Algebra 2 Things to Remember!

Exponents:

x0 1
x m x n x m n
m

x
x mn
n
x

1
xm m
x
n m
( x ) x n m
n

x
x
n
y
y
n

( xy ) n x n y n
Factoring:
Look to see if there is a GCF (greatest
common factor) first. ab ac a (b c)

x 2 a 2 ( x a )( x a)
( x a) 2 x 2 2ax a 2
( x a) 2 x 2 2ax a 2
Factor by Grouping:

proportionality, k. Find k, and then proceed.

with advertising and inversely

with candy cost.

by 4, use remainder, solve.

ka
y
c

Logarithms
y log b x x b y
ln x log e x natural log

Properties of Logs:
log b b 1
log b 1 0

e = 2.71828

m
log b log b m log b n
n
log b (m r ) r log b m
Domain: log b x is x 0

(a bi ) conjugate (a bi )
(a bi )(a bi ) a 2 b 2

Change of base formula:

a bi a 2 b 2 absolute value=magnitude

log b a

Exponentials e x exp( x)
b x b y x y (b 0 and b 1)
If the bases are the same, set the
exponents equal and solve.
Solving exponential equations:
1. Isolate exponential expression.
2. Take log or ln of both sides.
3. Solve for the variable.

Variation: always involves the constant of

Direct variation: y kx
k
Inverse variation: y
x
Varies jointly: y kxj
Combo: Sales vary directly

Complex Numbers:
1 i
a i a ; a 0
2
14
i 1
i i 2 1 divide exponent

log x log10 x common log

log a
log b

Quadratic Equations: ax 2 bx c 0 (Set = 0.)

Solve by factoring, completing the square, quadratic formula.
b 2 4ac 0 two real unequal roots
2
b b 4ac
x
b 2 4ac 0 repeated real roots
2a
b 2 4ac 0 two complex roots

Square root property: If x 2 m, then x m

Completing the square:

x2 2 x 5 0

1. If other than one, divide by coefficient of x2

2. Move constant term to other side x 2 2 x 5
3. Take half of coefficient of x, square it, add to both sides
x2 2x 1 5 1

ln( x) and e x are inverse functions

ln e x x
eln x x
ln e 1
eln 4 4
2
e 2ln 3 eln 3 9

4. Factor perfect square on left side.

Absolute Value: a 0

Sum of roots: r1 r2

a; a 0
a
a; a 0
m b m b or m b
m b b m b

log b (mn) log b m log b n

( x 1) 2 6

5. Use square root property to solve and get two answers. x 1 6

b
c
Product of roots: r1 r2
a
a
2
Inequalities: x x 12 0 Change to =, factor, locate
critical points on number line, check each section.
(x + 4)(x - 3) = 0
x = -4; x = 3

m b m b or m b

ANSWER: -4 < x < 3 or [-4, 3] (in interval notation)

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Radicals: Remember to use fractional exponents.

a

xx

an a

1
a

m
n

x n xm
n

ab n a n b

x
n

a na

b nb

Simplify: look for perfect powers.

x12 y17 x12 y16 y x 6 y 8 y

72 x 9 y 8 z 3 3 89 x 9 y 6 y 2 z 3 2 x3 y 2 z 3 9 y 2
Use conjugates to rationalize denominators:
5
2 3
10 5 3

10 5 3

2 3 2 3 42 3 2 3 9
Equations: isolate the radical; square both sides
to eliminate radical; combine; solve.
2 x 5 x 3 0 (2 x 3) 2 (5 x ) 2
3

4 x 2 12 x 9 25 x solve : x 9; x 1/ 4
CHECK ANSWERS. Answer only x = 9.

Functions: A function is a set of ordered pairs in which

each x-element has only ONE y-element associated with it.
Vertical Line Test: is this graph a function?
Domain: x-values used; Range: y-values used
Onto: all elements in B used.
1-to-1: no element in B used more than once.
Composition: ( f g )( x) f ( g ( x))
Inverse functions f & g: f ( g ( x)) g ( f ( x)) x
Horizontal line test: will inverse be a function?
Transformations:
f ( x) over x-axis; f ( x) over y-axis
f ( x a) horizontal shift; f ( x) a vertical shift
f (ax) stretch horizontal; af ( x) stretch vertical

Working with Rationals ( Fractions):

Simplify:
remember to look for a factoring of -1:
3 x 1 1( 3 x 1 )

1
1 3x
1 3x
Add: Get the common denominator.
Factor first if possible:
Multiply and Divide: Factor First
Rational Inequalities
x 2 2 x 15
0 The critical values
x2
from factoring the numerator are -3, 5.
The denominator is zero at x = 2.
Place on number line, and test sections.

