CLEP College Algebra (REA) - The Best Test Prep for the CLEP Exam (Test Preps) (Paperback)

About Research & Education Association
Research & Education Association (REA) is an organization of educators, scientists, and engineers specializing in various academic fields. Founded in 1959 with the purpose of disseminating the most recently developed scientific information to groups in industry, government, high schools, and universities, REA has since become a successful and highly respected publisher of study aids, test preps, handbooks, and reference works.

REA's Test Preparation series includes study guides for all academic levels in almost all disciplines. Research & Education Association publishes test preps for students who have not yet completed high school, as well as high school students preparing to enter college. Students from countries around the world seeking to attend college in the United States will find the assistance they need in REA's publications. For college students seeking advanced degrees, REA publishes test preps for many major graduate school admission examinations in a wide variety of disciplines, including engineering, law, and medicine. Students at every level, in every field, with every ambition can find what they are looking for among REA's publications.

While most test preparation books present practice tests that bear little resemblance to the actual exams, REA's series presents tests that accurately depict the official exams in both degree of difficulty and types of questions. REA's practice tests are always based upon the most recently administered exams, and include every type of question that can be expected on the actual exams.

REA's publications and educational materials are highly regarded and continually receive an unprecedented amount of praise from professionals, instructors, librarians, parents, and students. Our authors are as diverse as the fields represented in the books we publish. They are well-known in their respective disciplines and serve on the faculties of prestigious high schools, colleges, and universities throughout the United States and Canada.

ABOUT THIS BOOK
This book provides you with comprehensive preparation for the CLEP College Algebra Computer-Based Test, or CBT. Inside you will find a concise review of college algebra, as well as tips and strategies for test-taking. We give you three full-length REA practice tests, all based on the official CLEP subject exam. Our practice tests contain every type of question that you can expect to encounter on the CLEP CBT. Following each practice test you will find an answer key with detailed explanations designed to help you more completely absorb the test material.

All 34 CLEP exams are computer-based. As you can see, the practice tests in our book are presented as paper-and-pencil exams. The content and format of the actual CLEP subject exams are faithfully mirrored. We detail the format of the CLEP College Algebra CBT on pages 4-5.

ABOUT THE EXAM

Who takes CLEP exams and what are they used for?
CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) examinations are usually taken by adults who have acquired knowledge outside the classroom and wish to bypass certain college courses and earn college credit. The CLEP Program is designed to reward students for learning - no matter where or how that knowledge was acquired. The CLEP is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program in the country, with more than 2,900 colleges and universities granting credit for satisfactory scores on CLEP exams.

Although most CLEP candidates are adults returning to college, many graduating high school seniors, enrolled college students, and international students also take the exams to earn college credit or to demonstrate their ability to perform at the college level. There are no prerequisites, such as age or educational status, for taking CLEP examinations. However, because policies on granting credits vary among colleges, you should contact the particular institution from which you wish to receive CLEP credit.

There are two categories of CLEP examinations:

1. CLEP General Examinations, which are five separate tests that cover material usually taken as requirements during the first two years of college. CLEP General Examinations are available for English Composition (with or without essay), Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences and History.

2. CLEP Subject Examinations, which include material usually covered in an undergraduate course with a similar title. The CLEP College Algebra exam is one of 29 subject tests.

Who develops and administers the exams?
The CLEP CBTs are developed by the College Entrance Examination Board, administered by Educational Testing Service, and involves the assistance of educators from across the United States. The test development process is designed and carried out to ensure that the content and difficulty of the test are appropriate to the college level.

When and where is this exam given?
The CLEP College Algebra exam is administered each month throughout the year at approximately 1,400 test centers in the U.S. and can be arranged for candidates abroad on request. To find the test center nearest you and to register for the exam, you should obtain a copy of the free booklets CLEP Colleges and CLEP Information for Candidates and Registration Form. These booklets are downloadable and are available at most colleges where CLEP credit is granted, or by contacting the CLEP Program at:

CLEP Services
P.O. Box 6601
Princeton, NJ 08541-6601
Phone: (609) 771-7865
Fax: (609) 771-7088
Website: http://www.collegeboard.com/clep
E-mail: clep@info.collegeboard.org

How to Use this Book

What do I study first?
Read over the course review and the suggestions for test-taking. Then use the first practice test as a diagnostic to determine your area(s) of weakness. Once you find out where you need to spend more time, focus your efforts on those specific problem areas. To reinforce your facility with the subject matter, we advise keeping at your side a college-level textbook that covers the appropriate material.

To get the most out of your study time, follow our Independent Study Schedule, which you'll find in the front of this book. The schedule is based on a six-week program, but can be condensed to three weeks if necessary by collapsing each two-week period into a single week.

When should I start studying?
It's never too early to start studying for the CLEP College Algebra exam; the earlier you begin, the more time you will have to sharpen your skills. Don't leave it to the last minute; cramming is not an effective way to study, since it does not allow you the time needed to learn the test material.

Format and Content of the CLEP CBT
The CLEP College Algebra CBT covers the kind of material that is typically part of a one-semester college course in algebra. Test-takers should expect to encounter a test that will be divided almost 50/50 between routine and nonroutine problems - the former requiring basic algebraic skills, the latter requiring you to show your command of algebraic concepts. While you'll be able to avail yourself of an online scientific calculator (non-graphing, non-programmable) during the exam, none of the questions you will be asked will require its use. The exam will present you with 60 multiple-choice and fill-in-the-box questions to be answered in 90 minutes. The approximate breakdown of topics on the CLEP College Algebra CBT is as follows:

25% Algebraic Operations
- Combining algebraic expressions
- Factoring
- Simplifying algebraic fractions
- Operating with powers and roots

20% Equations, Inequalities, and their Graphs
- Linear equations and inequalities
- Quadratic equations and inequalitie