ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

• Real numbers
• Surds lie between integers
• Rounding-off Integers
• Products
• Factorization: Common Factor
• Factorization: Difference of Squares
• Factorization: Trinomials
• Factorization: Grouping in Pairs
• Factorization: Cubes
• Algebraic Fractions
Algebraic Langu
age 1
 REAL NUMBERS

Rational Numbers

A rational number is a number that can be

a
expressed in the form b where b 0

and where a and b are integers.

2
Examples
 a) Integers 5
e.g. 5 can be written as
1 where 5 and 1 are
integers.

 b) Mixed fractions
e.g. 3
2
7
 c) Terminating decimals
e.g. 0,25 = 25 1

100 4
 d) Recurring decimals have an infinite pattern & can
be expressed as a fraction
e.g. 0, 3 = 0, 3333333; 0, 12 = 0, 12121212

3
Converting Recurring Decimals to Fractions
E.g. a) Show that 0,3 is rational.
Let x = 0, 333333....
l0x = 3, 333333 (multiply both sides by 10)
l0x - x = 3, 33333 – 0, 33333 (subtract
equations)
9x = 3, 0000000
9x = 3
x = 3 … a rational number!

E.g. b) Show that 0, 12 is rational.

Let x = 0, 12121212
100x = 12, 12121212 (multiply both sides by
100)
12 4
99x = 12,
99 000000

33 (subtract equations)
4
x= … a rational number!
 EXERCISE
1. Are these numbers rational and why?
3
(a) 1
4

1
 2
(b) 6

(c) 6

(d) - 3

(e) 0, 72

(f) 1, 4142

5
2. Show that the following recurring decimals
are rational:

(a) 0, 4

(b) 0, 21

(c) 0, 14

(d) 19, 45

(e) 0, 124

(f) 0, 124

6
 Irrational numbers
a
 Numbers that cannot be written in the form b
where b 0
 Therefore recurring numbers that neither
terminate nor recur with a pattern
 E.g. a) 5,739129…
b) -4,883291103…
c) 
Irrational Numbers in Circles &
Squares
7
 The Number 
  is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to
its diameter
  is = 3,142857143….
Rounding-off
π
 However,  can be approximated as an
improper fraction 22
7

π
as a Rational Num 8
 EXERCISE 1
State whether the following numbers are
rational or irrational:
(a) 8 (b) 16 (c) 7 (d) 7
1 1
(e) 25 (f) 0 (g) 2
5 (h) 6
 1

(i) - 0, 13 (j) 0, 42 (k) 

(l) 0, 2453756…

9
 EXERCISE 2
Classify numbers by placing ticks in the appropriate
columns:
Number Real Rational Integer Whole Natural Irrational
1
3
6
0,14674

16
5
-3

22
7
0, 3
8,
10
23647
SURDS LIE BETWEEN INTEGERS
E.g. Determine without the use of a calculator,
11
between which 2 integers lies.
Find an integer smaller and bigger than 11 that

can be square rooted … 9 and 16

Now create an inequality … 9 < 11 < 16

Square root all integers …

9  11  16

Solve …
 3  11  4
11 3,3166
Check using a calculator …

11
 EXERCISE
Without using a calculator, determine between
which two integers the following irrational
numbers lie:

(a) 30
(b) 27
(c) 3 43
(d)  6
(e) 7 33
(f) 

12
 ROUNDING-OFF INTEGERS
 If it is > 5 or = 5 … round up
 If it is < 5 … round down

 Remember! If you are rounding-off to 2 decimal places, the third decimal

place determines whether you round up or down etc.

 E.g. (a) 2, 31437 (2 d.p.) … Answer: 2, 31

(b) 0, 77777 (3 d.p.) … Answer:0, 778
(c) 245, 13589 (4 d.p.) … Answer: 245,1359

Rounding-off Numb 13
ers
 EXERCISE 1
Round off the following numbers to the
number of decimal places indicated:
 (a) 9, 23584 (3 decimal places)
 (b) 67, 2436 (2 decimal places)
 (c) 4, 3768534 (4 decimal places)
 (d) 17,247398 (5 decimal places)
 (e) 79, 9999 (3 decimal places)
 (f) 34, 2784682 (4 decimal places)
 (g) 5,555555 (5 decimal places)

