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Arithmetic with Expressions: Core practice

10 practice problems for this lesson. Work on paper, use hints when you need them, and check the answer or the full solution when you are ready.

Difficulty: Core (core-course level)

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Problem 1 of 10
  1. Problem 1 Collecting like terms

    Simplify 9k−4+2k2−11k+7−5k2+k9k - 4 + 2k^2 - 11k + 7 - 5k^2 + k, and check your result by substituting k=2k = 2 into both the original expression and your simplified one.

  2. Problem 2 Subtracting a whole expression

    Subtract (5y2−3y−6)(5y^2 - 3y - 6) from (2y2−7y+4)(2y^2 - 7y + 4) and simplify the result. Check it by substituting y=−1y = -1 into both the original difference and your answer.

  3. Problem 3 Two products, then collect

    Simplify 5(2r−3)−3(4r−7)5(2r - 3) - 3(4r - 7), and check your result by substituting r=−1r = -1 into both the original expression and your simplified one.

  4. Problem 4 Reading the variable parts

    Give the coefficient and the variable part of each term of 7ab2−a2b+3−ab2+4ba2−87ab^2 - a^2b + 3 - ab^2 + 4ba^2 - 8, and use them to simplify the expression.

  5. Problem 5 Brackets inside brackets

    Simplify 3t−4[2t−3(t−2)]3t - 4[2t - 3(t - 2)].

  6. Problem 6 What was taken away?

    Find the expression that must be subtracted from 3x2−4x+13x^2 - 4x + 1 to leave x2+2x−6x^2 + 2x - 6, and check your answer by carrying out the subtraction.

  7. Problem 7 Trimming a poster

    A rectangular poster is ww cm wide and (3w+4)(3w + 4) cm tall, where ww is at least 11. A strip 55 cm tall is cut off along its bottom edge, across the full width, so the poster keeps its width and becomes 55 cm shorter.

    Write the area of the trimmed poster as a simplified expression in square centimeters. Then find that area when w=12w = 12, and check it by multiplying the trimmed poster's width by its height.

  8. Problem 8 Two days of ticket sales

    A cinema charges 1111 dollars for an adult ticket and 66 dollars for a child ticket. On Saturday it sold aa adult tickets and cc child tickets, where cc is at least 44. On Sunday it sold twice as many adult tickets as on Saturday, and 44 fewer child tickets than on Saturday.

    Write a simplified expression for Sunday's takings minus Saturday's takings, in dollars. Then say which of aa and cc your expression depends on, and explain why.

  9. Problem 9 A check that passed

    Priya simplifies 6−2(x−3)−(5−x)6 - 2(x - 3) - (5 - x). Her work reads

    6−2(x−3)−(5−x)=6−2x+6−5−x=−3x+7.\begin{aligned} &6 - 2(x - 3) - (5 - x) \\ &= 6 - 2x + 6 - 5 - x \\ &= -3x + 7. \end{aligned}

    She substitutes x=0x = 0 into the original expression and into −3x+7-3x + 7, gets 77 both times, and decides that her answer is right.

    Find her mistake and write the correct simplified expression. Then give a value of xx at which the original expression and −3x+7-3x + 7 disagree, and explain why her check at x=0x = 0 could not catch the mistake.

  10. Problem 10 Four claimed simplifications

    Each claim below says that its two sides are equal for every value of the letters in it.

    Claim A: 4m+3m2=7m34m + 3m^2 = 7m^3

    Claim B: 6ab−2ba=4ab6ab - 2ba = 4ab

    Claim C: 7−(k−3)=4−k7 - (k - 3) = 4 - k

    Claim D: p(p+6)−6p=p2p(p + 6) - 6p = p^2

    Decide whether each claim is true. Show why each true claim holds for every value, using the laws of arithmetic, and disprove each false claim with a value that makes its two sides differ.