Introduction to Algebra

Book 1A Chapter 2 Introduction to Algebra

 Warm-up Exercise

1. Find the value of each of the following.

(a) (+3) + (+4)
(b) (–2) + (+5)
(c) (+8) – (+2)
(d) (–9) – (–5)
(e) (+8) + (–3)
(f) (–3) + (–7)
(g) (–5) – (+4)
(h) (+7) – (–5)

2. Find the value of each of the following.

(a) (+2)  (+8)
(b) (–6)  (+3)
(c) (+7)  (–1)
(d) (–5)  (–4)
(e) (+12)  (–6)
(f) (–36)  (–9)
(g) (–20)  (+4)
(h) (–48)  (+3)

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Book 1A Chapter 2

2.1 Basic Algebra

Demonstration 1
Express each of the following by an algebraic 1. Express each of the following by an algebraic
expression. expression.
(a) Add 8 to x. (a) Add 5 to a.
(b) 3 plus y. (b) b plus 4.
(c) Subtract p from 9. (c) Subtract 7 from m.
(d) 6 minus the sum of q and 4. (d) 8 minus the sum of n and 5.
Solution

(a) The required algebraic expression is x + 8.

(b) The required algebraic expression is 3 + y.
(c) The required algebraic expression is 9 – p.
(d) The required algebraic expression is 6 – (q + 4).

Demonstration 2
Express each of the following by an algebraic 2. Express each of the following by an algebraic
expression. expression.
(a) Multiply a by 2. (a) Multiply 8 by n.
(b) Divide p by q. (b) Divide A by 6.
(c) 5 times w, and then add 4 to the result. (c) 7 times r, then subtract 6 from the result.
(d) The product of m and 6 is divided by n. (d) The product of 4 and b is divided by a.
Solution

(a) The required algebraic expression is 2a.

p
(b) The required algebraic expression is .
q
(c) The required algebraic expression is 5w + 4.
6m
(d) The required algebraic expression is .
n

Demonstration 3
Express each of the following by an algebraic 3. Express each of the following by an algebraic
expression. expression.
(a) The square of L. (a) The square of x.
(b) The cube of the sum of a and b. (b) The cube of the product of u and v.
(c) Subtract p from q to the power 8. (c) Divide p by q to the power 6.
Solution

(a) The required algebraic expression is L2.

(b) The required algebraic expression is (a + b)3.
(c) The required algebraic expression is q8 – p.

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 Introduction to Algebra

Demonstration 4
Write down a sentence to describe each of the 4. Write down a sentence to describe each of the
following algebraic expressions. following algebraic expressions.
p−q a −b
(a) 5 + 2a (b) (a) 6 + pq (b)
x 4
Solution

(a) Add the product of 2 and a to 5.

(b) Subtract q from p, then divide the result by x.

Demonstration 5
Simplify each of the following algebraic 5. Simplify each of the following algebraic
expressions. expressions.
(a) 7x – 4x (a) 3y + 5y
(b) p – q + 3p + 4q (b) 4x + 2y + 6y + x
Solution

(a) 7x – 4x
= (7 – 4)x
= 3x
(b) p – q + 3p + 4q
= p + 3p – q + 4q
= (1 + 3)p + (–1 + 4)q
= 4p + 3q

Demonstration 6
Simplify each of the following algebraic 6. Simplify each of the following algebraic
expressions. expressions.
(a) 4  5x – 13x (a) 2  3x – x
(b) 8a  4 + 3  a (b) 6a  3 + 5  a
Solution

(a) 4  5x – 13x
= (4  5)x – 13x
= 20x – 13x
= (20 – 13)x
= 7x
(b) 8a  4 + 3  a
= (8  4)a + 3a
= 2a + 3a
= (2 + 3)a
= 5a

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Book 1A Chapter 2

7. Express each of the following by an algebraic expression.

(a) Add 8 to x. (b) 4 minus y.
(c) Subtract 5 from 2x. (d) The sum of x and 3y.
(e) 7x minus 10y. (f) 9 plus 8y, and then minus 6.

