What this skill covers
Number and Quantity questions are usually straightforward arithmetic once you correctly identify what's being asked — the challenge is almost always translating a word problem into the right setup, not performing hard calculations.
For rate problems (speed, price per unit, etc.), writing out the units explicitly (miles per hour, dollars per item) helps catch setup errors before you calculate.
Worked examples
Example 1
A car travels 150 miles in 3 hours at a constant speed. How far will it travel in 5 hours at the same speed?
A. 250 miles
B. 300 miles
C. 200 miles
D. 150 miles
Why: The rate is 150 ÷ 3 = 50 miles per hour, so in 5 hours it travels 50 × 5 = 250 miles.
Example 2
A recipe calls for 2 cups of flour for every 3 cups of sugar. If 8 cups of flour are used, how many cups of sugar are needed?
A. 12
B. 10
C. 6
D. 16
Why: 8 cups of flour is 4 times the 2-cup ratio unit, so sugar is also scaled by 4: 3 × 4 = 12 cups.
How to practice this on TSI Practice Prep
Open ACT Practice to answer original ACT questions on aCT Number and Quantity, get an explanation for every choice, and see this skill tracked separately in your progress and mistake review.
Practice score estimates are learning indicators, not official scores or admission guarantees.
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