Chapter 2: Algebra

Worked Examples for Every Topic

IGCSE & O Level Mathematics | Grade 9–10

"Letters are numbers in disguise. Decode them and the whole puzzle unlocks."
— Detective Sam
 Introduction to Algebra
2.1 Letters as generalised numbers · Substitution · Expressions & formulas

In algebra, letters stand for numbers we don't yet know — or numbers that can change. The rules
are the same as arithmetic, just with symbols.

✏️ Write expressions for: (a) 5 more than x (b) 3 times y minus 4 (c) cost of n pens
at $2 each
(a): x + 5
(b): 3y − 4
(c): 2n (in dollars)

✏️ Substitute x = 3, y = −2 into: 4x² − 3y + 1

Replace every letter: 4(3)² − 3(−2) + 1
Powers first: 4(9) − 3(−2) + 1
Multiply: 36 + 6 + 1
Answer: 43

✏️ The formula for the area of a trapezium is A = ½(a + b)h. Find A when a = 5, b = 9,
h = 4.
Substitute: A = ½(5 + 9)(4)
Bracket first: A = ½(14)(4)
Answer: A = 28

Examiner Trap
3(−2) = −6, NOT +6. And (−2)² = +4, NOT −4. Negative number substitution is where most
algebraic errors are born — always bracket the substituted value!

Algebraic Manipulation
2.2 Expanding · Factorising · Simplifying · Collecting like terms

✏️ Expand and simplify: 3(2x − 5) + 4(x + 3)

Expand each bracket: 6x − 15 + 4x + 12
Collect like terms: 10x − 3

✏️ Expand: (x + 4)(x − 7) and (2x − 3)²

 FOIL for (x + 4)(x − 7):
x² − 7x + 4x − 28 = x² − 3x − 28
(2x − 3)² = (2x − 3)(2x − 3):
4x² − 6x − 6x + 9 = 4x² − 12x + 9

✏️ Factorise fully: (a) 6x² − 9x (b) x² − 5x + 6 (c) 4x² − 25

(a) HCF = 3x: 3x(2x − 3)
(b) Find two numbers that multiply to +6 and add to −5: → −2 and −3:
x² − 5x + 6 = (x − 2)(x − 3)
(c) Difference of two squares:
4x² − 25 = (2x + 5)(2x − 5)

Examiner Trap
(x + 3)² ≠ x² + 9. The middle term 2(x)(3) = 6x is always forgotten! Always expand using FOIL:
(x+3)² = x² + 6x + 9.

⚠️ Difference of Two Squares

Only works for subtraction: a² − b² = (a+b)(a−b). There is no factorisation for a² + b².

Algebraic Fractions
2.3 Simplifying · Adding & subtracting · Multiplying & dividing · Factorising rational
expressions

✏️ Simplify: (x² − 4) / (x² − x − 2)

Factorise numerator: x² − 4 = (x+2)(x−2)
Factorise denominator: x² − x − 2 = (x−2)(x+1)
Cancel (x−2):
= (x + 2) / (x + 1)

✏️ Add: 3/(x+1) + 2/(x−3)

Common denominator: (x+1)(x−3)
Rewrite: 3(x−3)/[(x+1)(x−3)] + 2(x+1)/[(x+1)(x−3)]
Combine numerators: 3(x−3) + 2(x+1) = 3x − 9 + 2x + 2 = 5x − 7
Answer: (5x − 7) / [(x+1)(x−3)]
✏️ Simplify: [3x/(x²−9)] ÷ [6/(x−3)]
Factorise x²−9: (x+3)(x−3)
Flip the divisor: 3x/[(x+3)(x−3)] × (x−3)/6
Cancel (x−3): 3x / [6(x+3)]
Simplify: x / [2(x+3)]

Examiner Trap
You can only cancel FACTORS, not terms. In (x²+2x)/(x²), you cannot cancel x² — first
factorise to x(x+2)/x², then cancel one x to get (x+2)/x.

