CH 1MCT Algebra Problem Sheet

CH 1MCT Modelling Concepts and Tools

2011/12
Algebra Problem Sheet: Revision

Section A: Croft and Davison
Initially you should attempt Croft and Davison; Chapter 5, Basic algebra, end of Chapter
exercise, pp 127-128. Also attempt end of Block exercises for Chapter 7, Block 2, Solving
quadratic equations (p 220), and Block 3, Factorising polynomial expressions (p 228). You
should then make sure you can do all the problems below, because we assume that you can
transpose equations and are competent at other aspects of basic algebra, can handle indices
(powers) and surds, and can solve quadratic equations.

You should not use your calculator for any of these problems.

Section B: More problems
B.1. Evaluate: (a) |-14| (b) |11| (c) |0.08 0.008| (Ans: 14, 11, 0.072)

B.2. Without using a calculator, evaluate: (a) 6! (b) 5! 4! (c) 11!/10! (Ans: 720, 96, 11)
B.3. State the reciprocal oI (a) (b)

(c) (d)

)
B.4. Which of the following statements are true?
(a) -10 10
(b) -10 -10
(c) -10 ,10,
(d) |-10| < 10
(e) |-10, -10
(f) 11! 10!
(g) 10! 12! (Ans: a, b, c, g)
B.5. Simplify: (a) (b) (Ans: 32y, 72xy)
B.6. Without using a calculator, evaluate (a)

(c)

(d) (

, the latter in
fractional form. (Ans: 144, 0.81, 16,

(I)

(g)

(h)

(i)

(Ans: 9
18
, 17
9
, b
47
, 3
25
, x
5
, x
9
y
8
, 27x
12
, x
6
y
10
, p
1/7
)
B.8. Express: (a) 4
-3
as a proper fraction, (b) x
-6
x
-5
as a proper fraction, (c) 10
-6
as a decimal.
(Ans:

, 0.000001)
B.9. Express

using a single power (Ans:

3
)
B.10. Evaluate

(Ans: +2)

CH 1MCT Algebra Problem Sheet
B.11. SimpliIy and evaluate (

(Ans: 256)
B.12. SimpliIy the Iollowing as Iar as possible (a)

(Ans: , ( )
B.13. Express in floating point form: (a) 32000 (b) -184 (c) 0.49 (d) 0.0657
(Ans: 3.2x10
4
, -1.84x10
2
, 4.9x10
-1
, 6.57x10
-2
)
B.14. Simplify: (a) 7p 3p +8q + 3q (b) 2x
2
+8y
2
7y + 5x
2

(Ans: 4p + 11q, 7x
2
7y + 8y
2
)
B.15. Expand as Iully as possible (a) (b) (c)

(d) (e)

(I) (g)
(Ans: , ,

, ,

)
B.16. Factorise the Iollowing as Iar as possible (a) (b) (c)

(d) (e)

(I)

(g)

(h)

(i)

(Ans: , ,

, ,

),

,
, )
B.1. SimpliIy (a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(Ans: ,

)
B.18. Express (a)

(b)

as single Iractions
(Ans:

)
B.19. Evaluate

when (Ans: 97)

B.20. The formula

calculates the reliability of 2 components in parallel

when the individual components have reliabilities R
1
and R
2
. Calculate the reliability of
the system when

and

. (Ans: 0.8)


CH 1MCT Algebra Problem Sheet
B.21. Transpose the following to make the identified letter (in bold) the subject: (a)
(b)

(c) (d)
(Ans:

)
B.22. A truck of unladen mass M carrying a load m and travelling at a velocity v has a
stopping distance given by

, where F is the breaking force and t

r
is
the drivers reaction time. Rearrange this Iormula so that the load can be calculated for
given values of M, v, s, F and t
r
.

B.23. The flow of water through a pipe is given by
( )
|
.
|

\
|
=
L
H
d Q
5
3
where Q is the flow of water through a pipe of length L and diameter d, with an
associated head loss of H. Evans
You are designing the cooling system for a heat treatment quench furnace. Rearrange
the formula above to determine what pipe diameter, d, is necessary to achieve a flow Q
over a distance L given an acceptable head loss H.

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
5
1
2
3
1
: Ans.
H
L Q
d

B.24. Solve the following equations: (a) (b)

(Ans: -5, 1, 7/4, -7/6, , -49, 8/13, 9/200)

B.25. Solve the quadratic equation by factorising

(Ans: 8, 3)
B.26. Solve the quadratic equation by factorising

(Ans: 4, 4)
B.27. Solve the quadratic equation by factorising

(Ans: 2/7, 3/2)

B.28. Solve the quadratic equation by factorising

(Ans: 4/3, 0)
B.29. Solve the quadratic equation

using the formula, to 3 decimal places.

Hint:
B.30. Solve the quadratic equation

(Ans: 2, 3)
B.31. Two quadratic polynomials are multiplied together. What degree (highest power) is the
resulting polynomial? (Ans: 4)
B.32. Factorise the expression

into 3 linear factors if is a

factor. (Ans: )
B.33. Factorise the expression

into 3 linear factors if is a

factor. (Ans: )
B.34. Verify that and are solutions to

and
hence find the remaining solutions (Ans: 3, 4, 0.6754, 13.3246)

CH 1MCT Algebra Problem Sheet

All the problems featured on this sheet except B.12., B.22. and B.24. have either been taken
or adapted from questions generated by MathXL. If you feel you need more practice with
these topics, or any others that come up over the year, the study plan in MathXL generates
questions randomly on all the mathematical topics covered in this module. You can practise
as many questions as you require to feel confident.
(Question B.12. (a), (b), (e), (g) and B.24. were taken Irom An Algebra ReIresher from the
Higher Education Academy Maths, Stats & OR network. B.12. (c), (d) and (f) were taken or
adapted from http://www.mathsrevision.net/gcse/pages.php?page=6 )







































Date: 02/09/11