HESI A2 — All Questions

A student answered 68 of 80 questions correctly. What percent is that?

• a.68%
• b.85%✓
• c.88%
• d.12%

Divide the score by the total: 68 divided by 80 equals 0.85, or 85 percent. The number 68 is the raw score rather than a percent, 88 percent would require about 70 correct answers, and 12 is the count of questions missed rather than any percentage.

What is 150 percent of 40?

• a.6,000
• b.26.7
• c.60✓
• d.55

Write 150 percent as 1.5 and multiply: 1.5 x 40 = 60. A percent greater than 100 must give an answer larger than the original number, which rules out 26.7, while 6,000 comes from forgetting to convert the percent to a decimal.

Solve the proportion: 5/8 = 15/x.

• a.12
• b.18
• c.40
• d.24✓

Cross-multiply to get 5x = 120, then divide both sides by 5 to find x = 24. The numerator was tripled, so the denominator must be tripled too, and 8 x 3 is 24 rather than 12 or 18.

An order reads 1.5 g of a drug. The tablets on hand are 500 mg each. How many tablets are given?

• a.Half a tablet
• b.5 tablets
• c.15 tablets
• d.3 tablets✓

Convert first: 1.5 g equals 1,500 mg, and 1,500 divided by 500 is 3 tablets. Comparing 1.5 to 500 without converting the units is what produces a fraction of a tablet, and the larger answers come from misplacing the decimal in the conversion.

A syrup contains 125 mg in every 5 mL. How many milliliters supply 200 mg?

• a.5 mL
• b.10 mL
• c.8 mL✓
• d.3.1 mL

Each millilitre holds 125 divided by 5, which is 25 mg, so 200 mg needs 200 divided by 25, which is 8 mL. The dose is larger than 125 mg, so the volume must exceed 5 mL, and 10 mL would deliver 250 mg.

On a map, 1 inch represents 50 miles. How many miles does 3.5 inches represent?

• a.175 miles✓
• b.150 miles
• c.53.5 miles
• d.350 miles

Multiply the scale by the measured distance: 50 x 3.5 = 175 miles. Rounding 3.5 down to 3 gives 150, adding instead of multiplying gives 53.5, and 350 would be the distance for 7 inches.

The ratio of male to female students in a class is 2:5. If there are 35 female students, how many are male?

• a.7
• b.70
• c.87.5
• d.14✓

Five parts equal 35 students, so one part is 7 and the two male parts are 14. The number 7 is the value of a single part, 70 reverses the ratio, and 87.5 comes from multiplying 35 by 2.5 rather than dividing.

A 12-ounce bottle of juice costs $3.60. What is the cost per ounce?

• a.$0.30✓
• b.$3.00
• c.$0.033
• d.$43.20

Unit price is total cost divided by quantity: 3.60 divided by 12 equals $0.30 per ounce. The value $3.00 misplaces the decimal, $0.033 comes from dividing 12 by 360 and inverting the ratio, and $43.20 is the two numbers multiplied together, which is the price of a dozen bottles.

A medication is scheduled for 1430. What time is that on a 12-hour clock?

• a.4:30 PM
• b.2:30 AM
• c.2:30 PM✓
• d.12:30 PM

For military times past 1200, subtract 12 hours: 1430 minus 1200 gives 2:30, and because the time is after noon it is PM. Reading only the first digit gives 4:30, and any time from 1200 to 2359 is afternoon or evening, never AM.

How is 7:45 PM written in military time?

• a.0745
• b.1945✓
• c.2145
• d.1745

Add 12 hours to any PM time: 7 plus 12 is 19, so the answer is 1945. Writing 0745 would mean a quarter to eight in the morning, while 2145 and 1745 add the wrong number of hours.

A dose was charted at 0015. What time was it given?

• a.12:15 PM
• b.10:15 AM
• c.2:15 AM
• d.12:15 AM✓

Military time starts the day at 0000, so 0015 is fifteen minutes past midnight, written 12:15 AM. Midday would be charted 1215, and the hour digits here are zeros rather than a 10 or a 2.

A patient's last dose was given at 11:20 PM. How is that charted in military time?

• a.1120
• b.1320
• c.2220
• d.2320✓

Adding 12 to the hour gives 11 plus 12, which is 23, so the entry reads 2320. Leaving it as 1120 would record 11:20 in the morning, and the other choices add the wrong amount to the hour.

A shift begins at 0700 and ends at 1530. How long is the shift?

• a.7 hours 30 minutes
• b.8 hours 30 minutes✓
• c.8 hours 50 minutes
• d.9 hours 30 minutes

From 0700 to 1500 is 8 hours, and the extra 30 minutes to 1530 brings the total to 8 hours 30 minutes. Subtracting 1530 from 0700 digit by digit gives the wrong minute figures, and 9 hours 30 minutes would end at 1630.

What number does the Roman numeral XIV represent?

• a.16
• b.14✓
• c.4
• d.24

X is 10 and IV is 4 because a smaller numeral before a larger one is subtracted, giving 14. Reading the I as an addition gives 16, ignoring the X gives 4, and 24 would be written XXIV.

How is the number 29 written in Roman numerals?

• a.XXVIIII
• b.XXIX✓
• c.IXXX
• d.XXVIV

Twenty is XX and nine is IX, so 29 is XXIX. Roman numerals never repeat a symbol four times in a row, which rules out XXVIIII, and subtraction is written with a single smaller numeral directly before a larger one, not stacked as in the other choices.

What value does the Roman numeral XL represent?

• a.60
• b.49
• c.410
• d.40✓

L is 50 and the X placed before it is subtracted, giving 40. Adding instead of subtracting gives 60, which would be written LX, and Roman numerals never simply run their digits together as 410 suggests.

What number is LXVII?

• a.57
• b.72
• c.67✓
• d.117

Add the values in order: L is 50, X is 10, V is 5 and the two I symbols add 2, giving 67. Reading the X as a subtraction gives 57, and 117 would need a C at the front.

Which Roman numeral stands for 9?

• a.IX✓
• b.XI
• c.VIIII
• d.IV

Placing I before X subtracts one from ten, giving 9. XI puts the I after the X and therefore means 11, four identical symbols in a row are not used, and IV is 4.

A child is to receive 2 teaspoons of syrup. How many milliliters is that? (1 tsp = 5 mL)

• a.10 mL✓
• b.2.5 mL
• c.15 mL
• d.30 mL

Multiply the number of teaspoons by 5, so 2 x 5 = 10 mL. Dividing instead of multiplying gives 2.5 mL, 15 mL is one tablespoon, and 30 mL is a full fluid ounce.

How many milliliters are in 3 tablespoons? (1 tbsp = 15 mL)

• a.15 mL
• b.30 mL
• c.5 mL
• d.45 mL✓

Three tablespoons at 15 mL each comes to 45 mL. One tablespoon alone is 15 mL, two make 30 mL, and 5 mL is the size of a single teaspoon.

A patient drank 8 ounces of juice. About how many milliliters is that? (1 oz = 30 mL)

• a.80 mL
• b.120 mL
• c.240 mL✓
• d.480 mL

Multiply 8 by 30 to get 240 mL, which is the familiar size of one cup. Adding a zero to the ounces gives 80, halving the conversion gives 120, and doubling it gives 480.

How many fluid ounces are in 2.5 cups? (1 cup = 8 fl oz)

• a.10.5 fl oz
• b.20 fl oz✓
• c.16 fl oz
• d.25 fl oz

Multiply 2.5 by 8 to get 20 fluid ounces. Adding the numbers instead gives 10.5, 16 fl oz is only two cups, and 25 comes from multiplying by ten rather than eight.

How many ounces are in 3 pounds? (1 lb = 16 oz)

• a.48 oz✓
• b.19 oz
• c.36 oz
• d.3.2 oz

Three pounds times 16 ounces per pound equals 48 ounces. Adding the two numbers gives 19, multiplying by 12 gives 36, and dividing by ten gives 3.2, which is far lighter than a single pound.

A newborn weighs 3.5 kilograms. About how many pounds is that? (1 kg = 2.2 lb)

• a.7.7 lb✓
• b.1.6 lb
• c.5.7 lb
• d.35 lb

Multiply 3.5 by 2.2 to get 7.7 pounds. Dividing instead gives about 1.6, adding gives 5.7, and 35 pounds would be the weight of a small child rather than a newborn, which is a useful sanity check.

A dose of 250 micrograms is the same as how many milligrams?

• a.2.5 mg
• b.0.25 mg✓
• c.25 mg
• d.250,000 mg

There are 1,000 micrograms in a milligram, so divide by 1,000 and move the decimal three places left to get 0.25 mg. Moving it one or two places gives the larger answers, and multiplying by 1,000 instead would be a thousandfold overdose.

A patient is told to drink 1.5 liters of water a day. How many 250 mL glasses is that?

