Algebra

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 What makes Algebra
different from Arithmetic?

The Presence of the

Unknown Variable
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Linear Equations in Single
Variable

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 Solve:
(5x – 6) / 3 = 4

x = 18 / 5

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 Simplify
(3xy – 9y) / (x – 3)

3y
But what if x = 3 ?

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Simultaneous Equations

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 Solve
3a + b = 15
3b + a = 13

a = 4, b = 3
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 3x - y = 6
6x - 2y – 12 = 0

Infinite solutions..

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Quadratic Equations

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Solve (x - 5x + 6) = 0
2

(x2 - 3x - 2x + 6) = 0
x (x - 3) - 2 (x - 3) = 0
(x - 2) (x - 3) = 0
x = 3 or x = 2
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Solve : 2x – 17x + 21 = 0
2

X = 3/2 and x = 7

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 General Solution of
ax + bx + c = 0 (a  0)
2

x = [ -b +  (b2 - 4ac) ] / 2a
x = [ -b -  (b - 4ac) ] / 2a
2

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In ax + bx + c = 0 , what
2

is the Sum of the roots?

- b/a

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In ax + bx + c = 0 , what
2

is the product of the

roots?

c/a

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In ax + bx + c = 0, when
2

are the two roots equal?

When b = 4ac 2

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In ax + bx + c = 0, when
2

are the roots reciprocal of

each other?

When c = a

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Inequalities

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 If x  3,
is x + 2  3 + 2 ?

Yes

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 If x  3,
is x - 4  3 - 4 ?
The same number can be
added or subtracted without
changing the truth of the
inequality
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 If x  3,
is x * 2  3 * 2 ?
Both the sides can be
multiplied or divided by the
same number without
changing the truth of the
inequality.
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 If x  3,
is x * (- 2)  3 * (-2) ?

No. A negative number

multiplied on both sides,
reverses the sign of the
inequality.
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Solve the inequality
(5x – 1) / -2 < 3

x >-1

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 Solve x – 7x - 8 < 0
2

x > 8 and x < -1 (Not possible)

x < 8 and x > -1 (Possible)
OR -1 < x < 8
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Sequences and Series

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What is the next term in
the sequence?
9, 6, 3, 0, -3,....

This is an AP, with common

difference (-3).

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What is the next term in
the sequence?
4, -2, 1, -1/2,...
This is a GP, with common
ratio (- 1/2)

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Sum of the first n integers

= n (n + 1) / 2

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Find the sum of the series
a, a+d, a+2d,... a+(n–1) d
(a is expressed n times) = na
+ d [ 1 + 2 + 3 + ..... (n-1) ]
= na + (n-1)( n – 1 +1) d / 2
= n/2 [ 2a + (n – 1) d ]
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In other words, the sum of
an AP of n terms with first
term “a” and common
difference “d” is ...
= n/2 [ 2a + (n – 1) d ]
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Sum of a GP of n terms
with first term “a” and
common ratio “r”

= a ( r - 1) / ( r - 1)
n

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What is the seventh term
of the sequence 1, 1/4,
1/9, 1/16, …?
Is it a progression?
Seventh term is 1/49.
It is not a progression.
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Find the sum of the
series 1, 2, 3, 4, ... 15?
15 (15 + 1) / 2 = 120

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The first term of an AP is
5 and the common
difference is 4. What is
the sum of the first six
terms?
90
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Find the fourth term of a
GP if the 6 term is 20
th

and the common ratio is

2.
5

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A quick revision of
concepts covered
till now ...

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If ab = bc, then is a = c?

Only if b <> 0

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 General Solution of
ax + bx + c = 0 (a  0)
2

x = [ -b +  (b2 - 4ac) ] / 2a
x = [ -b -  (b - 4ac) ] / 2a
2

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 If a > b, is ac > bc?
Only if c is positive.
What if c is negative?
Then > becomes <
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a + b + c - 3abc =
3 3 3

(a + b + c) x
(a2 + b2 + c2 - ab - bc - ca)
What if (a + b + c) = 0?
a3 + b3 + c3 will be = 3abc
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 a -b =
n n

where n is an element of N.
(a-b) (an-1 + an-2b +…… + bn-1)

