Problem 1 · 1988 AJHSME
Easy
Fractions, Decimals & Percents
scale-reading
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Answer: C — 10.25.
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Hint 1 of 2
The arrow falls between the 10 and 11 marks — so the reading is 10-point-something. Where in the gap does the tip land?
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Hint 2 of 2
Reading a scale means judging what fraction of one gap you're into. The tip looks about a quarter of the way from 10 to 11.
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Approach: read the fraction of one gap
- The arrow tip sits between 10 and 11, about one-fourth of the way along that gap. The whole answer is 10 plus that fraction.
- One gap = 1 unit, so a quarter of it = 0.25, giving 10 + 0.25 = 10.25.
- Why this transfers: every analog scale — rulers, thermometers, dials — is read the same way. Lock onto the two marks the pointer is between, then estimate the fraction of that single gap; never guess against the whole scale at once.
Mark:
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