CHAPTER 9 BASIC ALGEBRA

EXERCISE 37 Page 70

1. Find the sum of 4a, –2a, 3a, –8a.

4a + –2a + 3a + –8a = 4a – 2a + 3a – 8a = 7a – 10a = – 3a

2. Find the sum of 2a, 5b, – 3c, – a, – 3b and 7c.

2a + 5b + –3c + –a + –3b + 7c = 2a + 5b – 3c – a – 3b + 7c

= 2a – a + 5b – 3b + 7c – 3c = a + 2b + 4c

3. Simplify 2 x − 3 x 2 − 7 y + x + 4 y − 2 y 2

2 x − 3x 2 − 7 y + x + 4 y − 2 y 2 = 2 x + x − 3x 2 − 7 y + 4 y − 2 y 2

= 3x − 3x 2 − 3 y − 2 y 2

4. Simplify 5ab – 4a + ab + a.

5ab – 4a + ab + a = 5ab + ab – 4a + a = 6ab – 3a

5. Simplify 2x – 3y + 5z – x – 2y + 3z + 5x.

2x – 3y + 5z – x – 2y + 3z + 5x = 2x – x + 5x – 3y – 2y + 5z + 3z

= 6x – 5y + 8z

6. Simplify 3 + x + 5x – 2 – 4x

3 + x + 5x – 2 – 4x = 3 – 2 + x + 5x – 4x = 1 + 2x

7. Add x – 2y + 3 to 3x + 4y – 1

122 © 2014, John Bird

(x – 2y + 3) + (3x + 4y – 1) = x – 2y + 3 + 3x + 4y – 1

= x + 3x – 2y + 4y + 3 – 1 = 4x + 2y + 2

8. Subtract a – 2b from 4a + 3b

(4a + 3b) – (a – 2b) = 4a + 3b – a – –2b = 4a + 3b – a + 2b

= 4a – a + 3b + 2b = 3a + 5b

9. From a + b – 2c take 3a + 2b – 4c.

(a + b – 2c) – (3a + 2b – 4c) = a + b – 2c – 3a – + 2b – –4c

= a + b – 2c – 3a – 2b + 4c = a – 3a + b – 2b – 2c + 4c

= – 2a – b + 2c

10. From x 2 + xy − y 2 take xy − 2 x 2

( x 2 + xy − y 2 ) – ( xy − 2 x 2 ) = x 2 + xy − y 2 − xy − −2 x 2

= x 2 + xy − y 2 − xy + 2 x 2 = 3x 2 − y 2

123 © 2014, John Bird

EXERCISE 38 Page 73

1. Simplify pq × pq 2 r

pq × pq 2 r = p1+1 × q1+ 2 × r = p 2 q 3 r

2. Simplify –4a × – 2a

–4a × – 2a = 8a 2

3. Simplify 3 × – 2q × – q

3 × – 2q × – q = 6q 2

4. Evaluate 3pq – 5qr – pqr when p = 3, q = –2 and r = 4

3pq – 5qr – pqr = 3(3)(–2) – 5(–2)(4) – (3)(–2)(4) = –18 + 40 + 24 = 46

1 2
5. Determine the value of 3x 2 yz 3 , given that x = 2, y = 1 and z =
2 3

3
2  1  2  3 8 1 4
3 x 2 yz 3 = 3 ( 2 ) 1   = 3 × 4 × × = 1× 4 × × by cancelling
 2  3  2 27 1 3
16 1
= =5
3 3

