Basic Mathematics for College Students

368 Chapter 4 Decimals

“In considering all of the factors that are important to employers as they recruit

students in colleges and universities nationwide, college major, grade point

average, and work-related experience usually rise to the top of the list.”

Mary D. Feduccia, Ph.D., Career Services Director, Louisiana State University

A grade point average (GPA) is a weighted average based on the grades

received and the number of units (credit hours) taken. A GPA for one

semester (or term) is defined as

the quotient of the sum of the grade points earned for each class and

the sum of the number of units taken. The number of grade points

earned for a class is the product of the number of units assigned to the

class and the value of the grade received in the class.

1. Use the table of grade values below to compute the GPA for the student
   whose semester grade report is shown. Round to the nearest hundredth.

THINK IT THROUGH GPA

Grade Value

A4

B3

C2

D1

F0

Class Units Grade

Geology 4 C

Algebra 5 A

Psychology 3 C

Spanish 2 B

2. If you were enrolled in school last semester (or term), list the classes
   taken, units assigned, and grades received like those shown in the grade
   report above. Then calculate your GPA.

1.5.2 2.3.17 3.5.35 4.0.93 5.14.24 6.6,300  70  630  7  90

7. a.7.213 b.0.00107 c.194,407 8. a.6.62 b. 239 9.1.107 10.5.5
   11.36 slices 12.2.747 million visitors

ANSWERS TO SELF CHECKS

VOCABULARY

Fill in the blanks.

1. In the division problem shown below, label the
   dividend,the divisor,and the quotient.


2. To perform the division , we move the
   decimal point of the divisor so that it becomes the
   number 27.

2.79.45

3.17

(^5) 15.85

CONCEPTS

3. A decimal point is missing in each of the following
   quotients. Write a decimal point in the proper position.
   a. b.


4. a.How many places to the right must we move the
   decimal point in 6.14 so that it becomes a whole
   number?
   b. When the decimal point in 49.8 is moved three
   places to the right, what is the resulting number?

0008

(^3) 0.024

526

(^4) 21.04
SECTION 4.4 STUDY SET