UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA

INSTITUTE OF DISTANCE & CONTINUING EDUCATION (IDCE)

MAT 0123 - PROFICIENCY IN MATHEMATICS
REVIEW OF ARITHMETIC NOTES LECTURER: Mr. SHAFEAK GHANIE

The Real Number System

Real numbers ( can be thought of as points on an infinitely long line called the number line or
real line. The collection of these points can be viewed as a large set of numbers with a number of
subsets. Can you remember the following subsets of the real numbers and their elements?

Natural Numbers (

Whole Numbers ( )

Integers ( )

Rational Numbers ( )

Irrational Numbers (

Try to show the relationship among these sets on perhaps a Venn Diagram or using Set Notation.

There are a few more subsets of ; can you recall the following?

Even Numbers

Odd Numbers

Prime Numbers

Composite Numbers

There are two numbers that are very special – 0 and 1

Can you say what is special about these two numbers?

Real Number Axioms

Are you familiar with the real number axioms such as associativity, commutativity, the
distributive law, the law of closure etc? Here is a summary of some of them:

Let a,b and c denotes real numbers.

(1) The Commutative Properties

(a) (b)
The commutative properties says that the order in which we either add or multiplication real number
doesn’t matter.

(2) The Associative Properties

(a) (b)
The associative properties tells us that the way real numbers are grouped when they are either
added or multiplied doesn’t matter. Because of the associative properties, expressions such as
and makes sense without parentheses.

(3) The Distributive Properties

(a) (b)
The distributive properties can be used to expand a product into a sum, such
as or the other way around, to rewrite a sum as
product:

(4) The Identity Properties

(a) (b)
We call the additive identity and the multiplicative identity for the real numbers.

(5) The Inverse Properties

(a) For each real number , there is real number , called the additive inverse of ,

such that

(b) For each real number , there is a real number , called the multiplicative

inverse of , such that

Although the additive inverse of , namely , is usually called the negative of , you must be
careful because isn’t necessarily a negative number. For instance, if , then

. Notice that the multiplicative inverse is assumed to exist if . The real

number is also called the reciprocal of and is often written as .

Example:
State one basic algebraic property of the real numbers to justify each statement:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)

(g) If , then
Solution:
(a) Commutative Property for addition
(b) Associative Property for addition
(c) Commutative Property for multiplication
(d) Distributive Property
(e) Additive Inverse Property
(f) Multiplicative Identity Property
(g) Multiplicative Inverse Property

Many of the important properties of the real numbers can be derived as results of the basic
properties, although we shall not do so here. Among the more important derived properties are
the following.

(6) The Cancellation Properties:

(a) If then,
(b) If and , then
 (7) The Zero-Factor Properties:
(a)
(b) If , then or (or both)

(8) Properties of Negation:

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

Subtraction and Division:

Let and be real numbers,
(a) The difference is defined by

(b) The quotient or ratio or is defined only if . If , then

by definition
It may be noted that Division by zero is not allowed.
When is written in the form , it is called a fraction with numerator and
denominator . Although the denominator can’t be zero, there’s nothing wrong with having a

zero in the numerator. In fact, if ,

(9) The Negative of a Fraction:

If , then

Alternative Consideration of the Axioms of Real Numbers

The axioms for real numbers are classified as under:

(1) Extend Axiom
(2) Field Axiom
(3) Order Axiom
(4) Completeness Axiom
Here is the field classification of real numbers:

Field Axiom:
Real numbers are combined by means of two fundamental operations which are well
known as addition and multiplication. The axioms these operations obey are given below as the
laws of computation.

Addition Axioms:

Closure Law: The set is closed under addition operation. This means that the sum or
addition of any two real numbers, i.e. .

Associative Law: Addition operation in is associative.

.

Existence of additive identity: There is a real number (zero) such that

, .

Existence of additive inverse: Corresponding to each there exist a real number

such that
Additive inverses are most commonly known as negative. The real numbers above is
called the negative of and written as . Since , therefore is the negative of itself,
i.e. .

Commutative Law: Addition operation in is commutative, i.e.

Multiplication Axioms:

Closure Law: The set is closed under multiplication operation. This means that the
multiply of any two real numbers, i.e. .

Associative Law: Multiplication operation in is associative.

.

Existence of multiplicative identity: There is a real number (one) such that

, .
 Existence of multiplicative inverse: Corresponding to each there exist a real
number such that
Multiplicative inverses are most commonly known as inverses. The real numbers above
is called the inverse or reciprocal of and written as or etc. Since , therefore
is the inverse of itself, i.e. .

Commutative Law: Multiplication operation in is commutative, i.e.

Distributive Laws: It states that multiplication is distributive over addition operation,

i.e. (Right Distributive Law)
i.e. (Left Distributive Law)

In view of addition axioms, multiplication axioms and distributive laws the set of real numbers
is called a Field. The set of rational numbers is also a field.
Algebraic Manipulation

Review of Directed Numbers/Arithmetic of Negaive and Positive Numbers

Many of the numbers we use represent situations which have directions as well as size
The numbers which have a direction and a size are called directed numbers.
Once a direction is chosen as positive (+), the opposite direction is taken as negative (-).
For example:
If above zero degrees is positive (+), then below zero degrees is negative.
If north is positive (+), then south is negative (-).
If profit is positive (+), then loss is negative (-).
Directed numbers are used in Mathematics, Engineering, Business and the Sciences.
For example: -15, 8, 100, -100, -3.5, 0.33, -0.75 are directed numbers.
In the above example -15, 8, 100, -100 are called integers.
When writing positive numbers you can leave the positive sign and just write the number.
eg. +8 as 8

If a directed number’s magnitude is a whole number, it is called an integer.