23( x − y )
6. If x = 5 and y = 6, evaluate:
y + xy + 2 x

23( x − y ) 23 ( 5 − 6 ) −23 1
= = =−
y + xy + 2 x 6 + (5)(6) + 2(5) 46 2

124 © 2014, John Bird

 3a + 2b
7. If a = 4, b = 3, c = 5 and d = 6, evaluate
3c − 2d

3a + 2b 3(4) + 2(3) 12 + 6 18
= = = =6
3c − 2d 3(5) − 2(6) 15 − 12 3

8. Simplify 2 x ÷ 14 xy

2x 1
2 x ÷ 14 xy = =
14 xy 7y

25 x 2 y z 3
9. Simplify
5 xyz

25 x 2 y z 3
= 5= x 2−1 y1−1 z 3−1 5 x1 y 0 z 2 = 5xz 2
5 xyz

10. Multiply 3a – b by a + b

(3a – b)(a + b) = 3a 2 + 3ab − ab − b 2 = 3a 2 + 2ab − b 2

11. Multiply 2a – 5b + c by 3a + b

(3a + b)(2a – 5b + c) = 6a 2 − 15ab + 3ac + 2ab − 5b 2 + bc

= 6a 2 − 13ab + 3ac − 5b 2 + bc

12. Simplify 3a ÷ 9ab

3a 1
3a ÷ 9ab ≡ =
9ab 3b

13. Simplify 4a2b ÷ 2a

125 © 2014, John Bird

 4a 2b 4 × a × a × b
4a 2b ÷ 2a ≡ = = 2ab
2a 2× a

14. Divide 6x 2 y by 2xy

6x2 y
= 3=
6x 2 y ÷ 2xy = x 2−1 y1−1 3 xy 0 = 3x
2 xy

15. Divide 2x2 + xy – y2 by x + y

2x – y
x + y 2x 2 + xy − y 2
2x2 + 2xy
– xy – y2
– xy – y2
. .

Hence, (2x2 + xy – y2) ÷ (x + y) = 2x – y

16. Divide 3p 2 – pq – 2q 2 by p – q

3p + 2q
p – q 3 p 2 − pq − 2q 2
3p2 – 3pq
2pq – 2q2
2pq – 2q2
. .

Hence, (3p 2 – pq – 2q 2 ) ÷ (p – q) = 3p + 2q

(a + b) + (a − b)
2 2
17. Simplify

(a + b) + (a − b)
2 2
= (a + b) (a + b) + (a – b)(a – b)

= a 2 + ab + ab + b 2 + a 2 − ab − ab + b 2

= 2a 2 + 2b 2

126 © 2014, John Bird

EXERCISE 39 Page 74

1. Simplify z 2 × z 6

z 2 × z 6 = z 2+ 6 = z 8

2. Simplify a × a 2 × a 5

a × a 2 × a5 =
a1+ 2+5 = a8

3. Simplify n8 × n −5

n8 × n −5 =
n8 − 5 = n 3

4. Simplify b 4 × b7

b 4 × b7 = b 4+ 7 = b11

5. Simplify b 2 ÷ b5

b2
b 2 ÷ b5 = = b 2−5 = b −3
b5

6. Simplify c5 × c 3 ÷ c 4

c5 × c3
c5 × c 3 ÷ c=
4 = c 5+3−=
4 c4
c4

m5 × m 6
7. Simplify
m 4 × m3

m5 × m6 m5+ 6 m11
= = = m11−7 = m 4
m ×m
4 3 m 4+3 m7

127 © 2014, John Bird

 ( x 2 )( x)
8. Simplify
x6

( x 2 )( x) x 2+1 x 3 1
= = = x3−6 = x −3 or
x 6 x 6 x 6 x3

9. Simplify ( x3 )
4

( x3 )
4
= x 3×4 = x12

10. Simplify ( y 2 )
−3

1
( y= )
−3
2 y=
2 ×−3 y −6 or
y6

11. Simplify ( t × t 3 )
2

(t × t 3 ) ( t1+3 ) (t 4 )
2 2 2
= = = t 4×2 = t 8

12. Simplify ( c −7 )
−2

( c −7 )
−2
= c −7 ×− 2 = c14

3
 a2 
13. Simplify  
 a5 

3
 a2  1
(=
a 2−5 ) ( a −3 )
3 3
=  = a − 9 or
 a5  a9

128 © 2014, John Bird

 4
1
14. Simplify  
 b3 

4
1 1
 3  = (b ) = b
4
−3 −12 or
b  b12

−2
 b2 
15. Simplify  
 b7 

−2
 b2 
( b= ) (=
b −5 )
−2 −2
=
2−7 b −5 ×− 2 = b10

 b7 

1
16. Simplify
( s3 )
3

1 1 1
= = = s−9
( s3 )
3
s 3×3 s9

17. Simplify p 3 qr 2 × p 2 q 5 r × pqr 2

p 3 qr 2 × p 2 q 5 r × pqr 2 = p 3+ 2+1 × q1+5+1 × r 2+1+ 2 = p 6 × q 7 × r 5 = p 6 q 7 r 5

