Avenues Integrated Math 1 2020 21 MASTER Student

Avenues: Mathematics 1
Avenues: Math 1
Adapted from:
Mathematics Department Phillips
Exeter Academy Exeter, NH
July 2016
2020-21 Avenues: The World School

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To the Student
We are grateful to the members of the Exeter Mathematics Department who have written the
material in their original Math 1 Book. Avenues has adapted this curriculum to suit the needs of our
students in some ways, but it stays true to the main goals of the Exeter Mathematics Department.
As you work through it, you will discover that many topics in algebra have been integrated into a
mathematical whole. There is no Chapter 5, nor is there a distinct section on one single topic. The
curriculum is problem-based, rather than chapter-oriented.
A major goal of this course is to have you practice thinking mathematically and to learn to
become a more independent and creative problem solver. Problem solving techniques, new
concepts and algebra methods will become apparent as you work through the problems, and it is
your classroom community’s responsibility to make these conclusions together. Your responsibility
is to keep appropriate notes for your records — there are no boxes containing important concepts.
There is no index as such, but the reference section at the end of the book should help you recall
the meanings of key words that are defined in the problems (where they usually appear italicized).
The Mathematical Thinking Process
1. Every night when you are attempting the problems on your assignment, you should be
considering the Mathematical Thinking Process as outlined below:
a. Stay/Think/Say/Draw
i. Reading each question carefully and repeatedly is essential, especially since
definitions, highlighted in italics, are routinely inserted into the problem
texts. Check the reference section regularly.
ii. It is important to make accurate diagrams whenever appropriate.
b. Talk/Use Resources
i. Talk out loud, speak to friends, ask questions, email your teacher, use Math
Lab
ii. Your prior knowledge – what you already know or have forgotten that you
know – is your best resource.
iii. Use your notes, the internet
c. Estimate
i. Before you try any mathematical formulas at all, you should have some idea
of what the answer should be – is it really large like 3000? Or should it be
something small like .05?
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d. Mathematize
i. Formulas, concepts, rules of mathematics that are prior knowledge you have
can be used at this point in the process.
e. Try/Refine/Revise
i. If something doesn’t work, see why it didn’t work
ii. Change the method
iii. Try something else!

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1. Often it is necessary to rearrange an equation so that one variable is expressed in terms of

others. For example, the equation D = 3t expresses D in terms of t. To express t in terms
of D, divide both sides of this equation by 3 to obtain .

a. Solve the equation C = 2πr for r in terms of C.
b. Solve the equation p = 2w + 2h for w in terms of p and h.
c. Solve the equation 3x 2y = 6 for y in terms of x.
2. Temperature is measured in both Celsius and Fahrenheit degrees. These two systems are of
course related: the Fahrenheit temperature is obtained by adding 32 to 9/5 of the Celsius
temperature. In the following questions, let C represent the Celsius temperature and F the
Fahrenheit temperature.
a. Write an equation that expresses F in terms of C.
b. Use this equation to find the value of F that corresponds to C = 20.
c. On the Celsius scale, water freezes at 0 ° and boils at 100 ° . Use your formula to
find the corresponding temperatures on the Fahrenheit scale. Do you recognize your
answers?
3. (Continuation) A quick way to get an approximate Fahrenheit temperature from a Celsius

temperature is to double the Celsius temperature and add 30. Explain why this is a good
approximation. Convert 23°C the quick way. What is the difference between your answer
and the correct value? For what Celsius temperature does the quick way give the correct
value?
4. You measure your stride and find it to be 27 inches. If you were to walk to Columbia
University, up Amsterdam Ave., which is about 4.5 miles, how many steps would you
have to take? Remember that there are 12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard, and 5280 feet
in a mile.

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5. The Millers must make a 120-km Thanksgiving trip to visit their grandparents. Pat Miller
believes in driving at a steady rate of 80 kilometers per hour.
a. How much time will it take Pat to make the trip?
b. How many kilometers will the Millers travel in 18 minutes?
c. Write an expression for the number of kilometers they will cover in t minutes of
driving.
d. After t minutes of driving, how many kilometers remain to be covered?
6. Number-line graphs. Observe the following useful notations, which may already be
familiar:
To indicate a finite interval on the number line, thicken that part of the number line and
the two points that represent the numbers where the interval begins and ends. It is
possible to represent an infinite interval (for example, ALL numbers greater than 3) by
placing an endpoint on the beginning and thickening the number line in the respective
direction and placing an arrow at the end on which you shaded.
To indicate that an endpoint of an interval is included, place a solid dot on the number.
To indicate that an endpoint is not included, place an open circle on the number.
For example, the diagram at right illustrates

those numbers that are greater than -2 and
less than or equal to 3.
Draw a number line for each of the following and indicate the numbers described:
a. All numbers that are exactly two units from 5.
b. All numbers that are more than two units from 5.
c. All numbers that are greater than -1 and less than or equal to 7.
d. All numbers that are less than four units from zero.
7. It is sometimes necessary to write fractions with variables in the denominator. Rewrite by

hand each of the following as a single fraction. This is called combining over a common
denominator.
(a) (b) (c) (d)

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8. Ryan earns x dollars every seven days. Write an expression for how much Ryan earns in
one day. Ryan’s spouse Lee is paid twice as much as Ryan. Write an expression for how
much Lee earns in one day. Write an expression for their combined daily earnings.
9. On a number line, graph all numbers that are closer to 5 than they are to 8.
10. Remy walked to a friend’s house, m miles away, at an average rate of 4 mph. The m-mile
walk home was at only 3 mph, however. First, express the time Remy spent walking to their
friends house as a fraction. Then express the time Remy spent walking home as a fraction;
Finally, express the total time Remy spent walking as a fraction.
11. The sum of four consecutive integers is 2174. What are the integers?
12. (Continuation) The smallest of four consecutive integers is n. What expression represents
the next larger integer? Write an expression for the sum of four consecutive integers, the
smallest of which is n. Write an equation that states that the sum of four consecutive
integers is s. Solve the equation for n in terms of s. Check that your answer to the previous
question satisfies this equation by considering the case s = 2174.
13. Graph on a number line the intervals corresponding to these two signs on the highway.
a. The maximum speed is 65 mph and the minimum speed is 45 mph.
b. The maximum speed is 55 mph.
14. Solve for x: (a) (b)
15. On a number line, graph a number that is twice as far from 5 as it is from 8. How many
such numbers are there?
16. Solve the equation A = P + P rt for r. Solve the equation A = P + P rt for P .
17. Draw a number line for each of the following and indicate the numbers described (if any):
a. The numbers that are less than 2 or greater than 4.
b. The numbers that are less than 2 and greater than 4.
18. Find the smallest positive integer divisible by every positive integer less than or equal to
10.

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19. Graph on a number line the intervals described below:

a. All numbers that are greater than 1 or less than 3.
b. All numbers that are greater than -5 and less than or equal to 4.
c. All numbers whose squares are greater than or equal to 1.
d. How would you write each of these (a-c) with an inequality?
20. Randy and Sandy have a total of 20 books between them. After Sandy loses three by
leaving them on the bus, and some birthday gifts double Randy’s collection, their total
increases to 30 books. How many books did each have before these changes?
21. Do each of the following:

a. On a number line, graph x < 2.
b. On the same line, graph x + 5 < 2; how does the location of the new graph relate to the
graph of x < 2?
c. On the same line, graph x - 3 < 2; how does the location of the new graph relate to the
graph of x < 2?
22. A flat, rectangular board is built by gluing together a number of square pieces of the same
size. The board is m squares wide and n squares long.
a. Using the letters m and n, write expressions for
the total number of 1x1 squares;
b. the total number of 1x1 squares with free edges
(the number of 1x1 squares that are not
completely surrounded by other squares);
c. the number of completely surrounded 1x1
squares;
d. the perimeter of the figure.
23. Using the variable x to represent a certain number, write an algebraic expression to
represent each of the following:
a. Eleven more than one third of the number.
b. Three times the difference between the number and twelve.
c. Two times the number, decreased by the sum of the number squared and two.

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24. By hand, combine the following over a common denominator.
(a) (b) (c)
25. (Continuation) Evaluate your answer to (c) with x = 4 and then with x = 10. How do these
answers compare to your answers to (a) and (b)?
26. Which of the following seven expressions does not belong in the list?
27. Forrest is texting while driving along the freeway at 70 miles per hour. How many feet
does the car travel during the 3-second interval when Forrest’s eyes are not on the road?
28. The statement “x is between 13 and 23” defines an interval using two simultaneous
inequalities: 13 < x and x < 23. The statement “x is not between 13 and 23” also uses two
inequalities, but they are non-simultaneous: and . Graph these two
examples on a number line. Notice that there is a compact form 13 < x < 23 for only one
of them.
29. Crossing a long stretch of the Canadian plains, passenger

trains maintain a steady speed of 80 mph. At that speed, what
distance is covered in half an hour? How much time is needed
to cover 200 miles? Fill in the missing entries in the table
below, and plot points on the grid at right.
Time 0 1/2 1 2 3 4 t
distance 60 200 300
30. (Continuation) The Canadian plains problem contains relationships that is called direct
variation. In your own words, describe what it means for one quantity to vary directly with
another. Which of the following describe direct variations?
a. The height of a ball and the number of seconds since it was thrown.
b. The length of a side of a square and the perimeter of the square.
c. The length of a side of a square and the area of the square.
d. The gallons of water in a tub and the number of minutes since the fawcett was
opened.

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31. (Continuation) Sketch graphs for each of the situations described above. Be sure to include
meaningful descriptions and scales for each axis.
32. Remy walked to a friend’s house, m miles away, at an average rate of 4 mph. The m-mile
walk home was only at 3 mph. Remy spent 2 hours walking in all. Find the value of m.
33. The rectangle shown at right has been broken into

four smaller rectangles. The areas of three of the
smaller rectangles are shown in the diagram. Find
the area of the fourth one.
34. Tickets to a school play cost $2 if bought in advance

and $3 at the door. By selling all 400 tickets, $1030
was collected. Let x represent the number of tickets
sold at the door.
a. In terms of x, how many tickets were sold in advance?
b. In terms of x, how much money was taken in by the tickets sold in advance?
c. Write and solve an equation to find out how many tickets were sold in advance.
35. Chandler was given $75 for a birthday present. This present, along with earnings from a
summer job, is being set aside for a mountain bike. The job pays $6 per hour, and the bike
costs $345. To be able to buy the bike, how many hours does Chandler need to work?
36. (Continuation) Let h be the number of hours that Chandler works. What quantity is
represented by the expression 6h? What quantity is represented by the expression 6h + 75?
a. Graph the solutions to the inequality 6h + 75 ≥ 345 on a number line.
b. Graph the solutions to the inequality 6h + 75 < 345 on a number line.
c. What do the solutions to the inequality 6h + 75 ≥ 345 signify?
37. If you bike 10 miles from Avenues to Columbia University in 40 minutes, you will most
likely not be traveling at a constant rate. But if you did, what rate would it be? This value
is your average speed for the trip.
38. One day, you rode your bike to the beach. You pedal hard for the first ten minutes and
cover 4 miles. Tired, you slow down and cover the last 6 miles in 36 minutes. What is your
average speed for the return trip?

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39. Sandy recently made a 210-mile car trip, starting

from home at noon. The graph at right shows
how Sandy’s distance from home (measured in
miles) depends on the number of hours after
noon. Make up a story that accounts for the four
distinct parts of the graph. In particular, identify
the speed at which Sandy spent most of the
afternoon driving.
40. Solve the inequality using only the

operations of addition and subtraction. Is x = 0 a
solution to the inequality?
41. To do a college visit, Trace must make a

240-mile trip by car. The time required to
complete the trip depends on the speed at
which Trace drives, of course, as the table
below shows. Fill in the missing entries, and
plot points on the grid provided. Do the
quantities time and speed vary directly? It makes
sense to connect your plotted points with a
continuous graph. Explain why.
42. Pat bought several pens at Walgreens, for 60 cents each. Spending the same amount of
money at CVS, Pat then bought some pens that cost 80 cents each. In all, 42 pens were
bought. How many pens did Pat buy CVS?
43. A small pool is 20 feet long, 12 feet wide and 4 feet deep. There are 7.5 gallons of water
in every cubic foot. At the rate of 5 gallons per minute, how long will it take to fill this
pool?

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44. A town’s building code does not permit building a house

that is more than 35 feet tall. An architect working on the
design shown at right would like the roof to be sloped so
that it rises 10 inches for each foot of horizontal length.
Given the other dimensions in the diagram, will the
builder be allowed to carry out this plan?
45. (Continuation) Two vertical supports (shown dotted in the

diagram) are to be placed 6 feet from the center of the
building. How long should they be?
46. Jan walks 2 miles at a constant rate of 3 miles per hour and then runs 1 mile at a constant
rate of 8 miles per hour.
a. What is Jan’s average speed for the entire trip?
b. Is the average speed in part (a) equal to the average of Jan’s two speeds?
47. The rectangle ABCD shown at right has sides that are
parallel to the coordinate axes. Side AD is three times
the length of side AB and the perimeter of ABCD is 56
units. (Figure not to scale).
a. Find the dimensions of ABCD.
b. Given the information D = (9, 2), find
the coordinates for points A, B, and C.
48. A ladder is leaning against the side of a building. Each time I step from one rung to the
next, my foot moves 6 inches closer to the building and 8 inches further from the ground.
The base of the ladder is 9 ft. from the wall. How far up the wall does the ladder reach?
49. Solve the following for x:
(a) (b) (c)

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50. In 1986, renovations were made to the stairs in the Statue of Liberty in an overall
celebration of its bicentennial. Francesco Schettino was the draftsman in charge of the
calculations for the details of the structural steel for those stairs. He found that the stairs in
the Lady’s pedestal needed to have a vertical rise of 7.8 inches and a horizontal run of 9.75
inches. The more complicated spiral stairs that led up the body had a constant vertical rise
of 9 inches and average horizontal run of 5.06 inches.
a. Using graph paper, create a graphical representation of these two sets of stairs.
b. Which flight of stairs do you think is steeper? Why?
c. Calculate the ratio for each flight and verify that the greater ratio belongs to
the flight you thought was steeper.
51. (Continuation) On a coordinate plane, the slope of a line is a numerical measure of how
steep the line is. It is calculated by dividing the change in y-coordinates by the
corresponding change in x-coordinates between two points on the line:
Plot the points (1, 3) and (7, 6). and then calculate the slope of the line that goes through
them. Calculate the slope of the line that goes through the two points (0, 0) and (9, 6).
Which line is steeper?
52. Explain why the descriptions “right 5 up 2”, “right 10 up 4”, “left 5 down 2”, “right 5/2 up
1”, and “left 1 down 2/5” all describe the same inclination for a straight line.
53. In August, 2011, the Saw Mill River in Yonkers, was hit by hurricane Irene. At noon one
day that August the water in the Saw Mill River was 9.6 feet above flood stage (the water
level where the river would normally begin to flood!). It then began to recede, its depth
dropping at 4 inches per hour.
a. At 3:30 that afternoon, how many inches above flood stage was the river?
b. Let t stand for the number of hours since noon, and h stand for the corresponding
number of inches that the river was above flood stage. Make a table of values, and
write an equation that expresses h in terms of t.
c. Plot h versus t, putting t on the horizontal axis.
d. For how many hours past noon was the river at least 36 inches above flood stage?

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54. A sign placed at the top of a hill on route 684 north of White Plains says “8% grade.
Trucks use lower gear.” What do you think that “8% grade” might mean?
55. Cass decided to sell game programs for the next Avenues soccer game. The printing cost
was 20 cents per program, with a selling price of 50 cents each. Cass sold all but 50 of the
programs printed, and made a profit of $65. Let p represent the number of programs
printed.
a. Write an expression for the amount of programs sold.
b. Write an expression to calculate the profit on the programs sold.
c. Set up an equation that relates p with the cost to print and sell the programs and the
total profit made. See if you can solve it.
56. Draw the segment from (3, 1) to (5, 6), and the segment from (0, 5) to (2, 0). Calculate their
slopes. You should notice that the segments are equally steep, and yet they differ in a
significant way. Do your slope calculations reflect this difference?
57. At noon one day, Alex decided to take a long bike ride from Manhattan to Jones Beach
State Park on Long Island, a distance of 100
km. Later in the day, the rest of the family
packed into their van and drove to the park
along Alex’s bike route. They overtook Alex
after driving for 1.2 hrs, stopped long enough
to put Alex and bicycle in the van, and
continued to the Jones Beach. Refer to the
graph as you answer the following questions
about the day’s events:
a. Alex pedaled at two different rates during the
biking part of the trip. What were they?
b. After biking for a while, Alex stopped to rest.
How far from home was Alex then? For how
long did Alex rest?
c. How far from home was Alex when the family caught up?
d. At what time did the family arrive at Jones Beach?
e. At what time would Alex have arrived, if left to bicycle all the way?
f. What distance separated Alex and the rest of the family at 5 pm?

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58. Robin and Wes are solving the inequality 132 4x ≤ 36 . Each begins by subtracting 132
from both sides to get , and then each divides both sides by -4. Robin gets
and Wes gets , however. Always happy to offer advice, Alex now suggests
to Robin and Wes that answers to inequalities can often be checked by substituting x = 0
into both the original inequality and the answer. What do you think of this advice? Graph
each of these answers on a number line.
59. (Continuation) After hearing Alex’s suggestion about using a test value to check an
inequality, Cameron suggests that the problem could have been done by solving the

equation 132 4x = 36 first. Explain the reasoning behind this strategy.
60. (Continuation) Tracy, who has been keeping quiet during the discussion, remarks, “The
only really tricky thing about inequalities is when you try to multiply them or divide them
by negative numbers, but this kind of step can be avoided altogether. Cameron just told us
one way to avoid it, and there is another way, too.” Explain this remark by Tracy.
61. Solve the following inequality for x: 2(1 3x) (x 5) > 1 .
62. Each beat of your heart pumps approximately 0.06 liter of blood.
a. If your heart beats 50 times, how much blood is pumped?
b. How many beats does it take for your heart to pump 0.48 liters?
63. (Continuation) Direct-variation equations can be written in the form y = kx, and it is
customary to say that y depends on x or y varies directly as x. Find an equation that shows
how the volume V pumped depends on the number of beats n. Graph this equation, using
an appropriate scale, and calculate its slope. What does the slope represent in this context?
64. Estimate the slopes of all the segments in the diagram.

