course Phy 202 001. typewriter notation
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Given Solution: `aThe order of operations dictates that grouped expressions must be evaluated first, that exponentiation must be done before multiplication or division, which must be done before addition or subtraction. It makes a big difference whether you subtract the 2 from the x or divide the -2 by 4 first. If there are no parentheses you have to divide before you subtract. Substituting 2 for x we get 2 - 2 / 2 + 4 = 2 - 1 + 4 (do multiplications and divisions before additions and subtractions) = 5 (add and subtract in indicated order) If there are parentheses you evaluate the grouped expressions first: (x - 2) / (x + 4) = (2 - 2) / ( 2 + 4 ) = 0 / 6 = 0. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Self-critique (if necessary): OK ------------------------------------------------ Self-critique rating #$&* ********************************************* Question: `q002. Explain the difference between 2 ^ x + 4 and 2 ^ (x + 4). Then evaluate each expression for x = 2. Note that a ^ b means to raise a to the b power. This process is called exponentiation, and the ^ symbol is used on most calculators, and in most computer algebra systems, to represent exponentiation. YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Your solution: The difference again is the parentheses. The first one, you are taking 2 to the x power then adding 4. The other one you are taking 2 to the (x+4) power. 2^x+4 2^2+4=8 2^(x+4) 2^(2+4)=64 confidence rating #$&* 3 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Given Solution: `a2 ^ x + 4 indicates that you are to raise 2 to the x power before adding the 4. 2 ^ (x + 4) indicates that you are to first evaluate x + 4, then raise 2 to this power. If x = 2, then 2 ^ x + 4 = 2 ^ 2 + 4 = 2 * 2 + 4 = 4 + 4 = 8. and 2 ^ (x + 4) = 2 ^ (2 + 4) = 2 ^ 6 = 2*2*2*2*2*2 = 64. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Self-critique (if necessary): OK ------------------------------------------------ Self-critique rating #$&* ********************************************* Question: `q003. What is the numerator of the fraction in the expression x - 3 / [ (2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 ] - 2 + 7x? What is the denominator? What do you get when you evaluate the expression for x = 2? YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Your solution: Numberator: 3 Denominator: [(2x-5)^2 *3x+1] When x=2, the answer is 13.57 confidence rating #$&* ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Given Solution: `aThe numerator is 3. x isn't part of the fraction. / indicates division, which must always precede subtraction. Only the 3 is divided by [ (2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 ] and only [ (2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 ] divides 3. If we mean (x - 3) / [ (2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 ] - 2 + 7x we have to write it that way. The preceding comments show that the denominator is [ (2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 ] Evaluating the expression for x = 2: - 3 / [ (2 * 2 - 5)^2 * 3(2) + 1 ] - 2 + 7*2 = 2 - 3 / [ (4 - 5)^2 * 6 + 1 ] - 2 + 14 = evaluate in parenthese; do multiplications outside parentheses 2 - 3 / [ (-1)^2 * 6 + 1 ] -2 + 14 = add inside parentheses 2 - 3 / [ 1 * 6 + 1 ] - 2 + 14 = exponentiate in bracketed term; 2 - 3 / 7 - 2 + 14 = evaluate in brackets 13 4/7 or 95/7 or about 13.57 add and subtract in order. The details of the calculation 2 - 3 / 7 - 2 + 14: Since multiplication precedes addition or subtraction the 3/7 must be done first, making 3/7 a fraction. Changing the order of the terms we have 2 - 2 + 14 - 3 / 7 = 14 - 3/7 = 98/7 - 3/7 = 95/7. COMMON STUDENT QUESTION: ok, I dont understand why x isnt part of the fraction? And I dont understand why only the brackets are divided by 3..why not the rest of the equation? INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: Different situations give us different algebraic expressions; the situation dictates the form of the expression. If the above expression was was written otherwise it would be a completely different expression and most likely give you a different result when you substitute. If we intended the numerator to be x - 3 then the expression would be written (x - 3) / [(2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 ] - 2 + 7x, with the x - 3 grouped. If we intended the numerator to be the entire expression after the / the expression would be written x - 3 / [(2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 - 2 + 7x ]. STUDENT COMMENT: I wasn't sure if the numerator would be 3 or -3. or is the subtraction sign just that a sign in this case? INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: In this case you would regard the - sign as an operation to be performed