Business Mathematics: MGT 1123 & BPM 1133

Chapter 03

Equations

Ms. S.Thevaka
Lecturer (Prob.) in Applied Mathematics & Computing
Faculty of Business Studies
Vavuniya Campus
 Contents
1. Introduction to Equations

2. Simple Equations
• Solving simple equations
• Practical problems that lead to simple equations

3. Simultaneous Equations with two variables

• Solving simultaneous equations
• Practical problems based on simple equations

4. Quadratic Equations
• Solving simultaneous equations
• Practical problems based on simple equations
 1.Introduction to Equations

Balance Basics
To keep the scale
“balanced” the same amount
of weight must be placed on
both the left and right pan.
So if you add or remove
items from one pan you
must remove the same
amount from the other pan
to maintain balance.
 Key technique to solving equations

The same method is

used to solve equations:
 Whatever is added,
subtracted, multiplied or
divided to one side the
same must be done to the
other side to keep the
equation equal or
“balanced”.
 2. Simple Equations

An equation can be formed by making a mathematical

expression equal to another mathematical expression or a value.
Example: 2x+10-x=40-4x
y+3=8
2x(x+2)=x(x-3)-12

An equation with only one unknown term with its power raised
to 1 is called a simple equation.
Example: 5x+3=3x+6
 Solving Simple Equations

What is the value of the right

side pan?
If the scale is balanced then
what must the total value of
the left side pan be?
So if a number plus three is
equal to 7 what is the missing X + 3 7
number?
The missing number is 4.
 Practice for Simple Equations

4m = 40 27 = 6 + b
a – 9 = 27 12d = 144

7p + 5 = 40 20 – y = 30

3.1x - 0.25-1.3= 0 3(z-2) = 2(z-1)

 3.Simultaneous Equations with two
variables
In a simultaneous equations there will be more than one unknown term. The set of equations can be
considered as another forward step in simple equations.

Here we will discuss about simultaneous equations which contain only two unknown terms.
Example: x+y=10
x-y=2

But if there are two simultaneous equations which differ from one another, there will be one value for (x,y)
which can satisfy both equations. Finding of this value is called the solving of a simultaneous equation.
 Solving Simultaneous Equations by
Elimination
Previously, we learned how to solve systems of equations by
using addition or subtraction which eliminated one of the
variables.

2 x  3 y  12 This system of equations could be solved by

x  3y  6
eliminating the y variable through addition.

3 x  2 y  15 This system of equations could be solved by

3x  y  9 eliminating the x variable through
subtraction.
 Solving by Elimination

Since this system of equations can’t be solved by elimination

with addition or elimination with subtraction, how can we solve
it?
x  4 y  17 3( x  4 y )  3(17)
3x  12 y  51
3x  2 y  9
If the top equation was multiplied The new system of
by 3, then the first term would be equations is now:
3x. The bottom equation could
then be subtracted from the top 3 x  12 y  51
equation eliminating the variable x. 3x  2 y  9
 Solving by Elimination

(2) 3 x  12 y  51
Subtract the bottom equation
3x  2 y  9 from the top equation.
14 y  42
14 y 42 Solve for y.

14 14
Solve for x by substituting the
y3
value for y into one of the
3x  2 y  9 equations.
3 x  2(3)  9
3x  6  9 3 x 15

+6 +6 3 3 x5
3 x  15
 Solving by Elimination

x  4 y  17
x5 y3
3x  2 y  9
Substitute the value of the variables into each equation to
determine if the solution is correct.
x  4 y  17 3x  2 y  9
5  4(3)  17 3(5)  2(3)  9
5  12  17 15  6  9 
17  17  99
This system of equations represents two lines which intersect at
the point (5,3).
 Solving by Elimination

