Chapter 1

Introduction to Real
Numbers and
Algebraic
Expressions
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO ALGEBRA

a. Evaluate algebraic expressions by

substitution.
b. Translate phrases to algebraic
expressions.
Algebraic Expressions

An algebraic expression consists of variables,

numerals, and operation signs.
5 a x
x + 38 19 – y y

When we replace a variable with a number, we say that

we are substituting for the variable.

This process is called evaluating the expression.

Algebraic Expressions

Sometimes a letter can represent various numbers. In

that case, we call the letter a variable.
Let a = your age.
a is a variable since a changes from year to year.

Sometimes a letter can stand for just one number.

In that case, we call the letter a constant.
Let b = your date of birth.
Then b is a constant.
 Example
x x
1) Evaluate and for x = 72 and y = 8.
y y
Solution
We substitute 72 for x and 8 for y:
x 72  x 72
 9  9
y 8  y 8

2) Evaluate x + y for x = 38 and y = 62.

Solution
We substitute 38 for x and 62 for y.
x + y = 38 + 62 = 100
Translating to Algebraic Expressions
Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
added to subtracted from multiplied by divided by

sum of difference of product of quotient of

plus minus times divided into

more than less than twice ratio of

increased by decreased by of per

Translate each phrase to an algebraic expression.
Phrase Algebraic Expression
Eight more than some number x + 8, or 8 + x
One-fourth of a number 1 x
x, , or x / 4
4 4

Two more than four times some number 4x + 2, or 2 + 4x

Eight less than some number n–8
Five less than the product of two numbers ab – 5
Twenty-five percent of some number 0.25n
Seven less than three times some number 3w – 7
1.2 THE REAL NUMBERS
a. State the integer that corresponds to a real-world
situation.
b. Graph rational numbers on the number line.
c. Convert from fraction notation to decimal notation
for a rational number.
d. Determine which of two real numbers is greater
and indicate which, using < or >; given an
inequality like a > b, write another inequality with
the same meaning. Determine whether an
inequality like 3  5 is true or false.
e. Find the absolute value of a number.
Natural Numbers
The set of natural numbers = {1, 2, 3, …}.
These are the numbers used for counting.

Whole Numbers
The set of whole numbers = {0, 1, 2, 3, …}.
This is the set of natural numbers with 0
included.

Integers
The set of integers = {…, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …}.
Integers
Integers consist of the whole numbers and their
opposites.
0, neither positive nor negative
Negative Positive
integers integers

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Opposites

Integers to the left of zero on the number line are called

negative integers and those to the right of zero are
called positive integers. Zero is neither positive nor
negative and serves as its own opposite.
Rational Numbers
The set of rational numbers = the set of
a
numbers b , where a and b are integers and b is
not equal to 0 (b  0).
Decimal notation for rational numbers either
terminates or repeats.
Decimal notation for irrational numbers
neither terminates nor repeats.

Real Numbers
The set of real numbers = The set of all
numbers corresponding to points on the number
line.
 Positive
Integers: 1, 2, 3,
…

Integers Zero: 0

Negative
Rational
integers: -1, -2, -
numbers
3, …

Rational numbers that

Real
numbers are not integers: 2/3, -
4/5, 19/-5, -7/8, 8.2,

Irrational numbers: pi, square roots,

5.363663666…
The symbol < means “is less than,”
4 < 8 is read “4 is less than 8.”
The symbol > means “is greater than,”
6 > 9 is read “6 is greater than 9.”
a < b also has the meaning b > a.

Write another inequality with the same meaning.

a. 4 > 10
b. c < 7
Solution
a. The inequality 10 < 4 has the same meaning.

b. The inequality 7 > c has the same meaning.

 5 units from 0 5 units from 0

Absolute Value
The absolute value of a number is its distance
from zero on a number line. We use the symbol
|x| to represent the absolute value of a number x.
1.3 ADDITION of REAL NUMBERS

a. Add real numbers without using

a number line.
b. Find the opposite, or additive
inverse, of a real number.
c. Solve applied problems
involving addition of real
numbers.
Rules for Addition of Real Numbers
1. Positive numbers: Add the same as arithmetic
numbers. The answer is positive.
2. Negative numbers: Add absolute values. The answer is
negative.
3. A positive and a negative number: Subtract the smaller
absolute value from the larger. Then:
a) If the positive number has the greater absolute value,
the answer is positive.
b) If the negative number has the greater absolute
value, the answer is negative.
c) If the numbers have the same absolute value, the
answer is 0.
4. One number is zero: The sum is the other number.
 Example
Add.
1. 4 + (6) = 2. 12 + (9) =
3. 8 + 5 = 4. 7 + 5 =

