Algebra worksheet — GCSE Foundation

1.Work out the value of 4p² − 3 when p = 2.5

2.A car's speed-time graph shows the following: its speed increases steadily from 0 m/s to 20 m/s over the first 10 seconds, then stays constant at 20 m/s for the next 15 seconds. Work out the total distance travelled in the first 25 seconds.

3.A rectangle has width x cm. Its length is 3 cm more than its width. The perimeter of the rectangle is 38 cm. Form an equation and solve it to find x.

4.A rectangular photo has length (x + 3) cm and width x cm. Its area is 40 cm². Work out the value of x.

5.A number, n, is tripled and then 4.5 is added. The result is 22.5. Form an equation and solve it to find n.

6.The formula for converting a distance in miles, m, to kilometres, k, is k = 8m ÷ 5. Work out k when m = 10.

7.A runner's journey is shown on a distance-time graph: she runs 8 km in the first hour, rests for 30 minutes with no distance gained, then runs a further 4 km in the next 30 minutes. Work out her average speed for the whole journey, in kilometres per hour.

8.A colony of bacteria doubles in number every hour. At 9am there are 5 bacteria in the colony. Work out how many bacteria there will be at 12 noon.

9.A ball is thrown in the air. Its height, h metres, above the ground after t seconds is given in this table: when t = 0, h = 0; when t = 1, h = 15; when t = 2, h = 20; when t = 3, h = 15; when t = 4, h = 0. Use the table to find the two times, in seconds, at which the ball is at ground level.

10.The diagram shows a distance–time graph for a cyclist travelling at a constant speed, for the first 6 minutes of a journey. Distance is in kilometres and time is in minutes. Work out how far the cyclist would travel in 20 minutes at the same speed.

11.Solve 2x² − 32 = 0.

12.A cafe sells coffees at £c each and pastries at £p each. Three coffees and two pastries cost £9.60. Two coffees and two pastries cost £7.60. Work out the price of one coffee.

13.The graph of t = 240 ÷ s shows how the time, t hours, taken for a car journey of 240 miles depends on its average speed, s mph. Use the relationship to work out the time taken when the average speed is 48 mph.

14.Four sequences are shown below. Sequence P: 4, 8, 16, 32, ... Sequence Q: 4, 8, 12, 16, ... Sequence R: 4, 7, 12, 19, ... Sequence S: 4, 9, 16, 25, ... Work out which of the sequences P, Q, R and S is geometric.

15.A hiker's distance-time graph shows the following: he walks 5 km in the first 1 hour at a steady speed, rests for 1 hour, then walks a further 9 km in the next 2 hours, also at a steady speed. Work out his average speed for the whole journey, in km/h.