8. Express each of the following by an algebraic expression.

(a) 3 times a. (b) Multiply 2 by b.
(c) b is divided by 4a. (d) The product of a and b.
(e) Divide a by 5, and then the result minus 8. (f) Add 8b to the product of 3 and a.

9. Express each of the following by an algebraic expression.

(a) The square of r plus s. (b) r times the square of 3.
(c) Subtract the cube of s from 2. (d) s minus r to the power 6.

10. Express each of the following by an algebraic expression.

(a) The product of p and q minus the sum of x and y.
(b) Divide the product of 4 and m by the result of subtracting b from a.

11. Write down a word phrase or a sentence to describe each of the following algebraic expressions.
(a) x + 1 (b) y – x
(c) a  b (d) 5b2
(e) rs – 4 (f) 3  r2
(g) x – (y + z) (h) 2(p – q)
bc
(i) 4  b – 3  a (j)
a3

In each of the following algebraic expressions, write down

(a) the number of terms, (b) all the constant term(s),
(c) all the like terms, (d) a pair of unlike terms. (12 – 15)
12. a + 3a – 4b + 1 13. 3 – 2x – x2 + 4

14. 2n – 2 – 5n + 1 – 4 + n2 15. –5n + 4 – m2 – 3n – 6m2

Simplify each of the following algebraic expressions. (16 – 27)

16. x + 2x 17. 5a – 3a – 4a

18. 8y + 3y – 6y 19. –7b + 4b – 5b + 9b

20. 5x + 2  6x 21. 7m – 6m  3

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 Introduction to Algebra

22. 9n – 3n – 5 + 2 23. 4x + 7y – 6y + 2x

24. a + 2b + 3a + 4b + 5a 25. 7a – 6b + 4a + 9b – 8a

26. 12p  4 – 6q + 3p + 2  5q 27. 9x  (5 – 2) – (3  4 – 8)x

28. Erica buys n comics each for $30. How much should she pay?

29. The weights of two pieces of luggage are x kg and y kg. Find the total weight of them.

30. The perimeter of a square is L cm. Find the length of a side of the square.

31. In a class of 35 students, there are A male students. Find the number of female students in the class.

32. Ken’s original score in a test is M. His score is first deducted by 4 and then multiplied by 2. Find his
new score.

33. A dozen eggs cost $e and a box of flour costs $f. Find the total cost of 7 dozen eggs and 3 boxes of
flour.

34. Jenny throws darts in a game. She will get 4 marks for each dart hitting the target and no marks for each
dart missing the target. She throws 12 darts and misses n times. Find the marks she gets.

35. Simon is k years old now. Jeffery’s present age is 3 times Simon’s.
(a) Find Jeffery’s present age.
(b) How old was Jeffery m years ago?

36. Henry has p boxes with q cookies each. He eats 6 cookies and shares the remaining cookies evenly
among n people. How many cookies does each of them get?

37. May has x video games. Louis has 3 more games than 2 times as many games as May. Find the total
number of games they have.

38. The lengths of the sides of a triangle are 3s cm, s cm and 9 cm. Find the perimeter of the triangle.

39. Jessica and Yvonne have (5x + 2) and (x – 2) novels respectively. Jessica gives 2 novels to Yvonne.
How many books does Jessica have more than Yvonne?

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Book 1A Chapter 2

40. The numbers of peanuts and almonds in 6 bowls are the same. In each bowl, there are m peanuts and
the number of peanuts is 4 more than that of almonds. Find the total number of peanuts and almonds in
the bowls.

41. The greatest number of three consecutive odd numbers is N. Find their sum.

Multiple Choice Questions

42. Which of the following sentences describe(s) the expression 3x + 5?
I. Add 5 to the product of 3 and x.
II. Add 5 to x, and then multiply the result by 3.
III. 3 times x, and then adds 5 to the result.
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I and III only
D. I, II and III

43. The length and the width of a rectangle are 6m cm and 2n cm respectively. Its perimeter is
A. 8m cm.
B. 16m cm.
C. (6m + 2n) cm.
D. 2(6m + 2n) cm.

