Basic Algebra Examples

You have actually been working with algebra since you were three and began to notice patterns (red dog, blue cat, red dog, blue cat…). The patterns we are going to work with now are just a littl...

To evaluate an algebraic expression, just plug numbers into the expression and simplify it. Don't Forget: you will need your faithful friend PEMDAS (aka Order of Operations).

Algebraic terms can, and often should, be combined and simplified. However, only terms that are "like", meaning that they have the exact same variables in each of them, can be added or subtracted....

You have already started multiplying polynomials, but now we will take this a few steps further. Look at the examples carefully and make note of the exponents. Remember: 5xy means Again, it...

This is the last type of multiplication that we are going to learn in this unit. The good news is that there is nothing new to learn here. This is just applying the distributive property twice!...

Dividing polynomials can be a very complicated task, but not to worry, you will be able to handle these well if you follow the examples below. The most important thing to remember is that when you...

Solving One-Step EquationsFinally we are getting into the kinds of problems that you usually think of when you imagine algebra, the ones where you solve for x.There is one extremely important rule...

Solving two-step equations is not much more complicated than solving one-step equations; it just involves an extra step. Usually there is more than one way to solve these. It's ok to use whatever...

This multi-step business is not at all more complicated than what you've already been doing. It just involves three or more of the same kinds of steps.Again, it is probably best to isolate the var...

If you encounter a variable on both sides of the equal sign, don't assume it's a typo and move on to the next problem; it may very well be there on purpose. The key to solving these types of equat...

Inequalities are exactly like they sound, equations where the sides are "inequal" (not equal) to each other. There are five basic inequalities that you need to be familiar with:SymbolMeaninggreate...

Solving inequalities is not that much different than solving equations. Instead of having an equal sign divide the two sides, there is an inequality sign. However, there is one really important r...

You've now worked pretty extensively with equations containing one variable. We are now going to briefly work with ones involving two variables, x and y. Equations that have an x term and a y ter...

The x and y-intercepts of a line is the point where the line intercepts, or crosses, either the x-axis or the y-axisX-Intercept: when the line crosses the x-axis, the y value is 0Y-Intercept: When...

Most of the lines you will be graphing will much more complex than simple vertical and horizontal lines. There are many ways to go about graphing these, but we will only work with the two most comm...

Another way to graph a line is to get it in slope-intercept form: y = mx + b, wherem is the slope of the line b is the y-interceptSince we are given a point of the line, and the slope, we can...

Occasionally you will be given two linear equations and asked to solve for x and y. There are numerous ways to do this, including graphing the lines, substitution, and elimination. However, in pr...