LCAT — Mathematics Practice (Pattern Variant)
This booklet follows the LCAT mathematics pattern: topic headings with word-problem style questions. Each
topic has up to five different questions (than previous versions) with step-by-step solutions. Use these to
practice typical LCAT math word problems.
Algebra — Linear & Quadratic Equations (Word problems)
1) The difference of two numbers is 3 and their product is 54. Find the numbers.
Step 1: Let numbers be x and y with x - y = 3 and xy = 54.
Step 2: Express x = y + 3. Substitute: (y+3)y = 54 → y^2 + 3y - 54 = 0.
Step 3: Solve quadratic: Discriminant ∆ = 9 + 216 = 225 → √∆ = 15.
Step 4: y = (-3 ± 15)/2 → y = (12)/2 = 6 or y = (-18)/2 = -9.
Step 5: If y = 6 → x = 9. If y = -9 → x = -6. So pairs: (9,6) or (-6,-9).
Step 6: Final answer: (9,6) and (-6,-9).
2) A number is decreased by 30% then increased by 30%. If original is 200, compute final
value.
Step 1: Start with 200.
Step 2: Decrease by 30%: multiply by 0.70 → 200 × 0.7 = 140.
Step 3: Increase 140 by 30%: multiply by 1.30 → 140 × 1.3 = 182.
Step 4: Final value = 182 (not equal to 200).
3) A rectangular field's length is 4 m more than its width. Area is 60 m². Find dimensions.
Step 1: Let width = w, length = w + 4. Area: w(w + 4) = 60 → w^2 + 4w - 60 = 0.
Step 2: Solve quadratic: ∆ = 16 + 240 = 256 → √∆ = 16.
Step 3: w = (-4 ± 16)/2 → w = (12)/2 = 6 or w = (-20)/2 = -10 (reject).
Step 4: Width = 6, length = 10.
4) Solve for x: (x+2)/(x-3) = 5/2.
Step 1: Cross-multiply: 2(x+2) = 5(x-3).
Step 2: 2x + 4 = 5x - 15 → bring terms: 4 + 15 = 5x - 2x → 19 = 3x → x = 19/3.
Step 3: Check x ≠ 3 (domain). Valid: x = 19/3.
5) Ages: Father is three times son. In 10 years father will be twice son. Find current ages.
Step 1: Let father = F, son = S. F = 3S.
Step 2: In 10 years: F + 10 = 2(S + 10). Substitute F: 3S + 10 = 2S + 20 → 3S - 2S = 20 - 10 → S = 10.
Step 3: Then F = 30. Ages: father 30, son 10.
Geometry — Area, Circles & Triangles (Word problems)
1) A semicircle has radius 8 cm. Find its area (in terms of π).
Step 1: Area of full circle = πr^2 = π×8^2 = 64π.
Step 2: Semicircle area = (1/2)×64π = 32π.
2) An isosceles triangle has equal sides 13 and base 10. Find its area.
Step 1: Drop altitude to split base into 5 and 5. Height h = √(13^2 - 5^2) = √(169 - 25) = √144 = 12.
Step 2: Area = (1/2)×base×height = (1/2)×10×12 = 60.
3) A rectangle and square have equal perimeter 40. If rectangle width is 6, find rectangle length
and square side.
Step 1: Rectangle: 2(l + 6) = 40 → l + 6 = 20 → l = 14.
Step 2: Square perimeter 40 → side = 40/4 = 10.
4) Two concentric circles have radii 5 and 3. Find area of the annulus.
Step 1: Area difference = π(5^2 - 3^2) = π(25 - 9) = 16π.
5) Word: A triangle's medians intersect at centroid dividing them 2:1. If median length is 9,
distance from vertex to centroid?
Step 1: Centroid divides median so vertex to centroid = (2/3)×median = (2/3)×9 = 6.
Trigonometry & Angles (Word problems)
1) Find cos 0° and sin 90°.
Step 1: cos0° = 1, sin90° = 1.
2) In right triangle, angle B = 45°, hypotenuse = 10. Find adjacent and opposite to B.
Step 1: For 45° triangle, legs equal: leg = hypotenuse/√2 = 10/√2 = 5√2 ≈ 7.071.
Step 2: So adjacent = opposite = 5√2.
3) A pole casts a shadow 8 m when sun's angle is 30°. Find pole height.
Step 1: tan30° = height / 8 → height = 8 × tan30° = 8 × (1/√3) ≈ 8/1.732 ≈ 4.62.
4) Solve for θ in [0,360): sin θ = 0. (List principal solutions.)
Step 1: sin θ = 0 when θ = 0°, 180°, 360° (360° same as 0° so within [0,360) use 0° and 180°).
5) Word: From a point 50 m from a tower base, the angle of elevation to top is 37°. Estimate
tower height (tan37≈0.75).
Step 1: height = 50 × tan37° ≈ 50 × 0.75 = 37.5 m.
Coordinate Geometry & Lines
1) Find equation of line passing through (0,5) with slope -2.
Step 1: Use y - y1 = m(x - x1): y - 5 = -2(x - 0) → y = -2x + 5.
