Sample Questions

Students who achieve the acceptable standard should be able to answer all of the following
questions, except for any part of a question labelled SE. Parts labelled SE are appropriate
examples for students who achieve the standard of excellence.
Note: In the multiple-choice questions that follow, an asterisk (*) indicates the correct answer.
Please be aware that the worked solutions shown are possible strategies; there may be other
strategies that could be used.

1.

An expression that is equivalent to

A.
B.
*C.
D.

x2 + x
x , x ! 0 , is

x
x2
x+1
x2 + 1

Numerical Response
2.

2x + 1
The non-permissible value of x in the expression 3x - 9 is ________.
Possible Solution:
3x 9 z 0
3x z9
xz3
The non-permissible value of x is 3.

Mathematics 302
Assessment Standards & Exemplars

57

Alberta Education
20152016

Use the following information to answer question 3.

Sanja and David both simplified the expression

x
. Their work is shown below.
x2 + x

Sanja
x
2+
x
x

David
x
2+
x
x
1x

x
x (x + 1)

x + 1x

1
x+1

1
x+1

Sanja stated that the non-permissible values of x for the equivalent rational expressions
are 1 and 0.
David stated that the non-permissible value of x for the equivalent rational expressions is 1.
3. Which student is correct? Justify your choice.
Possible Solution:
Sanja is correct. Both students correctly simplified the expression, but David made an
error in stating the non-permissible values. Non-permissible values of x must be identical
for equivalent rational expressions. The non-permissible values for the original expression
were 1 and 0. They must be the same for the simplified expression.
3x
4. Explain why the non-permissible value of x in the expression x + 2 is 2.
Possible Solution:
The non-permissible value for any rational expression is the value that, when substituted
for the variable, makes the denominator equal 0 and, therefore, causes the rational
expression to be undefined. In this case, if 2 is substituted for x, the denominator will
be 0. This is why the non-permissible value of x is 2.

Mathematics 302
Assessment Standards & Exemplars

58

Alberta Education
20152016

Use the following information to answer numerical-response question 5.

2x + 4
is simplified, the equivalent expression can be written
When the rational expression 2
x 4
2
in the form A , x ! B .
Expressions for A and B that would correctly complete the simplified form can be selected
from the table below.
Code
1
2
3

Possibilities for A
x2
x+2
x

Code
4
5
6
7

Possibilities for B
2
0
2, 2
2, 0, 2

Numerical Response
5.

In the equivalent expression

2
, x z B, the code for
A

A is __________ (Record in the first column)

B is __________ (Record in the second column)
Solution:
16

SE

6. A rational expression with a non-permissible value of x 1 has been simplified to x.

Determine an equivalent rational expression for the simplified expression.
Possible Solution:
x ( x - 1) x 2 - x
=
An equivalent expression could be
. This expression has a
(x - 1)
x-1
non-permissible value for x of1.

Mathematics 302
Assessment Standards & Exemplars

59

Alberta Education
20152016

Use the following information to answer numerical-response question 7.

AB
x+4
, x z 3, 3. Henry knows that one
The expression C can be simplified to
x+3
expression can be selected from each of the tables below to form the original expression.

Code

Possibilities
for A

Code

(x 3)

(2x 6)

(3x 9)

Possibilities
for B

Code

Possibilities
for C

(2x + 8)

(3x2 27)

(x + 4)

(2x2 18)

1 +
(x 4)
2

(x2 9)

Numerical Response

SE

7.

One possible selection to form the original expression is (x 3), (x + 4), and (x2 9), so
Henry records the code 159. To form another possible original expression, a code for
A is __________ (Record in the first column)
B is __________ (Record in the second column)
C is __________ (Record in the third column)
Possible Solutions:
258
148
269
357

Mathematics 302
Assessment Standards & Exemplars

60

Alberta Education
20152016

Use the following information to answer numerical-response question 8.

2n 4p 6m6
The simplified product of
, where m ! 0 and n ! 0 and p ! 0 , can be
:
3m 3n2p2
represented by
Am BnC
3p
where A, B, and C represent single-digit numbers.
Numerical Response
8.

B C
In the simplified product Am n , the value of
3p

A is __________ (Record in the first column)

B is __________ (Record in the second column)
C is __________ (Record in the third column)
Solution:
452

Mathematics 302
Assessment Standards & Exemplars

61

Alberta Education
20152016

9.

Simplify the following.

a.

5
6x
2 : x + 2 , x z 2, 0
3x

b.

x
3x + 6
, x z 2, 3
:
x+2 x 3

c.

x + 3 2x + 6
1
'
, x z 3, 0, 5
4x
5x - 1

d.

x2 + 3x x + 3
'
, x z 4, 3, 4
x2 - 16 x + 4

Possible Solutions:
a.

b.

c.

d.

6x
5
= 230x
2 : +
3x x 2 3x (x + 2)
= 10+
x (x 2)
3x + 6 = x (3) (x + 2)
x
:
x + 2 x 3 (x + 2) (x 3)
= 3x
x3
x + 3 2x + 6 x + 3
4x
'
4x = 5x - 1 : 2 (x + 3)
5x - 1
2x
=
5x - 1
x (x + 3)
x2 + 3x ' x + 3 =
x+4
:
2
x 16 x + 4 (x + 4) (x 4) x + 3
= x
x4

Mathematics 302
Assessment Standards & Exemplars

62

Alberta Education
20152016

10.

Simplify the following. State all non-permissible values.

a.

3 + 7x
5x 4

b.

4x 5x + 3
x7
x7

c.

x+1 + 5
3x2 12x 2x 8

d.

x
3
3-x x-3

SE

e.

x
3x
+
x2 - 4 x2 + 2x

SE

f.

x 2 + 3x x 2 + 5 x
+
x+2
x2 - 4

Possible Solutions:
a.

b.

c.

d.

3 7x 12 35x2
+ =
+
5x 4 20x 20x
12 + 35x2
=
,x!0
20x
4x 5x + 3 = 4x 5x 3
x7
x7
x7
= x 3 , x ! 7
x7
x+1
5
x+1
5
+
+
=
23x 12x 2x 8 3x (x 4) 2 (x - 4)
2 (x + 1)
5 (3x)
+
=
6x (x - 4) 6x (x - 4)
17x + 2
=
, x ! 0, 4
6x (x - 4)
x
3
x
3
3 - x - x - 3 = - (x - 3) - x - 3
-x - 3
= x-3 ,x ! 3

Mathematics 302
Assessment Standards & Exemplars

or

63

- (x + 3)
x-3 ,x ! 3

or

x+3
3 - x, x ! 3

Alberta Education
20152016

Possible Solutions:
x
x
3x
3x
+
=
e.
2- + 2+
4 x
2x (x + 2) (x - 2) x (x + 2)
x
3 (x - 2)
x
= (x + 2) (x - 2) + (x + 2) (x - 2)
x + 3x - 6
= (x + 2) (x - 2)
4x - 6
= (x + 2) (x - 2)
2 (2x - 3)
= (x + 2) (x - 2), x ! -2, 0, 2

f.

(x2 + 5x) (x - 2)
x2 + 3x x2 + 5x
x2 + 3x
+
+
=
(x + 2) (x - 2) (x + 2) (x - 2)
x+2
x2 - 4
x2 + 3x + x3 + 3x2 - 10x
=
(x + 2) (x - 2)
3+
x 4x 2 - 7x
= (x + 2) (x - 2)
x (x2 + 4x - 7)
= (x + 2) (x - 2) , x ! -2, 2

Mathematics 302
Assessment Standards & Exemplars

64

Alberta Education
20152016