Skill

in

ALGEBRA

Home

11.  Algebraic expressions

The four operations and their signs.
The function of parentheses.
Terms versus factors.
Powers and exponents.
The order of operations.
Evaluating algebraic expressions.

12.  Signed numbers: Positive and negative

The absolute value and the algebraic sign.
Subtracting a larger number from a smaller.
The number line.
What is an integer?
The negative of any number.

13.  Adding and subtracting signed numbers

"Adding" a negative number.
Naming terms. The rule for adding terms.
Subtracting a negative number.

14.  Multiplying and dividing signed numbers

The Rule of Signs.

15.  Reciprocals and zero

The definition of reciprocals. The definition of division. Rules for 0.

16.  Some rules of algebra

The rule of symmetry. Commutative rules. Inverses.
Two rules for equations.

17.  Removing grouping symbols

Parentheses. Brackets. Braces.
The relationship of  a − b  to  b − a.

18.  Adding like terms

19.  Linear equations

Inverse operations. Transposing.
A logical sequence of statements.

10.  Word problems

11.  Inequalities

12.  Absolute value

13.  Exponents

Adding exponents. Power of a product. Multiplying exponents.

14.  Multiplying out: The distributive rule

15.  Common factor

The definition of a polynomial in x.
Factoring polynomials.
Factoring by grouping. Equations that require factoring.

16.  Multiplying binomials

Quadratic trinomials.

17.  Factoring trinomials

Quadratics in different arguments.

18.  The square of a binomial

Perfect square trinomials.
The square of a trinomial.
Completing the square.
Geometrical algebra.

19.  The difference of two squares

Summary of Multiplying/Factoring.
Factoring by grouping.
Factoring aⁿ ± bⁿ.

20.  Algebraic fractions

Rational expressions. The principle of equivalent fractions. Reducing to lowest terms.

21.  Negative exponents

Subtracting exponents. Exponent 0. Scientific notation.

22.  Multiplying and dividing algebraic fractions

Complex fractions.

23.  Adding algebraic fractions

The Lowest Common Multiple (LCM) of a series of terms.

24.  Equations with fractions

Clearing of fractions.

25.  Word problems that lead to equations with fractions

The whole is equal to the sum of the parts.
Same time problem: Upstream-downstream.
Total time problem. Job problem.

26.  Radicals:  Rational and irrational numbers

Square roots.
Equations x² = a, and the principal square root.
Rationalizing a denominator.
Real numbers.

27.  Simplifying radicals

Fractional radicand.

28.  Multiplying and dividing radicals

Conjugate pairs.

29.  Rational exponents

The index of a radical. Fractional exponent.
 

30.  Complex, or imaginary, numbers

The real and imaginary components. Conjugate pairs.

31.  Rectangular coördinates

Actual versus potential infinities.

32.  The Pythagorean distance formula

The distance of a point from the origin.
The distance between any two points.
A proof of the Pythagorean theorem.

33.  The equation and graph of a straight line

The equation of the first degree and its graph.
Vertical and horizontal lines.

34.  The slope of a straight line

The slope intercept form of the equation of a straight line. The general form.
Parallel and perpendicular lines.
The point-slope formula. The two-point formula.

35.  Simultaneous linear equations

The method of addition. The method of substitution. Cramer's Rule: The method of determinants.
Three equations in three unknowns.

36.  Word problems that lead to simultaneous equations

Investment problems. Mixture problems.
Upstream-downstream problems.

37.  Quadratic equations

The roots of a quadratic. Solution by factoring. Completing the square. The quadratic formula.
The graph of a quadratic: A parabola.

38.  Logarithms

Definition. The three laws of logarithms.
Common logarithms.

39.  Variation

Direct variation. The constant of proportionality.
Varies as the square. Varies inversely. Varies as the inverse square.