Basic Properties & Facts

Arithmetic Operations Properties of Inequalities

b ab If a < b then a + c < b + c and a c < b c
ab + ac = a ( b + c ) a =
c c If a < b and c > 0 then ac < bc and <
a b
a c c
a a b
b = a
=
ac If a < b and c < 0 then ac > bc and >
c bc b b c c

om

c
Properties of Absolute Value
a c ad + bc a c ad bc a if a 0
+ = = a =
b d bd b d bd a if a < 0
a 0 a = a

.c
a b ba a+b a b
= = +
cd d c c c c a a
ab = a b =
a

ce
b b
ab + ac ad
= b + c, a 0 b = a+b a + b Triangle Inequality
a c bc

d Distance Formula
ra
Exponent Properties If P1 = ( x1 , y1 ) and P2 = ( x2 , y2 ) are two
an 1
a n a m = a n+m m
= a nm = mn points the distance between them is
a a
m
(a )n m
= a nm a 0 = 1, a 0 d ( P1 , P2 ) = ( x2 x1 ) + ( y2 y1 )
2 2

n
a a
( ab )
xa

= a nb n
n
Complex Numbers
b bn
1 1
a n = =a i = 1 i 2 = 1 a = i a , a 0
an a n
.e

n ( a + bi ) + ( c + di ) = a + c + ( b + d ) i
( ) = (a )
n
a b bn n n 1

= = a = a
1
n m
( a + bi ) ( c + di ) = a c + ( b d ) i
m m

b a a
w

( a + bi )( c + di ) = ac bd + ( ad + bc ) i
Properties of R dicals
( a + bi )( a bi ) = a 2 + b 2
w

1
n
a = an n
ab = n a n b a + bi = a 2 + b 2 Complex Modulus
a na ( a + bi ) = a bi Complex Conjugate
w

m n
a = nm a n =
b nb
( a + bi )( a + bi ) = a + bi
2

n
a n = a, if n is odd
n
a n = a , if n is even
Logarithms and Log Properties
Definition Logarithm Properties
y = log b x is equivalent to x = b y log b b = 1 log b 1 = 0
log b b x = x b logb x = x
log b ( x r ) = r log b x
Example
log 5 125 = 3 because 53 = 125
log b ( xy ) = log b x + log b y

om
Special Logarithms x
ln x = log e x natural log log b = log b x log b y
y
log x = log10 x common log
where e = 2.718281828K The domain of log b x is x > 0

.c
Factoring and Solving
Factoring Formulas Quadratic Formula
x 2 a 2 = ( x + a )( x a )

ce
Solve ax 2 + bx c = 0 , a 0
x 2 + 2ax + a 2 = ( x + a )
2 b b 2 4ac
x=
2a
x 2 2ax + a 2 = ( x a )
2
If b 4a > 0 - Two real unequal solns.
x 2 + ( a + b ) x + ab = ( x + a )( x + b )
x3 + 3ax 2 + 3a 2 x + a 3 = ( x + a )
3
ra 2

If b 2 4ac = 0 - Repeated real solution.

If b 2 4ac < 0 - Two complex solutions.
m
x3 3ax 2 + 3a 2 x a 3 = ( x a )
3
Square Root Property
x3 + a3 = ( x + a ) ( x 2 ax + a 2 ) If x 2 = p then x = p
xa

x3 a 3 = ( x a ) ( x 2 + ax + a 2 ) Absolute Value Equations/Inequalities

x a
2n 2n
= (x a
n n
)( x n
+a ) If b is a positive number
p =b p = b or p = b
.e

If n is odd then,
x n a n = ( x a ) ( x n 1 + ax n 2 + L + a n 1 ) p <b b < p < b
p >b p < b or p>b
xn + a n
w

