Algebra - The Very Basics
By Metin Bektas
5/5
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About this ebook
If you're looking for a gentle introduction to basic mathematics, look no further. This book picks you up at the very beginning and guides you through the foundations of algebra using lots of examples and no-nonsense explanations. Each chapter contains well-chosen exercises as well as all the solutions. No prior knowledge is required.
Topics include: Exponents, Brackets, Linear Equations and Quadratic Equations. For a more detailed table of contents use the "Look Inside" feature. From the author of "Great Formulas Explained" and "Physics! In Quantities and Examples".
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Reviews for Algebra - The Very Basics
6 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This was a lovely, tidy little review. It is meant to be short and sweet, going over basic rules and it does so clearly and concisely. Well thought out.
Book preview
Algebra - The Very Basics - Metin Bektas
Table of Contents
1. Exponents
1.1. Motivation
1.2. The Fine Print
1.3. Exponential Identities
1.3.1. First and Second Law
1.3.2. Third Law
1.3.3. Fourth and Fifth Law
1.4. Lump it Together
1.5. At a Glance
1.6. Exercises
Solutions to Chapter 1 – Exponents
2. Brackets
2.1. Motivation
2.2. Brackets with Signs
2.3. Brackets with Factors
2.4. Multiplication of Two Brackets
2.5. Binomial Formulas
2.6. At a Glance
2.7. Exercises
Solutions to Chapter 2 - Brackets
3. Linear Equations
3.1. Motivation
3.2. What is an Equation?
3.3. Equivalence Transformations
3.4. Solving Linear Equations
3.5. Application
3.6. At a Glance
3.7. Exercises
Solutions to Chapter 3 - Linear Equations
4. Quadratic Equations
4.1. Motivation
4.2. Definition
4.3. Solving Quadratic Equations
4.4. Sometimes There's A Short-Cut
4.4.1. Special Case b = 0
4.4.2. Special Case c = 0
4.5. At a Glance
4.6. Exercises
Solutions to Chapter 4 - Quadratic Equations
5. Appendix
5.1. Don't Give Up
5.2. Copyright and Disclaimer
5.3. Request to the Reader
Algebra - The Very Basics
1. Exponents
1.1. Motivation
Identities involving exponents are part of the foundation of mathematics. Accordingly, the reader should study them carefully and in great detail. Most of what will follow, in this book and in math courses in school, requires knowledge of these identities. Knowing them will enable you to go through calculations with confidence and to prevent mistakes when solving problems.
1.2. The Fine Print
Before we get to the identities, let's have a look at the fine print
. These are conventions that you will need in order to understand and apply exponentiation rules. Let's start with the obvious. Whenever we write x, we refer to x to the power of one:
For example: 2¹ = 2, which you can easily check using a calculator. Since you always need to know the exponents when applying the identities, this piece of information will be helpful later on.
Just as important, but less obvious, is the following piece of information. Every number (except zero) to the power of zero is equal to one:
Again, you can easily check this with a calculator. Since we now know what x⁰ and x¹ mean, let's turn to other exponents. You get x² when you multiply a number x by itself:
In a similar fashion you arrive at x³ when multiplying a number x by itself three times.
We can generalize this approach. To calculate x to the power of n, we multiply a number x by itself n-times.