44. The prices of a CD and a DVD are $90 and $120 respectively. How much does it need to pay for
m DVDs and n CDs?
A. $210
B. $120n
C. $(90m + 120n)
D. $(90n + 120m)

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 Introduction to Algebra

2.2 Formulae and the Method of Substitution

Demonstration 1
Consider the formula v = bh2 + b2h. If b = 2 and 1. Consider the formula P = 2(l + w). If l = 4 and
h = –3, find the value of v. w = 6, find the value of P.
Solution

Put b = 2 and h = –3 into the formula v = bh2 + b2h.

v = (2)(–3)2 + (2)2(–3)
=6

Demonstration 2
The monthly charge $C of sending SMS messages 2. The total price $P of x apples can be
can be calculated by the formula C = 4 + 0.02m, calculated by the formula P = 3x, where x is
where m is the number of messages sent in that the number of apples bought. How much does
month. If Candy sends 500 SMS messages in a it need to buy 4 apples?
month, how much is the monthly charge?
Solution

Put m = 500 into the formula C = 4 + 0.02m.

C = 4 + 0.02(500)
= 14
∴ The monthly charge is $14.

3. Determine whether each of the following is a formula.

m
(a) z = x + y (b) A = 1 +
n
(c) 4xy (d) 2p + 3 = p

4. Consider the formula y = x + 200. If x = 50, find the value of y.

5. Consider the formula b = 150 – a. If a = 60, find the value of b.

6. Consider the formula p = 4q. If q = –3, find the value of p.

7. Consider the formula h = 9k. If k = 4, find the value of h.

8. Consider the formula V = 6w + 50. If w = –8, find the value of V.

9. Consider the formula m = 8 – 3n. If n = 5, find the value of m.

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Book 1A Chapter 2

20
10. Consider the formula A = . If h = 10, find the value of A.
h

72
11. Consider the formula B = . If k = 24, find the value of B.
k

12. Consider the formula v = 3u + s. If u = –1 and s = 4, find the value of v.

13. Consider the formula c = 5b – 4a. If a = 2 and b = 3, find the value of c.

14. Consider the formula w = 36 – 9pq. If p = –2 and q = –3, find the value of w.

15
15. Consider the formula S = . If a = –5 and b = 1, find the value of S.
2ab

1 2
16. Consider the formula K = wv . If w = 3 and v = 4, find the value of K.
6

48
17. Consider the formula Z = . If X = 4 and Y = –4, find the value of Z.
X − 3Y

18. Consider the formula X = mn + p2. If m = 2, n = 1 and p = 3, find the value of X.

19. Consider the formula P = 3x2 – 2by. If b = 4, x = 3 and y = 2, find the value of P.

20. The total weight (W g) of m glass marbles and n plastic marbles is given by W = 5m + 2n. Find the total
weight of the marbles if
(a) m = 2 and n = 4,
(b) m = n = 6.

21. In a multiple choice quiz, Peter answers v questions correctly and l questions wrongly. The score S of
Peter is given by S = 4(3v – l). Find the score of Peter if
(a) v = 9 and l = 5,
(b) he answers 8 correctly and 20 questions wrongly.

V
22. The area (A cm2) of the lid of a can is given by A = , where V cm3 and h cm are the volume and the
h
height of the can respectively. Find the area of the lid if
(a) V = 500 and h = 10,
(b) V = 800 and h = 4.

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 Introduction to Algebra

d d (d + 1)
23. The amount of time (h hours) Peter takes to run a distance of d km is given by h = + . Find
20 100
the amount of time he takes if
(a) he runs a distance of 5 km,
(b) he runs a distance of 8 km.

