CHAPTER 6

INTRODUCTION TO ALGEBRA
 CONTENT
• Objectives Algebraic Expressions
• A Brief History about Algebra • Addition of Algebraic
• Introduction Expressions
• Algebraic Expressions • Subtraction of Algebraic
Expressions
• Activity 1
• Evaluation of Algebraic
• Terms - Like and Unlike Terms
Expressions
• Variables and Constants • Activity 2
• Coefficients • Summary
• Rules of Operations of
 OBJECTIVES
To enable students to:
• Understand the language of algebra (use of
letters of the alphabets to represent numbers).
• Understand Variables.
• Differentiate between Variables & Constants.
• Form an algebraic expression.
• Identify the like and unlike terms.
 OBJECTIVES
To enable students to:
• Know the number of terms in an algebraic expressions.
• Substitute numbers for letters of the alphabet in expressions and
formula.
• Find out the addition of algebraic expressions by horizontal and
column method.
• Find out the subtraction of algebraic expressions by horizontal
and column method.
• Evaluate the algebraic expressions by substituting the given value.
 A BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT ALGEBRA
• Algebra began its journey as a branch of Mathematics around 1550 BC (around 5500
years ago) with people in Egypt using symbols to denote unknown numbers.

• The word ‘algebra’ is derived from the title of the book ‘Algebar W’al-almugatalah’
written about 825AD by an Arab mathematician Mohammed Ibn Musa Al Khwarizmi of
Baghdad.

• Indian mathematician Aryabhatta is said to have introduced Algebra in India.

• The first person to develop algebraic method of problem solving was the French
mathematician Francois Viete. He is also called the “Father of Algebra”.
 WHAT IS ALGEBRA?

• The part of the mathematics in which letters

and other general symbols are used to
represent numbers and quantities in formulae
and equations.
6+ q = 10

q=4

Can you solve?

2+ x = 10
x=8

So letters in Maths are just missing numbers.

When letters of alphabet represent numbers, they are

called Literal Numbers.
 Try this yourself!
Use algebra to write:
1) 2 less than x x–2
2) 4 more than d d + 4
3) 6 together with a a + 6
4) y more than g y+g
5) z less than q q-z
6) m less than 5 5-m
 WHAT IS ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION?
• A combination of numbers, literal numbers and the
fundamental operations is called an Algebraic
Expression.

Example:

5x + 3y – 4  5x, 3y and 4 are the parts separated by the

symbols (+) and (-) signs.
 ACTIVITY - 1

• How many sweets are in this bag?

n
We don’t know!

We have to call it ‘n’ for any number! n

•How many sweets are here??

n n n

•3 bags of n and 2 more!

•We write this as

3n + 2
Now, write the expression for the number of sweets in the picture
given below.

n n

n n

n n

Ans  6n + 5
PARTS OF AN ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION

 
 Term
3 𝑥 −2 𝑦 +7
What is a Term?
Parts of an algebraic expression separated by the symbols (+) and (-) are
called the Terms of an algebraic expression.
 TERMS

LIKE TERMS UNLIKE TERMS

Terms having the same variables. Terms having different variables.

Examples  Examples 
4x, 7x , -2x 7x , -5y , 5x2
They have the same variable ‘x’ and therefore are They have different variables (such as x,y,x2) and
like terms. therefore are unlike terms.
 Variables

3 𝑥 −2 𝑦 +7
What is a Variable?
A variable is a symbol which represents a quantity that can change.
 Constant
3 𝑥 −2 𝑦 +7
What is a Constant?
A quantity which does not change its value is called Constant.
 Coefficients
3 𝑥 −2 𝑦 +7
What is a Coefficient?
The number that is multiplied by the variable is called Coefficient.
• For the expression: 7x + 3y – 9

Name:
1. a term
2. the constant
3. a coefficient
4. a variable
• For the expression: 7x + 3y – 9

Name:
1. a term 7x or 3y or -9
2. the constant -9
3. a coefficient 7 or 3
4. a variable x or y
 NAMES OF
ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS
OPERATIONS ON ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

• Two or more terms can only

be added or subtracted if
they are like terms.

