JUST IN TIME Math

S
JU T
IN
I M

E
Math
Catherine V. Jeremko

N E W YO R K
Copyright © 2004 LearningExpress, LLC.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

Published in the United States by LearningExpress, LLC, New York.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Jeremko, Catherine.
Just in time math / Catherine Jeremko.—1st ed.
p. cm.—(Rookie read-about science)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-57865-506-6
1. Mathematics—Study and teaching (Elementary)
I. Title. II. Series.
QA135.6.J47 2004
372.7—dc22
2003019055

Printed in the United States of America

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition

ISBN 1-57685-506-6

For more information or to place an order, contact LearningExpress at:

55 Broadway
8th Floor
New York, NY 10006

Or visit us at:
www.learnatest.com
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catherine V. Jeremko is a certified secondary mathematics teacher in New

York State. She was a contributing writer to 501 Quantitative Comparison
Questions, and is an expert math reviewer for LearningExpress. She currently
teaches seventh grade mathematics at Vestal Middle School in Vestal,
New York. Ms. Jeremko is also a teacher trainer for the use of technology
in the mathematics classroom. She resides in Apalachin, New York with
her three daughters.
 CONTENTS

Formula Cheat Sheet ix

Introduction xi
1 Study Skills 1
2 The Integers and Absolute Value 16
3 Properties of Numbers 36
4 Fractions, Decimals, and Ordering the Real Numbers 57
5 Ratio and Proportion 86
6 Percent 110
7 Powers, Exponents, and Roots 134
8 Geometry and Measurement Conversions 155
9 Statistics and Probability 199
10 Word Problems 233
Additional Resources 267

vii
 FORMULA CHEAT SHEET

PE R CE NT
part percent is percent change percent
  =  of =   = 
who le 100 100 original 100

DISTANCE FORMULA SIMPLE INTEREST FORMULA

D=R×T I=P×R×T

RULES OF EXPONENTS

x0 = 1 x–a = x1a xa × xb = xa + b xa ÷ xb = xa – b
xa 1 a
b
x = xa – b (xa)b = xa × b x a = x

PROBABILITY

# favorable outcomes
P(E) = # total outcomes P(E1) or P(E2) = P(E1) + P(E2)
P(E1) and P(E2) = P(E1) × P(E2)

GEOMETRY

Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2
Perimeter
Rectangle: P = 2 × l + 2 × w Square: P = 4 × s
Circumference of a Circle: C = π × d or C = 2 × π × r
Area
Triangle: A = 12 × b × h Rectangle: A = b × h
Trapezoid: A = 12 × h × (b1 + b2)
Volume
V = b × h (the area of the base times the height)
Rectangular Solid: V = l × w × h Cylinder: V = π × r2 × h
"

ix
 Introduction
Y ou have to face a big exam that will test your mathematical skills.
It is just a few weeks, perhaps even just a few days, from now. You
haven’t begun to study. Perhaps you just haven’t had the time. We are all
faced with full schedules and many demands on our time, including work,
family, and other obligations. Or perhaps you have had the time, but pro-
crastinated; topics in mathematics are topics that you would rather avoid
at all costs. Computation and word problems have never been your strong
suit. It is possible that you have waited until the last minute because you
feel rather confident in your mathematical skills, and just want a quick
refresher on the major topics. Maybe you just realized that your test
included a mathematics section, and now you have only a short time to
prepare.
If any of these scenarios sound familiar, then Just in Time Math is the
right book for you. Designed specifically for last-minute test preparation,
Just in Time Math is a fast, accurate way to build your essential computa-
tional and word problem skills. This book includes nine chapters of com-
mon mathematical topics, with an additional chapter on study skills to
make your time effective. In just ten short chapters, you will get the essen-
tials—just in time for passing your big test.

THE JUST IN TIME TEST-PREP APPROACH

At LearningExpress, we know the importance that is placed on test

scores. Whether you are preparing for the PSAT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, or
a Civil Service exam, or you simply need to improve your fundamental
mathematical skills, our Just in Time streamlined approach can work for
you. Each chapter includes:

• a ten-question benchmark quiz to help you assess your knowledge

of the topics and skills in the chapter
• a lesson covering the essential content for the topic of the chapter
• sample problems imbedded in the lesson with full explanations
xi
xii J U ST I N TI M E MATH

• calculator tips to make the most of technology on your exam

• specific tips and strategies to prepare for the exam
• a 25-question practice quiz followed by detailed answers and expla-
nations to help you measure your progress

The Just in Time series also includes the following features:

• Extra Help: refers you to other LearningExpress skill

O builders or other resources that can help you learn
more about a particular topic.

• Calculator Tips: offers hints on how your calculator can

•
T help you.

Glossary: provides critical definitions.

• Rule Book: highlights the rules and procedures you

E really need to know.

• Shortcut: offers tips for reducing your study and prac-

" tice time—without sacrificing accuracy.

• Formula Cheat Sheet: a tear-out page preceding this introduction

that lists important formulas from the chapters.

Of course, no book can cover every type of problem you may face on a
given test. But this book is not just about recognizing specific problem
types; it is also about building the essential skills, confidence, and processes
that will ensure success when you are faced with a math problem. The math
topics in this book have been carefully chosen to reflect not only what you
are likely to see on an exam, but also what you are likely to come across reg-
ularly in books, newspapers, lectures, and other daily activities.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

While each chapter can stand on its own as an effective review of mathe-
matical content, this book will be most effective if you complete each chap-
ter in order, beginning with Chapter 1. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 review the basic
mathematical knowledge of working with numbers. The remaining chap-
I NTR O D U CTI O N xiii

ters review higher mathematical knowledge that involves relationships

among numbers. The chapters are arranged such that material covered in
earlier chapters may be referenced in a later chapter.
Following is a brief outline of each chapter:

• Chapter 1: Study Skills reviews fundamental study strategies

including how to budget your time, how to create a study plan, and
how to use study aids such as flashcards.
• Chapter 2: The Integers and Absolute Value reviews how to
work with positive and negative numbers.
• Chapter 3: Properties of Numbers reviews the fundamentals of
working with numbers, a foundation for the rest of the book.
• Chapter 4: Fractions, Decimals, and Ordering the Real Num-
bers reviews the two most common ways to represent numbers and
how the numbers are ordered.
• Chapter 5: Ratio and Proportion reviews how numbers are
related to one another through comparisons.
• Chapter 6: Percent covers the most common use of ratio and pro-
portion on tests and in daily life.
• Chapter 7: Powers, Exponents, and Roots reviews the use of
repeated multiplication to represent rapid growth, the inverse oper-
ation, and roots.
• Chapter 8: Geometry and Measurement Conversions reviews
the ways that mathematics is used in measurement and the use of
common figures.
• Chapter 9: Statistics and Probability reviews the study of data
and chance.
• Chapter 10: Word Problems covers processes and strategies used
to solve mathematics in context.

Depending upon how much time you have before the exam, review as
much as possible. If time is short, start with the chapters addressing your
weak areas. The ten-question benchmark quizzes at the start of each chap-
ter can help you assess your strengths and weaknesses.
Finally, remain calm and think positively. Your big test may be just a short
while away, but you are taking the steps you need to prepare . . . just in time.
JUST IN TIME Math
 1
Study Skills

I f you have left studying for that big test until the last minute, you
may be feeling that your only option is to cram. You might be feeling
panicky that you will never have enough time to learn what you need to
know. But the “Just in Time” solution is exactly that: just in time. This
means that with the help of this book you can use your available time
prior to your test effectively. First, to get ready for your test just in time,
you need a plan. This chapter will help you put together a study plan that
maximizes your time and tailors your learning strategy to your needs and
goals.
There are four main factors that you need to consider when creating
your study plan: what to study, where to study, when to study, and how
to study. When you put these four factors together, you can create a spe-
cific plan that will allow you to accomplish more—in less time. If you have
three weeks, two weeks, or even one week to get ready, you can create a
plan that avoids anxiety-inducing cramming and focuses on real learning
by following the simple steps in this chapter.

WHAT TO STUDY

Finding out what you need to study for your test is the first step in cre-
ating an effective study plan. You need to have a good measure of your
1
2 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

ability in math. You can accomplish this by looking over the Table of Con-
tents to see what looks familiar to you and by answering the Benchmark
Quiz questions starting in the next chapter. You also need to know what
exactly is covered on the test you will be taking. Considering both your abil-
ity and the test content will tell you what you need to study.

◗ Establish a Benchmark
In each chapter you will take a short, ten-question Benchmark Quiz that
will help you assess your skills. This may be one of the most important steps
in creating your study plan. Because you have limited time, you need to be
very efficient in your studies. Once you take a chapter Benchmark Quiz and
analyze the results, you will be able to avoid studying the material you
already know. This will allow you to focus on those areas that need the most
attention.
A Benchmark Quiz is only practice. If you did not do as well as you antic-
ipated, do not be alarmed and certainly do not despair. The purpose of the
quiz is to help you focus your efforts so that you can improve. It is impor-
tant to carefully analyze your results. Look beyond your score, and consider
why you answered some questions incorrectly. Here are some questions to
ask yourself when you review your wrong answers:

• Did you get the question wrong because the material was totally
unfamiliar?
• Was the material familiar but were you unable to come up with the
right answer? In this case, when you read the right answer it will
often make perfect sense. You might even think, “I knew that!”
• Did you answer incorrectly because you read the question care-
lessly?
• Did you make another careless mistake? For example, circling
choice a when you meant to circle choice b.

Next, look at the questions you answered correctly and review how you
came up with the right answer. Not all right answers are created equally.

• Did you simply know the right answer?

• Did you make an educated guess? An educated guess might indicate
that you have some familiarity with the subject, but you probably
need at least a quick review.
• Or did you make a lucky guess? A lucky guess means that you don’t
know the material and you will need to learn it.
STU DY S K I LLS 3

Your performance on the Benchmark Quiz will tell you several important
things. First, it will tell you how much you need to study. For example, if you
got eight out of ten questions right (not counting lucky guesses!), you might
only need to brush up on certain math topics. But if you got five out of ten
questions wrong, you will need a thorough review. Second, it can tell you
what you know well, that is which subjects you don’t need to study. Third,
you will determine which subjects you need to study in-depth and in which
subjects you simply need to refresh your knowledge.

◗ Targeting Your Test

For the “Just in Time” test-taker, it is important to focus your study efforts
to match what is needed for your test. You don’t want to waste your time
learning something that will not be covered on your test. There are three
important aspects that you should know about your test before developing
your study plan:

• What material is covered?

• What is the format of the test? Is it multiple choice? Fill in the
blank? Some combination? Or something else?
• What is the level of difficulty?

How can you learn about the test before you take it? For most stan-
dardized tests, there are sample tests available. These tests—which have
been created to match the test that you will take—are probably the best way
to learn what will be covered. If your test is non-standardized, you should
ask your instructor specific questions about the upcoming test.
You should also know how your score will affect your goal. For exam-
ple, if you are taking the SAT exam, and the median math score of students
accepted at your college of choice is 550, then you should set your sights
on achieving a score of 550 or better. Or, if you are taking the New York
City Police Officer exam, you know that you need to get a perfect or near-
perfect score to get a top slot on the list. Conversely, some exams are
simply pass or fail. In this case, you can focus your efforts on achieving a
passing score.

◗ Matching Your Abilities to Your Test

Now that you understand your strengths and weaknesses and you know what
to expect of your test, you need to consider both factors to determine what
material you need to study. First, look at the subject area or question type
with which you have the most trouble. If you can expect to find questions of
this type on your test, then this subject might be your first priority. But be
4 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

sure to consider how much of the test will cover this material. For example,
if there will only be a few questions out of a hundred that test your knowl-
edge of a subject that is your weakest area, you might decide not to study this
subject area at all. You might be better served by concentrating on solidify-
ing your grasp of the main material covered on the exam.
The important thing to remember is that you want to maximize your
time. You don’t want to study material that you already know. And you don’t
want to study material that you don’t need to know. You will make the best
use of your time if you study the material that you know the least but that
you most need to know.

WHERE TO STUDY

The environment in which you choose to study can have a dramatic impact
on how successful your studying is. If you choose to study in a noisy coffee
shop at a small table with dim lighting, it might take you two hours to cover
the same material you could read in an hour in the quiet of the library. That
is an hour that you don’t have to lose! However, for some people the noisy
coffee shop is the ideal environment. You need to determine what type of
study environment works for you.

◗ Consider Your Options

Your goal is to find a comfortable, secure place that is free from distractions.
The place should also be convenient and conform to your schedule. For
example, the library might be ideal in many respects. However, if it takes
you an hour to get there, and it closes soon after you arrive, you are not
maximizing your study time.
For many people, studying at home is a good solution. Home is always
open and you don’t waste any time getting there, but it can have drawbacks.
If you are trying to fit studying in between family obligations, you might
find that working from home offers too many opportunities for distraction.
Chores that have piled up, children or younger siblings who need your
attention, or television that captures your interest, are just some of things
that might interfere with studying at home. Or maybe you have roommates
who will draw your attention away from your studies. Studying at home is
a good solution if you have a room that you can work in alone and away
from any distractions.
If home is not a good environment for quiet study, the library, a reading
room, or a coffee shop are places you can consider. Be sure to pick a place
that is relatively quiet and provides enough workspace for your needs.
STU DY S K I LLS 5

◗ Noise
Everyone has his or her own tolerance for noise. Some people need
absolute silence to concentrate, while others will be distracted without some
sort of background noise. Classical music can be soothing and might help
you relax as you study. In fact, studies have shown that listening to Mozart
actually enhances math performance. If you think you work better with
music or the television on, you should be sure that you are not paying atten-
tion to what is on in the background. Try reading a chapter or doing some
problems in silence, then try the same amount of work with noise. Which
noise level allowed you to work the fastest?

◗ Light
You will need to have enough light to read comfortably. Light that is too
dim will strain your eyes and make you drowsy. Too bright and you will be
uncomfortable and tense. Experts suggest that the best light for reading
comes from behind and falls over your shoulder. Make sure your light
source falls on your book and does not shine in your eyes.

◗ Comfort
Your study place should be comfortable and conducive to work. While your
bed might be comfortable, studying in bed is probably more conducive to
sleep than concentrated learning. You will need a comfortable chair that
offers good back support and a work surface—a desk or table—that gives
you enough space for your books and other supplies. Ideally, the tempera-
ture should be a happy medium between too warm and too cold. A stuffy
room will make you sleepy and a cold room is simply uncomfortable. If you
are studying outside your home, you may not be able to control the tem-
perature, but you can dress appropriately. For example, bring along an extra
sweater if your local library is skimpy with the heat.

◗ A Little Help
When you have settled on a place to study, you will need to enlist the help
of your family and friends—especially if you are working at home. Be sure
they know that when you go to your room and close the door to study that
you do not want to be disturbed. If your friends all go to the same coffee
shop where you plan to study, you will also need to ask them to respect your
study place. The cooperation of your family and friends will eliminate one
of the greatest potential distractions.
6 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

WHEN TO STUDY

Finding the time in your busy schedule may seem like the greatest hurdle
in making your “just in time” study plan, but you probably have more time
available than you think. It just takes a little planning and some creativity.

◗ Analyze Your Schedule

Your first step in finding time to study is to map out your day-to-day sched-
ule—in detail. Mark a piece of paper in fifteen-minute intervals from the
time you get up to the time you generally go to bed. Fill in each fifteen-
minute interval. For example, if you work from nine to five, do not simply
block that time off as unavailable for study. Write down your daily routine
at work and see when you might have some time to study. Lunch is an obvi-
ous time. But there may be other down times in your workday when you
can squeeze in a short study session.
You will want to set aside a stretch of time when you plan to study in your
designated study place. But you can also be creative and find ways to study
for short bursts during your normal routine. For example, if you spend an
hour at the gym on the stationary bike, you can read while you cycle. Or
you can review flashcards on your bus ride. If you drive to work, you could
record some study material on a tape or CD. You could also listen to this
tape while you walk the dog.
When you look at your schedule closely, you will probably find you have
more time than you thought. However, if you still don’t have the time you
need, you should rethink your routine. Can you ask your significant other
to take on a greater share of the household chores for the few weeks you
need to get ready for your test? Is there some activity that you can forgo for
the next few weeks? If you normally go to the gym six days a week for an
hour and a half, cut down to three days a week for forty-five minutes. You
will add over six and a half hours to your schedule without completely aban-
doning your fitness routine. Remember any changes you make to your
schedule are short-term and a small sacrifice, once you consider your goal.

◗ Time Strategies
Now that you know when you have time available, you need to use that time
to your best advantage. You will probably find that you can set aside one
block of time during the day during which you will do the bulk of your
studying. Use this time to learn new material or take a practice quiz and
review your answers. Use the small spurts of time you have found in your
schedule to review with flashcards, cheat sheets, and other tools.
Also consider your learning style and body rhythm when you make your
STU DY S K I LLS 7

schedule. Does it take you some time to get into material? If so, you should
build a schedule with longer blocks of time. Do you have a short attention
span? Then you will do better with a schedule of several shorter study peri-
ods. No matter your style, avoid extremes. Neither very long study sessions
nor very short sessions (except for quick reviews) are an efficient use of time.
Whether you are a morning person or a night owl, plan to study when you
are most energetic and alert.
Make sure your schedule allows for adequate rest and study breaks. Skip-
ping sleep is not a good way to find time in your schedule. Not only will you
be tired when you study, but you will also be sleep deprived by the time of
the test. A sleep-deprived test-taker is more likely to make careless mistakes,
lose energy and focus, and become stressed-out by the testing environment.
If you plan to do most of your studying in one block of time, say four hours,
be sure you leave time to take a study break. Experts have shown that stu-
dents are more likely to retain material if they take some time to digest it.
A five- or ten-minute break to stretch your legs or eat a snack will revive you
and give your brain time to absorb what you have learned.

HOW TO STUDY

How you study is just as important as how long—especially if your time is

limited. You will need to be in a good physical and mental state. And you
will need to use the right tools for the job. You will also need to understand
your learning style so that you can select the best study method. And, per-
haps most important, you will need methods that will help you to remem-
ber not to memorize the material. All these techniques—using the right
tools and methods—will help you make the most of your study time.

◗ Sleep Well, Eat Right, and Relax

Does your idea of studying hard include images of staying up into the wee
hours and living on fast food and caffeine until the big test? Even though
it may seem like you are working hard when you study around the clock and
put aside good eating habits in order to save time, you are not working effi-
ciently. If you have ever pulled an all-nighter you know that by four in the
morning you can find yourself reading the same page several times without
understanding a word. Adequate rest and good nutrition will allow you to
be focused and energetic so you can get more work done in less time.
Most people need about eight hours of sleep a night. Do not sacrifice
sleep in order to make time to study. Hunger can be a distraction, so don’t
skip meals. Eat three nutritious meals a day, and keep healthy snacks on
hand during a long study session. The key word is healthy. Sugary snacks
8 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

might make you feel energized in the short term, but that sugar rush is fol-
lowed by a crash that will leave you feeling depleted. Caffeine can have a
similar effect. A little caffeine—a morning cup of coffee, for example—can
give you a boost, but too much caffeine will make you feel jittery and tense.
Tension can affect your ability to concentrate.
Being over-caffeinated is not the only potential source of tension. Pre-
exam anxiety can also get in the way of effective studying. If your anxiety
about the upcoming test is getting the better of you, try these simple relax-
ation techniques:

• Breathe! Sounds simple, and it is. Taking long, deep breaths can
drain the tension from your body. Place one hand on your stomach
and the other on your chest. Sit up straight. Inhale deeply through
your nose and feel your stomach inflate. Your chest should remain
still. Exhale slowly through your mouth and feel your stomach
deflate. It is the slow exhalation that helps you relax, so make sure
you take your time releasing your breath. Pausing during a study
session to take three deep breaths is a quick way to clear your mind
and body of tension so that you can better focus on your work.
• Tense and relax your muscles. You may not even notice it, but as
anxiety mounts your muscles tense. You may tense your neck and
shoulders, your toes, or your jaw. This tension can interfere with
your concentration. Release the tension held in your muscles by
purposely tensing, then relaxing, each muscle. Work from your toes
to your head systematically.
• Visualize a soothing place. Taking a break to mentally visit a place
that you find relaxing can be reinvigorating. Close your eyes and
conjure up the sights, smells, and sounds of your favorite place.
Really try to feel like you are there for five uninterrupted minutes
and you will return from your mini vacation ready to study.

◗ The Right Tools for the Job

If you follow the steps above, you will have a rested, energized, and relaxed
brain—the most important tool you need to prepare for your exam. But
there are other tools that you will need to make your study session the most
productive. Be sure that you have all the supplies you need on hand before
you sit down to study. To help make studying more pleasant, select supplies
that you enjoy using. Here is a list of supplies that you will need:

• a notebook or legal pad dedicated to studying for your test

• graph paper
• pencils
STU DY S K I LLS 9

• pencil sharpener
• highlighter
• index or other note cards
• paper clips or sticky note pads for marking pages
• a calendar or personal digital assistant (which you will use to keep
track of your study plan)
• a calculator

◗ Break It Down
You may be feeling overwhelmed by the amount of material you have to
cover in a short time. This seeming mountain of work can generate anxi-
ety and even cause you to procrastinate further. Breaking down the work
into manageable chunks will help you plan your studying and motivate you
to get started. It will also help you organize the material in your mind.
When you begin to see the large topic as smaller units of information that
are connected, you will develop a deeper understanding of the subject. You
will also use these small chunks of information to build your study plan.
This will give you specific tasks to accomplish each day, rather than simply
having time set aside to study for the test.
For example, if you have difficulty working with fractions, you could
study a different fractions topic each day for a week: On Monday, practice
adding fractions; on Tuesday, work on subtracting fractions; on Wednesday,
try multiplying fractions; and so on. “Learn fractions” might seem like an
overwhelming task, but if you divide the work into smaller pieces, you will
find that your understanding of fractions improves with practice and
patience.

◗ Your Learning Style

Learning is not the same for everyone. People absorb information in dif-
ferent ways. Understanding how you learn will help you develop the most
effective study plan for your learning style. Experts have identified three
main types of learners: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Most people use a
combination of all three learning styles, but one style might be more dom-
inant. Here are some questions that will help you identify your dominant
learning style:

1. If you have to remember an unusual word, you most likely

a. picture the word in your mind.
b. repeat the word aloud several times.
c. trace out the letters with your finger.
10 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

2. When you meet new people, you remember them mostly by

a. their actions and mannerisms.
b. their names (faces are hard to remember).
c. their faces (names are hard to remember).

3. In class you like to

a. take notes, even if you don’t reread them.
b. listen intently to every word.
c. sit up close and watch the instructor.

A visual learner would answer a, c, and c. An auditory learner would

answer b, b, and b. A kinesthetic learner would answer c, a, and a.
Visual learners like to read and are often good spellers. When visual
learners study, they often benefit from graphic organizers such as charts and
graphs. Flashcards often appeal to them and help them learn, especially if
they use colored markers, which will help them form images in their minds
as they learn words or concepts.
Auditory learners, by contrast, like oral directions and may find written
materials confusing or boring. They often talk to themselves and may even
whisper aloud when they read. They also like being read aloud to. Auditory
learners will benefit from saying things aloud as they study and by making
tapes for themselves and listening to them later. Oral repetition is also an
important study tool. Making up rhymes or other oral mnemonic devices
will also help them study, and they may like to listen to music as they work.
Kinesthetic learners like to stay on the move. They often find it difficult
to sit still for a long time and will often tap their feet and gesticulate a lot
while speaking. They tend to learn best by doing rather than observing.
Kinesthetic learners may want to walk around as they practice what they are
learning, because using their bodies helps them remember things. Taking
notes is an important way of reinforcing knowledge for the kinesthetic
learner, as is making flashcards.
It is important to remember that most people learn in a mixture of styles,
although they may have a distinct preference for one style over the others.
Determine which is your dominant style, but be open to strategies for all
types of learners.

◗ Remember—Don’t Memorize
You need to use study methods that go beyond rote memorization to gen-
uine comprehension in order to be fully prepared for your test. Using study
methods that suit your learning style will help you to really learn the mate-
rial you need to know for the test. One of the most important learning
strategies is to be an active reader. Interact with what you are reading by
STU DY S K I LLS 11

asking questions, making notes, and marking passages instead of simply

reading the words on the page. Choose methods of interacting with the text
that match your dominant learning style.

• Ask questions. When you read a lesson, ask questions such as,
“What is the main idea of this section?” Asking yourself questions
will test your comprehension of the material. You are also putting
the information into your own words, which will help you remem-
ber what you have learned. This can be especially helpful when you
are learning math techniques. Putting concepts into your own
words helps you to understand these processes more clearly.
• Make notes. Making notes as you read is another way for you to
identify key concepts and to put the material into your own words.
Writing down important ideas and mathematical formulas can also
help you memorize them.
• Highlight. Using a highlighter is another way to interact with what
you are reading. Be sure you are not just coloring, but highlighting
key concepts that you can return to when you review.
• Read aloud. Especially for the auditory learner, reading aloud can
help aid in comprehension. Hearing mathematical information and
formulas read aloud can clarify their meanings for you.
• Make connections. Try to relate what you are reading to things
you already know or to a real world example. It might be helpful,
for example, to make up a word problem, or draw a diagram or
table, to clarify your understanding of what a problem is asking you
to do.

Reading actively is probably the most important way to use your study
time effectively. If you spend an hour passively reading and retaining little
of what you have read, you have wasted that hour. If you take an hour and
a half to actively read the same passage, that is time well spent. However,
you will not only be learning new material; you will also need methods to
review what you have learned:

• Flashcards. Just making the cards alone is a way of engaging with

the material. You have to identify key concepts, words, or important
information and write them down. Then, when you have made a
stack of cards, you have a portable review system. Flashcards are
perfect for studying with a friend and for studying on the go.
• Mnemonics. These catchy rhymes, songs, and acronyms are tools
that help us remember information. Some familiar mnemonics are
“i before e except after c” or ROY G. BIV, which stands for Red
Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet—the colors of the rain-
12 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

bow. Developing your own mnemonics will help you make a per-
sonal connection with the material and help you recall it during
your test. Mnemonics are also useful when you personalize your
“cheat sheet.”
• Personalize your cheat sheet. Of course, you aren’t really going
to cheat, but take the Formula Cheat Sheet found on page ix and
add to it. Or, highlight the formulas you really need and don’t yet
know well. This will help them to stand out more than the ones you
already know. You can then use the sheet to review—perfect for
studying on the go.
• Outlines and Maps. If you have pages of notes from your active
reading, you can create an outline or map of your notes to review.
Both tools help you organize and synthesize the material. Most stu-
dents are familiar with creating outlines using hierarchical headings,
but maps may be less familiar. To make a map, write down the main
point, idea, or topic under consideration in the middle of a clean
piece of paper. Draw a circle around this main topic. Next, draw
branches out from that center circle on which to record subtopics
and details. Create as many branches as you need—or as many as
will fit on your sheet of paper.

◗ Studying with Others

Studying in a group or with another person can be a great motivator. It can
also be a distraction, as it can be easy to wander off the subject at hand and
on to more interesting subjects such as last night’s game, or some juicy gos-
sip. The key is to choose your study partners well and to have a plan for the
study session that will keep you on track.
There are definite advantages to studying with others:

• Motivation. If you commit to working with someone else you are

more likely to follow through. Also, you may be motivated by some
friendly competition.
• Solidarity. You can draw encouragement from your fellow test tak-
ers and you won’t feel alone in your efforts. This companionship
can help reduce test anxiety.
• Shared expertise. As you learned from your practice questions,
you have certain strengths and weaknesses in the subject. If you can
find a study partner with the opposite strengths and weaknesses,
you can each benefit from your partner’s strengths. Not only will
you get help, but by offering your expertise you will build your con-
fidence for the upcoming test.
STU DY S K I LLS 13

There are also some disadvantages to studying with others:

• Stress of competition. Some study partners can be overly com-

petitive, always trying to prove that they are better in the subject
than you. This can lead to stress and sap your confidence. Be wary
of the overly competitive study partner.
• Too much fun. If you usually hate studying but really look forward
to getting together with your best friend to study, it may be because
you spend more time socializing than studying. Sometimes it is bet-
ter to study with an acquaintance who is well-matched with your
study needs and with whom you are more likely to stay on task.
• Time and convenience. Organizing a study group can take time.
If you are spending a lot of time making phone calls and sending e-
mails trying to get your study group together, or if you have to
travel a distance to meet up with your study partner, this may not
be an efficient strategy.

Weigh the pros and cons of studying with others to decide if this is a
good strategy for you.

JUST THE FACTS . . . JUST IN TIME

You have thought about the what, where, when, and how; now you need to
put all four factors together to build your study plan. Your study plan should
be as detailed and specific as possible. When you have created your study
plan, you then need to follow through.

◗ Building a Study Plan

You will need a daily planner, a calendar with space to write, or a personal
digital assistant to build your plan. You have already determined the time
you have free for study. Now you need to fill in the details. You have also
figured out what you need to study, and have broken the material down into
smaller chunks. Assign one chunk of material to each of the longer study
sessions you have planned. You may need to combine some chunks or add
some review sessions depending on the number of long study sessions you
have planned in your schedule.
You can also plan how to study in your schedule. For example, you might
write for Monday 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.: Read Chapter 4, make notes, map
notes, and create a set of flashcards. Then for Tuesday 8:30 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.
(your commute time): Study Chapter 4 flashcards. The key to a successful
study plan is to be as detailed as possible.
14 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

◗ Staying on Track
Bear in mind that nothing goes exactly as planned. You may need to stay late
at work, you may get a nasty cold, soccer practice may go late, or your child
might need to go to the doctor: any number of things can happen to your
well-thought-out study plan—and some of them probably will. You will
need strategies for coping with life’s little surprises.
The most important thing to remember when you get off track is not to
panic or throw in the towel. You can adjust your schedule to make up the
lost time. You may need to reconsider some of your other commitments and
see if you can borrow some time for studying. Or you may need to forego
one of your planned review sessions to learn new material. You can always
find a few extra minutes here and there for your review.

◗ Minimizing Distractions
There are some distractions, such as getting sick, that are unavoidable.
Many others can be minimized. There are the obvious distractions such as
socializing, television, and the telephone. There are also less amusing dis-
tractions such as anxiety and fear. They can all eat up your time and throw
off your study plan. The good news is you can do a lot to keep these dis-
tractions at bay.

• Enlist the help of your friends and family. Just as you have asked
your friends and family to respect your study space, you can also ask
them to respect your study time. Make sure they know how impor-
tant this test is to you. They will then understand that you don’t
want to be disturbed during study time, and will do what they can
to help you stick to your plan.
• Keep the television off. If you know that you have the tendency
to get pulled into watching TV, don’t turn it on, even before you plan
to study. This way you won’t be tempted to push back your study
time to see how a program ends or see “what’s coming up next.”
• Turn off your cell phone and the ringer on your home phone.
This way you won’t eat up your study time answering phone calls—
even a five-minute call can cause you to lose focus and waste pre-
cious time.
• Use the relaxation techniques discussed earlier in the chapter
if you find yourself becoming anxious while you study. Breathe,
tense and relax your muscles, or visualize a soothing place.
• Banish negative thoughts. Negative thoughts—such as, “I’ll never
get through what I planned to study tonight,” “I’m so mad all my
friends are at the movies and I’m stuck here studying,” “Maybe I’ll
just study for an hour instead of two so I can watch the season finale
STU DY S K I LLS 15

of my favorite show”—interfere with your ability to study effec-

tively. Sometimes just noticing your negative thoughts is enough to
conquer them. Simply answer your negative thought with some-
thing positive—“If I study the full two hours, I can watch the tape
of my show,” “I want to study because I want to do well on the test
so I can . . . ” and so on.

◗ Staying Motivated
You can also get off track because your motivation wanes. You may have
built a rock-solid study plan and set aside every evening from 6:00 to 9:00
to study. And then your favorite team makes it to the playoffs. Your study
plan suddenly clashes with a very compelling distraction. Or you may sim-
ply be tired from a long day at work or school or from taking care of your
family and feel like you don’t have the energy for three hours of concen-
trated study. Here are some strategies to help keep you motivated:

• Visualization. Remind yourself of what you will gain from doing

well on the test. Take some time to visualize how your life will be
positively changed if you accomplish your goal. Do not, however,
spend time visualizing how awful your life will be if you fail. Posi-
tive visualization is a much more powerful motivator than negative
imagery.
• Rewards. Rewards for staying on track can be a great motivator,
especially for flagging enthusiasm. When you accomplish your
study goal, perhaps watch your favorite TV program or have a spe-
cial treat—whatever it is that will motivate you.
• Positive feedback. You can use your study plan to provide positive
feedback. As you work toward the test date, look back at your plan
and remind yourself of how much you have already accomplished.
Your plan will provide a record of your steady progress as you move
forward. You can also enlist the help of study partners, family, and
friends to help you stay motivated. Let the people in your life know
about your study plan and your progress. They are sure to applaud
your efforts.

At the end of the day, you will be your prime motivator. The fact that you
bought this book and have taken the time to create a well-thought out study
plan shows that you are committed to your goal. Now all that is left is to
go for it! Imagine yourself succeeding on your test and let the excitement
of meeting your goal carry you forward.
 2
The Integers and
Absolute Value
B efore you begin learning and reviewing the integers and
absolute value, take a few minutes to take this ten-question Bench-
mark Quiz. These questions are similar to the type of questions that you
will find on important tests. When you are finished, check the answer key
carefully to assess your results. Your Benchmark Quiz analysis will help
you determine how much time you need to spend on the integers and
absolute value, and the specific areas in which you need the most careful
review and practice.

BENCHMARK QUIZ

1. –5 + 17 =
a. 22
b. 12
c. –22
d. –12
e. 10

16
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 17

2. –12 – –14 =
a. –26
b. 26
c. 0
d. –2
e. 2

3. –6 + 6 =
a. –12
b. 0
c. 36
d. 12
e. –36

4. 4 – 10 =
a. 6
b. –14
c. 14
d. –6
e. 7

5. 16 – 3 + 7 =
a. 26
b. 6
c. 20
d. –26
e. –20

6. 120 ÷ –5 =
a. –4
b. 40
c. –40
d. –24
e. –60

7. Find a value for y in the following: –7 + y = 3

a. –10
b. –4
c. 4
d. 0
e. –3
18 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

8. Find the value of y in the following: 16 – y = 20

a. 4
b. 36
c. –36
d. –4
e. 16

9. –72 ÷ –9 =
a. 8
b. –8
c. 12
d. –12
e. –81

10. Find the value of y in the following: –6 × y = –48

a. –8
b. 16
c. 8
d. –42
e. 42

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the integers and absolute value Benchmark Quiz?
Check your answers here, and then analyze your results to figure out your
plan of attack to master these topics.

1. b. –5 plus 17 is the same as taking 17 minus 5. Since 17 is the num-

ber with the largest absolute value, the answer is positive, result-
ing in 12.

2. e. When you subtract, you add the opposite of the second number.
This makes the problem –12 plus +14. This is the same as sub-
tracting 12 from 14. The number 14 has the largest absolute
value, so the answer is +2.

3. b. When you add any number and its opposite, the result is always 0.

4. a. First, evaluate what is inside the absolute value symbol. When

you subtract you add the opposite, so this is 4 plus –10. Adding
these two numbers with different signs requires subtracting 4
from 10, resulting in –6. Finally, the absolute value symbol makes
the answer +6.
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 19

5. c. First, evaluate what is inside the absolute value symbol. Working

from left to right, first evaluate 16 minus 3, which results in 13.
Then add 13 to 7, resulting in 20. The absolute value symbol,
which makes the result positive, has no effect on the answer of 20.

6. d. When you divide a positive number by a negative number, the

answer is negative; 120 ÷ –5 = –24.

7. c. Since the expression on the left is enclosed in the absolute value

symbol, there are two possible answers for the result of the left,
that is –3 or 3. Try the answer choices to find a choice that works.
Choice a becomes –7 + –10 resulting in –17, which becomes +17.
Choice b becomes –7 + –4, resulting in –11, which becomes +11.
Choice c becomes –7 + 4, resulting in –3, which becomes +3.
Note that a second possible answer would have been +10, which is
not a given choice.

8. d. The problem asks what you can subtract from +16 to result in
+20. When you subtract you add the opposite. The value for y
must be –4, since 16 – –4 becomes 16 + 4 = 20.

9. a. A negative number divided by a negative number results in a pos-

itive number, which is +8.

10. c. The question asks what you can multiply –6 by to get –48. A neg-
ative number times a positive number results in a negative answer,
so the choice is +8.

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you have a good grasp of integers
and absolute value. Read over the chapter, concentrating on the areas where
your knowledge is weak. Then, proceed to the quiz at the end of this chap-
ter for additional confirmation of your success.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, you need to refresh yourself on
these topics. Carefully read through the lesson in this chapter for review
and skill building. Pay attention to the sidebars that refer you to more in-
depth practice, hints, and shortcuts. Work through the quiz at the end of
the chapter to check your progress.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, you need help and clarification
on the topics in this section. First, carefully read this chapter and concentrate
on the sidebars and visual aids that will help with comprehension. Perhaps
20 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

you learned this information and forgot; take the time now to refresh your
skills and improve your knowledge. Conquering integer arithmetic requires
practice. Go to the suggested website in the Extra Help sidebar in this chap-
ter, and do extended practice. You may also want to refer to Visual Math: See
How Math Makes Sense, Chapter 1: Number Concepts and Properties, pub-
lished by LearningExpress.

JUST IN TIME LESSON—THE INTEGERS AND

ABSOLUTE VALUE

This lesson covers the basics of working with the integers and absolute
value.
Topics in this chapter include:

• the integers
• absolute value
• operations with signed numbers

GLOSSARY
INTEGERS the set of whole numbers and their opposites, that is . . . –4, –3, –2, –1,
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, . . .

Integers can be shown on a number line where 0, called the origin, is in

the middle:

The sign of an integer can be thought of as its direction on the number

line. The integer –2 is read as “negative two” and is two units to the left of
the origin. The integer 2 is read as “positive two” or simply “two,” and is
two units to the right of the origin. Occasionally, positive two is shown as
+2. It is important to note that the number 0 is neither positive nor nega-
tive. Any pair of integers that are the same distance from zero, but are in
opposite directions, are called opposites. So the opposite of –4 is 4, and the
opposite of 14 is –14.

