Example 1 Exercise 1

1. Prepare yourself by making 𝑥 the subject in each of the following cases:

Make 𝑥 the subject of the formula in each of the following cases.
𝑥
a) 𝑎 + 𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑧 a) 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 𝑎 e) 𝑦 =
5

b) 𝑎 + 3𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑧

c) 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑧

Solutions:
a) 𝑎 + 𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑧

𝑎+𝑥−𝑎 =𝑦+𝑧−𝑎 Subtract 𝑎 from both sides

𝑥 =𝑦+𝑧−𝑎 b) 𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 𝑎 f) 2𝑤 = 3𝑥

b) 𝑎 + 3𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑧

3𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑧 − 𝑎 Subtract 𝑎 from both sides

𝑦+𝑧−𝑎
𝑥= 3
Divide both sides by 3

c) 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑧

c) 𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 7 g) 𝑎𝑥 − 𝑦 = 2𝑦
𝑦+𝑧
𝑥= Simply divide both sides by 𝑎
𝑎

d) 𝑦 = 7 − 2𝑥 h) 𝑎𝑥 − 𝑦 + 𝑧 = 𝑏
2. In each case, make the letter at the end the subject of the formula.

a) 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑐 , (𝑐) d) 2𝑠 = 2𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 , (𝑎) Formulae with brackets and fractions

If there are brackets included in the formula then it is easier if you expand them first. Look
out for implied brackets in fractions, (part (c) below), and include them where necessary.

Example 2

Make 𝑥 the subject of the formula in each of the following cases.

a) 𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑏) = 𝑐

𝑥 𝑦
b)
𝑎
=1+𝑏
𝑥+𝑦 𝑦 𝑎
c)
𝑦
=𝑎+𝑦

b)𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑐 , (𝑚) e) 𝑣 2 = 𝑢2 + 2𝑎𝑠 , (𝑎) Solutions:

a) 𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑏) = 𝑐
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑎𝑏 = 𝑐 Expand the brackets
𝑎𝑥 = 𝑐 − 𝑎𝑏 Subtract ab from each side
𝑐−𝑎𝑏
𝑥= Divide both sides by a
𝑎
𝑥 𝑦
b) =1+
𝑎 𝑏
𝑏𝑥 = 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑎 Remove the fractions by multiplying both sides by ab
𝑎𝑏+𝑎
𝑥= Divide both sides by b
𝑏

𝑥+𝑦 𝑦 𝑎
c) = + There is an implied bracket in the first term so put it in
𝑦 𝑎 𝑦
(𝑥+𝑦) 𝑦 𝑎
=𝑎+𝑦
c) 𝑣 2 = 𝑢2 + 2𝑎𝑠 , (𝑠) f) 𝑦 = 𝑎2 𝑥 + 𝑏 2 , (𝑥) 𝑦
𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑦) = 𝑦 2 + 𝑎2 Remove the fractions by multiplying both sides by 𝑎𝑦
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑎𝑦 = 𝑦 2 + 𝑎2 Expand the brackets
𝑎𝑥 = 𝑦 2 + 𝑎2 − 𝑎𝑦 Subtract 𝑎𝑦 from both sides
𝑦 2 +𝑎2 −𝑎𝑦
𝑥= Divide both sides by 𝑎
𝑎
Exercise 2 2. In each case, make the letter at the end the subject of the formula.
1. In each of the following cases make 𝑥 the subject: 𝑣−𝑢 1
a)
𝑎
= 𝑡 , (𝑢) d) 𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 2 𝑎𝑡 2 , (𝑢)
a) 2(𝑥 + 𝑎) = 𝑦 𝑥 𝑦
e) =
𝑎 𝑧

𝑥 𝑦+𝑧 1
b) = f) 𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 3𝑧
3
𝑎 𝑏

1 𝑣−𝑢
b)𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 , (𝑎) e)
𝑎
= 𝑡 , (𝑣)
2

𝑎(𝑥+𝑦) g) 𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑦) = 𝑎𝑦
c)
𝑏
=𝑐

𝑢+𝑣 𝑦−𝑥 2
c) 𝑠 =( ) 𝑡 , (𝑢) f) = 3𝑧 , (𝑦)
2 𝑥

d) 𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑦) = 𝑦(𝑎 + 𝑧) 𝑥 𝑎
h)
𝑎
=𝑏
 Exercise 3
Formulae which require factorising first In each of the following cases make 𝑥 the subject:
When changing the subject you start by collecting the term that you want on one side of the
a) 𝑥 + 𝑥𝑦 = 𝑦 𝑥 𝑥
equation. If this term appears more than once then you will need to factorise before e) = −1
𝑎 𝑏
proceeding further.

