Chapter 2: Manipulating Functions
Contents
Chapter Contents
| # | Name | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simplifying Functions | Provides an overview on simplifying functions, equations and more. | View → |
| 2 | Factoring | Introduces the concept of factoring, used to simplify or sometimes solve functions. | View → |
| 3 | Distribution | Introduces a technique known as distribution, which is a helpful technique for modifying a function. | View → |
| 4 | Limits | Covers the concept of Limits | View → |
Overview
You may end up with a function that has a ton of extra stuff in its definition, and want to make it a bit simpler. Good news! There’s plenty of techniques to express the same model in simpler ways, using proven techniques like combining like terms, factoring, distribution and more. Let’s get started.
Conventions
Under construction!
There are two important conventions in algebra to know:
- In any given term, variables are ordered alphabetically.
- For instance, you would write: $x + y + z$, not $z + y + x$.
- In any given expression, terms are ordered from highest power to lowest power (or lowest power to highest power)
- For instance, you would write: $x^3 + x^2 + y^2 + xy + x + y$ or $x + y + xy + x^2 + y^2 + x^3$
- This “power” here is referred to as the term’s degree (a concept discussed in Polynomials).