PART I: ALGEBRA

1.1 BASIC CONCEPTS

ORDER OF OPERATIONS
PGERMDAS
What is the value of
!"#×%
!"%×!
+
√'#"(
#)÷%!
? IS
I'D 1.2. PG: Parenthesis and other grouping symbols (inside out)
33
v35 3131 63 2
22 ER: Exponents and roots (inside out) 3 23
3.
4.
MD: Multiplication and division (left to right)
AS: Addition and subtraction (left to right) 3ft q I 0.5
0.666666
3
LAWS OF ARITHMETICS +(-"!)(-/%)"%+
What is the value of ? 4 4 4
- 4,4 41 11

I
• COMMUTATIVE LAW: When adding or multiplying, order doesn’t
matter. Example: 3 + 8 + 12 = 8 + 12 + 3. PITY 24
• ASSOCIATIVE LAW: When adding or multiplying, grouping doesn’t
matter. Example: 2 + (3 + 4) + 5 = (2 + 3) + (4 + 5)
1 311 21
• DISTRIBUTIVE LAW: When a grouped sum/difference is being
F first xxx x2
t
multiplied/divided, you may “distribute” the multiplication/division.
no+ 8) = 15 (20) + 15 (8)
Example: 15 (20 inner 3 ex

SIMPLIFICATION OF EXPRESSIONS If x and y are positive numbers such that 3x – 2y = 7, what is i

14 1
%0"1
the value of ?
• LAW OF SUBSTITUTION: If two things are equal, you can always #-7 311 24
substitute one for the other.
• OPERATIONS: Every operation can be expressed in terms of its
inverse. Example: Subtracting -16 is the same as adding 16.
• FACTORING IDENTITIES:
o (# + $)% = (# + $)(# + $) = #% + 2#$ + $%
2! /3! (
o (# − $)% = (# − $)(# − $) = #% − 2#$ + $% If m and n are real numbers such that %2/%3 = %, what is the
o (# + $)(# − $) = #% − $% value of m + n?
att x1 x I lmatym.nl L
my L
mtn 9
ABSOLUTE VALUE What is the distance between d and -10 on the number line?
The absolute value of a number a (|a|) is the distance from a to 0 on
the number line.
Id 101
The absolute value of the difference between two numbers (|a-b|) is
the distance between a and b on the number line, regardless of which
I 10 d
number is greater. n a 1 lota
3 u as lot d
a
is sa
s 13 1 121 2
13 3
I if I
ROUNDING WHOLE PART DECIMAL PART

The process of rounding implies adjusting the digits to make rough

Hundred-Thousandths
Hundred Thousands

calculations easier.
Ten-Thousandths
Ten Thousands

Decimal Point

Thousandths
Hundredths
Thousands

Hundreds

Millionths

• If the unit of the number is less than five, the number needs
Millions

Tenths
1,000,000

0.000001
100,000

0.00001
Ones
Tens
10,000

0.0001
1,000

0.001
0.01
100

0.1
10

to be rounded down.
.

• If the unit of the number is 5 or above, the number needs to

be rounded up.

This document has been created for educational purposes only and meant to be used exclusively by
SCORE – SAT Prep and College Counseling. This document may not be distributed or reproduced 1
without the express written consent of its authors.
 PART I: ALGEBRA
1.2 Linear Equations
9.10
10 181 480 0.18
100018 91.18 Gv
00
10110.181 411.8105
167.98
WORD PROBLEMS The Horizon Resort charges $150 per night for a single room,
The easiest way to solve word problems is by breaking them down and a one-time valet parking fee of $35. There is a 6.5% state
following these steps: tax on the room charges, but no tax on the valet parking fee.
1. Identify the relevant quantities. What equation would represent the total charges in dollars, C,
2. Represent those quantities with algebraic expressions. for a single room, valet parking, and taxes, for a stay of n nights
3. Translate the facts into equations. at the Horizon Resort?
4. Solve the equations for the relevant quantities.
150N 1 0.0651 35
150N 1.0651 35
159.75h 35

CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION The graph of the line % in the xy-plane passes through the point
• Linear equations can be written in any of the following forms: (2, 5) and has an x-intercept of 7. Which of the following gives
Linear form Equation Slope Y-intercept X-intercept the equation of a line that is perpendicular to line % and passes
Slope-intercept y = mx + b m b - through the point (4, 2)?
Standard ax + by = c -a/b c/b - a. - = −/ + 6
Point-slope y - y1 = m(x - x 1) m - - b. - = −/ + 4
Intercept x / a+y / b =1 - b a c. - = / − 2
*The intercept form cannot be used for horizontal lines or lines passing through the origin. d. - = / + 2
a. The slope of a linear equation shows how much a line goes up or
down when you take one step to the right along the line. It can be
calculated using the following formula:
)*$( -# − -!
$%&'( = =
)+, /# − /!
b. Parallel slopes have equal values: 0! = 0#
!
c. Perpendicular slopes are opposite and reciprocal: 0! = − %
!
d. A line with a positive slope goes up as you move to the right.
e. A line with a negative slope goes down as you move to the right.
f. A horizontal line has a 0 slope.
g. A vertical line has an undetermined slope.
h. Distance between two points on a line: 1(/! − /# )# + (-! − -# )#
" &" ' &'
i. Midpoint: ( " # ! ; " # !)

ALGEBRAIC MANIPULATION ()%

For 7 = *!
, find G in terms of F, M, m and r2.
“What is m in terms of p and q” is another way of saying “solve for m” 1 F ra Gum
x
or “use algebra to get m alone”.
2x Find G
re F Gmm ex ra Gmm
r or r e
Fera Gmm rejoym

LAWS OF EQUALITY ! #
If " + $" = 4, what is the value of x?
1. Whatever you do to change the value of one side of an equation,
you must also do to the other side.
2. You may add, subtract, or multiply anything you want on both sides
of any equation at any time.
3. You may divide both sides of any equation by any number except 0.
4. If you want to take the square root of both sides of an equation,
remember that every positive number has two square roots: one
positive and one negative.

This document has been created for educational purposes only and meant to be used exclusively by
SCORE – SAT Prep and College Counseling. This document may not be distributed or reproduced 2
without the express written consent of its authors.
 PART I: ALGEBRA
1.3 Inequalities
LAWS OF INEQUALITY
! !
If − " < −2$ + 1 < − # , what is one possible value of x?
1. Whatever you do to change the value of one side of an inequality,
you must also do to the other side.
2. You may add or subtract anything you want from both sides of an
inequality, or multiply or divide by any positive number without
changing the direction of the inequality.
3. You may not perform undefined operations to an inequality
(dividing by 0) or operations that have more than one possible
result (taking a square root).
4. If you multiply or divide both sides by a negative number, you must
switch the direction of the inequality.

GRAPHING INEQUALITIES Graph the following inequalities:

• For inequalities in the form $ ≥ (, the expression can be drawn on a. * > −3
the number line. Example: $ ≥ −3. b. * ≥ −$ + 1
c. * ≤ 2$ + 3
d. * < 12
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

• For inequalities on the xy-plane, follow these steps:

1. Change the symbol to “=” and draw the inequality as an
equation.
2. Choose a point that does not lie on the line of the
inequality.
3. Substitute the coordinates of the chosen point in the
inequality.
4. Check if the values comply with the inequality.
5. If the values comply, the inequality contains all points to
that side of the line.
6. If the values do not comply, the inequality contains all
points to the other side of the line.

This document has been created for educational purposes only and meant to be used exclusively by
SCORE – SAT Prep and College Counseling. This document may not be distributed or reproduced 3
without the express written consent of its authors.
 PART I: ALGEBRA
1.4 Linear Systems
TYPES OF SOLUTIONS (" + )$ = 12
A system of equations is a set of two or more equations that must be 2" + 8$ = 60
true simultaneously.
In the system of equations above, a and b are constants. If the
Systems can have different types of solutions: system has infinitely many solutions, what is the value of a/b?
a. No solution: The equations do not intersect. In the case of
linear systems, the lines are parallel. Equal slopes, different
y-intercepts.
b. Infinite solutions: The equations lie on the same line, so they
are coincidental. Equal slopes, same y-intercept.
c. One solution: The lines intersect at one point. Different ." − 3$ = 4
slopes, y-intercept may be the same or different. 4" − 5$ = 7
d. Multiple solutions: The lines intersect at multiple points. This
does not apply to linear systems. In the system of equations above, k is a constant and x and y
are variables. For what value of k will the system of equations
have no solution?

METHODS FOR SOLVING SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS Solve the following system using substitution:
3" + $ = 3$ + 4
Solving a system of equations means finding all the values that make
" + 4$ = 6
all of the equations true at the same time. There are several methods
that can be used to solve these systems:
a. Substitution: If one variable is isolated or can be easily isolated
in one of the equations, the law of substitution can be used to
Solve the following system using combination:
solve the system.
3" + $ = 3$ + 4
b. Combination: In a system of equations it is possible to add or
" + 4$ = 6
subtract the corresponding sides of the equation together to
get a new equation while trying to eliminate variables.
c. Graphing: If a system of equations can be graphed, the
solution to the system is the intersection of the graphs.
Solve the following system using graphing:
Systems of inequalities are usually solved graphically, as it is easier to 3" + $ = 3$ + 4
" + 4$ = 6
visualize the intersection of two or more inequalities on a graph. To
graph a system of inequalities, plot each inequality individually and find
the common area shaded by all inequalities.

This document has been created for educational purposes only and meant to be used exclusively by
SCORE – SAT Prep and College Counseling. This document may not be distributed or reproduced 4
without the express written consent of its authors.