Practice Algebra – set 1

Exercise 1.1
What are the variables, the coefficients and the constants in the following
expressions?
a 2
(a) 4x + 3y + 5 (b) 5k − 3n − 7 (c) −
2 3
Exercise 1.2
Complete the following tables, each of which represents a ‘think of a
number’ problem. Use brackets where appropriate.
(a)
Word expression Algebraic expression
Think of a number p
triple it
add 10
double the result
subtract 8
(b)
Word expression Algebraic expression
Think of a number
square it
multiply by 4
add twice the number you first thought of
add 8
(c)
Word expression Algebraic expression
Think of a number x
x−2
(x − 2)2
(x − 2)2 − 4x
(x − 2)2 − 4x + 4

Exercise 1.3
(a) Find the value of each of the following when a = 7.
(i) 4(a + 10) (ii) 4a + 10 (iii) a + 4 × 10
2
(b) Find the value of 3
(4 + 3q) when q = 45 .

Exercise 1.4
Simplify each of the following expressions as far as possible.
(a) 6B + 7B + 8B (b) 4x + 2 × 3x (c) 11y − 5y (d) 6A + 7A2
(e) x + 8x + 3x2 − 2x2 (f) x + 8x2 + 3x − 2x2 (g) −t + 12 t
(h) 2a − b2 + a + 2b2 + a

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Exercise 1.5
(a) Rearrange each of the following expressions as the sum or difference of
two fractions and simplify.
xy + yz x2 − 6 4ab − 2bc
(i) (ii) (iii)
xyz 2 2b
(b) Simplify each of the following expressions.
√
√ √ 6x 3x
(i) (x − 3)(x + 3) (ii) √ (iii) √
4x 3y

Exercise 1.6
Simplify each of the following expressions.
1 1 1 1 3x + 2 2x + 1
(a) + (b) + (c) 2 −
2 x x − 4 3x − 2 x +1 x+2
Exercise 1.7
In each of the following expressions multiply out the brackets and simplify.
3
(a) 5(2 + x) (b) x(a + b) (c) 4
(a − 4b)
(d) a(a − 2) + a(a + 2) (e) 2x(y − x + 3) + 3xy
(f) a(b − a) + b(b − a)

Exercise 1.8
Factorise each of the following expressions as completely as possible.
(Check your results by expanding them.)
(a) 4a2 − 12b (b) x2 + x (c) 4p2 + 4pq (d) 2πr − 2π
3π 3 2
(e) 12xy + 4xyz (f) 2
r − π
2
(g) 8x − x (h) 4x4 + 2x2

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Solutions to Exercises
Solution 1.1 Solution 1.5
(a) The variables are x and y. The coefficient of x is 1 1 x2
(a) (i) + (ii)
−3 (iii) 2a − c
4, the coefficient of y is 3, the constant is 5. z x 2
6x 6x √
(b) The variables are k and n. The coefficient of k is (b) (i) x2 − 3 (ii) √ = √ √ = 3 x
5, the coefficient of n is −3, the constant is −7. 4x 4 x
√ r
(c) The only variable is a. The coefficient of a is 12 , 3x 3x x
r
(iii) √ = =
the constant is − 32 . 3y 3y y

Solution 1.2 Solution 1.6

(a) 1 1 x 2 x+2
(a) + = + =
2 x 2x 2x 2x
Algebraic 1 1
Word expression expression (b) +
x − 4 3x − 2
Think of a number p 3x − 2 x−4
= +
(x − 4)(3x − 2) (x − 4)(3x − 2)
triple it 3p
3x − 2 + x − 4 4x − 6
= =
add 10 3p + 10 (x − 4)(3x − 2) (x − 4)(3x − 2)
double the result 6p + 20 3x + 2 2x + 1
(c) 2 −
x +1 x+2
subtract 8 6p + 12
(3x + 2)(x + 2) (x2 + 1)(2x + 1)
= 2 −
(b) (x + 1)(x + 2) (x2 + 1)(x + 2)
Algebraic (3x2 + 8x + 4) − (2x3 + x2 + 2x + 1)
Word expression expression =
(x2 + 1)(x + 2)
Think of a number x (or any other letter) 3x2 + 8x + 4 − 2x3 − x2 − 2x − 1
=
square it x2 (x2 + 1)(x + 2)
−2x3 + 2x2 + 6x + 3
multiply by 4 4x2 =
(x2 + 1)(x + 2)
add twice the number
you first thought of 4x2 + 2x Solution 1.7
add 8 4x2 + 2x + 8 (a) 5(2 + x) = 10 + 5x
(c) (b) x(a + b) = xa + xb = ax + bx
3
(c) 4 (a − 4b) = 34 a − 3
4 × 4b = 34 a − 3b
Algebraic
Word expression expression (d) a(a − 2) + a(a + 2) = a2 − 2a + a2 + 2a = 2a2
Think of a number x (e) 2x(y − x + 3) + 3xy = 2xy − 2x2 + 6x + 3xy
= −2x2 + 5xy + 6x
subtract 2 x−2
(f) a(b − a) + b(b − a) = ab − a2 + b2 − ba = −a2 + b2
square the result (x − 2)2 (ab is the same as ba.)
subtract 4 times the number Do not worry if your solutions do not look quite the
you first thought of (x − 2)2 − 4x same; yours are right if the coefficients (including the
add 4 (x − 2)2 − 4x + 4 signs) are correct even if you have the terms in a
different order.
Solution 1.3
Solution 1.8
(a) (i) 68 (ii) 38 (iii) 47
(a) 4(a2 − 3b) (b) x(x + 1) (c) 4p(p + q)
4
(b) 4 15
(d) 2π(r − 1) (e) 4xy(3 + z) (f) 2 (3r
π
− 1)
Solution 1.4 2 2 2
(g) x (8x − 1) (h) 2x (2x + 1)
(a) 21B (b) 10x (c) 6y
(d) This expression cannot be simplified.
(e) x2 + 9x (It is usual to put terms in power
order.)
(f) 6x2 + 4x (g) − 12 t (h) 4a + b2