CHAPTER 1
1.1 You can simplify expressions by collecting like terms.
Example 1
Simplify these expressions:
a 3x 2xy 7 x 3xy 9 b 3x2 6x 4 2x2 3x 3
c 3(a b2) 2(3a 4b2)
a 3x 2xy 7 x 3xy 9 Rewrite the expression with the like terms
3x x 2xy 3xy 7 9 next to each other.
7 9 2
2x 5xy 2
b 3x2 6x 4 2x2 3x 3 3x2 and 3x are not like terms:
3x2 3 x x 3x 3 x
3x2 2x2 6x 3x 4 3 1x2 is written as x2.
x2 3x 1
c 3(a b2) 2(3a 4b2) Multiply the term outside the bracket by
both terms inside the bracket:
3a 3b2 6a 8b2 2 3a 6a
3a 11b2 2 4b2 8b2
So 2(3a 4b2) 6a 8b2
Exercise 1A
Simplify these expressions:
1 4x 5y 3x 6y 2 3r 7t 5r 3t
3 3m 2n p 5m 3n 6p 4 3ab 3ac 3a 7ab 5ac
5 7x2 2x2 5x2 4x2 6 4m2n 5mn2 2m2n mn2 3mn2
7 5x2 4x 1 3x2 2x 7 8 6x2 5x 12 3x2 7x 11
9 3x2 5x 2 3x2 7x 12 10 4c2d 5cd2 c2d 3cd2 7c2d
11 2x2 3x 1 2(3x2 6) 12 4(a a2b) 3(2a a2b)
13 2(3x2 4x 5) 3(x2 2x 3) 14 7(1 x2) 3(2 3x 5x2)
15 4(a b 3c) 3a 2c 16 4(c 3d2) 3(2c d2)
17 5 3(x2 2x 5) 3x2 18 (r2 3t2 9) (2r2 3t2 4)
2
Algebra and functions
1.2 You can simplify expressions and functions by using rules of indices (powers).
am an amn
am an amn
(am)n amn
1
am
am
1
am a
m
The mth root of a.
n
am a
m n
Example 2
Simplify these expressions:
a x2 x5 b 2r2 3r3 c b4 b4
d 6x3 3x5 e (a3)2 2a2 f (3x2)3 x4
a x2 x5
x25 Use the rule a m a n a mn to simplify the
index.
x7
b 2r 2 3r 3
Rewrite the expression with the numbers
2 3 r2 r3 together and the r terms together.
236
6 r 23
r 2 r 3 r 23
6r 5
c b4 b4 Use the rule am an amn
b44
b0 = 1 Any term raised to the power of zero 1.
d 6x3 3x5
6 3 x3 x5 x3 x5 x35 x2
2 x2
2x2
e (a3)2 2a2 Use the rule (am)n amn to simplify the index.
a 6 2a2 1 2 a 6 a2
a6 2a2 2 a 62
2 a6 a2
2 a62
2a8
f (3x2)3 x4 Use the rule (am)n amn to simplify the index.
27x6 x4
27 1 x6 x4
27 x64
27x2
3
CHAPTER 1
Exercise 1B
Simplify these expressions:
1 x3 x4 2 2x3 3x2
3 4p3 2p 4 3x4 x2
5 k3 k2 6 ( y 2)5
7 10x5 2x3 8 (p3)2 p4
9 (2a3)2 2a3 10 8p4 4p3
11 2a4 3a5 12 21a3b2 7ab4
13 9x2 3(x2)3 14 3x3 2x2 4x6
15 7a4 (3a4)2 16 (4y3)3 2y3
17 2a3 3a2 6a5 18 3a4 2a5 a3
1.3 You can expand an expression by multiplying each term inside the bracket by the
term outside.
