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Advanced Algebra II: Activities and Homework
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How to Use Advanced Algebra II
Over a period of time, I have developed a set of in-class assignments,
homeworks, and lesson plans, that work for me and for other people who have
tried them. If I give you the in-class assignments and the homeworks, but not
the lesson plans, you only have ⅔ of the story; and it may not make sense
without the other third. So instead, I am giving you everything: the in-class
assignments and the homeworks (the Homework and Activities book), the detailed
explanations of all the concepts (the Conceptual Explanations book), and the lesson
plans (the Teacher's Guide). Once you read them over, you will know exactly
what I have done.
Homework and Activities
The Homework and Activities book is the main text of Advanced Algebra II. It
consists of a series of worksheets, some of which are intended to be used in class
as group activities, and some intended to be used as homework assignments.
Conceptual Explanations
The Conceptual Explanations book serves as a complement to the activities portion
of the course. It is intended for students to read on their own to refresh or clarify
what they learned in class.
Teacher's Guide
The Teacher’s Guide is not an answer key for the homework problems: rather, it is
a day-by-day guide to help the teacher understand how the author envisions the
materials being used.
Instructors should note that this book probably contains more information than
you will be able to cover in a single school year. I myself do not teach from every
chapter in my own classes, but have chosen to include these additional materials
to assist you in meeting your own needs. As you will likely need to cut some
sections from the book, I strongly recommend that you spend time early on to
determine which modules are most important for your state requirements and
personal teaching style.
Please also note that these materials are all available at no cost on the Connexions
website (http://cnx.org/). Instructors wishing to modify or customize these
texts to meet their needs are free to do so under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution license, and can take advantage of the Connexions
platform to remix and publish these derivative works. You can also use the site
to rate these books and/or provide feedback.
I hope you enjoy using Advanced Algebra II.
Advanced Algebra II: Activities and
Homework
By:
Kenny Felder
Advanced Algebra II: Activities and
Homework
By:
Kenny Felder
Online:
<http://cnx.org/content/col10686/1.3/ >
CONNEXIONS
Rice University, Houston, Texas
©2008 Kenny Felder
This selection and arrangement of content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Table of Contents
The Philosophical Introduction No One Reads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1 Functions
1.1 The Function Game: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 The Function Game: Leader's Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 The Function Game: Answer Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Homework: The Function Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.5 Homework: Functions in the Real World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.6 Algebraic Generalizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.7 Homework: Algebraic Generalizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.8 Homework: Graphing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.9 Horizontal and Vertical Permutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.10 Homework: Horizontal and Vertical Permutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.11 Sample Test: Function I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.12 Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
1.13 Homework: Graphing Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
1.14 Composite Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
1.15 Homework: Composite Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
1.16 Inverse Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
1.17 Homework: Inverse Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
1.18 TAPPS Exercise: How Do I Solve That For y? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
1.19 Sample Test: Functions II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
2 Inequalities and Absolute Values
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Homework: Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Inequality Word Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Absolute Value Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Homework: Absolute Value Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Absolute Value Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Homework: Absolute Value Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Homework: Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Sample Test: Inequalities and Absolute Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
3 Simultaneous Equations
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
Distance, Rate, and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Homework: Simultaneous Equations by Graphing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Simultaneous Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Homework: Simultaneous Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
The Generic Simultaneous Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Sample Test: 2 Equations and 2 Unknowns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
4 Quadratics
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
Multiplying Binomials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Homework: Multiplying Binomials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Factoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Homework: Factoring Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
iv
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
4.11
4.12
4.13
4.14
4.15
4.16
4.17
4.18
4.19
Introduction to Quadratic Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Homework: Introduction to Quadratic Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Completing the Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Homework: Completing the Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
The Generic Quadratic Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Homework: Solving Quadratic Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Sample Test: Quadratic Equations I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Graphing Quadratic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Graphing Quadratic Functions II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Homework: Graphing Quadratic Functions II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Homework: Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Quadratic Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Homework: Quadratic Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Sample Test: Quadratics II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
5 Exponents
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
Rules of Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Homework: Rules of Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Extending the Idea of Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Homework: Extending the Idea of Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Fractional Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Homework: Fractional Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Real Life Exponential Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Homework: Real life exponential curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Sample Test: Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
6 Logarithms
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
Introduction to Logarithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Homework: Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Properties of Logarithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Homework: Properties of Logarithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Using the Laws of Logarithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
So What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Homework: What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Sample Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
7 Rational Expressions
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
Rational Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Homework: Rational Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Rational Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Homework: Rational Expressions and Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Dividing Polynomials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Sample Test: Rational Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
8 Radicals
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
Radicals (aka* Roots) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Radicals and Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Some Very Important Generalizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Simplifying Radicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
v
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
8.9
8.10
Homework: Radicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Homework: A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Radical Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Homework: Radical Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Sample Test: Radicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
9 Imaginary Numbers
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
Imaginary Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Homework: Imaginary Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Complex Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Homework: Complex Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Me, Myself, and the Square Root of i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
The Many Merry Cube Roots of -1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Homework: Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Sample Test: Complex Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
10 Matrices
10.1 Introduction to Matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
10.2 Homework: Introduction to Matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
10.3 Multiplying Matrices I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
10.4 Homework: Multiplying Matrices I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
10.5 Multiplying Matrices II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
10.6 Homework: Multiplying Matrices II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
10.7 The Identity and Inverse Matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
10.8 Homework: The Identity and Inverse Matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
10.9 The Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
10.10 Using Matrices for Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
10.11 Homework: Using Matrices for Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
10.12 Sample Test : Matrices I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
10.13 Homework: Calculators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
10.14 Homework: Determinants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
10.15 Solving Linear Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
10.16 Homework: Solving Linear Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
10.17 Sample Test: Matrices II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
11 Modeling Data with Functions
11.1
11.2
11.3
11.4
11.5
11.6
11.7
Direct Variation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Homework: Inverse Variation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Homework: Direct and Inverse Variation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
From Data Points to Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Homework: From Data Points to Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Homework: Calculator Regression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Sample Test: Modeling Data with Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12 Conics
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
??
Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Homework: Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
All the Points Equidistant from a Given Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Homework: Circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
vi
12.5
12.6
12.7
12.8
12.9
12.10
12.11
12.12
12.13
12.14
All the Points Equidistant from a Point and a Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Homework: Vertical and Horizontal Parabolas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Parabolas: From Denition to Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Sample Test: Distance, Circles, and Parabolas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Distance to this point plus distance to that point is constant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Homework: Ellipses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
The Ellipse: From Denition to Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Distance to this point minus distance to that point is constant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Homework: Hyperbolas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Sample Test: Conics 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
13 Sequences and Series
13.1
13.2
13.3
13.4
13.5
13.6
Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Homework: Series and Series Notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Homework: Proof by Induction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Sample Test: Sequences and Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
14 Probability
14.1
14.2
14.3
14.4
14.5
14.6
14.7
14.8
How Many Groups? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Homework: Tree Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Introduction to Probability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Homework: The Multiplication Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Homework: Trickier Probability Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Homework: Permutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Homework: Permutations and Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Sample Test: Probability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Attributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
The Philosophical Introduction No One
Reads
1
(*but it's real short so please read it anyway)
Welcome to Advanced Algebra II at Raleigh Charter High School! There are three keys to succeeding in
this math class.
1. Do the homework
2. Ask questions in class if you don't understand anything.
3. Focus on
understanding, not just doing the problem right. (Hint: you understand something
when you say Gosh, that makes sense! I should have thought of that myself !)
Here's how it works. The teacher gets up and explains something, and you listen, and it makes sense, and
you get it. You work a few problems in class. Then you go home, stare at a problem that looks exactly like
the one the teacher put up on the board, and realize you have no idea how to do it. How did that happen?
It looked so simple when the teacher did it! Hmm. . ..
So, you dig through your notes, or the book, or you call your friend, or you just try something, and
you try something else, and eventually. . .ta-da! You get the answer! Hooray! Now, you have learned the
concept. You didn't learn it in class, you learned it when you gured out how to do it.
Or, let's rewind time a bit. You dig through your notes, you just try something, and eventually. . .nothing.
You still can't get it.
That's OK! Come in the next day and say I couldn't get it. This time, when the
experience: So that's why I couldn't get it to
teacher explains how to do it, you will have that Aha!
work!
Either way, you win. But if you don't do the homework, then even if the teacher explains the exact same
thing in class the next day, it won't help. . .any more than it helped the previous day.
The materials in this course-pack were originally developed for Mr. Felder's Advanced Algebra II classes
in the 2001-2002 school year. Every single student in those classes got an A or a B on the North Carolina
End of Course test at the end of the year. You can too! Do your homework, ask questions in class, and
always keep your focus on real understanding. The rest will take care of itself.
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19111/1.2/>.
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2
Chapter 1
Functions
1.1 The Function Game: Introduction
1
Each group has three people. Designate one person as the Leader and one person as the Recorder. (These
roles will rotate through all three people.) At any given time, the Leader is looking at a sheet with a list of
functions, or formulas; the Recorder is looking at the answer sheet. Here's how it works.
•
•
•
•
•
•
One of the two players who is
not the Leader says a number.
The Leader does the formula (silently), comes up with another number, and says it.
The Recorder writes down both numbers, in parentheses, separated by a comma. (Like a point.)
Keep doing this until someone guesses the formula. (If someone guesses incorrectly, just keep going.)
The Recorder now writes down the formulanot in words, but as an algebraic function.
Then, move on to the next function.
Sound confusing? It's actually pretty easy. Suppose the rst formula was Add ve. One player says 4
and the Leader says 9. One player says -2 and the Leader says 3. One player says 0 and the Leader
says 5. One player says You're adding ve and the Leader says Correct. At this point, the Recorder
has written down the following:
1.
-
Points:
(4, 9) (−2, 3) (0, 5)
x+5
Answer:
Sometimes there is no possible answer for a particular number.
For instance, your function is take the
square root and someone gives you 4. Well, you can't take the square root of a negative number: 4 is
not in your domain, meaning the set of numbers you are allowed to work on. So you respond that 4 is not
in my domain.
Leader,
do not ever give away the answer!!! But everyone, feel free to ask the teacher if you need
help.
2
1.2 The Function Game: Leader's Sheet
Only the leader should look at this sheet. Leader, use a separate sheet to cover up all the
functions below the one you are doing right now. That way, when the roles rotate, you will
only have seen the ones you've done.
1. Double the number, then add six.
1 This
2 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19125/1.1/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19126/1.1/>.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
4
2. Add three to the number, then double.
3. Multiply the number by 1, then add three.
4. Subtract one from the number. Then, compute one
divided by your answer.
5. Divide the number by two.
6. No matter what number you are given, always answer 3.
7. Square the number, then subtract four.
8. Cube the number.
9. Add two to the number. Also, subtract two from the original number.
Multiply these two answers.
10. Take the square root of the number. Round up to the nearest integer.
11. Add one to the number, then square.
12. Square the number, then add 1.
13. Give back the same number you were given.
14. Cube the number. Then subtract the original number from that answer.
15. Give back the
lowest prime number that is greater than or equal to the number.
16. If you are given an odd number, respond 1. If you are given an even number, respond 2. (Fractions
are not in the domain of this function.)
1.3 The Function Game: Answer Sheet
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
3 This
3
Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer Points Answer content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19124/1.1/>.
5
16.
Points Answer -
4
1.4 Homework: The Function Game
Exercise 1.1
Describe in words what a
variable is, and what a function is.
There are seven functions below (numbered #2-8). For each function,
•
•
Write the same function in algebraic notation.
Generate three points from that function.
For instance, if the function were Add ve the algebraic notation would be x + 5. The three points might
be
(2, 7), (3, 8),
and
(−5, 0).
Exercise 1.2
Triple the number, then subtract six.
a. Algebraic notation:____________________
b. Three points:____________________
Exercise 1.3
Return 4, no matter what.
a. Algebraic notation:____________________
b. Three points:__________________________
Exercise 1.4
Add one. Then take the square root of the result. Then, divide
that result into two.
a. Algebraic notation:____________________
b. Three points:__________________________
Exercise 1.5
Add two to the original number. Subtract two from the original number. Then, multiply those
two answers together.
a. Algebraic notation:____________________
b. Three points:__________________________
Exercise 1.6
Subtract two, then triple.
a. Algebraic notation:____________________
b. Three points:__________________________
Exercise 1.7
Square, then subtract four.
a. Algebraic notation:____________________
b. Three points:__________________________
4 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19121/1.2/>.
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
6
Exercise 1.8
Add three. Then, multiply by four. Then, subtract twelve. Then, divide by the original number.
a. Algebraic notation:____________________
b. Three points:__________________________
Exercise 1.9
In some of the above cases, two functions always give the same answer, even though they are
dierent functions.
We say that these functions are equal to each other.
For instance, the
function add three and then subtract ve is equal to the function subtract two because they
always give the same answer. (Try it, if you don't believe me!) We can write this as:
x+3−5=x−2
Note that this is not an equation you can solve for
all
x
x
it is a generalization which is true for
values. It is a way of indicating that if you do the calculation on the left, and the calculation
on the right, they will always give you the same answer.
In the functions #2-8 above, there are three such pairs of equal functions. Which ones are
they? Write the algebraic equations that state their equalities (like my
x+3−5 = x−2
equation).
Exercise 1.10
Of the following sets of numbers, there is one that could not possibly have been generated by any
function whatsoever. Which set it is, and why? (No credit unless you explain why!)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
(3, 6) (4, 8) (−2, −4)
(6, 9) (2, 9) (−3, 9)
(1, 112) (2, −4) (3, 3)
(3, 4) (3, 9) (4, 10)
(−2, 4) (−1, 1) (0, 0) (1, 1) (2, 4)
1.5 Homework: Functions in the Real World
Exercise 1.11
¢ each.
Laura is selling doughnuts for 35
5
Each customer lls a box with however many doughnuts he
wants, and then brings the box to Laura to pay for them. Let n represent the number of doughnuts
in a box, and let
a.
b.
c.
d.
c
represent the cost of the box (in cents).
If the box has 3 doughnuts, how much does the box cost?
If
c = 245
, how much does the box cost? How many doughnuts does it have?
If a box has n doughnuts, how much does it cost?
Write a function
c (n) that gives the cost of a box, as a function of the number of doughnuts
in the box.
Exercise 1.12
Worth is doing a scientic study of grati in the downstairs boy's room. On the rst day of school,
there is no grati. On the second day, there are two drawings. On the third day, there are four
drawings. He forgets to check on the fourth day, but on the fth day, there are eight drawings. Let
d represent the day, and g represent the number of grati marks that day.
a. Fill in the following table, showing Worth's four data points.
5 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19115/1.2/>.
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d (day)
g (number of grati marks)
Table 1.1
b. If this pattern keeps up, how many grati marks will there be on day 10?
c. If this pattern keeps up, on what day will there be 40 grati marks?
d. Write a function g (d)) that gives the number of grati marks as a function of the day.
Exercise 1.13
Each of the following is a set of points. Next to each one, write yes if that set of points could
have been generated by a function, and no if it could not have been generated by a
function. (You do not have to gure out what the function is. But you may want to try for funI
didn't just make up numbers randomly. . .)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
(1, −1) (3, −3) (−1, −1) (−3, −3) ________
(1, π) (3, π) (9, π) (π, π) ________
(1, 1) (−1, 1) (2, 4) (−2, 4) (3, 9) (−3, 9) ________
(1, 1) (1, −1) (4, 2) (4, −2) (9, 3) (9, −3) ________
(1, 1) (2, 3) (3, 6) (4, 10) ________
Exercise 1.14
f (x) = x2 + 2x + 1
a. f (2) =
b. f (−1)
=
c. f 32 =
d. f (y) =
e. f (spaghetti)
√
f. f ( x)
g. f (f (x))
=
Exercise 1.15
Make up a function that has something to do with
movies.
a. Think of a scenario where there are two numbers, one of which depends on the other. Describe
the scenario, clearly identifying the independent variable and the dependent variable.
b. Write the function that shows how the dependent variable depends on the independent variable.
c. Now, plug in an example number to show how it works.
1.6 Algebraic Generalizations
6
Exercise 1.16
a. Pick a number:_____
b. Add three:_____
c. Subtract three from your answer in part (b):_____
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
8
d. What happened?_________________________________
e. Write an algebraic generalization to represent this rule._____
f. Is there any number for which this rule will not work?_____
Exercise 1.17
a. Pick a number:_____
b. Subtract ve:_____
c. Double your answer in part (b):_____
d. Add ten to your answer in part (c):_____
e. Divide your answer in part (d) by your original number (a):_____
f. Now, repeat that process for three dierent numbers. Record the number you started with
(a) and the number you ended up with (e).
Started With:_____ Ended With:_____ Started With:_____ Ended With:_____ Started With:_____ Ended With:_____ g. What happened?
h. Write an algebraic generalization to represent this rule.
i. Is there any number for which this rule will not work?
Exercise 1.18
Here are the rst six powers of two.
•
•
•
•
•
•
21 = 2
22 = 4
23 = 8
24 = 16
25 = 32
26 = 64
a. If I asked you for 27 (without a calculator), how would you get it? More generally, how do
you always get from one term in this list to the next term?________________
b. Write an algebraic generalization to represent this rule.________________
Exercise 1.19
Look at the following pairs of statements.
• 8 × 8 = 64
• 7 × 9 = 63
• 5 × 5 = 25
• 4 × 6 = 24
9
• 10 × 10 = 100
• 9 × 11 = 99
• 3×3=9
• 2×4=8
a. Based on these pairs, if I told you that
without a calculator) what
29 × 31
30 × 30 = 900,
could you tell me (immediately,
is?________________
b. Express this rulethe pattern in these numbersin words.
c. Whew! That was ugly, wasn't it? Good thing we have math. Write the algebraic generalization for this rule.________________
d. Try out this generalization with negative numbers, with zero, and with fractions.
(Show your work below, trying all three of these cases separately.) Does it always
work, or are there cases where it doesn't?
7
1.7 Homework: Algebraic Generalizations
Exercise 1.20
26 by 2, you get 27 .
x
x+1
that (2 ) (2) = 2
.
In class, we found that if you multiply
We expressed this as a general rule
If you multiply
210
by 2, you get
Now, we're going to make that rule even more general. Suppose I want to multiply
. Well,
2
5
means
2∗2∗2∗2∗2
, and
3
2
means
2∗2∗2
Figure 1.1
23 = 28
a. Using a similar drawing, demonstrate what 103 104 must be.
b. Now, write an algebraic generalization for this rule.________________
Exercise 1.21
The following statements are true.
• 3×4=4×3
• 7 × −3 = −3 × 7
• 1/2 × 8 = 8 × 1/2
7 This
times
23
. So we can write the whole thing out like
this.
25
25
211 .
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19114/1.2/>.
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
10
Write an algebraic generalization for this rule.________________
Exercise 1.22
In class, we talked about the following four pairs of statements.
• 8 × 8 = 64
• 7 × 9 = 63
• 5 × 5 = 25
• 4 × 6 = 24
• 10 × 10 = 100
• 9 × 11 = 99
• 3×3=9
• 2×4=8
a. You made an algebraic generalization about these statements: write that generalization again
below. Now, we are going to generalize it further. Let's focus on the
10 × 10
thing.
10 × 10 =
one away from 10; these numbers are, of course, 9 and
11. As we saw, 9 × 11 is 99. It is one less than 100.
b. Now, suppose we look at the two numbers that are two away from 10? Or three away? Or
four away? We get a sequence like this (ll in all the missing numbers):
100
There are two numbers that are
10 × 10 = 100
9 × 11 = 99
1 away from 10, the product is 1 less than 100
8 × 12 = ____
2 away from 10, the product is ____ less than 100
7 × 13 = ____
3 away from 10, the product is ____ less than 100
__×__=___
__ away from 10, the product is ____ less than 100
__×__=___
__ away from 10, the product is ____ less than 100
Table 1.2
c. Do you see the pattern? What would you expect to be the next sentence in this sequence?
d. Write the algebraic generalization for this rule.
e. Does that generalization work when the ___away from 10 is 0? Is a fraction? Is a negative
number? Test all three cases. (Show your work!)
1.8 Homework: Graphing
8
The following graph shows the temperature throughout the month of March.
Actually, I just made this
graph upthe numbers do not actually reect the temperature throughout the month of March. We're just
pretending, OK?
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11
Figure 1.2
Exercise 1.23
Give a weather report for the month of March, in words.
Exercise 1.24
◦
On what days was the temperature exactly 0 C?
Exercise 1.25
On what days was the temperature below freezing?
Exercise 1.26
On what days was the temperature above freezing?
Exercise 1.27
What is the domain of this graph?
Exercise 1.28
During what time periods was the temperature going up?
Exercise 1.29
During what time periods was the temperature going down?
Exercise 1.30
Mary started a company selling French Fries over the Internet.
For the rst 3 days, while she
worked on the technology, she lost $100 per day. Then she opened for business. People went wild
over her French Fries! She made $200 in one day, $300 the day after that, and $400 the day after
that. The following day she was sued by an angry customer who discovered that Mary had been
using genetically engineered potatoes.
She lost $500 in the lawsuit that day, and closed up her
business. Draw a graph showing Mary's prots as a function of days.
Exercise 1.31
Fill in the following table. Then draw graphs of the functions
y = (x + 3)
2
,
y = 2x
2
, and
y = −x
2
.
y = x2 , y = x2 + 2, y = x2 − 1,
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
12
x
x2
x2 + 2
x2 − 1
(x + 3)
2
2x2
−x2
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
Table 1.3
Now describe in words what happened. . .
a. How did adding 2 to the function change the graph?
b. How did subtracting 1 from the function change the graph?
c. How did adding three to x change the graph?
d. How did doubling the function change the graph?
e. How did multiplying the graph by 1 change the graph?
f. By looking at your graphs, estimate the point of intersection of the graphs
(x + 3)
2
y = x2
and
y =
. What does this point represent?
1.9 Horizontal and Vertical Permutations
9
Exercise 1.32
Standing at the edge of the Bottomless Pit of Despair, you kick a rock o the ledge and it falls
into the pit. The height of the rock is given by the function
you dropped the rock, and
h (t) = −16t
2
h (t) = −16t2 ,
where
t is the time since
is the height of the rock.
a. Fill in the following table.
time (seconds)
0
½
1
1½
2
2½
3
3½
height (feet)
Table 1.4
b. h (0) = 0. What does that tell us about the rock?
c. All the other heights are negative: what does that tell us about the rock?
d. Graph the function h (t). Be sure to carefully label your axes!
Exercise 1.33
Another rock was dropped at the exact same time as the rst rock; but instead of being kicked
from the ground, it was dropped from your hand, 3 feet up. So, as they fall, the second rock is
always three feet higher than the rst rock.
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13
a. Fill in the following table for the second rock.
time (seconds)
½
0
½
1
1
½
2
2
½
3
3
height (feet)
Table 1.5
b. Graph the function h (t) for the new rock. Be sure to carefully label your axes!
c. How does this new function h (t) compare to the old one? That is, if you put them side by
side, what change would you see?
d. The original function was h (t) = −16t2 . What is the new function?
. h (t) =
. (*make sure the function you write actually generates the points in your table!)
e. Does this represent a horizontal permutation or a verticalpermutation?
f. Write a generalization based on this example, of the form: when you do such-and-such
to a function, the graph changes in such-and-such a way.
Exercise 1.34
A third rock was dropped from the exact same place as the rst rock (kicked o the ledge), but it
was dropped
1½ seconds later, and began its fall (at
h = 0)
at that time.
a. Fill in the following table for the third rock.
time (seconds)
0
½
1
1
½
height (feet)
0
0
0
0
2
½
2
3
½
3
4
½
4
5
Table 1.6
b. Graph the function h (t) for the new rock. Be sure to carefully label your axes!
c. How does this new function h (t) compare to the original one? That is, if you put them
side by side, what change would you see?
d. The original function was h (t) = −16t2 . What is the new function?
. h (t) =
. (*make sure the function you write actually generates the points in your table!)
e. Does this represent a horizontal permutation or a vertical permutation?
f. Write a generalization based on this example, of the form: when you do such-and-such
to a function, the graph changes in such-and-such a way.
10
1.10 Homework: Horizontal and Vertical Permutations
Exercise 1.35
In a certain magical bank, your money doubles every year. So if you start with $1, your money
is represented by the function
bank, and
M
M = 2t ,
where
t
is the time (in years) your money has been in the
is the amount of money (in dollars) you have.
Don puts $1 into the bank at the very beginning
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t = 0.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
14
Susan
also puts $1 into the bank when
t = 0.
However, she also has a secret stash of $2 under
her mattress at home. Of course, her $2 stash doesn't grow: so at any given time
t,
she has the
same amount of money that Don has, plus $2 more.
Cheryl, like Don, starts with $1.
After a year (
t = 1)
But during the rst year, she hides it under
she puts it into the bank, where it starts to accrue interest.
a. Fill in the following table to show how much money each person has.
t=0
Don
1
Susan
3
Cheryl
1
t=1 t=2
1
Table 1.7
b. Graph each person's money as a function of time.
Don
Figure 1.3:
M = 2t
t=3
her mattress.
15
Susan
Figure 1.4
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
16
Cheryl
Figure 1.5
c. Below each graph, write the function that gives this person's money as a function of time. Be
sure your function correctly generates the points you gave above! (*For Cheryl, your function
will not accurately represent her money between
t=0
and
t = 1,
represent it thereafter.)
Exercise 1.36
The function
y = f (x)
is dened on the domain
[−4, 4]
as shown below.
but it should accurately
17
Figure 1.6
a.
b.
c.
d.
What is
What is
What is
f (−2)?
f (0)?
f (3)?
(That is, what does this function give you if you give it a
−2?)
The function has three zeros. What are they?
The function
you put into
g (x) is dened by the equation: g (x) = f (x) − 1 .
g (x) , it rst puts that value into f (x) , and then it
e. What is g (−2)?
f. What is g (0)?
g. What is g (3)?
h. Draw y = g (x) next to the
The function
you put into
f (x)
That is to say, for any
x
-value
subtracts 1 from the answer.
drawing above.
h (x) is dened by the equation: h (x) = f (x + 1) . That is to say, for any x -value
h (x) , it rst adds 1 to that value, and then it puts the new x -value into f (x) .
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
18
Figure 1.7
i. What is h (−3)?
j. What is h (−1)?
k. What is h (2)?
l. Draw y = h (x) next to the f (x) drawing to the right.
m. Which of the two permutations above changed the domain of the function?
Which of the two permutations above changed the domain of the function?
Exercise 1.37
On your calculator, graph the function
from 5 to 5, and
y
Y1 = x3 − 13x − 12.
Graph it in a window with
going from 30 to 30.
a. Copy the graph below. Note the three zeros at
x = −3, x = −1,
and
x = 4.
x
going
19
Figure 1.8
b. For what
x-values is the function less than zero?
x3 − 13x − 12 < 0.)
(Or, to put it another way:
solve the
inequality
c. Construct a function that looks exactly like this function, but moved up 10. Graph your new
function on the calculator (as
Y2,
so you can see the two functions together). When you have
a function that works, write your new function below.
d. Construct a function that looks exactly like the original function, but moved 2 units to the
left. When you have a function that works, write your new function below.
e. Construct a function that looks exactly like the original function, but moved down 3 and 1
unit to the right. When you have a function that works, write your new function below.
11
1.11 Sample Test: Function I
Exercise 1.38
½ years younger than his brother David.
Chris is 1
Let
D
represent David's age, and
C
represent
Chris's age.
a. If Chris is fteen years old, how old is David?______
b. Write a function to show how to nd David's age, given Chris's age.
D (C) =______
Exercise 1.39
Sally slips into a broom closet, waves her magic wand, and emerges as. . .the candy bar fairy! Flying
through the window of the classroom, she gives every student two candy bars.
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Then ve candy
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
20
bars oat through the air and land on the teacher's desk. And, as quickly as she appeared, Sally is
gone to do more good in the world.
Let
s
represent the number of students in the class, and
c
represent the total number of candy
bars distributed. Two for each student, and ve for the teacher.
a. Write a function to show how many candy bars Sally gave out, as a function of the number
of students.
c (s) =______
b. Use that function to answer the question: if there were 20 students in the classroom, how
many candy bars were distributed? First represent the question in functional
notationthen answer it. ______
c. Now use the same function to answer the question: if Sally distributed 35 candy bars,
how many students were in the class? First represent the question in functional
notationthen answer it. ______
Exercise 1.40
The function
f (x) =
is Subtract three, then take the square root.
a. Express this function algebraically, instead of in words: f (x) =______
b. Give any three points that could be generated by this function:______
c. What x-values are in the domain of this function?______
Exercise 1.41
The function
y (x)
is Given any number, return 6.
a. Express this function algebraically, instead of in words: y (x) =______
b. Give any three points that could be generated by this function:______
c. What x-values are in the domain of this function?______
Exercise 1.42
z (x) = x2 − 6x + 9
a. z (−1) =______
b. z (0) = ______
c. z (1) =______
d. z (3) =______
e. z (x + 2) =______
f. z (z (x)) =______
Exercise 1.43
Of the following sets of numbers, indicate which ones could possibly have been generated by a
function. All I need is a Yes or Noyou don't have to tell me the function! (But go ahead and
do, if you want to. . .)
a.
b.
c.
d.
(−2, 4) (−1, 1) (0, 0) (1, 1) (2, 4)
(4, −2) (1, −1) (0, 0) (1, 1) (4, 2)
(2, π) (3, π) (4, π) (5, 1)
(π, 2) (π, 3) (π, 4) (1, 5)
Exercise 1.44
Make up a function involving
a. Write the scenario.
music.
Your description should clearly tell mein wordshow one value
depends on another.
21
b. Name, and clearly describe, two variables. Indicate which is dependent and which is
independent.
c. Write a function showing how the dependent variable depends on the independent variable.
If you were explicit enough in parts (a) and (b), I should be able to predict
your answer to part (c) before I read it.
d. Choose a sample number to show how your function works. Explain what the result means.
Exercise 1.45
Here is an algebraic generalization: for any number
x , x2 − 25 = (x + 5) (x − 5).
a. Plug x = 3 into that generalization, and see if it works.
b. 20 × 20 is 400. Given that, and the generalization, can you nd 15 × 25 without a calculator?
(Don't just give me the answer, show how you got it!)
Exercise 1.46
Amy has started a company selling candy bars. Each day, she buys candy bars from the corner
store and sells them to students during lunch. The following graph shows her
prot each day in
March.
Figure 1.9
a. On what days did she break even?
b. On what days did she lose money?
Exercise 1.47
The picture below shows the graph of
right forever.
y=
√
x.
The graph starts at
(0, 0)
and moves up and to the
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
22
Figure 1.10
a. What is the domain of this graph?
b. Write a function that looks exactly the same, except that it starts at the point
(−3, 1) and
moves up-and-right from there.
Exercise 1.48
The following graph represents the graph
y = f (x).
Figure 1.11
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Is it a function? Why or why not?
What are the zeros?
For what
x − values is it positive?
x − values is it negative?
the same function f (x). On
For what
Below is
that same graph, draw the graph of
y = f (x) − 2.
23
Figure 1.12
f. Below is the same function
f (x).
On that same graph, draw the graph of
y = −f (x).
Figure 1.13
Extra credit:
Here is a cool trick for squaring a dicult number, if the number immediately below it is easy to square.
2
2
Suppose I want to nd 31 . That's hard. But it's easy to nd 30 , that's 900. Now, here comes the trick:
add 30, and then add 31. 900
+ 30 + 31 = 961.
That's the answer! 31
2
= 961.
a. Use this trick to nd 412 . (Don't just show me the answer, show me the work!)
b. Write the algebraic generalization that represents this trick.
12
1.12 Lines
Exercise 1.49
You have $150 at the beginning of the year. (Call that day 0.) Every day you make $3.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
24
a.
b.
c.
d.
How much money do you have on day 1?
How much money do you have on day 4?
How much money do you have on day 10?
How much money do you have on day
n?
This gives you a general function for how much
money you have on any given day.
e. How much is that function going up every day? This is the slope of the line.
f. Graph the line.
Exercise 1.50
Your parachute opens when you are 2,000 feet above the ground. (Call this time
t = 0.)
Thereafter,
you fall 30 feet every second. (Note: I don't know anything about skydiving, so these numbers are
probably not realistic!)
a. How high are you after one second?
b. How high are you after ten seconds?
c. How high are you after fty seconds?
d. How high are you after t seconds? This gives you a general formula for your height.
e. How long does it take you to hit the ground?
f. How much altitude are you gaining every second? This is the slope of the line. Because
you are falling, you are actually gaining negative altitude, so the slope is negative.
g. Graph the line.
Exercise 1.51
Make up a word problem like exercises #1 and #2.
dependent variables, as always.
Be very clear about the independent and
Make sure the relationship between them is linear!
general equation and the slope of the line.
Exercise 1.52
Compute the slope of a line that goes from
(1, 3)
to
(6, 18).
Exercise 1.53
For each of the following diagrams, indicate roughly what the slope is.
Figure 1.14: a.
Give the
25
Figure 1.15: b.
Figure 1.16: c.
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
26
Figure 1.17: d.
Figure 1.18: e.
27
Figure 1.19: f.
Exercise 1.54
Now, for each of the following graphs, draw a line with roughly the slope indicated. For instance,
on the rst little graph, draw a line with slope 2.
Figure 1.20: b. Draw a line with slope
m=
−1
2
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
28
Figure 1.21: b. Draw a line with slope
m=
−1
2
Figure 1.22: c. Draw a line with slope m = 1
For problems 7 and 8,
•
•
•
•
•
Solve for
y,
and put the equation in the form
y = mx + b (. . .if
it isn't already in that form)
Identify the slope
Identify the
y -intercept,
and graph it
Use the slope to nd one point other than the
Graph the line
Exercise 1.55
y = 3x − 2
Slope:___________
y -intercept:___________
Other point:___________
Exercise 1.56
2y − x = 4
Equation in
y = mx + b
y -intercept
on the line
29
Slope:___________
n-intercept:___________
Other point:___________
13
1.13 Homework: Graphing Lines
Exercise 1.57
2y + 7x + 3 = 0
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
is the equation for a line.
Put this equation into the slope-intercept form
y = mx + b
slope = ___________
y-intercept = ___________
x-intercept = ___________
Graph it.
Exercise 1.58
The points
(5, 2)
and
(7, 8)
lie on a line.
a. Find the slope of this line
b. Find another point on this line
Exercise 1.59
When you're building a roof, you often talk about the pitch of the roofwhich is a fancy word
that means its slope.
You are building a roof shaped like the following.
The roof is perfectly
symmetrical. The slope of the left-hand side is . In the drawing below, the roof is the two thick
black linesthe ceiling of the house is the dotted line 60' long.
Figure 1.23
a. What is the slope of the right-hand side of the roof ?
b. How high is the roof ? That is, what is the distance from the ceiling of the house, straight up to
the point at the top of the roof ?
c. How long is the roof ? That is, what is the combined length of the two thick black lines in the
drawing above?
Exercise 1.60
y = 3x, explain why 3 is the slope. (Don't just say because it's the m
+ b. Explain why ∆y
∆x will be 3 for any two points on this line, just like we explained
why b is the y-intercept.)
In the equation
y=
mx
class
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in
in
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
30
Exercise 1.61
How do you measure the height of a very tall mountain? You can't just sink a ruler down from
the top to the bottom of the mountain!
So here's one way you could do it. You stand behind a tree, and you move back until you can
look straight over the top of the tree, to the top of the mountain. Then you measure the height
of the tree, the distance from you to the mountain, and the distance from you to the tree. So you
might get results like this.
Figure 1.24
How high is the mountain?
Exercise 1.62
The following table (a relation, remember those?) shows how much money Scrooge McDuck has
been worth every year since 1999.
Year
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Net Worth
$3 Trillion
$4.5 Trillion
$6 Trillion
$7.5 Trillion
$9 Trillion
$10.5 Trillion
Table 1.8
a.
b.
c.
d.
How much is a trillion, anyway?
Graph this relation.
What is the slope of the graph?
How much money can Mr. McDuck earn in 20 years at this rate?
Exercise 1.63
Make up and solve your own word problem using slope.
31
1.14 Composite Functions
14
Exercise 1.64
You are the foreman at the Sesame Street Number Factory.
A huge conveyor belt rolls along,
covered with big plastic numbers for our customers. Your two best employees are Katie and Nicolas.
Both of them stand at their stations by the conveyor belt. Nicolas's job is: whatever number comes
to your station,
add 2 and then multiply by 5, and send out the resulting number. Katie is
subtract 10, and send the result
next on the line. Her job is: whatever number comes to you,
down the line to Sesame Street.
a. Fill in the following table.
This number comes down the line
-5
-3 -1 2 4 6 10
x 2x
Nicolas comes up with this number, and sends it down the line to
Katie
Katie then spits out this number
Table 1.9
b. In a massive downsizing eort, you are going to re Nicolas. Katie is going to take over
both functions (Nicolas's and her own). So you want to give Katie a number, and she
rst does Nicolas's function, and then her own. But now Katie is overworked, so she
comes up with a shortcut: one function she can do, that covers both Nicolas's job and
her own. What does Katie do to each number you give her? (Answer in words.)
Exercise 1.65
Taylor is driving a motorcycle across the country.
Each day he covers 500 miles.
A policeman
started the same place Taylor did, waited a while, and then took o, hoping to catch some illegal
activity. The policeman stops each day exactly ve miles behind Taylor.
Let
d equal the number of days they have been driving. (So after the rst day, d = 1.) Let T be
p equal the number of miles the policeman has driven.
the number of miles Taylor has driven. Let
a. After three days, how far has Taylor gone? ______________
b. How far has the policeman gone? ______________
c. Write a function T (d) that gives the number of miles Taylor has traveled, as a function
of how many days he has been traveling. ______________
d. Write a function
p (T )
that gives the
number of mile the policeman has traveled, as
a function of the distance that Taylor has traveled. ______________
e. Now write the composite function p (T (d)) that gives the number of miles the policeman has traveled, as a function of the number of days he has been traveling.
Exercise 1.66
Rashmi is a honor student by day; but by night, she works as a hit man for the mob. Each month
she gets paid $1000 base,
plus an extra $100 for each person she kills. Of course, she gets paid in
cashall $20 bills.
Let
k
equal the number of people Rashmi kills in a given month. Let m be the amount of money
she is paid that month, in dollars. Let
14 This
b
be the number of $20 bills she gets.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19109/1.1/>.
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
32
a. Write a function
m (k)
that tells how much money Rashmi makes, in a given month, as a
function of the number of people she kills. ______________
b. Write a function
b (m)
that tells how many bills Rashmi gets, in a given month, as a
function of the number of dollars she makes. ______________
c. Write a composite function
b (m (k))b
that gives the number of bills Rashmi gets, as a
function of the number of people she kills.
d. If Rashmi kills 5 men in a month, how many $20 bills does she earn? First, translate
this question into function notationthen solve it for a number.
e. If Rashmi earns 100 $20 bills in a month, how many men did she kill? First, translate
this question into function notationthen solve it for a number.
Exercise 1.67
Make up a problem like exercises #2 and #3. Be sure to take all the right steps: dene the
scenario, dene your variables clearly, and then show the functions that relate the variables.
This is just like the problems we did last week, except that you have to use three variables, related
by a composite function.
Exercise 1.68
f (x) =
√
x+2
.
g (x) = x2 + x
.
a. f (7) = ______________
b. g (7) = ______________
c. f (g (x)) =______________
d. f (f (x)) = ______________
e. g (f (x)) = ______________
f. g (g (x)) = ______________
g. f (g (3)) =______________
Exercise 1.69
h (x) = x − 5. h (i (x)) = x.
Can you nd what function
i (x)
is, to make this happen?
15
1.15 Homework: Composite Functions
Exercise 1.70
An inchworm (exactly one inch long, of course) is crawling up a yardstick (guess how long that is?).
After the rst day, the inchworm's head (let's just assume that's at the front) is at the 3" mark.
After the second day, the inchworm's head is at the 6" mark. After the third day, the inchworm's
head is at the 9" mark.
Let
h
d
equal the number of days the worm has been crawling. (So after the rst day,
be the number of inches the head has gone. Let
t
d = 1.)
Let
be the position of the worm's tail.
a. After 10 days, where is the inchworm's head? ______________
b. Its tail? ______________
c. Write a function h (d) that gives the number of inches the head has traveled, as a function
of how many days the worm has been traveling. ______________
d. Write a function
t (h)
that gives the position of the tail, as a function of the position of
the head. ______________
e. Now write the composite function
t (h (d))
that gives the position of the tail, as a function
of the number of days the worm has been traveling.
15 This
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Exercise 1.71
¢
The price of gas started out at 100 /gallon on the 1st of the month. Every day since then, it has
¢
gone up 2 /gallon. My car takes 10 gallons of gas. (As you might have guessed, these numbers are
all ctional.)
Let
d
equal the date (so the 1st of the month is 1, and so on). Let
of gas, in cents. Let
c
g
equal the price of a gallon
equal the total price required to ll up my car, in cents.
a. Write a function
g (d)
that gives the price of gas on any given day of the month.
______________
b. Write a function
c (g)
that tells how much money it takes to ll up my car, as a function
of the price of a gallon of gas. ______________
c. Write a composite function
c (g (d))
that gives the cost of lling up my car on any given
day of the month.
d. How much money does it take to ll up my car on the 11th of the month? First, translate
this question into function notationthen solve it for a number.
¢
e. On what day does it cost 1,040
(otherwise known as $10.40) to ll up my car?
First,
translate this question into function notationthen solve it for a number.
Exercise 1.72
Make up a problem like numbers 1 and 2. Be sure to take all the right steps: dene the scenario,
dene your variables clearly, and then show the (composite) functions that relate the variables.
Exercise 1.73
f (x) =
x
x2 +3x+4 . Find
f (g (x)) if. . .
a. g (x) = 3
b. g (x) = y
c. g (x) = oatmeal
√
d. g (x) = x
e. g (x) = (x + 2)
x
f. g (x) = x2 +3x+4
Exercise 1.74
h (x) = 4x. h (i (x)) = x.
Can you nd what function
i (x)
is, to make this happen?
16
1.16 Inverse Functions
Exercise 1.75
We are playing the function game. Every time you give Christian a number, he doubles it and
subtracts six.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
If you give Christian a ten, what will he give you back?
If you give Christian an
x,
what will he give you back?
What number would you give Christian, that would make him give you a 0?
What number would you give Christian, that would make him give you a ten?
What number would you give Christian, that would make him give you an
note: Try to follow the process you used to answer part (d).
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x?
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
34
Exercise 1.76
A television set dropped from the top of a 300' building falls according to the equation:
300
h
− 16t2
h (t) = 300 − 16t2
where t is the amount
h (t) =
of time that has passed since it was dropped (measured in seconds), and
is the height of the television set above ground (measured in feet).
a. Where is the television set after 0 seconds have elapsed?
b. Where is the television set after 2 seconds have elapsed?
c. A man is watching out of the window of the rst oor, 20' above ground. At what time
does the television set go ying by?
d. At what time does the television reach the ground?
e. Find a general formula t (h) that can be used to quickly and easily answer all questions
like (c) and (d).
Find the inverse of each function. For each one, check your answer by plugging in two dierent numbers to
see if they work.
Exercise 1.77
y =x+5
•
•
•
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
Exercise 1.78
y =x+6
•
•
•
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
Exercise 1.79
y = 3x
•
•
•
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
Exercise 1.80
y=
•
•
•
x
4
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
Exercise 1.81
y = 3x + 12
•
•
•
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
35
Exercise 1.82
y=
•
•
•
100
x
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
Exercise 1.83
y=
•
•
•
2x+3
7
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
Exercise 1.84
y = x2
•
•
•
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
Exercise 1.85
y = 2x
•
•
•
Inverse function:
Test:
Test:
17
1.17 Homework: Inverse Functions
Exercise 1.86
On our last Sample Test, we did a scenario where Sally distributed two candy bars to each
student and ve to the teacher. We found a function
c (s)that
represented how many candy bars
she distributed, as a function of the number of students in the room.
a.
b.
c.
d.
What was that function again?
How many candy bars would Sally distribute if there were 20 students in the room?
Find the inverse function.
Nowthis is the key partexplain what that inverse function actually represents. Ask a wordproblem question that I can answer by using the inverse function.
Exercise 1.87
Make up a problem like #1. That is, make up a scenario, and show the function that represents
that scenario. Then, give a word problem that is answered by the inverse function, and show the
inverse function.
For each function, nd the inverse function, the domain, and the range.
Exercise 1.88
y =2+
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
36
Exercise 1.89
2x+3
7
Exercise 1.90
2 (x + 3)
Exercise 1.91
x2
Exercise 1.92
x3
Exercise 1.93
√
x
Exercise 1.94
y=
2x+1
x
Exercise 1.95
y=
x
2x[]1
Exercise 1.96
The functions
f (x)
and
g (x)
are inverse functions. Express that sentence in math, instead of in
words (or using as few words as possible).
1.18 TAPPS Exercise: How Do I Solve That For y?
OK, so you're looking for the inverse function of
to solve that for
y,
y=
18
x
2x+1 and you come up with
x=
y
2y+1 . Now you have
and you're stuck.
First of all, let's review what that means! To
y =something, where the something has no y
solve it for y means that we have to get it in the form
in it anywhere. So
is not. Why? Because in the rst case, if I give you
x,
y = 2x + 4 is solved for y , but y = 2x + 3y
y . But in the second case,
you can immediately nd
you cannot.
Solving it for
y
is also sometimes called isolating
y
because you are getting
y
all alone.
So that's our goal. How do we accomplish it?
1. The biggest problem we have is the fraction. To
get rid of it, we multiply both sides by
2xy + x = y
2. Now, we distribute through.
3. Remember that our goal is to isolate
we get all the things
the things
4.
without
y
with
y
x (2y + 1) = y
2y + 1.
y.
So now
x = y − 2xy
on one side, and all
on the other side.
Now comes the key step:
we
factor out a
from all the terms on the right side.
y
x = y (1 − 2x)
This is the
distributive property (like we did in step 2) done
in reverse, and you should check it by distributing
through.
continued on next page
18 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19123/1.1/>.
37
5. Finally, we divide both sides by what is left in
x
1−2x
=y
the parentheses!
Table 1.10
Ta-da! We're done!
x
x
1−2x is the inverse function of 2x+1 . Not convinced? Try two tests.
Test 1:
Test 2:
Now, you try it! Follow the above steps one at a time. You should switch roles at this point: the previous
student should do the work, explaining each step to the previous teacher. Your job: nd the inverse
function of
x+1
x−1 .
19
1.19 Sample Test: Functions II
Exercise 1.97
Joe and Lisa are baking cookies.
Every cookie is a perfect circle.
Lisa is experimenting with
cookies of dierent radii (*the plural of radius). Unknown to Lisa, Joe is very competitive about
his baking. He sneaks in to measure the radius of Lisa's cookies, and then makes his
own cookies
have a 2" bigger radius.
Let
L
be the radius of Lisa's cookies. Let
J
be the radius of Joe's cookies. Let
a
be the
area
of Joe's cookies.
a. Write a function
J (L)
that shows the radius of Joe's cookies as a function of the radius of
a (J)
that shows the area of Joe's cookies as a function of their radius.
Lisa's cookies.
b. Write a function
(If you don't know the area of a circle, ask methis information will cost you 1 point.)
c. Now, put them together into the function a (J (L)) that gives the area of Joe's cookies, as
a direct function of the radius of Lisa's.
d. Using that function, answer the question: if Lisa settles on a 3" radius, what will be the
area of Joe's cookies? First, write the question in function notationthen solve
it.
e. Using the same function, answer the question: if Joe's cookies end up 49π square inches in
area, what was the radius of Lisa's cookies? First, write the question in function
notationthen solve it.
Exercise 1.98
Make up a word problem involving composite functions, and having something to do with drug
use. (*I will assume, without being told so, that your scenario is entirely ctional!)
a. Describe the scenario. Remember that it must have something that depends on something else that depends on still another thing. If you have described the scenario
carefully, I should be able to guess what your variables will be and all the functions that
relate them.
b. Carefully name and describe all three variables.
c. Write two functions. One relates the rst variable to the second, and the other relates the
second variable to the third.
d. Put them together into a composite function that shows me how to get directly from the
third variable to the rst variable.
e. Using a sample number, write a (word problem!) question and use your composite function
to nd the answer.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
38
Exercise 1.99
Here is the algorithm for converting the temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit. First, multiply
the Celsius temperature by
9
5 . Then, add 32.
a. Write this algorithm as a mathematical function: Celsius temperature (C) goes in, Fahrenheit temperature (F ) comes out. F = (C)______
b. Write the inverse of that function.
c. Write a real-world word problem that you can solve by using that inverse function. (This
does not have to be elaborate, but it has to show that you know what the inverse function
does.)
d. Use the inverse function that you found in part (b) to answer the question you asked in
part (c).
Exercise 1.100
should
√
x + 1. g (x) = x1 . For (a)-(e), I am not looking for
not have a g or an f in them, just a bunch of " x"'s.
f (x) =
answers like
2
[g (x)]
. Your answers
a. f (g (x)) =
b. g (f (x)) =
c. f (f (x)) =
d. g (g (x)) =
e. g (f (g (x))) =
f. What is the domain of f (x)?
g. What is the domain of g (x)?
Exercise 1.101
f (x) = 20 − x
a. What is the domain?
b. What is the inverse function?
c. Test your inverse function. (No credit for just the words it worksI have to see your
test.)
Exercise 1.102
f (x) = 3 +
x
7
a. What is the domain?
b. What is the inverse function?
c. Test your inverse function. (Same note as above.)
Exercise 1.103
f (x) =
2x
3x−4
a. What is the domain?
b. What is the inverse function?
c. Test your inverse function. (Same note as above.)
Exercise 1.104
For each of the following diagrams, indicate roughly what the slope is.
39
Figure 1.25: a.
Figure 1.26: b.
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
40
Figure 1.27: c.
Exercise 1.105
6x + 3y = 10
y = mx + b
format:___________
Slope:___________
y -intercept:___________
Graph it!
Extra credit:
Two numbers have the peculiar property that when you
add them, and when you multiply them, you get
the same answer.
a. If one of the numbers is 5, what is the other number?
b. If one of the numbers is x, what is the other number? (Your answer will be a function of x.)
c. What number could x be that would not have any possible other number to go with it?
Chapter 2
Inequalities and Absolute Values
1
2.1 Inequalities
Exercise 2.1
4<6
(I think we can all agree on that, yes?)
a. Add 4 to both sides of the equation. ___________ Is it still true?
b. Add −4 to both sides of the (original) equation. ___________ Is it still true?
c. Subtract 10 from both sides of the (original) equation. ___________ Is it still true?
d. Multiply both sides of the (original) equation by 4. ___________ Is it still true?
e. Divide both sides of the (original) equation by 2. ___________ Is it still true?
f. Multiply both sides of the (original) equation by −3. ___________ Is it still true?
g. Divide both sides of the (original) equation by −2. ___________ Is it still true?
h. In general: what operations, when performed on an inequality, reverse the inequality?
Exercise 2.2
2x + 3 < 7
a. Solve for x.
b. Draw a number line below, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
c. Pick an x − value which, according to your drawing, is inside the solution set. Plug it into
the original inequality
2x + 3 < 7.
Does the inequality hold true?
d. Pick an x-value which, according to your drawing, is outside the solution set. Plug it into
the original inequality
2x + 3 < 7.
Does the inequality hold true?
Exercise 2.3
10
−x≥4
a. Solve for
x.
Your rst step should be adding
x
to both sides, so in your nal equation,
x
is on the right side.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Solve for
x
again from the original equation. This time, leave
on the left side.
Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
Pick an
x-value
which, according to your drawing, is
the original inequality 10
f. Pick an
x-value
− x ≥ 4.
− x ≥ 4.
inside the solution set. Plug it into
Does the inequality hold true?
which, according to your drawing, is
the original inequality 10
1 This
x
Did your two answers come out the same?
outside the solution set. Plug it into
Does the inequality hold true?
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19158/1.1/>.
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CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
42
Exercise 2.4
x = ±4
a. Rewrite this statement as two dierent statements, joined by and or or.
b. Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.5
−3 < x ≤ 6
a. Rewrite this statement as two dierent statements, joined by and or or.
b. Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.6
x > 7 or x <
−3
Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.7
x > 7 and x <
−3
Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.8
x < 7 or x >
−3
Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.9
x> ±4
a. Rewrite this statement as two dierent statements, joined by and or or.
b. Draw a number line below, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
2.2 Homework: Inequalities
2
Exercise 2.10
2x + 7 ≤ 4x + 4
a. Solve for x.
b. Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
c. Pick an x-value which, according to your drawing, is inside the solution set. Plug it into the
original inequality
d. Pick an
x-value
2x + 7 ≤ 4x + 4.
Does the inequality hold true?
which, according to your drawing, is
original inequality
2x + 7 ≤ 4x + 4.
outside the solution set. Plug it into the
Does the inequality hold true?
Exercise 2.11
14
− 2x < 20
a. Solve for x.
b. Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
c. Pick an x-value which, according to your drawing, is inside the solution set. Plug it into the
original inequality 14
d. Pick an
x-value
original inequality 14
2 This
− 2x < 20.
Does the inequality hold true?
which, according to your drawing, is
− 2x < 20.
outside the solution set. Plug it into the
Does the inequality hold true?
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19154/1.2/>.
43
Exercise 2.12
−10 < 3x + 2 ≤ 5
a. Solve for x.
b. Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
c. Pick an x-value which, according to your drawing, is inside the solution set. Plug it into the
original inequality
d. Pick an
x-value
−10 < 3x + 2 ≤ 5.
Does the inequality hold true?
which, according to your drawing, is
original inequality
−10 < 3x + 2 ≤ 5.
outside the solution set. Plug it into the
Does the inequality hold true?
Exercise 2.13
x < 3 and x < 7. Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.14
x < 3 or x < 7. Draw a number line, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.15
x − 2y ≥ 4
a. Solve for y .
b. Nowfor the momentlet's pretend that your equation said equals instead of greater than
or less than. Then it would be the equation for a line. Find the slope and the y-intercept
of that line, and graph it.
Slope: _________
y-intercept__________
c. Now, pick any point
(x, y)
that is
above that line. Plug the
x
and
y
coordinates into your
inequality from part (a). Does this point t the inequality? (Show your work. . .)
d. Now, pick any point
(x, y)
that is
below that line. Plug the
x
and
y
coordinates into your
inequality from part (a). Does this point t the inequality? (Show your work. . .)
e. So, is the solution to the inequality the points below or above the line? Shade the appropriate
region on your graph.
Exercise 2.16
Using a similar technique, draw the graph of
2
y≥x
y ≥ x2 .
(If you don't remember what the graph of
looks like, try plotting a few points!)
3
2.3 Inequality Word Problems
Exercise 2.17
Jacob is giving a party. 20 people showed up, but he only ordered 4 pizzas! Fortunately, Jacob
hasn't
cut the pizzas yet. He is going to cut each pizza into
n
slices, and he needs to make sure
there are enough slices for everyone at the party to get at least one. Write an inequality or set that
describes what n has to be.
Exercise 2.18
Whitney wants to drive to Seattle. She needs 100 gallons of gas to make the trip, but she has only
$80 allocated for gas. Her strategy is to wait until the price of gas is low enough that she can make
the trip. Write an inequality or set that describes what the price of gas
be able to reach Seattle. Be sure to clearly dene your variable(s)!
3 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19163/1.1/>.
has to be for Whitney to
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
44
Exercise 2.19
Your evil math teacher, who shall go nameless, is only giving two tests for the whole grading
period. They count equallyyour grade will be the average of the two. Your rst test was a 90.
Write an inequality or set that describes what your
second test grade has to be, in order for you
to bring home an A on your report card. (A means 93 or above.) Be sure to clearly dene your
variable(s)!
Exercise 2.20
Laura L is going to build a movie theater with
n
screens. At each screen, there will be 200 seats
for the audience to watch that movie. (So maximum capacity is 200 audience members per screen.)
In addition to audience members, there are 20 employees on the premises at any given time (selling
tickets and popcorn and so on). According to code (which I am making up), she must have at least
one bathroom for each 100 people in the building. (Of course, it's ne to build more bathrooms
than that, if she wants!)
a. Write a function (this will be an equation) relating the number of screens
number of people who can possibly be in the building
(p).
(n)
to the total
Which one is dependent?
Which one is independent?
b. Write an inequality relating the total number of people who can possibly be in the
building
(p)
to the number of bathrooms
(b).
c. Now write a composite inequality (I just made that word up) that tells Laura: if you
build this many screens, here is how many bathrooms you need.
Exercise 2.21
Make up your own word problem for which the solution is an inequality, and solve it. The topic
should be breakfast.
2.4 Absolute Value Equations
4
Exercise 2.22
| 4 |=
Exercise 2.23
| −5 |=
Exercise 2.24
| 0 |=
Exercise 2.25
OK, now, I'm thinking of a number. All I will tell you is that the
absolute value of my number
is 7.
a. Rewrite my question as a math equation instead of a word problem.
b. What can my number be?
Exercise 2.26
I'm thinking of a dierent number. This time, the
absolute value of my number is 0.
a. Rewrite my question as a math equation instead of a word problem.
b. What can my number be?
4 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19148/1.1/>.
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Exercise 2.27
I'm thinking of a dierent number. This time, the
absolute value of my number is 4.
a. Rewrite my question as a math equation instead of a word problem.
b. What can my number be?
Exercise 2.28
I'm thinking of a dierent number. This time, the
absolute value of my number is less than
7.
a. Rewrite my question as a math inequality instead of a word problem.
b. Does 8 work?
c. Does 6 work?
d. Does −8 work?
e. Does −6 work?
f. Write an inequality that describes all possible values for my number.
Exercise 2.29
I'm thinking of a dierent number. This time, the
absolute value of my number is greater
than 4.
a. Rewrite my question as a math inequality instead of a word problem.
b. Write an inequality that describes all possible values for my number. (Try a few numbers,
as we did in #7.)
Exercise 2.30
I'm thinking of a dierent number. This time, the
than
absolute value of my number is greater
−4.
a. Rewrite my question as a math inequality instead of a word problem.
b. Write an inequality that describes all possible values for my number.
Stop at this point and check your answers with me before going on to the next questions.
Exercise 2.31
| x + 3 |= 7
a. First, forget that it says x + 3 and just think of it as a number. The absolute value of
this number is 7. So what can this number be?
b. Now, remember that this number is x + 3. So write an equation that says that x + 3 can
be <your answer(s) in part (a)>.
c. Solve the equation(s) to nd what x can be.
d. Plug your answer(s) back into the original equation | x + 3 |= 7 and see if they work.
Exercise 2.32
4 | 3x − 2 | +5 = 17
a. This time, because the absolute value is not alone, we're going to start with some algebra.
Leave | 3x − 2 | alone, but get rid of everything around it, so you end up with | 3x − 2 |
alone on the left side, and some other number on the right.
b. Now, remember that some number is 3x − 2. So write an equation that says that
can be <your answer(s) in part a>.
c. Solve the equation(s) to nd what x can be.
3x − 2
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
46
d. Plug your answer(s) back into the original equation
4 | 3x − 2 | +5 =
17 and see if they
work.
Exercise 2.33
| 3x − 3 | +5 = 4
a. Solve, by analogy to the way you solved the last two problems.
b. Plug your answer(s) back into the original equation | 3x − 3 | +5
=4
and see if they work.
Exercise 2.34
| x − 2 |= 2x − 10.
a. Solve, by analogy to the way you solved the last two problems.
b. Plug your answer(s) back into the original equation | x − 2 |= 2x − 10 and see if they work.
5
2.5 Homework: Absolute Value Equations
Exercise 2.35
| x |= 5
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.36
| x |= 0
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.37
| x |= −2
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.38
10
| x |= 5
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.39
| x + 3 |= 1
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.40
4|x−2|
3
5 This
=2
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19151/1.2/>.
47
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.41
7 | 2x + 3 | −4 = 4
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.42
| 2x − 3 |= x
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.43
| 2x + 2 |= x
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Exercise 2.44
| x − 5 |= 2x − 7
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer(s) in the original equation.
Check-yourself hint: For exercises 8, 9, and 10, one of them has no valid solutions, one has
one valid solution, and one has two valid solutions.
2.6 Absolute Value Inequalities
6
Exercise 2.45
| x |≤ 7
a. Solve.
b. Graph your solution on a number line
c. Choose a point that is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
work?
d. Choose a point that is not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does
it work?
Exercise 2.46
| 2x + 3 |≤ 7
a. Write down the solution for what
2x + 3 has
(2x + 3)
answer to number 1, except with a
b. Now, solve that inequality for
6 This
to be.
This should look exactly like your
instead of an
x.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19149/1.1/>.
(x).
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
48
c. Graph your solution on a number line
d. Choose a point that is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
work?
e. Choose a point that is not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does
it work?
Exercise 2.47
4 | 3x − 6 | +7 > 19
a. Solve for
| 3x − 6 |.
(That is, leave the
| 3x − 6 |
part alone, but get rid of all the stu
around it.)
b.
c.
d.
e.
Write down the inequality for what
Now, solve that inequality for
(3x − 6)
has to be.
x.
Graph your solution on a number line
Choose a point that
is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
work?
f. Choose a point that is not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does
it work?
Exercise 2.48
|3x−4|
2
+6<3
a. Solve for x. (You know the drill by now!)
b. Graph your solution on a number line
c. Choose a point that is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
work?
d. Choose a point that is not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does
it work?
Exercise 2.49
6 | 2x2 − 17x − 85 | +5 ≥ 3
a. Solve for x.
b. Graph your solution on a number line
c. Choose a point that is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
work?
d. Choose a point that is not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does
it work?
7
2.7 Homework: Absolute Value Inequalities
Exercise 2.50
| 4 + 3x |= 2 + 5x (. . .OK,
this isn't an
inequality, but I gured you could use a bit more practice
at these)
Exercise 2.51
| x |= x − 1
Exercise 2.52
4 | 2x − 3 | −5 ≥ 3
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49
a.
b.
c.
d.
Solve for
x.
Graph your solution on a number line
Choose a point that
is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it work?
not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
Choose a point that is
work?
Exercise 2.53
3 | x − 5 | +2 < 17
a.
b.
c.
d.
Solve for
x.
Graph your solution on a number line
Choose a point that
is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it work?
not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
Choose a point that is
work?
Exercise 2.54
−3 | x − 5 | +2 < 17
a.
b.
c.
d.
Solve for
x.
Graph your solution on a number line
Choose a point that
is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it work?
not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
Choose a point that is
work?
Exercise 2.55
2 | x + 2 | +6 < 6
a.
b.
c.
d.
Solve for
x.
Graph your solution on a number line
Choose a point that
is in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it work?
Choose a point that is not in your solution set, and test it in the original inequality. Does it
work?
8
2.8 Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values
Exercise 2.56
9x + 3y ≤ 6
a. Put into a sort of y = mx + b format, except that it will be an inequality.
b. Now, ignore the fact that it is an inequalitypretend it is a line, and graph that line.
c. Now, to graph the inequality, shade in the area either above the line, or below the line,
as appropriate.
note: Does
y
have to be
less than the values on the line, or greater than them?
d. Test your answer. Choose a point (any point) in the region you shaded, and test it in the
inequality. Does the inequality work? (Show your work.)
e. Choose a point (any point) in the region you did not shade, and test it in the inequality.
Does the inequality work? (Show your work.)
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CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
50
Exercise 2.57
4x ≤ 2y + 5
a. Graph the inequality, using the same steps as above.
b. Test your answer by choosing one point in the shaded region, and one point that is not in
the shaded region. Do they give you the answers they should? (Show your work.)
Exercise 2.58
y =| x |
a. Create a table of points. Your table should include at least two positive
negative
x-values,
and
x-values,
two
x = 0.
b. Graph those points, and then draw the function.
Exercise 2.59
y =| x | +3.
Graph this without a table of points, by remembering what adding 3 does to any
graph. (In other words, what will these
y -values
be like compared to your
y -values
in #3?)
Exercise 2.60
y = − | x |.
Graph this without a table of points, by remembering what multiplying by 1 does
to any graph. (In other words, what will these
y -values
be like compared to your
y -values
in #3?)
Exercise 2.61
Now, let's put it all together!!!
a. Graph
b. Graph
y = − | x | +2.
y ≥| x | +2. Your
answer will
either be a shaded region on a 2-dimensional graph,
or on a number line.
c. Test your answer by choosing one point in the shaded region, and one point that is not in
the shaded region. Do they give you the answers they should? (Show your work.)
d. Graph |x|+2
<
0. Your answer will either be a shaded region on a 2-dimensional graph,
or on a number line.
e. Test your answer by choosing one point in the shaded region, and one point that is not in
the shaded region. Do they give you the answers they should? (Show your work.)
Exercise 2.62
Extra for experts:
y ≥3|x+4|
a. Graph it. Think hard about what that +4 and that 3 will do. Generate a few points if it
will help you!
b. Test your answer by choosing one point in the shaded region, and one point that is not in
the shaded region. Do they give you the answers they should? (Show your work.)
9
2.9 Homework: Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values
Exercise 2.63
The famous detectives Guy Noir and Nick Danger are having a contest to see who is better at
catching bad guys. At 8:00 in the evening, they start prowling the streets of the city. They have
twelve hours. Each of them gets 10 points for every mugger he catches, and 15 points for every
underage drinker. At 8:00 the next morning, they meet in a seedy bar to compare notes. I got 100
points, brags Nick. If Guy gets enough muggers and drinkers, he will win the contest.
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51
a. Label and clearly describe the relevant variables.
b. Write an inequality relating the variables you listed in part (a). I should be able to read it as
If this inequality is true, then Guy wins the contest.
c. Graph the inequality from part (b).
Exercise 2.64
The graph below shows the function
y = f (x).
Figure 2.1
a. Graph
y ≤ f (x).
Your answer will
either be a shaded region on a 2-dimensional graph, or on
a number line.
b. Graph
f (x) < 0.
Your answer will either be a shaded region on a 2-dimensional graph,
or on a
number line.
Exercise 2.65
x − 2y > 4
a. Graph.
b. Pick a point in your shaded region, and plug it back into our original equation
x − 2y > 4.
Does
the inequality work? (Show your work!)
c. Pick a point which is not in your shaded region, and plug it into our original equation
x−2y > 4.
Does the inequality work? (Show your work!)
Exercise 2.66
y > x3
a. Graph. (Plot points to get the shape.)
b. Pick a point in your shaded region, and plug it back into our original equation
y > x3 .
Does
the inequality work? (Show your work!)
c. Pick a point which is not in your shaded region, and plug it into our original equation
Does the inequality work? (Show your work!)
Exercise 2.67
Graph:
y+ | x |< − | x |.
Think hardyou can do it!
y > x3 .
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
52
10
2.10 Sample Test: Inequalities and Absolute Values
Exercise 2.68
1 < 4 − 3x ≤ 10
a. Solve for x.
b. Draw a number line below, and show where the solution set to this problem is.
c. Pick an x-value which, according to your drawing, is inside the solution set. Plug it into
the original inequality
1 < 4 − 3x ≤
10.
Does the inequality hold true?
(Show your
work!)
d. Pick an
x-value
which, according to your drawing, is
into the original inequality
1 < 4 − 3x ≤ 10.
outside the solution set. Plug it
Does the inequality hold true? (Show your
work!)
Exercise 2.69
Find the
x
value(s) that make this equation true:
4 | 2x + 5 | −3 = 17
Exercise 2.70
Find the
x
value(s) that make this equation true:
| 5x − 23 |= 21 − 6x
Exercise 2.71
|2x−3|
3
+7>9
a. Solve for x.
b. Show graphically where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.72
−3 | x + 4 | +7 ≥ 7
a. Solve for x.
b. Show graphically where the solution set to this problem is.
Exercise 2.73
Make up and solve an inequality word problem, having to do with
hair.
a. Describe the scenario in words.
b. Label and clearly describe the variable or variables.
c. Write the inequality. (Your answer here should be completely determined by your
answers to (a) and (b)I should know exactly what you're going to write. If it is not,
you probably did not give enough information in your scenario.)
Exercise 2.74
Graph
y ≥ − | x | +2.
Exercise 2.75
| 2y | − | x |> 6
a. Rewrite this as an inequality with no absolute values, for the fourth quadrant (lowerright-hand corner of the graph).
b. Graph what this looks like, in the fourth quadrant only.
Exercise 2.76
Graph
10 This
y = x− | x |.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19166/1.1/>.
Chapter 3
Simultaneous Equations
1
3.1 Distance, Rate, and Time
Exercise 3.1
You set o walking from your house at 2 miles per hour.
a. Fill in the following table.
After this much time
(t)
You have gone this far
½ hour
1 hour 2 hours
3 hours
10 hours
3 hours
10 hours
3 hours
10 hours
(d)
Table 3.1
b. Write the function
d (t).
Exercise 3.2
You set o driving from your house at 60 miles per hour.
a. Fill in the following table.
After this much time
(t)
You have gone this far
½ hour
1 hour 2 hours
(d)
Table 3.2
b. Write the function
d (t).
Exercise 3.3
You set o in a rocket, ying upward at 200 miles per hour.
a. Fill in the following table.
After this much time
You have gone this far
1 This
(t)
½ hour
1 hour 2 hours
(d)
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
54
Table 3.3
b. Write the function
d (t).
Exercise 3.4
Write the general relationship between distance traveled
(d),
rate
(r),
and time
(t).
Exercise 3.5
You start o for school at 55 mph.
of an hour later, your mother realizes you forgot your lunch.
She dashes o after you, at 70 mph. Somewhere on the road, she catches up with you, throws your
lunch from her car into yours, and vanishes out of sight.
Let
d
equal the distance from your house that your mother catches up with you. Let
t
equal
you took to reach that distance. (Note that you and your mother traveled the same
distance, but in dierent times.) d should be measured in miles, and t in hours (not minutes).
the time that
a. Write the distance-rate-time relationship for you, from the time when you leave the house
until your mother catches up with you.
b. Write the distance-rate-time relationship for your mother, from the time when she leaves
the house until she catches up with you.
c. Based on those two equations, can you gure out how far you were from the house when
your mother caught you?
3.2 Homework: Simultaneous Equations by Graphing
In each problem, nd all
x
and
y
values that satisfy both conditions. Your answers may be approximate.
Exercise 3.6
2y = 6x + 10
and
3y = 12x + 9
a. Put both equations into y = mx + b format. Then graph them.
b. List all points of intersection.
c. Check these points to make sure they satisfy both equations.
Exercise 3.7
y = 2x − 3
and
3y = 6x + 3
a. Put both equations into y = mx + b format. Then graph them.
b. List all points of intersection.
c. Check these points to make sure they satisfy both equations.
Exercise 3.8
y =x−3
and
2y = 2x − 6
a. Put both equations into y = mx + b format. Then graph them.
b. List all points of intersection.
c. Check these points to make sure they satisfy both equations.
Exercise 3.9
y=x
2 This
and
2
y = x2 − 1
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19291/1.2/>.
55
a. Graph them both on the back.
b. List all points of intersection.
c. Check these points to make sure they satisfy both equations.
Exercise 3.10
y = x2 + 2
and
y=x
a. Graph them both on the back.
b. List all points of intersection.
c. Check these points to make sure they satisfy both equations.
Exercise 3.11
y = x2 + 4
and
y = 2x + 3
a. Put the second equation into y = mx + b format. Then graph them both on the back.
b. List all points of intersection.
c. Check these points to make sure they satisfy both equations.
Exercise 3.12
Time for some generalizations. . .
a. When graphing two lines, is it possible for them to never meet? _______
To meet exactly once? _________
To meet exactly twice? _________
To meet more than twice? ___________
b. When graphing a line and a parabola, is it possible for them to never meet? _______
To meet exactly once? _________
To meet exactly twice? _________
To meet more than twice? ___________
This last problem does not involve two lines, or a line and a parabola: it's a bit weirder than that. It is the
only problem on this sheet that should require a calculator.
Exercise 3.13
y=
6x
x2 +1 and
√
y =4 x−5
a. Graph them both on your calculator and nd the point of intersection as accurately as you can.
b. Check this point to make sure it satises both equations.
3
3.3 Simultaneous Equations
Exercise 3.14
Emily is hosting a major after-school party.
The principal has imposed two restrictions.
First
(because of the re codes) the total number of people attending (teachers and students combined)
must be 56. Second (for obvious reasons) there must be one teacher for every seven students. How
many students and how many teachers are invited to the party?
a. Name and clearly identify the variables.
b. Write the equations that relate these variables.
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
56
c. Solve. Your nal answers should be complete English sentences (not the answer is 2 but
there were 2 students there. Except it won't be 2. You get the idea, right?)
Exercise 3.15
A group of 75 civic-minded students and teachers are out in the eld, picking sweet potatoes for
the needy. Working in the eld, Kasey picks three times as many sweet potatoes as Davisand
then, on the way back to the car, she picks up ve
more sweet potatoes than that! Looking at
her newly increased pile, Davis remarks Wow, you've got 29 more potatoes than I do! How many
sweet potatoes did Kasey and Davis each pick?
a. Name and clearly identify the variables.
b. Write the equations that relate these variables.
c. Solve. Your nal answers should be complete English sentences.
Exercise 3.16
A hundred ants are marching into an anthill at a slow, even pace of 2 miles per hour. Every ant
is carrying either one bread crumb,
or two pieces of grass. There are 28 more bread crumbs than
there are pieces of grass. How many of each are there?
a. Name and clearly identify the variables.
b. Write the equations that relate these variables.
c. Solve. Your nal answers should be complete English sentences.
Exercise 3.17
Donald is 14 years older than Alice. 22 years ago, she was only half as old as he was. How old are
they today?
a. Name and clearly identify the variables.
b. Write the equations that relate these variables.
c. Solve. Your nal answers should be complete English sentences.
Exercise 3.18
Make up your own word problem like the ones above, and solve it.
Exercise 3.19
3x − 2y = 16
7x − y = 30
a. Solve by substitution
b. Solve by elimination
c. Check your answer
Exercise 3.20
3x + 2y = 26
2x + 4y = 32
a. Solve by substitution
b. Solve by elimination
c. Check your answer
Exercise 3.21
Under what circumstances is substitution easiest?
Exercise 3.22
Under what circumstances is elimination easiest?
57
3.4 Homework: Simultaneous Equations
4
Exercise 3.23
Years after their famous race, the tortoise and the hare agree on a re-match. As they begin the race,
the tortoise plods along at
2 12
mph, slow but condent. The hare zips out at
8 12
mph, determined
not to repeat his original mistake... and he doesn't! The hare never slows down, and reaches the
nish line 45 minutes (that is,
3
4 of an hour) before the tortoise.
a. Did they run the same amount of time as each other?
b. Did hey run the same distance?
c. Clearly dene and label the two variables in this problem. Note that your answers to (a) and
(b) will have a lot to do with how you do this?
d. Based on your variables, write the equation d = rt for the tortoise.
e. Based on your variables, write the equation d = rt for the hare.
f. Now answer the question: how long did the tortoise run?
Exercise 3.24
6x + 2y = 6
x−y =5
a. Solve by substitution.
b. Check your answers.
Exercise 3.25
3x + 2y = 26
2x − 4y = 4
a. Solve by substitution.
b. Check your answers.
Exercise 3.26
2y − x = 4
2x + 20y = 4
a. Solve by substitution.
b. Check your answers.
Exercise 3.27
7x − 3 = y
14x = 2y + 6
a. Solve by substitution.
b. Check your answers.
Exercise 3.28
3x + 4y = 12
5x − 3y = 20
a. Solve any way you like.
b. Check your answers.
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
58
Exercise 3.29
+y =6
2x + y = 4
ax
a. Solve any way you like. You are solving for x and y ; a is just a constant. (So your nal answer
will say x=blah-blah, y =blah-blah. The blah-blah will both have a in them.)
b. Check your answers.
5
3.5 The Generic Simultaneous Equations
Here are the
•
•
ax
cx
generic simultaneous equations.
+ by = e
+ dy = f
I call them generic because every possible pair of simultaneous equations looks exactly like that, except
with numbers instead of
a, b, c, d, e,
and
f.
We are going to solve these equations.
Very important!!!
x =blah-blah where the blah-blah has only a, b, c, d, e, and f :
dierent formula with only a, b, c, d, e, and f . If we can do that, we
will be able to use these formulas to immediately solve any pair of simultaneous equations, just by plugging
When I say solve it I mean nd a formula
no
x
or
y.
And, of course,
y=
some
in the numbers.
We can solve this by elimination or by substitution. I am going to solve for
y
by elimination. I will use
all the exact same steps we have always used in class.
3.5.1 Step 1: Make the coecients of x line up
To do this, I will multiply the top equation by
c
and the bottom equation by
a.
+ bcy = ec
acx + ady = af
acx
3.5.2 Step 2: Subtract the second equation from the rst
This will make the
x
terms go away.
acx + bcy = ec
-
(acx + ady = af)
bcy - ady = ec - af
3.5.3 Step 3: Solve for y
This is something we've done many times in class, right?
First, pull out a
parentheses.
− ady = ec − af
y = (bc − ad) = ec − af
ec−af
y = bc
−ad
bcy
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19294/1.1/>.
y;
then divide by what is in
59
3.5.4 So what did we do?
We have come up with a totally generic formula for nding
y
in any simultaneous equations. For instance,
suppose we have. . .
3x + 4y = 18
5x + 2y = 16
We now have a new way of solving this equation:
y=
(18)(5)−(3)(16)
(4)(5)−(3)(2)
=
90−48
20−6
=
42
14
just plug into
y =
ec−af
bc−ad
.
That will tell us that
=3
3.5.5 Didja get it?
Here's how to nd out.
1. Do the whole thing again, starting with the generic simultaneous equations, except solve for
of
x
instead
y.
2. Use your formula to nd
x
in the two equations I did at the bottom (under So what did we do?)
3. Test your answer by plugging your
x
and my
y=3
into those equations to see if they work!
6
3.6 Sample Test: 2 Equations and 2 Unknowns
Exercise 3.30
Evan digs into his pocket to see how much pizza he can aord. He has $3.00, exactly enough for
two slices. But it is
all in dimes and nickels! Counting carefully, Evan discovers that he has twice
as many dimes as nickels.
a. Identify and clearly label the variables.
b. Write two equations that represent the two statements in the question.
c. Solve these equations to nd how many nickels and dimes Evan has.
Exercise 3.31
Black Bart and the Sheri are having a gunght at high noon. They stand back to back, and start
walking away from each other: Bart at 4 feet per second, the Sheri at 6 feet per second. When
they turn around to shoot, they nd that they are 55 feet away from each other.
Figure 3.1
a. Write the equation d = rt for Bart.
b. Write the equation d = rt for the Sheri.
c. Solve, to answer the question: for how long did they walk away from each other?
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
60
d. How far did Bart walk?
Exercise 3.32
Mrs. Verbatim the English teacher always assigns 5 short stories (2,000 words each) for every novel
(60,000 words each) that she assigns. This year she has decided to assign a total of 350,000 words
of reading to her students. How many books and how many short stories should she select?
a. Identify and clearly label the variables.
b. Write two equations that represent the two conditions that Mrs. V imposed.
c. Solve these equations to nd the number of works she will be assigning.
Exercise 3.33
Solve by graphing. Answers may be approximate. (But use the graph paper and get as close as
you can.)
y = x2 − 3
y = − | x | +2
Exercise 3.34
Solve, using substitution.
3x + y = −2
6x − 2y = 12
Exercise 3.35
Solve, using elimination.
2x + 3y = −11
3x − 6y = 4
Exercise 3.36
Solve any way you like.
2x = 6y + 12
x − 9 = 3y
Exercise 3.37
Solve any way you like.
2y + 3x = 20
y+x=6
Exercise 3.38
a. Solve for
ax
x.
(*No credit without showing your work!)
+ by = e
cx + dy = f
b. Use the formula you just derived to nd
x
in these equations.
3x + 4y = 7
2x + 3y = 11
Extra credit:
Redo #9. If you used elimination before, use substitution. If you used substitution, use elimination.
Chapter 4
Quadratics
4.1 Multiplying Binomials
1
(*or, "These are a few of my favorite formulae)
Exercise 4.1
Multiply:
(x + 2) (x + 2)
x=3
Test your result by plugging
into both my original function, and your resultant function.
Do they come out the same?
Exercise 4.2
Multiply:
(x + 3) (x + 3)
Test your result by plugging
x = −1 into both my original function, and your resultant function.
Do they come out the same?
Exercise 4.3
Multiply:
(x + 5) (x + 5)
Test your result by plugging
x=
into both my original function, and your resultant function.
Do they come out the same?
Exercise 4.4
Multiply:
(x + a) (x + a)
x as it is, but plug a = 3 into both my original function, and your resultant function.
Now, leave
Do you get two functions that are equal? Do they look familiar?
Exercise 4.5
Do not answer these questions by multiplying them out explicitly. Instead, plug these numbers
into the general formula for
2
(x + a)
that you found in number 4.
a.
(x + 4) (x + 4)
2
(y + 7)
2
c. (z + )
√ 2
d. m + 2
2
e. (x − 3) (*so in
2
f. (x − 1)
2
g. (x − a)
b.
this case,
(a
is 3.)
Exercise 4.6
Earlier in class, we found the following generalization:
(x + a) (x − a) = x2 − a2 .
your memory on how we found that, test this generalization for the following cases.
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Just to refresh
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
62
a.
b.
c.
d.
x = 10, a = 0
x = 10, a = 1
x = 10, a = 2
x = 10, a = 3
Exercise 4.7
Test the same generalization by multiplying out
(x + a) (x − a)
explicitly.
Exercise 4.8
Now, use that dierence between two squares generalization. As in #5, do not solve these by
multiplying them out, but by plugging appropriate values into the generalization in #6.
a. (20 + 1) (20 − 1) =
b. (x + √
3) (x
=
− 3)√
c. x + 2 x − 2
d. (x + 2/3) (x − 2/3)
2
4.2 Homework: Multiplying Binomials
Memorize these:
2
• (x + a) = x2 + 2ax + a2
2
• (x − a) = x2 − 2ax + a2
2
2
• x − a = (x + a) (x − a)
Exercise 4.9
In the following drawing, one large square is divided into four regions. The four small regions are
labeled with Roman numerals because I like to show o.
Figure 4.1
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63
a. How long is the left side of the entire gure? _______________
b. How long is the bottom of the entire gure? _______________
c. One way to compute the area of the entire gure is to multiply these two numbers (total height
times total width). Write this product down here: Area = _______________
d. Now: what is the area of the small region labeled I? _______________
e. What is the area of the small region labeled II? _______________
f. What is the area of the small region labeled III? _______________
g. What is the area of the small region labeled IV? _______________
h. The other way to compute the area of the entire gure is to add up these small regions. Write
this sum down here: Area =_________________
i. Obviously, the answer to (c) and the answer to (h) have to be the same, since they are both the
area of the entire gure. So write down the equation setting these two equal to each other
here: ____________________________________
j. that look like one of our three formulae?
Exercise 4.10
Multiply these out manually.
a. (x + 3) (x + 4)
b. (x + 3) (x − 4)
c. (x − 3) (x − 4)
d. (2x + 3) (3x + 2)
e. (x − 2) x2 + 2x + 4
f. Check your answer to part (e) by substituting the number 3 into both my original function, and
your answer. Do they come out the same?
Exercise 4.11
Multiply these out using the formulae above.
2
a.
(x + 3/2)
2
b. (x − 3/2)
2
c. (x + 3)
2
d. (3 + x)
2
e. (x − 3)
2
f. (3 − x)
g. Hey, why did (e) and (f ) come out the same? ( x − 3 isn't the same as 3 − x, is it?)
h. (x + 1/2) (x + 1/2)
i. (x
√ (x
√ 1/2)√ √+ 1/2)
−
5− 3
5+ 3
j.
k. Check
your answer to part (j) by running through the whole calculation on your calculator:
√
√
√
√
5−
3 =_______,
5+
3=
_______, multiply them and you get _______.
Exercise 4.12
Now, let's try going
2
(x − something)
backward. Rewrite the following expressions as
, or as
(x + something) (x − something).
tiplying back to see if you get the original expression.
a.
x2 − 8x + 16 =
____________
Check by multiplying back: _______________
b.
x2 − 25 =
____________
Check by multiplying back: _______________
c.
x2 + 2x + 1 =
____________
(x + something)
2
, or as
In each case, check your answer by mul-
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
64
Check by multiplying back: _______________
d.
x2 − 20x + 100 =
____________
Check by multiplying back: _______________
e.
4x2 − 9 =
____________
Check by multiplying back: _______________
Exercise 4.13
Enough squaring: let's go one higher, and see what
a.
(x + a)
3
3
(x + a)
is!
(x + a) (x + a) (x + a). You already know what (x + a) (x + a) is. So multiply
(x + a) to nd the cubed formula. (Multiply term-by-term, then collect like terms.)
3
b. Use the formula you just found to nd (y + a) .
3
c. Use the same formula to nd (y − 3) .
means (
that by
4.3 Factoring
3
The rst step is always to pull out as much as you can...
Exercise 4.14
Multiply the following, using the distributive property:
3x 4x2 + 5x + 2 =
____________________
Exercise 4.15
Now, you're going to do the same thing
backward.
a. Pull out the common term of 4y from the following expression.
. 16y 3 + 4y + 8y = 4x (_________)
b. Check yourself, by multiplying 4y by the term you put in parentheses.
c. Did it work? _______________
For each of the following expressions, pull out the highest common factor you can nd.
Exercise 4.16
9xy + 12x =____________________
Exercise 4.17
10x
2
+ 9y 2 =____________________
Exercise 4.18
100x
3
+ 25x2 =____________________
Exercise 4.19
4x2 y + 3y 2 x =____________________
Next, look to apply our three formulae...
Factor the following by using our three formulae for
(x + y)
2
,
Exercise 4.20
x2 − 9 =______________
Exercise 4.21
x2 − 10x + 25 =______________
Exercise 4.22
x2 + 8x + 16 =______________
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2
(x − y)
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19243/1.1/>.
, and
x2 − y 2 .
65
Exercise 4.23
x2 + 9 =______________
Exercise 4.24
3x2 − 27 =______________
note: Start by pulling out the common factor!
If all else fails, factor the "old-fashioned way"...
Exercise 4.25
• a - x2 + 7x + 10 =______________
• b - Check your answer by multiplying back:
Exercise 4.26
• a - x2 − 5x + 6 =______________
• b - Check your answer by plugging a number
into the original expression, and into your
modied expression:
Exercise 4.27
x2 − 6x + 5 =______________
Exercise 4.28
x2 + 8x + 6 =______________
Exercise 4.29
x2 − x − 12 =______________
Exercise 4.30
x2 + x − 12 =______________
Exercise 4.31
x2 + 4x − 12 =______________
Exercise 4.32
2x2 + 7x + 12 =______________
4.4 Homework: Factoring Expressions
4
Factor the following expressions.
Exercise 4.33
3x3 + 15x2 + 18x
Check your answer by multiplying back.
Exercise 4.34
x2 − 12x + 32
Check your answer by plugging the number 4 into both my original expression, and your factored
expression. Did they come out the same?
Is there any number
x
for which they would not come out the same?
Exercise 4.35
x2 − 4x − 32
Exercise 4.36
x82 − 18y 4
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
66
Exercise 4.37
x2 + 18x + 32
Exercise 4.38
x2 − 18x + 32
Exercise 4.39
2x2 + 12x + 10
Exercise 4.40
2
100x
+ 8000x + 1000
Exercise 4.41
x2 + 4x − 32
Exercise 4.42
x4 − y 4
Exercise 4.43
x2 + 13x + 42
Exercise 4.44
x2 + 16
Exercise 4.45
4x2 − 9
Exercise 4.46
3x2 − 48
Exercise 4.47
2x2 + 10x + 12
Exercise 4.48
x2 − 9
Exercise 4.49
2x2 + 11x + 12
5
4.5 Introduction to Quadratic Equations
For exercises #1-5, I have two numbers
x
and
y.
Tell me everything you can about
x
and
y if. . .
Exercise 4.50
x+y =0
Exercise 4.51
xy
=0
Exercise 4.52
xy
=1
Exercise 4.53
xy
>0
Exercise 4.54
xy
<0
Exercise 4.55
OK, here's a dierent sort of problem. A swimming pool is going to be built, 3 yards long by 5
yards wide. Right outside the swimming pool will be a tiled area, which will be the same width all
around. The total area of the swimming pool plus tiled area must be 35 yards.
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67
a. Draw the situation. This doesn't have to be a fancy drawing, just a little sketch that shows
the 3, the 5, and the unknown width of the tiled area.
b. Write an algebra equation that gives the unknown width of the tiled area.
c. Solve that equation to nd the width.
d. Check your answerdoes the whole area come to 35 yards?
Solve for
x
by factoring.
Exercise 4.56
x2 + 5x + 6 = 0
Check your answers by plugging them into the original equation. Do they both work?
Exercise 4.57
2x2 − 16x + 15 = 0
Exercise 4.58
x3 + 4x2 − 21x = 0
Exercise 4.59
3x2 − 27 = 0
Solve for
x.
You may be able to do all these without factoring. Each problem is based on the previous
problem in some way.
Exercise 4.60
x2 = 9
Exercise 4.61
2
(x − 4) = 9
Exercise 4.62
x2 − 8x + 16 = 9
Exercise 4.63
x2 − 8x = −7
6
4.6 Homework: Introduction to Quadratic Equations
If a ball is thrown up into the air, the equation for its position is:
h (t) = ho + vo t − 16t2
where. . .
• h is the heightgiven as a function of time, of coursemeasured in feet.
• t is the time, measured in seconds.
• ho is the initial height that it had when it was thrownor, to put it another way, ho is
t = 0.
• vo is the initial velocity that it had when it was thrown, measured in feet per secondor,
it another way, vo is the velocity when t = 0.
This is sometimes called the
height when
to again put
equation of motion for an object, since it tells you where the object is
(its height) at any given time.
Use that equation to solve the questions below.
Exercise 4.64
I throw a ball up from my hand. It leaves my hand 3 feet above the ground, with a velocity of 35
feet per second. (So these are the
initial height and velocity,
ho
and
vo .)
a.: Write the equation of motion for this ball. You get this by taking the general equation I gave
you above, and plugging in the specic
6 This
ho
and
vo
for this particular ball.
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
68
b.: How high is the ball after two seconds? (In other words, what
plug in
c.: What
h
h
value do you get when you
t = 2?)
value do you get when you plug
t=0
into the equation? Explain in words what this
result means.
Exercise 4.65
I throw a dierent ball, much more gently. This one also leaves my hand 3 feet above the ground,
but with a velocity of only 2 feet per second.
a.: Write the equation of motion for this ball. You get this by taking the general equation I gave
you above, and plugging in the specic
ho
and
vo
for this particular ball.
b.: How high is the ball after two seconds? (In other words, what
plug in
c.: What
h
h
value do you get when you
t = 2?)
value do you get when you plug
t=0
into the equation? Explain in words what this
result means.
Exercise 4.66
A spring leaps up from the ground, and hits the ground again after 3 seconds.
What was the
velocity of the spring as it left the ground?
Exercise 4.67
I drop a ball from a 100 ft building. How long does it take to reach the ground?
Exercise 4.68
Finally, one straight equation to solve for
x:
(x − 2) (x − 1) = 12
4.7 Completing the Square
Solve for
7
x.
Exercise 4.69
x2 = 18
Exercise 4.70
x2 = 0
Exercise 4.71
x2 = −60
Exercise 4.72
x2 + 8x + 12 = 0
a. Solve by factoring.
b. Now, we're going to solve it a dierent way. Start by adding four to both sides.
2
c. Now, the left side can be written as (x + something) . Rewrite it that way, and then solve
from there.
d. Did you get the same answers this way that you got by factoring?
Fill in the blanks.
Exercise 4.73
2
(x − 3) = x2 − 6x + ___
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Exercise
4.74
x−
3 2
2
= x2 − ___x + ___
Exercise 4.75
2
(x + ___) = x2 + 10x + ___
Exercise 4.76
2
(x − ___) = x2 − 18x + ___
Solve for
x
by completing the square.
Exercise 4.77
x2 − 20x + 90 = 26
Exercise 4.78
3x2 + 2x − 4 = 0
note: Start by dividing by 3. The
x2
term should never have a coecient when you are completing
the square.
4.8 Homework: Completing the Square
8
Exercise 4.79
A pizza (a perfect circle) has a 3" radius for the real pizza part (the part with cheese). But they
advertise it as having an area of 25
π
square inches, because they include the crust. How wide is
the crust?
Exercise 4.80
According to NBA rules, a basketball court must be precisely 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. (That
part is truethe rest I'm making up.) I want to build a court, and of course, bleachers around it.
The bleachers will be the same depth (*by depth I mean the length from the court to the back
of the bleachers) on all four sides. I want the total area of the room to be 8,000 square feet. How
deep must the bleachers be?
Exercise 4.81
Recall that the height of a ball thrown up into the air is given by the formula:
h (t) = ho + vo t − 16t2
I am standing on the roof of my house, 20 feet up in the air. I throw a ball
up with an initial
velocity of 64 feet/sec. You are standing on the ground below me, with your hands 4 feet above
the ground. The ball travels up, then falls down, and then you catch it. How long did it spend in
the air?
Solve by completing the square.
Exercise 4.82
x2 + 6x + 8 = 0
Exercise 4.83
x2 − 10x + 3 = 5
Exercise 4.84
x2 + 8x + 20 = 0
Exercise 4.85
x2 + x = 0
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
70
Exercise 4.86
3x2 − 18x + 12 = 0
Exercise 4.87
Consider the equation
x2 + 4x + 4 = c
where
c
For what values of
is some constant.
c
will this
equation have. . .
a. Two real answers?
b. One real answer?
c. No real answers?
Exercise 4.88
Solve by completing the square:
x2 + 6x + a = 0. (a
is a constant.)
4.9 The Generic Quadratic Equation
9
OK, let's say I wanted to solve a quadratic equation by completing the square. Here are the steps I would
take, illustrated on an example problem. (These steps are exactly the same for any problem that you want
to solve by completing the square.)
Note that as I go along, I simplify thingsfor instance, rewriting
3 12 + 9
1
2
as 12 , or
q
12
1
√5 . It is
2 as
2
always a good idea to simplify as you go along!
Step
Example
The problem itself
2x2 − 3x − 7 = 9x
Put all the
x terms on one side,
and the number on
2x2 − 12x = 7
the other
Divide both sides by the coecient of
x2
x2 − 6x = 31/2
Add the same number to both side. What number?
Half the coecient of
cient of
x
x, squared.
x2 − 6x+9 = 3 12 +9
(The coe-
is -6. Half of that is -3. So we add 9 to
both sides.)
2
Rewrite the left side as a perfect square
Square rootbut with a plus or minus! (*Remember, if
x2
is 25,
x
may be 5 or -5
Finally, add or subtract the number next to the
x
(x − 3) = 12 21
q
q
√5
x − 3 = ± 12 12 = ± 25
2 =± 2
x=3±
√5
2
(≈ −.5, 6.5)
Table 4.1
Now, you're going to go through that same process, only you're going to start with the generic quadratic
equation:
2
ax
+ bx + c = 0
As you know, once we solve this equation, we will have a formula that can be used to solve
equationsince every quadratic equation is just a specic case of that one!
Walk through each step. Remember to simplify things as you go along!
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(4.1)
any quadratic
71
Exercise 4.89
Put all the
x
terms on one side, and the number on the other.
Exercise 4.90
Divide both sides by the coecient of
x2 .
Exercise 4.91
Add the same number to both sides. What number?
•
•
•
What is the coecient of
What is
½ of that?
Half the coecient of
x, squared.
x?
What is that squared?
OK, now add that to both sides of the equation.
Exercise 4.92
>This
brings us to a rational expressions momenton the right side of the equation you will be
adding two fractions. Go ahead and add them!
Exercise 4.93
Rewrite the left side as a perfect square.
Exercise 4.94
Square rootbut with a plus or minus! (*Remember, if
x2 = 25, x
may be 5 or 5!)
Exercise 4.95
Finally, add or subtract the number next to the
x.
Did you get the good old quadratic formula? If not, go back and see what's wrong. If you did, give it a try
on these problems! (Don't solve these by factoring or completing the square, solve them using the quadratic
formula that you just derived!)
Exercise 4.96
4x2 + 5x + 1 = 0
Exercise 4.97
9x2 + 12x + 4 = 0
Exercise 4.98
2x2 + 2x + 1 = 0
Exercise 4.99
two real roots, or it may have one real root, or it
no real roots. Based on the quadratic formula, and your experience with the previous
In general, a quadratic equation may have
may have
three problems, how can you look at a quadratic equation ax
2
+ bx + c = 0
roots it will have?
4.10 Homework: Solving Quadratic Equations
Exercise 4.100
2x2 − 5x − 3 = 0
a. Solve by factoring
b. Solve by completing the square
√
2
b −4ac
c. Solve by using the quadratic formula x = −b± 2a
d. Which way was easiest? Which way was hardest?
e. Check your answers by plugging back into the original equation.
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and tell what kind of
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
72
For exercises #2-6, solve any way that seems easiest.
Exercise 4.101
x2 − 5x + 30 = 5 (x + 1)
Exercise 4.102
3x2 + 24x + 60 = 0
Exercise 4.103
2 2
3x
+ 8.5x = πx
Exercise 4.104
x2 − x = 0
Exercise 4.105
9x2 = 16
Exercise 4.106
Consider the equation
x2 + 8x + c = 0
where
c
is some constant.
For what values of
c
will this
equation have. . .
a. Two real answers?
b. One real answer?
c. No real answers?
Exercise 4.107
Starting with the generic quadratic equation ax
2
+ bx + c = 0,
complete the square and derive the
quadratic formula. As much as possible, do this without consulting your notes.
11
4.11 Sample Test: Quadratic Equations I
Exercise 4.108
Multiply:
a.
x−
3 2
2
√ 2
b. x − 3
c. (x − 7) (x + 7)
d. (x − 2) x2 − 4x + 4
e. (x + 3) (2x − 5)
f. Check your answer to part (e) by substituting in the number 1 for
x
into both the original
expression, and your resultant expression. Do they come out the same? (No
credit
here for just saying yesI have to be able to see your work!)
Exercise 4.109
Here is a formula you probably never saw, but it is true: for any
2 2
3
4
6x a + 4xa + a
a.
. Use that formula to expand the following.
4
(x + 2) =
4
b. (x − 1) =
Exercise 4.110
Factor:
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x
and
4
a, (x + a) = x4 + 4x3 a +
73
a. x2 − 36
b. 2x2 y − 72y
c. Check your answer to part (b) by multiplying back. (*I have to see your work!)
d. x3 − 6x2 + 9x
e. 3x2 − 27x + 24
f. x2 + 5x + 5
g. 2x2 + 5x + 2
Exercise 4.111
Geo has a rectangular yard which is 55' by 75'. He is designing his yard as a big grassy rectangle,
surrounded by a border of mulch and bushes.
The border will be the same width all the way
around. The area of his entire yard is 4125 square feet. The grassy area will have a smaller area,
of courseGeo needs it to come out exactly 3264 square feet. How wide is the mulch border?
Exercise 4.112
Standing outside the school, David throws a ball up into the air. The ball leaves David's hand
4' above the ground, traveling at 30 feet/sec. Raven is looking out the window 10' above ground,
bored by her class as usual, and sees the ball go by. How much time elapsed between when David
To solve this problem, use the equation
threw the ball, and when Raven saw it go by?
h (t) = h0 vo t − 16t2 .
Exercise 4.113
Solve by factoring:
2x2 − 11x − 30 = 0
Exercise 4.114
Solve by completing the square:
2x2 + 6x + 4 = 0
Exercise 4.115
Solve by using the quadratic formula:
−x2 + 2x + 1 = 0
Exercise 4.116
2
Solve. (*No credit unless I see your work!) ax
+ bx + c = 0
Solve any way you want to:
Exercise 4.117
2x2 + 4x + 10 = 0
Exercise
4.118
1
2
x2 − x + 2 12 = 0
Exercise 4.119
x3 = x
Exercise 4.120
Consider the equation
3x2 − bx + 2 = 0,
where
b
is some constant.
For what values of
b
will
this equation have. . .
a.
b.
c.
d.
No real answers:
Exactly one answer:
Two real answers:
Can you nd a value of b for which this equation will have two rational answersthat is,
answers that can be expressed with no square root? (Unlike (a)-(c), I'm not asking for
all such solutions, just one.)
Extra Credit:
(5 points) Make up a word problem involving throwing a ball up into the air. The problem should have one
negative answer and one positive answer. Give your problem in wordsthen show the equation that
represents your problemthen solve the equationthen answer the original problem in words.
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
74
4.12 Graphing Quadratic Functions
12
Exercise 4.121
Graph by plotting points. Make sure to include positive and negative values of
x!
y = x2
x
y
Table 4.2
Note that there is a little point at the bottom of the graph. This point is called the vertex.
Graph each of the following by drawing these as variations of #1that is, by seeing how the
various numbers transform the graph of
y = x2 .
Next to each one, write down the coordinates of
the vertex.
Exercise 4.122
y = x2 + 3
Vertex:
Exercise 4.123
y = x2 − 3
Vertex:
Exercise 4.124
y = (x − 5)
2
Vertex:
Exercise 4.125
Plot a few points to verify that your graph of #4 is correct.
Exercise 4.126
y = (x + 5)
2
Vertex:
Exercise 4.127
y = 2x2
Vertex:
Exercise 4.128
y = 12 x2
Vertex:
Exercise 4.129
y = −x2
Vertex:
In these graphs, each problem transforms the graph in several dierent ways.
Exercise 4.130
2
y = (x − 5) − 3
Vertex:
Exercise 4.131
Make a graph on the calculator to verify that your graph of #10 is correct.
Exercise 4.132
2
y = 2 (x − 5) − 3
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75
Vertex:
Exercise 4.133
2
y = −2 (x − 5) − 3
Vertex:
Exercise 4.134
1
2 (x +
Vertex:
y=
2
5) + 3
Exercise 4.135
Where is the vertex of the general graph
2
y = a (x − h) + k ?
Exercise 4.136
Graph by plotting points. Make sure to include positive and negative values of
y! x = y2
y
x
Table 4.3
Graph by drawing these as variations of #16that is, by seeing how the various numbers transform the
graph of
x = y2 .
Exercise 4.137
x = y2 + 4
Exercise 4.138
x = (y − 2)
2
Exercise 4.139
Plot a few points to verify that your graph of #18 is correct.
Exercise 4.140
x = −y 2
Exercise 4.141
2
x = −2 (y − 2) + 4
13
4.13 Graphing Quadratic Functions II
Yesterday we played a bunch with quadratic functions, by seeing how they took the equation
permuted it. Today we're going to start by making some generalizations about all that.
Exercise 4.142
y = x2
a. Where is the vertex?
b. Which way does it open (up, down, left, or right?)
c. Draw a quick sketch of the graph.
Exercise 4.143
2
y = 2 (x − 5) + 7
a. Where is the vertex?
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y = x2
and
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
76
b. Which way does it open (up, down, left, or right?)
c. Draw a quick sketch of the graph.
Exercise 4.144
2
y = (x + 3) − 8
a. Where is the vertex?
b. Which way does it open (up, down, left, or right?)
c. Draw a quick sketch of the graph.
Exercise 4.145
2
y = − (x − 6)
a. Where is the vertex?
b. Which way does it open (up, down, left, or right?)
c. Draw a quick sketch of the graph.
Exercise 4.146
y = −x2 + 10
a. Where is the vertex?
b. Which way does it open (up, down, left, or right?)
c. Draw a quick sketch of the graph.
Exercise 4.147
Write a set of rules for looking at any quadratic function in the form
2
y = a (x − h) + k
and telling
where the vertex is, and which way it opens.
Exercise 4.148
Now, all of those (as you probably noticed) were
vertical parabolas. Now we're going to do
the same thing for their cousins, the horizontal parabolas. Write a set of rules for looking at any
quadratic function in the form
2
x = a (y − k) + h
and telling where the vertex is, and which way it
opens.
After you complete #7, stop and let me check your rules before you go on any
further.
OK, so far, so good! But you may have noticed a problem already, which is that most quadratic functions
that we've dealt with in the past did not look like
know,
2
x − 2x − 8
2
y = a (x − k) + h.
They looked more like. . .well, you
or something like that. How do we graph that?
Answer: we put it
into the forms we now know how to graph.
that?
OK, but how do we do
Answer: Completing the square! The process is almostbut not entirelylike the one we used before to
solve equations. Allow me to demonstrate. Pay careful attention to the ways in which is
importantly)
Step
is like, and (more
is not like, the completing the square we did before!
Example
continued on next page
77
The function itself
We used to start by putting the number (8 in this
x2 − 6x − 8
x2 − 6x − 8
case) on the other side. In this case, we don't have
another side. But I still want to set that 8 apart.
So I'm going to put the rest in parenthesesthat's
where we're going to complete the square.
Inside the parentheses, add the number you
x2 − 6x+9 − 9 − 8
need to complete the square. Problem is, we used
to add this number to both sidesbut as I said before, we have no other side. So I'm going to add it
inside the parentheses, and at the same time subtract it outside the parentheses, so the function is,
in total, unchanged.
Inside the parentheses, you now have a perfect
square and can rewrite it as such.
2
(x − 3) − 17
Outside the
parentheses, you just have two numbers to combine.
Voila! You can now graph it!
Vertex
(3, −17)opens
up
Table 4.4
Your turn!
Exercise 4.149
y = x2 + 2x + 5
2
a. Complete the square, using the process I used above, to make it y = a (x − h)
b. Find the vertex and the direction of opening, and draw a quick sketch.
+ k.
Exercise 4.150
x = y 2 − 10y + 15
a. Complete the square, using the process I used above, to make it x = a (y
b. Find the vertex and the direction of opening, and draw a quick sketch.
14
4.14 Homework: Graphing Quadratic Functions II
Put each equation in the form
2
y = a (x − h) + k
or
2
x = a (y − k) + h,
Exercise 4.151
y = x2
Exercise 4.152
y = x2 + 6x + 5
Exercise 4.153
Plot at least three points to verify your answer to #2.
Exercise 4.154
y = x2 − 8x + 16
14 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19250/1.2/>.
and graph.
2
− k) + h.
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
78
Exercise 4.155
y = x2 − 7
Exercise 4.156
y + x2 = 6x + 3
Exercise 4.157
Use a graph on the calculator to verify your answer to #6.
Exercise 4.158
y + x2 = x2 + 6x + 9
Exercise 4.159
y = −2x2 + 12x + 4
Exercise 4.160
x = 3y 2 + 6y
Exercise 4.161
x2 + y 2 = 9
Exercise 4.162
Explain in words how you can look at any equation, in any form, and tell if it will graph as a
parabola or not.
15
4.15 Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions
Let's start with our ball being thrown up into the air. As you doubtless recall:
h (t) = ho + vo t − 16t2
Exercise 4.163
A ball is thrown upward from the ground with an initial velocity of 64 ft/sec.
a. Write the equation of motion for the ball.
b. Put that equation into standard form for graphing.
c. Now draw the graph. h (the height, and also the dependent variable) should be on the
y -axis, and t (the time, and also the independent variable) should be on the x-axis.
d. Use your graph to answer the following questions: at what time(s) is the ball on the
ground?
e. At what time does the ball reach its maximum height?
f. What is that maximum height?
Exercise 4.164
Another ball is thrown upward, this time from the roof, 30' above ground, with an initial velocity
of 200 ft/sec.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
15 This
Write the equation of motion for the ball.
Put that equation into standard form for graphing, and draw the graph as before.
At what time(s) is the ball on the ground?
At what time does the ball reach its maximum height?
What is that maximum height?
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19260/1.1/>.
79
OK, we're done with the height equation for now. The following problem is taken from a Calculus book.
Just so you know.
Exercise 4.165
A farmer has 2400 feet of fencing, and wants to fence o a rectangular eld that borders a straight
river. He needs no fence along the river. What are the dimensions of the eld that has the largest
area?
a. We're going to start by getting a feeling for this problem, by doing a few drawings. First
of all, draw the river, and the fence around the eld by the river, assuming that the
farmer makes his eld 2200 feet long.
How far out from the river does the eld go?
After you do part (a), please stop and check
with me, so we can make sure you have the right idea, before going on to
part (b).
What is the total area of the eld?
b. Now, do another drawing where the farmer makes his eld only 400 feet long. How far out
from the river does the eld go? What is the total area of the eld?
c. Now, do another drawing where the farmer makes his eld 1000 feet long. How far out
from the river does the eld go? What is the total area of the eld?
The purpose of all that was to make the point that if the eld is too short or too long then the area
will be small; somewhere in between is the length that will give the biggest eld area. For instance,
1000 works better than 2200 or 400. But what length works best? Now we're going to nd it.
d. Do a nal drawing, but this time, label the length of the eld simply
x.
How far out from
the river does the eld go?
e. What is the area of the eld, as a function of x?
f. Rewrite A (x) in a form where you can graph it, and do a quick sketch. (Graph paper not
necessary, but you do need to label the vertex.)
g. Based on your graph, how long should the eld be to maximize the area? What is that
maximum area?
note: Make sure the area comes out bigger than all the other three you already did, or
something is wrong!
4.16
Homework:
Functions
Solving
Problems
by
Graphing
16
Just as we did in class, we will start with our old friend
h (t) = ho + vo − 16t2 .
Exercise 4.166
Michael Jordan jumps into the air at a spectacular 24 feet/second.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
16 This
Write the equation of motion for the ying Wizard.
Put that equation into standard form for graphing, and draw the graph as before.
How long does it take him to get back to the ground?
At what time does His Airness reach his maximum height?
What is that maximum height?
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19255/1.2/>.
Quadratic
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
80
Exercise 4.167
Time to generalize! A ball is thrown upward from the ground with an initial velocity of
vo .
At
what time does it reach its maximum height, and what is that maximum height?
Some more problems from my Calculus books.
Exercise 4.168
Find the dimensions of a rectangle with perimeter 100 ft whose area is as large as possible. (Of
course this is similar to the one we did in class, but without the river.)
Exercise 4.169
There are lots of
pairs of numbers that add up to 10: for instance,
8 + 2,
or
9 21 +
1
2 . Find the
two that have the largest product possible.
Exercise 4.170
A pharmaceutical company makes a liquid form of penicillin. If they manufacture
sell them for 200
manufacturing
x
x
x
units, they
dollars (in other words, they charge $200 per unit). However, the total
units is 500, 000
+ 80x + 0 + 0.003x2 .
cost of
How many units should they manufacture
to maximize their prots?
4.17 Quadratic Inequalities
17
The rst part of this assignment is brought to you by our unit on
functions. In fact, this part is entirely
recycled from that unit.
Exercise 4.171
The following graph shows the temperature throughout the month of March.
Actually, I just
made this graph upthe numbers do not actually reect the temperature throughout the month
of March. We're just pretending, OK?
Figure 4.2
a. On what days was the temperature exactly
17 This
0
◦
C?
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81
b. On what days was the temperature below freezing?
c. On what days was the temperature above freezing?
d. What is the domain of this graph?
e. During what time periods was the temperature going up?
f. During what time periods was the temperature going down?
Exercise 4.172
The following graph represents the graph
y = f (x).
Figure 4.3
a. Is it a function? Why or why not?
b. What are the zeros?
c. For what x-values is it positive?
d. For what x-values is it negative?
e. Draw the graph y = f (x) − 2.
f. Draw the graph y = −f (x)
OK, your memory is now ocially refreshed, right? You remember how to look at a graph and see when it
is zero, when it is below zero, and when it is above zero.
Now we get to the actual quadratic inequalities part. But the good news is, there is nothing new here!
First you will graph the function (you already know how to do that). Then you will identify the region(s)
where the graph is positive, or negative (you already know how to do that).
Exercise 4.173
x2 + 8x + 15 > 0
a. Draw a quick sketch of the graph by nding the zeros, and noting whether the function
opens up or down.
b. Now, the inequality asks when that function is
your graph, for what
x-values
>0that
is, when it is positive. Based on
is the function positive?
c. Based on your answer to part (b), choose one x-value for which the inequality should hold,
and one for which it should not. Check to make sure they both do what they should.
Exercise 4.174
A ying sh jumps from the surface of the water with an initial speed of 4 feet/sec.
a. Write the equation of motion for this sh.
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
82
b. Put it in the correct form, and graph it.
c. Based on your graph, answer the question: during what time interval was the sh above
the water?
d. During what time interval was the sh below the water?
e. At what time(s) was the sh exactly at the level of the water?
f. What is the maximum height the sh reached in its jump?
18
4.18 Homework: Quadratic Inequalities
Exercise 4.175
x2 + 8x + 7 > 2x + 3
a. Collect all the terms on one side, so the other side of the inequality is zero. Then graph the
function by nding the zeros.
b. Based on your graph, for what x-values is this inequality true?
c. Based on your answer, choose one x-value for which the inequality should hold, and one for
which it should not. Check to make sure they both do what they should.
Exercise 4.176
2x2 + 8x + 8 ≤ 0
a. Graph
b. Based on your graph, for what x-values is this inequality true?
c. Based on your answer, choose one x-value for which the inequality should hold, and one for
which it should not. Check to make sure they both do what they should.
Exercise 4.177
−2x2 + 8x > 9
a. Collect terms and graph
b. Based on your graph, for what x-values is this inequality true?
c. Based on your answer, choose one x-value for which the inequality should hold, and one for
which it should not. Check to make sure they both do what they should.
Exercise 4.178
−x2 + 4x + 3 > 0
a. Graph the function
b. Based on your graph, for what x-values is this inequality true?
c. Based on your answer, choose one x-value for which the inequality should hold, and one for
which it should not. Check to make sure they both do what they should.
Exercise 4.179
x2 > x
a. Collect terms and graph
b. Based on your graph, for what
18 This
x-values
is this inequality true?
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83
c. Now, let's solve the original equation a dierent waydivide both sides by
x.
Did you get the
same answer this way? If not, which one is correct? (Answer by trying points.) What went
wrong with the other one?
Exercise 4.180
x2 + 6x + c < 0
a. For what values of c will this inequality be true in some range?
b. For what values of c will this inequality never be true?
c. For what values of c will this inequality always be true?
19
4.19 Sample Test: Quadratics II
Exercise 4.181
x = −3y 2 + 5
a. Opens (up / down / left / right)
b. Vertex: ___________
c. Sketch a quick graph on the graph paper
Exercise 4.182
y + 9 = 2x2 + 8x + 8
a.
b.
c.
d.
Put into the standard form of a parabola.
Opens (up / down / left / right)
Vertex: ___________
Sketch a quick graph on the graph paper
Exercise 4.183
For what
x-values
is this inequality true?
2x2 + 8x + 8 < 9
is this inequality true?
−x2 − 10x ≤ 28
Exercise 4.184
For what
x-values
Exercise 4.185
A rock is thrown up from an initial height of 4' with an initial velocity of 32 ft/sec. As I'm sure
you recall,
h (t) = ho + vo t − 16t2 .
a. Write the equation of motion for the rock.
b. At what time (how many seconds after it is thrown) does the rock reach its peak? How
high is that peak? (Don't forget to answer both questions. . .)
c. During what time period is the rock above ground?
Exercise 4.186
A hot dog maker sells hot dogs for $2 each. (So if he sells
for manufacturing
x
hot dogs is 100
+ 21 x +
1
x2 .
1000
x
hot dogs, his revenue is
a. Prot is revenue minus cost. Write a function
P (x)
His cost
that gives the prot he will make,
as a function of the number of hot dogs he makes and sells.
19 This
2x.)
(Which I just made up.)
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19258/1.1/>.
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
84
b. How many hot dogs should he make in order to maximize his prots? What is the maximum
prot?
c. How many hot dogs does he need to make, in order to make any prot at all? (The answer
will be in the form as long as he makes more than this and less than that or, in
other words, between this and that, he will make a prot.)
Extra Credit:
a -
Find the vertex of the parabola
y = ax2 + bx + c.
This will, of course, give you a generic formula
for nding the vertex of any vertical parabola.
b -
Use that formula to nd the vertex of the parabola
y = −3x2 + 5x + 6
Chapter 5
Exponents
1
5.1 Rules of Exponents
Exercise 5.1
Here are the rst six powers of two.
•
•
•
•
•
•
21
22
23
24
25
26
=2
=4
=8
= 16
= 32
= 64
a. If I asked you for 27 (without a calculator), how would you get it? More generally, how do
you always get from one term in this list to the next term?
b. IWrite an algebraic generalization to represent this rule.
Exercise 5.2
Suppose I want to multiply
25
times
23 .
Well,
25
means 2×2×2×2×2, and
23
means 2×2×2. So
we can write the whole thing out like this.
a.
b.
c.
d.
5 3
This shows that (2
2 = 2[ ]
Using a similar drawing, demonstrate what
103 104
must be.
Now, write an algebraic generalization for this rule.
Show how your answer to 1b (the getting from one power of two, to the next in line)
is a special case of the more general rule you came up with in 2c (multiplying two
exponents).
Exercise 5.3
Now we turn our attention to division. What is
1 This
312
310 ?
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
86
a. Write it out explicitly. (Like earlier I wrote out explicitly what
25 23
was:
expand the
exponents into a big long fraction.)
b. Now, cancel all the like terms on the top and the bottom. (That is, divide the top and
bottom by all the 3s they have in common.)
12
c. What you are left with is the answer. So ll this in: 3310 = 3[ ] .
d. Write a generalization that represents this rule.
e. Suppose we turn it upside-down.
Now,
we end up
bottom.
Write
it
out
explicitly
and
cancel
3s,
as
with
you
some
did
3s
before:
on
the
310
12
3 =
1
3[]
f. Write a generalization for the rule in part (e). Be sure to mention when that generalization
___________________________ =
applies, as opposed to the one in part (d)!
Exercise 5.4
Use all those generalizations to simplify
x3 y 3 x7
x5 y 5
Exercise 5.5
Now we're going to raise exponents,
to exponents. What is
23
4
? Well,
23
means 2×2×2. And
when you raise anything to the fourth power, you multiply it by itself, four times. So we'll multiply
that by itself four times:
23
4
= (2×2×2) (2×2×2) (2×2×2) (2×2×2)
a. So, just counting 2s,
23
4
= 2[ ] .
5 3
in a similar way, and show what power of 10 it equals.
b. Expand out 10
c. Find the algebraic generalization that represents this rule.
5.2 Homework: Rules of Exponents
2
Memorize these:
• xa xb = xa+b
a
• xxb = xa−b or
b
• (xa ) = xab
1
xb−a
Simplify, using these rules:
Exercise 5.6
310 35
Exercise 5.7
310
35
Exercise 5.8
35
310
Exercise
5.9
35
10
Exercise
5.10
310
5
Exercise 5.11
310 + 35
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87
Exercise 5.12
310 − 35
Exercise 5.13
6x3 y 2 z 5
4x10 yz2
Exercise 5.14
6x2 y 3 +3x3 y
xy+x2 y
Exercise 5.15
2
(3x2 y)
+xy
(xy)
3
Exercise 5.16
3x2 + 4xy
2
5.3 Extending the Idea of Exponents
3
Exercise 5.17
Complete the following table.
x
3x
4
3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 81
3
2
1
Table 5.1
Exercise 5.18
In this table, every time you go to the next row, what happens to the left-hand number (x)?
Exercise 5.19
x
What happens to the right-hand number (3 )?
Exercise 5.20
Now, let's assume that pattern continues, and ll in the next few rows.
x
3x
1
Table 5.2
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
88
Exercise 5.21
Based on this table,
= 30
Exercise 5.22
= 31
Exercise 5.23
= 3−2
Exercise 5.24
What would you expect
3−4
to be?
Exercise 5.25
Now check
3−4
on your calculator. Did it come out the way you predicted?
4
5.4 Homework: Extending the Idea of Exponents
Answer the following questions.
Exercise 5.26
= 50
Exercise 5.27
= 5−2
Exercise 5.28
−2
= (−2)
Exercise 5.29
−3
= (−2)
Exercise 5.30
= 6−3
Exercise 5.31
x0 =
Exercise 5.32
(x − a) =
In those last two problems, of course, you have created the general rules for zero and negative exponents.
So hey, what happens to our trusty rules of exponents? Let's try. . .
Exercise 5.33
Let's look at the problem
60 6x
two dierent ways.
a. What is 60 ? Based on that, what is 60 6x ?
b. What do our rules of exponents tell us about
Exercise 5.34
Let's look at the problem
a. What is
60 ?
60 6x ?
60
6x two dierent ways.
Based on that, what is
60
6x ?
0
b. What do our rules of exponents tell us about 66x ?
Exercise 5.35
Let's look at the problem
4 This
6−4 63
two dierent ways.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19098/1.2/>.
89
a. What does 6−4 mean? Based on that, what is 6−4 63 ?
b. What do our rules of exponents tell us about 6−4 63 ?
Exercise 5.36
What would you
square if you wanted to get
x36 ?
Simplify:
Exercise 5.37
1
x−5
Exercise 5.38
8x3 y 7
12x−3 y 4
Now let's solve a few equations.
Exercise 5.39
Solve for
x: 3x+2 = 38−x . (Hint:
If the bases are the same, the exponents must be the same!)
Exercise 5.40
Solve for
x: 24x−3 = 8x−2
.
Hint: Start by rewriting 8 as 23, then use the rules of exponents.
Exercise 5.41
Solve for
2
x: 5(3x +13x+10) = 25x+2 .
(*No more hints this time, you're on your own.)
Exercise 5.42
Solve for
x: 7x 7x+2 = 1
Exercise 5.43
Solve for
x: (7x )
x+2
=1
5
5.5 Fractional Exponents
Exercise 5.44
On the homework, we demonstrated the rule of negative exponents by building a table. Now, we're
going to demonstrate it another wayby using the rules of exponents.
3
a. According to the rules of exponents, 775 = 7[ ] .
3
b. But if you write it out and cancel the excess 7s, then 775 = .
3
c. Therefore, since 775 can only be one thing, we conclude that these two things must be equal:
write that equation!
Exercise 5.45
Now, we're going to approach
nents,
9
1
2
2
fractional exponents the same way. Based on our rules of expo-
=
Exercise 5.46
So, what does that tell us about
1
92 ?
Well, it is
some number that when you square it, you get
_______ (*same answer you gave for number 2). So therefore,
Exercise 5.47
Using the same logic, what is
5 This
1
16 2 ?
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19097/1.1/>.
1
92
itself must be:
CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
90
Exercise 5.48
What is
1
25 2 ?
Exercise 5.49
What is
1
x2 ?
Exercise 5.50
Construct a similar argument to show that
1
8 2 = 2.
Exercise 5.51
What is
1
27 3 ?
Exercise 5.52
1
What is
(−1) 3 ?
Exercise 5.53
What is
1
x3 ?
Exercise 5.54
What would you expect
1
x5
to be?
Exercise 5.55
What is
25
−1
2
? (You have to combine the rules for
negative and fractional exponents here!)
Exercise 5.56
Check your answer to #12 on your calculator. Did it come out the way you expected?
OK, we've done negative exponents, and fractional exponentsbut always with a 1 in the numerator. What
if the numerator is not 1?
Exercise 5.57
Using the rules of exponents,
1
83
So that gives us a rule! We know what
2
= 8[ ] .
1 2
is,
82
so now we know what 82[U+2044]3 is.
Exercise 5.58
2
83 =
Exercise 5.59
Construct a similar argument to show what
3
16 4
should be.
Exercise 5.60
Check
3
16 4
on your calculator. Did it come out the way you predicted?
Now let's combine all our rules!
1
92
For each of the following, say what it means and then say what actual
√
you would say it means
9
For these problems, just say what it means. (For instance,
32
number it is. (For instance, for
so it is 3.)
Exercise 5.61
8
−1
2
=
Exercise 5.62
8
−2
3
=
Exercise 5.63
10−4
Exercise 5.64
2
−3
4
Exercise 5.65
a
xb
Exercise 5.66
x
−a
b
1
means
√
3,
end of story.)
91
5.6 Homework: Fractional Exponents
6
We have come up with the following denitions.
• x0 = 1
• x−a = x1a
√
a
• x b = b xa
Let's get a bit of practice using these denitions.
Exercise 5.67
1
= 100 2
Exercise 5.68
= 100−2
Exercise 5.69
= 100
−1
2
Exercise 5.70
3
= 100 2
Exercise 5.71
= 100
−3
2
Exercise 5.72
Check all of your answers above on your calculator. If any of them did not come out right, gure
out what went wrong, and x it!
Exercise 5.73
Solve for
1
x
2
x 17
x:
1
= 17 2
Exercise 5.74
Solve for
1
x: x 2 = 9
Exercise 5.75
x
Simplify: √
x
Exercise 5.76
√
Simplify:
x+ x
x+ √1x
Hint: Multiply the top and bottom by
Now. . .remember inverse functions?
1
x2 .
You nd them by switching the
x
and the
y
and then solving for
y.
Find the inverse of each of the following functions. To do this, in some cases, you will have to rewrite the
Now what? Well, remember what that means: it
y,
1
right?
Exercise 5.77
x3
a. Find the inverse function.
b. Test it.
6 This
1
y = x 2 . Switch the x and the y , and you get x = y 2 .
√
means x =
y . Once you've done that, you can solve for
things. For instance, in #9, you will start by writing
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
92
Exercise 5.78
x−2
a. Find the inverse function.
b. Test it.
Exercise 5.79
x0
a. Find the inverse function.
b. Test it.
Exercise 5.80
Can you nd a generalization about the inverse function of an exponent?
Exercise 5.81
Graph
y = 2x
by plotting points. Make sure to include both positive and negative
x
values.
Exercise 5.82
Graph
y = 2 × 2x
by doubling all the y-values in the graph of
y = 2x .
Exercise 5.83
Graph
y = 2x + 1
by taking the graph
y = 2x
and shifting it to the left by one.
Exercise 5.84
Graph
y=
1 x
by plotting points. Make sure to include both positive and negative
2
5.7 Real Life Exponential Curves
x
values.
7
Exercise 5.85
The Famous King Exponent Story
This is a famous ancient story that I am not making up, except that I am changing some of the
details.
A man did a great service for the king. The king oered to reward the man every day for a
month. So the man said: Your Majesty, on the rst day, I want only a penny. On the second day,
I want twice that: 2 pennies. On the third day, I want twice that much again: 4 pennies. On the
fourth day, I want 8 pennies, and so on. On the thirtieth day, you will give me the last sum of
money, and I will consider the debt paid o.
The king thought he was getting a great deal. . .but was he? Before you do the math, take
a guess: how much do you think the king will pay the man on the 30th day?
Now, let's do the math. For each day, indicate how much money (in pennies) the king paid the
man. Do this without a calculator, it's good practice and should be quick.
Day 1: _1 penny_
Day
________
7:
Day
_______
13:
Day
19:
_______
Day
_______
continued on next page
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25:
93
Day
2:
___2____
Day
3:
4:
9:
Day
5:
Day
10:
6:
Day
_______
Day
15:
Day
11:
17:
Day
Day
21:
Day
18:
23:
Day
Day
Day
Day
_______
Table 5.3
How was your guess?
Now let's get mathematical. On the nth day, how many pennies did the king give the man?
Use your calculator, and the formula you just wrote down, to answer the question: what did
the king pay the man on the 30th day? _______ Does it match what you put under Day 30
above? (If not, something's wrong somewherend it and x it!)
Finally, do a graph of this function, where the day is on the x-axis and the pennies is on the
y axis (so you are graphing pennies as a function of day). Obviously, your graph won't get past the
fth or sixth day or so, but try to get an idea for what the shape looks like.
Exercise 5.86
Compound Interest
Here is a slightly more realistic situation. Your bank pays 6% interest, compounded annually. That
means that after the rst year, they add 6% to your money. After the second year, they add another
6% to the new total. . .and so on.
You start with $1,000. Fill in the following table.
Year
The bank gives you this. . .
and you end up with this
0
0
$1000
1
$60
$1060
2
$63.60
3
4
5
Table 5.4
Now, let's start generalizing. Suppose at the end of one year, you have x dollars. How much
does the bank give you that year?
And when you add that, how much do you have at the end of the next year? (Simplify as much
as possible.)
So, now you know what is happening to your money each year.
So after year n, how much
money do you have? Give me an equation.
Test that equation to see if it gives you the same result you gave above for the end of year 5.
Once again, graph that. The x-axis should be year. The y-axis should be the total amount of
money you end up with after each year.
27:
28:
29:
_______
24:
_______
Day
_______
_______
_______
26:
_______
22:
Day
Day
_______
_______
_______
12:
20:
_______
16:
Day
Day
_______
_______
_______
________
14:
_______
_______
________
Day
Day
Day
_______
________
___8____
Day
8:
________
___4____
Day
Day
30:
CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
94
How is this graph like, and how is it unlike, the previous graph?
If you withdraw all your money after
½ a year, how much money will the bank give you?
the equation you found above!)
If you withdraw all your money after 2
(Use
½ years, how much money will the bank give you?
Suppose that, instead of starting with $1,000, I just tell you that you had $1,000 at year 0. How
much money did you have ve years before that (year 5)?
How many years will it take for your money to triple? That is to say, in what year will you have
$3,000?
5.8 Homework: Real life exponential curves
8
Radioactive substances decay according to a half-life. The half-life is the period of time that it takes for
half the substance to decay.
For instance, if the half-life is 20 minutes, then every 20 minutes, half the
remaining substance decays.
As you can see, this is the sort of exponential curve that goes down instead of up: at each step (or
half-life) the total amount
divides by 2; or, to put it another way, multiplies by
½.
Exercise 5.87
First Radioactive Decay Case
You have 1 gram of a substance with a half-life of 1 minute. Fill in the following table.
Time
Substance remaining
0
1 gram
1 minute
½ gram
2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
5 minutes
Table 5.5
a. After n minutes, how many grams are there? Give me an equation.
b. Use that equation to answer the question: after 5 minutes, how many grams of substance
are there?
Does your answer agree with what you put under 5 minutes above?
(If not,
something's wrong somewherend it and x it!)
½
c. How much substance will be left after 4 minutes?
d. How much substance will be left after half an hour?
e. How long will it be before only one one-millionth of a gram remains?
f. Finally, on the attached graph paper, do a graph of this function, where the minute is on the
x-axis and the amount of stu left is on the y-axis (so you are graphing grams as a function
of minutes). Obviously, your graph won't get past the fth or sixth minute or so, but try to
get an idea for what the shape looks like.
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Exercise 5.88
Second Radioactive Decay Case
Now, we're going to do a more complicated example.
Let's say you start with 1000 grams of a
substance, and its half-life is 20 minutes; that is, every 20 minutes, half the substance disappears.
Fill in the following chart.
Time
Half-Lives
Substance remaining
0
0
1000 grams
20 minutes
1
500 grams
40 minutes
60 minutes
80 minutes
100 minutes
Table 5.6
a. After n half-lives, how many grams are there? Give me an equation.
b. After n half-lives, how many minutes have gone by? Give me an equation.
c. Now, let's look at that equation the other way. After t minutes (for instance, after 60 minutes,
or 80 minutes, etc), how many half-lives have gone by? Give me an equation.
d. Now we need to put it all together. After t minutes, how many grams are there? This equation
should take you directly from the rst column to the third: for instance, it should turn 0 into
1000, and 20 into 500. (*Note: you can build this as a
composite function, starting from
two of your previous answers!)
e. Test that equation to see if it gives you the same result you gave above after 100 minutes.
f. Once again, graph that do a graph on the graph paper. The x-axis should be minutes. The
y-axis should be the total amount of substance. In the space below, answer the question: how
is it like, and how is it unlike, the previous graph?
g. How much substance will be left after 70 minutes?
h. How much substance will be left after two hours? (*Not two minutes, two hours!)
i. How long will it be before only one gram of the original substance remains?
Exercise 5.89
Compound Interest
Finally, a bit more about compound interest
If you invest $A into a bank with i% interest compounded n times per year, after t years your
bank account is worth an amount M given by:
i nt
n
For instance, suppose you invest $1,000 in a bank that gives 10% interest, compounded semi-
M =A 1+
annually (twice a year). So
0.10.
n,
A,
your initial investment, is $1,000.
i,
the interest rate, is 10%, or
the number of times compounded per year, is 2. So after 30 years, you would have:
0.10 2×30
=$18,679. (Not bad for a $1,000 investment!)
2
Now, suppose you invest $1.00 in a bank that gives 100% interest (nice bank!). How much do
$1,000
1+
you have after one year if the interest is...
a. Compounded annually (once per year)?
b. Compounded quarterly (four times per year)?
c. Compounded daily?
CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
96
d. Compounded every second?
9
5.9 Sample Test: Exponents
Simplify. Your answer should not contain any negative or fractional exponents.
Exercise 5.90
x−6
Exercise 5.91
x0
Exercise 5.92
1
x8
Exercise 5.93
2
x3
Exercise 5.94
1
a−3
Exercise
5.95
2 2
3
Exercise
5.96
1 −x
2
Exercise 5.97
(−2)
2
Exercise 5.98
(−2)
3
Exercise 5.99
(−2)
−1
Exercise 5.100
1
(−9) 2
Exercise 5.101
1
(−8) 2
Exercise 5.102
1
3
y4y4
Exercise 5.103
4x4 y 5 z
6wxy−3 z 3
Exercise
5.104
1
3
x2
Exercise
5.105
1
2
x2
Exercise 5.106
6
x3
Exercise 5.107
x
−3
4
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97
Exercise 5.108
1
(4 × 9) 2
Exercise 5.109
1
1
42 92
Exercise 5.110
Give an algebraic formula that gives the generalization for #18-19.
Solve for
x:
Exercise 5.111
8x = 64
Exercise 5.112
8x = 8
Exercise 5.113
8x = 1
Exercise 5.114
8x = 2
Exercise 5.115
8x =
1
8
Exercise 5.116
8x =
1
64
Exercise 5.117
8x =
1
2
Exercise 5.118
8x = 0
Exercise 5.119
1
Rewrite √
3
x2
Solve for
as xsomething.
x:
Exercise 5.120
2x+3 2x+4 = 2
Exercise 5.121
2
3(x )
=
1 3x
9
Exercise 5.122
A friend of yours is arguing that
x1[U+2044]3
should be dened to mean something to do with
fractions, or division, or something. You say No, it means _____ instead. He says That's a
crazy denition! Give him a convincing argument
why it should mean what you said it means.
Exercise 5.123
On October 1, I place 3 sheets of paper on the ground. Each day thereafter, I count the number
of sheets on the ground, and add that many again. (So if there are 5 sheets, I add 5 more.) After
I add my last pile on Halloween (October 31), how many sheets are there total?
a. Give me the answer as a formula.
b. Plug that formula into your calculator to get a number.
1
c. If one sheet of paper is 250
inches thick, how thick is the nal pile?
CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
98
Exercise 5.124
Depreciation
The Web site www.bankrate.com denes
depreciation as the decline in a car's value over the
course of its useful life (and also as something new-car buyers dread). The site goes on to say:
Let's start with some basics. Here's a standard rule of thumb about used cars. A car loses 15
percent to 20 percent of its value each year.
For the purposes of this problem, let's suppose you buy a new car for exactly $10,000, and it
loses only 15% of its value every year.
a.
b.
c.
d.
How much is your car worth after the rst year?
How much is your car worth after the second year?
How much is your car worth after the nth year?
How much is your car worth after ten years?
(This helps you understand why new-car
buyers dread depreciation.)
Exercise 5.125
y = 2 × 3x .
Draw a graph of
Exercise 5.126
y=
Draw a graph of
1 x
3
Make sure to include negative and positive values of
− 3.
x.
Make sure to include negative and positive values of
x.
Exercise 5.127
What are the domain and range of the function you graphed in number 36?
Extra Credit:
We know that
they the same?
2
(a + b)
is not, in general, the same as
a2 + b2 .
But under what circumstances, if any,
are
Chapter 6
Logarithms
1
6.1 Introduction to Logarithms
Exercise 6.1
On day 0, you have 1 penny. Every day, you double.
a. How many pennies do you have on day 10?
b. How many pennies do you have on day n?
c. On what day do you have 32 pennies? Before you answer, express this question as an
equation, where x is the variable you want to solve for.
d. Now, what is x?
Exercise 6.2
A radioactive substance is decaying. There is currently 100
g
of the substance.
a. How much substance will there be after 3 half-lives?
b. How much substance will there be after n half-lives?
c. After how many half-lives will there be 1 g of the substance left? Before you answer,
express this question as an equation, where x is the variable you want to
solve for.
d. Now, what is x? (Your answer will be approximate.)
invert the normal exponential function. Instead of
from time to amount, it asked you to go from amount to time. (This is what an inverse function
In both of the problems above, part (d) required you to
going
doesit goes the other wayremember?)
So let's go ahead and talk formally about an inverse exponential function. Remember that an inverse
function goes
backward. If
f (x) = 2x
So, ll in the following table (on the left) with a bunch of
function of
y
2x .
Pick
f −1 (x)
x and y
turns a 3 into an 8, then
x-values that will make for easy y -values.
See if you can nd a few
be 0 or negative numbers!
On the right, ll in
1 This
x
and
y
values for the
inverse function of
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99
must turn an 8 into a 3.
values for the mysterious
10x .
inverse
x-values that make
CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
100
Inverse of
x
y
8
3
2x
Inverse of
x
10x
y
Table 6.1
Now, let's see if we can get a bit of a handle on this type of function.
In some ways, it's like a square root.
√
x
is the inverse of
mathematical question: What number, squared, gives me
Now, we have the inverse of
2x
x2 .
When you see
√
x
you are really seeing a
x?
(which is quite dierent from
x2
of course). But this new function is also
a question: see if you can gure out what it is. That is, try to write a question that will reliably get me
from the left-hand column to the right-hand column in the rst table above.
Do the same for the second table above.
Now, come up with a word problem of your own, similar to the rst two in this exercise, but related to
compound interest.
2
6.2 Homework: Logs
log2 8 asks the question:
2 to what power is 8? Based on that, you can answer the following questions:
Exercise 6.3
log2 8
=
Exercise 6.4
log3 9
=
Exercise 6.5
log10 10
=
Exercise 6.6
log10 100
=
Exercise 6.7
log10 1000
=
Exercise 6.8
log10 1, 000, 000
=
Exercise 6.9
Looking at your answers to exercises #3-6, what does the log10 tell you about a number?
Exercise 6.10
Multiple choice: which of the following is closest to log10 500 ?
A. 1
B. 1 21
C. 2
D. 2 21
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101
E. 3
Exercise 6.11
log10 1
=
Exercise 6.12
log10
1
10
=
Exercise 6.13
log10
1
100
=
Exercise 6.14
log2 (0.01)
=
Exercise 6.15
log10 0
=
Exercise 6.16
log10 (−1)
=
Exercise 6.17
log9 81
=
Exercise 6.18
log9
1
9
=
Exercise 6.19
log9 3
=
Exercise 6.20
log9
1
81
=
Exercise 6.21
log9
1
3
=
Exercise 6.22
log5 (54)
=
Exercise 6.23
5log5 4 =
OK. When I say
√
36
= 6,
that's the
same √
thing as saying
What squared equals 36? So the equation
36=
6
62 = 36.
Why? Because
√
36 asks a question:
is providing an answer: six squared equals 36.
You can look at logs in a similar way. If I say log2 32 = 5 I'm asking a question: 2 to what power is
fth power is 32. So saying log2 32 = 5 is the same thing as saying
32? And I'm answering: two to the
25 = 32.
Based on this kind of reasoning,
rewrite the following logarithm statements as exponent state-
ments.
Exercise 6.24
log2 8
=3
Exercise 6.25
log3
1
3
= −1
Exercise 6.26
logx (1)
=0
Exercise 6.27
loga x
=y
Now do the same thing backward:
ments.
Exercise 6.28
43 = 64
rewrite the following exponent statements as logarithm state-
CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
102
Exercise 6.29
8−
2
3
=
1
4
Exercise 6.30
ab = c
Finally...you don't understand a function until you graph it...
Exercise 6.31
a. Draw a graph of y = log2 x . Plot at least 5 points to draw the graph.
b. What are the domain and range of the graph? What does that tell you about this function?
3
6.3 Properties of Logarithms
Exercise 6.32
log2
(2) =
Exercise 6.33
log2
(2 ∗ 2) =
Exercise 6.34
log2
(2 ∗ 2 ∗ 2) =
Exercise 6.35
log2
(2 ∗ 2 ∗ 2 ∗ 2) =
Exercise 6.36
log2
(2 ∗ 2 ∗ 2 ∗ 2 ∗ 2) =
Exercise 6.37
Based on exercises #1-5, nish this sentence in words: when you take log2 of a number, you nd:
Exercise 6.38
log2
(8) =
Exercise 6.39
log2
(16) =
Exercise 6.40
log2
(8 ∗ 16) =
Exercise 6.41
log3
(9) =
Exercise 6.42
log3
(27) =
Exercise 6.43
log3
(9 ∗ 27) =
Exercise 6.44
Based on exercises #7-12, write an algebraic generalization about logs.
Exercise 6.45
Now, let's dig more deeply into that one. Rewrite exercises #7-9 so they look like exercises #1-5:
that is, so the thing you are taking the log of is written as a power of 2.
a. #7:
b. #8:
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103
c. #9:
d. Based on this rewriting, can you explain why your generalization from #13 works?
Exercise 6.46
log5
(25) =
Exercise
6.47
1
25
log5
=
Exercise 6.48
log2
(32) =
Exercise
6.49
1
32
log2
=
Exercise 6.50
Based on exercises #15-18, write an algebraic generalization about logs.
Exercise 6.51
log3
(81) =
Exercise 6.52
log3
(81 ∗ 81) =
Exercise6.53
log3 812
Exercise 6.54
log3
(81 ∗ 81 ∗ 81) =
Exercise6.55
log3 813
Exercise 6.56
log3
(81 ∗ 81 ∗ 81 ∗ 81) =
Exercise6.57
log3 814
Exercise 6.58
Based on exercises #20-26, write an algebraic generalization about logs.
4
6.4 Homework: Properties of Logarithms
Memorize these three rules of logarithms.
•
•
•
(ab)
= logx a + logx b
a
b = logx a − logx b
b
logx a
= blogx a
logx
logx
Exercise 6.59
In class, we demonstrated the
rst and third rules above. For instance, for the rst rule:
= log2 (2 × 2 × 2) = 3
log2 16 = log2 (2 × 2 × 2 × 2) = 4
log2 (8 × 16) = log2 [(2 × 2 × 2) (2 × 2 × 2 × 2)] = 7
log2 8
This demonstrates that when you multiply two numbers, their logs
add.
Now, you come up with a similar demonstration of the second rule of logs, that shows why when
you
4 This
divide two numbers, their logs subtract.
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CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
104
Now we're going to practice
applying those three rules. Take my word for these two facts. (You don't
have to memorize them, but you will be using them for this homework.)
•
•
log5 8
= 1.29
= 2.54
log5 60
Now, use those facts to answer the following questions.
Exercise 6.60
log5 480
=
480 = 8 × 60.
Hint:
So this is log5
(8 × 60).
Which rule above helps you rewrite this?
Exercise 6.61
How can you use your calculator to test your answer to #2? (I'm assuming here that you can't
nd log5 480 on your calculator, but you can do exponents.) Run the testdid it work?
Exercise
6.62
log5
2
=
15
Exercise
6.63
log5
15
=
2
Exercise 6.64
log5 64
=
Exercise 6.65
log5
23
(5)
=
Exercise 6.66
5(log5 23) =
Simplify, using the log (xy) property:
Exercise 6.67
loga
(x • x • x • x)
Exercise 6.68
loga
(x • 1)
Simplify, using the log log
x
y
property:
Exercise
6.69
loga
1
x
Exercise
6.70
loga
x
1
Exercise
6.71
loga
x
x
b
Simplify, using the log (x)
property:
Exercise 6.72
loga
(x)
4
Exercise 6.73
loga
(x)
0
Exercise 6.74
loga
(x)
−1
Exercise 6.75
a. Draw a graph of
y = log 12 x.
Plot at least 5 points to draw the graph.
105
b. What are the domain and range of the graph? What does that tell you about this function?
5
6.5 Using the Laws of Logarithms
•
•
•
(ab)
= logx a + logx b
a
b = logx a − −logx b
b
= b logx a
logx a
logx
logx
Exercise 6.76
x2 − −log3 (x)
Simplify: log3
Exercise 6.77
Simplify: log3
(9x) − −log3 (x)
Exercise 6.78
Simplify:
(x2 )
log
log(x)
Exercise 6.79
Solve for
log (2x
x.
+ 5) = log (8 − x)
Exercise 6.80
Solve for
log (3)
x:
+ log (x + 2) = log (12)
Exercise 6.81
x:
ln (x) + ln (x − 5) = ln (14)
Solve for
Exercise 6.82
Solve for
log (x)
y in terms of x:
= log (5y) − log (3y − 7)
6.6 So What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?
6
Exercise 6.83
Compound Interest
Andy invests $1,000 in a bank that pays out 7% interest, compounded annually. Note that your
answers to parts (a) and (c) will be numbers, but your answers to parts (b) and (d) will be formulae.
a.
b.
c.
d.
After 3 years, how much money does Andy have?
After
t
years, how much money m does Andy have?
m (t) =
After how many years does Andy have exactly $14,198.57?
After how many years
t
does Andy have $m?
t (m) =
Exercise 6.84
Sound Intensity
Sound is a wave in the airthe loudness of the sound is related to the intensity of the wave. The
intensity of a whisper is approximately 100; the intensity of a normal conversation is approximately
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CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
106
1,000,000. Assuming that a person starts whispering at time
to a normal conversational level by time
t = 10,
t = 0,
and gradually raises his voice
show a possible graph of the intensity of his voice.
(*You can't get the graph exactly, since you only know the beginning and the end, but show the
general shape.)
That was pretty ugly, wasn't it? It's almost impossible to graph or visualize something going
from a hundred to a million: the range is too big.
Fortunately, sound volume is usually not measured in intensity, but in
dened by the formula:
L = 10
log10 I , where
L
loudness, which are
is the loudness (measured in decibels), and
I
is
the intensity.
a. What is the loudness, in decibels, of a whisper?
b. What is the loudness, in decibels, of a normal conversation?
c. Now do the graph againshowing an evolution from whisper to conversation in 30
secondsbut this time, graph loudness instead of intensity.
d. That was a heck of a lot nicer, wasn't it? (This one is sort of rhetorical.)
e. The quietest sound a human being can hear is intensity 1. What is the loudness of that
sound?
f. The sound of a jet enginewhich is roughly when things get so loud they are painfulis
loudness 120 decibels. What is the intensity of that sound?
g. The formula I gave above gives loudness as a function of intensity. Write the opposite
function, that gives intensity as a function of loudness.
h. If sound
A
is
twenty decibels higher than sound
B , how much more intense
is it?
Exercise 6.85
Earthquake Intensity
When an Earthquake occurs, seismic detectors register the shaking of the ground, and are able
to measure the amplitude (fancy word for how big they are) of the waves. However, just like
sound intensity, this amplitude varies so much that it is very dicult to graph or work with. So
Earthquakes are measured on the Richter scale which is the log10 of the amplitude (
r = log10 a).
a. A microearthquake is dened as 2.0 or less on the Richter scale. Microearthquakes are not
felt by people, and are detectable only by local seismic detectors. If a is the amplitude
of an earthquake, write an
inequality that must be true for it to be classied as a
microearthquake.
b. A great earthquake has amplitude of 100,000,000 or more. There is generally one great
earthquake somewhere in the world each year. If r is the measurement of an earthquake
on the Richter scale, write an
inequality that must be true for it to be classied as a
great earthquake.
c. Imagine trying to show, on a graph, the amplitudes of a bunch of earthquakes, ranging
from microearthquakes to great earthquakes. (Go on, just imagine itI'm not going to
make you do it.) A lot easier with the Richter scale, ain't it?
d. Two Earthquakes are measuredthe second one has 1000 times the amplitude of the rst.
What is the dierence in their measurements on the Richter scale?
Exercise 6.86
pH
In Chemistry, a very important quantity is the
concentration of Hydrogen ions, written as
[H + ]this is related to the acidity of a liquid. In a normal pond, the concentration of Hydrogen ions
−6
−−6
1
is around 10
moles/liter. (In other words, every liter of water has about 10
, or
1,000,000 moles
of Hydrogen ions.) Now, acid rain begins to fall on that pond, and the concentration of Hydrogen
ions begins to go up, until the concentration is
10−4
moles/liter (every liter has
1
10,000
moles of
H + ).
107
. How much did the concentration go up by?
a. Acidity is usually not measured as concentration (because the numbers are very ugly, as
you can see), but as pH, which is dened as
− − log10 [H + ].
What is the pH of the
normal pond?
b. What is the pH of the pond after the acid rain?
Exercise 6.87
Based on exercises #24, write a brief description of
what kind of function generally leads
scientists to want to use a logarithmic scale.
7
6.7 Homework: What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?
Exercise 6.88
I invest $300 in a bank that pays 5% interest, compounded annually.
t
300 (1.05)
So after
t
years, I have
dollars in the bank. When I come back, I nd that my account is worth $1000. How
many years has it been?
Your answer will not be a numberit will be a formula with a
log in it.
Exercise 6.89
The pH of a substance is given by the formula
pH = −log10 [H + ], if the concentration of Hydrogen
ions.
1
, what is the pH?
a. If the Hydrogen concentration is 10000
1
b. If the Hydrogen concentration is 1000000
, what is the pH?
c. What happens to the pH every time the Hydrogen concentration divides by 10?
You may have noticed that all our logarithmic functions use the base 10. Because this is so common, it is
given a special name: the
common log. When you see something like log (x) with no base written at all,
that means the log is 10. (So log (x) is a shorthand way of writing log10 (x), just like is a shorthand way of
writing . With roots, if you don't see a little number there, you assume a 2. With logs, you assume a 10.)
Exercise 6.90
In the space below, write the question that log (x) asks.
Exercise 6.91
log100
Exercise 6.92
log1000
Exercise 6.93
log10000
Exercise 6.94
log( 1 with n 0s after it )
Exercise 6.95
log500(use the log button on your calculator)
OK, so the
log
button on your calculator does common logs, that is, logs base 10.
There is one other log button on your calculator. It is called the "natural log," and it is written
ln (which
sort of stands for "natural log" only backward personally, I blame the French).
ln means the log to the base e.
What is
e?
It's a long ugly numberkind of like
π
only dierentit goes
on forever and you can only approximate it, but it is somewhere around 2.7. Answer the following question
about the natural log.
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108
Exercise 6.96
ln (e)
=
Exercise 6.97
ln (1)
=
Exercise 6.98
ln (0)
=
Exercise
6.99
e5 =
ln
Exercise 6.100
ln (3) = (*this is the only one that requires the
ln
button on your calculator)
8
6.8 Sample Test
Exercise 6.101
log3 3
=
Exercise 6.102
log3 9
=
Exercise 6.103
log3 27
=
Exercise 6.104
log3 30
=
(approximately)
Exercise 6.105
log3 1
=
Exercise
6.106
1
3
log3
=
Exercise 6.107
log3
1
9
=
Exercise 6.108
log3
(−3) =
Exercise 6.109
log9 3
=
Exercise 6.110
3log3 8 =
Exercise 6.111
log−3 9
=
Exercise 6.112
log100, 000
=
Exercise 6.113
log
1
100,000
=
Exercise 6.114
lne3 =
Exercise 6.115
ln
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Exercise 6.116
Rewrite as a logarithm equation (no exponents):
qz = p
Exercise 6.117
Rewrite as an exponent equation (no logs): logw g
=j
For exercises #18-22, assume that. . .
•
•
log5 12
log5 20
= 1.544
= 1.861
Exercise 6.118
log5 240
=
Exercise
6.119
3
5
log5
=
Exercise 6.120
log5 1
2
3
=
Exercise
6.121
3 2
5
log5
=
Exercise 6.122
log5 400
=
Exercise 6.123
Graph
y = −log2 x + 2.
Exercise 6.124
What are the domain and range of the graph you drew in exercise #23?
Exercise 6.125
I invest $200 in a bank that pays 4% interest, compounded annually.
y
200 (1.04)
So after
y
years, I have
dollars in the bank. When I come back, I nd that my account is worth $1000. How
many years has it been?
Your answer will be a formula with a log in it.
Exercise 6.126
The loudness of a sound is given by the formula
in decibels), and
a.
b.
c.
d.
I
logI , where
L is the loudness (measured
If the sound wave intensity is 10, what is the loudness?
If the sound wave intensity is 10,000, what is the loudness?
If the sound wave intensity is 10,000,000, what is the loudness?
What happens to the loudness every time the sound wave intensity
Exercise 6.127
x.
ln (3) + ln (x) = ln (21)
Solve for
Exercise 6.128
x.
(x) + log2 (x + 10) = log2 (11)
Solve for
log2
Extra Credit:
Solve for
L = 10
is the intensity of the sound wave.
x. ex = (cabin)
multiplies by 1,000?
110
CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
Chapter 7
Rational Expressions
7.1 Rational Expressions
1
Exercise 7.1
1
x
+
1
y
a. Add
b. Check your answer by plugging
x=2
and
y =4
into both my original expression, and
your simplied expression. Do not use calculators or decimals.
Exercise 7.2
1
x
− − y1 =
Exercise
7.3
1
x
1
y
=
Exercise
7.4
1
x
1
y
=
Exercise 7.5
x2 +2x+1
x2 −1
a. Simplify
b. Check your answer by plugging
x = 3 into both my original expression, and your simplied
expression. Do not use calculators or decimals.
c. Are there any x-values for which the new expression does not equal the old expression?
Exercise 7.6
2
x2 −9
4
x2 +2x−15
−
=
Exercise 7.7
4x2 −25
x2 +2x+1
×
x2 +4x+3
2x2 +x−15
a. Multiply.
b. Check your answer by plugging
x = −−2
into both my original expression, and your
simplied expression. (If they don't come out the same, you did something wrong!)
c. Are there any x-values for which the new expression does not equal the old expression?
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
112
2
7.2 Homework: Rational Expressions
Exercise 7.8
x2 −6x+5
x2 −16
×
x2 +8x+16
x2 −7x+10
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.9
2x2 +7x+3
x3 +4x
x2 +x−6
3x
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.10
1
x−1
a.
b.
c.
d.
−
1
x+1
Simplify
x are not allowed in the original expression?
x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
answer by choosing an x value and plugging it into the
What values of
What values of
Test your
original expression, and
your simplied expression. Do they yield the same answer?
Exercise 7.11
x−3
x2 +9x+20
−
x−4
x2 +8x+15
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.12
x+1
4x2 −9
+
4x
6x2 −9x
a. Simplify.
b. Test your answer by choosing an
x
value and plugging it into the original expression, and
your simplied expression. Do they yield the same answer?
7.3 Rational Equations
3
Exercise 7.13
Suppose I tell you that
x
36
=
15
36
. What are all the values
x
can take that make this statement
true?
OK, that was easy, wasn't it? So the moral of that story is: rational equations are easy to solve, if they have
a common denominator. If they don't, of course, you just get one!
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Exercise 7.14
Now suppose I tell you that
x
18
=
15
36
. What are all the values
x
can take that make this statement
true?
Hey,
x came out being a fraction. Can he do that?
Umm, yeah.
OK, one more pretty easy one.
Exercise 7.15
x2 +2
9
7
=
21
Did you get only one answer? Then look againthis one has two!
Once you are that far, you've got the general ideaget a common denominator, and then set the numerators equal. So let's really get into it now. . .
Exercise 7.16
x+2
x+3
=
x+5
x+4
Exercise 7.17
2x+6
x+3
x+5
2x+7
=
Exercise 7.18
x+3
2x−3
x−5
x−4
=
a. Solve. You should end up with two answers.
b. Check both answers by plugging them into the original equation.
7.4 Homework: Rational Expressions and Equations
4
Exercise 7.19
3x2 +5x−8
6x+16
×
4x3 +x
3x3 −3x
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.20
2
4x3 −x
+
3
2x3 +3x2 +x
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.21
x2 +9
x2 −4
x2 +7x+12
x2 +2x−8
a.
b.
c.
d.
Simplify
x are not allowed in the original expression?
x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
answer by choosing an x value and plugging it into the
What values of
What values of
Test your
your simplied expression. Do they yield the same answer?
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original expression, and
CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
114
Exercise 7.22
x
x2 −25 + <something>
=
x2 +1
x3 −9x2 +20x
a. What is the something?
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.23
x−6
x−3
=
x+18
2x+7
a. Solve for x. You should get two answers.
b. Check by plugging one of your answers back into the original equation.
Exercise 7.24
If
f (x) =
f (x+h)−f (x)
1
.
x , nd
h
note: The rst item,
f (x + h),
is a composite function!
Simplify as much as possible.
5
7.5 Dividing Polynomials
Exercise 7.25
28k
3
p−42kp2 +56kp3
14kp
=
Exercise 7.26
x2 −12x−45
x+3
=
Exercise 7.27
2y 2 +y−16
a.
=
y−3
b. Test your answer by choosing a number for
y
and seeing if you get the same answer.
Exercise 7.28
2h3 −5h2 +22h+51
2h+3
=
Exercise 7.29
2x3 −4x2 +6x−15
x2 +3
=
Exercise 7.30
x3 −4x2
x−4
=
Exercise 7.31
3
−27
a. xx−3
=
b. Test your answer by multiplying back.
Exercise 7.32
After dividing two polynomials, I get the answer
1
.
r2 − −6r + 9 − − r−3
I divide?
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What two polynomials did
115
7.6 Sample Test: Rational Expressions
6
Exercise 7.33
x−3
x2 +9x+20
−
x−4
x2 +8x+15
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.34
2
x2 −1
+
x
x2 −2x+1
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.35
4x3 −9x
x2 −3x−10
×
2x2 −20x+50
6x2 −9x
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise
7.36
1
x
x−1
x2
a. Simplify
b. What values of x are not allowed in the original expression?
c. What values of x are not allowed in your simplied expression?
Exercise 7.37
6x3 −5x2 −5x+34
2x+3
a. Solve by long division.
b. Check your answer (show your work!!!).
Exercise 7.38
If
f (x) = x2 ,
nd
f (x+h)−f (x)
. Simplify as much as possible.
h
Exercise 7.39
x−1
2x−1
=
x+7
7x+4
a. Solve for x.
b. Test one of your answers and show that it works in the original expression. (No credit
unless you show your work!)
Extra credit:
I am thinking of two numbers,
x
and
y,
that have this curious property: their
sum is the same as their
product. (Sum means add them; product means multiply them.)
a. Can you nd any such pairs?
b. To generalize: if one of my numbers is
x,
can you nd a general formula that will always give me
the other one?
c. Is there any number
6 This
x
that has no possible
y
to work with?
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
Chapter 8
Radicals
8.1 Radicals (aka* Roots)
1
As a student of mine once said, In real life, no one ever says `Here's 100 dollars, what's the square root of
it? ' She's right, of courseas far as I know, no one ever takes the square root of money. And she is asking
exactly the right question, which is: why do we need roots anyway?
Exercise 8.1
If a square is
49ft2
in area, how long are the sides?
Q. You call that real life?
A. OK, you asked for it. . .
Exercise 8.2
A real estate developer is putting houses down on a plot of land that is 50 acres large. He wants
1
2 -acre lot. (1 acre is 43,560 square feet.) If
each house sits on a square lot, how long are the sides of each lot?
to put down 100 houses, so each house will sit on a
Exercise 8.3
A piano is dropped from a building 100 ft high. (Dropped implies that someone just let go of it,
instead of throwing itso it has no initial velocity.)
a. Write the equation of motion for this piano, recalling as always that h (t) = ho +vo t−−16t2
b. According to the equation, how high is the piano when t = 0? Explain in words what this
answer means.
c. After 2 seconds, how high is the piano?
d. How many seconds does it take the piano to reach the ground?
e. Find the inverse function that will enable to me nd the time
any given height
t
when the piano reaches
h.
Convinced? Square roots come up all the time in real life, because squaring things comes up all the time in
real life, and the square root is how you get back. So we're going to have a unit on square roots.
8.2 Radicals and Exponents
If I tell you that
√
25 = 5,
2
that is the same thing as telling you that
rewrite the following radical equations (#1-3) as exponent equations.
1 This
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52 = 25.
Based on that kind of logic,
CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
118
Exercise
8.4
√
100 = 10
Exercise
8.5
√
3
8=2
Exercise
8.6
√
a
b=c
Exercise 8.7
Now, rewrite all three as
logarithm equations. (*You mean we still have to know that?)
3
8.3 Some Very Important Generalizations
Exercise
8.8
√
9=
Exercise
8.9
√
4=
Exercise
√
√8.10
9 ×
4=
Exercise 8.11
√
9 × 4
Exercise 8.12
Based on #1-4, write an algebraic generalization.
Exercise 8.13
Now, give me a completely dierent example of that same generalization: four dierent statements,
like #1-4, that could be used to generate that same generalization.
Exercise
8.14
√
√9
4
=
Exercise
8.15
q
9
4
a. What do you think is the answer?
b. Test by squaring back. (To square anything, multiply it by itself. So this just requires
multiplying fractions!) If it doesn't work, try something else, until you are convinced
that you have a good [xxx].
Exercise 8.16
Based on exercises #7-8, write an algebraic generalization.
Exercise
√
√ 8.17
9+
4=
Exercise 8.18
√
9+4
Exercise 8.19
Based on exercises #10-11, write an algebraic generalization that is not true.
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8.4 Simplifying Radicals
4
Based on the generalization you wrote in #5 in the module "Some Very Important Generalizations", and
given the fact that
4 × 2 = 8,
√
we can simplify
√
4×2
√
√
4×2= 4× 2
√
√
√
4× 2=2 2
√
8=
√
8
as follows:
(because 8 is the same thing as
4 × 2)
(this is where we use that generalization)
(because
√
4
is the same thing as 2)
Table 8.1
So, we see that
√
8
is the same thing as
√
2 2.
Exercise
√ 8.20
Find
8
on your calculator.
Exercise
√ 8.21
Find
2
on your calculator.
Exercise 8.22
Double your answer to #2 on your calculator.
Exercise 8.23
So, did it work?
Exercise 8.24
√
Good! Then let's try another one. Simplify
72,
√
using the same steps I took to simplify
8.
Exercise 8.25
Check your answer on the calculator. Did it work?
Exercise 8.26
√
Oh yeah, one nal question: what is
8.5 Homework: Radicals
x16 ?
How can you test your answer?
5
For the following problems, I am not looking for big long ugly decimalsjust simplied expressions. You
should not have to use your calculator at all, except possibly to check your answers. Remember, you can
always check your answer by squaring back!
Exercise
8.27
√
64
Exercise
8.28
√
3
64
Exercise
8.29
√
3 64
Exercise
8.30
√
− 64
Exercise 8.31
√
−64
4 This
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CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
120
Exercise 8.32
√
3
−64
Exercise 8.33
If
√
n
−x
has a real answer, what can you say about
n?
Exercise
8.34
√
8
Exercise
8.35
√
18
Exercise
8.36
√
48
Exercise
8.37
√
70
Exercise
8.38
√
72
Exercise
8.39
√
100
Exercise
8.40
q
1
4
Exercise
8.41
q
4
9
Exercise
8.42
q
8
12
Exercise
8.43
√
16x2
a. Simplify as much as possible (just like all the other problems)
b. Check your answer with x = 3. Did it work?
Exercise
8.44
p
2
(16x)
Exercise
8.45
√
x10
Exercise
8.46
√
x11
Exercise
8.47
p
75x3 y 6 z 5
Exercise
8.48
p
x2 y 2
Exercise
8.49
p
x2 + y 2
Exercise
8.50
p
x2 + 2xy + y 2
Exercise
8.51
√
x2 + 9
Exercise
8.52
√
x2 + 6x + 9
121
Say, remember inverse functions?
Exercise 8.53
f (x) = x2
a. Find the inverse of the function.
b. Test it.
Exercise 8.54
f (x) = x3
a. Find the inverse of the function.
b. Test it.
Exercise 8.55
f (x) = 3x
a. Find the inverse of the function.
b. Test it.
8.6 A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals
6
Let's start o with a bit of real life again, shall we?
Exercise 8.56
Albert Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity tells us that matter and energy are dierent
forms of the same thing. (Previously, they were thought of as two completely dierent things.)
If you have some matter, you can convert it to energy; if you have some energy, you can convert
it to matter. This is expressed mathematically in the famous equation
amount of energy,
m
is the amount of matter, and
experiment where I converted
m
c
E = mc2 ,
where
E
is the
is the speed of light. So, suppose I did an
kilograms of matter, and wound up with
E
Joules of energy. Give
me the equation I could use that would help me gure out, from these two numbers, what the speed
of light is.
Exercise 8.57
The following gure is an Aerobie, or a washer, or whatever you want to call itit's the shaded
area, a ring with inner thickness
6 This
r1
and outer thickness
r2 .
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19263/1.1/>.
CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
122
Aerobie
Figure 8.1
a. What is the area of this shaded region, in terms of r1 and r2 ?
b. Suppose I told you that the area of the shaded region is 32π , and that the inner radius r1
is 7. What is the outer radius
r2 ?
c. Suppose I told you that the area of the shaded region is
A,
and that the outer radius is
r2 .
Find a formula for the inner radius.
OK, that's enough about real life.
Let's try simplifying a few expressions, using the rules we developed
yesterday.
Exercise 8.58
√
100y
Exercise 8.59
px
25
Exercise 8.60
√
x + 16
Exercise
8.61
√
50
2
=
Exercise
√
√8.62
√
5 2+2 3−3 2=
Exercise
√
√ 8.63
27 −
48 =
Let's try some that are a bit trickiersort of like rational expressions. Don't forget to start by getting a
common denominator!
Exercise
√ 8.64
√1
2
+
2
2
=
123
a. Simplify. (Don't use your calculator, it won't help.)
b. Now, check your answer by plugging the original formula into your calculator. What do
you get? Did it work?
Exercise 8.65
√1
2
+
√1
3
=
a. Simplify. (Don't use your calculator, it won't help.)
b. Now, check your answer by plugging the original formula into your calculator. What do
you get? Did it work?
Exercise√8.66
√1
3+1
−
3
2
=
a. Simplify. (Don't use your calculator, it won't help.)
b. Now, check your answer by plugging the original formula into your calculator. What do
you get? Did it work?
And now, the question you knew I would ask. . .
Exercise 8.67
Graph
y=
√
x
a. Plot a whole mess of points. (Choose x-values that will give you pretty easy-to-graph
y-values!)
b. What is the domain? What is the range?
c. Draw the graph.
Exercise 8.68
Graph
y=
√
x−3
by shifting the previous graph.
a. Plug in a couple of points to make sure your shift was correct. Fix it if it wasn't.
b. What is the domain? What is the range?
Exercise 8.69
Graph
y=
√
x−3
by shifting the previous graph.
a. Plug in a couple of points to make sure your shift was correct. Fix it if it wasn't.
b. What is the domain? What is the range?
7
8.7 Homework: A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals
Exercise 8.70
Several hundred years before Einstein, Isaac Newton proposed a theory of gravity. According to
Newton's theory, any two bodies exert a force on each other, pulling them closer together.
force is given by the equation
m1
and
m2
, where
F
is the force of attraction,
r is the distance
F , G, m1 , and m2 .
are the masses of the two dierent bodies, and
formula that would give you
7 This
2
F = G mr1 m
2
r
if you already knew
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19264/1.1/>.
G
The
is a constant,
between them. Find a
CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
124
Exercise 8.71
In the following drawing,
m
is the height (vertical height, straight up) of the mountain;
length of the ski lift (the diagonal line); and
x
s
is the
is the horizontal distance from the bottom of the ski
lift to the bottom of the mountain.
Ski Lift
Figure 8.2
a. Label these three numbers on the diagram. Note that they make a right triangle.
b. Write the relationship between the three. (Pythagorean Theorem.)
c. If you build the ski lift starting 1,200 feet from the bottom of the mountain, and the
mountain is 800 feet high, how long is the ski lift?
d. If the ski lift is s feet long, and you build it starting x feet from the bottom of the mountain,
how high is the mountain?
Exercise 8.72
√
Simplify
28
√ . Check your answer on your calculator.
4− 7
Exercise 8.73
1
Simplify √
5
+
√ 1 . Check your answer on your calculator.
5−2
Exercise 8.74
Graph
y=
√
x − −3.
What are the domain and range?
Exercise 8.75
Graph
y=
√
x − 3.
What are the domain and range?
8.8 Radical Equations
8
Before I get into the radical equations, there is something very important I have to get out of the way.
Square these two out:
Exercise
√ 8.76
2+
2
2
=
Exercise
√
√ 8.77
3+
How'd it go?
2
2
=
If you got six for the rst answer and ve for the second,
stop! Go back and look again,
because those answers are not right. (If you don't believe me, try it on your calculator.) When you've got
those correctly simplied (feel free to askor, again, check on your calculator) then go on.
8 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19272/1.1/>.
125
Now, radical equations. Let's start o with
an easy radical equation.
Exercise
8.78
√
2x + 3 = 7
I call this an easy radical equation because there is no
x under the square root.
Sure, there's a ,
but that's just a number. So you can solve it pretty much the same way you would solve
just subtract 3, then divide by
√
4x + 3 = 7;
2.
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer by plugging it into the original equation. Does it work?
This next one is denitely trickier, but it is still in the category that I call easy because there is still no x
under the square root.
Exercise
8.79
√
2x + 3x = 7
a. Solve for x
b. Check your answer by plugging it into the original equation. Does it work? (Feel free to
use your calculator, but show me what you did and how it came out.)
Now, what if there
is an
Exercise 8.80
Solve for x:
√
x
under the square root? Let's try a basic one like that.
x=9
What did you get? If you said the answer is three: shame, shame. The square root of 3 isn't 9, is it? Try
again.
OK, that's better. You probably guessed your way to the answer. But if you had to be systematic about
whenever there is an x under
x under the radical, don't square
it, you could say I got to the answer by squaring both sides. The rule is:
a radical, you will have to square both sides. If there is no
both sides.
It worked out this time, but squaring both sides is fraught with peril. Here are a few examples.
Exercise 8.81
√
x = −9
a. Solve for x, by squaring both sides.
b. Check your answer by plugging it into the original equation.
Hey, what happened? When you square both sides, you get
wrong answer:
√
81
is not
−9.
x = 81,
just like before. But this time, it's the
The moral of the story is that when you square both sides, you
can introduce false answers. So whenever you square both sides, you have to check your answers to see
if they work. (We will see that rule come up again in some much less obvious places, so it's a good idea to
get it under your belt now:
whenever you square both sides, you can introduce false answers!)
But that isn't the only danger of squaring both sides. Check this out. . .
Exercise 8.82
Solve for x by squaring both sides:
2+
√
x=5
Hey, what happened there? When you square the left side, you got (I hope)
simpler, is it? So the lesson there is,
√
x + 4 x + 4.
both sides. Let's come back to that problem.
Exercise 8.83
2+
√
x=5
a. Solve for
x
Life isn't any
you have to get the square root by itself before you can square
by rst getting the square root by itself, and then squaring both sides
CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
126
b. Check your answer in the original equation.
Whew! Much better! Some of you may have never fallen into the trapyou may have just subtracted the
two to begin with. But you will nd you need the same technique for harder problems, such as this one:
Exercise 8.84
x−
√
x=6
a. Solve for
x
by rst getting the square root by itself, and then squaring both sides, and
then solving the resulting equation.
note: You should end up with two answers.
b. Check your answers in the original equation.
note: If you did everything right, you should nd that one answer works and the other
doesn't. Once again, we see that squaring both sides can introduce false answers!
Exercise 8.85
√
√
x−2=
3−
√
x
What do you do now? You're going to have to square both sides. . .that will simplify the left, but
the right will still be ugly. But if you look closely, you will see that you have changed an equation
with
x
under the square root twice, into an equation with
x
under the square root once. So then,
you can solve it the way you did above: get the square root by itself and square both sides. Before
you are done, you will have squared both sides twice!
Solve #10 and check your answers. . .
9
8.9 Homework: Radical Equations
For each of the following, you will rst identify it as one of three types of problem:
• No x under a radical, so don't square both sides.
• x under a radical, so you will have to isolate it and square both sides.
• More than one x under a radical, so you will have to isolate-and-square
more than once!
Then you will solve it; and nally, you will check your answers (often on a calculator). Remember that if you
squared both sides, you may get false answers even if you did the problem correctly! If you did not square
both sides, a false answer means you must have made a mistake somewhere.
Exercise 8.86
√
x = −3
a. Which type of problem is it?
b. Solve for x.
c. Check your answer(s).
Exercise
8.87
√
√
2x − 3 =
3x
a. Which type of problem is it?
b. Solve for x.
c. Check your answer(s).
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19271/1.1/>.
127
Exercise
8.88
√
x−
2x = 4
a. Which type of problem is it?
b. Solve for x.
c. Check your answer(s).
Exercise 8.89
√
√
4x + 2 −
2x = 1
a. Which type of problem is it?
b. Solve for x.
c. Check your answer(s).
Exercise 8.90
3−
√
x − 2 = −4
a. Which type of problem is it?
b. Solve for x.
c. Check your answer(s).
Exercise 8.91
√
x + 2 x = 15
a. Which type of problem is it?
b. Solve for x.
c. Check your answer(s).
Exercise 8.92
√
x+4+
√
x=2
a. Which type of problem is it?
b. Solve for x.
c. Check your answer(s).
10
8.10 Sample Test: Radicals
Exercise 8.93
Punch this into your calculator and give the answer rounded to three decimal places. This is the
only question on the quiz where I want an answer in the form of an ugly decimal:
√
69 =
Exercise 8.94
Give me an approximate answer for
√
3
10.
Simplify the following problems in #3-#15. Give answers using radicals, not decimals or approximations.
Exercise
8.95
√
400
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CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
128
Exercise 8.96
√
3
−27
Exercise 8.97
√
3 −27
Exercise
8.98
√
108
Exercise
√
√ 8.99
20 −
45
Exercise
8.100
q
300
64
Exercise
8.101
√
x16
Exercise
8.102
√
5
x38
Exercise
8.103
p
98x20 y 5 z
Exercise
8.104
p
4x2 + 9y 4
Exercise
√
√ 8.105
3−
2
2
Exercise
8.106
√
54
√
2+ 2
Exercise 8.107
√
3
something
= x + 2.
What is the
something?
Exercise 8.108
Rewrite as an exponent equation:
x=
√
n
y
Exercise 8.109
Rewrite as a radical equation:
ab = c
Exercise 8.110
Rewrite as a logarithm equation:
Solve for
ab = c
x
Exercise
8.111
√
3+ x
2
=5
Exercise 8.112
√
2x + 1 −
√
x=1
Exercise
√ 8.113
3x +
3 (x) − 4 +
Exercise
√ 8.114√
√
x+
2 (x) −
√
8=0
2=0
Exercise 8.115
For an object moving in a circle around the origin, whenever it is at the point (x,y ), its distance
to the center of the circle is given by:
a. Solve this equation for x.
b. If y = 2 and r = 2 21 , what is
x?
r=
p
x2 + y 2
129
Exercise 8.116
Graph
y =−−
√
x + 3.
Exercise 8.117
What are the domain and range of the graph you drew in #24?
Extra Credit:
Draw a graph of
y=
√
3
x.
130
CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
Chapter 9
Imaginary Numbers
9.1 Imaginary Numbers
1
Exercise 9.1
Explain, using words and equations, why the equation
x2 = − − 1
has no answer, but
x3 = − − 1
does.
OK, so now we are going to use our imaginations. (Didn't think we were allowed to do that in math class,
did you?) Suppose there
were an answer to
3
familiar with (such as 5, − , or
4
would it be like?
π ).
x2 = − − 1?
Obviously it wouldn't be a number that we are
So, let's just give it a new name:
i,
because it's
imaginary. What
Denition of i
i is
−1 or, equivalently, i2 = − − 1
The denition of the imaginary number
i=
√
that it is the square root of
− − 1:
Based on that denition, answer the following questions. In each case, don't just guessgive a
good mathematical reason why the answer should be what you say it is!
Exercise 9.2
What is
i (− − i)?
Exercise 9.3
What is
2
(− − i)
(*Remember that
−−i
means
− − 1 × i.)
?
Exercise 9.4
What is
2
(3i)
?
Exercise 9.5
What is
2
(− − 3i)
?
Exercise 9.6
√
2
2i ?
What is
Exercise 9.7
√
2
2i ?
What is
Exercise 9.8
What is
√
−25?
Exercise 9.9
What is
√
−3?
Exercise 9.10
What is
1 This
√
−8?
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19129/1.1/>.
131
CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
132
Exercise 9.11
Fill in the following table.
i1
i2
i3
i4
i5
i6
i7
i8
i9
i10
i11
i12
Table 9.1
Exercise 9.12
Fill in the following table.
i100
i101
i102
i103
i104
Table 9.2
Now let's have some more fun!
Exercise 9.13
2
(3 + 4i) =
Exercise 9.14
(3 + 4i) (3 − −4i) =
Exercise
9.15
1 2
i
=
Exercise 9.16
Simplify the fraction
1
i.
note: Multiply the top and bottom by i.
Exercise 9.17
Square your answer to #16. Did you get the same answer you got to #15? Why or why not?
Exercise 9.18
Simplify the fraction
1
3+2i .
133
note: Multiply the top and bottom by
3 − −2i.
2
9.2 Homework: Imaginary Numbers
We began our in-class assignment by talking about why
does
x3 = −−1 does have a solution, whereas x2 = −−1
not. Let's talk about the same thing graphically.
Exercise 9.19
On the graph below, do a quick sketch of
y = x3 .
ppp
a. Draw, on your graph, all the points on the curve where y = 1. How many are there?
b. Draw, on your graph, all the points on the curve where y = 0. How many are there?
c. Draw, on your graph, all the points on the curve where y = − − 1. How many are there?
Exercise 9.20
On the graph below, do a quick sketch of
y = x2 .
ppp
a. Draw, on your graph, all the points on the curve where y = 1. How many are there?
b. Draw, on your graph, all the points on the curve where y = 0. How many are there?
c. Draw, on your graph, all the points on the curve where y = −1. How many are there?
Exercise 9.21
Based on your sketch in exercise #2. . .
a.
b.
c.
d.
a is some number such that a > 0, how many solutions are there to the equation x2 = a?
2
If a is some number such that a = 0, how many solutions are there to the equation x = a?
2
If a is some number such that a < 0, how many solutions are there to the equation x = a?
2
If i is dened by the equation i = − − 1, where the heck is it on the graph?
If
OK, let's get a bit more practice with
i.
Exercise 9.22
In class, we made a table of powers of i, and found that there was a repeating pattern. Make that
table again quickly below, to see the pattern.
2 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19130/1.1/>.
CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
134
i1
i2
i3
i4
i5
i6
i7
i8
i9
i10
i11
i12
Table 9.3
Exercise 9.23
Now let's walk that table
backward. Assuming the pattern keeps up as you back up, ll in the
following table. (Start at the bottom.)
i−4
i−3
i−2
i−1
i0
Table 9.4
Exercise 9.24
Did it work? Let's gure it out. What should
i0
be, according to our general rules of exponents?
Exercise 9.25
What should
i−−1
be, according to our general rules of exponents? Can you simplify it to look
like the answer in your table?
Exercise 9.26
What should
i−−2
be, according to our general rules of exponents? Can you simplify it to look
like the answer in your table?
Exercise 9.27
What should
i−−3
be, according to our general rules of exponents? Can you simplify it to look
like the answer in your table?
Exercise 9.28
Simplify the fraction
i
4−3i .
135
9.3 Complex Numbers
3
A
complex number is written in the form
bi
is the imaginary part.
Examples are:
3 + 4i (a
b
is 3,
is 4) and
a + bi
where
3 − −4i (a
a
is 3,
and
b
b
are real numbers.
a
is the real part and
is 4).
Exercise 9.29
Is 4 a complex number? If so, what are
a
and
b?
If not, why not?
a
and
b?
If not, why not?
a
and
b?
If not, why not?
Exercise 9.30
i
Is
a complex number? If so, what are
Exercise 9.31
0
Is
a complex number? If so, what are
All four operationsaddition, subtraction, multiplication, and divisioncan be done to complex numbers,
So, for the following problems, let X = 3 + 4i
Y = 5 − 12i. In each case, your answer should be a complex number, in the form a + bi.
and the answer is always another complex number.
and
Exercise 9.32
Add:
X +Y.
Exercise 9.33
Subtract:
X − −Y .
Exercise 9.34
Multiply:
XY
Exercise 9.35
X/Y .
Divide:
(*To get the answer in
a+bi form, you will need to use a trick we learned yesterday.)
Exercise 9.36
Square:
The
X2
complex conjugate of a complex number
a + bi
is dened as
a − bi.
That is, the real part stays the
same, and the imaginary part switches sign.
Exercise 9.37
What is the complex conjugate of
(5 − −12i)?
Exercise 9.38
What do you get when you multiply
(5 − −12i)
by its complex conjugate?
Exercise 9.39
Where have we used complex conjugates before?
For two complex numbers to be
equal, there are two requirements: the real parts must be the same, and
the imaginary parts must be the same. In other words,
or to
3 + 2i
2 + 3i
is only equal to
2 + 3i.
It is not equal to
they are both written in
a + bi form:
you just set the
real parts equal, and the imaginary parts equal.
(If they are not written in that form, it can be very tricky to tell: for instance, we saw earlier that
same as
− − i!)
1
i is the
Exercise 9.40
If
2 + 3i = m + ni,
and
m
and
n
are both real numbers, what are
m
and
n?
Exercise 9.41
Solve for the real numbers
x
and
y : (x − −6y) + (x + 2y) i = 1 − −3i
Finally, remember. . .rational expressions? We can have some of those with complex numbers as well!
Exercise 9.42
4+2i
)
( 3+2i
5−3i
( 7−i )
3 This
2 + 3i
or to anything else. So it is very easy to see if two complex numbers are the same, as long as
Simplify. As always, your answer should be in the form
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19128/1.1/>.
a + bi.
CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
136
Exercise 9.43
4+2i
3+2i
−
5−3i
7−i Simplify.
4
9.4 Homework: Complex Numbers
Exercise 9.44
(3 + 7i) − − (4 + 7i) =
Exercise 9.45
(5 − −3i) + (5 − −3i) =
Exercise 9.46
2 (5 − −3i) =
Exercise 9.47
(5 − −3i) (2 + 0i) =
Exercise 9.48
What is the complex conjugate of
(5 − −3i)?
Exercise 9.49
What do you get when you multiply
(5 − −3i)
by its complex conjugate?
Exercise 9.50
What is the complex conjugate of 7?
Exercise 9.51
What do you get when you multiply 7 by its complex conjugate?
Exercise 9.52
What is the complex conjugate of
2i?
Exercise 9.53
What do you get when you multiply
2i
by its complex conjugate?
Exercise 9.54
What is the complex conjugate of
(a + bi)?
Exercise 9.55
What do you get when you multiply
(a + bi)
by its complex conjugate?
Exercise 9.56
I'm thinking of a complex number
z∗)
z.
When I multiply it by its complex conjugate (designated as
the answer is 25.
a. What might z be?
b. Test it, and make sure it worksthat is, that
(z) (z∗) = 25!
Exercise 9.57
I'm thinking of a
answer is
dierent complex number
z.
When I multiply it by
3 + 2i.
a. What might z be?
b. Test it, and make sure it worksthat is, that
4 This
(z) (z∗) = 3 + 2i!
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19132/1.1/>.
its complex conjugate, the
137
Exercise 9.58
Solve for
x
and
y : x2 + 2x2 i + 4y + 40yi = 7 − −2i
Exercise 9.59
Finally, a bit more exercise with rational expressions. We're going to take one problem and solve
it two dierent ways. The problem is
3
2+i
−
7i
3+4i . The nal answer, of course, must be in the form
a + bi.
a. Here is one way to solve it: the common denominator is
over the common denominator and combine them.
and simplify it into
a + bi
(2 + i) (3 + 4i).
Put both fractions
Then, take the resulting fraction,
form.
b. Here is a completely dierent way to solve the same problem. Take the two fractions we
are subtracting and simplify them both into a + bi form, and then subtract.
c. Did you get the same answer? (If not, something went wrong. . .) Which way was easier?
9.5 Me, Myself, and the Square Root of i
5
3
2−i and rewrite it in a + bi format. There are many
and log (i)that do not look like a + bi, but all of them can be turned into
We have already seen how to take a number such as
other numberssuch as
a + bi
i
2
√
form. In this assignment, we are going to nd
ithat
√
is, we are going to rewrite
i
so that we can
clearly see its real part and its imaginary part.
z such that z 2 = i. And we want to express z in
a + bi. So what we want to solve is the following
How do we do that? Well, we want to nd some number
terms of its real and imaginary partsthat is, in the form
equation:
2
(a + bi) = i
You are going to solve that equation now. When you nd
a
and
b,
you will have found the answers.
Stop now and make sure you understand how I have set up this problem, before you go on to solve it.
Exercise 9.60
What is
2
(a + bi)
? Multiply it out.
Exercise 9.61
Now, rearrange your answer so that you have collected all the real terms together and all the
imaginary terms together.
Now, we are trying to solve the equation
and set it equal to
i.
2
(a + bi) = i.
So take the formula you just generated in number 2,
This will give you two equations: one where you set the real part on the left equal to
the real part on the right, and one where you set the imaginary part on the left equal to the imaginary part
on the right.
Exercise 9.62
Write down both equations.
Exercise 9.63
a and b. (Back to simultaneous equations,
(a ,b pairs that both work in both equations.
Solve the two equations for
you should have two
remember?) In the end,
Exercise 9.64
So. . . now that you know
a
and
b,
write down
two complex answers to the problem
x2 = i.
Exercise 9.65
Did all that work? Well, let's nd out. Take your answers in #5 and test them: that is, square it,
and see if you get
5 This
i.
If you don't, something went wrong!
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CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
138
Exercise 9.66
OK, we're done! Did you get it all? Let's nd out. Using a very similar technique to the one that
we used here, nd
√
−i:
that is, nd the two dierent solutions to the problem
z 2 = i.
Check them!
6
9.6 The Many Merry Cube Roots of -1
x2 = 1
When you work with real numbers,
solutions at all. When you allow for
solutions, just like
x2 = 1.
In fact,
has two dierent solutions (1 and 1).
But
complex numbers, things are much more consistent:
x2 = n
x2 = −1 has no
x2 = −1 has two
will have two solutions for any number npositive or negative,
real or imaginary or complex. There is only one exception to this rule.
Exercise 9.67
What is the one exception?
You might suspect that
x3 = n
should have
three solutions in generaland you would be right! Let's take
an example. We know that when we are working with real numbers,
x3 = − − 1
has only one solution.
Exercise 9.68
What is the one solution?
But if we allow for
complex answers,
x3 = − − 1
has three possible solutions. We are going to nd the
other two.
How do we do that? Well, we know that every complex number can be written as
are real numbers. So if there is some complex number that solves
the
a and b that will make
3
(a + bi) = − − 1
x3 = − − 1 ,
(a + bi),
where
a and b
then we can nd it by solving
the following equation true:
You are going to solve that equation now. When you nd
a
and
b,
you will have found the answers.
Stop now and make sure you understand how I have set up this problem, before you go on to solve it.
Exercise 9.69
What is
3
(a + bi)
? Multiply it out.
Exercise 9.70
Now, rearrange your answer so that you have collected all the real terms together and all the
imaginary terms together.
Now, we are trying to solve the equation
number 4, and set it equal to
− − 1.
3
(a + bi) = − − 1.
So take the formula you just generated in
This will give you two equations: one where you set the real part on
the left equal to the real part on the right, and one where you set the imaginary part on the left equal to
the imaginary part on the right.
Exercise 9.71
Write down both equations.
OK. If you did everything right, one of your two equations factors as
b 3a2 − −b2 = 0.
If one of your two
equations doesn't factor that way, go backsomething went wrong!
If it did, then let's move on from there. As you know, we now have two things being multiplied to give
0, which means one of them must be 0. One possibility is that
possibility is that
3a2 − −b2 = 0,
which means
b = 0:
we'll chase that down later. The other
3a2 = b2 .
Exercise 9.72
Solve the two equations for
a
and
b
by substituting
3a2 = b2
into the other equation
Exercise 9.73
So. . .now that you know
a
and
b,
write down
two complex answers to the problem
you don't have two answers, look again!
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x3 = − − 1 .
If
139
Exercise 9.74
But wait. . .shouldn't there be a third answer? Oh, yeah. . .what about that
to pick that one up. If
to
b = 0,
what is
a?
Based on this
a
and
b,
b=0
business? Time
what is the third and nal solution
x3 = − − 1?
Exercise 9.75
Did all that work? Well, let's nd out. Take either of your answers in #7 and test it: that is, cube
it, and see if you get 1. If you don't, something went wrong!
7
9.7 Homework: Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers
√
−b± b2 −4ac
. Back when we were doing quadratic
2a
equations, if we wound up with a negative number under that square root, we just gave up. But now we can
I'm sure you remember the quadratic formula:
x =
solve these equations!
Exercise 9.76
Use the quadratic formula to solve:
2x2 + 6x + 5 = 0.
Exercise 9.77
Use the quadratic formula to solve:
x2 − 2x + 5 = 0.
Exercise 9.78
Check one of your answers to #2.
Exercise 9.79
Solve by completing the square:
2x2 + 10x + 17 = 0.
Exercise 9.80
a. In general, what has to be true for a quadratic equation to have two non-real roots?
b. What is the relationship between the two non-real roots?
c. Is it possible to have a quadratic equation with one non-real root?
9.8 Sample Test: Complex Numbers
8
Exercise 9.81
Fill in the following table.
i−1
i0
i1
i2
i3
i4
i5
i6
i7
7 This
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CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
140
Table 9.5
Simplify.
Exercise 9.82
85
(i)
=
Exercise 9.83
2
(5i) =
Exercise 9.84
103
(ni)
=
Exercise 9.85
√
a.
−20 =
b. Other than your answer to part (a), is there any other number that you can squareto
get 20? If so, what is it?
Exercise 9.86
2
(3w − −zi) =
Exercise 9.87
a. Complex conjugate of 4 + i =
b. What do you get when you multiply
If the following are simplied to the form
4+i
a + bi,
by its complex conjugate?
what are
a
and
b
in each case?
Exercise 9.88
−−i
a.
b.
a=
b=
Exercise 9.89
n
i
a.
b.
a=
b=
Exercise 9.90
4x
1−6ix
−
2i
3−i
a.
b.
a=
b=
Exercise 9.91
If
2x + 3xi + 2y = 28 + 9i,
what are
x
and
y?
Exercise 9.92
Make up a quadratic equation (using all real numbers) that has two non-real roots, and solve it.
Exercise 9.93
a. Find the two complex numbers (of course in the form
z = a + bi
that ll the condition
z 2 = − − 2i.
b. Check one of your answers to part (a), by squaring it to make sure you get
− − 2i.
141
Extra credit:
Complex numbers cannot be graphed on a number line. But they can be graphed on a 2-dimensional graph:
you graph the point
x + iy
at (x,
y ).
5 + 12i, how far is that point from the origin (0,0)?
x + iy , how far is that point from the origin (0,0)?
you multiply the point x + iy by its complex conjugate?
1. If you graph the point
2. If you graph the point
3. What do you get if
your answer to part (b)?
How does this relate to
142
CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
Chapter 10
Matrices
1
10.1 Introduction to Matrices
The following matrix, stolen from a rusted lockbox in the back of a large, dark lecture hall in a school called
Hogwart's, is the gradebook for Professor Severus Snape's class in potions.
Poison
Cure
Love philter
Invulnerability
Granger, H
100
105
99
100
Longbottom, N
80
90
85
85
Malfoy, D
95
90
0
85
Potter, H
70
75
70
75
Weasley, R
85
90
95
90
Table 10.1
When I say this is a matrix I'm referring to the numbers in boxes. The labels (such as Granger, H or
Poison) are labels that help you understand the numbers in the matrix, but they are not the matrix itself.
Each student is designated by a
row. A row is a horizontal list of numbers.
Exercise 10.1
Below, copy the row that represents all the grades for Malfoy, D.
Each assignment is designated by a
column, which is a vertical list of numbers. (This is easy to remember
if you picture columns in Greek architecture, which are big and tall and. . .well, you know. . .vertical.)
Exercise 10.2
Below, copy the column that represents all the grades on the Love philter assignment.
I know what you're thinking, this is so easy it seems pointless. Well, it's going to stay easy until tomorrow.
So bear with me.
The
dimensions of a matrix are just the number of rows, and the number of columns. . .in that order.
So a 10
×
20 matrix means 10 rows and 20 columns.
Exercise 10.3
What are the dimensions of Dr. Snape's gradebook matrix?
For two matrices to be
equal, they must be exactly the same in every way: same dimensions, and every cell
the same. If everything is not precisely the same, the two matrices are not equal.
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
144
Exercise 10.4
What must
x
and
y
be, in order to make the following matrix equal to Dr. Snape's gradebook
matrix?
100
105
99
100
80
x+y
85
85
95
90
0
85
70
75
x−y
75
85
90
95
90
Table 10.2
Finally, it is possible to
add or subtract matrices. But you can only do this when the matrices have the
same dimensions!!! If two matrices do not have exactly the same dimensions, you cannot add or subtract
them. If they do have the same dimensions, you add and subtract them just by adding or subtracting each
individual cell.
Exercise 10.5
As an example: Dr. Snape has decided that his grades are too high, and he needs to curve them
downward. So he plans to subtract the following
grade-curving matrix from his original grade
matrix.
5
0
10
0
5
0
10
0
5
0
10
0
10
5
15
5
5
0
10
0
Table 10.3
Write down the new grade matrix.
Exercise 10.6
In the grade-curving matrix, all rows except the fourth one are identical. What is the eect of the
dierent fourth row on the nal grades?
10.2 Homework: Introduction to Matrices
2
Exercise 10.7
In the following matrix. . .

