MATH PROBLEM SET EXPLANATION

 Natural numbers – values above zero and excluding negative, fraction, and decimal
numbers.This set of numbers is represented as N = {1,2,3,4,……….}. They are also known
for their synonym counting numbers. There can be no largest natural number as the natural
number set extends to infinity.

 Integers – values that have a complete number. This set of numbers includes both negative and
positive numbers Examples: -1, -2, 0, 1, 2, …
 Rational numbers – values that can be represented as p/q. Where P is the numerator of any value
and q is a non-zero value Examples: 25/3, 2/9, …
 Irrational numbers – values that cannot be represented as p/q Examples -3, 5,…

If the slope of a line is positive, then the line is inclined upwards as we are moving from left to right

If the slope of a line is negative moves down from left to right.

A vertical line has an undefined slope

Every line in the coordinate plane has a slope whether it is steep or gentle. Some lines have slopes that
equal to 0 but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a slope.

Commutative property of addition: Changing the order of addends does not change the sum. For
example, 4+2=2+44+2=2+44, plus, 2, equals, 2, plus, 4.

The associative law definition states that when any three real numbers are added or multiplied, then
the grouping (or association) of the numbers does not affect the result. For example, when we add: (a +
b) + c = a + (b + c), or when we multiply : (a x b) x c = a x (b x c).

The Distributive Law says that multiplying a number by a group of numbers added together is the
same as doing each multiplication separately.
Example: 3 × (2 + 4) = 3×2 + 3×4. So the "3" can be "distributed" across the "2+4" into 3 times 2 and 3
times 4.

The additive identity property is also known as the identity property of addition, which states that
adding 0 to any number, results in the number itself. This is due to the fact that when we add 0 to any
number, it does not change the number and keeps its identity.

The multiplicative identity of rational numbers is 1. As per the property of multiplicative identity, a
number when multiplied by the original number gives the product as 1.

Thus, we can say that the multiplicative inverse of any number 'a' is a-1 or 1/a. In other words, the two
numbers are said to be multiplicative inverses of each other if their product is 1. The multiplicative
inverse of a number is also called the reciprocal of the number.
Laws of Exponents (mathsisfun.com)

In mathematics, a term is any value (variable or constant) or expression separated from another
term by a space or an appropriate character, in an overall expression or table . A factor is any of
12

various objects multiplied together to form some whole . Terms are the numbers or variables
1

added together, while factors are the numbers or variables that are multiplied together

Variables with Exponents

How to Multiply and Divide them

What is a Variable with an

Exponent?

A Variable is a symbol for a number we don't know yet. It is usually a letter

like x or y.

An exponent (such as the 2 in x2) says how many times to use the variable in a
multiplication.

Example: y2 = yy
(yy means y multiplied by y, because in Algebra putting two letters next to
each other means to multiply them)

Likewise z3 = zzz and x5 = xxxxx

Exponents of 1 and 0
Exponent of 1

When the exponent is 1, we just have the variable itself (example x1 = x)

We usually don't write the "1", but it sometimes helps to remember that x is
also x1

Exponent of 0

When the exponent is 0, we are not multiplying by anything and the answer is
just "1"
(example y0 = 1)

Multiplying Variables with

Exponents
So, how do we multiply this:

(y2)(y3)
We know that y2 = yy, and y3 = yyy so let us write out all the multiplies:

y2 y3 = yy yyy
That is 5 "y"s multiplied together, so the new exponent must be 5:

y2 y3 = y5

But why count the "y"s when the exponents already tell us how
many?

The exponents tell us there are two "y"s multiplied by 3 "y"s for a total of 5
"y"s:

y2 y3 = y2+3 = y5
So, the simplest method is to just add the exponents!

(Note: this is one of the Laws of Exponents)

Mixed Variables
When we have a mix of variables, just add up the exponents for each, like this
(press play):

(Remember: a variable without an exponent really has an exponent of 1,

example: y is y1)

With Constants
There will often be constants (numbers like 3, 2.9, ½ etc) mixed in as well.

Never fear! Just multiply the constants separately and put the result in the
answer:

(Note: "·" means multiply, which we use when the "×" might be confused with
the letter "x")

Here is a more complicated example with constants and exponents:

Negative Exponents
Negative Exponents Mean Dividing!

x-1 = 1x x-2 = 1x2 x-3 = 1x3 etc...

Get familiar with this idea, it is very important and useful!

Dividing
So, how do we do this?y3y2
Let's write out all the multiplies:yyyyy
Now remove any matching "y"s that are
both top and bottom (because yy = 1)
And we are left with:y

So 3 "y"s above the line get reduced by 2 "y"s below the line, leaving only 1 "y"
:

y3y2 = yyyyy = y3-2 = y1 = y

OR, we could have done it like this:

y3y2 = y3y-2 = y3-2 = y1 = y

So ... just subtract the exponents of the variables we are dividing by!

Here is a bigger demonstration, involving several variables:

The "z"s got completely cancelled out! (Which makes sense, because z 2/z2 = 1)

To see what is going on, write down all the multiplies, then "cross out" the
variables that are both top and bottom:
 x3 y z2x y2 z2 = xxx y zzx yy zz = xxx yzzxyy zz = xxy = x2y

What is Exponential Notation?

Exponential notation has two parts. The base, as the name
suggests, is the number on the bottom. The other part of the
notation is a small number written in superscript to the right of
the base, called the exponent. Below are some examples of
exponential notation. We’ll use these examples to learn about
the notation.
Converting Decimals to Fractions 2.111111 =

2.11111 as a fraction equals 211111/100000 2.11111 x 1000001 x 100000 = 211111100000

Steps to convert 2.11111 into a fraction.

As a side note the whole number-integral part
Write 2.11111 as 2.111111
is: 2
Multiply both the numerator and denominator The decimal part is: .11111 = 11111/100000
by 10 for each digit after the decimal point. Full simple fraction breakdown: 211111/100000

Dividing Exponents with Coefficients

In some cases, we need to divide expressions that have coefficients. These coefficients that are attached
to their bases can be divided easily in the same way as we divide any other fraction. It should be noted
that the coefficients can be divided even if the expressions have different bases.

Example: Divide 12a7 ÷ 4a2

Solution: Let us use the following steps to divide expressions with coefficients. In this case, 12 and 4 are
the coefficients and the rest are variables.

 First, we rewrite the expression as a fraction, that is, 12a7/ 4a2.

 Then we divide the coefficients, that is, 12/4 = 3.

 After this step, we can apply the quotient property of exponents and solve the variable, that is,
a7/a2 = a7 - 2 = a5.

Quotient of powers

This property states that when dividing two powers with the same base, we subtract the exponents.