NICATS ABM

Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Topic 5: Algebra
Algebra is a tool in mathematics and science. It is used to solve problems. The next few
pages will introduce you to some of the uses of algebra and some of the methods you
need.
Using Letters to Represent Unknown Quantities

Example 1
A triangle has sides
A triangle has 3 sides
Therefore = 3

Exercise 1
Find the number for which each letter stands.
1.
A spider has legs. = 8
2.
A quadrilateral has edges. = 4
3.
There are years in a century. = 100
4.
There are grams in a kilogram. = 1000
5.
July has days. = 31
Algebra has its own way of working with letters and numbers.
The (times) sign is usually left out.

Example 2

Area of a rectangle = length width

=
=
In algebra, letters multiplied together are put in alphabetical order.

Example 3
not
not

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Example 4

length

If you want to find the perimeter of this

rectangle, you add all lengths of the sides.
width
Perimeter = length + width + length + width
= 2 length + 2 width
= 2 + 2

The number always comes before the letter.

Example 5
Simplify these expressions (i.e. write without a sign)
3 = 3
5 = 5
5 2 = 10

Exercise 2
Write these correctly:
1.

10. 5

2.

11. 8

3.

12. 4

4.

13. 7

5.

14. 9

6.

15. 3

7.

16. 2

8.

17. 5

9.

18. 4 2

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Simplifying
Expressions are groups of letters separated by + or signs.
3p + 2t

is an expression

3p and 2t

are called terms.

Like terms are terms that have the same letters they can be added and/or subtracted.
See how the following expressions may be simplified:
+ + = 3
3 = 2
4 + 3 = 7
+ = 2
2 + 2 = 2 2
23 + 33 = 53
These all have like terms and can therefore be simplified (Note: the powers must also be
the same).
The expressions below do not have like terms and so cannot be simplified:
3 + 2
4 + 3
2 + 3
This simplification can be applied to more difficult expressions, as in the following
examples.

Example 6
Simplify 3 + 4 + 2 3
SOLUTION
3 + 4 + 2 3 = 5 +

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Example 7
Simplify 5 + 6 3 4
SOLUTION
5 + 6 3 4 = 5 3 + 6 4
= 2 + 2
= 2 + 2

Exercise 3
Simplify these expressions.
1. 7 + 4 2 =

6. 7 4 + 3 =

2. 6 3 + 2 =

7. 3 2 + 4 2 =

3. 10 + 9 6 =

8. 5 3 2 3 3 =

4. 6 + 4 + 2 2 =

9. 6 2 + 2 2 + 8 2 =

5. 8 + 7 4 =

10. 2 2 + 3 2 + 7 2 2 =

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Multiplying with letters and numbers

Sometimes you can simplify algebraic terms such as 2 3, by multiplying them by
each other. To do this you multiply the numbers and then multiply the letters. So to
simplify 2 3 we do 2 3 first and then giving us 6.

Example 8
4 3
SOLUTION
4 3 = 12

Example 9
5 3
SOLUTION
5 3 = 15

Exercise 4
Simplify these expressions
1. 2 4 =

5. 10 3 =

2. 3 3 =
6. 2 3 3 =

3. 5 4 =

7. 4 3 2 =

8. 2 5 =

4. 6 3 =

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Using powers to Multiply nNmbers

When you multiply two letters that are the same together you can write them as
powers.
= 2
= 3
= 5

Example 10
3 2
SOLUTION
3 2 = 62

Example 11
4 2 5
SOLUTION
4 2 5 = 20 3

Example 12
6 2 4 3 2
SOLUTION
6 2 4 3 2 = 72 5

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Exercise 5
Simplify the following expressions.
1. 3 =

6. 3 5 2 =

2. 2 4 =

7. 2 3 =

3. 2 2 =

8. 2 3 5 5 3 =

4. 2 2 5 3 =

9. 32 32 32 =

5. 42 33 =
10. 3 2 5 2 4 =

Look carefully at your answers. What is happening to the indices?

