Getting to know your Algebra
The basics...
1) Take the situation and turn it into an equation
2) find out what the 'unknown' is
Algebra is based on unknown values called variables , the unknowns can be represented by lower case alphabets - unlike arithmetic which is based entirely on known number values.
Take for example
b+b+b+b
instead of writing this all out in an equation we can condense it into 4 x b
but we want to then to condense it further to 4 x b into 4b which is what we write out in a equation
This method can be used to condense any unknowns whether there c's or d's
c+c+c+c+c+3c=?
All we need to do is calculate the addition of all the numbers
As there is only one type of unknown value(c) we don't need to worry about them
Therefore the answer to the equation is 8c because we add 5c to 3c which equals 8c
That would mean cxcxc=c3
BIDMAS is a way of remembering the order of operations inorder to answer an equation
BIDMAS stands for Brackets, Indices, Division , Multiplication,Addition and Subtraction
Using 'BIDMAS' in an equation
Eg. (8-3)+4²=?
How can we work out the right answer?
Answer=by using BIDMAS
4 easy steps to working out the answer
1) Start by solving the brackets first
8-3+5
2)Then add 5 to the equation which then looks like this
5+4²=21
3) Next work out 4² which equals 16
4) Finally we can put the equation together
5+16=21
Therefore 21 is the answer
(8-3)+4²=21
Algebra is a scale, remember that each side of an equation has to balance in order for it to be solved
If I happened to have brought 9 sour strips of candy and I ate 5 strips how many strips of candy do I have left?
Remember first find out the equation from the situation
So the equation is written like this:x=9-5
We use x to represent the unknown in the equation(the number of strips of candy I have left)
Now we can solve the equation x=9-5
=4
Getting a little bit complicated...
a+6=3a+2
This equation is slightly complicated as you can see it has unknown values on either side of the equation
but like before has an easy method to work through!!
4 STEPS to perfection !!!
1)now the whole purpose of this equation is to work out 'a' so we have to condense the equation until we have the value of 'a'
2) Start by getting rid of the 2 on the right side , to get rid of the 2 we minus it on both sides of the equation
so we calculate 6-2 and 2-2
as 6-2 =4 we put this back into the equation but 2-2=0 and as the value is 0 we do not put it back into the equation
making the current equation look like this: a+4=3a
3) a+4=3a - to work out the rest of the equation we need to 'a' to the other side where '3a' is
When you move any positive number across the equation it will become a negative and vice versa
therefore the equation now looks like this 3a-a=4
we can work this out easily as the method is pretty straight forward
4) 3a-a=2a
2a=4
Therefore 'a'=2 as we divide 4 by 2
making the answer 2 :P
1) Take the situation and turn it into an equation
2) find out what the 'unknown' is
Algebra is based on unknown values called variables , the unknowns can be represented by lower case alphabets - unlike arithmetic which is based entirely on known number values.
Take for example
b+b+b+b
instead of writing this all out in an equation we can condense it into 4 x b
but we want to then to condense it further to 4 x b into 4b which is what we write out in a equation
This method can be used to condense any unknowns whether there c's or d's
c+c+c+c+c+3c=?
All we need to do is calculate the addition of all the numbers
As there is only one type of unknown value(c) we don't need to worry about them
Therefore the answer to the equation is 8c because we add 5c to 3c which equals 8c
That would mean cxcxc=c3
BIDMAS is a way of remembering the order of operations inorder to answer an equation
BIDMAS stands for Brackets, Indices, Division , Multiplication,Addition and Subtraction
Using 'BIDMAS' in an equation
Eg. (8-3)+4²=?
How can we work out the right answer?
Answer=by using BIDMAS
4 easy steps to working out the answer
1) Start by solving the brackets first
8-3+5
2)Then add 5 to the equation which then looks like this
5+4²=21
3) Next work out 4² which equals 16
4) Finally we can put the equation together
5+16=21
Therefore 21 is the answer
(8-3)+4²=21
Algebra is a scale, remember that each side of an equation has to balance in order for it to be solved
If I happened to have brought 9 sour strips of candy and I ate 5 strips how many strips of candy do I have left?
Remember first find out the equation from the situation
So the equation is written like this:x=9-5
We use x to represent the unknown in the equation(the number of strips of candy I have left)
Now we can solve the equation x=9-5
=4
Getting a little bit complicated...
a+6=3a+2
This equation is slightly complicated as you can see it has unknown values on either side of the equation
but like before has an easy method to work through!!
4 STEPS to perfection !!!
1)now the whole purpose of this equation is to work out 'a' so we have to condense the equation until we have the value of 'a'
2) Start by getting rid of the 2 on the right side , to get rid of the 2 we minus it on both sides of the equation
so we calculate 6-2 and 2-2
as 6-2 =4 we put this back into the equation but 2-2=0 and as the value is 0 we do not put it back into the equation
making the current equation look like this: a+4=3a
3) a+4=3a - to work out the rest of the equation we need to 'a' to the other side where '3a' is
When you move any positive number across the equation it will become a negative and vice versa
therefore the equation now looks like this 3a-a=4
we can work this out easily as the method is pretty straight forward
4) 3a-a=2a
2a=4
Therefore 'a'=2 as we divide 4 by 2
making the answer 2 :P