GLOSSARY
ABSOLUTE VALUE of a number is the distance, or number of units from the origin,
on a number line. Absolute value is the magnitude (the size) of the number and is always
positive.
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 21

The symbol for absolute value is two straight lines surrounding an

expression. For example, –4, the absolute value of negative 4 is equal to
positive 4. Likewise, 4 is also equal to positive 4. Both of these numbers
are four units from the origin. Absolute value is concerned with the mag-
nitude (the size) of a number, and ignores its direction. Absolute value is
always positive.
The integers, and all the real numbers, are ordered; keep in mind that –8
is smaller than –6 because –8 is to the left of –6 on a number line. However,
the absolute value of –8, –8, is larger than –6 because –8 is eight units
from the origin and –6 is only six units from the origin.

ADDITION OF SIGNED NUMBERS

You can understand the addition of integers, or any signed numbers, by

using a number line. When you add a positive integer you move to the
right, and when you add a negative integer you move to the left. The
answer to the problem 7 + 2 is 9, because you start at the origin, move 7
units right, and then move 2 more units right, ending on +9.

The answer to the problem – 3 + –2 is –5, because you start at the origin,
move 3 units to the left, and then move 2 more units to the left, ending on –5.

The answer to the problem 7 + –2 is 5, because you start at the origin,

move 7 units to the right, and then move 2 units to the left, ending on +5.
22 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

And the answer to the problem –10 + 6 is –4, because you start at the
origin, move 10 units to the left, and then move 6 units to the right, end-
ing on –4.

Notice in the examples that adding two numbers with the same sign
yields the sum of the magnitudes, the absolute values, and the sign stays the
same. Adding two numbers with different signs yields the difference between
the absolute values, and the sign of the number with the largest absolute
value will dictate the sign of the answer. You actually subtract absolute val-
ues when you add two numbers with different signs. This leads to the spe-
cial case of when you add two opposites, which always results in an answer
of zero.

E RULE BOOK
Use the flowchart on the next page to learn the rules for adding and sub-
tracting signed numbers.

SUBTRACTION OF SIGNED NUMBERS

It is best to think of subtraction of integers, or subtraction of any signed

numbers, as adding the opposite of the second number. For example, if the
problem states –10 – 6 you will change this problem to be –10 + –6, and fol-
low the rules for addition of signed numbers. Likewise, 5 – –8 will be
changed to 5 + +8, or simply 5 + 8, and again, follow the rules for addition
of signed numbers. Learn the rule for adding signed numbers. You will
change all subtraction problems to adding the opposite, so all problems
involving addition or subtraction of signed numbers become addition
problems.
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 23

Following are some examples of subtraction using the flowchart:

• Since the problem –7 – 4 is subtraction, you change it to –7 + –4 by

adding the opposite. The numbers have the same sign, so you add
the absolute values and keep the sign, resulting in –11.
• The problem 4 – –3 is subtraction, so change the problem to add
the opposite, that is 4 + +3. This is simply 4 + 3, resulting in 7.

SHORTCUT
" When you see a double negative, immediately change that double neg-
ative to one positive sign. For example, 6 – –8 simplifies to 6 + 8.

To add or subtract a string of signed numbers, you can pick up pairs of

numbers, working from left to right. Then follow the rules given for each
pair. For example, to evaluate –5 + 7 – 3, first evaluate –5 + 7. By following
24 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

the flowchart, you are adding two numbers with different signs. Subtract
the absolute values and take the sign of the number with the larger absolute
value, resulting in +2. Then evaluate this result with the next number in the
string, that is +2 – 3. Subtract 2 from 3, and take the sign of the –3, since
–3 has a larger absolute value. The answer is –1.

MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION OF

SIGNED NUMBERS

To understand the multiplication of integers, recall that 3 × 4 can be

thought of as three groups of +4, which is 4 + 4 + 4 = 12. So 3 × –4 is three
groups of –4, or –4 + –4 + –4, which is –12. The problem –5 × 2 is two
groups of –5, or –5 + –5, which is –10. To understand – 4 × –5, think of this
as the opposite of four groups of –5. Four groups of –5 is –5 + –5 + –5 + –5,
which is –20, and the opposite of –20 is +20. So –4 × –5 = 20.

RULE BOOK

E This leads to the rules for multiplying or dividing signed numbers:

positive × positive = positive
negative × negative = positive
positive ÷ positive = positive
negative ÷ negative = positive
positive × negative = negative positive ÷ negative = negative
negative × positive = negative negative ÷ positive = negative

When you multiply more than two signed numbers together, it is help-
ful to think of multiplying signed numbers by counting the amount of neg-
ative terms in the problem. If there are an even number of negative terms
(remember that zero is an even number), the result is positive. If there are
an odd number of negative terms, the result is negative. This can save you
valuable time on a multiple choice test, in that you do not have to apply the
above rule over and over for pairs of numbers. For example, if you are given
the problem –12 × –5 × 3 × 10, you count the number of negative terms. In
this case there are two negative terms, so the result must be positive and you
can eliminate any negative answer choices. If you are given the problem
9 × –7 × –100 × –2, you count the number of negative terms. There are
three negative terms, so the answer must be negative, and you can eliminate
any positive answer choices. In both examples, the sign of the result is
obtained just by inspection. All that remains to solve the problem is to do
the multiplication without regard to the sign, then to take the sign obtained
by inspection. When you divide signed numbers, you follow the same rea-
soning that you use for multiplication.
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 25

RULE BOOK

E Use this flowchart to learn the rules for multiplying or dividing signed
numbers:

Take a moment to look at the flowcharts. As you can see at a glance, the
multiplication and division rules are much easier to remember than addi-
tion and subtraction. It is a good idea to be proficient in integer arithmetic,
in both speed and accuracy. The best way is to practice. It is just like learn-
ing to ride a bicycle. At first it seems so difficult, and then with practice you
are riding without even thinking. As you are starting out with your review,
follow the flowchart with each problem. Soon the flowchart will become
second nature to you.

EXTRA HELP
O The website www.aaamath.com is a good source for practicing speed
and accuracy with the basic integer operations. Under Math Topics
choose Addition, and then scroll down to select One-Digit Integers, or
Adding Three Integers. Then click on Play and Countdown. Electronic
flashcards will appear, and the program will keep track of your
accuracy.
26 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

EXTRA HELP
O Another interesting website, http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/index.html,
has a game, Circle 0, for practicing one-digit integer arithmetic. Click on
Virtual Library. Then, click on the 9–12 box in the Numbers & Operations
row. Click on Circle 0, and play the integer game.

Many calculators can do positive and negative arithmetic. It is a good

idea for you to be able to do this arithmetic mentally, but following is the
key sequence for most calculators when doing positive and negative
arithmetic.

CALCULATOR TIPS

i If your calculator has the positive/negative key, then it will perform pos-
itive and negative arithmetic. Most calculators have you enter the sign of
a negative number after you enter the magnitude. So –8 would be
entered as . To perform the problem –3 – –6, you would use the
key sequence: to get the result of 3.
Check your calculator with this tip sheet.

OPERATIONS WITH ABSOLUTE VALUE

When you evaluate expressions involving absolute value, first perform all
arithmetic inside the absolute value symbol and then make the answer pos-
itive. The absolute value function is performed last. For example, –6 – 2
becomes –6 + –2 which becomes –8 = 8. Another example is –10 +
4 – 3 = –6 – 3 = –6 + –3 = –9 = 9.

MISSING TERMS PROBLEMS

Sometimes, you will be asked to fill in a missing term in the form of a vari-
able, as in the problem: What is the value of y: –5 + y = 5? Think: “What
would you add to negative 5 to yield an answer of positive 5?” The variable
y must be a positive number greater than 5 such that the difference between
the number and 5 yields 5. The answer is 10. Another example is with
absolute value: What is the value of y: y + –14 = 10? The expression,
enclosed in the absolute value symbol, must be either –10 or +10. Find a
number from the answer choices that when added to –14 yields either
–10 or +10. The answer would be either +4 or +24, since 4 + –14 = –10
and 24 + –14 = 10.
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 27

EXTRA HELP
O This type of practice can also be done at the website www.aaamath.
com by choosing, under Math Topics, Addition and then scroll down to
select One-Digit Integer Equations. Click on Play and then Countdown
for electronic flashcards.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

When working with signed numbers, remember:

• Absolute value is always positive.

• When you subtract, you add the opposite.
• To add two numbers with the same sign, add the magnitudes and
keep the sign.
• To add two numbers with different signs, find the difference of the
numbers, and take the sign of the number with the largest absolute
value.
• To multiply or divide two numbers with the same sign, the answer
is positive.
• To multiply or divide two numbers with different signs, the answer
is negative.
• Memorize and work with the flowcharts until they are automatic.

When you are taking a multiple-choice test, remember these tips to

improve your score:

• If the problem is all numbers enclosed by the absolute value sym-

bol, immediately eliminate any negative answer choices.
• If multiplying a string of integers, count the number of negative
terms. If there are an even number of negative terms, the result will
be positive. If there are an odd number of negative terms the answer
will be negative.
28 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

PRACTICE

Following is additional practice on the integers and absolute value. When

you have finished, check to see if you have mastered this concept.

1. –9 + 22 =
a. 31
b. 30
c. –13
d. –30
e. 13

2. –7 – –36 =
a. 43
b. –43
c. 29
d. 48
e. –29

3. –16 + 16 =
a. 32
b. –32
c. 1
d. 0
e. 256

4. 180 ÷ –60 =
a. –30
b. 3
c. 30
d. –3
e. 120

5. 15 × –3 =
a. –45
b. –15
c. 45
d. –12
e. 12
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 29

6. –225 ÷ –25 =
a. 8
b. 9
c. –8
d. –9
e. 5

7. 13 – –5 =
a. 18
b. 8
c. 65
d. –8
e. –18

8. –56 ÷ 8 =
a. 9
b. 7
c. –8
d. –9
e. –7

9. –9 × 8 =
a. 1
b. 72
c. –63
d. –72
e. –1

10. 12 – 23 =

a. –11
b. 35
c. 11
d. –35
e. 1

11. 7 – 19 + 5 =
a. 31
b. –7
c. –31
d. 7
e. 21
30 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

12. –16 × 3 × 2 =
a. –11
b. –24
c. 96
d. 24
e. –96

13. –20 + 3 – –6 =

a. 23
b. –29
c. 11
d. 29
e. –11

14. –2 – –7 =

a. 9
b. 5
c. –9
d. 14
e. –5

15. –13 – 12 + 25 =

a. 0
b. 1
c. 50
d. –50
e. 40

16. –12 × 10 =

a. 120
b. 2
c. –120
d. –2
e. 22

17. Find the value of y: 20 + y = 12

a. 32
b. 8
c. –18
d. –32
e. –8
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 31

18. Find a value for y: –7 + y = 1

a. –8
b. 7
c. 6
d. –7
e. –17

19. Find the value of y: – 49 ÷ y = 7

a. 7
b. 8
c. –8
d. –343
e. –7

20. Find the value of y: 16 – y = 30

a. 14
b. –46
c. 18
d. –14
e. 46

21. Find a value of y: y – 17 = 12

a. –30
b. 5
c. –5
d. –29
e. 30

22. Find the value of y: –12 × y = 144

a. 132
b. 12
c. –11
d. –12
e. 156

23. Find the value of y: 8 + y = –19

a. –11
b. –152
c. –27
d. 11
e. 27
32 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

24. Find the value of y: y ÷ 11 = –11

a. –1
b. 22
c. 121
d. –22
e. –121

25. Find a value of y: 20 – y = 6

a. 26
b. 13
c. 15
d. –13
e. –26

ANSWERS

Here are the answers and explanations to the chapter quiz. Read over the
explanations carefully for any problems that you answered incorrectly. For
more information and practice on working with integers and absolute value,
see Visual Math: See How Math Makes Sense, Chapter 1: Number Concepts
and Properties, published by LearningExpress.

1. e. When adding two numbers with different signs, subtract the

numbers, and take the sign of the number with the larger absolute
value. The difference between 22 and 9 is 13.

2. c. When you subtract, first change the problem to add the opposite.
The problem becomes –7 + +36. When adding two numbers with
opposite signs, take the difference of the numbers, which results
in 29. The result is +29, since +36 was the number with the largest
absolute value.

3. d. The sum of any number and its opposite is always zero.

4. d. When you divide a positive by a negative, the answer is negative,

resulting in –3.

5. a. When you multiply a positive by a negative, the answer is nega-

tive, resulting in –45.

6. b. Dividing a negative by a negative yields a positive result; –225

divided by –25 is +9.
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 33

7. a. When you subtract, you add the opposite. The problem becomes
13 + 5, which is 18.

8. e. A negative number divided by a positive number yields a negative

number; –56 divided by 8 is –7.

9. d. A negative number multiplied by a positive number has a negative

result; –9 times 8 is –72.

10. c. First, evaluate what is inside the absolute value symbol. When
you subtract, you add the opposite, which will be 12 + –23. Take
the difference between 23 and 12, which is 11, and the sub answer
is –11, since –23 is the number with the largest absolute value.
Finally, the absolute value symbol makes the answer +11.

11. d. Simplify the expression within the absolute value symbol, and
then make the final answer positive. Evaluate from left to right;
7 – 19 is the same as 7 + –19. Subtract 7 from 19 to get 12, which
will be –12, since the 19 is negative. Now evaluate –12 + 5. This
difference is –7, but remember the final answer will be positive
because of the absolute value symbol.

12. c. Perform all arithmetic within the symbols first, and then make the
final answer positive. Since there are an odd number of negative
factors, namely one, the answer inside the symbols will be nega-
tive. This will not really matter, however since at the end you will
make the answer positive because of the absolute value symbol. It
is enough to just multiply 16 times 3 times 2, resulting in 96.

13. c. Perform all operations within the absolute value symbols first,
and then make the final answer positive; –20 + 3 results in –17,
since 20 – 3 is 17, and the answer is negative since –20 has the
largest absolute value. Now evaluate –17 – –6. Change the prob-
lem to –17 + 6, which yields –11. Find the absolute value of –11.
The final answer is +11 or simply 11.

14. b. First, evaluate the expression inside the absolute value symbols.
Since this is a subtraction problem, first change it to add the
opposite. The problem becomes +2 plus +7. Adding two numbers
with different signs dictates that we take the difference, which is
5, and keep the sign of the number with the largest absolute value.
In any case, the final answer is +5, since the expression is sur-
rounded by the absolute value symbol.
34 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

15. a. First, simplify the expression that is inside the absolute value sym-
bols. Work from left to right, and start by doing the subtraction
–13 minus 12. This changes to –13 + –12. When you add two
numbers with the same sign, just add the numbers and keep the
sign. Now the problem is reduced to –25 + 25. Recall that adding
any number and its opposite results in zero.

16. a. Since the entire problem is surrounded by the absolute value sym-
bol, the answer must be positive. Just multiply the two numbers,
and the answer is the positive product of these numbers.

17. e. To solve this problem, think what can be added to positive 20 to result
in 12? It must be a negative number, and must be the difference
between 20 and 12. The answer is –8.

18. c. The expression inside the absolute value must be either 1 or –1

for the problem to be true. Check the answer choices to find one
that works. Choice a results in –15, which would be 15, and it
does not work. Choice b would result in 0, and does not work.
Choice c works, since –7 plus 6 results in –1, the difference
between the numbers. The absolute value of –1 is 1. You may have
realized that a second possible solution would be +8, which is not
a choice.

19. e. To answer this problem, think what can I divide negative 49 by to get
positive 7? The answer must be negative, since a negative times a
negative will yield the positive result; –49 divided by –7 is +7.

20. d. Think: what number can I subtract from positive 16 to get positive 30?
The answer cannot be a positive number, since 16 is less than 30.
The answer will be –14, since the difference between 30 and 16
is 14.

21. b. To tackle this problem, the best approach is to try the answer
choices, knowing that you are looking for a result inside the
absolute value symbols of either 12 or –12. Trying choice a yields
–47, since you would be adding two negative numbers. This can-
not give the needed answer of 12. Trying choice b will give a
desired answer of –12 since the difference between 5 and 17 is
–12. The absolute value will force the answer to be +12, which
equals the right side of this equation. Note that a second solution
of +29 would also work, but this number is not one of the choices.
TH E I NTE G E R S AN D AB S O LUTE VA LU E 35

22. d. Think: what number can I multiply negative 12 by to get positive 144?
The correct answer must be negative, since you must multiply a
negative by a negative to get a positive result; –12 times –12
equals 144.

23. c. To solve this problem, consider: what can I add to a positive 8 to

result in negative 19? It must be a negative number, such that the
difference between this number and 8 is 19. That would be 27, so
the correct choice is –27.

24. e. One way to solve this problem is to think: what number, when
divided by positive 11, gives an answer of negative 11? Remember that
a negative divided by a positive is a negative result. Recall that 11
times 11 is 121, so the answer is –121.

25. a. The easiest way to solve this type of problem is to realize that the
result inside the absolute value symbols must be either a positive 6
or a negative 6. Try the answer choices to find one that works.
Choice a works, since 20 minus 26 is the same as 20 plus –26, and
the difference between 20 and 26 is 6. Note that a second solution
could have been 14, which is not a choice.
 3
Properties of Numbers

B efore you begin learning and reviewing the properties of num-

bers, take a few minutes to take this ten-question Benchmark Quiz.
These questions are similar to the type of questions that you will find on
important tests. When you are finished, check the answer key carefully to
assess your results. Your Benchmark Quiz analysis will help you deter-
mine how much time you need to spend on the properties of numbers,
and the specific areas in which you need the most careful review and
practice.

BENCHMARK QUIZ

1. 10 – 5 + 2 =
a. 3
b. –3
c. –7
d. 7
e. 10

36
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 37

2. 32 – 40 ÷ 4 =
a. –2
b. –18
c. 22
d. 12
e. 42
4 + 52
3. 7 +  
4+3 =
a. 15
b. 14
c. 2413
d. 44
e. 673

4. Which choice shows the prime factorization of 60?

a. 3 × 4 × 5
b. 6 × 10
c. 6 × (8 + 2)
d. 1 × 60
e. 2 × 2 × 3 × 5

5. Find the greatest common factor of 20 and 30.

a. 60
b. 20
c. 5
d. 600
e. 10

6. Find the least common multiple of 40 and 50.

a. 10
b. 5
c. 100
d. 200
e. 2,000

7. Which choice shows an example of the distributive property?

a. 7 × (8 × 6) = (7 × 8) × 6
b. 7(40 + 8) = 7 × 40 + 7 × 8
c. 7 × 48 = 48 × 7
d. 7(40 + 8) = 7 × 20 + 7 × 28
e. 7 × 40 + 8 = 7 × (40 + 8)
38 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

8. 100 ÷ 5 + –5 × 3 =
a. 35
b. 75
c. 5
d. 45
e. 3313

9. Which choice shows an example of the associative property?

a. 12 + (49 + 51) = (49 + 51) + 12
b. 49 + (51 + 12) = (49 + 51) + 12
c. 49 + (51 + 12) = 49 + 51 + (49 + 12)
d. 12 + 49 + 51 = 51 + 49 + 12
e. 12(49 + 51) = 12 × 49 + 12 × 51

10. Which example shows the commutative property?

a. 29 × 7 × 21 = (29 × 7) × 7 × 21
b. (29 × 7) × 21 = 29 × (7 × 21)
c. 29 × 7 × 21 = 29 × 21 × 7
d. 29 × 7 × 21 = 203 × 21
e. 29(7 + 21) = 29 × 7 + 29 × 21

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the properties of numbers Benchmark Quiz? Check

your answers here, and then analyze your results to figure out your plan of
attack to master these topics.

1. d. For the order of operations, addition and subtraction are done left
to right. First subtract 5 from 10, and then add 2 to get a result
of 7.

2. c. Division is done before subtraction for the order of operations.

First, divide 40 by 4, and then subtract this number from 32.

3. a. A fraction bar acts as a grouping symbol, so this problem

becomes 7 + (4 + 52) ÷ (4 + 3). Evaluate the parentheses first: 7
+ 56 ÷ 7. Next, perform the division, and 56 ÷ 7 = 8. Finally,
7 + 8 = 15.

4. e. All of the choices show examples of factors that produce 60, but
choice e is the only factorization showing all prime numbers.
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 39

5. e. 20 = 2 × 2 × 5, and 30 = 2 × 3 × 5. Two and five are prime factors

of both 20 and 30, so the greatest common factor is two times
five, which is ten.

6. d. List the multiples of 40 and 50 until one is found in common.

Multiples of 50 are: 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 . . . and multiples of 40
are: 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, 240, and so on. A common multiple is
found, namely 200. An alternate approach to finding the least
common multiple is explained later in the chapter.

7. b. The distributive property states that multiplication distributes

over addition or subtraction. An illustration of this is choice b.

8. a. The absolute value symbol serves as a grouping symbol, and

grouping symbols are evaluated first; –5 × 3 = 15. Now divide 5
into 100 to get 20. Finally, add 20 + 15 = 35.

9. b. Choice b shows an example of the associative property, which

states that when all operations in an expression are addition (or
multiplication) you can change the grouping symbols to get the
same result.

10. c. The commutative property states that when all operations are
multiplication (or addition) you can change the order of the
operands to get the same result.

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you have a good understanding

of the properties of numbers. Perhaps the questions you answered incor-
rectly deal with one specific area in this chapter. Read over the chapter, con-
centrating on those areas of weakness. Proceed to the chapter assessment
to try to improve your score.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, there are several areas you need
to review. Carefully read through the lesson in this chapter for review and
skill building. Work carefully through the examples and pay attention to the
sidebars that refer you to definitions, hints, and shortcuts. Get additional
practice on the properties of numbers by taking the quiz at the end of the
chapter.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, you need to spend some time on
the topics in this chapter. You may be tested specifically on these topics for
your upcoming examinations or, more important, you need a solid under-
40 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

standing of these properties in order to solve various kinds of math prob-

lems. First, carefully read this chapter and concentrate on the sidebars and
visual aids that will help with comprehension. Go to the suggested website
in the Extra Help sidebar in this chapter, which will help with understand-
ing and will provide extended practice. You may also want to refer to Visual
Math: See How Math Makes Sense, Chapter 1: Number Concepts and Prop-
erties, published by LearningExpress.

JUST IN TIME LESSON—PROPERTIES

OF NUMBERS

The topics in this chapter are:

• the order of operations

• basic properties of numbers
• factors and multiples of numbers

THE ORDER OF OPERATIONS

The basic operations of real numbers include addition, subtraction, multi-

plication, division, and exponentiation (discussed in Chapter 7 of this book).
Often, in expressions, there are grouping symbols—usually shown as paren-
theses—which are used to make a mathematical statement clear. In math,
there is a pre-defined order in which you perform operations. This agreed-
upon order that must be used is known as the order of operations.

RULE BOOK: THE ORDER

E OF OPERATIONS
• First, perform all operations enclosed in parentheses.
• Second, evaluate all exponents.
• Third, perform any multiplication and division, in order, working from
left to right.
• Finally, evaluate any addition or subtraction, in order, working from left
to right.
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 41

SHORTCUT
" The order of operations rules can be remembered by the visual aid:
P parentheses
E exponents
MDmultiplication and division
AS addition and subtraction
or by the verbal aid that you may recall from your school days: Please
Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

Examples:
8 + 15 × 3 There are no parentheses or exponents, so
evaluate multiplication first.
8 + 45 Now perform the addition.
53

7 + 24 ÷ 6 × 10 There are no parentheses or exponents, so

evaluate multiplication and division from
left to right. First, do the division.
7 + 4 × 10 Next, perform multiplication.
7 + 40 Finally, perform addition.
47

(36 + 64) ÷ (18 – 20) First, evaluation parentheses, from left to

right.
100 ÷ – 2 Now, do the division.
–50

In Chapter 2, the absolute value operation was reviewed. For order

of operations, the absolute value symbol is treated at the same level as
parentheses.

Example:
5 × –13 + 3 First, evaluate the expression inside the
absolute value symbol.
5 × –10 Second, evaluate the absolute value.
5 × 10 Now, perform the multiplication.
50

One important distinction to note is that a fraction bar, which serves as

a division symbol, is also treated as a grouping symbol.
42 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
7 × 10
 Evaluate the numerator, then evaluate the
2+8
denominator, and then perform the divi-
sion at the end.
(7 × 10) ÷ (2 + 8) Evaluate the parentheses from left to
right.
70 ÷ 10 Now divide.
7

EXTRA HELP
O For further information on the order of operations, refer to Practical
Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, Lesson 20, Miscellaneous Math,
published by LearningExpress.

i
CALCULATOR TIPS
If your calculator has parentheses keys, then it most likely will perform the
correct order of operations. Check your calculator with these examples to
see if it performs the correct order of operations. To evaluate 16 – 100 ÷ 5,
enter: . Your calculator should show a
result of –4.
Here is how to enter an expression with parentheses. To evaluate
48 ÷ (4 + 2), enter: . Your calculator
should show a result of 8.

THE PROPERTIES OF NUMBERS

Sometimes it is convenient to change the order of operations. The

real numbers share some properties with which you should be familiar.
These properties allow you to change the rules for the order of operations.
They can be used to increase speed and accuracy when doing mental arith-
metic. These properties are also used extensively in algebra, when solving
equations.
Two properties, the commutative and associative properties, deal with
expressions that involve a string of all addition operations, or a string of all
multiplication operations. These properties are for addition and multiplica-
tion only.

GLOSSARY
COMMUTATIVE PROPERTY states that when performing a string of addition oper-
ations, or a string of multiplication operations, the order does not matter. In other words,
a + b = b + a.
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 43

Recall that the order of operations directs you to add or multiply work-
ing from left to right. When you balance your checkbook, and have to add
up a string of outstanding checks, list them all and use the commutative
property to arrive at the total. Then, change the order of addends to add
pairs whose unit (ones) digit adds to ten.

Example:
To add 17 + 64 + 35 + 43 + 96 Change the order.
17 + 43 + 64 + 96 + 35 Add 17 + 43 first, since 7 + 3 = 10.
60 + 64 + 96 + 35 Now, change the order.
64 + 96 + 60 + 35 Add 64 + 96 next, since 4 + 6 = 10.
160 + 60 + 35 Work left to right.
220 + 35
255

In the same way, the commutative property is helpful when multiplying

several numbers or terms. Change the order to find pairs of numbers whose
product would be 10, 100, or 1,000.

Example:
To multiply: 4 × 2 × 70 × 50 × 25 Change the order.
4 × 25 × 2 × 70 × 50 Multiply 4 and 25 first, since
4 × 25 = 100.
100 × 2 × 70 × 50 Now change the order.
2 × 50 × 100 × 70 Multiply 2 and 50 together,
since 2 × 50 = 100.
100 × 100 × 70 Finish left to right.
700,000

GLOSSARY
ASSOCIATIVE PROPERTY is used when grouping symbols are present. This prop-
erty states that when you perform a string of addition operations, or all multiplication
operations, you can change the grouping. In other words, (a × b) × c = a × (b × c).

Example:
19 + (7 + 16) + 34 Change grouping to add 16 and 34 first, since
6 + 4 = 10.
19 + 7 + (16 + 34) Evaluate parentheses.
19 + 7 + 50 Finish, working left to right.
26 + 50
76
44 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example with multiplication:

15 × (8 × 20) × 5 Change grouping to multiply 20 and 5 first,
since 20 × 5 = 100.
15 × 8 × (20 × 5) Evaluate parentheses first.
15 × 8 × 100 Finish, working left to right.
12,000

Another useful property is the distributive property. This property deals

with two operations, multiplication and addition, or multiplication and sub-
traction. Recall that 5(12 + 8) means “five times the quantity twelve plus
eight.”

GLOSSARY
DISTRIBUTIVE PROPERTY states that multiplication distributes over addition or
subtraction.

Example:
The expression 5(12 + 8) = 5(20) = 100 could also be evaluated as
5(12 + 8) = 5 × 12 + 5 × 8 = 60 + 40 = 100.

Example:
9(x – 2) = 9x – 18

SHORTCUT
" Use this visual image to remember how to work with the distributive
property:

This property can make mental multiplication easier.

Example:
17 × 5 Knowing that 17 = 7 + 10:
5(10 + 7) Use the distributive property.
5 × 10 + 5 × 7 Follow the order of operations.
50 + 35
85
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 45

These properties are used extensively in algebra when you solve equa-
tions, so an understanding of how the properties work is essential to under-
standing mathematics.

FACTORS AND MULTIPLES

GLOSSARY
WHOLE NUMBERS the counting numbers and 0, that is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, . . .
FACTOR of a number is any whole number that divides evenly, without remainder, into
the given number.
MULTIPLE of a number is the product of any whole number multiplied by the given
number.
PRIME NUMBER a whole number, excluding 1 and 0, whose only factors are 1 and
the number itself.
COMPOSITE NUMBER a whole number, excluding 1 and 0, that has more factors
than 1 and the number itself.

It is helpful to remember that factors are less than, or equal to, the given
number. Multiples start at 0, followed by the number itself, and then all
other multiples are greater than the number. There are a finite number of
factors, but an infinite number of multiples. To find the greatest common
factor, list out all of the factors and find the largest one in common. For the
least common multiple, list all of the multiples, starting with the number
in question, until you find the first multiple that the numbers have in
common.

Examples:
Find the greatest common factor of 63 and 81.
Factors of 63: 1, 3, 7, 9, 21, 63
Factors of 81: 1, 3, 9, 27, 81
All factors have been listed. The largest factor in common
between 63 and 81 is 9.

Find the least common multiple of 63 and 81.

Multiples of 63: 63, 126, 189, 252, 315, 378, 441, 504, 567
Multiples of 81: 81, 162, 243, 324, 405, 486, 567
Multiples are listed until one is found in common. The least
common multiple of 63 and 81 is 567.
46 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

SHORTCUT
" The greatest common factor is abbreviated as the GCF, and the least
common multiple is abbreviated as the LCM, or when working with frac-
tions, the least common (multiple of the) denominators, the LCD.

It can be time consuming to list all multiples until one is found in com-
mon. There is a more efficient way to find the least common multiple and
greatest common factor. This method is based on the most important and
basic idea about whole numbers: The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic.

GLOSSARY
THE FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM OF ARITHMETIC states that every whole num-
ber greater than 1 is the product of prime factors. Furthermore, these prime factors are
unique, and there is exactly one set of prime factors.

Because any number can be broken down into prime factors in exactly
one unique way, you can use this fact to find the GCF and the LCM quickly,
using these prime factors. It is helpful to use a tree diagram to find the
prime factorization.

Examples:
Find the greatest common factor and the least common multiple for
72 and 24.
Find the prime factorization of 72. Circle all prime factors.

Notice that even though two factor trees are illustrated, the result-
ant set of prime factors is the same. The prime factorization of 72 is:
2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3.
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 47

Likewise, find the prime factorization of 24:

The prime factorization of 24 is: 2 × 2 × 2 × 3.

To find the greatest common factor of 72 and 24, list the prime
factorizations of each number and then pair up common prime fac-
tors. Multiply these common prime factors:

From the illustration, the greatest common factor of 72 and 24 is

2 × 2 × 2 × 3 = 24.
After all common primes have been paired, multiply all “leftover”
unpaired primes to the greatest common factor. This will be the
least common multiple.

The least common multiple is the GCF × 3, which is 24 × 3 = 72.

48 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Find the greatest common factor and the least common multiple
for 45 and 18:
Find the prime factorization for 45 and 18:

Pair up the common prime factors. Multiply them together for the
greatest common factor. Now, multiply the GCF with all of the
unpaired primes left over to find the least common multiple:

The GCF of 45 and 18 is 9, and the LCM is 90.

You may need to answer questions directly about the GCF or the
LCM, or you will need to find these numbers in your work with
fractions and algebra.

EXTRA HELP
O The website http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/index.html is very instruc-
tive when working with the GCF and the LCM. You can see interactively
how to produce a factor tree, and to then find the GCF and the LCM.
Click on Virtual Library. Click on the 9–12 box in the row labeled Num-
bers & Operations. Click on Factor Tree. Follow the instructions for the
factor tree game.
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 49

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

Here are some highlights of the properties of numbers:

• The order of operations is to first evaluate parentheses, then expo-

nents, then multiplication and division, left to right, and finally
addition and subtraction, left to right.
• The order of operations can be remembered as PEMDAS, or
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.
• The properties of numbers enable you to change the order of oper-
ations.
• The commutative property deals with the ORDER of the terms.
• The associative property deals with the GROUPING of the terms.
• The distributive property deals with multiplication and addition, or
multiplication and subtraction.
• To find the prime factorization of a number, use a factor tree.
• To find the GCF or the LCM of a set of numbers, use the prime
factorization.

PRACTICE

For additional practice, take this final assessment of the properties of

numbers.

1. 25 + 15 × 3 =
a. 120
b. 30
c. 15
d. 70
e. 1313

2. 8 – 10 ÷ 2 =
a. –1
b. 1
c. 3
d. –3
e. 9
50 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

3. 5 × (6 + 19) =
a. 49
b. 125
c. 115
d. 5
e. –5
144
4. 12 + 8 +
4 =
a. 24
b. 16
c. 144
d. 32
e. 34

5. 120 ÷ 5 × –2 =
a. 12
b. –50
c. –48
d. 48
e. 50

6. Which example shows the prime factorization of 90?

a. 9 × 10
b. 90 × 1
c. 2 × 3 × 3 × 5
d. 2 × 5 × 9
e. 3 × 3 × 10

7. Which choice shows an example of the distributive property?

a. 5 × 27 = 27 × 5
b. 5(20 + 7) = 5 × 20 + 5 × 7
c. 5 × (9 × 3) = (5 × 9) × 3
d. 5(20 + 7) = 2 × 15 + 5 × 7
e. 5 × 20 + 7 = 5 × (20 + 7)

8. What is the greatest common factor of 48 and 120?

a. 12
b. 2
c. 240
d. 3
e. 24
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 51

9. What is the least common multiple of 20 and 30?

a. 20
b. 30
c. 600
d. 60
e. 10

10. 35 – 5 + 7 =
a. 23
b. 14
c. 47
d. 22
e. 37

11. What is the GCF of 72 and 180?

a. 36
b. 9
c. 72
d. 360
e. 4

12. What is the LCM of 72 and 180?

a. 12,960
b. 72
c. 9
d. 360
e. 36

13. Which choice below shows an example of the commutative property?

a. 17 + 24 + 3 = 17 + (20 + 4) + 3
b. 17 + 24 + 3 = 17 + 3 + 24
c. (17 + 24) + 3 = 17 + (24 + 3)
d. 17 + 24 + 3 = 41 + 3
e. 17(24 + 3) = 17 × 24 + 17 × 3

14. 48 ÷ 4 – (4 × 3) =
a. –6
b. 24
c. 60
d. –24
e. 0
52 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

15. Which choice below shows an example of the associative property?

a. 20 × (50 × 8) = (20 × 50) × 8
b. 20 × (50 × 8) = (50 × 8) × 20
c. 20 × (50 × 8) = 20 × 50 + 20 × 8
d. 20 × 50 × 8 = 50 × 8 × 20
e. 20 × (50 + 8) = 20 × 50 + 20 × 8

16. Which example shows the prime factorization of 78?

a. 1 × 78
b. 2 × 39
c. 78 × 2 = 156
d. 2 × 3 × 13
e. 70 + 8
10 + 7 × 2
17.  =
2+4
a. 24
b. 4
c. 414
d. 6
e. 523

18. 17 – –10 + 3 =
a. 30
b. 24
c. 4
d. 10
e. –13

19. What is the LCM of 27 and 90?

a. 90
b. 270
c. 9
d. 27
e. 3

20. 10 + 48 ÷ 8 × 5 =
a. 80
b. 11.2
c. 36.25
d. 35
e. 40
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 53

21. 3 × –16 – –3 =

a. –45
b. 51
c. 39
d. –39
e. 57

22. What is the greatest common factor of 120 and 240?

a. 60
b. 240
c. 120
d. 2
e. 480

23. 10 × (2 + 12 ÷ 3) =
a. 332
b. 24
c. 60
d. 46.666667
e. 10.666667

24. Which is NOT a factor of 60?

a. 6
b. 60
c. 2
d. 3
e. 8

25. What is the least common multiple of 54 and 81?

a. 81
b. 9
c. 3
d. 162
e. 1
54 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

ANSWERS

Here are the answers and explanations to the chapter quiz. Read them over
carefully for explanations of any problems that you answered incorrectly.
For more information and practice on the properties of numbers, see
LearningExpress’s Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, Lesson 20.

1. d. Multiplication is done before addition in the order of operations.

First multiply 15 by 3 and then add 25 to get the result of 45 +
25 = 70.

2. c. For the order of operations, you must perform division first. This
sub-result is 5; 8 – 5 = 3.

3. b. Expressions within parentheses are evaluated first; 6 + 19 = 25.

Now perform the multiplication: 5 × 25 = 125.

4. a. The fraction bar stands for division of the numerator by the

denominator; it also stands for a grouping symbol. This expres-
sion is 12 + 144 ÷ (8 + 4). First, evaluate parentheses to get 8 + 4 =
12. Now division is performed before addition; 144 ÷ 12 = 12.
The final step is to add: 12 + 12 = 24.

5. c. Multiplication and division are done left to right, so first evaluate

120 divided by 5, which is 24. To evaluate multiplication, remem-
ber that a positive times a negative produces a negative result, and
24 × –2 = –48.

6. c. All of the choices show examples of factors that produce 90, but
choice c is the only factorization showing all prime numbers.

7. b. The distributive property states that multiplication distributes

over addition or subtraction. An illustration of this is choice b.

8. e. First find the prime factorization of both 48 and 120, and then
look for all common prime factors; 48 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 and
120 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 5. The common prime factors are 2 × 2 × 2
× 3 = 24. The greatest common factor is 24.

9. d. With these numbers, it is easy to just list the multiples of 20 and

30 to find the first one in common. Multiples of 20 are: 20, 40, 60,
80 . . . and multiples of 30 are: 30, 60, 90 . . . The least common
multiple is 60.
P R O P E RTI E S O F N U M B E R S 55

10. e. Addition and subtraction are done left to right. Subtraction must
be evaluated first; 35 – 5 = 30. The answer is 30 + 7 = 37.

11. a. The GCF stands for the greatest common factor. Find the prime
factorization of the numbers. The prime factorization of 72 is 2 ×
2 × 2 × 3 × 3. The prime factorization of 180 is 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 5.
The common prime factors are 2, 2, 3 and 3; 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 = 36.

12. d. The LCM is the least common multiple. Find the prime factor-
ization of 72 and 180. The prime factorization of 72 is 2 × 2 × 2 ×
3 × 3. The prime factorization of 180 is 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 5. The
greatest common factor is 36. Multiply this number by the left-
over primes; 36 × 2 × 5 = 360. You may have also started listing
multiples of 180, that is 180, 360, 540, and then tested to see that
72 divides evenly into 360; 360 is a multiple of 72 and is the least
common multiple of 72 and 180.

