MATH PLACEMENT TEST

STUDY GUIDE

The study guide is a review of the topics covered by the Columbia College Math
Placement Test. The guide includes a sample test question for each topic. The answers are
given at the end.

1. Arithmetic. Calculators may not be used for this test because part of the test involves
knowledge of basic arithmetic.
a) Adding whole numbers. You must know the sum of any two one-digit numbers:
+ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 7 18

You must also know how to add larger whole numbers. For example, to find the sum:
348 + 256 + 729:
First the digits in the units column are added: 8 + 6 + 9 = 23. The 2 is “carried” to the
tens column,

The digits in the tens column, including the “carried” 2 are then added:
4 + 5 + 2 + 2 = 13 and the 1 is carried to the hundreds column,

Finally the digits in the hundreds column, including the carried 1 are added:
3 + 2+ 7 + 1,to finish the sum:
Sample Question 1a)
Find the sum: 657 + 234 + 121
b) Multiplying whole numbers
You must know the product of any two one-digit numbers:
X 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
3 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27
4 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36
5 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
6 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54
7 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63
8 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72
9 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81
You must also know how to do “long multiplication” For example to find the product:
324 × 523 :

Sample Question 1b)

Find the product: 63 × 57 .
a
c) Lowest terms. A fraction is an expression of the form b where a and b are whole
numbers. The top number, a, is called the numerator and the bottom number, b, is called
a
the denominator. A fraction b is said to be in lowest terms if a and b have no common
8
factor. For example, the fraction 12 is not in lowest terms because 4 is a factor (or
divisor) of the numerator 8 and is also a factor of the denominator 12: if we divide the
8
numerator and the denominator by the common factor 4, the fraction 12 will be
2
expressed in lowest terms as 3 .
Sample Question 1c)
 104
Express 120 in lowest terms.

d) Multiplying fractions. When a number x is multiplied by a number y, the result xy is

called the product of x and y. Fractions are multiplied according to the rule:
a c ac
× =
b d bd
15 8
For example, the product of 28 and 35 expressed in lowest terms is:
15 8 120 6
× = =
28 35 980 49 Note that in practice we may use cancellation

The cancellation consists of dividing the top and bottom by 5 (i.e. replacing 15 and 35
with 3 and 7 respectively) and also dividing the top and bottom by 4 (i.e. replacing 8 and
28 with 2 and 7 respectively). This is justified by the rules of arithmetic:
15 8 15 × 8 5 × 3 × 4 × 2 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 5 4 6 6
× = = = = × × =
28 35 28 × 35 4 × 7 × 5 × 7 5 × 4 × 7 × 7 5 4 49 49
Sample Question 1d)
6 5
×
Express 25 7 in lowest terms.
e)
a
Dividing fractions. If the numerator, a, and the denominator, b, of a fraction b are both
ac a
multiplied by the same non-zero number c, the result bc equals b because
ac a c a a a
= × = ×1 =
bc b c b b . Furthermore, if a fraction b is multiplied by its reciprocal,
b a b ab a
× = =1
a , the product equals 1: b a ab . It follows that dividing a fraction b by
c a c
another fraction d is equivalent to multiplying b by the reciprocal of d :
a c a d ad
÷ = × =
b d b c bc
 because:
a a d a d
× ×
a c b b c b c = a×d
÷ = = =
b d c c d 1 b c
×
d d c
7 14 7 9 63 3
÷ = × = =
For example, 15 9 15 14 210 10
Note that in practice we use cancellation:

Sample Question 1e)

45 21
÷
Express 32 16 in lowest terms.
f) Adding and subtracting fractions. Fractions that have the same denominator are
added or subtracted according to the rules:
a c a+c a c a−c
+ = − =
b b b and b b b
3 2 5
+ = =1
For example, 5 5 5
a c 1 1 1 a+c
+ = × a + × c = × ( a + c) =
These rules make sense because: b b b b b b
a c 1 1 1 a −c
− = × a − × c = × (a − c ) =
and b b b b b b .
When adding or subtracting fractions that have different denominators, the fractions must
first be expressed as equivalent fractions with a common denominator, preferably the
lowest common denominator,(the smallest number that both denominators divide into),
so that the previous rules may be applied.
3 7 3× 3 7×4 9 28 37
+ = + = + =
For example: 20 15 20 × 3 15 × 4 60 60 60

Sample Question 1f)

 4 8
+
Express 15 70 in lowest terms.
g) Adding and subtracting numbers in decimal form. The digits to the right of the
decimal point represent fractions with denominators that are powers of 10. For example,
6 8 3
2.683 = 2 + + +
10 100 1000 . When adding or subtracting numbers in decimal form ,
the decimal points must be lined up so that the digits in each column are of the same type.
For example to find 32.35 + 5.682:

Sample Question 1g)

Find 23.4 + 136.78
h) Multiplying numbers in decimal form. Numbers that have digits to the right of the
decimal point are multiplied in the same way that whole numbers are multiplied except
that it must be determined where the decimal point is placed in the product. For example,
since 325 × 136 = 44200 , it follows that
1 1 1 1 1
32.5 × 1.36 = × 325 × × 136 = × × 325 × 136 = × 44200
10 100 10 100 1000
1
and since multiplying by 1000 means moving the decimal point 3 places to the left,
32.5 × 1.36 = 44.200 = 44.2 .