14
 EXERCISE 2
Simplify and round-off to the number of
decimal places indicated:
 (a) 7,53427 (3 decimal places)
 (b) 3
3,3333 (4 decimal places)
 (c) 6
36,268 (2 decimal places)
 (d) 2,64 2,18
2
(5 decimal places)
 (e) 1,64  1,64
6

(2 decimal places)
6

15
 PRODUCTS
 E.g. x (y + z) = xy + xz
- Multiply each term inside the bracket by
the number outside the bracket
 E.g. (a + b)(c + d) = ac + ad + bc + bd
- This is done by using the FOIL method

The Product Gam

e 16
 Examples
Expand and simplify the following:
(a) (x + 2) (x + 3)

2
x  3x  2 x  6
2
x  5 x  6 Squaring a Binomial E
xample
(b) (x + 2) (x² + x - 1)
3 2 2
x  x  x  2 x  2 x  2
3 2
x  3x  x  2
17
 (c) x(x²-2xy+3y²) - 2y(x² -2xy+3y²)

 x( x 2  2 xy  3 y 2 )  2 y ( x 2  2 xy  3 y 2 )
 x 3  2 x 2 y  3 xy 2  2 x 2 y  4 xy 2  6 y 3
 x 3  4 x 2 y  7 xy 2  6 y 2
 (d) (a – 3b) (a – 3b)²
2
(a  3b)(a  3b)
(a  3b)(a 2  6ab  9b 2 )
2 2 2 2
a(a  6ab  9b )  3b(a  6ab  9b )
a 3  6a 2 b  9ab 2  3a 2 b  18ab 2  27b 3
3 2 2 3
a  9a b  27ab  27b
18
 Exercise 1:
Simplify:
(a) (x + 3)(x - 3)
(b) (x - 6)(x + 6)
(c) (2x - l)(2x + l)
4

(d) (4x + 9)(4x - 9)

(e) (3x - 2y)(3x + 2y)
(f) (4a³ b + 3)(4a³ b - 3)
(g) (2x – 3 + y)(2x – 3 – y)
(h) (1 – a )(1 – a )(1 + a)

19
 Exercise 2

Simplify:
(a) 2x(3x - 4y)² - (7x - 2xy)

(b) (5y + 1)² - (3y + 4)(2 - 3y)

2

(c) (2x + y) - (3x - 2y) + (x - 4y)(x + 4y)

(d) (8m - 3n)(4m + n) - (n - 3m)(n + 3m)

(e) (3a + b)(3a - b)(2a + 5b)

20
 Exercise 3
Simplify:
(a) (x + 1)(x² + 2x + 3)
(b) (x - 1)(x² - 2x + 3)
(c) (2x + 4)(x² - 3x + 1)
(d) (2x - 4)(x² - 3x + 1)
(e) (3x-y)(2x² + 4xy – y² )
(f) (3x - 2y)(9 x² + 6xy + 4 y² )
(g) (3x + 2y)(9x² - 6xy + 4y² )
(h) (2a + 3b)²
(i) (2a² - 3b)²

21
FACTORIZATION: Common Factor

The Factor Game

The golden rule of factorization is to always look
for the highest common factor first:
Basic examples

Common Facto
r with Variable
s
Complex example
e.g. a(x-y) – 2(x-y)² = (x-y)[a-2(x-y)]
= (x-y)(a-2x+2y)

22
 Common Brackets Exercise:
 (a) ax  y  bx  y  (b) xa  b  ya  b 
 (c) pq  r  mr  q  (d) 2 xm  3n   5 y m  3n 
 (e) x  y   3x  y  (f) a  c 4  a  c 
2 5

(g) m  n  m  n 7 xm  3n   4 y 3n  m 

6 2
 (h)
 (i) 7 xm  3n 4 y3n  m (j) 7 xm  3n 4 y m  3n
 (k) 2x3 p  q 4 y q  3 p (l) a  b   pb  pa 

 (m) 4 xa  2 2  a  (n) 2 x 2 3a  b   12 xb  3a 

3 3

 (o) a  3b c3b  a d 3b  a

23
 FACTORIZATION: Difference of
Squares
There must be 2 terms that you can take the
square-root of and a minus sign.

Basic examples
a) 
a2  b2  a2  b2  a  b 
2 2

(a  b)(a  b)

b) x2  9

( x 2  9 )( x 2  9 )
( x  3)( x  3) Difference of Squares E
xample
24
Complex examples
a) 49 x 4  64 y 2
 
