CHAPTER 1

BASIC ALGEBRA

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this learning activities, students should be able to;

1.1 SIMPLIFY BASIC ALGEBRA

1.1.1 Define algebraic expression by using
a. Addition
b. Subtraction
c. Multiplication
d. Division

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1.1 UNDERSTAND BASIC ALGEBRA

In mathematics, an algebraic expression is an expression built up from

constants, variables, and the algebraic operations (addition,
substraction, multiplication and division)

Here are some example of algebraic expression :

i) a 1
ii) 2a  4b
iii) 6r  3s  6z
iv) x  a / b

Unknown
 An unknown is a quantity whose value has not been determined.
 Letters can be used to represent unknowns or objects.

Algebraic Terms
 Is the product of an unknowns and a number.
 Example : 4 xy

1.1.1 Algebraic Expressions

Combining Like Terms

 Simplify 4h  h  3h by combining like terms

(4 − 1 + 3)ℎ
3 terms are have the
= 6ℎ
same variable part, h

 Simplify 15𝑎 − 3 + 4𝑎 − 2 by combining like terms

15𝑎 + 4𝑎 − 3 − 2
2 terms are have the same
(15 + 4)𝑎 − 3 − 2 variable part, a. The other pair
= 19𝑎 − 5 of terms are constant terms
that can be combined
together

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  Simplify the expression 5𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 7

5𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 7 Combine the x squared terms

together and then the x terms
= 8𝑥2 − 2𝑥 − 7 together

 Simplify the expression – (6𝑦 + 4)

*A - outside a ( ) is the same as

(– 1)(6𝑦 + 4) times (-1)
(– 1)(6𝑦) + (−1)(4) *Distribute the (-1) to EVERY term
inside ( )
= −6𝑦 − 4 *Multiply

 Simplify the expression 3(5𝑠 + 3) −

2(6 − 2𝑠)

3(5𝑠) + 3(3) − 2(6) + 2(2𝑠) *Dist. 3 to EVERY term of

1st ( )
15𝑠 + 9 − 12 + 4𝑠 *Dist. -2 to EVERY term of
2nd ( )
*Multiply
Regrouping and combining like
terms we get:

15𝑠 + 4𝑠 + 9 − 12
19𝑠 − 3

Activity

1. Simplify each of the following expressions :

a) 4a  ( a  5) k) 3( x  y )  2( y  x )
b) 6 xy  4  8 xy  7 l) 3( c  d )  2( 4c  2d )
c) 4 p  3( 2 p  q ) m) 5mn  6  ( 2mn )
d) 10 q  ( 6q )  5 n) 9m 2 n  7m  ( 4m  3m 2 n )
e) 6 p  ( 3 p )  2 p o) 2 p  3q  ( p  5q )
f) 4a  a( b  4 ) p) 7a  8b  4  3b  2a
g) 5m  4( m  2 ) q) 2ab  3bc  (5ab  1)
h) 6b  ( b  3) r) 4 xy  ( 3xy  2 y )  yx
i) 5 x  3( 2  x ) s) 7 xy  ( 4 xy )  5 x
j) 4k ( k  3m )  3m( m  4k ) t) 2(5 x  y )  5(7 y  3x )

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1.1.2 Solve Algebraic Expression

Addition & Subtraction

 can only add or subtract like terms.

6m  2n  4m  5n

= 6m  4m  2n  5n
= 10m  7n

 adding or subtracting algebraic fractions, get the same denominator (by cross multiplying).

