Precalculus

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course MTH 163

10/12 11

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:

To establish which line is steeper without graphing it to get a visual, you must determine the slope of each line. Slope is equal to rise(y) over run(x). To solve for rise, you would take the second y value and subtract the first y value. Rise = 17 - 5 = 12. Run is the same, respectively, with the x values. Run = 7 - 3 = 4. Therefore, the slope of the first line is 12/4, which reduces to 3. For the second line, rise = 29 - 17 = 12. Run = 10 - 7 = 3. The slope of the second line is 12/3, which reduces to 4. The second line is steeper.

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 (7,19) 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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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:

If x = 2, then (2 - 2) * (2 * 2 + 5) = 0 * (4 + 9) = 0 * 13 = 0

If x = -2.5, the (-2.5 - 2) * (2 * - 2.5 + 5) = -4.5 * (-5 + 5) = -4.5 * 0 = 0

While both of the expressions are equal to zero, it’s because they are grouped differently. When x = 2, it’s the first set of parenthesis that causes the answer two be zero, whereas when x = -2.5, it’s the second set.

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

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Your solution:

To reach an answer of 0, one of the three groupings must equal zero, because each group gets multiplied by the others, and if any of them is equal to zero, then the whole expression will equal zero.

If we want 3x - 6 = 0, 3x = 6 becomes x = 6/3, so x must equal 2. When x = 2, 3x - 6 = 0 and the entire equation is 0.

If we want x + 4 = 0, x = -4. If x = -4, x + 4 = 0, and the entire equation is 0.

If we want x^2 - 4 = 0, x^2 = 4, which becomes x = +/-2. When x is 2 or -2, x^2 -4 = 0, and the entire equation is 0.

The only x values that can produce an end result of 0 are 2, -2, and -4.

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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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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:

The second trapezoid has a greater area. The first has a width of 4 units, as it runs from 3 to 7 on the x axis, and heights of 5 and 9 (an average of 7). The second runs from 10 to 50 on the x axis which gives it a width of 40 units, and heights of 2 and 4 (an average of 3). Though the first trapezoid is slightly taller than the second, the second trapezoid has a width that is vastly greater and therefore yields a larger area.

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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:

To solve each function, we must use values that are greater than 0. I used 1, 2, 3, and 4.

y = x^2 produces y values of 1, 4, 9, and 16. Because both the x and y values rise rather than fall and the y values increase by more each time, this graph increases as its slope increases as we move from left to right.

y = 1/x produces y values of 1, .5, .333, and .25. While the x values rise at a constant rate, the y values decrease by less and less each time. This graph decreases as its slope increases.

y = ‘sqrt(x) produces y values of 1, 1.41, 1.73, and 2. The y values are increasing, but by less and less each time. This graph increases as its slope decreases.

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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Question: `q006. If the population of the frogs in your frog pond increased by 10% each month, starting with an initial population of 20 frogs, then how many frogs would you have at the end of each of the first three months (you can count fractional frogs, even if it doesn’t appear to you to make sense)? Can you think of a strategy that would allow you to calculate the number of frogs after 300 months (according to this model, which probably wouldn’t be valid for that long) without having to do at least 300 calculations?

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Your solution:

To calculate the number of frogs you’d have at the beginning of the first month, you would multiply 20 by 1.1, which equals 22. Therefore, at the beginning of the next month, you would have 22 frogs. That number would increase again by ten percent, so at the end of the month you would have 22 * 1.1 = 24.2 frogs. Using the same method for the third month, 24.2 * 1.1 = 26.62. To obtain the answer for a much larger number of months, you would simply consider the number of times you would have to multiply by 1.1, which in this case would be 300. You would raise 1.1 to the 300th power. 1.1^300 = 2617010996188.4. You would then multiply that number by the initial number of frogs. 20 * 2617070996188.4 = 25340219923767.998 frogs. I like to double check and make sure that this method is correct by using it with one of the answers I’ve already obtained. To solve for the third month in this manner, 20 * (1.1^3) = 20 * 1.331 = 26.2.

confidence rating #$&*:3

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Given Solution:

`aAt the end of the first month, the number of frogs in the pond would be (20 * .1) + 20 = 22 frogs. At the end of the second month there would be (22 * .1) + 22 = 24.2 frogs while at the end of the third month there would be (24.2 * .1) + 24.2 = 26.62 frogs.

The key to extending the strategy is to notice that multiplying a number by .1 and adding it to the number is really the same as simply multiplying the number by 1.1. We therefore get

20 * 1.1 = 22 frogs after the first month

22 * 1.1 = 24.2 after the second month

etc., multiplying by for 1.1 each month.

So after 300 months we will have multiplied by 1.1 a total of 300 times. This would give us 20 * 1.1^300, whatever that equals (a calculator, which is appropriate in this situation, will easily do the arithmetic).

A common error is to say that 300 months at 10% per month gives 3,000 percent, so there would be 30 * 20 = 600 frogs after 30 months. That doesn't work because the 10% increase is applied to a greater number of frogs each time. 3000% would just be applied to the initial number, so it doesn't give a big enough answer.

