NCSSM COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026
EXAM Q AND A STUDY GUIDE
◉ Exponent
Answer: The number that indicates how many times the base in a
power is used as a factor.
◉ Exponential Expressions
Answer: An algebraic expression in which the variable is in an
exponent with a fixed number as the base.
◉ Exponential Function
Answer: A function in the form f(x)=ab^x where a and b are real
numbers, a does not equal zero, b>0, and b does not equal 1.
◉ Perfect Square
Answer: A number whose positive square root is a whole number.
◉ Exponential Growth
Answer: An exponential function in the form y=a(1+r)^t, where r is
the rate of growth, a is the initial amount and t is the time.
, ◉ Exponential Decay
Answer: An exponential function in this form, where r is the rate of
decay, a is the initial amount and t is the time.
◉ Base
Answer: The number in a power that is used as a factor.
◉ Half-life
Answer: The half-life of a substance is the time it takes for one-half
of the substance to decay into another substance.
◉ arithmetic sequence
Answer: A sequence whose successive terms differ by the same
nonzero number, called the "common difference".
◉ common difference
Answer: In an arithmetic sequence, the nonzero constant difference
of any term and the previous term.
◉ dependent variable
Answer: The output of a function; a variable whose value depends
on the value of the input, or independent variable.
EXAM Q AND A STUDY GUIDE
◉ Exponent
Answer: The number that indicates how many times the base in a
power is used as a factor.
◉ Exponential Expressions
Answer: An algebraic expression in which the variable is in an
exponent with a fixed number as the base.
◉ Exponential Function
Answer: A function in the form f(x)=ab^x where a and b are real
numbers, a does not equal zero, b>0, and b does not equal 1.
◉ Perfect Square
Answer: A number whose positive square root is a whole number.
◉ Exponential Growth
Answer: An exponential function in the form y=a(1+r)^t, where r is
the rate of growth, a is the initial amount and t is the time.
, ◉ Exponential Decay
Answer: An exponential function in this form, where r is the rate of
decay, a is the initial amount and t is the time.
◉ Base
Answer: The number in a power that is used as a factor.
◉ Half-life
Answer: The half-life of a substance is the time it takes for one-half
of the substance to decay into another substance.
◉ arithmetic sequence
Answer: A sequence whose successive terms differ by the same
nonzero number, called the "common difference".
◉ common difference
Answer: In an arithmetic sequence, the nonzero constant difference
of any term and the previous term.
◉ dependent variable
Answer: The output of a function; a variable whose value depends
on the value of the input, or independent variable.
