Introductory Algebra by Izabela Mazur is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
© 2021 Izabela Mazur
Introductory Algebra was adapted by Izabela Mazur using content from Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith and from Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which are both under CC BY 4.0 Licences.
The adaptation was done with the goal of bringing content into alignment with the British Columbia Adult Basic Education learning outcomes for Mathematics: Intermediate Level Algebra. These changes and additions are © 2021 by Izabela Mazur and are licensed under a CC BY 4.0 Licence:
See the end of each chapter to see what content was adapted from where.
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You may not realize it, but you already use algebra every day. Perhaps you figure out how much to tip a server in a restaurant. Maybe you calculate the amount of change you should get when you pay for something. It could even be when you compare batting averages of your favorite players. You can describe the algebra you use in specific words, and follow an orderly process. In this chapter, you will explore the words used to describe algebra and start on your path to solving algebraic problems easily, both in class and in your everyday life.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
As we begin our study of intermediate algebra, we need to refresh some of our skills and vocabulary. This chapter and the next will focus on whole numbers, integers, fractions, decimals, and real numbers. We will also begin our use of algebraic notation and vocabulary.
The most basic numbers used in algebra are the numbers we use to count objects in our world: 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on. These are called the counting numbers. Counting numbers are also called natural numbers. If we add zero to the counting numbers, we get the set of whole numbers.
Counting Numbers: 1, 2, 3, …
Whole Numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, …
The notation “…” is called ellipsis and means “and so on,” or that the pattern continues endlessly.
We can visualize counting numbers and whole numbers on a number line .See Figure 1.
Our number system is called a place value system, because the value of a digit depends on its position in a number. Figure 2 shows the place values. The place values are separated into groups of three, which are called periods. The periods are ones, thousands, millions, billions, trillions, and so on. In a written number, commas separate the periods.
The number 5,278,194 is shown in the chart. The digit 5 is in the millions place. The digit 2 is in the hundred-thousands place. The digit 7 is in the ten-thousands place. The digit 8 is in the thousands place. The digit 1 is in the hundreds place. The digit 9 is in the tens place. The digit 4 is in the ones place.
EXAMPLE 1
In the number 63,407,218, find the place value of each digit:
Place the number in the place value chart:
a) The 7 is in the thousands place.
b) The 0 is in the ten thousands place.
c) The 1 is in the tens place.
d) The 6 is in the ten-millions place.
e) The 3 is in the millions place.
TRY IT 1.1
For the number 27,493,615, find the place value of each digit:
a) 2 b) 1 c) 4 d) 7 e) 5
a) ten millions b) tens c) hundred thousands d) millions e) ones
TRY IT 1.2
For the number 519,711,641,328, find the place value of each digit:
a) 9 b) 4 c) 2 d) 6 e) 7
a) billions b) ten thousands c) tens d) hundred thousands e) hundred millions
When you write a check, you write out the number in words as well as in digits. To write a number in words, write the number in each period, followed by the name of the period, without the s at the end. Start at the left, where the periods have the largest value. The ones period is not named. The commas separate the periods, so wherever there is a comma in the number, put a comma between the words (see Figure 3). The number 74,218,369 is written as seventy-four million, two hundred eighteen thousand, three hundred sixty-nine.
HOW TO: Name a Whole Number in Words.
EXAMPLE 2
Name the number 8,165,432,098,710 using words.
Name the number in each period, followed by the period name.
Put the commas in to separate the periods.
So, is named as eight trillion, one hundred sixty-five billion, four hundred thirty-two million, ninety-eight thousand, seven hundred ten.
TRY IT 2.1
Name the number using words.
nine trillion, two hundred fifty-eight billion, one hundred thirty-seven million, nine hundred four thousand, sixty-one
TRY IT 2.2
Name the number using words.
seventeen trillion, eight hundred sixty-four billion, three hundred twenty-five million, six hundred nineteen thousand four
HOW TO: Write a Whole Number Using Digits.
EXAMPLE 3
Write nine billion, two hundred forty-six million, seventy-three thousand, one hundred eighty-nine as a whole number using digits.
Identify the words that indicate periods.
Except for the first period, all other periods must have three places. Draw three blanks to indicate the number of places needed in each period. Separate the periods by commas.
Then write the digits in each period.
The number is 9,246,073,189.
TRY IT 3.1
Write the number two billion, four hundred sixty-six million, seven hundred fourteen thousand, fifty-one as a whole number using digits.
TRY IT 3.2
Write the number eleven billion, nine hundred twenty-one million, eight hundred thirty thousand, one hundred six as a whole number using digits.
In 2016, Statistics Canada estimated the population of Toronto as 13,448,494. We could say the population of Toronto was approximately 13.4 million. In many cases, you don’t need the exact value; an approximate number is good enough.
The process of approximating a number is called rounding. Numbers are rounded to a specific place value, depending on how much accuracy is needed. Saying that the population of Toronto is approximately 13.4 million means that we rounded to the hundred thousands place.
EXAMPLE 4
Round 23,658 to the nearest hundred.
TRY IT 4.1
Round to the nearest hundred: .
TRY IT 4.2
Round to the nearest hundred: .
HOW TO: Round Whole Numbers.
EXAMPLE 5
Round to the nearest:
a)
Locate the hundreds place in 103,978. | ![]() |
Underline the digit to the right of the hundreds place. | ![]() |
Since 7 is greater than or equal to 5, add 1 to the 9. Replace all digits to the right of the hundreds place with zeros. | ![]() |
So, 104,000 is 103,978 rounded to the nearest hundred. |
b)
Locate the thousands place and underline the digit to the right of the thousands place. | ![]() |
Since 9 is greater than or equal to 5, add 1 to the 3. Replace all digits to the right of the hundreds place with zeros. | ![]() |
So, 104,000 is 103,978 rounded to the nearest thousand. |
c)
Locate the ten thousands place and underline the digit to the right of the ten thousands place. | ![]() |
Since 3 is less than 5, we leave the 0 as is, and then replace the digits to the right with zeros. | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Round 206,981 to the nearest: a) hundred b) thousand c) ten thousand.
a) 207,000 b) 207,000 c) 210,000
TRY IT 5.2
Round 784,951 to the nearest: a) hundred b) thousand c) ten thousand.
a) 785,000 b) 785,000 c) 780,000
The numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 are called multiples of 2. A multiple of 2 can be written as the product of a counting number and 2
Similarly, a multiple of 3 would be the product of a counting number and 3
We could find the multiples of any number by continuing this process.
The Table 1 below shows the multiples of 2 through 9 for the first 12 counting numbers.
Counting Number | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Multiples of 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
Multiples of 3 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 36 |
Multiples of 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 40 | 44 | 48 |
Multiples of 5 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 60 |
Multiples of 6 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 48 | 54 | 60 | 66 | 72 |
Multiples of 7 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 | 42 | 49 | 56 | 63 | 70 | 77 | 84 |
Multiples of 8 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 | 48 | 56 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 88 | 96 |
Multiples of 9 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 | 54 | 63 | 72 | 81 | 90 | 99 | 108 |
Multiples of 10 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 110 | 120 |
Multiple of a Number
A number is a multiple of n if it is the product of a counting number and n.
Another way to say that 15 is a multiple of 3 is to say that 15 is divisible by 3. That means that when we divide 3 into 15, we get a counting number. In fact, is 5, so 15 is
.
Divisible by a Number
If a number m is a multiple of n, then m is divisible by n.
Look at the multiples of 5 in Table 1. They all end in 5 or 0. Numbers with last digit of 5 or 0 are divisible by 5. Looking for other patterns in Table 1 that shows multiples of the numbers 2 through 9, we can discover the following divisibility tests:
Divisibility Tests
A number is divisible by:
EXAMPLE 6
Is 5,625 divisible by 2? By 3? By 5? By 6? By 10?
Is 5,625 divisible by 2? | |
Does it end in 0,2,4,6, or 8? | No. 5,625 is not divisible by 2. |
Is 5,625 divisible by 3? | |
What is the sum of the digits? | |
Is the sum divisible by 3? | Yes. 5,625 is divisble by 3. |
Is 5,625 divisible by 5 or 10? | |
What is the last digit? It is 5. | 5,625 is divisble by 5 but not by 10. |
Is 5,625 divisible by 6? | |
Is it divisible by both 2 or 3? | No, 5,625 is not divisible by 2, so 5,625 is not divisible by 6. |
TRY IT 6.1
Determine whether 4,962 is divisible by 2, by 3, by 5, by 6, and by 10
by 2, 3, and 6
TRY IT 6.2
Determine whether 3,765 is divisible by 2, by 3, by 5, by 6, and by 10
by 3 and 5
In mathematics, there are often several ways to talk about the same ideas. So far, we’ve seen that if m is a multiple of n, we can say that m is divisible by n. For example, since 72 is a multiple of 8, we say 72 is divisible by 8. Since 72 is a multiple of 9, we say 72 is divisible by 9. We can express this still another way.
Since , we say that 8 and 9 are factors of 72. When we write
, we say we have factored 72
Other ways to factor 72 are . Seventy-two has many factors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 36, and 72
Factors
If , then a and b are factors of m.
Some numbers, like 72, have many factors. Other numbers have only two factors.
Prime Number and Composite Number
A prime number is a counting number greater than 1, whose only factors are 1 and itself.
A composite number is a counting number that is not prime. A composite number has factors other than 1 and itself.
The counting numbers from 2 to 19 are listed in Figure 4, with their factors. Make sure to agree with the “prime” or “composite” label for each!
The prime numbers less than 20 are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, and 19. Notice that the only even prime number is 2
A composite number can be written as a unique product of primes. This is called the prime factorization of the number. Finding the prime factorization of a composite number will be useful later in this course.
Prime Factorization
The prime factorization of a number is the product of prime numbers that equals the number.
To find the prime factorization of a composite number, find any two factors of the number and use them to create two branches. If a factor is prime, that branch is complete. Circle that prime!
If the factor is not prime, find two factors of the number and continue the process. Once all the branches have circled primes at the end, the factorization is complete. The composite number can now be written as a product of prime numbers.
EXAMPLE 7
We say is the prime factorization of 48. We generally write the primes in ascending order. Be sure to multiply the factors to verify your answer!
If we first factored 48 in a different way, for example as , the result would still be the same. Finish the prime factorization and verify this for yourself.
TRY IT 7.1
Find the prime factorization of 80.
TRY IT 7.2
Find the prime factorization of 60.
HOW TO: Find the Prime Factorization of a Composite Number.
EXAMPLE 8
Find the prime factorization of 252
Step 1. Find two factors whose product is 252. 12 and 21 are not prime. Break 12 and 21 into two more factors. Continue until all primes are factored. | ![]() |
Step 2. Write 252 as the product of all the circled primes. |
TRY IT 8.1
Find the prime factorization of 126
TRY IT 8.2
Find the prime factorization of 294
One of the reasons we look at multiples and primes is to use these techniques to find the least common multiple of two numbers. This will be useful when we add and subtract fractions with different denominators. Two methods are used most often to find the least common multiple and we will look at both of them.
The first method is the Listing Multiples Method. To find the least common multiple of 12 and 18, we list the first few multiples of 12 and 18:
Notice that some numbers appear in both lists. They are the common multiples of 12 and 18
We see that the first few common multiples of 12 and 18 are 36, 72, and 108. Since 36 is the smallest of the common multiples, we call it the least common multiple. We often use the abbreviation LCM.
Least Common Multiple
The least common multiple (LCM) of two numbers is the smallest number that is a multiple of both numbers.
The procedure box lists the steps to take to find the LCM using the prime factors method we used above for 12 and 18
HOW TO: Find the Least Common Multiple by Listing Multiples.
EXAMPLE 9
Find the least common multiple of 15 and 20 by listing multiples.
Make lists of the first few multiples of 15 and of 20, and use them to find the least common multiple. | ![]() |
Look for the smallest number that appears in both lists. | The first number to appear on both lists is 60, so 60 is the least common multiple of 15 and 20. |
Notice that 120 is in both lists, too. It is a common multiple, but it is not the least common multiple.
TRY IT 9.1
Find the least common multiple by listing multiples: 9 and 12
36
TRY IT 9.2
Find the least common multiple by listing multiples: 18 and 24
72
Our second method to find the least common multiple of two numbers is to use The Prime Factors Method. Let’s find the LCM of 12 and 18 again, this time using their prime factors.
EXAMPLE 10
Notice that the prime factors of 12 and the prime factors of 18
are included in the LCM
. So 36 is the least common multiple of 12 and 18
By matching up the common primes, each common prime factor is used only once. This way you are sure that 36 is the least common multiple.
TRY IT 10.1
Find the LCM using the prime factors method: 9 and 12
36
TRY IT 10.2
Find the LCM using the prime factors method: 18 and 24
72
HOW TO: Find the Least Common Multiple Using the Prime Factors Method.
EXAMPLE 11
Find the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of 24 and 36 using the prime factors method.
Find the primes of 24 and 36. Match primes vertically when possible.Bring down all columns. | ![]() |
Multiply the factors. | ![]() |
The LCM of 24 and 36 is 72. |
TRY IT 11.1
Find the LCM using the prime factors method: 21 and 28
84
TRY IT 11.2
Find the LCM using the prime factors method: 24 and 32
96
In the following exercises, find the place value of each digit in the given numbers.
1. 51,493 a) 1 b) 4 c) 9 d) 5 e) 3 | 2. 87,210 a) 2 b) 8 c) 0 d) 7 e) 1 |
3. 164,285 a) 5 b) 6 c) 1 d) 8 e) 2 | 4. 395,076 a) 5 b) 3 c) 7 d) 0 e) 9 |
5. 93,285,170 a) 9 b) 8 c) 7 d) 5 e) 3 | 6. 36,084,215 a) 8 b) 6 c) 5 d) 4 e) 3 |
7. 7,284,915,860,132 a) 7 b) 4 c) 5 d) 3 e) 0 | 8. 2,850,361,159,433 a) 9 b) 8 c) 6 d) 4 e) 2 |
In the following exercises, name each number using words.
9. 1,078 | 10. 5,902 |
11. 364,510 | 12. 146,023 |
13. 5,846,103 | 14. 1,458,398 |
15. 37,889,005 | 16. 62,008,465 |
In the following exercises, write each number as a whole number using digits.
17. four hundred twelve | 18. two hundred fifty-three |
19. thirty-five thousand, nine hundred seventy-five | 20. sixty-one thousand, four hundred fifteen |
21. eleven million, forty-four thousand, one hundred sixty-seven | 22. eighteen million, one hundred two thousand, seven hundred eighty-three |
23. three billion, two hundred twenty-six million, five hundred twelve thousand, seventeen | 24. eleven billion, four hundred seventy-one million, thirty-six thousand, one hundred six |
In the following, round to the indicated place value.
25. Round to the nearest ten. a) 386 b) 2,931 | 26. Round to the nearest ten. a) 792 b) 5,647 |
27. Round to the nearest hundred. a) 13,748 b) 391,794 | 28. Round to the nearest hundred. a) 28,166 b) 481,628 |
29. Round to the nearest ten. a) 1,492 b) 1,497 | 30. Round to the nearest ten. a) 2,791 b) 2,795 |
31. Round to the nearest hundred. a) 63,994 b) 63,940 | 32. Round to the nearest hundred. a) 49,584 b) 49,548 |
In the following exercises, round each number to the nearest a) hundred, b) thousand, c) ten thousand.
33. 392,546 | 34. 619,348 |
35. 2,586,991 | 36. 4,287,965 |
In the following exercises, use the divisibility tests to determine whether each number is divisible by 2, 3, 5, 6, and 10
37. 84 | 38. 9,696 |
39. 75 | 40. 78 |
41. 900 | 42. 800 |
43. 986 | 44. 942 |
45. 350 | 46. 550 |
47. 22,335 | 48. 39,075 |
In the following exercises, find the prime factorization.
49. 86 | 50. 78 |
51. 132 | 52. 455 |
53. 693 | 54. 400 |
55. 432 | 56. 627 |
57. 2,160 | 58. 2,520 |
In the following exercises, find the least common multiple of the each pair of numbers using the multiples method.
59. 8, 12 | 60. 4, 3 |
61. 12, 16 | 62. 30, 40 |
63. 20, 30 | 64. 44, 55 |
In the following exercises, find the least common multiple of each pair of numbers using the prime factors method.
65. 8, 12 | 66. 12, 16 |
67. 28, 40 | 68. 84, 90 |
69. 55, 88 | 70. 60, 72 |
71. Writing a Check Jorge bought a car for $24,493. He paid for the car with a check. Write the purchase price in words. | 72. Writing a Check Marissa’s kitchen remodeling cost $18,549. She wrote a check to the contractor. Write the amount paid in words. |
73. Buying a Car Jorge bought a car for $24,493. Round the price to the nearest a) ten b) hundred c) thousand; and d) ten-thousand. | 74. Remodeling a Kitchen Marissa’s kitchen remodeling cost $18,549, Round the cost to the nearest a) ten b) hundred c) thousand and d) ten-thousand. |
75. Population The population of China was 1,339,724,852 on November 1, 2010. Round the population to the nearest a) billion b) hundred-million; and c) million. | 76. Astronomy The average distance between Earth and the sun is 149,597,888 kilometres. Round the distance to the nearest a) hundred-million b) ten-million; and c) million. |
77. Grocery Shopping Hot dogs are sold in packages of 10, but hot dog buns come in packs of eight. What is the smallest number that makes the hot dogs and buns come out even? | 78. Grocery Shopping Paper plates are sold in packages of 12 and party cups come in packs of eight. What is the smallest number that makes the plates and cups come out even? |
79. What is the difference between prime numbers and composite numbers? | 80. Give an everyday example where it helps to round numbers. |
81. Explain in your own words how to find the prime factorization of a composite number, using any method you prefer. |
1. a) thousands b) hundreds c) tens d) ten thousands e) ones | 3. a) ones b) ten thousands c) hundred thousands d) tens e) hundreds | 5. a) ten millions b) ten thousands c) tens d) thousands e) millions |
7. a) trillions b) billions c) millions d) tens e) thousands | 9. one thousand, seventy-eight | 11. three hundred sixty-four thousand, five hundred ten |
13. five million, eight hundred forty-six thousand, one hundred three | 15. thirty-seven million, eight hundred eighty-nine thousand, five | 17. 412 |
19. 35,975 | 21. 11,044,167 | 23. 3,226,512,017 |
25. a) 390 b) 2,930 | 27. a) 13,700 b) 391,800 | 29. a) 1,490 b) 1,500 |
31. a) 64,000 b) 63,900 | 33. a) 392,500 b) 393,000 c) 390,000 | 35. a) 2,587,000 b) 2,587,000 c) 2,590,000 |
37. divisible by 2, 3, and 6 | 39. divisible by 3 and 5 | 41. divisible by 2, 3, 5, 6, and 10 |
43. divisible by 2 | 45. divisible by 2, 5, and 10 | 47. divisible by 3 and 5 |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. | 57. | 59. 24 |
61. 48 | 63. 60 | 65. 24 |
67. 420 | 69. 440 | 71. twenty-four thousand, four hundred ninety-three dollars |
73. a) $24,490 b) $24,500 c) $24,000 d) $20,000 | 75. a) 1,000,000,000 b) 1,300,000,000 c) 1,340,000,000 | 77. 40 |
79. Answers may vary. | 81. Answers may vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Introduction to Whole Numbers” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Greg and Alex have the same birthday, but they were born in different years. This year Greg is years old and Alex is
, so Alex is
years older than Greg. When Greg was
, Alex was
. When Greg is
, Alex will be
. No matter what Greg’s age is, Alex’s age will always be
years more, right?
In the language of algebra, we say that Greg’s age and Alex’s age are variable and the three is a constant. The ages change, or vary, so age is a variable. The years between them always stays the same, so the age difference is the constant.
In algebra, letters of the alphabet are used to represent variables. Suppose we call Greg’s age . Then we could use
to represent Alex’s age. See the table below.
Greg’s age | Alex’s age |
---|---|
Letters are used to represent variables. Letters often used for variables are .
Variables and Constants
A variable is a letter that represents a number or quantity whose value may change.
A constant is a number whose value always stays the same.
To write algebraically, we need some symbols as well as numbers and variables. There are several types of symbols we will be using. In 1.1 Whole Numbers, we introduced the symbols for the four basic arithmetic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. We will summarize them here, along with words we use for the operations and the result.
Operation | Notation | Say: | The result is… |
---|---|---|---|
Addition | the sum of | ||
Subtraction | the difference of | ||
Multiplication | The product of | ||
Division | The quotient of |
In algebra, the cross symbol, ×, is not used to show multiplication because that symbol may cause confusion. Does mean
(three times
) or
(three times
)? To make it clear, use • or parentheses for multiplication.
We perform these operations on two numbers. When translating from symbolic form to words, or from words to symbolic form, pay attention to the words of or and to help you find the numbers.
EXAMPLE 1
Translate from algebra to words:
a. |
12 plus 14 |
the sum of twelve and fourteen |
b. |
30 times 5 |
the product of thirty and five |
c. |
64 divided by 8 |
the quotient of sixty-four and eight |
d. |
the difference of |
TRY IT 1.1
Translate from algebra to words.
TRY IT 1.2
Translate from algebra to words.
When two quantities have the same value, we say they are equal and connect them with an equal sign.
Equality Symbol
The symbol is called the equal sign.
An inequality is used in algebra to compare two quantities that may have different values. The number line can help you understand inequalities. Remember that on the number line the numbers get larger as they go from left to right. So if we know that is greater than
, it means that
is to the right of
on the number line. We use the symbols < and > for inequalities.
Inequality
<
is read
is less than
is to the left of
on the number line
>
is read
is greater than
is to the right of
on the number line
The expressions <
>
can be read from left-to-right or right-to-left, though in English we usually read from left-to-right. In general,
When we write an inequality symbol with a line under it, such as , it means
or
. We read this
is less than or equal to
. Also, if we put a slash through an equal sign,
it means not equal.
We summarize the symbols of equality and inequality in the table below.
Algebraic Notation | Say |
---|---|
Symbols < and >
The symbols < and > each have a smaller side and a larger side.
smaller side < larger side
larger side > smaller side
The smaller side of the symbol faces the smaller number and the larger faces the larger number.
EXAMPLE 2
Translate from algebra to words:
a. |
20 is less than or equal to 35 |
b. |
11 is not equal to 15 minus 3 |
c. |
9 is greater than 10 divided by 2 |
d. |
TRY IT 2.1
Translate from algebra to words.
TRY IT 2.2
Translate from algebra to words.
EXAMPLE 3
The information in (Figure 1) compares the fuel economy in miles-per-gallon (mpg) of several cars. Write the appropriate symbol <
>. in each expression to compare the fuel economy of the cars.
a. | |
MPG of Prius____MPG of Mini Cooper | |
Find the values in the chart. | 48____27 |
Compare. | 48 > 27 |
MPG of Prius > MPG of Mini Cooper |
b. | |
MPG of Versa____MPG of Fit | |
Find the values in the chart. | 26____27 |
Compare. | 26 < 27 |
MPG of Versa < MPG of Fit |
c. | |
MPG of Mini Cooper____MPG of Fit | |
Find the values in the chart. | 27____27 |
Compare. | 27 = 27 |
MPG of Mini Cooper = MPG of Fit |
d. | |
MPG of Corolla____MPG of Versa | |
Find the values in the chart. | 28____26 |
Compare. | 28 > 26 |
MPG of Corolla > MPG of Versa |
e. | |
MPG of Corolla____MPG of Prius | |
Find the values in the chart. | 28____48 |
Compare. | 28 < 48 |
MPG of Corolla < MPG of Prius |
TRY IT 3.1
Use Figure 1 to fill in the appropriate <
>.
TRY IT 3.2
Use Figure 1 to fill in the appropriate <
>.
Grouping symbols in algebra are much like the commas, colons, and other punctuation marks in written language. They indicate which expressions are to be kept together and separate from other expressions. The table below lists three of the most commonly used grouping symbols in algebra.
parentheses | |
brackets | |
braces |
Here are some examples of expressions that include grouping symbols. We will simplify expressions like these later in this section.
What is the difference in English between a phrase and a sentence? A phrase expresses a single thought that is incomplete by itself, but a sentence makes a complete statement. “Running very fast” is a phrase, but “The football player was running very fast” is a sentence. A sentence has a subject and a verb.
In algebra, we have expressions and equations. An expression is like a phrase. Here are some examples of expressions and how they relate to word phrases:
Expression | Words | Phrase |
---|---|---|
the sum of three and five | ||
the difference of | ||
the product of six and seven | ||
the quotient of |
Notice that the phrases do not form a complete sentence because the phrase does not have a verb. An equation is two expressions linked with an equal sign. When you read the words the symbols represent in an equation, you have a complete sentence in English. The equal sign gives the verb. Here are some examples of equations:
Equation | Sentence |
---|---|
The sum of three and five is equal to eight. | |
The product of six and seven is equal to forty-two. | |
Expressions and Equations
An expression is a number, a variable, or a combination of numbers and variables and operation symbols.
An equation is made up of two expressions connected by an equal sign.
EXAMPLE 4
Determine if each is an expression or an equation:
a. | This is an equation—two expressions are connected with an equal sign. |
b. | This is an expression—no equal sign. |
c. | This is an expression—no equal sign. |
d. | This is an equation—two expressions are connected with an equal sign. |
TRY IT 4.1
Determine if each is an expression or an equation:
TRY IT 4.2
Determine if each is an expression or an equation:
To simplify a numerical expression means to do all the math possible. For example, to simplify we’d first multiply
to get
and then add the
to get
. A good habit to develop is to work down the page, writing each step of the process below the previous step. The example just described would look like this:
Suppose we have the expression . We could write this more compactly using exponential notation. Exponential notation is used in algebra to represent a quantity multiplied by itself several times. We write
as
and
as
. In expressions such as
, the
is called the base and the
is called the exponent. The exponent tells us how many factors of the base we have to multiply.
We say is in exponential notation and
is in expanded notation.
Exponential Notation
For any expression is a factor multiplied by itself
times if
is a positive integer.
The expression is read
to the
power.
For powers of and
, we have special names.
The table below lists some examples of expressions written in exponential notation.
Exponential Notation | In Words |
---|---|
EXAMPLE 5
Write each expression in exponential form:
a. The base 16 is a factor 7 times. | |
b. The base 9 is a factor 5 times. | |
c. The base | |
d. The base |
TRY IT 5.1
Write each expression in exponential form:
415
TRY IT 5.2
Write each expression in exponential form:
79
EXAMPLE 6
Write each exponential expression in expanded form:
a. The base is and the exponent is
, so
means
b. The base is and the exponent is
, so
means
TRY IT 6.1
Write each exponential expression in expanded form:
TRY IT 6.2
Write each exponential expression in expanded form:
To simplify an exponential expression without using a calculator, we write it in expanded form and then multiply the factors.
EXAMPLE 7
Simplify: .
Expand the expression. | |
Multiply left to right. | |
Multiply. |
TRY IT 7.1
Simplify:
TRY IT 7.2
Simplify:
We’ve introduced most of the symbols and notation used in algebra, but now we need to clarify the order of operations. Otherwise, expressions may have different meanings, and they may result in different values.
For example, consider the expression:
Imagine the confusion that could result if every problem had several different correct answers. The same expression should give the same result. So mathematicians established some guidelines called the order of operations, which outlines the order in which parts of an expression must be simplified.
Order of Operations
When simplifying mathematical expressions perform the operations in the following order:
1. Parentheses and other Grouping Symbols
2. Exponents
3. Multiplication and Division
4. Addition and Subtraction
Students often ask, “How will I remember the order?” Here is a way to help you remember: Take the first letter of each key word and substitute the silly phrase.
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.
Please | Parentheses |
Excuse | Exponents |
My Dear | Multiplication and Division |
Aunt Sally | Addition and Subtraction |
It’s good that ‘My Dear’ goes together, as this reminds us that multiplication and division have equal priority. We do not always do multiplication before division or always do division before multiplication. We do them in order from left to right.
Similarly, ‘Aunt Sally’ goes together and so reminds us that addition and subtraction also have equal priority and we do them in order from left to right.
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify the expressions:
a. | |
![]() | |
Are there any parentheses? No. | |
Are there any exponents? No. | |
Is there any multiplication or division? Yes. | |
Multiply first. | ![]() |
Add. | ![]() |
![]() |
b. | |
![]() | |
Are there any parentheses? Yes. | ![]() |
Simplify inside the parentheses. | ![]() |
Are there any exponents? No. | |
Is there any multiplication or division? Yes. | |
Multiply. | ![]() |
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify the expressions:
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify the expressions:
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify:
a. | |
![]() | |
Are there any parentheses? No. | |
Are there any exponents? No. | |
Is there any multiplication or division? Yes. | |
Multiply and divide from left to right. Divide. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
b. | |
![]() | |
Are there any parentheses? No. | |
Are there any exponents? No. | |
Is there any multiplication or division? Yes. | |
Multiply and divide from left to right. | |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Divide. | ![]() |
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify:
18
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify:
9
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: .
![]() | |
Parentheses? Yes, subtract first. | ![]() |
Exponents? No. | |
Multiplication or division? Yes. | |
Divide first because we multiply and divide left to right. | ![]() |
Any other multiplication or division? Yes. | |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Any other multiplication or division? No. | |
Any addition or subtraction? Yes. | ![]() |
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify:
16
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify:
23
When there are multiple grouping symbols, we simplify the innermost parentheses first and work outward.
EXAMPLE 11
.
![]() | |
Are there any parentheses (or other grouping symbol)? Yes. | |
Focus on the parentheses that are inside the brackets. | ![]() |
Subtract. | ![]() |
Continue inside the brackets and multiply. | ![]() |
Continue inside the brackets and subtract. | ![]() |
The expression inside the brackets requires no further simplification. | |
Are there any exponents? Yes. | |
Simplify exponents. | ![]() |
Is there any multiplication or division? Yes. | |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Is there any addition or subtraction? Yes. | |
Add. | ![]() |
Add. | ![]() |
![]() |
TRY IT 11.1
Simplify:
86
TRY IT 11.2
Simplify:
1
EXAMPLE 12
Simplify: .
![]() | |
If an expression has several exponents, they may be simplified in the same step. | |
Simplify exponents. | ![]() |
Divide. | ![]() |
Add. | ![]() |
Subtract. | ![]() |
![]() |
TRY IT 12.1
Simplify:
81
TRY IT 12.2
Simplify:
75
ACCESS ADDITIONAL ONLINE RESOURCES
Operation | Notation | Say: | The result is… |
---|---|---|---|
Addition | the sum of | ||
Multiplication | The product of | ||
Subtraction | the difference of | ||
Division | The quotient of |
Algebraic Notation | Say |
---|---|
Order of Operations When simplifying mathematical expressions perform the operations in the following order:
In the following exercises, translate from algebraic notation to words.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
In the following exercises, determine if each is an expression or an equation.
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
In the following exercises, write in exponential form.
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
In the following exercises, write in expanded form.
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
39. a. b. | 40. a. b. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. Basketball In the 2014 NBA playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Miami Heat. The table below shows the heights of the starters on each team. Use this table to fill in the appropriate symbol ( = ,<, >).
| 66. Elevation In Colorado there are more than
|
67.Explain the difference between an expression and an equation. | 68. Why is it important to use the order of operations to simplify an expression? |
1. 16 minus 9, the difference of sixteen and nine | 3. 5 times 6, the product of five and six | 5. 28 divided by 4, the quotient of twenty-eight and four |
7. x plus 8, the sum of x and eight | 9. 2 times 7, the product of two and seven | 11. fourteen is less than twenty-one |
13. thirty-six is greater than or equal to nineteen | 15. 3 times n equals 24, the product of three and n equals twenty-four | 17. y minus 1 is greater than 6, the difference of y and one is greater than six |
19. 2 is less than or equal to 18 divided by 6; 2 is less than or equal to the quotient of eighteen and six | 21. a is not equal to 7 times 4, a is not equal to the product of seven and four | 23. equation |
25. expression | 27. expression | 29. equation |
31. 37 | 33. x5 | 35. 125 |
37. 256 | 39. a. 43 b. 55 | 41. 5 |
43. 34 | 45. 58 | 47. 6 |
49. 13 | 51. 4 | 53. 35 |
55. 10 | 57. 41 | 59. 81 |
61. 149 | 63. 50 | 65. a. > b. |
67. Answer may vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Use the Language of Algebra” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
In the last section, we simplified expressions using the order of operations. In this section, we’ll evaluate expressions—again following the order of operations.
To evaluate an algebraic expression means to find the value of the expression when the variable is replaced by a given number. To evaluate an expression, we substitute the given number for the variable in the expression and then simplify the expression using the order of operations.
EXAMPLE 1
Evaluate when
a. To evaluate, substitute for
in the expression, and then simplify.
![]() | |
Substitute. | ![]() |
Add. | ![]() |
When , the expression
has a value of
.
b. To evaluate, substitute for
in the expression, and then simplify.
![]() | |
Substitute. | ![]() |
Add. | ![]() |
When , the expression
has a value of
.
Notice that we got different results for parts a) and b) even though we started with the same expression. This is because the values used for were different. When we evaluate an expression, the value varies depending on the value used for the variable.
TRY IT 1.1
Evaluate:
TRY IT 1.2
Evaluate:
EXAMPLE 2
Evaluate
Remember means
times
, so
means
times
.
a. To evaluate the expression when , we substitute
for
, and then simplify.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Subtract. | ![]() |
b. To evaluate the expression when , we substitute
for
, and then simplify.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Subtract. | ![]() |
Notice that in part a) that we wrote and in part b) we wrote
. Both the dot and the parentheses tell us to multiply.
TRY IT 2.1
Evaluate:
TRY IT 2.2
Evaluate:
EXAMPLE 3
Evaluate when
.
We substitute for
, and then simplify the expression.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Use the definition of exponent. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
When , the expression
has a value of
.
TRY IT 3.1
Evaluate:
.
64
TRY IT 3.2
Evaluate:
.
216
EXAMPLE 4
.
In this expression, the variable is an exponent.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Use the definition of exponent. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
When , the expression
has a value of
.
TRY IT 4.1
Evaluate:
.
64
TRY IT 4.2
Evaluate:
.
81
EXAMPLE 5
.
This expression contains two variables, so we must make two substitutions.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Add and subtract left to right. | ![]() |
When and
, the expression
has a value of
.
TRY IT 5.1
Evaluate:
33
TRY IT 5.2
Evaluate:
10
EXAMPLE 6
.
We need to be careful when an expression has a variable with an exponent. In this expression, means
and is different from the expression
, which means
.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Add. | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Evaluate:
.
40
TRY IT 6.2
Evaluate:
.
9
Algebraic expressions are made up of terms. A term is a constant or the product of a constant and one or more variables. Some examples of terms are .
The constant that multiplies the variable(s) in a term is called the coefficient. We can think of the coefficient as the number in front of the variable. The coefficient of the term is
. When we write
, the coefficient is
, since
. The table below gives the coefficients for each of the terms in the left column.
Term | Coefficient |
---|---|
An algebraic expression may consist of one or more terms added or subtracted. In this chapter, we will only work with terms that are added together. The table below gives some examples of algebraic expressions with various numbers of terms. Notice that we include the operation before a term with it.
Expression | Terms |
---|---|
EXAMPLE 7
Identify each term in the expression . Then identify the coefficient of each term.
The expression has four terms. They are , and
.
The coefficient of is
.
The coefficient of is
.
Remember that if no number is written before a variable, the coefficient is . So the coefficient of
is
.
The coefficient of a constant is the constant, so the coefficient of is
.
TRY IT 7.1
Identify all terms in the given expression, and their coefficients:
The terms are 4x, 3b, and 2. The coefficients are 4, 3, and 2
TRY IT 7.2
Identify all terms in the given expression, and their coefficients:
The terms are 9a, 13a2, and a3, The coefficients are 9, 13, and 1
Some terms share common traits. Look at the following terms. Which ones seem to have traits in common?
Which of these terms are like terms?
Terms are called like terms if they have the same variables and exponents. All constant terms are also like terms. So among the terms ,
Like Terms
Terms that are either constants or have the same variables with the same exponents are like terms.
EXAMPLE 8
Identify the like terms:
a.
Look at the variables and exponents. The expression contains , and constants.
The terms and
are like terms because they both have
.
The terms and
are like terms because they both have
.
The terms and
are like terms because they are both constants.
The term does not have any like terms in this list since no other terms have the variable
raised to the power of
.
b.
Look at the variables and exponents. The expression contains the terms
The terms and
are like terms because they both have
.
The terms are like terms because they all have
.
The term has no like terms in the given expression because no other terms contain the two variables
.
TRY IT 8.1
Identify the like terms in the list or the expression:
9, 15; 2x3 and 8x3, y2, and 11y2
TRY IT 8.2
Identify the like terms in the list or the expression:
4x3 and 6x3; 8x2 and 3x2; 19 and 24
We can simplify an expression by combining the like terms. What do you think would simplify to? If you thought
, you would be right!
We can see why this works by writing both terms as addition problems.
Add the coefficients and keep the same variable. It doesn’t matter what is. If you have
of something and add
more of the same thing, the result is
of them. For example,
oranges plus
oranges is
oranges. We will discuss the mathematical properties behind this later.
The expression has only two terms. When an expression contains more terms, it may be helpful to rearrange the terms so that like terms are together. The Commutative Property of Addition says that we can change the order of addends without changing the sum. So we could rearrange the following expression before combining like terms.
Now it is easier to see the like terms to be combined.
HOW TO: Combine like terms
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify the expression: .
![]() | |
Identify the like terms. | ![]() |
Rearrange the expression, so the like terms are together. | ![]() |
Add the coefficients of the like terms. | ![]() |
The original expression is simplified to… | ![]() |
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify:
16x + 17
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify:
17y + 7
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify the expression: .
![]() | |
Identify the like terms. | ![]() |
Rearrange the expression so like terms are together. | ![]() |
Add the coefficients of the like terms. | ![]() |
These are not like terms and cannot be combined. So is in simplest form.
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify:
4x2 + 14x
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify:
12y2 + 15y
In the previous section, we listed many operation symbols that are used in algebra, and then we translated expressions and equations into word phrases and sentences. Now we’ll reverse the process and translate word phrases into algebraic expressions. The symbols and variables we’ve talked about will help us do that. They are summarized in the table below.
Operation | Phrase | Expression |
---|---|---|
Addition | the sum of the total of | |
Subtraction | the difference of | |
Multiplication | the product of | |
Division | the quotient of the ratio of |
Look closely at these phrases using the four operations:
Each phrase tells you to operate on two numbers. Look for the words of and and to find the numbers.
EXAMPLE 11
Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:
a. The key word is difference, which tells us the operation is subtraction. Look for the words of and and to find the numbers to subtract.
b. The key word is quotient, which tells us the operation is division.
This can also be written as
TRY IT 11.1
Translate the given word phrase into an algebraic expression:
TRY IT 11.2
Translate the given word phrase into an algebraic expression:
How old will you be in eight years? What age is eight more years than your age now? Did you add to your present age? Eight more than means eight added to your present age.
How old were you seven years ago? This is seven years less than your age now. You subtract from your present age. Seven less than means seven subtracted from your present age.
EXAMPLE 12
Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:
a. The key words are more than. They tell us the operation is addition. More than means “added to”.
b. The key words are less than. They tell us the operation is subtraction. Less than means “subtracted from”.
TRY IT 12.1
Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:
TRY IT 12.2
Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:
EXAMPLE 13
Translate each word phrase into an algebraic expression:
a. There are two operation words: times tells us to multiply and sum tells us to add. Because we are multiplying times the sum, we need parentheses around the sum of
and
.
five times the sum of and
b. To take a sum, we look for the words of and and to see what is being added. Here we are taking the sum of five times and
.
the sum of five times and
Notice how the use of parentheses changes the result. In part a), we add first and in part b), we multiply first.
TRY IT 13.1
Translate the word phrase into an algebraic expression:
TRY IT 13.2
Translate the word phrase into an algebraic expression:
Later in this course, we’ll apply our skills in algebra to solving equations. We’ll usually start by translating a word phrase to an algebraic expression. We’ll need to be clear about what the expression will represent. We’ll see how to do this in the next two examples.
EXAMPLE 14
The height of a rectangular window is inches less than the width. Let
represent the width of the window. Write an expression for the height of the window.
Write a phrase about the height. | |
Substitute | |
Rewrite ‘less than’ as ‘subtracted from’. | |
Translate the phrase into algebra. |
TRY IT 14.1
The length of a rectangle is inches less than the width. Let
represent the width of the rectangle. Write an expression for the length of the rectangle.
w − 5
TRY IT 14.2
The width of a rectangle is metres greater than the length. Let
represent the length of the rectangle. Write an expression for the width of the rectangle.
l + 2
EXAMPLE 15
Blanca has dimes and quarters in her purse. The number of dimes is less than
times the number of quarters. Let
represent the number of quarters. Write an expression for the number of dimes.
Write a phrase about the number of dimes. | two less than five times the number of quarters |
Substitute | |
Translate | |
Translate the phrase into algebra. |
TRY IT 15.1
Geoffrey has dimes and quarters in his pocket. The number of dimes is seven less than six times the number of quarters. Let represent the number of quarters. Write an expression for the number of dimes.
6q − 7
TRY IT 15.2
Lauren has dimes and nickels in her purse. The number of dimes is eight more than four times the number of nickels. Let represent the number of nickels. Write an expression for the number of dimes.
4n + 8
In the following exercises, evaluate the expression for the given value.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, list the terms in the given expression.
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
In the following exercises, identify the coefficient of the given term.
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
In the following exercises, identify all sets of like terms.
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
In the following exercises, simplify the given expression by combining like terms.
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
In the following exercises, translate the given word phrase into an algebraic expression.
49. The sum of 8 and 12 | 50. The sum of 9 and 1 |
51. The difference of 14 and 9 | 52. 8 less than 19 |
53. The product of 9 and 7 | 54. The product of 8 and 7 |
55. The quotient of 36 and 9 | 56. The quotient of 42 and 7 |
57. The difference of | 58. |
59. The product of | 60. The product of |
61. The sum of | 62. The sum of |
63. The quotient of | 64. The quotient of |
65. Eight times the difference of | 66. Seven times the difference of |
67. Five times the sum of | 68. times five less than twice |
In the following exercises, write an algebraic expression.
69. Adele bought a skirt and a blouse. The skirt cost $15 more than the blouse. Let | 70. Eric has rock and classical CDs in his car. The number of rock CDs is |
71. The number of girls in a second-grade class is | 72. Marcella has |
73. Greg has nickels and pennies in his pocket. The number of pennies is seven less than twice the number of nickels. Let | 74. Jeannette has $5 and $10 bills in her wallet. The number of fives is three more than six times the number of tens. Let |
In the following exercises, use algebraic expressions to solve the problem.
75. Car insurance Justin’s car insurance has a $750 deductible per incident. This means that he pays $750 and his insurance company will pay all costs beyond $750. If Justin files a claim for $2,100, how much will he pay, and how much will his insurance company pay? | 76. Home insurance Pam and Armando’s home insurance has a $2,500 deductible per incident. This means that they pay $2,500 and their insurance company will pay all costs beyond $2,500. If Pam and Armando file a claim for $19,400, how much will they pay, and how much will their insurance company pay? |
77. Explain why “the sum of x and y” is the same as “the sum of y and x,” but “the difference of x and y” is not the same as “the difference of y and x.” Try substituting two random numbers for | 78. Explain the difference between |
1. 22 | 3. 26 | 5. 144 |
7. 32 | 9. 27 | 11. 21 |
13. 41 | 15. 9 | 17. 73 |
19. 54 | 21. 15x2, 6x, 2 | 23. 10y3, y, 2 |
25. 8 | 27. 5 | 29. x3, 8x3 and 14, 5 |
31. 16ab and 4ab; 16b2 and 9b2 | 33. 13x | 35. 26a |
37. 7c | 39. 12x + 8 | 41. 10u + 3 |
43. 12p + 10 | 45. 22a + 1 | 47. 17x2 + 20x + 16 |
49. 8 + 12 | 51. 14 − 9 | 53. 9 ⋅ 7 |
55. 36 ÷ 9 | 57. x − 4 | 59. 6y |
61. 8x + 3x | 63. | 65. 8 (y − 9) |
67. 5 (x + y) | 69. b + 15 | 71. b − 4 |
73. 2n − 7 | 75. He will pay $750. His insurance company will pay $1350. | 77. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Evaluate, Simplify, and Translate Expressions” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Our work so far has only included the counting numbers and the whole numbers. But if you have ever experienced a temperature below zero or accidentally overdrawn your checking account, you are already familiar with negative numbers. Negative numbers are numbers less than . The negative numbers are to the left of zero on the number line. See Figure 1.
The arrows on the ends of the number line indicate that the numbers keep going forever. There is no biggest positive number, and there is no smallest negative number.
Is zero a positive or a negative number? Numbers larger than zero are positive, and numbers smaller than zero are negative. Zero is neither positive nor negative.
Consider how numbers are ordered on the number line. Going from left to right, the numbers increase in value. Going from right to left, the numbers decrease in value. See Figure 2.
Remember that we use the notation:
a < b (read “a is less than b”) when a is to the left of b on the number line.
a > b (read “a is greater than b”) when a is to the right of b on the number line.
Now we need to extend the number line which showed the whole numbers to include negative numbers, too. The numbers marked by points in Figure 3 are called the integers. The integers are the numbers
EXAMPLE 1
Order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or >: a) ___
b)
___
c)
___
d)
___
.
It may be helpful to refer to the number line shown.
a) 14 is to the right of 6 on the number line. | |
b) −1 is to the left of 9 on the number line. | |
c) −1 is to the right of −4 on the number line. | |
d) 2 is to the right of −20 on the number line. |
TRY IT 1.1
Order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or > a)
___
b)
___
c)
___
d) ___
.
a) > b) < c) > d) >
TRY IT 1.2
Order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or > a)
___
b)
___
c)
___
d) ___
.
a) < b) > c) < d) >
You may have noticed that, on the number line, the negative numbers are a mirror image of the positive numbers, with zero in the middle. Because the numbers 2 and are the same distance from zero, they are called opposites. The opposite of 2 is
, and the opposite of
is 2
Opposite
The opposite of a number is the number that is the same distance from zero on the number line but on the opposite side of zero.
(Figure 4) illustrates the definition.
The opposite of 3 is .
Sometimes in algebra the same symbol has different meanings. Just like some words in English, the specific meaning becomes clear by looking at how it is used. You have seen the symbol “−” used in three different ways.
Between two numbers, it indicates the operation of subtraction. We read | |
In front of a number, it indicates a negative number. We read −8 as “negative eight.” | |
In front of a variable, it indicates the opposite. We read | |
Here there are two “−” signs. The one in the parentheses tells us the number is negative 2. The one outside the parentheses tells us to take the opposite of −2. We read |
Opposite Notation
means the opposite of the number a.
The notation is read as “the opposite of a.”
EXAMPLE 2
Find: a) the opposite of 7 b) the opposite of c)
.
a) −7 is the same distance from 0 as 7, but on the opposite side of 0. | ![]() The opposite of 7 is −7. |
b) 10 is the same distance from 0 as −10, but on the opposite side of 0. | ![]() The opposite of −10 is 10. |
c) −(−6) | ![]() The opposite of −(−6) is −6. |
TRY IT 2.1
Find: a) the opposite of 4 b) the opposite of c)
.
a) b) 3 c) 1
TRY IT 2.2
Find: a) the opposite of 8 b) the opposite of c)
.
a) b) 5 c) 5
Our work with opposites gives us a way to define the integers.The whole numbers and their opposites are called the integers. The integers are the numbers
Integers
The whole numbers and their opposites are called the integers.
The integers are the numbers
When evaluating the opposite of a variable, we must be very careful. Without knowing whether the variable represents a positive or negative number, we don’t know whether is positive or negative. We can see this in Example 3.
EXAMPLE 3
Evaluate a) , when
b)
, when
.
![]() | |
−x | |
![]() | ![]() |
Write the opposite of 8. | ![]() |
![]() | |
−x | |
![]() | ![]() |
Write the opposite of −8. | 8 |
TRY IT 3.1
Evaluate , when a)
b)
.
a) b) 4
TRY IT 3.2
Evaluate , when a)
b)
.
a) b) 11
We saw that numbers such as are opposites because they are the same distance from 0 on the number line. They are both two units from 0. The distance between 0 and any number on the number line is called the absolute value of that number.
Absolute Value
The absolute value of a number is its distance from 0 on the number line.
The absolute value of a number n is written as .
For example,
Figure 5 illustrates this idea.
The integers units away from
.
The absolute value of a number is never negative (because distance cannot be negative). The only number with absolute value equal to zero is the number zero itself, because the distance from on the number line is zero units.
Property of Absolute Value
for all numbers
Absolute values are always greater than or equal to zero!
Mathematicians say it more precisely, “absolute values are always non-negative.” Non-negative means greater than or equal to zero.
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
The absolute value of a number is the distance between the number and zero. Distance is never negative, so the absolute value is never negative.
a)
b)
c)
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) 4 b) 28 c) 0
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) 13 b) 47 c) 0
In the next example, we’ll order expressions with absolute values. Remember, positive numbers are always greater than negative numbers!
EXAMPLE 5
Fill in <, >, for each of the following pairs of numbers:
a) ___
b)
___
c)
___
d) –
___
a) Simplify. Order. | 5 ___ -5 |
5 > -5 | |
b) Simplify. Order. | |
8 ___ -8 | |
8 > -8 | |
8 > – | |
c) Simplify. Order. | 9 ___ – -9 ___ -9 -9 = -9 -9 = – |
d) Simplify. Order. | – 16 ____ -16 16 > -16 – |
TRY IT 5.1
Fill in <, >, or for each of the following pairs of numbers: a)
___-
b)
___-
c)
___
d) ___
.
a) > b) > c) < d) >
TRY IT 5.2
Fill in <, >, or for each of the following pairs of numbers: a)
___-
b)
___-
c) ___
d)
___
.
a) > b) > c) > d) <
We now add absolute value bars to our list of grouping symbols. When we use the order of operations, first we simplify inside the absolute value bars as much as possible, then we take the absolute value of the resulting number.
Parentheses | ( ) |
Brackets | [ ] |
Braces | { } |
Absolute value | | | |
In the next example, we simplify the expressions inside absolute value bars first, just like we do with parentheses.
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify: .
Work inside parentheses first: subtract 2 from 6. | |
Multiply 3(4). | |
Subtract inside the absolute value bars. | |
Take the absolute value. | |
Subtract. |
TRY IT 6.1
Simplify: .
16
TRY IT 6.2
Simplify: .
9
EXAMPLE 7
Evaluate: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a)
![]() | ![]() |
Take the absolute value. | 35 |
b)
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify. | |
Take the absolute value. | 20 |
c)
![]() | ![]() |
Take the absolute value. |
d)
![]() | ![]() |
Take the absolute value. |
TRY IT 7.1
Evaluate: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) b)
c)
d)
TRY IT 7.2
Evaluate: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) b)
c)
d)
Most students are comfortable with the addition and subtraction facts for positive numbers. But doing addition or subtraction with both positive and negative numbers may be more challenging.
We will use two colour counters to model addition and subtraction of negatives so that you can visualize the procedures instead of memorizing the rules.
We let one colour (blue) represent positive. The other colour (red) will represent the negatives. If we have one positive counter and one negative counter, the value of the pair is zero. They form a neutral pair. The value of this neutral pair is zero.
We will use the counters to show how to add the four addition facts using the numbers and
.
To add , we realize that
means the sum of 5 and 3
We start with 5 positives. | ![]() |
And then we add 3 positives. | ![]() |
We now have 8 positives. The sum of 5 and 3 is 8. | ![]() |
Now we will add . Watch for similarities to the last example
.
To add , we realize this means the sum of
.
We start with 5 negatives. | ![]() |
And then we add 3 negatives. | ![]() |
We now have 8 negatives. The sum of −5 and −3 is −8. | ![]() |
In what ways were these first two examples similar?
In each case we got 8—either 8 positives or 8 negatives.
When the signs were the same, the counters were all the same color, and so we added them.
EXAMPLE 8
Add: a) b)
.
a)
b)
TRY IT 8.1
Add: a) b)
.
a) 6 b)
TRY IT 8.2
Add: a) b)
.
a) 7 b)
So what happens when the signs are different? Let’s add . We realize this means the sum of
and 3. When the counters were the same color, we put them in a row. When the counters are a different color, we line them up under each other.
−5 + 3 means the sum of −5 and 3. | |
We start with 5 negatives. | ![]() |
And then we add 3 positives. | ![]() |
We remove any neutral pairs. | ![]() |
We have 2 negatives left. | ![]() |
The sum of −5 and 3 is −2. | −5 + 3 = −2 |
Notice that there were more negatives than positives, so the result was negative.
Let’s now add the last combination, .
5 + (−3) means the sum of 5 and −3. | |
We start with 5 positives. | ![]() |
And then we add 3 negatives. | ![]() |
We remove any neutral pairs. | ![]() |
We have 2 positives left. | ![]() |
The sum of 5 and −3 is 2. | 5 + (−3) = 2 |
When we use counters to model addition of positive and negative integers, it is easy to see whether there are more positive or more negative counters. So we know whether the sum will be positive or negative.
EXAMPLE 9
Add: a) b)
.
a)
−1 + 5 | |
![]() | |
There are more positives, so the sum is positive. | 4 |
b)
1 + (−5) | |
![]() | |
There are more negatives, so the sum is negative. | −4 |
TRY IT 9.1
Add: a) b)
.
a) 2 b)
TRY IT 9.2
Add: a) b)
.
a) 3 b)
Now that we have added small positive and negative integers with a model, we can visualize the model in our minds to simplify problems with any numbers.
When you need to add numbers such as , you really don’t want to have to count out 37 blue counters and 53 red counters. With the model in your mind, can you visualize what you would do to solve the problem?
Picture 37 blue counters with 53 red counters lined up underneath. Since there would be more red (negative) counters than blue (positive) counters, the sum would be negative. How many more red counters would there be? Because , there are 16 more red counters.
Therefore, the sum of is
.
Let’s try another one. We’ll add . Again, imagine 74 red counters and 27 more red counters, so we’d have 101 red counters. This means the sum is
.
Let’s look again at the results of adding the different combinations of and
.
Addition of Positive and Negative Integers
When the signs are the same, the counters would be all the same color, so add them.
When the signs are different, some of the counters would make neutral pairs, so subtract to see how many are left.
Visualize the model as you simplify the expressions in the following examples.
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: a) b)
.
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
The techniques used up to now extend to more complicated problems, like the ones we’ve seen before. Remember to follow the order of operations!
EXAMPLE 11
Simplify: .
Simplify inside the parentheses. | |
Multiply. | |
Add left to right. |
TRY IT 11.1
Simplify: .
13
TRY IT 11.2
Simplify: .
0
We will continue to use counters to model the subtraction. Remember, the blue counters represent positive numbers and the red counters represent negative numbers.
Perhaps when you were younger, you read as
take away
When you use counters, you can think of subtraction the same way!
We will model the four subtraction facts using the numbers and
.
To subtract , we restate the problem as
take away
We start with 5 positives. | ![]() |
We ‘take away’ 3 positives. | ![]() |
We have 2 positives left. | |
The difference of 5 and 3 is 2. | 2 |
Now we will subtract . Watch for similarities to the last example
.
To subtract , we restate this as
take away
We start with 5 negatives. | ![]() |
We ‘take away’ 3 negatives. | ![]() |
We have 2 negatives left. | |
The difference of −5 and −3 is −2. | −2 |
Notice that these two examples are much alike: The first example, we subtract 3 positives from 5 positives and end up with 2 positives.
In the second example, we subtract 3 negatives from 5 negatives and end up with 2 negatives.
Each example used counters of only one color, and the “take away” model of subtraction was easy to apply.
EXAMPLE 12
Subtract: a) b)
.
a) Take 5 positive from 7 positives and get 2 positives. | |
b) Take 5 negatives from 7 negatives and get 2 negatives. |
TRY IT 12.1
Subtract: a) b)
.
a) 2 b)
TRY IT 12.2
Subtract: a) b)
.
a) 3 b)
What happens when we have to subtract one positive and one negative number? We’ll need to use both white and red counters as well as some neutral pairs. Adding a neutral pair does not change the value. It is like changing quarters to nickels—the value is the same, but it looks different.
We start with 5 negatives. We need to take away 3 positives, but we do not have any positives to take away.
Remember, a neutral pair has value zero. If we add 0 to 5 its value is still 5. We add neutral pairs to the 5 negatives until we get 3 positives to take away.
−5 − 3 means −5 take away 3. | |
We start with 5 negatives. | ![]() |
We now add the neutrals needed to get 3 positives. | ![]() |
We remove the 3 positives. | ![]() |
We are left with 8 negatives. | ![]() |
The difference of −5 and 3 is −8. | −5 − 3 = −8 |
And now, the fourth case, . We start with 5 positives. We need to take away 3 negatives, but there are no negatives to take away. So we add neutral pairs until we have 3 negatives to take away.
5 − (−3) means 5 take away −3. | |
We start with 5 positives. | ![]() |
We now add the needed neutrals pairs. | ![]() |
We remove the 3 negatives. | ![]() |
We are left with 8 positives. | ![]() |
The difference of 5 and −3 is 8. | 5 − (−3) = 8 |
EXAMPLE 13
Subtract: a) b)
.
a)
Take 1 positive from the one added neutral pair. | ![]() ![]() | −3 − 1 −4 |
b)
Take 1 negative from the one added neutral pair. | ![]() ![]() | 3 − (−1) 4 |
TRY IT 13.1
Subtract: a) b)
.
a) b) 10
TRY IT 13.2
Subtract: a) b)
.
a) b) 11
Have you noticed that subtraction of signed numbers can be done by adding the opposite? In Example 13, is the same as
and
is the same as
. You will often see this idea, the subtraction property, written as follows:
Subtraction Property
Look at these two examples.
Of course, when you have a subtraction problem that has only positive numbers, like , you just do the subtraction. You already knew how to subtract
long ago. But knowing that
gives the same answer as
helps when you are subtracting negative numbers. Make sure that you understand how
and
give the same results!
EXAMPLE 14
Simplify: a) and
b)
and
.
a) Subtract. | ||
b) Subtract. |
TRY IT 14.1
Simplify: a) and
b)
and
.
a) b)
TRY IT 14.2
Simplify: a) and
b)
and
.
a) b)
Look at what happens when we subtract a negative.
Subtracting a negative number is like adding a positive!
You will often see this written as .
Does that work for other numbers, too? Let’s do the following example and see.
EXAMPLE 15
Simplify: a) and
b)
and
.
a)
b)
a) Subtract. | ||
b) Subtract. |
TRY IT 15.1
Simplify: a) and
b)
and
.
a) b)
TRY IT 15.2
Simplify: a) and
b)
and
.
a) 23 b) 3
Let’s look again at the results of subtracting the different combinations of and
.
Subtraction of Integers
When there would be enough counters of the colour to take away, subtract.
When there would be not enough counters of the colour to take away, add.
What happens when there are more than three integers? We just use the order of operations as usual.
EXAMPLE 16
Simplify: .
Simplify inside the parentheses first. | |
Subtract left to right. | |
Subtract. |
TRY IT 16.1
Simplify: .
3
TRY IT 16.2
Simplify: .
13
Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with adding and subtracting integers. You will need to enable Java in your web browser to use the applications.
In the following exercises, order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or >.
1. a) b) c) d) | 2. a) b) c) d) |
In the following exercises, find the opposite of each number.
3. a) 2 b) | 4. a) 9 b) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
In the following exercises, evaluate.
9. a) b) | 10. a) b) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
11. a) b) c) | 12. a) b) c) |
In the following exercises, fill in <, >, or for each of the following pairs of numbers.
13. a) b) | 14. a) b) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
In the following exercises, evaluate.
23. a) b) | 24. a) b) |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. 6 |
33. | 34. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. a) b) | 42. a) b) |
43. a) b) | 44. a) b) |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. Elevation The highest elevation in North America is Mount McKinley, Alaska, at 20,320 feet above sea level. The lowest elevation is Death Valley, California, at 282 feet below sea level. Use integers to write the elevation of: a) Mount McKinley. | 72. Extreme temperatures The highest recorded temperature on Earth was Use integers to write the: a) highest recorded temperature. b) lowest recorded temperature. | ||||||||||||||||||||
73. Provincial budgets For 2019 the province of Quebec estimated it would have a budget surplus of $5.6 million. That same year, Alberta estimated it would have a budget deficit of $7.5 million. Use integers to write the budget of: a) Quebec. | 74. University enrolmentsThe number of international students enrolled in Canadian postsecondary institutions has been on the rise for two decades, with their numbers increasing at a higher rate than that of Canadian students. Enrolments of international students rose by 24,315 from 2015 to 2017. Meanwhile, there was a slight decline in the number of Canadian students, by 912 for the same fiscal years. Use integers to write the change: a) in International Student enrolment from Fall 2015 to Fall 2017. b) in Canadian student enrolment from Fall 2015 to Fall 2017. | ||||||||||||||||||||
75. Stock Market The week of September 15, 2008 was one of the most volatile weeks ever for the US stock market. The closing numbers of the Dow Jones Industrial Average each day were:
What was the overall change for the week? Was it positive or negative? | 76. Stock Market During the week of June 22, 2009, the closing numbers of the Dow Jones Industrial Average each day were:
What was the overall change for the week? Was it positive or negative? |
77. Give an example of a negative number from your life experience. | 78. What are the three uses of the |
79. Explain why the sum of | 80. Give an example from your life experience of adding two negative numbers. |
1. a) > b) < c) < d) > | 3. a) | 5. 4 |
7. 15 | 9. a) | 11. a) 32 b) 0 c) 16 |
13. a) < b) | 15. | 17. 56 |
19. 0 | 21. 8 | 23. a) |
25. | 27. 32 | 29. |
31. 108 | 33. 29 | 35. 6 |
37. | 39. 12 | 41. a) 16 b) 16 |
43. a) 45 b) 45 | 45. 27 | 47. |
49. | 51. | 53. -99 |
55. | 57. | 59. 22 |
61. | 63. 0 | 65. 6 |
67. | 69. | 71. a) 20,320 b) |
73. a) $5.6 million b) | 75. | 77. Answers may vary |
79. Answers may vary |
This chapter has been adapted from “Add and Subtract Integers” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Since multiplication is mathematical shorthand for repeated addition, our model can easily be applied to show multiplication of integers. Let’s look at this concrete model to see what patterns we notice. We will use the same examples that we used for addition and subtraction. Here, we will use the model just to help us discover the pattern.
We remember that means add a, b times. Here, we are using the model just to help us discover the pattern.
The next two examples are more interesting.
What does it mean to multiply 5 by It means subtract 5, 3 times. Looking at subtraction as “taking away,” it means to take away 5, 3 times. But there is nothing to take away, so we start by adding neutral pairs on the workspace. Then we take away 5 three times.
In summary:
Notice that for multiplication of two signed numbers, when the:
We’ll put this all together in the chart below
Multiplication of Signed Numbers
For multiplication of two signed numbers:
Same signs | Product | Example |
---|---|---|
Two positives Two negatives | Positive Positive |
Different signs | Product | Example |
Positive \cdot negative Negative \cdot positive | Negative Negative |
EXAMPLE 1
Multiply: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) Multiply, noting that the signs are different so the product is negative. | |
b) Multiply, noting that the signs are the same so the product is positive. | |
c) Multiply, with different signs. | |
d) Multiply, with same signs. |
TRY IT 1.1
Multiply: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) b) 28 c)
d) 60
TRY IT 1.2
Multiply: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) b) 54 c)
d) 39
When we multiply a number by 1, the result is the same number. What happens when we multiply a number by ? Let’s multiply a positive number and then a negative number by
to see what we get.
Each time we multiply a number by , we get its opposite!
Multiplication by
Multiplying a number by gives its opposite.
EXAMPLE 2
Multiply: a) b)
.
a) Multiply, noting that the signs are different so the product is negative. | |
b) Multiply, noting that the signs are the same so the product is positive. |
TRY IT 2.1
Multiply: a) b)
.
a) b) 17
TRY IT 2.2
Multiply: a) b)
.
a) b) 16
What about division? Division is the inverse operation of multiplication. So, because
. In words, this expression says that 15 can be divided into three groups of five each because adding five three times gives 15. Look at some examples of multiplying integers, to figure out the rules for dividing integers.
Division follows the same rules as multiplication!
For division of two signed numbers, when the:
And remember that we can always check the answer of a division problem by multiplying.
Multiplication and Division of Signed Numbers
For multiplication and division of two signed numbers:
Same signs | Result |
---|---|
Two positives | Positive |
Two negatives | Positive |
If the signs are the same, the result is positive.
Different signs | Result |
---|---|
Positive and negative | Negative |
Negative and positive | Negative |
If the signs are different, the result is negative.
EXAMPLE 3
Divide: a) b)
.
a) Divide. With different signs, the quotient is negative. | |
b) Divide. With signs that are the same, the quotient is positive. |
TRY IT 3.1
Divide: a) b)
.
a) b) 39
TRY IT 3.2
Divide: a) b)
.
a) b) 23
What happens when there are more than two numbers in an expression? The order of operations still applies when negatives are included. Remember My Dear Aunt Sally?
Let’s try some examples. We’ll simplify expressions that use all four operations with integers—addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Remember to follow the order of operations.
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify: .
Multiply first. | |
Add. | |
Subtract. |
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 5
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) Write in expanded form. Multiply. Multiply. Multiply. | |
b) Write in expanded form. We are asked to find the opposite of Multiply. Multiply. Multiply. |
Notice the difference in parts a) and b). In part a), the exponent means to raise what is in the parentheses, the to the
power. In part b), the exponent means to raise just the 2 to the
power and then take the opposite.
TRY IT 5.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) 81 b)
TRY IT 5.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) 49 b)
The next example reminds us to simplify inside parentheses first.
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify: .
Subtract in parentheses first. | |
Multiply. | |
Subtract. |
TRY IT 6.1
Simplify: .
29
TRY IT 6.2
Simplify: .
52
EXAMPLE 7
Simplify: .
Exponents first. | |
Multiply. | |
Divide. |
TRY IT 7.1
Simplify: .
4
TRY IT 7.2
Simplify: .
9
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify: .
Multiply and divide left to right, so divide first. | |
Multiply. | |
Add. |
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify: .
21
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify: .
6
Remember that to evaluate an expression means to substitute a number for the variable in the expression. Now we can use negative numbers as well as positive numbers.
EXAMPLE 9
When , evaluate: a)
b)
.
a)
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify. | −4 |
b)
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Add. | 6 |
TRY IT 9.1
When , evaluate a)
b)
.
a) b) 10
TRY IT 9.2
When , evaluate a)
b)
.
a) b) 17
EXAMPLE 10
Evaluate when
and
.
![]() | |
![]() | |
Add inside parenthesis. | (6)2 |
Simplify. | 36 |
TRY IT 10.1
Evaluate when
and
.
196
TRY IT 10.2
Evaluate when
and
.
8
EXAMPLE 11
Evaluate when a)
and b)
.
a)
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Subtract. | 8 |
b)
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Subtract. | 32 |
TRY IT 11.1
Evaluate: when a)
and b)
.
a) b) 36
TRY IT 11.2
Evaluate: when a)
and b)
.
a) b) 9
EXAMPLE 12
Evaluate: when
.
Substitute . Use parentheses to show multiplication.
![]() | |
Substitute. | ![]() |
Evaluate exponents. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Add. | 52 |
TRY IT 12.1
Evaluate: when
.
39
TRY IT 12.2
Evaluate: when
.
13
Our earlier work translating English to algebra also applies to phrases that include both positive and negative numbers.
EXAMPLE 13
Translate and simplify: the sum of 8 and , increased by 3
the sum of 8 and | |
Translate. | |
Simplify. Be careful not to confuse the brackets with an absolute value sign. | |
Add. |
TRY IT 13.1
Translate and simplify the sum of 9 and , increased by 4
TRY IT 13.2
Translate and simplify the sum of and
, increased by 7
When we first introduced the operation symbols, we saw that the expression may be read in several ways. They are listed in the chart below.
the difference of |
Be careful to get a and b in the right order!
