Topic 4: Basic Algebra and Algebraic
Manipula on
Notes:
Notes and Terminology in Algebra:
1. In algebra, letters (like 𝓍, 𝓎, 𝒶𝒷, 𝑧 etc.) are used to
represent numbers or unknown numbers and values
that are called variables.
2. Mathematical statements like 𝓍 + 3𝓎, , 𝑥 + 2𝓍 – 3,
are known as algebraic expressions.
3. An algebraic expression involves numbers, variables,
the four operations like addition (+), subtraction (-),
multiplication (x) and division (÷). The + and – signs in
an algebraic expression separate it into terms and they
are used similarly as in arithmetic.
To give an example:
(a) 𝒶 + 𝒷 = 𝒸 means that the sum of the two numbers,
represented by 𝒶 and 𝒷, is equal to the number
which is represented by 𝒸.
(b) 2𝓍 – 𝓎 = 𝓏 means that the difference of the two
numbers represented by 2𝓍 and 𝓎 equals to the
number represented by 𝓏.
4. Other notations of algebraic terms are shown below for
your information:
(a) 𝒶 x 𝒷 = 𝒶𝒷
(b) 4 x 𝒶 = 4𝒶
(c) 𝒶x𝒶=𝑎
(d) 𝒶÷𝒷=
(e) (5𝑏) = 5𝒷 x 5𝒷
=5 x𝑏
= 25𝑏
(f) 𝒶x𝒷÷𝒸=
Representation of Relationships of Mathematics using
Algebra:
5. Mathematical relationships in the form of word
statements can be translated into algebraic
expressions.
For example:
(i) “Add 5𝓍 to 2𝓎” = 5𝓍 + 2𝓎
(ii) “Subtract 2𝓍 from 𝑥 ” = 𝑥 – 2𝓍
(iii) “The product of three consecutive numbers with
the smallest number represented by 𝓂.” =
𝓂(𝓂 + 1)(𝓂 + 2)
(iv) “The cube of 𝒹 divided by the product of 3𝒷 and
𝒸.” =
6. An algebraic expression is made up of different parts.
Consider this expression; 𝑛 + 2𝑛 − 4𝑚 + 5 and refer
to the explanations below.
(i) Variable – In algebra, a letter thar represents a
number (unknown or not) is called a variable.
Its value can be varied.
For an example:
𝓃 and 𝓂 are variables.
(ii) Coefficient – The number that is multiplied to
the variable (alphabetic letter.)
Examples:
𝑛 1 is the coefficient of 𝑛 in 𝑛
(𝑛 x 1 = 𝑛 )
2𝓃 2 is the coefficient of 𝓃 in 2𝓃
(2 x 𝓃 = 2𝓃)
-4𝓂 -4 is the coefficient of 𝓂 in -4𝓂
(-4 x 𝓂 = -4𝓂)
(iii) Terms – A term can be a number, a variable or
even the products or quotients of numbers and
variables. Addition and subtraction separate
terms from one another (not multiplication and
division.)
Examples:
𝑛 , 2𝓃, -4𝓂 and 5 are terms.
There are 4 terms in the expression above:
𝑛 + 2𝑛 − 4𝑚 + 5.
(iv) Constant – A constant is a term with a fixed
numerical value (whole numbers, decimal
numbers…) and its value does not change.
For an example:
5 is a constant.
(v) Degree – A degree of an algebraic expression
is the highest index (Of) observed in the terms
of the expression.
For an example:
Since the highest index is 2 as observed in 𝑛 ,
the degree of this expression is 2.
(vi) Polynomial – A polynomial refers to an
algebraic expression consisting of one or more
terms (like the one above.) A polynomial is
usually arranged in either descending or
ascending order with respect to the degree of
terms.
For an example:
𝑛 + 2𝑛 − 4𝑚 + 5 is a polynomial arranged in
descending order. (2 is the highest degree
followed by 0.)
7. A linear expression is an algebraic expression where
the degree of the expression is 1 while a quadratic
expression is an algebraic expression where the degree
of the expression is 2.
Examples:
(i) 3𝓍 – 4𝓏 + 9 is a linear expression in 𝓍 and 𝓏.
(ii) 𝑥 − 𝑥𝑦 + 2𝑦 is a quadratic expression.
Evaluation of Algebraic Expressions:
8. Since the variable in an algebraic expression
represents an unknown value, the algebraic expression
can be evaluated by replacing or substituting the
variables in the expression with the given numerical
values.
For an example:
“Evaluate the value of 2𝓍 – 4𝓍𝓎 + 7 when 𝓍 = 2 and 𝓎
= 3.”
2𝓍 – 4𝓍𝓎 + 7 = 2(2) – 4(2)(3) + 7
= 4 – 24 + 7
= -13
Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic Expressions:
9. Addition and Subtraction of algebraic terms is done by
adding or subtracting variables of the same kind, aka
like terms. Examples of like terms are 3𝓊 and 7𝓊, and
-5ℯ, ℯ𝓊, and 6ℯ𝓊. Unlike terms are variables which are
the exact opposite of like terms. Examples of unlike
terms include 5𝓂 and 5𝓃, or 𝑥𝑦 and 𝑥 𝓎.
Examples of (+) and (-):
(i) 2𝒷 + 3𝒷 = 5𝒷
(ii) 8𝓂 – 5𝓂 = 3𝓂
(iii) 2𝓍 – 5𝓎 + 3𝓍 - 𝓎 = 2𝓍 + 3𝓍 – 5𝓎 – 𝓎
(Rearrange)
= 5𝓍 – 6𝓎
(iv) 3ℊ - 3𝒽 – 7ℊ + 𝒽 = 3ℊ - 7ℊ + 𝒽 – 3𝒽
(Rearrange)
= -4ℊ - 2𝒽
*Do note:
(a) 𝒶 + 𝒷 = 𝒷 + 𝒶 (Cumulative Law)
(b) 𝒶 - 𝒷 ≠ 𝒷 - 𝒶
Multiplication and Division of Algebraic Expressions:
10. In performing multiplication and division, coefficients
and variables of the respective terms are gathered and
multiplied or divided on their own.
Examples of (x) and (÷):
(i) 4ℯ x 5ℯ = 20𝑒
(ii) (-3𝓆) x 𝓂 = -3𝓆𝓂
(iii) -2𝑐 𝒷 x 3𝒸𝒷 = 6𝑐 𝑏
(iv) =
*Do note:
The product resulted from the multiplication terms of
algebraic expressions 𝓍 and 𝓏 is written as 𝓍𝓏.
(a) 𝓍𝓏 = 𝓍 . 𝓏
= 𝓍(𝓏) or (𝓍)𝓏 or (𝓍)(𝓏)
=𝓍x𝓏
(b) 𝓍𝓏 = 𝓏𝓍 (Commutative Law)
Expansion of Algebraic Expressions:
11. When brackets appear in an algebraic expression,
the rules, and priorities by which operations are
performed follow the BODMAS rule which is used in
normal arithmetic.
(i) Simplify the expression within the brackets first.
Example: (2𝒶 + 5𝒶) x 3𝒶𝒷 = 7𝒶 x 3𝒶𝒷
= 21𝑎 𝑏
(ii) If an expression in a bracket is being multiplied
by a constant number or variable, each term
within the bracket must be multiplied by this
constant number or variable when the bracket
is removed.
Examples:
𝓍(𝓎 + 𝓏) = 𝓍𝓎 + 𝓍𝓏 (Distributive Law)
2(𝒶 + 3𝒷 – 2𝒸) = 2𝒶 + 6𝒷 – 4𝒸
(iii) When an expression consists of more than one
pair of brackets, simplify the expression within
the INNERMOST pair first before moving to the
outermost pair.
Example:
2{𝒸 – 3[𝒸 – (𝒸 + 2)]} = 2[𝒸 – 3(𝒸 – 𝒸 – 2)]
= 2[𝒸 – 3(𝒸 – 𝒸 – 2)]
= 2(𝒸 – 3𝒸 + 3𝒸 + 6)
= 2(𝒸 – 3𝒸 + 3𝒸 + 6)
= 2𝒸 – 6𝒸 + 6𝒸 + 12
= 2𝒸 + 12
Important Note*:
In the working, you must change your brackets
as you remove them (colour coded) – the curly
brackets {} in this scenario changed to square
brackets [] as the normal brackets () were
removed. The square brackets [] then turned
into the normal brackets () and so on.
Simplification of Linear Algebraic Expressions with
Fractional Coefficients:
12. A linear algebraic expression with fractional
coefficients can be viewed as an algebraic term with
fractional coefficient or an algebraic fraction that
involves an algebraic expression in its numerator and
with an integral denominator. For example, , , .
13. Brackets can also be used in algebraic fractions.
For example,
( 𝓍 )
(2𝓍 − 3) =
𝓍
=
14. Addition or subtraction of algebraic fractions is done
by taking the LCM of all the denominators of the
algebraic fractions as the common denominator before
proceeding with the addition or subtraction.
Factorization
15. Factorization is the process of writing an algebraic
expression as a product of two or more other algebraic
expressions. It is the reverse process of expansion.
Example: Since expanding 𝒶(𝒷 + 𝒸) = 𝒶𝒷 + 𝒶𝒸,
therefore factorizing 𝒶𝒷 + 𝒶𝒸 = 𝒶(𝒷 + 𝒸)
16. To factorize an algebraic expression completely,
take out the greatest common factor(s) of the terms
otherwise the factorization is incomplete.
Example: Factorize 4𝒶𝓍 + 12𝒶𝓎 completely.
Solution: 4𝒶𝓍 + 12𝒶𝓎 = 4𝒶(𝓍 + 3𝓎) where 4𝒶 is the
greatest common factor of the two terms.