Example 3
Expand these expressions, simplify if possible: Hint: A sign outside a
a 5(2x 3) b 3x(7x 4) bracket changes the sign
of every term inside the
c y2(3 2y3) d 4x(3x 2x2 5x3) brackets.
e 2x(5x 3) 5(2x 3)
a 5(2x 3) 5 2x 5 3
10x 15
b 3x(7x 4) 3x 7x 21x11 21x2
3x 4 12x
21x2 12x
c y2(3 2y3)
3y2 2y5 y2 2y3 2y23 2y5
d 4x(3x 2x2 5x3)
12x2 8x3 20x4
e 2x(5x 3) 5(2x 3) Remember a minus sign outside the brackets
changes the signs within the brackets.
10x2 6x 10x 15 Simplify 6x 10x to give 4x.
10x2 4x 15
4
Algebra and functions
Exercise 1C
Expand and simplify if possible:
1 9(x 2) 2 x(x 9)
3 3y(4 3y) 4 x(y 5)
5 x(3x 5) 6 5x(4x 1)
7 (4x 5)x 8 3y(5 2y2)
9 2x(5x 4) 10 (3x 5)x2
11 3(x 2) (x 7) 12 5x 6 (3x 2)
13 x(3x2 2x 5) 14 7y2(2 5y 3y2)
15 2y2(5 7y 3y2) 16 7(x 2) 3(x 4) 6(x 2)
17 5x 3(4 2x) 6 18 3x2 x(3 4x) 7
19 4x(x 3) 2x(3x 7) 20 3x2(2x 1) 5x2(3x 4)
1.4 You can factorise expressions.
Factorising is the opposite of expanding expressions.
When you have completely factorised an expression, the terms inside do not have a common factor.
Example 4
Factorise these expressions completely:
a 3x 9 b x2 5x c 8x2 20x
d 9x y 15xy
2 2
e 3x2 9xy
a 3x 9
3(x 3) 3 is a common factor of 3x and 9.
b x2 5x
x(x 5) x is a common factor of x2 and 5x.
c 8x2 20x
4x(2x 5) 4 and x are common factors of 8x2 and 20x.
So take 4x outside the bracket.
d 9x2y 15xy2
3, x and y are common factors of 9x2y and
3xy(3x 5y) 15xy2. So take 3xy outside the bracket.
e 3x2 9xy
3x(x 3y)
5
CHAPTER 1
Exercise 1D
Factorise these expressions completely:
1 4x 8 2 6x 24
3 20x 15 4 2x2 4
5 4x2 20 6 6x2 18x
7 x2 7x 8 2x2 4x
9 3x2 x 10 6x2 2x
11 10y2 5y 12 35x2 28x
13 x2 2x 14 3y2 2y
15 4x2 12x 16 5y2 20y
17 9xy2 12x2y 18 6ab 2ab2
19 5x2 25xy 20 12x2y 8xy2
21 15y 20yz2 22 12x2 30
23 xy2 x2y 24 12y2 4yx
1.5 You can factorise quadratic expressions.
A quadratic expression has the form ax2 bx c, where a, b, c are constants and a 0.
Example 5
Factorise:
a 6x2 9x b x2 5x 6
c x2 6x 8 d 6x2 11x 10
e x2 25 f 4x2 9y2
3 and x are common factors of 6x2 and 9x.
So take 3x outside the bracket.
a 6x2 9x
3x(2x 3)
Here a 1, b 5 and c 6.
You need to find two brackets that multiply
b x2 5x 6 together to give x2 5x 6. So:
1 Work out ac.
ac 6
2 Work out the two factors of ac which
So x2 5x 6 x2 x 6x 6 add that give you b.
6 and 1 5
x(x 1) 6(x 1)
3 Rewrite the bx term using these two
(x 1)(x 6) factors.
4 Factorise first two terms and last two
terms.
5 x 1 is a factor of both terms, so take
that outside the bracket. This is now
completely factorised.
6
Algebra and functions
c x2 6x 8 Since ac 8 and 2 4 6 b, factorise.
x 2 is a factor so you can factorise again.
x2 2x 4x 8
x(x 2) 4(x 2)
(x 2)(x 4)
d 6x2 11x 10
6x2 15x 4x 10 ac 60 and 4 15 11 b.
