COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING (COE) FRESHMEN TUTORIAL WEEK 2019

ALGEBRA FOR ENGINEERING

Topic Outline

I. THE REAL NUMBER SYSTEM

 Introduction
 The concept of a Number
 The system of Real Numbers
 Properties of Real Numbers (Addition and Multiplication)

II. ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

 Polynomials
 Concept of a Polynomial
 Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic Expressions
 Exponents and Radicals
 Laws of Exponents
 Laws of Radicals
 Addition and Subtraction of Radicals
 Multiplication and Division of Radicals
 Multiplication of Polynomials
 Division of Polynomials
 Special Products

III. Rational Expressions

 Definition of Rational Expression
 Lowest terms of Rational Expression

ALGEBRA FOR ENGINEERING

Lecture
1.1 Introduction
The word ALGEBRA comes from the Arabic al - jebr signifying transposition of
negative terms from one side of an equation to the other. It has come to represent an extensive
body of knowledge concerning the process of reckoning with numbers.
1.2 The Concept of A Number
Number is an abstract concept. It is a mathematical object not easy to define. However,
we can use symbols called numerals to represent numbers. A set of basic numerals with certain

rules for combining them to form other numerals is called numeration system .
Two numeration system which are familiar to us are the Hindu - Arabic System whose
set of basic numerals are {0,1,2,3,4,5,6,,7,8,9} and the Roman System whose set of basic
numerals are { I,V,X,L,C,D,M}
1.3 The System of Real Numbers
 The set of natural numbers:
The set of whole numbers:
The set of negative numbers
The set of integers
The set of rational numbers
The set of irrational numbers
N={1,2,3,4,.....}
W={0,1,2,3.....}
E={.....-3,-2,-1}
I= { .....-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3....}
Q= { integers, fractions, and decimals}
numbers which are non periodic and unending when
expressed as decimals are irrational numbers

Real Numbers

Rational Numbers Irrational Numbers

Non Integers Integer Non repeating and non

terminating decimals

Fractional/ Decimals

Positive Integers or Zero Negative Integers

Natural Numbers

1.4 Properties of Real Numbers ( for Addition and Multiplication)

1. Commutative the order in which the numbers are taken does not affect the sum and products

Examples : A+ B = B+A AB = BA

2. Associative the grouping in which the numbers are taken does not affect the sum and products

Examples : (A+B)+C = A+(B+C) (AB)C = A(BC)

3. Distributive Example A(B+C) = AB+AC

II. ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION

2.1 Polynomials
Variable is a symbol which is used to represent any element of a given set.
Constant is a symbol which is used to represent one particular value.

Algebraic Expression is a constant, a variable or a combination of constants and variables

together with the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, rising to power or
extraction of roots .
Examples :
15 X+2 X² - 4X X²-3X + 4
17X √X + 2 X² - 2XY + Y²
A letter , a number or a combination of both which must be operated as a unit called term of the
algebraic expression.
 Monomial -expression with one term
Binomial - expression with two terms
Trinomial - expression with three terms
Polynomial or multinomial - expression with three or more terms
Coefficient -any factor is called coefficient of the other factors

2.2 Concept of a Polynomial

1.Every non zero term of a polynomial is said to have a degree. The degree of a term is
the exponent of the variable appearing in that term.
Example:
2x³ - 3rd degree
6x² - 2nd degree
5 - 0 degree
2. Every polynomial except the zero polynomial is also said to have a degree. If a
polynomial consists of two or more terms, the degree of the polynomial is the degree of
the term with the highest degree
Example :
4x³ - 2x² + 6x - is a polynomial of degree 3
3. The degree of a term in two or more variable is the sum of the exponents of the
variables. Thus the degree of 𝑎𝑥 𝑛 𝑦 is n+m
Example
xy³ -5y² +4x is a polynomial of degree 4 in x and y
5x²y + 2x³y² - 3yz is a polynomial of degree 5 in x ,y and z
2.3 Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic Expressions
Rule 1 : To add two or more monomials with the same literal coefficient add only their
numerical coefficient .
Example :
14m +(-5m) = (14-5)m = 9m
Rule 2 : To add two or more polynomials add numerically similar terms together
Example
find the sum of 3x² + 2x -5 and 2x² - 4x +1
3x² + 2x -5
2x² - 4x +1
____________
5x² -2x- 4
Rule 3 : To find the difference of two polynomials take the additive inverse of the second
polynomial then add to the first polynomial
2.4 Exponents and Radicals

an expression of the form 𝑎𝑛 , a ≠ 0 is frequently encountered in mathematics definition.

