GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONSđ Math Review Chapter 2: Algebra Copyright â 2010 by Educational Testing Service All rights reserved ETS, the ETS logo, GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS, and GRE are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States and other countries GRE Math Review Algebra The GRE ® Math Review consists of chapters: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis This is the accessible electronic format (Word) edition of the Algebra Chapter of the Math Review Downloadable versions of large print (PDF) and accessible electronic format (Word) of each of the chapters of the of the Math Review, as well as a Large Print Figure supplement for each chapter are available from the GRE ® website Other downloadable practice and test familiarization materials in large print and accessible electronic formats are also available Tactile figure supplements for the four chapters of the Math Review, along with additional accessible practice and test familiarization materials in other formats, are available from E T S Disability Services Monday to Friday 8:30 a m to p m New York time, at 1-6 9-7 1-7 0, or 1-8 6-3 7-8 (toll free for test takers in the United States, U S Territories and Canada), or via email at stassd@ets.org The mathematical content covered in this edition of the Math Review is the same as the content covered in the standard edition of the Math Review However, there are differences in the presentation of some of the material These differences are the result of adaptations made for presentation of the material in accessible formats There are also slight differences between the various accessible formats, also as a result of specific adaptations made for each format Information for screen reader users: This document has been created to be accessible to individuals who use screen readers You may wish to consult the manual or help system for your screen reader to learn how best to take advantage of the features implemented in this document Please consult the separate document, GRE Screen Reader Instructions.doc, for important details GRE Math Review Algebra Figures The Math Review includes figures In accessible electronic format (Word) editions, following each figure on screen is text describing that figure Readers using visual presentations of the figures may choose to skip parts of the text describing the figure that begin with “Begin skippable part of description of …” and end with “End skippable figure description.” Mathematical Equations and Expressions The Math Review includes mathematical equations and expressions In accessible electronic format (Word) editions some of the mathematical equations and expressions are presented as graphics In cases where a mathematical equation or expression is presented as a graphic, a verbal presentation is also given and the verbal presentation comes directly after the graphic presentation The verbal presentation is in green font to assist readers in telling the two presentation modes apart Readers using audio alone can safely ignore the graphical presentations, and readers using visual presentations may ignore the verbal presentations GRE Math Review Algebra Table of Contents Table of Contents Overview of the Math Review Overview of this Chapter .5 2.1 Operations with Algebraic Expressions 2.2 Rules of Exponents 11 2.3 Solving Linear Equations 17 2.4 Solving Quadratic Equations .22 2.5 Solving Linear Inequalities 25 2.6 Functions 27 2.7 Applications 29 2.8 Coordinate Geometry 40 2.9 Graphs of Functions 58 Algebra Exercises 72 Answers to Algebra Exercises 80 GRE Math Review Algebra Overview of the Math Review The Math Review consists of chapters: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis Each of the chapters in the Math Review will familiarize you with the mathematical skills and concepts that are important to understand in order to solve problems and reason quantitatively on the Quantitative Reasoning measure of the GRE ® revised General Test The material in the Math Review includes many definitions, properties, and examples, as well as a set of exercises (with answers) at the end of each chapter Note, however that this review is not intended to be all inclusive There may be some concepts on the test that are not explicitly presented in this review If any topics in this review seem especially unfamiliar or are covered too briefly, we encourage you to consult appropriate mathematics texts for a more detailed treatment Overview of this Chapter Basic algebra can be viewed as an extension of arithmetic The main concept that distinguishes algebra from arithmetic is that of a variable, which is a letter that represents a quantity whose value is unknown The letters x and y are often used as variables, although any letter can be used Variables enable you to present a word problem