WORD PROBLEMS

- Time consuming to solve using the traditional method

- Best solved using elimination process
 Select a choice at random, the check it against the problem. If that choice satisfies the problem, then it is the correct answer. If not, try again.
 Best case: first trial is the correct answer. Worst case, it takes 4 trials before the correct answer is found.
 Each trial usually involves arithmetic and requires only a few seconds to do.
 100% effective

Age:

1. Jonathan is four times as old as Justin. In twenty years, Jonathan will be twice as old as Justin. How old is Jonathan now?
a. 24 b. 32 c. 36 d. 40 e. 48

2. Jennifer’s age 12 years from now is four times her age six years ago. How old is she now?
a. 8 b. 10 c. 12 d. 16 e. 20

Distance:

1. Two cars left the same place at the same time but in opposite directions. If one cars is 8 kph faster than the other and were 792 km after 9 hours, find the speed of the
faster car.
a. 32 kph b. 36 kph c. 40 kph d. 48 kph e. 60 kph

2. Mark left the camp at 6 am walking at 6 kph headed for the mountains. Paul left the same camp two hours later to follow mark, walking at 8 kph. At what time will
Paul catch up with mark?
a. 11 am b. 12 nn c. 1 pm d. 2 pm e. 3 pm

Digit:

1. Find a two digit number such that the sum of its digits is 10. If the digits are reversed, the new number is 54 more than the original.
a. 19 b. 28 c. 37 d. 46 e. 64

2. Find a two digit number such that the sum of its digits is 12. If the digits are reversed, the new number is 12 less than twice the original.
a. 28 b. 39 c. 48 d. 57 e. 84

Number Relation:

1. Find the largest of 3 consecutive odd numbers whose sum is 75.

a. 23 b. 25 c. 27 d. 29 e. 31

2. One half of a number is 7 more than one third of that number. The number is
a. 72 b. 54 c. 84 d. 42 e. 36

3. A set of 3 positive integers has a sum of 9 and a product of 24. If the smallest of the integers is 2, what is the largest?
a. 6 b. 7 c. 8 d. 9 e. 10

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 4. The sum of three numbers is 81. The second is twice the first, and the third is six more than the second. Find the largest number.
a. 15 b. 24 c. 30 d. 32 e. 36

5. The numerator of a fraction is 7 less than the denominator. If 4 is subtracted from the numerator and 1 is added to the denominator, the resulting fraction is 1/3. Find
the original fraction.
a. 1/8 b. 5/12 c. 9/16 d. 10/17 e. 8/15

Mensuration:

1. Find the perimeter of a square whose area is 36 cm.

a. 16 cm b. 20 cm c. 24 cm d. 30 cm e. 36 cm

2. Find the area of a circle whose circumference is 8π m.

a. 4 m2 b. 9 m2 c. 16 m2 d. 25 m2 e. 36 m2

3. Find the length of a rectangle whose perimeter is 28 ft and its length is 2 more than twice its width.
a. 4 ft b. 6 ft c. 8 ft d. 9 ft e. 10 ft

4. The area of a triangle is 64 square inches. If its base is twice its height, find the base of the triangle.
a. 8 b. 10 c. 12 d. 16 e. 18

Mixture:

1. How many liters of a 30% salt solution must be added to 120 liters of a 60% salt solution to produce a 50% salt solution?

2. Solve the preceding problem if pure water is used instead of the 30% salt solution.

Work Problem:

1. Peter can finish a task in 24 minutes while John can do the same in 36 minutes. If they work together, how long will it take them to finish the task?

2. Two machines operating together can do a printing job in 8 hours. If one of the machine can finish the same printing job operating alone in 24 hours, how long will it
take the other machine to do the same operating alone?

ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS

An algebraic fraction is the ratio or quotient of two algebraic expressions. An algebraic fraction is simple if its numerator and denominator have no common factor. To simplify
an algebraic fraction, factor both the numerator and denominator, then cancel factor/s common to both numerator and denominator. Before factoring, products, if any, in both
numerator and denominator must first be expanded.

