Unit (2)

Algebraic Manipulations

2.1 ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

a
If a number can be expressed in the form , where a and b are integers
b
and b 0, is called a rational number.

a
If an algebraic expression is written in the form , where a and b are
b
algebraic expressions, is called a rational expression or an algebraic fraction.

a 2b x 1 1 3(b  9)
For Example 3 , 3 , and are algebraic fractions.
c x 1 x 1 (b  2)2

a
Note: For a rational expression to be meaningful, it is assumed that the
b
denominator b is not equal to zero.

Worked Example
Simplify the following :

1 2 3 5 5 2 3
(a) + (b) + - (c) +
a b a ab 3a x 1 x  2

Solution:

1 2 b 2a
+ = +
a b ab ab

b  2a
=
ab
12
 3 5 5 3  3b 53 5b
(b) + - = + -
a ab 3a 3ab 3ab 3ab
9b 15 5b
= + -
3ab 3ab 3ab
4b  15
=
3ab
2 3 2( x  2) 3( x  1)
(c) + = +
x 1 x  2 ( x  1) ( x  2) ( x  1) ( x  2)
2x  4  3x  3
=
( x  1) ( x  2)
5x  1
=
( x  1) ( x  2)
Exercise 2.1
1. Simplify the following:
x y a a
(a) + (b) 
2 4 3 5
a 1 a 3a
(c)  (d) a+
3 2 5
a 3a 9a a a 1
(e)   (f) 
2 5 10 3 5
a b a b x 3x
(g) - (h) 
3 5 3 5
3( x  3) 4( x  3) 3 x  2y 4 x  3y
(i)  (j) 
4 5 4 6
3a  2 2(a  2) a  5 2 x  1 3( x  2 ) x4
(k)   (l)  
4 5 4 2 3 4
2 2 1 y
(m)  (n) 
x y xy x

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 2 3 5 4 3
(o)  (p)  
b 4b x xy 4 x
1 1 a 4a  b a  b
(q)  2 (r) 
a a c 3c

2. Simplify the following:

1 2 2 4
(a)  (b) 
x 1 x  3 x  2 x 1
1 2 3 1 2
(c)  (d)  
x3 x4 x  2 x 1 x 1
1 2 2 3
(e)  (f) 
2( x  1) 3(2x  1) 4( x  1) 2( x  2)
2 1 3 1
(g)  (h) 
4( x  1) 6( x  2) 6( x  1) 9( x  1)
3 2 3 2
(i)  (j) 
(3x  1) 7( x  3) 3 x  2 4  6x
a a ab
(k)  (l) a-
a b ab ba
m 1 m m
(m)  (n) 
3m  n 3 mn nm
xy xy ba ba
(o)  (p) 
xy xy b a b a

2.2 Multiplication and Division

Exercise 2.2
1. Simplify the following:

x 2 y 4 x3 a8b6 a3
(a)  (b) 
x5 y 2 y 4 b 4a10 b2

14
 p 6 q7 p 2 q3 t 4u8 u5 t 4
(c)  (d) 
q8p5 p3 q6 t 7u2 t 2u6

x4y6 x5y4 a3b5 a8b6

(e)  2 7 (f) 
x 5 y7 x y b 4 a 6 b 7a 9

a10b8 a2b 4 x 9 y7 x3y2

(g)  6 5 (h) 
b5 a 4 b a x2y4 y3 x 4

p10q7 p0q6 p 5 q6 p 6 q8
(i)  (j) 
p4q6 q7p4 q2p7 p8 q5

2. Simplify the following:

6ab 2ab 2 bc 2 3a3b4 a2b3 3a

(a)   (b)  5  2
4bc 8bc 2 b2c 2 5
ba ba 6b

6 x 2  8 xy 1 9x 2 6xy 3z 2
(c) 2
 xy (d)  
9 y  4 xz 2 xy 9yz 4 x 2z
(3x  2) 8xy 7x  y y  7x
(e) × (f) 2 
12 yz 6x  4 8x y 4yz2

3 ab ab ( 3  2 x )2 2(9  4 x 2 )
(g) 2 2 × (h) 
a b 6b2c 6 y 2z 9 xy

2.3 Fractional Equations

Worked Example
Solve the following equations.
3 1 2 3
(a) = (b) + = 5
x2 2 x2 x2
Solution
3 1
(a) = [LCM of ( x + 2 ) and 2 = 2 (x+2)]
x2 2

15
 3 1
2 (x + 2) × = 2 (x + 2) × [Multiply each term by 2(x+2)]
( x  2) 2
6 = x+2
 x = 6-2 = 4

2 3
(b) + = 5
x2 x2
2 3
(x–2) × + (x-2) × = (x-2) × 5 [multiply each term by (x-2)]
( x  2) ( x  2)
2 + 3 = 5x - 10
15 = 5x
 x = 3
Exercise 2.3
Solve the following equations.
x3 3x  2
1. = 9 2. = 4
2 5

9 6 5
3. = 3 4. =
x x 6
x  13 2 2 1
5. = 6. =
6 3 x2 4

6 2 5 3
7. = 8. =
x3 3 2( x  1) 5

4 2x  5 1
9. = 5 10. =
3(2  x ) 9 3
3x x2 2x 11 x
11. + = 4 12. - =3
5 7 3 5

4x 4  5x 5x 3x  1
13. - =3 14. + = 16
5 3 7 2

16
 x 1 x 1 2x 2 x  1 5
15 + = 16. - =
5 3 5 3 4 6

3x 3  x 1 4x 2x  3 9
17. - = 18. + =
8 4 6 5 4 10

x 2( x  2) 1 x 3(2  x ) 3(3  x ) 5
19. + = - 20. - =
3 4 3 6 4 8 12

2( x  1) 3(2x  1) 1 x 4(2x  1) 2(3  x ) 3 2x

21. - = - 22. + = -
3 5 3 5 5 4 10 5

4 8 12 2
23. = 3 - 24. = 2+
x3 x3 2x  1 2x  1

2.4 ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

Exercise 2.4
3
1. If x is subtracted from both the numerator and denominator of , the result
4
7
is . Find x.
10
7
2. Two consecutive odd numbers are such that of the reciprocal of one is
9
equal to the reciprocal of the other. Find the two odd numbers.
3 1 1
3. The sum of two numbers is 3 . If of the larger number is more than
4 3 2
2
of the smaller, find the numbers.
3
2 3
4. A rectangle has a perimeter of 34 cm. If of its length is equal to of its
3 4
width, find the dimensions of the rectangle.

17
 3 1
5. If of one of the acute angles of a right-angled triangle is 15 º larger than
4 4
1
of the other, find the acute angles.
6
2
6. of a number is 5 less than the original number. Find the square of the
3
number.
13 11
7. The difference of two numbers is . If of the reciprocal of the larger
24 12
5
number is equal to of the reciprocal of the other, find the two numbers.
9
1 1
8. If of the complement of a certain angle is 1º more than of the supplement
2 6
of the angle, find the angle.

9. John bought a total of 70 apples and pears. He paid $ 12 for the apples
and $ 18 for the pears. A pear cost twice as much as an apple. If John
bought x pears, form an equation in x and solve it.
2 3
10. Two cakes A and B weigh 13 kg altogether. of cake A and of cake B
3 4
4
are sold. The remaining part of cake A is kg less than the remaining part
5
of cake B. If cake A weight x kg, form an equation in x and solve it.

18