Introduction to algebra

Algebra is a branch of mathematics dealing with symbols and the rules for manipulating those

symbols. Those symbols represent quantities without fixed values, known as variables.

Generally, the letter “x” is used to represent a certain amount of that particular quantity. Many

other letters can also be used but it is a rule of thumb to use “x”, “y”, “z”.

Using letters to represent unknowns 1

Example 1: If I have 1 apple, the quantity of “1” can be denoted as “x”. Hence, it can be said

that I have x apples, where x = 1.

The value of x can be thought of as any value and can be used to represent any real number.

Practice 1: Similarly, multiple letters can be used to represent many other quantities. For

example, if I have an unknown number of oranges, how do I represent this unknown value?

Practice 2: If I have an unknown number of strawberries, how do I represent this unknown

value?

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Using letters to represent unknown 2

Moving on from the basics, more complex values can be represented as an expression using

algebra. We can think of this concept as simple math operators “+, -, *, /” except that the

numbers are replaced with letters.

For addition and subtraction, when we add 2 [a number] to 2 [another number], we get 4 [a

number] as an answer. However, when we add a [a letter] to 2 [a number], we will leave our

answer as a + 2 because we don’t know the value of a.

Now, what about a + a? If we have 1 letter and we add another letter of the same kind to it, we’ll

get 2 of the same kind of letters. That’s why 1a + a = 2a. Similarly, this is the case for

subtraction.

Example 1: Don is 11 years old. He is f years older than Donki. How old is Donki?

When Don is f years older than Donki, we can consider f to be the difference between Donki’s

age and Don’s age. Hence, Donki is similarly f years younger than Don.

Since Don is 11 years old, Donki’s age should be (11 - f) years old.

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Practice 1: I am u years older than John, John is 2 years old. How old am I?

Practice 2: I am x years older than John, John is 2 years old. How old am I?

Practice 3: I am y years younger than John, John is 7 years old. How old am I?

Practice 4: I am y years younger than John 2 years ago. John is now 7 years old. How old am I?

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Using letters to represent unknown 3

Continuing on from addition and subtraction, division and multiplication are in the same vein.

Let's consider a + a. If we have a certain kind of box and we add 1 more box of the same kind to

it, we’ll get 2 of the same kind of boxes. That’s why a + a = 2a.

However, we can also consider there to be 2 boxes of the same type. Hence, the number of boxes

can also be 2 × a number of boxes. We write this as 2a and neglect the multiplication symbol as

it is not crucial to solving algebra equations.

The same can be considered for division. When we have 2a boxes, where 2a represent the

number of boxes, we can say that there are 2 of the letter “a” number of boxes. So when 2a is

divided by 2, we get “a” number of boxes.

Example 1: Tim is twice as old as John, John is u years old. How old is Tim?

Since Tim is twice the age of John, the value of his age would be twice of John. We can get

Tim’s age by multiplying John’s age by 2.

2 × u = 2u. Tim is 2u years old.

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Practice 1: Tim is twice as old as John, John is x years old. How old is Tim?

Practice 2: John is twice my age, John is 4u years old. How old am I?

Practice 3: I am 2 times Tim’s age 5 years ago, Tim is currently 6x years old. How old am I

now?

Timeline Age of Tim Age of me

5 years ago

Present Era

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Introduction of simple algebraic equations

We have learnt how to express quantities with algebraic expressions, let’s move on to a more in-

depth section. We can also combine two algebraic expressions as long as they are the same term.

For example, x + x = 2x. However, we cannot combine x + y because we do not know what x or

y is.

Example 1: What is 2x + x?

Since the letter, “x” is the same for both terms, we can add the two values of x together.

Hence, 2x + x = 3x.

Practice 1: What is 5x + 2x?

Practice 2: What is 7x + 10x?

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Simplifying algebraic expressions

After learning how to group algebraic expressions together, we can expand further on the cases

where there are multiple terms. As learnt previously, we cannot add two different terms together

and we must evaluate them separately.

Two “x” terms can be combined together, two “y” terms can be combined together. But we

cannot combine an “x” or a “y” term.

Example 1: Simplify the algebraic expression 9 + 5g – 2 + 4g.

Since there is a “5g” term and a “4g” term, we can combine them to get a “9g” term.

Since there is a “9” term and a “-2” term, we can combine them to get a “7” term.

Combining the two different terms, the simplified expression is 9g + 7.

Practice 1: Simplify the algebraic expression 5u + 7 - 10u + 9?

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Practice 2: Simplify the algebraic expression 2x + 6y + 7y + x?

Practice 3: Simplify the algebraic expression 5 × 6u + 7 + 10?

Practice 4: Simplify the algebraic expression x + 2y + 8 + 4x + 7y + 3?

Practice 5: Simplify the algebraic expression 2 × (6t + 5) + 7t?

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Practice 6: Simplify the algebraic expression 3(x + y) + 5(y + x)?

Practice 7: Simplify the algebraic expression 5(x + y) ÷ 5(y + x)?

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Substitution in algebraic expressions

After learning how to simplify algebraic equations, we must also know how to solve them. They

are two major concepts that we need to understand, substitution and evaluation.

Substitution means I substitute a number as a letter into the expression to find its value of it. The

question could ask you to solve an expression when it told you the value of a letter.

Example 1: Find the value of 4y – (y + 3) ÷ 2 + 10 when y = 5.

4(5) - ((5) + 3) ÷ 2 + 10 = 26.

The bracket of “(5)” means that “y” is substituted by the number “5”, and we can evaluate the

number equation.

Practice 1: Find the value of 5d + 8 when,

(a) d = 2

(b) d = 26.55

(c) d = 9.1

(d) d = 5.3

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Practice 2: Find the value of 6x + 5 × (4 + 4x) when,

a) x = 10

b) x = 2

c) x = 6.5

d) x = 5.3

Practice 3: Find the value of 20 ÷[6t + 7 × (4 + 4t)] when,

a) t = 1

b) t = 2.4

c) t = 68

d) t = 7.3

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Solving linear algebraic equations

Evaluation is another concept where an algebraic expression equates to a value or another

expression and is used to evaluate the value of the algebraic term.

Example 1: 5x = 6. What is the value of x?

Since 5x = 6, x = 6 ÷ 5.

Hence, x = 1.2

Practice 1: 2t + 5 = 6

Practice 2: t + 5 = 2t - 6

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Using algebra in problem sums

We can apply the concepts we learnt into practice, where problem sums can ask questions about

algebra.

Example 1: The mass of a bag of rice is n kg. The mass of a baby is twice as heavy as the bad of

rice. The mass of a school bag is 5 kg more than the mass of the baby. What is the mass of the

school bag? Give your answer in terms of n.

Mass of the baby = 2n

Mass of the school bag = (2n + 5) kg

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Practice 1: Alvin had $10y. He had $24 less than Claire. Linda had half as much as Alvin. They

bought a birthday cake for their mum which cost $(4y+5).

a) How much did they have altogether at first? Give your answer in terms of y in the

simplest form.

b) If y = 7, how much did they have left in total after buying the birthday cake?

Practice 2: XYZ Police Post received reports of 16 scams, 2n scams and 2 + n scams monthly

for the period of October to December respectively. “The number of scam cases happened in

October.”

Is the sentence above True, False or Impossible to Tell?

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Algebra revision

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