NOTE:
2. If there are factors in the numerator and in the denominator that have exactly the same terms but differ only in all the signs, simply factor out –1 in either numerator or
denominator. The common factor can then be cancelled.

2
3. A minus sign in either the numerator or denominator can be moved without changing the value of the fraction. In particular,
a −a a
= =−
−b b b .

4. Cancellation can’t take place yet if the main operation in the numerator or denominator is addition or subtraction.

Examples:

Simplify the following algebraic fractions:

2 y 2 −4 xy
2
1. 6 x −3 xy

( x2 −2 x−3 )( x 2 +4 x+ 4 )
2. ( x −x −6 )( x +x−2 )
2 2

( 2 x +1 )( 2 x−5 )
3. ( 2 x −5 ) x−3

( t +2 ) t−8
2
4. 2 ( t+ 2 ) −3 ( t +2 )−14

( x3 − y 3 )( x 2−xy −2 y 2 )
5. ( x − y )( 4 xy −2 x )
2 2 2

OPERATIONS ON ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS

ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION OF ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS

- When adding or subtracting similar algebraic fractions (same denominator), perform the operation on the numerators, then divide the result by the common
denominator.
- When adding or subtracting dissimilar algebraic fractions (different denominators), factor each of the denominators, then identify the least common denominator
(product of unique factors in all the denominators, each raised to their highest exponent.perform the operation on the numerators, then divide the result by the common
denominator.
-

3
 x 2x 5 x
+ −
1. 12 15 18

x− y 1
−
2. y +3 xy+2 x y +2 x
2 2

−2 x x+1
+ 2
3.
1−x x −2 x +1
2 x−1 2 x+1 2 x−1 2 x+1
a. 1 b. x+1 c. x−1 d. x−1 e. x +1

1 3 x+ y 2 x− y
+ 2 2− 2
4.
x−2 y x − y x −xy −2 y 2
−2 2 2 1 1
a. x− y b. x− y c. x+ y d. x− y e. x+ y

1 1 3
+ 2 − 2
5. 2 a −3 ab +b a −3 ab+2b 2 a −5 ab+2 b2
2 2 2

1 1
a. 0 b. 1 c. 1 d. a−b e. 2 a−b

MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION OF ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS

 The product of two algebraic fractions is determined by using the theorem
a c ac
⋅ =
b d bd
that is, the product of two fractions is a fraction whose numerator is the product of the numerators and whose denominator is the product of the denominators.
 In getting the product of two fractions, it is preferable to express the numerator and denominator of both fractions in factored form for simplification purposes. If the product
of the numerators and/or of the denominators is expanded, it is possible that the product of the two fractions may not be expressed in simplest terms.
 The quotient of two algebraic fractions is determined by using the theorem
a c a d a⋅d
÷ = ⋅ =
b d b c b⋅c
that is, the division operation is transformed into multiplication by first getting the reciprocal of the divisor.

4
 a 1
a⋅
 Note that multiplication and division are same level operations. This is because b is the same as b . So in the expression A÷B⋅C , perform division before

multiplication; in the expression A⋅B÷C , perform multiplication before division. Of course, if one is inside a grouping symbol, it must be evaluated first. So in the

expression
A⋅( B÷C ) , perform division before multiplication.

Examples:

1.
15 a2 bc 2
14 ab 3 c
÷
(
3 a 3 bc 7 ab4 c
⋅
42 ab 4 c 3 35 a2 b5 c 7 )
2 ab−2 b2 9 a 4 +18 a 3 b
⋅
2. 3 a3 +6 a2 b a2 −b 2

2 2 2
x + 3 x−4 x −2 x−3 9−x
⋅ 2 ÷
3. x 2−1 x +6 x +8 x 2 +2 x

4.
3 x 2 +4 x−4
×
x3+ y3
2 ax 2 −2 axy+2 ay 2 x 2 +4 x+4
÷
(
3 x 2−5 x +2
x 2−1 )

COMPLEX FRACTIONS
 A complex fraction is a fraction having as its numerator and/or denominator one or more algebraic fractions.
 In simplifying a complex fraction,
1. separately convert the numerator and denominator to single fractions, then
2. proceed as in division of fractions.

