HiSET Exam Questions

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121.

The product of two numbers is 4.536. If one of the numbers is 0.9, what is the other number?

  • 5.04

  • 4.05

  • 4.50

  • 5.08

Correct answer: 5.04

Since the product is 4.536 and one of the numbers is 0.9, let's set up an equation with x representing the unknown number.

0.9(x) = 4.536

x = 4.536 ÷ 0.9 = 5.04

122.

What are the three primary types of radiation?

  • Alpha, beta, and gamma

  • Alpha, delta, and omega

  • Alpha, delta, and gamma

  • Alpha, beta, and delta

Correct answer: Alpha, beta, and gamma

Radiation is the term used for the particles or energy released from an unstable nucleus. The three types of radiation are alpha, beta, and gamma.

123.

The diameter of a carbon atom is 0.000000000154 m. How is this number expressed in scientific notation?

  • 1.54 x 10-10

  • 1.54 x 1012

  • 1.54 x 10-12

  • 1.54 x 1010

Correct answer: 1.54 x 10-10

In order for the base number to be between 1 and 10, the decimal has to move ten spaces to the right, which means the exponent is negative. 

124.

Solve the following by subtracting.

2 1/3 - 3/4 

  • 1 7/12

  • 1 1/3

  • 1 1/2

  • 1 3/4

Correct answer: 1 7/12

1. Convert 2 1/3 to improper fraction

Use this rule: a b/c = (ac+b)/c

(2×3+1)/3 − 3/4

2. Simplify 2×3 to 6

(6+1)/3 − 3/4

3. Simplify 6+1 to 7

7/3 − 3/4

4. Find the Least Common Denominator (LCD) of 7/3,3/4

Method 1: By Listing Multiples List out all multiples of each denominator, and find the first common one.

3 : 3,6,9,12

4 : 4,8,12

Therefore, the LCD is 12

Method 2: By Prime Factors List all prime factors of each denominator, and find the union of these primes.

3 : 3

4 : 2,2

Therefore, the LCD is 2×2×3=12

5. Make the denominators the same as the LCD

(7×4)/(3×4) − (3×3)/(4×3)

6. Simplify - Denominators are now the same

28/12 − 9/12

7. Join the denominators

(28−9)/12

8. Simplify

19/12

9. Convert to mixed fraction

1 7/12

125.

If a car travels 150 miles in 2.5 hours, how far will it travel in 3.5 hours?

  • 210 miles

  • 225 miles

  • 310 miles

  • 240 miles

Correct answer: 210 miles

This question can be answered by setting it up as a proportion.

150 miles/2.5 hours = n miles/3.5 hours

150/2.5 = n/3.5

150 × 3.5 = 2.5n

525 = 2.5n

525/2.5 = n

n = 210 miles

126.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following changes should be made to Sentence 7?

  • Change “victims” to “victim”

  • Change “a” to “an”

  • Change “dies” to “died”

  • Remove the comma after “legend”

Correct answer: Change “victims” to “victim”

The words “dies” and “becomes” are written in the singular tense; therefore, the subject that they are referring to needs to also be in the singular tense. In this sentence “dies” and “becomes” are both referring to “victims,” which is plural, so by changing “victims” to “victim,” the sentence is corrected. 

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

127.

Harriet, a respiratory therapist, averages 70,000 steps per week as measured on her FitGal pedometer. Some of these steps are taken at work in the hospital and some are taken in Harriet’s neighborhood after work each day. 

If the ratio of hospital steps to neighborhood steps is 2:9, how many steps does Harriet take at the hospital each week?

  • 20,000

  • 16,000

  • 28,000

  • 60,000

Correct answer: 20,000

The question states that the ratio of hospital steps to neighborhood steps is 2:9 and asks you to calculate the total number of hospital steps. Therefore, you need to first determine the ratio of hospital steps to total steps. 

Harriet takes 2 of every 9 steps in total at the hospital.

Hospital Steps : Total steps = 2:9

2/9 x 70,000 = 20,000

Harriet takes 20,000 steps at the hospital each week.

128.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following changes should be made to correct Sentence 3?

  • Change “main street” to “Main Street”

  • Change “that” to “which”

  • Change “compare” to “compares”

  • Change “benefits” to “benefit”

Correct answer: Change “main street” to “Main Street”

The names of streets, roads, and highways are capitalized; therefore, “Main Street” should be capitalized. 

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

129.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

On which of the following topics do Speaker A and Speaker C disagree?

  • The way federal aid is being spent

  • The hopelessness of the public transportation system

  • The amount of tax dollars collected

  • The number of people actually using public transportation

Correct answer: The way federal aid is being spent

Speaker A would like to improve public transportation by receiving more federal funding. Speaker C would like to review how the current federal funding is being spent. Therefore, you can determine that the way federal aid is being spent is the issue that divides the two speakers. 

The hopelessness of public transportation, the amount of tax dollars collected, or the number of people who use public transportation is not discussed by either speaker; therefore, those options can all be eliminated.

130.

Chemistry is the study of what?

  • Matter and its properties

  • Gases and liquids

  • Molecules

  • Acids and bases

Correct answer: Matter and its properties

Everything is composed of matter, and chemistry studies matter and its properties. Chemistry also studies how the properties of matter relate to one another and includes molecules, gases and liquids, and acids and bases.