2) Find x-intercept of line 3x + 6y = 18.
Step 1: Set y = 0 → 3x = 18 → x = 6.
3) Distance between (−2,1) and (3,5).
Step 1: Distance = √[(3 - (-2))^2 + (5 - 1)^2] = √[(5)^2 + (4)^2] = √(25 + 16) = √41.
4) Find equation of perpendicular bisector of segment between (0,0) and (4,0).
Step 1: Midpoint = (2,0). Segment is horizontal, so perpendicular bisector is vertical x = 2.
5) Word: A point moves along x from 1 to 4 then to (4, -2). What is displacement magnitude?
Step 1: Start (1,0) to end (4,-2) → vector (3, -2). Magnitude = √(3^2 + (-2)^2) = √13.
Calculus — Basics (Rates & Areas)
1) Differentiate f(x) = 3x^3.
Step 1: Use power rule: d/dx x^n = n x^(n-1). So derivative = 9x^2.
2) ∫ (3x^2) dx.
Step 1: Anti-derivative: x^3 + C (since derivative of x^3 is 3x^2).
3) If s(t) = 5t^2 + 2t, find acceleration at t = 1.
Step 1: Velocity v = s'(t) = 10t + 2. Acceleration a = v'(t) = 10. So acceleration at t=1 is 10.
4) Area between y = 2 and x-axis from x=0 to x=3.
Step 1: Area = ∫_0^3 2 dx = 2x |_0^3 = 6.
5) Word: Water leaks at rate r(t) = 6 - t (liters/hour). How much leaks from t=1 to t=4?
Step 1: Volume = ∫_1^4 (6 - t) dt = [6t - t^2/2]_1^4 = (24 - 8) - (6 - 0.5) = 16 - 5.5 = 10.5 liters.
Probability & Statistics (Basic word problems)
1) One fair die rolled. Probability of getting a 4?
Step 1: P = 1/6.
2) From digits 1,2,3,4 pick one at random. P(odd)?
Step 1: Odd digits: 1,3 → 2 favorable out of 4 → 1/2.
3) Two coins tossed. Probability of exactly one head?
Step 1: Outcomes: HH, HT, TH, TT → exactly one head: HT, TH → 2/4 = 1/2.
4) Cards: pick a card from 4-card set {A,2,3,4}. P(card ≥ 3)?
Step 1: Cards ≥3 are 3 and 4 → 2/4 = 1/2.
5) Word: Expected value of drawing number 1–4 equally likely.
Step 1: E = (1+2+3+4)/4 = 10/4 = 2.5.
Number Theory & Sequences
1) Is 57 divisible by 3? Show work.
Step 1: Sum of digits 5+7 = 12. 12 divisible by 3 → 57 divisible by 3. Indeed 57/3 = 19.
2) Find next two terms: 5, 11, 17, ... (pattern).
Step 1: Differences: 6,6 → arithmetic with d=6. Next terms: 23, 29.
3) Find GCD of 21 and 14.
Step 1: GCD(21,14) = 7 (since 21=3×7, 14=2×7).
4) Sum of even numbers up to 10 (inclusive).
Step 1: Even numbers: 2,4,6,8,10. Sum = 30.
5) Word: If a number leaves remainder 2 when divided by 3, what is remainder when divided by
3 after adding 7?
Step 1: If n ≡ 2 (mod 3), then n+7 ≡ 2+7 ≡ 9 ≡ 0 (mod 3). Remainder 0.
Vectors & Matrices (Basic problems)
1) Add vectors (2, -1) and (1,3).
Step 1: Sum = (2+1, -1+3) = (3,2).
2) Scalar multiply 3 × (1,2) = ?
Step 1: Result = (3,6).
3) Solve system: x + y = 5, x - y = 1.
Step 1: Add equations: 2x = 6 → x = 3. Then y = 2.
4) Multiply matrix [[2,0],[1,3]] by vector (1,2).
Step 1: Result = (2*1 + 0*2, 1*1 + 3*2) = (2, 7).
5) Word: Find magnitude of vector (−4, 3).
Step 1: Magnitude = √(16 + 9) = √25 = 5.
Data Interpretation & Word Problems
1) If 45 out of 60 students passed, what percentage passed?
Step 1: Percentage = (45/60)×100 = 75%.
2) Average of 4 numbers is 12. One number is replaced by 20; new average is 13. What was
the replaced number?
Step 1: Original sum = 4×12 = 48. New sum = 4×13 = 52. Increase = 4 → replaced number increased
by 4, so replaced number = 20 - 4 = 16.
3) A takes 4 days, B takes 6 days. Together in how many days?
Step 1: Rates: 1/4 + 1/6 = (3+2)/12 = 5/12. Time = 12/5 = 2.4 days.
4) Price decreases by 10% then by 10%. Net factor?
Step 1: Factor = 0.9 × 0.9 = 0.81 → net decrease 19%.
5) Word: If ratio a:b = 5:2 and sum = 35, find a and b.
Step 1: Let a = 5k, b = 2k → 7k = 35 → k = 5 → a = 25, b =10.