EXAMPLE 14
Translate and then simplify a) the difference of 13 and b) subtract 24 from
.
a) Translate. Simplify. | |
b) Translate. Remember, “subtract Simplify. |
TRY IT 14.1
Translate and simplify a) the difference of 14 and b) subtract 21 from
.
a) b)
TRY IT 14.2
Translate and simplify a) the difference of 11 and b) subtract 18 from
.
a) b)
Once again, our prior work translating English to algebra transfers to phrases that include both multiplying and dividing integers. Remember that the key word for multiplication is “product” and for division is “quotient.”
EXAMPLE 15
Translate to an algebraic expression and simplify if possible: the product of and 14
Translate. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 15.1
Translate to an algebraic expression and simplify if possible: the product of and 12
TRY IT 15.2
Translate to an algebraic expression and simplify if possible: the product of 8 and .
EXAMPLE 16
Translate to an algebraic expression and simplify if possible: the quotient of and
.
Translate. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 16.1
Translate to an algebraic expression and simplify if possible: the quotient of and
.
TRY IT 16.2
Translate to an algebraic expression and simplify if possible: the quotient of and
.
We’ll outline a plan to solve applications. It’s hard to find something if we don’t know what we’re looking for or what to call it! So when we solve an application, we first need to determine what the problem is asking us to find. Then we’ll write a phrase that gives the information to find it. We’ll translate the phrase into an expression and then simplify the expression to get the answer. Finally, we summarize the answer in a sentence to make sure it makes sense.
EXAMPLE 17
The temperature in Sparwood, British Columbia, one morning was 11 degrees. By mid-afternoon, the temperature had dropped to degrees. What was the difference of the morning and afternoon temperatures?
TRY IT 17.1
The temperature in Whitehorse, Yukon, one morning was 15 degrees. By mid-afternoon the temperature had dropped to 30 degrees below zero. What was the difference in the morning and afternoon temperatures?
The difference in temperatures was 45 degrees.
TRY IT 17.2
The temperature in Quesnel, BC, was degrees at lunchtime. By sunset the temperature had dropped to
degrees. What was the difference in the lunchtime and sunset temperatures?
The difference in temperatures was 9 degrees.
HOW TO: Apply a Strategy to Solve Applications with Integers
EXAMPLE 18
The Mustangs football team received three penalties in the third quarter. Each penalty gave them a loss of fifteen yards. What is the number of yards lost?
Step 1. Read the problem. Make sure all the words and ideas are understood. | |
Step 2. Identify what we are asked to find. | the number of yards lost |
Step 3. Write a phrase that gives the information to find it. | three times a 15-yard penalty |
Step 4. Translate the phrase to an expression. | |
Step 5. Simplify the expression. | |
Step 6. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The team lost 45 yards. |
TRY IT 18.1
The Bears played poorly and had seven penalties in the game. Each penalty resulted in a loss of 15 yards. What is the number of yards lost due to penalties?
The Bears lost 105 yards.
TRY IT 18.2
Bill uses the ATM on campus because it is convenient. However, each time he uses it he is charged a $2 fee. Last month he used the ATM eight times. How much was his total fee for using the ATM?
A $16 fee was deducted from his checking account.
In the following exercises, multiply.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
In the following exercises, divide.
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
In the following exercises, evaluate each expression.
33. a) b) | 34. a) b) |
35. a) b) | 36. a) b) |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. a) b) | 44. a) b) |
45. a) b) | 46. a) b) |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
In the following exercises, translate to an algebraic expression and simplify if possible.
51. the sum of 3 and | 52. the sum of |
53. the difference of 10 and | 54. subtract 11 from |
55. the difference of | 56. subtract |
57. the product of | 58. the product of |
59. the quotient of | 60. the quotient of |
61. the quotient of | 62. the quotient of |
63. the product of | 64. the product of |
In the following exercises, solve.
65. Temperature On January | 66. Temperature On January |
67. Football At the first down, the Chargers had the ball on their 25 yard line. On the next three downs, they lost 6 yards, gained 10 yards, and lost 8 yards. What was the yard line at the end of the fourth down? | 68. Football At the first down, the Steelers had the ball on their 30 yard line. On the next three downs, they gained 9 yards, lost 14 yards, and lost 2 yards. What was the yard line at the end of the fourth down? |
69. Checking Account Ester has $124 in her checking account. She writes a check for $152. What is the new balance in her checking account? | 70. Checking Account Selina has $165 in her checking account. She writes a check for $207. What is the new balance in her checking account? |
71. Checking Account Kevin has a balance of | 72. Checking Account Reymonte has a balance of |
73. Stock market Javier owns 300 shares of stock in one company. On Tuesday, the stock price dropped $12 per share. What was the total effect on Javier’s portfolio? | 74. Weight loss In the first week of a diet program, eight women lost an average of 3 pounds each. What was the total weight change for the eight women? |
75. In your own words, state the rules for multiplying integers. | 76. In your own words, state the rules for dividing integers. |
77. Why is | 78. Why is |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. 14 | 9. | 11. 13 |
13. | 15. | 17. 64 |
19. | 21. 90 | 23. 9 |
25. 41 | 27. | 29. |
31. 5 | 33. a) | 35. a) |
37. | 39. | 41. 121 |
43. a) 1 b) 33 | 45. a) | 47. 21 |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. | 57. | 59. |
61. | 63. | 65. |
67. 21 | 69. | 71. $187 |
73. | 75. Answers may vary | 77. Answers may vary |
This chapter has been adapted from “Multiply and Divide Integers” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
In the following exercises find the place value of each digit.
1. 26,915 a) 1 | 2. 359,417 a) 9 |
3. 58,129,304 a) 5 | 4. 9,430,286,157 a) 6 |
In the following exercises, name each number.
5. 6,104 | 6. 493,068 |
7. 3,975,284 | 8. 85,620,435 |
In the following exercises, write each number as a whole number using digits.
9. three hundred fifteen | 10. sixty-five thousand, nine hundred twelve |
11. ninety million, four hundred twenty-five thousand, sixteen | 12. one billion, forty-three million, nine hundred twenty-two thousand, three hundred eleven |
In the following exercises, round to the indicated place value.
Round to the nearest ten. 13. a) 407 b) 8,564 | Round to the nearest hundred. 14. a) 25,846 b) 25,864 |
In the following exercises, round each number to the nearest a) hundred b) thousand c) ten thousand.
15. 864,951 | 16. 3,972,849 |
In the following exercises, use the divisibility tests to determine whether each number is divisible by 2, by 3, by 5, by 6, and by 10
17. 168 | 18. 264 |
19. 375 | 20. 750 |
21. 1430 | 22. 1080 |
In the following exercises, find the prime factorization.
23. 420 | 24. 115 |
25. 225 | 26. 2475 |
27. 1560 | 28. 56 |
29. 72 | 30. 168 |
31. 252 | 32. 391 |
In the following exercises, find the least common multiple of the following numbers using the multiples method.
33. 6,15 | 34. 60, 75 |
In the following exercises, find the least common multiple of the following numbers using the prime factors method.
35. 24, 30 | 36. 70, 84 |
In the following exercises, translate the following from algebra to English.
37. 25 – 7 | 38. 5 · 6 |
39. 45 ÷ 5 | 40. x + 8 |
41. 42 ≥ 27 | 42. 3n = 24 |
43. 3 ≤ 20 ÷ 4 | 44. a ≠ 7 · 4 |
In the following exercises, determine if each is an expression or an equation.
45. 6 · 3 + 5 | 46. y – 8 = 32 |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
47. 35 | 48. 108 |
In the following exercises, simplify
49. 6 + 10/2 + 2 | 50. 9 + 12/3 + 4 |
51. 20 ÷ (4 + 6) · 5 | 52. 33 · (3 + 8) · 2 |
53. 42 +52 | 54. (4 + 5)2 |
In the following exercises, evaluate the following expressions.
55. 9x + 7 when x = 3 | 56. 5x – 4 when x = 6 |
57. x4 when x = 3 | 58. 3x when x = 3 |
59. x2 + 5x – 8 when x = 6 | 60. 2x + 4y – 5 when x = 7, y = 8 |
In the following exercises, identify the coefficient of each term.
61. 12n | 62. 9x2 |
In the following exercises, identify the like terms.
63. 3n, n2, 12, 12p2, 3, 3n2 | 64. 5, 18r2, 9s, 9r, 5r2, 5s |
In the following exercises, identify the terms in each expression.
65. 11x2 + 3x + 6 | 66. 22y3 + y + 15 |
In the following exercises, simplify the following expressions by combining like terms.
67. 17a + 9a | 68. 18z + 9z |
69. 9x + 3x + 8 | 70. 8a + 5a + 9 |
71. 7p + 6 + 5p – 4 | 72. 8x + 7 + 4x – 5 |
In the following exercises, translate the following phrases into algebraic expressions.
73. the sum of 8 and 12 | 74. the sum of 9 and 1 |
75. the difference of x and 4 | 76. the difference of x and 3 |
77. the product of 6 and y | 78. the product of 9 and y |
79. Derek bought a skirt and a blouse. The skirt cost $15 more than the blouse. Let b represent the cost of the blouse. Write an expression for the cost of the skirt. | 80. Marcella has 6 fewer boy cousins than girl cousins. Let g represent the number of girl cousins. Write an expression for the number of boy cousins. |
In the following exercises, order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or >.
81. a) 6___2 b) -7___4 c) -9___-1 d) 9___-3 | 82. a) -5___1 b) -4___-9 c) 6___10 d) 3___-8 |
In the following exercises,, find the opposite of each number.
83. a) -8 b) 1 | 84. a) -2 b) 6 |
In the following exercises, simplify.
85. (–19) | 86. (–53) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
87. −m when a) m = 3 b) m=-3 | 88. −p when a) p = 6 b) p = -6 |
In the following exercises,, simplify.
89. a) |7| b) |-25| c) |0| | 90. a) |5| b) |0| c) |-19| |
In the following exercises, fill in <, >, or = for each of the following pairs of numbers.
91. a) – 8 ___ |–8| b) – |–2|___ –2 | 92. a) –3|___ – | –3| b) 4 ___ – | –4| |
In the following exercises, simplify.
93. |8 – 4| | 94. |9 – 6| |
95. 8 (14 – 2 |- 2|) | 96. 6(13 – 4 |-2|) |
In the following exercises, evaluate.
97. a) |x| when x = -28 b) |-x| when x =-15 | 98. a) |y| when y = -37 b) |-z| when z=-24 |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
99. -200 + 65 | 100. -150 + 45 |
101. 2 + (-8) + 6 | 102. 4 + (-9) + 7 |
103. 140 + (-75) + 67 | 104. -32 + 24 + (-6) + 10 |
In the following exercises, simplify.
105. 9 – 3 | 106. -5 – (-1) |
107. a) 15 – 6 b) 15 + (-6) | 108. a) 12 – 9 b) 12 + (-9) |
109. a) 8 – (-9) b) 8 + 9 | 110. a) 4 – (-4) b) 4 + 4 |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
111. 10 – (-19) | 112. 11 – ( -18) |
113. 31 – 79 | 114. 39 – 81 |
115. -31 – 11 | 116. -32 – 18 |
117. -15 – (-28) + 5 | 118. 71 + (-10) – 8 |
119. -16 – (-4 + 1) – 7 | 120. -15 – (-6 + 4) – 3 |
In the following exercises, multiply.
121. -5 (7) | 122. -8 (6) |
123. -18(-2) | 124. -10 (-6) |
In the following exercises, divide.
125. -28 ÷ 7 | 126. 56 ÷ ( -7) |
127. -120 ÷ -20) | 128. -200 ÷ 25 |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
129. -8 (-2) -3 (-9) | 130. -7 (-4) – 5(-3) |
131. (-5)3 | 132. (-4)3 |
133. -4 · 2 · 11 | 134. -5 · 3 · 10 |
135. -10(-4) ÷ (-8) | 136. -8(-6) ÷ (-4) |
137. 31 – 4(3-9) | 138. 24 – 3(2 – 10) |
In the following exercises, evaluate each expression.
139. x + 8 when a) x = -26 b) x = -95 | 140. y + 9 when a) y = -29 b) y = -84 |
141. When b = -11, evaluate: a) b + 6 b) −b + 6 | 142. When c = -9, evaluate: a) c + (-4) b) −c + (-4) |
143. p2 – 5p + 2 when p = -1 | 144. q2 – 2q + 9 when q = -2 |
145. 6x – 5y + 15 when x = 3 and y = -1 | 146. 3p – 2q + 9 when p = 8 and q = -2 |
In the following exercises, translate to an algebraic expression and simplify if possible.
147. the sum of -4 and -17, increased by 32 | 148. a) the difference of 15 and -7 b) subtract 15 from -7 |
149. the quotient of -45 and -9 | 150. the product of -12 and the difference of c and d. |
In the following exercises, solve.
151. Temperature The high temperature one day in Miami Beach, Florida, was 76° F. That same day, the high temperature in Buffalo, New York was −8° F. What was the difference between the temperature in Miami Beach and the temperature in Buffalo? | 152. CheckingAccount Adrianne has a balance of -$22 in her checking account. She deposits $301 to the account. What is the new balance? |
1. a) tens b) ten thousands c) hundreds d) ones e) thousands | 3. a) ten millions b) tens c) hundred thousands d) millions e) ten thousands | 5. six thousand, one hundred four |
7. three million, nine hundred seventy-five thousand, two hundred eighty-four | 9. 315 | 11. 90,425,016 |
13. a)410b)8,560 | 15. a)865,000 b)865,000c)860,000 | 17. by 2,3,6 |
19. by 3,5 | 21. by 2,5,10 | 23. 2 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 |
25. 3 · 3 · 5 · 5 | 27. 2 · 2 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 13 | 29. 2 · 2 · 2 · 3 · 3 |
31. 2 · 2 · 3 · 3 · 7 | 33. 30 | 35. 120 |
37. 25 minus 7, the difference of twenty-five and seven | 39. 45 divided by 5, the quotient of forty-five and five | 41. forty-two is greater than or equal to twenty-seven |
43. 3 is less than or equal to 20 divided by 4, three is less than or equal to the quotient of twenty and four | 45. expression | 47. 243 |
49. 13 | 51. 10 | 53. 41 |
55. 34 | 57. 81 | 59. 58 |
61. 12 | 63. 12 and 3, n2 and 3n2 | 65. 11×2, 3x, 6 |
67. 26a | 69. 12x + 8 | 71. 12p + 2 |
73. 8 + 12 | 75. x – 4 | 77. 6y |
79. b + 15 | 81. a) > b) < c) < d) > | 83. a) 8 b) -1 |
85. 19 | 87. a) -3 b) 3 | 89. a) 7 b) 25 c) 0 |
91. a) < b) = | 93. 4 | 95. 80 |
97. a) 28 b) 15 | 99. -135 | 101. 0 |
103. 132 | 105. 6 | 107. a) 9 b) 9 |
109. a) 17 b) 17 | 111. 29 | 113. -48 |
115. -42 | 117. 18 | 119. -20 |
121. -35 | 123. 36 | 125. -4 |
127. 6 | 129. 43 | 131. -125 |
133. -88 | 135. -5 | 137. 55 |
139. a) -18 b) -87 | 141. a) -5 b) 17 | 143. 8 |
145. 38 | 147. (-4 + (-17)) + 32; 11 | 149. |
151. 84 degrees F |
1. Write as a whole number using digits: two hundred five thousand, six hundred seventeen. | 2. Find the prime factorization of 504. |
3. Find the Least Common Multiple of 18 and 24. | 4. Combine like terms: 5n + 8 + 2n – 1. |
In the following exercises, evaluate.
5. −|x| when x = -2 | 6. 11 – a when a = -3 |
7. Translate to an algebraic expression and simplify: twenty less than negative 7. | 8. Monique has a balance of −$18 in her checking account. She deposits $152 to the account. What is the new balance? |
9. Round 677.1348 to the nearest hundredth. | 10. Simplify expression -6 (-2) – 3 · 4 ÷ (-6) |
11. Simplify expression 4(-2) + 4 ·2 – | 12. Simplify expression -8(-3) ÷ (-6) |
13.Simplify expression 21 – 5(2 – 7) | 14. Simplify expression 2 + 2(3 – 10) – |
1. 205,617 | 2. 2 · 2 · 2 · 3 · 3 · 7 | 3. 72 |
4. 7n + 7 | 5. -2 | 6. 14 |
7. -7 – 20; -27 | 8. $ 134 | 9. 677.13 |
10. 10 | 11. 27 | 12. -4 |
13. 46 | 14. -20 |
All the numbers we use in the intermediate algebra course are real numbers. The chart below shows us how the number sets we use in algebra fit together. In this chapter we will work with rational numbers, but you will be also introduced to irrational numbers. The set of rational numbers together with the set of irrational numbers make up the set of real numbers.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Fractions are a way to represent parts of a whole. The fraction means that one whole has been divided into 3 equal parts and each part is one of the three equal parts. See (Figure 1). The fraction
represents two of three equal parts. In the fraction
, the 2 is called the numerator and the 3 is called the denominator.
The circle on the left has been divided into 3 equal parts. Each part is of the 3 equal parts. In the circle on the right,
of the circle is shaded (2 of the 3 equal parts).
Fraction
A fraction is written , where
and
A fraction represents parts of a whole. The denominator b is the number of equal parts the whole has been divided into, and the numerator a indicates how many parts are included.
If a whole pie has been cut into 6 pieces and we eat all 6 pieces, we ate pieces, or, in other words, one whole pie.
So . This leads us to the property of one that tells us that any number, except zero, divided by itself is 1
Property of One
Any number, except zero, divided by itself is one.
If a pie was cut in pieces and we ate all 6, we ate
pieces, or, in other words, one whole pie. If the pie was cut into 8 pieces and we ate all 8, we ate
pieces, or one whole pie. We ate the same amount—one whole pie.
The fractions and
have the same value, 1, and so they are called equivalent fractions. Equivalent fractions are fractions that have the same value.
Let’s think of pizzas this time. (Figure 2) shows two images: a single pizza on the left, cut into two equal pieces, and a second pizza of the same size, cut into eight pieces on the right. This is a way to show that is equivalent to
. In other words, they are equivalent fractions.
Since the same amount is of each pizza is shaded, we see that is equivalent to
. They are equivalent fractions.
Equivalent Fractions
Equivalent fractions are fractions that have the same value.
How can we use mathematics to change into
How could we take a pizza that is cut into 2 pieces and cut it into 8 pieces? We could cut each of the 2 larger pieces into 4 smaller pieces! The whole pizza would then be cut into
pieces instead of just 2. Mathematically, what we’ve described could be written like this as
. See (Figure 3).
Cutting each half of the pizza into pieces, gives us pizza cut into 8 pieces:
.
This model leads to the following property:
Equivalent Fractions Property
If are numbers where
, then
If we had cut the pizza differently, we could get
So, we say are equivalent fractions.
EXAMPLE 1
Find three fractions equivalent to .
To find a fraction equivalent to , we multiply the numerator and denominator by the same number. We can choose any number, except for zero. Let’s multiply them by 2, 3, and then 5.
So, are equivalent to
.
TRY IT 1.1
Find three fractions equivalent to .
answers may vary
TRY IT 1.2
Find three fractions equivalent to .
answers may vary
A fraction is considered simplified if there are no common factors, other than 1, in its numerator and denominator.
For example,
Simplified Fraction
A fraction is considered simplified if there are no common factors in its numerator and denominator.
The phrase reduce a fraction means to simplify the fraction. We simplify, or reduce, a fraction by removing the common factors of the numerator and denominator. A fraction is not simplified until all common factors have been removed. If an expression has fractions, it is not completely simplified until the fractions are simplified.
In Example 1, we used the equivalent fractions property to find equivalent fractions. Now we’ll use the equivalent fractions property in reverse to simplify fractions. We can rewrite the property to show both forms together.
Equivalent Fractions Property
If are numbers where
,
EXAMPLE 2
Simplify: .
Rewrite the numerator and denominator showing the common factors. | ![]() |
Simplify using the equivalent fractions property. |
Notice that the fraction is simplified because there are no more common factors.
TRY IT 2.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 2.2
Simplify: .
Sometimes it may not be easy to find common factors of the numerator and denominator. When this happens, a good idea is to factor the numerator and the denominator into prime numbers. Then divide out the common factors using the equivalent fractions property.
EXAMPLE 3
Simplify: .
TRY IT 3.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 3.2
Simplify: .
We now summarize the steps you should follow to simplify fractions.
HOW TO: Simplify a Fraction
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify: .
Rewrite showing the common factors, then divide out the common factors. | ![]() |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: .
Many people find multiplying and dividing fractions easier than adding and subtracting fractions. So we will start with fraction multiplication.
We’ll use a model to show you how to multiply two fractions and to help you remember the procedure. Let’s start with .
Now we’ll take of
.
Notice that now, the whole is divided into 8 equal parts. So .
To multiply fractions, we multiply the numerators and multiply the denominators.
Fraction Multiplication
If are numbers where
, then
To multiply fractions, multiply the numerators and multiply the denominators.
When multiplying fractions, the properties of positive and negative numbers still apply, of course. It is a good idea to determine the sign of the product as the first step. In Example 5, we will multiply negative and a positive, so the product will be negative.
EXAMPLE 5
Multiply: .
The first step is to find the sign of the product. Since the signs are the different, the product is negative.
Determine the sign of the product; multiply. | |
Are there any common factors in the numerator and the demoninator? No. |
TRY IT 5.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 5.2
Multiply: .
When multiplying a fraction by an integer, it may be helpful to write the integer as a fraction. Any integer, a, can be written as . So, for example,
.
EXAMPLE 6
Multiply: .
Determine the sign of the product. The signs are the same, so the product is positive.
Write | |
Multiply. | |
Rewrite 20 to show the common factor 5 and divide it out. | ![]() |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 6.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 6.2
Multiply: .
Now that we know how to multiply fractions, we are almost ready to divide. Before we can do that, that we need some vocabulary.
The reciprocal of a fraction is found by inverting the fraction, placing the numerator in the denominator and the denominator in the numerator. The reciprocal of is
.
Notice that . A number and its reciprocal multiply to 1.
To get a product of positive 1 when multiplying two numbers, the numbers must have the same sign. So reciprocals must have the same sign.
The reciprocal of is
, since
.
Reciprocal
The reciprocal of is
.
A number and its reciprocal multiply to one .
To divide fractions, we multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second.
Fraction Division
If are numbers where
, then
We need to say to be sure we don’t divide by zero!
EXAMPLE 7
Divide: .
To divide, multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second. | |
Multiply. |
TRY IT 7.1
Divide: .
TRY IT 7.2
Divide: .
EXAMPLE 8
Find the quotient: .
To divide, multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second. | |
Determine the sign of the product, and then multiply.. | |
Rewrite showing common factors. | ![]() |
Remove common factors. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 8.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 8.2
Find the quotient: .
There are several ways to remember which steps to take to multiply or divide fractions. One way is to repeat the call outs to yourself. If you do this each time you do an exercise, you will have the steps memorized.
Another way is to keep two examples in mind:
The numerators or denominators of some fractions contain fractions themselves. A fraction in which the numerator or the denominator is a fraction is called a complex fraction.
Complex Fraction
A complex fraction is a fraction in which the numerator or the denominator contains a fraction.
Some examples of complex fractions are:
To simplify a complex fraction, we remember that the fraction bar means division. For example, the complex fraction means
.
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify: .
Rewrite as division. | |
Multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second. | |
Multiply. | |
Look for common factors. | ![]() |
Divide out common factors and simplify. |
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: .
Rewrite as division. | |
Multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second. | |
Multiply. | |
Look for common factors. | ![]() |
Divide out common factors and simplify. |
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: .
The line that separates the numerator from the denominator in a fraction is called a fraction bar. A fraction bar acts as grouping symbol. The order of operations then tells us to simplify the numerator and then the denominator. Then we divide.
To simplify the expression , we first simplify the numerator and the denominator separately. Then we divide.
HOW TO: Simplify an Expression with a Fraction Bar
EXAMPLE 11
Simplify: .
Use the order of operations to simpliy the numerator and the denominator. | |
Simplify the numerator and the denominator. | |
Simplify. A negative divided by a positive is negative. |
TRY IT 11.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 11.2
Simplify: .
Placement of Negative Sign in a Fraction
For any positive numbers a and b,
EXAMPLE 12
Simplify: .
Multiply. | |
Simplify. | |
Divide. |
TRY IT 12.1
Simplify: .
4
TRY IT 12.2
Simplify: .
2
Now that we have done some work with fractions, we are ready to translate phrases that would result in expressions with fractions.
The English words quotient and ratio are often used to describe fractions. Remember that “quotient” means division. The quotient of and
is the result we get from dividing
by
, or
.
EXAMPLE 13
Translate the English phrase into an algebraic expression: the quotient of the difference of m and n, and p.
We are looking for the quotient of the difference of m and n, and p. This means we want to divide the difference of .
TRY IT 13.1
Translate the English phrase into an algebraic expression: the quotient of the difference of a and b, and cd.
TRY IT 13.2
Translate the English phrase into an algebraic expression: the quotient of the sum of and
, and
In the following exercises, find three fractions equivalent to the given fraction. Show your work, using figures or algebra.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
In the following exercises, multiply.
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
In the following exercises, divide.
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
In the following exercises, translate each English phrase into an algebraic expression.
71. the quotient of r and the sum of s and 10 | 72. the quotient of A and the difference of 3 and B |
73. the quotient of the difference of | 74. the quotient of the sum of |
75. Baking. A recipe for chocolate chip cookies calls for | 76. Baking. Nina is making 4 pans of fudge to serve after a music recital. For each pan, she needs |
77. Portions Don purchased a bulk package of candy that weighs | 78. Portions Kristen has |
79. Rafael wanted to order half a medium pizza at a restaurant. The waiter told him that a medium pizza could be cut into 6 or 8 slices. Would he prefer 3 out of 6 slices or 4 out of 8 slices? Rafael replied that since he wasn’t very hungry, he would prefer 3 out of 6 slices. Explain what is wrong with Rafael’s reasoning. | 80. Give an example from everyday life that demonstrates how |
81. Explain how you find the reciprocal of a fraction. | 82. Explain how you find the reciprocal of a negative number. |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. | 15. | 17. |
19. | 21. | 23. |
25. | 27. 9n | 29. |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. | 39. | 41. |
43. | 45. | 47. |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. 0 | 57. | 59. |
61. | 63. | 65. |
67. | 69. | 71. |
73. | 75. a) | 77. 20 bags |
79. Answers may vary. | 81. Answers may vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Visualize Fractions” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
When we multiplied fractions, we just multiplied the numerators and multiplied the denominators right straight across. To add or subtract fractions, they must have a common denominator.
Fraction Addition and Subtraction
If are numbers where
, then
To add or subtract fractions, add or subtract the numerators and place the result over the common denominator.
EXAMPLE 1
Find the sum: .
Add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. |
TRY IT 1.1
Find the sum: .
TRY IT 1.2
Find the sum: .
EXAMPLE 2
Find the difference: .
Subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator. | |
Simplify. | |
Simplify. Remember, |
TRY IT 2.1
Find the difference: .
TRY IT 2.2
Find the difference: .
EXAMPLE 3
Simplify: .
Subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator. | |
Rewrite with the sign in front of the fraction. |
TRY IT 3.1
Find the difference: .
TRY IT 3.2
Find the difference: .
Now we will do an example that has both addition and subtraction.
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify: .
Add and subtract fractions—do they have a common denominator? Yes. | |
Add and subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator. | |
Simplify left to right. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: .
As we have seen, to add or subtract fractions, their denominators must be the same. The least common denominator (LCD) of two fractions is the smallest number that can be used as a common denominator of the fractions. The LCD of the two fractions is the least common multiple (LCM) of their denominators.
Least Common Denominator
The least common denominator (LCD) of two fractions is the least common multiple (LCM) of their denominators.
After we find the least common denominator of two fractions, we convert the fractions to equivalent fractions with the LCD. Putting these steps together allows us to add and subtract fractions because their denominators will be the same!
EXAMPLE 5
Add: .
TRY IT 5.1
Add: .
TRY IT 5.2
Add: .
HOW TO: Add or Subtract Fractions
When finding the equivalent fractions needed to create the common denominators, there is a quick way to find the number we need to multiply both the numerator and denominator. This method works if we found the LCD by factoring into primes.
Look at the factors of the LCD and then at each column above those factors. The “missing” factors of each denominator are the numbers we need.
In (Example 5), the LCD, 36, has two factors of 2 and two factors of .
The numerator 12 has two factors of 2 but only one of 3—so it is “missing” one 3—we multiply the numerator and denominator by 3
The numerator 18 is missing one factor of 2—so we multiply the numerator and denominator by 2
We will apply this method as we subtract the fractions in (Example 6).
EXAMPLE 6
Subtract: .
Do the fractions have a common denominator? No, so we need to find the LCD.
Find the LCD.![]() | |
Notice, 15 is “missing” three factors of 2 and 24 is “missing” the 5 from the factors of the LCD. So we multiply 8 in the first fraction and 5 in the second fraction to get the LCD. | |
Rewrite as equivalent fractions with the LCD. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Subtract. | |
Check to see if the answer can be simplified. | |
Both 39 and 120 have a factor of 3. | |
Simplify. |
Do not simplify the equivalent fractions! If you do, you’ll get back to the original fractions and lose the common denominator!
TRY IT 6.1
Subtract: .
TRY IT 6.2
Subtract: .
In the next example, one of the fractions has a variable in its numerator. Notice that we do the same steps as when both numerators are numbers.
EXAMPLE 7
Add: .
The fractions have different denominators.
![]() | ||
Find the LCD.![]() | ||
Rewrite as equivalent fractions with the LCD. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Add. | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Add: .
TRY IT 7.2
Add: .
We now have all four operations for fractions. The table below summarizes fraction operations.
Fraction Operation | Sample Equation | What to Do |
---|---|---|
Fraction multiplication | Multiply the numerators and multiply the denominators | |
Fraction division | Multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second. | |
Fraction addition | Add the numerators and place the sum over the common denominator. | |
Fraction subtraction | Subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominator. |
To multiply or divide fractions, an LCD is NOT needed. To add or subtract fractions, an LCD is needed.
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify: a) b)
.
First ask, “What is the operation?” Once we identify the operation that will determine whether we need a common denominator. Remember, we need a common denominator to add or subtract, but not to multiply or divide.
a) What is the operation? The operation is subtraction. | |
Do the fractions have a common denominator? No. | |
Rewrite each fraction as an equivalent fraction with the LCD. | |
Subtract the numerators and place the difference over the common denominators. | |
Simplify, if possible. | There are no common factors. The fraction is simplified. |
b) What is the operation? Multiplication. | |
To multiply fractions, multiply the numerators and multiply the denominators. | |
Rewrite, showing common factors. Remove common factors. | |
Simplify. |
Notice we needed an LCD to add , but not to multiply
.
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify. a) b)
a) b)
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
We have seen that a complex fraction is a fraction in which the numerator or denominator contains a fraction. The fraction bar indicates division. We simplified the complex fraction by dividing
by
.
Now we’ll look at complex fractions where the numerator or denominator contains an expression that can be simplified. So we first must completely simplify the numerator and denominator separately using the order of operations. Then we divide the numerator by the denominator.
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify: .
HOW TO: Simplify Complex Fractions
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: .
It may help to put parentheses around the numerator and the denominator.
Simplify the numerator (LCD = 6) and simplify the denominator (LCD = 12). | |
Simplify. | |
Divide the numerator by the denominator. | |
Simplify. | |
Divide out common factors. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: .
2
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: .
We have evaluated expressions before, but now we can evaluate expressions with fractions. Remember, to evaluate an expression, we substitute the value of the variable into the expression and then simplify.
EXAMPLE 11
Evaluate when a)
b)
.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify. | 0 |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Rewrite as equivalent fractions with the LCD, 12. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Add. |
TRY IT 11.1
Evaluate when a)
b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 11.2
Evaluate when a)
b)
.
a) b)
EXAMPLE 12
Evaluate when
.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Rewrite as equivalent fractions with the LCD, 6. | ![]() |
Subtract. | ![]() |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 12.1
Evaluate when
.
TRY IT 12.2
Evaluate when
.
EXAMPLE 13
Evaluate when
and
.
Substitute the values into the expression.
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify exponents first. | |
Multiply. Divide out the common factors. Notice we write 16 as | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 13.1
Evaluate when
and
.
TRY IT 13.2
Evaluate when
and
.
The next example will have only variables, no constants.
EXAMPLE 14
Evaluate when
.
To evaluate when
, we substitute the values into the expression.
![]() | ![]() |
Add in the numerator first. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 14.1
Evaluate when
.
TRY IT 14.2
Evaluate when
.
In the following exercises, add.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
In the following exercises, add or subtract.
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
57. a) | 58. a) |
59. a) | 60. a) |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. | 82. |
83. | 84. |
85. | 86. |
87. | 88. |
89. | 90. |
91. | 92. |
In the following exercises, evaluate.
93. a) b) | 94. a) b) |
95. a) b) | 96. a) b) |
97. a) b) | 98. a) b) |
99. | 100. |
101. | 102. |
103. Decorating Laronda is making covers for the throw pillows on her sofa. For each pillow cover, she needs | 104. Baking Samuel is baking chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cookies. He needs |
105. Why do you need a common denominator to add or subtract fractions? Explain. | 106. How do you find the LCD of 2 fractions? |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. | 15. | 17. |
19. | 21. | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. | 39. | 41. |
43. | 45. | 47. |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. | 57. a) | 59. a) |
61. | 63. | 65. |
67. | 69. | 71. 54 |
73. | 75. | 77. |
79. | 81. | 83. |
85. | 87. | 89. 1 |
91. | 93. a) | 95. a) |
97. a) | 99. | 101. |
103. | 105. Answers may vary |
This chapter has been adapted from “Add and Subtract Fractions” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Decimals are another way of writing fractions whose denominators are powers of 10.
Notice that “ten thousand” is a number larger than one, but “one ten-thousandth” is a number smaller than one. The “th” at the end of the name tells you that the number is smaller than one.
When we name a whole number, the name corresponds to the place value based on the powers of ten. We read 10,000 as “ten thousand” and 10,000,000 as “ten million.” Likewise, the names of the decimal places correspond to their fraction values. Figure 1 shows the names of the place values to the left and right of the decimal point.
EXAMPLE 1
Name the decimal 4.3
TRY IT 1.1
Name the decimal: .
six and seven tenths
TRY IT 1.2
Name the decimal: .
five and eight tenths
We summarize the steps needed to name a decimal below.
HOW TO: Name a Decimal
EXAMPLE 2
Name the decimal: .
Name the number to the left of the decimal point. | negative fifteen __________________________________ |
Write “and” for the decimal point. | negative fifteen and ______________________________ |
Name the number to the right of the decimal point. | negative fifteen and five hundred seventy-one __________ |
The 1 is in the thousandths place. | negative fifteen and five hundred seventy-one thousandths |
TRY IT 2.1
Name the decimal: .
negative thirteen and four hundred sixty-one thousandths
TRY IT 2.2
Name the decimal: .
negative two and fifty-three thousandths
When we write a check we write both the numerals and the name of the number. Let’s see how to write the decimal from the name.
EXAMPLE 3
Write “fourteen and twenty-four thousandths” as a decimal.
TRY IT 3.1
Write as a decimal: thirteen and sixty-eight thousandths.
13.68
TRY IT 3.2
Write as a decimal: five and ninety-four thousandths.
5.94
We summarize the steps to writing a decimal.
HOW TO: Write a Decimal
Rounding decimals is very much like rounding whole numbers. We will round decimals with a method based on the one we used to round whole numbers.
EXAMPLE 4
TRY IT 4.1
Round to the nearest hundredth: .
1.05
TRY IT 4.2
Round to the nearest hundredth: .
9.17
We summarize the steps for rounding a decimal here.
HOW TO: Round Decimals
EXAMPLE 5
Round 18.379 to the nearest a) tenth b) whole number.
Round 18.379
a) to the nearest tenth
Locate the tenths place with an arrow. | ![]() |
Underline the digit to the right of the given place value. | ![]() |
Because 7 is greater than or equal to 5, add 1 to the 3. | ![]() |
Rewrite the number, deleting all digits to the right of the rounding digit. | ![]() |
Notice that the deleted digits were NOT replaced with zeros. | So, 18.379 rounded to the nearest tenth is 18.4. |
b) to the nearest whole number
Locate the ones place with an arrow. | ![]() |
Underline the digit to the right of the given place value. | ![]() |
Since 3 is not greater than or equal to 5, do not add 1 to the 8. | ![]() |
Rewrite the number, deleting all digits to the right of the rounding digit. | ![]() |
So, 18.379 rounded to the nearest whole number is 18. |
TRY IT 5.1
Round to the nearest a) hundredth b) tenth c) whole number.
a) 6.58 b) 6.6 c) 7
TRY IT 5.2
Round to the nearest a) thousandth b) hundredth c) tenth.
a) 15.218 b) 15.22 c) 15.2
To add or subtract decimals, we line up the decimal points. By lining up the decimal points this way, we can add or subtract the corresponding place values. We then add or subtract the numbers as if they were whole numbers and then place the decimal point in the sum.
HOW TO: Add or Subtract Decimals
EXAMPLE 6
Add: .
Write the numbers so the decimal points line up vertically. | |
Put 0 as a placeholder after the 5 in 23.5. Remember, | |
Add the numbers as if they were whole numbers. Then place the decimal point in the sum. |
TRY IT 6.1
Add: .
16.49
TRY IT 6.2
Add: .
23.593
EXAMPLE 7
Subtract: .
Write the numbers so the decimal points line up vertically. Remember, 20 is a whole number, so place the decimal point after the 0. | |
Put in zeros to the right as placeholders. | |
Subtract and place the decimal point in the answer. |
TRY IT 7.1
Subtract: .
0.42
TRY IT 7.2
Subtract: .
12.58
Multiplying decimals is very much like multiplying whole numbers—we just have to determine where to place the decimal point. The procedure for multiplying decimals will make sense if we first convert them to fractions and then multiply.
So let’s see what we would get as the product of decimals by converting them to fractions first. We will do two examples side-by-side. Look for a pattern!
![]() | |
Convert to fractions. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Convert to decimals. | ![]() |
Notice, in the first example, we multiplied two numbers that each had one digit after the decimal point and the product had two decimal places. In the second example, we multiplied a number with one decimal place by a number with two decimal places and the product had three decimal places.
We multiply the numbers just as we do whole numbers, temporarily ignoring the decimal point. We then count the number of decimal points in the factors and that sum tells us the number of decimal places in the product.
The rules for multiplying positive and negative numbers apply to decimals, too, of course!
When multiplying two numbers,
When we multiply signed decimals, first we determine the sign of the product and then multiply as if the numbers were both positive. Finally, we write the product with the appropriate sign.
HOW TO: Multiply Decimals
EXAMPLE 8
Multiply: .
(−3.9)(4.075) | |
The signs are different. The product will be negative. | |
Write in vertical format, lining up the numbers on the right. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Add the number of decimal places in the factors (1 + 3).
| ![]() |
The signs are different, so the product is negative. | (−3.9)(4.075) = −15.8925 |
TRY IT 8.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 8.2
Multiply: .
In many of your other classes, especially in the sciences, you will multiply decimals by powers of 10 (10, 100, 1000, etc.). If you multiply a few products on paper, you may notice a pattern relating the number of zeros in the power of 10 to number of decimal places we move the decimal point to the right to get the product.
HOW TO: Multiply a Decimal by a Power of Ten
EXAMPLE 9
Multiply 5.63 a) by 10 b) by 100 c) by 1,000.
By looking at the number of zeros in the multiple of ten, we see the number of places we need to move the decimal to the right.
a)
5.63(10) | |
There is 1 zero in 10, so move the decimal point 1 place to the right. | ![]() |
b)
5.63(100) | |
There are 2 zeros in 100, so move the decimal point 2 places to the right. | ![]() |
c)
5.63(1,000) | |
There are 3 zeros in 1,000, so move the decimal point 3 places to the right. | ![]() |
A zero must be added at the end. | ![]() |
TRY IT 9.1
Multiply 2.58 a) by 10 b) by 100 c) by 1,000.
a) 25.8 b) 258 c) 2,580
TRY IT 9.2
Multiply 14.2 a) by 10 b) by 100 c) by 1,000.
a) 142 b) 1,420 c) 14,200
Just as with multiplication, division of decimals is very much like dividing whole numbers. We just have to figure out where the decimal point must be placed.
To divide decimals, determine what power of 10 to multiply the denominator by to make it a whole number. Then multiply the numerator by that same power of . Because of the equivalent fractions property, we haven’t changed the value of the fraction! The effect is to move the decimal points in the numerator and denominator the same number of places to the right. For example:
We use the rules for dividing positive and negative numbers with decimals, too. When dividing signed decimals, first determine the sign of the quotient and then divide as if the numbers were both positive. Finally, write the quotient with the appropriate sign.
We review the notation and vocabulary for division:
We’ll write the steps to take when dividing decimals, for easy reference.
HOW TO: Divide Decimals
EXAMPLE 10
Divide: .
Remember, you can “move” the decimals in the divisor and dividend because of the Equivalent Fractions Property.
The signs are the same. | The quotient is positive. |
Make the divisor a whole number by “moving” the decimal point all the way to the right. | |
“Move” the decimal point in the dividend the same number of places. | ![]() |
Divide. Place the decimal point in the quotient above the decimal point in the dividend. | ![]() |
Write the quotient with the appropriate sign. |
TRY IT 10.1
Divide: .
687.3
TRY IT 10.2
Divide: .
34.25
A common application of dividing whole numbers into decimals is when we want to find the price of one item that is sold as part of a multi-pack. For example, suppose a case of 24 water bottles costs $3.99. To find the price of one water bottle, we would divide $3.99 by 24. We show this division in Example 11. In calculations with money, we will round the answer to the nearest cent (hundredth).
EXAMPLE 11
Divide: .
Place the decimal point in the quotient above the decimal point in the dividend. | |
Divide as usual. When do we stop? Since this division involves money, we round it to the nearest cent (hundredth.) To do this, we must carry the division to the thousandths place. | ![]() |
Round to the nearest cent. |
TRY IT 11.1
Divide: .
$0.19
TRY IT 11.2
Divide: .
$0.42
We convert decimals into fractions by identifying the place value of the last (farthest right) digit. In the decimal 0.03 the 3 is in the hundredths place, so 100 is the denominator of the fraction equivalent to 0.03
Notice, when the number to the left of the decimal is zero, we get a fraction whose numerator is less than its denominator. Fractions like this are called proper fractions.
The steps to take to convert a decimal to a fraction are summarized in the procedure box.
HOW TO: Covert a Decimal to a Proper Fraction
EXAMPLE 12
Write 0.374 as a fraction.
Determine the place value of the final digit. | ![]() |
Write the fraction for 0.374:
| |
Simplify the fraction. | |
Divide out the common factors. | so, |
Did you notice that the number of zeros in the denominator of is the same as the number of decimal places in 0.374?
TRY IT 12.1
Write 0.234 as a fraction.
TRY IT 12.2
Write 0.024 as a fraction.
We’ve learned to convert decimals to fractions. Now we will do the reverse—convert fractions to decimals. Remember that the fraction bar means division. So can be written
or
. This leads to the following method for converting a fraction to a decimal.
HOW TO: Covert a Fraction to a Decimal
To convert a fraction to a decimal, divide the numerator of the fraction by the denominator of the fraction.
EXAMPLE 13
Write as a decimal.
Since a fraction bar means division, we begin by writing as
. Now divide.
TRY IT 13.1
Write as a decimal.
TRY IT 13.2
Write as a decimal.
When we divide, we will not always get a zero remainder. Sometimes the quotient ends up with a decimal that repeats. A repeating decimal is a decimal in which the last digit or group of digits repeats endlessly. A bar is placed over the repeating block of digits to indicate it repeats.
Repeating Decimal
A repeating decimal is a decimal in which the last digit or group of digits repeats endlessly.
A bar is placed over the repeating block of digits to indicate it repeats.
EXAMPLE 14
Write as a decimal.
TRY IT 14.1
Write as a decimal.
TRY IT 14.2
Write as a decimal.
Sometimes we may have to simplify expressions with fractions and decimals together.
EXAMPLE 15
Simplify: .
First we must change one number so both numbers are in the same form. We can change the fraction to a decimal, or change the decimal to a fraction. Usually it is easier to change the fraction to a decimal.
Change | ![]() | |
Add. | ||
So, |
TRY IT 15.1
Simplify: .
5.275
TRY IT 15.2
Simplify: .
6.35
In the following exercises, write as a decimal.
1. Twenty-nine and eighty-one hundredths | 2. Sixty-one and seventy-four hundredths |
3. Seven tenths | 4. Six tenths |
5. Twenty-nine thousandth | 6. Thirty-five thousandths |
7. Negative eleven and nine ten-thousandths | 8. Negative fifty-nine and two ten-thousandths |
In the following exercises, name each decimal.
9. 5.5 | 10. 14.02 |
11. 8.71 | 12. 2.64 |
13. 0.002 | 14. 0.479 |
15. | 16. |
In the following exercises, round each number to the nearest tenth.
17. 0.67 | 18. 0.49 |
19. 2.84 | 20. 4.63 |
In the following exercises, round each number to the nearest hundredth.
21. 0.845 | 22. 0.761 |
23. 0.299 | 24. 0.697 |
25. 4.098 | 26. 7.096 |
27. 5.781 | 28. 1.6381 |
29. 63.479 | 30. |
In the following exercises, add or subtract.
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
In the following exercises, multiply.
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
In the following exercises, write each decimal as a fraction.
77. 0.04 | 78. 0.19 |
79. 0.52 | 80. 0.78 |
81. 1.25 | 82. 1.35 |
83. 0.375 | 84. 0.464 |
85. 0.095 | 86. 0.085 |
87. | 88. |
89. | 90. |
91. | 92. |
93. | 94. |
95. | 96. |
97. | 98. |
99. Salary Increase Danny got a raise and now makes $58,965.95 a year. Round this number to the nearest a) dollar b) thousand dollars c) ten thousand dollars. | 100. New Car Purchase Selena’s new car cost $23,795.95. Round this number to the nearest a) dollar b) thousand dollars c) ten thousand dollars. |
101. Sales Tax Hyo Jin lives in Vancouver. She bought a refrigerator for $1,624.99 and when the clerk calculated the sales tax it came out to exactly $142.186625. Round the sales tax to the nearest a) penny and b) dollar. | 102. Sales Tax Jennifer bought a $1,038.99 dining room set for her home in Burnaby. She calculated the sales tax to be exactly $67.53435. Round the sales tax to the nearest a) penny and b) dollar. |
103. Paycheck Annie has two jobs. She gets paid $14.04 per hour for tutoring at Community College and $8.75 per hour at a coffee shop. Last week she tutored for 8 hours and worked at the coffee shop for 15 hours. a) How much did she earn? b) If she had worked all 23 hours as a tutor instead of working both jobs, how much more would she have earned? | 104. Paycheck Jake has two jobs. He gets paid $7.95 per hour at the college cafeteria and $20.25 at the art gallery. Last week he worked 12 hours at the cafeteria and 5 hours at the art gallery. a) How much did he earn? b) If he had worked all 17 hours at the art gallery instead of working both jobs, how much more would he have earned? |
105. How does knowing about Canadian money help you learn about decimals? | 106. Explain how you write “three and nine hundredths” as a decimal. |
1. 29.81 | 3. 0.7 | 5. 0.029 |
7. | 9. five and five tenths | 11. eight and seventy-one hundredths |
13. two thousandths | 15. negative seventeen and nine tenths | 17. 0.7 |
19. 2.8 | 21. 0.85 | 23. 0.30 |
25. 4.10 | 27. a) 5.78 b) 5.8 c) 6 | 29. a) 63.48 b) 63.5 c) 63 |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. | 39. | 41. 15.73 |
43. 102.212 | 45. 51.31 | 47. |
49. 0.144 | 51. 42.008 | 53. |
55. 337.8914 | 57. 1.305 | 59. 92.4 |
61. 55,200 | 63. 0.19 | 65. $2.44 |
67. 3 | 69. | 71. 35 |
73. 2.08 | 75. 20 | 77. |
79. | 81. | 83. |
85. | 87. 0.85 | 89. 2.75 |
91. | 93. | 95. |
97. 3.025 | 99. a) $58,966 b) $59,000 c) $60,000 | 101. a) $142.19; b) $142 |
103. a) $243.57 b) $79.35 | 105. Answers may vary. | 107. Answers may vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Decimals” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
We have already described numbers as counting numbers, whole numbers, and integers. What is the difference between these types of numbers?
What type of numbers would we get if we started with all the integers and then included all the fractions? The numbers we would have form the set of rational numbers. A rational number is a number that can be written as a ratio of two integers.
Rational Number
A rational number is a number of the form , where p and q are integers and
.
A rational number can be written as the ratio of two integers.
All signed fractions, such as are rational numbers. Each numerator and each denominator is an integer.
Are integers rational numbers? To decide if an integer is a rational number, we try to write it as a ratio of two integers. Each integer can be written as a ratio of integers in many ways. For example, 3 is equivalent to
An easy way to write an integer as a ratio of integers is to write it as a fraction with denominator one.
Since any integer can be written as the ratio of two integers, all integers are rational numbers! Remember that the counting numbers and the whole numbers are also integers, and so they, too, are rational.
What about decimals? Are they rational? Let’s look at a few to see if we can write each of them as the ratio of two integers.
We’ve already seen that integers are rational numbers. The integer could be written as the decimal
. So, clearly, some decimals are rational.
Think about the decimal 7.3. Can we write it as a ratio of two integers? Because 7.3 means , we can write it as an improper fraction,
. So 7.3 is the ratio of the integers 73 and 10. It is a rational number.
In general, any decimal that ends after a number of digits (such as 7.3 or is a rational number. We can use the place value of the last digit as the denominator when writing the decimal as a fraction.
EXAMPLE 1
Write as the ratio of two integers: a) b) 7.31
a) Write it as a fraction with denominator 1. | |
b) Write it as a mixed number. Remember, 7 is the whole number and the decimal part, 0.31, indicates hundredths. Convert to an improper fraction. |
So we see that and 7.31 are both rational numbers, since they can be written as the ratio of two integers.
TRY IT 1.1
Write as the ratio of two integers: a) b) 3.57
a) b)
TRY IT 1.2
Write as the ratio of two integers: a) b) 8.41
a) b)
Let’s look at the decimal form of the numbers we know are rational.
We have seen that every integer is a rational number, since for any integer, a. We can also change any integer to a decimal by adding a decimal point and a zero.
Integer | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Decimal form | -2.0 | -1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
These decimal numbers stop. |
We have also seen that every fraction is a rational number. Look at the decimal form of the fractions we considered above.
Ratio of integers | – | – | ||
The decimal form | ||||
These decimals either stop or repeat. |
What do these examples tell us?
Every rational number can be written both as a ratio of integers, ,where p and q are integers and
,and as a decimal that either stops or repeats.
Here are the numbers we looked at above expressed as a ratio of integers and as a decimal:
Fractions | Integers | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | ||||||||||
Ratio of Integers | ||||||||||
Decimal Form |
Rational Number
A rational number is a number of the form , where p and q are integers and
.
Its decimal form stops or repeats.
Are there any decimals that do not stop or repeat? Yes!
The number (the Greek letter pi, pronounced “pie”), which is very important in describing circles, has a decimal form that does not stop or repeat.
.
We can even create a decimal pattern that does not stop or repeat, such as
Numbers whose decimal form does not stop or repeat cannot be written as a fraction of integers. We call these numbers irrational. More on irrational numbers later on is this course.
Irrational Number
An irrational number is a number that cannot be written as the ratio of two integers.
Its decimal form does not stop and does not repeat.
Let’s summarize a method we can use to determine whether a number is rational or irrational.
Rational or Irrational?
If the decimal form of a number
EXAMPLE 2
Given the numbers . list the a) rational numbers b) irrational numbers.
a) Look for decimals that repeat or stop. | The 3 repeats in The decimal 0.47 stops after the 7. So |
b) Look for decimals that neither stop nor repeat. | So |
TRY IT 2.1
For the given numbers list the a) rational numbers b) irrational numbers: .
a) b)
TRY IT 2.2
For the given numbers list the a) rational numbers b) irrational numbers:
a) b)
We have seen that all counting numbers are whole numbers, all whole numbers are integers, and all integers are rational numbers. The irrational numbers are numbers whose decimal form does not stop and does not repeat. When we put together the rational numbers and the irrational numbers, we get the set of real numbers.
Real Number
A real number is a number that is either rational or irrational.
All the numbers we use in algebra are real numbers. Figure 1 illustrates how the number sets we’ve discussed in this section fit together.
EXAMPLE 3
Given the numbers , list the a) whole numbers b) integers c) rational numbers d) irrational numbers e) real numbers.
a) Remember, the whole numbers are 0, 1, 2, 3, … So 0 and 8 are the only whole numbers given.
b) The integers are the whole numbers, their opposites, and 0. So the whole numbers 0 and 8 are integers, and is the opposite of a whole number so it is an integer,too. So the integers are
.
c) Since all integers are rational, then , are rational. Rational numbers also include fractions and decimals that repeat or stop, so
are rational. So the list of rational numbers is
,
d) Remember that 6.457… is a decimal that does not repeat and does not stop , so 6.457… is irrational.
e) All the numbers listed are real numbers.
TRY IT 3.1
For the given numbers, list the a) whole numbers b) integers c) rational numbers d) irrational numbers e) real numbers: .
a) b)
c)
d)
e)
TRY IT 3.2
For the given numbers, list the a) whole numbers b) integers c) rational numbers d) irrational numbers e) real numbers:
a) b)
c)
d)
e)
The last time we looked at the number line, it only had positive and negative integers on it. We now want to include fractions and decimals on it.
Let’s start with fractions and locate on the number line.
We’ll start with the whole numbers and
. because they are the easiest to plot. See Figure 2.
The proper fractions listed are . We know the proper fraction
has value less than one and so would be located between
The denominator is 5, so we divide the unit from 0 to 1 into 5 equal parts
. We plot
. See Figure 2.
Similarly, is between 0 and
. After dividing the unit into 5 equal parts we plot
. See Figure 2.
Finally, look at the improper fractions . These are fractions in which the numerator is greater than the denominator. Locating these points may be easier if you change each of them to a mixed number. See Figure 2.
Figure 2 shows the number line with all the points plotted.
EXAMPLE 4
Locate and label the following on a number line: .
Locate and plot the integers, .
Locate the proper fraction first. The fraction
is between 0 and 1. Divide the distance between 0 and 1 into four equal parts then, we plot
. Similarly plot
.
Now locate the improper fractions . It is easier to plot them if we convert them to mixed numbers and then plot them as described above:
.
TRY IT 4.1
Locate and label the following on a number line: .
TRY IT 4.2
Locate and label the following on a number line: .
In Example 5, we’ll use the inequality symbols to order fractions. In previous chapters we used the number line to order numbers.
As we move from left to right on a number line, the values increase.
EXAMPLE 5
Order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or >. It may be helpful to refer Figure 3.
a) –____
b) -3
____
c)
____ –
d)
____ –
a) – | – – |
b) – | |
c) | |
d) | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or >:
a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) > b) > c) < d) <
TRY IT 5.2
Order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or >:
a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) < b) < c) > d) <
Since decimals are forms of fractions, locating decimals on the number line is similar to locating fractions on the number line.
EXAMPLE 6
Locate 0.4 on the number line.
A proper fraction has value less than one. The decimal number 0.4 is equivalent to , a proper fraction, so 0.4 is located between 0 and 1. On a number line, divide the interval between 0 and 1 into 10 equal parts. Now label the parts 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0. We write 0 as 0.0 and 1 and 1.0, so that the numbers are consistently in tenths. Finally, mark 0.4 on the number line. See Figure 4.
TRY IT 6.1
Locate on the number line: 0.6
TRY IT 6.2
Locate on the number line: 0.9
EXAMPLE 7
Locate on the number line.
The decimal is equivalent to
, so it is located between 0 and
. On a number line, mark off and label the hundredths in the interval between 0 and
. See Figure 5.
TRY IT 7.1
Locate on the number line: .
TRY IT 7.2
Locate on the number line: .
Which is larger, 0.04 or 0.40? If you think of this as money, you know that ?0.40 (forty cents) is greater than ?0.04 (four cents). So,
>
Again, we can use the number line to order numbers.
Where are 0.04 and 0.40 located on the number line? See Figure 6.
We see that 0.40 is to the right of 0.04 on the number line. This is another way to demonstrate that 0.40 > 0.04
How does 0.31 compare to 0.308? This doesn’t translate into money to make it easy to compare. But if we convert 0.31 and 0.308 into fractions, we can tell which is larger.
0.31 | 0.308 | |
Convert to fractions. | ||
We need a common denominator to compare them. | ![]() | ![]() |
Because 310 > 308, we know that >
. Therefore, 0.31 > 0.308
Notice what we did in converting 0.31 to a fraction—we started with the fraction and ended with the equivalent fraction
. Converting
back to a decimal gives 0.310. So 0.31 is equivalent to 0.310. Writing zeros at the end of a decimal does not change its value!
We say 0.31 and 0.310 are equivalent decimals.
Equivalent Decimals
Two decimals are equivalent if they convert to equivalent fractions.
We use equivalent decimals when we order decimals.
The steps we take to order decimals are summarized here.
HOW TO: Order Decimals.
EXAMPLE 8
Order using < or >.
Write the numbers one under the other, lining up the decimal points. | |
Add a zero to 0.6 to make it a decimal with 2 decimal places. Now they are both hundredths. | |
64 is greater than 60. | |
64 hundredths is greater than 60 hundredths. | |
TRY IT 8.1
Order each of the following pairs of numbers, using >
.
>
TRY IT 8.2
Order each of the following pairs of numbers, using >
.
>
EXAMPLE 9
Order using < or >.
Write the numbers one under the other, lining up the decimals. | |
They do not have the same number of digits. Write one zero at the end of 0.83. | |
Since | |
TRY IT 9.1
Order the following pair of numbers, using >
.
>
TRY IT 9.2
Order the following pair of numbers, using < >
.
<
When we order negative decimals, it is important to remember how to order negative integers. Recall that larger numbers are to the right on the number line. For example, because lies to the right of
on the number line, we know that
>
. Similarly, smaller numbers lie to the left on the number line. For example, because
lies to the left of
on the number line, we know that
. See Figure 7.
If we zoomed in on the interval between 0 and , as shown in Example 10, we would see in the same way that
>
.
EXAMPLE 10
Use < or > to order .
Write the numbers one under the other, lining up the decimal points. They have the same number of digits. | |
Since |
TRY IT 10.1
Order the following pair of numbers, using < or >: .
>
TRY IT 10.2
Order the following pair of numbers, using < or >: .
>
In the following exercises, write as the ratio of two integers.
1. a) 5 b) 3.19 | 2. a) 8 b) 1.61 |
3. a) | 4. a) |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, locate the numbers on a number line.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. 0.8 | 30. |
31. | 32. 3.1 |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. Field trip. All the 5th graders at Lord Selkirk Elementary School will go on a field trip to the science museum. Counting all the children, teachers, and chaperones, there will be 147 people. Each bus holds 44 people. a) How many buses will be needed? | 42. Child care. Serena wants to open a licensed child care center. Her state requires there be no more than 12 children for each teacher. She would like her child care centre to serve 40 children. a) How many teachers will be needed? |
43. In your own words, explain the difference between a rational number and an irrational number. | 44. Explain how the sets of numbers (counting, whole, integer, rational, irrationals, reals) are related to each other. |
1. a) | 3. a) | 5. a) |
7. a) | 9. a) | 11. a) none b) |
13.![]() | 15. ![]() | 17. ![]() |
19. ![]() | 21. < | 23. > |
25. > | 27. < | 29. ![]() |
31. ![]() | 33. < | 35. > |
37. < | 39. < | 41. a) 4 buses b) answers may vary c) answers may vary |
43. Answers may vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “The Real Numbers” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Think about adding two numbers, say 5 and 3. The order we add them doesn’t affect the result, does it?
The results are the same.
As we can see, the order in which we add does not matter!
What about multiplying
Again, the results are the same!
The order in which we multiply does not matter!
These examples illustrate the commutative property. When adding or multiplying, changing the order gives the same result.
Commutative Property
When adding or multiplying, changing the order gives the same result.
The commutative property has to do with order. If you change the order of the numbers when adding or multiplying, the result is the same.
What about subtraction? Does order matter when we subtract numbers? Does give the same result as
The results are not the same.
Since changing the order of the subtraction did not give the same result, we know that subtraction is not commutative.
Let’s see what happens when we divide two numbers. Is division commutative?
The results are not the same.
Since changing the order of the division did not give the same result, division is not commutative. The commutative properties only apply to addition and multiplication!
If you were asked to simplify this expression, how would you do it and what would your answer be?
Some people would think and then
. Others might start with
and then
.
Either way gives the same result. Remember, we use parentheses as grouping symbols to indicate which operation should be done first.
Add Add. | |
Add Add. | |
When adding three numbers, changing the grouping of the numbers gives the same result.
This is true for multiplication, too.
Multiply. Multiply. | |
Multiply. Multiply. | |
When multiplying three numbers, changing the grouping of the numbers gives the same result.
You probably know this, but the terminology may be new to you. These examples illustrate the associative property.
Associative Property
When adding or multiplying, changing the grouping gives the same result.
Let’s think again about multiplying . We got the same result both ways, but which way was easier? Multiplying
and
first, as shown above on the right side, eliminates the fraction in the first step. Using the associative property can make the math easier!
The associative property has to do with grouping. If we change how the numbers are grouped, the result will be the same. Notice it is the same three numbers in the same order—the only difference is the grouping.
We saw that subtraction and division were not commutative. They are not associative either.
When simplifying an expression, it is always a good idea to plan what the steps will be. In order to combine like terms in the next example, we will use the commutative property of addition to write the like terms together.
EXAMPLE 1
Simplify: .
Use the commutative property of addition to re-order so that like terms are together. | |
Add like terms. |
TRY IT 1.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 1.2
Simplify: .
When we have to simplify algebraic expressions, we can often make the work easier by applying the commutative or associative property first, instead of automatically following the order of operations. When adding or subtracting fractions, combine those with a common denominator first.
EXAMPLE 2
Simplify: .
Notice that the last 2 terms have a common denominator, so change the grouping. | |
Add in parentheses first. | |
Simplify the fraction. | |
Add. | |
Convert to an improper fraction. |
TRY IT 2.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 2.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 3
Use the associative property to simplify .
Change the grouping. | |
Multiply in the parentheses. |
Notice that we can multiply but we could not multiply 3x without having a value for x.
TRY 3.1
Use the associative property to simplify 8(4x).
32x
TRY IT 3.2
Use the associative property to simplify .
What happens when we add 0 to any number? Adding 0 doesn’t change the value. For this reason, we call 0 the additive identity.
For example,
These examples illustrate the Identity Property of Addition that states that for any real number ,
and
.
What happens when we multiply any number by one? Multiplying by 1 doesn’t change the value. So we call 1 the multiplicative identity.
For example,
These examples illustrate the Identity Property of Multiplication that states that for any real number ,
and
.
We summarize the Identity Properties below.
Identity Property
Notice that in each case, the missing number was the opposite of the number!
We call . the additive inverse of a. The opposite of a number is its additive inverse. A number and its opposite add to zero, which is the additive identity. This leads to the Inverse Property of Addition that states for any real number
. Remember, a number and its opposite add to zero.
What number multiplied by gives the multiplicative identity, 1? In other words,
times what results in 1?
What number multiplied by 2 gives the multiplicative identity, 1? In other words 2 times what results in 1?
Notice that in each case, the missing number was the reciprocal of the number!
We call the multiplicative inverse of a. The reciprocal of
number is its multiplicative inverse. A number and its reciprocal multiply to one, which is the multiplicative identity. This leads to the Inverse Property of Multiplication that states that for any real number
.
We’ll formally state the inverse properties here:
Inverse Property
of addition | For any real number A number and its opposite add to zero. | |
of multiplication | For any real number A number and its reciprocal multiply to one. |
EXAMPLE 4
Find the additive inverse of a) b)
c)
d)
.
To find the additive inverse, we find the opposite.
TRY IT 4.1
Find the additive inverse of: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) b)
c)
d)
Exercises
Find the additive inverse of: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) b)
c)
d)
EXAMPLE 5
Find the multiplicative inverse of a) b)
c)
.
To find the multiplicative inverse, we find the reciprocal.
TRY IT 5.1
Find the multiplicative inverse of a) b)
c)
a) b)
c)
TRY IT 5.2
Find the multiplicative inverse of a) b)
c)
.
a) b)
c)
The identity property of addition says that when we add 0 to any number, the result is that same number. What happens when we multiply a number by 0? Multiplying by 0 makes the product equal zero.
Multiplication by Zero
For any real number a.
The product of any real number and 0 is 0.
What about division involving zero? What is Think about a real example: If there are no cookies in the cookie jar and 3 people are to share them, how many cookies does each person get? There are no cookies to share, so each person gets 0 cookies. So,
We can check division with the related multiplication fact.
So we know because
.
Division of Zero
For any real number a, except ,
and
.
Zero divided by any real number except zero is zero.
Now think about dividing by zero. What is the result of dividing 4 by 0? Think about the related multiplication fact: means
. Is there a number that multiplied by 0 gives 4? Since any real number multiplied by 0 gives 0, there is no real number that can be multiplied by 0 to obtain 4
We conclude that there is no answer to and so we say that division by 0 is undefined.
Division by Zero
For any real number a, except 0, and
are undefined.
Division by zero is undefined.
We summarize the properties of zero below.
Properties of Zero
Multiplication by Zero: For any real number a,
The product of any number and 0 is 0. |
Division of Zero, Division by Zero: For any real number
Zero divided by any real number except itself is zero. | |
Division by zero is undefined. |
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) The product of any real number and 0 is 0. | |
b) The product of any real number and 0 is 0. | |
c) Division by 0 is undefined. |
TRY IT 6.1
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) 0 b) 0 c) undefined
TRY IT 6.2
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) 0 b) 0 c) undefined
We will now practice using the properties of identities, inverses, and zero to simplify expressions.
EXAMPLE 7
Simplify: a) , where
b)
, where
.
a) Zero divided by any real number except itself is 0. | |
b) Division by 0 is undefined. |
TRY IT 7.1
Simplify: a) , where
b)
, where
.
a) 0 b) undefined
TRY IT 7.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) 0 b) undefined
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify: .
Notice that the first and third terms are opposites; use the commutative property of addition to re-order the terms. | |
Add left to right. | |
Add. |
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify: .
Now we will see how recognizing reciprocals is helpful. Before multiplying left to right, look for reciprocals—their product is 1
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify: .
Notice that the first and third terms are reciprocals, so use the commutative property of multiplication to re-order the factors. | |
Multiply left to right. | |
Multiply. |
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: .
There is nothing to do in the parentheses, so multiply the two fractions first—notice, they are reciprocals. | |
Simplify by recognizing the multiplicative identity. |
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: .
Suppose that three friends are going to the movies. They each need $9.25—that’s 9 dollars and 1 quarter—to pay for their tickets. How much money do they need all together?
You can think about the dollars separately from the quarters. They need 3 times $9 so $27, and 3 times 1 quarter, so 75 cents. In total, they need $27.75. If you think about doing the math in this way, you are using the distributive property.
Distributive Property
Back to our friends at the movies, we could find the total amount of money they need like this:
3(9.25) |
3(9 + 0.25) |
3(9) + 3(0.25) |
27 + 0.75 |
27.75 |
In algebra, we use the distributive property to remove parentheses as we simplify expressions.
