Core Maths – Equations and Inequalities – Part 2

We're going to learn about literal equations. These are equations that contain
more than one variable, and our goal is to rearrange the equation to solve for a
specific variable in terms of the others. Think of it like rearranging a formula.
We'll use a simplified 5-step method, similar to what we've used before:
Simplified 5-Step Method for Literal Equations:
1. Understand: Identify the equation and the specific variable you need to
make the subject (isolate).
2. Simplify: If there are any brackets, multiply them out. If there are like
terms on either side, combine them.
3. Isolate the Term with the Subject Variable: Use inverse operations
(addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) to get the term containing
the variable you want to solve for alone on one side of the equation.
4. Isolate the Subject Variable: If the variable you want to solve for has a
coefficient or is being raised to a power (in more advanced cases), perform
the necessary inverse operations to get the variable by itself.
5. Check (Optional but Recommended): While you can't always check
with numbers like in regular equations, think logically about whether your
rearranged formula makes sense in relation to the original one.
Examples:
Example 1: Make (y) the subject of the formula (3x + y = 7)
1. Understand: We need to solve for (y).
2. Simplify: No brackets or like terms to combine yet.
3. Isolate the Term with (y): The term with (y) is already alone on the left
side (almost!). To get (y) by itself, we need to move the (3x) term to the
right side by subtracting it from both sides:
3x - 3x + y = 7 - 3x
y = 7 - 3x
4. Isolate the Subject Variable: (y) is already by itself.
5. Check: If we put (y = 7 - 3x) back into the original equation, we get (3x +
(7 - 3x) = 7), which simplifies to (7 = 7). This makes sense.
Answer for Example 1: (y = 7 - 3x)

Example 2: Make (r) the subject of the formula A=π r 2

1. Understand: We need to solve for (r).

2. Simplify: No brackets or like terms to combine yet.
 3. Isolate the Term with (r): The term with (r) is π r 2. To isolate it, it's
already on one side.
4. Isolate the Subject Variable:
o First, divide both sides by π to get r2 by itself:

o Now, to get (r), we need to take the square root of both sides.
Remember that taking a square root can give a positive or a
negative answer, but in many real-world formulas (like this one for
area where radius is a length), we usually consider the positive root:

5. Check: If we square both sides of our answer, we get

and then multiplying by pi gives,

which is the original formula.

Example 3: Make (c) the subject of the formula (E = mc2)

1. Understand: We need to solve for (c).

2. Simplify: No brackets or like terms to combine.

 3. Isolate the Term with (c): The term with (c) is (mc2), which is already
isolated on the right side.

4. Isolate the Subject Variable: To get (c) by itself, we need to divide both
sides by (m) and take the square root of the expression.

5. Check:

Additional Examples for Practice:

Practice Question 1: Make (x) the subject of the formula y = mx + c

1
Practice Question 2: Make (a) the subject of the formula S= ( a+b ) h
2

Linear Inequalities
These are mathematical statements that compare two expressions using
inequality symbols. Our goal is to find the values of the variable that make the
inequality true.
Simplified 5-Step Method for Linear Inequalities:
1. Understand: Read the inequality carefully and know what variable you
need to solve for. Pay attention to the inequality symbol.
2. Simplify: If there are any brackets, multiply them out. If there are like
terms on either side, combine them. Eliminate fractions by multiplying
both sides by the lowest common denominator (LCD) if necessary.
 3. Isolate the Variable: Use inverse operations (addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division) to get the variable alone on one side of the 1
inequality. Important Rule: If you multiply or divide both sides of the
inequality by a negative number, you must reverse the direction of the
inequality sign.2
4. Represent the Solution (if required): You might need to represent
your solution on a number line or in interval notation.
5. Check: Pick a value within your solution range and substitute it back into
the original inequality to see if it makes the inequality true.
Topic 1: Solving Linear Inequalities
Examples (Harder):
 Example 1: Solve for (x):
2(x - 3) + 5 > 3x - 7
1. Understand: Solve for (x).
2. Simplify: Multiply out the brackets:
2x - 6 + 5 > 3x - 7
=> 2x - 1 > 3x - 7
3. Isolate the Variable:
 Subtract (2x) from both sides:
-1 > x - 7
 Add 7 to both sides:
 6>x
or x < 6
4. Represent:

y 2 y+1
 Example 2: Solve for y: −3≤
2 5
1. Understand: Solve for (y).
2. Simplify: Multiply both sides by the LCD, which is 10:
 3. Isolate the Variable:

