Chapter summary 55

Pronumeral: a letter that stands Algebraic terms

for one or more numbers

Chapter summary
Concise form Expanded form
5x2y 5xxy
−2ab2 −2abb
Language
7p2q3 7ppqqq
4ab2 4abb
− 3 −
5c 5ccc

+ − × ÷
sum difference product quotient
Like terms Adding and subtracting
more than less than times divide
added minus double (2×) one-third like terms
Variables have identical • Count ‘how many’.
increased decreased twice (2×) one-half expanded form. • Don’t change variables.
triple (3×) quarter 6a2m 6aam −6a +4a2 −3 +9a2 −12a
−2a2m −2aam
5ma2 5maa = 5aam sign in front belongs to term
an expression 6a 2m, −2a 2m and 5ma 2 are = −6a − 12a + 4a 2 + 9a 2 − 3
×÷ like terms = −18a + 13a2 − 3
terms
not used in ab = ba a stays a2 stays
algebraic
5x −7xy −8 the same the same
expressions
5 is the
coefficient of x constant term is −8 Expanding brackets
−7 is the coefficient of xy 3(x + y) = x + y + x + y + x + y
= 3x + 3y
Distributive law
a(b + c) = ab + ac
Substitution 5(2a + m) = 5(2a) + 5(m)
=10a + 5m
‘evaluate’ ‘substitute’ 7(k − 3a ) = 7(k) − 7(3a) 5(2a − 3) − 7(4 + a)
replace variables with numbers = 7k − 21a = 5(2a) − 5(3) − 7(4) + −7(a)
and calculate answer = 10a − 15 − 28 − 7a
7a + 3(a + b) + 4b2 a(b − c) = ab − ac = 3a − 43
4
a=8b=2
= 7 × 8 + 3 × (8 + 2) + 4 × 2 × 2
4 Algebraic
= 14 + 30 + 16
= 60 techniques 2
and indices

Factorising
Equivalent expressions
7 − 3x 2 − 3x + 5 12x + 6a (HCF = 6) 12a2m + 8am2
x=2 7−6=1 2−6+5=1 = 6 × 2x + 6 × a = 12aam + 8amm HCF = 4am
x = 10 7 − 30 = −23 2 − 30 + 5 = −23
= 6(2x + a) = 4am × 3a + 4am × 2m
7 − 3x = 2 − 3x + 5 = 4am(3a + 2m)

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