Development of algebraic thinking.

Remedial course

Session 5

Stage 3. Linear equa>ons in one and two variables and frac>onal equa>ons

3.1 Linear equa>ons in one variable

A linear equa+on in one variable is an equa+on that has only one variable and such variable is
raised to the first power only

Solve the following linear equa2ons

1) 3𝑥 − 1 = 2
2) 4𝑥 − 1 = 2𝑥 + 2
3) 2(𝑥 + 1) − 3𝑥 = 3(2 − 𝑥)
!"#$
4) 3 − (𝑥 + 1) = !

3.2. Linear equa>ons and formulas

Isolate the desired variable from each equa2on.

1) 𝑎𝑏 − 𝑐 = 𝑑; [𝑏]
2) 2𝑥 − 2(𝑦 + 1) = 3𝑦 − 1; [𝑦]
3) 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎; [𝑎]
%& &
4) 𝐹 = !" " ; [𝑚( ]
'
%&! &"
5) 𝐹 = '"
; [𝑟]
6) 𝑃𝑉 = 𝑛𝑅𝑇; [𝑛]

3.3. Frac>onal equa>ons and extraneous solu>ons

A frac+onal equa+on is an equa+on that has variables appearing as denominators. In the solu+on
to these equa+ons, some+mes we will encounter what is known as “extraneous solu+ons”. Such
solu+ons are solu+ons of the “transformed equa+on” but not the original equa+on. We will always
need to check our final solu+ons to see whether the obtained solu+ons are valid solu+ons or
extraneous solu+ons.

Solve the following frac2onal equa2ons and check the solu2ons at the end
")*
1) "#$
=7
+ * (
2) + =
" , $"
!" ,
3) − =9
")+ ")+
- + (
4) !"
− * = (.
 "), ")*
5) =
"#$ ")$

3.4. Situa>ons that are solved through linear equa>ons.

Solve the following word problems involving a linear equa2on.

1) A classroom of 5 students took an exam. The average in the grades of such exam is 72.4.
We know that four of the grades were 50, 70, 72 and 80. Find the remaining grade.
2) Mr Fernández is an electrician and charges $300 per hour plus a $50 fee for home delivery
service.
a) Write an equa2on represen2ng how much he will charge for a home delivery service of
x hours of 2me.
b) Find the amount he has to be paid if he works 4 hours
c) Find the number of hours he worked for a job in which he got paid $1000.
3) Two consecu2ve even numbers add up to 2046. Find such numbers.
4) Two cars are separated by a distance of 100 km and they start to travel towards each other
at a speed of 30 km/h and 40 km/h respec2vely. Find how much 2me it will take them to
pass one another.

3.5. System of two linear equa>ons in two variables

Solve the following systems of two linear equa2ons in two variables by whichever method you
want.

1) 3𝑥 + 𝑦 = 2; 2𝑥 − 2𝑦 = 2
2) 2𝑥 − 3𝑦 = 2; 4𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 1
3) 𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 5; 2𝑥 − 𝑦 = 3
4) 2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 2; 4𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 3

3.6. Situa>ons that are solved through a system of two linear equa>ons in two variables.

Some situa2ons in real life involve the resolu2on of a system of two linear equa2ons in two
variables.

1) Alejandra bought 2 kg of apples and 3 kg of bananas and paid $120. On the same market,
Carlos bought 1 kg of apples and 2 kg of bananas and paid $85. Find the price of the kg of
apples and bananas.
2) In an amusement park, there are 2ckets for adults and 2ckets for children. These 2ckets
have different prices. In a given day, there were 50 adults and 70 children and the amount
of money collected was $13,050. In another day, there were 60 adults and 85 children and
the money collected was $15,775. Find the price of the 2ckets.