For example, if we are asked to simplify the expression , the order of operations says to work in the parentheses first. But we cannot add x and 4, since they are not like terms. So we use the distributive property, as shown in (Example 11).
EXAMPLE 11
Simplify: .
Distribute. | |
Multiply. |
TRY IT 11.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 11.2
Simplify: .
Some students find it helpful to draw in arrows to remind them how to use the distributive property. Then the first step in (Example 11) would look like this:
EXAMPLE 12
Simplify: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
TRY IT 12.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 12.2
Simplify: .
Using the distributive property as shown in (Example 13) will be very useful when we solve money applications in later chapters.
EXAMPLE 13
Simplify: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
TRY IT 13.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 13.2
Simplify: .
When we distribute a negative number, we need to be extra careful to get the signs correct!
EXAMPLE 14
Simplify: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
TRY IT 14.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 14.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 15
Simplify: .
Distribute. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Notice that you could also write the result as . Do you know why?
TRY IT 15.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 15.2
Simplify: .
(Example 16) will show how to use the distributive property to find the opposite of an expression.
EXAMPLE 16
Simplify: .
Multiplying by −1 results in the opposite. | |
Distribute. | |
Simplify. | |
TRY IT 16.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 16.2
Simplify: .
There will be times when we’ll need to use the distributive property as part of the order of operations. Start by looking at the parentheses. If the expression inside the parentheses cannot be simplified, the next step would be multiply using the distributive property, which removes the parentheses. The next two examples will illustrate this.
EXAMPLE 17
Simplify: .
Be sure to follow the order of operations. Multiplication comes before subtraction, so we will distribute the 2 first and then subtract.
Distribute. | |
Multiply. | |
Combine like terms. |
TRY IT 17.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 17.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 18
Simplify: .
Distribute. | |
Combine like terms. |
TRY IT 18.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 18.2
Simplify: .
All the properties of real numbers we have used in this chapter are summarized in the table below.
Commutative Property | of addition If | |
of multiplication If | ||
Associative Property | of addition If | |
of multiplication If | ||
Distributive Property | If | |
Identity Property | of addition For any real number 0 is the additive identity | |
of multiplication For any real number | ||
Inverse Property | of addition For any real number | |
of multiplication For any real number | ||
Properties of Zero | For any real number a, For any real number For any real number |
|
In the following exercises, use the associative property to simplify.
1. 3(4x) | 2. 4(7m) |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. 17(0.25)(4) | 14. 36(0.2)(5) |
15. [2.48(12)](0.5) | 16. [9.731(4)](0.75) |
17. 7(4a) | 18. 9(8w) |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
In the following exercises, find the additive inverse of each number.
29. a) b) 4.3 c) d) | 30. a) b) 2.1 c) d) |
31. a) b) c) 23 d) | 32. a) b) c) 52 d) |
33. a) 6 b) | 34. a) 12 b) |
35. a) | 36. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
In the following exercises, simplify using the distributive property.
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. | 82. |
83. | 84. |
85. | 86. |
87. | 88. |
89. | 90. |
91. | 92. |
93. | 94. |
95. Insurance copayment Carrie had to have 5 fillings done. Each filling cost $80. Her dental insurance required her to pay 20% of the cost as a copay. Calculate Carrie’s copay: a) First, by multiplying 0.20 by 80 to find her copay for each filling and then multiplying your answer by 5 to find her total copay for 5 fillings. b) Next, by multiplying [5(0.20)](80) c) Which of the properties of real numbers says that your answers to parts (a), where you multiplied 5[(0.20)(80)] and (b), where you multiplied [5(0.20)](80), should be equal? | 96. Cooking time Matt bought a 24-pound turkey for his family’s Thanksgiving dinner and wants to know what time to put the turkey in to the oven. He wants to allow 20 minutes per pound cooking time. Calculate the length of time needed to roast the turkey: a) First, by multiplying b) Next, by multiplying c) Which of the properties of real numbers says that your answers to parts (a), where you multiplied |
97. Buying by the case. Trader Joe’s grocery stores sold a can of Coke Zero for $1.99. They sold a case of 12 cans for $23.88. To find the cost of 12 cans at $1.99, notice that 1.99 is a) Multiply 12(1.99) by using the distributive property to multiply b) Was it a bargain to buy Coke Zero by the case? | 98. Multi-pack purchase. Adele’s shampoo sells for $3.99 per bottle at the grocery store. At the warehouse store, the same shampoo is sold as a 3 pack for $10.49. To find the cost of 3 bottles at $3.99, notice that 3.99 is a) Multiply 3(3.99) by using the distributive property to multiply b) How much would Adele save by buying 3 bottles at the warehouse store instead of at the grocery store? |
99. In your own words, state the commutative property of addition. | 100. What is the difference between the additive inverse and the multiplicative inverse of a number? |
101. Simplify | 102. Explain how you can multiply 4($5.97) without paper or calculator by thinking of $5.97 as |
1. 12x | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. 17 | 15. 14.88 | 17. 28a |
19. | 21. 10p | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. a) |
31. a) | 33. a) | 35. a) |
37. 0 | 39. 0 | 41. 0 |
43. 0 | 45. 44 | 47. d |
49. 0 | 51. 0 | 53. undefined |
55. undefined | 57. | 59. |
61. | 63. | 65. |
67. | 69. | 71. |
73. | 75. | 77. |
79. | 81. | 83. |
85. | 87. | 89. |
91. | 93. | 95. a) $80 b) $80 c) answers will vary |
97. a) $23.88 b) no, the price is the same | 99. Answers may vary | 101. Answers may vary |
This chapter has been adapted from “Properties of Real Numbers” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
In the following exercises, find three fractions equivalent to the given fraction. Show your work, using figures or algebra.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, multiply.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, divide.
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
In the following exercises, translate each English phrase into an algebraic expression.
49. the quotient of c and the sum of d and 9. | 50. the quotient of the difference of h and k, and |
In the following exercises, add.
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
In the following exercises, subtract.
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
In the following exercises, add or subtract.
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
In the following exercises, evaluate.
79. a) b) | 80. a) b) |
81. | 82. |
83. | 84. |
In the following exercises, write as a decimal.
85. Eight and three hundredths | 86. Nine and seven hundredths |
87. One thousandth | 88. Nine thousandths |
In the following exercises, name each decimal.
89. 7.8 | 90. 5.01 |
91. 0.005 | 92. 0.381 |
In the following exercises, round each number to the nearest a) hundredth b) tenth c) whole number.
93. 5.7932 | 94. 3.6284 |
95. 12.4768 | 96. 25.8449 |
In the following exercises, add or subtract.
97. | 98. |
99. | 100. |
101. | 102. |
103. | 104. |
105. | 106. |
In the following exercises, multiply.
107. | 108. |
109. | 110. |
111. | 112. |
In the following exercises, divide.
113. 0.15 ÷ 5 | 114. 0.27 ÷ 3 |
115. $8.49 ÷ 12 | 116. $16.99 ÷ 9 |
117. 12 ÷ 0.08 | 118. 5 ÷ 0.04 |
In the following exercises, write each decimal as a fraction.
119. 0.08 | 120. 0.17 |
121. 0.425 | 122. 0.184 |
123. 1.75 | 124. 0.035 |
In the following exercises, convert each fraction to a decimal.
125. | 126. |
127. | 128. |
129. | 130. |
131. | 132. |
In the following exercises, write as the ratio of two integers.
133. a) 9 b) 8.47 | 134. a) |
In the following exercises, list the a) rational numbers, b) irrational numbers.
135. | 136. |
In the following exercises, list the a) whole numbers, b) integers, c) rational numbers, d) irrational numbers, e) real numbers for each set of numbers.
137. | 138. |
In the following exercises, locate the numbers on a number line.
139. | 140. |
141. | 142. |
In the following exercises, order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or >.
143. | 144. |
145. | 146. |
In the following exercises, locate on the number line.
147. 0.3 | 148. -0.2 |
149. -2.5 | 150. 2.7 |
In the following exercises, order each of the following pairs of numbers, using < or >.
151. 0.9 ___ 0.6 | 152. 0.7 ___ 0.8 |
153. -0.6 ___ -0.59 | 154. -0.27 ___ -0.3 |
In the following exercises, use the Associative Property to simplify.
155. | 156. |
157. | 158. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
159. | 160. |
161. | 162. |
163. | 164. |
165. | 166. |
In the following exercises, find the additive inverse of each number.
167. a) | 168. a) b) c) d) |
In the following exercises, find the multiplicative inverse of each number.
169. a) 10 b) | 170. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
171. | 172. |
173. | 174. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
175. | 176. |
177. | 178. |
179. | 180. |
In the following exercises, simplify using the Distributive Property.
181. | 182. |
183. | 184. |
185. | 186. |
187. | 188. |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. | 15. | 17. |
19. | 21. 2 | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. | 39. | 41. |
43. | 45. | 47. |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. | 57. | 59. |
61. | 63. | 65. |
67. | 69. | 71. |
73. | 75. | 77. 14 |
79. a) | 81. | 83. |
85. 8.03 | 87. 0.001 | 89. seven and eight tenths |
91. five thousandths | 93. a) 5.79 b) 5.8 c) 6 | 95. a) 12.48 b) 12.5 c) 12 |
97. 27.73 | 99. −5.53 | 101. −13.5 |
103. 35.8 | 105. 42.51 | 107. 0.12 |
109. 26.7528 | 111. 2.2302 | 113. 0.03 |
115. $0.71 | 117. 150 | 119. |
121. | 123. | 125. 0.4 |
127. | 129. | 131. 7 |
133. a) | 135. a) | 137. a) 0, 17 b) -4,0,17 c) |
139. ![]() | 141. ![]() | 143. < |
145. > | 147. ![]() | 149. ![]() |
151. > | 153. > | 155. |
157. | 159. 37 | 161. |
163. | 165. | 167. a) |
169. a) | 171. 0 | 173. undefined |
175. 39 | 177. 57 | 179. 8 |
181. | 183. | 185. |
187. |
1. Convert 1.85 to a fraction and simplify. | 2. Locate |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. 9 ÷ 0.05 |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
1. | ![]() | 3. 99 |
4. | 5. | 6. |
7. | 8. | 9. |
10 | 11. | 12. |
13. | 14. 35.75 | 15. 2.2365 |
16. | 17. | 18. |
19. | 20. 0 | 21. undefined |
22. |
Note the many individual shapes in this building.
We are surrounded by all sorts of geometry. Architects use geometry to design buildings. Artists create vivid images out of colorful geometric shapes. Street signs, automobiles, and product packaging all take advantage of geometric properties. In this chapter, we will begin with learning about two measurement systems used in Canada and then we will explore geometry and solve problems related to everyday situations.
Calatrava fantasy by Bert Kaufmann is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence.
This chapter has been adapted from the “Introduction” in Chapter 9 of Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
There are two systems of measurement commonly used around the world. Most countries use the metric system. Canada uses the metric system, and the United States use the imperial system of measurement. However, people in Canada often use imperial measurements as well. We will look at the imperial system first.
The imperial system of measurement uses units of inch, foot, yard, and mile to measure length and pound and ton to measure weight. For capacity, the units used are cup, pint, quart, and gallons. Both the imperial system and the metric system measure time in seconds, minutes, and hours.
The equivalencies of measurements are shown in the table below. The table also shows, in parentheses, the common abbreviations for each measurement.
In many real-life applications, we need to convert between units of measurement, such as feet and yards, minutes and seconds, quarts and gallons, etc. We will use the identity property of multiplication to do these conversions. We’ll restate the identity property of multiplication here for easy reference.
Identity Property of Multiplication
For any real number :
1 is the multiplicative identity.
To use the identity property of multiplication, we write 1 in a form that will help us convert the units. For example, suppose we want to change inches to feet. We know that 1 foot is equal to 12 inches, so we will write 1 as the fraction . When we multiply by this fraction we do not change the value, but just change the units.
But also equals 1. How do we decide whether to multiply by
or
? We choose the fraction that will make the units we want to convert from divide out. Treat the unit words like factors and “divide out” common units like we do common factors. If we want to convert
inches to feet, which multiplication will eliminate the inches?
The inches divide out and leave only feet. The second form does not have any units that will divide out and so will not help us.
EXAMPLE 1
MaryAnne is 66 inches tall. Convert her height into feet.
TRY IT 1.1
Lexie is 30 inches tall. Convert her height to feet.
2.5 feet
TRY IT 1.2
Rene bought a hose that is 18 yards long. Convert the length to feet.
54 feet
HOW TO: Make unit conversions
When we use the identity property of multiplication to convert units, we need to make sure the units we want to change from will divide out. Usually this means we want the conversion fraction to have those units in the denominator.
EXAMPLE 2
A female orca in the Salish Sea weighs almost 3.2 tons. Convert her weight to pounds.
We will convert 3.2 tons into pounds. We will use the identity property of multiplication, writing 1 as the fraction .
Multiply the measurement to be converted, by 1. | |
Write 1 as a fraction relating tons and pounds. | |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Multiply. | |
The female orca weighs almost 6,400 pounds. |
TRY IT 2.1
Arnold’s SUV weighs about 4.3 tons. Convert the weight to pounds.
8,600 pounds
TRY IT 2.2
The Carnival Destiny cruise ship weighs 51,000 tons. Convert the weight to pounds.
102,000,000 pounds
Sometimes, to convert from one unit to another, we may need to use several other units in between, so we will need to multiply several fractions.
EXAMPLE 3
Juliet is going with her family to their summer home. She will be away from her boyfriend for 9 weeks. Convert the time to minutes.
Solution
To convert weeks into minutes we will convert weeks into days, days into hours, and then hours into minutes. To do this we will multiply by conversion factors of 1.
9 weeks | |
Write 1 as | |
Divide out the common units. | |
Multiply. | |
Multiply. |
Juliet and her boyfriend will be apart for 90,720 minutes (although it may seem like an eternity!).
TRY IT 3.1
The distance between the earth and the moon is about 250,000 miles. Convert this length to yards.
440,000,000 yards
TRY IT 3.2
The astronauts of Expedition 28 on the International Space Station spend 15 weeks in space. Convert the time to minutes.
151,200 minutes
EXAMPLE 4
How many ounces are in 1 gallon?
We will convert gallons to ounces by multiplying by several conversion factors. Refer to the table on Imperial Systems of Measurement.
1 gallon | |
Multiply the measurement to be converted by 1. | |
Use conversion factors to get to the right unit. Simplify. | |
Multiply. | |
Simplify. | There are 128 ounces in a gallon. |
TRY IT 4.1
How many cups are in 1 gallon?
16 cups
TRY IT 4.2
How many teaspoons are in 1 cup?
48 teaspoons
We often use mixed units of measurement in everyday situations. Suppose Joe is 5 feet 10 inches tall, stays at work for 7 hours and 45 minutes, and then eats a 1 pound 2 ounce steak for dinner—all these measurements have mixed units.
Performing arithmetic operations on measurements with mixed units of measures requires care. Be sure to add or subtract like units!
EXAMPLE 5
Seymour bought three steaks for a barbecue. Their weights were 14 ounces; 1 pound, 2 ounces; and 1 pound, 6 ounces. How many total pounds of steak did he buy?
We will add the weights of the steaks to find the total weight of the steaks.
Add the ounces. Then add the pounds. | ![]() |
Convert 22 ounces to pounds and ounces. | 1 pound, 6 ounces |
Add the pounds and ounces. | 2 pounds + 1 pound + 6 ounces |
Answer | Seymour bought 3 pounds 6 ounces of steak. |
TRY IT 5.1
Laura gave birth to triplets weighing 3 pounds 3 ounces, 3 pounds 3 ounces, and 2 pounds 9 ounces. What was the total birth weight of the three babies?
9 lbs. 8 oz
TRY IT 5.2
Stan cut two pieces of crown molding for his family room that were 8 feet 7 inches and 12 feet 11 inches. What was the total length of the molding?
21 ft. 6 in.
EXAMPLE 6
Anthony bought four planks of wood that were each 6 feet 4 inches long. What is the total length of the wood he purchased?
We will multiply the length of one plank to find the total length.
Multiply the inches and then the feet. | ![]() |
Convert the 16 inches to feet. Add the feet. | ![]() |
Anthony bought 25 feet and 4 inches of wood. |
TRY IT 6.1
Henri wants to triple his vegan spaghetti sauce recipe that uses 1 pound 8 ounces of black beans. How many pounds of black beans will he need?
4 lbs. 8 oz.
TRY IT 6.2
Joellen wants to double a solution of 5 gallons 3 quarts. How many gallons of solution will she have in all?
11 gallons 2 qt.
In the metric system, units are related by powers of 10. The roots words of their names reflect this relation. For example, the basic unit for measuring length is a metre. One kilometre is 1,000 metres; the prefix kilo means thousand. One centimetre is of a metre, just like one cent is
of one dollar.
The equivalencies of measurements in the metric system are shown in the table below. The common abbreviations for each measurement are given in parentheses.
Length | Mass | Capacity |
---|---|---|
1 kilometre (km) = 1,000 m 1 hectometre (hm) = 100 m 1 dekametre (dam) = 10 m 1 metre (m) = 1 m 1 decimetre (dm) = 0.1 m 1 centimetre (cm) = 0.01 m 1 millimetre (mm) = 0.001 m | 1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000 g 1 hectogram (hg) = 100 g 1 dekagram (dag) = 10 g 1 gram (g) = 1 g 1 decigram (dg) = 0.1 g 1 centigram (cg) = 0.01 g 1 milligram (mg) = 0.001 g | 1 kilolitre (kL) = 1,000 L 1 hectolitre (hL) = 100 L 1 dekalitre (daL) = 10 L 1 litre (L) = 1 L 1 decilitre (dL) = 0.1 L 1 centilitre (cL) = 0.01 L 1 millilitre (mL) = 0.001 L |
1 metre = 100 centimetres 1 metre = 1,000 millimetres | 1 gram = 100 centigrams 1 gram = 1,000 milligrams | 1 litre = 100 centilitre s 1 litre = 1,000 millilitre s |
To make conversions in the metric system, we will use the same technique we did in the Imperial system. Using the identity property of multiplication, we will multiply by a conversion factor of one to get to the correct units.
Have you ever run a 5K or 10K race? The length of those races are measured in kilometres. The metric system is commonly used in Canada when talking about the length of a race.
EXAMPLE 7
Nick ran a 10K race. How many metres did he run?
We will convert kilometres to metres using the identity property of multiplication.
10 kilometres | |
Multiply the measurement to be converted by 1. | 10 kilometres × 1 |
Write 1 as a fraction relating kilometres and metres. | |
Simplify. | |
Multiply. | 10,000 metres |
Nick ran 10,000 metres. |
TRY IT 7.1
Sandy completed her first 5K race! How many metres did she run?
5,000 metres
TRY IT 7.2
Herman bought a rug 2.5 metres in length. How many centimetres is the length?
250 centimetres
EXAMPLE 8
Eleanor’s newborn baby weighed 3,200 grams. How many kilograms did the baby weigh?
We will convert grams into kilograms.
![]() | |
Multiply the measurement to be converted by 1. | ![]() |
Write 1 as a function relating kilograms and grams. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Multiply. | |
Divide. | 3.2 kilograms The baby weighed 3.2 kilograms. |
TRY IT 8.1
Kari’s newborn baby weighed 2,800 grams. How many kilograms did the baby weigh?
2.8 kilograms
TRY IT 8.2
Anderson received a package that was marked 4,500 grams. How many kilograms did this package weigh?
4.5 kilograms
As you become familiar with the metric system you may see a pattern. Since the system is based on multiples of ten, the calculations involve multiplying by multiples of ten. We have learned how to simplify these calculations by just moving the decimal.
To multiply by 10, 100, or 1,000, we move the decimal to the right one, two, or three places, respectively. To multiply by 0.1, 0.01, or 0.001, we move the decimal to the left one, two, or three places, respectively.
We can apply this pattern when we make measurement conversions in the metric system. In Example 8, we changed 3,200 grams to kilograms by multiplying by (or 0.001). This is the same as moving the decimal three places to the left.
EXAMPLE 9
Convert a) 350 L to kilolitres b) 4.1 L to millilitre s.
Multiply by 1, writing 1 as a fraction relating litres to kilolitres. | |
Simplify. | |
Move the decimal 3 units to the left. |
![]() | |
Multiply by 1, writing 1 as a fraction relating litres to millilitre s. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Move the decimal 3 units to the right. | ![]() |
![]() |
TRY IT 9.1
Convert: a) 725 L to kilolitres b) 6.3 L to millilitre s
a) 7,250 kilolitres b) 6,300 millilitre s
TRY IT 9.2
Convert: a) 350 hL to litres b) 4.1 L to centilitre s
a) 35,000 litres b) 410 centilitre s
Performing arithmetic operations on measurements with mixed units of measures in the imperial system requires the same care we used in the Canadian system. Make sure to add or subtract like units.
EXAMPLE 10
Ryland is 1.6 metres tall. His younger brother is 85 centimetres tall. How much taller is Ryland than his younger brother?
We can convert both measurements to either centimetres or metres. Since metres is the larger unit, we will subtract the lengths in metres. We convert 85 centimetres to metres by moving the decimal 2 places to the left.
Write the 85 centimetres as metres. |
Ryland is 0.75 m taller than his brother.
TRY IT 10.1
Mariella is 1.58 metres tall. Her daughter is 75 centimetres tall. How much taller is Mariella than her daughter? Write the answer in centimetres.
83 centimetres
TRY IT 10.2
The fence around Hank’s yard is 2 metres high. Hank is 96 centimetres tall. How much shorter than the fence is Hank? Write the answer in metres.
1.04 metres
EXAMPLE 11
Dena’s recipe for lentil soup calls for 150 millilitre s of olive oil. Dena wants to triple the recipe. How many litres of olive oil will she need?
We will find the amount of olive oil in millileters then convert to litres.
Triple 150 mL | |
Translate to algebra. | |
Multiply. | 450 mL |
Convert to litres. | |
Simplify. | 0.45 L |
Dena needs 0.45 litres of olive oil. |
TRY IT 11.1
A recipe for Alfredo sauce calls for 250 millilitre s of milk. Renata is making pasta with Alfredo sauce for a big party and needs to multiply the recipe amounts by 8. How many litres of milk will she need?
2 litres
TRY IT 11.2
To make one pan of baklava, Dorothea needs 400 grams of filo pastry. If Dorothea plans to make 6 pans of baklava, how many kilograms of filo pastry will she need?
2.4 kilograms
Many measurements in Canada are made in metric units. Our soda may come in 2-litre bottles, our calcium may come in 500-mg capsules, and we may run a 5K race. To work easily in both systems, we need to be able to convert between the two systems.
The table below shows some of the most common conversions.
Length | Mass | Capacity |
---|---|---|
(Figure.2) shows how inches and centimetres are related on a ruler.
(Figure.3) shows the ounce and millilitre markings on a measuring cup.
(Figure.4) shows how pounds and kilograms marked on a bathroom scale.
We make conversions between the systems just as we do within the systems—by multiplying by unit conversion factors.
EXAMPLE 12
Lee’s water bottle holds 500 mL of water. How many ounces are in the bottle? Round to the nearest tenth of an ounce.
500 mL | |
Multiply by a unit conversion factor relating mL and ounces. | |
Simplify. | |
Divide. | 16.7 ounces. |
The water bottle has 16.7 ounces. |
TRY IT 12.1
How many quarts of soda are in a 2-L bottle?
2.12 quarts
TRY IT 12.2
How many litres are in 4 quarts of milk?
3.8 litres
EXAMPLE 13
Soleil was on a road trip and saw a sign that said the next rest stop was in 100 kilometres. How many miles until the next rest stop?
100 kilometres | |
Multiply by a unit conversion factor relating km and mi. | |
Simplify. | |
Divide. | 62 ounces. |
Soleil will travel 62 miles. |
TRY IT 13.1
The height of Mount Kilimanjaro is 5,895 metres. Convert the height to feet.
19,335.6 feet
TRY IT 13.2
The flight distance from Toronto to Vancouver is 3,364 kilometres. Convert the distance to miles.
2,090 miles
Have you ever been in a foreign country and heard the weather forecast? If the forecast is for °F what does that mean?
The Canadian and imperial systems use different scales to measure temperature. The Canadian system uses degrees Celsius, written °C. The imperial system uses degrees Fahrenheit, written°F. (Figure.5) shows the relationship between the two systems.
Temperature Conversion
To convert from Fahrenheit temperature, F, to Celsius temperature, C, use the formula
.
To convert from Celsius temperature, C, to Fahrenheit temperature, F, use the formula
.
EXAMPLE 14
Convert 50° Fahrenheit into degrees Celsius.
Solution
We will substitute 50°F into the formula to find C.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify in parentheses. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
So we found that 50°F is equivalent to 10°C. |
TRY IT 14.1
Convert the Fahrenheit temperature to degrees Celsius: 59° Fahrenheit.
15°C
TRY IT 14.2
Convert the Fahrenheit temperature to degrees Celsius: 41° Fahrenheit.
5°C
EXAMPLE 15
While visiting Paris, Woody saw the temperature was 20° Celsius. Convert the temperature into degrees Fahrenheit.
Solution
We will substitute 20°C into the formula to find F.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Add. | ![]() |
So we found that 20°C is equivalent to 68°F. |
TRY IT 15.1
Convert the Celsius temperature to degrees Fahrenheit: the temperature in Helsinki, Finland, was 15° Celsius.
59°F
TRY IT 15.2
Convert the Celsius temperature to degrees Fahrenheit: the temperature in Sydney, Australia, was 10° Celsius.
50° F
In the following exercises, convert the units.
1. A park bench is 6 feet long. Convert the length to inches. | 2. A floor tile is 2 feet wide. Convert the width to inches. |
3. A ribbon is 18 inches long. Convert the length to feet. | 4. Carson is 45 inches tall. Convert his height to feet. |
5. A football field is 160 feet wide. Convert the width to yards. | 6. On a baseball diamond, the distance from home plate to first base is 30 yards. Convert the distance to feet. |
7. Ulises lives 1.5 miles from school. Convert the distance to feet. | 8. Denver, Colorado, is 5,183 feet above sea level. Convert the height to miles. |
9. A killer whale weighs 4.6 tons. Convert the weight to pounds. | 10. Blue whales can weigh as much as 150 tons. Convert the weight to pounds. |
11. An empty bus weighs 35,000 pounds. Convert the weight to tons. | 12. At take-off, an airplane weighs 220,000 pounds. Convert the weight to tons. |
13. Rocco waited | 14. Misty’s surgery lasted |
15. How many teaspoons are in a pint? | 16. How many tablespoons are in a gallon? |
17. JJ’s cat, Posy, weighs 14 pounds. Convert her weight to ounces. | 18. April’s dog, Beans, weighs 8 pounds. Convert his weight to ounces. |
19. Crista will serve 20 cups of juice at her son’s party. Convert the volume to gallons. | 20. Lance needs 50 cups of water for the runners in a race. Convert the volume to gallons. |
21. Jon is 6 feet 4 inches tall. Convert his height to inches. | 22. Faye is 4 feet 10 inches tall. Convert her height to inches. |
23. The voyage of the Mayflower took 2 months and 5 days. Convert the time to days. | 24. Lynn’s cruise lasted 6 days and 18 hours. Convert the time to hours. |
25. Baby Preston weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces at birth. Convert his weight to ounces. | 26. Baby Audrey weighted 6 pounds 15 ounces at birth. Convert her weight to ounces. |
In the following exercises, solve.
27. Eli caught three fish. The weights of the fish were 2 pounds 4 ounces, 1 pound 11 ounces, and 4 pounds 14 ounces. What was the total weight of the three fish? | 28. Judy bought 1 pound 6 ounces of almonds, 2 pounds 3 ounces of walnuts, and 8 ounces of cashews. How many pounds of nuts did Judy buy? |
29. One day Anya kept track of the number of minutes she spent driving. She recorded 45, 10, 8, 65, 20, and 35. How many hours did Anya spend driving? | 30. Last year Eric went on 6 business trips. The number of days of each was 5, 2, 8, 12, 6, and 3. How many weeks did Eric spend on business trips last year? |
31. Renee attached a 6 feet 6 inch extension cord to her computer’s 3 feet 8 inch power cord. What was the total length of the cords? | 32. Fawzi’s SUV is 6 feet 4 inches tall. If he puts a 2 feet 10 inch box on top of his SUV, what is the total height of the SUV and the box? |
33. Leilani wants to make 8 placemats. For each placemat she needs 18 inches of fabric. How many yards of fabric will she need for the 8 placemats? | 34. Mireille needs to cut 24 inches of ribbon for each of the 12 girls in her dance class. How many yards of ribbon will she need altogether? |
In the following exercises, convert the units.
35. Ghalib ran 5 kilometres. Convert the length to metres. | 36. Kitaka hiked 8 kilometres. Convert the length to metres. |
37. Estrella is 1.55 metres tall. Convert her height to centimetres. | 38. The width of the wading pool is 2.45 metres. Convert the width to centimetres. |
39. Mount Whitney is 3,072 metres tall. Convert the height to kilometres. | 40. The depth of the Mariana Trench is 10,911 metres. Convert the depth to kilometres. |
41. June’s multivitamin contains 1,500 milligrams of calcium. Convert this to grams. | 42. A typical ruby-throated hummingbird weights 3 grams. Convert this to milligrams. |
43. One stick of butter contains 91.6 grams of fat. Convert this to milligrams. | 44. One serving of gourmet ice cream has 25 grams of fat. Convert this to milligrams. |
45. The maximum mass of an airmail letter is 2 kilograms. Convert this to grams. | 46. Dimitri’s daughter weighed 3.8 kilograms at birth. Convert this to grams. |
47. A bottle of wine contained 750 millilitre s. Convert this to litres. | 48. A bottle of medicine contained 300 millilitre s. Convert this to litres. |
In the following exercises, solve.
49. Matthias is 1.8 metres tall. His son is 89 centimetres tall. How much taller is Matthias than his son? | 50. Stavros is 1.6 metres tall. His sister is 95 centimetres tall. How much taller is Stavros than his sister? |
51. A typical dove weighs 345 grams. A typical duck weighs 1.2 kilograms. What is the difference, in grams, of the weights of a duck and a dove? | 52. Concetta had a 2-kilogram bag of flour. She used 180 grams of flour to make biscotti. How many kilograms of flour are left in the bag? |
53. Harry mailed 5 packages that weighed 420 grams each. What was the total weight of the packages in kilograms? | 54. One glass of orange juice provides 560 milligrams of potassium. Linda drinks one glass of orange juice every morning. How many grams of potassium does Linda get from her orange juice in 30 days? |
55. Jonas drinks 200 millilitre s of water 8 times a day. How many litres of water does Jonas drink in a day? | 56. One serving of whole grain sandwich bread provides 6 grams of protein. How many milligrams of protein are provided by 7 servings of whole grain sandwich bread? |
In the following exercises, make the unit conversions. Round to the nearest tenth.
57. Bill is 75 inches tall. Convert his height to centimetres. | 58. Frankie is 42 inches tall. Convert his height to centimetres. |
59. Marcus passed a football 24 yards. Convert the pass length to metres | 60. Connie bought 9 yards of fabric to make drapes. Convert the fabric length to metres. |
61. According to research conducted by the CRC, Canadians regrettably produce more garbage per capita than any other country on earth, at 2,172.6 pounds per person annually. Convert the waste to kilograms. | 62. An average Canadian will throw away 163,000 pounds of trash over his or her lifetime. Convert this weight to kilograms. |
63. A 5K run is 5 kilometres long. Convert this length to miles. | 64. Kathryn is 1.6 metres tall. Convert her height to feet. |
65. Dawn’s suitcase weighed 20 kilograms. Convert the weight to pounds. | 66. Jackson’s backpack weighed 15 kilograms. Convert the weight to pounds. |
67. Ozzie put 14 gallons of gas in his truck. Convert the volume to litres. | 68. Bernard bought 8 gallons of paint. Convert the volume to litres. |
In the following exercises, convert the Fahrenheit temperatures to degrees Celsius. Round to the nearest tenth.
69. 86° Fahrenheit | 70. 77° Fahrenheit |
71. 104° Fahrenheit | 72. 14° Fahrenheit |
73. 72° Fahrenheit | 74. 4° Fahrenheit |
75. 0° Fahrenheit | 76. 120° Fahrenheit |
In the following exercises, convert the Celsius temperatures to degrees Fahrenheit. Round to the nearest tenth.
77. 5° Celsius | 78. 25° Celsius |
79. -10° Celsius | 80. -15° Celsius |
81. 22° Celsius | 82. 8° Celsius |
83. 43° Celsius | 84. 16° Celsius |
85. Nutrition Julian drinks one can of soda every day. Each can of soda contains 40 grams of sugar. How many kilograms of sugar does Julian get from soda in 1 year? | 86. Reflectors The reflectors in each lane-marking stripe on a highway are spaced 16 yards apart. How many reflectors are needed for a one mile long lane-marking stripe? |
87. Some people think that 65° to 75° Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature range. a) What is your ideal temperature range? Why do you think so? b) Convert your ideal temperatures from Fahrenheit to Celsius. | 88. a) Did you grow up using the Canadian. or the Imperial system of measurement? b) Describe two examples in your life when you had to convert between the two systems of measurement. |
1. 72 inches | 3. 1.5 feet | 5. |
7. 7,920 feet | 9. 9,200 pounds | 11. |
13. 5,400 s | 15. | 17. |
19. | 21. 76 in. | 23. 65 days |
25. 115 ounces | 27. 8 lbs. 13 oz. | 29. 3.05 hours |
31. 10 ft. 2 in. | 33. 4 yards | 35. 5,000 metres |
37. 155 centimetres | 39. 3.072 kilometres | 41. 1.5 grams |
43. 91,600 milligrams | 45. 2,000 grams | 47. 0.75 litres |
49. 91 centimetres | 49. 91 centimetres | 49. 91 centimetres |
53. 2.1 kilograms | 55. 1.6 litres | 57. 190.5 centimetres |
59. 21.9 metres | 61. 985.5 kilograms | 63. 3.1 miles |
65. 44 pounds | 67. 53.2 litres | 69. 30°C |
71. 40°C | 73. 22.2°C | 75. -17.8°C |
77. 41°F | 79. 14°F | 81. 71.6°F |
83. 109.4°F | 85. 14.6 kilograms | 87. Answers may vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Systems of Measurement” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
When you measure your height or the length of a garden hose, you use a ruler or tape measure (Figure.1). A tape measure might remind you of a line—you use it for linear measure, which measures length. Inch, foot, yard, mile, centimetre and metre are units of linear measure.
When you want to know how much tile is needed to cover a floor, or the size of a wall to be painted, you need to know the area, a measure of the region needed to cover a surface. Area is measured is square units. We often use square inches, square feet, square centimetres, or square miles to measure area. A square centimetre is a square that is one centimetre (cm) on each side. A square inch is a square that is one inch on each side (Figure.2).
Square measures have sides that are each unit in length.
(Figure.3) shows a rectangular rug that is feet long by
feet wide. Each square is
foot wide by
foot long, or
square foot. The rug is made of
squares. The area of the rug is
square feet.
When you measure how much it takes to fill a container, such as the amount of gasoline that can fit in a tank, or the amount of medicine in a syringe, you are measuring volume. Volume is measured in cubic units such as cubic inches or cubic centimetres. When measuring the volume of a rectangular solid, you measure how many cubes fill the container. We often use cubic centimetres, cubic inches, and cubic feet. A cubic centimetre is a cube that measures one centimetre on each side, while a cubic inch is a cube that measures one inch on each side (Figure.4).
Suppose the cube in (Figure.5) measures inches on each side and is cut on the lines shown. How many little cubes does it contain? If we were to take the big cube apart, we would find
little cubes, with each one measuring one inch on all sides. So each little cube has a volume of
cubic inch, and the volume of the big cube is
cubic inches.
A cube that measures 3 inches on each side is made up of 27 one-inch cubes, or 27 cubic inches.
EXAMPLE 1
For each item, state whether you would use linear, square, or cubic measure:
a) amount of carpeting needed in a room
b) extension cord length
c) amount of sand in a sandbox
d) length of a curtain rod
e) amount of flour in a canister
f) size of the roof of a doghouse.
a) You are measuring how much surface the carpet covers, which is the area. | square measure |
b) You are measuring how long the extension cord is, which is the length. | linear measure |
c) You are measuring the volume of the sand. | cubic measure |
d) You are measuring the length of the curtain rod. | linear measure |
e) You are measuring the volume of the flour. | cubic measure |
f) You are measuring the area of the roof. | square measure |
TRY IT 1.1
Determine whether you would use linear, square, or cubic measure for each item.
a) amount of paint in a can b) height of a tree c) floor of your bedroom d) diametre of bike wheel e) size of a piece of sod f) amount of water in a swimming pool
TRY IT 1.2
Determine whether you would use linear, square, or cubic measure for each item.
a) volume of a packing box b) size of patio c) amount of medicine in a syringe d) length of a piece of yarn e) size of housing lot f) height of a flagpole
Many geometry applications will involve finding the perimeter or the area of a figure. There are also many applications of perimeter and area in everyday life, so it is important to make sure you understand what they each mean.
Picture a room that needs new floor tiles. The tiles come in squares that are a foot on each side—one square foot. How many of those squares are needed to cover the floor? This is the area of the floor.
Next, think about putting new baseboard around the room, once the tiles have been laid. To figure out how many strips are needed, you must know the distance around the room. You would use a tape measure to measure the number of feet around the room. This distance is the perimeter.
Perimeter and Area
The perimeter is a measure of the distance around a figure.
The area is a measure of the surface covered by a figure.
(Figure. 6) shows a square tile that is inch on each side. If an ant walked around the edge of the tile, it would walk
inches. This distance is the perimeter of the tile.
Since the tile is a square that is inch on each side, its area is one square inch. The area of a shape is measured by determining how many square units cover the shape.
EXAMPLE 2
Each of two square tiles is square inch. Two tiles are shown together.
a) What is the perimeter of the figure?
b) What is the area?
a) The perimeter is the distance around the figure. The perimeter is inches.
b) The area is the surface covered by the figure. There are square inch tiles so the area is
square inches.
TRY IT 2.1
Find the a) perimeter and b) area of the figure:
TRY IT 2.2
Find the a) perimeter and b) area of the figure:
A rectangle has four sides and four right angles. The opposite sides of a rectangle are the same length. We refer to one side of the rectangle as the length, , and the adjacent side as the width,
. See (Figure.7).
A rectangle has four sides, and four right angles. The sides are labeled L for length and W for width.
The perimeter, , of the rectangle is the distance around the rectangle. If you started at one corner and walked around the rectangle, you would walk
units, or two lengths and two widths. The perimeter then is
What about the area of a rectangle? Remember the rectangular rug from the beginning of this section. It was feet long by
feet wide, and its area was
square feet. See (Figure.8). Since
, we see that the area,
, is the length,
, times the width,
, so the area of a rectangle is
.
The area of this rectangular rug is square feet, its length times its width.
Properties of Rectangles
For easy reference as we work the examples in this section, we will state the Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications here.
HOW TO: Use a Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications
EXAMPLE 3
The length of a rectangle is metres and the width is
metres. Find a) the perimeter, and b) the area.
a) | |
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the perimeter of a rectangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let P = the perimeter |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The perimeter of the rectangle is 104 metres. |
b) | |
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the area of a rectangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let A = the area |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The area of the rectangle is 60 square metres. |
TRY IT 3.1
The length of a rectangle is yards and the width is
yards. Find a) the perimeter and b) the area.
TRY IT 3.2
The length of a rectangle is feet and the width is
feet. Find a) the perimeter and b) the area.
EXAMPLE 4
Find the length of a rectangle with perimeter inches and width
inches.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the length of the rectangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let L = the length |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The length is 15 inches. |
TRY IT 4.1
Find the length of a rectangle with a perimeter of inches and width of
inches.
15 in.
TRY IT 4.2
Find the length of a rectangle with a perimeter of yards and width of
yards.
9 yd
In the next example, the width is defined in terms of the length. We’ll wait to draw the figure until we write an expression for the width so that we can label one side with that expression.
EXAMPLE 5
The width of a rectangle is two inches less than the length. The perimeter is inches. Find the length and width.
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the length and width of the rectangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. Now we can draw a figure using these expressions for the length and width. | Since the width is defined in terms of the length, we let L = length. The width is two feet less that the length, so we let L − 2 = width![]() |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. The formula for the perimeter of a rectangle relates all the information. Substitute in the given information. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Combine like terms. | |
Add 4 to each side. | |
Divide by 4. | |
The length is 14 inches. | |
Now we need to find the width. | |
The width is L − 2. | ![]() The width is 12 inches. |
Step 6. Check: Since | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The length is 14 feet and the width is 12 feet. |
TRY IT 5.1
The width of a rectangle is seven metres less than the length. The perimeter is metres. Find the length and width.
18 m, 11 m
TRY IT 5.2
The length of a rectangle is eight feet more than the width. The perimeter is feet. Find the length and width.
11 ft , 19 ft
EXAMPLE 6
The length of a rectangle is four centimetres more than twice the width. The perimeter is centimetres. Find the length and width.
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the length and width |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let W = width The length is four more than twice the width. 2w + 4 = length ![]() |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula and substitute in the given information. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The length is 12 cm and the width is 4 cm. |
TRY IT 6.1
The length of a rectangle is eight more than twice the width. The perimeter is feet. Find the length and width.
8 ft, 24 ft
TRY IT 6.2
The width of a rectangle is six less than twice the length. The perimeter is centimetres. Find the length and width.
5 cm, 4 cm
EXAMPLE 7
The area of a rectangular room is square feet. The length is
feet. What is the width?
Step 1. Read the problem. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the width of a rectangular room |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let W = width |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula and substitute in the given information. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The width of the room is 12 feet. |
TRY IT 7.1
The area of a rectangle is square feet. The length is
feet. What is the width?
26 ft
TRY IT 7.2
The width of a rectangle is metres. The area is
square metres. What is the length?
29 m
EXAMPLE 8
The perimeter of a rectangular swimming pool is feet. The length is
feet more than the width. Find the length and width.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the length and width of the pool |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. The length is 15 feet more than the width. | Let |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula and substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The length of the pool is 45 feet and the width is 30 feet. |
TRY IT 8.1
The perimeter of a rectangular swimming pool is feet. The length is
feet more than the width. Find the length and width.
30 ft, 70 ft
TRY IT 8.2
The length of a rectangular garden is yards more than the width. The perimeter is
yards. Find the length and width.
60 yd, 90 yd
We now know how to find the area of a rectangle. We can use this fact to help us visualize the formula for the area of a triangle. In the rectangle in (Figure.9), we’ve labeled the length and the width
, so it’s area is
.
The area of a rectangle is the base, , times the height,
.
We can divide this rectangle into two congruent triangles (Figure.10). Triangles that are congruent have identical side lengths and angles, and so their areas are equal. The area of each triangle is one-half the area of the rectangle, or . This example helps us see why the formula for the area of a triangle is
.
A rectangle can be divided into two triangles of equal area. The area of each triangle is one-half the area of the rectangle.
The formula for the area of a triangle is , where
is the base and
is the height.
To find the area of the triangle, you need to know its base and height. The base is the length of one side of the triangle, usually the side at the bottom. The height is the length of the line that connects the base to the opposite vertex, and makes a ° angle with the base. (Figure.11) shows three triangles with the base and height of each marked.
The height of a triangle is the length of a line segment that connects the the base to the opposite vertex and makes a
° angle with the base.
Triangle Properties
For any triangle , the sum of the measures of the angles is
°.
°
The perimeter of a triangle is the sum of the lengths of the sides.
The area of a triangle is one-half the base, , times the height,
.
EXAMPLE 9
Find the area of a triangle whose base is inches and whose height is
inches.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the area of the triangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let A = area of the triangle |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The area is 44 square inches. |
TRY IT 9.1
Find the area of a triangle with base inches and height
inches.
13 sq. in.
TRY IT 9.2
Find the area of a triangle with base inches and height
inches.
49 sq. in.
EXAMPLE 10
The perimeter of a triangular garden is feet. The lengths of two sides are
feet and
feet. How long is the third side?
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | length of the third side of a triangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let c = the third side |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute in the given information. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The third side is 11 feet long. |
TRY IT 10.1
The perimeter of a triangular garden is feet. The lengths of two sides are
feet and
feet. How long is the third side?
8 ft
TRY IT 10.2
The lengths of two sides of a triangular window are feet and
feet. The perimeter is
feet. How long is the third side?
6 ft
EXAMPLE 11
The area of a triangular church window is square metres. The base of the window is
metres. What is the window’s height?
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | height of a triangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let h = the height |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute in the given information. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The height of the triangle is 12 metres. |
TRY IT 11.1
The area of a triangular painting is square inches. The base is
inches. What is the height?
14 in.
TRY IT 11.2
A triangular tent door has an area of square feet. The height is
feet. What is the base?
6 ft
Besides the right triangle, some other triangles have special names. A triangle with two sides of equal length is called an isosceles triangle. A triangle that has three sides of equal length is called an equilateral triangle. (Figure.12) shows both types of triangles.
In an isosceles triangle, two sides have the same length, and the third side is the base. In an equilateral triangle, all three sides have the same length.
Isosceles and Equilateral Triangles
An isosceles triangle has two sides the same length.
An equilateral triangle has three sides of equal length.
EXAMPLE 12
The perimeter of an equilateral triangle is inches. Find the length of each side.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() Perimeter = 93 in. |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | length of the sides of an equilateral triangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let s = length of each side |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | Each side is 31 inches |
TRY IT 12.1
Find the length of each side of an equilateral triangle with perimeter inches.
13 in.
TRY IT 12.2
Find the length of each side of an equilateral triangle with perimeter centimetres.
17 cm
EXAMPLE 13
Arianna has inches of beading to use as trim around a scarf. The scarf will be an isosceles triangle with a base of
inches. How long can she make the two equal sides?
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() P = 156 in. |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the lengths of the two equal sides |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let s = the length of each side |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute in the given information. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | Arianna can make each of the two equal sides 48 inches l |
TRY IT 13.1
A backyard deck is in the shape of an isosceles triangle with a base of feet. The perimeter of the deck is
feet. How long is each of the equal sides of the deck?
14 ft
TRY IT 13.2
A boat’s sail is an isosceles triangle with base of metres. The perimeter is
metres. How long is each of the equal sides of the sail?
7 m
A trapezoid is four-sided figure, a quadrilateral, with two sides that are parallel and two sides that are not. The parallel sides are called the bases. We call the length of the smaller base , and the length of the bigger base
. The height,
, of a trapezoid is the distance between the two bases as shown in (Figure.13).
A trapezoid has a larger base, , and a smaller base,
. The height
is the distance between the bases.
Formula for the Area of a Trapezoid
Splitting the trapezoid into two triangles may help us understand the formula. The area of the trapezoid is the sum of the areas of the two triangles. See (Figure.14).
The height of the trapezoid is also the height of each of the two triangles. See (Figure.15).
The formula for the area of a trapezoid is
If we distribute, we get,
Properties of Trapezoids
EXAMPLE 14
Find the area of a trapezoid whose height is 6 inches and whose bases are and
inches.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the area of the trapezoid |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: Is this answer reasonable? |
If we draw a rectangle around the trapezoid that has the same big base and a height
, its area should be greater than that of the trapezoid.
If we draw a rectangle inside the trapezoid that has the same little base and a height
, its area should be smaller than that of the trapezoid.
The area of the larger rectangle is square inches and the area of the smaller rectangle is
square inches. So it makes sense that the area of the trapezoid is between
and
square inches
Step 7. Answer the question. The area of the trapezoid is square inches.
TRY IT 14.1
The height of a trapezoid is yards and the bases are
and
yards. What is the area?
161 sq. yd
TRY IT 14.2
The height of a trapezoid is centimetres and the bases are
and
centimetres. What is the area?
225 sq. cm
EXAMPLE 15
Find the area of a trapezoid whose height is feet and whose bases are
and
feet.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the area of the trapezoid |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let A = the area |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: Is this answer reasonable? The area of the trapezoid should be less than the area of a rectangle with base 13.7 and height 5, but more than the area of a rectangle with base 10.3 and height 5. | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The area of the trapezoid is 60 square feet. |
TRY IT 15.1
The height of a trapezoid is centimetres and the bases are
and
centimetres. What is the area?
42 sq. cm
TRY IT 15.2
The height of a trapezoid is metres and the bases are
and
metres. What is the area?
63 sq. m
EXAMPLE 16
Vinny has a garden that is shaped like a trapezoid. The trapezoid has a height of yards and the bases are
and
yards. How many square yards will be available to plant?
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the area of a trapezoid |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let A = the area |
Step 4.Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: Is this answer reasonable? Yes. The area of the trapezoid is less than the area of a rectangle with a base of 8.2 yd and height 3.4 yd, but more than the area of a rectangle with base 5.6 yd and height 3.4 yd. ![]() | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | Vinny has 23.46 square yards in which he can plan |
TRY IT 16.1
Lin wants to sod his lawn, which is shaped like a trapezoid. The bases are yards and
yards, and the height is
yards. How many square yards of sod does he need?
40.25 sq. yd
TRY IT 16.2
Kira wants cover his patio with concrete pavers. If the patio is shaped like a trapezoid whose bases are feet and
feet and whose height is
feet, how many square feet of pavers will he need?
240 sq. ft.
Access Additional Online Resources
In the following exercises, determine whether you would measure each item using linear, square, or cubic units.
1. amount of water in a fish tank | 2. length of dental floss |
3. living area of an apartment | 4. floor space of a bathroom tile |
5. height of a doorway | 6. capacity of a truck trailer |
In the following exercises, find the a) perimeter and b) area of each figure. Assume each side of the square is cm.
7. ![]() | 8. ![]() |
9. ![]() | 10. ![]() |
11. ![]() | 12. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the a) perimeter and b) area of each rectangle.
13. The length of a rectangle is | 14. The length of a rectangle is |
15. A rectangular room is | 16. A driveway is in the shape of a rectangle |
In the following exercises, solve.
17. Find the length of a rectangle with perimeter | 18. Find the length of a rectangle with perimeter |
19. Find the width of a rectangle with perimeter | 20. Find the width of a rectangle with perimeter |
21. The area of a rectangle is | 22. The area of a rectangle is |
23. The length of a rectangle is | 24. The width of a rectangle is |
25. The perimeter of a rectangle is | 26. The perimeter of a rectangle is |
27. The width of the rectangle is | 28. The length of the rectangle is |
29. The perimeter of a rectangle of | 30. The length of a rectangle is three times the width. The perimeter is |
31. The length of a rectangle is | 32. The length of a rectangle is |
33. The width of a rectangular window is | 34. The length of a rectangular poster is |
35. The area of a rectangular roof is | 36. The area of a rectangular tarp is |
37. The perimeter of a rectangular courtyard is | 38. The perimeter of a rectangular painting is |
39. The width of a rectangular window is | 40. The width of a rectangular playground is |
In the following exercises, solve using the properties of triangles.
41. Find the area of a triangle with base | 42. Find the area of a triangle with base |
43. Find the area of a triangle with base | 44. Find the area of a triangle with base |
45. A triangular flag has base of | 46. A triangular window has base of |
47. If a triangle has sides of | 48. If a triangle has sides of |
49. What is the base of a triangle with an area of | 50. What is the height of a triangle with an area of |
51. The perimeter of a triangular reflecting pool is | 52. A triangular courtyard has perimeter of |
53. An isosceles triangle has a base of | 54. An isosceles triangle has a base of |
55. Find the length of each side of an equilateral triangle with a perimeter of | 56. Find the length of each side of an equilateral triangle with a perimeter of |
57. The perimeter of an equilateral triangle is | 58. The perimeter of an equilateral triangle is |
59. The perimeter of an isosceles triangle is | 60. The perimeter of an isosceles triangle is |
61. A dish is in the shape of an equilateral triangle. Each side is | 62. A floor tile is in the shape of an equilateral triangle. Each side is |
63. A road sign in the shape of an isosceles triangle has a base of | 64. A scarf in the shape of an isosceles triangle has a base of |
65. The perimeter of a triangle is | 66. The perimeter of a triangle is |
67. One side of a triangle is twice the smallest side. The third side is | 68. One side of a triangle is three times the smallest side. The third side is |
In the following exercises, solve using the properties of trapezoids.
69. The height of a trapezoid is | 70. The height of a trapezoid is |
71. Find the area of a trapezoid with a height of | 72. Find the area of a trapezoid with a height of |
73. The height of a trapezoid is | 74. The height of a trapezoid is |
75. Find the area of a trapezoid with a height of | 76. Find the area of a trapezoid with a height of |
77. Laurel is making a banner shaped like a trapezoid. The height of the banner is | 78. Niko wants to tile the floor of his bathroom. The floor is shaped like a trapezoid with width |
79. Theresa needs a new top for her kitchen counter. The counter is shaped like a trapezoid with width | 80. Elena is knitting a scarf. The scarf will be shaped like a trapezoid with width |
81. Fence Jose just removed the children’s playset from his back yard to make room for a rectangular garden. He wants to put a fence around the garden to keep out the dog. He has a | 82. Gardening Lupita wants to fence in her tomato garden. The garden is rectangular and the length is twice the width. It will take |
83. Fence Christa wants to put a fence around her triangular flowerbed. The sides of the flowerbed are | 84. Painting Caleb wants to paint one wall of his attic. The wall is shaped like a trapezoid with height |
86. If you need to put a fence around your backyard, do you need to know the perimeter or the area of the backyard? Explain your reasoning. | |
87. Look at the two figures. a) Which figure looks like it has the larger area? Which looks like it has the larger perimeter? b) Now calculate the area and perimeter of each figure. Which has the larger area? Which has the larger perimeter? | 88. The length of a rectangle is a) Write the equation you would use to solve the problem. b) Why can’t you solve this equation with the methods you learned in the previous chapter? |
1. cubic | 3. square | 5. linear |
7. a) 10 cm b) 4 sq. cm | 9. a) 8 cm b) 3 sq. cm | 11. a) 10 cm b) 5 sq. cm |
13. a) 260 ft b) 3825 sq. ft | 15. a) 58 ft b) 210 sq. ft | 17. 24 inches |
19. 27 metres | 21. 23 m | 23. 7 in., 16 in. |
25. 17 m, 12 m | 27. 13.5 m, 12.8 m | 29. 25 ft, 50 ft |
31. 7 m, 11 m | 33. 26 in. | 35. 55 m |
37. 35 ft, 45 ft | 39. 76 in., 36 in. | 41. 60 sq. in. |
43. 25.315 sq. m | 45. 0.75 sq. ft | 47. 8 ft |
49. 23 in. | 51. 11 ft | 53. 28 cm |
55. 17 ft | 57. 6 m | 59. 15 ft |
61. 24 in. | 63. 27.5 in. | 65. 12 ft, 13 ft, 14 ft |
67. 3 ft, 6 ft, 8 ft | 69. 144 sq. ft | 71. 2805 sq. m |
73. 231 sq. cm | 75. 28.56 sq. m | 77. 13.5 sq. ft |
79. 1036 sq. in. | 81. 15 ft | 83. $24 |
85. Answers will vary. | 87. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Use Properties of Rectangles, Triangles, and Trapezoids” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
In this section, we will find the volume and surface area of some three-dimensional figures. Since we will be solving applications, we will once again show our Problem-Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications.
Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications
A cheer leading coach is having the squad paint wooden crates with the school colors to stand on at the games. (See Figure.1). The amount of paint needed to cover the outside of each box is the surface area, a square measure of the total area of all the sides. The amount of space inside the crate is the volume, a cubic measure.
Each crate is in the shape of a rectangular solid. Its dimensions are the length, width, and height. The rectangular solid shown in Figure.2 has length units, width
units, and height
units. Can you tell how many cubic units there are altogether? Let’s look layer by layer.
Breaking a rectangular solid into layers makes it easier to visualize the number of cubic units it contains. This by
by
rectangular solid has
cubic units.
Altogether there are cubic units. Notice that
is the
The volume, , of any rectangular solid is the product of the length, width, and height.
We could also write the formula for volume of a rectangular solid in terms of the area of the base. The area of the base, , is equal to
We can substitute for
in the volume formula to get another form of the volume formula.
We now have another version of the volume formula for rectangular solids. Let’s see how this works with the rectangular solid we started with. See Figure.3.
To find the surface area of a rectangular solid, think about finding the area of each of its faces. How many faces does the rectangular solid above have? You can see three of them.
Notice for each of the three faces you see, there is an identical opposite face that does not show.
The surface area of the rectangular solid shown in (Figure.3) is
square units.
In general, to find the surface area of a rectangular solid, remember that each face is a rectangle, so its area is the product of its length and its width (see Figure.4). Find the area of each face that you see and then multiply each area by two to account for the face on the opposite side.
For each face of the rectangular solid facing you, there is another face on the opposite side. There are faces in all.
Volume and Surface Area of a Rectangular Solid
For a rectangular solid with length , width
, and height
EXAMPLE 1
For a rectangular solid with length cm, height
cm, and width
cm, find the a) volume and b) surface area.
Step 1 is the same for both a) and b), so we will show it just once.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
a) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the rectangular solid |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check We leave it to you to check your calculations. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is |
b) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the surface area of the solid |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check: Double-check with a calculator. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is 1,034 square centimetres. |
TRY IT 1.1
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of rectangular solid with the: length feet, width
feet, and height
feet.
TRY IT 1.2
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of rectangular solid with the: length feet, width
feet, and height
feet.
EXAMPLE 2
A rectangular crate has a length of inches, width of
inches, and height of
inches. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
Step 1 is the same for both a) and b), so we will show it just once.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
a) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the crate |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check: Double check your math. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume is 15,000 cubic inches. |
b) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the surface area of the crate |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check: Check it yourself! | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is 3,700 square inches. |
TRY IT 2.1
A rectangular box has length feet, width
feet, and height
feet. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
TRY IT 2.2
A rectangular suitcase has length inches, width
inches, and height
inches. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
A cube is a rectangular solid whose length, width, and height are equal. See Volume and Surface Area of a Cube, below. Substituting, s for the length, width and height into the formulas for volume and surface area of a rectangular solid, we get:
So for a cube, the formulas for volume and surface area are and
.
Volume and Surface Area of a Cube
For any cube with sides of length ,
EXAMPLE 3
A cube is inches on each side. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
Step 1 is the same for both a) and b), so we will show it just once.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
a) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the cube |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let V = volume |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. | |
Step 5. Solve. Substitute and solve. | |
Step 6. Check: Check your work. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume is 15.625 cubic inches. |
b) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the surface area of the cube |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let S = surface area |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. | |
Step 5. Solve. Substitute and solve. | |
Step 6. Check: The check is left to you. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is 37.5 square inches. |
TRY IT 3.1
For a cube with side 4.5 metres, find the a) volume and b) surface area of the cube.
TRY IT 3.2
For a cube with side 7.3 yards, find the a) volume and b) surface area of the cube.
EXAMPLE 4
A notepad cube measures inches on each side. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
a) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the cube |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let V = volume |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check: Check that you did the calculations correctly. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume is 8 cubic inches. |
b) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the surface area of the cube |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let S = surface area |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check: The check is left to you. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is 24 square inches. |
TRY IT 4.1
A packing box is a cube measuring feet on each side. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
TRY IT 4.2
A packing box is a cube measuring feet on each side. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
A sphere is the shape of a basketball, like a three-dimensional circle. Just like a circle, the size of a sphere is determined by its radius, which is the distance from the centre of the sphere to any point on its surface. The formulas for the volume and surface area of a sphere are given below.
Showing where these formulas come from, like we did for a rectangular solid, is beyond the scope of this course. We will approximate with
.
Volume and Surface Area of a Sphere
For a sphere with radius
EXAMPLE 5
A sphere has a radius inches. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
Step 1 is the same for both a) and b), so we will show it just once.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
a) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the sphere |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let V = volume |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: Double-check your math on a calculator. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume is approximately 904.32 cubic inches. |
b) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the surface area of the cube |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let S = surface area |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: Double-check your math on a calculator | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is approximately 452.16 square inches. |
TRY IT 5.1
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of a sphere with radius 3 centimetres.
TRY IT 5.2
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of each sphere with a radius of foot
EXAMPLE 6
A globe of Earth is in the shape of a sphere with radius centimetres. Find its a) volume and b) surface area. Round the answer to the nearest hundredth.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw a figure with the given information and label it. | ![]() |
a) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the sphere |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let V = volume |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. (Use 3.14 for | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: We leave it to you to check your calculations. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume is approximately 11,488.21 cubic inches. |
b) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the surface area of the sphere |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let S = surface area |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. (Use 3.14 for | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: We leave it to you to check your calculations. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is approximately 2461.76 square inches. |
TRY IT 6.1
A beach ball is in the shape of a sphere with radius of inches. Find its a) volume and b) surface area.
TRY IT 6.2
A Roman statue depicts Atlas holding a globe with radius of feet. Find the a) volume and b) surface area of the globe.
If you have ever seen a can of soda, you know what a cylinder looks like. A cylinder is a solid figure with two parallel circles of the same size at the top and bottom. The top and bottom of a cylinder are called the bases. The height of a cylinder is the distance between the two bases. For all the cylinders we will work with here, the sides and the height,
, will be perpendicular to the bases.
A cylinder has two circular bases of equal size. The height is the distance between the bases.
Rectangular solids and cylinders are somewhat similar because they both have two bases and a height. The formula for the volume of a rectangular solid, , can also be used to find the volume of a cylinder.
For the rectangular solid, the area of the base, , is the area of the rectangular base, length × width. For a cylinder, the area of the base,
, is the area of its circular base,
. (Figure.5) compares how the formula
is used for rectangular solids and cylinders.
Seeing how a cylinder is similar to a rectangular solid may make it easier to understand the formula for the volume of a cylinder.
To understand the formula for the surface area of a cylinder, think of a can of vegetables. It has three surfaces: the top, the bottom, and the piece that forms the sides of the can. If you carefully cut the label off the side of the can and unroll it, you will see that it is a rectangle. See (Figure.6).
The distance around the edge of the can is the circumference of the cylinder’s base it is also the length of the rectangular label. The height of the cylinder is the width
of the rectangular label. So the area of the label can be represented as
To find the total surface area of the cylinder, we add the areas of the two circles to the area of the rectangle.
The surface area of a cylinder with radius and height
, is
Volume and Surface Area of a Cylinder
For a cylinder with radius and height
EXAMPLE 7
A cylinder has height centimetres and radius
centimetres. Find the a) volume and b) surface area.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
a) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the cylinder |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let V = volume |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. (Use 3.14 for | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: We leave it to you to check your calculations. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume is approximately 141.3 cubic inches. |
b) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the surface area of the cylinder |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let S = surface area |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. (Use 3.14 for | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: We leave it to you to check your calculations. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is approximately 150.72 square inches. |
TRY IT 7.1
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of the cylinder with radius 4 cm and height 7cm.
TRY IT 7.2
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of the cylinder with given radius 2 ft and height 8 ft.
EXAMPLE 8
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of a can of soda. The radius of the base is centimetres and the height is
centimetres. Assume the can is shaped exactly like a cylinder.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
a) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the cylinder |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let V = volume |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. (Use 3.14 for | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: We leave it to you to check. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume is approximately 653.12 cubic centimetres. |
b) | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the surface area of the cylinder |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let S = surface area |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. (Use 3.14 for | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: We leave it to you to check your calculations. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The surface area is approximately 427.04 square centimetres. |
TRY IT 8.1
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of a can of paint with radius 8 centimetres and height 19 centimetres. Assume the can is shaped exactly like a cylinder.
TRY IT 8.2
Find the a) volume and b) surface area of a cylindrical drum with radius 2.7 feet and height 4 feet. Assume the drum is shaped exactly like a cylinder.
The first image that many of us have when we hear the word ‘cone’ is an ice cream cone. There are many other applications of cones (but most are not as tasty as ice cream cones). In this section, we will see how to find the volume of a cone.
In geometry, a cone is a solid figure with one circular base and a vertex. The height of a cone is the distance between its base and the vertex.The cones that we will look at in this section will always have the height perpendicular to the base. See (Figure.6).
Earlier in this section, we saw that the volume of a cylinder is . We can think of a cone as part of a cylinder. Figure.7 shows a cone placed inside a cylinder with the same height and same base. If we compare the volume of the cone and the cylinder, we can see that the volume of the cone is less than that of the cylinder.
In fact, the volume of a cone is exactly one-third of the volume of a cylinder with the same base and height. The volume of a cone is
Since the base of a cone is a circle, we can substitute the formula of area of a circle, , for
to get the formula for volume of a cone.
In this book, we will only find the volume of a cone, and not its surface area.
Volume of a Cone
For a cone with radius and height
.
EXAMPLE 9
Find the volume of a cone with height inches and radius of its base
inches.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the cone |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let V = volume |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. (Use 3.14 for | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: We leave it to you to check your calculations. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume is approximately 25.12 cubic inches. |
TRY IT 9.1
Find the volume of a cone with height inches and radius
inches
65.94 cu. in.
TRY IT 9.2
Find the volume of a cone with height centimetres and radius
centimetres
235.5 cu. cm
EXAMPLE 10
Marty’s favorite gastro pub serves french fries in a paper wrap shaped like a cone. What is the volume of a conic wrap that is inches tall and
inches in diametre? Round the answer to the nearest hundredth.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. Notice here that the base is the circle at the top of the cone. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the volume of the cone |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | let V = volume |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. (Use 3.14 for | |
Step 5. Solve. | |
Step 6. Check: We leave it to you to check your calculations. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The volume of the wrap is approximately 52.33 cubic inches. |
TRY IT 10.1
How many cubic inches of candy will fit in a cone-shaped piñata that is inches long and
inches across its base? Round the answer to the nearest hundredth.
678.24 cu. in.
TRY IT 10.2
What is the volume of a cone-shaped party hat that is inches tall and
inches across at the base? Round the answer to the nearest hundredth.
128.2 cu. in.
In the following exercises, find a) the volume and b) the surface area of the rectangular solid with the given dimensions.
1. length | 2. length |
3. length | 4. length |
In the following exercises, solve.
5. Moving van A rectangular moving van has length | 6. Gift box A rectangular gift box has length |
7. Carton A rectangular carton has length | 8.Shipping container A rectangular shipping container has length |
In the following exercises, find a) the volume and b) the surface area of the cube with the given side length.
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, solve.
13. Science center Each side of the cube at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana is | 14. Museum A cube-shaped museum has sides |
15. Base of statue The base of a statue is a cube with sides | 16. Tissue box A box of tissues is a cube with sides 4.5 inches long. Find its a) volume and b) surface area. |
In the following exercises, find a) the volume and b) the surface area of the sphere with the given radius. Round answers to the nearest hundredth.
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, solve. Round answers to the nearest hundredth.
21. Exercise ball An exercise ball has a radius of | 22. Balloon ride The Great Park Balloon is a big orange sphere with a radius of |
23. Golf ball A golf ball has a radius of | 24. Baseball A baseball has a radius of |
In the following exercises, find a) the volume and b) the surface area of the cylinder with the given radius and height. Round answers to the nearest hundredth.
25. radius | 26. radius |
27. radius | 28. radius |
In the following exercises, solve. Round answers to the nearest hundredth.
29. Coffee can A can of coffee has a radius of | 30. Snack pack A snack pack of cookies is shaped like a cylinder with radius |
31. Barber shop pole A cylindrical barber shop pole has a diametre of | 32. Architecture A cylindrical column has a diametre of |
In the following exercises, find the volume of the cone with the given dimensions. Round answers to the nearest hundredth.
33. height | 34. height |
35. height | 36. height |
In the following exercises, solve. Round answers to the nearest hundredth.
