STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) Algebra I, May 2019, cont.

Continuing with the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam, administered MAY 2019.

More STAAR problems.

Administered May 2019

Read each question carefully. For a multiple-choice question, determine the best answer to the question from the four answer choices provided. For a griddable question, determine the best answer to the question.





51. A customer at a store paid $64 for 3 large candles and 4 small candles. At the same store, a second customer paid $4 more than the first customer for 1 large candle and 8 small candles.
The price of each large candle is the same, and the price of each small candle is the same. Which system of equations can be used to find the price in dollars of each large candle, x, and each small candle, y?

A 4y = 3x + 64 ; 8y = x + 68
B 4y = 3x + 64 ; 8y = x + 60
C 3x + 4y = 64 ; x + 8y = 68
D 3x + 4y = 64 ; x + 8y = 60

Answer: C 3x + 4y = 64 ; x + 8y = 68
The total price of the candles is $64. That tells you that it will be Choice C or D.
If the second customer paid $4 more, than that customer paid $68, not $60, so Choice D is eliminated.

Choices A and B would work if the equations said 4y = 64 - 3x, with subtraction and not addition.



52. Linear parent function f is graphed on the grid.

Which graph best represents h(x) = −f(x) + 3?

Answer: G
The -f(x) will reflect the graph over the x-axis. All of the negative values will become positive. All of the positive values will become negative. Eliminate choices F and J.
The +3 will add 3 to the y coordinate after it has been reflected. Choice G is correct.

53. Which expression is equivalent to 4(sqrt(147))?

A 196(sqrt(3))
B 12(sqrt(7))
C 3(sqrt(7))
D 28(sqrt(3))

Answer: D 28(sqrt(3))
You can check the decimal equivalents of each of the choices, just be careful when entering the expression.

To simplify the radical, look at it's factors.
The factors of 147 are 3 x 49 = 3 x 7 x 7
So we can split SQRT(147) into SQRT(3) * SQRT(7²), which is 7 SQRT(3).
Therefore, 4(SQRT(147)) = 4(7*SQRT(3)) = 28(SQRT(3))



54. The total distance in centimeters a toy robot moves varies directly with the time in seconds.
The toy robot moves a total distance of 264 centimeters in 11 seconds.
What is the time in seconds the toy robot moves when the total distance is 408 centimeters?

F 24 s
G 17 s
H 13 s
I 37 s

Answer: G 17 s
The robot moved 264 cm in 11 sec, meaning it traveled at a rate of (264/11) (cm/s), or 24 cm/s.
If you divide 408 cm by 24 cm/s, you get 17 s.


End of exam.

More to come. Comments and questions welcome.

More STAAR problems.