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Question: `q007. Calculate 1/x for x = 1, .1, .01 and .001. Describe the pattern you obtain. Why do we say that the values of x are approaching zero? What numbers might we use for x to continue approaching zero? What happens to the values of 1/x as we continue to approach zero? What do you think the graph of y = 1/x vs. x looks for x values between 0 and 1?

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Your solution:

1/1 = 1

1/.1 = 10

1/.01 = 100

1/.001 = 1000

As the x values decrease, the y values increase by larger amounts each time. The values of x are approaching zero, but because they are limitless they will never reach zero. We would continue with the same pattern and move from .001 to .0001 to .00001 and so forth. The y values would continue to increase in the same way, and the graph would be decreasing at an increasing rate. The line would become massively steeper with each set of values.

confidence rating #$&*:2

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Given Solution:

`aIf x = .1, for example, 1 / x = 1 / .1 = 10 (note that .1 goes into 1 ten times, since we can count to 1 by .1, getting.1, .2, .3, .4, ... .9, 10. This makes it clear that it takes ten .1's to make 1.

So if x = .01, 1/x = 100 Ithink again of counting to 1, this time by .01). If x = .001 then 1/x = 1000, etc..

Note also that we cannot find a number which is equal to 1 / 0. Deceive why this is true, try counting to 1 by 0's. You can count as long as you want and you'll ever get anywhere.

The values of 1/x don't just increase, they increase without bound. If we think of x approaching 0 through the values .1, .01, .001, .0001, ..., there is no limit to how big the reciprocals 10, 100, 1000, 10000 etc. can become.

The graph becomes steeper and steeper as it approaches the y axis, continuing to do so without bound but never touching the y axis.

This is what it means to say that the y axis is a vertical asymptote for the graph .

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Self-critique (if necessary): I left out some detail, most of which were things that I didn’t think of, know, or understand.

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Question: `q008. At clock time t the velocity of a certain automobile is v = 3 t + 9. At velocity v its energy of motion is E = 800 v^2. What is the energy of the automobile at clock time t = 5?

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Your solution:

v = 3 * 5 + 9

v = 15 + 9

v = 24

E = 800 * 24^2

E = 800 * 576

E = 460800

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Given Solution:

`aFor t=5, v = 3 t + 9 = (3*5) + 9 = 24. Therefore E = 800 * 24^2 = 460800.

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Question: `q009. Continuing the preceding problem, can you give an expression for E in terms of t?

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Your solution:

Since we are given equations for v and E, we would simply plug v into the equation for E, getting an expression of E = 800 * (3t + 9)^2.

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Given Solution:

`aSince v = 3 t + 9 the expression would be E = 800 v^2 = 800 ( 3t + 9) ^2. This is the only answer really required here.

For further reference, though, note that this expression could also be expanded by applying the Distributive Law:.

Since (3t + 9 ) ^ 2 = (3 t + 9 ) * ( 3 t + 9 ) = 3t ( 3t + 9 ) + 9 * (3 t + 9) = 9 t^2 + 27 t + 27 t + 81 = 9 t^2 + 54 t + 81, we get

E = 800 ( 9 t^2 + 54 t + 81) = 7200 t^2 + 43320 t + 64800 (check my multiplication because I did that in my head, which isn't always reliable).

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Question: For what x values is the value of the expression (2^x - 1) ( x^2 - 25 ) ( 2x + 6) zero?

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Your solution:

2^x - 1 = 0

2^x = 1

x = 0

x^2 - 25 = 0

x^2 = 25

x = 5

2x + 6 = 0

2x = -6

x = -3

The expression can equal zero only when x is equal to 0, 5, or -3.

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@&

Also x = -5. Check out previous problems of this sort to be sure you know why this is so.

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Question: One straight line segment connects the points (3,5) and (7,9) while another connects the points (3, 10) and (7, 6). 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?

Any solution is good, but a solution that follows from a good argument that doesn't actually calculate the areas of the two trapezoids is better.

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Your solution:

The first trapezoid runs on the x axis from 3 to 7, which is 4 units, and has heights of 5 and 9, or an average of 7. The second trapezoid runs on the x axis from 3 to 7, which is also four units, but has heights of 10 and 6, or an average of 8. While they both have the same width, the second trapezoid has a larger altitude, creating a greater area than the first trapezoid.

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Good.

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Question:

Suppose you invest $1000 and, at the end of any given year, 10% is added to the amount. How much would you have after 1, 2

and 3 years?

What is an expression for the amount you would have after 40 years (give an expression that could easily be evaluated using a calculator, but don't bother to actually evaluate it)?

What is an expression for the amount you would have after t years?

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Your solution:

First year: 1000 * 1.1 = 1100

Second year: 1100 * 1.1 = 1210

Third year: 1210 * 1.1 = 1331

Expression for 40 years: 1000 * (1.1^40)

Expression for t years: 1000 * (1.1^t)

@&

Goodl

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