All ISEE Upper Level Quantitative Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #6 : How To Find The Least Common Multiple
Which of the following is the least common multiple of and
List the first few multiples of both and
The least number in both lists of factors is .
Example Question #1 : Exponential Operations
Simplify:
The correct answer is not among the other choices.
Apply the power of a power property:
Example Question #2 : Exponential Operations
Simplify the expression:
Apply the power of a product rule, then apply the power of a power rule:
Example Question #3 : Exponential Operations
Which of the following expressions is equal to ?
The expression is undefined.
Any nonzero number raised to the power of 0 is equal to 1.
Example Question #1 : Exponential Operations
Which quantity is greater?
(a)
(b)
(a) is greater.
(a) and (b) are equal.
(b) is greater.
It is impossible to tell from the information given.
(b) is greater.
(a)
(b)
(b) is the greater quantity.
Example Question #5 : Exponential Operations
is positive.
Which is the greater quantity?
(a)
(b)
(a) is greater
It is impossible to tell from the information given
(b) is greater
(a) and (b) are equal
(a) is greater
Use the power of a power property:
(a)
(b)
Since , . Subsequently,
,
making (a) greater
Example Question #6 : How To Multiply Exponents
Which is the greater quantity?
(a)
(b)
It is impossible to tell from the information given
(b) is greater
(a) is greater
(a) and (b) are equal
(a) and (b) are equal
The two quantities are equal.
Example Question #7 : How To Multiply Exponents
Two quantities are given - one in Column A and the other in Column B. Compare the quantities in the two columns.
Assume, in both columns, that .
Column A Column B
There is no way to determine the relationship between the columns.
The quantities in both columns are equal.
The quantity in Column A is greater.
The quantity in Column B is greater.
There is no way to determine the relationship between the columns.
Column A gives simplifies to give us , and Column B simplifies to give us . At first glance, Column B is greater, as it would be for all answers greater than 1. However, if , the two columns are equal. Furthermore, if is negative, or a fraction, Column A is greater. Thus, since we could arrive at all three answers by using different numbers, we cannot determine the answer conclusively.
Example Question #8 : How To Multiply Exponents
Which of the following expressions is equivalent to
?
Use the difference of squares pattern as follows:
Example Question #9 : How To Multiply Exponents
Column A Column B
The quantity in Column A is greater.
The quantities in both columns are equal.
No relationship between the columns can be determined.
The quantity in Column B is greater.
The quantity in Column A is greater.
Anything raised to zero is equal to 1. Therefore, Column A has to be greater because 1 is greater than 0.