2 This

1
3
7
4
9
3

 6


 8


 8

6
3
7
0
8
5
0
7
3
9
5
4
3
7
4
2
9

1 


2 


0 

1
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19205/1.1/>.
145
a.
b.
c.
d.
What are the dimensions? __
×
__
Copy the second column here:
Copy the third row here:
Write another matrix which is equal to this matrix.
Exercise 10.8
Add the following two matrices.


2
6
4
9
n
8


+
5
7
1
9
−n
3n

=
Exercise 10.9
Add the following two matrices.


2
6
4
9
n
8


+

5
7
9
−n
=
Exercise 10.10
Subtract the following two matrices.


2
6
4
9
n
8


−
5
7
1
9
−n
3n

=
Exercise 10.11
Solve the following equation for
x
and
y.
(That is, nd what
x
and
y
must be for this equation to
and
y.
(That is, nd what
x
and
y
must be for this equation to
be true.)


2x
5y


+
x+y
−6x


6
=
2


Exercise 10.12
Solve the following equation for
x
be true.)


x+y
3x − 2y


+
4x − y
x + 5y


=
3
5
7
9


3
10.3 Multiplying Matrices I
Just to limber up your matrix muscles, let's try doing the following matrix addition.
Exercise
10.13



2
5
x
3
7
2y

+
2
5
x
3
7
2y


+
2
5
x
3
7
2y

=
Exercise 10.14
How many times did you add that matrix to itself ?
Exercise 10.15
Rewrite #1 as a
multiplication problem. (*Remember what multiplication meansadding
something to itself a bunch of times!)
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
146
multiplying a matrix by a number. It's very straightforward. You end up
This brings us to the world of
with a matrix that has the same dimensions as the original, but all the individual cells have been multiplied
by that number.
Let's do another example. I'm sure you remember Professor Snape's grade matrix.
Poison
Cure
Love philter
Invulnerability
Granger, H
100
105
99
100
Longbottom, N
80
90
85
85
Malfoy, D
95
90
0
85
Potter, H
70
75
70
75
Weasley, R
85
90
95
90
Table 10.4
Now, we saw how Professor Snape could lower his grades (which he loves to do) by subtracting a curve
matrix. But there is another way he can lower his grades, which is by multiplying the entire matrix by a
number. In this case, he is going to multiply his grade matrix by
then the resulting matrix could be written as
9
9
10
. If we designate his grade matrix as
[S]
[S].
10
note: Remember that the cells in a matrix are numbers! So
[S]
is just the grades, not the names.
Exercise 10.16
Write down the matrix
9
10
[S].
Finally, it's time to Prof. Snape to calculate nal grades. He does this according to the following formula:
Poison counts 30%, Cure counts 20%, Love philter counts 15%, and the big nal project on Invulnerability counts 35%.
calculation:
For instance, to calculate the nal grade for Granger, H he does the following
(30%) (100) + (20%) (105) + (15%) (99) + (35%) (100) = 100.85.
To make the calculations easier to keep track of, the Professor represents the various weights in his
grading
matrix
which looks like the following:


.3






.2
.15






.35
The above calculation can be written very concisely as
multiplying a row matrix by a column
matrix, as follows.

h
100
105
99
100

i




.3
.2
.15




 = [100.85]


.35
A row matrix means a matrix that is just one row. A column matrix means. . .well, you get the idea.
When a row matrix and a column matrix have the same number of items, you can multiply the two matrices.
What you do is, you multiply both of the rst numbers, and you multiply both of the second numbers, and
so on. . .and you add all those numbers to get one big number. The nal answer is not just a numberit is
a 1×1 matrix, with that one big number inside it.
Exercise 10.17
Below, write the matrix multiplication that Prof. Snape would do to nd the grade for Potter,
H. Show both the problem (the two matrices being multiplied) and the answer (the 1×1 matrix
that contains the nal grade).
147
10.4 Homework: Multiplying Matrices I
4
Exercise 10.18
Multiply.

1
2

2
6
4
9
n
8


Exercise 10.19
Multiply.
3
h
2
3


i 5 

4 
 −6 
7
Exercise 10.20
Multiply.
h
3


i x 

7 
 y 
z
6
Exercise 10.21
Solve for
2
h
7
x.

x 3
x

i

 x  = [6]


5
10.5 Multiplying Matrices II
5
Just for a change, we're going to start with. . .Professor Snape's grade matrix!
Poison
Cure
Love philter
Invulnerability
Granger, H
100
105
99
100
Longbottom, N
80
90
85
85
Malfoy, D
95
90
0
85
Potter, H
70
75
70
75
Weasley, R
85
90
95
90
Table 10.5
As you doubtless recall, the good Professor calculated nal grades by the following computation: Poison
counts 30%, Cure counts 20%, Love philter counts 15%, and the big nal project on Invulnerability
4 This
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
148
counts 35%.
He was able to represent each student's nal grade as the product of a row matrix (for the
student) times a column matrix (for weighting).
Exercise 10.22
Just to make sure you remember, write the matrix multiplication that Dr. Snape would use to
nd the grade for Malfoy, D. Make sure to include both the two matrices being multiplied, and
the nal result!
I'm sure you can see the problem with this, which is that you have to write a separate matrix multiplication
problem for every student.
To get around that problem, we're going to extend our denition of matrix
multiplication so that the rst matrix no longer has to be a rowit may be many rows. Each row of the rst
matrix becomes a new row in the answer. So, Professor Snape can now multiply his entire student matrix
by his weighting matrix, and out will come a matrix with all his grades!
Exercise 10.23
Let's try it. Do the following matrix multiplication. The answer will be a 3×1 matrix with the
nal grades for Malfoy, D, Potter, H, and Weasley, R.


95

 70

85
90
0
85
75
70
90
95

.3




.2 


=
75 

 .15 

90 
.35
OK, let's step back and review where we are. Yesterday, we learned how to multiply a row matrix times a
column matrix. Now we have learned that you can add more rows to the rst matrix, and they just become
extra rows in the answer.
For full generality of matrix multiplication, you just need to know this: if you
add more columns to
second matrix, they become additional columns in the answer! As an example, suppose Dr. Snape wants to
try out a dierent weighting scheme, to see if he likes the new grades better. So he adds the new column
to his weighting matrix. The rst column represents the original weighting scheme, and the second column
represents the new weighting scheme. The result will be a 3x2 matrix where each row is a dierent
and each column is a dierent
Exercise 10.24

95

 70

85
90
0
75
70
90
95

85

weighting scheme. Got all that? Give it a try now!
.3
.4




.2 .2 


=
75 

 .15 .3 


90
.35 .1
6
10.6 Homework: Multiplying Matrices II
Exercise 10.25

Matrix
[A]
is

1
3
2
4

.
a. Find the product
b. Find the product

Matrix
[B]
is

5
6
7
8

.
AB.
BA.
Exercise 10.26
Multiply.
6 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19201/1.1/>.
student
149


2
6
9
5


2
5
4
7

 3

8
8
4
6
4
2

9 

0
6
4
5
8
4

Exercise 10.27
Multiply.

2
5
4

 3

8
4
6
4
2
7


 2

9 

9
0
Exercise
10.28


x


5
3
9

 7

2
5




3 
 y 
z
5
7

a. Multiply.

5
3
9

2




 7 5 3   10 but not by manually multiplying it out!



2 7 5
5
x = 2, y = 10, and z = 5 into the formula you came up with in part (a).
b. Now, multiply
plug
Exercise 10.29
Multiply.



1
2
3
1
0
0

 4

7
5


6 
 0
9
0
1

0 

1
8
Exercise
10.30


3
−2
3
6

3
x
y

0

=

9
−3

a. Find the x and y values that will make this matrix equation true.
b. Test your answer by doing the multiplication to make sure it works out.
Exercise

10.31

1
2
3
4
h

Some

Matrix
i
=
1
2
3
4


a. Find the some matrix that will make this matrix equation true.
b. Test your answer by doing the multiplication to make sure it works out.
Instead,
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
150
7
10.7 The Identity and Inverse Matrices
This assignment is brought to you by one of my favorite numbers, and I'm sure it's one of yours. . .the number
1. Some people say that 1 is the loneliest number that you'll ever do. (*Bonus: who said that?) But I say,
1 is the multiplicative identity.
Allow me to demonstrate.
Exercise 10.32
5×1=
Exercise 10.33
2
3
1×
=
Exercise 10.34
−−π×1=
Exercise 10.35
1×x=
You get the idea? 1 is called the multiplicative identity because it has this lovely property that whenever
you multiply it by anything, you get that same thing back. But that's not all! Observe. . .
Exercise 10.36
1
2
2×
=
Exercise 10.37
−2 −3
3 x 2
=
The fun never ends! The point of all that was that every number has an inverse. The inverse is dened by
the fact that, when you multiply a number by its inverse, you get 1.
Exercise 10.38
Write the equation that denes two numbers
a
and
b
as inverses of each other.
Exercise 10.39
Find the inverse of
4
5.
Exercise 10.40
Find the inverse of 3.
Exercise 10.41
Find the inverse of
x.
Exercise 10.42
Is there any number that does
not have an inverse, according to your denition in #7?
So, what does all that have to do with matrices?
(I hear you cry.) Well, we've
already seen a matrix which
acts as a multiplicative identity! Do these problems.
Exercise
10.43



3
8
−4
12

1
0
0
1
Exercise
10.44



1
0
0
1

3
8
−4
12

=

=

Pretty nifty, huh? When you multiply

1
7 This


1
as [I])
0
That's what makes this matrix (referred to
0
by another 2×2 matrix, you get that other matrix back.
the multiplicative identity.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19213/1.1/>.
151
Remember that matrix multiplication does not, in general, commute: that is, for any two matrices
and
[B],
the product
AB
is not necessarily the same as the product BA. But in this case, it is:
[I]
[A]
times
another matrix gives you that other matrix back no matter which order you do the multiplication in. This
is a key part of the denition of
I,
which is. . .
Denition of [I]
The matrix
I
is dened as the multiplicative identity if it satises the equation:
AI = IA = A
I by any
Which, of course, is just a fancy way of saying what I said before. If you multiply
matrix, in
either order, you get that other matrix back.
Exercise 10.45

We have just seen that
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

1
0
0
1


acts as the multiplicative identify for a 2×2 matrix.
What is the multiplicative identity for a 3×3 matrix?
Test this identity to make sure it works.
What is the multiplicative identity for a 5×5 matrix? (I won't make you test this one. . .)
What is the multiplicative identity for a 2×3 matrix?
Trick question! There isn't one. You could write a matrix that satises
would not
also satisfy
IA = Athat
AI = A,
but it
is, it would not commute, which we said was a
requirement. Don't take my word for it, try it! The point is that only square matrices
(*same number of rows as columns) have an identity matrix.
So what about those inverses? Well, remember that two numbers
might guess, we're going to dene two matrices
Exercise 10.46

Multiply:

2
2 12

−1
−1 12

Exercise 10.47

Multiply:
3

−2
5
−4


5
−2
−4

2 12
−1 12

−1
You see? These two matrices are
B
a
as inverses if
b are inverses if ab = 1.
AB = [I]. Let's try a few.
and
f −1
As you

inverses: no matter which order you multiply them in, you get
will designate the inverse of a matrix as
inverse matrixjust as we used
and

3
2
A
A−1
[I].
We
which looks like an exponent but isn't really, it just means
to designate an inverse function. Which leads us to. . .
Denition of A-1
The matrix
(*where
I
A−1
is dened as the multiplicative inverse of
A
if it satises the equation:
A−1 A = AA−1 = I
is the identity matrix)
Of course, only a square matrix can have an inverse, since only a square matrix can have an
know what an inverse matrix
I!
Now we
does, but how do you nd one?
Exercise 10.48
Find the inverse of the matrix


3
2
5
4



a. Since we don't know the inverse yet, we will designate it as a bunch of unknowns:

a
b
c
d


will be our inverse matrix. Write down the equation that denes this unknown matrix
as our inverse matrix.
b. Now, in your equation, you had a matrix multiplication. Go ahead and do that multiplication, and write a new equation which just sets two matrices equal to each other.
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
152
c. Now, remember that when we set two matrices equal to each other, every cell must be
equal. So, when we set two dierent 2x2 matrices equal, we actually end up with four
dierent equations. Write these four equations.
d. Solve for a, b, c, and d.
e. So, write the inverse matrix A−1 .
f. Test this inverse matrix to make sure it works!
10.8 Homework: The Identity and Inverse Matrices
Exercise 10.49

Matrix
a.
b.
c.
d.
A
is


4
10
2
6
.
Write the identity matrix
I
for Matrix
A.
Show that it works.
Find the inverse matrix
A−1 .
Show that it works.
Exercise 10.50

1
Matrix
B
is

 3

5
2


4 
.
6
a. Can you nd a matrix that satises the equation BI = B ?
b. Is this an identity matrix for B ? If so, demonstrate. If not, why not?
Exercise 10.51

Matrix
C
is
2
3
4

 5


 9

6
7
10
11

8 

.
12 

14
15
13
Exercise 10.52

Matrix
D
is

1
2
3
n
Write the identity matrix for
16

.
a. Find the inverse matrix
b. Test it.
8 This

1
D−1
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19194/1.1/>.
C.
8
153
10.9 The Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix
Today you are going to nd the inverse of the
9
generic 2×2 matrix. Once you have done that, you will
any 2×2 matrix.
have a formula that can be used to quickly nd the inverse of
The generic 2×2 matrix, of course, looks like this:

[A] = 
a
b
c
d


Since its inverse is unknown, we will designate the inverse like this:

−1 w
A
=
y
x
z


Our goal is to nd a formula for
not have any
matrix
[A].
w , x, y ,
or
z
w
in terms of our original variables
a, b, c,
and
d.
That formula must
in it, since those are unknowns! Just the original four variables in our original
Then we will nd similar formulae for
x, y ,
and
z
and we will be done.
Our approach will be the same approach we have been using to nd an inverse matrix.
I will walk
you through the stepsafter each step, you may want to check to make sure you've gotten it right before
proceeding to the next.
Exercise 10.53
Write the matrix equation that denes
A−1
as an inverse of
A.
Exercise 10.54
Now, do the multiplication, so you are setting two matrices equal to each other.
Exercise 10.55
Now, we have two 2×2 matrices set equal to each other. That means every cell must be identical,
so we get four dierent equations. Write down the four equations.
Exercise 10.56
w, one for x,
a, b, c, and d!
Solve. Remember that your goal is to nd four equationsone for
for zwhere each equation has only the four original constants
one for
y,
and one
Exercise 10.57
Now that you have solved for all four variables, write the inverse matrix
A
−1
A−1 .
=
Exercise 10.58
As the nal step, to put this in the form that it is most commonly seen in, note that all four
terms have an
ad − bc
in the denominator. (*Do you have a
bottom by 1!) This very important number is called the
bc − ad
instead? Multiply the top and
determinant and we will see a lot more
of it after the next test. In the mean time, note that we can write our answer much more simply
1
. (This is similar to pulling out a common term from
pull out the common factor of ad−
bc
a polynomial. Remember how we multiply a matrix by a constant? This is the same thing in
if we
reverse.) So rewrite the answer with that term pulled out.
A−1 =
You're done! You have found the generic formula for the inverse of any 2x2 matrix. Once you
get the hang of it, you can use this formula to nd the inverse of any 2x2 matrix very quickly. Let's
try a few!
Exercise 10.59

The matrix

2
3
4
5


a. Find the inversenot the long way, but just by plugging into the formula you found above.
9 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19214/1.1/>.
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
154
b. Test the inverse to make sure it works.
Exercise 10.60

The matrix

3
2
9
5


a. Find the inversenot the long way, but just by plugging into the formula you found above.
b. Test the inverse to make sure it works.
Exercise 10.61
Can you write a 2×2 matrix that
has no inverse?
10
10.10 Using Matrices for Transformation
You are an animator for the famous company Copycat Studios. Your job is to take the diagram of the sh
below (whose name is Harpoona) and animate a particular scene for your soon-to-be-released movie.
In this particular scene, the audience is looking down from above on Harpoona who begins the scene
happily oating on the surface of the water. Here is a picture of Harpoona as she is happily oating on the
surface.
10 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19221/1.1/>.
155
Figure 10.1
Here is the matrix that represents her present idyllic condition.

[H] = 
0
10
10
0
0
0
5
0


Exercise 10.62
Explain, in words, how this matrix represents her position.
That is, how can this matrix give
instructions to a computer on exactly how to draw Harpoona?
Exercise 10.63
The transformation
1
2
[H]
is applied to Harpoona.
a. Write down the resulting matrix.
b. Draw Harpoona after this transformation.
c. Then answer this question in words: in general, what does the transformation 12
[H]
do
to a picture?
Exercise 10.64
Now, Harpoona is going to swim three units to the left. Write below a general transformation that
can be applied to any 2×4 matrix to move a drawing three units to the left.
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
156
Exercise 10.65
Harpoonain her original conguration before she was transformed in either waynow undergoes

the transformation

0
−1
1
0

 [H].
a. Write the new matrix that represents Harpoona.
b. Draw Harpoona after this transformation.
c. In the space
below, answer this question in words: in general, what does the transforma

tion

0
−1
1
0
 [H]
do to a picture?
Exercise 10.66
Now: in the movie's key scene, the audience is looking down from above on Harpoona who begins
the scene happily oating on the surface of the water. As the scene progresses, our heroine spins
around and around in a whirlpool as she is slowly being sucked down to the bottom of the sea.
Being sucked down is represented visually, of course, by shrinking.
a. Write a single transformation that will rotate Harpoona by 900 and shrink her.
b. Apply this transformation four times to Harpoona's original state, and compute the resulting matrices that represent her next four states.
c. Now draw all four statespreferably in dierent colors or something.
10.11 Homework: Using Matrices for Transformation
11
Exercise 10.67
Harpoona's best friend is a sh named Sam, whose initial position is represented by the matrix:

[S1 ] = 
0
4
4
0
0
4
0
0
3
3
0
3


Draw Sam:
11 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19190/1.1/>.
157
Exercise 10.68
When the matrix
 √
3
T = 12 
1

−1
√ 
3
is multiplied by any matrix, it eects a powerful
mation
√ on that matrix. Below, write the matrix
for
S2 = T S1 .
transfor-
(You may use 1.7 as an approximation
3.)
Exercise 10.69
Draw Sam's resulting condition,
S2 .
Exercise 10.70
The matrix
T −−1
will, of course, do the opposite of
T.
Find
T −−1 .
(You can use the formula for
the inverse matrix that we derived in class, instead of starting from rst principles. But make sure
to rst multiply the
1
2 into
T,
so you know what the four elements are!)
Exercise 10.71
Sam now undergoes this transformation, so his new state is given by
S3 = T −−1 S2 .
Find
S3
and
graph his new position.
Exercise 10.72
Finally, Sam goes through
T −−1
again, so his nal position is
S4 = T −−1 S3 .
Find and graph his
nal position.
Exercise 10.73
Describe in words: what do the transformations
T
and
T −−1
do, in general, to any shape?
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
158
12
10.12 Sample Test : Matrices I
Exercise 10.74
(9 points)






1
2
3
a
b
c
1
1
1

 4

7
5



6 
 − 2 d
g
9
e
 

f 
= 1
1
i
1

1 
.
1
8
h
1
What are
a, b, c, d, e, f , g , h,
Exercise 10.75
(9 points)

4
2
0
−6
8
10
Using the same Matrix
[A],
[A]
Matrix
is


.
What is
A + A + 12 A?
Exercise 10.76
(9 points)
what is
2 12 A?
Exercise 10.77
(9 points)


4
6
−5
3


x
y


=
0
22

.
What are
x
and
y?
Exercise 10.78
(9 points)

h
1
3
2



i 5 



n 
 6 


7
4
=
Exercise 10.79
(9 points)


4

 0

n

3
6
8


 2

3 
 1

1
0
9

0 

=
4 

2
−2

−1
4
Exercise 10.80
(9 points)

3
6

 2


 1

0
9
−1
4
8



 4 −2

0 


0 3 

=
4 
 n 1
2
Exercise 10.81
(9 points)
12 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19210/1.1/>.
and
i?
159


a
b
c

 d

g
e


f 

i
h

some
matrix


a
b
c

= d

g
e
h

f 

i
c
b
a

= f

i
e

d 

g

. What is "some matrix"?
Exercise 10.82
(5 points)


a
b
c

 d

g
e


f 

i
h


some
matrix

h

. What is "some matrix"?
Exercise 10.83
(8 points)
a.
b.
c.
d.
Write two matrices that can be added and can be multiplied.
cannot be added or multiplied.
can be added but cannot be multiplied.
Write two matrices that can be multiplied but cannot be added.
Write two matrices that
Write two matrices that
Exercise 10.84
(15 points)

a. Find the inverse of the matrix


4
x
1
−2

by using the denition of an inverse matrix.
note: If you are absolutely at stuck on part (a), ask for the answer. You will receive no
credit for part (a) but you may then be able to go on to parts (b) and (c).
b. Test it, by showing that it fullls
of an inverse matrix.
 the denition

c. Find the inverse of the matrix

4
3
1
−2

by plugging
x=3
into your answer to part (a).
Extra Credit:
(5 points)
 Use the generic formula for
4 x

. Does it agree with your answer
1 −2
10.13 Homework: Calculators
Exercise 10.85
Solve on a calculator:
Exercise 10.86
Solve on a calculator:
13 This




1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6


+ 
 
 
the inverse of a 2x2 matrix to nd the inverse of
to number 11a?
13
7
8
9
10
11
12
7
8
9
10
11
12




content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19188/1.1/>.
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
160
Exercise 10.87

Solve on a calculator:

1
2
3
4
5
6
Exercise 10.88

Find the inverse of the matrix
Exercise 10.89

Multiply the matrix


8
9
10
11
12
2
8

 4

7
5

6 
.
9
8



1

1
2
8

 4

7
5

6 

9
8
7
by its own inverse. What do you get? Is it what you expected?
Exercise 10.90

Matrix
A
is

6
0
1
9
2
5

.

Matrix
B
is

10
−2
3
4
7
0


.
Matrix
C
is
−6

 9

3
12


7 
.
2
Use your
calculator to nd. . .
a.
b.
c.
d.
AC
CA
(A + B) C
2A + 12 B
14
10.14 Homework: Determinants
Exercise 10.91
|
3
4
5
6
|
a. Find the determinant by hand.
b. Find the determinant by using your calculator.
c. Finally, use your calculator to nd the determinant of the inverse of this matrix.
note: You should not have to type in the inverse by hand.
What did you get? Can you make a generalization about the "determinant of an inverse matrix"?
Exercise 10.92
|
1
2
3
n
|=2
a. What is n?
b. Check your answer by using your calculator.
14 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19193/1.1/>.
161
Exercise 10.93
2
4
6
| 1
3
n |=
5
7
9
Exercise 10.94
2
4
6
| 1
3
8 |
5
7
9
a. Find the determinant by hand.
b. Find the determinant by using the formula you found in #3.
c. Find the determinant by using your calculator.
Exercise 10.95
A triangle has vertices at (-1,-2), (1,5), and (3,4).
a.
b.
c.
d.
Do a quick sketch of the triangle.
Set up a determinant that will nd its area.
Evaluate that determinant (use your calculator) to nd the area.
Can you think of any
other way to nd the area of this triangle?
Exercise 10.96
Use your calculator to nd the determinant
|
1
3
4
2
6
5
3
8
9
5
9
7
4
1
2
0
|.
Exercise 10.97
Make up a 3×3 matrix whose determinant is zero. (Do
not use all zeros!) Try to nd its inverse
on your calculator. What happens?
10.15 Solving Linear Equations
15
I'm sure you remember our whole unit on solving linear equations. . .by graphing, by substitution, and by
elimination. Well, now we're going to nd a new way of solving those equations. . .by using matrices!
Oh, come on. . .why do we need another way when we've already got three?
Glad you asked! There are two reasons. First, this new method can be done entirely on a calculator.
Cool! We like calculators.
Yeah, I know. But here's the even better reason. Suppose I gave you three equations with three unknowns,
and asked you to do
Um. . .it would take a while. How about
Please don't do that. With matrices and your calculator, all of these
Wow! Do those really come up in real life? Yes, all the time. Actually, this is just
that on a calculator. Think you could do it?
four equations with four unknowns?
are just as easy as two.
about the only real-life application I can give you for matrices, although there are also a lot of other ones.
But solving many simultaneous equations is incredibly useful.
Do you have an example?
time! I have to explain how to do this method.
15 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19212/1.1/>.
Oh, look at the
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
162
So, here we go. Let's start with a problem from an earlier homework assignment. I gave you this matrix
equation:


9
−6
18
9


x
y



9
=

−3
Exercise 10.98
The rst thing you had to do was to rewrite this as two equations with two unknowns. Do that
now. (Don't bother solving for
The point is that
x
and
y,
just set up the equations.)
one matrix equation is the same, in this case, as two simultaneous equations. What
reverse: I give you simultaneous equations, and you turn
we're interested in doing is doing that process in
them into a matrix equation that represents the same thing. Let's try a few.
Exercise 10.99
Write a single matrix equation that represents the two equations:
3x + y = −2
6x − 2y = 12
Exercise 10.100
Now, let's look at three equations:
7a + b + 2c = −1
8a − 3b = 12
a − b + 6c = 0
a. Write a single matrix equation that represents these three equations.
b. Just to make sure it worked, multiply it out and see what three equations you end up with
OK, by now you are convinced that we can take simultaneous linear equations and rewrite them as a single
matrix equation. In each case, the matrix equation looks like this:
AX = B
where A
is a big square matrix, and
X
and
B
are column matrices.
solve forthat is, it has all our variables in it, so if we nd what

instance, in that last example,
X
was
a
X
X
is the matrix that we want to
is, we nd what our variables are. (For



 b .)


c
So how do you solve something like this for
some matrix algebra! We can't divide both sides by
A,
X?
Time for
because we have not dened matrix division. But we
can do the next best thing.
Exercise 10.101
Take the equation
inverse of
A)
AX = B ,
where
A, X ,
and
B
are all matrices. Multiply both sides by
A−1
(the
in front. (Why did I say in front? Remember that order matters when multiplying
matrices. If we put
A−1
in front of both sides, we have done the same thing to both sides.)
Exercise 10.102
Now, we have
A−1 Agee,
didn't that equal something? Oh, yeah. . .rewrite the equation simpli-
fying that part.
Exercise 10.103
Now, we're multiplying
I
by something. . .what does that do again? Oh, yeah. . .rewrite the equation
again a bit simpler.
We're done! We have now solved for the matrix
So, what good is all that again?
Oh, yeah. . .let's go back to the beginning.
3x + y = − − 2
6x − −2y = 12
X.
Let's say I gave you these two equations:
163
You showed in #2 how to rewrite this as one matrix equation
solve such an equation for
X.
So go ahead and plug
A
and
B
AX = B .
And you just found in #6 how to
into your calculator, and then use the formula
to ask your calculator directly for the answer!
Exercise 10.104
Solve those two equations for
x
and
y
by using matrices on your calculator.
Did it work? We nd out the same way we always haveplug our
x
and
y
values into the
original equations and make sure they work.
Exercise 10.105
Check your answer to #7.
Exercise 10.106
Now, solve the three simultaneous equations from #3 on your calculator, and check the answers.
10.16 Homework: Solving Linear Equations
16
Exercise 10.107
4x + 2y = 3
3y − 8x = 8
a.
b.
c.
d.
Solve these two equations by either substitution or elimination.
Now, rewrite those two equations as a matrix equation.
Solve the matrix equation. Your answer should be in the form of a matrix equation:
[x] =
Now, using your calculator, nd the numbers for your equation in part (c). Do they agree
with the answers you found in part (a)?
Exercise 10.108
6x − 8y = 2
9x − 12y = 5
a. Solve by using matrices on your calculator.
b. Hey, what happened? Why did it happen, and what does it tell you about these two
equations?
Exercise 10.109
3x + 4y − 2z = 1
8x + 3y + 3z = 4
x−y+z =7
a. Solve.
b. Check your answers.
Exercise 10.110
2x − 5y + z = 1
6x − y + 2z = 4
4x − 10y + 2z = 2
a. Solve
b. Check your answer
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19204/1.1/>.
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
164
Exercise 10.111
3x + 3y − 2z = 4
x − 7y + 3z = 9
5x + 2z = 6
a. Solve. ("Hey there's no
b. Check your answers.
y
in the last equation!" Right. So the coecient of
y
is 0.)
Exercise 10.112
3w + 4x − 8y + 2z = 4
7w − 9x − 3y + 4z = 2
2w + 5x + 2y − 10z = 7
8w + 3x − 6y − z = 6
a. Solve.
b. Check your answers.
17
10.17 Sample Test: Matrices II
(Solution on p. 166.)
Exercise 10.113
A, B , C , D ,
ABC = DE
Suppose
and
E
are matrices. Solve the following equation for
C.
(Solution on p. 166.)
Exercise 10.114
Here are two equations and two unknowns.
6m + 2n = −2
−3 − n = 1
a. Rewrite this problem as a matrix equation.
b. Solve. What are m and n?
(Solution on p. 166.)
Exercise 10.115
Solve the following equations for
a, b, c,
and
d.
2a + 3b − 5c + 7d = 8
3a − 4b + 6c + 8d = 10
10a + c + 6d = 3
a − b − c − d = 69
(Solution on p. 167.)
Exercise 10.116
|
−2
2n
5
−4
|
a. Find the determinant.
b. Find the determinant
|
−2
6
5
−4
| by plugging the appropriate value for n into your answer
to part (a). Show your work!
c. Find the determinant
17 This
|
−2
6
5
−4
|
on your calculator. Did it come out as you expected?
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19209/1.1/>.
165
(Solution on p. 167.)
Exercise 10.117
0
| −2
2
3
6
4
x |
8
1
2
a. Find the determinant.
b. Check your answer by nding the determinant of that same matrix when
x = 10
on your
calculator. Does it come out the way your equation predicted? Show your work!
(Solution on p. 167.)
Exercise 10.118
Find the determinant
Exercise 10.119
|
4
2
−5
6
2
−3
9
13
−23
42
1
3
0
14
3
35
2
|
(Solution on p. 167.)
Write a 2×2 matrix that has no inverse. No two of the four numbers should be the same.
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
166
Solutions to Exercises in Chapter 10
Solution to Exercise 10.113 (p. 164)
•
•
•
•
•
•
A−1 in front: A−1 ABC = A−1 DE
But A
A = I : IBC = A−1 DE
−1
But IB = B : BC = A
DE
−1
−1
Multiply both sides by B
in front: B
BC = B −1 A−1 DE
−1
−1 −1
But B
B = I : IC = B A DE
−1 −1
But IC = C : C = B
A DE
Multiply both sides by
−1
That is the solution. Note that solving this uses both the denition of an inverse matrix (A
denition of the identity matrix (IB
= B ).
−1
A = I ) and the
DEA−1 B −1
Note also that it matters which side you multiply on:
would not be correct.
Incidentally, it may help to think of this in analogy to numerical equations.
Suppose I gave you the
equation:
3x = 12
You might say I would divide both sides by 3. But what if I told you there is no such thing as division,
1
3 . You multiply
1
is x, so the
makes the 3 go away.
3
only multiplication? Hopefully you would say No problem, I will multiply both sides by
1
both sides by the inverse of 3 because
3 times 3 is 1, and 1 times
−1
Multiplying by A
to get rid of A is exactly like that.
x
Solution to Exercise 10.114 (p. 164)
a. 
Rewrite this problem as a matrix equation.

 

6

2
−3
−1
m

n
= 
−2
1

(*I urge you to conrm this for yourself. Multiply the two matrices on the left, then set the resulting
matrix equal to the matrix on the right, and conrm that you get the two equations we started with.)
b. Solve. What are
m
and
n?
If you think of that previous equation as
the rst matrix into your calculator as
A
AX = A,
X = A−−1 A. So you
A−1 B and you get...
then it solves out as
and the second as
B,
then type
can type
an error! Singular matrix! What happened? I can answer that question on two levels.
First, matrix
A,
thus dened, has a determinant of 0. (You can conrm this easily, with or without the
calculator.) Hence, it has no inverse.
Second, these two equations are actually the same equationas you can see if you multiply the bottom
equation by 2. They cannot be solved, because they have an innite number of solutions.
Solution to Exercise 10.115 (p. 164)
This is where you really, really need a calculator. Again, think of this as

2
3

 3 −4

A=
 10 0

1 −1
−5
7




A = B,
where...

a
8










6
8 
 b 
 10 
, X = 
, and B = 

 c 
 3 
1
6 





−1 −1
d
69
−1
Then the solution is X = A
B
, which comes out on the calculator:


3.345


 −39.564 


X=

 −25.220 


−0.871
Since this equals the X I dened earlier, that means a = 3.345, b = − − 39.564,c = − − 25.220,
d = − − 0.871.
and
167
It's that easy...and it's also very, very dangerous. Because if you make one tiny little mistake (such as
not noticing the 0b in the third equation, or mistyping one little number on the calculator), you get a
completely wrong answer, and no credit. So what can you do about this? Here are a few tips.
•
•
A−1 B
and your
B
and tell me
into your calculator. Then I can see exactly what went wrong.
After you type in the matrices, always check them: just ask the calculator to dump out matrix
matrix
•
A
Even on a problem like this, you can show me your work. Show me your
you typed
B
A
and
and match them against the original equation.
If you have time after you're done with everything else, come back and check the answers!
3.345 STO → A
to put that number into memory
green letters, remember?). Do the same for
B, C ,
a
Type:
(numerical memory, not matrix memory: the
and
D.
Then type:
2A+3B5D+7D
and make sure
you get approximately 8; and so on for the other three equations. If they all work, you know you got
it right!
Solution to Exercise 10.116 (p. 164)
a. Find the determinant.
(− − 2) (− − 4) − (2n) (5) = 8 − −10n
b. Find the determinant
|
−2
6
5
−4
|
by plugging the appropriate value for
n
into your answer to part
(a). Show your work!
xxxNote that since we are using 6 where we had 2n before, n=3. 8-10(3)=22.
c. Find the determinant
|
−2
6
5
−4
|
on your calculator. Did it come out as you expected?
Hopefully it does. If it doesn't, don't say it didnd your mistake!
Solution to Exercise 10.117 (p. 165)
a. Find the determinant.
I'm not going to do the whole drawing of the expansion by minors here, but you can nd just such a
drawing in your book. But if you do it right, you end up with:
0 (2 − −8x) − −3 (− − 1 − 2x) + 6 (− − 16 − −8) = 3 + 6x + 6 (− − 24) = 6x − −141
b. Check your answer by nding the determinant of that same matrix when x = 10 on
your calculator.
Does it come out the way your equation predicted? Show your work!
Our solution above predicts an answer of
60 − −141 = − − 81.
Once again, try it on the calculator: if
you don't get that, nd your mistake!
Solution to Exercise 10.118 (p. 165)
Strictly a calculator problem: just be careful, and make sure to dump out the matrix to make sure you
typed it right. Note that you will have to scroll to the right to see the whole thing! I get 168,555.6667, or
168,5552[U+2044]3.
Solution to Exercise 10.119 (p. 165)
The key here is knowing that there is no inverse when the determinant,
possible solutions, such as:


1
2
3
6


ad − bc,
is zero. So there are many
168
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
Chapter 11
Modeling Data with Functions
1
11.1 Direct Variation
Exercise 11.1
Suppose I make $6/hour. Let
t
represent the number of hours I work, and
m
represent the money
I make.
a. Make a table showing dierent
t
values and their corresponding
m
values. (m is not how
much money I make in that particular hourit's how much total money I have made,
after working that many hours.)
time (t)
money (m)
Table 11.1
b.
c.
d.
e.
Which is the dependent variable, and which is the independent variable?
Write the function.
Sketch a quick graph of what the function looks like.
In general: if I double the number of hours, what happens to the amount of money?
Exercise 11.2
I am stacking bricks to make a wall. Each brick is 4" high. Let
and
h
a. Make a table showing dierent
represent the number of bricks,
b values and their corresponding h values.
bricks (b)
1 This
b
represent the height of the wall.
height (h)
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169
CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
170
Table 11.2
b.
c.
d.
e.
Which is the dependent variable, and which is the independent variable?
Write the function.
Sketch a quick graph of what the function looks like.
In general: if I triple the number of bricks, what happens to the height?
Exercise 11.3
direct variation. If a variable y varies directly with
y = kx, where k is called the constant of variation. (We
proportional to x, where k is called the constant of proportionality.
The above two scenarios are examples of
x,
then it can be written as a function
also sometimes say that y is
Why do we say it two dierent ways? Because, as you've always suspected, we enjoy making your
life dicult. Not students in general but just you personally.) So,
if
y varies directly with x. . .
a. What happens to
y if x doubles? (Hint: You can nd and prove the answer
y = kx.)
b. What happens to y if x is cut in half ?
c. What does the graph y (x) look like? What does k represent in this graph?
from the
equation
Exercise 11.4
fast food. Your problem
not involve getting paid or stacking bricks. It should involve two variables that vary directly
Make up a word problem like Exercises 1 and 2 above, on the subject of
should
with each other. Make up the scenario, dene the variables, and then do parts (a) (e) exactly
like my two problems.
2
11.2 Homework: Inverse Variation
Exercise 11.5
An astronaut in space is performing an experiment with three balloons.
dierent sizes but they have the same amount of air in them.
The balloons are all
As you might expect, the
balloons that are very small experience a great deal of air pressure (the air inside pushing out on
the balloon); the balloons that are very large, experience very little air pressure. He measures the
volumes and pressures, and comes up with the following chart.
Volume (V )
Pressure (P )
5
270
10
135
15
90
20
67
½
Table 11.3
a. Which is the dependent variable, and which is the independent variable?
b. When the volume doubles, what happens to the pressure?
c. When the volume triples, what happens to the pressure?
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19227/1.1/>.
171
d. Based on your answers to parts (a) (c), what would you expect the pressure to be for
a balloon with a volume of 30?
e. On the right of the table add a third column that represents the quantity
PV:
pressure
times volume. Fill in all four values for this quantity. What do you notice about them?
f. Plot all four points on the graph paper, and ll in a sketch of what the graph looks like.
g. Write the function P (V ). Make sure that it accurately gets you from the rst column to
the second in all four instances! (Part (e) is a clue to this.)
h. Graph your function
P (V )
on your calculator, and copy the graph onto the graph paper.
Does it match your graph in part (f )?
Exercise 11.6
The three little pigs have built three housesmade from straw, Lincoln Logs
®,
and bricks,
respectively. Each house is 20' high. The pieces of straw are 1/10" thick; the Lincoln Logs
1" thick; the bricks are 4" thick. Let
t
be the thickness of the building blocks, and let
n
® are
be the
number of such blocks required to build a house 20' high.
note: There are 12" in 1'. But you probably knew that. . .
-
Make a table showing dierent
t
values and their corresponding
Building Blocks
thickness (t)
n
values.
number (n)
Straw
Lincoln Logs
®
Bricks
Table 11.4
a. Which is the dependent variable, and which is the independent variable?
b. When the thickness of the building blocks doubles, what happens to the number required?
(*Not sure? Pretend that the pig's cousin used 8" logs, and his uncle used 16" logs. See
what happens to the number required as you go up in this sequence. . .)
c. When the thickness of the building blocks is halved, what happens to the number required?
d. On the right of the table add a fourth column that represents the quantity tn: thickness
times number. Fill in all three values for this quantity. What do you notice about them?
What do they actually represent, in our problem?
e. Plot all three points on the graph paper, and ll in a sketch of what the graph looks like.
f. Write the function n (t).
g. Graph your function n (t) on your calculator, and copy the graph onto the graph paper.
Does it match your graph in part (f )?
Exercise 11.7
The above two scenarios are examples of
inverse variation. If a variable y varies inversely with
k
x , where k is called the constant of variation. So, if
x, then it can be written as a function y =
y varies inversely with x. . .
a. What happens to
y
if
x
doubles?
note: You can nd and prove the answer from the equation
b. What happens to
y
if
x
is cut in half ?
y=
k
x.
CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
172
c. What does the graph
y (x) look like?
What happens to this graph when
k increases?
k has.)
(*You
may want to try a few dierent ones on your calculator to see the eect
Exercise 11.8
not involve pressure and
should involve two variables that vary inversely with each other.
Make up a word problem like #1 and #2 above. Your problem should
volume, or building a house. It
Make up the scenario, dene the variables, and then do problems (a) - (h) exactly like my two
problems.
11.3 Homework: Direct and Inverse Variation
3
note: For #13, please note that these numbers are meant to simulate real world datathat is to
say, they are not necessarily
exact! If it is darn close to direct or inverse variation, that's good
enough.
Exercise 11.9
For the following set of data. . .
x
y
3
5
6
11
21
34
Table 11.5
a.
b.
c.
d.
Does it represent direct variation, inverse variation, or neither?
If it is direct or inverse, what is the constant of variation?
If
x = 30,
what would
y
be?
Sketch a quick graph of this relationship.
Exercise 11.10
For the following set of data. . .
x
y
3
18
4
32
10
200
Table 11.6
a.
b.
c.
d.
3 This
Does it represent direct variation, inverse variation, or neither?
If it is direct or inverse, what is the constant of variation?
If
x = 30,
what would
y
be?
Sketch a quick graph of this relationship.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19225/1.1/>.
173
Exercise 11.11
For the following set of data. . .
x
y
3
20
6
10
21
3
Table 11.7
a.
b.
c.
d.
Does it represent direct variation, inverse variation, or neither?
If it is direct or inverse, what is the constant of variation?
If
x = 30,
what would
y
be?
Sketch a quick graph of this relationship.
Exercise 11.12
In #2 above, as you (hopefully) saw, the relationship is neither direct nor inverse. However, the
relationship can be expressed this way:
y is directly proportional to x2 .
a. Write the function that indicates this relationship. What is
k?
note: Once you have written the relationship, you can use it to generate more points that
may be helpful in answering part (b)
−
(c).
2
b. What happens to y when you double x ?
c. What happens to y when you double x?
d. What happens to y when you triple x?
Exercise 11.13
In June, 2007, Poland argued for a change to the voting system in the European Union Council
The Polish suggestion: each member's voting strength should be directly
proportional to the square root of his country's population. This idea, traditionally known
of Ministers.
as Pensore's Rule, is almost sacred among people versed in the game theory of voting according
to one economist.
I swear I am not making this up.
Also in the category of things I am not making up, the following table of European Populations
comes from Wikipedia.
Germany
83,251,851
Italy
59,715,625
Poland
38,625,478
Luxembourg
448,569
Table 11.8
a. Write an equation that represents Pensore's Rule. Be sure to clearly label your variables.
b. Suppose that Pensore's Rule was followed, and suppose that Poland voting strength was
exactly 100 (which I did actually make up, but of course it doesn't matter). What would
the voting strength of Germany, Italy, and Luxembourg be?
CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
174
c. Supposing Pensore's Rule is followed. What happens to y if you double
to
y
if you multiply
y
√
x?
What happens
by 9?
d. Now, suppose a dierent country proposed the rule: each member's voting strength
should be directly proportional to his country's population. Compared to
Pensore's Rule, how would that change things? Would it make things better for smaller
countries, better for larger countries, or would it not make a dierence at all?
Exercise 11.14
Write a real world word problem involving an inverse relationship, on the topic of
Identify the constant of variation.
movies.
Write the function that shows how the dependent variable
depends inversely upon the independent variable.
Create a specic numerical question, and use
your function to answer that question.
Exercise 11.15
Joint Variation
The term Joint Variation is used to indicate that one variable varies directly as two dierent
variables. This is illustrated in the following example.
Al is working as a waiter. When a group of people sit down at a table, he calculates his expected
tip (T ) as follows: multiply the
number of people (N ), times the average meal cost (C ), times
0.15 (for a 15% tip).
a. If the number of people at the table doubles, does Al's expected tip double?
b. If the average cost per meal doubles, does Al's expected tip double?
c. Write the function that expresses the dependent variable, T , as a function of the two
independent variables,
N
and
C.
d. Write the general function that states z varies jointly as both
will have an unknown
k
x
and
y .
Your function
in it, a constant of variation.
4
11.4 From Data Points to Functions
Andrea is in charge of a new chemical plant. It's a technological miracleyou put in toxic waste products
(which everyone is trying to get rid of anyway) and out comes Andreum, the new wonder chemical that
everyone, everyone, everyone needs! (*What am I quoting?) Andrea's rst task is to nd a model to predict,
based on the amount of toxic waste that goes
in, how much Andreum will come out.
Exercise 11.16
Andrea makes two initial measurements. If 10 lb of toxic waste go in, 4 lb of Andreum come out.
If 16 lb of toxic waste go in, 7 lb of Andreum come out.
a. Create a model based on these two experiments. This model should be a function
A (t)
that correctly predicts both of Andrea's data points so far. (A = amount of Andreum
that comes out;
t
= amount of toxic waste put in.)
b. Test your model, to conrm that it does correctly predict both data points.
c. Now use your model to make a new predictionhow much Andreum should be produced
if 22 lb of toxic waste are put in?
Exercise 11.17
Being a good scientist, Andrea now runs an experiment to validate her model. She pumps in 22 lb
of toxic waste and waits eagerly to see what comes out. Unfortunately, the reality does not match
her prediction (the prediction you made in part (c) above). Instead, she only gets 4 lb of Andreum
out this time.
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19224/1.1/>.
175
a. Create a new model based on the two previous experiments, plus this new one. This new
function
A (t)
must correctly predict all three of Andrea's data points so far.
b. Test your model, to conrm that it does correctly predict all three data points.
c. Now use your model to make a new predictionhow much Andreum should be produced
if 23 lb of toxic waste are put in?
Exercise 11.18
The new model works much better than the old one. When Andrea experiments with 23 lb of toxic
waste, she gets exactly what she predicted. Now, her next job is (of course) optimization. Based
on the model you previously calculated, how much toxic waste should she put in to get the
Andreum possible?
11.5 Homework: From Data Points to Functions
Exercise 11.19
Sketch a vertical parabola through the three points in each graph.
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most
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CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
(a)
(b)
177
Exercise 11.20
A certain function contains the points (3,5) and (5,2).
a. Find the function.
b. Verify that it contains both points.
c. Sketch it on the graph paper, noting the two points on it.
Exercise 11.21
A certain function contains the points (3,5), (5,2), and (1,4).
a. Find the function.
b. Verify that it contains all three points.
c. Sketch it on the graph paper, noting the three points on it.
Exercise 11.22
A certain function contains the points (3,5), (5,2), (1,4), and (8,2).
a. Find the function.
b. Verify that it contains the point (8,2).
c. Sketch it on the graph paper (by graphing it on your calculator and then copying the sketch
onto the graph paper). Note the four points on it.
6
11.6 Homework: Calculator Regression
Exercise 11.23
Canadian Voters
The following table shows the percentage of Canadian voters who voted in the 1996 federal election.
Age
20
30
40
50
60
% voted
59
86
87
91
94
Table 11.9
a. Enter these points on your calculator lists.
b. Set the Window on your calculator so that the
x-values
go from 0 to 60, and the
y -values
go from 0 to 100. Then view a graph of the points on your calculator. Do they increase
steadily (like a line), or increase slower and slower (like a log), or increase more and
more quickly (like a parabola or an exponent)?
c. Use the
STAT
function on your calculator to nd an appropriate function to model this
data. Write that function below.
d. Graph the function on your calculator. Does it match the points well? Are any of the
points outliers?
Exercise 11.24
Height and Weight
A group of students record their height (in inches) and weight (in pounds). The results are on the
table below.
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CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
178
Height
68
74
66
68
72
69
65
71
69
72
71
64
65
Weight
180
185
150
150
200
160
125
220
220
180
190
120
110
Table 11.10
a. Enter these points on your calculator lists.
b. Set the Window on your calculator appropriately, and then view a graph of the points on
your calculator.
Do they increase steadily (like a line), or increase slower and slower
(like a log), or increase more and more quickly (like a parabola or an exponent)?
c. Use the
STAT
function on your calculator to nd an appropriate function to model this
data. Write that function below.
d. Graph the function on your calculator. Does it match the points well? Are any of the
points outliers?
Exercise 11.25
Gas Mileage
The table below shows the weight (in hundreds of pounds) and gas mileage (in miles per gallon)
for a sample of domestic new cars.
Weight
29
35
28
44
25
34
30
33
28
24
Mileage
31
27
29
25
31
29
28
28
28
33
Table 11.11
a. Enter these points on your calculator lists.
b. Set the Window on your calculator appropriately, and then view a graph of the points on
your calculator. Do they decrease steadily (like a line), or decrease slower and slower
(like a log), or decrease more and more quickly (like a parabola or an exponent)?
c. Use the
STAT
function on your calculator to nd an appropriate function to model this
data. Write that function below.
d. Graph the function on your calculator. Does it match the points well? Are any of the
points outliers?
Exercise 11.26
TV and GPA
A graduate student named Angela Hershberger at Indiana University-South Bend did a study to nd
the relationship between TV watching and Grade Point Average among high school students. Angela
interviewed 50 high school students, turning each one into a data point, where the independent (x)
value was the number of hours of television watched per week, and the dependent (y ) value was
the high school grade point average. (She also checked the
types of television watchedeg news
or sitcomsand found that it made very little dierence. Quantity, not quality, mattered.)
7
In a study that you can read all about at www.iusb.edu/∼journal/2002/hershberger/hershberger.html
, Angela found that her data could best be modeled by the linear function
x = −−0.0288x+3.4397.
Assuming that this line is a good t for the data...
a. What does the number 3.4397 tell you? (Don't tell me about lines and points: tell me
about students, TV, and grades.)
b. What does the number 0.0288 tell you? (Same note.)
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11.7 Sample Test: Modeling Data with Functions
Exercise 11.27
Sketch a vertical parabola through the three points in each graph.
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CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
(a)
(b)
181
Exercise 11.28
Three cars and an airplane are traveling to New York City. But they all go at dierent speeds, so
they all take dierent amounts of time to make the 500-mile trip. Fill in the following chart.
Speed (s)miles per hour
Time (t)hours
50
75
100
500
Table 11.12
a. Is this an example of direct variation, inverse variation, or neither of the above?
b. Write the function s (t).
c. If this is one of our two types, what is the constant of variation?
Exercise 11.29
There are a bunch of squares on the board, of dierent sizes.
slength of the side of a square
Aarea of the square
1
2
3
4
Table 11.13
a. Is this an example of direct variation, inverse variation, or neither of the above?
b. Write the function A (s).
c. If this is one of our two types, what is the constant of variation?
Exercise 11.30
Anna is planning a party. Of course, as at any good party, there will be a lot of ppp on hand! 50
Coke cans t into one recycling bin. So, based on the amount of Coke she buys, Anna needs to
make sure there are enough recycling bins.
cCoke cans Anna buys
brecycling bins she will need
50
100
200
400
Table 11.14
CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
182
a. Is this an example of direct variation, inverse variation, or neither of the above?
b. Write the function b (c).
c. If this is one of our two types, what is the constant of variation?
Exercise 11.31
Gasoline has gotten so expensive that I'm experimenting with using alcoholic beverages in my car
instead. I'm testing dierent beverages to see how fast they make my car go, based on the proof 9
of the drink.
p
is the proof of the drink,
s
is the maximum speed of my car.
beer is 10-proof. With beer in the tank, my car goes up to 30 mph.
The maximum proof of wine (excluding dessert wines such as port) is 28-proof. With wine
A typical
in the tank, my car goes up to 75 mph.
a. Based on those two data points, create a modelthat is a function
s (p) that will predict,
based on the proof of the drink, how fast I can get my car to go.
b. Test your model to make sure it correctly predicts that a 28-proof drink will get me up to
75 mph.
c. Use your model to predict how fast I can get with a 151-proof drink.
Exercise 11.32
Oops! I gave it a try. I poured Bacardi 151 into the car (so-called because it is indeed 151-proof ).
And instead of speeding up, the car only went up to 70 mph. Your job is to create a
model
s (p) = ap2 + bp + c
new quadratic
based on this new data.
a. Write simultaneous equations that you can solve to nd the coecients a, b, and c.
b. Solve, and write the new s (p) function.
c. Test your model to make sure it correctly predicts that a 151-proof drink will get me up
to 70 mph.
Exercise 11.33
Make up a word problem involving inverse variation, on the topic of
skateboarding.
a. Write the scenario.
b. Label and identify the independent and dependent variables.
c. Show the function that relates the dependent to the independent variable. This function
should (of course) be an inverse relationship, and it should be obvious from your scenario!
Exercise 11.34
I found a Web site (this is true, really) that contains the following sentence:
[This process] introduces an additional truncation error [directly] proportional to the original
error and inversely proportional to the gain (g ) and the truncation parameter (q ).
I don't know what most of that stu means any more than you do. But if we use
additional truncation error and
E
T
for the
for the original error, write an equation that expresses this
relationship.
Exercise 11.35
Which of the following correctly expresses, in words, the relationship of the area of a circle to the
radius?
A. The area is directly proportional to the radius
9 Proof problem.
is alcohol percentage, times 2: so if a drink is 5% alcohol, that's 10 proof. But you don't need that fact for this
183
B. The area is directly proportional to the square of the radius
C. The area is inversely proportional to the radius
D. The area is inversely proportional to the square of the radius
Exercise 11.36
Now, suppose we were to write the
inverse of that function: that is, express the radius as a
function of the area. Then we would write:
The
radius
of
a
circle
is
___________
proportional
to
_____________________ the area.
Exercise 11.37
Death by Cholera
In 1852, William Farr reported a strong association between low elevation and deaths from cholera.
Some of his data are reported below.
E:
Elevation (ft)
10
30
50
70
90
100
350
C:
Cholera mortality (per 10,000)
102
65
34
27
22
17
8
Table 11.15
a. Use your calculator to create the following models, and write the appropriate functions
C (E)
•
•
•
•
in the blanks.
C=
C=
Logarithmic: C =
Exponential: C =
Linear:
Quadratic:
b. Which model do you think is the best? Why?
c. Based on his very strong correlation, Farr concluded that bad air had settled into low-lying
areas, causing outbreaks of cholera. We now know that air quality has nothing to do
with causing cholera: the water-borne bacterial
Vibrio cholera causes the disease.
might explain Farr's results without justifying his conclusion?
What
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Chapter 12
Conics
1
12.1 Distance
Exercise 12.1
Draw the points (2,5), (10,5), and (10,1), and the triangle they all form.
Exercise 12.2
Find the distance from (2,5) to (10,5) (just by looking at it).
Exercise 12.3
Find the distance from (10,5) to (10,1) (just by looking at it).
Exercise 12.4
Find the distance from (2,5) to (10,1), using your answers to #2 and #3 and the Pythagorean
Theorem.
Exercise 12.5
I start at Raleigh Charter High School. I drive 5 miles West, and then 12 miles North. How far
am I now from RCHS?
note:
the answer is not 17 miles. Draw it!
Exercise 12.6
Draw a point anywhere in the rst quadrant. Instead of labeling the specic coordinates of that
point, just label it (x,y ).
Exercise 12.7
How far down is it from your point to the
x-axis?
note: think about specic pointssuch as (4,2) or (1,10)until you can see the pattern, and
answer the question for the general point (x,y ).
Exercise 12.8
How far across is it from your point to the
y -axis?
Exercise 12.9
Find the distance
d from the origin
to that point (x,y ), using the Pythagorean Theorem. This will
give you a formula for the distance from
any point, to the origin.
Exercise 12.10
Find the distance from the point (3,7) to the line
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186
Exercise 12.11
Find the distance from the generic point (x,y ) (as before) to the line
y = 2.
Exercise 12.12
Find the distance from the point (3,7) to the line
y = −2.
Exercise 12.13
Find the distance from the generic point (x,y ) to the line
y = −2.
Exercise 12.14
I'm thinking of a point which is exactly 5 units away from the point (0,0). The
point is 0. What is the
x-coordinate?
y -coordinate of my
Draw this point.
Exercise 12.15
I'm thinking of two points which are exactly 5 units away from (0,0). The
points is 4. What are the
y -coordinates?
x-coordinates
of both
Draw these points on the same graph that you did #14.
Exercise 12.16
I'm thinking of two points which are exactly 5 units away from (0,0). The
points is 4. What are the
y -coordinates?
x-coordinates
of both
Draw these points on the same graph that you did #14.
2
12.2 Homework: Distance
Exercise 12.17
Draw a point anywhere.
Instead of labeling the specic coordinates of that point, just label it
(x1 ,y1 ).
Exercise 12.18
Draw another point somewhere else. Label it (x2 ,y2 ). To make life simple, make this point higher
and to the right of the rst point.
Exercise 12.19
Draw the line going from (x1 ,y1 ) to (x2 ,y2 ). Then ll in the other two sides of the triangle
Exercise 12.20
How far up is it from the rst point to the second? (As always, start by thinking about specic
numbersthen see if you can generalize.)
Exercise 12.21
How far across is it from the rst point to the second?
Exercise 12.22
Find the distance
d
from (x1 , y1 ) to (x2 , y2 ), using the Pythagorean Theorem. This will give you
a general formula for the distance between any two points.
Exercise 12.23
Plug in
x2 = 0
and
y2 = 0
into your formula. You should get the same formula you got on the
previous assignment, for the distance between any point and the origin. Do you?
Exercise 12.24
Draw a line from (0,0) to (4,10). Draw the point at the
exact middle of that line. (Use a ruler
if you have to.) What are the coordinates of that point?
Exercise 12.25
Draw a line from (3,2) to (5,4). What are the coordinates of the midpoint?
Exercise 12.26
Look back at your diagram of a line going from (x1 , y1 ) to (x2 , y2 ). What are the coordinates of
the midpoint of that line?
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Exercise 12.27
Find the distance from the point (3,7) to the line
x = 2.
Exercise 12.28
Find the distance from the generic point (x,y ) to the line
x = 2.
Exercise 12.29
Find the distance from the point (3,7) to the line
x = − − 2.
Exercise 12.30
Find the distance from the generic point (x,y ) to the line
x = − − 2.
Exercise 12.31
Find the coordinates of all the points that have
y -coordinate
5, and which are exactly 10 units
away from the origin.
Exercise 12.32
Draw all the points you can nd which are exactly 3 units away from the point (4,5).
3
12.3 All the Points Equidistant from a Given Point
Exercise 12.33
Draw as many points as you can which are exactly 5 units away from (0,0) and ll in the shape.
What shape is it?
Exercise 12.34
Now, let's see if we can nd the
equation for that shape. How do we do that? Well, for any point
(x,y ) to be on the shape, it must be exactly ve units away from the origin. So we have to take
the sentence:
The point (x,y ) is exactly ve units away from the origin
every point on our
shape, and no other points. (Stop for a second and discuss this point, make sure it makes sense.)
OK, but how do we do that?
and translate it into math. Then we will have an equation that describes
a. To the right is a drawing of our point (x,y ), 5 units away from the origin. On the drawing,
I have made a little triangle as usual. How long is the vertical line on the right side of
the triangle? Label it in the picture.
b. How long is the horizontal line at the bottom of the triangle? Label it in the picture.
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c. Now, all three sides are labeled. Just write down the Pythagorean Theorem for this triangle,
and you have the equation for our shape!
d. Now, let's see if it worked. A few points that are obviously part of our shapethat is,
they are obviously 5 units away from the originare the points (5,0) and (4,3). Plug
them both into your equation from the last part and see if they work.
e. A few points that are clearly not part of our shape are (1,4) and (2,7). Plug them both
into your equation for the shape to make sure they don't work!
Exercise 12.35
OK, that was all the points that were 5 units away from the origin. Now we're going to nd an
equation for the shape that represents all points that are exactly 3 units away from the point (4,
1). Go through all the same steps we went through abovedraw the point (4,1) and an arbitrary
point (x,y ), draw a little triangle between them, label the distance from (x,y ) to (4,1) as being 3,
and write out the Pythagorean Theorem. Don't forget to test a few points!
Exercise 12.36
By now you probably get the idea. Sowithout going through all that workwrite down the
equation for all the points that are exactly 7 units away from the point (5,3).
Exercise 12.37
And nally, the generalization as always: write down the equation for all the points that are exactly
r
units away from the point (h,k ).
189
4
12.4 Homework: Circles
Exercise 12.38
Write down the equation for a circle (*aka All the Points Equidistant from a Given Point) with
center (3,6) and radius 9. (Although the wording is dierent, this is exactly like the problems
you did on the in-class assignment.)
Exercise 12.39
Now, let's take it the other way.
a.
b.
c.
d.
2
2
(x − −4) + (y + 8) = 49
is the equation for a circle.
What is the center of the circle?
What is the radius?
Draw the circle.
Find two points on the circle (by looking at your drawing) and plug them into the equation
to make sure they work. (Show your work!)
2x2 + 2y 2 + 8x + 24y + 60 = 0 is also the equation for a circle. But in order to graph it, we need to put it
2
2
2
into our canonical form (x − −h) + (y − −k) = r . In order to do that, we have to complete the square. . .
twice! Here's how it looks.
2x2 + 2y 2 + 8x + 24y + 60 = 0
2
2
x + y + 4x + 12y + 30 = 0
The original problem.
Divide by the coecient of
y
x2 + 4x + y 2 + 12y = − − 30
x2 and
2
Collect
and
x
and
bring
y
the
terms together,
number
to
the
other side.
x2 + 4x + 4 +
y 2 + 12y + 36 = − −30 + 4+ 36
2
2
(x + 2) + (y + 6) = 10
Complete
the
square
in
both
parentheses.
Done! The center is (2,6) and
√
the radius is
10.
Table 12.1
Got it? Now you try!
Exercise 12.40
3x2 + 3y 2 + 18x + 30y − −6 = 0
a. Complete the squareas I did aboveto put this into the form:
r
2
2
2
(x − −h) + (y − −k) =
.
b. What are the center and radius of the circle?
c. Draw the circle.
d. Find two points on the circle (by looking at your drawing) and plug them into original
equation to make sure they work. (Show your work!)
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12.5 All the Points Equidistant from a Point and a Line
On the drawing below is the point (0,3) and the line (y
points that are the
= − − 3).
5
What I want you to do is to nd all the
same distance from (0,3) that they are from the line (y
= − − 3).
One of the points is very obvious. You can get two more of them, exactly, with a bit of thought.
After that you have to start playing around. Feel free to use some sort of measuring device (such as your
ngernail, or a pencil eraser). When you think you have the whole shape, call me and let me look.
6
12.6 Homework: Vertical and Horizontal Parabolas
Exercise 12.41
y = 3x2 − −30x − −70
a.
b.
c.
d.
5 This
6 This
Put into the standard form of a parabola.
Vertex:
Opens (up/down/right/left):
Graph it
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Exercise 12.42
x = y2 + y
a.
b.
c.
d.
Put into the standard form of a parabola.
Vertex:
Opens(up/down/right/left):
Graph it
CHAPTER 12. CONICS
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Exercise 12.43
Find the equation for a parabola that goes through the points (0,2) and (0,8).
7
12.7 Parabolas: From Denition to Equation
We have talked about the geometric denition of a parabola: all the points in a plane that are the same
distance from a given point (the
focus) that they are from a given line (the directrix). And we have talked
about the general equations for a parabola:
Horizontal
2
y = a (x − −h) + k
2
parabola: x = a (y − −k) + h
Vertical parabola:
What we haven't done is connect these two thingsthe
denition of a parabola, and the equation
for a parabola. We're going to do it the exact same way we did it for a circlestart with the geometric
denition, and turn it into an equation.
In the drawing above, I show a parabola whose focus is the origin (0,0) and directrix is the line
On the parabola is a point (x,y ) which represents
any point on the parabola.
Exercise 12.44
d1
7 This
is the distance from the point (x,y ) to the focus (0,0). What is
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y = −4.
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Exercise 12.45
d2
is the distance from the point (x,y ) to the directrix (y
= −4).
What is
d2?
Exercise 12.46
What denes the parabola as suchwhat makes (x,y ) part of the parabolais that these two
distances are the
same. Write the equation
d1 = d2
and you have the parabola.
Exercise 12.47
Simplify your answer to #3; that is, rewrite the equation in the standard form.
12.8 Sample Test: Distance, Circles, and Parabolas
8
Exercise 12.48
Below are the points (2,4) and (5,3).
a.
b.
c.
d.
How far is it
How far is it
across from one to the other (the horizontal line in the drawing)?
down from one to the other (the vertical line in the drawing)?
How far are the two points from each other?
What is the
midpoint of the diagonal line?
Exercise 12.49
What is the distance from the point (1024,3) to the line
y = −1?
Exercise 12.50
Find all the points that are exactly 4 units away from the origin, where the
are the
x
and
y
coordinates
same.
Exercise 12.51
2x2 + 2y 2 − −6x + 4y + 2 = 0
a
b
c
d
e
- Put this equation in the standard form for a circle.
- What is the center?
- What is the radius?
- Graph it on the graph paper.
- Find one point on your graph, and test it in the original equation. (No credit unless I
can see your work!)
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Exercise 12.52
x = − 41 y 2 + y + 2
a
b
c
d
- Put this equation in the standard form for a parabola.
- What direction does it open in?
- What is the vertex?
- Graph it on the graph paper.
Exercise 12.53
Find the equation for a circle where the center is the point (-2,5) and the radius is 3.
Exercise 12.54
We're going to nd the equation of a parabola whose focus is (3,2) and whose directrix is the line
x = −3.
But we're going to do it straight from the
denition of a parabola.
In the drawing above, I show the focus and the directrix, and an arbitrary point (x,y ) on the
parabola.
a - d1 is the distance from the point (x,y ) to the focus (3,2). What is d1?
b - d2 is the distance from the point (x,y ) to the directrix (x = −3). What is d2?
c - What denes the parabola as suchwhat makes (x,y ) part of the parabolais that
d1 = d2.
d -
Write the equation for the parabola.
Simplify your answer to part (c); that is, rewrite the equation in the standard form.
12.9 Distance to this point plus distance to that point is constant
9
On the drawing below are the points (3,0) and (3,0). We're going to draw yet another shapenot a circle
or a parabola or a line, which are the three shapes we know about. In order to be on our shape, the point
(x,y ) must have the following property:
The distance from (x,y ) to (3,0)
plus
the distance from (x,y ) to (3,0), must equal 10.
We're going to start this one the same way we did our other shapes: intuitively. Your object is to nd
all the points that have that particular property. Four of them are. . .well, maybe none of them are exactly
obvious, but there are four that you can get exactly, with a little thought. After that, you have to sort of
dope it out as we did before.
When you think you know the shape, don't call it out! Call me over and I will tell you if it's right.
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12.10 Homework: Ellipses
10
Exercise 12.55
In class, we discussed how to draw an ellipse using a piece of cardboard, two thumbtacks, a string,
Do this. Bring your drawing in as part of your homework. (Yes, this is a
real part of your homework!)
and a pen or marker.
Exercise 12.56
(x−2)2
9
+
y2
( 14 )
=1
a. Is it horizontal or vertical?
b. What is the center?
c. What is a?
d. What is b?
e. What is c?
f. Graph it.
Exercise 12.57
4x2
2
9 + 25y = 1
This sort of looks like an ellipse in standard form, doesn't it?
It even has a 1 on the right.
But it isn't. Because we have no room in our standard form for that 4 and that 25for numbers
multiplied by the x2 and y2 terms. How can we get rid of them, to get into standard form, while
retaining the 1 on the right?
2
a. Rewrite the left-hand term, 4x
9 , by dividing the top and bottom of the fraction by 4. Leave
the bottom as a fraction; don't make it a decimal.
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b. Rewrite the right-hand term,
25y 2 ,
by dividing the top and bottom of the fraction by 25.
Leave the bottom as a fraction; don't make it a decimal.
c. Now, you're in standard form. what is the center?
d. How long is the major axis?
e. How long is the minor axis?
f. What are the coordinated of the two foci?
g. Graph it.
Exercise 12.58
18x2 + 21 y 2 + 108x + 5y + 170 = 0
a. Put in standard form.
b. Is it horizontal or vertical?
c. What is the center?
d. How long is the major axis?
e. How long is the minor axis?
f. What are the coordinates of the two foci?
g. Graph it.
Exercise 12.59
The major axis of an ellipse runs from (5,-6) to (5,12). One focus is at (5,-2). Find the equation
for the ellipse.
Exercise 12.60
The foci of an ellipse are at (-2,3) and (2,3) and the ellipse contains the origin. Find the equation
for the ellipse.
Exercise 12.61
We traditionally say that the Earth is 93 million miles away from the sun. However, if it were
always 93 million miles away, that would be a circle (right?). In reality, the Earth travels in an
ellipse, with the sun at one focus. According to one Web site I found,
There is a 6% dierence in distance between the time when we're closest to the sun (perihelion)
and the time when we're farthest from the sun (aphelion). Perihelion occurs on January 3 and
at that point, the earth is 91.4 million miles away from the sun. At aphelion, July 4, the earth is
94.5 million miles from the sun. (http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa121498.htm)
Write an equation to describe the orbit of the Earth around the sun. Assume that it is centered
on the origin and that the major axis is horizontal. (*Why not? There are no axes in space, so you
can put them wherever it is most convenient.) Also, work in units of
numbers you are given are simply 91.4 and 94.5.
Figure 12.1
millions of milesso the
197
11
12.11 The Ellipse: From Denition to Equation
Here is the geometric denition of an ellipse. There are two points called the foci: in this case, (-3,0)
sum of its distances to both foci is a certain constant: in this case,
dene the ellipse, but are not part of it.
and (3,0). A point is on the ellipse if the
I'll use 10. Note that the foci
The point (x,y ) represents any point on the ellipse.
d1
is its distance from the rst focus, and
d2
to the
second.
Exercise 12.62
Calculate the distance
d1
(by drawing a right triangle, as always).
d2
(by drawing a right triangle, as always).
Exercise 12.63
Calculate the distance
Exercise 12.64
Now, to create the equation for the ellipse, write an equation asserting that the
sum of
d1
and
d2
equals 10.
Now simplify it. We did problems like this earlier in the year (radical equations, the harder variety that
have two radicals). The way you do it is by isolating the square root, and then squaring both sides. In this
case, there are two square roots, so you will need to go through that process twice.
Exercise 12.65
Rewrite your equation in #3, isolating one of the square roots.
Exercise 12.66
Square both sides.
Exercise 12.67
Multiply out, cancel, combine, simplify. This is the big step! In the end, isolate the only remaining
square root.
Exercise 12.68
Square both sides again.
Exercise 12.69
Multiply out, cancel, combine, and get it to look like the standard form for an ellipse.
Exercise 12.70
Now, according to the machinery of ellipses, what should that equation look like? Horizontal or
vertical? Where should the center be? What are
a , b,
and
c?
Does all that match the picture we
started with?
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12
12.12 Distance to this point minus distance to that point is constant
On the drawing below are the points (5,0) and (5,0). We're going to draw yet another shapeour nal
conic section. In order to be on our shape, the point (x,y ) must have the following property:
Take the distance from (x,y ) to (5,0), and the distance from (x,y ) to (5,0). Those two distances must
dier by 6. (In other words, this distance minus that distance must equal
±6.)
We're going to start this one the same way we did our other shapes: intuitively. Your object is to nd
all the points that have that particular property. Start by nding the two points on the
x-axis
that work.
After that, you have to sort of dope it out as we did before.
When you think you know the shape, don't call it out! Call me over and I will tell you if it's right.
12.13 Homework: Hyperbolas
13
Exercise 12.71
Complete the following chart, showing the similarities and dierences between ellipses and hyperbolas.
.9
Ellipse
How to identify an equation with this
shape
Hyperbola
2
2
x and a y with dierent
coecients but the same sign.
Has an
3x2 + 2y 2
for instance.
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Equation in standard form: horizon-
(x−h)2 (y−k)2
a2
b2
=1
tal
How can you tell if it is horizontal?
Draw the shape here. Label
c
a, b, and
on the drawing.
(h,k )
Center
What
a
represents on the graph
What
b
represents on the graph
What
c
represents on the graph
Which is the biggest,
a, b,
or
c?
Mathematical relationship between
a, b,
and
c.
Table 12.2
Exercise 12.72
y2
( )
1
4
−
(x−2)2
9
=1
a. Is it horizontal or vertical?
b. What is the center?
c. What is a?
d. What is b?
e. What is c?
f. Graph it. Make sure the box and asymptotes can be clearly seen in your graph.
Exercise 12.73
2x2 + 8x − 4y 2 + 4y = 6
a. Put in standard form.
b. Is it horizontal or vertical?
c. What is the center?
d. What is a?
e. What is b?
f. What is c?
g. Graph it. Make sure the box and asymptotes can be clearly seen in your graph.
h. What is the equation for one of the asymptotes that you drew?
Exercise 12.74
A hyperbola has vertices at the origin and (10,0). One focus is at (12,0). Find the equation for
the hyperbola.
Exercise 12.75
A hyperbola has vertices at (1,2) and (1,22), and goes through the origin.
a. Find the equation for the hyperbola.
b. Find the coordinates of the two foci.
CHAPTER 12. CONICS
200
12.14 Sample Test: Conics 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas)
Horizontal
Ellipse
Hyperbola
(x−h)2
a2
(x−h)2
a2
+
−
(y−k)2
b2
(y−k)2
b2
Vertical
(x−h)2
b2
(y−k)2
a2
=1
=1
+
−
14
Equations
(y−k)2
a2
(x−h)2
b2
=1
a2 = b2 + c2 , (a > b)
=1
c2 = a2 + b2
Table 12.3
Exercise 12.76
Identify each equation as a
line, parabola, circle, ellipse, or hyperbola.
a. y = x
3
3
b. y = x
2
c. 4y = 7x + 7y + 7
2
2
d. 5 (x + 3) − 5 (y + 3) = 9
2
2
e. 3x + 3x + 6y + 3y = 4x + 7
f. 4x2 + 5y 2 = 4
Exercise 12.77
For each shape, is it a function or not? (Just answer yes or no.)
a. Vertical line
b. Horizontal line
c. Vertical parabola
d. Horizontal parabola
e. Circle
f. Vertical ellipse
g. Horizontal ellipse
h. Vertical hyperbola
i. Horizontal hyperbola
Exercise 12.78
The United States Capitol building contains an elliptical room. It is 96 feet in length and 46 feet
in width.
a. Write an equation to describe the shape of the room. Assume that it is centered on the
origin and that the major axis is horizontal.
b. John Quincy Adams discovered that if he stood at a certain spot in this elliptical chamber,
he could overhear conversations being whispered a the opposing party leader's desk. This
is because both the desk, and the secret listening spot, were
foci of the ellipse. How far
was Adams standing from the desk?
c. How far was Adams standing from the edge of the room closest to him?
Exercise 12.79
A comet zooms in from outer space, whips around the sun, and zooms back out. Its path is one
branch of a hyperbola, with the sun at one of the foci. Just at the vertex, the comet is 10 million
miles from the center of the hyperbola, and 15 million miles from the sun. Assume the hyperbola
is horizontal, and the
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a. Find the equation of the hyperbola.
b. When the comet is very far away from the sun, its path is more or less a line. As you
might guess, that is represented by the asymptotes of the hyperbola. (One asymptote
as it come in, another as it goes out.) Write the equation for the line that describes the
path of the comet after it has
left the sun and gotten far out of our solar system.
Exercise 12.80
4x2 − −36y 2 + 144y = 153
a. Put in standard form.
b. Is it horizontal or vertical?
c. What is the center?
d. How long is the transverse axis?
e. How long is the conjugate axis?
f. What are the coordinates of the two foci?
g. Graph it. I will be looking for the vertices (the endpoints of the transverse axis), and for
the asymptotes to be drawn correctly.
Extra Credit:
Consider a hyperbola with foci at (5,0) and (5,0). In order to be on the hyperbola, a point must have the
following property: its distance to one focus,
minus its distance to the other focus, must be 6. Write the
equation for this hyperbola by using the geometric denition of a hyperbola (3 points). Then simplify it to
standard form (2 points).
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
Chapter 13
Sequences and Series
1
13.1 Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences
Exercise 13.1
On January 1, you have 100 songs on your iPod. There after, you download three songs a day.
a. Fill in the following table.
Date: January...
Number of Songs
1
100
2
103
3
106
5
10
d
Table 13.1
b. Test your formula at the end (for day
d)
by making sure it correctly predicts that on Day
1, you have 100 songs. If it does not, x it.
Exercise 13.2
You begin an experiment with 10 amoebas in a petrie dish. Each minute, each amoeba splits, so
the total number of amoebas doubles. Fill in the following table.
Minutes elapsed
Number of amoebas, or amoebae, or whatever they are
0
10
1
20
2
5
m
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CHAPTER 13. SEQUENCES AND SERIES
204
Table 13.2
2
13.2 Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences
Exercise 13.3
Look at a calendar for this month. Look at the column that represents all the Thursdays in this
month.
a. What are the dates?
b. What kind of sequence do these numbers represent?
c. If it is arithmetic, what is d, the common dierence? If geometric, what is r , the common
ratio?
d. If that sequence continued, what would be the 100th term?
Exercise 13.4
How many terms are in the arithmetic sequence 25, 28, 31, 34,...,61?
Exercise 13.5
Suppose that
indicate if it is
a.
b.
c.
d.
a, b, c, d. . .
represents an arithmetic sequence.
For each of the sequences below,
arithmetic, geometric, or neither.
a + 2, b + 2, c + 2, d + 2. . .
2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. . .
a2 , b2 , c2 , d2 . . .
2a , 2b , 2c , 2d . . .
Exercise 13.6
Find
x
to make the sequence
10, 30,
2x + 8
a. arithmetic
b. geometric
Exercise 13.7
In class, we showed how the recursive denition of an arithmetic sequence
to the explicit denition
tn+1 = rtn .
tn = t1 + d (n − 1).
tn+1 = tn + d
leads
For a geometric sequence, the recursive denition is
What is the explicit denition?
Exercise 13.8
Suppose a gallon of gas cost $1.00 in January, and goes up by 3% every month throughout the
year.
note: Goes up 3% is the same as multiplies by 1.03.
a. Find the cost of gas, rounded to the nearest cent, each month of the year. (Use your
calculator for this one!)
b. Is this sequence arithmetic, geometric, or neither?
c. If it keeps going at this rate, how many months will it take to reach $10.00/gallon?
d. How about $1000.00/gallon?
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Exercise 13.9
In an arithmetic sequence, each term is the previous term plus a constant. In a geometric sequence,
each term is the previous term times a constant. Is it possible to have a sequence which is both
arithmetic
and geometric?
13.3 Homework: Series and Series Notation
3
Exercise 13.10
S=
P7
n=1 10
−n
a. Write out all the terms of this series.
b. Does this represent an arithmetic series, a geometric series, or neither?
c. Find the sum.
Exercise 13.11
True or false?
a.
b.
Σ (tn + 2) = Σtn + 2
Σ (2tn ) = 2Σtn
Exercise 13.12
Write the following series in series notation.
a. 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10
b. −6 − 7 − 8 − 9 − 10
c. 6 + 8 + 10 + 12 + 14
d. 6 + 12 + 24 + 48
e. 6 − 7 + 8 − 9 + 10
f. All the even numbers between 50 and 100.
4
13.4 Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Series
Exercise 13.13
In class we found a formula for the
arithmetic series
3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13 + 15 + 17,
by using
a trick that works on all arithmetic series. Use that same trick to nd the sum of the following
series:
10 + 13 + 16 + 19 + 22...100
(Note that you will rst have to gure out how many terms there arethat is,
which term in
this series 100 is. You can do that by using our previously discovered formula for the
nth
term of
an arithmetic sequence!)
Exercise 13.14
Now I want you to take that same trick, and apply it to the
have an arithmetic series of
dierence is
d,
n
general arithmetic series. Suppose we
terms, starting with t1 and ending (of course) with
so the second term in the series is
t1 + d,
and the third is
whole series looks like. . .
t1 + (t1 + d) + (t1 + 2d) + . . . + (tn − d) + tn
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t1 + 2d,
an .
The common
and so on. So our
CHAPTER 13. SEQUENCES AND SERIES
206
a. Find the general formula for the sum of this series
b. Use that general formula to add up 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5. Did it come out right?
c. Use that general formula to add up all the even numbers between 1 and 100
Exercise 13.15
In class we found a formula for the
geometric series
2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + 162 + 486 + 1458,
a completely dierent trick that works on geometric series. Use
by using
that same trick to nd the sum
of the following series:
4 + 20 + 100 + 500 + 2500 + ... + 39062500
Exercise 13.16
Now I want you to take that same trick, and apply it to the
we have a geometric series of
course) with
tn ,
which is
n
general geometric series. Suppose
terms, with a common ratio of
t1 rn−1 .
The common ratio is
t1 r2 , and so on. So our
2
t1 + t1 r + t1 r + · · · + t1 rn−2 + t1 rn−1
and the third term is
r,
r,
starting with
t1
and ending (of
so the second term in the series is
t1 r,
whole series looks like. . .
a. Find the general formula for the sum of this series
b. Use that general formula to add up 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 32. Did it come out right?
1
1
+ 32
. Did it come out right?
c. Use that general formula to add up 21 + 41 + 18 + 16
Exercise 13.17
Suppose a ball is dropped from a height of 1 ft. It bounces back up. But each time it bounces, it
reaches only
9
10
of its previous height.
a. The ball falls. Then it bounces up and falls down again (second bounce). Then it bounces
up and falls down again (third bounce). How high does it go after each of these bounces?
b. How high does it go after the 100th bounce?
c. How far does it travel before the fourth bounce? (*You don't need any fancy math to
do this part, just write out all the individual trips and add them up.)
d. How far does it travel before the 100th bounce?
13.5 Homework: Proof by Induction
5
Exercise 13.18
Use mathematical induction to prove that
2 + 4 + 6 + 8...2n = n (n + 1).
a. First, show that this formula works when n = 1.
b. Now, show that this formula works for (n + 1), assuming that it works for any given
Exercise 13.19
Use mathematical induction to prove that
Pn
x=1
x2 =
n.
n(n+1)(2n+1)
.
6
Exercise 13.20
n people (n ≥ 2), every person shakes hands once with every other person. Prove
n2 −n
handshakes.
2
In a room with
that there are
Exercise 13.21
Find and prove a formula for
5 This
Pn
x=1
x3 .
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207
note: You will have to play with it for a while to nd the formula. Just write out the rst four
or ve terms, and see if you notice a pattern. Of course, that won't
prove anything: that's what
the induction is for!
6
13.6 Sample Test: Sequences and Series
Exercise 13.22
The teacher sees the wishing star high in the night sky, and makes the mistake of wishing for
whiteboard markers.
The next day (let's call it day 1), the marker fairy arrives and gives the
teacher a marker that workshooray!
The day after that (day 2), the marker fairy gives the
teacher three markers. The day after that, nine new markers. . .and so on. . .each day, three times
as many new markers as the day before.
a. If
n
is the day, and
of all
m
m
is the number of new markers the fairy brings that day, is the list
numbers an arithmetic sequence, geometric sequence, or neither?
b. Give a recursive denition for the sequence: that is, a formula for mn+1 based on mn .
c. Give an explicit denition for the sequence: that is, a formula that I can use to quickly
nd
mn
n,
for any given
without nding all the previous
m
terms.
d. On day 30 (the end of the month) how many markers does the fairy bring?
e. After that day 30 shipment, how many total markers has the fairy brought?
Exercise 13.23
You start a dot-com business. Like all dot-com businesses, it starts great, and then starts going
downhill fast. Specically, you make $10,000 the rst day. Every day thereafter, you make $200
less than the previous dayso the second day you make $9,800, and the third day you make $9,600,
and so on. You might think this pattern stops when you hit zero, but the pattern just keeps right
on goingthe day after you make $0, you
lose $200, and the day after that you lose $400, and so
on.
a. If
n
is the day, and
d
is the amount of money you
gain on that day, is the list of all
d
numbers an arithmetic sequence, geometric, or neither?
b. How much money do you make on the 33rd day?
c. On the day when you lose $1,000 in one day, you nally close up shop. What day is that?
d. Your accountant needs to gure out the total amount of money you made during the life
of the business. Express this question in summation notation.
e. Now answer the question.
Exercise 13.24
Consider the series
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
6 This
2
3
+
2
9
+
2
27
+
2
81
+ ...
Is this an arithmetic series, a geometric series, or neither?
Σ).
d (if
Write this series in summation notation (with a
What is
t1 ,
and what is
r
(if it is geometric) or
it is arithmetic)?
What is the sum of the rst 4 terms of this series?
What is the sum of the rst
n
terms of this series?
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Exercise 13.25
Use induction to prove the following formula for all
1
1×2
+
1
2×3
+
1
3×4
+ ... +
1
n(n+1)
=
n:
n
n+1
Extra credit:
An arithmetic series starts with
t1
and goes up by
d
each term for
n
terms. Use the arithmetic series trick
to nd the general formula for the sum of this series, as a function of
t1 , n,
and
d.
Chapter 14
Probability
1
14.1 How Many Groups?
Exercise 14.1
A group of high school students is being divided into groups based on two characteristics: class
(Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior) and hair color (blond, dark, or red). For instance, one
group is the red-haired Sophomores. How many groups are there, total?
Exercise 14.2
According to some sources, there are approximately 5,000 species of frog.
Within each species,
there are three types: adult female, adult male, and tadpole. If we divide frogs into groups according
to both species and typeso one group is adult females of the species Western Palearctic Water
Froghow many groups are there?
Exercise 14.3
Suppose I roll a normal, 6-sided die, and ip a normal, 2-sided coin, at the same time. So one
possible result is 4 on the die, heads on the coin.
a. How many possible results are there?
b. If I repeat this experiment 1,000 times, roughly how many times would you expect to see
the result 4 on the die, heads on the coin?
c. If I repeat this experiment 1,000 times, roughly how many times would you expect to see
the result any even number on the die, heads on the coin?
d. Now, let's come back to problem #1. I could have asked the question If you choose 1,000
students at random, how many of them will be red-haired Sophomores?
would
The answer
not be the one in twelve of them, or roughly 83 students. Why not?
14.2 Homework: Tree Diagrams
2
Exercise 14.4
The following tree diagram represents all the possible outcomes if you ip a coin three times.
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210
Figure 14.1
Use the diagram to answer the following questions.
a. One possible outcome is First ip heads, second ip tails, third ip heads. Locate and
circle this outcome on the diagram.
Then, in the space below, answer the question:
what is the probability of that particular outcome?
b.
c.
d.
e.
What is the probability that all three ips will be the same?
What is the probability that
What is the probability that
exactly one of the coins will end up heads?
at least one of the coins will end up heads?
Suppose there were a thousand people in a room. (A really big room.) Each one of those
people pulled out a coin and ipped it three times. Roughly how many people would
you be able to say, All three of my ips came out the same?
Exercise 14.5
There are seven dierent types of star. In order of decreasing temperature, they are: O, B, A, F,
G, K, and M. (Some astronomers remember this based on the mnemonic: Oh, be a ne girl: kiss
me.) Within each stellar type, stars are placed into ten subclasses, numbered from 0 to 9. Our
own sun is a type G, subclass 2.
a. How many dierent type-and-subclass categories are there? (In other words, if you drew
the tree diagramwhich I am not recommendinghow many leaves would there be?)
b. Of these type-and-subclass categories, how many of them have a letter (type) that is a
vowel, and a number (subclass) that is a multiple of 3?
c. If you surveyed a thousand randomly chosen stars, how many of them would you expect
to be G2 like our own sun?
Exercise 14.6
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population crossed the 300 Million mark in the
year 2006.
In that year, three out of four people in the U.S. were considered white; one out
of four belonged to minority ethnic groups.
(*Hispanic or Latino was not considered a separate
ethnic group in this study.) Children (under age 18) made up approximately one quarter of the
population. Males and females were equally distributed.
a. In a room full of a hundred people randomly chosen from the U.S. 2006 population, how
many of them would you expect to be white?
b. Of those, how many would you expect to be children?
c. Of those, how many would you expect to be boys?
d. So, what is the probability that a randomly chosen person in the U.S. in 2006 was a white
boy?
211
e. What assumptionnot necessarily true, and not stated in the problemdo you have to
make in order to believe your answer to part (d) is accurate?
14.3 Introduction to Probability
3
Exercise 14.7
Suppose you roll a
4-sided die, which gives equal probabilities of rolling 1, 2, 3, or 4. (*Yes, these
really do exist.)
a. What is the probability that you will roll a 3?
b. Explain, in your own words, what your answer to part (a) means. Do not use the words
probability or chance. A typical 9-year-old should be able to understand your explanation.
c. What is the probability that you will roll an even number?
d. What is the probability that you will roll a number less than 3?
e. What is the probability that you will roll a number less than 4?
f. What is the probability that you will roll a number less than 7?
Exercise 14.8
Suppose you roll
a.
b.
c.
d.
two 4-sided dice.
Draw a tree diagram showing all the possible outcomes for both rolls.
What is the probability that you will roll 3 on the rst die, 2 on the second?
What is the probability that you will roll 3 on one die, 2 on the other?
What is the probability that the sum of both dice will be a 5?
14.4 Homework: The Multiplication Rule
4
Exercise 14.9
Eli and Beth each chooses a letter of the alphabet, completely at random.
a. What is the probability that Eli and Beth both choose the letter A?
b. What is the probability that Eli and Beth both choose vowels?
c. What is the probability that Eli chooses a letter that appears somewhere in the word Eli,
and Beth chooses a letter that appears somewhere in the word Beth?
Exercise 14.10
In your hand, you hold two regular 6-sided dice. One is red, and one is blue. You throw them
both.
a. If both dice roll 1 that is sometimes referred to as snake eyes. What is the probability
of snake eyes?
b. What is the probability that both dice will roll even numbers?
c. What is the probability that both dice will roll the same as each other?
3 This
4 This
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CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
212
Exercise 14.11
A deck of cards contains 52 dierent cards, assuming there are no jokers. On the table in front of
you sit 5 dierent decks of cards. All of them have been shued, so the cards in each deck are in
random order.
a.
b.
c.
d.
What is the probability that the top card in the rst deck is the ace of spades?
What is the probability that the top card in the second deck is the ace of spades?
two decks are both the ace of spades?
all ve decks are the ace of spades?
What is the probability that the top card in the rst
What is the probability that the top card in
Exercise 14.12
According to http://www.m-ms.com/, a bag of Milk Chocolate (plain) M&Ms
brown, 14% yellow, 13% red, 24% blue, 20% orange, and 16% green M&Ms.
M&Ms
®
contains 13%
A bag of Peanut
® contains 12% brown, 15% yellow, 12% red, 23% blue, 23% orange, and 15% green.
a. If you choose one M&M at random from a Milk Chocolate bag, what is the probability
that it will be brown?
b. If you choose one M&M at random from a Milk Chocolate bag, what is the probability
that it will be brown or yellow?
c. If you choose one M&M at random from a Peanut bag, what is the probability that it will
be brown or yellow?
d. If you choose one M&M at random from a Milk Chocolate bag, and one M&M at random
from a Peanut bag, what is the probability that they will both be brown or yellow?
Exercise 14.13
What is the probability that a married couple were both born...
a. In the rst half of the year?
b. In January?
c. On January 1?
Exercise 14.14
The probability that a given event will occur has been calculated as exactly 5/13. What is the
probability that this event will not happen?
1
1
note: Hint: Start by thinking about easier numbers, such as 2 or 4 .
5
14.5 Homework: Trickier Probability Problems
Exercise 14.15
Each morning, before they go o to work in the mines, the seven dwarves line up and Snow White
kisses each dwarf on the top of his head. In order to avoid any hint of favoritism, she kisses them
in random order each morning.
note: No two parts of this question have exactly the same answer.
5 This
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213
a.
b.
c.
d.
What is the probability that the dwarf named Bashful gets kissed rst on Monday?
and Tuesday?
not get kissed rst, either Monday or Tuesday?
What is the probability that Bashful gets kissed rst at least once during the week
What is the probability that Bashful gets kissed rst both Monday
What is the probability that Bashful does
(Monday Friday)?
e. What is the probability that, on Monday, Bashful gets kissed rst and Grumpy second?
f. What is the probability, on Monday, that the seven dwarves will be kissed in perfect
alphabetical order?
g. What is the probability that, on Monday, Bashful and Grumpy get kissed before any other
dwarves?
Exercise 14.16
The drawing shows a circle with a radius of 3" inside a circle with a radius of 4". If a dart hits
somewhere at random inside the larger circle, what is the probability that it will fall somewhere in
the smaller circle?
3
note: The answer is not 4 .
CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
214
Exercise 14.17
A bag has 26 tiles in it, each with a dierent letter of the alphabet.
a. You pick one tile out of the bag, look at it, and write it down. Then you put it back in the
bag, which is thoroughly mixed up. Then you pick another tile out of the back, look at
it, and write it down. What is the probability that your rst letter was A and your
second letter was T?
b. Same bag, dierent plan. This time you pick the rst tile, but do not put it back in
the bag. Then you pick a second tile and place it next to the rst? Now what is the
probability that your rst letter was A and your second letter was T?
c. In the second case, what is the probability that your two letters, together, could make the
word AT?
Exercise 14.18
A deck of cards has 52 cards, 13 of each suit. Assume there are no Jokers.
(Once again, no two
parts of this question have exactly the same answer.)
a. If you draw a card at random, what is the probability of getting the Ace of Spades?
b. If you draw two cards at random, what are the odds that the rst will be the Ace of Spades
and the second will be the King of Spades?
c. If you draw two cards at random, in how many dierent ways can you draw those two
cards?
d. Based on your answers to (b) and (c), if you draw two cards at random, what is the
probability that you will get those two cards?
e. If you draw three cards at random, what are the odds that the rst will be the Ace of
Spades, the second will be the King of Spades, and the third the Queen of Spades?
215
f. If you draw three cards at random, in how many dierent ways can you draw those
three cards?
g. Based on your answers to (e) and (f ), if you draw three cards at random, what is the
probability that you will get those three cards?
Exercise 14.19
Jack and Jill were born in the same year.
a. What is the probability that they were born on the same day?
b. What is the probability that Jack's birthday comes rst?
c. Assuming that Jack and Jill do not have the same birthday, what is the probability that
their mother has the same birthday as one of them?
d. So...if three random people walk into a room, what is the probability that no two of them
will have the same birthday?
e. If three random people walk into a room, what is the probability that at least two of
them will have the same birthday?
f. What about four random people?
6
14.6 Homework: Permutations
Exercise 14.20
The Film Club has four DVDs: Superman
®, Batman®, The Incredibles®, and X-Men®.
They
are going to show two movies back-to-back for their Superhero End-of-School Blowout.
a. List all possible pairings. To keep it short, use letters to represent the movies: for
instance, BX means Batman followed by X-Men. (XB is a dierent pairing, and should
be listed separately.) BB, of course, means they will show Batman twice! Try to list
them in a systematic way, to make sure you don't miss any.
b. How many pairings did you list?
c. Now, list all possible pairings that do not show the same movie twice. Once again,
try to list them in a systematic way, to make sure you don't miss any.
d. How many pairings did you list?
Exercise 14.21
A new reality show, Famous American Rock Band, is going to choose lucky audience members to
form a new Famous American Rock Band. There are 200 people in the audience.
a. First, the Lead Singer is chosen, and comes up onto the stage. How many possible choices
are there?
b. Next, from the remaining audience members, a Lead Guitarist is chosen.
How many
possible choices are there?
c. Next, from the remaining audience members, a Rhythm Guitarist is chosen. How many
possible choices are there?
d. Next, from the remaining audience members, a Bass Guitarist is chosen.
How many
possible choices are there?
e. Next, from the remaining audience members, a Pianist is chosen.
choices are there?
6 This
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How many possible
CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
216
f. Finally, from the remaining audience members, a Drummer is chosen. How many possible
choices are there?
g. Multiply your answers in parts (a)(f ) to nd the number of possible Rock Bands that
could be created?
h. How could this calculation be expressed more compactly, with factorials?
Exercise 14.22
The school math club is going to elect a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.
How many possible ocer lists can be drawn up if...
a. There are only four people in the math club?
b. There are twenty people in the math club?
Exercise 14.23
A license plate consists of exactly eight characters.
Assume that each character must be an
uppercase letter, or a numerical digit.
a. How many possible license plates are there?
b. Now assume that you are also allowed to have blank spaces, which count as part of your
eight letters. How many possible license plates are there?
Exercise 14.24
According to Robert de Boron's version of the story, King Arthur's Round Table was large enough
to accommodate 50 chairs. One chair was always left empty, for the knight who would fulll the
Grail Quest. So, if 49 knights approach the table one day, how many dierent ways can they seat
themselves?
Exercise 14.25
Invent, and solve, your own permutations problem. It should be a scenario that is quite dierent
from all the scenarios listed above, but it should logically lead to the same method of solving.
7
14.7 Homework: Permutations and Combinations
Exercise 14.26
The comedy troupe Monty Python had six members: John Cleese, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman,
Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones. Suppose that on the way to lming an episode of
their Flying Circus television show, they were forced to split up into two cars: four of them could
t in the Volkswagen, and two rode together on a motorcycle. How many dierent ways could they
split up?
a. List all possible pairs that might go on the motorcycle. (Note that Cleese-Idle and
Idle-Cleese are the same pair: it should be listed once, not twice.)
b. List all possible groups of four that might ride in the car. (Same note.)
c. If you listed properly, you should have gotten the same number of items in parts (a) and
(b). (After all, if Cleese and Idle ride on the motorcycle, we know who is in the car!)

This number is 6 choose 2, or

they came out the same,
7 This

2

.

It is also 6 choose 4, or

6
4

10

6
3

should come out the same as what?.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19240/1.1/>.

.
Given that
217
d. Write an algebraic generalization to express the rule discussed in part (c).
Exercise 14.27
® Side Item Sampler® allows you to choose any three of their fteen side items.
A Boston Market
How many possible Side Item Samplers can you make?
a. To answer this combinations question, begin with a related permutations question. Suppose
you had three plates labeled Plate 1, Plate 2, and Plate 3, and you were going to put a
dierent side item in each plate.
i. How many items could you put in Plate 1?
ii. For each such choice, how many items could you put in Plate 2?
iii. For each such choice, how many items could you put in Plate 3?
iv. So, how many Plate 1 Plate 2 Plate 3 permutations could you create?
b. The reason you haven't answered the original question yet is that, in a real Side Item
Sampler, the plates are not numbered.
For instance, Sweet CornMashed Potatoes
Creamed Spinach is the same meal as Creamed SpinachMashed PotatoesSweet
Corn.
So...in the space below, list
all the possible arrangements of just these
three side items.
c. How many possible arrangements did you list? (In other words, how many times did we
originally count every possible meal?)
d. Divide your answer to a(iv) by your answer to (b) to nd out how many Side Item Samplers
can be created.
Exercise 14.28
How many three-note chords can be made by...
a. Using only the eight natural notes (the white keys on a piano)?
b. Using all twelve notes (black and white keys)?
Exercise 14.29
The United States Senate has 100 members (2 from each state). Suppose the Senate is divided
evenly: 50 Republicans, and 50 Democrats.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
How many possible 3-man committees can the Republicans make?
Express your answer to part (a) in terms of factorials.
How many possible 47-man committees can the Republicans make?
How many 10-man committees can the Democrats make?
How many committees can be formed that include 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans?
Exercise 14.30
Invent, and solve, your own combinations problem. It should be a scenario that is quite dierent
from all the scenarios listed above, but it should logically lead to the same method of solving.
14.8 Sample Test: Probability
Exercise 14.31
In the video game Stroller Race 2000
8
—, you start by choosing which baby character you will play
(Hotsy, Totsy, Potsy, or Mac) and what color stroller you will be racing (red, green, blue, or yellow).
8 This
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CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
218
a. Draw a tree diagram listing all the possible baby-stroller combinations you can play.
b. When the computer races against you, it chooses a baby-stroller combination at random.
What is the chance that it will choose the same one you chose?
c. What is the chance that the computer will choose a baby whose name rhymes with Dotsy?
d. What is the chance that the computer will choose a baby whose name rhymes with Dotsy
and a red stroller?
e. All four babies are racing in red strollers today. One possible outcome is that Hotsy
will come in rst, followed by Totsy, then Potsy, then Mac. How many total possible
outcomes are there?
Exercise 14.32
The weatherman predicts a 20% chance of rain on Tuesday.
If it rains, there is a 10% chance that
your roof will leak. (If it doesn't rain, of course, your roof is safe.) What is the chance that you
will have a leaky roof on Tuesday?
Exercise 14.33
A game of Yahtzee! begins by rolling ve 6-sided dice.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
What is the chance that all ve dice will roll 6?
What is the chance that all ve dice will roll the same as each other?
What is the chance that all ve dice will roll 5 or 6?
What is the chance that
What is the chance that
no dice will roll 6?
at least one die will roll 6?
Exercise 14.34
How many three-letter combinations can be made from the 26 letters in the alphabet? We can ask
this question three dierent ways, with three dierent answers.
a. First, assume any three-letter combination is valid: NNN, for instance. (This gives you
the actual number of possible three-letter words.)
b. Second, assume that you cannot use the same letter twice. (Here you can imagine that
you have a bag of les, one for each letter, and you are drawing three of them out in
order to make a word.)
c. Third, assume that you still cannot use the same letter twice, but order doesn't matter:
CAT and ACT are the same. (Here you can imagine that as you pull the tiles, you are
creating unscramble-the-word puzzles instead of words.)
Exercise 14.35
In a Sudoku puzzle, a 3-by-3 grid must be populated with each of the digits 1 through 9. Every
digit must be used once, which means that no digit can be repeated. How many possible 3-by-3
grids can be made?
219
Extra credit:
How many dierent three-digit numbers can you make by rearranging the following digits?
1
1
2
3
4
5
6
Table 14.1
7
8
9
INDEX
220
Index of Keywords and Terms
Keywords are listed by the section with that keyword (page numbers are in parentheses). Keywords
do not necessarily appear in the text of the page. They are merely associated with that section.
apples, Ÿ 1.1 (1)
A
Terms are referenced by the page they appear on.
Ex.
Ex.
apples, 1
absolute value, Ÿ 2.4(44), Ÿ 2.5(46), Ÿ 2.6(47)
Ÿ 14.2(209), Ÿ 14.3(211), Ÿ 14.4(211),
absolute values, Ÿ 2.7(48), Ÿ 2.8(49), Ÿ 2.9(50),
Ÿ 14.5(212), Ÿ 14.6(215), Ÿ 14.7(216),
Ÿ 2.10(52)
Ÿ 14.8(217)
algebra, Ÿ (1), Ÿ 1.1(3), Ÿ 1.2(3), Ÿ 1.3(4),
answer sheet, Ÿ 1.3(4)
Ÿ 1.4(5), Ÿ 1.5(6), Ÿ 1.6(7), Ÿ 1.7(9), Ÿ 1.8(10),
arithmetic sequences, Ÿ 13.1(203), Ÿ 13.2(204)
Ÿ 1.9(12), Ÿ 1.10(13), Ÿ 1.11(19), Ÿ 1.12(23),
arithmetic series, Ÿ 13.4(205)
Ÿ 1.13(29), Ÿ 1.14(31), Ÿ 1.15(32), Ÿ 1.16(33),
Ÿ 1.17(35), Ÿ 1.18(36), Ÿ 1.19(37), Ÿ 2.1(41),
Ÿ 2.2(42), Ÿ 2.3(43), Ÿ 2.4(44), Ÿ 2.5(46),
Ÿ 2.6(47), Ÿ 2.8(49), Ÿ 2.9(50), Ÿ 2.10(52),
B
C
combinations, Ÿ 14.7(216)
Ÿ 3.5(58), Ÿ 3.6(59), Ÿ 4.1(61), Ÿ 4.2(62),
completing the square, Ÿ 4.7(68), Ÿ 4.8(69)
Ÿ 4.3(64), Ÿ 4.4(65), Ÿ 4.5(66), Ÿ 4.7(68),
complex, Ÿ 9.2(133), Ÿ 9.3(135), Ÿ 9.4(136),
Ÿ 4.8(69), Ÿ 4.9(70), Ÿ 4.10(71), Ÿ 4.11(72),
Ÿ 9.5(137), Ÿ 9.6(138), Ÿ 9.7(139), Ÿ 9.8(139)
Ÿ 4.12(74), Ÿ 4.13(75), Ÿ 4.14(77), Ÿ 4.15(78),
complex numbers, Ÿ 9.2(133), Ÿ 9.3(135),
Ÿ 4.16(79), Ÿ 4.17(80), Ÿ 4.19(83), Ÿ 5.1(85),
Ÿ 9.4(136), Ÿ 9.5(137), Ÿ 9.6(138), Ÿ 9.7(139),
Ÿ 5.2(86), Ÿ 5.3(87), Ÿ 5.4(88), Ÿ 5.5(89),
Ÿ 9.8(139)
Ÿ 5.6(91), Ÿ 5.7(92), Ÿ 5.8(94), Ÿ 5.9(96),
composite functions, Ÿ 1.14(31), Ÿ 1.15(32)
Ÿ 6.1(99), Ÿ 6.2(100), Ÿ 6.3(102), Ÿ 6.4(103),
conic sections, Ÿ 12.1(185), Ÿ 12.2(186),
Ÿ 6.5(105), Ÿ 6.6(105), Ÿ 6.7(107), Ÿ 6.8(108),
Ÿ 12.3(187), Ÿ 12.4(189), Ÿ 12.5(190),
Ÿ 7.1(111), Ÿ 7.2(112), Ÿ 7.3(112), Ÿ 7.4(113),
Ÿ 12.6(190), Ÿ 12.7(192), Ÿ 12.8(193),
Ÿ 7.5(114), Ÿ 7.6(115), Ÿ 8.1(117), Ÿ 8.2(117),
Ÿ 12.9(194), Ÿ 12.10(195), Ÿ 12.11(197),
Ÿ 8.3(118), Ÿ 8.4(119), Ÿ 8.5(119), Ÿ 8.6(121),
Ÿ 12.12(198), Ÿ 12.13(198), Ÿ 12.14(200)
Ÿ 8.7(123), Ÿ 8.8(124), Ÿ 8.9(126), Ÿ 8.10(127),
conics, Ÿ 12.1(185), Ÿ 12.2(186), Ÿ 12.3(187),
Ÿ 9.1(131), Ÿ 9.2(133), Ÿ 9.3(135), Ÿ 9.4(136),
Ÿ 12.4(189), Ÿ 12.5(190), Ÿ 12.6(190),
Ÿ 9.5(137), Ÿ 9.6(138), Ÿ 9.7(139), Ÿ 9.8(139),
Ÿ 12.7(192), Ÿ 12.8(193), Ÿ 12.9(194),
Ÿ 10.1(143), Ÿ 10.2(144), Ÿ 10.3(145),
Ÿ 12.10(195), Ÿ 12.11(197), Ÿ 12.12(198),
Ÿ 10.4(147), Ÿ 10.5(147), Ÿ 10.6(148),
Ÿ 12.13(198), Ÿ 12.14(200)
Ÿ 10.7(150), Ÿ 10.8(152), Ÿ 10.9(153),
Ÿ 10.13(159), Ÿ 10.14(160), Ÿ 10.15(161),
Ÿ 10.16(163), Ÿ 10.17(164), Ÿ 11.1(169),
calculator, Ÿ 10.13(159), Ÿ 11.6(177)
circles, Ÿ 12.3(187), Ÿ 12.4(189), Ÿ 12.8(193)
Ÿ 3.1(53), Ÿ 3.2(54), Ÿ 3.3(55), Ÿ 3.4(57),
Ÿ 10.10(154), Ÿ 10.11(156), Ÿ 10.12(158),
binomials, Ÿ 4.1(61), Ÿ 4.2(62)
coordinate plane, Ÿ 12.1(185), Ÿ 12.2(186)
D
data modeling, Ÿ 11.7(179)
denition, Ÿ 12.7(192), Ÿ 12.11(197)
Ÿ 11.2(170), Ÿ 11.3(172), Ÿ 11.4(174),
dependent, Ÿ 1.11(19)
Ÿ 11.5(175), Ÿ 11.6(177), Ÿ 11.7(179),
dependent variable, Ÿ 1.5(6)
Ÿ 12.1(185), Ÿ 12.2(186), Ÿ 12.3(187),
determinants, Ÿ 10.14(160)
Ÿ 12.4(189), Ÿ 12.5(190), Ÿ 12.6(190),
direct variation, Ÿ 11.1(169), Ÿ 11.2(170),
Ÿ 12.7(192), Ÿ 12.8(193), Ÿ 12.9(194),
Ÿ 11.3(172), Ÿ 11.4(174), Ÿ 11.5(175),
Ÿ 12.10(195), Ÿ 12.11(197), Ÿ 12.12(198),
Ÿ 11.6(177)
Ÿ 12.13(198), Ÿ 12.14(200), Ÿ 13.1(203),
distance, Ÿ 3.1(53), Ÿ 12.1(185), Ÿ 12.2(186),
Ÿ 13.2(204), Ÿ 13.3(205), Ÿ 13.4(205),
Ÿ 12.5(190), Ÿ 12.8(193), Ÿ 12.9(194),
Ÿ 13.5(206), Ÿ 13.6(207), Ÿ 14.1(209),
Ÿ 12.12(198)
INDEX
221
division, Ÿ 7.5(114)
E
independent, Ÿ 1.11(19)
independent variable, Ÿ 1.5(6)
ellipses, Ÿ 12.9(194), Ÿ 12.10(195),
induction, Ÿ 13.5(206)
Ÿ 12.11(197), Ÿ 12.14(200)
inequalities, Ÿ 2.1(41), Ÿ 2.2(42), Ÿ 2.3(43),
equation, Ÿ 12.7(192), Ÿ 12.11(197)
Ÿ 2.6(47), Ÿ 2.7(48), Ÿ 2.8(49), Ÿ 2.9(50),
equations, Ÿ 2.4(44), Ÿ 2.5(46), Ÿ 4.2(62),
Ÿ 2.10(52), Ÿ 4.17(80), Ÿ 4.18(82)
Ÿ 4.3(64), Ÿ 4.4(65), Ÿ 4.5(66), Ÿ 4.7(68),
introduction, Ÿ 1.1(3)
Ÿ 4.8(69), Ÿ 4.10(71), Ÿ 4.12(74), Ÿ 4.13(75),
inverse, Ÿ 1.16(33), Ÿ 1.17(35), Ÿ 10.7(150),
Ÿ 4.14(77), Ÿ 4.16(79), Ÿ 4.18(82), Ÿ 8.8(124),
Ÿ 10.8(152), Ÿ 10.9(153)
Ÿ 8.9(126)
inverse functions, Ÿ 1.16(33), Ÿ 1.17(35),
exponential, Ÿ 5.7(92), Ÿ 5.8(94)
Ÿ 1.18(36)
exponential curves, Ÿ 5.7(92), Ÿ 5.8(94)
inverse matrix, Ÿ 10.7(150), Ÿ 10.8(152)
exponents, Ÿ 5.1(85), Ÿ 5.2(86), Ÿ 5.3(87),
inverse variation, Ÿ 11.2(170), Ÿ 11.3(172),
Ÿ 5.4(88), Ÿ 5.5(89), Ÿ 5.6(91), Ÿ 5.7(92),
Ÿ 5.8(94), Ÿ 5.9(96), Ÿ 8.2(117)
F
factoring, Ÿ 4.3(64), Ÿ 4.4(65)
Ÿ 11.4(174), Ÿ 11.5(175), Ÿ 11.6(177)
L
linear equations, Ÿ 10.15(161), Ÿ 10.16(163)
fractional exponents, Ÿ 5.5(89), Ÿ 5.6(91)
lines, Ÿ 1.12(23)
fractions, Ÿ 5.5(89), Ÿ 5.6(91)
log, Ÿ 6.1(99), Ÿ 6.2(100), Ÿ 6.3(102),
function game, Ÿ 1.1(3), Ÿ 1.2(3), Ÿ 1.3(4),
Ÿ 6.4(103), Ÿ 6.5(105), Ÿ 6.6(105), Ÿ 6.7(107),
Ÿ 1.4(5)
Ÿ 6.8(108)
functions, Ÿ (1), Ÿ 1.1(3), Ÿ 1.2(3), Ÿ 1.3(4),
logarithms, Ÿ 6.1(99), Ÿ 6.2(100), Ÿ 6.3(102),
Ÿ 1.4(5), Ÿ 1.5(6), Ÿ 1.6(7), Ÿ 1.7(9), Ÿ 1.8(10),
Ÿ 6.4(103), Ÿ 6.5(105), Ÿ 6.6(105), Ÿ 6.7(107),
Ÿ 1.9(12), Ÿ 1.10(13), Ÿ 1.11(19), Ÿ 1.12(23),
Ÿ 1.13(29), Ÿ 1.14(31), Ÿ 1.15(32), Ÿ 1.16(33),
Ÿ 1.17(35), Ÿ 1.18(36), Ÿ 1.19(37), Ÿ 4.12(74),
Ÿ 6.8(108)
M matrices, Ÿ 10.1(143), Ÿ 10.2(144), Ÿ 10.3(145),
Ÿ 4.13(75), Ÿ 4.14(77), Ÿ 4.15(78), Ÿ 4.16(79)
G
Ÿ 10.4(147), Ÿ 10.5(147), Ÿ 10.6(148),
Ÿ 10.7(150), Ÿ 10.8(152), Ÿ 10.9(153),
generalizations, Ÿ 1.6(7), Ÿ 1.7(9)
Ÿ 10.10(154), Ÿ 10.11(156), Ÿ 10.12(158),
geometric sequences, Ÿ 13.1(203), Ÿ 13.2(204)
Ÿ 10.13(159), Ÿ 10.14(160), Ÿ 10.15(161),
geometric series, Ÿ 13.4(205)
Ÿ 10.16(163), Ÿ 10.17(164)
graphing, Ÿ 1.8(10), Ÿ 1.9(12), Ÿ 1.10(13),
matrix, Ÿ 10.1(143), Ÿ 10.2(144), Ÿ 10.3(145),
Ÿ 1.12(23), Ÿ 1.13(29), Ÿ 2.8(49), Ÿ 2.9(50),
Ÿ 10.4(147), Ÿ 10.5(147), Ÿ 10.6(148),
Ÿ 3.2(54), Ÿ 4.12(74), Ÿ 4.13(75), Ÿ 4.14(77),
Ÿ 10.7(150), Ÿ 10.8(152), Ÿ 10.9(153),
Ÿ 4.15(78), Ÿ 4.16(79)
Ÿ 10.10(154), Ÿ 10.11(156), Ÿ 10.12(158),
groupings, Ÿ 14.1(209)
Ÿ 10.13(159), Ÿ 10.14(160), Ÿ 10.15(161),
groups, Ÿ 14.1(209)
H
Ÿ 10.16(163), Ÿ 10.17(164)
multiplication, Ÿ 4.1(61), Ÿ 10.3(145),
homework, Ÿ 7.1(111), Ÿ 7.3(112)
Ÿ 10.4(147), Ÿ 10.5(147)
horizontal parabolas, Ÿ 12.6(190)
multiplication rule, Ÿ 14.4(211)
hyperbolas, Ÿ 12.12(198), Ÿ 12.13(198),
multiply, Ÿ 4.1(61), Ÿ 10.3(145), Ÿ 10.4(147),
Ÿ 12.14(200)
I
i, Ÿ 9.1(131), Ÿ 9.2(133), Ÿ 9.3(135), Ÿ 9.4(136),
Ÿ 9.5(137), Ÿ 9.6(138), Ÿ 9.7(139), Ÿ 9.8(139)
identity, Ÿ 10.7(150), Ÿ 10.8(152)
identity matrix, Ÿ 10.7(150), Ÿ 10.8(152)
imaginary, Ÿ 9.1(131), Ÿ 9.2(133), Ÿ 9.3(135),
Ÿ 9.4(136), Ÿ 9.5(137), Ÿ 9.6(138), Ÿ 9.7(139),
Ÿ 9.8(139)
imaginary numbers, Ÿ 9.1(131), Ÿ 9.2(133),
Ÿ 9.3(135), Ÿ 9.4(136), Ÿ 9.5(137), Ÿ 9.6(138),
Ÿ 9.7(139), Ÿ 9.8(139)
leader's sheet, Ÿ 1.2(3)
Ÿ 10.5(147)
N
P
notation, Ÿ 13.3(205)
parabolas, Ÿ 12.6(190), Ÿ 12.7(192), Ÿ 12.8(193)
permutation, Ÿ 1.9(12), Ÿ 1.10(13), Ÿ 14.6(215)
permutations, Ÿ 14.7(216)
polynomials, Ÿ 7.5(114)
probability, Ÿ 14.1(209), Ÿ 14.2(209),
Ÿ 14.3(211), Ÿ 14.4(211), Ÿ 14.5(212),
Ÿ 14.6(215), Ÿ 14.7(216), Ÿ 14.8(217)
problems, Ÿ 1.4(5)
INDEX
222
proof by induction, Ÿ 13.5(206)
roots, Ÿ 8.1(117), Ÿ 8.2(117), Ÿ 8.3(118),
proofs, Ÿ 13.5(206)
Ÿ 8.4(119), Ÿ 8.5(119), Ÿ 8.6(121), Ÿ 8.7(123),
properties, Ÿ 5.1(85), Ÿ 5.2(86), Ÿ 6.3(102),
Ÿ 8.8(124), Ÿ 8.9(126), Ÿ 8.10(127)
Ÿ 6.4(103)
Q
R
S
sequences, Ÿ 13.1(203), Ÿ 13.2(204),
quadratic equations, Ÿ 4.3(64), Ÿ 4.4(65),
Ÿ 13.3(205), Ÿ 13.4(205), Ÿ 13.5(206),
Ÿ 4.7(68), Ÿ 4.8(69), Ÿ 4.12(74), Ÿ 4.13(75),
Ÿ 13.6(207)
Ÿ 4.14(77), Ÿ 9.7(139)
series, Ÿ 13.1(203), Ÿ 13.2(204), Ÿ 13.3(205),
quadratic functions, Ÿ 4.14(77), Ÿ 4.15(78)
Ÿ 13.4(205), Ÿ 13.5(206), Ÿ 13.6(207)
quadratics, Ÿ 4.1(61), Ÿ 4.2(62), Ÿ 4.3(64),
simplication, Ÿ 8.4(119)
Ÿ 4.4(65), Ÿ 4.5(66), Ÿ 4.7(68), Ÿ 4.8(69),
simplify, Ÿ 8.4(119)
Ÿ 4.9(70), Ÿ 4.10(71), Ÿ 4.11(72), Ÿ 4.12(74),
simultaneous equations, Ÿ 3.1(53), Ÿ 3.2(54),
Ÿ 4.13(75), Ÿ 4.14(77), Ÿ 4.15(78), Ÿ 4.16(79),
Ÿ 3.3(55), Ÿ 3.4(57), Ÿ 3.5(58), Ÿ 3.6(59)
Ÿ 4.17(80), Ÿ 4.18(82), Ÿ 4.19(83), Ÿ 9.7(139)
slope, Ÿ 1.13(29)
radicals, Ÿ 8.1(117), Ÿ 8.2(117), Ÿ 8.3(118),
T
TAPPS, Ÿ 1.18(36)
Ÿ 8.4(119), Ÿ 8.5(119), Ÿ 8.6(121), Ÿ 8.7(123),
time, Ÿ 3.1(53)
Ÿ 8.8(124), Ÿ 8.9(126), Ÿ 8.10(127)
transformations, Ÿ 10.10(154), Ÿ 10.11(156)
radii, Ÿ 1.19(37)
translation, Ÿ 1.9(12), Ÿ 1.10(13)
radius, Ÿ 1.19(37)
tree diagrams, Ÿ 14.2(209)
rate, Ÿ 3.1(53)
ratio, Ÿ 11.1(169), Ÿ 11.2(170), Ÿ 11.3(172),
Ÿ 11.4(174), Ÿ 11.5(175), Ÿ 11.6(177),
Ÿ 11.7(179)
rational equations, Ÿ 7.3(112), Ÿ 7.4(113),
Ÿ 7.6(115)
rational expressions, Ÿ 7.1(111), Ÿ 7.2(112),
Ÿ 7.4(113), Ÿ 7.6(115)
rational numbers, Ÿ 7.1(111), Ÿ 7.2(112),
Ÿ 7.3(112), Ÿ 7.4(113), Ÿ 7.6(115)
ratios, Ÿ 7.1(111), Ÿ 7.2(112), Ÿ 7.3(112),
Ÿ 7.4(113), Ÿ 7.5(114), Ÿ 7.6(115)
V
variable, Ÿ 1.4(5)
variables, Ÿ 1.11(19)
variation, Ÿ 11.1(169), Ÿ 11.2(170), Ÿ 11.3(172),
Ÿ 11.4(174), Ÿ 11.5(175), Ÿ 11.6(177),
Ÿ 11.7(179)
vertical parabolas, Ÿ 12.6(190)
W word problems, Ÿ 2.3(43)
X x-intercept, Ÿ 1.13(29)
Y y-intercept, Ÿ 1.13(29)
ATTRIBUTIONS
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Collection:
Advanced Algebra II: Activities and Homework
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Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Value Homework Homework: Absolute Value Equations"
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Module: "Simultaneous Equations Homework Distance, Rate, and Time"
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231
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Module: "Exponents Homework Homework: Fractional Exponents"
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Module: "Logs Homework Introduction to Logarithms"
Used here as: "Introduction to Logarithms"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19175/1.1/
Pages: 99-100
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logs Homework Homework: Logs"
Used here as: "Homework: Logs"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19176/1.2/
Pages: 100-102
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
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Module: "Logs Homework Properties of Logarithms"
Used here as: "Properties of Logarithms"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19269/1.1/
Pages: 102-103
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logs Homework Homework: Properties of Logarithms"
Used here as: "Homework: Properties of Logarithms"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19177/1.2/
Pages: 103-105
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logs Homework Using the Laws of Logarithms"
Used here as: "Using the Laws of Logarithms"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19184/1.1/
Page: 105
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logs Homework So What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?"
Used here as: "So What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19181/1.1/
Pages: 105-107
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logs Homework Homework: What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?"
Used here as: "Homework: What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19268/1.2/
Pages: 107-108
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logs Homework Sample Test"
Used here as: "Sample Test"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19180/1.1/
Pages: 108-109
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Rational Expressions Homework Rational Expressions"
Used here as: "Rational Expressions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19278/1.1/
Page: 111
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expressions Homework Homework: Rational Expressions"
Used here as: "Homework: Rational Expressions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19275/1.1/
Page: 112
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expressions Homework Rational Equations"
Used here as: "Rational Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19279/1.1/
Pages: 112-113
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expressions Homework Homework: Rational Expressions and Equations"
Used here as: "Homework: Rational Expressions and Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19277/1.1/
Pages: 113-114
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expressions Homework Dividing Polynomials"
Used here as: "Dividing Polynomials"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19276/1.1/
Page: 114
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expressions Homework Sample Test: Rational Expressions"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Rational Expressions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19274/1.1/
Page: 115
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
235
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Module: "Radicals Homework Radicals (aka* Roots)"
Used here as: "Radicals (aka* Roots)"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19420/1.1/
Page: 117
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Homework Radicals and Exponents"
Used here as: "Radicals and Exponents"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19419/1.1/
Pages: 117-118
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Homework Some Very Important Generalizations"
Used here as: "Some Very Important Generalizations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19422/1.1/
Page: 118
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Homework Simplifying Radicals"
Used here as: "Simplifying Radicals"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19421/1.1/
Page: 119
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Homework Homework: Radicals"
Used here as: "Homework: Radicals"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19270/1.1/
Pages: 119-121
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Homework A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals"
Used here as: "A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19263/1.1/
Pages: 121-123
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Radicals Homework Homework: A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals"
Used here as: "Homework: A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19264/1.1/
Pages: 123-124
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Homework Radical Equations"
Used here as: "Radical Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19272/1.1/
Pages: 124-126
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Homework Homework: Radical Equations"
Used here as: "Homework: Radical Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19271/1.1/
Pages: 126-127
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Homework Sample Test: Radicals"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Radicals"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19273/1.1/
Pages: 127-129
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Homework Imaginary Numbers"
Used here as: "Imaginary Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19129/1.1/
Pages: 131-133
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Homework Homework: Imaginary Numbers"
Used here as: "Homework: Imaginary Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19130/1.1/
Pages: 133-134
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
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ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Homework Complex Numbers"
Used here as: "Complex Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19128/1.1/
Pages: 135-136
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Homework Homework: Complex Numbers"
Used here as: "Homework: Complex Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19132/1.1/
Pages: 136-137
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Homework Me, Myself, and the Square Root of i"
Used here as: "Me, Myself, and the Square Root of i"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19134/1.1/
Pages: 137-138
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Homework The Many Merry Cube Roots of -1"
Used here as: "The Many Merry Cube Roots of -1"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19131/1.1/
Pages: 138-139
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Homework Homework: Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers"
Used here as: "Homework: Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19127/1.1/
Page: 139
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Homework Sample Test: Complex Numbers"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Complex Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19133/1.1/
Pages: 139-141
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Matrices Homework Introduction to Matrices"
Used here as: "Introduction to Matrices"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19206/1.1/
Pages: 143-144
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Homework: Introduction to Matrices"
Used here as: "Homework: Introduction to Matrices"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19205/1.1/
Pages: 144-145
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Multiplying Matrices I"
Used here as: "Multiplying Matrices I"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19207/1.1/
Pages: 145-147
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Homework: Multiplying Matrices I"
Used here as: "Homework: Multiplying Matrices I"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19196/1.1/
Page: 147
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Multiplying Matrices II"
Used here as: "Multiplying Matrices II"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19208/1.1/
Pages: 147-148
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Homework: Multiplying Matrices II"
Used here as: "Homework: Multiplying Matrices II"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19201/1.1/
Pages: 148-149
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
239
240
Module: "Matrices Homework The Identity and Inverse Matrices"
Used here as: "The Identity and Inverse Matrices"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19213/1.1/
Pages: 150-152
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Homework: The Identity and Inverse Matrices"
Used here as: "Homework: The Identity and Inverse Matrices"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19194/1.1/
Page: 152
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework The Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix"
Used here as: "The Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19214/1.1/
Pages: 153-154
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Using Matrices for Transformation"
Used here as: "Using Matrices for Transformation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19221/1.1/
Pages: 154-156
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Homework: Using Matrices for Transformation"
Used here as: "Homework: Using Matrices for Transformation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19190/1.1/
Pages: 156-157
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Sample Test : Matrices I"
Used here as: "Sample Test : Matrices I"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19210/1.1/
Pages: 158-159
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Matrices Homework Homework: Calculators"
Used here as: "Homework: Calculators"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19188/1.1/
Pages: 159-160
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Homework: Determinants"
Used here as: "Homework: Determinants"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19193/1.1/
Pages: 160-161
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Solving Linear Equations"
Used here as: "Solving Linear Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19212/1.1/
Pages: 161-163
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Homework: Solving Linear Equations"
Used here as: "Homework: Solving Linear Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19204/1.1/
Pages: 163-164
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Homework Sample Test: Matrices II"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Matrices II"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19209/1.1/
Pages: 164-165
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Homework Direct Variation"
Used here as: "Direct Variation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19228/1.1/
Pages: 169-170
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
241
242
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Homework Homework: Inverse Variation"
Used here as: "Homework: Inverse Variation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19227/1.1/
Pages: 170-172
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Homework Homework: Direct and Inverse Variation"
Used here as: "Homework: Direct and Inverse Variation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19225/1.1/
Pages: 172-174
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Homework From Data Points to Functions"
Used here as: "From Data Points to Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19224/1.1/
Pages: 174-175
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Homework Homework: From Data Points to Functions"
Used here as: "Homework: From Data Points to Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19232/1.1/
Pages: 175-177
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Homework Homework: Calculator Regression"
Used here as: "Homework: Calculator Regression"
By: Kenny Felder, Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19231/1.1/
Pages: 177-178
Copyright: Kenny Felder, Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Homework Sample Test: Modeling Data with Functions"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Modeling Data with Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19222/1.1/
Pages: 179-183
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Conics Homework Distance"
Used here as: "Distance"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19081/1.1/
Pages: 185-186
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework Homework: Distance"
Used here as: "Homework: Distance"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19086/1.1/
Pages: 186-187
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework All the Points Equidistant from a Given Point"
Used here as: "All the Points Equidistant from a Given Point"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19078/1.1/
Pages: 187-188
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework Homework: Circles"
Used here as: "Homework: Circles"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19084/1.1/
Page: 189
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework All the Points Equidistant from a Point and a Line"
Used here as: "All the Points Equidistant from a Point and a Line"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19079/1.1/
Page: 190
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework Homework: Vertical and Horizontal Parabolas"
Used here as: "Homework: Vertical and Horizontal Parabolas"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19091/1.1/
Pages: 190-192
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
243
244
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Conics Homework Parabolas: From Denition to Equation"
Used here as: "Parabolas: From Denition to Equation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19092/1.1/
Pages: 192-193
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework Sample Test: Distance, Circles, and Parabolas"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Distance, Circles, and Parabolas"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19094/1.1/
Pages: 193-194
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework Distance to this point plus distance to that point is constant"
Used here as: "Distance to this point plus distance to that point is constant"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19083/1.1/
Pages: 194-195
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework Homework: Ellipses"
Used here as: "Homework: Ellipses"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19088/1.1/
Pages: 195-197
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework The Ellipse: From Denition to Equation"
Used here as: "The Ellipse: From Denition to Equation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19095/1.1/
Page: 197
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework Distance to this point minus distance to that point is constant"
Used here as: "Distance to this point minus distance to that point is constant"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19082/1.2/
Page: 198
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Conics Homework Homework: Hyperbolas"
Used here as: "Homework: Hyperbolas"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19089/1.1/
Pages: 198-199
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conics Homework Sample Test: Conics 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas)"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Conics 2 (Ellipses and Hyperbolas)"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19093/1.1/
Pages: 200-201
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Sequences and Series Homework Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences"
Used here as: "Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19285/1.1/
Pages: 203-204
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Sequences and Series Homework Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences"
Used here as: "Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19284/1.1/
Pages: 204-205
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Sequences and Series Homework Homework: Series and Series Notation"
Used here as: "Homework: Series and Series Notation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19280/1.1/
Page: 205
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Sequences and Series Homework Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Series"
Used here as: "Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Series"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19282/1.1/
Pages: 205-206
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
245
246
Module: "Sequences and Series Homework Homework: Proof by Induction"
Used here as: "Homework: Proof by Induction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19281/1.1/
Pages: 206-207
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Sequences and Series Homework Sample Test: Sequences and Series"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Sequences and Series"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19283/1.1/
Pages: 207-208
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Homework How Many Groups?"
Used here as: "How Many Groups?"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19236/1.1/
Page: 209
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Homework Homework: Tree Diagrams"
Used here as: "Homework: Tree Diagrams"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19234/1.1/
Pages: 209-211
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Homework Introduction to Probability"
Used here as: "Introduction to Probability"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19237/1.1/
Page: 211
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Homework Homework: The Multiplication Rule"
Used here as: "Homework: The Multiplication Rule"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19233/1.1/
Pages: 211-212
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Probability Homework Homework: Trickier Probability Problems"
Used here as: "Homework: Trickier Probability Problems"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19235/1.1/
Pages: 212-215
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Homework Homework: Permutations"
Used here as: "Homework: Permutations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19241/1.1/
Pages: 215-216
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Homework Homework: Permutations and Combinations"
Used here as: "Homework: Permutations and Combinations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19240/1.1/
Pages: 216-217
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Homework Sample Test: Probability"
Used here as: "Sample Test: Probability"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19238/1.1/
Pages: 217-219
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
247
Advanced Algebra II: Activities and Homework
This is the main text of Kenny Felder's course in Advanced Algebra II. It consists of a series of
worksheets, some intended to be used in class as group activities, and some intended to be used as
homework assignments.
This text is designed for use with the "Advanced Algebra II: Conceptual Ex-
planations" (<link document="col10624"/>) and the "Advanced Algebra II: Teacher's Guide" (<link
document="col10687"/>) collections to make up the entire course.
About Connexions
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Advanced Algebra II: Conceptual
Explanations
By:
Kenny Felder
Advanced Algebra II: Conceptual
Explanations
By:
Kenny Felder
Online:
<http://cnx.org/content/col10624/1.3/ >
CONNEXIONS
Rice University, Houston, Texas
©2008 Kenny Felder
This selection and arrangement of content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Table of Contents
1 Functions
1.1 Function Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 What is a Variable? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 What is a Function? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.4 The Rule of Consistency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.5 Four Ways to Represent a Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.6 Domain and Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.7 Functions in the Real World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.8 Function Notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.9 Algebraic Generalizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.10 Graphing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.11 Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.12 Composite Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.13 Inverse Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
2 Inequalities and Absolute Values
2.1 Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.2 Absolute Value Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.3 Absolute Value Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
2.4 Graphing Absolute Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
2.5 Graphing Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
2.6 "Piecewise Functions" and Absolute Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
3 Simultaneous Equations
3.1 Distance, Rate and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
3.2 Simultaneous Equations by Graphing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
3.3 Substitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3.4 Elimination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
3.5 Special Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
3.6 Word Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
3.7 Using Letters as Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4 Quadratic Functions
4.1 Multiplying Binomials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
4.2 Factoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
4.3 Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
4.4 Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
4.5 The Quadratic Formula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
4.6 Different Types of Solutions to Quadratic Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
4.7 Graphing Quadratic Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
4.8 Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
4.9 Quadratic Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
5 Exponents
5.1 Exponent Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
5.2 Laws of Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
iv
5.3 Zero, Negative Numbers, and Fractions as Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
5.4 Exponential Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
6 Logarithms
6.1 Logarithm Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
6.2 The Logarithm Explained by Analogy to Roots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
6.3 Rewriting Logarithm Equations as Exponent Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 102
6.4 The Logarithm Defined as an Inverse Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
6.5 Properties of Logarithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
6.6 Common Logarithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
6.7 Graphing Logarithmic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
7 Rational Expressions
7.1 Rational Expression Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
7.2 Simplifying Rational Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
7.3 Multiplying Rational Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
7.4 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
7.5 Rational Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
7.6 Dividing Polynomials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
8 Radicals
8.1 Radical Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 121
8.2 Properties of Radicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
8.3 Simplifying Radicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
8.4 Radical Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
9 Imaginary Numbers
9.1 Imaginary Numbers Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 129
9.2 Playing with i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
9.3 Complex Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
9.4 Equality and Inequality in Complex Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
9.5 Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
9.6 A Few “Extra for Experts” Thoughts on Imaginary Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
10 Matrices
10.1 Matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
10.2 Multiplying Matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 139
10.3 The Identity Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
10.4 The Inverse Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
10.5 Matrices on a TI-83 or TI-84 Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
10.6 Determinants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
10.7 Solving Linear Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
11 Modeling Data with Functions
11.1
11.2
11.3
11.4
Data Modeling Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Direct and Inverse Variations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Finding a Linear Function for any Two Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Finding a Parabolic Function for any Three Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
v
11.5 Regression on the Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
12 Conics
12.1 Conic Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
12.2 A Mathematical Look at Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
12.3 Circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
12.4 Parabolas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
12.5 Ellipses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
12.6 Hyperbolas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
12.7 A Brief Recap: How Do You Tell What Shape It Is? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
13 Sequences and Series
13.1 Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
13.2 Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
13.3 Proof by Induction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
14 Probability
14.1 Probability Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
14.2 Permutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
14.3 Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Attributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
vi
Chapter 1
Functions
1.1 Function Concepts1
The unit on functions is the most important in the Algebra II course, because it provides a crucial transition
point. Roughly speaking. . .
• Before Algebra I, math is about numbers.
• Starting in Algebra I, and continuing into Algebra II, math is about variables.
• Beginning with Algebra II, and continuing into Calculus, math is about functions.
Each step builds on the previous step. Each step expands the ability of mathematics to model behavior
and solve problems. And, perhaps most crucially, each step can be frightening to a student. It can be very
intimidating for a beginning Algebra student to see an entire page of mathematics that is covered with
letters, with almost no numbers to be found!
Unfortunately, many students end up with a very vague idea of what variables are (“That’s when you use
letters in math”) and an even more vague understanding of functions (“Those things that look like f ( x ) or
something”). If you leave yourself with this kind of vague understanding of the core concepts, the lessons
will make less and less sense as you go on: you will be left with the feeling that “I just can’t do this stuff”
without realizing that the problem was all the way back in the idea of a variable or function.
The good news is, variables and functions both have very specific meanings that are not difficult to understand.
1.2 What is a Variable?2
A variable is a letter that stands for a number you don’t know, or a number that can change.
A few examples:
Example 1.1: Good Examples of Variable Definitions
• “Let p be the number of people in a classroom.”
• “Let A be John’s age, measured in years.”
• “Let h be the number of hours that Susan has been working.”
1 This
2 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18192/1.2/>.
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In each case, the letter stands for a very specific number. However, we use a letter instead of a number
because we don’t know the specific number. In the first example above, different classrooms will have
different numbers of people (so p can be different numbers in different classes); in the second example,
John’s age is a specific and well-defined number, but we don’t know what it is (at least not yet); and in the
third example, h will actually change its value every hour. In all three cases, we have a good reason for
using a letter: it represents a number, but we cannot use a specific number such as “–3” or “ 4 12 ”.
Example 1.2: Bad Examples of Variable Definitions
• “Let n be the nickels.”
• “Let M be the number of minutes in an hour.”
The first error is by far the most common. Remember that a variable always stands for a number. “The
nickels” are not a number. Better definitions would be: “Let n be the number of nickels” or “Let n be the
total value of the nickels, measured in cents” or “Let n be the total mass of the nickels, measured in grams.”
The second example is better, because “number of minutes in an hour” is a number. But there is no reason
to call it “The Mysterious Mr. M” because we already know what it is. Why use a letter when you just mean
“60”?
Bad variable definitions are one of the most common reasons that students get stuck on word problems—
or get the wrong answer. The first type of error illustrated above leads to variable confusion: n will end
up being used for “number of nickels” in one equation and “total value of the nickels” in another, and
you end up with the wrong answer. The second type of error is more harmless—it won’t lead to wrong
answers—but it won’t help either. It usually indicates that the student is asking the wrong question (“What
can I assign a variable to?”) instead of the right question (“What numbers do I need to know?”)
1.2.1 Variables aren’t all called x. Get used to it.
Many students expect all variables to be named x, with possibly an occasional guest appearance by y. In
fact, variables can be named with any practically any letter. Uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and even
Greek letters are commonly used for variable names. Hence, a problem might start with “Let H be the
home team’s score and V be the visiting team’s score.”
If you attempt to call both of these variables x, it just won’t work. You could in principle call one of them x
and the other y, but that would make it more difficult to remember which variable goes with which team.
It is important to become comfortable using a wide range of letters. (I do, however, recommend avoiding
the letter o whenever possible, since it looks like the number 0.)
1.3 What is a Function?3
A function is neither a number nor a variable: it is a process for turning one number into another. For
instance, “Double and then add 6” is a function. If you put a 4 into that function, it comes out with a 14. If
you put a 21 into that function, it comes out with a 7.
The traditional image of a function is a machine, with a slot on one side where numbers go in and a slot on
the other side where numbers come out.
3 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18189/1.2/>.
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5→
→ 16
Table 1.1: A number goes in. A number comes out. The function is the machine, the process that turns 4
into 14 or 5 into 16 or 100 into 206.
The point of this image is that the function is not the numbers, but the machine itself—the process, not the
results of the process.
The primary purpose of “The Function Game” that you play on Day 1 is to get across this idea of a numerical
process. In this game, one student (the “leader”) is placed in the role of a function. “Whenever someone
gives you a number, you double that number, add 6, and give back the result.” It should be very clear, as
you perform this role, that you are not modeling a number, a variable, or even a list of numbers. You are
instead modeling a process—or an algorithm, or a recipe—for turning numbers into other numbers. That
is what a function is.
The function game also contains some more esoteric functions: “Respond with –3 no matter what number
you are given,” or “Give back the lowest prime number that is greater than or equal to the number you
were given.” Students playing the function game often ask “Can a function do that?” The answer is always
yes (with one caveat mentioned below). So another purpose of the function game is to expand your idea of
what a function can do. Any process that consistently turns numbers into other numbers, is a function.
By the way—having defined the word “function” I just want to say something about the word “equation.”
An “equation” is when you “equate” two things—that is to say, set them equal. So x2 − 3 is a function, but
it is not an equation. x2 − 3 = 6 is an equation. An “equation” always has an equal sign in it.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
1.4 The Rule of Consistency4
There is only one limitation on what a function can do: a function must be consistent.
For instance, the function in the above drawing is given a 5, and gives back a 16. That means this particular
function turns 5 into 16—always. That particular function can never take in a 5 and give back a 14. This
“rule of consistency” is a very important constraint on the nature of functions.
NOTE :
This rule does not treat the inputs and outputs the same!
For instance, consider the function y = x2 . This function takes both 3 and -3 and turns them into 9 (two
different inputs, same output). That is allowed. However, it is not reversible! If you take a 9 and turn it into
both a 3 and a –3 (two different outputs, same input), you are not a function.
3→
→9
−3 →
Table 1.2: If 3 goes in, 9 comes out. If –3 goes in, 9 also comes out. No problem: x2 is a function.
3→
→9
−3 →
Table 1.3: If 9 goes in, both –3 and 3 come out. This violates the rule of consistency: no function can do
this
This asymmetry has the potential to cause a great deal of confusion, but it is a very important aspect of
functions.
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18190/1.3/>.
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1.5 Four Ways to Represent a Function5
Modern Calculus texts emphasize that a function can be expressed in four different ways.
1. Verbal - This is the first way functions are presented in the function game: “Double and add six.”
2. Algebraic - This is the most common, most concise, and most powerful representation: 2x + 6 . Note
that in an algebraic representation, the input number is represented as a variable (in this case, an x).
3. Numerical - This can be done as a list of value pairs, as (4, 14) — meaning that if a 4 goes in, a 14
comes out. (You may recognize this as ( x, y) points used in graphing.)
4. Graphical - This is discussed in detail in the section on graphing.
These are not four different types of functions: they are four different views of the same function. One of
the most important skills in Algebra is converting a function between these different forms, and this theme
will recur in different forms throughout the text.
1.6 Domain and Range6
√
this function is given a 9 it hands back a 3. If this function is given a 2 it
Consider the function y = x. If √
hands back. . .well, it hands back 2, which is approximately 1.4. The answer cannot be specified exactly
as a fraction or decimal, but it is a perfectly good answer nonetheless.
√
On the other hand, what if this function is handed –4? There is no −4, so the function has no number to
hand back. If our function is a computer or calculator, it responds with an error message. So we see that this
function is able to respond to the numbers 9 and 2, but it is not able to respond in any way to the number
-4. Mathematically, we express this by saying that 9 and 2 are in the “domain” of the square root function,
and –4 is not in the domain of this function.
Definition 1.1: Domain
The domain of a function is all the numbers that it can successfully act on. Put another way, it is
all the numbers that can go into the function.
√
A square root cannot successfully act on a negative number. We say that “The domain of x is all numbers
such that
” meaning that if you give this function zero or a positive number, it can act on it; if you give this function
a negative number, it cannot.
√
A subtler example is the function y = x + 7. Does this function have the same domain
as the previous
√
function? No, it does not. If you hand this function a –4 it successfully hands back 3 (about 1.7).
√ –4 is in
the domain of this function. On the other hand, if you hand this function a –8 it attempts to take −1 and
fails; –8 is not in the domain of this function. If you play with a few more numbers, you should be able to
convince yourself that the domain of this function is all numbers x such that x ≥ −7.
You are probably familiar with two mathematical operations that are not allowed. The first is, you are not
allowed to take the square root of a negative number. As we have seen, this leads to restrictions on the
domain of any function that includes square roots.
The second restriction is, you are not allowed to divide by zero. This can also restrict the domain of functions. For instance, the function y = x21−4 has as its domain all numbers except x = 2 and x = −2. These
two numbers both cause the function to attempt to divide by 0, and hence fail. If you ask a calculator to
plug x = 2 into this function, you will get an error message.
5 This
6 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18195/1.2/>.
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So: if you are given a function, how can you find its domain? Look for any number that puts a negative
number under the square root; these numbers are not in the domain. Look for any number that causes the
function to divide by zero; these numbers are not in the domain. All other numbers are in the domain.
Function
√
x
Domain
Comments
x≥0
You can take the square root of
0, or of any positive number, but
you cannot take the square root
of a negative number.
x ≥ −7
If you plug in any number
greater than or equal to –7, you
will be taking a legal square root.
If you plug in a number less than
–7, you will be taking the square
root of a negative number.This
domain can also be understood
√
graphically: the graph y = x
has been moved 7 units to the
left. See “horizontal permutations” below.
1
x
x 6= 0
In other words, the domain is
“all numbers except 0.” You are
not allowed to divide by 0. You
are allowed to divide by anything else.
1
x −3
x 6= 3
If x = 3 then you are dividing
by 0, which is not allowed. If
x = 0you are dividing by –3,
which is allowed. So be careful!
The rule is not “when you are dividing, x cannot be 0.” The rule
is “ x can never be any value that
would put a 0 in the denominator.”
√
x+7
continued on next page
7
1
x 2 −4
x 6 = ±2
Or, “ xcan be any number except
2 or –2.” Either of these x values
will put a 0 in the denominator,
so neither one is allowed.
2x + x2 − 3x + 4
All numbers
You can plug any x value into
this function and it will come
back with a number.
√
x≥3
x −3
x −5
In words, the domain is all numbers greater than or equal to 3,
except the number 5. Numbers
less than 3 put negative numbers
under the square root; 5 causes a
division by 0.
x 6= 5
Table 1.4
You can confirm all these results with your calculator; try plugging numbers into these functions, and see
when you get errors!
A related concept is range.
Definition 1.2: Range
The range of a function is all the numbers that it may possibly produce. Put another way, it is all
the numbers that can come out of the function.
√
To illustrate this example, let us return to the function y = x + 7. Recall that we said the domain of this
function was all numbers x such that x ≥ −7; in other words, you are allowed to put any number greater
than or equal to –7 into this function.
√
What numbers might
√ come out of this function? If you put in a –7 you get out a 0. ( 0 = 0) If you put in
a –6 you get out 1 = 1. As you increase the x value, the y values also increase. However, if you put in
x = −8 nothing comes out at all. Hence, the range of this function is all numbers y such that y ≥ 0. That
is, this function is capable of handing back 0 or any positive number, but it will never hand back a negative
number.
It’s easy to get the words domain and range confused—and it’s important to keep them distinct, because
although they are related concepts, they are different from each other. One trick that sometimes helps is
to remember that, in everyday useage, “your domain” is your home, your land—it is where you begin. A
function begins in its own domain. It ends up somewhere out on the range.
1.6.1 A different notation for domain and range
Domains and ranges above are sometimes expressed as intervals, using the following rules:
• Parentheses () mean “an interval starting or ending here, but not including this number”
• Square brackets [] mean “an interval starting or ending here, including this number”
This is easiest to explain with examples.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
This notation...
...means this...
...or in other words
(−3, 5)
All numbers between –3 and 5,
not including –3 and 5.
−3 < x < 5
[−3, 5]
All numbers between –3 and 5,
including –3 and 5.
−3 ≤ x ≤ 5
[−3, 5)
All numbers between –3 and 5,
including –3 but not 5.
−3 ≤ x < 5
(−∞, 10]
All numbers less than or equal to
10.
x ≤ 10
(23, ∞)
All numbers greater than 23.
x > 23
(−∞, 4) (4, ∞)
All numbers less than 4, and all
numbers greater than 4. In other
words, all numbers except 4.
x 6= 4
Table 1.5
1.7 Functions in the Real World7
Why are functions so important that they form the heart of math from Algebra II onward?
Functions are used whenever one variable depends on another variable. This relationship between two
variables is the most important in mathematics. It is a way of saying “If you tell me what x is, I can tell you
what y is.” We say that y “depends on” x, or y “is a function of” x.
A few examples:
Example 1.3: Function Concepts – Functions in the Real World
• "The area of a circle depends on its radius."
• "The amount of money Alice makes depends on the number of hours she works."
• “Max threw a ball. The height of the ball depends on how many seconds it has been in the
air.”
In each case, there are two variables. Given enough information about the scenario, you could assert that if
you tell me this variable, I will tell you that one. For instance, suppose you know that Alice makes $100
per day. Then we could make a chart like this.
If Alice works this many days...
...she makes this many dollars
0
0
1
100
1½
150
8
800
Table 1.6
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18193/1.2/>.
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If you tell me how long she has worked, I will tell you how much money she has made. Her earnings
“depend on” how long she works.
The two variables are referred to as the dependent variable and the independent variable. The dependent
variable is said to “depend on” or “be a function of” the independent variable. “The height of the ball is a
function of the time.”
Example 1.4: Bad Examples of Functional Relationships
• "The number of Trojan soldiers depends on the number of Greek soldiers."
• "The time depends on the height of the ball."
The first of these two examples is by far the most common. It is simply not true. There may be a relationship
between these two quantities—for instance, the sum of these two variables might be the total number of
soldiers, and the difference between these two quantities might suggest whether the battle will be a fair
one. But there is no dependency relationship—that is, no way to say “If you tell me the number of Greek
soldiers, I will tell you the number of Trojan soldiers”—so this is not a function.
The second example is subtler: it confuses the dependent and the independent variables. The height
depends on the time, not the other way around. More on this in the discussion of “Inverse Functions".
1.8 Function Notation8
1.8.1 Function Notation
Functions are represented in math by parentheses. When you write f ( x ) you indicate that the variable f is
a function of—or depends on—the variable x.
For instance, suppose f ( x ) = x2 + 3x. This means that f is a function that takes whatever you give it, and
squares it, and multiplies it by 3, and adds those two quantities.
→ f (7) = 72 + 3 (7) = 70
7→
→ f (10) = 102 + 3 (10) = 130
10 →
→ f ( x ) = x2 + 3x
x→
→ f (y) = y2 + 3y
y→
→ f (dog) = (dog) 2 + 3 (dog)
a dog →
(*not in the domain)
Table 1.7
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
The notation f (7) means “plug the number 7 into the function f .” It does not indicate that you are multiplying f times 7. To evaluate f (7) you take the function f ( x ) and replace all occurrences of the variable x
with the number 7. If this function is given a 7 it will come out with a 70.
If we write f (y) = y2 + 3y we have not specified a different function. Remember, the function is not the
variables or the numbers, it is the process. f (y) = y2 + 3y also means “whatever number comes in, square
it, multiply it by 3, and add those two quantities.” So it is a different way of writing the same function.
Just as many students expect all variables to be named x, many students—and an unfortunate number of
parents—expect all functions to be named f . The correct rule is that—whenever possible—functions, like
variables, should be named descriptively. For instance, if Alice makes $100/day, we might write:
• Let m equal the amount of money Alice has made (measured in dollars)
• Let t equal the amount of time Alice has worked (measured in days)
• Then, m (t) = 100t
This last equation should be read “ m is a function of t (or m depends on t). Given any value of the variable
t, you can multiply it by 100 to find the corresponding value of the variable m.”
Of course, this is a very simple function! While simple examples are helpful to illustrate the concept, it is
important to realize that very complicated functions are also used to model real world relationships. For
instance, in Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity, if an object is going very fast, its mass is multiplied
. While this can look extremely intimidating, it is just another function. The speed v is the
by r 1
1−
v2
9·1016
independent variable, and the mass m is dependent. Given any speed v you can determine how much the
mass m is multiplied by.
1.9 Algebraic Generalizations9
When you have a “generalization,” you have one broad fact that allows you to assume many specific facts
as examples.
Example 1.5
Generalization: “Things fall down when you drop them.”
Specific facts, or examples:
• Leaves fall down when you drop them
• Bricks fall down when you drop them
• Tennis balls fall down when you drop them
If any one of the individual statements does not work, the generalization is invalid. (This generalization
became problematic with the invention of the helium balloon.)
Scientists tend to work empirically, meaning they start with the specific facts and work their way back to the
generalization. Generalizations are valued in science because they bring order to apparently disconnected
facts, and that order in turn suggests underlying theories.
Mathematicians also spend a great deal of time looking for generalizations. When you have an “algebraic
generalization” you have one algebraic fact that allows you to assume many numerical facts as examples.
Consider, for instance, the first two functions in the function game.
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18186/1.3/>.
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1. Double the number, then add six.
2. Add three to the number, then double.
These are very different “recipes.” However, their inclusion in the function game is a bit unfair, because—
here comes the generalization—these two functions will always give the same answer. Whether the input
is positive or negative, integer or fraction, small or large, these two functions will mimic each other perfectly.
We can express this generalization in words.
Example 1.6
Generalization: If you plug a number into the function double and add six, and plug the same
number into the function add three and double, the two operations will give the same answer.
Specific facts, or examples:
• If you double –5 and add six; or, if you add –5 to 3 and then double; you end up with the
same answer.
• If you double 13 and add six; or, if you add 13 to 3 and then double; you end up with the
same answer.
There is literally an infinite number of specific claims that fit this pattern. We don’t need to prove or test
each of these claims individually: once we have proven the generalization, we know that all these facts
must be true.
We can express this same generalization pictorially by showing two “function machines” that always do
the same thing.
−5 →
→ 2 (−5) + 6 = −4
0→
→ 2 (0) + 6 = 6
13 →
→ 2 (13) + 6 = 32
Table 1.8
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
−5 →
→ 2 (−5) + 6 = −4
0→
→ 2 (0) + 6 = 6
13 →
→ 2 (13) + 6 = 32
Table 1.9
But the most common way to express this generalization is algebraically, by asserting that these two functions equal each other.
2x + 6 = 2 ( x + 3)
(1.1)
Many beginning Algebra II students will recognize this as the distributive property. Given 2 ( x + 3) they
can correctly turn it into 2x + 6. But they often fail to realize what this equality means—that given the
same input, the two functions will always yield the same output.
Example 1.7
Generalization: 2x + 6 = 2 ( x + 3)
Specific facts, or examples:
• (2 × −5) + 6 = 2 × (−5 + 3)
• (2 × 0) + 6 = 2 × (0 + 3)
• (2 × 13) + 6 = 2 × (13 + 3)
It’s worth stopping for a moment here to think about the = symbol. Whenever it is used, = indicates that
two things are the same. However, the following two equations use the = in very different ways.
2x2 + 5x = 3
(1.2)
2x2 − 18
= 2x − 6
(1.3)
x+3
In the first equation, the = challenges you to solve for x. “Find all the x values that make this equation
true.” The answers in this case are x = 12 and x = −3. If you plug in either of these two x-values, you get a
true equation; for any other x-value, you get a false equation.
The second equation cannot be solved for x; the = sign in this case is asserting an equality that is true for
any x-value. Let’s try a few.
Example 1.8
Generalization:
2x2 −18
x +3
= 2x − 6
Specific facts, or examples:
13
x=3
x = −2
x=0
x=
1
2
2(3)2 −18
= 18−6 18 = 0
(3)+3
2
2(−2) −18
= 8−118 = −10
(−2)+3
2(0)2 −18
= 0−318 = −6
(0)+3
1 2 −18
2
1 +3
2
)
( )
2(
=
1
2 −18
7
2
=
−35
2
2 (3) − 6 = 0 [U+2713]
2 (−2) − 6 = −10 [U+2713]
2
7
= −5
2 (0) − 6 = −6 [U+2713]
2 12 − 6 = −5 [U+2713]
Table 1.10
With a calculator, you can attempt more difficult values such as x = −26 or x = π; in every case, the two
formulas will give the same answer. When we assert that two very different functions will always produce
the same answers, we are making a very powerful generalization.
Exception: x = −3 is outside the domain of one of these two functions. In this important sense, the two
functions are not in fact equal. Take a moment to make sure you understand why this is true!
Such generalizations are very important because they allow us to simplify.
Suppose that you were told “I am going to give you a hundred numbers. For each number I give you,
square it, then double the answer, then subtract eighteen, then divide by the original number plus three.”
This kind of operation comes up all the time. But you would be quite relieved to discover that you can
accomplish the same task by simply doubling each number and subtracting 6! The generalization in this
2
case is 2xx+−318 = 2x − 6; you will be creating exactly this sort of generalization in the chapter on Rational
Expressions.
1.10 Graphing10
Graphing, like algebraic generalizations, is a difficult topic because many students know how to do it but
are not sure what it means.
For instance, consider the following graph:
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
Figure 1.1
If I asked you “Draw the graph of y = x2 ” you would probably remember how to plot points and draw the
shape.
But suppose I asked you this instead: “Here’s a function, y = x2 . And here’s a shape, that sort of looks like
a U. What do they actually have to do with each other?” This is a harder question! What does it mean to
graph a function?
The answer is simple, but it has important implications for a proper understanding of functions. Recall
that every point on the plane is designated by a unique ( x, y) pair of coordinates: for instance, one point is
(5, 3). We say that its x -value is 5 and its y -value is 3.
A few of these points have the particular property that their y -values are the square of their x -values. For
instance, the points (0, 0), (3, 9), and (5, −25) all have that property. (5, 3) and (−2, −4) do not.
The graph shown—the pseudo-U shape—is all the points in the plane that have this property. Any point
whose y-value is the square of its x-value is on this shape; any point whose y-value is not the square of its
x-value is not on this shape. Hence, glancing at this shape gives us a complete visual picture of the function
y = x2 if we know how to interpret it correctly.
1.10.1 Graphing Functions
Remember that every function specifies a relationship between two variables. When we graph a function,
we put the independent variable on the x-axis, and the dependent variable on the y-axis.
15
For instance, recall the function that describes Alice’s money as a function of her hours worked. Since Alice
makes $12/hour, her financial function is m (t) = 12t. We can graph it like this.
Figure 1.2
This simple graph has a great deal to tell us about Alice’s job, if we read it correctly.
• The graph contains the point (3, 300).What does that tell us? That after Alice has worked for three
hours, she has made $300.
• The graph goes through the origin (the point (0, 0)). What does that tell us? That when she works 0
hours, Alice makes no money.
• The graph exists only in the first quadrant. What does that tell us? On the mathematical level, it
indicates the domain of the function ( t ≥ 0) and the range of the function ( m ≥ 0). In terms of the
situation, it tells us that Alice cannot work negative hours or make negative money.
• The graph is a straight line. What does that tell us? That Alice makes the same amount of money
every day: every day, her money goes up by $100. ($100/day is the slope of the line—more on this in
the section on linear functions.)
Consider now the following, more complicated graph, which represents Alice’s hair length as a function
of time (where time is now measured in weeks instead of hours).
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
Figure 1.3
What does this graph h (t) tell us? We can start with the same sort of simple analysis.
• The graph goes through the point (0, 12).This tells us that at time (t = 0), Alice’s hair is 12" long.
• The range of this graph appears to be 12 ≤ h ≤ 18. Alice never allows her hair to be shorter than 12"
or longer than 18".
But what about the shape of the graph? The graph shows a gradual incline up to 18", and then a precipitous
drop back down to 12"; and this pattern repeats throughout the shown time. The most likely explanation is
that Alice’s hair grows slowly until it reaches 18", at which point she goes to the hair stylist and has it cut
down, within a very short time (an hour or so), to 12". Then the gradual growth begins again.
1.10.2 The rule of consistency, graphically
Consider the following graph.
17
Figure 1.4
This is our earlier “U” shaped graph ( y = x2 ) turned on its side. This might seem like a small change. But
ask this question: what is y when x = 3? This question has two answers. This graph contains the points
(3, −9) and (3, 9). So when x = 3, y is both 9 and –9 on this graph.
This violates the only restriction on functions—the rule of consistency. Remember that the x-axis is
the independent variable, the y-axis the dependent. In this case, one “input” value (3) is leading to two
different “output” values (−9, 9) We can therefore conclude that this graph does not represent a function
at all. No function, no matter how simple or complicated, could produce this graph.
This idea leads us to the “vertical line test,” the graphical analog of the rule of consistency.
Definition 1.3: The Vertical Line Test
If you can draw any vertical line that touches a graph in two places, then that graph violates the
rule of consistency and therefore does not represent any function.
It is important to understand that the vertical line test is not a new rule! It is the graphical version of the rule
of consistency. If any vertical line touches a graph in two places, then the graph has two different y-values
for the same x-value, and this is the only thing that functions are not allowed to do.
1.10.3 What happens to the graph, when you add 2 to a function?
Suppose the following is the graph of the function y = f ( x ).
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
Figure 1.5: y = f ( x ); Contains the following points (among others): (−3, 2), (−1, −3), (1, 2), (6, 0)
We can see from the graph that the domain of the graph is −3 ≤ x ≤ 6 and the range is −3 ≤ y ≤ 2.
Question: What does the graph of y = f ( x ) + 2 look like?
This might seem an impossible question, since we do not even know what the function f ( x ) is. But we
don’t need to know that in order to plot a few points.
x
f (x)
f ( x + 2)
so y = f ( x ) contains this point
and y = f ( x ) + 2 contains this point
–3
2
4
(−3, 2)
(−3, 4)
–1
–3
–1
(−1, −3)
(−1, −1)
1
2
4
(1, 2)
(1, 4)
6
0
2
(6, 0)
(6, 2)
Table 1.11
If you plot these points on a graph, the pattern should become clear. Each point on the graph is moving up
by two. This comes as no surprise: since you added 2 to each y-value, and adding 2 to a y-value moves any
point up by 2. So the new graph will look identical to the old, only moved up by 2.
19
(a)
(b)
Figure 1.6: (a) y = f ( x ) (b) y = f ( x ) + 2; All y-values are 2 higher
In a similar way, it should be obvious that if you subtract 10 from a function, the graph moves down by 10.
Note that, in either case, the domain of the function is the same, but the range has changed.
√
These permutations work for any function. Hence, given the graph of the function y = x below (which
you could generate by plotting points), you can produce the other two graphs without plotting points,
simply by moving the first graph up and down.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
(a)
(b)
21
1.10.4 Other vertical permutations
Adding or subtracting a constant from f ( x ), as described above, is one example of a vertical permutation:
it moves the graph up and down. There are other examples of vertical permutations.
For instance, what does doubling a function do to a graph? Let’s return to our original function:
Figure 1.8: y = f ( x )
What does the graph y = 2 f ( x ) look like? We can make a table similar to the one we made before.
x
f (x)
2 f (x)
so y = 2 f ( x ) contains this point
–3
2
4
(−3, 4)
–1
–3
–6
(−1, −6)
1
2
4
(1, 4)
6
0
0
(6, 0)
Table 1.12
In general, the high points move higher; the low points move lower. The entire graph is vertically stretched,
with each point moving farther away from the x-axis.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
(a)
(b)
Figure 1.9: (a) y = f ( x ) (b) y = 2 f ( x ); All y-values are doubled
Similarly, y =
1
2
f ( x ) yields a graph that is vertically compressed, with each point moving toward the x-axis.
Finally, what does y = − f ( x ) look like? All the positive values become negative, and the negative values
become positive. So, point by point, the entire graph flips over the x-axis.
(a)
Figure 1.10: (a) y = f ( x ) (b) y = − f ( x ); All y-values change sign
(b)
23
1.10.5 What happens to the graph, when you add 2 to the x value?
Vertical permutations affect the y-value; that is, the output, or the function itself. Horizontal permutations
affect the x-value; that is, the numbers that come in. They often do the opposite of what it naturally seems
they should.
Let’s return to our original function y = f ( x ).
Figure 1.11: y = f ( x ); Contains the following points (among others): (−3, 2), (−1, −3), (1, 2), (6, 0)
Suppose you were asked to graph y = f ( x + 2). Note that this is not the same as f ( x ) + 2! The latter is an
instruction to run the function, and then add 2 to all results. But y = f ( x + 2) is an instruction to add 2 to
every x-value before plugging it into the function.
• f ( x ) + 2 changes y, and therefore shifts the graph vertically
• f ( x + 2) changes x, and therefore shifts the graph horizontally.
But which way? In analogy to the vertical permutations, you might expect that adding two would shift the
graph to the right. But let’s make a table of values again.
x
x+2
f ( x + 2)
so y = f ( x + 2) contains this point
–5
–3
f(–3)=2
(−5, 2)
–3
–1
f(–1)=–3
(−3, −3)
–1
1
f(1)=2
(−1, 2)
4
6
f(6)=0
(4, 0)
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
Table 1.13
This is a very subtle, very important point—please follow it closely and carefully! First of all, make sure
you understand where all the numbers in that table came from. Then look what happened to the original
graph.
NOTE : The original graph f ( x ) contains the point (6, 0); therefore, f ( x + 2) contains the point
(4, 0). The point has moved two spaces to the left.
(a)
(b)
Figure 1.12: (a) y = f ( x ) (b) y = f ( x + 2); Each point is shifted to the left
You see what I mean when I say horizontal permutations “often do the opposite of what it naturally seems
they should”? Adding two moves the graph to the left.
Why does it work that way? Here is my favorite way of thinking about it. f ( x − 2) is an instruction that
says to each point, “look two spaces to your left, and copy what the original function is doing there.” At
x = 5 it does what f ( x ) does at x = 3. At x = 10, it copies f (8). And so on. Because it is always copying
f ( x ) to its left, this graph ends up being a copy of f ( x ) moved to the right. If you understand this way of
looking at it, all the rest of the horizontal permutations will make sense.
Of course, as you might expect, subtraction has the opposite effect: f ( x − 6) takes the original graph and
moves it 6 units to the right. In either case, these horizontal permutations affect the domain of the original
function, but not its range.
1.10.6 Other horizontal permutations
Recall that y = 2 f ( x ) vertically stretches a graph; y = 21 f ( x ) vertically compresses. Just as with addition
and subtraction, we will find that the horizontal equivalents work backward.
25
x
2x
f (2x )
–1½
–3
2
–½
–1
–3
½
1
2
so y = 2 f ( x ) contains this point
−1 12 , 2
− 12 ; −3
1
;
2
2
3
6
0
(3, 0)
Table 1.14
The original graph f ( x ) contains
the point (6, 0); therefore, f (2x ) contains the point (3, 0). Similarly,
1
(−1; −3) becomes − 2 ; −3 . Each point is closer to the y-axis; the graph has horizontally compressed.
(a)
(b)
Figure 1.13: (a) y = f ( x ) (b) y = f (2x ); Each point is twice as close to the y-axis
We can explain this the same way we explained f ( x − 2). In this case, f (2x ) is an instruction that says
to each point, “Look outward, at the x-value that is double yours, and copy what the original function
is doing there.” At x = 5 it does what f ( x ) does at x = 10. At x = −3, it copies f (−6). And so on.
Because it is always copying f(x) outside itself, this graph ends up being a copy of f ( x ) moved inward; ie
a compression. Similarly, f 12 x causes each point to look inward toward the y-axis, so it winds up being
a horizontally stretched version of the original.
Finally, y = f (− x ) does precisely what you would expect: it flips the graph around the y-axis. f (−2) is
the old f (2) and vice-versa.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
(a)
(b)
Figure 1.14: (a) y = f ( x ) (b) y = f (− x ); Each point flips around the y-axis
All of these permutations do not need to be memorized: only the general principles need to be understood.
But once they are properly understood, even a complex graph such as y = −2 ( x + 3)2 + 5 can be easily
graphed. You take the (known) graph of y = x2 , flip it over the x-axis (because of the negative sign), stretch
it vertically (the 2), move it to the left by 3, and move it up 5.
With a good understanding of permutations, and a very simple list of known graphs, it becomes possible
to graph a wide
√ variety of important functions. To complete our look at permutations, let’s return to the
graph of y = x in a variety of flavors.
27
(a)
(b)
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
1.11 Lines11
Most students entering Algebra II are already familiar with the basic mechanics of graphing lines. Recapping very briefly: the equation for a line is y = mx + b where b is the y-intercept (the place where the line
crosses the y-axis) and m is the slope. If a linear equation is given in another form (for instance, 4x + 2y = 5),
the easiest way to graph it is to rewrite it in y = mx + b form (in this case, y = −2x + 2 21 ).
There are two purposes of reintroducing this material in Algebra II. The first is to frame the discussion as
linear functions modeling behavior. The second is to deepen your understanding of the important concept
of slope.
Consider the following examples. Sam is a salesman—he earns a commission for each sale. Alice is a
technical support representative—she earns $100 each day. The chart below shows their bank accounts
over the week.
After this many days (t)
Sam’s bank account (S)
Alice’s bank account (A)
0 (*what they started with)
$75
$750
1
$275
$850
2
$375
$950
3
$450
$1,050
4
$480
$1,150
5
$530
$1,250
Table 1.15
Sam has some extremely good days (such as the first day, when he made $200) and some extremely bad
days (such as the second day, when he made nothing). Alice makes exactly $100 every day.
Let d be the number of days, S be the number of dollars Sam has made, and A be the number of dollars
Alice has made. Both S and A are functions of time. But s (t) is not a linear function, and A (t)is a linear
function.
Definition 1.4: Linear Function
A function is said to be “linear” if every time the independent variable increases by 1, the dependent variable increases or decreases by the same amount.
Once you know that Alice’s bank account function is linear, there are only two things you need to know
before you can predict her bank account on any given day.
• How much money she started with ($750 in this example). This is called the y-intercept.
• How much she makes each day ($100 in this example). This is called the slope.
y-intercept is relatively easy to understand. Verbally, it is where the function starts; graphically, it is where
the line crosses the y-axis.
But what about slope? One of the best ways to understand the idea of slope is to convince yourself that all
of the following definitions of slope are actually the same.
11 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18197/1.2/>.
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Definitions of Slope
In our example
In general
On a graph
Each day, Alice’s bank account
increases by 100. So the slope is
100.
Each time the independent variable increases by 1, the dependent variable increases by the
slope.
Each time you move to the right
by 1, the graph goes up by the
slope.
Between days 2 and 5, Alice earns $300 in 3 days.
300/3=100.Between
days
1
and 3, she earns $200 in 2 days.
200/2=100.
Take any two points. The change
in the dependent variable, divided by the change in the independent variable, is the slope.
Take any two points. The change
in y divided by the change in x is
the slope. This is often written as
∆y
rise
∆x , or as run
The higher the slope, the faster
Alice is making moey.
The higher the slope, the
faster the dependent variable
increases.
The higher the slope, the faster
the graph rises as you move to
the right.
Table 1.16
So slope does not tell you where a graph is, but how quickly it is rising. Looking at a graph, you can get an
approximate feeling for its slope without any numbers. Examples are given below.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
(a)
(b)
(d)
(c)
(e)
Figure 1.16: (a) A slope of 1: each time you go over 1, you also go up 1 (b) A steep slope of perhaps 3 or 4
(c) A gentle slope of perhaps 21 . (d) A horizontal line has a slope of 0: each time you go over 1, you don’t
go up at all! (e) This goes down as you move left to right. So the slope is negative. It is steep: maybe a –2.
1.12 Composite Functions12
You are working in the school cafeteria, making peanut butter sandwiches for today’s lunch.
•
•
•
•
The more classes the school has, the more children there are.
The more children there are, the more sandwiches you have to make.
The more sandwiches you have to make, the more pounds (lbs) of peanut butter you will use.
The more peanut butter you use, the more money you need to budget for peanut butter.
...and so on. Each sentence in this little story is a function. Mathematically, if c is the number of classes and
h is the number of children, then the first sentence asserts the existence of a function h (c).
The principal walks up to you at the beginning of the year and says “We’re considering expanding the
school. If we expand to 70 classes, how much money do we need to budget? What if we expand to 75?
12 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18187/1.2/>.
31
How about 80?” For each of these numbers, you have to calculate each number from the previous one,
until you find the final budget number.
# Classes
# Children
→
→
# Sandwiches
→
lb.
$$
→
→
Table 1.17
But going through this process each time is tedious. What you want is one function that puts the entire
chain together: “You tell me the number of classes, and I will tell you the budget.”
# Classes
$$
→
→
Table 1.18
This is a composite function—a function that represents in one function, the results of an entire chain of
dependent functions. Since such chains are very common in real life, finding composite functions is a very
important skill.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
1.12.1 How do you make a composite Function?
We can consider how to build composite functions into the function game that we played on the first day.
Suppose Susan takes any number you give her, quadruples it, and adds 6. Al takes any number you give
him and divides it by 2. Mathematically, we can represent the two functions like this:
S ( x ) = 4x + 6
(1.4)
x
(1.5)
2
To create a chain like the one above, we give a number to Susan; she acts on it, and gives the resulting
number to Al; and he then acts on it and hands back a third number.
A (x) =
3 → Susan → S (3) = 18 → Al → A (18) = 9
In this example, we are plugging S (3)—in other words, 18— into Al’s function. In general, for any x that
comes in, we are plugging S ( x ) into A ( x ). So we could represent the entire process as A (S ( x )). This
notation for composite functions is really nothing new: it means that you are plugging S ( x ) into the A
function.
But in this case, recall that S ( x ) = 4x + 6 . So we can write:
S (x)
4x + 6
=
= 2x + 3
(1.6)
2
2
What happened? We’ve just discovered a shortcut for the entire process. When you perform the operation
A (S ( x ))—that is, when you perform the Al function on the result of the Susan function—you are, in effect,
doubling and adding 3. For instance, we saw earlier that when we started with a 3, we ended with a 9. Our
composite function does this in one step:
A (S ( x )) =
3 → 2x + 3 → 9
Understanding the meaning of composite functions requires real thought. It requires understanding the
idea that this variable depends on that variable, which in turn depends on the other variable; and how that
idea is translated into mathematics. Finding composite functions, on the other hand, is a purely mechanical
process—it requires practice, but no creativity. Whenever you are asked for f ( g ( x )), just plug the g ( x )
function into the f ( x ) function and then simplify.
Example 1.9: Building and Testing a Composite Function
f ( x ) = x2 − 4x
g (x) = x + 2
What is f ( g ( x ))?
• To find the composite, plug g ( x ) into f ( x ), just as you would with any number.
f ( g ( x )) = ( x + 2)2 − 4 ( x + 2)
• Then simplify.
f ( g ( x )) = x2 + 4x + 4 − (4x + 8)
f ( g ( x )) = x2 − 4
• Let’s test it. f ( g ( x )) means do g, then f . What happens if we start with x = 9?
33
7 → g ( x ) → 7 + 2 = 9 → f ( x ) → (9)2 − 4 (9) = 45
• So, if it worked, our composite function should do all of that in one step.
7 → x2 − 4 = (7)2 − 4 = 45 [U+2713] It worked!
There is a different notation that is sometimes used for composite functions. This book will consistently
use f ( g ( x )) which very naturally conveys the idea of “plugging g ( x ) into f ( x ).” However, you will
sometimes see the same thing written as f ◦ g ( x ), which more naturally conveys the idea of “doing one
function, and then the other, in sequence.” The two notations mean the same thing.
1.13 Inverse Functions13
Let’s go back to Alice, who makes $100/day. We know how to answer questions such as "After 3 days, how
much money has she made?" We use the function m (t) = 100t.
But suppose I want to ask the reverse question: “If Alice has made $300, how many hours has she worked?”
This is the job of an inverse function. It gives the same relationship, but reverses the dependent and independent variables. t (m) = m/100. Given any amount of money, divide it by 100 to find how many days
she has worked.
- If a function answers the question: “Alice worked this long, how much money has she made?”
then its inverse answers the question: “Alice made this much money, how long did she work?"
- If a function answers the question: “I have this many spoons, how much do they weigh?” then
its inverse answers the question: “My spoons weigh this much, how many do I have?”
- If a function answers the question: “How many hours of music fit on 12 CDs?” then its inverse
answers the question: “How many CDs do you need for 3 hours of music?”
1.13.1 How do you recognize an inverse function?
Let’s look at the two functions above:
m (t) = 100t
(1.7)
t (m) = m/100
(1.8)
Mathematically, you can recognize these as inverse functions because they reverse the inputs and the
outputs.
3 → m (t) = 100t → 300
300 → t (m) = m/100 → 3
[U+2713] Inverse functions
Table 1.19
Of course, this makes logical sense. The first line above says that “If Alice works 3 hours, she makes $300.”
The second line says “If Alice made $300, she worked 3 hours.” It’s the same statement, made in two
different ways.
13 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18198/1.2/>.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
But this “reversal” property gives us a way to test any two functions to see if they are inverses. For instance,
consider the two functions:
f ( x ) = 3x + 7
1
x−7
3
They look like inverses, don’t they? But let’s test and find out.
g (x) =
(1.9)
(1.10)
2 → 3x + 7 → 13
2 → 3x + 7 → 13
× Not inverse functions
Table 1.20
The first function turns a 2 into a 13. But the second function does not turn 13 into 2. So these are not
inverses.
On the other hand, consider:
f ( x ) = 3x + 7
g (x) =
1
( x − 7)
3
(1.11)
(1.12)
Let’s run our test of inverses on these two functions.
2 → 3x + 7 → 13
13 →
1
3
( x − 7) → 2
[U+2713] Inverse functions
Table 1.21
So we can see that these functions do, in fact, reverse each other: they are inverses.
A common example is the Celsius-to-Fahrenheit conversion:
9
C + 32
F (C ) =
5
5
C ( F) =
( F − 32)
9
(1.13)
(1.14)
where C is the Celsius temperature and F the Fahrenheit. If you plug 100 ◦ C into the first equation, you
find that it is 212 ◦ F. If you ask the second equation about 212 ◦ F, it of course converts that back into 100 ◦ C.
35
1.13.2 The notation and definition of an inverse function
The notation for the inverse function of f ( x ) is f −1 ( x ). This notation can cause considerable confusion,
because it looks like an exponent, but it isn’t. f −1 ( x ) simply means “the inverse function of f ( x ).” It is
defined formally by the fact that if you plug any number x into one function, and then plug the result into
the other function, you get back where you started. (Take a moment to convince yourself that this is the
same definition I gave above more informally.) We can represent this as a composition function by saying
that f f −1 ( x ) = x.
Definition 1.5: Inverse Function
f −1 ( x ) is defined as the inverse function of f ( x ) if it consistently reverses the f ( x ) process. That
−1
is, if f ( x ) turns a into b, then f −1 ( x ) must
turn b into a. More concisely and formally, f ( x ) is
−
1
the inverse function of f ( x ) if f f ( x ) = x.
1.13.3 Finding an inverse function
In examples above, we saw that if f ( x ) = 3x + 7, then f −1 ( x ) = 13 ( x − 7). We also saw that the function
1
3 x − 7, which may have looked just as likely, did not work as an inverse function. So in general, given a
function, how do you find its inverse function?
Remember that an inverse function reverses the inputs and outputs. When we graph functions, we always
represent the incoming number as x and the outgoing number as y. So to find the inverse function, switch
the x and y values, and then solve for y.
Example 1.10: Building and Testing an Inverse Function
2x −3
5
2x −3
5
1. Find the inverse function of f ( x ) =
a. - Write the function as y =
2y−3
b. - Switch the x and y variables. x = 5
c. - Solve for y. 5x = 2y − 3. 5x + 3 = 2y. 5x2+3 = y. So f −1 ( x ) =
5x +3
2 .
2. Test to make sure this solution fills the definition of an inverse function.
a. - Pick a number, and plug it into the original function. 9 → f ( x ) → 3.
b. - See if the inverse function reverses this process. 3 → f −1 ( x ) → 9. [U+2713] It
worked!
Were you surprised by the answer? At first glance, it seems that the numbers in the original function (the
2, 3, and 5) have been rearranged almost at random.
But with more thought, the solution becomes very intuitive. The original function f ( x ) described the
following process: double a number, then subtract 3, then divide by 5. To reverse this process, we need
to reverse each step in order: multiply by 5, then add 3, then divide by 2. This is just what the inverse
function does.
1.13.4 Some functions have no inverse function
Some functions have no inverse function. The reason is the rule of consistency.
For instance, consider the function y = x2 . This function takes both 3 and –3 and turns them into 9. No
problem: a function is allowed to turn different inputs into the same output. However, what does that say
about the inverse of this particular function? In order to fulfill the requirement of an inverse function, it
would have to take 9, and turn it into both 3 and –3—which is the one and only thing that functions are not
allowed to do. Hence, the inverse of this function would not be a function at all!
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
3→
9→
−3 →
9→
Table 1.22: If 3 goes in, 9 comes out. If –3 goes in, 9 also comes out. No problem:
9→
3→
9→
−3 →
Table 1.23: But its inverse would have to turn 9 into both 3 and –3. No function can do this, so there is no
inverse.
In general, any function that turns multiple inputs into the same output, does not have an inverse function.
What does that mean in the real world? If we can convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, we must be able to convert
Celsius to Fahrenheit. If we can ask “How much money did Alice make in 3 days?” we must surely be
able to ask “How long did it take Alice to make $500?” When would you have a function that cannot be
inverted?
Let’s go back to this example:
Recall the example that was used earlier: “Max threw a ball. The height of the ball depends on how many
seconds it has been in the air.” The two variables here are h (the height of the ball) and t (the number of
seconds it has been in the air). The function h (t) enables us to answer questions such as “After 3 seconds,
where is the ball?”
The inverse question would be “At what time was the ball 10 feet in the air?” The problem with that
question is, it may well have two answers!
The ball is here...
...after this much time has elapsed
10 ft
2 seconds (*on the way up)
10 ft
5 seconds (*on the way back down)
Table 1.24
37
So what does that mean? Does it mean we can’t ask that question? Of course not. We can ask that question,
and we can expect to mathematically find the answer, or answers—and we will do so in the quadratic
chapter. However, it does mean that time is not a function of height because such a “function” would not
be consistent: one question would produce multiple answers.
38
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
Chapter 2
Inequalities and Absolute Values
2.1 Inequalities1
The symbols for inequalities are familiar:
•
•
•
•
x
x
x
x
< 7 “x is less than 7”
> 7 “x is greater than 7”
≤ 7 “x is less than or equal to 7”
≥ 7 “x is greater than or equal to 7”
If you have trouble remembering which is which, it may be helpful to remember that the larger side of the
< symbol always goes with the larger number. Hence, when you write x < 7 you can see that the 7 is
the larger of the two numbers. Some people think of the < symbol as an alligator’s mouth, which always
opens toward the largest available meal!
Visually, we can represent these inequalities on a number line. An open circle [U+25CB] [U+25CB] is used
to indicate a boundary that is not a part of the set; a closed circle [U+25CF] is used for a boundary that is
a part of the set.
(a)
(b)
Figure 2.1: (a) Includes all numbers less than 7, but not 7; x < 7 ; ( − ∞ , 7 ) (b) Includes all numbers
less than 7, and 7 itself; x ≤ 7 ; ( − ∞ , 7 ]
2.1.1 AND and OR
More complicated intervals can be represented by combining these symbols with the logical operators AND
and OR.
1 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18205/1.2/>.
39
40
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
For instance, “ x ≥ 3 AND x < 6” indicates that x must be both greater-than-or-equal-to 3, and less-than 6.
A number only belongs in this set if it meets both conditions. Let’s try a few numbers and see if they fit.
Sample number
x≥3
x<6
x ≥ 3 AND x < 6 (both true)
x=8
Yes
No
No
x=0
No
Yes
No
x=4
Yes
Yes
Yes
Table 2.1
We can see that a number must be between 3 and 6 in order to meet this AND condition.
Figure 2.2: x ≥ 3 AND x < 6 All numbers that are greater-than-or-equal-to 3, and are also less than 6;
3 ≤ x < 6
This type of set is sometimes represented concisely as 3 ≤ x < 6, which visually communicates the idea
that x is between 3 and 6. This notation always indicates an AND relationship.
“ x ≥ 3 OR x < 6” is the exact opposite. It indicates that x must be either less-than 3, or greater-than-orequal-to 6. Meeting both conditions is OK, but it is not necessary.
Sample number
x≥3
x<6
x ≥ 3 OR x < 6 (either one or both true)
x=8
No
Yes
Yes
x=0
Yes
No
Yes
x=4
No
No
No
Table 2.2
Visually, we can represent this set as follows:
Figure 2.3: All numbers that are either less than 3, or greater-than-or-equal-to 6; x < 3 OR x ≥ 6
41
Both of the above examples are meaningful ways to represent useful sets. It is possible to put together many
combinations that are perfectly logical, but are not meaningful or useful. See if you can figure out simpler
ways to write each of the following conditions.
1.
2.
3.
4.
x
x
x
x
≥ 3 AND x < 6
≥ 3 OR x < 6
< 3 AND x > 6
> 3 OR x < 6
If you are not sure what these mean, try making tables of numbers like the ones I made above. Try a number
below 3, a number between 3 and 6, and a number above 6. See when each condition is true. You should
be able to convince yourself of the following:
1. The first condition above is filled by any number greater than 6; it is just a big complicated way of
writing x > 6.
2. Similarly, the second condition is the same as x ≥ 3.
3. The third condition is never true.
4. The fourth condition is always true.
I have to pause here for a brief philosophical digression. The biggest difference between a good math
student, and a poor or average math student, is that the good math student works to understand things;
the poor student tries to memorize rules that will lead to the right answer, without actually understanding
them.
The reason this unit (Inequalities and Absolute Values) is right here at the beginning of the book is because it distinguishes sharply between these two kinds of students. Students who try to understand things
will follow the previous discussion of AND and OR and will think about it until it makes sense. When
approaching a new problem, they will try to make logical sense of the problem and its solution set.
But many students will attempt to learn a set of mechanical rules for solving inequalities. These students
will often end up producing nonsensical answers such as the four listed above. Instead of thinking about
what their answers mean, they will move forward, comfortable because “it looks sort of like the problem
the teacher did on the board.”
If you have been accustomed to looking for mechanical rules to follow, now is the time to begin changing
your whole approach to math. It’s not too late!!! Re-read the previous section carefully, line by line, and
make sure each sentence makes sense. Then, as you work problems, think them through in the same way:
not “whenever I see this kind of problem the answer is an and” but instead “What does AND mean? What
does OR mean? Which one correctly describes this problem?”
All that being said, there are still a few hard-and-fast rules that I will point out as I go. These rules are
useful—but they do not relieve you of the burden of thinking.
One special kind of OR is the symbol ±. Just as ≥ means “greater than OR equal to,” ± means “plus OR
minus.” Hence, if x2 = 9, we might say that x = ±3; that is, x can be either 3, or –3.
Another classic sign of “blind rule-following” is using this symbol with inequalities. What does it mean to
say x < ± 3? If it means anything at all, it must mean “ x < 3 OR x > − 3”; which, as we have already
seen, is just a sloppy shorthand for x < 3. If you find yourself using an inequality with a ± sign, go back to
think again about the problem.
NOTE :
Inequalities and the ± symbol don’t mix.
42
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
2.1.2 Solving Inequalities
Inequalities are solved just like equations, with one key exception.
NOTE :
Whenever you multiply or divide by a negative number, the sign changes.
You can see how this rule affects the solution of a typical inequality problem:
3x + 4 > 5x + 10
An “inequality” problem
−2x + 4 > 10
subtract 5 x from both sides
−2x > 6
subtract 4 from both sides
x < −3
divide both sides by –2, and change sign!
Table 2.3
As always, being able to solve the problem is important, but even more important is knowing what the
solution means. In this case, we have concluded that any number less than –3 will satisfy the original
equation, 3x + 4 > 5x + 10. Let’s test that.
x = −4:
3 (−4) + 4 > 5 (−4) + 10
−8 > − 10
Yes.
x = −2:
3 (−2) + 4 > 5 (−2) + 10
−2 > 0
No.
Table 2.4
As expected, x = −4 (which is less than –3) works; x = −2 (which is not) does not work.
Why do you reverse the inequality when multiplying or dividing by a negative number? Because negative
numbers are backward! 5 is greater than 3, but –5 is less than –3. Multiplying or dividing by negative
numbers moves you to the other side of the number line, where everything is backward.
Figure 2.4: Multiplying by -1 moves you "over the rainbow" to the land where everything is backward!
43
2.2 Absolute Value Equations2
Absolute value is one of the simplest functions—and paradoxically, one of the most problematic.
On the face of it, nothing could be simpler: it just means “whatever comes in, a positive number comes
out.”
| 5 |= 5
(2.1)
| −5 |= 5
(2.2)
Absolute values seem to give us permission to ignore the whole nasty world of negative numbers and
return to the second grade when all numbers were positive.
But consider these three equations. They look very similar—only the number changes—but the solutions
are completely different.
Three Simple Absolute Value Equations
| x |= 10
| x |= −10
| x |= 0
x = 10 works.
x = 10 doesn’t work.
x = 0 is the only solution.
Hey, so does x = −10!
Neither does x = −10.
Concisely, x = ±10.
Hey...absolute values are never negative!
Table 2.5
We see that the first problem has two solutions, the second problem has no solutions, and the third problem
has one solution. This gives you an example of how things can get confusing with absolute values—and
how you can solve things if you think more easily than with memorized rules.
For more complicated problems, follow a three-step approach.
1. Do the algebra to isolate the absolute value.
2. Then, think it through like the simpler problems above.
3. Finally, do more algebra to isolate x.
In my experience, most problems with this type of equation do not occur in the first and third step. And
they do not occur because students try to think it through (second step) and don’t think it through correctly.
They occur because students try to take “shortcuts” to avoid the second step entirely.
Example 2.1: Absolute Value Equation (No Variable on the Other Side)
3 |2 x + 1| − 7 = 5
Step 1:: Algebraically isolate the absolute value
• 3 | 2 x + 1 | = 12
• |2 x + 1| = 4
Step 2:: Think!
• For the moment, forget about the quantity 2 x + 1; just think of it as something.
The absolute value of “something” is 4. So, in analogy to what we did before, the
“something” can either be 4, or –4. So that gives us two possibilities...
2 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18201/1.3/>.
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CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
• 2x + 1 = 4
• 2x + 1 = −4
Step 3:: Algebraically solve (both equations) for x
• 2 x = 3 or 2 x = −5
• x = 23 or x = − 52
So this problem has two answers: x =
3
2
and x = − 52
Example 2.2: Absolute Value Equation (No Variable on the Other Side)
6| x −2|
+7 = 4
5
Step 1: Algebraically isolate the absolute value:
6| x − 2|
= −3
5
(2.3)
6| x − 2| = −15
(2.4)
| x − 2| =
−15
−5
=
6
2
(2.5)
Step 2: Think!: The absolute value of “something” is −2 21 . But wait—absolute values are never
negative! It can’t happen! So we don’t even need a third step in this case: the equation is
impossible.
No solution.
The “think” step in the above examples was relatively straightforward, because there were no variables on
the right side of the equation. When there are variables on the right side, you temporarily “pretend” that
the right side of the equation is a positive number, and break the equation up accordingly. However, there
is a price to be paid for this slight of hand: you have to check your answers, because they may not work
even if you do your math correctly.
Example 2.3: Absolute Value Equation with Variables on Both Sides
| 2x + 3 |= −11x + 42
We begin by approaching this in analogy to the first problem above, | x |= 10. We saw that x
could be either 10, or –10. So we will assume in this case that 2x + 3 can be either −11x + 42 , or
the negative of that, and solve both equations.
Problem One
Problem Two
2x + 3 = −11x + 42
(2.6)
13x + 3 = 42
(2.7)
13x = 39
(2.8)
x=3
(2.9)
45
2x + 3 = − (−11x + 42)
(2.10)
2x + 3 = 11x − 42
(2.11)
−9x + 3 = −42
(2.12)
−9x = −45
(2.13)
x=5
(2.14)
So we have two solutions: x = 3 and x = 5. Do they both work? Let’s try them both.
Problem One
1. | 2 (3) + 3 |= −11 (3) + 42.
• | 9 |= 9. [U+2713]
Problem Two
1. | 2 (5) + 3 |= −11 (5) + 42.
• | 13 |= −13. ×
We see in this case that the first solution, x = 3, worked; the second, x = 5, did not. So the only solution to
this problem is x = 3.
However, there was no way of knowing that in advance. For such problems, the only approach is to solve
them twice, and then test both answers. In some cases, both will work; in some cases, neither will work. In
some cases, as in this one, one will work and the other will not.
H ARD AND FAST RULE : Whenever an absolute value equation has variables on both sides, you
have to check your answer(s). Even if you do all the math perfectly, your answer(s) may not work.
OK, why is that? Why can you do all the math right and still get a wrong answer?
Remember that the problem | x |= 10 has two solutions, and | x |= −10 has none. We started with the
problem | 2x + 3 |= −11x + 42. OK, which is that like? Is the right side of the equation like 10 or –10? If
you think about it, you can convince yourself that it depends on what x is. After you solve, you may wind
up with an x-value that makes the right side positive; that will work. Or, you may wind up with an x-value
that makes the right side negative; that won’t work. But you can’t know until you get there.
2.3 Absolute Value Equations3
Here’s one of my favorite problems:
| x |< 10
Having seen that the solution to | x |= 10 is | x |= ±10, many students answer this question | x |< ± 10.
However, this is not only wrong: it is, as discussed above, relatively meaningless. In order to approach this
question you have to—you guessed it!—step back and think.
Here are two different, perfectly correct ways to look at this problem.
3 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18207/1.2/>.
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CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
1. What numbers work? 4 works. –4 does too. 0 works. 13 doesn’t work. How about –13? No: if
x = −13 then | x |= 13, which is not less than 10. By playing with numbers in this way, you should be
able to convince yourself that the numbers that work must be somewhere between –10 and 10. This
is one way to approach the answer.
2. The other way is to think of absolute value as representing distance from 0. | 5 | and | −5 | are both
5 because both numbers are 5 away from 0. In this case, | x |< 10 means “the distance between x and
0 is less than 10”—in other words, you are within 10 units of zero in either direction. Once again, we
conclude that the answer must be between –10 and 10.
Figure 2.5: All numbers whose absolute value is less than 10; − 10 < x < 10
It is not necessary to use both of these methods; use whichever method is easier for you to understand.
More complicated absolute value problems should be approached in the same three steps as the equations
discussed above: algebraically isolate the absolute value, then think, then algebraically solve for x . However, as illustrated above, the think step is a bit more complicated with inequalities than with equations.
Example 2.4: Absolute Value Inequality
−3 (| 2x + 3 | −8) < − 15
Step 1: - Algebraically isolate the absolute value
• | 2x + 3 | −8 > 5 (don’t forget to switch the inequality when dividing by –3!)
• | 2x + 3 |> 13
Step 2: - Think!
• As always, forget the 2x + 3 in this step. The absolute value of something is greater
than 13. What could the something be?
• We can approach this in two ways, just as the previous absolute value inequality. The
first method is trying numbers. We discover that all numbers greater than 13 work (such
as 14, 15, 16)—their absolute values are greater than 13. Numbers less than –13 (such as
–14,–15,–16) also have absolute values greater than 13. But in-between numbers, such
as –12, 0, or 12, do not work.
• The other approach is to think of absolute value as representing distance to 0. The
distance between something and 0 is greater than 13. So the something is more than 13
away from 0—in either direction.
• Either way, we conclude that the something must be anything greater than 13, OR less
than –13!
Figure 2.6: The absolute value of something is greater than 13; something <
− 13
− 13 OR something >
47
Step 3: - Algebraically solve (both inequalities) for x
2x + 3 < − 13
OR
2x + 3 > 13
2x < − 16
OR
2x > 10
x < −8
OR
x>5
(2.15)
Figure 2.7: Any x-value which is less than –8 or greater than 5 will make the original inequality true;
x < − 8 OR x > 5
Many students will still resist the think step, attempting to figure out “the rules” that will always lead from
the question to the answer. At first, it seems that memorizing a few rules won’t be too hard: “greater-than
problems always lead to OR answers” and that kind of thing. But those rules will fail you when you hit a
problem like the next one.
Example 2.5: Absolute Value Inequality
| x − 3 | +10 > 7
Step 1: - Algebraically isolate the absolute value
• | x − 3 |> − 3
Step 2: - Think!
• The absolute value of something is greater than –3. What could the something be? 2
works. –2 also works. And 0. And 7. And –10. And...hey! Absolute values are always
positive, so the absolute value of anything is greater than –3!
All numbers work
2.4 Graphing Absolute Values4
You can graph y =| x | easily enough by plotting points. The characteristic V shape is illustrated below,
with a couple of sample points highlighted.
4 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18199/1.2/>.
48
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
Figure 2.8: y = | x |
Of course, this shape is subject to the same permutations as any other function! A few examples are given
below.
49
(a)
(b)
50
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
2.5 Graphing Inequalities5
In general, the graph of an inequality is a shaded area.
Consider the graph y =| x | shown above. Every point on that V-shape has the property that its y-value is
the absolute value of its x-value. For instance, the point (−3, 3) is on the graph because 3 is the absolute
value of –3.
The inequality y < | x | means the y-value is less than the absolute value of the x-value. This will
occur anywhere underneath the above graph. For instance, the point (−3, 1) meets this criterion; the point
(−3, 4) does not. If you think about it, you should be able to convince yourself that all points below the
above graph fit this criterion.
Figure 2.10: y < | x |
The dotted line indicates that the graph y =| x | is not actually a part of our set. If we were graphing
y ≤| x | the line would be complete, indicating that those points would be part of the set.
2.6 "Piecewise Functions" and Absolute Value6
What do you get if you put a positive number into an absolute value? Answer: you get that same number
back. | 5 |= 5. | π |= π. And so on. We can say, as a generalization, that | x |= x; but only if x is positive.
OK, so, what happens if you put a negative number into an absolute value? Answer: you get that same
number back, but made positive. OK, how do you make a negative number positive? Mathematically, you
multiply it by –1. | −5 |= − (−5) = 5. | −π |= − (−π ) = π. We can say, as a generalization, that
| x |= − x; but only if x is negative.
So the absolute value function can be defined like this.
The “Piecewise” Definition of Absolute Value
| x |= {
5 This
6 This
x,
x≥0
− x, x < 0
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18208/1.2/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18200/1.2/>.
(2.16)
51
If you’ve never seen this before, it looks extremely odd. If you try to pin that feeling down, I think you’ll
find this looks odd for some combination of these three reasons.
1. The whole idea of a “piecewise function”—that is, a function which is defined differently on different
domains—may be unfamiliar. Think about it in terms of the function game. Imagine getting a card
that says “If you are given a positive number or 0, respond with the same number you were given. If
you are given a negative number, multiply it by –1 and give that back.” This is one of those “can a
function do that?” moments. Yes, it can—and, in fact, functions defined in this “piecewise manner”
are more common than you might think.
2. The − x looks suspicious. “I thought an absolute value could never be negative!” Well, that’s right.
But if x is negative, then − x is positive. Instead of thinking of the − x as “negative x” it may help to
think of it as “change the sign of x.”
3. Even if you get past those objections, you may feel that we have taken a perfectly ordinary, easy to
understand function, and redefined it in a terribly complicated way. Why bother?
Surprisingly, the piecewise definition makes many problems easier. Let’s consider a few graphing problems.
You already know how to graph y =| x |. But you can explain the V shape very easily with the piecewise
definition. On the right side of the graph (where x ≥ 0), it is the graph of y = x. On the left side of the
graph (where x < 0), it is the graph of y = − x.
(a)
(b)
(c)
Figure 2.11: (a) y = − x The whole graph is shown, but the only part we care about is on the left, where
x < 0 (b) y = x The whole graph is shown, but the only part we care about is on the right, where x ≥ 0
(c) y = | x | Created by putting together the relevant parts of the other two graphs.
Still, that’s just a new way of graphing something that we already knew how to graph, right? But now
consider this problem: graph y = x + | x |. How do we approach that? With the piecewise definition, it
becomes a snap.
x + |x| = {
x + x = 2x
x ≥ 0
x + ( −x) = 0
x < 0
(2.17)
So we graph y = 2x on the right, and y = 0 on the left. (You may want to try doing this in three separate
drawings, as I did above.)
52
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
Figure 2.12: y = x + | x |
Our final example requires us to use the piecewise definition of the absolute value for both x and y.
Example 2.6: Graph |x|+|y|=4
We saw that in order to graph | x | we had to view the left and right sides separately. Similarly,
| y | divides the graph vertically.
• On top, where y ≥ 0, | y |= y.
• Where y < 0, on the bottom, | y |= −y.
Since this equation has both variables under absolute values, we have to divide the graph both
horizontally and vertically, which means we look at each quadrant separately. | x | + | y |=
4
Second Quadrant
First Quadrant
x ≥ 0, so | x |= − x
x ≥ 0, so | x |= x
y ≥ 0, so | y |= y
y ≥ 0, so | y |= y
(− x ) + y = 4
x+y = 4
y = x+4
y = −x + 4
Third Quadrant
Fourth Quadrant
x ≤ 0, so | x |= − x
x ≤ 0, so | x |= x
y ≤ 0, so | y |= −y
y ≤ 0, so | y |= −y
(− x ) + (−y) = 4
x + (−y) = 4
y = −x − 4
y = x−4
Table 2.6
Now we graph each line, but only in its respective quadrant. For instance, in the fourth quadrant,
we are graphing the line y = x − 4. So we draw the line, but use only the part of it that is in the
fourth quadrant.
53
Figure 2.13
Repeating this process in all four quadrants, we arrive at the proper graph.
Figure 2.14: | x | + | y |= 4
54
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
Chapter 3
Simultaneous Equations
3.1 Distance, Rate and Time1
If you travel 30 miles per hour for 4 hours, how far do you go? A little common sense will tell you that the
answer is 120 miles.
This relationship is captured in the following equation:
d = rt where...
• d is distance traveled (sometimes the letter x is used instead, for position)
• r is the rate, or speed (sometimes the letter v is used, for velocity)
• t is the time
This is presented here because it forms the basis for many common simultaneous equations problems.
3.2 Simultaneous Equations by Graphing2
√
Consider the equation y = 2 x. How many ( x, y) pairs are there that satisfy this equation? Answer: (0, 0),
(1, 2), (4, 4), and (9, 6) are all solutions; and there is an infinite number of other solutions. (And don’t
forget non-integer solutions, such as (, 1)!)
Now, consider the equation y = x + 12 . How many pairs satisfy this equation? Once again, an infinite
number. Most equations that relate two variables have an infinite number of solutions.
To consider these two equations “simultaneously” is to ask the question: what ( x, y) pairs make both
equations true? To express the same question in terms of functions: what values can you hand the functions
√
2 x and x + 12 that will make these two functions produce the same answer?
1 This
2 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18211/1.2/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18209/1.2/>.
55
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
Figure 3.1: What number goes into both functions and makes them give the same answer? Is there even
such a number? Is there more than one such number?
At first glance, it is not obvious how to approach such a question– it is not even obvious how many answers
there will be.
√
One way to answer such a question is by graphing. Remember, the graph of y = 2 x is the set of all points
that satisfy that relationship; and the graph of y = x + 12 is the set of all points that satisfy that relationship.
So the intersection(s) of these two graphs is the set of all points that satisfy both relationships.
How can we graph these two? The second one is easy: it is a line, already in y = mx + b format. The
y-intercept is 21 and the slope is
√ 1. We can graph the first equation by plotting points; or, if you
√ happen to
know what the graph of y = x looks like, you can stretch the graph vertically to get y = 2 x, since all
the y-values will double. Either way, you wind up with something like this:
57
Figure 3.2
We can see that there are two points of intersection. One occurs when x is barely greater than 0 (say, x = 0.1),
and the other occurs at approximately x = 3. There will be no more points of intersection after this, because
the line will rise faster than the curve.
Exercise
√ 3.1
y=2 x
y = x+
(Solution on p. 64.)
1
2
Graphing has three distinct advantages as a method for solving simultaneous equations.
1. It works on any type of equations.
2. It tells you how many solutions there are, as well as what the solutions are.
3. It can help give you an intuitive feel for why the solutions came out the way they did.
However, graphing also has two disadvantages.
1. It is time-consuming.
2. It often yields solutions that are approximate, not exact—because you find the solutions by simply
“eyeballing” the graph to see where the two curves meet.
For instance, if you plug the number 3 into both of these functions, will you get the same answer?
√
√
3 → 2 x → 2 3 ≈ 3.46
3→ x+
1
2
→ 3.5
√
Pretty close! Similarly, 2 .1 ≈ 0.632, which is quite close to 0.6. But if we want more exact answers, we will
need to draw a much more exact graph, which becomes very time-consuming. (Rounded to three decimal
places, the actual answers are 0.086 and 2.914.)
For more exact answers, we use analytic methods. Two such methods will be discussed in this chapter:
substitution and elimination. A third method will be discussed in the section on Matrices.
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
3.3 Substitution3
Here is the algorithm for substitution.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Solve one of the equations for one variable.
Plug this variable into the other equation.
Solve the second equation, which now has only one variable.
Finally, use the equation you found in step (1) to find the other variable.
Example 3.1: Solving Simultaneous Equations by Substitution
3x + 4y = 1
2x − y = 8
1. The easiest variable to solve for here is the y in the second equation.
- −y = −2x + 8
- y = 2x − 8
2. Now, we plug that into the other equation:
- 3x + 4 (2x − 8) = 1
3. We now have an equation with only x in it, so we can solve for x.
- 3x + 8x − 32 = 1
- 11x = 33
- x=3
4. Finally, we take the equation from step (1), y = 2x − 8, and use it to find y.
- y = 2 (3) − 8 = −2
So (3, −2) is the solution. You can confirm this by plugging this pair into both of the original
equations.
Why does substitution work?
We found in the first step that y = 2x − 8. This means that y and 2x − 8 are equal in the sense that we
discussed in the first chapter on functions—they will always be the same number, in these equations—they
are the same. This gives us permission to simply replace one with the other, which is what we do in the
second (“substitution”) step.
3.4 Elimination4
Here is the algorithm for elimination.
1. Multiply one equation (or in some cases both) by some number, so that the two equations have the
same coefficient for one of the variables.
2. Add or subtract the two equations to make that variable go away.
3. Solve the resulting equation, which now has only one variable.
4. Finally, plug back in to find the other variable.
Example 3.2: Solving Simultaneous Equations by Elimination
3x + 4y = 1
2x − y = 8
3 This
4 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18212/1.2/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18215/1.2/>.
59
1 - The first question is: how do we get one of these variables to have the same coefficient in
both equations? To get the x coefficients to be the same, we would have to multiply the
top equation by 2 and the bottom by 3. It is much easier with y; if we simply multiply
the bottom equation by 4, then the two y values will both be multiplied by 4.
- 3x + 4y = 1
- 8x − 4y = 32
2 - Now we either add or subtract the two equations. In this case, we have 4y on top, and
−4y on the bottom; so if we add them, they will cancel out. (If the bottom had a +4y
we would have to subtract the two equations to get the " y"s to cancel.)
- 11x + 0y = 33
3-4 - Once again, we are left with only one variable. We can solve this equation to find that
x = 3 and then plug back in to either of the original equations to find y = −2 as before.
Why does elimination work?
As you know, you are always allowed to do the same thing to both sides of an equation. If an equation is
true, it will still be true if you add 4 to both sides, multiply both sides by 6, or take the square root of both
sides.
Now—consider, in the second step above, what we did to the equation 3x + 4y = 1. We added something
to both sides of this equation. What did we add? On the left, we added 8x − 4y; on the right, we added 32.
It seems that we have done something different to the two sides.
However, the second equation gives us a guarantee that these two quantities, 8x − 4y and 32, are in fact the
same as each other. So by adding 8x − 4y to the left, and 32 to the right, we really have done exactly the
same thing to both sides of the equation 3x + 4y = 1.
3.5 Special Cases5
Consider the two equations:
2x + 3y = 8
(3.1)
4x + 6y = 3
(3.2)
Suppose we attempt to solve these two equations by elimination. So, we double the first equation and
subtract, and the result is:
4x + 6y = 16
4x + 6y = 3
(3.3)
0 = 13
Hey, what happened? 0 does not equal 13, no matter what x is. Mathematically, we see that these two
equations have no simultaneous solution. You asked the question “When will both of these equations be
true?” And the math answered, “Hey, buddy, not until 0 equals 13.”
No solution.
5 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18213/1.4/>.
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
Now, consider these equations:
2x + 3y = 8
4x + 6y = 16
(3.4)
Once again, we attempt elimination, but the result is different:
2x + 3y = 8
4x + 6y = 16
(3.5)
0 = 0
What happened that time? 0 = 0 no matter what x is. Instead of an equation that is always false, we have
an equation that is always true. Does that mean these equations work for any x and y? Clearly not: for
instance, (1, 1) does not make either equation true. What this means is that the two equations are the same:
any pair that solves one will also solve the other. There is an infinite number of solutions.
Infinite number of solutions.
All of this is much easier to understand graphically! Remember that one way to solve simultaneous equations is by graphing them and looking for the intersection. In the first case, we see that original equations
represented two parallel lines. There is no point of intersection, so there is no simultaneous equation.
Figure 3.3
In the second case, we see that the original equations represented the same line, in two different forms.
Any point on the line is a solution to both equations.
61
Figure 3.4
G ENERAL R ULE : If you solve an equation and get a mathematical impossibility such as 0 = 13
, there is no solution. If you get a mathematical tautology such as 0 = 0 , there is an infinite
number of solutions.
3.6 Word Problems6
Many students approach math with the attitude that “I can do the equations, but I’m just not a ‘word
problems’ person.” No offense, but that’s like saying “I’m pretty good at handling a tennis racket, as long
as there’s no ball involved.” The only point of handling the tennis racket is to hit the ball. The only point of
math equations is to solve problems. So if you find yourself in that category, try this sentence instead: “I’ve
never been good at word problems. There must be something about them I don’t understand, so I’ll try to
learn it.”
Actually, many of the key problems with word problems were discussed in the very beginning of the “Functions” unit, in the discussion of variable descriptions. So this might be a good time to quickly re-read that
section. If you can correctly identify the variables, you’re half-way through the hard part of a word problem.
The other half is translating the sentences of the problem into equations that use those variables.
Let’s work through an example, very carefully.
Example 3.3: Simultaneous Equation Word Problem
A roll of dimes and a roll of quarters lie on the table in front of you. There are three more quarters
than dimes. But the quarters are worth three times the amount that the dimes are worth. How
many of each do you have?
1. Identify and label the variables.
• There are actually two different, valid ways to approach this problem. You could make
a variable that represents the number of dimes; or you could have a variable that represents the value of the dimes. Either way will lead you to the right answer. However,
it is vital to know which one you’re doing! If you get confused half-way through the
problem, you will end up with the wrong answer.
6 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18210/1.2/>.
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
Let’s try it this way:
d is the number of dimes
q is the number of quarters
Table 3.1
2. Translate the sentences in the problem into equations.
- “There are three more quarters than dimes” → q = d + 3
- “The quarters are worth three times the amount that the dimes are worth” → 25q =
3 (10d)
- This second equation relies on the fact that if you have q quarters, they are worth a
total of 25q cents.
3. Solve.
- We can do this by elimination or substitution. Since the first equation is already
solved for q , I will substitute that into the second equation and then solve.
25 (d + 3) = 3 (10d)
25d + 75 = 30d
75 = 5d
d = 15
q = 18
Table 3.2
So, did it work? The surest check is to go all the way back to the original problem—not the
equations, but the words. We have concluded that there are 15 dimes and 18 quarters.
“There are three more quarters than dimes.” [U+2713]
“The quarters are worth three times the amount that the dimes are worth.” → Well, the quarters
are worth 18 · 25 = $4.50. The dimes are worth 15 · 10 = $1.50. [U+2713]
3.7 Using Letters as Numbers7
Toward the end of this chapter, there are some problems in substitution and elimination where letters are
used in place of numbers. For instance, consider the following problem:
2y − ax = 7
(3.6)
4y + 3ax = 9
(3.7)
What do we do with those "a"s? Like any other variable, they simply represent an unknown number. As
we solve for x, we will simply leave a as a variable.
7 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18214/1.2/>.
63
This problem lends itself more naturally to elimination than to substitution, so I will double the top equation
and then subtract the two equations and solve.
4y − 2ax = 14
(3.8)
− (4y + 3ax = 9)
0y − 5ax = 5
5
−1
=
−5a
a
As always, we can solve for the second variable by plugging into either of our original equations.
−1
=7
2y − a
a
x=
(3.9)
(3.10)
2y + 1 = 7
(3.11)
y=3
(3.12)
There is no new math here, just elimination. The real trick is not to be spooked by the a, and do the math
just like you did before.
And what does that mean? It means we have found a solution that works for those two equations, regardless of a. We can now solve the following three problems (and an infinite number of others) without going
through the hard work.
If a = 5,
If a = 10,
If a = −3,
The original equations become:
The original equations become:
The original equations become:
2y − 5x = 7
2y − 10x = 7
2y − 3x = 7
4y + 15x = 9
4y + 30x = 9
4y + 9x = 9
And the solution is:
x=
−1 , y
5
=3
And the solution is:
x=
−1 , y
10
=3
And the solution is:
x = 13 , y = 3
Table 3.3
The whole point is that I did not have to solve those three problems—by elimination, substitution, or
anything else. All I had to do was plug a into the general answer I had already found previously. If I had to
solve a hundred such problems, I would have saved myself a great deal of time by going through the hard
work once to find a general solution!
Mathematicians use this trick all the time. If they are faced with many similar problems, they will attempt
to find a general problem that encompasses all the specific problems, by using variables to replace the numbers that change. You will do this in an even more general way in the text, when you solve the “general”
simultaneous equations where all the numbers are variables. Then you will have a formula that you can
plug any pair of simultaneous equations into to find the answer at once. This formula would also make it
very easy, for instance, to program a computer to solve simultaneous equations (computers are terrible at
figuring things out, but they’re great at formulas).
64
Solutions to Exercises in Chapter 3
Solution to Exercise 3.1 (p. 57)
From graphing...
x = 0.1, x = 3
CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
Chapter 4
Quadratic Functions
4.1 Multiplying Binomials1
The following three formulae should be memorized.
( x + a)2 = x2 + 2ax + a2
(4.1)
( x − a)2 = x2 − 2ax + a2
(4.2)
( x + a ) ( x − a ) = x 2 − a2
(4.3)
It is important to have these three formulae on the top of your head. It is also nice to be able to show why
these formulae work, for instance by using FOIL. But the most important thing of all is knowing what these
three formulae mean, and how to use them.
These three are all “algebraic generalizations,” as discussed in the first unit on functions. That is, they are
equations that hold true for any values of x and a. It may help if you think of the second equation above as
standing for:
(Anthing − Anything Else)2 = Anything2 − 2(Anything Else)2 For instance, suppose the Anything (or x)
is 5, and the Anything Else (or a) is 3.
Example 4.1
( x − a)2 = x2 − 2ax + a2 , when x = 5, a = 3.
?
5 − 32 = 52 − 2 (3) (5) + 32
?
22 =
25 − 30 + 9
4=4
It worked! Now, let’s leave the Anything as x, but play with different values of a.
1 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18224/1.3/>.
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Example 4.2
More examples of ( x − a)2 = x2 − 2ax + a2
a=1:
( x − 1)2
=
x2 − 2x + 1
a=2:
( x − 2)2
=
x2 − 4x + 4
a=3:
( x − 3)2
=
x2 − 6x + 9
a=5:
( x − 5)
2
=
x2 − 10x + 25
a = 10 :
( x − 10)2
(4.4)
= x2 − 20x + 100
Once you’ve seen a few of these, the pattern becomes evident: the number doubles to create the middle
term (the coefficient of x), and squares to create the final term (the number).
The hardest thing about this formula is remembering to use it. For instance, suppose you are asked to
expand:
(2y − 6)2
(4.5)
There are three ways you can approach this.
(2y − 6)2 , computed three different ways
Square each term
FOIL
Using the formula above
(2y − 6) (2y − 6)
(2y − 6)2
(2y) (2y) − (2y) 6 − (2y) 6 + 36
(2y)2 − 2 (6) (2y) + 62
4y2 − 12y − 12y + 36
4y2 − 24y + 36
4y2 − 24y + 36
(2y − 6)2
(2y)2 − 2 (6) (2y) + 62
4y2 − 24y + 36
Table 4.1
Did it work? If a formula is true, it should work for any y -value; let’s test each one with y = 5 . (Note
that the second two methods got the same answer, so we only need to test that once.)
?
(2y − 6)2
?
(2 · 5 − 6)2
?
(10 − 6)2
=
?
42
?
(2y − 6)2
= 4y2 − 36
(2 · 5 − 6)2
= 4y2 − 36
(10 − 6)2
= 100 − 36
42
=
64×
?
=
4y2 − 24y + 36
?
= 4(5)2 − 24 · 5 + 36
?
=
100 − 120 + 36
16[U+2713]
Table 4.2
We conclude that squaring each term individually does not work. The other two methods both give the
same answer, which works.
The first method is the easiest, of course. And it looks good. (2y)2 is indeed 4y2 . And 62 is indeed 36. But
as you can see, it led us to a false answer—an algebraic generalization that did not hold up.
I just can’t stress this point enough. It sounds like a detail, but it causes errors all through Algebra II
and beyond. When you’re adding or subtracting things, and then squaring them, you can’t just square
67
them one at a time. Mathematically, ( x + a)2 6= x2 + a2 . You can confirm this with numbers all day.
(7 + 3)2 = 100, but 72 + 32 = 58. They’re not the same.
So that leaves the other two methods. FOIL will never lead you astray. But the third approach, the formula,
has three distinct advantages.
1. The formula is faster than FOIL.
2. Using these formulae is a specific case of the vital mathematical skill of using any formula—learning
how to plug numbers and variables into some equation that you’ve been given, and therefore understanding the abstraction that formulae represent.
3. Before this unit is done, we will be completing the square, which requires running that particular
formula backward—which you cannot do with FOIL.
4.2 Factoring2
When we multiply, we put things together: when we factor, we pull things apart. Factoring is a critical skill
in simplifying functions and solving equations.
There are four basic types of factoring. In each case, I will start by showing a multiplication problem—then
I will show how to use factoring to reverse the results of that multiplication.
4.2.1 “Pulling Out” Common Factors
This type of factoring is based on the distributive property, which (as you know) tells us that:
2x 4x2 − 7x + 3 = 8x3 − 14x2 + 6x
(4.6)
When we factor, we do that in reverse. So we would start with an expression such as 8x3 − 14x2 + 6x and
say “Hey, every one of those terms is divisible by 2. Also, every one of those terms is divisible by x. So we
“factor out,” or “pull out,” a 2x.
8x3 − 14x2 + 6x = 2x (__ − __ + __)
(4.7)
3
For each term, we see what happens when we divide that term by 2x. For instance, if we divide 8x by 2x
the answer is 4x2 . Doing this process for each term, we end up with:
8x3 − 14x2 + 6x = 2x 4x2 − 7x + 3
(4.8)
As you can see, this is just what we started with, but in reverse. However, for many types of problems, this
factored form is easier to work with.
As another example, consider 6x + 3. The common factor in this case is 3. When we factor a 3 out of the 6x,
we are left with 2x. When we factor a 3 out of the 3, we are left with...what? Nothing? No, we are left with
1, since we are dividing by 3.
6x + 3 = 3 (2x + 1)
(4.9)
There are two key points to take away about this kind of factoring.
1. This is the simplest kind of factoring. Whenever you are trying to factor a complicated expression,
always begin by looking for common factors that you can pull out.
2 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18227/1.2/>.
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
2. A common factor must be common to all the terms. For instance, 8x3 − 14x2 + 6x + 7 has no common
factor, since the last term is not divisible by either 2 or x.
4.2.2 Factoring Perfect Squares
The second type of factoring is based on the “squaring” formulae that we started with:
( x + a)2 = x2 + 2ax + a2
(4.10)
( x − a)2 = x2 − 2ax + a2
(4.11)
For instance, if we see x2 + 6x + 9, we may recognize the signature of the first formula: the middle term is
three doubled, and the last term is three squared. So this is ( x + 3)2 . Once you get used to looking for this
pattern, it is easy to spot.
x2 + 10x + 25 = ( x + 5)2
(4.12)
x2 + 2x + 1 = ( x + 1)2
(4.13)
And so on. If the middle term is negative, then we have the second formula:
x2 − 8x + 16 = ( x − 4)2
(4.14)
x2 − 14x + 49 = ( x − 7)2
(4.15)
This type of factoring only works if you have exactly this case: the middle number is something doubled,
and the last number is that same something squared. Furthermore, although the middle term can be either
positive or negative (as we have seen), the last term cannot be negative.
All this may make it seem like such a special case that it is not even worth bothering about. But as you
will see with “completing the square” later in this unit, this method is very general, because even if an
expression does not look like a perfect square, you can usually make it look like one if you want to—and if
you know how to spot the pattern.
4.2.3 The Difference Between Two Squares
The third type of factoring is based on the third of our basic formulae:
( x + a ) ( x − a ) = x 2 − a2
(4.16)
You can run this formula in reverse whenever you are subtracting two perfect squares. For instance, if we
see x2 − 25, we recognize that both x2 and 25 are perfect squares. We can therefore factor it as ( x + 5) ( x − 5).
Other examples include:
Example 4.3
- x2 − 64 = ( x + 8) ( x − 8)
- 16y2 − 49 = (4y + 7)(4y − 7)
- 2x2 − 18 = 2 x2 − 9 = 2 ( x + 3) ( x − 3)
69
And so on. Note that, in the last example, we begin by pulling out a 2, and we are then left with two perfect
squares. This is an example of the rule that you should always begin by pulling out common factors before
you try anything else!
It is also important to note that you cannot factor the sum of two squares. x2 + 4 is a perfectly good function,
but it cannot be factored.
4.2.4 Brute Force, Old-Fashioned, Bare-Knuckle, No-Holds-Barred Factoring
In this case, the multiplication that we are reversing is just FOIL. For instance, consider:
( x + 3) ( x + 7) = x2 + 3x + 7x + 21 = x2 + 10x + 21
(4.17)
What happened? The 3 and 7 added to yield the middle term (10), and multiplied to yield the final term
(21). We can generalize this as: ( x + a) ( x + b) = x2 + ( a + b) x + ab.
The point is, if you are given a problem such as x2 + 10x + 21 to factor, you look for two numbers that add
up to 10, and multiply to 21. And how do you find them? There are a lot of pairs of numbers that add up
to 10, but relatively few that multiply to 21. So you start by looking for factors of 21.
Below is a series of examples. Each example showcases a different aspect of the factoring process, so I
would encourage you not to skip over any of them: try each problem yourself, then take a look at what I
did.
If you are uncomfortable with factoring, the best practice you can get is to multiply things out. In each
case, look at the final answer I arrive at, and multiply it with FOIL. See that you get the problem I started
with. Then look back at the steps I took and see how they led me to that answer. The steps will make a lot
more sense if you have done the multiplication already.
Exercise 4.1
Factor x2 + 11x + 18
(Solution on p. 85.)
( x + __) ( x + __)
NOTE : Start by listing all factors of the third term. Then see which ones add to give you the middle
term you want.
Exercise 4.2
Factor x2 − 13x + 12
(Solution on p. 85.)
( x + __) ( x + __)
NOTE : If the middle term is negative, it doesn’t change much: it just makes both numbers negative.
If this had been x2 + 13x + 12, the process would have been the same, and the answer would have
been ( x + 1) ( x + 12).
Exercise 4.3
Factor x2 + 12x + 24
(Solution on p. 85.)
( x + __) ( x + __)
NOTE : Some things can’t be factored. Many students spend a long time fighting with such problems, but it really doesn’t have to take long. Try all the possibilities, and if none of them works, it
can’t be factored.
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Exercise 4.4
Factor x2 + 2x − 15
(Solution on p. 85.)
( x + __) ( x + __)
NOTE : If the last term is negative, that changes things! In order to multiply to –15, the two numbers will have to have different signs—one negative, one positive—which means they will subtract to give the middle term. Note that if the middle term were negative, that wouldn’t change
the process: the final answer would be reversed, ( x + 5) ( x − 3). This fits the rule that we saw
earlier—changing the sign of the middle term changes the answer a bit, but not the process.
Exercise 4.5
Factor 2x2 + 24x + 72
(Solution on p. 85.)
NOTE : Never forget, always start by looking for common factors to pull out. Then look to see if it
fits one of our formulae. Only after trying all that do you begin the FOIL approach.
Exercise 4.6
Factor 3x2 + 14x + 16
(Solution on p. 85.)
(3x + __) ( x + __)
If the x2 has a coefficient, and if you can’t pull it out, the problem is trickier. In this case, we
know that the factored form will look like (3x + __) ( x + __) so we can see that, when we multiply
it back, one of those numbers—the one on the right—will be tripled, before they add up to the
middle term! So you have to check the number pairs to see if any work that way.
NOTE :
4.2.5 Checking Your Answers
There are two different ways to check your answer after factoring: multiplying back, and trying numbers.
Example 4.4
1. Problem: Factor 40x3 − 250x
• 10x (4x − 25) First, pull out the common factor
• 10x (2x + 5) (2x − 5) Difference between two squares
2. So, does 40x3 − 250x = 10x (2x + 5) (2x − 5)? First let’s check by multiplying back.
•
•
•
•
10x (2x + 5) (2x
− 5)
= 20x2 + 50x (2x − 5) Distributive property
= 40x3 − 100x2 + 100x2 − 250x FOIL
= 40x3 − 250x [U+2713]
3. Check by trying a number. This should work for any number. I’ll use x = 7 and a calculator.
?
• 40x3 − 250x = 10x (2x + 5) (2x − 5)
?
• 40(7)3 − 250 (7) = 10 (7) (2 · 7 + 5) (2 · 7 − 5)
• 11970 = 11970 [U+2713]
I stress these methods of checking answers, not just because checking answers is a generally good idea, but
because they reinforce key concepts. The first method reinforces the idea that factoring is multiplication
done backward. The second method reinforces the idea of algebraic generalizations.
71
4.3 Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring3
Consider the equation 4x2 + 14x − 60 = 0. This is not an algebraic generalization, but an equation to be
solved for x: that is, it asks the question “What x value, or values, will make this equation true?” We will
be solving such equations in three different ways. The fastest and easiest is by factoring.
Using the techniques discussed above, we can rewrite this problem as follows. (Try it for yourself!)
4x2 + 14x − 60 = 0 Original form
2 (2x − 5) ( x + 6 = 0) Factored form
The second form may look more complicated than what we started with. But consider what this equation
says. There are three numbers: 2, 2x − 5, and x + 6. The equation says that when you multiply these
three numbers, you get 0. Ask yourself this crucial question: How can you multiply numbers and get the
answer 0?
The only way it can happen is if one of the numbers is 0. Take a moment to convince yourself of this: if
several numbers multiply to give 0, one of those numbers must be 0.
So we have three possibilities.
2x − 5 = 0
2=0
(it just isn’t)
x=
2 12
x+6 = 0
x = −6
Table 4.3
The moral of the story is: when a quadratic equation is factored, it can be solved easily. In this case, the
equation 4x2 + 14x − 60 = 0 has two valid solutions, x = 2 12 and x = −6.
Consider this example:
x2 − 9x + 20 = 6
(4.18)
A common mistake is to solve it like this.
Example 4.5
x2 − 9x + 20 = 6, solved incorrectly
- ( x − 4) ( x − 5) = 6
- ( x − 4) = 6
• x = 10 ×
- ( x − 5) = 6
• x = 11 ×
All looks good, doesn’t it? The factoring was correct. But if you try x = 10 or x = 11 in the original
equation, you will find that neither one works. What went wrong?
The factoring was correct, but the next step was wrong. Just because ( x − 4) ( x − 5) = 6 does not mean that
either ( x − 4) or ( x − 5) has to be 6. There are lots of ways for two numbers to multiply to give 6. This trick
only works for 0!
Example 4.6
x2 − 9x + 20 = 6, solved correctly
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
- x2 − 9x + 14 = 0
- ( x − 7) ( x − 2) = 0
- ( x − 7) = 0
• x = 7 [U+2713]
- ( x − 2) = 0
• x = 2 [U+2713]
You may want to confirm for yourself that these are the correct solutions.
Moral: When solving quadratic equations, always begin by moving everything to one side of the equation,
leaving only a 0 on the other side. This is true regardless of which of the three methods you use.
Example 4.7
x2 + 14x + 49 = 0
- ( x + 7)2 = 0
- x = −7
Moral: If the left side factors as a perfect square, the quadratic equation has only one solution.
Not all quadratic functions can be factored. This does not mean they have no solutions! If the function
cannot be factored, we must use other means to find the solutions.
4.4 Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square4
Consider the equation:
( x + 3)2 = 16
(4.19)
We can solve this by analogy to the way that we approached absolute value problems. something squared
is 16. So what could the something be? It could be 4. It could also be −4. So the solution is:
• x+3 = 4
· x=1
• x + 3 = −4
· x = −7
These are the two solutions.
This simple problem leads to a completely general way of solving quadratic equations—because any
quadratic equation can be put in a form like the above equation. The key is completing the square which,
in turn, is based on our original two formulae:
( x + a)2 = x2 + 2ax + a2
(4.20)
( x − a)2 = x2 − 2ax + a2
(4.21)
As an example, consider the equation x2 + 10x + 21 = 0. In order to make it fit one of the patterns above,
we must replace the 21 with the correct number: a number such that x2 + 10x + __ is a perfect square. What
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number goes there? If you are familiar with the pattern, you know the answer right away. 10 is 5 doubled,
so the number there must be 5 squared, or 25.
But how do we turn a 21 into a 25? We add 4, of course. And if we add 4 to one side of the equation, we
have to add 4 to the other side of the equation. So the entire problem is worked out as follows:
Example 4.8
Solving by Completing the Square (quick-and-dirty version)
Solve x2 + 10x + 21 = 0
The problem.
x2 + 10x + 25 = 4
Add 4 to both sides, so that
the left side becomes a perfect
square.
( x + 5)2 = 4
Rewrite the perfect square.
x+5 = 2
x + 5 = −2
x = −3
x = −7
If something-squared is 4, the
something can be 2, or −2 .
Solve both possibilities to find
the two answers.
Table 4.4
Thus, we have our two solutions.
Completing the square is more time-consuming than factoring: so whenever a quadratic equation can be
factored, factoring is the preferred method. (In this case, we would have factored the original equation as
( x + 2) ( x + 8) and gotten straight to the answer.) However, completing the square can be used on any
quadratic equation. In the example below, completing the square is used to find two answers that would
not have been found by factoring.
Example 4.9
Solving by Completing the Square (showing all the steps more carefully)
Solve 9x2 − 54x + 80 = 0
The problem.
9x2 − 54x = −80
Put all the x terms on one side,
and the number on the other
x2 − 6x = − 80
9
Divide both sides by the coefficient of x2 (*see below)
x2 − 6x +9 = − 80
9 +9
Add the same number (*see
below) to both sides, so that
the left side becomes a perfect
square.
continued on next page
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
( x − 3)2 = − 80
9 +
=
1
3
x−3 =
x=
81
9
1
9
Rewrite the perfect square.
x
3 13
− 3 = − 13
x = 2 23
If something-squared is 19 , the
something can be 31 , or − 13 .
Solve both possibilities to find
the two answers.
Table 4.5
Two steps in particular should be pointed out here.
In the third step, we divide both sides by 9. When completing the square, you do not want to have any
coefficient in front of the term; if there is a number there, you divide it out. Fractions, on the other hand
(such as the − 80
9 in this case) do not present a problem. This is in marked contrast to factoring, where a
coefficient in front of the x2 can be left alone, but fractions make things nearly impossible.
The step after that is where we actually complete the square. x2 + 6x + __ will be our perfect square. How
do we find what number we want? Start with the coefficient of x2 (in this case, 6). Take half of it, and
square the result. Half of 6 is 3, squared is 9. So we want a 9 there to create x2 + 6x + 9 which can be
simplified to ( x + 3)2 .
Figure 4.1
If the coefficient of x is an odd number, the problem becomes a little uglier, but the principle is the same.
For instance, faced with:
x2 + 5x + __
(4.22)
You would begin by taking half of 5 (which is 52 ) and then squaring it:
x2 + 5x +
25
4
= x+
5 2
2
Another “completing the square” example, in which you cannot get rid of the square root at all, is presented
in the worksheet “The Generic Quadratic Equation.”
One final note on completing the square: there are three different possible outcomes.
• If you end up with something like ( x − 3)2 = 16 you will find two solutions, since x − 3 can be either
4, or −4. You will always have two solutions if the right side of the equation, after completing the
square, is positive.
• If you end up with ( x − 3)2 = 0 then there is only one solution: x must be 3 in this example. If the
right side of the equation is 0 after completing the square, there is only one solution.
• Finally, what about a negative number on the right, such as ( x − 3)2 = −16? Nothing squared can
give a negative answer, so there is no solution.
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4.5 The Quadratic Formula5
In "Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square" I talked about the common mathematical trick
of solving a problem once, using letters instead of numbers, and then solving specific problems by plugging numbers into a general solution.
In the text, you go through this process for quadratic equations in general. The definition of a quadratic
equation is any equation that can be written in the form:
ax2 + bx + c = 0
(4.23)
where a 6= 0. By completing the square on this generic equation, you arrive at the quadratic formula:
√
−b ± b2 − 4ac
(4.24)
x=
2a
This formula can then be used to solve any quadratic equation, without having to complete the square each
time. To see how this formula works, let us return to the previous problem:
9x2 − 54x + 80 = 0
(4.25)
In this case, a = 9, b = −54, and c = 80. So the quadratic formula tells us that the answers are:
x=
− (−54) ±
p
2
(−54) − 4 (9) (80)
2 (9)
We’ll use a calculator here rather than squaring 54 by hand....
√
√
54 ± 2916 − 2880
54 ± 36
54 ± 6
9±1
=
=
=
x=
18
18
18
3
So we find that the two answers are
10
3
(4.26)
(4.27)
and 83 , which are the same answers we got by completing the square.
Using the quadratic formula is usually faster than completing the square, though still slower than factoring.
So, in general, try to factor first: if you cannot factor, use the quadratic formula.
So why do we learn completing the square? Two reasons. First, completing the square is how you derive
the quadratic formula. Second, completing the square is vital to graphing quadratic functions, as you will
see a little further on in the chapter.
4.6 Different Types of Solutions to Quadratic Equations6
The heart of the quadratic formula is the part under the square root: b2 − 4ac. This part is so important that
it is given its own name: the discriminant. It is called this because it discriminates the different types of
solutions that a quadratic equation can have.
Common Error
√
Students often think that the discriminant is b2 − 4ac. But the discriminant is not the square root, it is the
part that is under the square root:
Discriminant = b2 − 4ac
(4.28)
It can often be computed quickly and easily without a calculator.
5 This
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Why is this quantity so important? Consider the above example, where the discriminant was 36. This
means that we wound up with ±6 in the numerator. So the problem had two different, rational answers:
2 23 and 3 13 .
2
2
Now,
√ consider x + 3x + 1 = 0. In this case, the discriminant is 3 − 4 (1) (1) = 5. We will end up with
± 5 in the numerator. There will still be two answers, but they will be irrational—they will be impossible
to express as a fraction without a square root.
4x2 − 20x + 25 = 0. Now the discriminant is 202 − 4 (4) (25) = 400 − 400 = 0. We will end up with ±0
in the numerator. But it makes no difference if you add or subtract 0; you get the same answer. So this
problem will have only one answer.
And finally,
3x2 + 5x + 4. Now, b2 − 4ac = 52 − 4 (3) (4) = 25 − 48 = −23. So in the numerator we will
√
have −23. Since you cannot take the square root of a negative number, there will be no solutions!
Summary: The Discriminant
• If the discriminant is a perfect square, you will have two rational solutions.
• If the discriminant is a positive number that is not a perfect square, you will have two irrational
solutions (ie they will have square roots in them).
• If the discriminant is 0, you will have one solution.
• If the discriminant is negative, you will have no solutions.
These rules do not have to be memorized: you can see them very quickly by understanding the quadratic
formula (which does have to be memorized—if all else fails, try singing it to the tune of Frère Jacques).
Why is it that quadratic equations can have 2 solutions, 1 solution, or no solutions? This is easy to understand by looking at the following graphs. Remember that in each case the quadratic equation asks when
the function is 0—that is to say, when it crosses the x-axis.
(a)
(b)
(c)
Figure 4.2: (a) y = x2 − 2 Equals 0 two times (b) y = x2 Equals 0 once (c) y = x2 + 2 . Never equals 0
More on how to generate these graphs is given below. For the moment, the point is that you can visually
see why a quadratic function can equal 0 twice, or one time, or never. It can not equal 0 three or more times.
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4.7 Graphing Quadratic Equations7
The graph of the simplest quadratic function, y = x2 , looks like this:
Figure 4.3
(You can confirm this by plotting points.) The point at the bottom of the U-shaped curve is known as the
“vertex.”
Now consider the function y = −3( x + 2)2 + 1. It’s an intimidating function, but we have all the tools we
need to graph it, based on the permutations we learned in the first unit. Let’s step through them one by
one.
• What does the −− sign do? It multiplies all y-values by −1; positive values become negative, and
vice-versa. So we are going to get an upside-down U-shape. We say that y = x2 “opens up” and
y = − x2 “opens down.”
• What does the 3 do? It multiplies all y-values by 3; positive values become more positive, and negative
values become more negative. So it vertical stretches the function.
• What does the +1 at the end do? It adds 1 to all y-values, so it moves the function up by 1.
• Finally, what does the +2 do? This is a horizontal modification: if we plug in x = 10, we will be
evaluating the function at x = 12. In general, we will always be copying the original x2 function to
our right; so we will be 2 units to the left of it.
So what does the graph look like? It has moved 2 to the left and 1 up, so the vertex moves from the origin
(0, 0) to the point (−2, 1). The graph has also flipped upside-down, and stretched out vertically.
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Figure 4.4
So graphing quadratic functions is easy, no matter how complex they are, if you understand permutations—
and if the functions are written in the form y = a( x − h)2 + k, as that one was.
Graphing Quadratic Functions
The graph of a quadratic function is always a vertical parabola. If the function is written in the form
y = a( x − h)2 + k then the vertex is at (h, k). If a is positive, the parabola opens up; if a is negative, the
parabola opens down.
But what if the functions are not expressed in that form? We’re more used to seeing them written as y =
ax2 + bx + c . For such a function, you graph it by first putting it into the form we used above, and then
graphing it. And the way you get it into the right form is...completing the square! This process is almost
identical to the way we used completing the square to solve quadratic equations, but some of the details
are different.
Example 4.10
Graphing a Quadratic Function
Graph 2x2 − 20x + 58
The problem.
continued on next page
79
2 x2 − 10x + 58
We used to start out by dividing both sides by the
coefficient of x2 (2 in this case). In this case, we
don’t have another side: we can’t make that 2 go
away. But it’s still in the way of completing the
square. So we factor it out of the first two terms.
Do not factor it out of the third (numerical) term;
leave that part alone, outside of the parentheses.
2 x2 − 10x + 25 + 58 − 50
Inside the parentheses, add the number you
need to complete the square.
(Half of 10,
squared.)Now, when we add 25 inside the parentheses, what we have really done to our function?
We have added 50, since everything in parentheses is doubled. So we keep the function the same
by subtracting that 50 right back again, outside
the parentheses! Since all we have done in this
step is add 50 and then subtract it, the function is
unchanged.
2( x − 5)2 + 8
Inside the parentheses, you now have a perfect
square and can rewrite it as such. Outside the
parentheses, you just have two numbers to combine.
Vertex (5, 8) opens up
Since the function is now in the correct form, we
can read this information straight from the formula and graph it. Note that the number inside
the parentheses (the h) always changes sign; the
number outside (the k) does not.
So there’s the graph! It’s easy to draw once you
have the vertex and direction. It’s also worth
knowing that the 2 vertically stretches the graph,
so it will be thinner than a normal x2 .
Table 4.6
This process may look intimidating at first. For the moment, don’t worry about mastering the whole thing—
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
instead, look over every individual step carefully and make sure you understand why it works—that is,
why it keeps the function fundamentally unchanged, while moving us toward our goal of a form that we
can graph.
The good news is, this process is basically the same every time. A different example is worked through in
the worksheet “Graphing Quadratic Functions II”—that example differs only because the x2 term does not
have a coefficient, which changes a few of the steps in a minor way. You will have plenty of opportunity to
practice this process, which will help you get the “big picture” if you understand all the individual steps.
And don’t forget that what we’re really creating here is an algebraic generalization!
2x2 − 20x + 58 = 2( x − 5)2 + 8
(4.29)
This is exactly the sort of generalization we discussed in the first unit—the assertion that these two very
different functions will always give the same answer for any x-value you plug into them. For this very
reason, we can also assert that the two graphs will look the same. So we can graph the first function by
graphing the second.
4.8 Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions8
Surprisingly, there is a fairly substantial class of real world problems that can be solved by graphing
quadratic functions.
These problems are commonly known as “optimization problems” because they involve the question:
“When does this important function reach its maximum?” (Or sometimes, its minimum?) In real life,
of course, there are many things we want to maximize—a company wants to maximize its revenue, a baseball player his batting average, a car designer the leg room in front of the driver. And there are many things
we want to minimize—a company wants to minimize its costs, a baseball player his errors, a car designer
the amount of gas used. Mathematically, this is done by writing a function for that quantity and finding
where that function reaches its highest or lowest point.
Example 4.11
If a company manufactures x items, its total cost to produce these items is x3 − 10x2 + 43x. How
many items should the company make in order to minimize its average cost per item?
Solution
“Average cost per item” is the total cost, divided by the number of items. For instance, if it costs
$600 to manufacture 50 items, then the average cost per item was $12. It is important for companies
to minimize average cost because this enables them to sell at a low price.
In this case, the total cost is x3 − 10x2 + 43x and the number of items is x. So the average cost per item is
x3 − 10x2 + 43x
= x2 − 10x + 43
x
What the question is asking, mathematically, is: what value of x makes this function the lowest?
A (x) =
(4.30)
Well, suppose we were to graph this function. We would complete the square by rewriting it as:
A ( x ) = x2 − 10x + 25 + 18 = ( x − 5)2 + 18
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(4.31)
81
The graph opens up (since the ( x − 5)2 term is positive), and has its vertex at (5, 18) (since it is moved 5 to
the right and 18 up). So it would look something like this:
Figure 4.5
I have graphed only the first quadrant, because negative values are not relevant for this problem (why?).
The real question here is, what can we learn from that graph? Every point on that graph represents one
possibility for our company: if they manufacture x items, the graph shows what A ( x ), the average cost per
item, will be.
The point (5, 18) is the lowest point on the graph. It is possible for x to be higher or lower than 5, but it is
never possible for A to be lower than 18. So if its goal is to minimize average cost, their best strategy is to
manufacture 5 items, which will bring their average cost to $18/item.
4.9 Quadratic Inequalities9
Consider the following inequality:
− x2 + 6x − 8 ≤ 0
(4.32)
There are a number of different ways to approach such a problem. The one that is stressed in the text is by
graphing.
We begin by graphing the function y = − x2 + 6x − 8. We know how to graph this function by completing
the square, but we’re going to take a shortcut—one that will not actually tell us what the vertex is, but
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that will give us what we need to know. The shortcut relies on finding only two facts about the quadratic
function: what are its roots (the places it crosses the x-axis), and which way does it open?
Of course we know three ways to find the roots of a quadratic equation: the easiest is always factoring
when it works, as it does in this case.
− x2 + 6x − 8 = 0
(4.33)
( x − 4) (− x + 2) = 0
(4.34)
x = 0, x = 2
(4.35)
Second, which way does the parabola open? Since it is a vertical parabola with a negative coefficient of
the x2 term, it opens down.
So the graph looks like this:
Figure 4.6
(Hey, if it’s that easy to graph a quadratic function, why did we spend all that time completing the
square? Well, this method of graphing does not tell you the vertex. It tells us all we need to solve the
quadratic inequality, but not everything about the graph. Oh. Darn. Anyway, back to our original problem.)
If that is the graph of y = − x2 + 6x − 8, then let us return to the original question: when is − x2 + 6x − 8less
than or equal to 0? What this question is asking is: when does this graph dip below the x-axis? Looking
at the graph, the answer is clear: the graph is below the x-axis, and therefore the function is negative,
whenever x ≤ 2orx ≥ 4.
When students graph these functions, they tend to get the right answer. Where students go wrong is by
trying to take “shortcuts.” They find where the function equals zero, and then attempt to quickly find a
solution based on that. To see where this goes wrong, consider the following:
x2 − 2x + 2 ≥ 0
(4.36)
If you attempt to find where this function equals zero—using, for instance, the quadratic formula—you
will find that it never does. (Try it!) Many students will therefore quickly answer “no solution.” Quick,
easy—and wrong. To see why, let’s try graphing it.
y = x2 − 2x + 2 = x2 − 2x + 1 + 1 = ( x − 1)2 + 1
(4.37)
83
Figure 4.7
The original question asked: when is this function greater than or equal to zero? The graph makes it clear:
everywhere. Any x value you plug into this function will yield a positive answer. So the solution is: “All
real numbers.”
4.9.1 “Extra for Experts”: Quadratic Inequalities by Factoring
This technique is not stressed in this book. But it is possible to solve quadratic inequalities without graphing, if you can factor them.
Let’s return to the previous example:
− x2 + 6x − 8 ≤ 0
(4.38)
( x − 4) (− x + 2) ≤ 0
(4.39)
When we solved quadratic equations by factoring, we asked the question: “How can you multiply two
numbers and get 0?” (Answer: when one of them is 0.) Now we ask the question: “How can you multiply
two numbers and get a negative answer?” Answer: when the two numbers have different signs. That is,
the product will be negative if...
The first is positive and the second negative
OR
The first is negative and the second positive
x − 4 ≥ 0 AND − x + 2 ≤ 0
OR
x − 4 ≤ 0 AND − x + 2 ≥ 0
x ≥ 4 AND − x ≤ −2
OR
x ≤ 4 AND − x ≥ −2
x ≥ 4 AND x ≥ 2
OR
x ≤ 4 AND x ≤ 2
x≥4
OR
x≤2
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Table 4.7
This is, of course, the same answer we got by graphing.
85
Solutions to Exercises in Chapter 4
Solution to Exercise 4.1 (p. 69)
What multiplies to 18? 1 · 18, or 2 · 9, or 3 · 6.
Which of those adds to 11? 2 + 9.
( x + 2) ( x + 9)
Solution to Exercise 4.2 (p. 69)
What multiplies to 12? 1 · 12, or 2 · 6, or 3 · 4
Which of those adds to 13? 1 + 12
( x − 1) ( x − 12)
Solution to Exercise 4.3 (p. 69)
What multiplies to 24? 1 · 24, or 2 · 12, or 3 · 8, or 4 · 6
Which of those adds to 12? None of them.
It can’t be factored. It is “prime.”
Solution to Exercise 4.4 (p. 70)
What multiplies to 15? 1 · 15, or 3 · 5
Which of those subtracts to 2? 5–3
( x + 5) ( x − 3)
Solution to Exercise
4.5 (p. 70)
2 x2 + 12x + 36
2( x + 6)2
Solution to Exercise 4.6 (p. 70)
What multiplies to 16? 1 · 16, or 2 · 8, or 4 · 4
Which of those adds to 14 after tripling one number? 8 + 3 · 2
(3x + 8) ( x + 2)
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS
Chapter 5
Exponents
5.1 Exponent Concepts1
An exponent means repeated multiplication. For instance, 106 means 10 · 10 · 10 · 10 · 10 · 10, or 1,000,000.
You’ve probably noticed that there is a logical progression of operations. When you add the same number
repeatedly, that’s multiplication. When you multiply the same number repeatedly, that’s an exponent.
However, there is one vital difference: addition and multiplication commute, but exponentiation does not
commute. This is a fancy way of saying that order matters. 2 + 3 = 3 + 2; and 2 · 3 = 3 · 2, but 23 is not the
same as 32 .
5.2 Laws of Exponents2
The following are generally referred to as the “laws” or “rules” of exponents.
x a x b = x a+b
xa
= x a−b
xb
or
(5.1)
1
x b− a
( x a )b = xab
(5.2)
(5.3)
As with any formula, the most important thing is to be able to use them—that is, to understand what they
mean. But it is also important to know where these formulae come from. And finally, in this case, the three
should be memorized.
So...what do they mean? They are, of course, algebraic generalizations—statements that are true for any x,
a, and b values. For instance, the first rule tells us that:
712 · 74 = 716
(5.4)
which you can confirm on your calculator. Similarly, the third rule promises us that
1 This
2 This
712
4
= 748
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18232/1.2/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18235/1.2/>.
87
(5.5)
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
These rules can be used to combine and simplify expressions.
Example 5.1
Simplifying with the Rules of Exponents
( x3 )
4
· x5
x9 · x11
12 5
= xx9 · x· x11
17
= xx20
= x13
Third rule: ( x a )b = xab , wherea = 3andb = 4
First rule: x a x b = x a+b , done on both the top and bottom
Second rule:
xa
xb
=
1
,
x b− a
where we choose this form to avoid a negative exponent
Table 5.1
Why do these rules work? It’s very easy to see, based on what an exponent is.
Why does the first rule work?
193
194
= (19 · 19 · 19)
= 19
(19 · 19 · 19)
7
Table 5.2
You see what happened? 193 means three 19s multiplied; 194 means four 19s multiplied. Multiply them
together, and you get seven 19s multiplied.
Why does the second rule work?
First form
Second form
198
195
195
198
=
19·19·19·19·19·19·19·19
19·19·19·19·19
=
19·19·19·19·19
19·19·19·19·19·19·19·19
continued on next page
89
= 193
=
1
193
Table 5.3
In this case, the key is fraction cancellations. When the top is multiplied by 19 and the bottom is multiplied
by 19, canceling these 19s has the effect of dividing the top and bottom by 19. When you divide the top
and bottom of a fraction by the same number, the fraction is unchanged.
You can also think of this rule as the inevitable consequence of the first rule. If 193 · 195 = 198 , then
(which asks the question “ 195 times what equals 198 ?”) must be 193 .
198
195
Why does the third rule work?
193
4
= (19 · 19 · 19) · (19 · 19 · 19) · (19 · 19 · 19) · (19 · 19 · 19)
= 1912
Table 5.4
What does it mean to raise something to the fourth power? It means to multiply it by itself, four times.
In this case, what we are multiplying by itself four times is 193 , or (19 · 19 · 19). Three 19s multiplied four
times makes twelve 19s multiplied.
5.3 Zero, Negative Numbers, and Fractions as Exponents3
The definition of exponents given at the beginning of this section— 106 means 10 · 10 · 10 · 10 · 10 · 10—does
not enable us to answer questions such as:
40 =?
(5.6)
5−4 = ?
(5.7)
1
9 2 =?
(5.8)
You can’t “multiply 9 by itself half a time” or “multiply 5 by itself −4 times.” In general, the original
definition only applies if the exponent is a positive integer.
It’s very important to understand this point. The question is not “What answer does our original definition
give in these cases?” The original definition does not give any answer in these cases. If we want to include
these numbers, we need a whole new definition of what an exponent is.
In principle, many such definitions are possible. We could define 5−4 as 5/5/5/5: in other words, divide
four times instead of multiplying four times. Or we could define 5−4 as 5−4 : take 5 to the fourth power,
and then multiply it by −1. Or we could define 5−4 as − (5)4 : take −5 to the fourth power (which gives a
different answer from the previous definition). It seems at first that we are at liberty to choose any definition
we want.
Given that degree of freedom, you may be very surprised at the definitions that are actually used: they
seem far more arbitrary and complicated than some others you could come up with.
3 This
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
Definitions: When the exponent is not a positive integer
91
Zero exponents
Negative exponents
Fractional exponents
(numerator = 1)
Fractional exponents
(numerator 6= 1)
Always 1
Go in the denominator
Act as roots
70 = 1
90 = 1
x0 = 1
7−3 = 713 =
x −5 = x15
1
= 53
5−3
92
1
22
1
83
1
x4
The numerator is an exponent
The denominator is a
root
√ 2
√
2
3
8 3 = 82 or 3 8
1
1
343
√
= √9 = 3
= √2
= 38=2
√
= 4x
Order doesn’t matter!
√
√
3 2
8 = 3 64 = 4 or
√
2
3
8 = 22 = 4
8=
√
83 or
√ 3
8
Table 5.5
2
Note that you can combine these definitions. For instance, 8− 3 is a negative, fractional exponent. The
negative exponent means, as always, “put me in the denominator.” So we can write:
2
8− 3 =
1
1
1
= √
=
3 2
4
8
8
2
3
(5.9)
5.3.1 OK, so why define exponents that way?
These are obviously not chosen to be the simplest possible definitions. But they are chosen to be consistent
with the behavior of positive-integer exponents.
One way to see that consistency is to consider the following progression:
194 = 19 · 19 · 19 · 19
(5.10)
193 = 19 · 19 · 19
(5.11)
192 = 19 · 19
(5.12)
191 = 19
(5.13)
What happens each time we decrease the exponent by 1? Your first response might be “we have one less
19.” But what is really happening, mathematically, to the numbers on the right? The answer is that, with
each step, they are dividing by 19. If you take 19 · 19 · 19 · 19, and divide it by 19, you get 19 · 19 · 19. Divide
that by 19 again, and you get 19 · 19...and so on. From this we can formulate the following principle for the
powers of 19:
Whenever you subtract 1 from the exponent, you divide the answer by 19.
As I said earlier, we want the behavior of our new exponents to be consistent with the behavior of the old
(positive-integer) exponents. So we can continue this progression as follows:
190 =
19
=1
19
(5.14)
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
1
19
19−1 =
19−2 =
1
19
19
(5.15)
1
192
=
(5.16)
...and so on. We can arrive at our definitions anything0 = 1 and negative exponents go in the denominator
by simply requiring this progression to be consistent.
More rigorously, we can find all our exponent definitions by using the laws of exponents. For instance,
2
what is 40 ? We can approach this question indirectly by asking: what is 442 ?
42
42
• The second law of exponents tells us that
• But of course,
• Since
42
42
42
42
16
16 , or 1.
1, 40 and
= 42−2 , which is of course 40 .
is just
is both 40 and
1 must be the same thing!
The proofs given below all follow this pattern. They use the laws of exponents to rewrite expressions such
2
as 442 , and go on to show how zero, negative, and fractional exponents must be defined. We started with
the definition of an exponent for a positive integer, 106 = 10 · 10 · 10 · 10 · 10 · 10. From there, we developed
the laws of exponents. Now we find that, if we want those same laws to apply to other kinds of exponents,
there is only one correct way to define those other kinds of exponents.
Proofs: When the exponent is not a positive integer
Zero exponents
Negative exponents
Fractional exponents
(numerator = 1)
Fractional exponents
(numerator 6= 1)
Always 1
Go in the denominator
Act as roots
42
42
101
103
= 101−3 = 10−2
but
=
The numerator is an exponent
The denominator is a
root
1 2 √ 2
2
83 = 83
= 38
or
√
1
2
3
8 3 = 82 3 = 82
= 42−2 = 40
2
but 442 = 16
16 = 1
0
so 4 must be 1!
1
10·10
101
103
10
10·10·10
so 10−2 must be
1
92
2
1
= 9 2 · 2 = 91 = 9
1
=
So what is 9 2 ?
Well, when you square
it, you get 9. √
So it must be 9, or 3!
1
102
Table 5.6
You may want to experiment with making these proofs more general and more rigorous by using letters
instead of numbers. For instance, in the third case, we could write:
1 a
1
xa
= x ( a )( a) = x1
(5.17)
q
a
1
xa
a
=x
(x )a =
1
xa =
√
a
√
a
x
(5.18)
x
(5.19)
(5.20)
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5.4 Exponential Curves4
By plotting points, you can discover that the graph of y = 2x looks like this:
Figure 5.1: y = 2x
A few points to notice about this graph.
• It goes through the point (0, 1) because 20 = 1.
• It never dips below the x-axis. The domain is unlimited, but the range is y>0. (*Think about our
definitions of exponents: whether x is positive or negative, integer or fraction, 2x is always positive.)
• Every time you move one unit to the right, the graph height doubles. For instance, 25 is twice 24 ,
because it multiplies by one more 2. So as you move to the right, the y-values start looking like 8, 16,
32, 64, 128, and so on, going up more and more sharply.
• Conversely, every time you move one unit to the left, the graph height drops in half. So as you move
to the left, the y-values start looking like 21 , 14 , 18 , and so on, falling closer and closer to 0.
What would the graph of y = 3x look like? Of course, it would also go through (0, 1) because 30 = 1. With
each step to the right, it would triple; with each step to the left, it would drop in a third. So the overall
shape would look similar, but the rise (on the right) and the drop (on the left) would be faster.
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
Figure 5.2: y = 2x in thin line; y = 2x in thick line; They cross at (0, 1)
As you might guess, graphs such as 5x and 10x all have this same characteristic shape. In fact, any graph a x
where a > 1 will look basically the same: starting at (0, 1) it will rise more and more sharply on the right,
and drop toward zero on the left. This type of graph models exponential growth—functions that keep
multiplying by the same number. A common example, which you work through in the text, is compound
interest from a bank.
x
The opposite graph is 21 .
95
Figure 5.3: y =
x
1
2
Each time you move to the right on this graph, it multiplies by 12 : in other words, it divides by 2, heading
closer to zero the further you go. This kind of equation is used to model functions that keep dividing by
the same number; for instance, radioactive decay. You will also be working through examples like this one.
Of course, all the permutations from the first chapter on “functions” apply to these graphs just as they
apply to any graph. A particularly interesting example is 2− x . Remember that when you replace x with
− x, f (3) becomes the old f (−3) and vice-versa; in other words, the graph flips around the y-axis. If you
take the graph of 2x and permute it in this way, you get a familiar shape:
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
Figure 5.4: y = 2− x
Yes, it’s
x
1
2
in a new disguise!
x
x
= 21x . But 1x is just 1 (in other words, 1 to the anything is
Why did it happen that way? Consider that 12
x
1), so 12
= 21x . But negative exponents go in the denominator: 21x is the same thing as 2− x ! So we arrive
x
= 2− x . The two functions are the same, so their graphs are of course the same.
at: 12
Another fun pair of permutations is:
y = 2 · 2x Looks just like y = 2x but vertically stretched: all y-values double
y = 2x+1 Looks just like y = 2x but horizontally shifted: moves 1 to the left
If you permute 2x in these two ways, you will find that they create the same graph.
97
Figure 5.5: y = 2 · 2x aka y = 2x+1
Once again, this is predictable from the rules of exponents: 2 · 2x = 21 · 2x = 2x+1
5.4.1 Using exponential functions to model behavior
In the first chapter, we talked about linear functions as functions that add the same amount every time.
For instance, y = 3x + 4 models a function that starts at 4; every time you increase x by 1, you add 3 to y.
Exponential functions are conceptually very analogous: they multiply by the same amount every time.
For instance, y = 4 × 3x models a function that starts at 4; every time you increase x by 1, you multiplyy
by 3.
Linear functions can go down, as well as up, by having negative slopes: y = −3x + 4 starts at 4 and
subtracts 3every time. Exponential functions can go down, as well as up, by having fractional bases:
y = 4×
1
3
x
starts at 4 and divides by 3 every time.
Exponential functions often defy intuition, because they grow much faster than people expect.
Modeling exponential functions
Your father’s house was worth $100,000 when he bought it in 1981. Assuming that it increases in value
by 8% every year, what was the house worth in the year 2001? (*Before you work through the math, you
may want to make an intuitive guess as to what you think the house is worth. Then, after we crunch the
numbers, you can check to see how close you got.)
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
Often, the best way to approach this kind of problem is to begin by making a chart, to get a sense of the
growth pattern.
Year
Increase in Value
Value
1981
N/A
100,000
1982
8% of 100,000 = 8,000
108,000
1983
8% of 108,000 = 8,640
116,640
1984
8% of 116,640 = 9,331
125,971
Table 5.7
Before you go farther, make sure you understand where the numbers on that chart come from. It’s OK to
use a calculator. But if you blindly follow the numbers without understanding the calculations, the whole
rest of this section will be lost on you.
In order to find the pattern, look at the “Value” column and ask: what is happening to these numbers every
time? Of course, we are adding 8% each time, but what does that really mean? With a little thought—or by
looking at the numbers—you should be able to convince yourself that the numbers are multiplying by 1.08
each time. That’s why this is an exponential function: the value of the house multiplies by 1.08 every year.
So let’s make that chart again, in light of this new insight. Note that I can now skip the middle column and
go straight to the answer we want. More importantly, note that I am not going to use my calculator this
time—I don’t want to multiply all those 1.08s, I just want to note each time that the answer is 1.08 times the
previous answer.
Year
House Value
1981
100,000
1982
100, 000 × 1.08
1983
100, 000 × 1.082
1984
100, 000 × 1.083
1985
100, 000 × 1.084
y
100, 000 × 1.08something
Table 5.8
If you are not clear where those numbers came from, think again about the conclusion we reached earlier:
each year,
by 1.08. So if the house is worth 100, 000 × 1.082 in 1983, then its value in
the value multiplies
1984 is 100, 000 × 1.082 × 1.08, which is 100, 000 × 1.083 .
Once we write it this way, the pattern is clear. I have expressed that pattern by adding the last row, the
value of the house in any year y. And what is the mystery exponent? We see that the exponent is 1 in 1982,
2 in 1983, 3 in 1984, and so on. In the year y, the exponent is y − 1981.
So we have our house value function:
v (y) = 100, 000 × 1.08y−1981
(5.21)
99
That is the pattern we needed in order to answer the question. So in the year 2001, the value of the house
is 100, 000 × 1.0820 . Bringing the calculator back, we find that the value of the house is now $466,095 and
change.
Wow! The house is over four times its original value! That’s what I mean about exponential functions
growing faster than you expect: they start out slow, but given time, they explode. This is also a practical life
lesson about the importance of saving money early in life—a lesson that many people don’t realize until
it’s too late.
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CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
Chapter 6
Logarithms
6.1 Logarithm Concepts1
Suppose you are a biologist investigating a population that doubles every year. So if you start with 1
specimen, the population can be expressed as an exponential function: p (t) = 2t where t is the number of
years you have been watching, and p is the population.
Question: How long will it take for the population to exceed 1,000 specimens?
We can rephrase this question as: “2 to what power is 1,000?” This kind of question, where you know the
base and are looking for the exponent, is called a logarithm.
log2 1000 (read, “the logarithm, base two, of a thousand”) means “2, raised to what power, is 1000?”
In other words, the logarithm always asks “What exponent should we use?” This unit will be an exploration of logarithms.
6.1.1 A few quick examples to start things off
Problem
Means
The answer is
because
log2 8
2 to what power is 8?
3
23 is 8
log2 16
2 to what power is 16?
4
24 is 16
log2 10
2 to what power is 10?
somewhere between 3 and 4
log8 2
8 to what power is 2?
1
3
23 = 8 and 24 = 16
√
1
83 = 3 8 = 2
log10 10, 000
1
log10 100
10 to what power is 10,000?
4
104 = 10, 000
–2
10−−2 =
log5 0
5 to what power is 0?
There is no answer
5something will never be 0
10 to what power is
1
100
?
1
102
=
1
100
Table 6.1
As you can see, one of the most important parts of finding logarithms is being very familiar with how
exponents work!
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18242/1.2/>.
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CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
6.2 The Logarithm Explained by Analogy to Roots2
The logarithm may be the first really new concept you’ve encountered in Algebra II. So one of the easiest
ways to understand it is by comparison with a familiar concept: roots.
Suppose someone asked you: “Exactly what does root mean?” You do understand roots, but they are
difficult to define. After a few moments,
√ you might come up with a definition very similar to the “question”
definition of logarithms given above. 3 8 means “what number cubed is 8?”
Now the person asks: “How do you√find roots?” Well...you just play around with numbers until√
you find
one that works. If someone asks for 25, you just have to know that 52 = 25. If someone asks for 30, you
know that has to be bigger than 5 and smaller than 6; if you need more accuracy, it’s time for a calculator.
All that information about roots applies in a very analogous way to logarithms.
Roots
√
a
x means “what number, raised
to the a power, is x?” As an equation, ? a = x
√
3
8=2
√
3
10 is a bit more than 2
√
−4does not exist ( x2 will
never give −4)
The question
Example that comes out even
Example that doesn’t
Out of domain example
Logs
loga x means “ a, raised to what
power, is x?” As an equation,
a? = x
log2 8 = 3
log2 10 is a bit more than 3
log2 (0) and log2 (−1) do not exist ( 2x will never give 0 or a negative answer)
Table 6.2
6.3 Rewriting Logarithm Equations as Exponent Equations3
Both root equations and logarithm equations can be rewritten as exponent equations.
√
2
9 = 3 can be rewritten
written in
√ as 3 = 9. These two equations are the same statement about numbers,
√
two different ways. 9 asks the question “What number squared is 9?” So the equation 9 = 3asks this
question, and then answers it: “3 squared is 9.”
We can rewrite logarithm equations in a similar way. Consider this equation:
1
= −1
log3
3
(6.1)
If you are asked to rewrite thatlogarithm
equation as an exponent equation, think about it this
way. The
left
side asks: “3 to what power is
2 This
3 This
1
3
?” And the right side answers: “3 to the −1power is
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18236/1.2/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18241/1.2/>.
1
3
.” 3−1 =
1
3
.
103
Figure 6.1
These two equations, log3
ical relationship.
1
3
= −1and 3−1 =
1
3
, are two different ways of expressing the same numer-
6.4 The Logarithm Defined as an Inverse Function4
√
x can be defined as the inverse function of x2 . Recall the definition of an inverse function— f −1 ( x ) is
defined as the inverse of f 1 ( x ) if it reverses the inputs and outputs. So we can demonstrate this inverse
relationship as follows:
√
x is the inverse function of x2
3 → x2 → 9
√
9→ x→3
Table 6.3
Similarly, log2 x is the inverse function of the exponential function 2x .
log2 x is the inverse function of 2x
3 → 2x → 8
8 → log2 x → 2
Table 6.4
(You may recall that during the discussion of inverse functions, 2x was the only function you were given
that you could not find the inverse of. Now you know!)
√
In fact, as we noted in the first chapter, xis not a perfect inverse of x2 , since it does not work for negative
√
numbers. (−3)2 = 9, but 9 is not −3. Logarithms have no such limitation: log2 x is a perfect inverse for
2x .
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CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
The inverse of addition is subtraction. The inverse of multiplication is division. Why do exponents have
two completely different kinds of inverses, roots and logarithms? Because exponents do not commute. 32
and 23 are not the same number. So the question “what number squared√equals 10?” and the question “2
to what power equals 10?” are different questions, which we express as 10 and log2 10, respectively, and
they have √
different answers. x2 and 2x are not the same function, and they therefore have different inverse
functions x and log2 10.
6.5 Properties of Logarithms5
Just as there are three fundamental laws of exponents, there are three fundamental laws of logarithms.
logx (ab) = logx a + logx b
(6.2)
a
= logx a − logx b
b
logx ab = blogx a
(6.3)
logx
(6.4)
As always, these algebraic generalizations hold for any a, b, and x.
Example 6.1: Properties of Logarithms
1. Suppose you are given these two facts:
- log4 5 = 1.16
- log4 10 = 1.66
2. Then we can use the laws of logarithms to conclude that:
- log4 (50) = log4 5 + log4 10 = 2.82
- log4 (2) = log4 10 − log4 5 = 0.5
- log4 (100, 000) = 5log4 10 = 8.3
NOTE :
All three of these results can be found quickly, and without a calculator. Note that the
1
second result could also be figured out directly, since 4 2 = 2.
These properties of logarithms were very important historically, because they enabled pre-calculator mathematicians to perform multiplication (which is very time-consuming and error prone) by doing addition
(which is faster and easier). These rules are still useful in simplifying complicated expressions and solving
equations.
Example 6.2: Solving an equation with the properties of logarithms
log2 x − logx ( x − 1) = 5
x
log2 x−
1 =5
The problem
x
x −1
Rewrite the log as an exponent. (2-to-what is?
=
25
= 32
x = 32 ( x − 1)
Second property of logarithms
Multiply. We now have an easy equation to solve.
x = 32x − 32
−31x = −32
x=
5 This
x
x −1
32
31
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2-to-the-5!)
105
Table 6.5
6.5.1 Proving the Properties of Logarithms
If you understand what an exponent is, you can very quickly see why the three rules of exponents work.
But why do logarithms have these three properties?
As you work through the text, you will demonstrate these rules intuitively, by viewing the logarithm as a
counter. ( log2 8 asks “how many 2s do I need to multiply, in order to get 8?”) However, these rules can also
be rigorously proven, using the laws of exponents as our starting place.
Proving the First Law of Logarithms, logx (ab) = logx a + logx b
m = logx a
I’m just inventing m to represent this log
xm = a
Rewriting the above expression as an exponent.
( logx a asks “ x to what power is a ?” And the
equation answers: “ x to the m is a .”)
n = logx b
Similarly, n will represent the other log.
xn
=b
logx (ab) = logx ( x m x n )
Replacing a and b based on the previous equations
= logx ( x m+n )
This is the key step! It uses the first law of exponents. Thus you can see that the properties of
logarithms come directly from the laws of exponents.
= m+n
= logx ( x m+n ) asks the question: “ x to what
power is x m+n ?” Looked at this way, the answer
is obviously (m + n) . Hence, you can see how
the logarithm and exponential functions cancel
each other out, as inverse functions must.
= logx a + logx b
Replacing m and n with what they were originally defined as. Hence, we have proven what we
set out to prove.
Table 6.6
To test your understanding, try proving the second law of logarithms: the proof is very similar to the first.
For the third law, you need invent only one variable, m = logx a. In each case, you will rely on a different
one of the three rules of exponents, showing how each exponent law corresponds to one of the logarithms
laws.
6.6 Common Logarithms6
√
When you see a√root without a number in it, it is assumed to be a square root. That is, 25is a shorthand
way of writing 2 25. This rule is employed because square roots are more common than other types.
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CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
When you see a logarithm without a number in it, it is assumed to be a base 10 logarithm. That is, log (1000)
is a shorthand way of writing log10 (1000). A base 10 logarithm is also known as a “common” log.
Why are common logs particularly useful? Well, what is log10 (1000)? By now you know that this asks the
question “10 to what power is 1000?” The answer is 3. Similarly, you can confirm that:
log (10) = 1
(6.5)
log (100) = 2
(6.6)
log (1, 000, 000) = 6
(6.7)
log (1) = 0
(6.8)
We can also follow this pattern backward:
log
log
1
10
1
100
= −1
(6.9)
= −2
(6.10)
and so on. In other words, the common log tells you the order of magnitude of a number: how many
zeros it has. Of course, log10 (500) is difficult to determine exactly without a calculator, but we can say
immediately that it must be somewhere between 2 and 3, since 500 is between 100 and 1000.
6.7 Graphing Logarithmic Functions7
Suppose you want to graph the function y = log2 ( x ). You might start by making a table that looks something like this:
x
y = log2 ( x )
1
0
2
1
3
um....I’m not sure
4
2
5
can I use a calculator?
Table 6.7
This doesn’t seem to be the right strategy. Many of those numbers are just too hard to work with.
So, you start looking for numbers that are easy to work with. And you remember that it’s important to look
at numbers that are less than 1, as well as greater. And eventually, you end up with something more like
this.
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18238/1.2/>.
107
x
y = log2 ( x )
1
8
1
4
1
2
−3
1
0
2
1
4
2
8
3
−2
−1
Table 6.8
As long as you keep putting powers of 2 in the x column, the y column is very easy to figure.
In fact, the easiest way to generate this table is to recognize that it is the table of y = 2x values, only with the
x and y coordinates switched! In other words, we have re-discovered what we already knew: that y = 2x
and y = log2 ( x ) are inverse functions.
When you graph it, you end up with something like this:
Figure 6.2: y = log2 ( x )
As always, you can learn a great deal about the log function by reading the graph.
• The domain is x > 0. (You can’t take the log of 0 or a negative number—do you remember why?).
• The range, on the other hand, is all numbers. Of course, all this inverses the function 2x , which has a
domain of all numbers and a range of y > 0.
• As x gets closer and closer to 0, the function dives down to smaller and smaller negative numbers. So
the y-axis serves as an “asymptote” for the graph, meaning a line that the graph approaches closer
and closer to without ever touching.
• As x moves to the right, the graph grows—but more and more slowly. As x goes from 4 to 8, the graph
goes up by 1. As x goes from 8 to 16, the graph goes up by another 1. It doesn’t make it up another 1
until x reaches 32...and so on.
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CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
This pattern of slower and slower growth is one of the most important characteristics of the log. It can be
used to “slow down” functions that have too wide a range to be practical to work with.
Example 6.3: Using the log to model a real world problem
Lewis Fry Richardson (1881–1953) was a British meteorologist and mathematician. He was also an
active Quaker and committed pacifist, and was one of the first men to apply statistics to the study
of human conflict. Richardson catalogued 315 wars between 1820 and 1950, and categorized them
by how many deaths they caused. At one end of the scale is a deadly quarrel, which might result
in 1 or 2 deaths. At the other extreme are World War I and World War II, which are responsible for
roughly 10 million deaths each.
Figure 6.3
As you can see from the chart above, working with these numbers is extremely difficult: on a
scale from 0 to 10 Million, there is no visible difference between (say) 1 and 100,000. Richardson
solved this problem by taking the common log of the number of deaths. So a conflict with 1,000
deaths is given a magnitude of log (1000) = 3. On this scale, which is now the standard for conflict
measurement, the magnitudes of all wars can be easily represented.
Figure 6.4
Richardson’s scale makes it practical to chart, discuss, and compare wars and battles from the
smallest to the biggest. For instance, he discovered that each time you move up by one on the
scale—that is, each time the number of deaths multiplies by 10—the number of conflicts drops in
a third. (So there are roughly three times as many “magnitude 5” wars as “magnitude 6,” and so
on.)
The log is useful here because the logarithm function itself grows so slowly that it compresses
the entire 1-to-10,000,000 range into a 0-to-7 scale. As you will see in the text, the same trick is
used—for the same reason—in fields ranging from earthquakes to sound waves.
Chapter 7
Rational Expressions
7.1 Rational Expression Concepts1
The term “rational” in math is not used in the sense of “sane” or “sensible.” It is instead used to imply
2 1
is a rational
a ratio, or fraction. A rational expression is the ratio of two polynomials: for instance, xx2 +
−1
expression.
There are two rules for working with rational expressions.
1. Begin every problem by factoring everything you can.
2. Remember that, despite all the complicated looking functions, a rational expression is just a fraction:
you manipulate them using all the rules of fractions that you are familiar with.
7.2 Simplifying Rational Expressions2
How do you simplify a fraction? The answer is, you divide the top and bottom by the same thing.
4÷2
2
4
=
=
6
6÷2
3
So
4
6
and
1 This
2 This
2
3
are two different ways of writing the same number.
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(7.1)
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
On the left, a pizza divided into
six equal slices: the four shadedin regions represent 46 of a pizza.
On the right, a pizza divided
into three equal slices: the two
shaded-in regions represent 23 of
a pizza. The two areas are identical: 46 and 32 are two different ways of expressing the same
amount of pizza.
Table 7.1
In some cases, you have to repeat this process more than once before the fraction is fully simplified.
40
40 ÷ 4
10
10 ÷ 2
5
=
=
=
=
(7.2)
48
48 ÷ 4
12
12 ÷ 2
6
It is vital to remember that we have not divided this fraction by 4, or by 2, or by 8. We have rewritten the
40
fraction in another form: 48
is the same number as 65 . In strictly practical terms, if you are given the choice
40
5
between 48 of a pizza or 6 of a pizza, it does not matter which one you choose, because they are the same
amount of pizza.
You can divide the top and bottom of a fraction by the same number, but you cannot subtract the same
number from the top and bottom of a fraction!
40
48
=
40−39
48−39
=
1
9
× Wrong!
Given the choice, a hungry person would be wise to choose
40
48
of a pizza instead of 19 .
Dividing the top and bottom of a fraction by the same number leaves the fraction unchanged, and that is
how you simplify fractions. Subtracting the same number from the top and bottom changes the value of
the fraction, and is therefore an illegal simplification.
All this is review. But if you understand these basic fraction concepts, you are ahead of many Algebra II
students! And if you can apply these same concepts when variables are involved, then you are ready to
simplify rational expressions, because there are no new concepts involved.
As an example, consider the following:
x2 − 9
x2 + 6x + 9
(7.3)
You might at first be tempted to cancel the common x2 terms on the top and bottom. But this would be,
mathematically, subtracting x2 from both the top and the bottom; which, as we have seen, is an illegal
fraction operation.
x 2 −9
x2 +6x +9
=
−9
6x +9
× Wrong!
111
Table 7.2
To properly simplify this expression, begin by factoring both the top and the bottom, and then see if anything cancels.
Example 7.1: Simplifying Rational Expressions
x 2 −9
x2 +6x +9
x −3) 2
= (x+(3x)(
+3)
=
The problem
Always begin rational expression problems
by factoring!
This factors easily, thanks
to( x + a) ( x − a) = x2 − a x and ( x + a)2 = x2 +
2ax + a2
x −3
x +3
Cancel a common ( x + 3) term on both the top
and the bottom. This is legal because this term
was multiplied on both top and bottom; so we
are effectively dividing the top and bottom by
( x + 3), which leaves the fraction unchanged.
Table 7.3
What we have created, of course, is an algebraic generalization:
x2
x2 − 9
x−3
=
x+3
+ 6x + 9
(7.4)
For any x value, the complicated expression on the left will give the same answer as the much simpler
expression on the right. You may want to try one or two values, just to confirm that it works.
As you can see, the skills of factoring and simplifying fractions come together in this exercise. No new
skills are required.
7.3 Multiplying Rational Expressions3
Multiplying fractions is easy: you just multiply the tops, and multiply the bottoms. For instance,
6
7
6×7
42
×
=
=
7 11
7 × 11
77
(7.5)
42
42÷7
6
Now, you may notice that 42
77 can be simplified, since 7 goes into the top and bottom. 77 = 77÷7 = 11 . So
42
6
77 is the correct answer, but 11 is also the correct answer (since they are the same number), and it’s a good
bit simpler.
In fact, we could have jumped straight to the simplest answer first, and avoided dealing with all those big
numbers, if we had noticed that we have a 7 in the numerator and a 7 in the denominator, and cancelled
them before we even multiplied!
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
Figure 7.1
This is a great time-saver, and you’re also a lot less likely to make mistakes.
When multiplying fractions...
If the same number appears on the top and the bottom, you can cancel it before you multiply. This works
regardless of whether the numbers appear in the same fraction or different fractions.
But it’s critical to remember that this rule only applies when you are multiplying fractions: not when you
are adding, subtracting, or dividing.
As you might guess, all this review of basic fractions is useful because, once again, rational expressions
work the same way.
Example 7.2: Multiplying Rational Expressions
3x2 −21x −24 x2 −6x +8
· 3x+3
x2 −16
3( x −8)( x +1) ( x −2)( x −4)
= (x+4)(x−4) · 3(x+1)
The problem
Always begin rational expression problems by
factoring! Note that for the first element you begin by factoring out the common 3, and then factoring the remaining expression.
When multiplying fractions, you can cancel anything on top with anything on the bottom, even
across different fractions
=
( x −8)( x −2)
x +4
Now, just see what you’re left with. Note that
you could rewrite the top as x2 − 10x + 16 but it’s
generally easier to work with in factored form.
Table 7.4
7.3.1 Dividing Rational Expressions
To divide fractions, you flip the bottom one, and then multiply.
1 1
1
3
÷ = ·3 =
2 3
2
2
After the “flipping” stage, all the considerations are exactly the same as multiplying.
Example 7.3: Dividing Rational Expressions
(7.6)
113
x2 −3x
2x2 −13x +6
x3 +4x
x2 −12x +36
This problem could also be written as:
x3 +4x
x2 −12x +36
×
x2 −12x +36
x3 +4x
=
x ( x −3)
(2x −1)( x −6)
=
( x −3)( x −6)
(2x −1)( x2 +4)
×
( x −6)2
x ( x 2 +4)
÷
. However, the symbol is rarely seen at
this level of math. 12 ÷ 4 is written as
x2 −3x
2x2 −13x +6
x2 −3x
2x2 −13x +6
12
4 .
Flip the bottom and multiply. From here, it’s a
straight multiplication problem.
Always begin rational expression problems by factoring! Now, cancel a factor of x and an ( x − 6)
and you get...
That’s as simple as it gets, I’m afraid. But it’s better
than what we started with!
Table 7.5
7.4 Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions4
Adding and subtracting fractions is harder—but once again, it is a familiar process.
1 1
3 2
5
+ = + =
(7.7)
2 3
6 6
6
The key is finding the least common denominator: the smallest multiple of both denominators. Then you
rewrite the two fractions with this denominator. Finally, you add the fractions by adding the numerators
and leaving the denominator alone.
But how do you find the least common denominator? Consider this problem:
5
7
+
(7.8)
12 30
You could probably find the least common denominator if you played around with the numbers long
enough. But what I want to show you is a systematic method for finding least common denominators—a
method that works with rational expressions just as well as it does with numbers. We start, as usual, by
factoring. For each of the denominators, we find all the prime factors, the prime numbers that multiply to
give that number.
5
7
+
(7.9)
2·2·3 2·3·5
If you are not familiar with the concept of prime factors, it may take a few minutes to get used to. 2 × 2 × 3
is 12, broken into its prime factors: that is, it is the list of prime numbers that multiply to give 12. Similarly,
the prime factors of 30 are 2 × 3 × 5.
Why does that help? Because 12 = 2 × 2 × 3, any number whose prime factors include two 2s and one
3 will be a multiple of 12. Similarly, any number whose prime factors include a 2, a 3, and a 5 will be a
multiple of 30.
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
Figure 7.2
The least common denominator is the smallest number that meets both these criteria: it must have two
2s, one 3, and one 5. Hence, the least common denominator must be 2 × 2 × 3 × 5, and we can finish the
problem like this.
5
7
55
39
72
25 14
+
=
+
=
+
=
2·2·3 2·3·5
60 60
60
(2 · 2 · 3) 5 (2 · 3 · 5) 2
(7.10)
This may look like a very strange way of solving problems that you’ve known how to solve since the third
grade. However, I would urge you to spend a few minutes carefully following that solution, focusing on
the question: why is 2 × 2 × 3 × 5 guaranteed to be the least common denominator? Because once you
understand that, you have the key concept required to add and subtract rational expressions.
Example 7.4: Subtracting Rational Expressions
3
− x3 +4x4x2 −12x
x2 +12x +36
2
= (x+3 6) − x(x+64x)(x−2)
=
3( x )( x −2) 2
( x +6)
=
3( x )( x −2)−4x ( x +6) 2
x ( x −2)( x +6)
( x ) ( x − 2) −
The problem
Always begin rational expression problems by
factoring! The least common denominator must
have two ( x + 6) s, one x , and one ( x − 2) .
4x ( x +6) 2
x ( x +6)
( x − 2)
Rewrite both fractions with the common denominator.
Subtracting fractions is easy when you have a
common denominator! It’s best to leave the bottom alone, since it is factored. The top, however,
consists of two separate factored pieces, and will
be simpler if we multiply them out so we can
combine them.
continued on next page
115
=
3x2 −6x −(4x2 +24x )
x ( x −2)( x +6)
=
− x2 −30x
x ( x −2)( x +6)
=
− x −30 2
( x −2)( x +6)
2
2
A common student mistake here is forgetting
the parentheses. The entire second term is subtracted; without the parentheses, the 24x ends
up being added.
Almost done! But finally, we note that we can factor the top again. If we factor out an x it will
cancel with the x in the denominator.
A lot simpler than where we started, isn’t it?
Table 7.6
The problem is long, and the math is complicated. So after following all the steps, it’s worth stepping back
to realize that even this problem results simply from the two rules we started with.
First, always factor rational expressions before doing anything else.
Second, follow the regular processes for fractions: in this case, the procedure for subtracting fractions,
which involves finding a common denominator. After that, you subtract the numerators while leaving the
denominator alone, and then simplify.
7.5 Rational Equations5
7.5.1 Rational Equations
A rational equation means that you are setting two rational expressions equal to each other. The goal is to
solve for x; that is, find the x value(s) that make the equation true.
Suppose I told you that:
x
3
=
(7.11)
8
8
If you think about it, the x in this equation has to be a 3. That is to say, if x=3 then this equation is true; for
any other x value, this equation is false.
This leads us to a very general rule.
A very general rule about rational equations
If you have a rational equation where the denominators are the same, then the numerators must be the
same.
This in turn suggests a strategy: find a common denominator, and then set the numerators equal.
Example: Rational Equation
continued on next page
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
3
x2 +12x +36
=
3( x )( x −2) 2
( x +6)
( x ) ( x − 2) =
4x
x3 +4x2 −12x
Same problem we worked before, but now we are
equating these two fractions, instead of subtracting them.
4x ( x +6) 2
x ( x +6)
( x − 2)
Rewrite both fractions with the common denominator.
3x ( x − 2) = 4x ( x + 6)
Based on the rule above—since the denominators
are equal, we can now assume the numerators are
equal.
3x2 − −6x = 4x2 + 24x
Multiply it out
x2
+ 30x = 0
What we’re dealing with, in this case, is a
quadratic equation. As always, move everything
to one side...
x ( x + 30) = 0
...and then factor. A common mistake in this kind
of problem is to divide both sides by x; this loses
one of the two solutions.
x =0 or x = − 30
Two solutions to the quadratic equation. However, in this case, x = 0 is not valid, since it was
not in the domain of the original right-hand fraction. (Why?) So this problem actually has only
one solution, x = − − 30.
Table 7.7
3
x2 +12x +36
=
We have concluded now that if you plug x = − − 30 into that equation, you will get a true
equation (you can verify this on your calculator). For any other value, this equation will evaluate false.
As always, it is vital to remember what we have found here. We started with the equation
4x
.
x3 +4x2 −12x
To put it another way: if you graphed the functions
sect at one point only: the point when x = − − 30.
3
x2 +12x +36
and
4x
,
x3 +4x2 −12x
the two graphs would inter-
7.6 Dividing Polynomials6
Simplifying, multiplying, dividing, adding, and subtracting rational expressions are all based on the basic
skills of working with fractions. Dividing polynomials is based on an even earlier skill, one that pretty
much everyone remembers with horror: long division.
To refresh your memory, try dividing
like this:
6 This
745
3
by hand. You should end up with something that looks something
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117
So we conclude that
745
3
is 248 with a remainder of 1; or, to put it another way,
745
3
= 248 31 .
You may have decided years ago that you could forget this skill, since calculators will do it for you. But now
3 8x2 +4x −2
it comes roaring back, because here is a problem that your calculator will not solve for you: 6x −2x
.
−4
You can solve this problem in much the same way as the previous problem.
Example 7.5
Polynomial Division
6x3 −8x2 +4x −2
2x −4
The problem
The problem, written in standard long division
form.
Why 3x2 ? This comes from the question: “How
many times does 2x go into 6x3 ?” Or, to put the
same question another way: “What would I multiply 2x by, in order to get 6x3 ?” This is comparable to the first step in our long division problem:
“What do I multiply 3 by, to get 7?”
Now, multiply the 3x2 times the (2x − −4) and
you get 6x3 − −12x2 . Then subtract this from the
line above it. The 6x3 terms cancel—that shows
we picked the right term above! Note that you
have to be careful
with signs here. − − 8x2 −
2
− − − 12x gives us positive 4x2 .
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
Bring down the 4x. We have now gone through
all four steps of long division—divide, multiply,
subtract, and bring down. At this point, the process begins again, with the question “How many
times does 2x go into 4x2 ?”
This is not the next step...this is what the process
looks like after you’ve finished all the steps. You
should try going through it yourself to make sure
it ends up like this.
Table 7.8
So we conclude that
2x + 6 + 2x22−4 .
6x3 −8x2 +4x −2
2x −4
is 3x2 + 2x + 6 with a remainder of 22, or, to put it another way, 3x2 +
7.6.1 Checking your answers
As always, checking your answers is not just a matter of catching careless errors: it is a way of making
sure that you know what you have come up with. There are two different ways to check the answer to a
division problem, and both provide valuable insight
The first is by plugging in numbers. We have created an algebraic generalization:
6x3 − 8x2 + 4x − 2
22
= 3x2 + 2x + 6 +
2x − 4
2x − 4
(7.12)
In order to be valid, this generalization must hold for x = 3, x = −4, x = 0, x = v,or any other value
except x = 2 (which is outside the domain). Let’s try x = 3.
Checking the answer by plugging in x = 3
22
6 (3)3 − 8 (3)2 + 4 (3) − 2 ?
= 3(3)2 + 2 (3) + 6 +
2 (3) − 4
2 (3) − 4
(7.13)
162 − 72 + 12 − 2 ?
22
= 27 + 6 + 6 +
6−4
6−4
(7.14)
100 ?
22
= 39 +
2
2
(7.15)
?
50 = 39 + 11[U+2713]
(7.16)
119
The second method is by multiplying back. Remember what division is: it is the opposite of multiplication!
If 745
that 248 · 3 will be 745, with 1 left over. Similarly, if our long
3 is 248 with a remainder of 1, that means
division was correct, then 3x2 + 2x + 6 (2x − 4) + 22 should be 6x3 − 8x2 + 4x − 2.
Checking the answer by multiplying back
3x2 + 2x + 6 (2x − 4) + 22
(7.17)
= 6x3 − 12x2 + 4x2 − 8x − 24 + 22
(7.18)
= 6x3 − 8x2 + 4x − 2[U+2713]
(7.19)
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
Chapter 8
Radicals
8.1 Radical Concepts1
The concept of a radical (or root) is a familiar one, and was reviewed in the conceptual explanation of logarithms in the previous chapter. In this chapter, we are going to explore some possibly unfamiliar properties
of radicals, and solve equations involving radicals.
8.2 Properties of Radicals2
√
What is x2 + 9? Many students will answer quickly that the answer is ( x + 3) and have a very difficult
time believing this answer is wrong. But it is wrong.
√
√
√
x2 is x ∗ 3 and 9 is 3, but x2 + 9 is not ( x + 3).
√
Why not? Remember that x2 + 9 is asking a question: “what squared gives the answer x2 + 9 ?” So
( x + 3) is not an answer, because ( x + 3)2 = x2 + 6x+9, not x2 + 9 .
√
√
√
As an example, suppose x = 4. So x2 + 9 = 42 + 9 = 25 = 5. But ( x + 3) = 7.
√
NOTE : If two numbers are added or subtracted under a square root, you cannot split them up. In
√
p
√
√
symbols: a + b 6= a + b or, to put it another way, x2 + y2 6= a + b
x2 + 9 cannot, in fact, be simplified at all. It is a perfectly valid function, but cannot be rewritten in a
simpler form.
√
How about 9x2 ? By analogy to the previous discussion, you might expect that this cannot be simplified
either. But in fact, it can be simplified:
√
9x2 = 3x
√
Why? Again, 9x2 is asking “what squared gives the answer 9x2 ?” The answer is 3x because (3x )2 = 9x2 .
q
2
Similarly, x92 = 3x , because 3x = x92 .
1 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18244/1.2/>.
content is available√online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18271/1.1/>.
√
3 I’m fudging a bit here:
2
2
x2 is x only
√
√ if you ignore negative numbers. For instance, if x = − − 3, then x = 9, and x is 3; so
in that case, x2 is not x. In general, x2 = | x |. However, this subtlety is not relevant to the overall point, which is that you cannot
break up two terms that are added under a radical.
2 This
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CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
NOTE :
If two numbers are
multiplied
or divided under a square root, you can split them up. In
√
√
√ √ qa
a
symbols: ab = a b, b = √
b
8.3 Simplifying Radicals4
8.3.1 Simplifying Radicals
√
√ √
The property ab= a b can be used to simplify radicals. The key is to break the number inside the root
into two factors, one of which is a perfect square.
Example 8.1: Simplifying a Radical
√
75
√
= 25 • 3
√ √
= 25 3
√
=5 3
because 25•3 is 75, and 25 is a perfect square
√
√ √
because
ab = a
b
√
because 25 =5
Table 8.1
So we conclude that
√
75=5
√
3. You can confirm this on your calculator (both are approximately 8.66).
We rewrote 75 as 25 • 3 because 25 is a perfect square. We could, of course, also rewrite 75 as 5 • 15, but—
although correct—that would not help us simplify, because neither number is a perfect square.
Example 8.2: Simplifying a Radical in Two Steps
√
180
√
= 9 • 20
√ √
= 9 20
√
= 3 20
√
= 3 4•5
√ √
=3 4 5
√
= 3 (2) 5
√
=6 5
because 9 • 20 is 180, and 9 is a perfect square
√
√ √
because
ab = a
b
So far, so good. But wait! We’re not done!
There’s another perfect square to pull out!
Now we’re done.
Table 8.2
The moral of this second example is that after you simplify, you should always look to see if you can
simplify again .
A secondary moral is, try to pull out the biggest perfect square you can. We could have jumped straight to
the answer if we had begun by rewriting 180 as 36 • 5.
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This sort of simplification can sometimes allow you to combine radical terms, as in this example:
Example 8.3: Combining Radicals
√
√
75 −− 12
√
√
= 5 3 −−2 3
=3
√
√
√
We found earlier that
75 =
√ 5 3 .√Use the
same method to confirm that
12 = 2 3 .
3
5 of anything minus 2 of that same thing is 3 of
it, right?
Table 8.3
√
2
That
when the
√ last step may take a bit of thought. It can only be used√
√ radical is the same. Hence,
+ 3 cannot be simplified at all. We were able to simplify
75 – 12 only by making the radical in
both cases the same .
√
√
√
So why does 5 3− − 2 3= 3 3? It may be simplest to think about verbally: 5 of these things, minus 2
of the same things,√is 3 of them. But you can look at it more formally as a factoring problem, if you see a
common factor of 3.
√
√
√
√
5 3− − 2 3 = 3(5 − −2) = 3(3).
Of course, the process is exactly the same if variable are involved instead of just numbers!
Example 8.4: Combining Radicals with Variables
3
5
x2 + x2
= x3 + x5
√
√
= x2 ∗ x + x4 ∗ x
√
√
√
√
x2 + x + x4 + x
√
√
= x x + x2 x
√
= x2 + x
x
Remember the definition of fractional exponents!
As always, we simplify radicals by factoring them inside the root...
and then breaking them up...
and then taking square roots outside!
Now that the radical is the same, we can combine.
Table 8.4
8.3.1.1 Rationalizing the Denominator
It is always possible to express a fraction with no square roots in the denominator.
Is it always desirable? Some texts are religious about this point: “You should never
have a square root in
√
the denominator.” I have absolutely no idea why. To me,
reason for forbidding the first or preferring the second.
√1
2
looks simpler than
2
2 ;
I see no overwhelming
However, there are times when it is useful to remove the radicals from the denominator: for instance, when
adding fractions. The trick for doing this is based on the basic rule of fractions: if you multiply the top
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CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
and bottom of a fraction by the same number, the fraction is unchanged. This rule enables us to say, for
instance, that 23 is exactly the same number as 32··33 = 69 .
√
In a case like √1 , therefore, you can multiply the top and bottom by 2.
√1
2
=
√1∗2√
2∗ 2
2
√
=
2
2
√
√ ? You might think we could simplify this by multiplying
What about a more complicated case, such as 12
1+ 3
√
√
the top and bottom by (1+ 3), but that doesn’t work: the bottom turns into (1 + 3)2 = 1 + 2 3+3, which
is at least as ugly as what we had before.
√
√
The correct trick for getting rid of (1+ 3) is to multiply it by (1 − − 3). These two expressions, identical
except for the replacement of a+ by a−, are known as conjugates. What happens when we multiply them?
We don’t need to use FOIL if we remember that
( x + y ) ( x − y ) = x 2 − y2
Using this formula, we see that
1+
√ 2
√ √ 3 1 − 3 = 12 −
3 = 1 − 3 = −2
So the square root does indeed go away. We can use this to simplify the original expression as follows.
Example 8.5:
Rationalizing
Using the Conjugate of the Denominator
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
12(1− 3)
12
− 36
12
√ =
√
√
= 1−
= 2 −32−6 = − 3 + 3
3
1+ 3
(1+ 3)(1− 3)
As always, you may want to check this on your calculator. Both the original and the simplified expression
are approximately 1.268.
Of course, the process is the same when variables are involved.
Example 8.6: Rationalizing
with Variables
√
√
1( x + x )
x+ x
1√
√
√
=
=
x− x
( x− x)( x+ x) x2 − x
Once again, we multiplied the top and the bottom by the conjugate of the denominator: that is, we replaced
a− with a+. The formula ( x + a) ( x − a) = x2 − a2 enabled us to quickly multiply the terms on the bottom,
and eliminated the square roots in the denominator.
8.4 Radical Equations5
When solving equations that involve radicals, begin by asking yourself: is there an x under the square
root? The answer to this question will determine the way you approach the problem.
If there is not an x under the square root—if only numbers are under the radicals—you can solve much the
same way you would solve with no radicals at all.
Example 8.7: Radical Equation with No Variables Under Square Roots
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√
√
2x + 5 = 7 − − 3x
√
√
2 + 3x = 7 − 5
√
√ x
2+ 3 = 2
x=
√ 2√
2+ 3
Sample problem: no variables under radicals
Get everything with an x on one side, everything else on the other
Factor out the x
Divide, to solve for x
Table 8.5
√
The key thing to note about such problems is that you do not have to square both sides of the equation. 2
may look ugly, but it is just a number—you could find it on your calculator if you wanted to—it functions
in the equation just the way that the number 10, or 13 , or π would.
If there is an x under the square root, the problem is completely different. You will have to square both
sides to get rid of the radical. However, there are two important notes about this kind of problem.
1. Always get the radical alone, on one side of the equation, before squaring.
2. Squaring both sides can introduce false answers—so it is important to check your answers after solving!
Both of these principles are demonstrated in the following example.
Example 8.8: Radical Equation with Variables under Square Roots
√
√
x + 2 + 3x = 5x + 1
Sample problem with variables under radicals
x + 2 = 2x + 1
Isolate the radical before squaring!
x + 2 = (2x + 1)
2
Now, square both sides
x + 2 = 4x2 + 4x + 1
Multiply out. Hey, it looks like a quadratic equation now!
2
x + 2 = 4x + 4x + 1
As always with quadratics, get everything on one side.
(4x − 1) ( x + 1) = 0
Factoring: the easiest way to solve quadratic equations.
x=
1
4
or x = −1
Two solutions. Do they work? Check in the original equation!
Table 8.6
Check x = 41
q
?
1
1
1
+
2
+
3
=
5
4
4 +1
q4
?
1
+ 8 + 3 = 45 + 1
q4 4 4
9
3 ? 5
4
4 + 4 = 4 + 4
3
2
9
4
+
=
3 ? 5
4 = 4
9
4
+
4
4
Check x = − − 1
√
?
−1 + 2 + 3 (−1) = 5 (−1) + 1
√
?
1 − 3 = −5 + 1
?
1 − 3 = −5 + 1
−2 = −4 Not equal!
Table 8.7
So the algebra yielded two solutions: 14 and –1. Checking, however, we discover that only the first solution
is valid. This problem demonstrates how important it is to check solutions whenever squaring both sides
of an equation.
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CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
If variables under the radical occur more than once, you will have to go through this procedure multiple
times. Each time, you isolate a radical and then square both sides.
Example 8.9: Radical Equation with Variables under Square Roots Multiple Times
√
x+7−x = 1
√
x+7 = x+1
√
x+7 = x+2 x+1
√
6=2 x
Sample problem with variables under radicals multiple times
3=x
Isolate the remaining radical, then square both sides again..
9=x
In this case, we end up with only one solution. But we still need to check it.
√
Isolate one radical. (I usually prefer to start with the bigger one.)
Square both sides. The two-radical equation is now a one-radical equation.
Table 8.8
Check x=9
√ ?
9+7− 9 = 1
√
√ ?
16 − 9 = 1
√
4−3 = 1
Table 8.9
Remember, the key to this problem was recognizing that variables under the radical occurred in the original problem two times. That cued us that we would have to go through the process—isolate a radical,
then square both sides—twice, before we could solve for x. And whenever you square both sides of the
equation, it’s vital to check your answer(s)!
8.4.1 When good math leads to bad answers
Why is it that—when squaring both sides of an equation—perfectly good algebra can lead to invalid solutions? The answer is in the redundancy of squaring. Consider the following equation:
− − 5 = 5 False. But square both sides, and we get...
25 = 25 True. So squaring both sides of a false equation can produce a true equation.
To see how this affects our equations, try plugging x = −1 into the various steps of the first example.
Example 8.10: Why did we get a false answer of x=–1 in Example 1?
√
√
x + 2 + 3x = 5x + 1
Does x = −1 work here? No, it does not.
x + 2 = 2x + 1
How about here? No, x = −1 produces the false equation 1=–1.
x + 2 = (2x + 1)
2
Suddenly, x = −1 works. (Try it!)
Table 8.10
127
When we squared both sides, we “lost” the difference between 1 and –1, and they “became equal.”
From here on, when we solved, we ended up with x = −1 as a valid solution.
Test your memory: When you square both sides of an equation, you can introduce false answers. We have
encountered one other situation where good algebra can lead to a bad answer. When was it?
Answer: It was during the study of absolute value equations, such as |2x + 3| = −11x + 42. In those
equations, we also found the hard-and-fast rule that you must check your answers as the last step.
What do these two types of problem have in common? The function | x | actually has a lot in common with
x2 . Both of them have the peculiar property that they always turn − a and a into the same response. (For
instance, if you plug –3 and 3 into the function, you get the same thing back.) This property is known as
being an even function. Dealing with such “redundant” functions leads, in both cases, to the possibility of
false answers.
The similarity between these two functions can also be seen in the graphs: although certainly not identical,
they bear a striking resemblance to each other. In particular, both graphs are symmetric about the y-axis,
which is the fingerprint of an “even function”.
(a)
(b)
Figure 8.1
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CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
Chapter 9
Imaginary Numbers
9.1 Imaginary Numbers Concepts1
−12 = 1
12 = 1
Whether you square a positive or a negative number, the answer is positive. It is impossible to square any
number and get a negative answer.
√
So what is −1? Since it asks the question “What number squared is –1?”, and since nothing squared ever
√
gives the answer –1, we say that the question has no answer. More generally, we say that the domain of x
is all numbers x such that x ≥ 0. –1 is not in the domain.
However, it turns out that for a certain class of problems, it is useful to define a new kind of number that
has the peculiar property that when you square them, you do get negative answers.
Definition of i
The definition of the imaginary number i is that it is the square root of –1:
√
i = −1 or, equivalently, i2 + −1
i is referred to as an “imaginary number” because it cannot represent real quantities such as “the number of
rocks” or “the length of a stick.” However, surprisingly, imaginary numbers can be useful in solving many
real world problems!
I often like to think of x as being like a science fiction story. Many science fiction stories are created by
starting with one false premise, such as “time travel is possible” or “there are men on Mars,” and then
following that premise logically to see where it would lead. With imaginary numbers, we start with the
premise that “a number exists whose square is –1.” We then follow that premise logically, using all the
established rules of math, to see where it leads.
"The imaginary number is a fine and wonderful resource of the human spirit, almost an amphibian between being and not being."
-Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
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9.2 Playing with i2
Let’s begin with a few very simple exercises designed to show how we apply the normal rules of algebra to
this new, abnormal number.
A
few
very
simple
examples
of
expressions
involving
i
Simplify:
i•5
Answer:
5i
Simplify:
i + 5i
Answer:
6i (Add anything to 5 of itself, and you get 6 of it.
Or, you can think of this as “pulling out” an i as
follows: i + 5i = i (1 + 5) = 6i)
Simplify:
2i + 3
Answer:
You can’t simplify it.
Table 9.1
Now let’s try something a little more involved.
Example: Simplify the expression (3+2i)2
2
(3 + 2i ) = 32 + 2 (3) (2i ) + (2i )2
because( x + a) 2 = x2 + 2ax + a2 as always
= 9 + 12i − −4
(2i)2 = (2i)(2i) = (2)(2)(i)(i) = 4i2 = − − 4
= 5 + 12i
we can combine the 9 and –4, but not the 12i.
Table 9.2
It is vital to remember that i is not a variable, and this is not an algebraic generalization. You cannot plug
i = 3 into that equation and expect anything valid to come out. The equation (3+2i)2 = 5 + 12i has been
shown to be true for only one number: that number is i, the square root of –1.
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In the next example, we simplify a radical using exactly the same technique that we used in the unit on
radicals, except that a − −1 is thrown into the picture.
Example: Simplify
√
p
−20 = (4) (5) (−1)
√ √ √
= 4 5 −1
√
= 2i 5
Is 2i
√
√
−20
as always, factor out the perfect squares
√
√ √
then split it, because ab= a b
√
√
√
√
4=2, −1= i, and 5is just 5
Check
5 really the square root of –20? If it is, then when we square it, we should get –20.
√ 2
2i2 5 = 22 i2 52 = 4 ∗ −1 ∗ 5 = −20
It works!
Table 9.3
The problem above has a very important consequence. We began by saying “You can’t take the square root
of any negative number.” Then we defined i as the square root of –1. But we see that, using i, we can now
take the square root of any negative number.
9.3 Complex Numbers3
A “complex number” is the sum of two parts: a real number by itself, and a real number multiplied by i. It
can therefore be written as a + bi, where a and bi are real numbers.
The first part, a, is referred to as the real part. The second part, bi, is referred to as the imaginary part.
Examples of complex numbers a + bi (a is the “real part”; bi is the “imaginary part”)
3 + 2i
a = 3, b = 2
π
a = π, b = 0(no imaginary part: a “pure real number”)
−i
a = 0, b = −1 (no real part: a “pure imaginary number”)
Table 9.4
Some numbers are not obviously in the form a + bi. However, any number can be put in this form.
Example 1: Putting a fraction into a + bi form (i in the numerator)
3−4i
5
is a valid complex number. But it is not in the form a + bi, and we cannot immediately see what the
real and imaginary parts are.
continued on next page
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To see the parts, we rewrite it like this:
3−4i
3 4
5 = 5– 5i
Why does that work? It’s just the ordinary rules of fractions, applied backward. (Try multiplying and
then subtracting on the right to confirm this.) But now we have a form we can use:
3−4i
5
a = 35 , b = − −
4
5
So we see that fractions are very easy to break up, if the i is in the numerator. An i in the denominator is
a bit trickier to deal with.
Table 9.5
Example 2: Putting a fraction into a + bi form (i in the denominator)
1
i
=
=
1· i
i ·i
Multiplying the top and bottom of a fraction by
the same number never changes the value of the
fraction: it just rewrites it in a different form.
i
−1
Because i • i is i2 , or –1.
= −i
This is not a property of i, but of –1. Similarly, −51
= − − 5.
1
i:
since we rewrote it as −i, or 0 − 1i
a = 0, b = −1
Table 9.6
Finally, what if the denominator is a more complicated complex number? The trick in this case is similar
to the trick we used for rationalizing the denominator: we multiply by a quantity known as the complex
conjugate of the denominator.
Definition of Complex Conjugate
The complex conjugate of the number a + bi is a − bi. In words, you leave the real part alone, and change
the sign of the imaginary part.
Here is how we can use the “complex conjugate” to simplify a fraction.
Example: Using the Complex Conjugate to put a fraction into a + bi form
5
3−4i
=
=
=
=
=
=
5(3+4i )
(3−4i )(3+4i )
15+20i 2
32 −(4i )
15+20i
9+16
15+20i
25
15
20i
25 + 25
3
4
5+ 5i
The fraction: a complex number not currently in the form a + bi
Multiply the top and bottom by the complex conjugate of the denominator
Remember, ( x + a) ( x − − a) = x2 − − a2
(4i )2 = 42 i2 = 16 (− − 1) = − − 16, which we are subtracting from 9
Success! The top has i, but the bottom doesn’t. This is easy to deal with.
Break the fraction up, just as we did in a previous example.
So we’re there! a =
3
5
and b =
4
5
Table 9.7
Any number of any kind can be written as a + bi. The above examples show
√ how to rewrite fractions in
this form. In the text, you go through a worksheet designed to rewrite 3 −1 as three
√ different complex
numbers. Once you understand this exercise, you can rewrite other radicals, such as i, in a + bi form.
133
9.4 Equality and Inequality in Complex Numbers4
What does it mean for two complex numbers to be equal? As always, equality asserts that two things are
exactly the same. 7 + 3i is not equal to 7, or to 3i, or to 7 − 3i, or to 3 + 7i. It is not equal to anything except
7 + 3i.
Definition of Equality
Two complex numbers are equal to each other only if their real parts are equal, and their imaginary parts
are equal.
So if we say that two complex numbers equal each other, we are actually making two separate, independent
statements. We can use this, for instance, to solve for two separate variables.
Example: Complex Equality
If 3x + 4yi + 7 = 4x + 8i, what are x and y?
Normally, it is impossible to solve one equation for two unknowns. But this is really two separate
equations!
Real part on the left = real part on the right:
3x + 7 = 4x
Imaginary part on the left = imaginary part on the
right:
4y = 8
We can now solve both of these equations trivially.
x = 7, y = 2
Table 9.8
And what about inequalities? The answer may surprise you: there are no inequalities with complex
numbers, at least not in the form we’re seeing.
The real numbers have the property that for any two real numbers a and b, exactly one of the following
three statements must be true: a = b, a > b, or a < b. This is one of those properties that seems almost too
obvious to bother with. But it becomes more interesting when you realize that the complex numbers do not
have that property. Consider two simple numbers, i and 1. Which of the following is true?
• i=1
• i>1
• i<1
None of them is true. It is not generally possible to describe two complex numbers as being “greater than”
or “less than” each other.
Visually, this corresponds to the fact that all the real numbers can be laid out on a number line: “greater
than” means “to the right of” and so on. The complex numbers cannot be laid out on a number line. They
are sometimes pictured on a 2-dimensional graph, where the real part is the x coordinate and the imaginary
part is the y coordinate. But one point on a graph is neither greater than, nor less than, another point!
9.5 Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers5
In the unit on quadratic equations and complex numbers, we saw that a quadratic equation can have two
answers, one answer, or no answers.
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CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
We can now modify this third case. In cases where we described “no answers” there are actually two
answers, but both are complex! This is easy to see if you remember that we found “no answers” when the
discriminant was negative—that is, when the quadratic formula gave us a negative answer in the square
root.
As an example, consider the equation:
2x2 + 3x + 5 = 0
The quadratic equation gives us:
√
√
−3± 32 −4(2)(5)
−3± −31
=
x=
4
4
This is the point where, in the “old days,” we would have given up and declared “no answer.” Now we
can find two answers—both complex.
=
−3
4
±
√ √
31 −1
4
=
−3
4
√
±
31
4 i
So we have two answers. Note that the two answers are complex conjugates of each other—this relationship comes directly from the quadratic formula.
9.6 A Few “Extra for Experts” Thoughts on Imaginary Numbers6
9.6.1 Illegal Operations
So far, we have seen three different illegal operations in math.
√
1. You cannot take the square root of a negative number. (Hence, the domain of x is x ≥ 0.)
2. You cannot divide by zero. (Hence, the domain of 1x is x 6= 0.)
3. You cannot take the log of 0 or a negative number. (Hence, the domain of log ( x ) is x ≥ 0.)
Imaginary numbers give us a way of violating the first restriction. Less obviously, they also give us a way
of violating the third restriction: with imaginary numbers, you can take the log of a negative number.
So, how about that second restriction? Do you ever reach a point in math where the teacher admits “OK,
we really can divide by 0 now”? Can we define a new imaginary number j = 10 ?
The answer is emphatically no: you really can’t divide by 0. If you attempt to define an imaginary way
around this problem, all of math breaks down. Consider the following simple example:
5•0 = 3•0
That’s true
5=3
Divide both sides by 0
Table 9.9
You see? Dividing by 0 takes us from true conclusions to false ones.
√
The astonishing thing about the definition i = −1 is that, although it is imaginary and nonsensical, it
is consistent: it does not lead to any logical contradictions. You can find many ways to simplify 1i and it
will always reduce to − − i in the end. Division by zero can never be consistent in this way, so it is always
forbidden.
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A great deal of Calculus is concerned with getting around this problem, by dividing by numbers that are
very close to zero.
9.6.2 The World of Numbers
When you first learn about numbers, you learn the counting numbers:
1,2,3,4...
counting numbers
Table 9.10
These numbers are perfect for answering questions such as “How many sticks do I have?” “How many
days until Christmas?” “How many years old are you?”
For other questions, however, you run into limitations. In measuring temperature, for instance, we find
that we need lower numbers than 1. Hence, we arrive at a broader list:
...–4,–3,–2,–1,0,1,2,3,4...
integers
Table 9.11
The addition of 0 and the negative numbers gives us a new, broader set. The original idea of numbers is
now seen as a special case of this more general idea; the original set is a subset of this one.
Still, if we are measuring lengths of sticks, we will find that often they fall between our numbers. Now we
have to add fractions, or decimals, to create the set of rational numbers. I can no longer list the set, but I
can give examples.
1
2,
–3,
22
7 ,
0, 2.718, 0.14141414...
rational numbers
Table 9.12
The word “rational” implies a ratio, or fraction: the ratio of two integers. Hence, we define our new,
broader set (rational numbers) in terms of our older, more limited set (integers). Rational numbers can be
expressed as either fractions, or as decimals (which either end after a certain number of digits, or repeat the
same loop of digits forever).
This set seems to be all-inclusive, but it isn’t: certain numbers cannot be expressed in this form.
√
2, π
irrational numbers
Table 9.13
The square root of any non-perfect square is “irrational” and so is π. They can be approximated as fractions,
but not expressed exactly. As decimals, they go on forever but do not endlessly repeat the same loop.
If you take the rationals and irrationals together, you get the real numbers. The real numbers are all the
numbers represented on a number line.
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CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
Figure 9.1: All the numbers on a number line are the real numbers
Now, with this unit, we have added the final piece of the puzzle, the complex numbers. A complex number
is any number a + bi where a and b are real numbers. Hence, just as our definition of rational numbers was
based on our definition of integers, so our definition of complex numbers is based on our definition of real
numbers. And of course, if b = 0 then we have a real number: the old set is a subset of the new.
All of this can be represented in the following diagram.
Figure 9.2
The diagram captures the vital idea of subsets: all real numbers are complex numbers, but not all complex
numbers are real.
Similarly, the diagram shows that if you take all the rational numbers, and all the irrational numbers,
together they make up the set of real numbers.
Chapter 10
Matrices
10.1 Matrices1
10.1.1 Conceptual Explanations: Matrices
A “matrix” is a grid, or table, of numbers. For instance, the following matrix represents the prices at the
store “Nuthin’ But Bed Stuff.”
King-sized
Queen-sized
Twin
Mattress
$649
$579
$500
Box spring
$350
$250
$200
Fitted sheet
$15
$12
$10
Top sheet
$15
$12
$10
Blanket
$20
$20
$15
Table 10.1
(The matrix is the numbers, not the words that label them.)
Of course, these prices could be displayed in a simple list: “King-sized mattress,” “Queen-sized mattress,”
and so on. However, this two-dimensional display makes it much easier to compare the prices of mattresses
to box springs, or the prices of king-sized items to queen-sized items, for instance.
Each horizontal list of numbers is referred to as a row; each vertical list is a column. Hence, the list of all
mattresses is a row; the list of all king-sized prices is a column. (It’s easy to remember which is which if
you think of Greek columns, which are big posts that hold up buildings and are very tall and...well, you
know...vertical.) This particular matrix has 5 rows and 3 columns. It is therefore referred to as a 5×3 (read,
“5 by 3”) matrix.
If a matrix has the same number of columns as rows, it is referred to as a square matrix.
10.1.2 Adding and Subtracting Matrices
Adding matrices is very simple. You just add each number in the first matrix, to the corresponding number
in the second matrix.
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

CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
1
2
3
4
5
6


+ 
60
50
40
30
20
10


= 
61
52
43
34
25
16


For instance, for the upper-right-hand corner, the calculation was 3 + 40 = 43. Note that both matrices
being added are 2×3, and the resulting matrix is also 2×3. You cannot add two matrices that have different
dimensions.
As you might guess, subtracting works much the same way, except that you subtract instead of adding.



 

60 50 40
1 2 3
59 48 37

 −− 
=

30 20 10
4 5 6
26 15 4
Once again, note that the resulting matrix has the same dimensions as the originals, and that you cannot
subtract two matrices that have different dimensions.
10.1.3 Multiplying a Matrix by a Constant
What does it mean to multiply a number by 3? It means you add the number to itself 3 times.
Multiplying a matrix by 3 means the same thing...you add the matrix to itself 3 times.

 
 
 
 

1 2 3
1 2 3
1 2 3
1 2 3
3 6 9
=
+
+
=

3
4 5 6
4 5 6
4 5 6
4 5 6
12 15 18
Note what has happened: each element in the original matrix has been multiplied by 3. Hence, we arrive
at the method for multiplying a matrix by a constant: you multiply each element by that constant. The
resulting matrix has the same dimensions as the original.

 

1
3
1
2
3
1
2 
1 
= 2
2
4 5 6
2 52 3
10.1.4 Matrix Equality
For two matrices to be “equal” they must be exactly the same. That is, they must have the same dimensions,
and each element in the first matrix must be equal to the corresponding element in the second matrix.
For instance, consider the following matrix equation.

 

1 x+y
1
18

=

12
10
x − y 10
Both matrices have the same dimensions. And the upper-left and lower-right elements are definitely the
same.
But for the matrix to be equal, we also need the other two elements to be the same. So
x + y = 18
x − −y = 12
139
Solving these two equations (for instance, by elimination) we find that x = 15, y = 3.
You may notice an analogy here to complex numbers. When we assert that two complex numbers equal
each other, we are actually making two statements: the real parts are equal, and the imaginary parts are
equal. In such a case, we can use one equation to solve for two unknowns. A very similar situation exists with matrices, except that one equation actually represents many more statements. For 2×2 matrices,
setting them equal makes four separate statements; for 2×3 matrices, six separate statements; and so on.
OK, take a deep breath. Even if you’ve never seen a matrix before, the concept is not too difficult, and
everything we’ve seen so far should be pretty simple, if not downright obvious.
Let that breath out now. This is where it starts to get weird.
10.2 Multiplying Matrices2
10.2.1 Multiplying a Row Matrix by a Column Matrix
A “row matrix” means a matrix with only one row. A “column matrix” means a matrix with only one
column. When a row matrix has the same number of elements as a column matrix, they can be multiplied.
So the following is a perfectly legal matrix multiplication problem:


10


h
i  20 



1 2 3 4 x
 30 


40
These two matrices could not be added, of course, since their dimensions are different, but they can be
multiplied. Here’s how you do it. You multiply the first (left-most) item in the row, by the first (top) item
in the column. Then you do the same for the second items, and the third items, and so on. Finally, you add
all these products to produce the final number.
Figure 10.1
A couple of my students (Nakisa Asefnia and Laura Parks) came up with an ingenious trick for visualizing
this process. Think of the row as a dump truck, backing up to the column dumpster. When the row dumps
its load, the numbers line up with the corresponding numbers in the column, like so:
2 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18291/1.1/>.
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Figure 10.2
So, without the trucks and dumpsters, we express the result—a row matrix, times a column matrix—like
this:


10


i
h
i  20  h


 = 300
1 2 3 4 
 30 


40
There are several subtleties to note about this operation.
• The picture is a bit deceptive, because it might appear that you are multiplying two columns. In fact,
you cannot multiply a column matrix by a column matrix. We are multiplying a row matrix by a
column matrix. The picture of the row matrix “dumping down” only demonstrates which numbers
to multiply.
• The answer to this problem is not a number: it is a 1-by-1 matrix.
• The multiplication can only be performed if the number of elements in each matrix is the same. (In
this example, each matrix has 4 elements.)
• Order matters! We are multiplying a row matrix times a column matrix, not the other way around.
It’s important to practice a few of these, and get the hang of it, before you move on.
10.2.2 Multiplying Matrices in General
The general algorithm for multiplying matrices is built on the row-times-column operation discussed
above. Consider the following example:
141

1
2

 4


 7

10
5
8
11
3


 10
6 


 20
9 
 30
12
40


50 

60
The key to such a problem is to think of the first matrix as a list of rows (in this case, 4 rows), and the
second matrix as a list of columns (in this case, 2 columns). You are going to multiply each row in the
first matrix, by each column in the second matrix. In each case, you will use the “dump truck” method
illustrated above.
Start at the beginning: first row, times first column.
Now, move down to the next row. As you do so, move down in the answer matrix as well.
Now, move down the rows in the first matrix, multiplying each one by that same column on the right. List
the numbers below each other.
The first column of the second matrix has become the first column of the answer. We now move on to the
second column and repeat the entire process, starting with the first row.
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
And so on, working our way once again through all the rows in the first matrix.
We’re done. We can summarize the results of this entire operation as follows:





1 2 3 
140 320




 4 5 6  10 40   320 770 






 20 50 = 

 7 8 9 
 500 1220 

 30 60


10 11 12
680 1670
It’s a strange and ugly process—but everything we’re going to do in the rest of this unit builds on this, so
it’s vital to be comfortable with this process. The only way to become comfortable with this process is to
do it. A lot. Multiply a lot of matrices until you are confident in the steps.
Note that we could add more rows to the first matrix, and that would add more rows to the answer.
We could add more columns to the second matrix, and that would add more columns to the answer.
However—if we added a column to the first matrix, or added a row to the second matrix, we would have an
illegal multiplication. As an example, consider what happens if we try to do this multiplication in reverse:




1
2
3

10 40 


4
5
6 


 20 50  
 Illegal multiplication



7
8
9

30 60 
10 11 12
If we attempt to multiply these two matrices, we start
with the first row of the first matrix, times
 (as always)

1


h
i 4 


the first column of the second matrix: 10 40 
. But this is an illegal multiplication; the items
 7 


10
don’t line up, since there are two elements in the row and four in the column. So you cannot multiply these
two matrices.
This example illustrates two vital properties of matrix multiplication.
• The number of columns in the first matrix, and the number of rows in the second matrix, must be
equal. Otherwise, you cannot perform the multiplication.
• Matrix multiplication is not commutative—which is a fancy way of saying, order matters. If you
reverse the order of a matrix multiplication, you may get a different answer, or you may (as in this
case) get no answer at all.
143
10.3 The Identity Matrix3
When multiplying numbers, the number 1 has a special property: when you multiply 1 by any number,
you get that same number back. We can express this property as an algebraic generalization:
1x = x
(10.1)
The matrix that has this property is referred to as the identity matrix.
Definition of Identity Matrix
The identity matrix, designated as [ I ], is defined by the property: [ A] [ I ] = [ I ] [ A] = [ A]
Note that the definition of [I] stipulates that the multiplication must commute—that is, it must yield the
same answer no matter which order you multiply in. This is important because, for most matrices, multiplication does not commute.
What matrix has this property? Your first guess might be a matrix full of 1s, but that doesn’t work:


1
2
3
4


1
1
1
1


=
3
3
7
7



so 
1
1
1
1

 is not an identity matrix
Table 10.2
The matrix that does work is a diagonal stretch of 1s, with all other elements being 0.



1
2
3
4
2


5

 π

−3
−2
1/2
1
0
0
1
9
 
= 

1
2
3
4



so 


1
0
0


8 
 0
8.3
0
1
 

0 
= π
1
−3
0
2
5
9
−2
1/2


8 

8.3

1
0
0
1
1
0
0

 0

0
1

0 
 is the identity for 3x3 matrices
1

0
 is the identity for 2x2 matrices

Table 10.3
You should confirm those multiplications for yourself, and also confirm that they work in reverse order (as
the definition requires).
Hence, we are led from the definition to:
The Identity Matrix
For any square matrix, its identity matrix is a diagonal stretch of 1s going from the upper-left-hand corner
to the lower-right, with all other elements being 0. Non-square matrices do not have an identity. That is,
for a non-square matrix [ A], there is no matrix such that [ A] [ I ] = [ I ] [ A] = [ A].
Why no identity for a non-square matrix? Because of the requirement of commutativity. For a non-square
matrix [ A] you might be able to find a matrix [ I ] such that [ A] [ I ] = [ A]; however, if you reverse the order,
you will be left with an illegal multiplication.
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10.4 The Inverse Matrix4
We have seen that the number 1 plays a special role in multiplication, because 1x = x.
The inverse of a number is defined as the number that multiplies by that number to give 1: b is the inverse
of a if ab = 1. Hence, the inverse of 3 is 13 ; the inverse of −85 = −58 . Every number except 0 has an inverse.
By analogy, the inverse of a matrix multiplies by that matrix to give the identity matrix.
Definition of Inverse Matrix
The inverse of matrix [ A], designated as [ A]−1 , is defined by the property: [ A] [ A]−1 = [ A]−1 [ A] = [ I ]
The superscript –1 is being used here in a similar way to its use in functions. Recall that f −−1 ( x ) does
not designate an exponent of any kind, but instead, an inverse function. In the same way, [ A]−−1 does not
denote an exponent, but an inverse matrix.
Note that, just as in the definition of the identity matrix, this definition requires commutativity—the multiplication must work the same in either order.
Note also that only square matrices can have an inverse. Why? The definition of an inverse matrix is based
on the identity matrix [ I ], and we already said that only square matrices even have an identity!
How
do 
you find an inverse matrix? The method comes directly from the definition, with a little algebra.

a b

 as the inverse that we are looking for, by asserting that it fills the definition of an inverse
c d
matrix: when you multiply this mystery matrix by our original matrix, you get [I]. When we solve for
the four variables a, b, c, and d, we will have found our inverse matrix.

 

3a + 4c 3b + 4d
1 0

=
 Do the multiplication. (You should check this step for yourself, it’s
5a + 6c 5b + 6d
0 1
great practice. For instance, you start by multiplying first row x first column, and you get 3a+4c.)
3a + 4c = 1
3b + 4d = 0
5a + 6c = 0 5b + 6d = 1 Remember what it means for two matrices to
be equal: every element in the left must equal its corresponding element on the right. So, for these two
matrices to equal each other, all four of these equations must hold.
a = −−3
b = 2
c = 2 12
d = − − 1 12 Solve the first two equations for a and c by using either
elimination or substitution. Solve the second two equations for b and d by using either elimination or
substitution. (The steps are not shown here.)


−3
2
 Having found the four variables, we have found the inverse.
So the inverse is: 
2 12 −1 12


a b

 as the inverse that we are looking for, by asserting that it fills the definition of an inverse
c d
matrix: when you multiply this mystery matrix by our original matrix, you get [I]. When we solve for
the four variables a, b, c, and d, we will have found our inverse matrix.
4 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18294/1.1/>.
145

3a + 4c
3b + 4d


1
0

=
 Do the multiplication. (You should check this step for yourself, it’s
5a + 6c 5b + 6d
0 1
great practice. For instance, you start by multiplying first row x first column, and you get 3a+4c.)

3a + 4c = 1
3b + 4d = 0
5a + 6c = 0 5b + 6d = 1 Remember what it means for two matrices to
be equal: every element in the left must equal its corresponding element on the right. So, for these two
matrices to equal each other, all four of these equations must hold.
d = − − 1 12 Solve the first two equations for a and c by using either
a = −−3
b = 2
c = 2 12
elimination or substitution. Solve the second two equations for b and d by using either elimination or
substitution. (The steps are not shown here.)


−3
2
 Having found the four variables, we have found the inverse.
So the inverse is: 
2 12 −1 12


a b

 as the inverse that we are looking for, by asserting that it fills the definition of an inverse
c d
matrix: when you multiply this mystery matrix by our original matrix, you get [I]. When we solve for
the four variables a, b, c, and d, we will have found our inverse matrix.

 

3a + 4c 3b + 4d
1 0

=
 Do the multiplication. (You should check this step for yourself, it’s
5a + 6c 5b + 6d
0 1
great practice. For instance, you start by multiplying first row x first column, and you get 3a+4c.)
3a + 4c = 1
3b + 4d = 0
5a + 6c = 0 5b + 6d = 1 Remember what it means for two matrices to
be equal: every element in the left must equal its corresponding element on the right. So, for these two
matrices to equal each other, all four of these equations must hold.
a = −−3
b = 2
c = 2 12
d = − − 1 12 Solve the first two equations for a and c by using either
elimination or substitution. Solve the second two equations for b and d by using either elimination or
substitution. (The steps are not shown here.)


−3
2
 Having found the four variables, we have found the inverse.
So the inverse is: 
2 12 −1 12


Example: Finding an Inverse Matrix


3 4

Find the inverse of 
The problem
5 6


 

3 4
a b
1 0


=
 This is the key step. It establishes
5 6
c d
0 1
a
b
c
d


as the inverse that
b
c
d
we are looking for, by asserting that it fills the definition of an inverse matrix: when you multiply this
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
mystery matrix by our original matrix, you get [I]. When we solve for the four variables a, b, c, and d, we
will have found our inverse matrix.

 

3a + 4c 3b + 4d
1 0

=
 Do the multiplication. (You should check this step for yourself, it’s
5a + 6c 5b + 6d
0 1
great practice. For instance, you start by multiplying first row x first column, and you get 3a+4c.)
3a + 4c = 1
3b + 4d = 0
5a + 6c = 0 5b + 6d = 1 Remember what it means for two matrices to
be equal: every element in the left must equal its corresponding element on the right. So, for these two
matrices to equal each other, all four of these equations must hold.
d = − − 1 12 Solve the first two equations for a and c by using either
a = −−3
b = 2
c = 2 12
elimination or substitution. Solve the second two equations for b and d by using either elimination or
substitution. (The steps are not shown here.)


−3
2
 Having found the four variables, we have found the inverse.
So the inverse is: 
2 12 −1 12
Table 10.4
Did it work? Let’s find out.
Testing our Inverse Matrix


 
−3
2
3 4
1


 
1
1
2 2 −1 2
5 6
0
0
1


The definition of an inverse matrix: if we have
indeed found an inverse, then when we multiply
it by the original matrix, we should get [I].