37. Teepee What is the volume of a cone-shaped teepee tent that is | 38. Popcorn cup What is the volume of a cone-shaped popcorn cup that is |
39. Silo What is the volume of a cone-shaped silo that is | 40. Sand pile What is the volume of a cone-shaped pile of sand that is |
41. Street light post The post of a street light is shaped like a truncated cone, as shown in the picture below. It is a large cone minus a smaller top cone. The large cone is a) find the volume of the large cone. b) find the volume of the small cone. c) find the volume of the post by subtracting the volume of the small cone from the volume of the large cone. | 42. Ice cream cones A regular ice cream cone is 4 inches tall and has a diametre of a) find the volume of the regular ice cream cone. b) find the volume of the waffle cone. c) how much more ice cream fits in the waffle cone compared to the regular cone? |
43. The formulas for the volume of a cylinder and a cone are similar. Explain how you can remember which formula goes with which shape. | 44. Which has a larger volume, a cube of sides of |
1. a) 9 cu. m b) 27 sq. m | 3. a) 17.64 cu. yd. b) 41.58 sq. yd. | 5. a) 1,024 cu. ft b) 640 sq. ft |
7. a) 3,350.49 cu. cm b) 1,622.42 sq. cm | 9. a) 125 cu. cm b) 150 sq. cm | 11. a) 1124.864 cu. ft. b) 648.96 sq. ft |
13. a) 262,144 cu. ft b) 24,576 sq. ft | 15. a) 21.952 cu. m b) 47.04 sq. m | 17. a) 113.04 cu. cm b) 113.04 sq. cm |
19. a) 1,766.25 cu. ft b) 706.5 sq. ft | 21. a) 14,130 cu. in. b) 2,826 sq. in. | 23. a) 381.51 cu. cm b) 254.34 sq. cm |
25. a) 254.34 cu. ft b) 226.08 sq. ft | 27. a) 29.673 cu. m b) 53.694 sq. m | 29. a) 1,020.5 cu. cm b) 565.2 sq. cm |
31. a) 678.24 cu. in. b) 508.68 sq. in. | 33. 37.68 cu. ft | 35. 324.47 cu. cm |
37. 261.67 cu. ft | 39. 64,108.33 cu. ft | 41. a) 31.4 cu. ft b) 2.6 cu. ft c) 28.8 cu. ft |
43. Answers will vary. |
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
In this section, we’ll continue working with geometry applications. We will add several new formulas to our collection of formulas. To help you as you do the examples and exercises in this section, we will show the Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications here.
Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications
We’ll refer to the properties of circles as we use them to solve applications.
Properties of Circles
Remember, that we approximate with
or
depending on whether the radius of the circle is given as a decimal or a fraction. If you use the
key on your calculator to do the calculations in this section, your answers will be slightly different from the answers shown. That is because the
key uses more than two decimal places.
EXAMPLE 1
A circular sandbox has a radius of feet. Find the a) circumference and b) area of the sandbox.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the circumference of the circle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let c = circumference of the circle |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula Substitute | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check. Does this answer make sense? Yes. If we draw a square around the circle, its sides would be 5 ft (twice the radius), so its perimeter would be 20 ft. This is slightly more than the circle’s circumference, 15.7 ft. | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The circumference of the sandbox is 15.7 feet. |
b)
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the area of the circle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let A = the area of the circle |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula Substitute | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check. Yes. If we draw a square around the circle, its sides would be 5 ft, as shown in part a). So the area of the square would be 25 sq. ft. This is slightly more than the circle’s area, 19.625 sq. ft. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The area of the circle is 19.625 square feet. |
TRY IT 1.1
A circular mirror has radius of inches. Find the a) circumference and b) area of the mirror.
TRY IT 1.2
A circular spa has radius of feet. Find the a) circumference and b) area of the spa.
We usually see the formula for circumference in terms of the radius of the circle:
But since the diametre of a circle is two times the radius, we could write the formula for the circumference in terms .
We will use this form of the circumference when we’re given the length of the diametre instead of the radius.
EXAMPLE 2
A circular table has a diametre of four feet. What is the circumference of the table?
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the circumference of the table |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let c = the circumference of the table |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula for the situation. Substitute. | |
Step 5. Solve the equation, using 3.14 for | |
Step 6. Check: If we put a square around the circle, its side would be 4. The perimeter would be 16. It makes sense that the circumference of the circle, 12.56, is a little less than 16. | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The diametre of the table is 12.56 square feet |
TRY IT 2.1
Find the circumference of a circular fire pit whose diametre is feet.
17.27 ft
TRY IT 2.2
If the diametre of a circular trampoline is feet, what is its circumference?
37.68 ft
EXAMPLE 3
Find the diametre of a circle with a circumference of centimetres.
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the diametre of the circle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let d = the diametre of the circle |
Step 4. Translate. | |
Write the formula. Substitute, using 3.14 to approximate | ![]() ![]() |
Step 5. Solve. | ![]() ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The diametre of the circle is approximately 15 centimetres. |
TRY IT 3.1
Find the diametre of a circle with circumference of centimetres.
30 cm
TRY IT 3.2
Find the diametre of a circle with circumference of feet.
110 ft
So far, we have found area for rectangles, triangles, trapezoids, and circles. An irregular figure is a figure that is not a standard geometric shape. Its area cannot be calculated using any of the standard area formulas. But some irregular figures are made up of two or more standard geometric shapes. To find the area of one of these irregular figures, we can split it into figures whose formulas we know and then add the areas of the figures.
EXAMPLE 4
Find the area of the shaded region.
The given figure is irregular, but we can break it into two rectangles. The area of the shaded region will be the sum of the areas of both rectangles.
The blue rectangle has a width of and a length of
. The red rectangle has a width of
, but its length is not labeled. The right side of the figure is the length of the red rectangle plus the length of the blue rectangle. Since the right side of the blue rectangle is
units long, the length of the red rectangle must be
units.
The area of the figure is square units.
Is there another way to split this figure into two rectangles? Try it, and make sure you get the same area.
TRY IT 4.1
Find the area of each shaded region:
28 sq. units
TRY IT 4.2
Find the area of each shaded region:
110 sq. units
EXAMPLE 5
Find the area of the shaded region.
We can break this irregular figure into a triangle and rectangle. The area of the figure will be the sum of the areas of triangle and rectangle.
The rectangle has a length of units and a width of
units.
We need to find the base and height of the triangle.
Since both sides of the rectangle are , the vertical side of the triangle is
, which is
.
The length of the rectangle is , so the base of the triangle will be
, which is
.
Now we can add the areas to find the area of the irregular figure.
The area of the figure is square units.
TRY IT 5.1
Find the area of each shaded region.
36.5 sq. units
TRY IT 5.2
Find the area of each shaded region.
70 sq. units
EXAMPLE 6
A high school track is shaped like a rectangle with a semi-circle (half a circle) on each end. The rectangle has length metres and width
metres. Find the area enclosed by the track. Round your answer to the nearest hundredth.
We will break the figure into a rectangle and two semi-circles. The area of the figure will be the sum of the areas of the rectangle and the semicircles.
The rectangle has a length of m and a width of
m. The semi-circles have a diametre of
m, so each has a radius of
m.
TRY IT 6.1
Find the area:
103.2 sq. units
TRY IT 6.2
Find the area:
38.24 sq. units
In the following exercises, solve using the properties of circles.
1. The lid of a paint bucket is a circle with radius | 2. An extra-large pizza is a circle with radius |
3. A farm sprinkler spreads water in a circle with radius of | 4. A circular rug has radius of |
5. A reflecting pool is in the shape of a circle with diametre of | 6. A turntable is a circle with diametre of |
7. A circular saw has a diametre of | 8. A round coin has a diametre of |
9. A barbecue grill is a circle with a diametre of | 10. The top of a pie tin is a circle with a diametre of |
11. A circle has a circumference of | 12. A circle has a circumference of |
13. A circle has a circumference of | 14. A circle has a circumference of |
In the following exercises, find the radius of the circle with given circumference.
15. A circle has a circumference of | 16. A circle has a circumference of |
17. A circle has a circumference of | 18. A circle has a circumference of |
In the following exercises, find the area of the irregular figure. Round your answers to the nearest hundredth.
19. ![]() | 20. ![]() |
21. ![]() | 22. ![]() |
23. ![]() | 24. ![]() |
25. ![]() | 26. ![]() |
27. ![]() | 28. ![]() |
29. ![]() | 30. ![]() |
31. ![]() | 32. ![]() |
33. ![]() | 34. ![]() |
35. ![]() | 36. ![]() |
37. ![]() | 38. ![]() |
In the following exercises, solve.
39. A city park covers one block plus parts of four more blocks, as shown. The block is a square with sides | 40. A gift box will be made from a rectangular piece of cardboard measuring |
41. Perry needs to put in a new lawn. His lot is a rectangle with a length of | 42. Denise is planning to put a deck in her back yard. The deck will be a |
43. Area of a Tabletop Yuki bought a drop-leaf kitchen table. The rectangular part of the table is a | 44. Painting Leora wants to paint the nursery in her house. The nursery is an |
45. Describe two different ways to find the area of this figure, and then show your work to make sure both ways give the same area. | 46. A circle has a diametre of |
1. a) 43.96 in. b) 153.86 sq. in. | 3. a) 53.38 ft b) 226.865 sq. ft | 5. 62.8 ft |
7. 37.68 in. | 9. 6.908 ft | 11. 52 in. |
13. 5.5 m | 15. 24 ft | 17. 6.5 mi |
19. 16 sq. units | 21. 30 sq. units | 23. 57.5 sq. units |
25. 12 sq. units | 27. 67.5 sq. units | 29. 89 sq. units |
31. 44.81 sq. units | 33. 41.12 sq. units | 35. 35.13 sq. units |
37. 95.625 sq. units | 39. 187,500 sq. ft | 41. 9400 sq. ft |
43. a) 6.5325 sq. ft b) 10.065 sq. ft | 45. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Solve Geometry Applications: Circles and Irregular Figures” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
In the following exercises, convert between Imperial units. Round to the nearest tenth.
1. A picture frame is | 2. A floral arbor is |
3. A playground is | 4. Kelly is |
5. An orca whale in the Salish Sea weighs | 6. The height of Mount Shasta is |
7. How many tablespoons are in a quart? | 8. The play lasted |
9. Trinh needs | 10. Naomi’s baby weighed |
In the following exercises, solve, and state your answer in mixed units.
11. Every day last week, Pedro recorded the amount of time he spent reading. He read for | 12. John caught |
13. Dalila wants to make pillow covers. Each cover takes | 14. Fouad is |
In the following exercises, convert between metric units.
15. Mount Everest is | 16. Donna is |
17. One cup of yogurt contains | 18. One cup of yogurt contains |
19. A bottle of water contained | 20. Sergio weighed |
In the following exercises, solve.
21. Selma had a | 22. Minh is |
23. One ounce of tofu provides | 24. One serving of cranberry juice contains |
In the following exercises, convert between Imperial and metric units. Round to the nearest tenth.
25. A college basketball court is | 26. Majid is |
27. Lucas weighs | 28. Caroline walked |
29. A box of books weighs | 30. Steve’s car holds |
In the following exercises, convert the Fahrenheit temperatures to degrees Celsius. Round to the nearest tenth.
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
In the following exercises, convert the Celsius temperatures to degrees Fahrenheit. Round to the nearest tenth.
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
In the following exercises, would you measure each item using linear, square, or cubic measure?
39. amount of sand in a sandbag | 40. height of a tree |
41. size of a patio | 42. length of a highway |
In the following exercises, find a) the perimeter b) the area of each figure
43. ![]() | 44. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the a) perimeter b) area of each rectangle
45. The length of a rectangle is | 46. The length of a rectangle is |
47. A sidewalk in front of Kathy’s house is in the shape of a rectangle | 48. A rectangular room is |
In the following exercises, solve.
49. Find the length of a rectangle with perimeter of | 50. Find the width of a rectangle with perimeter |
51. The area of a rectangle is | 52. The width of a rectangle is |
53. The length of a rectangle is | 54. The width of a rectangle is |
In the following exercises, solve using the properties of triangles.
55. Find the area of a triangle with base | 56. Find the area of a triangle with base |
57. A triangular road sign has base | 58. If a triangular courtyard has sides |
59. A tile in the shape of an isosceles triangle has a base of | 60. Find the length of each side of an equilateral triangle with perimeter of |
61. The perimeter of a triangle is | 62. One side of a triangle is three times the smallest side. The third side is |
In the following exercises, solve using the properties of trapezoids.
63. The height of a trapezoid is | 64. The height of a trapezoid is |
65. Find the area of the trapezoid with height | 66. A flag is shaped like a trapezoid with height |
In the following exercises, solve using the properties of circles. Round answers to the nearest hundredth.
67. A circular mosaic has radius a) circumference b) area of the mosaic | 68. A circular fountain has radius a) circumference b) area of the fountain |
69. Find the diametre of a circle with circumference | 70. Find the radius of a circle with circumference |
In the following exercises, find the area of each shaded region.
71. ![]() | 72. ![]() |
73. ![]() | 74. ![]() |
75. ![]() | 76. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the a) volume b) surface area of the rectangular solid
77. A rectangular solid with length | 78. A cube with sides that are |
79. A cube of tofu with sides | 80. A rectangular carton with length |
In the following exercises, find the a) volume b) surface area of the sphere.
81. a sphere with radius | 82. a sphere with radius |
83. a baseball with radius | 84. a soccer ball with radius |
In the following exercises, find the a) volume b) surface area of the cylinder
85. A cylinder with radius | 86. A cylinder with diametre |
87. A juice can with diametre | 88. A cylindrical pylon with diametre |
In the following exercises, find the volume of the cone.
89. A cone with height | 90. A cone with height |
91. A cone-shaped water cup with diametre | 92. A cone-shaped pile of gravel with diametre |
1. 3.5 feet | 3. 15 yards | 5. 9000 pounds |
7. 64 tablespoons | 9. 1.9 gallons | 11. 7 hours 10 minutes |
13. 3 yards, 12 inches | 15. 8.85 kilometres | 17. 13,000 milligrams |
19. 0.65 litres | 21. 855 millilitre s | 23. 10,000 milligrams |
25. 25.6 metres | 27. 171.6 pounds | 29. 11.4 kilograms |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. | 39. cubic | 41. square |
43. a) 8 units b) 3 sq. units | 45. a) 140 m b) 1176 sq. m | 47. a) 98 ft. b) 180 sq. ft. |
49. 25 cm | 51. 62 m | 53. 24.5 in., 12.5 in. |
55. 135 sq. in. | 57. 600 sq. in. | 59. 7 in., 7 in. |
61. 17 ft., 20 ft., 22 ft. | 63. 100 sq. ft. | 65. 675 sq. m |
67. a) 18.84 m b) 28.26 sq. m | 69. 48 in. | 71. 30 sq. units |
73. 300 sq. units | 75. 199.25 sq. units | 77. a) 630 cu. cm b) 496 sq. cm |
79. a) 15.625 cu. in. b) 37.5 sq. in. | 81. a) 267.95 cu. yd. b) 200.96 sq. yd. | 83. a) 12.76 cu. in. b) 26.41 sq. in. |
85. a) 75.36 cu. yd. b) 100.48 sq. yd. | 87. a) 753.6 cu. cm b) 477.28 sq. cm | 89. 5.233 cu. m |
91. 4.599 cu. in. |
In the following exercises, solve using the appropriate unit conversions.
1. One cup of milk contains | 2. Azize walked |
3. Janice ran | 4. Larry had |
5. Use the formula | 6. Yolie is |
7. A triangular poster has base | 8. The length of a rectangle is |
9. A circular pool has diametre | 10. A trapezoid has height |
11. Find the volume of a rectangular room with width | 12. Find the area of the shaded region. Round to the nearest tenth. |
13. A traffic cone has height | 14. A coffee can is shaped like a cylinder with height |
1. .276 grams | 2. 23760 feet | 3. 9.317 miles |
4. 211 minutes, 3 hours and 31 minutes | 5. 95°F | 6. 160 centimetres |
7. 2,200 square centimetres | 8. 11 feet, 9 feet | 9. 282.6 inches |
10. 201 feet | 11. 1,440 cubic feet | 12. 10.3 square inches |
13. 31,400 cubic inches | 14. a) 534.1 square inches b) 1335 cubic inches |
When you apply for a mortgage, the loan officer will compare your total debt to your total income to decide if you qualify for the loan. This comparison is called the debt-to-income ratio. A ratio compares two quantities that are measured with the same unit. If we compare and
, the ratio is written as
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Ratios
A ratio compares two numbers or two quantities that are measured with the same unit. The ratio of to
is written
In this section, we will use the fraction notation. When a ratio is written in fraction form, the fraction should be simplified. If it is an improper fraction, we do not change it to a mixed number. Because a ratio compares two quantities, we would leave a ratio as instead of simplifying it to
so that we can see the two parts of the ratio.
EXAMPLE 1
Write each ratio as a fraction: a)b)
.
Write as a fraction with the first number in the numerator and the second in the denominator. | |
Simplify the fraction. |
We leave the ratio in b) as an improper fraction.
Write as a fraction with the first number in the numerator and the second in the denominator. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 1.1
Write each ratio as a fraction: a) b)
.
TRY IT 1.2
Write each ratio as a fraction: a) b)
.
We will often work with ratios of decimals, especially when we have ratios involving money. In these cases, we can eliminate the decimals by using the Equivalent Fractions Property to convert the ratio to a fraction with whole numbers in the numerator and denominator.
For example, consider the ratio . We can write it as a fraction with decimals and then multiply the numerator and denominator by
to eliminate the decimals.
Do you see a shortcut to find the equivalent fraction? Notice that and
. The least common denominator of
and
is
. By multiplying the numerator and denominator of
by
, we ‘moved’ the decimal two places to the right to get the equivalent fraction with no decimals. Now that we understand the math behind the process, we can find the fraction with no decimals like this:
![]() | |
“Move” the decimal 2 places. | |
Simplify. |
You do not have to write out every step when you multiply the numerator and denominator by powers of ten. As long as you move both decimal places the same number of places, the ratio will remain the same.
EXAMPLE 2
Write each ratio as a fraction of whole numbers:
a)
b)
a) | |
Write as a fraction. | |
Rewrite as an equivalent fraction without decimals, by moving both decimal points 1 place to the right. | |
Simplify. |
So is equivalent to
.
b) The numerator has one decimal place and the denominator has | |
Write as a fraction. | |
Move both decimals right two places. | |
Simplify. |
So is equivalent to
.
TRY IT 2.1
Write each ratio as a fraction: a) b)
.
TRY IT 2.2
Write each ratio as a fraction: a) b)
.
Some ratios compare two mixed numbers. Remember that to divide mixed numbers, you first rewrite them as improper fractions.
EXAMPLE 3
Write the ratio of as a fraction.
Write as a fraction. | |
Convert the numerator and denominator to improper fractions. | |
Rewrite as a division of fractions. | |
Invert the divisor and multiply. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 3.1
Write each ratio as a fraction: .
TRY IT 3.2
Write each ratio as a fraction: .
One real-world application of ratios that affects many people involves measuring cholesterol in blood. The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol is one way doctors assess a person’s overall health. A ratio of less than to 1 is considered good.
EXAMPLE 4
Hector’s total cholesterol is mg/dl and his HDL cholesterol is
mg/dl. a) Find the ratio of his total cholesterol to his HDL cholesterol. b) Assuming that a ratio less than
to
is considered good, what would you suggest to Hector?
a) First, write the words that express the ratio. We want to know the ratio of Hector’s total cholesterol to his HDL cholesterol.
Write as a fraction. | |
Substitute the values. | |
Simplify. |
b) Is Hector’s cholesterol ratio ok? If we divide by
we obtain approximately
, so
. Hector’s cholesterol ratio is high! Hector should either lower his total cholesterol or raise his HDL cholesterol.
TRY IT 4.1
Find the patient’s ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol using the given information.
Total cholesterol is mg/dL and HDL cholesterol is
mg/dL.
TRY IT 4.2
Find the patient’s ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol using the given information.
Total cholesterol is mg/dL and HDL cholesterol is
mg/dL.
To find the ratio of two measurements, we must make sure the quantities have been measured with the same unit. If the measurements are not in the same units, we must first convert them to the same units.
We know that to simplify a fraction, we divide out common factors. Similarly in a ratio of measurements, we divide out the common unit.
EXAMPLE 5
The Canadian National Building Code (CNBC) Guidelines for wheel chair ramps require a maximum vertical rise of inch for every
foot of horizontal run. What is the ratio of the rise to the run?
In a ratio, the measurements must be in the same units. We can change feet to inches, or inches to feet. It is usually easier to convert to the smaller unit, since this avoids introducing more fractions into the problem.
Write the words that express the ratio.
Ratio of the rise to the run | |
Write the ratio as a fraction. | |
Substitute in the given values. | |
Convert 1 foot to inches. | |
Simplify, dividing out common factors and units. |
So the ratio of rise to run is to
. This means that the ramp should rise
inch for every
inches of horizontal run to comply with the guidelines.
TRY IT 5.1
Find the ratio of the first length to the second length: inches to
foot.
TRY IT 5.2
Find the ratio of the first length to the second length: foot to
inches.
Frequently we want to compare two different types of measurements, such as miles to gallons. To make this comparison, we use a rate. Examples of rates are miles in
hours,
words in
minutes, and
dollars per
ounces.
Rate
A rate compares two quantities of different units. A rate is usually written as a fraction.
When writing a fraction as a rate, we put the first given amount with its units in the numerator and the second amount with its units in the denominator. When rates are simplified, the units remain in the numerator and denominator.
EXAMPLE 6
Bob drove his car miles in
hours. Write this rate as a fraction.
Write as a fraction, with 525 miles in the numerator and 9 hours in the denominator. | |
So miles in
hours is equivalent to
.
TRY IT 6.1
Write the rate as a fraction: miles in
hours.
TRY IT 6.2
Write the rate as a fraction: miles in
hours.
In the last example, we calculated that Bob was driving at a rate of . This tells us that every three hours, Bob will travel
miles. This is correct, but not very useful. We usually want the rate to reflect the number of miles in one hour. A rate that has a denominator of
unit is referred to as a unit rate.
Unit Rate
A unit rate is a rate with denominator of unit.
Unit rates are very common in our lives. For example, when we say that we are driving at a speed of miles per hour we mean that we travel
miles in
hour. We would write this rate as
miles/hour (read
miles per hour). The common abbreviation for this is
mph. Note that when no number is written before a unit, it is assumed to be
.
So miles/hour really means
Two rates we often use when driving can be written in different forms, as shown:
Example | Rate | Write | Abbreviate | Read |
---|---|---|---|---|
Another example of unit rate that you may already know about is hourly pay rate. It is usually expressed as the amount of money earned for one hour of work. For example, if you are paid for each hour you work, you could write that your hourly (unit) pay rate is
(read
per hour.)
To convert a rate to a unit rate, we divide the numerator by the denominator. This gives us a denominator of .
EXAMPLE 7
Anita was paid last week for working
. What is Anita’s hourly pay rate?
Start with a rate of dollars to hours. Then divide. | |
Write as a rate. | |
Divide the numerator by the denominator. | |
Rewrite as a rate. |
Anita’s hourly pay rate is per hour.
TRY IT 7.1
Find the unit rate: for
hours.
$18.00/hour
TRY IT 7.2
Find the unit rate: for
hours.
$19.00/hour
EXAMPLE 8
Sven drives his car miles, using
gallons of gasoline. How many miles per gallon does his car get?
Start with a rate of miles to gallons. Then divide.
Write as a rate. | |
Divide 455 by 14 to get the unit rate. |
Sven’s car gets miles/gallon, or
mpg.
TRY IT 8.1
Find the unit rate: miles to
gallons of gas.
23.5 mpg
TRY IT 8.2
Find the unit rate: miles to
gallons of gas.
28 mpg
Sometimes we buy common household items ‘in bulk’, where several items are packaged together and sold for one price. To compare the prices of different sized packages, we need to find the unit price. To find the unit price, divide the total price by the number of items. A unit price is a unit rate for one item.
Unit price
A unit price is a unit rate that gives the price of one item.
EXAMPLE 9
The grocery store charges for a case of
bottles of water. What is the unit price?
What are we asked to find? We are asked to find the unit price, which is the price per bottle.
Write as a rate. | |
Divide to find the unit price. | |
Round the result to the nearest penny. |
The unit price is approximately per bottle. Each bottle costs about
.
TRY IT 9.1
Find the unit price. Round your answer to the nearest cent if necessary.
of juice boxes for
$0.29/box
TRY IT 9.2
Find the unit price. Round your answer to the nearest cent if necessary.
of bottles of ice tea for
$0.53/bottle
Unit prices are very useful if you comparison shop. The better buy is the item with the lower unit price. Most grocery stores list the unit price of each item on the shelves.
EXAMPLE 10
Paul is shopping for laundry detergent. At the grocery store, the liquid detergent is priced at for
loads of laundry and the same brand of powder detergent is priced at
for
loads.
Which is the better buy, the liquid or the powder detergent?
To compare the prices, we first find the unit price for each type of detergent.
Liquid | Powder | |
Write as a rate. | ||
Find the unit price. | ||
Round to the nearest cent. |
Now we compare the unit prices. The unit price of the liquid detergent is about per load and the unit price of the powder detergent is about
per load. The powder is the better buy.
TRY IT 10.1
Find each unit price and then determine the better buy. Round to the nearest cent if necessary.
Brand A Storage Bags, for
count, or Brand B Storage Bags,
for
count
Brand A costs $0.12 per bag. Brand B costs $0.13 per bag. Brand A is the better buy.
TRY IT 10.2
Find each unit price and then determine the better buy. Round to the nearest cent if necessary.
Brand C Chicken Noodle Soup, for
ounces, or Brand D Chicken Noodle Soup,
for
ounces
Brand C costs $0.07 per ounce. Brand D costs $0.09 per ounce. Brand C is the better buy.
Notice in the above example that we rounded the unit price to the nearest cent. Sometimes we may need to carry the division to one more place to see the difference between the unit prices.
Have you noticed that the examples in this section used the comparison words ratio of, to, per, in, for, on, and from? When you translate phrases that include these words, you should think either ratio or rate. If the units measure the same quantity (length, time, etc.), you have a ratio. If the units are different, you have a rate. In both cases, you write a fraction.
EXAMPLE 11
Translate the word phrase into an algebraic expression:
a) miles per
hours
b) students to
teachers
c) dollars for
hours
a) | |
Write as a rate. |
b) | |
Write as a rate. |
c) | |
Write as a rate. |
TRY IT 11.1
Translate the word phrase into an algebraic expression.
a) miles per
hours b)
parents to
students c)
dollars for
minutes
TRY IT 11.2
Translate the word phrase into an algebraic expression.
a) miles per
hours b)
students to
buses c)
dollars for
hours
Access to Additional Online R
In the following exercises, write each ratio as a fraction.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. total cholesterol of | 26. total cholesterol of |
27. | 28. |
In the following exercises, write each rate as a fraction.
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
In the following exercises, find the unit rate. Round to two decimal places, if necessary.
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. The bindery at a printing plant assembles | 52. The pressroom at a printing plant prints |
In the following exercises, find the unit price. Round to the nearest cent.
53. Soap bars at | 54. Soap bars at |
55. Women’s sports socks at | 56. Men’s dress socks at |
57. Snack packs of cookies at | 58. Granola bars at |
59. CD-RW discs at | 60. CDs at |
61. The grocery store has a special on macaroni and cheese. The price is | 62. The pet store has a special on cat food. The price is |
In the following exercises, find each unit price and then identify the better buy. Round to three decimal places.
63. Mouthwash, | 64. Toothpaste, |
65. Breakfast cereal, | 66. Breakfast Cereal, |
67. Ketchup, | 68. Mayonnaise |
69. Cheese | 70. Candy |
In the following exercises, translate the English phrase into an algebraic expression.
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. 105 calories in | 76. |
77. the ratio of | 78. the ratio of |
79. One elementary school in Saskatchewan has | 80. The average Canadian produces about |
81. A popular fast food burger weighs | 82. A |
83. Would you prefer the ratio of your income to your friend’s income to be | 84. The parking lot at the airport charges |
85. Kathryn ate a | 86. Arjun had a |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. | 15. | 17. |
19. | 21. | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. 11.67 calories/ounce | 39. 2.73 lbs./sq. in. | 41. 69.71 mph |
43. $14.88/hour | 45. 32 mpg | 47. 2.69 lbs./week |
49. 92 beats/minute | 51. 8,000 | 53. $1.09/bar |
55. $1.33/pair | 57. $0.48/pack | 59. $0.60/disc |
61. $1.29/box | 63. The 50.7-ounce size costs $0.138 per ounce. The 33.8-ounce size costs $0.142 per ounce. The 50.7-ounce size is the better buy. | 65. The 18-ounce size costs $0.222 per ounce. The 14-ounce size costs $0.235 per ounce. The 18-ounce size is a better buy. |
67. The regular bottle costs $0.075 per ounce. The squeeze bottle costs $0.069 per ounce. The squeeze bottle is a better buy. | 69. The half-pound block costs $6.78/lb, so the 1-lb. block is a better buy. | 71. |
73. | 75. | 77. |
79. 15.2 students per teacher | 81. a) 72 calories/ounce b) 3.87 grams of fat/ounce c) 5.73 grams carbs/once d) 3.33 grams protein/ounce | 83. Answers will vary. |
85. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Ratios and Rate” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
How many cents are in one dollar? There are cents in a dollar. How many years are in a century? There are
years in a century. Does this give you a clue about what the word “percent” means? It is really two words, “per cent,” and means per one hundred. A percent is a ratio whose denominator is
. We use the percent symbol
to show percent.
Percent
A percent is a ratio whose denominator is .
According to data from the Statistics Canada, of Canadian Internet users reported a cyber security incident, including being redirected to fraudulent websites that asked for personal information or getting a virus or other computer infection. This means
out of every
Canadian internet users reported cyber security incidents as (Figure 1) shows. Out of the
squares on the grid,
are shaded, which we write as the ratio
.
Similarly, means a ratio of
means a ratio of
and
means a ratio of
. In words, “one hundred percent” means the total
is
, and since
, we see that
means
whole.
EXAMPLE 1
According to a survey done by Universities Canada of Canada’s Universities are working to include Indigenous representation within their governance or leadership structures.Write this percent as a ratio.
The amount we want to convert is 71%. | |
Write the percent as a ratio. Remember that percent means per 100. |
TRY IT 1.1
Write the percent as a ratio.
According to a survey, of college students have a smartphone.
TRY IT 1.2
Write the percent as a ratio.
A study found that of Canadian teens send text messages regularly.
EXAMPLE 2
In , according to a Universities Canada survey,
out of every
of today’s undergraduates benefit from experiential learning such as co-ops, internships and service learning. Write this as a ratio and then as a percent.
The amount we want to convert is | |
Write as a ratio. | |
Convert the 56 per 100 to percent. |
TRY IT 2.1
Write as a ratio and then as a percent: According to Statistics Canada, only out of
young Canadians cross a provincial border to complete their university degree.
TRY IT 2.2
Write as a ratio and then as a percent: According to an international comparison done by the British Council, out of
current professional leaders across 30 countries and in all sectors, are liberal arts grads with bachelor’s degrees in the social sciences or humanities.
Since percents are ratios, they can easily be expressed as fractions. Remember that percent means per , so the denominator of the fraction is
.
Convert a Percent to a Fraction.
EXAMPLE 3
Convert each percent to a fraction:
a) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Simplify. |
b) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 3.1
Convert each percent to a fraction:
TRY IT 3.2
Convert each percent to a fraction:
The previous example shows that a percent can be greater than . We saw that
means
, or
. These are improper fractions, and their values are greater than one.
EXAMPLE 4
Convert each percent to a fraction:
a) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Clear the decimal by multiplying numerator and denominator by 10. | |
Multiply. | |
Rewrite showing common factors. | |
Simplify. |
b) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Write the numerator as an improper fraction. | |
Rewrite as fraction division, replacing 100 with | |
Multiply by the reciprocal. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 4.1
Convert each percent to a fraction:
TRY IT 4.2
Convert each percent to a fraction:
To convert a percent to a decimal, we first convert it to a fraction and then change the fraction to a decimal.
HOW TO: Convert a Percent to a Decimal
EXAMPLE 5
Convert each percent to a decimal:
Because we want to change to a decimal, we will leave the fractions with denominator instead of removing common factors.
a) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Change the fraction to a decimal by dividing the numerator by the denominator. |
b) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Change the fraction to a decimal by dividing the numerator by the denominator. |
TRY IT 5.1
Convert each percent to a decimal:
TRY IT 5.2
Convert each percent to a decimal:
EXAMPLE 6
Convert each percent to a decimal:
a) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Change the fraction to a decimal by dividing the numerator by the denominator. |
b) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Change the fraction to a decimal by dividing the numerator by the denominator. |
TRY IT 6.1
Convert each percent to a decimal:
TRY IT 6.2
Convert each percent to a decimal:
Let’s summarize the results from the previous examples in the table below, and look for a pattern we could use to quickly convert a percent number to a decimal number.
Percent | Decimal |
---|---|
Do you see the pattern?
To convert a percent number to a decimal number, we move the decimal point two places to the left and remove the sign. (Sometimes the decimal point does not appear in the percent number, but just like we can think of the integer
as
, we can think of
as
.) Notice that we may need to add zeros in front of the number when moving the decimal to the left.
(Figure 2) uses the percents in the table above and shows visually how to convert them to decimals by moving the decimal point two places to the left.
EXAMPLE 7
Among a group of business leaders, believe that poor math and science education in Canada will lead to higher unemployment rates.
Convert the percent to: a) a fraction b) a decimal
a) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. |
b) | |
Change the fraction to a decimal by dividing the numerator by the denominator. |
TRY IT 7.1
Convert the percent to: a) a fraction and b) a decimal
Twitter’s share of web traffic jumped when one celebrity tweeted live on air.
TRY IT 7.2
Convert the percent to: a) a fraction and b) a decimal
Statistics Canada shows that in of adults aged
to
had a bachelor degree.
EXAMPLE 8
There are four suits of cards in a deck of cards—hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades. The probability of randomly choosing a heart from a shuffled deck of cards is . Convert the percent to:
a) | |
Write as a ratio with denominator 100. | |
Simplify. |
b) | |
Change the fraction to a decimal by dividing the numerator by the denominator. |
TRY IT 8.1
Convert the percent to: a) a fraction, and b) a decimal
The probability that it will rain Monday is .
TRY IT 8.2
Convert the percent to: a) a fraction, and b) a decimal
The probability of getting heads three times when tossing a coin three times is .
To convert a decimal to a percent, remember that percent means per hundred. If we change the decimal to a fraction whose denominator is , it is easy to change that fraction to a percent.
HOW TO: Convert a Decimal to a Percent
EXAMPLE 9
Convert each decimal to a percent: a) b)
a) | |
Write as a fraction. The denominator is 100. | |
Write this ratio as a percent. |
b) | |
The denominator is 100. | |
Write this ratio as a percent. |
TRY IT 9.1
Convert each decimal to a percent: a) b)
.
TRY IT 9.2
Convert each decimal to a percent: a) b)
To convert a mixed number to a percent, we first write it as an improper fraction.
EXAMPLE 10
Convert each decimal to a percent: a) b)
a) | |
Write as a fraction. | |
Write as an improper fraction. The denominator is 100. | |
Write this ratio as a percent. |
Notice that since >
, the result is more than
b) | |
Write as a fraction. The denominator is 1,000. | |
Divide the numerator and denominator by 10, so that the denominator is 100. | |
Write this ratio as a percent. |
TRY IT 10.1
Convert each decimal to a percent: a) b)
TRY IT 10.2
Convert each decimal to a percent: a) b)
Let’s summarize the results from the previous examples in the table below so we can look for a pattern.
Decimal | Percent |
---|---|
Do you see the pattern? To convert a decimal to a percent, we move the decimal point two places to the right and then add the percent sign.
(Figure.3) uses the decimal numbers in the table above and shows visually to convert them to percents by moving the decimal point two places to the right and then writing the sign.
Now we also know how to change decimals to percents. So to convert a fraction to a percent, we first change it to a decimal and then convert that decimal to a percent.
HOW TO: Convert a Fraction to a Percent
EXAMPLE 11
Convert each fraction or mixed number to a percent: a) b)
c)
To convert a fraction to a decimal, divide the numerator by the denominator.
a) | |
Change to a decimal. | |
Write as a percent by moving the decimal two places. | ![]() |
b) | |
Change to a decimal. | |
Write as a percent by moving the decimal two places. | ![]() |
c) | |
Write as an improper fraction. | |
Change to a decimal. | |
Write as a percent. | ![]() |
Notice that we needed to add zeros at the end of the number when moving the decimal two places to the right.
TRY IT 11.1
Convert each fraction or mixed number to a percent: a) b)
c)
TRY IT 11.2
Convert each fraction or mixed number to a percent: a) b)
c)
Sometimes when changing a fraction to a decimal, the division continues for many decimal places and we will round off the quotient. The number of decimal places we round to will depend on the situation. If the decimal involves money, we round to the hundredths place. For most other cases in this book we will round the number to the nearest thousandth, so the percent will be rounded to the nearest tenth.
EXAMPLE 12
Convert to a percent.
To change a fraction to a decimal, we divide the numerator by the denominator.
Change to a decimal—rounding to the nearest thousandth. | |
Write as a percent. |
TRY IT 12.1
Convert the fraction to a percent:
42.9%
TRY IT 12.2
Convert the fraction to a percent:
57.1%
When we first looked at fractions and decimals, we saw that fractions converted to a repeating decimal. When we converted the fraction to a decimal, we wrote the answer as
. We will use this same notation, as well as fraction notation, when we convert fractions to percents in the next example.
EXAMPLE 13
Statistics Canada reported in 2018 that approximately of Canadian adults are obese. Convert the fraction
to a percent.
Change to a decimal. | ![]() |
Write as a repeating decimal. | |
Write as a percent. |
We could also write the percent as .
TRY IT 13.1
Convert the fraction to a percent:
According to the Canadian Census 2016, about people within the population of Canada are between the ages of
and
.
TRY IT 13.2
Convert the fraction to a percent:
According to the Canadian Census 2015, about of Canadian residents under age 18 are low income.
In the following exercises, write each percent as a ratio.
1. In | 2. In |
3. The unemployment rate for those with Bachelor’s degrees was | 4. The unemployment rate in Canada in In the following exercises, write as a) a ratio and b) a percent |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
In the following exercises, convert each percent to a fraction and simplify all fractions.
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
In the following exercises, convert each percent to a decimal.
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
In the following exercises, convert each percent to
a) a simplified fraction and
b) a decimal
41. In | 42. In |
43. According to government data, in | 44. According to the Survey of Earned Doctorates, among Canadians age |
45. A couple plans to have two children. The probability they will have two girls is | 46. Javier will choose one digit at random from |
47. According to the local weather report, the probability of thunderstorms in New York City on July | 48. A club sells |
In the following exercises, convert each decimal to a percent.
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
In the following exercises, convert each fraction to a percent.
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
In the following exercises, convert each fraction to a percent.
81. | 82. |
In the following exercises, convert each fraction to a percent.
83. According to the Government of Canada, in | 84. Statistics Canada showed that in |
In the following exercises, complete the table.
85.
| 86.
|
87. Sales tax Felipa says she has an easy way to estimate the sales tax when she makes a purchase. The sales tax in her city is a) Convert b) Use your answer from a) to estimate the sales tax Felipa would pay on a | 88. Savings Ryan has a) Write b) Use your answer from a) to find the amount that goes to savings from Ryan’s | ||||||||
Amelio is shopping for textbooks online. He found three sellers that are offering a book he needs for the same price, including shipping. To decide which seller to buy from he is comparing their customer satisfaction ratings. The ratings are given in the chart.
| |||||||||
89. Write seller | 90. Write seller | ||||||||
91. Write seller | 92. Which seller should Amelio buy from and why? |
93. Convert | 94. Convert |
95. When the Szetos sold their home, the selling price was | 96. According to cnn.com, cell phone use in |
1. | 3. | 5. a) b) | |||||||||||||||||||||
7. a) b) | 9. | 11. | |||||||||||||||||||||
13. | 15. | 17. | |||||||||||||||||||||
19. | 21. | 23. | |||||||||||||||||||||
25. 0.05 | 27. 0.01 | 29. 0.63 | |||||||||||||||||||||
31. 0.4 | 33. 1.15 | 35. 1.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
37. 0.214 | 39. 0.078 | 41. a) b) | |||||||||||||||||||||
43. a) b) | 45. a) b) | 47. a) b) | |||||||||||||||||||||
49. 1% | 51. 18% | 53. 135% | |||||||||||||||||||||
55. 300% | 57. 0.9% | 59. 8.75% | |||||||||||||||||||||
61. 150% | 63. 225.4% | 65. 25% | |||||||||||||||||||||
67. 37.5% | 69. 175% | 71. 680% | |||||||||||||||||||||
73. 41.7% | 75. | 77. 42.9% | |||||||||||||||||||||
79. 55.6% | 81. 25% | 83. 64% | |||||||||||||||||||||
85.
| 87. a) b) | 89. | |||||||||||||||||||||
91. 80%; 0.8 | 93. | 95. The Szetos sold their home for five times what they paid 30 years ago. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Understand Percent” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
When two ratios or rates are equal, the equation relating them is called a proportion.
Proportion
A proportion is an equation of the form , where
.
The proportion states two ratios or rates are equal. The proportion is read is to
, as
is to
The equation is a proportion because the two fractions are equal. The proportion
is read
is to
as
is to
If we compare quantities with units, we have to be sure we are comparing them in the right order. For example, in the proportion we compare the number of students to the number of teachers. We put students in the numerators and teachers in the denominators.
EXAMPLE 1
Write each sentence as a proportion:
a) | |
3 is to 7 as 15 is to 35. | |
Write as a proportion. |
b) | |
5 hits in 8 at-bats is the same as 30 hits in 48 at-bats. | |
Write each fraction to compare hits to at-bats. | |
Write as a proportion. |
c) | |
$1.50 for 6 ounces is equivalent to $2.25 for 9 ounces. | |
Write each fraction to compare dollars to ounces. | |
Write as a proportion. |
TRY IT 1.1
Write each sentence as a proportion:
TRY IT 1.2
Write each sentence as a proportion:
Look at the proportions and
. From our work with equivalent fractions we know these equations are true. But how do we know if an equation is a proportion with equivalent fractions if it contains fractions with larger numbers?
To determine if a proportion is true, we find the cross products of each proportion. To find the cross products, we multiply each denominator with the opposite numerator (diagonally across the equal sign). The results are called a cross products because of the cross formed. The cross products of a proportion are equal.
Cross Products of a Proportion
For any proportion of the form , where
, its cross products are equal.
Cross products can be used to test whether a proportion is true. To test whether an equation makes a proportion, we find the cross products. If they are the equal, we have a proportion.
EXAMPLE 2
Determine whether each equation is a proportion:
To determine if the equation is a proportion, we find the cross products. If they are equal, the equation is a proportion.
a) | |
![]() | |
Find the cross products. | ![]() |
Since the cross products are not equal, , the equation is not a proportion.
b) | |
![]() | |
Find the cross products. | ![]() |
Since the cross products are equal, , the equation is a proportion.
TRY IT 2.1
Determine whether each equation is a proportion:
TRY IT 2.2
Determine whether each equation is a proportion:
To solve a proportion containing a variable, we remember that the proportion is an equation. All of the techniques we have used so far to solve equations still apply. In the next example, we will solve a proportion by multiplying by the Least Common Denominator (LCD) using the Multiplication Property of Equality.
EXAMPLE 3
Solve: .
![]() | ||
To isolate | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Divide the common factors. | ![]() | |
Check: To check our answer, we substitute into the original proportion. | ||
![]() | ||
![]() | ![]() | |
Show common factors. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Solve the proportion: .
77
TRY IT 3.2
Solve the proportion: .
104
When the variable is in a denominator, we’ll use the fact that the cross products of a proportion are equal to solve the proportions.
We can find the cross products of the proportion and then set them equal. Then we solve the resulting equation using our familiar techniques.
EXAMPLE 4
Solve: .
Notice that the variable is in the denominator, so we will solve by finding the cross products and setting them equal.
![]() | ||
Find the cross products and set them equal. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Divide both sides by 9. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Check your answer: | ||
![]() | ||
Substitute a = 64 | ![]() | |
Show common factors. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Another method to solve this would be to multiply both sides by the LCD, . Try it and verify that you get the same solution.
TRY IT 4.1
Solve the proportion: .
65
TRY IT 4.2
Solve the proportion: .
24
EXAMPLE 5
Solve: .
Find the cross products and set them equal. | ![]() | |
![]() | ||
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Divide both sides by 52. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Check: | ||
![]() | ||
Substitute y = −7 | ![]() | |
Show common factors. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Solve the proportion: .
−7
TRY IT 5.2
Solve the proportion: .
−9
The strategy for solving applications that we have used earlier in this chapter, also works for proportions, since proportions are equations. When we set up the proportion, we must make sure the units are correct—the units in the numerators match and the units in the denominators match.
EXAMPLE 6
When pediatricians prescribe acetaminophen to children, they prescribe millilitre s (ml) of acetaminophen for every
pounds of the child’s weight. If Zoe weighs
pounds, how many millilitre s of acetaminophen will her doctor prescribe?
Identify what you are asked to find. | How many ml of acetaminophen the doctor will prescribe |
Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. | If 5 ml is prescribed for every 25 pounds, how much will be prescribed for 80 pounds? |
Translate into a proportion. | ![]() |
Substitute given values—be careful of the units. | ![]() |
Multiply both sides by 80. | ![]() |
Multiply and show common factors. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check if the answer is reasonable. | |
Yes. Since 80 is about 3 times 25, the medicine should be about 3 times 5. | |
Write a complete sentence. | The pediatrician would prescribe 16 ml of acetaminophen to Zoe. |
You could also solve this proportion by setting the cross products equal.
TRY IT 6.1
Pediatricians prescribe millilitre s (ml) of acetaminophen for every
pounds of a child’s weight. How many millilitre s of acetaminophen will the doctor prescribe for Emilia, who weighs
pounds?
12 ml
TRY IT 6.2
For every kilogram (kg) of a child’s weight, pediatricians prescribe
milligrams (mg) of a fever reducer. If Isabella weighs
kg, how many milligrams of the fever reducer will the pediatrician prescribe?
180 mg
EXAMPLE 7
One brand of microwave popcorn has calories per serving. A whole bag of this popcorn has
servings. How many calories are in a whole bag of this microwave popcorn?
Identify what you are asked to find. | How many calories are in a whole bag of microwave popcorn? |
Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. | If there are 120 calories per serving, how many calories are in a whole bag with 3.5 servings? |
Translate into a proportion. | ![]() |
Substitute given values. | ![]() |
Multiply both sides by 3.5. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Check if the answer is reasonable. | |
Yes. Since 3.5 is between 3 and 4, the total calories should be between 360 (3⋅120) and 480 (4⋅120). | |
Write a complete sentence. | The whole bag of microwave popcorn has 420 calories. |
TRY IT 7.1
Marissa loves the Caramel Macchiato at the coffee shop. The oz. medium size has
calories. How many calories will she get if she drinks the large
oz. size?
300
TRY IT 7.2
Yaneli loves Starburst candies, but wants to keep her snacks to calories. If the candies have
calories for
pieces, how many pieces can she have in her snack?
5
EXAMPLE 8
Josiah went to Mexico for spring break and changed dollars into Mexican pesos. At that time, the exchange rate had
U.S. is equal to
Mexican pesos. How many Mexican pesos did he get for his trip?
Identify what you are asked to find. | How many Mexican pesos did Josiah get? |
Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. | If $1 U.S. is equal to 12.54 Mexican pesos, then $325 is how many pesos? |
Translate into a proportion. | ![]() |
Substitute given values. | ![]() |
The variable is in the denominator, so find the cross products and set them equal. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check if the answer is reasonable. | |
Yes, $100 would be $1,254 pesos. $325 is a little more than 3 times this amount. | |
Write a complete sentence. | Josiah has 4075.5 pesos for his spring break trip. |
TRY IT 8.1
Yurianna is going to Europe and wants to change dollars into Euros. At the current exchange rate,
Canadian dollar is equal to
Euro. How many Euros will she have for her trip?
520 Euros
TRY IT 8.2
Corey and Nicole are traveling to Japan and need to exchange into Japanese yen. If each dollar is
yen, how many yen will they get?
45,421.43 yen
Previously, we solved percent equations by applying the properties of equality we have used to solve equations throughout this text. Some people prefer to solve percent equations by using the proportion method. The proportion method for solving percent problems involves a percent proportion. A percent proportion is an equation where a percent is equal to an equivalent ratio.
For example, and we can simplify
. Since the equation
shows a percent equal to an equivalent ratio, we call it a percent proportion. Using the vocabulary we used earlier:
Percent Proportion
The amount is to the base as the percent is to .
If we restate the problem in the words of a proportion, it may be easier to set up the proportion:
We could also say:
First we will practice translating into a percent proportion. Later, we’ll solve the proportion.
EXAMPLE 9
Translate to a proportion. What number is of
If you look for the word “of”, it may help you identify the base.
Identify the parts of the percent proportion. | ![]() |
Restate as a proportion. | ![]() |
Set up the proportion. Let |
TRY IT 9.1
Translate to a proportion: What number is of
TRY IT 9.2
Translate to a proportion: What number is of
EXAMPLE 10
Translate to a proportion. is
of what number?
Identify the parts of the percent proportion. | ![]() |
Restate as a proportion. | ![]() |
Set up the proportion. Let |
TRY IT 10.1
Translate to a proportion: is
of what number?
TRY IT 10.2
Translate to a proportion: is
of what number?
EXAMPLE 11
Translate to a proportion. What percent of is
Identify the parts of the percent proportion. | ![]() |
Restate as a proportion. | ![]() |
Set up the proportion. Let |
TRY IT 11.1
Translate to a proportion: What percent of is
TRY IT 11.2
Translate to a proportion: What percent of is
Now that we have written percent equations as proportions, we are ready to solve the equations.
EXAMPLE 12
Translate and solve using proportions: What number is of
Identify the parts of the percent proportion. | ![]() |
Restate as a proportion. | ![]() |
Set up the proportion. Let | ![]() |
Find the cross products and set them equal. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 100. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check if the answer is reasonable. | |
Yes. 45 is a little less than half of 100 and 36 is a little less than half 80. | |
Write a complete sentence that answers the question. | 36 is 45% of 80. |
TRY IT 12.1
Translate and solve using proportions: What number is of
26
TRY IT 12.2
Translate and solve using proportions: What number is of
34
In the next example, the percent is more than , which is more than one whole. So the unknown number will be more than the base.
EXAMPLE 13
Translate and solve using proportions: of
is what number?
Identify the parts of the percent proportion. | ![]() |
Restate as a proportion. | ![]() |
Set up the proportion. Let | ![]() |
Find the cross products and set them equal. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 100. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check if the answer is reasonable. | |
Yes. 125 is more than 100 and 31.25 is more than 25. | |
Write a complete sentence that answers the question. | 125% of 25 is 31.25. |
TRY IT 13.1
Translate and solve using proportions: of
is what number?
80
TRY IT 13.2
Translate and solve using proportions: of
is what number?
147
Percents with decimals and money are also used in proportions.
EXAMPLE 14
Translate and solve: of what number is
Identify the parts of the percent proportion. | ![]() |
Restate as a proportion. | ![]() |
Set up the proportion. Let | ![]() |
Find the cross products and set them equal. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 6.5 to isolate the variable. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check if the answer is reasonable. | |
Yes. 6.5% is a small amount and $1.56 is much less than $24. | |
Write a complete sentence that answers the question. | 6.5% of $24 is $1.56. |
TRY IT 14.1
Translate and solve using proportions: of what number is
38
TRY IT 14.2
Translate and solve using proportions: of what number is
64
EXAMPLE 15
Translate and solve using proportions: What percent of is
Identify the parts of the percent proportion. | ![]() |
Restate as a proportion. | ![]() |
Set up the proportion. Let | ![]() |
Find the cross products and set them equal. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 72. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check if the answer is reasonable. | |
Yes. 9 is | |
Write a complete sentence that answers the question. | 12.5% of 72 is 9. |
TRY IT 15.1
Translate and solve using proportions: What percent of is
37.5%
TRY IT 15.2
Translate and solve using proportions: What percent of is
25%
In the following exercises, write each sentence as a proportion.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, determine whether each equation is a proportion.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, solve each proportion.
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
In the following exercises, solve the proportion problem.
37. Pediatricians prescribe | 38. Brianna, who weighs |
39. At the gym, Carol takes her pulse for | 40. Kevin wants to keep his heart rate at |
41. A new energy drink advertises | 42. One |
43. Karen eats | 44. An oatmeal cookie recipe calls for |
45. Janice is traveling to the US and will change | 46. Todd is traveling to Mexico and needs to exchange |
47. Steve changed | 48. Martha changed |
49. At the laundromat, Lucy changed | 50. When she arrived at a casino, Gerty changed |
51. Jesse’s car gets | 52. Danny wants to drive to Banff to see his grandfather. Banff is |
53. Hugh leaves early one morning to drive from his home in White Rock to go to Edmonton, | 54. Kelly leaves her home in Seattle to drive to Spokane, a distance of |
55. Phil wants to fertilize his lawn. Each bag of fertilizer covers about | 56. April wants to paint the exterior of her house. One gallon of paint covers about |
In the following exercises, translate to a proportion.
57. What number is | 58. What number is |
59. What number is | 60. What number is |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
64. | 65. What percent of |
66. What percent of | 67. What percent of |
68. What percent of |
In the following exercises, translate and solve using proportions.
69. What number is | 70. What number is |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. What is | 76. What is |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. What percent of | 82. What percent of |
83. What percent of | 84. What percent of |
85. Mixing a concentrate Sam bought a large bottle of concentrated cleaning solution at the warehouse store. He must mix the concentrate with water to make a solution for washing his windows. The directions tell him to mix | 86. Mixing a concentrate Travis is going to wash his car. The directions on the bottle of car wash concentrate say to mix |
87. To solve “what number is | 88. To solve “what percent of |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. yes | 15. no | 17. no |
19. yes | 21. 49 | 23. 47 |
25. 9 | 27. -11 | 29. 7 |
31. 2 | 33. 0.6 | 35. 4 |
37. 9 ml | 39. 114, no | 41. 159 cal |
43. | 45. $175.00 | 47. 0.65 |
49. 48 quarters | 51. 19, $58.71 | 53. 11.1 hours |
55. 4 bags | 57. | 59. |
61. | 63. | 65. |
67. | 69. 117 | 70. 165 |
71. 16.56 | 73. 45.5 | 75. 1464 |
77. $45 | 79. $164 | 81. 25% |
83. 12.5% | 85. 20, 32 | 87. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Solve Proportions and their Applications” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
In the last section, we solved percent problems by setting them up as proportions. That is the best method available when you did not have the tools of algebra. Now, in this section we will translate word sentences into algebraic equations, and then solve the percent equations.
We’ll look at a common application of percent—tips to a server at a restaurant—to see how to set up a basic percent application.
When Kim and her friends went on a road trip to Vancouver, they ate lunch at Marta’s Cafe Tower. The bill came to . They wanted to leave a
tip. What amount would the tip be?
To solve this, we want to find what amount is of
. The
is called the base. The amount of the tip would be
, or
See (Figure 1). To find the amount of the tip, we multiplied the percent by the base.
A tip for an
restaurant bill comes out to
.
In the next examples, we will find the amount. We must be sure to change the given percent to a decimal when we translate the words into an equation.
EXAMPLE 1
What number is of
Translate into algebra. Let | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
TRY IT 1.1
What number is of
36
TRY IT 1.2
What number is of
33
EXAMPLE 2
of
is what number?
Translate into algebra. Let | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Remember that a percent over is a number greater than
. We found that
of
is
, which is greater than
.
TRY IT 2.1
of
is what number?
117
TRY IT 2.2
of
is what number?
126
In the next examples, we are asked to find the base.
EXAMPLE 3
Translate and solve: is
of what number?
Translate. Let | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 0.75. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
is
of what number?
68
TRY IT 3.2
is
of what number?
64
EXAMPLE 4
of what number is
Translate. Let | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 0.065. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
of what number is
$26
TRY IT 4.1
of what number is
$36
In the next examples, we will solve for the percent.
EXAMPLE 5
What percent of is
Translate into algebra. Let | ![]() |
Divide by 36. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Convert to decimal form. | ![]() |
Convert to percent. | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
What percent of is
75%
TRY IT 5.2
What percent of is
80%
EXAMPLE 6
is what percent of
Translate into algebra. Let | ![]() |
Divide by 96. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Convert to percent. | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
is what percent of
125%
TRY IT 6.2
is what percent of
175%
Many applications of percent occur in our daily lives, such as tips, sales tax, discount, and interest. To solve these applications we’ll translate to a basic percent equation, just like those we solved in the previous examples in this section. Once you translate the sentence into a percent equation, you know how to solve it.
We will update the strategy we used in our earlier applications to include equations now. Notice that we will translate a sentence into an equation.
HOW TO: Solve an Application
Now that we have the strategy to refer to, and have practiced solving basic percent equations, we are ready to solve percent applications. Be sure to ask yourself if your final answer makes sense—since many of the applications we’ll solve involve everyday situations, you can rely on your own experience.
EXAMPLE 7
Dezohn and his girlfriend enjoyed a dinner at a restaurant, and the bill was . They want to leave an
tip. If the tip will be
of the total bill, how much should the tip be?
What are you asked to find? | The amount of the tip |
Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Write a sentence that give the information to find it. | The tip is 18% of the total bill. |
Translate the sentence into an equation. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Check. Is this answer reasonable? | |
If we approximate the bill to $70 and the percent to 20%, we would have a tip of $14. So a tip of $12.33 seems reasonable. | |
Write a complete sentence that answers the question. | The couple should leave a tip of $12.33. |
TRY IT 7.1
Cierra and her sister enjoyed a special dinner in a restaurant, and the bill was . If she wants to leave
of the total bill as her tip, how much should she leave?
$14.67
TRY IT 7.2
Kimngoc had lunch at her favorite restaurant. She wants to leave of the total bill as her tip. If her bill was
, how much will she leave for the tip?
$2.16
EXAMPLE 8
The label on Masao’s breakfast cereal said that one serving of cereal provides milligrams (mg) of potassium, which is
of the recommended daily amount. What is the total recommended daily amount of potassium?
What are you asked to find? | the total amount of potassium recommended |
Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. | 85 mg is 2% of the total amount. |
Translate the sentence into an equation. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 0.02. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Is this answer reasonable? | |
Yes. 2% is a small percent and 85 is a small part of 4,250. | |
Write a complete sentence that answers the question. | The amount of potassium that is recommended is 4250 mg. |
TRY IT 8.1
One serving of wheat square cereal has grams of fiber, which is
of the recommended daily amount. What is the total recommended daily amount of fiber?
24.1 grams
TRY IT 8.2
One serving of rice cereal has mg of sodium, which is
of the recommended daily amount. What is the total recommended daily amount of sodium?
2,375 mg
EXAMPLE 9
Mitzi received some gourmet brownies as a gift. The wrapper said each brownie was calories, and had
calories of fat. What percent of the total calories in each brownie comes from fat?
What are you asked to find? | the percent of the total calories from fat |
Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. | What percent of 480 is 240? |
Translate the sentence into an equation. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 480. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Convert to percent form. | ![]() |
Check. Is this answer reasonable? | |
Yes. 240 is half of 480, so 50% makes sense. | |
Write a complete sentence that answers the question. | Of the total calories in each brownie, 50% is fat. |
TRY IT 9.1
Veronica is planning to make muffins from a mix. The package says each muffin will be calories and
calories will be from fat. What percent of the total calories is from fat? (Round to the nearest whole percent.)
26%
Exercises
The brownie mix Ricardo plans to use says that each brownie will be calories, and
calories are from fat. What percent of the total calories are from fat?
37%
People in the media often talk about how much an amount has increased or decreased over a certain period of time. They usually express this increase or decrease as a percent.
To find the percent increase, first we find the amount of increase, which is the difference between the new amount and the original amount. Then we find what percent the amount of increase is of the original amount.
HOW TO: Find Percent Increase
Step 1. Find the amount of increase.
Step 2. Find the percent increase as a percent of the original amount.
EXAMPLE 10
In , university tuition fees in Canada for domestic students increased from
per school year to
per school year. Find the percent increase. (Round to the nearest tenth of a percent.)
What are you asked to find? | the percent increase |
Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Find the amount of increase. | ![]() |
Find the percent increase. | The increase is what percent of the original amount? |
Translate to an equation. | |
Divide both sides by 26. | ![]() |
Round to the nearest thousandth. | ![]() |
Convert to percent form. | ![]() |
Write a complete sentence. | The new fees represent a 38.4\% increase over the old fees. |
TRY IT 10.1
In , the IRS increased the deductible mileage cost to
cents from
cents. Find the percent increase. (Round to the nearest tenth of a percent.)
8.8%
TRY IT 10.2
In , the standard bus fare in Vancouver was
. In
, the standard bus fare was
. Find the percent increase. (Round to the nearest tenth of a percent.)
50%
Finding the percent decrease is very similar to finding the percent increase, but now the amount of decrease is the difference between the original amount and the final amount. Then we find what percent the amount of decrease is of the original amount.
HOW TO: Find Percent Decrease
EXAMPLE 11
The average price of a gallon of gas in one city in June was
. The average price in that city in July was
. Find the percent decrease.
What are you asked to find? | the percent decrease |
Choose a variable to represent it. | Let |
Find the amount of decrease. | ![]() |
Find the percent of decrease. | The decrease is what percent of the original amount? |
Translate to an equation. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 3.71. | ![]() |
Round to the nearest thousandth. | ![]() |
Convert to percent form. | ![]() |
Write a complete sentence. | The price of gas decreased 1.9%. |
TRY IT 11.1
The population of one city was about in
. The population of the city is projected to be about
in
. Find the percent decrease. (Round to the nearest tenth of a percent.)
6.3%
TRY IT 11.2
Last year Sheila’s salary was . Because of furlough days, this year her salary was
. Find the percent decrease. (Round to the nearest tenth of a percent.)
10%
Access Additional Online Resources
In the following exercises, translate and solve.
1. What number is | 2. What number is |
3. What number is | 4. What number is |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. What percent of | 18. What percent of |
19. What percent of | 20. What percent of |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
In the following exercises, solve the applications of percents.
25. Geneva treated her parents to dinner at their favorite restaurant. The bill was | 26. When Hiro and his co-workers had lunch at a restaurant the bill was |
27. Trong has | 28. Cherise deposits |
29. One serving of oatmeal has | 30. One serving of trail mix has |
31. A bacon cheeseburger at a popular fast food restaurant contains | 32. A grilled chicken salad at a popular fast food restaurant contains |
33. The nutrition fact sheet at a fast food restaurant says the fish sandwich has | 34. The nutrition fact sheet at a fast food restaurant says a small portion of chicken nuggets has |
35. Emma gets paid | 36. Dimple gets paid |
In the following exercises, find the percent increase or percent decrease.
37. Tamanika got a raise in her hourly pay, from | 38. Ayodele got a raise in her hourly pay, from |
39. According to Statistics Canada, annual international graduate student fees in Canada rose from about | 40. The price of a share of one stock rose from |
41. According to Time magazine | 42. In one month, the median home price in the Northeast rose from |
43. A grocery store reduced the price of a loaf of bread from | 44. The price of a share of one stock fell from |
45. Hernando’s salary was | 46. From |
47. In one month, the median home price in the West fell from | 48. Sales of video games and consoles fell from |
49. Tipping At the campus coffee cart, a medium coffee costs | 50. Late Fees Alison was late paying her credit card bill of |
51. Without solving the problem | 52. Without solving the problem “What is |
53. After returning from vacation, Alex said he should have packed | 54. Because of road construction in one city, commuters were advised to plan their Monday morning commute to take |
1. 54 | 3. 26.88 | 5. 162.5 |
7. 18,000 | 9. 112 | 11. 108 |
13. $35 | 15. $940 | 17. 30% |
19. 36% | 21. 150% | 23. 175% |
25. $11.88 | 27. $259.80 | 29. 24.2 grams |
31. 2,407 grams | 33. 45% | 35. 25% |
37. 13.2% | 39. 15% | 41. 72.7% |
43. 2.5% | 45. 11% | 47. 5.5% |
49. 21.2% | 51. The original number should be greater than 44.80% is less than 100%, so when 80% is converted to a decimal and multiplied to the base in the percent equation, the resulting amount of 44 is less. 44 is only the larger number in cases where the percent is greater than 100%. | 53. Alex should have packed half as many shorts and twice as many shirts. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Solve General Applications of Percent” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
In the following exercises, write each ratio as a fraction. Simplify the answer if possible.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
In the following exercises, write each rate as a fraction. Simplify the answer if possible.
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, find the unit rate.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
In the following exercises, find the unit price.
17.Highlighters: | 18. T-shirts: |
19. Anna bought a pack of | 20. An office supply store sells a box of pens for |
21.Vitamins: | 22. Shampoo: |
In the following exercises, translate the English phrase into an algebraic expression.
23. | 24. |
25. the ratio of | 26. the ratio of |
In the following exercises, write each percent as a ratio.
27. | 28. |
In the following exercises, write as a ratio and then as a percent.
29. | 30. |
In the following exercises, convert each percent to a fraction.
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
In the following exercises, convert each percent to a decimal.
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. 4.9% |
In the following exercises, convert each percent to a) a simplified fraction and b) a decimal.
39. In | 40. In |
41. When a die is tossed, the probability it will land with an even number of dots on the top side is | 42. A couple plans to have three children. The probability they will all be girls is |
In the following exercises, convert each decimal to a percent.
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
In the following exercises, convert each fraction to a percent.
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. According to the Centers for Disease Control, | 54. According to the Centers for Disease Control, among adults who do take a vitamin or supplement, |
In the following exercises, translate and solve.
55. What number is | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. What percent of | 62. What percent of |
In the following exercises, solve.
63. When Aurelio and his family ate dinner at a restaurant, the bill was | 64. One granola bar has |
65. The nutrition label on a package of granola bars says that each granola bar has | 66. Elsa gets paid |
67. Marta got a gift of | 68. Last year Bernard bought a new car for |
In the following exercises, write each sentence as a proportion.
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
In the following exercises, determine whether each equation is a proportion.
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
In the following exercises, solve each proportion.
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
In the following exercises, solve the proportion problem.
81. The children’s dosage of acetaminophen is | 82. After a workout, Dennis takes his pulse for |
83. An | 84. Alma is going to Europe and wants to exchange |
85. Zack wants to drive from Abbotsford to Banff, a distance of | 86. Teresa is planning a party for |
In the following exercises, translate to a proportion.
87. What number is | 88. |
89. What percent of | 90. What percent of |
In the following exercises, translate and solve using proportions.
91. What number is | 92. |
93. | 94. What percent of |
In the following exercises, convert each percent to a) a decimal b) a simplified fraction.
95. | 96. |
97. |
In the following exercises, convert each fraction to a percent. (Round to decimal places if needed.)
98. | 99. |
100. |
In the following exercises, solve the percent problem.
101. | 102. What number is |
103. | 104. Write as a proportion: |
105. Vin read |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. 12 pounds/sq.in. | 15. $17.50/hour | 17. $0.42 |
19. $1.65 | 21. $0.11, $0.12; 60 tablets for $6.49 | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. |
31. | 33. | 35. 0.06 |
37. 1.28 | 39. a) b) | 41. a) b) |
43. 4% | 45. 282% | 47. 0.3% |
49. 75% | 51. 362.5% | 53. 40% |
55. 161 | 57. 240 | 59. 25 |
61. 68% | 63. $16.70 | 65. 28.4% |
67. 1235 | 69. | 71. |
73. yes | 75. no | 77. 20 |
79. 4 | 81. 12 | 83. 340 |
87. | 89. | 91.765 |
93. $78 | 95. | 97. |
99. 33.333% | 101.25% | 103. 40 |
105. 42 |
1. Write a ratio as a fraction. Simplify the answer if possible. | 2. Write a rate as a fraction. Simplify the answer if possible. |
3. Find the unit rate. | 4. Marta bought a pack of |
5. Find each unit price and then the better buy. Laundry detergent: | 6. Convert a percent to a fraction: |
7. Convert a decimal to a percent: | 8. Convert a fraction to a percent. (Round to |
9. What number is | 10. |
11. | 12. One granola bar has |
13. Klaudia is going to Poland and wants to exchange | 14. Solve a proportion: |
15. Solve a proportion: | 16.Solve a proportion: |
1. | 2. | 3. $36.20 |
4. $5.37 | 5. 64 ounces for $10.99 is the better buy | 6. |
7. 7% | 8. 137.5% | 9. 162 |
10. 425 | 11. 16% | 12. 25 grams |
13. 4074 zlotych | 14. 56 | 15. 2.25 |
16. 9.3 |
If we carefully placed more rocks of equal weight on both sides of this formation, it would still balance. Similarly, the expressions in an equation remain balanced when we add the same quantity to both sides of the equation. In this chapter, we will solve equations, remembering that what we do to one side of the equation, we must also do to the other side.
