Algebraic Equations
Algebraic Equations
Exercise 1
Write down the appropriate number for ? which will make the following number sentences true:
(a) 4+?=6 (b) 3-?=1 (c) 7 – ? = -2
(d) 3–?=5 (e) ? – 6 = -3 (f) ? – 5 = -12
When a number sentence has a variable in it, we call the number sentence an equation. For example,
the number sentence 2x + 3 = 11 is called an equation because it contains the variable x in it. The
variable x is treated just the same as the question mark.
In the equation 2x + 3 = 11, the coefficient of x is 2 and the numbers 3 and 11 are constants. If x
takes on a value of 4, then the equation will be a true statement since 2(4) + 3 = 11. The value of this
variable (4) is called the solution of the equation and we write the solution as x = 4.
Solutions
(a) 7 + 3 = 10 ∴x=7 (b) 13 – 5 = 8 ∴a=5 (c) 5 ∴ y = 20
(d) -4 + 14 = 10 ∴ t = 14 (e) 2(-1) – 4 = -6 ∴ x = -1 (f) -5 + (-5) = -10, ∴b = -5
Equations get quite complicated and it is not always possible to solve by inspection. We will now
solve equations using and algebraic method.
Solve for x: 2x + 4 = 6. This equation has a LHS(left-hand side) and a RHS(right-hand side)
2x + 4 = 6
LHS RHS
The main aim is to solve the equation for the unknown variable, in this case x. We do this by isolating
the variable x. This is done using inverse operations.
1
This means: + becomes –
- becomes +
x becomes
becomes x
So whatever is done to the LHS of the equation is done on the RHS of the equation. The whole point is
to get the unknown(x) to be on its own.
Exercise 2
Solve the following equations
(2.1) x+4=2 (2.2) k–5=3 (2.3) a – 4 = -3
(2.4) x – 6 = -5 (2.5) 3=x–4 (2.6) y+7=7
( 4
This step you can do mentally
x = -2
(x 3) . 5 . 3 3 can be written as .
13
. = 15 Divide the numerator and denominator by 3
1 31
15 is just x
x = 15
Exercise 3
Solve the following equations
(3.1) 2a = 10 (3.2) 3b = -18 (3.3) 10
2
Examples: (Equations requiring more than 1 operation)
When an equation requires more than one operation, always remove the constant first. Do the inverse
for the constant, then the inverse for the variable.
x=1
x = -10
e.g. 9 6x = -4x + 10 ‘Move’ -4x to the left. The sign in front of -4x is -, so do a +
(+4x) 6x + 4x = -4x + 4x + 10 This step you can do mentally
10x = 10 We’re multiplying x by 10. So the inverse of x is
( 10 x =1
3
e.g. 10 x + 3 = -2x – 9 ‘Move’ -2x to LHS, by doing the inverse of -2x, that is +2x
(+2x) x + 2x + 3 = -2x + 2x – 9
3x + 3 = -9 We’re adding 3, so do the inverse, that -3
(-3) 3x + 3 – 3 = -9 – 3 This step can be done mentally
3x = -12 We’re multiplying 3 and x. So do the inverse, by 3
( 3 x = -4
Exercise 4
(4.1) 6x = 5x + 6 (4.2) 12x – 5 = 13x – 9 (4.3) 6x + 2 = 4x – 10
(4.4) 2 – 3x = 5 – x + 3 (4.5) 2y + 6 = 9 – y (4.6) 3 – 4x = 9 + 2x
e.g. 12 3 – (y + 2) = 5y + 1
The number here is -1
3 – 1(y + 2) = 5y + 9 Use the distributive law to distribute -1 into the bracket
3 – y – 2 = 5y + 9 3 and -2 are Like terms, so simplify them, i.e. 3 – 2 =1
-y + 1 = 5y + 9 There is a + in front of 5y, so do the inverse of +5y, i.e. -5y
(-5y) -5y – y +1 = -5y + 5y + 9
-4y + 1 = 9 We’re adding 1, so do the inverse of + , i.e. –
(-1) -4y + 1 – 1 = 9 – 1 This step can be done mentally
-4y = 8 We’re multiplying y by -4, so do the inverse, i.e. -4
( −4) y = -2
Exercise 5
(5.1) 2(3 – x) = 8 (5.2) 1 – (x + 2) = 5 + x (5.3) 5(x – 1) = 4(x – 2)
(5.4) 5(p – 1) – (1 – 2p) = 8 (5.5) 3(x – 4) = 2(x – 2) + 2 – x (5.6) 10 – 3(a + 7) = a + 5
(5.7) 2 – 5(1 – y) = 3y + 5 (5.8) 2(2x + 5) = -2( 1 + x) (5.9) 2(2 – x) = 3(x + 3)