Intermediate Algebra

Rational Expressions and Equations

Name___________________________________

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Perform the indicated operation and express in lowest terms.

6p - 6 2p2
1) · 1)
p 9p - 9
4p 54p2 + 108p + 54
A) B)
3 2p3
3 12p3 - 12p2
C) D)
4p 9p2 - 9p

k2 + 12k + 32 k2 + 5k
2) · 2)
k2 + 13k + 40 k2 + 6k + 8
k2 + 5k k 1 k
A) B) C) D)
k+ 2 2
k + 13k + 40 k+2 k+2

z 2 + 12z + 27 z 2 + 3z
3) ÷ 3)
2 2
z + 13z + 36 z + 6z + 8
z z+2 z+2
A) B) C) D) z + 2
2
z + 13z + 36 z z 2 + 4z

4p - 4 9p - 9
4) ÷ 4)
p 4p2
16p 16p3 - 16p2
A) B)
9 9p2 - 9p
9 36p2 + 72p + 36
C) D)
16p 4p3

Add or subtract as indicated. Write the answer in lowest terms.

2 6
5) + 5)
r r- 7
14r - 8 14r - 8 8r - 14 8r - 14
A) B) C) D)
r(r - 7) r(7 - r) r(7 - r) r(r - 7)

3 7
6) + 6)
2 2
y - 3y + 2 y - 1
11y - 10 42y - 11
A) B)
(y - 1)(y + 1)(y - 2) (y - 1)(y + 1)(y - 2)
10y - 11 10y - 11
C) D)
(y - 1)(y + 1)(y - 2) (y - 1)(y - 2)

1
 x 8
7) - 7)
2 2
x - 16 x + 5x + 4
x2 + 7x + 32 x2 - 7x + 32
A) B)
(x - 4)(x + 4)(x + 1) (x - 4)(x + 4)(x + 1)
x2 - 7 x2 - 7x + 32
C) D)
(x - 4)(x + 4)(x + 1) (x - 4)(x + 4)

2 4
8) - 8)
15x 21x2
2 2(7x - 10) -2 -8
A) - B) C) D)
315x2 105x2 15x + 21x2 105x2

Simplify the complex fraction.

x
7
9) 9)
2
x+4
x(x + 4) 2x x+4
A) 14x(x + 4) B) C) D)
14 7(x + 4) 14x

y
3
10) 10)
7
y- 7
7y y-7 y(y - 7)
A) B) C) 21y(y - 7) D)
3(y - 7) 21y 21

2
4+
x
11) 11)
x 1
+
3 6
x 12
A) 1 B) 12 C) D)
12 x

64x2 - 16y2
xy
12) 12)
8 4
-
y x
4x + 8y xy
A) B) C) 8x + 4y D) 4x + 8y
xy 8x + 4y

2
Without actually solving the equation, list all possible numbers that would have to be rejected if they appeared as
potential solutions.
3 1 1
13) - = 13)
6x + 13 x 13x - 9
13 9 13 9 13 9 13 9
A) 0, - , B) - , , -3 C) - , D) 0, ,-
6 13 6 13 6 13 6 13

5 14
14) - =0 14)
x - 3 x + 18
A) -3, 18, -5, -14 B) -3, 18 C) 3, -18 D) 3, -18, 5, 14

Solve the equation.

1 72
15) 1 + = 15)
x x2
1 1
A) - , B) {-9, 8} C) {-8, 9} D) {8, 9}
9 8

18 20
16) =1+ 16)
x-2 x+2
A) {-20, 10} B) {8, -10} C) D) {-8, 10}

3 7 -14
17) + = 17)
x-2 x 2
x - 2x
A) {0} B) {-2} C) {0, 2} D)

x -2x 2x - 3
18) = + 18)
2x + 2 4x + 4 x+1
3 12
A) {3} B) C) - D) {-3}
2 5

Solve the problem.

19) The average number of vehicles waiting in line at a toll booth of a super highway is modeled by the 19)
x2
function n(x) = , where x is a quantity between 0 and 1 known as the traffic intensity. To
0.5(1 - x)
the nearest tenth, find the average number of vehicles waiting if the traffic intensity is 0.81.
A) 8.5 vehicles B) 3.5 vehicles C) 6.9 vehicles D) 1.6 vehicles

0.025
20) The resistance, in ohms, of a 25-foot piece of wire is given by the function R(d) = , where d is 20)
d2
the diameter of the wire in inches. What is the resistance, rounded to the nearest hundredth of an
ohm, if the wire has a diameter of 0.18 inches?
A) 0.77 ohms B) 6.44 ohms C) 0.43 ohms D) 0.89 ohms

3
Divide.
20x10 - 10x7
21) 21)
5x4
A) 4x6 - 2x3 B) 2x13 C) 20x10 - 2x 3 D) 4x6 - 10x7

6x4 - 15x 3 + 12x2

22) 22)
3x 3
4 4
A) 6x - 5 B) 2x - 5 + C) 2x - 5 D) 2x - 15x3 +
x x

x2 + 7x + 12
23) 23)
x+4
A) x - 8 B) x + 3 C) x2 + 3 D) x3 - 8

x2 + 2x - 15
24) 24)
x+5
A) x2 - 3 B) x2 + 3x - 10 C) x + 3 D) x - 3

x2 + 8x + 9
25) 25)
x+6
x+2 3 3
A) B) x + 2 + C) x + 2 - D) x + 3
x+6 x+6 x+6

-20x3 - 13x2 - 14x - 3

26) 26)
-4x - 1
A) x2 + 2x + 3 B) 5x2 + 3 C) x2 - 2x - 3 D) 5x2 + 2x + 3