Using Symbols to Represent

Numbers
 It is a normal process in algebra to translate from word statements to
algebraic statements using symbols.
 Consider the 2 numbers x and y.
 The sum of the two numbers would be x + y
 The difference of the 2 numbers would be x – y
 The product of the 2 numbers would be x × y
 The quotient of the 2 numbers would be x ÷ y or x/y
Examples
 Translate each of the following word phrases into algebraic expressions
using the symbols given:
 Five times a number x
 Seven times a number x, plus a second number y
 Six times a number x, minus a second number y
 Half times the product of x and y
 Three times the product of two numbers x and y, divided by a third number z
 The sum of the square of two numbers x and y
 The square of the sum of two numbers x and y
 The cube of the difference of two numbers x and y
 Subtract 3 from the number x
 Nine times the product of a and b, less five times a third number c
 The square of thrice a number a, take away double a second number b.
Translate from Algebraic Expressions
in Word Phrases
 7x
 9x + 7
 5x – y
 xy/2
 (x – y)2
 (2a + 3b)/4c
 ab/2 – 3c
 (3a – 4b)3
Substituting Numerals for Symbols in
Algebraic Expressions
 Substitution of a numeral for a symbol in an algebraic expression, is the
process whereby each symbol in an algebraic expression is replaced by
a given number in order to simplify and determine the particular
numerical value of the expression.
 Example: If x=2, y=-3 and z =4, calculate the value of each of the
following algebraic expressions:
 2x + y
 Z – 2y
 5x – 2y + 3z
 4x/z
Algebra Vocabulary

 Algebraic equation: 5x + 3y + 8 = 0

 Algebraic expression: 5x + 3y + 8

 Algebraic terms: 5x, 3y, 8

 Coefficient:
 5 in 5x
 3 in 3y

 Constant: 8
 The degree of a term: In some terms the variable will have an
exponent; that exponent determines the degree of that term.
 For 5x and 3y the degree is 1 in each case.
The Degree of Algebraic Terms

 3x4 + 2x3 + 3x + 2x

 The degree of 3x4 is 4

 The degree of 2x3 is 3

 The degree of 3x is 1

 The degree of 2x is 1
 Like Algebraic Terms

 The following are characteristic of like algebraic terms:

 The term is represented by the same algebraic variable
 In the expression: 5x2 + 7x4 + 2y3 -2x2 The terms 5x2 and 2x2 are
like terms.

 For the like terms, the degree of the term is the same.
 Notice that for 5x2 and 2x2 the degree is 2 (i.e. the variable in the
term is raised to the same exponential value).

 The magnitude or sign of the coefficient does not influence whether

two or more terms are alike.
 Notice that even though the coefficient in 5x 2 has a magnitude of 5
and is positive, that for 2x2 is 2 and is negative: 5x2 + 7x4 + 2y3 -2x2
Identification of Like Algebraic Terms

 Find the like algebraic terms in the following

expressions:

 8x + 5y – 4z + 9y – 3x + 13z

 18x2 – 9y2 + 13y2 – 6x2

 6a2b + 3ab2 – 2a2b – 4ab2 + 3a2b2

Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic
Terms
 Simplify the following algebraic terms:

 8x + 5y – 4z + 9y – 3x + 13z

 18x2 – 9y2 + 13y2 – 6x2

 6a2b + 3ab2 – 2a2b – 4ab2 + 3a2b2

Multiplication and Division of
Algebraic Terms
 Two or more terms are multiplied together irrespective of they
being like terms:
 The exponent rule for multiplication holds for similar variables.
 The exponent rule for division holds for similar variables.

 8x × 5y = 40xy or 40yx (multiplication is commutative)

 8x2y2 × 3x2 y2 = 24x4y4

 6a2b × 3ab2 × -2a2b = -36a5b4

Multiplication and Division of
Algebraic Terms
Simplify the following algebraic terms:
 3x × 5y
 x3 ÷ x 2
 5y × (-3y)
 6a ÷ 2b
 ½ p × 8q
 15x2y3z ÷ 3xy2
 p2q × (-2pq) × (-3p2q2)
 18p3q4 ÷ (-3pq2)
 4p2q3 × 3p3q
The Distributive Law
Sometimes it is necessary to group terms together when they cannot be
added or subtracted and it becomes necessary to insert brackets for the
grouping aspect(as in factorization by grouping). We also apply the
distributive law to remove brackets in algebraic expressions.

(a+b)x = x(a + b) = ax + bx where a and b are real numbers and x is a

variable.

 Consider the following  3(x + y) + 5(x+y)

examples. Remove the  4(3x-2y) + 3(4x – 3y)
brackets and simplify:  7(x+y) -4(x-y)
 5(x+y)
 8(5x-2y) -3(4x-3y)
 3(5x – 2y)
 ½ (2x-1) - ¼ (x-1)
 -7(a + b)
 -8(3a – 2b)
Factorization
We factorize an algebraic expression by expressing it as the product of
some of its factors.

