Chapter 4,

ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION

MMF2

Expanding Brackets

1. In expanding a pair of single brackets, an expression in brackets is multiplied by a

coefficient.
Therefore, each term within the brackets must be multiplied by that coefficient.

2. Example 1:
Expand 3(a+2 b) 7. Example 5:
Expand ( e +f )(e−f )

3. Example 2:
Expand 2(x−3)

4. Example 3: 8. Example 6:
Expand the following Expand the following
a) −2 m(m−4 ) a) ( x−2 ) ( x−3 )

2
b) ( 3 a+1)
3

b) ( 2 p−3 q )2

5. Example 4:
Expand ( x +3)( y−4)

Key: (a+ b)2=a2 + ( 2 ×a × b ) +b 2

Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 1

 Chapter 4,
ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION
MMF2

!NOTES!
 3−1(x−2) is written as 3−(x−2)
 Hence, expand 3−(x−2)

!Test Yourself!
Simplify the following
a) ( 3 x− y )−( x−4 y)
b) 4 w2 −( 2 w−v ) (2 w +v )
c) 3 ( 2 m−1 )+(m−1)2

!Challenge Yourself!
Expand the following
a) ( x +1)( x +2)(x+ 4)
b) ( x +6)( x+ 1)( x−2)
c) ( x +4 )( x−4)2

Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 2

 Chapter 4,
ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION
MMF2

Factorisation

1. Factorising is the reverse process of expanding.

2. There are 4 methods in factorising an algebraic expression:

1) Using the Highest Common Factor (HCF)
2) Using Difference of Squares of Two Terms
3) Using Cross Multiplication (‘Butterfly’ method)
4) Using Common Factors Involving 4 Algebraic Terms

METHOD 1: Using the Highest Common Factor (HCF) ↔ Repeated Division

a) Factorise 3 p+6
d) Factorise mk−m

b) Factorise 3 x+ 15
e) Factorise 7 m+21 m2

c) Factorise 8 x +12 x 2
f) Factorise 6 ab−10 b2

_____________________________________________________________________

METHOD 2: Using difference of squares of two terms

a) Factorise x 2−16 c) Factorise 25 m 2−4 n2

d) Factorise 3 y 2−147
b) Factorise 4 k 2−1

e) Factorise 5 k 2−80

Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 3

Chapter 4,
ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION
MMF2

a 2−b2= ( a+b ) (a−b)

_____________________________________________________________________

METHOD 3: Using Cross Multiplication (‘Butterfly’ method)

a) Factorise x 2+ 6 x+ 8 d) Factorise 2 m2+7 m+6

b) Factorise x 2−6 x +9 e) Factorise −2 y 2−9 y +5

c) Factorise m2−2 m−8 f) Factorise −3 x 2−8 x−5

___________________________________________________________________________
METHOD 4 : Using Common Factors Involving 4 Algebraic Terms
d) Factorise ab+ ac+ bd+ cd
Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 4
 Chapter 4,
ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION
MMF2

a) Factorise xa+ xb+ ya+ yb

b) Factorise ac−2 ad +3 bc−6 bd

c) Factorise pq+qr + ps+ rs

!Test Yourself!

1. Factorise each of the following.

a) 4 m+ 8

b) 4 h+6 hk

c) −3 r 2−6 rt

2. Factorise each of the following.

a) 9 y 2−1

b) a 2−4 b2

c) 8 r 2−18 t 2

d) 16 h2−36 k 2
3. Factorise each of the following.
a) m 2 +6 m+ 9
Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 5
Chapter 4,
ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION
MMF2

b) 3 a2 +6 a+ 3

c) x 2−x−12

d) 3 x 2−13 x−10

e) −6 x 2−x +15

4. Factorise each of the following.

a) cd + ce+df + ef

b) x 2+ xy+ 5 x +5 y

c) px+ qx− py−qy

d) mn−m2 +3 n−3 m

5. Simplify the following.

8 x2 y
a) 12m c)
2 x y2

3b 6 w4 x2
b) bc d)
45 w x 3

6. Simplify the following.

9 m+12 3d
a) 15 d) 2
d −6 de

e2 −e m2−9 n 2
b) e)
ef 3 mn−9 n2

Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 6

 Chapter 4,
ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION
MMF2

8 p 2+ p
c)
14 pq

Addition and Subtraction of Algebraic Fractions

1. Example 7:
Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 7
 Chapter 4,
ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION
MMF2

1 1
Simplify +
3x x

2. Example 8:
3 a
Simplify −
2 a 3 bc

3. Example 9:
1 2
Simplify +
m(m−1) m

4. Example 10:
2 5−4 y
Simplify −
5 x 15 xy

Multiplication and Division of Algebraic Fractions

Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 8

Chapter 4,
ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION AND MANIPULATION
MMF2

1. Example 11:
3 5
Simplify ×
2x y

2. Example 12:
p 2− pq p
Simplify × 2 2
2 p −q

3. Example 13:
4 2
Simplify ÷
9 xy y

4. Example 14:
t 5 w3
Simplify × 2
10 w 3 t

5. Example 15:
x2 − y 2 2 x+2 y
Simplify ÷
3 x y3 x2 y

Madam Nana, MJSC KKB. 9