Algebra

Algebra helps represent problems or situations as mathematical expressions. It involves variables like
x, y, z and mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to produce
meaningful mathematical expressions. Algebra is used in all fields of mathematics, including trigonometry,
calculus and coordinate geometry. One simple example of an expression in algebra is x  y  3 .

Algebra deals with symbols and these symbols are related to each other with the help of operators. It is not
just a mathematical concept, but a skill that all of us use in our daily life without even realizing it.
Understanding algebra as a concept is more important than solving equations and finding the right answer.

WHAT IS ALGEBRA?
Algebra is a branch of mathematics that deals with symbols and the mathematical operations across these
symbols. These symbols do not have any fixed values and are called variables. In our real-life problems, we
often see certain values that keep changing. But there is a constant need to represent these changing values.
In algebra, these values are often represented with symbols such as x, y, z , p or q and these symbols are
called variables. These symbols are manipulated with the mathematical operators with an objective to find the
values.

The above algebraic expressions are made up of variables, operators, coefficients and constants.

BRANCHES OF ALGEBRA
The complexity of algebra is simplified by the use of algebraic expressions. Based on the use and the
complexity of the expressions, algebra can be classified into various branches that are listed below:

 Pre-algebra
 Elementary Algebra
 Abstract Algebra
 Universal Algebra
PRE-ALGEBRA
The basic ways of representing the unknown values as variables help to create mathematical expressions. It
helps in transforming real-life problems into an algebraic expression in mathematics. Forming a mathematical
expression of the given problem statement is part of pre-algebra.
Example:
Jone has C chocolates, and D drinks. Mele has four fewer chocolates than Jone, but twice as many drinks.
Write a mathematical expression for Mele’s snacks.
Solution:
Replace the words with numbers and math symbol
Four 4
Fewer chocolates C–4
Twice 2 x (two times)
As many drinks 2 x D or 2D

Answer: C - 4+2xD C - 4+2D

ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA
Elementary algebra deals with solving algebraic expressions for a variable answer. In elementary algebra,
simple variables like x, y , are represented in the form of an equation. Based on the degree of the variable, the
equations are called linear equations, quadratic equations, cubic equations and so forth.

 Linear equations are of the form of:

ax  b  c, ax  by  c  0, ax  by  cz  d  0
 Quadratic equations are of the form:
ax 2  bx  c  0
 Polynomial is generalized as:
p( x)  a0  a1 x  a2 x2  ...  an xn

ABSTRACT ALGEBRA
Abstract algebra deals with the use of abstract concepts like groups, rings, vectors rather than simple
mathematical number systems. Rings are a simple level of abstraction found by writing the addition and
multiplication properties together. Group theory and ring theory are two important concepts of abstract
algebra. Abstract algebra finds numerous applications in computer science, physics, astronomy and uses
vector spaces to represent quantities.
UNIVERSAL ALGEBRA
All other mathematical forms involving trigonometry, calculus, coordinate geometry involving algebraic
expressions can be accounted as universal algebra. All other branches of algebra can be considered as the
subset of universal algebra. Any of the real-life problems can be classified into one of the branches of
mathematics and can be solved using algebra.

ALGEBRA TOPICS
We will go over some important topics of algebra such as algebraic expressions and equations, sequence and
series, exponents, logarithms, and sets.

ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
An algebraic expression in algebra is formed using constants, variables and basic mathematical operations of
addition(+), subtraction (-), multiplication (  ) and division (/). An example of an algebraic expression is
7 x  6 . Here 7 and 6 are fixed numbers and x is a variable. Further, the variables can be simple variables
using alphabets like x, y, z or can have complex variables like x 2 , x3 , x n , xy, x 2 y, etc. A polynomial is a
mathematical expression consisting of variables, coefficients, constants and non-negative integer exponents of
variables: Example 5 x 3  4 x 2  7 x  2  0

An equation is a mathematical statement with an ‘equal to’ symbol between two algebraic expressions that
have equal values. Given below are the different types of equations, based on the degree of the variables,
where we can apply the concept of algebra.

 Linear Equations: here the variables are expressed where the highest exponent of the degree is
ONE. The general form is ax  b  c where a, b, c are constants and x is the variable.
 Quadratic Equations: can be written in the form ax 2  bx  c  0 where a, b, c are constants
and x is the variable. The highest power of the variable is TWO
  Cubic Equations: the algebraic equations which have THREE as the highest power of the variable.
A generalized form is ax3  bx 2  cx  d  0 where a, b, c, d are constants and x is the variable.
A cubic equation has numerous applications in calculus and three-dimensional geometry.

