DIAGNOSTIC EXAM REVIEW MATERIAL – ALGEBRA

1. Find the value of x in the equation 3x  2( x  2)  6 .

a) -2 b) -1 c) 2 d) 4

2. A student in an algebra course has test scores of 75, 82, 71, and 84. What score on the
next test will raise the student’s average to 80?

a) 85 b) 88 c) 90 d) 91

3. Find the number a for which x  1 is a solution of the equation x  a  x  5  2ax .

a) -1 b) -2 c) 3 d) 5

4. Write a quadratic equation in standard form that has the solution set {0, -5}. a

a) x 2  5x  0 c) x 2  5x  1  0
b) x 2  5x  0 d) x 2  5x  1  0

5. What is the solution set of the inequality  6  2x  4  2 ? a

a) (1,3] b) [1,2] c) (2,3] d) no solution

6. Find the solution set of the inequality 2 x  5  1 .

a) (3, 2) b) (1, 2) c) (1, -3) d) no solution

7. Find the solution set of the equation x

3
 9x  0 . a

a) {3,0,3} b) {0,9} c) {3,3} d) {0,3}

8. If f ( x)  Ax 2  3x and f (1)  1, what is A?

a) -2 b) -1 c) 1 d) 2

9. Evaluate 4 f (1)  3g (2) applying the functions f ( x)  x  3 and g (t )  3  t .

a) -7 b) -5 c) -3 d) -1
10. If -1 and -2 are zeros of the P( x)  x 4  5x 2  4 , what are the other zeros of the
polynomial function?

a) 1 and 2 b) -1 and 3 c) 2 and 3 d) 2 and 4

2 x  y  3
11.What is the solution to the system  .b
5 x  3 y  10

a) x  2 and y  5 c) x  2 and y  5
b) x  1 and y  5 d) x  4 and y  7
12. Suppose a variable p is directly proportional to a variable z. If p = 12 when z = 3,
determine the constant of proportionality.

a) k=2 b) k=3 c) k=4 d) k=5

13. Two pumps are available for filling a gasoline storage tank. Pump A, used alone, can fill
the tank in 3 hours, and pump B, used alone can fill it in 4 hours. If both pumps are
used simultaneously, how long will it take to fill the tank?

a) 1 hour 43 minutes c) 1 hour 30 minutes

b) 2 hours 43 minutes d) 2 hours 30 minutes

14. Which term of the arithmetic sequence 1,4,7,… is 88?

a) 30th b) 31st c) 32nd d) 33rd

15. Find the sum of the positive even integers less than 100.

a) 2054 b) 2124 c) 2250 d) 2450

1 1 1
16.What is the common ratio of the infinite geometric series 1     ... b
3 9 27

1 1 1
a) 3 b) c) d)
3 2 6

17. Find the term containing x4 in the expansion ( x  2 y)10 ?

a) 12,400 x4y6 b) 12,440 x4y6 c) 13,400 x4y6 d) 13,440 x4y6

18. The smaller of two numbers is 9 less than the larger, and their sum is 37. Find the
numbers.

a) 14 and 23 b) 15 and 22 c) 12 and 25 d) 10 and 27

19. A radiator contains 8 quarts of a mixture of water and antifreeze. If 40% of the mixture
is antifreeze, how much of the mixture should be drained and replaced by pure
antifreeze so that the resultant mixture will contain 60% antifreeze?

12 15 8
a) quarts b) quarts c) quarts d) 4 quarts
5 4 3

20. Find all real solutions of the equation 2x  1  1  x .

a) 0 b) 4 c) 0 and 4 d) none of these

21. Find the number d for which y  3 is a solution of the equation y  d  y  8  3dy .

b) -2 b) -1 c) 1 d) 2

b a
22. What is the value of x in the equation   c , given that a, b, and c are real
x x
numbers and 𝑐 ≠ 0?

c c ab ba
a) b) c) d)
ab ba c c

23. Find three consecutive even integers so that the sum of the three numbers is 4 more
than twice the third.

b) 2, 4 and 6 b) 4, 6 and 8 c) 6, 8 and 10 d) 8, 10 and 12

24. Write a quadratic equation in standard form that has the solution set {2,-5}.

c) x 2  3 x  10  0 c) x 2  3x  10  0
d) x 2  3 x  10  0 d) x 2  7 x  10  0

25. What is value of x in the inequality 1  5x  4  16 .

b) (1,4] b) (2,4] c) [1,2) d) [3,2)

 1 x
26. What is the solution set of the inequality 1 ?
1 x

b) [1,1] b) [0,1] c) (1,0) d) [0,1)

27. For what values of x does the absolute value equation 21  6 x  27 hold?

b) x  1 or x  8 c) x  1 or x  8
c) x  1 or x  8 d) x  1 or x  8

28. If f ( x)  2 x 2  Ax and f (1)  4 , what is A?

b) -2 b) -1 c) 1 d) 2

29. Evaluate 5 f (2)  3g (2) applying the functions f ( x)  2 x  3 and g (t )  5  t .

b) -60 b) -58 c) -56 d) -54

30. Hooke’s Law states that the force needed to keep a spring stretched x units beyond its
natural length is proportional to x. If a spring has a natural length of 10 cm and a force of
40 N is required to maintain the spring stretched to a length of 15 cm, what force is
needed to keep the spring stretched to a length of 14 cm?

b) 32 N b) 34 N c) 36N d) 38 N

31. If -2 and -4 are zeros of the P( x)  x 4  20 x 2  64 , what are the other zeros of the
polynomial function?

b) -1 and 2 b) -1 and -2 c) -2 and -3 d) 2 and 4

 Ax  By  29
32. The point (3,2) is a solution to the system  . Find A and B.
 Ax  By  13

c) A  2 and B  5 c) A  2 and B  5
d) A  4 and B  7 d) A  4 and B  7

33. A chemist has two acid solutions. Solution X contains 14% acid and the other solution
Y contains 6% acid. How many milliliters of each solution should he mix to obtain 400
milliliters of a solution that is 9% acid?

c) 300 ml of X and 100 ml of Y c) 150 ml of X and 250 ml of Y

d) 100 ml of X and 300 ml of Y d) 250 ml of X and 150 ml of Y
34. Find the 30th term of the arithmetic sequence for which the first term is 5 and the
second term is 9.

b) 121 b) 125 c) 129 d) 133

35. What is the sum of the positive even integers less than 100?

b) 2446 b) 2448 c) 2450 d) 2452

1 1 1
36. What is the sum of the infinite geometric series 1     ...
3 9 27

3 3 5 8
b) b) c) d)
4 2 3 3

37. What is the coefficient of x6 in the binomial expansion ( x  2)10 ?

b) 3360 b)4420 c) 4300 d) 5260

38. A box with a square base and no top is to be made from a square piece of cardboard by
cutting 4-in. squares from each corner and folding up the sides. The box is to hold 100
in3. How big a piece of cardboard is needed?

b) 11 in x 11 in. b) 12 in. x 12 in. c) 13 in. x 13 in. d) 14 in. x 14 in.

39. Because of an anticipated heavy rainstorm, the water level in a reservoir must be
lowered by 1 ft. Opening spillway A lowers the level by this amount in 4 hours, whereas
opening the smaller spillway B does the job in 6 hours. How long will it take to lower the
water level by 1 ft if both spillway are opened?

12 15
b) hours b) hours c) 4 hours d) 5 hours
5 4

40. Find all real solutions of the equation x2  x  2.

b) 1 b) 2 c) 1 and 2 d) none of these