Example 3

Make 𝑥 the subject of the formula in each of the following cases.

a) 𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑦) = 𝑏(𝑥 + 𝑦)

𝑥+𝑎
b) 𝑦=
𝑥−𝑎

𝑦 b) 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 𝑥𝑦 f) 𝑦(𝑥 + 𝑧) = 3𝑧(𝑥 + 𝑦)
c)
𝑥
+𝑎 =𝑏

Solutions:
a) 𝑎(𝑥 + 𝑦) = 𝑏(𝑥 + 𝑦)
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑎𝑦 = 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 Expand the brackets
𝑎𝑥 − 𝑏𝑥 = 𝑏𝑦 − 𝑎𝑦 Collect all the terms in x on one side
𝑥(𝑎 − 𝑏) = 𝑏𝑦 − 𝑎𝑦 Factorise
𝑏𝑦−𝑎𝑦
𝑥= Divide both sides by (𝑎 − 𝑏)
(𝑎−𝑏)

𝑥+𝑎
b) 𝑦= c) 𝑥 = 𝑦 + 𝑥𝑦 g) 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏(𝑥 − 𝑎) = 𝑎𝑦
𝑥−𝑎
𝑦(𝑥 − 𝑎) = 𝑥 + 𝑎 Remove the fractions by multiplying both sides by (𝑥 − 𝑎)
𝑦𝑥 − 𝑦𝑎 = 𝑥 + 𝑎 Multiply out the bracket
𝑦𝑥 − 𝑥 = 𝑎 +𝑦𝑎 Collect all the terms in x on one side
𝑥(𝑦 − 1) = 𝑎 +𝑦𝑎 Factorise the left side
𝑎+𝑎𝑦
𝑥= Divide both sides by (𝑎 − 𝑏)
𝑦−1

𝑦
c) +𝑎 =𝑏
𝑥
𝑦 + 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑏𝑥 Remove the fractions by multiplying both sides by 𝑥
1 𝑥+1
𝑦 = 𝑏𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥 Collect the 𝑥 terms on one side (in this case the right) d) 𝑦 = 2 − h) 𝑦 = 𝑥−1
𝑥
𝑏𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑦 You can swap the sides over
𝑥(𝑏 − 𝑎) = 𝑦 Factorise
𝑦
𝑥= Divide both sides by (𝑏 − 𝑎)
𝑏−𝑎
 Exercise 4
Formulae with roots and powers 1. In each of the following cases make 𝑥 the subject:

3
a) √𝑥 − 1 = 𝑦 d) √𝑥 − 𝑦 = 1
It is important to remember that square and square root are inverse functions, similarly cube
and cube root. It is not always easy to spot when is the best time to square or square root
when you are trying to change the subject; this comes with practice.

Example 4

Make 𝑥 the subject of the formula in each of the following cases.

a) √𝑥 − 3 = 𝑦

𝑥2 𝑦2
b)
𝑎2
− 𝑏2 = 4

c) √𝑥 + 3 = 𝑦 b) 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 = 𝑎2 e) 𝑥 3 − 𝑦 3 = 1
Solutions:
a) √𝑥 − 3 = 𝑦

√𝑥 = 𝑦 + 3 First get √𝑥 on its own

𝑥 = (𝑦 + 3)2 Square both sides – remember the brackets

𝑥2 𝑦2
b)
𝑎2
− 𝑏2 = 4

𝑏 2 𝑥 2 − 𝑎2 𝑦 2 = 4𝑎2 𝑏 2 Remove the fractions by multiplying both sides by 𝑎 2 𝑏 2

