Question ID 1353b86e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 1353b86e 1.1
Colors of
Marbles in a Bag
Color Number
Red 8
Blue 10
Green 22
Total 40
The table shows the number of different colors of marbles in a bag. If a
marble is chosen at random from the bag, what is the probability that the
marble will be blue?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: 1353b86e Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is correct. If a marble is chosen at random from the bag, the probability of choosing a marble of a
certain color is the number of marbles of that color divided by the total number of marbles in the bag. Since
there are 10 blue marbles in the bag, and there are 40 total marbles in the bag, the probability that the marble
chosen will be blue is .
Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. These represent the probability that the marble chosen won’t be blue (choice
A), will be green (choice B), and won’t be green (choice C).
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID d89c1513
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: d89c1513 1.2
Customer Purchases at a Gas Station
Beverage purchased Beverage not purchased Total
Gasoline purchased 60 25 85
Gasoline not purchased 35 15 50
Total 90 40 135
On Tuesday, a local gas station had 135 customers. The table above
summarizes whether or not the customers on Tuesday purchased gasoline,
a beverage, both, or neither. Based on the data in the table, what is the
probability that a gas station customer selected at random on that day did
not purchase gasoline?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: d89c1513 Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is correct. The total number of gas station customers on Tuesday was 135. The table shows that the
number of customers who did not purchase gasoline was 50. Finding the ratio of the number of customers who
did not purchase gasoline to the total number of customers gives the probability that a customer selected at
random on that day did not purchase gasoline, which is .
Choice A is incorrect and may result from finding the probability that a customer did not purchase a beverage,
given that the customer did not purchase gasoline. Choice B is incorrect and may result from finding the
probability that a customer did not purchase gasoline, given that the customer did not purchase a beverage.
Choice C is incorrect and may result from finding the probability that a customer did purchase a beverage,
given that the customer did not purchase gasoline.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID 46545dd6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 46545dd6 1.3
Number of High School Students Who
Completed Summer Internships
High Year
school 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Foothill 87 80 75 76 70
Valley 44 54 65 76 82
Total 131 134 140 152 152
The table above shows the number of students from two different high
schools who completed summer internships in each of five years. No
student attended both schools. Of the students who completed a summer
internship in 2010, which of the following represents the fraction of
students who were from Valley High School?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: 46545dd6 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. According to the table, 140 students from the two high schools completed summer
internships in 2010. Of these, 65 were from Valley High School. Therefore, of the students who completed
summer internships in 2010, represents the fraction who were from Valley High School.
Choice A is incorrect. This is the difference between the numbers of students from the two high schools who
completed internships in 2010 divided by the total number of students from the two schools who completed
internships that year. Choice C is incorrect. This is the fraction of students from Foothill High School who
completed internships out of all the students who completed internships in 2010. Choice D is incorrect. This is
the number of students from Valley High School who completed internships in 2010 divided by the number of
students from Foothill High School who completed internships in 2010.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID 16cea46c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 16cea46c 1.4
Voice type Number of singers
Countertenor 4
Tenor 6
Baritone 10
Bass 5
A total of 25 men registered for singing lessons. The frequency table shows
how many of these singers have certain voice types. If one of these singers
is selected at random, what is the probability he is a baritone?
A. 0.10
B. 0.40
C. 0.60
D. 0.67
ID: 16cea46c Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. This probability is calculated by dividing the number of baritone singers by the total
number of men registered for singing lessons. It’s given that a total of 25 men registered for singing lessons
and that there are 10 baritones. Therefore, the probability of selecting a baritone from this group at random is
, which is equivalent to 0.40.
Choice A is incorrect. This would be the probability of selecting a baritone at random if there were 100 total
men who registered for singing lessons. Choice C is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a singer at
random who isn’t a baritone. Choice D is incorrect. This would be the probability of selecting a baritone at
random if there were 15 total men registered for singing lessons.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID b680e76d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: b680e76d 1.5
A survey taken by 1,000 students at a school asked whether they played school sports. The table below
summarizes all 1,000 responses from the students surveyed.
