revised 2019/08/25 at 21:42:30

Sacred Heart Junior College

Math and IT Department

INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA (MATH1004)

Semester I, 2019 – 2020
Worksheet 4: Operations with Algebraic Expressions

Operations with Algebraic Expressions

One important use of Algebra is the convenient way of representing an unknown number with a letter.
This letter will be known as a variable. An algebraic expression is the combination, via the fundamental
operations of arithmetic, of such variables with constants or with other variables. Each algebraic expres-
sion consists of terms (that which is separated by the arithmetic operations.) An algebraic expression is
simplified when grouping symbols have been removed and like terms have been combined. Like terms
are those which have the same variable factors; hence, they have the same variables with corresponding
exponents. Alternatively, they are terms that only differ in coefficient.

Instructions: Attempt ALL questions and show ALL working where possible.
1. Use the distributive property to write an equivalent expression.

(a) 2(3x + 5) (f ) 4x(−5x − 1)

(b) 5(x + 7) (g ) −3x2 (2x − 1)

(c) −2(−3x + 2) (h) x(5x2 − 2x + 1)

(d ) −6(3x − 1) (i ) 3x(x − 2y)

(e) 2x(3x + 1) (j ) −4x(2 − x2 )

2. Simplify each algebraic expression.

(a) 3x + 2x (f ) −3(2x − 7) + 8(x − 2)

(b) 6x2 − 5x2 (g ) 6(4x2 − 3x + 3) − 2(x2 − 2)

(c) 6x + 10x2 + 4x + 2x2 (h) −3x(4x2 + 2) + 5x(3x2 − 1)

(d ) 3(2x − 1) + 6x (i ) 2(3x3 − 5x2 + 6x − 1) − 3(3x2 − 7x + 8)

(e) 2(1 − x) − 3(2x + 5) (j ) (3x + 2)(x − 7)

A polynomial is a single term or the finite sum of terms (two or more terms) containing variables
with positive integral exponents (whole number). Whenever writing polynomials, we choose to write its
terms in the order of descending powers of the variable. This is the standard form of a polynomial.
Consider an term of the form axn . If a 6= 0 and n is a whole number, the degree of axn is n and

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 its coefficient is a. The degree of a nonzero constant is 0. This is called the independent term. The
constant 0 has no defined degree.
The degree of a polynomial is the greatest degree of any term of the polynomial. If there is one
term with the greatest degree, this is called the leading term and its coefficient is called the leading
coefficient.
Recall that a polynomial is simplified when it contains no grouping symbols and no like terms. A
simplified polynomial that has exactly one term is called a monomial. A binomial is a simplified
polynomial that has two terms. A trinomial is a simplified polynomial with three terms.

3. Refer to questions 2.(g ), 2.(h) and 2.(i ). Identify the leading term, leading coefficient and independent
term.

4. Add/subtract the polynomials.

(a) (−2x3 + 3x2 − 9) + (5x3 − 7x2 + 10) (f ) −(3x3 − 7x2 + 2) + (2x3 + 2x − 7)

(b) (6x2 + 5x − 7) − (3x2 − 5x + 9) (g ) 2(5x4 − 6x2 − 9) − 3(−2x4 − 4x2 + 2)

(c) (8x3 − 7x2 + x − 7) − (3x3 − 6x2 − 2x + 8) (h) 4(−x3 + 3x2 − 7x + 9) − 2(x3 − 7x + 6)

(d ) (18x3 − 2x2 − 7x + 2) + (8x2 − 6x2 − 5x + 7) (i ) 7(−2x3 + 5x2 − x + 1) − 2(−x3 − 8x + 2)

(e) (2x4 − 3x2 + 6x − 1) − (−4x4 − x − 2) (j ) 3(6x3 − 7x + 3) − 2(5x3 − 7x + 5)

