40 ALGEBRA (NOTATION AND EQUATIONS) (Chapter 1)

2 Solve for x:
5 2 6 3 4 5 3 7
a = b = c = d =
x 3 x 5 3 x 2x 6
3 7 7 1 5 1 4 3
e = f =¡ g =¡ h =
2x 3 3x 6 4x 12 7x 2x
3 Solve for x:
2x + 3 5 x+1 2 2x ¡ 1 3
a = b = c =¡
x+1 3 1 ¡ 2x 5 4 ¡ 3x 4
x+3 1 4x + 3 3x ¡ 2
d = e =3 f = ¡3
2x ¡ 1 3 2x ¡ 1 x+4
6x ¡ 1 5x + 1 2x + 5
g =5 h =4 i 2+ = ¡3
3 ¡ 2x x+4 x¡1
4 Solve for x:
x x x 2x
a ¡ =4 b ¡3=
2 6 4 3
x x+2 x+2 x¡3
c + = ¡1 d + =1
8 2 3 4
2x ¡ 1 5x ¡ 6 x x+2
e ¡ = ¡2 f =4¡
3 6 4 3
2x ¡ 7 x¡4 x+1 x 2x ¡ 3
g ¡1= h ¡ =
3 6 3 6 2
x 2x ¡ 5 3 x+1 x¡2 x+4
i ¡ = j + =
5 3 4 3 6 12
x ¡ 6 2x ¡ 1 x¡1 2x + 1 1 ¡ 4x 3x + 7
k ¡ = l ¡ =
5 10 2 4 2 6

E LINEAR INEQUATIONS
The speed limit when passing roadworks is often 25 kilometres per hour.
This can be written as a linear inequation using the variable s to represent
the speed of a car in km per h. s 6 25 reads ‘s is less than or equal to 25’.
We can also represent the allowable speeds on a number line: 25
s
0 25
The number line shows that any speed of 25 km per h or less is an acceptable speed. We say
that these are solutions of the inequation.

RULES FOR HANDLING INEQUATIONS

Notice that 5>3 and 3 < 5,
and that ¡3 < 2 and 2 > ¡3.

This suggests that if we interchange the LHS and RHS of an inequation, then we must
reverse the inequation sign. > is the reverse of <, > is the reverse of 6, and so on.
 ALGEBRA (NOTATION AND EQUATIONS) (Chapter 1) 41

You may also remember from previous years that:

² If we add or subtract the same number to both sides, the inequation sign is maintained.
For example, if 5 > 3, then 5 + 2 > 3 + 2.
² If we multiply or divide both sides by a positive number, the inequation sign is
maintained. For example, if 5 > 3, then 5 £ 2 > 3 £ 2:
² If we multiply or divide both sides by a negative number, the inequation sign is reversed.
For example, if 5 > 3, then 5 £ ¡1 < 3 £ ¡1:
The method of solution of linear inequalities is thus identical to that of linear equations with
the exceptions that:

² interchanging the sides reverses the inequation sign

² multiplying or dividing both sides by a negative number reverses
the inequation sign.

GRAPHING SOLUTIONS

Suppose our solution to an inequation is x > 4, so every number which is 4 or greater than
4 is a possible value for x. We could represent this on a number line by:

4 x
The filled-in circle indicates The arrowhead indicates that all numbers on
that 4 is included. the number line in this direction are included.

Likewise if our solution is x < 5 our representation would be

5 x
The hollow circle indicates that 5 is not included.

Example 16 Self Tutor

Solve for x and graph the solutions: a 3x ¡ 4 6 2 b 3 ¡ 2x < 7

a 3x ¡ 4 6 2
) 3x ¡ 4 + 4 6 2 + 4 fadding 4 to both sidesg
) 3x 6 6
3x 6
) 6 fdividing both sides by 3g
3 3
) x62
2 x

Check: If x = 1 then 3x ¡ 4 = 3 £ 1 ¡ 4 = ¡1 and ¡1 6 2 is true.

42 ALGEBRA (NOTATION AND EQUATIONS) (Chapter 1)

b 3 ¡ 2x < 7
Notice the reversal of
) 3 ¡ 2x ¡ 3 < 7 ¡ 3 fsubtracting 3 from both sidesg the inequation sign in
) ¡2x < 4 b line 4 as we are
dividing by ¡2.
¡2x 4 fdividing both sides by ¡2,
) >
¡2 ¡2 so reverse the signg
) x > ¡2
�2 x
Check: If x = 3 then 3 ¡ 2x = 3 ¡ 2 £ 3 = ¡3
and ¡ 3 < 7 is true.

Example 17 Self Tutor

Solve for x and graph the solutions: ¡5 < 9 ¡ 2x

¡5 < 9 ¡ 2x
) ¡5 + 2x < 9 ¡ 2x + 2x fadding 2x to both sidesg
) 2x ¡ 5 < 9
) 2x ¡ 5 + 5 < 9 + 5 fadding 5 to both sidesg
) 2x < 14
2x 14
) < fdividing both sides by 2g
2 2
) x<7
7 x

Check: If x = 5 then ¡5 < 9 ¡ 2 £ 5, i.e., ¡5 < ¡1 which is true.

Example 18 Self Tutor

Solve for x and graph the solutions: 3 ¡ 5x > 2x + 7

3 ¡ 5x > 2x + 7
) 3 ¡ 5x ¡ 2x > 2x + 7 ¡ 2x fsubtracting 2x from both sidesg
) 3 ¡ 7x > 7
) 3 ¡ 7x ¡ 3 > 7 ¡ 3 fsubtracting 3 from both sidesg
) ¡7x > 4
¡7x 4
) 6 fdividing both sides by ¡7, so reverse the signg
¡7 ¡7
) x 6 ¡ 47
¡ 47 x

Check: If x = ¡1 then 3 ¡ 5 £ (¡1) > 2 £ (¡1) + 7, i.e., 8 > 5 which is true.

 ALGEBRA (NOTATION AND EQUATIONS) (Chapter 1) 43

EXERCISE 1E
1 Solve for x and graph the solutions:
a 3x + 2 < 0 b 5x ¡ 7 > 2 c 2 ¡ 3x > 1
d 5 ¡ 2x 6 11 e 2(3x ¡ 1) < 4 f 5(1 ¡ 3x) > 8
2 Solve for x and graph the solutions:
a 7 > 2x ¡ 1 b ¡13 < 3x + 2 c 20 > ¡5x
d ¡3 > 4 ¡ 3x e 3 < 5 ¡ 2x f 2 6 5(1 ¡ x)
3 Solve for x and graph the solutions:
a 3x + 2 > x ¡ 5 b 2x ¡ 3 < 5x ¡ 7
c 5 ¡ 2x > x + 4 d 7 ¡ 3x 6 5 ¡ x
e 3x ¡ 2 > 2(x ¡ 1) + 5x f 1 ¡ (x ¡ 3) > 2(x + 5) ¡ 1
4 Solve for x:
a 3x + 1 > 3(x + 2) b 5x + 2 < 5(x + 1) c 2x ¡ 4 > 2(x ¡ 2)
d Comment on your solutions to a, b and c.

F PROBLEM SOLVING
Many problems can be translated into algebraic equations. When problems are solved using
algebra, we follow these steps:

Step 1: Decide on the unknown quantity and allocate a variable.

Step 2: Decide which operations are involved.
Step 3: Translate the problem into an equation.
Step 4: Solve the equation by isolating the variable.
Step 5: Check that your solution does satisfy the original problem.
Step 6: Write your answer in sentence form. Remember, there is usually no variable in
the original problem.

Example 19 Self Tutor

When a number is trebled and subtracted from 7, the result is ¡11.
Find the number.

Let x be the number, so 3x is the number trebled.

) 7 ¡ 3x is this number subtracted from 7.
So, 7 ¡ 3x = ¡11
) 7 ¡ 3x ¡ 7 = ¡11 ¡ 7 fsubtracting 7 from both sidesg
) ¡3x = ¡18
) x=6 fdividing both sides by ¡ 3g
So, the number is 6: Check: 7 ¡ 3 £ 6 = 7 ¡ 18 = ¡11 X
44 ALGEBRA (NOTATION AND EQUATIONS) (Chapter 1)

Example 20 Self Tutor

What number must be added to both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction
1 7
3 to get the fraction 8 ?

Let x be the number.

1+x 7
) = where the LCD is 8(3 + x)
3+x 8
µ ¶ µ ¶
8 1+x 7 3+x
) £ = £ fto get a common denominatorg
8 3+x 8 3+x
) 8(1 + x) = 7(3 + x) fequating numeratorsg
) 8 + 8x = 21 + 7x fexpanding bracketsg
) 8 + 8x ¡ 7x = 21 + 7x ¡ 7x fsubtracting 7x from both sidesg
) 8 + x = 21
) x = 13 So, the number is 13.

Example 21 Self Tutor

Sarah’s age is one third her father’s age. In 13 years’ time her age will be a half of her
father’s age. How old is Sarah now?

Let Sarah’s present age be x years, so her father’s present age is 3x years.
Table of ages: So, 3x + 13 = 2(x + 13)
) 3x + 13 = 2x + 26
Now 13 years time
) 3x ¡ 2x = 26 ¡ 13
Sarah x x + 13 ) x = 13
Father 3x 3x + 13
) Sarah’s present age is 13 years.

EXERCISE 1F
1 When three times a certain number is subtracted from 15, the result is ¡6. Find the
number.
2 Five times a certain number, minus 5, is equal to 7 more than three times the number.
What is the number?
3 Three times the result of subtracting a certain number from 7 gives the same answer as
adding eleven to the number. Find the number.
4 I think of a number. If I divide the sum of 6 and the number by 3, the result is 4 more
than one quarter of the number. Find the number.
5 The sum of two numbers is 15. When one of these numbers is added to three times the
other, the result is 27. What are the numbers?
 ALGEBRA (NOTATION AND EQUATIONS) (Chapter 1) 45

6 What number must be added to both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction
2 7
5 to get the fraction 8 ?

7 What number must be subtracted from both the numerator and the denominator of the
fraction 34 to get the fraction 13 ?
8 Eli is now one quarter of his father’s age. In 5 years’ time his age will be one third of
his father’s age. How old is Eli now?
9 When Maria was born, her mother was 24 years old. At
present, Maria’s age is 20% of her mother’s age. How
old is Maria now?
10 Five years ago, Jacob was one sixth of the age of his
brother. In three years’ time his age doubled will match
his brother’s age. How old is Jacob now?

G MONEY AND INVESTMENT PROBLEMS

Problems involving money can be made easier to understand by constructing a table and
placing the given information into it.

Example 22 Self Tutor

Britney has only 2-cent and 5-cent stamps. Their total value is $1:78, and there are two
more 5-cent stamps than there are 2-cent stamps. How many 2-cent stamps are there?

If there are x 2-cent stamps then there are (x+2) Type Number Value
5-cent stamps.
2-cent x 2x cents
5-cent x+2 5(x + 2) cents

) 2x + 5(x + 2) = 178 fequating values in centsg

) 2x + 5x + 10 = 178
) 7x + 10 = 178
) 7x = 168
) x = 24 So, there are 24, 2-cent stamps.

EXERCISE 1G
1 Michaela has 5-cent and 10-cent stamps with a total value of E5:75 . If she has 5 more
10-cent stamps than 5-cent stamps, how many of each stamp does she have?
2 The school tuck-shop has milk in 600 mL and 1 litre cartons. If there are 54 cartons and
40 L of milk in total, how many 600 mL cartons are there?
3 Aaron has a collection of American coins. He has three times as many 10 cent coins as
25 cent coins, and he has some 5 cent coins as well. If he has 88 coins with total value
$11:40, how many of each type does he have?