13. b. The commutative property states that when all operations are
addition (or multiplication) you can change the order of the
operands to get the same result.

14. e. Parentheses are evaluated first, and 4 × 3 = 12. Next, division is

performed; 48 ÷ 4 = 12. Finally, 12 – 12 = 0.

15. a. Choice a shows an example of the associative property. This

property states that when all operations in an expression are mul-
tiplication (or addition) you can change the grouping symbols to
get the same result.

16. d. All of the choices show examples of factors that produce 78, but
choice d is the only factorization showing all prime numbers.

17. b. Be aware that a fraction bar means division and the bar is also a
grouping symbol. So evaluate the expression as (10 + 7 × 2) ÷ (2 +
4). Evaluate parentheses left to right. In the first grouping symbol,
do multiplication first; 10 + 14 = 24. The second grouping symbol
expression is 2 + 4 = 6. Finally, evaluate division; 24 ÷ 6 = 4.

18. d. The absolute value must be evaluated first. The expression now
becomes 17 – –7 because when you add two numbers with oppo-
site signs you subtract the numbers and keep the sign of the num-
ber with the larger absolute value (see Chapter 2). The absolute
value of –7 is +7. The final step is 17 – 7 = 10.
56 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

19. b. The LCM is an acronym for the least common multiple. Find the
prime factorization of the two numbers; 27 = 3 × 3 × 3 and 90 =
2 × 3 × 3 × 5. Nine is the greatest common factor since both num-
bers have 3 times 3 in common. Multiply this GCF by the
unpaired leftover primes; 9 × 3 × 2 × 5 = 270; 270 is the least com-
mon multiple.

20. e. There are no parentheses or exponents, therefore multiplication

and division will be evaluated first, from left to right; 48 ÷ 8 = 6.
Next, 6 × 5 = 30. Finally, 10 + 30 = 40.

21. c. Absolute value must be evaluated first; –16 minus –3 is –16 + 3,

because when you subtract you add the opposite (see Chapter 2).
So, –16 + 3 = –13. The absolute value symbol makes this term
+13. Finally, 3 × 13 = 39.

22. c. If you notice that 120 divides evenly without a remainder into
240, then it is obvious that 120 is the greatest common factor. If
you did not notice this, you could find the prime factorization of
both 120 and 240; 120 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 5 and 240 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2
× 3 × 5. The common factors are 2, 2, 2, 3, and 5. When multi-
plied all together, these factors equal 120.

23. c. Parentheses must be evaluated first. Inside the parentheses, divi-

sion is done before addition; 12 ÷ 3 = 4, and 2 + 4 = 6. Finally, 10
× 6 = 60.

24. e. A factor of 60 is a whole number less than or equal to 60 that

divides evenly into 60. The only number that does not divide
evenly without a remainder into 60 is 8.

25. d. One approach is to list multiples of 54 and 81 to find the first one
in common. Start by listing multiples of 81, checking to see if
they are also multiples of 54. The multiples of 81 are: 81, 162, 243
. . . and the multiples of 54 are: 54, 108, 162 . . . The least com-
mon multiple is 162.
 4
Fractions, Decimals,
and Ordering the
Real Numbers
T his chapter reviews fractions and decimals and how to order
real numbers. Fractions and decimals are the most common ways
that numbers are represented. An understanding of these representations,
and how to perform operations on these types of numbers is essential to
your success at math. Before you study the lessons in this chapter, take a
few minutes to take the following ten-question Benchmark Quiz. These
questions are similar to the type of questions that you will find on impor-
tant tests. When you are finished, check the answer key carefully to assess
your results. The quiz will help you assess your prior knowledge of frac-
tions and decimals. You may find that you are successful with one type and
need additional help with another. You can then proceed to the lessons
with focus.

57
58 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

BENCHMARK QUIZ

4
1. 
9 – 79 =
3
a. 
9

b. –13
c. –138
d. –191
e. –1118
8
2. 
15 + 390 =
7
a. 
30

b. 2360
5
c. 
6

d. 1475

e. 165

3. 234 – 324 =
a. –34
b. –114
3
c. 
4

d. 514
e. 614
7
4. 
9 × 34 =
27
a. 
28
21
b. 
9
28
c. 
27
7

d. 12
36
e. 
21
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 59

5. 423 ÷ 6 =
14
a. 
6
84
b. 
3
c. 2423
d. 28
e. 79
3

4
6.  =
7

8
7
a. 
6
21
b. 
32
6
c. 
7
32
d. 
21
21
e. 
24

7. 1,036.09 + 2.4 + 17 =
a. 1,036.50
b. 1,055.49
c. 103.650
d. 105.549
e. 1,077.09

8. 26.19 × 0.3 =
a. 7.857
b. 7,857
c. 7.837
d. 7,837
e. 0.7857

9. Which is greatest?
a. 172
b. 57
c. 0.079
d. 0.63
e. 0.0108
60 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

10. 540 ÷ 2.7 =

a. 2
b. 20
c. 2,000
d. 0.2
e. 200

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the Benchmark Quiz? Check your success in working
with fractions and decimals here, and then analyze your results to figure out
your plan of attack to master these topics. The answer explanations will give
you an indication of what is required to solve these types of problems.

1. b. The two fractions already have a common denominator, so com-

bine the numerators, and keep the denominator. Then simplify;
4 7 4–7 3 3 1
 –  =  = – ÷  = –, in lowest terms.
9 9 9 9 3 3

2. c. First, find a common denominator, the LCM of 15 and 30. The

LCM is 30. Convert the first fraction to have a denominator of
30; 185 × 22 = 1360 . Now combine to get 1360 + 390 = 2350 ÷ 55 = 56.

3. a. Change each mixed number to an improper fraction; 234 – 324 =

11 14
 – . The fractions have the same denominator, so combine
4 4
the numerators and keep the denominator; 141 – 144 = 
11 – 14 3
 = –.
4 4

4. d. When you multiply fractions, multiply straight across and then sim-
plify; 79 × 34 = 2316 ÷ 33 = 172. Alternately, you can cancel as follows

5. e. Change 423 and 6 to improper fractions. Then change the opera-

tion to multiply by the reciprocal of 6; 134 ÷ 61 = 134 × 16. Multiply
the numerators and the denominators straight across and sim-
14 × 1
plify; 134 × 16 =  14
   
2 7
3 × 6 = 18 ÷ 2 = 9 .

6. c. When you have a complex fraction, change it to show division;

3 7
 ÷ . To divide fractions, change the problem to multiply by the
4 8
reciprocal. Multiply straight across and then simplify; 34 ÷ 78 =
3 8 24 4 6
 ×  =  ÷  = .
4 7 28 4 7
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 61

7. b. Line up the decimal points, and add vertically:

1,036.09
2.40
+17.00
1,055.49

8. a. Multiply as you would with whole numbers, then count the num-
ber of digits to the right of the decimal point in the factors. There
are three digits, so the decimal place is moved in the product
three places to the left:

9. b. The fractions are changed to decimals by dividing; 172 = 7 ÷ 12 =

0.58 and 57 = 5 ÷ 7 = 0.71. To divide 5 by 7, use long division, by
adding trailing zeros and using the division algorithm. Follow the
diagrams for converting the fractions using long division.

Change all numbers to decimal numbers with the same number of

digits after the decimal point: 0.5800, 0.7100, 0.6300, 0.0790,
0.0108. The decimal 0.71, which equals 57, is the greatest.

10. e. Set up the problem as a long division problem. Since the divisor
(2.7) has one digit to the right of the decimal point, you must
move the decimal place one place to the right in both the divisor
and the dividend (540). You must add a trailing zero onto the
62 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

dividend as a placeholder. Then move the decimal place straight

up to the quotient.

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you most likely have a solid
understanding of performing basic arithmetic with fractions and decimals.
Read over the chapter; there may be alternative ways you can learn to work
with decimals and fractions, and the shortcuts and sidebar information may
improve your performance.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, you need to study these topics.
Carefully read through the lesson in this chapter for review and skill build-
ing. Take note of the various sidebars that refer you to more in-depth prac-
tice, hints, and shortcuts. Work through the quiz at the end of the chapter
to check your progress.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, you need extended clarification
on the topics in this section. A solid understanding of fractions and decimals
is crucial to your success in any type of mathematics test. First, carefully
read this chapter and concentrate on the sidebars and visual aids that will
help with comprehension. Perhaps you learned this information and forgot;
take the time now to refresh your skills and improve your knowledge. Go
to the suggested website in the Extra Help sidebar in this chapter, and do
extended practice. You may also want to refer to Practical Math Success in 20
Minutes a Day, Lessons 1–8, published by LearningExpress. This book pro-
vides more extensive lessons on fractions and decimals.

JUST IN TIME LESSON—FRACTIONS, DECIMALS,

AND ORDERING THE REAL NUMBERS

This lesson covers the basics of working with fractions, decimals and order-
ing the real numbers.
The topics in this chapter are:

• equivalent fractions and simplifying

• operations with fractions
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 63

• ordering fractions
• equivalent decimals and ordering decimals
• operations with decimals
• converting between fractions and decimals
• common fraction and decimal equivalents

GLOSSARY
COMMON FRACTION a rational number expressed in the form ba, where a and b are
integers, and b ≠ 0
PROPER FRACTION a fraction whose numerator is less than its denominator
IMPROPER FRACTION a fraction whose numerator is greater than or equal to its
denominator
MIXED NUMBER a number with an integer part and a fractional part. Mixed numbers
can be converted into improper fractions.

EQUIVALENT FRACTIONS AND SIMPLIFYING

RULE BOOK

E
Any number, when multiplied or divided by 1, remains unchanged.

This rule is used to make equivalent fractions, by multiplying or dividing

by a special form of 1, that is aa, where a ≠ 0.

Examples:
50 5 10 50 10
 ÷  = , so  and  are equivalent fractions.
100 5 20 100 20

3

4 × 66 = 1284 , so 34 and 1284 are equivalent fractions.

To simplify a fraction, divide the numerator and the denominator by the

greatest common factor (GCF). The greatest common factor was reviewed
in Chapter 3 of this book.

GLOSSARY
SIMPLIFIED FRACTION a fraction whose numerator and denominator are relatively
prime
RELATIVELY PRIME any numbers whose only common factor is 1

Dividing the numerator and denominator of a fraction by the GCF sim-

plifies the fraction.
64 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
Simplify 2742 .
The GCF of 24 and 72 is 24:

Divide by the GCF: 2742 ÷ 2244 = 13.

24 1 1
 = , and  is in simplest form because 1 and 3 are relatively
72 3 3
prime.

i
CALCULATOR TIPS
Many calculators do fractional operations and automatically simplify frac-
tions. If your calculator has the key, it does fractional arithmetic. Most
calculators show fractions as . Enter the fraction 2742

with the following key sequence: . The calculator will

automatically show this fraction simplified, as . Some fractional cal-
culators may not automatically simplify fractions. Read over the user guide
provided with your specific calculator and practice using the fraction keys.

OPERATIONS WITH FRACTIONS—

ADDING AND SUBTRACTING

To add or subtract fractions, a common denominator is necessary. If the

denominators are already the same, add or subtract the numerators and
keep the denominator. Then simplify if required.

Example:
2 7 2–7 –5 5
9 – 9 = 9 = 9, or simply –9.

If the denominators are different, first convert the fractions into equiv-
alent fractions that have the same denominators. To find the common
denominator, it is best to use the least common multiple (LCM) of the
given denominators. This is often called the least common denominator
(LCD). The least common multiple is reviewed in Chapter 3 of this book.
Once you have equivalent fractions with a common denominator, add or
subtract as already described.
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 65

Examples:
To add 38 + 254 , you need a common denominator. The LCM of 8
and 24 is 24. Convert the first fraction to have a denominator of 24;
3 3 9 9 5 14
 ×  = 
24 . Now perform the addition;  +
24 = 
8 3 24 24 . Finally, if
14 7
 
needed, simplify 24 to 12 .  

To add 49 + 478 , you again need a common denominator. The LCM
of 9 and 48 is 144. Convert both fractions to equivalent fractions
with a denominator of 144. Now, 49 =  64
14
4 , and 
7
4
8 =
21
144 . So perform
64 21 85
the addition:  
144 +  
144 =  
144 . This answer is already simplified, as 85
and 144 are relatively prime.

OPERATIONS WITH FRACTIONS—MULTIPLYING

To multiply fractions, simply multiply the numerators and then multiply the
denominators straight across. Finally, simplify if needed.

Example:
2 4 2×4 8
  ×   =  = 
3 7 3×7 21

SHORTCUT
" To make multiplication easier, look for common factors shared in a numer-
ator with any of the denominators, and cancel out these common factors.
Example:

Be careful; canceling can only be performed when all terms are being
multiplied. You cannot cancel if there is addition or subtraction in the
numerator. This is a common error made when canceling with fractions.
For example,
66 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

OPERATIONS WITH FRACTIONS—DIVIDING

GLOSSARY
RECIPROCAL the multiplicative inverse of a fraction. Any number multiplied by its
reciprocal equals 1. To find the reciprocal of a fraction, “flip” the numerator and denom-
inator, and keep the sign of the fraction. For example, 21 is the reciprocal of 12.

To divide fractions, recall that dividing by a fraction is equivalent to multi-

plying the first given fraction by the reciprocal, the flip, of the second fraction.
Then multiply as shown previously.

Example:
5 1 5 5 5×5 25
  ÷   =   ×   =  =  
8 5 8 1 8×1 8

E RULE BOOK
To perform positive and negative arithmetic with fractions, just follow the
rules as outlined in Chapter 2 of this book.

OPERATIONS WITH FRACTIONS—MIXED NUMBERS

When working with mixed numbers it is usually easiest to change the mixed
number to an improper fraction and then perform the given operations.
This advice is especially helpful when working with positive and negative
arithmetic. To convert a mixed number to an improper fraction, multiply
the whole number part by the denominator. Add this product to the numer-
ator. This sum is the numerator of the improper fraction. The denomina-
tor stays the same.

Example:
Convert 723 to an improper fraction.

7 × 3 + 2 = 23, so the improper fraction is 233.

To convert an improper fraction to a mixed number, divide the numer-

ator by the denominator. Find the whole number part, and the remainder
becomes the numerator of the fractional part of the mixed number. The
denominator stays the same.
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 67

Example:
Convert 587 to a mixed number.

57

8 = 718

To perform mixed number arithmetic, convert to improper fractions:

Example:
238 – 534
Changing to improper fractions yields 238 – 534 = 189 – 243.
19 46
Find the common denominator  – .
8 8
19 – 46 –27
Perform the subtraction  = 
8 8 = –287 , or –338.

OPERATIONS WITH FRACTIONS—

COMPLEX FRACTIONS

GLOSSARY
COMPLEX FRACTION a fraction that has a fractional numerator or fractional denom-
4

3 5
inator, or both. For example, 
2 or
.
6
 
5 7

To perform operations with complex fractions, it is usually easiest to

recall that the fraction bar means division and rewrite the complex fraction
as one fraction divided by another fraction.

Example:
2

3 2×8

5 = 23 ÷ 58 = 23 × 85 = 
3 ×
16
5 =
15

8
68 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

EXTRA HELP
O Working with fractions is a lengthy topic. If you feel you need further
clarification and more extensive lessons on fractions and fractional
operations, refer to Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day,
Lessons 1–5, published by LearningExpress.
The website http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/index.html has some
helpful interactive exercises that explore the concept of fractional
ordering and addition. Upon entering the website, click on Virtual
Library. Click on the 6–8 box in the row entitled Numbers & Operations.
There are several activities to choose from that deal with fractions,
including: Fraction Pieces, Fractions—Adding, Fractions—Comparing,
and Fractions—Equivalent.

CALCULATOR TIPS

i If the test you will be taking allows the use of a fractional calculator, you
may want to invest in one. This can save precious time and increase accu-
racy when taking a timed test. If your calculator has a key that looks like
, then it does fractional arithmetic. Most calculators will follow the key
sequence as described below. Check your calculator with this example:
To perform the operation 429 – 759, enter the key sequence:
. Your calculator should
show the result –13 0
or –313.
Consult the user guide that came with your calculator for specific dif-
ferences. It is suggested that if you do use a calculator, double check by
performing the operation a second time. A calculator is only as accurate
as the operator!

ORDERING FRACTIONS

To compare and order fractions, it is best to find a common denominator

and compare the numerators as you would compare integers.

Example:
Arrange these fractions from least to greatest: 23, 56, 1254, 34, 172.
Find the least common multiple of all the denominators, which is
24. Convert all fractions to equivalent fractions with the denomina-
tor of 24 and then compare numerators.
2

3 = 1264 5

6 = 2204 3

4 = 1284 
7
12 = 1244 15

24 = 1254
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 69

Now, it is easy to order the fractions from the least to the greatest:

7 15 2 3 5

12,     
24 , 3 , 4 , 6

Another convenient way to order fractions is to convert the fractions into

decimal equivalents and compare. Decimals are reviewed in the forthcom-
ing sections.
A third way to quickly compare two fractions is often called the “bowtie”
method. Write the two fractions next to each other and multiply on the
diagonals from the bottom to the top. Then, write the product above the
fraction. The fraction below the larger product is the larger fraction.

Example:

8

13 is the larger fraction because 40 > 39.

EQUIVALENT DECIMALS AND

ORDERING DECIMALS

The decimal system is a way to name numbers based on the powers of 10.
The numbers to the right of the decimal point are fractional equivalents
with denominators that are powers of ten.
70 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

RULE BOOK

E Decimals are based on the place value of our number system where the
position from the decimal point has meaning:

Note the pattern of how the names of the decimal places to the right of
the decimal are similar to the names of the place values to the left of the
decimal point. Keep the mental image of the decimal point pairing up
with the “ones” place to easily remember the place value names.

The decimal number 1.52 is read as “one and fifty-two hundredths,” or

52 5
110
0 . The number .05 is read as “five hundredths,” or  .
100
Decimal numbers are easy to compare and order, when you remember
that the place value has meaning. In mathematics, 2.4 is the same number
as 2.400 because both numbers represent “two and four tenths.” A whole
number is understood to have a decimal point to the right of the number.
For example, 12 = 12. = 12.0 = 12.000. Each expression represents twelve
with no remainder. To compare decimals, it is best to change each decimal
into an equivalent decimal with the same number of decimal places.

Example:
Order the numbers from least to greatest: .016, 0.7, .203, .75.
Because some of the numbers have three places to the right of the
decimal point, change each decimal to an equivalent decimal with
three decimal places to the right of the decimal point. One of the
numbers shows a leading zero; also include this leading zero in all of
the numbers; 0.016, 0.700, 0.203, 0.750. Now the decimals can be
compared in the same manner as whole numbers, and 16 < 203 <
700 < 750, so the answer is: .016, .203, 0.7, .75.
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 71

GLOSSARY
TERMINATING DECIMAL a decimal that terminates. Eventually, when performing long
division, the divisor divides evenly into one of the sub-dividends. Example: 4.5, 23.6003.
REPEATING DECIMAL a decimal whose fractional part follows a repeating pattern.
The divisor never divides evenly into one of the sub-dividends, but a pattern emerges.
Examples: 8.99999 . . . , 0.121212 . . . ., 4.567777. . . .
RATIONAL DECIMAL NUMBER any decimal number that terminates or repeats

OPERATIONS WITH DECIMALS—

ADDING AND SUBTRACTING

To add or subtract decimal numbers, line up the decimal points and add or
subtract as usual. The decimal point will be in the same place as it is in the
terms. If the numbers are written across the page, set up the problem one
number below the other, lining up the decimal points. You can add trailing
zeros as placeholders.

Example:
Add 17.8 + 5.06 + 127.432.
17.800
5.060
+ 127.432
150.292

SHORTCUT
" Remember, when you add or subtract decimals, you must line up the
decimal points in a straight line. You can use the following memory aid
to help you remember that decimal points must be aligned when adding
or subtracting decimals:
A (Add) All
S (Subtract) Straight

OPERATIONS WITH DECIMALS—MULTIPLYING

When multiplying with decimals, multiply as you would for whole num-
bers, and ignore the decimal points until after the product is found. After
performing the multiplication, count the number of digits after the decimal
points (to the right of the decimal point), in both factors being multiplied.
This count is the number of decimal places (to the right of the decimal
point) that will be in the answer. Start at the side furthest to the right of the
product (the answer) and count to the left the number of digits (the amount
72 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

of digits to the right of the decimal point in both terms) in order to place
the decimal point.

Examples:
Multiply 2.48 × 1.7.
Multiply 248 × 17 to get 4,216. There are three digits to the right
of the decimal points in the factors, namely 4, 8, and 7. Starting to
the right of the 6 in the answer, move three digits to the left, and
place the decimal point between the 4 and the 2 in the answer.

Therefore, 2.48 × 1.7 = 4.216.

Multiply 0.067 × 0.04.

Multiply 67 × 4 to get the product of 268. There are five decimal
places to the right of the decimal points in the factors: 0, 6, 7, and
then 0 and 4. Starting to the right of the 8 in the answer, move five
digits to the left. There are only three digits in this product, so two
zeros must be added onto the left as placeholders.

OPERATIONS WITH DECIMALS—DIVIDING

To divide with decimal numbers, first change the problem to division by a

whole number. It may be necessary to move the decimal point in the divi-
sor (the number you are dividing by) to make it a whole number. Move the
decimal in the dividend (the number you are dividing into) the same num-
ber of places, and copy the new decimal place holder straight up into the
quotient (the answer to the division problem). Once the decimal point is
placed, divide as you normally would with long division.
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 73

Examples:
Divide 34.5 ÷ 2.5.

Divide 1,885 ÷ 6.5.

SHORTCUT
" Remember, when you multiply or divide decimals:
M (Multiply) Move
D (Divide) Decimal

O EXTRA HELP
For in-depth coverage of decimals and decimal operations, refer to
Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, Lessons 6–8, published
by LearningExpress. There are also lessons, examples, and online
quizzes on the various aspects of decimal operations at www.math.
com. Click on Decimals under Hot Subjects. Then click on one of the
following: Decimal Numbers, Adding/Subtracting Decimals, Multiplying
Decimals, or Dividing Decimals.

DECIMAL OPERATIONS—MULTIPLYING
OR DIVIDING BY THE POWERS OF 10

The decimal number system is based on the powers of 10. This makes mul-
tiplication and division by 10, 100, 1,000 . . . very easy. It is simply a mat-
ter of moving the decimal point the number of places dictated by the
74 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

number of zeroes in 10, 100, or 1,000. This is because once you add or
remove the zeroes, you are essentially multiplying or dividing by one.

" SHORTCUT
For decimal numbers:
To MULTIPLY a number by 10 Move the decimal point one place to the RIGHT
by 100 two places
by 1,000 three places
To DIVIDE a number by 10 Move the decimal point one place to the LEFT
by 100 two places
by 1,000 three places

CONVERTING BETWEEN FRACTIONS

AND DECIMALS

To convert a fraction to a decimal, recall that 35 means “three divided by

five.” Divide 3 by 5 to get the decimal equivalent of 0.6. To convert a dec-
imal to a fraction, use the place value names for decimals as listed in the
sidebar at the start of the decimal section of this chapter. Rewrite the dec-
imal as the named fraction, and then simplify the fraction. For example,
18 18
0.018 is read as “eighteen thousandths” which is  1,0
00 . Now simplify, 
1,0
00
2 9
÷ 2 =  .
500

COMMON FRACTION AND DECIMAL EQUIVALENTS

It is helpful to remember some of these common equivalents:

1 1 2 
 = 0.5  = 0.2  = 0.666
2 5 3
1  1 3
 = 0.333  = 0.125  = 0.75
3 8 4
1 1 4
 = 0.25  = 0.1  = 0.8
4 10 5

RULE BOOK

E To perform decimal operations with positive and negative numbers, just

follow the rules as outlined in Chapter 2 of this book.
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 75

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

To summarize your study of fractions and decimals:

• Simplify fractions by dividing the numerator and the denominator

by the GCF of these numbers.
• To add and subtract fractions, you need a common denominator. Add the
numerators, keeping the common denominator, and finally simplify.
• To multiply fractions, multiply straight across for numerator and
denominator, then simplify.
• Canceling is an effective shortcut when multiplying fractions.
• To divide fractions, change the operation to multiply the original
first fraction by the reciprocal of the second fraction.
• Obtain a fraction calculator if allowed on your particular test. Learn
and practice how to do fractional operations on the calculator.
• When Adding or Subtracting decimal numbers, remember to keep
the decimal points All Straight.
• When Multiplying and Dividing decimals, remember you need to
Move the Decimal point.
• Know the shortcuts for multiplying or dividing decimals by 10, 100,
1,000.
• Memorize some of the common fraction to decimal equivalents.

PRACTICE

Do you feel more confident about fractions and decimals? Take the fol-
lowing quiz to see if you have mastered these concepts.
5
1. 
8 + 18 =
6
a. 
16
3
b. 
4
1
c. 
2
5

d. 16
5

e. 64
76 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

7
2. 
24 – 132 =
a. –244
b. 112
4
c. 
24
1
d. 
24
5
e. 
12

2
3. 
7 – 67 =
a. –47
b. –87
4
c. 
7
8
d. 
7
12
e. 
49

4. 234 + 38 =
a. 212
b. 238
5
c. 
2
d. 2196
e. 285

5. 426 – 5152 =
a. –1132
b. 1112
c. –9172
d. –1112
e. –9132
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 77
1
6. 
2 × 34 =
6
a. 
4
4
b. 
6
3
c. 
8
8
d. 
3
e. 8

7. 223 × 7 =
56
a. 
21
56
b. 
3
8

c. 21
d. 223
e. 1423
14
8. 
5 ÷ –78 =
a. –315
b. 1
c. –45
d. –85
e. 156
9
9. 
11 ÷ 272 =
a. 412
b. 92
c. 247
d. 2171
e. 121
78 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

115
10. 1 =

3
18
a. 
5
6

b. 15
15
c. 
6
d. 212
2
e. 
5
2

3
11.  =
5

6
10
a. 
18
18
b. 
10
15
c. 
18
20
d. 
36
4
e. 
5

12. Which is greatest?

a. 58
b. 1270
1
c. 
2
7

d. 10
4
e. 
5

13. Which is smallest?

a. 13
b. 26
5

c. 12
1
d. 
2
1
e. 
4
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 79

14. 34.7 + 4.1 + 0.03 =

a. 391
b. 3.91
c. 38.83
d. 39.1
e. 41.8

15. 125.05 – 11.4 =

a. 123.91
b. 114.1
c. 113.01
d. 113.65
e. 114.65

16. 16.8 × 0.2 =

a. 3.36
b. 336
c. 0.336
d. 33.6
e. 3.28

17. 5.34 × 10 =
a. 50.34
b. 15.34
c. 5.44
d. 53.4
e. 534

18. 42.19 × 0.4 =

a. 168.19
b. 16.876
c. 168.19
d. 16,876
e. 1.6876

19. 1.95 ÷ 0.03 =

a. 6.5
b. 0.65
c. 65
d. 650
e. 68
80 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

20. 245 ÷ 4.9 =

a. 5
b. 0.5
c. 500
d. 0.05
e. 50

21. Convert 78 to a decimal.

a. 0.78
b. 7.8
c. 0.875
d. 8.7
e. 87.5

22. Convert 0.12 to a fraction.

a. 235
b. 115
12
c. 
50
1
d. 
2
12

e. 500

23. Which is greatest?

a. 0.100
b. 0.07
c. 0.25
d. 0.4
e. 0.009

24. Which is the smallest?

a. 25
b. 0.5
c. 0.07
d. 0.0099
e. 0.071

25. Change 34 to a decimal.

a. 3.4
b. 0.75
c. 4.3
d. 0.34
e. 75
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 81

ANSWERS

Here are the answers and explanations to the chapter quiz. Read them over
carefully to understand any problems that you answered incorrectly. For
more information and practice on working with fractions, decimals, and
ordering the real numbers, see LearningExpress’s Practical Math Success in
20 Minutes a Day, Lessons 1–8.

1. b. When you add fractions with the same denominator, add the
numerators and keep the denominator. Simplify if needed; 58 + 18 =
5+1 6 2 3
 =  ÷  = .
8 8 2 4

2. d. To subtract fractions, first find a common denominator. In this

problem, the common denominator (LCD) is 24. Change 132 × 22
= 264 . Now subtract the numerators and keep the denominator;
7 6 7–6 1
 –  =  = .
24 24 24 24

3. a. These fractions have the same denominator. Subtract the numer-

ators and keep the denominator; 27 – 67 = 
2–6

4

7 = –7.

4. e. Change the mixed number to an improper fraction; 234 = 141. In

order to add these numbers, a common denominator of 8 is
needed; 141 × 22 = 282 . Now the fractions can be added; add the
numerators and keep the denominator; 282 + 38 = 285 .

5. d. Change the mixed numbers to improper fractions; 426 = 266 and

5152 = 6152 . To add these improper fractions, you need to get a com-
mon denominator, which is 12; 266 × 22 = 5122 . Subtract the numera-
tors and keep the denominators; 5122 – 6152 =  52 – 65
12
13
 = –, which is
12
–1112 .

6. c. To multiply fractions, multiply the numerator and denominator

1×3
straight across; 12 × 34 =   
3
2 × 4 = 8.

7. b. Change each number into an improper fraction; 223 = 83 and 7 =

7
. Multiply the improper fractions, multiplying the numerators and
1
denominators straight across; 83 × 71 = 536.

8. a. Recall that a positive times a negative equals a negative, so the

answer will be negative. To divide, change the operation to multi-
plication, and take the reciprocal of the second fraction; 154 × –87.
One approach is then to use canceling to simplify before multi-
82 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

plying. Then multiply the numerators and denominators straight

across.

9. c. To divide fractions, change the operation to multiply and take the

reciprocal of the second fraction. Multiply the numerators and
denominators straight across; 191 × 272 = 
198

77 . Change this to an
improper fraction by dividing 198 by 77. What you get is 2 with
198 44 44 11 4
remainder 44;      
77 = 2 77 . Simplify the fractional part: 77 ÷ 11 = 7 .

10. a. First change the numerator to an improper fraction; 115 = 65. Then,
change the problem to be a fraction divided by a fraction; 65 ÷ 13.
Dividing fractions is the same as multiplying by the reciprocal of
the second fraction. Multiply straight across the numerators and
denominators; 65 × 31 = 158 .

11. e. This complex fraction means a fraction divided by a fraction.

Change the problem to multiply by the reciprocal of the second
fraction; 23 × 65 = 1125 . Put the fraction in lowest terms; 1125 ÷ 33 = 45.

12. b. You can convert each fraction to an equivalent fraction, all of which
have a common denominator. Find the LCM of the denominators;
40 is the least common multiple; 58 × 55 = 2450 , 1270 × 22 = 3440 , 12 × 2200 = 2400,
7 4 28 4 8 32
0 × 4 = 
40 , and 5 × 8 = 40 . Now the numerators can be inspected

1    
for the greatest common multiple, which is 1270 = 3440 . An alternative
approach would be to change each fraction to a decimal and com-
pare as described in the section on ordering decimals.

13. e. Convert all fractions to have a common denominator, which is the

LCM = 12; 13 × 44 = 142 , 26 × 22 = 142 , 152 , 12 × 66 = 162 , 14 × 33 = 132 . It is
sufficient to compare the numerators to find the smallest because
the denominators are the same. An alternative approach would be
to change each fraction to a decimal and compare as described in
the section on ordering decimals.
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 83

14. c. Add the numbers vertically; make sure to line up the decimal
points and add trailing zeroes when necessary.
34.70
4.10
+ 0.03
38.83

15. d. When subtracting decimals, it is easiest to do the problem verti-

cally, remembering to line up the decimal points.
125.05
–11.40
113.65

16. a. Multiply without regard to the decimal points; 168 × 2 = 336.

Since there are two digits to the right of the decimal points in the
factors, move the decimal point two places left in the product.

17. d. Use the shortcut when multiplying by 10. Move the decimal point
one place to the right, to get the product of 53.4.

18. b. Multiply without regard to the decimal point:

42.19
× 0.4
16,876

There are three digits to the right of the decimal points in the fac-
tors, namely 1, 9, and then 4. Move the decimal point three places
to the left:
84 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

19. c. Set up the problem as a long division problem. Since the divisor
(0.03) has two digits to the right of the decimal point, you must
move the decimal point two places to the right in both the divisor
and the dividend (1.95). Then move the decimal place straight up
to the quotient.

20. e. Set up the problem as a long division problem. Since the divisor
(4.9) has one digit to the right of the decimal point, you must
move the decimal point one place to the right in both the divisor
and the dividend (245). You must add a trailing zero onto the div-
idend as a placeholder. Then move the decimal point straight up
to the quotient.

21. c. The fraction 78 means “seven divided by eight.” Divide 7 by 8,

using long division:

12 4 3
22. a. 0.12 is read as “twelve hundredths”; 
10
0 ÷ 4 = 
25.

23. d. Change each decimal to an equivalent decimal, all of which have

the same number of digits to the right of the decimal point; 0.4 =
F R ACTI O N S, D E C I MALS, AN D O R D E R I N G 85

0.400, 0.07 = 0.070, 0.25 = 0.250, 0.100, 0.009. Now 400 > 250 >
100 > 70 > 7; 0.4 is the greatest.

24. d. Change all numbers to decimals with four digits to the right of
the decimal point. The fraction 25 = 140 , is read as “four tenths.”
The decimal equivalent of 140 = 0.4,000; 0.5 = 0.5,000, 0.07 =
0.0700, 0.0099, 0.071 = 0.0710. Now 5,000 > 4,000 > 710 > 700 >
99; 0.0099 is the smallest.

25. b. It is helpful to memorize the decimal equivalent of this common

fraction, namely 0.75. Also, 34 is read as “three divided by four.”
Divide 3 by 4, using long division, to get 0.75.
 5
Ratio and Proportion

R atios are numbers that are used to compare things. Ratios play
an important role in mathematics because they quantify all of the
items that we compare on a day-to-day basis. Ratio and proportion are evi-
dent in numerous mathematical problems. Before you begin learning about
ratios and proportions, take a few minutes to take this ten-question Bench-
mark Quiz. These questions are similar to the type of questions that you will
find on important tests. When you are finished, check the answer key care-
fully to assess your results. Your Benchmark Quiz analysis will help you
determine how much time you need to spend on ratios and proportions, and
the specific areas in which you need the most careful review and practice.

BENCHMARK QUIZ

1. On the beach, the ratio of boogie boards to surf boards is 12 to 3.

If there are 84 boogie boards, how many surfboards are there on the
beach?
a. 24
b. 21
c. 3
d. 36
e. 15
86
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 87

2. There are 48 people on a camping trip. Sixteen are female. What is

the ratio of male to female?
a. 3 to 1
b. 16 to 48
c. 1 to 3
d. 32 to 48
e. 2 to 1

3. Two numbers are in the ratio of 5 to 8. If the larger number is 72,

what is the smaller number?
a. 5
b. 13
c. 45
d. 117
e. 9

4. Find the missing term: 1a4 = 37.

a. 6
b. 7
c. 42
d. 9
e. 21

5. Find the missing term: 56 = 6x0.

a. 50
b. 24
c. 70
d. 72
e. 80

6. A set of dollhouse furniture is made to scale and is 712 the size of real
furniture; it has a scale of 1 to 72. If a real table is 6 feet in length,
what is the length of the corresponding dollhouse table?
a. 16 foot
b. 6 inches
c. 1 inch
d. 0.5 foot
e. 19 foot
88 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

7. The two triangles below are similar. What is the length of the miss-
ing side?

a. 6 cm
b. 10 cm
c. 8 cm
d. 16 cm
e. 7.5 cm

8. A family drove 390 miles at a constant speed. It took 6 hours of driv-

ing time. What was the speed of their car?
a. 55 miles per hour
b. 60 miles per hour
c. 234 miles per hour
d. 65 miles per hour
e. 35 miles per hour

9. Strawberries are 3 quarts for $4.98. How much will 10 quarts of

strawberries cost?
a. $14.98
b. $16.60
c. $25.00
d. $49.80
e. $4.98

10. Driving 60 miles per hour, it takes one-half of an hour to drive to

work. How much ADDITIONAL time will it take to drive to work
if the speed is now 40 miles per hour?
a. 1 hour
b. 2 hours
c. 15 minutes
d. 30 minutes
e. 45 minutes
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 89

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the ratio and proportion Benchmark Quiz? Check your
answers here, and then analyze your results to figure out your plan of attack
to master these topics.
boogie boards
1. b. Set up a proportion based on the ratio:  
surfboards .
12 84
 =  Set up the proportion.
3 x
3 × 84 = 12 × x Cross-multiply.
252 = 12 × x Divide by 12.
21 = x There are 21 surfboards.

2. e. You are given the total number of people and the number of
females. The question is what is the ratio of male to female.
There are 48 – 16 = 32 males on the trip. The ratio of male to
male 32 2
female is    
female = 16 = 1 . The ratio of male to female is 2 to 1.

smaller number
3. c. Set up a proportion based on the ratio:  
larger number .
5 n
 =  Set up the proportion.
8 72
8 × n = 5 × 72 Cross-multiply.
8 × n = 360 Divide by 8.
n = 45 The smaller number is 45.

4. a. 14 × 3 = a × 7 Cross-multiply.
42 = a × 7 Divide by 7.
6=a The missing term is 6.

5. d. 6 × 60 = 5 × x Cross-multiply.
360 = 5 × x Divide by 5.
72 = x The missing term is 72.

6. c. The ratio of dollhouse to real is 1 to 72. The problem states that the
real table is 6 feet in length. Knowing that the dollhouse table will
be much smaller, first convert 6 feet to 72 inches. Since the ratio
is 1 to 72, and the real table is 72 inches, the dollhouse table is 1
inch.
90 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

7. e. Notice on the figure that side AB corresponds to side DE, and

side BC corresponds to side EF. One possible setup for the pro-
Tr iangle A
portion is  
Triangle B .
12

8 = n5 Set up the proportion.
8 × n = 12 × 5 Cross-multiply.
8 × n = 60 Divide by 8.
n = 7.5 cm The missing side is 7.5 centimeters.

