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A way to simplify an algebraic expression is to use the distributive property of multiplication and addition: For all numbers a, b, c we have (b + c)a = ba + ca. Distribution is the process of going from left to right and simplication is the process of going from right to left. For example 5(x + 2) = 5(x) + 5(2) = 5x + 10, (12 3p) = (1)(1) + (1)(3p) = 1 + 3p. Addition (or subtraction) separates dierent parts of an algebraic expression into parts, called terms. For example the algebraic expression 5x + 8 contains two terms, 5x and 8. A term can be a number, a variable, a product of variables, or a number times one or more variables. For example the expression (3) b2 4ac

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contains the terms b2 and 4ac. In a term that contains a number multiplied by one or more variables, that number is called the coecent. For example in equation (3) the coecient of the variable ac in the term 4ac is 4. The remaining part of the term is called the variable part. For example, in the term 5x the coefcient is 5 and the variable part is x. if the coecient in a term is 1 we usually omit it, so we write x rather than 1x. Like (or similar) terms are terms in an expression with the same variable part. Any numbers in an expression are called constants and are considered to be like terms as they can be thought of as the coecient of a variable x raised to the power 0:

5 = 5x0.

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DAVID PASK

like terms 2, 3, 4 10p2, 25p2, 100p2 4x, 7x

unlike terms 3, 4x, bc 15p, 23p2 4x, 3y

Notice that coecients dont play a role in likeness. We simplify an expression by combining like terms and then using the distributive property. For example 3x + 4x = (3 + 4)x = 7x 3x + 4y = 3x + 4y 7p 8p2 12p + 25p2 = (7 12)p + (8 + 25)p2 = 5p + 17p2. We solve equations by using the rules of equals discussed earlier. to solve an equation for x we write it as x = something not involving x

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where the right hand side is preferably a number. For example

2x = 10 2x 10 = by the rules of = 2 2 x = 5 by simplication.

and

2x + 6 = 10 2x + 6 6 = 10 6 by the rules of = 2x = 4 by simplication 2x 4 = by the rules of = 2 2 x = 2 simplication.

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DAVID PASK

Sometimes we have to simplify expressions in order to solve equations

3(k + 1) 5k = 0 3k + 3 5k = 0 distribution rule (3 5)k + 3 = 0 like terms 2k + 3 = 0 simplication 2k 2k + 3 = 0 + 2k rule of = (2 2)k + 3 = 2k simplication 3 = 2k simplication 1 1 3 = 2k rules of = 2 2 3 = k simplication. 2

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and 3x 15 = 4x + 36 3x + 3x 15 = 4x + 36 3x rules of = (3 + 3)x 15 = (4 3)x + 36 like terms 15 = x + 36 simplication 36 15 = x + 36 36 rules of = 51 = x simplication. Formulas. A formula is an equation that is used to state the relationship between two or more variables. For example, for a triangle if A is the area, b is the base length and h is the perpendicular height then these variables are related by the formula 1 A = bh. 2 When money is deposited in a bank, the depositor is paid for the banks use of their money this payment is called interest. On the other hand if money is borrowed the lender expects to be paid back the amount of the loan plus an

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additional charge for the banks loss of use of the loaned money this charge is also called interest. Interest is calculated in two ways: simple or compound. For simple interest (such as a term deposit) the interest I paid to the depositor paid for a principal P dollars for a period T units of time (called the term) with an interest rate r per unit time is I = P rT For example a couple invests $15, 000 for 1 year in a term deposit and received an interest cheque for $1125 what was the rate of interest per year? Let r denote the interest rate per year, then 1125 = 15000 r 1 so 1 1125 = r hence 15000 0.075 = r 7.5% = r

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Hence the interest rate was 7.5% per year. The formula which represents the relationship between the temprature F in Fahrenheit to the temperature C in Celcius is 5(F 32) . C= 9 If the temperature in celcius 40 what us the temperature in Fahrenheit? Here we have C = 40 then and we must use the above formula to compute the value of F ? 5(F 32) 40 = and so 9 40 9 = 5(F 32) hence 360 = 5F 32 5 and adding 160 to both sides we get 360 + 160 = 5F 160 + 160 or 200 = 5F dividing both sides by 5 we get 1 200 = F in other words 5 40 = F.