4. Represent:

a−1 2 a+3
 Example 3: Solve for (a): +1> −a
3 4
1. Understand: Solve for (a).
2. Simplify: Multiply both sides by the LCD, which is 12

3. Isolate the Variable:

4. Represent: (Number line with an open circle at 1/10 and an arrow

pointing to the right).

Practice Questions for You:

Practice Question 1: Solve for (m) and represent the solution on a
2m−1 m+ 4
number line: −2≥
3 2

Practice Question 2: Solve for (k) and represent the solution on a

number line: (−1< 4 – k ≤ 5 )
Take your time to work through these harder practice questions using the 5-step
method. Pay close attention to simplifying and the direction of the inequality
signs! Let me know what answers you get, and we can go through them
together.

Solving Word Problems

We'll learn how to solve word problems by organizing the information in a table.
This can be really helpful for problems that involve relationships between
different quantities, especially those involving distance, speed, and time.
Key Formula (for distance, speed, time problems):
Distance = Speed × Time
We can also rearrange this to find Speed or Time:
Speed = Distance / Time
Time = Distance / Speed
Simplified 5-Step Method for Word Problems with Tables:
1. Understand: Read the word problem carefully. Identify what information
is given and what you need to find. Determine the quantities involved
(e.g., distance, speed, time for different parts of a journey).
2. Set up a Table: Create a table with columns for the relevant quantities
(e.g., Distance, Speed, Time) and rows for the different scenarios or parts
of the problem (e.g., going to a place, returning). Include a row for the
total if needed.
3. Fill in the Table: Use the information given in the word problem to fill in
the known values in the table. Use a variable (like (x)) to represent the
unknown quantity you need to find.
 4. Form an Equation: Use the relationships between the quantities (often
the formula Distance = Speed × Time or its rearrangements) to form an
equation based on the information in your table.
5. Solve the Equation and Answer the Question: Solve the equation for
the unknown variable. Make sure you answer the specific question asked
in the word problem.

Examples:
Example 1: Distance, Speed, Time
A car travels from town A to town B at a speed of 60 km/h and returns at a speed
of 80 km/h. The total travel time is 3.5 hours. Find the distance between town A
and town B.
1. Understand: We are given speeds for the outward and return journeys
and the total time. We need to find the distance.
2. Set up a Table:

Journey Distance (km) Speed (km/h) Time (hours)

A to B (d) 60 d/60
B to A (d) 80 d/80
Total 3.5

3. Fill in the Table: We use (d) for the unknown distance. We can find the
time for each journey using Time = Distance / Speed.
4. Form an Equation: The total time is the sum of the time for each journey:

d d
+ =3.5
60 80
5. Solve the Equation and Answer:
Answer for Example 1: The distance between town A and town B is 120 km.

Example 2: Rates of Work

Sarah can paint a room in 3 hours, and John can paint the same room in 5 hours.
How long will it take them to paint the room if they work together?
1. Understand: We are given the time each person takes individually and
need to find the time they take working together.
2. Set up a Table: We'll use the concept of rate of work (fraction of the job
done per hour).

Person Time to Rate of work Time Work done

complete job (job per working
(hours) hour) together
(hours)
Sarah 3 1/3 t t/3
John 5 1/5 t t/5
Together t 1 (whole job)

3. Fill in the Table: Let (t) be the time they take working together. Work
done = Rate × Time.
4. Form an Equation: When they work together, the sum of the work they do
equals one whole job:

t t
+ =1
3 5
5. Solve the Equation and Answer:

Answer for Example 2: It will take them 1.875 hours (or 1 hour and 52.5
minutes) to paint the room together.
Practice Questions for You:
Practice Question 1: Two cyclists start at the same point and travel in opposite
directions. One cyclist travels at 20 km/h and the other at 25 km/h. After how
many hours will they be 135 km apart? (Hint: Consider the total distance
covered).

