q: The average of 20 numbers is zero. Of them, at the most, how many may be greater than zero?
Options:
(A) 7
(B) 4
(C) 12
(D) 19
(E) 28
a: Stream of consciousness: Average of 20 numbers = 0
Sum of 20 numbers = (0 * 20) = 0
It is quite possible that 19 of these numbers may be positive and if their sum is a, then 20th number is (-a). The answer is (D).

question: The number of people at Ovations Bar in the hour from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. was 25% greater than the number of people there from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. The number of the people at the bar from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. was 25% less than the number there from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. If 135 people were at the bar from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., which of the following is the number of people in the bar from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.?
Options:
(A) 10
(B) 20
(C) 30
(D) 40
(E) 80
answer: Stream of consciousness: No of people from 10 - 11 is x
No of people from 11 - 12 is 3x/4
No of people from 12 to 1 is (5/4)(3x/4)
Given that 3x/4 + (5/4)(3x/4) = 27x/16 = 135
Then x = 80 The answer is (E).

q: What percent is 70 of 280?
Options:
(A) 12 %
(B) 25 %
(C) 26 %
(D) 27 %
(E) 28 %
a: Stream of consciousness: 70/280 = 1/4
1/4 100 = 25 % The answer is (B).

question: The length of a rectangle is increased by 25% and its breadth is decreased by 20%. What is the effect on its area?
Options:
(A) 1288
(B) 1299
(C) 1000
(D) 10000
(E) 2887
answer: Stream of consciousness: 100 * 100 = 10000
125 * 80 = 10000 The answer is (D).

q: A shipment of 8 TV sets contains 5 black and white sets and 3 color sets. If 2 TV sets are to be chosen at random from this shipment, what is the probability that at least 1 of the 2 sets chosen will be a black and white set?
Options:
(A) 1/7
(B) 1/4
(C) 5/14
(D) 25/28
(E) 13/28
a: Stream of consciousness: 3/8 * 2/7 = 6/56
1-(6/56) = 50/56 = 25/28 The answer is (D).

q: Efrida and Frazer who live 10 miles apart, meet at a restaurant that is directly north of Efrida's home and directly east of Frazer's home. If the restaurant is four miles closer to Efrida's home, than to Frazer's home, how many miles is the restaurant from Frazer's home?
Options:
(A) 6
(B) 7
(C) 8
(D) 10
(E) 11
a:
Stream of consciousness: It's a simple geometry problem. Look at the diagram below: The answer is (A).