Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1&2 CAS Notes

CAS NOTES
LINEAR RELATIONS
Solving Equations
Any equation, inequation or set of simultaneous equations
can be solve using the solve( command:

Solving a single equation

• Press F2: Algebra
• Select 1: Solve(
• Enter your equation
• Enter a comma( , ) and then x. This tells the
calculator that you want to solve the equation for x.
• Close the bracket. Your data entry line should look
something like this:
solve(3x + 5 = 9 – 2x, x)
• Press ENTER.

Solving an inequation
• Press F2: Algebra
• Select 1: Solve(
• Enter your inequation
< and > are located at 2nd 0 and 2nd . .
and can be found by pressing 0 and
. .
• Enter a comma( , ) and then x. This tells the
calculator that you want to solve the equation for x.
• Close the bracket. Your data entry line should look
something like this:
solve(3x 5 > 14, x)
• Press ENTER.

Solving simultaneous equations

• Press F2: Algebra
• Select 1: Solve(
• Enter your equations each separated by and (and
can be found in the CATALOG or you can type it
using the alpha keys)
• Enter comma( , ) and then specify the set of values
that you want to solve for.
ie. for two equations you will probably want to solve
for {x,y}, for three {x,y,z}, etc.
• Close the bracket. Your data entry line should look
something like this:
solve(y = 3x + 1 and 4y + x = 19, x)
• Press ENTER.

1
Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1&2 CAS Notes

Formulae
Substituting into Formulae
• Enter the formula
• Press | .
• Type the values to be substituted each separated by
and (available in the CATALOG). Your data
entry line should look something like this:
2(p + q) – r = z | q = 2 and r = 3 and z = 11
• Press ENTER

NOTE: The calculator does not automatically solve the

resulting equation, it simply performs the substitution. If
required, you will need to go on and solve the equation:

• Press F2: Algebra and select 1: solve(

• Paste the equation from the previous line
• Type comma ( , ) and the pronumeral you wish to
solve for. Your data entry line should look
something like this:
solve(2p + 7 = 11, p)
• Press ENTER

Alternately, this could be done in one step:

solve(2(p + q) – r = z | q = 2 and r = 3 and z = 11, p)

Transposing Formulae
The solve( command can also be use to rearrange or
transpose formulae
• Press F2: Algebra
• Select 1: Solve(
• Enter your formula using the alpha keys and taking
care to include multiplication signs between
pronumerals where necessary.
• Enter a comma( , ) and then the pronumeral that
you with to make the subject.
• Close the bracket. Your data entry line should look
something like this:
solve(e = m*c^2, m)
• Press ENTER.

NOTE: It is important to include multiplication signs

between pronumerals, otherwise the calculator reads the
adjacent letters as a single variable, ie. it reads e = mc^2 as
e = (mc)^2

2
Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1&2 CAS Notes

Graphing
Entering and viewing a graph
If y is not the subject of the equation to be graphed, you
will first need to transpose it. This can be done by hand or
by using solve(. Your data entry line should look
something like this:
solve(2x – 8y = 14, y)

When graphing, all equations must be entered into the

equation editor:
• Open the equation editor, Y= (press 2nd F1 )
• Enter your equation into an available position
(If you have other equations in the editor that you
don’t want to delete but don’t want to display at
this time, you can turn them off by pressing F4 to
uncheck them.)

To view the graph:

• Select GRAPH (press 2nd F3 )
OR
• Press F2: Zoom and select 6: ZoomStd
(This option resets the graphing window to the
standard window which is usually a good place to
start)

• If necessary, further manual adjustments to the

window size can be made in WINDOW (press 2nd
F2 )

The y-intercept can be determined by calculating the value

of y when x = 0:
• Press F5: Math and select 1: Value
• Type 0 to enter the x-coordinate as zero and press
ENTER. The corresponding y-coordinate is
calculated

The x-intercept can be calculated as follows:

• Press F5: Math and select 2: Zero
• Enter the lower bound by scrolling to a position to
the left of the x-intercept.
• Enter the upper bound by scrolling to a position to
the right of the x-intercept.

NOTE: Lower and upper bounds refer to bounds on the x-

values so you are selecting an x-value lower than that of
the x-intercept or higher than that of the x-intercept.
You are not selecting a position above or below the x-axis.

3
Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1&2 CAS Notes

Using graphs to solve simultaneous equations

Graphically, the solution of a pair of simultaneous
equations represents the point of intersection between the
graphs of the two equations.
• Enter the two equations and display the two graphs
as outlined above
• Press F5: Math and select 5: Intersection
• You must first identify the two graphs whose
intersection you want to find:
the cursor will be flashing on one of the graphs,
press ENTER to select it
the cursor will move to the other graph, press
ENTER to select it
• Enter upper and lower bounds by selecting a
position to the left of the intersection and a
position to the right of the intersection.

