Year 9 Algebra Test (Foundation) Name: _____________________________ Class: ______

Multiple choice section – choose the correct answer

Question 1 3.1 Question 6 3.8

The expression h8 × h simplifies to: When using grouping in pairs to factorise
1 the expression wb + 2w – 4b – 8, the pairs
A h7 B h8 C 8 D h9 that share common factors could be:
h

Question 2 3.6 A wb & -8 and 2w & -4b

Expanded, (y + 2)2 is equivalent to: B wb, 2w & -4b and -8
C wb & -4b and 2w & -8
A y2 – 4 B y2 – 4y + 4 D wb, -4b & -8 and 2w
C 4 – y2 D y2 + 4y + 4
Question 7 3.1
Question 3 3.5 Simplified, 18m8 ÷ 6m3 equals:
Expanded, 3(x – 1) is equal to:
A 6m15 B 3m5 C 24m10 D 3m10
A 3x + 3 B 3x – 3
C -3x + 1 Dx–1 Question 8 3.2
The expression 24 × 34 simplifies to:
Question 4 3.7
Fully factorising 5g2t – 10g2 gives: A 58 B 54 C 64 D
1
64
A 5g2(t – 2) B 5g(gt – 2g)
C 5gt(gt – 2g) D -5g2t(t + 2) Question 9 3.4
d
Rearranging the formula s = to make t the
Question 5 3.3 t
How many significant figures does the subject of the equation gives:
number 307 080 have? s
A t = sd B t=
A3 B4 C6 D7 d
d
C t= D d = st
s
Question 10 3.2
15-2 is equivalent to:

1 1
A 30-1 B C D -225
15 2 30

Question 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total
number
Answer

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Year 9 Algebra Test (Foundation) Name: _____________________________ Class: ______

Short answer section

Question 11 3 3.3
Use words from the list below to complete the following sentences.
base index reciprocal scientific notation significant figures expression
___________________________ is used by scientists who wish to write very large or very small
numbers in a convenient way. When writing index numbers the___________________________
indicates the number of times the ___________________________ is multiplied by itself.

Question 12 2 3.5
Explain the difference between the instructions ‘factorise’ and ‘expand’. Use the expression 3.6
4x + 10 xy to help you explain. 3.7
3.8

Question 13 2 3.1
Simplify each of the following.

(a) 2w4 × 6w8 (b) -3n3t5 × -7n5t6

Question 14 2 3.1
Simplify each of the following.
6 p7q5
(a) 15c9 ÷ 3c (b)
− 18 pq 4

Question 15 2 3.1
Simplify each of the following.

(a) (f 6)3 × (f 2)2 (b) (g3)8 ÷ (g6)3

Copyright © Pearson Australia 2011 (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) ISBN 978 1 4425 4578 6 2
Year 9 Algebra Test (Foundation) Name: _____________________________ Class: ______

Question 16 2 3.2
Simplify each of the following.
2
 a5 
(a) (5v ) 2 2
(b)  
 3 

Question 17 2 3.2
Simplify each of the following, leaving your answers in index form with positive powers.
(a) k-4 (b) t13 ÷ t16

Question 18 3 3.2
Simplify each of the following.
(a) 80 (b) 3m0 (c) (21u)0

Question 19 4 3.3
(a) Write the number 234 000 in scientific notation.

(b) Write 5.66 × 105 as a number.

(c) Write the number 0.0308 in scientific notation.

(d) Write 2.79 × 10-3 as a number.

Copyright © Pearson Australia 2011 (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) ISBN 978 1 4425 4578 6 3
Year 9 Algebra Test (Foundation) Name: _____________________________ Class: ______

Question 20 2 3.3
Evaluate 4.56 × 10-3 ÷ 5.89 × 10-8. Express your answer in standard form.

Question 21 3 3.3
(a) How many significant figures does the number 23.40 have?

(b) How many significant figures does the number 0.0042 have?

(c) Round 599 934 to three significant figures. Express your answer using scientific notation.

Question 22 2 3.4
Rearrange the formulae below to make the variables in brackets the subjects.

m
(a) d = (m) (b) pq – s = b (p)
v

Copyright © Pearson Australia 2011 (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) ISBN 978 1 4425 4578 6 4
Year 9 Algebra Test (Foundation) Name: _____________________________ Class: ______

Question 23 3 3.5
Expand and simplify the following expressions.

(a) 2(m – 4j) (b) -9d3(1 – 6k) (c) 2(u – 3) + 4(u + 5f)

Question 24 2 3.5
Expand and simplify the following expressions.
(a) (g + 7)(g + 3) (b) (r – 8)(r + 7)

Question 25 2 3.6
Expand and simplify each of the following.
(a) (a + 3)2 (b) (8 – p)2

Question 26 2 3.6
Expand and simplify each of the following.
(a) (w – z)(w + z) (b) (y – 4)(y + 4)

Question 27 3 3.7
Fully factorise each of the following.
(a) 28c – 14 (b) 4fgh – 3gh (c) 8v3w – 40vw

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Year 9 Algebra Test (Foundation) Name: _____________________________ Class: ______

Question 28 3 3.7
Fully factorise each of the following.

(a) 2(k – 3) + b(k – 3) (b) 5y(3z + 2) – 7(3z + 2)

Question 29 1 3.8
Use the grouping in pairs technique to fully factorise the following expression.

mp + 7m + 5p + 35

Short answer total:_________/45

Copyright © Pearson Australia 2011 (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) ISBN 978 1 4425 4578 6 6
Year 9 Algebra Test (Foundation) Name: _____________________________ Class: ______

Extended answer section

Question 30 5 3.3
Consider our solar system.

(a) Mercury is 57 910 000 km from the sun. Write this in scientific notation.

(b) Venus is 108 200 000 km from the sun. How many significant figures does this distance
contain?

(c) Mars is 2.2794 × 108 km from the sun. Saturn is 1.433 × 109 km from the sun. How much
closer to the sun is Mars? Express your answer in standard form.

(d) Earth is 149 597 890 km from the sun. Round this to four significant figures, expressing your
answer in scientific notation.

Extended answer total:_________/5

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