Algebra Cheat Sheet

Basic Properties & Facts

Arithmetic Operations
ab ac

a b c

b
c

ab
c

a
b

ac

bc

b
c

a
b

c
d

ad bc
bd

a b
c d

a
b

b a
d c

ab ac
a

c
d

If a b and c 0 then

a
c

b
c

ab a b
a b a

a a

an
ab
a

an

1
m n

ab

am

nm
n

n
a
nn n
a a

x2

x1

y2

y1

i a, a

Complex Numbers
i

n
n

a
a
b b
Triangle Inequality

d P1 ,
P2

b
n
a

a
b
a

bn

Properties of Radicals
n

m n

a
b

1, a

b
1

n m

n n

ab
1

a0

a nm

n m

Distance Formula
If P1
x1 , y1
P2
x2 , y2 are two
and
points the distance between them is

Exponent Properties
n

b
c
b

bc

d
a

ac bc and

a
c
a

Properties of Absolute Value

a
if a 0
a
a
if a 0
a 0
a a

b
ad
c

ac bc and

If a b and c 0 then

ad bc
bd

a b
c
a

b c, a

Properties of Inequalities
If a b then a c b c and a c b c

anb

a bi
a bi

c di
c di

a c
a c

a bi c di

ac bd

a bi a bi

b d i
b d i
ad bc i

b
Complex Modulus

a bi

a bi

a bi
Complex Conjugate
b nb

a, if n is odd
a , if n is even

For a complete set of online Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu.

2005 Paul Dawkins

a bi a bi
Logarithms and Log Properties
Definition

Logarithm Properties

log b bx 1

log b x is equivalent to x b y

log b b

Example
3

log5 125 3 because 5

125

Special Logarithms
ln x log e x
natural log
log x log10 x common log
where e 2.718281828K

x a

2ax a

x a

a b x ab x a x b
3
2
3
2
3a
x
a
x
a
3ax

3ax

x a

x a x

ax a

x a x

ax a

x a x

Solve 2x

n 1

ax

x
y

logb x log b y

If b

n 2

6x 10 0

a x

4ac

n 3

If b 4ac
2
If b 4ac

b 4ac
2a
0 - Two real unequal solns.
0 - Repeated real solution.
0 - Two complex solutions.

Square Root Property

If x

p then x

Absolute Value Equations/Inequalities

If b is a positive number
p b
p
b or

2n

log b x logb y

2n
n
n
n
n
x
a
x a x a
If n is odd then,
n
n
n 2
n
x a
x a x n 1 ax
L a

log b xy

Quadratic Formula
2
Solve ax bx c 0 , a

2ax a

log b xr

The domain of log b x is x

log x

b b
r logb x

log b

3a x a

log b 1 0

Factoring and Solving

Factoring Formulas
2
2
x a x a
x a

a bi

L a

b
p

p b
b or

n 1

Completing the Square

(4) Factor the left side
2

(1) Divide by the coefficient of the x

2
x 3x 5 0
(2) Move the constant to the other side.
2
x 3x 5

29

2
4
(5) Use Square Root Property
3
29
29
x

For a complete set of online Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu.

2005 Paul Dawkins

(3) Take half the coefficient of x, square

it and add it to both sides
x

3x

3
2

3
2

9
4

29
4

3
2

29
2

ay

by c

g y

ay

by c

The graph is a parabola that opens right

if a 0 or left if a 0 and has a vertex
at g
b
b
,
.

Line/Linear Function
f x

Parabola/Quadratic Function

Graph is a horizontal line passing

through the point 0, a .

mx b or

Functions and Graphs

Constant Function
y a or
f x a

2
(6) Solve for x

2a

mx b

2a

Graph is a line with point 0, b and

slope m.

Circle
2
x h

Slope
Slope of the line containing the two
points x1 , y1 and x2 , y2 is
y2 y1 rise
m
x2 x1 run

Graph is a circle with radius r and center

h, k .

Slope intercept form

The equation of the line with slope m
and y-intercept 0, b is
y mx b
Point Slope form
The equation of the line with slope m
and passing through the point x1 , y1 is
y

y1 m x x1

Parabola/Quadratic Function
2
y a x h
k
f x a x h

The graph is a parabola that opens up if

a 0 or down if a 0 and has a vertex
at h, k .
Parabola/Quadratic Function
y ax 2 bx c
f x ax 2 bx c
The graph is a parabola that opens up if

y k

Ellipse
2
2
x h
y k
1
2
2
a
b
Graph is an ellipse with center h, k
with vertices a units right/left from the
center and vertices b units up/down from
the center.
Hyperbola
2
2
x h
y k
1
2
2
a
b
Graph is a hyperbola that opens left and
right, has a center at h, k , vertices a
units left/right of center and asymptotes
b
that pass through center with slope
.
a
Hyperbola
2
2
y k
x h
1
2
2
b
a
Graph is a hyperbola that opens up and
down, has a center at h, k , vertices b
units up/down from the center and

For a complete set of online Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu.

2005 Paul Dawkins

0 or down if a 0 and has a vertex

b
b
at
,f
.
2a
2a
a

Error
2
0

2
0 and
0
2

Reason/Correct/Justification/Example

Division by zero is undefined!

9, 3
x2 x2 x2

3
2 3
x

x5

a
a
a bc b
c
1
x
2
3
x x
a

Common Algebraic Errors

2 3

asymptotes that pass through center with

b
slope
.
a

1
1
1 1
2
2 1 1 1 1
A more complex version of the
previous error.
a bx a bx
bx

bx 1 bx

1
a
a a
a
Beware of incorrect canceling!
a x 1
ax a

a
ax a

a x 1

9 Watch parenthesis!
6

Make sure you distribute the -!

x a2
x

x
a

x a

x a

x a

x a

x a x a
2

a and

x a

2x 2
1
x

a
ab b
c
c

2x 2

2 x

2ax a

5
25
3 4
3
4 3 4 7
See previous error.
More general versions of previous
three errors.
2 x 1

2 x 1

2 x

2x 1

2x

4x 2

4 x 8x 4
2x 2
Square first then distribute!
See the previous example. You can not
factor out a constant if there is a power on
the parethesis!
a

1
2 2

Now see the previous error.

a
a
a c
ac
1
b
c

b
c

For a complete set of online Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu.

2005 Paul Dawkins

b
c

b
ac
c

b
c
1

For a complete set of online Algebra notes visit http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu.

bc

2005 Paul Dawkins