x  4 y  17 Previously, we solved this system of

equations by multiplying the top equation by
3x  2 y  9
3 and then used elimination by subtraction.
Could we have used a different factor for the
multiplication?
We could have multiplied the bottom equation by 2 to get
6 x  4 y  18
The system of equations would then become
Elimination by addition would then be used
x  4 y  17 to solve this system of equations. The result
6 x  4 y  18 should be the same. Try it and see.
 Summary of Steps
1. Arrange the equations with like terms in columns.
2. Multiply one or both equations by an appropriate factor
so that the new coefficients of x or y have the same
absolute value.
3. Add or subtract the equations and solve for the remaining
variable.
4. Substitute the value for that variable into one of the
equations and solve for the value of the other variable.
5. Check the solution in each of the original equations.
 You Try It
Solve the following systems of equations by using elimination.

1. 4 x  3 y  12
x  2 y  14

2. 16 x  8 y  12
12 x  6 y  9

3.  2x  4 y  3
3x  6 y  8
 4.Quadratic Equations

A quadratic equation is an equation

equivalent to an equation of the type
ax2 + bx + c = 0, where a is nonzero
We can solve a quadratic equation by
factoring and using The Principle of Zero
Products
If ab = 0, then either a = 0, b = 0, or both a
and b = 0.
 Ex: Solve (4t + 1)(3t – 5) = 0

Notice the equation as given is of the form ab = 0

 set each factor equal to 0 and solve
4t + 1 = 0
Subtract 1
4t = – 1
Divide by 4
t=–¼
Add 5
3t – 5 = 0
Divide by 3
3t = 5
t = 5/3
Solution: t = - ¼ and 5/3  t = {- ¼, 5/3}
 Ex: Solve x2 + 7x + 6 = 0
Quadratic equation  factor the left hand side (LHS)

x2 + 7x + 6 = (x + 6 )(x + 1 )

 x2 + 7x + 6 = (x + 6)(x + 1) = 0
Now the equation as given is of the form ab = 0
 set each factor equal to 0 and solve
x+6=0 x+1=0
x=–6 x=–1

Solution: x = - 6 and – 1  x = {-6, -1}

  12y2 – 5y – 2 = 0
 12y2 – 5y – 2 = (3y - 2)(4y + 1) = 0

Now the equation as given is of the form ab = 0

 set each factor equal to 0 and solve

3y – 2 = 0 4y + 1 = 0

3y = 2 4y = – 1
y = 2/3 y=–¼

Solution: y = 2/3 and – ¼  y = {2/3, - ¼ }

 Ex: Solve 5x2 = 6x
Quadratic equation but not of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0

Subtract 6x  5x – 6x = 0
2

Quadratic equation  factor the left hand side (LHS)

5x2 – 6x = x( 5x – 6)

 5x2 – 6x = x(5x – 6) = 0
Now the equation as given is of the form ab = 0
 set each factor equal to 0 and solve
5x – 6 = 0
x=0
5x = 6
x = 6/5
Solution: x = 0 and 6/5  x = {0, 6/5}
 Solving by taking square roots
An alternate method of solving a quadratic
equation is using the Principle of Taking the
Square Root of Each Side of an Equation
If x2 = a, then
x=+ a
Ex: Solve by taking square roots 3x2 – 36 = 0

First, isolate x2: 3x2 – 36 = 0

3x2 = 36
x2 = 12
Now take the square root of both sides:

x  12
2

x   12
x   223
x2 3
 Ex: Solve by taking square roots 4(z – 3)2 = 100
First, isolate the squared factor:

4(z – 3)2 = 100

(z – 3)2 = 25
Now take the square root of both sides:

(z  3)  25
2

z  3   25
z–3=+5
z=3+5

 z = 3 + 5 = 8 and z = 3 – 5 = – 2
Ex: Solve by taking square roots 5(x + 5)2 – 75 = 0

First, isolate the squared factor:

5(x + 5)2 = 75
(x + 5)2 = 15
Now take the square root of both sides:
2
( x  5 )  15
x  5   15
x  5  15
x  5  15 , x  5  15
 Completing the Square

