COLLEGE ALGEBRA

1. ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION OF FRACTIONS

Simplify the following equation.
5 +3 2+1
- +
2 2 +7+3 2 2 32 2 +6

SOLUTION:

5 +3 2+1 5 +3 2+1
2 2 +7+3
- 2 2 32 + 2 +6 = ( 2+1 )( +3 ) - (2+1)(2) + ( +3)( 2)

5( 2)(3)(+3)+( 2+1)( 2+1)

= (2+ 1)(+3)(2)

5 2 10 2 69+ 4 2 +4+1
= (2+1)(+3)(2)

8 2 128
= (2+1)(+3)(2)

4( 2 2 32)
= (2+1)(+3)(2)

4(2+10)(2)
= (2+1)(+3)(2)

4
=
+3

2. MULTIPLICATION OF RADICALS
3 3
Multiply 62 45 62 + 45

SOLUTION:

3 3 3
62 45 62 + 45 = (62)2 (45)2

3
= 36(2) 16(5)

3
= 8

=-2

3. WORK PROBLEM
Pipe A fills a pool in 5 hours, pipe B fills it in 3 hours, and pipe C drains it in 10 hours. Pipe A and B
were turned on to fill the pool, but pipe C was accidentally left open. How long will it take both
pipes to find the pool when pipe C was left open?
SOLUTION:

Let x = number of hours to fill the pool.

Fractional part Time spent working together Fractional part

computed in 1 hr. completed in x hours
Pipe A 1/5 X x/5
Pipe B 1/3 X x/3
Pipe C 1/10 X x/10

Based on the table, the required equation is + = 1complete job
5 3 10
With LCD = 30
6x + 10x 3x = 30
13x = 30
30 4
= 13
or 2 13 hours
4
It takes 2 13 hours for both pipes to fill the pool while C was left open.
 ADVANCED ALGEBRA

1. PARTIAL FRACTION
Find the value of A in the given equation:
7
= +
2 +6 +3 2

SOLUTION:

7
2 +6
= +3 + 2

LCD: x2+x 6 = (x+3) (x 2)

x 7 = A (x 2) + B (x + 3)
x 7 = Ax 2A + Bx + 3B
Combine like terms:
x 7 = Ax + Bx 2A + 3B
x 7 = (A + B) x (2A + 3B)
Equate coefficient of x term:
1=A+B equation 1
B=1A equation 2
Equate constant term:
7 = 7A 3B
Substitute equation 1 and equation 2
7 = 2A 3 (1 A)
7 = 2A 3 + 3A
5A = 10
A=2

2. QUADRATIC EQUATION
What is the equation of whose roots are the reciprocal of the roots of 2x 2 3x 5 = 0?

SOLUTION:

2x 2 3x 5 = 0
(2x + 2)(x 2.5) = 0
x = 2.5
x = 1

Thus, the roots of the second equation are:

1
x1 = = 0.4
2.5
1
x2 = = 1
1

Solving for the second equation:

(x 0.4)(x + 1) = 0
 x 2 + x 0.4x 0.4 = 0
(x 2 + 0.6x 0.4 = 0) 5
5x 2 + 3x 2 = 0

3. QUADRATIC FORMULA
Solve for the value of a in the equation a8 17a4 + 16 = 0

SOLUTION:

a8 17a4 + 16 = 0
Let: x = a4 and x2 = a8
x2 17x + 16 = 0
Using the quadratic formula;
17 (17)2 4(1)(16)
x= 2
17 15
x= 2

Thus,
x1 = 1 x2 = 1
a4= 1 a4= 16
a = 1 a = 2
 TRIGONOMETRY

1. TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITIES
Find the value of y in the given: y = (1 + cos ) tan .

SOLUTION:

y = (1 cos 2) tan
Note:
cos 2 = cos2 sin2
= (1 sin2 ) sin2
cos 2 = 1 2sin2
Substitute:
y = (1 cos 2) tan
= (1 + 1 2sin2 ) tan
= (2 2sin2 ) tan
= 2(1 sin2 ) tan
sin
= 2(cos2 ) ( )
cos
= 2 cos sin
y = sin 2

2. TRIANGLE CIRCUMSCRIBED A CIRCLE

If an equilateral triangle is circumscribed about a circle of radius 10 cm, determine the side of
triangle.

Note:

Since the equilateral triangle, A = B = C = 60

tan 30 =
0.5
10
tan 30 =
0.5
= 34.64

3. LAW OF COSINE
The sides of triangular lot are 130 m, 180 m and 190 m. The lot is to be divided by a line bisecting
the longest side and drawn from the opposite vertex. Find the length of the line.
SOLUTION:

By cosine law:

b2 = a2 + c 2 2ac cos B
1802 = 1302 + 1902
2(130)(190)cos B
B = 65.35
By cosine law:
2
x 2 = a2 + (c2) 2a(c2) cos B
x 2 = 1302 + 952 2(130)(95)cos 65.35
x = 125 m
 PLANE GEOMETRY

1. POLYGON
A regular hexagon is inscribed in a circle whose diameter is 20 m. Find the area of the 6 segments
of the circle formed by the sides of the hexagon.