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Find the value of
x + ( /x )
2 1 2

if x + ( /x) = 3
1

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Given that x + (1/x) = 3

Squaring both the sides we get

[x + (1/x)]2 = 9 x2
+ 1 / x2 + 2 = 9
x + /x = 7
2 1 2

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 If x = a (b-c),
y = b (c-a),
z = c (a-b),
find the value of
( /a) + ( /b) + ( /c)
x 3 y 3 z 3

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 We can write
x
/a = (b - c),
y
/b = (c - a),
z
/c = (a - b)
And
x
/a + y/b + z/c = 0
so, ( /a) + ( /b) + ( /c)
x 3 y 3 z 3

= 3xyz / abc
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 Find the value of
a + b + c - 2ab - 2ac +
2 2 2

2bc
if a = 17, b = 15, and
c = 13
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 We can write the given
equation as
(a - b - c) 2

Putting the values of a, b, and

c,
the value is (17 - 15 - 13) 2

= 121
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 Simplify

{(a - b ) + (b - c ) + (c -a ) }
2 2 3 2 2 3 2 2 3

------------------------------------------
{(a-b) + (b-c) + (c-a) }
3 3 3

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 Let x = a - b , 2 2

y = b - c and
2 2

z=c -a
2 2

So, x + y + z = 0
Therefore x + y + z
3 3 3

= 3xyz

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 So, the numerator
= 3 (a -b ) (b - c ) (c -a )
2 2 2 2 2 2

and the denominator

= 3(a-b) (b-c) (c-a)
Hence, the ratio = (a+b)
(b+c)(c+a)
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 Find the value of
(a+1) * (1-a) * (1+a+a ) *
2

(1-a+a ) * (1+a )
2 6

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 We can write the above
equation as:
(a+1) * (1-a+a ) *
2

(1-a) * (1+a+a ) * (1+a )

2 6

= (1+a ) * (1-a ) * (1+a )

3 3 6

= (1-a ) * (1+a )
6 6

= (1-a )
12

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Find the value of
1/(1+x +x ) +
b-a c-a

1/(1+x +x ) +
a-b c-b

1/(1+x +x )
a-c b-c

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Upon solving we get (x +x +x )/ a b c

(x +x +x ) = 1
a b c

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 If a + b + c = 0,
find the value of
1/(b + c - a ) +
2 2 2

1/(c + a - b ) +
2 2 2

1/(a + b - c )
2 2 2

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 Given that (a + b + c)= 0,
(a + b) = (-c)
2 2

or, a + b - c = -2ab
2 2 2

similarly b + c - a = -2bc &

2 2 2

c + a - b = -2ca
2 2 2

Thus, the equation becomes

(1/-2bc) + (1/-2ca) + (1/-2ab) =
(a + b + c) / -2abc = 0
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 Find the value of

{17 + 4 (17) + 16}

4 2

---------------------------------
(17 + 38)
2

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 It can be written as
{(17) + (2) (17) + (2) }
4 2 2 4

-----------------------------------
{17 + (17)(2) + (2)
2 2

= (17) - (17)(2) + (2)

2 2

= 259
Since a + b + a b =
4 4 2 2

(a + b + ab)(a + b - ab)
2 2 2 2

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For what value of m will

(m+1)x + 2

2(m+3)x + m + 8 = 0 have
equal roots

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b - 4ac =0
2

Hence,
4 (m + 3) - 4 (m + 1)(m + 8) = 0
2

Upon
solving we get m = 1/3

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A quick review
of the formulae

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(a + b) = 2

a + b + 2ab
2 2

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 (a - b) 2

= a + b - 2ab
2 2

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(a + b) - (a - b) =
2 2

4ab
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 a -b =
2 2

(a + b) (a - b)
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 (a + b + c) = 2

a2 + b2 + c2 + 2(ab + bc + ca)

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 (a - b + c) = 2

a + b + c + 2(ac - bc - ab)
2 2 2

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 (a + b - c) = 2

a + b + c + 2(ab - ac - bc)
2 2 2

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 (a + b) = 3

a3 + b3 + 3ab(a + b)

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 a +b +ab =
4 4 2 2

(a2 + b2 + ab)(a2 + b2 - ab)

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 a +b=
4 4

(a2 - 2ab + b2) (a2 + 2ab + b2)

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 a + b + c - 3abc =
3 3 3

(a+b+c)(a2+ b2+ c2 - ab - bc-ca)

What if (a + b + c) = 0?
a3 + b3 + c3 = 3abc

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 a -b = n n

n is an element of N

(a - b) (a n-1
+ a b +…… + b )
n-2 n-1

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