1

Is each of these an equation, a function or a formula?

Some parts may have more than one answer.
a 3x − 2 = 10
b 5 + x = 17
c F = ma, where F is the force, m is the mass and a is the acceleration.
d y = 4x + 1
e 2(x + 4) = −3
f C = 20 + 5n, where C is the cost and n is the number of hours.
4
g y = −​ __  ​x + 5
3
h 4y − 2 = y + 5
i V = IR, where V is the voltage, I is the current and R is the resistance.
j 7x − 3 = y

2 Two of the cards show equations that can be solved to find x.

A B E
x
__
3x = 12 y = 7x − 2 v = ​ t   ​ , where v is the speed, x is the
distance travelled and t is the time taken
to travel this distance.
C D
1
2x + 1 = 3 y = __
​    ​x − 2
2

a Which are the equations?

b Solve them to find x in each case.
13
 Algebra A1.1  Using letters

3 Solve each of these to find the value of y when x = 2.

a y = x + 1 b y = 3x c y = 5x − 1

4 p = 0.6q, where p is the number of miles and q is the

number of kilometres.
a Work these out.
i the number of miles equivalent to 36 kilometres
ii the number of kilometres in 24 miles
b Is p = 0.6q an equation, a function or a formula? How can you tell?

5 Check that 4(2x + 1) 8x + 4 is true using these values of x.

a x = 1 b x = 10 c x = 4 d x = 0 e x = −1

6 Which of these expressions is identically equal to 5(2x − y)?

Check by substituting some values of x.

A B C D
10x − y 2x − 5y 10x − 5y 52x − 5y

7 Is each of these true or false?

Check by substituting some values for the unknowns.
a 4(x − 1) 4x − 1 b 3a + 4 + 2a + 5 5a + 9
c 3m + 9 3(m + 3) d 5(2x − 3y) 10x − 3y
e 5c − 10d 8c − 15d − 3c + 5d

8 Which of these expressions are identically equal?

D
A C 2(x + 3)
B
2x + 12 2(x + 6)
2(x + 12)

14
 Algebra A1.1  Using letters

9 Simplify these.
a 2 × 3a b 2 × 2c c 2 × 4n d −8 × 3m
e 4 × 3b f −4p × 5 g 8x × 2 h 4y × −3
i 9a2 × 3 j −2 × 10n6 k 8 × 2c4 l 4g2 × −4
m 4n ÷ 2 n 9t ÷ 3 o 3g ÷ 3 p 10b ÷ −5
q 24y ÷ −8 r 36z ÷ 18 s 45g2 ÷ 9 t 9x2 ÷ −3

10 Is each of these true or false?

If you think an answer is false, write the correct answer.
a m × m × m × m = m4
b b × b × b × c × c = b3c2
c x × x × x × y × y × y × y = 3x × 4y
d 5 × p × q × q = 5p × 2q
e 3 × s × s × s × s × t × t = 3s4t2
f 4 × f × f × f × 4 × g × g = 8f 3g2
g 7 × r × r × r × r × 3 × s × s × s = 21r4s3
h x × x × x × x × 4 × y × y × 3 = 12x4y2

11 Write these using indices.

a d × d × d × d × e × e
b g × g × g × g × h × h × h × h × h × h
c 4 × p × p × p × q × q
d 4 × y × y × 5 × z × z × z × z
e 6 × a × a × 4 × b × b × c × c × c
f 4 × m × 4 × n × n × n × 2 × p × p × p × p

15
 Algebra A1.1  Using letters

12 Use the index laws to simplify these. The first one is done for you.
a 43 × 42 = 43 + 2 = 45 b 63 × 64 c 83 × 87
d 95 × 91 e 320 × 3 f 204 × 205
g 819 × 813 h 156 × 154 i 78 × 7

13 Use the index laws to simplify these. The first one is done for you.
a 85 ÷ 82 = 85 − 2 = 83 b 213 ÷ 211 c 812 ÷ 88
d 186 ÷ 182 e 1515 ÷ 153 f 83 ÷ 8
1014 89 610
g ​ ____ ​   h ​ __2 ​   i ​ ___  ​ 
107 8 610

14 Write your own expression like those in question 12 to give each answer.
a 83 b 115 c 94 d 192

15 Use the index laws to simplify these.

a m × m2 b b2 × b2 c n6 × n6 d r7 × r2
e h7 × h10 f g5 × g2 g p4 × p3 h y8 × y3
i c2 × c5 j b7 × b k b5 ÷ b3 l n6 ÷ n2
m p12 ÷ p3 n z9 ÷ z6 o d 9 ÷ d 3 p t8 ÷ t2

16 Write an expression for the area of each shape. Simplify your expression.
a b c
x cm
2

y2 cm
b3 cm
x3 cm

y4 cm

17 Write an expression for the length of each red side. Simplify your expression.
a b
x cm Area = x3 cm2 a2 cm Area = a6 cm2

16