ALGEBRA SUMMARY

1. Solve one equation. a. Solve for x. 2x + 4 = 10 2x = 6 x = 3

2.

b. Solve for L. 2W + 2L = P 2L = P - 2W L = P/2 W Yes, you can have other letters in the answer!

Solve 2 equations. Dont forget to find the solution for x and y. Solve for x and y. 3x + 2y = 4 3x - y = -2 One way to solve the equations is to use addition. That means add the equations together. If you change the signs on the second equation, you can cancel out the 3x terms. 3x + 2y = 4 -3x + y = 2 3y = 6 y = 2 Now plug y=2 into either one of the equations to solve for x. 3x + 2y = 4 3x + 2 2 = 4 3x + 4 = 4 3x = 0 x=0 The second way to solve the equations is to use substitution. Solve the first equation for y. 3x + 2y = 4 2y = 4 3x y = 2 - x. Now plug y = 2 - x into the second equation. 3x y = -2 3x (2 x) = -2 3x 2 + x = -2 3x + x = 0 Then plug x = 0 into either equation to solve for y. 3x + 2y = 4 3 0 + 2y = 4 2y=4 y=2 3. Solve quadratic equations (equations that have an x2 term). Remember you will always have two solutions for x when you are solving a quadratic equation. Solve x2 + 6x + 8. One way to solve a quadratic equation is to use factoring. x2 + 6x + 8 (x + 4) (x + 2) = 0 x = -4 x = -2 The second way to solve a quadratic equation is to use the quadratic equation formula.

=0

x=0

4. Exponents. a. 2x3 y2 z (4x2 y z4) (x2)5 = 2x3 y2 z (4x2 y z4) x10 = 8 x15 y3 z5
a. 3

6 x5 y2 = 2 x3

x2 y2

5. Radicals a. b. c..
6.

Find the equation of the line through the points (2, 4) and (1, 2). First find the equation in slope intercept form. That means find an equation in the form y = m x + b, where m is the slope and b is the y intercept. Find the slope. m = 4 2 21 = 2.

Now find the y intercept, b. Start with the formula y = m x+ b. Plug in the value for the slope m and the x and y values for one of the points that the line goes through. Lets use the point (1,2). y = m x + b. 2 = 2 1 + b. b = 0. So the equation is y = m x + b or y = 2 x + 0. Find the equation in point - slope form. That means in the form (y y1) = m (x x1) where m is the slope and (x1, y1) is one of the points. You already found the slope above. So using the point (1,2), (y y1) = m (x x1) (y 2) = 2 (x 1).