If n is a positive integer, the symbol 𝑎𝑛 , the nth power of a is the product of n factors
each equal to a. Thus
𝑎𝑛 = a.a.a.a.a.a.a.........a.(n factors)
2.5 Laws of Exponents
a.) Power of product of the same base : in multiplying two or more powers of the base
add their exponents

𝑎𝑚 .𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛+𝑚
b.) Power of Power : in raising a power to another power multiply their exponents
(𝑎𝑛 )𝑚 =𝑎𝑛𝑚

c.) Power of quotient of the base : in dividing one power of a specified base by another
power of the same base subtract their exponents
𝑎𝑚
= 𝑎𝑚 − 𝑛
𝑎𝑛
d.) Power of Product : Raise each factor to the specified exponent

(𝑎𝑏)𝑚 = 𝑎𝑚 𝑏 𝑚
e.)Power of Fraction : raise both numerator and denominator to the specified exponent
𝑎 𝑚 𝑎^𝑚
(𝑏) = 𝑏^𝑚

2.6 Laws of Radicals

𝑛
1. √𝑎^𝑛 = 𝑎
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
2. √𝑎𝑏 = √𝑎 . √𝑏
𝑛
𝑛 𝑎 √𝑎
3. √𝑏 = 𝑛 where b≠ 0
√𝑏

𝑚 𝑛 𝑚𝑛
4. √ √𝑎 = √𝑎

2.7 Addition and Subtraction of Radicals

In addition or subtraction of radicals all similar radicals ( that is those which result in the
same index and radicand) are combined into single terms

2.8 Multiplication and Division of Radicals

we can multiply radicals by using the distributive property and foil method. In both
procedures we also make use of the multiplication property of radicals. The product of
two radicals is given by :
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
√𝑎 . √𝑏 = √𝑎𝑏 where a and b are real numbers whose nth roots are also real numbers.

Division of two radicals is handed in a similar manner. They must be of the same index .
The process of eliminating radicals from the denominator and the process of
rationalization may be used.

𝑛
√𝑎 𝑛 𝑎
𝑛 = √ where a and b are real numbers whose nth roots are also real numbers
√𝑏 𝑏
2.9 Multiplication of Polynomial
A. Monomial multiplied by Monomial
To get the numerical coefficient of the product, multiply the numerical coefficients by
following the rules for multiplication of signed numbers. Then to obtain the literal
coefficient of the product, multiply the literal coefficients by the laws of exponents.
B. Monomial multiplied by Polynomial
Apply the distributive property of multiplication over addition or subtraction then arrange
the terms in descending order
C. Polynomial multiplied by another Polynomial
Take one term of the first polynomial at a time and multiply each term of the second
polynomial and combine similar terms to get the required product. Arrange the terms in
descending order.
2.10 Division of Polynomials
A. Monomial divided by a Monomial
To get the numerical coefficient of the quotient divide the numerical coefficients by
following the rule for division of signed numbers. To obtain the literal coefficient of the
quotient divide the literal coefficient by following the laws of exponent.

B. Monomial divided by a Polynomial

Divide each term of the polynomial by the monomial and then combine the result to get
the quotient

C. Polynomial divided by another Polynomial

- Arrange both the dividend and the divisor according to either descending or ascending
powers of a common variable . Put zero for the missing term.
-Divide the first term of the dividend by the first term of the divisor to obtain the first
term of the quotient
-Multiply the first term of the quotient by the entire divisor and subtract the result from
the dividend (change the signs of the subtrahend)
-Bring down the unused term of the dividend to the remainder careful to keep the terms
arranged in the same order as the dividend and divisor
-Divide the first term of the remainder by the first term of the divisor to obtain the second
term of the quotient
-Multiply the divisor by the second term of the quotient and subtract the result from the
remainder. Continue until the remainder is zero or the degree of the remainder is less than
the degree of the divisor.
- In case if the remainder is not zero the final answer is written in the form
quotient plus (remainder divide by divisor)

2.11 Special Products

Type 1 The Product of the Sum and Difference of Two Terms

Formula : (a+b)(a-b) = a² - b² the square of the sum and difference of two binomials is
equal to the square of the first term minus the square of the second term.
 Type 2 Square of a Binomial

Formulas: (a²+b²) = a² + 2ab +b² and (a²-b²) = a²-2ab + b² square the first term add twice
the product of the first and second term and plus the square of the second term. The
product obtained from squaring a binomial is a perfect square trinomial.

Type 3 Product of Two Binomials

Formula: (ax+b)(cx+d) = acx²+(ad+bc)x+bd finding the products of two binomials

simply add up the partial products of the four pairs of terms represented by:

F- First terms of two binomials

O -Outer terms of two binomials
I- Inner terms of two binomials
L - Last term of two binomials

Type 4 Cube of a Binomial

Formulas : (a+b)³ = a³+ 3a²b+3ab²+b³

(a -b)³ = a-3a²b+3ab²-b³ Get the cube of the first term, multiply 3 to the square
of the first term times the second term then multiply 3 to the first term times the square of
the second term lastly get the cube of the last term.

Type 5 Square of a Trinomial

Formula : ( a+b+c)² = a²+b²+c²+2ab+2bc+2ac to square a trinomial square each term first

then add twice the product of the terms taken two at a time.

III. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS

3.1 Definition of Rational Expression

𝑎
An expression that is the quotient of two polynomial and can be written in the form 𝑏
where a and b are polynomials and b ≠ 0

Examples:
2 𝑋−2 (𝑋+2)(𝑋−2)
𝑌³ 𝑋+3 (𝑋+1)(𝑋−3)

3.2 Lowest Term of Rational Expression

A rational expression is said to be in lowest term if the numerator and denominator have
8 4
no common factor except 1. Just like in fraction, 10 is written in lowest term as5 a rational
expression can also be written in its lowest term. This can be done by using the basic
principle of fractions.