Page 1 of 12

Are You Ready for PreCalculus? Packet

The PreCalculus course prepares students for Calculus. In order to accomplish this, the course is taught at
a significantly faster pace than Algebra 2, and students often find it difficult to adjust. You will need to
spend time practicing and reviewing the Algebra 1 and 2 topics in this packet! Concepts will be discusses
in class and certain problem numbers will be addresses in class. ALL WORK MUST BE SHOWN.

There is a formula sheet at the end of the packet.

A. Evaluate using order of operations:

3xy 2 - 1
1. when x = -3, y = -2 2. - x 2 - 4 x when x = -1
3x3 y + 1
x=-37/163 x=3

B. Solve equations:
3. -3(3x + 2) = 6(-3 - 2 x) - 2 4. 2 ( 5x - 9) = 3 - 8 ( x + 2 )

x=-14/3 x=5/18

C. Linear Equations - Sketch graphs, write linear equations using slope and intercept:

5. In which quadrant is (5, -4)? iv

Sketch the graph of the following linear equations:

6. x = -5 7. y=3

Updated May 2016

 Page 2 of 12
8. y = -3x + 5 9. 2x - 3 y = 6 (first solve for y)

10. Find the slope of (-15, 11) and (8, -4) ** (formula sheet at the end)

m=-15/23

11. Find the intercepts of -4 x - 3 y = 16 x-intercept: (-4,0)

y-intercept: (0,-16/3)

12. Rewrite in slope-intercept form: -4 x - 3 y = 1

m=-4/3
slope:

y-intercept: (0,-1/3)

13. Write an equation of the line containing (1, 1) and (2, -2).

y=-3x+4

14. Write an equation of the line passing through (7, 2) and having a slope of 0.

y=2

15. Write an equation of the line having an undefined slope (no slope) and passing through
the point (-2, 5).
x=-2

Updated May 2016

 Page 3 of 12

D. Add, Subtract and Multiply Polynomials:

16. ( 2x 2
+ 3x - 4) - ( x2 + x -1) ( ) (
17. 2 x2 - 3x + ( 3x + 2) - 2 3x2 - 2 x )

(
18. 2 x 4 x2 - 3x + 2 ) 19. ( 4x - 7 )(3x + 2)

( 2 x - 5) ( x - 3) ( x2 + 2x - 3)
2
20. 21.

E. Factoring - Greatest Common Factor, Trinomials, Difference of Squares:

When you factor, first look for a GCF.

Then look for special factors, like the difference of 2 squares:
a 2 - b2 = (a + b)(a - b) ,
OR the sum or difference of 2 cubes (formulas are on the last page)
OR, if there are 4 terms, factor by grouping.
If you are factoring a trinomial, either factor by trial and error, or perhaps you remember
finding the product and sum on ax 2 + bx + c , i.e., what 2 numbers give you a product of ac and
a sum of b? Use those numbers to help you factor the trinomial. Video: http://tinyurl.com/j6e45en

22. x2 – 49 23. x2 + 4x – 21

24. x 2 - 16 x + 64 25. 2 x3 - 32 x

26. 2x2 – 5x – 12 27. x3 + 5x2 – 9x – 45

28. x3 - 8 29. 18x2 y5 - 30 x3 y 4 + 3xy3

Updated May 2016

 Page 4 of 12
F. Simplify Using Exponent Rules:

30. (3) 4 (3) 2 31. x -7 × x 9

y15
32.
y5
33. ( -2x y )
2 0 4

y 4 12 x 2
34. (-5m)0 35. ×
6 x3 xy

5x2 1
36. × 37. (-2 xy 3 )-3
y 15 x 4 y -1
-3

G. Quadratic Equations

1 2
38. Solve x = 8 . (Isolate and use square root property)
2

In #39-40, solve using quadratic formula and simplify:

39. x2 + 4x – 3 = 0 40. 3x2 + 2x = 2

In #41-42, factor to find all real solutions:

41. x2 – 5x = 0 42. x 2 - 3x - 10 = 0

Updated May 2016

 Page 5 of 12
H. Complex (Imaginary) Numbers:

Simplify the following:

43. -9 44. -7 45. - -4 46. - - 15

47. (3i)2 48. -(2i)2 49. 3i2 50. i4

Solve the equation:

51. x2 = -9 52. x2 = -7

Perform the indicated operation:

53. (9 + 3i) + ( 7 – i) 54. (1 – 6i) – (8 + i)

55. 2i(5 + 3i) 56. (5 + 4i)(2 + i)

I. Radicals and Rational Exponents:

1
57. Write in radical form and simplify: 9 2

58. Write in rational exponent form: a.) 6 5 x3 b) 5

6x3

59. Simplify, then add like radicals: 18 + 8 - 4 2

Simplify:

60. 3
27x3 y 6 61. 16x5

Updated May 2016

 Page 6 of 12

Solve (check for extraneous solutions):

62. x = 2x + 3 63. 3
3x = 3 x - 4

64. 2 x - 3 = -7 65. 2x - 3 = 4x - 7

J. Rational Expressions:

66. Divide Rational Expressions (Multiply by Reciprocal, Factor, Simplify)

x2 + 6x + 8 x2 + x - 2
÷ 2
x 2 + 3x 4 x + 12 x

67. Simplify Complex Fractions using the LCD Method (Video - http://tinyurl.com/z67adhs )

2
3x
1 5
+
2 3x

68. Simplify Complex Fractions - Multiply by the Reciprocal Method (Video - http://tinyurl.com/j2pq7jy )

1 3
+
x x +1
3 1
+
x -1 x

Updated May 2016

 Page 7 of 12

Section 3 - Common Errors in Algebra

Many algebra errors come from not mastering the differences between the rules of addition and
multiplication! Test yourself by doing the following problems. Check your answers by substituting
numbers for the variables. There may be more than one correct form of the answer.