5. Add 3x4 − 5x2 + 3x − 2 to the difference between 4x3 − 5x + 1 and x4 − 2x2 + 8x − 5.

6. Add −2x4 + 6x2 + 7x − 5 to the difference between x4 − 6x2 + 2x − 9 and −2x4 + 7x2 − x − 8.

7. Subtract 7x2 − 8x + 3 from the sum of −3x2 + 7x − 2 and 2x2 − 4x + 5.

8. Subtract −3x3 − 7x + 8 from the sum of x3 + 8x2 − 7x + 3 and 7x3 − 8x + 9.

9. Let P (x) = 2x2 − 1. What polynomial must you subtract from P (x) to obtain x3 + 3x2 + 1?

Multiply each term of one polynomial by each term of the other polynomial. Finally combine like terms.
Any two binomials can be multiplied by using the FOIL method, in which F represents the product of
the first terms in each binomial, O represents the product of the outside terms, I represents the product
of the two inside terms, and L represents the product of the last, or second, terms in each binomial.
Other expansion techniques include special cases like
• The Square of a Binomial where (x ± y)2 = x2 ± 2xy + y 2 .
• The Sum and Difference of Two Terms where (x + y)(x − y) = x2 − y 2

10. Find each product using either a horizontal or a vertical format.

(a) (2x − 3)(x2 + 5x − 6) (d ) (x − y)(x2 + xy + y 2 )

(b) (x − 4)(4x2 − 7x + 1) (e) (x + y)(x2 − xy + y 2 )

(c) (x − 1)(x2 + x + 1) (f ) (x − 2y)(x2 + 2xy + 4y 2 )

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11. Use the FOIL method to multiply the binomials.

(a) (x − 4)(x + 5) (f ) (7x − 2)(3x − 10)

(b) (y − 7)(y + 3) (g ) (5x − 8)(9x − 1)

(c) (2x − 3)(4x − 7) (h) (4x + 7)(3x − 2)

(d ) (6x − 5)(2x − 9) (i ) (8x + 5)(x − 9)

(e) (3x − 2)(5x + 4) (j ) (13x − 8)(2x + 7)

12. Multiply using one of the rules for the square of a binomial.

(a) (2x − 1)2 (f ) (5x + 7)2

(b) (3x + 2)2 (g ) (2x + y)2

(c) (5x − 7)2 (h) (3x − 7y)2

(d ) (x + 5)2 (i ) (4xy − 2)2

(e) (4x − 9)2 (j ) (xn + y n )2

13. Multiply using the rule for the product of the sum and difference of two terms.

(a) (x − 7)(x + 7) (f ) (xy + 1)(xy − 1)

(b) (3x + 1)(3x − 1) (g ) (3x + 5)(3x − 5)

(c) (5x + 3)(5x − 3) (h) (3x2 y − 4z)(3x2 y + 4z)

(d ) (4x + 7y)(4x − 7y) (i ) (10x − 11y)(10x + 11y)

(e) (8x − 3)(8x + 3) (j ) (2xn − 3)(2xn + 3)

14. Perform the indicated operation or operations.

(a) (2x + 5)2 − (3x − 1)(3x + 1) (d ) (3x − 11)2 − (3x + 11)2

(b) (2x + 5)(2x − 5)(4x2 + 25) (e) (2x + 1)(3x − 5) − (7x − 2)(x − 2)

(c) (5x + 2y)2 − (5x − 2y)2 (f ) 2(3x − 7)(4x + 5) − 3(2x − 13)2

15. Find the area of the large rectangle in two ways:

(a) Find the sum of the areas of the four smaller rectangles.

(b) Multiply the length and the width of the large rectangle using the FOIL method. Compare this
product with your answer to part 15.(a).

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 x 3

16. Express each polynomial in standard form-that is, in descending powers of x.

(a) Write a polynomial that represents the area of the large rectangle.

(b) Write a polynomial that represents the area of the small, unshaded rectangle.

(c) Write a polynomial that represents the area of the shaded blue region.

x+9

x+5

x+3 x+1

17. Express each polynomial in standard form.

(a) Write a polynomial that represents the area of the rectangular base of the open box.

(b) Write a polynomial that represents the volume of the open box.

12 − 2x

8 − 2x

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 Pascal’s triangle is an array of numbers showing the binomial coefficients of the terms in the binomial
expansions of (a + b)n . It is credited to the French mathematician Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).

18. Use Pascal’s triangle to expand each binomial and express the result in simplified form.

(a) (x + 3)3 (f ) (2x2 − 3)4

(b) (2x − 1)4 (g ) (x + 2y)5

(c) (3x + 5)3 (h) (2 − x)3

(d ) (2x + 1)5 (i ) (x − 3)5

(e) (x − 2)4 (j ) (2x + 3)6

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