HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Reading edition
ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA
Time: One Hour and a Half
1. Find the highest common factor and the lowest common multiple of the three expressions
2. Solve the quadratic equation
2. computing the value of the larger root correct to three significant figures.
3. In the expression
3. substitute for x and y the values
3. and reduce the resulting expression to its simplest form.
4. State and prove the formula for the sum of the first n terms of a geometric progression in which a is the first term and r the constant ratio.
5. A state legislature is to elect a United States senator, a majority of all the votes cast being necessary for a choice. There are three candidates, A, B, and C, and 100 members vote. On the first ballot A has the largest number of votes, receiving 9 more votes than his nearest competitor, B; but he fails of the necessary majority. On the second ballot C's name is withdrawn, and all the members who voted for C now vote for B, whereupon B is elected by a majority of 2. How many votes were cast for each candidate on the first ballot?