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ALGEBRA: EXPRESSIONS AND EVALUATION (Chapter 8)

In this chapter we discover how to build up algebraic expressions. We will use symbols to
represent numbers of physical quantities.

OPENING PROBLEM
Cassi picks S strawberries and places them
into n punnets, which are small open boxes.
She places the same number of strawberries
in each punnet and there are 4 left over.
How can we write this information in
algebraic form?

BUILDING EXPRESSIONS

Suppose we have some cups

and some nails . We can place a certain number of nails

into each cup, then write expressions for the total number of nails present.
Example 1

Self Tutor

Suppose we have 3 cups with nails in them plus 2 nails

left over.

Find how many nails are present if:

a Lucy has put 5 nails into each cup
c Larry has put c nails into each cup.

b Li has put 8 nails into each cup

a If Lucy has put 5 nails into each cup, then there are 3 5 + 2 nails.
b If Li has put 8 nails into each cup, then there are 3 8 + 2 nails.
c If Larry has put c nails into each cup, then there are 3 c + 2 = 3c + 2 nails.
In the following exercise you should find that:
Algebraic expressions can be evaluated or have their values calculated if the value of
the variable is known.
Algebraic expressions with the same value can be written in different ways, and
therefore at least one of them can be simplified.

EXERCISE 8A.1
1 Suppose we have 2 cups with nails
in them plus 5 nails left over.
Find how many nails are present if Kelly has put in each cup:
a 3 nails

b 4 nails

c b nails

d p nails.

ALGEBRA: EXPRESSIONS AND EVALUATION (Chapter 8)

159

2 Suppose we have 4 cups with nails in

them plus 3 nails left over.
Find how many nails are present if Mike has put in each cup:
a 2 nails

b 5 nails

c a nails

d n nails.

3 Suppose we have b bags which contain some apples. Find how many apples are present
if each bag contains:
a x apples and there are 3 left over

b y apples and there are 4 left over

c t apples and there are 7 left over

d m apples and there are n left over.

Example 2

Self Tutor

Suppose we have two cups each containing c nails. Represent the following groupings
algebraically:
a

What equal expressions can be made from these different groupings?

a (c + 2) + (c + 3)

b (c + 1) + (c + 4)

c (2c + 1) + 4

As the total number of nails in each case is the same,

(c + 2) + (c + 3) = (c + 1) + (c + 4) = (2c + 1) + 4 = 2c + 5:

a Write algebraic expressions for the following, assuming there are n nails in each
cup:
i
ii
iii
b Write down a set of equal expressions to represent the situation in a.

5 For each of the following diagrams find three different ways of representing the total
number of nails present. Assume that there are c nails in each cup.
a

6 Without drawing pictures of cups and nails, which of these are true statements?
a (c + 3) + (c + 2) = 2c + 5

b (2c + 1) + (c + 4) = 3c + 5

c (c + 4) + (c + 4) = 2c + 8

d 3(c + 2) = 3c + 5

7 Suppose we have 4 cups and 7 nails:

a If there are n nails in each cup, what expression represents the total number of nails?
b Find the total number of nails present if: i n = 3 ii n = 10 iii n = 25.

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ALGEBRA: EXPRESSIONS AND EVALUATION (Chapter 8)

Example 3

Evaluate 3c + 7 for:

Self Tutor
a c=4

a If c = 4 then
3c + 7
=34+7
= 12 + 7
= 19

Evaluate means
find the value of.

b c = 10

b If c = 10 then
3c + 7
= 3 10 + 7
= 30 + 7
= 37

8 Evaluate:
a 2w + 5 when w = 4
c 5y 6 when y = 2

b 3z + 4 when z = 3
d 2y 8 when y = 10

e 17 4a when a = 1
g 3(k + 2) when k = 5

f 12 4b when b = 3
h 4(h 5) when h = 9

i 2x + 7 when x = 30

j 5y 6 when y = 4

Example 4

Self Tutor

By drawing diagrams, write simpler algebraic expressions for:

a 3c + 2c

b 3c + 2 + 2c + 4

c 2(2c + 3)

We let each cup contain c nails.

a 3c + 2c can be represented by:

In total there are 5 cups of c nails, so 3c + 2c = 5c.

b 3c + 2 + 2c + 4 can be represented by:

In total there are 5 cups of c nails plus another 6 nails,

so 3c + 2 + 2c + 4 = 5c + 6
c 2(2c + 3) is 2 lots of (2c + 3) or 2c + 3 + 2c + 3
+
In total there are 4 cups of c nails plus another 6 nails, so 2(2c + 3) = 4c + 6

9 By drawing diagrams, write simpler algebraic expressions for:

a 2c + c
e 2(c + 4)

b 5c + 2c
f c+1+c+2

c c+c+2
g 3(c + 2)

d 2c + 1 + c + 3
h 4(c + 1)

ALGEBRA: EXPRESSIONS AND EVALUATION (Chapter 8)

Example 5

161

Self Tutor

By drawing diagrams, write simpler algebraic expressions for:

a 5c 2c

b 4c + 3 2c 1

c (3c + 4) (c + 1)

Let c represent the number of nails in a cup.

a 5c 2c is

which is 3c.

So, 5c 2c = 3c.
b 4c + 3 2c 1 is

which is 2c + 2.

So, 4c + 3 2c 1 = 2c + 2.
c (3c + 4) (c + 1) is

which is 2c + 3.

So, (3c + 4) (c + 1) = 2c + 3

10 By drawing diagrams if necessary, write simpler algebraic expressions for:

a 4c 3c
d 5c + 3 2c
g (4c + 3) (c + 2)

b 5c c
e 4c + 5 c 1
h (3c + 4) (2c + 3)

c 3c 3c
f 3c + 5 2c 3
i (7c + 4) (3c + 2)

11 Match equivalent expressions in the following:

a 3(p + 4)
b 7p
A 3p + 4p
C 7p + 7
c 2(3 + 4p)
d p+5+p+5
E 3p + 12
e 6p + 6
f 7(p + 1)

B 2(p + 5)
D 8p + 6
F p + 2 + 5p + 4

EXPRESSIONS WITH TWO VARIABLES

So far we have considered expressions containing only one unknown quantity or variable.
We now consider expressions with two different variables. In order for expressions to be
equal for all values of the variables, the numbers of each of the variables must be the same
in both expressions.
In the following drawings:

represents 1 button:
represents c buttons in a cup
represents e buttons in an envelope.