PRE-ALGEBRA WORKSHEET:

Applying distributive property (one step), simplifying and evaluating algebraic expressions.

1. Simplify (collect like terms):

a. 9x 3 + 5 − 5x 3 + 2x − 12x − 2 e) 2x 4 + 3x 3 + 2x 2 + x + 5x 2 + 4

b. 5y 2 − y − 3y 2 − 9 + 6y f) −4x + 3x 2 − 2x + x 3

g) 5w + 3h − 7w + 8h
c. 4a − 2a − 5a 2 + 2ab − 3a 2
m 2m
2 2
d. −7y − 4y + 9y − 9 + 2y h) −
4 3

2. Apply distributive property and simplify the expression (when possible):

c. x(3x − 5) + 2x
a. a(2b − 3a)

d. 3(x − 2) + 4x(x + 4)
b. 2(a 2 + 3b)
e. 7(2x + 2) − (2x + 2)
c. 3x(x + 4)
f. 2x(2x − 3) − 3(x − 4)
d. 3y(y − 1)

2( ) ( 4)
1 1
e. 5x + 8(x − 1) g. 6x − 3 − 4 x −

3. Evaluate the expressions given that a = − 2; b = − 1:

a. 2b(a − 3b) b. a(2 + 4a + b)

4. Evaluate the expressions given that a = − 1; b = − 3:

a. 2b(a 2 − b) b. a(a − 3b − 8)

5. Look at the following expression: x 12 + x 8 + x 4 + x 2 + y 10 + y 2 .

Is the answer a positive or a negative number? Why?
6. Find and simplify an expression for the value of ‘l ’ :

The diagram
is not to scale

7. Find and simplify an expression for:

a. The perimeter of the shape The diagram

is not to scale
b. The area of the shape.

8. Find and simplify an expression for:

a. The perimeter of the shape

b. The area of the shape. The diagram

is not to scale

9. Find and simplify an expression for:

a. The length ‘l’.

The diagram
b. The area of the shape is not to scale

c. The perimeter of the shape