This chapter has been adapted from the “Introduction” in Chapter 2 of Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Teetering high above the floor, this amazing mobile remains aloft thanks to its carefully balanced mass. Any shift in either direction could cause the mobile to become lopsided, or even crash downward. In this chapter, we will solve equations by keeping quantities on both sides of an equal sign in perfect balance.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
We are now ready to “get to the good stuff.” You have the basics down and are ready to begin one of the most important topics in algebra: solving equations. The applications are limitless and extend to all careers and fields. Also, the skills and techniques you learn here will help improve your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This is a great benefit of studying mathematics and will be useful in your life in ways you may not see right now.
Solving an equation is like discovering the answer to a puzzle. The purpose in solving an equation is to find the value or values of the variable that make each side of the equation the same. Any value of the variable that makes the equation true is called a solution to the equation. It is the answer to the puzzle.
Solution of an Equation
A solution of an equation is a value of a variable that makes a true statement when substituted into the equation.
The steps to determine if a value is a solution to an equation are listed here.
HOW TO: Determine whether a number is a solution to an equation.
EXAMPLE 1
Determine whether is a solution for
.
Solution
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Add. | ![]() |
Since results in a true equation,
is a solution to the equation
.
TRY IT 1.1
Is a solution for
no
TRY IT 1.2
Is a solution for
no
In that section,we will model how the Subtraction and Addition Properties work and then we will apply them to solve equations.
Subtraction Property of Equality
For all real numbers , and
, if
, then
.
Addition Property of Equality
For all real numbers , and
, if
, then
.
When you add or subtract the same quantity from both sides of an equation, you still have equality.
We will introduce the Subtraction Property of Equality by modeling equations with envelopes and counters. (Figure .1) models the equation .
The goal is to isolate the variable on one side of the equation. So we ‘took away’ from both sides of the equation and found the solution
.
Some people picture a balance scale, as in (Figure .2), when they solve equations.
The quantities on both sides of the equal sign in an equation are equal, or balanced. Just as with the balance scale, whatever you do to one side of the equation you must also do to the other to keep it balanced.
Let’s see how to use Subtraction and Addition Properties of Equality to solve equations. We need to isolate the variable on one side of the equation. And we check our solutions by substituting the value into the equation to make sure we have a true statement.
EXAMPLE 2
Solve: .
Solution
To isolate , we undo the addition of
by using the Subtraction Property of Equality.
![]() | ||
Subtract 11 from each side to “undo” the addition. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Check: | ![]() | |
Substitute | ![]() | |
![]() |
Since makes
a true statement, we know that it is a solution to the equation.
TRY IT 2.1
Solve: .
x = −16
TRY IT 2.2
Solve: .
x = −20
In the original equation in the previous example, was added to the
, so we subtracted
to ‘undo’ the addition. In the next example, we will need to ‘undo’ subtraction by using the Addition Property of Equality.
EXAMPLE 3
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | ||
Add 4 to each side to “undo” the subtraction. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Check: | ![]() | |
Substitute | ![]() | |
![]() | ||
The solution to |
TRY IT 3.1
Solve: .
−1
TRY IT 3.2
Solve: .
−4
Now let’s solve equations with fractions.
EXAMPLE 4
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | ||
Use the Addition Property of Equality. | ![]() | |
Find the LCD to add the fractions on the right. | ![]() | |
Simplify | ![]() | |
Check: | ![]() | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Subtract. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
The solution checks. |
TRY IT 4.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 4.2
Solve: .
Let’s solve equations that contained decimals.
EXAMPLE 5
Solve .
Solution
![]() | ||
Use the Addition Property of Equality. | ![]() | |
Add. | ![]() | |
Check: | ![]() | |
Substitute | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
The solution checks. |
TRY IT 5.1
Solve: .
b = 6.4
TRY IT 5.2
Solve: .
c = 14
In the examples up to this point, we have been able to isolate the variable with just one operation. Many of the equations we encounter in algebra will take more steps to solve. Usually, we will need to simplify one or both sides of an equation before using the Subtraction or Addition Properties of Equality. You should always simplify as much as possible before trying to isolate the variable.
EXAMPLE 6
Solve: .
Solution
The left side of the equation has an expression that we should simplify before trying to isolate the variable.
![]() | |
Rearrange the terms, using the Commutative Property of Addition. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Add 11 to both sides to isolate | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check. Substitute ![]() |
The solution checks.
TRY IT 6.1
Solve: .
y = 15
TRY IT 6.2
Solve: .
z = 2
EXAMPLE 7
Solve: .
Solution
The left side of the equation has an expression that we should simplify.
![]() | |
Distribute on the left. | ![]() |
Use the Commutative Property to rearrange terms. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Isolate n using the Addition Property of Equality. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check. Substitute ![]() The solution checks. |
TRY IT 7.1
Solve: .
p = 5
TRY IT 7.2
Solve: .
q = −16
EXAMPLE 8
Solve: .
Solution
Both sides of the equation have expressions that we should simplify before we isolate the variable.
![]() | |
Distribute on the left, subtract on the right. | ![]() |
Use the Commutative Property of Addition. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Undo subtraction by using the Addition Property of Equality. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check. Let | ![]() |
The solution checks. |
TRY IT 8.1
Solve: .
h = −1
TRY IT 8.2
Solve: .
x = 1
Previously, we translated word sentences into equations. The first step is to look for the word (or words) that translate(s) to the equal sign. The list below reminds us of some of the words that translate to the equal sign (=):
Let’s review the steps we used to translate a sentence into an equation.
HOW TO: Translate a word sentence to an algebraic equation.
Now we are ready to try an example.
EXAMPLE 9
Translate and solve: five more than is equal to
.
Solution
Translate. | ![]() |
Subtract 5 from both sides. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Is | ![]() ![]() The solution checks. |
TRY IT 9.1
Translate and solve: Eleven more than is equal to
.
x + 11 = 41; x = 30
TRY IT 9.2
Translate and solve: Twelve less than is equal to
.
y − 12 = 51; y = 63
EXAMPLE 10
Translate and solve: The difference of and
is
.
Solution
Translate. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check. | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The solution checks. |
TRY IT 10.1
Translate and solve: The difference of and
is
.
4x − 3x = 14; x = 14
TRY IT 10.2
Translate and solve: The difference of and
is
.
7a − 6a = −8; a = −8
In most of the application problems we solved earlier, we were able to find the quantity we were looking for by simplifying an algebraic expression. Now we will be using equations to solve application problems. We’ll start by restating the problem in just one sentence, assign a variable, and then translate the sentence into an equation to solve. When assigning a variable, choose a letter that reminds you of what you are looking for.
EXAMPLE 11
The Robles family has two dogs, Buster and Chandler. Together, they weigh pounds.
Chandler weighs pounds. How much does Buster weigh?
Solution
Read the problem carefully. | |
Identify what you are asked to find, and choose a variable to represent it. | How much does Buster weigh? Let |
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. | Buster’s weight plus Chandler’s weight equals 71 pounds. |
We will restate the problem, and then include the given information. | Buster’s weight plus 28 equals 71. |
Translate the sentence into an equation, using the variable | ![]() |
Solve the equation using good algebraic techniques. | ![]() ![]() |
Check the answer in the problem and make sure it makes sense. | Is 43 pounds a reasonable weight for a dog? Yes. Does Buster’s weight plus Chandler’s weight equal 71 pounds? |
Write a complete sentence that answers the question, “How much does Buster weigh?” | Buster weighs 43 pounds |
TRY IT 11.1
Translate into an algebraic equation and solve: The Pappas family has two cats, Zeus and Athena. Together, they weigh pounds. Zeus weighs
pounds. How much does Athena weigh?
a + 6 = 13; Athena weighs 7 pounds.
TRY IT 11.2
Translate into an algebraic equation and solve: Sam and Henry are roommates. Together, they have books. Sam has
books. How many books does Henry have?
26 + h = 68; Henry has 42 books.
Devise a Problem-Solving Strategy
EXAMPLE 12
Shayla paid for her new car. This was
less than the sticker price. What was the sticker price of the car?
Solution
What are you asked to find? | “What was the sticker price of the car?” |
Assign a variable. | Let |
Write a sentence that gives the information to find it. | $24,575 is $875 less than the sticker price $24,575 is $875 less than |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Solve. | ![]() ![]() |
Check: | Is $875 less than $25,450 equal to $24,575?
|
Write a sentence that answers the question. | The sticker price was $25,450. |
TRY IT 12.1
Translate into an algebraic equation and solve: Eddie paid for his new car. This was
less than the sticker price. What was the sticker price of the car?
19,875 = s − 1025; the sticker price is $20,900.
TRY IT 12.2
Translate into an algebraic equation and solve: The admission price for the movies during the day is . This is
less than the price at night. How much does the movie cost at night?
7.75 = n − 3.25; the price at night is $11.00.
If it is true, the number is a solution.
If it is not true, the number is not a solution.
In the following exercises, determine whether the given value is a solution to the equation.
1. Is | 2. Is |
3. Is | 4. Is |
In the following exercises, solve each equation.
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation.
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
In the following exercises, translate to an equation and then solve.
39. The sum of | 40.Five more than |
41.Three less than | 42. Ten less than |
43. Eight more than | 44. The sum of |
45. The difference of | 46. The difference of |
47. The difference of | 48. The difference of |
49. The sum of | 50. The sum of |
In the following exercises, translate into an equation and solve.
51.Jeff read a total of | 52. Pilar drove from home to school and then to her aunt’s house, a total of |
53. Eva’s daughter is | 54. Pablo’s father is |
55. For a family birthday dinner, Celeste bought a turkey that weighed | 56. Allie weighs |
57. Connor’s temperature was | 58. The nurse reported that Tricia’s daughter had gained |
59. Ron’s paycheck this week was | 60. Melissa’s math book cost |
61.Construction Miguel wants to drill a hole for a | Baking 62. Kelsey needs |
63. Write a word sentence that translates the equation | 64. Is |
1. yes | 3. no | 5. x = 5 |
7. | 9. p = −11.7 | 11. a = 10 |
13. | 15. y = 13.8 | 17. x = −27 |
19. | 21. 17 | 23. 8 |
25. −20 | 27. 2 | 29. −1.7 |
31. −2 | 33. −4 | 35. 6 |
37. −41 | 39. x + (−5) = 33; x = 38 | 41.y − 3 = −19; y = −16 |
43. p + 8 = 52; p = 44 | 45. 5c − 4c = 60; 60 | 47. |
49. −9m + 10m = −25; m = −25 | 51. Let p equal the number of pages read in the Psychology book 41 + p = 54. Jeff read pages in his Psychology book. | 53. Let d equal the daughter’s age. d = 12 − 5. Eva’s daughter’s age is 7 years old. |
55. 21 pounds | 57. 100.5 degrees | 59. $121.19 |
61. | 63. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Solve Equations Using the Subtraction and Addition Properties of Equality” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
You may have noticed that all of the equations we have solved so far have been of the form or
. We were able to isolate the variable by adding or subtracting the constant term on the side of the equation with the variable. Now we will see how to solve equations that have a variable multiplied by a constant and so will require division to isolate the variable.
Let’s look at our puzzle again with the envelopes and counters in (Figure 1).
In the illustration there are two identical envelopes that contain the same number of counters. Remember, the left side of the workspace must equal the right side, but the counters on the left side are “hidden” in the envelopes. So how many counters are in each envelope?
How do we determine the number? We have to separate the counters on the right side into two groups of the same size to correspond with the two envelopes on the left side. The 6 counters divided into 2 equal groups gives 3 counters in each group (since ).
What equation models the situation shown in (Figure 2)? There are two envelopes, and each contains counters. Together, the two envelopes must contain a total of 6 counters.
![]() | |
If we divide both sides of the equation by 2, as we did with the envelopes and counters, | ![]() |
we get: | ![]() |
We found that each envelope contains 3 counters. Does this check? We know , so it works! Three counters in each of two envelopes does equal six!
This example leads to the Division Property of Equality.
Division and Multiplication Properties of Equality
Division Property of Equality: For all real numbers , and
, if
, then
.
Multiplication Property of Equality: For all real numbers , if
, then
.
When you divide or multiply both sides of an equation by the same quantity, you still have equality.
Let’s review how these properties of equality can be applied in order to solve equations. Remember, the goal is to ‘undo’ the operation on the variable. In the example below the variable is multiplied by , so we will divide both sides by
to ‘undo’ the multiplication.
EXAMPLE 1
Solve: .
Solution
We use the Division Property of Equality to divide both sides by .
![]() | |
Divide both sides by 4 to undo the multiplication. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check your answer. Let | ![]() |
Since this is a true statement, is a solution to
.
TRY IT 1.1
Solve: .
y = −16
TRY IT 1.2
Solve: .
z = −13
In the previous example, to ‘undo’ multiplication, we divided. How do you think we ‘undo’ division?
EXAMPLE 2
Solve: .
Solution
Here is divided by
. We can multiply both sides by
to isolate
.
![]() | |
Multiply both sides by | ![]() ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check your answer. Let | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Solve: .
b = 144
TRY IT 2.2
Solve: .
c = 128
EXAMPLE 3
Solve: .
Solution
Remember is equivalent to
.
![]() | ||
Rewrite | ![]() | |
Divide both sides by | ![]() | |
![]() | ||
Check. | ![]() | |
Substitute | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() |
We see that there are two other ways to solve .
We could multiply both sides by .
We could take the opposite of both sides.
TRY IT 3.1
Solve: .
k = −8
TRY IT 3.2
Solve: .
g = −3
EXAMPLE 4
Solve: .
Solution
Since the product of a number and its reciprocal is , our strategy will be to isolate
by multiplying by the reciprocal of
.
![]() | |
Multiply by the reciprocal of | ![]() |
Reciprocals multiply to one. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Check your answer. Let | ![]() |
![]() |
Notice that we could have divided both sides of the equation by
to isolate
. While this would work, multiplying by the reciprocal requires fewer steps.
TRY IT 4.1
Solve: .
n = 35
TRY IT 4.2
Solve: .
y = 18
Many equations start out more complicated than the ones we’ve just solved. First, we need to simplify both sides of the equation as much as possible
EXAMPLE 5
Solve: .
Solution
Start by combining like terms to simplify each side.
![]() | |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 12 to isolate x. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check your answer. Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Solve: .
x = 2
TRY IT 5.2
Solve: .
n = −5
EXAMPLE 6
Solve: .
Solution
Simplify each side by combining like terms.
![]() | |
Simplify each side. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 3 to isolate y. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check your answer. Let | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
Notice that the variable ended up on the right side of the equal sign when we solved the equation. You may prefer to take one more step to write the solution with the variable on the left side of the equal sign.
TRY IT 6.1
Solve: .
c = −3
TRY IT 6.2
Solve: .
EXAMPLE 7
Solve: .
Solution
Remember—always simplify each side first.
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by -3 to isolate n. | ![]() ![]() |
Check your answer. Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Solve: .
n = −6
TRY IT 7.2
Solve: .
n = −5
In the following exercises, solve each equation for the variable using the Division Property of Equality and check the solution.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation for the variable using the Multiplication Property of Equality and check the solution.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
In the following exercises, solve the equation.
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. Teaching Connie’s kindergarten class has | 38. Balloons Ramona bought |
39. Unit price Nishant paid | 40. Ticket price Daria paid |
41. Fabric The drill team used | 42. Fuel economy Tania’s SUV gets half as many miles per gallon (mpg) as her husband’s hybrid car. The SUV gets |
43. Emiliano thinks | 44. Frida started to solve the equation |
1. 9 | 3. 3 | 5. −6 |
7. 7 | 9. 15 | 11. 0 |
13. 28 | 15. 36 | 17. −48 |
19. 80 | 21. 25 | 23. −32 |
25. 5/2 | 27. y = −1 | 29. m = −5 |
31. | 33. q = 24 | 35. p = 56 |
37. 6 children | 39. $1.08 | 41. 42 yards |
43. Answer will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Solve Equations Using the Division and Multiplication Properties of Equality” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
You may have noticed that in all the equations we have solved so far, all the variable terms were on only one side of the equation with the constants on the other side. This does not happen all the time—so now we’ll see how to solve equations where the variable terms and/or constant terms are on both sides of the equation.
Our strategy will involve choosing one side of the equation to be the variable side, and the other side of the equation to be the constant side. Then, we will use the Subtraction and Addition Properties of Equality, step by step, to get all the variable terms together on one side of the equation and the constant terms together on the other side.
By doing this, we will transform the equation that started with variables and constants on both sides into the form . We already know how to solve equations of this form by using the Division or Multiplication Properties of Equality.
EXAMPLE 1
Solve: .
Solution
In this equation, the variable is only on the left side. It makes sense to call the left side the variable side. Therefore, the right side will be the constant side. We’ll write the labels above the equation to help us remember what goes where.
![]() | ||
Since the left side is the variable side, the 6 is out of place. We must “undo” adding 6 by subtracting 6, and to keep the equality we must subtract 6 from both sides. Use the Subtraction Property of Equality. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Now all the | ||
Use the Division Property of Equality. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Check: | ![]() | |
Let | ![]() | |
![]() | ||
![]() |
TRY IT 1.1
Solve: .
x = −4
TRY IT 1.2
Solve: .
a = −8
EXAMPLE 1.2
Solve: .
Solution
Notice that the variable is only on the left side of the equation, so this will be the variable side and the right side will be the constant side. Since the left side is the variable side, the is out of place. It is subtracted from the
, so to ‘undo’ subtraction, add
to both sides.
![]() | ||
Add 7 to both sides. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
The variables are now on one side and the constants on the other. | ||
Divide both sides by 2. | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Check: | ![]() | |
Substitute: | ![]() | |
![]() | ||
![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Solve: .
y = 5
TRY IT 2.2
Solve: .
m = 9
What if there are variables on both sides of the equation? We will start like we did above—choosing a variable side and a constant side, and then use the Subtraction and Addition Properties of Equality to collect all variables on one side and all constants on the other side. Remember, what you do to the left side of the equation, you must do to the right side too.
EXAMPLE 3
Solve: .
Here the variable, , is on both sides, but the constants appear only on the right side, so let’s make the right side the “constant” side. Then the left side will be the “variable” side.
![]() | ||
We don’t want any variables on the right, so subtract the | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
We have all the variables on one side and the constants on the other. We have solved the equation. | ||
Check: | ![]() | |
Substitute 7 for | ![]() | |
![]() | ||
![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Solve: .
n = 10
TRY IT 3.2
Solve: .
c = 1
EXAMPLE 4
Solve: .
Solution
The only constant, , is on the left side of the equation and variable,
, is on both sides. Let’s leave the constant on the left and collect the variables to the right.
![]() | |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
We have the variables on the right and the constants on the left. Divide both sides by 2. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Rewrite with the variable on the left. | ![]() |
Check: Let | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
Solve: .
p = −7
TRY IT 4.2
Solve: .
m = −3
EXAMPLE 5
Solve: .
Solution
The only constant, , is on the right, so let the left side be the variable side.
![]() | |
Remove the | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
All the variables are on the left and the constants are on the right. Divide both sides by 8. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Substitute | |
![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Solve: .
j = 2
TRY IT 5.2
Solve: .
h = 1
The next example will be the first to have variables and constants on both sides of the equation. As we did before, we’ll collect the variable terms to one side and the constants to the other side.
EXAMPLE 6
Solve: .
Solution
Start by choosing which side will be the variable side and which side will be the constant side. The variable terms are and
. Since
is greater than
, make the left side the variable side and so the right side will be the constant side.
![]() | |
Collect the variable terms to the left side by subtracting | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Now, collect the constants to the right side by subtracting 5 from both sides. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
The solution is | |
Check: Let | |
![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Solve: .
x = −1
TRY IT 6.2
Solve: .
y = 4
We’ll summarize the steps we took so you can easily refer to them.
HOW TO: Solve an Equation with Variables and Constants on Both Sides
It is a good idea to make the variable side the one in which the variable has the larger coefficient. This usually makes the arithmetic easier.
EXAMPLE 7
Solve: .
Solution
We have on the left and
on the right. Since
>
, make the left side the “variable” side.
![]() | |
We don’t want variables on the right side—add | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
We don’t want any constants on the left side, so add 2 to both sides. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
The variable term is on the left and the constant term is on the right. To get the coefficient of | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Substitute 1 for | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Solve: .
q = 1
TRY IT 7.2
Solve: .
n = 1
EXAMPLE 8
Solve: .
Solution
This equation has on the left and
on the right. Since
>
, make the right side the variable side and the left side the constant side.
![]() | |
Subtract | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract 8 from both sides to remove the constant from the right. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 3 to make 1 the coefficient of | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
Note that we could have made the left side the variable side instead of the right side, but it would have led to a negative coefficient on the variable term. While we could work with the negative, there is less chance of error when working with positives. The strategy outlined above helps avoid the negatives!
TRY IT 8.1
Solve: .
a = −5
TRY IT 8.2
Solve: .
k = −6
To solve an equation with fractions, we still follow the same steps to get the solution.
EXAMPLE 9
Solve: .
Solution
Since >
, make the left side the variable side and the right side the constant side.
![]() | |
Subtract | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract 5 from both sides. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 9.1
Solve: .
x = 10
TRY IT 9.2
Solve: .
y = −3
We follow the same steps when the equation has decimals, too.
EXAMPLE 10
Solve: .
Solution
Since >
, make the left side the variable side and the right side the constant side.
![]() | |
Subtract | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract 4 from both sides. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Use the Division Property of Equality. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 10.1
Solve: .
x = −5
TRY IT 10.2
Solve: .
y = −5
Each of the first few sections of this chapter has dealt with solving one specific form of a linear equation. It’s time now to lay out an overall strategy that can be used to solve any linear equation. We call this the general strategy. Some equations won’t require all the steps to solve, but many will. Simplifying each side of the equation as much as possible first makes the rest of the steps easier.
HOW TO: Use a General Strategy for Solving Linear Equations
EXAMPLE 11
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Simplify each side of the equation as much as possible. Use the Distributive Property. | ![]() |
Collect all variable terms on one side of the equation—all | |
Collect constant terms on the other side of the equation. Subtract 6 from each side | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Make the coefficient of the variable term equal to 1. Divide each side by 3. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 11.1
Solve: .
x = 4
TRY IT 11.2
Solve: .
y = 1
EXAMPLE 12
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Simplify each side of the equation as much as possible by distributing. The only | ![]() |
Add 5 to both sides to get all constant terms on the right side of the equation. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Make the coefficient of the variable term equal to 1 by multiplying both sides by -1. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 12.1
Solve: .
y = −6
TRY IT 12.2
Solve: .
z = 8
EXAMPLE 13
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Simplify each side of the equation as much as possible. Distribute. | ![]() |
Combine like terms | ![]() |
The only | |
Add 3 to both sides to get all constant terms on the other side of the equation. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Make the coefficient of the variable term equal to 1 by dividing both sides by 4. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 13.1
Solve: .
a = 2
TRY IT 13.2
Solve: .
n = 2
EXAMPLE 14
Solve: .
Solution
Be careful when distributing the negative.
![]() | |
Simplify—use the Distributive Property. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Add 2 to both sides to collect constants on the right. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by −6. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 14.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 14.2
Solve: .
EXAMPLE 15
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Subtract 9 to get the constants on the left. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 5. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Substitute: | ![]() |
TRY IT 14.1
Solve: .
p = −2
TRY IT 14.2
Solve: .
q = −8
EXAMPLE 15
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Add | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Add 1 to get constants on the right. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 4. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 15.1
Solve: .
u = 2
TRY IT 15.2
Solve: .
x = 4
In many applications, we will have to solve equations with decimals. The same general strategy will work for these equations.
EXAMPLE 16
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Subtract 1.2 to get the constants to the right. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 16.1
Solve: .
1
TRY IT 16.2
Solve: .
−1
In the following exercises, solve the equation for the variable.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, solve the equation for the variable.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
In the following exercises, solve the equations for the variable.
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
In the following exercises, solve the linear equation using the general strategy.
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. | 82. |
83. | 84. |
85. | 86. |
Making a fence 87. Jovani has a fence around the rectangular garden in his backyard. The perimeter of the fence is | Concert tickets 88. At a school concert, the total value of tickets sold was |
Coins 89. Rhonda has | Fencing 90. Micah has |
91. When solving an equation with variables on both sides, why is it usually better to choose the side with the larger coefficient as the variable side? | 92. Solve the equation |
93. What is the first step you take when solving the equation | 94. Solve the equation |
95. Using your own words, list the steps in the General Strategy for Solving Linear Equations. | 96. Explain why you should simplify both sides of an equation as much as possible before collecting the variable terms to one side and the constant terms to the other side. |
1. 6 | 3.6 | 5. -8 |
7. -8 | 9. -4 | 11. -2 |
13. -11 | 15. 9 | 17. -3 |
19. 3 | 21. -3/4 | 25. 19 |
27. 7 | 29. -5 | 31. -4 |
33. 2 | 35. 4 | 37. -6 |
39. 7 | 41. -40 | 43. 15 |
45. 3.46 | 47. 60 | 49. 23 |
51. 9 | 53. 6 | 55. 3 |
57. −2 | 59. −1 | 61. 5 |
63. 0.52 | 65. 0.25 | 67. −9 |
69. 2 | 71. 6 | 73. 3/2 |
75. 3 | 77. −4 | 79. 2 |
81. 34 | 83. 10 | 85. 2 |
87. 30 feet | 89. 8 nickels | 91. Answers will vary. |
93. Answers will vary. | 95. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Solve Equations with Variables and Constants on Both Sides” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Let’s use the General Strategy for Solving Linear Equations introduced earlier to solve the equation .
![]() | |
To isolate the | ![]() |
Simplify the left side. | ![]() |
Change the constants to equivalent fractions with the LCD. | ![]() |
Subtract. | ![]() |
Multiply both sides by the reciprocal of | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
This method worked fine, but many students don’t feel very confident when they see all those fractions. So we are going to show an alternate method to solve equations with fractions. This alternate method eliminates the fractions.
We will apply the Multiplication Property of Equality and multiply both sides of an equation by the least common denominator of all the fractions in the equation. The result of this operation will be a new equation, equivalent to the first, but with no fractions. This process is called clearing the equation of fractions. Let’s solve the same equation again, but this time use the method that clears the fractions.
EXAMPLE 1
Solve: .
Solution
Find the least common denominator of all the fractions in the equation. | ![]() |
Multiply both sides of the equation by that LCD, 8. This clears the fractions. | ![]() |
Use the Distributive Property. | ![]() |
Simplify — and notice, no more fractions! | ![]() |
Solve using the General Strategy for Solving Linear Equations. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 1.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 1.2
Solve: .
y = 3
Notice in (Figure) that once we cleared the equation of fractions, the equation was like those we solved earlier in this chapter. We changed the problem to one we already knew how to solve! We then used the General Strategy for Solving Linear Equations.
HOW TO: Solve Equations with Fraction Coefficients by Clearing the Fractions
EXAMPLE 2
Solve: .
Solution
We want to clear the fractions by multiplying both sides of the equation by the LCD of all the fractions in the equation.
Find the least common denominator of all the fractions in the equation. | ![]() |
Multiply both sides of the equation by 12. | ![]() |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify — and notice, no more fractions! | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Divide by 7. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Solve: .
v = 40
TRY IT 2.2
Solve: .
u = −12
In the next example, we’ll have variables and fractions on both sides of the equation.
EXAMPLE 3
Solve: .
Solution
Find the LCD of all the fractions in the equation. | ![]() |
Multiply both sides by the LCD. | ![]() |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify — no more fractions! | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Subtract 2 from both sides. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 5. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Substitute | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Solve: .
a = −2
TRY IT 3.2
Solve: .
c = −2
In (Figure), we’ll start by using the Distributive Property. This step will clear the fractions right away!
EXAMPLE 4
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. Now there are no fractions to clear! | ![]() |
Subtract 1 from both sides. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 2. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
Solve: .
p = −4
TRY IT 4.2
Solve: .
q = 2
Many times, there will still be fractions, even after distributing.
EXAMPLE 5
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Multiply by the LCD, 4. | ![]() |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Collect the | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Collect the constants to the right. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Substitute | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Solve: .
n = 2
TRY IT 5.2
Solve: .
m = −1
Some equations have decimals in them. This kind of equation will occur when we solve problems dealing with money and percent. But decimals are really another way to represent fractions. For example, and
. So, when we have an equation with decimals, we can use the same process we used to clear fractions—multiply both sides of the equation by the least common denominator.
EXAMPLE 6
Solve: .
Solution
The only decimal in the equation is . Since
, the LCD is
. We can multiply both sides by
to clear the decimal.
![]() | |
Multiply both sides by the LCD. | ![]() |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Multiply, and notice, no more decimals! | ![]() |
Add 50 to get all constants to the right. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 8. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Solve: .
x = 20
TRY IT 6.2
Solve: .
x = 10
EXAMPLE 7
Solve: .
Solution
Look at the decimals and think of the equivalent fractions.
Notice, the LCD is .
By multiplying by the LCD we will clear the decimals.
![]() | |
Multiply both sides by 100. | ![]() |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Multiply, and now no more decimals. | ![]() |
Collect the variables to the right. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Collect the constants to the left. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 19. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | |
![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Solve: .
h = 12
TRY IT 7.2
Solve: .
k = −1
The next example uses an equation that is typical of the ones we will see in the money applications in the next chapter. Notice that we will distribute the decimal first before we clear all decimals in the equation.
EXAMPLE 8
Solve: .
Solution
![]() | |
Distribute first. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
To clear decimals, multiply by 100. | ![]() |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Subtract 15 from both sides. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 30. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 8.1
Solve: .
n = 9
TRY IT 8.2
Solve: .
d = 16
In the following exercises, solve the equation by clearing the fractions.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
In the following exercises, solve the equation by clearing the decimals.
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
Coins 41. Taylor has | Stamps 42. Travis bought |
43. Explain how to find the least common denominator of | 44. If an equation has several fractions, how does multiplying both sides by the LCD make it easier to solve? |
45. If an equation has fractions only on one side, why do you have to multiply both sides of the equation by the LCD? | 46. In the equation |
1. x = -1 | 3. y = -1 | 5. |
7. x = 4 | 9. m = 20 | 11. x = -3 |
13. | 15. x = 1 | 17. b = 12 |
19. x = 1 | 21. p = -41 | 23. |
25. y = 10 | 27. j = 2 | 29. x = 18 |
31. x = 18 | 33. x = 20 | 35. n = 9 |
37. d = 8 | 39. q = 11 | 41 d = 18 |
43. Answers will vary. | 45.Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Solve Equations with Fraction or Decimal Coefficients” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Until now we have dealt with solving one specific form of a linear equation. It is time now to lay out one overall strategy that can be used to solve any linear equation. Some equations we solve will not require all these steps to solve, but many will.
Beginning by simplifying each side of the equation makes the remaining steps easier.
EXAMPLE 1. How to Solve Linear Equations Using the General Strategy
TRY IT 1.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 1.2
Solve: .
General strategy for solving linear equations.
EXAMPLE 2
Solve: .
![]() | ||
Simplify each side of the equation as much as possible by distributing. | ![]() | |
The only | ||
Add | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Rewrite | ![]() | |
Make the coefficient of the variable term to equal to | ![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() | |
Check: Let | ![]() | |
![]() | ||
![]() | ||
![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 2.2
Solve: .
EXAMPLE 3
Solve: .
![]() | |
Simplify each side of the equation as much as possible. | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
The only | |
Add | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Make the coefficient of the variable term to equal to | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: | ![]() |
Let | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 3.2
Solve: .
EXAMPLE 4
Solve: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Add | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Add | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: | ![]() |
Let | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 4.2
Solve: .
EXAMPLE 5
Solve: .
![]() | |
Simplify—use the Distributive Property. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Add | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: Let | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 5.2
Solve: .
EXAMPLE 6
Solve: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 6. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: | ![]() |
Let | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 6.2
Solve: .
EXAMPLE 7
Solve: .
![]() | |
Simplify from the innermost parentheses first. | ![]() |
Combine like terms in the brackets. | ![]() |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Add | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Subtract 600 to get the constants to the left. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: | ![]() |
Substitute | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 7.2
Solve: .
EXAMPLE 8
Solve: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check: | ![]() |
Let | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
TRY IT 8.1
Solve: .
TRY IT 8.2
Solve: .
Consider the equation we solved at the start of the last section, . The solution we found was
. This means the equation
is true when we replace the variable, x, with the value
. We showed this when we checked the solution
and evaluated
for
.
If we evaluate for a different value of x, the left side will not be
.
The equation is true when we replace the variable, x, with the value
, but not true when we replace x with any other value. Whether or not the equation
is true depends on the value of the variable. Equations like this are called conditional equations.
All the equations we have solved so far are conditional equations.
Conditional equation
An equation that is true for one or more values of the variable and false for all other values of the variable is a conditional equation.
Now let’s consider the equation . Do you recognize that the left side and the right side are equivalent? Let’s see what happens when we solve for y.
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify—the | ![]() |
But is true.
This means that the equation is true for any value of y. We say the solution to the equation is all of the real numbers. An equation that is true for any value of the variable like this is called an identity.
Identity
An equation that is true for any value of the variable is called an identity.
The solution of an identity is every real number.
What happens when we solve the equation ?
![]() | |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify—the | ![]() |
But .
Solving the equation led to the false statement
. The equation
will not be true for any value of z. It has no solution. An equation that has no solution, or that is false for all values of the variable, is called a contradiction.
Contradiction
An equation that is false for all values of the variable is called a contradiction.
A contradiction has no solution.
EXAMPLE 9
Classify the equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction. Then state the solution.
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
This is a true statement. | The equation is an identity. The solution is every real number. |
TRY IT 9.1
Classify the equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction and then state the solution:
identity; all real numbers
TRY IT 9.2
Classify the equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction and then state the solution:
identity; all real numbers
EXAMPLE 10
Classify as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction. Then state the solution.
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Add | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
The equation is true when | This is a conditional equation. The solution is |
TRY IT 10.1
Classify the equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction and then state the solution:
conditional equation;
TRY IT 10.2
Classify the equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction and then state the solution:
conditional equation;
EXAMPLE 11
Classify the equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction. Then state the solution.
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
But | The equation is a contradiction. It has no solution. |
TRY IT 11.1
Classify the equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction and then state the solution:
contradiction; no solution
TRY IT 11.2
Classify the equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction and then state the solution:
contradiction; no solution
Type of equation – Solution
Type of equation | What happens when you solve it? | Solution |
---|---|---|
Conditional Equation | True for one or more values of the variables and false for all other values | One or more values |
Identity | True for any value of the variable | All real numbers |
Contradiction | False for all values of the variable | No solution |
In the following exercises, solve each linear equation.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
In the following exercises, classify each equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction and then state the solution.
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. Coins. Rhonda has $1.90 in nickels and dimes. The number of dimes is one less than twice the number of nickels. Find the number of nickels, n, by solving the equation | 80. Fencing. Micah has 44 feet of fencing to make a dog run in his yard. He wants the length to be 2.5 feet more than the width. Find the length, L, by solving the equation |
81. Explain why you should simplify both sides of an equation as much as possible before collecting the variable terms to one side and the constant terms to the other side. | 82. Using your own words, list the steps in the general strategy for solving linear equations. |
83. Solve the equation | 84. What is the first step you take when solving the equation |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. | 15. | 17. |
19. | 21. | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. | 39. | 41. |
43. | 45. | 47. |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. | 57. | 59. identity; all real numbers |
61. identity; all real numbers | 63. conditional equation; | 65. conditional equation; |
67. contradiction; no solution | 69. contradiction; no solution | 71. conditional equation; |
73. contradiction; no solution | 75. identity; all real numbers | 77. identity; all real numbers |
79. 8 nickels | 81. Answers will vary. | 83. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Use a General Strategy to Solve Linear Equations” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
One formula you will use often in algebra and in everyday life is the formula for distance traveled by an object moving at a constant rate. Rate is an equivalent word for “speed.” The basic idea of rate may already familiar to you. Do you know what distance you travel if you drive at a steady rate of 60 miles per hour for 2 hours? (This might happen if you use your car’s cruise control while driving on the highway.) If you said 120 miles, you already know how to use this formula!
Distance, Rate, and Time
For an object moving at a uniform (constant) rate, the distance traveled, the elapsed time, and the rate are related by the formula:
We will use the Strategy for Solving Applications that we used earlier in this chapter. When our problem requires a formula, we change Step 4. In place of writing a sentence, we write the appropriate formula. We write the revised steps here for reference.
HOW TO: Solve an application (with a formula).
You may want to create a mini-chart to summarize the information in the problem. See the chart in this first example.
EXAMPLE 1
Jamal rides his bike at a uniform rate of 12 miles per hour for hours. What distance has he traveled?
Step 1. Read the problem. | ||
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | distance traveled | |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let d = distance. | |
Step 4. Translate: Write the appropriate formula. | ||
![]() | ||
Substitute in the given information. | ||
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ||
Step 6. Check | ||
Does 42 miles make sense? | ||
Jamal rides: | ||
![]() | ||
Step 7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | Jamal rode 42 miles. |
TRY IT 1.1
Lindsay drove for hours at 60 miles per hour. How much distance did she travel?
330 miles
TRY IT 1.2
Trinh walked for hours at 3 miles per hour. How far did she walk?
7 miles
EXAMPLE 2
Rey is planning to drive from his house in Saskatoon to visit his grandmother in Winnipeg, a distance of 520 miles. If he can drive at a steady rate of 65 miles per hour, how many hours will the trip take?
Step 1. Read the problem. | ||
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | How many hours (time) | |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let t = time. | |
![]() d = 600 km r = 75 km/h t = ? hours | ||
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. | ||
Substitute in the given information. | ||
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ||
Step 6. Check. Substitute the numbers into the formula and make sure the result is a true statement. | ||
Step 7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. Rey’s trip will take 8 hours. |
TRY IT 2.1
Lee wants to drive from Kamloops to his brother’s apartment in Banff, a distance of 495 km. If he drives at a steady rate of 90 km/h, how many hours will the trip take?
5 1/2 hours
TRY IT 2.2
Yesenia is 168 km from Toronto. If she needs to be in Toronto in 2 hours, at what rate does she need to drive?
84 km/h
You are probably familiar with some geometry formulas. A formula is a mathematical description of the relationship between variables. Formulas are also used in the sciences, such as chemistry, physics, and biology. In medicine they are used for calculations for dispensing medicine or determining body mass index. Spreadsheet programs rely on formulas to make calculations. It is important to be familiar with formulas and be able to manipulate them easily.
In (Example 1) and (Example 2), we used the formula . This formula gives the value of
, distance, when you substitute in the values of
, the rate and time. But in (Example 2), we had to find the value of
. We substituted in values of
and then used algebra to solve for
. If you had to do this often, you might wonder why there is not a formula that gives the value of
when you substitute in the values of
. We can make a formula like this by solving the formula
for
.
To solve a formula for a specific variable means to isolate that variable on one side of the equals sign with a coefficient of 1. All other variables and constants are on the other side of the equals sign. To see how to solve a formula for a specific variable, we will start with the distance, rate and time formula.
EXAMPLE 3
Solve the formula for
:
We will write the solutions side-by-side to demonstrate that solving a formula in general uses the same steps as when we have numbers to substitute.
a) when | b) in general | ||||
Write the formula. | Write the formula. | ||||
Substitute. | |||||
Divide, to isolate | Divide, to isolate | ||||
Simplify. | Simplify. |
We say the formula is solved for
.
TRY IT 3.1
Solve the formula for
:
a) when b) in general
a) b)
TRY IT 3.2
Solve the formula for
:
a) when b) in general
a) b)
EXAMPLE 4
Solve the formula for
:
a) when and
b) in general
a) when | b) in general | ||||
Write the formula. | ![]() | Write the formula. | ![]() | ||
Substitute. | ![]() | ||||
Clear the fractions. | ![]() | Clear the fractions. | ![]() | ||
Simplify. | ![]() | Simplify. | ![]() | ||
Solve for | ![]() | Solve for | ![]() |
We can now find the height of a triangle, if we know the area and the base, by using the formula .
TRY IT 4.1
Use the formula to solve for
:
a) when and
b) in general
a) b)
TRY IT 4.2
Use the formula to solve for
:
a) when and
b) in general
a) b)
The formula is used to calculate simple interest, I, for a principal, P, invested at rate, r, for t years.
EXAMPLE 5
Solve the formula to find the principal,
:
a) when ,
,
b) in general
a) | b) in general | ||
Write the formula. | ![]() | Write the formula. | ![]() |
Substitute. | ![]() | ||
Simplify. | ![]() | Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide, to isolate P. | ![]() | Divide, to isolate P. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() | Simplify. | ![]() |
The principal is | ![]() | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Use the formula to find the principal,
:
a) when ,
,
b) in general
a) $12,000 b)
TRY IT 5.2
Use the formula to find the principal,
:
a) when ,
,
b) in general
a) $9,000 b)
Later in this class, and in future algebra classes, you’ll encounter equations that relate two variables, usually x and y. You might be given an equation that is solved for y and need to solve it for x, or vice versa. In the following example, we’re given an equation with both x and y on the same side and we’ll solve it for y.
EXAMPLE 6
Solve the formula for y:
a) when b) in general
a) when | b) in general | ||
![]() | ![]() | ||
Substitute. | ![]() | ||
Subtract to isolate the | ![]() | Subtract to isolate the | ![]() |
Divide. | ![]() | Divide. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() | Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Solve the formula for y:
a) when b) in general
a)b)
TY IT 6.2
Solve the formula for y:
a) when b) in general
a)b)
Now we will solve a formula in general without using numbers as a guide.
EXAMPLE 7
Solve the formula for
.
We will isolate | ![]() |
Both | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Solve the formula for b.
TRY IT 7.2
Solve the formula for c.
EXAMPLE 8
Solve the formula for y.
![]() | |
Subtract | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 5 to make the coefficient 1. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
The fraction is simplified. We cannot divide by 5
TRY IT 8.1
Solve the formula for y.
TRY IT 8.2
Solve the formula for y.
In the following exercises, solve.
1. Socorro drove for | 2. Steve drove for |
3. Francie rode her bike for | 4. Yuki walked for |
5. Marta is taking the bus from Abbotsford to Cranbrook. The distance is 774 km and the bus travels at a steady rate of 86 miles per hour. How long will the bus ride be? | 6. Connor wants to drive from Vancouver to the Nakusp, a distance of 630 km. If he drives at a steady rate of 90 km/h, how many hours will the trip take? |
7. Kareem wants to ride his bike from Golden, BC to Banff, AB. The distance is 140 km. If he rides at a steady rate of 20 km/h, how many hours will the trip take? | 8. Aurelia is driving from Calgary to Edmonton at a rate of 85 km/h. The distance is 300 km. To the nearest tenth of an hour, how long will the trip take? |
9. Alejandra is driving to Prince George, 450 km away. If she wants to be there in 6 hours, at what rate does she need to drive? | 10. Javier is driving to Vernon, 240 km away. If he needs to be in Vernon in 3 hours, at what rate does he need to drive? |
11. Philip got a ride with a friend from Calgary to Kelowna, a distance of 890 km. If the trip took 10 hours, how fast was the friend driving? | 12. Aisha took the train from Spokane to Seattle. The distance is 280 miles and the trip took 3.5 hours. What was the speed of the train? |
In the following exercises, use the formula .
13. Solve for a) when b) in general | 14. Solve for a) when b) in general |
15. Solve for a) when b) in general | 16. Solve for a) when b) in general |
17. Solve for a) when b) in general | 18. Solve for a) when b) in general |
19. Solve for In the following exercises, use the formula | 20. Solve for a) when b) in general |
21. Solve for a) when b) in general | 22. Solve for |
23. Solve for the principal, P for a) b) in general | 24. Solve for In the following exercises, use the formula I = Prt. |
25. Solve for the time, t for a) b) in general | 26. Solve for the principal, P for a) b) in general |
27. Solve the formula a) when b) in general | 28. Solve for the time, t for In the following exercises, solve. |
29. Solve the formula a) when b) in general | 30. Solve the formula a) when b) in general |
31. Solve | 32. Solve the formula a) when b) in general |
33. Solve | 34. Solve |
35. Solve the formula | 36. Solve |
37. Solve the formula | 38. Solve the formula |
39. Solve the formula | 40. Solve the formula |
41. Solve the formula | 42. Solve the formula |
43. Solve the formula | 44. Solve the formula |
45. Solve the formula | 46. Solve the formula |
47. Solve the formula | 48. Solve the formula |
49. Solve the formula |
50. Converting temperature. Yon was visiting the United States and he saw that the temperature in Seattle one day was 50o Fahrenheit. Solve for C in the formula | 51. Converting temperature. While on a tour in Greece, Tatyana saw that the temperature was 40o Celsius. Solve for F in the formula |
52. Solve the equation a) when b) in general c) Which solution is easier for you, a) or b)? Why? | 53. Solve the equation a) when b) in general c) Which solution is easier for you, a) or b)? Why? |
1. 290 miles | 3. 30 miles | 5. 9 hours. |
7. 75 km/h | 9. 3.5 hours | 11. 7 hours |
13. 7 | 15. 89 km/h | 17. a) |
19. a) | 21. a) | 23. a) |
25. a) | 27. a) | 29. a) |
31. a) | 33. a) | 35. a) |
37. | 39. | 41. |
43. | 45. | 47. |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. 10°C | 57. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Solve a Formula for a Specific Variable” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
“If you think you can… or think you can’t… you’re right.”—Henry Ford
The world is full of word problems! Will my income qualify me to rent that apartment? How much punch do I need to make for the party? What size diamond can I afford to buy my girlfriend? Should I fly or drive to my family reunion?
How much money do I need to fill the car with gas? How much tip should I leave at a restaurant? How many socks should I pack for vacation? What size turkey do I need to buy for Thanksgiving dinner, and then what time do I need to put it in the oven? If my sister and I buy our mother a present, how much does each of us pay?
Now that we can solve equations, we are ready to apply our new skills to word problems. Do you know anyone who has had negative experiences in the past with word problems? Have you ever had thoughts like the student below?
When we feel we have no control, and continue repeating negative thoughts, we set up barriers to success. We need to calm our fears and change our negative feelings.
Start with a fresh slate and begin to think positive thoughts. If we take control and believe we can be successful, we will be able to master word problems! Read the positive thoughts in (Figure 2) and say them out loud.
Think of something, outside of school, that you can do now but couldn’t do 3 years ago. Is it driving a car? Snowboarding? Cooking a gourmet meal? Speaking a new language? Your past experiences with word problems happened when you were younger—now you’re older and ready to succeed!
We have reviewed translating English phrases into algebraic expressions, using some basic mathematical vocabulary and symbols. We have also translated English sentences into algebraic equations and solved some word problems. The word problems applied math to everyday situations. We restated the situation in one sentence, assigned a variable, and then wrote an equation to solve the problem. This method works as long as the situation is familiar and the math is not too complicated.
Now, we’ll expand our strategy so we can use it to successfully solve any word problem. We’ll list the strategy here, and then we’ll use it to solve some problems. We summarize below an effective strategy for problem solving.
Use a Problem-Solving Strategy to Solve Word Problems.
EXAMPLE 1
Pilar bought a purse on sale for $18, which is one-half of the original price. What was the original price of the purse?
Step 1. Read the problem. Read the problem two or more times if necessary. Look up any unfamiliar words in a dictionary or on the internet.
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. Did you ever go into your bedroom to get something and then forget what you were looking for? It’s hard to find something if you are not sure what it is! Read the problem again and look for words that tell you what you are looking for!
Step 3. Name what we are looking for. Choose a variable to represent that quantity. We can use any letter for the variable, but choose one that makes it easy to remember what it represents.
Step 4. Translate into an equation. It may be helpful to restate the problem in one sentence with all the important information. Translate the English sentence into an algebraic equation.
Reread the problem carefully to see how the given information is related. Often, there is one sentence that gives this information, or it may help to write one sentence with all the important information. Look for clue words to help translate the sentence into algebra. Translate the sentence into an equation.
Restate the problem in one sentence with all the important information. | ![]() |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation using good algebraic techniques. Even if you know the solution right away, using good algebraic techniques here will better prepare you to solve problems that do not have obvious answers.
Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Multiply both sides by 2. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check the answer in the problem to make sure it makes sense. We solved the equation and found that , which means “the original price” was $36
Step 7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. The problem asked “What was the original price of the purse?”
If this were a homework exercise, our work might look like this:
Pilar bought a purse on sale for $18, which is one-half the original price. What was the original price of the purse?
Let | |
18 is one-half the original price. | |
![]() | |
Multiply both sides by 2. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Check. Is $36 a reasonable price for a purse? | Yes. |
Is 18 one half of 36? | |
The original price of the purse was $36. |
TRY IT 1.1
Joaquin bought a bookcase on sale for $120, which was two-thirds of the original price. What was the original price of the bookcase?
$180
TRY IT 1.2
Two-fifths of the songs in Mariel’s playlist are country. If there are 16 country songs, what is the total number of songs in the playlist?
40
Let’s try this approach with another example.
EXAMPLE 2
Ginny and her classmates formed a study group. The number of girls in the study group was three more than twice the number of boys. There were 11 girls in the study group. How many boys were in the study group?
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what we are looking for. | How many boys were in the study group? |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent the number of boys. | Let |
Step 4. Translate. Restate the problem in one sentence with all the important information. | ![]() |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Subtract 3 from each side. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Divide each side by 2. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check. First, is our answer reasonable? | Yes, having 4 boys in a study group seems OK. The problem says the number of girls was 3 more than twice the number of boys. If there are four boys, does that make eleven girls? Twice 4 boys is 8. Three more than 8 is 11. |
Step 7. Answer the question. | There were 4 boys in the study group. |
TRY IT 2.1
Guillermo bought textbooks and notebooks at the bookstore. The number of textbooks was 3 more than twice the number of notebooks. He bought 7 textbooks. How many notebooks did he buy?
2
TRY IT 2.2
Gerry worked Sudoku puzzles and crossword puzzles this week. The number of Sudoku puzzles he completed is eight more than twice the number of crossword puzzles. He completed 22 Sudoku puzzles. How many crossword puzzles did he do?
7
Now that we have a problem solving strategy, we will use it on several different types of word problems. The first type we will work on is “number problems.” Number problems give some clues about one or more numbers. We use these clues to write an equation. Number problems don’t usually arise on an everyday basis, but they provide a good introduction to practicing the problem solving strategy outlined above.
EXAMPLE 3
The difference of a number and six is 13. Find the number.
Step 1. Read the problem. Are all the words familiar? | |
Step 2. Identify what we are looking for. | the number |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent the number. | Let |
Step 4. Translate. Remember to look for clue words like “difference… of… and…” | |
Restate the problem as one sentence. | ![]() |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check. | |
The difference of 19 and 6 is 13. It checks! | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The number is 19. |
TRY IT 3.1
The difference of a number and eight is 17. Find the number.
25
TRY IT 3.2
The difference of a number and eleven is . Find the number.
4
EXAMPLE 4
The sum of twice a number and seven is 15. Find the number.
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what we are looking for. | the number |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent the number. | Let |
Step 4. Translate. | |
Restate the problem as one sentence. | ![]() |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Subtract 7 from each side and simplify. | ![]() |
Divide each side by 2 and simplify. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check. | |
Is the sum of twice 4 and 7 equal to 15? | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The number is 4. |
Did you notice that we left out some of the steps as we solved this equation? If you’re not yet ready to leave out these steps, write down as many as you need.
TRY IT 4.1
The sum of four times a number and two is 14. Find the number.
3
TRY IT 4.2
The sum of three times a number and seven is 25. Find the number.
6
Some number word problems ask us to find two or more numbers. It may be tempting to name them all with different variables, but so far we have only solved equations with one variable. In order to avoid using more than one variable, we will define the numbers in terms of the same variable. Be sure to read the problem carefully to discover how all the numbers relate to each other.
EXAMPLE 5
One number is five more than another. The sum of the numbers is 21. Find the numbers.
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what we are looking for. | We are looking for two numbers. |
Step 3. Name. We have two numbers to name and need a name for each. | |
Choose a variable to represent the first number. | Let |
What do we know about the second number? | One number is five more than another. |
Step 4. Translate. Restate the problem as one sentence with all the important information. | The sum of the 1st number and the 2nd number is 21. |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Substitute the variable expressions. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract 5 from both sides and simplify. | ![]() |
Divide by 2 and simplify. | ![]() |
Find the second number, too. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Step 6. Check. | |
Do these numbers check in the problem? | |
Is one number 5 more than the other? | |
Is thirteen 5 more than 8? Yes. | |
Is the sum of the two numbers 21? | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The numbers are 8 and 13. |
TRY IT 5.1
One number is six more than another. The sum of the numbers is twenty-four. Find the numbers.
9, 15
TRY IT 5.2
The sum of two numbers is fifty-eight. One number is four more than the other. Find the numbers.
27, 31
EXAMPLE 6
The sum of two numbers is negative fourteen. One number is four less than the other. Find the numbers.
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what we are looking for. | We are looking for two numbers. |
Step 3. Name. | |
Choose a variable. | Let |
One number is 4 less than the other. | |
Step 4. Translate. | |
Write as one sentence. | The sum of the 2 numbers is negative 14. |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Add 4 to each side and simplify. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Step 6. Check. | |
Is −9 four less than −5? | |
Is their sum −14? | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The numbers are −5 and −9. |
TRY IT 6.1
The sum of two numbers is negative twenty-three. One number is seven less than the other. Find the numbers.
TRY IT 6.2
The sum of two numbers is . One number is 40 more than the other. Find the numbers.
EXAMPLE 7
One number is ten more than twice another. Their sum is one. Find the numbers.
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | We are looking for two numbers. |
Step 3. Name. | |
Choose a variable. | Let |
One number is 10 more than twice another. | |
Step 4. Translate. | |
Restate as one sentence. | Their sum is one. |
The sum of the two numbers is 1. | |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract 10 from each side. | ![]() |
Divide each side by 3. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Step 6. Check. | |
Is ten more than twice −3 equal to 4? | |
Is their sum 1? | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The numbers are −3 and −4. |
TRY IT 7.1
One number is eight more than twice another. Their sum is negative four. Find the numbers.
TRY IT 7.2
One number is three more than three times another. Their sum is . Find the numbers.
Some number problems involve consecutive integers.Consecutive integers are integers that immediately follow each other.
Examples of consecutive integers are:
Notice that each number is one more than the number preceding it. So if we define the first integer as n, the next consecutive integer is . The one after that is one more than
, so it is
, which is
.
EXAMPLE 8
The sum of two consecutive integers is 47. Find the numbers.
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | two consecutive integers |
Step 3. Name each number. | Let |
Step 4. Translate. | |
Restate as one sentence. | The sum of the integers is 47. |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract 1 from each side. | ![]() |
Divide each side by 2. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Step 6. Check. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The two consecutive integers are 23 and 24. |
TRY IT 8.1
The sum of two consecutive integers is . Find the numbers.
47, 48
TRY IT 8.2
The sum of two consecutive integers is . Find the numbers.
EXAMPLE 9
Find three consecutive integers whose sum is .
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what we are looking for. | three consecutive integers |
Step 3. Name each of the three numbers. | Let |
Step 4. Translate. | |
Restate as one sentence. | The sum of the three integers is −42. |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Subtract 3 from each side. | ![]() |
Divide each side by 3. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Step 6. Check. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The three consecutive integers are −13, −14, and −15. |
TRY IT 9.1
Find three consecutive integers whose sum is .
TRY IT 9.2
Find three consecutive integers whose sum is .
Now that we have worked with consecutive integers, we will expand our work to include consecutive even integers and consecutive odd integers. Consecutive even integers are even integers that immediately follow one another. Examples of consecutive even integers are:
Notice each integer is 2 more than the number preceding it. If we call the first one n, then the next one is . The next one would be
or
.
Consecutive odd integers are odd integers that immediately follow one another. Consider the consecutive odd integers 77, 79, and 81
Does it seem strange to add 2 (an even number) to get from one odd integer to the next? Do you get an odd number or an even number when we add 2 to 3? to 11? to 47?
Whether the problem asks for consecutive even numbers or odd numbers, you don’t have to do anything different. The pattern is still the same—to get from one odd or one even integer to the next, add 2
EXAMPLE 10
Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is 84
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what we are looking for. | three consecutive even integers |
Step 3. Name the integers. | Let |
Step 4. Translate. | |
Restate as one sentence. | The sume of the three even integers is 84. |
Translate into an equation. | |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Combine like terms. | |
Subtract 6 from each side. | |
Divide each side by 3. | |
Step 6. Check. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The three consecutive integers are 26, 28, and 30. |
TRY IT 10.1
Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is 102
32, 34, 36
TRY IT 10.2
Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is .
EXAMPLE 11
A married couple together earns $110,000 a year. The wife earns $16,000 less than twice what her husband earns. What does the husband earn?
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what we are looking for. | How much does the husband earn? |
Step 3. Name. | |
Choose a variable to represent the amount the husband earns. | Let |
The wife earns $16,000 less than twice that. | |
Step 4. Translate. | Together the husband and wife earn $110,000. |
Restate the problem in one sentence with all the important information. | ![]() |
Translate into an equation. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | h + 2h − 16,000 = 110,000 |
Combine like terms. | |
Add 16,000 to both sides and simplify. | |
Divide each side by 3. | |
Step 6. Check. | If the wife earns $68,000 and the husband earns $42,000 is the total $110,000? Yes! |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The husband earns $42,000 a year. |
TRY IT 11.1
According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, the average cost of a car in 2014 was 28,500. This was 1,500 less than 6 times the cost in 1975. What was the average cost of a car in 1975?
5,000
TRY IT 11.2
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) data shows that the median price of new home in the Canada in December 2018 was $470,000. This was $14,000 more than 19 times the price in December 1967. What was the median price of a new home in December 1967?
$24,000
Consecutive even integers are even integers that immediately follow one another.
Consecutive odd integers are odd integers that immediately follow one another.
In the following exercises, prepare the lists described.
1. List five positive thoughts you can say to yourself that will help you approach word problems with a positive attitude. You may want to copy them on a sheet of paper and put it in the front of your notebook, where you can read them often. | 2. List five negative thoughts that you have said to yourself in the past that will hinder your progress on word problems. You may want to write each one on a small piece of paper and rip it up to symbolically destroy the negative thoughts. |
In the following exercises, solve using the problem solving strategy for word problems. Remember to write a complete sentence to answer each question.
3. Two-thirds of the children in the fourth-grade class are girls. If there are 20 girls, what is the total number of children in the class? | 4. Three-fifths of the members of the school choir are women. If there are 24 women, what is the total number of choir members? |
5. Zachary has 25 country music CDs, which is one-fifth of his CD collection. How many CDs does Zachary have? | 6. One-fourth of the candies in a bag of M&M’s are red. If there are 23 red candies, how many candies are in the bag? |
7. There are 16 girls in a school club. The number of girls is four more than twice the number of boys. Find the number of boys. | 8. There are 18 Cub Scouts in Pack 645. The number of scouts is three more than five times the number of adult leaders. Find the number of adult leaders. |
9. Huong is organizing paperback and hardback books for her club’s used book sale. The number of paperbacks is 12 less than three times the number of hardbacks. Huong had 162 paperbacks. How many hardback books were there? | 10. Jeff is lining up children’s and adult bicycles at the bike shop where he works. The number of children’s bicycles is nine less than three times the number of adult bicycles. There are 42 adult bicycles. How many children’s bicycles are there? |
11. Philip pays $1,620 in rent every month. This amount is $120 more than twice what his brother Paul pays for rent. How much does Paul pay for rent? | 12. Marc just bought an SUV for $54,000. This is $7,400 less than twice what his wife paid for her car last year. How much did his wife pay for her car? |
13. Laurie has $46,000 invested in stocks and bonds. The amount invested in stocks is $8,000 less than three times the amount invested in bonds. How much does Laurie have invested in bonds? | 14. Erica earned a total of $50,450 last year from her two jobs. The amount she earned from her job at the store was $1,250 more than three times the amount she earned from her job at the college. How much did she earn from her job at the college? |
In the following exercises, solve each number word problem.
15. The sum of a number and eight is 12. Find the number. | 16. The sum of a number and nine is 17. Find the number. |
17. The difference of a number and 12 is three. Find the number. | 18. The difference of a number and eight is four. Find the number. |
19. The sum of three times a number and eight is 23. Find the number. | 20. The sum of twice a number and six is 14. Find the number. |
21.The difference of twice a number and seven is 17. Find the number. | 22. The difference of four times a number and seven is 21. Find the number. |
23. Three times the sum of a number and nine is 12. Find the number. | 24. Six times the sum of a number and eight is 30. Find the number. |
25. One number is six more than the other. Their sum is 42. Find the numbers. | 26. One number is five more than the other. Their sum is 33. Find the numbers. |
27. The sum of two numbers is 20. One number is four less than the other. Find the numbers. | 28. The sum of two numbers is 27. One number is seven less than the other. Find the numbers. |
29. The sum of two numbers is | 30. The sum of two numbers is |
31. The sum of two numbers is | 32. The sum of two numbers is |
33. One number is 14 less than another. If their sum is increased by seven, the result is 85. Find the numbers. | 34. One number is 11 less than another. If their sum is increased by eight, the result is 71. Find the numbers. |
35. One number is five more than another. If their sum is increased by nine, the result is 60. Find the numbers. | 36. One number is eight more than another. If their sum is increased by 17, the result is 95. Find the numbers. |
37. One number is one more than twice another. Their sum is | 38. One number is six more than five times another. Their sum is six. Find the numbers. |
39. The sum of two numbers is 14. One number is two less than three times the other. Find the numbers. | 40. The sum of two numbers is zero. One number is nine less than twice the other. Find the numbers. |
41. The sum of two consecutive integers is 77. Find the integers. | 42. The sum of two consecutive integers is 89. Find the integers. |
43. The sum of two consecutive integers is | 44. The sum of two consecutive integers is |
45. The sum of three consecutive integers is 78. Find the integers. | 46. The sum of three consecutive integers is 60. Find the integers. |
47. Find three consecutive integers whose sum is | 48. Find three consecutive integers whose sum is |
49. Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is 258. | 50. Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is 222. |
51. Find three consecutive odd integers whose sum is 171. | 52. Find three consecutive odd integers whose sum is 291. |
53. Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is | 54. Find three consecutive even integers whose sum is |
55. Find three consecutive odd integers whose sum is | 56. Find three consecutive odd integers whose sum is |
57. Sale Price. Patty paid $35 for a purse on sale for $10 off the original price. What was the original price of the purse? | 58. Sale Price. Travis bought a pair of boots on sale for $25 off the original price. He paid $60 for the boots. What was the original price of the boots? |
59. Buying in Bulk. Minh spent $6.25 on five sticker books to give his nephews. Find the cost of each sticker book. | 60. Buying in Bulk. Alicia bought a package of eight peaches for $3.20. Find the cost of each peach. |
61. Price before Sales Tax. Tom paid $1,166.40 for a new refrigerator, including $86.40 tax. What was the price of the refrigerator? | 62. Price before Sales Tax. Kenji paid $2,279 for a new living room set, including $129 tax. What was the price of the living room set? |
63. What has been your past experience solving word problems? | 64. When you start to solve a word problem, how do you decide what to let the variable represent? |
65. What are consecutive odd integers? Name three consecutive odd integers between 50 and 60. | 66. What are consecutive even integers? Name three consecutive even integers between |
1. Answers will vary | 3. 30 | 5. 125 |
7. 6 | 9. 58 | 11. $750 |
13. $13,500 | 15. 4 | 17. 15 |
19. 5 | 21. 12 | 23. |
25. 18, 24 | 27. 8, 12 | 29. |
31. | 33. 32, 46 | 35. 23, 28 |
37. | 39. 4, 10 | 41. 38, 39 |
43. | 45. 25, 26, 27 | 47. |
49. 84, 86, 88 | 51. 55, 57, 59 | 53. |
55. | 57. $45 | 59. $1.25 |
61. $1080 | 63. Answers will vary | 65. Consecutive odd integers are odd numbers that immediately follow each other. An example of three consecutive odd integers between 50 and 60 would be 51, 53, and 55. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Use a Problem-Solving Strategy” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
In the following exercises, determine whether each number is a solution to the equation.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation using the Subtraction Property of Equality.
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation using the Addition Property of Equality.
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation.
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, translate each English sentence into an algebraic equation and then solve it.
21. Four less than | 22. The sum of |
In the following exercises, translate into an algebraic equation and solve.
23. Tan weighs 146 pounds. Minh weighs 15 pounds more than Tan. How much does Minh weigh? | 24. Rochelle’s daughter is 11 years old. Her son is 3 years younger. How old is her son? |
25. Elissa earned $152.84 this week, which was $21.65 more than she earned last week. How much did she earn last week? | 26. Peter paid $9.75 to go to the movies, which was $46.25 less than he paid to go to a concert. How much did he pay for the concert? |
In the following exercises, solve each equation using the division and multiplication properties of equality and check the solution.
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation requiring simplification.
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
In the following exercises, translate to an equation and then solve.
43. The quotient of b and and 9 is | 44. 143 is the product of |
45. The difference of s and one-twelfth is one fourth. | 46. The sum of q and one-fourth is one. |
In the following exercises, translate into an equation and solve.
47. Janet gets paid $24 per hour. She heard that this is | 48. Ray paid $21 for 12 tickets at the county fair. What was the price of each ticket? |
In the following exercises, solve the following equations with constants on both sides.
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
In the following exercises, solve the following equations with variables on both sides.
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
In the following exercises, solve the following equations with variables and constants on both sides.
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
In the following exercises, solve each linear equation.
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
In the following exercises, classify each equation as a conditional equation, an identity, or a contradiction and then state the solution.
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation with fraction coefficients.
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. | 82. |
In the following exercises, solve each equation with decimal coefficients.
83. | 84. |
In the following exercises, solve.
85. Mallory is taking the bus from Edmonton to North Battleford. The distance is 300 miles and the bus travels at a steady rate of 60 miles per hour. How long will the bus ride be? | 86. Natalie drove for |
87. Link rode his bike at a steady rate of 15 miles per hour for | 88. Aaron’s friend drove him from Williams Lake to Kamloops. The distance is 187 miles and the trip took 2.75 hours. How fast was Aaron’s friend driving? |
In the following exercises, solve.
89. Use the formula. a) when when b) in general | 90. Use the formula. a) when b) in general |
91. Use the formula a) when b) in general | 92. Use the formula a) when b) in general |
93. Solve the formula a) when b) in general | 94. Use the formula a) b) in general |
95. Solve the formula | 96. Solve |
97. Describe how you have used two topics from this chapter in your life outside of your math class during the past month. |
1. no | 3. yes |
5. | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. 161 pounds |
25. $131.19 | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. $32 |
49. | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. | 63. |
65. | 67. |
69. | 71. |
73. contradiction; no solution | 75. identity; all real numbers |
77. | 79. |
81. | 83. |
85. 5 hours | 87. 37.5 miles |
89. a) | 91. a) |
93. a) | 95. |
Determine whether each number is a solution to the equation .
1. a) 5 b) |
In the following exercises, solve each equation.