 7x2  8y 7x2  8y 
4  x  y 
b) 2

[2  x  y ][2  x  y ]
2  x  y 2  x  y 
c)
8a 8  8b 8

8 a 8  b 8 
8a 4
 b4 a 4
 b4 
8a 2
 b2 a 2
 b2 a 4
 b4 

8a  b a  b  a 2  b 2 a 4  b 4   25
 Complex Exercise
 (a) 100m 8  n 6
 (b) 144 x 4  225 y 4
 (c) 12k 2  75m 2
 (d) p 4  16
 (e) z 8  81
 (f) 27 a 3  3ab 2
 (g) x  b 2  c2
 (n) 25a 2  16a  m 
2

26
 FACTORIZATION: Trinomials
Make sure you know your times-tables and factors!
 E.g. a) a 2  6a  8
 Factors of 8: 1 x 8 or 4 x 2
 The middle term (6a) is obtained by adding the factors of
8…4+2=6
 Therefore: a  4a  2
 E.g. b)
3x 2  21x  24
 First take out common factor! 3( x 2  7 x  8)
 Factors of 8: 1 x 8 or 4 x 2
 The middle term (7x) is obtained by adding the factors of
8 … -8 +1 = -7
 Therefore:
3( x 2  7 x  8) Trinomial with Common
Factor
3( x  8)( x  1) 27
 Note:
 If the sign of the last term of a trinomial is
positive, the signs in the brackets are the
same
i.e. (… - …)(… - …) or (… + …)(… + …)

 If the sign of the last term of a trinomial is

negative, the signs in the brackets are
different, i.e. both positive or both negative
i.e. (… + …)(… - …) or (… - …)(… + …)

Visualizing
28
Factorization
 Basic Exercise
Factorize fully :

(a) a 2  7 a  12 (b) a 2  7 a  12
2
(c) a 2  4a  12 (d)  4a  12
a
2
(e) x 2  9 x  20 (f) x  11x  12
2
(g) x 2  12 x  35 (h)  5 p  6
p

(i) p2  5p  6 (j) p  5 p  6
2

(k) k 2  11k  28 (l) k 2  5k  84

(m) k 2  6k  9 (o) k 2  8k  16

29
 Complex Exercise
Factorize fully:

(a) 3k 2  3k  18
(b) 2k 2  14k  36
(c) 4k 2  12k  40
(d) 6 g 2  24 g  30
(e) k 3  11k 2  8k

30
 More advanced trinomials
E.g. a) 21 p 2  25 p  4
 Step 1: Check for the HCF … none
 Step 2: Write down the brackets and the factors of
the first term and the factors of the last term …
(7p 1)(3p 4)
 Step 3: Now multiply the innermost and the
outermost terms … 1 3 p 3 p
7 p 4 28 p
 Step 4: To find the middle term ... - 3p + 28p = + 25p
 Step 5: Complete the factors … (7p – 1)(3p + 4)

Note! This method involves trial and error and you need to keep t
31
E.g. b) 24a 2  10ab  b 2

 Step 1: Check for the HCF … none

 Step 2: Write down the brackets and the factors of the
first term and the factors of the last term …
(12a b)(2a b)
 Step 3: Now multiply the innermost and the outermost
terms … 2ab x 12ab
 Step 4: To find the middle term ... -12ab + 2ab = - 10ab
 Step 5: Complete the factors … (12a + b)(2a – b)

32
 Advanced Exercise
1. Factorize fully:

2
 (a) 2 p  3 p  1
2
(b)  4 p  1
3 p

(c) 15 p  8 p  1 (d)
2
 18m 2  3m  1
 (e) 2m 2  5m  3 (f)5m 2  14m  8
 (g) 2m 2  7m  6 (h)6k 2  11k  10
2
 (i) 6 k  5k  21 (j)20k 2  24k  9
(k) (l)
2 2
 18 k  3k  10 15  x  6 x

33
FACTORIZATION: Grouping in pairs
Group terms with common factors or similar brackets!

E.g.
ax  ay  px  py
Group the terms that look similar

(i.e. those that could potentially have

common factors)
Factorize each pair separately and then take

out the common bracket:

ax  ay  px  py
a ( x  y )  p ( x  y )
( x  y )( a  p )
34
 Switch-arounds
“taking out a negative”
- x + y = - (x - y) and – x – y = - (x + y)

E.g. a) Factorize a 2  a  6ax  6 x

( a 2  a )  (  6ax  6 x )
a ( a  1)  6 x ( a  1)
( a  1)(a  6 x )

35
 b) Factorize: p3  3 p 2  p  3

( p 3  3 p 2 )  (  p  3)
 p 2 ( p  3)  ( p  3)
( p  3)( p 2  1)
( p  3)( p  1)( p  1)

 (c) Factorize: 6m 2  3m  6 p  12mp

(6m 2  3m)  ( 6 p  12mp)
3m(2m  1)  6 p (1  2m)
3m(2m  1)  6 p (2m  1)
(2m  1)(3m  6 p )
3(2m  1)(m  2 p ) 36
 Exercise
Factorize:
 (a) 6a 3  2a 2  54a  18

 (b) p 2  ( d  t ) p  dt

 (c) m 2  9  ( m  3)(1  2m)

 (d) x 2  y 2  x  y

 (e) p 2  4 pq  4q 2  16t 2

37
 FACTORIZATION: Cubes

Sum of Cubes
x.x²=x³ y.y²=y³
x³ + y³ = (x+y)(x² - xy + y²)
Take the cube root
of each term

Times
factors of
first bracket
to get
Sum of Cubes Example middle term
38
 Difference of Cubes
x.x²=x³ y.y²=y³
x³ - y³ = (x-y)(x² + xy + y²)
Take the cube root
of each term

Times
factors of
first bracket
to get
middle term
Difference of Cubes Visualization of Factorizing a Cubic
Example Expression 39
 ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS
Simplify the following expressions:
(a)
12a 3 b 4 t 2a 3 5 b 4  1t 1 1

18a 5 bt 3
2a  2 b 3 t 0

3
2b 3

3a 2
(b)
2
12a c 24a c7 12a 2 c 25d
 
 5d 24a 7 c
5d 25d 12 25a 2 cd

5 24a 7 cd
5a 2  7 c 1 1 d 1 1

2
5

2a 5
40
Whenever the numerator contains two or more terms,
factorize the expression in the numerator and simplify

(c)
6c 2  12c 6c (c  2)

6c 2 6c 2
c2

c

(d) 9x2  1 (3 x  1)(3 x  1)


3x  1 3x  1
3 x  1

Simplifying Basic Algebraic

Expressions 41
 EXERCISE 1
Simplify the following:
(a) 24 x 6 y 10 z 25 x 3 y 5 z 2
36 x 8 yz
(b) 75 xy 6 z 2

(c) 5 8m 2
(d) 6t 2

4t 3
 p p2
2m 25

(e) 2x3 6 y 4x3 (f) m2  m

 
3y 2 x y m

(g) (h) 3s 2  6 s
2
4p  8p
6s
4p
(i) (j) w3  w 2 w2

4t 2  4m 4 8
4m 2
42
 EXERCISE 2
Simplify

2w 1 c c
 (a)  (b) 
3 6 3 4
 (c) 3  2 (d)5  3
1
t t2 w3 w 2

 (e) 7 2 1 (f) 3 5 7
  3 2
 2
 4
6r 9rt 3r 2 y w 4 yw 6 y

43
 More Advanced Algebraic Fractions
Examples
( x  5)( x  1)  2( x  5) ( x  5)[( x  1)  2]
a) x 5

x 5
( x  1)  2
x 1

xy  x 2 x2 xy  x 2 y 2  xy
b) 2
y  x 2
 2
y  xy
 2
y  x 2

x2
x( y  x) y ( y  x)
 
( y  x )( y  x ) x2
y
Simplifying Complex 
x
Algebraic Expressions
44
 Exercise
Simplify:
a) x 2  5x  4
x ( x  1)

b) x 2 ( x  1)  x 2  1
x ( x  1)

c) x2  x  2 2x

2( x  2) 6  3x

d) 1 2x

x4

1
4 x 2  1 2 x 2  3x  1 1  x

45