OCR GCSE Mathematics (J560)
GCSE Maths
Topic worksheet
Algebra
Original exam-style worksheet — not an official exam paper
Time guide: 50–60 minutes · Questions: 32 · Total marks: 80
Written in OCR Higher-style. Show working. Give answers in their simplest form.
Answer all questions. Show working. Answers are in a separate file on the Worksheets page — do not look at them until you have finished.
1. Expand and simplify 3(x + 4) + 2(x − 1). [2]
2. Expand (x + 5)(x + 4). [2]
3. Factorise x² + 9x + 20. [2]
4. Factorise fully 6x² + 9x. [2]
5. Solve 5x − 4 = 22. [2]
6. Solve 5x + 7 = 7x − 3. [3]
7. Solve the inequality 2x + 1 < 13.
(a) Solve the inequality. [2]
(b) Represent the solution on a number line. [1]
8. Solve the simultaneous equations: y = 2x + 1 and 3x + y = 13. [3]
9. Solve x² − 5x + 6 = 0. [3]
10. Solve x² + 4x − 2 = 0. Give answers in surd form. [3]
11. Complete the square for x² + 6x + 5. [3]
12. The nth term of a sequence is 5n + 4. Find the first 3 terms and the 20th term. [3]
13. Here is a sequence: 5, 8, 11, 14, … Find the nth term. [2]
14. Rearrange v = u + at to make t the subject. [2]
15. Rearrange A = 2πr(r + h) to make h the subject. [3]
16. Simplify (3x²y)³. [2]
17. Simplify (8x⁶)¹/³. [2]
18. f(x) = 5x − 1. Find f(4) and f⁻¹(x). [3]
19. Solve 2^{x} = 32. [2]
20. The line L has gradient 5 and passes through (0, 4). Write the equation of L. [2]
21. Find the equation of the line through (2, 7) and (6, 15). [3]
22. Expand (2x − 3)². [2]
23. Simplify (x² − 9)/(x − 3), x ≠ 3. [2]
24. Grace solves 3(x − 2) = 12 and writes x − 2 = 12, so x = 14.
(a) Explain the mistake. [1]
(b) Work out the correct solution. [2]
25. Solve |2x − 1| = 7. [3]
26. The quadratic graph y = x² − 4x + 3 crosses the x-axis at A and B. Find the coordinates of A and B. [3]
27. Sketch y = (x + 2)(x − 4), showing intercepts. [4]
28. Work out the 5th triangular number and show that the nth triangular number is n(n + 1)/2 for n = 5. [2]
30. If p is directly proportional to q and p = 7 when q = 2, find p when q = 8. [3]
31. Simplify 2(x + 6) − (x − 6). [2]
32. On a OCR paper, a 3-mark algebra question usually needs a method mark. Write two things an examiner looks for when you solve a quadratic. [2]