High School Math : High School Math

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1481 : High School Math

The center of a circle is \(\displaystyle (2, 4)\) and its radius is \(\displaystyle 10\). Which of the following could be the equation of the circle? 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle (x - 2)^{2} + (y - 4)^{2} = 100\)

\(\displaystyle 2x^{2} + 4y^{2} = 100\)

\(\displaystyle (x - 2)^{2} + (y - 4)^{2} = 10\)

\(\displaystyle (x + 2)^{2} + (y + 4)^{2} = 100\)

\(\displaystyle x^{2} + y^{2} = 100\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle (x - 2)^{2} + (y - 4)^{2} = 100\)

Explanation:

The general equation of a circle is \(\displaystyle (x - h)^{2} + (y - k)^{2} = r^{2}\), where the center of the circle is \(\displaystyle (h, k)\) and the radius is \(\displaystyle r\).

Thus, we plug the values given into the above equation to get \(\displaystyle (x - 2)^{2} + (y - 4)^{2} = 100\)

Example Question #1482 : High School Math

Which one of these equations accurately describes a circle with a center of \(\displaystyle (2,3)\) and a radius of \(\displaystyle 5\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle (x-2)^2+(y-3)^2-25=0\)

\(\displaystyle (x-3)^2+(y-2)^2=25\)

\(\displaystyle x^2+y^2=25\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{x^2+y^2-3^2-2^2}=5\)

\(\displaystyle (x^2+4)-(y^2+9)=25\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle (x-2)^2+(y-3)^2-25=0\)

Explanation:

The standard formula for a circle is \(\displaystyle (x-a)^2+(y-b)^2=r^2\), with \(\displaystyle (a,b)\) the center of the circle and \(\displaystyle r\) the radius.

Plug in our given information.

\(\displaystyle (x-a)^2+(y-b^2)=r^2\)

\(\displaystyle (x-2)^2+(y-3)^2=25\)

This describes what we are looking for.  This equation is not one of the answer choices, however, so subtract \(\displaystyle 25\) from both sides.

\(\displaystyle (x-2)^2+(y-3)^2-25=0\)

Example Question #1 : Equations

Tom is painting a fence \(\displaystyle 100\) feet long. He starts at the West end of the fence and paints at a rate of \(\displaystyle 5\) feet per hour. After \(\displaystyle 2\) hours, Huck joins Tom and begins painting from the East end of the fence at a rate of \(\displaystyle 8\) feet per hour. After \(\displaystyle 2\) hours of the two boys painting at the same time, Tom leaves Huck to finish the job by himself.

If Huck completes painting the entire fence after Tom leaves, how many more hours will Huck work than Tom?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 4\ hours\)

\(\displaystyle 6\ hours\)

\(\displaystyle 5\ hours\)

\(\displaystyle 10\ hours\)

\(\displaystyle 3\ hours\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 6\ hours\)

Explanation:

Tom paints for a total of \(\displaystyle 4\) hours (2 on his own, 2 with Huck's help). Since he paints at a rate of \(\displaystyle 5\) feet per hour, use the formula

\(\displaystyle distance = rate \times time\) (or \(\displaystyle d = rt\))

to determine the total length of the fence Tom paints.

\(\displaystyle d = (5)(4)\)

\(\displaystyle d = 20\) feet

Subtracting this from the total length of the fence \(\displaystyle 100\) feet gives the length of the fence Tom will NOT paint: \(\displaystyle 100 - 20 = 80\) feet. If Huck finishes the job, he will paint that \(\displaystyle 80\) feet of the fence. Using \(\displaystyle d = rt\), we can determine how long this will take Huck to do:

\(\displaystyle 80 = 8(t)\)

\(\displaystyle t = 10\) hours.

If Huck works \(\displaystyle 10\) hours and Tom works \(\displaystyle 4\) hours, he works \(\displaystyle 6\) more hours than Tom.

 

 

 

 

Example Question #1 : Equations

Simplify the fraction to the lowest terms:

\(\displaystyle \frac{924}{1092}\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{44}{52}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{308}{364}\)

Cannot be simplified

\(\displaystyle \frac{11}{13}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{11}{13}\)

Explanation:

Find the common multiple between the numerator and denominator.

\(\displaystyle \frac{924}{1092}\)

divide numerator and denominator by 3:

\(\displaystyle \frac{308}{364}\)

divide numerator and denominator by 7:

\(\displaystyle \frac{44}{52}\)

divide numerator and denominator by 4:

\(\displaystyle \frac{11}{13}\)

Cannot be divided any more- lowest terms.

