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ALGERBRA

Algebraic Terms 2a means 2 × a ab means a × b

a2 means a × a a3 means a × a × a

a a 2b
means a ÷ b means a × a × b ÷ c
b c

Adding and subtracting terms

You can only add or subtract terms if they are the same type of terms. It may help to think of a
thermometer when combining positive and negative terms.

Examples
5x – 4y + 2x + 6y = 7x + 2y a2 + 3ab – 4b2 + 2a2 – 5ab – 7b2 = 3a2 – 2ab – 11b2

a2 + 2a2 3ab – 5ab – 4b2 – 7b2

Expanding a bracket
When there is a number (or letter) in front of a bracket, it means everything inside the bracket must be
multiplied by that number (or letter).
Remember the rules for signs when multiplying or dividing positive and negative quantities:

+×+ or –×– the answer is

When signs are the same
+÷+ or –÷– +

+×– or –×+ the answer is

When signs are different
+÷– or –÷+ –

Examples 3(2 x + 1) = 6 x + 3 a(a − b ) = a 2 − ab

3× 2 x 3× 1 a×a a × −b

Simplify the following expressions:

1. 7𝑥 + 5 – 3𝑥

2. 6𝑤2 + 11𝑤 + 8𝑤2 – 15𝑤

3. (12𝑥 – 5) – (7𝑥 – 11)

5. (2𝑥2 − 3𝑥 + 7) – (−3𝑥2 + 4𝑥 – 7)
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Evaluating and algebraic expressions

In order to evaluate an algebraic expression, you must know the exact values for each variable. Then you will
simply substitute and evaluate using the order of operations.

Example 1
For example, evaluate the expression:

2x 2 + y for x = 2 and y = −3.

Substituting the numbers in the place of the variables we have:

2(3)2 + (−3) = 2(9) − 3 = 15

Evaluate by substitution:

1. 𝑎 = 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 , 𝑏 = 2, 𝑐 = 3 ,

2. ℎ = 𝑓 2 − 𝑔2 , 𝑓 = 6, 𝑔 = 3,

3. 𝑑 = 180(𝑛 − 2), 𝑛 = 7,3,2

4. 𝑡 = 𝑝 − 𝑞 2 , 𝑝 = 100, 𝑞 = 5

FINANCIAL APPLICATIONS
Exercise 1. A taxi service charge customers according to the formula 𝐹 = 0.25 + 1.5 𝐷 where 𝐷 is
the distance covered in km and 𝐹 is the fare. Find the fare if you travel 6 km.

Exercise 2: A cellphone communication company is charging its customers according to 𝐶 = 3.25 +

0.05 𝑀 where 𝐶 is the charge in KD and 𝑀 is the minutes of talk. How much you will be charged if
you talk 4.5 hours?

Exercise 3: An apartment complex has 250 apartments to rent. If they rent 𝑋 apartments then their
monthly profit in KD is given by 𝑃(𝑋) = −2.6 𝑋 2 + 900 𝑋 − 26 000. Find profit (or loss) when
𝑋 = 58, 30, 32.

The compound interest formula

The formula for the compound interest is 𝑃 = 𝑃0 (1 + 𝑟)𝑡 where 𝑃 is the amount of money after 𝑡
years when the principal amount 𝑃0 is invested with an interest rate 𝑟. The formula for compound
interest can be used to relate the present and future values of money in an economy of non-zero interest
rate. In this case 𝑃0 is the present value and 𝑃 is the value of money after 𝑡 years with and interest rate
𝑟. For example: if you are promised 8 000 KD in 10 years time and if the interest rate is 3%, the
present value of this money is

𝑃 8 000
𝑃0 = 𝑡
= = 5952.750 𝐾𝐷 .
(1 + 𝑟) (1.03)10
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Exercise 4: If you invest 15 000 KD with 4% compound interest, find the amount of money after 3
years.

Exercise 5: What is 600KD in 3 years time worth now, if the interest rate is 5%.

EQUATIONS

Equation: an algebraic “sentence” that consists of two equal algebraic expressions

Linear Equation: an equation that can be written in the form ax + b =c

Properties of Equality:

Addition Property of Equality If a = b, then a + c = b + c .

