ACT Math : Squaring / Square Roots / Radicals

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #8 : How To Find The Square Of A Sum

Which of the following is the square of  ? 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use the square of a sum pattern, substituting  for  and  for  in the pattern:

Example Question #1 : How To Factor A Common Factor Out Of Squares

Which real number satisfies ?

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Simplify the base of 9 and 27 in order to have a common base.

(3x)(9)=272

= (3x)(32)=(33)2

=(3x+2)=36

Therefore:

x+2=6

x=4

 

 

Example Question #2 : How To Factor A Common Factor Out Of Squares

Which of the following is a factor of  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The terms of  have  as their greatest common factor, so

 is a prime polynomial. 

Of the five choices, only  is a factor.

Example Question #1 : Factoring Squares

Simplify  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The easiest way to approach this problem is to break everything into exponents.  is equal to  and 27 is equal to . Therefore, the expression can be broken down into . When you cancel out all the terms, you get , which equals .

Example Question #1 : How To Factor A Common Factor Out Of Squares

Which of the following expression is equal to

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When simplifying a square root, consider the factors of each of its component parts:

Combine like terms:

Remove the common factor, :

Pull the  outside of the equation as :

                       

Example Question #5 : How To Factor A Common Factor Out Of Squares

Which of the following is equal to the following expression?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, break down the components of the square root:

Combine like terms. Remember, when multiplying exponents, add them together:

Factor out the common factor of :

Factor the :

Combine the factored  with the :

Now, you can pull  out from underneath the square root sign as :

Example Question #6 : How To Factor A Common Factor Out Of Squares

Which of the following expressions is equal to the following expression?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

First, break down the component parts of the square root:

Combine like terms in a way that will let you pull some of them out from underneath the square root symbol:

Pull out the terms with even exponents and simplify:

Example Question #2321 : Act Math

What is,

 ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find an equivalency we must rationalize the denominator.

To rationalize the denominator multiply the numerator and denominator by the denominator.

 

Factor out 6,

 

Extract perfect square 9 from the square root of 18.

 

Example Question #1 : Complex Numbers

Subtract  from , given:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A complex number is a combination of a real and imaginary number. To subtract complex numbers, subtract each element separately.

In equation  is the real component and  is the imaginary component (designated by ). In equation  is the real component and  is the imaginary component. Solving for ,

Example Question #1 : Complex Numbers

Simplify the exponent,

.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When you have an exponent on the outside of parentheses while another is on the inside of the parentheses, such as in , multiply the exponents together to get the answer: .

 

This is different than when you have two numbers with the same base multiplied together, such as in . In that case, you add the exponents together.

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