Name:_______________________________ Grade 9:____
Grade 9 Algebra
TERMINOLOGY:
1. Terms and Expressions:
A term is simply one number. Each of the following are terms: x ; 3x ; 4xy ; 2( x 3) .
Terms are separated by or signs, except if those signs are in brackets.
2x y has ________ terms and is called an ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION.
3 p is an algebraic expression with __________ term(s)
2a b 5 is an algebraic expression with __________ term(s)
3( x y) 8 is an algebraic expression with _________ term(s)
An algebraic expression can be a numeral (e.g. 8) or a variable (e.g. x ) or a combination of
numerals , variables and operation signs (e.g. 2(3x y) x 3 )
NOTE: x y xy has 3 terms, but if a bracket is placed round the first 2 terms i.e.
( x y) xy , then there are only 2 terms.
2. Coefficient:
If 5 x is written as 5 x (i.e. in factors) then 5 is called the numerical coefficient of x in the
term 5 x .
In the algebraic expression 2 x 2 x 3 y
2
the numerical coefficient of x is ________
the numerical coefficient of x is ________
the numerical coefficient of y is ________
3. Constant term:
The value of 3x 2 changes as the value of x changes (because the value of 3 x 2
changes). The term , however, does not depend on the value of x and is called a
constant term.
Textbook exercise: Ex 5.1 p 85 no. 1
4. Algebra and exponents:
1
x 20
4. Classification of algebraic expressions:
An algebraic expression that contains only whole (counting) number exponents is called a
polynomial. Any algebraic expression that has a fractional or negative exponent is not called
a polynomial. Polynomials are classified according to the number of terms they contain:
Monomial: contains one term only
Binomial:contains two terms
Trinomial:contains three terms
If a polynomial, consisting of more than one term, in one variable, is written in descending or
ascending order of the exponents, the degree of the polynomial is the highest exponent of
the variable in the expression.
3 4 2
Example: 3y 2y 3y
2 y 4 4 y 3 3 y2 ( Polynomial of degree _______ )
Textbook exercise: Ex 5.5 p 88
SUBSTITUTION (Replacement):
We can calculate the value of a polynomial by replacing the letter (variables) with numbers.
This process is called substitution. It is important to remember to put a bracket around the
number that has replaced the variable.
Pre-knowledge: Order of Operations
EXAMPLE:
1. If x 3 , find the values of:
2 2 2
1.1 2x 1.2 (2 x) 1.3 3x 5x3
Exercise 1
2
Show working details.
1. If x 2 , find the value of:
2 3 2
1.1 3x 1.2 3x 1.3 4x 3x2
2. If a 2 and b 5 , find the value of:
2 3 2 3a 4b
3a 4ab 5a 4b 7
2.1 2.2 2.3 2 5
3. If m 0 , n 1 and p 2 , find the value of:
4 3m 5p
3.1 3n 3.2 3.3
p 3m
4. Use your calculator to find the values of:
2 2
4.1 4x if x 2,12 4.2 3x if x 3, 4
2 2 2
4.3 5 x 3 x 4 if x 11, 6 4.4 2 x 4 xy 7 y if x 1, 2 and y 3, 5
3
5. Refer to the diagram of the rectangle below:
l
Area = l b Perimeter = 2( l b)
b Calculate the area and perimeter of the rectangle if:
5.1 l 10cm and b 15cm 5.2 l 2,1m and b 3.4m
6. The speed of a car can be calculated by using the formula v s where s is the
t
distance that the car travels in time t. Calculate the speed of a car, in km / hr, if:
6.1 s 150 km and t 1,5 hr 6.2 s 90 km and t 45 min
ADDING AND SUBTRACTING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
4
Remember: 3x 2x 5x
4x 2 y 2x 2 y 6x 2 y
5x 3 y 4x 2 y 9x 5 y
4x 3 2x 3 6x3
LIKE TERMS MAY BE ADDED AND SUBTRACTED
But 3x 2 y x x x y y can only be written as 3 x 2 y and cannot be
added, i.e. we cannot write the answer as a single term. 3 x and 2 y are multiples of
different numbers. NB: x2 and x3 are unlike terms.
Exercise 2
1. Simplify each of the following, if possible:
1.1 6x 4x 1.2 7y5y 1.3 ac ad
2 2 2
1.4 3s 4s 1.5 9xyz 13xyz 1.6 3c 4c
2 2 2 3 3 3
1.7 4x 6x 2x 1.8 21x y 16x y 3x y 1.9 10t 4t 3t
1.10 pq qp 2 pq 1.11 4s s 1.12 6 p 6q
1.13 5z z 1.14 aa 1.15 ab
2 2 2
1.16 8d 7d 1.17 x x 1.18 2a b 3ab
2. Simplify if possible:
5
2.1 2 3 3 2
4a 3b 2a b 2.2 3x 5x x 4x 2.3 7abc 6abc 15abc
2.4 4xy 7xz 6xy 4xz 2.5 6 8 y 3 10 y 2.6 6 pqr 7qrp 8rpq
2 2 2 2 2 2
2.7 3a 4 7a 8 2.8 9a 2a 6a 5a 2.9 3x 4x
3. Simplify:
3.1 3a 2b + 4a b 1 + 6a 2b 5
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3.2 3a 2ab 4b + a 3ab 2b + a ab b
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2 2 2
3.3 c 2c 1 3c 4c 2 c c 7
_____________________________________________
2 3 2
3.4 12 12x 12x x x 3 11 11x
_________________________________________
3.5 abc abd cbd cad cba bda 2bac bcd bcd
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MULTIPLYING AND DIVIDING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
6
Remember:
1.
2.
3.
4.
m n
5. x x
6. x m xn or xm
n
x
7. a(b c ) ab ac (DISTRIBUTIVE LAW)
Exercise 3
1. Find the following products:
2 3 4 2
1.1 2x 4x 1.2 (7x)(6x)(2y) 1.3 2m . 2m
2 2 3 5 2 3 4
1.4 2x y 3xy 1.5 5a 4a 1.6 p q pq
2. Simplify:
2 2 5
2.1 (3a )(2a) 2.2 2a(2a )(3a ) 2.3 a a(a)
2 2
2.42(3c)c 2.53x 2x 4x 2.6m n mn 3m
2 2 2 2
2.7 (d s)(ds )(ds) 2.83r(2r)(3r ) 2.9x . x . 3x . 5x
3 Simplify: (NB: ORDER OF OPERATIONS)
7
3.1a a a a 3.23x 2x 3x 2x3.32mm(mm)m
3.4 g2g 3.5 x2x 3.6 (3 p)(4) 2
3.7 2a 3 9 3.8 3t t 2 3.9 x 9 x 12
4. Simplify:
5 4 3 6 7
d x y p q
4.1 4.2 4.3
2 2 6 5
d x y p q r
3 2 4 4 3
36a b x 12a b
4.4 4.5 4.6
4 5 2 2
9a b x 4a b
4 4 3 2 4 4
4p q 14l m n 10d e
4.7 4.8 4.9
2 6 3 4 6
8p q 7l mn 3 20d e
2 3 5 8
3a (4a ) 20a b 2a
4.10 4.11 4.12
5 4
6a ( 2) 16ab 0
2 2
0 6ab 3x y
4.13 4.14 4.15
2 2
3x 12ab x y
5. Use the distributive law to simplify:
8
5.1 2
3x(2x 3) 5.2 2(3a a) 5.3 2(3w 3)
2 2 3
5.4 c(9c 2d ) 5.5 2ab( a b) 5.6 3m(2m 3m m )
2
5.7 s( sw s w) 5.8 (a b c) 5.9 z(3z 2z 1)
4 2 2 2 2 2 2
5.10 4d f ( f 2d ) 5.11 x (x xy ) 5.12 xyz(2x yz xy z)
2 2 2
5.13 5t(t t ) 5.14 pq(2 pq 4) 5.15 4( a b ab 2)
6. A CHALLENGE:
Fill in the missing parts so that each statement is true:
2
6.1 2( x _____) 2x 10 6.2 x (_____ 3) x _____
2
6.3 2 y(3 y ______) _____ 14 y 6.4 5(d 3d _____) ____ _____+10
2 3 2 2
6.5 ___(____ 4) 2 y 8 y 6.6 ___( xy ____) 3 x y 12x y
9
THE PRODUCT OF TWO BINOMIALS
To find the product of two binomials, multiply each term of the first binomial by each term
of the second binomial.
