C H A P T E R 11

Solving Equations and Inequalities

Directions: Answer the following questions. For multiple-choice questions, choose the best answer.
For other questions, follow the directions provided. Answers begin on page 134.

For Questions 1–4, write your answers in the blanks. 7. What is the temperature in degrees Celsius if
the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit is 95°F?
1. Solve p – 5 = 12. The temperature conversion formula is
9
F = C + 32.
5
2. Solve 7s = –56. A. 35
B. 39
C. 41
3. Solve –3x + 17 = 5. D. 63

8. Solve y < mx + b for x. Assume m > 0.

4. Solve 6(a – 8) = –42.
A. x < m
y–b
The following question contains a blank marked B. x > m
y–b
Select . . . ▾ . Beneath the blank is a set of choices.
Indicate the choice that is correct and belongs in the C. x > y – b
m
blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will
appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a D. x < – b
y
m
choice, it will appear in the blank.)
The following question contains a blank marked
Select . . . ▾ . Beneath the blank is a set of choices.
5. 5x + 2(x – 9) = 7x + 10 has
solutions. Indicate the choice that is correct and belongs in the
blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will
Select . . . ▾ appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a
0 choice, it will appear in the blank.)
1
9. Vicki is selling bags of caramel corn at her
infinite booth at the state fair at a rate of 5 bags per
hour. By noon, she had sold 15 bags. She will
6. Gary is collecting bottlecaps to earn Chumpy have sold a total of 40 bags at .
credits. Each bottlecap is worth 7 Chumpy
credits. Gary already has 11 bottlecaps. How Select . . . ▾
many more bottlecaps does he need to have a 4:00 PM
total of 245 Chumpy credits? 5:00 PM
A. 18 6:00 PM
B. 24
C. 35
D. 77

75

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 76 McGraw-Hill Education Mathematical Reasoning Workbook for the GED® Test

10. The length of a rectangle is 5 centimeters 14. Which of the following represents the solution
more than the width. The perimeter of the to –2x – 3 < 3?
rectangle is 90 centimeters. What is the length
of the rectangle? A.
–9 –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3
A. 15 centimeters
B. 18 centimeters B.
C. 22.5 centimeters –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
D. 25 centimeters
C.
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
11. A farmer has $2000 to buy seed for his main
plot. He can spend it all on milo at $50 per D.
bag, or on soybean at $40 per bag, or some 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
combination of the two. If m represents the
number of bags of milo he buys and s the 15. A passenger train leaves the station, traveling
number of bags of soybean, which equation west at 120 miles per hour. A freight train
represents his spending his entire seed budget leaves the same station 2 hours later traveling
on a combination of the two types of seed? 80 miles per hour. If t represents the time in
A. 40m + 50s = 2000 hours that the first train has traveled, which
B. 50m + 40s = 2000 equation represents a situation where the two
C. 45(m + s) = 2000 trains are 640 miles apart?
D. 90(m + s) = 2000 A. 120t + 80(t – 2) = 640
B. 120(t + 2) + 80t = 640
The following question contains a blank marked C. 120t + 80(t + 2) = 640
Select . . . ▾ . Beneath the blank is a set of choices.
D. 120(t – 2) + 80t = 640
Indicate the choice that is correct and belongs in the
blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will
appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a  3x + y = 5
16. Solve  .
choice, it will appear in the blank.) 2 x – 3 y = 7

12. Bruce throws a rock straight up in the air. The x = y=

height of the rock is given by the equation
h = 80t – 16t2, where h is the height and t is the 17. Constance is controlling the flow of a solution
time in seconds after the rock is released. The into a graduated cylinder. She wants to go to
rock will strike the ground in lunch and decides to set the flow at a lower rate
seconds. rather than shut it off completely. The cylinder
already holds 72 milliliters of solution and can
Select . . . ▾ hold a maximum of 500 milliliters. If r represents
3 the rate at which the flow is set in milliliters
per minute, which inequality could Constance
4
solve to determine a safe range of flow rates,
5 assuming she plans to take 60 minutes for lunch?

