VOLUME 1 [BASIC ALGEBRA]

BASIC ALGEBRA

UNDERSTAND BASIC ALGEBRA

ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION.

4 x2- 3 Constant

Coefficient Variable
Coefficie
Like Term: nt variables raised to the same power. The
Terms that contain the same
coefficients on like terms may be different.

 SIMPLIFYING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION

NOTES
To simplify an algebraic expressions means to reduce it to the lowest terms. We simplify
it by factorize and dividing out the common factors in the numerator and denominator.

EXAMPLES
a) 2 x b)
3x
2y 6
x x
 
y 2

c) 6 x  12b
2 3 d)
18 x y z 3a
2 xy 2 3(2 x  4b)

 9 xyz 3a
2 x  4b

a
MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 1
VOLUME 1 [BASIC ALGEBRA]

LET’S TRY!
15 2( x  3) xy
a) b)
3x 10( x  3) y

7ab 2 c 4x
c) d)
14a 3bc 4 8 y  10

x 5 x 2  2x  3
e) f)
x  4x  5
2
x2  x  6

m 2  81 a  bc
g) h)
m9 ab

3x 3  9 x 2 4p 8
i) j)
3x 3  8 x 2 p2  4

MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 2

VOLUME 1 [BASIC ALGEBRA]

 ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION OPERATIONS

A) ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

NOTES
To solve the addition and subtractions of algebraic, the terms must have the same
denominator (algebraic fractions only).
𝒂 𝒃 𝒂+𝒃
+ =
𝒄 𝒄 𝒄

EXAMPLES
a) x  3 x b)
5 5 3a  1  7a  2  3a  1  7a  2
x  3x  3a  7a 1  2
  10a  3
5
4x

5
3 6 2
c)
3x  1 2 x  5 d)  
 ab abc bcd
2 2 3cd  6d  2a
3x  1  (2 x  5) 
 abcd
2
3x  1  2 x  5

2
x6

2

e) f) 2 pq  4 pr  pr  2rq  3qp
3 6  2 pq  3 pq  4 pr  pr  2rq

ab bc  5 pq  3 pr  2rq
3c  6a

abc

MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 3

VOLUME 1 [BASIC ALGEBRA]

LET’S TRY!

a) 4 x 2  3x 9 x  6 b)
3 4 3
 
c3 c 2 c

x 2y 3 2
c)  d) 
3 3 b2 b

4 6 3 4
e)  f) 
2
x y xy 2 x2 x

x 3 2 5 6
g)  h)  2
x  3x  4 x  4
2
x  4x  3 x  4x  5
2

2a a 2x 1
i)  j) 
5 10 x 4 x2
2

MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 4

VOLUME 1 [BASIC ALGEBRA]

 ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION OPERATIONS

B) MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION

NOTES
MULTIPLICATION = Factorized the algebraic fractions first and multiply all
remaining numerators and multiply all remaining
denominators.

DIVISION = Invert the second fractions and multiply.

EXAMPLES
3 3
a) 24ax  by b)
4x
b y2
2(ax) 2
 3y
y
24ax 3 by 3
  
4x 1

b 2 y 2a 2 x 2 y 3y
12 xy 2 4x
  2
ab 3y

2x  8 x4
c)
x  3 2( x  3)
d)  3
 2 x 2
2x  4x
x2 x 9 2x  8 2x3  4x
x3 2( x  3)  2 
 2  x x4
x ( x  3)( x  3) 2( x  4) 2 x( x 2  2)
2  
 2 x2 x4
x 4( x  2)
2

x

xz  4 x   x2 z  5x 
e)
f)
6n  2a   5n  3a 
 xz  4 x 2  2 xz  5x 2
 6n  12a  5n  15a
 6n  5n  12a  15a  xz  2 xz  5x 2  4 x 2
 n  27a  3xz  x 2

MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 5

VOLUME 1 [BASIC ALGEBRA]

LET’S TRY!

25uv 5u 4 w 36mn a 2b 3
a)  b) 
(3wx) 2 18vx2 2ab 4m 2 n

16 xy 2 6bxy x 2  25 2  x
c)  d) 
(4ab) 2 3a 2 y x  2 3x  15

(3x) 2 5x 3 4
e)  f) 
4 x  36 2( x  3)
2 x2 x

g) p3  q   q p  3 h) 4 x 2  3x 9 x  6

cd e4 4abc 6ab 2

i)  j) 
e2 c2  d 2 3x 10 xy

MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 6

VOLUME 1 [BASIC ALGEBRA]

QUADRATIC EQUATIONS.

ax 2  bx  c GENERAL FORM

CHARACTERISTICS:

 Involve only ONE variable/unknown/coefficients.

 The highest power of the variable/unknown is 2.

METHOD 1: FACTORIZATION
Step 1:
Rewrite the quadratic equation in the general form that equal to zero
General Form:

Step 2:
Factorize the equation by using cross method and differences of two squares.

Step 3:
Make sure each factor equal to zero

Step 4:
Solve each of all the equations

EXAMPLES SOLVE THE EQUATION

MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 7

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METHOD 1: FACTORIZATION

General form:

Factor the left side : 𝑥 − 1 𝑥 − 2 = 0

Each factor equal to zero: 𝑥 − 1 = 0 @ 𝑥 − 2 = 0

Solve each of equations : 𝑥 − 1 = 0 @ 𝑥−2=0

𝑥=1 𝑥=2

LET’S TRY!

Solve the quadratic equation below by using factorization method.

a) x 2  3x  2  0 b) 6 x 2  23x  7  0 c) 2 x 2  6 x  20  0

MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 8

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METHOD 2: QUADRATIC FORMULA

Step 1:
Rewrite the quadratic equation in the general form that equal to zero and
identify the value of a, b and c in the general form.
General Form:

Step 2:

Put the values of a, b and c into the Quadratic Formula:

Step 3:
Solve the quadratic formula

EXAMPLES SOLVE THE EQUATION

METHOD 2: QUADRATIC FORMULA

General form:

The value of a, b, and c: a=1, b= -3, c= 2

− −3 ± −3 2 −4 1 2
Put the value of a, b and c into the Quadratic Formula:
2 1

Solve the quadratic formula

3± 1
𝑥=
2

3+ 1 3− 1
𝑥1 = 𝑥2 =
2 2

𝑥1 = 2 𝑥2 = 1

𝑥1 = 2
MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 9
VOLUME 1 [BASIC ALGEBRA]

LET’S TRY!

Solve the quadratic equation below by using quadratic formula.

a) 3x 2  16 x  5  0 b) 4 x 2  14 x  6  0 c) 2 y 2  6 y  3  0

d) 2 x 2  3x  5 e) 2mm  2  m  2 f) x 2  2(6  x)

MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 10

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MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING 11