College Algebra CLEP Prep Practice Exam

If 2a + b = 10 and a - 3b = 8, what is the value of a?

1. 2

2. 4

3. 6

4. 8

The correct answer is: 4

To find the value of a, we can solve the given equations using the substitution method. We first isolate a in the first equation by subtracting b from both sides, giving us 2a = 10 - b. Then, we can substitute this expression for a into the second equation and solve for b. Plugging in 10 - b for a, we get 10 - b - 3b = 8. Simplifying, we get -4b = -2, which means b = 1/2. Finally, we can plug this value for b into the first equation and solve for a. 2a + (1/2) = 10, so 2a = 19/2 and a = (19/2) * 1/2 = 19/4. Therefore, the correct answer is B (4). Option