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 · 15 questions

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.Solve 5x − 9 = 16
(a)1.4
(b)5
(c)25
(d)3.2
2.A sequence has nth term 3n + 4. Two terms are missing from the list of its first five terms: 7, 10, _, 16, _. Work out the missing 3rd and 5th terms added together.
(a)28
(b)38
(c)32
(d)33
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.Two expressions are 4(x + 3) and 4x + 3. A student checks whether they are equivalent by substituting x = 2. Which statement correctly interprets the result?
(a)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, so the two expressions are not equivalent, because the bracket means the 3 must be added before multiplying by 4.
(b)4(x + 3) = 11 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, since the bracket has no effect on the multiplication, so the two expressions are equivalent.
(c)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, but the two expressions are equivalent because both involve the same terms, 4x and 3.
(d)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, so the two expressions are not equivalent, but they would become equal for some larger value of x.
5.Write down the expression that means the same as 'subtract 5 from n, then divide the result by 2'.
(a)(n − 5)/2
(b)n/2 − 5
(c)2(n − 5)
(d)(5 − n)/2
6.The nth term of a sequence is n² + 3. Work out the first term of the sequence that is greater than 50.
(a)52
(b)67
(c)39
(d)17
7.Harry will spend at most £150 on a party. The cake costs £60 and each helium balloon costs £3. Solve an inequality to find all the possible numbers of balloons, x, that he can buy.
(a)x ≥ 30
(b)x ≤ 50
(c)x ≤ 90
(d)x ≤ 30
8.A person's body mass index is given by the formula B = m ÷ h², where m is the mass in kg and h is the height in metres. Work out B, to 1 decimal place, when m = 68 and h = 1.6.
(a)42.5
(b)2890.0
(c)26.6
(d)26.5
9.A straight line has gradient 3 and passes through the point (1, 4). Work out the equation of the line.
(a)y = x + 3
(b)y = 3x − 1
(c)y = 3x + 1
(d)y = 3x + 4
10.Which expression means the same as 3 × a × b?
(a)3ab
(b)3a + b
(c)3 + a + b
(d)a³b
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 x² − 5x + 6 = 0 by factorising.
(a)x = −2 or x = −3
(b)x = 1 or x = 6
(c)x = 2 or x = 3
(d)x = 5 or x = 6
13.Write down the coordinates of the point that is 4 units to the left of the origin and 7 units up.
(a)(−4, −7)
(b)(7, −4)
(c)(−4, 7)
(d)(4, 7)
14.Which of these equations is equivalent to 5x − 2 = 3x + 8?
(a)8x = 6
(b)2x = 6
(c)2x = −10
(d)2x = 10
15.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.

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