SAT Mathematics : Divisibility & Number Fluency

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Mathematics

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Applying Number Properties

What is the greatest common factor of 15 and 75?

Possible Answers:

3

5

15

30

Correct answer:

15

Explanation:

The greatest common factor (GCF) refers to the largest factor for each number that is shared by all the numbers of a given set, so in this case, it is the greatest factor of 15 and 75. The best way to approach these problems is to factorize each number and calculate the GCF from the multiplication of these numbers. 15 can be factorized into 3 and 5. 75 can be factorized into 3, 5, and 5. Now, identify the factors they have in common. Both 15 and 75 share one 3 and one 5, so multiplied together, the GCF = 3 * 5 = 15.

Example Question #1 : Simplifying Fractions

Simplify \displaystyle \frac{x}{2}-\frac{x}{5}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{2x}{7}

\displaystyle \frac{3x}{7}

\displaystyle \frac{5x}{3}

\displaystyle \frac{3x}{10}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{3x}{10}

Explanation:

Simplifying this expression is similar to \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}-\frac{1}{5}.  The denominators are relatively prime (have no common factors) so the least common denominator (LCD) is \displaystyle 2*5=10.  So the problem becomes \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}-\frac{1}{5}=\frac{5}{10}-\frac{2}{10}=\frac{3}{10}.

Example Question #21 : Divisibility & Number Fluency

If \displaystyle \frac{p}{6} is an integer, which of the following is a possible value of \displaystyle p?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 2

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle 4

\displaystyle 16

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0

Explanation:

\displaystyle \frac{0}{6}=0, which is an integer (a number with no fraction or decimal part).  All the other choices reduce to non-integers.

Example Question #1 : Simplifying Fractions

Simplify: \displaystyle \frac{4x^{5}y^{3}z}{12x^{3}y^{6}z^{2}}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{x^{2}}{3y^{3}z}

\displaystyle \frac{1}{3x^{2}y^{3}z}

\displaystyle \frac{3x^{2}y^{3}}{z}

\displaystyle \frac{x^{2}}{8y^{3}z}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{x^{2}}{3y^{3}z}

Explanation:

\frac{4x^{5}y^{3}z}{12x^{3}y^{6}z^{2}}=\frac{x^{2}}{3y^{3}z}\displaystyle \frac{4x^{5}y^{3}z}{12x^{3}y^{6}z^{2}}=\frac{x^{2}}{3y^{3}z}

First, let's simplify \frac{4}{12}\displaystyle \frac{4}{12}. The greatest common factor of 4 and 12 is 4. 4 divided by 4 is 1 and 12 divided by 4 is 3. Therefore \frac{4}{12}=\frac{1}{3}\displaystyle \frac{4}{12}=\frac{1}{3}.

To simply fractions with exponents, subtract the exponent in the numerator from the exponent in the denominator. That leaves us with \frac{1}{3}x^{2}y^{-3}z^{-1}\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}x^{2}y^{-3}z^{-1} or \frac{x^{2}}{3y^{3}z}\displaystyle \frac{x^{2}}{3y^{3}z}

Example Question #22 : Divisibility & Number Fluency

Which of the following is not equal to \displaystyle \frac{32}{24}?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{4}{3}

\displaystyle \frac{16}{12}

\displaystyle \frac{160}{96}

\displaystyle \frac{224}{168}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{160}{96}

Explanation:

\displaystyle \frac{32}{24}=1.33, so the answer choice needs to be something that is not equal to \displaystyle 1.33 in order to be correct.

\displaystyle \frac{16}{12}=1.33

\displaystyle \frac{224}{168}=1.33

\displaystyle \frac{4}{3}=1.33

\displaystyle \frac{160}{96}=1.67

Example Question #23 : Divisibility & Number Fluency

Find the root of:

\displaystyle y=\frac{x^2-\sqrt3x+\sqrt5x-\sqrt{15}}{x-\sqrt3}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle -\sqrt3

\displaystyle \sqrt3

\displaystyle \sqrt5

\displaystyle -\sqrt{5 }

Correct answer:

\displaystyle -\sqrt{5 }

Explanation:

\displaystyle y=\frac{x^2-\sqrt3x+\sqrt5x-\sqrt{15}}{x-\sqrt3}=\frac{(x-\sqrt3)(x+\sqrt5)}{x-\sqrt3}=x+\sqrt5

The root occurs where \displaystyle y=0. So we substitute 0 for \displaystyle y.

\displaystyle y=x+\sqrt{5}

\displaystyle 0=x+\sqrt{5}

This means that the root is at \displaystyle x=-\sqrt5.

