Algebra 1, Part 1
Unit 2 – Equations
Use this study guide to help you prepare for the quizzes, unit tests, and assignments. The study guide contains guided
notes and practice activities to help focus your learning throughout the unit. The Study Guide is NOT graded; all
exercises are for you to practice and apply what you have learned in each lesson.
Unit Objectives
In this unit, we will learn to move on from solving one-step to two-step equations, including equations in which the
variable is on both sides. How to identify real-life scenarios and express them as proportions. How to solve those
proportions for the given variable using cross multiplication. How to use algebraic techniques to solve literal equations
for a particular variable. How to solve and comprehend absolute value equations, showing that two solutions are likely in
those scenarios.
Lesson 2.1 Solving One-Step Equations
Lesson Objective: The simplest type of equation to solve is a "one-step" equation, and this lesson will allow you to
master the concept. This will be a building block for later, more complex equations.
Important Definitions: Pay attention to these specific terms and write down their definitions and an example of each
one as you are watching the videos and looking at the readings.
Undo:
Solution:
Solve:
Addition Principle:
Multiplication Principle:
Check Solution:
Isolate:
Inverse Operation:
Equation:
Balance Point:
Balance Scale:
Balance the Equation:
Linear Equation:
Coefficient:
Reciprocal:
Important Formulas: There are no specific formulas to learn, but the process of solving one-step linear equations.
Example Problems:
Solve x – 4 = -1: Solve x + 12 = 5:
Practice Problem: Now it is your turn. Follow the steps shown in the example problems.
Solve m – 6 = -4: Solve n + 2 = -8: Solve x – 1 = 2: Solve x + 2 = 3:
Solve 4m = -32:
Lesson 2.2 Solving Two Step Equations
Lesson Objective: The lesson builds on the previous lesson, involving one-step equations, and explains how to handle
equations with more than one step, showing the process of solving an equation when there is a coefficient in front of
the variable and when a constant is added to the variable.
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Important Definitions: Pay attention to these specific terms and write down their definitions and an example of each
one as you are watching the videos and looking at the readings.
Operations:
Order of Operations:
Reverse Order of Operations:
Fraction Line Group:
Left Hand Side (of the equation):
Right Hand Side (of the equation):
Factor Out:
Important Formulas: There are no specific formulas to learn, but the process of solving two-step linear equations.
Example Problems:
Solve 3x + 1 = 10: Solve -2x + 4 = -2:
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Practice Problem: Now, it is your turn. Follow the steps shown in the example problems.
Solve 5x - 4 = 11: Solve –x – 9 = -1:
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Solve x + 4x + 3 = -2:
Lesson 2.3 Solving Multi-Step Equations
Lesson Objective: There are many equations that require several steps on both sides of the equal sign, to solve, and
this lesson will prepare you for any such equation.
Important Definitions: Pay attention to these specific terms and write down their definitions and an example of each
one as you are watching the videos and looking at the readings.
D.C.I.:
Bring Down:
Least Common Denominator (LCD):
Common Denominator:
Cross-Cancel:
Important Formulas: There are no specific formulas to learn, but the process of solving multi-step equations.
Example Problems:
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Practice Problem: Now it is your turn. Follow the steps shown in the example problems.
Solve 4x – 2 = 3(x – 1):
Solve 5x + 1 – 7x = -3: Solve -2(x + 1) + 4 = -6: Solve –3(m + 1) – 2(m – 1) = 0:
Lesson 2.4 Solving Equations with Variables on Both Sides
Lesson Objective: Before an equation can be solved for a variable, the variables must all be collected on one side of
the equal sign. This lesson shows you just how to do that and to go on to solve complex equations.
Important Definitions: Pay attention to these specific terms and write down their definitions and an example of each
one as you are watching the videos and looking at the readings.
Variables on Both Sides:
Collecting Like Terms :
Variable Terms:
Constant Terms:
Larger Coefficient:
Important Formulas: There are no specific formulas to learn, but the process of solving equations that have variables
on both sides.
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Example Problems:
Practice Problem: Now it is your turn. Follow the steps shown in the example problems.
Solve -3 – 4x = -3x – 5: Solve -5x – 7 = -4(2x – 3): Solve -2m – 2 – 3m = -4 – 4m – 6:
Solve -3n – 3n = -2(6 – 4n): Solve -2(-2 – 2y) = -3(-3 – 3y):
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Lesson 2.5 Solving Proportions
Lesson Objective: Setting up and manipulating proportions are useful tools for solving problems in real life, and this
lesson will teach you to use them to solve for unknown variables.
Important Definitions: Pay attention to these specific terms and write down their definitions and an example of each
one as you are watching the videos and looking at the readings.
Ratio:
Proportion:
Units:
Cross Multiplication:
Unit Rate:
Unit Price:
Percent:
Scaled Drawing:
Unit Conversion:
Conversion Factor:
Cancel Off:
Cancel Unit:
Important Formulas: There are no specific formulas to learn, but the process of solving proportions.
Example Problems:
Write the ratio in each of the three ratio formats for the situation:
For every data point determined, four associated values were used.
Write and solve the proportion for the situation:
For every data point determined, four associated values were used. For 1,000 associated values, how many data
points are determined?
x = (number of data points)
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Answer: For 1,000 associated values there are 250 data points.
Write and solve the proportion for the situation:
A manufacturer produces at the same rate of products per parts. For a product, for every two products produced
there is one part less than the number of needed parts. For a different product, for every five products produced,
there are two parts more than the needed number of parts. What is the needed number of parts?
x = (number of needed parts)
Answer: The needed number of parts is 3.
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Practice Problem: Now, it is your turn. Follow the steps shown in the example problems.
Write the ratio in each of the three ratio formats for this Write and solve the proportion for the situation:
situation: Three boxes of DVDs cost $37.47. How much would five
A mixture requires two parts of salt and three parts of boxes cost?
water.
Write and solve the proportion for the situation: Write and solve the proportion for the situation:
Two and a third cups of orange juice are needed to make There are two cars traveling for the same amount of time.
six gallons of a drink. How many cups of fruit juice are The first car travels 180 miles at an unknown speed. The
needed to make eight gallons of the same drink? second car travels 120 miles at a speed that is 10 miles
per hour less than the first car's speed. Find the speed of
each car.
Write and solve the proportion for the situation: Write and solve the proportion for the situation:
A $140,000 house requires $940 of property tax each At a lake, a scientist caught, tagged, and released 300 fish.
year. At the same rate, how much is the property tax for Later in the month, at the same lake, the scientist caught
a $200,000 house? 200 fish and found that 30 were tagged. What is the total
fish population in the lake?
Write and solve the proportion for the situation: Write and solve the proportion for the situation:
A tree that is 3 m tall casts a shadow on the ground that 3 very large storm clouds cover 9,000 square km. How
is 4 m long. How tall is a tree that casts a shadow that is many of these very large storm clouds cover 30,000
12 m long? square km?
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Lesson 2.6 Solving Literal Equations for a Variable
Lesson Objective: This lesson teaches you to solve literal equations, which is the idea of getting one variable alone
on one side of an equal sign for equations that are composed of only variables.
Important Definitions: Pay attention to these specific terms and write down their definitions and an example of
each one as you are watching the videos and looking at the readings.
Isolate the Variable:
Literal Equations:
Determined Variable:
Appropriate Variable:
Rearrange the Formula:
Rearrange the Equation:
Reorder Variables:
Important Formulas: There are no specific formulas to learn, but the process of solving literal equations.
Example Problems:
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Practice Problem: Now it is your turn. Follow the steps shown in the example problems.
Solve the circumference formula for radius r.
C = 2πr
Solve the circle area formula for radius r. Solve the simple interest formula for principal P.
I = PRT
A = πr2
Solve the literal equation for a.
P=a+b+c
Solve the literal equation for g. Solve the literal equation for n.
f = 5gh
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Lesson 2.7 Solving Absolute-Value Equations
Lesson Objective: Absolute value equations are used for solving unique situations in which there can be no negative
outcome, and this lesson explains exactly how they work.
Important Definitions: Pay attention to these specific terms and write down their definitions and an example of each
one as you are watching the videos and looking at the readings.
Absolute Value Equation:
Absolute Value Bars:
Isolate the Absolute Value Function:
Absolute Value:
Important Formulas: There are no specific formulas to learn, but the process of solving absolute-value equations.
Example Problems:
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Practice Problem: Now it is your turn. Follow the steps shown in the example problems.
Solve | 4x | = -5: Solve | x + 4 | = 3:
Solve | 3x – 2 | = 7: Solve -2| 3x – 1 | = -4:
Solve | 2x + 1 | = 3x + 4: Solve | x – 6 | = | 4x – 2 |:
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Solve 3| x – 4 | = 6| x – 3 | Solve -2| 5x | = -4| x |:
ASSIGNMENT PREP
Read through the assignment instructions carefully. When you complete the assignment, check the instructions again to
ensure you have met all of the requirements. Once you complete all of the submission steps, then you can move on to
the Unit Test and then the next unit.
UNIT TEST PREP
Check your scores on all of the quizzes in this unit. If you earned a grade of less than a B on any of them, review the
lesson and retake the quiz until you earn a B or more.
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