DEFINITION

 Equation – a statement of equality which contains

one or more unknown quantity or variable is called
an equation.
 E.g.; 3x+7=12,
6x=12
 Linear equation – An equation in which the
highest power of the variables involved is one is
called a linear equation.
 E.g.; 3x-7=5
2x-3=7
To solve a first-order, or linear, equation or inequality with one unknown,
we bring the unknown term to one side. Here we are interested in the
solution of two equations or two inequalities together. This situation
occurs when we want to solve simultaneous equations or inequalities, a
product of equations or inequalities, or an equation or inequality involving
absolute values.
1. How do we solve first-order simultaneous inequalities with one
unknown?
To solve first-order simultaneous inequalities with one unknown, we
solve each of the inequalities, which gives us two interval solutions.
Next, we look for the common part (or intersection) of the two interval
solutions. If this exists, it is the solution for the simultaneous inequalities.
Example:
We want to solve the simultaneous inequalities .
These inequalities can be simplified to .
So the set of solutions for the simultaneous inequalities is the
intersection of the two intervals:
. Therefore . (To work out the intersection it can be helpful to sketch
the intervals.)
The equation 2x – 7 = 4 contains an unknown number
represented by the letter x.
We say that 2x – 7 = 4 is a linear equation with the unknown in x.
How do we solve an equation with the unknown in x; in other
words, how do we find the values of the unknown for which the
equation holds?
I. Definition
a, b, and c are three numbers and a is not zero. A linear equation
with one unknown is an equation that can be written in the forms
ax = b or ax + c = b, where x indicates the unknown.
Note: We can use any letter instead of x (the most commonly
used are x, y, z, or t).
Examples:
3x = 7 is a linear equation with the unknown in x.
–2.7t = 4.8 is a linear equation with the unknown in t.
x + 4 = –3x + 7 is also a linear equation with the unknown in x,
and as we will see it can be written 4x = 3.
On the other hand, x² = 3 is not a linear equation because the
unknown x is being squared.
SOLVING EQUATIONS WHICH HAVE LINEAR
EXPRESSIONS ON ONE SIDE AND NUMBERS ON
THE OTHER SIDE
EXAMPLES
 Find the solution ,2y+9=4

2y=4-9
 2y= -5
 y= -5/2

 SOLVE ; 2x = 12,
x = 12/2 = 6
EXERCISE 1.1
 Solve the following equations.
1) Y +3 = 10
2) 6=z+2
3) 7x-9=16
4) 17+6p=9
5) x/3 + 1=7/15
6) 5x/3 + 2/5= 1
7) x/2 + x/3 + x/4 = 13
8) (x+2)(x+3)+(x-3)(x-2)-2x(x+1)=0
9) (2x-1)/3 – (6x-2)/5= 1/3
10) 13(y-4)-3(y-9)-5(y+4)=0
ANSWERS
1) 7
2) 4
3) 25/7
4) -4/3
5) -8/5
6) 9/25
7) 12
8) 6
9) -1/2
10) 9