HiSET Exam Questions

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61.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

The passage refers to Lowell, Massachusetts as the “Cradle of the American Industrial Revolution." What does this mean?

  • It was considered to be the foundation of the American Industrial Revolution

  • It required special attention in order to help it grow during the American Industrial Revolution

  • It collapsed during the American Industrial Revolution

  • It was the newcomer to the already thriving American Industrial Revolution

Correct answer: It was considered to be the foundation of the American Industrial Revolution

The sentences prior to the quotation in the passage allude to the fact that Lowell, Massachusetts was the first planned industrial town and one of the first towns to offer a public stock offering. It can be determined that it must have been the foundation upon which the Industrial Revolution was built. 

The passage does not state that Lowell collapsed, required special attention, or was a newcomer to an already-thriving Industrial Revolution.

62.

John is traveling at a speed of 60 mph when he noticed a new speed limit sign of 70 mph. What is John’s average acceleration in mile per square hour if it took him 5 seconds to go from 60 mph to 70 mph?

  • 7,200 mph2

  • 2 mph2

  • 4,200 mph2

  • 120 mph2

Correct answer: 7,200 mph2

The formula to find the acceleration rate is (final speed – original speed) / total time. 

Average acceleration = (70 mph – 60 mph) / 5s = (10 mph / 5 s) x (3600 s / 1 hr) = 7,200 mph2.

63.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

The passage indicates that Native Americans used the American buffalo for which of the following?

  • Eating

  • Plowing their fields

  • Pulling their wagons

  • Guarding their lands

Correct answer: Eating

The passage does not directly state that the Native Americans consumed the American buffalo, but it does state that the Native Americans were able to use every part of the buffalo and that they did not waste any of it, so readers can infer that the buffalo was used for food among other things. 

The passage does not state whether Native Americans used American buffalo to plow, pull, or guard, so these answers can be eliminated.

64.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following is true regarding the theme of the passage?

  • The theme is implied

  • The theme is not related to the plot

  • The theme is insignificant

  • The theme is clearly stated

Correct answer: The theme is implied

Nowhere in the passage is the theme explicitly stated. It is left to the reader to figure out the theme on his or her own.

65.

Solve for x:

x = 64

  • 1,296

  • 36

  • 24

  • 4,096

Correct answer: 1,296

Exponents indicate that a number should be multiplied by itself repeatedly.  

64 is equivalent to 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 × = 1,296

66.

All except which of the following numbers are solutions of the inequality 8x + 2 < 18?

  • 3

  • 1

  • -1

  • -3

Correct answer: 3

Since 8x + 2 < 18, then 8x < 16, and x < 2. 

Of the options listed, only 3 is not less than 2.

67.

The cost of a 7.1" laptop is $960. If this amount includes 16% tax, what is the cost of the laptop before tax?

  • $828

  • $806

  • $695

  • $614

Correct answer: $828

$960 is the actual cost of the computer, x, plus 16% tax.

Therefore, 960 = x + .16x

960 = 1.16x

x = 960/1.16

x = $827.59, or about $828

The amount $960 ≅ 100% + 16% = 116%

The actual cost ≅ 100% ≅ 100/116 × 960 = $828

68.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following would correct Sentence 1?

  • Change “open” to “openly”

  • Insert a comma after “intensify”

  • Change “do” to “does”

  • Change “conflicts” to “conflict”

Correct answer: Change “open” to “openly”

Words or phrases within a sentence that are similar (parallel) in meaning or in structure should be written as such. Therefore, “open” should be written as “openly” to match the use of “honestly.” 

The other answer options are not options that would make the sentence grammatically correct.

69.

1 liter = 1.76 pints

Calculate the number of liters in 56.32 pints.

  • 32 liters

  • 38 liters

  • 28 liters

  • 42 liters

Correct answer: 32 liters

Set up a proportion to find the number of liters in 56.32 pints.

1 liter/1.76 pints = x number of liters/56.32 pints

1/1.76 = x/56.32

1.76x = 56.32 × 1

x = 56.32/1.76 = 32 liters

70.

Memorial Hospital has invited a therapy dog named Friendly to visit patients on the pediatric floor. One in five patients is too ill to have Friendly visit. If there are 45 patients on the pediatric floor, how many patients will Friendly see today?

  • 36

  • 25

  • 5

  • 40

Correct answer: 36

Friendly will visit four of every five patients (4:5). Expressed as a fraction, this is 4/5.

4/5 x 45 = 36

Therefore, Friendly will visit 36 patients today.

71.

