Overview Chapter 1

Chapter 1
Chapter overview
This chapter introduces the student to basic, background mathematics. Students may have
previously encountered these topics, in which case this chapter will simply serve as a
refresher or reference. However, the exercises should be attempted. It is all too easy to say
‘I’ve done that before’, but it is also very easy to forget the detailed workings of mathematics.

4th edition. All sections have been revised and updated. In particular, easier introductory
examples are given in the section on the evaluation and transposition of formulae.

4th edition: new on-line teaching and learning material.

An animated Worked Example (Solving a variety of simple algebraic equations) is
available on on-line. The narrative is designed to give the student a broader and more in-
depth understanding of the concept of an equation and the method used to solve it.

An on-line question bank is available in both WileyPlus and MapleTA.

The question types provided for this chapter are the following.
 Questions that require a single answer
 Multiple selection questions: students select two or more expressions that are
equivalent to that given in the question. These questions involve simplifying
fractions, transpositions of formulae and solution of equations.
 Questions that require several inputs: this type of question is designed to help the
student work through standard methods, to give intermediate results and give answers
that demonstrate their understanding. This type of question is given in two formats
(i) Questions that submitted after all inputs are entered: the question is then
graded and feedback given.
(ii) Questions which are graded at intermediate stages: feedback may be allowed
at each stage so that students can progress to the next stage.

All questions are algorithmic, that is, numbers are randomised so that it is unlikely
that two students will be given identical questions.

For the student: to help students to work independently, immediate feedback is given
to most questions. The algorithmic nature of questions provide practise for student on
topics that they find difficult.

For the instructor: The virtual learning environments (VLEs) allow the instructor to
manage the course material and students’ progress. For further details consult the
website at www.wileyplus.com

Topics covered in this chapter

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 Overview Chapter 1

In mathematics, students should be able to

Carry out basic arithmetic operations in the correct order of precedence.
Perform basic arithmetic on fractions, bot numeric and algebraic.
Solve simple algebraic equations; check the solution of equations.
Convert money from one currency to another.
Solve simple inequalities.
Calculate percentages: solve problems involving percentages.
Evaluate formulae using the calculator
Transpose and evaluate of formulae.
Enter data on to spread sheets. Use formulae and plot simple graphs

In applications, student should be able to

Formulate and solve problems involving percentages and currency conversion.
Evaluate of and transpose formulae.
Enter data onto Excel worksheets
Enter formulae in Excel to perform arithmetic operations.
Plot bar charts, pie charts and line graphs in Excel

PowerPoint presentations
Many students have an unnatural aversion to fractions, possible because they lack a thorough
understanding of basic arithmetic operations. So, one complete PowerPoint file is devoted to
very detailed drill in basic arithmetic with fractions. PowerPoint presentations are also
provided on solving equations and the transposition and evaluation of simple formulae.

Software
Excel™
Excel™ 2010 is introduced in chapter 1, section 1.9. Initially, the student is required to enter
data, copy and move data, enter and copy simple formulae and plot charts such as bar charts
and pie charts. See Figure 1.6 to 1.10. The student should also be able to print, save and
retrieve files.

Excel exercises and solutions are available on-line at www.wiley.com/college/bradley

Maple commands produce the answers for all the basic manipulations and solutions of
equations, but do not show any detail of the methods. Maple is particularly useful for graph
plotting and is useful in later chapters.

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Problem Areas
In my experience, the following are just some of the areas where students experience
difficulties.
It always helps and enhances understanding to get the student used to stating the problem in
words and also to describe the each stage of procedures verbally. Hence comments are
frequently interjected throughout worked examples and in the PowerPoint presentations.

Negative signs
The minus sign is often a source of confusion.

Suggestion

It is often helpful if the student is reminded to treat the minus sign as ‘minus one’.

For example

3x  (4  x)  3x  1(4  x)  3x  4  x  4x  4

Suggestion

The minus sign may be confusing in fractions.

a a a a 1  a
   , since   .
b b b b 1 b
a
So the negative fraction is simply written as  : the sign may be associated with either the
b
numerator or denominator, if required.

Fractions
Overall, fractions tend to be a blind spot. Mentioned earlier. Many students have never taken
the time to look at the rules for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing simple
fractions. It may help to give the students copies of the PowerPoint presentations on
fractions.

Suggestion

1. It is useful to start with ordinary arithmetic fractions, with the reminder that
‘Dividing with a fraction is the same as multiplying by the fraction inverted’

 1
 
 3  1  5  1  5 5
      
 2   3  2  3  2 6
 
 5

2. Students are sometimes perplexed at dealing with ‘whole numbers’ and fractions
together. The difficulty is often eased by writing all ‘whole numbers’ as fractions, as
follows:

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 Overview Chapter 1

 4
 
4  1   4   5 20 2 x 2 2x
(a)        (b) x   
 3  3  1   3 3 x 1 x x
   
 5  5 

Cross multiplying
So many students see cross multiplying as the solution to dealing with fractions, irrespective
of whether there is an equation involved or not ! The following example illustrates the most
common misconception about cross-multiplying

x 1
 4
3 2
x 1
 4 ????
3 2

Suggestion

Example 1.

Students should be reminded that cross-multiplying is simply multiplying ‘everything’ on

both sides of the equation by the same ‘thing’.
x 7

3 2
x 3 7 3
   …multiplying each side of the equation by ‘3’, hence no fraction on LHS.
3 1 2 1
x 2 7 2 3
    …multiplying both sides of the equations by ‘2’, hence no fraction on RHS.
1 1 2 1 1
x2  73 …hence the simplified equation contains no fractions.
2 x  21
21
x =10.5 …dividing both sides 2.
2
x = 10.5

Therefore ‘cross multiplying’ may be described as multiplying each side of the equation by
the product of both denominators.

Example 2

If there is more than one fraction on either or both sides of the equal sign, simplify each side
of the equation to a single fraction first, for example
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x 1 5
 
3 2 1
2x  3 5
 ...now cross - multiply
6 1
(2 x  3)  1  5  6
2 x  3  30
2 x  30  3  27
x = 13.5

Factoring
Factoring a common term with a negative is often problematic. Remind students that
factoring out a common term is simply multiplying and then dividing the everthing in the
expression by the common term that is being factored out.

Suggestion

Example 1
To factor out – 2 from -6 - 8x – 2y first multiply and then divide every term in the expression
by –2
  6  8x  2 y    6 8x 2 
 6  8x  2 y =  2  =  2   y  =  23  4 x  y  .
 2  2 2 2 
Encourage students to check that the answer is equivalent to the original expression since any
simplification is reversible:  23  4 x  y  = 6 - 8x – 2y

To factor – 0.5xy out of the following expression, first multiply and then divide by – 0.5xy;
x2 y 0.5xy 2xy 2
 x 2 y  0.5xy  2xy 2  0.5xy (   )  0.5xy (2x  1  4 y )
0.5xy 0.5xy 0.5xy

Currency conversion
This section is useful to illustrate that mathematics has practical applications. It also gives
the student practise at reasoning and manipulating equations.

Percentages
Some practise problems are usually necessary to revise the basics and illustrate applications
of basic mathematics. Percentages feature throughout the text, for example in elasticity,
financial maths, incremental changes etc.

Transposition of formulae
In economics and business formulae are used extensively, therefore it is important that
students learn to (a) evaluate formulae (b) manipulate or transpose formulae.

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Students are reminded that transposing a formula is essentially solving an equation for the
given variable.

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