LU 1 Fundamentals

of Algebra II

1.6 Solving Equations

1.7 Rational Exponents and Radicals
1.8 Quadratic Equations
 1.6 Solving Equations
• An equation is a statement that two mathematical
expressions are equal.
• The following are examples of equations:

2x  3  7  y

3(2 x  3)  4( x  1)  4

y 3y  1

y  2 3y  4
Equality Properties of Real Numbers

• Let a, b, and c be real numbers.

1. If a = b, then
a+c=b+c Addition property
and
a–c=b–c Subtraction property
2. If a = b, and c ≠ 0, then
ac = bc Multiplication property
and
a b
 Division property
c c
 Linear Equations
• A linear equation in the variable x is an
equation that can be written in the form
ax + b = 0
where a and b are constants with a ≠ 0.
• A linear equation in x is also called a first
degree equation in x or an equation of
degree 1 in x.
 Examples 30
Use the equality properties of real numbers to solve the
equation:

a) 8𝑥 − 3 = 2𝑥 + 9

b) 3𝑝 + 2 𝑝 − 1 = −2𝑝 − 4
2𝑘+1 𝑘−1
c) 3
−
4
=1

2 𝑥 1
d) 3(𝑥+1)
−
2 𝑥+1
=
3

e) 2𝑥 + 5 = 3
1.7 Rational Exponents
and Radicals
nth Root of a Real Number

• If n is a natural number and a and b

are real numbers such that

an  b

then we say that a is the nth root of

b.
 nth Root of a Real Number

• For n = 2 and n = 3, the roots are commonly

referred to as the square roots and the cube
roots, respectively.
Examples:
• – 2 and 2 are square roots of 4 because (– 2)2 = 4
and 22 = 4.
• – 3 and 3 are square roots of 9 because (– 3)2 = 9
and 32 = 9.
• – 4 and 4 are square roots of 16 because (– 4)2 =
16
and 42 = 16.
 nth Root of a Real Number

• How many real roots does a real number b have?

1. When n is even, the real nth roots of a positive real
number b must come in pairs: one positive and one
negative. Example: real fourth roots of 81 include –
3 and -3.
2. When n is even and b is a negative real number,
there are no real nth roots of b. Example: if b = – 9
and the real number a is a square root of b, then a2 =
– 9. (Contradict: the square of a real number cannot
be negative, so b has no real roots in this case.
3. When n is odd, then there is only one real nth root
of b. example, the cube root of – 64 is – 4.
 Radicals
n
• We use the notation b called a radical, to denote
the principal nth root of b.
• The symbol is called a radical sign, and the
number b within the radical sign is called the
radicand.
• The positive integer n is called the index of the
radical.
2
• For square roots (n = 2), we write b instead of b.
 Examples 31

• Determine the number of roots of the real number:

a) 25

5
b) 0

c) 3
27
 Solutions - Examples 31
• Determine the number of roots of the real number:

a) 25 , b > 0, n is even, and there is one principal root.

25  5

b) 5
0 , b = 0, n is odd, and there is one root. 5 0  0

27 , if b < 0, n is odd, and there is one root . 27  3

3
c) 3

If b < 0, n is even, and so no real root exists.

3
27  3 is not defined.
Rational Exponents
1. If n is a natural number and b is a
real number, then

b1/n  n b

(If b < 0 and n is even, b1/n is not

defined)
Rational Exponents
2. If m/n is a rational number reduced
to its lowest terms (m, n natural
numbers), then
bm/n  (b1/n )m
or, equivalently,
bm/n  n bm
whenever it exists.
 Examples 32
• Simplify the expressions:

1/3
a) 9 1/2
e) (64)

b) ( 8)1/3
f) (81) 3/4

c) (27) 2/3
g) ( 8)5/3

2/3
 1 
d) (27)
2/3
h)  
 27 
 Properties of Radicals
• If m and n are natural numbers and a is a real number
for which the indicated roots exist, then
Property Example
( a)  a
n n ( 3 2)3  (21/3 )3  21  2
n
ab  a  bn n 3
216  3 27  8  3 27  3 8  3 2  6
n 3
a a 8 8 2 1
n  n 3 3  
b b 64 64 4 2
m n
a  mn a 3
64  32 64  6 64  2
If n is even: n
an  a ( 3)2  3  3

If n is odd: n
an  a 3
( 2)3  2
 Simplifying Radicals
• An expression involving radicals is simplified if the
following conditions are satisfied:

1. The powers of all factors under the radical sign are

less than the index of the radical.
2. The index of the radical has been reduced as far
as possible.
3. No radical appears in a denominator.
4. No fraction appears within a radical.
 Examples 33
• Simplify the radical:

a) 3
375

b) 3
8x3 y 6 z 9

c) 6
81x 4 y 2
 Rationalizing the Denominator
• The process of eliminating a radical from the
denominator of an algebraic expression is referred to
as rationalizing the denominator.
• This can be done by multiplying both the numerator
and the denominator by the radical that we wish to
eliminate.
• For example:
3 3 5 3 5 3 5
   
