College Math Placement Practice Test

Which expression represents the amount of merchandise sold on Wednesday if d dollars worth of merchandise was sold on Tuesday and the amount sold on Wednesday was $150 less than twice this amount?

1. 2d − 150

2. 2(d − 150)

3. 2(150 − d)

4. 150 − 2d

The correct answer is: 2d − 150

To determine the correct expression for the amount of merchandise sold on Wednesday, we start with the given information. It states that d dollars worth of merchandise was sold on Tuesday. The problem specifies that the amount sold on Wednesday is $150 less than twice the amount sold on Tuesday. To express this mathematically, we first find twice the amount sold on Tuesday, which is represented as \(2d\). Then, since the amount sold on Wednesday is $150 less than this value, we subtract 150 from \(2d\). This leads us to the expression \(2d - 150\). This approach is logical because it directly follows from the relationships given—first calculating the total without the deduction, and then applying the specified reduction. In contrast, the other options misinterpret the relationships or apply operations incorrectly: - Some may involve incorrect applications of the arithmetic operations or misuses of the terms present in the question. Thus, the expression \(2d - 150\) accurately represents the situation described, providing a clear mathematical representation of the amount sold on Wednesday based on Tuesday's sales.