Math for College Algebra

Midterm Study Guide - Matheny

Chapter 3: Equations, Inequalities, and Problem Solving

• Solve equations including proportions, no solution equations, identity
equations and equations with fractions and decimals. (3.1-3.3)
Examples:
1. Solve 2(𝑥 − 3) = 5𝑥 − 9 5. 5𝑡 − 4 + 3𝑡 = 8𝑡 − 4
100−4𝑢 5𝑢+6
2. Solve 0.3𝑦 + 2.4 = 0.1𝑦 + 4. 6. = +6
3 4
3. Solve 2(5 + 6𝑥) = 4(3𝑥 − 1) 7. 4 − (𝑧 + 6) = 8
4. Solve 1.6𝑥 + 0.25(12 − 𝑥) = 0.43(−12) 8. 40 + 14𝑘 = 2(−4𝑘 − 13)

• Solve literal equations for a specific variable and use formulas (know the
formulas for simple interest, d=rt, and basic area, volume and perimeter
formulas (3.5)
Examples:
9. Solve for 𝑙. 𝑃 = 2𝑙 + 2𝑤 10. Solve for 𝑟. 𝐴 = 𝑃 + 𝑊𝑟𝑡
11. How much did Amy originally invest if she earned $97.30 in interest after 1.8
years in an account that earned 4.5% simple interest?
12. A swimming pool win the shape of a rectangular solid has a volume of 3125
cubic meters, a length of 50 meters, and a width of 25 meters. What is the depth?

• Solve mixture and work problems (3.5)

Examples:
13. You can mow the lawn in 2 hours using a riding mower. Your little brother can
mow the same lawn in 3 hours using a push mower. If you both mowed the grass
together, how long will it take you to finish mowing the lawn?
14. A chemist needs to strengthen a 15% alcohol solution with a pure alcohol
solution to obtain a 32% solution. How much pure alcohol should be added to 100
milliliters of the 15% solution?
• Solve inequalities. Express them by graphing on a number line and by using
interval notation. Know the difference between “bounded” and “unbounded”
intervals (3.6)
Examples:
15. Solve the following inequalities and write the solutions in interval notation.
Graph the solution sets.
1 3 b. −2.3𝑥 < 6.9
a. 𝑥≤
4 8 1
d. 𝑥 + 2 ≤ 4 (𝑥 − 7)
c. 18𝑥 − 12 ≤ 7𝑥 + 21
e. 9(𝑦 + 1) ≤ 3(4 − 𝑦) f. −3(𝑦 + 10) ≥ 4(𝑦 + 10)

• Solve compound inequalities. Express them by graphing on a number line

and by using interval notation. Know the difference between “and” & “or”.
(3.6)
Examples:
16. Solve the following inequalities:
2
a. −1 ≤ 3 𝑥 + 5 ≤ 2 b. 9 − 𝑥 ≤ 3 + 2𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 3𝑥 − 7 ≤ −22

1 3𝑥+1 1
c. − 3 < ≤3 d. 4𝑥 + 10 ≤ −6 𝑜𝑟 − 2𝑥 + 5 < −4
6

• Solve absolute value equations and inequalities (3.7)

Examples:
17. Solve the following equations or inequalities.
a. |𝑥 + 7| = 9

b. 2 |4 − 3𝑥| − 6 = −2

𝑥−2
c. | |+6=6
3
 Chapter 4: Graphs and Functions
• Know the following vocabulary!
domain range function ordered pair
x-coordinate y-coordinate origin quadrants
x-axis y-axis vertical horizontal
slope undefined parallel perpendicular
discrete continuous linear nonlinear
origin symmetry y-axis symmetry x-axis symmetry line of best fit
interpolation extrapolation positive correlation
negative correlation correlation coefficient
slope-intercept form standard form
point-slope form

• Graph a linear equation, including horizontal & vertical lines and find slope.
(4.1/4.2)
Examples:
18. Graph the linear equations
1
a. 𝑦 = 3 𝑥 − 2.

b. 15𝑥 + 5𝑦 = 20
c. 𝑥 = −2
d. 𝑦 = 6

19. Graph the equation 𝑦 = 3𝑥 + 2 20. Graph the equation 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 12

19. Find the slope between the points:

a. (5, -7) and (2, 4) b. (9,10) and (9, -3) c. (-4, 2) and (0,2)
• Write the equations of lines in both standard form and slope-intercept form,
given a variety of information. (4.4 & 4.5)
Examples:
20. Write the equation of the line with a slope of 5 and a y-intercept of -2.

21. Find the equation of the line containing the point (-2, -3) and slope of 1/4.

22. Write the equation of the line in standard form that goes through the points (5,3)
and (-1, -9).
1
23. Find the equation of the line parallel to 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 3 passing through the point
2
(0, 5).