2. | 3. |
4. | 5. |
6. | 7. |
8. | 9. |
10. | 11. |
12. | 13. |
14. | 15. |
16. | 17. |
18. | 19. |
20. | 21. Solve the formula a) when b) in general |
22. Samuel paid $25.82 for gas this week, which was $3.47 less than he paid last week. How much had he paid last week? |
1. a) yes b) no | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. contradiction; no solution | 20. |
21. a) | 22. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Review Exercises” and “Practice Test” in Chapter 2 of Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
This graph illustrates the annual vehicle sales of gas motorcycles, gas cars, and electric vehicles from 1994 to 2010. It is a line graph with x– and y-axes, one of the most common types of graphs. (credit: Steve Jurvetson, Flickr)
Graphs are found in all areas of our lives—from commercials showing you which cell phone carrier provides the best coverage, to bank statements and news articles, to the boardroom of major corporations. In this chapter, we will study the rectangular coordinate system, which is the basis for most consumer graphs. We will look at linear graphs, slopes of lines, and equations of lines.
This chapter has been adapted from the “Introduction” in Chapter 4 of Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Just like maps use a grid system to identify locations, a grid system is used in algebra to show a relationship between two variables in a rectangular coordinate system. The rectangular coordinate system is also called the xy-plane or the ‘coordinate plane.’
The horizontal number line is called the x-axis. The vertical number line is called the y-axis. The x-axis and the y-axis together form the rectangular coordinate system. These axes divide a plane into four regions, called quadrants. The quadrants are identified by Roman numerals, beginning on the upper right and proceeding counterclockwise. See (Figure 1).
‘Quadrant’ has the root ‘quad,’ which means ‘four.’
In the rectangular coordinate system, every point is represented by an ordered pair. The first number in the ordered pair is the x-coordinate of the point, and the second number is the y-coordinate of the point.
Ordered pair
An ordered pair, , gives the coordinates of a point in a rectangular coordinate system.
The first number is the x-coordinate.
The second number is the y-coordinate.
The phrase ‘ordered pair’ means the order is important. What is the ordered pair of the point where the axes cross? At that point both coordinates are zero, so its ordered pair is . The point
has a special name. It is called the origin.
The origin
The point is called the origin. It is the point where the x-axis and y-axis intersect.
We use the coordinates to locate a point on the xy-plane. Let’s plot the point as an example. First, locate 1 on the x-axis and lightly sketch a vertical line through
. Then, locate 3 on the y-axis and sketch a horizontal line through
. Now, find the point where these two lines meet—that is the point with coordinates
.
Notice that the vertical line through and the horizontal line through
are not part of the graph. We just used them to help us locate the point
.
EXAMPLE 1
Plot each point in the rectangular coordinate system and identify the quadrant in which the point is located:
A B
C
D
E
.
Solution
The first number of the coordinate pair is the x-coordinate, and the second number is the y-coordinate.
TRY IT 1.1
Plot each point in a rectangular coordinate system and identify the quadrant in which the point is located:
A B
C
D
E
.
TRY IT 1.2
Plot each point in a rectangular coordinate system and identify the quadrant in which the point is located:
A B
C
D
E
How do the signs affect the location of the points? You may have noticed some patterns as you graphed the points in the previous example.
For the point in (Figure 2) in Quadrant IV, what do you notice about the signs of the coordinates? What about the signs of the coordinates of points in the third quadrant? The second quadrant? The first quadrant?
Can you tell just by looking at the coordinates in which quadrant the point is located? In which quadrant is
located?
Quadrants
We can summarize sign patterns of the quadrants in this way.
What if one coordinate is zero as shown in (Figure 3)? Where is the point located? Where is the point
located?
The point is on the y-axis and the point
is on the x-axis.
Points on the axes
Points with a y-coordinate equal to 0 are on the x-axis, and have coordinates .
Points with an x-coordinate equal to 0 are on the y-axis, and have coordinates .
EXAMPLE 2
Plot each point:A B
C
D
E
.
Solution
TRY IT 2.1
Plot each point: A B
C
D
E
.
TRY IT 2.2
Plot each point: A B
C
D
E
.
In algebra, being able to identify the coordinates of a point shown on a graph is just as important as being able to plot points. To identify the x-coordinate of a point on a graph, read the number on the x-axis directly above or below the point. To identify the y-coordinate of a point, read the number on the y-axis directly to the left or right of the point. Remember, when you write the ordered pair use the correct order, .
EXAMPLE 3
Name the ordered pair of each point shown in the rectangular coordinate system.
Solution
Point A is above on the x-axis, so the x-coordinate of the point is
.
Point B is below on the x-axis, so the x-coordinate of the point is
.
Point C is above 2 on the x-axis, so the x-coordinate of the point is 2
Point D is below 4 on the x-axis, so the x-coordinate of the point is 4
Point E is on the y-axis at . The coordinates of point E are
.
Point F is on the x-axis at . The coordinates of point F are
.
TRY IT 3.1
Name the ordered pair of each point shown in the rectangular coordinate system.
A: B:
C:
D:
E:
F:
TRY IT 3.2
Name the ordered pair of each point shown in the rectangular coordinate system.
A: B:
C:
D:
E:
F:
Up to now, all the equations you have solved were equations with just one variable. In almost every case, when you solved the equation you got exactly one solution. The process of solving an equation ended with a statement like . (Then, you checked the solution by substituting back into the equation.)
Here’s an example of an equation in one variable, and its one solution.
But equations can have more than one variable. Equations with two variables may be of the form . Equations of this form are called linear equations in two variables.
Linear equation
An equation of the form , where
and
are not both zero, is called a linear equation in two variables.
Notice the word line in linear. Here is an example of a linear equation in two variables, and
.
The equation is also a linear equation. But it does not appear to be in the form
. We can use the Addition Property of Equality and rewrite it in
form.
Add to both sides. | |
Simplify. | |
Use the Commutative Property to put it in |
By rewriting as
, we can easily see that it is a linear equation in two variables because it is of the form
. When an equation is in the form
, we say it is in standard form.
Standard Form of Linear Equation
A linear equation is in standard form when it is written .
Most people prefer to have ,
, and
be integers and
when writing a linear equation in standard form, although it is not strictly necessary.
Linear equations have infinitely many solutions. For every number that is substituted for there is a corresponding
value. This pair of values is a solution to the linear equation and is represented by the ordered pair
. When we substitute these values of
and
into the equation, the result is a true statement, because the value on the left side is equal to the value on the right side.
Solution of a Linear Equation in Two Variables
An ordered pair is a solution of the linear equation
, if the equation is a true statement when the x– and y-values of the ordered pair are substituted into the equation.
EXAMPLE 4
Determine which ordered pairs are solutions to the equation .
A B
C
Solution
Substitute the x- and y-values from each ordered pair into the equation and determine if the result is a true statement.
TRY IT 4.1
Which of the following ordered pairs are solutions to ?
A B
C
A, C
TRY IT 4.2
Which of the following ordered pairs are solutions to the equation ? A
B
C
B, C
EXAMPLE 5
Which of the following ordered pairs are solutions to the equation ?
A B
C
Solution
Substitute the x– and y-values from each ordered pair into the equation and determine if it results in a true statement.
TRY IT 5.1
Which of the following ordered pairs are solutions to the equation ? A
B
C
B
TRY IT 5.2
Which of the following ordered pairs are solutions to the equation ? A
B
C
A, B
In the examples above, we substituted the x– and y-values of a given ordered pair to determine whether or not it was a solution to a linear equation. But how do you find the ordered pairs if they are not given? It’s easier than you might think—you can just pick a value for and then solve the equation for
. Or, pick a value for
and then solve for
.
We’ll start by looking at the solutions to the equation that we found in (Example 5). We can summarize this information in a table of solutions, as shown in (Table 1).
0 | ||
1 | 4 |
To find a third solution, we’ll let and solve for
.
The ordered pair is a solution to
. We will add it to (Table 2).
0 | ||
1 | 4 | |
2 | 9 |
We can find more solutions to the equation by substituting in any value of or any value of
and solving the resulting equation to get another ordered pair that is a solution. There are infinitely many solutions of this equation.
EXAMPLE 6
Complete the table to find three solutions to the equation .
0 | ||
2 |
Substitute ,
, and
into
.
The results are summarized in the table below.
0 | ||
2 | 6 |
TRY IT 6.1
Complete the table to find three solutions to this equation: .
0 | ||
2 |
0 | ||
2 | 5 |
TRY IT 6.2
Complete the table to find three solutions to this equation: .
0 | ||
1 | ||
0 | 1 | |
1 | 7 | |
EXAMPLE 7
Complete the table to find three solutions to the equation .
0 | ||
0 | ||
5 |
Substitute the given value into the equation and solve for the other variable. Then, fill in the values in the table.
The results are summarized in the table below.
0 | ||
4 | 0 | |
8 | 5 |
TRY IT 7.1
Complete the table to find three solutions to this equation: .
0 | ||
0 | ||
0 | ||
10 | 0 | |
TRY IT 7.2
Complete the table to find three solutions to this equation: .
0 | ||
0 | ||
0 | ||
4 | 0 | |
To find a solution to a linear equation, you really can pick any number you want to substitute into the equation for or
. But since you’ll need to use that number to solve for the other variable it’s a good idea to choose a number that’s easy to work with.
When the equation is in y-form, with the y by itself on one side of the equation, it is usually easier to choose values of and then solve for
.
EXAMPLE 8
Find three solutions to the equation .
We can substitute any value we want for or any value for
. Since the equation is in y-form, it will be easier to substitute in values of
. Let’s pick
,
, and
.
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||
Substitute the value into the equation. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Simplify. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Simplify. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Write the ordered pair. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Check. | (0, 2) | (1, −1) | (−1, 5) | ||
So, ,
and
are all solutions to
. We show them in table below.
0 | 2 | |
1 | ||
5 |
TRY IT 8.1
Find three solutions to this equation: .
Answers will vary.
TRY IT 8.2
Find three solutions to this equation: .
Answers will vary
We have seen how using zero as one value of makes finding the value of
easy. When an equation is in standard form, with both the
and
on the same side of the equation, it is usually easier to first find one solution when
find a second solution when
, and then find a third solution.
EXAMPLE 9
Find three solutions to the equation .
We can substitute any value we want for or any value for
. Since the equation is in standard form, let’s pick first
, then
, and then find a third point.
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||
Substitute the value into the equation. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Simplify. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Solve. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||
Write the ordered pair. | (0, 3) | (2, 0) | |||
Check. | |||||
So ,
, and
are all solutions to the equation
. We can list these three solutions in the table below.
0 | 3 | |
2 | 0 | |
1 |
EXAMPLE 9.1
Find three solutions to the equation .
Answers will vary.
TRY IT 9.2
Find three solutions to the equation .
Answers will vary.
In the following exercises, plot each point in a rectangular coordinate system and identify the quadrant in which the point is located.
1.A | 2. A B C D E |
3. A B C D E | 4. A B C D E |
In the following exercises, plot each point in a rectangular coordinate system.
5. A B C D E | 6. A B C D E |
7. A B C D E | 8. A B C D E |
In the following exercises, name the ordered pair of each point shown in the rectangular coordinate system.
9. ![]() | 10. ![]() |
11. ![]() | 12. ![]() |
In the following exercises, which ordered pairs are solutions to the given equations?
13. A | 14. A |
15. A | 16. A |
17. A | 18. A |
19. A | 20. A |
In the following exercises, complete the table to find solutions to each linear equation.
21.
| 22.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
23.
| 24.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
25.
| 26.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
27.
| 28.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
29.
| 30.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
31.
| 32.
|
In the following exercises, find three solutions to each linear equation.
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. Weight of a baby. Mackenzie recorded her baby’s weight every two months. The baby’s age, in months, and weight, in pounds, are listed in the table below, and shown as an ordered pair in the third column. a) Plot the points on a coordinate plane. b) Why is only Quadrant I needed?
| 50. Weight of a child. Latresha recorded her son’s height and weight every year. His height, in inches, and weight, in pounds, are listed in the table below, and shown as an ordered pair in the third column. a) Plot the points on a coordinate plane. b) Why is only Quadrant I needed?
|
51. Explain in words how you plot the point | 52. How do you determine if an ordered pair is a solution to a given equation? |
53. Is the point | 54. Is the point |
1.
| 3. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5. | 7. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9. A: | 11. A: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13. A, B | 15. A, C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17. B, C | 19. A, B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21.
| 23.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
25.
| 25.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
27.
| 29.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
31.
| 33. Answers will vary. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
35. Answers will vary. | 37. Answers will vary. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
39. Answers will vary. | 41. Answers will vary. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
43. Answers will vary. | 45. Answers will vary. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
47. Answers will vary. | 49. a) b) Age and weight are only positive. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
51. Answers will vary. | 53. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Use the Rectangular Coordinate System” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
In the previous section, we found several solutions to the equation . They are listed in the table below. So, the ordered pairs
,
, and
are some solutions to the equation
. We can plot these solutions in the rectangular coordinate system as shown in (Figure 1).
0 | 3 | |
2 | 0 | |
1 |
Notice how the points line up perfectly? We connect the points with a line to get the graph of the equation . See (Figure 2). Notice the arrows on the ends of each side of the line. These arrows indicate the line continues.
Every point on the line is a solution of the equation. Also, every solution of this equation is a point on this line. Points not on the line are not solutions.
Notice that the point whose coordinates are is on the line shown in (Figure 3). If you substitute
and
into the equation, you find that it is a solution to the equation.
So the point is a solution to the equation
. (The phrase “the point whose coordinates are
” is often shortened to “the point
.”)
So is not a solution to the equation
. Therefore, the point
is not on the line. See (Figure 2). This is an example of the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” The line shows you all the solutions to the equation. Every point on the line is a solution of the equation. And, every solution of this equation is on this line. This line is called the graph of the equation
.
Graph of a linear equation
The graph of a linear equation is a line.
EXAMPLE 1
The graph of is shown.
For each ordered pair, decide:
a) Is the ordered pair a solution to the equation?
b) Is the point on the line?
A B
C
D
Solution
Substitute the x– and y– values into the equation to check if the ordered pair is a solution to the equation.
The points ,
, and
are on the line
, and the point
is not on the line.
The points that are solutions to are on the line, but the point that is not a solution is not on the line.
TRY IT 1.1
Use the graph of to decide whether each ordered pair is:
a) b)
a) yes, yes b) yes, yes
TRY IT 1.2
Use graph of to decide whether each ordered pair is:
a) b)
a) no, no b) yes, yes
There are several methods that can be used to graph a linear equation. The method we used to graph is called plotting points, or the Point–Plotting Method.
EXAMPLE 2
Graph the equation by plotting points.
TRY IT 2.1
Graph the equation by plotting points: .
TRY IT 2.2
Graph the equation by plotting points: .
HOW TO: Graph a linear equation by plotting points.
The steps to take when graphing a linear equation by plotting points are summarized below.
It is true that it only takes two points to determine a line, but it is a good habit to use three points. If you only plot two points and one of them is incorrect, you can still draw a line but it will not represent the solutions to the equation. It will be the wrong line.
If you use three points, and one is incorrect, the points will not line up. This tells you something is wrong and you need to check your work. Look at the difference between part (a) and part (b) in (Figure 4).
Let’s do another example. This time, we’ll show the last two steps all on one grid.
EXAMPLE 3
Graph the equation .
Solution
Find three points that are solutions to the equation. Here, again, it’s easier to choose values for . Do you see why?
We list the points in the table below.
0 | 0 | |
1 | ||
6 |
Plot the points, check that they line up, and draw the line.
TRY IT 3.1
Graph the equation by plotting points: .
EXAMPLE 3.2
Graph the equation by plotting points: .
When an equation includes a fraction as the coefficient of , we can still substitute any numbers for
. But the math is easier if we make ‘good’ choices for the values of
. This way we will avoid fraction answers, which are hard to graph precisely.
EXAMPLE 4
Graph the equation .
Find three points that are solutions to the equation. Since this equation has the fraction as a coefficient of
, we will choose values of
carefully. We will use zero as one choice and multiples of 2 for the other choices. Why are multiples of 2 a good choice for values of
?
The points are shown in the table below.
0 | 3 | |
2 | 4 | |
4 | 5 |
Plot the points, check that they line up, and draw the line.
TRY IT 4. 1
Graph the equation .
TRY IT 4.2
Graph the equation .
So far, all the equations we graphed had given in terms of
. Now we’ll graph an equation with
and
on the same side. Let’s see what happens in the equation
. If
what is the value of
?
This point has a fraction for the x– coordinate and, while we could graph this point, it is hard to be precise graphing fractions. Remember in the example , we carefully chose values for
so as not to graph fractions at all. If we solve the equation
for
, it will be easier to find three solutions to the equation.
The solutions for ,
, and
are shown in the table below. The graph is shown in (Figure 5).
0 | 3 | |
1 | 1 | |
5 |
Can you locate the point , which we found by letting
, on the line?
EXAMPLE 5
Graph the equation .
Find three points that are solutions to the equation. | |
First, solve the equation for |
We’ll let be 0, 1, and
to find 3 points. The ordered pairs are shown in the table below. Plot the points, check that they line up, and draw the line. See (Figure 6).
0 | ||
1 | ||
2 |
EXAMPLE 5.1
Graph the equation .
TRY IT 5.2
Graph the equation .
If you can choose any three points to graph a line, how will you know if your graph matches the one shown in the answers in the book? If the points where the graphs cross the x– and y-axis are the same, the graphs match!
The equation in (Example 5) was written in standard form, with both and
on the same side. We solved that equation for
in just one step. But for other equations in standard form it is not that easy to solve for
, so we will leave them in standard form. We can still find a first point to plot by letting
and solving for
. We can plot a second point by letting
and then solving for
. Then we will plot a third point by using some other value for
or
.
EXAMPLE 6
Graph the equation .
Find three points that are solutions to the equation. | |
First, let | |
Solve for | |
Now let | |
Solve for | |
We need a third point. Remember, we can choose any value for | |
Solve for |
We list the ordered pairs in the table below. Plot the points, check that they line up, and draw the line. See (Figure 7).
0 | ||
3 | 0 | |
6 | 2 |
TRY IT 6.1
Graph the equation .
TRY IT 6.2
Graph the equation .
Can we graph an equation with only one variable? Just and no
, or just
without an
? How will we make a table of values to get the points to plot?
Let’s consider the equation . This equation has only one variable,
. The equation says that
is always equal to
, so its value does not depend on
. No matter what
is, the value of
is always
.
So to make a table of values, write in for all the
values. Then choose any values for
. Since
does not depend on
, you can choose any numbers you like. But to fit the points on our coordinate graph, we’ll use 1, 2, and 3 for the y-coordinates. See the table below.
1 | ||
2 | ||
3 |
Plot the points from the table and connect them with a straight line. Notice in (Figure 8) that we have graphed a vertical line.
Vertical line
A vertical line is the graph of an equation of the form .
The line passes through the x-axis at .
EXAMPLE 7
Graph the equation .
The equation has only one variable, , and
is always equal to 2. We create the table below where
is always 2 and then put in any values for
. The graph is a vertical line passing through the x-axis at 2. See (Figure 9).
2 | 1 | |
2 | 2 | |
2 | 3 |
TRY IT 7.1
Graph the equation .
TRY IT 7.2
Graph the equation .
What if the equation has but no
? Let’s graph the equation
. This time the y– value is a constant, so in this equation,
does not depend on
. Fill in 4 for all the
’s in the table below and then choose any values for
. We’ll use 0, 2, and 4 for the x-coordinates.
0 | 4 | |
2 | 4 | |
4 | 4 |
The graph is a horizontal line passing through the y-axis at 4. See (Figure 10).
Horizontal line
A horizontal line is the graph of an equation of the form .
The line passes through the y-axis at .
EXAMPLE 8
Graph the equation .
The equation has only one variable,
. The value of
is constant. All the ordered pairs in the table below have the same y-coordinate. The graph is a horizontal line passing through the y-axis at
, as shown in (Figure 11).
0 | ||
3 | ||
TRY IT 8.1
Graph the equation .
TRY IT 8.2
Graph the equation .
The equations for vertical and horizontal lines look very similar to equations like . What is the difference between the equations
and
?
The equation has both
and
. The value of
depends on the value of
. The y-coordinate changes according to the value of
. The equation
has only one variable. The value of
is constant. The y-coordinate is always 4. It does not depend on the value of
. See the table below.
0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |||
1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | |||
2 | 8 | 2 | 4 |
Notice, in (Figure 12), the equation gives a slanted line, while
gives a horizontal line.
EXAMPLE 9
Graph and
in the same rectangular coordinate system.
Notice that the first equation has the variable , while the second does not. See the table below. The two graphs are shown in (Figure 13).
0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
1 | 1 | |||||
2 | 2 |
TRY IT 9.1
Graph and
in the same rectangular coordinate system.
TRY IT 9.2
Graph and
in the same rectangular coordinate system.
In the following exercises, for each ordered pair, decide:
a) Is the ordered pair a solution to the equation? b) Is the point on the line?
1. a) | 2. a) |
3. a) | 4. a) |
In the following exercises, graph by plotting points.
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
In the following exercises, graph each equation.
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
In the following exercises, graph each pair of equations in the same rectangular coordinate system.
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
In the following exercises, graph each equation.
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. Motor home cost. The Stonechilds rented a motor home for one week to go on vacation. It cost them $594 plus $0.32 per mile to rent the motor home, so the linear equation | 82. Weekly earnings. At the art gallery where he works, Archisma gets paid $200 per week plus 15% of the sales he makes, so the equation |
83. Explain how you would choose three x– values to make a table to graph the line | 84. What is the difference between the equations of a vertical and a horizontal line? |
1. a) yes; no b) no; no c) yes; yes d) yes; yes | 3. a) yes; yes b) yes; yes c) yes; yes d) no; no |
5.
| 7. |
9. | 11.
|
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. *ANSWER GRAPH LOOKS OFF; ie. graph should have m=2/5, not (-2/5). |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. |
49. | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. | 63. |
65. | 67. |
69. | 71. |
73. | 75. |
77. | 79. |
81. $722, $850, $978![]() | 83. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Graph Linear Equations in Two Variables” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Every linear equation can be represented by a unique line that shows all the solutions of the equation. We have seen that when graphing a line by plotting points, you can use any three solutions to graph. This means that two people graphing the line might use different sets of three points.
At first glance, their two lines might not appear to be the same, since they would have different points labeled. But if all the work was done correctly, the lines should be exactly the same. One way to recognize that they are indeed the same line is to look at where the line crosses the x– axis and the y– axis. These points are called the intercepts of the line.
Intercepts of a line
The points where a line crosses the x– axis and the y– axis are called the intercepts of a line.
Let’s look at the graphs of the lines in (Figure 1).
Examples of graphs crossing the x-negative axis.
First, notice where each of these lines crosses the negative axis. See (Figure 1).
Figure | The line crosses the x– axis at: | Ordered pair of this point |
Figure (a) | 3 | |
Figure (b) | 4 | |
Figure (c) | 5 | |
Figure (d) | 0 |
Do you see a pattern?
For each row, the y– coordinate of the point where the line crosses the x– axis is zero. The point where the line crosses the x– axis has the form and is called the x– intercept of a line. The x– intercept occurs when
is zero.
Now, let’s look at the points where these lines cross the y– axis. See the table below.
Figure | The line crosses the y-axis at: | Ordered pair for this point |
Figure (a) | 6 | |
Figure (b) | ||
Figure (c) | ||
Figure (d) | 0 |
What is the pattern here?
In each row, the x– coordinate of the point where the line crosses the y– axis is zero. The point where the line crosses the y– axis has the form and is called the y- intercept of the line. The y– intercept occurs when
is zero.
x– intercept and y– intercept of a line
The x– intercept is the point where the line crosses the x– axis.
The y– intercept is the point where the line crosses the y– axis.
EXAMPLE 1
Find the x– and y– intercepts on each graph.
TRY IT 1.1
Find the x– and y– intercepts on the graph.
x– intercept: ; y– intercept:
TRY IT 1.2
Find the x– and y– intercepts on the graph.
x– intercept: , y– intercept:
Recognizing that the x– intercept occurs when y is zero and that the y– intercept occurs when x is zero, gives us a method to find the intercepts of a line from its equation. To find the x– intercept, let and solve for x. To find the y– intercept, let
and solve for y.
Find the x– and y– intercepts from the equation of a line
Use the equation of the line. To find:
EXAMPLE 2
Find the intercepts of .
We will let to find the x– intercept, and let
to find the y– intercept. We will fill in the table, which reminds us of what we need to find.
To find the x– intercept, let .
![]() | |
Let y = 0. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
The x-intercept is | (3, 0) |
To find the y-intercept, let x = 0. | |
![]() | |
Let x = 0. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
The y-intercept is | (0, 6) |
The intercepts are the points and
as shown in the following table.
3 | 0 |
0 | 6 |
TRY 2.1
Find the intercepts of .
x– intercept: , y– intercept:
TRY IT 2.2
Find the intercepts of .
x– intercept: , y– intercept:
EXAMPLE 3
Find the intercepts of .
To find the x-intercept, let y = 0. | |
![]() | |
Let y = 0. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
The x-intercept is | (3, 0) |
To find the y-intercept, let x = 0. | |
![]() | |
Let x = 0. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
The y-intercept is | (0, −4) |
The intercepts are the points (3, 0) and (0, −4) as shown in the following table.
3 | 0 |
0 |
TRY IT 3.1
Find the intercepts of .
x– intercept: , y– intercept:
TRY IT 3.2
Find the intercepts of .
x– intercept: , y– intercept:
To graph a linear equation by plotting points, you need to find three points whose coordinates are solutions to the equation. You can use the x– and y– intercepts as two of your three points. Find the intercepts, and then find a third point to ensure accuracy. Make sure the points line up—then draw the line. This method is often the quickest way to graph a line.
EXAMPLE 4
Graph using the intercepts.
TRY IT 4.1
Graph using the intercepts.
TRY IT 4.2
Graph using the intercepts.
HOW TO: Graph a linear equation using the intercepts
The steps to graph a linear equation using the intercepts are summarized below.
EXAMPLE 5
Graph using the intercepts.
Find the intercepts and a third point.
We list the points in following table and show the graph below.
3 | 0 | |
0 | ||
6 | 4 |
TRY IT 5.1
Graph using the intercepts.
TRY IT 5.2
Graph using the intercepts.
EXAMPLE 6
Graph using the intercepts.
This line has only one intercept. It is the point .
To ensure accuracy we need to plot three points. Since the x– and y– intercepts are the same point, we need two more points to graph the line.
See following table..
0 | 0 | |
1 | 5 | |
Plot the three points, check that they line up, and draw the line.
TRY IT 6.1
Graph using the intercepts.
TRY IT 6.2
Graph the intercepts.
In the following exercises, find the x– and y– intercepts on each graph.
1. ![]() | 2. ![]() |
3. ![]() | 4. ![]() |
5. ![]() | 6. ![]() |
7. ![]() | 8. ![]() |
9. ![]() | 10. ![]() |
11. ![]() | 12. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the intercepts for each equation.
13. | 14. |
15. | 17. |
18. | 19. |
20. | 21. |
22. | 23. |
24. | 25. |
25. | 27. |
28. | 28. |
30. | 31. |
32. | 33. |
34. | 35. |
36. | 37. |
38. | 39. |
40. |
In the following exercises, graph using the intercepts.
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 49. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. Road trip. Damien is driving from Thunder Bay to Montreal, a distance of 1000 miles. The x– axis on the graph below shows the time in hours since Damien left Thunder Bay. The y– axis represents the distance he has left to drive.
| 68. Road trip. Jenna filled up the gas tank of her truck and headed out on a road trip. The x– axis on the graph below shows the number of miles Jenna drove since filling up. The y– axis represents the number of gallons of gas in the truck’s gas tank.
|
69. How do you find the x– intercept of the graph of | 70. Do you prefer to use the method of plotting points or the method using the intercepts to graph the equation |
71. Do you prefer to use the method of plotting points or the method using the intercepts to graph the equation | 72. Do you prefer to use the method of plotting points or the method using the intercepts to graph the equation |
1. | 3. |
5. | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. |
49. | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. | 63. |
65. | 67. a) |
69. Answers will vary. | 71. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Graph with Intercepts” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
When you graph linear equations, you may notice that some lines tilt up as they go from left to right and some lines tilt down. Some lines are very steep and some lines are flatter. What determines whether a line tilts up or down or if it is steep or flat?
In mathematics, the ‘tilt’ of a line is called the slope of the line. The concept of slope has many applications in the real world. The pitch of a roof, grade of a highway, and a ramp for a wheelchair are some examples where you literally see slopes. And when you ride a bicycle, you feel the slope as you pump uphill or coast downhill.
In this section, we will explore the concept of slope.
A geoboard is a board with a grid of pegs on it. Using rubber bands on a geoboard gives us a concrete way to model lines on a coordinate grid. By stretching a rubber band between two pegs on a geoboard, we can discover how to find the slope of a line.
Doing the Manipulative Mathematics activity “Exploring Slope” will help you develop a better understanding of the slope of a line. (Graph paper can be used instead of a geoboard, if needed.)
We’ll start by stretching a rubber band between two pegs as shown in (Figure 1).
Doesn’t it look like a line?
Now we stretch one part of the rubber band straight up from the left peg and around a third peg to make the sides of a right triangle, as shown in (Figure 2)
We carefully make a 90º angle around the third peg, so one of the newly formed lines is vertical and the other is horizontal.
To find the slope of the line, we measure the distance along the vertical and horizontal sides of the triangle. The vertical distance is called the rise and the horizontal distance is called the run, as shown in (Figure 3).
If our geoboard and rubber band look just like the one shown in (Figure 4), the rise is 2. The rubber band goes up 2 units. (Each space is one unit.)
The rise on this geoboard is 2, as the rubber band goes up two units.
What is the run?
The rubber band goes across 3 units. The run is 3 (see (Figure 4)).
The slope of a line is the ratio of the rise to the run. In mathematics, it is always referred to with the letter .
Slope of a line
The slope of a line of a line is .
The rise measures the vertical change and the run measures the horizontal change between two points on the line.
What is the slope of the line on the geoboard in (Figure 4)?
The line has slope . This means that the line rises 2 units for every 3 units of run.
When we work with geoboards, it is a good idea to get in the habit of starting at a peg on the left and connecting to a peg to the right. If the rise goes up it is positive and if it goes down it is negative. The run will go from left to right and be positive.
EXAMPLE 1
What is the slope of the line on the geoboard shown?
Use the definition of slope: .
Start at the left peg and count the spaces up and to the right to reach the second peg.
The rise is 3. | |
The run is 4. | |
The slope is |
This means that the line rises 3 units for every 4 units of run.
TRY IT 1.1
What is the slope of the line on the geoboard shown?
TRY IT 1.2
What is the slope of the line on the geoboard shown?
EXAMPLE 2
What is the slope of the line on the geoboard shown?
Use the definition of slope: .
Start at the left peg and count the units down and to the right to reach the second peg.
The rise is −1. | |
The run is 3. | |
The slope is |
This means that the line drops 1 unit for every 3 units of run.
TRY IT 2.1
What is the slope of the line on the geoboard?
TRY IT 2.2
What is the slope of the line on the geoboard?
Notice that in (Example 1) the slope is positive and in (Example 2) the slope is negative. Do you notice any difference in the two lines shown in (Figure 5a) and (Figure 5b)?
Positive and negative slopes
We ‘read’ a line from left to right just like we read words in English. As you read from left to right, the line in (Figure 5a) is going up; it has positive slope. The line in (Figure 5b) is going down; it has negative slope.
EXAMPLE 3
Use a geoboard to model a line with slope .
To model a line on a geoboard, we need the rise and the run.
Use the slope formula. | |
Replace |
So, the rise is 1 and the run is 2
Start at a peg in the lower left of the geoboard.
Stretch the rubber band up 1 unit, and then right 2 units.
The hypotenuse of the right triangle formed by the rubber band represents a line whose slope is .
TRY IT 3.1
Model the slope . Draw a picture to show your results.
TRY IT 3.2
Model the slope . Draw a picture to show your results.
EXAMPLE 4
Use a geoboard to model a line with slope .
Use the slope formula. | |
Replace |
So, the rise is and the run is 4
Since the rise is negative, we choose a starting peg on the upper left that will give us room to count down.
We stretch the rubber band down 1 unit, then go to the right 4 units, as shown.
The hypotenuse of the right triangle formed by the rubber band represents a line whose slope is .
TRY IT 4.1
Model the slope . Draw a picture to show your results.
TRY IT 4.2
Model the slope . Draw a picture to show your results.
Now, we’ll look at some graphs on the -coordinate plane and see how to find their slopes. The method will be very similar to what we just modeled on our geoboards.
To find the slope, we must count out the rise and the run. But where do we start?
We locate two points on the line whose coordinates are integers. We then start with the point on the left and sketch a right triangle, so we can count the rise and run.
EXAMPLE 5
Find the slope of the line shown.
TRY IT 5.1
Find the slope of the line shown.
TRY IT 5.2
Find the slope of the line shown.
HOW TO: Find the slope of a line from its graph using .
EXAMPLE 6
Find the slope of the line shown.
Locate two points on the graph whose coordinates are integers. | |
Which point is on the left? | |
Starting at | ![]() |
Count the rise—it is negative. | The rise is |
Count the run. | The run is 3. |
Use the slope formula. | |
Substitute the values of the rise and run. | |
Simplify. | |
The slope of the line is |
So increases by 3 units as
decreases by 2 units.
What if we used the points and
to find the slope of the line?
The rise would be and the run would be 9. Then
, and that simplifies to
. Remember, it does not matter which points you use—the slope of the line is always the same.
TRY IT 6.1
Find the slope of the line shown.
TRY IT 6.2
Find the slope of the line shown.
In the last two examples, the lines had y-intercepts with integer values, so it was convenient to use the y-intercept as one of the points to find the slope. In the next example, the y-intercept is a fraction. Instead of using that point, we’ll look for two other points whose coordinates are integers. This will make the slope calculations easier.
EXAMPLE 7
Find the slope of the line shown.
Locate two points on the graph whose coordinates are integers. | |
Which point is on the left? | |
Starting at | ![]() |
Count the rise. | The rise is 3. |
Count the run. | The run is 5. |
Use the slope formula. | |
Substitute the values of the rise and run. | |
The slope of the line is |
This means that increases 5 units as
increases 3 units.
When we used geoboards to introduce the concept of slope, we said that we would always start with the point on the left and count the rise and the run to get to the point on the right. That way the run was always positive and the rise determined whether the slope was positive or negative.
What would happen if we started with the point on the right?
Let’s use the points and
again, but now we’ll start at
.
Count the rise. | The rise is |
Count the run. It goes from right to left, so it is negative. | The run is |
Use the slope formula. | |
Substitute the values of the rise and run. | |
The slope of the line is |
It does not matter where you start—the slope of the line is always the same.
TRY IT 7.1
Find the slope of the line shown.
EXAMPLE 7.2
Find the slope of the line shown.
Do you remember what was special about horizontal and vertical lines? Their equations had just one variable.
So how do we find the slope of the horizontal line ? One approach would be to graph the horizontal line, find two points on it, and count the rise and the run. Let’s see what happens when we do this.
What is the rise? | The rise is |
Count the run. | The run is |
What is the slope? | |
The slope of the horizontal line |
All horizontal lines have slope 0. When the y-coordinates are the same, the rise is 0.
Slope of a horizontal line
The slope of a horizontal line, , is 0.
The floor of your room is horizontal. Its slope is 0. If you carefully placed a ball on the floor, it would not roll away.
Now, we’ll consider a vertical line, the line.
What is the rise? | The rise is |
Count the run. | The run is |
What is the slope? |
But we can’t divide by 0. Division by 0 is not defined. So we say that the slope of the vertical line is undefined.
The slope of any vertical line is undefined. When the x-coordinates of a line are all the same, the run is 0.
Slope of a vertical line
The slope of a vertical line, , is undefined.
EXAMPLE 8
Find the slope of each line:
a) b)
.
a)
This is a vertical line.
Its slope is undefined.
b)
This is a horizontal line.
It has slope 0.
TRY IT 8.1
Find the slope of the line: .
undefined
TRY 8.2
Find the slope of the line: .
0
Quick guide to the slopes of lines
Remember, we ‘read’ a line from left to right, just like we read written words in English.
Sometimes we’ll need to find the slope of a line between two points when we don’t have a graph to count out the rise and the run. We could plot the points on grid paper, then count out the rise and the run, but as we’ll see, there is a way to find the slope without graphing. Before we get to it, we need to introduce some algebraic notation.
We have seen that an ordered pair gives the coordinates of a point. But when we work with slopes, we use two points. How can the same symbol
be used to represent two different points? Mathematicians use subscripts to distinguish the points.
The use of subscripts in math is very much like the use of last name initials in elementary school. Maybe you remember Laura C. and Laura M. in your third grade class?
We will use to identify the first point and
to identify the second point.
If we had more than two points, we could use ,
, and so on.
Let’s see how the rise and run relate to the coordinates of the two points by taking another look at the slope of the line between the points and
.
Since we have two points, we will use subscript notation, .
On the graph, we counted the rise of 3 and the run of 5
Notice that the rise of 3 can be found by subtracting the y-coordinates 6 and 3
And the run of 5 can be found by subtracting the x-coordinates 7 and 2
We know . So
.
We rewrite the rise and run by putting in the coordinates .
But 6 is , the y-coordinate of the second point and 3 is
, the y-coordinate of the first point.
So we can rewrite the slope using subscript notation.
Also, 7 is , the x-coordinate of the second point and 2 is
, the x-coordinate of the first point.
So, again, we rewrite the slope using subscript notation.
We’ve shown that is really another version of
. We can use this formula to find the slope of a line when we have two points on the line.
Slope formula
The slope of the line between two points and
is
This is the slope formula.
The slope is:
EXAMPLE 9
Use the slope formula to find the slope of the line between the points and
.
We’ll call | |
Use the slope formula. | |
Substitute the values. | |
Simplify the numerator and the denominator. | |
Simplify. |
Let’s confirm this by counting out the slope on a graph using .
It doesn’t matter which point you call point #1 and which one you call point #2. The slope will be the same. Try the calculation yourself.
TRY IT 9.1
Use the slope formula to find the slope of the line through the points: and
.
1
TRY IT 9.2
Use the slope formula to find the slope of the line through the points: and
.
1
EXAMPLE 10
Use the slope formula to find the slope of the line through the points and
.
We’ll call | |
Use the slope formula. | |
Substitute the values. | |
Simplify. |
Let’s verify this slope on the graph shown.
TRY IT 10.1
Use the slope formula to find the slope of the line through the points: and
.
TRY IT 10.2
Use the slope formula to find the slope of the line through the pair of points: and
.
10
Up to now, in this chapter, we have graphed lines by plotting points, by using intercepts, and by recognizing horizontal and vertical lines.
One other method we can use to graph lines is called the point–slope method. We will use this method when we know one point and the slope of the line. We will start by plotting the point and then use the definition of slope to draw the graph of the line.
EXAMPLE 11
Graph the line passing through the point whose slope is
.
EXAMPLE 11.1
Graph the line passing through the point with the slope
.
TRY IT 11.2
Graph the line passing through the point with the slope
.
Graph a line given a point and the slope.
EXAMPLE 12
Graph the line with y-intercept 2 whose slope is .
Plot the given point, the y-intercept, .
Identify the rise and the run. | |
Count the rise and the run. Mark the second point.
Connect the two points with a line.
You can check your work by finding a third point. Since the slope is , it can be written as
. Go back to
and count out the rise, 2, and the run,
.
TRY IT 12.1
Graph the line with the y-intercept 4 and slope .
TRY IT 12.2
Graph the line with the x-intercept and slope
.
EXAMPLE 13
Graph the line passing through the point whose slope is
.
Plot the given point.
Identify the rise and the run. | |
Write 4 as a fraction. | |
Count the rise and run and mark the second point.
Connect the two points with a line.
You can check your work by finding a third point. Since the slope is , it can be written as
. Go back to
and count out the rise,
, and the run,
.
TRY IT 13.1
Graph the line with the point and slope
.
EXAMPLE 13.2
Graph the line with the point and slope
.
At the beginning of this section, we said there are many applications of slope in the real world. Let’s look at a few now.
EXAMPLE 14
The ‘pitch’ of a building’s roof is the slope of the roof. Knowing the pitch is important in climates where there is heavy snowfall. If the roof is too flat, the weight of the snow may cause it to collapse. What is the slope of the roof shown?
Use the slope formula. | |
Substitute the values for rise and run. | |
Simplify. | |
The slope of the roof is | |
The roof rises 1 foot for every 2 feet of horizontal run. |
TRY IT 14.1
Use (Example 14), substituting the rise = 14 and run = 24
TRY IT 14.2
Use (Example 14), substituting rise = 15 and run = 36
EXAMPLE 15
Have you ever thought about the sewage pipes going from your house to the street? They must slope down inch per foot in order to drain properly. What is the required slope?
Use the slope formula. | |
Simplify. | |
The slope of the pipe is |
The pipe drops 1 inch for every 48 inches of horizontal run.
TRY IT 15.1
Find the slope of a pipe that slopes down inch per foot.
TRY IT 15.2
Find the slope of a pipe that slopes down inch per yard.
Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with understanding slope of a line.
In the following exercises, find the slope modeled on each geoboard.
1. ![]() | 2. ![]() |
3. ![]() | 4. ![]() |
5. ![]() | 6. ![]() |
7. ![]() | 8. ![]() |
In the following exercises, model each slope. Draw a picture to show your results.
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
In the following exercises, find the slope of each line shown.
17. ![]() | 18. ![]() |
19. ![]() | 20. ![]() |
21. ![]() | 22. ![]() |
23. ![]() | 24. ![]() |
25. ![]() | 26. ![]() |
27. ![]() | 28. ![]() |
29. ![]() | 30. ![]() |
31. ![]() | 32. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the slope of each line.
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
In the following exercises, use the slope formula to find the slope of the line between each pair of points.
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
In the following exercises, graph each line with the given point and slope.
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. y-intercept 3; | 62. y-intercept 5; |
63. x-intercept | 64. x-intercept |
65. | 66. |
67. | 67. |
69. Slope of a roof. An easy way to determine the slope of a roof is to set one end of a 12 inch level on the roof surface and hold it level. Then take a tape measure or ruler and measure from the other end of the level down to the roof surface. This will give you the slope of the roof. Builders, sometimes, refer to this as pitch and state it as an “
| 70. The slope of the roof shown here is measured with a 12” level and a ruler. What is the slope of this roof? |
71. Road grade. A local road has a grade of 6%. The grade of a road is its slope expressed as a percent. Find the slope of the road as a fraction and then simplify. What rise and run would reflect this slope or grade? | 72. Highway grade. A local road rises 2 feet for every 50 feet of highway. a) What is the slope of the highway? |
73. Wheelchair ramp. The rules for wheelchair ramps require a maximum 1-inch rise for a 12-inch run. a) How long must the ramp be to accommodate a 24-inch rise to the door? | 74. Wheelchair ramp. A 1-inch rise for a 16-inch run makes it easier for the wheelchair rider to ascend a ramp. a) How long must a ramp be to easily accommodate a 24-inch rise to the door? |
75. What does the sign of the slope tell you about a line? | 76. How does the graph of a line with slope |
77. Why is the slope of a vertical line “undefined”? |
1. | 3. |
5. | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. 0 | 35. undefined |
37. 0 | 39. undefined |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. |
49. | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. | 63. |
65. | 67. |
69. a) | 71. |
73. a) 288 inches (24 feet) b) Models will vary. | 75. When the slope is a positive number the line goes up from left to right. When the slope is a negative number the line goes down from left to right. |
77. A vertical line has 0 run and since division by 0 is undefined the slope is undefined. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Understand Slope of a Line” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
We have graphed linear equations by plotting points, using intercepts, recognizing horizontal and vertical lines, and using the point–slope method. Once we see how an equation in slope–intercept form and its graph are related, we’ll have one more method we can use to graph lines.
In Graph Linear Equations in Two Variables, we graphed the line of the equation by plotting points. See (Figure). Let’s find the slope of this line.
The red lines show us the rise is 1 and the run is 2. Substituting into the slope formula:
What is the y-intercept of the line? The y-intercept is where the line crosses the y-axis, so y-intercept is . The equation of this line is:
Notice, the line has:
When a linear equation is solved for , the coefficient of the
term is the slope and the constant term is the y-coordinate of the y-intercept. We say that the equation
is in slope–intercept form.
Slope-intercept form of an equation of a line
The slope–intercept form of an equation of a line with slope and y-intercept,
is,
Sometimes the slope–intercept form is called the “y-form.”
EXAMPLE 1
Use the graph to find the slope and y-intercept of the line, .
Compare these values to the equation.
To find the slope of the line, we need to choose two points on the line. We’ll use the points and
.
![]() | |
Find the rise and run. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Find the y-intercept of the line. | The y-intercept is the point (0, 1). |
![]() | ![]() |
The slope is the same as the coefficient of and the y-coordinate of the y-intercept is the same as the constant term.
TRY IT 1.1
Use the graph to find the slope and y-intercept of the line . Compare these values to the equation
.
slope and y-intercept
TRY IT 1.2
Use the graph to find the slope and y-intercept of the line . Compare these values to the equation
.
slope and y-intercept
In Understand Slope of a Line, we graphed a line using the slope and a point. When we are given an equation in slope–intercept form, we can use the y-intercept as the point, and then count out the slope from there. Let’s practice finding the values of the slope and y-intercept from the equation of a line.
EXAMPLE 2
Identify the slope and y-intercept of the line with equation .
We compare our equation to the slope–intercept form of the equation.
![]() | |
Write the equation of the line. | ![]() |
Identify the slope. | ![]() |
Identify the y-intercept. | ![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Identify the slope and y-intercept of the line .
TRY IT 2.2
Identify the slope and y-intercept of the line .
When an equation of a line is not given in slope–intercept form, our first step will be to solve the equation for .
EXAMPLE 3
Identify the slope and y-intercept of the line with equation .
This equation is not in slope–intercept form. In order to compare it to the slope–intercept form we must first solve the equation for.
Solve for y. | |
Subtract x from each side. | ![]() |
Divide both sides by 2. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
(Remember: | |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Write the slope–intercept form of the equation of the line. | ![]() |
Write the equation of the line. | ![]() |
Identify the slope. | ![]() |
Identify the y-intercept. | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Identify the slope and y-intercept of the line .
TRY IT 3.2
Identify the slope and y-intercept of the line .
Now that we know how to find the slope and y-intercept of a line from its equation, we can graph the line by plotting the y-intercept and then using the slope to find another point.
EXAMPLE 4
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
TRY IT 4.1
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
TRY IT 4.2
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
HOW TO: Graph a line using its slope and y-intercept
EXAMPLE 5
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
The equation is in slope–intercept form. | |
Identify the slope and y-intercept. | |
y-intercept is (0, 4) | |
Plot the y-intercept. | See graph below. |
Identify the rise and the run. | |
Count out the rise and run to mark the second point. | rise −1, run 1 |
Draw the line. | ![]() |
To check your work, you can find another point on the line and make sure it is a solution of the equation. In the graph we see the line goes through (4, 0). | |
Check. |
TRY IT 5.1
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
TRY IT 5.2
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
EXAMPLE 6
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
The equation is in slope–intercept form. | |
Identify the slope and y-intercept. | |
Plot the y-intercept. | See graph below. |
Identify the rise and the run. | |
Count out the rise and run to mark the second point. | |
Draw the line. | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
TRY IT 6.2
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
EXAMPLE 7
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
Find the slope–intercept form of the equation. | |
The equation is now in slope–intercept form. | |
Identify the slope and y-intercept. | |
y-intercept is (0, −4) | |
Plot the y-intercept. | See graph below. |
Identify the rise and the run; count out the rise and run to mark the second point. | |
Draw the line. | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
TRY IT 7.2
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
We have used a grid with and
both going from about
to 10 for all the equations we’ve graphed so far. Not all linear equations can be graphed on this small grid. Often, especially in applications with real-world data, we’ll need to extend the axes to bigger positive or smaller negative numbers.
EXAMPLE 8
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
We’ll use a grid with the axes going from about to 80.
The equation is in slope–intercept form. | |
Identify the slope and y-intercept. | |
The y-intercept is (0, 45) | |
Plot the y-intercept. | See graph below. |
Count out the rise and run to mark the second point. The slope is | |
Draw the line. | ![]() |
TRY IT 8.1
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
TRY IT 8.2
Graph the line of the equation using its slope and y-intercept.
Methods to graph lines
Now that we have seen several methods we can use to graph lines, how do we know which method to use for a given equation?
While we could plot points, use the slope–intercept form, or find the intercepts for any equation, if we recognize the most convenient way to graph a certain type of equation, our work will be easier. Generally, plotting points is not the most efficient way to graph a line. We saw better methods in sections 4.3, 4.4, and earlier in this section. Let’s look for some patterns to help determine the most convenient method to graph a line.
Here are six equations we graphed in this chapter, and the method we used to graph each of them.
Equations #1 and #2 each have just one variable. Remember, in equations of this form the value of that one variable is constant; it does not depend on the value of the other variable. Equations of this form have graphs that are vertical or horizontal lines.
In equations #3 and #4, both and
are on the same side of the equation. These two equations are of the form
. We substituted
to find the x-intercept and
to find the y-intercept, and then found a third point by choosing another value for
or
.
Equations #5 and #6 are written in slope–intercept form. After identifying the slope and y-intercept from the equation we used them to graph the line.
This leads to the following strategy.
Strategy for choosing the most convenient method to graph a line
Consider the form of the equation.
EXAMPLE 9
Determine the most convenient method to graph each line.
a) b )
c)
d)
.
TRY IT 9.1
Determine the most convenient method to graph each line: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) intercepts b) horizontal line c) slope–intercept d) vertical line
TRY IT 9.2
Determine the most convenient method to graph each line: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) vertical line b) slope–intercept c) horizontal line d) intercepts
Many real-world applications are modeled by linear equations. We will take a look at a few applications here so you can see how equations written in slope–intercept form relate to real-world situations.
Usually when a linear equation models a real-world situation, different letters are used for the variables, instead of x and y. The variable names remind us of what quantities are being measured.
EXAMPLE 10
The equation is used to convert temperatures,
, on the Celsius scale to temperatures,
, on the Fahrenheit scale.
a) Find the Fahrenheit temperature for a Celsius temperature of 0.
b) Find the Fahrenheit temperature for a Celsius temperature of 20.
c) Interpret the slope and F-intercept of the equation.
d) Graph the equation.
a) Find the Fahrenheit temperature for a Celsius temperature of 0. Find Simplify. | |
b) Find the Fahrenheit temperature for a Celsius temperature of 20. Find Simplify. Simplify. |
c) Interpret the slope and F-intercept of the equation.
Even though this equation uses and
, it is still in slope–intercept form.
The slope, , means that the temperature Fahrenheit (F) increases 9 degrees when the temperature Celsius (C) increases 5 degrees.
The F-intercept means that when the temperature is 0° on the Celsius scale, it is 32° on the Fahrenheit scale.
d) Graph the equation.
We’ll need to use a larger scale than our usual. Start at the F-intercept then count out the rise of 9 and the run of 5 to get a second point. See (Figure).
TRY IT 10.1
The equation is used to estimate a woman’s height in inches, h, based on her shoe size, s.
a) Estimate the height of a child who wears women’s shoe size 0.
b) Estimate the height of a woman with shoe size 8.
c) Interpret the slope and h-intercept of the equation.
d) Graph the equation.
TRY IT 10.2
The equation is used to estimate the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, T, based on the number of cricket chirps, n, in one minute.
a) Estimate the temperature when there are no chirps.
b) Estimate the temperature when the number of chirps in one minute is 100.
c) Interpret the slope and T-intercept of the equation.
d) Graph the equation.
The cost of running some types business has two components—a fixed cost and a variable cost. The fixed cost is always the same regardless of how many units are produced. This is the cost of rent, insurance, equipment, advertising, and other items that must be paid regularly. The variable cost depends on the number of units produced. It is for the material and labour needed to produce each item.
EXAMPLE 11
Stella has a home business selling gourmet pizzas. The equation models the relation between her weekly cost, C, in dollars and the number of pizzas, p, that she sells.
a) Find Stella’s cost for a week when she sells no pizzas.
b) Find the cost for a week when she sells 15 pizzas.
c) Interpret the slope and C-intercept of the equation.
d) Graph the equation.
a) Find Stella’s cost for a week when she sells no pizzas. | ![]() |
Find C when | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Stella’s fixed cost is $25 when she sells no pizzas. | |
b) Find the cost for a week when she sells 15 pizzas. | ![]() |
Find C when | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Stella’s costs are $85 when she sells 15 pizzas. | |
c) Interpret the slope and C-intercept of the equation. | ![]() |
The slope, 4, means that the cost increases by $4 for each pizza Stella sells. The C-intercept means that even when Stella sells no pizzas, her costs for the week are $25. | |
d) Graph the equation. We’ll need to use a larger scale than our usual. Start at the C-intercept (0, 25) then count out the rise of 4 and the run of 1 to get a second point. | ![]() |
TRY IT 11.1
Sam drives a delivery van. The equation models the relation between his weekly cost, C, in dollars and the number of miles, m, that he drives.
a) Find Sam’s cost for a week when he drives 0 miles.
b) Find the cost for a week when he drives 250 miles.
c) Interpret the slope and C-intercept of the equation.
d) Graph the equation.
TRY IT 11.2
Loreen has a calligraphy business. The equation models the relation between her weekly cost, C, in dollars and the number of wedding invitations, n, that she writes.
a) Find Loreen’s cost for a week when she writes no invitations.
b) Find the cost for a week when she writes 75 invitations.
c) Interpret the slope and C-intercept of the equation.
d) Graph the equation.
The slope of a line indicates how steep the line is and whether it rises or falls as we read it from left to right. Two lines that have the same slope are called parallel lines. Parallel lines never intersect.
We say this more formally in terms of the rectangular coordinate system. Two lines that have the same slope and different y-intercepts are called parallel lines. See (Figure).
Verify that both lines have the same slope, , and different y-intercepts.
What about vertical lines? The slope of a vertical line is undefined, so vertical lines don’t fit in the definition above. We say that vertical lines that have different x-intercepts are parallel. See (Figure).
Vertical lines with different x-intercepts are parallel.
Parallel lines
Parallel lines are lines in the same plane that do not intersect.
Let’s graph the equations and
on the same grid. The first equation is already in slope–intercept form:
. We solve the second equation for
:
Graph the lines.
Notice the lines look parallel. What is the slope of each line? What is the y-intercept of each line?
The slopes of the lines are the same and the y-intercept of each line is different. So we know these lines are parallel.
Since parallel lines have the same slope and different y-intercepts, we can now just look at the slope–intercept form of the equations of lines and decide if the lines are parallel.
EXAMPLE 12
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
Solve the first equation for | and | ||
The equation is now in slope-intercept form. | |||
The equation of the second line is already in slope-intercept form. | |||
Identify the slope and | |||
y-intercept is (0, −3) | y-intercept is (0, 1) |
The lines have the same slope and different y-intercepts and so they are parallel. You may want to graph the lines to confirm whether they are parallel.
TRY IT 12.1
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
parallel
TRY IT 12.2
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
parallel
EXAMPLE 13
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
and | |||
Write each equation in slope-intercept form. | |||
Since there is no | |||
Identify the slope and | |||
y-intercept is (0, 4) | y-intercept is (0, 3) |
The lines have the same slope and different y-intercepts and so they are parallel.
There is another way you can look at this example. If you recognize right away from the equations that these are horizontal lines, you know their slopes are both 0. Since the horizontal lines cross the y-axis at and at
, we know the y-intercepts are
and
. The lines have the same slope and different y-intercepts and so they are parallel.
TRY IT 13.1
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
parallel
TRY IT 13.2
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
parallel
EXAMPLE 14
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
Since there is no, the equations cannot be put in slope–intercept form. But we recognize them as equations of vertical lines. Their x-intercepts are
and
. Since their x-intercepts are different, the vertical lines are parallel.
TRY IT 14.1
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
parallel
TRY IT 14.2
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
parallel
EXAMPLE 15
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel. You may want to graph these lines, too, to see what they look like.
and | |||
The first equation is already in slope-intercept form. | |||
Solve the second equation for | |||
The second equation is now in slope-intercept form. | |||
Identify the slope and | |||
The lines have the same slope, but they also have the same y-intercepts. Their equations represent the same line. They are not parallel; they are the same line.
TRY IT 15.1
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
not parallel; same line
TRY IT 15.2
Use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines and
are parallel.
not parallel; same line
Let’s look at the lines whose equations are and
, shown in (Figure).
These lines lie in the same plane and intersect in right angles. We call these lines perpendicular.
What do you notice about the slopes of these two lines? As we read from left to right, the line rises, so its slope is positive. The line
drops from left to right, so it has a negative slope. Does it make sense to you that the slopes of two perpendicular lines will have opposite signs?
If we look at the slope of the first line, , and the slope of the second line,
, we can see that they are negative reciprocals of each other. If we multiply them, their product is
.
This is always true for perpendicular lines and leads us to this definition.
Perpendicular lines
Perpendicular lines are lines in the same plane that form a right angle.
If and
are the slopes of two perpendicular lines, then:
and
Vertical lines and horizontal lines are always perpendicular to each other.
We were able to look at the slope–intercept form of linear equations and determine whether or not the lines were parallel. We can do the same thing for perpendicular lines.
We find the slope–intercept form of the equation, and then see if the slopes are negative reciprocals. If the product of the slopes is , the lines are perpendicular. Perpendicular lines may have the same y-intercepts.
EXAMPLE 16
Use slopes to determine if the lines, and
are perpendicular.
The first equation is already in slope-intercept form. | ||
Solve the second equation for | ||
Identify the slope of each line. |
The slopes are negative reciprocals of each other, so the lines are perpendicular. We check by multiplying the slopes,
TRY IT 16.1
Use slopes to determine if the lines and
are perpendicular.
perpendicular
TRY IT 16.2
Use slopes to determine if the lines and
are perpendicular.
perpendicular
EXAMPLE 17
Use slopes to determine if the lines, and
are perpendicular.
Solve the equations for | ||
Identify the slope of each line. |
The slopes are reciprocals of each other, but they have the same sign. Since they are not negative reciprocals, the lines are not perpendicular.
TRY IT 17.1
Use slopes to determine if the lines and
are perpendicular.
not perpendicular
TRY IT 17.2
Use slopes to determine if the lines and
are perpendicular.
not perpendicular
Access this online resource for additional instruction and practice with graphs.
In the following exercises, use the graph to find the slope and y-intercept of each line. Compare the values to the equation .
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
In the following exercises, identify the slope and y-intercept of each line.
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
In the following exercises, graph the line of each equation using its slope and y-intercept.
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
In the following exercises, determine the most convenient method to graph each line.
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. The equation
| 50. The equation
|
51. Janelle is planning to rent a car while on vacation. The equation
| 52. Bruce drives his car for his job. The equation
|
53. Patel’s weekly salary includes a base pay plus commission on his sales. The equation
| 54. Cherie works in retail and her weekly salary includes commission for the amount she sells. The equation
|
55. Margie is planning a dinner banquet. The equation
| 56. Costa is planning a lunch banquet. The equation
|
In the following exercises, use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines are parallel.
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. | 82. |
In the following exercises, use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines are perpendicular.
83. | 84. |
85. | 86. |
87. | 88. |
89. | 90. |
91. | 92. |
93. | 94. |
95. The equation
| 96. The equation
|
97. Why are all horizontal lines parallel? | 98. Explain in your own words how to decide which method to use to graph a line. |
2. slope | 3. slope |
6. slope | 7. |
10. | 11. |
14. | 15. |
18. | 19. |
22. | 23. |
26. | 27. |
30. | 31. |
34. horizontal line | 35. vertical line |
38. slope–intercept | 39. intercepts |
42. slope–intercept | 43. horizontal line |
46. intercepts | 47. slope–intercept |
50. a) $28 b) $66.10 c) The slope, 2.54, means that Randy’s payment, P, increases by $2.54 when the number of units of water he used, w, increases by 1. The P–intercept means that if the number units of water Randy used was 0, the payment would be $28. d) | 51. a) $15 b) $143 c) The slope, 0.32, means that the cost, C, increases by $0.32 when the number of miles driven, m, increases by 1. The C-intercept means that if Janelle drives 0 miles one day, the cost would be $15. d) |
54. a) $750 b) $2418.60 c) The slope, 0.09, means that Patel’s salary, S, increases by $0.09 for every $1 increase in his sales. The S-intercept means that when his sales are $0, his salary is $750. d) | 55. a) $2850 b) $4950 c) The slope, 42, means that the cost, C, increases by $42 for when the number of guests increases by 1. The C-intercept means that when the number of guests is 0, the cost would be $750. d) |
58. parallel | 59. parallel |
62. parallel | 63. parallel |
66. parallel | 67. parallel |
70. parallel | 71. parallel |
74. not parallel | 75. not parallel |
78. not parallel | 79. not parallel |
82. not parallel | 83. perpendicular |
86. perpendicular | 87. not perpendicular |
90. not perpendicular | 91. perpendicular |
94. perpendicular | 95. a) For every increase of one degree Fahrenheit, the number of chirps increases by four. b) There would be |
98. Answers will vary. |
1. slope | 3. slope |
5. slope | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. horizontal line | 35. vertical line |
37. slope–intercept | 39. intercepts |
41. slope–intercept | 43. horizontal line |
45. intercepts | 47. slope–intercept |
49. a) $28 b) $66.10 c) The slope, 2.54, means that Randy’s payment, P, increases by $2.54 when the number of units of water he used, w, increases by 1. The P–intercept means that if the number units of water Randy used was 0, the payment would be $28. d) | 51. a) $15 b) $143 c) The slope, 0.32, means that the cost, C, increases by $0.32 when the number of miles driven, m, increases by 1. The C-intercept means that if Janelle drives 0 miles one day, the cost would be $15. d) |
53. a) $750 b) $2418.60 c) The slope, 0.09, means that Patel’s salary, S, increases by $0.09 for every $1 increase in his sales. The S-intercept means that when his sales are $0, his salary is $750. d) | 55. a) $2850 b) $4950 c) The slope, 42, means that the cost, C, increases by $42 for when the number of guests increases by 1. The C-intercept means that when the number of guests is 0, the cost would be $750. d) |
57. parallel | 59. parallel |
61. parallel | 63. parallel |
65. parallel | 67. parallel |
69. parallel | 71. parallel |
73. not parallel | 75. not parallel |
77. not parallel | 79. not parallel |
81. not parallel | 83. perpendicular |
85. perpendicular | 87. not perpendicular |
89. not perpendicular | 91. perpendicular |
93. perpendicular | 95. a) For every increase of one degree Fahrenheit, the number of chirps increases by four. b) There would be |
97. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Use the Slope–Intercept Form of an Equation of a Line” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
How do online retailers know that ‘you may also like’ a particular item based on something you just ordered? How can economists know how a rise in the minimum wage will affect the unemployment rate? How do medical researchers create drugs to target cancer cells? How can traffic engineers predict the effect on your commuting time of an increase or decrease in gas prices? It’s all mathematics.
You are at an exciting point in your mathematical journey as the mathematics you are studying has interesting applications in the real world.
The physical sciences, social sciences, and the business world are full of situations that can be modeled with linear equations relating two variables. Data is collected and graphed. If the data points appear to form a straight line, an equation of that line can be used to predict the value of one variable based on the value of the other variable.
To create a mathematical model of a linear relation between two variables, we must be able to find the equation of the line. In this section we will look at several ways to write the equation of a line. The specific method we use will be determined by what information we are given.
We can easily determine the slope and intercept of a line if the equation was written in slope–intercept form, . Now, we will do the reverse—we will start with the slope and y-intercept and use them to find the equation of the line.
EXAMPLE 1
Find an equation of a line with slope and y-intercept
.
Since we are given the slope and y-intercept of the line, we can substitute the needed values into the slope–intercept form, .
Name the slope. | ![]() |
Name the y-intercept. | ![]() |
Substitute the values into | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() |
TRY IT 1.1
Find an equation of a line with slope and y-intercept
.
TRY IT 1.2
Find an equation of a line with slope and y-intercept
.
Sometimes, the slope and intercept need to be determined from the graph.
EXAMPLE 2
Find the equation of the line shown.
We need to find the slope and y-intercept of the line from the graph so we can substitute the needed values into the slope–intercept form, .
To find the slope, we choose two points on the graph.
The y-intercept is and the graph passes through
.
Find the slope by counting the rise and run. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Find the y-intercept. | ![]() |
Substitute the values into | ![]() |
![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Find the equation of the line shown in the graph.
TRY IT 2.2
Find the equation of the line shown in the graph.
Finding an equation of a line using the slope–intercept form of the equation works well when you are given the slope and y-intercept or when you read them off a graph. But what happens when you have another point instead of the y-intercept?
We are going to use the slope formula to derive another form of an equation of the line. Suppose we have a line that has slope and that contains some specific point
and some other point, which we will just call
. We can write the slope of this line and then change it to a different form.
Multiply both sides of the equation by | |
Simplify. | |
Rewrite the equation with the |
This format is called the point–slope form of an equation of a line.
Point–slope form of an equation of a line
The point–slope form of an equation of a line with slope and containing the point
is
We can use the point–slope form of an equation to find an equation of a line when we are given the slope and one point. Then we will rewrite the equation in slope–intercept form. Most applications of linear equations use the the slope–intercept form.
EXAMPLE 3
Find an equation of a line with slope that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
TRY IT 3.1
Find an equation of a line with slope and containing the point
.
TRY IT 3.2
Find an equation of a line with slope and containing thepoint
.
HOW TO: Find an equation of a line given the slope and a point
EXAMPLE 4
Find an equation of a line with slope that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
Since we are given a point and the slope of the line, we can substitute the needed values into the point–slope form, .
Identify the slope. | ![]() |
Identify the point. | ![]() |
Substitute the values into | ![]() |
![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Write in slope–intercept form. | ![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
Find an equation of a line with slope and containing the point
.
TRY IT 4.2
Find an equation of a line with slope , and containing the point
.
EXAMPLE 5
Find an equation of a horizontal line that contains the point . Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
Every horizontal line has slope 0. We can substitute the slope and points into the point–slope form, .
Identify the slope. | ![]() |
Identify the point. | ![]() |
Substitute the values into | ![]() |
![]() | |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Write in slope–intercept form. | It is in y-form, but could be written |
Did we end up with the form of a horizontal line, ?
TRY IT 5.1
Find an equation of a horizontal line containing the point .
TRY IT 5.2
Find an equation of a horizontal line containing the point .
When real-world data is collected, a linear model can be created from two data points. In the next example we’ll see how to find an equation of a line when just two points are given.
We have two options so far for finding an equation of a line: slope–intercept or point–slope. Since we will know two points, it will make more sense to use the point–slope form.
But then we need the slope. Can we find the slope with just two points? Yes. Then, once we have the slope, we can use it and one of the given points to find the equation.
EXAMPLE 6
Find an equation of a line that contains the points and
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
Use the point and see that you get the same equation.
TRY IT 6.1
Find an equation of a line containing the points and
.
TRY IT 6.2
Find an equation of a line containing the points and
.
HOW TO: Find an equation of a line given two points
EXAMPLE 7
Find an equation of a line that contains the points and
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
Since we have two points, we will find an equation of the line using the point–slope form. The first step will be to find the slope.
Find the slope of the line through (−3, −1) and (2, −2). | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Choose either point. | ![]() |
Substitute the values into | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
Write in slope–intercept form. | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Find an equation of a line containing the points and
.
TRY IT 7.2
Find an equation of a line containing the points and
.
EXAMPLE 8
Find an equation of a line that contains the points and
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
Again, the first step will be to find the slope.
Find the slope of the line through (-2,4) and (-2,-3). | |
The slope is undefined. |
This tells us it is a vertical line. Both of our points have an x-coordinate of . So our equation of the line is
. Since there is no
, we cannot write it in slope–intercept form.
You may want to sketch a graph using the two given points. Does the graph agree with our conclusion that this is a vertical line?