8. d. Use the formula D = R × T. The distance, D, equals 390, and the

time, T, equals 6 hours. The speed is the missing term, R.
D=R×T
390 = R × 6 Substitute in the known values and then
divide by 6.
65 = R The speed is 65 miles per hour.
quarts of strawberries
9. b. Set up a proportion of:  price .
3 10
  = 
4.98 p
Set up the proportion.
4.98 × 10 = 3 × p Cross-multiply.
49.8 = 3 × p Divide by 3.
16.6 = p The price is $16.60.

10. c. First, determine the distance to drive to work. Use the formula
D = R × T.
D = 60 × 12 Substitute in the known values and then
multiply.
D = 30 The distance to work is 30 miles.
Now, determine the time to drive to work at a rate of 40 miles per
hour. Use the formula D = R × T.
30 = 40 × T Substitute in the known values and then
divide by 40.
.75 = T The new time is 0.75 hour, or three-quarters
of an hour.

The problem asks how much extra time will it take to drive. This
is the difference between one-half of an hour and three-quarters
of an hour. Subtract the fractions, after changing one-half to two-
fourths: 34 – 24 = 14. One-fourth of an hour is 15 minutes.
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 91

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you have a good understanding

of ratio and proportion. After reading through the lesson and focusing on
the areas you need to refresh, try the quiz at the end of the chapter to ensure
that all of the concepts are clear.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, you need to refresh yourself on
some of the material. Read through the chapter carefully for review and skill
building, and pay careful attention to the sidebars that refer you to more in-
depth practice, hints, and shortcuts. Work through the quiz at the end of
the chapter to check your progress.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, you need extended help in
understanding this chapter. Make sure you have read through Chapter 3 on
fractions and decimals before proceeding with this lesson. You will most
likely encounter many problems dealing with ratio and proportion on your
upcoming test. Take your time as you read through this lesson. Try the
examples that are illustrated on a separate sheet of paper and compare your
method of solution with that given in the text. Attend to the sidebars and
visual aids that will help you to grasp the material. Go to the suggested web-
site in the Extra Help sidebar in this chapter, and do extended practice. You
may want to refer to Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, Lesson 12,
published by Learning Express.

JUST IN TIME LESSON—RATIO AND PROPORTION

This lesson covers the basics of working with ratio and proportions.

The topics in this chapter are:

• ratios
• proportions
• rates
• scale
• other applications using ratio and proportion
92 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

RATIO

GLOSSARY
RATIO comparison of two things using numbers

In the community choral group, there are 25 women and 16 men. If you
want to compare the number of women to the number of men, you can
show this comparison in several different ways:

25 : 16
25 to 16
25

16

Regardless of which form is used, the meaning is the same: “There were
25 women for every 16 men.” Notice that 2156 is a fractional form of a ratio.
The fractional form of a ratio is often a convenient way to represent a ratio
when solving problems.
In addition to comparing women to men, a comparison could also be
made between women to total members. The total membership is 25 + 16
= 41 people. This ratio is 2451 , or 25 to 41, or 25 : 41.
Ratios are usually shown in lowest terms and can be simplified in the
same way that fractions are simplified. Refer to Chapter 3 of this book to
review simplifying fractions. For example, in a choral group there are 24
women and 16 men. This ratio can be expressed as 3 : 2, since 2146 ÷ 88 = 32.
In this group there are 3 women for every 2 men. We can also express the ratio
16 16 2
of men to total choral members. This ratio is 2 : 5, because    
16+24 = 40 = 5 .

RULE BOOK
When comparing similar measurements, such as one time to another, or

E one volume to another, most often it is necessary to have consistent units

in order to have a meaningful ratio. The only exception to this rule is when
working with scale drawings, explained in a later section of this chapter.

As an example of the above rule, suppose you want to com-

pare the amount of time spent driving to work with the amount of time
driving to vacation. It takes 24 minutes to drive to work and 5 hours to drive
to vacation. It is not accurate to say that this ratio is 254 . The five hours must
be converted to 5 × 60 = 300 minutes since there are 60 minutes in an hour.
24 2
The correct ratio is  30
0 =  2
5 , which accurately gives the relationship
between driving times.
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 93

PROPORTION

GLOSSARY
PROPORTION an equation that states that two ratios are equal

Often, in addition to comparing items, it is natural to want to compare

ratios. For example, if you want to choose an amusement park, you may
choose to compare the number of gift shops to the number of rides. Park
A has 10 gift shops and 50 rides. Park B has 17 gift shops and 85 rides. For
shops 10 10 1
park A, the ratio is 1 to 5: 
rid
es =    
50 ÷ 10 = 5 . For park B, the ratio is 1 to 5:
shops 17 17 1

rid
es =    
85 ÷ 17 = 5 . For both parks, the ratios are exactly the same. By using
a proportion you can compare these parks on this issue. The proportion is
10 17 1
 = , because both ratios equal .
50 85 5
Proportions have an interesting relationship that is always true. In the
previous example, notice that:

In the above example: 10 × 85 = 50 × 17; 850 = 850. This will always be

true for a proportion. This illustrates the method of cross-multiplication,
which is used to determine if two ratios are in proportion, and is used to
solve a variety of mathematical problems.

RULE BOOK

E In a proportion, the product of the means is equal to the product of the

extremes.

To solve problems involving ratios and proportions, you can use the
method of cross-multiplication.
94 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Cross-multiplication is a very easy procedure. Follow these examples to

practice the procedure.

Example:
Solve 266 = 5n2 . Use cross-multiplication.

Show that the product of the means equals the product of the
extremes.
6 × 52 = 26 × n Multiply 6 and 52.
312 = 26 × n Divide 312 by 26 to find the missing term.
n = 12

The procedure for cross-multiplication is straightforward and relatively

easy. The challenge in solving word problems using ratios is in the set-up
of the proportion. Take care to keep all terms in order. Remember that
two ratios are being compared and that the order of the ratio set-up has
meaning.

Example:
If a carpenter earns $184 for every 7 hours of work, how many
hours did he work if he earned $552?
dollars
 First, decide on how you will set up the problem.
hour
184 552
 =  Set up a proportion that shows two equal ratios.
7 h

Take care to be consistent in the set-up. The variable h will stand

for the number of hours. Use cross-multiplication.

Show that the product of the means equals the product of the
extremes.
7 × 552 = 184 × h Multiply 7 and 552.
3,864 = 184 × h Divide 3,864 by 184 to find h, the number
of hours.
h = 21 The number of hours worked is 21.
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 95

When approaching a word problem involving ratios, in addition to a

proper set-up, be clear on what the problem is asking for you to solve. Study
the next example.

Example:
In a flower garden, all the flowers are either purple or pink petunias.
The ratio of purple to pink petunias is 8 : 15. If there are 299 total
petunias, how many are pink?
The ratio of purple : pink is given, in addition to the total num-
pink
ber of flowers. The ratio set-up should therefore be  tot
al . The ratio
15 15
of pink : total is  
8 + 15 = 
23
 .
15 p
 =
23 29
9 Set up the proportion.
23 × p = 15 × 299 Cross-multiply.
23 × p = 4,485 Multiply 15 and 299.
p = 195 Divide by 23.
There are 195 pink petunias.

SHORTCUT
" When working on a multiple-choice test, the answer selection must be a
multiple of the ratio given for the item in question. For example, in the
preceding flower example, the number of pink flowers must be a multi-
ple of 15. Eliminate any answer choices that are not a multiple of 15.

RATES

There are numerous examples of rates in everyday life. Here are some of
the most common ones:
miles
• speed, at  
hour
dollars
• salary, at  
hour
miles
• fuel efficiency, at gal
lon
dollars
• cost, at  
item

GLOSSARY
RATE a ratio comparing two items with unlike units
UNIT RATE a rate with a 1 in the denominator
96 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Rate problems can be solved just like any other type of proportion.

Example:
Oranges are selling at the price of $1.99 for 6 oranges. How much
will 20 oranges cost?
dollars

oran
ges Decide on a set-up for the problem.
1.99

6 = 2c0 Set up the proportion, where c stands for
the cost of 20 oranges.
6 × c = 1.99 × 20 Cross-multiply.
6 × c = 39.80 Multiply 1.99 by 20.
c = 6.63 Divide by 6, rounding to the nearest cent.
Twenty oranges will cost $6.63.

Rates are most often expressed as unit rates. The keyword for rates is
“per.” Speed is known as “miles per hour” and is actually a rate that means
“miles per one hour.” In the same way, unit price, “dollars per pound”
means “dollars per one pound.” Unit rates are easier to work with than
other ratios, because the denominator is always 1, and so the denominator
has no effect when performing cross-multiplication.

Example:
The speed limit on the highway is 65 miles per hour. At this con-
stant speed, how many miles will be driven in 10.5 hours?
65 m miles
 =   Set up the proportion, using  
1 10.5 hour .
m × 1 = 65 × 10.5 Cross-multiply.
m = 682.5 Multiply 65 and 10.5. Note that there is
no need to divide by 1, as dividing by 1
has no effect on the solution.

SHORTCUT
" Speed is a unit rate. To solve problems involving distance, time, and
speed, use the familiar formula D = R × T, where D is the distance, R is
the rate (the speed), and T is the time.

From the previous example, you can see that miles (D) did in fact equal
the speed (R) multiplied by the time (T ). The formula can also be used to
find the time when given distance and speed.
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 97

Example:
If a car drives at a constant speed of 52 miles per hour, how long will
it take to drive 442 miles?
442 = 52 × T Use the formula D = R × T.
8.5 = T Divide by 52 to find the time.
It will take 8.5 hours to drive the 442 miles.

SCALE

Scale is a special ratio used for models of real life items, such as model
railroads and model airplanes, or scale drawings such as blueprints and
maps. On model airplanes, you will often find the scale ratio printed on
the model as model : real. For example, a toy car may have the ratio 1 : 62
printed on the bottom. This is the ratio of all of the dimensions of the
actual toy to the corresponding dimensions of the real car. This scale
ratio says that the real car is 62 times larger than the toy, since the ratio
is 1 : 62.

Example:
A model locomotive measures 8.7 inches in length. If the scale given
is 1 : 16, how long is the real locomotive?
Since the real train is 16 times as big as the model, the real train
will be 8.7 times 16, which is 139.2 inches, or 11.6 feet.

On scale drawings, the scale will be a comparison of a small distance

unit, like inches, to a large distance unit, like feet. So a scale on a map
could read “3 inches = 10 miles.” This means for every 3 inches on the
map, it is 10 miles on the actual road. This ratio is 130, but you should
take care to remember that the units do not agree. On a scale drawing,
if “1 inch = 10 feet,” this does not mean that the real item is 10 times big-
ger, even though the ratio would be 1 : 10. Solve scale drawing problems
as you would any type of ratio problem, keeping the units consistent and
clear in your answer.

Example:
A scale drawing of the Statue of Liberty is said to be “34 inch = 12
feet.” How tall is the statue, if the scale drawing height is 10
inches?
98 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

drawing of statue
 Choose a set-up for the proportion.
real statue
3
4

12
= 1h0 Set up the proportion, where h stands for
height.
Cross-multiply.
12 × 10 = 34 × h Multiply 12 times 10; change 34 to 0.75.
120 = 0.75 × h Divide by 0.75.
160 = h
According to this drawing, the height of the real statue is 160 feet.

OTHER APPLICATIONS

There are several applications of ratio in geometry. Geometry will be cov-

ered in Chapter 8 of this book. Following are some examples of geometry
and ratios.

GLOSSARY
CONGRUENT FIGURES figures of equal measure
SIMILAR POLYGONS polygons with corresponding angles that are congruent, and
corresponding sides that are in proportion

Similar polygons have the same shape (congruent angles) but can have
different size. If you are told that two polygons are similar, then their cor-
responding sides are in proportion.

Example:
In the following picture, rectangle ABCD is similar to rectangle
EFGH. Find side FG.

Side DC corresponds to side HG, and side BC corresponds to side

FG.
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 99
G
length of F  
length of GH
 C = 
 Set up the proportion, knowing that the
length of B length of CD
sides are proportional.

FG

3 = 280 Substitute in the values of the known
sides.
3 × 20 = 8 × 
FG Cross-multiply.

60 = 8 × FG Divide by 8.
7.5 = 
FG Side FG is 7.5 cm.

Right triangles are commonly used in conjunction with ratios to meas-

ure tall items such as trees or flagpoles. On a sunny day the sun hits all
objects positioned at the same location at the same angle.

Notice from the above picture that two right triangles are formed, and
each triangle has the same angle measures. The triangles are similar, since
the angles are congruent. Therefore, the sides are in proportion. One way
shadow of big
to solve this type of problem is to set up a proportion, such as 
shadow 
of little
height of big
=
height o
f little .

Example:
A woman, 64 inches tall, casts a shadow that is 51.2 inches long. If
the length of the shadow cast by the flagpole is 192 inches, how tall
is the flagpole?
100 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

192

51
.2 = 6h4 Set up the proportion as suggested above;
cross-multiply.
51.2 × h = 192 × 64 Multiply 192 times 64.
51.2 × h = 12,288 Divide by 51.2.
h = 240 inches, or 20 feet.

Another application of geometry and ratio is measurement conver-

sions, which will be covered in Chapter 8, Geometry and Measurement
Conversions.

EXTRA HELP
O For further practice and extended lessons on ratio and proportions,
refer to Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, Lesson 12, Ratio
and Proportion. In addition, the website www.math.com has helpful mini
lessons and further practice problems. Click on Pre-Algebra from the
column entitled Select Subject. Then click on any of the following links,
under the title Ratios and Proportions: Ratios, Proportions, Distance,
Rates and Time, or Similar Figures.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

• Ratios are numerical comparisons.

• You can compare a part to a whole, or you can compare parts.
• Ratios can be expressed as a to b, a : b, or ab.
• Ratios can be simplified just as fractions are simplified.
• A proportion is an equation that states that two ratios are equal.
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 101

• In a proportion, the product of the means equals the product of the

extremes.
• Solve proportions using cross-multiplication.
• Take care to ensure a proper set-up when solving problems with
proportions.
• Unit rates are ratios with a 1 in the denominator.
• Remember that D = R × T, where D is the distance, R is the speed,
and T is the time.
• Similar polygons have the same shape, but usually not the same size.
• For similar polygons, the corresponding sides are in proportion.

PRACTICE

Now that you have studied these lessons, see how much you have learned
and reviewed about ratio and proportion.

1. Find the missing term: 43 = 2y5.

a. 20
b. 33
c. 18.75
d. 75
e. 188

2. Find the missing term: 8y = 48.

a. 4
b. 64
c. 32
d. 16
e. 24

3. Find the missing term: 175 = 9y0.

a. 112
b. 150
c. 45
d. 4.5
e. 42

4. Find the missing term: 1x2 = 92.

a. 54
b. 5.4
c. 23
d. 108
e. 42
102 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

5. There are 45 registered voters for every 70 eligible voters. How many
eligible voters would be expected if there were 135 registered voters
in a township?
a. 65
b. 86.8
c. 115
d. 180
e. 210

6. A snack mix consists of peanuts and raisins in a ratio of 3 to 2. How

many pounds of raisins are in a 20-pound snack mix?
a. 30
b. 8
c. 12
d. 32
e. 25

7. The ratio of lunch buyers to lunch packers is 7 to 2. How many peo-

ple pack their lunch if 35 people buy their lunch?
a. 123
b. 42
c. 10
d. 119
e. 7

8. An 8-inch by 10-inch photograph is blown up to a billboard size that

is in proportion to the original photograph. If 8 inches is considered
the width of the photo, what would be the length of the billboard if
the width is 5.6 feet?
a. 7 feet
b. 400 feet
c. 56 feet
d. 9 feet
e. 156 inches

9. The ratio of Spanish to French students is 5 to 2. If a total of 350 stu-

dents took Spanish or French, how many students take French?
a. 140
b. 250
c. 357
d. 10
e. 100
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 103

10. For every three cabinets built, 24 holes need to be drilled. How many
holes must be drilled for ten cabinets?
a. 240
b. 30
c. 8
d. 80
e. 720

11. A map has a scale that specifies 41 inch = 1 mile. How wide is an island
that measures 6.2 inches on the map?
a. 24.8 miles
b. 1.55 miles
c. 4.43 miles
d. 6.45 miles
e. 7.6 miles

12. A recipe that serves 6 people calls for 3 cups of uncooked rice. How
much uncooked rice is needed to serve 15 people?
a. 5 cups
b. 30 cups
c. 7 cups
d. 7.5 cups
e. 18 cups

13. How far will a car travel if it is running at a constant speed of 53 miles
per hour for 4 and one-half hours?
a. 2,385 miles
b. 238.5 miles
c. 23.85 miles
d. 11.8 miles
e. 118 miles

14. A printer can print 17 sheets in 3 minutes. How long will it take to
print 68 sheets of paper?
a. 10 minutes
b. 12 minutes
c. 51 minutes
d. 4 minutes
e. 18 minutes
104 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

15. It takes five and one quarter hours to drive to the state capital at an
average speed of 55 miles per hour. What is the average speed if it
takes seven hours to travel home the same distance?
a. 40 miles per hour
b. 25 miles per hour
c. 41.25 miles per hour
d. 100 miles per hour
e. 45 miles per hour

16. How long will it take a train moving at a speed of 70 miles per hour
to travel 560 miles?
a. 8 minutes
b. 80 minutes
c. 80 hours
d. 39.2 hours
e. 8 hours

17. The height of the Eiffel Tower is 986 feet. A replica of the tower
made to scale is 4 inches tall. What is the scale of the replica to the
real tower?
a. 1 to 246.5
b. 1 to 3,944
c. 246.5 to 1
d. 1 to 2,958
e. 2,958 to 1

18. An action figure of King Kong made to scale is 10 inches high. An

action figure of Godzilla made to the same scale is 11.5 inches high.
If King Kong was 45 feet tall, how tall was Godzilla?
a. 51.75 feet tall
b. 5 feet tall
c. 55 feet tall
d. 517.5 feet tall
e. 51.75 inches tall

19. A data entry clerk can type 80 words per minute. How long will it take
the clerk to type a manuscript of 160,000 words?
a. 200 minutes
b. 1,280 minutes
c. 2,000 minutes
d. 128,000 minutes
e. 20,000 minutes
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 105

20. At the grocery, 2.4 pounds of boneless chicken costs $6.00. At this
unit cost, how much would 6 pounds of boneless chicken cost?
a. $2.40
b. $15.00
c. $5.00
d. $38.40
e. $86.40

21. Two similar rectangles are shown below. Find the missing length, n.

a. 9.6 mm
b. 15 mm
c. 159 mm
d. 96 mm
e. 15.9 mm

22. A man 6 feet tall casts a shadow that is 40 inches long. How tall is a
black bear that casts a shadow of 48 inches long?
a. 94 inches
b. 7.2 inches
c. 720 feet
d. 7.2 feet
e. 240 feet

23. A recipe that serves 8 people requires one and one-half cups of ched-
dar cheese. How much cheddar cheese is needed to serve 6 people?
a. 3 cups
b. 9 cups
c. 2 cups
d. 0.75 cups
e. 1.125 cups
106 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

24. A faucet leaks at the rate of 2.5 gallons of water every 5 days. How
many gallons are lost in a 365-day year?
a. 182,682.5 gallons
b. 12.5 gallons
c. 125 gallons
d. 18,250 gallons
e. 182.5 gallons

25. A car’s fuel tank holds 15 gallons of gasoline. How far can the car
travel on a full tank of gas, if the fuel efficiency is 23 miles per gallon?
a. 3,450 miles
b. 34.5 miles
c. 345 miles
d. 38 miles
e. 380 miles

ANSWERS

Here are the answers and explanations to the chapter quiz. Read them over
carefully to understand any problems that you answered incorrectly. For
more information and practice on working with fractions, decimals, and
ordering the real numbers, see LearningExpress’s Practical Math Success in
20 Minutes a Day, Lesson 12.

1. c. Cross-multiply to get 3 × 25 = 4 × y. Multiply 3 times 25 to get

75 = 4 × y. Divide 75 by 4 to find the missing term, 18.75.

2. d. Cross-multiply to get y × 4 = 8 × 8. Multiply 8 times 8 to get y × 4

= 64. Divide 64 by 4 to find the missing term, 16.

3. e. Cross-multiply to get 7 × 90 = 15 × y. Multiply 7 times 90 to get

630 = 15 × y. Divide 630 by 15 to find the missing term, 42.

4. a. Cross-multiply to get 12 × 9 = x × 2. Multiply 12 times 9 to get

108 = x × 2. Divide 108 by 2 to find the missing term, 54.
registered voters
5. e. Set up a ratio of registered to eligible voters: eligible voters .


The proportion is 4750 = 

135
v . Cross-multiply to get 70 × 135 =

45 × v. Multiply 70 times 135 to get 9,450 = 45 × v. Divide 9,450
by 45 to get 210 eligible voters.
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 107

6. b. We know the ratio of peanuts to raisins, but we are also told the
total weight of the mixture. Set up a ratio of raisins to total mix-
raisins 2 r
ture: 
totalmix . The proportion is 5 = 
20 . Cross-multiply to get 5 ×
r = 2 × 20. Multiply 2 times 20 to get 5 × r = 40. Divide 40 by 5 to
get 8 pounds of raisins.
lunch buyers
7. c. Set up a ratio of lunch buyers to lunch packers:  lunch p
ackers . The
7 35
proportion is 2 = p . Cross-multiply to get 2 × 35 = 7 × p. Multi-
   
ply 2 times 35 to get 70; 70 = 7 × p. Divide 70 by 7 to get 10 lunch
packers.
length 10 l
8. a. Set up a ratio of length to width: 
wid
th . The proportion is 8 = .
5.6
Cross-multiply to get 8 × l = 10 × 5.6. Multiply 10 times 5.6 to get
8 × l = 56. Divide 56 by 8 to get 7 feet long.

9. e. We know the ratio of Spanish to French students, but we are

also told the total number of students. Set up a ratio of French
F rench 2 f
students to total students: 
total st
udents . The proportion is 7 = 
350.
Cross-multiply to get 7 × f = 2 × 350. Multiply 2 times 350 to get
7 × f = 700. Divide 700 by 7 to get 100 French students.
holes 24
10. d. Set up a ratio of holes to cabinets:  
cabin ets . The proportion is 3 =
h
0 . Cross-multiply to get 3 × h = 24 × 10. Multiply 24 times 10 to

1
get 3 × h = 240. Divide 240 by 3 to get 80 holes.
1

4

map  6.2
re
11. a. Set up a ratio of map to real: .
al . The proportion is 1 = r
1
Cross-multiply to get 1 × 6.2 =  × r; 6.2 = 0.25 × r. Divide
4 6.2 by
0.25 to get 24.8 miles long.
cups 3 c
12. d. Set up a ratio of cups to people: peo
ple . The proportion is 6 = 
15.
Cross-multiply to get 6 × c = 3 × 15. Multiply 3 times 15 to get
6 × c = 45. Divide 45 by 6 to get 7.5 cups.

13. b. Use the formula D = R × T. Substitute in the known values: D = 53

× 4.5. Multiply 53 times 4.5 to get 238.5 miles.
sheets 17
14. b. Set up a ratio of sheets to minutes: 
min
ute . The proportion is 3 =
68
. Cross-multiply to get 3 × 68 = 17 × m. Multiply 3 times 68 to
m
get 204 = 17 × m. Divide 204 by 17 to get 12 minutes.

15. c. First, find the distance to the state capital by using the formula
D = R × T. The distance is 55 times 5.25 = 288.75 miles. Now use
108 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

this distance again in the distance formula: D = R × T; 288.75 =

R × 7. Divide 288.75 by 7 to get the speed of 41.25 miles per
hour.

16. e. Use the formula D = R × T; 560 = 70 × T. Divide 560 by 70 to get

the number of hours, which is 8.

17. d. A scale is a ratio of model to real, keeping the units consistent. The
tower is 986 feet tall, and the replica is 4 inches. The height of 986
feet must be converted to inches, by multiplying by 12; 986 times
12 is 11,832 inches. Set up the ratio of replica to real and simplify:
4 4 1
  ÷  = 
11,832 4 2,9
58 .

model kong
18. a. This problem is solved with a ratio, and can be set up as  
real kong
model godzilla 10 11.5
=   
real godzilla . Substitute the known values; 45 = g . Cross-multiply
to get 45 × 11.5 = 10 × g. Multiply 45 by 11.5; 517.5 = 10 × g.
Divide 517.5 by 10 to get 51.75 feet tall.
words 80
19. c. Set up a ratio of words to minutes: 
min
ute . The proportion is 1 =
160,000
. Cross-multiply to get 160,000 = 80 × m. Divide 160,000
m
by 80 to get 2,000 minutes.
pounds 2.4
20. b. Set up a ratio of pounds to dollars:   
dollars . The proportion is 6 =
6
. Cross-multiply to get 6 × 6 = 2.4 × d. Divide 36 by 2.4 to get 15
d
dollars.
big
21. a. Set up a ratio of big to little: 
litt
le . Determine the corresponding
 
sides as being AD and EH, and also CD  and GH
. You need to find

the length, n of CD. The proportion is 12 = 1n2. Cross-multiply to
15

get 12 × 12 = 15 × n. Divide 144 by 15 to get 9.6 millimeters.

figure
22. d. Set up a proportion of figure to shadow:  shad
ow . The proportion is
6 b
40 = 48 . Cross-multiply to get 40 × b = 6 × 48. Multiply 6 times 48,
   
and then divide this answer by 40 to get the height of the bear: 7.2
feet.
cups 1.5 c
23. e. Set up a ratio of cups to people: 
peo
ple . The proportion is 8 = 6.
Cross-multiply to get 8 × c = 1.5 × 6. Multiply 1.5 times 6 to get
8 × c = 9. Divide 9 by 8 to get 1.125 cups, which is one and one-
eighth cups.
R ATI O AN D P R O P O RTI O N 109
gallons 2.5
24. e. Set up a ratio of gallons to days:  da
ys . The proportion is 5 =
g

365 . Cross-multiply to get 5 × g = 2.5 × 365. Multiply 2.5 times
365 to get 5 × g = 912.5. Divide 912.5 by 5 to get 182.5 gallons.
miles 23
25. c. Set up a ratio of miles to gallons: 
gall
ons . The proportion is 1 =
m

15 . Cross-multiply to get the miles as 23 times 15, which is 345
miles on a full tank of gasoline.
 6
Percent

N ow that you have reviewed fractions, decimals, and ratios in pre-

vious chapters, you are ready to tackle the most common ratio—
the percent. The word “percent” means literally “out of one hundred”;
percents compare numerical data to 100. Percent problems are so com-
mon that an entire chapter is devoted to this concept. Before you begin
learning and reviewing percent, take a few minutes to take this ten-
question Benchmark Quiz. These questions are similar to the type of ques-
tions that you will find on important tests. When you are finished, check
the answer key carefully to assess your results. Your Benchmark Quiz
analysis will help you determine how much time you need to spend on the
specific areas of percent in which you need the most careful review and
practice.

BENCHMARK QUIZ

1. What is 57% of 350?

a. 614
b. 16.29
c. 182
d. 199.5
e. 19.95
110
P E R C E NT 111

2. What percent of 200 is 68?

a. 68%
b. 2.94%
c. 34%
d. 136%
e. 0.34%

3. Nineteen is 76% of what number?

a. 76
b. 25
c. 14.44
d. 400
e. 250

4. Ravi borrowed $2,500.00 for three years at a simple annual interest rate
of 8%. What is the TOTAL amount he will pay after the three years?
a. $200.00
b. $2,700.00
c. $600.00
d. $3,100.00
e. $6,000.00

5. Two out of every five members of the town board are male. What per-
centage of the board members is male?
a. 25%
b. 40%
c. 20%
d. 4%
e. 15%

6. Hockey sticks that normally sell for $89.00 are on sale for 35% off the
regular price. There is also a 6% sales tax. How much will the stick
cost after the sale and the sales tax?
a. $57.85
b. $33.02
c. $54.38
d. $29.28
e. $61.32
112 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

7. The book club attendance rose from 25 members to 30 members.

What is the percent increase in membership, to the nearest percent?
a. 20%
b. 83%
c. 17%
d. 2%
e. 5%

8. Out of the 28 selections on the menu, four of them are desserts. What
percentage, to the nearest tenth, of the menu are NOT desserts?
a. 14.3%
b. 12.5%
c. 85.7%
d. 75.0%
e. 7.0%

9. Twenty-five percent of the voters voted for the incumbent. How

many voted for the incumbent, if there were 1,032 voters?
a. 258
b. 4,128
c. 25
d. 1,007
e. 2,422

10. How much will be paid for a $28.00 dinner, assuming a 15% tip?
a. $4.20
b. $43.00
c. $23.80
d. $30.80
e. $32.20

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the percent Benchmark Quiz? Check your answers
here, and then analyze your results to figure out your plan of attack to mas-
ter this topic.
part percent
1. d. One method of solution is to set up a proportion; 
whole =  
100 .
The “whole” is 350, and the “part” is what is being requested in
n 57
the problem. Substitute in the given information;   = 
350 10
0.
Cross-multiply to get 350 × 57 = n × 100, and then multiply 350
P E R C E NT 113

times 57; 19,950 = n × 100. Divide 19,950 by 100 to get 199.50 or

the equivalent 199.5.

2. c. Set up an equation, recalling that “of” means multiply and “is”

means equals, make a straight translation using the variable p for
percent:

So, p × 200 = 68. Divide 68 by 200 to get 0.34. This is the answer
as a decimal. Change this answer to a percent by multiplying by
100 to get 34%.
part percent
3. b. Set up a proportion:   
whole = 100 , which results by substitution
in 1n9 = 76

100 . In the problem, 19 is the “part,” 76 is the percent, and
the “whole” is what you need to calculate. Cross-multiply to get n
× 76 = 19 × 100. Multiply; n × 76 = 1,900. Now divide 1,900 by 76
to get 25.

4. d. Use the formula Interest = Principal × Rate × Time, or simply

I = PRT. Time is in years, and the rate is the percentage rate writ-
ten as a decimal. Substitute in the given information to find the
interest; I = 2,500 × 0.08 × 3. Multiply the terms on the right to
get I = 600. This interest is added to the money borrowed to get
the TOTAL repayment. The repayment is $600.00 + $2,500.00,
which is $3,100.00.
part
5. b. Two out of every five indicates a ratio, so use the proportion  
whole
percent 2 p
     
= 100 . Substitute in the numbers; 5 = 100 . Cross-multiply to get
5 × p = 2 × 100. Multiply; 5 × p = 200. Now divide 200 by 5 to get
40%.

6. e. This is a multi-step problem, because the sale percentage is a per-

cent decrease, and the sales tax is a percent increase. There are
several methods to solve this problem. The key word “is” means
equals, “of” means multiply, and 35% is 0.35 written as a decimal.
Set up the equation: discount = percent × original, or d = 0.35 ×
89. Multiply, to get the discount, which is $31.15. The sale price
is thus $89.00 – $31.15 = $57.85. The sales tax is then calculated
based on this sale price; sales tax = percent × sale price. The tax
114 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

will be t = 0.06 × 57.85, or t = $3.47, rounded to the nearest cent.

Add this to the sales price to find the cost of the stick; $57.85 +
$3.47 = $61.32.

7. a. This is a percent increase problem, so set up the proportion;

change percent

orig inal =  
100 . The change in attendance is 30 – 25 = 5. The
original attendance is 25 members. The proportion setup is: 255 =
p

10 0 . Cross-multiply to get 25 × p = 5 × 100. Multiply 5 times 100
to get 25 × p = 500. Divide 500 by 25 and the percent is therefore
20%.

8. c. The problem asks what percentage are NOT desserts. Since four
of the 28 selections are desserts, then 28 – 4 = 24 selections are
part percent
not desserts. Set up the proportion;  whole =  
100 , and substitute
p
in the correct numbers: 2248 =  
100 . Cross-multiply; 28 × p = 24 ×
100, or 28 × p = 2,400. Divide 2,400 by 28 to get the percent,
rounded to the nearest tenth, of 85.7%.

9. a. Twenty-five percent of the 1,032 voters voted for the incumbent.

The key word “of” means multiply, and 25% is 0.25 written as a
decimal; 0.25 × 1,032 = 258 voters.

10. e. The tip is a percent increase to the price of the dinner. Fifteen
percent can be written as 0.15, and the key word “of” means mul-
tiply; 0.15 × 28 = 4.2 The tip is $4.20, which is added to the
$28.00 to get $28.00 + $4.20 = $32.20.

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS:

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you have a good basic under-
standing of percent. Read through the lessons in this chapter to gain mas-
tery of the different contexts in which percent problems are presented. The
advice in Tips and Strategies may be especially helpful to you.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, you need to spend more effort
in your study of this chapter. Carefully read through the lesson and try each
example. Visit the suggested websites for extended practice. Work through
the quiz at the end of the chapter to check your progress.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, give this chapter your concen-
trated effort. Make sure you have read and understood Chapters 4 and 5;
they are the foundation for the concept of percent. Work through all exam-
ples, and try the different methods of solution with each problem. Go to the
suggested websites in the Extra Help area in this chapter, and do extended
P E R C E NT 115

practice. You may want to refer to a more comprehensive book on the sub-
ject of percents, such as Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, Lessons
9, 10, and 11, published by LearningExpress.

JUST IN TIME LESSON—PERCENT

Pick up any newspaper or watch any news program; chances are that these
media use percentages to make their information clear. Every time you shop
for a sale, borrow money, choose a credit card, invest money, or pay a tip
to a service worker, you use your understanding of percents. Percents are
special ratios that compare a part to a whole; the whole is always one hun-
dred. Percent problems can be solved just like any other type of ratio/pro-
portion problem. This chapter will also review alternate methods to solve
percent problems.
The topics in this chapter are:

• introduction to percentages: a part/whole relationship

• finding the percent of a number (find the part, given the percent
and the whole)
• find the whole when the percent and the part are known
• given the part and the whole, find the percent
• percent increase/decrease and the various applications of this type
of percent
• simple interest percentage problems

GLOSSARY
PERCENT a ratio that compares numerical data to one hundred. The symbol for per-
cent is %.

INTRODUCTION TO PERCENTAGES—
A PART/WHOLE RELATIONSHIP

Our number system is the decimal system, where digits are based on the
powers of ten. It is natural to want to compare numbers to a common
baseline, like one hundred, which is 102. Ratios that are comparisons of a
part to a whole are percents when the whole is one hundred. The symbol
for percent is %; 74% means 74 out of every one hundred. As an example,
if two out of every five people live in a city, to find the percent you can use
p
a proportion; 25 = 
100 . Cross-multiply to get 5 × p = 2 × 100, or 5 × p = 200.
Divide 200 by five to get p = 40. So it is true that 40% of the people live in
cities. A ratio such as 2 to 5 is perhaps more clear when expressed as 40%.
116 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Another way to convert a ratio in fractional form into a percent is to first

change the ratio to a decimal by long division and then multiply by 100.
Changing a fraction into a decimal was covered in Chapter 4 of this book.

RULE BOOK

E There are two ways to change a ratio in fractional form, such as ba, to a
percent:
• Set up a proportion ba =  c
100 , where the percent is c%.
• Change the ratio to a decimal and multiply by 100.
For example, 87 = 0.875, so 87 is 87.5% because 0.875 times 100 is 87.5.

" SHORTCUT
To change a decimal to a percent, move the decimal point two places to
the right.
Example 1:
To change 0.87 to a percent, move the decimal point two places to the
right:

So 0.87 = 87%
Example 2:
To change 1.3 to a percent:

So 1.3 = 130%

It is helpful to know some common fraction/decimal/percent conversions:

1 1 3
 0.5 50%  0.2 20%  0.6 60%
2 5 5
1 1 1  1
 0.25 25%  0.125 12.5%  0.3 333%
4 8 3
3 1 2  2
 0.75 75%  0.1 10%  0.6 663%
4 10 3
P E R C E NT 117

SHORTCUT
" To change a percent to a decimal, divide the percent value by 100; move
the decimal point two places to the left.
Example 1:
To change 17% to a decimal, move the decimal point two places to the
left:

Example 2:
To change 6% to a decimal, move the decimal point two places to the
left. It is necessary in this instance to add a zero as a placeholder:

FINDING THE PERCENT OF A NUMBER

Percents can be solved in several ways. Two main ways are by using a pro-
portion or by using an equation. To use a proportion, understand that per-
part percent
cents are a part/whole relationship and set up whole =  10
0 . To find the
percent of a number, the “part” is the missing term. The percent is always
over one hundred. Set up the proportion and cross-multiply.

Example:
What is 28% of 275?
The term 275 is the “whole” and the problem asks for 28% of
this whole:
n 28
 =
275 10
0 Set up the proportion and cross-multiply.
275 × 28 = n × 100 Multiply 275 times 28.
7,700 = n × 100 Divide 7,700 by 100.
77 = n 28% of 275 is 77.

SHORTCUT
" To set up the proportion, think: oisf = %
.
100
In all percent problems using proportions, the percent value is ALWAYS
over the 100.

The term that immediately follows the key word “of” is the denomina-
tor. The term that either immediately precedes or immediately follows the
key word “is” is the numerator.
To use the equation method, recall this important information when
translating words into math: “is” means equals and “of ” means multiply. Also,
for equations, change the percent to a decimal by dividing by one hundred
118 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

(move the decimal point two places to the left). To use an equation, you take
a problem and rewrite it as an equation with an equal sign and the multipli-
cation operator. You can use a straight translation whose set up is “part is
percentage of whole” or “percentage of whole is part.”

Example:

So 18% of 75 is 13.5.

CALCULATOR TIPS

i If your calculator has the % key, then it handles percents directly. Check
your calculator carefully. Often the percent function (%) is a second func-
tion. Often, you must enter the percent as the last term in the calculator.
Check with the user guide of your calculator for specific information.
Example:
What is 47% of 370?
Recall that the key word “of” means multiply, and enter into your calcu-
lator:

Before moving on in the chapter, take a few minutes to go back and

attempt to solve the first example using an equation and the second exam-
ple using a proportion. After trying both methods, you will naturally pre-
fer one method, but it is a good idea to be proficient in using both methods.
Some types of problems lend themselves to one or the other method of
solution.
P E R C E NT 119

FIND THE WHOLE WHEN THE PERCENT

AND THE PART ARE GIVEN

Example:
Fifty-six percent of what number is 63?
In this example, the percent, 56, is known and the “part” term,
63, is given. The “whole” is the missing term. Just as in the previous
section, there are two approaches to this problem.
Proportion Method: Set up the proportion as oisf = %
.
100
63 56
 = 
w 10
0 Substitute in the given information and
cross-multiply.
w × 56 = 63 × 100 Multiply 63 times 100.
w × 56 = 6,300 Divide 6,300 by 56 to find the whole, w.
w = 112.5

Now try this example using the equation method, and be sure your
answer agrees with the above.