131.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following best describes the poem’s subject?

  • Ailing

  • Blessed

  • Irked

  • Energetic

Correct answer: Ailing

"Ailing" means to be in poor health. This poem is about an eighty-eight year old woman who is bedridden, is in much pain, and is clearly in poor health. 

The poem does not indicate that the woman feels blessed or energetic as she yearns for death and is in pain. "Irked" means annoyed or irritated, but the woman's pain is much deeper than this.

132.

Simplify:

(27x + 9) / 3

  • 9x + 3

  • 27x + 3

  • 9x + 9

  • 27x + 3

Correct answer: 9x + 3

First, find a common multiple and factor it out.

(27x + 9) / 3 = 3(9x + 3) / 3

The 3 cancels in the numerator and denominator, leaving 9x + 3.

133.

A shop sells chocolates for $1.35 each, eggs at $2.73 per dozen and grapes at $0.75/100g.

What would the cost be for two chocolates, three dozen eggs, and 500g of grapes?

  • $14.64

  • $18.19

  • $13.72

  • $12.70

Correct answer: $14.64

Two chocolates cost twice as much as one.

$1.35 × 2 = $2.70

Three dozen eggs would be three times the price of a dozen.

$2.73 × 3 = $8.19

500g grapes cost 5 times as much as 100g.

$0.75 × 5 = $3.75

Add the subtotals.

$8.19 + $3.75 + $2.70 = $14.64

134.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following changes should be made to Sentence 3?

  • Change “live” to “lived”

  • Change “live” to “lives”

  • Change “suburbs” to “suburb"

  • Remove the comma after “2000”

Correct answer: Change “live” to “lived”

The sentence is referring to the past (“In 2000”), so the writer should use a past tense verb (“lived”). 

Commas should be used after an introductory phrase, so don't remove the comma after “2000.” Half of the United States population would live in more than one suburb, so do not use “suburb” in its singular tense.

135.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following options would correct the punctuation in Sentence 7?

  • Insert a comma after “environment”

  • Remove the comma after “service”

  • Insert a comma after “productivity”

  • Insert a semicolon after “themselves”

Correct answer: Insert a comma after “environment”

In Sentence 7, the introductory phrase “In the business environment” is a phrase that interrupts the movement of the sentence and should be set off with a comma. 

The other suggested punctuation changes would not correct the punctuation as a semicolon should be used to join two independent clauses and commas should be used between items in a series.

136.

A bus arrives at the bus station every 2 hours, a second bus arrives every 3 hours, and a third bus arrives every 4 hours. If all 3 buses arrive at 9:00 AM, at what time will all 3 buses next arrive at the same time?

  • 9:00 PM

  • 12:00 PM

  • 3:00 AM

  • 6:00 PM

Correct answer: 9:00 PM

You must look at each time the third bus arrives and determine if it's evenly divisible by the other two. Therefore, you would look at 4, 8, and 12. Because 12 is the only time that is evenly divisible by the times of buses 1 and 2, you know that the buses will all arrive every 12 hours. 9:00 AM = 12 hours = 9:00 PM.

137.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Which of the following options would correct sentence 5?

  • Change “were” to “are”

  • Change “estimated” to “estimates”

  • Remove the comma after “roads”

  • Change “delivering” to “delivers”

Correct answer: Change “were” to “are”

In order to correct sentence 5, the past tense verb “were” should be changed to the present tense verb “are.” The beginning of the sentence is written in the present tense (“It is …”); therefore, the remainder of the sentence should also be written in the present tense.

138.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

According to the passage, the Wilderness Trail was dangerous to travel. Why would travelers use it to travel to Kentucky?

  • The trail was the best route for travelers wanting to go to Kentucky

  • The trail was the quickest route for travelers wanting to go to Kentucky

  • The trail was the safest route for travelers wanting to go to Kentucky

  • The trail was the flattest route for travelers wanting to go to Kentucky

Correct answer: The trail was the best route for travelers wanting to go to Kentucky

The passage clearly states that the Wilderness Trail was the best route, but it does not state that it was the safest route, the quickest route, or the flattest route. To the contrary, the passage states that the Wilderness Trail was dangerous and steep.

139.

Solve for x:

3 + 2x = 12

  • 4.5

  • 4

  • 3.5

  • 5

Correct answer: 4.5

Solve the equation 3 + 2x = 12

Subtract 3 from each side.

3 + 2x - 3 = 12 - 3

2x = 9

Next, divide each side by 2.

2x/2 = 9/2

x = 9/2, or 4.5

140.

A truck is carrying boxes of rice cereal, oat cereal, and wheat cereal in a ratio of 3:6:5. If there are 600 boxes of oat cereal, how many total boxes of cereal are there on the truck?

  • 1,400

  • 1,200

  • 800

  • 14,000

Correct answer: 1,400

To solve the problem, let x represent the unknown number of total boxes of cereal on the truck. 

There are 14 boxes of cereal in the sample given (3 + 6 + 5). 

Use the following equation to solve for x:

6/14 = 600/x

Cross multiply: 6x = 14 × 600

6x = 8,400

x = 8,400/6

x = 1,400

There are 1,400 boxes of cereal on the truck.