Examples:

y
x−
x
1−
1. Simplify x+ y
a. 1 b. x c. −x d. y e. −y

a 2
−2+
b b
1+
2. Simplify a

5
 a+2 b a−2b a+2 b a−2b 2 b−a
a. b b. b c. a d. a e. b
2
x−
x−1
x+1
x +1+
3. Simplify x−1
x−2 x −x 2−x x +2
a. x b. x−2 c. x−2 d. x e. x

1 1
−
2 x− y x +2 y
x +2 y
−1
4. Simplify 2 x− y
=1 −1 1 1 1
a. 2 x− y b. x+2 y c. 2 x− y d. x−2 y e. x+2 y

RADICALS

n
A radical is an expression of the form √ a , where n is called the index and a is called the radicand. Two radicals are said to be of the same order if they have the same index.
1
n
Two radicals are said to be similar if they have the same index and the same radicand. Note that the radical √a can be expressed in power form:
n
√ a=a n
. In
1 m

particular, √ a=a 2
and √n am=a n
.

SIMPLIFICATION OF RADICALS

A radical is said to be simple if

1. There is no perfect power in the radicand (that is, there is no factor in the radicand whose exponent is equal to the index of the radical).
2. The index of the radical cannot be reduced.
3. There is no fraction in the radicand.
4. There is no radical in the denominator.

To simplify a radical under Rule 1, express each factor in the radicand factored form; in particular, express the numerical coefficient as a product of prime numbers, then apply the
properties

n n n n
√ ab=√ a × √b and √ an=a
Example:

6
 1. √ 72 x3 z4 ( y 2+4 y+4 )
3
2. √ 54 a6 b4 c 5

A radical can be simplified under Rule 2 if the exponent of each factor in the radicand have a common factor with the index greater than 1. To simplify the radical, divide the
index and each of the exponents by this common factor.

Examples:

4
1. √ 36 x6 y 4 z8
6
2. √ 27 r9 s12

√
n
n a √a
=
b √n b
To simplify a radical under Rule 3, apply the property to remove the fraction in the radicand. However, the result is not simple under Rule 4.

To simplify a radical under rule 4, multiply to both numerator and denominator a rationalizing factor: when the denominators are multiplied, the radical in the denominator will be
removed.

Examples:

1. √ a
2b

2. √
3 t−1
t 2 +2 t+1

1
3. √3 b 2
3

1
4. √32 x 2 y 3
4

1
5. √ c −√ 5 d

7
 √ 6 xy
6. √2 x+ √3 y
1
3
7. √2 x−√3 y

OPERATIONS ON RADICALS

1. ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

Two radicals can be directly added or subtracted if they are similar: perform the operation on the coefficients of the radicals then attach to the result the common
radical factor. Before adding and subtracting the radicals, simplify each addend first.

Examples:

4 4 4
1. 4x √ x−2 x √ x +x √ x

3 3 3
2.
2 √ x+3 √ y −4 √ x + √ y +5 √ x−6 √ y

3.
√ 32+5 √ 4−4
4
√ 1 6
+
2 √2

4.
2 √18 x 5 +3 x √12 x3 −4 x 2 √ 8x−√27 x 5

2. MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION

Two radicals can be directly multiplied or divided if the radicals have the same order (same index). To perform the operation, apply the properties

√
n
√ a =n a
n n n
√b b √ a× √b=√ ab
n
and
If the radicals to be multiplied or divided have different indices, convert them first into radicals with the same index by converting each radical in power form, then
convert the exponents into similar fractions.

Examples:

1. √ 8 c 3 d×√ 6 cd 2
4
√24 x 6 y 3
2. √54 x2 y
4

8
 3
3. √ a2 × √ a
4
√ x3
4. √x
3 2