Example:
Ninety-eight is 14% of what number?
Equation Method: Write the equation, substituting in an equal
sign for “is,” the multiplication sign for “of,” and change the per-
cent to a decimal.
98 = 0.14 × w Divide 98 by 0.14 to find the whole, w.
700 = w

Now, try this example using the proportion method. Your answer should
be the same, 700.

GIVEN THE PART AND THE WHOLE,

FIND THE PERCENT

Example:
Forty-two is what percent of 105?
Again, the term that precedes the key word “is” is the “part,” and
the term that immediately follows the key word “of” is the “whole.”
The percent, the missing term, is always over one hundred when
setting up a proportion.
42 p

10
5 =10
0 Set up the proportion; cross-multiply.
105 × p = 42 × 100 Multiply 42 times 100.
105 × p = 4,200 Divide 4,200 by 105 to get the percent.
p = 40%
120 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Try this example with the equation method.

Example:
What percent of 1,136 is 71?
Substitute in to make an equation, where the key word “is”
becomes the equal sign, and the key word “of” is the multiplication
sign.
p × 1,136 = 71 Divide 71 by 1,136, and the percent will
be written as a decimal.
p = 0.0625 Move the decimal point two places to the
right.
p = 6.25%

Try this example with the proportion method.

PERCENT INCREASE AND DECREASE

Often, there are comparisons made from one condition to another; the pop-
ulation increases, the merchandise price decreases, and taxes are paid.
These can all be expressed as percent increases or decreases. Like all per-
cents, these are part/whole relationships. The “part” is the change and the
“whole” is the original number. It is important to be aware of this distinc-
tion; note that the new condition is not part of the proportion to be set up.
The new condition is used to calculate the change. The setup for percent
change %
increase or decrease is: 
orig
inal =  .
100
In the same manner, when you use an equation to solve these problems,
the new condition does not appear in the equation. The amount of change
of the original condition (the whole) is the part. So change is some percent
of the original number.

Example:
The class size dropped from 400 students in 2002 to 375 students in
2003. What is the percent decrease from 2002 to 2003?
change %
Set up a proportion based on 
orig
inal =  . Calculate the change,
100
which is 400 – 375 = 25 students.
25 p

40
0 = 100 Substitute in the pertinent numbers.
400 × p = 25 × 100 Multiply 25 times 100.
400 × p = 2,500 Divide 2,500 by 400 to get the percent
decrease.
p = 6.25%
P E R C E NT 121

Now, try this same problem by setting up an equation as change = percent

of original.
Percent increase and decrease has several applications in math problems.
Sales tax and service tips are percent increases and merchandise sales are
percent decreases.

Example:
The $79.00 picnic table came to a total price of $83.74 with sales
tax. What was the sales tax percentage?
Sales tax is a percent increase, so calculate the change in price,
$83.74 – $79.00 = $4.74. Set up an equation using “change is per-
cent of original.”
4.74 = p × 79 Divide 79 by 4.74.
p = 0.06 This percent is in decimal form. Move the
decimal point two places to the right to
find the percent.
p = 6%

You can also work this problem out using proportions to get the same
result.

Example:
Raincoats, normally selling for $46.00, are on sale at 20% off the
regular price. What is the sale price?
In this example, the original price is $46.00 and the percent is 20.
The change to be calculated will result in the discount. Solve for the
discount and then subtract this from the original price to get the
sale price.
n 20

46 =10
0 Set up the proportion with the given
information. Cross-multiply.
46 × 20 = n × 100 Multiply 46 times 20.
920 = n × 100 Divide 920 by 100 to get the discount.
9.20 = n Subtract this from the original price.
$46.00 – $9.20 = $36.80

SHORTCUT
" You can solve sales problems quicker by realizing that if there is 20% off,
you will actually pay 100 – 20 = 80% of the original price. As another
example, 35% off means 100 – 35 = 65% of the original price will be paid.
So the last example can be solved directly as “80% of the original price
is the sale price,” and 0.80 times $46.00 is $36.80.
122 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

In a percent problem that involves both a sale and sales tax, these per-
cents must be handled separately. It is a two-step problem.

Example:
Tents normally sell for $139.95 and are on sale at 25% off of the
regular price. How much will the tent cost at this sale percentage, if
there is also a 7% sales tax?
First, find the sale price. Using the shortcut, the tent will cost
100 – 25 = 75% of the regular price; 0.75 × 139.95 = 104.96,
rounded to the nearest cent. Second, calculate the sales tax, which is
based on the sale price, and add it to the sale price; 0.07 × 104.96 =
7.35, rounded to the nearest cent. The total price is therefore
$104.96 + $7.35 = $112.31.

SHORTCUT
" Total price with sales tax can be solved more quickly. The price will be
one hundred percent of the sale price, plus seven percent of this price,
or 100 + 7 = 107% of the sale price. The previous example can be solved
directly as 1.07 × $104.96 = $112.31.

Service tips are another common use for percent-increase applications.

They are treated the same as sales tax because they are calculated and then
added to the cost.

SIMPLE INTEREST PERCENTAGE PROBLEMS

When you borrow money, you pay additional funds for the service. When
you deposit money into savings you earn additional funds for your deposit.
In either case, the additional funds are called interest. The money borrowed
or deposited is called principal; the percentage used to calculate the addi-
tional funds is called the interest rate. Interest earned or owed is dependent
not only on the principal and rate, but also on another variable, which is the
length of time in years. To calculate interest for one year, you can set up a
proportion. Because interest is such a common occurrence in the business
world, there is a formula used to calculate interest: I = PRT. The interest is
I, P is the principal, R is the rate written as a decimal, and T is the time in
years.
P E R C E NT 123

Example:
What is the interest earned on $1,990.00 invested at 4% simple
interest if it is invested for three years?
I = PRT Using the simple interest formula, substi-
tute in the given numbers.
I = 1,990 × 0.04 × 3 Multiply the values to find the interest.
I = $238.80

In these types of problems, be careful to pay attention to what is being

asked for; sometimes the interest is requested, but other times the total
return is wanted.

Example:
Rachel borrows $12,000 for her new car at a simple interest rate of
3.5% for five years. What is the total amount Rachel will repay for
this loan?
I = PRT Use the simple interest formula.
I = 12,000 × 0.035 × 5 Multiply the values to find the interest.
I = $2,100.00 Add this to the amount borrowed for the
total repayment.
Total = $12,000 + $2,100 = $14,100.00.

Take care when calculating time. Time is measured in years.

Example:
Tyrone purchased a certificate of deposit for $500.00 and it matured
in 7 years, 6 months. If after the maturity time Tyrone was given
$837.50 as his total return, what was the percent interest rate,
assuming a simple interest formula?
Calculate the interest, which is the change: $837.50 – $500.00 =
$337.50
Use I = PRT to solve for the percentage rate. The time is 7 and
one-half years.
337.5 = 500 × p × 7.5 Multiply 500 times 7.5.
337.5 = 3,750 × p Divide 337.5 by 3,750 to find the rate as a
decimal.
0.09 = p Move the decimal point two places to the
right.
9% = p
124 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

EXTRA HELP
O If you feel you need extended help with the concept of percent, Prac-
tical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, published by LearningExpress,
has several chapters devoted to this topic: Lessons 9, 10, and 11.
In addition, the website www.math.com has helpful mini lessons and
further practice problems. Click on Percents under Hot Subjects. Then
click on numbers under the word percent. Follow along with the lesson
explanation and then practice problems. To explore the part/whole
relationship of percents and how they are related to decimals and frac-
tions, try http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/index.html. Click on the Virtual
Library. Then choose Numbers and Operations under the column 9–12.
Scroll down, and then click on Percentages.
You will also find practice on percents at the website www.aaamath.
com. Choose Percent under Math Topics. From there, there are several
topics you can practice.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

part percent
• Solve percent problems using a proportion:  whole = 10
0 .
is %
   
• Percent can be thought of as of = 100 , where the number associated
with “is” is the part and the number associated with “of” is the
whole.
• Proportions or equations can be used to solve percent problems.
• The key word “is” means equals; the key word “of” means multiply.
change %
• Percent increase or decrease involves the proportion  orig
inal =  ,
100
where the change is the part and the original number is the whole.
• For sale percentage off, the change is the discount.
• An alternative to solving for the discount is to solve directly for the
sale price.
• For sales tax or tips, the change in price is the tax or tip.
• An alternative to solving for the tax or tip is to solve directly for the
total price.
• Simple interest problems can be solved using the formula I = PRT.
P E R C E NT 125

PRACTICE

Now that you have studied this lesson, try this set of practice problems.
Carefully read over the answer explanations. Keep in mind that there are
several ways to solve percent problems, so you may use an alternate method
to arrive at the correct answer.

1. Change 1156 to a percent.

a. 0.9375%
b. 93.75%
c. 15.16%
d. 15%
e. 85%

2. Change 23.5% to a decimal.

a. 2.35
b. 23.5
c. 0.235
d. 235.00
e. 23,500.00

3. Change 1.8 to a percent.

a. 18%
b. 80%
c. 1.8%
d. 180%
e. 20%

4. What is 12.8% of 405, to the nearest hundredth?

a. 51.84
b. 0.03
c. 31.64
d. 0.52
e. 518.40

5. 272 is what percent of 400?

a. 1.47%
b. 147%
c. 0.68%
d. 10.88%
e. 68%
126 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

6. 533 is 82% of what number?

a. 15.38
b. 6.5
c. 149.24
d. 650
e. 437.06

7. Which of the following is 49% of 3,000?

a. 6,122.45.
b. 14.70.
c. 1,470.
d. 1,530.
e. 612.25

8. 4.25 is what percent of 25?

a. 5.88%
b. 0.17%
c. 106.25%
d. 1.06%
e. 17%

9. 91% of what number is 200.2?

a. 2.2
b. 220
c. 45.45
d. 454.5
e. 182.182

10. The number of customers in ABC department store rose from 1,200
on Saturday to 1,350 on Sunday. What is the percent increase?
a. 11.11%
b. 88.9%
c. 150%
d. 12.5%
e. 112.5%

11. The population of Trendsville fell from 25,670 in 1990 to 24,500 in

1998. What was the percent decrease during this time frame, to the
nearest tenth?
a. 4.6%
b. 8%
c. 46%
d. 4.8%
e. 95.44%
P E R C E NT 127

12. Car prices rose from $5,200 to $10,200 from 1976 to 2002. What is
the percent increase to the nearest percent?
a. 100%
b. 50%
c. 26%
d. 96%
e. 49%

13. Raisin Crunchy cereal advertises that 26% of its total volume is
raisins. How many ounces of raisins are in an 18-ounce package?
a. 13.32 oz
b. 4.68 oz
c. 26 oz
d. 2.6 oz
e. 0.26 oz

14. Of the 44 items in the closet, 11 of the items are red. What percent-
age of the items is NOT red?
a. 25%
b. 11%
c. 44%
d. 75%
e. 33%

15. What percent of 170 is 40.8?

a. 4.2%
b. 12.92%
c. 24%
d. 69.36%
e. 76%

16. At a 15% tip rate, what is the cost of an $83.00 meal, including tip?
a. $98.00
b. $68.00
c. $70.55
d. $12.45
e. $95.45
128 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

17. Jeans whose regular price is $28.00 are on sale at 30% off. What is the
sale price?
a. $8.40
b. $19.60
c. $2.00
d. $36.40
e. $26.00

18. What is the out-of-pocket expense for a blender whose price is

$89.95, plus a 6% sales tax?
a. $95.35
b. $95.95
c. $84.55
d. $5.40
e. $143.92

19. The truck whose sticker price is $13,500 is on sale at 15% off. There
is also an 8% sales tax. What will be the total price paid for this truck,
including discount and sales tax?
a. $2,187.00
b. $3,645.00
c. $11,475.00
d. $13,800.00
e. $12,393.00

20. What is the interest due on a $462 loan at 18% simple interest for 2
years?
a. $83.16
b. $628.32
c. $166.32
d. $18.00
e. $36.00

21. $2,300.00 is placed in a savings account at 9% interest for 6 months.

How much TOTAL money is in the account after the 6 months,
assuming no additional deposits or withdrawals?
a. $2,403.50
b. $3,542.00
c. $1,242.00
d. $2,070.00
e. $103.50
P E R C E NT 129

22. Dinner at the XYZ restaurant includes an 18% tip automatically

added to the bill. How much of the $49.56 bill is for the food?
a. $18.00
b. $31.56
c. $42.00
d. $7.56
e. $40.66

23. What is the simple interest rate on a $3,500.00 loan, taken out for 3
years, if the interest due after this time frame is $2,205.00?
a. 0.21%
b. 4.76%
c. 47.6%
d. 63%
e. 21%

24. The picnic table is sale priced at $35.40. What was the original price
if the sale price reflects 40% off?
a. $14.16
b. $49.56
c. $88.50
d. $75.40
e. $59.00

25. Jeanne deposits $150.00 into a savings account that pays 4% interest
per year. How long must she keep the money in this account to gain
$42.00 in interest?
a. 4.2 years
b. 37.5 years
c. 3.75 years
d. 7 years
e. 10 years
130 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

ANSWERS

1. b. Change the fraction 1156 to a decimal by long division, to get

0.9375. To change this decimal to a percent, move the decimal
point two places to the right, to get 93.75%.

2. c. To change a percent to a decimal, move the decimal point two

places to the left; 23.5% = 0.235.

3. d. To change 1.8 to a percent, move the decimal two places to the

right. It is necessary to add a trailing zero as a placeholder; 1.8 =
180%.

4. a. To solve this problem, remember that the key word “of” means
multiply, and change the percent to a decimal; 12.8% = 0.128.
Multiply 0.128 times 405 to get 51.84.

5. e. Set up a proportion, using oisf = %


100 . The term immediately pre-
ceding the key word “is” is 272, and the term following the key
272 p
word “of” is 400. The setup is   
400 = 100 . Cross-multiply to get
400 × p = 272 × 100. Multiply 272 times 100; 400 × p = 27,200.
Divide 27,200 by 400 to get 68%.

6. d. You can set up an equation, recalling that “is” means equals and
“of” means multiply. For equations, the percent must also be con-
verted to a decimal. A straight translation gives 533 = 0.82 × n.
Divide 533 by 0.82 to get 650.

7. c. Change 49% to a decimal to get 0.49. Since the key word “of”
means multiply, multiply 0.49 times 3,000 to get 1,470.

8. e. Set up a proportion; 4.25 is the part, since it precedes the key

word “is,” and 25 is the whole, as it follows the key word “of.” Use
is % 4.25 p
0 . Cross-multiply to get 25 × p = 4.25 × 100.
of =  ,  = 
100 25 10
Multiply 4.25 times 100; 25 × p = 425. Divide 425 by 25 to get 17%.

9. b. Set up an equation, changing 91% to a decimal, that is 0.91. The

key word “of” means multiply and “is” means equals, so translate as
0.91 × n = 200.2. Divide 200.2 by 0.91 to get 220.
change
10. d. This is a percent-increase problem, so use the proportion  orig
inal =
%
  . The change is 1,350 – 1,200 = 150. The original number is
100 p
150
1,200;  
1,200 =  
100 . Cross-multiply to get 1,200 × p = 150 × 100.
P E R C E NT 131

Multiply 150 times 100; 1,200 × p = 15,000. Divide 15,000 by

1,200 to get 12.5%.
change %
11. a. For percent decrease, set up a proportion:  orig
inal =  . The
100
change is 25,670 – 24,500 = 1,170. The original population is
1,170 p
25,670; 25,670 = 
100 . Cross-multiply to get 25,670 × p = 1,170 ×
100. Multiply 1,170 by 100; 25,670 × p = 117,000. Divide 117,000
by 25,670 to get approximately 4.5578, which rounds to the near-
est tenth as 4.6%.

12. d. Calculate the change in price; 10,200 – 5,200 = 5,000. The orig-
change %
inal price is 5,200. Set up the proportion  orig
inal =  , which is
100
5,000 p
0 . Cross-multiply; 5,200 × p = 5,000 × 100. Multiply 5,000
 = 
5,200 10
by 100; 5,200 × p = 500,000. Divide 500,000 by 5,200 to get approx-
imately 96.1538, which is 96% rounded to the nearest percent.

13. b. The problem states that 26% of the total volume is raisins.
Change 26% to a decimal, 0.26, and recall that the key word “of”
means multiply; 0.26 times 18 equals 4.68 oz.

14. d. If eleven of the items are red, then 44 – 11 = 33 items are NOT
part percent 33 p
red. Set up a proportion using  whole =  10
0 which is   
44 = 100 .
Cross-multiply to get 44 × p = 33 × 100. Multiply 33 times 100;
44 × p = 3,300. Divide 3,300 by 44 to get 75%.

15. c. This problem can be solved with an equation. The key word “of”
means multiply, and the key word “is” means equals. Write the
equation as a straight translation; p × 170 = 40.8. Divide 40.8 by
170 to get 0.24. Remember that for equations, this term, 0.24, is
the percent written as a decimal. Move the decimal point two
places to the right to get the answer expressed as a percent.

16. e. Since the tip is an additional percentage added to the cost, use the
shortcut that says the cost of the meal will be 100% + 15% =
115% of the price of the food. Write 115% as a decimal, that is
1.15; 1.15 of $83.00 becomes 1.15 × 83 = 95.45.

17. b. Jeans that are on sale for 30% off will cost 100% – 30% = 70% of
the regular price. Using the key word “of” to mean multiply, and
change 70% to the decimal 0.7; 28 times 0.7 is $19.60.

18. a. The blender will cost the price plus an additional 6% of this price
as tax; 100 + 6 = 106% of the price will be the out-of-pocket
132 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

expense. Because the key word “of” means multiply, and 106% is
1.06 written as a decimal, 1.06 times $89.95 equals 95.347, which
is $95.35 rounded to the nearest cent.

19. e. The truck is on sale for a percentage off, and there is also a sales
tax percentage increase. This is a two-step problem. First find the
sale price and then find the total price with tax. The discount can
change % n 15
be calculated using a proportion  orig
inal =  ; 
100 =
13,500 10
0 . Cross-
multiply; 13,500 × 15 = n × 100. Multiply 13,500 by 15; 202,500 =
n × 100. Divide 202,500 by 100 to get the DISCOUNT of 2,025.
Subtract this from the sticker price to get the sale price $13,500 –
n
$2,025 = $11,475. Use this sale price to calculate the tax:  =
11,475
8
 . Cross-multiply; 11,475 × 8 = n × 100. Multiply 11,475 by 8;
100
91,800 = n × 100. Divide 91,800 by 100 to get the tax of $918.00.
Add this to the sale price to get the total price paid; $11,475 +
$918 = $12,393.00.

20. c. Use the simple interest formula I = PRT, where the principal is
$462; the rate is 18%, written as a decimal as 0.18; and the time is
2; I = 462 × 0.18 × 2. Multiply the three terms on the right to get
$166.32.

21. a. Use the interest formula to calculate interest. Then you must add
this to the total placed in the account. Remember that 9% must
be written as a decimal, which is 0.09, and time is in years, so the
time is 0.5 years. Use I = PRT; I = 2,300 × 0.09 × 0.5. Multiply the
three terms to get $103.50 as the interest earned. The total in the
account after the six months is $2,300 + $103.50 = $2,403.50.

22. c. This problem gives the total and asks for the part of this bill that
is the food, without the gratuity. To solve this you must realize
that this $49.56 represents 100% + 18% = 118% of the cost of the
food. So 118% of the food is $49.56. Write 118% as a decimal,
which is 1.18. Set up the equation 1.18 × n = 49.56. Divide 49.56
by 1.18 to get the price of the food. This results in $42.00.

23. e. In this problem you are given the interest paid, 2,205, the princi-
pal of 3,500, and the time (in years) of 3. Use the formula I = PRT
to solve for the rate, the percent; 2,205 = 3,500 × R × 3. Multiply
3,500 by 3; 2,205 = 10,500 × R. Divide 2,205 by 10,500 to find the
rate written as a decimal; 0.21 = R, and move the decimal two
places to the right to express this as a percent. The percentage
rate is 21%.
P E R C E NT 133

24. e. In this problem you are given the sale price and the percentage
off, and need to calculate the original price. This sale price is
100% – 40% = 60% of the original price. Set up an equation that
shows the sale price is 60% of the original price. Change 60% to
a decimal to get 0.6; 35.40 = 0.6 × n. Divide 35.40 by 0.6 to get the
original price, which is $59.00.

25. d. Use the simple interest formula I = PRT, and solve for T. Substi-
tute in the given information, changing 4% to the decimal 0.04;
42 = 150 × 0.04 × T. Multiply 150 times 0.04; 42 = 6 × T. Divide
42 by 6 to get 7 years.
 7
Powers, Exponents,
and Roots
I n Chapter 3, the properties of numbers were reviewed. Recall that
a factor of a number is a whole number that divides evenly, without a
remainder, into the given number. Frequently, you multiply the same fac-
tor by itself several times. In math, there is a special notation for this idea:
exponents and the inverse operation, roots. How much do you recall
about exponents, roots, and scientific notation? Take a few minutes now
to take this ten-question Benchmark Quiz. These questions are similar to
the type of questions that you will find on important tests. When you are
finished, check the answer key carefully to assess your results. Your
Benchmark Quiz analysis will help you determine how much time you
need to spend on the specific areas in which you need the most careful
review and practice.

BENCHMARK QUIZ

1. Simplify 72.
a. 14
b. 7.2
c. 3.5
d. 419
e. 49
134
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 135

2. Simplify 2–3.
a. 6
b. –8
c. –6
d. 18
e. 16
3
3. Simplify 27
.
a. 5
b. 3
c. 9
d. 237
e. 13
1
4. Simplify 252.
a. 12.5
b. 625
c. –625
d. 15
e. 5

5. 22 × 23 =
a. 25
b. 10
c. 45
d. 64
e. 2

6. What is 7.206 × 10–4 written in standard form?

a. 72,060
b. 0.00007206
c. 0.0007206
d. 7,206
e. 72,060,000

7. What is 567,090,000 written in scientific notation?

a. 567,090 × 103
b. 5.6709 × 108
c. 5.679 × 107
d. 567 × 109
e. 0.56709 × 109
136 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

5.4 × 1016
8.  =
9 × 1014
a. 600
b. 0.6
c. 60
d. 6
e. 0.006

9. Simplify –52.
a. –10
b. 215
c. 25
d. –25
e. 10

10. 700 + 25 – 52 × 2 =
a. 725
b. 1,036,800
c. 675
d. 1,400
e. 705

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the powers, exponents, and roots Benchmark Quiz?
Check your answers here, and then analyze your results to figure out your
plan of attack to master these topics.

1. e. 72 = 7 × 7, and 7 × 7 = 49.

2. d. When there is a negative exponent, take the reciprocal of the base

and raise it to the positive power; 2–3 = (12)3 and (123 ) = 18.
3

3
3. b. 27
 is the cube root of 27. What number multiplied by itself
three times equals 27? Since 3 × 3 × 3 = 27, the answer is 3.

4. e. An exponent of 12 means the second root of 25, or the square root
of 25. Since 5 × 5 = 25, the answer is 5.

5. a. When you multiply two numbers with the same base, you keep
the base and add the exponents; 22 × 23 = 22+3 = 25.
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 137

6. c. The negative exponent of 4 dictates that you move the decimal

point four places to the left.

7. b. Change the large number to a decimal number between 1 and 10,

followed by a multiplication by a power of 10. By doing this, you
have moved the decimal point eight places to the right.

16
8. c. Divide 59.4 = 0.6 and use the law of exponents; 
10

1014 = 10
16–14
= 102.
So this is 0.6 × 10 = 60, by moving the decimal point two places
2

to the right.

9. d. Evaluate the exponent first and then evaluate the negative sign
last; 52 = 5 × 5, which is 25, so the answer is –25.

10. c. For order of operations, parentheses would have been evaluated

first, but there are no parentheses. Evaluate exponents next to get
700 + 25 – 25 × 2. Multiplication is performed next; 700 + 25 – 50.
Now, addition and subtraction are done left to right for a result of
725 – 50 = 675.

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you are on your way to master-
ing this concept. Study the lessons in this chapter to refresh your knowl-
edge. The Tips and Strategies may be especially helpful to you.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, careful study is needed. Work
through the lessons, attempting all examples. Visit the suggested websites
for extended practice. Find the one that will help you to grasp these con-
cepts. When you feel that you have gained a better understanding, try
the practice quiz at the end of the chapter to test your newly acquired
knowledge.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, give this chapter your concen-
trated effort. Take your time in reading over each section, and try the given
examples on a separate piece of paper. There are several websites suggested
that give additional explanation and further practice. Visit these sites and
work through the examples and problems.
138 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

JUST IN TIME LESSON—POWERS, EXPONENTS,

AND ROOTS

Recall that when whole numbers are multiplied together, each of these
numbers is a factor of the result. When all of the factors are identical, the
result is called a power of that factor. For example, because 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 ×
6 = 7,776, we say that 7,776 is the “fifth power of 6.”
The topics in this chapter are:

• powers and exponents

• negative exponents
• square roots and cube roots
• fractional exponents
• scientific notation
• laws of exponents
• exponents and the order of operations

POWERS AND EXPONENTS

In the previous example, 7,776 was said to be the fifth power of six, since
6 × 6 × 6 × 6 × 6 = 7,776. There is a shorthand notation used to indicate
repeated multiplication by the same factor. This is called exponential form.
In exponential form, 7,776 can be written as 65, and we say that “six to the
fifth power is 7,776.” In the expression 65, the six is called the base and the
five is called the exponent.

GLOSSARY
BASE the number that is used as a repeated factor in an exponential expression. It is
the “bottom” number in an exponential expression. For example, in the expression 53,
the five is the base number.
EXPONENT the number of times that a repeated factor is multiplied together to form
a power; it is the superscript in an exponential expression. For example, in the expres-
sion 53, the three is the exponent.
POWER a product that is formed from a repeated factor multiplied together. For exam-
ple, 27 is the third power of 3 since 3 × 3 × 3 = 27.
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 139

Any base number raised to the second power is called the square of the
base. So 42 is said to be “four squared.” Since 42 = 4 × 4, which is 16, 16 is
called a perfect square. Any base number raised to the third power is called
the cube of the base. So 43 is said to be “four cubed.” Since 43 = 4 × 4 × 4,
which is 64, 64 is called a perfect cube. It is helpful to know some of the per-
fect squares and cubes, both for raising to an exponent, and taking roots,
discussed in a later section.

BASE SQUARE CUBE BASE SQUARE

1 12 = 1 13 = 1 7 72 = 49
2 22 = 4 23 = 8 8 82 = 64
3 32 = 9 33 = 27 9 92 = 81
4 42 = 16 43 = 64 10 102 = 100
5 52 = 25 53 = 125 11 112 = 121
6 62 = 36 63 = 216 12 122 = 144

SHORTCUT
The exponent for the positive powers of 10 equals the number of zeroes

" in the number in standard form. For example, one million, 1,000,000 = 106
since there are six zeroes in 1,000,000.

NEGATIVE EXPONENTS

Observe the pattern in the table for the base of three:

EXPONENT EXPONENTIAL FORM STANDARD FORM

1 31 3
2 32 9
3 33 27
4 34 81
5 35 243

Look at the last column, standard form. As you go down this column,
each entry is multiplied by three to get the next entry below, such as 81 ×
3 = 243. Notice that as you go UP this column, you would divide each entry
by three to get the previous entry above. Now let’s extend the table to
include an exponent of zero and some negative exponents:
140 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

EXPONENT EXPONENTIAL FORM STANDARD FORM

1 1 1
–3 3–3  ÷ 3 =   = 33
9 27
1 1 1
–2 3–2  ÷ 3 =  = 32
3 9
1 1
–1 3–1 1 ÷ 3 = 3 = 31
0 30 3÷3=1
1 31 3
2 32 9
3 33 27

From the patterns noted above, the rules for zero exponents and negative
exponents follow:

RULE BOOK

E 1. Any number (except zero) to the zero power is 1; x0 = 1, where x is

any number, not equal to zero. For example, 70 = 1, 290 = 1 and
2,1590 = 1.
2. A negative exponent is equivalent to the reciprocal of the base,
a
raised to that positive exponent; x–a = 1xa = x1a , where x is not equal
to zero. Recall that the reciprocal of 4 is 14. So, for example, 4–2 = 412
33
= 11 1 1 1 –3
6 , and 2 = 23 = 8, and (3) = 13 = 27.
–3

CALCULATOR TIPS

i
The key on the calculator is used to find the square of a number. To
calculate 132 on the calculator, enter: . On most calculators, the
exponent key looks like or . In either case, to calculate 53, enter
into the calculator . You can also enter negative exponents,
but be aware that the calculator will give the result as a decimal instead of
a fraction. To calculate 3–2, enter to get 0.1111111 . . . ,
which is 19.

SQUARE ROOTS AND CUBE ROOTS

Earlier, perfect squares and cubes were described. For example, 64 is a per-
fect square because 8 × 8, or 82 equals 64. This factor, 8, is called the square
root of 64. Likewise, since 3 × 3 × 3, or 33 equals 27, the cube root of 27 is 3.

GLOSSARY
SQUARE ROOT of a number is one of the two identical factors whose product is the
given number.
CUBE ROOT of a number is one of the three identical factors whose product is the
given number.
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 141

The number 64 has another square root, namely –8, since –8 × –8 = (–8)2
= 64. If we want to indicate the positive square root, use the n  radical
symbol to denote square root. In an expression such as 25, 25 is called the
radicand, and the expression is the radical. So 64
 = 8, and –64
 = –8. The
notation for cube root is n .
3

WORKING WITH SQUARE ROOTS

You can simplify square roots by expressing the radicand (the number under
the radical symbol) as the product of other numbers, where one of the fac-
tors is a perfect square. For example, 288
 = 144 2 ×  = 144
 × 2 =
122 , which means “twelve times the square root of two.” Likewise, when
you are given a problem of two radicals multiplied together, you can com-
bine by multiplying the radicands; 3  × 27 = 3  × 27 = 81 = 9.
192
 192 3

The same rule holds for division; 3
= 3 = 64
  = 8, and 39 = 
9

3
= 3 .

You can add or subtract radicals only if they have the same radicand; 53
+ 73 = 123 , and 72 – 102  = –32 , but 62 + 73 CANNOT be
combined since the radicands are different.

CALCULATOR TIPS
Use the key to find the square root of a number. To find 289
, enter

i 3
125
, enter
. Check your particular calculator. Another method for

.
x
using the calculator is to use the y key or it may be x
y
 key. To find

FRACTIONAL EXPONENTS

When an exponent is a fraction, the denominator of this fractional expo-

nent means the root of the base number, and the numerator means a raise
numerator raise base to this power
of the base to that3 power; 
1
denominator c 
take the root of the base . For example,
83 is the same as 8
1 = 2. 3 3 3
2
Another example: 83 means  82 which is  64 = 4, or alternatively, ( 8 )2
which is 22 = 4.
142 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

CALCULATOR TIPS

i If your calculator has the fraction key and the parentheses keys
, then you can calculate fractional exponents on your calculator. To
1
find 325, enter to get a result of 2.

SCIENTIFIC NOTATION

Scientists can measure very large numbers, such as the distance from the
earth to the sun, or very small numbers, such as the diameter of an electron.
Because these numbers involve a lot of digits as placeholders, a special nota-
tion was invented as a shorthand for these numbers. This notation is very
specific in the way it is expressed:

The exponent of 10 tells whether the number is really big (a positive

exponent) or really small (negative exponent). The absolute value of the
exponent denotes how far the decimal point was moved to fit the pattern:

For example, to express 6,403,500,000 in scientific notation, first change

the number to a decimal between 1 and 10, that is 6.4035. Now, multiply
this decimal by a power of 10, determined by the number of placeholders
the decimal was moved. This is a large number, so the power of 10 will be
positive.

Since the decimal point was moved nine places to the left, the power of
10 is nine, and the number written in scientific notation is 6.4035 × 109.
Note that even though 64.035 × 108 is another form of the same number,
this is NOT scientific notation, since the decimal number is not between
one and ten. As an example of a very small number, consider changing
0.000006007 to a number expressed in scientific notation. Write the num-
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 143

ber as a decimal between 1 and 10: 6.007. The number is very small, so the
power of 10 will be negative.

Since the decimal point was moved six places to the right, the power of
10 is –6 and the number written in scientific notation is 6.007 × 10–6. You
can also convert a number written in scientific notation to a number in stan-
dard form by going through a similar process. For example, to change 5.02
× 107 to standard form, first recognize that the number is a large number
since the exponent is positive. The decimal point will be moved to the right
to create a large number. Take the decimal number and move the decimal
point seven places to the right:

To change 1.09 × 10–5, the number is a very small number since the expo-
nent is negative. The decimal point will be moved five places to the left to
create a small number. Take the decimal number and move the decimal
point five places to the left:

Note that in both of these last two examples, either leading zeroes or
trailing zeroes were added as placeholders.
144 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

LAWS OF EXPONENTS

RULE BOOK

E When working with exponents there are certain rules that can be helpful.
1. When you multiply powers with the same base, keep the base and add
the exponents. For example, 42 × 43 = 42+3 = 45.
2. When you divide powers with the same base, keep the base and sub-
6
tract the exponents. For example, 37 ÷ 34 = 37–4 = 33, or 224 = 26–4 = 22.
3. When you raise a power to a power, you keep the base and multiply
the exponents: (73)2 = 73×2 = 76.
4. If two powers are being multiplied together and the bases are not
the same, check to see if you can convert the numbers to have the
same base to use the above laws. For example, to simplify 272 × 32,
recognize that 27 can be written as 33. Change the problem to (33)2 ×
32. Use law #3 to get 33×2 × 32 = 36 × 32. Now, you can use law #1 to get
36+2 = 38.

You can use these laws of exponents with scientific notation.

Example:
1.44 × 108

1.2 × 106
For this problem, handle the decimal portions separately from the
powers of 10 portion. Divide 1.44 by 1.2, 8which is 1.2. Then use the
10 8–6
laws of exponents for the powers of 10: 
106 = 10 = 102. The prob-
lem becomes 1.2 × 10 , which is 120 in standard form, when you
2

move the decimal point two places to the right.

Example:
(2.0 × 10–3) × (1.8 × 10–2)
First, multiply the decimal portions, to get 2.0 times 1.8, which is
3.6. Then use the laws of exponents on the powers of 10, 10–3 × 10–2
= 10–3+–2 = 10–5. The problem becomes 3.6 × 10–5, or 0.000036 in
standard form, by moving the decimal point five places to the left.
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 145

EXTRA HELP
O There are several useful web sites that deal with the topics of expo-
nents, roots, and scientific notation. Visit these sites if you feel you
need further clarification on these concepts. Each one has a unique
method of presentation.
1. www.purplemath.com
Click on “How do you REALLY do this stuff?” which is under
Purplemath’s algebra lessons.
Scroll down to the Beginning Algebra Topics section.
Click on any of these topics: Exponents, Radicals, or Scientific Notation.
2. http://library.thinkquest.org/20991/home.html
Beneath Math for Morons like Us, click click here to view this site.
Under the heading Learn, click on Algebra.
Scroll down a bit on the left and then click on any of these topics:
Exponents, Square Roots, or Scientific Notation.
3. www.math.com
Under Hot Subjects, click on Exponents.
Then, under Exponents, click on Numbers.

EXPONENTS AND THE ORDER OF OPERATIONS

The order of operations was covered in Chapter 3, Properties of Numbers.

Be aware of some distinctions when working with the order of operations
and exponents. Exponents are done after parentheses and before any other
operations, including the negative sign. For example, –32 = –(3 × 3) = –9
because you first take the second power of three and then the answer is neg-
ative. However, (–3)2 = –3 × –3 = 9, since –3 is enclosed in parentheses. Fol-
lowing are some examples of order of operations with exponents.

Examples:
200 – 62 ÷ (8 + 4) First, evaluate parentheses.
200 – 62 ÷ 12 Then handle the exponent.
200 – 36 ÷ 12 Now, division is performed.
200 – 3 And finally, subtraction.
197

–20 + (–2 + 5)3 ÷ (10 – 7) × 2 Evaluate the parentheses, left to

right.
–20 + 33 ÷ 3 × 2 Now, evaluate the exponent.
–20 + 27 ÷ 3 × 2 Division will be done next.
–20 + 9 × 2 Evaluate multiplication.
–20 + 18 Finally, perform addition.
–2
146 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

• Exponential expressions are in the form x a. The number x is mul-

tiplied by itself “a” times.
• Learn the common perfect squares and perfect cubes.
• Learn the particulars of your specific calculator when working with ex-
ponents and roots.
• x means the positive square root of x, where x is called the radi-
cand and the expression is called the radical.
• x means the cube root of x.
3

• You can express the radicand as the product of its factors and sep-
arate the factors to simplify.
• You can combine two roots multiplied together by multiplying the
radicands and then simplifying.
• For division, you can combine radicands, or separate radicands into
numerator and denominator, to simplify radicals.
• You can add or subtract two radicals only if they have the same rad-
icand.
• Fractional exponents are another way to express a root.
• Scientific notation is a shorthand way to express very large or very
small numbers. The notation expresses a number as a decimal
(between one and ten), multiplied by an appropriate power of ten.
• When you multiply two powers with the same base, keep the base
and add the exponents.
• When you divide two powers with the same base, keep the base and
subtract the exponents.
• When you raise a power to a power, keep the base and multiply the
exponents.

PRACTICE

Try this set of twenty-five questions to see if your knowledge of powers,

exponents, and roots has improved.

