Printable · GCSE Higher · ages 14-16

Algebra worksheet — GCSE Higher

Fifteen questions across the algebra statements at Higher 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 Higher

Maths · GCSE Higher · Algebra · 15 questions

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.Solve 4x² − 9 = 0.
(a)x = 3/2 or x = −3/2
(b)x = 3/2 only
(c)x = 3 or x = −3
(d)x = 9/4 or x = −9/4
2.A student is proving that (n + 1)² − n² is always an odd number. Which of these correctly completes the first line of algebra?
(a)(n + 1)² − n² = 1
(b)(n + 1)² − n² = 2n + 1
(c)(n + 1)² − n² = 2n
(d)(n + 1)² − n² = n² + 2n + 1
3.The equation 3(2x − 1) = 4x + 9 is rearranged by expanding the brackets. Which of these is the correctly expanded equation?
(a)5x − 3 = 4x + 9
(b)6x − 3 = 4x + 9
(c)6x − 1 = 4x + 9
(d)6x − 4 = 4x + 9
4.A population of bacteria doubles every 3 hours. It starts at 800. Work out the population after 9 hours.
(a)409,600
(b)8
(c)6,400
(d)3,200
5.A taxi company charges a £2.50 booking fee plus £1.80 per mile. A journey costs £15.10 in total. Work out the number of miles travelled.
(a)9.78
(b)8.39
(c)5.32
(d)7
6.n = 3. Work out the value of (2n)².
(a)12
(b)9
(c)18
(d)36
7.A circle has centre (0, 0) and equation x² + y² = 36. Work out the coordinates of the two points where the circle crosses the y-axis.
(a)(0, 36) and (0, −36)
(b)(0, 6) and (0, −6)
(c)(0, 18) and (0, −18)
(d)(6, 0) and (−6, 0)
8.A ball's height, h metres, t seconds after being thrown follows h = (t − 1)(9 − t). Given that the ball is at ground level at t = 1 and t = 9, work out at what time t the ball reaches its maximum height, using symmetry.
(a)t = 4
(b)t = 8
(c)t = 10
(d)t = 5
9.Work out the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment joining (−3, 5) and (7, 9).
(a)(2, 7)
(b)(4, 14)
(c)(5, 2)
(d)(2, 9)
10.A circle has centre (0, 0) and equation x² + y² = 50. Work out the length of the diameter of the circle, correct to 1 decimal place.
(a)100.0
(b)25.0
(c)14.1
(d)7.1
11.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
12.A quadratic graph y = ax² + bx + c has its turning point on the y-axis. Which statement about its roots must be true?
(a)The two roots must both be positive.
(b)The graph has no roots at all.
(c)The graph must touch the x-axis at exactly one point.
(d)If the graph has two real roots, they are equal and opposite in value, so they sum to zero.
13.Rosie is asked whether 4(x + 3) = 4x + 12 is an equation or an identity. Which statement is correct? Give a reason for your answer.
(a)An identity, because it is true for every value of x
(b)An identity, because the brackets can be expanded
(c)An equation, because solving it gives x = 3
(d)A formula, because it works out 4x + 12 from x
14.A point has coordinates (x, y). In which two quadrants is the product x × y positive?
(a)the first and the fourth
(b)the first and the third
(c)the second and the fourth
(d)the first and the second
15.The equation x³ − 3x − 4 = 0 has a root near x = 2. Four students each try a different iterative formula, all starting from x₀ = 2: xₙ₊₁ = ∛(3xₙ + 4); xₙ₊₁ = (xₙ³ − 4) ÷ 3; xₙ₊₁ = 4 ÷ (xₙ² − 3); xₙ₊₁ = xₙ³ − 2xₙ − 4. Only one of these formulas keeps producing values that settle near the root when it is repeated. Work out x₁, correct to 3 decimal places, for the formula that does this.
(a)2.154
(b)1.333
(c)0.000
(d)4.000

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