ALGEBRA Skills
Terms versus factors. The function of parentheses. The order of operations. The value of a letter. What it means to evaluate an expression.
12. Signed numbers
The absolute value and the algebraic sign. Subtracting a larger number from a smaller. The number line. The negative of any number.
13. Adding and subtracting signed numbers
"Adding" a negative number. Naming terms. The rule for adding terms. Subtracting a negative number.
14. Multiplying and dividing signed numbers
The Rule of Signs.
The rule of symmetry. Commutative rules. Inverses. Two rules for equations.
The Definition of Division. Rules for 0.
Parentheses. Brackets. Braces.
19. Linear equations
Inverse operations. The four forms of equations. Transposing. A logical sequence of statements.
10. Word problems
11. Inequalities
12. Absolute value
13. Exponents I
Adding exponents. Power of a product. Multiplying exponents.
14. Multiplying out: The distributive rule
15. Common factor
The definition of a polynomial in x.
Products of binomials.
Quadratics in different arguments.
The square of a trinomial. Completing the square.
19. The difference of two squares
Summary of Multiplying/Factoring.
Factoring by grouping.
Factoring an ± bn.
Rational expressions. The principle of equivalent fractions. Reducing to lowest terms.
Subtracting exponents. Negative exponents. Exponent 0. Scientific notation.
22. Multiplying and dividing algebraic fractions
Complex fractions.
23. Adding algebraic fractions
The Lowest Common Multiple (LCM) of a series of terms.
Clearing of fractions.
25. Word problems that lead to equations with fractions
Same time problems:
Upstream-downstream.
Job problems.
26. Radicals: Rational and irrational numbers
Square roots. Equations x² = a. Rationalizing a denominator. Real numbers.
Simplest form. Similar radicals. Fractional radicand.
28. Multiplying and dividing radicals
Conjugate pairs.
The index of a radical. Fractional exponent.
30. Complex numbers
The real and imaginary components. Conjugate pairs.
Actual versus potential infinities.
32. The Pythagorean distance formula
The distance of a point from the origin. The distance between any two points.
33. The equation of a straight line
The equation of the first degree.
34. The slope of a straight line
The point-slope formula. The two-point formula.
35. Simultaneous linear equations
The method of addition. The method of substitution. Cramer's Rule. Three equations in three unknowns.
36. Word problems that lead to simultaneous equations
Investment problems. Mixture problems.
Upstream-downstream problems.
The roots of a quadratic.
Solution by factoring. Completing the square. The quadratic formula.
The graph of a quadratic.
38. Logarithms
Definition. The three laws of logarithms. Common logarithms.
39. Variation
Direct variation. The constant of proportionality. Varies as the square. Varies inversely. Varies as the inverse square.