What is an Algebraic Identity

An Algebraic identity is an equality, which is true for all values of the variables in the
equality. While an equation is true only for certain values of its variables. An equation is not
an identity.

Example
x+ 2 =5
Now this is true for x=3 only.So this is not an identity
(x+1)2=x2+2x+1(x+1)2=x2+2x+1
Now this is true for x=0,1,2 –.So this is an identity
Standard Identities
There are four standard Identities

Identity (I)
(a+b)2=a2+2ab+b2(a+b)2=a2+2ab+b2

(a+b)2=(a+b)(a+b)(a+b)2=(a+b)(a+b)
=a(a+b)+b(a+b)=a(a+b)+b(a+b)
=a2+ab+ba+b2=a2+ab+ba+b2
=a2+2ab+b2=a2+2ab+b2
Identity (II)
(a–b)2=a2–2ab+b2(a–b)2=a2–2ab+b2

(a–b)2=(a–b)(a–b)(a–b)2=(a–b)(a–b)
=a(a–b)–b(a–b)=a(a–b)–b(a–b)
=a2−ab–ba+b2=a2−ab–ba+b2
=a2–2ab+b2=a2–2ab+b2
Identity(III)
(a+b)(a–b)=a2–b2(a+b)(a–b)=a2–b2

(a+b)(a–b)=a(a–b)+b(a–b)(a+b)(a–b)=a(a–b)+b(a–b)
=a2−ab+ba–b2=a2−ab+ba–b2
=a2–b2=a2–b2
Identity(IV)
(x+a)(x+b)=x2+(a+b)x+ab(x+a)(x+b)=x2+(a+b)x+ab

(x+a)(x+b)=x(x+b)+a(x+b)(x+a)(x+b)=x(x+b)+a(x+b)
=x2+xb+ax+ab=x2+xb+ax+ab
=x2+x(a+b)+ab=x2+x(a+b)+ab
Special Cases
(i) for b =a
(x+a)(x+b)=x2+(a+b)x+ab(x+a)(x+b)=x2+(a+b)x+ab
(x+a)2=x2+2ax+a2(x+a)2=x2+2ax+a2
which is same as identity (I)

(ii) for b =-c,a=-c

(x+a)(x+b)=x2+(a+b)x+ab(x+a)(x+b)=x2+(a+b)x+ab
(x−c)2=x2–2cx+c2(x−c)2=x2–2cx+c2
which is same as identity (II)

(iii) for b =-a

(x+a)(x+b)=x2+(a+b)x+ab(x+a)(x+b)=x2+(a+b)x+ab
(x+a)(x−a)=x2–a2(x+a)(x−a)=x2–a2
which is same as identity (III)

(iv)For b=-b
(x+a)(x–b)=x2+(a–b)x–ab(x+a)(x–b)=x2+(a–b)x–ab
(v) For a=-a
(x–a)(x+b)=x2+(b–a)x–ab(x–a)(x+b)=x2+(b–a)x–ab
(vi) For a=-a and b=-b
(x–a)(x–b)=x2–(a+b)x+ab(x–a)(x–b)=x2–(a+b)x+ab
Other Algebraic Identities
Identity (V)
(x+y+z)2=x2+y2+z2+2xy+2yz+2zx(x+y+z)2=x2+y2+z2+2xy+2yz+2zx

(x+y+z)2=(x+y+z)(x+y+z)(x+y+z)2=(x+y+z)(x+y+z)
=x(x+y+z)+y(x+y+z)+z(x+y+z)=x(x+y+z)+y(x+y+z)+z(x+y+z)
=x2+xy+xz+yx+y2+yz+zx+zy+z2=x2+xy+xz+yx+y2+yz+zx+zy+z2
=x2+y2+z2+2xy+2yz+2zx=x2+y2+z2+2xy+2yz+2zx
The RHS side is called the expanded form
Identity (VI)
(x+y)3=x3+y3+3xy(x+y)(x+y)3=x3+y3+3xy(x+y)
(x+y)3=(x+y)(x+y)2(x+y)3=(x+y)(x+y)2
=(x+y)(x2+2xy+y2)=(x+y)(x2+2xy+y2)
=x(x2+2xy+y2)+y(x2+2xy+y2)=x(x2+2xy+y2)+y(x2+2xy+y2)
=x3+2x2y+xy2+x2y+2xy2+y3=x3+2x2y+xy2+x2y+2xy2+y3
=x3+3x2y+3xy2+y3=x3+3x2y+3xy2+y3
=x3+y3+3xy(x+y)=x3+y3+3xy(x+y)
The RHS side is called the expanded form
Identity (VII)
(x–y)3=x3–y3–3xy(x–y)(x–y)3=x3–y3–3xy(x–y)
This can be easily obtained by y=-y in identity (VI)
Identity (VIII)
x3+y3+z3–3xyz=(x+y+z)(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)x3+y3+z3–3xyz=(x+y+z)
(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)

