Winter Holiday Math & Reading — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Ben buys 7 sweaters at $24 each and a coat for $35. He pays with $500. What is his change?
A) $287
B) $297
C) $307
D) $317
Sweaters: 7 × $24 = $168. Total cost: $168 + $35 = $203. Change: $500 - $203 = $297.
2. A class of 24 students voted. 23 wanted a winter party. How many students wanted a party?
A) 8
B) 12
C) 16
D) 18
First find 13 of 24: 24 ÷ 3 = 8. Then 23 means 2 × 8 = 16 students.
3. A Christmas tree is 3.5 meters tall. How many centimeters is that?
A) 35
B) 350
C) 3,500
D) 35,000
There are 100 centimeters in 1 meter, so 3.5 × 100 = 350 centimeters. Multiplying by 100 shifts the decimal two places right.
4. Which statement best describes the main idea of a passage?
A) the funniest sentence
B) the key point the writer wants the reader to understand
C) a direct quote
D) the longest paragraph
The main idea is the central point the author is making. It is not just any sentence, direct quote, or the longest paragraph.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. Mia buys 9 gift bags at $12 each and pays with $200. Her change is $92.
First multiply: 9 × $12 = $108. Then subtract: $200 - $108 = $92 in change.
2. A bag has 20 marbles. If 35 are red, there are 12 red marbles.
First find 15 of 20: 20 ÷ 5 = 4. Then 35 means 3 × 4 = 12 red marbles.
3. A snowman is 7.2 inches wide. After adding 2.8 inches more snow, it is 10 inches wide.
7.2 + 2.8 = 10.0 = 10 inches. Two tenths plus eight tenths equals one whole, added to 7 + 2 = 9, giving 10.
4. A cider recipe calls for 8 pints of juice. That equals 1 gallon.
There are 8 pints in 1 gallon (2 pints per quart × 4 quarts = 8 pints), so 8 pints = 1 gallon.
5. The fraction 510 written as a decimal is 0.5.
Fractions with a denominator of 10 become tenths: 510 = 0.5. The 5 goes in the tenths place.