Sample Question 1h)

Find 12.6 × 5.32

2. Basic Algebra
a) Order of operations. Expressions within parentheses, ( ), or brackets, [ ], are
calculated first. To reduce the number of parentheses and brackets, it is understood that
roots and powers (exponents) are computed before multiplications and divisions which in
turn are calculated before additions and subtractions.
2
For example, 3x means that 3 is multiplied by the square of x. i.e. if x = 4 then
3x 2 = 3 × 4 2 = 3 × 16 = 48 . 3x 2 does not mean: multiply 3 by x and then square the
2 2 2
result. i.e. if x = 4 then 3 x ≠ (3 × 4 ) = 12 = 144 .

Also for example,

x + y 2 means that the value of x is added to the square of y. If x = 4

and y = 3 then
x + y 2 = 4 + 32 = 4 + 13 . However, ( x + y) 2 means the square of the
2 2 2
sum of x + y:: if x = 4 and y = 3 then ( x + y) = ( 4 + 3) = 7 = 49 .

Sample Question 2a)

Find the value of

(5 + 2x 2 ) y + 3 when x = 3 and y = 4
b) Rules for exponents. If the base, b, is a positive constant, for example b = 2, then the
following properties hold:
p
1) If p is a positive integer then b equals the result of multiplying b by itself p times.
4
For example, 2 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 .
p q p+q 2 3 5
2) b ⋅ b = b for all real numbers p and q. For example 2 ⋅ 2 = 2
2 3 π
(because 2 ⋅ 2 = (2 × 2) × ( 2 × 2 × 2) ) and 2 ⋅ 2
2
= 2 π + 2 . (The dot notation
a ⋅ b = a × b is commonly used to prevent confusing the multiplication symbol × with
the variable x.
p
3) b > 0 for all real numbers p.
bp p −q 35
=b = 33
q 2
4) b for all real numbers p and q. For example 3 which we know is
35 243 bp
= = 27 = 33
2
true because 3
9 . Note that because of property 3, b q exists (or is
q
“defined”) because b never equals 0.
0
5) b = 1. This follows from property 4) where p = q.
1
b−p =
6) b p . This follows from the previous three properties. For example:
−1
2 1 3
1 1   = =
2−3 = 3 2 2 1
= b −1 =
23 8 and 3 (i.e. if b ≠ 0 , then b is the reciprocal of
b. (i.e. the number you multiply b with to get 1)
 7) ( b )
p q
= b pq
. For example, ( 2 )
2 3
= 2 6
= ( 2 ) = 43 = 64 = 26
23

8) If n is a positive integer greater than 1

then b1/n is the nth root of b – the unique positive real number which when taken to the
1 /3
nth power equals b. For example, 8 = 3 8 = 2 because 23 = 8.

Sample Question 2b)

b 2 ⋅ (b-2 )−7
3
Express b as a single power of b

c) Simplifying radicals. Using the property: ab = a b , the square root of an

expression is simplified by factoring out the largest square factor. For example:

75 x3 y5 = 25 x2 y4 . 3xy = 5 xy2 3xy

Sample Question 2c)
25x2 + 50 x2 y4
Simplify
d) Multiplying expressions and collecting “like terms”. Two products of constants and
variables (i.e. a pair of monomials) are said to be “like terms” if the variables have the same

powers. For example, 3xy2 and 8xy2 are a pair of like terms and therefore can be added to get

11xy2 . The terms 2xy2 and 3x2y are not like terms and may not be added together to form a single

term. Multiplying sums of monomials requires the use of the distributive principle (i.e. each term of
one sum must be multiplied by each term of the other sum): For example:

(2xy 2 + 3x 2 y) 2 = (2xy 2 + 3x 2 y)(2 xy 2 + 3x 2 y)