How many of the males surveyed responded that they do not play a school
sport?
A. 109
B. 252
C. 468
D. 688
ID: b680e76d Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. The table summarizes all 1,000 responses from the students surveyed. If 312 are males who
play a sport, 220 are females who play a sport, and 216 are females who do not play a sport, then 1,000 – 312 –
220 – 216 = 252 males who do not play a sport.
Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. If 109 males who do not play a sport responded, then the table summary
would be 109 + 312 + 220 + 216 = 857 total student responses rather than 1,000. If 468 males who do not play a
sport responded, then the table summary would be 468 + 312 + 220 + 216 = 1,216 total student responses rather
than 1,000. If 688 males who do not play a sport responded, then the table summary would be 688 + 312 + 220 +
216 = 1,436 total student responses rather than 1,000.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID 60caadfd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 60caadfd 1.6
Each rock in a collection of rocks was classified as either igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary, as shown in
the frequency table.
Classification Frequency
igneous
metamorphic
sedimentary
If one of these rocks is selected at random, what is the probability of selecting a rock that is igneous?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: 60caadfd Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is correct. If one of the rocks in the collection is selected at random, the probability of selecting a
rock that is igneous is equal to the number of igneous rocks in the collection divided by the total number of
rocks in the collection. According to the table, there are igneous rocks in the collection, and it's given that
there's a total of rocks in the collection. Therefore, if one of the rocks in the collection is selected at random,
the probability of selecting a rock that is igneous is .
Choice A is incorrect. This is the number of igneous rocks in the collection divided by the number of
sedimentary rocks in the collection, not divided by the total number of rocks in the collection.
Choice B is incorrect. This is the number of igneous rocks in the collection divided by the number of
metamorphic rocks in the collection, not divided by the total number of rocks in the collection.
Choice C is incorrect. This is the number of igneous rocks in the collection divided by the number of rocks in
the collection that aren't igneous, not divided by the total number of rocks in the collection.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID e5b5fbdd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: e5b5fbdd 1.7
Of the 8 planets in our solar system, 4 are considered rocky. If a student
randomly selects 1 of those 8 planets as a topic for a report, what is the
probability that the selected planet will be rocky?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: e5b5fbdd Answer
Correct Answer: C
Rationale
Choice C is correct. If one of these planets is selected at random, the probability that the selected planet will be
rocky is calculated by dividing the number of planets that are considered rocky by the total number of planets.
It’s given that 4 of the 8 total planets are considered rocky. Therefore, the probability that the selected planet
will be rocky is , which is equivalent to .
Choices A and B are incorrect. These represent the probability if 1 of the 8 planets was considered rocky
(choice A) and if 2 of the 8 planets were considered rocky (choice B). Choice D is incorrect and may result from
dividing the total number of planets by the number of planets that are considered rocky.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID ec7b0eb8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: ec7b0eb8 1.8
Talks on Does not talk
Texting cell phone on cell phone
behavior daily daily Total
Light 110 146 256
Medium 139 164 303
Heavy 166 74 240
Total 415 384 799
In a study of cell phone use, 799 randomly selected US teens were asked
how often they talked on a cell phone and about their texting behavior. The
data are summarized in the table above. If one of the 799 teens surveyed is
selected at random, what is the probability that the teen talks on a cell
phone daily?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: ec7b0eb8 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. If one of the teens surveyed is selected at random, the probability that the teen talks on a
cell phone daily is equal to the quotient of the total number of teens who reported that they talk on a cell
phone daily, 415, and the total number of teens surveyed, 799. Therefore, this probability is equal to .
Choice A is incorrect. This fraction represents the probability of selecting at random any one of the 799 teens
surveyed. Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual errors. Choice D is incorrect. This fraction
represents the probability of selecting at random one of the 799 teens surveyed who doesn’t talk on a cell
phone daily.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID 12dbe3de
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 12dbe3de 1.9
A store received a shipment of 1,000 MP3 players, 4 of which were
defective. If an MP3 player is randomly selected from this shipment, what is
the probability that it is defective?
