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Cumulative Review Strategies

A free Pre-Algebra lesson from the “Cumulative Review and Test Prep” unit, with a worked example and practice problems including step-by-step solutions.

Cumulative review mixes topics without telling you which skill to use. Start by identifying the topic, estimate a reasonable answer, then solve carefully. This routine prepares you for placement tests, course exams, and Algebra I readiness checks. In Cumulative Review and Test Prep, the goal is not just to get an answer but to recognize the structure of the problem, choose a reliable strategy, and explain why the result is reasonable. The practice set now includes targeted skill work, transfer questions, and mixed review so students build fluency and retention.

What you'll learn

Why it matters: Mixed practice mirrors how every test and standardized exam is built. The strategy is to identify which tool each problem is asking for, then apply it.

Worked example

Problem. A rectangle is 7.5 feet long and 4 feet wide. What is its area?

  1. The word area tells us to multiply length by width.
  2. 7.5 x 4 = 30.
  3. The area is 30 square feet.
  4. Connect the calculation back to Cumulative Review Strategies so the method, not just the arithmetic, is clear.

Answer: 30

Lesson preview: this page shows 5 practice items. The interactive activity contains 28 practice items and 15 quiz items (typed response and multiple choice). Counts include repeated prompts and variants.

Practice problems

1. Compute -6 + 14 - 5.

Show solution
  1. First -6 + 14 = 8.
  2. Then 8 - 5 = 3.

Answer: 3

2. Compute 4.6 + 2.75.

Show solution
  1. Write 4.6 as 4.60.
  2. 4.60 + 2.75 = 7.35.

Answer: 7.35

3. Find 35% of 80.

Show solution
  1. 35% is 0.35.
  2. 0.35 x 80 = 28.

Answer: 28

4. Solve 7/10 = x/50.

Show solution
  1. 10 is multiplied by 5 to get 50.
  2. 7 x 5 = 35.

Answer: 35

5. Which quadrant contains (4, -9)?

Choices: Quadrant I · Quadrant II · Quadrant III · Quadrant IV

Show solution
  1. Positive x and negative y is Quadrant IV.

Answer: Quadrant IV

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