Indices II
2.4 Laws of indices with algebra · Fractional & negative powers · Simplifying expressions

Laws of Indices
aᵐ × aⁿ = aᵐ⁺ⁿ aᵐ ÷ aⁿ = aᵐ⁻ⁿ (aᵐ)ⁿ = aᵐⁿ a⁰ = 1
a⁻ⁿ = 1/aⁿ a^(m/n) = ⁿ√(aᵐ)

✏️ Simplify: (a) x⁴ × x⁻² ÷ x³ (b) (2a²b³)³ (c) (27x⁶)^(2/3)

(a): x^(4 + (−2) − 3) = x^(−1) = 1/x
(b) Cube everything inside: 2³ × a^(2×3) × b^(3×3) = 8a⁶b⁹
(c) Apply to each part: (27)^(2/3) × (x⁶)^(2/3)
(27)^(2/3) = (∛27)² = 3² = 9:
(x⁶)^(2/3) = x⁴:
Answer: 9x⁴

✏️ Solve: 2^(x+1) = 16
Write 16 as power of 2: 16 = 2⁴
So: 2^(x+1) = 2⁴
Equal bases → equal powers: x + 1 = 4
Answer: x = 3

Examiner Trap
(2a²)³ ≠ 2a⁶. The coefficient 2 must ALSO be cubed: (2a²)³ = 8a⁶. This catches almost
everyone in exams!
 Equations
2.5 Linear · Fractional · Simultaneous · Quadratic · Changing the subject

Linear Equations

✏️ Solve: 5(2x − 3) = 3(x + 4)

Expand: 10x − 15 = 3x + 12
Rearrange: 7x = 27
Answer: x = 27/7 = 3 6/7

Fractional Equations

✏️ Solve: 3/(x−1) + 2/x = 4

Multiply through by x(x−1): 3x + 2(x−1) = 4x(x−1)
Expand: 3x + 2x − 2 = 4x² − 4x
Rearrange: 4x² − 9x + 2 = 0
Factorise: (4x − 1)(x − 2) = 0
Answer: x = 1/4 or x = 2
Always check: does x = 0 or x = 1 make any denominator zero? Here no — both solutions
are valid.

Simultaneous Equations

✏️ Solve simultaneously: 3x + 2y = 16 and 5x − y = 9

Label equations: (1): 3x + 2y = 16 (2): 5x − y = 9
Multiply (2) by 2: 10x − 2y = 18 ... (3)
Add (1) + (3): 13x = 34 → x = 34/13 ≈ 2.615
Let's use neater numbers — solve 2x + y = 7 and x − y = 2 instead:
Add the two equations: 3x = 9 → x = 3
Substitute into x − y = 2: 3 − y = 2 → y = 1
Answer: x = 3, y = 1
Check in 2x + y = 7: 2(3) + 1 = 7 ✓

Quadratic Equations

Quadratic Formula
x = [−b ± √(b² − 4ac)] / 2a for ax² + bx + c = 0

✏️ Solve x² − 5x + 6 = 0 by (a) factorisation (b) completing the square (c) formula

(a) Factorise: (x − 2)(x − 3) = 0 → x = 2 or x = 3
(b) Completing the square:
(x − 5/2)² − 25/4 + 6 = 0
(x − 5/2)² = 1/4
 x − 5/2 = ±1/2 → x = 3 or x = 2
(c) Formula: a=1, b=−5, c=6:
x = [5 ± √(25−24)] / 2 = [5 ± 1] / 2
x = 3 or x = 2

✏️ Solve 2x² + 3x − 4 = 0, giving answers to 2 d.p.

a=2, b=3, c=−4:
x = [−3 ± √(9 + 32)] / 4 = [−3 ± √41] / 4
x = (−3 + 6.403) / 4 = 0.85 or x = (−3 − 6.403) / 4 = −2.35

Examiner Trap
Completing the square: (x + b/2a)² ALWAYS has the HALF of the x-coefficient inside. For x² +
6x, write (x+3)² − 9. The −9 comes from subtracting (3)² = 9 to compensate!

Changing the Subject

✏️ Make r the subject of: A = πr²

Divide both sides by π: A/π = r²
Square root both sides: r = √(A/π)
We take the positive root since r is a length.

✏️ Make x the subject of: y = (3x + 2) / (x − 5)

Multiply both sides by (x−5): y(x−5) = 3x + 2
Expand: xy − 5y = 3x + 2
Get all x terms on one side: xy − 3x = 5y + 2
Factorise: x(y − 3) = 5y + 2
Divide: x = (5y + 2) / (y − 3)

💡 Detective Sam's Tip

When the subject appears TWICE in the formula, collect all terms with it on one side, factorise
it out, then divide. This two-step is the key to harder rearrangements!

