ACT Math : How to evaluate a fraction

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Algebraic Fractions

Evaluate the following equation when \displaystyle x=5 and round your answer to the nearest hundredth.

\displaystyle \frac{x^{3}-2x^{2}-3x+5}{5x+3}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 4.33

\displaystyle 2.32

\displaystyle 5.28

\displaystyle -1.94

\displaystyle 5.00

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 2.32

Explanation:

\displaystyle \frac{x^{3}-2x^{2}-3x+5}{5x+3}

 

1. Plug in \displaystyle 5 wherever there is an \displaystyle x in the above equation.

\displaystyle \frac{5^{3}-(2)(5^{2})-(3)(5)+5}{(5)(5)+3}

2. Perform the above operations.

\displaystyle \frac{5^{3}-(2)(25)-(3)(5)+5}{(5)(5)+3}

\displaystyle \frac{125-50-15+5}{25+3}

\displaystyle \frac{65}{28}=2.32

Example Question #1 : How To Evaluate A Fraction

Mary walked to school at an average speed of 2 miles per hour and jogged back along the same route at an average speed of 6 miles per hour. If her total traveling time was 1 hour, what was the total number of miles in the round trip?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 5

\displaystyle 8

\displaystyle 3

\displaystyle 2

\displaystyle 4

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 3

Explanation:

Since Mary traveled 3 times as quickly coming from school as she did going to school (6 miles per hour compared to 2 miles per hour), we know that Mary spent only a third of the time coming from school as she did going. If x represents the number of hours it took to get to school, then x/3 represents the number of hours it took her to return.

Knowing that the total trip took 1 hour, we have:

x/3 = 1

3x/3 + 1x/3 = 1

4x/3 = 1

 = 3/4

So we know it took Mary 3/4 of an hour to travel to school (and the remaining 1/4 of an hour to get back).

Remembering that distance =  rate * time, the distance Mary traveled on her way to school was (2 miles per hour) * (3/4 of an hour) = 3/2 miles. Furthermore, since she took the same route coming back, she must have traveled 3/2 of a mile to return as well.

Therefore, the the total number of miles in Mary's round trip is 3/2 miles + 3/2 miles = 6/2 miles = 3 miles.

Example Question #13 : Algebraic Fractions

If w=\frac{1}{8}\displaystyle w=\frac{1}{8} then which of the following is equal to \displaystyle w^\frac{2}{3}?

Possible Answers:

\frac{1}{32}\displaystyle \frac{1}{32}

\frac{1}{16}\displaystyle \frac{1}{16}

\frac{1}{64}\displaystyle \frac{1}{64}

\frac{1}{4}\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}

\frac{1}{2}\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}

Correct answer:

\frac{1}{4}\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}

Explanation:

To raise \frac{1}{8}\displaystyle \frac{1}{8} to the exponent \frac{2}{3}\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}, square \frac{1}{8}\displaystyle \frac{1}{8} and then take the cube root.

\displaystyle w^\frac{2}{3}=\sqrt[3]{w^2}

\displaystyle (\frac{1}{8})^\frac{2}{3}=\sqrt[3]{(\frac{1}{8})^2}=\sqrt[3]{\frac{1}{64}}

\displaystyle \sqrt[3]{\frac{1}{64}}=\frac{1}{4}

\displaystyle (\frac{1}{8})^{\frac{2}{3}}=\frac{1}{4}

Example Question #3 : How To Evaluate A Fraction

Solve   Actmath_7_113_q10_1

 

Possible Answers:

infinitely many solutions

no solution

–1

0

Correct answer:

infinitely many solutions

Explanation:

The common denominator of the left side is x(x–1). Multiplying the top and bottom of 1/x by (x–1) yields

Actmath_7_113_q10_2

Actmath_7_113_q10_3

Actmath_7_113_q10_4

Actmath_7_113_q10_5

 

Since this statement is true, there are infinitely many solutions. 

Example Question #2 : How To Evaluate A Fraction

For this question, the following trigonometric identities apply:

\displaystyle \csc x=\frac{1}{\sin x},

\displaystyle \sec x=\frac{1}{\cos x}

\displaystyle \cot x=\frac{1}{\tan x}

Simplify: \displaystyle \sin ^{2}x\csc x\cot x

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \sec x

\displaystyle \sin x\cos x

\displaystyle \tan x

\displaystyle \sin x

\displaystyle \cos x

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \cos x

Explanation:

To begin a problem like this, you must first convert everything to \displaystyle \sin x and \displaystyle \cos x alone. This way, you can begin to cancel and combine to its most simplified form.

Since \displaystyle \csc x=\frac{1}{\sin x} and \displaystyle \cot x=\frac{\cos x}{\sin x}, we insert those identities into the equation as follows.

\displaystyle \sin ^{2}x\cdot \frac{1}{\sin x}\cdot \frac{\cos x}{\sin x}

From here we combine the numerator and denominators of each fraction together to easily see what we can combine and cancel.

