Solutions to Algebra Questions for Grade 9

Detailed solutions and full explanations to grade 9 algebra questions are presented.

  1. Simplify the following algebraic expressions.

    1. Group like terms and simplify. \[ -6x + 5 + 12x - 6 = (-6x + 12x) + (5 - 6) = 6x - 1 \]
    2. Expand brackets. \[ 2(x - 9) + 6(-x + 2) + 4x = 2x - 18 - 6x + 12 + 4x \] Group like terms and simplify. \[ (2x - 6x + 4x) + (-18 + 12) = -6 \]
    3. Group like terms and simplify. \[ 3x^{2} + 12 + 9x - 20 + 6x^{2} - x \] \[ = (3x^{2} + 6x^{2}) + (9x - x) + (12 - 20) = 9x^{2} + 8x - 8 \]
    4. Expand brackets. \[ (x + 2)(x + 4) + (x + 5)(-x - 1) \] \[ = x^{2} + 4x + 2x + 8 - x^{2} - x - 5x - 5 \] Group like terms. \[ (x^{2} - x^{2}) + (4x + 2x - x - 5x) + (8 - 5) = 3 \]
    5. Expand and group. \[ 1.2(x - 9) - 2.3(x + 4) = 1.2x - 10.8 - 2.3x - 9.2 \] \[ = -1.1x - 20 \]
    6. Rewrite as follows. \[ (x^{2}y)(xy^{2}) = (x^{2} \cdot x)(y \cdot y^{2}) \] Using the rules of exponents: \[ = x^{3} y^{3} \]
    7. Rewrite expression as follows. \[ (-x^{2}y^{2})(xy^{2}) = -(x^{2} \cdot x)(y^{2} \cdot y^{2}) \] Using the rules of exponents: \[ = -x^{3} y^{4} \]
  2. Simplify the expressions.

    1. Simplify numerator first using rules of exponents: \[ (a b^{2})(a^{3} b) / (a^{2} b^{3}) = (a^{4} b^{3}) / (a^{2} b^{3}) \] Rewrite as: \[ \left(\frac{a^{4}}{a^{2}}\right) \left(\frac{b^{3}}{b^{3}}\right) \] Simplify: \[ a^{2} \]
    2. Rewrite as: \[ \frac{21x^{5}}{3x^{4}} = \left(\frac{21}{3}\right)\left(\frac{x^{5}}{x^{4}}\right) \] Simplify: \[ 7x \]
    3. Multiply and simplify: \[ \frac{(6x^{4})(4y^{2})}{(3x^{2})(16y)} = \frac{24x^{4}y^{2}}{48x^{2}y} \] Rewrite as: \[ \left(\frac{24}{48}\right)\left(\frac{x^{4}}{x^{2}}\right)\left(\frac{y^{2}}{y}\right) \] Simplify: \[ \frac{1}{2}x^{2}y \]
    4. Factor 4 from numerator: \[ \frac{4x - 12}{4} = \frac{4(x - 3)}{4} = x - 3 \]
    5. Factor out \(-5\) from numerator: \[ \frac{-5x - 10}{x + 2} = \frac{-5(x + 2)}{x + 2} \] Cancel \(x+2\) (assuming \(x \neq -2\)): \[ -5 \]
    6. Factor both numerator and denominator: \[ \frac{x^{2} - 4x - 12}{x^{2} - 2x - 24} \] Numerator: \[ x^{2} - 4x - 12 = (x - 6)(x + 2) \] Denominator: \[ x^{2} - 2x - 24 = (x - 6)(x + 4) \] Simplify: \[ \frac{(x - 6)(x + 2)}{(x - 6)(x + 4)} = \frac{x + 2}{x + 4} \quad (\text{for } x \neq 6, -4) \]
  3. Solve for \(x\) the following linear equations.

