Algebra Cheat Sheet

Basic Properties & Facts

Arithmetic Operations Properties of Inequalities
c  ac  a b 
ab
 b If a  b then a  c  b  c acbc
aab  and
 
c c If a  b and c  0 ac  bc a
a then and b c

  a a ac ac b
 b If a  b and c  0
then ac  bc and c  c
  b  b
c bc
 
c
Properties of Absolute Value
a c ad  bc a c ad  a if a 
a 
bc   
0 if a
b d bd b d bd 
a 0 0 a  a
ab ba ab a b
cd dc c  c c ab  a b
a

a
a b b
ab   
 b  ad ab  a 
ac  b  a0 Triangle Inequality
 c   bc b
c, d
a
  Distance Formula
Exponent Properties If P1   x1, y1  P2   x2 , are two
n m nm an nm 1
and y2 
a a a a  points the distance between them is
am
amn

a  n m
 a nm a0  1, a  0
 a n an
d  P1, P2   x21 x
 y  y21
2
2

   n
n
ab  Complex Numbers
anbn b b
n 1 1
a   an i i2  1 i a a0
,
an a n 1 a
n n n
a  bi   c  di  a  c  b  d  i

n
b
  an  m
1
a b  am  a 1
 

 
n 
b   a
n
 a  bi   c  di  a  c  b  d  i
 a  bi  c  di   ac  bd  ad  bc  i
Properties of Radicals
 a  bi  a  bi   a2  b2
mn a a 1nnm a  
n a n ab n anb a  bi 
a n a
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n Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu. © 2005 Paul Dawkins
n b
b
 a2  b2
a  bi   a  bi Complex Modulus Complex
Conjugate
a  bi  a  bi  a  bi 2
n an  a, if n is odd
an  a , if n is even
n

Logarithms and Log Properties

Definition Logarithm Properties
y  logb is equivalent to x  b y logb b  1 logb 1  0
x
x logb x
logb b  x b x
Example
log 125  3 because 53  125 log b x r   r log x
5
logb  xy   logb x  logb y
Special Logarithms x
ln x  loge x natural log logb    logb x  logb y
y
log x  log10 x common log
where e  2.718281828… The domain of logb x is x  0
Factoring and Solving
Factoring Formulas Quadratic Formula
x2  a2   x  a  x  Solve ax2  bx  c  0 , a  0
a x2  2ax  a2   x b  b2  4ac
x
2a
 a 2 x2  2ax  a2  If b2  4ac  0 - Two real unequal solns.
 x  a 2
x2   a  b x  ab   x  a  x  If b2  4ac  0 - Repeated real solution.
b If b2  4ac  0 - Two complex
solutions.
x3  3ax2  3a2 x  a3   x 
a 3
x3  3ax2  3a2 x  a3   x  Square Root Property
a 3
x3  a3   x  a   x 2  ax  a2 If x2  p then x   p


x3  a3   x  a   x 2  ax  a2  Absolute Value Equations/Inequalities
x2n  a2n   xn  an  xn  an  If b is a positive number
If n is odd then, p b  p  b or pb
xn  an   x  a   x n1  axn2 L an1  p b  b  p  b

xn  an xa
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 p b  p  b or pb
  x n1  axn2  a2 xn3 L an1 
Completing the Square
Solve 2x  6x 10  0
2 (4) Factor the left side
 3 2 29
(1) Divide by the coefficient of the x2 x  
x2  3x  5  0  2 4
(2) Move the constant to the other side. (5) Use Square Root Property
x2  3x  5 3
x    29   29
4
(3) Take half the coefficient of x, square 2 2
it and add it to both sides (6) Solve for x
 3 2  3 2 9 29 3 29
x  3x      5      5  
2 x2 2
 2  2 4 4
Functions and Graphs
Constant Function Parabola/Quadratic Function
y  a or f  x  x  ay2  by  c g  y   ay2  by  c
a
Graph is a horizontal line passing
through the point 0, a  . The graph is a parabola that opens right
if a  0 or left if a  0 and has a vertex
Line/Linear Function   b  b 
at  g   , .
y  mx  b or f  x  mx    2a 2a 
b
Graph is a line with point 0, b and
Circle
  x  h  2   y  k 2  r 2
slope m.
Graph is a circle with radius r and center
Slope
Slope of the line containing the two h, k  .
points  x1, y1  and  x2 , y2  is
y  y rise Ellipse
m  x2  x1  run  x  h 2  y  k 2
2 1  1
Slope – intercept form 2 2
a b
The equation of the line with slope m Graph is an ellipse with center h, k 
and y-intercept 0, b  is with vertices a units right/left from the
y  mx  b center and vertices b units up/down from
Point – Slope form the center.
The equation of the line with slope m
and passing through the point  x1, y1  Hyperbola
is

y  y1  m  x  x1 x a2
 h 2
For a complete set of online Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu. © 2005 Paul Dawkins
   1
yk 2
 2
b
Parabola/Quadratic Function Graph is a hyperbola that opens left
y  a  x  h 2  k f  x   a  x  h 2 and right, has a center at h, k  ,
k vertices a
units left/right of center and asymptotes
b
The graph is a parabola that opens up if that pass through center with slope  .
a  0 or down if a  0 and has a vertex a
at h, k  Hyperbola
.
 yk xh

2

1
Parabola/Quadratic Function 2 a2

2
b
y  ax2  bx  c f  x   ax2  bx  c Graph is a hyperbola that opens up and
down, has a center at h, k  , vertices
b
The graph is a parabola that opens up if
a  0 or down if a  0 and has a vertex units up/down from the center and
 b  b  asymptotes
b that pass through center with
at  , f  .
 slope  .
  a
2a
2a
  
Common Algebraic Errors
Error Reason/Correct/Justification/Example
2 2
 0 and 2 Division by zero is undefined!
0 0
32  9 32  9 ,  32  Watch parenthesis!
 x 3 
2 9
x5  x 3  x
2
x2 x2  x6
2

a a a 1 1
  1 1   2

bc b c 2 1 1 1 1
1 A more complex version of the previous
2 3
x  x3  x  x
2 error.
a  bx
a  bx a bx
 1 bx a  a  a  1 a
a bx Beware of incorrect canceling!

a  x 1  ax  a  x 1  ax  a

a Make sure you distribute the “-“!
 x  a 2   x  a  x  a   x2  2ax  a2
 x  a 2  x2  a2
x2  a2  x  a
For a complete set of online Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu. © 2005 Paul Dawkins
 5  25  347
32  42  32  42
xa x a See previous error.

 x  a n  xn  an n xa n x  n a More general versions of previous three
and errors.
2  x 1  2  x 2  2x 1  2x 2  4x  2
2

2  x 1 2   2x   2x  2 2 4x2  8x  4

2 2 Square first then distribute!
See the previous example. You can not
factor out a constant if there is a power on
the parenthesis!
 2x  2 2 2 x
12
1

x2  a2   x  a  2 2 2
x2  a2   x2  a2
Now see the previous error.
a ab a
  
b a  1   a 
 c  ac
     

c
   b   b   1  b  b
c    
c  
a a
 a     
b ac b b  a  1  a
      
  
   

  c  c   b  c  bc
c  b  
1

For a complete set of online Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu. © 2005 Paul Dawkins