Answer

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Topic 5: Algebra

Dividing with letters and numbers

Example 13
t5
or
t2

t5

SOLUTION
5 2 = 52 = 3

= 3

What is happening to the indices?

Answer: You take away the indices.

Example 14
6p7
3p4

The numbers are divided first and then the letters

SOLUTION
67 34 274 = 23

Exercise 6
Simplify the following expressions:
1.
4m2
=
2m
2.
12 5
=
3 3
3.
24 9
=
15 5
4.
15 3 5
=
3 2

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Writing Expressions from Statements

Note: An expression has no equals sign. If it has an equals it is an equation.
We can use the rules of simplifying to write down an expression from a statement.

Example 15
John has m sweets and Peter has y sweets.
(a) How many sweets have they altogether?
SOLUTION
Total number of sweets = +

(b) Jane has 5 more sweets than John. How many sweets does Jane have?
SOLUTION
Jane = + 5

(c) Bill has twice as many sweets as Peter. How many sweets does Bill have?
SOLUTION
Bill = 2 = 2

(d) Tim has half the number of sweets that John has. How many does Tim have?
SOLUTION
Tim =

1
(or )
2
2

(e) Jill has four less sweets than John.

SOLUTION
Jill = 4

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Making Equations
More information can be given in order to make an equation. When there is an = sign
there is an equation. An equation means that both sides have the same value.

Example 16
I multiply a number by 3 and then add 5. If the answer is 32, what was the number?
SOLUTION
Number =
3 + 5 = 32
3 = 32 5
3 = 27
27
=
3
=9

Example 17
The length of a rectangle is ( + 3) cm and the width is 5 cm. If the area is 50 cm2, find
the length of the rectangle.
SOLUTION
length width = Area
( + 3) 5 = 50
5 ( + 3) = 50
5( + 3) = 50
50
+3=
5
+ 3 = 10
= 10 3
=7
Length of the rectangle of 10 cm.

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Exercise 7
Use as the unknown number: Form an equation and find .
1.

I think of a number, I add 4. The answer is 7.

2.

I think of a number, I add 3. The answer is 9.

3.

What number added to 7 gives the answer 12?

4.

I think of a number, I take away 2. The answer is 8.

5.

I think of a number, I take away 3. The answer is 13.

What is the value of the letter?

6.

7 + = 10

9.

7.

10 = 10

10. 8 = 13

8.

+7=7

11. 17 + = 21

11

8 =5

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Solve these equations by finding the number that the letter stands for:
12. 5 = 20

16. 3 = 24

13. 6 = 18

17. 7 = 49

14. 4 = 24

18. 8 = 16

15. 5 = 30

19. 9 = 36

Solving Equations
To solve an equation we find the value of the letter.
Method
Remove all the terms from one side of the equation, leaving the letter by itself.

Example 18
+5=7
SOLUTION
+55= 75
= 75
=2

To remove the + 5 we subtract 5.

To keep the two sides equal, we
must take 5 from both sides.

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Example 19
6=2
SOLUTION
6=2
= 2+6
=8

To remove the 6 we add 6. We do

the same to both sides of the
equation.

Example 20
3 = 15
SOLUTION
3 = 15
15
=
3
=5

To remove the 3 we divide by

3.

Example 21

=4
2
SOLUTION

=4
2
=42
=8
General Rule
An important general rule is that if we move a term to the other side of the equation we
change its sign.

changes to
changes to +
changes to
changes to

If there is more than one term to move, always move the + or term first.