Example Question #1 : Equations

Solve the following equation for x in terms of the other variables:

\(\displaystyle \frac{ax}{b-ax}=2\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 3ax=2b\)

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{3b}{2a}\)

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{3a}{2b}\)

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{2a}{3b}\)

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{2b}{3a}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{2b}{3a}\)

Explanation:

\(\displaystyle \frac{ax}{b-ax}=2\)  

Multiply both sides by \(\displaystyle (b-ax)\) to get:

\(\displaystyle ax=2(b-ax)\)

Distribute the \(\displaystyle 2\):

\(\displaystyle ax=2b-2ax\) 

Combine like terms:

\(\displaystyle 3ax=2b\)

Divide both sides by \(\displaystyle 3a\):

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{2b}{3a}\)

Example Question #1 : Equations

Solve the following equation for x in terms of the other variables:

\(\displaystyle bcx=a\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{a}{bc}\)

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{bc}{a}\)

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{ab}{c}\)

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{b}{c}\)

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{c}{ab}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{a}{bc}\)

Explanation:

\(\displaystyle bcx=a\)

Divide both sides by \(\displaystyle bc\):

\(\displaystyle x=\frac{a}{bc}\)

Example Question #1 : Equations

If given the equation \(\displaystyle 8x + 2x -5\), with \(\displaystyle x\) a positive integer, the result must be an integer multiple of:

Possible Answers:

2

12

5

10

8

Correct answer:

5

Explanation:

The mathematical expression given in the question is \(\displaystyle 8x + 2x -5\). Adding together like terms, \(\displaystyle 8x + 2x\), this can be simplified to \(\displaystyle 10x -5\). The expression \(\displaystyle 10x -5\) can be factored as \(\displaystyle 5(2x -1)\). For every positive integer \(\displaystyle x\), \(\displaystyle 5(2x -1)\) must be a multiple of 5. If \(\displaystyle x=1\), then \(\displaystyle 5(2x - 1) = 5\), which is not an integer multiple of 2, 8, 10, or 15. Therefore, the correct answer is 5.

Example Question #1 : Solving Equations

Cindy's Cotton Candy sells cotton candy by the bag.  Her monthly fixed costs are \(\displaystyle \$150\) . It costs \(\displaystyle \$2.50\) to make each bag and she sells them for \(\displaystyle \$4.00\).

What is the monthly break-even point?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 100\; bags\)

\(\displaystyle 225\; bags\)

\(\displaystyle 150\; bags\)

\(\displaystyle 80\; bags\)

\(\displaystyle 60\; bags\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 100\; bags\)

Explanation:

\(\displaystyle Costs=150+2.50x\)

\(\displaystyle Revenues = 4.00x\)

The break-even point occurs when the \(\displaystyle costs=revenues\).

The equation to solve becomes

\(\displaystyle 4x=150+2.5x\) so the break-even point is \(\displaystyle 100 \; bags\).

Example Question #1 : Equations

Cindy's Cotton Candy sells cotton candy by the bag.  Her monthly fixed costs are \(\displaystyle \$150\) . It costs \(\displaystyle \$2.50\) to make each bag and she sells them for \(\displaystyle \$4.00\).

To make a profit of \(\displaystyle \$150\), how many bags of cotton candy must be sold?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 250\; bags\)

\(\displaystyle 150\; bags\)

\(\displaystyle 100\; bags\)

\(\displaystyle 300\; bags\)

\(\displaystyle 200\; bags\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 200\; bags\)

Explanation:

\(\displaystyle Costs=150+2.50x\)

\(\displaystyle Revenues = 4.00x\)

\(\displaystyle Profits = Revenues - Costs = 4x - (150+2.5x)=1.5x -150\)

So the equation to solve becomes \(\displaystyle 150 = 1.5x - 150\), or \(\displaystyle x=200\; bags\) must be sold to make a profit of \(\displaystyle \$150\).

Example Question #1 : Equations

Solve for \(\displaystyle x\) and \(\displaystyle y\) to satisfy both equations in the system:

\(\displaystyle \begin{Bmatrix} 6x+y = 25 \\ 2x-3y = 25 \end{Bmatrix}\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle x= -5\)\(\displaystyle y = -5\)

\(\displaystyle x=5\)\(\displaystyle y = 5\)

\(\displaystyle x = 3\)\(\displaystyle y = 7\)

\(\displaystyle x = 5\)\(\displaystyle y= -5\)

\(\displaystyle x = -5\)\(\displaystyle y = 5\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle x = 5\)\(\displaystyle y= -5\)

Explanation:

The two equations in this system can be combined by addition or subtraction to solve for \(\displaystyle x\) and \(\displaystyle y\). Isolate the \(\displaystyle x\) variable to solve for it by multiplying the top equation by \(\displaystyle 3\) so that when the equations are combined the \(\displaystyle y\) term disappears. 

\(\displaystyle 3\times(6x + y = 25)\)

\(\displaystyle \rightarrow 18x+3y = 75\)

\(\displaystyle \rightarrow (18x +3y = 75) + (2x - 3y = 25)\)

\(\displaystyle \rightarrow 20x = 100\)

Divide both sides by \(\displaystyle 20\) to find \(\displaystyle 5\) as the value for \(\displaystyle x\).

Substituting \(\displaystyle 5\) for \(\displaystyle x\) in both of the two equations in the system and solving for \(\displaystyle y\) gives a value of \(\displaystyle -5\) for \(\displaystyle y\)

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