Cracking The SAT Premium

Rational equations look scary, but there are very simple ways of solving them. One way is to factor out
like terms and then cancel. All in all, the test writers can’t get too messy here, so they will keep the math
nice and tidy.

Try one:

18.If    ,  then    which   of  the following   could   be  a   value   of  x   ?

A) –7

B) –5

C) 0

D) 6

Quick   and Painless

Use PITA!   Just    be  careful

with    your    calculations,

since   you can’t   use your

calculator.

Here’s How to Crack It

Hate factoring? PITA! Start with (C) and plug in 0 for x. Does everything work out? In this case, it
doesn’t. Keep trying other answer choices until you find one that works. Choice (A) does, so that’s the
correct answer choice. See? These are all bark and no bite.

Solving Radical Equations

We covered this topic in the previous chapter, but here’s another example of solving radical equations
using the PITA approach.

11.

    =   3   –   x

If  k   =   3,  what    is  the solution    set of  the equation    above?

A) {–2}

B) {2}

C) {2,  6}

D) {6}

Here’s How to Crack It