Algebra 1 — Standards-Aligned Skills Examination
A calculation-focused, standards-walkthrough exam covering every CCSS-M Algebra 1 conceptual category (N-Q, A-SSE, A-APR, A-CED, A-REI, F-IF, F-BF, F-LE, S-ID). Each problem header cites the standard(s). Form B complements Form A.
Instructions
- Time limit: 120 minutes. Part I (no-calculator) about 50 minutes; Part II (calculator-permitted) about 70 minutes.
- Show all algebraic work. Bare answers earn at most half credit.
- Each problem header cites CCSS-M codes the items target.
- Solve each linear equation. Show every step:
(i) \( 5x - 3 = 12 \) (ii) \( 2(3x - 4) = 5x + 1 \) (iii) \( \dfrac{x + 3}{2} - \dfrac{x - 1}{4} = 5 \) (iv) \( -3(2x - 5) + 4 = 7 - x \)
- Solve each linear inequality. Graph each solution on a number line:
(i) \( 4x - 7 \ge 17 \) (ii) \( -2x + 9 < 1 \) (iii) \( -3 \le 2x + 1 < 7 \)
- Solve each absolute-value equation/inequality:
(i) \( |x - 5| = 8 \) (ii) \( |2x + 3| < 7 \) (iii) \( |3x - 4| \ge 11 \)
- Solve by substitution:
(i) \(\begin{cases} y = 2x + 1 \\ 3x + y = 16 \end{cases}\) (ii) \(\begin{cases} x = 4y - 3 \\ 2x + 3y = 16 \end{cases}\)
- Solve by elimination:
(i) \(\begin{cases} 2x + 5y = 11 \\ 3x - 5y = 9 \end{cases}\) (ii) \(\begin{cases} 4x + 3y = -1 \\ 6x - 5y = 21 \end{cases}\) (iii) \(\begin{cases} x + 2y = 7 \\ 3x - y = 7 \end{cases}\)
- Determine without solving how many solutions each system has:
(i) \(\begin{cases} 2x + 3y = 6 \\ 4x + 6y = 18 \end{cases}\) (ii) \(\begin{cases} x - y = 4 \\ 3x - 3y = 12 \end{cases}\)
- Multiply (FOIL or area method):
(i) \( (3x - 2)(2x + 5) \) (ii) \( (x + 4)^2 \) (iii) \( (2x - 3)(2x + 3) \) (iv) \( (x - 1)(x^2 + 2x + 3) \)
- Factor completely:
(i) \( x^2 + 7x + 12 \) (ii) \( x^2 - 11x + 30 \) (iii) \( 2x^2 + 7x + 6 \) (iv) \( 6x^2 - x - 12 \) (v) \( x^2 - 81 \) (vi) \( 9x^2 - 49 \) (vii) \( 4x^2 + 12x + 9 \) (perfect square trinomial) (viii) \( 5x^3 - 20x \) (factor a GCF first)
- Add or subtract polynomials, simplify:
(i) \( (3x^2 - 4x + 5) + (2x^2 + 7x - 9) \) (ii) \( (5x^2 - 3x + 2) - (2x^2 + 4x - 7) \)
- Solve by factoring:
(i) \( x^2 - 9x + 14 = 0 \) (ii) \( 3x^2 + 8x - 3 = 0 \) (iii) \( x^2 = 81 \) (iv) \( 4x^2 - 28x = 0 \)
- Solve by the quadratic formula. Express exactly (allow \(\sqrt{}\) and fractions):
(i) \( x^2 - 6x + 7 = 0 \) (ii) \( 2x^2 + 5x - 1 = 0 \) (iii) \( 3x^2 - 4x + 5 = 0 \) (no real solutions; show via discriminant)
- Solve by completing the square: \( x^2 + 6x - 4 = 0 \). Show every step.
- Convert to vertex form by completing the square: \( y = x^2 - 8x + 11 \). State the vertex.