TRY IT 8.1
Find an equation of a line containing the points and
.
TRY IT 8.2
Find an equation of a line containing the points and
.
We have seen that we can use either the slope–intercept form or the point–slope form to find an equation of a line. Which form we use will depend on the information we are given. This is summarized in the following table.
If given: | Use: | Form: |
---|---|---|
Slope and y-intercept | slope–intercept | |
Slope and a point | point–slope | |
Two points | point–slope |
Suppose we need to find an equation of a line that passes through a specific point and is parallel to a given line. We can use the fact that parallel lines have the same slope. So we will have a point and the slope—just what we need to use the point–slope equation.
First let’s look at this graphically.
The graph shows the graph of . We want to graph a line parallel to this line and passing through the point
.
We know that parallel lines have the same slope. So the second line will have the same slope as. That slope is
. We’ll use the notation
to represent the slope of a line parallel to a line with slope
. (Notice that the subscript
looks like two parallel lines.)
The second line will pass through and have
. To graph the line, we start at
and count out the rise and run. With
(or
), we count out the rise 2 and the run 1. We draw the line.
Do the lines appear parallel? Does the second line pass through ?
Now, let’s see how to do this algebraically.
We can use either the slope–intercept form or the point–slope form to find an equation of a line. Here we know one point and can find the slope. So we will use the point–slope form.
EXAMPLE 9
Find an equation of a line parallel to that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
Does this equation make sense? What is the y-intercept of the line? What is the slope?
TRY IT 9.1
Find an equation of a line parallel to the line that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
TRY IT 9.2
Find an equation of a line parallel to the line that contains the point
.
HOW TO: Find an equation of a line parallel to a given line
Now, let’s consider perpendicular lines. Suppose we need to find a line passing through a specific point and which is perpendicular to a given line. We can use the fact that perpendicular lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals. We will again use the point–slope equation, like we did with parallel lines.
The graph shows the graph of . Now, we want to graph a line perpendicular to this line and passing through
.
We know that perpendicular lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals. We’ll use the notation to represent the slope of a line perpendicular to a line with slope
. (Notice that the subscript ⊥ looks like the right angles made by two perpendicular lines.)
We now know the perpendicular line will pass through with
.
To graph the line, we will start at and count out the rise
and the run 2. Then we draw the line.
Do the lines appear perpendicular? Does the second line pass through ?
Now, let’s see how to do this algebraically. We can use either the slope–intercept form or the point–slope form to find an equation of a line. In this example we know one point, and can find the slope, so we will use the point–slope form.
EXAMPLE 10
Find an equation of a line perpendicular to that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
TRY IT 10.1
Find an equation of a line perpendicular to the line that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
TRY IT 10.2
Find an equation of a line perpendicular to the line that contains the point
.
HOW TO: Find an equation of a line perpendicular to a given line
EXAMPLE 11
Find an equation of a line perpendicular to that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
Again, since we know one point, the point–slope option seems more promising than the slope–intercept option. We need the slope to use this form, and we know the new line will be perpendicular to . This line is vertical, so its perpendicular will be horizontal. This tells us the
.
Identify the point. | |
Identify the slope of the perpendicular line. | |
Substitute the values into | |
Simplify. |
Sketch the graph of both lines. Do they appear to be perpendicular?
TRY IT 11.1
Find an equation of a line that is perpendicular to the line that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
TRY IT 11.2
Find an equation of a line that is perpendicular to the line that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
In (Example 11), we used the point–slope form to find the equation. We could have looked at this in a different way.
We want to find a line that is perpendicular to that contains the point
. The graph shows us the line
and the point
.
We know every line perpendicular to a vertical line is horizontal, so we will sketch the horizontal line through .
Do the lines appear perpendicular?
If we look at a few points on this horizontal line, we notice they all have y-coordinates of . So, the equation of the line perpendicular to the vertical line
is
.
EXAMPLE 12
Find an equation of a line that is perpendicular to that contains the point
.
Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
The line is a horizontal line. Any line perpendicular to it must be vertical, in the form
. Since the perpendicular line is vertical and passes through
, every point on it has an x-coordinate of
. The equation of the perpendicular line is
. You may want to sketch the lines. Do they appear perpendicular?
TRY IT 12.1
Find an equation of a line that is perpendicular to the line that contains the point
. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
TRY IT 12.1
Find an equation of a line that is perpendicular to the line that contains the point
.
Access this online resource for additional instruction and practice with finding the equation of a line.
In the following exercises, find the equation of a line with given slope and y-intercept. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
1. slope 4 and y-intercept | 2. slope 3 and y-intercept |
3. slope 8 and y-intercept | 4. slope 6 and y-intercept |
5. slope | 6. slope |
7. slope | 8. slope |
9. slope | 10. slope |
11. slope | 12. slope |
13. slope 0 and y-intercept | 14. slope 0 and y-intercept |
15. slope | 16. slope |
In the following exercises, find the equation of the line shown in each graph. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
17. ![]() | 18. ![]() |
19. ![]() | 20. ![]() |
21. ![]() | 22. ![]() |
23. ![]() | 24. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the equation of a line with given slope and containing the given point. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. Horizontal line containing | 34. Horizontal line containing |
35. Horizontal line containing | 36. Horizontal line containing |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. Horizontal line containing | 42. Horizontal line containing |
In the following exercises, find the equation of a line containing the given points. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
In the following exercises, find an equation of a line parallel to the given line and contains the given point. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
69. line | 70. line |
71. line | 72. line |
73. line | 74. line |
75. line | 76. line |
77. line | 78. line |
79. line | 80. line |
81. line | 82. line |
83. line | 84. line |
In the following exercises, find an equation of a line perpendicular to the given line and contains the given point. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
85. line | 86. line |
87. line | 88. line |
89. line | 90. line |
91. line | 92. line |
93. line | 94. line |
95. line y-axis, point | 96. line y-axis, point |
In the following exercises, find the equation of each line. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
97. Containing the points | 98. Containing the points |
99. | 100. |
101. Parallel to the line | 102. Parallel to the line |
103. | 104. |
105. Perpendicular to the line y-axis, point | 106. Perpendicular to the line |
107. Containing the points | 108. Containing the points |
109. Parallel to the line | 110. Parallel to the line |
111. Containing the points | 112. Containing the points |
113. Perpendicular to the line | 114. Perpendicular to the line |
115. Fuel consumption. The city mpg, | 116. Cholesterol. The age, |
117. Explain in your own words why the slopes of two perpendicular lines must have opposite signs. | 118. Why are all horizontal lines parallel? |
1. | 3. |
5. | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. |
49. | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. | 63. |
65. | 67. |
69. | 71. |
73. | 75. |
77. | 79. |
81. | 83. |
85. | 87. |
89. | 91. |
93. | 95. |
97. | 99. |
101. | 103. |
105. | 107. |
109. | 111. |
113. | 115. |
117. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Find the Equation of a Line” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
In the following exercises, plot each point in a rectangular coordinate system.
1. a) b) c) d) | 2. a) b) c) d) |
3. a) b) c) d) | 4. a) b) c) d) |
In the following exercises, name the ordered pair of each point shown in the rectangular coordinate system.
5.![]() | 6.![]() |
In the following exercises, which ordered pairs are solutions to the given equations?
7. a) | 8. a) |
In the following exercises, complete the table to find solutions to each linear equation.
9.
| 10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11.
| 12.
|
In the following exercises, find three solutions to each linear equation.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
In the following exercises, for each ordered pair, decide:
a) Is the ordered pair a solution to the equation?
b) Is the point on the line?
17.
| 18. |
In the following exercises, graph by plotting points.
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
In the following exercises, graph each equation.
25. | 26. |
In the following exercises, graph each pair of equations in the same rectangular coordinate system.
27. | 28. |
In the following exercises, find the x– and y-intercepts.
29.![]() | 30. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the intercepts of each equation.
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
In the following exercises, graph using the intercepts.
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
In the following exercises, find the slope modeled on each geoboard.
43. ![]() | 44. ![]() |
45. ![]() | 46. ![]() |
In the following exercises, model each slope. Draw a picture to show your results.
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
In the following exercises, find the slope of each line shown. Use to find the slope of a line from its graph.
51. ![]() | 52. ![]() |
53. ![]() | 54. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the slope of each line.
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
In the following exercises, use the slope formula to find the slope of the line between each pair of points.
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
In the following exercises, graph each line with the given point and slope.
63. | 64. |
65. y-intercept 1; | 66. x-intercept |
In the following exercises, solve these slope applications.
67. A mountain road rises 50 feet for a 500-foot run. What is its slope? | 68. The roof pictured below has a rise of 10 feet and a run of 15 feet. What is its slope?![]() |
In the following exercises, use the graph to find the slope and y-intercept of each line. Compare the values to the equation .
69. | 70. |
In the following exercises, identify the slope and y-intercept of each line.
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
In the following exercises, graph the line of each equation using its slope and y-intercept.
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
In the following exercises, determine the most convenient method to graph each line.
79. | 80. |
81. | 82. |
83. | 84. |
85. Marjorie teaches piano. The equation
| 86. Katherine is a private chef. The equation
|
In the following exercises, use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines are parallel.
87. | 88. |
In the following exercises, use slopes and y-intercepts to determine if the lines are perpendicular.
89. | 90. |
In the following exercises, find the equation of a line with given slope and y-intercept. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
91. slope | 92. slope |
93. slope | 94. slope |
In the following exercises, find the equation of the line shown in each graph. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
95. ![]() | 96. ![]() |
97. ![]() | 98. ![]() |
In the following exercises, find the equation of a line with given slope and containing the given point. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
99. | 100. |
101. | 102. Horizontal line containing |
In the following exercises, find the equation of a line containing the given points. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
103. | 104. |
105. | 106. |
In the following exercises, find an equation of a line parallel to the given line and contains the given point. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
107. line | 108. line |
109. line | 110. line |
In the following exercises, find an equation of a line perpendicular to the given line and contains the given point. Write the equation in slope–intercept form.
112. line | 111. line |
114. line | 113. line |
1. ![]() | 3. ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5. a) | 7. a, b | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9.
| 11.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13. Answers will vary. | 15. Answers will vary. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17. a) yes; yes b) yes; no | 19.![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21. ![]() | 23. ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
25. ![]() | 27. ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
29. | 31. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
33. | 35. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
37. ![]() | 39. ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
41. ![]() | 43. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
45. | 47. ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
49. ![]() | 51. 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
53. | 55. undefined | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
57. 0 | 59. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
61. | 63. ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
65. ![]() | 67. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
69. slope | 71. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
73. | 75. ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
77. ![]() | 79. horizontal line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
81. intercepts | 83. plotting points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
85. a) −?250 b) ?450 c) The slope, 35, means that Marjorie’s weekly profit, P, increases by $35 for each additional student lesson she teaches. The P–intercept means that when the number of lessons is 0, Marjorie loses $250. d)![]() | 87. not parallel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
89. perpendicular | 91. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
93. | 95. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
97. | 99. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
101. | 103. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
105. | 107. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
109. | 111. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
113. |
1. Plot each point in a rectangular coordinate system. a) | 2. Which of the given ordered pairs are solutions to the equation a) |
3. Find three solutions to the linear equation | 4. Find the x– and y-intercepts of the equation |
5. ![]() | 6. ![]() |
7. ![]() |
8. Find the slope of the line between the points | 9. Graph the line with slope |
10. | 11. |
12. | 13. |
14. | 15. |
16. slope | 17. |
18. containing | 19. parallel to the line |
20. perpendicular to the line |
1. ![]() | 2. a) yes b) yes c) no |
3. Answer may vary | 4. |
5. m = | 6. undefined |
7. m = 0 | 8. |
9. y = | 10. ![]() |
11. ![]() | 12.![]() |
13. ![]() | 14.![]() |
15. ![]() | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Review Exercises” and “Practice Test” in Chapter 4 of Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Suppose a stone falls from the edge of a cliff. The number of feet the stone has dropped after seconds can be found by multiplying 16 times the square of
. But to calculate the number of seconds it would take the stone to hit the land below, we need to use a square root. In this chapter, we will introduce and apply the properties of exponents and square roots, and scientific notation.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Remember that an exponent indicates repeated multiplication of the same quantity. For example, means to multiply 2 by itself 4 times, so
means 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
Let’s review the vocabulary for expressions with exponents.
Exponential Notation
This is read to the
power.
In the expression , the exponent
tells us how many times we use the base
as a factor.
Before we begin working with variable expressions containing exponents, let’s simplify a few expressions involving only numbers.
EXAMPLE 1
Simplify: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) | |
Multiply three factors of 4. | 4 · 4 · 4 |
Simplify. | |
b) | |
Multiply one factor of 7. | |
c) | |
Multiply two factors. | |
Simplify. | |
d) | |
Multiply two factors. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 1.1
Simplify: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) 216 b) c)
d) 0.1849
TRY IT 1.2
Simplify: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) b) 21 c)
d)
EXAMPLE 2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Multiply four factors of | |
Simplify. | |
b) | |
Multiply four factors of 5. | -(5 · 5 · 5 · 5) |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 2.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 2.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
Notice the similarities and differences in (Example 2) a) and (Example 2) b)! Why are the answers different? As we follow the order of operations in part a) the parentheses tell us to raise the to the 4th power. In part b) we raise just the 5 to the 4th power and then take the opposite.
You have seen that when you combine like terms by adding and subtracting, you need to have the same base with the same exponent. But when you multiply and divide, the exponents may be different, and sometimes the bases may be different, too.
We’ll derive the properties of exponents by looking for patterns in several examples.
First, we will look at an example that leads to the Product Property.
![]() | |
What does this mean? How many factors altogether? | ![]() |
So, we have | ![]() |
Notice that 5 is the sum of the exponents, 2 and 3. | ![]() |
We write:
The base stayed the same and we added the exponents. This leads to the Product Property for Exponents.
Product Property for Exponents
If is a real number, and
and
are counting numbers, then
To multiply with like bases, add the exponents.
An example with numbers helps to verify this property.
EXAMPLE 3
Simplify: .
![]() | |
Use the product property, am \cdot an = am+n. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 3.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify: a) b)
.
![]() | |
Use the product property, am · an = am+n. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Use the product property, am · an = am+n. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
EXAMPLE 5
Simplify: a) b)
.
![]() | |
Rewrite, a = a1. | ![]() |
Use the product property, am · an = am+n. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Notice, the bases are the same, so add the exponents. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 5.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
We can extend the Product Property for Exponents to more than two factors.
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify: .
![]() | |
Add the exponents, since bases are the same. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 6.2
Simplify: .
Now let’s look at an exponential expression that contains a power raised to a power. See if you can discover a general property.
![]() | |
What does this mean? How many factors altogether? | ![]() |
So we have | ![]() |
Notice that 6 is the product of the exponents, 2 and 3. | ![]() |
We write:
We multiplied the exponents. This leads to the Power Property for Exponents.
Power Property for Exponents
If is a real number, and
and
are whole numbers, then
To raise a power to a power, multiply the exponents.
An example with numbers helps to verify this property.
EXAMPLE 7
Simplify: a) b)
.
a)
![]() | |
Use the power property, (am)n = am · n. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
b)
![]() | |
Use the power property. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 7.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
We will now look at an expression containing a product that is raised to a power. Can you find this pattern?
What does this mean? | |
We group the like factors together. | |
How many factors of 2 and of |
Notice that each factor was raised to the power and is
.
We write: | |
The exponent applies to each of the factors! This leads to the Product to a Power Property for Exponents.
Product to a Power Property for Exponents
If and
are real numbers and
is a whole number, then
To raise a product to a power, raise each factor to that power.
An example with numbers helps to verify this property:
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify: a) b)
.
![]() | |
Use Power of a Product Property, (ab)m = ambm. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Use Power of a Product Property, (ab)m = ambm. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
We now have three properties for multiplying expressions with exponents. Let’s summarize them and then we’ll do some examples that use more than one of the properties.
Properties of Exponents
If and
are real numbers, and
and
are whole numbers, then
Product Property | |
Power Property | |
Product to a Power |
All exponent properties hold true for any real numbers and
. Right now, we only use whole number exponents.
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Use the Power Property. | |
Add the exponents. | |
b) | |
Use the Product to a Power Property. | |
Use the Power Property. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Raise | |
Simplify. | |
Use the Commutative Property. | |
Multiply the constants and add the exponents. | |
b) | |
Use the Product to a Power Property. | |
Simplify. | |
Use the Commutative Property. | |
Multiply the constants and add the exponents. |
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
A term in algebra is a constant or the product of a constant and one or more variables. When it is of the form , where
is a constant and
is a whole number, it is called a monomial. Some examples of monomial are
, and
.
Monomials
A monomial is a term of the form , where
is a constant and
is a positive whole number.
Since a monomial is an algebraic expression,we can use the properties of exponents to multiply monomials.
EXAMPLE 11
Multiply: .
Use the Commutative Property to rearrange the terms. | |
Multiply. |
TRY IT 11.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 11.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 12
Multiply: .
Use the Commutative Property to rearrange the terms. | |
Multiply. |
TRY IT 12.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 12.2
Multiply: .
Additional Online Resources
In the following exercises, simplify each expression with exponents.
1. a) | 2. a) |
3. a) | 4. a) |
5. a) | 6. a) |
7. a) | 8. a) |
9. a) | 10. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression using the Product Property for Exponents.
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. a) | 16. a) |
17. a) | 17. a) |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression using the Power Property for Exponents.
27. a) | 28. a) |
29. a) | 30. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression using the Product to a Power Property.
31. a) | 32. a) |
33. a) | 34. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
35. a) | 36. a) |
37. a) | 38. a) |
39. a) | 40. a) |
41. a) | 42. a) |
43. a) | 44. a) |
45. a) |
In the following exercises, multiply the terms.
46. | 47. |
48. | 49. |
50. | 51. |
52. | 53. |
54. | 55. |
56. | 56. |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
58. | 59. |
60. | 61. |
62. | 63. |
64. | 65. |
66. | 67. |
68. | 69. |
70. | 71. |
72. | 73. |
74. | 75. |
76. | 77. |
78. Email Kate emails a flyer to ten of her friends and tells them to forward it to ten of their friends, who forward it to ten of their friends, and so on. The number of people who receive the email on the second round is
| 79. Salary Jamal’s boss gives him a 3% raise every year on his birthday. This means that each year, Jamal’s salary is 1.03 times his last year’s salary. If his original salary was $35,000, his salary after 1 year was
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
80. Clearance A department store is clearing out merchandise in order to make room for new inventory. The plan is to mark down items by 30% each week. This means that each week the cost of an item is 70% of the previous week’s cost. If the original cost of a sofa was $1,000, the cost for the first week would be
| 81. Depreciation Once a new car is driven away from the dealer, it begins to lose value. Each year, a car loses 10% of its value. This means that each year the value of a car is 90% of the previous year’s value. If a new car was purchased for ?20,000, the value at the end of the first year would be
|
82. Use the Product Property for Exponents to explain why | 83. Explain why |
84. Jorge thinks | 85. Explain why |
2. a) 10,000 b) 17 c) | 4. a) 512 b) 8 c) |
6. a) 64 b) | 8. a) |
10. a) | 12. |
14. | 16. a) |
18. a) | 20. |
22. | 24. |
26. | 28. a) |
30. a) | 32. a) |
34. a) | 36. a) |
38. a) | 40. a) |
42. a) | 44. a) |
46. | 48. |
50. | 52. |
54. | 56. |
58. | 60. |
62. | 64. |
66. | 68. |
70. | 72. |
74. | 76. |
78. | 80. $168.07 |
82. Answers will vary. | 84. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Use Multiplication Properties of Exponents” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Earlier in this chapter, we developed the properties of exponents for multiplication. We summarize these properties below.
Summary of Exponent Properties for Multiplication
If and
are real numbers, and
and
are whole numbers, then
Product Property | |
Power Property | |
Product to a Power |
Now we will look at the exponent properties for division. A quick memory refresher may help before we get started. You have learned to simplify fractions by dividing out common factors from the numerator and denominator using the Equivalent Fractions Property. This property will also help you work with algebraic fractions—which are also quotients.
Equivalent Fractions Property
If , and
are whole numbers where
,
As before, we’ll try to discover a property by looking at some examples.
Consider | and | ||
What do they mean? | |||
Use the Equivalent Fractions Property. | |||
Simplify. |
Notice, in each case the bases were the same and we subtracted exponents.
When the larger exponent was in the numerator, we were left with factors in the numerator.
When the larger exponent was in the denominator, we were left with factors in the denominator—notice the numerator of 1
We write:
This leads to the Quotient Property for Exponents.
Quotient Property for Exponents
If is a real number,
, and
and
are whole numbers, then
A couple of examples with numbers may help to verify this property.
EXAMPLE 1
Simplify: a) b)
.
To simplify an expression with a quotient, we need to first compare the exponents in the numerator and denominator.
Since 9 > 7, there are more factors of x in the numerator. | ![]() |
Use the Quotient Property, | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Since 10 > 2, there are more factors of x in the numerator. | ![]() |
Use the Quotient Property, | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Notice that when the larger exponent is in the numerator, we are left with factors in the numerator.
TRY IT 1.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 1.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
EXAMPLE 2
Simplify: a) b)
.
To simplify an expression with a quotient, we need to first compare the exponents in the numerator and denominator.
Since 12 > 8, there are more factors of b in the denominator. | ![]() |
Use the Quotient Property, | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Since 5 > 3, there are more factors of 3 in the denominator. | ![]() |
Use the Quotient Property, | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Notice that when the larger exponent is in the denominator, we are left with factors in the denominator.
TRY IT 2.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 2.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
Notice the difference in the two previous examples:
The first step in simplifying an expression using the Quotient Property for Exponents is to determine whether the exponent is larger in the numerator or the denominator.
EXAMPLE 3
Simplify: a) b)
.
![]() | |
Use the Quotient Property, | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Use the Quotient Property, | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 3.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
A special case of the Quotient Property is when the exponents of the numerator and denominator are equal, such as an expression like . From your earlier work with fractions, you know that:
In words, a number divided by itself is 1. So, , for any
, since any number divided by itself is 1
The Quotient Property for Exponents shows us how to simplify when
>
and when
<
by subtracting exponents. What if
?
Consider , which we know is 1
Write | |
Subtract exponents. | |
Simplify. |
Now we will simplify in two ways to lead us to the definition of the zero exponent. In general, for
:
We see simplifies to
and to 1. So
.
Zero Exponent
If is a non-zero number, then
.
Any nonzero number raised to the zero power is 1
In this text, we assume any variable that we raise to the zero power is not zero.
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify: a) b)
.
The definition says any non-zero number raised to the zero power is 1
a) Use the definition of the zero exponent. | |
b) Use the definition of the zero exponent. |
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) 1 b) 1
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) 1 b) 1
Now that we have defined the zero exponent, we can expand all the Properties of Exponents to include whole number exponents.
What about raising an expression to the zero power? Let’s look at . We can use the product to a power rule to rewrite this expression.
Use the product to a power rule. | |
Use the zero exponent property. | |
Simplify. |
This tells us that any nonzero expression raised to the zero power is one.
EXAMPLE 5
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Use the definition of the zero exponent. | |
b) | |
Use the definition of the zero exponent. |
TRY IT 5.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 5.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
Now we will look at an example that will lead us to the Quotient to a Power Property.
This means: | |
Multiply the fractions. | |
Write with exponents. |
Notice that the exponent applies to both the numerator and the denominator.
We write: | |
This leads to the Quotient to a Power Property for Exponents.
Quotient to a Power Property for Exponents
If and
are real numbers,
, and
is a counting number, then
To raise a fraction to a power, raise the numerator and denominator to that power.
An example with numbers may help you understand this property:
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a)
![]() | |
Use the Quotient Property, | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
b)
![]() | |
Use the Quotient Property, | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
c)
![]() | |
Raise the numerator and denominator to the third power. | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) b)
c)
TRY IT 6.2
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) b)
c)
We’ll now summarize all the properties of exponents so they are all together to refer to as we simplify expressions using several properties. Notice that they are now defined for whole number exponents.
Summary of Exponent Properties
If and
are real numbers, and
and
are whole numbers, then
Product Property | |
Power Property | |
Product to a Power | |
Quotient Property | ![]() |
Zero Exponent Definition | |
Quotient to a Power Property |
EXAMPLE 7
Simplify: .
Multiply the exponents in the numerator. | |
Subtract the exponents. |
TRY IT 7.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 7.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify: .
Multiply the exponents in the numerator. | |
Subtract the exponents. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify: .
1
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify: .
1
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify: .
Remember parentheses come before exponents. Notice the bases are the same, so we can simplify inside the parentheses. Subtract the exponents. | |
Multiply the exponents. |
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: .
Here we cannot simplify inside the parentheses first, since the bases are not the same.
Raise the numberator and denominator to the third power using the Quotient to a Power Property, | |
Use the Power Property and simplify. |
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 11
Simplify: .
Raise the numberator and denominator to the fourth power, using the Quotient to a Power Property, | |
Raise each factor to the fourth power. | |
Use the Power Property and simplify. |
TRY IT 11.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 11.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 12
Simplify: .
Use the Power Property, | |
Add the exponents in the numerator. | |
Use the Quotient Property, |
TRY IT 12.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 12.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 13
Simplify: .
Use the Product to a Power Property, | |
Use the Power Property, | |
Add the exponents in the denominator. | |
Use the Quotient Property, | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 13.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 13.2
Simplify: .
You have now been introduced to all the properties of exponents and used them to simplify expressions. Next, you’ll see how to use these properties to divide monomials. Later, you’ll use them to divide polynomials.
EXAMPLE 14
Find the quotient: .
Rewrite as a fraction. | |
Use fraction multiplication. | |
Simplify and use the Quotient Property. |
TRY IT 14.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 14.2
Find the quotient: .
EXAMPLE 15
Find the quotient: .
Solution
Use fraction multiplication. | |
Simplify and use the Quotient Property. | |
Multiply. |
TRY IT 15.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 15.2
Find the quotient: .
EXAMPLE 16
Find the quotient: .
Use fraction multiplication. | |
Simplify and use the Quotient Property. | |
Multiply. |
TRY IT 16.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 16.2
Find the quotient: .
Once you become familiar with the process and have practiced it step by step several times, you may be able to simplify a fraction in one step.
EXAMPLE 17
Find the quotient: .
Be very careful to simplify by dividing out a common factor, and to simplify the variables by subtracting their exponents.
Simplify and use the Quotient Property. |
TRY IT 17.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 17.2
Find the quotient: .
In all examples so far, there was no work to do in the numerator or denominator before simplifying the fraction. In the next example, we’ll first find the product of two monomials in the numerator before we simplify the fraction. This follows the order of operations. Remember, a fraction bar is a grouping symbol.
EXAMPLE 18
Find the quotient: .
Simplify the numerator. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 18.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 18.2
Find the quotient: .
Additional Online Resources
In the following exercises, simplify.
1. a) | 2. a) |
3. a) | 4. a) |
5. a) | 6. a) |
7. a) | 8. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
9. a) | 10. a) |
11. a) | 12. a) |
13. a) | 14. a) |
15. a) | 16. a) |
17. a) | 18. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
19. a) | 20. a) |
21. a) | 22. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
In the following exercises, divide the monomials.
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. a) | 69. a) |
70. a) | 71. a) |
72. a) | 73. |
74. | 75. |
76. | 77. |
78. | 79. |
80. |
81. Memory One megabyte is approximately | 82. Memory One gigabyte is approximately |
83. Jennifer thinks the quotient | 84. Maurice simplifies the quotient |
85. When Drake simplified | 86. Robert thinks |
2. a) | 4. a) |
6. a) | 8. a) |
10. a) 1 b) 1 | 12. a) |
14. a) 1 b) 6 | 16. a) 7 b) 1 |
18. a) | 20. a) |
22. a) | 24. |
26. | 28. 1 |
30. | 32. |
34. | 36. |
38. | 40. |
42. | 44. |
46. | 48. |
50. | 52. |
54. | 56. |
58. | 60. |
62. | 64. |
66. | 68. a) |
70. a) | 72. a) |
74. | 76. |
78. | 80. |
82. | 84. Answers will vary. |
86. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Divide Monomials” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
We saw that the Quotient Property for Exponents introduced earlier in this chapter, has two forms depending on whether the exponent is larger in the numerator or the denominator.
Quotient Property for Exponents
If is a real number,
, and
are whole numbers, then
What if we just subtract exponents regardless of which is larger?
Let’s consider .
We subtract the exponent in the denominator from the exponent in the numerator.
We can also simplify by dividing out common factors:
This implies that and it leads us to the definition of a negative exponent.
Negative Exponent
If is an integer and
, then
.
The negative exponent tells us we can re-write the expression by taking the reciprocal of the base and then changing the sign of the exponent.
Any expression that has negative exponents is not considered to be in simplest form. We will use the definition of a negative exponent and other properties of exponents to write the expression with only positive exponents.
For example, if after simplifying an expression we end up with the expression , we will take one more step and write
. The answer is considered to be in simplest form when it has only positive exponents.
EXAMPLE 1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Use the definition of a negative exponent, | |
Simplify. | |
b) | |
Use the definition of a negative exponent, | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 1.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 1.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
In (Example 1) we raised an integer to a negative exponent. What happens when we raise a fraction to a negative exponent? We’ll start by looking at what happens to a fraction whose numerator is one and whose denominator is an integer raised to a negative exponent.
Use the definition of a negative exponent, | |
Simplify the complex fraction. | |
Multiply. |
This leads to the Property of Negative Exponents.
Property of Negative Exponents
If is an integer and
, then
.
EXAMPLE 2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Use the property of a negative exponent, | |
b) | |
Use the property of a negative exponent, | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 2.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 2.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
Suppose now we have a fraction raised to a negative exponent. Let’s use our definition of negative exponents to lead us to a new property.
Use the definition of a negative exponent, | |
Simplify the denominator. | |
Simplify the complex fraction. | |
But we know that | |
This tells us that: |
To get from the original fraction raised to a negative exponent to the final result, we took the reciprocal of the base—the fraction—and changed the sign of the exponent.
This leads us to the Quotient to a Negative Power Property.
Quotient to a Negative Exponent Property
If are real numbers,
, and
is an integer, then
.
EXAMPLE 3
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Use the Quotient to a Negative Exponent Property, | |
Take the reciprocal of the fraction and change the sign of the exponent. | |
Simplify. | |
b) | |
Use the Quotient to a Negative Exponent Property, | |
Take the reciprocal of the fraction and change the sign of the exponent. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 3.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 3.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
When simplifying an expression with exponents, we must be careful to correctly identify the base.
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) Here the exponent applies to the base | |
Take the reciprocal of the base and change the sign of the exponent. | |
Simplify. | |
b) The expression | |
Rewrite as a product with | |
Take the reciprocal of the base and change the sign of the exponent. | |
Simplify. | |
c) Here the exponent applies to the base | |
Take the reciprocal of the base and change the sign of the exponent. | |
Simplify. | |
d) The expression | |
Rewrite as a product with | |
Take the reciprocal of the base and change the sign of the exponent. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: a) b)
c)
d)
.
a) b)
c) 25 d)
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: a) b)
, c)
d)
.
a) b)
c) 49 d)
We must be careful to follow the Order of Operations. In the next example, parts (a) and (b) look similar, but the results are different.
EXAMPLE 5
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) Do exponents before multiplication. | |
Use | |
Simplify. | |
b) | |
Simplify inside the parentheses first. | |
Use | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 5.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 5.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) 2 b)
When a variable is raised to a negative exponent, we apply the definition the same way we did with numbers. We will assume all variables are non-zero.
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Use the definition of a negative exponent | |
b) | |
Use the definition of a negative exponent | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 6.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
TRY IT 6.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) b)
When there is a product and an exponent we have to be careful to apply the exponent to the correct quantity. According to the Order of Operations, we simplify expressions in parentheses before applying exponents. We’ll see how this works in the next example.
EXAMPLE 7
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) Notice the exponent applies to just the base. | |
Take the reciprocal of | |
Simplify. | |
b) Her the parentheses make the exponent apply to the base. | |
Take the reciprocal of | |
Simplify. | |
c) The base here is | |
Take the reciprocal of | |
Simplify. | |
Use |
TRY IT 7.1
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) b)
c)
TRY IT 7.2
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) b)
c)
With negative exponents, the Quotient Rule needs only one form , for
. When the exponent in the denominator is larger than the exponent in the numerator, the exponent of the quotient will be negative.
All of the exponent properties we developed earlier in the chapter with whole number exponents apply to integer exponents, too. We restate them here for reference.
Summary of Exponent Properties
If are real numbers, and
are integers, then
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
Use the Product Property, | |
Simplify |
Notice the same bases, so add the exponents. | |
Simplify. | |
Use the definition of a negative exponent, |
Add the exponents, since the bases are the same. | |
Simplify. | |
Take the reciprocal and change the sign of the exponent, using the definition of a negative exponent. |
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) b)
c)
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify: a) b)
c)
.
a) b)
c)
In the next two examples, we’ll start by using the Commutative Property to group the same variables together. This makes it easier to identify the like bases before using the Product Property.
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify: .
Use the Commutative Property to get like bases together. | |
Add the exponents for each base. | |
Take the reciprocals and change the signs of the exponents. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify: .
If the monomials have numerical coefficients, we multiply the coefficients, just like we did earlier.
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: .
Rewrite with the like bases together. | |
Multiply the coefficients and add the exponents of each variable. | |
Use the definition of a negative exponent, | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: .
In the next two examples, we’ll use the Power Property and the Product to a Power Property.
EXAMPLE 11
Simplify: .
Use the product to a Power Property, | |
Use the Power Property, | |
Use the Definition of a Negative Exponent, | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 11.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 11.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 12
Simplify: .
Use the Product to a Power Property, | |
Simplify and multiply the exponents of | |
Rewrite by using the Definition of a Negative Exponent, | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 12.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 12.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 13
Simplify: .
Use the Quotient Property, | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 13.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 13.2
Simplify: .
Remember working with place value for whole numbers and decimals? Our number system is based on powers of 10. We use tens, hundreds, thousands, and so on. Our decimal numbers are also based on powers of tens—tenths, hundredths, thousandths, and so on. Consider the numbers 4,000 and . We know that 4,000 means
and 0.004 means
.
If we write the 1000 as a power of ten in exponential form, we can rewrite these numbers in this way:
When a number is written as a product of two numbers, where the first factor is a number greater than or equal to one but less than 10, and the second factor is a power of 10 written in exponential form, it is said to be in scientific notation.
Scientific Notation
A number is expressed in scientific notation when it is of the form
It is customary in scientific notation to use as the multiplication sign, even though we avoid using this sign elsewhere in algebra.
If we look at what happened to the decimal point, we can see a method to easily convert from decimal notation to scientific notation.
In both cases, the decimal was moved 3 places to get the first factor between 1 and 10
EXAMPLE 14
Write in scientific notation: 37,000.
TRY IT 14.1
Write in scientific notation: .
TRY IT 14.2
Write in scientific notation: .
EXAMPLE 15
Write in scientific notation: .
The original number, , is between 0 and 1 so we will have a negative power of 10
![]() | |
Move the decimal point to get 5.2, a number between 1 and 10. | ![]() |
Count the number of decimal places the point was moved. | ![]() |
Write as a product with a power of 10. | ![]() |
Check. | |
TRY IT 15.1
Write in scientific notation: .
TRY IT 15.2
Write in scientific notation: .
How can we convert from scientific notation to decimal form? Let’s look at two numbers written in scientific notation and see.
If we look at the location of the decimal point, we can see an easy method to convert a number from scientific notation to decimal form.
In both cases the decimal point moved 4 places. When the exponent was positive, the decimal moved to the right. When the exponent was negative, the decimal point moved to the left.
EXAMPLE 16
Convert to decimal form: .
TRY IT 16.1
Convert to decimal form: .
1,300
TRY IT 16.2
Convert to decimal form: .
92,500
The steps are summarized below.
To convert scientific notation to decimal form:
EXAMPLE 17
Convert to decimal form: .
![]() | |
Determine the exponent, n, on the factor 10. | ![]() |
Since the exponent is negative, move the decimal point 2 places to the left. | ![]() |
Add zeros as needed for placeholders. | ![]() |
TRY IT 17.1
Convert to decimal form: .
0.00012
TRY IT 17.2
Convert to decimal form: .
0.075
Astronomers use very large numbers to describe distances in the universe and ages of stars and planets. Chemists use very small numbers to describe the size of an atom or the charge on an electron. When scientists perform calculations with very large or very small numbers, they use scientific notation. Scientific notation provides a way for the calculations to be done without writing a lot of zeros. We will see how the Properties of Exponents are used to multiply and divide numbers in scientific notation.
EXAMPLE 18
Multiply. Write answers in decimal form: .
Use the Commutative Property to rearrange the factors. | |
Multiply. | |
Change to decimal form by moving the decimal two places left. |
TRY IT 18.1
Multiply . Write answers in decimal form.
0.06
TRY IT 18.2
Multiply . Write answers in decimal form.
0.009
EXAMPLE 19
Divide. Write answers in decimal form: .
Separate the factors, rewriting as the product of two fractions. | |
Divide. | |
Change to decimal form by moving the decimal five places right. | |
TRY IT 19.1
Divide . Write answers in decimal form.
400,000
TRY IT 19.2
Divide . Write answers in decimal form.
20,000
Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with integer exponents and scientific notation:
In the following exercises, simplify.
1. a) | 2. a) |
3. a) | 4. a) |
5. a) | 6. a) |
7. a) | 8. a) |
9. a) | 10. a) |
11. a) | 12. a) |
13. a) | 14. a) |
15. a) | 16. a) |
17. a) | 18. a) |
19. a) | 20. a) |
21. a) | 22. a) |
23. a) | 24. a) |
25. a) | 26. a) |
27. a) | 28. a) |
In the following exercises, simplify.
29. a) | 30. a) |
31. a) | 32. a) |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. |
In the following exercises, write each number in scientific notation.
50. 57,000 | 51. 340,000 |
52. 8,750,000 | 53. 1,290,000 |
54. 0.026 | 55. 0.041 |
56. 0.00000871 | 57. 0.00000103 |
In the following exercises, convert each number to decimal form.
58. | 59. |
60. | 61. |
62. | 63. |
64. | 65. |
In the following exercises, multiply. Write your answer in decimal form.
66. | 67. |
68. | 69. |
In the following exercises, divide. Write your answer in decimal form.
70. | 71. |
72. | 73. |
74. The population of the United States on July 1, 2010 was about 34,000,000. Write the number in scientific notation. | 75. The population of the world on July 1, 2010 was more than 6,850,000,000. Write the number in scientific notation |
76. The average width of a human hair is 0.0018 centimetres. Write the number in scientific notation. | 77. The probability of winning the 2010 Megamillions lottery was about 0.0000000057. Write the number in scientific notation. |
78. In 2010, the number of Facebook users each day who changed their status to ‘engaged’ was | 79. At the start of 2012, the US federal budget had a deficit of more than |
80. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is | 81. The width of a proton is |
82. Health care costs The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid projects that American consumers will spend more than $4 trillion on health care by 2017
| 83. Coin production In 1942, the U.S. Mint produced 154,500,000 nickels. Write 154,500,000 in scientific notation. |
84. Distance The distance between Earth and one of the brightest stars in the night star is 33.7 light years. One light year is about 6,000,000,000,000 (6 trillion), miles. a) Write the number of miles in one light year in scientific notation. b)Use scientific notation to find the distance between Earth and the star in miles. Write the answer in scientific notation. | 85. Debt At the end of fiscal year 2019 the gross Canadian federal government debt was estimated to be approximately $685,450,000,000 ($685.45 billion), according to the Federal Budget. The population of Canada was approximately 37,590,000 people at the end of fiscal year 2019 a) Write the debt in scientific notation. b) Write the population in scientific notation. c) Find the amount of debt per person by using scientific notation to divide the debt by the population. Write the answer in scientific notation. |
86. a) Explain the meaning of the exponent in the expression b) Explain the meaning of the exponent in the expression | 87. When you convert a number from decimal notation to scientific notation, how do you know if the exponent will be positive or negative? |
1. a) | 3. a) | 5. a) |
7. a) | 9. a) | 11. a) |
13. a) | 15. a) | 17. a) |
19. a) | 21. a) | 23. a) |
25. a) | 27. a) | 29. a) |
31. a) 1 b) | 33. | 35. |
37. | 39. | 41. |
43. | 45. | 47. |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. | 57. | 59. 830 |
61. 16,000,000,000 | 63. 0.038 | 65. 0.0000193 |
67. 0.02 | 69. | 71. 500,000,000 |
73. 20,000,000 | 75. | 77. |
79. 15,000,000,000,000 | 81. 0.00001 | 83. |
85. a) | 87. Answers will vary |
This chapter has been adapted from “Integer Exponents and Scientific Notation” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
To start this section, we need to review some important vocabulary and notation.
Remember that when a number is multiplied by itself, we can write this as
, which we read aloud as
For example,
is read as
We call the square of
because
. Similarly,
is the square of
, because
.
Square of a Number
If , then
is the square of
.
Do you know why we use the word square? If we construct a square with three tiles on each side, the total number of tiles would be nine.
This is why we say that the square of three is nine.
The number is called a perfect square because it is the square of a whole number.
The chart shows the squares of the counting numbers through
. You can refer to it to help you identify the perfect squares.
Perfect Squares
A perfect square is the square of a whole number.
What happens when you square a negative number?
When we multiply two negative numbers, the product is always positive. So, the square of a negative number is always positive.
The chart shows the squares of the negative integers from to
.
Did you notice that these squares are the same as the squares of the positive numbers?
Sometimes we will need to look at the relationship between numbers and their squares in reverse. Because , we say
is the square of
. We can also say that
is a square root of
.
Square Root of a Number
A number whose square is is called a square root of
.
If , then
is a square root of
.
Notice also, so
is also a square root of
. Therefore, both
and
are square roots of
.
So, every positive number has two square roots: one positive and one negative.
What if we only want the positive square root of a positive number? The radical sign, , stands for the positive square root. The positive square root is also called the principal square root.
Square Root Notation
is read as “the square root of
.
We can also use the radical sign for the square root of zero. Because . Notice that zero has only one square root.
The chart shows the square roots of the first perfect square numbers.
EXAMPLE 1
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) | |
Since |
b) | |
Since |
TRY IT 1.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
TRY IT 1.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
Every positive number has two square roots and the radical sign indicates the positive one. We write . If we want to find the negative square root of a number, we place a negative in front of the radical sign. For example,
.
EXAMPLE 2
Simplify. a) b)
a) | |
The negative is in front of the radical sign. |
b) | |
The negative is in front of the radical sign. |
TRY IT 2.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
TRY IT 2.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
Can we simplify Is there a number whose square is
None of the numbers that we have dealt with so far have a square that is . Why? Any positive number squared is positive, and any negative number squared is also positive. In the next chapter we will see that all the numbers we work with are called the real numbers. So we say there is no real number equal to
. If we are asked to find the square root of any negative number, we say that the solution is not a real number.
EXAMPLE 3
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) There is no real number whose square is . Therefore,
is not a real number.
b) The negative is in front of the radical sign, so we find the opposite of the square root of .
The negative is in front of the radical. |
TRY IT 3.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
TRY IT 3.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
When using the order of operations to simplify an expression that has square roots, we treat the radical sign as a grouping symbol. We simplify any expressions under the radical sign before performing other operations.
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify: a) b)
.
a) Use the order of operations. | |
Simplify each radical. | |
Add. |
b) Use the order of operations. | |
Add under the radical sign. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: a) b)
.
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: a) b)
.
Notice the different answers in parts a) and b) of (Example 4). It is important to follow the order of operations correctly. In a), we took each square root first and then added them. In b), we added under the radical sign first and then found the square root.
So far we have only worked with square roots of perfect squares. The square roots of other numbers are not whole numbers.
We might conclude that the square roots of numbers between and
will be between
and
, and they will not be whole numbers. Based on the pattern in the table above, we could say that
is between
and
. Using inequality symbols, we write
EXAMPLE 5
Estimate between two consecutive whole numbers.
Think of the perfect squares closest to . Make a small table of these perfect squares and their squares roots.
TRY IT 5.1
Estimate between two consecutive whole numbers.
TRY IT 5.2
Estimate between two consecutive whole numbers.
The square roots of numbers that are not perfect squares are not whole numbers, they are irrational numbers. Its decimal form does not stop and does not repeat. Are irrational numbers real numbers? Yes, they are. When we put together the irrational numbers and rational numbers, we get the set of real numbers.
Let’s see how we can use calculator to find the approximate square roots of those irrational numbers.
There are mathematical methods to approximate square roots, but it is much more convenient to use a calculator to find square roots. Find the or
key on your calculator. You will to use this key to approximate square roots. When you use your calculator to find the square root of a number that is not a perfect square, the answer that you see is not the exact number. It is an approximation, to the number of digits shown on your calculator’s display. The symbol for an approximation is
and it is read approximately.
Suppose your calculator has a display. Using it to find the square root of
will give
. This is the approximate square root of
. When we report the answer, we should use the “approximately equal to” sign instead of an equal sign.
You will seldom use this many digits for applications in algebra. So, if you wanted to round to two decimal places, you would write
How do we know these values are approximations and not the exact values? Look at what happens when we square them.
The squares are close, but not exactly equal, to .
EXAMPLE 6
Round to two decimal places using a calculator.
Use the calculator square root key. | |
Round to two decimal places. | |
TRY IT 6.1
Round to two decimal places.
≈ 3.32
TRY IT 6.2
Round to two decimal places.
≈ 3.61
Expressions with square root that we have looked at so far have not had any variables. What happens when we have to find a square root of a variable expression?
Consider , where
. Can you think of an expression whose square is
When we use a variable in a square root expression, for our work, we will assume that the variable represents a non-negative number. In every example and exercise that follows, each variable in a square root expression is greater than or equal to zero.
EXAMPLE 7
Simplify: .
Think about what we would have to square to get . Algebraically,
Since |
TRY IT 7.1
Simplify: .
y
TRY IT 7.2
Simplify: .
m
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify: .
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify: .
8x
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify: .
13y
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify: .
−11y
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify: .
−10p
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: .
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: .
10ab
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: .
15mn
As you progress through your college courses, you’ll encounter several applications of square roots. Once again, if we use our strategy for applications, it will give us a plan for finding the answer!
We have solved applications with area before. If we were given the length of the sides of a square, we could find its area by squaring the length of its sides. Now we can find the length of the sides of a square if we are given the area, by finding the square root of the area.
If the area of the square is square units, the length of a side is
units. See the table below.
Area (square units) | Length of side (units) |
---|---|
EXAMPLE 11
Mike and Lychelle want to make a square patio. They have enough concrete for an area of square feet. To the nearest tenth of a foot, how long can a side of their square patio be?
We know the area of the square is square feet and want to find the length of the side. If the area of the square is
square units, the length of a side is
units.
What are you asked to find? | The length of each side of a square patio |
Write a phrase. | The length of a side |
Translate to an expression. | |
Evaluate | |
Use your calculator. | |
Round to one decimal place. | |
Write a sentence. | Each side of the patio should be |
TRY IT 11.1
Katie wants to plant a square lawn in her front yard. She has enough sod to cover an area of square feet. To the nearest tenth of a foot, how long can a side of her square lawn be?
19.2 feet
TRY IT 11.2
Sergio wants to make a square mosaic as an inlay for a table he is building. He has enough tile to cover an area of square centimetres. How long can a side of his mosaic be?
52 centimetres
Another application of square roots involves gravity. On Earth, if an object is dropped from a height of feet, the time in seconds it will take to reach the ground is found by evaluating the expression
. For example, if an object is dropped from a height of
feet, we can find the time it takes to reach the ground by evaluating
.
Take the square root of 64. | |
Simplify the fraction. |
It would take seconds for an object dropped from a height of
feet to reach the ground.
EXAMPLE 12
Christy dropped her sunglasses from a bridge feet above a river. How many seconds does it take for the sunglasses to reach the river?
What are you asked to find? | The number of seconds it takes for the sunglasses to reach the river |
Write a phrase. | The time it will take to reach the river |
Translate to an expression. | |
Evaluate | |
Find the square root of 400. | |
Simplify. | |
Write a sentence. | It will take 5 seconds for the sunglasses to reach the river. |
TRY IT 12.1
A helicopter drops a rescue package from a height of feet. How many seconds does it take for the package to reach the ground?
9 seconds
TRY IT 12.2
A window washer drops a squeegee from a platform feet above the sidewalk. How many seconds does it take for the squeegee to reach the sidewalk?
3.5 seconds
Police officers investigating car accidents measure the length of the skid marks on the pavement. Then they use square roots to determine the speed, in miles per hour, a car was going before applying the brakes. According to some formulas, if the length of the skid marks is feet, then the speed of the car can be found by evaluating
.
EXAMPLE 13
After a car accident, the skid marks for one car measured feet. To the nearest tenth, what was the speed of the car (in mph) before the brakes were applied?
What are you asked to find? | The speed of the car before the brakes were applied |
Write a phrase. | The speed of the car |
Translate to an expression. | |
Evaluate | |
Multiply. | |
Use your calculator. | |
Round to tenths. | |
Write a sentence. | The speed of the car was approximately 67.5 miles per hour. |
TRY IT 13.1
An accident investigator measured the skid marks of a car and found their length was feet. To the nearest tenth, what was the speed of the car before the brakes were applied?
42.7 mph
TRY IT 13.2
The skid marks of a vehicle involved in an accident were feet long. To the nearest tenth, how fast had the vehicle been going before the brakes were applied?
54.1 mph
Key Concepts
In the following exercises, simplify.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
In the following exercises, estimate each square root between two consecutive whole numbers.
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, use a calculator to approximate each square root and round to two decimal places.
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
In the following exercises, simplify. (Assume all variables are greater than or equal to zero.)
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
In the following exercises, solve. Round to one decimal place.
33. Landscaping Reid wants to have a square garden plot in his backyard. He has enough compost to cover an area of | 34. Landscaping Tasha wants to make a square patio in her yard. She has enough concrete to pave an area of |
35. Gravity An airplane dropped a flare from a height of | 36. Gravity A hang glider dropped his cell phone from a height of |
37. Gravity A construction worker dropped a hammer while building the Grand Canyon skywalk, | 38. Accident investigation The skid marks from a car involved in an accident measured |
39. Accident investigation The skid marks from a car involved in an accident measured | 40. Accident investigation An accident investigator measured the skid marks of one of the vehicles involved in an accident. The length of the skid marks was |
41. Accident investigation An accident investigator measured the skid marks of one of the vehicles involved in an accident. The length of the skid marks was |
42. Decorating Denise wants to install a square accent of designer tiles in her new shower. She can afford to buy | 43. Decorating Morris wants to have a square mosaic inlaid in his new patio. His budget allows for |
44. Why is there no real number equal to | 45. What is the difference between |
1. 6 | 3. 8 | 5. -2 |
7. -1 | 9. not a real number | 11. not a real number |
13. 5 | 15. 7 | 17. |
19. | 21. 4.36 | 23. 7.28 |
25. y | 27. 7x | 29. −8a |
31. 12xy | 33. 8.7 feet | 35. 8 seconds |
37. 15.8 seconds | 39. 72 mph | 41. 53.0 mph |
43. 45 inches | 45. Answers will vary. 92 reads: “nine squared” and means nine times itself. The expression |
This chapter has been adapted from “Simplify and Use Square Roots” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
In the last section, we estimated the square root of a number between two consecutive whole numbers. We can say that is between 7 and 8. This is fairly easy to do when the numbers are small enough that we can use in (Simplify and Use Square Roots).
But what if we want to estimate ? If we simplify the square root first, we’ll be able to estimate it easily. There are other reasons, too, to simplify square roots as you’ll see later in this chapter.
A square root is considered simplified if its radicand contains no perfect square factors.
Simplified Square Root
is considered simplified if
has no perfect square factors.
So is simplified. But
is not simplified, because 16 is a perfect square factor of 32
The properties we will use to simplify expressions with square roots are similar to the properties of exponents. We know that . The corresponding property of square roots says that
.
Product Property of Square Roots
If a, b are non-negative real numbers, then .
We use the Product Property of Square Roots to remove all perfect square factors from a radical. We will show how to do this in (Example 1).
EXAMPLE 1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 1.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 1.2
Simplify: .
Notice in the previous example that the simplified form of is
, which is the product of an integer and a square root. We always write the integer in front of the square root.
EXAMPLE 2
Simplify: .
Rewrite the radicand as a product using the largest perfect square factor. | |
Rewrite the radical as the product of two radicals. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 2.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 2.2
Simplify: .
We could use the simplified form to estimate
. We know 5 is between 2 and 3, and
is
. So
is between 20 and 30.
The next example is much like the previous examples, but with variables.
EXAMPLE 3
Simplify: .
Rewrite the radicand as a product using the largest perfect square factor. | |
Rewrite the radical as the product of two radicals. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 3.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 3.2
Simplify: .
We follow the same procedure when there is a coefficient in the radical, too.
EXAMPLE 4
Simplify:
Rewrite the radicand as a product using the largest perfect square factor. | |
Rewrite the radical as the product of two radicals. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 4.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 4.2
Simplify: .
In the next example both the constant and the variable have perfect square factors.
EXAMPLE 5
Simplify: .
Rewrite the radicand as a product using the largest perfect square factor. | |
Rewrite the radical as the product of two radicals. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 5.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 5.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify: .
Rewrite the radicand as a product using the largest perfect square factor. | |
Rewrite the radical as the product of two radicals. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 6.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 6.2
Simplify: .
We have seen how to use the Order of Operations to simplify some expressions with radicals. To simplify we must simplify each square root separately first, then add to get the sum of 17
The expression cannot be simplified—to begin we’d need to simplify each square root, but neither 17 nor 7 contains a perfect square factor.
In the next example, we have the sum of an integer and a square root. We simplify the square root but cannot add the resulting expression to the integer.
EXAMPLE 7
Simplify: .
Rewrite the radicand as a product using the largest perfect square factor. | |
Rewrite the radical as the product of two radicals. | |
Simplify. |
The terms are not like and so we cannot add them. Trying to add an integer and a radical is like trying to add an integer and a variable—they are not like terms!
TRY IT 7.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 7.2
Simplify: .
The next example includes a fraction with a radical in the numerator. Remember that in order to simplify a fraction you need a common factor in the numerator and denominator.
EXAMPLE 8
Simplify: .
Rewrite the radicand as a product using the largest perfect square factor. | |
Rewrite the radical as the product of two radicals. | |
Simplify. | |
Factor the common factor from the numerator. | |
Remove the common factor, 2, from the numerator and denominator. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 8.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 8.2
Simplify: .
Whenever you have to simplify a square root, the first step you should take is to determine whether the radicand is a perfect square. A perfect square fraction is a fraction in which both the numerator and the denominator are perfect squares.
EXAMPLE 9
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 9.2
Simplify: .
If the numerator and denominator have any common factors, remove them. You may find a perfect square fraction!
EXAMPLE 10
Simplify: .
Simplify inside the radical first. Rewrite showing the common factors of the numerator and denominator. | |
Simplify the fraction by removing common factors. | |
TRY IT 10.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 10.2
Simplify: .
In the last example, our first step was to simplify the fraction under the radical by removing common factors. In the next example we will use the Quotient Property to simplify under the radical. We divide the like bases by subtracting their exponents, .
EXAMPLE 11
Simplify: .
Simplify the fraction inside the radical first. Divide the like bases by subtracting the exponents. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 11.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 11.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 12
Simplify: .
Simplify the fraction inside the radical first. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 12.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 12.2
Simplify: .
Remember the Quotient to a Power Property? It said we could raise a fraction to a power by raising the numerator and denominator to the power separately.
We can use a similar property to simplify a square root of a fraction. After removing all common factors from the numerator and denominator, if the fraction is not a perfect square we simplify the numerator and denominator separately.
Quotient Property of Square Roots
If a, b are non-negative real numbers and , then
EXAMPLE 13
Simplify: .
We cannot simplify the fraction inside the radical. Rewrite using the quotient property. | |
Simplify the square root of 64. The numerator cannot be simplified. |
TRY IT 13.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 13.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 14
Simplify: .
TRY IT 14.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 14.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 15
Simplify: .
We cannot simplify the fraction in the radicand. Rewrite using the Quotient Property. | |
Simplify the radicals in the numerator and the denominator. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 15.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 15.2
Simplify: .
Be sure to simplify the fraction in the radicand first, if possible.
EXAMPLE 16
Simplify: .
Simplify the fraction in the radicand. | |
Rewrite using the Quotient Property. | |
Simplify the radicals in the numerator and the denominator. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 16.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 16.2
Simplify: .
EXAMPLE 17
Simplify: .
Simplify the fraction in the radicand, if possible. | |
Rewrite using the Quotient Property. | |
Simplify the radicals in the numerator and the denominator. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 17.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 17.2
Simplify: .
In the following exercises, simplify.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. | 82. |
83. | 84. |
85. | 86. |
87. | 88. |
89. a) Elliott decides to construct a square garden that will take up 288 square feet of his yard. Simplify b) Suppose Elliott decides to reduce the size of his square garden so that he can create a 5-foot-wide walking path on the north and east sides of the garden. Simplify | 90. a) Melissa accidentally drops a pair of sunglasses from the top of a roller coaster, 64 feet above the ground. Simplify b) Suppose the sunglasses in the previous example were dropped from a height of 144 feet. Simplify |
91. Explain why | 92. Explain why |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. | 15. | 17. |
19. | 21. | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. | 39. | 41. |
43. | 45. | 47. |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. | 57. | 59. |
61. | 63. | 65. |
67. | 69. | 71. |
73. | 75. | 77. |
79. | 81. | 83. |
85. | 87. | 89. a) |
91. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Simplify Square Roots” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
In the following exercises, simplify.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
17. | 18 |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
In the following exercises, divide the monomials.
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
In the following exercises, write each number in scientific notation.
71. 0.00429 | 72. 8,500,000 |
73. In 2015, the population of the world was about 7,200,000,000 people. | 74. The thickness of a dime is about 0.053 inches. |
In the following exercises, convert each number to decimal form.
75. 1.5 × | 76. 3.8 × |
77. 5.5 × | 78. 9.1 × |
In the following exercises, multiply and write your answer in decimal form.
79. 3.5 × | 80. 2 × |
In the following exercises, divide and write your answer in decimal form.
81. | 82. |
In the following exercises, simplify.
83. 85. 87. 89. | 84. 86. 88. 90. |
In the following exercises, estimate each square root between two consecutive whole numbers.
91. | 92. |
In the following exercises, approximate each square root and round to two decimal places.
93. | 94. |
In the following exercises, simplify. (Assume all variables are greater than or equal to zero.)
95. 97. 99. 101. | 96. 98. 100. 102. |
In the following exercises, solve. Round to one decimal place.
103.Landscaping Janet wants to plant a square flower garden in her yard. She has enough topsoil to cover an area of 105. Accident investigation The skid marks of a car involved in an accident were | 104. Art Diego has 106. Gravity A hiker dropped a granola bar from a lookout spot |
1. 17 | 3. 0.125 |
5. | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. 1 | 35. 1 |
37. 1 | 39. 0 |
41. | 43. |
45. 1 | 47. |
49. | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. | 63. |
65. | 67. |
69. | 71. |
73. | 75. |
77. | 79. |
81. | 83. 12 |
85. −9 | 87. not a real number |
89. 17 | 91. |
93. 7.55 | 95. 8b |
97. 15mn | 99. 7y |
101. 11cd | 103. 5.5 feet |
105. 72 mph |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. Convert 83,000,000 to scientific notation. | 22. Convert |
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. 9 | 16. -7 |
17. not a real number | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. 0.0000691 |
We have seen that the graphs of linear equations are straight lines. Graphs of other types of equations, called polynomial equations, are curves, like the outline of this suspension bridge. Architects use polynomials to design the shape of a bridge like this and to draw the blueprints for it. Engineers use polynomials to calculate the stress on the bridge’s supports to ensure they are strong enough for the intended load. In this chapter, you will explore operations with and properties of polynomials.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
You have learned that a term is a constant or the product of a constant and one or more variables. When it is of the form , where
is a constant and
is a whole number, it is called a monomial. Some examples of monomial are
, and
.
Monomials
A monomial is a term of the form , where
is a constant and
is a positive whole number.
A monomial, or two or more monomials combined by addition or subtraction, is a polynomial. Some polynomials have special names, based on the number of terms. A monomial is a polynomial with exactly one term. A binomial has exactly two terms, and a trinomial has exactly three terms. There are no special names for polynomials with more than three terms.
Polynomials
polynomial—A monomial, or two or more monomials combined by addition or subtraction, is a polynomial.
Here are some examples of polynomials.
Notice that every monomial, binomial, and trinomial is also a polynomial. They are just special members of the “family” of polynomials and so they have special names. We use the words monomial, binomial, and trinomial when referring to these special polynomials and just call all the rest polynomials.
EXAMPLE 1
Determine whether each polynomial is a monomial, binomial, trinomial, or other polynomial.
Polynomial | Number of terms | Type | |
a) | Trinomial | ||
b) | Monomial | ||
c) | Polynomial | ||
d) | Binomial | ||
e) | Monomial |
TRY IT 1.1
Determine whether each polynomial is a monomial, binomial, trinomial, or other polynomial:
a) b)
c)
d)
e)
a) monomial b) polynomial c) trinomial d) binomial e) monomial
TRY IT 1.2
Determine whether each polynomial is a monomial, binomial, trinomial, or other polynomial:
a) b)
c)
d)
e)
a) binomial b) trinomial c) monomial d) polynomial e) monomial
The degree of a polynomial and the degree of its terms are determined by the exponents of the variable.
A monomial that has no variable, just a constant, is a special case. The degree of a constant is 0—it has no variable.
Degree of a Polynomial
The degree of a term is the sum of the exponents of its variables.
The degree of a constant is 0.
The degree of a polynomial is the highest degree of all its terms.
Let’s see how this works by looking at several polynomials. We’ll take it step by step, starting with monomials, and then progressing to polynomials with more terms.
A polynomial is in standard form when the terms of a polynomial are written in descending order of degrees. Get in the habit of writing the term with the highest degree first.
EXAMPLE 2
Find the degree of the following polynomials.
a) The exponent of | The degree is 1. |
b) The highest degree of all the terms is 3. | The degree is 3. |
c) The degree of a constant is 0. | The degree is 0. |
d) The highest degree of all the terms is 2. | The degree is 2. |
e) The highest degree of all the terms is 3. | The degree is 3. |
EXAMPLE 2.1
Find the degree of the following polynomials:
a) b)
c)
d)
e)
a) b)
c)
d) 3 e) 0
TRY IT 2.2
Find the degree of the following polynomials:
a) b)
c)
d)
e)
a) b)
c)
d) 2 e) 3
You have learned how to simplify expressions by combining like terms. Remember, like terms must have the same variables with the same exponent. Since monomials are terms, adding and subtracting monomials is the same as combining like terms. If the monomials are like terms, we just combine them by adding or subtracting the coefficient.
EXAMPLE 3
Add: .
Combine like terms. |
TRY IT 3.1
Add: .
TRY 3.2
Add: .
EXAMPLE 4
Subtract: .
Combine like terms. |
TRY IT 4.1
Subtract: .
TRY IT 4.2
Subtract: .
Remember that like terms must have the same variables with the same exponents.
EXAMPLE 5
Simplify: .
Combine like terms. |
TRY IT 5.1
Add: .
TRY IT 5.2
Add: .
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify: .
There are no like terms to combine. |
TRY IT 6.1
Simplify: .
There are no like terms to combine.
TRY IT 6.2
Simplify: .
There are no like terms to combine.
We can think of adding and subtracting polynomials as just adding and subtracting a series of monomials. Look for the like terms—those with the same variables and the same exponent. The Commutative Property allows us to rearrange the terms to put like terms together.
EXAMPLE 7
Find the sum: .
Identify like terms. | ![]() |
Rearrange to get the like terms together. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Find the sum: .
TRY IT 7.2
Find the sum: .
EXAMPLE 8
Find the difference: .
![]() | |
Distribute and identify like terms. | ![]() |
Rearrange the terms. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
TRY IT 8.1
Find the difference: .
TRY IT 8.2
Find the difference: .
EXAMPLE 9
Subtract: from
.
![]() | |
![]() | |
Distribute and identify like terms. | ![]() |
Rearrange the terms. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
TRY IT 9.1
Subtract: from
.
TRY IT 9.2
Subtract: from
.
EXAMPLE 10
Find the sum: .
Distribute. | |
Rearrange the terms, to put like terms together. | |
Combine like terms. |
EXAMPLE 10.1
Find the sum: .
EXAMPLE 10.2
Find the sum: .
EXAMPLE 11.1
Find the difference: .
Distribute. | |
Rearrange the terms, to put like terms together. | |
Combine like terms. |
TRY IT 11.1
Find the difference: .
TRY IT 11.2
Find the difference: .
EXAMPLE 12
Simplify: .
Distribute. | |
Rearrange the terms, to put like terms together. | |
Combine like terms. |
TRY IT 12.1
Simplify: .
TRY IT 12.2
Simplify: .
We have already learned how to evaluate expressions. Since polynomials are expressions, we’ll follow the same procedures to evaluate a polynomial. We will substitute the given value for the variable and then simplify using the order of operations.
EXAMPLE 13
Evaluate when
a) | |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify the exponents. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
b) | |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify the exponents. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
c) | |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify the exponents. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 13.1
Evaluate: when
a) b)
c)
TRY IT 13.2
Evaluate: when
a) b)
c)
EXAMPLE 14
The polynomial gives the height of a ball
seconds after it is dropped from a 250 foot tall building. Find the height after
seconds.
Substitute | |
Simplify. | |
Simplify. | |
Simplify. | |
After 2 seconds the height of the ball is 186 feet. |
TRY IT 14.1
The polynomial gives the height of a ball
seconds after it is dropped from a 250-foot tall building. Find the height after
seconds.
TRY IT 14.2
The polynomial gives the height of a ball
seconds after it is dropped from a 250-foot tall building. Find the height after
seconds.
EXAMPLE 15
The polynomial gives the cost, in dollars, of producing a rectangular container whose top and bottom are squares with side x feet and sides of height y feet. Find the cost of producing a box with
feet and
feet.
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
The cost of producing the box is $456. |
TRY IT 15.1
The polynomial gives the cost, in dollars, of producing a rectangular container whose top and bottom are squares with side x feet and sides of height y feet. Find the cost of producing a box with
feet and
feet.
$576
TRY IT 15.2
The polynomial gives the cost, in dollars, of producing a rectangular container whose top and bottom are squares with side x feet and sides of height y feet. Find the cost of producing a box with
feet and
feet.
$750
Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with adding and subtracting polynomials.
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In the following exercises, determine if each of the following polynomials is a monomial, binomial, trinomial, or other polynomial.
1. a) | 2. a) |
3. a) | 4. a) |
In the following exercises, determine the degree of each polynomial.
5. a) | 6. a) |
7. a) | 8. a) |
In the following exercises, add or subtract the monomials.
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. Add: | 30. Add: |
31. Subtract | 32. Subtract |
In the following exercises, add or subtract the polynomials.
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. Subtract | 48. Subtract |
49. Subtract | 50. Subtract |
51. Find the sum of | 52. Find the sum of |
53. Find the sum of | 54. Find the sum of |
55. Find the difference of | 56. Find the difference of |
57. Find the difference of | 58. Find the difference of |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
69. | 70. |
In the following exercises, evaluate each polynomial for the given value.