Factorizing using the Factorizing using the HCF

Distributive Law Method Method
 ax + bx = (a + b)x= x(a + b)  Determine the HCF of the following
 x and (a+b) are considered sets of algebraic terms:
factors of ax + bx  81x4y3 – 27x3y2
 Factorize the following algebraic  10x3y2 + 5x2y5 -15xy3
expressions:
 r2s/9p - r3s4/3p3 + r4s5q/27p2
 5x + 5y
 64a2 – 8a
 25x – 10
 -49p2 + 7p
Finding the HCF of a set of algebraic
terms
 Determine the HCF of the following sets of algebraic
terms:
 a2b4c3, a3b2c4d3, a4b3c5d4
 x2y3z5, x3y3z4, x4y4z5
 10x3y2, 5x2y5, 15xy3
 r2s/9p, r3s4/3p3, r4s5q/27p2
Factorizing using the Grouping
Method
 Usually given 4 algebraic terms to factorize
 We group the terms in pairs based on them having some
common factor (use brackets to group the pairs)…application of
the distributive law.
 Use the HCF method to factor each paired terms
 Factorize the following algebraic expressions:
 px + py + qx + qy
 3ax – 6ay = bx – 2by
 4px – 4py – 3qx + 3qy
 lm(5x-l) + 3pq(5x-1)
Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic
Fractions
 METHOD:

 1. Determine the LCD of the algebraic fractions

 2. Express each algebraic fraction in terms of the LCD
 3. Use the distributive law to remove any brackets in the numerator, if
there are any.
 4. Like terms in the numerator are grouped together and added and
subtracted respectively.
 5. Reduce the fraction to its lowest terms where possible
Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic
Fractions
 -
 -
 (5-x) - (4 + 9x)
 Properties of Exponents

18
Property Meaning Examples
The Product Rule When multiplying exponential 96 · 912 = 96 + 12
bm · b n = bm + n expressions with the same base, = 918
add the exponents. Use this sum
as the exponent of the common
base.
The Power Rule When an exponential expression is (34)5 = 34·5 = 320
(bm)n = bmn raised to a power, multiply the (53)8 = 53·8 = 524
exponents. Place the product of the
exponents on the base and remove
the parentheses.
The Quotient Rule When dividing exponential expressions
with the same base, subtract the
512
exponent in the denominator from the
4
512 4 58
bm exponent in the numerator. Use this 5
m n
b difference as the exponent of the
9 40
bn common base.
9 5
9 40 5 935
 Example 1: Using the Zero Exponent Rule
19

Use the zero exponent rule to simplify:

a. 70=1

 0 1
b.

c. (5)0 = 1

d. 50 = 1
 The Negative Exponent Rule
20

 If b is any real number other than 0 and m is a natural number,

m 1
b  m.
b
 Example 2: Using the Negative Exponent
21 Rule
Use the negative exponent rule to simplify:

a.
2 1 1 1
8  2  
8 8 8 64
b.

13 1 1
5  3 
5 5 5 5 125
c.

1 1
1
7  1
7 7
Multiplication and Division of
Algebraic Fractions
 Multiply the numerators together
 Multiply the denominators together
 Cancel factors that are common to both the numerator and the
denominator in the resulting single fraction
Multiplication and Division of
Algebraic Fractions
 ×
 ×
Linear Equations

 ax + b = 0
 x+2=7
 x-3=8
 5x = 35
 x/6 = 5
 5x – 3 = 2x + 9
 2(3x – 5) = 8
 x/5 – 3/7 = 1/5
 x–¼= x+
 - =
Inequations

 The inequality signs are used to represent inequations

 <, >, ≤, ≥
 Linear inequations are written in the form:
 ax + b < 0
 ax + b > 0
 ax + b ≤ 0
 ax + b ≥ 0
4x + 3 < 7

4x + 3

7
3x – 5 > 4

3x - 5
Examples

 x+2≥7  3(2x – 1) > 6

 x–3>4  x–5≤ x–½

 3x ≤ 9  x+ ≥ x–½

 < 2.5  x–¼< x+

 0.3x – 2 ≤ 0.1x – 1.5

Solving Simultaneous Equations in 2
Unknowns
 Simultaneous equations are a system of several equations with several
unknowns.
 For the purpose of this course, we will only cover 2 equations in 2 unknowns.
 Simultaneous equations have the same solution. The equations are all
satisfied by the same values of the unknown quantities.
 Simultaneous equations can be solved algebraically using one of two
methods:
 The method/process of elimination
 The method/process of substitution
The Method of Elimination

1. We make the magnitude of the coefficients of one of the unknown

values equal in order to get rid of (eliminate) it.
2. If the signs of the equal coefficients are the same, then we subtract one
equation from the other.
3. If the signs of the equal coefficients are different, then we add the two
equations.
a. This results in 1 equation in 1 unknown. We solve for the unknown value (x or
y).
b. Having found the first unknown value, we substitute that value in ANY of the
previous set of simultaneous equations to find the second unknown value (x
or y).
Examples

 Solve the pair of simultaneous

equations:

x+ y=6
The Method of Substitution

1. Use one of the equations, and transpose for one of the unknown values
in that equation.
a. This will result in an algebraic expression in terms of x or y, depending on
which unknown value you chose to transpose for in step 1.
2. Substitute the expression found in step 2a in the other equation (the
one which you did not transpose).
a. This results in 1 equation in 1 unknown. We solve for the unknown value (x or
y).
b. Having found the first unknown value, we substitute that value in the
transposed equation (simply because it’s easier to do it there than in the
other equation), to find the second unknown value (x or y).
Examples

 Solve the pair of simultaneous

equations: