Help with Fractions and entry Algerbra

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Hey guys,

Yesterday was my first fortay into getting a GED and since I was not taught anything about fractions and/or Algebra I know very little about either in fact I only know some early multiplication problems my old teachers figured learning how wipe tables and taking out trash would be good enough.


so here's what I don't get in algebra the questions are often solve for y or solve for n or whatever the letter maybe? what exactly is the letter suppose to represent?

You have to fill in whatever number would make the equation work. For example if you have x+3=5 then x=2

Really? that's it? There's got to me more to it then that I mean my middle school teacher made it sound like it was Π and that I would be too dumb to ever figure it out :-/

There are ? many techniques for solving different kinds of equations, and that?s where the intricacies lie, but the answer to your question is what wowiexist said, and everything follows logically from there. There are also mathematical ?objects? other than numbers, and sometimes you can work with them in similar ways.

It?s not exactly unheard of for people to make things look much more complicated than they are, and sometimes those people happen to be teachers. Don?t let them discourage you.

In this case it is easy to see because the numbers make it fairly obvious. You could get to it by trial and error (filling in any number for x until you get the right one), but that doesn't work for more complex stuff. In this case the method without trial and error would be to make sure you get x on one side, and everything else on the other.

x + 3 = 5 now we need to subtract 3 from both sides (! !) of the =

x + 3 - 3 = 5 -3 so this is what we get

x = 2

This one was obvious to see but usually you need to simplify it first, for example: 2x + 5 = 25

First we substract 5 from both sides:

2x = 20

Then we divide both sides by 2:

x = 10 You could check if we got it right by entering 10 into the original equasion: 2*10 + 5 = 25

There is a great website for math and other stuff: Khan Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/
It is free and has courses on nearly anything. If you check the upper left and go to subjects --> Math --> pre-algebra, there will be a section on fractions as well. I have no idea what level is required for a GED but this website probably goes well beyond that.

patrickJMT on YouTube is also great for learning math. He has all his videos divided into convenient playlists.

https://www.youtube.com/user/patrickJMT/playlists

Yep, that really is it. I don't know why so many educators make it sound so difficult.


If you have an iPhone, the game "Dragonbox" is an entertaining introduction to basic algebra.

What do you need to know about fractions?

The letter for the unknown is essential a question mark.

Solve: ? + 3 = 8

Easy:

Square root (7^2 - 4!) = ?

(OK, I'm an ass. )

When you're given an algebra problem, usually you have to find out the value of a variable. This variable is usually represented as x or y. For instance, you may get a question like "15 + x = 35". In this case, x would equal 20, since 15 + 20 = 35. Now, if I didn't know what I could add to 15 to get 35, what I could do is subtract 15 from 35. 35 - 15 = 20.

In a nutshell, x is just a variable that represents another number, and usually your goal is to find out what number it represents. It may sound simple, but they're going to want to solve equations that are much more complicated, and they will often involve multiple variables that you have to figure out the values of. Equations like this, I used to have a lot of trouble with, and if I had to go back and do them now, I wouldn't know where to start.

Start out thinking of it as a placeholder for a number. A number goes there but what goes there is for you to find out.

For example, in x+2=5, x represents a number that when added to the number 2 gives you the number 5.

Actually, this is a very good practice question (or solution, rather). Solving a math problem requires you to look at a problem and break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Math is governed by a small number of consistent, simple rules. Just remember them, and you will do fine.

It seems to me that this is sort of true, but also might seem like a misleading oversimplification. There are quite a few rules and learning them takes some practice for most people.

The main thing you need to know to solve Tallyman's problem you is the order of operations, but that may not be quite enough to carry you through division of polynomials.

All one has to do, in division of polynomials, (if I'm correct), is to subtract the lower exponent from the larger exponent of the discrete "nomial" (e.g., 2x to the 4th power). You have to line up "like" terms--the x's, the y's, etc.

Fractions are pretty easy.

Multiplication of fractions:

1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4. You multiple the top number by the other top number, the bottom number by the other bottom number.

The top number is the numerator
The bottom number is the denominator.

Division of fractions:

1/2 divided by 1/2 = 2/2 = 1. You leave the first 1/2 alone. You turn around the second (known as the "recipricol"). so it becames
1/2 x 2/1. Then you do the problem like multiplication of fractions.

Addition of fractions with same denominator (lower number):

1/3 + 1/3 = 2/3 . You keep the bottom number the same. You add the top numbers.

Subtraction of fractions with same denominator:

2/3 = 1/3= 1/3. You keep the bottom number the same. You subtract the 2nd number from the first number (2 - 1).


Addition of fractions with different denominator (lower number)

This is a bit more difficult:

1/2 + 1/3 = 3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6. You have to find the "least common denominator," so that both denominators will become the same. The least common denominator for the numbers 2 and 6 is 6, so you make the lower number six by:

1/2 = 3/6: You know that 6 divided by 2 is 3, so you multiply 1 by 3, to make the top number 3.
1/3=2/6 : You know that 6 divided by 3 is 2, so you multiply 1 by 2, to make the top number 2.

Since both denominators are now the same, you add it like you would if both denominators were originally the same.

3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6

Subtraction of fractions:

1/2 - 1/3 = 1/6

You do exactly the same as addition of fractions, except you subtract the 2nd number from the 1st number.

1/2 = 3/6

1/3 = 2/6

3/6 - 2/6 = 1/6.

If you practice a lot, you should get it within a week or two.