RAFFLES INSTITUTION

RAFFLES PROGRAMME 2022

Year One Mathematics
Topic 6: Algebraic Equations I
Worksheet 1 – Linear Equations

Name: ( ) Class: 1( ) Date:

think! Mathematics Secondary Textbook 1A (8th Edition) Chapter 5, Pages 124-129

LEARNER OUTCOMES
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to
• explore the concepts of equation
• solve linear equations in one variable
• understand that the process of solving linear equations is by obtaining equilibrium
on both sides of the equations

A. Definitions

I. Equations
• An _______________ is a mathematical statement that states that 2 expressions are
equivalent to each other (i.e. an expression is equal to another expression).

• Examples of linear equations in one variable include:

x +1 = 3
2x − 3 = 11
8 + 5 x =7 − 3 x

What is the difference between an equation and an expression?

Example 1
For each of the following, indicate clearly whether it is an “equation” or an “expression”.

(a) 30 + 2 x = 40 − 3x Ans:_______________________________

x 2x
(b) − Ans:_______________________________
3 5

(c) 2 y −1 Ans:_______________________________

(d) 6=
y 12 − y Ans:_______________________________

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II. Formulae
• A _______________ expresses a rule in algebraic terms. It makes use of
variable(s) to write instructions for performing a calculation.

• Examples of formulae include:

Area of rectangle, A = lb
1
Area of triangle, A = bh
2

III. Identities
• An _______________ is a statement relation which holds true for all possible
values of the variables.

• Examples of identities include:

(a + b) 2 =a 2 + 2ab + b 2
a 2 − b 2 = (a + b)(a − b)

Example 2
For each of the following, indicate clearly whether it is an “equation”, a “formula” or an
“identity”.
(a) 3p + 4p = 7p Ans:_________________________________

(b) 4 x − 11 =
37 Ans:_________________________________

(c) A = π r2 Ans:_________________________________

(d) 10 x − 7 =13 + 4x Ans:_________________________________

ab ba
(e) = Ans:_________________________________
c c

B. Solving Equations – What does it mean?

• To solve an equation is to find all the values of the variable which satisfy the equation, i.e.
the equation holds true.
E.g. To solve the equation x + 1 =3 means is to find the value(s) of x which satisfy
the equation.

Note that when x = 2, 2 + 1 = 3

Hence x = 2 satisfies the equation, i.e. the equation holds true.
Note that there are no other values of x that will satisfy the equation.
Hence the equation is solved and the solution of the equation x + 1 =3 is x = 2.

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• The values of the variable which satisfy the equation are called solutions or roots of the
equation.
E.g. Hence x = 2 is the solution or root of the equation x + 1 =3.

is the solution of a linear equation. Construct three different equations (involving

integral, decimal and fractional coefficients/constants respectively) which has the solution
.

Some possible solutions:

In general, there are two methods of solving linear equations, namely

(a) Undoing the operations
(b) Balancing (Scan the QR code to see how to solve for the value of x for each linear
equation while maintaining the balance in the animated weighing scale.

https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/add-subtract-balance.html
Both methods work on the basis of maintaining the equivalence of the equation while you
are solving.

C. Solving Linear Equations

Example 3
Solve the following equations.
(a) 2.5 x + 3= 1.5 x + 2

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 1 3 5
(b) x + 3= x−
8 4 2

(c) 3 ( 2 x − 1) = 5 (1 − x )

1
(d) 5 x + 2 ( 4 x − 3)= ( x − 5)
3

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(e) 2 (1 − 5 p ) + 2 p =8 − 3 ( 3 p − 1) − 5 p

 1 1  x
(f) −  2x +  + 8 = − 2  3 + 
 4 2  2

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Example 4

Solve the following equations.

1  5
(a) 3y + 2 − 2 y − 2 =
3  3

1
(b) (4 x − 5) + 2=
x 3.2( x + 2) − 3.9
2

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Example 5
Given that k + 3 is a solution of the equation 4( x − 5) − 2 = k − 3 − 2(1 − x) , find the value of k
and of x.

[Recall that the values of the variable which satisfy the equation are called solutions or roots
of the equation. This means that the solution or root can be substituted into the equation and
still maintain the equivalence of the equation]

D. Error Analysis (“Be The Teacher”)

Identify the error(s) by circling where they first occur and write down the amended solution
in the adjacent column. The use of a calculator is not allowed.

Question 1: Solve the equation 3 x − 5 = 20 − 2 x .

Proposed Solution Amended Solution

3 x − 5 = 20 − 2 x
3 x − 2 x = 20 − 5
x = 15

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Question 2: Solve the equation 3( x − 5) − 3(2 x − 3) = 7(3 − 7 x) .

Proposed Solution Amended Solution

3( x − 5) − 3(2 x − 3) = 7(3 − 7 x)
3 x − 15 − 6 x − 9 = 21 − 7 x
4 x = 45
45
x=
4
1
x = 11
4

E. Homework

Level 1 (Self-Practice)

1. Solve the following equations.

(a) 10 x − 7 =13 + 4x
(b) −7 (1 − 4m=
) 13 ( 2m − 3)
(c) 2 ( 6d + 3) = 18 − 3 (16 − 3d )
(d) −5 − (15 y −=
1) 2 ( 7 y − 16 ) − y
(e) 7 n − 12 ( 6 − 2n )= 4 ( 3n − 10 ) + 10n
x  1
(f) 3 x − 5  − 3  = − ( −3 − 8 x )
2  3
1 5 5
[Ans: (a) x = 3 , (b) m = −16 (c) d = −12 (d) y = 1 (e) n = 3 (f) x = 1 ]
3 9 9

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  1
2. Given that y satisfies the equation 4 y − 2  3 y −  = 5 y − 2 , solve for y.
 2
3
[Ans: y = ]
7

Level 2 (Core)

1. Solve the following equations.

(a) 2 x − (3 − 6 x) = 5 x + 6 1
(b) 7 x −=
3 ( 3x − 7 )
5

(c) 4 ( 3d − 9 ) = 3d − 3 ( 4d − 2 ) (d) 8 − 2(2 − 2 p ) =

−4(2 − 3 p )

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 (e) 7 k − 6 [ 7(k + 1) + 2] = 5(4 − 3k ) + 3 x 
(f) 2 x − (1 − x ) + 2 ( x − 1) − 1= 3  − 9  + 7
9 

1 1 17 3
[Ans: (a) x = 3 (b) x = (c) d = 2 (d) p = 1 (e) k = −3 (f) x = −3 ]
4 2 20 7

2
 4  2  m2 
2. Given that m = −3 , solve the equation 3mx +=
2 3 2x −  +   .
 9 9 2 

7
[Ans: x = − ]
90

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3. Given that 3 − a is a root of the equation 5 ( x − 3) + 14=
x 8 ( 4 x − 5 + a ) , find the value
of a and of x.
[Ans: a = 2.8 , x = 0.2 ]

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Level 3 (Challenge Yourself)

1. By using a suitable substitution, show that the equation

2 4a − 3 − 4=
a 36a − 27 − 16a 2 −24a + 9
can be reduced into a linear equation.
Hence, solve 2 4a − 3 − 4=
a 36a − 27 − 16a 2 −24a + 9 .
[Ans: a = 3 ]

2. Given that x < 0 , and by using the special identities, solve the equation
1
9 x 2 − 18 x + 9 + 30 x − 30 + 25 =6
4
1
[Ans: x = −1 ]
2

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