terms.
First, you look to make sure of everything that you positively know is true. Nothing about this question is difficult or tricky. Additionally, the question is short. That is, there are not many steps, and the numbers are not large. In a question like this one, an important element for the test taker is to be sure to answer the question that is asked and not some other question that pops up in your mind while looking at the figure.
Here goes:
What do you know? The 'P' marks the center of the circle. You do not assume this. You are told this.
That fact makes the line extending from point P to the edge of the circle the radius.
You do know this, but even if you do not know the name for this line, the line is 1/2 the diameter of the circle. Therefore, you are looking for an answer that is close to twice the radius (diameter=2radius) as the longest line that will fit inside the circle.
Word Note: Even if you know all about diameter and radius, look them up and write cards or PowerPoint notes to remember 'di' for two, 'meter' for measurement and all the other information about both words to help with other mathematical concepts and terms.
Some of the answers are smaller than 7.999 and some are larger. Even if you do not know that the diameter line needs a little room to fit INSIDE the circle instead of resting on the circle itself (visualize the longest stick you can fit inside a hoop), the number 8 (4x2) to confuse you. If 8 even had been on the list, I would understand why people missed it. But it is not! All you have to do is multiply 4 x 2 = 8 and look for the number slightly smaller but the longest still smaller than 8! Come on!!! Work with me! You are letting this get to you. In some ways, this is a big riddle! You can get better and better and...better!
Now, I am not expecting you to learn how to answer all the questions on the SAT. The SAT is not a test designed for all students to reach the ability to answer all of the questions correctly. That is not what the SAT is about. But please (please, please) try to rein in what you know. Then, use the information in the question, the illustration, your scratch paper notes, and your reasoning. Eliminate every wrong answer. Put the right answer on your answer sheet.
The diameter is a little bit longer than the longest line that will fit inside a circle. You do not even have to know the name of the 'diameter' to do this problem correctly, but you do need to know what the radius and the diameter are to work with measurement in circles on a regular basis!
The 'p' is in the center of the circle. Therefore, the line from the P, marked with the length, 4, is the radius.
Today's question is math. Lately, I've been adding a lot of helpful information to my notes to you about the Scholastic Aptitude Test, SAT, Questions for the Day. From now until the test date of March 13, review the hints on all of my posts, but concentrate on the SAT Question of the Day postings.
This is a plan of study even if you are not taking the test on March 13 because you can use that date to get certain blocks of understanding. Sometimes a set period of time makes progress easier to measure in other ways. You will have some questions in mathematics about circles. You will have the formulae in front of you. Understand what the letters represent on the formulae, and play with some circle problems. Learn about cylinders, too. A cylinder is just a soup can. If you take off the top and bottom and roll out the rest, you have two circles and a rectangle. Come back to see me. Study a section in your Princeton Review. Do a section of Practice Test One and check your answers. JudiethCarol&Rocketcat Feb 2010c
