Introduction

This chapter focuses on basic manipulation

of Algebra
It also goes over rules of Surds and
Indices
It is essential that you understand this
whole chapter as it links into most of the
others!

Algebra and Functions

Like Terms
You can simplify expressions by
collecting like terms
Like Terms are terms that are the
same, for example;
5x and 3x
b2 and -2b2
7ab and 8ab
are all like terms.

Examples
a)

3x 2 xy 7 x 3 xy 9
2x 5xy - 2

b)

3x 2 6 x 4 2 x 2 3x 3
x 2 - 3x + 1

c)

3(a b 2 ) 2(3a 4b 2 )

3a 3b 2 6a 8b 2

Expand each
bracket first

3a 11b 2

1A

Algebra and Functions

Indices (Powers)
You need to be able to simplify expressions
involving Indices, where appropriate.

a m a n a mn
a m a n a mn

34 32 36
57 53 54

(a m ) n a mn
1
m
a m
a

(62 ) 4 68
1
2
5 2
5

1
m

1
3

a ma
n
m

a
m

7 37
n

2
5

10

10

1B

Algebra and Functions

Indices (Powers)
You need to be able to simplify expressions
involving Indices, where appropriate.

a m a n a mn
a m a n a mn
(a m ) n a mn
1
m
a m
a

Examples
a) x 2 x 5

b) 2r 2 3r 3 6r 5
c) b 4 b 4

e)

a 3 2a 2
2

a 6 2a 2 2a8

a ma
m

b0
1

d) 6 x 3 3 x 5 2x 2

1
m
n
m

x7

f)

3x

2 3

x4

27x 6 x 4 27x 2
1B

Algebra and Functions

Expanding Brackets
You can expand an expression by
multiplying the terms inside the
bracket by the term outside.

Examples
a)

5(2 x 3) 10 x 15

b)

3x(7 x 4) 21x 2 12 x

c)

y 2 (3 2 y 3 ) 3 y 2 2 y 5

d)

4 x(3 x 2 x 2 5 x 3 )
12 x 2 8 x3 20 x 4

e)

2 x(5 x 3) 5(2 x 3)
10 x 2 6 x 10 x 15
10 x 2 4 x 15

1C

Algebra and Functions

Common
Factor

Factorising
Factorising is the opposite of
expanding brackets. An expression
is put into brackets by looking for
common factors.

a)

3x 9

3( x 3)

b)

x2 5x

x( x 5)

c)

8 x 2 20 x

4x

4 x(2 x 5)

d)

9 x 2 y 15 xy 2

3xy

3 xy (3 x 5 y )

e)

3x 2 9 xy

3x

3x( x 3 y )

1D

Algebra and Functions

Expand the following pairs of
brackets
(x + 4)(x + 7)
x2 + 4x + 7x + 28
x2 + 11x + 28

(x + 3)(x 8)
x2 + 3x 8x 24
x2 5x - 24

+4

x2

+ 4x

+7

+ 7x

+ 28

+3

x2

+ 3x

-8

- 8x

- 24

Algebra and Functions

(x + 2)(x + 1)
x2 +

You get the middle

number by adding the 2
numbers in the brackets

3x

You get the last number

in a Quadratic Equation
by multiplying the 2
numbers in the brackets

Algebra and Functions

(x - 5)(x + 3)
x2 -

You get the middle

number by adding the 2
numbers in the brackets

2x

15

You get the last number

in a Quadratic Equation
by multiplying the 2
numbers in the brackets

Algebra and Functions

x2 - 7x + 12
Numbers that
multiply to give + 12

Which pair adds to

give -7?

+3 +4
-3 -4
+12 +1
-12 -1
+6 +2
-6 -2

So the brackets were

originally

(x - 3)(x - 4)

Algebra and Functions

x2 + 10x + 16
Numbers that
multiply to give + 16

Which pair adds to

give +10?

+1 +16
-1 -16
+2 +8
-2 -8
+4 +4
-4 -4

So the brackets were

originally

(x + 2)(x + 8)

Algebra and Functions

x2 - x - 20
Numbers that
multiply to give - 20

Which pair adds to

give - 1?

+1 -20
-1 +20
+2 -10
-2 +10
+4 -5
-4 +5

So the brackets were

originally

(x + 4)(x - 5)

Algebra and Functions

Factorising Quadratics

Examples

A Quadratic Equation has the

form;

a)

ax2 + bx + c
Where a, b and c are constants and
a 0.

x2 6x 8

The 2 numbers in brackets must:

Multiply to give c
Add to give b

( x 2)( x 4)

You can also Factorise these

equations.
REMEMBER
An equation with an x2 in does
not necessarily go into 2 brackets.
You use 2 brackets when there are
NO Common Factors

1E

Algebra and Functions

Factorising Quadratics

Examples

A Quadratic Equation has the

form;

b)

ax2 + bx + c
Where a, b and c are constants and
a 0.

x2 4x 5

The 2 numbers in brackets must:

Multiply to give c
Add to give b

( x 5)( x 1)

You can also Factorise these

equations.

1E

Algebra and Functions

Factorising Quadratics

Examples

A Quadratic Equation has the

form;

c)

ax2 + bx + c
Where a, b and c are constants and
a 0.

x 2 25

The 2 numbers in brackets must:

Multiply to give c
Add to give b (In this case, b = 0)

( x 5)( x 5)

You can also Factorise these

equations.
This is known as the
difference of two squares
x2 y2 = (x + y)(x y)

1E

Algebra and Functions

Factorising Quadratics

Examples

A Quadratic Equation has the

form;

d)

ax2 + bx + c
Where a, b and c are constants and
a 0.

