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Mathematics A - Lecture 4 - Equations

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15 views6 pages

Mathematics A - Lecture 4 - Equations

Uploaded by

Cristinel Ticu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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London South Bank University

The School of Built Environment and Architecture

Mathematics A Equations Lecture 4

Objectives:
• Learn how to solve linear equations
• Learn how to solve quadratic equations
• Learn how to solve simultaneous equations

1. Equation
An equation states the equality of two mathematical expressions. Solving an equation consists
of calculating the values of the unknown variables that verify the equality.

1.1. Linear equations


A linear equation is an equation of the form:
𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏 = 0
where 𝑎𝑎 and 𝑏𝑏 are known numbers and 𝑥𝑥 is the unknown variable. Consider the following:
4𝑥𝑥 + 12 = 0
to solve, first subtract 12 from both sides of the equation:
4𝑥𝑥 + 12 − 12 = −12 ⇔ 4𝑥𝑥 = −12
then divide both sides by 4:
4𝑥𝑥 −12
= ⇔ 𝑥𝑥 = −3
4 4
so the solution to this equation is -3.

Ex. 1 – Solve each linear equation


a) 52 = 2𝑥𝑥 + 6𝑥𝑥 − 4 b) 21 = 5𝑥𝑥 + 3𝑥𝑥 + 5
c) −9 + 7𝑥𝑥 + 𝑥𝑥 = 7 d) 7𝑥𝑥 + 3 + 4𝑥𝑥 = 25
e) 5 − 3𝑥𝑥 + 𝑥𝑥 = 19 f) 6 + 6𝑥𝑥 + 𝑥𝑥 = 13
g) 𝑥𝑥 + 8 + 6𝑥𝑥 = 50 h) 8 − 𝑥𝑥 − 3𝑥𝑥 = −4
i) −3 + 7𝑥𝑥 + 7𝑥𝑥 = 53 j) 2𝑥𝑥 + 1 + 2𝑥𝑥 = −43
k) 6 + 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑥𝑥 = 4 l) 24 = 5𝑥𝑥 + 4𝑥𝑥 + 6
m) 18 = 3𝑥𝑥 + 4𝑥𝑥 − 3 n) −7𝑥𝑥 + 7 + 2𝑥𝑥 = −23
o) 2𝑥𝑥 + 1 − 𝑥𝑥 = −2 p) 2𝑥𝑥 + 4 + 5𝑥𝑥 = 88
In some situations, check if a given number is a solution might be more convenient than solving
the equation. This is achieved by substituting the candidate solution into the unknown
variables and verify if the equality remains true. For example, check if 𝑥𝑥 = 4 and 𝑥𝑥 = 2 are
solutions to this equation:
3𝑥𝑥 − 2 = 10
𝑥𝑥 = 4 is a solution because:
3 × 4 − 2 = 10 ⇔ 10 = 10
is a truthful statement.
𝑥𝑥 = 2 is not solution because:
3 × 2 − 2 = 10 ⇔ 4 = 10
is a false statement.
At the end of solving an equation, the solution process can be verified by checking if the
outcome is indeed a solution to the initial equation.

Ex. 2 – Solve the linear equations and check the solution


Ex. 3 – Solve the linear equations and check the solution

Ex. 4 – Solve the linear equations and check the solution:


1.2. Quadratic equations
A quadratic equation is an equation of the form:
𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐 = 0
where 𝑎𝑎 and 𝑏𝑏 and 𝑐𝑐 are known numbers and 𝑥𝑥 is the unknown variable.
The solutions to this equation can be found using the quadratic formula:
−𝑏𝑏 ± √𝑏𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
𝑥𝑥 =
2𝑎𝑎
Consider the following:
3𝑥𝑥 2 + 5𝑥𝑥 + 2 = 0
The quadratic formula is written as:
−5 ± √52 − 4 × 3 × 2
𝑥𝑥 = ⇔
2×3
−5 ± √1 −5 ± 1
𝑥𝑥 = ⇔ 𝑥𝑥 = ⇔
6 6
𝑥𝑥1 = −1 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥2 = −2/3
where 𝑥𝑥1 and 𝑥𝑥2 are the solutions to the initial equation.

Ex. 5 – Solve the quadratic equations:


1.3. Simultaneous equations
If an equation has two unknowns, such as 2𝑦𝑦 + 𝑥𝑥 = 20, it cannot have unique solutions. Two
unknowns require two equations which are solved at the same time (simultaneously).
There are two methods to solve simultaneous equations:

1) Method of elimination:
This method consists of eliminating one of the variables by adding or subtracting multiples of
both the equations. Consider the following simultaneous equations:
3𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 36
�
5𝑥𝑥 + 4𝑦𝑦 = 64
The variable 𝑦𝑦 can be eliminated by multiplying the first equation by 2 and then subtracting
the second equation, as follows:
2(3𝑥𝑥+2𝑦𝑦=36) 6𝑥𝑥+4𝑦𝑦=72
−(5𝑥𝑥+4𝑦𝑦=64) −(5𝑥𝑥+4𝑦𝑦=64)
⇔ ⇔ 𝑥𝑥=8
𝑥𝑥+0𝑦𝑦=8
After finding the value 𝑥𝑥, the value 𝑦𝑦 can be found using one of the two original equations, as
follows:
3 × 8 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 36 ⇔ 5 × 8 + 4𝑦𝑦 = 64 ⇔
2𝑦𝑦 = 36 − 24 ⇔ 𝑦𝑦 = 6 4𝑦𝑦 = 64 − 40 ⇔ 𝑦𝑦 = 6

2) Method of substitution:
This method consists of first isolating a variable in one of the equations and substitute in the
other equation. Consider the following simultaneous equations:
𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 8
�
2𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦 = 1
The variable 𝑦𝑦 can be isolated in the second equation and then is substituted in the first
equation, as follows:
𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 8 𝑥𝑥 + 2(2𝑥𝑥 − 1) = 8
� ⇔ �
𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 1 𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 1
At this stage, the first equation can be solved for 𝑥𝑥 and then the second equation can be solved
for 𝑦𝑦 as follows:
𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 8 𝑥𝑥 + 2(2𝑥𝑥 − 1) = 8 𝑥𝑥 + 4𝑥𝑥 − 2 = 8 𝑥𝑥 = 2 𝑥𝑥 = 2
� ⇔ � ⇔� ⇔� ⇔�
𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 1 𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 1 − 𝑦𝑦 = 2 × 2 − 1 𝑦𝑦 =3
Ex. 6 – Solve the system of two linear equations and check the solution:

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