(−3) (3) + (2) (5)
(−3) (4) + (2) (6)
  Do the multiplication.
2 12 (4) + −1 21 (6)
2 12 (3) + −1 12 (5)


1 0


0 1
continued on next page
147


−9 + 10 −12 + 12
7 12 − 7 12
10 − 9


=
1
0
0
1


It works!
Table 10.5
Note that, to fully test it, we would have to try the multiplication in both orders. Why? Because, in
general, changing the order of a matrix multiplication changes the answer; but the definition of an
inverse matrix specifies that it must work both ways! Only one order was shown above, so technically,
we have only half-tested this inverse.
This process does not have to be memorized: it should make logical sense. Everything we have learned
about matrices should make logical sense, except for the very arbitrary-looking definition of matrix
multiplication.
10.5 Matrices on a TI-83 or TI-84 Calculator5
Many modern graphing calculators have all the basic matrix operations built into them. The following
is a brief overview of how to work with matrices on a TI-83, TI-83 Plus, TI-84, or TI-84 Plus.
The calculator has room to store up to ten matrices at once. It refers to these matrices as [A], [B], and so
on, through [J]. Note that these are not the same as the 26 lettered memories used for numbers.
The following steps will walk you through the process of entering and manipulating matrices.
1. Hit the MATRX button. On a TI-83, this is a standalone button; on a TI-83 Plus, you first hit 2nd and
then MATRIX (above the x −−1 button). The resulting display is a list of all the available matrices.
(You have to scroll down if you want to see the ones below [G].)
Figure 10.3
2. Hit the right arrow key [U+25BA] twice, to move the focus from NAMES to EDIT. This signals that you
want to create, or change, a matrix.
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
Figure 10.4
3. Hit the number 1 to indicate that you want to edit the first matrix, [A].
4. Hit 4 ENTER 3 ENTER to indicate that you want to create a 4x3 matrix. (4 rows, 3 columns.)
Figure 10.5
5. Hit
1
4
7
10
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
2
5
8
11
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
3
6
9
12
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
This fills in the matrix with those numbers (you can watch it fill as you go). If you make a mistake,
you can use the arrow keys to move around in the matrix until the screen looks like the picture
below.
149
Figure 10.6
6. Hit 2nd Quit to return to the main screen.
7. Return to the main matrix menu, as before. However, this time, do not hit the right arrow to go
to the EDIT menu. Instead, from the NAMES menu, hit the number 1. This puts [A] on the main
screen. Then hit ENTER to display matrix [A].
Figure 10.7
8. Go through the process (steps 1-7) again, with a few changes. This time, define matrix [B] instead
of matrix [A]. (This will change step 3: once you are in the EDIT menu, you will hit a 2 instead of a
1.) Define [B] as a 3x2 matrix in step 4. Then, in step 5, enter the following numbers:

10

 20

30
40


50 

60
(10.2)
When you are done, and have returned to the main screen and punched 2 in the NAMES menu
(step 7), your main screen should look like this:
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
Figure 10.8
9. Now, type the following keys, watching the calculator as you do so. TI-83 Plus users should always
remember to hit 2nd MATRIX instead of just MATRX. MATRX 1 + MATRX 2
Figure 10.9
This instructs the computer to add the two matrices. Now hit ENTER
151
Figure 10.10
Hey, what happened? You asked the computer to add two matrices. But these matrices have different dimensions. Remember that you can only add two matrices if they have the same dimensions—
that is, the same number of rows as columns. So you got an “Error: Dimension Mismatch.” Hit
ENTER to get out of this error and return to the main screen.
10. Now try the same sequence without the + key: MATRX 1 MATRX 2 ENTER
Figure 10.11
This instructs the calculator to multiply the two matrices. This is a legal multiplication—in fact,
you may recognize it as the multiplication
that we didearlier. The calculator displays the result


1
2
3 
140 320
 10 40



 4
 
5
6 
320 770 





that we found by hand: 


 20 50  = 
 7


8
9 
500 1220 



30 60
10 11 12
680 1670


3 4
. When you confirm that it is entered correctly, the screen
11. Enter a third matrix, matrix [C]= 
5 6
should look like this:
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
Figure 10.12
Now type MATRX 3 x-1 ENTER
Figure 10.13
This takes the inverse of matrix [C]. Note that the answer matches the inverse matrix that we found
before.
12. Type MATRX 3 x-1 MATRX 3 ENTER
Figure 10.14
This instructs the calculator to multiply matrix [C]-1 times matrix [C]. The answer, of course, is the
153
2×2 identity matrix [I].
10.6 Determinants6
10.6.1 The Determinant of a 2x2 Matrix

In the exercise “Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix,” you found that the inverse of the matrix 

is
1 
ad−bc
d
−b
−c
a
a
b
c
d



. This formula can be used to very quickly find the inverse of any 2x2 matrix.
Note that if ad − −bc = 0, the formula does not work, since it puts a 0 in the denominator. This tells us
that, for any 2x2 matrix, if ad − −bc = 0 the matrix has no inverse.
The quantity ad–bc is therefore seen to have a special importance for 2x2 matrices, and it is accorded
a special name: the “determinant.” Determinants are represented mathematically with absolute value
signs: the determinant of matrix [A] is |A|.
Definition of the
of a 2x2 Matrix
 Determinant

a b
, the determinant is the number | A| = ad − bc.
If matrix [ A] = 
c d

For instance, for the matrix 
3
4
5
6

, the determinant is (3)(6)–(4)(5) = –2.
Note that the determinant is a number, not a matrix. It is a special number that is associated with a
matrix.
We said earlier that “if ad − −bc = 0 the matrix has no inverse.” We can now restate this result.
Any square matrix whose determinant is not 0, has an inverse matrix. Any square matrix with determinant 0 has no inverse.
This very important result is analogous to the result stated earlier for numbers: every number except 0
has an inverse.
10.6.2 The Determinant of a 3x3 Matrix (or larger)
Any square matrix has a determinant—an important number associated with that matrix. Non-square
matrices do not have a determinant.
How do you find the determinant of a 3x3 matrix? The method presented here is referred to as “expansion by minors.” There are other methods, but they turn out to be mathematically equivalent to this one:
that is, they end up doing the same arithmetic and arriving at the same answer.
6 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18289/1.1/>.
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
Example: Finding the Determinant of a 3x3 Matrix


2 4 5



Find the determinant of 
The problem.
 10 8 3 
1 1 1
***SORRY, THIS MEDIA TYPE IS NOT SUPPORTED.***
|
8
3
1
1
|=(8)(1)–(3)(1)=5
We’re going to walk through the top row, one element at a time, starting with the first element (the
2). In each case, begin by crossing out the row
and column that contain that number.
Once you cross out one row and column, you are
left with a 2x2 matrix (a “minor”). Take the determinant of that matrix.
2(5)=10
Now, that “minor” is what we got by crossing out
a 2 in the top row. Multiply that number in the
top row (2) by the determinant of the minor (5).
***SORRY, THIS MEDIA TYPE IS NOT SUPPORTED.*** (10)(1)–(3)(1)= 74(7)=28
Same operation for the second element in the row
(the 4 in this case)...
***SORRY, THIS MEDIA TYPE IS NOT SUPPORTED.*** (10)(1)–(8)(1) = 25(2)=10
...and the third (the 5 in this case).
+10 – 28 + 10 = –8
Take these numbers, and alternately add and
subtract them; add the first, subtract the second,
add the third. The result of all that is the determinant.
Table 10.6
This entire process can be written more concisely as:
2
4
5
| 10 8 3 | = 2|
1
1
1
8
3
1
1
| − 4|
10
3
1
1
| + 5|
10
8
1
1
| = 2 (5) − 4 (7) + 5 (2) = −8
This method of “expansion of minors” can be extended upward to any higher-order square matrix. For
instance, for a 4x4 matrix, each “minor” that is left when you cross out a row and column is a 3x3 matrix.
To find the determinant of the 4x4, you have to find the determinants of all four 3x3 minors!
Fortunately, your calculator can also find determinants. Enter the matrix given above as matrix [D]. Then
type:
MATRX [U+25BA] 1MATRX 4 ) ENTER
The screen should now look like this:
155
Figure 10.15
If you watched the calculator during that sequence, you saw that the right-arrow key took you to the MATH
submenu within the MATRIX menus. The first item in that submenu is DET ( which means “determinant
of.”
What does the determinant mean? It turns out that this particular odd set of operations has a surprising
number of applications. We have already seen one—in the case of a 2x2 matrix, the determinant is part
of the inverse. And for any square matrix, the determinant tells you whether the matrix has an inverse
at all.
Another application is for finding the area of triangles. To find the area of a triangle whose vertices are
a
c
e
(a,b), (c,d), and (e,f), you can use the formula: Area = ½ | b
d
f |. Hence, if you draw a triangle with
1 1 1
vertices (2,10), (4,8), and (5,3), the above calculation shows that the area of this triangle will be 4.
10.7 Solving Linear Equations7
At this point, you may be left with a pretty negative feeling about matrices. The initial few ideas—
adding matrices, subtracting them, multiplying a matrix by a constant, and matrix equality—seem almost too obvious to be worth talking about. On the other hand, multiplying matrices and taking determinants seem to be strange, arbitrary sequences of steps with little or no purpose.
A great deal of it comes together in solving linear equations. We have seen, in the chapter on simultaneous equations, how to solve two equations with two unknowns. But suppose we have three equations
with three unknowns? Or four, or five? Such situations are more common than you might suppose in
the real world. And even if you are allowed to use a calculator, it is not at all obvious how to solve such
a problem in a reasonable amount of time.
Surprisingly, the things we have learned about matrix multiplication, about the identity matrix, about
inverse matrices, and about matrix equality, give us a very fast way to solve such problems on a calculator!
7 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18292/1.1/>.
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
Consider the following example, three equations with three unknowns:
x + 2y − z = 11
(10.3)
2x − y + 3z = 7
(10.4)
7x − 3y − 2z = 2
(10.5)
Define a 3×3 matrix [A] which is the coefficients of all the variables on the left side of the equal signs:


1 2 −1



[ A] = 
 2 −1 3 
7 −3 −2
Define a 3×1 matrix [B] which is the numbers on the right side of the equal signs:


11



[ B] = 
 7 
2
Punch these matrices into your calculator, and then ask the calculator for [A-1][B]: that is, the inverse of
matrix [A], multiplied by matrix [B].
Figure 10.16
The calculator responds with a 3×1 matrix which is all three answers. In this case, x = 3, y = 5, and
z = 2.
The whole process takes no longer than it takes to punch a few matrices into the calculator. And it works
just as quickly for 4 equations with 4 unknowns, or 5, etc.
10.7.1 Huh? Why the heck did that work?
Solving linear equations in this way is fast and easy. But with just a little work—and with the formalisms that we have developed so far about matrices—we can also show why this method works.
157
10.7.1.1 Step 1: In Which We Replace Three Linear Equations With One Matrix Equation
First of all, consider the following matrix equation:

 

11
x + 2y − z

 

 2x − y + 3z =  7 

 

2
7x − 3y − 2z
The matrix on the left may look like a 3×3 matrix, but it is actually a 3×1 matrix. The top element is
x + 2y − z (all one big number), and so on.
Remember what it means for two matrices to be equal to each other. They have to have the same dimensions ( ). And all the elements have to be equal to each other. So for this matrix equation to be true,
all three of the following equations must be satisfied:
x + 2y − −z = 11
(10.6)
2x − −y + 3z = 7
(10.7)
7x − −3y − −2z = 2
(10.8)
Look familiar? Hey, this is the three equations we started with! The point is that this one matrix
equation is equivalent to those three linear equations. We can replace the original three equations with
one matrix equation, and then set out to solve that.
10.7.1.2 Step 2: In Which We Replace a Simple Matrix Equation with a More Complicated One
Do the following matrix multiplication. (You will need to do this by hand—since it has variables, your
calculator can’t do it for you.)



1 2 −1
x



 2 −1 3   y 



7 −3 −2
z
If you did it correctly, you should have wound up with the following 3×1 matrix:


x + 2y − z


 2x − y + 3z 


7x − 3y − 2z
(10.9)
Once again, we pause to say. . .hey, that looks familiar! Yes, it’s the matrix that we used in Step 1. So we
can now rewrite the matrix equation from Step 1 in this way:


 

1 2 −1
x
11


 

 2 −1 3   y  =  7 


 

7 −3 −2
z
2
Stop for a moment and make sure you’re following all this. I have shown, in two separate steps, that
this matrix equation is equivalent to the three linear equations that we started with.
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
But this matrix equation has a nice property that the previous one did not. The first matrix (which we
called [A] a long time ago) and the third one ([B]) contain only numbers. If we refer to the middle matrix
as [X] then we can write our equation more concisely:






11
x
1 2 −1











[ A] [ X ] = [ B], where [ A] = 
 2 −1 3 , [ X ] =  y , and [ B] =  7 
2
z
7 −3 −2
Most importantly, [ X ] contains the three variables we want to solve for! If we can solve this equation for
[ X ] we will have found our three variables x, y, and z.
10.7.1.3 Step 3: In Which We Solve a Matrix Equation
We have rewritten our original equations as [ A] [ X ] = [ B], and redefined our original goal as “solve this
matrix equation for [ X ].” If these were numbers, we would divide both sides by [ A]. But these are matrices, and we have never defined a division operation for matrices. Fortunately, we can do something just
as good, which is multiplying both sides by [ A]−−1 . (Just as, with numbers, you can replace “dividing
by 3” with “multiplying by 31 .”)
Solving a Matrix Equation
[ A] [ X ] = [ B]
[ A]
−−1
[ A] [ X ] = [ A]
The problem.
−−1
[ B]
Multiply both sides by [ A]−−1 , on the left. (Remember order matters! If we multiplied by
[ A]−−1 on the right, that would be doing something different.)
[ I ] [ X ] = [ A]−−1 [ B]
[ A]−−1 [ A] = [ I ] by the definition of an inverse
matrix.
[ X ] = [ A]−−1 [ B]
[ I ] times anything is itself, by definition of the
identity matrix.
Table 10.7
So we’re done! [ X ], which contains exactly the variables we are looking for, has been shown to be
[ A]−−1 [ B]. This is why we can punch that formula into our calculator and find the answers instantly.
10.7.2 Let’s try one more example
5x − −3y − −2z = 4
(10.10)
x + y − −7z = 7
(10.11)
10x − −6y − −4z = 10
(10.12)
We don’t have to derive the formula again—we can just use it. Enter the following into your calculator:
159

5
−3 −2


4






−7 
 [ B] =  7 
10
10 −6 −4

[ A] = 
 1
1
Then ask the calculator for [ A]−−1 [ B].
Figure 10.17
The result?
Figure 10.18
What happened? To understand this error, try the following:
Hit ENTER to get out of the error, and then hit <MATRX> [U+25BA] 1 <MATRX> 1 ) ENTER
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
Figure 10.19
Aha! Matrix [ A] has a determinant of 0. A matrix with 0 determinant has no inverse. So the operation
you asked the calculator for, [ A]−−1 [ B], is impossible.
What does this tell us about our original equations? They have no solution. To see why this is so, double
the first equation and compare it with the third—it should become apparent that both equations cannot
be true at the same time.
Chapter 11
Modeling Data with Functions
11.1 Data Modeling Concepts1
11.1.1 Conceptual Explanations: Modeling Data with Functions
In school, you generally start with a function and work from there to numbers. “Newton’s Law tells us
that F = ma. So if you push on a 3kg object with a 12N force, what will the acceleration be?”
In real life, the work often goes the other way. Newton didn’t start out knowing that F = ma; he observed
the world around him, and concluded that F = ma. In science, you begin with data—that is, numbers—
and attempt to find a mathematical function that will model the data. Then you use that function to
make predictions for new data. If the predictions come true, you gain confidence in your model.
So, this unit is about a few processes that can be used to look at a set of numbers and find a function
that relates them.
11.2 Direct and Inverse Variations2
11.2.1 Direct Variation
As a simple example, consider the variable c which is the number of cars in a parking lot, and the
variable t which is the number of tires in the parking lot. Assuming each car has four tires, we might
see numbers like this.
c (number of cars)
t (number of tires)
0
0
1
4
2
8
3
12
4
16
Table 11.1
1 This
2 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18277/1.1/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18281/1.1/>.
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These two columns stand in a very particular relationship to each other which is referred to as direct
variation.
Definition of “Direct Variation”
Two variables are in “direct variation” with each other if the following relationship holds: whenever one
variable doubles, the other variable doubles. Whenever one variable triples, the other variable triples.
And so on.
When the left-hand column goes up, the right-hand column goes up. This is characteristic of direct
variation, but it does not prove a direct variation. The function y = x + 1 has the characteristic that
whenever x goes up, y also goes up; however, it does not fulfill the definition of direct variation.
The equation for this particular function is, of course, t (c) = 4c. In general, direct variation always takes
the form y = kx, where k is some constant—a number, not a function of x. This number is referred to as
the constant of variation.
Note that, in real life, these relationships are not always exact! For instance, suppose m is the number of
men in the room, and w is the weight of all the men in the room. The data might appear something like
this:
m (number of men)
w (total weight of men, in pounds)
0
0
1
160
2
330
3
475
4
655
Table 11.2
Not all men weigh the same. So this is not exactly a direct variation. However, looking at these numbers,
you would have a very good reason to suspect that the relationship is more or less direct variation.
How can you confirm this? Recall that if this is direct variation, then it follows the equation w = km, or
w/m = k. So for direct variation, we would expect the ratio w/m to be approximately the same in every
case. If you compute this ratio for every pair of numbers in the above table, you will see that it does
indeed come out approximately the same in each case. (Try it!) So this is a good candidate for direct
variation.
11.2.2 Inverse Variation
Suppose 5 cars all travel 120 miles. These cars get different mileage. How much gas does each one use?
Let m be the miles per gallon that a car gets, and g be the number of gallons of gas it uses. Then the
table might look something like this.
163
m (miles/gallon)
g (gallons of gas used to travel 120 miles)
10
12
20
6
30
4
40
3
60
2
Table 11.3
These variables display an inverse relationship.
Definition of “Inverse Variation”
Two variables are in “inverse variation” with each other if the following relationship holds: whenever
one variable doubles, the other variable halves. Whenever one variable triples, the other variable drops
in a third. And so on.
Note that as the first column gets bigger, the second column gets smaller. This is suggestive of an inverse
relationship, but it is not a guarantee. y = 10 − − x would also have that property, and it is not inverse
variation.
The equation for this particular function is g = 120/m. In general, inverse variation can always be
expressed as y = k/x, where k is once again the constant of variation.
If y = k/x, then of course xy = k. So inverse variation has the characteristic that when you multiply the
two variables, you get a constant. In this example, you will always get 120. With real life data, you may
not always get exactly the same answer; but if you always get approximately the same answer, that is a
good indication of an inverse relationship.
11.2.3 More Complex Examples
In the year 1600, Johannes Kepler sat down with the data that his teacher, Tycho Brahe, had collected
after decades of carefully observing the planets. Among Brahe’s data was the period of each planet’s
orbit (how many years it takes to go around the sun), and the semimajor axis of the orbit (which is sort
of like a radius, but not quite—more on this in “Ellipses”). Today, these figures look something like this.
Planet
Semimajor Axis a (1010 meters)
Period T (years)
Mercury
5.79
0.241
Venus
10.8
0.615
Earth
15.0
1 (*duh)
Mars
22.8
1.88
Jupiter
77.8
11.9
Saturn
143
29.5
Uranus
287
84
Neptune
450
165
Table 11.4
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CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
What can we make of this data? As a goes up, T clearly also goes up. But they are not directly proportional. For instance, looking at the numbers for Uranus and Neptune, we see that 165 is almost exactly
twice 84; but 450 is much less than twice 287. Is there a consistent pattern? Kepler went down in history
for figuring out that the square of the period is directly proportional to the cube of the semimajor axis:
in numbers, T 2 = ka3. You can confirm this for yourself, using the numbers above. (What is k?)
So we see that the concepts of “directly proportional” and “inversely proportional” can be applied to
situations more complex than y = kx or y = k/x.
The situation becomes more interesting still when multiple independent variables are involved. For
instance, Isaac Newton was able to explain Kepler’s results by proposing that every body in the world
exerts a gravitational field that obeys the following two laws.
• When the mass of the body doubles, the strength of the gravitational field doubles
• When the distance from the body doubles, the strength of the field drops in a fourth
Science texts express these laws more concisely: the field is directly proportional to the mass, and inversely proportional to the square of the radius. It may seem as if these two statements require two
different equations. But instead, they are two different clues to finding the one equation that allows
you to find the gravitational field F at a distance r from a given mass m. That one equation is F = Gm
r2
where G, the constant of proportionality, is one of the universal constants of nature. This does not come
from combining the two equations F = km and F = rk2 as a composite function or anything else. Rather,
it is one equation that expresses both relationships properly: doubling the mass doubles the field, and
doubling the radius drops the field in a fourth.
11.3 Finding a Linear Function for any Two Points3
11.3.1 Finding a Linear Function for any Two Points
In an earlier unit, we did a great deal of work with the equation for the height of a ball thrown straight
up into the air. Now, suppose you want an equation for the speed of such a ball. Not knowing the correct
formula, you run an experiment, and you measure the two data points.
t (time)
v (velocity, or speed)
1 second
50 ft/sec
3 seconds
18 ft/sec
Table 11.5
Obviously, the ball is slowing down as it travels upward. Based on these two data points, what function
v (t) might model the speed of the ball?
Given any two points, the simplest equation is always a line. We have two points, (1,50) and (3,18). How
do we find the equation for that line? Recall that every line can be written in the form:
y = mx + b
If we can find the m and b for our particular line, we will have the formula.
3 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18278/1.1/>.
(11.1)
165
Here is the key: if our line contains the point (1,50) that means that when we plug in the x-value 1, we
must get the y-value 50.
Similarly, we can use the point (3,18) to generate the equation 18 = m (3) + b. So now, in order to
find m and b, we simply have to solve two equations and two unknowns! We can solve them either by
substitution or elimination: the example below uses substitution.
m + b = 50 → b = 50 − m
(11.2)
3m + b = 18 → 3m + (50 − m) = 18
(11.3)
2m + 50 = 18
(11.4)
2m = − − 32
(11.5)
m = −16
(11.6)
b = 50 − (−16) = 66
(11.7)
So we have found m and b. Since these are the unknowns the in the equation y = mx + b, the equation
we are looking for is:
y = − − 16x + 66
(11.8)
Based on this equation, we would expect, for instance, that after 4 seconds, the speed would be 2 ft/sec.
If we measured the speed after 4 seconds and found this result, we would gain confidence that our
formula is correct.
11.4 Finding a Parabolic Function for any Three Points4
11.4.1 Finding a Parabolic Function for any Three Points
Any two points are joined by a line. Any three points are joined by a vertical parabola.
Let’s start once again with the exceptions. Once again, if any two of the points are vertically aligned,
then no function can join them. However, there is no an additional exception—if all three points lie on
a line, then no parabola joins them. For instance, no parabola contains the three points (1,3), (2,5), and
(5,11). In real life, of course, if we wanted to model those three points, we would be perfectly happy to
use the line y = 2x + 1 instead of a parabola.
However, if three points are not vertically aligned and do not lie on a line, it is always possible to find
a vertical parabola that joins them. The process is very similar to the process we used for a line, except
that the starting equation is different.
4 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18279/1.3/>.
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CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
Example 11.1: Finding a Vertical Parabola to Fit Three Points
Find a vertical parabola containing the points (-2,5), (–1,6), and (3,–10).
The problem. As with our example earlier, this problem could easily come from an attempt to
find a function to model real-world data.
y = ax2 + bx + c
This is the equation for any vertical parabola. Our job is to find a, b, and c. Note that this
starting point is the same for any problem with three points, just as any problem with two
points starts out y = mx + b.
5 = a (−2)2 + b (− − 2) + c
6 = a (− − 1)2 + b (− − 1) + c
− − 10 = a(3)2 + b (3) + c
Each point represents an ( x, y) pair that must create a true equation in our function. Hence, we
can plug each point in for x and y to find three equations that must be true. We can now solve
for our 3 unknowns.
Rewrite the above three equations in a more standard form:
4a − −2b + c = 5
a − −b + c = 6
9a + 3b + c = − − 10
Uh-oh. Now what? In the linear example, we used elimination or substitution to solve for the
two variables. How do we solve three? Oh, yeah. Matrices! Rewrite the above three equations


a


 is what we want.
as [ A] [ X ] = [ B], where [ X ] = 
b


c

4
−2 1




[ A] = 
 1 −1 1 
9 3 1


5



[ B] = 
 6 
−10
167

−1




[ A]−−1 [ B] = 
 −2 
5
From the calculator, of course. Remember what this means! It means that a = − − 1, b = − − 2,
and c = 5. We can now plug these into our original equation, y = ax2 + bx + c.
y = − − x2 − −2x + 5
So this is the equation we were looking for.
Did it work? Remember that we were looking for a parabola that contained the three points(–2,5), (–1,6),
and (3,–10). If this parabola contains those three points, then our job is done. Let’s try the first point.
?
5 = −(−2)2 − 2 (−2) + 5
(11.9)
5 = −4 + 4 + 5
So the parabola does contain the point (-2,5). You can confirm for yourself that it also contains the other
two points.
Finally, remember what this means! If we had measured some real-world phenomenon and found the
three points (–2,5), (–1,6), and (3,–10), we would now suspect that the function y = − − x2 − −2x + 5
might serve as a model for this phenomenon.
This model predicts that if we make a measurement at x = −3 we will find that y = 2. If we made such
a measurement and it matched the prediction, we would gain greater confidence in our model. On the
other hand, if the measurement was far off the prediction, we would have to rethink our model.
11.4.1.1 A surprising application: “secret sharing”
Bank vaults are commonly secured by a method called “secret sharing.” The goal of a secret sharing
system runs something like this: if any three employees enter their secret codes at the same time, the
vault will open. But any two employees together cannot open the vault.
Secret sharing is implemented as follows.
• Choose a parabolic function—that is, choose the numbers a, b, and c in the equation y = ax2 +
bx + c. This function is chosen at random, and is not programmed into the vault or given to any
employee.
• The actual number that will open the vault is the y-intercept of the parabola: that is, the y-value of
the parabola when x = 0. This number is not given to any employee.
• Each employee’s secret code is one point on the parabola.
When three employees enter their secret codes at the same time, the vault computer uses the three points
to compute a, b, and c for the parabola. As we have seen, this computation can be done quickly and easy
using inverse matrices and matrix multiplication, both of which are easy algorithms to program into a
computer. Once the computer has those three numbers, it computes the y-value when x = 0, and uses
this number to open the vault.
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CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
Any three employees—that is, any three points—are enough to uniquely specify the parabola. But if
you only have two points, you are no closer to the answer than when you started: the secret y value
could still be, literally, any number at all.
Note also that the system is easily extendable. That is, if you want to say that four employees are
required to open the vault, you just move up to a third-order polynomial, y = ax3 + bx2 + c + d. The
resulting equations—four equations with four unknowns—are just as easy, with matrices, as three were.
11.5 Regression on the Calculator5
11.5.1 Regression on the Calculator
What Kepler did is an example of “regression”: finding an equation that models a particular set of data.
Kepler became famous because regression is hard. Who would have thought to look for T 2 = ka3 ?
Especially when you consider all the other equations that would still have a “this goes up, that goes up”
relationship, such as T = 2a + 7, or T = 101− a , or maybe T = 3log5a?
Fortunately, we have a tool that Kepler did not have: the modern computer. Mathematical programs and
graphing calculators can take a set of points, and find the line or curve of “best fit” to model the data.
As an example of this process, suppose that you have run an experiment and generated three data points:
(2,1), (4,3), and (5,8). What function might model those data?
NOTE : Note: the directions below are given for a TI-83 or compatible calculator. Many other
calculators can perform the same functions, but the implementation details may look quite
different.
11.5.1.1 Entering the data
1. Hit STAT to go into the Statistics menu.
2. Choose Edit... This brings you to a screen where you enter a bunch of L1 and L2 values.
FIXME: A LIST CAN NOT BE A TABLE ENTRY.
Enter the L1 and L2 values as follows: for each
data point, the x-coordinate is in the L1 list, and
the y-coordinate is in the L2 list.The screen to the
right shows the points (2,1), (4,3), and (5,8).
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Table 11.6
1. Hit 2nd QUIT return to the main screen.
11.5.1.2 Viewing the data, and guessing at the shape
Once you have entered your points into the L1 and L2 lists, your calculator can show you a
“scatterplot”—which is a pointlessly fancy word for “a graph of a bunch of points,” like you used to
make when you were first learning what graphing was.
1. Hit WINDOW (near the upper-left-hand corner of the calculator).
2. Set the variables Xmin, Xmax, Ymin, and Ymax appropriately. For instance, for the three points
shown above, the x-values are 2, 4, and 5, and the y-values are 1, 3, and 8. So it might make sense to
set Xmin=0, XMax=10, Ymin=0, and Ymax=10—and that is how I did it in the drawing below. Of
course, there are many other settings you could use. But if you go through the whole process and
don’t see any points, it’s a reasonable guess that your window is not set properly.
3. Hit Y= (upper-left-hand corner of the calculator).
4. Then, hit the up-arrow key, so the focus moves to Plot1 (which will start blinking).
5. Hit ENTER. It’s actually impossible, at this point, to see that anything has happened. But if you
down-arrow away from Plot1, you should see that it remains darkened (white letters on a black
background, instead of the other way around). This indicates that it has been selected.
FIXME: A LIST CAN NOT BE A TABLE ENTRY.
Hit GRAPH (upper-right-hand corner of the calculator). The calculator now displays the points.
From the image, you can see that a quadratic
(parabolic) or exponential function might be a
reasonable guess, whereas a line or logarithmic
function would be unlikely to fit.
Table 11.7
At this point, looking at the data, it is often useful to categorize it in two ways.
First: is it increasing or decreasing? In our example, of course, the points are increasing. (Some data, of
course, may be doing both at different times: consider, for instance, a parabola.)
Now, in the case of an increasing function, you can categorize it as one of the following.
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CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
If it is increasing steadily, that suggests a line.
(Remember that what makes a linear function
linear is that it always goes up at the same rate,
or slope!)
If it is increasing more and more slowly, that
suggests a logarithmic function. (A square root
would also have this basic shape, but you cannot
do a square-root-regression.)
If it is increasing more and more quickly, that
suggests an exponential function, or possibly the
right side of a quadratic function (a parabola).
Table 11.8
Decreasing functions can be categorized similarly, of course. If a function decreases and then increases,
a parabola is probably the best fit. Functions that go up, then down, then up again, are most likely to be
higher-order polynomials.
11.5.1.3 Finding the formula
Once you have decided on the right shape, the hard work is done: the calculator takes care of the rest.
1. Hit STAT to return again to the Statistics menu.
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2. Hit the right-arrow key to go to CALC.
3. At this point, you have several choices. LinReg will give you a line that best fits your points.
QuadReg will give you a quadratic function, aka a second-order polynomial. There are also options
for "cubic" (third-order polynomial), "quartic" (fourth-order polynomial), logarithmic, or exponential curves. Choose the one you want and hit ENTER.
The calculator does not graph your curve for you, but it does tell you what the curve is. For instance, if I
run a QuadReg on the data above, the calculator gives me:
Figure 11.1
This tells me that the best quadratic fit for my data is the curve y = 1.33x2 − 7x + 9.67. One way to
double-check this, of course, is to enter Y1 = 1.33x2 − 7x + 9.67 and then graph it, and see how closely it
approximates the points!
NOTE : Remember that whatever option you choose, it will operate on the points you have
entered in the L1 and L2 lists, so make sure your data is correctly entered there!
11.5.1.3.1 Starting over
There’s just one more thing you have to know: once you’ve done this once, how do you clear out the
lists to enter new ones? Here is one way to do it.
1. Hit MEM (you do this by hitting the yellow 2nd key, and then hitting +).
2. This brings up a menu. Choose ClrAllLists.
3. Then—after you return to the main screen—hit ENTER and the lists are emptied out.
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Chapter 12
Conics
12.1 Conic Concepts1
So far, we have talked about how to graph two shapes: lines, and parabolas. This unit will discuss
parabolas in more depth. It will also discuss circles, ellipses, and hyperbolas. These shapes make up
the group called the conic sections: all the shapes that can be created by intersecting a plane with a
double cone.
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On the left is a double cone.If
you intersect the double cone
with a horizontal plane, you get
a circle.If you tilt the plane a bit,
you get an ellipse (as in the bad
clip art picture on the right).If
you tilt the plane more, so it
never hits the other side of the
cone, you get a parabola.If the
plane is vertical, so it hits both
cones, you get a hyperbola.
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Table 12.1
We are going to discuss each of these shapes in some detail. Specifically, for each shape, we are going to
provide...
• A formal definition of the shape, and
• The formula for graphing the shape
These two things—the definition, and the formula—may in many cases seem unrelated. But you will be
doing work in the text exercises to show, for each shape, how the definition leads to the formula.
12.2 A Mathematical Look at Distance2
The key mathematical formula for discussing all the shapes above is the distance between two points.
Many students are taught, at some point, the “distance formula” as a magic (and very strange-looking)
rule. In fact, the distance formula comes directly from a bit of intuition...and the Pythagorean Theorem.
The intuition comes in finding the distance between two points that have one coordinate in common.
12.2.1 The distance between two points that have one coordinate in common
The drawing shows the points (2,3) and (6,3). Finding the distance between these points is easy: just
count! Take your pen and move it along the paper, starting at (2,3) and moving to the right. Let’s
see. . .one unit gets you over to (3,3); the next unit gets you to (4,3)...a couple more units to (6,3). The
distance from (2,3) to (6,3) is 4.
Of course, it would be tedious to count our way from (2,3) to (100,3). But we don’t have to—in fact, you
may have already guessed the faster way—we subtract the x coordinates.
• The distance from (2,3) to (6,3) is 6 − 2 = 4
• The distance from (2,3) to (100,3) is 100 − 2 = 98
And so on. We can write this generalization in words:
NOTE : Whenever two points lie on a horizontal line, you can find the distance between them
by subtracting their x-coordinates.
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This may seem pretty obvious in the examples given above. It’s a little less obvious, but still true, if one
of the x coordinates is negative.
The drawing above shows the numbers (-3,1) and (2,1). You can see that the distance between them is
5 (again, by counting). Does our generalization still work? Yes it does, because subtracting a negative
number is the same as adding a positive one.
The distance from (-3,1) to (2,1) is 2 − (−3) = 5
How can we express this generalization mathematically? If two points lie on a horizontal line, they have
two different x-coordinates: call them x1 and x2 . But they have the same y-coordinate, so just call that
y. So we can rewrite our generalization like this: “the distance between the points (x1 , y) and (x2 , y) is
x2 − − x1 .” In our most recent example, x1 = − − 3, x2 = 2, and y = 1. So the generalization says “the
distance between the points (-3,1) and (2,1) is 2 − (−3)”, or 5.
But there’s one problem left: what if we had chosen x2 and x1 the other way? Then the generalization
would say “the distance between the points (2,1) and (-3,1) is (− − 3) − 2”, or -5. That isn’t quite right:
distances can never be negative. We get around this problem by taking the absolute value of the answer.
This guarantees that, no matter what order the points are listed in, the distance will come out positive.
So now we are ready for the correct mathematical generalization:
Distance Between Two Points on a Horizontal Line
The distance between the points (x1 , y) and (x2 , y) is | x2 − − x1 |
You may want to check this generalization with a few specific examples—try both negative and positive
values of x1 and x2 . Then, to really test your understanding, write and test a similar generalization for
two points that lie on a vertical line together. Both of these results will be needed for the more general
case below.
12.2.2 The distance between two points that have no coordinate in common
So, what if two points have both coordinates different? As an example, consider the distance from (–2,5)
to (1,3).
The drawing shows these two points. The (diagonal) line between them has been labeled d: it is this
line that we want the length of, since this line represents the distance between our two points.
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The drawing also introduces a third point into the picture, the point (–2,3). The three points define the
vertices of a right triangle. Based on our earlier discussion, you can see that the vertical line in this
triangle is length |5 − −3| = 2. The horizontal line is length |1 − − (− − 2) | = 3.
But it is the diagonal line that we√want. And we can find that by using the Pythagorean Theorem, which
tells us that d2 = 22 + 32 . So d = 13
If you repeat this process with the generic points (x1 , y1 ) and (x2 , y2 ) you arrive at the distance formula:
Distance between any two points
If d is the distance between the points (x1 , y1 ) and (x2 ,y1 ), then d2 = ( x2 − x1 )2 + (y2 − y1 )2
x2 − − x1 is the horizontal distance, based on our earlier calculation. y2 − −y1 is the vertical distance,
and the entire formula is simply the Pythagorean Theorem restated in terms of coordinates.
And what about those absolute values we had to put in before? They were used to avoid negative
distances. Since the distances in the above formulae are being squared, we no longer need the absolute
values to insure that all answers will come out positive.
12.3 Circles3
12.3.1 The Definition of a Circle
You’ve known all your life what a circle looks like. You probably know how to find the area and the
circumference of a circle, given its radius. But what is the exact mathematical definition of a circle?
Before you read the answer, you may want to think about the question for a minute. Try to think of a
precise, specific definition of exactly what a circle is.
Below is the definition mathematicians use.
Definition of a Circle
The set of all points in a plane that are the same distance from a given point forms a circle. The point is
known as the center of the circle, and the distance is known as the radius.
Mathematicians often seem to be deliberately obscuring things by creating complicated definitions for
things you already understood anyway. But if you try to find a simpler definition of exactly what a circle
is, you will be surprised at how difficult it is. Most people start with something like “a shape that is
round all the way around.” That does describe a circle, but it also describes many other shapes, such as
this pretzel:
So you start adding caveats like “it can’t cross itself” and “it can’t have any loose ends.” And then
somebody draws an egg shape that fits all your criteria, and yet is still not a circle:
So you try to modify your definition further to exclude that... and by that time, the mathematician’s
definition is starting to look beautifully simple.
But does that original definition actually produce a circle? The following experiment is one of the best
ways to convince yourself that it does.
Experiment: Drawing the Perfect Circle
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
CHAPTER 12. CONICS
Lay a piece of cardboard on the floor.
Thumbtack one end of a string to the cardboard.
Tie the other end of the string to your pen.
Pull the string as tight as you can, and then put the pen on the cardboard.
Pull the pen all the way around the thumbtack, keeping the string taut at all times.
The pen will touch every point on the cardboard that is exactly one string-length away from the thumbtack. And the resulting shape will be a circle. The cardboard is the plane in our definition, the thumbtack
is the center, and the string length is the radius.
The purpose of this experiment is to convince yourself that if you take all the points in a plane that are
a given distance from a given point, the result is a circle. We’ll come back to this definition shortly, to
clarify it and to show how it connects to the mathematical formula for a circle.
12.3.2 The Mathematical Formula for a Circle
You already know the formula for a line: y = mx + b. You know that m is the slope, and b is the yintercept. Knowing all this, you can easily answer questions such as: “Draw the graph of y = 2x − −3”
or “Find the equation of a line that contains the points (3,5) and (4,4).” If you are given the equation
3x + 2y = 6, you know how to graph it in two steps: first put it in the standard y = mx + b form, and
then graph it.
All the conic sections are graphed in a similar way. There is a standard form which is very easy to graph,
once you understand what all the parts mean. If you are given an equation that is not in standard form,
you put it into the standard form, and then graph it.
So, to understand the formula below, think of it as the y = mx + b of circles.
Mathematical Formula for a Circle
( x − −h)2 + (y − −k)2 = r2 is a circle with center (h,k) and radius r
From this, it is very easy to graph a circle in standard form.
Example 12.1: Graphing a Circle in Standard Form
Graph ( x + 5)2 + (y − −6)2 = 10
h = −−5
k=6
r2 = 10
The problem. We recognize it as being a circle in
standard form.
You can read these variables straight out of the
equation, just as in y = mx + b. Question: how
can we make our equation’s ( x + 5) look like the
standard formula’s ( x − h)? Answer: if h = −5.
In general, h comes out the opposite sign from the
number in the equation. Similarly, (y − 6) tells
us that k will be positive 6.
continued on next page
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Center: (–5,6) Radius:
√
10
Now that we have the variables, we know everything we need to know about the circle.
√
And we can graph it! 10 is, of course, just a little
over 3—so we know where the circle begins and
ends.
Table 12.2
Just as you can go from a formula to a graph, you can also go the other way.
Example 12.2: Find the Equation for this Circle
Find the equation for a circle with center at (15,-4)
and radius 8.
The problem.
( x − 15)2 + (y + 4)2 = 64
The solution, straight from the formula for a circle.
Table 12.3
If a circle is given in nonstandard form, you can always recognize it by the following sign: it has both
an x2 and a y2 term, and they have the same coefficient.
• − − 3x2 − −3y2 + x − −y = 5 is a circle: the x2 and y2 terms both have the coefficient –3
• 3x2 − −3y2 + x − −y = 5 is not a circle: the x2 term has coefficient 3, and the y2 has –3
• 3x2 + 3y = 5 is not a circle: there is no y2 term
Once you recognize it as a circle, you have to put it into the standard form for graphing. You do this by
completing the square... twice!
Example 12.3: Graphing a Circle in Nonstandard Form
Graph 2x2 + 2y2 − −12x + 28y − −12 = 0
The problem. The equation has both an x2 and a
y2 term, and they have the same coefficient (a 2 in
this case): this tells us it will graph as a circle.
continued on next page
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
x2 + y2 − −6x + 14y − −6 = 0
Divide by the coefficient (the 2). Completing the
square is always easiest without a coefficient in
front of the squared tem.
x2 − −6x + y2 + 14y = 6
Collect the x terms together and the y terms together, with the number on the other side.
x2 − −6x + 9 + y2 + 14y + 49 = 6 + 9 + 49
Complete the square for both x and y.
2
2
( x − −3) + (y + 7) = 64
Rewrite our perfect squares. We are now in the
correct form. We can see that this is a circle with
center at (3,–7) and radius 8. (*Remember How
the signs change on h and k!)
Once you have the center and radius, you can immediately draw the circle, as we did in the previous example.
Table 12.4
12.3.3 Going From the Definition of a Circle to the Formula
If you’re following all this, you’re now at the point where you understand the definition of a circle...and
you understand the formula for a circle. But the two may seem entirely unconnected. In other words,
when I said ( x − −h)2 + (y − −k)2 = r2 is the formula for a circle, you just had to take my word for it.
In fact, it is possible to start with the definition of a circle, and work from there to the formula, thus
showing why the formula works the way it does.
Let’s go through this exercise with a specific example. Suppose we want to find the formula for the circle
with center at (–2,1) and radius 3. We will start with the definition: this circle is the set of all the points
that are exactly 3 units away from the point (–2,1). Think of it as a club. If a point is exactly 3 units away
from (–2,1), it gets to join the club; if it is not exactly 3 units away, it doesn’t get to join.
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Figure 12.1
You already know what the formula is going to be, but remember, in this exercise we’re not going to assume that formula—we’re going to assume nothing but the definition, and work our way to the formula.
So here is our starting point, the definition for this circle:
“The distance from (x,y) to (–2,1) is 3.”
Any point (x, y) that meets this criterion is in our club. Using the distance formula that we developed
above, we can immediately translate this English language definition into a mathematical formula. Recall that if xxxd is the distance between the points (x1 , y1 ) and (x2 , y1 ), then ( x2 − x1 )2 + (y2 − y1 )2 = d2
(Pythagorean Theorem). So in this particular case,
( x + 2)2 + ( y − 1)2 = 9
Note that this corresponds perfectly to the formula given above. In fact, if you repeat this exercise more
generically—using (h, k) as the center instead of (–2,1), and r as the radius instead of 3—then you end up
with the exact formula given above, ( x − −h)2 + (y − −k)2 = r2 .
For each of the remaining shapes, I’m going to repeat the pattern used here for the circle. First I will give
the geometric definition and then the mathematical formula. However, I will not take the third step, of
showing how the definition (with the distance formula) leads to the formula: you will do this, for each
shape, in the exercises in the text.
12.4 Parabolas4
12.4.1 The Definition of a Parabola
Based on the discussion of circles, you might guess that the definition of a parabola will take the form:
“The set of all points that...” and you would be correct. But the definition of a parabola is more complicated than that of a circle.
Definition of a Parabola
Take a point (called the focus) and a horizontal line (the directrix) that does not contain that point.
The set of all points in a plane that are the same distance from the focus as from the directrix forms a
parabola.
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
In the text, you begin with a specific example of this process. The focus is (0,3) and the directrix is the
line y = − − 3. If we use our “club” analogy again, we could say that this time, a point is a member of
our club if its distance to (0,3) is the same as its distance to y = − − 3.
The resulting shape looks something like this:
Figure 12.2
You may recall that a circle is entirely defined by its center—but the center is not, itself, a part of the
circle. In a similar way, the focus and directrix define a parabola; but neither the focus, nor any point on
the directrix, is a part of the parabola. The vertex, on the other hand—the point located directly between
the focus and the directrix—is a part of the parabola.
One of the obvious questions you might ask at this point is—who cares? It’s pretty obvious that circles
come up a lot in the real world, but parabolas? It turns out that parabolas are more useful than you
might think. For instance, many telescopes are based on parabolic mirrors. The reason is that all the
light that comes in bounces off the mirror to the focus. The focus therefore becomes a point where you
can see very dim, distant objects.
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Figure 12.3
12.4.2 The Formula of a Parabola
We’ve already graphed parabolas in a previous chapter. As you may recall, we began with the simplest
parabola, y = x2 , and permuted it.
•
•
•
•
x2 + k moves it up by k
( x − −h)2 moves it to the right by h
Multiplying by a number in front stretches the graph vertically
Multiplying by a negative number turns the graph upside-down.
Putting it all together, we arrive at:
Mathematical Formula for a Vertical Parabola
y = a ( x − −h)2 + k is a parabola with vertex (h,k). If a is positive, it opens up; if a is negative, it opens
down.
Parabolas can also be horizontal. For the most part, the concepts are the same. The simplest horizontal
parabola is x = y2 , which has its vertex at the origin and opens to the right—from there, you can permute
it. The directrix in this case is a vertical line.
Mathematical Formula for a Horizontal Parabola
x = a (y − −k )2 + h is a parabola with vertex (h,k). If a is positive, it opens to the right; if a is negative, it
opens to the left.
At this point, there are two useful exercises that you may want to try.
First, compare the two equations. How are they alike, and how are they different?
Second, consider the horizontal parabola equation as a set of permutations of the basic form x = y2 .
What is k doing to the parabola, and why? How about h, and a?
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
12.5 Ellipses5
12.5.1 The Definition of an Ellipse
An ellipse is a sort of squashed circle, sometimes referred to as an oval.
Definition of an Ellipse
Take two points. (Each one is a focus; together, they are the foci.) An ellipse is the set of all points in a
plane that have the following property: the distance from the point to one focus, plus the distance from
the point to the other focus, is some constant.
They just keep getting more obscure, don’t they? Fortunately, there is an experiment you can do, similar
to the circle experiment, to show why this definition leads to an elliptical shape.
Experiment: Drawing the Perfect Ellipse
1. Lay a piece of cardboard on the floor.
2. Thumbtack one end of a string to the cardboard.
3. Thumbtack the other end of the string, elsewhere on the cardboard. The string should not be
pulled taut: it should have some slack.
4. With your pen, pull the middle of the string back until it is taut.
5. Pull the pen all the way around the two thumbtacks, keeping the string taut at all times.
6. The pen will touch every point on the cardboard such that the distance to one thumbtack, plus
the distance to the other thumbtack, is exactly one string length. And the resulting shape will be
an ellipse. The cardboard is the “plane” in our definition, the thumbtacks are the “foci,” and the
string length is the “constant distance.”
Figure 12.4
Do ellipses come up in real life? You’d be surprised how often. Here is my favorite example. For a long
time, the orbits of the planets were assumed to be circles. However, this is incorrect: the orbit of a planet
is actually in the shape of an ellipse. The sun is at one focus of the ellipse (not at the center). Similarly,
the moon travels in an ellipse, with the Earth at one focus.
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12.5.2 The Formula of an Ellipse
With ellipses, it is crucial to start by distinguishing horizontal from vertical.
Mathematical Formula for an Ellipse with its Center at the Origin
Horizontal
x2
a2
+
y2
b2
Vertical
x2
b2
= 1 (a>b)
+
y2
a2
= 1 (a>b)
Table 12.5
And of course, the usual rules of permutations apply. For instance, if we replace x with x − h, the ellipse
moves to the right by h. So we have the more general form:
Mathematical Formula for an Ellipse with its Center at xxx(h,k)
Horizontal
( x − h )2
a2
+
( y − k )2
b2
Vertical
= 1 ( a > b)
( x − h )2
b2
+
( y − k )2
a2
= 1 ( a > b)
Table 12.6
The key to understanding ellipses is understanding the three constants a, b, and c.
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
Horizontal Ellipse
Vertical Ellipse
Where are the foci?
Horizontally around the center
Vertically around the center
How far are the foci from the
center?
c
c
What is the “major axis”?
The long
across
How long is the major axis?
2a
2a
What is the “minor axis?”
The short (vertical) way across
The short
across
How long is the minor axis?
2b
2b
Which is biggest?
a is biggest. a > b, and a > c.
a is biggest. a > b, and a > c.
crucial relationship
a2 = b2 + c2
a2 = b2 + c2
(horizontal)
way
The long (vertical) way across
(horizontal)
way
Table 12.7
The following example demonstrates how all of these concepts come together in graphing an ellipse.
Example 12.4: Graphing an Ellipse
Graph x2 + 9y2 − −4x + 54y + 49 = 0
The problem. We recognize this as an ellipse because it has an x2 and a y2 term, and they both
have the same sign (both positive in this case) but
different coefficients (3 and 2 in this case).
x2 − −4x + 9y2 + 54y = −49
Group together the x terms and the y terms, with
the number on the other side.
x2 − −4x + 9 y2 + 6y = −49
Factor out the coefficients of the squared terms.
In this case, there is no x2 coefficient, so we just
have to factor out the 9 from the y terms.
x2 − −4x + 4 + 9 y2 + 6y + 9 = −49 + 4 + 81
Complete the square twice. Remember, adding 9
inside those parentheses is equivalent to adding
81 to the left side of the equation, so we must add
81 to the right side of the equation!
( x − 2)2 + 9 (y + 3)2 = 36
( x −2)2
36
+
( y +3)2
4
=1
Rewrite and simplify. Note, however, that we are
still not in the standard form for an ellipse!
Divide by 36. This is because we need a 1 on the
right, to be in our standard form!
continued on next page
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Center: (2,–3)
We read the center from the ellipse the same way
as from a circle.
a=6b=2
Since the denominators of the fractions are 36
and 4, a and b are 6 and 2. But which is which?
The key is that, for ellipses, a is always greater
than b. The larger number is a and the smaller is
b.
Horizontal ellipse
Going back to the equation, we see that the a2
(the larger denominator) was under the x, and the
b2 (the smaller) was under the y. This means our
equation is a horizontal ellipse. (In a vertical ellipse, the a2 would be under the y.)
c=
√
√
32 = 4 22 (approximately 5 12 )
We need c if we are going to graph the foci. How
do we find it? From the relationship a2 = b2 + c2
which always holds for ellipses.
So now we can draw it. Notice a few features:
The major axis is horizontal since this is a horizontal ellipse. It starts a to the left of center, and
ends a to the right of center. So its length is 2a,
or 12 in this case.The minor axis starts b above
the center and ends b below, so its length is 4.The
foci are about 5 12 from the center.
Table 12.8
12.6 Hyperbolas6
12.6.1 The Definition of a Hyperbola
A hyperbola is the strangest-looking shape in this section. It looks sort of like two back-to-back parabolas. However, those shapes are not exactly parabolas, and the differences are very important.
Surprisingly, the definition and formula for a hyperbola are very similar to those of an ellipse.
Definition of a Hyperbola
Take two points. (Each one is a focus; together, they are the foci.) A hyperbola is the set of all points in
a plane that have the following property: the distance from the point to one focus, minus the distance
from the point to the other focus, is some constant.
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18249/1.2/>.
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
The entire definition is identical to the definition of an ellipse, with one critical change: the word “plus”
has been changed to “minus.”
One use of hyperbolas comes directly from this definition. Suppose two people hear the same noise,
but one hears it ten seconds earlier than the first one. This is roughly enough time for sound to travel 2
miles. So where did the sound originate? Somewhere 2 miles closer to the first observer than the second.
This places it somewhere on a hyperbola: the set of all points such that the distance to the second point,
minus the distance to the first, is 2.
Another use is astronomical. Suppose a comet is zooming from outer space into our solar system, passing near (but not colliding with) the sun. What path will the comet make? The answer turns out to
depend on the comet’s speed.
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189
If the comet’s speed is low, it will be trapped by
the sun’s gravitational pull. The resulting shape
will be an elliptical orbit.
If the comet’s speed is high, it will escape the
sun’s gravitational pull. The resulting shape will
be half a hyperbola.
Table 12.9
We see in this real life example, as in the definitions, a connection between ellipses and hyperbolas.
12.6.2 The Formula of an Hyperbola
With hyperbolas, just as with ellipses, it is crucial to start by distinguishing horizontal from vertical. It
is also useful to pay close attention to which aspects are the same as ellipses, and which are different.
Mathematical Formula for a Hyperbola with its Center at the Origin
Horizontal
x2
a2
−
y2
b2
Vertical
y2
a2
=1
−
x2
b2
=1
Table 12.10
And of course, the usual rules of permutations apply. For instance, if we replace x with x − −h, the
hyperbola moves to the right by h. So we have the more general form:
Formula for a Hyperbola with its Center at xxx(h,k)
Horizontal
( x − h )2
a2
−
( y − k )2
b2
Vertical
=1
( y − k )2
a2
−
( x − h )2
b2
=1
Table 12.11
The key to understanding hyperbolas is understanding the three constants a, b, and c.
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
Horizontal Hyperbola
Vertical Hyperbola
Where are the foci?
Horizontally around the center
Vertically around the center
How far are the foci from the
center?
c
c
What is the “transverse axis”?
The (horizontal) line from one
vertex to the other
The (vertical) line from one vertex to the other
How long is the transverse axis?
2a
2a
Which is biggest?
c is biggest. c > a, and c > b.
c is biggest. c > a, and c > b.
crucial relationship
c2
c2 = a2 + b2
=
a2
+ b2
Table 12.12
Having trouble keeping it all straight? Let’s make a list of similarities and differences.
Similarities between Hyperbolas and Ellipses
• The formula is identical, except for the replacement of a+ with a−.
• The definition of a is very similar. In a horizontal ellipse, you move horizontally a from the center
to the edges of the ellipse. (This defines the major axis.) In a horizontal hyperbola, you move
horizontally a from the center to the vertices of the hyperbola. (This defines the transverse axis.)
• b defines a different, perpendicular axis.
• The definition of c is identical: the distance from center to focus.
Differences Between Hyperbolas and Ellipses
• The biggest difference is that for an ellipse, a is always the biggest of the three variables; for a
hyperbola, c is always the biggest. This should be evident from looking at the drawings (the foci
are inside an ellipse, outside a hyperbola). However, this difference leads to several other key
distinctions.
• For ellipses, a2 = b2 + c2 . For hyperbolas, c2 = a2 + b2 .
• For ellipses, you tell whether it is horizontal or vertical by looking at which denominator is greater,
since a must always be bigger than b. For hyperbolas, you tell whether it is horizontal or vertical
by looking at which variable has a positive sign, the x2 or the y2 . The relative sizes of a and b do
not distinguish horizontal from vertical.
In the example below, note that the process of getting the equation in standard form is identical with
hyperbolas and ellipses. The extra last step—rewriting a multiplication by 4 as a division by 41 —can
come up with ellipses as easily as with hyperbolas. However, it did not come up in the last example, so
it is worth taking note of here.
Example 12.5: Putting a Hyperbola in Standard Form
Graph 3x2 − −12y2 − −18x − −24y + 12 = 0
The problem. We recognize this as a hyperbola
because it has an x2 and a y2 term, and have different signs (one is positive and one negative).
continued on next page
191
3x2 − −18x − 12y2 − −24y = −12
Group together the x terms and the y terms, with
the number on the other side.
3 x2 − −6x − −12 y2 + 2y = −12
Factor out the coefficients of the squared terms.
In the case of the y2 for this particular equation,
the coefficient is minus 12.
3 x2 − −6x + 9 − −12 y2 + 2y + 1 = −12 +
27 − −12
Complete the square twice. Adding 9 inside the
first parentheses adds 27; adding 1 inside the second set subtracts 12.
3 ( x − 3)2 − −12 (y + 1)2 = 3
Rewrite and simplify.
2
2
( x − 3) − −4 ( y + 1) = 1
Divide by 3, to get a 1 on the right. Note, however, that we are still not in standard form, because of the 4 that is multiplied by (y + 1)2 . The
standard form has numbers in the denominator,
but not in the numerator.
( y +1)2
Dividing by 41 is the same as multiplying by 4,
so this is still the same equation. But now we
are in standard form, since the number is on the
bottom.
( x − 3)2 −
1
4
=1
Table 12.13
However, the process of graphing a hyperbola is quite different from the process of graphing an ellipse.
Even here, however, some similarities lurk beneath the surface.
Example 12.6: Graphing a Hyperbola in Standard Form
Graph ( x − 3)2 − −
Center: (3,–1)
a=1
b=
( y +1)2
1
4
=1
The problem, carried over from the example
above, now in standard form.
Comes straight out of the equation, both signs
changed, just as with circles and ellipses.
1
2
The square roots of the denominators, just as
with the ellipse. But how do we tell which is
which? In the case of a hyperbola, the a always
goes with the positive term. In this case, the x2
term is positive, so the term under it is a2 .
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
Again, this is because the x2 term is positive.
If the y2 were the positive term, the hyperbola
would be vertical, and the number under the y2
term would be considered a2 .
Horizontal hyperbola
r
c=
12
+
2
1
2
=
q
5
4
√
=
5
2
Remember that the relationship is different: for
hyperbolas, c2 = a2 + b2
Now we begin drawing. Begin by drawing the
center at (3,–1). Now, since this is a horizontal
ellipse, the vertices will be aligned horizontally
around the center. Since a = 1, move 1 to the left
and 1 to the right, and draw the vertices there.
In the other direction—vertical, in this case—
we have something called the “conjugate axis.”
Move up and down by b ( 12 in this case) to draw
the endpoints of the conjugate axis. Although
not part of the hyperbola, they will help us draw
it.
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193
Draw a box that goes through the vertices and
the endpoints of the conjugate axis. The box is
drawn in dotted lines to show that it is not the
hyperbola.
Draw diagonal lines through the corners of the
box—also dotted, because they are also not the
hyperbola.These lines are called the asymptotes,
and they will guide you in drawing the hyperbola. The further it gets from the vertices,
the closer the hyperbola gets to the asymptotes.
However, it never crosses them.
Now, at last, we are ready to draw the hyperbola. Beginning at the vertices, approach—but
do not cross!—the asymptotes. So you see that
the asymptotes guide us in setting the width of
the hyperbola, performing a similar function to
the latus rectum in parabolas.
Table 12.14
The hyperbola is the most complicated shape we deal with in this course, with a lot of steps to memorize.
But there is also a very important concept hidden in all that, and that is the concept of an asymptote.
Many functions have asymptotes, which you will explore in far greater depth in more advanced courses.
An asymptote is a line that a function approaches, but never quite reaches. The asymptotes are the
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
easiest way to confirm that a hyperbola is not actually two back-to-back parabolas. Although one side of
a hyperbola resembles a parabola superficially, parabolas do not have asymptotic behavior—the shape
is different.
Remember our comet? It flew into the solar system at a high speed, whipped around the sun, and flew
away in a hyperbolic orbit. As the comet gets farther away, the sun’s influence becomes less important,
and the comet gets closer to its “natural” path—a straight line. In fact, that straight line is the asymptote
of the hyperbolic path.
Before we leave hyperbolas, I want to briefly mention a much simpler equation: y =
equation of a diagonal hyperbola. The asymptotes are the x and y axes.
Figure 12.5: y =
1
x.
This is the
1
x
Although the equation looks completely different, the shape is identical to the hyperbolas we have been
studying, except that it is rotated 45 ◦ .
12.7 A Brief Recap: How Do You Tell What Shape It Is?7
If it has...
Then it’s a...
Example
Horizontal or Vertical?
continued on next page
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m18270/1.1/>.
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No squared terms
Line
2x + 3y = 7
One squared term
Parabola
2x2 − 10x + 7y = 9
Two squared terms
with the same coefficient
Circle
3x2 + 3y2 + 6x + 3y = 2
Two squared terms
with different coefficients but the same
sign
Ellipse
2x2 + 3y2 + 6x + 6y =
12
The difference between vertical ellipses
and horizontal is based
on which squared term
has the larger coefficient.
Two squared terms
with different signs
Hyperbola
3x2 − −3y2 + 6x + 3y =
2
The difference between vertical hyperbolas and horizontal
is based on which
squared term is positive.
If you have an x2 but
no y2 , you’re a horizontal parabola. If you
have a y2 but no x2 , vertical.
Table 12.15
Note that all of this is based only on the squared terms! The other terms matter in terms of graphing,
but not in terms of figuring out what shape it is.
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Chapter 13
Sequences and Series
13.1 Sequences1
A sequence is a list of numbers: like 4,9,3,2,17.
An arithmetic sequence is a list where each number is generated by adding a constant to the previous
number. An example is 10,13,16,19,22,25. In this example, the first term (t1 ) is 10, and the “common
difference” (d)—that is, the difference between any two adjacent numbers—is 3. Another example is
25,22,19,16,13,10. In this example t1 = 25, and d = (− − 3). In both of these examples, n (the number of
terms) is 6.
A geometric sequence is a list where each number is generated by multiplying a constant by the previous
number. An example is 2,6,18,54,162. In this example, t1 = 2, and the “common ratio” (r)—that is,
the ratio between any two adjacent numbers—is 3. Another example is 162,54,18,6,2. In this example
t1 = 162, and r = 31 . In both examples n = 5.
A recursive definition of a sequence means that you define each term based on the previous. So the
recursive definition of an arithmetic sequence is tn = tn−1 + d, and the recursive definition of a geometric
sequence is tn = rtn−1 .
An explicit definition of an arithmetic sequence means you define the nth term without making reference
to the previous term. This is more useful, because it means you can find (for instance) the 20th term
without finding all the other terms in between.
To find the explicit definition of an arithmetic sequence, you just start writing out the terms. The first
term is always t1 . The second term goes up by d so it is t1 + d. The third term goes up by d again, so it is
(t1 + d) + d, or in other words, t1 + 2d. So we get a chart like this.
t1
t2
t3
t4
t5
t1
t1 + d
t1 + 2d
t1 + 3d
t1 + 4d
Table 13.1
. . .and so on. From this you can see the generalization that tn = t1 + (n − 1) d, which is the explicit
definition we were looking for.
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19076/1.1/>.
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The explicit definition of a geometric sequence is arrived at the same way. The first term is t1 ; the
second term is r times that, or t1 r; the third term is r times that, or t1 r2 ; and so on. So the general rule is
tn = t1 r n−1 . Read this as: “t1 multiplied by r, (n − −1) times.”
13.2 Series2
A series is a list of numbers—like a sequence—but instead of listing them, you add them all up. For
instance, 4+9+3+2+17. (This particular series adds up to 35.)
One way to compactly represent a series is with “summation notation,” which looks like this:
7
∑ n2
(13.1)
n =3
The big funny-looking thing in the middle is the Greek letter uppercase Sigma, and it indicates a series.
To “unpack” this notation, start counting at the bottom (n = 3), and stop when you reach the stop (n = 7).
For each term, plug that value of n into the given formula (n2 ). So this particular formula, which we can
read as “the sum as n goes from 3 to 7 of n2 ”, simply means:
32 + 42 + 52 + 62 + 72
13.2.1 Arithmetic Series
If you add up all the terms of an arithmetic sequence, you have an arithmetic series. For instance,
10 + 13 + 16 + 19 + 22 + 25 = 105.
There is a “trick” that can be used to add up the terms of any arithmetic series. While this trick may not
save much time with a 6-item series like the one above, it can be very useful if adding up longer series.
The trick is to work from the outside in.
Consider the example given above: 10 + 13 + 16 + 19 + 22 + 25. Looking at the first and last terms,
10 + 25 = 35. Going in, to the second and next-to-last terms, 13 + 22 = 35. Finally, the two inside
numbers 16 + 19 = 35. So we can see that the sum of the whole thing is 3 ∗ 35.
Pause here and check the following things.
• You understand the calculation that was done for this particular example.
• You understand that this “trick” will work for any arithmetic series.
• You understand that this trick will not work, in general, for series that are not arithmetic.
If we apply this trick to the generic arithmetic series, we get a formula that can be used to sum up any
arithmetic series.
Every arithmetic series can be written as follows:
t1 + (t1 + d) + (t1 + 2d) . . . (tn − d) + tn
If you add the first and last terms, you get t1 + tn . Ditto for the second and next-to-last terms, and so on.
How many such pairs will there be in the whole series? Well, there are n terms, so there are n2 pairs. So
the sum for the whole series is n2 (t1 + tn ).
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19074/1.1/>.
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13.2.2 Geometric Series
If you add up all the terms of a geometric sequence, you have a geometric series. The “arithmetic series
trick” will not work on such a series; however, there is a different trick we can use. As an example, let’s
find the sum 2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + 162.
We begin by calling the sum of this series S:
S = 2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + 162
Now, if you multiply both sides of this equation by 3, you get the first equation I have written below.
(The second equation below is just copied from above.)
3S = 6 + 18 + 54 + 162 + 486 (*confirm this for yourself!)
S = 2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + 162
Here comes the key moment in the trick: subtract the two equations. This leaves you with:
2S = 486 − 2, so S = 242
Once again, pause to convince yourself that this will work on all geometric series, but only on geometric
series.
Finally—once again—we can apply this trick to the generic geometric series to find a formula. So we
begin with t1 + t1 r + t1 r2 + t1 r3 . . . t1 r n−1 and write. . .
rS = t1 r + t1 r2 + t1 r3 + t1 r4 ...t1 r n−1 + tr r n (*confirm this!)
S = t1 + t1 r + t1 r2 + t1 r3 + ...t1 r n−1
Again, subtracting and solving, we get. . .
rS − −S = t1 r n − −t1
S (r − 1) = t1 (r n − −1)
n
S = t1 rr−−11
So there we have it: a general formula for the sum of any finite geometric series, with the first term t1 ,
the common ratio r, and a total of n terms.
13.3 Proof by Induction3
“Induction” is a method of proving something. Once again, let’s start with an example.
1
Consider the sum ∑in=1 i(i+
. In other words, 1×1 2 + 2×1 3 + 3×1 4 + ... + n(n1+1) . This is neither arithmetic
1)
nor geometric, so none of our established tricks will work on it. How can we find the sum of such a
series?
Students are often surprised to hear that mathematicians typically begin such problems by looking for
a pattern. What does this series do for the first few terms?
• 1 term:
3 This
1
1×2
=
1
2
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CHAPTER 13. SEQUENCES AND SERIES
• 2 terms:
• 3 terms:
1
1×2
1
1×2
+
+
1
2×3
1
2×3
= 21 + 16 = 23
+ 3×1 4 = 23 +
1
12
=
3
4
At this point, you might already suspect the pattern. ½, 2[U+2044]3, ¾...could it be that the next term
will be 4/5? Let’s find out.
• 4 terms:
1
1×2
+
1
2×3
+
1
3×4
1
4×5
+
=
3
4
+
1
20
=
4
5
It seems to work. The next term will probably be 56 , and then 67 , and so on. Stop for a moment and make
sure you see the pattern. Then, see if you can express that pattern using mathematical notation instead
of words. (Try this yourself before you keep reading!)
The pattern can be expressed like this:
1
1×2
+
1
2×3
+
1
3×4
+ ... +
1
n ( n +1)
=
n
n +1
Stop for a moment and make sure you know where we are. What we have done is figured out a pattern
to the answers, and shown that the pattern works for n = 1, n = 2, n = 3, and n = 4. Based on this
pattern, we expect that if we added up 1×1 2 + 2×1 3 + 3×1 4 + ... + 100×1 101 , we would get 100
101 .
But we have not yet proven anything. Maybe the pattern breaks down for n = 5. Or maybe it works for
all the n-values from 1 to 1000, and then suddenly stops working. We cannot possibly test all the values
in the world, one by one.
This is where the proof by induction comes in. It gives us a way to prove that such a pattern will continue
to hold forever.
An inductive proof, in general, consists of two steps. The first step is to show that the pattern holds
when n = 1. The second step is to show that, whenever this pattern holds for some particular n, it will
also hold for the next n. If it holds for n = 5, then it must hold for n = 6. If it works for n = 99, then
it must also work for n = 100. Once we have proven that, in general, then we will have shown that it
works for all n values.
Example 13.1: Proof by Induction
Inductive Proof of:
1
1
1
1
n
1×2 + 2×3 + 3×4 + ... + n(n+1) = n+1
First Step:
Show that it works for n = 1
1 term:
1
1×2
=
1
2
Second Step:
Show that it works for n + 1, assuming it works for some n
For n + 1, the left side of the equation looks like:
1
1×2
+
1
2×3
+
1
3×4
+ ... +
1
n ( n +1)
+
1
(n+1)(n+1+1)
and the right side of the equation looks like:
n+1
n+1+1
(13.2)
201
So we want to see if:
1
1×2
+
1
2×3
+
1
3×4
+ ... +
1
n ( n +1)
+
1
(n+1)(n+2)
n +1
n +2
Now comes the key step.
If this pattern held for n, then the first n terms of the left side—that is, all but the last (new)
n
term—must add up to n+
1 . So we do that substitution:
n
n +1
+
1
(n+1)(n+2)
n +1
n +2
All that remains, now, is the algebra to show that equation is true. Get a common denominator:
n ( n +2)
(n+1)(n+2)
+
1
(n+1)(n+2)
( n +1)2
(n+1)(n+2)
( n + 1)2
The algebra here all comes from our unit on rational expressions: you may want to take a moment to
make sure you can follow it. But don’t let the algebra distract you from the main point, which is what
we proved in the second step. We proved that the formula works for n + 1. But in the middle of that
proof, we assumed that it works for the previous term, n. In doing so, we proved that if it works for 1, it
must also work for 2; if it works for 2, it must also work for 3; and so on. This amounts, then, to a proof
that the pattern holds forever.
n2 + 2n + 1
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Chapter 14
Probability
14.1 Probability Concepts1
If you flip a coin, what is the chance of getting heads? That’s easy: 50/50. In the language of probability,
we say that the probability is 12 . That is to say, half the time you flip coins, you will get heads.
So here is a harder question: if you flip two coins, what is the chance that you will get heads both times?
I asked this question of my son, who has good mathematical intuition but no training in probability.
His immediate answer: 13 . There are three possibilities: two heads, one heads and one tails, and two
tails. So there is a 13 chance of getting each possibility, including two heads. Makes sense, right?
But it is not right. If you try this experiment 100 times, you will not find about 33 “both heads” results,
33 “both tails,” and 33 “one heads and one tails.” Instead, you will find something much closer to: 25
“both heads,” 25 “both tails,” and 50 “one of each” results. Why?
Because hidden inside this experiment are actually four different results, each as likely as the others.
These results are: heads-heads, heads-tails, tails-heads, and tails-tails. Even if you don’t keep track of
what “order” the coins flipped in, heads-tails is still a different result from tails-heads, and each must
be counted.
And what if you flip a coin three times? In this case, there are actually eight results. In case this is getting
hard to keep track of, here is a systematic way of listing all eight results.
First Coin
Second Coin
Heads
Heads
Tails
Third Coin
End Result
Heads
HHH
Tails
HHT
Heads
HTH
Tails
HTT
continued on next page
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19073/1.2/>.
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CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
Heads
Tails
Tails
Heads
THH
Tails
THT
Heads
TTH
Tails
TTT
Table 14.1
When you make a table like this, the pattern becomes apparent: each new coin doubles the number of
possibilities. The chance of three heads in a row is 18 . What would be the chance of four heads in row?
Let’s take a slightly more complicated—and more interesting—example. You are the proud inventor of
the SongWriter 2000tm.
Figure 14.1
The user sets the song speed (“fast,” “medium,” or “slow”); the volume (“loud” or “quiet”); and the style
(“rock” or “country”). Then, the SongWriter automatically writes a song to match.
How many possible settings are there? You might suspect that the answer is 3 + 2 + 2 = 7, but in fact
there are many more than that. We can see them all on the following “tree diagram.”
Figure 14.2
205
If you start at the top of a tree like this and follow all the way down, you end up with one particular
kind of song: for instance, “fast loud country song.” There are 12 different song types in all. This comes
from multiplying the number of settings for each knob: 3 × 2 × 2 = 12.
Now, suppose the machine has a “Randomize” setting that randomly chooses the speed, volume, and
style. What is the probability that you will end up with a loud rock song that is not slow? To answer a
question like this, you can use the following process.
1. Count the total number of results (the “leaves” in the tree) that match your criterion. In this case
there are 2: the “fast-loud-rock” and “medium-loud-rock” paths.
2. Count the total number of results: as we said previously, there are 12.
3. Divide. The probability of a non-slow loud rock song is 2/12, or 1/6.
Note that this process will always give you a number between 0 (no results match) and 1 (all results
match). Probabilities are always between 0 (for something that never happens) and 1 (for something
that is guaranteed to happen).
But what does it really mean to say that “the probability is 1/6?” You aren’t going to get 1/6 of a song.
One way to make this result more concrete is to imagine that you run the machine on its “Randomize”
setting 100 times. You should expect to get non-slow loud rock songs 1 out of every 6 times; roughly
17 songs will match that description. This gives us another way to express the answer: there is a 17%
probability of any given song matching this description.
14.1.1 The multiplication rule
We can look at the above problem another way.
What is the chance that any given, randomly selected song will be non-slow?
every three randomly chosen songs will be non-slow.
2
3.
That is to say, 2 out of
Now...out of those 23 , how many will be loud? Half of them. The probability that a randomly selected
song is both non-slow and loud is half of 23 , or 12 × 23 , or 31 .
And now, out of that 13 , how many will be rock? Again, half of them: 12 × 31 . This leads us back to the
conclusion we came to earlier: 1/6 of randomly chosen songs will be non-slow, loud, rock songs. But it
also gives us an example of a very general principle that is at the heart of all probability calculations:
When two events are independent, the probability that they will both occur is the probability of one,
multiplied by the probability of the other.
What does it mean to describe two events as “independent?” It means that they have no effect on each
other. In real life, we know that rock songs are more likely to be fast and loud than slow and quiet. Our
machine, however, keeps all three categories independent: choosing “Rock” does not make a song more
likely to be fast or slow, loud or quiet.
In some cases, applying the multiplication rule is very straightforward. Suppose you generate two
different songs: what is the chance that they will both be fast songs? The two songs are independent of
each other, so the chance is 13 × 31 = 19 .
Now, suppose you generate five different songs. What is the chance that they will all be fast?
5
1
1
1
1
×
×
,
or
, or 1 chance in 243. Not very likely, as you might suspect!
3
3
3
3
1
3
×
1
3
×
206
CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
Other cases are less obvious. Suppose you generate five different songs. What is the probability that
none of them will be a fast song? The multiplication rule tells us only how to find the probability of
“this and that”; how can we apply it to this question?
The key is to reword the question, as follows. What is the chance that the first song will not be fast, and
the second song will not be fast, and the third song will not be fast, and so on? Expressed in this way,
the question is a perfect candidate for the multiplication rule. The probability of the first song being
5
non-fast is 23 . Same for the second, and so on. So the probability is 32 , or 32/243, or roughly 13%.
Based on this, we can easily answer another question: if you generate five different songs, what is the
probability that at least one of them will be fast? Once again, the multiplication rule does not apply
directly here: it tells us “this and that,” not “this or that.” But we can recognize that this is the opposite
of the previous question. We said that 13% of the time, none of the songs will be fast. That means that
the other 87% of the time, at least one of them will!
207
14.2 Permutations2
In the game of “Solitaire” (also known as “Patience” or “Klondike”), seven cards are dealt out
at the beginning, as shown to the left: one faceup, and the other six face-down. (A bunch of
other cards are dealt out too, but let’s ignore that
right now.)A complete card deck has 52 cards.
Assuming that all you know is the 7 of spades
showing, how many possible “hands” (the other
six cards) could be showing underneath?What
makes this a “permutations” problem is that order matters: if an ace is hiding somewhere in
those six cards, it makes a big difference if the
ace is on the first position, the second, etc. Permutations problems can always be addressed as
an example of the multiplication rule, with one
small twist.
208
CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
Table 14.2
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Question - How many cards might be in the first position, directly under the showing 7?
Answer - 51. That card could be anything except the 7 of spades.
Question - For any given card in first position, how many cards might be in second position?
Answer - 50. The seven of spades, and the next card, are both “spoken for.” So there are 50 possibilities left in this position.
Question - So how many possibilities are there for the first two positions combined?
Answer - 51 × 50, or 2,550.
Question - So how many possibilities are there for all six positions?
Answer - 51 × 50 × 49 × 48 × 47 × 46, or approximately 1.3 × 1010 ; about 10 billion possibilities!
This result can be expressed (and typed into a calculator) more concisely by using factorials.
A “factorial” (written with an exclamation mark) means “multiply all the numbers from 1 up to this
number.” So 5! means 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 = 120.
What is
7!
5! ?
Well, it is
1×2×3×4×5×6×7
1×2×3×4×5 ,
of course. Most of the terms cancel, leaving only 6 × 7 = 42.
And what about 51!
45! ? If you write out all the terms, you can see that the first 45 terms cancel, leaving
46 × 47 × 48 × 49 × 50 × 51, which is the number of permutations we want. So instead of typing into your
calculator six numbers to multiply (or sixty numbers or six hundred, depending on the problem), you
can always find the answer to a permutation problem by dividing two factorials. In many calculators,
the factorial option is located under the “probability” menu for this reason.
14.3 Combinations3
Let’s start once again with a deck of 52 cards. But this time, let’s deal out a poker hand (5 cards). How
many possible poker hands are there?
At first glance, this seems like a minor variation on the Solitaire question above. The only real difference
is that there are five cards instead of six. But in face, there is a more important difference: order does not
matter. We do not want to count “Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten of spades” and “Ten-Jack-Queen-King-Ace
of spades” separately; they are the same poker hand.
To approach such question, we begin with the permutations question: how many possible poker hands
are there, if order does matter? 52 × 51 × 50 × 49 × 48, or 52!
47! . But we know that we are counting every
possible hand many different times in this calculation. How many times?
The key insight is that this second question—“How many different times are we counting, for instance,
Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten of spades?”—is itself a permutations question! It is the same as the question
“How many different ways can these five cards be rearranged in a hand?” There are five possibilities for
the first card; for each of these, four for the second; and so on. The answer is 5! which is 120. So, since
we have counted every possible hand 120 times, we divide our earlier result by 120 to find that there are
52!
, or about 2.6 Million possibilities.
(47!)(5!)
This question—“how many different 5-card hands can be made from 52 cards?”—turns out to have a
surprisingly large number of applications. Consider the following questions:
• A school offers 50 classes. Each student must choose 6 of them to fill out a schedule. How many
possible schedules can be made?
3 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19071/1.1/>.
209
• A basketball team has 12 players, but only 5 will start. How many possible starting teams can they
field?
• Your computer contains 300 videos, but you can only fit 10 of them on your iPod. How many
possible ways can you load your iPod?
Each of these is a combinations question, and can be answered exactly like our card scenario. Because
this type of question comes up in so many different contexts, it is given
name and symbol. The
 a special