Recall from factoring that a Perfect-Square

Trinomial is the square of a binomial:
Perfect square Trinomial Binomial Square
x2 + 8x + 16 (x + 4)2
x2 – 6x + 9 (x – 3)2
The square of half of the coefficient of x equals
the constant term:
( ½ * 8 )2 = 16
[½ (-6)]2 = 9
 Completing the Square

Write the equation in the form x 2 + bx = c

Add to each side of the equation [½(b)] 2
Factor the perfect-square trinomial
x2 + bx + [½(b)] 2 = c + [½(b)]2
Take the square root of both sides of the
equation
Solve for x
 Ex: Solve w2 + 6w + 4 = 0 by completing the square

First, rewrite the equation with the constant on one side

of the equals and a lead coefficient of 1.

w2 + 6w
6 =–4

Add [½(b)]2 to both sides: b = 6  [½(6)]2 = 32 = 9

w2 + 6w + 9 = – 4 + 9
w2 + 6w + 9 = 5
(w + 3)2 = 5

Now take the square root of both sides

( w  3)  5
2

w 3  5
w  3  5
w  {3  5,3  5}
 Ex: Solve 2r2 = 3 – 5r by completing the square

First, rewrite the equation with the constant on one

side of the equals and a lead coefficient of 1.

2r2 + 5r = 3  r2 + (5/2)r
(5/2)= (3/2)

Add [½(b)]2 to both sides: b = 5/2 [½(5/2)]2 = (5/4)2

=
r + (5/2)r + 25/16 = (3/2) + 25/16
2
25/16
r2 + (5/2)r + 25/16 = 24/16 + 25/16
(r + 5/4)2 = 49/16
Now take the square root of both sides
 (r  5 / 4)  49 / 16
2

r  5 / 4   ( 7 / 4)
r  (5 / 4)  (7 / 4)
r = - (5/4) + (7/4) = 2/4 = ½

and r = - (5/4) - (7/4) = -12/4 = - 3

r = { ½ , - 3}
 The Quadratic Formula
Consider a quadratic equation of the form ax 2
+ bx + c = 0 for a nonzero
Completing the square
ax  bx   c
2

b c
x  x2

a a
b b c 2
b 2

x  x
2
 
a 4a a 4a 2 2
 The Quadratic Formula
b b 4ac
2
b 2

x  x
2
 
a 4a 4a 4a
2 2 2

b  b  4ac
2


2

x  
 2a  4a 2

Solutions to ax2 + bx + c = 0 for a nonzero are

 b  b  4ac 2

x
2a
 Ex: Use the Quadratic Formula to solve x2 + 7x + 6 = 0
1 7 6

Recall: For quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0, the

solutions to a quadratic equation are given by

 b  b 2  4ac
x
2a
Identify a, b, and c in ax2 + bx + c = 0:

a= 1 b= 7 c= 6

Now evaluate the quadratic formula at the identified values

of a, b, and c
  7  7 2  4(1)(6)
x
2(1)
 7  49  24
x
2
 7  25
x
2
75
x
2

x = ( - 7 + 5)/2 = - 1 and x = (-7 – 5)/2 = - 6

x = { - 1, - 6 }
 Ex: Use the Quadratic Formula to solve
2m2 + m – 10 = 0
2 1 – 10
Recall: For quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0, the
solutions to a quadratic equation are given by

 b  b 2  4ac
m
2a
Identify a, b, and c in am2 + bm + c = 0:

a= 2 b= 1 c = - 10

Now evaluate the quadratic formula at the identified values

of a, b, and c
  1  12  4(2)(10)
m
2( 2 )
 1  1  80
m
4
 1  81
m
4
1 9
m
4

m = ( - 1 + 9)/4 = 2 and m = (-1 – 9)/4 = - 5/2

m = { 2, - 5/2 }