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

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1.x = 5. Work out the value of 3x² − 4.
(a)221
(b)75
(c)71
(d)3
2.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
3.A fundraising chain letter starts with 3 people taking part in round 1. Each following round has 4 times as many people taking part as the round before. Work out the number of people taking part in round 4.
(a)39
(b)192
(c)768
(d)256
4.On Monday, a runner covers 15 km in 2.5 hours. On Tuesday, she covers 12 km in 1.5 hours. Using the formula speed = distance ÷ time, work out on which day she ran faster, and by how much.
(a)Tuesday, by 2 km/h
(b)Tuesday, by 8 km/h
(c)Tuesday, by 3 km/h
(d)Monday, by 2 km/h
5.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.
6.Solve 3x − 5 = 4.
(a)9
(b)−1/3
(c)6
(d)3
7.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
8.Solve 6x − 5 = 3x + 13.
(a)18
(b)2
(c)2.67
(d)6
9.A lift has a weight limit: it must carry no more than 630 kg. Let w be the total weight, in kg, carried by the lift. Which inequality describes this?
(a)w < 630
(b)w ≥ 630
(c)w > 630
(d)w ≤ 630
10.Solve 2x + 7 = x + 13
(a)x = 2
(b)x = 20
(c)x = −6
(d)x = 6
11.Two brothers have ages that add up to 30. The elder brother is 6 years older than the younger brother. Work out the age of the younger brother.
(a)24
(b)18
(c)15
(d)12
12.A straight line has equation y = 5x. Work out the value of y when x = 3.
y = 5x
(a)8
(b)3
(c)−15
(d)15
13.A plumber charges a call-out fee plus an hourly rate for a job. The total cost, £C, for a job lasting h hours is given by the formula C = 40 + 25h. What does the number 40 represent in this formula?
(a)The total cost for a job lasting 1 hour.
(b)The hourly rate the plumber charges.
(c)The number of hours worked before charging starts.
(d)The fixed call-out fee, charged before the hourly rate.
14.A rectangular field has length (3a + 2) metres and width (a − 1) metres. Write a simplified expression for the perimeter of the field.
(a)12a + 8
(b)8a + 6
(c)8a + 2
(d)5a
15.A triangle has vertices at (1, 1), (1, 5) and (6, 1). Work out the area of the triangle.
(a)20
(b)15
(c)5
(d)10

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