Dr. Abd-Allah Nassr, Dr. Abdelmonem Hamdan, Dr.Mohamed Shehata and Mr. Hisam Eltaweel.

General Mathematics (101 Math)

1.1 Solving Linear Equations:

THEOREM 1: Properties of Equality
For a, b, c  R
1- If a  b , then a  c  b  c .
2- If a  b , then a  c  b  c .
3- If a  b and c  0 , then ca  cb.
a b
4- If a  b and c  0 , then  .
c c
5- If a  b , then either may replace the other in any statement
without changing the truth or falsity of the statement.

DEFINITION 1 Linear Equation in One Variable

Any equation that can be written in the form:
a x  b  0, a0 Standard Form
Where a and b are real constants and x is a variable, is called a linear
equation (first degree equation) in one variable.

EXAMPLE 1: (a) Solve: 5 x  9  3x  7 and check.

Solution (a): ( see text book page 46).

EXAMPLE 1: (b) Solve and check: 7 x 10  4 x  5

Solution: We will use the properties of equality to transform the given equation into an
equivalent equation whose solution is obvious.
 7 x  10  4 x  5
 7 x 10  10  4 x  5  10  7 x  4 x  15 Add 10 to both sides and combining like terms.

 7 x  4 x  4 x  4 x  15  3x  15 Subtract 4x from both sides

3x 15
  x  5 Divide both sides by 3.
3 3
The solution set: {5}.

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Dr. Abd-Allah Nassr, Dr. Abdelmonem Hamdan, Dr.Mohamed Shehata and Mr. Hisam Eltaweel. General Mathematics (101 Math)

CHECK: L. H. S.= 7 x  10  7  5  10  35  10  25  5  20  5  4  5  5  4 x = R. H. S.

EXAMPLE 2: (a) Solve for P in terms of the other variables: A  P  Prt .

Solution (a): ( see text book page 46).
5
EXAMPLE 2: (b) Solve for F in terms of C : C   F  32  .
9
5 9 9 5 9
Solution (b) :  C   F  32    C   F  32    C  F  32
9 5 5 9 5

9 9
  C  32  F  32  32 F   C  32
5 5

Solve the following equations:

(3a  4) (7  2a )
(1) 10 x  7  4 x  25 (2) 3( x  2)  5( x  6) (3) 5  
5 2
2x  1 x  2
(4) 11  3 y  5 y  5 (5) 3( y  4)  2 y  18 (6) 5  
4 3

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 Dr. Abd-Allah Nassr, Dr. Abdelmonem Hamdan, Dr.Mohamed Shehata and Mr. Hisam Eltaweel. General Mathematics (101 Math)

DEFINITION: For a and b are real numbers, we say that:

 a is less than b and written a  b.
 a is greater than b and written a  b.
 a is less than or equal to b and written a  b.
 a is greater than or equal to b and written a  b.
 The double inequality a  x  b means that x  a and x  b ; that is, x is
between a and b including b but not a .
 The interval notation:  a, b    x : a  x  b .

No. Interval notation Inequality notation Line graph Type

(1) [ ] Closed
 a, b  a xb a b
(2) ( ] Half -Open
 a, b  a xb a b
(3) [ ) Half Open
 a, b  a xb a b
(4) ( ) Open
 a, b  a xb a b
(5) [ Closed
b,   xb b
(6) ( Open
 b,   xb b
(7) ] Closed
 , a  xa
a
(8)
 , a  xa ) Open

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 Dr. Abd-Allah Nassr, Dr. Abdelmonem Hamdan, Dr.Mohamed Shehata and Mr. Hisam Eltaweel. General Mathematics (101 Math)

Example: Graphing Intervals and Inequalities

Write each of the following in inequality notation and graph on a real number line:

(1)  2,3 (2)  4, 2  (3)  2,   (4)  , 3

Solution: (see text book page 58).

Example: Write each of the following in interval notation and graph on a real number
line:
(1)  3,3 (2)  1, 4 (3) 1,   (4)  , 3
Solution:
(1)  3, 3   x :  3  x  3 .
( ]
-3 3
(2)  1, 4   x :  1  x  4 .
[ ]
-1 4
(3) 1,     x : x  1 .
[
1
(4)  , 3   x : x  3 .
)
-3
THEOREM: Properties of Inequalities:
For a, b, c  R
1- If a  b and b  c , then a  c .
2- If a  b , then a  C  b  c .
3- If a  b , then a  c  b  c .
4- If a  b and c is positive, then ca  cb .
5- If a  b and c is negative, then ca  cb .
a b
6- If a  b and c is positive, then  .
c c
a b
7- If a  b and c is negative, then  .
c c

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Dr. Abd-Allah Nassr, Dr. Abdelmonem Hamdan, Dr.Mohamed Shehata and Mr. Hisam Eltaweel. General Mathematics (101 Math)

EXAMPLE: Solving and graph:

2x  3 4x
(1) 2  2 x  3  10  6  x  2  (2) 6 2 (3)  3  4  7 x  18
4 3
4x  3 3x
(4) 3  x  1  5  x  2  5 (5) 8 6 (6)  3  4  7 x  18
3 2
Solution: ( (1), (2) and (3) see text book pages 60 and 61 ).
(4)  3  x  1  5  x  2  5
 3x  3  5x  10  5  3x  3  5x  5
 5  3  5x  3x
 8  2 x
8 2 x
   x  4
2 2
The solution set : x  4 or  , 4

)
-4
4x  3 3x
(5)  8  6
3 2

4x  3 3x  4x  3   3x 
 8  6   6   68  66  6 
3 2  3   2
 2  4 x  3  48  36  3  3x 
 8x  6  48  36  9 x
 42  36  9 x  8x  6  x
The solution set: x  6 or  6,  
(
6
(6)  3  4  7 x  18
 3  4  7 x  18  4  3  4  4  7 x  4  18
 7  7 x  14
7 7 x 14
    1  x  2
7 7 7
The solution set : 2  x  1 or  2,1
( ]
1
-2

101 math. Page 22

Dr. Abd-Allah Nassr, Dr. Abdelmonem Hamdan, Dr.Mohamed Shehata and Mr. Hisam Eltaweel. General Mathematics (101 Math)

(I) Write each of the following in inequality notation and graph on a real number
line:
(1)  8, 7  (2)  6, 6 (3)  3,3

(4)  4,8  (5)  6,   (6)  , 5 

(II) Write each of the following in interval notation and graph on a real number
line:
(1)  3  x  5 (2)  6  x  4 (3) x  1 (3) x  3
(III) Solve and graph:
(1) 7 x  8  4 x  7 (2) 2( x  3)  5  x  1 (3) 3  x  5(3  x)

x  3 1 x 1 5( x  4) x x4
(4)   (5)  20   5 (6)  3  1
5 2 2 2 7 3

(7)  4  5  3 x  17 (8) 10  6  2 x  0 (9) 12  y  2(9  2 y ) .

101 math. Page 23