SAT Math : SAT Mathematics

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #62 : Exponents

Convert the product of  to base .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Although they have different bases, we know that .

Therefore 

.

Remember to apply the power rule of exponents.

Finally, 

.

Example Question #2251 : Sat Mathematics

Solve for :

 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

 

Now the left side equals  and the right side equals 8.  Hence:

Therefore  must be equal to 11.

Example Question #63 : Exponents

Define an operation  on the set of real numbers as follows:

For all real ,

Evaluate: .

Possible Answers:

The value of  is undefined.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Set  and  in the expression in the definition, then simplify:

By definition, 

;

setting 

.

Substituting  and ,

Also, raising a number to the power of  is equivalent to taking the th root of the number; specifically, raising a number to the power of  is equivalent to taking its square root. Therefore, 

.

Example Question #472 : Algebra

Express  in terms of .

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

By definition, 

and 

.

By the Power of a Power Rule, 

,

so, by substituting, 

.

Example Question #2252 : Sat Mathematics

Simplify the expression. 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When multiplying with exponents, you must add the exponents.

Therefore, multiply the coefficients on the x terms and add the exponents

Example Question #63 : Exponents

Which of the following is equivalent to 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

 and  can be multiplied together to give you  which is the first part of our answer. When you multiply exponents with the same base (in this case, ), you add the exponents. In this case,  should give us  because . The answer is 

Example Question #1 : Exponents

If a2 = 35 and b2 = 52 then a4 + b6 = ?

Possible Answers:

522

141,833

150,000

140,608

3929

Correct answer:

141,833

Explanation:

a4 = a2 * a2  and  b6= b2 * b* b2

Therefore a4 + b6 = 35 * 35 + 52 * 52 * 52 = 1,225 + 140,608 = 141,833

Example Question #72 : Exponents

Solve for x. 

2+ 2x+1 = 72

Possible Answers:

5

3

7

4

6

Correct answer:

5

Explanation:

The answer is 5. 

8 + 2x+1 = 72

      2x+1 = 64

      2x+1 = 26

      x + 1 = 6

           x = 5

Example Question #1 : How To Add Exponents

Which of the following is eqivalent to 5b – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) , where b is a constant?

Possible Answers:

5b–1

0

1/5

5

1

Correct answer:

0

Explanation:

We want to simplify 5b – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) .

Notice that we can collect the –5(b–1) terms, because they are like terms. There are 5 of them, so that means we can write –5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) as (–5(b–1))5.

To summarize thus far:

5b – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) – 5(b–1) = 5b +(–5(b–1))5

It's important to interpret –5(b–1) as (–1)5(b–1) because the –1 is not raised to the (b – 1) power along with the five. This means we can rewrite the expression as follows:

5b +(–5(b–1))5 = 5b + (–1)(5(b–1))(5) = 5b – (5(b–1))(5)

Notice that 5(b–1) and 5 both have a base of 5. This means we can apply the property of exponents which states that, in general, abac = ab+c. We can rewrite 5 as 51 and then apply this rule.

5b – (5(b–1))(5) = 5b – (5(b–1))(51) = 5b – 5(b–1+1)

Now, we will simplify the exponent b – 1 + 1 and write it as simply b.

5b – 5(b–1+1) = 5b – 5b = 0

The answer is 0.

Example Question #73 : Exponents

Ifx^2=11, then what does x^4 equal?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

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