precalculus

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course Mth 163

003. PC1 questions

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Question: `q001 A straight line connects the points (3, 5) and (7, 17), while another straight line continues on from (7, 17) to the point (10, 29). Which line is steeper and on what basis to you claim your result?

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Your solution: (3,5) and (7, 17) rise 12 and the run 4. 12/4=3

(7, 17) and (10, 29). Rise 12 and the run is 3. 12/3=4

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

`aThe point (3,5) has x coordinate 3 and y coordinate 5. The point (7, 17) has x coordinate 7 and y coordinate 17. To move from (3,5) to (7, 17) we must therefore move 4 units in the x direction and 12 units in the y direction.

Thus between (3,5) and (7,17) the rise is 12 and the run is 4, so the rise/run ratio is 12/4 = 3.

Between (7,10) and (10,29) the rise is also 12 but the run is only 3--same rise for less run, therefore more slope. The rise/run ratio here is 12/3 = 4.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

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Self-critique Rating: 3

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Question: `q002. The expression (x-2) * (2x+5) is zero when x = 2 and when x = -2.5. Without using a calculator verify this, and explain why these two values of x, and only these two values of x, can make the expression zero.

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Your solution: (2-2) * (2(2)+5)=0 (-2.5-2) * (2(-2.5)+5)=0

0 * (4+5)=0 -4.5*(-5+5)=0

0 * 9=0 -4.5*0=0

0=0 0=0

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

`aIf x = 2 then x-2 = 2 - 2 = 0, which makes the product (x -2) * (2x + 5) zero.

If x = -2.5 then 2x + 5 = 2 (-2.5) + 5 = -5 + 5 = 0.which makes the product (x -2) * (2x + 5) zero.

The only way to product (x-2)(2x+5) can be zero is if either (x -2) or (2x + 5) is zero.

Note that (x-2)(2x+5) can be expanded using the Distributive Law to get

x(2x+5) - 2(2x+5). Then again using the distributive law we get

2x^2 + 5x - 4x - 10 which simplifies to

2x^2 + x - 10.

However this doesn't help us find the x values which make the expression zero. We are better off to look at the factored form.

STUDENT QUESTION

I think I have the basic understanding of how x=2 and x=-2.5 makes this equation 0

I was looking at the distributive law and I understand the basic distributive property as stated in algebra

a (b + c) = ab + ac and a (b-c) = ab - ac

but I don’t understand the way it is used here

(x-2)(2x+5)

x(2x+5) - 2(2x+5)

2x^2 + 5x - 4x - 10

2x^2 + x - 10.

Would you mind explaining the steps to me?

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE

The distributive law of multiplication over addition states that

a (b + c) = ab + ac

and also that

(a + b) * c = a c + b c.

So the distributive law has two forms.

In terms of the second form it should be clear that, for example

(x - 2) * c = x * c - 2 * c.

Now if c = 2 x + 5 this reads

(x-2)(2x+5) = x * ( 2 x + 5) - 2 * (2 x + 5).

The rest should be obvious.

We could also have used the first form.

a ( b + c) = ab + ac so, letting a stand for (x - 2), we have

(x-2)(2x+5) = ( x - 2 ) * 2x + (x - 2) * 5.

This will ultimately give the same result as the previous. Either way we end up with 2 x^2 + x - 10.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

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Self-critique Rating: 0

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Question: `q003. For what x values will the expression (3x - 6) * (x + 4) * (x^2 - 4) be zero?

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Your solution: 3x-6=0 x+4=0 x^2-4=0

3x=6 x=-4 x^2=4

X=2 x=+or-2

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

`aIn order for the expression to be zero we must have 3x-6 = 0 or x+4=0 or x^2-4=0.

3x-6 = 0 is rearranged to 3x = 6 then to x = 6 / 3 = 2. So when x=2, 3x-6 = 0 and the entire product (3x - 6) * (x + 4) * (x^2 - 4) must be zero.

x+4 = 0 gives us x = -4. So when x=-4, x+4 = 0 and the entire product (3x - 6) * (x + 4) * (x^2 - 4) must be zero.

x^2-4 = 0 is rearranged to x^2 = 4 which has solutions x = + - `sqrt(4) or + - 2. So when x=2 or when x = -2, x^2 - 4 = 0 and the entire product (3x - 6) * (x + 4) * (x^2 - 4) must be zero.

We therefore see that (3x - 6) * (x + 4) * (x^2 - 4) = 0 when x = 2, or -4, or -2. These are the only values of x which can yield zero.**

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Self-critique (if necessary):

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Self-critique Rating: 3

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Question: `q004. One straight line segment connects the points (3,5) and (7,9) while another connects the points (10,2) and (50,4). From each of the four points a line segment is drawn directly down to the x axis, forming two trapezoids. Which trapezoid has the greater area? Try to justify your answer with something more precise than, for example, 'from a sketch I can see that this one is much bigger so it must have the greater area'.

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Your solution: I wasn’t sure about this question but I do understand why the second trapezoid has a greater area.

confidence rating #$&*:

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Given Solution:

`aYour sketch should show that while the first trapezoid averages a little more than double the altitude of the second, the second is clearly much more than twice as wide and hence has the greater area.

To justify this a little more precisely, the first trapezoid, which runs from x = 3 to x = 7, is 4 units wide while the second runs from x = 10 and to x = 50 and hence has a width of 40 units. The altitudes of the first trapezoid are 5 and 9,so the average altitude of the first is 7. The average altitude of the second is the average of the altitudes 2 and 4, or 3. So the first trapezoid is over twice as high, on the average, as the first. However the second is 10 times as wide, so the second trapezoid must have the greater area.

This is all the reasoning we need to answer the question. We could of course multiply average altitude by width for each trapezoid, obtaining area 7 * 4 = 28 for the first and 3 * 40 = 120 for the second. However if all we need to know is which trapezoid has a greater area, we need not bother with this step.

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Question: `q005. Sketch graphs of y = x^2, y = 1/x and y = `sqrt(x) [note: `sqrt(x) means 'the square root of x'] for x > 0. We say that a graph increases if it gets higher as we move toward the right, and if a graph is increasing it has a positive slope. Explain which of the following descriptions is correct for each graph:

As we move from left to right the graph increases as its slope increases.

As we move from left to right the graph decreases as its slope increases.

As we move from left to right the graph increases as its slope decreases.

As we move from left to right the graph decreases as its slope decreases.

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Your solution: The first answer for the y=x^2 y=1/1 y=1 / 2 y=1 / 3 y=1 / 4

Y=1 y=1/2 y=1/3 y=1/4

The 4th answer for this equation.

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

`aFor x = 1, 2, 3, 4:

The function y = x^2 takes values 1, 4, 9 and 16, increasing more and more for each unit increase in x. This graph therefore increases, as you say, but at an increasing rate.

The function y = 1/x takes values 1, 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4, with decimal equivalents 1, .5, .33..., and .25. These values are decreasing, but less and less each time. The decreasing values ensure that the slopes are negative. However, the more gradual the decrease the closer the slope is to zero. The slopes are therefore negative numbers which approach zero.

Negative numbers which approach zero are increasing. So the slopes are increasing, and we say that the graph decreases as the slope increases.

We could also say that the graph decreases but by less and less each time. So the graph is decreasing at a decreasing rate.

For y = `sqrt(x) we get approximate values 1, 1.414, 1.732 and 2. This graph increases but at a decreasing rate.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

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Self-critique Rating: 3

&#This looks good. Let me know if you have any questions. &#

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