Solution
Think: The absolute values are 4 and 6. The
1. 4 + (6) = 2 difference is 2. Since the negative number
has the larger absolute value, the answer is
2. 12 + (9) = 3 negative, 2.
3. 8 + 5 = 3
4. 7 + 5 = 2
Opposites, or Additive Inverses
Two numbers whose sum is 0 are called
opposites, or additive inverses, of each other.

For any real number a, the opposite, or additive

inverse, of a, expressed as a, is such that
a + (a) = a + a = 0.
 Example

Find the opposite, or additive inverse, of each number.

1. 52 2. 12 3. 0 4.  4
5
Solution
1. 52 The opposite of 52 is 52 because 52 + (52) = 0
2. 12 The opposite of 12 is 12 because 12 + 12 = 0
3. 0 The opposite of 0 is 0 because 0 + 0 = 0

4 4 4 4
4. 4 
The opposite of is because
5 5
  0
5 5
5
1.4 SUBTRACTION of REAL NUMBERS

a. Subtract real numbers and

simplify combinations of
additions and subtractions.
b. Solve applied problems
involving subtraction of real
numbers.
 Example

Subtract.
1. 3 – 7 = 2. –5 – 9 3. –4 – (–10)

Solution
The opposite of 7 is –7. We change
1. 3 – 7 = 3 + (–7) the subtraction to addition and add
= –4 the opposite. Instead of subtracting
7, we add –7.

2. –5 – 9 = –5 + (– 9)
= –14

3. –4 – (–10) = –4 + 10
= 6
1.5 MULTIPLICATION of REAL NUMBERS

a. Multiply real numbers.

b. Solve applied problems
involving multiplication of real
numbers.
The Product of Two Negative Numbers
To multiply two negative numbers, multiply their absolute values. The
answer is positive.
To multiply two nonzero real numbers:
a) Multiply the absolute values.
b) If the signs are the same, the answer is positive.
c) If the signs are different, the answer is negative.

The Multiplication Property of Zero

For any real number a,
a  0 = 0  a.
(The product of 0 and any real number is 0.)
The product of an even number of negative numbers is positive.

The product of an odd number of negative numbers is negative.

 Example

Multiply.
1. 9  3(4) 2. 6  (3)  (4)  (7)

Solution
Multiplying the first two numbers
1. 9  3(4) = 27(4)
Multiplying the results
= 108

Each pair of negatives gives

2. 6  (3)  (4)  (7) = 18  28 a positive product.
= 504
1.6 DIVISION of REAL NUMBERS

a. Divide integers.
b. Find the reciprocal of a real number.
c. Divide real numbers.
d. Solve applied problems involving
multiplication and division of real
numbers.
Division
a
The quotient a  b or , where b  0, is
b
that unique real number c for which
a = b  c.
 Example
Divide, if possible. Check each answer.
45
1. 15  (3) 2.
5

Solution
Think: What number multiplied by –3 gives
1. 15  (3) = 5 15? The number is –5. Check: (–3)(–5) = 15.

45 Think: What number multiplied by –5 gives

2.  9 45? The number is –9. Check: (–5)(–9) = 45.
5
To multiply or divide two real numbers (where the
divisor is nonzero):
a) Multiply or divide the absolute values.
b) If the signs are the same, the answer is positive.
c) If the signs are different, the answer is negative.

Excluding Division by 0 a
Division by zero is not defined: a  0, or 0 , is not
defined for all real numbers a.
Dividends of 0
Zero divided by any nonzero real number
is 0:
0
 0, a  0.
a

Reciprocals
Two numbers whose product is 1 are called
reciprocals, or multiplicative inverses, of
each other.
Properties of Reciprocals
For a  0, the reciprocal of a can be named
1 1
a
and the reciprocal of is a.
a
The reciprocal of any nonzero real number
a b
can be named .
b a
The number 0 has no reciprocal.