(x+y+z)(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)(x+y+z)(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)
=x(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)+y(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)+z(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–
zx)=x(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)+y(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)+z(x2+y2+z2–xy–
yz–zx)
=x3+xy2+xz2–x2y–xyz–zx2+yx2+y3+yz2–xy2–y2z–xyz+x2z+y2z+z3–xyz–
yz2–xz2=x3+xy2+xz2–x2y–xyz–zx2+yx2+y3+yz2–xy2–y2z–
xyz+x2z+y2z+z3–xyz–yz2–xz2
=x3+y3+z3–3xyz=x3+y3+z3–3xyz
Identity (IX)
(a+b+c)3=a3+b3+c3+3a2b+3a2c+3b2c+3b2a+3c2a+3c2a+6abc(a+b+c)3=a3+
b3+c3+3a2b+3a2c+3b2c+3b2a+3c2a+3c2a+6abc

(a+b+c)3=(a+b+c)(a+b+c)2(a+b+c)3=(a+b+c)(a+b+c)2
Now from identity (V)
=(a+b+c)(a2+b2+c2+2ab+2ac+2bc)=(a+b+c)(a2+b2+c2+2ab+2ac+2bc)
=a(a2+b2+c2+2ab+2ac+2bc)+b(a2+b2+c2+2ab+2ac+2bc)
+c(a2+b2+c2+2ab+2ac+2bc)=a(a2+b2+c2+2ab+2ac+2bc)
+b(a2+b2+c2+2ab+2ac+2bc)+c(a2+b2+c2+2ab+2ac+2bc)
=a3+b3+c3+3a2b+3a2c+3b2c+3b2a+3c2a+3c2a+6abc=a3+b3+c3+3a2b+3a2c
+3b2c+3b2a+3c2a+3c2a+6abc
Identity (X)
x3+y3=(x+y)(x2–xy+z2)x3+y3=(x+y)(x2–xy+z2)
From identity (VI)
(x+y)3=x3+y3+3xy(x+y)(x+y)3=x3+y3+3xy(x+y)
x3+y3=(x+y)3–3xy(x+y)x3+y3=(x+y)3–3xy(x+y)
x3+y3=(x+y)[(x+y)2–3xy]x3+y3=(x+y)[(x+y)2–3xy]
x3+y3=(x+y)(x2+y2−xy)x3+y3=(x+y)(x2+y2−xy)
Identity (XI)
x3–y3=(x–y)(x2+xy+y2)x3–y3=(x–y)(x2+xy+y2)
From Identity (VII)
(x–y)3=x3–y3–3xy(x–y)(x–y)3=x3–y3–3xy(x–y)
x3–y3=(x−y)3+3xy(x−y)x3–y3=(x−y)3+3xy(x−y)
x3–y3=(x−y)[(x−y)2+3xy]x3–y3=(x−y)[(x−y)2+3xy]
x3−y3=(x–y)(x2+xy+y2)x3−y3=(x–y)(x2+xy+y2)
Identity (XII)
If x + y +z =0, then x3+y3+z3=3xyzx3+y3+z3=3xyz

From Identity (VIII)

x3+y3+z3–3xyz=(x+y+z)(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)x3+y3+z3–3xyz=(x+y+z)
(x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx)
Now if x + y +z =0
x3+y3+z3–3xyz=0x3+y3+z3–3xyz=0
x3+y3+z3=3xyzx3+y3+z3=3xyz
Identity (XIII)
x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–zx=12[(x−y)2+(y−z)2+(x−z)2]x2+y2+z2–xy–yz–
zx=12[(x−y)2+(y−z)2+(x−z)2]
Examples
(1) Expand (3a+4b+c)2(3a+4b+c)2
Solution
Comparing the given expression with (x+y+z)2(x+y+z)2, we find that
x = 3a, y = 4b and z = c.
(3a+4b+c)2=(3a)2+(4b)2+(c)2+2(3a)(4b)+2(4b)(c)+2(c)(3a)
(3a+4b+c)2=(3a)2+(4b)2+(c)2+2(3a)(4b)+2(4b)(c)+2(c)(3a)
=9a2+16b2+c2+24ab+8bc+6a=9a2+16b2+c2+24ab+8bc+6a
(2) Factorise 27x3+y3+27z3–27xyz27x3+y3+27z3–27xyz
Solution
Here, we have
27x3+y3+27z3–27xyz27x3+y3+27z3–27xyz
=(3x)3+y3+(3z)3–3(3x)(y)(3z)=(3x)3+y3+(3z)3–3(3x)(y)(3z)
=(3x+y+3z)[(3x)2+y2+(3z)2–(3x)(y)–(y)(3z)–(3x)(3z)]=(3x+y+3z)
[(3x)2+y2+(3z)2–(3x)(y)–(y)(3z)–(3x)(3z)]
=(3x+y+3z)(9x2+y2+9z2–2xy–3yz–6xz)=(3x+y+3z)(9x2+y2+9z2–2xy–
3yz–6xz)
(3) Expand (3p+4q)3(3p+4q)3
Solution
Comparing the given expression with (x+y)3(x+y)3, we find that
x = 3p and y = 4q.
So, using Identity VI, we have:
(3p+4q)3=(3p)3+(4q)3+3(3p)(4q)(3p+4q)(3p+4q)3=(3p)3+(4q)3+3(3p)(4q)
(3p+4q)
=27p3+64q3+108p2q+144pq2