The Real Numbers Sets of Numbers Natural Numbers {1, 2, 3, 4, . . .

Whole Numbers {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, . . .}

Integers {. . . , -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, . . .}

Rational Numbers {| p and q are integers and q 0 }

The set of rational numbers contains all numbers that can be written as fractions, or quotients of integers. Integers are also rational numbers since they can be represented as fractions. All decimals that repeat or terminate belong to the set of rational numbers. The following are all rational numbers:

, -, 1, -5 =, 0 =, 0.125 =, 0.6666 . . . = Irrational Numbers {x | x is real but not rational }

The irrational numbers are nonrepeating, nonterminating decimals. They cannot be represented as the quotient of two integers. The following are all irrational numbers:

p,,Real Numbers {x | x corresponds to a point on the number line }

The set of real numbers consists of all the rational numbers together with all the irrational numbers.

Example

Given set A = {, -, 0, 2.9, -5, 4, -, , -7, p }, list all the elements of A that belong to the set of : a) natural numbers, b) whole numbers, c) integers, d) rational numbers, e) irrational numbers, and f) real numbers.

a) 4

b) 0, 4

c) 0, -5, 4

d), 0, 2.9, -5, 4, -, -7

e) -, , p

f) all elements of A are real numbers

Order of Operations

1. Perform operations in grouping symbols (parentheses, brackets, braces, or fraction bars). Start with the innermost and work outward.

2. Calculate powers and roots, working from left to right.

3. Perform multiplication and division in order from left to right.

4. Perform addition and subtraction in order from left to right.

Example

Use order of operations to evaluate:

a) 6(-5) (-3)(2)

b)

c) -9 {6 2[12 (8 15)] 4}

Solution:

a) 6(-5) (-3)(2) = 6(-5) (-3)(16) No grouping symbols; power calculated first

= -30 (-48) Multiplication performed

= -30 + 48 Subtraction changed to addition

= 18 Addition performed

b) Begin by simplifying the numerator and denominator of fraction.

= Calculate powers first

= Perform multiplications

= Perform additions and subtractions

= Simplify

c) -9 {6 2[12 (8 15)] 4} = -9 {6 2[12 (-7)] 4} Start with innermost grouping symbol, parentheses, and subtract

= -9 {6 2[19] 4} Working outward, perform subtraction in brackets

= -9 {6 38 4} Within braces, multiply

= -9 {-36} Within braces, subtract

= -9 + 36 Change subtraction to addition

= 27 Add

Properties of the Real Numbers

For all real numbers a, b, and c:

1. Commutative Property for Addition: a + b = b + a

2. Commutative Property for Multiplication: ab = ba

The commutative properties state that two numbers may be added or multiplied in any order.

3. Associative Property for Addition: a + (b + c) = (a + b) + c

4. Association Property for Multiplication: a(bc) = (ab)c

For the associative properties, the order of the terms or factors remains the same; only the grouping is changed.

5. Identity Property for Addition: There is a unique real number, 0, such that a + 0 = a and 0 + a = a

The identity property for addition tells us that adding 0 to any number will not change the number.

6. Identity Property for Multiplication: There is a unique real number, 1, such that a1 = a and 1a = a

The identity property for multiplication tells us that multiplying any number by 1 will not change the number.

7. Inverse Property for Addition: Each nonzero real number a has a unique additive inverse, represented by a, such that

a + (-a) = 0 and a + a = 0

Additive inverses are called opposites.

8. Inverse Property for Multiplication: Each nonzero real number a has unique multiplicative inverse, represented by , such that and

Multiplicative inverses are called reciprocals.

9. Distributive Property: a(b + c) = ab + ac

Example

Identify the property illustrated in each statement:

a) (x + 7) + 8 = x + (7 + 8)

b) 4x + 0 = 4x

c) 10 (x) = (10 )x

d) (x+ 1) = 1

e) 4(x + 5) = 4x + 20

f) 3 (5 a) = 3 (a 5)

g) -6x + 6x = 0

h) (2 + y) + 5 = 5 + (2 + y)

i) (y + 5)(y 3) = (y 3)(y + 5)

j) 5 1 = 5

Solution:

a) Associative Property for Addition. Order of terms remains the same. Only the grouping changes.

b) Identity Property for Addition. Adding zero to something does not change it.

c) Associative Property for Multiplication. Order of factors is the same. Only the grouping changes.

d) Inverse Property for Multiplication. The product of reciprocals is 1.

e) Distributive Property.

f) Commutative Property for Multiplication. Order of the factors is changed.

g) Inverse Property for Addition. The sum of opposites is 0.

h) Commutative Property for Addition. The order of the terms is changed.

i) Commutative Property for Multiplication. The order of the factors is changed.

j) Identity Property for Multiplication. Multiplying a number by 1 does not change it.

Return to College Algebra: Table of Contents

Exponents Definition of a: If n is any positive integer and a is any real number, a= a a aaa where the factor a occurs n times.

Definition of a: For any nonzero real number a, a = 1.

