Algebra
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Algebra is a branch of mathematics.
Ordinary arithmetic deals with specific numbers, treated individually: 4 + 7 = 11.
Algebra uses letters that stand for numbers. For example,
x + y = 11
By using letters, algebra can go beyond individual number facts and express general relationships between sets of numbers. Thus, the equation above represents every pair of numbers that add up to 11:
- x could be 4 and y could be 7
- x could be 5 and y could be 6
- x could be 10 and y could be 1.