Identify those whose slopes are negative. Find words to
characterize lines that have negative slopes.
65. Find the slope of the line containing the points (4, 7) and
(6,11). Find coordinates for another point that lies on the
same line and be prepared to discuss the method you used to
find them.
66. To earn Hall of Fame Distinction at Avenues, a girl on the cross-country team must run the
5-km course in less than 20 minutes. What is the average speed of a 20 minute runner, in
km per hour? In meters per second? Express your answers rounded to two decimal places.
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67. (Continuation) The proportion is helpful for the previous question. Explain this
proportion, and assign units to all four of its members.
68. One day in October at 9am, Sam began hiking an 8-mile trail, hiking for 2.5 hours at a
pace of 2 miles per hour, and then stopping for half an hour to enjoy the view and have a
snack. Sam then hiked the remainder of the trail at 3 miles per hour. Meanwhile, Jaden
decided to run the same trail. Jaden began 1.5 hours after Sam began hiking, and ran at a
rate of 7 miles per hour.
a. Draw a graph with time (in hours since Sam began) on the horizontal axis and
distance (in miles) on the vertical axis.
b. According to your graph, does Jaden catch up with Sam on the trail? If so, is it
before, during, or after Sam’s snack break?
c. What time did Sam reach the end of the trail?
69. The stretch of a spring varies directly as the weight attached to the spring. If a weight of
20 grams stretches a spring 5 cm, what weight would stretch the spring 8 cm?
70. (Continuation) Recall that direct variation equations can be written in the form y = kx, and
it is customary to say that y depends on x. Find an equation that shows how the stretch of
the spring, d, depends on the weight, w. Graph your equation by hand. What does the slope
of the line represent in this context?
71. Alex was hired to unpack and clean 576 very small items of glassware, at five cents per
piece successfully unpacked. For every item broken during the process, however, Alex had
to pay $1.98. At the end of the job, Alex received $22.71. How many items did Alex
break?
72. Suppose that n represents a positive even integer. What expression represents the next
even integer? the next odd integer? I am thinking of three consecutive even integers whose
sum is 204. What are they?
73. A car and a small truck started out from Manhattan at

8:00 am. Their distances, in miles, from Manhattan,
recorded at hourly intervals, are recorded in the tables at
right. Plot this information on the same set of axes and
draw two lines connecting the points in each set of data.
What is the slope of each line? What is the meaning of
these slopes in the context of this problem.

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74. (Continuation) Let t be the number of hours each vehicle has been traveling since 8:00 am
(thus t = 0 means 8:00 am), and let d be the number of miles traveled after t hours. For
each vehicle, write an equation relating d and t.
75. Chris does a lot of babysitting. When parents drop off their children and Chris can
supervise at home, the hourly rate is $3. If Chris has to travel to the child’s home, there is a
fixed charge of $5 for transportation in addition to the $3 hourly rate.
a. Using desmos.com, graph y = 3x and y = 3x + 5 .
b. What do these lines have to do with the babysitting context?
c. What features do they have in common? How do they differ?
d. What does the graph of y = 3x + 6 look like? What change in the babysitting
context does this line suggest?
76. If k stands for an integer, then is it possible for k2 + k to stand for an odd integer? Be
prepared to justify your answer.
77. Try to think of a number k for which k 2 < k is true? Graph all such numbers on a number
line. Also describe them using words, and using algebraic notation.
78. One year after Robin deposits 400 dollars in a savings account that pays r % annual
interest, how much money is in the account? Write an expression using the variable r.
79. Solve and shade the solution interval on a number line the y-axis. These points
are called the x-intercept and y-intercept, respectively. Use these points to make a quick
sketch of the line.
80. How much time does it take for a jet to go 119 miles, if its speed is 420 mph? Be sure to
specify the units for your answer.
81. Word chains. As the ancient alchemists hoped, it is possible to turn lead into gold. You
change one letter at a time, always spelling real words: lead—load—toad—told—gold.
Using the same technique, show how to turn work into play.
82. Compare the graph of y = 2x + 5 with the graph of y = 3x + 5.

a. Describe a context from which the equations might emerge
b. Linear equations that look like y = mx + b are said to be in slope-intercept form.
Explain this title. The terminology refers to which of the two intercepts?

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83. Drivers in distress on the Saw Mill River Parkway have two towing services to choose
from: Brook’s Body Shop charges $3 per mile for the towing, and a fixed $25 charge
regardless of the length of the tow. Morgan Motors charges a flat $5 per mile. On the same
system of axes, represent each of these choices by a linear graph that plots the cost of the
tow versus the length of the tow. If you needed to be towed, which service would you call,
and why?
84. Driving from Boston to New York one day, Sasha covered the 250 miles in five hours.
Because of heavy traffic, the 250-mile return took six hours and fifteen minutes. Calculate
the average speeds for the trip to New York, the trip from New York, and the round trip.
Explain why the terminology average speed is a bit misleading.
85. Find the value of x that makes true.
86. So that it will be handy for paying tolls and parking meters, Lee puts pocket change
(dimes and quarters only) into a cup attached to the dashboard. There are currently 102
coins in the cup, and their cash value is $17.10. See if you can find a way to know how
many of the coins are dimes and how many are quarters. Making a table can help. Where
do you start with a guess? How do you zero in on an answer?
# of dimes $ from dimes # of quarters $ from quarters Total
x) < 17.10 a true statement.

87. Find all the values of x that make 0.1x + 0.25(102
88. Without using parentheses, write an expression equivalent to 3{4(3x 6) 2(2x + 1)}.

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89. One year after Robin deposits P dollars in a savings account that pays r % annual interest,
how much money is in the account? Write an expression in terms of the variables P and r.
If you can, write your answer using just a single P.
90. Morgan left home at 7:00 one morning setting off on a ten-mile bicycle trip. Soon
thereafter, Morgan’s parent realized that Morgan had forgotten a water bottle for the
difficult journey. Morgan had a fifteen-minute head start, and was pedaling at 12 mph,
while the parent pursued at 30 mph. Was Morgan able to get the water bottle before
reaching the end of the journey that day? If so, where?
91. Farmer MacGregor needs to put a fence around a rectangular carrot patch that is one and a
half times as long as it is wide. The project uses 110 feet of fencing. How wide is the
garden?
92. Combine over a common denominator:
93. Graph the five points in the table all lie on a single line. Write an
equation for the line and graph the line by hand. Without the graph,
how would you confirm that these points were all on the same line?
94. If 6% of x is the same as 5% of 120, then what is x?
95. Find the solution sets and graph them on a number line. What do
you notice about all of the sets put together?
(a)
(b)
(c)
96. At 1 pm, you start out on your bike at 12 mph to meet a friend who lives 8 miles away. At
the same time, the friend starts walking toward you at 4 mph. How much time will elapse
before you meet your friend? How far will your friend have to walk?
97. The population of a small town increased by 25% two years ago and then decreased by
25% last year. The population is now 4500 persons. What was the population before the
two changes?

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98. Given that it costs $2.75 less to buy a dozen doughnuts than to buy twelve single
doughnuts, and that 65 doughnuts cost $25.25, and that 65 = 5(12) + 5 , what is the price
of a single doughnut?
99. The volume of a circular cylinder is given by the formula V = π r 2 h .

a. To the nearest tenth of a cubic cm, find the volume of a cylinder that has a 15-cm
radius and is 12-cm high.
b. Solve the volume formula for h. Then, if the volume is 1000 cc and the radius is 10
cm, find h to the nearest tenth of a cm.
100. Which of the following pairs of quantities vary directly?

a. the circumference of a circle and the diameter of the circle
b. the distance traveled in two hours and the (average) rate of travel
c. the number of gallons of gasoline bought and the cost of the purchase
d. the area of a circle and the radius of the circle
101. A jet, cruising at 26400 feet, begins its descent into Logan Airport, which is 96 miles
away. Another jet, cruising at 31680 feet, is 120 miles from Logan when it begins its
descent. Which of these two paths of descent is steeper? Explain.
102. There are infinitely many equations of lines of the form but there are
specific ones where a, b and c are consecutive integers. This is called a family of lines
where the coefficients a, b and c are related in some way. The family of lines where a, b,
and c are consecutive integers is an interesting group of lines. List at least 5 different lines
in this family (both positive and negative coefficients) and graph them on your graph
paper. What do you notice or wonder? Write down some conjectures and come to class
with an argument why your conjecture might be true.
103. The diagram shows two steel rods hinged at one end. The
other end is connected by a bungee cord (the dotted segment),
whose unstretched length is 10 inches. The rods are 5 inches
and 18 inches long. Use inequality symbols to describe all the
possible lengths for the bungee cord, which stays being
stretched.

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104. According to the US Census Department, someone born in 1950 has a life expectancy
of 68.2 years, while someone born in 1970 has a life expectancy of 70.8 years.
a. What is a reasonable life expectancy of someone born in 1960?
b. What is a reasonable life expectancy of someone born in 1980?
c. What is a reasonable life expectancy of someone born in 2000?
d. Part (a) is an interpolation question. Parts (b) and (c) are extrapolation questions.
Which of your answers are you the most confident about? Explain.
105. Find all values of x that make -2(x - 3) < 4 true.
106. When it is 150 miles west of its destination, a jet is flying at 36920 feet. When it is 90
miles west of its destination, the jet is at 21320 feet. Using this data, sketch a graph of the
jet’s descent. Is a linear model reasonable to use in this situation? Explain.
107. Solve the following inequalities and shade their solution intervals on a number line.
(b)
108. A square game board is divided into smaller squares, which are colored red and black
as on a checkerboard. All four corner squares are black. Let r and b stand for the numbers
of red and black squares, respectively. What does the expression represent in the
case? Can you find the actual value?
109. At noon, my odometer read 6852 miles. At 3:30 pm, it read 7034 miles.
a. What was my average rate of change during these three and a half hours?
b. Let t represent the number of hours I have been driving since noon and y represent
my odometer reading. Write an equation that relates y and t. Assume constant
speed.
c. Graph your equation.
d. Show that the point (5,7112) is on your line, and then interpret this point in the
context of this problem.
110. What is the slope between (3,7) and (5,4)? (5, 4) and (3,7)? (a, b) and (c,d)? (c,d) and
(a,b)?

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111. On top of a fixed monthly charge, Avery’s cell phone company adds a fee for each text
message sent. Avery’s June bill was $50.79, which covered 104 text messages. The bill for
May, which covered 83 text messages, was only $46.59.
a. What is the price of a text message?
b. What is the fixed monthly charge?
c. What would Avery be charged for a month that included 200 text messages?
d. What would Avery be charged for a month that included m text messages?
112. A friend suggested that I change my cell phone company. This new company has a
fixed monthly charge of $39.99, but it charges only 12 cents for each text message. Is this
a better deal than the one described in the previous problem? Give evidence.
113. How far apart on a number line are (a) 12 and 18?
(b) 12 and -7? (c) -11 and -4?
114. For what values of x will the square and the rectangle
shown at right have the same perimeter?
115. If you know that the point (3, 2) is on the line y = 2x + b. Find the value of b. Graph the
line by hand on a set of axis that is suitable.
116. Are (2, 9) and (-3, -6) both on the line, y = 4x + 6 . If not, find an equation for the line
that does pass through both points. After you graph the line y = 4x + 6 find:
a. the y-coordinate of the point on the line whose x-coordinate is 2;
b. the x-coordinate of the point on the line whose y-coordinate is 2

117. The absolute value of a non-zero number can be defined by |a| = a or |a| = a
whichever is positive. Explain this statement, then evaluate each of the following:
(a) |4| (b) (c) (d) (e)
118. In each of the following, describe the rate of change between the first pair and the
second, assuming that the first coordinate is measured in minutes and the second
coordinate is measured in feet. What are the units of your answer?
(a) (2, 8) and (5, 17) (b) (3.4, 6.8) and (7.2, 8.7) (c) ( 23 , 43 ) and ( 21 , 2)
119. If you double all the sides of a square, a larger square results. By what percentage has
the perimeter increased? By what percentage has the area increased?

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120. Combine the following fractions:
121. A toy manufacturer is going to produce a new toy car. Each one costs $3 to make, and
the company will also have to spend $200 to set up the machinery to make them.
a. What will it cost to produce the first hundred cars? the first n cars?
b. The company sells the cars for $4 each. Thus the company takes in $400 by selling
one hundred cars. How much money does the company take in by selling n cars?
c. How many cars does the company need to make and sell in order to make a profit?
122. A cyclist rides 30 km at an average speed of 9 km/hr. At what rate must the cyclist
cover the next 10 km in order to bring the overall average speed up to 10 km/hr.?
123. On a number line, what is the distance between 6 and 6? between 24 and 17? between
17 and 24? between t and 4? This last question is harder to answer because it depends on
whether t is smaller than or greater than 4. Is the answer t - 4 or 4 - t ? This is an absolute
value calculation: use absolute value signs to express the distance between t and 4. What is
the distance between the numbers a and b on the number line? What is the relationship
between and ?
124. Let P = (x, y) and Q = (1, 5). Using the formula that you know for slope, write an
equation in terms of these coordinates that says that the slope of line PQ is 3. Show how
this slope equation can be rewritten in the form . This linear equation is
said to be in point-slope form. Explain the terminology. Find coordinates for three
different points P that fit this equation.

125. (Continuation) What do the lines y = 3(x 1) + 5 , y = 2(x 1) + 5 , and

y = 1/2(x 1) + 5 all have in common? How do they differ from each other?
126. Given that 48 ≤ n ≤ 1296 and 24 ≤ d ≤ 36 , what are the largest and smallest values
that the expression could possibly have? Write your answer in the form
2
127. Write an equation for the line that goes through the point (1, 5) and that has slope 3 .

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128. Consider the family of lines ax + by = c, where a, b and c are consecutive even
numbers. Write some of the equations that are in this family of lines. Make sure that
some of the coefficients are negative as well as positive, increasing as well as decreasing
to get many different types of lines. After you graph the lines what do you notice or
wonder? Can you prove your conjectures?
2
129. Write an equation for the line that goes through the point (1, 5) and that has slope 3 .
130. The equation 5x - 8y = 20 expresses a linear relationship between x and y. The point
(15, 7) is either on the graph of this line, above it, or below it. Which? How do you know?
131. The table at right shows data that Morgan collected during a 10-mile bike ride that took
50 minutes. The cumulative distance (measured in
miles) is tabled at ten-minute intervals.
a. Using Desmos, make a scatter plot of this data.
Why might you expect the data points to line
up? Why do they not line up?
b. Morgan’s next bike ride lasted for 90 minutes.
Estimate its length (in miles), and explain your
method. What if the bike ride had lasted t
minutes; what would its length be, in miles?
132. Write an equation for the line that

contains the points in the table, and make
up a context for it.
133. On a number line, how far is each of the following numbers from zero?
(a) 45 (b) (c) x (d) 0
1
134. Solve: (a) A = 2
bh for b; (b) for h.
135. On a number line, how far is each of the following numbers from 5?
(a) 17 (b) 4 (c) x

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136. Solve the equation Q R = m(C D) for m. In other words, what does m equal in
terms of the other letters in this equation? Does this representation tell you how to get m if
you were given two other representations in the form (C, Q) and (D, R)? What is m?
137. Write the equation of the line that goes through the point (-3, 4) and:
a. has slope equal to 5 b. is horizontal c. is vertical
138. When asked to find the distance between two numbers on a number line, Jamie
responded with the following answers. In each case, what two numbers do you think Jamie
was talking about?
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) |x + 5| (f ) |x|
139. Find an equation for the line containing the points (-3, 0) and (0, 4). Be ready to justify
the method you used. Is there a more efficient way?
140. To graph linear equations such as 3x + 5y = 30, one can put the equation into slope-
intercept form, but (unless the slope is needed) it is easier to find the x- and y-intercepts and
use them to sketch the graph. Find the axis intercepts of each of the following and use them
to draw the given line. An equation ax + by = c is said to be in standard form.
(a) 20x + 50y = 1000 (b)
141. Write an equation in point-slope form for

a. the line that goes through (2, 5) and (6, 3);
b. the line that goes through point (h, k) and that has slope m.
142. Definition of a function: Equations such as y = 2x + 5 and h = 5t - 3 can also be written

as functions. Look in the reference section and see what that means. Write in your own
words what you think a function is and rewrite these two equations in function notation.
143. Casey goes for a bike ride from Avenues School to the Bronx Zoo, while an odometer
keeps a cumulative record of the number of miles traveled. The equation m = 12t + 37
describes the odometer reading m after t hours of riding. What is the meaning of 12 and 37
in the context of this trip?
144. Find an equation for the line that passes through the points (4.1, 3.2) and (2.3, 1.6).

