Topic: Linear Equations and Inequalities
Subtopic: Solving Linear Equations
Overview
Solving linear equations is one of the most important topics in the entire course especially since the next course concentrates on solving a variety of more complicated equations naturally extending the linear ones studied here. Practice a variety of problems especially those that contain fractions and decimals. Be sure to study the "no solution" and "all solution" special cases too.
Objectives
By the end of this topic you should know and be prepared to be tested on:
- 2.1.1 Solve linear equations isolating the x using the "undo property"
- 2.1.2 Solve for x involved in: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractional coefficients
- 2.1.3 Solve for x involved in a combination of operations
- 2.1.4 Solve for x by simplifying first and then isolating
- 2.1.5 Recognize and solve equations that are one of the two "special cases" (no solution, all solutions)
- 2.1.6 Algebraically convert repeating decimal
fraction
Terminology
Define: linear vs. nonlinear
Text Notes
Text:
Intro & Inter Algebra for CS 3ed by Blitzer, sect. 2.1-2.3
- ch 2.1-2.2 each introduce a single property for solving simple linear equations. Ch 2.3 puts those properties together to solve more complicated linear equations in a multi-step process. Ch 2.3 pulls together collecting like terms, the distributive law, simplifying expressions, and solving equations.
- ch 2.3 pg 129-130 The text defines a "contradiction" (an equation that has no solution a.k.a. an "inconsistent equation"), an "identity" (an equation that is true for all real numbers, i.e. has an infinite number of solutions), and a "conditional equation" (which has a finite number of solutions, in fact just one solution when it is a linear conditional equation). I won't use these formal terms, but I do want you to be able to recognize how many solutions an equation has (none, one, two, ..., an infinite number). I prefer to refer to the two "special cases" as "no solution" equations and "all solution" equations. However, MyMathLab of course adopts the text's terminology. I will share examples of each "special case" equation and how to determine if it is no or all solutions in class.