Introduction to

College
Algebra
Algebra
A branch of mathematics in
which symbols are used to
represent unknown
numbers of a particular set
Historical Background
The word algebra originated from the Arabic
word al-jabr which means restoration.
In the 9
th
century A.D. alKhwarizm an
Arab mathematician, wrote one of the first
books on Algebra.
Abu Kamil an Egyptian mathematician,
was able to formulate the basic laws and
identities of algebra & solve more complex
problems.
Historical Background
Ancient civilizations formed algebraic
expressions using longhand notation.
By medieval times, Islamic mathematicians
were able to work out the basic algebra of
polynomials.
Omar Khayyam Persian mathematician,
astronomer, and poet, was able to express
roots of cubic equations using line segments
by intersecting conic sections.

Historical Background
In the early 13
th
century, Leonardo
Fibonacci, was able to present a closest
approximation to the solution of the cubic
equation.
16
th
century the symbols for unknown and
for algebraic powers and operations were
introduced.
Ren Descartes a French philosopher and
mathematician who in 1673 wrote a book
entitled Book III of La geometrie that
looked much like a modern algebra text
SETS
A SET is a well-defined collection of
objects or things considered together and
generally have something in common.
A set is well-defined if one can determine
whether or not a given element belongs to
the set.
The distinct objects of a given set are
called ELEMENTS OR MEMBERS.
SETS
Sets are usually denoted by capital
letters such as A, B, C, etc.
The elements of a set can be
anything: numbers, letters, people,
places and other objects
There are two ways to describe a set:

1. Description or Rule Method
- A set may be described in words or by
stating the rule

2. Listing or Roster Method
- The elements of a set being described are
listed down, separated from each other by
commas and enclosed within a pair of
braces.

Set Relationships

1. Equal sets are sets which have exactly
the same elements.
- They are also called IDENTICAL
SETS.
2. One-to-One Correspondence
- exists between two sets if each
elements of each set can be associated
with exactly one element of the other
Set Relationships
3. Equivalent sets two sets are said to be
equivalent if they have the same number
of elements or if there is a one-to-one
correspondence between their elements.

4. Empty Set or Null Set a set without an
element.

5. Finite Set if it is possible to write down
a complete list of all its elements.


Set Relationships
6. Infinite Set - a set with an infinite
number of elements
or a set which is not
finite.

7. Joint Sets - are sets that have
common elements.

8. Disjoint sets sets that have no
common element.



Set Relationships
9. Subsets

Ex. Set A is a subset of set B of every
element of set A is an element of set
B.

10. Universal Set a set containing
the elements of all sets being
considered in a certain
discussion

Set Operations
1. Union of Sets
The union of two sets A and B is
the set of all elements, which
belong to either A or B or both.
This is denoted by the symbol
As in:
A B = {x|x A or x B or
x A and B}

Set Operations
2. Intersection of Sets
The intersection of two sets A and
B is the set of all elements that
belong to both A and B.
This is denoted by the symbol
As in:
A B {x|x A and x B}
Set Operations
3. Complement of a Set
The complement of set A in a
given universal set U is the set of
all the elements that are in U but
not in set A.
In symbols, the complement of set
A may be written as A
Read as: A complement or A prime
SETS of NUMBERS
1. Natural Numbers
The most basic numbers are those used to
count physical objects: 1, 2, 3, 4, and
soon.
These are called natural numbers and are
represented by the (castellar) capital letter
N.

SETS of NUMBERS
The notation :
N = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, . . .}
Read as: N is the set of numbers 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, and so on.
To show membership in a set, the symbol
is used.
It is read is an element of or
belongs to.
SETS of NUMBERS
2. Whole Numbers
- When zero is combined with
the natural numbers, a new set
is created called the whole
numbers

W = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, . . .}
SETS of NUMBERS
- We say that the natural numbers are a
subset of the whole numbers, denoted
N W, since they are contained
entirely in this set (every natural
number is also a whole number).

- The symbol means is a subset of.
SETS of NUMBERS
3. Integers

Numbers greater than zero are positive
numbers.
Every positive number has an opposite
that is a negative number (a number less
than zero).
SETS of NUMBERS
The set of zero and the natural
numbers with their opposites gives the
set of integers.