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145. Find values for all the points on a number line that are
(a) 6 units from 0; (b) 6 units from 6; (c) 6 units from -7; (d) 6 units from x.
146. Rearrange the eight words “between”, “4”, “the”, “17”, “is”, “and”, “x”, and

“distance” to form a sentence that is equivalent to the equation |x 17| = 4 . By working
with a number line, find the values of x that fit the equation.
147. Write the equation of the line that goes through the points A(-2, 5) and B(3, 6) in
point/slope form.
148. A recent CNN poll about crime in schools reported that 67% of Americans approved
of a bill being debated in Congress. The CNN report acknowledged a 3% margin of error.
a. Make a number-line graph of the range of approval ratings in this report.

b. Explain why the range of approval ratings can be described by |x 0.67| ≤ 0.03
149. Translate the sentence “the distance between x and 12 is 20” into an equation using
algebraic symbols. What are the values of x being described?
150. The solution of |x| = 6 consists of the points 6 and -6. Show how to use a test point on
the number line to solve and graph the inequality |x| ≤ 6. Do the same for |x| ≥ 6.
151. As you know, temperatures can be measured by either Celsius or Fahrenheit units;
is equivalent to , is equivalent to , and 10 is equivalent to
. Plot this data with C on the horizontal axis and F on the vertical axis.
a. Verify that these three data points are collinear .
b. Find a linear equation that relates C and F.
c. Graph F versus C. In other words, graph the linear equation you just found.
d. Graph C versus F . You will need to replot the data, with C on the vertical axis.
e. Water boils at 212 ℉ and freezes at 32 ℉ at sea level. Find the corresponding
Celsius temperatures.
f. Is it ever the case that the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit is the same as the
temperature in degrees Celsius?
152. Translate “x is 12 units from 20” into an equation. What are the values of x being
described?
153. On a number line, graph |x| < 2 . Now graph |x 5| < 2 . How does the second
interval relate to the first interval?

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154. Translate the sentence “x and y are twelve units apart” into an algebraic expression.
Find a pair (x, y) that fits this description. How many pairs are there?
155. Write the equation of the line that is parallel to y = 2x + 6 but goes through (-2,-3).

156. The equation |x 7| = 2 is a translation of “the distance from x to 7 is 2.” Translate

|x 7| ≤ 2 into English, and graph its solutions on a number line.
157. Convert “the distance from -5 to x is at most 3” into symbolic form, and solve it.
158. In class, Evan read -75 < 2 as “negative 75 is less than 2.” Neva responded by saying
“I’m thinking that 75 is a larger number than 2.” How would you resolve this apparent
conflict?
159. Verify that (0, 4) is on the line 3x + 2y = 8. Find another point on this line. Use these
points to calculate the slope of the line. Is there another way to find the slope of the line?
160. Graph a horizontal line through the point (3, 5). Choose another point on this line.
What is the slope of this line? What is the y-intercept of this line? What is an equation for
this line? Describe a context that could be modeled by this line.
161. Graph a vertical line through the point (3, 5). Does this line have a slope or
y-intercept? What is an equation for this line? Describe a context that could be modeled by
this line.
162. After successfully solving an absolute-value problem, Ariel spilled Heath Bar Crunch©
all over the problem. All that can be read now is, “The distance between x and (mess of ice

cream) is (another mess of ice cream).” Given that Ariel’s answers are x = 3 and x = 7,
reconstruct the missing parts of the problem.
163. The figure shows the graph of 20x + 40y =1200.. Find the x-
and y-intercepts, the slope of the line, and the distances between
tick marks on the axes. Duplicate this figure on a graphing tool.
What window settings did you use?
164. Make a general statement about the slopes of horizontal

lines and vertical lines.

226
165. The average of three different positive integers is 8. What is the largest integer that
could be one of them?
166. Is the point (8.4, 23) below, on, or above the line 3x y = 2 ? Justify your answer
numerically first and then in some other way.
167. A handicapped-access ramp starts at ground level and rises 27 inches over a distance
of 30 feet. What is the slope of this ramp?
168. Jay thinks that the inequality k < 3 implies the inequality k2 < 9, but Val thinks
otherwise. Who is right, and why?
169. The specifications for creating a piece of metal with an industrial machine state that it
must be 12 cm long, within a 0.01-cm tolerance. What is the longest the piece is allowed
to be? What is the shortest? Using l to represent the length of the finished piece of metal,
write an absolute-value inequality that states these conditions.
170. A movie theater charges $6 for each adult and $3 for each child. If the total amount in
ticket earnings one evening was $1428 and if there were 56 more children than adults, then
how many children attended?
171. If |x + 1| = 5, then x + 1 can have two possible values, 5 and -5. This leads to two

equations x + 1 = 5 and x + 1 = - 5. If |2x 7| = 5 , what possible values could the
expression 2x - 7 have? Write two equations using the expression 2x - 7 and solve them.
172. Write two equations without absolute value symbols that, in combination, are
equivalent to |3x + 5| = 12. Solve each of these two equations.
173. Given that 0.0001 ≤ n ≤ 0.01 and 0.001 ≤ d ≤ 0.1, what are the largest and smallest
values that dn can possibly have? Write your answer smallest ≤ dn ≤ largest.
174. A lattice point is defined as a point whose coordinates are integers. If (3, 5) and (2, 1)
are two points on a line, find three other lattice points on the same line.
175. The equation expresses a linear relationship between x and y. The

point (5, 8) is on, or above, or below the linear graph. Which is it? How do you know?

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176. Show that the equation can be rewritten in the form ax + by = c where a, b
and c are integers. What are those integers?
177. Fill in the blanks:
a. The inequality is equivalent to “x is between and .”
b. The inequality is equivalent to “x is not between and .”
178. Find the value for h for which the slope of the line through and is 3/4.
It might help to draw a picture or think of a formula.
179. Solve the equation 0.05x + 0.25(30 - x) = 4.90. Invent a context for the equation.
180. The data in each table fits a direct variation. Complete each table, write an equation to
model its data, and sketch a graph
(a) (b)
181. For each of the following equations, find the x-intercept and y-intercept. Then use them
to calculate the slope of the line.
(a) 3x + y = 6 (b) x - 2y = 10 (c) 4x - 5y = 20 (d) ax + by = c
182. Blair’s average on the first five in-class tests is 67. If this is not pulled up to at least a
70, Blair will not be allowed to watch any more of their favorite Netflix shows.. To avoid
losing those access privileges, what is the lowest score Blair can afford to earn on the last
in-class test? Assume that all tests carry equal weight.
183. Sketch the graphs of y = 2x, y = 2x + 1, and y = 2x + 2 all on the same coordinate-axis
system. Find the slope of each line. How are the positions of the lines related to one
another?
184. I have 120 cm of framing material to make a picture frame, which will be most
pleasing to the eye if its height is 2/3 of its width. What dimensions should I use?
185. Describe the relationship between the following pairs of numbers:

(a) 24 - 11 and 11 - 24 (b) x - 7 and 7 - x
(c) |x 7| and |7 x|
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186. In each case, decide whether the three points given are collinear:
(a) (-4, 8), (0, 2), and (2, -1) (b) (350, 125), (500, 300), and (650, 550)

187. Use Desmos to graph y = |x + 5| and y = |x 3| , then describe in general terms how

the graph of y = |x| is transformed to produce the graphs of y = |x h| .
188. Write an equation for each of the absolute value

graphs shown at the right.
189. Solve the equation for F .
190. Using graph paper, draw the line through the point
(0, 6) whose slope is 2/3. If you move 24 units to the
right of (0, 6), and then move up to the line, what is the y-coordinate of the point you
reach?
191. (Continuation) Find an equation for the line. What is the x- intercept of the line?
192. Using distribution, write the multiplication problem (x + 1)(x + 2)

without parentheses. Explain how the diagram at right illustrates this
product.
193. Sketch on the same axes the graphs of y = |x| and y = |x| - 2.
Label the x and y-intercepts. Name the ways in which the two graphs
are similar and different?
194. The manager at Jen and Berry’s Ice Cream Company estimates that the cost C (in
dollars) of producing n quarts of ice cream in a given week is given by the equation
C = 560 + 1.20n.
a. During one week, the total cost of making ice cream was $1070. How many
quarts were made that week?
b. Write a sentence explaining the meanings of the “560” and the “1.20” in the cost
equation.
195. Draw a line through the origin with a slope of 0.4. Draw a line through the point (1, 2)
with a slope of 0.4. How are these two lines related? What is the vertical distance between
the two lines? Find an equation for each line.
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196. As anyone knows who has hiked up a mountain, the higher you go, the cooler the
temperature gets. At noon on July 4th last summer, the temperature at the top of Mt.
Washington, elevation 6288 feet, was 56 ℉ . The temperature at base camp in Pinkham
Notch, elevation 2041 feet, was 87 ℉ . It was a clear, still day. At that moment, a group of
hikers reached Tuckerman Junction, elevation 5376 feet. To the nearest degree, calculate the
temperature the hikers were experiencing at that time and place. When you decide how to
model this situation, what assumptions did you make?
197. Graph y = |x| +3 and y = |x| - 5, then describe in general terms how the graph of
y = |x| is transformed to produce the graph of y = |x| + k. How can you tell from the
graph whether k is positive or negative?
198. Randy phones Sandy about a homework question, and asks, “The vertex of the graph
of y equals the absolute value of x plus four is (-4, 0), isn’t it?” Sandy answers, “No, the
vertex is (0, 4).” Who is right? Explain your thinking.
199. Solve for m as a fraction in lowest terms.
200. Find two different ways of determining the slope of the line 11x + 8y = 176.
201. Find the x- and y-intercepts of y = |x 3| + 5 , find the coordinates of its vertex, and
then sketch the graph of this equation.
202. When weights are placed on the end of a spring, the spring stretches. If a three-pound
weight stretches the spring to a length of 4.25 inches, a five-pound weight stretches the
spring to a length of 5.75 inches, and a nine-pound weight stretches the spring to a length
of 8.75 inches, what was the initial length of the spring?
203. Given that y varies directly with x and y = 60 when x = 20, find y when x = 12.
204. Solve for x:
205. Apply the distributive property to write without parentheses and collect like terms:
a. (a) (b) (c)

230
206. A cube measures x cm on each edge.

a. Find a formula in terms of x for the volume of this cube
in cubic centimeters (cc).
b. Evaluate this formula when x = 1.5 cm; when x = 10 cm.
c. Write an expression for the area of one of the faces of
the cube. Write a formula for the total surface area of all
six faces.
d. Evaluate this formula when x = 1.5 cm; when x = 10 cm.
e. Although area is measured in square units and volume in
cubic units, is there any cube for which the number of
square units in the area of its faces would equal the number of cubic units in the
volume?
207. The amount of fuel a car uses in miles per gallon is called its fuel efficiency, how good
it is a conserving fuel. The fuel efficiency of a car depends on the speed at which it is
driven. For example, consider Kit’s Volvo. When it is driven at r miles per hour, it gets

m = 32 0.2 |r 55| miles per gallon. Graph m versus r, for 0 < r < 80. Notice that this
graph has a vertex. What are its coordinates?

208. (Continuation) Solve the inequality 30 ≤ 32 0.2 |r 55| and express the solution
interval graphically. What is the meaning of these r-values to Kit.

209. Asked to solve the inequality 3 < |x 5| at the board, Corey wrote “8 < x < 2,” Sasha
wrote “x < 2 or 8 < x,” and Avery wrote “x < 2 and 8 < x.” What do you think of these
answers? Do any of them agree with your answer?

210. On graph paper, think of the equation y = |x + 4| 2 as a transformation of y = |x| .
How has it been moved? Sketch both graphs by hand.
211. Apply the distributive property to write without parentheses and collect like terms:
(a) (b) (c)
212. If the width and length of a rectangle are both increased by 10%, by what percent does
the area of the rectangle increase? By what percent does the perimeter of the rectangle
increase?

231
213. The upward velocity of the water in a particular fountain is given in meters per second
by v = -32t + 44, where t is the number of seconds after the water leaves the fountain.
While going upward the water slows down until, at the top, the water has a velocity of
zero. How long does it take each water particle to reach its maximum height?
214. Compare the graphs of y = x - 3 and y = |x 3| . How are they related?
215. Morgan’s way to solve the equation |2x 7| = 5 is to first write |x 3.5| = 2.5 .
Explain this approach, and then finish the job.
216. A train is leaving in 11 minutes and you are one mile from the station. Assuming you
can walk at 4 mph and run at 8 mph, how much time can you afford to walk before you
must begin to run in order to catch the train?
217. A friend told Sandy that “absolute value makes everything positive.” So, Sandy

rewrote the equation |x 6| = 5 as x + 6 = 5 . Do you agree with the statement, or with
what Sandy did to the equation? Explain your answer.
218. For each of the following points, find the distance to the y-axis. Think of distance as
“the shortest distance”:
(a) (11, 7) (b) (-5, 9) (c) (4, y) (d) (x, -8)
219. Given the line y = 21 x + 6 , write an equation for the line through the origin that has
the same slope. Write an equation for the line through (2, -4) that has the same slope.
220. Rewrite the English sentence that describes all of the points that are “7 units away
from -3” as an absolute value statement mathematically. Be prepared to describe how you
arrived at your answer.
221. The table shows the population of New Hampshire at the start of
each of the last six decades.
a. Write an equation for the line that contains the data points for
1960 and 2010.
b. Write an equation for the line that contains the data points for
2000 and 2010.
c. Make a scatter plot of the data. Graph both lines on it.
d. Use each of these equations to predict the population of New Hampshire at the
beginning of 2020. Explain why these lines might provide an accurate forecast.

232
222. Which of the following screens could represent the graph of 9x + 5y = 40?
223. For each of these absolute-value equations, write two equations without absolute-value
symbols that are equivalent to the original. Solve each of the equations.
(a) 2|x + 7| = 12 (b) 3 + |2x + 5| = 17 (c) 6 - |x + 2| = 3 (d) -2|4 - 3x| = -14
224. Hearing Yuri say “This line has no slope,” Tyler responds “Well, ‘no slope’ actually
means slope 0.” What are they talking about? Do you agree with either of them?
225. Suppose a flat, rectangular board is built by gluing together a number of square pieces
of the same size.
a. If 20 squares are glued together to make a 4 by 5 rectangular board, how many
of these squares are completely surrounded by other squares?
b. If the dimensions of the finished rectangular board are m by n, how many
squares (in terms of n and m) are completely surrounded by other squares?
226. The edges of a solid cube are 3p cm long. At one corner of the cube, a small cube is
cut away. All its edges are p cm long. In terms of p, what is the total surface area of the
remaining solid? What is the volume of the remaining solid? Make a sketch.
227. Lee’s pocket change consists of x quarters and y dimes. Put a dot on every lattice point
(x, y) that signifies that Lee has exactly one dollar of pocket change. What equation
describes the line that passes through these points? Why doesn’t it make sense to connect
the dots in the context of this problem? x and y in this problem are examples of discrete
variables, variables that represent only integer values.
228. (Continuation) Put a dot on every lattice point (x, y) that signifies that Lee has at most
one dollar in pocket change. How many such dots are there? What is the relationship
between Lee’s change situation and the inequality 0.25x + 0.10y ≤ 1.00.

233
229. The figure shows the graphs of two lines. By looking at the axes, (the axis markings are
one unit apart) estimate the coordinates of the point that belongs on both lines (where the
lines cross).
230. (Continuation) The system of equations that
has been graphed is . Jess took

one look at the equation and knew right away
what to do, “Just add the two equations together
and you will find out quickly what x is.” Follow
this advice and then explain why it works.
231. (Continuation) Now that you have the x-coordinate of the point of intersection, what
should you do to get the y-coordinate? Does it matter which original equation you use?. Do
the coordinates of the point of intersection agree with your estimate? These coordinates are
called a simultaneous solution of the original system of equations. What do you think a
simultaneous solution is?
232. Consider the line with equation . Write an equation for the line which
has the same slope and contains the point (3, -1).
233. State at least 4 equations in the family of lines ax + by = c , where a, b and c, differ by

a value of 5. In other words, b a = 5 and c b = 5 . Make sure that they are actually
different lines. Graph your equations on the coordinate axes. What do you notice or
wonder? Find a way to prove any conjectures that you discover.
234. In 1990 a company had a profit of $420000. In 1995 it reported a profit of $1400000.
Find the average rate of change of its profit for that period, expressed in dollars per year.
235. Most linear equations can be rewritten in slope-intercept form y = mx + b. Give an

example that shows that not all linear equations can be written in slope-intercept form.

234
236. Which of the following could be the equation whose graph is

shown at right? To support your answer, explain what portion of the
x-axis and y-axis are shown?
(a) (b) x + 2y = 5
(c) 12x = y + 13 (d)
237. Find the values of x and y that fit both the equation 2x - 3y = 8 and 4x + 3y = -2 . Be
ready to support your method.
238. The figure at right shows the graphs of two lines .

First use the figure to estimate the coordinates of the
point that belongs on both lines. The system of equations
is
239. Randy took one look at these equations and knew right away what to do. “Just subtract
the equations and you will find out quickly what y is.” Follow this advice.
240. (Continuation) How would you find the missing y-value of the point of intersection
now that you have the y-value?. Compare the intersection coordinates with your estimate.
241. (Continuation) If you add the two given equations, you obtain the equation of yet
another line. Add its graph to the figure. You should notice something. Was it expected?
242. Brett is holding three quarters and five dimes. Does Brett have more than one dollar or
less than one dollar? Does the point (3, 5) lie above or below the line 0.25x + 0.10y =
1.00? How does the first question asked relate to the second?
243. Find the value of x that fits the equation .
244. A hot-air balloon ride has been set up so that a paying customer is carried straight up at
50 feet per minute for ten minutes and then immediately brought back to the ground at the
same rate. The whole ride lasts twenty minutes. Let h be the height of the balloon (in feet)
and t be the number of minutes since the ride began. Draw a graph of h versus t. What are
the coordinates of the vertex? Find an equation that expresses h in terms of t.

