Practice Exam

First Name: __________________ Last Name: __________________

Rational Expressions and Equations

9 - 3x
1. Identify the rational expression that is equivalent to
12x 2 + x
3- x
a.
6x 2 + 2x
3x x 2
b.
4 x3 x 2
9 x 3x 2
c.
12 x3 x 2
3( x 3)
d.
x(12 x 1)

2. A non-permissible value is best defined as the

a. value of a variable that makes the denominator of a rational expression equal to zero
b. value of a variable that makes the numerator of a rational expression equal to zero
c. polynomial that is completely factored in the denominator
d. polynomial that is completely factored in the numerator

a 3
3. In the rational expression the non-permissible values of a are
a(a 7)
a. x 3, 7
b. x 0,3, 7
c. x 0, 7
d. x 3, 7
 Practice Exam

3x + 2x 2
4. Determine the non-permissible values for
x 2 - 6x
1
a. x 0,
6
b. x 0, 6
1
c. x 0,
6
d. x 0, 6

16h2 40h
5. Simplify ,h 0
24h3
h5
a.
3h 2
2h 5
b.
3h 2
2h 10
c.
6h 2
2h 5
d.
3h

(a 2)(a 1)
6. When simplified the rational expression , h 1
a2 1
a. (a 2)
a2
b.
a 1
a2
c.
a 1
a2
d.
a 1
 Practice Exam

( x y)2
7. , x y is equivalent to
x2 y 2
a. 0
b. 1
2
1 1
c.
x y
x y
d.
x y

(3x 7)3 4 4x 7
8. 2 , x 1, reduces to
(3x 7)( x 1) 9 x 49 3
4(3 x 7)
a.
3x 7
4(3 x 7)
b.
3x 7
4(3 x 7)
c.
3x 7
4(3 x 7)
d.
3x 7

(a 4)(a 3) a 3
9. Consider the division . The number of non-permissible values is
a2 4 a2
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
 Practice Exam

Use the following information to answer the next question.

Consider the following statements.
x 2 16 2 x 2
I. ; x 1, 4
x 1 2x 8
x 2 16 2 x 2
II. ; x 1, 4
x 1 2x 8
x 2 16 2 x 2
III. ; x 1, 4
x 1 2x 8
x 2 16 2 x 2
IV. ; x 1, 4
x 1 2x 8

10. The statement that simplifies to x 4 is:

A. I
B. II
C. III
D. IV

5e 1
11. Determine the lowest common denominator for the pair and .
18e 4e 3

A. 22e3

B. 4.5e2

C. 36e3

D. 72e4
 Practice Exam

a a
12. is equal to
a2 a2
2a
a. , a 2
a2
a2
b. , a 2
a2
c. 1, a 2
d. a 2, a 2

t 1 t 1
13. The reduced for of is
t 1 t 1
a. 1, t 1
2
b. , t 1
t 1
2

2t
c. , t 1
t 1
2

4t
d. , t 1
t 1
2

1 1
14. A rectangle has length cm and width cm. The perimeter of the rectangle (in cm)
x x 1
is
4
a.
4x 2
4x 2
b.
x( x 1)
2x 1
c.
x( x 1)
1
d.
x( x 1)
 Practice Exam

3 2
15. The sum of is equal to
x 36 x 6
2

5 x 12
a.
x 2 36
5 x 12
b.
x 6
2

2x 9
c.
x 2 36
2 x 15
d.
x 2 36

5y 4y 3
16. Consider the non-permissible values for . The product
3 y 1 2 y 3 2 y 3 y 6
of the non-permissible values is
a. 3
9
b.
2
4
c.
3
d. 3
 Practice Exam

Use the following information to answer the next question.

A student solved a rational equation using the steps shown below.

x 3
9, x 1, 2
x 1 x 2

17. The first error occurs in:

A. Step 1
B. Step 2
C. Step 3
D. Step 4

2
18. If 3 , then y equals
4 y
5
a.
2
10
b.
3
c. 2
14
d.
3
 Practice Exam

Use the following information to answer the next question.

A boat travels 10 km upstream in the same time that the boat travels 12km downstream. The
average speed of the current is 6 km/h. The average speed of the boat in still water is x
kilometers per hour.

10 12
An equation that represents this situation is .
x6 x6

19. The average speed of the boat, in still water, is:

A. 27 km/h
B. 39 km/h
C. 66 km/h
D. 72 km/h

Use the following information to answer the next question.

20. The students first error was made in Step

A. I

B. II

C. III

D. IV
 Practice Exam

Numerical Response

( x 8) x 5 64 x 2
1. The rational expressions and have one non-permissible value in
x 8 x 5 64 x 2
common. To the nearest tenth, this non-permissible value is _____.

12 x 24 6 x( x 2) x 3
2. For the appropriate restrictions, the product 2 , x 2, 3
3x 12 5 x 15
ax
reduces to a whole number, . The product of a b is _______.
b

2 x 1 5 x 3
( x 3)(2 x 1)
3. When simplified, the complex fraction reduced to a linear expression of
5x 3
2 x 2 18
the form Ax B . The value of A B is ______.

4 2x
4. The solution to the rational equation, 2 0 , to the nearest tenth, is ______.
x x4
 Practice Exam

Written Response (Your unit exam will not have written response, the following question will
definitely help you be more prepared!)

1. Over a 10 km cross-country ski course, a skier found that his average speed on icy conditions is
4 km/h faster than his average speed in powder snow conditions. As a result, his time is 5
minutes faster. The coach represented the speed of the skier in these two snow conditions with
the following algebraic terms.

x = Average speed of the skier in powder snow conditions

x + 4 = Average speed of the skier in icy conditions

The coach also wrote the following equation relating the times of the skier.

distance 10 10 1
time = - =
speed x x + 4 12

a) The equation above represents the time required for this skier to complete a 10km cross-
country ski course. Determine the average speed of the skier for both the powder and icy
conditions.

1
b) Explain what represents in the equation above.
12
 Practice Exam

2. Simplify.
1 x
1
x x3
a) 1 1 b) 4
x
x x3
 Practice Exam

Answer Key

Multiple Choice

1. D
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. B
6. C
7. D
8. D
9. B
10. A
11. C
12. A
13. D
14. B
15. D
16. A
17. A
18. B
19. C
20. D

Numerical Response

1. 8
2. 120
3. 8
4. 1.3

Written Response

1. a) Powder conditions: 20km/h, Icy conditions 24km/h

b) The skier is 5 minutes faster on icy conditions; which is 1/12 of an hour
1 x
2. a) , x 0,1
x 1
x
b) , x 4,3
3 x 12
Practice Exam