course PHY 121
Here are some basic algebra questions. Answer these, then we can move on to the next step: You can either add the same thing to both sides, subtract the same thing from both sides, multiply both sides by the same thing or divide both sides by the same thing. Using these operations, describe in detail how you would answer each of the following, saying exactly what you do to both sides in each step. Insert your steps into a copy of this document and both submit it through the form and email it.
Your work has been received. Please scroll through the document to see any inserted notes (inserted at the appropriate place in the document, in boldface) and a note at the end. The note at the end of the file will confirm that the file has been reviewed; be sure to read that note. If there is no note at the end, notify the instructor through the Submit Work form, and include the date of the posting to your access page.
If a + b = c, then how do you solve the equation for b?
I would subtract a from both sides to get b = c-a
If a * b = c, then how do you solve the equation for b?
I would divide both sides by a to get b = c/a
If a * b + c = d, then how do you solve the equation for c?
I would subtract a * b form both sides to get c = d ?a * b
If a * b + c = d, then how do you solve the equation for b?
I would subtract c first from both sides to get a * b = d ?c then I would then I would divide both sides by a to get b = d ?c/a
If a^2 + b = c^2, then how do you solve the equation for b?
I would subtract a^2 from both sides to get b = c^2 ?a^2
If a * b = c^2, then how do you solve the equation for b?
I would divide both sides by a to get b = c^2/a
If a * b + c = d, then how do you solve the equation for c?
I would subtract ab form both sides to get c = d ?a * b
If a * b + c = d, then how do you solve the equation for b?
I would subtract c from both sides to get a * b = d ?c and then I would divide both sides by a to get b = d ?c / a
I have a hard time looking at a * b as just ab. It seems wrong to be able to subtract or divide one of the letters out when they are being multiplied. I hope that this review can help with my work for this class.
"
I responded to this by email, with the following note, and some followup questions with the equations of motion:
ab means a * b. The logic of dividing by b in order to get a is that you 'undo' a multiplication by using a division. This actually goes back to the inverse and identity properties of multiplication, but this is a physics, not a mathematics class, so let's not get that formal about it at this stage.