235
245. Fitness Universe has a membership fee of $50, after which individual visits to the gym
are $5.50. Non-members pay $8.00 per visit. Stuart is going to exercise at the gym
regularly, and is wondering whether it makes sense to become a member. How regularly
would Stuart need to visit this gym, in order for a membership to be worth it?
246. What is the slope of the line graphed at the right, if the
distance between the x-tick marks is 2 units and the distance
between the y-tick marks is 1 unit? the distance between the x-tick
marks is 100 units and the distance between the y-tick marks is 5
units?
247. My sleeping bag is advertised to be suitable for temperatures T between 20 degrees

below zero and 20 degrees above zero (Celsius). Write an absolute-value inequality that
describes these temperatures T .
248. Pat has x quarters and y dimes, and, in addition, has no more than two dollars. Write
several inequalities that represent this situation and then graph all points in the coordinate
plane that satisfy this condition.
249. Graph the equation 2x + 3y = 6. Now graph the inequality 2x + 3y ≤ 6 by shading all
points (x, y) that fit it. Notice that this means shading all the points on one side of the line
you drew. Which side? Use a test point like (0, 0) to decide.
250. Some questions about the line that passes through the points (-3, 2) and (5, 6):
a. Find the slope of the line.
b. Is the point (10, 12) on the line? Justify your answer.
c. Find y so that the point (7, y) is on the line.
251. Graph y = |x 1| . Use your graph to find all values of x that satisfy |x 1| ≤ 3 .
252. Find values for x and y that fit both of the equations 5x + 3y = 8 and 4x +3y = -2.
253. Casey can peel k apples in 10 minutes.

a. In terms of k, how many apples can Casey peel in one minute?
b. How many apples can Casey peel in m minutes?
c. In terms of k, how many minutes does it take Casey to peel one apple?
d. How many minutes does it take Casey to peel p apples?

236
254. Express each as a single fraction: (a) (b) (c)
255. Graph y = 3 |x 2| 6 , and find coordinates for the vertex and the x- and y-intercepts.
256. The figure at right shows the graphs of two lines. Use the
figure to estimate the coordinates of the point that belongs to
both lines. The system of equations is . Lee took

one look at the equations and announced a plan: “Just multiply
the first equation by 2 and the second equation by 3.” What does
changing the equations in this way do to their graphs?
257. (Continuation) Lee’s plan has now created a familiar situation. Do you recognize it?
Complete the solution to the system of equations. Do the coordinates of the point of
intersection agree with your initial estimate?
258. Sandy’s first four test scores this term are 73, 87, 81 and 76. To have at least a B test
grade, Sandy needs to average at least 80 on the five term tests (which count equally). Let
t represent Sandy’s score on the fifth test, and write an inequality that describes the range
of t-values that will meet Sandy’s goal.
259. Graph solutions on a number line:
(a) |x + 8| < 20 (b) |2x 5| ≤ 7 (c) 3 |4 x| ≥ 12

260. Plot some points (x, y) on the coordinate plane where the x-coordinate is greater than
the y-coordinate. Where are all such points? Shade the
points in the plane whose x-coordinates are greater than
their y-coordinates. Write an inequality that describes
these points.
261. The diagram at right shows a rectangle that has been

cut into nine square pieces, no two being the same size.
Given that the smallest piece is 2 cm by 2 cm, figure out
the sizes of the other eight pieces. A good strategy is to
start by guessing the size of one of the pieces adjacent to
the smallest piece. By checking your guess, you will
discover the hidden equation.
237
262. Solve the system of equations 2x + y = 5 and 5x - 2y = 8 algebraically. Check your

answer graphically.
263. A large telephone company sent out an offer for pre-paid phone cards. The table below
accompanied the ad and summarized their offer. Does this data form a linear relationship?
Explain your answer. Which offer has the best rate per minute?
75-minute 150-minute 300-minute 500-minute 1000-minute 1500-minute

card card card card card card
$4.95 $9.90 $19.80 $30.00 $56.00 $75.00
264. Find an equation for each of the following lines. When possible, express your answer
in both point-slope form and slope-intercept form.
a. The line passes through (3, 5), and has -1.5 as its slope.
b. The line is parallel to the line through (-8, 7) and (-3, 1), and has 6 as its x-intercept.
c. The line is parallel to the line x = -4, and it passes through (4, 7).
265. The figure at right shows the graphs of two lines. Use
the figure to estimate the coordinates of the point that
belongs to both lines. The system of equations is
Think about a way that you can use the second equation
to find an expression for the variable y, to substitute for
the y in the first equation. Substitute and then solve for x.
How could you then find the value of y?
266. A certain rectangle has length 2x + 1 and width x + 1, find an expression for its area.
Your answer should be in the form of a quadratic expression. Why do you think it’s called
this?

238
267. Farmer MacGregor wants to know how many cows and ducks are in the meadow. After
counting 56 legs and 17 heads, the
farmer knows. Consider the following
table:
a. Fill in the values for Legs and
Heads for the given number of
cows and ducks
b. Write an equation for the
number of Legs on c cows and d ducks.
c. Write an equation for the number of Heads on c cow and d ducks.
d. Use the information that Farmer MacGregor counted to solve for the number of
cows and ducks there are in the meadow.
268. You have learned how to factor numbers that were not prime. Factor the number 24,480
into its prime factors. What if you had something like the expression 7(24,480 + 2,125)?
Can you find the largest common factor of 24,480 and 2,125 and “factor it out” of the sum
inside the parenthesis? Rewrite 7(24,480 + 2,125) as a single number outside the
parentheses multiplied by a different sum inside the parentheses.
269. Three gears are connected so that two turns of the first wheel turn the second wheel nine
times and three turns of the second wheel turn the third wheel five times.
a. If you turn the first wheel once, how many times does the third wheel turn?
b. How many times must you turn the first wheel so that the third wheel turns 30
times?
270. Find the point (x, y) that fits both of the equations y = 1.5x + 2 and 9x + 4y = 41.
271. Sam boards a ski lift, and rides up the mountain at 6 miles per hour. Once at the top,
Sam immediately begins skiing down the mountain, averaging 54 miles per hour, and does
not stop until reaching the entrance to the lift. The whole trip, up and down, takes 40
minutes. Assuming the trips up and down cover the same distance, how many miles long
is the trip down the mountain?
272. If the price of a stock goes from $4.25 per share to $6.50 per share, by what percent
has the value of the stock increased?
273. What set of points does this absolute value statement, |x 6| < 3 , describe on a
number line? Write your answer as an English sentence.

239
274. Your company makes spindles for the space shuttle. NASA specifies that the length of
a spindle must be 12.45 ± 0.01 cm. What does this mean? What are the smallest and
largest acceptable lengths for these spindles? Write this range of values as an inequality,
letting L stand for the length of the spindle. Write another inequality using absolute values
that models these constraints.
275. Factor each of the following quadratic expressions. Remember to look for the greatest
common factor and factor it out of the sum or difference:
(a) x2 - 4x (b) 2x2 - 6x (c) 3x2- 15x (d) -2x2 - 7x
276. Alex and Tracy are having a conversation about variables one day. Alex says, “If
then one of the numbers must be zero or maybe both of them!.” Tracy responds by
saying, “No, if , then x = 0, because then the product will always be zero.” Does
either student have the right argument? Can you think of numerical examples that verify
either statement?
277. (Continuation) The zero-product property says that is true if a = 0 or b = 0 is

true, and only if a = 0 or b = 0 is true. Explain this property in your own words (looking up
the word or in the Reference section if necessary). Apply it to solve these quadratic
equations:
(a) x2 - 4x = 0 (b) 2x2 - 6x = 0 (c) 3x2-15x = 0 (d) -2x2 - 7x = 0
278. Use the distributive property to multiply (x+p)(x+q). The result of this multiplication
can be expressed in the form x2 + ∎x + △ what do ∎ and ∆ stand for? Can you justify
your answer with a geometric representation where x+p and x+q are the length and width
of a rectangle?
279. (Continuation) When attempting to factor into a product of two binomials

of the form (x + p)(x + q), Dylan set up the identity = (x +__ )(x + __). Using a
trial-and-error process, try to figure out what numbers go in the blank spaces. What is the
connection between the numbers in the blank spaces and the coefficients 5 and 4 in the
quadratic expression being factored?

240
280. Verify that it is true that and explain why. Use this idea
to easily compute .
281. What is unusual about the graphs of the equations 9x - 12y = 27 and -3x + 4y = -9?
282. Now consider the family of lines such that a, b and c are consecutive
multiples of each other. What would that mean? Give some examples of such lines in this
family and graph them. What do you notice or wonder?
283. The number of miles a vehicle gets per gallon is called its fuel efficiency. The fuel
efficiency, m (in miles per gallon) of a truck depends on the speed r (in miles per hour) at
which it is driven. The relationship between m and r usually takes the form
. For Sasha’s truck, the best fuel efficiency is 24 miles per gallon, attained
when the truck is driven at 50 miles per hour. When Sasha drives at
60 miles per hour, however, the fuel efficiency drops to only 20 miles
per gallon.
a. Explain why the expression for fuel efficiency, m, might be

explained by an absolute value function.
b. Find another driving speed r for which the fuel efficiency of
Sasha’s truck is exactly 20 mpg.
c. Fill in the rest of the missing entries in the table.
d. Draw a graph of m versus r, for .
e. Find the values of k, a, and h.
284. With parental assistance, Corey buys some snowboarding

equipment for $500, promising to pay $12 a week from part-time earnings until the
500-dollar debt is retired. How many weeks will it take until the outstanding debt is under
$100? Write an inequality that models this situation and then solve it algebraically.
285. Factor each expression:
(a) (b) (c)

241
286. On 3 January 2004, after a journey of 300 million miles, the rover Spirit landed on
Mars and began sending back information to Earth. It landed only six miles from its target.
This accuracy is comparable to shooting an arrow at a target fifty feet away and missing
the exact center by what distance?

287. Graph y = 2 |x + 1| 3 , then describe in general terms how the graph of y = |x| is

transformed to produce the graph of y = a |x h| + k .
288. Find an equation for the line that passes through the point (-3, 6) , parallel to the line
through the points (0, -7) and (4, -15). Write your answer in point-slope form.
289. I recently paid $85.28 for 12.2 pounds of coffee beans. What was the price per pound
of the coffee? How many pounds did I buy per dollar?
290. Sid has a job at Morgan Motors. The salary is $1200 a month, plus 3% of the sales
price of every car or truck Sid sells (this is called a commission).
a. The total of the sales prices of all the vehicles Sid sold during the first month on
the job was $72000. What was Sid’s income (salary plus commission)?
b. In order to make $6000 in a single month, how much selling must Sid do?
c. Write a linear equation that expresses Sid’s monthly income y in terms of the value x
of the vehicles Sid sold.
d. Graph this equation. What are the meanings of its y-intercept and slope?
291. Find the value of x that fits the equation 1.24x - (3 - 0.06x) = 4(0.7x + 6) .
292. At a local Candy Shop, Jess bought 5.5 pounds of candy — a mixture of candy priced
at $4 per pound and candy priced at $3.50 per pound. Given that the bill came to $20.75,
figure out how many pounds of each type of candy Jess bought.
293. Explain how to evaluate by hand. The superscript 3 is called an exponent , and is
a power of 4 . Write 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 as a power of 4. Write the product as a power of
4.
294. Does every system of equations px + qy = r and mx + ny = k have a simultaneous

solution (x, y)? Explain.

242
295. Write a plausible equation for each of the three graphs

shown in the diagram at right.
296. Use trial-and-error to factor the following expressions

(a) (b) (c)
297. By rearranging the two parts of the diagram shown at

right, show that is
equivalent to .
298. The base of a rectangular tank is three feet by two feet, and the tank is three feet tall.
The water in the tank is currently nine inches deep.
a. How much water is in the tank?
b. The water level will rise when a one-foot metal cube (denser than water) is placed
on the bottom of the tank. By how much?
c. The water level will rise some more when a second one-foot metal cube is placed
on the bottom of the tank, next to the first one. By how much?
299. Expand the following products by multiplying the two binomials:

(a) (b) (c)
300. Use the pattern to predict the factors of and . Explain why this pattern
is called the difference of two squares.
301. Wes walks from home to a friend’s house to borrow a bicycle, and then rides the
bicycle home along the same route. By walking at 4 mph and riding at 8 mph, Wes takes
45 minutes for the whole trip. Find the distance that Wes walked.

302. Find the intersection of y = 2 |x| + 5 and y = |x 2| 1 . A sketch might prove
helpful, but you need to justify your answer algebraically.

243
303. Given that s varies directly with t, and that s = 4.56 meters when t = 3 seconds, find s
when t is 4.2 seconds.
304. What values of x satisfy the inequality |x| > 12? Graph this set on a number line, and

describe it in words. Answer the same question for |x 2| > 12.
305. The figure at the right shows a rectangular box whose

dimensions are 8 cm by 10 cm by 12 cm.
a. Find the volume of the solid.
b. What is the combined area of the six faces?
c. If you were to outline the twelve edges of this box
with decorative cord, how much would you need?
306. The area of a rectangle can be found by multiplying its dimensions. For example, if the
dimensions are 2 by 7, the area is 14. Going in the other direction, one can say the factors of
the area give possible dimensions for the rectangle. So, finding factors of 14 give possible
dimensions of a rectangle with area 14. Similarly, to find the dimensions of a rectangle with
area one can ask for factors of . In this case,
so possible dimensions are and . Find possible

dimensions of rectangles with area:
(a) (b)
307. The population of Manhattan is about 1.63 million persons.. The population of the
United States is about 300 million persons. What percent of the US population lives in
Manhattan? During the day, the commuter population raises that number to 3.9 million.
What percent of the US population works or lives in Manhattan?
308. A rectangle is four times as long as it is wide. If its length were diminished by 6 meters
and its width were increased by 6 meters, it would be a square. What are the rectangle’s
dimensions?
309. Using the coordinate-axis system shown in the diagram at right, the viewing area of a
camera aimed at a mural placed on the x-axis is bordered

by y = 87 |x| 42 . The dimensions are in feet. How far is
the camera from the x-axis, and how wide a mural can be
photographed?
244
310. Factor: (a) (b) (c)
311. A rectangle has a width x and length 2x - 1. Its area is 21. Write an algebraic equation to
solve for the dimensions of the rectangle.
312. After a weekend of rock-climbing in the White Mountains, Dylan is climbing down a
400-foot cliff. It takes 20 minutes to descend the first 60 feet. Assuming that Dylan makes
progress at a steady rate, write an equation that expresses Dylan’s height h above level
ground in terms of t, the number of minutes of descending from the top. Use your equation
to find how much time it will take Dylan to reach level ground.
313. Start with the equations 2x - y = 3 and 3x + 4y = 1. Create a third equation by adding
any multiple of the first equation to any multiple of the second equation. When you
compare equations with your classmates, you will probably not agree. What is certain to
be true about the graphs of all these third equations, however?
314. The diagram at the right shows the wire framework for a rectangular box. The length
of this box is 8 cm greater than the width and the height is half the
length. A total of 108 cm of wire was used to make this framework.
a. What are the dimensions of the box?
b. The faces of the box will be panes of glass. What is the total
area of glass needed for the six panes?
c. What is the volume of the box?
315. Write a formula that expresses the distance between p and 17. Describe all the possible
values for p if this distance is to be greater than 29.
316. Use the zero-product property to solve:

(a) (b) (c)
317. A farmer has 90 meters of fencing material with

which to construct three rectangular pens side-by-side as
shown at right. If w were 10 meters, what would the
length x be? Find a general formula that expresses x in
terms of w.

245
318. Find how many pairs (x, y) satisfy the equation x + y = 25, assuming:
a. that there is no restriction on the values of x and y
b. both x and y must be positive integers
c. the values of x and y must be equal.
319. The table at the right shows the value of a car as it

depreciates over time. Does this data satisfy a linear
relationship? Explain.
320. Write an inequality that describes all the points that are
more than 3 units from 5.
321. If x varies directly with y, and if x = 5 when y = 27, find x

when y = 30.
322. The owner’s manual for my computer printer states that it will print a page in 12
seconds. Re-express this speed in pages per minute, and in minutes per page.
323. A monomial is a constant (number) or a product of a constant and variables. If some

variable factors occur more than once, it is customary to use positive integer exponents to
consolidate them. Thus 12, 3ax 2 , and x5 y are monomials, but is not.
Rewrite each of these monomials:
· · ·
a. x x 2 x 3 x b. (2x) 7 c. (2w) 4 (5w 2 )
4 3
d 3a ( 21 b) ab
6
324. Write and graph an equation that states that the perimeter of an l × w rectangle is 768
×
cm; that the width of an l w rectangle is half its length.
325. (Continuation) Explain how the two graphs show that there is a unique rectangle
whose perimeter is 768 cm, and whose length is twice its width. Find the dimensions of
this rectangle.

246
326. You are given this system of equations
These equations are given in a very interesting form. It is not obvious which method you
should use.
a. First, find a way to use substitution to solve the system.
b. Then find a way to use linear combination to solve
the system
c. Then graph the equations on Desmos and see if your
answers agree.
327. My car averages 29 miles per gallon of gasoline, but I know — after many years of
fueling it — that the actual miles per gallon can vary by as much as 3 either way. Write an
absolute-value inequality that describes the range of possible mpg figures for my car.
328. Alex’s purple superball rebounds 75% of the height from which it falls. Alex drops the
ball from a height of x feet and lets it bounce. When it hits the ground for the second time,
it has travelled a total of 18.75 feet. Find x. Hint: draw a picture.
329. Factor:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
330. Solve each of the systems of equations below
(a) (b)
331. The points (6, 4), (2, 4), and (1, 2) are on the graph of Use an
accurate graph and your knowledge of absolute-value graphs to find values for a, h, and k.
332. The difference between the length and width of a rectangle is 7 cm. Its perimeter is 50
cm. Find the length and width of this rectangle
333. Randy has 25% more money than Sandy, and 20% more money than Mandy, who has
$1800. How much money does Sandy have?

