PSAT Math Multiple-Choice Question 202: Answer and Explanation

Question: 202

Mae-Ling made 15 shots during a basketball game. Some were 3-pointers and others were worth 2 points each. If s shots were 3-pointers, which expression represents her total score?

• A. 3s
• B. s + 30
• C. 3s + 2
• D. 5s + 30

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

B

Difficulty: Medium

Category: Heart of Algebra/Linear Equations

Getting to the Answer: The key to answering this type of question is determining how many results fit in each category. Here, you need to know how many shots were 3-pointers and how many were 2-pointers. Mae-Ling successfully made 15 shots total and s were 3-pointers, so the rest, or 15 - s, must have been 2-pointers. Write the expression in words first: points per 3-pointers (3) times number of shots that were 3-pointers (s), plus points per regular goal (2) times number of regular goals (15 - s). Now, translate from English into math: 3 s + 2(15 - s). This is not one of the answer choices, so simplify the expression by distributing the 2 and then combining like terms: 3 s + 2(15 - s) = 3 s + 30 - 2 s = s + 30. This matches (B).