Worksheet Solutions – Algebra, Equations

and Inequalities

Algebra and Linear Functions

Your Turn:
1. Rearrange the function 4x+2y =8 into y = mx + b form
2. Calculate the gradient
3. Graph function on a Cartesian plane

4.5

3.5 4x + 2 y − 4x = 8 − 4x
3
2 y = 8 − 4x
2.5
y = 4 − 2 x = −2 x + 4

2
y = -2x + 4 ∴ gradient = −2
1.5

0.5

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Practice:
2𝑡𝑡+3
i. 7
= 𝑡𝑡
2𝑡𝑡 + 3
× 7 = 𝑡𝑡 × 7
7
2𝑡𝑡 + 3 = 7𝑡𝑡
2𝑡𝑡 = 7𝑡𝑡 − 3
−5𝑡𝑡 = −3
3
𝑡𝑡 = = 0.6
5

ii. Factorise the following:

a. 5𝑎𝑎2 − 10𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
= 5𝑎𝑎 × 𝑎𝑎 + 5𝑎𝑎(−2𝑏𝑏)
= 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓(𝒂𝒂 − 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐)
The common factor is 5a for both 5a2 and –10ab.

b. 3(𝑎𝑎 + 2) − 𝑎𝑎(𝑎𝑎 + 2)
= (𝟑𝟑 − 𝒂𝒂)(𝒂𝒂 + 𝟐𝟐)
 As above, the common factor is (a+2).

c. 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏

= 𝑥𝑥(𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏) + 𝑚𝑚(𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏)
= (𝒙𝒙 + 𝒎𝒎)(𝒂𝒂 − 𝒃𝒃)
As above, the common factor is (a – b).

iii.
3(𝑦𝑦 − 5) = 2(𝑥𝑥 − 7)
3𝑦𝑦 − 15 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 14
3𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 + 1
𝟐𝟐 𝟏𝟏
𝒚𝒚 = 𝒙𝒙 +
𝟑𝟑 𝟑𝟑
4

3 y = 0.6667x + 0.3333

0
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
-1

-2

-3

Quadratic Functions
Your Turn:
Factorise the following expressions
1. 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥 − 8
f ( x) = x 2 + (a + b) x + ab
a=4
b = −2
f ( x) = ( x + 4)( x − 2)

2. 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 25
f ( x) = x 2 + (a + b) x + ab
a=5
b = −5
f ( x) = ( x + 5)( x − 5)

1
Your Turn:
Find the roots of the following equations
1. 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑥 − 8

− 3 ± 32 − 4 ×1× (−8)
x=
2
− 3 ± 41
x= = 1.70 or - 4.70
2

2. 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 6𝑥𝑥 + 25

∆ = b 2 − 4ac = 36 − 4 ×1× 25
∆ = −64 < 0
∴ No real roots.

Practice:
i. Factorise the following quadratic equations:

a. 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 14𝑥𝑥 + 20
= 2𝑥𝑥 2 + (2 × 5 + 4)𝑥𝑥 + (4 × 5)
= (𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 + 𝟒𝟒)(𝒙𝒙 + 𝟓𝟓)

b. 𝑥𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑥 − 42
= 𝑥𝑥 2 + (−7 + 6)𝑥𝑥 + (−7 × 6)
= (𝒙𝒙 − 𝟕𝟕)(𝒙𝒙 + 𝟔𝟔)

ii. Find the roots of the following quadratic functions either using factorisation
or the quadratic formula. Also graph the functions.

a. 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 14𝑥𝑥 + 20 = 0
= 2𝑥𝑥 2 + (2 × 5 + 4)𝑥𝑥 + (5 × 4)
= (2𝑥𝑥 + 4)(𝑥𝑥 + 5)
= 𝟐𝟐(𝒙𝒙 + 𝟐𝟐)(𝒙𝒙 + 𝟓𝟓)

To find roots,
Let 2(𝑥𝑥 + 2)(𝑥𝑥 + 5) = 0
∴ 2(𝑥𝑥 + 2) = 0 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 + 5 = 0
∴ 𝒙𝒙 = −𝟐𝟐 𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐 − 𝟓𝟓
Therefore, when plotting 𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 14𝑥𝑥 + 20, x-intercepts are:
(–2, 0) and (–5, 0).

2
 iii. 5𝑥𝑥 2 + 4𝑥𝑥 − 1 = 0
= 5𝑥𝑥 2 + (5 × 1 − 1)𝑥𝑥 + (1 × −1)
= (𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓 − 𝟏𝟏)(𝒙𝒙 + 𝟏𝟏)
To find roots,
Let (5𝑥𝑥 − 1)(𝑥𝑥 + 1) = 0
∴ 5𝑥𝑥 − 1 = 0 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 + 1 = 0
𝟏𝟏
∴ 𝒙𝒙 = 𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐 − 𝟏𝟏
𝟓𝟓

Therefore, when plotting 𝑦𝑦 = 5𝑥𝑥 2 + 4𝑥𝑥 − 1, x-intercepts are:

𝟏𝟏
(𝟓𝟓, 0) and (–1, 0). A and d are the correct answers.

