Ask Dr. Math

High School Archive

Browse High School Basic Algebra
Stars indicate particularly interesting answers or good places to begin browsing.

Selected answers to common questions:
    Solving simple linear equations.
    Positive/negative integer rules.
    Mixture problems.
    Quadratic equations.
    Absolute value.
    Completing the square.
    Direct and indirect variation.
    Inequalities and negative numbers.

---

What are the solutions to x^4+9 = 0 ? [03/31/2003]

How to work with complex numbers when the root is higher than two?

What Does It Mean to Distribute [08/25/2007]

I understand the basics of the distributive property, but I'm confused about what the 'over' means, like in the distributive property of multiplication over addition or over subtraction.

What is a Partial Fraction? [01/08/1999]

What do partial fractions have to do with polynomials?

What is the Purpose of a Matrix? [11/04/2003]

What is the purpose of a matrix?

What's the Second Part? [3/21/1995]

If x = root3 + root2, show that x^4 - 10x^2 +1 = 0. Hence prove that root3 + root2 is irrational.

What Time Did Ajay Start? [08/06/2003]

Three persons, Ajay, Bhanu, and Chandu, plan to travel from P and reach Q at 4.00 PM...

What We're Doing When We Do Algebra [03/25/2002]

How do you graph x + y = 5 on a graph sheet?

When FOIL Fails [03/22/2001]

Find the product - (2c-3)3rd power. I can do FOIL on a question to the second power, but I cannot figure out how to do a question to the third power.

When Hands of a Clock Meet [8/29/1996]

To the nearest second, what is the first time after 12:00 that the hour hand and the minute hand of a clock are together?

Who Picked the Most? [09/12/1998]

Arrange the names of the people in the order of the number of peaches that each picked, starting with the person who picked the most.

Who Will Win the Race? [01/14/1998]

Harry runs 3/4 mile every 6 minutes and Tortisha runs 1/2 mile every 5 minutes. Harry says, "I'll give you a 2 mile head start and still beat you in the race."

Why Algebraic Expressions with Parentheses? [03/18/2003]

How would you write these algebraic expressions without parentheses? -(2x-3y-6) and -(5x-13y-1).

Why Does Long Division Work? [12/22/2006]

I'm curious why the standard long division algorithm works. How do all the "bringing down" and other steps lead to the right answer?

Why Does the Order of Square/Square Root Matter? [8/28/1996]

Why does the square root of x^2 equal absolute value of x, but the square of the square root of x equals just plain old x?

Why Do I Have to Learn This? [05/03/2004]

When, in the real world, would I have to find the roots of a quadratic equation?

Why Do We Have the Order of Operations? [03/05/2006]

Why do we have the order of operations? Why can't we just calculate from left to right? That seems much easier and more logical to me.

Why Do We Use Variables in Algebra? [01/31/2004]

Why do we use letters to represent numbers in algebra?

Why Factor? [08/18/2001]

I've been explained the how's, the where's, the what's, but not the WHY. What is the practical use of factoring?

Why Flip the Inequality Sign? [10/26/2001]

Please tell me why you flip the inequality sign when dividing by a negative number.

Why FOIL? [11/21/2002]

How can I explain to the class the importance of learning FOIL?

Why Some Solutions to Absolute Value Equations are False [10/24/2004]

When solving equations involving absolute value, you sometimes get an answer that doesn't check in the original equation. What is it about absolute value that makes this happen?

Why Use n for Any Number? [09/28/2002]

Why do people use n when any number can fit in or when they want to indicate position?

Width and Area of a Field [8/22/1996]

Find a quadratic equation that relates the area of a field to its width.

Wind Chill Formula [2/1/1996]

Could you tell us the formula used for finding the wind chill?

Word Problem Regarding Time and Distance [05/30/2002]

A train is going through a tunnel that is 650 feet long. The train is traveling 100 feet per second. The train enters the tunnel on one end. Twenty-six seconds later the last car exits the other end of the tunnel. How long is the train?

Working with Quadratic Roots [08/15/2002]

Given that a and b are the roots of the quadratic equation x^-5x+3=0, form, without solving the equation, the quadratic equation whose roots are a/b and b/a.

x^3 + y^3 [10/17/2002]

Given: x + y = 1, x^2 + y^2 = 4; x^3 + y^3 = ?

Young's Formula [08/21/1999]

Calculating a child's dose of medicine based on the adult dose.

Zero Product Property [02/14/1998]

How do you find the answer to a zero product property question?

Page: [<prev]  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18