24. Write the equation of the line perpendicular to the line 𝑦 = 4𝑥 + 7 that has a
y-intercept of 3.

25. Write the equation of the line that goes through the points (3,7) and (-2,7)

• Use function notation to evaluate specified values and evaluate piecewise

functions. (4.3)
Examples:
26. For the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 3
a. Find 𝑓(−3) b. Find 𝑓(5) c. Find 𝑓(0)

2𝑥 + 3 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 ≤ 0
27. Evaluate 𝑓(𝑥) = { for the following values.
−𝑥 − 1 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 > 0

1
a. 𝑓(2) 𝑏. 𝑓(−6) 𝑐. 𝑓(0) d. 𝑓( )
2
• Graph linear inequalities and determine whether an ordered pair is a solution.
(4.7)
Examples:
28. Graph the linear inequalities:
1
a) 𝑥 + 2 𝑦 ≥ −4

b) 𝑦 ≤ −2.

c) 𝑥>5

d) 𝑦 < 3𝑥 + 1

29. Determine which ordered pair(s) is/are solution(s) to the following inequality:
2𝑥 − 𝑦 > 3
A. (3,0) B. (2, 6) C. (-6, -20) D. (3,3)

• Interpret a scatter plot or a situation to determine whether data has a positive,

negative or no correlation. Draw in a line of best fit and use it to make
predictions. Also, use the correlation coefficient to determine how strong of a
correlation exists. (4.6)
Examples:
30.
31. Explain what each correlation coefficient tells you about the data.
a. r = -0.0004 b. r = 0.999 c. r = -1 d. r = 0.67

32. Determine the type of correlation, if any.

a. b. c.

33. For the graph in 32c, estimate the number of tickets issued for 12 ticket writers.

Chapter 5: Exponents and Polynomials

• Write numbers using scientific notation. (5.1)
Examples:
34. Write each number in scientific notation:
a. 730,000 c. 8,250,000

b. 0.00000104 d. 0.0000346

• Simplify expressions using the rules of exponents (5.1)

Examples:
35. Simplify each expression. Write your answer using positive exponents only.
−3
𝑥 −5
𝑎. (2𝑥 0 𝑦 −3 )−2 b. ( )
𝑥 −2

5−2 𝑥 −3 𝑦 11
c. d. (4𝑎−1 𝑏0 )−3
𝑥 2 𝑦 −5
 −2
2 −3 𝑎−6 3−2 𝑎−2 𝑏12
e. (3) f. ( ) g.
𝑎−8 𝑎4 𝑏−5

• Perform operations with polynomials (5.2, 5.3, 5.4)

Examples:
36. Perform the indicated operations and simplify.
𝑎. (2𝑥 2 + 1) + (𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1)
b. (7𝑥 2 − 𝑥) − (𝑥 3 − 2𝑥 2 + 10)
c. 2(𝑡 2 + 5) − 3(𝑡 2 + 5) + 5(𝑡 2 + 5)
d. (3(𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 3) − 4(4𝑥 + 1) − (3𝑥 2 − 2𝑥)

37. Multiply the following polynomials.

a. (2𝑥 3 )(5𝑥 6 ) c. (3𝑥 2 − 4)(𝑥 + 2)

b. (7𝑦 4 𝑧 4 )(−𝑥𝑦11 𝑧 5 ) d. (4𝑥 2 − 9𝑥 − 3)(2𝑥 3 + 5)

38. Divide the following polynomials.

a. (4𝑦 3 + 12𝑦 2 + 7𝑦 − 3) ÷ (2𝑦 + 3)

b. (3𝑥 3 + 7𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 2) ÷ (𝑥 + 2)

Chapter 6: Factor Polynomials

• Factor polynomials using the GCF, grouping, difference of squares, and
trinomials and recognize perfect square trinomials. (6.1, 6.2, 6.3)
Examples:
39. Factor the following polynomials.
a. 17𝑥 3 𝑦 2 − 34𝑥 4 𝑦 2 b. 12𝑥 3 𝑦 − 3𝑥𝑦 3 c. 𝑥 2 + 10𝑥 + 16
 𝑑. 5𝑎2 + 14𝑎 − 3 e. 5𝑥 2 − 10𝑥 + 6 f. 𝑥 2 − 25

g. 4𝑥 2 + 13𝑥 − 12 h. 2𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 1 i. 4𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 6𝑥 − 9

j. 4𝑚3 + 3𝑚 − 8𝑚2 − 6 k. 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 24 l. 5𝑥 4 − 10𝑥 3 − 240𝑥 2

m. 𝑥 2 + 10𝑥 + 25 n. 𝑥 2 − 14𝑥 + 49 o. 4𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 + 1

• Solve equations using factoring (6.5)

Examples:
40. Solve the following equations by factoring.
a. 2𝑥 2 + 9𝑥 − 5 = 0 b. 𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 = 0

c. 3𝑥 2 − 10𝑥 − 8 = 0 d. 𝑥 2 − 13𝑥 + 42

e. 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 10 = 0 f. 𝑥 3 − 19𝑥 2 + 84𝑥 = 0

g. 𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 + 21 = −15 h. 𝑥 2 − 121 = 0