SEQUENCE AND SERIES

Sequence: is a set of numbers having a common relationship between the number.
Series: is the sum of the terms of a sequence.
From high school, you have covered these two broad number sequence and series in the form of arithmetic
progression and geometric progression.

 Arithmetic Progression: here the difference between the two consecutive terms is always constant.
This can be shown as a, a+d, a+2d, a+3d, … where a is the first term of the sequence and d is the
common difference between each consecutive term.
 Geometric Progression: here the ratio of the adjacent term is fixed. The general form of
representing a geometric sequence is an  ran 1 with some constant r called the common ratio.

EXPONENT

An exponent is a positive or negative number, n , placed above and to the right of a . The general form is a n
. Here the base is a and the exponent or power is n . Exponents are used to simplify algebraic expressions.

Rule Example
a m  a n  a mn a 2  a 3  a 3 2  a 5
a m  a n  a mn a 5  a 3  a 53  a 2

a 
m n
 a mn a  2 3
 a 23  a 6
a0  1 a0  1
1 1
am  a 5 
am a5

 a  a
m 3
m 3
a  a 
n n m n
a  5 a3 
5 5

Note: a  0

LOGARITHMS
The logarithm is the inverse function to exponents in algebra. Logarithms are a convenient way to simplify
large algebraic expressions. The exponential form of a n  x can be transformed into logarithmic form as
log a x  n . Logarithm was discovered by John Napier in 1614 and it has become an integral part of modern
mathematics.

ALGEBRAIC FORMULAS
An algebraic identity is an equation that is always true regardless of the value assigned to the variables.
Identity means the LHS=RHS (left-hand side =right hand side). Let us have a look at some of those algebraic
identities:

 a  b   a2  2ab  b2
2


 a  b   a2  2ab  b2
2

  a  b  a  b   a 2  b2
  x  a  x  b   x 2   a  b  x  ab
 a  b  c   a2  b2  c2  2  ab  bc  ca 
2


 a  b   a3  3a2b  3ab2  b3
3


 a  b   a3  3a2b  3ab2  b3
3


 a3  b3   a  b   a 2  ab  b2 

Let us see the application of these formulas in algebra using the following example:

Example : find the value of 101

2

Solution:

101  100  1 , using algebraic formula  a  b   a 2  2ab  b2 , we have

2 2 2

100  1 100   2 100 1  1

2 2 2

101
2
 10201

BASIC RULES AND PROPERTIES OF ALGEBRA

The basic rules or properties of algebra for variables, algebraic expressions, or real numbers a, b and c are
given below,

 Commutative property of addition: a  b  b  a

 Commutative property of multiplication: a  b  b  a
 Associative property of addition: a   b  c    a  b   c
 Associative property of multiplication: a   b  c    a  b   c
  Distributive property: a   b  c   a  b  a  c  ab  ac
1
 Reciprocal of a is
a
 Additive identity: a  0  0  a  a
 Multiplicative identity: a 1  1 a  a
 Additive Inverse: a   a   0

SOLVED EXAMPLES ON ALGEBRA

Example 1: Expand  2 x  3 y  using the algebraic identities.

2

Solution: Here we will use :  a  b   a  2ab  b

2 2 2

 2x  3y    2 x   2  2 x  3 y    3 y 
2 2 2

 4 x  12 xy  9 y
2 2

Therefore the answer is  2 x  3 y   4 x  12 xy  9 y

2 2 2

Example 2: Jone is 12 years older than Dinesh. Five years ago, the sum of their ages was 28. How old are
they now?
Solution: Let D stands for Dinesh’s age.

 The first sentence tells us that Jone is 12 years older than Dinesh (this is their current age)
 The second sentence tells us the age for both Jone and Dinesh five years ago (-5)
Five years ago, the sum of their age was 28
Jone's age + Dinesh's Age = 28 ( 5 years ago)
  D  12   5   D  5  28
( D  7)  ( D  5)  28
2D  2  28
2D  26
26
D  2
 D  13

Therefore, Dinesh is 13 years old and Jone is (13+12) =25 years’ old.