question: There are 23 distinct numbers in set M, there are 28 distinct numbers in set N, and there are 12 distinct numbers that are in both sets M and N. Set H is the set containing the elements that are in at least one of sets M and N. How many elements are in set H?
Options:
(A) 39
(B) 40
(C) 51
(D) 58
(E) 63
answer: Stream of consciousness: {Total} = {M} + {N} - {Both}
{Total} = 23 + 28 - 12 = 39. The answer is (A).

q: Scott's average (arithmetic mean) golf score on his first four rounds was 28.What score does he need on his fifth round to drop his average score by 2 points?
Options:
(A) 18
(B) 72
(C) 78
(D) 88
(E) 312
a: Stream of consciousness: Average score for first 4 rounds = 28
Average score after 5 rounds = 26
Score Scott needs on his 5th round to drop average score by 2 points = 28 - (2*5) = 18 The answer is (A).

question: 189. The inside dimensions of a rectangular wooden box
are 12 inches by 14 inches by 16 inches. A cylindrical
canister is to be placed inside the box so that it stands
upright when the closed box rests on one of its six
faces. Of all such canisters that could be used, what is
the radius, in inches, of the one that has maximum
volume?
Options:
(A) 3
(B) 4
(C) 5
(D) 6
(E) 7
answer: Stream of consciousness: Since the radius is squared, the biggest volume cylinder will have the biggest possible radius. To achieve that, let the smaller dimension of the rectangular box be the height. So, it will have 16x14width x length. The biggest cylinder must fit both dimensions, so it must have at most a diameter of 14, so the radius will be 7. The answer is (E).

q: How much 45% of 60 is greater than 35% of 40?
Options:
(A) 18
(B) 13
(C) 15
(D) 17
(E) 71
a: Stream of consciousness: (45/100) * 60 (35/100) * 40
27 - 14 = 13 The answer is (B).

question: 10 books are placed at random in a shelf. The probability that a pair of books will always be together is
Options:
(A) 1/9
(B) 1/7
(C) 1/5
(D) 1/1
(E) 1/2
answer: Stream of consciousness: 10 books can be rearranged in 10! ways consider the two books taken as a pair then number of favourable ways of getting these two books together is 9! 2!
Required probability = 1/5 The answer is (C).

question: BCB, DED, FGF, HIH, ___
Options:
(A) KOP
(B) QLM
(C) JKJ
(D) PSQ
(E) IOP
answer:
Stream of consciousness: This series consists of a simple alphabetical order with the first two letters of all segments: B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K. The third letter of each segment is a repetition of the first letter. The answer is (C).