Name: __________________________

COLLEGE ALGEBRA MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE

QUARTER 1 / SEMESTER 1
30 Multiple Choice Questions
______________________________________________________________________________________

I.

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

II.

Estimation, graphs, and mathematical models

Problem solving

Algebraic Expressions

III.

IV.

Evaluating expressions
Distributive property
Combining like terms
Translating from word problems to expressions

Algebraic Linear Equations

Solving one step and two-step equations including fractions
Solving multi-step equations with distributive property and combining like terms
Solving multi-step equations with variables on both sides of the equation
Solving multi-step equations with no solutions or infinite solutions
Solving literal equations
Applications of linear equations

Functions
Function notation
Evaluating functions
Vertical line test
Function mapping
Domain and range

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Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

1. Write an algebraic rule for the total number of tiles, T, in terms of the figure, n.

A.
B.
C.
D.

n2 + 4
2n + 2
2(n + 1)
3n + 2

2. Write an algebraic rule for the total number of tiles, T, in terms of the figure, n.

A.
B.
C.
D.

n+1
n(n + 1)
3n
n2 + 1

3. Which equation best describes the relationship between the values of x and y shown in the table?
x
y
-1
-7
0
-5
2
-1
4
3
A. y = x 5
B. y = 2x 5
C. y = 3x 7
D. y = 4x 7

Algebraic expressions
4. Two enterprising college students decide to start a business. They will make up and deliver helium balloon
bouquets for special occasions. It will cost them $39.99 to buy a machine to fill the balloons with helium.
They estimate that it will cost them $2.00 to buy the balloons, helium and ribbons needed to make each balloon
bouquet. Which of the following expressions could be used to model the total cost for producing b balloon
bouquets?
A. $2.00b + $39.99
B. $37.99b
C. $39.99b + $2.00
D. $41.99b
5. A plumber charges $13.50 per hour for a plumbing job that requires more than 3 hours to complete. For any job
requiring 3 hours or less, there is a flat charge of $40.50. If h represents the number of hours the job requires,
which of the following expressions gives the charge, in dollars, for a job requiring more than 3 hours to complete?
A. 13.5h + 40.5
B. 13.5h
C. 13.5h 40.5
D. 40.5
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6. You help in the school cafeteria by emptying the trash barrels. You are paid $4 for each day you work. Let d be
the number of days you work in a month. Which of the following expressions represent your pay for that month,
in dollars?
A.
d4
B.
C.
D.

d
4

4+d
4d

7. What is the value of the expression (x y)2 when x = 5 and y = -1?

A. 4
B. 16
C. 24
D. 36
1
3ab 2 d 3
, b = 4, and d = -3, what is the value of
?
2
a
1
A. -25
2

8. If a = -

B. -6
C. 75
D. 102
9. What is the value of
A. -3
B. 3
C. 6
D. 9

3 x

if x = 6?

10. For all x, 5 3(x 4) = ?

A. -3x + 17
B. -3x 7
C. -3x + 1
D. -3x 4
11. (6x 4) (2x + 8) is equivalent to:
A. 4(x + 4)
B. 4(x 1)
C. 4(x 3)
D. 4(x 12)
12. The expression (3x2 + 5x 12) 2(x2 + 4x +9) is equivalent to which of the following:
A. x2 3x 30
B. x2 + 13x + 6
C. 5x2 + x 18
D. x2 + 3x 21

Algebraic Linear Equations

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13. A Fahrenheit temperature F can be approximated by doubling the Celsius temperature C and adding 32.
Which of the following expresses this approximation method?
A. F =

1
C + 32
2

B. F = 2C + 32
C. F = 2(C + 32)
D. F = C2 + 32
14. Roy is saving to buy a new bike, which costs $258. He has $16 towards this purchase. Express how much
more Roy needs in the form of an equation.
A. x + 258 = 16
B. x 16 = 258
C. x = 258 + 16
D. x + 16 = 258
15. Solve for r: 3r + 2 r = -4
A. 3
B. -3
C. 4
D. -4
16. Patricia pays $1.19 each to download songs to her MP3 player. If n is the number of downloaded songs, which
equation represents the cost C in dollars?
A. C = 1.19n
B. n = 1.19C
C. C = 1.19 n
D. C = n + 1.1
3
5

17. Solve the equation a

1
.
4

3
20
B. a 2
5
C. a
12
a

3
D.

A. a

18. An equation is shown below:

-2x + 9 = -17
What is the solution to the equation?
A. x = -13
B. x = -4
C. x = 4
D. x = 13
19. If a + b = 6, then

a 8b
?
2
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A. 3
B. 7
C. 10
D. 14
20. Solve for y: 3x 4y = 12
A. y = 3x 4
B. y

3
x3
4

C. y 3 x 3
D. 3x 4y = 12
21. The sum of one fifth of a number and three is equal to half of the number. What is the number?
A. 5
B. 10
C. 15
D. 20
22. Given y + 36 = 102, y + 14 = ? (Hint: solve for y first, then find y + 14)
A. 66
B. 76
C. 80
D. 124
23. When n basketball uniforms are purchased, the cost, C, of each uniform is given by the equation
C

40n 260
. If the cost of each uniform was $60, how many uniforms were purchased?
n

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

5
6
8
13
26

Functions
10
24. What is the value of f(2) if f(x) =

A.

5
4

15
B. 125
C. 500
D.
25. What are the domain and range for the relation y
A. Domain = {all real numbers}
Range = {all real numbers}

x5
.
x5

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B. Domain = {all real numbers 5}

Range = {all real numbers}
C. Domain = {all real numbers 5}
Range = {all real numbers}
D. Domain = {all real numbers}
Range = {all real numbers 5}
26. If f(x) = 3x 2, find f(8) f(-5)
A. 7
B. 9
C. 37
D. 39
27. If f(x) = 2x 4 find f(q + 1):
A. 2q + 4
B. 2q + 2
C. 2q 6
D. 2q 2
28. If f(x) = -4x2 + 15, then f(-3) = ?
A. -21
B. -9
C. 39
D. 51
29. Find the range of the function given the domain: f(x) = 5 4x; domain = {-1, 0, 1}
A. {1, 5, 3}
B. {9, 5, 1}
C. {9, 5, 3}
D. {1, 5, 5}

30. A function g(x) =

A. x =

1
2 . For which value of x will g(x) = 0?
x

1
2

B. x = -1
C. x =

1
2

D. x = 0

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