[discia] GCSE Maths › Algebra › Expanding and Factorising › Practise
  1. Either paper 3 marks
    (a)

    Expand \(7(4t + 3)\)

    (b)

    Expand \(-7(t - 2)\)

    Show answer
    (a) \(28t + 21\)
    (b) \(-7t + 14\)

    Multiply each term inside the bracket by 7.

    \(7 \times 4t = 28t\) and \(7 \times 3 = 21\)

    \(28t + 21\)

    Both terms inside the bracket are multiplied by \(-7\), so both signs change.

    \(-7 \times t = -7t\) and \(-7 \times (-2) = 14\)

    \(-7t + 14\)

    • (b) M1one term correct: \(-7t\) or \(14\)
    • (b) A1both terms correct \(-7t + 14\)
  2. Either paper 2 marks
    (a)

    Factorise fully \(10x - 2\)

    (b)

    Factorise fully \(36x + 42y\)

    Show answer
    (a) \(2(5x - 1)\)
    (b) \(6(6x + 7y)\)

    2 is the highest number that divides both 10 and 2.

    \(10x \div 2 = 5x\) and \(2 \div 2 = 1\)

    \(10x - 2 = 2(5x - 1)\)

    6 is the highest number that divides both 36 and 42. The two terms have different letters, so no letter comes out of the bracket.

    \(36x + 42y = 6(6x + 7y)\)

  3. Either paper 3 marks

    Expand and simplify fully \(6(5y + 5) + 4(4y - 2)\)

    Show answer
    \(46y + 22\)

    Expand each bracket.

    \(6(5y + 5) = 30y + 30\)

    \(4(4y - 2) = 16y - 8\)

    Now collect like terms.

    \(y\) terms: \(30y + 16y = 46y\)

    Numbers: \(30 - 8 = 22\)

    \(46y + 22\)

    • M1both brackets expanded \(30y + 30\) and \(16y - 8\)
    • M1collecting like terms, \(y\) terms \(46y\) or numbers \(22\)
    • A1simplified answer \(46y + 22\)
  4. Either paper 2 marks

    Write \((x + 2)(x - 3)\) in the form \(x^2 + bx + c\), where \(b\) and \(c\) are integers.

    Show answer
    \(x^2 -x - 6\)

    Multiply each term in the first bracket by each term in the second.

    \(x \times x = x^2\)

    \(x \times (-3) = -3x\)

    \(2 \times x = 2x\)

    \(2 \times (-3) = -6\)

    Collect the two \(x\) terms: \(-3x + 2x = -x\)

    \(x^2 -x - 6\)

    • M1expands the brackets with at least three terms correct, \(x^2\), \(-3x\), \(2x\), \(-6\)
    • A1collects the middle terms \(x^2 -x - 6\)
  5. Either paper 2 marks

    \(3(5k + c) = 15k + 12\)

    Work out the value of \(c\).

    Show answer
    \(4\)

    Expanding multiplies both terms inside the bracket by 3, so the number on the right is \(3 \times c\).

    \(3c = 12\)

    \(c = 12 \div 3 = 4\)

    Check: \(3 \times 4 = 12\), and \(3 \times 5k = 15k\)

    • M1forms \(3c = 12\)
    • A1\(c = 4\)
  6. Either paper 2 marks

    \(12t + 16 = k(3t + 4)\)

    Work out the value of \(k\).

    Show answer
    \(4\)

    Multiplying the bracket back out must give the left-hand side, so \(k\) times \(3t\) is \(12t\).

    \(3k = 12\)

    \(k = 12 \div 3 = 4\)

    Check the constant as well: \(4 \times 4 = 16\)

    • M1forms \(3k = 12\)
    • A1\(k = 4\)
  7. Either paper 3 marks

    Expand and simplify \(8(2m - 2) - 4(3m + 7)\)

    Show answer
    \(4m - 44\)

    Expand the first bracket.

    \(8(2m - 2) = 16m - 16\)

    The minus sign in front of the second bracket multiplies both terms inside it, so multiply by \(-4\) rather than by 4.

    \(-4(3m + 7) = -12m - 28\)

    Now collect like terms.