last question would be referred to as “300 choose 10” and written 
as
300!
(290!)(10!)
for reasons explained above.
300
10
. It is calculated, of course,
210
GLOSSARY
Glossary
D Domain
The domain of a function is all the numbers that it can successfully act on. Put another way, it
is all the numbers that can go into the function.
I
Inverse Function
f −1 ( x ) is defined as the inverse function of f ( x ) if it consistently reverses the f ( x ) process.
That is, if f ( x ) turns a into b, then f −1 ( x ) must turn
b into a. More concisely and formally,
f −1 ( x ) is the inverse function of f ( x ) if f f −1 ( x ) = x.
L Linear Function
A function is said to be “linear” if every time the independent variable increases by 1, the
dependent variable increases or decreases by the same amount.
R Range
The range of a function is all the numbers that it may possibly produce. Put another way, it is
all the numbers that can come out of the function.
T The Vertical Line Test
If you can draw any vertical line that touches a graph in two places, then that graph violates
the rule of consistency and therefore does not represent any function.
INDEX
211
Index of Keywords and Terms
Keywords are listed by the section with that keyword (page numbers are in parentheses). Keywords do not necessarily appear in the text of the page. They are merely associated with that
section. Ex. apples, § 1.1 (1) Terms are referenced by the page they appear on. Ex. apples, 1
A Absolute, § 2.2(43), § 2.3(45), § 2.6(50)
Absolute Value, § 2.1(39), § 2.4(47)
addition, § 7.4(113), § 10.1(137)
algebra, § 1.1(1), § 1.2(1), § 1.3(2), § 1.4(4),
§ 1.5(5), § 1.6(5), § 1.7(8), § 1.8(9), § 1.9(10),
§ 1.10(13), § 1.11(28), § 1.12(30), § 1.13(33),
§ 2.4(47), § 3.5(59), § 3.6(61), § 3.7(62), § 4.2(67),
§ 4.3(71), § 4.5(75), § 4.6(75), § 4.7(77), § 4.8(80),
§ 4.9(81), § 5.1(87), § 5.2(87), § 5.3(89), § 5.4(93),
§ 6.1(101), § 6.2(102), § 6.3(102), § 6.4(103),
§ 6.5(104), § 6.6(105), § 6.7(106), § 7.1(109),
§ 7.2(109), § 7.3(111), § 7.4(113), § 7.5(115),
§ 7.6(116), § 8.1(121), § 8.2(121), § 8.3(122),
§ 8.4(124), § 9.1(129), § 9.2(130), § 9.3(131),
§ 9.4(133), § 9.5(133), § 9.6(134), § 10.1(137),
§ 10.2(139), § 10.3(143), § 10.4(144), § 10.5(147),
§ 10.6(153), § 10.7(155), § 11.1(161), § 11.2(161),
§ 11.3(164), § 11.4(165), § 11.5(168), § 12.1(173),
§ 12.2(175), § 12.3(177), § 12.4(181), § 12.5(184),
§ 12.6(187), § 12.7(194), § 13.1(197), § 13.2(198),
§ 13.3(199), § 14.1(203), § 14.2(207), § 14.3(208)
algebraic, § 1.5(5)
algebraic generalizations, § 1.9(10)
analogy, § 6.2(102)
AND, 39
B binomial, § 4.1(65)
C calculator, § 10.5(147), § 11.5(168)
circles, § 12.3(177)
combinations, § 14.3(208)
common, § 6.6(105)
Complete, § 4.4(72)
Completing, § 4.4(72)
complex, § 9.1(129), § 9.2(130), § 9.3(131),
§ 9.4(133), § 9.5(133), § 9.6(134)
complex number, § 9.1(129), § 9.2(130),
§ 9.3(131), § 9.4(133), § 9.5(133), § 9.6(134)
composite functions, § 1.12(30)
Concepts, § 2.1(39), § 2.2(43)
conic sections, § 12.1(173), § 12.3(177),
§ 12.4(181), § 12.5(184), § 12.6(187), § 12.7(194)
conjugates, 124
consistency, § 1.4(4)
constant, § 10.1(137)
curve, § 5.4(93)
D data modeling, § 11.1(161), § 11.2(161),
§ 11.3(164), § 11.4(165), § 11.5(168)
determinant, § 10.6(153)
direct variation, § 11.2(161)
distance, § 12.2(175)
distant, § 3.1(55)
domain, § 1.6(5), 5
E elimination, 57, § 3.4(58)
ellipses, § 12.5(184)
equality, § 10.1(137)
equation, § 3.4(58), § 3.5(59), § 4.3(71),
§ 4.4(72), § 4.7(77), § 6.3(102), § 8.4(124)
Equations, § 2.2(43), § 3.1(55), § 3.2(55),
§ 3.3(58), § 3.6(61), § 3.7(62)
even function, 127
exponent, § 5.1(87), § 5.2(87), § 5.3(89),
§ 5.4(93), § 6.3(102)
F factoring, § 4.2(67), § 4.3(71)
Felder, § 2.1(39), § 2.2(43), § 2.3(45), § 2.5(50),
§ 2.6(50), § 3.1(55), § 3.2(55), § 3.5(59),
§ 3.6(61), § 3.7(62), § 4.2(67), § 4.3(71),
§ 4.5(75), § 4.6(75), § 4.7(77), § 4.8(80),
§ 4.9(81), § 5.1(87), § 5.2(87), § 5.3(89),
§ 5.4(93), § 6.1(101), § 6.2(102), § 6.3(102),
§ 6.4(103), § 6.5(104), § 6.6(105), § 6.7(106)
foil, § 4.1(65)
Formula, § 4.5(75)
fractions, § 5.3(89)
function, § 1.13(33), § 2.6(50), § 6.4(103),
§ 6.7(106)
function notation, § 1.8(9)
functions, § 1.1(1), § 1.2(1), § 1.3(2), § 1.4(4),
§ 1.5(5), § 1.6(5), § 1.7(8), § 1.8(9), § 1.9(10),
§ 1.10(13), § 1.11(28), § 1.12(30), § 4.8(80)
212
INDEX
G generalizing functions, § 1.9(10)
graph, § 6.7(106)
graphical, § 1.5(5)
graphing, § 1.10(13), § 2.4(47), § 2.5(50),
§ 3.2(55), § 4.7(77), § 4.8(80), § 12.1(173),
§ 12.2(175), § 12.3(177)
H hyperbolas, § 12.6(187)
I
i, § 9.1(129), § 9.2(130), § 9.3(131), § 9.4(133),
§ 9.5(133), § 9.6(134)
identity matrix, § 10.3(143)
imaginary, § 9.1(129), § 9.2(130), § 9.3(131),
§ 9.4(133), § 9.5(133), § 9.6(134)
imaginary number, § 9.1(129), § 9.2(130),
§ 9.3(131), § 9.4(133), § 9.5(133), § 9.6(134)
induction, § 13.3(199)
Inequalities, § 2.1(39), § 2.3(45), § 2.5(50),
§ 4.9(81)
inequality, § 2.4(47)
introduction, § 1.1(1), § 8.1(121), § 11.1(161)
inverse, § 1.13(33), § 6.4(103)
Inverse Function, 35
inverse functions, § 1.13(33)
inverse matrix, § 10.4(144)
inverse variation, § 11.2(161)
L laws, § 5.2(87)
letters, § 3.7(62)
linear, § 11.3(164)
linear equations, § 10.7(155)
Linear Function, 28
linear regression, § 11.3(164)
lines, § 1.11(28)
logarithm, § 6.1(101), § 6.2(102), § 6.3(102),
§ 6.4(103), § 6.5(104), § 6.6(105), § 6.7(106)
M matrices, § 10.1(137), § 10.2(139), § 10.3(143),
§ 10.4(144), § 10.5(147), § 10.6(153), § 10.7(155)
matrix, § 10.1(137), § 10.2(139), § 10.3(143),
§ 10.4(144), § 10.5(147), § 10.6(153), § 10.7(155)
multiplication, § 7.3(111), § 10.2(139)
multiply, § 7.3(111)
N negative, § 5.3(89)
numbers, § 3.7(62)
numerical, § 1.5(5)
O OR, 39, 47
P parabolas, § 12.4(181)
parabolic, § 11.4(165)
parabolic regression, § 11.4(165)
permutations, § 14.2(207)
Piecewise, § 2.6(50)
polynomials, § 7.6(116)
probability, § 14.1(203), § 14.2(207), § 14.3(208)
Problem, § 3.6(61)
proof by induction, § 13.3(199)
proofs, § 13.3(199)
properties, § 6.5(104), § 8.2(121)
Q quadratic, § 4.1(65), § 4.2(67), § 4.3(71),
§ 4.4(72), § 4.5(75), § 4.6(75), § 4.7(77),
§ 4.8(80), § 4.9(81)
R radicals, § 8.1(121), § 8.2(121), § 8.3(122),
§ 8.4(124)
range, § 1.6(5), 7
rate, § 3.1(55)
rational equations, § 7.5(115)
rational expressions, § 7.1(109), § 7.2(109),
§ 7.3(111), § 7.4(113), § 7.5(115), § 7.6(116)
rational numbers, § 7.2(109), § 7.3(111)
ratios, § 7.1(109), § 7.2(109), § 7.3(111),
§ 7.4(113), § 7.5(115), § 7.6(116)
regression, § 11.5(168)
roots, § 6.2(102)
S scalar, § 10.1(137)
sequences, § 13.1(197)
series, § 13.2(198)
simplification, § 7.2(109), § 8.3(122)
simplify, § 7.2(109), § 8.3(122)
simultaneous, § 3.1(55), § 3.2(55), § 3.3(58),
§ 3.4(58), § 3.5(59), § 3.6(61), § 3.7(62)
slope, § 1.11(28)
solution, § 4.6(75)
solve, § 4.3(71)
Square, § 4.4(72)
substitution, 57, § 3.3(58)
subtraction, § 7.4(113), § 10.1(137)
T The Vertical Line Test, 17
time, § 3.1(55)
V Value, § 2.2(43), § 2.3(45), § 2.6(50)
variables, § 1.2(1)
verbal, § 1.5(5)
W Word, § 3.6(61)
ATTRIBUTIONS
Attributions
Collection: Advanced Algebra II: Conceptual Explanations
Edited by: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/col10624/1.3/
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Function Concepts – Introduction"
Used here as: "Function Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18192/1.2/
Page: 1
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Function Concepts – What is a Variable?"
Used here as: "What is a Variable?"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18194/1.2/
Pages: 1-2
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Function Concepts – What is a Function?"
Used here as: "What is a Function?"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18189/1.2/
Pages: 2-3
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Function Concepts – The Rule of Consistency"
Used here as: "The Rule of Consistency"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18190/1.3/
Page: 4
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Function Concepts – Four Ways to Represent a Function"
Used here as: "Four Ways to Represent a Function"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18195/1.2/
Page: 5
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
213
214
Module: "Function Concepts – Domain and Range"
Used here as: "Domain and Range"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18191/1.2/
Pages: 5-8
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Function Concepts – Functions in the Real World"
Used here as: "Functions in the Real World"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18193/1.2/
Pages: 8-9
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Function Concepts – Function Notation"
Used here as: "Function Notation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18188/1.3/
Pages: 9-10
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Function Concepts – Algebraic Generalizations"
Used here as: "Algebraic Generalizations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18186/1.3/
Pages: 10-13
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Function Concepts – Graphing"
Used here as: "Graphing"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18196/1.2/
Pages: 13-28
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Function Concepts – Lines"
Used here as: "Lines"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18197/1.2/
Pages: 28-30
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Function Concepts – Composite Functions"
Used here as: "Composite Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18187/1.2/
Pages: 30-33
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Function Concepts – Inverse Functions"
Used here as: "Inverse Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18198/1.2/
Pages: 33-37
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Value Concepts – Inequalities"
Used here as: "Inequalities"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18205/1.2/
Pages: 39-42
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Value Concepts – Absolute Value Equations"
Used here as: "Absolute Value Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18201/1.3/
Pages: 43-45
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Value Concepts – Absolute Value Inequalities"
Used here as: "Absolute Value Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18207/1.2/
Pages: 45-47
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Value Concepts – Graphing Absolute Values"
Used here as: "Graphing Absolute Values"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18199/1.2/
Pages: 47-50
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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215
216
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Value Concepts – Graphing Inequalities"
Used here as: "Graphing Inequalities"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18208/1.2/
Page: 50
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Value Concepts – "Piecewise Functions" and Absolute Value"
Used here as: ""Piecewise Functions" and Absolute Value"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18200/1.2/
Pages: 50-53
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Simultaneous Equations Concepts – Distance, Rate and Time"
Used here as: "Distance, Rate and Time"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18211/1.2/
Page: 55
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Simultaneous Equations Concepts – Simultaneous Equations by Graphing"
Used here as: "Simultaneous Equations by Graphing"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18209/1.2/
Pages: 55-57
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Simultaneous Equations Concepts – Substitution"
Used here as: "Substitution"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18212/1.2/
Page: 58
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Simultaneous Equations Concepts – Elimination"
Used here as: "Elimination"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18215/1.2/
Pages: 58-59
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Simultaneous Equations Concepts – Special Cases"
Used here as: "Special Cases"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18213/1.4/
Pages: 59-61
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Simultaneous Equations Concepts – Word Problems"
Used here as: "Word Problems"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18210/1.2/
Pages: 61-62
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Simultaneous Equations Concepts – Using Letters as Numbers"
Used here as: "Using Letters as Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18214/1.2/
Pages: 62-63
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Quadratic Concepts – Multiplying Binomials"
Used here as: "Multiplying Binomials"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18224/1.3/
Pages: 65-67
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Quadratic Concepts – Factoring"
Used here as: "Factoring"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18227/1.2/
Pages: 67-70
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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Module: "Quadratic Concepts – Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring"
Used here as: "Solving Quadratic Equations by Factoring"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18222/1.2/
Pages: 71-72
Copyright: Kenny Felder
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217
218
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Quadratic Concepts – Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square"
Used here as: "Solving Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18217/1.2/
Pages: 72-74
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Concepts – The Quadratic Formula"
Used here as: "The Quadratic Formula"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18231/1.2/
Page: 75
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Concepts – Different Types of Solutions to Quadratic Equations"
Used here as: "Different Types of Solutions to Quadratic Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18216/1.2/
Pages: 75-76
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Concepts – Graphing Quadratic Equations"
Used here as: "Graphing Quadratic Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18228/1.2/
Pages: 77-80
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Concepts – Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions"
Used here as: "Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18220/1.2/
Pages: 80-81
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Concepts – Quadratic Inequalities"
Used here as: "Quadratic Inequalities"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18230/1.2/
Pages: 81-84
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Exponent Concepts – Introduction"
Used here as: "Exponent Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18232/1.2/
Page: 87
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Exponent Concepts – Laws of Exponents"
Used here as: "Laws of Exponents"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18235/1.2/
Pages: 87-89
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Exponent Concepts – Zero, negative numbers, and fractions as exponents"
Used here as: "Zero, Negative Numbers, and Fractions as Exponents"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18234/1.3/
Pages: 89-92
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Exponent Concepts – Exponential Curves"
Used here as: "Exponential Curves"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18233/1.2/
Pages: 93-99
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithm Concepts – Introduction"
Used here as: "Logarithm Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18242/1.2/
Page: 101
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithm Concepts – The logarithm explained by analogy to roots"
Used here as: "The Logarithm Explained by Analogy to Roots"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18236/1.2/
Page: 102
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
219
220
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Logarithm Concepts – Rewriting logarithm equations as exponent equations"
Used here as: "Rewriting Logarithm Equations as Exponent Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18241/1.2/
Pages: 102-103
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithm Concepts – The logarithm defined as an inverse function"
Used here as: "The Logarithm Defined as an Inverse Function"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18240/1.2/
Pages: 103-104
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithm Concepts – Properties of Logarithms"
Used here as: "Properties of Logarithms"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18239/1.2/
Pages: 104-105
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithm Concepts – Common Logarithms"
Used here as: "Common Logarithms"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18237/1.2/
Pages: 105-106
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithm Concepts – Graphing Logarithmic Functions"
Used here as: "Graphing Logarithmic Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18238/1.2/
Pages: 106-108
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expression Concepts – Introduction"
Used here as: "Rational Expression Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18304/1.1/
Page: 109
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Rational Expression Concepts – Simplifying Rational Expressions"
Used here as: "Simplifying Rational Expressions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18296/1.1/
Pages: 109-111
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expression Concepts – Multiplying Rational Expressions"
Used here as: "Multiplying Rational Expressions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18301/1.1/
Pages: 111-113
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expression Concepts – Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions"
Used here as: "Adding and Subtracting Rational Expressions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18303/1.1/
Pages: 113-115
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expression Concepts – Rational Equations"
Used here as: "Rational Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18302/1.1/
Pages: 115-116
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expression Concepts – Dividing Polynomials"
Used here as: "Dividing Polynomials"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18299/1.1/
Pages: 116-119
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radical Concepts – Introduction"
Used here as: "Radical Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18244/1.2/
Page: 121
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
221
222
Module: "Radical Concepts – Properties of Radicals"
Used here as: "Properties of Radicals"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18271/1.1/
Pages: 121-122
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radical Concepts – Simplifying Radicals"
Used here as: "Simplifying Radicals"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18274/1.1/
Pages: 122-124
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radical Concepts – Radical Equations"
Used here as: "Radical Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18273/1.1/
Pages: 124-127
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Concepts – Introduction"
Used here as: "Imaginary Numbers Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18285/1.2/
Page: 129
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Concepts – Playing with i"
Used here as: "Playing with i"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18286/1.1/
Pages: 130-131
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Concepts – Complex Numbers"
Used here as: "Complex Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18282/1.1/
Pages: 131-132
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Imaginary Concepts – Equality and Inequality in Complex Numbers"
Used here as: "Equality and Inequality in Complex Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18283/1.1/
Page: 133
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Concepts – Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers"
Used here as: "Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18288/1.1/
Pages: 133-134
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Concepts – Extra for Experts"
Used here as: "A Few “Extra for Experts” Thoughts on Imaginary Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18284/1.1/
Pages: 134-136
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrix Concepts – Explanations"
Used here as: "Matrices"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18311/1.1/
Pages: 137-139
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrix Concepts – Multiplying Matrices"
Used here as: "Multiplying Matrices"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18291/1.1/
Pages: 139-142
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrix Concepts – The Identity Matrix"
Used here as: "The Identity Matrix"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18293/1.1/
Page: 143
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
223
224
Module: "Matrix Concepts – The Inverse Matrix"
Used here as: "The Inverse Matrix"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18294/1.1/
Pages: 144-147
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrix Concepts – Matrices on Calculators"
Used here as: "Matrices on a TI-83 or TI-84 Calculator"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18290/1.1/
Pages: 147-153
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrix Concepts – Determinants"
Used here as: "Determinants"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18289/1.1/
Pages: 153-155
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrix Concepts – Solving Linear Equations"
Used here as: "Solving Linear Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18292/1.1/
Pages: 155-160
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Data Concepts – Introduction"
Used here as: "Data Modeling Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18277/1.1/
Page: 161
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Data Concepts – Variations"
Used here as: "Direct and Inverse Variations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18281/1.1/
Pages: 161-164
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Data Concepts – Linear Functions"
Used here as: "Finding a Linear Function for any Two Points"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18278/1.1/
Pages: 164-165
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Data Concepts – Parabolic Functions"
Used here as: "Finding a Parabolic Function for any Three Points"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18279/1.3/
Pages: 165-168
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Data Concepts – Regression on the the Calculator"
Used here as: "Regression on the Calculator"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18280/1.1/
Pages: 168-171
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Concepts – Introduction"
Used here as: "Conic Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18265/1.1/
Pages: 173-175
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Concepts – Distance"
Used here as: "A Mathematical Look at Distance"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18246/1.2/
Pages: 175-177
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Concepts – Circles"
Used here as: "Circles"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18245/1.2/
Pages: 177-181
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
225
226
Module: "Conic Concepts – Parabolas"
Used here as: "Parabolas"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18268/1.1/
Pages: 181-183
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Concepts – Ellipses"
Used here as: "Ellipses"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18247/1.2/
Pages: 184-187
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Concepts – Hyperbolas"
Used here as: "Hyperbolas"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18249/1.2/
Pages: 187-194
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Concepts – Recap"
Used here as: "A Brief Recap: How Do You Tell What Shape It Is?"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m18270/1.1/
Pages: 194-195
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Sequences and Series Concepts – Sequences"
Used here as: "Sequences"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19076/1.1/
Pages: 197-198
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Sequences and Series Concepts – Series"
Used here as: "Series"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19074/1.1/
Pages: 198-199
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Sequences and Series Concepts – Proof by Induction"
Used here as: "Proof by Induction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19075/1.1/
Pages: 199-201
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Concepts – Probability"
Used here as: "Probability Concepts"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19073/1.2/
Pages: 203-206
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Concepts – Permutations"
Used here as: "Permutations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19072/1.1/
Pages: 207-208
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Probability Concepts – Combinations"
Used here as: "Combinations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19071/1.1/
Pages: 208-209
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
227
Advanced Algebra II: Conceptual Explanations
This is the Conceptual Explanations part of Kenny Felder’s course in Advanced Algebra II. It is intended
for students to read on their own to refresh or clarify what they learned in class. This text is designed
for use with the "Advanced Algebra II: Homework and Activities" (<link document="col10686"/>) and
the "Advanced Algebra II: Teacher’s Guide" (<link document="col10687"/>) collections to make up the
entire course.
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academic publishers.
Advanced Algebra II: Teacher’s Guide
By:
Kenny Felder
Advanced Algebra II: Teacher’s Guide
By:
Kenny Felder
Online:
<http://cnx.org/content/col10687/1.2/ >
CONNEXIONS
Rice University, Houston, Texas
©
2008 Kenny Felder
This selection and arrangement of content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Table of Contents
The Long Rambling Philosophical Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1 Functions
1.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.2 The Function Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3 "The Real World" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.4 Algebraic Generalizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5 Graphing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.6 Permutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.7 Test Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.8 Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.9 Composite Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.10 Inverse Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
2 Inequalities and Absolute Values
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Inequality Word Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Absolute Value Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Absolute Value Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
3 Simultaneous Equations
3.1
3.2
3.3
Introduction to Simultaneous Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Simultaneous Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The "Generic" Simultaneous Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
4 Quadratics
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Multiplying Binomials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Factoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Introduction to Quadratic Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Completing the Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The "Generic" Quadratic Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Graphing Quadratic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Graphing Quadratic Functions II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Quadratic Inequalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
5 Exponents
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Rules of Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Extending the Idea of Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Fractional Exponents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Real Life Exponential Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6 Logarithms
??
iv
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Properties of Logarithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Using the Laws of Logarithms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
So What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
7 Rational Expressions
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Rational Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Rational Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Polynomial Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
8 Radicals
8.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
8.2 A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
8.3 Radical Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
9 Imaginary Numbers
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Introduction to Imaginary Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Complex Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Me, Myself, and the Square Root of i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
10 Matrices
10.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
10.2 Multiplying Matrices I (row × column) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
10.3 Multiplying Matrices II (the full monty) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
10.4 Identity and Inverse Matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
10.5 Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
10.6 Use Matrices for Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
10.7 Matrices on the Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
10.8 Determinants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
10.9 Solving Linear Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ??
11 Modeling Data with Functions
11.1
11.2
11.3
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Direct and Inverse Variation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Calculator Regression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12 Conics
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
12.5
12.6
12.7
12.8
12.9
??
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Parabolas, Day 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Parabolas, Day 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Parabolas: From Denition to Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Ellipses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Ellipses: From Denition to Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Hyperbolas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
??
v
13 Sequences and Series
13.1
13.2
13.3
13.4
13.5
13.6
Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Series and Series Notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Arithmetic and Geometric Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Proof by Induction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Extra Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
14 Probability
14.1
14.2
14.3
14.4
14.5
Tree Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Introduction to Probability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Trickier Probability Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Permutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Attributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
vi
The Long Rambling Philosophical
Introduction
1
What you're holding in your hand is much closer to a set of detailed lesson plans than to a traditional
textbook. As you read through it, your rst reaction may be Who does he think he is, telling me exactly
what to say and when to say it?
Please don't take it that way. Take it this way instead.
Over a period of time, I have developed a set of in-class assignments, homeworks, and lesson plans,
that work for me and for other people who have tried them.
If I give you the in-class assignments and
the homeworks, but not the lesson plans, you only have 2[U+2044]3 of the story; and it may not make
sense without the other third.
So instead, I am giving you everything: the in-class assignments and the
homeworks (gathered together in the student book), the detailed explanations of all the concepts (the other
student book), and the lesson plans (this document). Once you read them over, you will know exactly what
I have done.
What do you do then? You may choose to follow my plan exactly, for a number of reasonsbecause it
worked for me, or because it looks like a good plan to you, or just because you have enough other things
to do without planning a lesson that I've already planned.
On the other hand, you may choose to do
something quite dierent, that incorporates my ideas in some form that I never imagined. This book is not
a
proscription, in other words, but a resource.
OK, with that out of the way. . .suppose you decide that you do want to follow my plan, exactly or pretty
closely. Here's what you do.
•
Right now, you read this whole introductiondespite the title, it really does contain useful information
about these materials.
•
Before beginning each new unit, you read my conceptual explanation of that unit, so you know what
I'm trying to achieve.
•
Each day before class, you carefully read over my lesson plan (in this document), and the in-class
assignment and homework (in the student book), so you know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.
A Typical Day in Mr. Felder's Class (. . .and why you care)
At the risk of repeating myself, let me emphasizeI'm not trying to insult you by suggesting that my way
is the only right way to run a class. But it will help you understand these materials if you understand how
I use them.
I begin each day by taking questions on
last night's homework. I answer any and all questions. This may
take ve minutes, or it may take the entire class period: I don't stop until everyone is perfectly comfortable
with last night's homework.
Why is that so important? Because, very often, the homework introduces new concepts that the students
have
never seen in class before.
1 This
For instance, very early in the rst unit, I introduce the idea of
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19503/1.1/>.
1
2
permuting graphs: for instance, if you add 3 to any function, the graph moves up by three units. This
concept never comes up in class, in any formit is developed entirely on a homework.
So it's vitally
important to debrief them the next day and make sure that they got, not only the right answers, but the
point.
After the homework is covered, I begin a new topic. This is almost (almost!) never done in a long lecture.
Sometimes it happens in a class discussion; sometimes it happens in a TAPPS exercise (more on that when
we do our rst one); most often, it happens in an
in-class assignment. These assignments should almost
always be done in pairs or groups of three, very rarely individually. They generally require pretty high-level
thinking. On a good day I can hear three or four heated arguments going on in dierent groups. Most of
my class time is spent moving between dierent groups and helping them when they are stuck. In general,
there is some particular
point I want them to get from the exercise, and they will need that point to do the
homeworkso a lot of my job in class is to make sure that, before they leave, they got the point.
Timing
If you read through this entire document (which I do not recommend at one sitting), you get the illusion that
I have everything planned down to the day. If I say do this assignment in class, then do this homework,
they had better get that done in one day, or they will fall irretrievably behind.
Well, suppose you add it all up that way. Every 1-day assignment (with homework) counts as one day,
and what the heck, let's allocate two days for every test (one day for preparation, using the Sample Test
and one day for the actual test). If you add it up that way, you will get a total of 91 days, or thereabouts.
There are 180 days in the school year.
So what does that mean? Does it mean you will be done in one semester? No, of course not. It means,
take your time and do it right.
For one thing, I believe in building in a lot of time for review. Ideally, two weeks before mid-terms and
another two weeks before nals. (What I do during this time is cover one topic a day, with the students
teaching each class.)
But even leaving that aside, one apparent day's worth of material will sometimes take you two days to
get through. You spend the whole day reviewing last night's homework and you don't even get to the new
assignment. Or, you get to the end of the class and you realize that most of the groups are only half-way
through the in-class assignment. Don't rush it! It's much more important to get today's concept, and really
make sure everyone has it, then to rush on to tomorrow. The way I see it, you have three reasonable choices.
1. If
most of the class is mostly nished with the in-class assignment, it may make sense to say Finish
the in-class assignment tonight, and also do the homework.
2. If most of the class is only half-way done, it may make sense to say Finish the in-class assignment
tonight, and we will do the homework in class tomorrow. This puts you a half-day behind which is
ne.
However, some in-class assignments really cannot be done at home. . .they require too
much group work or help from you. So. . .
3. Sometimes you just say We'll nish the in-class assignment tomorrow. This puts you one day behind
which is also ne.
Of course you need to pace yourself. But do it by tests, not by days. There are sixteen tests. If you are
going at a clip that will get you through more or less that many tests by the end of the year, you're doing
ne. And even that isn't exactof course, some units will take longer than others. Personally, I would much
rather skip the unit on Conics (the last unit) entirely, than lose the entire class by trying to rush through
Exponents. (However, in real life, I do make it through the entire syllabus.)
Tests
At the end of every unit I have a Sample Test.
This is for the students' benet as much as for yours:
it makes a great study guide and/or homework.
If you say The homework tonight is the sample test.
3
Tomorrow we will go over any questions you have on the sample test, and on the topic in generalthat will
be your last chance to ask me questions!
The next day will be our actual test, then you are giving the
students a great chance to bone up before the test. Doing this has dramatically improved my classes.
So what about your actual test? Of course, you may (or may not) want to
base your test on mine. In
that case, however, be careful about timingsome of my Sample Tests are actually too long to be a real
test. But they are made up of actual questions that I have used on actual tests in the pastand in any case,
calling them Sample Tests gets students' attention better than calling them Review Questions.
exactly my questionsyou want to change
exactly my extra credit. Even if they just did it, it often
By the way, although I do not generally recommend using
the numbers at leastit is sometimes OK to use
has enough real learning in it that it is worth giving them a few points if they took the time to look it over
and/or ask about it.
4
Chapter 1
Functions
1
1.1 Introduction
This is the most important unit in the year, because it introduces many of the major themes that will run
through the entire class. These themes include:
•
•
•
•
What is a function?
How are functions used to model things in the real world?
What does it mean for two functions to be equal?
How does a functional description
f (x) = 3x
relate to a graph?
More detailed topics include the vertical line test (the rule of consistency), the dependent and independent variables, domain and range, composite functions, and inverse functions.
Also included in this unit is a quick review of graphing lines.
It is assumed that students are mostly
familiar with this topic from Algebra I.
1.2 The Function Game
2
This game is an introduction to the idea of a function.
Begin by breaking the students into groups of three.
In each group, one student is designated as the
leader and another as the recorder. (Do this quickly and arbitrarily: The shortest person is the leader and
the tallest is the recorder or some such. Assure them that the roles will rotate.) Go over the instructions
(which are in the student packet): walk through a sample session, using the function add ve, to make sure
they understand who does what and what gets written down. In particular, make sure they understand how
add ve can be represented as x
+ 5:
that is, that
x
is being used to designate the number that comes
1
and someone gives
in. You also want to mention domain in particular, and the idea that if you are doing x
you a 0, it is not in your domain.
Then they can start. Your job is to circle around, keeping them on task, and helping students who are
stuck by giving hints: Do you notice anything in common about all the numbers you've gotten back? or
Why are all negative numbers outside the domain? or even Try a 2 and see what happens. Also, at 10
or 15 minute intervals, instruct them to switch roles.
function. What is the leader
process that turns one number into another.
Toward the end of the class period, interrupt briey to talk about the word
representing? He is not a number. He is not a variable. He is a
That's all a function isa mechanical process that takes one number in, and spits a dierent number back
1 This
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
6
out. Use the analogy of a little machine (you can draw it) with an input and an output. Functions are going
to be the main focus of the entire year in Algebra II.
If some groups don't nish all the problems, that's OK: as long as they did enough to get the idea. If a
group nishes early, tell them to start making up their own functionschallenge them to stump you!
Homework:
"Homework: The Function Game"
1.3 "The Real World"
3
Begin by going over the homework. There are two key points to bring out, which did not come up in class
yesterday.
1. If two functions always give the same answer, we say they are equal. This just cannot be stressed
enough. Put this on the board:
3 (x − 5) = 3x − 15
They've all seen this.
it
Most of them know it is the distributive property.
means? Explain it very carefully.
3 (x − 15)
3 (x − 5)
But do they know what
is a function that says subtract 5, then multiply by 3.
is a function that says multiply by 3, then subtract 15. They are very dierent processes! But
we say they are equal because no matter what number you plug in, they yield the same answer. So in the
function game, there is no possible question you could ask that would tell you if the person is doing subtract
5, then multiply by 3 or multiply by 3, then subtract 5. Have the class give you a few numbers, and show
how it worksfor negative numbers, fractions, zero,
anything.
2. The last problem on the homework brings up what I call the rule of consistency. It is perfectly OK
for a function to give the same answer for dierent questions. (For instance,
x2
turns both 3 and -3 into 9.)
not OK to give dierent answers to the same question. That is, if a function turns a 3 into a 9
once, then it will always turn a 3 into a 9.
But it is
Once those two points are very clearly made, and all questions answered, you move on to today's work.
Note that there is no in-class assignment in the student book: this is a day for interacting with the students.
Remind them that a function is simply a processany processthat takes one number in, and spits
a dierent number out.
Then explain that functions are so important because they model relationships
in the real world, where one number
depends on a dierent number. Give them a few examples like the
followingno math, just a verbal assertion that one number depends on another:
•
•
•
•
The number of toes in class depends on the number of feet in class.
Which, in turn, depends on the number of people in class.
The number of points you make in basketball depends on how many baskets you make.
The amount I pay at the pump depends on the price of gas.
Have them brainstorm in pairs (for 1-2 minutes at most) to come up with as many other examples as they
can. Since this is the rst brainstorming exercise in class, you may want to take a moment to explain the
concept.
The goal of brainstorming is quantity, not quality. The object is to come up with as many
valid.
examples as you can, no matter how silly. But although they may be silly, they must in this case be
The color of your shirt depends on your mood is not a function, because neither one is a number. The
number of phones in the class depends on the number of computers is not valid, because it doesn't. By the
end of a few minutes of brainstorming and a bit more talk from you, they should be able to see how easy it
is to nd numbers that depend on other numbers.
Thenafter the intuitive stuintroduce formal functional notation. Suppose you get two points per
p represent the number of points, and b represent the number of baskets, then p (b) = 2 (b).
p (c) = 2c that is not a dierent function, because they are both ways of expressing the idea that
p doubles whatever you give it (relate to the function game). So if you give it a 6, you get 12 : p (6) = 12.
If you give it a duck, you get two ducks: p (duck) = 2ducks. It doubles whatever you give it.
basket. If we let
If we say
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Key points to stress:
b. It means that p depends on
p is a function of b.
• You can plug any numbers you want into this formula. p (6) = 12 meaning that if you get 6 baskets,
1
1
you make 12 points. p 2
2 = 5 is valid mathematically, but in the real world you can't make 2 2
baskets. Remind them that p is a functiona processdouble whatever you are given.
• Also introduce at this point the terminology of the dependent and independent variables.
• Stress clearly dening variables: not b is baskets but b is the number of baskets you make. (Baskets
•
This notation,
b,
is not a
•
p (b),
does
not indicate that
p
is being multiplied by
or (to express the same thing a dierent way),
number.)
Finally, talk about how we can use this functional notation to ask questions. The question How many
p (4)? The question
= 50, solve for b.
points do I get if I make 4 baskets? is expressed as What is
do I need in order to get 50 points? is expressed as p (b)
How many baskets
For the rest of classwhether it is ve minutes or twentythe class should be making up their own functions.
The pattern is this:
1. Think of a situation where one number depends on another. (Number of toes depends on number of
feet.)
2. Clearly label the variables. (t=number of toes,
3. Write the function that shows how the
f =number
of feet.)
dependent variable depends on the independent variable
(t (f ) = 5f.)
4. Choose an example number to plug in. (If there are 6 feet,
t (f ) = 5 (6) = 30.
30 toes.)
Encourage them to think of problems where the relationship is a bit more complicated than a simple multiplication. (The area of a circle depends on its radius,
A (r) = πr2 ).
Homework:
Homework: Functions in the Real World.
When going over this homework the next day, one question that is almost
f (f (x)).
sure to come up is #4g:
Of course, I'm building up to the idea of composite functions, but there is no need to mention
f (anything) = anything2 + 2anything + 1. So the answer to (e)
2
+ 2spaghetti + 1. And the answer to this one is f (f (x)) = f (x) + 2f (x) + 1.
that at this point. Just remind them that
is
f (spaghetti) =
2
spaghetti
Of course, this can (and should) be simplied, but the point right now is to stress that idea that you can
plug anything you want in there.
1.4 Algebraic Generalizations
4
This is the real fun, for me.
Start by telling the students Pick a number. Add three. Subtract the number you started with. You
are left with. . .three! OK, no great shock and surprise. But let's use algebra to express what we have just
x + 3 − x = 3. The key is recognizing what that sentence mean. x can be any number.
x + 3 − x = 3 we are indeed asserting that if you take any number, add three and then
discovered.
So when
we write
subtract
the number, you get three in the end.
Here's a harder one. Pick a number, add three, multiply by four, subtract twelve, divide by the number
you started with. Everyone started with dierent numbers, but everyone has 4 in the end. Ask the students
that, and see if they can work their way to
they can guess what number this trick will not work with.
to nd a generalization to represent
4(x+3)−12
x
= 4.
See also if
Now, have them work on the in-class assignment Algebraic Generalizations, in groups of three.. Most
of the class period should be spent on this. This is hard!!! After the rst couple of problems (which very
directly echo what you already did in class), most groups will need a lot of help.
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CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
8
Here are some of the answers I'm looking forI include this to make sure that the purpose of the
assignment is clear to teachers.
•
In #3, the object is to get to
2x+1 = 2 • 2x
(or, equivalently,
slowly with individual groups. Let's call this number
x.
2x = 2 • 2x−1 .
Talk through this very
x
So what is this number? (2 ) And how can
we represent this number? (x
written
24 ,
and
+ 1). etc. . . The real goal is to get them to see how, once you have
2x+1 = 2 • 2x , you have said in one statement that 28 is twice 27 , and also that 25 is twice
11
10
also that 2
is twice 2 , and so on. It is a generalization because it is one statement that
represents many separate facts.
•
In #4, the object is to get to
xa xb = xa+b .
Again, it will take a lot of hand-holding. It isn't important
for them to do it entirely on their own. It is critically important that, by the time they are done, they
see how those numbers lead to that generalization; and how that generalization leads to those numbers.
•
If all that works, they should be able to do #6 and come up with something like
x2 − 1
pretty much on their own.
(Or, of course,
x2 = (x − 1) (x + 1) + 1,
(x − −1) (x + 1) =
which is a bit more
unusual-looking but just as good.)
Homework:
Homework: Algebraic Generalizations
5
1.5 Graphing
(x − a) (x + a) = x2 −a2 . Of course, someone
2
2
may have said that (x − a) (x + a) + a = x .
Make sure, on the homework, that they reached something like
may have used completely dierent letters; and someone else
Point out that these are just as goodthey look dierent, but they say the same thing. Finally, show them
how they could have arrived at
(x − a) (x + a) = x2 − a2
through FOIL.
Once all questions are satised, on to graphing. This may actually be two days worth of material. Don't
rush it! And once again, no in-class assignment, but a lot of interaction.
Start by putting the following points on the board: (6,5)(3,6)(2,9)(5,7)(1,10)(4,8).
Ask for a general
descriptionif these represent the number of pushups you do each day, what's the trend? Then graph them,
and you can see a denite downward trend with an odd spike in the middle. Moral: we can see things in
shapes that we can't see in numbers.
Now, let's jump to the idea of graphing functions. Draw a U-shape, the equation
This drawing is the graph of that functionbut what does that
have to do with that function?
f (x) = x2 ,
and say
mean? What does this drawing actually
Get to the point where the following ideas have come out.
Every time
you do the function, one number goes in and another comes out. When we graph it, the in function is
always
x,
and the out function is always
always graphing
y = f (x).
y in
other words,
every time we graph a function, we are
To put it another way, we are graphing all the points that have this particular
relationship to each other. (Take as much time as you need on this point.)
Have the students graph
|x| (individually at their desks) by plotting points.
This is not intended to teach
them about absolute value, but to reinforce the ideas I just made about what it means to graph a function.
What can we tell by looking at a graph? Draw the graphs of
things we can tell about these two
similar on the right, except that
x2
and
x3
on the board. Talk about the
functions by looking at the graphs. They both have one zero; they are
x3
rises faster; they are completely dierent on the left; they both have
unlimited domains, but only one has an unlimited range. (Make sure to connect this back to domain and
range from the function game!)
Now, draw this on the board.
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Figure 1.1
Time for another. . .brainstorming exercise! (Remind them that the object is quantity, not quality!) Each
pair of students has to list as many things as it can tell about this function
f (x)
by looking at the graph.
Key points I want to bring out are:
•
•
•
•
•
The three zeros. (Talk about the word zeros.)
Places where the function is negative and places where it is positive.
Places where it is increasing and places where it is decreasing. (Talk about slope!)
What happens for very low and very high values of
For the experts, odd symmetry:
Talk more about domain and range.
x.
f (−x) = −f (x).
This is unrestricted in both.
domain, but a restricted range. Show graphs of
√
x
and
1/x
We saw that
x2
has an unrestricted
for restricted domains.
input
outputs. Ask them to discuss in pairs, for one minute, how this rule manifests
Remind them of the rule of consistency that we discussed earlier: a function can never take one
and generate two dierent
on a graph. Then have class discussion until you have reached the vertical line test.
Come back to the question we started with: why do we graph things? As we demonstrated earlier, graphs
enable us to see things visually that are very hard to see in numbers. Draw several dierent jaggy, shaky
graphs, and suggest that they represent the price of gasask for verbal descriptions of what each one tells
us. Talk again about domain, range, positive, negative.
Throw something straight up into the air and catch it. Tell them there is a function
h (t)
that represents
the height of that object, as a function of time. (Make sure they get this.) Give them one minute to sketch
the graph of that function. Then show them that it is an upside-down parabola (you don't need to use that
not mean the object traveled in an arc shape: it traveled straight up and
time and the vertical axis is height.
word). Emphasize that this does
down. The horizontal axis is
If you have a bit of extra time, explain how to generate graphs (and set the window) on the calculator.
Homework:
Homework: Graphing
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
10
6
1.6 Permutations
The end of the Graphing homework sets this topic up.
permutations (which tweak the
y -value)
and
You want to talk for a while about
horizontal permutations (which tweak the
vertical
x-value).
With relatively little preamble, hand them the worksheet Horizontal and Vertical Permutations.
looks long, but it's not really a huge deal, and should not take the whole period.
most-mortem it, you make sure they really get the point. If we know what
to plot a whole bunch of new points to nd what
2
y = x +3
y = x2
It
Afterwords, when you
looks like, we don't have
looks like; we can see from rst principles
This should not be a memorized fact:
2
it should be obvious, if they understand what graphing means. Less obviously, y = (x + 3) will
that it will look like the original graph, but moved up three.
look like the original graph, moved to the left by 3. The Conceptual Explanations contains my second-best
explanation of why this is. My very-best explanation is the worksheet itself: plot a bunch of points and see
what happens.
If you haven't already done so, introduce graphing on the calculator, including how to properly set the
window. It only takes 5-10 minutes, but it is necessary for the homework.
7
1.7 Test Preparation
Follow up carefully on the homework from the day before. In #8, make sure they understand that losing
money is
negative prot. But mostly talk about #9. Make sure they understand how, and why, each
modication of the original function changed the graph. When we make a statement like Adding two to a
function moves the graph
up by 2 this is not a new rule to be memorized: it is a common-sense result of
the basic idea of graphing a function, and should be understood as such.
2
− − (x + 1) − −3 would look like, and then show them how it combines three of the
modications. (The +1 moves it to the left, the −3 moves it down, and the − in front turns it upside-down.)
Talk about the fact that you can do those generalizations to any function, eg − − |x + 1| − −3 (recalling
Ask what they think
that they graphed absolute value yesterday in class).
Draw some random squiggly
if they can do
f (x)
on the board, and have them draw the graph of
f (x) + 2.
Then, see
f (x + 2).
Go back to the idea of algebraic generalizations. We talked about what it means for two functions to be
equalwhat does that look like, graphically? They should be able to see that it means the two functions
have exactly the same graph. But this is an opportunity for you to come back to the main themes. If two
functions are equal, they turn every
x
into the same
y.
So their graphs are the same because a graph is all
the (x,y ) pairs a function can generate!
I also like to mention at this point that we actually use the = sign to mean some pretty dierent things.
x + 3 = 5 we are asking for what value of x is this true? Whereas,
2 (x − 7) = 2x − 14 we are asserting that this is true for all values of x. Mention, or ask
statements of equality that are not true for any value of x (eg x = x + 1).
When we say
Now, at this point, you hand out the sample test.
when we say
them to nd,
Tell them this test was actually used for a past
class; and although the test you give will be dierent, this test is a good way of reviewing. I have found this
techniquehanding out a real test from a previous year, as a reviewto be tremendously powerful. But I
have to say a word here about how to use it.
Sometimes I say Work on it in class if you have time, glance
sometimes I say This is the homework.
it over tonight if it helps you study; the test is tomorrow. And
Tonight, do the sample test, and also look over all the materials we have done so far. Tomorrow, we will go
over the sample test and any questions you have on the material, in preparation for the test, which will be
the day after tomorrow. It all depends on timing, and on how prepared you think the class is.
Homework:
Sample Test: Functions I
6 This
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11
c (s).
c (20). (Then you plug a
c (20): so this question in
I should say a word about #2 here, just to be clear about what I'm looking for. We have a function
In part (b) I supply
s = 20
and ask for
c:
so the question in function notation is
20 into the formula and go from there.) In part (c) I supply
function notation is
c (s) = 35.
c = 35
and ask for
(Then you set the formula equal to 35 and solve.) Students have a lot of
diculty with this asymmetry.
1.7.1 Now give a test of your own on functions I
You may use something very similar to my test, except changing numbers around. Or you may do something
quite dierent.
I will tell you, as a matter of personal bias, that I feel very strongly about question #7. Many students
will do quite poorly on this question.
For instance, they may give you two variables that do not in fact
depend on each other (number of guitarists and number of drummers).
that are in fact constants (let
n
Or they may give you variables
equal the number of notes in an octave).
The answers don't have to be
complicated, although sometimes they aresometimes a very simple answer gets full credit. (CDs cost $12
apiece, I spend
d
dollars on
c
CDs.
d (c) = 12c
is a full credit answer to parts a-c.) But they have to show
that they can clearly articulate what the variables are, and how they depend on each other. If they cannot,
spend the time to explain why it is wrong, and work them through correct answers. In my opinion, this
skill is the best measure of whether someone really understands what a function is. And it is a skill like any
other, in the sense that it develops over time and practice.
(Also, I don't believe in surprises.
Tell them in advance that this question will denitely be on the
testthe only thing that will change is the topic.)
8
1.8 Lines
This is largely review: if there is one thing the students
and
m
is the slope and
b
is the
y -intercept.
do remember from Algebra I, it's that
y = mx + b
However, we're going to view this from the viewpoint of
linear
functions.
Start by giving an example like the following: I have 100 markers in my desk. Every day, I lose 3 markers.
Talk about the fact that you can write a function
m (d)
that represents the number of markers I have as a
linear function because it changes by the same amount every day. If I lose
three markers one day and four the next, there is still a function m (d), but it is no longer a linear function.
(If this is done right, it sets the stage for exponential functions later: linear functions add the same amount
every day, exponential functions multiply by the same amount every day. But I wouldn't mention that
function of day. It is a
yet.)
So, given that it changes by the same amount every day, what do you need to know? Just two things:
(−3), and where it started (100). These are the slope and the y -intercept,
y = −3x + 100 but I actually prefer to write the b rst: y = 100 − 3x. This reads
with 100, and then subtract 3, x times.
how much it changes every day
respectively. So we can say
very naturally as start
Hammer this point home: a linear function is one that adds the same amount every time. Other examples
are: I started with $100 and make $5.50 each hour. (Money as a function of time.) I start on a 40' roof and
1
3 ' each. (Height as a function of number of bricks.)
Then talk more about slopethat slippery concept that doesn't tell you how high the function is at
start piling on bricks that are
all, but just
how fast it's going up. With a few quick drawings on the board, show how you can look at a
line and guesstimate its slope: positive if it's going up, negative if it's going down, zero for horizontal. You
can't necessarily tell the dierence between a slope of 3 and a slope of 5, but you can immediately see the
1
2 . Emphasize that when we say going up and going down we always mean as
you go from left to right: this is a very common source of errors.
dierence between 3 and
Talk about the strict denition of slope. Actually, I always give two denitions. One is: every time
increases by 1, y increases by the slope.
8 This
(Again: if the slope is negative,
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decreases.)
x
The other is: for
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
12
any two points on the line, the slope is ∆x
∆y (rise over run). Show that this ratio is the same whether you
choose two points that are close, or two points that are far apart. Emphasize that this is only true for lines.
Finally, why is it that in
the value of
y
when
x = 0.
y = mx + b, the b is the y -intercept?
x = 0 into y = mx + b you
If you plug
Because the
get
y -intercept
is, by denition,
y = b.
All this may take all day, or more than one day. Or, it may go very quickly, since so much of it is review.
When you're done, have them work the in-class assignment Lines in groups.
Homework:
Homework: Graphing Lines
1.9 Composite Functions
9
OK, it's getting hard again: this one may take a couple of days. We start with discussion.
There are a number of ways to look at composite functions. It's important to be able to use
all of these
ways, and to see how they relate.
1. All the way back to the function game. Let one student be the function
be the function
x/2.
4x + 6,
and another student
You give a number to the rst student, who spits out a number at the second
student, who spits out a number back at you. For instance, if you give the rst student a 3, his output
is an 18; the second student takes this 18 and comes out with a 9. Do this for a while until everyone
has the hang of it. See if anyone realizes that what's going on is, in the end, the function
2x + 3
is
being done to your number.
2. Now, talk about a factory. One box turns garbage into gloop; the next box turns gloop into shlop; the
nal box turns shlop into food. Each box can be represented by a function that says If this much goes
in, that much goes out. The entire factory is a gigantic composite function, where the output of each
box is the input of the next, and the composite function says If this much garbage goes in, this much
food goes out. (Draw it!)
this variable depends on that variable, which in
turn depends on the other variable. The amount of taxes you pay depends on the amount of
3. In general, composite functions come up with
money you make, which in turn depends on the number of hours you work. Have them come up with
a few examples. Be very careful to distinguish composite functions from multivariate functions,
e.g.
the number of kids in the class depends on the number of boys, and the number of girls. That is not
a function, because those two variables don't depend on each other.
f (g (x)). Remind them that this is mechanical. If g (x) = 4x + 6 and
f (x) = x/2, then what is f (g (x))? Well, f (anything) = anything/2. So f (g (x)) = g (x) /2, which is
(4x + 6) /2 or 2x + 3. Note that this is completely dierent from g (f (x))! Take a moment to connect
4. Finally, there is the formalism,
this mechanical process with the idea of a composite function that you have already discussed.
Now, have them work through the in-class assignment on Composite Functions in groups. Make sure they
do all right on #4.
#6 is a build-up to inverse functions, although you don't need to mention that. If anyone asks for help,
help them see that if
h (x) = x − 5, then h (anything) = anything − 5, so h (i (x)) = i (x) − 5.
i (x) = x + 5.
and we can solve this to nd
Homework:
Homework: Composite Functions
10
1.10 Inverse Functions
This is denitely two days, possibly three.
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So
i (x) − 5 = x,
13
Just as with composite functions, it is useful to look at this three dierent ways: in terms of the function
game, in terms of real world application, and in terms of the formalism.
1. Ask a student to triple every number you give him and then add 5. Do a few numbers. Then ask another
student to reverse what the rst student is doing. This is very easy. You give the rst student
a 2, and he gives you an 11. Then you give the second student an 11, and he gives you a 2. Do this
a few times until everyone is comfortable with what is going on. Then ask what function the
second
student is doing. With a little time, everyone should be able to gure this outhe is reversing what
the rst student did, so he is subtracting ve, then dividing by 3. These two students are inverses of
each otherthey will always reverse what the other one does.
2. Give a few easy functions where people can gure out the inverse. The inverse of
vice-versa: it is always symmetrical). The inverse of
The key thing to stress is how you
x3
is
√
3
x+2
is
x−2
(and
x
test an inverse function. You try a number. For instance. . .
10 → x + 2 → 12 → x − 2 → 10
−5 → x + 2 → −3 → x − 2 → −5
Table 1.1
The point is that you take any number and put it into the rst function; put the answer in the second
function, and you should get back to your original number. Testing inverses in this way is more important
than nding them, because it shows that you know what an inverse function
3. Ask for the inverse of
x2 .
means.
Trick question: it doesn't have any! Why not? Because
x2
turns 3 into 9, and
it also turns 3 into 9. It's allowed to do that, it's still a function. But an inverse would therefore have
to turn 9 into both 3 and 3, and a function is
x2 is a
y = 3.)
not allowed to do thatrule of consistency. So
y = |x| and
x − 10; make sure they test! They
answer is 10 − x; it is its own inverse. (It
function with no inverse. See if the class can come up with others. (Some include
4. Now ask them for the inverse of
10 − x.
They will guess
10 + x
have to discover for themselves that these don't work. The
or
turns 7 into 3, and 3 into 7.) Ask for other functions that are their own inverses, see if they can think
of any. (Other examples include
y = x, y = −x, y = 20/x.)
5. In practice, inverse functions are used to go backwards, as you might expect. If we have a function that
tells us If you work this many hours, you will get this much money, the inverse function tells us If
you want to make this much money, you have to work this many hours. It reverses the
x
and the
y,
the dependent and independent variables. Have the class come up with a couple of examples.
6. Formally, an inverse function is written
you write inverse function.
composite function!
f −1 (x).
This does not mean it is an exponent, it is just the way
The strict denition is that
It says that if
x
f f −1 (x) = x.
This denition utilizes a
goes into the inverse function, and then the original function,
what comes out is. . .x. This is a hard concept that requires some talking through.
OK, at this point, you have them start working on the in-class exercise Inverse Functions. Note that you
nding inverse functions, except by noodling around! Let them noodle.
2x+3
, they should be able to get there, with a bit of hand-holding, by reversing
7
the steps: rst multiply by 7, then subtract 3, then divide by 2. If they ask about #11, make sure they try a
have not yet given them a way of
Even for something like
few things (such as
√
x
no inverse function of
y=
x) and test themthey will discover they don't work. Explain that, in fact, we have
2x right now, so we're going to make one up later in the year and call it a logarithm.
They can then leave this one blank.
After they have nished noodling their way through the most of the exercises, interrupt the class and
say Now, I'm going to give you a formal method of nding inverse functionsyou will need this for the
x and the y ,
y = 7x−2
3 .
homework. The formal way is: rst, reverse the
we rst write
x=
2y+3
7 . Then solve for
y
to get
then solve for
y.
For instance, from
y=
2x+3
7
CHAPTER 1. FUNCTIONS
14
Homework:
Homework: Inverse Functions
But wait! We're not done with this topic!
What happens the next day is, they come in with questions. Whatever else they did or didn't get, they
got stuck on #10. (If they got stuck on #9, point out that it is the same as #2; make sure they understand
why.) #10 is hard because they cannot gure out how to solve for y. This brings us, not to a new conceptual
point, but to a very important algebraic trick, which we are going to learn by doing a TAPPS exercise.
TAPPS (Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving) is a powerful learning tool, and here's how it goes. The
students are broken into pairs.
One person in each pair is the
teacher. His job is to walk through the following solution, step by step,
allowed to do that, and why did I want to do
explaining it. For each step, explain two things. Why am I
that? Your explanation should make perfect sense to a normal Algebra I student. You should never skip
stepsgo line, by line, by line, explaining each one.
The other person is the
student. He also has two jobs. First, whenever the teacher says something that
is not perfectly clear, stop him! Even if you understand it, say Wait, that didn't make perfect sense. Keep
pushing until the explanation is completely bullet-proof. Second, keep the teacher talking. If he pauses to
think, say Keep talking. What are you thinking? The teacher should think out loud until he comes up
with something.
If the students are stuck on a line, they should raise their hands and ask you.
Take the time to carefully explain the processwe will do other TAPPS exercises. And one more thing
warn them that after everyone has completed the exercise, you will be calling on individuals to explain tricky
steps.
You will not call for volunteers. After they are done, everyone in the class should be able to
answer any question about anything in this derivation. So you will just pick people and ask them questions
like Why did I do that?
After they are done, call on individuals and ask questions like Why did we subtract
sides?
y (1 − 2x)? Point out the general
out the y . Check their answer to the
and How did we get
things on one side, then pull
2xy
from both
strategy is only two steps: get all the
y
question at the end.
1.10.1 Time for another test!
Once again, there is the sample testyou will probably want to assign it as a homework, and tell them to do
that and also study everything since the last test. The next day, go over the homework and any questions.
Then give the test.
Congratulations, you're through with your rst unit! If things went well, you have laid the
groundwork for the entire year. Onward and upward from here!
Chapter 2
Inequalities and Absolute Values
1
2.1 Introduction
I like to have this unit early in the year, because it introduces another of my main themes: some of these
problems
require you to think. There is almost no mechanical way to solve them. I want to set up that
expectation early.
Of course, this is really two very dierent topics, and both of them contain an element of review as well
as some new material. But by the time we get to combining them in problems like
2|3x + 4| < 7,
it is new
to everybody. Those problems are harder than you might suppose!
2
2.2 Inequalities
This is pretty easy, isn't it? You can just start by having them work through Inequalities with no preamble
at all.
After they've worked on it for a while, you might want to interrupt the class to talk about it for a while.
#1 is obviously an attempt to get at the old you have to reverse the inequality when you multiply or divide
But stress as loudly as you can, the idea that they shouldn't just take
anyone's word for it. The question we're trying to get at is, why do you have to switch the inequality,
by a negative number thing.
then and only then?
I usually illustrate this point by drawing a number line and showing how, on the
left of the zero (in negative land) the numbers are going
backward (an observation that every second
grader notices, but that they have forgotten by high school). So you can visually show how
−−2> −3
2<3
becomes
when you move it to the other side.
Also, tell them how important it is to distinguish carefully between ANDs and ORsthis will become a
major issue later. I have two pet peeves on this topic.
One pet peeve is people who memorize a facile rule (such as less-than problems become AND and greater
than problems become OR) without having the slightest idea what they are doing. I go out of my way to
create problems that frustrate such rules (which isn't hard to do). They have to see and understand what
these conjunctions
mean.
The other pet peeve is
x > ± 4.
This is, for all intents and purposes, meaningless.
I want them to
realize that on #9, and then I warn them that I will always take o points if they answer any question this
way. (This comes up in the context of
|x| > 4
and is a good example of how wrong you go if you answer
equal ±4, if you know what that means (shorthand for
x = −4), but it cannot be greater than, or less than, ±anything.
Homework:
mechanically instead of thinking.)
x
can
Homework: Inequalities
1 This
2 This
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15
x=4
or
CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
16
3
2.3 Inequality Word Problems
The diculty with this is that there is really nothing to say about it at all: it's just something I want them
to see. So there is this homework assignment, which you can give at any time, before or after anything else.
Stick it in when you nd yourself, at the end of a day, not quite ready to give out the next homework, or
something like that.
Homework:
Inequality Word Problems.
In one problem, they have to
make up an inequality word problem. You might think that, just because
they have made up so many word problems and functions by now, they would knock this one down easily
but it ain't so. I've had students who could create functions all day long (by this time) who could not create
a good inequality to save their lives. They create scenarios like I eat three bowls of cereal a day, how many
do I eat in a week? There is nothing
unequal there. Just like everything else, this takes practice. But I
do want them to see that inequality relationships are all around us.
2.4 Absolute Value Equations
4
Now it gets tough. But once again, little or no preamble is needed: just have them start working on Absolute
Value Equations.
Here's the thing. Problems 19 really contain all the math: all the concepts they need to get. And, for
the most part, they will get them rightalthough you need to check this before they go on any further.
But when it comes to the more complicated-looking problems in the second half of the assignment, they
panic. They stop thinking, revert to rules, and start getting wrong answers. If they are diligently checking,
they will realize that their answer to #12 doesn't work. But they may need you to point out that this is
because it is analogous to #6 and has no answer.
So, around this time, I spend a lot of time insisting Think, think, think! The way to think it through is
this. Once you have solved for the absolute value, go back to the kind of thinking you did in the rst page.
For instance, when you have
absolute value of
|x + 3| = −1,
cover up the
x+3
and ask yourself the question like this: The
something is 1. What is the something? The answer, of course, is nothing. Think,
and you will get it right. Plug and chug, and you will get it wrong.
OK, if |x + 3| = 7 has two answers, and |x + 3| = 0 has one, and |x + 3| = −4 has none, then what about
|x − −2| = 2x − −10? The answer is, you don't know until you try. You begin by splitting it the same
way you did before: x − −2 = 2x − −10 or x − −2 = − − (2x − −10). Find both answers. But then check
them:
even if you did the math right, they may not work! Don't tell them this up front, but make
sure to discuss this with them toward the end of class, in the context of #13; they will need to know this
for the homework.
Homework:
Homework: Absolute Value Equations
2.5 Absolute Value Inequalities
5
They are going to work on the assignment Absolute Value Inequalities in class. You may want to begin by
reminding them that they have already been solving absolute value inequalities. On the previous assignment
they turned the
absolute value of my number is less than 7 into an inequality and solved it, by trying
a bunch of numbers. These are no dierent. We are going to use the same sort of thinking process as before:
confronted with
3 This
4 This
5 This
|3x − 1| > 10
we will say OK, the absolute value of
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something is greater than 10. What
17
could the
something be?
<think,
think> OK, the
else less than 10 (like 11,-12,-13). So we write
Gee, why are you making it so hard?
something must be greater than 10 (like 11,12,13) or
3x − 1 > 10
or
3x − 1 < − 10
and go from there.
My Algebra I teacher taught me that if it's greater than, just
make it an or and if it's less than, just make it an and. |3x − 1| > − 10. Now what? OK, the absolute value of something is
<think, think> OK, the something can be. . .anything!
greater than 10, so any x-value will work!
OK, let's try a slight variation:
greater than 10. What could the
The absolute value of anything is
something be?
That's not what my Algebra I teacher taught me.
Fine, then, let's try that same problem your way.
Then, let's test our answers, by plugging into the
original inequality and see which answer works.
You get the idea? The whole point of this unit (to me) is tovery early in the yearestablish a pattern
that the only way to solve math problems is by thinking about them. This unit is great for that.
Homework:
Homework: Absolute Value Inequalities
6
2.6 Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values
This is a two-day topic, possibly three.
Start by putting the function
y = x2 − −1
on the board. Now, distinguish between two dierent kinds
of questions.
1. Solve (or graph the solution of )
x2 −−1 < 0. This should remind the students of problems we did in the
x-values is this function negative? The answer is − − 1 < x < 1;
last unit, where we asked For what
it could be graphed on a number line.
2. Graph
y < x2 − −1.
is this true?
This is a completely dierent sort of question: it is not asking For what
It is asking For what (x,
y)
pairs is this true?
x-values
The answer cannot live on a number
on
greater than...but
line: it must be a shaded region on a two-dimensional graph. Which region? Well, for every point
this curve, the y-value is
if you go
equal to
down from there, then
x2 − −1.
y
is
So if you go
up from there, then
y
is
less than... So you shade below it.
It is important to be able to solve both types of problems, but it is even more important, I think, to
distinguish between them. If you answer the rst type of question with a shaded area, or the second type
on a number line, then you aren't just wrongyou're farther than wrongyou're not even thinking about
what the question is asking. ( 2
+ 2 = 5
is wrong, but 2
+ 2 = George
Washington is worse.)
With that behind you, get them started on the assignment Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values.
They should get mostly or entirely nished in class, and they can nish it up and also do the homework that
evening.
Homework:
Homework: Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values
If they come in the next day asking about #4, by the way, just tell them to turn it into
y < − 2|x|
and
then it is basically like the other ones.
Second day, no worksheet. After going over the homework, stressing the ways we permute graphs, warn
them that here comes a problem that they cannot solve by permuting. Challenge themrst person with
the correct shape is the winner, no calculators allowedand then put on the board
y = x + |x|.
Give them
a couple of minutes to plot points. Then let someone who got it right put it on the boardboth the points,
and the resultant shape.
Now, you point out that this shape is really a combination of two dierent lines:
y = 2x
on the right,
without plotting points, if you understand
absolute values in a dierent way. This is our lead-in to the piecewise denition of the absolute value:
and
y=0
6 This
on the left. This odd two-part shape is predictable,
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CHAPTER 2. INEQUALITIES AND ABSOLUTE VALUES
18
|x| = {
x
x≥0
−x
x<0
This takes a whole lot of explaining: it is just one of those things that students nd dicult. Here are a
few ways to explain it (use all of them).
1. Just try numbers. If
x = −3,
x = 3, then |x| = 3, so |x| = x. Same
|x| = 3, so |x| 6= x (they are not the same)!
− − (−3) which is 3 which is indeed |x|.
for
then
this case is
But how can
|x| = −x when |x| is never negative?
x = 4, x = 52,
|x| = −x.
Instead,
and even
x = 0. But if
− − x in
Why, because
Well, that brings us to. . .
2. Putting a sign in front of a number does not make it negative: it switches the sign. It makes positive
numbers negative, and negative numbers positive. So you can read that piecewise denition as if
x
is
negative, then the absolute value switches the sign.
3. Finally, come back to the graph of good old
the right, and the graph of
y = −x
y = |x|.
Point out that it is, indeed, the graph of
Now, how does all this relate to our original problem? When
becomes
y = x − x = 0.
When
x ≥ 0,
y=x
on
on the left.
we replace
|x|
with
x
x < 0, we replace |x| with − − x so our function
y = x + x = 2x. That's
so our function becomes
why the graph came out the way it did.
Why is this important? It's an important way to understand what absolute value means. But it's also
our rst look at piecewise functions (one of the only looks we will get) so take a brief timeout to talk about
why piecewise functions are so important. Throw an object into the air and let it drop, and talk about the
function
h (t).
We previously discussed this function only
have to break it into three dierent functions:
above the ground),
h = 16−t2
h=3
during the ight. But to get more general, you
before you throw it (assuming it was in your hand 3'
or something like that during the ight, and
h = 0 after it hits the ground.
Do
a few more examples to get the idea across that piecewise functions come up all the time because conditions
change all the time.
x
|x| on their own
(individually, not in groups), not by plotting points, but by breaking it down into three regions: x < 0,
OK, back to our friend the absolute value.
x = 0,
and
x > 0.
The students should now graph
y =
(It is dierent in all three.) Get the right graph on the board.
Now, hopefully, you have at least 10-15 minutes left of class, because now comes the hardest thing of
all. You're going to graph
|x| + |y| = 4.
Since
x
is under the absolute value, we have to break it into two
piecesthe left and the rightjust as we have been doing. Since
to break it vertically. So what we wind up doing is looking at
in the second quadrant,
have
y−x = 4
x<0
y
is under the absolute value, we also have
each quadrant separately. For instance,
|x| with − − x) and y > 0 (so we replace |y| with y ). So we
y = mx + b format and graph, but only in the second quadrant.
(so we replace
which we then put into
You do all four quadrants separately.
Explain this whole processhow to divide it up into the four quadrants, and how to rewrite the equation
in the second quadrant. Then, set them going in groups to work the problem. Walk around and help. By
the end of the class, most of them should have a diamond shape.
After they are all done, you may want to mention to them that this exact problem is worked out in the
Conceptual Explanations at the very end of this chapter. So they can see it again, with explanations.
Homework:
Graph
|x| − 2|y| < 4.
This requires looking at each quadrant as a separate
inequality and graphing them
all in the appropriate places!
2.6.1 Time for another test!
Once again, there is the sample testyou will probably want to assign it as a homework, and tell them to do
that and also study everything since the last test. The next day, go over the homework and any questions.
Then give the test.
Chapter 3
Simultaneous Equations
3.1 Introduction to Simultaneous Equations
1
Like all our topics so far, this unit reviews something the students covered in Algebra Ibut it goes deeper.
Begin by having them work their way through the assignment Distance, Rate, and Time in pairs. Most
of it should be pretty easy, including getting to the general relation
d = rt.
It should not take much time.
Until the last question, that is. Let them work on this for a while. Some will get all the way, some will
not get very far at all. But after they've been at it for a while, tell them to stop working and pull them back
to a classwide discussion. Show them how to set up
d = rt
for each case, and make sure they understand.
times are the
distances are dierent. (A train leaves Chicago and a train leaves New York, when do they
crash. . .) Get them comfortable with setting up the two equationswe're not really focused on solving
Maybe come up with another problem or two along the same lines, including one where the
same and the
them.
Toward the end, see if they remember that there are three ways of solving these equations. Two of them,
Substitution and Elimination, will be covered tomorrow. Tonight, on homework, we are going to solve by
graphing.
Your big job is to drive home the point that since a graph represents all the points where a
particular relationship is true, therefore the place where the two graphs intersect is the point where both
relationships are true. Also talk about the fact that graphing is not 100% accurate (you sort of eyeball a
point and say it looks like around this) and how to check your answer (plug it back into both equations).
Homework:
Homework: Simultaneous Equations by Graphing
2
3.2 Simultaneous Equations
At the start of the second day, explain the two techniques of substitution and elimination. This is review,
so they should get it with just a few examples.
Then have them do the assignment Simultaneous Equations.
At the end of class, if they are mostly done, they can nish that for homework and also do the homework.
If they are not mostly done, they can just nish it for homework, and you can have them do the homework
the next day in class.
Homework:
Homework: Simultaneous Equations
1 This
2 This
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CHAPTER 3. SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS
20
3.3 The "Generic" Simultaneous Equation
3
This should be done in class as another TAPPS exercise. Remind them of the ground rules, and especially
of the fact that you will be asking them questions afterwards to make sure they got it.
3.3.1 Time for another test!
Once again, there is the sample test. If everyone nishes the TAPPS exercise early, and they all seem pretty
comfortable with the material, you may not want to do the do the sample test tonight and we'll go over it
tomorrow and then have the test the next daytomorrow may be pretty boring! Instead, it may be OK
(depending on the class) to just say Now work in class on the sample test, use it to help you study tonight,
and we will have a real test tomorrow.
3 This
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Chapter 4
Quadratics
1
4.1 Introduction
There are really three separate pieces of this unit:
factoring, solving quadratic equations, and graphing
quadratic functions. The rst piece is vital and important, but small. Nonetheless, you may want to add a
small quiz between that section and the next. I have included two sample teststhe rst on factoring and
solving quadratic equations, the second on graphing.
4.2 Multiplying Binomials
2
Sounds trivial, doesn't it? But this is one of the most important days in the year.
What they
do know, from Algebra I, is how to FOIL. This takes two seconds of review and you're done.
However, there are two points that their Algebra I teacher never made.
(x + 3) (x + 4) = x2 + 7x + 12, we are asserting the equality of two functionsthat is, if
2
number into (x + 3) (x + 4), and plug that same number into x + 7x + 12, it should come
1. When we say
I plug any
out the same. It's an
algebraic generalization.
(x + 2) (x + y + 3). The real algorithm for
everything on the left by everything on the right. Walk
2. FOIL leaves you high and dry if you have to multiply
multiplying polynomials is to multiply
through an example of this on the board. Show them how FOIL is just a special case of this rule, with
both things are binomials.
At this point, they can start working in pairs on the exercise Multiplying Binomials.
no problem with the rst few.
They should have
As you are walking around, your main job is to make sure that they are
not be multiplying these out explicitly (so that (x + 4) (x + 4) becomes
x2 + 4x + 4x + 16 and then combining the middle terms. They should instead be using the formula that they
2
2
2
just developed, (x + a) = x + 2ax + a to jump straight to the right answer. A lot of them will nd this
very confusing. I always explain it this way: x and a are both placeholders that could represent anything.
doing #5 correctly. They should
So when we say:
2
(x + a) = x2 + 2ax + a2
what we're really saying is:
2
(something + something_else) = something2 + 2 (something) (something_else) + something_else2
Maybe walk them through the rst one as an example.
One point of this exercise is to get them to the point where they can see immediately,
between steps, that
1 This
2 This
2
(x + 4) = x2 + 8x + 16.
with no in-
Some of them will think that this new, confusing method
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CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
22
may be faster, but they can just go right on doing it the old way with FOIL. I always explain to them
that, in a few days, we'll be learning a technique called
completing the square that involves reversing
this formula, and therefore cannot possibly be done with FOIL. They need to know the formula.
Another point is to get our three formulae on the table:
(x + a)
2
2
(x − a)
,
, and
x2 − a2 .
There are very
few things I ask the class to memorize during the year, but these three formulae should all be committed to
memory.
But the larger point is to give them a new understanding and appreciation for what variables doto
understand that
x
and a represent
formula directly to nd
2
(2y + 6z)
anything, so that once you have a formula for
2
(x + a)
you can use that
.
Homework:
Homework: Multiplying Binomials
4.3 Factoring
3
Begin class by reminding them of what they already know:
(x + 3) (x + 4).
Then askhow would we
(using FOIL for instance).
factoring means turning
x2 + 7x + 12
into
check that? There are two ways. First, we can multiply it back
Second, we can try a number (since we are making the claim that these two
functions are equal, remember?).
Stress this very heavily: they have to know
both ways of checking.
Why? Because if you don't know both ways of checking, then you don't really understand what factoring is,
even if you get the right answer.
OK, on to. . .how do you do it? There are three steps to factoring.
1. Pull out common terms.
This is always the rst step!
x2 − 9, you
2
(x − 3) .
2. Use the formulae from yesterday. For instance, given
two squares. Given
2
x − 6x + 9,
you recognize it as
recognize it as the dierence between
3. When all else fails, plain old-fashioned factoring. Do a few examples on the board, just to refresh their
memory.
x2 + 7x + 12, x2 − 7x + 12, x2 + x − 12, x2 − x − 12
are good starting examples, and give you
an opportunity to talk about what eect negative numbers have, both in the middle term (not much)
and in the last term (lots). The thing I always stress is to
start with the last termnd all the
pairs of numbers that multiply to give you the last term, and then see if any of them add to give you
the middle term. The real test is when you are faced with something like
x2 + 4x + 8;
it should
not
take long to determine that it cannot be factored!
Now they are ready to start on the Factoring assignment during class.
Homework:
Homewoik: Factah Alla Dese Heah Spressions
As I mentioned, this might be a good place to break and have a quiz. Or it might not. What do I know?
Anyway, on to quadratics. . .
4
4.4 Introduction to Quadratic Equations
Get them started on the assignment Introduction to Quadratic Equations with little or no preamble. Then,
after a few minutesafter everyone has gotten through #5stop them.
Make sure they all got the right answers to numbers 2 and 3, and that they understand them. If
then
either
xy = 1,
x, or y , must equal zero.
There is no other way for it to happen.
xy = 0
On the other hand, if
that doesn't tell you mucheither one of them could be anything (except zero).
Now, show how this relates to quadratic equations. They do remember how to solve quadratic equations
by factoring.
3 This
4 This
x2 +x−−12 = 0, (x + 4) (x − 3) = 0, x = −4 or x = 3.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19466/1.2/>.
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But that last step is taken as a random
23
leap, because they told me so. The thing I want them to realize is that, when they write
(x + 4) (x − 3) = 0,
they are in fact asserting that these two numbers multiply to give zero, so one of them has to be zero. This
helps reinforce the idea of the previous lesson, that
fact a special case of
The acid test is, what do you do with
x + 5 = 3, x + 3 = 3.
x
and
y
can mean
anything:
(x + 4) (x − 3) = 0
is in
xy = 0.
(x + 5) (x + 3) = 3?
The ones who don't get it will turn it into
And get two wrong answers. Instead you have to multiply it out,
then get everything
then factor.
on one side so the other side is 0, and
Now they can keep going. Many of them will need help with #6talk them through it if they need help,
but make as much of it as possible come from them. This is a very standard sort of why we need quadratic
equations type of problem.
The last four problems are a sneaky glimpse ahead at completing the square. For #11, many students
will say
x = 3;
remind them that it can also be 3.
For #12, this is yet another good example of the
x can be anything rule, and should remind them in some ways of the work we did with absolute values:
2
something
= 9,
so something
= ±3.
#13 is obviously #12 rewritten, and #14 can be turned into #13 by
adding 16 to both sides.
Homework:
Homework: Introduction to Quadratic Equations.
4.5 Completing the Square
5
When you're going over the homework, talk for a while about the throwing-a-ball-into-the-air scenario. It
will come up again, and I really want people to understand it. The particular point I try to make is how
the math reects the reality. You have a function
You're using it backward, specifying
h
h (t) where if you plug
t (as in, when will
and asking for
in any
t
at all, you will get an
h.
the ball hit the ground?). What
kind of answers would you expect? Well, suppose you throw the ball 16 ft in the air. If you ask When will
it be at 20ft? you would expect to get no answer at all. If you ask When will it be at 5 ft? you would
expect two answersone on the way up, and one on the way down. If you ask When will it be at 16 ft?
you would expect exactly one answer. In all three cases, the math gives you exactly what you expect.
On the other hand, suppose you ask When will it be at 3 ft? (That is, under the ground.) You might
expect no answer at all, since the ball never is under the ground. But the math doesn't know thatit thinks
the ball is following the same function forever. So you get two answers. One is
after the ball hits the ground.
The other is before it lefta negative time! This is where you have to use common sense to nd the real
answer, as distinct from the answer the math gave you.
I spend a good half-period, at least, talking through this.
I think it is an incredibly important point
about the way we use math to model the world. See this webpage
6
for an exercise you can use just on this.
Anyway, onward. . .the assignment Completing the Square pretty much speaks for itself. Probably the
only preamble you need is to point out that many quadratic equations, which do have solutions, cannot
be factored. So we are going to learn another technique which has the advantage that it can always be
used. (Factoring is still easier and faster when it works.)
Now you can just get them started on it, and then wander around and help. Just make sure that before
the class is done, everyone gets the technique. You may also want to point out to them that they already
did this on yesterday's assignment.
On #4 make sure they get two answers, not just one!
Homework:
Homework: Completing the Square. The hard ones here, that you will get questions on the next day, are
#9 and #10. Note that, on #9, I am
not looking for the discriminant and the quadratic formula and stu;
just the obvious fact, based on completing the square, that if
one, and if
c>0
c < 0 we have no real answers,
if
c = 0 we have
we have two. #10 is worth looking at closely if there are questions, because it leads to the
next day.
5 This content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19465/1.2/>.
6 http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/kenny/papers/physicist.html
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
24
7
4.6 The "Generic" Quadratic Equation
Begin by reminding them of what we did with simultaneous equations.
First, we learned how to solve
them (using substitution or elimination). Then we used those exact same techniques to solve the
generic
versionthat is, simultaneous equations where all the numbers were replaced by letters. This, in turn, gave
us a
formula that could instantly be used to solve any pair of simultaneous equations.
Now we are going to do that same thing with quadratic equations. The generic quadratic equation is,
of course,
ax2 + bx + c = 0.
Now, we have learned two dierent ways of solving such equations. The generic
version is hard to solve by factoring (although it is possible); we are going to do it by completing the square.
Make sure they look over my example of completing the square; this might be a good opportunity for
a quick TAPPS exercise. There are other examples in the Conceptual Explanations so you could do two
TAPPS exercisesthat way everyone gets a chance to be the teacher.
Then have them work through the sheet. They should derive the quadratic formula, and then use it.
By the time they are done, they should have two things. They should have the quadratic formula, and
three dierent techniques for solving quadratic equations. They
derived the formula. I always warn them that I will ask for this derivation on the next
a bit of practice using itso now we have
should also have
test: it is not enough to know the formula (although that too is good), you have to be able to derive it.
At the end of class, you may want to talk for just a couple of minutes about the discriminant, in reference
to #11. It should be fairly obvious by that point to most of them.
Homework:
Homework: Solving Quadratic Equations
4.6.1 Time for another test!
As always, there is the sample test, which may or may not be assigned as a homework. Then there is the
teston multiplying polynomials, on factoring, and mostly on solving quadratic equations. Make it shorter
than my sample
[U+263A]
4.7 Graphing Quadratic Functions
8
OK, we're done solving quadratic equationswe already have three techniques and that's enough. Butone
thing I say a million times throughout my classyou never really understand a function until you graph it.
So, they can do the exercise Graphing Quadratic Functions. It doesn't require any buildup, they can
do it right now. Note that we are not introducing any of the formal machinery of parabolas (focus, directrix,
etc.)all
that will come much later, in the unit on conics. We are graphing both horizontal and vertical
parabolas the way we did in the very rst unit on functionsby taking an initial starting point (
x=y
2
y = x2
or
) and moving it up and down and left and right and stretching it and turning it upside-down. None
of this should require a calculator.
It might be worth mentioning that a horizontal parabola is not a function. But we can still talk about
it and graph it.
Homework:
Finish the in-class assignment. That was a long one, wasn't it?
4.8 Graphing Quadratic Functions II
9
The beginning of the Graphing Quadratic Functions II exercise is review of yesterday. After letting them
work on it together, you may want to interrupt and have them do the thing in the middle as a TAPPS
7 This
8 This
9 This
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19468/1.2/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19467/1.2/>.
25
exercise. The key things you need to ask them about are how this is the same as, and dierent from, the
way we completed the square before. For instance, we used to add nine to both sides (because, let's face it,
we
had two sides). Now we only have one side, so we add 9 to it, and subtract 9 from it, at the same time.
This gives us what we want (the perfect square) without changing the function.
Homework:
Homework: Graphing Quadratic Functions II. You will get questions the next day about #8 (which is
really a line) and #11 (which they just at can't graph at this point). These lead nicely into #12. If it has
an
x2
but no
y2 ,
it's a vertical parabola. If it has a
y2
but no
x2 ,
it's a horizontal parabola.
10
4.9 Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions
Now, at long last, we see a
use for all this graphing we've been doing.
In the throwing-a-ball scenario, we have an
h (t)
that can be used to answer two kinds of questions. I
know the time, but what is the height? (easy, plug in) and I know the height, what is the time? (harder,
requires solving a quadratic equation).
But there is a third kind of question, very important in the real
world, which is: How high does it go? Now we don't know the time
or the height! But if we graph it, and
nd the vertex, we can nd both.
Now they can work a while on the in-class assignment. Many of them will get stuck dead on #3. This
is where you have to pull back and lecture a bit more. Help them draw it, and set up the function
But more importantly, talk about what that function
an
A
(area). So, if the graph looks like this
highest
the
x
A
∩
means. You plug in any
x
A (x).
(length) and you get back
what does that tell us? Well, at the peak there, that is the
ever gets on our graphthat is, the highest the area ever gets. Find the vertex, and you will nd
that maximizes
A!
This is worth a lot of time to make sure people really get it. It comes all the way back to week 1, and the
idea of graphing a function. On one level, it's incredibly abstractwe are drawing an upside-down parabola
that somehow represents the possibility spaces for a bunch of rectangles. But if you understand the idea
of graphing a function, it is really very simple. Every point on that parabola pairs an
x
(length) with an
A
(area). Every point represents one farm that our farmer could create. It's obvious, looking at it, that this
point at the top here represents the one with the
highest area.
This is one of those cases where the in-class assignment and the homework, together, could easily take
two days instead of one. Let it take that, if it does. Make up more problems, if you have to. But don't let
them get away with thinking I understand everything else, I just don't get the word problems.
Homework:
Homework: Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions
4.10 Quadratic Inequalities
11
For some reason, this is one of the hardest topics in the course. It shouldn't be hard. There is nothing hard
about it. But students get incredibly tied in knots on this, by trying to take short cuts. The hardest part is
convincing them that they have to think about it graphically.
So, begin by simply putting these two problems on the board.
x2 − −3x − −4 > 0
x2 − −3x + 3 > 0
Allow them to work in pairs or groups. Oer a piece of candy or a bit of extra credit or some such to
anyone who can nd the answer to both problems. Give them time to really work it. Almost no one will get
it right, and that's the point. It's very hard to think about a problem like this algebraically. It's very easy
if you think about it the right way: by graphing.
10 This
11 This
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19473/1.2/>.
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
26
So, we're going to graph both of those functions. But strangely enough, we're going to do it without
completing the square or nding the vertex. In each case, we're only going to ask two questions: what are
the
zeros of the function, and which direction does it open in? These two questions are all we need to
answer the inequality.
In the rst case, by factoring, we nd two zeros: 4, and 1. In the second case, we nd with the quadratic
formula that there are no zeros. Both graphs open up. (Why? Because
the coecient of the
x2 term is
positive.) So the graphs look something like this.
Figure 4.1
What are the vertices, exactly? We don't know. If we wanted to know that, we would have to complete
the square, just as we did before.
But if all we want to know is
where each graph is positive, we now have it. The graph of the rst
right of 4 work, as do the numbers to the left of 1,
function should make it clear that all numbers to the
but the numbers in between don't work. (Quick review: how can we write that answer with inequalities?
With set notation?) The graph of the second function makes it clear that
all numbers work.
Check this by trying numbers in the original inequalities.
Now, challenge them to nd a quadratic inequality that is in the form
function and the solution is
f (x) > 0 where f (x) is a quadratic
nothing works. The key is, of course, it has to be an upside-down quadratic.
27
Homework:
Homework: Quadratic Inequalities
4.10.1 Time for another test II!
Congratulations, kids! We are done with our entire unit on quadratic equationsprobably the biggest unit
in the course. (Certainly the only think I remember from my own Algebra II course.)
28
CHAPTER 4. QUADRATICS
Chapter 5
Exponents
1
5.1 Introduction
After all the incredibly
new stu we've been doing, it's a nice break to get back to something with a large
element of review in it.
But it is also a problem. Many of the kids know already that
know that
2−7 = 1/27.
But they don't know
23 25 = 28 .
A fair number of them even
why. It's vital to keep reminding them that it isn't enough to
know it, they have to know whyand this will indeed be reected on the test.
2
5.2 Rules of Exponents
Yes, a lot of this assignment was already done, verbatim, in the unit on Functions. But there are a lot of
reasons for bringing it back (just as we did in Quadratics). First, they (and you) can discover that they have
gotten better at nding generalizations. But more importantly, back when we did this in functions, we were
only interested in the process of nding generalizations. Now we are focused on creating, memorizing, and
using the three rules of exponents.
2d is really pushing them another step toward the way mathematicians thinkseeing that
is really just a special case of
a b
a+b
2 2 =2
, where
In #3, I really want to get at the idea that
a = 1.
= 32 ,
312
310
can and should be done without negative exponents.
and
Why?
2 (2x ) = 2x+1
310
1
312 = 32 . In other words, the whole thing
Because we haven't yet dened what they
meanand why.
Homework:
Homework: Rules of Exponents
5.3 Extending the Idea of Exponents
3
This is one of my favorite class discussions. You're going to talk almost the entire class, and just give out
an assignment toward the end.
So far, we have only talked about exponents in the context of positive integers. The base can be anything:
1 3
3
2 . But when we say that 2 means 2 • 2 • 2, that denition is really only
1
meaningful if the exponent is a positive integer. We can't multiply 2 by itself − − 3 times or 2 times.
Or 0 times for that matter.
for instance, we can nd
1 This
2 This
3 This
(−3)
4
or
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content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19318/1.2/>.
29
CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
30
So, let's plop ourselves down in an imaginary point in history where exponents are only dened for
positive integers. We are the king's mathematicians. The king has just walked in and demanded that we
come up with some sort of denition for what
2−3
means. Zero and negative numbers have rights too, he
growls. They must be treated equally, and given equal rights to be in the exponent.
So we start with a brainstorming exercise. The object is to come up with as many possible things as you
can think of, for
2−3
to mean. As always, this should be done in groups of 2 or 3, and remind them that the
object is quantity, not quality: let's get creative. If you can't think of more than two or three denitions,
you're not trying hard enough.
By the way, somewhere in class there is a smart-aleck who knows the right answer and therefore won't
plan. It's
1/23 he insists proudly. Why are we doing this? To which you reply: The people in the class
are coming up with dozens of things it could mean. Can you give them a good argument as to why it should
mean that, instead of all the others? And he weakly answers Well, my Algebra I teacher told me. . . and
you've won. The point, you explain, is not to parrot what your teacher told you, but to understand several
things. The rst is that our old denition of an exponent (multiply by itself this many times) just doesn't
apply here, and so we need quite literally a new denition. The second is that there are a ton of denitions
we could choose, and it frankly seems arbitrary which one we pick. The third is that there really is a good
reason for choosing one and only one denition. But if he doesn't know what that he, how about if he gets
with the program and brainstorms? End of discussion.
OK, so after a few minutes, you start collecting ideas from the groups.
(so it's 8). It means 2 divided by itself three times,
2/2/2
(so it's either
2−3 means. . . 23 , only negative
2 or 12 , depending on how you
parenthesize it). And so on. With a bunch of ideas on the board, you say, now we have to choose one. How
do we do that?
That is, what criteria do we use to decide that one denition is better than the others?
(silence)
The answer isthe denition should be as consistent as possible with the one we already have. Of course
it won't mean the same thing. But it should behave mathematically consistently with the rules we have:
for instance, it should still obey our three laws of exponents. That sort of consistency is going to be the
guideline that we use to choose a denition for the king.
And hey, what exactly do negative numbers mean anyway? One way to look at them is, they are what
happens when you take the positive numbers and keep going down. That is, if you go from 5 to 4 to 3 and just
keep going, you eventually get to 0 and then negative numbers. This alone is a very powerful way of looking
at negative numbers. You can use this to see, for instance, why positive-times-negative-equals-negative and
why negative-times-negative-equals-positive.
3 • 5 = 15
3 • −5 = −15
2 • 5 = 10
2 • −5 = −10
1•5=5
1 • −5 = −5
0•5=0
0 • −5 = 0
−1 • 5 = −5
−1 • −5 = 5
−2 • 5 = −10
−2 • −5 = 10
Table 5.1
OK, you may or may not want to get into this, but I think it's cool, and it does help pave the way for
where we're going. (It also helps reinforce the idea that even the rules you learned in second grade have
reasons.) The numbers I've written on the left there show what happens to multiply-by-5 as you count
down.
Clearly, looking at the positive numbers, the answers are going down by 5 every time.
So if that
trend continues as we dip into negative numbers, then we will get 5 and then 10 on the bottom: negative
times positive equals negative.
On the right, we see what happens to multiply-by5 as you count down. Since we already know (just
proved) that positive-times-negative-equals-negative, we know that
3 • −5 = −15
and so on. But what is
31
happening to these answers as we count down? They are going up by 5. So, continuing the trend, we nd
that
−1 • −5 = 5
and so on.
As I say, you may want to skip that. What is essential is to get across the point that we need a new
denition that will cover negative exponents, and that we are going to get there by looking for consistency
with the positive ones. Then they are ready for the in-class assignment: it shouldn't take long. Do make
sure to give them 10 minutes for it, thoughyou want them to nish it in class, and have time to ask you
questions, so you know they are ready for the homework.
Homework:
Homework: Extending the Idea of Exponents
4
5.4 Fractional Exponents
Start by reminding them of where we are, in the big picture. We started with nothing but the idea that
exponents mean multiply by itself a bunch of timesin other words,
from there to the rules of exponents
a b
x x =x
a+b
74
means
7 • 7 • 7 • 7.
We went
and so onby common sense. Then we said, OK, our
denition only works if the exponent is a positive integer. So we found new denitions for zero and negative
exponents, but extending down from the positive ones.
Now, we don't have a denition for fractional exponents. Just as with negative numbers, there are lots
of denitions we could make up, but we want to choose one carefully. And we can't get there using the same
trick we used before (you can't just count and keep going and end up at the fractions). But we still have
our rules of exponents. So we're going to see what sort of denition of fractional exponents allows us to keep
our rules of exponents.
From there, you just let them start working. I can summarize everything on the assignment in two lines.
1. The rules of exponents say that
x.
get
1
x2
2
= x.
So whatever
Which means, by denition, that it must be
2. The rules of exponents say that
√
3
2
3
x = ( x)
2
2
1
x3
=x
2
3
√
x.
1
x2
is, we know that when we square it, we
Similarly,
1
x3 =
√
3
. Since we now know that
x
x
1
3
and so on.
=
√
3
x,
that means that
. So there you have it.
Thirty seconds, written that way. A whole class period to try to get the students to arrive their on their
own, and even there, many of them will require a lot of help to see the point. Toward the end, you may
just call the class's attention to the board and write out the answers. But by the time they leave, you want
them to have the following rule: for fractional exponents, the denominator is a root and the numerator is an
exponent. And they should have some sense, at least, that this rule followed from the rules of exponents.
There is one more thing I really want them to begin to get. If a problem ends up with
√
leave it like that. You should call it 5. But if a problem ends up with
√
25, you shouldn't
2, you should leave it like that:
don't
type it into the calculator and round o. This is also worth explicitly mentioning toward the end.
Homework:
Homework:
Fractional Exponents.
Mostly this is practicing what they learned in class.
The inverse
functions are a good exercise: it forces them to review an old topic, but also forces them to practice the
current topic. p
For instance, to nd
√ the inverse function of y=x2[U+2044]3, you write:
2
x = y3 =
3
y 2 . x3 = y 2 . y =
3
x3 = x 2 .
After you go through that exercise a few times, you start to see the pattern that the inverse function
actually inverts the exponent. The extra fun comes when you realize that
x0
has no inverse function, just
as this rule would predict.
At the end of the homework, they do some graphsjust by plotting pointsyou will want to make sure
they got the shapes right, because this paves the way for the next topic. When going over the homework
2x , every time you move on to
1 x
, every time you move one to the right, y drops in half.
2
the next day, sketch the shapes quickly and point out that, on the graph of
the right,
4 This
y
doubles. On the graph of
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19322/1.2/>.
CHAPTER 5. EXPONENTS
32
5
5.5 Real Life Exponential Curves
This is another one of those topics where the in-class exercise and the homework may take a total of two
days, combined, instead of just one. This is a dicult and important topic.
We begin with a lecture something like the following:
Earlier this year, we talked about linear functions: they add a certain amount every time. For instance,
if you gain $5 every hour, then the graph of your money vs. time will be a line: every hour, the total will
add 5. The amount you gain each hour (5 in this case) is the slope.
Can a line also subtract every day?
Sure!
That isn't a dierent rule, because adding is the same as
subtracting a negative number. So if Mr. Felder is losing ten hairs a day, and you graph his hairs vs. time,
the graph will be a line going down. The total subtracts 10 every day, but another way of saying that is, it
adds 10 every day. The slope is 10. This is still a linear function.
So why am I telling you all this?
Because exponential functions are very similar, except that they
multiply by the same thing every time.
And, just as linear functions can subtract (by adding negative
1
3 is
the same as dividing by 3). The amount you multiply by is called. . .well, come to think of it, it doesn't have
numbers), exponential functions can divide (by multiplying by fractions: for instance, multiplying by
a cool name like slope. I guess we could call it the base.
Then they can begin to work on the assignment. They will make it through the table all right. But when
it comes to nding the formula for the nth day, many will fall down. Here is a way to help them. Go back
to the table and say: On day 3, let's not write 4even though it is 4 pennies. It is 2 times the previous
2 × 2. On day 4, it's 2 times that amount, or 2 × 2 × 2. On day 5, it's 2
2 × 2 × 2 × 2. This is getting tedious. . .what's a shorter way we can write that? Once
n−1
every answer in powers of 2, they should be able to see the 2
generalization. If they
amount, so let's just write that:
times that amount, or
they have expressed
get the wrong generalization, step them through to the next paragraph, where they test to see if they got
the right answer for day 30.
You go through the same thing on the compound interest, only harder. A lot of hand-holding. If you end
x then the bank gives you .06x so you now have a total of x + .06x which is, in fact, 1.06x. So,
1.06 every year! Which means if you started with $1000 then the next year
you had $1000 • 1.06. And the next year, you multiplied that by 1.06, so then you had $1000 × 1.06 × 1.06.
And the year after that. . ..
Toward the end of class, put that formula, $1000 × 1.06n, on the board. Explain to them that they can
read it this way: Just looking at it, we can see that it is saying you have $1000 multiplied by 1.06, n times.
one year with
hey, your money is multiplying by
This is always the way to think about exponential functionsyou are multiplying by something a bunch of
times.
The assignment is also meant to bring out one other point that you want to mention explicitly at the
end. When we developed our denitions of negative and fractional exponents, we wanted them to follow the
½
rules of exponents and so on. But now they are coming up in a much more practical context, and we have
a new need. We want
1
x2 2
to be bigger than
x2
and smaller than
x3 ,
right? After all, after 2
years, you
certainly expect to have
√ more money than you had at the beginning of the year! It isn't obvious at all that
our denition,
5
x5 ,
x2 =
will have that property: and if it doesn't, it's useless in the real world, even if it
makes mathematicians happy. Fortunately, it does work out exactly that way.
Homework:
Homework: `Real life' exponential curves
5.5.1 Time for Another Test!
The sample test will serve as a good reminder of all the topics we've covered here. It will also alert them
that knowing why
1
x2
is dened the way it is
really does count. And it will give them a bit more practice
(much-needed) with compound interest.
5 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19329/1.2/>.
Chapter 6
Logarithms
1
6.1 Introduction
I talk to a surprising number of math teachers who are really uncomfortable with logs. There's something
about this topic that just makes people squeamish in Algebra, in the same way that proving a series
converges makes people squeamish in Calculus.
It doesn't have to be hard. It is not intrinsically more complicated than a radical. When you see
x? When
me x? I say
√
3
x
you are seeing a mathematical question: What number, raised to the 3rd power, gives me
you
see log3 x you are seeing a question which is quite similar: 3, raised to what power, gives
this
about a hundred times a day during this section. My students may forget the rules of logs and they may
forget what a common log is and they will almost certainly forget
e,
but none of them will forget that log2 8
means the question 2 to what power is 8? You may want to show them the Few Quick Examples at the
beginning of the Conceptual Explanations chapter to drive the point home.
It is possible to take any arbitrary logarithm on a standard scientic or graphing calculator. I deliberately
never mention this fact to my students, until the entire unit (including the test) is over. Faced with log2 8 I
want them to think it through and realize that the answer is 3 because
23 = 8.
The good news is, none of
them will gure out how to do that problem on the calculator, if you don't tell them.
6.1.1 Introduction to Logarithms
This is a pretty short, self-explanatory exercise. There isn't anything you need to say before it. But you
do need to do some talking after the assignment. Introduce the word log and explain it, as I explained it
above: log2 8 means 2 to what power is 8? Also discuss the fact that the log is always the inverse of the
exponential function.
After they have done the assignment, and heard your explanation of the word log, then they are ready
for the homework. It wouldn't hurt if that happens in the middle of the class, so they can get started on
the homework in class, and nish it up at home. The in-class exercise is short, the homework is long.
Homework: Logs
When going over the homework the next day, #20 can be explained two ways. First: 5 to what power is
When asked that way, it's easy, isn't it? You don't have to nd what
54 ?
4
5 is, to see that the answer is 4! But
5x and log5 x being inverse functions.
4
this process, and turn 5 back into 4.
there is also another way to explain it, which gets back to the idea of
The rst function turns 4 into
54 .
So the second one has to reverse
This way is harder to understand, but it makes it a lot easier to see why #21 also has to be 4.
Then, there is the graphas always, make sure they get the right general shape. Point out that the most
salient feature of this graph is that it grows. . .incredibly. . .slowly as you go farther out to the right. (Every
time
x
doubles, the graph just goes up by 1.) This is a lot of what makes logs useful, as we will see.
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CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
34
2
6.2 Properties of Logarithms
This is very standard stu. Using the in-class exercise in groups of 2 or 3, they should be able to ndin
some cases with a bit of help from yousome rules of logarithms. In the homework, they practice using
those rules.
One thing I don't do in the worksheets is formally prove the rules. However, I have been known to throw
in the proofs sometimes in class, either for a group that nishes early, or for the whole class if enough people
are interested. One of the proofs is provided as an example in the Conceptual Explanations along with
guidelines for the other two.
But what I really care about is giving them an intuitive grasp of why the rules work, rather than the
proof. The intuitive grasp is what comes from the exercise, from realizing that the logarithm is essentially
a counter. Once you see that log2 8 is asking how many 2s there are in 8, then it's obvious that log2
(8 • 16)
will add up all the 2s in 8, and in 16.
Homework:
Homework: Properties of Logarithms
3
6.3 Using the Laws of Logarithms
Once you have gone through the laws of logarithms, you can spend ve minutes working a couple of problems
on the board, like:
log5
(x) = log5 (3)
and then
log5
(x + 1) + log5 (x − 1) = log5 (8)
The rst establishes that if you have log(this) = log(that) , then this must equal that. The second shows
how you have to use the laws of logs to get into that form. (The OK students will answer 3. The better
students will answer
±3.
Only the very best will get
±3
and then realize that the
−3
is, after all, invalid!
But all of that is a detail, of course.)
Anyway, then there is the worksheet full of problems like that, which also gives good review of a number
of old topics.
The thing is, this really isn't a whole day.
Sneak it in when you have 15-20 minutes left in class.
It
doesn't matter whether it comes before, after, or in the middle of the next topic.
6.4 So What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?
4
As always, things get harder when we get into word problems. There are a few things I want them to take
away here.
Firstlogs are used in a wide variety of real world situations.
Secondlogs are used because they compress scales. In other words, because they grow so slowly, we use
logarithmic scales whenever we want to work with a function that, by itself, grows too quickly. Or, to put
it another way, we use logarithms whenever something varies so much that you don't care exactly what is,
just what the power of 10 is. Don't say all this before they start working, but hopefully they will come up
with something like this on #6.
Homework:
Homework: What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?
In addition to following up on the in-class work, the homework here also introduces the common and
natural logs. It's a bit of a weak connection, but I had to stick them somewhere.
2 This
3 This
4 This
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35
6.4.1 Time for Another Test!
The sample test is actually pretty important here. It pulls together a lot of ideas that have been covered
pretty quickly.
The extra credit is just a pun. The answer is log cabin or, better yet, natural log cabin. Who says math
can't be fun?
According to my reckoning, you are now approximately halfway through the curriculum. Mid-terms are
approaching. If there are a couple of weeks before mid-terms, I would not recommend going on to radicals
spend a couple of weeks reviewing. Each topic (each test, really) can stand a whole day of review. It may
be the most important time in the whole class!
36
CHAPTER 6. LOGARITHMS
Chapter 7
Rational Expressions
1
7.1 Introduction
We've talked about the word rationalit doesn't mean sane, it means a ratio or, in other words, a
fraction. A rational expression is just a fraction with variables.
This section is unique, perhaps, in the fact that it introduces practically no new skills. They have to be
able to factor; they have to know the rules of exponents; they have to be able to work with fractions; they
even have to be able to do long division. There is nothing new in any of that. It's just putting it all together
to simplify, and work with, rational expressions.
Part of the benet of this unit is that there are always a few kids in classmaybe more than a fewwho
have a lingering, secret fraction-phobia. They are hoping that no one will ever notice because the calculator
will always rescue them.
You can spot these people because they always answer everythingincluding
what is 2 divided by 3?in decimals. But this unit will ush them out. You can't get through rational
expressions unless you know how to do fractions, and your calculator will not help you.
(I always point
this out, very explicitly, several times.) In the Conceptual Explanations I begin each section by working
plain-old-number-fraction problems (simplifying them, multiplying them, adding them, and so on); tell them
they can look there if they want a quick review.
Because of the nature of this unitno new concepts, and fraction phobiait has fewer creative thinking
types of problems, and more drill and practice, than any other unit. It gets boring for you, but don't let
them see that. For a few students at least, this has the potential to break down a barrier that they have
been struggling with since the third grade.
7.2 Rational Expressions
2
Begin by explaining what rational expressions are, and making the points I made abovewe are going to
put together some of our old skills in a new way, which will require us to be good at fractions. So, we're
going to start by reviewing how to work with fractions.
Then pair the students up. We're going to do a sort of do-it-yourself TAPPS exercise. One partner is
1
1
2 + 3 not just to come up with the answer, but
to walk through the process, explaining what he is doing and why he is doing it at every step, all on paper.
the student, one is the teacher. The teacher's job is to add
The student asks for clarications of any unclear points.
By the time they are done, they should have a
written, step-by-step instruction guide for adding fractions.
Then they switch roles.
multiply
1 This
2 This
1
2
1
3
The former student becomes the new teacher, and gives two lessons: how to
and how to divide
1 1
2 / 3 . Once again, they should wind up with a step-by-step guide.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19486/1.1/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19488/1.1/>.
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
38
The original teacher takes over again, and shows how to simplify a fraction.
Finally, you give a brief lesson on multiplying fractionsthey've already done that, but the key point to
emphasize here is that you can cancel before you multiply. For instance, if you want to multiply
10
7
8 times 21 ,
you could say:
7
10
70
8 × 21 = 168
7
1
and then try to simplify that. But it's a lot easier to simplify before you multiply. The
21 becomes 3 ,
10
5
the
8 becomes 4 , so we have:
Figure 7.1
Of course, you can only do this trickcanceling across dierent fractionswhen you are multiplying.
Never when you are adding, subtracting, or dividing!
So why are we going through all this? Because, even though they know how to do it with numbers, they
are going to get confused when it comes to doing the exact same thing with variables. So whenever they
ask a question (What do I do next? or Do I need a common denominator here? or some such), you refer
them back to their own notes on how to handle fractions. I have had a lot of students come into the test
and immediately write on the top of it:
1
1
3
2
5
2 + 3 = 6 + 6 = 6
They did this so they would have a template to follow when adding rational expressionsit's a very
smart move.
Other than basic fraction manipulation, there is only one other big thing to know about rational
expressionsalways factor rst. Factoring shows you what you can cancel (especially when multiplying),
and how to nd the least common denominator (when adding or subtracting).
So, walk through some sample problems for them on the blackboard. Put up the problem, and ask them
what the rst step is. . .and what the second step is. . .and so on, until you have something like this on the
blackboard.
1
x
+
2
y
=
y
xy
+
2x
xy
=
y+2x
xy
1
2
2 + 3 . But at the end,
point out one other thingjust as we did in the very rst week of class, we have asserted that two functions
Emphasize over and over that this is just the same steps you would take to add
x and y . So have everyone choose
y+2x
2
and
, and make sure they come out with the
y
xy
are equal. That means they should come out exactly the same for any
an
x-value
and a
y -value,
and plug them into both
1
x
+
same number.
Now walk through something harder on the blackboard, like this:
x
x2 +5x+6
−
2x
x3 −9x
The original problem
continued on next page
39
2x
x
(x+3)(x+2) − x(x+3)(x−3)
2
x
(x+3)(x+2) − (x+3)(x−3)
2(x+2)
x(x−3)
(x+3)(x+2)(x−3) − (x+3)(x−3)(x+2)
Always factor rst!
Simplify (cancel the x terms on the right).
Get a common denominator. This step requires a
lot of talking through. You have to explain where
the common denominator came from, and how you
can always nd a common denominator once you
have factored.
(x2 −3x)−(2x+4)
Now that we have a common denominator, we can
(x+2)(x+3)(x−3)
combine. This step is a very common place to make
errorsby forgetting to parenthesize the
(2x + 4)
on the right, students wind up adding the 4 instead
of subtracting it.
x2 −5x−4
(x+2)(x+3)(x−3)
Done!
Of course, we could multiply the bottom
through, and many students want to. I don't mind,
but I don't recommend itthere are advantages to
leaving it factored.
Table 7.1
Once again, have them try numbers (on their calculators) to conrm that
x
x2 +5x+6
− x32x
−9x
gives the same
2
x −5x−4
answer as
(x+2)(x+3)(x−3) for any x. But they should also remember (from week 1) how to nd the domain
of a functionand in this case, the two are not quite the same. The function we ended up with excludes
x = −2, x = −3,
and
x = 3.
The original function excludes all of these, but also
x = 0.
So in that one case,
the two are not identical. For all other cases, they should be.
Whew! OK, you've been lecturing all day. If there are 10 minutes left, they can begin the exercise. They
should work individually (not in groups or pairs), but they can ask each other for help.
Homework:
Finish the in-class exercise and do HomeworkRational Expressions
7.3 Rational Equations
3
After you have answered all the questions on the previous homework, they can just get started on this
assignment immediatelyit should explain itself pretty well.
However, after about 5 minuteswhen everyone has gotten past the rst two problemspull them back
and talk to the whole class for a moment, just to make sure they get the point. The point is that if the
denominators are the same, then the numerators must be the same (#1); and if the denominators are not
the same, then you make them the same (#2).
it may be deceptively easy.
It's pretty straightforward with these two problems, but
The real thing to make sure they get is that, having established these two
principals with these easy problems, they are now going to apply them in much more complicated ones.
Then they can get back to it, and you just oat around and help. In #3, the only trick is remembering
that if
x2 = 25,
then
x = ±5
(not just 5). Numbers 4 is straightforward. Give them time to struggle with
#5 before pointing out that they should factor-and-simplify rstalways factor rst! #6 is really what all
this is building up to: to solve rational equations in general, you must be able to solve quadratic equations!
Homework:
Homework: Rational Expressions and Equations
3 This
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CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
40
4
7.4 Polynomial Division
Half the class, maybe the whole class, will be lecture todayyou have to show them how to do this. The
lecture goes something like this.
Today we're going to talk about everybody's favorite topic. . .long division!
Before we do that, I have to start by pointing out some very important cases where you don't have to
use long division. For instance, suppose you have this:
36x
3
+ 8x2 + 5x + 10
2x
(7.1)
That problem doesn't require any hard workyou should be able to divide it on sight. (Have them do this.)
You should have gotten:
18x2 + 4x + 2 21 +
5
x
To take another example, how about this?
x3 − 6x2 + 5x
x2 − 5x
(7.2)
That one isn't quite as easy. What do we do rst? (factor!) Oh yes, let's do that! So it is
look. . .it's just
x − 1!
x(x−5)(x−1)
. Oh,
x(x−5)
Once again, no long division necessary.
OK, but suppose we had this?
6x3 − 8x2 + 4x − 2
2x − 4
(7.3)
How can we simplify it? This is where we're going to have to use. . .long division.
So, let's start the same way we started with fractions: by remembering how to do this with numbers.
Everyone, at your seats, work out the following problem on paper.
4327
(7.4)
11
(Here you pause briey while they work it on paperthen you work it on the blackboard.)
should have gotten 393 with a remainder of 4. So the actual answer is 393
That's right. . .we would want to make sure that 393
4
11
4
11
OK, you
. How could we check that?
times 11 gives us back 4327. Because that's what
multiplication isit's division, backward.
Now, let's go back to that original problem.
OK, kids...I'm going to leave my number long division
over here on the blackboard, and I'm going to work this rational expressions long division next to it on the
blackboard, so you can see that all the steps are the same.
We'll start here:
Figure 7.2
From there, develop the whole thing on the blackboard, step by step. (I do this exact problem in the
Conceptual Explanations. I would not suggest you tell them to look it up at this point; instead, I would
recommend that you go through it on the blackboard, explaining steps as you go, and continually reinforcing
4 This
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41
the analogy to what you did with numbers.) In the end you conclude that
a remainder of 22: or, to put it another way,
2
3x + 2x + 6 +
22
6x3 −8x2 +4x−2
is
2x−4
3x2 + 2x + 6 with
2x+4 .
So then you ask: OK, how could we test that? Hopefully they will come up with one answer, then you say
Good, how else? and they come up with the other one. One way is to plug a numberany numberinto
6x3 −8x2 +4x−2
22
2
, and the same number into 3x + 2x + 6
2x−4
2x−4 , and make sure you get the same thing. The
22
2
3
2
other way is to multiply back 3x + 2x + 6
2x−4 by 2x − 4 and make sure you get back to 6x − 8x + 4x − 2.
Make sure they understand both ways. If you don't understand the rst way, you don't understand function
equality; if you don't understand the second way, you don't understand what division is!
Finally, you ask: how could we have made all that a bit easier? The answer, of course, is that we should
have divided the top and bottom by 2 before we did anything else. This brings us back to our cardinal rule
of rational expressions: always factor rst!
If there is still time left in class, let them get started on the homework.
Homework:
Dividing Polynomials
When going over it, see how many people did #1 the hard way.
Remind them that if the bottom is
only one term, you can just do the whole thing quickly and painlessly!
Optional Exercise:
If you have extra timeif some students get way ahead and you want to give them an extra assignment, or
if you want to spend more time on this topichere is a good exercise that brings things together. Suppose
you want to solve the equation
6x3 − 5x2 − 41x − 30 = 0. You can use the Solver on the calculator and it
x = −1. (This requires a 5-minute introduction to the Solver.) How do
will nd one answer: most likely,
you nd the other answers?
Well, we recall from our study of quadratic equations that if
function must be expressible as
(x + 1) (something).
x = −1
is an answer, then the original
How do you nd the something? With long division!
6x2 − 11x − 30. You can
(2x + 3) (3x − 10) which gives
(Maybe have them try it both ways.) What you end up with, after you divide, is
factor that the old-fashioned way (which takes a bit of time) and you get
you the other two roots.
7.4.1 Time for Another Test!
And we're done with yet another unit.
On #6 of the sample test, stress that they will get no credit without showing work. They can check their
answer either waymultiplying back, or trying a numberbut they have to show their work.
The extra credit is a good problem that I like to get in somewhere. I generally give one point for the
xy = x + y . But what I really want to see is if
x
. Finally, from that, they should be able to see that
x−1
has no pairing number (which is obvious if you think about it: nothing plus one gives you the same
obvious pairs (0,0) and (2,2), and two points for the equation
they remember how to solve that for
x=1
thing times one!).
y
and get
y=
42
CHAPTER 7. RATIONAL EXPRESSIONS
Chapter 8
Radicals
1
8.1 Introduction
Well, this is easier, isn't it? They know what a radical is. But they're going to go places with them that
they have denitely never been before. . .
This looks long, but a lot of it is very fast. You don't have to do much setup, except to remind them
what a square root is. I would explain it by analogy to the way we explained logs. log2 8 asks the question
2 to what power is 8? Well,
√
9
also asks a question: What squared is 9?
But then, there is an important distinctionone that I like to make right away, and then repeat several
times.
The question what squared is 9?
actually has two answers.
So if we dened square root as the
answer to that question, square root would not be a function9 would go in, and both 3 and 3 would come
out (the old rule of consistency from day 1). So we somewhat arbitrarily designate the
the positive answer, so that it is a function. So if you see
if you see
x=
√
9
then you should answer only
x = 3.
2
x =9
√
symbol to mean
you should properly answer
x = ±3.
But
This is a subtle distinction, but I really want them
to get it, and to see that it is nothing inherent in the mathjust a denition of the square root, designed to
make it single-valued. This is why if you see
x2 = 2
you have to answer
√
x = ± 2,
to get both answers.
So, on to the assignment. It starts with a couple of word problems, just to set up the idea that radicals
really are useful (which is not obvious). After everyone is done with that part, you may want to ask them
to make up their own problems that require square roots as answers (they are not allowed to repeat #1).
Get them to realize that we square things all the time, and that's why we need square roots all the time,
whenever we want to get back. (We'll be returning to this theme a lot.)
Then there are problems with simplifying radicals. For many of them, they have seen this beforethey
√
√
√ 8 into
√ √2 2.
ab=
a b. So
know how to turn
general rule that
But they don't realize that they are allowed to do that because of the
it's important for them to get that generalization, but it's also important
for them to see that it allows them to simplify radicals. And it's equally important for them to see that
√
a+b
is not
√
a+
√
b.
The nal question is a trap, of coursemany of them will answer
test their answer by squaring back, and oops,
x
4 2
is not
x
16
.
√
There are two ways to look at this problem correctly. One is that
squared, is
x
16
? The rules of exponents are enough to answer this with
as
x
Homework:
Homework: Radicals
1 This
x16
x8 .
But they should know they can
asks a question: What number,
The other way √
to look at it is to
1
2 power is the same as taking a square root. So
8
which, again by the rules of exponents, is x . (I prefer the rst way.)
remember that raising something to the
1
16 2
x4 .
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19484/1.2/>.
43
x16
is the same
CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
44
When going over the homework the next day, make sure to talk about the last few problems (the inverse
functions). Make sure they tested them! There are several points that you want to make sure they got.
• x2
has no perfect inverse.
hand,
√
3
x
√
x
works only if we conne ourselves to positive numbers. On the other
is a perfect inverse of
x3.
I always take a moment here to talk about what
to make sure they understand that it is not the same thing as 3
√
x,
√
3
x
is, and also
so it's vitally important to be
careful in how you write it.
• x3
and
3x
are completely dierent functions. This is why exponents really have two dierent inverses,
logs and radicals. Our last unit was on one of them, this unit will be on the other.
8.2 A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals
2
Yeah, it's sort of a grab baga miscellaneous compilation of word problems, review from yesterday, and
so on. You can just get them started working on the assignment after you're done going over yesterday's
homework.
Toward the end, however, they are going to start running into trouble.
This is when you introduce
rationalizing the denominator. You may want to bring the whole class together to see who can gure out
1
how to rationalize √
3+1
2
a2 +
√2ab + b which
by
3 − 1 does.
. It's a great opportunity to review our rules of multiplying binomials:
is why multiplying by
√
3+1
doesn't work;
2
(a − b) = a2 − b2
2
(a + b) =
which is why multiplying
But please be very careful here, because this particular topic has a very subtle danger. A lot of teachers
communicate the idea that denominators should always be rationalized, just becausebecause I said so,
√
2
√1 . This is one of the best ways to convince students that math
2 is simpler than
2
just doesn't make sense.
or because somehow
What I'm trying to do with this exercise is demonstrate a real practical benet of rationalizing the
denominator, which is that it helps you add and subtract fractions. It's dicult or impossible to come up
with a common denominator without doing this rst!
And of course, we have the you never understand a function until you've graphed it question. Talk a
bit about the graph after they get it. They should be able to see that the domain and range are both
≥0
and why this must be so. They should see that for large values, it grows very slowly (like a log), but without
the drastic behavior that the log shows in the
0≤x≤1
range.
Homework:
Homework: A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals
8.3 Radical Equations
3
If you read over the assignment carefully, I think it's pretty self-explanatory. Encourage the students to read
it carefully as they go (not just skip to the equations).
In my experience, most the trouble with this section comes from trying to make easy problems, hard (that
is, squaring both sides when you don't need to); or from trying to make hard problems, easy (neglecting to
square both sides when you should). Make sure they are clear on the distinctionif there is a variable under
the radical, you will need to square; otherwise, you won't.
Also, it can't hurt to say this about a hundred times: whenever you square both sides, you have to check
your answersthey may not work even if you did all your math right! Make sure they understand when this
rule applies, and also why squaring both sides can introduce false answers. (I work through that explanation
pretty carefully in the Conceptual Explanations.)
Homework:
Homework: Radical Equations
2 This
3 This
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8.3.1 Time for another test!
Not much to say here, except that the real point of the extra credit is to see if they realize that the behavior
will be very similar on the right, but it will extend down to the left as well.
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CHAPTER 8. RADICALS
Chapter 9
Imaginary Numbers
1
9.1 Introduction
This is an interesting unit in several ways, both good and bad.
The good news is, it's fun. It's like a game, and I always try to present it that way.
The bad news is, it's incredibly abstract. It's abstract because it's hard to understand these numbers-thataren't-numbers, and it's also abstract because, to save my life, I can't come up with any good explanation
of why imaginary numbers are useful. Of course, they are usefulinvaluable evenbut how can I explain
that to an Algebra II student? Here are a few things I do always say (several times).
1. These numbers are indeed useful, and they are used in the real world, even if I can't do a great job of
explaining why to you right now.
2. Nothing in the real world is imaginary. That is, you will never have i tomatoes, or measure a brick
that is
5i
feet long, or wait for
3i + 2
seconds. So why are these useful? Because there are very often
problems where the problem is real, and the answer is real, but in between, as you get from the problem
to the answer, you have to use imaginary numbers. Repeat this several times. You have a problem,
or real-world situation, which (of course) involves all real numbers. You do a bunch of math, which
includes imaginary numbers. In the end, you wind up with the answer, which (of course) involves all
real numbers again. But it would have been dicult or impossible to nd that answer, if you didn't
have imaginary numbers.
3. One example is electrical engineering. In an electric circuit you have resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
They all act very dierently in the circuit. When you model the circuit mathematically, to determine
how it will behave (what current will ow through it), the inductor has an inductance and the capacitor
has a capacitance and the resistor has a resistance and they are all very dierent, which makes the
math really hairy. However, you can dene a complex quantity called impedance which makes resistors,
capacitors, and inductors all look mathematically the same.
The disadvantage is that you are now
working with a complex number instead of all real numbers. The advantage is that resistors, capacitors,
and inductors now look the same in the equations, which makes life a whole lot simpler. So this is a
good example of how you use complex numbers to make the math easier. (As a side note, electrical
engineers call the imaginary number
j
whereas everyone else on the planet calls it
i.
I think kids like
that bit of trivia.)
4. Imaginary numbers are also used in many other applications, such as quantum mechanics.
It's all very hand-wavy, and I admit that up front, and I don't hold the kids responsible for it. But I want
them to know that this is really useful, and at the same time, I want to explain why we aren't going to have
any real world problems in this unit.
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CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
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This lecture, by the way, usually comes toward the end of day 1, or during day 2not at the very
beginning of day 1. In the beginning, I prefer to treat it as a gameWhat if there were a square root of
1? Just suppose, what if there were? With one class I went so far in treating it as a game that it was day
3 before they realized I wasn't making the whole thing up.
Oh yeah, one more thing. The calculators will do imaginary numbers for them. I never tell them this. If
they gure it out, more power to them. But I literally don't tell them until after the test that the calculator
knows anything at all about imaginary numbers! I want them to be able to do these things on their own.
2
9.2 Introduction to Imaginary Numbers
This is a fun day, or possibly two days. The rst exercise is something that, in theory, they could walk all
the way through on their own. But it sets up all the major themes in imaginary numbers.
In practice, of course, some groups will have problems, and will need help at various points. But beyond
that, almost no groups will see the point of what they have done, even if they get it right. So a number
of times in class, you are going to interrupt them and pull them back together into a classwide discussion,
and discuss what they have just done. The ideal time to do this is after everyone in the class has reached a
certain pointfor instance, after they have all done #2 (or struggled with it in vain), you pull them back
and talk about #2. All my suggested interruptions are described below.
Before you start, remind them that the equation
x2 = − − 1
has no answer, and talk about why. Then
explain that we are going to pretend it has an answer. The answer is, of course, an imaginary number, so
we will call it
i.
The denitions of
i
is therefore
i=
√
−1
or, equivalently,
i2 = − − 1.
There are two ways to play this. One is to go into the whole why i is useful spiel that I spelled out
above.
The other approach, which is the one I take, is to treat it as a science ction exercise.
I always
start by telling the class that in good science ction, you start with some premise: What if time travel were
possible? or What if there were a man who could y? or something like that. Then you have to follow
that premise rigorously, exploring all the ramications of that one false assumption. So that is what we are
going to do with our imaginary number. We are going to start with one false premise: What if you could
square something and get 1? And we are going to follow that premise logically, using all the rules of math,
and see where it would lead us.
Then they get started.
And in #2, they get stopped in their tracks.
So you give them a minute to
struggle, and then walk it through on the board like this.
• − − i means − − 1 • i (*Stress that this is not anything unusual about i, it is a characteristic of 1. We
could just as easily say 2 means − − 1 • 2, and so on. So we are treating i just like any other number.)
• So i (− − i) is i • − − 1 • i.
• But we can rearrange that as i • i • − − 1. (You can always rearrange multiplication any way you want.)
• But i • i is 1, by denition. So we have − − 1 • − − 1, so the nal answer is 1.
The reason to walk through this is to get across the idea of what I meant about a science ction exercise.
Everything we just did was simply following the rules of mathexcept the last step, where we multiplied
i•i
and got 1. So it illustrates the basic way we are going to work: assume that all the rules of math work
just like they always did, and that
The next few are similar.
to point out what it means.
i2 = −1.
Many of them will successfully get
√
−25on
their own.
But you will have
So, after you are condent that they have all gotten past that problem (or
gotten stuck on it), call the class back and talk a bit.
Point out that we started out by just dening a
square root of -1. But in doing so, we have actually found a way to take the square root of any negative
number! There are two ways to see this answer. One is (since we just came o our unit on radicals) to write
√
−25 =
√
25
· −1 =
√
√
−25 −1 = 5i.
The otherwhich I preferis to say,
What number squared is -25? The answer is
5i.
−25
is asking the question
How do you know? Try it! Square
get!
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and see what you
49
Now remind them of the subtle denition of square root as the positive answer. If you see the problem
x2 = −25
you should answer
2
(−5i)
they see why
x = ±5i
(take a moment to make sure they all got the right answer to #4, so
gives -25). On the other hand,
√
−25
is just
5i.
Next we move on to the cycle of powers. Again, they should be able to do this largely on their own.
1
If a group needs a hint, remind them that if we made a similar table with powers of 2 (2 ,
22 , 23 ,
and so
on), we would get from each term to the next one by multiplying by 2. So they should be able to gure out
that in this case, you get from each term to the next by multiplying by i, and they should be able to do the
multiplication. They will see for themselves that there is a cycle of fours. So then you can ask the whole
class what
i40
must be, and then
i41
and so on, and get them to see the general algorithm of looking for
the nearest power of 4. (I have tried mentioning that we are actually doing modulo 4 arithmetic and I have
stopped doing thisit just confuses things. I do, however, generally mention that the powers of 1 go in a
cycle of 2, alternating between 1 and 1, so this is just kind of like that.)
#13 is my favorite gotcha just to see who falls into the trap and says it's 916.
After they do #18, remind them that this is very analogous to the way we got square roots out of the
denominator.
And this is not a coincidencei is a square root, after all, that we are getting out of the
denominator!
You may want to introduce the term complex conjugate even at this stage, but the real
discussion of complex numbers will come later.
Homework:
Homework: Imaginary Numbers
When going over this homework the next day, make sure they got the point. Our pattern of fours can
be walked backward as well as forward. It correctly predicts that
0
since anything
= 1.
It correctly predicts that
yesterday, they showed in class that
9.3 Complex Numbers
−1
i
1
i simplies
= −i which
to − − i!
i0 = 1
which it should anyway, of course,
is less obviousbut remind them that, just
3
The rst thing you need to do is dene a complex number. A complex number is a combination of real and
a + bi, where a and b are both real numbers. Hence, there is
(bi). For instance, in 3 + 4i, the real part is 3 and the imaginary
imaginary numbers. It is written in the form
a real part
part is
(a)
and an imaginary part
4i.
At this point, I like to try to put this in context, by talking about all the dierent kinds of numbers we
have seen. We started with counting numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on. If you are counting pebbles, these are
the only numbers you will ever need.
Then you add zero, and negative numbers. Are negative numbers real things? Can they be the answers to
real questions? Well, sure. . .depending on the question. If the question is How many pebbles do you have?
or How many feet long is this stick? then the answer can never be 2: negative numbers are just not valid
in these situations. But if the answer is What is the temperature outside?
or How much money is this
company worth? then the answer can be negative. This may seem like an obvious point, but I'm building
up to something, so make sure it's clearwe have invented new numbers for certain situations, which are
completely meaningless in other situations. I also stress that we have gone from the counting numbers to a
more general set, the integers, which includes the counting numbers plus other stu.
Then we add fractions, and the same thing applies. If the question is How many pebbles do you have?
or How many live cows are on this farm? the answer can never be a fraction. But if the question is How
many feet long is this stick?
a fraction may be the answer.
So again, we have a new setthe rational
numbersand our old set (integers) is a subset of it. And once again, these new numbers are meaningful
for some real life questions and not for others.
I always mention that rational numbers (rational not
1
2
−−22
or
7 . So since we have already dened the integers, we can use them to help dene our larger set, the
rational numbers.
meaning sane, but meaning rather a ratio) are always expressable as the ratio of two integers, such as
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But some numbers are not rationalthey cannot be expressed as the ratio of two integers. These are
the irrational numbers. Examples are
π , e,
and
√
2
(or the square root of any other number that is not a
perfect square).
If we add those to our collectionput the rational and irrationals togetherwe now have all the real numbers. You can draw a number line, going innitely o in both directions, and that is a visual representation
of the real numbers.
And now, nally, we have expanded our set even further, to the complex numbers,
a + bi.
Just as we
piggybacked the denition of rational numbers on top of our denition of integers, we are piggybacking our
denition of complex numbers on top of our denition of real numbers. The complex numbers are, as far as
I know, the broadest setit doesn't get any more general than this.
All that may sound unnecessary, and of course, it is. But some students really get into it. I have had
students draw the whole thing into a big Venn diagramwhich I did not ask them to do. (*It is a good extra
credit assignment, though.) My own diagram is at the very end of this unit in the Conceptual Explanations,
under the heading The World of Numbers. Many students like seeing all of math put into one big structure.
And it helps make the point that complex numbersjust like each other generalizationare valid answers
to some questions, but not to others. In other words, as I said before, you will never measure a brick that
is 5i inches long. (It never hurts to keep saying this.)
The complex numbers are completely generalany number in the world can be expressed as
does not look like
ln (i),
a + bi
a + bi.
This
1
which
i
i
but can be put into that form, as we have already seen. Other examples are 2 and
is not obvious! There are plenty of things you can write that don't look like
a + bi.
One example is
which we are not going to mess with, but they are worth pointing out as other examples of numbers
that don't look like a + bi, but take-my-word-for-it
√
i, which we are going to tackle tomorrow.
you can make them if you want to. And then there is
That is probably all the setup you need. They can do the in-class exercise on Complex Numbers and see
for themselves that whether you add, subtract, multiply, or divide them, you get back to a complex number.
Also make sure they get the point about what it means for two complex numbers to be equal: this will be
very important as we move on. One other thing I like to mention at some point (doesn't have to be now)
is that there are no inequalities with imaginary numbers. You cannot meaningfully say that
1 < i.
1>i
or that
Because they cannot be graphed on a number line, they don't really have sizesthey can be equal
or not, but they cannot be greater than or less than each other.
Homework:
Homework: Complex Numbers
When going over this homework, make a special point of talking about #12. This helps reinforce the
most important point of the year, about generalizations.
Once you have found what happens to
(a + bi)
when you multiply it by its complex conjugate, you have a general formula which can be used to multiply
any complex number by its complex conjugate, without actually going through the work. Show them how
#6, 8, and 10 can all be solved using this formula. Also, remind them that
the answer
a2 + b2
a and b are by denition realso
is also real. That is, whenever you multiply a number by its complex conjugate, you get
a real answer. This is why there is no possible answer to #14.
9.4 Me, Myself, and the Square Root of i
4
This is arguably the most advanced, dicult thing we do all year. But I like it because it contains absolutely
√
nothing they haven't already done. It's not here because it's terribly important to know
it's terribly important to know that all numbers can be written in
a + bi
format.
i,
or even because
It is here because it
reinforces certain skillssquaring out a binomial (always a good thing to practice), working with variables
and numbers together, setting two complex numbers equal by setting the real part on the left equal to the
real part on the right and ditto for the imaginary parts, and solving simultaneous equations.
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Explain the problem we're going to solve, hand it out, and let them go. Hopefully, by the end of class,
1
they have all reached the point where they know that √
2
+
√1 i and
2
−−
√1
2
− − √12 i
are the two answers,
and have tested them.
Note that right after this in the workbook comes a more advanced version of the same thing, where they
√
3
√
√
3
3
1
1
2 + 2 i, and 2 − − 2 i). I tried using this for the whole class, and it
was just a bridge too far. But you could give it to some very advanced studentseither as an alternative to
nd
√
the
−1
i
(all three answers:
− − 1,
exercise, or as an extra credit follow-up to it.
Homework:
They should nish the worksheet if they haven't done so, including #7.
Homework: Quadratic Equations and Complex Numbers.
Then they should also do the
It's a good opportunity to review quadratic
equations, and to bring in something new! (It's also a pretty short homework.)
When going over the homework, make sure they did #3 by completing the squareagain, it's just a
good review, and they can see how the complex answers emerge either way you do it. #4 is back to the
discriminant, of course: if
b2 − 4ac < 0
then you will have two complex roots. The answer to #6 is no. The
only way to have only one root is if that root is 0. (OK, 0 is technically complex. . .but that's obviously not
what the question meant, right?)
The fun is seeing if anyone got #5. The answer, of course, is that the two roots are complex conjugates
of each otherreal part the same, imaginary part dierent sign. This is obvious if you rewrite the quadratic
formula like this:
√
b2 −4ac
−b
2a ±
2a
and realize that the part on the left is always real, and the part on the right is where you get your
x=
i from.
9.4.1 Time for another test!
Not much to say here, except that you may want to reuse this extra credit on your own testif they learn
it from the sample (by asking you) and then get it right on your test, they learned something valuable.
52
CHAPTER 9. IMAGINARY NUMBERS
Chapter 10
Matrices
1
10.1 Introduction
This is a double unitthat is, it is so long that I have a major test right in the middle of it.
The EOC spends an inordinate amount of time on problems like this:
The Kind of Problem I Don't Bother Too Much With
This matrix shows McDonald's sales for a three-day period.
Big Macs
Fries
Coke
Monday
$1,000
$500
$2,000
Tuesday
$1,500
$700
$2,700
Wednesday
$800
$800
$1,500
Table 10.1
What were their total sales on Monday? What were their total sales of Big Macs? On which day did
they make the most prot? etc etc. . .
I guess the object is to make it appear that matrices are useful but it is really deceptive. Of course,
matrices are useful, but not because they give you a convenient way to organize tabular data and then add
columns or look things up.
So I don't spend much time on this kind of thing. I start with what a matrix is (which is sort of like
that). I develop the rules for adding matrices, subtracting them, multiplying a matrix by a constant, and
setting two matrices equal to each otherall of which are very obvious, and should not be presented as a
mystery, but rather just as something obvious.
Then comes the big two days of magic, in which we learn to multiply matrices.
I use a gradebook
application which gives an example of why you would want to do this strange operationit makes a lot
of sense up to the point where you are multiplying an arbitrary-dimensions matrix by a column matrix,
although it gets a bit strained when you expand the second matrix.
No matter.
They need to get the
mechanics of how you multiply matrices, and just practice them.
After that bit of magic, the rest should follow logically. The denition of
[I],
the denition of an inverse
matrix and how you nd one, and (the nal hoorah) the way you use matrices to solve linear equations,
should all be logical and consistent, based on the one magic trick, which is multiplying them. Oh, also there
is a magic trick where you nd determinants, which doesn't have much to do with anything else.
There is one other thing I need to address, which is calculators. There is a day that I set aside to teach
them explicitly how to do matrices on the calculator. But that day is after the rst test. Before that day, I
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CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
54
don't mention it at all. And even after that day, I stress doing things by hand, and give them problems that
will force them to do so (by using variables). But I do love showing them that you can solve ve equations
with ve unknowns quickly and easily by using matrices and a calculator!
10.1.1 Introduction to Matrices
Tell them to get into groups and work on Introduction to Matrices. I think it is very self-explanatory. You
may want to make the analogy at some point that setting two matrices equal to each other is kind of like
setting two complex numbers equal to each other: for this to equal that, all their respective parts must
be equal.
Homework:
HomeworkIntroduction to Matrices
10.2 Multiplying Matrices I (row
×
column)
2
Once again, you may just want to get them started on the assignment, and let it speak for itself.
However, toward the end of classafter they have all struggled through, or gotten stuckpull them back
and do some blackboard talk. Start by pointing out that we are doing two dierent things here. Multiplying
a matrix times a constant is both easy and intuitive. If you can add two matrices, then you can add
and thus gure out what
2 [A]
[A] + [A]
has to be.
On the other hand, multiplying two matrices (a row times a column) is not easy or intuitive. Show how
to multiply a row matrix by a column matrix, do a few examples, and talk about how it applies to the
gradebook example. In other words, make sure they get it.
What I do, about a hundred times, is try to get them to visualize the row oating up in the air and
twisting around so that it lines up with the column. I use my hands, I use sticks, anything to get them to
visually see this row oating up and twisting to line up with that column. This visualization is not essential
today, but if they get it today, it will really help them tomorrow, when we start multiplying full matrices!
As I mentioned earlierthis is a radical departure from my normal philosophyI am more concerned that
they get the mechanics here (how to do the multiplication) than any sort of logic behind it. They should
be able to see, for instance, that if the row and column do not have the same number of elements, then the
matrix multiplication is illegal.
Oh yeah, one more thingI always stress that when you multiply two matrices, the product is a matrix.
In the case of a row times a column, it is a
1×1
matrix, but it is still a matrix, not a number.
Homework
HomeworkMultiplying Matrices I
3
10.3 Multiplying Matrices II (the full monty)
This time, you're going to have to lecture. You are going to have to explain, on the board, how to multiply
matrices. Probably a good 20 minutes (half the class) dedicated to showing them that this row goes over
here to this column, and then we go down to the next row, and so on. Get them to work problems at their
desks, make sure they are cool with it. You can also refer them to the Conceptual Explanations to see a
problem worked out in a whole lot of detail.
Two things to stress:
1. Keep doing the visualization of a row (in the rst matrix) oating up and twisting to get next to a
column (in the second matrix).
If the two do not line upthat is, they have dierent numbers of
elementsthen the multiplication is illegal.
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2. Matrix multiplication does not commute. If you switch the order, you may turn a legal multiplication
into an illegal one. Or, you may still have a legal multiplication, but with a dierent answer.
BA
AB
and
are completely dierent things with matrices.
You may never get to the in-class assignment at all. If you don't, that's OK, just skip it! However, note
that the in-class assignment is built on one particular application, which is showing how Professor Snape
can do just one matrix multiplication to get the nal grades for all his students. This exercise is one of the
few applications I have for matrix multiplication.
Homework:
HomeworkMultiplying Matrices II
#4 is important for a couple of reasons. First, of course, by using variables, it forces them to do the
work manually even if they have gured out how to do it on a calculator. More importantly, it continues to
hammer home that message about what variables areyou can solve this leaving
x, y ,
and
z
generic, and
then you can plug in numbers for them if you want.
#5 and #7 set up the identity matrix; #6 sets up using matrices to solve linear equations. You don't
need to mention any of that now, but you may want to refer back to them later. I don't want them to think
[I] as being dened as a diagonal row of 1s.
AI = AI = A, and to see how that denition leads
of
I want them to know that it is dened by the property
to the diagonal row of 1s. #7 is the key to that.
10.4 Identity and Inverse Matrices
4
This may, in fact, be two days masquerading as oneit depends on the class. They can work through the
sheet on their own, but as you are circulating and helping, make sure they are really reading it, and getting
the point! As I said earlier, they need to know that
[I]
is dened by the property
how that denition leads to the diagonal row of 1s. They need to know that
AA−1 = A1 = I ,
A−1
AI = IA = A,
and to see
is dened by the property
and to see how they can nd the inverse of a matrix directly from this denition. That
may all be too much for one day.
I also always mention that only a square matrix can have an [I]. The reason is that the denition requires
I to work commutatively: AI and IA both have to give A. You can play around very quickly to nd that a
2 × 3 matrix cannot possibly have an [I] with this requirement. And of course, a non-square matrix has no
inverse, since it has no [I] and the inverse is dened in terms of [I]!
Homework:
HomeworkThe Identity and Inverse Matrices
5
10.5 Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix
This is one of those things that should be easy, but it isn't. It should be easy because they have already
been doing it, with numbers, and it's just the same with letters. But hey, that's what Algebra II is about,
right?
They should denitely work in groups here. Make sure they understand what they are doing. A clear
sign that they don't understand what they are doing, even a little, is that they wind up solving for a, or
solving for w in terms of x, or something like that. They need to understand that the object is to solve for
w, x, y, and z in terms of a, b, c, and d. Only by doing this can they come up with a generic solution to the
inverse of a 2×2 matrix, which can then be used quickly and easily to nd the inverse of any 2×2 matrix. If
they don't understand that, they just don't have any idea what we're doingit's important to get them to
understand the problem instead of just focusing on solving it.
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
The answer, by the way, is A-1=
1
ad−bc

d
−b
−c
a

.
Once they have it, in this form, help them under-
stand how to use itthe numbers in this diagonal switch places, the number in that diagonal change signs.
This also helps set up the determinant (ad-bc), by the way.
6
10.6 Use Matrices for Transformation
This is a fun day. No new math, just a cool application of the math we've seen.
The in-class assignment pretty well speaks for itself. It's worth mentioning that, despite the very simplied
and silly nature of this specic assignment, the underlying messagethat matrices are used to transform
images in computer graphicsis absolutely true.

