ALGEBRA Questions

1 Solve each equation, giving your answers as simply as possible in terms of surds.
a x(x + 4) = 4(x + 8) b x− 48 = 3 − 2x

c x 18 − 4 = 8 d x 5 +2= 20 (x − 1)

2 Solve each equation.

1 1 − 12 − 14
a x2 = 6 b x3 = 5 c x =2 d x = 1
3
3 2 4 − 32
e x2 = 8 f x 3 = 16 g x 3 = 81 h x = 27

3 Solve each equation.

a 2x + 3 = 4x b 53x = 25x + 1 c 92x = 3x − 3 d 16x = 41 − x
e 4x + 2 = 8x f 272x = 93 − x g 63x − 1 = 36x + 2 h 8x = 162x − 1
i 125x = 5x − 3 j ( 13 ) x = 3x − 4 k ( 12 )1 − x = ( 18 ) 2 x l ( 14 ) x + 1 = 8x

4
Solve each equation by completing the square, giving your answers as simply as possible in terms
of surds where appropriate.
a −m2 + m + 1 = 0 b 4x2 + 49 = 28x o 1 − t − 3t 2 = 0 d 2a2 − 7a + 4 = 0

5 Find the value of the constant p such that the equation x2 + x + p = 0 has equal roots.

6 Given that q ≠ 0, find the value of the constant q such that the equation x2 + 2qx − q = 0
has a repeated root.

7 Given that the x-axis is a tangent to the curve with the equation
y = x2 + rx − 2x + 4,
find the two possible values of the constant r.

8 Solve each pair of simultaneous equations.

1 3
a x− − 4y = 0 b xy = 6 c − 2y + 4 = 0
y x

x − 6y − 1 = 0 x−y=5 4x + y − 7 = 0

9 The line y = 5 − x intersects the curve y = x2 − 3x + 2 at the points P and Q.

Find the length PQ in the form k 2 .

10 Solve the simultaneous equations

3x − 1 = 92y
8x − 2 = 4 1 + y

11 Given that
(A + 2 3 )(B − 3 ) ≡ 9 3 − 1,
find the values of the integers A and B.
ALGEBRA Questions continued

12 Giving your answers in terms of surds, find the set of values of x for which
a x2 + 2x − 1 < 0 b x2 − 6x + 4 > 0 c 11 − 6x − x2 > 0 d x2 + 4x + 1 ≥ 0

13 Find the value or set of values of k such that

a the equation 2x2 − kx + k = 0 has equal roots,
b the equation x2 + kx + 2k − 3 = 0 has no real roots,
c the equation 3x2 + kx − x + 3 = 0 has real roots.

14 Given that x − y = 8,
and that xy ≤ 240,
find the maximum value of (x + y).

15 Solve the inequality

(3t + 1)(t − 4) ≥ 2t(t − 7).

16 Given that the equation 2x(x + 1) = kx − 8 has real and distinct roots,
a show that k2 − 4k − 60 > 0,
b find the set of possible values of k.

17 f(x) ≡ 2x2 − 12x + 19.

a Prove that f(x) ≥ 1 for all real values of x.
b Find the set of values of x for which f(x) < 9.

18 a Express (1 − 5 )2 in the form a + b 5 .

b Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation
y2 = 3 − 5,
giving your answers in the form c 2 + d 10 , where c and d are exact fractions.

19 Prove, by completing the square, that there is no real value of the constant k for which
the equation x2 + kx + 3 + k2 = 0 has real roots.

20 a Given that y = 2x,

i show that 4x = y2,
ii express 2x − 1 in terms of y.
b By using your answers to part a, or otherwise, find the values of x for which
4x − 9(2x − 1) + 2 = 0.

21 Find the pairs of values (x, y) which satisfy the simultaneous equations
x2 + 2xy + y2 = 9
x − 3y = 1
 Practice Paper 1

1 Solve the inequality

(x + 1)(x + 2) ≤ 12. (5)
7 3
2 a Express 2 2 − 2 2 in the form k 2 . (2)
b Show that
( x + 6)2 + ( 2 x − 3)2
can be written in the form ax + b where a and b are integers to be found. (3)

3 y

−2 O 3 x

y = 2x2 + px + q

The diagram shows the curve with equation y = 2x2 + px + q, where p and q are constants,
which crosses the x-axis at the points with coordinates (−2, 0) and (3, 0).
a Show that p = −2 and find the value of q. (4)
b Find the coordinates of the turning point of the curve. (3)

4 Solve the equation

2(x − 32 ) = 98 − x,
giving your answer in the form k 2 . (4)

5 Given that the equation

kx2 − 4kx + 3 = 0,
where k is a constant, has real and distinct roots,
a show that k(4k − 3) > 0, (3)
b find the set of possible values of k. (2)

6 Solve the simultaneous equations

42x = 2y − 1
94x = 3y + 1 (7)

7 a Find the values of the constants a and b such that

x2 − 7x + 9 ≡ (x + a)2 + b. (3)
2
b Hence, write down an equation of the line of symmetry of the curve y = x − 7x + 9. (1)

8 a Solve the inequality

y2 − 2y − 15 < 0 . (3)
b Find the exact values of x for which
x 4
= . (5)
x−3 2− x
 Practice Paper 1 continued

9 Solve the equation

2
2x +2
= 8x . (5)

10 Giving your answers in terms of surds, solve the equations

a t(1 − 2t) = 3(t − 5) (4)
4 2
b x −x −6=0 (4)

11 Find the set of values of x for which

21 − 4x − x2 ≤ 0. (4)

12 a Given that y = 3x express 32x + 2 in terms of y. (2)

b Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation
32x + 2 − 10(3x) + 1 = 0. (4)

13 a Express 5 3 in the form k. (2)

b Hence find the integer n such that
n < 5 3 < n + 1. (3)

14 Solve the simultaneous equations

2x2 − y2 − 7 = 0
2x − 3y + 7 = 0 (8)

15 Express each of the following in the form a + b 2 , where a and b are integers.
48 − 600
a (3)
12
2
b (4)
4+3 2

16 Given that 5x + 1 = 25y − 3,

a find an expression for y in terms of x. (4)
x−1 z
Given also that 16 =4,
b find an expression for z in terms of y. (4)

17 a By completing the square, find in terms of the constant k the roots of the equation
x2 − 2kx − k = 0. (4)
b Hence, find the set of values of k for which the equation has real roots. (3)

1
18 a Given that y = x 5 , show that the equation
− 15 1
x − x5 = 3
2

can be written as
2y2 + 3y − 2 = 0. (3)
b Hence find the values of x for which
− 15 1
x − x5 = 3
2
. (4)