24. Patrick estimates the length of the diagonal of a rectangle by the following formula:
Estimation = 0.75  (length + width)
Find Patrick’s estimation of the length of the diagonal of a rectangle whose length and width are
(a) 34 m and 18 m respectively,
(b) 43 m and 29 m respectively.

25. Janet bakes peanut cookies and almond cookies. The amount of sugar (E g) each cookie contains is
50
given by E = , where x and y are the numbers of peanut cookies and almond cookies baked
x+ y
respectively. Find the amount of sugar each cookie contains if
(a) x = 20 and y = 30,
(b) x = 60 and y = 140.

26. Three out of n participants in a party are chosen to play a game. The number of ways S of choosing the
1
participants is given by S = n(n – 1)(n – 2). Find the number of ways of choosing the three
6
participants if there are
(a) 10 participants,
(b) 15 participants.

27. In a hotel, the charges of any single room and double room per night are $1200 and $1800 respectively.
(a) Write down a formula for the amount ($C) needed to pay for x single rooms and y double rooms
for 3 nights.
(b) A travel agency books 12 double rooms and 8 single rooms in the hotel for 3 nights. Find the
amount the travel agency needs to pay.

28. Tammy mixes a cup of drink A and a cup of drink B with 50 mL and 80 mL of orange juice respectively.
(a) Write down a formula for the amount (T mL) of orange juice needed to mix x cups of drink A and y
cups of drink B respectively.
(b) Tammy has 4 L of orange juice. Does she have enough orange juice to mix 40 cups of drink A and
20 cups of drink B? Explain your answer.

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Book 1A Chapter 2

29. The price ($V) of a metal cube is given by V = 40x3, where x cm is the side of the cube.
(a) Find the prices when x = 2 and x = 4.
(b) Pauline claims that when the side of the cube doubles, the price of the cube also doubles. Do you
agree? Explain your answer.

30. In a company, each employee has a staff card with a staff number ABCD(v), where A, B, C and D
represent integers from 0 to 9 inclusive and v is the unit digit of the integer 4A + 3B + 2C + D.
(a) Jackie’s staff card is stained as shown below.

Name:
Jackie Chan
Staff Number:
2504 ( )

Find out the digit in the brackets.

(b) Harry’s staff number is 4668(5). Henry suspects that his staff number is wrong. Do you agree?
Explain your answer.

A
31. Suppose that the value V (in million dollars) of a flat is given by V = , where A m2 is the area of the
10n
flat and n is the age of the flat.
(a) Find the value of a flat whose
(i) area is 60 m2 and age is 3,
(ii) area is 90 m2 and age is 5.
(b) If the value of flat A is higher than that of flat B, must flat A be larger than flat B? Explain your
answer.

32. Fanny has x bags of 5 orange sweets and y bags of 6 apple sweets. All the sweets are shared among 8
people. Each person gets the same number of sweets.
(a) How many sweets does each of them get?
(b) Suggest two sets of possible values of x and y.

Multiple Choice Questions

a 1
33. Consider the formula S = . Find the value of S if a = 2 and r = .
3(1 − r ) 3
A. 1
4
B.
3
C. 2
D. 3

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 Introduction to Algebra

34. The water charge ($C) a consumer has to pay in a month is given by C = 3v + 0.1v2, where v m3 is the
volume of water consumed in that month. In a month, Dennis consumes 20 m3 of water. Find the water
charge he has to pay in that month.
A. $40
B. $60
C. $100
D. $400

35. A test paper consists of 50 multiple choice questions. 3 marks will be given for each correct answer and
1 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer or unanswered question. Betty answers x questions in
which y are answered correctly. The score m Betty gets is given by the formula
A. m = x – y.
B. m = 50 – y.
C. m = 3y – (50 – y).
D. m = 3y – (x – y).