x3 y 2 z
18. Simplify
x5 y z 3

x3 y 2 z y
= x3−5 y 2−1 z1−3 = x − 2 y1 z − 2 or
x yz
5 3 x z2
2

1
19. Simplify (x2y3z)(x3yz2) and evaluate when x = , y = 2 and z = 3
2

( x 2 y 3 z )( x3 yz 2 ) = x 2+3 y 3+1 z1+ 2 = x 5 y 4 z 3

129 © 2014, John Bird

 24 × 33
5
1 1 33 33 27 1
When x = , y = 2 and z = 3, x 5 y 4 z 3 =   ( 2 ) ( 3)=
4 3
= = = = 13
2 2 2 5 2 5 − 4 2 2 2

a 5bc 3 3 1 2
20. Simplify: and evaluate when a = , b = and c =
abc
2 3 2 2 2 3

a 5b c 3 a3 c
= a 5− 2b1−3c 3− 2 = a 3b −2 c or
a 2b3c 2 b2
3
 3   2  27 2 9
×
a c  2   3  8 3
3
4= 9 × 4 = 9
a b c=
3 −2 = 2
= =
b2 1 1 1 4 1
  4 4
2

130 © 2014, John Bird

EXERCISE 40 Page 76

1. Simplify (a3/2bc–3)(a1/2b–1/2c) and evaluate when a = 3, b = 4 and c = 2

1 1  1
 23 −3   12 − 12   +  1−  −3+1
1 a2 b
 a bc  a =b c  a  2 3 b =
2 c a=2b 2 c −2
   c2

a 2 b 32 4 9 ( ±2 ) 1
When a = 3, b = 4 and c = 2, = = = ±4
c 2 2 2 4 2

a 2b + a 3b
2. Simplify:
a 2b 2

The highest common factor of the three terms involved is a 2b . Dividing each term by this gives:

a 2b a 3b
+
a b + a b a 2b a 2b
2 3 1+ a
= = by cancelling
ab2 2 ab2 2
b
a 2b

3. Simplify: (a2)1/2(b2)3(c1/2)3

3
1
 12  1 1 3
( a ) (b ) 2× ×3
3
2 2 2
 
c = a 2 b 2×3c 2 = a b 6 c2
 

(abc) 2
4. Simplify:
(a 2b −1c −3 )3

( abc )
2
a 2b 2 c 2
= = a 2 − 6b 2 − −3c 2− − 9 = a −4 b5 c11
( a 2b−1c −3 )
3
a 6b −3c −9

p3q 2
5. Simplify:
pq 2 − p 2 q

The highest common factor of the three terms involved is pq. Dividing each term by this gives:

131 © 2014, John Bird

 p3q 2
p3q 2 pq p2q
= = by cancelling
pq 2 − p 2 q pq 2 − p 2 q q− p
pq pq

3
6. Simplify ( x y3 z 2 )( x y3 z3 )

( )( )
 12 23 23   12 23 23  1 1 3 3 2 3 13
+ + +
x y3 =
3 2
z x y3 z3 =x y z   x y z  x 2 2 y 2 2 z 3 2 = x y 3 z 6 or x y 3 6 z13
  

7. (e2f 3)(e–3f–5), expressing the answer with positive indices only.

1
(e2f 3)(e–3f–5) = e 2−3 f 3−5 = e −1 f −2 =
ef2

(a 3b1/2 c −1/2 )(ab)1/3

8.
( a 3 b c)

 3 12 − 12  1

 a b c  ( ) 3 a 3b 12 c − 12 a 13 b 13
ab  1 3 1 1 1  1   18 + 2 −9  1
 =  =
 3 + −   + −  −  − −1 
 3 2  b 2 =
3 2 c  2 


 −
b 3 c 2
3

( ) 3 1
a a 6
a3 b c a 2b 2c
6
11 1
−
3 a11 3 b
= a 6 b3c 2 or
c3

132 © 2014, John Bird