Pure Maths - Year 1

Chapter 1 – Algebraic Expressions

Lesson Workbook
Edexcel Course

This unit covers:

Covered
Ex Topic R A G
Class HWK Rev.
1A Basic Index Laws
1B Expand brackets
1C Factorise quadratics/cubics
1D Fractional/Negative Powers
1E Surds
1F Rationalising the Denominator
Pure 1 Chapter 1 – Algebraic Expressions

1: Index Laws
𝑎𝑚 × 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚+𝑛
𝑎𝑚 ÷ 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚−𝑛
(𝑎𝑚 )𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚𝑛
(𝑎𝑏)𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑏 𝑛
We would call 𝑎 the base and 𝑚, 𝑛 are the exponent, power or index (pl. indices)

Examples
Simplify Watch out: You need to keep
track of your signs!
1. (𝑎3 )2 × 2𝑎2

𝑎+𝑏
2. (4𝑥 3 𝑦)3 Tip: While 𝑐
can be split
𝑎 𝑏
into 𝑐 + 𝑐 , a common student
𝑎
3. 2𝑥 2 (3 + 5𝑥) − 𝑥(4 − 𝑥 2 ) error is to think that 𝑏+𝑐 =
𝑎 𝑎
+𝑐
𝑏

𝑥 3 −2𝑥
4. 3𝑥 2

Now you try

Simplify
2
2𝑎5
1. ( 𝑎2 ) × 3𝑎

2𝑥+𝑥 5
2. 4𝑥 3

3. 2𝑥(3 − 𝑥 2 ) − 4𝑥 3 (3 − 𝑥)

4. 2𝑥 × 3𝑥

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Pure 1 Chapter 1 – Algebraic Expressions

2: Expanding Brackets
Multiply each term in the first bracket by each term in the second (repeat if necessary)

Examples
Expand Tip: Multiple the first term in
the first bracket by each in the
1. (𝑥 − 𝑦)(𝑥 + 𝑦 − 1) second, then repeat with
second term.

Tip: For more than two

brackets multiply two brackets
2. (𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 3)
first, then repeat.

Now you try

Expand
1. (𝑥 + 5)(𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 1)

2. 2(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 4)

3. (2𝑥 − 1)3

3: Factorising
Informally, factorising is the opposite of expanding brackets. Formally, a factorised
expression is one which is expressed as a product of expressions. (Think of factoring a
number – it is a product of two (or more) numbers)

Example Non-Example
𝑥(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 2) 𝑥(𝑥 + 1) + (𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 1)

Factorised as it is the product of 3 linear Not factorised because the outer-most

factors, 𝑥, 𝑥 + 1 and 𝑥 + 2 operation is a sum, not a product.

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Pure 1 Chapter 1 – Algebraic Expressions

Examples
Factorise

1. 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2

2. 4𝑥 − 8𝑥𝑦

3. 𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 − 14

4. 2𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 12

5. 4𝑥 2 − 9

6. 𝑥 3 − 𝑥

7. 𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥

Now you try

Factorise completely
1. 6𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 2

2. 𝑥 3 − 7𝑥 2 + 12𝑥

3. 𝑥 4 − 1

4. 𝑥 3 − 1

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Pure 1 Chapter 1 – Algebraic Expressions

4: Negative and Fractional Indices

𝑎0 = 1
1
𝑚
𝑎 𝑚 = √𝑎
𝑛 𝑛
𝑚
𝑎 𝑚 = ( √𝑎 )
1
𝑎−𝑚 =
𝑎𝑚
Note: √9 on means the positive square root of 9 i.e. 3 not -3

Examples
1
1. Prove that 𝑥 2 = √𝑥

1
2. Evaluate 27−3

2
3. Evaluate 325

1
1 6 2
4. Simplify (9 𝑥 𝑦)

2
27 −3
5. Evaluate (8)

1
6. If 𝑏 = 9 𝑎2 , determine 3𝑏 −2 in the form 𝑘𝑏 𝑛 where 𝑘, 𝑛 are constants.

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Pure 1 Chapter 1 – Algebraic Expressions

5: Surds
A surd is a root of a number that does not simplify to a rational number.
Laws:

√𝑎 × √𝑏 = √𝑎𝑏
√𝑎 𝑎
=√
√𝑏 𝑏

Examples
Simplify

1. √3 × 2

2. 3√5 × 2√5

3. √8

4. √12 + √27

5. (√8 + 1)(√2 − 3)

6: Rationalising the denominator

What would we multiply the following surds by so they are no longer surds?

√5 × =

1
× =
√2

In the second example, the denominator is irrational. We call this rationalising the
denominator.
What could we multiply the second example by to both rationalise the denominator, but
leave the value of the fraction unchanged?

We rationalise the denominator for two reasons:

1. It looks better and is easier to stay “a half of root 2” rather than “a root 2-th of 1”
2. It makes it easier to add fractions involving surds.

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Pure 1 Chapter 1 – Algebraic Expressions

Examples
Rationalise the denominators of the following:
3
1.
√2

6
2.
√3

7
3.
√7

15
4. + √5
√5

Now you try

Rationalise the denominators of the following:
12
1.
√3

2
2.
√6

4√2
3.
√8

More Complex Denominators

What makes the following fraction different to the examples we have seen before?
1
√2 + 1

If we want to rationalise the denominator for the fraction above, we need to multiply by the
conjugate of the denominator. The conjugate is the denominator but with a different sign
in between [Think about difference of two squares and the factorised format where the
terms are the same apart from the signs]

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Pure 1 Chapter 1 – Algebraic Expressions

Examples
Rationalise the denominators of the following:
3
1.
√6−2

4
2.
√3+1

3√2+4
3. 5√2−7

Now you try

Rationalise the denominators of the following:
4
1.
√5−2

2√3−1
2. 3√3+1

3. 𝑦(√3 − 1) = 8. Find 𝑦 in the form 𝑎 + 𝑏√3 where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are integers to be found.

Super Hard Puzzle

4
√9 𝑥
Solve 5 = √3
√27

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