    Solution

    1. Divide both sides by 2: \[ \frac{2x}{2} = \frac{6}{2} \] \[ x = 3 \]
    2. Add 8 to both sides: \[ 6x - 8 + 8 = 4x + 4 + 8 \quad \Rightarrow \quad 6x = 4x + 12 \] Subtract \(4x\) from both sides: \[ 6x - 4x = 12 \quad \Rightarrow \quad 2x = 12 \] Divide by 2: \[ x = 6 \]
    3. Expand brackets: \[ 4x - 8 = 2x + 6 + 7 \] Add 8 to both sides: \[ 4x = 2x + 21 \] Subtract \(2x\): \[ 2x = 21 \] Divide by 2: \[ x = \frac{21}{2} \]
    4. Add 1.6 to both sides: \[ 0.1x = 0.2x + 3.9 \] Subtract \(0.2x\): \[ -0.1x = 3.9 \] Divide by \(-0.1\): \[ x = -39 \]
    5. Multiply both sides by \(-5\): \[ x = -10 \]
    6. Multiply both sides by \(-6\): \[ x - 4 = -18 \] Add 4 to both sides: \[ x = -14 \]
    7. Multiply both sides by \(x - 2\): \[ -3x + 1 = -3(x - 2) = -3x + 6 \] Add \(3x\) to both sides: \[ 1 = 6 \] This is false, so the equation has **no solution**.
    8. Multiply through by the LCM of 5 and 3, which is 15: \[ 15\left(\frac{x}{5}\right) + 15\left(\frac{x - 1}{3}\right) = 15\left(\frac{1}{5}\right) \] Simplify: \[ 3x + 5(x - 1) = 3 \] Expand: \[ 3x + 5x - 5 = 3 \] Combine like terms: \[ 8x - 5 = 3 \] Add 5: \[ 8x = 8 \] Divide by 8: \[ x = 1 \]
  4. Find any real solutions for the following quadratic equations.

    Solution

    1. Divide all terms by 2: \[ \frac{2x^2}{2} - \frac{8}{2} = \frac{0}{2} \] Simplify: \[ x^2 - 4 = 0 \] Factor: \[ (x - 2)(x + 2) = 0 \] Solve: \[ x - 2 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = 2 \] \[ x + 2 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = -2 \] Solution set: \(\{-2, 2\}\)
    2. The equation \[ x^2 = -5 \] has **no real solution** since the square of a real number is never negative.
    3. Factor: \[ 2x^2 + 5x - 7 = 0 \] \[ (2x + 7)(x - 1) = 0 \] Solve: \[ 2x + 7 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = -\frac{7}{2} \] \[ x - 1 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = 1 \] Solution set: \(\left\{-\frac{7}{2}, 1\right\}\)
    4. \[ (x - 2)(x + 3) = 0 \] \[ x - 2 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = 2 \] \[ x + 3 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = -3 \] Solution set: \(\{-3, 2\}\)
    5. Expand: \[ x^2 + 6x - 7 = 9 \] Bring all terms to one side: \[ x^2 + 6x - 16 = 0 \] Factor: \[ (x + 8)(x - 2) = 0 \] Solve: \[ x + 8 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = -8 \] \[ x - 2 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = 2 \] Solution set: \(\{-8, 2\}\)
    6. Expand and bring terms to one side: \[ x^2 - 6x + 9 = 0 \] Factor: \[ (x - 3)^2 = 0 \] Solve: \[ x - 3 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = 3 \] Solution set: \(\{3\}\)
  5. Find any real solutions for the following equations.

    Solution

    1. Rewrite: \[ x^3 = 1728 \] Take the cube root: \[ (x^3)^{\frac{1}{3}} = (1728)^{\frac{1}{3}} \] Simplify: \[ x = 12 \]
    2. Take the cube root: \[ (x^3)^{\frac{1}{3}} = (-64)^{\frac{1}{3}} \] Simplify: \[ x = -4 \]
    3. The equation \[ \sqrt{x} = -1 \] has **no real solution** because the square root of a real number is never negative.
    4. Square both sides: \[ (\sqrt{x})^2 = 5^2 \] Simplify: \[ x = 25 \]
    5. Square both sides: \[ \left(\sqrt{\frac{x}{100}}\right)^2 = 4^2 \] Simplify: \[ \frac{x}{100} = 16 \] Multiply by 100: \[ x = 1600 \]
    6. Square both sides: \[ \left(\sqrt{\frac{200}{x}}\right)^2 = 2^2 \] Simplify: \[ \frac{200}{x} = 4 \] Multiply both sides by \(x\): \[ 200 = 4x \] Solve: \[ x = 50 \]
  6. Evaluate for the given values of a and b.