5 5 5 25 5
 Examples 34
• Rationalize the denominator:

1
a)
2

3x
b)
2 x

c) x
3 y
 Solution – Examples 34a
• Rationalize the denominator:

1 1 2
 
2 2 2
2

4
2

2
1
 2
2
 Solutions – Examples 34b
• Rationalize the denominator:

3x 3x x
 
2 x 2 x x
3x x

2x
3
 x
2
 Solutions – Examples 34c
• Rationalize the denominator:

x x 3 y2
  2
3 y 3 y 3y
x 3 y2

3
y3
x 3 y2

y
 1.8 Quadratic Equations
• A quadratic equation in the variable x is any equation
that can be written in the form
ax 2  bx  c  0
where a, b, and c are constants and a ≠ 0.

• Examples of the quadratic equations in standard form:

3x 2  4 x  2  0
2 x2  8x  5  0
 Solving by Factoring
• We solve a quadratic equation in x by finding its
roots.
• The roots of a quadratic equation in x are the
values of x that satisfy the equation.
• The method of solving quadratic equations by
factoring relies on the following zero-product
property of real numbers:

Zero-Product Property of Real Numbers

 If a and b are real numbers and ab = 0, then a = 0,
or b = 0, or both a, b = 0.
 Examples 35
• Solve by factoring.
x2 – 3x + 2 = 0
Solution
• Factoring the equation, we find that
x2 – 3x + 2 = 0
(x – 2)(x – 1) = 0
• By the zero-product property of real numbers, we
have
x–2=0 or x–1=0
from which we see that x = 2 or x = 1 are the roots of
the equation.
 Examples 36
• Solve by factoring.

a) 2x2 – 7x = – 6
b) 4x2 – 3x = 0
 Solution - Examples 36a
• Solve by factoring.
2x2 – 7x = – 6
Solution
2x2 – 7x + 6 = 0
2x2 – 7x + 6 = 0
(2x – 3)(x – 2) = 0
2x – 3 = 0 or x–2=0
x = 3/2 or x = 2.
 Solution – Examples 36b
• Solve by factoring.
4x2 – 3x = 0
Solution
4x2 – 3x = 0
x(4x – 3) = 0
x=0 or 4x – 3 = 0
x=0 or x = 3/4
Solving by Completing the Square

1. Write the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 in the

form
b c
x  x
2

a a

where the coefficient of x2 is 1 and the

constant term is on the right side of the
equation. Example
x2  2 x  2  0
x2  2 x  2
Solving by Completing
the Square
2. Square half of the coefficient of x.
2
b/a
 2 
 
Example

2
 2
 2 1
 
Solving by Completing
the Square
3. Add the number obtained in step 2 to both
sides of the equation, factor, and solve for
x.
Example

x2  2 x  1  2  1
( x  1)2  3
x 1   3
x  1 3
 Examples 37
• Solve by completing the square: 4 x 2
 3x  2  0
Solution
1. First write 3 1
x  x 0
2

4 2
3 1
x2  x 
4 2

2. Square half of the coefficient of x, obtaining

2
 3
  4   3
2
9
 
 2   8  64 
   
 
 Examples 37 cont.
• Solve by completing the square: 4 x 2
 3x  2  0
Solution
3. Add 9/64 to both sides of the equation:
3 9 1 9
x  x  
2

4 64 2 64
Factoring, we have
2
 3  41
 x   
 8  64
3 41
x 
8 8
3 41 1
x   (3  41)
8 8 8
 Examples 38
• Solve by completing the square: 6 x 2  27  0
Solution
9
1. First write 6x  27 or x 
2 2

2
2. The coefficient of x is 0, so we can skip step 2.
3. Taking the square root in both sides, we have

9 3 3 2
x  
2 2 2
The Quadratic Formula
• The solutions of ax2 + bx + c = 0 (a ≠ 0)
are given by

b  b2  4ac
x
2a
 Examples 39
• Use the quadratic formula to solve:

a) 2 x 2  5x  12  0

b) x 2  3x  8
 Solution - Examples 39a
• Use the quadratic formula to solve 2 x 2
 5x  12  0
Solution
• The equation is in standard form, with a = 2, b = 5,
and c = – 12.

b  b2  4ac 5  52  4(2)(12)
x 
2a 2(2)

5  121 5  11
 
4 4
3
 4 or
2
 Solution - Examples 39b
• Use the quadratic formula to solve x 2  3x  8
Solution
• We first rewrite the equation in standard form
x 2  3x  8  0
from which we see that a = 1, b = 3, and c = – 8.

b  b2  4ac 3  32  4(1)(8)
x 
2a 2(1)

3  41

2
3  41 3  41
• Thus, x  1.7 or x   4.7
2 2