Math Case

Webster wouldn't be the perfect text book for mathematical words and their meanings. Perhaps I will instruct you on a several algebra vocabulary meanings. An algebraic expression is pretty much any mathematical calculation mingling numbers and, or variables using operations. Expressions importantly do not use the equal sign (=) or inequalities (>, <, >, <). Some expression can be very long, and mathematicians like things simplified, so when dealing with expressions it is best to simplify it! An algebraic equation is similar to an algebraic expression although the only big difference is that it uses the equal sign or inequalities. In algebraic equations you simplify and solve the equation, or the unknown. To solve a linear equation think of the acronym PEMDAS: parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition and subtraction. When I look at an easy linear equation I first see if there are parentheses to isolate. Then I combine like terms, the variables with variables and numbers with numbers. The next step I isolate the variables to both sides of the equal sign, either it is subtraction, addition, multiplication or division. Finally, I plug in my answer for the variable and check to see if my answer is correct. Now be careful because multiplication properties applied to inequalities are different to multiplication properties. In inequalities when you isolate a negative number times a variable then the inequality sign flips in the other direction. The multiplication properties don't have an equal sign that changes. The method of writing a solution set for an equation or for an inequality using interval notation is drawing a number line, and to note that brackets mean that the set of number or numbers are equal to that number or numbers, the parentheses mean that the set of numbers or number are not equal to that set of numbers or number. Hopefully this mathematical vocabulary lesson was successful and less of a hassle to look up some phrases in Webster.

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