PM3: Problem Sheet 1 - Algebra

1. Solve the following inequalities.

i) |4x + 3| > |x| ii) 2|x − 3| > |3x + 1|

iii) 2|x + 2| > |3x − 1| iv) |2x − 3| > 4|x + 1|

v) |x − 3| > 2|x + 1| vi) |2x − 5| > 3|2x + 1|

vii) |2x − 1| > 3|x + 2| viii) |2x + 1| < 3|x − 2|

2. Find the set of values of x satisfying the following inequalities, where a is a positive constant.

i) 2|2x − a| < |x + 3a| ii) |x + 3a| > 2|x − 2a|

3. Solve the following inequalities.

i) |x − 2| < 3x − 4 ii) |x − 3| < 3x − 4

iii) |2x − 1| < 3 − 2x iv) |2x − 3| > 3x + 1

4. Find the quotient and remainder when

i) 2x2 is divided by x + 2 ii) x3 + x2 − 3x + 6 is divided by x3 + 3

iii) x3 + 1 is divided by x2 − 2x + 3 iv) 6x4 + x3 − x2 + 5x − 6 is divided by

2x2 − x + 1

5. The polynomial x4 + 2x3 + ax + b, where a and b are constants, is divisible by x2 − x + 1. Find

the values of a and b.

6. The polynomial 4x4 + ax2 + 11x + b, where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is
given that p(x) is divisible by x2 − x + 2.

i) Find the values of a and b.

ii) When a and b have these values, find the real roots of the equation p(x) = 0.

7. The polynomial f(x) is defined by f(x) = x3 + ax2 − ax + 14, where a is a constant. It is given
that (x + 2) is a factor of f(x).

i) Find the value of a.

ii) Show that, when a has this value, the equation f(x) = 0 has only one real root.

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 8. The polynomial 4x3 + ax + 2, where a is a constant, is denoted by p(x). It is given that (2x + 1)
is a factor of p(x).
i) Find the value of a.
ii) When a has this value,
a) factorise p(x),
b) solve the inequality p(x) > 0, justifying your answer.

9. The polynomial 6x3 + ax2 + bx − 2, where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given
that (2x + 1) is a factor of p(x) and that when p(x) is divided by (x + 2) the remainder is −24.
Find the values of a and b.

10. The polynomial ax3 + bx2 + x + 3, where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given
that (3x + 1) is a factor of p(x), and that when p(x) is divided by (x − 2) the remainder is 21.
Find the values of a and b.

11. The polynomial 8x3 + ax2 + bx + 3, where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given
that (2x + 1) is a factor of p(x) and that when p(x) is divided by (2x − 1) the remainder is 1.
i) Find the values of a and b.
ii) When a and b have these values, find the remainder when p(x) is divided by 2x2 − 1.

12. The polynomial 2x3 + 5x2 + ax + b, where a and b are constants, is denoted by p(x). It is given
that (2x + 1) is a factor of p(x) and that when p(x) is divided by (x + 2) the remainder is 9.
i) Find the values of a and b.
ii) When a and b have these values, factorise p(x) completely.

13. Expand the following in ascending powers of x, up to and including the term in x3 , simplifying
the coefficients. State the values of x for which the expansion is valid.
√
i) (1 + 2x)−3 ii) 3 1 + 6x
√ 1
iii) 4 1 − 4x iv) √3
1+6x

14. When (1 + ax)−2 , where a is a positive constant, is expanded in ascending powers of x, the
coefficients of x and x3 are equal.
i) Find the exact value of a.
ii) When a has this value, obtain the expansion up to and including the term in x2 , simplifying
the coefficients.

√
15. Given that 3
1 + 9x ≈ 1 + 3x + ax2 + bx3 for small values of x, find the values of the coefficients
a and b.

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16. Expand the following in ascending powers of x, up to and including the term in x2 , simplifying
the coefficients. State the values of x for which the expansion is valid.

i) (2 − 3x)−2 ii) √ 1
4+3x

iii) √ 1 16
9−3x iv) (2+x)2

17. Expand √1+3x

1+2x
in ascending powers of x up to and including the term in x2 , simplifying the
coefficients.

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18. Find the coefficient of x3 in the expansion of (3 − x)(1 + 3x) 3 .

19. Express f(x) in partial fractions. Hence obtain the expansion of f(x) in ascending powers of x,
up to and including the term in x2 .
4x2 +2 10x−2x2
i) f(x) = (x+1)(x−3)2
ii) f(x) = (x+3)(x−1)2

2x(5−x) 4+5x−x2
iii) f(x) = (3+x)(1−x)2
iv) f(x) = (1−2x)(2+x)2

4+12x+x2 8x2 +9x+8

v) f(x) = (3−x)(1+2x)2
vi) f(x) = (1−x)(2x+3)2

8+5x+12x2 3
vii) f(x) = (1−x)(2+3x)2
viii) f(x) = (1+x)(1+2x2 )

2x2 −7x−1 3x2 +x+6

ix) f(x) = (x−2)(x2 +3)
x) f(x) = (x+2)(x2 +4)

5x−x2 9−7x+8x2
xi) f(x) = (1+x)(2+x2 )
xii) f(x) = (3−x)(1+x2 )

5x2 −7x+4 12x2 +4x−1

xii) f(x) = (3x+2)(x2 +5)
xiv) f(x) = (x−1)(3x+2)