\displaystyle \frac{\sin^{2}x\cdot \cos x}{\sin x\cdot \sin x}

Since there is a \displaystyle \sin ^{2}x in the numerator and the denominator, we can cancel them as they divide to equal 1. All we have left is \displaystyle \cos x, the answer. 

Example Question #5 : How To Evaluate A Fraction

If 3x = 12, y/4 = 10, and 4z = 9, what is the value of (10xyz)/xy?

Possible Answers:

10

360

160

1/2

22 1/2

Correct answer:

22 1/2

Explanation:

Solve for the variables, the plug into formula.

x = 12/3 = 4

y = 10 * 4 = 40

z= 9/4 = 2 1/4

10xyz = 3600

Xy = 160

3600/160 = 22 1/2

Example Question #3 : How To Evaluate A Fraction

If \displaystyle 5x=55 , \displaystyle x+y = 23, and \displaystyle y-z=2, find the value of \displaystyle \frac{2x+y}{z}.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{17}{5}

\displaystyle \frac{9}{2}

\displaystyle \frac{19}{5}

\displaystyle \frac{13}{5}

\displaystyle \frac{16}{7}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{17}{5}

Explanation:

In order to solve \displaystyle \frac{2x+y}{z}, we must first find the values of \displaystyle x\displaystyle y, and \displaystyle z using the initial equations provided. Starting with \displaystyle 5x=55:

\displaystyle x=\frac{55}{5}=11

Then:

 \displaystyle x+y=23

\displaystyle 11+y=23

\displaystyle y=12

Finally:

\displaystyle y-z=2

\displaystyle 12-z=2

\displaystyle 10=z

 

With the values of \displaystyle x\displaystyle y, and \displaystyle z in hand, we can solve the final equation:

\displaystyle \frac{2x+y}{z}

\displaystyle =\frac{2(11)+12}{10}

\displaystyle =\frac{22+12}{10}

\displaystyle =\frac{34}{10}

\displaystyle =\frac{17}{5}

 

Example Question #4 : How To Evaluate A Fraction

If  \displaystyle x =\frac{1}{2}  and \displaystyle y=\frac{2}{3}, then which of the following is equal to \displaystyle \frac{2}{x+y}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 4

\displaystyle 2 \frac{1}{3}

\displaystyle \frac{10}{3}

\displaystyle \frac{9}{7}

\displaystyle \frac{12}{7}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{12}{7}

Explanation:

In order to solve \displaystyle \frac{2}{x+y}, first substitute the values of \displaystyle x and \displaystyle y provided in the problem:

\displaystyle \frac{2}{\frac{1}{2}+\frac{2}{3}}

Find the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of the fractional terms in the denominator and find the equivalent fractions with the same common denominator:

\displaystyle \frac{2}{\frac{1}{2}+\frac{2}{3}}

\displaystyle =\frac{2}{\frac{3}{6}+\frac{4}{6}}

\displaystyle =\frac{2}{\frac{7}{6}}

Finally, in order to divide by a fraction, we must multiply by the reciprocal of the fraction:

\displaystyle =2\times \frac{6}{7}

\displaystyle =\frac{12}{7}

 

Example Question #15 : Algebraic Fractions

Find the value of \displaystyle w if \displaystyle w=\bigg(\frac{1}{3}+y\bigg)^{2} and \displaystyle y=\frac{1}{9}.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{9}{10}

\displaystyle \frac{1}{12}

\displaystyle \frac{16}{81}

\displaystyle \frac{3}{55}

\displaystyle \frac{4}{27}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{16}{81}

Explanation:

In order to solve for \displaystyle w, first substitute \displaystyle y=\frac{1}{9} into the equation for \displaystyle w:

 \displaystyle w=\bigg(\frac{1}{3}+y\bigg)^{2}

\displaystyle w=\bigg(\frac{1}{3}+\frac{1}{9}\bigg)^{2}

Then, find the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of the two fractions and generate equivalent fractions with the same denominator:

\displaystyle w=\bigg(\frac{3}{9}+\frac{1}{9}\bigg)^{2}

Finally, simplify the equation:

\displaystyle w=\bigg(\frac{4}{9}\bigg)^{2}

\displaystyle w=\frac{16}{81}

Example Question #1 : How To Evaluate A Fraction

\frac{7^{12}-7^{10}}{7^{11}-7^{9}}=\displaystyle \frac{7^{12}-7^{10}}{7^{11}-7^{9}}=

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 1

\displaystyle 7

\displaystyle 49

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle 343

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 7

Explanation:

Factor out 7 from the numerator: \frac{7(7^{11}-7^{9})}{7^{11}-7^{9}}\displaystyle \frac{7(7^{11}-7^{9})}{7^{11}-7^{9}}

This simplifies to 7.

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