Math Is Fun Forum

reni

Guest

Algebra

i dont understand algebra

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Algebra

Let's start at the beginning.

You know that 7 times 6 is 42, right ?

So, if I said 7 times "y" is 42, could you tell me what "y" is? (In algebra the letter "x", "y", etc just means "don't know this yet")

It would be written neatly like this:

7y=42

And you solve it like this:

7y=42
7y / 7 = 42 / 7  (you can divide by anything, so long as you do it to both sides of the "=")
y=42 / 7           (7/7 = 1 of course)
y=6                  (42/7 = 6)

Is this too easy?

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

Zach

Member

Registered: 2005-03-23

Posts: 2,075

Re: Algebra

Both X and Y are variables. That's confused you now.

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Boy let me tell you what:
I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too.
And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Algebra

Correct, oh furry one.

In maths everything has a special name. "Variable" is the name given to the letters like "x","y","u" and so on.

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman