Sample Math Placement Exam

Instructions: This is a sample placement exam to show you the type of questions that will appear on the actual
placement exam. To get the most out of the placement exam, you should try these practice problems without
any inside help, such as calculators, books, notes, friends or relatives. Also, on the actual placement exam, all
fractions must be fully simplified to be marked correct. Good luck!

Placement Exam Part 1

1. Compute 31 − (−11) − (6 − 9)

2. Find the numerical value of 11 − 3(21 − 16)

3. Evaluate |−24 + 17|

3 2
4. Compute (5) in lowest terms.

2 5
5. Add the following fractions and express your answer as a fully reduced fraction: + 11
3

13 10
6. Divide the following fractions and express your answer as a fully reduced fraction: ÷
5 3

1 −4 −1 3
7. Simplify: (2 ∙ ) + ( 3 ∙ 4)
5

8. Simplify the expression 4(3𝑥 + 1) − (2𝑥 − 6) to one of the form 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏. Write your answers for 𝑎 and 𝑏.

9. Simplify the expression (3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3) − (4𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 6) to one of the form 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐. Write your
answers for 𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐.

10. Solve for 𝑥: 5𝑥 + 2 = −3𝑥 + 4

Placement Exam Part 2

1. Find the two roots 𝑥1 and 𝑥2 of the quadratic equation 𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 + 12 = 0. Enter your answers in any order.

2. Solve for 𝑥: 3𝑥 + 2 = 1 − 5𝑥

3. Solve for 𝑥: 2(𝑥 − 3) = 1 − 4(2𝑥 + 5)

4. Simplify 2(−3𝑥 + 1) − (−3𝑥 + 1) − 5𝑥 + 2 to one of the form 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏. Write your answers for 𝑎 and 𝑏.

5. Solve for 𝑥: |4𝑥 + 1| + 3 = 6. Enter your answers in any order.

6. Solve for 𝑥: 𝑥 2 − 11𝑥 = −28. Enter your answers in any order.

20𝑥 3 𝑦 4
7. Simplify . Enter 𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐 where the answer is 𝑎𝑥 𝑏 𝑦 𝑐 .
2𝑥 6 𝑦 3

8. Calculate the slope of the line going through the points (−5, 6) and (2, 3).
2 1 1
9. Solve for 𝑥: −4=7
𝑥

10. Evaluate 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 6 for 𝑥 = −1.

Placement Exam Part 3

𝑓(4+ℎ)−𝑓(4)
1. If 𝑓(𝑥) = −3𝑥 + 7, calculate and simplify . Enter the values of 𝑎 and 𝑏, where your answer is in
ℎ
the form 𝑎ℎ + 𝑏.

2. Solve for 𝑥 by factoring: 𝑥 2 + −9𝑥 + 14 = 0. Enter your answers in any order.

1 1
3. The graph of 𝑦 = 𝑥+2 + 9 is the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑥 with what transformations?

(a) shifted left 9 units and down 2 units

(b) shifted left 2 units and up 9 units
(c) shifted left 2 units and down 9 units
(d) shifted right 2 units and up 9 units
(e) shifted left 9 units and up 2 units

4. Write the exponential equation 2𝑥 = 7 in an equivalent logarithm equation. Enter 𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐 where your
answer is log 𝑏 𝑎 = 𝑐.

5. A right triangle has sides A, B, and C, where C is the hypotenuse. Side A has length 18, side B has length 24,
and side C has length 30. If 𝜃 is the angle between sides A and C, what is the value of sin⁡(𝜃)? Enter your
answer as a fully simplified fraction.
6. Which of the following is the inverse of 𝑓(𝑥) = (𝑥 − 10)3 ?
1
(a) 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = (𝑥 − 10)3
1
(b) 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = (𝑥 − 10)3 + 10
1
(c) 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑥 3 − 10
1
(d) 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑥 3 + 10
(e) 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = 𝑥 3 + 10

7. Solve for 𝑥: 7𝑥+6 = 2. Enter 𝑎, 𝑏, and 𝑐 where your answer is x = log 𝑏 𝑎 + 𝑐.

8. Evaluate ln(𝑒 43 ).

9. Find the equation of the curve formed by vertically stretching the graph of 𝑦 = sin⁡(𝑥) by 2 and then shifting
it right by 7 units. Enter 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, and 𝑑 where your answer is 𝑦 = asin(𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐) + 𝑑.

10. Use the method of completing the square to write 𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 − 2 in the form (𝑥 + 𝑎)2 + 𝑏.

Part 1 Answers:

9. 𝑎 = −1
9 37 39 −13 8. 𝑎 = 10 1
1. 45 2. −4 3. 7 4. 5. 6. 7. 𝑏=4 10.
25 33 50 20 ⁡𝑏 = 10 4
𝑐=3

Part 2 Answers:

7. 𝑎 = 10
−1 −13 4. 𝑎 = −8 1 −3 56
1. 2, 6 2. 3. 5. −1, 2 6. 4, 7 𝑏 = −3 8. 9. 10. 9
8 10 𝑏=3 7 11
𝑐=1

Part 3 Answers:

9. 𝑎 = 2
4. 𝑎 = 7 7. 𝑎 = 2
1. 𝑎 = 0 4 ⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡𝑏 = 1 10. 𝑎 = 3
2. 2, 7 3. b 𝑏=2 5. 6. d 𝑏=7 8. 43
𝑏 = −3 5 𝑐 = −7 𝑏 = −11
𝑐=𝑥 𝑐 = −6
𝑑=0