= ( x + a ) ( x n 1 ax n 2 + a 2 x n 3 L + a n 1 )
w

Completing the Square

Solve 2 x 6 x 10 = 0 (4) Factor the left side
2
3
w

29
(1) Divide by the coefficient of the x 2 x =
2 4
x 2 3x 5 = 0 (5) Use Square Root Property
(2) Move the constant to the other side.
3 29 29
x 2 3x = 5 x = =
2 4 2
(3) Take half the coefficient of x, square
it and add it to both sides (6) Solve for x
2 2 3 29
3 3 9 29 x=
x 2 3x + = 5 + = 5 + = 2 2
2 2 4 4
 Functions and Graphs
Constant Function Parabola/Quadratic Function
y = a or f ( x ) = a x = ay 2 + by + c g ( y ) = ay 2 + by + c
Graph is a horizontal line passing
through the point ( 0, a ) . The graph is a parabola that opens right
if a > 0 or left if a < 0 and has a vertex
b b

om
Line/Linear Function at g , .
y = mx + b or f ( x ) = mx + b 2a 2 a
Graph is a line with point ( 0, b ) and
Circle
slope m.
( x h) + ( y k ) = r 2
2 2

.c
Slope Graph is a circle with radius r and center
Slope of the line containing the two ( h, k ) .
points ( x1 , y1 ) and ( x2 , y2 ) is

ce
y2 y1 rise Ellipse
m= =
( x h) (y k)
2 2
x2 x1 run
=1
Slope intercept form
The equation of the line with slope m
and y-intercept ( 0,b ) is
ra a2 b2
Graph is an ellipse with center ( h, k )
with vertices a units right/left from the
m
y = mx + b center and vertices b units up/down from
Point Slope form the center.
The equation of the line with slop m
xa

and passing through the point x1 , y1 ) is Hyperbola

( x h) ( y k)
2 2
y = y1 + m ( x x1 ) =1
a2 b2
.e

Graph is a hyperbola that opens left and

Parabola/Quadratic Function
right, has a center at ( h, k ) , vertices a
y = a ( x h) + k f ( x) = a ( x h) + k
2 2

units left/right of center and asymptotes

w

b
The graph is a parabola that opens up if that pass through center with slope .
a > 0 r down if a < 0 and has a vertex a
Hyperbola
at ( h k )
w

(y k) ( x h)
2 2

=1
b2 a2
w

Parabola/Quadratic Function
y = ax 2 + bx + c f ( x ) = ax 2 + bx + c Graph is a hyperbola that opens up and
down, has a center at ( h, k ) , vertices b
The graph is a parabola that opens up if units up/down from the center and
a > 0 or down if a < 0 and has a vertex asymptotes that pass through center with
b b
b slope .
at , f . a
2a 2 a
 Common Algebraic Errors
Error Reason/Correct/Justification/Example
2 2
0 and 2 Division by zero is undefined!
0 0
32 = 9 , ( 3 ) = 9 Watch parenthesis!
2
32 9

(x )
2 3
x5 (x )
2 3
= x2 x2 x2 = x6

om
a a a 1 1 1 1
+ = + =2
b+c b c 2 1+1 1 1
1 A more complex version of the previous
x 2 + x 3
x +x
2 3 error.

.c
a + bx a bx bx
a + bx = + = 1+
1 + bx a a a
a
Beware of incorrect can eling!

ce
a ( x 1) = ax + a
a ( x 1) ax a
Make su you distribute the -!
( x + a) x2 + a2 ( x + a) = ( x a )( x + a ) = x 2 + 2ax + a 2
2 2

x2 + a2 x + a
x+a x + a
ra
5 = 25 = 32 + 42 32 + 42 = 3 + 4 = 7
See previous error.
m
More general versions of previous three
( x + a) x n + a n and x+a n x + n a
n n
errors.
2 ( x + 1) = 2 ( x 2 + 2 x + 1) = 2 x 2 + 4 x + 2
2
xa

2 ( x + 1) ( 2 x + 2 )
2 2
( 2 x + 2) = 4 x2 + 8x + 4
2

Square first then distribute!

.e

See the previous example. You can not

( 2 x + 2) 2 ( x + 1)
2 2
factor out a constant if there is a power on
the parethesis!
w

1
x2 + a2 = ( x2 + a 2 ) 2
x2 + a 2
+ a2
Now see the previous error.
w

a
a

a
a c ac
= = =
a 1
b c
w

b b 1 b b
c
c c
a a
a
ac b = b = a 1 = a
b
c c b c bc
c b
1