Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) Practice Exam

What operations are fundamentally involved in elementary arithmetic?

1. Addition, multiplication, factorial, and division

2. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

3. Unity, division, addition, and subtraction

4. Multiplication, division, exponentiation, and addition

The correct answer is: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

Elementary arithmetic fundamentally involves the four basic operations that allow for the manipulation and combination of numbers: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Addition is the process of combining two or more quantities to find their total, while subtraction is the operation of determining the difference between two numbers. Both of these operations are essential for performing calculations with whole numbers and forming the basis before moving on to more complex mathematical concepts. Multiplication can be thought of as repeated addition, meaning it expands on the concept of addition to handle larger sets of numbers efficiently. Division, on the other hand, is the process of distributing a number into equal parts and is essentially the inverse of multiplication. Together, these four operations form the foundation of arithmetic and are indispensable in various aspects of mathematics and everyday calculations. The other options mention operations that are not considered fundamental in elementary arithmetic, such as factorial and exponentiation, which are more advanced concepts typically addressed in later stages of mathematical education.