1. 63 =
a. 18
b. 36
c. 2
d. 9
e. 216
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 147

2. –112 =
a. –22
b. –121
c. 121
d. 22
e. 101

3. 4–2 =
a. –8
b. –16
c. – 116
d. 116
e. 16
1
4. 814 =
a. 20.25
b. 3
c. 324
d. 13
1
e.  
324

5. 64=
3

a. 4
b. 192
c. 2113
1
d.  
192
e. 13

6. 2–3 =
a. –6
b. 18
c. –8
d. 16
e. –18
148 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

7. 169
=
a. 13
b. 16
c. 16.9
d. 84.5
e. –16

8. Simplify 75
.
a. 253 
b. 7.5
c. 150
d. 37.5
e. 53 

9. 48 × 3 
a. 144 
4

b. –16
c. 12
d. 112
e. 348 

75
10.  =
3

a. 25
b. –25
c. –0.5
d. 5
75

e. 
3

11. Simplify 48

.
a. 43
b. 163
c. 24
d. 96
e. –24
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 149

9 =
12. 3

a. 13
b. 33 
3
c. 9
d. –33 
3
e. 3
1
13. 362 =
a. 18
b. –18
c. 6
d. 16
e. 118

14. Write 2.701 × 107 in standard form.

a. 27 × 106
b. 27,010,000
c. 27,010,000,000
d. 0.0002701
e. 0.0000002701

15. Write 4.09 × 10–5 in standard form.

a. 409,000
b. 0.00000409
c. 0.0000409
d. 40,900,000
e. 409 × 10–7

16. Write 5,063,000,000 in scientific notation.

a. 5,063 × 106
b. 5.063 × 109
c. 5.063 × 106
d. 5.063 × 10–6
e. 5.063 × 10–9
150 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

7.2 × 1020
17.  =
1.8 × 1017
a. 4,000
b. 4
c. 40
d. 400
e. 0.004

18. (2.5 × 10–4) × (3.0 × 108) =

a. 0.00075
b. 7.5
c. 75,000
d. 7,500,000,000,000
e. 750
3
2
3 =
19.  1
32
a. –3
b. 3
c. –9
d. 9
3 
e.  3

20. 75 × 7–2 =
a. 77
b. 73
c. –73
d. 713
5
e. 72

21. Simplify (32)6.

a. 38
b. 34
c. 312
d. 336
e. 36
25
22. 2=
2
a. 6
b. 17
c. 27
d. 8
e. 210
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 151

23. 24 – 42 ÷ 2 =
a. 16
b. 4
c. 80
d. 8
e. 20

24. (8 + 4)2 – (13 – 3)2 ÷ 4 =

a. 11
b. 19
c. 31
d. 119
e. 169

25. 5 – (–17 + 7)2 × 3 =

a. –135
b. 315
c. –295
d. –45
e. 75

ANSWERS

Now check your answers. Be sure to read over these explanations carefully
to aid in your learning.

1. e. Six to the third power is 6 × 6 × 6 = 216.

2. b. For this problem, the exponent is handled first. Eleven squared is

11 times 11, which is 121, and then the negative sign is evaluated
to get the answer of –121.

3. d. The exponent of –2 requires that you take the reciprocal of the

base and then square that number. The reciprocal of 4 is 14, and
(14)2 = 116 .
4. b. The exponent of 14 means the fourth root of 81; what factor, mul-
tiplied by itself four times will yield 81? Trial and error will show
that 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 81. The root is 3.

5. a. The problem is asking for the cube root of 64; what number, mul-
tiplied by itself three times will give the product of 64? Since 4 ×
4 × 4 = 64, the cube root is 4.
152 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

6. b. The exponent of –3 requires that you take the third power of the
reciprocal of 2, which is (12) = 123 = 18.
3 3

7. a. The problem is asking for the square root of 169. Because 13 × 13

= 169, the root is 13.

8. e. To simplify 75 , think of a perfect square factor of 75, namely

25. Rewrite the radical as 25 × 3 = 25 × 3 . The square root
of 25 is 5, and the square root of 3 has no perfect square factors so
cannot be simplified any further. The answer is therefore 53 .

9. c. Combine these radicals by multiplying the radicands together;

48
 × 3 = 144
. The square root of 144 is 12, since 12 × 12 =
144.
75
10. d. Combine these radicals together under one radical sign: 
3 =
25
. The square root of 25 is 5.

11. a. The square root of 48 can be simplified by knowing that there are
perfect square factors of 48, the largest being 16. Break up 48 into
factors of 16 and 3; 16
 × 3 = 16 × 3 . The square root of 16
simplifies to 4 and the square root of 3 cannot be simplified. The
answer is therefore 43 .

12. e. Break this fractional radicand up into two separate radicals and
3

then simplify what can be simplified; 39 = .
9

The 3
 is simpli-
fied, and the 9 = 3.
3

So the answer is .
3

13. c. The exponent of one-half means the square root. The square root
of 36 is 6, since 6 × 6 = 36.

14. b. The exponent of 7 on the power of 10 dictates that you move the
decimal point in the decimal 2.701 seven places to the right.
Three of the places will be taken up by the digits 7, 0 and 1 and
then four more zeroes will follow to result in 27,010,000.
P OWE R S, E X P O N E NTS, AN D R O OTS 153

15. c. The negative exponent, –5, on the power of 10 means that you
must move the decimal point five places to the left. The number
4.09 has only one digit to the left of the decimal point. Four lead-
ing zeroes must be added as placeholders; 0.0000409.

16. b. Write the number as a decimal between 1 and 10, then multiply
by the appropriate power of 10. You move the decimal point nine
places to the left to go from 5,063,000,000 to 5.063. The answer
is 5.063 × 109.

17. a. Break the problem up, dividing the decimal portions, and then
using the laws of exponents on the powers of 10. For the powers
of 10, when you divide two powers with the same base, you keep
1020 20–17
the base and subtract the exponents; 7.2 ÷ 1.8 = 4, and  
1017 = 10
= 10 . So the answer is 4.0 × 10 , which is 4,000 because you move
3 3

the decimal point three places to the right.

18. c. For this problem you use the commutative and associative prop-
erties of multiplication and change the order of the factors to get
(2.5 × 3.0) × (10–4 × 108); 2.5 × 3 = 7.5. For the powers of 10, when
you multiply two powers with the same base, you keep the base
and add the exponents, which results in 10–4 × 108 = 10–4+8 = 104.
Now, 7.5 × 104 = 75,000 because you move the decimal point four
places to the right, one place being the 5 (in the tenths place) fol-
lowed by three trailing zeroes for placeholders.

19. b. When you divide two powers with the same base, you keep the
3
3 = 332 – 12 = 322 = 31 = 3.
base and subtract the exponents;  2

1
32

20. b. When you multiply two powers with the same base, you keep the
base and add the exponents; 75 × 7–2 = 75 + –2 = 73.

21. c. When you raise a power to a power, you keep the base and multi-
ply the exponents; (32)6 = 32×6 = 312.

22. d. For this problem, you can just simplify the numerator, simplify
5
2×2×2×2×2
the denominator and then divide; 222 =  32
 = . Thirty-
2×2 4
two divided by 4 is 8.
154 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

23. a. Evaluate the exponent first. Four squared is 16, so the problem
becomes 24 – 16 ÷ 2. Next, evaluate division; 16 ÷ 2 = 8. Finally,
subtract; 24 – 8 = 16.

24. d. First evaluate parentheses from left to right, to get 122 – 102 ÷ 4.
Now evaluate the exponents; 144 – 100 ÷ 4. Next, divide 100 by 4
to get 144 – 25. Finally, subtract to get the answer of 119.

25. c. First perform the addition enclosed in the parentheses; 5 – (–10)2

× 3. Now, take –10 and square it, which is –10 × –10 = 100, so the
problem becomes 5 – 100 × 3. Now, multiply; 5 – 300. Finally,
subtract to get –295.
 8
Geometry and
Measurement
Conversions
A lmost every type of math test includes problems dealing with
geometry. The word geometry means “measure of the earth.” We
constantly measure things in real life. We measure for fences and carpets;
we measure the amount of water in the swimming pool. A basic under-
standing of geometry is crucial to success on your upcoming test. Right
now, take a few minutes to take the following ten-question Benchmark
Quiz. These questions are similar to the type of questions that you will
find on important tests. When you are finished, check the answer key
carefully to assess your results. Your Benchmark Quiz analysis will help
you determine how much time you need to spend on geometry and meas-
urement conversions, and the specific areas in which you need the most
careful review and practice.

155
156 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

BENCHMARK QUIZ

1. Find the area.

a. 45 cm2
b. 33 cm2
c. 60 cm2
d. 75 cm2
e. 90 cm2

2. Find the perimeter.

a. 10.2 ft
b. 21.6 ft
c. 20.4 ft
d. 43.2 ft
e. 15 ft
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 157

3. Find the area.

a. 5π in2
b. 100π in2
c. 25π in2
d. 100 in2
e. 25 in2

4. Find the area.

a. 37 m2
b. 56 m2
c. 120 m2
d. 70 m2
e. 140 m2
158 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

5. Find the circumference.

a. 16 mm
b. 8π mm
c. 64π mm
d. 256π mm
e. 16π mm

6. Find n.

a. 34 cm
b. 119
 cm
c. 7 cm
d. 13 cm
e. 17 cm
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 159

7. A ten-foot ladder rests on a building as shown.

If the base of the ladder is 6 feet away from the building, how high up
the building does the ladder touch?
a. 4 ft
b. 8 ft
c. 6 ft
d. 136
 ft
e. 8  ft

8. Find the volume.

a. 900 mm2
b. 45 mm2
c. 225 mm2
d. 90π mm2
e. 225π mm2

9. If a faucet drips 1 quart of water per week, how many gallons does the
faucet drip per 52-week year?
a. 13
b. 208
c. 52
d. 26
e. 104
160 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

10. Find the area of the shaded region. Use 3.14 for π.

a. 240 cm2
b. 126.96 cm2
c. 13.92 cm2
d. 136.96 cm2
e. 202.32 cm2

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the Benchmark Quiz? Check your answers here, and
then analyze your results to figure out your plan of attack to master these
topics.

1. a. The area of a triangle is A = 12bh, where A stands for area, b stands

for the base length, and h stands for the height (the length of the
segment that is perpendicular to the base). In this triangle, the
base is 15 cm and the height is 6 cm; A = 12 × 15 × 6 and multiply-
ing all together yields an area of 45 cm2.

2. c. To find perimeter, you add up all the lengths of the sides of the
polygon. Because this is a rectangle, opposite sides are congruent.
The perimeter is 7.2 + 3 + 7.2 + 3 = 20.4 ft.

3. c. The area of a circle is A = πr 2, where π is a constant, and r is the

radius of the circle. The problem gives the diameter to be 10
inches. The radius, 5 inches, is one-half of the length of the diam-
eter. Using the formula, A = π × 5 × 5, the area is 25π in2.

4. d. The area of a trapezoid is A = 12h(b1 + b2), where A stands for area,

b1 and b2 are the lengths of the parallel bases, and h is the height
(the length of the segment perpendicular to the bases). In this
trapezoid, the side of length 7 m is the height, since it is perpendicu-
lar to the bases. Substitute the given information into the formula:
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 161

A = 12 × 7 × (8 + 12) to get A = 12 × 7 × (20). Multiply all terms on

the right together to yield an area of 70 m2.

5. e. Circumference is found by the formula C = πd, where C is the cir-

cumference, π is a constant and d is the diameter. The radius of
8 mm is given, and diameter is twice the radius. The diameter is
16 mm; C = 16π mm.

6. d. This is a right triangle, so use the Pythagorean theorem to find

the missing side, which in this case is the hypotenuse. Use the for-
mula a2 + b2 = c2, where a and b are the legs, whose lengths are 5
and 12, and c is “n.” Substitute into the formula; 52 + 122 = n2.
Evaluate the exponents; 25 + 144 = n2, or the equivalent 169 =
n2. Since n2 is 169, take the square root of 169 to find n; 169 
= 13 cm.

7. b. In the diagram, a right triangle is formed, where the ladder is the

hypotenuse (value of 10 ft) and the length up the wall is one of the
legs; the distance from the bottom of the ladder to the bottom of
the wall is the other leg (value of 6 ft). Use the Pythagorean
Theorem, a2 + b2 = c2, and substitute in 6 for a and 10 for c. 62 + b2
= 102. Evaluate the exponents to yield 36 + b2 = 100. Subtract 36
from 100 to get b2 = 64. So, b = 64 = 8 ft.

8. e. The volume of a cylinder is V = πr 2h, where V is the volume, π is

a constant, r is the radius of the base circle (value of 5 mm), and h
is the height (value of 9 mm). Substitute in the values; V = π × r ×
r × h; V = π × 5 × 5 × 9. Multiply the numbers together on the
right to get the volume of V = 225π mm3.

9. a. You can use dimensional analysis to solve this problem. Set up the
1 quart 1 gallon 52 weeks
1 week × 4 quarts × 1 year . The unit dimen-
fractional multiplication;    
sions will cancel as follows: quarts will cancel with quarts, weeks
will cancel with weeks, and gallons will remain as the unit on the
top; year will remain as the unit on the bottom. Fifty-two divided
by 4 is 13 gallons per year.

10. b. The area of the shaded region is found by taking the area of the
outer figure, the rectangle, and subtracting out the area of the inner
figure, the circle; A = Arectangle – Acircle. Using the area formulas, you
get A = bh – πr 2. Notice that the diameter of the circle is the same
length as the height of the rectangle. So the radius is one-half of
12. The radius is 6 cm. Substitute in the given lengths and the
162 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

value of π to get A = 20 × 12 – 3.14 × 6 × 6. Using order of opera-

tions, you multiply first, from left to right; A = 240 – 113.04, or A
= 126.96 cm2.

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you have a good understanding

of geometry. Perhaps the questions you answered incorrectly deal with one
specific area in this chapter. Read over the chapter, concentrating on those
areas of weakness. Proceed to the chapter assessment to try to improve your
score.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, there are several areas you need
to review. Carefully read through the lesson in this chapter for review and
skill-building. Work carefully through the examples and pay attention to
the sidebars that refer you to definitions, hints, and shortcuts. Get addi-
tional practice on geometry by visiting the suggested websites and taking
the quiz at the end of the chapter.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, you need to spend some time on
the topics in this chapter. First, carefully read this chapter and concentrate
on the sidebars and visual aids that will help with comprehension. Go to the
suggested websites in the Extra Help sidebar in this chapter, which will help
with understanding and will provide extended practice. You may also want
to refer to Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, Lessons 17, 18, and
19, published by LearningExpress. There are several chapters devoted to
geometry.

JUST IN TIME LESSON—GEOMETRY AND

MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS

There are many applications of geometry in mathematical problems. This

chapter will review basic polygons and solid figures, with an emphasis on
three- and four-sided figures. It will also describe the various ways that
geometry is used for measurement.
The topics in this chapter are:

• polygons
• classifying triangles
• classifying quadrilaterals
• perimeter
• area
• circles
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 163

• area of shaded regions

• right triangle measurements: Pythagorean theorem
• three-dimensional geometry
• volume
• measurement conversions

POLYGONS

Plane figures are two-dimensional objects that reside on a plane. You can
think of a plane like a sheet of paper that extends forever in all directions.
Special figures are called polygons, several of which are defined on this page.

GLOSSARY
POLYGON a closed-plane figure made up of line segments
TRIANGLE a polygon with three sides
QUADRILATERAL a polygon with four sides
PENTAGON a polygon with five sides
HEXAGON a polygon with six sides
OCTAGON a polygon with eight sides

Polygons are made up of angles and line segments called sides. Each
angle is made up of two sides and the point at which they meet is called
the vertex.

This figure has 5 sides, 5 angles, and 5 vertexes.

164 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

TRIANGLES

Triangles are three-sided polygons. Recall that Chapter 5 showed you how
to use similar triangles to measure heights of tall objects using shadows. Tri-
angles are classified, or grouped, in two different ways. One classification dis-
tinguishes among the sides, and another by the angles. For a triangle, you
can have all three sides congruent (equal measure), or two sides congruent,
or no sides congruent. Shown below are the classification names when
grouping by sides.

To classify triangles by angles, first recall how angles are classified:

In triangle figures, the little box drawn inside an angle stands for a right
angle. Below is the classification for triangles when grouped by angle:
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 165

Note that even though right triangles and obtuse triangles each have two
acute angles, their classification is not affected by these angles. Acute tri-
angles have all three acute angles.

Example:
Classify this triangle by sides and angles.

To group by sides, notice that there are two sides (AB , 

BC) that are
congruent. The side classification is isosceles. To group by angles,
note that there is a right angle in this triangle. So the classification is
right isosceles.

Example:
Classify this triangle by sides and angles

Because no sides are marked as congruent in this figure, the classifi-

cation by sides is scalene. There is one angle greater than 90° (angle
b is 105°); therefore, the angle classification is obtuse. This triangle
is obtuse scalene.

QUADRILATERALS

Four-sided polygons are called quadrilaterals and like triangles, there are
classifications for quadrilaterals.
A quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides (bases) is called a trapezoid.
166 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

In an isosceles trapezoid, the sides that are not bases are congruent. An
example can be found in figure III in the above graphic. Because the paral-
lel bases are not the same length in a trapezoid, we call these bases b1 and b2.
A quadrilateral with two pairs of parallel sides is called a parallelogram.
The two sets of opposite sides that are parallel are congruent in a parallel-
ogram, as shown in the figures:

Parallelograms are broken down into further sub-groups.

• A rectangle is a parallelogram with four right angles. Refer to figure

III, above.
• A rhombus is a parallelogram with four congruent sides. Refer to fig-
ure I, above.
• A square is a parallelogram with both four right angles and four con-
gruent sides. A square is a rhombus, a rectangle, a parallelogram,
and a quadrilateral. Refer to figure IV, above.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 167

This diagram may help you to understand the classification of four sided
figures:

Example: Which of the following is NOT true?

a. All squares are rectangles.
b. Trapezoids have one set of parallel sides.
c. All squares are rhombuses.
d. All rhombuses are squares.
e. A square is a parallelogram.

The statement that is NOT true is d, “All rhombuses are squares.”

While it is true that SOME rhombuses are squares, there are rhombuses
that do not have four right angles, and are therefore not squares. All the
other statements are true.

PERIMETER

Perimeter is the measure around a polygon. Perimeter is an addition concept;

it is a linear, one-dimensional measurement.

RULE BOOK

E To find the perimeter of a polygon, add up all of the lengths of the sides
of the figure. Be sure to name the units.
168 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
Find the perimeter.

, 
Add up the lengths of all sides, that is, AB BC and 
AC. Substitute in
to get 6 + 9 + 7 = 22 in.

Example:
Find the perimeter of the rectangle.

In a rectangle, like all parallelograms, the opposite sides are parallel

and congruent. In this example, there are two sides of length 1.8 cm
and two sides of length 0.6 cm. Add up all the sides; 1.8 + 1.8 + 0.6 +
0.6 = 4.8 cm.

SHORTCUT
" For a rectangle, perimeter can be found using the formula P = 2l + 2w,
where P is the perimeter, l is the length and w is the width.
For a square, or any rhombus, the perimeter can be found by P = 4s,
where P is the perimeter and s is the length of one of the sides.

Be alert when working with geometry problems to make sure that the
units are consistent. If they are different, a conversion must be made before
calculating perimeter or area.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 169

Example:
Find the perimeter of the trapezoid.

Change the lengths of the sides given in meters to be centimeters;

1 m = 100 cm; length  ; both will be 100 cm. Now,
AD = length DC
add up the four sides: 80 + 95 + 100 + 100 = 375 cm.

AREA

Area is a measure of how many square units it takes to cover a closed fig-
ure. Area is measured in square units. You may recall the term “square”
from Chapter 7. Area is a multiplication concept, where two measures are
multiplied together. You can also think of units being multiplied together:
cm × cm = cm2, or the words “centimeters squared.” There are formulas
to use for the area of common polygons:

RULE BOOK: COMMON POLYGON

E FORMULAS
A stands for area, b stands for base, h stands for height (which is per-
pendicular to the base), and b1 and b2 are the parallel sides of a trapezoid.

Area of a triangle A = 12bh

Area of a parallelogram A = bh
Area of a trapezoid A = 12h(b1 + b2)

Be sure to include square units in your answer.

170 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
Find the area of the triangle.

Note that the height must be perpendicular to the base, so the

height is 6.2 mm and the base is 16 mm.
A = 12bh Substitute in the given information.
A = 12 × 16 × 6.2 Multiply the terms on the right together.
A = 49.6 Include the square units.
A = 49.6 mm2

Example:
Find the area of the parallelogram.

Because the figure is a parallelogram, the height is the length that is

perpendicular to the base, not a side of the figure. The base is two
feet, and the height is 10 inches. Before using the area formula, all
units need to be consistent. Change two feet into inches before pro-
ceeding. There are 12 inches in a foot; therefore there are 12 times
2 inches, which is 24 inches in the base.
A = bh Use the area formula and substitute in the
given lengths.
A = 24 × 10 Multiply the base times the height.
A = 240 Include the square units.
2
A = 240 in
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 171

CIRCLES

Circles are another common plane figure.

GLOSSARY
CIRCLE the set of all points equidistant from one given point, called the center. The
center point defines the circle but is not on the circle.

DIAMETER of a circle is a line segment that passes through the center of the circle
whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameter is twice the radius of the circle;
d = 2r.

RADIUS of a circle is the line segment whose one endpoint is at the center of the cir-
cle and whose other endpoint is on the circle. The radius is one-half the length of the
diameter; r = 12d.
172 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

RULE BOOK

E Circumference of a circle is the distance around the circle (the perimeter).

C = πd, where π is a constant, and d is the length of the diameter.
OR
C = 2πr, where r is the length of the radius.
Area of a circle is the number of square units it takes to cover the circle.
A = πr2, where π is a constant and r is the radius.
π, called “pi,” is a special ratio that is a constant value of approximately
3.14. Pi compares circumference to diameter in the following ratio: π = Cd.
It is the same value for every circle. Often, in math tests, answers will be
given in terms of π, such as 136π square units. If answers are not given
in terms of π, use the π key on your calculator unless otherwise
instructed. Sometimes, a problem will direct you to use either π = 3.14,
or π = 272, which are approximations for pi.

Using the preceding formulas, you can calculate the circumference and
area of circles. Take care and check if the problem gives the radius or diam-
eter. If the problem asks for the area of the circle, for example, and gives the
length of the diameter, you must first calculate the length of the radius. The
radius can be found by dividing the diameter by two. Just like all area cal-
culations, the units will be square units. The units for circumference will be
linear (single) units.

Example:
Find the area of the circle.

The problem gives the diameter, which is 16.2 meters. The first step
is to calculate the radius.
r = 12d Substitute in 16.2 for d.
r = 8.1 m Now, use the formula for the area of a
circle.
A = πr2 Substitute in for the radius.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 173

A = π × 8.1 × 8.1 Multiply 8.1 times 8.1, and include the

square units.
A = 65.61π m2

As in this example, answers are frequently left in terms of π.

Example:
Given that the circumference C ≈ 81.64 feet, find the radius.
Use π = 3.14.
C = πd Substitute in for C and π.
81.64 = 3.14 × d Divide 81.64 by 3.14 to find diameter.
26 = d To find radius, use the radius formula.
1

r = 2d Substitute in the diameter.
r = 12 × 26 Multiply one-half times 26, and include
units.
r = 13 ft.

AREA OF SHADED REGIONS

Often on math tests, you are asked to find the area of a shaded region, such
as these:

To solve this type of problem, you must identify the figures in the dia-
gram. There is an outer figure and an inner figure. The area of the shaded
region will be Areaouter figure minus the Areainner figure.
In figure I above, the outer figure is a circle of radius 5 inches, and the
inner figure is a circle of radius 2 inches. To find the area of the shaded
region, perform the following:
174 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Ashaded = Aouter – Ainner Substitute in the correct formulas.

Ashaded = πr2 – πr2 Now, substitute in the radius
lengths.
Ashaded = π × 5 × 5 – π × 2 × 2 The order of operations directs
multiplication to be done next, left
to right. The answer will be left in
terms of π.
Ashaded = 25π – 4π Now, combine the π terms, and
include the square units.
Ashaded = 21π in2

In figure II above, the outer figure is a rectangle and the inner figure is
a triangle. The height of both the rectangle and the triangle is 8 cm. The
base of the rectangle is 15 cm and the base of the triangle is 7 cm.

Ashaded = Aouter – Ainner Substitute in the correct formulas.

Ashaded = bh – 12bh Substitute in the given lengths.
Ashaded =15 × 8 – 12 × 7 × 8 Multiplication is done next, work-
ing left to right.
Ashaded = 120 – 28 Now, evaluate the subtraction, and
include the units.
Ashaded = 92 cm2

RIGHT TRIANGLE MEASUREMENTS—

PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

Right triangles are special triangles used for measuring. In a right triangle,
the base and one side are perpendicular.

GLOSSARY
HYPOTENUSE of a right triangle is the side of the right triangle that is opposite the
right angle.

LEGS of a right triangle are the two sides of the right triangle that make up the right
angle.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 175

In right triangles, there is a special relationship between the hypotenuse

and the legs of the triangle. This relationship is always true and it is
known as the Pythagorean theorem.

RULE BOOK

E The Pythagorean theorem states that in all right triangles, the sum of
the squares of the two legs is equal to the square of the hypotenuse;
leg2 + leg2 = hypotenuse2.
The converse of the Pythagorean theorem is also true: In a triangle,
if the sum of the squares of the legs is equal to the square of the
hypotenuse, then the triangle is a right triangle.

SHORTCUT
" You can remember the Pythagorean theorem as the well-known formula:
a2 + b2 = c2, where a and b are the two legs of the right triangle, and c is
the hypotenuse.
Special note: Be careful! There is nothing special about the letters a,
b and c. A test question could be tricky and could call one of the legs “c.”

Example:
Find f to the nearest hundredth.

Use the Pythagorean theorem: a2 + b2 = c2, where a and b are 6 mm

and 14 mm, and c is the unknown, “f.” Note that it does not matter
whether you set a = 6 and b = 14, or a = 14 and b = 6, due to the
commutative property of addition covered in Chapter 3.
a2 + b2 = c2 Substitute in the given lengths.
62 + 142 = f 2 Evaluate the exponents, left to right.
2
36 + 196 = f Now perform addition.
232 = f 2 Take the square root of 232 to find f.
=f
232 The value of f will be approximate, to the
nearest hundredth, and will include the
units.
15.23 mm ≈ f
176 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
A volleyball net is staked to the ground as shown in the diagram:

The cord on the stake is 15 feet, and the pole is 9 feet tall. How far
from the bottom of the pole is the stake (value n in the diagram)?
The cord, the pole, and the distance from the bottom of the pole
to the stake form a right triangle. The cord in this diagram is the
hypotenuse of the right triangle. The height of the pole, 9 feet, is
one of the legs. The unknown is the other leg.
a2 + b2 = c2 Substitute in the given lengths.
2 2 2
9 + b = 15 Evaluate the exponents, left to right.
81 + b2 = 225 Subtract 81 from 225.
b2 = 144 Take the square root of 144 to find b.
b = 144
 The value of b is 12, and includes units.
b = 12 ft

SHORTCUT
" There are three sets of Pythagorean triples that appear over and over
again in math test problems. Knowing these three common triples will
save you valuable time in working problems of this type.
a b c
One set is: 3 4 5
and multiples thereof: 6 8 10
9 12 15
12 16 20

Another set is: 5 12 13

and multiples thereof: 10 24 26
15 36 39

The third set is: 8 15 17

16 30 34

Memorize these sets: {3, 4, 5}, {5, 12, 13}, and {8, 15, 17}. If a right trian-
gle problem is given and two of the three numbers in one set appear (or
multiples of the two numbers), you can avoid all the substituting and cal-
culating and save precious test time.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 177

Example:
Find the value of n.

This is a right triangle, where the hypotenuse is 26 m and one of the

legs is 24 m. This is a multiple of the common Pythagorean triple
{5, 12, 13}, so the Pythagorean triple is {10, 24, 36} by multiplying
each length by two. The unknown side is therefore 10 m.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL GEOMETRY

Solid figures are three-dimensional entities. The most common ones are
the rectangular prism and the cylinder:

VOLUME

Volume is a measure of how many cubic units it takes to fill a solid figure.
Volume is measured in cubic units. You may recall the term “cube” from
Chapter 7. Volume, like area, is a multiplication concept, where three meas-
ures are multiplied together. The units can also be thought of as multiplied
together: cm × cm × cm = cm3, or the words “centimeters cubed.”
178 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

RULE BOOK

E Volume is the area of the base of a solid figure, multiplied by the height
of the figure. This can be expressed as V = bh, where V is the volume, b
is the area of the base, and h is the height.

Volume of a rectangular prism V = lwh

In this case, b = lw, where l is the length and w is the width.

Volume of a cylinder V = πr2h

In this case, b = πr2,where π is the constant, and r is the radius of the

cylindrical base.

Example:
Given the volume of a rectangular prism to be 362.1 mm3, find the
height if the length is 7.1 mm and the width is 5 mm.
Use the formula for the volume of a rectangular prism.
V = lwh Substitute in the given information.
362.1 = 7.1 × 5 × h Multiply 7.1 times 5.
362.1 = 35.5 × h Divide 362.1 by 35.5 and include units.
10.2 mm = h The units are linear (single) because this is
a height measurement.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 179

Example:
Find the volume of a cylinder whose base diameter is 12.4 inches
and height is 15 inches.
First, recognize that while diameter is given, the radius is needed
to calculate volume. Use the formula to find the radius.
r = 12d Substitute in the given value for diameter.
r = 12 × 12.4 Multiply one-half times 12.4.
r = 6.2 in Now use the formula for the volume of a
cylinder.
V = πr2h Substitute in the given information.
V = π × 6.2 × 6.2 × 15 Multiply all the number terms together on
the right.
V = 576.6π Include the cubic units.
V = 576.6π in3

EXTRA HELP
O If you feel you need extended help in working with geometry, Practical
Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, published by Learning Express, has
several chapters devoted to this topic: Lessons 17, 18, and 19.
There are several useful websites that deal with the various topics
of geometry. Visit these sites if you feel you need further clarification
on these concepts. Each one has a unique method of presentation.
1) The website www.math.com has extensive lessons on geometry.
Once at the site, click on Geometry, which you will find on the left under
Select Subject. From this page, select any topic of interest. Each topic
has a lesson, followed by an interactive quiz. Answers to all quizzes are
provided.
2) The website www.aaamath.com is another good resource for
practice with geometry. Once on the home page, click on Geometry.
You will find this on the right under Math Topics. The topics are well
organized, and there is a brief description of the topic followed by an
interactive quiz. Answers are provided.
3) A third site to visit is http://rock.uwc.edu/galexand/baw/toc.htm.
You will see the heading Table of Contents on the left. Click on Lesson
#10, Geometric Figures. Again, there is a lesson followed by a quiz with
answers provided.
180 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS

When working with measurements, you often have to convert units before
performing other calculations. There are two methods of converting meas-
urements. One is using proportions and the other is using a scientific
method called dimensional analysis.

RULE BOOK

E Conversion Factors
1 foot = 12 inches
3 feet = 1 yard
1 cup = 8 ounces
1 pint = 2 cups
1 mile = 5,280 feet 1 quart = 2 pints
1 minute = 60 seconds 1 gallon = 16 cups
1 hour = 60 minutes 1 gallon = 4 quarts
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

Metric Conversions
1 meter = 1,000 millimeters
1 meter = 100 centimeters
1 meter = 10 decimeters
1,000 meters = 1 kilometer

The metric prefixes and their meanings are:

Prefix Meaning Example
kilo 1,000 times 1 kilometer is 1,000 meters.
hecto 100 times 1 hectogram is 100 grams.
deca 10 times 1 decaliter is 10 liters.
1
deci  
10 times 1 decigram is 11
0 of a gram.
1 1
centi 
100 times 1 centimeter is 
100 of a meter.
1 1
milli 
1,0
00 times 1 milliliter is 
1,0
00 of a liter.

The prefixes can be used with any of the following: meters measure
length, liters measure volume, and grams measure mass.

To use the proportion method to convert units, set up a proportion as

described in Chapter 5. Keep the units consistent on both sides of the pro-
portion. For example, if you want to convert 50.8 centimeters to inches, set
inch inch
up a proportion, such as  
centimeter =  
centimeter , and substitute in the given
1 n
values on one side, the conversion factor on the other;   = 
2.54 50
.8 . Cross-
multiply to get 2.54 × n = 1 × 50.8. Now, divide 50.8 by 2.54 to get n = 20
inches.
The dimensional analysis method involves multiplying a series of frac-
tions that are all equal to a value of one, with unwanted units alternately on
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 181

top and bottom. This way, the units “cancel” and what is left is the needed unit.
Again, to convert 50.8 centimeters to inches, set up the analysis:
1 inch 50.8 centimeter

2.54 centimeter × n. The set-up for this analysis is the opposite of
using a proportion; notice that in this set-up the centimeter units are in
opposite positions in the fraction. The centimeter units, which we do not
want, will cancel, and all that remains is the needed inch unit.

After canceling the centimeter units and multiplying the fractions

50.8 inches
straight across, the problem becomes   = 20 inches.
2.54
You may be wondering: “Why bother with dimensional analysis at all?”
There is a very good reason to know this method. It is the method scien-
tists prefer because it allows you to do several conversions at once. Study
the next example. Both methods of converting units will be used.

Example:
A toy car travels a distance of 7,620 cm in four minutes. What is the
speed in inches per second?
First, use the proportion method. To use this method, centime-
ters must be converted into inches in one step and then minutes
must be converted to seconds in another step. Set up the proportion
inch inch 1
for centimeters to inches by using    
centimeter = centimeter , which is 2.54
n
=7,620 . Cross-multiply to yield 2.54 × n = 1 × 7,620. Divide 7,620 by

seconds seconds
2.54 to get 3,000 inches. Now, use the proportion   
minutes = minutes ,
60
to convert minutes to seconds. The proportion becomes 1 = n4.
Cross-multiply to get 1 × n = 60 × 4. Sixty times 4 is 240, so n = 240
seconds. Finally, calculate inches per second, which means inches
3,000
per one second;  
240 = 12.5 inches per second.

Now, solve the problem using the dimensional analysis method. We want
the answer to be in inches per second. Set up the fractions with inches on
the top and seconds on the bottom, so that the centimeter and minute units
cancel.

Now, cancel out units:

182 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Finally, multiply straight across and leave the units that did not can-
7,620 inches 7,620
cel: 
2.54 × 4 × 60 seconds
= 
609.6 .
Divide 7,620 by 609.6 to get 12.5 inches per second. As you can
see from this example, dimensional analysis is an efficient way to
convert measurement units when there are several conversions to be
made.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

• A polygon is a closed plane figure made up of line segments. They

are named according to the number of sides in the polygon.
• Triangles are classified in two ways, by side measurement and by
angles.
• Quadrilaterals are classified by parallel sides, angles, and side
measurements.
• Perimeter is a linear measurement that measures around a plane
figure.
• Area is a square measurement that measures how many square units
it takes to cover a figure.
• Circles can be measured for circumference and area.
• Know the formulas for the area of a circle and common polygons.
• Calculate the area of a shaded region by subtraction: Ashaded =
Aouter – Ainner.
• The Pythagorean theorem is used to make measurements with
right triangles.
• Know the common Pythagorean triples and how to find their
multiples.
• Volume is a cubic measurement that measures how many cubic
units it takes to fill a solid figure.
• Know the volume formulas for the common solid figures.
• There are two methods for converting measurement units: the pro-
portion method and dimensional analysis.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 183

PRACTICE

Now that you have studied these lessons, try this set of practice problems
to gauge your success. Carefully read over the answer explanations. Keep
in mind that there are often several ways to solve geometry problems, and
you may use an alternate method.

1. Find the area.

a. 160 in2
b. 80 in2
c. 120 in2
d. 90 in2
e. 240 in2

2. Find the perimeter.

a. 121 cm
b. 99 cm
c. 47.5 cm
d. 22 cm
e. 33 cm
184 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

3. Find the perimeter.

a. 100 in
b. 42 in
c. 34 ft
d. 17 ft
e. 50 in

4. Find the area.

a. 14 mm2
b. 48 mm2
c. 24 mm2
d. 64 mm2
e. 28 mm2
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 185

5. Find the area.

a. 24 in2
b. 48 in2
c. 144 in2
d. 72 in2
e. 24 in2

6. Find the perimeter.

a. 1,520 cm
b. 1,520 m
c. 265 cm
d. 265 m
e. 1,300 cm
186 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

7. Find the area.

a. 37 mm2
b. 98 mm2
c. 63 mm2
d. 126 mm2
e. 73.5 mm2

8. Find the perimeter.

a. 55 cm
b. 62 cm
c. 56 cm
d. 196 cm
e. 61 cm
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 187

9. Find the circumference.

a. 6 in
b. 6π in
c. 12 in
d. 12π in
e. 36π in

10. Find the circumference.

a. 6 cm
b. 6π cm
c. 3π cm
d. 9π cm
e. 36π cm
188 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

11. Find the area.

a. 13π m2
b. 39π m2
c. 169π m2
d. 676 m2
e. 169 m2

12. Find the area.

a. 156.25π mm2
b. 625π mm2
c. 50π mm2
d. 25 mm2
e. 156.25 mm2
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 189

13. Find the perimeter.

a. 225 in2
b. 65 in
c. 225 in
d. 45 in
e. 65 in2

14. An ant travels nine inches every three seconds. How fast does the ant
travel in centimeters per minute?
a. 3 cm/min
b. 0.15 cm/min
c. 0.125 cm/min
d. 22.86 cm/min
e. 457.2 cm/min

15. A garden hose leaks four cups of water per day. How many gallons are
leaked per week?
a. 1.75 gal/week
b. 3.5 gal/week
c. 28 gal/week
d. 14 gal/week
e. 0.25 gal/week
190 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

16. Find s.

a. 108 in
b. 42 in
c. 15 in
d. 6.48 in
e. 225 in

17. A ladder rests on the side of a building, as shown in the figure below

How tall is the ladder, to the nearest foot?

a. 14 ft
b. 20 ft
c. 7 ft
d. 28 ft
e. 392 ft
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 191

18. Find c to the nearest tenth of an inch.

a. 3,904.0 in
b. 40.2 in
c. 22.0 in
d. 62.5 in
e. 5.0 in

19. Find the volume.

a. 75 in3
b. 75π in3
c. 1,500 in3
d. 1,500π in3
e. 375π in3
192 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

20. Find the area of the shaded region. Use 3.14 for π.

a. 64 mm2
b. 13.76 mm2
c. 32 mm2
d. 128 mm2
e. 50.24 mm2

21. Find the volume.

a. 128π m3
b. 32 m3
c. 128 m3
d. 512 m3
e. 512π m3
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 193

22. Find the area of the shaded region.

a. 352 mm2
b. 96 mm2
c. 76 mm2
d. 224 mm2
e. 60 mm2

23. Find the volume.

a. 48 in3
b. 288 in3
c. 36 in3
d. 144 in3
e. 20 in3
194 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

24. Find the volume

a. 89,600 m3
b. 89,600 cm3
c. 1,656 m3
d. 896 cm3
e. 896 m3

25. A steady wind blows a leaf two meters every five seconds. At this
speed, how far is the leaf blown in centimeters per hour?
a. 144,000 cm/hour
b. 14.4 cm/hour
c. 40 cm/hour
d. 3.6 cm/hour
e. 3,600 cm/hour

ANSWERS

1. b. The formula for the area of a triangle is A = 12bh. Substitute in the

base of 20 inches and the height of 8 inches; A = 12 × 20 × 8. Mul-
tiply to yield 80 in2.

