Prerequisite Review

MATH 1316 – Trigonometry

In MATH 1316, the student learns how to work with trigonometric functions, identities, equations,
and applications of all of these. Students who wish to take scientific calculus must learn the material
in MATH 1316 and MATH 2412 (Precalculus) to prepare for MATH 2413 (Calculus I). To begin
the trigonometry course, it is necessary that you have completed the prerequisite for the course (one
semester of high school trigonometry or precalculus, or College Algebra or the equivalent) and that
you recall most of the high school geometry and algebraic techniques you have already studied.
There is little or no review of algebra or geometry in the trigonometry course.
The following problems provide a review of this algebra for students who have completed the
prerequisite. The answers are listed at the end. If you find any of these that you do not know how to
do correctly, you need to do one of two things before you enroll in MATH 1316:
1. Get an algebra book (at the Intermediate Algebra or College Algebra level) and review these
topics until you can do all of these problems. If you do not have a book, you may check one out of a
library, buy a non-current textbook at a used book store, buy an algebra revised book such as the
Schaum's Outline Series, or buy a current textbook.
2. If you are unable (or don't have time) to learn these topics by reviewing on your own, you 
need to take an algebra course to refresh your algebra skills. 

Review Problems
1. A ladder is leaning up against the side of a house. If the bottom of the ladder is 7 feet from the
house and the ladder is 14 feet long, how far up the side of the house is the top of the ladder?
2. At a certain time of day, the length of the shadow cast by a building is 50 feet. At the same time, a
4 foot long stake casts a shadow that is 3.5 feet long. How tall is the building, rounded to the nearest
hundredth of a foot?
3. Find the distance between the two points: (–1, 4) and (3, 12).
4. Find the slope-intercept form of the equation of the line through the points (–3,2) and (5,1).

In Problems 5-12, solve for x.

5. 2x − (3 − x) = 5 + 6x 6. 2x 2 = 15 − x 7. 2x 2 + x = 16
8. x 6 = 8 − 2x 3 9. p = 33(20 − 6x) 10. 5x − 7a = bx + 2
11. 2x 2 + h = 2k 12. 2x 3 + 7x 2 −18x − 63 = 0

2x −10 4 x 2 −16x − 20 (a − b) 2
13. Divide and simplify: ÷ 14. Simplify:
16 − x 4 x2 + 4x + 4 1 1
−
a b
2 3 x+4 1 A R+r
15. = −1 16. +2 = 17. Solve for r: =
x x −2 x+3 x+3 a r

In 18 and 19, tell whether each system has no solution, exactly one solution, or infinitely many
solutions. If the system has exactly one solution, solve it.
⎧9x − 3y = −1 ⎧ x − y =1
18. ⎨ 19. ⎨
⎩ 3x + 6y = −5 ⎩ −2x + 2y = 5
20. Give the standard form of the equation of a circle with ends of a diameter at (−5,8) and (1,−2).
21. Graph x 2 + y 2 − 6x + 4 y +12 = 0 .
22. For the function f (x) = 3x 2 − x + 5 , (a) find f (−2) and (b) find f (r + s) .
x 2 − 5x + 6
23. Give the domain of  f (x) = . 
x 2 − 2x −15
 
24. The graph of the function f  is shown at the right.  y
 
(a) What is the domain of f ? 
 
(b) What is the range of f ? 
 
(c) Determine  f (3) .  1
 
(d) For what value(s) of x does  f (x) = 1?  1 x
 
(e) Is f  an even function, an odd function, or neither? 
 
(f) Is f  a one‐to‐one function? 
 
(g) Does f  have an inverse function? 
 
25. For f (x) = x 2 + x − 2, (a) give the x-intercept(s), (b) give the y-intercept(s), and (c) give the
vertex, and (d) draw the graph.
26. How does the graph of  y = f (x − 3) + 4  compare to the graph  of  y = f (x) ? 
 
27. The graph of  y = g(x)  is shown at the right.  On the 
y
same coordinate system draw the graph of  y = −g(2x) . 

1 x

 
28. Suppose that the domain of the function f is [–3,5] and that the range of f is [–1,7]. (a) What is
the domain of f −1? (b) What is the range of f −1?
2x − 3
29. Give the inverse function for f (x) = .
4
30. Is the triangle whose sides measure 6 yd, 10 yd, and  4 33  yd a right triangle? 
31. In the figure at the right, lines 
l 1and  l 2  are parallel.  The 
measure of  ∠DEC  is  140°  and the 
measure of  ∠GFC  is  145° .  
Find the measures of (a)  ∠ACB , 
(b)  ∠FJK , and  ∠HIL . 

 
Topics and Answers
1. Pythagorean theorem: height is 147 ft 2. Similar triangles: 57.14 ft
1 13
3. Distance formula: 4 5 4. Equations of lines: y = − x +
8 8
8 ⎧ 5⎫
5. Linear equations: x = − 6. Quadratic equations (factorable): ⎨ −3, ⎬
3 ⎩ 2⎭
−1 ± 129
7. Quadratic equations (quadratic formula): x =
4
{
8. Equation quadratic in form: − 4 , 2
3 3
}
10 1
9. Formulas or literal equations (linear): x = − p
3 198
2 + 7a
10. Formulas or literal equations (linear): x =
5−b
4 k − 2h
11. Formulas or literal equations (quadratic): x = ±
2
⎧ 7⎫
12. Polynomial equation (factorable by grouping): ⎨ ±3,− ⎬
⎩ 2⎭
x +2
13. Division of rational expressions and factoring:
2( x +1)( x 2 + 4)(2 − x )
14. Complex fractions and rational expressions: −ab( a − b)
15. Rational equations: {−1,4}
16. Rational equations: No solution. –3 is an extraneous solution; it is not a useable solution
because it results in division by zero in the original equation.
aR
17. Formulas or literal equations (rational):  r =
A−a
⎛ 1 2⎞
18. Systems of equations: ⎜ − ,− ⎟ 19. Systems of equations: No solution
⎝ 3 3⎠
20. Equations of circles: ( x + 2) 2 + ( y − 3) 2 = 34
21. Graphing circles: The equation can be put in the
standard form ( x − 3) 2 + ( y + 2) 2 = 1 so the graph is a
circle with center at (3,–2) and with a radius of 1.

22. Function notation: (a) 19 and (b) 3r 2 + 6 rs + 3s2 − r − s + 5

23. Functions (domain): {x x is a real number and x ≠ −3,5}
24. Functions (properties of): (a) [–4,5], (b) [–3,5], (c) 1, (d) –3, 3 (e) neither, (f) no (g) no

25. Quadratic functions (graphing): y

(a) (–2,0) and (1,0)

(b) (0,–2)

⎛ 1 9⎞
(c) ⎜ − ,− ⎟ x
⎝ 2 4⎠ –2 1

(d) The graph is the open up parabola shown at the –2

right. (–1/2, –9/4)

26. It is translated (shifted) right 3 units and up 4 units.

28. (a) [–1,7], (b) [–3,5]

y
4x + 3
29. f −1 (x) =
2

30. Pythagorean theorem:  No. If the triangle were a 
1
right triangle, the longest side,  4 33 , would have 
27. x to be the hypotenuse.  Therefore the sum of the 
1
squares of the other two sides would have to equal 
the square of  4 33 , which is not the case.

31. (a) 105° , (b) 145° , (c) 40°