GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Worksheet
Skill
Group A - Rearranging linear equations
Rearrange each equation to make 𝑎 the subject of the formula.
1) 𝑎 + 𝑏 = 𝑐 2) 𝑏 + 𝑎 = 𝑐 3) 𝑎 + 2𝑏 + 𝑐 = 0
4) 2𝑎 − 𝑏 = 𝑐 5) 𝑏 − 2𝑎 = 𝑐 6) 2𝑎 + 𝑏 + 2𝑐 = 0
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
7) 𝑏
= 𝑐 8) 𝑐 = 2𝑏
9) 2𝑐 = 𝑏
− 2
Group B - Rearranging equations with indices and the same variable on both sides
Rearrange each equation to make 𝑚 the subject of the formula.
2 2 2
1) 𝑚 = 𝑛 2) 𝑚 + 5 = 𝑛 3) (𝑚 − 10) = 6𝑛
𝑚+3 𝑚+3 𝑝
4) 𝑛 = 𝑝
5) 𝑛 = 𝑝
+ 5 6) 𝑛 = 𝑚+3
7) 5(𝑚 + 𝑛) = 4(𝑚 + 3𝑛) 8) 3(3𝑚 + 4) = 6(𝑚 + 2𝑛) 9) 2(2𝑚 − 2) = 6(𝑚 − 3𝑛)
Group C - Rearranging equations with fractions and factorising
Rearrange the equation to make 𝑥 the subject of the formula.
1) 𝑥𝑦 = 𝑥 + 1 𝑥+1 𝑥+2
2) 𝑦 = 𝑥
3) 𝑦 = 𝑥+1
𝑥+1 2𝑥+3 2 𝑥+4
4) 2𝑦 + 1 = 𝑥
5) 2𝑦 = 𝑥
−1 6) 𝑦 = 𝑥
𝑎𝑥 3𝑥+2 𝑥+1 2
7) 𝑦 = 𝑎−𝑥 8) 𝑦
= 𝑧 9) 𝑦 =
𝑧 +𝑥
𝑧+𝑥
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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Worksheet
Applied
1) Make 𝑘 the subject of the formula
𝑎(𝑘 − 5) = 𝑏
2) The distance, 𝑑, you can see to the horizon in relation to your height above sea
level, ℎ, is given by the formula shown below:
3ℎ
𝑑 = 2
Make ℎ the subject of the formula.
3) Rearrange the following formula to make 𝑢 the subject
1 1 1
𝑢
+ 𝑣
= 𝑓
4) 2 2
Make 𝑏 the subject of the equation 𝑎 = 𝑏 +𝑐 .
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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Exam Questions
1) Make 𝑥 the subject of the formula:
𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 4
….……………
(2 marks)
2) Make 𝑠 the subject of the formula:
2 2
𝑣 = 𝑢 + 2𝑎𝑠
….……………
(2 marks)
3) Make 𝑔 the subject of the formula:
𝑔+6
𝑌= 5
….……………
(3 marks)
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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Exam Questions
4) Make 𝑣 the subject of the formula:
20(𝑡−3𝑣)
𝑤= 𝑣
….……………
(5 marks)
5) Make 𝑡 the subject of the formula:
2(𝑡+3)
𝑘= 𝑡−3
….……………
(5 marks)
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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Exam Questions
6) Make 𝑥 the subject of the formula:
𝑥 𝑎
𝑥+𝑏
= 𝑐
….……………
(5 marks)
7) Make 𝑚 the subject of the formula:
𝑚 𝑡 𝑚−𝑡
𝑣
− 𝑏
= 𝑟
….……………
(5 marks)
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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Answers
Question Answer
Skill Questions
Group A Rearrange each equation to make 𝑎 the
subject of the formula.
1) 𝑎 + 𝑏 = 𝑐 1) 𝑎 = 𝑐 − 𝑏
2) 𝑏 + 𝑎 = 𝑐 2) 𝑎 = 𝑐 − 𝑏
3) 𝑎 + 2𝑏 + 𝑐 = 0 3) 𝑎 = − 2𝑏 − 𝑐
𝑏+𝑐
4) 2𝑎 − 𝑏 = 𝑐 4) 𝑎 =
2
𝑏−𝑐
5) 𝑏 − 2𝑎 = 𝑐 5) 𝑎 =
2
−𝑏 −2𝑐 𝑏 + 2𝑐
6) 2𝑎 + 𝑏 + 2𝑐 = 0 6) 𝑎 = or 𝑎 =−
2 2
𝑎
7) = 𝑐 7) 𝑎 = 𝑏𝑐
𝑏
𝑎
8) 𝑐 = 8) 𝑎 = 2𝑏𝑐
2𝑏
𝑎
9) 2𝑐 = − 2 9) 𝑎 = 2𝑏 + 2𝑏𝑐
𝑏
Group B Rearrange each equation to make 𝑚
the subject of the formula.
2
1) 𝑚 = 𝑛 1) 𝑚 = ± 𝑛
2
2) 𝑚 + 5 = 𝑛 2) 𝑚 = ± 𝑛 − 5
2
3) (𝑚 − 10) = 6𝑛 3) 𝑚 = ± 6𝑛 + 10
𝑚+3
4) 𝑛 = 4) 𝑚 = 𝑛𝑝 − 3
𝑝
𝑚+3
5) 𝑛 = + 5 5) 𝑚 = 𝑛𝑝 − 5𝑝 − 3
𝑝
𝑝 𝑝 𝑝−3𝑛
6) 𝑛 = 6) 𝑚 = − 3 or 𝑚 =
𝑚+3 𝑛 𝑛
7) 5(𝑚 + 𝑛) = 4(𝑚 + 3𝑛) 7) 𝑚 = 7𝑛
8) 3(3𝑚 + 4) = 6(𝑚 + 2𝑛) 8) 𝑚 = 4𝑛 − 4 or 𝑚 = 4(𝑛 − 1)
9) 2(2𝑚 − 2) = 6(𝑚 − 3𝑛) 9) 𝑚 = 9𝑛 − 2
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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Answers
Group C Rearrange the equation to make 𝑥 the
subject of the formula.