Factorise.
3x(2x 5) 2(2x 5) Factorise (2x 5).
(2x 5)(3x 2)
e x2 25 This is called the difference of two squares as
the two terms are x2 and 52.
x2 52 The two x terms, 5x and 5x, cancel each
(x 5)(x 5) other out.
f 4x2 9y2 This is the same as (2x)2 (3y)2.
22 x2 32y2
(2x 3y)(2x 3y)
x2 y2 (x y)(x y)
This is called the difference of two squares.
Exercise 1E
Factorise:
1 x2 4x 2 2x2 6x
3 x2 11x 24 4 x2 8x 12
5 x2 3x 40 6 x2 8x 12
7 x2 5x 6 8 x2 2x 24
9 x2 3x 10 10 x2 x 20
11 2x2 5x 2 12 3x2 10x 8
13 5x2 16x 3 14 6x2 8x 8
Hints:
15 2x 7x 15
2 16 2x 14x 24
4 2 Question 14 – Take 2 out
as a common factor first.
17 x2 4 18 x2 49 Question 16 – let y x2.
19 4x2 25 20 9x2 25y2
21 36x2 4 22 2x2 50
23 6x2 10x 4 24 15x2 42x 9
7
CHAPTER 1
1.6 You can extend the rules of indices to all rational exponents.
am an amn
Hint: Rational numbers
am an amn a
can be written as where
(am)n amn b
1 a and b are both integers,
am a
m
1 ..
n e.g. 3.5, 14, 0.9, 7, 0.13
am a
m
n
1
am
am
a0 1
Example 6
Simplify: 1 3
a x4 x3 b x2 x2
2
c (x3) 3 d 2x1.5 4x0.25
a x4 x3
x4 3 Use the rule am an amn.
Remember .
x7
1 3
b x2 x2 This could also be written as x
.
Use the rule am an amn.
1 3
x22
x2
2
c (x3) 3 Use the rule (am)n amn.
2
x3 3
x2
Use the rule am an amn.
d 2x1.5 4x0.25
2 4 12
21 x1.50.25 1.5 0.25 1.75
21 x1.75
Example 7
Evaluate:
1 1
a 92 b 64 3
3 3
c 49 2 d 25 2
8
Algebra and functions
1
a 92
1 m
9
Using a m a.
3 When you take a square root, the answer can
be positive or negative as and
.
1
b 64 3
3
64 This means the cube root of 64.
4 As 4 4 4 64.
3
c 49 2 n m
Using a m a
.
n
(49
)3 This means the square root of 49, cubed.
343
3
d 25 2
1 1
3 Using am .
25 2 am
1
3
)
( 25 25
5
1
3
( 5)
1
125
Exercise 1F
1 Simplify:
3 5
a x3 x2 b x5 x7 c x2 x2
3 5
d (x2) 2 e (x3) 3 f 3x0.5 4x0.5
2 1 2 2
g 9x 3 3x 6 h 5x1 5 x 5 i 3x4 2x5
2 Evaluate:
1 1 1
a 25 2 b 81 2 c 27 3
1
d 42 e 9 2 f (5)3
1 3
g (34)0 h 1296 4 i (1196) 2
2 2
j (287) 3 k (65)1 l (343
512 )
3
9
CHAPTER 1
1.7 You can write a number exactly using surds, e.g. 2
, 3
5, 19
.
You cannot evaluate surds exactly because they give never-ending, non-repeating
decimal fractions, e.g. 2
1.414 213 562…
The square root of a prime number is a surd.
You can manipulate surds using these rules:
(ab)
a
b
a
b b
a
Example 8
Simplify:
20
a 12
b 224
c 56 294
2
a 12
(4
) 3
Use the rule ab
a
b
.
4 3
4
2
23
2
0
b 20
4
5
2
4
2
4
5
Cancel by 2.
2
2 5
2
5
c 224
56 294
56
26
4
6
49
6
is a common factor.