    Solution

    1. For \(a = 2\) and \(b = 2\): \[ a^2 + b^2 = 2^2 + 2^2 = 4 + 4 = 8 \] For \(a = -3\) and \(b = 5\): \[ |2a - 3b| = |2(-3) - 3(5)| = |-6 - 15| = |-21| = 21 \]
    2. For \(a = -1\) and \(b = -2\): \[ 3a^3 - 4b^4 = 3(-1)^3 - 4(-2)^4 \] \[ = 3(-1) - 4(16) = -3 - 64 = -67 \]
  7. Solve the following inequalities.

    Solution

    1. \[ x + 3 \lt 0 \] Subtract 3 from both sides: \[ x \lt -3 \]
    2. \[ x + 1 > -x + 5 \] Add \(x\) to both sides: \[ 2x + 1 > 5 \] Subtract 1 from both sides: \[ 2x > 4 \] Divide by 2: \[ x > 2 \]
    3. \[ 2(x - 2) \lt -(x + 7) \] Expand: \[ 2x - 4 \lt -x - 7 \] Add 4 to both sides: \[ 2x \lt -x - 3 \] Add \(x\) to both sides: \[ 3x \lt -3 \] Divide by 3: \[ x \lt -1 \]
  8. For what value of the constant k does the quadratic equation \(x^2 + 2x = -2k\) have two distinct real solutions?

    Solution

    Rewrite with the right side equal to zero: \[ x^2 + 2x + 2k = 0 \] The discriminant is: \[ D = b^2 - 4ac = 2^2 - 4(1)(2k) = 4 - 8k \] For two distinct real solutions, \(D > 0\): \[ 4 - 8k > 0 \] \[ k \lt \frac{1}{2} \]
  9. For what value of the constant b does the linear equation \(2x + by = 2\) have a slope equal to 2?

    Solution

    Solve for \(y\): \[ by = -2x + 2 \] \[ y = \frac{-2}{b}x + \frac{2}{b} \] The slope is: \[ \frac{-2}{b} = 2 \] Multiply through by \(b\): \[ -2 = 2b \] \[ b = -1 \]
  10. What is the y-intercept of the line \(-4x + 6y = -12\)?

    Solution

    Set \(x = 0\): \[ -4(0) + 6y = -12 \] \[ 6y = -12 \] \[ y = -2 \] y-intercept: \((0, -2)\)
  11. What is the x-intercept of the line \(-3x + y = 3\)?

    Solution

    Set \(y = 0\): \[ -3x + 0 = 3 \] \[ -3x = 3 \] \[ x = -1 \] x-intercept: \((-1, 0)\)
  12. What is the point of intersection of the lines \(x - y = 3\) and \(-5x - 2y = -22\)?

    Solution

    From \(x - y = 3\): \[ x = 3 + y \] Substitute into \(-5x - 2y = -22\): \[ -5(3 + y) - 2y = -22 \] \[ -15 - 5y - 2y = -22 \] \[ -7y = -22 + 15 \] \[ -7y = -7 \] \[ y = 1 \] Substitute into \(x = 3 + y\): \[ x = 3 + 1 = 4 \] Point of intersection: \((4, 1)\)
  13. For what value of the constant \(k\) does the line \(-4x + ky = 2\) pass through the point \((2, -3)\)?

    Solution

    Substitute \(x = 2\) and \(y = -3\) into the equation: \[ -4(2) + k(-3) = 2 \] \[ -8 - 3k = 2 \] \[ -3k = 10 \] \[ k = -\frac{10}{3} \]
  14. What is the slope of the line \(y - 4 = 10\)?

    Solution

    Rewrite in slope-intercept form: \[ y = 14 \] This is a horizontal line, so: \[ \text{slope} = 0 \]
  15. What is the slope of the line \(2x = -8\)?

    Solution

    Rewrite: \[ x = -4 \] This is a vertical line, so the slope is undefined.
  16. Find the x- and y-intercepts of the line \(x = -3\).

    Solution

    This is a vertical line with only an x-intercept: \[ (-3, 0) \]
  17. Find the x- and y-intercepts of the line \(3y - 6 = 3\).

    Solution

    Rewrite: \[ 3y - 6 = 3 \] \[ 3y = 9 \] \[ y = 3 \] This is a horizontal line with only a y-intercept: \[ (0, 3) \]
  18. What is the slope of a line parallel to the x-axis?

    Solution

    A line parallel to the x-axis is horizontal: \[ \text{slope} = 0 \]
  19. What is the slope of a line perpendicular to the x-axis?

    Solution

    A line perpendicular to the x-axis is vertical, so the slope is undefined.

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