CHAPTER 3:

MULTI-STEP
EQUATIONS AND
INEQUALITIES
!y Julia Merro"
11/8/13
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af
PROPERTIES
There are 4 different kinds of properties in math, but here you are only going to learn about 3:
the distributive, associative, and commutative properties.
First, lets start with the distributive property. Here is an example: 4(65) = (4x60) + (4x5).
This property helps you break down the bigger number to make the problem so much easier.
Next, well learn about the associative property. Here is an example: 9(48) = (94)8. That is
an example of the associative property of multiplication. There is also another form of the
associative property, which is addition. A problem including the associative property of addition
would look something like this: (3 + 7) + 2 = 3 + (7 + 2). In the associative property, all youre
doing is changing the grouping of the numbers in the problem.
Last but not least comes the commutative property. Here is an example: 1 5 = 5 1. That is an
example of the commutative property of multiplication. Like the associative property, the other
form of the commutative property is addition. A problem using the commutative property of
addition would look like this: 8 + 6 = 6 + 8. All you do in the commutative property is switch the
order of the numbers.
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af
SIMPLIFYING
EXPRESSIONS
The first step in simplifying expressions is to
combine like terms. However, sometimes there is
an exception. In the problem 4(7x - 3) + 2x, you
would have to distribute 4(7x - 3). To distribute:
(4 7x) - (4 3). Then break them down: 28x - 12.
The problem is now 28x - 12 + 2x, so we can
combine some of the terms. The similar terms in
this problem are 28x and 2x. 28 + 2 = 30, so now
it is 30x. The whole problem is now 30x + 12.
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af
SIMPLIFYING
EXPRESSIONS
The first step in simplifying expressions is to combine
the like terms, since in the problem 7x - 10 - 9x = -13 you
dont have to distribute anything. The like terms are 7x
and 9x. To combine the terms you would subtract, and
7 - 9 = -2, so it is -2x. The problem is now -2x - 10 = -13.
The next step is to add 10 to -13, which is equals -3. The
problem is now -2x = -3. The last step is to divide -2
from both sides: -3 (-2) = 1 1/2. So, x = 1 1/2.
(more)
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af
SIMPLIFYING
EXPRESSIONS
In order to solve the problem 5x/6 + x/3 - 1/2 = 11/6, you have to
first get rid of all the denominators by finding a common
denominator. 6, 3, and 2 all go into 6, so you will multiply both sides
by 6 then multiply the numerator by how many times the
denominator goes into 6. With this problem, 6 goes into 6 one time,
so 5x will stay the same. 3 goes into 6 two times, so x will be
multiplied by 2, which is 2x. 2 goes into 6 three times, and 1 3 is 3.
6 goes into 6 one time, so 11 will stay the same. Now the problem is
5x + 2x - 3 = 11. Time to combine like terms! 5 + 2 = 7, so the
problem is 7x - 3 = 11. Next, we are going to simplify. We will start
by adding 3 to both sides to cancel it out. 11 + 3 = 14, so the problem
is changed to 7x = 14. The last step is to cancel out 7 by dividing it
from both sides. 14 7 = 2, so x = 2.
(even more!)
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af
INEQUALITIES
When solving inequalities, the first thing you must do is
simplify them. To simplify the inequality 2 ! x/-5, you have to
cancel out -5 by multiplying it to both sides. 2 -5 = -10, so the
inequality is -10 ! x. But, with negative inequalities, to make the
equation true you have to switch the sign. The final expression is
-10 " x. When you graph the inequalities you would use a
number line. To show where the numbers are, all you have to do
is draw a circle and an arrow above the number. In this problem,
the number is -10 and the variable is x. Here is what the graph
would look like:
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af
SOLVING
INEQUALITIES
In order to solve inequalities you have to simplify them. In
the problem -4x + 4 " -8, you will have to do opposite
processes. First, you must start with addition, subtracting 4
from both sides to cancel it out. -8 - 4 = -12, so the problem
is -4x " -12. To cancel out -4x, you would divide -4 from -12.
-12 -4 = 3, so x " -12. Since we divided with a negative
integer, the sign has to be switched. The final inequality is
x ! -12. When you graph it, it looks like this:
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af
GRAPHING
INEQUALITIES
When youre graphing inequalities on a number line, you
always have to put a circle over the number. The circle can
be open or closed depending on the sign. If the number is
part of the solution problem which means that it could be
a possible answer then the circle would be closed. If the
number is not a part of the solution problem which means
that it is definitely not an answer then the circle would be
open. I made an example where you would use an open
circle and a closed circle with these inequalities: x ! 3, and
x < 3.
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af
INEQUALITY WORD
PROBLEMS
Chris wants to buy a bicycle that costs $160. If she saves $12 each week,
what is the fewest number of weeks she must save in order to buy the
bicycle? First to solve this problem, I will write out the information: 160 = 12x. To
solve this problem I will cancel out 12x by dividing 12 from 160. 160 12 = 13.3. The
answer cant be a part of a week, it has to be a whole week, so I will round it to 14 weeks.
And thats the answer!
Mark worked on math homework less than 1/3 the amount of time that his
brother did. If Mark spent 25 minutes on his math homework, how much
time did his brother spend on his math homework? Like the first problem, I will
start by writing out the information: 25 < 1/3b. To cancel out 1/3, I will multiply it to
both sides. 25 1/3 = 75, so Marks brother spent 75 minutes on his homework.
One third of a number, decreased by thirty six, is at most twenty two. Find
the number. Again, I will first write out the information: x/3 - 36 ! 22. Also, Im going
to cancel out 36 by adding it to both sides: 22 + 36 = 58. The problem is now x/3 ! 22.
To cancel out the 3, I will multiply it to both sides: 58 3 = 174. I have simplified the
whole problem to x ! 174.
Merron, Julia Friday, May 30, 2014 1:10:21 PM Pacic Daylight Time 70:56:81:af:e3:af