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Example 22
2 + 5 = 15
SOLUTION
2 + 5 = 15
2 = 15 5
2 = 10
10
=
2
=5

Example 23
5 3 = 7
SOLUTION
5 3 = 7
5 = 7 + 3
5 = 10
10
=
5
=2

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Exercise 8

9. 4 13 = 3

Find the value of the letter in these

equations
1. 2 + 1 = 5
10. 2 3 = 7

2. 3 + 2 = 8
11. 4 + 5 = 13

3. 3 5 = 4
Be careful with the next questions. The
answers are not whole numbers.
4. 10 + 5 = 5

12. 4 + 7 = 16

5. 3 + 7 = 13

13. 5 8 = 3

6. 5 2 = 18

14. 2 + 3 = 6

7. 2 11 = 15

15. 7 4 = 7

8. 6 + 2 = 20

16. 2 6 = 7

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Brackets
Brackets are often used in algebra.

Example 24
2 ( + ) means multiply all terms inside the bracket by 2.
This is usually written as 2( + ) to avoid confusion between the letter and the
multiplication sign .
This is called Expanding the bracket. Note that the bracket actually disappears.

Example 25
3( 4)
SOLUTION
3( 4) = 3 12 this process is called expand brackets
[Note: 3 12 = 3( 4) this process is called factorising]

Example 26
( + )
SOLUTION
( + ) = +
= 2 +

Example 27
2(3 2)
SOLUTION
2(3 2) = (2 3) (2 2)
= 6 2 4

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Exercise 9

7. 3(2 + 4)

Expand the brackets

1. 2( + )

8. 9 2 (3 3 5)
2. 4( )

9. 4( 2 + 2 )
3. ( + 2)

10. 2(2 + 3 + 7)
4. 2( + 4)

11. 7 3 (3 7 2 )
5. ( )

12. 14( 2 2 + 3 2 )
6. 3(2 5)

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Factorisation
This process is the reverse of expanding the brackets. Look for a common factor
(sometimes factors) of all the terms.

Example 28
Factorise 2 + 4
SOLUTION
2 + 4
= 2( + 2)
2
Note: Expand the brackets at the end to check youre right.
2( + 2) = 2 + 4
2 + 4 =

Example 29
Factorise 6 3
SOLUTION
6 3 = 3(2 )
Check
3(2 ) = 6 3

Example 30
Factorise 2 + 1
SOLUTION
This expression cannot be factorised. The only letter or number common is a 1, but you
would never write the following: 2 + 1 = 1( 2 + 1)

Example 31
Factorise 4 2 + 8
SOLUTION
4 2 + 8
4 2 + 8 =
= 4( + 2)
4

Example 32
Factorise 52 + 7 2
SOLUTION
52 + 7 2 = 5 + 7 = (5 + 7)

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Exercise 10

7. 10 12 + 4

Factorise the following.

1. 6 + 4

8. 4 2 + 6 5
2. 8 10

9. 5 + 15 2 3 20
3. 12 + 4 8

10. 32 2 2 2 + 8 2 16 2
4. 2

5. 2 + 2

6. 3 2 2

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Substitution
You can substitute values into expressions, equations and formulae.

Example 33
Work out the value of the following expressions if = 2, = 3 and = 4.
(a) 3
SOLUTION
3 = 3 2 = 6
(b) 2
SOLUTION
2 = 42 3
= 16 3
= 13
(c) 4
SOLUTION
4 = 4 3 4
= 48

(d) 3 + 5 2
SOLUTION
3 + 5 2 = (3 2) + (5 3) (2 4)
= 6 + 15 8
= 21 8
= 13

Example 34
The cost of hiring a van is given by the formula = 25 + 40 where is the cost in
pounds and is the number of days. Work out the cost of hiring the van for 2 days.
SOLUTION
= (25 2) + 40
= 50 + 40
= 90

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Notes

Topic 5: Algebra

Exercise 11

9. 2 + 3

Work out the value of each expression if

a = 3, b = 1, c = 4, d = 5
1. +
10. 2( )
2.

3.
11. ( + )

4.

5. 2

12. ( + )2

6. 3

7. + 2

13. The Simple Interest Formula is

=
100
Find the interest when P = 450, R
= 2.45 and T = 3.

8.
14. In the formula = + find if
= 9.6, = 4.5 and = 3.2.

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