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DAVID PASK

Hence the temperature in Fahrenheit is also 40. More on rates. If we know the average rate (speed) at which we will be travelling, then we can nd the distance we have travelled using the formula Distance = Speed Time. Let d =distance, s =speed and t =time then we have the formula d = st. Migrating whales swim for 20 hours per day and cover 140 kilometres per day. Estimate the average swimming rate (speed) of the whales in kilometres per hour. Let s be the average swimming rate then 140 = s 20 so that 1 s = 140 = 7. 20

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Hence the average swimming rate of the whales is 7 Kilometres per hour. Working with formulas. (i) Solving formulas: Recall that the area A of a triangle with base b and perpendicular height h is 1 (4) A = bh. 2 Suppose we wish to nd the bases b of certain triangles whose area A and height h we know, then to make this problem easier we may solve the equation (4) for b to get 1 2 A = 2 bh 2 2A = bh dividing through by h gives 2A =b h Hence we may compute the bases using the formula b = 2A . h

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(ii) Substituting formulas: Suppose that we know that the height h (in millimetres) of a certain nontoxic uid in a thermometer varies with the temperature C in celcius according to the formula (5) h = 15 + 9C. What is the relationship between the height h and the temperature F in Fahrenheit? We know that 5 C = (32 F ) 9 Since this equation is solved for C we may use it to substitute into (5) to get 5 h = 15 + 9 (F 32) 9 h = 15 + 5(F 32) h = 15 + 5F 160 h = 5F 145. Recall that the relationship between the interest I paid on a term deposit with

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principal P over a time T units with interest rate r per unit is I = P rT . Solving this equation for r we have I . r= PT Hence if we know that I = 100, P = 1000, T = 10 then 100 1 r= = = 0.01. 1000 10 100 Hence the interest rate is 1%. (iii) Mixing problems: A store sells bluegrass seeds for $6 per kilo and ryegrass seeds for $3 per kilo. How much ryegrass seed must be mixed with 100 kilos of bluegrass seed so that it will sell for $5 per kilo? Let x be the number of kilos of ryegrass seed then the cost of the mixture will be x 3 + 100 6 = 3x + 600. The weight of the mixture will be 100 + x kilograms, and if it sells at $5 per kilo it

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will cost 5(x + 100). Hence we have the equation 600 + 3x = 5(x + 100). Solving the equation we have 600 + 3x = 5x + 500 600 500 = 5x 3x 100 = 2x 100 =x 2 50 = x. Hence we must add 50 kilos of ryegrass seed to the mix. A store sells regular coee beans for $4 per kilo and gourmet coee beans for $7 per kilo. To get rid of 40 kilos of gourmet coee a shopkeeper makes a blend to put on sale at $5 per kilo. How many kilos of regular coee beans must they use? Let x denote the number of kilos of regular coee beans used in the mixture. Then

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the cost of the mixture will be x 4 + 40 7 = 4x + 280. The weight of the mixture will be 40 + x kilograms and will therefore cost (40 + x) 5 = 200 + 5x dollars. Hence we have the equation 4x + 280 = 200 + 5x 280 200 = 5x 4x 80 = x. Hence we need to use 80 kilos of regular coee beans. A person has a choice of two investment plans: insured fund returning 11% per annum risky fund returning 13% per annum. If the same amount is invested in each fund then the return on the risky fund is $150 per annum greater than the return

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on the insured fund. How much money was to be invested? Let x denote the sum of money to be invested. Then insured fund returns 11% x = 0.11x risky fund returns 13% x = 0.13x. From the given information we know that 0.13x 0.11x = 150 0.02x = 150 1 x = 150 = 7500. 0.02 Hence the intended investment was $7500. Two trains were 330 kilometres apart. Their speed dier by 20 kilometres per hour. Find the speed that each train is travelling if they are travelling towards each other and meet in 3 hours. Let the speed of the slower train A be x kilometres per hour and the speed of train B be x + 20 kilometres per hour. In time

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t hours Train A travels = xt kilometres Train B travels = (x + 20)t kilometres The total distance travelled by both trains in t hours is xt + (x + 20)t = 2xt + 20t. When t = 3 we know this distance must be 330 kilometres. Hence 2x(3) + 20(3) = 330 6x + 60 = 330 6x = 330 60 6x = 270 1 x = 6 45 = 45. 6 Hence train A is travelling at 45 kilometres per hour and train B is travelling at 65 kilometres per hour.

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