Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) ATI Mathematics Practice Test

Simplify the expression: 5 x 3 / 9 x 4. What is the result?

1. 5/12

2. 8/13

3. 20/27

4. 47/36

The correct answer is: 5/12

To simplify the expression \( 5 \times 3 \div 9 \times 4 \), it's important to perform the operations systematically, following the order of operations. First, rewrite the expression with multiplication and division clearly: 1. Start with the multiplication: \( 5 \times 3 = 15 \). Next, divide that result by 9: 2. \( 15 \div 9 = \frac{15}{9} \). This fraction can be simplified further. The greatest common divisor (GCD) of 15 and 9 is 3. Therefore, divide both the numerator and the denominator by 3: - The numerator: \( 15 \div 3 = 5 \). - The denominator: \( 9 \div 3 = 3 \). This results in the simplified fraction \( \frac{5}{3} \). Next, continue with the remaining multiplication: 3. Now, take that \( \frac{5}{3} \) and multiply it by 4. This can be expressed as: \[ \frac{5}{3} \times 4 = \frac{5 \times 4}{3} = \frac{20}{3}.