71. Evaluate a) | 72. Evaluate a) |
73. Evaluate a) | 74. Evaluate a) |
75. A painter drops a brush from a platform 75 feet high. The polynomial | 76. A girl drops a ball off a cliff into the ocean. The polynomial |
77. A manufacturer of stereo sound speakers has found that the revenue received from selling the speakers at a cost of p dollars each is given by the polynomial | 78. A manufacturer of the latest basketball shoes has found that the revenue received from selling the shoes at a cost of p dollars each is given by the polynomial |
79. Fuel Efficiency The fuel efficiency (in miles per gallon) of a car going at a speed of | 80. Stopping Distance The number of feet it takes for a car traveling at |
81. Rental Cost The cost to rent a rug cleaner for | 82. Height of Projectile The height (in feet) of an object projected upward is given by the polynomial |
83. Temperature Conversion The temperature in degrees Fahrenheit is given by the polynomial |
84. Using your own words, explain the difference between a monomial, a binomial, and a trinomial. | 85. Using your own words, explain the difference between a polynomial with five terms and a polynomial with a degree of 5. |
86. Ariana thinks the sum | 87. Jonathan thinks that |
1. a) trinomial b) polynomial c) binomial d) monomial e) binomial | 3. a) binomial b) trinomial c) polynomial d) trinomial e) monomial |
5. a) 2 b) 4 c) 1 d) 3 e) 0 | 7. a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 3 e) 0 |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 21. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. |
49. | 51. |
51. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. | 63. |
65. | 67. |
69. | 71. a) 187 b) 46 c) 2 |
73. a) −104 b) 4 c) 40 | 75. 11 |
77. $10,800 | 77. $10,800 |
81. $58 | 83. 149 |
85. Answers will vary. | 87. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Add and Subtract Polynomials” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
We have used the Distributive Property to simplify expressions like . You multiplied both terms in the parentheses,
and
, by 2, to get
. With this chapter’s new vocabulary, you can say you were multiplying a binomial,
, by a monomial, 2
Multiplying a binomial by a monomial is nothing new for you! Here’s an example:
EXAMPLE 1
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 1.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 1.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 2
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 2.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 3
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 3.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 4
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 4.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 5
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 5.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 6
Multiply: .
The monomial is the second factor. | ![]() |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 6.2
Multiply: .
Just like there are different ways to represent multiplication of numbers, there are several methods that can be used to multiply a binomial times a binomial. We will start by using the Distributive Property.
Look at the table below, where we multiplied a binomial by a monomial.
![]() | |
We distributed the p to get: | ![]() |
What if we have (x + 7) instead of p? | ![]() |
Distribute (x + 7). | ![]() |
Distribute again. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
Notice that before combining like terms, you had four terms. You multiplied the two terms of the first binomial by the two terms of the second binomial—four multiplications.
EXAMPLE 7
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute (y + 8). | ![]() |
Distribute again | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 7.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 8
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute (3y + 4). | ![]() |
Distribute again | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
TRY IT 8.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 8.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 9
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Distribute again. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
TRY IT 9.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 9.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 10
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Distribute again. | ![]() |
There are no like terms to combine. |
TRY IT 10.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 10.2
Multiply: .
Remember that when you multiply a binomial by a binomial you get four terms. Sometimes you can combine like terms to get a trinomial, but sometimes, like in the above example, there are no like terms to combine.
Let’s look at the last example again and pay particular attention to how we got the four terms.
Where did the first term, , come from?
We abbreviate “First, Outer, Inner, Last” as FOIL. The letters stand for ‘First, Outer, Inner, Last’. The word FOIL is easy to remember and ensures we find all four products.
Let’s look at .
Distibutive Property | FOIL |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
Notice how the terms in third line fit the FOIL pattern.
Now we will do an example where we use the FOIL pattern to multiply two binomials.
EXAMPLE 11
Multiply using the FOIL method: .
TRY IT 11.1
Multiply using the FOIL method: .
TRY IT 11.2
Multiply using the FOIL method: .
We summarize the steps of the FOIL method below. The FOIL method only applies to multiplying binomials, not other polynomials!
HOW TO: Multiply two binomials using the FOIL method
When you multiply by the FOIL method, drawing the lines will help your brain focus on the pattern and make it easier to apply.
EXAMPLE 12
Multiply: .
TRY IT 12.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 12.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 13
Multiply: .
TRY IT 13.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 13.2
Multiply: .
The final products in the last four examples were trinomials because we could combine the two middle terms. This is not always the case.
EXAMPLE 14
Multiply: .
![]() | |
![]() | |
Multiply the First. | ![]() |
Multiply the Outer. | ![]() |
Multiply the Inner. | ![]() |
Multiply the Last. | ![]() |
Combine like terms—there are none. | ![]() |
TRY IT 14.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 14.2
Multiply: .
Be careful of the exponents in the next example.
EXAMPLE 15
Multiply: .
![]() | |
![]() | |
Multiply the First. | ![]() |
Multiply the Outer. | ![]() |
Multiply the Inner. | ![]() |
Multiply the Last. | ![]() |
Combine like terms—there are none. | ![]() |
TRY IT 15.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 15.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 16
Multiply: .
![]() | ||
Multiply the First. | ![]() | ![]() |
Multiply the Outer. | ![]() | |
Multiply the Inner. | ![]() | |
Multiply the Last. | ![]() | |
Combine like terms—there are none. | ![]() |
TRY IT 16.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 16.2
Multiply: .
The FOIL method is usually the quickest method for multiplying two binomials, but it only works for binomials. You can use the Distributive Property to find the product of any two polynomials. Another method that works for all polynomials is the Vertical Method. It is very much like the method you use to multiply whole numbers. Look carefully at this example of multiplying two-digit numbers.
Now we’ll apply this same method to multiply two binomials.
EXAMPLE 17
Multiply using the Vertical Method: .
Solution
It does not matter which binomial goes on the top.
Multiply | ![]() | |
Multiple | ||
Add like terms. Product |
|
TRY IT 17.1
Multiply using the Vertical Method: .
TRY IT 17.2
Multiply using the Vertical Method: .
We have now used three methods for multiplying binomials. Be sure to practice each method, and try to decide which one you prefer. The methods are listed here all together, to help you remember them.
HOW TO: Multiplying Two Binomials
To multiply binomials, use the: To multiply binomials, use the:
Remember, FOIL only works when multiplying two binomials.
We have multiplied monomials by monomials, monomials by polynomials, and binomials by binomials. Now we’re ready to multiply a trinomial by a binomial. Remember, FOIL will not work in this case, but we can use either the Distributive Property or the Vertical Method. We first look at an example using the Distributive Property.
EXAMPLE 18
Multiply using the Distributive Property: .
![]() | |
Distribute. | ![]() |
Multiply. | ![]() |
Combine like terms. | ![]() |
TRY IT 18.1
Multiply using the Distributive Property: .
TRY IT 18.2
Multiply using the Distributive Property: .
Now let’s do this same multiplication using the Vertical Method.
EXAMPLE 19
Multiply using the Vertical Method: .
It is easier to put the polynomial with fewer terms on the bottom because we get fewer partial products this way.
Multiply (2b2 − 5b + 8) by 3. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Multiply (2b2 − 5b + 8) by b. | ![]() |
Add like terms. |
TRY IT 19.1
Multiply using the Vertical Method: .
TRY IT 19.2
Multiply using the Vertical Method: .
We have now seen two methods you can use to multiply a trinomial by a binomial. After you practice each method, you’ll probably find you prefer one way over the other. We list both methods are listed here, for easy reference.
HOW TO: Multiply a Trinomial by a Binomial
To multiply a trinomial by a binomial, use the:
Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with multiplying polynomials:
In the following exercises, multiply.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
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25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
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43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
In the following exercises, multiply the following binomials using: a) the Distributive Property b) the FOIL method c) the Vertical Method.
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
In the following exercises, multiply the binomials. Use any method.
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
77. | 78. |
79. | 80. |
81. | 82. |
83. | 84. |
85. | 86. |
87. | 88. |
89. | 90. |
91. | 92. |
93. | 94. |
In the following exercises, multiply using a) the Distributive Property b) the Vertical Method.
95. | 96. |
97. | 98. |
In the following exercises, multiply. Use either method.
99. | 100. |
101. | 102. |
103. | 104. |
105. | 106. |
107. | 108. |
109. | 110. |
111. | 112. |
113. | 114. |
115. | 116. |
117. | 118. |
119. | 120. |
121. |
122. Mental math You can use binomial multiplication to multiply numbers without a calculator. Say you need to multiply 13 times 15. Think of 13 as
| 123. Mental math You can use binomial multiplication to multiply numbers without a calculator. Say you need to multiply 18 times 17. Think of 18 as
|
124. Which method do you prefer to use when multiplying two binomials: the Distributive Property, the FOIL method, or the Vertical Method? Why? | 125. Which method do you prefer to use when multiplying a trinomial by a binomial: the Distributive Property or the Vertical Method? Why? |
126. Multiply the following: Explain the pattern that you see in your answers. | 127. Multiply the following: Explain the pattern that you see in your answers. |
128. Multiply the following: Explain the pattern that you see in your answers. | 129. Multiply the following: Explain the pattern that you see in your answers. |
1. | 3. |
5. | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. |
49. | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. | 63. |
65. | 67. |
69. | 71. |
73. | 75. |
77. | 79. |
81. | 83. |
85. | 87. |
89. | 91. |
93. | 95. |
97. | 99. |
101. | 103. |
105. | 107. |
109. | 111. |
113. | 115. |
117. | 119. |
121. | 123. a) 306 b) 306 c) Answers will vary. |
125. Answers will vary. | 127. Answers will vary. |
129. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Multiply Polynomials” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Mathematicians like to look for patterns that will make their work easier. A good example of this is squaring binomials. While you can always get the product by writing the binomial twice and using the methods of the last section, there is less work to do if you learn to use a pattern.
Let’s start by looking at | |
What does this mean? | |
It means to multiply | |
Then, using FOIL, we get: | |
Combining like terms gives: |
Here’s another one: | |
Multiply | |
Using FOIL, we get: | |
And combining like terms: |
And one more: | |
Multiply. | |
Use FOIL: | |
Combine like terms. |
Look at these results. Do you see any patterns?
What about the number of terms? In each example we squared a binomial and the result was a trinomial.
Now look at the first term in each result. Where did it come from?
The first term is the product of the first terms of each binomial. Since the binomials are identical, it is just the square of the first term!
To get the first term of the product, square the first term.
Where did the last term come from? Look at the examples and find the pattern.
The last term is the product of the last terms, which is the square of the last term.
To get the last term of the product, square the last term.
Finally, look at the middle term. Notice it came from adding the “outer” and the “inner” terms—which are both the same! So the middle term is double the product of the two terms of the binomial.
To get the middle term of the product, multiply the terms and double their product.
Putting it all together:
If and
are real numbers,
HOW TO:
To square a binomial:
A number example helps verify the pattern.
Square the first term. | |
Square the last term. | |
Double their product. | |
Simplify. | |
Simplify. |
To multiply usually you’d follow the Order of Operations.
The pattern works!
EXAMPLE 1
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Square the first term. | ![]() |
Square the last term. | ![]() |
Double the product. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 1.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 1.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 2
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Square the first term. | ![]() |
Square the last term. | ![]() |
Double the product. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 2.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 3
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 3.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 4
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 4.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 5
Multiply: .
![]() | |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 5.2
Multiply: .
We just saw a pattern for squaring binomials that we can use to make multiplying some binomials easier. Similarly, there is a pattern for another product of binomials. But before we get to it, we need to introduce some vocabulary.
What do you notice about these pairs of binomials?
Look at the first term of each binomial in each pair.
Notice the first terms are the same in each pair.
Look at the last terms of each binomial in each pair.
Notice the last terms are the same in each pair.
Notice how each pair has one sum and one difference.
A pair of binomials that each have the same first term and the same last term, but one is a sum and one is a difference has a special name. It is called a conjugate pair and is of the form .
Conjugate Pair
A conjugate pair is two binomials of the form
The pair of binomials each have the same first term and the same last term, but one binomial is a sum and the other is a difference.
There is a nice pattern for finding the product of conjugates. You could, of course, simply FOIL to get the product, but using the pattern makes your work easier.
Let’s look for the pattern by using FOIL to multiply some conjugate pairs.
Each first term is the product of the first terms of the binomials, and since they are identical it is the square of the first term.
The last term came from multiplying the last terms, the square of the last term.
What do you observe about the products?
The product of the two binomials is also a binomial! Most of the products resulting from FOIL have been trinomials.
Why is there no middle term? Notice the two middle terms you get from FOIL combine to 0 in every case, the result of one addition and one subtraction.
The product of conjugates is always of the form . This is called a difference of squares.
This leads to the pattern:
Product of Conjugates Pattern
If and
are real numbers,
The product is called a difference of squares.
To multiply conjugates, square the first term, square the last term, and write the product as a difference of squares.
Let’s test this pattern with a numerical example.
It is the product of conjudgates, so the result will be the difference of two squares. | ____ – ____ |
Square the first term. | |
Square the last term. | |
Simplify. | |
Simplify. | |
What do you get using the order of operations? | |
Notice, the result is the same!
EXAMPLE 6
Multiply: .
First, recognize this as a product of conjugates. The binomials have the same first terms, and the same last terms, and one binomial is a sum and the other is a difference.
It fits the pattern. | ![]() |
Square the first term, x. | ![]() |
Square the last term, 8. | ![]() |
The product is a difference of squares. | ![]() |
TRY IT 6.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 6.2
Multiply: .
EXAMPLE 7
Multiply: .
Are the binomials conjugates?
It is the product of conjugates. | ![]() |
Square the first term, 2x. | ![]() |
Square the last term, 5. | ![]() |
Simplify. The product is a difference of squares. | ![]() |
TRY IT 7.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 7.2
Multiply: .
The binomials in the next example may look backwards – the variable is in the second term. But the two binomials are still conjugates, so we use the same pattern to multiply them.
EXAMPLE 8
Find the product: .
It is the product of conjugates. | ![]() |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 8.1
Multiply: .
TRY IT 8.2
Multiply: .
Now we’ll multiply conjugates that have two variables.
EXAMPLE 9
Find the product: .
This fits the pattern. | ![]() |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 9.1
Find the product: .
TRY IT 9.2
Find the product: .
EXAMPLE 10
Find the product: .
This fits the pattern. | ![]() |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 10.1
Find the product: .
TRY IT 10.2
Find the product: .
EXAMPLE 11
Find the product: .
This fits the pattern. | ![]() |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
TRY IT 11.1
Find the product: .
TRY IT 11.2
Find the product: .
We just developed special product patterns for Binomial Squares and for the Product of Conjugates. The products look similar, so it is important to recognize when it is appropriate to use each of these patterns and to notice how they differ. Look at the two patterns together and note their similarities and differences.
Binomial Squares | Product of Conjugates |
– Squaring a binomial | – Multiplying conjugates |
– Product is a trinomial | – Product is a binomial |
– Inner and outer terms with FOIL are the same. | – Inner and outer terms with FOIL are opposites. |
– Middle term is double the product of the terms. | – There is no middle term. |
EXAMPLE 12
Choose the appropriate pattern and use it to find the product:
a) b)
c)
d)
This fits the pattern. | ![]() |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Use the pattern. | ![]() |
Simplify. | ![]() |
Use FOIL. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 12.1
Choose the appropriate pattern and use it to find the product:
a) b)
c)
d)
a) FOIL; b) Binomial Squares;
c) Binomial Squares;
d) Product of Conjugates;
TRY IT 12.2
Choose the appropriate pattern and use it to find the product:
a) b)
c)
d)
a) Binomial Squares; b) Product of Conjugates;
c) FOIL;
d) Binomial Squares;
Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with special products:
In the following exercises, square each binomial using the Binomial Squares Pattern.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
In the following exercises, multiply each pair of conjugates using the Product of Conjugates Pattern.
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
In the following exercises, find each product.
45. a) b) c) d) | 46. a) b) c) d) |
47. a) b) c) d) | 48. a) b) c) d) |
49. Mental math You can use the binomial squares pattern to multiply numbers without a calculator. Say you need to square 65. Think of 65 as
| 50. Mental math You can use the product of conjugates pattern to multiply numbers without a calculator. Say you need to multiply 47 times 53. Think of 47 as
|
52. Why does | 51. How do you decide which pattern to use? |
54. Use the order of operations to show that | 53. Marta did the following work on her homework paper: Explain what is wrong with Marta’s work. |
1. | 3. |
5. | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. |
41. | 43. |
45. a) | 47. a) |
49. a) 4,225 b) 4,225 c) Answers will vary. | 51. Answers will vary. |
53. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Special Products” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Earlier we multiplied factors together to get a product. Now, we will be reversing this process; we will start with a product and then break it down into its factors. Splitting a product into factors is called factoring.
We have learned how to factor numbers to find the least common multiple (LCM) of two or more numbers. Now we will factor expressions and find the greatest common factor of two or more expressions. The method we use is similar to what we used to find the LCM.
Greatest Common Factor
The greatest common factor (GCF) of two or more expressions is the largest expression that is a factor of all the expressions.
First we’ll find the GCF of two numbers.
EXAMPLE 1
Find the GCF of 54 and 36
Notice that, because the GCF is a factor of both numbers, 54 and 36 can be written as multiples of 18
TRY IT 1.1
Find the GCF of 48 and 80.
16
TRY IT 1.2
Find the GCF of 18 and 40.
2
We summarize the steps we use to find the GCF below.
HOW TO:
Find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of two expressions
In the first example, the GCF was a constant. In the next two examples, we will get variables in the greatest common factor.
EXAMPLE 2
Find the greatest common factor of and
.
Factor each coefficient into primes and write the variables with exponents in expanded form. Circle the common factors in each column. | ![]() |
Bring down the common factors. | ![]() |
Multiply the factors. | ![]() |
The GCF of |
TRY IT 2.1
Find the GCF: .
TRY IT 2.2
Find the GCF: .
EXAMPLE 3
Find the GCF of .
Factor each coefficient into primes and write the variables with exponents in expanded form. Circle the common factors in each column. | ![]() |
Bring down the common factors. | ![]() |
Multiply the factors. | ![]() |
The GCF of |
TRY IT 3.1
Find the GCF: .
TRY IT 3.2
Find the GCF: .
EXAMPLE 4
Find the GCF of: .
Factor each coefficient into primes and write the variables with exponents in expanded form. Circle the common factors in each column. | ![]() |
Bring down the common factors. | ![]() |
Multiply the factors. | ![]() |
The GCF of |
TRY IT 4.1
Find the greatest common factor: .
TRY IT 4.2
Find the greatest common factor: .
Just like in arithmetic, where it is sometimes useful to represent a number in factored form (for example, 12 as or
, in algebra, it can be useful to represent a polynomial in factored form. One way to do this is by finding the GCF of all the terms. Remember, we multiply a polynomial by a monomial as follows:
Now we will start with a product, like , and end with its factors,
. To do this we apply the Distributive Property “in reverse.”
We state the Distributive Property here just as you saw it in earlier chapters and “in reverse.”
Distributive Property
If are real numbers, then
The form on the left is used to multiply. The form on the right is used to factor.
So how do you use the Distributive Property to factor a polynomial? You just find the GCF of all the terms and write the polynomial as a product!
EXAMPLE 5
Factor: .
TRY IT 5.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 5.2
Factor: .
HOW TO:
Factor the greatest common factor from a polynomial.
We use “factor” as both a noun and a verb.
EXAMPLE 6
Factor: .
Find the GCF of 5a and 5. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Rewrite each term as a product using the GCF. | ![]() |
Use the Distributive Property “in reverse” to factor the GCF. | ![]() |
Check by mulitplying the factors to get the orginal polynomial. | |
TRY IT 6.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 6.1
Factor: .
The expressions in the next example have several factors in common. Remember to write the GCF as the product of all the common factors.
EXAMPLE 7
Factor: .
Find the GCF of 12x and 60. | ![]() |
![]() | |
Rewrite each term as a product using the GCF. | ![]() |
Factor the GCF. | ![]() |
Check by mulitplying the factors. | |
TRY IT 7.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 7.2
Factor: .
Now we’ll factor the greatest common factor from a trinomial. We start by finding the GCF of all three terms.
EXAMPLE 8
Factor: .
We start by finding the GCF of all three terms.
Find the GCF of | ![]() |
![]() | |
Rewrite each term as a product using the GCF. | ![]() |
Factor the GCF. | ![]() |
Check by mulitplying. | |
TRY IT 8.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 8.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 9
Factor: .
Find the GCF of | ![]() |
![]() | |
Rewrite each term. | ![]() |
Factor the GCF. | ![]() |
Check. | |
TRY IT 9.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 9.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 10
Factor: .
In a previous example we found the GCF of to be
.
![]() | |
Rewrite each term using the GCF, 3x. | ![]() |
Factor the GCF. | ![]() |
Check. | |
TRY IT 10.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 10.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 11
Factor: .
Find the GCF of | ![]() |
![]() | |
Rewrite each term. | ![]() |
Factor the GCF. | ![]() |
Check. | |
TRY IT 11.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 11.2
Factor: .
When the leading coefficient is negative, we factor the negative out as part of the GCF.
EXAMPLE 12
Factor: .
When the leading coefficient is negative, the GCF will be negative.
Ignoring the signs of the terms, we first find the GCF of 8y and 24 is 8. Since the expression −8y − 24 has a negative leading coefficient, we use −8 as the GCF. | ![]() |
Rewrite each term using the GCF. | ![]() ![]() |
Factor the GCF. | ![]() |
Check. | |
TRY IT 12.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 12.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 13
Factor: .
The leading coefficient is negative, so the GCF will be negative.?
Since the leading coefficient is negative, the GCF is negative, −6a. | ![]() ![]() |
Rewrite each term using the GCF. | ![]() |
Factor the GCF. | ![]() |
Check. | |
TRY IT 13.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 13.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 14
Factor: .
The GCF is the binomial .
![]() | |
Factor the GCF, (q + 7). | ![]() |
Check on your own by multiplying. |
TRY IT 14.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 14.2
Factor: .
When there is no common factor of all the terms of a polynomial, look for a common factor in just some of the terms. When there are four terms, a good way to start is by separating the polynomial into two parts with two terms in each part. Then look for the GCF in each part. If the polynomial can be factored, you will find a common factor emerges from both parts.
(Not all polynomials can be factored. Just like some numbers are prime, some polynomials are prime.)
EXAMPLE 15
Factor: .
TRY IT 15.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 15.2
Factor: .
HOW TO:
Factor by grouping.
EXAMPLE 16
Factor: .
Solution
There is no GCF in all four terms. | |
Separate into two parts. | |
Factor the GCF from both parts. Be careful with the signs when factoring the GCF from the last two terms. | |
Check on your own by multiplying. |
TRY IT 16.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 16.2
Factor: .
Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with greatest common factors (GFCs) and factoring by grouping.
Type your textbox content here.
In the following exercises, find the greatest common factor.
1. 8, 18 | 2. 24, 40 |
3. 72, 162 | 4. 150, 275 |
5. 10a, 50 | 6. 5b, 30 |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
In the following exercises, factor the greatest common factor from each polynomial.
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40 |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
In the following exercises, factor by grouping.
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
51. | 52. |
In the following exercises, factor.
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. Area of a rectangle The area of a rectangle with length 6 less than the width is given by the expression | 60. Height of a baseball The height of a baseball t seconds after it is hit is given by the expression |
61. The greatest common factor of 36 and 60 is 12. Explain what this means. | 62. What is the GCF of |
1. 2 | 3. 18 |
5. 10 | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. |
49. | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. |
61. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Greatest Common Factor and Factor by Grouping” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
You have already learned how to multiply binomials using FOIL. Now you’ll need to “undo” this multiplication—to start with the product and end up with the factors. Let’s look at an example of multiplying binomials to refresh your memory.
To factor the trinomial means to start with the product, , and end with the factors,
. You need to think about where each of the terms in the trinomial came from.
The first term came from multiplying the first term in each binomial. So to get in the product, each binomial must start with an x.
The last term in the trinomial came from multiplying the last term in each binomial. So the last terms must multiply to 6
What two numbers multiply to 6?
The factors of 6 could be 1 and 6, or 2 and 3. How do you know which pair to use?
Consider the middle term. It came from adding the outer and inner terms.
So the numbers that must have a product of 6 will need a sum of 5. We’ll test both possibilities and summarize the results in the table below—the table will be very helpful when you work with numbers that can be factored in many different ways.
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
We see that 2 and 3 are the numbers that multiply to 6 and add to 5. So we have the factors of . They are
.
You should check this by multiplying.
Looking back, we started with , which is of the form
, where
and
. We factored it into two binomials of the form
and
.
To get the correct factors, we found two numbers m and n whose product is c and sum is b.
EXAMPLE 1
Factor: .
TRY IT 1.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 1.2
Factor: .
Let’s summarize the steps we used to find the factors.
HOW TO:
Factor trinomials of the form .
EXAMPLE 2
Factor: .
Notice that the variable is u, so the factors will have first terms u.
Find two numbers that: multiply to 24 and add to 11
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Use 3 and 8 as the last terms of the binomials.
Check.
TRY IT 2.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 2.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 3
Factor: .
Find two numbers that multiply to 60 and add to 17
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Use 5 and 12 as the last terms.
Check.
TRY IT 3.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 3.2
Factor: .
In the examples so far, all terms in the trinomial were positive. What happens when there are negative terms? Well, it depends which term is negative. Let’s look first at trinomials with only the middle term negative.
Remember: To get a negative sum and a positive product, the numbers must both be negative.
Again, think about FOIL and where each term in the trinomial came from. Just as before,
How do you get a positive product and a negative sum? With two negative numbers.
EXAMPLE 4
Factor: .
Again, with the positive last term, 28, and the negative middle term, , we need two negative factors. Find two numbers that multiply 28 and add to
.
Find two numbers that: multiply to 28 and add to .
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Use -4, -7 as the last terms of the binomials.
Check.
TRY IT 4.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 4.2
Factor: .
Now, what if the last term in the trinomial is negative? Think about FOIL. The last term is the product of the last terms in the two binomials. A negative product results from multiplying two numbers with opposite signs. You have to be very careful to choose factors to make sure you get the correct sign for the middle term, too.
Remember: To get a negative product, the numbers must have different signs.
EXAMPLE 5
Factor: .
To get a negative last term, multiply one positive and one negative. We need factors of that add to positive 4
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Notice: We listed both and
to make sure we got the sign of the middle term correct.
Check.
TRY IT 5.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 5.2
Factor: .
Let’s make a minor change to the last trinomial and see what effect it has on the factors.
EXAMPLE 6
Factor: .
This time, we need factors of that add to
.
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Check.
Notice that the factors of are very similar to the factors of
. It is very important to make sure you choose the factor pair that results in the correct sign of the middle term.
TRY IT 6.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 6.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 7
Factor: .
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Check.
TRY IT 7.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 7.1
Factor: .
Some trinomials are prime. The only way to be certain a trinomial is prime is to list all the possibilities and show that none of them work.
EXAMPLE 8
Factor: .
Factors of 15 | Sum of factors |
---|---|
As shown in the table, none of the factors add to ; therefore, the expression is prime.
TRY IT 8.1
Factor: .
prime
TRY IT 8.2
Factor: .
prime
EXAMPLE 9
Factor: .
As shown in the table, you can use as the last terms of the binomials.
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Check.
TRY IT 9.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 9.2
Factor: .
Let’s summarize the method we just developed to factor trinomials of the form .
HOW TO:
Factor trinomials of the form .
When we factor a trinomial, we look at the signs of its terms first to determine the signs of the binomial factors.
When c is positive, m and n have the same sign.
When c is negative, m and n have opposite signs.
Notice that, in the case when m and n have opposite signs, the sign of the one with the larger absolute value matches the sign of b.
Sometimes you’ll need to factor trinomials of the form with two variables, such as
. The first term,
, is the product of the first terms of the binomial factors,
. The
in the last term means that the second terms of the binomial factors must each contain y. To get the coefficients b and c, you use the same process summarized in the previous objective.
EXAMPLE 10
Factor: .
Find the numbers that multiply to 36 and add to 12
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
1, 36 | |
2, 18 | |
3, 12 | |
4, 9 | |
6, 6 |
Use 6 and 6 as the coefficients of the last terms.
Check your answer.
TRY IT 10.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 10.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 11
Factor: .
We need in the first term of each binomial and
in the second term. The last term of the trinomial is negative, so the factors must have opposite signs.
Find the numbers that multiply to and add to
.
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Check your answer.Use 1, -9 as coefficients of the last terms.
TRY IT 11.1
Factor: .
TRY IT 11.2
Factor: .
EXAMPLE 12
Factor: .
We need u in the first term of each binomial and in the second term. The last term of the trinomial is negative, so the factors must have opposite signs.
Find the numbers that multiply to and add to
.
Factors of | Sum of factors |
---|---|
Note there are no factor pairs that give us as a sum. The trinomial is prime.
TRY IT 12.1
Factor: .
prime
TRY IT 12.2
Factor: .
prime
In the following exercises, factor each trinomial of the form .
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
In the following exercises, factor each trinomial of the form .
35. | 36. |
37. | 38. |
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
47. | 48. |
49. | 50. |
In the following exercises, factor each expression.
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. Consecutive integers Deirdre is thinking of two consecutive integers whose product is 56. The trinomial | 68. Consecutive integers Deshawn is thinking of two consecutive integers whose product is 182. The trinomial |
69. Many trinomials of the form | 70. How do you determine whether to use plus or minus signs in the binomial factors of a trinomial of the form |
71. Will factored | 72. Look at (Figure), where we factored |
1. | 3. |
5. | 7. |
9. | 11. |
13. | 15. |
17. | 19. |
21. | 23. |
25. | 27. |
29. prime | 31. |
33. | 35. |
37. | 39. |
41. | 43. |
45. | 47. prime |
49. prime | 51. |
53. | 55. |
57. | 59. prime |
61. | 63. |
65. prime | 67. |
69. Answers may vary | 71. Answers may vary |
This chapter has been adapted from “Factor Trinomials of the Form ” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
In the last chapter, you learned how to divide a monomial by a monomial. As you continue to build up your knowledge of polynomials the next procedure is to divide a polynomial of two or more terms by a monomial.
The method we’ll use to divide a polynomial by a monomial is based on the properties of fraction addition. So we’ll start with an example to review fraction addition.
The sum, | |
simplifies to |
Now we will do this in reverse to split a single fraction into separate fractions.
We’ll state the fraction addition property here just as you learned it and in reverse.
Fraction Addition
If , and
are numbers where
, then
We use the form on the left to add fractions and we use the form on the right to divide a polynomial by a monomial.
For example, | |
can be written |
We use this form of fraction addition to divide polynomials by monomials.
Division of a Polynomial by a Monomial
To divide a polynomial by a monomial, divide each term of the polynomial by the monomial.
EXAMPLE 1
Find the quotient: .
Divide each term of the numerator by the denominator. | |
Simplify each fraction. |
TRY IT 1.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 1.2
Find the quotient: .
Remember that division can be represented as a fraction. When you are asked to divide a polynomial by a monomial and it is not already in fraction form, write a fraction with the polynomial in the numerator and the monomial in the denominator.
EXAMPLE 2
Find the quotient: .
Rewrite as a fraction. | |
Divide each term of the numerator by the denominator. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 2.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 2.2
Find the quotient: .
When we divide by a negative, we must be extra careful with the signs.
EXAMPLE 3
Find the quotient: .
Divide each term of the numerator by the denominator. | |
Simplify. Remember, subtracting a negative is like adding a positive! |
TRY IT 3.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 3.2
Find the quotient: .
EXAMPLE 4
Find the quotient: .
Separate the terms. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 4.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 4.2
Find the quotient: .
EXAMPLE 5
Find the quotient: .
Rewrite as a fraction. | |
Separate the terms. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 5.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 5.2
Find the quotient: .
EXAMPLE 6
Find the quotient: .
Separate the terms. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 6.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 6.2
Find the quotient: .
EXAMPLE 7
Find the quotient: .
Separate the terms. | |
Simplify. |
TRY IT 7.1
Find the quotient: .
TRY IT 7.2
Find the quotient: .
Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with dividing polynomials:
In the following exercises, divide each polynomial by the monomial.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. | 18. |
19. | 20. |
21. | 22. |
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. Handshakes At a company meeting, every employee shakes hands with every other employee. The number of handshakes is given by the expression | 34. Average cost Pictures Plus produces digital albums. The company’s average cost (in dollars) to make
|
35. Divide | 36. James divides |
1. | 3. | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. | 15. | 17. |
19. | 21. | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. |
31. | 33. 45 | 35. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Divide Polynomials” in Elementary Algebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek and MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
In the following exercises, determine if each of the following polynomials is a monomial, binomial, trinomial, or other polynomial.
1. a) | 2. a) |
In the following exercises, determine the degree of each polynomial.
3. a) b) c) d) e) 100 | 4. a) b) c) d) e) |
In the following exercises, add or subtract the monomials.
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
In the following exercises, add or subtract the polynomials.
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. |
17. Find the sum of | 18. Subtract |
In the following exercises, evaluate each polynomial for the given value.
19. Evaluate a) b) c) | 20. Evaluate a) b) c) |
21. A manufacturer of stereo sound speakers has found that the revenue received from selling the speakers at a cost of p dollars each is given by the polynomial | 22. Randee drops a stone off the 200 foot high cliff into the ocean. The polynomial |
In the following exercises, multiply the monomials.
23. | 24. |
25. | 26. |
In the following exercises, multiply.
27. | 28. |
29. | 30. |
31. | 32. |
33. | 34. |
35. | 36. |
In the following exercises, multiply the binomials using: a) the Distributive Property, b) the FOIL method, c) the Vertical Method.
37. | 38. |
In the following exercises, multiply the binomials. Use any method.
39. | 40. |
41. | 42. |
43. | 44. |
45. | 46. |
In the following exercises, multiply using a) the Distributive Property, b) the Vertical Method.
47. | 48. |
In the following exercises, multiply. Use either method.
49. | 50. |
In the following exercises, square each binomial using the Binomial Squares Pattern.
51. | 52. |
53. | 54. |
55. | 56. |
In the following exercises, multiply each pair of conjugates using the Product of Conjugates Pattern.
57. | 58. |
59. | 60. |
61. | 62. |
In the following exercises, find each product.
63. | 64. |
65. | 66. |
67. | 68. |
In the following exercises, divide each polynomial by the monomial.
69. | 70. |
71. | 72. |
73. | 74. |
75. | 76. |
1. a) binomial b) monomial c) trinomial d) trinomial e) other polynomial | 3. a) 3 b) 4 c) 2 d) 4 e) 0 | 5. |
7. | 9. | 11. |
13. | 15. | 17. |
19. a) | 21. 12,000 | 23. |
25. | 27. | 29. |
31. | 33. | 35. |
37. a) b) c) | 39. | 41. |
43. | 45. | 47. a) b) |
49. | 51. | 53. |
55. | 57. | 59. |
61. | 63. | 65. |
67. | 69. | 71. |
73. | 75. |
In the following exercises, simplify each expression. 1. | 2. For the polynomial a) Is it a monomial, binomial, or trinomial? b) What is its degree? |
3. | 4. |
5. | 6. |
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
11. | 12. |
13. | 14. |
15. | 16. A helicopter flying at an altitude of 1000 feet drops a rescue package. The polynomial |
1. | 2. a) Trinomial, b) 4 | 3. |
4. | 5. | 6. |
7. | 8. | 9. |
10. | 11. | 12. |
13. | 14. | 15. |
16. 424 feet |
Trigonometry is a part of geometry that takes its origin in the ancient study of the relationship of the sides and angles of a right triangle. “Trigon” from Greek means triangle and “metron” means measure.
Applications of trigonometry are essential to many disciplines like carpentry, engineering, surveying, and astronomy, just to name a few.
How tall is the Riverpole? Do we have to climb the pole to find out? Fortunately, with the knowledge of trigonometry, we can find out the measurements of tall objects without too much hassle.
In this chapter we will explore the basic properties of angles and triangles, and the applications of the Pythagorean Theorem and trigonometric ratios.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Are you familiar with the phrase ‘do a It means to make a full turn so that you face the opposite direction. It comes from the fact that the measure of an angle that makes a straight line is
degrees. See (Figure 1).
An angle is formed by two rays that share a common endpoint. Each ray is called a side of the angle and the common endpoint is called the vertex. An angle is named by its vertex. In (Figure 2), is the angle with vertex at point
. The measure of
is written
.
We measure angles in degrees, and use the symbol ° to represent degrees. We use the abbreviation to for the measure of an angle. So if
is 27°, we would write
.
If the sum of the measures of two angles is °, then they are called supplementary angles. In (Figure 3), each pair of angles is supplementary because their measures add to
°. Each angle is the supplement of the other.
If the sum of the measures of two angles is °, then the angles are complementary angles. In (Figure 4), each pair of angles is complementary, because their measures add to
°. Each angle is the complement of the other.
Supplementary and Complementary Angles
If the sum of the measures of two angles is °, then the angles are supplementary.
If and
are supplementary, then
°.
If the sum of the measures of two angles is °, then the angles are complementary.
If and
are complementary, then
°.
In this section and the next, you will be introduced to some common geometry formulas. We will adapt our Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications. The geometry formula will name the variables and give us the equation to solve.
In addition, since these applications will all involve geometric shapes, it will be helpful to draw a figure and then label it with the information from the problem. We will include this step in the Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications.
HOW TO: Use a Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications
The next example will show how you can use the Problem Solving Strategy for Geometry Applications to answer questions about supplementary and complementary angles.
EXAMPLE 1
An angle measures °. Find a) its supplement, and b) its complement.
a) | |
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | ![]() |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | ![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula for the situation and substitute in the given information. | ![]() ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check:![]() ![]() | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | ![]() |
b) | |
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | ![]() |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | ![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula for the situation and substitute in the given information. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() ![]() |
Step 6. Check:![]() ![]() | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | ![]() |
TRY IT 1.1
An angle measures °. Find its: a) supplement b) complement.
TRY IT 1.2
An angle measures °. Find its: a) supplement b) complement.
Did you notice that the words complementary and supplementary are in alphabetical order just like and
are in numerical order?
EXAMPLE 2
Two angles are supplementary. The larger angle is ° more than the smaller angle. Find the measure of both angles.
Solution
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | ![]() |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. The larger angle is 30° more than the smaller angle. | ![]() ![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula and substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Step 6. Check:![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | ![]() |
TRY IT 2.1
Two angles are supplementary. The larger angle is ° more than the smaller angle. Find the measures of both angles.
40°, 140°
TRY IT 2.2
Two angles are complementary. The larger angle is ° more than the smaller angle. Find the measures of both angles.
25°, 65°
What do you already know about triangles? Triangle have three sides and three angles. Triangles are named by their vertices. The triangle in (Figure 5) is called , read ‘triangle
’. We label each side with a lower case letter to match the upper case letter of the opposite vertex.
The three angles of a triangle are related in a special way. The sum of their measures is °.
Sum of the Measures of the Angles of a Triangle
For any , the sum of the measures of the angles is
°.
EXAMPLE 3
The measures of two angles of a triangle are ° and
°. Find the measure of the third angle.
Solution
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | ![]() |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | ![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula and substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Step 6. Check:![]() ![]() | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | ![]() |
TRY IT 3.1
The measures of two angles of a triangle are ° and
°. Find the measure of the third angle.
21°
TRY IT 3.2
A triangle has angles of ° and
°. Find the measure of the third angle.
56°
Some triangles have special names. We will look first at the right triangle. A right triangle has one ° angle, which is often marked with the symbol shown in (Figure 6).
If we know that a triangle is a right triangle, we know that one angle measures ° so we only need the measure of one of the other angles in order to determine the measure of the third angle.
EXAMPLE 4
One angle of a right triangle measures °. What is the measure of the third angle?
Solution
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | ![]() |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | ![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula and substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Step 6. Check:![]() ![]() | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | ![]() |
TRY IT 4.1
One angle of a right triangle measures °. What is the measure of the other angle?
34°
TRY IT 4.2
One angle of a right triangle measures °. What is the measure of the other angle?
45°
In the examples so far, we could draw a figure and label it directly after reading the problem. In the next example, we will have to define one angle in terms of another. So we will wait to draw the figure until we write expressions for all the angles we are looking for.
EXAMPLE 5
The measure of one angle of a right triangle is ° more than the measure of the smallest angle. Find the measures of all three angles.
Solution
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the measures of all three angles |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. Now draw the figure and label it with the given information. | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula and substitute into the formula. | ![]() ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Step 6. Check:![]() ![]() | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | ![]() |
TRY IT 5.1
The measure of one angle of a right triangle is ° more than the measure of the smallest angle. Find the measures of all three angles.
20°, 70°, 90°
TRY IT 5.2
The measure of one angle of a right triangle is ° more than the measure of the smallest angle. Find the measures of all three angles.
30°, 60°, 90°
When we use a map to plan a trip, a sketch to build a bookcase, or a pattern to sew a dress, we are working with similar figures. In geometry, if two figures have exactly the same shape but different sizes, we say they are similar figures. One is a scale model of the other. The corresponding sides of the two figures have the same ratio, and all their corresponding angles are have the same measures.
The two triangles in (Figure 7) are similar. Each side of is four times the length of the corresponding side of
and their corresponding angles have equal measures.
and
are similar triangles. Their corresponding sides have the same ratio and the corresponding angles have the same measure.
Properties of Similar Triangles
If two triangles are similar, then their corresponding angle measures are equal and their corresponding side lengths are in the same ratio.
The length of a side of a triangle may be referred to by its endpoints, two vertices of the triangle. For example, in
We will often use this notation when we solve similar triangles because it will help us match up the corresponding side lengths.
EXAMPLE 6
and
are similar triangles. The lengths of two sides of each triangle are shown. Find the lengths of the third side of each triangle.
Solution
Step 1. Read the problem. Draw the figure and label it with the given information. | The figure is provided. |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | The length of the sides of similar triangles |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let a = length of the third side of y = length of the third side |
Step 4. Translate. | The triangles are similar, so the corresponding sides are in the same ratio. So Since the side Be careful to match up corresponding sides correctly. |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | |
Step 6. Check. | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The third side of |
TRY IT 6.1
is similar to
. Find
.
8
TRY IT 6.2
is similar to
. Find
.
22.5
The Pythagorean Theorem is a special property of right triangles that has been used since ancient times. It is named after the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras who lived around BCE.
Remember that a right triangle has a ° angle, which we usually mark with a small square in the corner. The side of the triangle opposite the
° angle is called the hypotenuse, and the other two sides are called the legs. See (Figure 8).
In a right triangle, the side opposite the ° angle is called the hypotenuse and each of the other sides is called a leg.
The Pythagorean Theorem tells how the lengths of the three sides of a right triangle relate to each other. It states that in any right triangle, the sum of the squares of the two legs equals the square of the hypotenuse.
The Pythagorean Theorem
In any right triangle ,
where is the length of the hypotenuse
and
are the lengths of the legs.
To solve problems that use the Pythagorean Theorem, we will need to find square roots. We defined the notation in this way:
For example, we found that is
because
.
We will use this definition of square roots to solve for the length of a side in a right triangle.
EXAMPLE 7
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the hypotenuse.
Solution
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let ![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check:![]() | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The length of the hypotenuse is 5. |
TRY IT 7.1
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the hypotenuse.
10
TRY IT 7.2
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the hypotenuse.
17
EXAMPLE 8
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the longer leg.
Solution
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | The length of the leg of the triangle |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let Label side b ![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. Isolate the variable term. Use the definition of the square root. Simplify. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check: | ![]() |
Step 7. Answer the question. | The length of the leg is 12. |
TRY IT 8.1
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the leg.
8
TRY IT 8.2
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the leg.
12
EXAMPLE 9
Kelvin is building a gazebo and wants to brace each corner by placing a wooden bracket diagonally as shown. How far below the corner should he fasten the bracket if he wants the distances from the corner to each end of the bracket to be equal? Approximate to the nearest tenth of an inch.
Solution
Step 1. Read the problem. | |
Step 2. Identify what you are looking for. | the distance from the corner that the bracket should be attached |
Step 3. Name. Choose a variable to represent it. | Let x = the distance from the corner![]() |
Step 4. Translate. Write the appropriate formula. Substitute. | ![]() |
Step 5. Solve the equation. Isolate the variable. Use the definition of the square root. Simplify. Approximate to the nearest tenth. | ![]() |
Step 6. Check:![]() Yes. | |
Step 7. Answer the question. | Kelvin should fasten each piece of wood approximately 7.1″ from the corner. |
TRY IT 9.1
John puts the base of a ladder
feet from the wall of his house. How far up the wall does the ladder reach?
12 feet
TRY IT 9.2
Randy wants to attach a string of lights to the top of the
mast of his sailboat. How far from the base of the mast should he attach the end of the light string?
8 feet
In the following exercises, find a) the supplement and b) the complement of the given angle.
1. | 2. |
3. | 4. |
In the following exercises, use the properties of angles to solve.
5. Find the supplement of a | 6. Find the complement of a |
7. Find the complement of a | 8. Find the supplement of a |
9. Two angles are supplementary. The larger angle is | 10. Two angles are supplementary. The smaller angle is |
11. Two angles are complementary. The smaller angle is | 12. Two angles are complementary. The larger angle is |
In the following exercises, solve using properties of triangles.
13. The measures of two angles of a triangle are | 14. The measures of two angles of a triangle are |
15. The measures of two angles of a triangle are | 16. The measures of two angles of a triangle are |
17. One angle of a right triangle measures | 18. One angle of a right triangle measures |
19. One angle of a right triangle measures | 20. One angle of a right triangle measures |
21. The two smaller angles of a right triangle have equal measures. Find the measures of all three angles. | 22. The measure of the smallest angle of a right triangle is |
23. The angles in a triangle are such that the measure of one angle is twice the measure of the smallest angle, while the measure of the third angle is three times the measure of the smallest angle. Find the measures of all three angles. | 24. The angles in a triangle are such that the measure of one angle is |
In the following exercises, is similar to
. Find the length of the indicated side.
25. side | 26. side |
On a map, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles form a triangle whose sides are shown in the figure below. The actual distance from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is miles.
27. Find the distance from Los Angeles to San Francisco. | 28. Find the distance from San Francisco to Las Vegas. |
In the following exercises, use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the hypotenuse.
29. ![]() | 30. ![]() |
31. ![]() | 32. ![]() |
In the following exercises, use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the missing side. Round to the nearest tenth, if necessary.
33. ![]() | 34. ![]() |
35. ![]() | 36. ![]() |
37. ![]() | 38. ![]() |
39. ![]() | 40. ![]() |
In the following exercises, solve. Approximate to the nearest tenth, if necessary.
41. A | 42. Pam wants to put a banner across her garage door to congratulate her son on his college graduation. The garage door is |
43. Chi is planning to put a path of paving stones through her flower garden. The flower garden is a square with sides of | 44. Brian borrowed a |
45. Building a scale model Joe wants to build a doll house for his daughter. He wants the doll house to look just like his house. His house is | 46. Measurement A city engineer plans to build a footbridge across a lake from point |
47. Write three of the properties of triangles from this section and then explain each in your own words. | 48. Explain how the figure below illustrates the Pythagorean Theorem for a triangle with legs of length |
1. a) 127° b) 37° | 3. a) 151° b) 61° | 5. 45° |
7. 62.5° | 9. 62°, 118° | 11. 62°, 28° |
13. 56° | 15. 44° | 17. 57° |
19. 67.5° | 21. 45°, 45°, 90° | 23. 30°, 60°, 90° |
25. 12 | 27. 351 miles | 29. 15 |
31. 25 | 33. 8 | 35. 12 |
37. 10.2 | 39. 8 | 41. 5 feet |
43. 14.1 feet | 45. 2.9 feet | 47. Answers will vary. |
This chapter has been adapted from “Use Properties of Angles, Triangles, and the Pythagorean Theorem” in Prealgebra (OpenStax) by Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, and Andrea Honeycutt Mathis, which is under a CC BY 4.0 Licence. Adapted by Izabela Mazur. See the Copyright page for more information.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
We know that any right triangle has three sides and a right angle. The side opposite to the right angle is called the hypotenuse. The other two angles in a right triangle are acute angles (with a measure less than 90 degrees). One of those angles we call reference angle and we use θ (theta) to represent it.
The hypotenuse is always the longest side of a right triangle. The other two sides are called opposite side and adjacent side. The names of those sides depends on which of the two acute angles is being used as a reference angle.
In the right triangle each side is labeled with a lowercase letter to match the uppercase letter of the opposite vertex.
EXAMPLE 1
Label the sides of the triangle and find the hypotenuse, opposite, and adjacent.
Solution
We labeled the sides with a lowercase letter to match the uppercase letter of the opposite vertex.
c is hypotenuse
a is opposite
b is adjacent
TRY IT 1.1
Label the sides of the triangle and find the hypotenuse, opposite and adjacent.
y is hypotenuse
z is opposite
x is adjacent
TRY IT 1.2
Label the sides of the triangle and find the hypotenuse, opposite and adjacent.
r is hypotenuse
t is opposite
s is adjacent
Trigonometric ratios are the ratios of the sides in the right triangle. For any right triangle we can define three basic trigonometric ratios: sine, cosine, and tangent.
Let us refer to Figure 1 and define the three basic trigonometric ratios as:
Three Basic Trigonometric Ratios
Where θ is the measure of a reference angle measured in degrees.
Very often we use the abbreviations for sine, cosine, and tangent ratios.
Some people remember the definition of the trigonometric ratios as SOH CAH TOA.
Let’s use the from Example 1 to find the three ratios.
EXAMPLE 2
For the given triangle find the sine, cosine and tangent ratio.
Solution
sin θ =
cos θ =
tan θ =
TRY IT 2.1
For the given triangle find the sine cosine and tangent ratio.
sin θ =
cos θ =
tan θ =
TRY IT 2.2
For the given triangle find the sine, cosine and tangent ratio.
sin θ =
cos θ =
tan θ =
In Example 2, our reference angles can be or
. Using the definition of trigonometric ratios, we can write sinE=
, cosE=
, and tanE=
.
When calculating we will usually round the ratios to four decimal places and at the end our final answer to one decimal place unless stated otherwise.
EXAMPLE 3
For the given triangle find the sine, cosine and tangent ratios. If necessary round to four decimal places.
Solution
We have two possible reference angles: R an S.
Using the definitions, the trigonometric ratios for angle R are:
Using the definitions, the trigonometric ratios for angle S:
TRY IT 3.1
For the given triangle find the sine, cosine, and tangent ratios. If necessary round to four decimal places.
TRY IT 3.2
For given triangle find the sine, cosine and tangent ratios. If necessary round to four decimal places.
Now, let us use a scientific calculator to find the trigonometric ratios. Can you find the sin, cos, and tan buttons on your calculator? To find the trigonometric ratios make sure your calculator is in Degree Mode.
EXAMPLE 4
Using a calculator find the trigonometric ratios. If necessary, round to 4 decimal places.
a) sin 30°
b) cos 45°
c) tan 60°
Solution
Make sure your calculator is in Degree Mode.
a) Using a calculator find that sin 30° = 0.5
b) Using a calculator find that cos 45° = 0.7071 Rounded to 4 decimal places.
c) Using a calculator find that tan 60° = 1.7321 Rounded to 4 decimal places.
TRY IT 4.1
Find the trigonometric ratios. If necessary, round to 4 decimal places.
a) sin 60°
b) cos 30°
c) tan 45°
a) sin 60° = 0.8660
b) cos 30° = 0.8660
c) tan 45° = 1
TRY IT 4.2
Find the trigonometric ratios. If necessary, round to 4 decimal places.
a) sin 35°
b) cos 67°
c) tan 83°
a) sin 35° = 0.5736
b) cos 67 ° = 0.3907
c) tan 83° = 8.1443
In this section you will be using trigonometric ratios to solve right triangle problems. We will adapt our problem solving strategy for trigonometry applications. In addition, since those problems will involve the right triangle, it is helpful to draw it (if the drawing is not given) and label it with the given information.We will include this in the first step of the problem solving strategy for trigonometry applications.
HOW TO: Solve Trigonometry Applications
In the next few examples, having given the measure of one acute angle and the length of one side of the right triangle, we will solve the right triangle for the missing sides.
EXAMPLE 5
Find the missing sides. Round your final answer to two decimal places
Solution
1. Read the problem and make sure all the words and ideas are understood. Draw the right triangle and label the given parts. | A drawing is given. Angle Y is our reference angle, y is opposite side, z is adjacent side, and x=14 is the hypotenuse. | |
2. Identify what we are looking for. | a) the opposite side | b) adjacent side |
3.Label what we are looking for by choosing a variable to represent it. | y=? | z=? |
4. Find the required trigonometric ratio. | sin 35° = | cos 35° = |
5. Solve the ratio using good algebra techniques. | 14 sin 35° = y 8.03 = y | 14 cos 35° = z 11.47 = z |
6. Check the answer in the problem and by making sure it makes sense. | 0.57 0.57 = 0.57 | 0.82 0.82 = 0.82 |
7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The opposite side is 8.03 | The adjacent side is 11.47 |
TRY IT 5.1
Find the missing sides. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
a = 20.2
b = 16.4
TRY IT 5.2
Find the missing sides. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
d = 3.4
f = 9.4
EXAMPLE 6
Find the hypotenuse. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
Solution
1. Read the problem and make sure all the words and ideas are understood. Draw the right triangle and label the given parts. | A drawing is given. Angle S is our reference angle, s is opposite side, r = 4 is the adjacent side, and p is the hypotenuse |
2. Identify what we are looking for. | the hypotenuse |
3.Label what we are looking for by choosing a variable to represent it. | p=? |
4. Find the required trigonometric ratio. | cos 32° = |
5. Solve the ratio using good algebra techniques. | 0.8480 = p = 4.7170 Rounding the ratios to 4 decimal places |
6. Check the answer in the problem and by making sure it makes sense. | 0.8480 0.8480 = 0.8480 |
7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The hypotenuse is 4.7 Round my final answer to one decimal place. |
TRY IT 6.1..
Find the hypotenuse. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
p = 22.7
TRY IT 6.2
Find the hypotenuse. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
p = 6.5
Sometimes we have a right triangle with only the sides given. How can we find the missing angles? To find the missing angles, we use the inverse of the trigonometric ratios. The inverse buttons sin-1, cos-1, and tan-1 are on your scientific calculator.
EXAMPLE 7
Find the angles. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
a) sin A = 0.5
b) cos B = 0.9735
c) tan C = 2.89358
Solution
Use your calculator and press the 2nd FUNCTION key and then press the SIN, COS, or TAN key
a) A = sin-10.5
= 30°
b) B = cos-10.9735
= 13.2° Rounded to one decimal place
c) C = tan-12.89358
= 70.9° Rounded to one decimal place
TRY IT 7.1
Find the angles. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
a) sin X = 1
b) cos Y = 0.375
c) tan Z = 1.676767
a) = 90°
b) = 68°
c) = 59.2°
TRY IT 7.2
Find the angles. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
a) sin C = 0
b) cos D = 0.95
c) tan F = 6.3333
a) = 0°
b) = 18.2°
c) = 81°
In the example below we have a right triangle with two sides given. Our acute angles are missing. Let us see what the steps are to find the missing angles.
EXAMPLE 8
Find the missing . Round your final answer to one decimal place.
Solution
1. Read the problem and make sure all the words and ideas are understood. Draw the right triangle and label the given parts. | A drawing is given. Angle T is our reference angle, t = 7 is the opposite side, s is adjacent side, and r =11 is the hypotenuse |
2. Identify what we are looking for. | angle T |
3.Label what we are looking for by choosing a variable to represent it. | |
4. Find the required trigonometric ratio. | sin T = |
5. Solve the ratio using good algebra techniques. | sin T = 0.6364 T = sin-10.6364
|
6. Check the answer in the problem and by making sure it makes sense. | sin 39.5239° 0.6364 = 0.6364 |
7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The missing angle T is 39.5°. |
TRY IT 8.1
Find the missing angle X. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
20.1°
TRY IT 8.2
Find the missing angle Z. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
69.9°
EXAMPLE 9
Find the missing angle A. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
Solution
1. Read the problem and make sure all the words and ideas are understood. Draw the right triangle and label the given parts. | A drawing is given. Angle A is our reference angle, a = 9 is the opposite side, c = 5 is the adjacent side, and b is the hypotenuse |
2. Identify what we are looking for. | angle A |
3.Label what we are looking for by choosing a variable to represent it. | |
4. Find the required trigonometric ratio. | tan A = |
5. Solve the ratio using good algebra techniques. | tan A = 1.8 A = tan-1 1.8
|
6. Check the answer in the problem and by making sure it makes sense. | tan 60.9° 1.8 = 1.8 |
7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The missing angle A is 60.9°. |
TRY IT 9.1
Find the missing angle C. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
29.1°
TRY IT 9.2
Find the missing angle E. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
36.9°
From the section before we know that any triangle has three sides and three interior angles. In a right triangle, when all six parts of the triangle are known, we say that the right triangle is solved.
EXAMPLE 10
Solve the right triangle. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
Solution
Since the sum of angles in any triangle is 180°, the measure of angle B can be easy calculated.
= 180° − 90° − 42°
= 48°
1. Read the problem and make sure all the words and ideas are understood. Draw the right triangle and label the given parts. | A drawing is given. Angle A is our reference angle, a = 8 is the opposite side, b is the adjacent side, and c is the hypotenuse. | |
2. Identify what we are looking for. | a) adjacent side | b) hypotenuse |
3.Label what we are looking for by choosing a variable to represent it. | b = ? | c = ? |
4. Find the required trigonometric ratio. | tan 42° = | sin 42° = |
5. Solve the ratio using good algebra techniques. | 0.9004 = 0.9004 b = 8 b = 8.8849 | 0.6691 = 0.6691 c = 8 c = 11.9563 |
6. Check the answer in the problem and by making sure it makes sense. | tan 42 ° 0.9 = 0.9 | sin 42° 0.6691 = 0.6691 |
7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The adjacent side is 8.9. Rounded to one decimal place. | The hypotenuse is 12 |
We solved the right triangle
= 42°
= 48°
= 90°
a = 8
b = 8.9
c = 12
TRY IT 10.1
Solve the right triangle. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
= 21°
= 69°
= 90°
a = 6
b = 15.6
c = 16.7
TRY IT 10.2
Solve the right triangle. Round your final answer to one decimal place.
=16°
= 74°
= 90°
a = 2.9
b = 10
c = 10.4
EXAMPLE 11
Solve the right triangle. Round to two decimal places.
Solution
1. Read the problem and make sure all the words and ideas are understood. Draw the right triangle and label the given parts. | A drawing is given. Let angle D be our reference angle, d = 4 is the opposite side, f is the adjacent side, and e = 9 is the hypotenuse | |
2. Identify what we are looking for. | a) angle D | b) adjacent |
3.Label what we are looking for by choosing a variable to represent it. | f = ? | |
4. Find the required trigonometric ratio. | sin D = | 42 + f2 = 92 |
5. Solve the ratio using good algebra techniques. | sin D = 0.4444 D = sin-10.4444
| 16 + f2 = 81 f2 = 81 – 16 f2 = 65 f = square root of 65 f = 8.06 |
6. Check the answer in the problem and by making sure it makes sense. | sin 26.3850° 0.4444 =0.4444 | 42 + 8.062 81 = 81 |
7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The missing angle D is 26.39°. | The adjacent side is 8.06 Rounded to two decimal places |
The missing angle F = 180° – 90° – 26.39° = 63.64°
We solved the right triangle
= 26.39°
= 90°
= 63.61°
d = 4
e = 9
f = 8.06
TRY IT 11.1
Solve the right triangle. Round to one decimal place.
= 29.3°
= 90°
= 60.7°
d = 29.4
e = 18.4
f = 60.6
TRY IT 11.2
Solve the right triangle. Round to one decimal place.
= 45.6°
= 90°
= 44.4°
d = 7.1
e = 10
f = 7
In the previous examples we were able to find missing sides and missing angles of a right triangle. Now, let’s use the trigonometric ratios to solve real-life problems.
Many applications of trigonometric ratios involve understanding of an angle of elevation or angle of depression.
The angle of elevation is an angle between the horizontal line (ground) and the observer’s line of sight.
The angle of depression is the angle between horizontal line (that is parallel to the ground) and the observer’s line of sight.
EXAMPLE 12
James is standing 31 metres away from the base of the Harbour Centre in Vancouver. He looks up to the top of the building at a 78° angle. How tall is the Harbour Centre?
Solution
1. Read the problem and make sure all the words and ideas are understood. Draw the right triangle and label the given parts. | ![]() Angle X is our reference angle, x is opposite side, y = 31 m is the adjacent side, and z is the hypotenuse. |
2. Identify what we are looking for. | The opposite side |
3.Label what we are looking for by choosing a variable to represent it. | x=? |
4. Find the required trigonometric ratio. | tan 78° = |
5. Solve the ratio using good algebra techniques. | 4.7046 = x = 145.8426 |
6. Check the answer in the problem and by making sure it makes sense. | 4.7046 4.7046 = 4.7046 |
7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The Harbour Centre is 145.8426 metres or rounded to 146 metres. |
TRY IT 12.1
Nicole is standing 75 feet away from the base of the Living Shangri-La, the tallest building in British Columbia. She looks up to the top of the building at a 83.5° angle. How tall is the Living Shangri-La?
658.3 feet.
TRY IT 12.2
Kelly is standing 23 metres away from the base of the tallest apartment building in Prince George and looks at the top of the building at a 62° angle. How tall is the building?
43.3 metres
EXAMPLE 13
Thomas is standing at the top of the building that is 45 metres high and looks at his friend that is standing on the ground, 22 metres from the base of the building. What is the angle of depression?
Solution
1. Read the problem and make sure all the words and ideas are understood. Draw the right triangle and label the given parts. | Angle Y is our reference angle, y = 45 m is the opposite side, z = 22 m is the adjacent side, and x is the hypotenuse |
2. Identify what we are looking for. | angle Y |
3.Label what we are looking for by choosing a variable to represent it. | |
4. Find the required trigonometric ratio. | tan Y = |
5. Solve the ratio using good algebra techniques. | tan Y = 2.0455 Y = tan –¹2.0455
|
6. Check the answer in the problem and by making sure it makes sense. | tan 63.9470° 2.0455 = 2.0455 |
7. Answer the question with a complete sentence. | The angle of depression is 63.9470° or 64° rounded to one decimal place. |
TRY IT 13.1
Hemanth is standing on the top of a cliff 250 feet above the ground and looks at his friend that is standing on the ground, 40 feet from the base of the cliff. What is the angle of depression?
80.9°
TRY IT 13.2
Klaudia is standing on the ground, 25 metres from the base of the cliff and looks up at her friend on the top of a cliff 100 metres above the ground. What is the angle of elevation?
76°
Label the sides of the triangle.
1 | 2. |
3. If the reference angle in Question 1 is B, Find the adjacent ?
| 4. If the reference angle in Question 2 is Z, find the opposite ? |
Label the sides of the triangle and find the hypotenuse, opposite and adjacent.
5.![]() | 6.![]() |
Use your calculator to find the given ratios. Round to four decimal places if necessary:
7. | 8. |
9. | 10. |
For the given triangles, find the sine, cosine and tangent of the θ.
11. ![]() | 12. ![]() |
13. ![]() | 14. ![]() |
For the given triangles, find the missing side. Round it to one decimal place.
15. Find the hypotenuse.![]() | 16. Find b if a = 6. ![]() |
17. Find the opposite. ![]() | 18. Find the adjacent. ![]() |
For the given triangles, find the missing sides. Round it to one decimal place.
19. ![]() | 20. ![]() |
Solve the triangles. Round to one decimal place.
21. ![]() | 22. ![]() |
23. ![]() | 24. ![]() |
25. A surveyor stands 75 metres from the bottom of a tree and looks up at the top of the tree at a 48° angle. How tall is the tree? | 26. A tree makes a shadow that is 6 metres long when the angle of elevation to the sun is 52°. How tall is the tree? |
27. A ladder that is 15 feet is leaning against a house and makes a 45° angle with the ground. How far is the base of the ladder from the house? | 28. Matt is flying a kite and has let out 100 feet of string. The angle of elevation with the ground is 38°. How high is his kite above the ground? |
29. Marta is flying a kite and has let out 28 metres of string. If the kite is 10 metres above the ground, what is the angle of elevation? | 30. An airplane takes off from the ground at the angle of 25°. If the airplane traveled 200 kilometres, how high above the ground is it? |
1. | 3. c | 5. g is opposite , f is adjacent, and e is hypotenuse |
7. 0.7314 | 9. 0.2126 | 11. sin θ = |
13. sin θ = | 15. b = 19.8 | 17. c = 12 |
19. y = 19.3, z = 8.2 | 21.
b = 38.5 c = 21.3 d = 44 | 23.
t = 15 r = 25 s = 20 |
25. 83.3 m | 27. 10.6 ft | 29. 20.9° |
In the following exercises, solve using properties of angles.
1. What is the supplement of a | 2. What is the complement of a |
3. Two angles are complementary. The smaller angle is | 4. Two angles are supplementary. The larger angle is |
In the following exercises, solve using properties of triangles.
5. The measures of two angles of a triangle are | 6. One angle of a right triangle measures |
7. One angle of a triangle is | 8. One angle of a triangle is twice the measure of the smallest angle. The third angle is |
In the following exercises, is similar to
. Find the length of the indicated side.
9. side | 10. side |
In the following exercises, use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the missing side. Round to the nearest tenth, if necessary.
11. ![]() | 12. ![]() |
13. ![]() | 14. ![]() |
15. ![]() | 16. ![]() |
17. Sergio needs to attach a wire to hold the antenna to the roof of his house, as shown in the figure. The antenna is | 18. Seong is building shelving in his garage. The shelves are |
Find missing side of a right triangle using sine, cosine, or tangent ratios.
19. Label the triangle and find the sine cosine and tangent of θ. | 20. If reference angle in above triangle is angle T, label the triangle and find the sine, cosine, and tangent of T. |
Find missing angle of a right triangle using sine, cosine, or tangent ratios.
21. Find angle M | 22. Find angle L. |
Solve the right triangle.
23. Solve the triangle. | 24. |
Solve applications using right angle trigonometry.
25. A 13-foot string of lights will be attached to the top of a 12-foot pole for a holiday display, as shown below. What is the angle that the string of lights makes with the ground? | 26. Brian borrowed a 20 foot extension ladder to use when he paints his house. If he sets the base of the ladder 6 feet from the house, as shown below, what is the angle that the ladder makes with the ground? |
27. John puts the base of a 13-foot ladder five feet from the wall of his house as shown below. What is the angle between the top of the ladder and the house ? | 28. The sun is at an angle of elevation of 35°. If Bob casts a shadow that is 6 ft long, how tall is Bob? |
29. A 27 foot guy wire to a pole makes an angle of 63.7° with the ground. How high from the ground is the wire attached to the pole? | 30. A lighthouse is 20 metres tall. If the observer is looking at a boat that is 30 metres away from the base of the lighthouse, what is the angle of depression? |
1. 132° | 3. 33°, 57° | 5. 73° |
7. 30°, 60°, 90° | 9. 15 | 11. 26 |
13. 8 | 15. 8.1 | 17. 6 feet |
19. sin θ = | 21. 55.2° | 23. |
25. 67.4° | 27. 22.6° | 29. 24 |
1. What is the supplement of a | 2. Two angles are complementary. The smaller angle is |
3. The measures of two angles of a triangle are | 4. |
5. Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the missing side. Round to the nearest tenth, if necessary. | 6. Find the hypotenuse. |
7. Find angle G. | 8. Solve the triangle. |
9. The sun is at an angle 28°. If Adam casts a shadow that is 7 ft long, how tall is Adam? | 10. The road rises 6 metres per every 100 horizontal metres. What is the angle of elevation. |
1. 123° | 2. 53°, 37° | 3. 76° |
4. b = 14, t = 7.5 | 5. b = 15.3 | 6. d = 18.4 |
7. | 8. | 9. 5.5 ft |
10. 3.4° |
It is my genuine pleasure to express many thanks and gratitude to the people who have significantly contributed to my accomplishment:
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Version | Date | Change | Details |
---|---|---|---|
1.01 | March 26, 2021 | Book published | |
1.02 | May 19, 2021 | Acknowledgements section added to the front matter. | |
1.03 | November 17, 2021 | Corrections made to Chapter 9.2 | Solutions for TRY IT 11.1 altered, questions for Exercise 16 and 22 altered. |