1
1) 𝑥𝑦 = 𝑥 + 1 1) 𝑥 =
𝑦−1
𝑥+1 1
2) 𝑦 = 2) 𝑥 =
𝑥 𝑦−1
𝑥+2 2−𝑦 𝑦−2
3) 𝑦 = 3) 𝑥 = or 𝑥 =
𝑥+1 𝑦−1 1−𝑦
𝑥+1 1
4) 2𝑦 + 1 = 4) 𝑥 =
𝑥 2𝑦
2𝑥 + 3 3
5) 2𝑦 = − 1 5) 𝑥 =
𝑥 2𝑦 − 1
2 𝑥+4 4
6) 𝑦 = 6) 𝑥 = 2
𝑥 𝑦 −1
𝑎𝑥 𝑎𝑦
7) 𝑦 = 7) 𝑥 =
𝑎−𝑥 𝑎+𝑦
3𝑥 + 2 𝑥+1 𝑦 − 2𝑧 2𝑧−𝑦
8) = 8) 𝑥 = or 𝑥 =
𝑦 𝑧 3𝑧 − 𝑦 𝑦−3𝑧
2 2 2
𝑧 + 𝑥 𝑧 − 𝑦𝑧 𝑦𝑧−𝑧
9) 𝑦 = 9) 𝑥 = or 𝑥 =
𝑧+𝑥 𝑦−1 1−𝑦
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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Answers
Question Answer
Applied Questions
1) Make 𝑘 the subject of the formula 𝑘=
5𝑎+𝑏 𝑏
or 𝑘 = 𝑎 + 5
𝑎
𝑎(𝑘 − 5) = 𝑏
2) The distance, 𝑑, you can see to the horizon in 2𝑑
2
ℎ= 3
relation to your height above sea level, ℎ, is
given by the formula shown below:
3ℎ
𝑑= 2
3) Rearrange the following formula 𝑢 = 𝑣−𝑓
𝑓𝑣
to make 𝑢 the subject
1 1 1
𝑢
+ 𝑣
= 𝑓
4) Make 𝑏 the subject of the equation 2 2
𝑏= 𝑎 −𝑐
2 2
𝑎= 𝑏 +𝑐 .
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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Mark Scheme
Question Answer
Exam Questions
1) Make 𝑥 the subject of the formula 𝑦 − 4 = 2𝑥 (1)
𝑦−4
𝑥= 2 (1)
𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 4
2 2
2) Make s the subject of the formula 𝑣 − 𝑢 = 2𝑎𝑠 (1)
2 2
𝑣 −𝑢 (1)
2 2 𝑠=
𝑣 = 𝑢 + 2𝑎𝑠 2𝑎
3) Make g the subject of the formula 2
𝑌 =
𝑔+6 (1)
5
2
5𝑌 = 𝑔 + 6 (1)
𝑔+6
𝑌= 5 𝑔 = 5𝑌 − 6
2
(1)
4) Make v the subject of the formula 𝑣𝑤 = 20(𝑦 − 3𝑣) (1)
𝑣𝑤 = 20𝑦 − 60𝑣 (1)
𝑤=
20(𝑡−3𝑣) 𝑣𝑤 + 60𝑣 = 20𝑦 (1)
𝑣 (1)
𝑣(𝑤 + 60) = 20𝑦
20𝑦 (1)
𝑣=
𝑤+60
5) Make t the subject of the formula 𝑘(𝑡 − 3) = 2(𝑡 + 3) (1)
𝑘𝑡 − 3𝑘 = 2𝑡 + 6 (1)
𝑘=
2(𝑡+3) 𝑘𝑡 − 2𝑡 = 3𝑘 + 6 (1)
𝑡−3 (1)
𝑡(𝑘 − 2) = 3(𝑘 + 2)
3(𝑘+2) (1)
𝑡=
𝑘−2
6) Make 𝑥 the subject of the formula 𝑐𝑥 = 𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑏) (1)
𝑐𝑥 = 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑎𝑏 (1)
𝑥 𝑎 𝑐𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑎𝑏 (1)
𝑥+𝑏
= 𝑐
𝑥(𝑐 − 𝑎) = 𝑎𝑏 (1)
𝑎𝑏 (1)
𝑥=
𝑐−𝑎
GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra
Rearranging Equations - Mark Scheme
7) Make 𝑚 the subject of the formula 𝑏𝑚−𝑡𝑣
=
𝑚−𝑡
𝑏𝑣 𝑟
𝑟(𝑏𝑚 − 𝑡𝑣) = 𝑏𝑣(𝑚 − 𝑡) (1)
𝑚 𝑡 𝑚−𝑡
𝑣
− 𝑏
= 𝑟 𝑏𝑚𝑟 − 𝑟𝑡𝑣 = 𝑏𝑚𝑣 − 𝑏𝑡𝑣 (1)
𝑏𝑚𝑟 − 𝑏𝑚𝑣 = 𝑟𝑡𝑣 − 𝑏𝑡𝑣 (1)
𝑚(𝑏𝑟 − 𝑏𝑣) = 𝑡𝑣(𝑟 − 𝑏) (1)
𝑡𝑣(𝑟−𝑏)
𝑚= 𝑜𝑒 (1)
𝑏(𝑟−𝑣)
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