Math & Science ACT Workuot

So you’ve got roughly 33 algebra questions to tackle on any given Math test. It’s probably a good idea to

comb the test looking for those 14 pre-algebra questions first, and then to track down the 10 elementary-

algebra questions, and then to go back and look for the intermediate-algebra questions, right? No way!

That would be a tremendous waste of time, and even a nearly impossible task—what are the distinctions

among these three categories anyway?

For our money, it’s best to think of Algebra problems (and really all Math problems) as broken down into

two categories: Plug-and-Chug and Word Problems. Plug and Chug questions are short, testing basic

rules, formulas, or terms. Word problems are longer and place the math content in the context of a real-life

setting. Many of the Math skills you use in these problems will be the same, but each will require a

slightly different approach, for the obvious reason that Word Problems require that you deal with, well,

words.

But let’s start with a nice, straightforward, “Plug and Chug” problem:

25. The expression −4y^2 (9y^7 − 3y^5 ) is equivalent to:

A. −36y^9   +   12y^7

B. −36y^9   −   12y^7

C. −36y^14  +   12y^10

D. −36y^14  −   12y^10

E. −24y^4

Here’s How to Crack It

Sure, there are words in this problem, but all it’s really asking you to do is to match up the expression in

the question with one of the expressions in the answer choices. Remember to distribute and use

MADSPM.

MADSPM

(Multiply/Add, Divide/Subtract, Power/Multiply)

When you multiply two like bases, you add their exponents.

e.g., x^2 × x^3 = x^5

When you divide two like bases, you subtract their exponents.

e.g., = x^2