247
334. The average of two numbers is 41. If one of the numbers is 27, what is the other
number? If the average of two numbers is x + y, and one of the numbers is x, what is the
other number?
335. The diagram at the right represents a solid of uniform

cross- section (all slices perpendicular to the base are the
same shape). All the lines of the figure meet at right
angles. The dimensions are marked in the drawing in
terms of x. Write simple formulas in terms of x for each
of the following:
a. the volume of the solid;
b. the surface area you would have to cover in
order to paint this solid;
c. the length of decorative cord you need if you
wanted to outline all of the edges of the solid.
336. A restaurant has 23 tables. Some of the tables seat 4 persons and the rest seat 2
persons. In all, 76 persons can be seated at once. How many tables of each kind are there?
337. Solve each of the following systems of equations:
(a) (b)
338. Use the distributive property to write each of the following in factored form:
(a) (b) (c)
339. Most of Conservative Casey’s money is invested in a savings account that pays 1%
interest a year, but some is invested in a risky stock fund that pays 7% a year. Casey’s total
initial investment in the two accounts was $10000. At the end of the first year, Casey
received a total of $250 in interest from the two accounts. Find the amount initially invested
in each.
340. Find the value of p that makes the linear graph pass through the point where
the lines and intersect.
248
341. Faced with the problem of multiplying times , Brook is having trouble deciding
which of these four answers is correct: , , , or . Your help is needed. Once
you have answered Brook’s question, experiment with other examples of this type until you
are able to formulate the common-base principle for multiplication of expressions .
342. For the final in-class test in math this term, I am thinking of giving a 100-question
true-false test! Right answers will count one point, wrong answers will deduct half a point,
and questions left unanswered will have no effect. One way to get a 94 using this scoring
system is to answer 96 correctly and 4 incorrectly (and leave 0 blank). Find another way of
obtaining a score of 94.
343. (Continuation) Let r equal the number of right answers and w equal the number of
wrong answers. Write an equation relating r and w that states that the test grade is 94.
a. Write an inequality that states that the grade is at least 94, and graph it.
b. Graph the inequalities 0 ≤ r, 0 ≤ w and r + w ≤ 100 , and explain why they are
relevant here.
c. Shade the region that solves all four inequalities. How many lattice points does this
region contain?
d. Why is this a lattice-point problem? What is the maximum number of wrong
answers one could get and still obtain a grade at least as good as 94?
344. A large family went to a restaurant for a buffet dinner. The price of the dinner was $12
for adults and $8 for children. If the total bill for a group of 13 persons came to $136, how
many children were in the group?
345. Write each of the following in factored form:

(a) (b) (c)
346. Find values for a and b that make ax + by = 14 parallel to 12 = 3y - 4x. Is there more
than one answer? If so, how are the different values for a and b related?

249
347. Exponents are routinely encountered in scientific work, where they help investigators
deal with large numbers:
a. The human population of Earth is roughly 7000000000, which is usually expressed
in scientific notation as . The average number of hairs on a human head is
. Use scientific notation to estimate the total number of human head hairs
on Earth.
b. Light moves very fast — approximately meters every second. At that rate,
how many meters does light travel in one year, which is about seconds
long? This so-called light year is used in astronomy as a yardstick for measuring
even greater distances.
348. Sage has a walking speed of 300 feet per minute. On the way to gate 14C at the airport,
Sage has the option of using a moving sidewalk. By simply standing on the sidewalk, it
would take 4 minutes to get to the gate that is 800 feet away.
a. How much time will it take Sage to walk the distance to the gate without using the
moving sidewalk?
b. How much time will it take Sage to get to the gate by walking on the moving
sidewalk?
b. After traveling 200 feet (by standing on the sidewalk), Sage notices a Moonbucks,
and turns around on the moving sidewalk. How long will it take Sage to get back to
the beginning of the moving sidewalk, walking in the opposite direction? Assume
the sidewalk is empty of other travelers.
349. A car went a distance of 90 km at a steady speed and returned along the same route at
half that speed. The time needed for the whole round trip was four hours and a half. Find
the two speeds.
350. Write the following sentence using mathematical symbols: “The absolute value of the
sum of two numbers a and b is equal to the sum of the absolute values of each of the
numbers a and b.” Is this a true statement? Explain.
351. Fill in all of the blanks with the same number in order to make a true statement:
a.
352. Solve: (a) (b) (c)

250
353. In a coordinate plane, shade the region that consists of all points that have positive x-
and y-coordinates whose sum is less than 5. Write a system of three inequalities that
describes this region.
354. Some of Lin’s savings this past year were in a savings account that paid 3% interest for
the year. The rest of the savings were in a riskier stock investment that paid 12% interest
for the year. If Lin’s $8000 total investment yielded a return of $600 in interest, how much
was invested in the riskier account?
355. Suppose that h is 40% of p. What percent of h is p?
356. Pat is the CEO of Pat’s Pickle-Packing Plant, but can still pack 18 jars of pickles per
hour. Kim, a rising star in the industry, packs 24 jars per hour. Kim arrived at work at 9:00
am one day, to find that Pat had been packing pickles since 7:30 am. Later that day, Kim
had packed exactly the same number of jars as Pat. At what time, and how many jars had
each packed?
357. A laser beam is shot from the point (0, 2.35) along the line whose slope is 3.1. Will it
hit a very thin pin stuck in this coordinate plane at the point (10,040, 31,126)?
358. A polynomial is obtained by adding (or subtracting) monomials. Use the distributive
property to rewrite each of the following polynomials in factored form. In each example,
you will be finding a common monomial factor. A binomial is the sum of two unlike
monomials, and a trinomial is the sum of three unlike monomials. The monomials that
make up a polynomial are often called its terms.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
359. The Woodman Firewood Company delivers natural firewood to homes in Manhattan.
They charge a certain amount per cord for firewood and a fixed amount for each delivery,
no matter how many cords are delivered. My bill from WFC last winter was $155 for one
cord of wood, and my neighbor’s was $215 for one and one-half cords. What is the charge
for each cord of wood and what is the delivery charge?
360. For some cell phone plans a long-distance call costs $2.40 plus $0.23 per minute. If the
call is not an integer number of minutes, the caller is charged $0.23 for the fraction of a
minute. Write an inequality that states that an x-minute call costs at most $5.00. Solve the
inequality to find the maximum number of minutes that it is possible to talk without
spending more than $5.00.
251
361. The point (2, 3) lies on the line 2x + ky = 19. Find the value of k.
362. Taylor works after school in a health-food store, where one of the more challenging
tasks is to add cranberry juice to apple juice to make a cranapple drink. A liter of apple
juice costs $0.85 and a liter of cranberry juice costs $1.25. The mixture is to be sold for
exactly the cost of the ingredients, at $1.09 per liter. How many liters of each juice should
Taylor use to make 20 liters of the cranapple mixture?
363. Do the three lines 5x - y = 7 , x + 3y = 11, and 2x + 3y = 13 have a common point of

intersection? If so, find it. If not, explain why not.
364. Using an absolute-value inequality, describe the set of numbers whose distance from 4
is greater than 5 units. Draw a graph of this set on a number line. Finally, describe this set
of numbers using inequalities without absolute value signs.
365. The simultaneous conditions x - y < 6 , x + y < 6, and x > 0 define a region R. How
many lattice points are contained in R?
366. Factor the following polynomials by grouping them by their greatest common factor:
(a) (b) (c)
367. In and , replace the variables with correct
exponents. The expression means to write as a factor how many times? To

rewrite this expression without exponents as p · p · p · · · , how many factors would you
need?
368. Graph the system of equations shown. What special relationship exists between the two
lines? Confirm this by solving the equations algebraically.
369. The world is consuming approximately 87 million barrels of oil per day. At this rate of
consumption, how long will the known world oil reserves of barrels last?

252
370. Uganda has recently discovered a large deposit of oil in the Lake Albert basin. It is
estimated that this deposit holds as many as 6 billion barrels of oil. In how much time
would this amount be consumed by worldwide demand?
371. Population data for Vermont is given in the table at right.

a. Find the average annual growth rate of this population
during the time interval from 1970 to 2010.
b. Write an equation for a line in point-slope form, using the
ordered pair (1970, 448 327) and the slope you found in
part (a).
c. Evaluate your equation for the years 1980 and 1990, and notice
that these interpolated values do not agree with the actual table
values. Find the size of each error, expressed as a percent of the
actual population value.
d. Use your point-slope equation to extrapolate a population prediction for 2020.
e. New Hampshire has roughly the same area as Vermont, but its population reached
one million several years ago. Predict when this will happen to Vermont’s
population.
372. Faced with the problem of calculating , Brook is having trouble deciding which
of these three answers is correct: , , or . Once you have answered Brook’s
question, experiment with other examples of this type until you are ready to formulate the
principle that tells how to write as a power of b.
373. The diameter of an atom is so small that it would take about of them, arranged in a
line, to span one centimeter. It is thus a plausible estimate that a cubic centimeter contains
about atoms which is equal to atoms. Write this huge number as a

power of 10.

253
374. Blair runs a small stand at the local mall that sells sweatshirts. There are two types of
shirts sold. One is 100% cotton, on which the markup is $6 per shirt. The other is a cotton
and polyester blend, on which the markup is $4 per shirt. It costs Blair $900 per month to
rent the kiosk. Let c represent the number of pure cotton sweatshirts sold in one month and
b the number of blended sweatshirts sold in the same month.
a. In terms of c and b, write an inequality that states that Blair’s sales will at least
meet the monthly rental expense. Sketch a graph.
b. This month, Blair could only get 20 of the pure cotton shirts from the distributor.
This adds another constraint to the system. How does it affect the region you drew
in (a)?
375. During a phone call about the system of equations, , Dylan told Max,
“It’s easy, just set them equal to each other.” But Max replied, “That doesn’t help — I get
. What good is that?” Help these two students solve the problem.
376. During 2010, it is estimated that the world consumed BTUs (British
Thermal Units) of energy.
a. Describe this estimate of world energy use in quadrillions of BTUs. It is now
customary to refer to one quadrillion of BTUs as simply a quad.
b. One barrel of oil produces about 5800000 BTUs. How many barrels of oil are
needed to produce one quad?
c. The world is consuming oil at approximately 87 million barrels per day. What
percentage of world energy consumption is attributable to oil?
377. The figure at right shows the graphs of two lines. Use
the figure to estimate the coordinates of the point that
belongs to both lines, then calculate the exact value. You
will of course have to find equations for the lines, which
both go through designated lattice points.
378. A math teacher is designing a test, and wants (3, -4) to be the solution to the system of
equations . What values should the teacher use for a and b?

254
379. In each part, use the same number in each blank to make a true statement. Compare the
number you put in the blanks with the original expression. What do you notice?
(a)
(b)
(c)
380. The figure shows a loading dock and a side view of an attached ramp, whose run is 12
feet and whose rise is 39 inches. Alex is
wondering whether a long rectangular box
can be stored underneath the ramp, as
suggested by the dotted lines. The box is 2
feet tall and 5 feet long. Answer Alex’s
question.
381. Solve the system for x and y in terms of a and k.
382. Sid’s summer job is working at a roadside stand that specializes in homemade ice
cream. The manager asks Sid to order small plain cones and extra-large sugar cones. The
storage room will hold at most 12 boxes of cones. A box of small plain cones cost $30 and
a box of extra-large sugar cones cost $90 dollars. A maximum of $800 is budgeted for this
purchase of cones.
a. Using x for the number of boxes of plain cones and y for the number of boxes of
sugar cones, translate the conditions of the problem into a system of inequalities.
b. Graph this system of inequalities and shade the feasible region for this problem.
Identify the vertices of the region by specifying their coordinates.
383. Lee spent c cents to buy five pears. In terms of c and d, how many pears could Lee
have bought with d dollars?
384. A catering company offers three monthly meal contracts.

a. Contract A costs a flat fee of $480 per month for 90 meals
b. Contract B costs $200 per month plus $4 per meal
c. Contract C costs a straight $8 per meal
If you expect to eat only 56 of the available meals in a month, which contract would be
best for you? When might someone prefer contract A? contract B? contract C? Write a
description of your reasoning with mathematical justification.

255
385. Graph the equation |x + y| = 1. Shade the region described by |x + y| ≤ 1.
386. Sandy can saw three cords of wood in a standard workday, if the whole day is spent
doing it. Sandy can split five cords of wood in a standard workday, if the whole day is
spent doing it. In a standard workday, what is the largest number of cords of wood that
Sandy can saw and split?
387. If the symbol ☆ represent some polynomial expression, factor the following in terms
of ☆ .
(a) 3x☆ + 5☆ (b) (2x + 1) ☆ 3y☆ (c) (4x 1) ☆ ☆(2x + 2)

388. You are buying some cans of juice and some cans of soda for your friends. The juice is
$0.60 per can while the soda is $0.75. You have $24, all to be spent.
a. Write an equation that represents all the different combinations of juice and soda you can
buy for $24.
b. Is it possible to buy exactly 24 cans of juice and spend the remainder on soda?
Explain.
c. How many different combinations of drinks are possible?
389. Replace the shapes in the following two equations and

by correct numerical exponents.
390. Jan had the same summer job for the years 1993 through 1996, earning $250 in 1993,
$325 in 1994, $400 in 1995, and $475 in 1996.
a. Plot the four data points, using the horizontal axis for “year”. You should be able
to draw a line through the four points.
b. What is the slope of this line? What does it represent?
c. Which points on this line are meaningful in this context?
d. Guess what Jan’s earnings were for 1992 and 1998, assuming the same summer job.
e. Write an inequality that states that Jan’s earnings in 1998 were within 10% of the
amount you guessed.

256
391. Now that you have dealt with systems of two-variable equations, you can apply the
same principles to solve systems of three-variable equations. For example, you can
(temporarily) eliminate y in the system at right: Add the first two equations, and then add
the second two equations. This produces two new equations. Find x, z, and y to complete the
solution.
392. Rewrite each of the following polynomials as a product of two factors. One of the
factors should be the greatest common monomial factor.
(a) (b) (c)
393. To make a little spending money, Taylor decided to sell special souvenir programs for
the Avenues Basketball Championship. The printing cost was $0.32 per program, and they
were priced at $0.50 each. Taylor sold all but 50 of the programs, and made a small profit
of $11. How many programs were printed?
394. Factor the following polynomials as much as possible:

a. (b)
395. Chet has at most 20 hours a week available to work during the summer, dividing that
time between making $3 an hour babysitting and $7 an hour working for a landscaping
company. Chet needs to accumulate at least $84 per week.
a. Write a system of inequalities that describes the given conditions.
b. What are the most hours Chet can work babysitting and still earn at least $84?
396. Refer to the diagram at right, which shows a large square that
has been subdivided into two squares and two rectangles. Write
formulas for the areas of these four pieces, using the dimensions a
and b marked on the diagram. Then write an equation that states
that the area of the large square is equal to the combined area of
its four pieces. Do you recognize this equation?
397. Find coordinates for the point where the line

intersects the line . First solve the problem by hand, then confirm your
answer using a graphing tool.

257
398. Solve the following for x and y in terms of a, b, and c:
399. Find the equations of at least three lines that intersect each other at the point .
400. Find coordinates for the point of intersection of the lines px + y = 1 and 3px + 2y = 4.
You will have to express your answer in terms of p.
401. Cameron bought some 39-cent, 24-cent, and 13-cent stamps at the Post Office. The
100 stamps cost $33.40, and there were twice as many 24-cent stamps in the sale as there
were 13-cent stamps. How many stamps of each denomination did Cameron buy?
402. Faced with the problem of dividing 524 by 58 , Brook is having trouble deciding which
of these four answers is correct: 516, 53, 116 or 13. Your help is needed. Once you have
answered Brook’s question, experiment with other examples of this type until you are
ready to formulate the common-base principle for division that tells how to divide bm by bn
and get another power of b. Then apply this principle to the following situations:
a. Earth’s human population is roughly , and its total land area, excluding the
polar caps, is roughly square miles. If the human population were
distributed uniformly over all available land, approximately how many persons
would be found per square mile?
b. At the speed of light, which is meters per second, how many seconds does
it take for the Sun’s light to travel the meters to Earth?
403. Factor the following:

(a) (b) (c) (d)
404. Given the equation 3x + y = 6, write a second equation that, together with the first, will
create a system of equations that
a. has one solution;
b. has an infinite number of solutions;
c. has no solution;
d. has the ordered pair (4, -6) as its only solution.

258
405. At noon, a team bus left City College for their opponent’s school. Soon thereafter,
City’s first-line player Brett Starr arrived at the gym. A loyal day-student parent
volunteered to overtake the bus and deliver Brett. The two left at 12:15 pm. The parent
drove at 54 mph, while ahead of them the yellow bus poked along at 48 mph. Did the car
catch the bus before it reached the game, which is 110 miles from City college? If so,
where and when?
406. Factor the following perfect-square trinomials:

(a) (b) (c)
407. (Continuation) As suggested, these should all look like either or .

State the important connection between the coefficients of the given trinomials and the
values you found for r.
408. (Continuation) Complete the following to make a true statement that generalizes about
perfect square trinomials and their factorization:
409. (Continuation) In the following, choose k to create a perfect-square trinomial:

(a) (b) (c)
410. In each of the following, find the correct value for Δ:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
411. There are 55 ways to make x∎ x⊠ x⊞ = x12 a true statement. Assign positive integers to
the three different squares that represent the initial exponents. Find four different ways to do
it.
412. According to the US Census Bureau, the population of the USA has a net gain of 1
person every 14 seconds. How many additional persons does that amount to in one year?
413. When I ask my calculator for a decimal value of , it displays 1.215. What is the
meaning of this number? What needs to be done to check whether this square root is correct?
Can be expressed as a ratio of whole numbers?