Read the passage, and then answer the question.

An image of the city is indicated in which line?

  • Line 7

  • Line 1

  • Line 4

  • Line 12

Correct answer: Line 7

Line 7 refers to "this place where the smoke blows black," evoking images of buildings and factories. 

Lines 1, 4, and 12 all refer to the "place where the sidewalk ends" or an image that relates to nature. 

72.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following amendments was responsible for ending slavery in the United States?

  • Thirteenth Amendment

  • Fourteenth Amendment

  • Fifteenth Amendment

  • Nineteenth Amendment

Correct answer: Thirteenth Amendment

The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. 

The Fourteenth Amendment provided protection and rights for African Americans. The Fifteenth Amendment granted all men, regardless of race or color, the right to vote. The Nineteenth Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote.

73.

View the supporting details to answer the following question.

What is the median number of cups of coffee sold per hour?

  • 32

  • 30.2

  • 34

  • 36

Correct answer: 32

The median is the number in the middle of a set of numbers; that is, half of the numbers have values that are greater than the median, and half have values that are less.

Here, the number of cups of coffee sold per hour are 32, 22, 20, 41, and 36.

Thus, there are 2 values after 32, and two values before 32.

74.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following corrections should be made to Sentence 4?

  • Insert a comma after “time”

  • Change “donate” to “donates”

  • No change

  • Change “to” to “too”

Correct answer: Insert a comma after “time”

Commas are used between items in a series. In this question, “time” and “energy” are both part of a series, and they need to be separated with the use of a comma. 

The other answer options are not options that would make the sentence grammatically correct.

75.

Solve the following by multiplying and reducing to the lowest common denominator.

5/9 x 2/9 

  • 10/81

  • 1 1/9

  • 7/9

  • 7/81

Correct answer: 10/81

1. Apply this rule: a/b×c/d = ac/bd

(5×2)/(9×9)

2. Simplify 5×2 to 10

10/(9×9)

3. Simplify 9×9 to 81

10/81

76.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

What is the author’s purpose for writing this article?

  • To inform the reader about the dukkah spice mix

  • To inform the reader on how to make dukkah

  • To inform the reader on how to appropriately use dukkah

  • To compare dukkah’s popularity with the popularity of other spice mixes

Correct answer: To inform the reader about the dukkah spice mix

The author gives readers the history of dukkah, current facts, how it is made, and how it is used. 

The article was not just written to inform the reader on dukkah's popularity, how to make dukkah, or how to appropriately use it; although, these things are mentioned within the passage. 

77.

Jackson bought tickets for a new television that his office was raffling off. Jackson purchased 15 tickets, George purchased 30 tickets, Amy purchased 15 tickets, and Greg purchased 45 tickets. 

If these are the only participants, what is the probability that one of Jackson's tickets will be drawn as the winner of the television?

  • 1/7

  • 3/5

  • 1/2

  • 5/8

Correct answer: 1/7 

Probability is the number of desired outcomes divided by the total number of outcomes.

In this question, Jackson purchased 15 tickets (the number of desired outcomes) and there was a total of 105 tickets purchased (the total number of possible outcomes), or 15/105.

The fraction can be simplified.

15/105 ÷ 15/15 = 1/7

78.

Solve the following by multiplying and reducing to the lowest common denominator.

5 x 3/4 

  • 3 3/4

  • 3/4

  • 5 3/4

  • 4 3/4

Correct answer: 3 3/4

1. Simplify

15/4

2. Convert to mixed fraction

3 3/4

79.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following changes should be made to Sentence 12?

  • Change “Government” to “government”

  • Insert a comma after "involved”

  • Change “is” to “are”

  • Change “calling” to “called”

Correct answer: Change “Government” to “government”

“Government” is not a proper noun in this case; therefore, it should only be capitalized if it is used at the beginning of a sentence or within a title. 

The other answer options are not options that would make the sentence grammatically correct.

80.

|3 + x| = 5

Which of the following options is the correct solution set for the above equation?

  • {-8, 2}

  • {2, 8}

  • {-8, -2}

  • {-8, 8}

Correct answer: {-8, 2} 

The bars which surround the equation signify “absolute value,” which refers to the distance of a number from zero. Therefore, the outcome can be either positive or negative. The equation |3 + x| = 5 has two solutions:

3 + x = - 5 and 3 + x = 5

Solve the first equation.

3 + x = -5

x = -5 - 3

x = -8

Solve the next equation.

3 + x = 5

x = 5 - 3

x = 2

Therefore, the set of possible solutions is {-8, 2}