I. ERRORS INVOLVING PARENTHESES

A. Distributing a negative sign

1. 3 - ( x - 2) = a) 3 - x - 2 b) 1 - x c) 5 - x
3x x +1 2x +1 2x -1
2. - = a) b)
x+2 x+2 x+2 x+2
3x + 2 2 ( x + 1) 1 x +1 x+4
3. . - = a) b) c)
5x 5x 5 5x 5x

B. Distributing Left and Right

1. 4( x + 2) ( 2 ) = a) 8 x + 16 b) 4 x + 4 c) 4 x + 16

C. DO NOT distribute exponents over addition or subtraction

Does (a + b)2 = a 2 + b2 ?
Convince yourself: Does (3 + 4)2 = 32 + 42 ?

D. DO NOT distribute when there is only multiplication

æ1ö æ 1 öæ 1 ö æ1ö 1 ab
1. ç ÷ ( a ) (b) = a) ç a ÷ç b ÷ b) ç ÷ ab c) ( ab ) d)
è2ø è 2 øè 2 ø è2ø 2 2
II. ERRORS INVOLVING FRACTIONS
a+b a b x x x
1. Does = + ? Does = + ?
x x x a+b a b
1 1 1 b+a
2. + = a) b)
a b a+b ab
x
a= bx x
3. a) b)
b a ab
æ1ö 1 x
4. ç ÷ x = a) b)
è3ø 3x 3

1 1 1 + 2x
5. +2= a) b)
x x+2 x
x +1
6. = a) 1 b) 0
x +1
Updated May 2016
 Page 8 of 12
( x + 1) 1
7. = a) b) x + 3
( x + 1)( x + 3) x+3

50
8. Which are possible steps for doing on a calculator ?
( 5)( 2)
a) 50 ÷ 5 ´ 2 b) 50 ÷ 5 ÷ 2 c) 50 ÷ ( 5 ´ 2 )

III. ERRORS INVOLVING EXPONENTS

1. (x ) =
2 3
a) x 5 b) x 6

2. x3 ! x5 = a) x8 b) x15
3. Does 4 x 2 - 2 x 2 = 4 x 2 - (2 x)2 ?

9 9 -3 æ9ö
4.
5x3
= a)
5
(x ) b) ç ÷ x3
è5ø
7 1 -1
5. = a) 7 ( 2 x - 3) 2 b) 7 ( 2 x - 3) 2

2x - 3
6. Which are correct steps for doing on a calculator 22 !3 ?
a) 2 ^ 2 ´ 3 b) 2 ^ ( 2 ´ 3)

IV. ERRORS INVOLVING RADICALS

1. 5x = a) 5 x b) 5x c) 5! x

2. Does a 2 + b2 = a + b ? Check: Does 32 + 42 = 3 + 4 ?

( a + b) (3 + 4)
2 2
3. Does = a + b? Check: Does = 3+ 4?

64 8
4. = a) 32 b) or 4
2 2
32 4 2
5. = a) 16 b) or 2 2
2 2

6. Which are correct calculator steps for 32 + 42 ?

a) 3Ù 2 + 4Ù 2 b) (3 2 + 4 2)
Ù Ù

c) ( 3^ 2 + 4 ^ 2 ) ^1 ÷ 2 d) ( 3^ 2 + 4 ^ 2) ^ (1 ÷ 2)

Updated May 2016

 Page 9 of 12
V. ERRORS INVOLVING DIVIDING OUT COMMON FACTORS
A. When Simplifying Fractions
a + bx æbö bx
1. = a) 1 + bx b) 1 + ç ÷ x c) 1 +
a èaø a

a + ax
2. = a) a + x b) 1 + x
a

2±4 3
3. = a) 2 ± 2 3 b) 1 ± 2 3 c) 1 ± 4 3
2

12 ± 2 3 3 3
4. = a) 2 ± b) 12 ± c) 2 ± 2 3
6 3 3

4x x
5. = a) b) -1 c) Can't simplify
x-4 1- 4

8x 4x
6. = a) b) -1 c) Can't simplify
2x - 4 x-2

Updated May 2016

 Page 12 of 12

ALGEBRA II
FORMULA SHEET

y 2 - y1
Slope of a Line m=
x 2 - x1

Slope Intercept Form of a Line y = mx + b

Point Slope Formula (y - y1 ) = m(x - x1 )

Vertex Form of a Quadratic y = a(x - h) 2 + k

-b ± b 2 - 4ac
Quadratic Formula x=
2a
Discriminant b 2 - 4ac
-b
x-coordinate of the Vertex of a Parabola x=
2a
Pythagorean Theorem a 2 + b 2 = c2

d = (x2 - x1 ) + (y2 - y1 )
2 2
Distance Formula

Midpoint Formula
æ x2 + x1 , y2 + y1 ö
è 2 2 ø
y
Direct Variation y = kx or =k
x

k
Inverse Variation y= or xy = k
x

Joint Variation z = kxy

Difference of Two Cubes a 3 - b3 = (a - b)(a 2 + ab + b 2 )

Sum of Two Cubes a 3 + b3 = (a + b)(a 2 - ab + b 2 )

Updated May 2016