Z = {. . . , 3, 2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 3, . . .}

We can illustrate the size or magnitude
of a number (in relation to other
numbers) using a number line
SETS of NUMBERS

Any number that corresponds to a point
on the number line is called the
coordinate of that point.
When we want to note a specific
location on the line, a bold dot is
used and a capital letter is assigned to
the location.
SETS of NUMBERS

Any number that corresponds to a point
on the number line is called the
coordinate of that point.
When we want to note a specific
location on the line, a bold dot is
used and a capital letter is assigned to
the location.
SETS of NUMBERS
4. Rational Numbers
Fractions and mixed numbers are part
of a set called the rational numbers ----
Q.
A rational number is one that can be
written as a fraction with an integer
numerator and an integer denominator
other than zero.

In set notation we write
Q = {a/b | a, b Z; b 0}

The vertical bar | is read such that
and indicates that a description follows.

In words, we say, Q is the set of
numbers of the form a over b, such that
a and b are integers and b is not equal
to zero.
SETS of NUMBERS
5. Irrational Numbers
numbers with a nonrepeating and
nonterminating decimal form;
numbers that cannot be written as a
ratio of two integers
Although any fraction can be written in
decimal form, not all decimal numbers
can be written as a fraction


Example:
1.the number represented by the Greek
letter (pi).
Although we often approximate pi as 3.14
its true value has an infinite number of
nonrepeating digits and cannot be written as
a fraction.
The symbol means approximately equal
to, and should be used whenever a value is
estimated or rounded).
Example:
2. Square Roots
The number b is a square root of a only if (b)
(b) = a.
Using the square root symbol we could
also write this as a = b only if b = a
Since the decimal form of 10 has an infinite
number of digits, we either leave it written as
10 called the exact form, or obtain an
approximate form using a calculator and
rounding to a specified place value.
SETS of NUMBERS
6. Real Numbers
The set of rational numbers with the set
of irrational numbers forms the set of
real numbers.
R


Axiom
Axiom a generally accepted truth.

It is a statement or idea that
people accept as self-evidently
true.
Axioms of Equality
1. Reflexive Property - If a is any real
number, then a is equal to itself
a = a
2. Symmetric Property - If a is numerically
equal to b, then b = a
3. Transitive Property - For real numbers
a, b and c, if a = b and b = c, then a = c.
Axioms of Equality
1. Reflexive Property - If a is any real
number, then a is equal to itself
a = a
2. Symmetric Property - If a is
numerically equal to b, then b = a
3. Transitive Property - For real numbers
a, b and c, if a = b and b = c, then a = c.
Axioms of Equality

4. Substitution Property - If a = b,
then b may be used to replace a in
any mathematical statement
containing a.

Axioms of Inequality
1. Trichotomy Property exactly
one of the following statements is
true.
a<b, a =b, or a>b
2. Transitive Property
If a < b and b < c, then a < c
Properties of Real Numbers
1. Closure Property for Addition and
Multiplication
- The sum and product of two real
numbers are always real numbers
a + b is a real number
a b is a real number


Properties of Real Numbers
2. Commutative Properties for
addition and multiplication
- Two numbers may be added or
multiplied in any order
a + b = b + a
a b = b a


Properties of Real Numbers
3. Associative Properties for addition
and multiplication
- When adding or multiplying three
numbers, the grouping of the numbers
does not affect the sum or the product
a + (b+c) = (a+b) +c
a (bc) = (ab) c


Properties of Real Numbers
4. Distributive Propertiy of addition
over multiplication
a (b+c) = ab + ac
5. Identity Properties for Addition and
Multiplication
- For every real number, a, there exist
unique real numbers 0 and 1 such that




Properties of Real Numbers
a + 0 = a and 0 + a = a
a (1) = a and 1 (a) = a

Note: 0 and 1 are called the identity
elements for addition and
multiplication, respectively.



Properties of Real Numbers
6. Inverse Property for Addition
-For every real number a, there exists a
unique number a such that the sum of a
and a is the identity element 0.
-In symbols:
a + (-a) = 0
Note: -a is called the additive inverse of
a, and vice-versa


Properties of Real Numbers
7. Inverse Property for Multiplication
-For every real number a, there exists a
unique real number a such that the sum of
a and 1/a such that the product of a and 1/a
is the identity element 1.
-In symbols:
a (1/a) = 10
Note: 1/a is called the multiplicative inverse
of a, and vice-versa