Maths (school) · Part 02
Algebra basics
Letters for numbers: simplifying, expanding and factorising.
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- Simplifying expressionsTidying an expression by adding or subtracting 'like terms', which are terms with exactly the same letter part.
- SubstitutionReplacing each letter in an expression with a number, then working out the answer.
- Expanding bracketsMultiplying everything inside the brackets by the number or letter outside.
- Double bracketsMultiplying two brackets by making sure every term in the first bracket meets every term in the second.
- FactorisingThe reverse of expanding: pulling out the biggest common factor and putting the rest in brackets.
- Factorising quadraticsWriting an expression like x^2 + 7x + 12 as two brackets multiplied together.
- Difference of two squaresA special pattern: a squared number minus another squared number factorises into (a - b)(a + b).
- nth term of a sequenceA rule that gives any term in a number pattern from its position n.