259
414. Consider the equation . Complete the following without using a

graphing tool.
a. What are the coordinates of the vertex of this graph?
b. Find the coordinates of all axis intercepts of the graph.
c. Sketch the graph by hand.
d. Using each of these points and the vertex, compute the slope of each side of the
graph. How are these slopes related?
415. The distance from Avenues to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge is 10 miles. If you
walked there at 4 mph and returned jogging at 8 mph, how much time would the round trip
take? What would your overall average speed be?
416. Given that three shirts cost d dollars,

a. How many dollars does one shirt cost?
b. How many dollars do k shirts cost?
c. How many shirts can be bought with q quarters?
417. What are the dimensions of a square that encloses the same area as a rectangle that is
two miles long and one mile wide?
418. When I ask my calculator for a decimal value of √2 , it displays 1.41421356237. What
is the meaning of this number? To check whether this square root is correct, what needs to
be done? Can the square root of 2 be expressed as a ratio of whole numbers — for example
as ? Before you say “impossible”, consider the ratio .
419. When an object falls, it gains speed. Thus the number of feet d the object has fallen is
not linearly related to the number of seconds, t spent falling. In fact, for objects falling
near the surface of the Earth, with negligible resistance from the air, . How many
seconds would it take for a cannonball to reach the ground if it were dropped from the top
of the Eiffel Tower, which is 984 feet tall? How many seconds would it take for the
cannonball to reach the ground if it were dropped from a point that is halfway to the top?
420. What happens if you try to find an intersection point for the linear graphs 3x - 2y = 10
and 3x - 2y = -6? What does this mean?

260
421. Pat and Kim are having an algebra argument. Kim is sure that is equivalent to
, but Pat thinks otherwise. How would you resolve this disagreement? What evidence
does your calculator offer?
422. Given that Brett can wash d dishes in h hours, write expressions for
a. the number of hours it takes for Brett to wash p dishes;
b. the number of dishes Brett can wash in y hours;
c. the number of dishes Brett can wash in m minutes.
423. What is the value of ? Of ? Of ? What is the value of any number divided
by itself? If you apply the common-base rule dealing with exponents and division,
should equal 5 raised to what power? And should equal c raised to what power? It
therefore makes sense to define to be what?
424. If √2 can be expressed as a ratio of two whole numbers, then this fraction can be
put in lowest terms. Assume that this has been done.
a. Square both sides of the equation
b. Multiply both sides of the new equation by . The resulting equation tells you
that r must be an even number. Explain.
c. Because r is even, its square is divisible by 4. Explain.
d. It follows that is even, hence so is p. Explain.

e. Thus both r and p are even. Explain why this is a contradictory situation.
f. A number expressible as a ratio of whole numbers is called rational . All other
numbers, such as √2 , are called irrational .
425. One morning, Ryan remembered lending a friend a bicycle. After breakfast, Ryan
walked over to the friend’s house at 3 miles per hour, and rode the bike back home at 7
miles per hour, using the same route both ways. The round trip took 1.75 hours. What
distance did Ryan walk?

261
426. Write the following monomials without using parentheses:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
427. The table at the right has both and evaluated

at some values of x. Choose 4 four more values of x and add
the y values to the table in the second two columns. Plot the
points on the same system of axes. Compare your graphs with
those produced by a graphing tool. In what respects are the two
graphs similar? In what respects do the two graphs differ?
428. A worker accidentally drops a hammer from the scaffolding of a tall building. The
worker is 300 feet above the ground. As you answer the following, recall that an object
falls feet in t seconds (assuming negligible air resistance).
a. How far above the ground is the hammer after falling for one second? for two
seconds? Write a formula that expresses the height h of the hammer after it has
fallen for t seconds.
b. How many seconds does it take the hammer to reach the ground? How many
seconds does it take for the hammer to fall until it is 100 feet above the ground?
c. By plotting some data points and connecting the dots, sketch a graph of h versus t.
Notice that your graph is not a picture of the path followed by the falling hammer.
429. A box with a square base and rectangular sides is to be 2 feet and 6 inches high, and to
contain 25.6 cubic feet. What is the length of one edge of the square base?
430. Definition of a function: Equations such as A(x)= and h(t)

define quadratic functions. The word function means that assigning a value to one of the
variables (x or t) determines a unique value for the other (A or h). It is customary to say
that “A is a function of x.” In this example, however, it would be incorrect to say that “x is
a function of A.” Explain.

262
431. The graph of a quadratic function is called a parabola. This shape is common to all
graphs of equations of the form , where a is nonzero. Confirm this by
comparing the graph of , the graph of and the graph of
a. How are the three graphs alike, and how are they different? Find numbers xmin,
xmax, ymin, and ymax, so that the significant features of all three graphs fit in the
window described by xmin ≤ x ≤ xmax and ymin ≤ y ≤ ymax.
b. Give two examples of linear functions. Why are they called linear ?
432. Water pressure varies linearly with the depth of submersion. The pressure at the
surface is 14.7 pounds per square inch. Given that a diver experiences approximately 58.8
pounds per square inch of pressure at a depth of 100 feet, what pressure will a submarine
encounter when it is one mile below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean?
433. From the tombstone of Diophantus, a famous Greek mathematician: “God granted him
to be a boy for a sixth part of his life, and, adding a twelfth part to this, He clothed his
cheeks with down. He lit him the light of wedlock after a seventh part, and five years after
this marriage He granted him a son. Alas! late-born wretched child — after attaining the
measure of half his father’s life, chill Fate took him. After consoling his grief by his
science of numbers for four more years, then did Diophantus end his life.” Calculate how
old Diophantus lived to be.
434. Find the x-intercepts of each of the following quadratic graphs:
(a) (b) (c) (d)

Summarize by describing how to find the x-intercepts of any quadratic graph y = ax2 + bx .
435. When two rational numbers are multiplied together, their product is also a rational
number. Explain. Is it necessarily true that the product of two irrational numbers is
irrational? Explore this question by evaluating the following products.
(a) (b) (c) (d)

263
436. Golf math I. Using a golf club at the 7th whole,

Taylor hits an excellent shot, right down
the middle of the flat grass before the hole.
The ball follows the parabolic path shown
in the figure, described by the quadratic
function . This relates

the height y of the ball above the ground to
the ball’s progress x down the fairway.
Distances are measured in yards.
a. Use the distributive property to write this equation in factored form. Notice that
when . What is the significance of this data?
b. How far from the tee does the ball hit the ground?
c. At what distance x does the ball reach the highest point of its arc?
d. What is the highest height attained by the ball?
437. Evaluate each of the following expressions by substituting s = 30 and t = -4.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
438. Evaluate using x = 24 and y = 10. Is equivalent to x + y, in this

case? Does the square-root operation “distribute” over addition?
439. Evaluate using x = 24 and y = 10. Is equivalent to , in this

case? Explain.
440. Evaluate using and y = 10. Is equivalent to x + y, in

this case? Explain.
441. There are several positive integers that leave a remainder of 12 when they are divided
into 192. Find the smallest and the largest of those integers.
442. An Avenues student set off on a bicycle ride to the Cloisters Museum, a distance of 10
miles. After going a short while at 15 miles per hour, the bike developed a flat tire, and the
trip had to be given up. The walk back to Avenues was made at a dejected 3 miles per
hour. The whole episode took 48 minutes. How many miles from Avenues did the flat
occur?

264
443. A car traveling at 60 miles per hour is covering how many feet in one second? A
football field is 100 yards long. At 60 mph, how many seconds does it take to cover this
distance? State your answer to the nearest tenth of a second.
444. Attempt to perform the indicated operations, and record your observations:
(a) (b) (c)
Now, suggest a rule for multiplying numbers in the form . Extend your rule to
problems in the form of .
445. (Continuation) Use what you have just seen to explain why
446. Rewrite the following square roots in the same way — as the product of a whole
number and a square root of an integer that has no perfect square factors. The resulting
expression is said to be in simplest radical form.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
447. Taylor has enough money to buy either 90 granola bars or 78 pop-tarts. After returning
from the store, Taylor has no money, 75 granola bars, and p pop-tarts. Assuming that
Taylor has not yet eaten anything, figure out what p is.
448. Avery and Sasha were comparing parabola graphs on their calculators. Avery had
drawn in the window and , and Sasha had
drawn in the window and . Except for scale markings on
the axes, the graphs looked the same! What was the value of k?
449. At Sam’s Warehouse, a member pays $25 a year for membership, and buys at the
regular store prices. A non-member does not pay the membership fee, but does pay an
additional 5% above the store prices. Under what conditions would it make sense to buy a
membership?

265
450. Golf math II . Next, using the

same club at the 8th hole, which is
on a higher piece of land 10 yards
above where the 7th hole was,
Taylor hits another fine shot.
Explain why the quadratic function
describes
this parabolic trajectory, shown in
the figure to the right. Why should you expect this tee shot to go more than 250
yards? Estimate the length of this shot, then using a graphing tool, find a more
accurate value. How does this trajectory relate to the trajectory for the drive on
the previous hole?
451. The total area of the six faces of a cube is 1000 sq cm. What is the
length of one edge of the cube? Round your answer to three decimal
places.
452. On a recent drive from New Hampshire to New York City, Taylor
maintained an average speed of 50 mph for the first four hours, but could only average 30
mph for the final hour, because of road construction.
a. What was Taylor’s average speed for the whole trip?
b. What would the average have been if Taylor had traveled h hours at 30 mph and 4h
hours at 50 mph?
c. What is the average speed for a trip that consists of m miles at 30 mph followed by
4m miles at 50 mph?
453. Solve each of the following equations. Answers should either be exact, or else accurate
to three decimal places.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
454. You have seen that the graph of any quadratic function is a parabola that is
symmetrical with respect to a line called the axis of symmetry, and that each such parabola
also has a lowest or highest point called the vertex. Sketch a graph for each of the
following quadratic functions. Identify the coordinates of each vertex and write an
equation for each axis of symmetry.
(a) (b) (c) (d)

266
455. For the point (4, 24) to be on the graph of , what should the value of a be?
456. When asked to solve the equation , Jess said, “That’s easy — just take
the square root of both sides.” Perhaps Jess also remembered that 11 has two square roots,
one positive and the other negative. What are the two values for x, in exact form? (In this
situation, “exact” means no decimals.)
457. (Continuation) When asked to solve the equation , Deniz said, “Hmm . . .
not so easy, but I think that adding something to both sides of the equation is the thing to
do.” This is indeed a good idea, but what number should Deniz add to both sides? How is
this equation related to the previous one?
458. Consider the family of quadratic functions, , where a, b and c have a

common difference (think about what that means…hmmmm). Graph as many of those as
you need to in order to see any patterns in their graphs. What do you notice or wonder?
Try to prove any conjecture you come up with.
459. Use the distributive property to factor each of the following:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
460. Solving a quadratic equation by rewriting the

left side as a perfect-square trinomial is called
solving by completing the square. Use this
method to solve each of the following equations.
Leave your answers in exact form.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
461. Find a quadratic equation for each of the

graphs pictured at the right. Each curve has a
designated point on it, and the y-intercepts are all
at integer values. Also notice that the y-axis is the
axis of symmetry for all.

267
462. The speed of sound in air is 1100 feet per second. The speed of sound in steel is
16,500 feet per second. Robin, one ear pressed against the railroad track, hears a sound
through the rail six seconds before hearing the same sound through the air. To the
nearest foot, how far away is the source of that sound?
463. The point (4, 7) is on the graph of . What is the value of c?
464. In your notebook, use one set of coordinate axes to graph the three curves ,
and . Make three observations about graphs of the form
, where b is a nonzero number.
465. Using only positive numbers, add the first two odd numbers,
the first three odd numbers, and the first four odd numbers. Do
your answers show a pattern? What is the sum of the first n odd
numbers?
466. (Continuation) Copy the table at the right into your notebook and
fill in the missing entries.
a. What function in terms of x and y do these points represent?
b. In the third column, compute the differences between the
consecutive y coordinates.
c. Is there a pattern to the column of differences?
d. Do the values in this column describe a linear function? Explain.
e. As a check, create a fourth column that tables the differences of
the differences.
f. How does this column help you with your thinking?
467. (Continuation) Carry out the same calculations, but replace by a quadratic
function of your own choosing. Is the new table of differences
linear?
468. Write (2a)2 without parentheses. Is (2a)2 larger than, smaller

than, or the same as 2a2 ? Make reference to the diagram at right in
writing your answer. Draw a similar diagram to illustrate the
non-equivalence of (3a) 2 and 3a2.

268
469. Solve each of the following quadratic equations by hand:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
470. A hose used by the fire department shoots water out in a parabolic arc. Let x be the
horizontal distance from the hose’s nozzle, and y be the
corresponding height of the stream of water, both in feet. The
quadratic function is y =
0.016x2 + 0.5x + 4.5 .
a. What is the significance of the 4.5 that appears in the
equation?
b. Graph this function. Find the stream’s greatest height.
c. What is the horizontal distance from the nozzle to where
the stream hits the ground?
d. Will the stream go over a 6-foot high fence that is located 28 feet from the nozzle?
Explain your reasoning.
471. In the diagram, the dimensions of a piece of carpeting have

been marked in terms of x. All lines meet at right angles. Express
the area and the perimeter of the carpeting in terms of x.
472. Evaluate the expression 397(2.598) + 845(2.598) 242(2.598) mentally. Be prepared

to describe your method.
473. Kirby is four miles from the train station, from which a train is due to leave in 56
minutes. Kirby is walking along at 3 mph, and could run at 12 mph if it were necessary. If
Kirby wants to be on that train, it will be necessary to do some running! How many miles
of running?
474. The work at right shows the step-by-step process used by a student to solve

x 2 + 6x 5 = 0 by the method of Completing the
Square. Explain why the steps in this process are
reversible. Apply this understanding to find a
quadratic equation, , whose
solutions are x = 7 + √6 and x = 7 √6

475. Val hikes up a mountain trail at 2 mph. Because Val hikes at 4 mph downhill, the trip
down the mountain takes 30 minutes less time than the trip up, even though the
downward trail is three miles longer. How many miles did Val hike in all?

269
476. Express the areas of the following large rectangles in two ways. First, find the area of
each small rectangle and add the expressions. Second, multiply the total length by the
total width.
477. Golf Math III. From the graph of the path of the
golf ball we can estimate the landing location of the
ball. However, to find the length of the shot by
hand, you must set y equal to 0 and solve for x.
a. Explain why, and show how to arrive at
.
b. The next step in the solution process is to
add to both sides of this equation. Why was this number chosen?
c. Complete the solution by showing that the length of the shot is 125 + . How
does this number, which is about 268.6, compare with your previous calculation?
d. Comment on the presence of the number 125 in the answer. What is its significance?
478. If n represents a perfect square, what formula represents the next perfect square?
479. The height h (in feet) above the ground of a baseball depends upon the time t (in
seconds) it has been in flight. Cameron takes a swing with the bat but sadly doesn’t hit it
very hard and it goes high in the air but comes down closer than he had hoped. The path
of the ball could be described approximately by the equation . Make a
large, clear diagram and answer the following questions.
a. How long is the ball in the air?
b. The ball reaches its maximum height after how many seconds of flight?
c. What is the maximum height?
d. It takes approximately 0.92 seconds for the ball to reach a height of 60 feet. On its
way back down, the ball is again 60 feet above the ground; what is the value of t
when this happens?
480. Apply the zero-product property to solve the following equations:

(a) (b) (c)
270
481. Solve the following equations for x by hand.

(a) (b) (c)
482. During the swimming of a 50-yard sprint in a 25-yard pool, the racers swim away from
the starting line and then return to it. Suppose that Alex, who always swims at a steady
rate, takes 24 seconds to complete the race. Let y stand for the distance from Alex to the
starting line when the race is t seconds old. Make a graph of y versus t, and write an
equation for this graph.
483. In the shot-put competition at a track meet, the trajectory of Blair’s best put is given by
2
the function h(t) = 0.0186x + x + 5 , where x is the horizontal distance the shot travels,
and h is the corresponding height of the shot above the ground, both measured in feet.
Graph the function and find how far the shot went. What was the greatest height obtained?
In the given context, what is the meaning of the “5” in the equation?

484. Sketch the graphs of y = x 2 2x , y = 2x 2 14x , and y = 3x 2 + 18x . Write an
equation for the symmetry axis of each parabola. Devise a quick way to write an equation
for the symmetry axis of any parabola y = ax 2 + bx . Test your method on the three given
examples.
485. √5 || + 4 by hand, writing an equivalent expression without absolute

Simplify || 3
value signs. Do the same for || 3 √5 || - 4 . Does a calculator give you the same result?
486. Multiply: (a) (3x)(7x) (b) (3x)(7 + x) (c) (3 + x)(7 + x)
487. Factor each expression completely.
(a) (b) (c)
488. Given P = (1, 4), Q = (4, 5), and R = (10, 7), decide whether or not PQR is a straight
line, and give your reasons.

271
489. All the dimensions of the twelve rectangles in the figure are either a or b. Write an
expression for the sum of the areas of the twelve pieces. This should help you to show how
these twelve pieces can be fit together to form one large
rectangle.
490. Sketch the graphs of y = x

2
, y = (x 2) 2
,
2 2
y = (x + 3) and , y = (x + 5) on the same set of
coordinate axes. Make a general statement as to how the
graph of , y = (x h) 2
is related to the graph of y = x 2 .
491. The hands of a clock point in the same direction at

noon, and also at midnight. How many times between
noon and midnight does this happen?
492. (Continuation) When does this first happen? When is the last time this happens?
493. The axis of symmetry of a parabola is the line x = 4.

a. Suppose that one x-intercept is 10; what is the other one?
b. Suppose the point (12, 4) is on the graph; what other point also must be on the graph?
494. Given the equation s = πr + πre, solve the formula for: (a) e (b) r
495. Solve x 2 2px 8p 2

= 0 for x in terms of p by Completing the Square.
496. (Continuation) Show that x 2 2px 8p 2

can be written in factored
form.
497. Find the equation of the axis of symmetry for the graph of y = 2x 2 6x . Sketch the
graph of this equation in your notebook, including the axis of symmetry. What are the
coordinates of the vertex of the graph?

