Working With Algebra: 5.1 Substituting Numbers Into Formulae and Expressions
Working With Algebra: 5.1 Substituting Numbers Into Formulae and Expressions
Working With Algebra: 5.1 Substituting Numbers Into Formulae and Expressions
73
CHAPTER 5
1 30 3 or 0
2 651 0 or 2
3 52 10 or 25
4 234 20 or 14
5 4 10 2 9 or 7
6 ( 3)2 9 or 9
Care must be taken when substituting given numbers into more intricate
expressions. In particular, be careful with minus signs and squares, cubes, etc.
Remember the order of priorities described by BIDMAS – you should work out
Brackets first, then Indices (squares, cubes, etc.). Next come Division and
Multiplication, together, and finally Addition and Subtraction, also together.
EXAMPLE
If p 5, q 2 and r 4, work out the values of
a) 3p 4q b) 2p2 c) pq 5r
SOLUTION
a) 3p 4q 3 (5) 4 (2) Multiply before adding: BIDMAS
15 8
23
b) 2p2 2 (5)2 Indices before multiplying: BIDMAS
2 25
50
c) pq 5r (5) (2) 5 (4) Multiply before subtracting: BIDMAS
10 20
10 20
30
EXAMPLE
If x 4, y 1 and z 3, work out the values of
2x 3y
a) 3(x 2z)2 b)
zy
SOLUTION
a) 3(x 2z)2 3 (4 2 3)2 Brackets first, then indices, then multiplying: BIDMAS
3 (4 6)2
3 (10)2
3 100
300
2x 3y 2 4 3 (1) In an algebraic fraction, you should evaluate
b) the top and bottom separately first.
zy 3 (1)
Then do the division.
8 3
3 1
5
2
1
22
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EXAMPLE
1
The distance s, travelled by a particle is given by the formula s ut 2 at2.
a) Use your calculator to work out the value of s when a 9.8, t 3.5 and
u 2.4. Write down all the figures from your calculator display.
b) Round your answer to part a) correct to 2 significant figures.
SOLUTION
1
a) s ut 2 at2
2.4 3.5 (1 2) 9.8 3.5 x2
68.425
b) Correct to 2 significant figures, s 68
EXERCISE 5.1
If p 6, q 5 and r 2, find the value of:
5 x 2 z2 6 3x z 7 2z 3y 8 (y 2z)2
9 4f 2 10 5(f g) 11 f 2 gh 12 3g2
13 The number of bacteria N in a colony is modelled by the formula N 2500(1 kt) where t is the time
and k is a growth factor.
a) Find the value of N when k 0.3 and t 1.5.
b) Write down the number of bacteria at time t 0 .
EXAMPLE
Simplify:
a) f f f b) t t t t c) 2 m m
SOLUTION
a) f f f f 3 b) t t t t t 4 c) 2 m m 2m2
You have probably already met the idea of simplifying algebraic expressions
using indices, which are powers such as squares or cubes. For example, you
may have been asked to simplify x2 x3, or, perhaps, (y4)3.
The rules for simplifying such expressions are quite straightforward, but they
can appear confusing at first, so you should practise in order to be able to apply
them confidently and correctly.
Multiplication Division
xa xb xa b xa xb xa b
EXAMPLE
Simplify these expressions:
a) x2 x3 b) x7 x3
SOLUTION
a) x 2 x3 x2 3
x5
b) x7 x3 x7 3
x4
Sometimes the algebraic terms will have whole number multiples in front of
them – these are known as coefficients. If these are present, you simply
multiply or divide the coefficients in the usual way, and then multiply or divide
the algebraic terms as well.
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EXAMPLE
Simplify these expressions:
a) 5x 2 4x 3 b) 12x 7 4x 3
SOLUTION
Multiply the two number coefficients…
a) 5x 2 4x 3 5 4 x 2 3
…and multiply the two algebraic terms.
20 x 5
20x5
Take care with an expression such as (x 3)2 – it does not simplify to x 5. This is
because (x 3)2 means x 3 times x 3 which gives x 3 3 , in other words, x 6.