2. e. The figure shown is an equilateral triangle. Therefore each side is

11 cm; 11 + 11 + 11 = 33 cm.

3. a. Note that the units are not consistent; the base is measured in feet
and the height is measured in inches. Convert 3 feet to inches by
multiplying by 12, which yields 36 inches for the measure of the
base. The opposite sides in a rectangle are congruent. The
perimeter is 36 + 36 + 14 + 14 = 100 inches.

4. b. A rectangle is a parallelogram. The formula for the area of a par-

allelogram is A = bh. Substitute in 8 mm for the base and 6 mm for
the height; A = 8 × 6. The area is 48 mm2.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 195

5. c. The figure shown is a square, and all sides are congruent. A

square is a parallelogram and the area of a parallelogram is found
by the formula A = bh. In this square, the base and the height are
12 inches; 12 × 12 = 144 square inches.

6. a. The units in this figure are not consistent. Change the base meas-
ure from meters to centimeters. There are 100 centimeters in a
meter and therefore the measure of the base is 500 cm. Opposite
sides of a rectangle are congruent. The perimeter is 500 + 500 +
260 + 260 = 1,520 cm.

7. e. Use the formula for the area of a trapezoid, A = 12h(b1 + b2). Iden-
tify the parallel sides as the bases. The bases are 14 mm and 7 mm.
The height is perpendicular to the base sides, and the height is
one of the sides in this figure. The height is 7 mm. Substitute the
given values in the formula; A = 12 × 7 × (14 + 7). Evaluate the
parentheses first to yield A = 12 × 7 × (21). Multiply from left to
right to find the area in square units.

8. c. To find the perimeter you add up all of the sides. The height,
6 cm, is not a side; 7 + 8 + 13 + 28 = 56 cm.

9. d. Use the formula C = πd, where the diameter is 12 inches; C =

12π in.

10. b. Use the formula C = πd. Radius is given, and diameter is d = 2r;
2 × 3 cm = 6 cm. The circumference is 6π cm.

11. c. Use the formula A = πr2, where r is given to be 13 meters. Substi-

tute in to yield A = π × 132. Thirteen squared is 13 times 13, or
169. The area is 169π square meters.

12. a. Use the formula A = πr2, and note that since diameter is given,
you must first solve for the radius, which is one-half of the diam-
eter. One-half of 25 is 12.5 mm. Substitute in to yield A = π × 12.5
× 12.5.

13. b. Add up all of the sides to find the perimeter; 8 + 12 + 15 + 15 + 15

= 65 inches.
196 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

14. e. Use dimensional analysis.

The second units cancel and the inch units cancel as shown above.
9 × 2.54 × 60
Now multiply the fractions; 93 × 
2.54 60
1 × 1 =
   = ;
3
1,371.6
3
1,371.6 divided by 3 is 457.2 cm/min.

15. a. Use dimensional analysis.

The day units and the cup units cancel as shown above. Multiply
4×7
the fractions; 41 × 71 × 116 =   
28
16 = 16 ; 28 divided by 16 is 1.75 gal-
lons per week.

16. c. This is a common Pythagorean triple, namely {9, 12, 15}. The
hypotenuse is 15 inches. Note that 9, 12, and 15 are found by
multiplying the Pythagorean triple {3, 4, 5} by 3.

17. b. Use the Pythagorean theorem:

a2 + b2 = c2 Substitute in the given lengths.
142 + 142 = c2 Evaluate the exponents, left to right.
196 + 196 = c2 Add.
392 = c2 Take the square root of 392 to find c.
392
=c The value of c to the nearest foot is 20 ft.
20 = c

18. d. First make all units consistent. Change 4 feet to 48 inches. Now,
use the Pythagorean theorem:
a2 + b2 = c2 Substitute in the given lengths.
402 + 482 = c2 Evaluate the exponents, left to right.
1,600 + 2,304 = c2 Add.
2
3,904 = c Take the square root of 3,904 to find c.
3,904
=c The value of c to the nearest foot is 62.5
inches.
62.5 = c

19. e. Use the formula for the volume of a cylinder, which is V = πr 2h. In
the figure, the radius is 5 inches and the height is 15 inches. Sub-
stitute into the formula to yield V = π × 5 × 5 × 15. Multiply 5
times 5 times 15, and leave the answer in terms of pi. The volume
is 375π cubic inches.
G E O M ETRY AN D M EAS U R E M E NT C O NVE R S I O N S 197

20. b. The figure shown is an outer square and an inner circle. The
circle has a radius of one-half of the diameter of 8 mm, which is
4 mm. The base and height of the square are both 8 mm.
Ashaded = Aouter – Ainner Substitute in the correct formulas.
Ashaded = bh – πr2 Now, substitute in the given
measures.
Ashaded = 8 × 8 – 3.14 × 4 × 4 Order of operations directs multi-
plication to be done next, left to
right.
Ashaded = 64 – 50.24 Now subtract and include the
units.
2
Ashaded = 13.76 mm

21. a. Use the formula for the volume of a cylinder, which is V = πr2h. In
the figure, the radius is 4 meters and the height is 8 meters. Sub-
stitute into the formula to yield V = π × 4 × 4 × 8. Multiply 4 times
4 times 8 and leave the answer in terms of pi. The volume is 128π
cubic meters.

22. d. The figure shown is an outer rectangle and an inner triangle. The
base and height of the rectangle are 22 mm and 16 mm respec-
tively. The base of the triangle is 16 mm. The height of the trian-
gle is the same as the height of the rectangle.
Ashaded = Aouter – Ainner Substitute in the correct formulas.
Ashaded = bh – 21bh Now, substitute in the given
measures.
Ashaded = 22 × 16 – 12 × 16 × 16 Order of operations directs multi-
plication to be done next, left to
right.
Ashaded = 352 – 128 Now subtract and include the
units.
2
Ashaded = 224 mm

23. b. Use the formula for the volume of a rectangular solid, that is V =
lwh. Substitute in the given values to yield V = 6 × 6 × 8 = 288
cubic inches.

24. e. Note that the units are not consistent. Change 1,600 cm to 16 m
by dividing by 100. Use the formula for the volume of a rectangu-
lar solid; V = lwh. Substitute in the given values to yield V = 8 × 7
× 16 = 896 m3.
198 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

25. a. Use dimensional analysis.

The meter, second, and minute units cancel as shown above.

2 × 60 × 60 × 100
Multiply the fractions; 25 × 610 × 610 × 
100
  = ;
1 = 5
720,000
5
720,000 divided by 5 is 144,000 centimeters per hour.
 9
Statistics and Probability

S tatistics is a branch of mathematics that involves the study of

data. Probability is the study of chance. This chapter will refresh
your understanding of common statistical measures, graphs, and proba-
bility. Before proceeding to the lesson, take this ten-item Benchmark Quiz
to see how much you remember about statistics and probability. These
questions are similar to the type of questions that you will find on impor-
tant tests. When you are finished, check the answer key carefully to assess
your results. Your Benchmark Quiz analysis will help you determine how
much time you need to spend on statistics and probability, and the spe-
cific areas in which you need the most careful review and practice.

BENCHMARK QUIZ

1. Find the mean for the set of data: {96, 90, 78, 90, 92}.
a. 18
b. 89.2
c. 90
d. 89.5
e. 71.2

199
200 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

2. The fuel efficiency for a truck varies, depending on whether the truck
is traveling uphill or downhill. The following efficiencies were
recorded for one hour at ten-minute intervals, in miles per gallon: 16,
22, 14, 28, 16, 12. What is the mean fuel efficiency for the truck in
this hour?
a. 16 miles per gallon
b. 12 miles per gallon
c. 18 miles per gallon
d. 6 miles per gallon
e. 20 miles per gallon

3. Given the set of numbers {26, 27, 29, 27, 29, 27, 30, 30}, which of the
following is true?
a. The mean equals the median.
b. There are three modes.
c. The median is greater than the mode.
d. The median is 27.
e. The median equals the mode.

4. The graph shows how Nathan spends his take-home pay. What per-
cent of his money is allocated for rent?

a. 125%
b. 0.24%
c. 72%
d. 24%
e. 90%
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 201

5. The bar chart compares average temperature for a six-month period.

Which city has the biggest range of temperatures for this period, and
what is the range?

a. San Diego, 85°

b. San Diego, 80°
c. Philadelphia, 82°
d. Philadelphia, 42°
e. Philadelphia, 40°
202 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

6. For the histogram, how many total people participated in the survey?

a. 36
b. 10
c. 7
d. 41
e. 38

7. On a standard die, what is the probability of rolling a 3?

a. 16
b. 36
3
c. 
8
1
d. 
3
5
e. 
6
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 203

8. When rolling two dice, what is the probability of rolling a sum of

eight?
a. 152
b. 336
3
c. 
12
2
d. 
36
5
e. 
36

9. When randomly picking from a standard deck of playing cards, what

is the probability of picking a heart or a jack?
a. 1562
b. 1532
17
c. 
52
4

d. 52
1

e. 52

10. Using the spinner, what is the probability of spinning an odd number
and then a two?

4

a. 16
1

b. 16
5
c. 
8
1
d. 
2
1
e. 
4
204 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the Benchmark Quiz? Check your answers here, and
then analyze your results to figure out your plan of attack to master these
topics.

1. b. To find the mean of a set of data, add up all the numbers and
divide by the number of data items; 96 + 90 + 78 + 90 + 92 = 446.
There are five data items; 446 ÷ 5 = 89.2.

2. c. To find the mean fuel efficiency, add up the six numbers and
divide by 6; 16 + 22 + 14 + 28 + 16 + 12 = 108, and 108 ÷ 6 = 18
miles per gallon.

3. c. To answer this question, calculate the mean, median, and mode of

the set of numbers. First, arrange the numbers in ascending
order: 26, 27, 27, 27, 29, 29, 30, 30. There are eight numbers; add
them together and divide by 8 for the mean: 26 + 27 + 27 + 27 +
29 + 29 + 30 + 30 = 225, and 225 divided by 8 is 28.125, which is
the mean. The mode is the number that occurs most often, which
is 27. The median is the middle number; since there are eight
entries, it is the average of the two middle numbers; 27 + 29 = 56,
and 56 divided by 2 is 28. Knowing the three measures can lead to
the only right conclusion, which is that the median is greater than
the mode, choice c.

4. d. The amount spent on rent is $478.80 out of the total money of

part 478.80
$1,995.00. Percent is a ratio of   
whole , which is 1,995 = 0.24. This
is the percent written as a decimal; multiply by 100 (move the
decimal two places to the right) to get 24%.

5. e. The range is the difference between the highest and lowest values
in the temperatures. The range for San Diego is 5 degrees, that is
85 – 80 = 5 degrees. The range for Philadelphia is 82 – 42 = 40
degrees. Philadelphia has a larger range of temperatures.

6. d. Histograms show the frequency on the vertical, y-axis. In this

case, frequency is the number of people that gave an opinion. The
total number surveyed is found by adding up all of the frequen-
cies; 5 + 3 + 10 + 5 + 3 + 5 + 10 = 41 respondents.
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 205

number of favorable outcomes

7. a. Probability is a ratio of 
number of total outcomes .
There are six sides to a die, so there are six total outcomes, one of
which is a three. The probability is therefore 16.

8. e. Use a table to find all of the possible sum outcomes when rolling
two dice. The table is:

From the table, there are 36 total outcomes, five of which gener-
ate a sum of 8. The sums of eight are circled on the chart; 6 and 2,
2 and 6, 3 and 5, 5 and 3, and 4 and 4. The probability is, there-
number of favorable outcomes
fore, 
number of total outcomes = 356 .
number of favorable outcomes
9. a. Probability is a ratio of 
number of total outcomes .
In this example, there are two separate conditions, a heart, P(h)
OR a jack, P(j). The probability of P(h) OR P(j) is equal to P(h) +
P(j). Out of 52 playing cards, 13 are hearts and 4 are jacks. One of
these is the jack of hearts, which would be counted twice, so you
must subtract one. The probability of a heart OR a jack is 1532 + 542
– 512 = 1562 .

10. b. The questions asks for the probability of spinning an odd number,
P(odd) AND then spinning a two, P(2). AND means to multiply.
There are eight total outcomes, four of which are odd and one of
number of favorable outcomes
which is a two. Probability is a ratio of 
number of total outcomes ,
so P(odd) AND then P(2) = 48 × 18 = 644 , which in lowest terms is 116 .
206 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you are well on your way to suc-
cess with the topics of statistics and probability. Read over the lesson, con-
centrating on any areas of weakness. Be sure to try all practice problems at
the end of the chapter.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, spend some time reading and
understanding the lessons in this chapter. Pay attention to the various side-
bars. Try all given examples, to ensure that you understand how to solve
various types of problems.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, give the lessons in this chapter
your full concentration. Read carefully through all explanations. Try all
examples on your own. Visit the suggested websites and work through any
problems given. You may need to reference a suggested book that will pres-
ent the material in an alternate form. After reviewing the lessons, retry the
benchmark questions and then proceed to the practice problems.

JUST IN TIME LESSON—STATISTICS AND

PROBABILITY

This chapter focuses on problems that deal with data and chance.
The topics in this chapter include:

• mean
• median
• mode
• range
• graphs that represent data
• probability
• mutually exclusive events
• probability of one event OR another
• probability of one event AND THEN another

When dealing with sets of numbers, there are measures used to describe
the set as a whole. These are called measures of central tendency and they
include mean, median, and mode.

MEAN

GLOSSARY
MEAN the average of a set of data
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 207

E
RULE BOOK
To calculate the mean of a set of data, add up all of the numbers in the
set and divide by how many entries are in the set.

Example:
Find the mean of the following set: {17, 22, 18, 31, 27, 17}.
Add up the six numbers in the set, 17 + 22 + 18 + 31 + 27 + 17 = 132.
Now divide 132 by 6, the number of entries in the set; 132 ÷ 6 = 22.
The mean (or average) of the set is 22.

Example:
The temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit, for the first week of July is
as follows: 84, 88, 86, 87, 80, 84, and 86. What is the average tem-
perature for the week?
Add up the seven temperatures: 84 + 88 + 86 + 87 + 80 + 84 + 86 =
595; 595 divided by 7, the number of days measured, is 595 ÷ 7 = 85.
The average temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

SHORTCUT
" If you are asked to find the mean of a set of numbers, and the set is
evenly spaced apart such as 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, the mean is the middle
number in this set, because there is an odd number of data items. In this
example, the mean is 8. If there is an even number of data items, there
are two middle numbers; 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24. In this case the mean
is the average of the two middle numbers; 12 + 16 = 28, and 28 divided
by 2 is 14.

MEDIAN

GLOSSARY
MEDIAN the middle value in a set of numbers that are arranged in increasing or
decreasing order. If there are two middle numbers, it is the average of these two.

E RULE BOOK
To calculate the median of a set of numbers, first arrange the data in
increasing or decreasing order. Find the middle value in a set of an odd
number of entries. The median is the mean of the two middle numbers
in a set of an even number of entries.
208 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
Find the median of this set: {1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 9, 10}.
The data is already in increasing order. Since there are seven entries
in this set, the median is the fourth entry, namely 6.

Example:
What is the median for this data: {7, 6, 9, 6, 8, 11, 10, 11}?
First arrange the data in increasing order: {6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11}.
There are eight entries in this set, so the median is the average of
the fourth and fifth entries.

So, 8 + 9 = 17. Seventeen divided by 2 is 8.5.

MODE

GLOSSARY
MODE the value in the set that occurs most often. There can be one mode, several
modes, or no mode.

Example:
Find the mode in the following set: {13, 13, 14, 15, 15, 16, 13, 18,
17, 17}.
Thirteen is the mode of the set. The value occurs three times in
the set, and the only other repetitions are 15 and 17, which each
occur twice.

Example:
Find the mode: {24, 25, 25, 24, 26, 28, 29, 28, 30, 22}.
There are three modes, namely 24, 25, and 28, which each occur
two times in the set.
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 209

Example:
Find the mode in the following: {50, 52, 54, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66}.
There is no mode in this set. Note that we do not specify the mode
as 0, we say that there is “no mode” or “none.”

RANGE

The range indicates how close together the given values are to one another
in a set of data.

GLOSSARY
RANGE the spread of the data, which indicates how close together the data points are

RULE BOOK

E To calculate the range, find the difference between the largest and the
smallest values in the set of data. Subtract the smallest value from the
largest value in the set.

Example:
Find the range of ages in the community play, given these ages in
years: 68, 54, 49, 40, 39, 39, 24, 22, 20, 10, and 10.
The range of ages is 68 – 10 = 58 years.

Example:
Find the range of this set: {42, 40, 45, 43, 43, 40, 45}.
Find the largest and smallest values in the set. In this example, these
are 45 and 40 respectively. The difference between 45 and 40, the
range, is 45 – 40 = 5.

GRAPHS THAT REPRESENT DATA

A statistical graph is a picture of a set of data. There are several different

types of statistical graphs, three of which are reviewed in this lesson:

• circle graph (or pie chart)

• bar graph
• histogram
210 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

CIRCLE GRAPHS

Circle graphs, or pie charts, are used to represent parts of a whole. Often, they
are shown as percentages of the whole. Percents were reviewed in Chapter
6 of this book.
Use this diagram for the two examples following:

Examples:
If the total town expenditures (budget) are $15,000,000.00, how
much of the town expenditures are represented by salaries?
This is a percent problem, where salaries are 15% of the total
expenditures, by reading off of the graph. So 15% of the total is
salary:

0.15 × 15,000,000 = 2,250,000

If the miscellaneous expenses are $600,000.00, how much is the

total town expenditure budget?
By reading the graph, 6% of the total is miscellaneous expenses.
Using T to stand for total expenditures, set up the equation as
follows:
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 211

0.06 × T = 600,000; 600,000 divided by 0.06 is $10,000,000.00.

Example:
The circle graph shows the number of candies in a package,
arranged by color.

What percent of the candies are green?

Add up the amounts of each color to obtain the total number of
candies in the package; 12 + 6 + 6 + 4 + 10 + 10 = 48. The percent of
green 12 12
green is the ratio of 
tot
al =   
48 . Change 48 to a decimal to get 0.25.
Multiply the decimal by 100 to get the percent; move the decimal
point two places to the right. Green candies are 25% of the total.

BAR GRAPHS

Bar graphs show data organized in bar format. Double bar graphs are often
used to compare two items over several categories. When reading graphs,
it is important to be careful to read the graph carefully. Often there are keys
that denote categories, and units are written on the axes.
Use the bar graph that follows to answer the first two examples:
212 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Examples:
Which car manufacturer sold the most minivans?
Reading the key on the graph, a solid bar represents ABC manu-
facturer, and a patterned bar represents XYZ manufacturer. The bar
for XYZ is taller. Manufacturer XYZ sold the most minivans.

What is the total number of sport utility vehicles sold by both

manufacturers?
Note carefully that on the vertical axes, the units are in thou-
sands. The graph shows that ABC sold 1,200 thousand sport utility
vehicles and XYZ sold 1,005 thousand sport utility vehicles; 1,200 +
1,005 = 2,205 thousand total sport utility vehicles, which equals
2,205,000 vehicles, because 2,205 × 1,000 = 2,205,000.
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 213

Use the following bar graph to answer the next two examples:

Examples:
The bar graph below shows the population of Maincity, USA.

What is the largest population shown?

The tallest bar is in the year 1997. This bar represents 205 hun-
dred thousand people. The largest population is 20,500,000, since
205 × 100,000 = 20,500,000.

Between which years was there the biggest change in population?

To find the biggest change, observe the largest gap from one bar
to another. This occurs between 1998 and 1999, where the popula-
tion decreased by six million people.

HISTOGRAMS

When data is represented by frequency, and shown pictorially, it is called a

histogram. A histogram is just a special type of bar graph that shows fre-
quency on the vertical axis. For histograms, there are no spaces between the
bars.
214 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Use the histogram shown below with the following two examples:

Examples:
How many people voted in total?
Add up the frequencies for each candidate; 72 + 134 + 98 = 304.
The frequency is shown to be in thousands; 304,000 voters voted in
the election.

What percentage of the people voted for candidate B, to the nearest

percent?
From the previous example, there were 304,000 total voters. Of
these, 134,000 voted for candidate B. The percentage is a ratio:
part % 134,000 p

whole =  . Substitute in the given numbers;  = 
100 100 . Cross-
304,000
multiply to get 304,000 × p = 134,000 × 100, or 304,000 × p =
13,400,000. Divide 13,400,000 by 304,000 to get approximately 44%.
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 215

PROBABILITY

Probability is the likelihood that an event will occur. This event is called a
“favorable outcome,” whether in fact it is favorable to the situation or not.
We find out the probability of rain in the forecast. If the probability of rain
is 70%, then 70 out of 100 times it is expected to rain. The rain is consid-
ered a favorable outcome in this instance, even if rain is not desired.

GLOSSARY
PROBABILITY of an event is a ratio, expressed as a fraction, decimal, or percent
number of favorable outcomes

that defines number of total possible outcomes . The notation for the probability of an event is
P(event).

You can assume, in probability problems, that all outcomes occur at ran-
dom, unless otherwise noted. If the events described concern dice, assume
that the dice always lands “flat” on a number. If the events concern a spin-
ner, assume that the spinner never lands on a dividing line.

Example:
What is the probability of rolling a five on a die?
There are six possible outcomes, one of which is a five, so P(5) = 16.

Example:
Given the spinner shown below, what is the probability of spinning
an even number?
216 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

There are eight possible outcomes, four of which are even numbers.
The probability of spinning an even number, P(even) = 48 or 12, in
lowest terms.

Example:
In a standard deck of playing cards, what is the probability of ran-
domly picking a diamond suit?
There are thirteen diamond cards in a standard deck of 52 cards;
P(diamond) = 1532 or 14.

RULE BOOK

E The probability of an impossible event is zero; P(impossible) = 0.

The probability of an event that is certain is one; P(event that is cer-
tain) = 1.
All probabilities are a number between zero and one; 0 ≤ P(event) ≤ 1.
Because an event, E, will either occur or it will not occur, P(E) +
P(not E) = 1

Example:
When a die is rolled, what is the probability of NOT rolling a four?
Since P(4) + P(not 4) = 1, then P(not 4) = 1 – P(4). There are six
possible outcomes, one of which results in a roll of a four; P(not 4) =
1 – 16 = 56.

Example:
When a die is rolled, what is the probability of rolling a seven?
It is impossible to roll a seven when rolling one die; P(7) = 0.

MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE EVENTS

GLOSSARY
MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE EVENTS events that cannot occur simultaneously. For
example, when a die is rolled, a five can be rolled, or a six can be rolled, but both a five
and a six cannot be rolled simultaneously. So rolling a five and rolling a six are mutually
exclusive. However, in a deck of standard playing cards, when a card is chosen, the card
can be a spade, or the card can be a queen. A spade and a queen can be chosen, so
choosing a spade and choosing a queen are NOT mutually exclusive.
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 217

RULE BOOK

E For two events, E1 and E2, that are mutually exclusive, the probability of
E1 OR the probability of E2 is equal to the sum of the probability of the
events; P(E1 or E2) = P(E1) + P(E2).

Examples:
When rolling a die, what is the probability of rolling a four or a
two?
The P(4) or the P(2) is equal to P(4) + P(2). There are six possible
outcomes on a die, one of which is a four, and one of which is a two;
P(4 or 2) = 16 + 16 = 26 or 13.

When a coin is tossed, what is the probability of tossing a head or a

tail?
There are two possible outcomes, one of which is a head, one of
which is a tail. P(head or tail) = 12 + 12 = 1. Alternately, remember
that it is certain that the coin will either land on a head or a tail, and
the P(event that is certain) = 1.

There were 125 total raffle tickets sold, and there will be one win-
ner. Sara purchased one ticket, Joan purchased five tickets, and Pete
purchased ten tickets. What is the probability that either Sara or
Joan or Pete will win?
The events of Sara winning, Joan winning, and Pete winning are
all mutually exclusive. Out of the 125 possible outcomes, one favors
Sara, five favor Joan, and ten favor Pete; P(Sara or Joan or Pete) =
1 5 10 16
 + +
125 125 12
5 =12
5.

If two events are NOT mutually exclusive, you must add the probabili-
ties of the events and then subtract out the duplicate events.

Example:
In a standard deck of playing cards, what is the probability of ran-
domly choosing a king or a diamond?
The events of choosing a king and choosing a diamond are not
mutually exclusive; the king of diamonds is both a king and a dia-
mond. To find this probability, add the probability of a king to the
probability of a diamond and subtract out the probability of choos-
ing the king of diamonds. Out of the total possible outcomes of 52
cards, four are kings, thirteen are diamonds, and one is the king of
diamonds. By substitution, P(king) + P(diamond) – P(king of
diamonds) becomes 542 + 1532 – 512 = 1562 or 143 .
218 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

RULE BOOK

E The probability of one event, E1, AND then another event, E2, is P(E1 and
E2) = P(E1) × P(E2). This is sometimes written as P(E1, E2).

Example:
What is the probability, when rolling a die, of rolling a four and
then another four?
There are six possible outcomes, one of which is a four;
P(4 and 4) = 16 × 16 = 316.

Example:
On the spinner shown below, what is the probability of spinning a
three and then spinning an even number?

There are eight possible outcomes, one of which is a three, and four
of which are even numbers; P(3 and even) = 18 × 48 = 644 or 116 .
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 219

Probability problems concerning two dice rolled are common examples

on tests. It is helpful to make a table of all possible outcomes as shown
below:

In the table it is obvious that there are 36 possible outcomes, and each
possibility for the two dice are shown. If the problem asks for the sum of
two dice rolled, make a table of sums:

Examples:
What is the probability of rolling doubles when rolling two dice?
Refer to the table showing dice results. Out of 36 possible out-
comes, there are six possibilities that are doubles; P(doubles) = 366
or 16.
220 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

When rolling two dice, what is the probability of rolling a sum of

seven?
Refer to the table showing dice sum results. Out of 36 possible
outcomes, there are six that have a sum of seven; P(sum of 7) = 366
or 16.

EXTRA HELP
O If you feel you need additional help on the topics of probability and sta-
tistics, Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, published by
LearningExpress, has two chapters devoted to these topics: Lesson 13
and Lesson 14.
There are several useful websites that deal with probability and sta-
tistics. Use the Internet to gain further practice if needed:
1. Visit www.aaamath.com and, under Math Topics on the right-hand
side of the screen, scroll down to click on Statistics. There are
brief descriptions, followed by interactive practice problems deal-
ing with mean, median, mode, and range.
2. The website www.mathgoodies.com/lessons is another good
resource for practice with both statistics and probability. Once on
this page, scroll down to Introduction to Statistics, or alternately,
Probability. From this topic, click on the X under Description, then
scroll down to Challenge Exercises. Apart from the exercises,
there are selected lessons you can view.
3. A third Internet resource is www.mathleague.com/help/help.htm.
From this page, click on either using data and statistics, or per-
cent and probability.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

• Know the common statistical measures and how to calculate them:

- mean
- median
- mode
- range
• Be able to recognize the three common statistical graphs:
- circle graphs
- bar graphs
- histograms
• Carefully read graphs for units and keys.
number of favorable outcomes
• Probability is a ratio: 
number of total possible outcomes .
• Mutually exclusive events cannot happen simultaneously.
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 221

• The probability of event E1 OR event E2 is P(E1) + P(E2), when E1

and E2 are mutually exclusive.
• For probability, or means add.
• The probability of event E1 and event E2 (or E1 and then E2) is
P(E1) × P(E2).
• For probability, and means multiply.

PRACTICE

Now that you have studied these lessons, try this set of practice problems
to gauge your success. Carefully read over the answer explanations.

1. Find the mean of the following set of data:

{32, 34, 34, 35, 37, 38, 34, 42}.
a. 34
b. 35.75
c. 10
d. 36
e. 34.5

2. What is the mode of {71, 68, 71, 77, 65, 68, 72}?
a. 71
b. 68
c. none
d. 9
e. 71 and 68

3. The ages at a day camp were as follows:

9, 12, 9, 10, 9, 13, 11, 8, 17, 10. What is the median age?
a. 10
b. 9
c. 10.8
d. 11
e. 10.4

4. What is the range of the temperatures listed:

43°, 47°, 43°, 52°, 42°, 78°, 84°, 80°?
a. 43°
b. 42°
c. 37°
d. 47°
e. 58.625°
222 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

5. In the bar chart, what is the total number of jeans sold?

a. 70
b. 120
c. 12,000
d. 5000
e. 1,200

Use this spinner for questions 6 and 7.

STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 223

6. Using the spinner shown, what is the probability of spinning an odd

number or a gray space?
a. 28
b. 684
1
c. 
2
3
d. 
4
e. 1

7. Using the spinner shown, what is the probability of spinning an even

number or a gray space?
a. 12
b. 684
2
c. 
8
3
d. 
4
e. 1

8. What is the probability of randomly choosing an ace from a standard

deck of playing cards?
a. 143
b. 246
1

c. 13
1

d. 52
4

e. 13

9. What is the probability of rolling a single die, and first rolling a five
and then rolling a five again?
a. 26
b. 122
5

c. 36
1
d. 
5
1

e. 36
224 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

10. When rolling two dice, what is the probability of getting a sum of
seven?
a. 376
b. 16
1
c. 
7
2
d. 
7
7
e. 
12

11. In the circle graph shown below, if Carla has a total of 60 items in her
wardrobe, how many of them are black?

a. 25
b. 20
c. 15
d. 22
e. 10

12.When rolling two dice, what is the probability of NOT rolling doubles?
a. 56
b. 16
6

c. 36
4
d. 
6
4

e. 12
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 225

13. What is the probability of choosing a two or a heart in a standard deck

of playing cards?
a. 1572
b. 1562
1
c. 
52
1
d. 
13
4
e. 
13

14. In the histogram, how many people prefer chocolate or vanilla ice
cream?

a. 95
b. 950
c. 200
d. 20,000
e. 9,500

15. In the following set of data, what is the mode?

{15, 12, 13, 11, 14, 10, 8}
a. 0
b. none
c. 11
d. 7
e. 12
226 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

16. In the circle graph below, if there are 50 total teachers, what percent
of them are Social Studies teachers?

a. 10%
b. 5%
c. 20%
d. 2%
e. 25%

17. There were 225 raffle tickets sold, and there will be one winner. What
is the probability of you being the winner if you bought five tickets?
a. 15
b. 415
1
c.  
225
1

d. 20
1

e. 55

18. In the following set of data, which statement below is NOT true?
{43, 48, 47, 46, 45, 43, 43}
a. The mean is 45.
b. The mode is 43.
c. The range is 5.
d. The median is 43.
e. The mean is equal to the median.
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 227

19. What is the mean of this data set? {56, 58, 60, 62, 64}
a. 8
b. 61
c. 60.5
d. none
e. 60

20. In the histogram shown below, how many people walk to work?

a. 35
b. 35,000
c. 3,500
d. 4,000
e. 350

21. If two dice are rolled, what is the probability of rolling a sum of ten?
a. 112
b. 110
10
c. 
36
1

d. 18
2

e. 10
228 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

22. There are three red marbles, five green marbles, and seven blue mar-
bles in a bag. When a marble is chosen, it is placed back in the bag.
What is the probability of choosing a green marble, and then choos-
ing a red marble?
a. 185
b. 380
35
c. 
225
1
d. 
15
21
e. 
15

23. There are four red marbles, three green marbles, and nine blue mar-
bles in a bag. What is the probability of choosing a red or a blue
marble?
a. 1332
b. 1136
36

c. 256
12
d. 
16
3
e. 
4

24. In the bar chart, between which two consecutive months was there
the biggest difference in sales, and what is the difference?
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 229

a. between July and October, 57 furnaces

b. between July and October, 5.7 furnaces
c. between August and September, 380 furnaces
d. between October and November, 22 furnaces
e. between August and September, 38 furnaces

25. In the game of blackjack, the highest points are awarded for an ace
and a black jack. In a set of shuffled playing cards, what is the proba-
bility of turning over an ace and then turning over a black jack?
8
a. 
2,6
52
8
b. 
2,7
04
6

c. 52
8

d. 52
4

e. 2,704

ANSWERS

1. b. To find the mean, add up all of the data values, and divide by the
number of items, which is eight; 32 + 34 + 34 + 35 + 37 + 38 + 34
+ 42 = 286; 286 ÷ 8 = 35.75.

2. e. There are two modes for this data set. Both 71 and 68 appear in
the set twice.

3. a. First, arrange the data into increasing order: 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11,
12, 13, 17. There are an even number of data values, so the
median is the mean of the two middle values. The middle values
are 10 + 10 = 20, and 20 divided by 2 is 10.

4. b. The range is the difference between the highest and lowest values
in the set of data. The highest temperature is 84° and the lowest
temperature is 42°; 84° – 42° = 42°.

5. c. The chart shows that both stores sold jeans. The total number of
jeans sold is 70 + 50 = 120 hundred jeans; 120 × 100 = 12,000 total
jeans sold.
number of favorable outcomes
6. d. Probability is a ratio of 
number of total outcomes .
Odd numbered sectors and gray sectors are mutually exclusive, so
P(odd) or P(gray) = P(odd) + P(gray). There are 8 total outcomes,
230 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

four that are odd, and two that are gray; P(odd or gray) = 48 + 28 =
6 3
 or  in lowest terms.
8 4
number of favorable outcomes
7. a. Probability is a ratio of  number of total outcomes . Even-numbered
sectors and gray sectors are NOT mutually exclusive, because two
of the sectors are both gray and even. You must add the two prob-
abilities, and then subtract the two repeats. There are eight total
outcomes, four that are even, and two that are gray; P(even or
gray) = 48 + 28 = 68, and 68 – 28 = 48, or 12 in lowest terms.

8. c. There are 52 total outcomes, and there are 4 aces, which is the fa-
number of favorable outcomes
vorable outcome. Probability is a ratio of  number of total outcomes ,
so P(ace) = 542 which is 113 in lowest terms.

9. e. The probability of rolling a five, P(5), and then P(5) again is P(5)
number of favorable outcomes
× P(5). Probability is a ratio of 
number of total outcomes , and there
are six total outcomes, one of which is a five; 16 × 16 = 316.

10. b. Refer to the table of possible outcomes for dice sums:

There are 36 total outcomes, six of which have a sum of seven.

number of favorable outcomes
The 
number of total outcomes is 366 , or 16 in lowest terms.

11. c. From the circle graph, 25% of her wardrobe is black. Twenty-five
percent of 60 is 0.25 × 60 = 15 items.
STATI STI C S AN D P R O BAB I LIT Y 231

12. a. Refer to the table of possible outcomes for two dice:

Of the 36 total outcomes, six are doubles. So the probability of

rolling doubles is 366 or 16. The probability of NOT rolling dou-
bles is 1 – 16 = 56.
number of favorable outcomes
13. b. Probability is a ratio of 
number of total outcomes , and or means to
add. There are 52 total outcomes, 13 of which are hearts, 4 of
which are twos, and one of which is the two of hearts. You must
subtract the repeat; P(two or heart) = 1532 + 542 – 512 = 1562 .

14. e. From the histogram, add up the frequencies for chocolate and
vanilla; 50 + 45 = 95. Note that the frequency is in hundreds, so 95
hundred, or 9,500 people prefer chocolate or vanilla.

15. b. There is no number value repeated, so the mode is none.

part
16. c. Percent is a ratio of  
whole . There are 50 teachers, 10 of which are
10
Social Studies; 50 = 0.20, and 0.20 written as a percent is 20%.
number of favorable outcomes
17. b. The probability of winning is 
number of total outcomes , which is
5
 
225 or 415 in lowest terms.

18. d. Calculate the statistical measures. First, arrange the data in

increasing order: {43, 43, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48}. The mode is 43, the
value that occurs the most. The median is the middle number,
that is 45. The mean is 43 + 43 + 43 + 45 + 46 + 47 + 48 = 315, and
315 divided by 7, the number of data values, is 45. Statement d is
NOT true.
232 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

19. e. The mean is 60. Because all the data points increase in order by
twos, the mean is the middle value in the set.

20. b. From the graph, the number of people who walk is 35 thousand,
or 35,000.

21. a. Refer to the chart that shows sum outcomes for two dice:

There are 36 possible outcomes, three of which have a sum of ten.

number of favorable outcomes 3 1
Probability, the 
number of total outcomes , is 
3
6 or 
1
2 in lowest terms.

22. d. The P(green) and then P(red) is P(green) × P(red). There are 15
total marbles, five that are green and three that are red; P(green,
red) = 155 × 135 = 15
22
5 or 
1
15.

23. b. The P(red) or P(blue) is P(red) + P(blue), since choosing a red

marble and choosing a blue marble are mutually exclusive events.
There are 16 total marbles, four that are red and nine that are
blue; P(red or blue) = 146 + 196 = 1136 .

24. e. The problem asks for the biggest difference in consecutive months,
not the largest range. The biggest difference is between August and
September, and the difference is 5.2 – 1.4 = 3.8. The number sold is
expressed in tens, so the difference is 3.8 times 10, or 38 furnaces.

25. a. The P(ace) and then P(black jack) is P(ace) × P(black jack). The
number of favorable outcomes
probability, which is 
number of total outcomes , of turning over an
ace on the first card is 542 ; there are two black jacks, but now there
are only 51 cards left in the deck. The probability of now turning
over a black jack is 521; 542 × 521 =  8
2,6
52 .
 10
Word Problems

T he final chapter to review is math word problems. Word prob-

lems cover any of the topics in previous chapters. Word problems are
daunting for many people. Follow the suggestions in this chapter to meet
this math challenge and score high on your test. Before you begin, spend
a few minutes to take this ten-question Benchmark Quiz. These questions
are similar to the type of questions that you will find on important tests.
When you are finished, check the answer key carefully to assess your
results. Your Benchmark Quiz analysis will help you determine how much
time you need to spend on word problems and the specific areas in which
you need the most careful review and practice.