• a.6 glasses✓
• b.4 glasses
• c.15 glasses
• d.3 glasses

First convert: 1.5 L is 1,500 mL, and 1,500 divided by 250 gives 6 glasses. Four glasses would supply only a litre, and 15 comes from dividing by 100 rather than 250.

A wound measures 3 inches long. How many centimeters is that? (1 in = 2.54 cm)

• a.7.62 cm✓
• b.1.18 cm
• c.5.54 cm
• d.25.4 cm

Multiply 3 by 2.54 to get 7.62 cm. Dividing instead gives about 1.18, adding gives 5.54, and 25.4 cm is the length of ten inches.

How many fluid ounces are in 1 quart?

• a.16 fl oz
• b.8 fl oz
• c.32 fl oz✓
• d.64 fl oz

A quart is 2 pints, each pint is 16 fluid ounces, so a quart holds 32. Sixteen ounces is a single pint, 8 ounces is a cup, and 64 ounces is a half gallon.

Solve for x: 3(x + 2) = 18.

• a.6
• b.4✓
• c.8
• d.5

Distribute first to get 3x + 6 = 18, subtract 6 from both sides for 3x = 12, then divide by 3 to find x = 4. Dividing 18 by 3 and stopping there gives 6, and subtracting 2 before distributing gives the other values. Substituting 4 back in checks out, since 3 times 6 is 18.

Solve for x: x/5 + 3 = 8.

• a.55
• b.25✓
• c.1
• d.15

Subtract 3 from both sides to get x/5 = 5, then multiply both sides by 5 to find x = 25. Multiplying before subtracting gives 55, and dividing rather than multiplying at the last step gives 1.

Simplify: 4 + 6 x 2 - 3.

• a.17
• b.11
• c.13✓
• d.20

Order of operations requires the multiplication first: 6 x 2 is 12, so the expression becomes 4 + 12 - 3 = 13. Working strictly left to right gives 17, and subtracting before multiplying gives the other answers.

Solve for x: 2x + 5 = 3x - 4.

• a.1
• b.9✓
• c.-9
• d.4.5

Subtract 2x from both sides to get 5 = x - 4, then add 4 to both sides, giving x = 9. Sign errors when moving terms across produce 1 and negative 9. Checking confirms it: both sides equal 23 when x is 9.

What is the median of 4, 9, 7, 12 and 6?

• a.6
• b.7✓
• c.7.6
• d.8

Put the numbers in order first: 4, 6, 7, 9, 12. The middle value of five numbers is the third one, which is 7. The value 7.6 is the mean rather than the median, and 6 is the middle number only if the list is left unsorted.

Four test scores have a mean of 86. Three of them are 88, 92 and 79. What is the fourth score?

• a.86
• b.83
• c.85✓
• d.90

Four scores averaging 86 must total 4 x 86 = 344. The three known scores add to 259, so the missing score is 344 minus 259, which is 85. Assuming the missing score equals the mean is the common shortcut and is wrong unless the other three already balance.

Convert 95 degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius. (C = 5/9 x (F - 32))

• a.63 degrees
• b.52.8 degrees
• c.35 degrees✓
• d.203 degrees

Subtract 32 first to get 63, then multiply by 5/9: 63 x 5 is 315, and 315 divided by 9 is 35. Stopping after the subtraction leaves 63, forgetting to subtract 32 at all gives 52.8, and 203 is the result of running the Celsius-to-Fahrenheit formula on 95 by mistake.

An IV of 1,000 mL is to infuse over 8 hours. What is the hourly rate?

• a.80 mL per hour
• b.125 mL per hour✓
• c.100 mL per hour
• d.250 mL per hour

Divide the volume by the time: 1,000 divided by 8 equals 125 mL each hour. Dividing 8 into 1,000 incorrectly gives 80, 100 mL an hour would take ten hours, and 250 mL an hour would empty the bag in four.

A patient drank 240 mL of coffee, 120 mL of juice and 180 mL of water. What is the total intake?

• a.440 mL
• b.540 mL✓
• c.560 mL
• d.500 mL

Add the three volumes: 240 plus 120 is 360, and 360 plus 180 is 540 mL. The other totals come from carrying errors in the tens column, and a quick estimate of roughly 250 plus 120 plus 180 confirms the answer is just over 500.

An IV bag holds 450 mL and is running at 75 mL per hour. How long until it is empty?

• a.6 hours✓
• b.4 hours
• c.7.5 hours
• d.5 hours

Divide the volume remaining by the rate: 450 divided by 75 equals 6 hours. Four hours at that rate would deliver only 300 mL, and 7.5 hours comes from dividing by 60 instead of 75.