Sequences
Arithmetic: an a1 (n 1)d
n(a1 an )
Sn
2
n 1
Geometric: an a1 r

a1 (1 r n )
1 r
Recursive: Example:
a1 4; an 2an 1
Sn

Binomial Theorem:
n
n
(a b) n a n k b k
k 0 k

Solving Rational Equations:

Get rid of the denominators by mult. all terms by
common denominator.
22
3
2

2
2x 9x 5 2x 1 x 5
multiply all by 2 x 2 9 x 5 and get
22 3( x 5) 2(2 x 1)

22 3x 15 4 x 2
37 3x 4 x 2
35 7 x
5 x
Great! But the only problem is that
x = 5 does not CHECK!!!! There is no solution.
Extraneous root.
Motto: Always CHECK ANSWERS.

Equations of Circles: x 2 y 2 r 2 center origin

( x h) 2 ( y k ) 2 r 2 center at (h,k)
x 2 y 2 Cx Dy E 0 general form
Complex Fractions:
Remember that the fraction bar means divide:
Method 1: Get common denominator top and bottom
2 4 2 4x
1

2
x2 x x2 2 4 x 4 x 2 2 4 x x
1
4 2
4x 2
x2
x2
4x 2
x2
2
x x
x2
Method 2: Mult. all terms by common denominator for
all.
2 4
2
4
x2 2 x2

2
x
x
x
x 2 4 x 1
4 2
4
2
4x 2
2
x2 x2 2
x x
x
x

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Trigonometry
Things to Remember!

Radians and Degrees

Arc Length of a Circle = r (in radians)

Change to degrees multiply by

Special Right Triangles

Quadrantal angles 0, 90, 180, 270

Change to radians multiply by

180
180

CoFunctions: examples
sin cos(90 ) ; tan cot(90 )

30-60-90 triangle
side opposite 30 = hypotenuse
side opposite 60 = hypotenuse

45-45-90 triangle

Inverse notation:
arcsin(x) = sin-1(x)
arccos(x) = cos-1(x)
arctan(x) = tan-1(x)

Trig Functions
o
a
o
sin ; cos ; tan
h
h
a
h
h
a
csc ; sec ; cot
o
a
o
Reciprocal Functions
1
1
1
sin
; cos
; tan
csc
sec
cot
1
1
1
csc
; sec
; cot
sin
cos
tan

tan

sin
cos

Trig Graphs
sin x

hypotenuse = leg 2
leg = hypotenuse 2

Law of Sines: uses 2 sides and 2 angles

sin A sin B sin C

Has an ambiguous case.

a
b
c

cot

cos
sin
cos x

sinusoidal curve = any curve expressed as

y = A sin(B(x C)) + D

Law of Cosines: uses 3 sides and 1 angle

c 2 a 2 b 2 2ab cos C

amplitude (A) = | max min| (think height)

Area of triangle: A = ab sin C

Area of parallelogram: A = ab sin C

period = horizontal length of 1 complete cycle

Pythagorean Identities:
sin 2 cos 2 1 tan 2 1 sec 2
1 cot 2 csc2

horizontal shift (C) movement left/right

frequency (B) = number of cycles in 2 (period)

vertical shift (D) movement up/down

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Statistics and Probability

Things to Remember!

Normal Distribution and Standard Deviation

Statistics:
x1 x2 ... xn 1 n
xi
n
n i 1
median = middle number in ordered data
mode = value occurring most often
mean x

range = difference between largest and smallest

mean absolute deviation (MAD):
1 n
population MAD xi x
n i 1
variance:

population variance ( x) 2

1
2
xi x

n i 1

standard deviation:
population standard deviation =

1 n
2
xi x

n i 1

Empirical Probability
# of times event E occurs
P( E )
total # of observed occurrences
Binomial Probability
r
nr
exactly r times
n Cr p q

n
or p r (1 p ) n r
r
[TI Calculator: binompdf(n, p, r)]

When computing "at least" and "at most"

probabilities, it is necessary to consider, in
addition to the given probability,
all probabilities larger than the given
probability ("at least")
[TI Calculator: 1 binomcdf(n, p, r-1)]

Sx = sample standard deviation

x = population standard deviation

Probability
Permutation: without replacement
and order matters
n!
n Pr
(n r )!
Combination: without replacement
and order does not matter
n n Pr
n!

n Cr
r r ! r !(n r )!

all probabilities smaller than the given

probability ("at most")
[TI Calculator: binomcdf(n, p, r)]

Theoretical Probability
n( E )
# of outcomes in E
P( E )

n( S ) total # of outcomes in S

P(A and B) = P(A)P(B)

for independent events
P(A and B) = P(A)P(B| A)
for dependent events
P(A ) = 1 P(A)
P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) P(A and B)
for not mutually exclusive
P(A or B) = P(A) + P(B)
for mutually exclusive
P ( B | A)

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P( A and B)
(conditional)
P( A)