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RZC-Algebra-Worksheet1

The document is an algebra worksheet focused on recursive expressions and expansions, including problems on factorization and determining positivity of expressions. It also covers algebraic approaches to solve equations and find specific values. Additionally, it provides answers and explanations for the problems presented in the worksheet.

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yushan
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18 views3 pages

RZC-Algebra-Worksheet1

The document is an algebra worksheet focused on recursive expressions and expansions, including problems on factorization and determining positivity of expressions. It also covers algebraic approaches to solve equations and find specific values. Additionally, it provides answers and explanations for the problems presented in the worksheet.

Uploaded by

yushan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Algebra Worksheet 1 – Recursive Expressions and Expansions

All SMC, BMO and Mentoring problems are © UKMT (www.ukmt.org.uk)

1. Factorise the following:


a. x 4 + y 4−2 x 2 y 2
b. a 2 x 2+ 4 b 2+ 4 abx
c. x + y +2 √ xy
d. a 2+ b2 +c 2+ 2 ab+2 ac+ 2bc
e. p2 +q 2+2 pq+2 p+2 q+1
f. xyz−xy −xz+ yz + x− y−z
g. x 2− y 2 +2 x+1
2. Using your factorisations, which of the above are positive for all real values of its variables?

k
k
3. For what values of k is k− a real value?
k
k−
k−…

4. Determine, using an algebraic approach rather than arithmetic operations, the value of
2 4
401 −20
.
2 ( 202 ) +1

5. Given that x + y=1 and x 2+ y 2=2, what is x 3 + y 3? (Hint: think of appropriate expansions
you could use)

√
6. [Source: UKMT Mentoring] Find all the values of m for which m+ √ m+ √ m+… is an
integer.

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Algebra Worksheet 1 - ANSWERS

1. Factorise the following:


2 2
x + y −2 x y =( x − y )
4 4 2 2 2
a.
2 2 2 2
b. a x + 4 b + 4 abx=( ax +2 b )
2
c. x + y +2 √ xy =( √ x + √ y )
2 2 2 2
d. a + b +c + 2 ab+2 ac+ 2bc =( a+b+ c )
e. p2 +q 2+2 pq+2 p+2 q+1=( p +q+1 )2
f. xyz−xy −xz+ yz + x− y−z=(x +1)( y−1)(z−1)
g. x 2− y 2 +2 x+1=( x + y +1)( x− y +1)
By reordering the terms: x 2+ 2 x +1− y 2=( x+1 )2− y 2 then use difference of two squares.
2. (a) to (e) must be positive because they’re squared expressions. (f) and (g) could be either positive or
negative depending on x , y , z .

k
k
3. For what values of k is k− a real value?
k
k−
k−…
k
Letting x be the expression above, we get x= . Then x 2−kx + k=0 . Using the discriminant,
k −x
we find this has a solution when k 2−4 k ≥ 0 . Solving this quadratic inequality (as per C1!), we have
0
k < 0 or k ≥ 2 (it can’t be equal to 0 or we’d have x= , which is ‘indeterminate’. Interestingly, when
0
say k > 2, our quadratic has two solutions for x , i.e. our original expression has two values.

2 4
401 −20
4. Determine, using an algebraic approach rather than arithmetic operations, the value of
2 ( 202 ) +1

2
Let x=20 . Then the value we wish to find is
( x 2+1 ) −x 4 x 4+ 2 x 2 +1−x 4 2 x 2+1
2
= 2
= 2
=1.
2 x +1 2 x +1 2 x +1

5. Given that x + y=1 and x 2+ y 2=2, what is x 3 + y 3?


−1
Observe that ( x + y )2=x 2+ 2 xy + y 2 . Using the information above, 12=2+2 xy , so xy= .
2
Also observe that ( x + y )3=x 3 +3 x2 y +3 x y 2 + y 3=x 3 + y 3 +3 xy (x + y )
3 3 3 3 5
Thus 1 =x + y − ( 1 ) . This gives x 3 + y 3=
2 2

www.drfrostmaths.com/rzc
√
6. Find all the values of m for which m+ √ m+ √ m+… is an integer.

√ √
Similar to the approach in the slides, let ¿ m+ m+ √ m+… . Then x=√ m+ x and so x 2=m+ x .
1± √ 1+4 m
So x 2−x−m=0 and thus using the quadratic formula, x= .
2
This means that x is an integer if 1+4 m is a square number. And since 1+4 m is odd, we have an
odd square number. If the number is odd, the number we squared must also be odd, say ( 2 k +1 )2. So
2 2
1+4 m=( 2 k +1 ) =4 k + 4 k +1, hence m=k (k +1) for any integer k . i.e. m is the product of
any two consecutive numbers.
1
Note that this is double the Triangular Numbers (recall that the nth Triangular number is n(n+1) ).
2

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