This gives us another rule for indices:
(x a)n x a n
EXAMPLE
Simplify these expressions:
a) (x 2)5 b) (2 x 3)4
SOLUTION
a) (x 2)5 x 2 5
x 10
Remember to raise 2 to the power 4…
b) (2x 3)4 24 (x 3)4 …as well as working out x 3 to the power 4.
16 x 12
16x 12
EXERCISE 5.2
Write these expressions using indices.
7 x3 x5 8 y 10 y 3 9 z4 z3 z2
10 2x 3 5x 4 11 4x 6x 5 12 12y 6 6y 3
13 4y 2 2y 4 14 18z 6 3z 15 2x 2 3x 3 x 4
16 10z 6 20z 4
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26 (6x 2y)2
27 3x 2 5x 3 28 4y 2 2y 29 (3z 2)3
36 4x 4 3x
EXAMPLE
Simplify
a) 8x 3y 5x 2y b) 3x 2y 9x 6y c) 5c 3e 8c 4e
SOLUTION
a) 8x 3y 5x 2y 8x 5x
3y 2y
13x 5y
b) 3x 2y 9x 6y 3x 9x
2y 6y
12x 4y
c) 5c 3e 8c 4e 5c 8c
3e 4e
3c e
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EXAMPLE
Expand 3(2x 5).
‘Expand’ means ‘clear away the brackets’.
SOLUTION
The bracket contains two terms, namely 2x
3(2x 5) 3 (2x) 3 5
and 5. Each term gets multiplied by the 3.
6x 15
Examination questions often require you to do this twice, and then collect like
terms to write the result in a neater form. In such a case you will be told to
‘expand and simplify’, as in the next example.
EXAMPLE
Expand and simplify 4(3x 7) 5(x 2).
First you multiply out the brackets…
SOLUTION
4(3x 7) 5(x 2) 12x 28 5x 10 …then collect up 12x 5x to make 17x…
17x 38 and 28 and 10 to make 38.
Sometimes there are minus signs inside one or more of the brackets.
EXAMPLE
Expand and simplify 4(3x 7) 5(2 x).
Again, multiply out the brackets …
SOLUTION
4(3x 7) 5(2 x) 12x 28 10 5x … then collect up 12x 5x to make 7x …
7x 18 and 28 and 10 to make 18.
Watch carefully when there is a minus sign in front of one of the brackets, because the
multiplication is much more tricky.
EXAMPLE
Expand and simplify 5(4x 3) 2(x 3).
Multiply the terms in the second bracket by 2.
SOLUTION
5(4x 3) 2(x 3) 20x 15 2x 6 Then collect up 20x 2x to make 18x …
18x 9 and 15 and 6 to make 9.
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Notice that the minus outside the bracket ends up changing all the signs inside
the bracket. Finally, watch for a double minus multiplying to give a positive
term, as in this example.
EXAMPLE
Expand and simplify 2(4x 1) 3(x 2).
SOLUTION
2(4x 1) 3(x 2) 8x 2 3x 6 The 3 multiplies with 2 to give 6.
5x 4
EXERCISE 5.3
In questions 1 to 10 you are to multiply out the brackets and simplify the results. These are straightforward
questions, without any awkward sign problems.
10 6(3x 2) 5(4x 3)
In questions 11 to 20, expand and simplify the result. Take special care when there is a negative number in
front of the second bracket.
20 4x 3(2x 1) 5x
EXAMPLE
Expand and simplify (x 3)(2x 5).
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EXAMPLE
Expand and simplify (2x 3)(3x 1).
Here we are using ‘FOIL’.
First 2x times 3x gives 6x 2
SOLUTION Outside: 2x times 1 gives 2x
Inside: 3 times 3x gives 9x
(2x 3)(3x 1) 6x 2 2x 9x 3
Last: 3 times 1 gives 3
6x 2 7x 3
EXAMPLE
Expand and simplify (4x 1)(2x 5).
