Algebra worksheet — GCSE Higher

1.The point (9, 12) lies on the circle x² + y² = 225, which has centre (0, 0). The tangent to the circle at (9, 12) crosses the x-axis at the point P. Work out the x-coordinate of P.

2.Find the common ratio of the geometric sequence 5, 5√2, 10, 10√2, ... Give your answer in surd form.

3.Solve 4(x − 3) = 2x + 6.

4.A candle is 30 cm tall and burns down at a steady rate of 1 cm per hour. Write down the function for the height of the candle y, in centimetres, after x hours.

5.A point has coordinates (x, y), where x + y = 0 and x is not 0. In which two quadrants could this point lie?

6.Factorise fully 12x² + 18x.

7.The point (5, −12) lies on the circle x² + y² = 169, which has centre (0, 0). Work out the equation of the tangent to the circle at (5, −12), giving your answer in the form y = mx + c.

8.A parcel delivery company's cost graph shows the following: the cost is a flat £5 for parcels weighing up to 2 kg, and then rises by £2 for each additional kg above 2 kg. Use the graph to work out the weight of a parcel that costs £17.

9.f(x) = x + 2 and g(x) = x². Work out the value of x for which fg(x) = gf(x).

10.A rectangle has length (2x + 5) cm and width (x − 2) cm. Work out an expression, in terms of x, for the perimeter of the rectangle. Give your answer in its simplest form.

11.The graph of y = f(x) has x-intercepts at x = −2 and x = 6 and crosses the y-axis at (0, −12). Work out the x-intercepts and the y-intercept of y = −f(x).

12.Solve (2x + 1)/3 = 5

13.A walker's distance-time graph is described as follows: she walks 3 km in the first 15 minutes at a steady speed, rests for 10 minutes, then walks a further 3 km in the next 20 minutes, also at a steady speed. Work out her speed, in km/h, during the first 15 minutes.

14.Points A(−1, 2) and B(5, 8) are the endpoints of a line segment. Work out the equation of the perpendicular bisector of AB.

15.A Fibonacci-type sequence begins 3, 5, 8, 13, ... where each term after the second is the sum of the two terms before it. Work out the 7th term of the sequence.