Sample Questions for Mathematics Placement Test

1. The graph of a function f is shown below.

(a) What is the value of f (2)?

f (2) = 4

(b) What is the domain of f ?

[0, 7]

(c) What is the range of f ?

[−2, 4]

2. A function f is defined by

1 − x if x ≤ −1
f (x) =
x 2 if x > −1
(a) Find f (−2).
f (−2) = 1 − (−2) = 3

(b) Find f (−1).

f (−1) = 1 − (−1) = 2

(c) Find f (0).

f (0) = 02 = 0

3. Given f (x) = x5 + x, show that f (−x) = −f (x).

f (−x) = (−x)5 + (−x) = −x5 − x = −(x5 + x) = −f (x)
x−3 √
4. Given f (x) = and g(x) = x. Find the composite function f ◦ g(x).
2 √
√ x−3
f ◦ g(x) = f (g(x)) = f ( x) =
2

1
 5. Find the inverse function of f (x) = x3 + 2.

y = x3 + 2
x3 = y − 2
p
x = 3 y−2
√
f −1 (x) = 3 x − 2

p √
6. Given x > 0 and y > 0, simplify 12x3 y 4 × 3x.
p √
12x3 y 4 × 3x = (22 × 3 × x3 × y 4 )1/2 × (3 × x)1/2
= 22×1/2 × 31/2+1/2 × x3×1/2+1/2 × y 4×1/2
= 6x2 y 2

x2 − 5x + 6
7. Simplify , where x 6= 2.
x−2
x2 − 5x + 6 (x − 2)(x − 3)
= =x−3
x−2 x−2
8. Factorize x3 − x2 − 4x + 4.
x3 − x2 − 4x + 4 = x2 (x − 1) − 4(x − 1) = (x2 − 4)(x − 1) = (x + 2)(x − 2)(x − 1)

9. Solve the equation x2 − x = 0.

x2 − x = 0 =⇒ x(x − 1) = 0 =⇒ x = 0 or 1

10. Solve the inequality x2 − x ≥ 0.

x2 − x ≥ 0 =⇒ x(x − 1) ≥ 0 =⇒ x ≤ 0 or x ≥ 1
2 3
11. Solve the equation − = 0.
x − 2 2x − 1
2 3
− = 0
x − 2 2x − 1
2 3
=
x−2 2x − 1
2(2x − 1) = 3(x − 2)
4x − 2 = 3x − 6
x = −4

2
12. Solve the equation 42x−1 − 64 = 0.

42x−1 − 64 = 0
22(2x−1) = 26
2(2x − 1) = 6
4x − 2 = 6
4x = 8
x = 2

13. Solve the equation ln(2x + 3) = 2.

ln(2x + 3) = 2
2x + 3 = e2
e2 − 3
x =
2


x2 − x = 0
14. Solve the system of equations .
2x + y = 0

x2 − x = 0 − − (1)
2x + y = 0 − − (2)

(1): x(x − 1) = 0 =⇒ x = 0 or 1
(2): y = −2x =⇒ y = 0 or − 2
Solution set: {(0, 0), (1, −2)}

15. How many ways are there to arrange 7 children in a row?

7! = 5040

16. An urn has 3 red and 2 white balls. Suppose 3 balls are randomly chosen from the urn,
what


is the probability of getting 1 red and 2 white balls?
3 2
1 2 3×1
5

= = 0.3
3
10

17. Find an equation of the line that passes through the point (1, −1) and has slope 2.
y − (−1) = 2(x − 1) =⇒ y = 2x − 3

3
18. Find the center and radius of the circle x2 + y 2 + 2x − 8y + 1 = 0.
A circle with center (h, k) and radius r has equation (x − h)2 + (y − k)2 = r2 .

x2 + y 2 + 2x − 8y + 1 = 0
(x + 1)2 + (y − 4)2 = −1 + 1 + 16
(x + 1)2 + (y − 4)2 = 42

∴ center: (−1, 4), radius = 4.

x2 − 1
19. Find the derivative of the function f (x) = .
x2 + 1
2x(x2 + 1) − (2x)(x2 − 1) 2x3 + 2x − 2x3 + 2x 4x
f 0 (x) = 2 2
= 2 2
= 2
(x + 1) (x + 1) (x + 1)2

20. Find an equation of the tangent line to the curve y = (2x − 1)60 at x = 1.
dy
= 60(2x − 1)59 (2) = 120(2x − 1)59
dx
When x = 1, y = (2(1) − 1)60 = 1
dy
= 120(2(1) − 1)59 = 120
dx x=1

Equation of the tangent line: y − 1 = 120(x − 1) =⇒ y = 120x − 119

Z 2 
2 1
21. Evaluate 3x − 2x + 2 dx.
1 x
Z 2 2
2x2 x−1
  3
2 1 3x
3x − 2x + 2 dx = − +
1 x 3 2 −1 1
 2
1
= x3 − x2 −
x 1
   
3 2 1 3 2 1
= 2 −2 − − 1 −1 −
2 1
9
=
2

π π
22. Simplify cos2 x + cos2 − sin2 + sin2 x.
2 2
π π  π π
cos2 x + cos2 − sin2 + sin2 x = (cos2 x + + sin2 x) + cos2 − sin2
2 2 2 2
h  π i
= 1 + cos 2
2
= 1 + cos π
= 1 + (−1)
= 0

4
23. Solve the equation sin x cos x = 0 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 2π.

sin x cos x = 0
2 sin x cos x = 0
sin 2x = 0 where 0 ≤ 2x ≤ 4π
2x = 0, π, 2π, 3π, 4π
π 3π
x = 0, , π, , 2π
2 2