SSAT Sample Questions – Upper Level

SSAT Upper Level: Sample Questions

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Let’s take a look at some of the questions that can appear on the Upper-level SSAT. A small explanation follows each question. Read more about what it takes to succeed in the SSAT here.

Question 1

Jane has a total of 24 marbles. Six of them are red, eight are blue and the remaining are green. What is the ratio of green marbles to the total number of marbles?

This question deals with the concept of ratios and proportions but instead of asking you to calculate a ratio directly, it first asks you to find out the number of green marbles by subtracting the number of red and blue marbles from the total and then proceed toward calculating the ratio.

Here, the no. of green marbles = 24 – 6 (red marbles) – 8 (blue marbles) = 10

Therefore, the ratio of green marbles to the total number of marbles would be 10/24, or 5/12.

Please keep in mind that this is also the proportion of green marbles in all the marbles Jane has. Different terms can be used to ask the same question.

Let’s take a look at one more math question.

Question 2

Rosy’s scores on a test are 91, 89, 74 and 78. What must be her score on her fifth test to get an average of 85?

This question requires you to know how to calculate the average of a set of numbers.

Average = Sum of all the terms / Number of terms

Here, we know the average (85) as well as the number of terms (5).

So the sum of all the terms = average * no. of terms = 85*5 = 425

As we already know 4 of the terms, the fifth can be obtained by subtracting the sum of the first 4 terms from the total (425).

Rosy’s score on the fifth test = 425 – (91 + 89 + 74 + 78) = 425 – 332 = 93.

As you can see, the questions on SSAT Quant employ a combination of concepts (subtraction + average, proportion, and subtraction, etc.) to test your knowledge.

Let’s look at a Verbal SSAT question now.

Question 3

Enigma is to Mysterious as

a) Bigot is to Prejudiced
b) Beetle is to venomous
c) Politician is to Obtuse
d) Professor is to Glib
e) Potion is to Potent

This question presents a pair of words (enigma, mysterious) and asks you to identify another pair that has the same relationship between them as the original pair provided.

If we take a look at the original pair, we can see that if something is an enigma, that means it is mysterious. Let’s examine other pairs out of the options given to us and see whether any of them exhibit the same relationship.

a) Bigot is to Prejudiced

If somebody is a bigot, it means he is prejudiced. This is the same relationship as the original pair. This is the correct answer choice.

b) Beetle is to venomous

If a creature is a beetle, it doesn’t mean it is venomous. It doesn’t exhibit the same relationship that the original pair does.

c) Politician is to Obtuse

Again, being a politician doesn’t mean that person is obtuse. Incorrect.

d) Professor is to Glib

Being a professor doesn’t automatically mean that person is fluent but insincere. Incorrect.

e) Potion is to Potent

Here also, a potion doesn’t have to be potent. Incorrect.

So the SSAT Verbal section isn’t just checking for vocabulary but also for correct usage of words. It’s important to not just memorize but understand word meanings.

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