Midterm – Lesson 1

Objectives:

a. appreciates the use of operations in solving algebraic expressions.

b. Identify algebraic expression completely
c. Attempts the practical application of factoring
d. Factor an algebraic expression completely.

Ms. Jonnah Mariz G. Nacar

Instructor
 Terms and
definitions

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
 In math, an ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION is a mathematical phrase that contains numbers, letters, or
symbols (used in place of a quantity we don’t know yet) that are combined by the operators such as +, -, ÷, and ·).

Sometimes, an expression allows us to do calculations to find out what quantity the variable is.

Example: When Georgia runs, she runs a 6-mile loop each day. We don’t know how many days she
runs, so we’ll call that number “d.” So, now we can say that Georgia runs 6d miles.
*(In other words, 6d is the expression that represents how much Georgia runs each week.)

When a number is attached to a variable, like 6d, you multiply the number and the variable. Any number that is
used to multiply a variable is called the COEFFICIENT.
Example:
In the expression 4r + 5st, the constant is 4 is the coefficient of r, and 5 is the
coefficient of st.

A CONSTANT is a number that stays fixed in an expression (it stays “constant”).

Example:
In the expression 6x + 4, the constant is 4.
BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1
FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
 An expression is made up of one or more TERMS - a number by itself or the product of a number and
variable (or more than one variable). Each term is separated by an addition calculation symbol. In the expression
6x + 4, there are two terms: 6x and 4

coefficient constant
variable

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

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Example:
Name the variable, terms, coefficient, and constant of 8y - 2.

The variable y.

The terms 8y and 2.

The coefficient 8

The constant -2.

1. −52m + 6y – 22

2. 17 + d(−4)

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POLYNOMIALS
A POLYNOMIAL is an expression consisting of variables and coefficients. POLY means “many”
and NOMIAL means “term.”

A MONOMIAL is an expression that has only 1 term.

For example 8a, 5x2, 2st3, w, and 9.

A BINOMIAL is an expression that has 2 terms.

For example: (7y + 1Τ2), 4x - 8; x2 + y2; 3r2s - 4; and (x + y)3 + 27.

A TRINOMIAL is an expression that has 3 terms.

For example: 8a2 - 3Τ5 𝑎𝑏 + 6b2

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

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Solving Equations
A. Equivalent Equations B. The Addition and Multiplication Principles
C. Combining Like Terms D. Types of Equations

Solving equations is an essential part of problem-solving in algebra. In this section, we review and practice solving basic
equations.

A. Equivalent Equations
Equation-solving principles in algebra are used to produce equivalent equations from which solutions are easily found.

Example 1
Determine whether 4x = 12 and 10x = 30 are equivalent equations.
Solution
The equation 4x = 12 is true only when x is 3. Similarly, 10x = 30 is true only when x is 3. Since both
equations have the same solution, they are equivalent.

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
One way to show if 2 equations are equal, is shown below

4x = 12 10x = 30

Solve for x Solve for x Take note that, in solving for x, both
4𝑥
= 12 10𝑥
= 30 equations have the same value.
4 4 10 10
x=3 x=3

Example 2 Determine whether 5x = 10 and 2x = 6 are equivalent equations.

5x = 10 2x = 6
Since the equations have different values,
Solve for x Solve for x then the equations are not equivalent.
5𝑥
5
= 10
5
2𝑥
2
= 62
x=2 x=3

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
B. The Addition and Multiplication Principles

Suppose that a and b represent the same number and that some number c is added to a. If c is also added to b, we will
get two equal sums, since a and b are the same number. The same is true if we multiply both a and b by c. In this manner, we can
produce equivalent equations.

Example 1 Solve: y - 4.7 = 13.9

Solution
y - 4.7 = 13.9
y - 4.7 + 4.7 = 13.9 + 4.7 Using the addition principle; adding 4.7 to both sides
y + 0 = 13.9 + 4.7 Using the law of opposites
y = 18.6 The solution of this equation is 18.6.

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
C. Combining Like Terms

In an expression like 8a5 + 17 + 4 / b + ( - 6a3b), the parts that are separated by addition signs are called
terms.

A term is a number, a variable, a product of numbers and/or variables, or a quotient of numbers and/or
variables.
When terms have variable factors that are exactly the same, we refer to those terms as like, or similar
terms. Thus, 3x2y and - 7x2y are similar terms, but 3x2y and 4xy2 are not.
We can often simplify expressions by combining, or collecting, like terms.

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
 We COLLECT LIKE TERMS (also called COMBINING LIKE TERMS) to simplify an expression-
meaning, we rewrite the expression so that it contains fewer numbers, variables, and operations. Basically, you
make it look more “simple.”

Take note:

When simplifying, we often put the term with the greatest exponent first, and we put
the constant last. This is called DESCENDING ORDER.

3x + 4(x + 3) -1

9mn + 6x2 + 2nm

5x + 3 (x + 1) + 2x - 9

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SOLVING FOR
VARIABLES

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 Often, we are not given a number to substitute for the variable. This is when we must “solve for the
unknown,” or “solve for x.”

In order to do so, we must ISOLATE THE VARIABLE on one side of the equal sign.

Example: x + 7 = 13 Solve for t: −3t = 39.

x + 7 – 7 = 13 – 7 −3𝑡 39
=
−3 −3
x + 7 – 7 = 13 – 7
t = -13
x=6

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

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JGNACAR || [email protected]
SOLVING MULTI-STEP EQUATIONS
Solve for x: 3x + 7 = 28. Solve for m: 3(m - 6 ) = − 12 .

3x + 7 – 7 = 28 – 7 3m - 18 = − 12
3x = 21 3m - 18 + 18 = − 12 + 18
x=7 3m = 6
m=3

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JGNACAR || [email protected]
 Adding Polynomials
When two terms have the same variable(s) raised to the same power(s), they are similar, or like, terms and can be
“combined” or “collected.”

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
 Multiplication of Polynomials
To multiply two monomials, we multiply coefficients and we multiply variables using the rules for exponents
and the commutative and associative laws. With practice, we can work mentally, writing only the answer.

BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1

FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1
FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]
BRIDG 001 – Bridging Subject 1
FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
JGNACAR || [email protected]