ISEE Upper Level Quantitative : How to find the solution to an equation

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Upper Level Quantitative

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Example Questions

Example Question #91 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

A hat costs $70.80 after a 20% discount. How much did the hat cost before the discount?

Possible Answers:

It is impossible to tell from the information given.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since $70.80 is the price after a 20% discount off the original price, it is 80% of that original price. The problem is equivalent to asking:

$70.80 is 80% of what amount?

Let  be the price before discount.

Example Question #91 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

Which is the greater quantity?

(A) 

(B) 

Possible Answers:

(B) is greater

(A) is greater

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(A) and (B) are equal

Correct answer:

(B) is greater

Explanation:

, so .

Substitute for  in the other equation:

 

 

, so (B) is greater.

Example Question #93 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

A line includes the points  and . Which is the greater quantity?

(A) The -coordinate of the -intercept.

(B) The -coordinate of the -intercept.

Possible Answers:

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(A) and (B) are equal

(A) is greater

(B) is greater

Correct answer:

(A) is greater

Explanation:

We can figure out the equation of the line as follows:

Set . Substitute in the slope formula.

The slope is 

In the slope-intercept formula, we set 

 and solve for :

The equation is 

The -intercept is . To find the -intercept, we substitute 0 for :

The -intercept is 

This makes (A), the -coordinate of the -intercept, greater. 

Example Question #91 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

Define  and .

What is the domain of the function  ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

 has as its domain the set of values of  for which its radicand is nonnegative; that is,

 or 

Similarly,  has as its domain the set of values of  for which its radicand is nonnegative; that is,

 or 

 

The domain of the sum of two functions is the intersection of the domains of the two individual functions. This intersection is 

Example Question #93 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

Define  and .

Which is the greater quantity?

(A) 

(B) 

Possible Answers:

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(A) is greater

(B) is greater

(A) and (B) are equal

Correct answer:

(A) and (B) are equal

Explanation:

Substitute  and  to determine the values of the respective expressions:

The expressions are equal.

Example Question #96 : Algebraic Concepts

For all real numbers  and , define an operation  as follows:

For which value of  is the expression  undefined?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

so

This expression is undefined if and only if the denominator is equal to 0, so

Example Question #92 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

A line includes the points  and . What is the -intercept of this line (-coordinate rounded to the nearest tenth)?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Let 

We calculate the slope as follows:

Apply the point-slope formula setting 

:

Set  to find the -coordinate of the -intercept:

The -intercept is (approximately at) 

Example Question #95 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

A line includes the points  and . What is the -intercept of this line?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Let 

We calculate the slope as follows:

Apply the point-slope formula setting 

Set  to find the -coordinate of the -intercept:

The -intercept is  .

Example Question #92 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

A line includes the points  and . Which of these is the slope of that line?

Possible Answers:

The correct answer is not among the other choices

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Let 

We calculate the slope as follows:

Example Question #95 : How To Find The Solution To An Equation

For all real numbers  and , define an operation  as follows:

Let  be a positive number. Then which is the greater quantity?

(A) 

(A) 

Possible Answers:

(A) is greater

(A) and (B) are equal

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(B) is greater

Correct answer:

(B) is greater

Explanation:

Substitute each pair of expressions:

We can compare these fractions by writing them with a common denominator:

 regardless of the value of ,  making (B) greater.

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