𝑏 2 𝑥 2 = 4𝑎2 𝑏 2 + 𝑦 2 𝑎2 Get the 𝑥 2 term on one side c) √𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑦 f) 𝑥 2 − 4 = 𝑎2

4𝑎2 𝑏2 +𝑦 2 𝑎2
𝑥2 = 𝑏2
Divide both sides by 𝑏 2

4𝑎2 𝑏2 +𝑦 2 𝑎2
𝑥 = ±√ 𝑏2
Finally square root both sides, remembering the ± sign

𝑐)√𝑥 + 3 = 𝑦

𝑥 + 3 = 𝑦2 Start by squaring both sides

𝑥 = 𝑦2 − 3
2. In each case, make the letter at the end the subject of the formula.

1 1
Answers
a) 𝐴 = 4𝜋𝑟 2 , (𝑟) d) 𝐸 = 𝑚𝑣 2 − 𝑚𝑢2 , (𝑢)
2 2
Exercises 1 Exercises 2 Exercises 3 Exercises 4

𝑦−2𝑎 𝑦
1 a) 𝑥 = 𝑦 − 𝑎 1 a) 𝑥 = a) 𝑥 = 1+𝑦 1 a) 𝑥 = (𝑦 + 1)2
2
𝑦+𝑎 𝑦𝑎+𝑧𝑎 𝑦
b) 𝑥 = b) 𝑥 = b) 𝑥 = b) 𝑥 = ±√𝑎2 + 𝑦 2
2 𝑏 𝑦−1
𝑦−7 𝑏𝑐−𝑎𝑦 𝑦
c) 𝑥= c) 𝑥= c) 𝑥 = 1−𝑦 c) 𝑥 = 0
2 𝑎
7−𝑦 𝑦𝑧 1
d) 𝑥 = d) 𝑥 = d) 𝑥 = d) 𝑥 = (1 + 𝑦)3
2 𝑎 2−𝑦
𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑏 3
e) 𝑥 = 5𝑦 e) 𝑥= 𝑧
e) 𝑥= e) 𝑥 = √1 + 𝑦 3
4 𝑎−𝑏
b)𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 3 , (𝑟) 𝑥2 𝑦2
3 e) − = 1 , (𝑦) 2𝑤 2𝑦𝑧
𝑎2 𝑏2
f) 𝑥= f) 𝑥 = 9𝑧 − 6𝑦 f) 𝑥 = 𝑦−3𝑧 f) 𝑥 = ±√𝑎2 + 4
3
3𝑦 𝑎𝑦+𝑎𝑏 𝐴
g) 𝑥 = g) 𝑥 = 0 g) 𝑥 = 2 a) 𝑟 = ±√4𝜋
𝑎 𝑎+𝑏
𝑏+𝑦−𝑧 𝑎2 1+𝑦 3 3𝑉
h) 𝑥= h) 𝑥= h) 𝑥 = 𝑦−1 b) 𝑟 = √4𝜋
𝑎 𝑏
𝑉
2 a) 𝑐 = 𝑦 − 𝑚𝑥 2 a) 𝑢 = 𝑣 − 𝑎𝑡 c) 𝑟 = ±√𝜋ℎ
𝑦−𝑐 2𝑠−2𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑣 2 −2𝐸
b) 𝑚 = b) 𝑎 = d) 𝑢 = ±√
𝑥 𝑡2 𝑚
𝑣 2 −𝑢2 2𝑠−𝑣𝑡 𝑥 2 𝑏2 −𝑎2 𝑏2
c) 𝑠= c) 𝑢= e) 𝑦 = ±√
c) 𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 2 ℎ , (𝑟) f) 𝑎𝑦 2 = 𝑥 3 , (𝑦) 2𝑎 𝑡 𝑎2
2𝑠−2𝑢𝑡 2𝑠−𝑎𝑡 2 𝑥3
d) 𝑎 = d) 𝑢 = f) 𝑦 = ±√ 𝑎
𝑡2 2𝑡
𝑣 2 −𝑢2
e) 𝑎= e) 𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡
2𝑠
𝑦 2 −𝑏2
f) 𝑥= f)𝑦 = 3𝑧𝑥 + 𝑥 2
𝑎2