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Algebra expressions



Algebra expressions are a step further of arithmetics.They are often used to represent relations in nature, sciences and economics.">

In fact they are "operations with numbers and letters" wehre the letters assume a special meaning (say of speed, height, money and so on)

Here some examples of expressions.

x + x
(one "x" + one "x"; don't forget there is a 1 in front of the x!)

2a +3
(two time "a" plus 3)

2(6 +3)
(two times the sum of 6 +3)

b^2 -4ac
(b square minus 4 times the product of "a" by "c")

THERE IS NO EQUAL SIGN AT THE END OF AN EXPRESSION!

 

Mind that an expression hasn't got any equal sign at the end!

So, in other words:

An algebraic expression consist in one or more terms separated by addition or subtraction

Letters can be alone or in a group with other letters, in upper or more often in lower case. They stand for real things and concepts like time, speed, weight etc.... They are also called variables because their value can assume different numbers.

Each term has a umber in front called numerical coefficient and includes the positive or negative sign.

If a term has no variable then it is called a constant (its value doen't change, it is set; a number is a number)

Although the terms can be written with any order, traditionally they are written in alphabetical order with higher exponents first (e.g. a^3 comes before a^2 and before a)

 

 

If it had an equal sign at the end, the expression would be transformed into an equation (a total different "animal" in the algebraic zoo)

(By the way the equal sign can mean two different things: check it here!)

 

- 268. Those skilled in mathematical analysis know that its
object is not simply to calculate numbers, but that it is also
employed to find the relations between magnitudes which cannot
be expressed in numbers and between functions whose law is not
capable of algebraic expression. COURNOT, AUGUSTIN.

Mathematical Theory of the Principles of
Wealth [Bacon, N. T.], (New York, 1897), p. 3.

 

 



Source: Memorabilia mathematica; or, The philomath's quotation-book - Moritz, Robert Édouard, 1868-1940



 

 


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