What is Algebra?
al·ge·bra
/ˈaljəbrə/
Noun
1. The part of mathematics in which letters and other symbols are used to represent numbers and quantities in formulae
and equations.
2. A system of this based on given axioms.
/ˈaljəbrə/
Noun
1. The part of mathematics in which letters and other symbols are used to represent numbers and quantities in formulae
and equations.
2. A system of this based on given axioms.
Algebra is very important in our world today. It helps us solve problems when there is a value that we need to know. If we have a problem with partial information given, we can use that information and then apply algebra to rearrange our information. This rearranged information will then tell us what we wanted to know. It may seem like magic, but it actually just a branch of mathematics.
As mentioned above, Algebra is defined formally as the branch of mathematics where letters, known as variables, are used to form equations. A simpler way to think about it is putting real life situations into equations and then solving. It is an area that may come easy to some and may be more difficult to others. You can think about it in a real life sort of way, or you can think about it in terms of rules and steps. I will try to teach both.
In short, algebraic expressions (or equations) are basically scales, where you need to keep both sides equal. When given a problem, we write it out in expression form, so that when you read the equation, it represents the problem we have in real life (with the unknown represented by a variable). We then try to isolate the variable, that is, rearrange the terms so that the variable is left on one side and it is set equal to our solution. We then take multiple algebraic steps while keeping in mind that the equation is a scale and we need to keep both sides equal. This means that when we do something to one side (like adding or multiplying, etc.) we need to do the same step to the other side of the equation. After a process of these steps, we have our variable isolated and we will arrive at our solution!
As mentioned above, Algebra is defined formally as the branch of mathematics where letters, known as variables, are used to form equations. A simpler way to think about it is putting real life situations into equations and then solving. It is an area that may come easy to some and may be more difficult to others. You can think about it in a real life sort of way, or you can think about it in terms of rules and steps. I will try to teach both.
In short, algebraic expressions (or equations) are basically scales, where you need to keep both sides equal. When given a problem, we write it out in expression form, so that when you read the equation, it represents the problem we have in real life (with the unknown represented by a variable). We then try to isolate the variable, that is, rearrange the terms so that the variable is left on one side and it is set equal to our solution. We then take multiple algebraic steps while keeping in mind that the equation is a scale and we need to keep both sides equal. This means that when we do something to one side (like adding or multiplying, etc.) we need to do the same step to the other side of the equation. After a process of these steps, we have our variable isolated and we will arrive at our solution!