1 1
− 2+𝑥
𝑥

1(2+𝑥) 1(𝑥)
= 𝑥(2+𝑥) − (2+𝑥)(𝑥)

2+𝑥−𝑥
= 𝑥(2+𝑥)

2
= 𝑥(2+𝑥)

Multiplication
n
jjjjjkloaDDiviid
 expanddddDDDdDSD
using the distributive law
DivisionSubtr
𝑥 3 (𝑥 2 + 7𝑥)
action

= 𝑥 5 + 7𝑥 4

 Multiply and then simplify the product

2𝑥+4 3
× 6𝑥+12
𝑥
* Factor all numerators
and denominators
2(𝑥 + 2) 3 *cancel all common
= × factors
𝑥 6(𝑥 + 2)

2 3
= ×
𝑥 6
1
=
𝑥

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 Division
jjjjjkloaD
Diviiddd
 dDDDdD
algebraic expressions involve simplifying and canceling.
SDDivisi
14onSubtr
xyz
7action
xz *cancel the numbers top
and bottom
*cancel the same unknown
1 4 2  x  y  z top and bottom
=
7  x  z
= 2y

 dividing by a fraction

3 7 *multiply by the
÷𝑥 reciprocal of the
4 second fraction
3 𝑥
=4×7

3𝑥
= 28

Activity

1. Simplify the following expression.

a) (9q  2 p )  ( 4q  6 p ) d) (12 a  4b)  (5a  7b)
b) 7 x  4 y  3 y  2 x f) 3c  ( d )  ( 2d )
c) 8 x  ( 4 x )  x g) (7𝑥 − 3𝑦) + 2𝑥 − 𝑦

2. Simplify the following to the lowest term

2 3 2 2𝑦−1
a) +𝑎 e) − 𝑦(𝑦−3)
𝑎 𝑦−3

𝑦 𝑦 𝑦 1 2 1
b) +4+6 f) + 𝑎−1 + 𝑎
3 3𝑎−1

1 1 1 3
c) + 6𝑎 − 3 g) + (𝑥 2 −9)
4𝑎 𝑥+3

1 1 7 6
d) − 2+𝑥 h) − 𝑥 2 +2𝑥−8
𝑥 𝑥 2+ 𝑥−12

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3. Simplify each of the following expression

a) 3x 2 ( 2 x ) g) 4 x( ax 2 )( a 2  x )

b) 3s 2 t( 4 st 3 )2 h)  3a 3 ( 2ab3 )( 3a 2 c 2 )

c) 5a 3 ( a  4m ) i) ( 2a  4 )( a  3)

d)  7c(3c 2  c ) j) 2( x  2 y )( x  y )

4. Simplify each of the following expressions

4a 2 b e2  f 2
a) f)
2 ab 2 3e  3 f

 12 m 3n 14 a 3  2a 2 x
b) g)
20 m 2 n 2 2a 2

21c 2 de3 2πfL  πfR 2

c) h)
14 cde2 πfR

 20 p 5 q 3r 2 bc
d) i)
(2 pq2 r 3 )2 b2  c 2

 (15 a 3 )( 4ab 4 x )  4 pq3 r  12 pqr3  8qr

e) j)
5ab 2 x 2 4 pqr 2

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5. Simplify each of the following expressions to the lowest terms

𝑎𝑏 2 1
a) × 6𝑎 f) 𝑐 ÷ 1−𝑑
2

3𝑎𝑏 2 15𝑏 2 𝑐 2 12𝑥𝑦 3 2𝑥𝑧

b) × g) ÷ 3𝑥𝑦𝑧
5𝑏 3 𝑐 9𝑎2 𝑏 5𝑥𝑦

6 𝑎2 −𝑏2 𝑎2 −𝑏2 2𝑎−2𝑏

c) × h) 𝑎2 +𝑎𝑏 ÷
𝑎+𝑏 2 𝑎𝑏

𝑚+𝑛 𝑚𝑛 2
d) × i) 1 + 1
𝑚 3𝑚+3𝑛 𝑥−
𝑥

36
3𝑑2 −12 6𝑑3 𝑥−7+
𝑥+6
e) × 4𝑑+8 j) 12
9𝑑2 𝑥−1+
𝑥+6

Acknowledgement
HASMAH JUSOH
ROSAMALINA MOHD @MOHD NOOR
PSMZA

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