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.A student is asked whether the lines y = (2/5)x − 1 and 5y = −2x + 15 are perpendicular. The student answers: "Yes, because when I rearrange the second equation I get y = −(2/5)x + 3, and 2/5 times −2/5 is negative." Which of these is a correct comment on the student's reasoning?
y = -2x + 15
(a)Wrong — the rearrangement is incorrect.
(b)Right — 2/5 and −2/5 are negatives of each other.
(c)Wrong — the product is −4/25, not −1.
(d)Right — a negative product always means perpendicular.
2.Describe the single transformation that maps the graph of y = x² onto the graph of y = x² + 3.
y = x²y = x² + 3
(a)A translation by vector (0, 3)
(b)A translation by vector (0, −3)
(c)A translation by vector (3, 0)
(d)A stretch parallel to the y-axis, scale factor 3
3.A student solves the simultaneous equations 2x + y = 11 and x − y = 1 by elimination, adding the two equations together. Which of these is the correct result of that step?
(a)3x = 12
(b)3x = 10
(c)3x + 2y = 12
(d)x = 12
4.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
5.Make x the subject of the formula y = 5x + 3.
y = 5x + 3
(a)x = (y + 3)/5
(b)x = (y − 3)/5
(c)x = y/5 − 3
(d)x = 5(y − 3)
6.A student is asked to simplify (6x³ − 15x²)/(4x² − 10x) fully. Four attempts are shown below. Which one is correct?
(a)3x/2
(b)−3x/2
(c)3x²/2
(d)3/2
7.A rectangular garden has width w metres and length (w + 3) metres. A gardener writes its perimeter as 2w + 3. Which statement corrects the gardener's mistake?
(a)It is 2(w + (w + 3)) = 4w + 6, not 2w + 3.
(b)It is 3w + 6, since the length doubles but not the width.
(c)It is w + (w + 3) = 2w + 3, matching the gardener.
(d)It is 4(w + 3) = 4w + 12, treating it as a square.
8.The equation x² − 3x − 7 = 0 can be solved using the iterative formula xₙ₊₁ = √(3xₙ + 7). The starting value is x₀ = 4, so x₁ is the value after the formula has been used once. Work out x₃ correct to 3 decimal places.
(a)4.535
(b)4.481
(c)13.149
(d)4.521
9.Work out the coordinates of the point where the graph of y = 2x − 6 crosses the x-axis.
y = 2x − 6
(a)(−3, 0)
(b)(6, 0)
(c)(0, −6)
(d)(3, 0)
10.An exponential model has equation y = A × bˣ, where b > 1. Its graph passes through the points (1, 135) and (2, 405). Work out the value of A.
(a)45
(b)1
(c)135
(d)3
11.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.
(a)34
(b)68
(c)55
(d)47
12.A mobile phone tariff charges a fixed £15 plus 20p for every minute of calls made, so the total monthly charge, £C, for m minutes of calls is given by C = 15 + 0.2m. In a month where Ali's charge was £46.60, work out how many minutes of calls he made.
(a)233 minutes
(b)158 minutes
(c)308 minutes
(d)218 minutes
13.Work out the gradient of a line that is perpendicular to the line with equation 2x + 3y = 6.
(a)−1/2
(b)3/2
(c)−3/2
(d)2/3
14.Point P has coordinates (5, 2). Point P is rotated 180° about the origin to point Q. Write down the coordinates of Q.
(a)(2, 5)
(b)(−5, −2)
(c)(−5, 2)
(d)(5, −2)
15.A market stall's cost of hiring n tables is modelled by two formulas: Formula A: C = 3(2n + 5); Formula B: C = 6n + 15, where C is in pounds. A stallholder says the two formulas always give the same cost. Work out the cost given by each formula when n = 4, and use your results to decide whether the stallholder is correct.
(a)Formula A gives £39 and Formula B gives £39, but the stallholder is wrong because the two formulas use a different number of terms.
(b)Formula A gives £29 and Formula B gives £39, so the stallholder is wrong.
(c)Formula A gives £39 and Formula B gives £39, but this is only true when n = 4, so the stallholder is wrong.
(d)Formula A gives £39 and Formula B gives £39, and since 3(2n + 5) expands to 6n + 15 for every value of n, the stallholder is correct.

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