Change the subject of a formula Examples 3x + 5 = 8 Subtract 5 from each side 3x = 8 5 3x = 3 Divide by 3 x=1 Try 1. y = mx + c to m 2.

. v = u + at to t * 4 x 2 = 16 Divide by 4 16 x2 = 4 2 x =4 Take the square root of x x= 4 x = 2 Try 3. E = mc 2 c 4. V = r 2 h r * * * * * * 3 x = 15 4 Multiply by 4 3 x = 60 Divide by 3

x = 20

ax + b = c Subtract b from each side ax = c b Divide by a x = cb a

* * * * *

r2 = A Divide by A r2 =
Take the square root of r A r=

a x=c b Multiply by b ax = bc Divide by a bc x= a

1 5. A = bh b 2 1 6. V = Ah A 3 4(2 x 1) = 44 Multiply out brackets 8 x 4 = 44 Add 4 to both sides 8 x = 44 + 4 Try

p (am b) = n m Multiply out brackets amp bp = n Add bp to both sides amp = n + bp

Change the subject of a formula 8 x = 48 Divide both sides by 8 x=6

Divide both sides by ap n + bp m= ap

Try

7. V = h( R + r ) R 8. x( y + a ) = p y * * * * * *

5x 1 = 2x = 8 Rearrange with x on left side 5x 2 x = 8 + 1 Take common factor of x x(5 2) = 9 3x = 9 Divide by 3

ak b = bk + c k Rearrange with k on left side ak bk = c + b Take common factor of k k ( a b) = c + b

x=3 Try 9. P = 4 x + 2 x x 10. mv = Pt + mu m

Divide by a b c+b k= a b

* * * * * *

Most questions are combinations of these types. In general, I would try to clear fractions first, then multiply out brackets before gathering the required letter(s) on one side of the equation. Examples: 4 V = r3 r 3 4 r 3 = 3V 3V 4 3V r=3 4 r3 = 1 s = ut + at 2 2 1 2 at = s ut 2 at 2 = 2 s 2ut a= 2 s 2ut t2

Change the subject of a formula Examples to try (u + v)t v 11. s = 2 5 12. C = ( F 32) F 9 PRT R 13. I = 100 14. v 2 = u 2 + 2as u T t t 15. D = R (u + v)t t 16. s = 2 4( I R ) I 17. E = 2I + R 1 1 1 18. = + f v u f 100T T 19. r = 100 + T 20.

(a) Construct a formula for the area of this shape. (b) Change the subject of the formula to r.

Change the subject of a formula Answers y c x vu 2. t = a E 3. c = m V 4. r = h 2A 5. b = h 3V 6. A = h V hr 7. R = h p ax 8. y = x P 9. x = 4 + 2 Pt 10. m = v u 1. m = 2 s ut t 9C + 160 12. F = 5 100 I 13. R = PT 11. v= 14. u = (v 2 2as ) 15. t = T DR 16. t = 17. 18. 19. 20. 2s u+v R ( E + 4) I= 4 2E uv f = uv 100r T= 100 r 2 1 (a) A = r ( + 6 ) 2 2A (b) r = + 12