Practice Question 2: A tap fills a tank in 4 hours, and another tap fills the same
tank in 6 hours. If both taps are opened together, how long will it take to fill the
tank?

Remember to set up a table for each problem to organise the information before
forming your equation. Good luck!
Exponential Equations
These are equations where the variable is in the exponent. The key strategy is to
manipulate the equations so that we have the same base on both sides, which
allows us to equate the exponents.
Key Principle: If (ax = ay), then x = y where a > 0 and a ≠ 1.
Simplified 5-Step Method for Exponential Equations:
1. Understand: Identify the variable you need to solve for (usually (x)) and
recognize that it's in the exponent.
2. Simplify: Use exponent rules to simplify both sides of the equation if
possible. This might involve combining terms, applying the power of a
power rule, etc.
3. Express Both Sides with the Same Base: Rewrite both sides of the
equation so that they have the same base. This is often the most
challenging step and may involve recognizing powers of numbers.
4. Equate the Exponents: Once the bases are the same, set the exponents
equal to each other.
5. Solve for the Variable: Solve the resulting equation (which will usually
be a linear equation) for the variable.
6. Check: Substitute your solution back into the original equation to verify
that it's correct.
Topic 1: Basic Exponential Equations
Examples:

1. Solve for (x): ( 3 x+1=9 )

o Understand: Solve for x.

o Same Base:

o Equate Exponents:

x+1=2
o Solve: x = 1

o Check:
2. Solve for (x): 2 ×7 x−2=686

o Understand: Solve for x.

o Simplify:

o Same Base:

o Equate Exponents:

o Solve: (x = 5)

o Check:

( )
x−2
1 6
3. Solve for (x): =3
27
o Understand: Solve for x.

o Simplify: N/A

o Same Base:

o Equate Exponents:

o Solve:

o Check:

4. Solve for (x): (7 {x+ 4 }=49)

o Understand: Solve for x.

o Simplify: N/A
 o Same Base:

o Equate Exponents:

o Solve: x = -2

o Check:

Topic 2: Exponential Equations with Further Simplification

Examples:

1. Solve for (x): ( ( 52 x ) =125 )

2

o Understand: Solve for x.

o Simplify:

o Same Base:

o Equate Exponents: 4x = 3

o Solve for x

o Check:

2. Solve for (x): ( 4{ x+5 }=1 6{ x−2} )

o Understand: Solve for x.

o Simplify: N/A

o Same Base:
 o Equate Exponents: 2x + 10 = 4x – 8

o Solve: 18 = 2x => x = 9

o Check:

3. Solve for (x): ( 5 x + 5{ x+1}=30 )

o Understand: Solve for x.

o Simplify:

o Same Base:

o Equate Exponents: (x = 1)

o Check:

4. Solve for (x): 3{ x+2 } – 3x =72

o Understand: Solve for x.

o Simplify:

o Same Base:

o Equate Exponents: (x = 2)
 o Check:

5. Solve for (x): ( ( 2x ) =8 )

{ x−2}

o Understand: Solve for x.

o Simplify:

o Same Base:

o Equate Exponents: ( x 2 – 2 x =3 )

o Solve: ( x 2 – 2 x – 3=0 ) =¿ ( ( x – 3 ) ( x+1 )=0 ) =¿ ( x=3 )∨ ( x =−1 )

o Check:

Topic 3: Quadratic Exponential Equations (Extended)

 These involve exponential expressions that, when simplified, lead to a
quadratic equation.
Examples:

1. Solve for (x): ( 9 x – 4 .3 x +3=0 )

o Understand: Solve for x.

