AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals

Algebra

Algebraic Expressions

Examples of algebraic expressions:

5 p2 8 p 3 p2 3 algebraic expression with 1
variable
24 6 y 9 x algebraic expression with 2
variables
xa 2 xb ya 2 yb algebraic expression with 4
variables

Basic Algebraic Manipulations Revision

ab ba ab ba
(a b) c a (b c ) (ab)c a (bc)
a(b c) ab ac (a b)c ac bc
(a b)(c d ) ac ad bc bd
(a b) 2 a 2 2ab b 2 (a b) 2 a 2 2ab b 2
a 2 b 2 (a b)(a b)

Example 1:
Simplify the following:
(a) 12 x 3 y 4 x (b) 2cd 2 5cd 2 6d 2 c 4c 2 d

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

Example 2:
Expand the following and simplify where possible:
(a) 5 x ( x 7) (b) (3x 2)(5 x 3) (c) (2 x 3)3
(d) 14( x 3) 5( x 9) (e) 3x( x 2 4 x 2) 3( x 2 5 x)

Example 3:
Factorise the following:
(a) 12 x 2 8 xy (b) x 2 2 x 24 (c) 2 x 2 x 6
(d) 4 x 3 9 x (e) 3a 6 xa 2 x (f) 16 x 2 49 y 2

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

Fractional Expressions
Numerator
General form of fractional expression:
Algebraic Expression 1
Fractional expression =
Algebraic Expression 2

Denominator
Example 4:
(a) Divide 2 x 3 11x 6 by x 2
(b) Divide 6 x 4 14 x 3 9 x 2 7 x 3 by 2 x 2 1

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

Example 5:
Find the remainder when:
(a) x 2 3x is divided by x 2 x 12

(b) 2 x 5 x 4 11x 3 15 x 5 is divided by 2 x 5

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

Example 6:
Express as single fractions:
1 2 1 2 2x 6 1
(a) (b) (c) 2
2 x3 ( x 3) 2 x 3 7 x 9

5x 2 x 2 3 x
(d) (e) 2
x2 6 x 7 x2 1 x 4 x x 16

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

Linear Equation

A linear equation in x is one which can be expressed in the

form ax b 0 where a and b are constants. For example,
each of the following equations can be rearranged into the
form ax b 0 :
x
x49 3( x 2) 7 x 1 7 4( x 2)
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Whatever is done to the left-hand side (LHS) of an
equation must be done to the right-hand side (RHS).
Example 7:
Solve the following equations:
(a) 3 x 7 x 3 (b) 4( x 1) 3( x 5) 17

x 5 3x 11 2 3 6 x 1 3x 2
(c) (d) (e)
2 5 x 1 5 2x 5 x 1

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

x 7 4 x 19 1 1
(f) 2x (g) (5 x 4) ( x 2) 13 x
3 5 3 7

Inequality

Inequality Notation
means greater than
means greater than or equal to
means less than
means less than or equal to

Inequality Rules
For a , b and c R ,
If a b , then a c b c
If a b , then a c b c
If a b and c 0 , then ca cb
If a b and c 0 , then ca cb
a b
If a b and c 0 , then
c c
a b
If a b and c 0 , then
c c

Linear Inequality

Can take any form of

ax b 0 , ax b 0 , ax b 0 or ax b 0
where a and b are constants.

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

Example 8:
Simplify the following inequalities:
(a) 3 x 7 x 2 (b) 4(3x 1) 3( x 2) 3x 1

(c) 3 x 7 5 x 3 (d) 5(2 x) 2(3 6 x) 2( x 1) 0

(e) 5 2 x 3 7 (f) 9 3 2x 1

Example 9:

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

Find the smallest positive integer which satisfies the

inequality
3( x 1) 2(2 x 1) 5 x

Example 10:
Find the set of integers which satisfy simultaneously both of
the following inequalities:
1 1
(5 x 3) ( x 1) and 4(1 x ) 7 5 x
2 5

Example 11:
Show that there is just one number which simultaneously
satisfies these three inequalities and find that number.

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AAMS1193: Basic Chapter 1: Fundamentals
Algebra

1 1
( x 1) 1 2 3x 7 4 x x 1
2 3

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