13. Solve 3k – 7 ≥ 17. A. 72r + 60 ≥ 500

B. 72r + 60 ≤ 500
A. k ≥ 8 C. 60r + 72 ≥ 500
B. k ≤ 8 D. 60r + 72 ≤ 500
C. k > 10
3
D. k ≥ 24

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 Chapter 11 ~ Solving Equations and Inequalities 77

18. Solve 4x – 2(3x + 7) = 6 + 5(x – 3). 21. There are solutions for
3x – 2(x – 1) = 2(x + 1) – x.
A. x = 5
7
B. x = – 5 Select . . . ▾
7 0
C. x = 23
7 1
D. x = – 7 infinite
5
The following question contains a blank marked Use the following for questions 22–23.
Select . . . ▾ . Beneath the blank is a set of choices.
Indicate the choice that is correct and belongs in the Joachim has a box containing 17 red blocks, all the
blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will same size, and 13 blue blocks, all the same size.
appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a Each red block weighs r ounces, and each blue
choice, it will appear in the blank.) block weighs b ounces.
1
19. Carolyn is 38 inches tall and is growing 2
2 22. Which equation states that all of the blocks
inches per year. She wants to ride a roller together weigh 99 ounces?
coaster, but park rules set the minimum height
at 48 inches. In years, Carolyn A. 15(r + b) = 99
will be tall enough to ride the roller coaster. B. 30(r + b) = 99
C. 13r + 17b = 99
Select . . . ▾ D. 17r + 13b = 99
3
23. Which of the following is the most reasonable
4 constraint on the weight r of a red block?
5 A. r>0
6 B. r>1
C. r≥0
20. How many pounds of peanuts worth $2.00 per D. r≥1
pound must be mixed with cashews worth
$7.00 per pound to produce 10 pounds of a 24. Stan is diluting 5 quarts of a 50% antifreeze
mixture worth $5.00 per pound? solution down to 20%. How much pure water
should he add?
A. 6 pounds
B. 5 pounds A. 2 quarts
C. 4 pounds B. 5 quarts
D. 3 pounds C. 7.5 quarts
D. 12.5 quarts
The following question contains a blank marked
Select . . . ▾ . Beneath the blank is a set of choices. 25. Write an equation that states that the surface
Indicate the choice that is correct and belongs in the area of a rectangular solid, of length 6,
blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will height h, and width w, is 86.
appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a A. 12h + 12w + 12hw = 86
choice, it will appear in the blank.) B. 12h + 12w + 2hw = 86
C. 12lh + 12hw + 2hw = 86
D. 12h + 12w + 12 = 86

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 78 McGraw-Hill Education Mathematical Reasoning Workbook for the GED® Test

26. Solve x2 – 10x – 24 = 0. 32. Solve 2x2 – 7x + 4 = 0.

x = or 7 ± 17
A. x =
4
6 x – 5 y = –8 B. x =
7 ± 81
27. Solve  . 4
 4 x + 3 y = –18
7±3 2
C. x =
x = y= 4
−4 ± 30
D. x =
28. Which inequality has the following graph? 4
33. A square has an area of 64 square centimeters.
What is the length of its sides?
–2 –1 0 1 2
A. 4 centimeters
A. x < –2 B. 8 centimeters
B. x ≤ –2 C. 16 centimeters
C. x > –2 D. 32 centimeters
D. x ≥ –2
2
34. Which graph matches – x ≥ 4 ?
29. Solve 2x + 9 > 4x – 7. 3

A. x>8 A.
–18 –16 –14 –12 –10 –8 –6
B. x > –8
C. x < –8 B.
D. x<8 –6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6

The following question contains a blank marked C.

4 6 8 10 12
Select . . . ▾ . Beneath the blank is a set of choices.
Indicate the choice that is correct and belongs in the D.
blank. (Note: On the real GED® test, the choices will –4 –2 0 2 4
appear as a “drop-down” menu. When you click on a
choice, it will appear in the blank.) 35. Solve x2 = 25.
A. x=5
30. The system of equations {3x – 5y = 2 and B. x = –5
–6x + 10y = 7} has solutions. C. x = ±5
D. x = 12.5
Select . . . ▾
0 36. The length of a rectangle is 4 units longer
than the width, and the area is 45 square units.
1
What is the width of the rectangle?
infinite
A. 14 units
31. Aaron is earning money by mowing lawns. He B. 11.25 units
charges $40 per lawn. He is trying to save up C. 9 units
at least $1500 for a new riding lawnmower. D. 5 units
He already has $420. Which inequality best
represents Aaron’s riding lawnmower goal?
A. 420x + 40 ≥ 1500
B. 40x + 420 ≥ 1500
C. 420x + 40 ≤ 1500
D. 40x + 420 ≤ 1500

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 Chapter 11 ~ Solving Equations and Inequalities 79

37. A strong solution of 90% detergent is being 42. Solve ax + by = c for y.

mixed with a weak solution of 15% detergent
A. y = c – ax
in order to produce a mild solution of 50% b
detergent. How much of each of the two B. y = b
detergents should be mixed in order to c – ax
produce 60 gallons of the mild detergent? C. y = c – b
ax
weak = strong =
D. y = + ax
c
b
43. As a goodwill gesture, Florence is giving $5
to each person who participates in a public
38. Solve 7x – 6 ≤ 2x + 4. cleanup program. She started with $400. After
two hours, she had already given away $135.
A. x≤2 Which inequality represents the number of
B. x≥2 people she can still give $5 to?
C. x≤5
D. x ≤ 15 A. p ≤ 51
B. p ≤ 52
39. Which graph matches the inequality x ≤ 0? C. p ≤ 53
D. p ≤ 54
A.
–2 –1.5 –1 –0.5 0 44. Which graph matches x + 19 < 15?

B. A.
–2 –1.5 –1 –0.5 0 4 6 8 10 12

C. B.
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 –4 –2 0 2 4

D. C.
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 –4 –2 0 2 4

40. Miguel says that every international phone call D.

–12 –10 –8 –6 –4
to his sister in Europe has cost at least $4.50,
with international rates costing $0.65 to make
45. Solve 2x – 4(x + 3) ≥ 4 + 3(4 – 3x).
the connection and $0.35 per minute. Which
inequality represents the number of minutes A. x≤4
m that Miguel talks to his sister for each call? B. x≥4
A. m ≥ 11 C. x≥3
B. m ≥ 12 D. x≥ 4
7
C. m ≥ 14
D. m ≥ 15 46. Amy makes a gas stop at a station where gas is
selling at $3.15 per gallon, including taxes. While
41. To which of the following inequalities is the there, she buys a bottle of water for $1.65. Her
number 11 a solution? total is $40.71. If Amy bought g gallons of gas,
which equation models Amy’s purchase?
A. 3x – 5 < 2(2 – x)
B. 7x – 3 ≥ 7 – 3x A. 1.64g + 3.15 = 40.71
C. 5(x – 2) ≤ 3(x + 1) B. 1.65g + 40.71 = 3.15
D. 4(x – 8) > 2x + 5 C. 3.15g + 1.65 = 40.71
D. 3.15g + 40.71 = 1.65

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 80 McGraw-Hill Education Mathematical Reasoning Workbook for the GED® Test

47. Randy earns $5 for every order he fills at a 49. Solve 2x2 – 7x + 6 = 0.
call-in center, plus base pay of $150 per week.
During a week in which he earns $580, how x = or
many orders does he fill?
50. A rock dropped from a 1024-foot-high cliff falls
A. 86 a distance D given by D = 16t2, where t is the
B. 94 time in seconds after the rock is dropped. How
C. 116 long will it take the rock to reach the bottom
D. 146 of the cliff?

48. Solve 5(x – 6) < 2(x – 9). A. 64 seconds

B. 32 seconds
A. x < 16 C. 16 seconds
B. x>4 D. 8 seconds
C. x<3
D. x<4

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