PSAT Math Multiple-Choice Question 549: Answer and Explanation

Question: 549

A teacher estimates that 1.5% of the district’s students have red hair. Which of the following is the closest to the total number of students with red hair if there are approximately 350 students per school in the 9 different schools in the district?

• A. 4,725
• B. 525
• C. 47
• D. 5

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

The question asks for the total number of students with red hair in a school district based on a percentage. There are approximately 350 students per school in the 9 different schools, so there are approximately 9(350) = 3,150 total students in the district. The question states 1.5% of the district's students have red hair. "Percent" means divide by 100. Then multiply the result by the value of which the percent is taken. This becomes 0.015(3,150) = 47.25 students have red hair in the district. The correct answer is (C).