Math 103 College Algebra

Instructor: O. Pauline Chow, Sr. Professor of Mathematics, Harrisburg Area Community College

1
st
Assessment on (1.1-1.16)

There are 10 questions in this assessment. Each problem is worth 2 points and the total number of points
is 20.

1. The number of births (in thousands) in the United States in 2007 was 4316. The number of births
(in thousands) in the United States in 2009 was 4131. Let x represent the number of years after
2007, and let y represent the number of births (in thousands). (source:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db60.pdf)
a. Write an equation that models the number of births (in thousands) in terms of x years after
2007.
b. Estimate the number of births in the United States for 2015?

2. The number of job openings in leisure and hospitality was 301 thousand in May 2010. By May
2011, this number had increased to 429 thousand. Let y be the number of job openings in leisure
and hospitality in thousands and x is the number of years after May 2010. (Source:
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t01.htm)
a. Write a linear equation that models the number of job openings in leisure and hospitality in
thousands x number of years after May 2010.
b. Use the linear equation to estimate the number of job openings in leisure and hospitality in
year 2014.

3. Solve the equation: (12x 7)
2
+ (5x + 9)
2
= (13x + 4)
2


4. Solve for y: 0.02x 0.06y = 9

5. Write an equation of the line in standard form using only integers for the line parallel to
5x + 7y = 21 and containing (7, 1).

6. Write an equation of the line in standard form using only integers for the line perpendicular to
x 3y = 5 and containing (2, 7).

7. In 2011, the percent of South Carolinas drivers wearing seat belts was 84%. The percent of
drivers wearing seat belts in 2012 was 90.5%. Let y be the percent of drivers wearing seat belts in
the year x, where x = 0 represents 2011. (Source:
http://www2.counton2.com/news/2012/jul/03/record-number-south-carolinians-wearing-seatbelts-
ar-4076887/)
a. Write a linear equation that models the percent of South Carolinas drivers wearing seat
belts in terms of the year x.
b. Use the equation to predict the percent of South Carolinas drivers wearing seat belts in the
year 2015. (Round to the nearest tenth of a percent.)

8. Solve for y: (2.5610
7
) y (6.9810
5
) = (4.3710
4
)
(Leave your final answer in scientific notation)

9. Given the equation of the circle: x
2
+ y
2
6x + 10y 2 = 0. Find the coordinators of the center and
the radius. Graph the circle.

10. Shawn has invested a total of $15,600 at the PNC bank. Part of the money is invested at 2.6% and
the rest at 1.8%. If he earns $348 in interest after one year, find the amount invested at each rate.