IES ALBALAT

Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

UNIT 3

0.

EQUATIONS, SIMULTANEOUS
AND INEQUALITIES

AIMS AND KEYWORDS

This unit will show you how to:

Use letters to represent unknown numbers in algebraic expressions

Solve linear and quadratic equations

Solve biquadratic, rational and irrational equations.

Solve linear and non linear simultaneous equations

Solve linear and quadratic inequalities

Write equations and inequalities in order to solve everyday life problems

Keywords
Variable

Degree

Solution

Factor

Solve an equation

Rational equations

Roots

Irrational equations

Linear equation

Simultaneous equations

Quadratic equation

Inequalities

Biquadratic equation

Intervals

Polynomial equation

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 25

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

I.

REVIEW

An equation is an algebraic statement that is only true for a limited number of values the letters
take. The letters are called unknowns.
Example: 2 x 1 5 , that is only true when x = 3, x is an unknown.
(Dont misunderstand equation an identity. An identity is an algebraic statement that is true whatever
values the letters take (two different ways of writing the same thing) Example: 3x 9 3( x 3) )
The solution of an equation is the set of values which, when substituted for unknowns, make the
equation a true statement. Each value of the solution is called root of the equation
Example: 3x 2 10 . The solution of this equation is x 4 .
Proof: 3(4) 2 12 2 10
Solve an equation is to find its solution/s or conclude that it doesnt have any.
LINEAR EQUATIONS
A first-degree equation is called a linear equation.
The highest exponent of a linear equation is 1.
The standard form for a linear equation is:

ax b c

where

a, b, c

and

a0

Example:
a) 3x 2 10 . The solution of this equation is x 4
b) 4 x 6 4( x 3) 4 x 6 4 x 12 0 x 18 0 18

This

equation

has

no

solution.
c) 4 x 6 4( x 2) 2 4 x 8 4 x 6 0 x 0 0 0

It is an identity (the

equation is true for all the values of x)

d)

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 26

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

QUADRATIC EQUATIONS
A second-degree equation is called a quadratic equation.
The highest exponent of a quadratic equation is 2.
The standard form for a quadratic equation is:

ax 2 bx c 0

where

a, b, c

and

a0

To solve the quadratic equations we use this formula:

Number of solutions
The number of roots of a quadratic equations depends on sign of the number inside the root,

b 2 4ac .
This number is called discriminant , which is represent by .
Discriminant b 4ac
2

When b 4ac 0 , you will get two different solutions

When b 4ac 0 , you will get one double solution

2
2

When b 4ac 0 , the equation will have NO solutions.

Sometimes you can find an incomplete quadratic equations:
Example:
2

25
25
5
x

4
4
2

4 x 2 25 0 4 x 2 25 x 2

x 0

4 x 25 x 0 x(4 x 25) 0
25
* 4 x 25 0 x

(*) KEY. If the product of two factors is zero, at least one of them is equal to zero
That point is very useful to solve factorise equations (see polynomial equations)
BIQUADRATIC EQUATIONS
Biquadratic equations are quartic equations with no odd-degree terms:
The standard form of the biquadratic equations is

ax 4 bx 2 c 0

where

a, b, c

and

a0

y x
To solve these kind of equations we do the change 2
and solve the new quadratic equation.
4

y x

Finally you only have to undo the change.

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 27

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

Example:
2

y x
x 4x 3 0 2 4

y x
4

y2 4y 3 0 y

4 16 12 4 2 y 3

2
2
y 1

Undo the change.

If y 3 x 3 x 3
2

If y 1 x 1 x 1 1
2

The same procedure can be used to solve the equations of the type:

ax 6 bx 3 c 0

ax 8 bx 4 c 0

In general ax

2n

bx n c 0

POLYNOMIAL EQUATIONS
In general, to solve a polynomial equation P( x) 0 , where P(x) is a polynomial with degree greater
than 2, factorise the polynomial P(x) (extracting common factor, using Ruffinis rule) and use the null
factor law

If the product of two or more factors is zero, at least one of them is equal to zero
Example:

x 1 0 x 1

3
2
2 x 15 x 4 x 21 0 ( x 1)(2 x 3)( x 7) 0 2 x 3 0 x
2

x 7 0 x 7

II.

MORE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EQUATIONS

There are a great variaty of equations: polynomial, rational, irrational, exponential, logarithmic, etc.
In this unit we will study polynomial, rational and irrational equations. Exponential and logarithmic
equations will be studied in the 2nd term.
RATIONAL EQUATIONS
Rational equations are equations in which the variable appears in the denominator.
The standard form of the rational equations is

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

P( x)
0
Q( x)

Page 28

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

Steps for solving a rational equation

1.
2.
3.
4.

Find out the least common multiple (LCM) of the denominators

Multiply each side of the equation by LCM of the denominators.
Solve the equation
Check if the solution obtained verify the original equation (dont annulled any denominator).