= 2x y2( 2x y2 3x 2y ) + 3x 2y (2x y2 3x 2y )
4x2y4 + 6x3y3 + 6x3y3 + 9x4y2 = 4x2y4 +12x3y3 + 9x4y2
Sample question 2d)
2 2
Expand and collect like terms: (2 x + 3x + 1)(3x − 2 x − 2)
e) Factoring expressions. Factoring a polynomial in one or more variables is the
“inverse” of the previous topic. You should know the following:
 1) Factoring out the largest common factor. For example:
2 3 2 5 2 3
3x y + 27 xy + 15xy = 3xy ( x + 9 + 5 y )
2 2
2) Factoring the difference of squares: a − b (a − b)(a + b) . For example:
2 2 2 2
9 x − 16 y = (3x ) − ( 4 y) = (3x − 4 y)(3x + 4 y)
2 2 2
3) Factoring a perfect square trinomial: a ± 2ab + b = (a ± b) . For example:
2 2 2 2 2
9 x − 24 xy + 16 y = (3x ) − 2(3x )(4 y) + ( 4 y) = (3x − 4 y)
3 3 2
4) Factoring the difference of cubes: a − b = ( a − b )( a + ab + b ) . For
3 3 2 3 2 2
example 8x − 27 y = (2 x ) − (3y) = (2 x − 3y)(4 x + 6 xy + 9 y )
3 3 2 2
5) Factoring the sum of cubes: a + b = (a + b)(a − ab + b )
3 2 2 2
6) Separating into groups: For example: x − xy − 3x + 3y
2 2 2 2 2 2
= x ( x − y ) − 3( x − y ) = ( x − 3)( x − y ) = ( x − 3)( x − y)( x + y)
Sample Question 2e)
3 2 4
Completely factor 3x y − 27 xy
f) Simplifying rational expressions. Using the rules for exponents (section b) a rational
expression may be simplified. For example, to simplify the following rational expression
2 3 2 4 −2
(3x y ) (2 xy )
6x 3 y 2 so that the answer has no negative exponents:
1 9 2 −2
2 3 2 4 −2 (9x 4 y 6 )( x − 2 y −8 ) x y
(3x y ) (2 xy ) 4 4 3
= = =
6x 3 y 2 6x 3 y 2 6x 3 y 2 8xy 4
Sample Question 2f)
(4x 2 y 3 ) − 3 (2x 3 y 5 ) 4
Simplify and express without negative exponents. (8x 2 y 4 ) − 2

3. Lines and linear functions. The word “line” means “straight line”. The slope of a line
in the xy-plane that contains the points ( x1 , y1 ) and ( x 2 , y 2 ) is defined to be the
y 2 − y1
x − x1 if x1 ≠ x 2 and is undefined if x1 = x 2 . If x1 = x 2 (and y1 ≠ y 2
number 2
) then the two points lie on a vertical line which has an undefined slope. If x1 ≠ x 2 and
y1 = y 2 then the points lie on a horizontal line which has a slope of 0.

Sample Question 3a)

Find the value of b given that the slope of the line containing the points (-3,2) and
(-5,b) is 7.

b) The slope-intercept equation of a line is an equation of the form

y = mx+c where m is the slope of the line and (0,c) is the y-intercept of the line: the
point where the line crosses the y-axis. A solution of the equation
y = mx + c is an ordered pair of numbers such that when x is substituted with the first
number of the pair and y is substituted with the second number of the pair, the equation is
true. For example, if the equation of a line is y = 2x+3 then (4,11) is a solution because
11 = 2 × 4 + 3 . An ordered pair of numbers is a point on the line in the xy-plane if
and only if it is a solution of the equation of the line.
For example, if we are given that two points of a line are (1,4) and (3,8) then the slope of
8−4
=2
this line is 3 − 1 which means that the slope-intercept equation of the line is of the
form y = 2x + c for some constant c. Since (1,4) is a point on the line, (1,4) is a solution
of y = 2x + c which means that
4 = 2 × 1 + c → c = 2 . Therefore the slope-intercept equation of the line is
y = 2x + 2.
Sample Question 3b)
Find the slope-intercept equation of the line that contains (-3,8) and (3,5).
c)
. Parallel lines and perpendicular lines. Parallel lines do not cross each and therefore
have the same slope. Lines are perpendicular to each other if they cross each other at
right angles.
Theorem: Two non-vertical lines are perpendicular to each other if and only if the
product of their slopes equals − 1 .
For example if a line L is parallel to the line y = 2x+2 and contains the point (3,9) then
the equation of L is of the form y = 2x+c because its slope is 2. Since (3,9) is a solution:
9 = 2 × 3 + c → c = 3 , the equation of L is
y = 2x+3. The line J that contains (3,9) and is perpendicular to the line y = 2x+2 has an
1 1  1
y=− x+c − 2 ×  −  = −1
equation of the form 2 because its slope is 2 (because)  2
1 21
9 = − ×3+ c→c =
since (3,9) is a solution: 2 2 . Therefore the equation of J is
1 21
y=− x+
2 2 .
Sample Question 3c) Find the slope-intercept equations of the two lines that contain
(4,8) such that one is parallel to, and the other is perpendicular to the line y = 4x + 6.
d)
The intersection of two non-parallel lines is the point where they cross each other.
Since this point is a common solution to the equations of these lines, finding the point of
intersection is equivalent to finding the solution of a system of two linear equations. For
example the intersection of the two lines (given by equations in the general form)
3x + 2 y = 8 and 2x − 5y = −1
is the solution of the system:
1. 1.3x + 2y = 8
2. 2 x − 5 y = −1
One way to solve this system is to rewrite the first equation in slope-intercept form (i.e.
solve for y in terms of x) and then substitute into the second equation to get a equation
entirely in terms of x. Another way is to add multiples of the equations to eliminate a
variable: for example, multiplying the first equation by 2 and the second equation by − >
yields the equivalent system:
1. 6 x + 4 y = 16
2. − 6 x + 15 y = 3
so that when the resulting equations are added we have 19y = 19, y = 1 and then by
substituting into either equation we have x = 2 so that the common solution (i.e. the
intersection of the lines) is (2,1).
Sample Question 3d)
Find the intersection of the lines 5x + 4y =12 and 3x - 2y = 5.
e) The inverse of a linear function f(x) = mx+c. If we write the f(x) = mx+c in the form
y=mx+c (i.e. y = f(x)) and then interchange x and y to get the equation x = my+c, the
−1
variable y now represents the inverse function of f(x): f ( x ) , so that solving for y

