Pre-Algebra : Operations

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Pre-Algebra

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Example Questions

Example Question #3 : Multiplication And Division

Beck has 5 pairs of the same style of shoe, called the "button up." Each shoe has 6 buttons. How many buttons are there on Becky's "button up" shoe collection?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 80\)

\(\displaystyle 30\)

\(\displaystyle 60\)

\(\displaystyle 50\)

\(\displaystyle 120\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 60\)

Explanation:

If Beck has 5 pairs of shoes, that means he has 10 shoes because there are 2 shoes in a pair.

\(\displaystyle 5\times2=10\)

Since each shoe has 6 buttons, that means that there are 60 buttons in the collection. 

\(\displaystyle 10\times6=60\)

Example Question #11 : Multiplication And Division

Simplify:  

\(\displaystyle \left(-\frac{3}{8}\right)\left(\frac{2}{7}\right)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \frac{3}{28}\)

\(\displaystyle -\frac{3}{112}\)

\(\displaystyle -\frac{3}{28}\)

\(\displaystyle -\frac{1}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle -\frac{5}{56}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -\frac{3}{28}\)

Explanation:

Simplify the numerator and denominator by cancelling out common factors.  

\(\displaystyle \left(-\frac{3}{8}\right)\left(\frac{2}{7}\right)\)

Then follow suit and multiply the denominator with denominator and numerator with numerator.

\(\displaystyle =\left(-\frac{3}{4}\right)\left(\frac{1}{7}\right) = -\frac{3}{28}\)

Example Question #12 : Multiplication And Division

Multiply:  \(\displaystyle 39 \times 7\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 263\)

\(\displaystyle 363\)

\(\displaystyle 313\)

\(\displaystyle 213\)

\(\displaystyle 273\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 273\)

Explanation:

Multiply the ones digits together.

\(\displaystyle 9\times 7 =63\)

The ones digit of the final answer is \(\displaystyle 3\).

Carry over the \(\displaystyle 6\) to the next calculuation.

Multiply the \(\displaystyle 7\) with the tens digit of the first number, and add the carryover \(\displaystyle 6\).

\(\displaystyle 7\times 3 +6 = 21+6 = 27\)

The answer is:  \(\displaystyle 273\)

Example Question #13 : Multiplication And Division

Multiply:  

\(\displaystyle (-4)(9)\left | -9\right |\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 77\)

\(\displaystyle 22\)

\(\displaystyle -324\)

\(\displaystyle 45\)

\(\displaystyle 324\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -324\)

Explanation:

Eliminate the absolute value sign before proceeding to multiply all the terms.  

A value inside the absolute value will result into a positive value.

\(\displaystyle (-4)(9)\left | -9\right | = (-4)(9)(9)\)

From here, first multiply \(\displaystyle -4\cdot 9\), when doing so remember when a negative number is multiplied by a positive number the resulting product is negative.

Therefore we get,

\(\displaystyle -4\cdot 9=-36\).

Now we will need to multiply \(\displaystyle -36\) with \(\displaystyle 9\).

First multiply six with nine to get \(\displaystyle 54\). Keep the four in the ones place and carry the five to the tens place. Now multply nine with three \(\displaystyle 9\cdot 3=27\). Since we carried the five over we need to add \(\displaystyle 5+27=32\). Combine this value with the value that was found for the ones spot to get, \(\displaystyle 324\). Finally, place a negative sign in front of it to arrive at the final answer.

\(\displaystyle -324\).

Example Question #14 : Multiplication And Division

Multiply:  \(\displaystyle 13\times 8\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 154\)

\(\displaystyle 114\)

\(\displaystyle 164\)

\(\displaystyle 104\)

\(\displaystyle 224\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 104\)

Explanation:

Multiply the ones digits.

\(\displaystyle 3\times 8 = 24\)

The \(\displaystyle 4\) is the ones digit of the final answer. The \(\displaystyle 2\) will be the carryover for the next calculation.

Multiply the tens digit of \(\displaystyle 13\) with \(\displaystyle 8\) with the carryover.

\(\displaystyle 1\times 8+2 = 10\)

There are no further calculuations. Combine the numbers.

The answer is:  \(\displaystyle 104\)

Example Question #15 : Multiplication And Division

Multiply:  \(\displaystyle 321 \times 9\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 2789\)

\(\displaystyle 2139\)

\(\displaystyle 2989\)

\(\displaystyle 2889\)

\(\displaystyle 3139\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 2889\)

Explanation:

Multiply the ones digit of \(\displaystyle 321\) with \(\displaystyle 9\).

\(\displaystyle 1\times 9=9\)

Multiply the tens digit of \(\displaystyle 321\) with \(\displaystyle 9\).

\(\displaystyle 2\times 9 =18\)

Since this number is 10 or greater, use this tens digit as the carry over for the next calculation.

Multiply the hundreds digit of \(\displaystyle 321\) with \(\displaystyle 9\) with the carry over.

\(\displaystyle 3\times 9+1 = 28\)

Combine this number with the ones digit of the previous calculations.

The correct answer is:  \(\displaystyle 2889\)

Example Question #191 : Operations And Properties

\(\displaystyle 7*6\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 48\)

\(\displaystyle 32\)

\(\displaystyle 13\)

\(\displaystyle 42\)

\(\displaystyle 76\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 42\)

Explanation:

The numbers are positive. We just multiply. Answer is \(\displaystyle 42\)

Example Question #192 : Operations And Properties

\(\displaystyle -7*0\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle -1\)

\(\displaystyle -7\)

\(\displaystyle 7\)

\(\displaystyle 0\)

\(\displaystyle 1\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 0\)

Explanation:

There is a negative number and zero. Regardless whether the number is positive or negative, anything multiplied by zero is always zero. Answer is \(\displaystyle 0\).

Example Question #193 : Operations And Properties

\(\displaystyle -9*4\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 12\)

\(\displaystyle -26\)

\(\displaystyle -13\)

\(\displaystyle -36\)

\(\displaystyle 36\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -36\)

Explanation:

We have one positive and one negative number.

When multipled, our answer is negative.

The product is \(\displaystyle -36\).

Example Question #194 : Operations And Properties

\(\displaystyle -15*-11\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 165\)

\(\displaystyle -26\)

\(\displaystyle 26\)

\(\displaystyle -145\)

\(\displaystyle -165\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 165\)

Explanation:

We have two negative numbers. When multiplied, the answer is positive.

\(\displaystyle -15\\ \underline{\times -11}\)

          \(\displaystyle 15\)

    \(\displaystyle \underline{+150}\)

        \(\displaystyle 165\)

The product is \(\displaystyle 165\).

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