ELEMENTARY

ALGEBRA
ALGEBRAIC EQUATION

 Statement of the equality of two expressions formulated

by applying to a set of variables the algebraic
operations, namely, addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, raising to a power, and extraction of a root.
Examples are x3 + 1 and (y4x2 + 2xy – y)/(x – 1) = 12.
 The solution of an algebraic equation is the process of
finding a number or set of numbers that, if substituted
for the variables in the equation, reduce it to an identity.
Such a number is called a root of the equation.
 EXAMPLES:
 1. Simplify the given equation : 2(x+4)+3(x–5)–2y=0
Solution:
Given equation: 2(x+4)+3(x−5)–2y=0
2x+2×4+3x–3×5–2y=0 (Using Distributive property to get rid of parenthesis)
2x+8+3x–15–2y=0 (Simplifying)
 5x–2y–7=0 (on further simplifying terms)
2.  Solve 15 + 5x = 0.
Solution: Given, 15 + 5x = 0
Let the term with x remain on the LHS and move the rest terms to the RHS.
5x = 0 – 15
5x = -15
Now divide both the sides by 5.
(5x)/5 = -15/5
x = -3
 Thus, x = -3 is the required solution.
 LOWS OF EXPONENTS
 An exponential expression consists of two parts, namely the base, denoted as b and the
exponent, denoted as n. The general form of an exponential expression is b n. For
example, 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 can be written in exponential form as 34 where 3 is the base and 4
is the exponent.
 The base is the first component of an exponential number. The base is basically a
number or variable that is repeatedly multiplied by itself. Whereas the exponent is the
second element which is positioned at the upper right corner of the base. The exponent
specifies the number of times the base will be multiplied by itself.
 a ᵐ × a ⁿ = a m +n and (a/b) ᵐ × (a/b) ⁿ = (a/b) m + n
  (a) m ÷ (a) n = a m – n and (a/b) m ÷ (a/b) n = (a/b) m – n
 The general form of the rule is: (a) m x (b) m = (ab) m
 EXAMPLES:

1. 5³ ×5⁶
= (5 × 5 × 5) × (5 × 5 × 5 × 5 × 5 × 5)
= 53+6, [here the exponents are added]
= 5⁹
2. (-7)10 × (-7)¹²
= [(-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7)] × [( -7) × (-7)
× (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7) × (-7)].
= (-7)10+12, [Exponents are added]
= (-7)²²
LAWS OF LOGARITHMS
 The exponent or power to which a base
must be raised to yield a given number.
Expressed mathematically, x is the
logarithm of n to the base b if b x = n, in
which case one writes x = log b n. For
example, 23 = 8; therefore, 3 is the
logarithm of 8 to base 2, or 3 = log2 8.
EXAMPLE #1
1. Solve the following equation.
log4(x2−2x)=log4(5x−12)
x2−2x=5x−12
x2−7x+12=0
(x−3)(x−4)=0→x=3,x=4
log4((3)2−2(3))=log4(5(3)−12)
log4(3)=log4(3)OKAY
log4((4)2−2(4))=log4(5(4)−12)
log4(8)=log4(8)OKAY

=Therefore, the solutions to the equation are then : x=3x and x=4x

Step for number 1 example
 Recall the property that says if logb y then x=y. Since each logarithm is on opposite
sides of the equal sign and each has the same base, 4 in this case, we can use this
property to just set the arguments of each equal. Doing this gives,
 Now all we need to do is solve the equation from Step 1 and that is a quadratic
equation that we know how to solve. Here is the solution work.
 As the final step we need to take each of the numbers from the above step and plug
them into the original equation from the problem statement to make sure we don’t
end up taking the logarithm of zero or negative numbers!
 Here is the checking work for each of the numbers.
EXAMPLE #2
2. Solve the following equation:
log(6x)−log(4−x)=log(3)
log(6x/4−x)=log(3)
6x/4−x=3
6x/4−x=3
6x=3(4−x)=12−3x
9x=12→12/9 = 4/3
log(6(4/3))−log(4−43)=log(3)
log(8)−log(8/3)=log(3) OKAY
 Therefore, the solution to the equation is then : x=4/3
Steps of number #2
1. Recall the property that says if logb y then x=y. That doesn’t appear to have
any use here since there are three logarithms in the equation. However, recall
that we can combine a difference of logarithms (provide the coefficient of each is
a one of course…) as follows, We now have only two logarithms and each
logarithm is on opposite sides of the equal sign and each has the same base, 10 in
this case. Therefore, we can use this property to just set the arguments of each
equal. Doing this gives,
2. Now all we need to do is solve the equation from Step 1 and that is an equation
that we know how to solve. Here is the solution work.
3. As the final step we need to take the number from the above step and plug it
into the original equation from the problem statement to make sure we don’t end
up taking the logarithm of zero or negative numbers!
 QUADRATIC EQUATIONS

 is an equation of the second degree, meaning it

contains at least one term that is squared. The
standard form is ax² + bx + c = 0 with a, b, and c
being constants, or numerical coefficients, and x is an
unknown variable. One absolute rule is that the first
constant "a" cannot be a zero.
EXAMPLES:
Example #1
Solve the following equation
y2=11y−28
Step 1.
The first thing we need to do is get everything on one side of the equation and
then factor the quadratic.
y2−11y+28=0
(y−4)(y−7)=0
 Step 2.
 Now all we need to do is use the zero factor property to get,
Y − 4 = 0 y=4 OR y− 7 = 0 y=7y−4=0
 Therefore the two solutions are : y=4 and y=7
 EXAMPLE #2

1. Solve the following quadratic equation by factoring.

U2 − 5 u − 14 = 0
 Step 1

We already have zero on one side of the equation, which we need to proceed
with this problem. Therefore, all we need to do is actually factor the
quadratic.
(u+2)(u−7)=0
 Step 2 
Now all we need to do is use the zero factor property to get,
u+2=0, u=−2 OR u−7=0, u=7
 Therefore the two solutions are : u = − 2 and u = 7
 CUBIC AND HIGHER EQUATIONS
 the general form of a cubic function is:
 f (x) = ax3 + bx2 + cx1 + d.
 the cubic equation has the form of ax3 + bx2 + cx + d = 0, where a, b
and c are the coefficients and d is the constant.
 The traditional way of solving a cubic equation is to reduce it to a
quadratic equation and then solve it either by factoring or quadratic
formula.
 Like a quadratic equation has two real roots, a cubic equation may
have possibly three real roots. But unlike a quadratic equation, which
may have no real solution, a cubic equation has at least one real root.
 EXAMPLES:
1. Determine the roots of the cubic equation 2x3 + 3x2 – 11x – 6 = 0
SULOTION:
 Since d = 6, then the possible factors are 1, 2, 3 and 6.
 Now apply the Factor Theorem to check the possible values by trial and error.
 f (1) = 2 + 3 – 11 – 6 ≠ 0
f (–1) = –2 + 3 + 11 – 6 ≠ 0
f (2) = 16 + 12 – 22 – 6 = 0
 Hence, x = 2 is the first root.
 We can get the other roots of the equation using synthetic division method.
= (x – 2) (ax2 + bx + c)
= (x – 2) (2x2 + bx + 3)
= (x – 2) (2x2 + 7x + 3)
= (x – 2) (2x + 1) (x +3)
 Therefore, the solutions are x = 2, x = -1/2 and x = -3.
2. Find the roots of the cubic equation x3 − 6x2 + 11x – 6 = 0
Solution:
 x3 − 6x2 + 11x – 6
 (x – 1) is one of the factors.
 By dividing x3 − 6x2 + 11x – 6 by (x – 1),
 ⟹ (x – 1) (x2 – 5x + 6) = 0
 ⟹ (x – 1) (x – 2) (x – 3) = 0
 This of the cubic equation solutions are x = 1, x = 2 and x = 3.
Q and A

QUESTIONS:
1.  solve this equation. 4+2+x=8
2. Find the exponents of 10 ⁵ ÷ 10 ³ = (10) 5/ (10) 3
3. Solve the following equation. Log2(x+1)-log2(2-x)=3
4. Solve the following quadratic equation by
factoring. 6w2−w=5
5. Solve the cubic equation of x3 – 23x2 + 142x – 120
ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS

1. Solution
6+x=8
6+x-6=8−6
x=2
2. Solution
 10 ⁵ ÷ 10 ³ = (10) 5/ (10) 3
= (10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10)/ (10 x 10 x 10)
= 10 5 – 3
= 10 2
3. Solution
= log2(x+1)-log2(2-x)=3
Log (x+1)/(x-x)=3
x+1/2−x = 2^3= 8
X+1/2-x = 8
X+1=8(2-x)=16-8x
9x=15 or 15/9= 5/3
 X= 5/3
4. Solution:
= 6w2−w−5=0
= (6w+5)(w−1)=0
= 6w + 5= 0, w= -5/6 or w -1 = 0, w = 1
 Therefore the two solutions are : w = −5/6 and w = 1 w
5. Solution:
x3 – 23x2 + 142x – 120 = (x – 1) (x2 – 22x + 120)
x2 – 22x + 120 = x2 – 12x – 10x + 120
= x (x – 12) – 10(x – 12)
= (x – 12) (x – 10)
Therefore, x3 – 23x2 + 142x – 120 = (x – 1) (x – 10) (x – 12)