Example Question #22 : Divisibility & Number Fluency

Simplify \displaystyle \frac{32}{88}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{2}{11}

\displaystyle \frac{8}{11}

\displaystyle \frac{4}{11}

\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{4}{11}

Explanation:

Find the common factors of the numerator and denominator.  They both share factors of 2,4, and 8.  For simplicity, factor out an 8 from both terms and simplify.

\displaystyle \frac{32}{88}=\frac{8\times 4}{8\times 11}=\frac{4}{11}

Example Question #23 : Divisibility & Number Fluency

Simply the following fraction: 

\displaystyle \frac{\frac{a^2}{b}}{\frac{a}{b}}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \infty

\displaystyle \frac{a^2}{b}

\displaystyle \frac{a^3}{b^2}

\displaystyle a

Correct answer:

\displaystyle a

Explanation:

Remember that when you divide a fraction by a fraction, that is the same as multiplying the fraction in the numerator by the reciprocal of the fraction in the denominator. 

In other words,

\displaystyle \frac{\frac{a^2}{b}}{\frac{a}{b}} = \frac{a^2}{b}\cdot\frac{b}{a}=\frac{a^2b}{ab}

Simplifying this final fraction gives us our correct answer, \displaystyle a.

Example Question #8 : Simplifying Fractions

Solve for \displaystyle x.

\displaystyle \frac{\frac{x-2}{4^2}}{\frac{x^2-4}{2}}=1

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle x=-\frac{15}{8}

\displaystyle x=\frac{15}{8}

\displaystyle x=\frac{8}{15}

\displaystyle x=-\frac{8}{15}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle x=-\frac{15}{8}

Explanation:

To solve for \displaystyle x, simplify the fraction. In order to do this, recall that dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal. Therefore, rewrite the equation as follows.

\displaystyle \frac{\frac{x-2}{4^2}}{\frac{x^2-4}{2}}=1\Rightarrow \frac{x-2}{4^2}\times \frac{2}{x^2-4}=1

Now, simplify the first fraction by calculating four squared.

\displaystyle \frac{x-2}{16}\times \frac{2}{x^2-4}=1

From here, factor the denominator of the second fraction.

\displaystyle \frac{x-2}{16}\times \frac{2}{(x-2)(x+2)}=1

Next, factor the 16.

\displaystyle \frac{x-2}{2(8)}\times \frac{2}{(x-2)(x+2)}=1

From here, cancel out like terms that are in both the numerator and denominator. In this particular case that includes (x-2) and 2.

\displaystyle \frac{1}{8(x+2)}=1

Now, distribute the eight.

\displaystyle \frac{1}{8x+16}=1

Next, multiply both sides by the denominator.

\displaystyle (8x+16)\times \frac{1}{8x+16}=1\times (8x+16)

The (8x+16) cancels out and leaves the following equation.

\displaystyle 1=8x+16

Now to solve for \displaystyle x perform opposite operations to move all numerical values to one side of the equation leaving \displaystyle x by itself on the other side of the equation.

\displaystyle \\1=8x+16 \\-15=8x \\\\\frac{-15}{8}=x

Example Question #1 : Simplifying Fractions

Which of the following fractions is not equivalent to \displaystyle \frac{6}{45}?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{12}{89}

\displaystyle \frac{2}{15}

\displaystyle \frac{3}{22.5}

\displaystyle \frac{4}{30}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{12}{89}

Explanation:

Let us simplify \frac{6}{45}\displaystyle \frac{6}{45}:

\frac{6}{45}=\frac{3\times 2}{3\times 15}=\frac{2}{15}\displaystyle \frac{6}{45}=\frac{3\times 2}{3\times 15}=\frac{2}{15}

We can get alternate forms of the same fraction by multiplying the denominator and the numerator by the same number:

\frac{2\times 2}{15\times 2}=\frac{4}{30}\displaystyle \frac{2\times 2}{15\times 2}=\frac{4}{30}

\frac{2\times 1.5}{15\times 1.5}=\frac{3}{22.5}\displaystyle \frac{2\times 1.5}{15\times 1.5}=\frac{3}{22.5}

Now let's look at \frac{12}{89}\displaystyle \frac{12}{89}:

\displaystyle 6 \times 2 = 12, but \displaystyle 45 \times 2 = 90.

Therefore, \frac{12}{89}\displaystyle \frac{12}{89} is the correct answer, as it is not equivalent to \frac{6}{45}\displaystyle \frac{6}{45}.

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