Examples

Addition of Directed Numbers

Let's consider -3 + (+ 4)
In this problem + and + signs are side by side; there is no number in between them.
So the two positive signs which are side by side give a positive sign.
Remember this,

Two like signs give a positive sign

++ = +

-3 + (+ 4 ) = - 3 + 4
= 1

When the signs are different as in this case, find the difference and keep the sign of the
number with the greater magnitude.

Let's consider - 3 + (- 4)
In this problem positive (+) and negative (-) signs are side by side without a number in
between them. Two unlike signs which are side by side gives a negative (-) sign.

Remember this:
 Two unlike signs give a negative sign.
+- = -

-3 + (- 4 ) = -3 - 4
= -7

When the signs are the same as in this case, find the sum of the numbers and keep the
sign.

Subtraction of Directed Numbers

Let's consider -3 – (- 4)
In this problem the middle negative(-ve) signs are side by side without a number in
between them. So the like signs which are side by side, always give a positive sign.

-3 – (- 4 ) = -3 + 4 = 1

Let's consider -3 – (+ 4)
In this problem negative(-ve) and positive(+ve) signs are side by side without a number
in between them.
That is two unlike signs are side by side, which gives a negative(-ve) sign.

-3 – (+ 4 ) = -3 - 4 = -7

Multiplication of Directed Numbers

Let's consider -3 × (-4)

When multiplying directed numbers

Two like signs always give a positive(+ve) sign

Two unlike signs always give a negative(-ve) sign

(-ve) × (-ve) = (+ve)

-3 × -4 = 12
 -3 × +4 = -12

(-ve) × (+ve) = (-ve)

Dividing directed numbers

When dividing directed numbers

Two like signs always give a positive(+ve) sign

Two unlike signs always give a negative(-ve) sign

Let's consider -3 ÷ (-4 )

Two like signs give a positive sign

Let's look at this problem.

-8 + (6 × (-3) - 2) ÷ (-4) – (-8 )
In this problem you can see all different operations, when we have more than one
operation we have to follow the order of operations.
ie. 1. Brackets
2. Division or multiplication from left to right
3. Addition or subtraction from left to right

Let's do the brackets first (6 × (-3) - 2), inside this bracket you can see the
multiplication and the subtraction signs. Remember the order, we have to do
multiplication first and then the subtraction

O.K 6 × (-3) = - 18 (multiplying two unlike signs,gives a negative sign.)

Then we subtract 2
(6 × (-3) - 2) = -18 -2 = -20
Now our problem
-8 + (6 × (-3) - 2) ÷ (-4) – (-8) = -8 + (-20) ÷ (-4) – (-8)
What's next?, addition,subtraction or division.
Remember the order, division comes before addition and subtraction.
O.K -20 ÷ (-4 ) = +5 (dividing two like signs, gives a positive sign.)
Now our problem
-8 + (6 × (-3) - 2) ÷ (-4 )- (-8)
= -8 + (-20) ÷ (-4 )- (-8 )
= -8 + +5 - -8(two like signs without a number in between them gives a positive sign)
= -8 + 5 + 8 now we are left with only addition and subtraction signs,so we can work
out this problem from left to right.
= -3 + 8
= 5

Have a Go

Problem 1 Problem 2

(a) 6 +(+10) (a) 5 + (- 18) – (- 9)

(b) 5 – (-3) (b) 23 - (5 – (- 7))

(c) -4 × (-6) (c) 5 × (- 4) +( - 8)

(d) +6 ÷ (-2) (d) -25 ÷[5 ×-2 -(-3 × 5)]

Solution 1
(a) 6 + (+10) = 6 + 10 ( + + = +, Two like signs give a +)
= 16

(b) 5 - -3 = 5+3 ( - - = +, Two like signs give a +)

= 8

(c) -4 × - 6 = + 24 [(-) × (-) = +]

= 24

(d) + 6 ÷ -2 = - 3 [(+) ÷ (-) = - ]

Solution 2
(a) 5 + - 18 - - 9 = 5 - 18 + 9 (+ - = - , - - = +, left to right )
= -13 + 9
 =-4

(b) 23 - (5- (-7)) = 23 -(5 + 7)

(first, operations inside the brackets, - - = +)
= 23 -(12) ( then the brackets )
= 11

(c) 5 × (- 4) + ( -8) = -20 + (-8 )(remember the order, first × before +)

= - 20 - 8 (+ - = -)
= -28

(d) -25 ÷ [ 5 × (-2) -(-3 ×5) ]

( In this problem, ( )brackets are inside the [ ] brackets, so first you have to do the
inside brackets and then the outside brackets.)
= - 25 ÷ [5 × -2 -( -15)] ( -3 ×5 = -15 )
= - 25 ÷ [ -10 - (-15) ] (5 × -2 = -10)
= -25 ÷ [-10 + 15] (--=+)
= -25 ÷ [5]
=-5 (-÷+=-)

Substituting in Algebraic Expressions

Example

If calculate the value of

Solution:
Example

Example
Binary Operations

Here is a topic where your ability to substitute in algebraic expressions is vital

Example

An operation is defined by √ evaluate

Solution:

You will have a lot of practice in the tutorial session.

Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic Terms

Rule: Only add and subtract like algebraic terms.

Examples:

Multiplication and Division of Algebraic Terms

Examples:
The Distributive Law

The distributive law is very useful in simplifying algebraic expressions; in factorizing quadratics
and in solving equations and inequations.

Example:

Simplify the following:

Using the distributive law the brackets can be removed to obtain

which now can be simplified further to

How this can help in the solution of equations and inequations will be dealt with later.

The distributive law can be used to factorize algebraic expressions.

Example:

Factorize the following:

Solution: