2

Introduction to
Algebra

Prepared by:
Richard Mitchell
Humber College
2.1 - ALGEBRAIC
EXPRESSIONS
2.1-DEFINITIONS
See WileyPLUS Glossary for
Terms and Definitions
Factors
Constants and Variables 2 x  3 xy

Equations
Coefficient
2x
2
 3x  5  0 y  3x  5
Degree 2 9
2x 3x 5y

Grouping Polynomial
A lg 2ebraic Expressions
x  2x  3 4 sin 3 x
2.1-DEFINITIONS
Polynomial Terms
2.2 - ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION
OF ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
2.2-EXAMPLE 20
From the sum of 3x3  2 x  5 and x3  3x 2  7,
subtract 2 x3  3x 2  4 x  7

(3x3  2 x  5)  ( x3  3x 2  7)  (2 x3  3x 2  4 x  7)

 3x3  x3  3x 2  2 x  5  7  (2 x3  3x 2  4 x  7)

 4 x3  3x 2  2 x  2  (2 x3  3x 2  4 x  7)

 4 x3  3 x 2  2 x  2  2 x3  3 x 2  4 x  7

 4 x3  2 x3  3 x 2  3 x 2  2 x  4 x  2  7

ANS: 2 x3  6 x 2  6 x  9
2.2-EXAMPLE 24(c)
Simplify the following expression.
(2w  3x  2 y)  (w  4 x  5 y)  (3
(3w  2 x  y)

 2w  3x  2 y  w  4 x  5 y  3w  2 x  y

 2w  w  3w  3x  4 x  2 x  2 y  5 y  y

 2w  3x  6 y

ANS: -2 w  3 x - 6 y
2.2-EXAMPLE 27
Simplify the following expression.
3x  [2 y  5 z  ( y  2)]
2)]  3  7 z
For any multi-bracket problem such as this,
start at the innermost symbol of grouping,
then continue working outwards.

 3x  [[2
2 y  5z  y  2]
2]  3  7 z

 3x  [ y  5z  2]
2]  3  7 z

 3x  y  5 z  2  3  7 z

 3x  y  5 z  5  7 z

 3x  y  12z  5

ANS: 3 x - y -12 z  5
2.3 - INTEGRAL EXPONENTS
2.3-EXAMPLE 31(c)
Simplify the following :
y 2  ( y n )  ( y3 )

 y 2  n 3

ANS: y n5
2.3-EXAMPLE 32(b) and 32(c)
Simplify the following :
a 2  (a 4 )  (a) x a  ( x)  ( xb )

 a 2  (a 4 )  (a1 )  x a  ( x1 )  ( xb )

 a 241  x a 1b

ANS: a 7 ANS: x ab1

2.3-EXAMPLE 33(c) and 33(d)
Simplify the following :
a 4b3 y nm
ab 2 y n m

a 4b3
 1 2  y ( n  m ) ( n  m )
ab

 a ( 41)b(32)  y n  m n  m

 a3b1  y 02m

ANS: a3b ANS: y -2 m

2.3-EXAMPLE 34(c) and 34(e)
Simplify the following :
(a 3 )2 (b x2 )3

 a ( 3)(2)  b3( x2)

ANS: a 6 ANS: b3x6

2.3-EXAMPLE 35(d) and 35(e)
Simplify the following :
(3x 2 y n )3 (  x 2 y )3

 (31 x 2 y n )3  (1x 2 y1 )3

 (31 )3 ( x 2 )3 ( y n )3  (1)3 ( x 2 )3 ( y1 )3

 33 x6 y3n  1x6 y3

ANS: 27 x6 y3n ANS:  x6 y3

2.3-EXAMPLE 36(e)
Simplify the following :
3 1 3
 a  ( a
 (1)  2 3
)

 2
3
 b  (b )

 a 1 3 a3
  2   1  6
b
 b 

 1 3
a
  1  2 
 b  a3
ANS:  6
b
2.3-EXAMPLE 37(d)
Simplify the following :
5x 0
 5(1)

ANS: 5
2.3-EXAMPLE extra
Simplify the following :
(130a 0  b3 )0
(20  3a 0 )

(130(1)  b3 )0

(1  3(1))

(130  b3 )0

(4)

(1) 1
 ANS:
4 4
2.3-EXAMPLE 38(c) and 38(e)
Simplify the following :
1 b
 3x 
xy 2  2
 2y 
1 b
 3x 
xy 2  2
 2y 

y2  2y2 b
 
x 
 3 x 

y2 2b y 2b
ANS: ANS: b b
x 3 x
2.3-EXAMPLE 39(f)
Simplify the following :
x 2 y 3
w 4 z 2

x2 z 2
 4 3
w y
ANS: Positive Exponents Form Non-Fractional Form
2 2
x z 4 2 3 2
4 3
w x y z
w y
2.3-SUMMARY
The Laws of Exponents
2.4 - MULTIPLICATION OF
ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
2.4-EXAMPLE 40(c)
Multiply the following:
(-p)(-q)(-r)(-s)

= +pqrs

ANS: pqrs
2.4-EXAMPLE 43
Multiply the following:
(4a3b)(-3ab2)

= (4)(-3)(a3)(a1)(b1)(b2)

= -12a(3+1)b(1+2)

= -12a4b3

ANS: -12a4b3
2.4-EXAMPLE 44
Multiply 5x2, -3xy, and –xy3z

= (5x2)(-3xy)(-xy3z)

= (5x2)(-3x1y1)(-x1y3z1)

= +15x(2+1+1)y(1+3) z1

= +15x4y4z1

ANS: 15x4y4z
2.4-EXAMPLE 45
Multiply 3x2 by 2axn

= (3x2)(2axn)

= (3)(2)(a)(x2)(xn)

= 6ax(2+n)

ANS: 6axn+2
2.4-EXAMPLE 46
Multiply the following (without brackets):
2x(x – 3x2)

= 2x(x) + 2x(-3x2)

= 2x1(x1) + 2x1(-3x2)

= 2x2 – 6x3

ANS: 2x2 – 6x3

2.4-EXAMPLE 47(a)
Multiply the following (without brackets):
-3x3(3x2 – 2x + 4)

= -3x3(3x2) - 3x3(-2x) - 3x3(4)

= -3x3(3x2) - 3x3(-2x1) - 3x3(4)

= -9x5 + 6x4 – 12x3

ANS: -9x5 + 6x4 – 12x3

2.4-EXAMPLE 48
Multiply the following (without brackets):
(x + 4)(x – 3)

= x(x) + x(-3) + 4(x) + 4(-3)

= x2 – 3x + 4x – 12

= x2 + x – 12

ANS: x2 + x – 12
2.4-EXAMPLE 50(a)
Multiply the following (without brackets):
(x – 3)(x2 – 2x + 1)

= x(x2) + x(-2x) + x(1) - 3(x2) - 3(-2x) - 3(1)

= x3 – 2x2 + x – 3x2 + 6x - 3

= x3 – 5x2 + 7x – 3

ANS: x3 – 5x2 + 7x – 3
2.4-EXAMPLE 50(b)
Multiply the following (without brackets):
(2x + 3y – 4z)(x – 2y – 3z)

= 2x(x) + 2x(-2y) + 2x(-3z) + 3y(x) + 3y(-2y) + 3y(-3z)

- 4z(x) - 4z(-2y) - 4z(-3z)

= 2x2 – 4xy – 6xz + 3xy – 6y2 – 9yz – 4xz + 8yz + 12z2

= 2x2 – 6y2 + 12z2 – xy – 10xz - yz

ANS: 2x2 – 6y2 + 12z2 – xy – 10xz – yz

2.4-EXAMPLE 51
Multiply the following (without brackets):
(x – 2)[(x + 1)(2x – 3)]

= (x – 2)[x(2x) + x(-3) + 1(2x) + 1(-3)]

= (x – 2)[2x2 – 3x + 2x – 3]

= (x – 2)[2x2 – x – 3]

= x(2x2) + x(-x) + x(-3) - 2(2x2) - 2(-x) - 2(-3)

= 2x3 – x2 – 3x – 4x2 + 2x + 6

= 2x3 – 5x2 – x + 6
ANS: 2x3 – 5x2 – x + 6
2.4-EXAMPLE 52
Multiply the following (without brackets):
(x – 1)3
= (x – 1)[(x – 1)(x – 1)]

= (x – 1)[x(x) + x(-1) - 1(x) - 1(-1)]

= (x – 1)[x2 – 2x + 1]

= x(x2) + x(-2x) + (x)(1) - 1(x2) - 1(-2x) - 1(1)

= x3 – 2x2 + x – x2 + 2x – 1

= x3 – 3x2 + 3x – 1
ANS: x3 – 3x2 + 3x – 1
2.4-EXAMPLES
Special Cases:

(x + 2)(x – 2) = x2 – 22

(x + 2)2 = (x + 2)(x + 2) = x2 + 4x + 4

(x – 2)2 = (x – 2)(x – 2) = x2 – 4x + 4

(x – 3)3 = (x – 3)(x – 3)(x – 3) = x3 – 9x2 + 27x – 27

Tricks:
Perfect Square Trinomials
9x2 – 12x + 4 = (3x – 2)2
 2.5 - DIVISION OF
ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
2.5-EXAMPLE 63(a)
Simplify the following :
15 x 6
3x 4

15 x 6
  4
3 x

 5  x(64)

 5x 2

ANS: 5x 2
2.5-EXAMPLE 64
Divide 18 x5 y 2 z 4 by 3x 2 yz 3

18 x5 y 2 z 4

3x 2 yz 3

18 x5 y 2 z 4
  2 1 3
3 x y z

 6  x(52)  y (21)  z (43)

 6x3 y1z1

ANS: 6x3 yz
2.5-EXAMPLE 66
Simplify the fraction (with positive exponents):
3 x 2 yz 5
9 xy 4 z 2

3 x 2 y1 z 5
  1 4 2
9 x y z

1 (21) (14) (52)

 x y z
3
1 1 3 3 xz 3
 xy z ANS: 3
3 3y
2.5-EXAMPLE 67
Divide 21x 2 y 3 z 1 by 7 x 4 y 2 z 3 (with positive exponents) :

21x 2 y 3 z 1 3x 6 z 2
 
7 x 4 y 2 z 3 y5

21x 2 x 4 z 3

7 y 2 y 3 z1

21 x 6 z 3 3x6 z 2
  5 1 ANS:
7 y z y5
2.5-EXAMPLE 68
Divide 9 x 2  3 x  2 by 3x

9 x 2  3x  2

3x

9 x 2 3x 2
 1 
3x 3x 3x

2
 3x  1 
3x

2
ANS: 3x  1-
3x
2.5-EXAMPLE 69
Divide 3ab  2a 2b  5ab2  3a 2b2 by 15ab

3ab  2a 2b  5ab 2  3a 2b2


15ab

3ab 2a 2b 5ab 2 3a 2b 2
   
15ab 15a b 15ab 15a1b1
1 1

1 2a b ab
   
5 15 3 5 1 2a b ab
ANS:   
5 15 3 5
 Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.

All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted by
Access Copyright (The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency) is unlawful. Requests
for further information should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John
Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. The purchaser may make back-up copies for his or her
own use only and not for distribution or resale. The author and the publisher assume
no responsibility for errors, omissions, or damages caused by the use of these
programs or from the use of the information contained herein.