Yr 9 Mathematics
Class: _____ Date: __________________ Name: __________________________
2.2 Using Pronumerals
(p.70 of Maths Quest 9)
Learning Intentions
1 – To identify the number of terms in an algebraic expression
2 – To identify the variable(s), constant and coefficients of an expression
3 – To evaluate an expression or a formula by substituting values for each variable
Algebra is the branch of Mathematics in which we use and manipulate pronumerals.
2.2.1 Expressions
An algebraic expression consists of numbers, symbols and math operators grouped
together that show the value of something. This math operation can be addition,
subtraction, multiplication, or division. For example: 2x + 1, 4 – 6y, 6m + 5n – 8k + 4.
• Pronumeral is a letter or symbol that stands for a number. If a pronumeral may take
different values, they are called the variables
• Terms are separated by a ‘+’ sign or a ‘−‘ sign .
• An expression has only one term if there is none of + or – sign.
• An expression with one term is called a monomial
• An expression with two terms is called a binomial.
• The expression has three terms is called a trinomial.
• The coefficient is the number that pronumeral is multiplied by.
• The constant is the value by itself.
For example: for the expression 5x – 3y + 20:
Pronumerals: ________________
Number of terms: _________________
Coefficient of x: __________ Coefficient of y: ________
Constant: ____________
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Yr 9 Mathematics
A teacher has some toothpicks, and she uses cups as holders for the toothpicks.
She chooses the letter m to represent the number of toothpicks in each cup.
When a letter stands for a number, it is called a pronumeral.
The pronumeral m is called a variable in the example below because it can vary.
Example
Ahmed and Mustafa use toothpicks to represent the expression 𝑚 +3
a. Ahmed has the value 𝑚 = 8. What will be the value of the expression 𝑚 + 3 ? _______________
b. Mustafa has the value 𝑚 = 6 What will be the value of the expression 𝑚 + 3 ? ______________
Writing multiplication in algebra
𝑚 + 𝑚 can also write this as 2 × 𝑚.
In algebra, we do not need to put the multiplication sign between a number and a pronumeral. We
write 2 × 𝑚 as 2𝑚, where 2 is the coefficient of m
Writing division in algebra
𝒎 𝟏 1
𝑚 ÷ 6 𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑠 𝑜𝑟 m, where 6 is the coefficient of m.
𝟔 𝟔
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Yr 9 Mathematics
Example
For the expression 5n + 2 + 3x + 7 + 5h + 9, write:
a. the number of terms and list them. b. the coefficient of the first term.
c. the coefficient of the fifth term. d. the pronumeral in the third term.
e. List the variables. f. List the constants
Task 1: Complete Worksheet 1 on Pronumeral.
Substitution or Evaluation
Replacing a pronumeral with a number in an expression is called substitution.
Example
Substitute 𝑚 = 4 in each of these expressions then evaluate.
a. 2𝑚 + 5
b. 5𝑚 − 2
Example
Find the value of each of the following when the pronumeral has the given value.
a. 𝑑 − 5 when 𝑑 = 12 b. 2𝑘 + 7 when 𝑘 = 4
d. 3 ( y + 2 ) when y = 3.
y
c. + 3 when y = 8.
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Yr 9 Mathematics
Summary of terminology
Terminology Meaning Examples
Pronumeral A symbol or letter that stands 𝑚 or 𝑥 or ℎ
for a value.
Variable It’s a letter which represents an 𝑥 could be 1 or 4 or 5 or 0
unknown number.
Term It may be a number, a single 3𝑚 or 4 or 6𝑥 or 5ℎ or 1
pronumeral or a pronumeral
multiplied by a number
Coefficient The number that a pronumeral In the term 3m the coefficient
is multiplied by of m is 3
Expression Is made up of terms 3𝑚 + 4, 6𝑥, or
5ℎ + 6 + 4𝑘 + 𝑚
Equation Must have an equal’s sign 3𝑚 + 4 = 5
6𝑥 = 2
Constant Only a number, does not In 5ℎ + 6 + 4𝑘 + 𝑚,
contain variables the constant is 6.
Substitution To replace a pronumeral with a In the expression 3𝑚 + 4 we
particular number could substitute 5 in place of
m so we have3 × 5 + 4 = 19.
Task 2: Complete Worksheet 2 on Substitution.
Exercise 2.2 of the Maths Quest textbook
Group A: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 14 and the worksheets, if incomplete
Group B: 2, 4, 5, 8 (b, d), 11(b,c,d,e), 15(b,c,e), 17, 19, 20, 23 and the
Worksheets, if incomplete
Mathletics Task(s)
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Yr 9 Mathematics
Worksheet 1 on Pronumerals for Groups A & B
Q1.
Q2.
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Yr 9 Mathematics
Worksheet 2 on Substitution for Group A
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Yr 9 Mathematics
Worksheet 2 on Substitution for Group B
Answers