498. (Continuation) Sketch the graph of y = 2x 2 6x 3 along with its axis of symmetry.
Find the coordinates of the vertex of this parabola. How do these coordinates compare
6x ? Find an equation for the graph of a quadratic curve that
with the vertex of y = 2x 2
has the same axis of symmetry as y = 2x 6x but whose vertex is at (1.5, -2.5).
2

272
499. The table at right displays some values for a quadratic function,
y = ax 2 + bx + c .
a. Explain how to use the table to show that c = 0.
b. A point is on a curve only if the coordinates of the point
satisfy the equation of the curve. Substitute the tabled
coordinates (1, 2) into the given equation to obtain a linear equation in
which a and b are the unknowns. Apply the same reasoning to the point
(2, 6).
c. Find values for a and b by solving these two linear equations.
d. Use your values for a and b to write the original quadratic equation.
Check your result by substituting the other two tabled points (3, 12) and
(4, 20) into the equation.
500. Graph y = (x 4) 2
and y = 9 using a graphing tool. What are the coordinates of the

point(s) of intersection? Now solve the equation (x 4) 2 = 9 by hand. Describe the
connection between the points of intersection on the graph and the solution(s) to the
equation.
501. Gerry Anium is designing another rectangular garden. It

will sit next to a long, straight rock wall, thus leaving only
three sides to be fenced. This time, Gerry has bought 150 feet
of fencing in one-foot sections. Subdivision into shorter
pieces is not possible. The garden is to be rectangular and the
fencing (all of which must be used) will go along three of the
sides as indicated in the picture.
a. If each of the two sides attached to the wall were 40 ft
long, what would the length of the third side be?
b. Is it possible for the longest side of the rectangular
garden to be 85 feet long? Explain.
c. Let x be the length of one of the sides attached to the wall. Find the lengths of the
other two sides, in terms of x. Is the variable x continuous or discrete?
d. Express the area of the garden as a function of x, and graph this function. For what
values of x does this graph have meaning?
e. Graph the line y = 2752. Find the coordinates of the points of intersection with this
line and your graph. Explain what the coordinates mean with relation to the garden.
f. Gerry would like to enclose the largest possible area with this fencing. What
dimensions for the garden accomplish this? What is the largest possible area?

273
502. Lee finds the identity useful for doing mental arithmetic. For
example, just ask Lee for the value of , and you will get the answer 5625 almost
immediately — with no calculator assistance. The trick is to use algebra by letting 10k + 5
represent a typical integer that ends with 5. Show that the square of this number is
represented by 100k(k + 1) + 25. This should enable you to explain how Lee is able to
calculate 752 = 5625 so quickly. Try the trick yourself: Evaluate 352, 952, and 2052 without
using a calculator, paper, or pencil.
503. Solve by the method of Completing the Square. Apply your answer to
the example by setting b = 5 and c = 6.
504. A rectangular box has length 4, width x, and height x.

a. Express its total surface area in terms of x.
b. If the total surface area is 66, find the width of the box.

505. The graph of y = x 2 400 is shown at right. Notice
that no coordinates appear in the diagram. There are tick
marks on the axes, however, which enable you, without
using your graphing device, to figure out the actual
window that was used for this graph. Find the high and
low values for both the x-axis and the y-axis. After you
get your answer, check it on your device. To arrive at your
answer, did you actually need to have tick marks on both
axes?
2
506. Sketch the graph of y = x + 3 and y = |x| +3 on the
same axis in your notebook. List three ways that the two graphs are alike and three ways in
which they differ. Be sure your graph is large enough to clearly show these differences. On
another axis, sketch the graph of y = 2(x 3) 2
and y = 2 |x 3| . Also be prepared to
explain how these two graphs compare.
507. Eighteen-carat gold contains 18 parts by weight of gold and 6 parts of other metals.
(Twenty-four-carat gold is pure.) Fourteen-carat gold contains 14 parts of gold and 10
parts of other metals. How many ounces of fourteen-carat gold need to be mixed with 12
ounces of eighteen-carat gold to make seventeen-carat gold?

274
508. When asked to find the equation of the parabola at the right, Ryan looked at the
x-intercepts and knew that the answer had to look like

y = a(x + 1)(x 4) for some coefficient a. Justify
Ryan’s reasoning and then finish the solution by
finding the correct value of a.
509. (Continuation) Find an equation for the parabola,

in factored form, y = a(x p)(x q ) , whose
symmetry axis is parallel to the y-axis whose
x-intercepts are -2 and 3, and whose y-intercept is 4. Why is factored form sometimes
referred to as intercept form?
510. There are many quadratic functions whose graphs intersect the x-axis at (0, 0) and (6,
0). Sketch graphs for a few of them, including the one that goes through (3, 9). Other than
their axis of symmetry, what do all these graphs have in common? How do the graphs
differ?
511. In solving an equation such as 3x 2 11x = 4 by Completing the Square, it is

customary to first divide each term by 3 so that the coefficient of is 1. This transforms
the equation into x
2
11
3 x = 4
3 . Now continue to solve, by the Completing the Square
method, remember to take half of 113 , square it and add it to both sides of the equation.
Finish the solution.
512. Completing the square. Confirm that the equation can be converted
2 b c
into the form x + a x + a = 0 . Describe the steps. To achieve the goal suggested by the
title, what should now be added to both sides of this equation?
2 2
513. (Continuation) The left side of the equation x2 + ab x + b
4a
= b
4a
+ c
a
can be factored as a
perfect square trinomial. Show how. The right side of the equation can be combined over a
common denominator. Show how. Finish the solution of the general quadratic equation by
taking the square root of both sides of your most recent equation. The answer is called the
quadratic formula. State the quadratic formula and the two answers to the general
quadratic ax 2 + bx + c = 0 .
2

514. Apply your formula: Solve x + 2x 3 = 0 by letting a = 1, b = 2, and c = -3. How
could you check if the answers you calculated with the quadratic formula are correct?
275
515. As long as the coefficients a and b are nonzero, the parabolic graph y = ax 2 + bx + c
and y = ax 2 + bx has two x-intercepts. What are they? Use them to find the axis of
symmetry for this parabola. Explain why the axis of symmetry for y = 2x 2 5x 12 is the
same as the axis of symmetry for y = 2x 5x . In general, what is the symmetry axis for
2
+ bx + c ? Does your description make sense for y = 2x 5x + 7 , even though

2 2
y = ax
the curve has no x-intercepts?
516. (Continuation). If you know the axis of symmetry for a quadratic function, how do you
find the coordinates of the vertex? Try your method on each of the following, by first
finding the symmetry axis, then the coordinates of the vertex.
(a) (b)

517. Graph the equations y = (x 5) 2 , y = (x 5) 2 4 , and y = (x 5) 2 + 2 . Write the
coordinates of the vertex for each curve. Describe how to transform the first parabola to
obtain the other two. A fourth parabola is created by shifting the first parabola so that its
vertex is (5, -7). Write an equation for the fourth parabola.
518. Find an equation for each of the functions graphed at

right. Each one is either an absolute-value
function or a quadratic function.
519. Simplify || √17 + 4 || + 7 by hand, while

writing an equivalent expression without
absolute-value signs. Do the same for
|
| √17 4 || 5 | Does your calculator agree?

276
520. The driver of a red sports car, moving at r feet per second, sees a pedestrian step out
into the road. Let d be the number of feet that the car travels, from the moment when the
driver sees the danger until the car has been brought to a complete stop. The equation
d = 0.75r + 0.03r 2 models the typical panic-stop relation between stopping distance and
speed. It is based on data gathered in actual physical simulations. Use it for the following:
a. Moving the foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal takes a typical driver
three fourths of a second. What does the term 0.75r represent in the
stopping-distance equation? The term 0.03r2 comes from physics; what must it
represent?
b. How much distance is needed to bring a car from 30 miles per hour (which is
equivalent to 44 feet per second) to a complete stop?
c. How much distance is needed to bring a car from 60 miles per hour to a complete
stop?
d. Is it true that doubling the speed of the car doubles the distance needed to stop it?
521. (Continuation) At the scene of a crash, an officer observed that a car had hit a wall 150
feet after the brakes were applied. The driver insisted that the speed limit of 45 mph had not
been broken. What do you think of this evidence?
522. Perform the indicated operations and combine like terms where possible:
(a) (b) (c)

523. Sketch the graphs of y = (x 4) 2 and y = (4 x) 2
. What do you notice about the
graphs? Explain why this is true.
524. Jess bought a can of paint, whose label stated that the contents of the can were
sufficient to cover 150 square feet. The surface that Jess wants to paint is a square, each
edge of which is n inches long. Given that n is a whole number, how large can it be?
525. The diagram at the right suggests an easy way of making a box
with no top. Start with a square piece of cardboard, cut squares of
equal sides from the four corners, and then fold up the sides. Here
is the problem: To produce a box that is 8 cm deep and whose
capacity is exactly one liter (1000 cc). How large a square must
you start with (to the nearest mm)?

277
526. Solve the following quadratic equations:

(a) (b) (c) (d)

527. The three functions y = 2(x 4) 1 , y = 2 |x 4| 1 , and y = 2(x 4) 2 1 look
somewhat similar. Predict what the graph of each will look like, and then sketch them by
hand by plotting a few key points. In each case, think about how the form of the equation
can help provide information.
528. Make a sketch of the parabola y = (x 50) 2

100 , by finding the x-intercepts, the
y-intercept, and the coordinates of the vertex. Label all four points with their coordinates
on your graph.
2
529. When taking an algebra quiz, Casey was asked to factor the trinomial x + 3x + 4 .
Casey responded that this particular trinomial was not factorable. Decide whether Casey
was correct, and justify your response.
530. The graph of a quadratic function intersects the x-axis at 0 and at 8. Draw two
parabolas that fit this description and find equations for them. How many examples are
possible?
531. Find an equation for the parabola whose x-intercepts are 0 and 8, whose axis of
symmetry is parallel to the y-axis, and whose vertex is at
(a) (4, -16) (b) (4, -8) (c) (4, -4) (d) (4, 16)
532. Find the value for c that forces the graph of 3x + 4y = c to go through (2, -3).
533. Consider the graph of . Notice that it has no x-intercepts. Assume you did not
know that and try to find them in the usual way by letting y = 0
and solving for x. What happens?
534. Pat and Kim own a rectangular house that measures 50 feet
by 30 feet. They want to add on a family room that will be
square, and then fill in the space adjoining the new room with a
deck. A plan of the setup is shown at right. They have not
decided how large a family room to build, but they do have 400
square feet of decking. If they use it all, and keep to the plan,
how large will the family room be? Is there more than one
solution to this problem?
278
535. Write in as compact form as possible:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
536. Write each of the following quadratic functions in factored form. Use this form to find
x-intercepts for each function and use the intercepts to sketch a graph by hand. Include the
coordinates for each vertex.
(a) (b) (c)
537. (Continuation) In the previous problem, expressing a polynomial in factored form

made it relatively easy to graph the polynomial function. Here we explore the process in
reverse; that is, try using the graph of a polynomial function to factor the polynomial. In
particular, use a graphing tool to draw y = x 3 3x x + 3 and from that graph deduce
2
the factored form.
538. By using square roots, express the solutions to (x 5) 7 = 0 exactly (no decimals).
2
539. Find the x-intercepts of the following graphs, without expanding the squared binomial
that appears in each:
(a) (b)
Check your work by sketching each parabola, incorporating the vertex and x-intercepts.
540. Consider the parabola y = x2 + 1.

a. Sketch a graph of this parabola. Does it have any x-intercepts?
b. Suppose you want to find the x-intercepts without first considering its graph. What
happens when you try to solve the equation 0 = x2 + 1?
541. No real number can be squared to give a negative number. However, there are solutions
to equations such as x 2 = 1 if we consider a different set of numbers. This new set of
numbers is called complex numbers. In this new set of numbers, √ 1 is actually defined
and it is called i. This means i = 1 by definition. The powers of i can be simplified to
2
expressions without exponents (other than 1). Simplify:

(a) (b) (c)

279
542. The degree of a monomial counts how many variable factors would appear if it were
written without using exponents. For example, the degree of 6ab is 2, and the degree of
is 3, since The degree of a polynomial is the largest degree found
among its monomial terms. Find the degree of the following polynomials:
(a) (b) (c) (d)
543. Find at least three integers (positive or negative) that, when put in the blank space,
make the expression a factorable trinomial. Are there other examples?

How many?
544. (Continuation) Find at least three integers that, when put in the blank space,
make the expression a factorable trinomial. Are there other

examples? How many? What do all these integers have in common?
545. Jessie walks a certain distance to a friend’s house at 4 miles per hour and returns by
bicycle on a route that is 8 miles longer. Jessie bikes at an average rate of 12 miles per
hour. If the total time for the round trip is 90 minutes, what is the exact distance Jessie
walked?
546. Plot a point near the upper right corner of a sheet of graph paper. Move your pencil 15
graph-paper units (squares) to the left and 20 units down, then plot another point. Use your
ruler to measure the distance between the points. Because the squares on your graph paper
are probably larger or smaller than the squares on your classmates’ graph paper, it would
not be meaningful to compare ruler measurements with anyone else in your class. You
should therefore finish by converting your measurement to graph-paper units.
547. (Continuation) Square your answer (in graph-paper units), and compare the result with
the calculation 152 +202 .
548. (Continuation) Repeat the entire process, starting with a point near the upper left
corner, and use the instructions “20 squares to the right and 21 squares down.” You should
find that the numbers in this problem again fit the equation . These are
instances of the Pythagorean Theorem, which is a statement about right-angled triangles.
Write a clear statement of this useful result. You will need to refer to the longest side of a
right triangle, which is called the hypotenuse.

280
549. A cylindrical container is filled to a depth of d cm by pouring in V cc of liquid. Draw a

plausible graph of d versus V. Recall that d versus V means that V is on the horizontal axis.
550. The product of two polynomials is also a polynomial. Explain. When a polynomial of
degree 3 is multiplied by a polynomial of degree 2, what is the degree of the result?
551. Consider the parabola .

a. Sketch its graph. Does it have any x-intercepts?
b. What happens when you try to solve the equation to find the
x-intercepts?
552. When asked to find the equation of the parabola pictured at

right, Ryan reasoned that the correct answer had to look like
, for some value of a. Justify Ryan’s

reasoning, then finish the problem by finding the correct value
of a.
553. Find an equation for the parabola whose symmetry axis is

parallel to the y-axis, whose vertex is (-1, 4) and whose graph
contains the point (1, 3).
554. Starting at school, you and a friend ride your bikes in different directions — you ride 4
blocks north and your friend rides 3 blocks west. At the end of this adventure, how far
apart are you and your friend?
555. From the library, you ride your bike east at a rate of 10 mph for half an hour while
your friend rides south at a rate of 15 mph for 20 minutes. How far apart are you? How is
this problem similar to the preceding problem? How do the problems differ?
556. Imagine a circle of rope, which has twelve evenly spaced knots tied in it. Suppose that
this rope has been pulled into a taut, triangular shape, with stakes anchoring the rope at
knots numbered 1, 4, and 8. Make a conjecture about the angles of the triangle.
557. The diagram at right shows the flag of Finland, which

consists of a blue cross, whose width is a uniform 9
inches, against a solid white background. The flag
measures 2 feet 9 inches by 4 feet 6 inches. The blue
cross occupies what fractional part of the whole flag?
281
558. Combine over a common denominator: (a) (b)
559. In baseball, the infield is a square that is 90 feet on a side, with bases located at three of
the corners, and home plate at the fourth. If the catcher at home
plate can throw a baseball at 70 mph, how many seconds does
it take for the thrown ball to travel from home plate to second
base?
560. Graph the equation y = (x - 5)2 - 7 by hand by plotting its

vertex and x-intercepts (just estimate their positions between
two consecutive integers). Then use a graphing tool to draw
the parabola. Repeat the process on . How close was your hand-plotting
to the actual graph?
561. At most how many solutions can a quadratic equation have? Give an example of a
quadratic equation that has two solutions. Give an example of a quadratic equation that has
only one solution. Give an example of a quadratic equation that has no solutions.
562. While flying a kite at the beach, you notice that you are 100
yards from the kite’s shadow, which is directly beneath the kite.
You also know that you have let out 150 yards of string. How
high is the kite?
563. The sides of Fran’s square are 5 cm longer than the sides of
Tate’s square. Fran’s square has 225 sq cm more area. What is the area of Tate’s square?
564. Graph the three points (-2, 1), (3, 1), and (0, 7). There is a quadratic function whose
graph passes through these three points. Sketch the graph. Find its equation in two ways:
a. First, begin with the equation of the parabola in standard form and use the three
points to find the a, b and c.
b. Second, begin with the equation of the parabola in the vertex form and use the three
points to determine a, h, and k. (One of these values is almost given to you).
c. Your two equations do not look alike, but they should be. With some algebra, show
that they are the same equation.

282
565. Solve each of the following by the method of completing the square:
(a) (b)
566. Use a calculator to evaluate the following: (a) (b) (c)
567. Explain why your results make it reasonable to write . Check that this rule
also works for: (a) (b) (c)
568. Eliminating an Irrational Number in the Denominator: How are the decimal
approximations for and related? Was this predictable? Why? Verify that the
decimal approximations for and are equal. Was the answer predictable? What is
the effect of multiplying and ? To show equivalence of expressions, you might

have to transform one radical expression to make it look like another by simply multiplying
by the number 1 in the form of a fraction. This is sometimes called Rationalizing the
Denominator.
569. (Continuation) By hand, decide whether the first expression is equivalent to the second:
(a) and (b) and (c) and (d) and
570. In each of the following, supply the missing factor:
(a) (b)
(c) (d)

283
571. Which of the following screens could be displaying the graph of y = x2 2x ? To

support your answer, explain what portion of the x-axis and y-axis are shown?
572. Graph the equation . For what values of x

(a) is y = 0? (b) is y = 21? (c) is y ≥ 0?
573. The expression 4x + 3x can be combined into one term, but 4x + 3y cannot. Explain.
Similar rules apply to radical terms.
a. Can 4√5 + 2√5 be combined into one term? If so, what is it? If not, why not?
b. Can √2 + √2 be combined into one term? If so, what is it? If not, why not?

c. Can 3√5 2√3 be combined into one term? If so, what is it? If not, why not?
d. At first glance it may seem that √2 + √8 cannot be combined into one term. Take
a close look at √8 and show that √2 + √8 can in fact be combined into one term.
574. Because √8 can be rewritten as 2√2 the expression √8 + 5√2 can be combined into a
single term . By hand, combine each of the following into one term.
(a) √12 + √27
(b) √63 √28 (c) √6 + √54 + √150 (d) 2√20 3√45

284
REFERENCE SECTION
absolute value: The absolute value of x is denoted |x| and is the distance between x and
zero on a number line. The absolute value of a quantity is never
negative.
additive inverse: See opposite.
average speed: The average speed during a time interval is total change in distance
total change in time
average a list of Add all values in list and divide by how many numbers in the list (also
numbers: known as Mean)
axis of symmetry: A line that separates a figure into two parts that are equivalent by
reflection across the line. Every parabola has an axis of symmetry.
balance diagram: A diagram displaying a scale that is in equilibrium.
binomial: The sum of two unlike monomials, e.g. x + 2 or 3x3y - 7z5.
British Thermal Unit: A BTU is a unit of energy, approximately the amount needed to raise
the temperature of a gallon of water by 1 degree Celsius.
cc: Abbreviation for cubic centimeters. See conversions.
Celsius: A scale for recording temperatures. It is defined by the stipulation that

water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees.
coefficient: See monomial .
collinear: Three (or more) points that all lie on a single line are collinear.
combine over a To create a single fraction that is equal to a given sum of fractions.
common
denominator:

285
commission: This is an extra payment to a salesperson for making a sale above their
salary.
Common base This states that to divide exponents (or powers) with the same base,
principle for division: subtract the exponents. Example: 2⁹ ÷ 2⁴ = 2⁵
common Given a set of fractions, a common denominator is divisible by every

denominator: one of the given denominators.
common monomial A monomial that divides every term of a polynomial .

factor:
completing the Adding a quantity to a trinomial so that the new trinomial can be
square: factored as a perfect square.
conjecture: An unproven statement that seems likely to be true.
consecutive integers: Two integers are consecutive if their difference is 1.
continuous: A variable whose values fill an interval . Continuous variables

represent quantities that are divisible, such as time and distance. See
also discrete.
conversion factors: values that relate different units by representing how many of each
are equivalent. Some examples are: 1 mile = 5280 feet; 1 foot = 12
inches; 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters; one liter is 1000 milliliters; a
milliliter is the same as a cubic centimeter.
coordinate: A number that locates a point on a number line or describes the

position of a point in the plane with respect to two number lines
(axes).
degree: For a monomial, this counts how many variable factors would appear
if the monomial were written without using exponents. The degree of
a polynomial is the largest degree found among its monomial terms.

Example: x2 + 5x3 x + 20 has degree 3.

286
dependent variable: When the value of one variable determines a unique value of another
variable, the second variable is sometimes said to depend on the first
variable. See also function.
a squared (multiplied by itself) number subtracted from another

difference of two squared number. Every difference of squares may be factored
squares:
according to the identity a² - b² = (a + b)(a - b)
direct variation: Two quantities vary directly if one quantity is a constant multiple of
the other. Equivalently, the ratio of the two quantities is constant. The
graph of two quantities that vary directly is a straight line passing
through the origin.
discrete: A variable that can only take on integer values and only a finite
number of them. See also continuous.
distributive Short form of “multiplication distributes over addition,” a special

property: property of arithmetic. In algebraic code: a(b+c) and ab+ac are
equivalent, as are (b+c)a and ba + ca, for any three numbers a, b, and
c. Multiplication also distributes over subtraction, of course.
endpoint If an interval includes an endpoint (as in 6 ≤ x or y ≥ 4 ), this point

convention: is denoted graphically by filling in a circle. If an interval excludes an
endpoint (as in 6 < x or y < -4), this point is denoted by drawing an
empty circle.
equation: A statement that two expressions are equivalent. For example, 3x + 5

= 2x- 4, and (x + 3)2 = x2 + 6x + 9 are equations. Note: there are big
differences between formulas, expressions and equations.
An equation that has all numbers as solutions is called an identity (the

second equation is an example of this).
evaluate: Find the numerical value of an expression by substituting numerical

values for the variables. For example, to evaluate 2t + 3r when t = 7
and r = -4, substitute the values 7 and -4 for t and r, respectively.

287
exponent: An integer that indicates the number of equal factors in a product. For
example, the exponent is 3 in the expression w3, which means w · w ·
w.
exponents, rules of: These apply when there is a common base: am · an = am+n and
am mn n
an = a . An exponential expression is raised to a power: (am ) =
amn. Notice the special case of the common-base rules: a0 = 1.
extrapolate: To enlarge a table of values by going outside the given range of data
usually using a linear model created by the given data.
factor: Noun: a number or expression that divides another number or

expression without remainder. For example, 4 is a factor of 12, 2x is
a factor of 4x2 + 6xy.
Verb: to rewrite a number or an expression as a product of its factors.

For example, 12 can be factored as 2 · 2 · 3, and 4x2 + 6xy can be
factored as 2x(2x + 3y).
factored form: Written as a product of factors. For example, (x-3)(2x + 5) = 0 is

written in factored form. If an equation is in factored form it is
5
particularly easy to find the solutions, which are x = 3 and x = - 2
(See Zero Product Property)
factored form of a For variables x and y, and real numbers a, p and q, with a =/ 0, the
quadratic function: equation y = a(x - p)(x - q) is commonly called factored form or
intercept form of a quadratic function.
Fahrenheit: A scale for recording temperatures. It is defined by the stipulation that

water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees.
feasible region: A region of the plane defined by a set of inequalities. The coordinates
of any point in the feasible region satisfy all the defining inequalities.

288
function: A function is a rule that describes how the value of one quantity (the
dependent variable) is determined by the value of another quantity
(the independent variable). A function can be defined by a formula, a
graph, or a table.
function notation: A function is described by a lowercase letter, usually around f in the

alphabet, and the independent variable, usually x, explicitly set equal
to the rule for that function. For example, f(x) = 3x+7 or g(x) = x2-2x
greatest common Given a set of integers, this is the largest integer that divides all of the
(integer) factor: given integers. Also called the greatest common divisor .
greatest common Given a set of monomials, this is the largest monomial that divides all
(monomial) factor: of the given monomials.
guess-and-check: A method for creating equations to solve word problems. In this

approach, the equation emerges as the way to check a variable guess.
Initial practice is with constant guesses, so that the checking can be
done with ordinary arithmetic.
hypotenuse: In a right triangle, the side opposite the right angle. This is the longest
side of a right triangle.
identity: An equation, containing at least one variable, that is true for all
possible values of the variables that appear in it. For example, x(x + y)
= x2 + xy is true no matter what values are assigned to x and y.
income: See revenue.
inequality: A statement that relates the positions of two quantities on a number

line. For example, 5 < x or t ≤ 7.
integer: The whole number and their opposites, that is, the set {. . .-3, -2, -1, 0,
1, 2, 3, . . .}.
intercept form of see factored form of a quadratic function

aquadratic function:
interpolate: To enlarge a table of values by staying within the given range of data.

289
intersection point: See point of intersection.
interval: A connected piece of a number line. It might extend infinitely far in

the positive direction (as in -1 < x), extend infinitely far in the
negative direction (as in t ≤ 7), or be confined between two endpoints
(as in 2 < m ≤ 7).
irrational number: A number that cannot be expressed exactly as the ratio of two integers.
Two familiar examples are π and √2 . See rational number .
lattice point: A point both of whose coordinates are integers. The terminology
derives from the rulings on a piece of graph paper, which form a
lattice.
light year: Approximately 5.88 trillion miles, this is a unit of length used in
astronomical calculations. As the name implies, it is the distance
traveled by light during one year.
like terms: These are monomials that have the same variables, each with the
same exponents, but possibly different numerical coefficients. Like
terms can be combined into a single monomial; unlike terms cannot.
linear: A polynomial, equation, or function of the first degree. For example,

y = 2x - 3 defines a linear function, and 2x + a = 3(x - c) is a linear
equation.
lowest terms: A fraction is in lowest terms if the greatest common factor of the
numerator and denominator is 1. 6/3 is not in lowest terms because 6
and 3 have 3 as a common factor.
model: An equation (or equations) that describe a context quantitatively.

290
monomial: A constant (real number) or a product of a constant and variables. In

the case when the monomial is not simply a constant, the constant
part is called the coefficient. Any exponents of variables are restricted
to be non-negative integers. For example: 3, x3, y3x2,
and 3x5 are monomials. See also binomial , polynomial , and trinomial .
number line: A line on which two points have been designated to represent 0 and 1.
This sets up a one-to-one correspondence between numbers and
points on the line.
opposite: When the sum of two quantities is zero, they are called opposites (or
additive inverses); each is the opposite of the other. On a number line,
zero is exactly midway between any number and its opposite.
or: Unless you are instructed to do otherwise, interpret this word

inclusively in mathematical situations. Thus a phrase “. . . (something
is true) or (something else is true) . . . ” allows for the possibility that
both (something is true) and (something else is true).
parabola:
The shape of a graph of the form . All parabolas have
a vertex and an axis of symmetry
Perfect Square This is a trinomial that can be factored into a binomial multiplied by
Trinomial: itself. (a single binomial squared)
perimeter: The total length of the sides of a figure. The perimeter of a rectangle
is twice the length plus twice the width. In algebraic code, p = 2l + 2w
= 2(l + w).
period of a The time needed for a pendulum to swing back and forth once.
pendulum:
point of intersection: A point where one line or curve meets another. The coordinates of a
point of intersection must satisfy the equations of the intersecting
lines.

291
point-slope form: The line with slope m that passes through the point (h, k) can be
described in point-slope form by either y - k = m(x - h) or y = m(x - h)
+ k.
polynomial: A sum of monomials. See also binomial and trinomial.
profit: The result of deducting total costs from total revenues.
proportion: An equation stating that two ratios are equal. 3

4
= 6
8
is a
proportion.
Pythagorean The square of the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle equals the
Theorem: sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.
quadratic equation: a polynomial equation of degree 2
quadratic formula:
The solution to the quadratic equation , which can
be written as x= b±√2ab 4ac
2
quadratic function: A function defined by an equation of the form y = ax2 + bx + c, where

y is the dependent variable. The word quadratic comes from a Latin
word that means “to make square”, and it refers to the presence of a
squared variable in the equation.
quadrillion: To an English speaker, this is 1000000000000000 = 1.0 x 1015
radical expression: An expression containing roots, like 2 + √3
rate (of change): Rate often denotes speed, i.e. units of distance per unit of time. For
example, 60 miles per hour, 50 feet per second, 67 furlongs per
fortnight. However, the rate does not have to represent a speed, it can
be any measure of change of a quantity per amount of another
quantity. For example, 5 liters per student, 24 angels per pinhead, 1.3
thousand persons per year, 70 passengers per lifeboat.
ratio: The ratio of a to b is the expression a

b ;also written a:b or a/b or a ÷ b.

292
rational number: A number that can be written as the ratio of two integers. See also
irrational number.
reciprocal: When the product of two quantities is 1, they are called reciprocals (or
multiplicative inverses); each is the reciprocal of the other. For
example, 0.2 is the reciprocal of is the reciprocal of 5. Any nonzero
number has a reciprocal.
relatively have no common divisor that is larger than 1.

prime
integers:
revenue: This is money received as a result of sales; also known as

income.
Scandinavian Flags that are all based on the Dannebrog.

flags:
scatter plot: The graph of a discrete set of data points.
scientific notation: The practice of expressing numbers in the form a x10n, in which n is
an integer, and a is a number whose magnitude usually satisfies 1 ≤
|a| < 10.
simplest radical An expression ab is in simplest radical form if b is a positive

form: integer that no factors that are perfect squares. For example, 18√5
is in simplest radical
form, but 18√75 is not.
simultaneous A solution to a system of equations must satisfy every equation in the

solution: system.
slope: The slope of a line is a measure of its steepness. It is computed by the

change in y coordinates
ratio of the change in x coordinates
. Geometrically, often it is seen as the
rise
ratio of run
of the line. A line with positive slope has increasing y
values for increasing x values. A line with negative slope has
decreasing y values for increasing x values.

293
slope-intercept form: The line whose slope is m and whose y-intercept is b can be described
in slope-intercept form by y = mx + b.
solve: To find the numerical values of the variables that make a given
equation or inequality a true statement. Those values are called
solutions.
square: To multiply a number by itself; i.e. b2 is the square of b.
square root: A square root of a nonnegative number k is a number whose square is

k. If k is positive, there are two such roots. The positive root is
denoted √k , and sometimes called “the square root of k.” The
negative root is denoted - √k .
standard form: A linear equation in the form ax + by = c. Notice that this refers to a
linear equation, which should not be confused with the standard form
of a quadratic function.
standard form of a A function that has degree 2, has the graph of a parabola. When it is
quadratic function: in the form of a trinomial, with coefficients a and b and constant c,
the quadratic is said to be in standard form y = ax2 + bx + c .
substitution: Replacing one algebraic expression by another of equal value.
system of equations: A set of two or more equations. The solution to a system of linear

294
equations is the coordinates of the point where the lines meet. The
solution is the values of the variables that satisfy all the equations of
the system at the same time.
trial-and-error Factoring a trinomial ax2 + bx + c into the product of two binomials

factoring: (px + q)(rx + s) by using trial-and-error to find numbers p, q, r, and s
such that pr = a, qs = c, and ps + qr = b.
triangular number: Any integer obtained by summing 1 + 2 + ...+ n, for some positive
integer n.
trinomial: The sum of three unlike monomials, e.g. x2 + 2x + 3 or

10q + 3qr 5r2
variable: A letter (such as x, y, or n) used to represent a number. A few letters

(such as
m and n) tend to be associated with integers, but this is not a rule.
versus: This was once the name of a television sports network. It is also a
word that frequently appears when describing graphs, as in “the graph
of volume versus time.” This book follows the convention of
associating the first-named variable with the vertical axis, and the
second-named variable with the horizontal axis. The first-named
variable is dependent on the second-named variable.
vertex: A “corner” point on an absolute-value graph. The vertex of the graph

y = a |x h| + k is the point (h, k). The vertex of the graph of a
quadratic function is the point whose y-coordinate is extreme (highest
or lowest). It is the point on the parabola that is also on the axis of
symmetry. The vertex of the graph y = a(x - h)2 + k is (h, k).
vertex form of a The function of degree 2 that has a graph of a parabola In general it
quadratic function: can be written as a trinomial but can be rewritten after completing the
square in the form : y = a(x - h)2 + k is commonly called the vertex
form of a quadratic function. The ordered pair (h, k) denotes the
coordinates of the vertex.

295
whole numbers: The numbers {0, 1, 2, 3, . . .}. [65, 586, 596, 606, 632]
x-intercept: The x-coordinate of a point where a line or curve meets the x-axis. The
terminology is sometimes applied to the point itself.
y-intercept: The y-coordinate of a point where a line or curve meets the y-axis. The
terminology is sometimes applied to the point itself.
zero-product If the product of a set of factors is zero, then at least one of the factors
property: must be zero. In symbols, if ab = 0 then either a = 0 or b = 0.

296

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Avenues: Mathematics 1

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

The Mathematical Thinking Process

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

1. Often it is necessary to rearrange an equation so that one variable is expressed in terms of

of D, divide both sides of this equation by 3 to obtain .

3. (Continuation) A quick way to get an approximate Fahrenheit temperature from a Celsius

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

For example, the diagram at right illustrates

7. It is sometimes necessary to write fractions with variables in the denominator. Rewrite by

(a) (b) (c) (d)

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

14. Solve for x: (a) (b)

16. Solve the equation A = P + P rt for r. Solve the equation A = P + P rt for P .

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

19. Graph on a number line the intervals described below:

21. Do each of the following:

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

24. By hand, combine the following over a common denominator.

(a) (b) (c)

29. Crossing a long stretch of the Canadian plains, passenger

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

33. The rectangle shown at right has been broken into

34. Tickets to a school play cost $2 if bought in advance

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

39. Sandy recently made a 210-mile car trip, starting

40. Solve the inequality using only the

41. To do a college visit, Trace must make a

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

44. A town’s building code does not permit building a house

45. (Continuation) Two vertical supports (shown dotted in the

49. Solve the following for x:

(a) (b) (c)

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

61. Solve the following inequality for x: 2(1 ­ 3x) ­ (x ­ 5) > 1 .

64. Estimate the slopes of all the segments in the diagram.

73. A car and a small truck started out from Manhattan at

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

82. Compare the graph of y = 2x + 5 with the graph of y = 3x + 5.

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

85. Find the value of x that makes true.

# of dimes $ from dimes # of quarters $ from quarters Total

­ x) < 17.10 a true statement.

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

92. Combine over a common denominator:

94. If 6% of x is the same as 5% of 120, then what is x?

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

99. The volume of a circular cylinder is given by the formula V = π r 2 h .

100. Which of the following pairs of quantities vary directly?

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

105. Find all values of x that make -2(x - 3) < 4 true.

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

120. Combine the following fractions:

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

132. Write an equation for the line that

2020-21 Avenues: The World School

(a) 20x + 50y = 1000 (b)

61. Solve the following inequality for x: 2(1 3x) (x 5) > 1 .

x) < 17.10 a true statement.

(a) |x + 8| < 20 (b) |2x 5| ≤ 7 (c) 3 |4 x| ≥ 12