A. 0.004
B. 0.04
C. 0.4
D. 4
ID: 12dbe3de Answer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale
Choice A is correct. The probability of randomly selecting a defective MP3 player from the shipment is equal to
the number of defective MP3 players divided by the total number of MP3 players in the shipment. Therefore,
the probability is , which is equivalent to 0.004.
Choice B is incorrect because 0.04 represents 4 defective MP3 players out of 100 rather than out of 1,000.
Choice C is incorrect because 0.4 represents 4 defective MP3 players out of 10 rather than out of 1,000. Choice D
is incorrect. This is the number of defective MP3 players in the shipment.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID 2a08d878
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 2a08d878 1.10
There are n nonfiction books and 12 fiction books on a bookshelf. If one of
these books is selected at random, what is the probability of selecting a
nonfiction book, in terms of n ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: 2a08d878 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. Since there are n nonfiction and 12 fiction books on the bookshelf, represents the
total number of books. If one of these books is selected at random, the probability of selecting a nonfiction
book is equivalent to the number of nonfiction books divided by the total number of books. Therefore, the
probability of selecting a nonfiction book, in terms of n, is .
Choice A is incorrect. This expression represents the number of nonfiction books divided by the number of
fiction books. Choice C is incorrect. This expression represents the number of fiction books divided by the
number of nonfiction books. Choice D is incorrect. This expression represents the probability of selecting a
fiction book.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID 1dcea480
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 1dcea480 1.11
A bag contains a total of 60 marbles. A marble is to be chosen at random
from the bag. If the probability that a blue marble will be chosen is 0.35,
how many marbles in the bag are blue?
A. 21
B. 25
C. 35
D. 39
ID: 1dcea480 Answer
Rationale
Choice A is correct. Multiplying the number of marbles in the bag by the probability of selecting a blue marble
gives the number of blue marbles in the bag. Since the bag contains a total of 60 marbles and the probability
that a blue marble will be selected from the bag is 0.35, there are a total of blue marbles in the
bag.
Choice B is incorrect and may result from subtracting 35 from 60. Choice C is incorrect. This would be the
number of blue marbles in the bag if there were a total of 100 marbles, not 60 marbles. Choice D is incorrect.
This is the number of marbles in the bag that aren’t blue.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID 4e527894
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 4e527894 1.12
There are buttons in a bag: white buttons, orange buttons, and brown buttons. If one of these buttons is
selected at random, what is the probability of selecting a white button?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: 4e527894 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. It’s given that there are buttons in a bag and of the buttons are white. If one button
from the bag is selected at random, the probability of selecting a white button is the number of white buttons
in the bag divided by the total number of buttons in the bag. Therefore, if one button from the bag is selected at
random, the probability of selecting a white button is .
Choice A is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting an orange button from the bag.
Choice C is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a brown button from the bag.
Choice D is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a button that isn't white from the bag.
Question Difficulty: Easy
Question ID 0a99e5bb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Math Problem-Solving Probability and
and Data Analysis conditional
probability
ID: 0a99e5bb
1.13
, ,
A data set of three numbers is shown. If a number from this data set is selected at random, what is the probability of
selecting a negative number?
A.
B.
C.
D.
ID: 0a99e5bb Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is correct. If a number from the data set is selected at random, the probability of selecting a negative number is the
count of negative numbers in the data set divided by the total count of numbers in the data set. It's given that a data set of
three numbers is shown. It follows that the total count of numbers in the data set is 3. In the data set shown, -13 is the only
negative number. It follows that the count of negative numbers in the data set is 1. Therefore, if a number from the data set
1
is selected at random, the probability of selecting a negative number is .
3
Choice A is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a negative number from a data set that doesn’t contain any negative
numbers.
Choice C is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a positive number, not a negative number, from the data set.
Choice D is incorrect. This is the probability of selecting a negative number from a data set that contains only negative
numbers.
Question Difficulty: Easy