Definition of a: If a is a nonzero real number and n is any integer, then a=

Definition of a: If n is an even positive integer, and if a>0, then a is the positive real

number whose nth power is a. That is, (a) = a.

If n is an odd positive integer, and if a is any real number, then a is

the positive or negative real number whose nth power is a. That is,

(a) = a.

Definition of a: For all integers m, all positive integers n, and all real numbers a for

which ais a real number, a= (a)

Example

Evaluate: a) 3 b) -2 c) (-5) d) (7x) e) -9 f) (-5) g) 2 h) 81

i) (-32)

Solution:

a) 3= 3333 = 81

b) -2 = -222222 = -64

c) (-5) = (-5)(-5)(-5) = -125

d) (7x) = 1

e) -9 = -1

f) (-5) = = =

g) 2 = = =

h) 81 = (81) = 3 = 27 since

i) (-32) = = = = (-32) = -2 since (-2)= -32

Rules of Exponents

For all rational numbers r and s, and for all positive numbers a and b:

Example

Use rules of exponents to simplify each expression. Write answers without negative exponents. Assume that all variables represent nonzero real numbers.

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

Solution:

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

If a is a real number, n is a positive integer, and is a real number, then

If a is a real number, n is a positive integer, and is a real number, then

Example

Evaluate each root: a) b) c) - d) e) -

f)

Solution:

a) = 3 since 3= 81

b) = -2 since (-2)= -8

c) - since

d) is not a real number. There is no real number that when raised to the 4th

power is equal to a negative number.

e) since 2= 64

f) since

Rules for Radicals

For all real numbers a and b, and positive integers m and n for which the indicated roots are real numbers,

A radical expression is simplified when the following conditions are satisfied.

1. All possible factors have been removed from the radicand.

2. There is no fraction in the radicand.

3. There are no radicals in the denominator.

4. The index of the radical is reduced.

Rationalizing the denominator

1. If the denominator is a monomial, multiply both the numerator and denominator by the same radical so that the resulting denominator is rational (contains no radical).

For example,

2. If the denominator is a binomial, multiply both the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the denominator. For example:

Example

Simplify each radical expression. Assume that all variables represent positive real numbers.

a) b) c) d) e)

f) g) h) i)

Solution:

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

g)

h)

i)

Example

Rationalize the denominator of the radical expression. Assume that all variables represent nonnegative numbers and that no denominators are zero.

a) b)

Solution:

a)

b)

Polynomials

A term is an algebraic expression that is either a constant or a product of a constant and one or more variables raised to whole-number powers.

Examples of terms include: 9x, 2xy, 5

A polynomial is a finite sum of one or more terms. Examples of polynomials are:

The degree of a term is the sum of the exponents of its variables. The degree of a nonzero constant is zero. For example, 2x has degree 6; has degree 7; has degree 6 (s=s)

The degree of a polynomial is the highest degree of any of its terms. For example,

has degree 5; has degree 14 (7+5+2=14)

A trinomial is a polynomial containing exactly three terms.

A binomial is a polynomial containing exactly two terms.

A monomial is a polynomial containing exactly one term.

Polynomials are added by adding coefficients of like terms.

Polynomials are subtracted by subtracting coefficients of like terms.

Example.

a) Add:

b) Subtract:

Solution:

a)

b)

To multiply polynomials, multiply each term of one polynomial by each term of the other polynomial and then combine like terms.

Special Products

(x + y)(x y) = x - y

(x + y) = x + 2xy + y

(x y) = x - 2xy + y

The FOIL Method

When multiplying two binomials, the letters of FOIL can help you remember which terms are multiplied to complete the product.

F firsts Multiply the first terms of the binomials

O outers Multiply the outer terms of the binomials

I inners Multiply the inner terms of the binomials

L lasts Multiply the last terms of the binomials

For example, F O I L

(2x 1)(3x + 5) = (2x)(3x) + (2x)(5) + (-1)(3x) + (-1)(5)

= 6x + 10x 3x 5

= 6x+ 7x 5

Example.

Multiply: a) (2x 3)(x + 3x 5)

b) (3x + 5)(3x 5)

c) (5x 6)(4x + 3)

d) (x + 3)

e) (7x 4)

Solution:

a) (2x 3)(x+ 3x 5) = 2x(x+ 3x 5) 3(x + 3x 5)

= 2x(x) + 2x(3x) + 2x(-5) 3(x) 3(3x) 3(-5)

= 2x + 6x - 10x 3x - 9x + 15

= 2x + 3x - 19x + 15

b) (3x + 5)(3x 5) = (3x) - 5 Special Product: (x+y)(x-y) = x - y

= 9x - 25

FOIL

c) (5x 6)(4x + 3) = (5x)(4x) + (5x)(3) + (-6)(4x) + (-6)(3)

= 20x + 15x 24x - 18

= 20x - 9x 18

d) (x + 3) = x + 2(x)(3) + 3 Special Product: (x+y)= x+2xy+y

= x + 6x + 9

e) (7x 4) = (7x) - 2(7x)(4) + 4 Special Product: (x-y) = x- 2xy + y

= 49x - 56x + 16