Simplify: ( ( 32 ) – 4 . 3 x +3=0 )=¿ (( 3x ) – 4 . 3x +3=0 )

x 2
o

o Let ( y =3x ) : ( y 2 – 4 y +3=0 )

o Solve: ( ( y – 3 )( y – 1 ) =0 )=¿ ( y=3 )∨ ( y=1 )

o Substitute back:

 ( 3 x =3 ) =¿ ( x=1 )
  ( 3 x =1 ) =¿ ( x =0 )
o Check:

 ( x=1 ) : ( 91−4 . 31 +3=9−12+3=0 ) ( Correct )

 ( x=0 ) : ( 90−4 . 30 +3=1−4 +3=0 ) (Correct )

2. Solve for (x): ( 4 x – 2{x +1} – 8=0 )

o Understand: Solve for x.

Simplify: ( ( 22 ) – 2 x . 21 – 8=0 )=¿ (( 2 x ) – 2 .2 x – 8=0 )

x 2
o

o Let ( y =2x ) : ( y 2 – 2 y – 8=0 )

o Solve: ( ( y – 4 ) ( y +2 )=0 )=¿ ( y =4 )∨( y =−2 )

o Substitute back:

 ( 2 x =4 )=¿ ( x =2 )
 (2 x =−2 ¿(No solution , as(2 x )is always positive)

o Check: ( 42 – 2{ 2+1} – 8=16 – 8 – 8=0 ) (Correct )

3. Solve for (x): ( 1 6 x – 5. 4 x + 4=0 )

o Understand: Solve for x.

Simplify: ( ( 4 2 ) – 5 . 4 x +4=0 )=¿ ( ( 4 x ) – 5 . 4 x + 4=0 )

x 2
o

o Let ( y =4 x ) : ( y 2 – 5 y +4=0 )

o Solve: ( ( y – 4 ) ( y – 1 )=0 )=¿ ( y =4 )∨( y =1 )

o Substitute back:

 ( 4 x =4 )=¿ ( x =1 )
 ( 4 x =1 )=¿ ( x=0 )
o Check:

 ( x=1 ) : ( 161−5 . 4 1 +4=16−20+ 4=0 ) ( Correct )

 ( x=0 ) : ( 16 0−5 . 4 0 +4=1−5+ 4=0 ) ( Correct )
4. Solve for (x): ( 9 x – 10 .3 x +9=0 )

o Understand: Solve for x.

Simplify: ( ( 32 ) – 10 . 3 x + 9=0 )=¿ ( ( 3 x ) – 10. 3 x + 9=0 )

x 2
o

o Let ( y =3x ) : ( y 2 – 10 y +9=0 )

 o Solve: ( ( y – 9 )( y – 1 )=0 ) =¿ ( y=9 )∨( y=1 )

o Substitute back:

 ( 3 x =9 ) =¿ ( x=2 )
 ( 3 x =1 ) =¿ ( x =0 )
o Check:

 ( x=2 ) : ( 9 2−10 .32 +9=81−90+9=0 ) ( Correct )

 ( x=0 ) : ( 90−10 . 30 +9=1−10+9=0 ) ( Correct )
5. Solve for (x): ( 4 x – 3. 2{ x+2 }+32=0 )

o Understand: Solve for x.

Simplify: ( ( 22 ) – 3 . 2x . 22+32=0 )=¿ (( 2x ) – 12 .2 x + 32=0 )

x 2
o

o Let ( y =2x ) : ( y 2 – 12 y+ 32=0 )

o Solve: ( ( y – 8 )( y – 4 )=0 ) =¿ ( y=8 )∨( y=4 )

o Substitute back:

 ( 2 x =8 ) =¿ ( x=3 )
 ( 2 x =4 )=¿ ( x =2 )
o Check:

 ( x=3 ) : ( 43−3. 2{3 +2} +32=64−3 . 32+32=64−96+32=0 ) ( Correct )

 ( x=2 ) : ( 42−3 . 2{2 +2} +32=16−3 .16 +32=16−48+32=0 ) ( Correct )
Additional Practice Questions:

1. Solve for ( x ) : ( 2{ x+3}=32 )

2. Solve for ( x ) : ( 3{2 x }−10 .3 x +9=0 )

3. Solve for ( x ) : ( 4 x −2 {x+3 } +12=0 )

Let me know if you would like me to elaborate on any of these examples or

provide further assistance!