All SAT Mathematics Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Solving Problems With Roots
Simplify
For what value of is this equation true?
To solve for , we must first square both sides to get rid of the radical. We get
We subtract both sides by to get theÂ
alone.Â
We square root both sides to get
Answer choice andÂ
are incorrect.
Answer choice is incorrect because it was not square rooted.
Example Question #12 : Exponents & Roots
Simplify
For what value of is this equation true?
To solve for , we must first square both sides to get rid of the radical. We get
. We subtract both sides byÂ
to get theÂ
alone.Â
We divide by to getÂ
alone
.
We square root both sides to get  SinceÂ
 is not listed as an answer choice, we simplify. The highest square root that can multiply toÂ
is
. We take theÂ
 out of the radical to get
.
Example Question #2 : Solving Problems With Roots
Simplify:
To solve this problem we must first simplify the radical by breaking it up into two parts becomesÂ
Â
then we simplify intoÂ
to getÂ
We multiply  to get
, then divide byÂ
to getÂ
Example Question #14 : Exponents & Roots
Find the value ofÂ
To solve this problem we must first simplify intoÂ
and further intoÂ
Then we can multiply to getÂ
To find we first cancel out theÂ
on both sides and then divideÂ
byÂ
and getÂ
Example Question #15 : Exponents & Roots
Find the value ofÂ
Â
To solve this problem we must first subtract from both sides
Â
Then we square both sides
Â
Add the to both sides
Â
Divide both sides byÂ
Example Question #16 : Exponents & Roots
Find the value ofÂ
To solve this problem we first multiply both sides by to get rid of the fraction
Â
Then we add  to both sides
We move to the left side to set the equation equal toÂ
. This way we are able to factor the equation as if it was a quadratic.
And now we can factor into
Therefore the value of  is
 does not exist
Â
Â
Example Question #17 : Exponents & Roots
Find the value ofÂ
To solve this problem we first multiply both sides by to get rid of the fraction
Then we add to both sides
We move to the left side to set the equation equal toÂ
. This way we are able to factor the equation as if it was a quadratic.
And now we can factor into
Therefore the value of is
,Â
does not exist
,Â
Example Question #3 : Solving Problems With Roots
Find the value ofÂ
 andÂ
OnlyÂ
 andÂ
OnlyÂ
 andÂ
To solve this problem we must first subtract a square from both sidesÂ
We move  to the right side to set the equation equal to
. This way we are able to factor the equation as if it was a quadratic.Â
And now we can factor into
Example Question #19 : Exponents & Roots
Which of the following is equivalent to ?
If you try to simplify the expression given in the question, you will have a hard time…it is already simplified! However, if you look at the four answer choices you will realize that most of these contain roots in the denominator. Whenever you see a root in the denominator, you should look to rationalize that denominator. This means that you will multiply the expression by one to get rid of the root.
Consider each answer choice as you attempt to simplify each.
For choice , the expression is already simplified and is not the same. At this point, your time is better spent simplifying those that need it to see if those simplified forms match.
For choice , employ the "multiply by one" strategy of multiplying by the same numerator as denominator to rationalize the root. If you do so, you will multiplyÂ
 byÂ
, which is no the same asÂ
.
For answer choice , multiplyÂ
 byÂ
.
And since , you can simplify the fraction:
, which matches perfectly. Therefore, answer choiceÂ
 is correct.
NOTE: If you want to shortcut the algebra, this problem offers you that opportunity by leveraging the answer choices along with an estimate. You can estimate that the given expression, , is betweenÂ
 andÂ
, because theÂ
 is betweenÂ
 (which isÂ
) andÂ
 (which isÂ
). Therefore you know you are looking for a proper fraction, a fraction in which the numerator is smaller than the denominator. Well, look at your answer choices and you will see that only answer choiceÂ
fits that description. So without even doing the math, you can rely on a quick estimate and know that you are correct.
Example Question #20 : Exponents & Roots
If  andÂ
, what isÂ
?
The key to this problem is to avoid mistakes in finding  with the root equation. There are a few different ways you could solve forÂ
:
1. Leverage the fact that  and apply that toÂ
. That means thatÂ
. Divide both sides byÂ
 and see thatÂ
, soÂ
.
2. Realize that  (reverse engineering the root) and see thatÂ
, soÂ
 must equalÂ
.
However you find , you must then apply that value to the exponent expression in the second equation. Now you haveÂ
. And since you're dealing with exponents, you will want to expressÂ
 asÂ
, meaning that you now have:Â
Here you should deal with the negative exponents, the rule for which is that . So the fraction you're given,Â
, can then be transformed toÂ
.
Now you have:
Employing another rule of exponents, that of dividing exponents of the same base, you can transform the left-hand side to:
Since you now have everything with a base of , you can expressÂ
 as justÂ
. This then means thatÂ
 is the correct answer choice.
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