It is easy to forget which terms have been multiplied and so being systematic about
the process is important. The easiest system to use is the ‘FOIL’ system:
F = first O = outerI = inner L = last
EXAMPLE:
1. (2 x y )(3a b) 2. (3a 2)(2b 3)
3. 2(3 x 2)(4 y 3)
Exercise 4
1. Simplify each of the following:
2 2
1.1(5 3 p )(2 q) 1.2(3m n)( m 2n) 1.3 (2m 5n)( n 3m)
1.4 ( p 6q )(2c 3d ) 1.5 3( p q )( p d ) 1.6 2( a 3)( b 6)
2. In each of the following, find the product of the two binomials and simplify your
answer if possible:
2.1 ( x 3)( x 2) 2.2 ( y 5)( y 3) 2.3 ( a 1)( a 3)
10
2.4 ( b 3)( b 5) 2.5 ( x 9)( x 8) 2.6 ( p 12)( p 5)
2.7 ( x 4)( x 3) 2.8 ( x 10)( x 2) 2.9 ( d 14)( d 3)
2.10 ( x 6)( x 2) 2.11 ( y 4)( y 1) 2.12 ( y 4)( y 1)
2.13 (7 x )(2 x) 2.14 (7 x )(2 x)
Do you notice any ‘pattern’ emerging? (THINK ABOUT IT)
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2.15 What must the second binomial be, to make the following statements true?
2 2
2.15.1 ( x 11)(__________ ) x 8 x 33 2.15.2 ( x 25)(__________ ) x 21 x 100
2 2
2.15.3 ( x 3)(__________) x x 6 2.15.4 ( x 1)(_________) x 5 x 6
2.16 A CHALLENGE
What two binomials must you multiply together to get x 2 2 x 24 ?
__________________________________________________________________________
2.17 Refer to the diagram of the rectangle below:
(x + 15)
2.17.1 Calculate the area of the rectangle, in terms of x.
(x - 5)
11
2.17.2 If x 7 , find the area of the rectangle.
3. Simplify:
3.1 ( x 1)( x 2) 3.2 ( a 2))( a 4) 3.3 ( b 3)( b 4)
3.4 ( y 5)( y 1) 3.5 ( x 7)( x 2) 3.6( a 8)( a 6)
3.7 ( b 11)( b 4) 3.8 ( x 12)( x 1) 3.9 ( x 1)( x 1)
3.10 ( x 5)( x 7) 3.11 (100 k )(5 k) 3.12 (7 m )(9 m)
Do you notice any ‘pattern’ emerging? What do you notice?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3.15 What must the second binomial be, to make the following statements true?
2 2
3.15.1 ( x 13)(__________ ) x 15 x 26 3.15.2 ( x 30)(__________ ) x 80 x 1500
2 2
3.15.3 ( x 3)(__________) x 5 x 6 3.15.4 ( x 1)(_________) x 8 x 7
3.16 A CHALLENGE
What two binomials must you multiply together to get x 2 12 x 32 ?
12
3.17 Refer to the diagram of the rectangle below:
(x + 4)
3.17.1 Calculate the area of the rectangle, in terms of x.
(x +12)
3.17.2 If x 3 , find the area of the rectangle.
4. Simplify:
4.1 ( x 1)( x 2) 4.2 ( a 2))( a 4) 4.3 ( b 3)( b 4)
4.4 ( y 5)( y 1) 4.5 ( x 7)( x 2) 4.6 ( a 8)( a 6)
4.7 ( b 11)( b 4) 4.8 ( x 4)( x 3) 4.9 ( x 2)( x 2)
4.10 ( x 3)( x 8) 4.11 (10 k )(7 k) 4.12 (2 m )(9 m)
Do you notice any ‘pattern’ emerging?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
13
4.15 What must the second binomial be, to make the following statements true?
2 2
4.15.1 ( x 3)(__________ ) x 15 x 36 4.15.2 ( x 8)(__________ ) x 10 x 16
2 2
4.15.3 ( x 3)(__________) x 5 x 6 4.15.4 ( x 30)(_________) x 70 x 1200
4.16 A CHALLENGE
What two binomials must you multiply together to get x 2 16 x 64 ?
