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Word Problems MCQs for MDCAT Practice

Math Reasoning section, Word Problems chapter. Up to eight free sample questions, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. The full chapter opens in the app.

The bank has 1,170 active questions on this chapter. Your first 500 practice attempts are free, and every attempt includes a worked explanation.

  1. Question 1
    A rectangular box is 4 in wide, 6 in long, and 8 in deep. If the box is to be filled with cubes, each with a side length of 2 in, until no space is left inside, how many cubes are needed?
    • 12
    • 24 (correct answer)
    • 32
    • 48
    Correct answer: B
    Calculate the number of smaller cubes that fit into a larger rectangular box by comparing their volumes.
  2. Question 2
    A large group of friends go out to dinner at a restaurant which charges them a service fee of 12 percent of the original price of their meal. After this fee is factored in, the group uses a coupon to get 25 percent off the total. In the end, what percent discount did the group receive off the original price?
    • 13%
    • 16% (correct answer)
    • 18%
    • 20%
    Correct answer: B
    This question assesses your ability to calculate sequential percentage changes, specifically a service fee followed by a discount, to find the net percentage change.
  3. Question 3
    There are 800 students in a school and 45% of the students are male. If 30% of the male students and 25% of the female students play varsity sports, how many students play varsity sports?
    • 200
    • 218 (correct answer)
    • 400
    • 435
    Correct answer: B
    Calculate the total number of students playing varsity sports by determining male and female participants separately and summing them.
  4. Question 4
    The volume of a cylinder is 500 cm³ and radius is 5 cm. What is the height? (Use π = 3.14)
    • 5 cm
    • 6 cm (correct answer)
    • 7 cm
    • 8 cm
    Correct answer: B
    This question tests the application of the cylinder volume formula to find its height when volume and radius are given, requiring basic algebraic manipulation.
  5. Question 5
    A group of 1200 persons consisting of captains and soldiers is travelling in a train. For every 15 soldiers, there is one captain. The number of captains in the group is
    • 70
    • 75 (correct answer)
    • 80
    • 85
    Correct answer: B
    This problem tests ratio and proportion by applying a given ratio to a total group size to find the number of one component.
  6. Question 6
    A train covers 180 km in 3 hours. What is the speed to time ratio?
    • 60:1 (correct answer)
    • 1:60
    • 3:180
    • 180:3
    Correct answer: A
    Calculate the speed of a train and express it as a ratio of speed to time, ensuring correct unit interpretation for the final answer.
  7. Question 7
    A team translates a book in 40 days. A second team with 60% the efficiency joins after 10 days. Total time to complete the book?
    • 28
    • 30 (correct answer)
    • 32
    • 34
    Correct answer: B
    This problem assesses your ability to calculate the total time required to complete a task when the workforce efficiency changes mid-task, a common application of work-rate problems.
  8. Question 8
    A force of 10 N moves an object 5 m in the direction of the force. What is the work done?
    • 15 J
    • 20 J
    • 50 J (correct answer)
    • 100 J
    Correct answer: C
    Calculate work done by a constant force moving an object in its direction. Tests the fundamental definition of work in physics.

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Read the full Word Problems chapter notes: Word Problems notes. Or browse every chapter.