SOLUTION
The two terms from the first bracket are
written along one edge of the grid, and the
4x 1 terms from the other bracket down the
2x 8x 2
2x other edge. The grid is then filled in by
multiplying corresponding pairs of terms,
5 20x 5 for example 4x times 5 gives 20x.
You may use whichever of these methods you prefer – or even a combination of
them. They are different ways of obtaining the same list of terms prior to
collecting like terms.
EXERCISE 5.4
Expand and simplify these products of brackets. You may use any valid method of your choice, but you
should show all the steps in your working.
EXAMPLE
Factorise 16x 20y.
EXAMPLE
Factorise 18x 24x 2.
Even if there are more terms, and more letters, the same overall principle
applies. Find the highest common factor of the numerical coefficients first, then
the highest common factor of the x parts, then the y parts, and so on.
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EXAMPLE
Factorise 22x 2y 3 33x 3y 2 44x 4y.
SOLUTION
The highest common factor of all three terms is 11x 2y. Look at 22, 33, 44 to select 11
Next, look at x 2, x 3 and x 4 to select x 2
Thus 22x 2y 3 33x 3y 2 44x 4y 11x 2y(… … …) Finally, look at y 3, y 2 and y to select y
11x 2y(2y 2 3xy 4x 2) Thus the HCF is 11x2y
EXERCISE 5.5
Factorise these expressions. They may all be done using the common factor method.
1 x 2 6x 2 2x 2 6x 3 2x 2 6xy
4 y 2 10y 5 2y 2 10y 6 6x 9x 2
7 12y 2 8 8 12y 2 8y 9 fg 3g 2
10 9y 2 12y 11 5x 5 4x 4 12 12x2 6x 3
EXAMPLE
Factorise x 2 7x 6. Each bracket must contain an x, to give a product of x2 …
… and there must be two numbers in here which multiply
SOLUTION together to make 6.
x 2 7x 6 (x …)(x …)
(x 6)(x 1) They cannot be 2 and 3, since these would contribute
2x and 3x, which do not combine to make 7x.
Check:
They could be 6 and 1, since these would contribute
(x 6)(x 1) x 2 6x x 6
6x and x, which do combine to make 7x.
x 2 7x 6 as required.
This method of factorising can involve some experimentation before you find the
right solution, especially when there are minus signs involved too. It is a good idea
to check your final answer by multiplying the brackets back out again.
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EXAMPLE
Factorise x 2 7x 12.
To give a product of x 2, each bracket must contain an x.
Both the signs must be negative, in order to generate 7x but
SOLUTION multiply to 12.
x 2 7x 12 (x …)(x …)
(x 3)(x 4) You could try 12 and 1, or 6 and 2, but 4 and 3 look
more promising.
Check:
(x 3)(x 4) x 2 3x 4x 12
x 2 7x 12 as required.
Sometimes the final number term is negative, indicating that one of the factors
is positive and the other negative. Take care to match them the right way round.
EXAMPLE
Factorise x 2 3x 28.
One sign is positive, and one negative, in order to generate
28 at the end.
SOLUTION Factors of 4 and 7 look good, since they multiply to make
x 2 3x 28 (x …)(x …) 28, and they differ by 3.
(x 4)(x 7)
Try (x 4)(x 7) and (x 7)(x 4). They both give 28,
Check:
but one gives 3x and the other 3x.
(x 4)(x 7) x 2 4x 7x 28
x 2 3x 28 as required.
EXERCISE 5.6
Factorise these quadratic expressions.
1 x 2 8x 7 2 x 2 9x 14 3 x 2 5x 6
4 x 2 11x 30 5 x 2 10x 16 6 x 2 4x 3
7 x 2 7x 10 8 x 2 11x 30 9 x 2 3x 2
10 x 2 7x 12 11 x 2 3x 4 12 x 2 x 6
13 x 2 x 6 14 x 2 4x 5 15 x 2 x 12
16 x 2 8x 12 17 x 2 12x 32 18 x 2 x 72
19 x 2 7x 12 20 x 2 7x 44
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EXAMPLE
Factorise 2x 2 x 3.