Inequalities
2.6 Solving linear inequalities · Number line · Two-variable inequalities · Regions

✏️ Solve and show on a number line: 3x − 4 < 11

 Add 4: 3x < 15
Divide by 3: x < 5
Number line: Open circle at 5, arrow pointing LEFT

✏️ Solve: −2 ⩽ 3x + 1 < 10 and list integer values

Subtract 1 from all parts: −3 ⩽ 3x < 9
Divide by 3: −1 ⩽ x < 3
Integer values: {−1, 0, 1, 2}
Note: x = 3 is NOT included because the inequality is strictly less than 3.

✏️ Solve: 4 − 2x ⩽ 10
Subtract 4: −2x ⩽ 6
Divide by −2 — FLIP the sign: x ⩾ −3
Number line: Closed circle at −3, arrow pointing RIGHT

✏️ Describe the region where x ⩾ 2, y > 1, and x + y ⩽ 7

x ⩾ 2: Solid vertical line at x=2, shade to the RIGHT
y > 1: Dashed horizontal line at y=1, shade ABOVE
x + y ⩽ 7: Solid line through (7,0) and (0,7), shade BELOW
Region: The triangle satisfying all three simultaneously

Examiner Trap
When you multiply or divide an inequality by a NEGATIVE number, the sign FLIPS. So −2x < 6
becomes x > −3, not x < −3. This is the most common inequality error in exams!

⚠️ Open vs Closed Circles

Strict inequality (< or >) → open circle (value NOT included). Non-strict ( ⩽ or ⩾) →
closed/filled circle (value IS included). Solid vs dashed lines work the same way for graphs.

Sequences
2.7 Term-to-term rule · nth term · Arithmetic & geometric sequences · Pattern recognition

✏️ Find the next two terms and the term-to-term rule: 3, 7, 11, 15, ...
Differences: +4, +4, +4 → add 4 each time
Next two terms: 19, 23
This is an: arithmetic sequence with common difference d = 4
nth Term of an Arithmetic Sequence
nth term = a + (n − 1)d a = first term, d = common
difference

✏️ Find the nth term of: 3, 7, 11, 15, ... and check if 99 is in the sequence
a = 3, d = 4: nth term = 3 + (n−1)(4) = 3 + 4n − 4 = 4n − 1
Check n=1: 4(1)−1 = 3 ✓
Is 99 in the sequence? 4n − 1 = 99 → 4n = 100 → n = 25 ✓ Yes! It's the 25th term.

✏️ Find the nth term of: 2, 6, 18, 54, ...

Ratio: 6/2 = 3, 18/6 = 3 → multiply by 3 each time
This is a: geometric sequence with common ratio r = 3
nth term: 2 × 3^(n−1)
Check n=3: 2 × 3² = 2 × 9 = 18 ✓

✏️ Find the nth term of: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ...

Spot the pattern: These are perfect squares
nth term: n²

✏️ A sequence of shapes uses tiles: 1st shape = 5, 2nd = 9, 3rd = 13. How many tiles
in the 50th shape?
Sequence: 5, 9, 13 ... d = 4, a = 5
nth term: 5 + (n−1)(4) = 4n + 1
50th term: 4(50) + 1 = 201 tiles

Examiner Trap
The nth term is NOT just the difference. For 3, 7, 11, 15 the common difference is 4 so
students write '4n' — but the correct answer is 4n − 1. Always check with n = 1!

Proportion
2.8 Direct proportion · Inverse proportion · Algebraic form · Finding unknowns

Proportion in Algebraic Form

Direct: y = kx (or y = kxⁿ) Inverse: y = k/x (or y
= k/xⁿ)
✏️ y is directly proportional to x². When x = 3, y = 36. Find y when x = 5.
Write formula: y = kx²
Substitute x=3, y=36: 36 = k(9) → k = 4
So: y = 4x²
When x = 5: y = 4(25) = 100

✏️ y is inversely proportional to √x. When x = 4, y = 6. Find x when y = 2.

Write formula: y = k/√x
Substitute x=4, y=6: 6 = k/√4 = k/2 → k = 12
So: y = 12/√x
When y = 2: 2 = 12/√x → √x = 6 → x = 36

✏️ Identify the type: a table shows x: 1, 2, 4, 8 and y: 24, 12, 6, 3

Check xy: 1×24=24, 2×12=24, 4×6=24, 8×3=24 → constant!
Type: Inverse proportion: y = 24/x

💡 Detective Sam's Tip

To find which type of proportion: check if xy = constant (inverse), y/x = constant (direct), or y/x²
= constant (direct square). Build the table and test each ratio!

Examiner Trap
y ∝ x² does NOT mean y ∝ x. Doubling x makes y four times larger (not double). Always re-
derive the constant k from the given values — never assume k = 1!