“I can do all things through Christ

who strengthens me.”

Phil. 4:13
Basic
Concepts in
ALGEBRA

ENGR. EARL JAYSON B. ALVARAN

PEMDAS RULE
Step 1: Simplify everything first inside
the grouping symbols such as
parentheses ( ), brackets [ ], and curly
braces { }.
Step 2: Then simply exponential
expressions before performing the four
fundamental arithmetic operations,
namely: addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division.
PEMDAS RULE

Step 3: Then, multiply and/or

divide, whichever comes first,
from left to right before
performing addition and
subtraction.
Step 4: Lastly, add and/or subtract,
whichever comes first, from left to
right.
 Exercises:

Simplify: 5 – 2 + 3 × 4
A. -15
B. 24
C. 36
D. 15
 Exercises:

Simplify: 2 × 42 + 52 ÷ (26 – 1)
A. 34
B. 33
C. 32
D. 31
Properties of Equality
Reflexive Property
a=a
Symmetric Property
If a = b, then b = a
Transitive Property
If a = b, and b = c, then a = c
Properties of Equality
Addition Property
If a = b, then a+c = b+c
Subtraction Property
If a = b, then a-c = b-c
Substitution Property
If a = b, then a can be replaced by b
in any expression involving a.
Properties of Equality

Multiplication Property
If a = b, then (a)(c) = (b)(c)
Division Property
If a = b, then (a/c) = (b/c), with c≠0
Cancellation Property
If a+c = b+c, then a = b
If ac = bc, then a = b, provided c≠0
Basic Rules of Algebra

Commutative Property
Addition: a+b = b+a
Multiplication: ab = ba
Associative Property
Addition: (a+b)+c = a+(b+c)
Multiplication: (ab)c = a(bc)
Basic Rules of Algebra

Distributive Property
Right Distributive: a(b+c) =
ab+ac
Left Distributive: (a+b)c =
ac+bc
 Exercises:

They are numbers which are

represented by letters
A. coefficients
B. real
C. literal numbers
D. variables
 Exercises:

The statement (x+y)+z=z+(x+y)

illustrates which property of real
numbers?
A. associative
B. commutative
C. closure
D. distributive
Linear Equations (1 variable)
General Form:

where:
a and b are real numbers
x is a variable
Linear Equations (2 variable)
General Form:

where:
a1 , b1, c1, a2, b2, and c2 are real
numbers
x and y are variables
 Exercises:

Solve:

A. x = 4
B. x = 3
C. x = 2/3
D. x = -2/3
 Exercises:

Solve:

A. x = -1 and y = 2
B. x = 2 and y = -1
C. x = 1 and y = -2
D. x = -2 and y = 1
Quadratic Equations
General Form:

Solution to quadratic Equation:

1. By Factoring
2. By Completing the square
3. By Quadratic Formula
Special Products and Factoring

1. (x + y)(x – y) = x2 – y2
2. (x + y )2 = x2 + 2xy + y2
3. (x – y)2 = x2 – 2xy + y2
4. (x + y + z)2 = x2 + y2 + z2 + 2xy +2xz + 2yz
5. x3 + y3 = (x + y)(x2 – xy + y2)
6. x3 – y3 = (x – y)(x2 + xy + y2)
Quadratic Equations
The Quadratic Formula:

Where: B2 – 4AC is called the

discriminant
B2 – 4AC = 0 , roots are real and equal
B2 – 4AC > 0 , roots are real and unequal
B2 – 4AC < 0 , roots are complex
conjugate
Quadratic Equations
Relationship Between Roots and
Coefficients:
Let: r1 and r2 be roots of the quadratic
equation:
Sum of roots:

Product of roots:
 Exercises:

The sum of the roots of y = 3x^2 – 6x

– 4 is ____.
A. 6
B. 2
C. 3
D. -2
 Exercises:
In a quadratic equation problem, one student
made a mistake in copying the coefficient of x and
got a root of +3 and –2. Another student made a
mistake in copying the constant term and got root
of +3 and +2. Determine one of the correct roots.
A. 1
B. 5
C. –6
D. 6
Laws of Exponents
1. an = a × a × a … (n factors)
2. am × an = am+n
3. am/an = am-n , a ≠ 0
4. (am)n = amn
5. (abc)n = anbncn
6. (a/b)n = an/bn , b ≠ 0
7. am/n =
8. a-m = 1/am and 1/a-m = am
9. a0 = 1 , a ≠ 0
Properties of Radicals
1. a1/n =
2. am/n = = ()m
3. = a
4. × =
5. / = , b≠0
6. =
7. = |a|, n = even
8. = a, n = odd
 Exercises:

If 42x+1 = 1024, find the value of 4x.

A. 2
B. 4
C. 8
D. 16
 Exercises:

Solve for the value of x that will satisfy

the equation √(x + 2) = -1.
A. -1
B. 2
C. 3
D. no solution
 Exercises:

Simplify:
A. C.
B. D.
 Logarithm
The logarithm of a number to a
given base is the power or exponent
to which the base must be raised in
order to produce the number.
Properties of Logarithms
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. If , then
8. If , then M = N
9.
Properties of Logarithms
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
 Exercises:

Find if
A. 2980.96
B. 2542.33
C. 3.47
D. 8.57
 Exercises:

Solve for x in the equation:

A. 10
B. 20
C. 2
D. 100
 Exercises:

If express y in terms of x.
A.
B.
C.
D.
 REVIEW QUESTIONS
An earthquake is usually measured by the magnitude
M on the Richter scale. The intensity I of an
earthquake and the magnitude M are related by the
formula: M= log I/Io, where Io is the intensity of an
arbitrary chosen earthquake. The earthquake that hit
Kobe, Japan measured 5.7 on the Richter scale. The
earthquake that hit Baguio, Philippines measures 7.8.
How many times stronger is the earthquake that hit
Baguio?
A. 148 C. 137
B. 126 D. 37
Always remember…

“I can do all things through Christ

who strengthens me.”
Phil. 4:13