Math & Science ACT Workuot

So if we Plug In 2 everywhere there’s an x, the expression gives us 80. Now, since the question is merely

asking for an equivalent expression, we will want the same result as we plug our value into the answer

choices. In this case, 80 is our target answer. Let’s go to the answer choices and see which one matches

up:

43. 4(2)^2 + 20(2) + 24 is equivalent to .

A. (4(2) + 4)((2) + 6) = (12)(8) = 96

B. (4(2) − 4)((2) − 6) = (4)(−4) = −16

C. (4(2) − 24)((2) − 1) = (−16)(1) = −16

D. 2(2(2) − 4)((2) − 3) = 2(0)(−1) = 0

E. 2(2(2) + 4)((2) + 3) = 2(8)(5) = 80

The only one that matches up is (E), the correct answer. No quadratic formula or difficult factoring

required!

Let’s review the steps:

Once you’ve determined that you can Plug In, follow these steps.

1. Plug In an easy-to-use value for your variable or variables.

2. Work the information in the question using the numbers you’ve Plugged In to find a target

answer.

3. Plug the variables into the answer choices to find the one that matches up with the target.

4. Make sure you check all the answer choices. If more than one answer choice works, Plug In a

new set of numbers and try again.

Let’s try another one.

28. As part of an analysis to determine how summer vacations affect students’ retention of school materials, scientists