Lesson 1

Algebra is the study of variables. Unknown quantities are represented using different letters such as,

𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑥, and 𝑦.

There are:

• Algebraic expressions - statements that DO NOT have an “=” and

• Algebraic equations - statements that HAVE an “=”.

Algebraic expressions are created when an unknown number is replaced with a letter (variable) and a

set of instructions can be written to manipulate the variable.

Examples:

1. Think of a number, 𝑎. Add 5 to this number.

𝑎+5

2. Think of a number, 𝑏. Subtract 7 from it.

𝑏−7

3. Think of a number, 𝑐. Subtract it from 10.

10 − 𝑐

4. Think of a number, 𝑑. Multiply it by 6.

6𝑑 (We DO NOT write 6 × 𝑑)

5. Think of a number, 𝑒. Divide it by 9.

𝑒
9
or 𝑒 ÷ 9

6. Think of a number, 𝑓. Multiply it by itself 3 times (e.g. 2 × 2 × 2).

𝑓 3 (We don’t need to write 𝑓 × 𝑓 × 𝑓).

7. Think of a number, 𝑔. Multiply it by 4 and then add 7.

4𝑔 + 7

8. Think of a number, ℎ. First add three to the number and then multiply the result by 2.

2 (ℎ + 3) (BODMAS)

9. A girl at the movies wants to buy slushies, chocolates, and gummy sweets. A slushie costs 𝑥,

a chocolate costs 𝑦, and gummy sweets cost 𝑔. How much would she pay if she bought 2

slushies, 4 chocolates, and 3 gummy sweets?

2𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 3𝑔.

Lesson 1 Practice

1. Tanesha has 𝑥 of books on her bookshelf. How many would she have left if she:

a) Removes 8,

b) Adds 9,

c) Donates half her books,

d) Doubles the number on the shelf and then gets another 3 as gifts?

2. Jake thinks of a number, 𝑛. Write an expression if he:

a) Multiplies the number by 6 and then adds 1,

b) Divides the number by 4 and then adds 5,

c) Subtracts 3 from the number and then multiplies the result by 8,

d) Adds 9 to the number and then divides the result by 11.

3. A bag of cements costs 𝒄, a bag of sand costs 𝒂, and a bag of gravel costs 𝒈. Write an

expression for the cost of:

a) One bag of cement and three bags of sand,

b) Three bags of cement, four bags of gravel, and 6 bags of sand.