in terms of unknown quantities by using algebraic expressions, equations, inequalities, and functions This chapter reviews these algebraic tools and then progresses to several examples of applying them to solve real life word problems The chapter ends with coordinate geometry and graphs of functions as other important algebraic tools for solving problems GRE Math Review Algebra 2.1 Operations with Algebraic Expressions An algebraic expression has one or more variables and can be written as a single term or as a sum of terms Here are four examples of algebraic expressions Example A: 2x Example B: y minus, one fourth Example C: Example D: w cubed z, +, 5, z squared, minus z squared, +, the expression with numerator and denominator n + p In the examples above, 2x is a single term, y minus, one fourth has two terms, w cubed z, +, 5, z squared, minus z squared, +, has four terms, and the expression with numerator and denominator n + p has one term In the expression the terms w cubed z, +, 5, z squared, minus z squared, +, 6, 5, z squared, and negative, z squared are called like terms because they have the same variables, and the corresponding variables have the same exponents A term that has no variable is called a constant term GRE Math Review Algebra A number that is multiplied by variables is called the coefficient of a term For example, in the expression 2, x squared, +, 7x, minus 5, is the coefficient of the term 2, x squared, is the coefficient of the term 7x, and negative is a constant term The same rules that govern operations with numbers apply to operations with algebraic expressions One additional rule, which helps in simplifying algebraic expressions, is that like terms can be combined by simply adding their coefficients, as the following three examples show Example A: 2x + 5x = 7x Example B: w cubed z, +, 5, z squared, minus z squared, +, = w cubed z, +, 4, z squared, +, Example C: x y, +, 2x, minus x y, minus 3x = x y, minus x A number or variable that is a factor of each term in an algebraic expression can be factored out, as the following three examples show Example A: 4x + 12 = times, open parenthesis, x + 3, close parenthesis GRE Math Review Algebra Example B: 15, y squared, minus 9y, =, 3y times, open parenthesis, 5y minus 3, close parenthesis Example C: For values of x where it is defined, the algebraic expression with numerator 7, x squared, +, 14x and denominator 2x, +, can be simplified as follows First factor the numerator and the denominator to get the algebraic expression with numerator 7x times, open parenthesis, x + 2, close parenthesis, and denominator times, open parenthesis, x + 2, close parenthesis Now, since x + occurs in both the numerator and the denominator, it can be canceled out when x + is not equal to 0, that is, when x is not equal to negative (since division by is not defined) Therefore, for all not equal to negative 2, the expression is equivalent to x 7x over To multiply two algebraic expressions, each term of the first expression is multiplied by each term of the second expression, and the results are added, as the following example shows To multiply open parenthesis, x + 2, close parenthesis, times, open parenthesis 3x minus 7, close parenthesis first multiply each term of the expression x + by each term of the expression minus to get the expression GRE Math Review Algebra 3x x times 3x, +, x times negative 7, +, times 3x, +, times negative Then multiply each term to get 3, x squared, minus 7x, +, 6x, minus 14 Finally, combine like terms to get 3, x squared, minus x, minus 14 So you can conclude that open parenthesis, x + 2, close parenthesis, times, open parenthesis 3x minus 7, close parenthesis = 3, x squared, minus x, minus 14 A statement of equality between two algebraic expressions that is true for all possible values of the variables involved is called an identity All of the statements above are identities Here are three standard identities that are useful Identity 1: open parenthesis, a + b, close parenthesis, squared, =, a squared, +, a b, +, b squared Identity 2: open parenthesis, a minus b, close parenthesis, cubed, =, a cubed, minus 3, a squared b, +, 3a b squared, minus b cubed GRE Math Review Algebra Identity 3: a squared minus b squared = open parenthesis, a + b, close parenthesis, times, open parenthesis, a minus b, close parenthesis All of the identities above can be used to modify and simplify algebraic expressions For example, identity 3, a squared minus b squared = open parenthesis, a + b, close parenthesis, times, open parenthesis, a minus b, close parenthesis can be used to simplify the algebraic expression with numerator x squared minus and denominator 4x, minus 12 as follows the algebraic expression with numerator x squared minus and denominator 4x minus 12 = the algebraic expression with numerator, open parenthesis, x + 3, close