WHAT exactly is SUBSTITUTION?

Substitution cont’d
Recall, substitution is simply putting numbers where letters are. For example:

bkbj,,bj
Substitution cont’d
Substitution in Solving Equations
We can check when a value solves an equation by substituting the value.

For example, we know x = 5 is the solution for the equation:

7x - 2 = 33, since

7(5) - 2 = 35 - 2 = 33

When x = 5, the left-hand side (LHS) of the equation, 7x - 2, is equal to the

right-hand side (RHS) of the equation, which is 33.
Find the value!

3y + 5 = 2. What is y ? 8k - 11 = 5. What is k?

-1 2 5 -3 -3 3 2 5

4 - 3m = -14. What is m? w - 3(w + 1) = -5. What is w?

6 -3 4 -6 4 -5 -2 7
Substitution cont’d
Substitution cont’d
Subsitution cont’d
SOLVING SIMPLE EQUATIONS
Solving Equations Cont’d
When we solve equations we undo operations (addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division) to find the value of an unknown (usually represented
by a letter such as ‘x’)

Suppose I start off with the number 2, I multiply it by 3 and then I add 5, what
would the result be?
Solving Equations cont’d
You are correct ! The answer would be 11 !

When we solve equations, instead of being told that the number we start off
with is 2, we have to find it out for ourselves!

We would be told something like,

Three times a number x plus 5 is equal to 11.

What does that look like written as an equation?

Visual Representation of An Equation
Here is a pair of scales in balance.
That is, each scale pan contains exactly
the same number of kilograms.

How can we write this as an equation?

Ans : x + 2 = 7
Finding ‘x’
To solve the equation we have to find a value for x such that the scales remain in
balance.

The only way to keep the scales in balance is to add or subtract the same amount
from each pan. If we take 2 kg from the left hand pan then we are left with x kg in
this pan, but we must also take 2 kg from the right hand pan to maintain balance.
That is,

x + 2 - 2 = 7 -2 How do we know that this is correct

x=5 when we examine the scales?

Another example
1. How can we express this
representation as an equation?

Ans : 3x = 6

2. How do we find the value of ‘x’ ?

Ans. Divide both sides by 3 to get

x=2
Summary
From these two examples we can say:
1. An equation expresses balance between two sets of quantities.

2. We can add or subtract the same amount from each side of the equation
without destroying the balance.

3. We can multiply or divide each side of the equation by the same amount
without destroying the balance.

NB: We always do the opposite operation that was done initially. If 2 is added to
x to get 5 (That is, x + 2 = 5), to find x, we have to undo the addition (5 - 2 = 3).
BUUUUUT, we should also subtract 2 from the LHS: x + 2 - 2 = 5 - 2

x=3
LETTER VALUES
LET A=1 H=8 O = 15 V = 22
B=2 I=9 P = 16 W = 23
C=3 J = 10 Q = 17 X = 24
D=4 K = 11 R = 18 Y = 25
E=5 L = 12 S = 19 Z = 26
F=6 M = 13 T = 20
G=7 N = 14 U = 21
MULTIPLICATION and ADDITION
BA is the same thing as B x A (B multiplied by A), just as 2p is ‘2 x p’

Try these using the corresponding number for each letter on the previous page.

1. CD + P ÷ D 3. (F + E)² - 5 x 15 + 3

2. (H² + R) x 3K
Write as Math Statements
Express these statements in mathematical expressions. The first one is done for
you.

1. A boy is x years old now. How old was he 5 years ago? Ans. x - 5 years old

2. Find an expression for the total cost of 3 pencils at p cents each and 8 pens
at b cents each. (The answer must be for pencils and pens together)

3. A man works x hours per weekday except Saturday when he works y hours. If
he works z hours on Sunday, how many hours does he work per week?
(remember there are 5 weekdays)
Solve for the unknown
1. x/5 -11 = -8

2. 5x + 12 = 2

3. -8x + 5 = 27