Calculating the distance between two points on a graph

• Enter the equation and display the graph
• Press F5: Math and select 9: Distance
• Type the x-coordinate of one of the points and
press ENTER
• Type the x-coordinate of the second point and
press ENTER

QUADRATICS
Expanding and Simplifying
The expand( command can be used to expand expressions
and the CAS calculator automatically simplifies all
expressions:
Press F2: Algebra
Select 3: expand(
Enter the expression to be expanded and close the
bracket
Press ENTER

NOTE: You must ensure that a multiplication sign is

included between pronumerals (ie. type a*b, not ab) and
between a pronumeral and brackets (ie. type x*(x + 1), not
x(x + 1))

4
Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1&2 CAS Notes

Factorising
The factor( command can be used to factorise quadratic
expressions:
Press F2: Algebra
Select 2: factor(
Enter the expression to be factorised and close the
bracket
Press ENTER

Solving Quadratic Equations

The solve( command can be used to solve quadratic
equations:
Press F2: Algebra
Select 1: solve(
Enter the equation to be solved
Press comma , and specify the variable that you
wish to solve for.
Close the bracket and press ENTER

5
Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1&2 CAS Notes

Graphing Quadratics
Quadratics can be graphed in exactly the same way that you
would graph any other function:
Select Y= (press then F1 )
Enter the equation to be graphed into one of the
available positions
Select GRAPH (press then F3 )
Adjust the window as necessary

Finding the y-intercept:

Press F5: Math
Select 1: Value
Type 0 to enter the x-coordinate as zero and the
corresponding y-coordinate (the y-intercept) will be
calculated

Finding the x-intercepts:

Press F5: Math
Select 2: Zero
Select a lower bound by pressing ENTER
somewhere to the left of the x-intercept
Select an upper bound by pressing ENTER
somewhere to the right of the x-intercept
Repeat the above steps to find the other x-intercept

Finding the coordinates of the turning point:

Press F5: Math
Select 3: Minimum or 4: Maximum depending on
whether the turning point is a minimum or maximum
turning point of the graph
Select a lower bound by pressing ENTER
somewhere to the left of the turning point
Select an upper bound by pressing ENTER
somewhere to the right of the turning point

6
Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1&2 CAS Notes

Solving Simultaneous Linear & Quadratic

Equations

Simultaneous equations can be solved algebraically using

solve( or graphically by finding the point(s) of intersection
of the two graphs.

Algebraically:

Press F2: Algebra

Select 1: Solve
Enter the two equations to be solved separated by
and (found in the CATALOG)
Press comma , and specify the variables that you
wish to solve for as a set (ie {x,y}).
Close the bracket and press ENTER

Graphically:

Enter and sketch the two graphs

Press F5: Math
Select 5: Intersection
Press ENTER twice to select the two graphs
Select a lower bound by pressing ENTER
somewhere to the left of the intersection point
Select an upper bound by pressing ENTER
somewhere to the right of the intersection point

7
Mathematical Methods (CAS) Units 1&2 CAS Notes

Determining Quadratic Rules

It is possible to use the CAS calculator to determine a
quadratic rule given a series of points.

For example:
Determine the rule of the parabola that passes through the
points (0, 2), (25, 15) and (60, 2).

Assume y = ax2 + bx + c
You would then substitute the three points and solve three
simultaneous equations for a, b and c. This can be done
easily with the CAS calculator:

Define the rule:

Press F4: Other and select 1: Define.
Type f(x) = a*x2 + b*x + c and press ENTER.

Substituting and Solving:

Press F2: Algebra and select 1: solve(
Type f(0) = 2 and f(25) = 15 and f(60) = 2, {a,b,c}
and close the solve bracket.

f(0) = 2 substitutes the point (0, 2) into the rule

which will give an equation in a, b and c. Each of
the substitutions results in an equation in a, b and c
and we want to solve these three equations
simultaneously to give values for a, b and c.

Press ENTER and the values of a, b and c are

calculated.
13 156
So the equation is: y = 875 x2 + 175 x + 2.

This process can also be completed with the CAS calculator

in a number of steps without first defining the rule:

Substitute each point:

Type y = ax2 + bx + c | x = 0 and y = 2
(the | means substitute)
Repeat this for all three points

Solving the three equations:

Press F2: Algebra and select 1: solve(
Copy the three equations calculated previously into
the solve command each separated by and
Type comma , and then define the variables you
wish to solve for in curly brackets separated by
commas (ie. {a, b, c}).
Close the solve bracket and press ENTER.