Means 1x. To give a product of x 2, one bracket must contain an x, and
the other, 2x.
SOLUTION
2x 2 x 3 (2x …)(x …) One of the signs must be positive, and the other negative, to
(2x 3)(x 1) get a product of 3.
EXERCISE 5.7
Factorise these quadratic expressions.
1 2x 2 3x 1 2 2x 2 5x 3 3 2x 2 5x 2
4 3x 2 5x 2 5 3x 2 2x 1 6 5x 2 4x 1
7 2x 2 x 1 8 5x 2 9x 2 9 3x 2 8x 4
10 2x 2 11x 6 11 2x 2 9x 9 12 6x 2 x 1
16 4x 2 4x 1 17 6x 2 13x 2 18 2x 2 9x 7
19 4x 2 12x 9 20 2x 2 3x 9
More generally,
x 2 a 2 (x a)(x a)
This is a result known as the difference of two squares.
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EXAMPLE
Factorise x 2 144.
SOLUTION
x 2 144 (x 12)(x 12)
EXAMPLE
Factorise 10x 2 360.
SOLUTION
First, take out a common factor …
10x 2 360 10(x 2 36)
… then apply the difference of two squares.
10(x 6) (x 6)
EXERCISE 5.8A
Factorise these expressions, using the difference of two squares method.
1 x2 1 2 y 2 121 3 x 2 81
4 y 2 400 5 3x 2 75 6 2x 2 18
7 7y 2 63 8 10x 2 40 9 3x 2 27
10 4y 2 100
The next exercise contains a mixture of all the different factorising methods you have learnt so far.
EXERCISE 5.8B
Factorise these expressions.
1 x 2 6x 5 2 x 2 8x 3 y 2 15y 44
4 x 2 11x 30 5 x 2 7x 6 y 2 3y 10
7 4x 2 9x 2 8 y 2 y 30 9 x 2 3x 2
10 x 2 8x 15 11 y 2 16 12 5xy 10y 2
13 4x 2 8x 3 14 7y 2 700 15 x 2 2x 24
16 2y 2 y 10 17 4z 2 4z 18 2x 2 3x 1
19 3x 2 12 20 2x 2 5x 3
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EXAMPLE
A factory produces handbags by cutting and shaping rectangles of material. To
make one bag, a rectangle of material p cm by q cm is needed. The factory finds
that an area A of material is just sufficient to make n bags.
Obtain a formula for A in terms of p, q and n.
SOLUTION
The area required for one bag is found by multiplying p and q together: pq.
For n such bags, the area of material must be n times bigger: npq.
Thus the required formula is
A npq
EXAMPLE
A square of side x cm is removed from each corner of a rectangle measuring
a cm by b cm.
a) Draw a sketch to show this information.
b) Find a formula for the area, A cm 2, remaining after the removal of the four
squares.
c) The sides are now folded up to make a rectangular tray of depth x cm.
Find a formula for the volume, V cm 3, of the tray.
SOLUTION
a)
x x
x x
x x
x x
a 2x
x b 2x
EXERCISE 5.9
1 An equilateral triangle has sides of length x cm. Obtain a formula for the perimeter P of the triangle.
2 A helicopter consumes n litres of fuel per minute. Obtain a formula for the total number of litres T of fuel
consumed during a flight lasting half an hour.
3 Each month I have to pay £x for my house mortgage, and each year I have to pay £y for buildings
insurance. Find a formula for the total £T I have to pay in mortgage and buildings insurance over a period
of 5 years.
4 Ginny is given £500 on her 18th birthday, which she saves in a building society account. She then adds
£10 per month to her savings. Obtain a formula for the amount £P she will have in the account after m
months of saving.
5 A rectangle of area A has length l cm. Find a formula for its width, w cm, in terms of A and l.
9 Digital photos are stored as files on a memory card. Each photo takes up 0.3 MB of space on the card.
The card can hold 128 MB of data.
a) Find the amount of space occupied by 60 photos.
b) Obtain a formula for the amount of space S remaining on the card when n photos have been stored on it.
c) What is the maximum value of n?