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Book 1A Chapter 2

2.3 Equations and Inequalities

Demonstration 1
Check whether x = 8 is a solution of each of the 1. Check whether x = 4 is a solution of each of
following equations. the following equations.
(a) 3x = 9 (a) x + 3 = 5
(b) 2(x + 9) = 5x – 6 (b) 4x = x + 12
Solution

(a) Put x = 8 into the equation.

L.H.S. = 3(8)
= 24
R.H.S. = 9
∵ L.H.S.  R.H.S.
∴ x = 8 is not a solution of the equation.
(b) Put x = 8 into the equation.
L.H.S. = 2(8 + 9)
= 34
R.H.S. = 5(8) – 6
= 34
∵ L.H.S. = R.H.S.
∴ x = 8 is a solution of the equation.

Demonstration 2
Set up an equation to describe each of the 2.
following cases.
(a) x minus 3 is 4.
(b) The total price of 6 copies of a book, whose
price is $x, is $480.
(c) Jeff has n sweets. Margret has 3 times as many
sweets as Jeff. They have totally 72 sweets.
(d) Paul’s age is m. Paul is 18 years older than his
cousin, whose age is one third of Paul’s.
Solution
(a) The required equation is x – 3 = 4.
(b) The required equation is 6x = 480.
(c) The required equation is n + 3n = 72.
m
(d) The required equation is m – 18 = .
3
Set up an equation to describe each of the
following cases.
(a) y plus 6 is 8.
(b) The perimeter of a square of side s cm is
24 cm.
(c) A coach has n seats. A bus has 5 times as
many seats as the coach. They have
totally 96 seats.
(d) A box contains m apples. One fourth of
the apples are rotten and the remaining 36
apples are good.

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 Introduction to Algebra

Demonstration 3
Set up an inequality to describe each of the
following cases.
(a) Bob’s weight is x kg. He is heavier than John,
whose weight is 50 kg.
(b) There are n sausages on a tray, which are not
enough to give 40 children one each.
(c) Jay has $300 and he can buy a book and a bag,
whose prices are $P and $200 respectively.
(d) Cathy divides a cake of weight w g into 6
identical pieces. The weight of each piece of
cake is at least 80 g.
Solution
(a) The required inequality is x > 50.
(b) The required inequality is n < 40.
(c) The required inequality is P + 200  300.
w
(d) The required inequality is  80.
6
3. Set up an inequality to describe each of the
following cases.
(a) Stephen, whose height is h m, is taller
than Calvin, whose height is 1.4 m.
(b) In a party, there are n girls and 6 boys.
The number of girls is less than the
number of boys.
(c) Jennifer and Pauline have $20 and $18
respectively. They can gather their money
to buy a comic priced at $C.
(d) A kettle contains v mL of tea and can fill
5 cups each with 200 mL of tea.

For each of the following equations, check whether the given value of x is a solution of the equation. (4 – 9)
4. x + 7 = 3; x=4

5. 5x = 10; x=2

6. x – 6 = 8 + 3x; x = –7

7. 2(5x + 8) = 3x – 5; x = 3

8. x2 – 3x + 4 = 2; x=1

25
9. = 6; x=5
7x − 9

10. Set up an equation to describe each of the following cases.

(a) x plus 5 is –2.
(b) Subtract 8 from the product of 3 and x. The result is 9.
(c) The height, the base and the area of a triangle are h cm, 7 cm and 14 cm2 respectively.
(d) Martin is b years old. His father is 4 times as old as Martin. The difference between their ages is 27.

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Book 1A Chapter 2

(e) The length and the perimeter of a rectangle are x cm and 48 cm respectively. The length is 2 cm
longer than the width.
(f) There are m boys in a class of 36 students. The number of girls is 9 less than 2 times the number of
boys.

11. Set up an inequality to describe each of the following cases.

(a) A number y is smaller than 25.
(b) In a class of 38 students, when a teacher asks a question, n students raise their hands.
(c) In a class, a student and the shortest student in the class have heights h cm and 130 cm
respectively.
(d) Each copy of a novel is sold for $p. Jenny has $480. She cannot afford to buy 6 copies.
(e) There were originally 60 cookies in a tin. Amy, Ben and Calvin each ate m cookies.