5. Simplify:
5.1 ( x 1)( x 1) 5.2 ( x 3)( x 3) 5.3 ( b 6)( b 6)
5.4 ( y 7)( y 7) 5.5 ( f 10)( f 10) 5.6 ( g 8)( g 8)
5.7 ( x 2)( x 2) 5.8 ( y 4)( y 4) 5.9 (15 x )(15 x)
Do you notice any ‘pattern’ emerging?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
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5.11 What must the second binomial be, to make the following statements true?
2 2
5.11.1 ( x 9)(__________ ) x 81 5.11.2 ( x 12)(__________ ) x 144
2 2
5.11.3 ( x 5)(__________) x 25 5.11.4 ( x 13)(_________) x 169
14
5.12 A CHALLENGE
2 1
What two binomials must you multiply together to get x
4?
5.13 Refer to the diagram of the rectangle below:
5.13.1 What is the length and breadth of the rectangle, in terms of x, if
the
2 2
Area = x - 400 area is x 400
5.13.2 Determine the actual area of the rectangle if x 30,12 . Round off to
one decimal digit.
2 2 2
6.1 If x means x x and (2 x) means 2 x 2x , then what does ( x 2) mean?
6.2 Simplify:
2 2 2
6.2.1 ( x 1) 6.2.2 ( x 3) 6.2.3 ( x 6)
2 2 2
6.2.4 ( x 9) 6.2.5 ( x 5) 6.2.6 ( x 11)
2 2
6.2.7 (14 x) 6.2.8 (7 x)
15
6.3 Try to simplify each of the following by inspection i.e. do not show any steps of
working:
2 2
6.3.1 ( x 4) 6.3.2 ( x 8) 6.3.3 ( x 10)2
All of the above are examples of perfect square binomials.
More difficult products
EXAMPLE:
1. (3 x 4)(3 x 5) 2. ( x 5 y )(2 x 7 y)
2 2
3. ( c 4)( c 3) 4. ( x 2 3 y )( x 3 2 y)
5. ( x 3)(2 x 5) 3(4 x 1)(3 x 1) 6. 2 x ( x 4) ( x 2)(3 x 7)
16
Exercise 5
1. Simplify:
1.1 (2a 1)( a 2) 1.2 (3b 5)( b 2) 1.3 3(2a 1)( a 4)
1.4 ( q 2)(3q 4) 1.5 (5 p 2)( p 1) 1.6 (2 x 3)(4 x 3)
2 2
1.7 ( m n)( m 3n) 1.8 2( p 3r )( p 2r) 1.9(2a 1)(4a 3)
2. Simplify: (Try and simplify by inspection, if you can)
2.1 (2 x 3)(4 x 1) 2.2 (3 x 1)( x 2) 2.3 (4 x 3)(3 x 2)
2.4 ( x 5 y )(2 x 3 y) 2.5(3 x 2)(5 x 3) 2.6(4 x 2)(3 x 5)
3. Simplify:
3.1( a 4)( a 3) ( a 2)( a 3) 3.2( a 6)( a 1) ( a 4)( a 3)
17
2
3.3( a 1)( a 2) ( a 5) 3.4 3( a 2)( a 2) (2a 3)(3a 2)
2
3.5 ( a 4) (2a 3)(3a 2) 3.6 2( x 3)(3 x 1) 5 x( x 3)
2 2
3.7 ( a b ) ( a b )( a b) 3.8 5 x (2 x 5) 3 x (2 x 1)
3.9 ( x y )( x y ) ( x 2 y2 ) 3.10 ( x y )( x y ) ( x 2 y2 )
2
4.1 (2 x 3) 4.2 (3 x 5)(3 x 5) 4.3(2 x 1)( x 4)
3 3
4.4 (2 x 1)(2 x 1) 4.5 ( ax b )( ax b) 4.6 ( x 3)( x 2)
4.7 3(4 x 1)(3 x 7) 4.8 2( y 3)2
18
5. Simplify:
5.1( x 5)( x 6) ( x 3)( x 2) 5.2( x 5)( x 7) ( x 4)( x 2)
2 2
5.3 ( x 2)( x 2) 3( x 7) 5.4 ( x 7)( x 7) ( x 2) 4 x( x 10)
5.5 x ( x 1)( x 2) 2 x( x 3)( x 6)
19
