PLUGGING IN AND PITA DRILL 1 EXPLANATIONS
2 . K Plug In the Answers on this one. No harm in starting with the middle answer choice, but if
you want this problem to be as easy as possible (and it is question 2, so it should be
relatively easy), you might try the whole numbers in the answers first. With (J), it means that
− 2 = 7. Since = 6.75, you can eliminate it. Try (K): − 2 = 7. = 9,
and 9 − 2 = 7, so you’ve found your answer.
9 . E If the expressions confuse you, just plug in an easy number, such as x = 2. Substitute it into the
equation: (3(2)^2 − 2(2) + 4) + (2(2) − 1) − ((2)^2 − 3(2) + 2). Do the exponents and
multiplication first: (12 − 4 + 4) + (4 − 1) − (4 − 6 + 2). Now do the addition and
subtraction: 12 + 3 − 0 = 15. Our target is 15. Now plug 2 into each of the answers, and pick
the one that equals 15. It’s (E). Don’t forget to check all five answers.
11 . C This is a tricky and confusing problem made simple by Plugging In the Answers. Since the
problem asks for the smallest possible value of a, start with the smallest answer choice.
Work your way up to 25, and the problem reads − b^2 > 0. The question becomes, “Is
there a value of b (remember, b must be an integer greater than 1) that makes that equation
true?” Sure there is: If b = 2, then 5 − 4 > 0.
16 . H The algebra is fairly complicated here, so the best approach is to plug in a relatively small
and simple number. If you say, for example, that p = 3, then the original expression comes out
to ; this is your target answer. Now plug p = 3 into the expressions in the answer choices in
order to determine which one matches your target answer. Choice (F) becomes ; (G)
becomes 9; (H) becomes ; (J) becomes ; and (K) becomes . Choice (H) is
therefore the only one that matches your target, and thus is correct.
18 . G Note that the problem is asking for the number of miles left to go. Plug In the Answers
