Math 108 Placement Test (Practice)
Property of
BYU-Idaho
Mathematics Department
No Calculators are allowed.
This is a
20-problem practice test provided as
a tool to help you and your teacher determine if you are properly prepared for
Math 108 – Quantitative Reasoning at BYU-Idaho.
If you enroll in a class you are not prepared for, it will only slow
your progress and hurt your grade. The
actual placement exam is administered in the testing center at the beginning of
the semester. See your professor
regarding closing deadlines.
The answer
key to these questions is provided at the end of the exam. Try to do each of the 20 problems before
looking at the correct answers. You
should attempt this practice exam without a calculator so that you are
simulating the real exam you will take in the testing center.
You should
get at least 14 correct (70%) in
order to continue in Math 108. Should
you score below a 14, you will need to talk with your professor regarding your
options, which may include refreshing your algebra skills by enrolling in Math
101 or perhaps Math 100B. There is also
a retake form of the exam available.
It is also
important to remember that this exam is not a reflection of what will be
covered in Math 108 during the semester but rather is an overview of the
minimum algebraic fundamentals you should have mastered previously in order to
be successful in the Math 108 Quantitative Reasoning course.
1. Simplify the following algebraic expression:
2x – 3[x + 4(5 – 2x)]
a) -9x
+ 20 b) -3x – 7 c) 7x – 20 d) 23x – 60 e) 5x - 1
2.
Find the following product: 
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
3. Find the following difference: - 3.5 - (- 9.8)
a) -13.3 b) 13.3 c) -6.3 d) -34.3 e) 6.3
4. 42 is what percent of 80?
a) 1.9% b) 52.5% c) 190.5% d) 33.6% e) 57.2%
5. Solve for x: 4x – 3 = 29
a) x =
b) x = -8 c) x = 8 d) x = 
e) x = 9
6.
Simplify: 
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
7.
Evaluate the expression 
letting x = -2 , y = 3 and z = -4.
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 0 e) 
8. Assume that to earn a C grade or higher in a college course you need at least an average of 70% on the five exams that are each worth 100 points. You have scores of 65, 81, 72, 55 so far in the semester. What is the lowest score you can receive on your fifth exam in order to earn a C or higher?
a) 100 b) 72 c) 77 d) 80 e) 79
9. 
=
a) 
b) 
c)
d) 
e) 
10. 
a) 64 b) 144 c) 36 d) 176 e) 648
11.
The relationship between Celsius degrees and Fahrenheit degrees is the equation 
.
If F = 59° then C = ________
a) 116.6° b) 1.4° c) 92.8° d) 19.3° e) 15°
12. 34 team field goals out of 60 attempted is what shooting percentage for the team?
a) 56.7% b) 20.4% c) 94.0% d) 31.3% e) 67.8%
13.
Add the following mixed fractions: 
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
14. In a history class of 120 students, 60% are females and 25% of the females have blue eyes. What percentage of the history students in the class are blue-eyed females?
a) 30% b) 18% c) 85% d) 15% e) 12%
15. The base of a large rectangular metal box is 3 feet by 4 feet. Its volume is 84 cubic feet. How tall is the box in feet?
a) 77 feet b) 6 feet c) 9 feet d) 7 feet e) 12 feet
16. Of following numbers, which is the smallest?
a)
0.445 b) 0.521 c) 
d) 
e) 0.534
17.
If 
, then x = _______
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 45
18. Simplify the following: -3 – 4 • 5 + -7(3 – 8)
a) -112 b) 210 c) 12 d) 0 e) 45
19. Suppose that a new federal tax relief act allows you to pay a10% income tax rate instead of 15% on your taxable income. If your taxable income at the end of the year is $18,000, how much have you saved in tax dollars by virtue of the new tax relief act?
a) $180 b) $900 c) $270 d) $825 e) $2250
20. If there are 12 inches to the foot, 3 feet to the yard and 1,760 yards to the mile, how many inches are in one mile?
a) 7,040 in. b) 63,360 in. c) 48,889 in. d) 70,342 in. e) 58,490 in.
ANSWER KEY
1. d
2. e
3. e
4. b
5. c
6. b
7. c
8. c
9. c
10. c
11. e
12. a
13. a
14. d
15. d
16. d
17. a
18. c
19. b
20. b
The actual placement exam in the testing center will look very similar to this one.
If you have missed more than 6 questions on this exam, consider brushing up on your algebra skills by doing one of the following:
1) meeting with a math
tutor at the
2) meeting with one of our drop in Math 108 tutors in Romney 260 or 262 (see hall posters)
3) studying with small groups of other Math 108 students
4) setting up an office visit with your professor
5) checking out a basic or intermediate algebra text from the library and reviewing
6) searching the Internet for arithmetic and algebra review web sites
Whatever the case, work on getting your passing score as quickly as you can so you can move on to the
more pressing and significant ideas that you will explore in Quantitative Reasoning. Good luck and let us
know, here at the BYU-Idaho Mathematics Department, how we can best help you to succeed!