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Equality and inequality symbols

a = b a and b are equal a > b a is strictly greater than b a < b a is strictly less than b

Some variations of these symbols include

a b a is not equal to b a b a is greater than or equal to b a b a is less than or equal to b

The last five of the above symbols are inequality symbols. We can negate (change to the opposite) any of the above statements by drawing a line through the relation symbol (as in a b ), as shown below:

a is not greater than b can be expressed as either

a > b or a b.

a is not less b than can be expressed as either

a < b or a b.

a < b and a b both indicate that a is less than b .

Grouping symbols

Grouping symbols are used to indicate that a particular collection of numbers and meaningful operations are to be grouped together and considered as one number. The grouping symbols commonly used in algebra are

Parentheses: ( ) Brackets: [ ] Braces: { } Bar: ¯

In a computation in which more than one operation is involved, grouping symbols help tell us which operations to perform first. If possible, we perform operations inside grouping symbols first.

Sample set b

( 4 + 17 ) 6 = 21 6 = 15

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8 ( 3 + 6 ) = 8 ( 9 ) = 72

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5 [ 8 + ( 10 4 ) ] = 5 [ 8 + 6 ] = 5 [ 14 ] = 70

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2 { 3 [ 4 ( 17 11 ) ] } = 2 { 3 [ 4 ( 6 ) ] } = 2 { 3 [ 24 ] } = 2 { 72 } = 144

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9 ( 5 + 1 ) 24 + 3 .

The fraction bar separates the two groups of numbers 9 ( 5 + 1 ) and 24 + 3 . Perform the operations in the numerator and denominator separately.

9 ( 5 + 1 ) 24 + 3 = 9 ( 6 ) 24 + 3 = 54 24 + 3 = 54 27 = 2

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Practice set b

Use the grouping symbols to help perform the following operations.

6 { 2 [ 2 ( 10 9 ) ] }

24

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The following examples show how to use algebraic notation to write each expression.

9 minus y becomes 9 y

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7 times ( x + y ) becomes 7 ( x + y )

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4 divided by 3, times z becomes ( 4 3 ) z

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( a b ) times ( b a ) divided by (2 times a ) becomes ( a b ) ( b a ) 2 a

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Introduce a variable ( any letter will do but here we’ll let x represent the number) and use appropriate algebraic symbols to write the statement: A number plus 4 is strictly greater than 6. The answer is x + 4 > 6 .

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The order of operations

Suppose we wish to find the value of 16 + 4 9 . We could

  1. add 16 and 4, then multiply this sum by 9.
    16 + 4 9 = 20 9 = 180
  2. multiply 4 and 9, then add 16 to this product.
    16 + 4 9 = 16 + 36 = 52

We now have two values for one number. To determine the correct value we must use the standard order of operations .

    Order of operations

  1. Perform all operations inside grouping symbols, beginning with the innermost set.
  2. Perform all multiplications and divisions, as you come to them, moving left-to-right.
  3. Perform all additions and subtractions, as you come to them, moving left-to-right.

As we proceed in our study of algebra, we will come upon another operation, exponentiation, that will need to be inserted before multiplication and division. (See Section [link] .)

Sample set c

USe the order of operations to find the value of each number.

16 + 4 9 Multiply first . = 16 + 36 Now add . = 52

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( 27 8 ) + 7 ( 6 + 12 ) Combine within parentheses . = 19 + 7 ( 18 ) Multiply . = 19 + 126 Now add . = 145

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8 + 2 [ 4 + 3 ( 6 1 ) ] Begin with the innermost set of grouping symbols , ( ) . = 8 + 2 [ 4 + 3 ( 5 ) ] Now work within the next set of grouping symbols , [ ] . = 8 + 2 [ 4 + 15 ] = 8 + 2 [ 19 ] = 8 + 38 = 46

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6 + 4 [ 2 + 3 ( 19 17 ) ] 18 2 [ 2 ( 3 ) + 2 ] = 6 + 4 [ 2 + 3 ( 2 ) ] 18 2 [ 6 + 2 ] = 6 + 4 [ 2 + 6 ] 18 2 [ 8 ] = 6 + 4 [ 8 ] 18 16 = 6 + 32 2 = 38 2 = 19

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Practice set c

Use the order of operations to find each value.