Work out the square roots 4
and 49
.
6
(5 24
49
) 5478
6
(5 2 2 7)
6
(8)
86
10
Algebra and functions
Exercise 1G
Simplify:
1 28
2 72
3 50
12
4 32
5 90
6
2
27
7
3
8 20
80
9 200
18
72
10 175
63
228
263
11 128 7
12 80
220
345
44
220
13 380 545
14
11
15 12
348
75
1.8 You rationalise the denominator of a fraction when it is a surd.
The rules to rationalise surds are:
1
● Fractions in the form , multiply the top and bottom by a
.
a
1
● Fractions in the form , multiply the top and bottom by a b
.
a b
1
● Fractions in the form , multiply the top and bottom by a b
.
a b
Example 9
Rationalise the denominator of:
1 1 5
2
a b c
3 3 2
5
2
1
a
3
1 3
Multiply the top and bottom by 3
.
3 3 3
3 ( 3
)2 3
3
3
1
b Multiply top and bottom by (3 2
).
3 2
2
22
1 (3 2) 9 2 7, 32 3 2
0
(3 2 )(3 2)
3 2
9 32
322
3 2
7
11
CHAPTER 1
5
2
c
2
5
2
(5 )(5
2
) Multiply top and bottom by 5
2
.
2
(5 )(5
2
) 2
5
and 5
2
cancel each other out.
5 5
2 2
5
2 5
2
10
52
7 210
3
Exercise 1H
Rationalise the denominators and simplify:
1 1 1
1 2 3
5
11 2
3 1
2 5
4 5 6
15 4
8
80
12 7 1
7 8 9
1
56
63 1 3
1 1 4
10 11 12
2 5
3 7
3 5
1 3 2
5
13 14 15
5
3
4 5
2 5
52
11
3
7
16 17 18
7
8 3 11
3
7
1
7 1
1
41
29
2
3
19 20 21
1
7 11
41
29
3
2
Mixed exercise 1I
1 Simplify:
a y3 y5 b 3x2 2x5
c (4x2)3 2x5 d 4b2 3b3 b4
2 Expand the brackets:
a 3(5y 4) b 5x2(3 5x 2x2)
c 5x(2x 3) 2x(1 3x) d 3x2(1 3x) 2x(3x 2)
3 Factorise these expressions completely:
a 3x2 4x b 4y2 10y
c x2 xy xy2 d 8xy2 10x2y
12
Algebra and functions
4 Factorise:
a x2 3x 2 b 3x2 6x
c x2 2x 35 d 2x2 x 3
e 5x2 13x 6 f 6 5x x2
5 Simplify:
3 1
a 9x3 3x3 b (4 2 ) 3
1 2
c 3x2 2x4 d 3x 3 6x 3
6 Evaluate:
8 2 225
3
a 3 b 2
27 289
7 Simplify:
3
a b 20
245
80
63
8 Rationalise:
1 1
a b
3 2
1
3 2
3 3
7
c d
3
2
2
3 37
13
CHAPTER 1
Summary of key points
1 You can simplify expressions by collecting like terms.
2 You can simplify expressions by using rules of indices (powers).
am an amn
am an amn
1
am m
a
1 m
a m a
n m
a m a
n
(am)n amn
a0 1
3 You can expand an expression by multiplying each term inside
the bracket by the term outside.
4 Factorising expressions is the opposite of expanding expressions.
5 A quadratic expression has the form ax2 bx c, where a, b, c are
constants and a 0.
6 x2 y2 (x y)(x y)
This is called a difference of squares.
7 You can write a number exactly using surds.
8 The square root of a prime number is a surd.
9 You can manipulate surds using the rules:
ab
a b
a a
b b
10 The rules to rationalise surds are:
1
● Fractions in the form , multiply the top and bottom by a
.
a
1
● Fractions in the form , multiply the top and bottom by a b
.
a b
1
● Fractions in the form , multiply the top and bottom by a b
.
a b
14
