ALGEBRASOLUTIONS.docVIP

CHAPTER 2 SOLUTIONS TO REINFORCEMENT EXERCISES IN ALGEBRA Multiplication of linear expressions 2.3.1A. Identify which of the following are algebraic expressions in the variables involved i) 14 ii) x – 3 iii) 2t + 1 = 0 iv) 2x + y v) x3 – 2x2 + x – 1 vi) ex + e–x vii) x2 – 3x + 2 = 0 viii) 2– x2 ix) x) sin x – 3 cos x xi) s– 2s2 + s = 0 xii) xiii) 2 cos x = 1 xiv) u2 + 2uv – 3v xv) = 0 xvi) x ln x + x2 = 0 Solution i) 14, or any other number can be regarded as an algebraic expression in any variable. ii) x ( 3 uses only numbers, symbols (x) and the arithmetic operation (() and is therefore algebraic. It is a linear expression or function. iii) 2t + 1 = 0 is not an expression, but an algebraic equation that equates the linear algebraic expression 2t + 1 to zero. It tells us that t = ( . iv) 2x + y is a linear algebraic expression in both x and y. v) x3 ( 2x2 + x ( 1 contains only powers (repeated multiplication) and + and ( and so is algebraic ( it is in fact a cubic polynomial. vi) The exponential function ex (Chapter 4) cannot be expressed in terms of arithmetic operations on x except by infinite processes (such as an infinite power series). Therefore neither ex or its inverse e(x = 1/ex are algebraic expressions, so neither is ex + e(x. ex is in fact called a transcendental function which is any function that cannot be expressed algebraically in terms of the variable x. vii) x2 ( 3x + 2 = 0 is an algebraic equation equating the quadratic expression x2 ( 3x + 2 to zero. It tells us that x must be either 1 or 2. viii) 2 ( x2 = 2x ( x2 is an algebraic expression ( roots are allowed. ix) requires only division and addition and so is algebraic ( it is called a rational function. x) Similarly to ex, sin x and cos x are not algebraic expressions ( they are in fact called trigonometric functions or circular functions (Chapter 6). xi) s ( 2s2 + s = 0 is an algebraic equation in s obtained by equa