parenthesis, times, open parenthesis, x minus 3, close parenthesis, and denominator times, open parenthesis, x minus 3, close parenthesis Now, since x minus occurs in both the numerator and the denominator, it can be canceled out when x minus is not equal to 0, that is, when equal to (since division by is not defined) Therefore, for all GRE Math Review Algebra x is not x not equal to 3, 10 Algebra Exercises Find an algebraic expression to represent each of the following a The square of y is subtracted from 5, and the result is multiplied by 37 b Three times x is squared, and the result is divided by c The product of open parenthesis, x + 4, close parenthesis and y is added to 18 Simplify each of the following algebraic expressions a b +, 3, x squared, minus 6, +, x + 11, minus x squared, +, 5x times, open parenthesis, 5x, minus 1, close parenthesis, minus x, c the expression with numerator x squared minus 16 and denominator x minus 4, where x is not equal to d open parenthesis, 2x, +, 5, close parenthesis, times, open parenthesis, 3x, minus 1, close parenthesis a What is the value of minus 7x, +, 23, when x is equal to negative ? GRE Math Review Algebra f of, x = 3, x squared, 72 b What is the value of 2, x squared, +, x, minus 2, when x = ? c What is the value of x=0? h of, x = x cubed, minus k of, x = thirds x, minus 7, when If the function g is defined for all nonzero numbers y by the absolute value of y, find the value of each of the following a b c g of, y = y over g of, g of, negative g of, 2, minus, g of, negative Use the rules of exponents to simplify the following a b c d n to the power 5, times, n to the power negative s to the power 7, times, t to the power r to the power 12 over r to the power open parenthesis 2a over b, close parenthesis, to the power GRE Math Review Algebra 73 e f open parenthesis, w to the power 5, close parenthesis, to the power negative to the power 0, times, d to the power g the expression with numerator x to the power 10 times y to the power negative 1, and denominator x to the power negative times y to the power h open parenthesis, 3x over y, close parenthesis, squared, divided by, open parenthesis, over y, close parenthesis, to the power Solve each of the following equations for x a 5x, minus = 28 b 12 minus 5x = x + 30 c times, open parenthesis, x + 2, close parenthesis, = 1, minus, 3x d open parenthesis, x + 6, close parenthesis, times, open parenthesis, 2x, minus 1, close parenthesis, = e x squared, +, 5x, minus 14 f x squared, minus x, minus = GRE Math Review Algebra 74 Solve each of the following systems of equations for x and y a x + y = 24, and, x minus y = 18 b 3x minus y = negative 5, and, x + 2y = c 15x minus 18 minus 2y = negative 3x, +, y, and, 10x, +, 7y, +, 20 = 4x, +, Solve each of the following inequalities for x a b c negative 3x is greater than + x 25x + 16 is greater than or equal to 10 minus x 16 + x is greater than 8x, minus 12 For a given two digit positive integer, the tens digit is more than the units digit The sum of the digits is 11 Find the integer 10 If the ratio of 2x to 5y is to 4, what is the ratio of x to y ? GRE Math Review Algebra 75 11 Kathleen’s weekly salary was increased by percent to $237.60 What was her weekly salary before the increase? 12 A theater sells children’s tickets for half the adult ticket price If adult tickets and children’s tickets cost a total of $27, what is the cost of an adult ticket? 13 Pat invested a total of $3,000 Part of the money was invested in a money market account that paid 10 percent simple annual interest, and the remainder of the money was invested in a fund that paid percent simple annual interest If the interest earned at the end of the first year from these investments was $256, how much did Pat invest at 10 percent and how much at percent? 14 Two cars started from the same point and traveled on a straight course in opposite directions for exactly hours, at which time they were 208 miles apart If one car traveled, on average, miles per hour faster than the other car, what was the average speed of each car for the hour trip? 15 A group can charter a particular aircraft at a fixed total cost If 36 people charter the aircraft rather than 40 people, then the cost per person is greater by $12 a What is the fixed total cost to charter the aircraft? b What is the cost per person if 40 people charter the aircraft? 