Math Topics Summary

Real Number System

N = {1, 2, 3…}
W = {0, 1, 2…}
I = {… -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3…}
Q = {a/b | b≠0, a & b are integers}
= non-terminating, non-repeating decimals

Absolute Value – distance from 0

| -4 | = 4
Graphing on a Real Number Line
• = < or >
◦ = ≤ or ≥

Evaluating Irrational Numbers

Radical sign = √
Radicals = √(#)
Principal square root = + square root

Simplifying Radicals
√(ab) = √(a) x √(b)| a, b ≥ 0
√(a/b) = √(a) ÷ √(b) | a, b ≥ 0
Entire radicals = √(75), √(2/9)
Mixed radicals = 5√(2), (1/3)√(3)
Radicals cannot be the denominator of a fraction
Use equivalent fractions to eliminate
Radicals are in the simplest form when:
• Radicand has no perfect squares
• Radicand does not have a fraction
• No radicals are in the denominator of a fraction

Operations with Radicals

Adding & subtracting → combine like radicals
Multiplying & dividing → multiply and divide coefficients and radicals separately
Multiplying conjugate binomials → (a√(b) + c√(d))( a√(b) - c√(d))
- skip the “OI” in FOIL
- product is a rational number
Rationalizing binomial denominators → use an equivalent fraction of the reciprocal

Special Right Triangles √2

45°-45°-90° 1 √3 2
30°-60°-90°
1 1
Reviewing Exponent Laws
ax x ay = ax+y
ax ÷ ay = ax-y
(ax)y = axy
(a/b)x = (ax) ÷ (bx)
(ax ÷ bx)y = axy ÷ bxy
a0 = 1

Rational Exponents
am/n = n√(a)m

Sequences
General term → rule or formula
- ex. tn = n + 1
Recursive formula → pattern based on the previous term
- ex. tn = tn-1 + 3

Arithmetic Sequence → difference between terms is constant

t1 = a
Common difference = d
- looks like a recursive
- to figure out: tn = a + d(n – 1)
Arithmetic means → terms between 2 non-consecutive terms

Arithmetic Series
Series → sum of terms in a sequence
- Sn = (n/2)(a + t1)
- Sn = (n/2)(2a + [n-1]d)

Geometric Sequence → each term goes up by a constant multiple

Common ratio → the number you multiply a term by to get the next one (r)
- t n = t 1 x rn
Geometric means → numbers between 2 non-consecutive terms

Reviewing Polynomials

Monomials are terms in polynomials

Monomials have 1 term; binomials have 2; trinomials have 3
Degree of a polynomial → sum of the exponents
Polynomials may be put in descending order of a variable
Like terms → terms with the same variable factors
Adding & subtracting → add or subtract like tems
Multiplying & dividing → exponent rules

Multiplying polynomials
Binomials → FOIL in out!
Binomials & trinomials → multiply each term in the binomial by each term in the trinomial

Special Products
(a + b)2 = a2 + 2ab + b2
(a - b)2 = a2 - 2ab + b2
(a + b)(a – b) = a2 – b2
(a + b)3 = (a + b)(a2 + 2ab + b2)

Reviewing Common Factors

Factoring a polynomial
- x3 + x2y2 + x2y = x2(x + y2 + y)
Binomial common factor
- x(a + b) + y(a + b) = (x + y)(a + b)
Factoring by grouping
- ac + bc + bd + ad = c(a + b) + d(a + b) = (a + b)(c + d)

Factoring x2 + bx + c
First, remove a common factor
Use _ + _ = b; _ x _ = c
Trinomials with two variables → x2 + bxy + cy2
- (x + _y)(x + _y)

Factoring ax2 + bx + c, a ≠1
Remove common factor
Set up templates → use _ + _ = b; _ x _ = ac
Then use guess and check or factoring by grouping

Factoring Special Quadratics

Removing common factor → ax2 – ay2 = a(x – y)(x + y)
Factoring a difference of squares → x2 – y2 = (x – y)(x + y)
Perfect square trinomial → a2 + 2ab + b2 = (a + b)2