The Sign of a Reciprocal

The reciprocal of a number has the same
sign as the number itself.
 Opposite Reciprocal
Number (Change the (Invert but do not
sign.) change the sign.)
3 3 4
 
4 4 3
25 25 1
25
23 23 3

3 3 23
8.5 1 10
8.5  or 
8.5 85
0 0 Undefined
1.7 PROPERTIES OF REAL NUMBERS
a. Find equivalent fraction expressions and
simplify fraction expressions.
b. Use the commutative and associative laws
to find equivalent expressions.
c. Use the distributive laws to multiply
expressions like 8 and x – y.
d. Use the distributive law to factor
expressions like 4x – 12 + 24y.
e. Collect like terms.
Equivalent Expressions
Two expressions that have the same value for all
allowable replacements are called equivalent.
The Identity Property of 0
For any real number a
a+0=0+a= a
(The number 0 is the additive identity.)

The Identity Property of 1

For any real number a
a1=1a=a
(The number 1 is the multiplicative identity.)
The Commutative Laws
For any numbers a, b, and c,
a(b + c) = ab + ac.
a(b  c) = ab  ac.
The Associative Laws
Addition: For any numbers a, b, and c,
a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c.
Multiplication. For any numbers a, b, and c,
a (b c) = (a b) c
The Distributive Law of Multiplication
Addition: For any numbers a, and b,
a + b = b + a.
Multiplication. For any numbers a and b,
ab = ba
 Example

Use the distributive law to write an expression

equivalent to each of the following:
1. 8(a – b) 2. (b – 7)c 3. –5(x – 3y + 2z)

Solution
1. 8(a – b) = 8a – 8b

2. (b – 7)c = c(b – 7)
= c b – c  7
= cb – 7c
continued

3. –5(x – 3y + 2z) = –5  x – (–5  3)y + (–5  2)z

= –5x – (–15)y + (–10)z
= –5x + 15y – 10z
A term is a number, a variable, a product of numbers
and/or variables, or a quotient of two numbers and/or
variables.

Terms are separated by addition signs. If there are

subtraction signs, we can find an equivalent expression
that uses addition signs.

The process of collecting like terms is based on the

distributive laws.
Like Terms

Terms in which the variable factors are exactly the

same, such as 9x and –5x, are called like, or similar
terms.

Like Terms Unlike Terms

7x and 8x 8y and 9y2

3xy and 9xy 5ab and 4ab2

 SIMPLIFYING EXPRESSION; ORDER OF
1.8 OPERATIONS

a. Find an equivalent expression for an

opposite without parentheses, where
an expression has several terms.
b. Simplify expressions by removing
parentheses and collecting like terms.
c. Simplify expressions with parentheses
inside parentheses.
d. Simplify expressions using rules from
order of operations.
The Property of 1
For any real number a,
1  a = a
(Negative one times a is the opposite,
or additive inverse, of a.)
 Example

Find an equivalent expression without parentheses.

(4x + 5y + 2)
Solution
(4x + 5y + 2) = 1(4x + 5y + 2) Using the property of 1
= 1(4x) + 1(5y) + 1(2)
= 4x – 5y – 2 Using a distributive law
Using the property of 1
 Example

Remove parentheses and simplify.

(3a + 4b – 8) – 3(–6a – 7b + 14)

Solution
(3a + 4b – 8) – 3(–6a – 7b + 14)
= 3a + 4b – 8 + 18a + 21b – 42
= 21a + 25b – 50
 Example

Simplify.
a. 5(3 + 4) – {8 – [5 – (9 + 6)]}
b. [6(x + 3) – 4x] – [4(y + 3) – 8(y – 4)]
Solution
a. 5(3 + 4) – {8 – [5 – (9 + 6)]}
= 5(7) – {8 – [5 – 15]}
= 35 – {8 – [ –10]} Computing 5(7) and 5 – 15
= 35 – 18 Computing 8 – [–10]
= 17
b. [6(x + 3) – 4x] – [4(y + 3) – 8(y – 4)]
= [6x + 18 – 4x] – [4y + 12 – 8y + 32]

= [2x + 18] – [4y + 44] Collecting like terms within brackets

= 2x + 18 + 4y – 44 Removing brackets

= 2x + 4y – 26 Collecting like terms

Rules for Order of Operations
1. Do all calculations within grouping symbols
before operations outside.
2. Evaluate all exponential expressions.
3. Do all multiplications and divisions in order from
left to right.
4. Do all additions and subtractions in order from
left to right.