📊 Estimation Practice

🧠 Practice Problems

Problem 1

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2020 #15

What is the value of $1 + 2 + 3 + \cdots + 100$?

A) $4500$
B) $5000$
C) $5050$
D) $5100$
E) $5500$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: Sum of first 100 positive integers. Use formula: $\frac{n(n+1)}{2} = \frac{100 \cdot 101}{2} = 5050$.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: C

Using sum formula: $\frac{n(n+1)}{2} = \frac{100 \cdot 101}{2} = 5050$.

Problem 2

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2019 #18

What is the value of $2^{10}$?

A) $512$
B) $1024$
C) $2048$
D) $4096$
E) $8192$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $2^{10} = 1024$. This is a standard power of 2 that should be memorized.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: B

$2^{10} = 1024$.

Problem 3

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2021 #20

What is the value of $\sqrt{200}$?

A) $10$
B) $12$
C) $14$
D) $16$
E) $18$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $\sqrt{200} = \sqrt{2 \cdot 100} = 10\sqrt{2} \approx 10 \cdot 1.414 \approx 14.14$. So answer is around 14.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: C

$\sqrt{200} = \sqrt{2 \cdot 100} = 10\sqrt{2} \approx 14.14$.

Problem 4

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2020 #22

What is the value of $\log_2(1000)$?

A) $8$
B) $9$
C) $10$
D) $11$
E) $12$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $2^{10} = 1024$, so $\log_2(1000) \approx 10$. Since $1000 < 1024$, the answer is slightly less than 10.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: C

Since $2^{10} = 1024$ and $1000 < 1024$, we have $\log_2(1000) \approx 10$.

Problem 5

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2019 #20

What is the value of $\sin(30°)$?

A) $0.3$
B) $0.4$
C) $0.5$
D) $0.6$
E) $0.7$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $\sin(30°) = \frac{1}{2} = 0.5$. This is a standard trigonometric value.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: C

$\sin(30°) = \frac{1}{2} = 0.5$.

Problem 6

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2021 #22

What is the value of $e^2$?

A) $5$
B) $6$
C) $7$
D) $8$
E) $9$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $e \approx 2.718$, so $e^2 \approx (2.718)^2 \approx 7.39$. The answer is around 7.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: C

$e \approx 2.718$, so $e^2 \approx (2.718)^2 \approx 7.39$.

Problem 7

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2020 #24

What is the value of $\pi^2$?

A) $8$
B) $9$
C) $10$
D) $11$
E) $12$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $\pi \approx 3.14$, so $\pi^2 \approx (3.14)^2 \approx 9.86$. The answer is around 10.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: C

$\pi \approx 3.14$, so $\pi^2 \approx (3.14)^2 \approx 9.86$.

Problem 8

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2019 #22

What is the value of $\sqrt{50}$?

A) $5$
B) $6$
C) $7$
D) $8$
E) $9$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $\sqrt{50} = \sqrt{25 \cdot 2} = 5\sqrt{2} \approx 5 \cdot 1.414 \approx 7.07$. The answer is around 7.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: C

$\sqrt{50} = \sqrt{25 \cdot 2} = 5\sqrt{2} \approx 7.07$.

Problem 9

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2021 #24

What is the value of $\log_{10}(1000)$?

A) $2$
B) $3$
C) $4$
D) $5$
E) $6$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $\log_{10}(1000) = \log_{10}(10^3) = 3$. This is a standard logarithmic value.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: B

$\log_{10}(1000) = \log_{10}(10^3) = 3$.

Problem 10

Tags: Estimation · source: AMC10 2020 #25

What is the value of $\cos(60°)$?

A) $0.3$
B) $0.4$
C) $0.5$
D) $0.6$
E) $0.7$

Strategic Analysis

Estimation: $\cos(60°) = \frac{1}{2} = 0.5$. This is a standard trigonometric value.

Expected Value: 1 choice remaining, EV = 6 points.

Answer & Solution

Answer: C

$\cos(60°) = \frac{1}{2} = 0.5$.


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