- Use the discriminant \(b^2 - 4ac\) to determine the number of real solutions of each:
(i) \( x^2 + 4x + 4 = 0 \) (ii) \( 2x^2 - 5x + 7 = 0 \) (iii) \( x^2 - 8x + 7 = 0 \)
- Simplify each radical:
(i) \( \sqrt{72} \) (ii) \( \sqrt{50} + \sqrt{18} \) (iii) \( \sqrt{8} \cdot \sqrt{6} \) (iv) \( \dfrac{\sqrt{27}}{\sqrt{3}} \)
- Simplify, expressing answers with positive exponents only:
(i) \( x^5 \cdot x^{-3} \) (ii) \( (2x^3 y^{-2})^2 \) (iii) \( \dfrac{12 a^4 b^{-1}}{4 a^{-2} b^{3}} \)
- Convert: \(81^{3/4} = ?\) and \(125^{2/3} = ?\) (no calculator).
- For \( f(x) = 3x^2 - 5x + 2 \), compute \(f(0), f(1), f(-2),\) and \(f(t + 1)\) (this last one symbolically).
- For \( g(x) = x^2 - 8x + 12 \):
(i) Find the vertex.
(ii) Find the \(x\)-intercepts.
(iii) State the axis of symmetry and the range. - Compute the average rate of change of \( h(x) = x^2 - 4x \) on \([1, 5]\). Show your work.
- For the linear function \( f(x) = -\tfrac{2}{3} x + 4 \), find the \(x\)-intercept and \(y\)-intercept and sketch on a labeled coordinate plane.
- Write a linear model \(L(t)\) for each:
(i) starts at $50, decreases by $4 per week
(ii) passes through \((2, 7)\) and \((6, -1)\)
(iii) has slope \(-\tfrac{1}{4}\) and \(y\)-intercept 6 - Write an exponential model \(E(t) = a \cdot b^t\) for each:
(i) starts at 200, doubles every period
(ii) starts at 800, decays at 5% per period
(iii) starts at 1, grows by 12% per period - For the model \( P(t) = 50 \cdot (1.08)^t \), find:
(i) the initial value (ii) the growth rate per period as a percent (iii) \(P(10)\) (round to 2 decimals)
- For \( Q(t) = 100 \cdot (0.85)^t \), build a table of values for \(t = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6\) and use it to estimate the smallest whole \(t\) at which \(Q(t)\) drops below 50.
- Describe the transformation taking \(y = f(x)\) to:
(i) \( y = f(x - 4) \) (ii) \( y = f(x) + 2 \) (iii) \( y = -f(x) \) (iv) \( y = f(-x) \) (v) \( y = 3 f(x) \) (vi) \( y = f(2x) \)
- Starting from \(y = x^2\), write the equation of the parabola translated 3 units right and 5 units up, then reflected across the \(x\)-axis.
- The graph of \( g \) is obtained from \( f(x) = |x| \) by stretching vertically by factor 2 and shifting left 1. Write \(g(x)\).
Test scores: \(72, 78, 80, 85, 88, 90, 92, 95, 95, 100\).
- Compute the mean.
- Compute the median.
- Compute the mode.
- Find the five-number summary (min, Q1, median, Q3, max). Sketch a box plot.
- Compute the range and the IQR.
- Use the calculator's 1-Var Stats to compute the sample standard deviation \(s\). Round to two decimals.
- Bivariate: a line of best fit for the data points \( (1, 5), (2, 7), (3, 10), (4, 12), (5, 14) \) is given by \(\hat y = 2.30x + 2.70\). Plot the points and the line on a labeled coordinate plane. Then describe the direction (positive/negative) and strength (strong/weak) of the relationship by inspection.
- Graph each linear inequality on a coordinate plane (use shading):
(i) \( y \le 2x - 3 \) (ii) \( y > -\tfrac{1}{2} x + 4 \) (iii) \( x + y \ge 5 \)
- Graph the solution region of the system \[ \begin{cases} y \ge x - 2 \\ y \le -2x + 4 \\ x \ge 0 \end{cases} \] on a labeled coordinate plane. Shade the region and identify one specific point that satisfies all three inequalities.
- Verify your point from (b) by substituting its coordinates into all three inequalities. State which boundary lines, if any, your point lies on.