Bit of help with me helping my son do algebra please!!

Will look at that link later and thanks.... last quick question, then i know how to do all of the questions/ check his answers.

...e
- __ +2=10
...3
Not sure how to make "minus, e divided by 3" into 8??

Thanks again!

(Full Stops inserted as it wont format correctly otherwise)
 
Last edited:
if you use the method i posted above then you cant go wrong. you just remove parts one by one by applying the opposites to each side


so for that one you need to times both sides by the -3 to remove it. so e = 8 x -3
 
zootfloot said:
Algebra is the devil.

I still cannot do it at all, and i have tried believe me.

I always seemed to get into an argument with my teachers/lecturers about it, i would say that its not really relevant and could they give me at least one "real world" use for it, they would always falter and fail to come up with a use that satisfied me.



*I am not saying Algebra has no use, obviously it does or it wouldnt be taught*
Click to expand...

You buy 4 apples for £1.

4 apples = 1 pound

4a = 1

a = 1/4

each apple is 25p, everyday maths - you just don't realise!

:p
 
:D Some maths I can still do!

One of the, ahem, elder blokes at work came to our coridoor last week to see the Director but as he was busy the bloke decided to come and quiz me (19yo gap year) and one of the graduates on Maths.
Despite us both having done Maths A-Level (heck I only did it last academic year) neither of us could remember the quadratic formula, let alone anything proper!


One thing about that last question though, call me sad and geeky, but I don't like them using "e" in algebra... because whenever I see it I'd just assume they mean e (2.71828182845904523536 etc).
 
Algebra is easy, well this type is anyway. Don't ask me to do anything more complex. GCSE level is fine, anything above always went a bit over my head
 
He multiplied both sides by negative 1. I find it harder to understand that way, I would have kept the negative with the 3.

So

-(e/3) = 8

becomes:

e = 8 * -3
 
Cheers gord, that makes much more sense. It looked to me as if the negative had jumped sides which lost me!

So:

-(e/3) + 2 = 10

-(e/3) + 2 - 2 = 10 - 2

-(e/3) = 8

e = 8 * -3 = -24

.:

e = -24
 
Exactly, then if you want to check your answer plug it back in to the original equation. Quadratics next!
 
Nix said:
Cheers gord, that makes much more sense. It looked to me as if the negative had jumped sides which lost me!

So:

-(e/3) + 2 = 10

-(e/3) + 2 - 2 = 10 - 2

-(e/3) = 8

e = 8 * -3 = -24

.:

e = -24
Click to expand...

The negative effectively does jump sides, but it only does it because you multiply both sides by -1.

if you have x = y, then the following applies:
(-1) * x = (-1) * y
-x = -y

In the earlier example, let x = -e/3 and y = 8
so, -e/3 = 8
-1 * (-e/3) = -8
(-1 * -e)/3 = -8
e/3 = -8
e = -24

Of course you can use which ever method you find easier.
 
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