PSAT Math Multiple-Choice Question 529: Answer and Explanation

Question: 529

An office supply store sells boxes of paperclips. Each box contains at least 300 but no more than 400 paperclips. Which of the following could be the total number of paperclips in 5 boxes?

• A. 850
• B. 1,250
• C. 1,650
• D. 2,050

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

The question asks for the number of paperclips that could be in 5 boxes. Since there is a range for the number of paperclips in one box, find the minimum and maximum number that could be in 5 boxes. If each box contains the minimum of 300 paperclips, 5 boxes would contain 5(300) = 1,500 paperclips. Eliminate (A) and (B), as these numbers are too small. If each box contains the maximum of 400 paperclips, 5 boxes would contain 5(400) = 2,000 paperclips. Eliminate (D), as this number is too large. The correct answer is (C).