ISEE Upper Level Quantitative : ISEE Upper Level (grades 9-12) Quantitative Reasoning

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #6 : How To Find The Least Common Multiple

Which of the following is the least common multiple of  and 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

List the first few multiples of both  and 

The least number in both lists of factors is .

Example Question #1 : Exponential Operations

Simplify: 

Possible Answers:

The correct answer is not among the other choices.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Apply the power of a power property:

Example Question #2 : Exponential Operations

Simplify the expression: 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

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  ?

Possible Answers:

The expression is undefined.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Any nonzero number raised to the power of 0 is equal to 1.

Example Question #1 : Exponential Operations

Which quantity is greater?

(a) 

(b) 

Possible Answers:

(a) is greater.

(a) and (b) are equal.

(b) is greater.

It is impossible to tell from the information given.

Correct answer:

(b) is greater.

Explanation:

(a) 

(b) 

(b) is the greater quantity.

Example Question #5 : Exponential Operations

 is positive.

Which is the greater quantity?

(a) 

(b) 

Possible Answers:

(a) is greater

It is impossible to tell from the information given

(b) is greater

(a) and (b) are equal

Correct answer:

(a) is greater

Explanation:

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) 

Possible Answers:

It is impossible to tell from the information given

(b) is greater

(a) is greater

(a) and (b) are equal

Correct answer:

(a) and (b) are equal

Explanation:

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

                          

Possible Answers:

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.

Correct answer:

There is no way to determine the relationship between the columns.

Explanation:

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 

 ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use the difference of squares pattern as follows:

Example Question #9 : How To Multiply Exponents

Column A                  Column B

                  

Possible Answers:

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.

Correct answer:

The quantity in Column A is greater.

Explanation:

Anything raised to zero is equal to 1. Therefore, Column A has to be greater because 1 is greater than 0.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors