2 Algebra Review
2.1 Overview
Algebra, arthmetic, and probability are underlying frameworks for statistics. The following elements of algebra are particularly important:
Understanding symbols as variables, and what they can stand for
Factoring out common terms:
Factoring out negation of a series of added terms:
Simplification of fractions
Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of fractions
Exponentiation with both fractional and whole number exponents
Re-writing exponentials of sums:
Logarithms
- log to the base
of = is the number such that - When
, the base of the natural log, is often written as or just
- log to the base
Anti-logarithms: anti-log to the base
of is- The natural anti-logarithm is
, often often written as - Anti-log is the inverse function of log; it ‘undoes’ a log
- The natural anti-logarithm is
Understanding functions in general, including
andUnderstanding indicator variables such as
which can be thought of as true if , false otherwise, or 1 if , 0 otherwise is if , 0 otherwise if and , if and or are algebraic ways of saying to ignore something if a condition is not met
Quadratic equations
Graphing equations Once you get to multiple regression, some elements of vectors/linear algebra are helpful, for example the vector or dot product, also called the inner product:
Let
stand for a vector of quantities (e.g., the values of variables for an animal such as age, blood pressure, etc.)Let
stand for another vector of quantities (e.g., weights / regression coefficients / slopes)Then
is shorthand for might represent a predicted value in multiple regression, and is known then as the linear predictor
2.2 Some Resources
2.3 Algebra Prequisites
Students should have a good command of college algebra. Specifically, you should have mastered variables, functions, grouped expressions, algebraic fractions, polynomials, exponents, logarithms, and uses of the mathematical constant
Topic | Unit Numbers |
---|---|
Division of polynomials | 17 |
Factoring polynomials | 18 |
Solving second degree equations-quadratic formula | 22 |
Solving third-degree and higher equations | 23 |
Solving systems of equations | 26-27 |
Solving inequalities-second-degree | 29 |
Right triangles | 31 |
The topics to study, and corresponding unit numbers in Bleau’s book (second edition, may need to be updated for the third edition), are as follows.
Topic | Unit Numbers |
---|---|
Signed Numbers | 1 |
Grouping Symbols and Simplifying Expressions | 2 |
Solving First-Degree Equations | 3 |
Removing Multiple Grouping Symbols; Solving 1st-Degree Eq. | 4 |
Fraction Equations | 5 |
Literal Equations | 6 |
Applied Problems | 7 |
Positive Integral Exponents | 8 |
Negative Exponents | 9 |
Division of Powers | 10 |
Addition and Subtraction of Fractions | 11 |
Multiplication and Division of Fractions | 12 |
Fractional Exponents | 13 |
Simplifying Expressions with Fractional Exponents | 14 |
Additional Practice with Exponents | 15 |
Multiplication of Monomials and Polynomials | 16 |
Factoring Special Binomials | 19-20 |
Factoring to Solve 2nd Degree Equations | 21 |
Graphing Linear Equations in Two Variables | 24 |
Graphing Quadratic Equations in Two Variables | 25 |
Solving First-Degree Inequalities | 28 |
Logarithms | 30 |
Note that in statistics one most often uses logarithms to the base
A more comprehensive but much more expensive book we also recommend is Intermediate Algebra by Alan Tussy and R. David Gustafson, Pacific Grove CA, Brooks/Cole, 1999.