between the value of x and the value of the fraction, rather than as part of the numerator. That is, you would regard x - 3 / [ (2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 ] as a subtraction of the fraction 3 / [ (2x-5)^2 * 3x + 1 ] from the term x. STUDENT QUESTION: There was another question I had about this problem that wasn’t addressed. At the end when you changed the order of operation from 2 – 2 + 14 – 3/7 = 14 – 3/7 where did the 98/7 – 3/7 come into play before the end solution of 95/7? I must have forgotten how to do this part. INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: It's not clear how you can get 95/7 without this step. To do the subtraction 14 - 3/7 both terms must be expressed in terms of a common denominator. The most convenient common denominator is 7. So 14 must be expressed with denominator 7. This is accomplished by multiplying 14 by 7 / 7, obtaining 14 * 7 / 7 = 98 / 7. Since 7/7 = 1, we have just multiplied 14 by 1. We chose to use 7 / 7 in order to give us the desired denominator 7. Thus our subtraction is 14 - 3/7 = 98/7 - 3/7 = (98 - 3) / 7 = 95 /7. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Self-critique (if necessary): A little confusing how it is written on the computer. ------------------------------------------------ Self-critique rating #$&* ********************************************* Question: `q004. Explain, step by step, how you evaluate the expression (x - 5) ^ 2x-1 + 3 / x-2 for x = 4. YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Your solution: (4-5)^2(4)-1+3/4-2 =-1^2 *4-1+3/4-2 +1*4-1+3/4-2 3 + ¾ -2 =7/4 confidence rating #$&* 3 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Given Solution: `aWe get (4-5)^2 * 4 - 1 + 3 / 4 - 2 = (-1)^2 * 4 - 1 + 3 / 4 - 2 evaluating the term in parentheses = 1 * 4 - 1 + 3 / 4 - 2 exponentiating (2 is the exponent, which is applied to -1 rather than multiplying the 2 by 4 = 4 - 1 + 3/4 - 2 noting that 3/4 is a fraction and adding and subtracting in order we get = 1 3/4 = 7 /4 (Note that we could group the expression as 4 - 1 - 2 + 3/4 = 1 + 3/4 = 1 3/4 = 7/4). COMMON ERROR: (4 - 5) ^ 2*4 - 1 + 3 / 4 - 2 = -1 ^ 2*4 - 1 + 3 / 4-2 = -1 ^ 8 -1 + 3 / 4 - 2. INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS: There are two errors here. In the second step you can't multiply 2 * 4 because you have (-1)^2, which must be done first. Exponentiation precedes multiplication. Also it isn't quite correct to write -1^2*4 at the beginning of the second step. If you were supposed to multiply 2 * 4 the expression would be (-1)^(2 * 4). Note also that the -1 needs to be grouped because the entire expression (-1) is taken to the power. -1^8 would be -1 because you would raise 1 to the power 8 before applying the - sign, which is effectively a multiplication by -1. STUDENT QUESTION: if it's read (-1)^8 it would be 1 or would you apply the sign afterward even if it is grouped and it be a -1? INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: The 8th power won't occur in this problem, of course, but you ask a good question. -1^8 would require raising 1 to the 8th power, then applying the negative sign, and the result would be -1. (-1)^8 would be the 8th power of -1, which as you see would be 1. STUDENT COMMENT: I think it would be easier to visualize what your trying to raise to the exponent if you actually put parenthesis around the 2, that part seems to get tricky on the computer. INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: The expression was intentionally written to be misleading and make the point that, to avoid ambiguity, order of operations apply strictly, no matter what the expression looks like. Normally, for clarity, the parentheses would be included. They aren't necessary, but when helpful it's a good idea to include them. You can, of course, have too many parentheses in an expression, making it harder than necessary to sort out. In practice we try to strike a balance. The original expression was (x - 5) ^ 2x-1 + 3 / x-2 White spaces make no difference in how an expression is evaluated, but they can help show the structure; e.g., (x - 5)^2 * x - 1 + 3 / x -2 is a visual improvement over the original. The * between the 2 and the x is not strictly necessary, but is also helpful. ((((x - 5) ^ 2)) * x) - 1 + (3 / x) - 2 verges on having too many parentheses at the beginning; it does help clarify the 3 / x. STUDENT COMMENT Although I read through your explanation and do see the point you are making, that 2x is actually 2 * x, I still think that (-1) should be raised to 2x rather than 2. Kaking the answer -11/4, not 7/4. INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE When the expression (x - 5) ^ 2x-1 + 3 / x-2 is copied and pasted into a computer algebra system it is translated as This notation is universal and unambiguous. Any deviation from strict interpretation (which does occur among some authors and among manufacturers of some calculators) tends to result in ambiguity and confusion. STUDENT COMMENT While I do understand what you are trying to relate, I will continue to make these mistakes on more than one occasion and will not penalize myself for not rewriting years of mathematics because of a syntax issue in an online class. INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE I don't penalize errors in typed notation when the intent is clear (though I will sometimes point out these errors), and when you take your tests you'll be writing them out by hand and this won't be an issue. However this is not a syntax issue in an online class. This is the order of operations, as it has been since algebra was developed hundreds of years ago, and it's completely consistent with the mathematics you appear to know (quite well). As stated here, if you use the wrong syntax in any computer algebra system, your expression will not be interpreted correctly. For this reason alone you need to understand the notation. For this and other valid reasons you need to understand how the order of operations are represented in 'linear' fashion (i.e., 'typewriter notation') and to correctly interpret expressions written in this notatation. Any mathematics that has been learned correctly is completely consistent with the order of operations and with the notation used in this course. If the mathematics you've learned was inconsistent with the order of operations (and I don't believe this is so in your case, but it is with many students), then you would need to adjust your thinking. Fortunately this is very easy to do. Interpret expressions literally, assume nothing, and everything works out. You will also find that the notation quickly becomes easy to read and use, and that it expands your comprehension of all mathematical notation. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Self-critique (if necessary): OK ------------------------------------------------ Self-critique rating #$&* ********************************************* Question: `q005. At the link http://www.vhcc.edu/dsmith/genInfo/introductory problems/typewriter_notation_examples_with_links.htm (copy this path into the Address box of your Internet browser; alternatively use the path http://vhmthphy.vhcc.edu/ > General Information > Startup and Orientation (either scroll to bottom of page or click on Links to Supplemental Sites) > typewriter notation examples and you will find a page containing a number of additional exercises and/or examples of typewriter notation.Locate this site, click on a few of the links, and describe what you see there. YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Your solution: There are a lot of questions with links to see what the equation would look like on paper confidence rating #$&* 3 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Given Solution: `aYou should see a brief set of instructions and over 30 numbered examples. If you click on the word Picture you will see the standard-notation format of the expression. The link entitled Examples and Pictures, located in the initial instructions, shows all the examples and pictures without requiring you to click on the links. There is also a file which includes explanations. The instructions include a note indicating that Liberal Arts Mathematics students don't need a deep understanding of the notation, Mth 173-4 and University Physics students need a very good understanding, while students in other courses should understand the notation and should understand the more basic simplifications. There is also a link to a page with pictures only, to provide the opportunity to translated standard notation into typewriter notation. end program &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Self-critique (if necessary): OK ------------------------------------------------ Self-critique rating #$&* ********************************************* Question: `q006 Standard mathematics notation is easier to look at; it's easier to see the meaning of the expressions. However it's very important to understand order of operations, and students do get used to this way of doing it. You should of course write everything out in standard notation when you work it on paper. It is likely that you will at some point use a computer algebra system, and when you do you will probably have to enter expressions using a keyboard, so it is well worth the trouble to get used to this notation. Indicate your understanding of why it is important to understand this notation. YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Your solution: The importance of the notation is to be able to read it and understand it. It forces you to remember your order of operations and stresses it. confidence rating #$&* 3 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^