gives the formula for

f −1 ( x ) . For example, if f(x) = 2x+4, then writing y = 2x+4 and
1
y= x−2
interchanging the x and y gives x = 2y+4 or 2y = x-4 or 2 which means that
1
f −1 ( x ) = x − 2
the inverse function 2 .
Sample Question 3e)
Find the inverse of f(x) = 3x – 9.

4. Parabolas and quadratic functions.

A quadratic function (second degree polynomial) is a function of the form
y = ax 2 + bx + c where the coefficients a, b and c are real numbers (constants) and
a ≠ 0 . The graph of a quadratic function is a parabola. If a >0 then the parabola “opens
up” and its vertex is its lowest point and if a < 0 then the parabola opens down and its
vertex is the highest point. Given any equation in x and y, i the variable is replaced with
the expression x – d where d is some positive constant, then the graph of the new
equation is the same as the graph of the original equation translated (or shifted) d units
to the right. (Replacing x with x + d and d>0 results in a translation d to the left) For

example, the graph of

y = x 2 is a parabola that has its vertex at (0,0) and opens up. The
2
graph of y = x − 1 is formed by translating the points 1 unit down so that the vertex is
(0,-1).
 2 2 2
The graph of y = x − 2 x = ( x − 1) − 1 is the graph of y = x translated 1 to the
right and 1 down.

2
a) The Quadratic formula: If ax + bx + c = 0 and a ≠ 0 then
2
− b ± b − 4ac
x=
2a . The quadratic formula can be used to find the x-intercepts of
2
the parabola y = ax + bx + c . If the discriminant b − 4ac is a positive number,
2

2
then the equation ax + bx + c = 0 has two real solutions, which means that the
2
parabola y = ax + bx + c has two x-intercepts. if the
2
discriminant b − 4ac equals 0, the parabola has only one x-intercept and if the
discriminant is a negative number, then the parabola has no x-intercepts which means that
it lies entirely above or entirely below the x-axis.
Sample Question 4a)
2
Find the x-intercepts of the parabola y = −2 x + 5x + 2
2
b) Completing the square. Rewriting a quadratic function y = ax + bx + c in the
2
form y = a ( x − h ) + k is known as “completing the square”. The vertex of the
parabola is (h,k) and if a < 0 then k is the maximum value of y and if a > 0 the k is the
2
minimum value of y. For example, rewriting y = 3x + 12 x + 4 as
y = 3(x + 2)2 − 8 means that the minimum value of y is − 8 when x = -2 (because 3(x
+ 2)2 ≥ 0 for all x and 3(x + 2)2 = 0 only if x = −2 . Therefore (−2,−8) is the
2
lowest point on the parabola y = 3x + 12 x + 4 and therefore is the vertex.
2
To compete the square of an expression of the form x + bx , use the identity
2 b 2 b2
x + bx = ( x − ) −
2 4 and to complete the square of an expression of the form
ax 2 + bx , first factor out the coefficient a and then use the previous identity. For
5  5 25 
2x 2 + 5x + 3 = 2( x 2 + x ) + 3 = 2 ( x + ) 2 −  + 3
example: 2  4 16 
5 25 5 1
= 2( x + ) 2 − + 3 = 2( x + ) 2 −
4 8 4 8
Sample Question 4b)
2
Find the maximum value of the function y = −4 x + 8x + 10
2
c) Finding the equation y = ax + bx + c of a parabola given its vertex and one
other point. Since the equation of such a parabola can be expressed in the form
y = a ( x − h ) 2 + k , if the vertex (h,k) is known, only one other point is required to
determine the value of a. For example, if the vertex is (−3,4) and another point is
(4,−94) , then the equation is of the form
y = a ( x + 3) 2 + 4 and since (4,-94) is a solution,
− 94 = a (4 + 3) 2 + 4 = 49a + 4 → a = −2 . Therefore the equation of the parabola is
y = −2( x + 3) 2 + 4 which written in standard form is
y = −2 x 2 − 12x − 14 .
Sample Question 4c)
Find the equation of the parabola with vertex (3,2) that contains the point
2
(5,18). The equation must be in the form y = ax + bx + c .