10 A rectangle of dimensions a cm by b cm has a 1 cm square cut out from each of its four corners.
The sides thus formed are then folded up to make a rectangular tray.
a) Find an expression for the area of the base of the tray.
b) Find a formula for the volume, V cm3, of the rectangular tray.
Sometimes you will want to rearrange the formula so that one of the other
letters becomes the subject instead.
EXAMPLE
Make r the subject of C 2r.
First, rewrite the original equation with the left
and right-hand sides swapped over…
SOLUTION
C 2 r … next, divide both sides by 2…
2r C
… and finish by dividing both sides by .
C
r
2 C
C Note that the goes next to the 2. Do not write 2 .
r
2
EXAMPLE
Make x the subject of y mx c.
SOLUTION
Again, begin by swapping over the left- and right-hand sides…
y mx c
mx c y
…. next, subtract c from both sides….
mx y c
yc
x … and finish by dividing both sides by m.
m
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The quantity to be made the new subject might appear as a squared term in the
initial formula, for example, r 2. In this case, just make r 2 the subject of the new
formula, then square root at the end.
EXAMPLE
1
Make r the subject of V 3r 2h.
SOLUTION
1
V 3r 2h
1
r 2h V Start by swapping the left and right-hand sides over …
3
r 2h 3V
… then multiply both sides by 3 …
3V
r 2
h
… and divide both sides by h.
Square rooting both sides, we obtain:
3V
r
h
Harder examination questions might be set where the new subject appears twice
in the original equation, or the new subject appears as part of an algebraic
fraction. You will find some examples of these harder types of problems in
Chapter 26 of this book.
EXERCISE 5.10
Rearrange these formulae so that the indicated letter becomes the subject.
2 v u at (u)
3 v u at (a)
1
4 V 3r 2h (h)
5 E mc 2 (m)
6 y 4x 3 (x)
x
7 y 3 (x)
5
x3
8 y (x)
5
1
9 A 2bh (h)
10 E mc 2 (c)
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Review exercise 5 91
11 A 4xy x 2 (y)
12 P I 2R (R)
13 y m(x a) (x)
14 v 2 u 2 2as (a)
15 A 4r 2 (r)
16 y x 2 9 (x)
17 x2 y 2 z 2 (y)
18 V abc (b)
4
19 V 3r 3 (r)
20 v 2 u 2 2as (u)
REVIEW EXERCISE 5
1 If p 4, q 2 and r 5, find the values of:
a) 3pq b) 2p 2 c) 4p 3r d) pqr
4 x2 x5 5 3x 4 x 2 6 4x 3 3x 2
7 10y 8 2y 5 8 8z 5 2z 4 9 12xy 8 4y 5
5x 4 6x 2 (3xy) (4x 2y 3)
13 (3x 2)3 3x 6 14 15 3
3x 3 6x y 2
25 5(2x 2) 2(5x 1)
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35 5(x 1)(x 1)
Factorise the following expressions. You might need to use common factors, quadratic factorisation,
or the difference of two squares.
39 y 2 2y 1 30 z 2 64 41 2y 2 9y 5
42 2x 2 9x 4 43 12x 2 10x 44 2y 2 7y 6
45 4x 2 36
46 A Post Office sells x 26 pence stamps and y 19 pence stamps during one day. The total income from the
stamps is T pence. Write a formula expressing T in terms of x and y.
47 A theatre charges £5 for adult tickets and £3 for children. Altogether a group of x adults and y children
pays a total of £T.
a) Find a formula for T in terms of x and y.
b) What can you say about the values of x and y if the average ticket price for the group turned out to be £4?
48 In a dice game you score either 5 points or 2 points each time you play. Fred plays 10 times, and wins
5 points on n of the 10 games.
a) Write an expression for the total number of points Fred scores in all 10 games.
b) Simplify your expression as much as possible.
g.
l
52 Make l the subject of the formula T 2
53 Lisa packs pencils in boxes. She packs 12 pencils in each box. Lisa packs x boxes of pencils.
a) Write an expression, in terms of x, for the number of pencils Lisa packs.
