Printable · GCSE Foundation · ages 14-16

Algebra worksheet — GCSE Foundation

Fifteen questions across the algebra statements at Foundation tier. Choose the non-calculator filter to rehearse Paper 1, which counts for a third of the marks.

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Algebra worksheet — GCSE Foundation

Maths · GCSE Foundation · Algebra · Non-calculator · 15 questions

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1.A student says that 5(x + 2) is equivalent to 5x + 2. Which statement explains why the student is wrong?
(a)Addition must always be done before multiplication, so 5(x + 2) equals 5x + 10 only when x = 0.
(b)The bracket must be worked out first using a value of x, so the two expressions can only be compared once x is known.
(c)The 5 must multiply both terms inside the bracket, so 5(x + 2) expands to 5x + 10, which is never equal to 5x + 2 for any value of x.
(d)5(x + 2) means 5 × x + 2, so the student's answer of 5x + 2 is actually correct.
2.The diagram shows the graph of a quadratic function. Which equation could it represent?
(a) $y = x^{2} - x - 6$
(b) $y = x^{2} - x - 2$
(c) $y = x^{2} + 2 x - 3$
(d) $y = x^{2} - 2 x - 3$
3.The graph of y = x² − 2x − 8 takes these values: when x = −2, y = 0; when x = −1, y = −5; when x = 0, y = −8; when x = 3, y = −5; when x = 4, y = 0. Use these values to write down the two solutions of x² − 2x − 8 = 0.
y = x² − 2x − 8
(a)x = −2
(b)x = −1 or x = 3
(c)x = −2 or x = 4
(d)x = 0 or x = −8
4.A sequence has the position-to-term rule: the nth term is 3n. Write down the first four terms of the sequence.
(a)0, 3, 6, 9
(b)3, 6, 9, 12
(c)4, 5, 6, 7
(d)3, 9, 27, 81
5.Solve the inequality 3x + 6 ≤ 0.
(a)x ≤ 2
(b)x ≤ −2
(c)x ≥ −2
(d)x ≤ −18
6.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.
(a)9.5
(b)8
(c)17.5
(d)4.75
7.A company's profit was £2000 in its first year. Each following year, the profit increases by £800. Work out the first year in which the profit is more than £7000.
(a)9
(b)6
(c)7
(d)8
8.Write down the gradient of the line with equation y = 7x − 2.
y = 7x − 2
(a)−7
(b)7
(c)2
(d)−2
9.Write down the first four terms of the sequence with nth term 6n − 5.
(a)0, 6, 12, 18
(b)6, 12, 18, 24
(c)1, 7, 13, 19
(d)5, 11, 17, 23
10.The formula for the profit, £P, made on an item is P = S − C, where S is the selling price and C is the cost price. Make S the subject of the formula.
(a)S = PC
(b)S = P − C
(c)S = P + C
(d)S = C − P
11.A graph has equation y = x² − 6x + 5. A student says its turning point has x-coordinate 6, because that's the coefficient of x. Which statement corrects the student's mistake?
y = x² − 6x + 5
(a)The student is correct, because the turning point's x-coordinate always equals the coefficient of x.
(b)The turning point has x-coordinate −6, because the sign of the coefficient must be reversed.
(c)The turning point has x-coordinate 5, because that is the larger of the equation's two roots.
(d)The roots of x² − 6x + 5 = 0 are x = 1 and x = 5 (since it factorises to (x − 1)(x − 5)), so by symmetry the turning point has x-coordinate 3, not 6.
12.Solve x/4 + 1 = 3
(a)x = 16
(b)x = 8
(c)x = 0.5
(d)x = 2
13.A straight line has equation y = 4 − 3x. Work out the gradient of the line.
(a)4
(b)−4
(c)3
(d)−3
14.A geometric sequence begins 162, 54, 18, 6, ... Work out the next term in the sequence.
(a)2
(b)3
(c)−6
(d)18
15.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.
(a)12 km/h
(b)8 km/h
(c)6 km/h
(d)4 km/h

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