Algebraic Notation (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE International Maths)

Revision Note

Written by: Mark Curtis

Reviewed by: Dan Finlay

Algebra is a topic in mathematics that uses letters to represent general (or unknown) numbers
- x and y are two unknown numbers
  - More information is needed to find their values
Letters are also called variables

Writing mathematical ideas in letters is called using algebraic notation
You can use + and – to mean add and subtract
- a + b
  c + d – e
However no symbol is used for multiplication
- ab (means a × b)
  3ab (means 3 × a × b)
Fractions are used for division
- $\frac{a}{b}$ (means a ÷ b)
You can combine the ideas above
- $a b + \frac{c}{3}$ (means a×b + c÷3)
- The order of operations for numbers still works
  - work out a×b and c÷d before adding them together
Powers (indices) and roots are the same as with numbers
- a² means a × a
  4a² means 4 × a²
  - With the order of operations, a² happens before multiplying by 4
- $\sqrt{a}$ means the square root of $a$
Brackets work in the same way as they do with numbers
- $3 (a + b)$ means $3 \times (a + b)$
  - Add the a and b first, then multiply the result by 3

Raheem is playing a game and starts with q points.
He then earns a further 6 points.

(a) Use algebra to write down the total number of points that Raheem has.

Raheem has q + 6 points

The game then decides to doubles his total number of points.

(b) Use algebra to write down the number of points that Raheem now has.

Raheem has 2(q + 6) points

Last updated: 1 July 2024

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