Some students (good students) may question why the last column

0
0


is necessary in specifying
Harpoona's initial condition. The reason is this representation is not simply a list of all the corner points in
a shape. Yes, each column represents a point. But the matrix is a set of instructions to the computer, to draw
lines from this point to that point. Without the last column, Harpoona would be missing her hypotenuse.
Homework
Homework: Homework: Using Matrices for Transformation. Here we see a matrix that rotates any object
by 300, counter-clockwise. The inverse matrix, of course, rotates clockwise. Hopefully they will discover all
that for themselves. And hopefully most of them will realize why an inverse matrix always does the exact
opposite of the original matrix, since if you do them one after the other, you end up back where you started.
10.6.1 Time for Another Test!
Our rst test on matrices.
7
10.7 Matrices on the Calculator
This starts with a lecture. You have to show them how to do matrices on the calculator. They should be
able to. . .
•
•
•
•
•
Enter several matrices at once
Add several matrices
Subtract
Multiply
Find inverses
All of this is explained step-by-step in the Conceptual Explanations.
There are two things I stress. First, whenever I enter a matrix, I always check it. For instance, after I
enter matrix [A], I go back to the home screen and go [A][Enter], and the calculator displays matrix [A] to
me, so I can make sure I typed it right. One small mistype will ruin a whole problem, and it's really easy to
do!
Second, the calculator is very smart about interpreting equations. After you enter three matrices, you
can just type [A][B]-1-[C] and it will multiply [A] by the inverse of [B] and then subtract [C].
Homework
HomeworkCalculators. Depending on how things go, they may be able to nish this in class and have
no homework.
6 This
7 This
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57
10.8 Determinants
8
Another very lecture-heavy topic, I'm afraid. Like multiplying matrices, nding the determinant is something
you just have to show on the board.
And once again, you can refer them in the end to the Conceptual
Explanations to see an example worked out in detail.
Start by talking about the ad-bc that played such a prominent role in the inverse of a 2×2 matrix. This
is, in fact, the determinant of a 2×2 matrix.
Then show them how to nd the determinant of a three-by-three matrix, using either the diagonals or
expansion by minors method, whichever you prefer. (I would not do both. Personally, I prefer expansion
by minors, and that is the one I demonstrate in the Conceptual Explanations.)
Hot points to mention:
•
Brackets like this [A] mean a matrix; brackets like this |A| mean a determinant. A determinant is a
number associated with a matrix: it is not, itself, a matrix.
•
•
Only square matrices have a determinant.
Also show them how to nd a determinant on the calculator. They need to be able to do this (like
everything else) both manually and with a calculator.
•
To nd the area of a triangle whose vertices are (a,b), (c,d), and (e,f ), you can use the formula: Area
=
½|
a
c
e
b
d
f |.
1
1
1
This is the only use I can really give them for determinants. They will need to
know this for the homework. Do an example or two. I like to challenge them to nd that area any
other way, just to make the point that it is not a trivial problem without matrices. (I don't know any
other good way.)
•
All we're really going to use expansion by minors for is 3×3 matrices. However, I like to point out
that it can be obviously extended to 4×4, 5×5, etc. It also extends down to a 2×2if you expand
minors on that, you end up with the good old familiar formula ad-bc.
•
Finally, mention that any matrix with determinant zero has no inverse. This is analogous to the rule
that the number 0 is the only number with no inverse.
Homework
HomeworkDeterminants
10.9 Solving Linear Equations
9
Just let them start this assignment, it should explain itself.
This is the coolest thing in our whole unit on matrices. It is also the most dangerous.
The cool thing is, you can solve real-world problems very quickly, thanks to matricesso matrices (and
matrix multiplication and the inverse matrix and so on) prove their worth. If you are given:
2x − 5y + z = 1
6x − y + 2 = 4
4x − 10y + 2z = 2

you plug into your calculator



2
−5
1

[A] = 
 6
4
−1





2 
, [B] =  4 ,
2
2
−10
1
out! They should be able to do this process quickly and mechanically.
8 This
9 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19442/1.1/>.
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19450/1.1/>.
ask for
A−1 B ,
and the answer pops
CHAPTER 10. MATRICES
58
But the quick, mechanical nature of the process is also its great danger. I want them to see the logic of

it. I want them to see exactly why the equation




2
−5
1

 6

4
−1

 


 

2 
 y =  4 
2
z
2
−10
x
1
is exactly like those three
separate equations up there. I want them to be able to solve like this:
AX = B
A−1 AX = A−1 B
IX = A−1 B
X = A−1 B
to see why it comes out as it does. If they see that this is all perfectly logical, and they know how to do
it, the day is a big successand in fact, this sort of justies the whole unit on matrices.
As a nal point, mention what happens if the equations were unsolvable: matrix A will have a 0 determinant, and will therefore have no inverse, so the equation won't work. (You get an error on the calculator.)
Homework
HomeworkSolving Linear Equations
10.9.1 Time for Another Test!
And, time to conclude our unit on matrices.
Chapter 11
Modeling Data with Functions
1
11.1 Introduction
This unit is really three dierent topics, joined together by a somewhat weak thread.
The rst topic is direct and inverse variation. The second topic is nding a parabola that ts any three
given points. The third topic is regression on a calculator.
The weak thread that connects them is that they all involve starting with data, and nding a function
that models that data. (At least, the latter topics are clearly about that, and the rst topic is about that if
you approach it the way I do. . .)
2
11.2 Direct and Inverse Variation
This is one of those days where you want to get them working right away (on the Direct Variation assignment), let them nish the assignment, and then do 10-15 minutes of talking afterwards. You want to make
sure they got the point of what they did.
Direct variation is, of course, just another kind of functionan independent variable, and a dependent
variable, and consistency, and so on. But the aspect of direct variation that I always stress is that when the
independent number doubles, the dependent number doubles. If one triples, the other triples. If one is cut
in half, the other is cut in half. . .and so on. They are, in a word, proportional.
This is not the same thing as saying When one goes up, the other goes up.
Of course that is true
x,
x2, 2x, x+3, and a lot
whenever you have direct variation. But that statement is also true of ln(x),
√
of other functions: they do when one goes up, the other goes up but not when one doubles, the other
½
doubles so they are not direct variation. The only function that has that property is f(x)=kx, where k is
any constant. (Point out that k could be
integer.)
, or it could be 2, or any other constantnot just a positive
In #3 they arrived at this point. They should see that the equation y=kx has the property we want,
because if you replace x with 2x then y=k(2x) which is the same thing as 2kx which is twice what it used to
be. So if x doubles, y doubles.
They should also see that direct variation always graphs as a line.
And not just any line, but a line
through the origin.
But the thing I most want them to see is that there are many, many situations where things vary in this
way. In other words, #4 is the most important problem on the assignment. You may want to ask them to
tell the whole class what they came up with, and then you throw in a few more, just to make the point of
how common this is. The amount of time you spend waiting in line varies directly with the number of people
1 This
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CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
60
in front of you; the amount you pay varies directly with the number of meals you order; the weight of your
french fries measured in grams varies directly with the weight of your french fries measured in pounds; and
both of these, in turn, vary directly with the number of fries; and so on, and so on, and so on.
11.2.1 Homework
Part I
Homework: Inverse Variation
That's right, no homework on direct variationit's time to develop the second one. They should be able
to do it pretty well on their own, in analogy to what happened in class. But you will spend a fair amount of
the next day debrieng them on inverse variation, just as you did on direct. The dening property is that
when the independent variable doubles, the dependent variable chops in half. Again, it is true to say when
one goes up, the other goes downbut it is not enough. 1/x2 has that property, and so does 10-x, and
neither of those is inverse variation.
Examples are a bit harder to think of, o the top of your head. But there is an easy and systematic way
to nd them. I always warn the students that I will ask for an example of inverse variation on the test, and
then (now that I have their attention) I explain to them how to do it. Inverse variation is y=k/x (graphs as
a hyperbola). This equation can be rewritten as xy=k. This is useful for two reasons. First, it gives you the
ability to spot inverse variationif the product is always roughly the same, it's inverse. Second, it gives you
the ability to generate inverse variation problems, by thinking of any time that two things multiply to give
a third thing, and then holding that third thing constant.
For instance: the number of test questions I have to grade is the number of students, times the number
of questions on the test. That's obvious, right?
If I want to turn that into a direct variation problem, I hold one of the two multiplying variables constant.
What do I mean hold it constant? I mean, pick a number. For instance, suppose there are twenty students
in my class.
Now the dependent variable (number of questions I have to grade) varies directly with the
independent variable (number of questions I put on the test).
On the other hand, if I want to turn that exact same scenario into an inverse variation problem, I hold
the big variable constant. For instance, suppose I know that I am only capable of grading 200 problems in a
night. So I have to decide how many questions to put on the test, based on how many students I have. You
see? Double the number of students, and the number of questions on the test drops in half.
Algebraically, if I call t the number of questions on the test, s the number of students, and g the number
of questions I have to grade, then g=ts. In the rst case, I set s=20 so I had the direct variation equation
g=20t. In the second case I set g=200 so I had the inverse variation equation t=200/s.
I explain all that to my class, slowly and carefully. They need to know it because the actual test I give
them will have a question where they have to make up an inverse variation problem, and I always tell them
so. That question, if nothing else, will come as no surprise at all.
Part II
Homework: Direct and Inverse Variation
This is on the long side, and introduces a few new ideas: the idea of being proportional to the square (or
square root) of a variable, and the idea of dependence on multiple variables. So you should ideally hand it
out in the middle of class, so they have time to work on it before the homeworkand be prepared to spend
a lot of time going over it the next day.
11.3 Calculator Regression
Lecture time.
3
Talk about the importance of regression again.
Walk them, step-by-step, through a few
regressions on the calculator. (Detailed instructions for a TI-83 are included in the Conceptual Explanations
for this section.)
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My advice right now is to look at the points rst (which may require resetting the window!) and then
categorize them according to concavityalthough I don't use that word. I talk about three kinds of increasing
functions:
•
•
•
Linear functions increase steadily
Logs and square roots increase more and more slowly
Parabolas and exponential functions increase more and more quickly
Similarly, of course, for decreasing functions. Choose an appropriate kind of regression, and let the calculator
do the rest.
After a few examples, hand out the homework.
Homework
Homework: Calculator Regression
11.3.1 Time for Another Test!
Question 11c is not something I would put on a real test, for a couple of reasons. First, it would be pretty
hard to grade; second, and more importantly, it is unlike anything we've seen on a homework. But I might
use it for an extra credit, and in any case, it can't hurt them to see it and discuss it on a sample.
62
CHAPTER 11. MODELING DATA WITH FUNCTIONS
Chapter 12
Conics
1
12.1 Introduction
The last topic! And it's a big one. Here is the overall plan.
We start with a day on distancending the distance between two points, nding the distance from a
point to a linethis will form a basis for the whole unit.
Then we do our shapes: circles, parabolas, ellipses, and hyperbolas. For each shape, there are really two
geometric denition of the shape. The other is what I call
machinery associated with the shapethe standard equation and what it represents. I cover these two
things the students need to learn. One is the
the
things separately, and then connect them at the end.
2
12.2 Distance
Before I hand this out, I tell them a bit about where we're going, in terms of the whole unit. We're going
to do analytic geometrythat is, linking geometry with algebra. We're going to graph a bunch of shapes.
And everything we're going to do is built upon one simple idea: the idea of
distance.
Let's start with distance on a number line. (Draw a number line on the board.) Here's 4, and here's 10.
What's the distance between them? Right, 6. You don't need to do any math, you can just count1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6. There we are.
How about the distance from 4 to 1? Right, 3. 4 to 0? Right, 4. One more: what is the distance from 4
to -5? Again, just count. . .1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. The distance is nine.
So, what's going on here? In each case, we're counting from 4 to some other number: to 10, to 1, to 0,
subtracted. This is a point that looks incredibly obvious,
if you subtract two numbers, you get the distance between
then to -5. What happened mathematically? We
but really it isn't, so it's worth repeating:
them. 10-4 is 6. 4-1 is 3. And the last one?
4 − (−5) = 4 + 5 = 9.
So even that works. Remember that
we saw, by counting, that the distance from 4 to -5 is 9. Now we see that it works mathematically because
subtracting a
negative is like adding a positive.
Oh yeah. . .what if we had subtracted the other way? You know, 4-9 or -5-4. We would have gotten the
right answers, only negative. But the distance would still be positive, because distance is always positive.
formula for the distance from a to b on a number line:
(give them thirty seconds) What did you get? |a − b|? Good! |b − a|? Also good! They are the same
thing. a-b and b-a are not the same thing, but when you take the absolute value, then they are.
So, based on all that, at your seats, write down a
go!
Now, let's get two-dimensional here. We'll start with the easy case, which is when the points line up. In
that case, we can use the same rule, right? For instance, let's look at (4,3) and (10,3). How far apart are
1 This
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
64
they? Same as before6. We can just count, or we can just subtract, because the y-coordinates are the
same.
(Show them this visually!) Similarly, suppose we take (-2,5) and (-2,-8). Since the
are the same, we can just count again, or just subtract the
Now, what if
y -coordinates,
x-coordinates
and get a distance of 13.
neither coordinate is the same? Then it's a bit trickier. But we're not going to use any
magic distance formulaif you ever memorized one, throw it out. All we need is what we've already done.
(Draw it!) To nd that distance, we're going to nd the distance across and
up. So draw in this other point at (4,1). Now, draw a triangle, with the distance we want over
Let's look at (-2,1) and (4,9).
the distance
here, and the distance across here, and the distance up here. These two sides are easy, because they are just
what we have already been doing, right? So this is 6 and this is 8. So how do we nd this third side, which
is the distance we wanted? Right, the Pythagorean Theorem! So it comes out as 10.
The moral of the story iswhenever
you need to nd a distance, use the Pythagorean Theorem.
points.How
about the distance from a point to a line? For instance, what is the distance from you to the nearest
OK, one more thing before you start the assignment. That was the distance between two
street? The answer, of course, isit depends on where on the street you want to get. But when we say,
shortest distance. (Do a few drawings to make sure they
get the idea of shortest distance from a point to a line. If the line is vertical or horizontal,
then we are back to just counting. If it's diagonal, life gets much more complicated, and we're
not going to get into it. Except I sometimes assign, as an extra credit assignment, nd the
distance from the arbitrary point (x,y ) to the arbitrary line y = mx + b. It's ugly and dicult,
but I usually have one or two kids take me up on it. For the rest of the class, just promise to
stick with horizontal and vertical lines, and counting.)
distance from you to the street, we mean the
After all that is said, they are ready to start on the assignment.
Homework:
Homework: Distance
3
12.3 Circles
Our rst shape. (Sometimes I have started with parabolas rst, but I think this is simpler.)
Here's how you're going to startand this will be the same for every shape. Don't tell them what
the shape is. Instead, tell them this. A bunch of points are getting together to form a very exclusive club.
The membership requirement for the club is this: you must be exactly 5 units away from the origin.
Any point that fullls this requirement is in the club; any point that is either too close or too far, is not
in the club. Give them a piece of graph paper, and have them draw all the points in the club. You come
around and look at their work. If they are stuck, point out that there are a few very obvious points on the
x-axis.
The point is that, before any math happens at all, every individual group should have convinced
themselves that this club forms a circle.
Then you step back and sayin Geometry class you used circles all the time, but you may never have
a circle is all the points in a plane
that are the same distance from a given point. That distance is called what? (Someone will come up
formally dened what a circle is. We now have a formal denition:
with radius.) And that given point is called what? (Someone may or may not come up with center.) The
center plays a very interesting role in this story. It is the most important part, the only point that is key to
the denition of the circlebut it is
not itself part of the circle, not itself a member of the club. (The
origin is not 5 units away from the origin.) This is worth stressing even though it's obvious, because it will
help set up less obvious ideas later (such as the focus of a parabola).
Point out, also, thatas predictedthe denition of a circle is based entirely on the idea of
distance.
So in order to take our general geometric denition and turn it into math, we will need to mathematically
understand distance. Which we do.
At this point, they should be ready for the in-class assignment. They may need some help here, but with
just a little nudging, they should be able to see how we can take the
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geometric denition of a circle leads
65
equation of a circle,
very directly to the
radius. This formula should be in their notes,
graph things like
2
2
2
2
(x − h) + (y − k) = r2
(x − 2) + (y + 3) = 25to
where (h,k ) is the center and
r
is the
etc. Once we have this formula, we can use it to immediately
go from the equation to the graph, and vice-versa.
Once you have explained this and they get it, they are ready for the homework. They now know how to
graph a circle in standard form, but what if the circle
complete the squaretwice, once for
x
and once for
y.
doesn't come in standard form? The answer is to
If it works out that the homework gets done in class
(this day or the next day), you may want to do a brief TAPPS exercise with my little completing-the-square
demo in the middle of the homework. However, they should also be able to follow it on their own at home.
Homework:
Homework: Circles
It may take a fair amount of debrieng afterward, and even a few more practice problems, before you
are condent that they get the circle thing.
non-standard form,
They need to be able to take an equation for a circle in
put it in standard form, and then graph it. And they need to still see how that form
comes directly from the Pythagorean Theorem and the denition of a circle.
There is one other fact that I always slip into the conversation somewhere, which is: how can you look
at an equation, such as
x
2
and a
y
2
2x2 + 3x + 2y 2 + 5y + 7 = 0,
term, and they have the
and even tell if it is a circle? Answer: it has both an
same coecient. If there is no
x2
or
y2
term, you have a line. If one
exists but not the other, you have a parabola. By the time we're done with this unit, we will have lled out
all the other possible cases, and I expect them to be able to look at any equation and recognize immediately
what shape it will be.
12.4 Parabolas, Day 1
Once again, when you start,
4
don't tell them we're doing parabolas! Tell them we're going to create another
club. This time the requirement for membership is: you must be exactly the same distance from the point
(0,3) that you are from the line
away from (0,3) and
y = −3.
six units away from
For instance, the point (3,3) is not part of our clubit is 3 units
y = −3.
Now, let them work in groups on All the Points Equidistant from a Point and a Line to see if they can
nd the shape from just that. If they need a hint, tell them there is one
extremely obvious point, and two
somewhat obvious points. After that they have to dink around.
When all or most groups have it, go through it on the blackboard, something like this. The extremely
obvious point is the origin. The somewhat obvious points are (-6,3) and (6,3). Show why all those work.
Now, can any point
below the x-axis work? Clearly not. Any point below the x-axis is obviously
(meaning, after you show them for a minute) closer to the line, than to the point.
So, let's start working up from the origin. The origin was in the club. As we move up, we are getting
closer to the point, and farther away from the line. So how can we maintain equality? The only way is
to move farther away from the point, by moving out. In this way, you sketch in the parabola.
Now, you introduce the terminology. We're already old friends with the vertex of a parabola. This point
up here is called the focus. This line down here is the directrix. The focus and directrix are kind of like
the center of a circle, in the sense that they are central to the denition of what a parabola is, but they
are not themselves part of the parabola. The vertex, on the other hand, is a part of the parabola, but is
not a part of the denition.
The directrix, of course, is a horizontal line: but what if it isn't? What is the directrix is vertical? Then
we have a
horizontal parabola. Of course it isn't a function, but it's still a shape we can graph and talk
about, and we have seen them a few times before. If you have time, work through
Homework:
Homework: Vertical and Horizontal Parabolas
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x = 4y 2 − −8y .
CHAPTER 12. CONICS
66
12.5 Parabolas, Day 2
5
What good are parabolas? We've already seen some use for graphing parabolas, in terms of modeling certain
kinds of behavior. If I throw a ball into the air,
not straight up, its path through the air is a parabola. But
here is another cool thing: if parallel lines come into a parabola, they all bounce to the focus.
Figure 12.1: Draw this on the board:
So
telescopes are made by creating parabolic mirrorsall the incoming light is concentrated at the
focus. Pretty cool, huh?
We are already somewhat familiar with parabola machinery. We recall that the equation for a vertical
parabola is
either case
2
2
y = a (x − h) + k and the equation for a horizontal parabola is x = a (y − k) + h. The vertex in
is at (h,k ). We also recall that if a is positive, it opens up (vertical) or to the right (horizontal);
if a is negative, it opens down or to the left. This is all old news.
Thus far, whenever we have graphed parabolas, we have found the vertex, determined whether they open
up or down or right or left, and then gone swoosh. If we were a little more sophisticated, we remembered
a; so y = 2x2 is narrower than y = x2 which is narrower
1 2
than y = x . But how can we use a to actually draw the width accurately? That is the question for today.
2
And the answer starts out with one fact which may seem quite unrelated: the distance from the vertex to
1
the focus is
4a . I'm going to present this as a magical fact for the momentwe will never prove it, though
that the width of the parabola was determined by
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we will demonstrate it for a few examples. But that one little fact is the only thing I am going to ask you
to take my word foreverything else is going to ow logically from that.
y = −3, and point out the
1
.) Now, what is the distance from the vertex to the directrix?
4a
1
Someone should get this: it must also be
4a . Why? Because the vertex is part of the parabola, so by
(Go back to your drawing of our parabola with focus (0,3) and directrix
distance from vertex to focuslabel it
denition, it must be the same distance from the directrix that it is from the focus. Label that.
Now, let's start at this point here (point to (-6,3)) and go down to the directrix.
How long is that?
1
1
2
1
+
, which is
or
. Now, how far over is it, from this same point to
4a
4a
4a
2a
the focus? Well, again, this is on the parabola, so it must be the same distance to the focus that it is to the
1
directrix:
2a .
1
2
1
1
If you extend that line all the way to the other side, you have two of those:
2a + 2a = 2a , or a , running
Again, someone should get it:
latus rectumLatin for straight lineit is always a line
parallel to the directrix, and goes through the focus.
between (6,3) and (6,3). This line is called the
that touches the parabola at two points, runs
At this point, the blackboard looks something like this:
Figure 12.2
The point should be clear. Starting with the one magical fact that the distance from the focus to the
1
1
4a , we can get everything else, including the length of the latus rectum, a . And that gives us a
way of doing exactly what we wanted, which is using a to more accurately draw a parabola.
2
1
At this point, you do a sample problem on the board, soup to nuts. Say, x =
2 (y + 3) − 4. They should
be able to see quickly that it is horizontal, opens to the right, with vertex at (-4,-3)that's all review. But
vertex is
CHAPTER 12. CONICS
68
1
1
4a which in this case (since a = 2 )
1
is . So where is the focus? Draw the parabola quickly on the board. They should be able to see that the
2
1
1
focus is to the right of the vertex, so that puts us at(−3 ,−3). The directrix is to the left, at x = −4 . (I
2
2
now we can also say that the distance from the focus to the vertex is
always warn them at this point, a very common way to miss points on the test is to say that the directrix
is (x
= −4 21 ,−3).
That's a pointthe directrix is a line!)
How wide is the parabola? When we graphed them before, we had no way of determining that: but now
1
a which is 2. So you can draw
that in around the focusgoing up one and down oneand then draw the parabola more accurately, staring
we have the latus rectum to help us out. The length of the latus rectum is
from the focus and touching the latus rectum on both sides.
Whew! Got all that? Good then, you're ready for the homework! (You may want to mention that a
dierent sample problem is worked in the Conceptual Explanations.)
Homework:
Homework: Parabolas and the Latus Rectum
This one will take a lot of debrieng afterwards. Let's talk about #3 for a minute. The rst thing they
should have done is draw itthat can't be stressed enoughalways draw it! Drawing the vertex and focus,
they should be able to see that the parabola opens to the right. Since we know the vertex, we can write
immediately
2
x = a (y − 6) + 5.
Many of them will have gotten that far, and then gotten stuck. Show them
1
1
4a , so 4a = 2.
1
We can solve this to nd a =
8 which lls in the nal piece of the puzzle.
On #5, again, before doing anything else, they should draw it! They should see that there is one vertical
that the distance from the vertex to the focus is 2, and we know that this distance must be
and one horizontal parabola that ts this denition.
But how can they nd them? You do the vertical, they can do the horizontal. Knowing the vertex, we
know that the vertical one will look like
2
y = a (x + 2) + 5.
How can we nd a this time, by using the
information that it contains the point (0,1)? Well, we have to go back to our last unit, when we found
Remember, we said that if it contains a point,
true! So we can plug in (0,1) to the equation, and solve for a.
the equation for a parabola containing certain points!
then that point must make the equation
2
1 = a (0 + 2) + 5, 4a + 5 = 1, a = −1.
The negative
a
tells us that the parabola will open downand our
drawing already told us that, so that's a good reality check.
6
12.6 Parabolas: From Denition to Equation
OK, where are we? We started with the geometric denition of a parabola. Then we jumped straight to the
machinery, and we never attempted to connect the two. But that is what we're going to do now.
Remember what we did with circles? We started with our geometric denition. We picked an arbitrary
point on the circle, called it (x,y ), and wrote an equation that said you, Mr. (x,
y ), are exactly 5 units away
from the origin. That equation became the equation for the circle.
Now we're going to do the same thing with a parabola. We're going to write an equation that says you,
Mr. (x,
y ),
are the same distance from the focus that you are from the directrix. In doing so, we will write
the equation for a parabola,
based on the geometric denition. And we will discover, along the way, that
1
4a .
That's really all the setup this assignment needs. But they will need a lot of help doing it. Let them go
the distance from the focus to the vertex really is
at it, in groups, and walk around and give hints when necessary. The answers we are looking for are:
1.
2.
p
x2 + y 2 . As always, hint
y + 4. The way I always
at this by pushing them toward the Pythagorean triangle.
hint at this is by saying Try numbers.
were (3,10). Now, how about (10,3)?
Suppose instead of (x,
y)
this
and so on, until they see that they are just adding 4 to the
y-coordinate. Then remind them of the rule, from day one of this unitto nd distances, subtract. In
3.
this
p case, subtract -4.
x2 + y 2 = y + 4.
This is the key step!
By asserting that
equation for the parabola.
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d1 = d2,
we are writing the denition
69
4. Good algebra exercise! Square both sides, the
for
y,
and you end up with
y = 18 x2 − 2.
y2
terms cancel, and you're left with
x2 = 8y + 16.
Solve
Some of them will have diculty seeing that this is the nal
2
1
8 (x − 0) − 2, if that helps. So the vertex is (0,-2) and
the distance from focus to vertex is 2, just as they should be.
formpoint out that we can rewrite it as
Warn them that this
y=
will be on the test!
Which brings me to. . .
12.6.1 Time for another test!
Our rst test on conics. I go back and forth as to whether I should give them a bunch of free information
at the top of the testbut it's probably a good idea to give them a chart, sort of like the one on top of my
sample.
7
12.7 Ellipses
Only two shapes left! But these two are doozies. Expect to spend at least a couple of days on eachthey
get a major test all to themselves.
In terms of teaching order, both shapes are going to follow the same pattern that we set with parabolas.
First, the geometry. Then, the machinery. And nally, at the end, the connection between the two.
So, as always, don't start by telling them the shape. Let them do the assignment Distance to this point
plus distance to that point is constant in groups, and help them out until they get the shape themselves.
A good hint is that there are two pretty easy points to nd on the
the
y -axis.
x-axis,
and two harder points to nd on
As always, keep wandering and hinting until most groups have drawn something like an ellipse.
Then you lecture.
The lecture starts by pointing out what we have. We have two points, called the
foci. (One focus, two
foci.) They are the dening points of the ellipse, but they are not part of the ellipse. And we also have a
distance, which is part of the denition.
Because the foci were horizontally across from each other, we have a horizontal ellipse.
If they were
vertically lined up, we would have a vertical ellipse. You can also do diagonal ellipses, but we're not going
to do that here.
Let's talk more about the geometry. One way you can draw a circle is to thumbtack a piece of string to
a piece of cardboard, and tie the other end of the string to a pen. Keeping the string taut, you pull all the
way around, and you end up with a circle. Note how you are using the geometric denition of a circle, to
draw one: the thumbtack is the center, and the piece of string is the radius.
Now that we have our geometric denition of an ellipse, can anyone think of a way to draw one of those?
(probably not) Here's what you do. Take a piece of string, and thumbtack both ends down in a piece of
cardboard, so that the string is not taut. Then, using your pen, pull the string taut.
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
70
Figure 12.3
Now, pull the pen around, keeping the string taut. You see what this does? While the string is taut,
distance from the pen to the left thumbtack, plus the distance from the pen to the right
thumbtack, is always a constantnamely, the length of the string. So this gives you an ellipse. I think
the
most people can picture this if they close their eyes. Sometimes I assign them to do this at home.
OK, so, what good are ellipses? The best example I have is orbits. The Earth, for instance, is traveling
in an
ellipse, with the sun at one of the two foci. The moon's orbit around the Earth, or even a satellite's
orbit around the Earth, are all ellipses.
Another cool ellipse thing, which a lot of people have seen in a museum, is that if you are in an elliptical
room, and one person stands at each focus, you can hear each other whisper. Just as a parabola collects all
incoming parallel lines at the focus, an ellipse bounces everything from one focus straight to the other focus.
OK, on to the machinery. Here is the equation for a horizontal ellipse, centered at the origin.
x2
y2
+
=1
a2
b2
Here is a drawing of a horizontal ellipse.
(12.1)
71
Figure 12.4
There are three numbers in this drawing. a is the distance from the center to the far edge (right or left).
If you double this, you get the horizontal length of the entire ellipsethis length,
2a
of course, is called the
major axis.
b is the distance from the center to the top or bottom. If you double this, you get the vertical length of
2b of course, is called the minor axis.
c is the distance from the center to either focus.
a and b appear in our equation. c does not. However, the three numbers bear the following relationship
2
2
2
each other: a = b + c . Note also that a is always the biggest of the three!
A few more points. If the center is not at the originif it is at, say, (h, k ), what do you think that does
2
2
2
2
our equation? They should all be able to guess that we replace x with (x − h) and y with (y − k) .
the entire ellipsethis length,
to
to
Second, a vertical ellipse looks the same, but with a and b reversed:
x2
y2
+
=1
b2
a2
(12.2)
Let's see how all that looks in an actual problemwalk through this on the blackboard to demonstrate.
Suppose we want to graph this:
x2 + 9y 2 − −4x + 54y + 49 = 0
First, how can we recognize it as an ellipse? Because it has both an
are
x2
and a
y2
term, and the coecient
dierent. So we complete the square twice, sort of like we did with circles. But with circles, we always
divided by the coecient right awaythis time, we pull it out from the
x
and
y
parts of the equation
separately.
x2 + 9y 2 − −4x + 54y + 49 = 0
2
2
x − −4x + 9y + 54y = −49
The original problem
Group the
x and y parts
continued on next page
CHAPTER 12. CONICS
72
x2 − −4x + 9 y 2 + 6y = −49
Factor out the coecients.
In this case, there is no x
coecient, so we just have to
do y . In general, we must
do both.
x2 − −4x + 4
+
9 y 2 + 6y + 9 = −49 + 4 + 81
2
Complete the square, twice
2
Finish
square
(x − 2) + 9 (y + 3) = 36
(x−2)2
36
+
(y+3)2
4
completing
that
Divide by 36. This is because
we need a 1 on the right, to
be in our standard form!
=1
Table 12.1
OK, get all that? Now, what do we have?
First of all, what is the center? That's easy: (2,-3).
Now, here is a harder question: does it open vertically, or horizontally? That is, does this look like
y2
y2
x2
x2
+
2
a
b2 = 1, or like b2 + a2 = 1? The way to tell is by remembering that a is always bigger than b. So in
2
2
this case, the 36 must be a and the 4 must be b , so it is horizontal. We can see that the major axis (2a)
will be 12 long, stretching from (-4,-3) to (8,-3). (Draw all this as you're doing it.) And the minor axis will
be 4 long, stretching from (2,-5) to(2,-1).
And where are the foci? Since this is a horizontal ellipse, they are to the left and right of the center. By
how much? By
5 12 .
c.
What is
c?
Well,
a2 = b2 + c2 .
So
c2 = 32,
and
c=
√
32
=4
√
2,
or somewhere around
(They should be able to do that without a calculator: 32 is somewhere between 25 and 36, so
around
5 12 .)
1
2
√
32 is
1
2
So the foci are at more or less (−3 ,-3) and (7 ,-3). We're done!
Homework:
Homework: Ellipses
There are two things here that may throw them for a loop.
y2
1/25 . You
may have to explain very carefully why we do that (standard form allows for a number on the bottom but
One is the fractions in the denominator, and the necessity of (for instance) turning
not on the top), and
25y 2
into
how we do that.
The other is number 7. Some students will quickly and carelessly assume that 94.5 is
a
and 91.4 is
b.
So you want to draw this very carefully on the board when going over the homework. Show them where
a, b, and c are. Get them to see from the drawing that
94.5 + 91.4 is the major axis, and is therefore 2a. And that a − 91.4 is c, so we can nd c, and nally, we can
2
2
2
use a = b + c to nd b. This is a really hard problem, but it's worth taking a lot of time on, because it
the 94.5 and 91.4 are, and remind them of where
really drives home the importance of visually being able to see an ellipse in your head, and knowing where
a, b,
and
c
are in that picture.
Oh, yeah. . .number 6 may confuse some of them too. Remind them again to
they can
draw it rst, and that
plug in (0,0) and get a true equation.
OK, now we're at a bit of a fork in the road. The next step is to connect the geometry of the ellipse,
with the machinery. This is a really great problem, because it brings together a lot of ideas, including some
of the work we did forever ago in radical equations. It is also really hard. So you can decide what to do
based on how much time you have left, and how well you think they are following you. You may want to
have them go through the exercise in class (expect to take a day). Or, you may want to make photocopies
of the completely-worked-out version (which I have thoughtfully included here in the teacher's guide), and
have them look it over as a TAPPS exercise, or just ask them to look it over. Or you could skip this entirely,
or make it an extra credit.
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8
12.8 Ellipses: From Denition to Equation
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
74
Here is the geometric denition of an ellipse.
There are two points called the foci: in this
case, (-3,0) and (3,0) . A point is on the
ellipse if the sum of its distances to both foci
is a certain constant: in this case, I'll use 10
. Note that the foci dene the ellipse, but
are not part of it.
Table 12.2
The point (x ,y ) represents any point on the ellipse.
second. So the ellipse is
To calculate
d1
is its distance from the rst focus, and
dened geometrically by the relationship:
d1 and d2, we use the Pythagorean Theorem as always:
2
to the
drop a straight line down from (x,
to create the right triangles. Please verify this result for yourself ! You should nd that
p
d2
d1 + d2 = 10.
d1 =
p
y)
(x + 3) + y 2
2
2
d2 = (x − 3) + y . So the equation becomes:
p
p
2
2
(x + 3) + y 2 + (x − 3) + y 2 = 10. This denes our ellipse
and
The goal now is to simplify it. We did problems like this earlier in the year (radical equations, the harder
variety that have two radicals). The way you do it is by isolating the square root, and then squaring both
sides. In this case, there are two square roots, so we will need to go through that process twice.
p
2
p
2
(x − 3) + y 2
p
2
= 100 − −20 (x − 3) + y 2 +
(x + 3) + y 2 = 10 − −
2
2
(x + 3) + y
2
(x − −3) + y 2
p
2
x2 + 6x + 9 +
y 2 = 100 − −20 (x − 3) + y 2 +
x2 − −6x + 9 + y 2
p
2
12x = 100 − −20 (x − 3) + y 2
p
2
(x − 3) + y 2 = 5 − − 35 x
Isolate a radical
Square both sides
Multiply out the squares
Cancel & combine like terms
Rearrange, divide by 20
continued on next page
75
2
9 2
x
(x − −3) + y 2 = 25 − −6x + 25
2
2
x − −6x + 9 + y = 25 − −6x +
16
25
x2
25
2
Square both sides again
9
25
x
2
Multiply out the square
2
Combine like terms
=1
Divide by 16
x + y = 16
+
y2
16
Table 12.3
. . .and
we're done! Now, according to the machinery of ellipses, what should that equation look like?
Horizontal or vertical? Where should the center be? What are
a, b,
and
c?
Does all that match the picture
we started with?
9
12.9 Hyperbolas
The good news about hyperbolas is, they are a lot like ellipsesa lot of what has already been learned,
will come in handy here.
The bad news about hyperbolas is, they are a lot like ellipsesso all the little
dierences can be very confusing.
We will start as always with the geometric denition. Let them do the assignment Distance to this point
minus distance to that point is constant in groups, and help them out until they get the shape themselves.
There are two pretty easy points to nd on the
x-axis, but from there they just sort of have to noodle around
like we did with parabolas, asking. . .what happens as I move inside? What happens as I move outside? As
always, keep wandering and hinting until most groups have drawn something like a hyperbola. Then you
lecture.
The lecture starts by pointing out what we have. We have two points, once again called the
foci. They
are the dening points of the hyperbola, but they are not part of the hyperbola. And we also once again
have a distance which is part of the denition.
Because the foci were horizontally across from each other, we have a horizontal hyperbola. If they were
vertically lined up, we would have a vertical hyperbola.
You can also do diagonal hyperbolasanyone
remember where we have seen one of those? That's right, inverse variation! That was a hyperbola, just like
these. But we're not going to talk about those in this unit, just the horizontal and vertical ones.
Incidentally, a hyperbola is
not two back-to-back parabolas. It looks like it, but these shapes are actually
dierent from parabolic shapes, as we will see.
OK, so, what good are hyperbolas? The analogy continues. . .orbits! Suppose a comet is heading toward
the sun. (Draw.) If it has a low energythat is, a low velocityit gets trapped by the sun, and wins up
orbiting around the sun in an elliptical orbit. But if it has high energy (high velocity) it zooms around the
sun and then zooms away forever. Its path in this case is half a hyperbola.
Another cool use is in submarine detection. A submarine sends out a pulse. Two receiving stations get
the pulse. They don't know what direction it came from or when it was sent, but they do know that one
station received it exactly two seconds before the other one. This enables them to say that the distance from
the sub to this station,
minus the distance to this other station, is such-and-such. And this, in turn, locates
the sub on a hyperbola.
OK, on to the machinery. Here is the equation for a horizontal hyperbola, centered at the origin.
x2
y2
−
=1
a2
b2
(12.3)
Looks familiar, doesn't it? But the plus has changed to a minus, and that makes all the dierence in the
world.
Here is a drawing of a horizontal hyperbola.
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CHAPTER 12. CONICS
76
Figure 12.5
Let's be very careful in seeing how this
is, and is not, like an ellipse.
a is dened in a very similar way. It goes from the center, to the edges. In this case, the edges are called
the vertices (in analogy to parabolas). The distance from one vertex to the other (2a of course) is called
the
transverse axis.
c
b
is dened in a very similar way: it goes from the center to either focus.
is perpendicular to the other two, just as before. But it goes from the center to. . .well, to a sort of
strange point in the middle of nowhere. We're going to use this point. The distance from the top point to
the bottom point (2b) is called the
conjugate axis.
But here is one major dierence. In an ellipse, the foci are
So you can see, just looking at an ellipse, that
c > a. Hence, our equation relating the three
2
2
2
have c = a + b . This reects the fact that c
a > c;
inside; in a hyperbola, they are outside.
and you can see, just looking at a hyperbola, that
shapes is going to be dierent. Instead of
with
(x − h)
and
y
2
with
(y − k)
2
we
is the biggest one in this case.
Once again, the class should be able to see that if the center is (h,
2
a2 = b2 + c2 ,
k)
instead of the origin, we replace
x2
.
How about a vertical hyperbola? That looks like this:
y2
x2
−
=1
a2
b2
The way we tell vertical from horizontal is
a > b.
(12.4)
completely dierent. In an ellipse, we told by assuming that
In a hyperbola, we have no such guarantee; either
a
or
b
could be the greater, or they could even be
rst. If we are doing an x2 − y 2 thing, it's horizontal; if we
2
2
are doing a y − x thing, it's vertical. This is a very common source of errors. . .be careful!
the same. Instead, we look at which one comes
There should be no need to go through the whole completing-the-square rigmarole on the boardjust
tell them it is exactly like with ellipses, including making sure you have a 1 on the right, and there is nothing
77
multiplied by
x2
or
y2 .
But the really dierent part is the graphing. So let's just pick it up there. Suppose
you want to graph:
(y+3)2
=1
4
First of all, what is the center? That's easy: (2,-3).
(x−2)2
36
−
Now, here is a harder question: does it open vertically, or horizontally? We can answer this question
without even looking at the numbers on the bottom! The
x2
is positive and the
y2
is negative, so this is
horizontal.
As we did with ellipses, we will then nd
equation
c2 = a2 + b2
a , b,
and
c. a = 6
and
b = 2. √
We will nd c with
√
c = 40 which is 2 10
(dierent from the ellipse equation!) and get
the hyperbola
or somewhere
just above 6 (again, because 40 is just above 36).
Now, it's drawing time. We start at the center. We go out horizontally by 6 to nd the vertices, and by
a little more than 6 to nd the foci. We go out vertically by 2 to nd the endpoints of the conjugate axis,
those weird little points in space. Then what?
Here's what you do. Draw a rectangle, going through the vertices, and the endpoints of the conjugate
axis. Then, draw diagonal lines through the corners of that rectangle. Those diagonal lines are going to serve
as
asymptotes, or guides: they are not part of the hyperbola, but they help us draw it. Why? Because as
it moves out, the hyperbola gets closer and closer to the asymptotes, but never quite reaches them. So once
you have drawn your asymptotes, you have a guide for drawing in your hyperbola.
Figure 12.6
Note that I draw the box and the asymptotes in dotted lines, indicating that they are not really part of
the hyperbola.
It's worth talking for a while about what an asymptote is, since it is such an important concept in
Calculusthe line that the curve gets closer and closer and closer to, without ever quite reaching. It's also
worth pointing out that this shows that a hyperbola is not two back-to-back parabolas, since parabolas do
not display asymptotic behavior.
Finally, I always mention the comet again.
Remember that if a comet comes in with high energy, it
swoops around the sun and then ies away again. Now, if there were no sunif there were nothing in the
universe but our cometthe comet would travel in a straight line. And clearly, when the comet is very, very
far away from the sun (either
before or after its journey through our solar system), the eect of the sun is
very small, so the comet travels almost in a straight line. That straight line is the asymptote. The farther
away from the sun the comet gets, the closer it gets to that straight line.
CHAPTER 12. CONICS
78
Homework:
Homework: Hyperbolas
The only really unusual thing here is that I ask for the equation of one of the asymptotes. This is just
a quick review of the skill of nding the equation for a line, given that you already know two points on the
line.
You will note that I have absolutely nothing here about going from the geometry of the hyperbola, to
the equation. The reason is that it is exactly like the ellipse. You may want to do it, or you may not. If you
do it, you shouldn't need to hand them anythingjust say By analogy to what we did with the ellipse, do
this.
Now that you have done all the shapes, the one vital skill that cuts across all of it is looking at an
+ by 2 + cx + dy + e = 0) and telling
coecients of the squared terms (a and b), and
equation (ax
the
2
what shape it is. This is done entirely by looking at
you should refer them to the chart at the end of the
Conceptual Explanations.
12.9.1 Time for our very last test!
With luck, you have two or three weeks left for review after this, before the nal test. Congratulations, you
made it through!
Chapter 13
Sequences and Series
1
13.1 Prerequisites
functions. However, the introduction to
exponents has already been covered; and the inductive
proofs often require skills covered in the unit on rational expressions.
The major prerequisite for this unit is the introductory unit on
geometric sequences will work best if the unit on
2
13.2 Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences
The in-class assignment does not need any introduction. Most of them will get the numbers, but they may
need help with the last row, with the letters.
After this assignment, however, there is a fair bit of talking to do. They have all the concepts; now we
have to dump a lot of words on them.
A sequence is a list of numbers. In principal, it could be anything: the phone number 8,6,7,5,3,0,9 is a
sequence.
Of course, we will not be focusing on random sequences like that one.
Our sequences will usually be
100+3 (n − 1)
3n + 97 in the case of the rst problem on the worksheet. This is a lot like expressing the function
y = 100 + 3 (x − 1), but it is not exactly the same. In the function y = 3x + 97, the variable x can be literally
expressed by a formula: for instance, the xxxnth terms of this sequence is given by the formula
(or
any number. But in a
sequence, xxxn must be a positive integer; you do not have a minus third term or
a two-and-a-halfth term.
The rst term in the sequence is referred to as
t1
and so on. So in our rst example,
t5 = 112.
The number of terms in a sequence, or the particular term you want, is often designated by the letter
Our rst sequence adds the same amount every time.
amount it goes up by is called the
common dierence
This is called an
d
n.
arithmetic sequence. The
(since it is the dierence between any two
adjacent terms). Note the relationship to linear functions, and slope.
Exercise 13.1
If I want to know all about a given arithmetic sequence, what do I need to know? Answer: I need
to know
t1
and
d.
Exercise 13.2
OK, so if I have t1 and
sequence. (Answer:
d for the arithmetic sequence, give me a formula for the nth term
tn = t1 + d (n − 1). Talk through this carefully before proceeding.)
Time for some more words.
previous.
1 This
2 This
A
in the
recursive denition of a sequence denes each term in terms of the
For an arithmetic sequence, the recursive denition is
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79
tn+1 = tn + d.
(For instance, in our
CHAPTER 13. SEQUENCES AND SERIES
80
example,
tn+1 = tn + 3. An explicit denition denes each
tn = t1 + d (n − 1) we came up with.
term as an absolute formula, like the
3n + 97
or the more general
Our second sequence multiplies by the same amount every time. This is called a
The amount it multiplies by is called the
common ratio
r
geometric sequence.
(since it is the ratio of any two adjacent terms).
Exercise 13.3
Find the recursive denition of a geometric sequence.
(Answer:
tn+1 = rtn .
They will do the
explicit denition in the homework.)
Exercise 13.4
Question: How do you make an arithmetic sequence go
down? Answer:
d<0
Exercise 13.5
Question: How do you make a geometric series go down? Answer:
0 < r < 1.
(Negative
r
values
get weird and interesting in their own way...why?)
Homework
Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences
3
13.3 Series and Series Notation
Begin by dening a series: it's like a sequence, but with plusses instead of commas. So our phone number
example of a sequence, 8,6,7,5,3,0,9 becomes the series 8
+ 6 + 7 + 5 + 3 + 0 + 9 which is 38.
t1 , the nth term is tn , and so on. If you
Many of the other words stay the same. The rst term is
add up
all the terms of an arithmetic sequence, that's called an arithmetic series; and similarly for geometric.
The hardest part about this introduction is the notation.
Explain about series notation, using weird
n2 −2
just
to
make
the
point
that
even
when
the function looks complicated, it is not
n=3
5
hard to write out the terms.
examples like
P7
Note that the counter always goes by ones. Does this mean you can't have a series that goes up by 2s?
Ask them how to use series notation for the series
10 + 12 + 14 + 16.
Homework:
HomeworkSeries and Series Notation
4
13.4 Arithmetic and Geometric Series
Going over the homework, make sure to mention #3(e), an
alternation by throwing in a
n
(−1)
or, in this case,
(−1)
n−1
alternating series.
You get that kind of
.
Last night's homework ended with the series all the even numbers between 50 and 100. Some students
may have written
P26
n=1 (48
+ 2n).
Others may have written the answer dierently.
But one thing they
probably all agree on is that adding it up would be a pain. If only there were...a shortcut!
Let's consider the series
3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13 + 15 + 17.
(Write that on the board.)
Exercise 13.6
What do we get if we add the rst term to the last? Answer: 20. Modify your drawing on the
board to look like this:
3 This
4 This
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Figure 13.1
OK, what about the second term to the second-to-last? Hmm....20 again. Add to the drawing, and then
keep adding until it looks like this:
Figure 13.2
Exercise 13.7
So, looking at that drawing, what does
3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13 + 15 + 17
add up to? Hopefully
everyone can see that it adds up to four 20s, or 80.
Exercise 13.8
And this is the big onewill that trick work for all series? If so, why? If not, which series will it
work for? Answer: It will work for all
arithmetic series. The reason that the second pair added
up the same as the rst pair was that we went up by two on the left, and down by two on the right.
As long as you go up by the same as you go down, the sum will stay the sameand this is just
what happens for arithmetic series.
OK, what about geometric series? Write the following on the board:
2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + 162 + 486 + 1458
CHAPTER 13. SEQUENCES AND SERIES
82
Clearly the arithmetic series trick will not work here:
2 + 1458
S = so
trick. Here it comes. First, to the left of your equation, write
S = 2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + 162 + 486 + 1458
where S is the mystery sum we're looking
3S =
for. Now,
is not
6 + 486.
We need a whole new
the board looks like:
above that, write:
ask the class what comes next. Can we just multiply each term by 3? (Yes, distributive property.) When
you write this line, line up the numbers like this:
3S = 6 + 18 + 54 + 162 + 486 + 1458 + 437
S = 2 + 6 + 18 + 54 + 162 + 486 + 1458
But don't go too fast on that stepmake sure they see why, if
S
Now, underline the second equation (as I did above), and then
subtract the two equations. What do
is what we said, then
3S
must be that!
we get on the left of the equal sign? What do we get on the right? See how things cancel? See if you can
get the class to tell you that...
2S = 4374 − 2
So then S is just
2186. They may want to verify this one on their calculators. Once again, however, the
key is to understand why this trick
always works for any Geometric series.
13.4.1 Homework:
Homework: Arithmetic and Geometric Series
5
13.5 Proof by Induction
13.5.1 Proof by Induction
Going over last night's homework, make sure they got the right formulas. For an arithmetic series,
n
2
(t1 + tn ).
For a geometric,
Sn =
t1 r n −t1
r−1 , in some form or another.
Sn =
Example 13.1
Students sometimes ask if that formula will still work for an arithmetic series with an odd number
of terms. Obviously, you can't still pair them up in the way we have been doing. The answer is, it
does still work. One proofwhich I usually don't mention unless the right questions are askedis
that, for an arithmetic series, the average of all the terms is right in the middle of the rst and last
terms. (It can take a minute to convince yourself that this is not always true for any series, but it
is for any
t1 +tn
, and there are n terms. This leads us to
2
, which is the old formula written in a new way. This lacks some of
arithmetic series.) So the average is
t1 +tn
2
the elegance of the original proof, but it has the advantage that it doesn't matter if
the total sum being
n
n
is even or
odd.
Anyway, on to today's topic.
note:
Important note.
The following lecture can be done in 5-10 minutesI've done it many
timesand if you do it that way, it doesn't work. This can be one of the most confusing topics in
the whole unit. It must be taken
very slowly and carefully!
Today, we're going to learn a new way of proving things. This method, called proof by induction, is a very
powerful and general technique that turns up in many dierent areas of mathematics: we are going to be
applying it to series, but the real point is to learn the technique itself.
So...to begin with, we are going to prove something we already know to be true:
n
2 (n + 1)
Of course we know how to prove that using the arithmetic series trick, but we're going to prove it a
1 + 2 + 3 + 4...n =
dierent way.
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Let's start by seeing if that formula works when
n = 1:
in other words, for a 1-term series.
In that
case, what is the left side of the equation? (Even this seemingly innocuous question can bae good students
sometimes.
Give them a minute.
Point to the equation.
Remind them that the equal sign divides any
equation into a left side, and a right side. So, what is the left side of this equation, when there is only one
term?) Yes, it is just...1.
1
2 (1 + 1) = 1. So at least, for this particular case, it works.
To build up to the next step, ask this hypothetical question. Suppose we had not yet proven that this
How about the right side? Well, that's...
equation
always works. But suppose that I had proven that it works when
n = 200.
Just say, I had sat
down with my calculator and added up all the numbers from 1 to 200, which took a very long time, but in
the end, I did indeed get what the formula predicts (which is, of course,
n = 201.
201
enough:
2 (202) = 20, 301.
100 × 201 = 20, 100.
And now I ask
you to conrm that the formula works when
Well, you can do the right side easily
have to add up all those numbers on
But what about the left side? Do you
your calculator? No, you don't, if you're clever. (See if they can gure
this next part outthis is the key.) I already told you what the rst 200 numbers add up to. So you can
simply add 201 to my total.
20, 100 + 201 = 20, 301.
without adding
up all 200 numbers again, because I already did that partall you have to add is the last number.
The point here is not just it works. The point is that you can conrm that it works,
n = 325. How would we show that
n = 325), and see if we got what
Now...suppose I had already proven that it works for
n = 326?
Goodwe would add 326 to the old answer (for
predicted we
should get for
n = 326.
n = 1000. How would we show that it works for
n = 1000), and see if we got what the formula
Goodwe would add 1001 to the old answer (for
predicted we
should get for
n = 1001.
Let's try it...
do they get it. Then hit them with the big one:
can gure out that it is:
Repeat this exercise until they are sick of it, but boy,
See if they
what is the general form of this question?
Suppose I had already proven that it works for some
n.
Give them time here...see if they can nd the answer...
We would add
get for
the formula
Let's try it...
Now...suppose I had already proven that it works for
n = 1001?
it works for
(n + 1)
to the old answer (for
n,
How would we show that it works for
n + 1?
and see if we got what the formula predicted we
should
(n + 1).
n, the formula predicted we would get n2 (n + 1). So if we
n
add (n + 1) to that, we get
2 (n + 1) + (n + 1). And what should we get? Well, for (n + 1), the formula
n+1
predicts we should get
(n
+ 1 + 1).
2
Do the algebra to show that they are equal. Then, step back and say...so, what have we done? Well,
What does that look like? Well, for the old
rst we proved that the formula works for
generallythat
n = 1,
n = 1.
Then we provednot for one specic case, but quite
if it works for any number, it must also work for the next number. If it works for
then it must work for
n = 2.
If it works for
n = 2,
then it must work for
n = 3....and
so on. It must
always work.
At this point, I think it's helpful to work through one more example.
1
,
Σ n(n+1)
I recommend going through
just as it is done in the Conceptual Explanations. This time, you're using a little less explanation
and focusing more on the process, so it makes a better model for their homework.
Homework:
HomeworkProof by Induction
At this point, you're ready for the test.
Unlike most of my Sample Tests, this one is probably too
short, but it serves to illustrate the sorts of problems you will want to ask, and to remind the students of
what we've covered.
CHAPTER 13. SEQUENCES AND SERIES
84
13.6 Extra Credit
6
13.6.1 An extra cool problem you may want to use as an extra credit or something
(Solution on p. 85.)
Exercise 13.9
A bank gives
You put
i%
interest, compounded annually. (For instance, if
A dollars in the bank every year for n years.
i = 6,
that means 6% interest.)
At the end of that time, how much money
do you have?
note: (The ne print: Let's say you make your deposit on January 1 every year, and then you
check your account on December 31 of the last year. So if
n = 1,
you put money in exactly once,
and it grows for exactly one year.)
The
previous year's money receives interest twice, so it is worth
to the rst year, which is worth
A 1+
i
100
n
i
100
+A 1+
i
100
2
i
100
2
at the end. And so on, back
(since that initial contribution has received interest
So we have a Geometric series:
S =A 1+
A 1+
+ ... + A 1 +
i
100
n
times).
n
We resolve it using the standard trick for such series: multiply the equation by the common ratio, and
then subtract the two equations.
i 2
i n
S = A 1 + 100
+ ... + A 1 + 100
+A 1+
i
i 2
i n
S = A 1 + 100 + A 1 + 100 + ... + A 1 + 100
i
i n+1
i
S =hA 1 + 100
− −A 1 +i 100
100
n+1
i
i
− 1 + 100
S = 100i A 1 + 100
1+
i
100
i
100
n+1
Example 13.2
Example: If you invest $5,000 per year at 6% interest for 30 years, you end up with:
100(5000)
6
[1.0631 − −1.06] = $419, 008.39
Not bad for a total investment of $150,000!
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Solutions to Exercises in Chapter 13
Solution to Exercise 13.9 (p. 84)
The money you put in the very last year receives interest exactly once. Receiving interest in a year always
means being multiplied by
So the
A
1+
i
100
. (For instance, if you make 6% interest, your money multiplies by 1.06.)
dollars that you put in the last year is worth, in the end,
A 1+
i
100
.
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CHAPTER 13. SEQUENCES AND SERIES
Chapter 14
Probability
1
14.1 Tree Diagrams
You can start them o here with the in-class assignment How Many Groups? or even hand it out after the
previous test: it isn't long or dicult, and it does not require any introduction.
It does, however, require a lot of follow-up.
The worksheet leads to a lecture, and the lecture goes
something like this.
The big lesson for the rst day is how to make a chart of all the possibilities for these kinds of scenarios.
For the die-and-coin problem, the tree diagram looks like (draw this on the board):
Figure 14.1
It may seem silly to repeat Heads-Tails, Heads-Tails, and so on, six times. But if you do so, each leaf of this tree represents exactly one possibility. For instance, the third leaf represents The die rolls a 2, and
the coin gets heads.
That's a completely dierent outcome from the fth leaf, The die rolls a 3 and the
coin gets heads.
Using a tree like this, we can answer probability questions.
Exercise 14.1
What is the probability of the outcome Die rolls 2, coin gets heads?
Just ask this question,
give them 15 seconds or so to think about it, then call on someone for the answer. But then, talk
through the following process for getting the answer.
1. Count the number of leaves that have this particular outcome. In this case, only one leaf.
2. Count the total number of leaves. In this case, twelve.
3. Divide. The probability is
1 This
1
12 .
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CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
88
Exercise 14.2
What is the probability of the outcome Die rolls a prime number, coin gets tails? Give them 30
seconds or so, then go through it carefully on the chart. There are three such leaves. (*Trivia fact:
1 is not considered a prime number.) So the probability is
1
3
12 , or 4 .
Exercise 14.3
What does that really mean? I mean, either you're going to get that outcome, or you're not. After
you roll-and-ip, does it really mean anything to say The probability of that outcome was
1
4 ?
Give the class a minute, in pairs, to come up with the best possible explanation they can of what that
1
4 , really means. Call on a few. Ultimately, you want to get
to this: it doesn't really mean much, for one particular experiment. But if you repeat the experiment 1,000
statement, The probability of this event is
times, you should expect to get this result about 250 of them.
(Solution on p. 96.)
Exercise 14.4
Why are there twelve leaves? (Or: How could you gure out that there are twelve leaves, without
counting them?)
Get the idea? OK, let's try a new one.
A Ford dealer has three kinds of sedans: Ford Focus, Taurus, or Fusion. The Focus sedan comes in three
types: S, SE, or SES. The Fusion sedan also comes in three types: S, SE, or SEL. The Taurus comes in only
two models: SEL, and Limited. (All this is more or less true, as far as I can make out from their Web site.)
Ask everyone in the class, in pairs, to draw the appropriate tree and use it to answer the following
questions.
•
•
•
•
3
8 .)
1
What are the odds that it is a Fusion SE? (Answer:
.)
8
1
What are the odds that it is any kind of SEL? (Answer:
4 .)
Finallyand most importantwhat assumption must you make in answering all of the above questions,
If you choose a car at random from the dealer lot, what are the odds that it is a Fusion? (Answer:
that was not stated in the original description of the situation?
Hopefully someone will come up with the answer I'm looking for to that last question: you're assuming
that the dealer's lot has exactly the same number of each possible kind of car. In real life, of course, that
assumption is very likely wrong.
This ties in, of course, to the last question on the assignment they did. Red-haired people are considerably
more rare than the other types. So this business of counting leaves only works when each leaf is exactly as
common, or probable, as each other leaf. This does not mean we cannot do probability in more complicated
situations, but it means we will need to develop a more sophisticated rule.
14.1.1 Homework
Homework: Tree Diagrams
When going over this homework the next day, there are two things you want to emphasize about problem
#2 (stars). First: because the actual tree diagram would have 70 leaves, you don't want to physically draw
it. You sort of have to imagine it. They have seen three diagrams now: the coin-and-die, the cars, and the
three-coins. That should be enough for them to start to imagine them without always having to draw them.
Second: the answer to question 2(c) is not one in 70, so maybe 14 or so. That logic worked ne with
1(e), but in this case, it is not reasonable to assume that all types of stars are equally common. The right
answer is, I can't answer this question without knowing more about the distribution of types.
1
1
4 of the population is children does not mean that 4 of the
white population is children. It is quite possible that dierent ethnic groups have dierent age breakdowns.
Problem #3(e) is subtler.
The fact that
But ignoring that for the moment, problem #3 really brings out a lot of the main points that you want to
make the next day:
89
14.2 Introduction to Probability
2
OK, let's really talk about problem #3 from last night's homework. And for the moment, let's ignore part
1
4 of all white people are children. Based on that assumption, you would
expect roughly 75 white people, about 19 of whom are children, and about 9 of whom are boys. If you
75
answered exactly
8 , or 9.375, that isn't a crazy answer. Of course, you can't actually have 9.375 white
boys in a room. But that is actually the expectation value for such an experiment. If you have a thousand
(e), and go ahead and assume that
rooms with a hundred people each, the average number of white boys in each room will probably be 9.375.
In the formal language of probability, we would say that for any randomly chosen person in the U.S. in
2006, there is a 9.375% chance that this person will be a white boy. That's what percent means: out of a
hundred.
Exercise 14.5
What percent of the people in this class, right now, are girls?
Exercise 14.6
If you roll a die, what is the percent chance that you will get an even number?
OK, that's easy enough. But we're going to tweak it a bit. Obviously, there is nothing magical about the
number 100. We could just as easily ask How many out of a thousand? or How many out of 365? But
what turns out to be most convenient, mathematically, is to ask the question How many out of 1?
This is how we are going to work with probability numbers from here on out, so it is very important to
understand this numbering system!
•
The probability of any event whatsoever, under any and all circumstances, is always between 0 and 1.
A probability of 2, or a probability of 2, is meaningless.
•
•
•
A probability of 0 means It cannot possibly happen.
A probability of 1 means It is guaranteed to happen.
1
4 means It has a one in four chance of happening, or If you try this 100 times, it
will probably happen 25 of them, so it is the same as a 25% chance.
A probability of
After you have said all that, you're ready to hit them with the worksheet Introduction to Probability. It
should only take 10 minutes (half of which is spent on #2a).
Then come back. Let's go over #2 carefully.
1
16 . You can see this from the tree diagram, but how could we have gured
it out without a drawing? The answerwe've discussed this before, and it is absolutely centralis by
2b.
The probability is
multiplying. 4 possibilities for the rst die, times 4 possibilities for the second die, makes 16 possibilities for
the combination.
But here's another way we can look at that same multiplication. The probability of 3 on the rst die
1
1
4 . The probability of 2 on the second die is also 4 . So the probability of both these events happening
1
1
1
is
4 × 4 , or 16 .
is
When you have two dierent independent eventsthat is, neither one has an eect on the otherthe
probability of both happening is the probability of the rst one, times the probability of the second one.
The idea of independent events is crucial here, of course, and you have to stress it.
But it's also a
fairly obvious point, and there is a real danger of making it sound more esoteric than it is. If you spend ten
minutes discussing the word independent you may do more harm than good. Consider trying this instead.
Tell that class that you're looking into a big box full of bananas. One out of every four bananas in the box
is green; the rest are yellow. Also, one out of every three bananas is stamped Ship to California; the rest
say ship to New York. Finally, half the bananas are over four days old.
•
2
1
1
4 × 3 = 6 . One
out of every six bananas have both of these attributes. Or, to put it another way, a given randomly
1
chosen banana has a
6 chance of having both attributes.
What is the probability that a given banana is green, and destined for New York?
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CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
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•
What is the probability that a given banana is green, and over four days old? Well, not much. Not
1
1
1
4 × 2 = 8 . Because in general, as a banana gets older, it turns from green to yellow. So being green,
and being old, are not independent: one makes the other less likely.
Now, ask the class, in pairs, to come up with a similar scenario. (It should not involve fruit!) They should
think of two events that are independent, and calculate the probability of both of them happening. Then
they should think of two events that are not independent, and explain why the probability of both of them
happening is not the product of their individual probabilities.
Homework
Homework: The Multiplication Rule
Going over this homework, of course you want to make sure that the last problem gets answered. With
a little thought, it should be obvious to anyone that if
P
is the probability that something will occur,
1−P
is the probability that it will not occur. If it happens 1 time out of 5, then it doesn't happen 4 times out
of 5. This can be memorized as a new rule, along with the multiplication rule, but it is easier to see why it
works.
14.3 Trickier Probability Problems
3
The thing that makes probability problems the darling of math contest writers everywhere, is also the thing
that makes them frustrating for so many students: no two problems are exactly alike.
Most probability
problems can be solved with the multiplication rule, combined with a lot of good, hard thinking about the
problem.
I'm going to present two scenarios with ve questions here, in the lesson plan. The idea is for you to
talk them through with the class. In each case, explain the scenario and the question clearly. Then give
them a minute or two, with no guidance, to think about it. Then take their answers and go over the correct
answer very slowly and clearly. None of them should be presented as if it were a symbol of a whole, unique,
important class of problems. Each should be presented as simply another example of you can solve a wide
variety of problems, if you're willing to think about them patiently and clearly.
Example 14.1: Scenario 1
®
You reach your hand into a bag of Scrabble
pull out, rst one tile, and then another.
tiles. The bag has one tile with each letter. You
A, and then the letter B ? The
1
1
1
×
. Quick, easy....and not quite right. Yes, there is a
26
26
26 chance
that the rst tile will be an A. But once you have that tile, there are only 25 left. So the
1
odds of the second tile being a B are actually
25 . The odds of getting an A followed by a B
1
1
are
26 × 25 .
1. What is the probability that you will pull out, rst the letter
quick, easy answer is
2. What is the probability that your two tiles are the letters
A
question, but there is a subtle dierence. You could pull out
example), or you could pull out
the probability is
1
25
×
1
26
B
followed by
A.
and
A
B?
It looks like the same
followed by
B
(as in the last
So there are really two ways to do it, and
× 2.
Example 14.2: Scenario 2
You roll two 6-sided dice.
1. What is the probability that the sum of the two dice is 10? Imagine making a tree diagram.
It would have 36 leaves. How many of them would have a sum of 10? 64, 55, and 46. (Of
course, on the tree diagram, 6 on the rst die, 4 on the second is a dierent leaf from 4 on
the rst die, 6 on the second...just as in the AB problem above.) So the probability is
1
12 .
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36 , or
91
2. What is the probability that neither die rolls a 1? We do not have a neither rule, so we
have to reframe the question in terms of the rules we do have. We can rephrase the question
like this: what is the probability that the rst die doesn't roll a 1, and the second die also
5
5
6 , and the second is also 6 . So the odds of both happening is
25
36 . It's an easy question to answer, once you reword it correctly.
3. What is the probability that either die (or at least one die) rolls a 1? (Most people think
1
1
1
the answer will be
6 + 6 = 3 . By that logic, by the time you roll six dice, you are guaranteed
to get at least one 1: obviously not true!)
doesn't roll a 1? The rst is
The right way to think about this problem is as the reverse, the not, of the previous problem. We said
that 25 out of 36 times, neither die will roll a 1. So the remaining 11 out of 36 times, at least one of them
will. This is an example of the not rule we got from last night's homework: the probability of no ones is
25
11
1
25
36 , so the probability of NOT no ones is 1 − 36 = 36 . (*It's interesting to note that the naïve guess of 3
is not too far o, and makes a reasonable approximation. If you have a 1 in 10 chance of doing something,
3
and you try three times, there is a roughly
10 chance that you will succeed at least oncebut not exactly
3
10 .)
The last thing you need to assure the class, before you hit them with the worksheet, is that no one is
born knowing how to do this. Probability problems are just like everything else: they make more sense, and
get easier, with practice. It's OK to get frustrated, but don't give up!
Then give them the worksheet. Ideally they should be able to make a good (10-15 minute) start in class,
and then nish it up for homework. Expect to spend a lot of the next day going over these. It's worth it.
Homework
Homework: Trickier Probability Problems
4
14.4 Permutations
No in-class worksheet todaya day of lecture.
How many dierent three-digit numbers can we make using only the digits 1, 2, and 3?
Answer: 27.
Here they are, listed very systematically. (If possible, project this table onto a screen where everyone can
see it and look at it for a moment, to see the pattern and how it is generated.)
First Digit
Second Digit
1
1
2
Third Digit
Resulting Number
1
111
2
112
3
113
1
121
2
122
3
123
1
131
3
4 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19462/1.2/>.
continued on next page
CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
92
1
2
2
3
1
3
2
3
2
132
3
133
1
211
2
212
3
213
1
221
2
222
3
223
1
231
2
232
3
233
1
311
2
312
3
313
1
321
2
322
3
323
1
331
2
332
3
333
Table 14.1
Eective, and not particularly dicult...but tedious. How could we have answered without the table?
Well, of course, it's the rule of multiplication again.
There 3 possibilities for the rst digit.
For each of
these, there are 3 possibilities for the second digit; and for each of these, 3 possibilities for the third digit.
3 × 3 × 3 = 27.
Now, let's ask a dierent problem: how many possible 3-digit numbers can be made using the digits 1,
2, and 3, if every digit is used only once? Once again, we can list them systematicallyand it's a lot easier
this time. Once you have chosen the rst two digits, the third digit is forced. There are only six possibilities.
First Digit
1
2
Second Digit
Third Digit
Number
2
3
123
3
2
132
1
3
213
continued on next page
93
3
3
1
231
1
2
312
2
1
321
Table 14.2
I really do believe it is important to show them these tables before doing any calculations!!! There is no
substitute for seeing everything laid out in an organized manner to get a feeling for the space.
Once again, however, once they have seen the table, we can ask the question: why 6? And once again,
we can answer that question using the rule of multiplication. There are three possible numbers that can go
in the rst digit. Once you have chosen that digit, there are only two possible numbers that can go in the
second digit. And once you have chosen that, there is only one number that can possibly go in the third.
3 × 2 × 1 = 6.
Exercise 14.7
Repeat the above problems, only with nine digits instead of three. First, how many dierent ninedigit numbers can be made using the digits 19? Second, how many dierent nine-digit numbers
can be made if you use the digits 19, but use each digit only once? Obviously we don't want to
make these tables (even the second one is prohibitive!) but with the rule of multiplication, and our
calculators, we can gure out how big the tables would be. Give them a couple of minutes on this.
The rst is
9 × 9 × 9 × 9 × 9 × 9 × 9 × 9 × 9.
(Nine possibilities for the rst digit; for each of
those, nine for the second; and so on.) Even that is tedious to write. Let's write it like this instead:
99. We can punch it into the calculator just like that.
The second is
9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1.
(Nine possibilities for the rst digit; for each of
those, only eight for the second, because one of them is used up; and so on.) Is there any easy way
to write that? In fact, there is. It is called 9 factorial, and it is written 9! You may want to show
them how to get factorials on their calculators. On some (such as the TI-83) the factorial option is
actually listed under probability, reecting the fact that factorials are used so often in probability
problems, for this very reason.
Incidentally,
99 = 387, 420, 489
possibilities for the rst scenario.
9! = 362, 880
for the second:
still a pretty big number, but only about a thousandth as big as the rst one. This should come as
no surprise: almost all of the nine-digit numbers use the same digit twice somewhere or other!
Exercise 14.8
Question: How many dierent ways can ve books be arranged on a shelf ? Give them a minute,
and see if they can gure out that it is the same problem we just did. 5 books can go in the rst
position; for each of these, 4 in the second position; and so on.
5! = 120
possibilities.
Exercise 14.9
Question: How many three-digit numbers can be made using the digits 19?
If we are allowed to repeat digits, this is hopefully pretty easy by this point:
more concisely,
9 × 9 × 9.
Written
93 .
9 × 8 × 7 more concisely? There is, and
9!
. Explain why this works. Point out that, while they may not particularly
6!
7, it's really nice as a shortcut for 20 × 19 × 18...8.
But what if we're not? Is there any way we can write
it's a bit sneaky: it is
need it for
9×8×
If you have extra time, ask everyone in class to come up with two scenarios: one of the the same thing can
be used twice (exponential) variety, and one of the the same thing cannot be used twice (factorial) variety.
Homework
Homework: Permutations
CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
94
14.5 Combinations
5
Once again, this one is lecture, without an in-class worksheet, walking through a series of questions.
Suppose you have a Daisy, an Iris, a Lily, a Rose, and a Violet. You are going to make a oral arrangement
with three of them. How many possible arrangements can you make?
5!
2! . But here's why this is dierent from
yesterday's problems: order doesn't matter. A rose, a daisy, and an iris is the same arrangement as A
Based on yesterday, it's tempting to answer
5 × 4 × 3,
or
daisy, an iris, and a rose: you don't want to count it twice.
So, let's start the way we did yesterday: list them all. Give the class a minute to do this. Remind them,
as always, that it's best to be systematic to make sure you list every possibility exactly once. Here's my list.
First Flower
Second Flower
Third Flower
Arrangement
Daisy
Iris
Lily
Daisy, Iris, Lily
Rose
Daisy, Iris, Rose
Violet
Daisy, Iris, Violet
Rose
Daisy, Lily, Rose
Violet
Daisy, Lily, Violet
Rose
Violet
Daisy, Rose, Violet
Lily
Rose
Iris, Lily, Rose
Violet
Iris, Lily, Violet
Rose
Violet
Iris, Rose, Violet
Rose
Violet
Lily, Rose, Violet
Lily
Iris
Lily
Table 14.3
10 items in all.
I generated the list by using the same kind of systematic approach I used for the
permutations, but always moving forward in the list: so after Lily I'm allowed to list Rose and Violet,
but not Daisy or Iris.
This turns out to be such a common and important operation that it gets its own name: choose. We

would say 5 choose 3 is 10, sometimes written

5
3

 = 10.
It means, if you have ve items, and want to
choose 3 of them, there are ten ways to do so.
Exercise 14.10
The four Beatles are John, Paul, Georg, and Ringo. Suppose you are going to put photographs of
three of them on your door. List all the possible combinations. How many are there?
Give the class a minute to listthey should make a diagram like the one I made above!and count. When
they are done, you can point out that the answer (four combinations) is very obvious if you look at it
backward: each combination leaves exactly one Beatle out. There is a very important insight here, which
can also be applied to the ower example: each arrangement listed leaves exactly two owers out.
So 5
choose 3 (which owers should I include?) is the same number as 5 choose 2 (which owers should I leave
out?).
Now we're going to try something with bigger numbers.
A drama teacher looks out at a class of 30
students, and wants to choose 2 of them to run a scene. How many possible pairs of students are there? As
before, when the numbers get this large, we can't reasonably list all the combinations: we need an algebraic
way of guring out how many there are, without actually counting them all.
5 This
content is available online at <http://cnx.org/content/m19460/1.1/>.
95
To start o, let's turn this combinations (order doesn't matter) problem into a permutations (order
does matter) problem. The teacher wants to choose one student to play the Child and one to play the Dog.
In this version of the problem, John plays the Child and Susan plays the Dog is dierent from Susan plays
the Child and John plays the Dog, and should be counted separately. So it is a straightforward permutations
problem. There are 30 possible actors for the Child, and for each of those, 29 for the Dog.
30 × 29 = 870
possible scenes.
Now let's return to the original problem, how many pairs of students are there? In this problem, JohnSusan and Susan-John are the same pair. The key insight here is that, when we ran the permutations
problem, we counted each pair twice. So the answer is
870/2 = 435
pairs.
Take this slow and easy. This is a very general approach to combinations problem. First, you solve the
(easier) permutations problem. Then you ask, How many times did I count every group? and divide by
that.
Ask the class to try this approach on the original (ower) problem. They should answer three questions.
1. How many permutations are there? Remember that in this question, rosedaisyiris and daisyiris
rose are two dierent arrangements, as if each ower is being placed in a numbered slot.
2. Now, when we counted up the permutations, how many times did they redundantly count each combination?
3. Divide the rst answer by the second, and you have the total number of combinations.
Lay out the process, then have them work the problem. Many of them will get stuck on step (2), incorrectly
thinking that we counted each permutation three times. In fact, we counted each one six times:
daisyirisrose, daisyroseiris, irisdaisyrose, irisrosedaisy, rosedaisyiris, roseirisdaisy
5!
2! , or 60. But each combination is listed six times, so the total number
of combinations is 10, as we counted before.
The permutations are
5 × 4 × 3, or
So...why six times? This is the last question, and it's a hard one. When we were choosing two items,
we counted each combination twice (JohnSusan, SusanJohn).
When we were choosing three items, we
counted each combination six times. What's the pattern? Give them a minute to think about this. Then
make sure they understand that it is, in fact...another permutations problem! The list of six I gave above is
simply the number of ways you can arrange three items, or (3!). You would divide by (4!) for 4 items, and
so on.
Homework
Homework: Permutations and Combinations
A sample test, and real test, and you're done!
96
CHAPTER 14. PROBABILITY
Solutions to Exercises in Chapter 14
Solution to Exercise 14.4 (p. 88)
It's six (number of possibilities for the die) times two (number of possibilities for the coin). For the second
question on the worksheet, with the frogs, there are 15,000 groups, or 5,000×3. This multiplication rule is
really the heart of all probability work, so it's best to get used to it early.
INDEX
97
Index of Keywords and Terms
Keywords are listed by the section with that keyword (page numbers are in parentheses). Keywords
do not necessarily appear in the text of the page. They are merely associated with that section.
apples, Ÿ 1.1 (1)
2
Terms are referenced by the page they appear on.
Ÿ 12.8(73), Ÿ 12.9(75)
A Absolute Value, Ÿ 2.1(15), Ÿ 2.2(15), Ÿ 2.5(16),
D data, Ÿ 11.1(59)
Absolute Values, Ÿ 2.3(16), Ÿ 2.4(16)
denition, Ÿ 12.6(68), Ÿ 12.8(73)
algebra, Ÿ 1.1(5), Ÿ 1.2(5), Ÿ 1.3(6), Ÿ 1.4(7),
Determinants, Ÿ 10.8(57)
Ÿ 1.5(8), Ÿ 1.6(10), Ÿ 1.7(10), Ÿ 1.8(11),
distance, Ÿ 12.2(63)
Ÿ 1.9(12), Ÿ 1.10(12), Ÿ 5.3(29), Ÿ 5.4(31),
Ÿ 6.1(33), Ÿ 6.2(34), Ÿ 6.3(34), Ÿ 6.4(34),
E ellipses, Ÿ 12.7(69), Ÿ 12.8(73)
equation, Ÿ 3.1(19), Ÿ 3.3(20), Ÿ 4.1(21),
Ÿ 7.1(37), Ÿ 7.2(37), Ÿ 7.3(39), Ÿ 7.4(40),
Ÿ 4.2(21), Ÿ 4.3(22), Ÿ 4.4(22), Ÿ 4.6(24),
Ÿ 11.1(59), Ÿ 12.1(63), Ÿ 12.2(63), Ÿ 12.3(64),
Ÿ 4.7(24), Ÿ 4.9(25), Ÿ 12.6(68), Ÿ 12.8(73)
Ÿ 12.4(65), Ÿ 12.5(66), Ÿ 12.6(68), Ÿ 12.7(69),
Equations, Ÿ 3.2(19), Ÿ 4.8(24), Ÿ 4.10(25),
Ÿ 12.8(73), Ÿ 12.9(75), Ÿ 13.1(79), Ÿ 13.2(79),
Ÿ 7.3(39), Ÿ 8.3(44)
Ÿ 13.3(80), Ÿ 13.4(80), Ÿ 13.5(82), Ÿ 13.6(84)
Examples, Ÿ 5.5(32)
Algebra 2, Ÿ 2.1(15), Ÿ 2.2(15), Ÿ 2.3(16),
Exponent, Ÿ 5.1(29), Ÿ 5.2(29), Ÿ 5.5(32)
Ÿ 2.4(16), Ÿ 2.5(16), Ÿ 2.6(17), Ÿ 3.1(19),
Exponent Rules, Ÿ 5.2(29)
Ÿ 3.2(19), Ÿ 3.3(20), Ÿ 4.1(21), Ÿ 4.2(21),
Exponential Curves, Ÿ 5.5(32)
Ÿ 4.3(22), Ÿ 4.4(22), Ÿ 4.5(23), Ÿ 4.6(24),
exponents, Ÿ 5.3(29), Ÿ 5.4(31)
Ÿ 4.7(24), Ÿ 4.8(24), Ÿ 4.9(25), Ÿ 4.10(25),
extra credit, Ÿ 13.6(84)
Ÿ 5.1(29), Ÿ 5.2(29), Ÿ 5.5(32), Ÿ 8.1(43),
Ÿ 8.2(44), Ÿ 8.3(44), Ÿ 9.1(47), Ÿ 9.2(48),
Ÿ 9.3(49), Ÿ 9.4(50), Ÿ 10.1(53), Ÿ 10.2(54),
Ÿ 10.3(54), Ÿ 10.4(55), Ÿ 10.5(55), Ÿ 10.6(56),
Ÿ 10.7(56), Ÿ 10.8(57), Ÿ 10.9(57), Ÿ 14.1(87),
Ÿ 14.2(89), Ÿ 14.3(90), Ÿ 14.4(91), Ÿ 14.5(94)
arithmetic sequences, Ÿ 13.2(79)
arithmetic series, Ÿ 13.4(80)
Ex.
apples, 1
Ÿ 12.4(65), Ÿ 12.5(66), Ÿ 12.6(68), Ÿ 12.7(69),
2x2, Ÿ 10.5(55)
Ÿ 2.6(17)
Ex.
F
Factor, Ÿ 4.3(22)
Factoring, Ÿ 4.3(22)
Felder, Ÿ (1), Ÿ 2.1(15), Ÿ 2.2(15), Ÿ 2.3(16),
Ÿ 2.4(16), Ÿ 2.5(16), Ÿ 2.6(17), Ÿ 3.1(19),
Ÿ 3.2(19), Ÿ 3.3(20), Ÿ 4.1(21), Ÿ 4.2(21),
Ÿ 4.3(22), Ÿ 4.4(22), Ÿ 4.5(23), Ÿ 4.6(24),
Ÿ 4.7(24), Ÿ 4.8(24), Ÿ 4.9(25), Ÿ 4.10(25),
B Binomial, Ÿ 4.2(21)
Ÿ 5.1(29), Ÿ 5.2(29), Ÿ 5.5(32), Ÿ 7.1(37),
C Calculator, Ÿ 10.7(56)
Ÿ 8.2(44), Ÿ 8.3(44), Ÿ 9.1(47), Ÿ 9.2(48),
Ÿ 7.2(37), Ÿ 7.3(39), Ÿ 7.4(40), Ÿ 8.1(43),
circles, Ÿ 12.3(64)
Ÿ 9.3(49), Ÿ 9.4(50), Ÿ 10.1(53), Ÿ 10.2(54),
combinations, Ÿ 14.1(87), Ÿ 14.2(89), Ÿ 14.5(94)
Ÿ 10.3(54), Ÿ 10.4(55), Ÿ 10.5(55), Ÿ 10.6(56),
complete, Ÿ 4.5(23)
Ÿ 10.7(56), Ÿ 10.8(57), Ÿ 10.9(57), Ÿ 11.1(59),
completing, Ÿ 4.5(23)
Ÿ 14.1(87), Ÿ 14.2(89), Ÿ 14.3(90), Ÿ 14.4(91),
completing the square, 22
Ÿ 14.5(94)
Complex Numbers, Ÿ 9.3(49)
fractional exponents, Ÿ 5.4(31)
composite functions, Ÿ 1.9(12)
function, Ÿ 11.1(59)
conic sections, Ÿ 12.1(63), Ÿ 12.2(63),
function game, Ÿ 1.2(5)
Ÿ 12.3(64), Ÿ 12.4(65), Ÿ 12.5(66), Ÿ 12.6(68),
functions, Ÿ 1.1(5), Ÿ 1.2(5), Ÿ 1.3(6), Ÿ 1.4(7),
Ÿ 12.7(69), Ÿ 12.8(73), Ÿ 12.9(75)
Ÿ 1.5(8), Ÿ 1.6(10), Ÿ 1.7(10), Ÿ 1.8(11),
conics, Ÿ 12.1(63), Ÿ 12.2(63), Ÿ 12.3(64),
Ÿ 1.9(12), Ÿ 1.10(12), Ÿ 6.1(33), Ÿ 6.2(34),
INDEX
98
Ÿ 6.3(34), Ÿ 6.4(34), Ÿ 7.1(37), Ÿ 7.2(37)
G generalizations, Ÿ 1.4(7)
properties, Ÿ 6.2(34)
Q Quadratic, Ÿ 4.1(21), Ÿ 4.2(21), Ÿ 4.3(22),
geometric sequences, Ÿ 13.2(79)
Ÿ 4.4(22), Ÿ 4.6(24), Ÿ 4.7(24), Ÿ 4.8(24),
geometric series, Ÿ 13.4(80), Ÿ 13.6(84)
Ÿ 4.9(25), Ÿ 4.10(25)
graph, Ÿ 4.7(24), Ÿ 4.9(25)
graphing, Ÿ 1.5(8), Ÿ 2.6(17)
R Radicals, Ÿ 8.1(43), Ÿ 8.2(44), Ÿ 8.3(44)
rational expressions, Ÿ 7.1(37), Ÿ 7.2(37),
H hyperbolas, Ÿ 12.9(75)
I
Identity, Ÿ 10.4(55)
S
sequences, Ÿ 13.1(79), Ÿ 13.2(79)
Imaginary Numbers, Ÿ 9.1(47), Ÿ 9.2(48),
series, Ÿ 13.1(79), Ÿ 13.3(80), Ÿ 13.4(80),
Ÿ 9.3(49), Ÿ 9.4(50)
Ÿ 13.6(84)
induction, Ÿ 13.5(82)
series notation, Ÿ 13.3(80)
Inequalities, Ÿ 2.2(15), Ÿ 2.3(16), Ÿ 2.4(16),
simultaneous, Ÿ 3.1(19), Ÿ 3.2(19), Ÿ 3.3(20)
Ÿ 2.5(16), Ÿ 2.6(17), Ÿ 4.10(25)
solve, Ÿ 4.9(25)
Inequality, Ÿ 2.1(15)
solving, Ÿ 4.9(25)
Introduction, Ÿ (1), Ÿ 2.1(15)
square, Ÿ 4.5(23)
Inverse, Ÿ 10.4(55)
Square root of i, Ÿ 9.4(50)
inverse functions, Ÿ 1.10(12)
L
Ÿ 7.3(39), Ÿ 7.4(40)
T teacher, Ÿ 11.1(59)
laws, Ÿ 6.3(34)
Teacher's Guide, Ÿ (1), Ÿ 1.1(5), Ÿ 1.2(5),
Linear Algebra, Ÿ 10.1(53), Ÿ 10.8(57)
Ÿ 1.3(6), Ÿ 1.4(7), Ÿ 1.5(8), Ÿ 1.6(10), Ÿ 1.7(10),
Linear equations, Ÿ 10.9(57)
Ÿ 1.8(11), Ÿ 1.9(12), Ÿ 1.10(12), Ÿ 2.1(15),
lines, Ÿ 1.8(11)
Ÿ 2.2(15), Ÿ 2.3(16), Ÿ 2.4(16), Ÿ 2.5(16),
logarithms, Ÿ 6.1(33), Ÿ 6.2(34), Ÿ 6.3(34),
Ÿ 3.1(19), Ÿ 3.2(19), Ÿ 3.3(20), Ÿ 4.1(21),
Ÿ 6.4(34)
Ÿ 4.2(21), Ÿ 4.3(22), Ÿ 4.4(22), Ÿ 4.5(23),
M Matrices, Ÿ 10.1(53), Ÿ 10.2(54), Ÿ 10.3(54),
Ÿ 10.4(55), Ÿ 10.5(55), Ÿ 10.6(56), Ÿ 10.7(56),
Ÿ 10.8(57), Ÿ 10.9(57)
Matrix Multiplication, Ÿ 10.2(54), Ÿ 10.3(54)
model, Ÿ 11.1(59)
Multiply, Ÿ 4.2(21)
N notation, Ÿ 13.3(80)
P parabolas, Ÿ 12.4(65), Ÿ 12.5(66), Ÿ 12.6(68)
Ÿ 4.6(24), Ÿ 4.7(24), Ÿ 4.8(24), Ÿ 4.10(25),
Ÿ 5.1(29), Ÿ 5.2(29), Ÿ 5.3(29), Ÿ 5.4(31),
Ÿ 5.5(32), Ÿ 6.1(33), Ÿ 6.2(34), Ÿ 6.3(34),
Ÿ 6.4(34), Ÿ 7.1(37), Ÿ 7.2(37), Ÿ 7.3(39),
Ÿ 7.4(40), Ÿ 8.1(43), Ÿ 8.2(44), Ÿ 8.3(44),
Ÿ 9.1(47), Ÿ 9.2(48), Ÿ 9.3(49), Ÿ 9.4(50),
Ÿ 10.1(53), Ÿ 10.2(54), Ÿ 10.3(54), Ÿ 10.4(55),
Ÿ 10.5(55), Ÿ 10.6(56), Ÿ 10.7(56), Ÿ 10.8(57),
Ÿ 10.9(57), Ÿ 12.1(63), Ÿ 12.2(63), Ÿ 12.3(64),
Ÿ 12.4(65), Ÿ 12.5(66), Ÿ 12.6(68), Ÿ 12.7(69),
permutations, Ÿ 1.6(10), Ÿ 14.4(91)
Ÿ 12.8(73), Ÿ 12.9(75), Ÿ 13.1(79), Ÿ 13.2(79),
polynomial division, Ÿ 7.4(40)
Ÿ 13.3(80), Ÿ 13.4(80), Ÿ 13.5(82), Ÿ 13.6(84)
prerequisites, Ÿ 13.1(79)
teachers guide, Ÿ 14.1(87), Ÿ 14.2(89),
probability, Ÿ 14.1(87), Ÿ 14.2(89), Ÿ 14.3(90),
Ÿ 14.3(90), Ÿ 14.4(91), Ÿ 14.5(94)
Ÿ 14.4(91), Ÿ 14.5(94)
Transformation, Ÿ 10.6(56)
problems, Ÿ 14.3(90)
proof by induction, Ÿ 13.5(82)
proofs, Ÿ 13.5(82)
U uses, Ÿ 6.4(34)
W Word Problems, Ÿ 2.3(16)
ATTRIBUTIONS
Attributions
Collection:
Advanced Algebra II: Teacher's Guide
Edited by: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/col10687/1.2/
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "The Long Rambling Philosophical Introduction (*but please read it anyway)"
Used here as: "The Long Rambling Philosophical Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19503/1.1/
Pages: 1-3
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19335/1.2/
Page: 5
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide The Function Game"
Used here as: "The Function Game"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19342/1.2/
Pages: 5-6
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide "The Real World""
Used here as: ""The Real World""
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19331/1.2/
Pages: 6-7
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide Algebraic Generalizations"
Used here as: "Algebraic Generalizations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19332/1.2/
Pages: 7-8
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide Graphing"
Used here as: "Graphing"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19334/1.2/
Pages: 8-9
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
99
100
Module: "Functions Guide Permutations"
Used here as: "Permutations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19339/1.2/
Page: 10
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide Test Preparation"
Used here as: "Test Preparation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19340/1.2/
Pages: 10-11
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide Lines"
Used here as: "Lines"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19337/1.2/
Pages: 11-12
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide Composite Functions"
Used here as: "Composite Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19333/1.2/
Page: 12
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Functions Guide Inverse Functions"
Used here as: "Inverse Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19336/1.2/
Pages: 12-14
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Values Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19432/1.2/
Page: 15
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Values Inequalities"
Used here as: "Inequalities"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19430/1.2/
Page: 15
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Values Inequality Word Problems"
Used here as: "Inequality Word Problems"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19428/1.2/
Page: 16
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Values Absolute Value Equations"
Used here as: "Absolute Value Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19426/1.2/
Page: 16
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Values Absolute Value Inequalities"
Used here as: "Absolute Value Inequalities"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19431/1.2/
Pages: 16-17
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Inequalities and Absolute Values Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values"
Used here as: "Graphing Inequalities and Absolute Values"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19433/1.2/
Pages: 17-18
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Simultaneous Equations Introduction to Simultaneous Equations"
Used here as: "Introduction to Simultaneous Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19497/1.2/
Page: 19
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
101
102
Module: "Simultaneous Equations Simultaneous Equations"
Used here as: "Simultaneous Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19498/1.2/
Page: 19
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Simultaneous Equations The "Generic" Simultaneous Equation"
Used here as: "The "Generic" Simultaneous Equation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19499/1.2/
Page: 20
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19469/1.2/
Page: 21
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations Multiplying Binomials"
Used here as: "Multiplying Binomials"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19472/1.2/
Pages: 21-22
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations Factoring"
Used here as: "Factoring"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19466/1.2/
Page: 22
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations Introduction to Quadratic Equations"
Used here as: "Introduction to Quadratic Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19470/1.2/
Pages: 22-23
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Quadratic Equations Completing the Square"
Used here as: "Completing the Square"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19465/1.2/
Page: 23
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations The "Generic" Quadratic Equation"
Used here as: "The "Generic" Quadratic Equation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19480/1.2/
Page: 24
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations Graphing Quadratic Functions"
Used here as: "Graphing Quadratic Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19468/1.2/
Page: 24
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations Graphing Quadratic Functions II"
Used here as: "Graphing Quadratic Functions II"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19467/1.2/
Pages: 24-25
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions"
Used here as: "Solving Problems by Graphing Quadratic Functions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19479/1.2/
Page: 25
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Quadratic Equations Quadratic Inequalities"
Used here as: "Quadratic Inequalities"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19473/1.2/
Pages: 25-27
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
103
104
Module: "Exponents Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19325/1.2/
Page: 29
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Exponents Rules of Exponents"
Used here as: "Rules of Exponents"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19327/1.2/
Page: 29
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Exponents Extending the Idea of Exponents"
Used here as: "Extending the Idea of Exponents"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19318/1.2/
Pages: 29-31
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Exponents Fractional Exponents"
Used here as: "Fractional Exponents"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19322/1.2/
Page: 31
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Exponents Real Life Exponential Curves"
Used here as: "Real Life Exponential Curves"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19329/1.2/
Page: 32
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithms Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19436/1.2/
Page: 33
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Logarithms Properties of Logarithms"
Used here as: "Properties of Logarithms"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19438/1.1/
Page: 34
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithms Using the Laws of Logarithms"
Used here as: "Using the Laws of Logarithms"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19440/1.1/
Page: 34
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Logarithms So What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?"
Used here as: "So What Are Logarithms Good For, Anyway?"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19439/1.2/
Pages: 34-35
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expressions Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19486/1.1/
Page: 37
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expressions Rational Expressions"
Used here as: "Rational Expressions"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19488/1.1/
Pages: 37-39
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Rational Expressions Rational Equations"
Used here as: "Rational Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19489/1.1/
Page: 39
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
105
106
Module: "Rational Expressions Polynomial Division"
Used here as: "Polynomial Division"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19487/1.2/
Pages: 40-41
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Introduction to Radicals"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19484/1.2/
Pages: 43-44
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals"
Used here as: "A Bunch of Other Stu About Radicals"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19483/1.1/
Page: 44
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Radicals Radical Equations"
Used here as: "Radical Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19485/1.2/
Pages: 44-45
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19424/1.2/
Pages: 47-48
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Introduction to Imaginary Numbers"
Used here as: "Introduction to Imaginary Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m21990/1.1/
Pages: 48-49
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
107
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Complex Numbers"
Used here as: "Complex Numbers"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19423/1.2/
Pages: 49-50
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Imaginary Numbers Me, Myself, and the Square Root of i"
Used here as: "Me, Myself, and the Square Root of i"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19425/1.2/
Pages: 50-51
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19445/1.1/
Pages: 53-54
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Multiplying Matrices I (row
Used here as: "Multiplying Matrices I (row
×
×
column)"
column)"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19448/1.1/
Page: 54
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Multiplying Matrices II (the full monty)"
Used here as: "Multiplying Matrices II (the full monty)"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19449/1.2/
Pages: 54-55
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Identity and Inverse Matrices"
Used here as: "Identity and Inverse Matrices"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19443/1.1/
Page: 55
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
108
Module: "Matrices Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix"
Used here as: "Inverse of the Generic 2x2 Matrix"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19446/1.1/
Pages: 55-56
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Use Matrices for Transformation"
Used here as: "Use Matrices for Transformation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19451/1.1/
Page: 56
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Matrices on the Calculator"
Used here as: "Matrices on the Calculator"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19447/1.1/
Page: 56
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Determinants"
Used here as: "Determinants"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19442/1.1/
Page: 57
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Matrices Solving Linear Equations"
Used here as: "Solving Linear Equations"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19450/1.1/
Pages: 57-58
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19454/1.2/
Page: 59
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
ATTRIBUTIONS
ATTRIBUTIONS
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Direct and Inverse Variation"
Used here as: "Direct and Inverse Variation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19452/1.1/
Pages: 59-60
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Modeling Data with Functions Calculator Regression"
Used here as: "Calculator Regression"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19453/1.1/
Pages: 60-61
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Introduction"
Used here as: "Introduction"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19307/1.1/
Page: 63
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Distance"
Used here as: "Distance"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19299/1.2/
Pages: 63-64
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Circles"
Used here as: "Circles"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19298/1.2/
Pages: 64-65
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Parabolas, Day 1"
Used here as: "Parabolas, Day 1"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19315/1.2/
Page: 65
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
109
110
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Parabolas, Day 2"
Used here as: "Parabolas, Day 2"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19313/1.2/
Pages: 66-68
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Parabolas: From Denition to Equation"
Used here as: "Parabolas: From Denition to Equation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19311/1.2/
Pages: 68-69
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Ellipses"
Used here as: "Ellipses"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19303/1.2/
Pages: 69-72
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Ellipses: From Denition to Equation"
Used here as: "Ellipses: From Denition to Equation"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19305/1.1/
Pages: 73-75
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Conic Sections Guide Hyperbolas"
Used here as: "Hyperbolas"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19306/1.2/
Pages: 75-78
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Module: "Sequences and Series Guide Prerequisites"
Used here as: "Prerequisites"
By: Kenny Felder
URL: http://cnx.org/content/m19495/1.1/
Page: 79
Copyright: Kenny Felder
License: http