Elementary algebra

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Elementary algebra is the most basic form of algebra taught to students. It is often one of the next areas of mathematics taught to students after arithmetic. While in arithmetic only numbers and operators like +, −, ×, and ÷ occur; in algebra, you use symbols (like a, x, y) to stand for numbers. This is useful because:

  • It lets you solve problems about "unknown" numbers. This means learning about equations and how to solve them (for example, "find a number x where 3x + 1 = 10").
  • It allows the generalization of the rules from arithmetic (for example a + b = b + a for all a and b). This makes algebra a good step to learning about abstraction (learning general ideas from many examples).
  • It helps you understand and create functional relationships (also sometimes called cause and effect). An example of this is "if you sell x tickets, then your profit will be 3x − 10 dollars".

These three are the main strands of elementary algebra. Elementary algebra is often used in many other subjects, like science, business, and building. Abstract algebra, a much more advanced topic, is generally taught late in college.

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