Subtraction Property of Equality If a = b, then a − c = b − c .

Multiplication Property of Equality If a = b, then a ⋅ c = b ⋅ c

a b
Division Property of Equality =If a b=
, then . ( c ≠ 0)
c c

Symmetric Property of Equality =If a b=

, then b a .

Example 2
Solve the equation 𝑥 + 6 = −8.

Because 6 is being added to x, we will use the inverse operation (subtraction) to isolate the variable.

Use the Subtraction Property of Equality;

x + 6 =−8
−6 −6
x = −14

Example 3
Solve the equation −4 = x − 3 .
Because 3 is being subtracted from x, we will use the inverse operation (addition) to isolate the
variable.
−4 =n − 3
+3 +3
−1 = n
n = −1
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Example 4
Solve the equation 15 x = 3 .
Because x is being multiplied by 15, we will use the inverse operation (division) to isolate the variable.
15 x 3
=
15 15
3
x=
15
1
x=
5

Example 5
Solve the equation −8 x + 6 =5.
−8 x + 6 = 5
−6 −6
Step One: Undo addition (using subtraction) . −8 x = −1
−8 x −1
=
−8 −8
Step Two: Undo multiplication (using division).
1
x=
8

Example 6
Solve the equation −4 =−8 + 3x .

Step One: Rewrite in the form ax + b =c. Symmetric Property of Equality: −8 + 3x =−4
Commutative Property of Addition: 3x − 8 =−4

3x − 8 =−4
Step Two: Undo subtraction (using addition). +8 +8
3x =4

3x 4
=
3 3
Step Three: Undo multiplication (using division).
4
x=
3
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Example 7
Solve the equation: 6 ( x − 4 ) − 2 x =
24
Step One: Use the distributive property. 6 x − 24 − 2 x =
24

Step Two: Combine like terms. 4 x − 24 =

24 (This is in ax + b =c form.)
4 x − 24 =
24
Step Three: Undo subtraction (using addition). + 24 +24
4x = 48

4 x 48
=
Step Four: Undo multiplication (using division). 4 4
x = 12

Example 8
Solve the equation 3x − 2= 4 ( x + 6 )
Step One: Use the distributive property. 3x − 2 = 4 x + 24
3x − 2 = 4 x + 24
Step Two: Bring all variables to the same side. −4 x − 4x
−1 x − 2 =24
Note: This is now in ax + b =c form.
−1x 26
=
Step Four: Undo multiplication (using division). −1 −1
x = −26

LINEAR EQUATIONS PRACTICE

1) 9𝑥 − 11 = −38
𝑋
2) − 4 = 4
7

3) 26 = 60 – 2𝑥

4) 3(2𝑥 − 5) − 4𝑥 = 33

5) 102 = 69 − 7𝑥 + 3𝑥

6) 12(3𝑥 + 4) = 6(7𝑥 + 2)

7) 3(4𝑥 − 5) + 2(11 − 2𝑥) = 43

8) 9(3𝑥 + 6) = 12 + 6(7𝑥 − 3)

9) −91 = 7(4𝑥 − 5) − 4(6𝑥 + 5)

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REARRANGING EQUATIONS

Example 9
Solve the equation 3x + 2 y =
5 for y .
Step One: Subtract 3x from both sides. 2 y= 5 − 3x

5 3
Step Two: Divide both sides by 2. y= − x
2 2

Note: There are many ways to write the correct answer. This equation is equivalent to the following:
3 5 5 − 3x
y= − x+ and y=
2 2 2

Example 10
Solve the equation y = x − 3 for x.

Original formula (y is the subject): 𝑦 =𝑥−3

Add 3 to each side to leave x on its own: 𝑦+3=𝑥

We can rewrite the formula with x on the left: 𝑥 =𝑦+3

Example 11
Solve the equation v = u + at for a.

Original formula (v is the subject): v = u + at

Subtract ‘u’ from each side: v − u = at
v−u
Divide each side by ‘t’ to leave ‘a’ on its own: =a
t

v−u
We can re-write the formula with ‘a’ on the left:: a=
t

Example 12
Make 𝑟 the subject of the formula, 𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟 2 .
A = πr 2

A
= r2
π

A
� =r
π
A
We can re-write the formula with ‘r’ on the left: r = �
π
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Example 13
Alana has $2000 to invest in a savings account that pays simple interest. She would like to leave the
money in the account for 3 years and earn an additional $150. What interest rate must the bank pay in
order for Alana to earn this amount? (Use the simple interest formula 𝐼 = 𝑃𝑟𝑡.)
Be sure that time (t) is in years and the rate (r) is written as a decimal when using this formula. Solve
the interest formula for r.
I Prt
=
Pt Pt
I
=r
Pt
Substitute the values given in the problem.
150
=r
2000 ⋅ 3
0.025 = r

Solution: Alana’s bank will have to pay 2.5% interest.

Solve each equation below for the given variable.

1. 𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 𝑧 (solve for 𝑦)

2. 𝑎 = 𝑣/𝑡 (solve for 𝑡)

3. 𝑥𝑦 + 𝑥 = 1 (solve for 𝑥)

4. I = Prt (solve for 𝑡)

5. 𝑃 = 𝑃0 (1 + 𝑟)𝑡 (solve for 𝑃0 )

REVENUE, COST, PROFIT AND BREAK-EVEN POINT

In any economic activity it is important to distinguish between some basic concept: revenue, cost and profit.
The formula of the revenue is given by:

𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑒 = (𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡) × (𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠)

If price per unit fixed is 𝑝 and number of units is 𝑥, then the formula of the revenue is:

𝑅 = 𝑝𝑥

The formula for the total cost is:

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝑡 = 𝑓𝑖𝑥𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑡 + (𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑡) × (𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦)

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If the fixed cost is indicated with 𝐶𝑓𝑖𝑥𝑒𝑑 , the unit cost with small 𝑐 and quantity with 𝑥, the formula of the cost
becomes:
𝐶 = 𝐶𝑓𝑖𝑥𝑒𝑑 + 𝑐𝑥

The profit is defined as

𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑖𝑡 = 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑒 − 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑡

In formulas:
𝑃 = 𝑝𝑥 − �𝐶𝑓𝑖𝑥𝑒𝑑 + 𝑐𝑥�

This formula can be rearranged easily into the following:

𝑃 = (𝑝 − 𝑐)𝑥 − 𝐶

The so called break-even point corresponds to the number of units sold such that:

𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑖𝑡 = 0

So to find the break-even point is equivalent to solve an algebraic equation. The application of these formulas
are shown in the example below.

Example 14
The Computer Shop sells computers. The shop has a fixed cost of $1500 per week. Its
average cost per computer is $649 each, and the average selling price is $899 each.

a) Write the total cost, revenue, and profit formulas.

C = 1500 + 649x

R = 899x

P = R − C = 250x − 1500

b) Find the profit or loss of selling 𝑥 = 37 computers per week

P = $7750

c) Find the break-even point.

P = 0 ⟹ 250x − 1500 = 0 ⟹ x = 6 computers

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PRACTICE EXERCISES

Exercise 1
If the revenue from the sale of x units of a product is R(x) = 90x and the cost of obtaining x units is
C ( x) = 50 x + 800

1. determine the profit formula

2. find the profit from selling 300 units.

Exercise 2
A manufacturer can produce x units for a total cost given by the formula: C(x)=240 + 0.18x dollars. He can sell
the product for $3.59 per unit.
1. find the profit function
2. the break-even quantity
3. the profit from producing 250 units
4. number of units for profit of $1000.

Exercise 3
Your college newspaper has fixed costs of $100 per edition plus additional costs of 30 cents per each paper.
The paper sells for 50 cents per copy. Find the total cost, revenue, and profit functions. What profit or loss
results from selling 400 papers? How many copies must be sold in order to break even?

Exercise 4
The cost to manufacture a sofa is $600 per sofa plus a fixed setup cost of $4,500. Each sofa sells for
$750.

1. Write the total cost. What is the cost to manufacture 20 sofas?

2. Write the revenue formula. How much revenue is generated from selling 20 sofas?
3. How much profit does the manufacturer gain (or lose) by manufacturing and selling 20 sofas?
4. What is the break-even point?