5. Logarithms. Given a base b > 1, the logarithm of base b, log b ( x ) is the inverse of

the exponential function b . This means that y = log b ( x ) if and only if b = x .

x y

y log b x is defined only for x > 0. Special

Since b > 0 for all real y, it follows that

values are: log b (1) = 0 (because b = 1 ) and log b (b) = 1 (because b = b ). If the
0 1
base b = 10, the logarithm is called the common logarithm and is written as log(x), and
if the base is the constant e, the logarithm is called the natural logarithm and is written
ln(x).
Properties of logarithms:
1.
log b ( x ) + log b ( y) = log b ( xy) for all positive real numbers x and y
x
log b ( x ) − log b ( y) = log b  
2.  y  for all positive real numbers x and y

3.
log b ( x y ) = y log b ( x ) for all positive real numbers x and any real numbers y.
log b ( x )
log a ( x ) =
4. (Change of base) If a is another base, a > 1, then
log b (a )
Sample Question 5a)
Find the value of log 5 (15) − log 5 (3) + log 5 (125)
Sample Question 5b)
1
log b ( x ) + 2 log b ( y) − log b ( w )
Express 2 as a single logarithm.
Sample Question 5c)
1
5− 2 =
Express 25 in logarithmic form.
Sample Question 5d)
log 5 x = y log 25 ( x 3 )
If , express in terms of y.
6 Equations.
a) Linear equations in one variable. For example, solve 3(2 x − 1) − 5(4 x − 6) = 2 x .
Expand the left side to get:
27
x=
6x − 3 − 20 x + 30 = 2x , − 16x = −27 , 16
Sample Question 6a)
Solve for x: 2(3x − 5) + 5(2 x − 7) = −8( 4 x + 1)
b) Quadratic equations in one variable. Rewrite the equation in the standard form and
then solve by using the Quadratic formula or by factoring.
2
For example: Solve (2 x + 1)(3x − 2) = 2 x + 31 .
2 2 2
6x − x − 2 = 2x + 31 → 4 x − x − 33 = 0 → ( 4x + 11)( x − 3) = 0 →
11
x=−
4 or x = 3 .
Sample Question 6b)
Solve for x: (3x − 10)(2 x + 1) = (4 x − 9)( x + 6)
c) Equations involving rational expressions are sometimes disguised quadratic
3x + 2
=x+6
equations. e.g. Solve x − 1 .

Multiplying both sides by x − 1: 3x + 2 = ( x + 6)( x − 1) , 3x + 2 = x + 5x − 6 ,

2

x 2 + 2x − 8 = 0 ,
( x + 4)( x − 2) → x = −4 or x = 2.
Sample Question 6c)
2x + 4 1
− =x −3
Solve for x: x + 6 5
d) Equations involving absolute values must be considered in separate cases. For
1 1
x −3 = x +
example, to solve 3 3 the two cases to consider are:
1 1
x − 3 = x +
x − 3 = x − 3 and the equation becomes
Case 1: If x ≥ 3 , then 3 3,
3x − 9 = x + 1 ,2x = 10, x = 5 which is a solution because
5 > 3.
x − 3 = −( x − 3) = 3 − x , the equation becomes
Case 2): If x < 3 then
1 1
3− x = x +
3 3 , 9 − 3x = x + 1 , − 4 x = −8 , x = 2 which is a solution since
2 < 3. Therefore the equation has two solutions: x = 2 and x = 5.

