MEGA Elementary Education Multi-Content Practice Test

Which expression best estimates the total cost of purchasing two pairs of socks, one pair of pants, and one T-shirt during a sale?

1. (1/4)(3 + 24 + 9)

2. (1/4)(3) + (1/4)(24) + (1/4)8

3. (3/4)(6 + 24 + 9)

4. (3/4)6 + (2/3)24 + (3/4)8

The correct answer is: (3/4)6 + (2/3)24 + (3/4)8

To determine why the chosen expression best estimates the total cost of two pairs of socks, one pair of pants, and one T-shirt during a sale, it's important to break down the components of the expression. The expression given incorporates fractional multipliers that likely represent discounts or sales on the original prices. Each term corresponds to the items being purchased. For instance, (3/4)6 suggests that the item typically priced at $8 (for example, a T-shirt or another clothing item) is receiving a sale that reduces the cost by 25%, making the calculation (3/4) of its price. The same concept applies to the other items: (2/3)24 could indicate a sale on pants that is reducing the original price by one-third, while (3/4)8 points to a similar situation for socks. This method effectively uses the discounts to arrive at a more accurate representation of the total cost during a sale, making it practical for estimating the overall expense. In contrast, the other options do not seem to align well with the context of the sale or differentiate between the items accurately in terms of pricing and discounts, either applying incorrect multipliers or discussing values that do not reflect a realistic estimation of total costs based