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Precalculus Study Guide

The Precalculus Final Exam Study Guide covers essential concepts including real numbers, properties of exponents, factoring methods, equations and inequalities, functions and graphing, and transformations. Each section includes examples and practice exercises to reinforce understanding. The guide is designed to be learned in under 24 hours and emphasizes prioritizing weak areas and reviewing definitions and theorems.

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5 views

Precalculus Study Guide

The Precalculus Final Exam Study Guide covers essential concepts including real numbers, properties of exponents, factoring methods, equations and inequalities, functions and graphing, and transformations. Each section includes examples and practice exercises to reinforce understanding. The guide is designed to be learned in under 24 hours and emphasizes prioritizing weak areas and reviewing definitions and theorems.

Uploaded by

lighttfan22
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Precalculus Final Exam Study Guide

This study guide summarizes essential concepts and includes example

exercises to reinforce understanding. It is organized to be learned in under 24

hours.

---

## Part 1: Algebraic Foundations

### Real Numbers

- **Natural Numbers (N):** Counting numbers \(1, 2, 3, \dots\).

- **Integers (Z):** Positive and negative whole numbers and zero (e.g., \(-3, 0,

7\)).

- **Rational Numbers (Q):** Numbers expressed as fractions \(rac{a}{b}\), where

\(b \neq 0\) (e.g., \(rac{1}{2}, -3.75\)).

- **Irrational Numbers (I):** Numbers not expressible as fractions (e.g., \(\pi,

\sqrt{2}\)).

- **Real Numbers (R):** Combination of rational and irrational numbers.

### Properties of Real Numbers

1. **Commutative Property:** \(a + b = b + a\), \(ab = ba\).

2. **Associative Property:** \((a + b) + c = a + (b + c)\), \((ab)c = a(bc)\).

3. **Distributive Property:** \(a(b + c) = ab + ac\).


4. **Identity Properties:** \(a + 0 = a\), \(a \cdot 1 = a\).

5. **Inverse Properties:** \(a + (-a) = 0\), \(a \cdot \frac{1}{a} = 1, a \neq 0\).

#### Example:

Simplify \((3x + 5) - (2x - 7)\).

**Solution:** \(3x + 5 - 2x + 7 = x + 12\).

#### Practice Exercises:

1. Identify the sets to which each number belongs: \(\sqrt{16}, -5, 0.25, \pi\).

2. Simplify \((4 + 7) + 3 - 5\).

3. Apply the distributive property to \(2(x + 3) - 4x\).

---

## Part 2: Exponents and Radicals

### Rules of Exponents

1. \(a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n}\).

2. \(\frac{a^m}{a^n} = a^{m-n}\), \(a \neq 0\).

3. \((a^m)^n = a^{mn}\).

4. \((ab)^n = a^n b^n\).

5. \(\left(\frac{a}{b}ight)^n = \frac{a^n}{b^n}, b \neq 0\).

### Radicals

- \(\sqrt{a^2} = |a|\).
- \(\sqrt{ab} = \sqrt{a} \cdot \sqrt{b}\).

- \(\sqrt{\frac{a}{b}} = \frac{\sqrt{a}}{\sqrt{b}}, b \neq 0\).

#### Example:

Simplify \(\sqrt{50} + \sqrt{8}\).

**Solution:** \(\sqrt{50} = 5\sqrt{2}\), \(\sqrt{8} = 2\sqrt{2}\), \(\Rightarrow

7\sqrt{2}\).

#### Practice Exercises:

1. Simplify \(\sqrt{45} - \sqrt{5}\).

2. Evaluate \((2^3 \cdot 2^2) / 2^4\).

3. Rewrite \(\sqrt{x^2 y}\) assuming \(x > 0\).

---

## Part 3: Factoring

### Methods

1. **Common Factor:** \(ab + ac = a(b + c)\).

2. **Quadratic Trinomials:** \(x^2 + bx + c = (x + p)(x + q)\), where \(p \cdot q =

c\) and \(p + q = b\).

3. **Difference of Squares:** \(a^2 - b^2 = (a - b)(a + b)\).

#### Example:

Factor \(x^2 - 5x + 6\).

**Solution:** \((x - 2)(x - 3)\).


#### Practice Exercises:

1. Factor \(x^2 + 7x + 10\).

2. Factor \(4x^2 - 9\).

3. Simplify \(3x(x + 2) - 2x(x + 1)\).

---

## Part 4: Equations and Inequalities

### Linear Equations

- General form: \(ax + b = 0\).

- Solve for \(x\): \(x = -\frac{b}{a}\).

### Quadratic Equations

- Use factoring, completing the square, or quadratic formula: \(x = \frac{-b \pm

\sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}\).

### Inequalities

- Flip inequality sign when multiplying/dividing by a negative number.

#### Example:

Solve \(2x - 5 \leq 3\).

**Solution:** \(2x \leq 8 \Rightarrow x \leq 4\).


#### Practice Exercises:

1. Solve \(3x + 7 = 1\).

2. Solve \(x^2 - x - 6 = 0\).

3. Solve \(-2x + 4 > 8\).

---

## Part 5: Functions and Graphing

### Key Concepts

- **Definition:** Relation where each input has one output.

- **Domain:** Set of all possible inputs.

- **Range:** Set of all possible outputs.

### Linear Functions

- Slope-intercept form: \(y = mx + b\).

- Parallel lines: Same slope.

- Perpendicular lines: Slopes \(m_1 \cdot m_2 = -1\).

#### Example:

Find the slope of a line passing through points \((1, 2)\) and \((3, 6)\).

**Solution:** \(m = \frac{6 - 2}{3 - 1} = 2\).

#### Practice Exercises:


1. Find the slope of a line passing through \((2, -3)\) and \((5, 9)\).

2. Determine if the lines \(y = 3x + 1\) and \(y = -\frac{1}{3}x + 4\) are

perpendicular.

3. Graph \(y = -2x + 5\).

---

## Part 6: Transformations

### Types

1. **Shifts:** Vertical \(f(x) + k\), Horizontal \(f(x - h)\).

2. **Reflections:** Across x-axis \(-f(x)\), across y-axis \(f(-x)\).

3. **Stretches/Compressions:** \(af(x)\), where \(a > 1\) (stretch) and \(0 < a < 1\)

(compression).

#### Example:

Graph \(f(x) = -2(x - 3)^2 + 4\).

**Solution:** Shift right 3, up 4, reflect over x-axis, stretch vertically by 2.

#### Practice Exercises:

1. Describe the transformations for \(f(x) = 3(x + 2)^2 - 5\).

2. Graph \(f(x) = -|x - 4| + 2\).

3. Rewrite \(f(x) = 2x^2 - 8x + 6\) in vertex form.

---
## Practice Problems

1. Simplify: \(3^2 \cdot 3^{-4}\).

2. Solve: \(x^2 - 4x - 5 = 0\).

3. Graph: \(y = 2x + 1\) and find its intercepts.

4. Factor: \(2x^2 + 5x + 3\).

5. Transform: \(f(x) = (x + 2)^2 - 1\) (describe the transformations).

---

**Tips:**

- Prioritize weak areas.

- Solve all practice problems.

- Review definitions and theorems.

Good luck on your final exam!

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