Sample Question 6d)

2 4
2x − 2 = x +
Find all the solutions of 3 3
e) Equations involving radicals. If the equation contains one radical, the radical must
first be isolated on one side of the equation and then when both sides of the equation are
squared, the resulting equation will have no radicals, but may have more solutions than
the original equation. The solutions of the new equation must be checked to see that they
are also solutions of the given equation.
For example: To solve 3x + x + 4 = 5x − 7 , we first isolate the radical:
x + 4 = 2x − 7 and then square both sides: x + 4 = 4 x 2 − 28x + 49 ,
9 9
2 (4x − 9)( x − 5) = 0 → x = x=
4x − 29 x + 45 = 0 , 4 or x = 5. When 4 , the left
27 5 37
3x + x + 4 = + =
side of the given equation, 4 2 4 but the right side of the given
45 28 17 9
5x − 7 = − =
equation, 4 4 4 . Therefore x = 4 is not a solution of the given
equation. (and is called an extraneous solution). Since x=5 makes both sides of the
given equation equal to 18, the given equation has only one solution: x = 5.
Sample Question 6e)
Find all the solutions of 4 x + 2x + 3 = 15
f) Equations involving logarithms. Solving such equations requires knowing the
definition of log b ( x ) and the properties of logarithms. Extraneous solutions may occur.
For example:
Solve log 2 ( x + 3) + log 2 (3x + 1) = 7 :
log 2 ( x + 3) + log 2 (3x + 1) = 7 → log 2 (3x 2 + 10x + 3) = log 2 (128)
→ 3x 2 + 10x + 3 = 128 , 3x 2 + 10x − 125 = 0 ,
25
(3x + 25)( x − 5) = 0 → x = −
3 or x = 5. However, only x = 5 is a solution of the
 25 log ( x + 3) = log  − 16 
x=− 2 2 
given equation because when 3 ,  3  is undefined.

Sample Question 6f)

Solve log 3 ( 2 x + 3) − log 3 ( x ) = 1
g) Exponential equations. To use the rules for exponents, the equation should be
rewritten so that there is only one base. For example:
4x
2 x +1 3x + 2  1 
3 9 = 
To solve:  3 we use the common base 3:

3x +1 32( )3x + 2 = (3−1 )4x → 3x +136x + 4 = 3− 4x → 37x +5 = 3− 4 → 7x + 5 = −4

9
x=−
(because exponential functions are one-to-one), 7 x = −9 , 4.
Sample Question 6g)
x +1
x −2 x +3  1 
16 64 = 
Solve  64 

7. Inequalities.
a) Linear inequalities in one variable. Solving a linear inequality is similar to solving a
linear equation except that when multiplying or dividing both sides of an inequality by a
negative number, the direction of the inequality must be reversed. For example, to solve
the linear inequality
3(2 x + 5) > 4(5x − 8) :
3(2 x + 5) > 4(5x − 8) → 6x + 15 > 20 x − 32 → −14x > −47 and after dividing
47
x<
both sides by − 14 we have 14 so that the solution of the inequality is the set
47 47
{x : x < } ∞ , )
(−
14 which may also be given using interval notation: 4 .
Sample Question 7a)
1
(3x − 2) > 4 x + 5
Find the set of all solutions of: 2
b) The graph of the solutions of a linear inequality in two variables x and y. The
solutions of the inequality y > mx + c is the set of points that lie above the line y = mx + c
(which is indicated with a dotted line). The solutions of the inequality y ≥ mx + c is the
set of points that are on or above the line y = mx + c (which is indicated by a solid line).
The solutions of
y < mx + c and
y ≤ mx + c are the sets of points under or under and on the line y = mx
+ c. To draw the graph a linear inequality in x and y, we first rewrite it in one of the four
forms. For example, to find the graph of the inequality 2 y − x ≥ 2 , we rewrite the
1 1
y ≥ x + 1 y = x +1
inequality as
2y ≥ x + 2 , 2 and then draw the graph of the line 2
and shade the area above the line:

Sample Question 7b)

Graph the set of solutions of
3x − 2 y ≤ 6
c) Inequalities involving polynomials of one variable. To solve an inequality of the
form P(x) > 0 (or P(x) < 0 or P( x ) ≥ 0 or P( x ) ≤ 0 ) where P(x) is a polynomial of
degree > 1, we first find the solutions of P(x) = 0 and then determine the sign of P(x) over
each of the intervals formed by these solutions. For example: to solve
x 3 − x 2 ≥ 2x − 2 we rewrite as
x 2 ( x − 1) ≥ 2( x − 1) , x 2 ( x − 1) − 2( x − 1) ≥ 0 , ( x 2 − 2)( x − 1) ≥ 0 and note that
2
the equation ( x − 2)( x − 1) = 0 has three solutions: x = − 2 , x = 2 and x = 1.
2
We can use a sign chart to determine the intervals where ( x − 2)( x − 1) has positive
values and the intervals where it has negative values :