12. Check whether each of the following values of x is a solution of the inequality 2x + 7 > 15.
(a) x = 2
(b) x = 4
(c) x = 6

8
13. Check whether each of the following values of x is a solution of the inequality  2.
14 − 3 x
(a) x = 5
(b) x = 4
(c) x = 3

14. In a 30-lane bowling centre, 18 lanes are occupied and n lanes are available.
(a) Set up an equation to find the value of n.
(b) Check whether n = 10 is a solution of the equation in (a).

15. The capacities of two cups are v cm3 and (v + 200) cm3 respectively. The total capacity of the cups is
900 cm3.
(a) Set up an equation to find the value of v.
(b) Check whether v = 700 is a solution of the equation in (a).

16. The total height of two boys is 200 cm. One boy is 30 cm taller than the other. The taller boy’s height is
h cm.
(a) Set up an equation to find the value of h.
(b) Check whether h = 115 is a solution of the equation in (a).

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 Introduction to Algebra

17. 7m cupcakes are shared among 8 people. Each person gets (m – 3) cupcakes.
(a) Set up an equation to find the value of m.
(b) Check whether m = 20 is a solution of the equation in (a).

18. Bobby is n years old. Jessica is 3 times as old as Bobby. The difference between their ages is 28.
(a) Set up an equation to find the value of n.
(b) Check whether Bobby is 19 years old.

19. For a play, the price of a child ticket is $p. An adult ticket is $30 more expensive than a child ticket. The
total price of 3 adult tickets is the same as that of 5 child tickets.
(a) Set up an equation to find the value of p.
(b) Check whether the price of each child ticket is $45.

20. A book is lighter than 50 g. The total weight of 8 copies of the book is W g.
(a) Set up an inequality to find the values of W.
(b) Using the result of (a), can each of the following values be the total weight of the books?
(i) 400 g (ii) 600 g

21. Lily gets m marks in a test. If 10 marks are added to her marks, she will get at least 50 marks.
(a) Set up an inequality to find the values of m.
(b) Using the result of (a), can each of the following values be her marks?
(i) 35 (ii) 70

22. Louis has $80. He can buy two hamburgers and a cheese cake. The price of a cheese cake is $16.
(a) If the price of each hamburger is $B, set up an inequality to find the values of B.
(b) Using the result of (a), can each of the following values be the price of a hamburger?
(i) $24 (ii) $35

23. A school plans to carry 200 students to a country park with coaches of two sizes. Each small coach has
8 seats less than each large coach. It is found that 3 large coaches and 5 small coaches cannot carry all
the students.
(a) If each small coach has n seats, set up an inequality to find the values of n.
(b) Using the result of (a), can each of the following values be the number of seats in a small coach?
(i) 15 (ii) 30

24. Connie is a pupil at a primary school. Her father is 26 years older than her. Her father has an age 10
greater than 3 times hers.
(a) Suppose Connie is n years old. Set up an equation to find the value of n.
(b) Use the method of ‘guess and check’ to find Connie’s age.

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Book 1A Chapter 2

25. In a march practice, boy scouts are arranged in a rectangular formation, in which the number of
columns are 2 times as many as the number of rows.
(a) Let m be the number of rows. Find the total number of boy scouts.
(b) If there are more than 90 boy scouts, suggest two possible total numbers of boy scouts.