    \(m\) terms: \(16m - 12m = 4m\)

    Numbers: \(-16 - 28 = -44\)

    \(4m - 44\)

    • M1first bracket expanded \(16m - 16\)
    • M1second bracket expanded with the sign changed \(-12m - 28\)
    • A1collected like terms \(4m - 44\)
  8. Either paper 4 marks
    (a)

    Factorise completely \(30m^2 - 42m\)

    (b)

    Factorise completely \(48mn + 40m\)

    Show answer
    (a) \(6m(5m - 7)\)
    (b) \(8m(6n + 5)\)

    Both terms contain \(m\), and 6 is the highest number that divides both 30 and 42. So the highest common factor is \(6m\).

    \(30m^2 \div 6m = 5m\) and \(-42m \div 6m = -7\)

    \(30m^2 - 42m = 6m(5m - 7)\)

    Both terms contain \(m\), and 8 is the highest number that divides both 48 and 40. So the highest common factor is \(8m\).

    \(48mn \div 8m = 6n\) and \(40m \div 8m = 5\)

    \(48mn + 40m = 8m(6n + 5)\)

    • (a) M1highest common factor \(6m\) taken out
    • (a) A1fully factorised \(6m(5m - 7)\)
    • (b) M1highest common factor \(8m\) taken out
    • (b) A1fully factorised \(8m(6n + 5)\)
  9. Either paper 1 mark

    Here is a student's attempt to expand and simplify:

    \((x^2 + 3x - 12) - (x^2 -x - 10) = x^2 + 3x - 12 - x^2 -x - 10 = 2x - 22\)

    Explain what has gone wrong in this working.

    Show answer
    When the bracket was subtracted, the sign of \(-x\) was not changed and the sign of \(- 10\) was not changed.

    Subtracting a whole bracket flips the sign of every term inside it, not only the first one.

    \((x^2 -x - 10)\) becomes \(-x^2 +x + 10\) once it is subtracted.

    In the working shown, the \(x^2\) term is flipped, the sign of \(-x\) was not changed, and the sign of \(- 10\) was not changed.

    Done correctly, the expression simplifies to \(4x - 2\), not \(2x - 22\).

  10. Either paper 4 marks

    \(m\) and \(n\) are integers.

    (a)

    Prove that \((2m+1)^2 - (2n-1)^2 = 4(m+n)(m-n+1)\)

    (b)

    Zainab says the result in part (a) shows that the difference of the squares of any two odd numbers must be a multiple of 12. Is Zainab correct? You must give reasons for your answer.

    Show answer
    (a) \((2m+1)^2 - (2n-1)^2 = 4m^2 + 4m + 1 - (4n^2 - 4n + 1) = 4m^2 + 4m - 4n^2 + 4n = 4(m+n)(m-n+1)\)
    (b) No, Zainab is not correct: \(3\) and \(1\) are both odd, and \(3^2 - 1^2 = 9 - 1 = 8\), which is not a multiple of 12.

    Expand each square:

    \((2m+1)^2 = 4m^2 + 4m + 1\)

    \((2n-1)^2 = 4n^2 - 4n + 1\)

    Subtract:

    \((2m+1)^2 - (2n-1)^2 = 4m^2 + 4m + 1 - (4n^2 - 4n + 1) = 4m^2 + 4m - 4n^2 + 4n\)

    Factorise fully:

    \(4m^2 + 4m - 4n^2 + 4n = 4(m^2 + m - n^2 + n) = 4(m+n)(m-n+1)\)

    Part (a) shows that \((2m+1)^2 - (2n-1)^2 = 4(m+n)(m-n+1)\) for any integers \(m\) and \(n\).

    Taking \(m=1\) and \(n=1\) gives the odd numbers \(2m+1=3\) and \(2n-1=1\), and \(3^2 - 1^2 = 9 - 1 = 8\).

    But \(8\) is not a multiple of 12, and Zainab is not correct.

    • (a) M1expands both squares
    • (a) M1simplifies to \(4m^2 + 4m - 4n^2 + 4n\)
    • (a) A1factorises to \(4(m+n)(m-n+1)\)