16 An antiques dealer bought c antique chairs for a total of x dollars The dealer sold each chair for y dollars a Write an algebraic expression for the profit, P, earned from buying and selling the chairs GRE Math Review Algebra 76 b Write an algebraic expression for the profit per chair 17 Algebra Figure 16 below shows right triangle PQR in the x y plane Find the following a Coordinates of point Q b Lengths of line segment PQ, line segment QR, and line segment PR c Perimeter of triangle PQR d Area of triangle PQR e Slope, y intercept, and equation of the line passing through points P and R Algebra Figure 16 Begin skippable part of description of Algebra Figure 16 GRE Math Review Algebra 77 The figure shows right triangle PQR in the x y plane Vertex R lies on the x axis and has coordinates comma Vertex P lies in the second quadrant and has coordinates negative comma Vertex Q lies on the x axis directly below vertex P Angle PQR is a right angle End skippable part of figure description 18 In the x y plane, find the following a Slope and y intercept of the line with equation 2y + x = b Equation of the line passing through the point comma with y intercept c The y intercept of a line with slope that passes through the point comma negative d The x intercepts of the graphs in parts a, b, and c 19 For the parabola x y plane, find the following y = x squared, minus 4x, minus 12 in the a The x intercepts b The y intercept c Coordinates of the vertex 20 For the circle open parenthesis, x minus 1, close parenthesis, squared, +, open parenthesis, y + 1, close parenthesis, squared, =, 20 in the x y plane, find the following GRE Math Review Algebra 78 a Coordinates of the center b Radius c Area 21 For each of the following functions, give the domain and a description of the graph y = f of, x in the x y plane, including its shape, and the x and y intercepts a b c squared f of, x = negative f of, x = 100 minus 900x f of, x = minus, open parenthesis, x + 20, close parenthesis, d f of, x = the positive square root of the quantity x + e f of, x = x + the absolute value of x GRE Math Review Algebra 79 Answers to Algebra Exercises a 37 times, open parenthesis, minus, y squared, close parenthesis, or 185, minus, 37, y squared b the fraction, open parenthesis, 3x, close parenthesis, squared, over 7, or the fraction, 9, x squared over c 18 +, open parenthesis, x + 4, close parenthesis, times y, or, 18 + x y + 4y a 2, x squared, + 6x, + b 14x + c x + d 6, x squared, + 13x, minus a 49 GRE Math Review Algebra 80 b c negative a b negative c a b c d e f g h n squared open parenthesis, st, close parenthesis, to the power r to the power the fraction 32, a to the power 5, over, b to the power over, w to the power 15 d cubed the fraction x to the power 15, over, y to the power 9, x squared, y cubed GRE Math Review Algebra 81 a b negative c negative over d the two solutions are negative 6, and one half e the two solutions are negative and f the two solutions are the fraction with numerator + the positive square root of 5, and denominator 2, and the fraction with numerator minus the positive square root of 5, and denominator a x = 21; y = b c x = negative 1, y = x = one half; y = negative GRE Math Review Algebra 82 a x is less than negative over b c x is greater than or equal to negative over 13 x is less than 83 10 15 to 11 $220 12 $3 13 $800 at 10% and $2,200 at 8% 14 48 miles per hour and 56 miles per hour 15 a $4,320 b $108 GRE Math Review Algebra 83 16 a P = c y, minus x b Profit per chair: P over c, =, the fraction with numerator c y minus x, and denominator c, which is equal to y minus the fraction x over c 17 a The coordinates of point Q are negative comma b The length of PQ is 6, the length of QR is 7, and the length of PR is square root of 85 c the positive 13 + the positive square root of 85 d 21 e Slope: negative over 7; y intercept: 30 over equation of line: y = negative sevenths x, +, 30 over 7, or 7y + 6x = 30 18 a Slope: negative one half; y intercept: GRE Math Review Algebra 84 b y = x over 3, +, c d 6, negative 3, and negative over 19 a b c x = negative 2, and x = y = negative 12 coordinates comma negative 16 20 a coordinates comma negative b the positive square root of 20 c 20 pi 21 a Domain: the set of all real numbers The graph is a horizontal line with y intercept negative and no x intercept b Domain: the set of all real numbers The graph is a line with slope 900, y intercept 100, and x intercept GRE Math Review Algebra negative ninth 85 c Domain: the set of all real numbers The graph is a parabola opening downward with vertex at negative 20 comma 5, line of symmetry x = negative 20, y intercept negative 395 and x intercepts positive square root of negative 20 plus or minus the d Domain: the set of numbers greater than or equal to negative The graph is half a parabola opening to the right with vertex at negative 2, and y intercept negative comma 0, x intercept the positive square root of e Domain: the set of all real numbers The graph is two half lines joined at the origin: one half line is the negative x axis and the other is a line starting at the origin with slope Every nonpositive number is an x intercept, and the y intercept is The function is equal to the following piecewise defined function f of, x = 2x, for x greater than or equal to 0, and f of, x = for x less than GRE Math Review Algebra 86