Multiple Choice Questions

26. Which of the following numbers is a solution of 3x – 8 < 7?
I. 4
II. 5
III. 6
A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. I, II and III

27. Ken and Cherry each originally has n marbles. After Ken is given 4 marbles, they have totally 30
marbles. Set up an equation to find the value of n.
A. n + 4 = 30
B. 2n + 4 = 30
C. 2n + 4 = 34
D. 2(n + 4) = 30

28. 6 times the result of subtracting 5 from x is no less than 2. Set up an inequality to find the values of x.
A. 6  5 – x < 2
B. 65–x2
C. 6  (5 – x)  2
D. 6  (x – 5)  2

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 Introduction to Algebra

2.4 Sequences

Demonstration 1
Write down the 5th term and the 6th term of each 1. Write down the 5th term and the 6th term of
of the following sequences. each of the following sequences.
(a) 4, 8, 12, 16, … (a) –2, –4, –6, –8, …
(b) –4, –1, 2, 5, … (b) 3, 5, 7, 9, …
Solution

(a) The 5th term = 20

The 6th term = 24
(b) The 5th term = 8
The 6th term = 11

Demonstration 2
It is given that the general term of a sequence is 2. It is given that the general term of a sequence
3n – 5. List the first four terms of the sequence. is 2n + 7. List the first four terms of the
Solution sequence.
The 1st term = 3(1) – 5 = –2
The 2nd term = 3(2) – 5 = 1
The 3rd term = 3(3) – 5 = 4
The 4th term = 3(4) – 5 = 7

Write down the 5th term and the 6th term of each of the following sequences. (3 – 10)
3. 1, 4, 7, 10, … 4. 1, –1, –3, –5, …

5. 3, 6, 12, 24, … 6. 81, –27, 9, –3, …

1 1 1 1
7. , , , ,… 8. 9, 16, 25, 36, …
2 4 6 8

9. 3, 6, 10, 15, … 10. 2, 3, 5, 8, …

In each of the following, the general term an of a sequence is given. List the first four terms of the sequence.
(11 – 16)

11. an = n – 1 12. an = 5n

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Book 1A Chapter 2

1
13. an = 4 – 3n 14. an =
2n + 1

n−2 n2 + 1
15. an = 16. an =
n 3n

17. It is given that the general term of a sequence is 5 – 4n. Find the 2nd term and the 4th term of the
sequence.

18. It is given that the general term of a sequence is n(2n – 1). Find the 3rd term and the 5th term of the
sequence.

5 − 4n
19. The general term an of a sequence is given by an = . Find the 1st term and the 2nd term of the
3n + 2
sequence.

1 1
20. The general term an of a sequence is given by an = − . Find the sum of the 6th term and the
n n+2
8th term.

Find the general term an of each of the following sequences. (21 – 24)
21. 3, 12, 27, 48, … 22. 2, 4, 8, 16, …

23. 6, 18, 54, 162, … 24. 4, 9, 16, 25, …

3 4 5 6
25. A sequence , , , , … is given.
2 3 4 5
(a) Find the general term an of the sequence.
(b) Hence, find the 20th term of the sequence.

1 3 5 7
26. A sequence , , , , … is given.
2 4 6 8
(a) Find the general term an of the sequence.
(b) Hence, find the 9th term of the sequence.

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 Introduction to Algebra

27. Each of the following figures is formed by dots.

(a) Find the number of dots in the nth figure.

(b) Find the number of dots in the 9th figure.

28. Each of the following figures is formed by squares.

Find the number of squares in the 8th figure.

3 1 1 3
29. Consider the sequence − , − , , ,…
2 3 4 5
(a) Find the general term an of the sequence.
(b) Is a6 an integer? Explain your answer.

30. Each of the following figures is formed by arranging matches.

(a) Find the number of matches in the 6th figure.

(b) How many matches does the nth figure have more than the (n – 1)th figure?

Multiple Choice Questions

31. The 5th term of the sequence 4, 5, 7, 10, … is
A. 11.
B. 12.
C. 13.
D. 14.

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Book 1A Chapter 2

32. Consider two sequences with general terms an = n2 – n + 4 and bn = 2 + 2n. Which of the following must
be true?
I. a5 is an even number.
II. an = bn for n = 1, 2 and 3.
III. a6 = b6
A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. I, II and III

33. Each of the following figures is formed by dots.

Find the number of dots in the 7th figure.

A. 11
B. 18
C. 21
D. 29

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