Home: Algebra 1: Notes Back

Variables and Expressions

Variables: symbols used to represent unknown numbers and variables.
Algebraic Expression: string consisting of one or more numbers and variables along with one or more arithmetic operations.
Factors: quantities that multiply to form a product.
Product: result of multiplication

Example 1: Write an algebraic expression for each verbal expression.
A. Five less than a number c


B. 9 plus the product of 2 and the number 1


C. Two-thirds of the original volume V






x² - this is called a power
  Read: "x to the 2nd power"
  x is called the base
  n (2 in this case) is called the exponent     The exponent indicates the number of times the base is used as a factor.

2^5 = 2 * 2 * 2 * 2 * 2
There are five twos because the exponent is 5

Evaluate: To find the numerical value of an expression.

Example 2: Write each expression algebraically
A. the product of 3/4 and a to the seventh power


B. the sum of 11 and x to the third power.





Evaluate each expression
A. 3^4;



B. 8²





Homework: p8 #1, 12-38 even, 50-57 all

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