Dividing Polynomials
Dividing by a monomial → (a + b) ÷ c = a/c + b/c, c ≠ 0 *restrictions
Dividing by a binomial → look at first term in binomials, remember to represent each degree
of exponents (ex. x2 + 0x + 4)
Put answer in Dividend = Quotient + Remainder OR P/D = Q + R/D
Divisor Divisor

Simplifying Rational Expressions

Rational expression → algebraic fraction whose numerator and denominator are polynomials
Simplify → take out all common factors
Simplest form → no common factors
Simplifying rational expressions: 1. simplify 2. restrictions

Multiplying and dividing rational expressions

Multiplying: 1. multiply numerators and denominators 2. simplify 3. restrictions
- * may need to factor trinomials into binomials
Dividing: Same thing, but multiply by the reciprocal
Complex fractions → fractions with fractions in them
- to simplify → treat as division

Adding and subtracting rational expressions, I

Make sure all terms have the same denominator (LCD)
Rewrite with common denominator, expand numerator, simplify, restrictions

Adding and subtracting rational expressions, II

Monomial denominators: find LCD
Binomials: simplify binomial, find LCD (treat binomials as one number)
Trinomials: factor, then find LCD

A review of solving equations

Goal → isolate the variable
Reverse all operations to both sides of the equation

Solving rational equations

Equations with decimals → clear or keep the decimals
Using LCD (fractions): multiply both sides by the LCD
Binomial denominators: treat binomials as one number

Problem solving with equations

Make an equation from the information
Assign variables

Binary relations
Relation → set of ordered pairs
Domain → first # of relation (x)
Range → second # of relation (y)
Can be described as table, graph, words, equation, arrow diagram

Linear relations and line of best fit

Scatter plot → graph with dots
Line of best fit → line near the most dots

Non-linear relations
- Curve of best fit

Functions
Domain →(x,y)← Range
Input → output
Function → for each value of x, there is only 1 value of y

Distance between two points

D = √((x2 – x1)2 + (y2 – y1)2)
Midpoint of a line segment
M = ((x2 + x1) ÷ 2, (y2 + y1) ÷ 2)

Slope
Rise/Run = (y2 – y1) ÷ (x2 – x1)
Negative slope is when the line goes down
Slope is undefined when the line is vertical
Slope is 0 when the line is horizontal
Finding a coordinate → m = (y2 – y1) ÷ (x2 – x1) *solve for whatever you don’t have

Linear equations: point slope form

Standard form: Ax + By + C = 0
- A, B, C are integers
- A & B are not zero, A is not negative
- x & y are real numbers
Finding equations
m = (y2 – y1) ÷ (x2 – x1) → fill in one point (x,y) and the slope
Cross multiply and solve → m(x2 – x1) = (y2 – y1)

Linear equations: slope and y-intercept form

Slope-intercept = mx + b = y | m = slope; b = y-intercept

Parallel and perpendicular lines

Parallel lines: m1 = m2, same slope
Perpendicular lines: m1 x m2 = -1; m1 = -1/m2

Graphing linear equations

Using the intercepts
- find both intercepts
- use the intercepts to find the slope; then graph
Using two points
- find 2 points using y = mx + b, you know m
- draw a line through the 2 points
Use the slope and y-intercept
- plot the y-intercept, use the slope

Reviewing surface area and volume

Surface area → sum of the area of all the faces
B (area of base) = b (length) x h (height)
B = bh
V = Bh
Volume of a pyramid = (1/3)Bh
Volume of a triangular prism = (1/2)Bh
Volume of a cone = (1/3)πr2h
Surface area of a cone = πr2 + πrs *s = slant height = √(r2 + h2)
Volume of a cylinder = πr2h
Surface area of a cylinder = 2πr2 + 2πrh
Finding the radius of a cylinder = √(V ÷ πh)
Volume and surface area of a sphere
Surface area = 4πr2
Volume = (4/3)πr3

Scale factors
Linear = X
Area = X2
Volume = X3

Trigonometry
SOHCAHTOA
sin = opp/hyp
cos = adj/hyp
tan = opp/adj

Angles in standard position

Initial arm → fixed on the positive x-axis
Terminal arm → rotates about the origin
Reference angle → acute angle between terminal arm and the x-axis

The law of sines

Sin A = Sin B = Sin C
a b c

The law of cosines

a2 = b2 + c2 -2bcCosA