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Prealgebra (9th Edition) – Elayn Martin-Gay
– Complete Solutions Manual by C. Trimble
& Associates
1. According to the study skills tips in Chapter 1, what is the
most important action a student can take to avoid falling
behind in a math course?
A) Buy a new calculator
B) Attend every class period
C) Only read the summary at the end of the chapter
D) Highlight the text with different colors
Rationale: Martin-Gay emphasizes that mathematics is
sequential. Attending every class is critical because missing one
class often means missing a foundational rule that applies to
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the rest of the course .
Correct Answer: B
2. In the number 8,405,231, what is the place value of the
digit 4?
A) Hundred-thousands
B) Ten-thousands
C) Thousands
D) Hundreds
Rationale: Starting from the right (ones), we move left:
1(ones), 3(tens), 2(hundreds), 5(thousands), 0(ten-thousands),
4(hundred-thousands), 8(millions). The 4 is in the hundred-
thousands place .
Correct Answer: A
3. Scenario: A warehouse has 1,482 boxes of pencils. They
ship out 659 boxes. Approximately how many boxes are left
if you round to the nearest hundred?
A) 800
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B) 823
C) 900
D) 1,000
Rationale: First, round 1,482 to the nearest hundred (1,500).
Round 659 to the nearest hundred (700). Then subtract: 1,500
- 700 = 800. Estimation is a key skill in Chapter 1 to check if
exact answers are reasonable .
Correct Answer: A
4. Simplify using the order of
operations: 24÷(8−2)×324÷(8−2)×3
A) 4
B) 12
C) 6
D) 1
Rationale: 1. Parentheses: 8−2=68−2=6. 2.
Division: 24÷6=424÷6=4. 3.
Multiplication: 4×3=124×3=12. Remember multiplication and
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division are performed left to right.
Correct Answer: B
5. A rectangular garden has a length of 15 feet and a width
of 9 feet. What is the perimeter?
A) 24 ft
B) 48 ft
C) 135 ft
D) 30 ft
Rationale: The perimeter is the sum of all
sides. P=2l+2w=2(15)+2(9)=30+18=48P=2l+2w=2(15)+2(
9)=30+18=48 feet. Area is l×w=135l×w=135 (a distractor).
Correct Answer: B
Section 2: Integers (Ch. 2)
Focus: Negative numbers, absolute value, adding/subtracting
integers, solving basic equations.
Prealgebra (9th Edition) – Elayn Martin-Gay
– Complete Solutions Manual by C. Trimble
& Associates
1. According to the study skills tips in Chapter 1, what is the
most important action a student can take to avoid falling
behind in a math course?
A) Buy a new calculator
B) Attend every class period
C) Only read the summary at the end of the chapter
D) Highlight the text with different colors
Rationale: Martin-Gay emphasizes that mathematics is
sequential. Attending every class is critical because missing one
class often means missing a foundational rule that applies to
,Page 2 of 163
the rest of the course .
Correct Answer: B
2. In the number 8,405,231, what is the place value of the
digit 4?
A) Hundred-thousands
B) Ten-thousands
C) Thousands
D) Hundreds
Rationale: Starting from the right (ones), we move left:
1(ones), 3(tens), 2(hundreds), 5(thousands), 0(ten-thousands),
4(hundred-thousands), 8(millions). The 4 is in the hundred-
thousands place .
Correct Answer: A
3. Scenario: A warehouse has 1,482 boxes of pencils. They
ship out 659 boxes. Approximately how many boxes are left
if you round to the nearest hundred?
A) 800
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B) 823
C) 900
D) 1,000
Rationale: First, round 1,482 to the nearest hundred (1,500).
Round 659 to the nearest hundred (700). Then subtract: 1,500
- 700 = 800. Estimation is a key skill in Chapter 1 to check if
exact answers are reasonable .
Correct Answer: A
4. Simplify using the order of
operations: 24÷(8−2)×324÷(8−2)×3
A) 4
B) 12
C) 6
D) 1
Rationale: 1. Parentheses: 8−2=68−2=6. 2.
Division: 24÷6=424÷6=4. 3.
Multiplication: 4×3=124×3=12. Remember multiplication and
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division are performed left to right.
Correct Answer: B
5. A rectangular garden has a length of 15 feet and a width
of 9 feet. What is the perimeter?
A) 24 ft
B) 48 ft
C) 135 ft
D) 30 ft
Rationale: The perimeter is the sum of all
sides. P=2l+2w=2(15)+2(9)=30+18=48P=2l+2w=2(15)+2(
9)=30+18=48 feet. Area is l×w=135l×w=135 (a distractor).
Correct Answer: B
Section 2: Integers (Ch. 2)
Focus: Negative numbers, absolute value, adding/subtracting
integers, solving basic equations.
