Algebrator a System for Learning Algebra
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Algebrator _________________________ a system for learning algebra on a computer Contents _________________________________________________________ CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................1 WHAT IS ALGEBRATOR ?.....................................................................................................3 INSTALLING ALGEBRATOR ON YOUR COMPUTER ................................................................4 System Requirements ......................................................................................................4 Installation......................................................................................................................4 Miscellaneous files .........................................................................................................6 TYPOGRAPHICAL CONVENTIONS .........................................................................................7 CHAPTER 2 : GETTING STARTED............................................................................9 BASIC WORKSPACE EXPRESSION MANIPULATION.............................................................11 SOLVING EQUATIONS, INEQUALITIES AND GRAPHING.......................................................19 SOLVING SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS, AND GRAPHING .........................................................27 CHAPTER 3 : ADVANCED FEATURES ...................................................................39 USING VISIBILITY AND DOMAIN OPTIONS.........................................................................41 OTHER MODES OF PROBLEM SOLUTION ............................................................................49 CHAPTER 4 : TEACHER’S TOOLS..........................................................................57 CREATING DOCUMENTS AND WORKBOOKS.......................................................................59 GENERATING PROBLEMS AND DOCUMENTS ......................................................................67 CHANGING SUPERVISOR OPTIONS .....................................................................................73 CHAPTER 5 : COMMAND REFERENCE.................................................................79 WORKING WITH FILES ......................................................................................................81 Opening an Expression File .........................................................................................81 Saving Workspace.........................................................................................................81 Saving Workspace under a Different Name..................................................................82 Printing in Algebrator ..................................................................................................82 Setting Printer Options.................................................................................................85 Exiting Algebrator ........................................................................................................85 I Contents BASIC WORKSPACE MANIPULATIONS ................................................................................86 Creating an Algebraic Expression................................................................................86 Editing an Algebraic Expression ..................................................................................86 Displaying an Expression.............................................................................................87 Deleting an Expression.................................................................................................87 Deleting All Workspace Expressions............................................................................87 Generating Algebraic Expressions from a Template....................................................87 SIMPLIFYING EXPRESSIONS ...............................................................................................88 Showing Next Simplification Step.................................................................................88 Showing Simplification Result ......................................................................................88 Selecting Simplification Transformation ......................................................................89 Combining Like Terms..................................................................................................89 Combining Like Factors ...............................................................................................89 Multiplying Powers.......................................................................................................89 Distributing a Power ....................................................................................................89 Adding Fractions ..........................................................................................................90 Multiplying Fractions...................................................................................................90 Dividing Fractions........................................................................................................90 Reducing a Fraction .....................................................................................................90 Rationalizing a Denominator .......................................................................................90 Performing One Factoring Step ...................................................................................92 Complete Factoring......................................................................................................92 Expanding a Term ........................................................................................................92 Eliminating Parenthesis ...............................................................................................92 Eliminating Special Cases ............................................................................................93 Reducing Order of a Radical........................................................................................93 Eliminating Negative Exponents...................................................................................93 Making a Base Positive ................................................................................................93 Making a Numerator or a Denominator Positive .........................................................93 Converting a Decimal Number into a Fraction............................................................94 Converting a Fraction into a Decimal Number............................................................94 Converting Radical Expression into Exponential Expression ......................................94 Converting Exponential Expression into a Radical Expression ...................................94 Rewriting an Expression in a Common Form...............................................................95 Evaluating an Expression.............................................................................................95 Simplifying a Subexpression.........................................................................................95 Finding the Greatest Common Factor..........................................................................95 Finding the Least Common Multiple ............................................................................95 Manipulating an Expression.........................................................................................96 Checking a Manipulation .............................................................................................96 SOLVING EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES..........................................................................97 Showing Next Solution Step..........................................................................................97 Showing the Solution ....................................................................................................98 Checking the Solution...................................................................................................98 Selecting Solution Transformation ...............................................................................98 Adding an Expression to Both Sides of an Equation or Inequality...............................99 Subtracting Common Terms from Both Sides of an Equation or Inequality.................99 Subtracting an Expression from both sides of an Equation or Inequality ....................99 Multiplying Both Sides of an Equation or Inequality by LCD......................................99 Multiplying Both Sides of an Equation or Inequality by an Expression .......................99 Dividing Both Sides of an Equation or Inequality by Common Factors.....................100 Dividing Both Sides of an Equation or Inequality by the Variable’s Coefficient........100 Dividing Both Sides of an Equation or Inequality by an Expression..........................100 Exponentiating Both Sides of an Equation or Inequality by a Power.........................100 Making Bases Equal in an Exponential Equation ......................................................100 Using Quadratic Formula to Solve an Equation ........................................................101 Creating Linear Equations / Inequalities from Higher Order Equation / Inequality .101 Switching Left and Right Side of an Equation or Inequality.......................................101