Algebra Formula – Algebra in Everyday Life

When as students we started learning mathematics, it was all about numbers like Natural numbers, Whole numbers, and Integrals. After that, we started learning about mathematical functions like Addition, Subtraction, BODMAS, and so on. And all of a sudden from class 8 onwards or so, mathematics had alphabets and letters! And so our introduction to algebra began. Today, we will focus on algebra formulas and algebraic expressions.

Algebra includes both numbers and letters. Numbers are fixed, i.e. their value is known. Letters or alphabets that are used to represent the unknown quantities in the algebra formula are now a combination of numbers, letters, factorials, matrices, etc are used to form an equation or formula. This is essential for the methodology for algebra.

Algebra in Everyday Life

Almost every student exclaims that ” ‘I’m never going to use this maths in real life!” while solving algebraic equations. Isn’t it? We often tend to see people using algebra in most aspects of daily life. For example, the people in the market make use of algebraic operations to calculate profit and loss incurred in their business. There are many real-life examples of algebra that are uncountable. This precise and concise mathematical language entwines in such a beautiful way with almost all other subjects and even in daily life.

Examples of Algebra

• Professional Advancement – In whatever field you wish to strive ahead in the future algebra is going to be right there with you. When a student goes from school to college the chances are that algebra will find a way in whatever subject a student opts for. Most of the time it happens that physical and chemical sciences employ the basics of algebraic equations. If you go on to see in the case of computer science the algorithms are based on algebraic operations only.
• Morning Routine – Right from the time when a person wakes up in the morning, algebra comes into play. Take for example, when a person has a meeting in the morning, what is that person likely to do? He/she will set up an alarm for waking up in the morning to get ready and assemble all the essential documents. The person knowingly or unknowingly makes use of algebra.
• Making it to the trash can – How do you think that you made a perfect shot at the trash can? You actually applied algebra in that case as well. When you are aiming at the trash can, you unconsciously calculate the distance between yourself and the trash can.
• Sports – Did you know that Algebra does not even leave behind sports to make use of it. If you look closely the players of almost all the sports unintentionally apply algebra. The cricketers are able to hit sixes only because they are able to calculate the force required to hit the ball and the basketball players calculate the trajectory to score a point.

Algebraic Expressions – Definition

The combination of the constants and the variables connected by some or all of the four fundamental operations addition (+), subtraction (–), multiplication (×), and division (÷) is known as an algebraic expression.

An algebraic expression can have both variables and constants. There are three types of algebraic expressions: Monomial Expression, Binomial Expression, and Polynomial Expression.

Terms of Algebraic Expressions

In an algebraic expression, a term consists of 

(i) only constant 

(ii) only one variable

(iii) product of two or more variables

(iv) a product of both the variable (s) 

(v) the constant part

 The terms may be positive or negative.

Types of Algebraic Expressions

The 3 main types of algebraic expressions are:

(i) It is based on the number of the terms they contain.

(ii) It is also based on the highest degree of the terms.

(iii) Based on the number of variables that it contains.

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