ALGEBRA

Principal Rules
The property of multiplication is really a short cut method of adding.
Example: 3 4 = 4 + 4 + 4 = 12
3 a = a + a + a = 3a
NOTE:
The multiplication sign is left out when multiplying a number (3), by a pronumeral
(a), to get the term
Any numeral or pronumeral, or the product, or quotient of these, is a TERM.
Different terms are separated, in general, by mathematical operations signs.
Example: 1) different terms: 4, x, a, 7c, a2, a2b, t/c
2) A three term expression: 5 y

z 2ab + 94 m

Terms which have exactly the same pronumeral are called 'like terms' and can be
added or subtracted as required.
Examples:
1) a + 2a + 3a = 6a
2) 5ab 4ab + ab = 2ab
3) 7 e

+3 e

6 e

=4 e

NOTE
a, a2, a3, a4..... Are all different terms because they are not the same pronumeral.
When a pronumeral is multiplied by a numeral, the numeral is referred to as the
'coefficient'.

Example: 7, is the coefficient of, 7a and 7 b

If one algebraic expression is made equal to another, they form an equation.

Example equations: g2 7i + 3k = 4g 9a
6ab + 7a 3b = 0

When one pronumeral equals an expression it is called a formula:

Example: v = u + at , and

= 2as

If two or more terms are inside brackets which are multiplied by a numeral or
pronumeral, the quantity outside the brackets must be 'distributed' to EVERY
term inside the brackets.

Note that order of operation tells us to clear the brackets first, but if
the 4 is distributed properly, you still get the correct answer.
4

( 5 + 6 ) = 44

Examples: 1) 5(a + b) = 5a + 5b

2) 5(a b) = 5a + 5 (b) = 5a 5b

3) 3(e + f ) = (3) e + (3) f

= 3e 3 f
4) 3(e f ) = (3) e + (3) ( f )
= 3e + 3 f
5) (5x 7y) = 5x + 7y OR 7y 5x

Exercise 1
Simplify each of the following by collecting like terms or removing brackets, or both:
a. 5 2 + 4 a

b. 7i + 6i 8i

c. 2a + 3b a b

d. 8i 2m 6i + 7m

e. 5 a 7 + 2a

f.

g. 6 e

+ 3x + 5 x

f 11e f

6x

fe f

h. 4(x + y z)

i. 2(x

x 2 ) + 2( x 2 x)

Often you will need to remove brackets from an expression such as (a + b)(c
+ d). To do this we apply the distributive law twice.
Multiply both terms in the second bracket by both terms in the first.

Example: (a + b) (c + d)
= a(c + d) + b(c + d)
= ac + ad + bc + bd

(e + 2) (e + 3)
= e(e + 3) + 2(e + 3)
=

e 2 + 3e + 2e + 6

= e

+ 5e + 6

(a 5

= (a 5) (a 5)
= a(a 5) 5(a 5)
=

a2

5a 5a + 25

a2

10a + 25

(d 4) (d + 4)
= d(d + 4) 4(d + 4)
=

d2

+ 4d 4d 16

d2

16 =

d 2 - 42 'the difference between two squares

Exercise:

Remove brackets and simplify (collect like terms), where possible.

a. (V + 3) (V + 4)

b. (P + 2 ) (2P + 3)

c. (e + 4) (e 5)

d.

(R + 6) (R 6)

Algebraic Fractions

Algebraic fractions can be simplified by "cancelling" in the same way as numerical

fractions.

Example:
1)

3
9

;divide top and bottom by 3 (Cancel)

1
3

fx
3f

2)

x
3

;divide top and bottom by 'f'

7 x2 b3
2
14 x b

3)

x
2b

; cancel out x and b

Exercise: Write in simplest form.

a)

18
36

b)

4x
6x

c) 3 a b
9 a

d) I ( t1 + t2 )
(p-2) (t1+t2)