2
The sign of ( x − 2)( x − 1) over each interval can be determined by using a test
number or by analyzing the factors. The solution set for the given question is
{x : − 2 ≤ x ≤ 1 or x ≥ 2} . Using interval notation, the solution set is
[− 2 ,1] ∪ [ 2 , ∞)

Sample Question 7c)

3 2
Find all the solutions of x + x ≤ 6 x
d) Inequalities that involve absolute values. If c > 0 then
x < c → −c < x < c and x > c → x > c or x < −c . For example,
2x +1 < 5→ −5 < 2x +1< 5 → −6 < 2x < 4→ −3 < x < 2
and
5 − 5x > 15 → 5 − 5x >15 or 5 − 5x < −15 so that -5x>10 or -5x < -20 so that
x < -2 or x > 4

Sample Question 7d)

4x + 8 ≥ 2
Find the solution set of

8. Trigonometry. You need to know the definitions of cos(θ) , sin(θ) and tan(θ) for
angles between 0˚ and 360˚, the exact values of cos(θ) , sin(θ) and tan(θ) of 30˚, 45˚,
60˚ and how to compute the exact values of
cos(θ) , sin(θ) and tan(θ) of any integer
2 2
multiple of any of these angles. You need to know the identity: cos θ + sin θ = 1 .
Sample Question 8a)
Find the exact value of tan(240˚)

Sample Question 8b)

3
Given that 90˚ < A < 180˚ and that sin(A) = 5 , find the exact value of cos(A).
Sample Question 8c)

Find the exact length of side x in

the diagram above.
9. Geometry
a) The areas of rectangles and triangles. The area of a rectangle of width x and length y
1
bh
is xy. The area of a triangle of base b and height h is 2 .

Sample Question 9a)

Find the exact area of the triangle shown below:

2
b) The area of a circle of radius r is πr and the circumference (distance around) is
2πr .

Sample Question 9b)

If the area of a circle is 5π , what is its circumference?

c) Similar triangles. If a pair of triangles have the same angles, then they are said to
similar triangles and the ratios of their corresponding sides are equal..
Sample Question 9c)

In the above diagram, AD = 8, DB = 4, DE = 6 and DE is parallel to BC. Find the length

of BC.

Answers.
13 6 15 8
1a) 1012 1b) 3591 1c) 15 1d) 35 1e) 14 1f) 21 1g) 160.18
1h) 67.032

−15 5x 1 + 2 y 4 2d) 6x 4 + 5x 3 + x 2 − 8x − 2
2a) 95 2b) b 2c)
2 2 2 2 10 19
2e) 3xy ( x − 9 y ) = 3xy ( x − 3y)( x + 3y) 2f) 16 x y

3a) b− (−3) = 7 -> b + 3= -49 -> b = −52 3b) y = - 1 x + 13

-5 -2 2 2
3c) The parallel line is y = 4x -8 and the perpendicular line is y = - 1 x + 9
4

3d) Adding two times the second equation to the first gives 11x = 22, x =2 and from
 1 1
y= (2, )
either equation, 2 . Therefore the solution is 2 .
3e) Setting y = 3x − 9 where y represents f(x) and then interchanging x and y to get
1
→ f −1 ( x ) = x + 3
x = 3y − 9 where y now represents the inverse of f, 3y = x + 9 3 .

− 5 ± 25 + 16 5 ± 41
x= =
4a) Using the Quadratic formula, y = 0 if −4 4 . Therefore
 5 − 41   5 + 41 
 ,0 ÷  ,0 ÷
4 ÷ 4 ÷
the x-intercepts are  and 
2 2
(
4b) y = −4 x + 8x + 10 = −4( x − 2 x ) + 10 = −4 ( x − 1) − 1 + 10
2
)
= −4( x − 1) 2 + 14 . Since − 4( x − 1) 2 ≤ 0 for all x, the maximum value of y is 14.
4c) Since the vertex is (3,2), the equation of the parabola is of the form
y = a ( x − 3) 2 + 2 and since (5,18) is a solution of this equation:
2
18 = 4a + 2 → a = 4 . Therefore the equation of the parabola is y = 4( x − 3) + 2
2
which in standard form is y = 4 x − 24 x + 38 .

5a) log 5 (15) − log 5 (3) + log 5 (125) =

 15 
log 5  ÷ + log 5 (53 ) = log 5 (5) + 3 log 5 (5) = 4
3
1
log b ( x ) + 2 log b ( y) − log b ( w ) log ( x ) + log ( y 2 ) − log ( w )
5b) 2 = b b b
 xy 2 
= log b  ÷
 w÷
 .
1 → log  1  = −2
5− 2 = 5 ÷
5c) 25  25 

1 3
y y 3
log 5 x = y → 5 = x → 25 = x → 25 = x 3 → log 25 ( x 3 ) = y
y 2 2
5d) 2
6a) 2(3x − 5) + 5(2 x − 7) = −8( 4 x + 1) → 6 x − 10 + 10 x − 35 = −32 x − 8
37
→ 48x = 37 → x =
48
6b) (3x − 10)(2 x + 1) = (4 x − 9)( x + 6) → 6 x − 17 x − 10 = 4 x + 15x − 54
2 2

16 ± 256 − 88
2 2 →x=
→ 2 x − 32x + 44 = 0 → x − 16 x + 22 = 0 2
→ x = 8 ± 42
2x + 4 1
− =x −3
6c) x + 6 5 . Multiplying both sides by 5x+30 gives:
10x + 20 − ( x + 6) = ( x − 3)(5x + 30) → 9x + 14 = 5x 2 + 15x − 90
26
x=− or 4
5x + 6x − 104 = 0 → (5x + 26)( x − 4) = 0 →
2
5 and after
checking, both values are seen to be solutions of the given equation.
2 4
2x − 2 = x +
6d) 3 3
2 4
2x − 4 = x + → 6 x − 12 = 2 x + 4 → 4x = 16 → x = 4
Case 1: x ≥ 2 : 3 3 . Since 4
> 2, x= 4 is a solution of the given equation.
2 4
4 − 2x = x + → 12 − 6x = 2 x + 4 → −8x = −8x = −8 → x = 1
Case 2: x < 2 : 3 3
Since 1 < 2, x= 1 is also a solution of the given equation. Therefore the given equation
has two solutions: x= 1 and x = 4.
6e) 4 x + 2 x + 3 = 15 . After subtracting 4x from both sides and then squaring both
sides:
2x + 3 = (15 − 4x ) 2 → 2 x + 3 = 16x 2 − 120 x + 225 → 16 x 2 − 122x + 222 = 0
37
8x 2 − 61x + 111 = 0 → (8x − 37)( x − 3) = 0 → x = or 3
8 but only x = 3 is a
solution of the given equation.
 2x + 3 
→ log 3   = log 3 (3)
6f) log 3 ( 2 x + 3) − log 3 ( x ) = 1  x 
 2x + 3
→ = 3 → 2 x + 3 = 3x → x = 3
x which is indeed a solution of the given
equation.
x +1
x −2 x +3  1 
16 64 = 
6g)  64  Choosing 4 as a common base:
2 x − 4 3x + 9 5x + 5 − 3x − 3
4 4 = 4 − 3x − 3 → 4 =4 → 5x + 5 = −3x − 3
→ 8x = −8 → x = −1 .

1 3 5 12
(3x − 2) > 4x + 5 → x − 1 > 4x + 5 → − x > 6 → x < −
7a) 2 2 2 5 .
3
→y≥ x −3
7b) 3x − 2 y ≤ 6 → −2 y ≤ −3x + 6 2 . Therefore the solution set is the
3
y= x −3
set of points that are on or above the line 2 :

3 2 3 2
7c) x + x ≤ 6x : First find the solutions of the equality x + x − 6x = 0
3
x + x − 6x = 0 → x(x + x - 6) = 0 → x (x + 3)(x-2) = 0 -> x = -3 or x = 2
2 2

Therefore the solution set is {x : x ≤ 3 or 0 ≤ x ≤ 2} (or in interval notation:

(−
∞ ,−3] ∪ [0,2] )
4 x + 8 ≥ 2 → 4 x + 8 ≥ 2 or 4 x + 8 ≤ −2 → 4x ≥ −6 or 4x ≤ −10
7d)
3 5 3 5
→x≥− or x ≤ − {x : x ≥ − or x ≤ − }
2 2 . i.e. the solution set is 2 2 (in interval
 5 3
(−
∞ ,− ] ∪ [ − , ∞ )
notation: 2 2 )

8a)

1 3
cos(240 o ) = − sin( 240 o ) = −
Using the reference angle 60˚, 2, 2 so that
tan(240 o ) = 3 .
9 4
cos(A) = − 1 − sin 2 (A) = − 1 − =−
8b) Since A is in the second quadrant, 25 5
o
8c) x = 10 cos(30 ) = 5 3

9a)

h = 10 sin(30o ) = 5 and the base b is 18. Therefore the area of the triangle is
1
bh = 45
2 .
2
9b) Area = πr = 5π → r = 5 . Therefore the circumference is 2πr = 2 5π .
BC BA BC 12
= → = → BC = 9
9c) Since ADE is similar to ABC: DE AD 6 8 .