Nursing Elites

1. What is an exponent?

• A. A number that tells how many times to multiply
• B. A number that is multiplied
• C. A number that divides evenly into another number
• D. A number that represents the square of a number

Correct answer: A

Rationale: An exponent is a number that indicates how many times a base number is multiplied by itself. The correct answer (A) accurately defines an exponent as a multiplier that shows how many times a number should be multiplied by itself. Choice B is incorrect as it describes a factor rather than an exponent. Choice C is incorrect as it defines a divisor, not an exponent. Choice D is incorrect as it specifically refers to the square of a number, which is not a general definition of an exponent.

2. Simplify (x^2 - y^2) / (x - y)

• A. x + y
• B. x - y
• C. 1
• D. (x + y)/(x - y)

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The expression 𝑥^2 - 𝑦^2 is a difference of squares, which follows the identity: 𝑥^2 - 𝑦^2 = (𝑥 + 𝑦)(𝑥 - 𝑦). Therefore, the given expression becomes: (𝑥^2 - 𝑦^2) / (𝑥 - 𝑦) = (𝑥 + 𝑦)(𝑥 - 𝑦) / (𝑥 - 𝑦). Since (𝑥 - 𝑦) appears in both the numerator and the denominator, they cancel each other out, leaving 𝑥 + 𝑦. Thus, the simplified form of (𝑥^2 - 𝑦^2) / (𝑥 - 𝑦) is 𝑥 + 𝑦. Therefore, the correct answer is A (x + y). Option B (x - y) is incorrect as it does not result from simplifying the given expression. Option C (1) is incorrect as it does not account for the variables x and y present in the expression. Option D ((x + y)/(x - y)) is incorrect as it presents the simplified form in a different format than the correct answer.

3. Simplify the following expression: (1/4) × (3/5) ÷ 1 (1/8)

• A. 8/15
• B. 27/160
• C. 2/15
• D. 27/40

Correct answer: C

Rationale: First, convert the mixed number 1 (1/8) into an improper fraction: 1 (1/8) = 9/8. Now, simplify the expression: (1/4) × (3/5) ÷ (9/8). To divide by a fraction, multiply by its reciprocal: (1/4) × (3/5) × (8/9) = 24/180 = 2/15. Thus, the simplified expression is 2/15. Choice A (8/15) is incorrect because the correct answer is 2/15. Choice B (27/160) is incorrect as it is not the result of the given expression. Choice D (27/40) is incorrect as it does not match the simplified expression obtained.

4. What is the median of Pernell's scores (81, 92, 87, 89, and 94)?

• A. 87
• B. 89
• C. 92
• D. 94

Correct answer: B

Rationale: To find the median, we first need to arrange the scores in ascending order: 81, 87, 89, 92, 94. Since there are five scores, the middle score would be the third one, which is 89. Hence, the median of Pernell's scores is 89. Choice A (87) is incorrect because it is the second score in the ordered list, not the middle one. Choice C (92) and Choice D (94) are also incorrect as they are not positioned in the middle of the ordered series.

5. Apply the polynomial identity to rewrite (a + b)².

• A. a² + b²
• B. 2ab
• C. a² + 2ab + b²
• D. a² - 2ab + b²

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When you see something like (a + b)², it means you're multiplying (a + b) by itself: (a + b)² = (a + b) × (a + b) To expand this, we use the distributive property (which says you multiply each term in the first bracket by each term in the second bracket): Multiply the first term in the first bracket (a) by both terms in the second bracket: a × a = a² a × b = ab Multiply the second term in the first bracket (b) by both terms in the second bracket: b × a = ab b × b = b² Now, add up all the results from the multiplication: a² + ab + ab + b² Since ab + ab is the same as 2ab, we can simplify it to: a² + 2ab + b² So, (a + b)² = a² + 2ab + b². This is known as a basic polynomial identity, and it shows that when you square a binomial (a two-term expression like a + b), you get three terms: the square of the first term (a²), twice the product of the two terms (2ab), and the square of the second term (b²). Therefore, the correct answer is C (a² + 2ab + b²)

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