# Unit 1: Essential Skills
## Simple Arithmetics
### Addition / Subtraction
| Expression | Equivalent|
|:----------:|:---------:|
| a + b | a + b |
| (-a) + b | b - a |
| a + (-b) | a - b |
| (-a) + (-b) | -(a + b) |
| a - b | a - b|
| a - (-b) | a + b |
| (-a) -(-b) | (-a) + b|
### Multiplication / Division
| Signs | Outcome |
|:-----:|:-------:|
| a * b | Positive |
| (-a) * b | Negative |
| a * (-b) | Negative |
| (-a) * (-b) | Positive |
### BEDMAS / PEMDAS
- Follow ```BEDMAS``` for order of operations if there are more than one operation
| Letter | Meaning |
|:------:|:-------:|
| B / P | Bracket / Parentheses |
| E | Exponent |
| D | Divison |
| M | Multiplication |
| A | Addition |
| S | Subtraction |
-
## Interval Notation
- A notation that represents an interval as a pair of numbers.
- The numbers in the interval represent the endpoint. E.g. **[x > 3, x ∈ R]**
- ```|``` means ```such that```
- ```E``` or ∈ means ```element of```
- ```N``` represents **Natural Numbers** $`N = \{x | x \gt 0, x \isin \mathbb{Z} \}`$
- ```W``` represents **Whole Numbers** $`W = \{x | x \ge 0, x \isin \mathbb{Z}\}`$
- ```Z``` represents **Integers** $`Z = \{x| -\infin \le x \le \infin, x \isin \mathbb{Z}\}`$
- ```Q``` represents **Rational Numbers** $`Q = \{ \frac{a}{b} |a, b \isin \mathbb{Z}, b \neq 0 \}`$
| Symbol | Meaning |
|:------:|:-------:|
| (a, b) | Between but not including ```a``` or ```b```, you also use this for ```∞``` |
| [a, b] | Inclusive |
| a ∪ b | Union (or) |
| a ∩ b | Intersection (and) |
## Pythgorean Theorem
- a and b are the two legs of the triangle or two sides that form a 90 degree angle of the triangle, c is the hypotenuse
- $`a^2+b^2=c^2`$
-
## Operations with Rationals
- $`Q = \{ \frac{a}{b} |a, b \isin \mathbb{Z}, b \neq 0 \}`$
- Any operations with rationals, there are 2 sets of rules
1. ```Rules for operations with integers```
2. ```Rules for operations with fractions```
- To Add / subtract rationals, find common denominator and then add / subtract numerator
- To Multiply rationals, first reduce the fraction to their lowest terms, then multiply numerators and denominators
- To Divide rationals, multiply them by the reciprocal
### Example Simplify Fully:
- $` \frac{3}{4} \div \frac{2}{14} `$ Reduce to lowest terms
- $` \frac{3}{4} \div \frac{1}{7} `$ Multiple by reciprocal
- $` \frac{3}{4} \times 7 `$
- $` = \frac{21}{4}`$ Leave as improper fraction
### Shortcut for multiplying fractions
- cross divide to keep your numbers small
- Example:
- $` \frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{12} `$
- $` \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{4} `$
- $` = \frac{1}{8} `$
## Exponent Laws
| Rule | Description| Example |
|:----:|:----------:|:-------:|
|Product|am × an = an+m|23 × 22 = 25|
|Quotient|am ÷ an = an-m|34 ÷ 32 = 32|
|Power of a Power|(am)n = amn|(23)2 = 26|
|Power of a Quotient| = | = |
|Zero as Exponents|a0 = 1|210 = 1|
|Negative Exponents|a-m = |1-10 = |
|Rational Exponents|an/m = | = |
**Note:**
- Exponential Form --> Expanded Form
- 64 = 6 × 6 × 6 × 6
## Scientific Notation
- They convey accuracy and precision. It can either be written as its original number or in scientific notation:
- 555 (**Exact**) or $`5.55 \times 10^2`$ (**3 significant figures**).
- In scientific notation, values are written in the form $`a(10^n)`$, where $`a`$ is a number within 1 and 10 and $`n`$ is any integer.
- Some examples include the following: $`5.4 \times 10^3, 3.0 \times 10^2`$, and $`4.56 \times 10^{-4}`$.
- When the number is smaller than 1, a negative exponent is used, when the number is bigger than 10, a positve exponent is used
-
- **Remember**: For scientific notation, round to ```3 significant``` digits
## Rates, Ratio and Percent
- ```Ratio```: A comparison of quantities with the same unit. These are to be reduced to lowest terms.
- Examples: ```a:b, a:b:c, a/b, a to b ```
- ```Rates```: A comparison of quantities expressed in different units.
- Example: ```10km/hour```
- ```Percent```: A fraction or ratio in which the denominator is 100
- Examples: ```50%, 240/100```
## Number Lines
- a line that goes from a point to another point, a way to visualize set notations and the like
-
- A solid filled dot is used for ```[]``` and a empty dot is used for ```()```
## Tips
- Watch out for the ```+/-``` signs
- Make sure to review your knowledge of the exponent laws
- For scientific notation, watch out for the decimal point
- Use shortcut when multiplying fractions