College Mathematics

Copyright 2004 by College Entrance Examination Board. All rights reserved.

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College Mathematics
Description of the Examination
The College Mathematics examination covers
material generally taught in a college course for
nonmathematics majors and majors in other fields
not requiring knowledge of advanced mathematics.
Nearly half of the test requires candidates to solve
routine straightforward problems; the remainder
involves solving nonroutine problems in which candi-
dates must demonstrate their understanding of
concepts. The test includes questions on the real
number system, logic, sets, equations, functions and
their graphs, probability, statistics, and data analy-
ses. A few questions on other topics are included,
such as complex numbers, logarithms and expo-
nents, and applications from algebra and geometry.
It is assumed that candidates are familiar with
currently taught mathematics vocabulary, symbols,
and notation. The examination places little emphasis
on arithmetic calculations, and it does not contain
any questions that require the use of a calculator.
However, an online scientific calculator (non-
graphing) is available to candidates during the
examination as part of the testing software.
The examination contains 60 questions to be
answered in 90 minutes. Some of these are pretest
questions that will not be scored. Any time candi-
dates spend on tutorials and providing personal
information is in addition to the actual testing time.
Knowledge and Skills Required
Questions on the College Mathematics examination
require candidates to demonstrate the following
abilities in the approximate proportions indicated.
Solving routine, straightforward problems
(about 50 percent of the examination)
Solving nonroutine problems requiring an under-
standing of concepts and the application
of skills and concepts (about 50 percent of
the examination)
The subject matter of the College Mathematics
examination is drawn from the following topics.
The percentages next to the main topics indicate
the approximate percentages of exam questions on
those topics.
10% Sets
Union and intersection
Subsets
Venn diagrams
Cartesian product
10% Logic
Truth tables
Conjunctions, disjunctions, implications,
and negations
Conditional statements
Necessary and sufficient conditions
Converse, inverse, and contrapositive
Hypotheses, conclusions, and
counterexamples
20% Real Number System
Prime and composite numbers
Odd and even numbers
Factors and divisibility
Rational and irrational numbers
Absolute value and order
Binary number system
20% Functions and Their Graphs
Properties and graphs of functions
Domain and range
Composition of functions and inverse
functions
25% Probability and Statistics
Counting problems, including permutations
and combinations
Computation of probabilities of simple and
compound events
Simple conditional probability
Mean and median
15% Additional Topics from Algebra and
Geometry
Complex numbers
Logarithms and exponents
Applications from algebra and geometry
specifically on perimeter and area of
plane figures
Properties of triangles and circles
The Pythagorean theorem
Parallel and perpendicular lines
Applications
3
C O L L E G E M A T H E M A T I C S
Copyright 2004 by College Entrance Examination Board. All rights reserved.
4. Consider each number below. If m is an odd
integer, indicate whether the number is even or
odd.
Number Odd Even
2m 1
2m + 1
m
2
m
m
2
+ m + 1
Click on your choices.
C O L L E G E M A T H E M A T I C S
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10. If the mean of the numbers a, b, c, d, and e is m
and m 0, then
a + b + c + d + e
m
=
(A)
1
5
(B) 5 (C)
m
5
(D) 5m
11.
12.
13.
5
C O L L E G E M A T H E M A T I C S
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Number Correct Frequency
0 1
1 2
2 2
3 4
4 8
5 3
15. Twenty employees took a fire-safety training
course. Afterward, each took a 5-question
multiple-choice test. The results are summarized
in the table above. If an employee who answered
at least 3 questions correctly is to be selected at
random, what is the probability that an em-
ployee who answered exactly 4 questions
correctly will be selected?
(A)
4
20
(B)
4
15
(C)
8
20
(D)
8
15
14.
16.
C O L L E G E M A T H E M A T I C S
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22. In the Venn diagram below, A, B, and C
represent sets. Shade the regions representing
A (B C).
Click on a region to shade it.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
A
C
B
7
C O L L E G E M A T H E M A T I C S
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32. The results of a survey of 200 college students
showed that some students who were business
majors were women and all students who were
business majors took calculus. Which of the
following is a valid conclusion from the survey?
(A) All students who were women took calculus.
(B) Some students who were women took
calculus.
(C) Some students who were women did not
take calculus.
(D) Some students who were women were not
business majors.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
C O L L E G E M A T H E M A T I C S
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44. Each number in data set A is increased by 3 to
form data set B. Which of the following is the
same for sets A and B ?
(A) Mean
(B) Median
(C) Mode
(D) Range
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
46.
45.
9
C O L L E G E M A T H E M A T I C S
Copyright 2004 by College Entrance Examination Board. All rights reserved.
50. If x 3 is a factor of x
4
3x
3
+ kx + 3, what is
the value of k ?
(A) 1
(B) 0
(C)
1
3
(D) 1
47.
48.
49.
C O L L E G E M A T H E M A T I C S
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Answer Key
Study Resources
Most textbooks used in college-level mathematics
courses cover the topics in the outline given earlier,
but the approaches to certain topics and the empha-
sis given to them may differ. To prepare for the
College Mathematics exam, it is advisable to study
one or more introductory college-level mathematics
textbooks, which can be found in most college
bookstores. Elementary algebra textbooks also cover
many of the topics on the College Mathematics
exam. When selecting a textbook, check the table
of contents against the Knowledge and Skills
Required for this test.
Additional suggestions for preparing for CLEP exams
are given in Preparing to Take CLEP Examinations.
1. B
2. A
3. D
4. see below
5. C
6. B
7. 13
8. A
9. C
10. B
11. C
12. B
13. C
14. A
15. D
16. C
17. B
18. B
19. A
20. A
21. C
22. see below
23. D
24. C
25. C
26. D
27. 27
28. D
29. D
30. A
31. C
32. B
33. 5
34. C
35. A
36. D
37. D
38. 4
39. B
40. D
41. C
42. C
43. B
44. D
45. C
46. D
47. D
48. A
49. D
50. A
A
C
B
4. Number Odd Even
2m 1
2m + 1
m
2
m
m
2
+ m + 1
22.