Algebra

Fundamentals
The Order of Operations: P-E-MD-AS
1. P: parentheses
2. E: exponents
3. MD: multiplication and division (left to right)
4. AS: addition and subtraction (left to right)
The Laws of Arithmetic
The Commutative Laws
When adding or multiplying, order doesn’t matter.

The Associative Laws

When adding or multiplying, grouping doesn’t matter.
The Distributive Law
When a grouped sum/difference is being multiplied/divided, you may “distribute” the
multiplication/division.
FOIL
Least Common Multiple and Greatest Common Factor
The least common multiple (LCM) of two numbers is the least value that
some numbers share as a common multiple.
The greatest common factor (GCF) of two numbers is the greatest factor that
the numbers have in common.

Example
What is the least common multiple of 6 and 8?

Example
What is the greatest common factor of 8 and 12?
 Manipulating & Solving Equations
1. Putting Variables in Terms of Other Variables
When asked for the value of a variable or an expression, manipulate the equation
to isolate that variable or expression.
2.
Pattern Recognition
3. Identifying Constants
4. Infinitely many solutions
A single equation has infinitely many solutions when both sides of the equation
are equivalent.
For instance, 3x+6 = 3x+6

5. No solutions
A single equation has no solutions when both sides of the equation are equivalent
EXCEPT for the constants. The constants must be different.
For instance, 3x+6 = 3x+10
 Solving System of Equations
1. Solving Linear Systems by Substitution & Elimination
Substitution
Substitution is all about isolating one variable, either x or y, in the fastest way
possible.
Elimination
The elimination method is an algebraic technique for solving a system of linear
equations by adding or subtracting them to eliminate one variable, resulting in a single
equation with one variable to solve.
2. Other System of Equations Questions
The question does not ask for the value of x or y, but the value of the expression. In these
cases, you can often get directly to the answer by adding or subtracting equations, rather
than solving for each variable individually.

Example 5x − y = 11
2x − 2y = 9
Based on the system of equations above, what is the value of 3x + y ?
A) −2
B) 0
C) 2
D) 4
3. Pattern Recognition: Infinite Solutions

If two equations with two variables can be simplified to be the same equation,
there will be infinite solutions.

Another way to think about it—if the lines have the same slopes and the same
y-intercepts, they will overlap and there will be infinitely many solutions.
[Link] Recognition: Zero Solutions

If two equations written in linear form have identical slopes and different y
intercepts, they will be parallel to each other and never intersect. Therefore, there
will be zero solutions between them.
Function Notation
 Representing Functions
TEG: Tables, Equations, Graphs

Table:
 Lines and Slope
1. Slope (m)
The average rate of change is a ratio that describes, on average, change in one
quantity with respect to change in another quantity. If x is the independent variable
and y is the dependent variable, then
2. Solving for Intercepts
The 𝑥-intercept is the point where a line crosses the x-axis. To solve for the 𝒙-
intercept, set 𝒚 = 𝟎 and solve for x.

The 𝑦-intercept is the point where the line crosses the 𝑦-axis. To solve for the 𝒚-
intercept, set 𝒙 = 𝟎 and solve for y.
3. Slope-Intercept Form and Point-Slope Form
4. Thinking about Slopes
To determine if a line has a positive or negative slope, you need to examine the
direction in which the line is moving. A line with a positive slope moves upward from
left to right, while a line with a negative slope moves downward from left to right. If
the result is positive, the line has a positive slope. If the result is negative, the line has a
negative slope.
5. Interpreting Slope

𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙 + b
❖ 𝒎 is the slope. The slope represents the change in the 𝒚-value per unit of 𝒙.
In other words, when the 𝒙-value increases by 1, the slope tells you how
much the 𝒚-value increases or decreases.

❖ 𝒃 is the 𝒚-intercept. The 𝒚-intercept is the value of 𝒚 when 𝒙 = 𝟎.

 Two Lines
6. Overlapping and Intersecting Lines
Lines that have equivalent equations, although in different forms, will overlap one
another.
For example, y = 3x + 4 and 2y = 6x + 8 overlap since the second equation is
simply two times the first equation.

Lines that meet at a single point intersect one another.

For example, y = 2x + 3 and y = −2x + 1 will intersect in the xy-coordinate plane
when graphed:
7. Slopes of Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
If two lines are parallel, the lines have the same slope. For example, if lines A and B
are parallel and line A has a slope of 3, line B also has a slope of 3.

If two lines are perpendicular, the slopes of the lines are the negative reciprocals of
one another. To find the negative reciprocal, take the slope of the initial line, flip the
fraction, and make it negative. For example, if lines A and B are perpendicular and
line A has a slope of 3/2, the slope of line B is -2/3.
 Inequalities
1. Inequality in one variable
To solve inequalities on the SAT, treat the inequality signs (< ,> ,≤ ,≥) like an = sign and solve
using algebra. Inequalities can be solved as normal algebraic expressions with the exception of
one very important rule:
When multiplying or dividing by a negative number, switch the direction of the inequality sign .
2. Inequality in two variables
3. System of Inequalities
A system of inequalities is a set of two or more inequalities with the same variables.
The ordered pairs that satisfy all inequalities is a solution to the system.

Example
4. Compound Inequalities
Two or more inequalities that are connected by the words and or or are called a
compound inequality.
For example, the compound inequality 2 < 5x < 3 consists of 2 < 5x and 5x < 3.

Example
5. Graphing Inequalities in Two Variables
When graphing inequalities in the coordinate plane, you need to remember three
simple steps:
1) Rearrange the equation into 𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙+𝒃 form.
2) Plot the line.
For ( > 𝒂𝒏𝒅 < ), draw a dashed line.
For ( ≥ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 ≤ ), draw a solid line.
3) For (y > 𝒂𝒏𝒅 y ≥), shade “above” the line.
For (y < 𝒂𝒏𝒅 y ≤), shade “below” the line.
6. Graphing Systems of Inequalities
The solution set is represented by the intersection, or overlap, of the graphs.
 Absolute Value
When you take the absolute value of a number, it represents how far that number
is from zero. If you took the absolute value of −6 or 6, both would be 6 since they
are both 6 units away from zero.
|a – b| = The distance between a and b.
If |a| = |b|, then either a = b or a = -b.
Extraneous Solutions
When dealing with equations involving roots or absolute value symbol, it is a
good idea to test the solutions to see if they are extraneous—meaning, they do not
work in the original equation.
Plugging in Choices
Sometimes it can save you time to simply plug in the answer choices to
see what the answer would be.

Example
For what value of x is |2x + 3| + 5 = 0?
A) –4
B) 0
C) 4
D) There is no such value of x.
Absolute Inequality

Example
 Word Problems

1. Solving Word Problems Using Linear Models

To solve the word problems, you need to interpret the situation described in the
problem into an equation, then solve the problem by solving the equation.

Example
Three years ago, Nora was half as old as Mary is now. If Mary is four years older
than Nora, how old is Mary now?
2. Solving Word Problems Using Systems of Equations
A problem involving two unknown quantities can be solved by using a system of
equations.
Example
At a museum, Elly bought 3 student tickets and 2 adult tickets for $29.00. At the
same museum Samantha bought 5 student tickets and 4 adult tickets for $54.00.
How much does one student ticket and one adult ticket cost?
3. Solving Word Problems Using Inequalities
Many of the real-life word problems can be solved algebraically by translating the
given information into an inequality and then solving the inequality.
The following symbols are used in inequalities:

, no less than

, at most
 4. Cost, Profit, and Value Problems
The net profit for the sales of a product is equal to the total revenue from the sales of
that product minus the total cost for the sales of that product.

Net Profit = Total Revenue – Total Cost

The revenue from that item is equal to the number of units sold times the price per unit.

Revenue = no. of units × price per unit

5.
6. Simplifying Percent Problems
To increase a number by a%, just multiply by (100 + a)%, and to decrease a
number by a%, just multiply by (100 − a)%.
For instance, to increase a number by 13%, multiply by 1.13, and to decrease a number
by 13%, multiply by 0.87.
7. Conversion Factors
A conversion factor is a fraction in which the numerator and the denominator are
1 mile
equal. For instance, 1 mile is equal to 1.609 kilometers, so is a
1.609 kilometers
conversion factor for converting kilometers to miles, and 1.609 kilometers is a
1 mile
conversion factor for converting miles to kilometers.
8. GROWTH AND DECAY
 Function Interpretation

Interpreting Variables and Constants in Linear Functions

𝒚 = 𝒎𝒙 + b
❖ 𝒎 is the slope. The slope represents the change in the 𝒚-value per unit of 𝒙.
In other words, when the 𝒙-value increases by 1, the slope tells you how
much the 𝒚-value increases or decreases.

❖ 𝒃 is the 𝒚-intercept. The 𝒚-intercept is the value of 𝒚 when 𝒙 = 𝟎.