4x2 9 y2

The 2 numbers in brackets must:

Multiply to give c
Add to give b

(2 x 3 y )(2 x 3 y )

You can also Factorise these

equations.

1E

Algebra and Functions

Factorising Quadratics

Examples

A Quadratic Equation has the

form;

d)

ax2 + bx + c
Where a, b and c are constants and
a 0.
You can also Factorise these
equations.

5 x 2 45

The 2 numbers in brackets must:

Multiply to give c
Add to give b
Sometimes, you need to remove
a common factor first

5( x 2 9)
5( x 3)( x 3)

1E

Algebra and Functions

Expand the following pairs of
brackets
(x + 3)(x + 4)
x2 + 3x + 4x + 12
x2 + 7x + 12

(2x + 3)(x + 4)
2x2 + 3x + 8x + 12
2x2 + 11x + 12

+3

x2

+ 3x

+4

+ 4x

+ 12

2x

+3

2x2

+ 3x

+4

+ 8x

+ 12

When an x term has a 2

coefficient, the rules are
different
2 of the terms are
doubled
So, the numbers in
the brackets add to
give the x term, WHEN
ONE HAS BEEN
DOUBLED FIRST

Algebra and Functions

2x2 - 5x - 3
Numbers that
multiply to give - 3
-3 +1

-6 +1
-3 +2

+3 -1

+6 -1
+3 -2

One of the values to the left

will be doubled when the
brackets are expanded
So the brackets were
originally

(2x + 1)(x - 3)
The -3 doubles so it must
be on the opposite side
to the 2x

Algebra and Functions

2x2 + 13x + 11
Numbers that
multiply to give + 11
+11 +1

+22 +1
+11 +2

-11 -1

-22 -1
-11 -2

One of the values to the left

will be doubled when the
brackets are expanded
So the brackets were
originally

(2x + 11)(x + 1)
The +1 doubles so it must
be on the opposite side
to the 2x

Algebra and Functions

3x2 - 11x - 4
Numbers that
multiply to give - 4
+2 -2

+6 -2
+2 -6

-4 +1

-12 +1
-4 +3

+4 -1

+12 -1
+4 -3

One of the values to the left

will be tripled when the
brackets are expanded
So the brackets were
originally

(3x + 1)(x - 4)
The -4 triples so it must
be on the opposite side
to the 3x

Algebra and Functions

Extending the rules of Indices

Examples

The rules of indices can also be applied

to rational numbers (numbers that can
be written as a fraction)

a)

a m a n a mn
a m a n a mn
(a ) a
1
m
a m
a
m n

mn

3
2

x x x

4
2

x2
c)

2
3 3

(x ) x

2
3

6
3

x2

a ma
m

1
2

1
m
n
m

b)

x 4 x 3 x 7

d)
n

2 x1.5 4 x 0.25 0.5x1.75

1 74
x
2

1F

Algebra and Functions

Extending the rules of Indices
The rules of indices can also be applied
to rational numbers (numbers that can
be written as a fraction)
mn

a a a
a m a n a mn
m

(a ) a
1
m
a m
a
m n

mn

b)

c)

d)

a ma
m

a)

1
2

9
3

1
3

64 3 64
4
3
2

49

49

343

1
m
n
m

Examples

25

3
2

1
25

3
2

1
25

1
125
1F

Algebra and Functions

Extending the rules of Indices
The rules of indices can also be applied
to rational numbers (numbers that can
be written as a fraction)

Examples
a)

2

3

mn

(a m ) n a mn
1
m
a m
a
1
m

a ma
n
m

a
m

a a a
a m a n a mn
m

3
2

b)

1

8

1
2

1
3

3
8
3

2
1F

Algebra and Functions

Surd Manipulation
You can use surds to represent
exact values.

Examples
Simplify the following
a)

12 4 3

ab a b
ab a b
a
a

b
b

2 3
b)

20
2

4 5
2

2 5
2

5 6 2 24 294
5 6 2 4 6 49 6

c)

5 6 4 6 7 6
8 6

1G

Algebra and Functions

Rationalising

Examples

Rationalising is the process where a

Surd is moved from the bottom of a
fraction, to the top.

a
b

Multiply top and

bottom by

a
b c

Multiply top and

bottom by

a
b c

Multiply top and

bottom by

Rationalise the following

a)

3
3
1

3
9
3

3
3

b c
b c
1H

Algebra and Functions

Rationalising

Examples

Rationalising is the process where a

Surd is moved from the bottom of a
fraction, to the top.

a
b

Multiply top and

bottom by

a
b c

Multiply top and

bottom by

a
b c

Rationalise the following

3 2

b)
3 2 3 2
3 2

3 2 3 2

b c

3 2

Multiply top and

bottom by

b c

9 2 3 2 3 2
3 2

1H

Algebra and Functions

Rationalising

Examples

Rationalising is the process where a

Surd is moved from the bottom of a
fraction, to the top.

a
b

Multiply top and

bottom by

a
b c

Multiply top and

bottom by

a
b c

Multiply top and

bottom by

b
b c

Rationalise the following

c)

b c

5 2
5

5 2
5

5 2

5 2

5 10 10 2
5 10 10 2
7 2 10
3

1H

Summary
We have recapped our knowledge of
GCSE level maths
We have looked at Indices, Brackets and
Surds
Ensure you master these as they link
into the vast majority of A-level topics!