Example: Solve the rational equation

1
2 2 5x
2
x 3 x x 3x

LCM x( x 3)

x
x3
2 5x

x( x 3) x( x 3) x( x 3)

x 2( x 3) 2 5x
x 2 x 6 2 5x

x2

Finally, we check if the solution obtained verify the original equation

1
2 2 5 2
2
2 3 2 2 3 2

1
8
4 8
TRUE
1

5
10
5
10
1
2 2 5x
2
x 2 is the solution of the original equation
x 3 x x 3x
KEY FACT The problem will be if the solution x 2 annuls any denominator of the original equation.
IRRATIONAL EQUATIONS
The irrational equations or radical equations, are those with the unknown value under the radical sign.

Steps for solving a irrational equation

1.
2.
3.
4.

Isolate a radical in one of the two members and pass the other terms to the other member.
Square both members.
Solve the equation obtained.
Check if the solutions obtained verify the initial equation.
Keep in mind that when you square both members of the equation you can be introducing some
roots
5. If the equation has several radicals, repeat the first two phases of the process to remove all of them.
Example:

25 x 2 x 2 x 1

Isolate the radical in one member

Square both members

25 x 2 x 1

25 x x 1
2

25 x 2 x 2 2 x 1
x 3
x 4

Solve the equation 2 x 2 2 x 24 0 x 2 x 12 0

Check the solutions in the original equation.
If x 3

25 32 3 2 3 1 16 3 6 1 4 3 7 Thats correct, x 3 is a solution of

the equation

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 29

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

If x 4

25 (4) 2 (4) 2(4) 1 9 4 8 1 3 4 7 IMPOSSIBLE. x 4

isnt a solution of the equation

III.

SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS

Simultaneous equations are a set of equations containing multiple variables. This set is often
referred to as a system of equations.
Solving simultaneous equations means finding the values of the variables that make all the
equations true at the same time
In this unit, you will review systems of two linear equations in two variables and you will study how
to solve systems of no linear equations.
LINEAR SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
The standard form for a system of two linear equation in two variables is:

Example:

ax by c

a x by c

3x 2 y 1
. A system of two linear equations in two variables
2x y 3

Remember the three methods for solving systems of linear equations that you studied last year:
substitution, equalization and elimination.
Have a look the examples of page 66 to remember how to solve this kind of systems.
NON LINEAR SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
This kind of systems contains different types of equations as quadratic, rational, irrational equations.

x y x 2

2x y 3

The methods to solve non linear simultaneous equations are the same as the methods we use to
solve linear systems, but the most useful method for these systems is substitution method (Work out
the value of an unknown in one of the equations, preferably in an linear equation, and then
substitute in the other equation)
Look at the examples of page 68.
Example:

KEY FACT

x 2 y 3
.
2 x y 3

xy 8

2 x y 3

When you are solving non linear simultaneous equations you will probably solve
rational or irrational equations. REMEMBER TO CHECK THE SOLUTIONS

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 30

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 31

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

IV.

INEQUALITIES

An inequality is an algebraic inequality in which two members are linked by one these signs:

<

less than

less than or equal to

>

greater than

greater than or equal to

2x 1 7
2x 1 7
2x 1 7
2x 1 7

Be careful, dont misunderstand inequality with inequation ( )

"Solving'' an inequality means finding all of its solutions.
The solution' of an inequality is the set of real number which verify the inequality (that means, when
substituted for the variable makes a true statement)
The solutions of an inequality can be expressed by intervals.
The rules to manipulate inequalities are almost the same as the rules to manipulate equations.
You may add any positive or negative number to both sides of an inequality.

2x 1 7

2x 1 1 7 1

2x 8

You may multiply or divide both sides of an inequality by any positive number.

2x 8

2 x : 2 8 : 2

x4

Watchout! If you multiply or divide both sides of an inequality by a negative number,

changes the direction of the inequality sign!

x4

x(1) 4(1)

x 4

LINEAR INEQUALITIES
Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 32

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

To solve linear inequalities, follow the same steps as to solve linear equations (be careful with the
last property of the inequalities)

QUADRATIC INEQUALITIES
To solve quadratic inequalities
1. Put the inequality in its standard form ax 2 bx c 0 (or the corresponding symbol >, , )
2. Solve the quadratic equation.
3. Represent the roots of the quadratic equation in the real line, and take one point of each
interval and evaluate the sign in each
4. The solution is composed by the intervals (or the interval) that have the same sign as the
polynomial.
Example: x 2 6 x 8 0

x 4
Solve the quadratic equation. x 2 6 x 8 0
x 2
Represent the roots in the real line

The solution of x 2 6 x 8 0 are the intervals that have the same as the polynomial.

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 33

IES ALBALAT
Departamento de Matemticas
Jorge Moreno de Vega Haro
Curso 2013-2014

SYSTEM OF INEQUALITIES (ONE VARIABLE)

To solve a system of inequalities, solve each inequality separately. The solution of the system is
the set of values which are solution of both inequalities (that is, the common solutions).
Example:

Unit 3 Equations and inequalities

Page 34