SOLUTION:
Let:
Ah = area of the hexagon
At = area of triangle
Ac = area of the circle
A = area of the 6 segments of the circle

3600
= = 600
6

1
At = ( 2 ) 2
1
At = (102 ) sin 600
2
At = 43.3 m2

Ah = 6At = 6 (43.3)
Ah = 259.8 m2

A = Ac Ah
A = 2
A = (10)2 259.8
A = 54.36 m2

2. TRIANGLES
From a point outside of an equilateral triangle, the distances to the vertices are 10m, 18m and
10m, respectively. What is the length of one side of a triangle?

SOLUTION:
By sine law:

sin 30 sin(60 + )
=
10 18

= 4.1580
+ + 60 + 30 = 180
+ 4.158 + 90 = 180

= 85. 8420
 By sine law:
sin 85.8420 sin 300
=
10
x = 19.95 m

3. PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
A rectangle ABCD which measures 18 cm. by 24 cm. is folded once, perpendicular to diagonal AC,
so that the opposite vertices A and C coincide. Find the length of the fold.

SOLUTION:

d = 182 + 242 = 30

2 = 182 + (24 2 )
2 = 324 + 576 48 + 2
= 18.75

2 = ( 2 )2 + (y)2
(18.75)2 = (15)2 + y2
y = 11.25
length of the fold = 2y = 2(11.25)
length of the fold = 22.5 cm
 SOLID GEOMETRY

1. CYLINDER
A circular cylinder with a volume of 6.54 cu. m is circumscribed about a right prism whose base is
an equilateral triangle of side 1.25 m. What is the altitude of the cylinder in meters?

SOLUTION:
360
= = 120
3

By cosine law:

x 2 = r 2 + r 2 2r 2 cos

(1.25)2 = 2r 2 2r 2 cos 120

1.5625 = 3r 2
r = 0.72 m

V = r 2 h
6.54 = (0.72)h
h=4m

2. CONES
Two vertical conical tanks are joined at the vertical by a pipe. Initially the bigger tank is full of
water. The pipe valve is open to allow the water to flow to the smaller tank until it is full. At this
moment, how dip is the water in the bigger tank? The bigger tank has a diameter of 6 ft. and a
height of 10 ft., the smaller tank has a diameter of 6 ft. and a height of 8 feet. Neglect the volume
of water in the pipeline.

SOLUTION:

Let:

V1 = total volume of the bigger tank

V2 = total volume of the smaller tank
V = volume left in the bigger tank

1 d12 (6)2
V1 = ( ) h1 = (10)
3 4 12

V1 = 94.247 ft 3
 1 d22 (6)2
V2 = ( ) h2 = (8)
3 4 12

V2 = 75.398 ft 3

V = V1 V2 = 94.247 75.398
V = 18.849 ft 3
By similar solids:

V1 h1 3
=( )
V h
94.247 10 3
=( )
18.849 h
3
h = 200ft

3. SPHERE
A cubical container that measures 2 inches on a side is tightly packed with 8 marbles and is filled
with water. All 8 marbles are contact with the walls of the container and the adjacent marbles. All
of the marbles are of the same size. What is the volume of water in the container?

SOLUTION:

Let:

r = radius
Vw = volume of water inside the cube
Vc = volume of the cube
Vm = volume of each marble

x=r
2 = 4r
r = 12
Vw = Vc 8Vm
4
Vw = x 3 8 ( r 3 )
3
4
Vw = (2)3 8 ( (0.5)3 )
3
Vw = 3.8 in3
 ANALYTICAL GEOMETRY

1. PARABOLA
Find the equation of the axis of symmetry of the function y = 2x2 7x +5.

SOLUTION:

y = 2x2 7x +5
2x2 7x = y 5
7 5
x2 =
2 2 2

By completing the square:

7 5 7
(x - 4 )2 = 2 2 + (4)2
9
= 2 + 16

7 1 9
(x - 4 )2 = 2 (y + 8 )

Standard equation: (x h)2 = 4a (y k)

By inspection the vertex is at (7/4, -9/8)

Refer to the figure, the axis of symmetry is,

7
x=4
4x 7 = 0

2. CIRCLE
Find the shortest distance from A (3,8) to the circle x2 + y2 + 4x 6y = 12.

SOLUTION:

x2 + y2 + 4x 6y = 12

By completing the square:

(x + 2)2 + (y 3)2 = 12 + (2)2 + (3)2

 (x + 2)2 + (y 3)2 = 25 or (5)2

By inspection, the center is at ( -2, 3 ) and the

radius, r = 5.
Solving for distance between (-2,3) and (3,8):
d = (2 1 )2 + (2 1 )2
d = (3 + 2)2 + (8 3)2
d = 7.071
let x = shortest distance
x=dr
x = 7.071 5
x = 2.071

3. ELLIPSE
Find the equation of the ellipse with vertices at (8, 0) and foci at (5, 0)

SOLUTION:

a=8
c=5
b2 = a2 c2
b2 = 82 52
b2 = 39
2 2
+ =1
2 2
2 2
+ =1
82 39
2 2
+ =1
64 39