Lisa also packs pens in boxes. She packs 10 pens into each box. Lisa packs y boxes of pens.
b) Write down an expression, in terms of x and y, for the total number of pens and pencils Lisa packs.
[Edexcel]
54 Sharon earns p pounds per hour. She works for h hours. She also earns a bonus of b pounds.
Write down a formula for the total amount she earns, w pounds. [Edexcel]
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Review exercise 5 93
55 Daniel buys n books at £4 each. He pays for them with a £20 note.
He receives C pounds change. Write down a formula for C in terms of n. [Edexcel]
56 a) Simplify 5p 4q 3p q
x7
b) Simplify 2
x
c) Factorise 4x 6
d) Multiply out and simplify (x 3)(x 2)
e) Simplify 2x 3 x 5 [Edexcel]
57 a) Simplify y 3 y 4.
b) Expand and simplify 5(2x 3) 2(x 1).
c) (i) Factorise 4a 6.
(ii) Factorise completely 6p 2 9pq. [Edexcel]
59 Simplify
5p3 12t 5 u3
3
a) 3a2b 4a3b2 b) c) 4
2 [Edexcel]
q u 3t
62 Simplify fully:
3q 4 2q 5
a) (p3)3 b) [Edexcel]
q3
x2 4
63 Make x the subject of the formula y [Edexcel]
5
64 a) Simplify k 5 k 2
b) Expand and simplify:
(i) 4(x 5) 3(x 7)
(ii) (x 3y) (x 2y)
c) Factorise (p q)2 5(p q)
d) Simplify (m4)2
e) Simplify 2t 2 3r 3t 4 [Edexcel]
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Key points
1 When substituting numbers into expressions, remember the BIDMAS sequence –
Brackets, then Indices, followed by Division/Multiplication and, finally,
Addition/Subtraction.
2 In particular, remember that, for example, the value of 2x 2 when x 3, is
2 times 9 18, and not 62 36; the squaring must be done before the
multiplication by 2.
3 There are three algebraic laws of indices:
xa xb xa b
xa xb xa b
(x a)b x ab
4 When expanding brackets, watch for a minus sign in front of a bracket – this will
change the sign of all the terms inside the bracket, for example:
3(2x 5) 6x 15
5 In algebra, factorising is the reverse process of expanding. It can be confusing
because there are several different methods, so make sure you have studied them
all. You need to know the common factor method, the quadratic method and the
difference of two squares, and when it is appropriate to apply each approach.
6 Rearranging the subject of a formula is, perhaps, the most awkward topic in this
chapter, and you may need to practise some more questions in order to master it. If
you still find it tricky, ask your teacher to explain the reverse flow diagram method;
this can be easy to use, but it only works for certain types of question.
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Internet Challenge 5 95
Internet Challenge 5
The language of algebra
The wordsearch below contains 20 algebraic words for you to find. Once you have located them, use the
internet to check the precise meaning of each word.
T E Q U A T I O N N D P O R I
V X S P G F E N Y M Z S E R Y
B P O W E R F T L A C I D A R
Q R X O Y U O M K P P M S T L
U E S N E O A N T P N P C I H
O S L D R U S A O I S L D O S
T S A O D E R L U N F I V N J
I I N O E X Y E A G I F A A Y
E O J E L N C D U H C Y R L T
N N D N O I T C N U F E I Q I
T E R M G E O W L A L H A F T
A R I L T C U D O R P N B A N
V A D J H Y T E D W T X L B E
L Y T S F A C T O R I S E L D
C I T A R D A U Q F V H I Y I
Here are the words to find. They may run left, right, up, down or diagonally.
EQUATION EXPAND EXPRESSION FACTORISE FUNCTION
IDENTITY INDEX MAPPING POLYNOMIAL POWER
PRODUCT QUADRATIC QUOTIENT RADICAL RATIONAL
ROOT SIMPLIFY SURD TERM VARIABLE