Simultaneous Equations
Your Turn:
1. Solve the following using the Substitution Method:
4𝑥𝑥 + 3𝑦𝑦 = 33 (1)
2𝑦𝑦 + 𝑥𝑥 = 17 (2)
From (2),
x = 17 − 2 y (3)
Substitute (3) into (1)
4(17 − 2 y ) + 3 y = 33
68 − 8 y + 3 y = 33
68 − 5 y = 33
68 − 5 y − 68 = 33 − 68
− 5 y = −35
− 5 y − 35
=
−5 −5
y=7
Substitute y = 7 into (3)
x = 17 − 2(7) = 3

2. Solve the following using the Elimination Method:

2𝑥𝑥 + 3𝑦𝑦 = 13 (1)
3𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 12 (2)

3
 (1) × 2 : 4 x+6 y=26 (3)
(2) × 3 : 9 x + 6 y = 36 ( 4)
(4) − (3) : 5 x = 10
x=2
From (1) :
2 × 2 + 3 y = 13
4 + 3 y = 13
3y = 9
y=3

3. Solve the following linear and quadratic equations simultaneously:

𝑦𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 9𝑥𝑥 + 9 (1)

𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥𝑥 + 3 (2)

Sub (2) into (1) x + 3 = 2x 2 + 9x + 9

2 x 2 + 8x + 6 = 0
x2 + 4x + 3
( x + 3)( x + 1) = 0
∴ x = -1 or - 3

Practice:

1. Solving algebraically
a) 2𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 = 7 (1) rearrange to 𝑦𝑦 = 7 − 2𝑥𝑥
3𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦 = 8 (2)

Substitute (1) into (2)

3𝑥𝑥 − (7 − 2𝑥𝑥) = 8
5𝑥𝑥 = 15
𝑥𝑥 = 3; ∴ 𝑦𝑦 = 1

6−2𝑥𝑥
b) 2𝑥𝑥 + 3𝑦𝑦 = 6 (1) rearrange to 𝑦𝑦 =
3
4𝑥𝑥 − 6𝑦𝑦 = −4 (2)

Substitute (1) into (2)

6 − 2𝑥𝑥
4𝑥𝑥 − 6 � � = −4
3
4𝑥𝑥 − 12 + 4𝑥𝑥 = −4
4
8𝑥𝑥 = 8; 𝑥𝑥 = 1; ∴ 𝑦𝑦 =
3

4
3. Solve graphically

4. Advanced question
Solve the following system of three equations and choose the correct answer:
𝑧𝑧 = 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 + 4 Equation 1
𝑧𝑧 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦 Equation 2
𝑧𝑧 = 3𝑥𝑥 − 4𝑦𝑦 Equation 3

a. x=12 y=4 z=20

b. x=12 y=20 z=4
c. x=4 y=12 z=20
d. x=20 y=12 z=4

Add Equations 1 and 2

2𝑧𝑧 = 3𝑥𝑥 + 4 Equation A

5
Subtract Equation 3 from 4 x Equation 2
4𝑧𝑧 − 𝑧𝑧 = 8𝑥𝑥 − 4𝑦𝑦 − (3𝑥𝑥 − 4𝑦𝑦)
3𝑧𝑧 = 5𝑥𝑥
5𝑥𝑥
𝑧𝑧 = Equation B
3

Substitute Equation B into Equation A

10𝑥𝑥
= 3𝑥𝑥 + 4
3
𝑥𝑥 = 12

Substitute x = 12 into Equation B

60
𝑧𝑧 = = 20
3
Substitute z = 20 and x = 12 into Equation 2
20 = 2(12) − 𝑦𝑦
𝑦𝑦 = 4

Therefore x = 12, z = 20 and y = 4 and the correct answer is a.

6
Inequalities
Your Turn:

1.

2.
Solve the following quadratic inequality
2𝑥𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑥 − 3 ≤ 0

7
Practice:
𝑥𝑥
a) −4 ≤ 1 − ≤ 3
3
𝑥𝑥
−5 ≤ − ≤ 2
3
−15 ≤ −𝑥𝑥 ≤ 6
−6 ≤ 𝑥𝑥 ≤ 15 (flip the sign)

b) 4 + 3𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥 2 > 0
𝑥𝑥2 − 3𝑥𝑥 − 4 < 0
(𝑥𝑥 − 4)(𝑥𝑥 + 1) < 0
−1 < 𝑥𝑥 < 4

4𝑥𝑥+7
c) > −3 (Hint: multiply both sides by the square of the denominator)
𝑥𝑥−2
(4𝑥𝑥 + 7)(𝑥𝑥 − 2) > −3(𝑥𝑥 − 2)2
4𝑥𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑥 − 14 > −3(𝑥𝑥 2 − 4𝑥𝑥 + 4)
4𝑥𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑥 − 14 > −3𝑥𝑥 2 + 12𝑥𝑥 − 12
7𝑥𝑥 2 − 13𝑥𝑥 − 2 > 0
(7𝑥𝑥 + 1)(𝑥𝑥 − 2) > 0
1
𝑥𝑥 > 2, 𝑥𝑥 < −
7