Getting Started with Algebra
Algebra is simply regular maths but with letters called variables (like x, y, or z) standing in for unknown numbers. You'll still use the same operations you know - adding (+), subtracting (-), multiplying (×), and dividing (÷) - but now you're working with these mystery values too.
The key difference is between an expression like2x+5 and an equation like2x+5=15. An expression is just a mathematical phrase, whilst an equation has an equals sign and can be solved to find what x actually is.
When you're multiplying with variables, maths gets a bit simpler. Instead of writing 2 × a, you just write 2a. When letters multiply together, like a × b, you simply write ab. And here's something brilliant - when you add the same variable together, like a + a, it becomes 2a.
Quick Tip: Remember that a × a = a². This is called "a squared" and it's super important for expanding brackets!
Want to see algebra in action? Take 2x+3y². Using the handy identity a+b² = a² + 2ab + b², this expands to 4x² + 12xy + 9y². Once you know these patterns, algebra becomes much more manageable!