BENCHMARK QUIZ

1. Train A leaves the station heading due east at 12:00 P.M. at a con-
stant rate of speed of 40 miles per hour. Train B leaves the same sta-
tion, also heading due east at 1:00 P.M., at a constant rate of 50 miles
per hour on a parallel track. When will train B meet train A?
a. 6:00 P.M.
b. 4:00 P.M.
c. They will never meet.
d. 5:00 P.M.
e. 10:00 P.M. 233
234 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

2. If the sides of a square are increased by 12 inches, the new perimeter

is 56 inches. What is the length of a side of the original square?
a. 14 inches
b. 8 inches
c. 26 inches
d. 16 inches
e. 2 inches

3. The sum of four consecutive odd integers is 8. What is the value of

the largest integer?
a. 8
b. 3
c. 5
d. 9
e. 7

4. The Best Corporation has a phone tree to pass on important infor-

mation to its employees. The initiator of the tree makes three calls to
start the tree on round one. On round two, nine calls are made. On
round three, 27 calls are made, and so on in this fashion. How many
calls are made on round ten?
a. 59,049
b. 130
c. 51
d. 300
e. 19,685

5. An eight-inch by ten-inch photo is surrounded by a mat that is one

inch wide on each side. What is the area of the mat?
a. 120 in2
b. 40 in2
c. 80 in2
d. 44 in2
e. 36 in2

6. The temperature rose six degrees, dropped three degrees, and then
rose again four degrees, to arrive at a final temperature of 78 degrees.
What was the original temperature?
a. 85 degrees
b. 65 degrees
c. 91 degrees
d. 71 degrees
e. 79 degrees
WO R D P R O B LE M S 235

7. The coin bank has $2.30 in total value, consisting of exactly 29 coins,
all of which are nickels and dimes. How many nickels are there?
a. 29
b. 17
c. 12
d. 20
e. 18

8. In the parking lot, every sixth car receives a 50% discount coupon on
the windshield. Every fourteenth car receives a gift certificate on the
windshield. What is the number of the first car to receive BOTH a
coupon and a gift certificate?
a. 14
b. 20
c. 40
d. 12
e. 42

9. Brittany has $45.00 saved for a ski trip, which costs $135.00. If she
earns $4.50 an hour working, how many hours must she work to add
to her savings to have enough money for the trip?
a. 20
b. 2
c. 30
d. 23
e. 40

10. On the farm, there are a total of 20 animals, all of which are either
cows or chickens. There are 52 legs total. How many chickens are on
the farm, assuming each animal has all of its legs?
a. 26
b. 6
c. 10
d. 15
e. 14

BENCHMARK QUIZ SOLUTIONS

How did you do on the word problems Benchmark Quiz? Check your
answers here, and then analyze your results to figure out your plan of attack
to master this topic. Keep in mind that there are many ways to solve word
236 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

problems, and your approach may have been different than the one used for
a specific problem, but you still may arrive at the correct answer.

1. d. Make a table to organize the data, using the formula described in

Chapter 6, which is distance equals rate times time, or D = R × T.
12:00 P.M. will be considered time zero. Train B’s time is one hour
less (one hour later).

TIME DISTANCE OF TRAIN A DISTANCE OF TRAIN B

0 (12:00 P.M.) D = 40 × 0 = 0
1 (1:00 P.M.) D = 40 × 1 = 40 D = 50 × 0 = 0
2 (2:00 P.M.) D = 40 × 2 = 80 D = 50 × 1 = 50
3 (3:00 P.M.) D = 40 × 3 = 120 D = 50 × 2 = 100
4 (4:00 P.M.) D = 40 × 4 = 160 D = 50 × 3 = 150
5 (5:00 P.M.) D = 40 × 5 = 200 D = 50 × 4 = 200

When the distance for train A equals the distance for train B, the
trains meet. This occurs at 5:00 P.M.

2. e. Use the strategy of working backward. If you knew the original

length, you would:
Step 1: add 12.
Step 2: multiply this length by 4 to get the perimeter of 56.
Work backward, by reversing the steps:
Reverse step 2: divide 56 by 4 to get the new length of 14
inches.
Reverse step 1: subtract 12 to get 14 – 12 = 2 inches, the
original length of the square.

3. c. Use the answer choices and the guess and check strategy. Start
with the middle value of the answer choices as your first guess,
which is 7. If the largest was 7, then the sum of the four consecu-
tive odd integers would be 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 = 16, which is too big.
Choose the next smallest answer choice, which is 5. This sum
would be –1 + 1 + 3 + 5 = 8. The largest integer is therefore 5.

4. a. Use the strategy of making a table and then looking for a pattern.
The table with the given information is:

ROUND NUMBER OF CALLS RULE

1 3 31
2 9 32
3 27 33
WO R D P R O B LE M S 237

The first column increases by one each time, and the second col-
umn is multiplied by three each time. Repeated multiplication by
three is the powers of three. This is how the third column, the
rule, was generated. On round 3, the number of calls is 33 = 27, so
on round 10, the number of calls is 310 = 59,049.

5. b. Make a picture of the situation:

To find the area of the mat, you must find the total area of the
large rectangle and subtract out the area of the smaller rectangle.
This was reviewed in Chapter 8. The area of a rectangle is A = b ×
h. So Arealarge – Areasmall is 10 × 12 – 8 × 10. Using order of opera-
tions, first multiply left to right, and then subtract; 120 – 80 = 40
square inches.

6. d. Use the strategy of working backward. If you knew the original

temperature, you would:
Step 1: add 6.
Step 2: subtract 3.
Step 3: add 4 to get the final temperature of 78 degrees.
Work backward by reversing the steps:
Reverse step 3: subtract 4 to get 78 – 4 = 74.
Reverse step 2: add 3 to get 74 + 3 = 77.
Reverse step 1: subtract 6 to get 77 – 6 = 71 degrees.
238 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

7. c. Use guess-and-check, and the first guess can be the middle value
in the answer choices, which is 18 nickels. Make a table to organ-
ize the data:

NUMBER OF NICKELS NUMBER OF DIMES TOTAL MONEY VALUE

N 29 – N 0.05 × N + 0.10 × (29 – N)
18 11 0.05 × 18 + 0.10 × 11= 2.00

This money value, $2.00, is too small, so there must be fewer

nickels, and more dimes. Try again, with a smaller nickel answer
choice, such as 17:

NUMBER OF NICKELS NUMBER OF DIMES TOTAL MONEY VALUE

N 29 – N 0.05 × N + 0.10 × (29 – N)
18 11 0.05 × 18 + 0.10 × 11 = 2.00
17 12 0.05 × 17 + 0.10 × 12 = 2.05

This is still too small. The answer must be 12 nickels, the only
other answer choice that is smaller. To check,

NUMBER OF NICKELS NUMBER OF DIMES TOTAL MONEY VALUE

N 29 – N 0.05 × N + 0.10 × (29 – N)
18 11 0.05 × 18 + 0.10 × 11 = 2.00
17 12 0.05 × 17 + 0.10 × 12 = 2.05
12 17 0.05 × 12 + 0.10 × 17 = 2.30

8. e. Make a chart, showing which cars get which flyers. The first num-
ber that appears in both columns is the first car to get both.

COUPON GIFT CERTIFICATE

6 14
12 28
18 42
24
30
36
42

Car number 42 is the first car to get both coupon and gift certifi-
cate. This is the least common multiple of 6 and 14.
WO R D P R O B LE M S 239

9. a. Every hour, Brittany will earn $4.50. Think of a pattern for her
earnings: if she works n hours, she will earn 4.50 × n dollars. She
needs to earn $135.00 – $45.00 = $90.00 dollars. Set up 90.00 =
4.50 × n. Divide 90 by 4.5 to get 20 hours.

10. e. Use guess-and-check, knowing that each cow has four legs and
each chicken has two legs. Place the data in an organized table.
Start your guess with the middle value in the answer choices: 14
chickens.

NUMBER OF CHICKENS NUMBER OF COWS NUMBER OF LEGS

c 20 – c 2 × c + 4 × (20 – c)
14 6 2 × 14 + 4 × 6 = 52

This is the correct number of legs. The first guess was successful,
so no other guesses are needed. There are 14 chickens.

BENCHMARK QUIZ RESULTS

If you answered 8–10 questions correctly, you are a good problem solver.
Read through the lesson to discover alternate methods of solution. Chances
are, there will be new techniques explained that will be of benefit to you.
Try all the examples and practice questions at the end of the chapter; there
may be different types of problems than the ten given thus far.
If you answered 4–7 questions correctly, you need a more focused and
careful review. If the questions you answered wrong deal with topics cov-
ered earlier in this book, you may need to go back and review these topics
again. Read through the lesson presented in this chapter and work through
all examples. Pay attention to the various tips, rules, and shortcuts.
If you answered 1–3 questions correctly, you need to make a concen-
trated effort to practice word problems. Perhaps you become intimidated
as soon as you encounter words in a math problem. Read this chapter care-
fully. There are many suggestions and approaches described to make solv-
ing word problems simpler. Practice is the key to success. Pay attention to
all tips, rules, and shortcuts and visit the suggested websites for further
practice. You may want to refer to Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day,
published by LearningExpress, which has two Lessons, 15 and 16, devoted
to word problems.
240 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

JUST IN TIME LESSON—WORD PROBLEMS

Word problems are the most challenging type of math problems because
they involve both computation proficiency and an understanding of how the
language translates into math. Word problems encompass all topics in
math. Some of the examples in previous chapters were word problems.
There are two main challenges when dealing with word problems:

• difficulty translating words into mathematical operations

• lack of “prescription,” or set procedure, to use for solution

This chapter will focus on methods to use when faced with a word prob-
lem. Topics in this chapter include:

• translating words to mathematical operations

• the problem-solving process
- read carefully
- estimate the answer
- plan and then solve
- check
• smart strategies
- guess and check
- work backward
- look for patterns
- make a table or tree diagram
- make a picture or drawing
• consecutive integers
WO R D P R O B LE M S 241

TRANSLATING WORDS TO
MATHEMATICAL OPERATIONS

Study the following chart that shows English words translated into the
given mathematical operations:

ADD SUBTRACT MULTIPLY DIVIDE EQUALS

sum difference of per is
more than fewer than product quotient are
greater than less than times has
older than younger than
further than remained
increased by decreased by
total
altogether
exceeded

Also, there are key words that indicate a formula or type of problem:

Distance Formula D = R × T Ratios

plane colon symbol (:)
train percent symbol (%)
boat per
travel for each
verbs (walk, run, climb, swim) for every

THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS

You can think of the problem-solving process as having four steps: read
carefully, estimate the answer, plan and then solve, and check.

◗ Read Carefully
When approaching a word problem, you must be willing to read the prob-
lem several times. Read once to get the general idea and topics. Read again,
and attempt to separate the problem into chunks, making notes as you read.
Cross out any unnecessary information. Be clear on the goal—what is being
asked for in the problem. Do not lose focus on the end result.

◗ Estimate the Answer

Before proceeding, make an estimate of the answer. This will help to bal-
ance your tendency to avoid the “check” at the end of the solution process.
If your solution is not close to your estimation, reconsider your solution. In
addition, read over the answer choices if it is a multiple-choice test. Often,
you can use the answer choices and a strategy such as guess and check to
242 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

solve the problem. Sometimes, it is very difficult to make an estimate and

you may not be confident of your guess. Problem-solving strategies will be
reviewed to help in these situations.

◗ Plan and then Solve

In this phase of problem solving, decide on which mathematical operations
and topics are appropriate to the question. Ask yourself if you may have
solved a similar problem in the past. Make a plan for solution and then exe-
cute the plan. This phase may have to be tried again. Keep in mind that
solving word problems often involves the philosophy of “try and try again.”
The key to mastery is accepting this fact and sticking with your attempts.
Planning often involves choosing a strategy, many of which are described
in later sections of this chapter.

◗ Check
After arriving at a solution, it is important to go back and double-check the
answer. Be aware that double-checking may mean that you have to solve the
problem three times: if the check does not agree with the original estimate,
a third attempt at solution is necessary to “break the tie.” Go back to your
original estimate and compare it to your newfound solution. When check-
ing word problems, you must go back to the words in the problem to check.
If time permits, the most effective method of checking a problem is to re-
solve the problem using a different method or strategy.

SMART STRATEGIES

This section will review many strategies for solving problems, with one or
more examples for each one. Keep in mind that you may use several strate-
gies to solve a given problem.

◗ Guess-and-Check
Guess-and-check is a common strategy used in elementary school that some-
how came into disfavor for older students. Guess-and-check, especially on
multiple-choice tests, is a very effective strategy for success in problem solv-
ing. Guess-and-check means that you make the best educated guess that
you can, check this solution, and then revise with a better guess based on
the results of the last guess. You may need to do this process several times
until the solution is found. This strategy is effective when you are not sure
WO R D P R O B LE M S 243

how to set up the problem, and other methods of solution would require the
use of algebra.

Example:
Two trains are 440 miles apart, traveling toward each other from
opposite directions on parallel tracks that are next to each other.
Train A is traveling north at 60 miles per hour and Train B is travel-
ing south at 50 miles per hour. How long will it take before they
pass each other?
In addition to guess and check, this solution will create a table to
organize the guesses. The key word “train” indicates the use of the
distance formula, D = R × T. The answer will be the time when the
total miles equal 440, since the trains are that many miles apart. If
the first guess is six hours, the table will be:

TIME TRAIN A TRAIN B TOTAL MILES

D=R×T D=R×T (Train A + Train B)
6 hours 60 × 6 = 360 50 × 6 = 300 360 + 300 = 660

Six hundred sixty miles is too big; therefore, six hours was too long
of a guess. Revise the guess to be perhaps three hours:

TIME TRAIN A TRAIN B TOTAL MILES

D=R×T D=R×T (Train A + Train B)
6 hours 60 × 6 = 360 50 × 6 = 300 360 + 300 = 660
3 hours 60 × 3 = 180 50 × 3 = 150 180 + 150 = 330

Three hundred thirty is too small; yet it is closer to 440 miles than
the first guess. The next guess is therefore four hours:

TIME TRAIN A TRAIN B TOTAL MILES

D=R×T D=R×T (Train A + Train B)
6 hours 60 × 6 = 360 50 × 6 = 300 360 + 300 = 660
3 hours 60 × 3 = 180 50 × 3 = 150 180 + 150 = 330
4 hours 60 × 4 = 240 50 × 4 = 200 240 + 200 = 440

Success after three tries! It will be four hours before they pass each
other.

SHORTCUT
" For a problem in which guess-and-check is a good strategy, use the
answer choices as the guesses. Start the first guess as the middle value
of the answer choices. Then, adjust the answer tries from there. For a
five-answer multiple-choice question, you would have at most three tries
to arrive at the answer.
244 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
Katy has a pocketful of 19 coins, consisting of quarters and dimes
only. The coins have a value of $2.95. How many quarters and
dimes does she have?
a. 15 quarters, 1 dime
b. 13 quarters, 3 dimes
c. 3 quarters, 22 dimes
d. 11 quarters, 4 dimes
e. 7 quarters, 12 dimes

For the guess-and-check, choose the middle value for quarters, that
is choice d, 11 quarters and 4 dimes. The money value of this
answer is 0.25 × 11 + 0.10 × 4.
Using order of operations, 2.75 + 0.40 = 3.15. This money value
is too high; the answer must therefore be either choice c or e. The
money value on the first guess was fairly close to the real value, so
the next guess should be choice e, 7 quarters and 12 dimes. This
money value is 0.25 × 7 + 0.10 × 12 = 1.75 + 1.20. This is the correct
value of $2.95.

◗ Work Backward
Use this strategy when a problem is presented with a result, and you are
asked to find an initial value. You begin with the final result and examine the
steps, in reverse, that lead to the result.

Example:
Jeans are on sale at the ABC department store, marked down $7.00.
Elisabeth bought three pairs of jeans. A sales tax of $4.80 was added
to the bill, bringing the total price to $67.80. How much was the
original price of one pair of jeans?
If you knew the original price, you would:
Step 1: subtract $7.00 from the price.
Step 2: multiply this result by 3.
Step 3: and then add $4.80 for the sales tax.
Work backward, as follows:
Reverse step 3 above, by subtracting $4.80 to get
$67.80 – $4.80 = $63.00.
Reverse step 2 above, by dividing by 3 to get
63.00 ÷ 3 = 21.00.
Reverse step 1 above, by adding 7.00 to get
$21.00 + $7.00 = $28.00.
WO R D P R O B LE M S 245

◗ Look for Patterns

This strategy is based on the knowledge that a lot of mathematics is based
on patterns that follow a set rule. Examining patterns enables you to solve
problems that can seem “out of reach” by using other methods.

Example:
With living cells, cell division works as follows. In round one, one
cell divides into two cells, then in round two the two cells divide
into four cells; in round three the four cells divide into eight cells.
How many cells will there be after round 25?
This is not a problem for guess and check, or working backwards.
An organized table could be used, but it would need 25 entries,
which would take up time. The strategy will be to start the table,
and then look for a pattern:

ROUND NUMBER OF CELLS RULE FOR PATTERN

1 2
2 4
3 8

The rule for column one is just to add one each time. The rule for
column two is to multiply by two each time. Repeated multiplica-
tion by two is also the powers of two (from Chapter 7 of this book).
So the table would now be:

ROUND NUMBER OF CELLS RULE FOR PATTERN

1 2 21
2 4 22
3 8 23
4 16 24

By examination, it is not necessary to generate the table through 25

entries; the twenty-fifth round will be 225, or 33,554,432 cells.

◗ Make a Table or Tree Diagram

These strategies involve taking the information and organizing it in a mean-
ingful way to solve a problem. A table can help with the solution to a prob-
lem that involves a set of numbers that are related. This strategy is often
used in conjunction with other strategies; we have seen two previous prob-
lems that used a table to help with the process.
246 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
Lara decides to save $150.00 per month, and starts her savings in
April. In June, Emily decides to start saving $225.00 per month. In
what month will their savings be equal?
Make a table, calling April month #1 of savings:

MONTH # LARA’S SAVINGS EMILY’S SAVINGS

1 (April) $150.00 0
2 (May) $300.00 0
3 (June) $450.00 $225.00
4 (July) $600.00 $450.00
5 (August) $750.00 $675.00
6 (September) $900.00 $900.00

In September, their savings will be equal. This problem could also

have been solved with algebraic equations.

Tables are very helpful for speed and distance problems, as was shown
earlier under the guess and check strategy.

Example:
At the candy factory, every twelfth chocolate is checked for color,
and every fifteenth chocolate is checked for taste. What is the first
chocolate that will be checked for color and taste?
This problem is essentially asking for the least common multiple
of 12 and 15, but if this was not obvious, a table will work fine to
solve the problem:

COLOR TEST TASTE TEST

12 15
24 30
36 45
48 60
60

Chocolate number 60 will be the first one tested for both color and
taste.
Tree diagrams are helpful when a problem asks you to find the
number of ways something can be done.
WO R D P R O B LE M S 247

Example:
A specific style of raincoat is sold in either canvas or vinyl, in three
colors (yellow, navy, or green) and four sizes (S, M, L, XL). How
many different raincoats are available?
Make a tree diagram, showing all the possibilities:

The rightmost branches represent the number of possibilities, in

this case 24 different raincoats.

Sometimes, reverse trees are needed.

248 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
Eight teams are playing in a doubles tennis tournament. How many
games must be played to arrive at one final winner? Two teams com-
pete, and then only the winning teams move on to play another win-
ning team.
Set up a tree diagram as shown:

Reading the diagram, there are seven games that need to be played
to arrive at one winner.

◗ Make a Picture or Drawing

Remember the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Pictures
help to solve a problem by visualizing the situation. Pictures are especially
helpful when solving geometric problems.

Example:
A ceramic tile floor is made from 16-inch squares. The final dimen-
sions are 8 feet by 12 feet. How many of the 16-inch squares are
needed to make this floor?
After reading carefully, notice that the units are not consistent.
Change the feet units to inch units, by multiplying by 12, before
WO R D P R O B LE M S 249

proceeding. Eight feet becomes 96 inches, and 12 feet becomes 144

inches. Now, make a drawing:

By working with the picture, there are 6 squares to make up the

width and 9 squares to make up the length. The amount of squares
needed is 9 × 6 = 54 squares.
250 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Example:
A swimming pool measures 30 feet by 12 feet. There is a two-foot
border surrounding the pool. How much fencing is needed to
enclose this pool and border?
Draw a sketch of the pool and border. Recognize that fencing,
which surrounds the area, is a perimeter problem:

Adding up all of the sides yields 34 + 14 + 34 + 14 = 96 feet of

fencing.

CONSECUTIVE INTEGERS

Throughout the course of this book, we have looked at many word prob-
lems. Several problems involving distance and speed, percents, simple inter-
est, and ratio and proportions have been reviewed. One other type of word
problem not reviewed previously is consecutive integer problems. These
problems are relatively easy to solve on multiple-choice tests.
WO R D P R O B LE M S 251

GLOSSARY
CONSECUTIVE INTEGERS integers that follow one after the other in order. They dif-
fer by one. Example: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 . . . .
CONSECUTIVE EVEN INTEGERS even integers that follow one another in order.
They differ by two. Example: –4, –2, 0, 2, 4, 6 . . .
CONSECUTIVE ODD INTEGERS odd integers that follow one another in order. They
also differ by two. Example: 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 . . .

The guess and check strategy is an effective way to solve consecutive

integer problems.

Example:
The four sons in the Johnson family have ages that are consecutive
even integers. If the sum of their ages is 84, how old is the
youngest?
a. 16
b. 18
c. 22
d. 20
e. 24
Start with the middle age in the answer choice, which is 20. If the
youngest is 20, then the sum of their ages would be 20 + 22 + 24 +
26 = 92. This is too big. Next, try choice b, which is 18 years. This
sum would be 18 + 20 + 22 + 24 = 84. Therefore, the correct answer
choice is b, 18 years old.

Example:
Carlos’s and James’s ages are consecutive integers. James is older.
Four years ago, Carlos was half the age that James is now. How old
is James now?
a. 6
b. 7
c. 8
d. 9
e. 10
Find the middle age among the answer choices. The middle age is
choice c, 8 years. If James is 8 now, Carlos is 7 now. Four years ago,
Carlos was 7 – 4 = 3 years old. This is not one half of 7. Try choice
d, 9 years. If James is 9 now, Carlos is 8 years old now. Four years
ago, Carlos was 8 – 4 = 4 years old. This is not half of 9. Try choice
e, where James is 10 years old now. Since James is 10, Carlos is 9;
four years ago Carlos was 9 – 4 = 5 years old. Five is half of 10, so
the correct answer is choice e. James is 10 years old.
252 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

Two strategies have been discussed for using multiple-choice answer

choices to your advantage. One advantage is with guess and check type
problems. Another is with consecutive integer problems. Keep in mind that
for word problems, it is helpful to examine the answer choices in the plan-
ning phase. Through examination you can get hints as to what form of the
answer may be required. For example, if all of the answer choices are in dec-
imal form, take a decimal approach to your plan. Or, for geometric prob-
lems, if all answer choices are in centimeters, first convert all units to be
centimeters.

EXTRA HELP
O If extra lessons or practice are in order, refer to Practical Math Success
in 20 Minutes a Day, Lessons 15 and 16, published by LearningExpress.
There are three good websites that review the problem-solving strate-
gies and give several practice problems for each strategy:
1. Visit the website www.mathcounts.org/problems/strategies.html
for a description of the problem-solving process and a list of
strategies with example problems and solutions.
2. The site http://huisam.virtualave.net also has many strategies
described. Scroll down and click on Problem-solving strategies.
3. Go to www.fcps.k12.va.us/DeerParkES/kids/diane/Math/math.
htm, and click on Problem-Solving Strategies. Scroll down, and
click on the pictures to the left of each strategy for a sample
problem with solution.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

• Memorize the table “Translating Words to Mathematical Opera-

tions” on page 241.
• Follow the four recommended steps in the problem-solving
process:
- read carefully, several times
- estimate your answer when possible
- make a plan and execute the plan
- check your solution
• Be prepared to try and try again.
• Use multiple-choice answers to your advantage.
• Be aware of the many strategies available to help solve problems,
including:
- guess-and-check
- work backward
- look for patterns
WO R D P R O B LE M S 253

- make a table or tree diagram

- make a drawing or picture

PRACTICE

Now that you have learned some important problem-solving strategies, try
this set of practice problems to gauge your success. Carefully read over the
answer explanations.

1. Miguel has 43 coins, consisting of quarters and dimes. If the total

value of his coins is $8.05, how many dimes does he have?
a. 25
b. 23
c. 21
d. 20
e. 18

2. To reach her destination on time, Sarah must drive an average of 50

miles per hour. She has traveled at the following speeds in miles per
hour: 43, 60, 50, 46, 57, 50. What should be her final speed, to the
nearest mile per hour, to have the average of 50 miles per hour?
Assume the given speeds were measured every hour.
a. 50 miles per hour
b. 44 miles per hour
c. 51 miles per hour
d. 53 miles per hour
e. 58 miles per hour

3. Given the pattern shown, pattern two has three more squares than
pattern one. Pattern three has the four squares of pattern two, plus
five additional squares. How many squares must be added to pattern
six to get pattern seven?

a. 13
b. 7
c. 11
d. 36
e. 49
254 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

4. A rectangular swimming pool measures 9 feet by 12 feet. How many

feet are there across the diagonal of the pool?
a. 21 feet
b. 15 feet
c. 10.5 feet
d. 13.5 feet
e. 112.5 feet

5. The product of three consecutive even integers is –192. What is the

largest of the three integers?
a. –8
b. –81
c. –4
d. –18
e. –10

6. When rolling two dice, what is the probability of rolling a sum of

four?
a. 336
b. 142
4

c. 36
1
d. 
4
2

e. 36

7. At the ice cream store, there are two choices of size (small and large),
three choices of flavors (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry) and a choice
of two toppings (nuts or whipped cream) to make a sundae. How
many sundaes, consisting of one size, one flavor, and one topping are
possible?
a. 6 sundaes
b. 4 sundaes
c. 24 sundaes
d. 12 sundaes
e. 3 sundaes
WO R D P R O B LE M S 255

8. On the skating trail, there are a total of 29 skateboards and scooters.

Skateboards have four wheels and scooters have two wheels. There
are 100 wheels in total. How many scooters are there?
a. 17
b. 5
c. 8
d. 15
e. 16

9. The computer manufacturer offered a total of $145.00 in rebates.

The cost of the computer after rebates and $51.10 in tax came to
$781.10. What was the original price of the computer?
a. $832.20
b. $875.00
c. $845.00
d. $926.10
e. $730.00

10. On the first day, Tom’s mother gave him two cents. Each day, she
promised to give him an amount that is double the amount of the day
before. How much money will she give him on the fifteenth day?
a. $0.30
b. $327.68
c. $32.77
d. $30.00
e. $3,276.80

11. There were five people at the business meeting. How many hand-
shakes will occur at introduction, if every person shakes every other
person’s hand?
a. 25
b. 20
c. 10
d. 24
e. 7

12. The sides of a rectangle are consecutive even integers. What is the
longer side, if the area is 168 square centimeters?
a. 14 cm
b. 12 cm
c. 10 cm
d. 21 cm
e. 8 cm
256 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

13. Two cars start on the interstate at the same location and the same
time, heading in the same direction. Car A is traveling at 65 miles per
hour. Car B is driving at 58 miles per hour. How long will it take for
the cars to be 21 miles apart?
a. 20 minutes
b. 2 hours
c. 112 hours
d. 3 hours
e. 4 hours

14. A six-foot square garden is surrounded by a fence. There are fence

posts at each corner, and posts every 18 inches along the perimeter.
How many total fence posts are there?
a. 20 posts
b. 24 posts
c. 8 posts
d. 12 posts
e. 16 posts

15. Two trains are 780 miles apart and are traveling toward each other on
parallel tracks. One is heading east at 75 miles per hour; the other is
heading west at 55 miles per hour. How long until the trains meet?
a. 8 hours
b. 2.75 hours
c. 6 hours
d. 3.25 hours
e. 5 hours

16. The perimeter of a square is tripled to get an area of 225 square

meters. What is the original length of a side of the square?
a. 5 meters
b. 18.75 meters
c. 15 meters
d. 7.5 meters
e. 37.5 meters

17. The ratio of foxes to rabbits is 2 : 7. If there are 360 total foxes and
rabbits, how many rabbits are there?
a. 28
b. 280
c. 80
d. 210
e. 40
WO R D P R O B LE M S 257

18. Eight friends went to a restaurant and decided to split the bill evenly.
They included a tip of $10.00, making the total money spent $72.40.
How much did each spend before the tip was included?
a. $9.05
b. $8.05
c. $19.05
d. $7.80
e. $6.55

19. Joe has 39 ceiling tiles that he wants to paint. On day one, he paints
15 tiles. Each day thereafter, he paints 8 tiles. How many days will it
take to paint the ceiling?
a. 4.875 days
b. 5 days
c. 3 days
d. 6 days
e. 4 days

20. The product of three consecutive odd integers is 3. What is the

largest of the integers?
a. 3
b. –1
c. 1
d. 5
e. 0

21. Andy had to wait in two lines to board his airplane, one to buy the
ticket and the other to go through security. He waited 15 minutes
longer in one line than the other. If the total wait was 79 minutes, how
long was the wait in the shorter line?
a. 32 minutes
b. 47 minutes
c. 30 minutes
d. 15 minutes
e. 64 minutes

22. A cereal manufacturer is placing a toy in every sixth cereal box. In

every fifth box there is a coupon for “buy one, get one free.” What
numbered box will be the first to get both surprises?
a. box #15
b. box #18
c. box #60
d. box #30
e. box #12
258 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

23. Emmanuel has three suits, two belts, and three ties for dress clothes.
How many different outfits can he wear consisting of a suit, belt, and
tie?
a. 3
b. 6
c. 18
d. 8
e. 81

24. The post office charges 37 cents for the first ounce and 23 cents for
each additional ounce. What is the maximum possible weight for an
item that costs $1.06 to mail?
a. 3 ounces
b. 5 ounces
c. 2 ounces
d. 6 ounces
e. 4 ounces

25. A circle is inscribed in a square, which means that the edges of the cir-
cle touch the sides of the square, with the circle inside. What is the
radius of the circle, if the area of the square is 289 square inches?
a. 17 inches
b. 8.5 inches
c. 144.5 inches
d. 72.25 inches
e. 7 inches

ANSWERS

1. e. Use guess and check, starting with the middle value in the answer
choices, which is 21 dimes. If there are 21 dimes, then there are
22 quarters. Check the monetary value; 21 × 0.10 + 22 × 0.25. Use
order of operations; multiply left to right, and then add to get the
value of $7.60. This value is too low; try a choice that uses fewer
dimes. The answer is not very close; try the answer choice of 18
dimes, and therefore 25 quarters; 18 × 0.10 + 25 × 0.25 = 8.05,
which is correct.

2. b. Use the working backward strategy. There are six intervals of speed,
plus one more to make seven. Seven intervals with an average of 50
miles per hour would result in 350 miles. The seventh interval must
be the number you would add to the sum of the other six to get 350
miles; 43 + 60 + 50 + 46 + 57 + 50 = 306; 350 – 306 = 44.
WO R D P R O B LE M S 259

3. a. Use the strategies of looking for a pattern and making a table.

Starting with pattern two, show the table for pattern number and
additional squares:

PATTERN NUMBER ADDITIONAL SQUARES

2 3
3 5

The first column increases by one, and the second column seems
to increase by two. Double-check this pattern theory by creating
the next pattern in the sequence:

The pattern is correct; make the table up to the sixth and seventh
pattern:

PATTERN NUMBER ADDITIONAL SQUARES

2 3
3 5
4 7
5 9
6 11
7 13

4. b. Draw a picture.

The diagonal divides the pool into two right triangles. Use the
Pythagorean theorem (covered in Chapter 8) where the diagonal
is the hypotenuse. The theorem, a2 + b2 = c2, with substitution is 92
+ 122 = c2, or 81 + 144 = c2, or 225 = c2. The diagonal is therefore
the square root of 225, which is 15 feet.
260 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

5. c. Use guess and check, remembering that the largest negative inte-
ger will have the smallest absolute value. The middle value of the
answer choices, –10, can be eliminated because the product does
not end in a zero. Try –8 as the first guess. The integers would be
–12, –10, –8. This is not possible because –10 is a factor. Try –4;
–8 × –6 × –4 = – 192.

6. a. Make an organized table, showing the sums possible for two dice.

number of favorable outcomes

Probability is a ratio, the 
number of total outcomes . From the table,
there are 36 total outcomes and three of these have a sum of four.
So the probability is 336 .

7. d. Make a tree diagram.

The branches on the far right show how many sundaes are possible.
There are 12 different sundaes available.
WO R D P R O B LE M S 261

8. c. Use guess and check; start with the middle value of the answer
choices, which is 15 scooters. If there are 15 scooters, then there
are 14 skateboards, to have a total number of wheels of (15 × 2) +
(14 × 4) = 86 wheels. This number is too low, so there must be a
smaller number of scooters. Try the next value, 8 scooters, and
therefore 21 skateboards; (8 × 2) + (21 × 4) = 100 wheels. Success
after two attempts.

9. b. Work backward to solve. If the original price was known, you

would:
Step 1: subtract $145.00 for the rebates.
Step 2: add $51.10 for the tax to get $781.10.
Working backward:
Reverse step 2: subtract $51.10 from $781.10 to get $730.00.
Reverse step 1: add $145.00 to $730.00 to get $875.00.

10. b. Look for a pattern by making a table. Since each day the amount
doubles, generate the next entry in column two by doubling the
previous entry. Successive doubling is the powers of two, to gen-
erate column three, the rule.

DAY # AMOUNT IN CENTS RULE

1 2 21
2 4 22
3 8 23

It is not necessary to take the table to 15 days. On day 15, Tom

will receive 215 = 32,768 cents. Divide this amount by 100 to get
the monetary value in dollars.

11. c. You can make a sketch of the situation, naming the people A, B,
C, D, and E.

In the second set, B has already shook A’s hand, so B only has to
shake C, D, and E’s hand. The sketch continues in this manner.
Use the sketch to count the number of handshakes, 10.
262 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

12. a. Use guess-and-check. Use 12 cm as the first guess, which makes

the shorter side 10 cm. The formula for the area of a rectangle is
A = b × h, or 12 times 10, which is 120 cm2. This is too small. Try
the next largest value, 14, to get 14 × 12 = 168 cm2.

13. d. Make a table:

TIME DISTANCE APART

(HOUR) CAR A DISTANCE CAR B DISTANCE (COLUMN 1 – COLUMN 2)
1 65 58 7
2 130 116 14
3 195 174 21

14. e. First, change 6 feet to inches by multiplying by 12. The garden is

72 inches on each side. Seventy-two divided by 18 is 4 lengths, or
3 posts on each side. Make a drawing and count the 16 posts.

15. c. This problem uses the distance formula, where distance equals
rate times time. Find the distance for each train and add them.
Try guessing and checking; starting with the middle value of the
answer choices, 5 hours; (75 × 5) + (55 × 5) = 650 miles. This is
smaller than the wanted distance; try the next highest time, 6
hours; (75 × 6) + (55 × 6) = 780 miles.

16. a. Work backward. If you knew the original side of the square, you
would:
Step 1: multiply the side by 3.
Step 2: square the side to get the area of 225 m2.
Working backward:
Reverse step 2: take the square root of 225 to get 15 meters.
WO R D P R O B LE M S 263

Reverse step 1: divide by 3 to get the original length of 5

meters.

17. b. Use guess and check. You can eliminate any answer choices that
are not multiples of 7; which is the ratio for rabbits. This leaves
the possibilities as 28, 210, or 280 rabbits. Try the middle value,
210 rabbits. Divide 210 by 7 to get 30; 30 times 2 is 60, to get the
number of foxes; 210 + 60 = 270 total. This is too small. There
must be 280 rabbits.

18. d. Work backward. If you knew how much each spent, you would:
Step 1: multiply this by 8.
Step 2: add $10.00 for the tip to get $72.40.
Work backward:
Reverse step 2: subtract $10.00 from $72.40 to get $62.40.
Reverse step 1: divide by 8 to get $7.80 each.

19. e. On day one, Joe paints 15 tiles; thereafter it is 8 tiles per day. Sub-
tract 15 from 39 to get 24 tiles left. At 8 tiles per day, it will be 3
additional days to finish the job.

20. c. Use guess and check. The answer value of 5, choice d, is not pos-
sible. The value of 0, choice e, is not possible either. Take the
middle value of the remaining choices, which is 1. If one is the
largest of the three, then the other two are –3 and –1. Check: –3 ×
–1 × 1 = 3. Success!

21. a. Use guess and check. Try the middle value of 47 minutes. That
would make the other time be 47 + 15 = 62 minutes. Total waiting
time in this case is 62 + 47 = 109 minutes, too large. Try the next
smallest time, 32 minutes. The long line time would be 32 + 15 =
47. Total minutes is 47 + 32 = 79 minutes.

22. d. Make a table, and the first number in common is 30:

TOY COUPON
6 5
12 10
18 15
24 20
30 25
30
264 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

23. c. Make a tree diagram.

The number of outfits is represented on the far right branches, of

which there are 18.
WO R D P R O B LE M S 265

24. e. Make a table:

WEIGHT PRICE
1 oz $0.37
2 oz $0.60
3 oz $0.83
4 oz $1.06

25. b. Draw a picture.

If the area of the square is 289 square inches, the side of the
square is 289
 = 17 inches. From the picture it is seen that the
diameter of the circle is also 17 inches. The radius is one half of
the diameter.
 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

T his book has provided you with focused practice and an essen-
tial review of your math skills. If you need more practice, these
resources offer good places to find what you need to pass your test.

BOOKS

Bobrow, Jerry. Cliffs Notes Quick Review: Basic Math and Pre-Algebra (New
York: Wiley, 2001).
LearningExpress. 501 Math Word Problems (New York: LearningExpress,
2003).
Rabinovitz, Judith. Practical Math Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 2nd Edition (New
York: LearningExpress, 1998).
Slavin, Steve. All the Math You’ll Ever Need: A Self-Teaching Guide (New York:
Wiley, 1999).
Sobanski, Jessika. Visual Math: See How Math Makes Sense (New York:
LearningExpress, 2002).

267
268 J U ST I N TI M E MATH

ONLINE RESOURCES

http://library.thinkquest.org/20991/home.html—“Math for Morons Like Us”

offers a user-friendly series of tutorials from pre-algebra up through calculus.
www.math.com—This comprehensive math site offers helpful tutorials, practice
exercises, and a “worksheet generator” for extra practice.
www.mathcounts.org/problems/strategies.html—This site provides students
with a wide variety of problem-solving strategies for different skill levels and
learning styles.
www.mathgoodies.com/lessons—“Mrs. Glosser’s Math Goodies” includes prac-
tice problems that are instantly scored, as well as printable puzzles and work-
sheets for additional practice.