2 + 3 ( 18 5 2 )

26

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4 + 3 [ 2 + 3 ( 1 + 8 ÷ 4 ) ]

37

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19 + 2 { 5 + 2 [ 18 + 6 ( 4 + 1 ) ] } 5 6 3 ( 5 ) 2

17

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Exercises

For the following problems, use the order of operations to find each value.

6 ( 4 + 1 ) ÷ ( 16 ÷ 8 ) 15

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6 ( 4 1 ) + 8 ( 3 + 7 ) 20

78

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( 8 ) ( 5 ) + 2 ( 14 ) + ( 1 ) ( 10 )

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61 22 + 4 [ 3 ( 10 ) + 11 ]

203

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( 1 + 16 3 ) 7 + 5 ( 12 )

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8 ( 6 + 20 ) 8 + 3 ( 6 + 16 ) 22

29

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( 300 25 ) ÷ ( 6 3 )

91 2 3

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4 3 + 8 28 ( 3 + 17 ) + 11 ( 6 )

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2 { ( 7 + 7 ) + 6 [ 4 ( 8 + 2 ) ] }

508

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0 + 10 ( 0 ) + 15 [ 4 ( 3 ) + 1 ]

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( 4 + 7 ) ( 8 3 )

55

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( 10 + 5 ) ( 10 + 5 ) 4 ( 60 4 )

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( 5 12 1 4 ) + ( 1 6 + 2 3 )

1

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4 ( 3 5 8 15 ) + 9 ( 1 3 + 1 4 )

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0 5 + 0 1 + 0 [ 2 + 4 ( 0 ) ]

0

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0 9 + 4 0 ÷ 7 + 0 [ 2 ( 2 2 ) ]

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For the following problems, state whether the given statements are the same or different.

x y and x > y

different

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Represent the product of 3 and x five different ways.

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Represent the sum of a and b two different ways.

a + b , b + a

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For the following problems, rewrite each phrase using algebraic notation.

( x + b ) times ( x + 7 )

( x + b ) ( x + 7 )

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x divided by (7 times b )

x 7 b

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( a + b ) divided by ( a + 4 )

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For the following problems, introduce a variable (any letter will do) and use appropriate algebraic symbols towrite the given statement.

A number minus eight equals seventeen.

x 8 = 17

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Five times a number, minus one, equals zero.

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A number divided by six is greater than or equal to forty-four.

x 6 44

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Sixteen minus twice a number equals five.

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Determine whether the statements for the following problems are true or false.

6 4 ( 4 ) ( 1 ) 10

true

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5 ( 4 + 2 10 ) 110

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8 6 48 0

true

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2 [ 6 ( 1 + 4 ) 8 ] > 3 ( 11 + 6 )

false

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6 [ 4 + 8 + 3 ( 26 - 15 ) ] Is not less than or equal to 3 [ 7 ( 10 - 4 ) ]

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The number of different ways 5 people can be arranged in a row is 5 4 3 2 1 . How many ways is this?

120

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A box contains 10 computer chips. Three chips are to be chosen at random. The number of ways this can be done is

1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

How many ways is this?

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The probability of obtaining four of a kind in a five-card poker hand is

13 48 ( 52 51 50 49 48 ) ÷ ( 5 4 3 2 1 )

What is this probability?

0.00024 , or 1 4165

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Three people are on an elevator in a five story building. If each person randomly selects a floor on which to get off, the probability that at least two people get off on the same floor is

1 5 4 3 5 5 5

What is this probability?

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Source:  OpenStax, Elementary algebra. OpenStax CNX. May 08, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10614/1.3
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