• Unlike terms cannot be

added or subtracted.
 ADDITION OF ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

Jack has some toys, we do not know how many toys he has….

so we can say ‘Jack has x toys’

If Jack buys 6 more toys, how many toys has he now got?

x+6
 ADDITION OF MONOMIALS
Like Terms
Example:
Add 5x, 4x and 3x

5x + 4x + 3x = (5+4+3)x (Adding numerical coefficient

of each monomial)
= 12x
 ADDITION OF MONOMIALS
Unlike Terms
Example:
Add 4x, 2y, -y and 3x

4x + 2y + (-y) + 3x We have unlike terms

= (4x + 3x) + (2y – y) Regrouping like terms

= 7x + y
 ADDITION OF BINOMIALS

• Two ways to solve addition of algebraic expressions:-

1. Horizontal Method:

2. Column Method:
 1. HORIZONTAL METHOD
In this method, all expressions are written in a horizontal line and then the
terms are arranged to collect all the groups of like terms and then added.
Example:
(3x2 + 5x – 3) + (x2 – 5x + 1)
= 3x2 + 5x – 3 + x2 – 5x + 1 (remove the brackets, identify the
like terms)
= 3x2 + x2 + 5x – 5x – 3 + 1 (group the like terms together)
= 4x2 + 0 - 2
= 4x2 – 2 (Ans.)
 2. COLUMN METHOD
In this method each expression is written in a separate row such
that there like terms are arranged one below the other in a
column. Then the addition of terms is done column wise.
Example :-
SUBTRACTION OF ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

Ram catches x fish.

Bharat takes 3 away from him.

How many fish does Ram now have?

x–3
 SUBTRACTION OF ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

The steps for subtraction of algebraic expressions are:

1. Arrange the terms of the given expression in the same order.

2. Write the given expressions in such a way that the like terms occur
one below the other, keeping the subtracted in the second row.

3. Change the sign of each term in the lower row from + to – and – to
+.

4. With new signs of the terms of lower row, add column wise.
 Example of Subtraction
(2x2 + 2y2 - 6)  from  (3x2 - 7y2 + 9)

1. Horizontal Method 2. Column Method

(3x2 – 7y2 + 9) - (2x2 + 2y2 - 6)

= 3x2 – 7y2 + 9 - 2x2 - 2y2 + 6
= (3x2 - 2x2) + (– 7y2 - 2y2) + (9 + 6)
= x2 – 9y2 + 15
 TRY IT YOURSELF !
1) 4a – 5a2 + 2a + 3a2 = 6a – 2a2

2) 5a + 2b – 10a – 3b = - 5a –b

3) 3y – 4x – 5y + x = - 3x-2y

4) -4x + 7x – 10x =
2 2 7x -14x2

5) r + 2r – 7r – 7r – 2r =
2 2 2 -13r2
 EVALUATION OF ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

Example:
• Evaluate means to find
What is the value of x + 4
the value of an when x = 2?
x=2
algebraic expression by
x+4
substituting numbers in =2+4
for variables. =6
If Radha was born in 2002. You can find out what year Radha
will turn 18 by adding the year she was born to her age.

In this case, if we add 18 to add to 2002,

2002 + 18 = 2020

Similarly, x can be Radha’s age. Therefore, Radha turns x year

old and the expression is given by,
2002 + x.
 Evaluate the expression for the given value of the variable:
4x – 3 for x = 2.

4x – 3 for x = 2.

4(2) – 3 Substitute for x

=8–3 Multiply
=5 Subtract
 Try It Yourself!

1. Evaluate x + 4 for each value of x.

A. x = 14
B. x = 83.

2. The expression 7d gives the number of days in d weeks.

Calculate the number of days in 52 weeks.
1. Evaluate x + 4 for each 1. Evaluate x + 4 for each
value of x. value of x.
A. x = 14 B. x = 83.

x = 14 x = 83
x+4 x+4
= 14 + 4 = 83 + 4
= 18 = 87
2. The expression 7d gives the number of days in d weeks.
Calculate the number of days in 52 weeks?
The expression is given by 7d.
In this case, d = 52
7d
= 7(52)
= 364
 ACTIVITY - 2

1. Think of a number

2. Multiply it by 2

3. Add 10 to the number

4. Divide total by 2

5. Subtract number you picked from total

 The Answer will be 5 !!!!

Step 1  Let the number be x.

Step 2  If it is multiplied by 2 => 2x
Step 3  Add 10 to the number => 2x + 10
Step 4  Divide total by 2 => = x + 5
Step 5  Subtract number you picked (i.e. x) from
total => x + 5 – x = 5
 SUMMARY
1. The letters which are used to represent numbers
are called Literal Numbers or Literals.
2. Literal numbers obey all the properties
regarding the operation of addition,
subtraction, multiplication or division.
3. Constant is a quantity which does not change its
value.
4. Variable is a quantity which changes its value.
 SUMMARY
5. Algebraic Expression is a combination of numbers, literal
numbers and fundamental questions.
6. Parts of an algebraic expression separated by the symbols
(+) and (-) are called the terms.
7. Terms having same variables are called Like Terms and
terms having different variables are called Unlike Terms.
8. For addition and subtraction of algebraic expression only
like terms are to be added or subtracted in both
horizontal and column method.
MIND MAPPING DIAGRAM
Thank
You!