ALGEBRA

You can think of algebra as the language of mathematics. Algebra uses letters and other symbols to write
mathematical information in shorter ways.

Using letters to represent unknown values

In algebra, you use letters to represent unknown numbers. So you could write the number sentences above as: 2 + x
= 8 and a + b = 10. Number sentences like these are called equations. You can solve an equation by finding the
values that make the equation true.

You used algebra to make a general rule, or formula for. Ex:

Area of a rectangle = length × breadth, so A = lb.

When two letters are multiplied together, we write them next to each other e.g. lb, rather than l × b.

To use a formula you have to replace some or all of the letters with numbers. This is called substitution.

Writing algebraic expressions

An algebraic expression is a group of letter and numbers linked by operation signs. Each part of the expression is
called a term.

Suppose the average height (in centimetres) of students in your class is an unknown number, h.

 A student who is 10 cm taller than the average would have a height of h + 10.
 A student who is 3 cm shorter than the average would have a height of h − 3
Substitution

A new expression base on the value you substitute.

Find the letter, replace that letter with the given number.

Do the operations to find the result.

a.f.j.m.

a.h.l.n.

s.

ei.bii.iv.
a.bi.

a.c.

Solve

Simplifying expressions

Algebraic expressions are separated by terms.

b
2+3 ab−4 −5 ab+ z
c
1. Adding and subtracting like terms

Like terms: term with exactly the same variables (letters).

b
2+3 ab−4 −5 ab+ z
c
Which are the variables?

 ab
b

c
 z

In this case the terms with exactly the same variables are 3ab and -5ab.

This terms can be added or substracting like if they were operation with numbers.

3 ab−5 ab=−2 ab
There for the expression can by simplified:

b
2+3 ab−5 ab−4 + z
c
b
2−2ab−4 + z
c

Solve: a,3,f

Solve: a,l,n

Solve: b,k,p
Solve: a,h

Perimeter is the measured or calculated length of the boundary of a shape, also, the distance around the edge of a
shape.

2. Multiplying and dividing in expressions.

Sometimes the x and ÷ are not written in the algebraic expression, but in order to write in the simplest form you
need to insert those symbols since it will help you solve it better, and then operate with the variables and the
numbers separately.

Once you have solved the numbers and the variables you can stop using x and ÷.
Working with brackets
When an expression has brackets:

 Remove the brackets before you can simplify the expression.

 Removing the brackets is called expanding the expression.
 Multiply each term inside the bracket by the number (and/or variables) outside the bracket.
 Keep in mind that when multiplying
o +×+¿+¿
o −×−¿+ ¿
o +×−¿−¿
o −×+¿−¿
 Collect like terms together  simplest expression
Page: 33 New Book
Hasta aca la pagina 34, ahora para ganar tiempo vamos a conectar con la pagina 124 que tiene expansión pero con
signos negativos.

Now to page: 124

Solving Linear Equations

Linear equations:

 Algebraic Expression.
 Involves the symbol “=”.
 After expanding and simplifying are left with 1 one variable with power 1.
 Solving by changing the equation without changing the solution  do the same on both sides. (line up “=”
symbol)
Solving Linear Inequalities

When solving lineal equations, you find a value for the variable, in this case x:

2 x+6=8
2 x+6−6=8−6
2 2
x=
2 2
x=1
(This is how you must solve the equations in the exam, not only the answer matters but also the procedure)

In this case the answer it is a single value, x can only be 1.

When working with inequalities we no longer have a single value for x, but instead we have multiples values for x,
that is call a range of values.

2 x+6 >8
 2 x+6−6 >8−6
2 2
x>
2 2
x >1
“The answer to the inequality are all the values higher than 1”

The possible values for x are all those that are higher than 1.

x=0, x=0.5, x=-9 and so on… We have infinite values for x.

How to represent the range of values in a number line:

In this case the circle is not filled in, that means that x=4 is not part of the solution.

In this case x is part of the solution.

Ex: