Formulas — evaluating one, working back from it and making a letter the subject — the slope, intercepts and equation of a line, parallel lines and where two lines meet, linear equations with brackets and with fractions, and linear inequalities. Set for OMPT-A, OMPT-B, OMPT-C, OMPT-D, OMPT-E, OMPT-F and OMPT-G. A label on a question, such as “Not on OMPT-E”, marks a topic that not all of these levels examine.
A taxi ride of d km costs C=15+2.5d euros. What is C when d=31?
Answer:
2
Give the x-coordinate of the point where the line 5x+3y=15 crosses the x-axis.
Answer:
3
Give the equation of the line through (−2,4) and (−6,10), in the form y=mx+c.
Answer:
4
The graph of y=x2+8 passes through the point (p,12), with p>0. Find p.
Answer:
5
Where do the lines y=−3x−11 and y=−4x−16 intersect? Give the point.
Answer:
6
Solve for x:4(x+7)=2x−6
Answer:
7
Solve for x:4x−4=7x−1
Answer:
8Not on OMPT-E
Solve: 8−4x<2x−28
Answer:
9
A phone plan with m minutes of calls costs K=5+2.5m euros a month. For which m is K=35?
Answer:
10
Give the equation of the line through (4,0) that is parallel to y=5x+4, in the form y=mx+c.
Answer:
11
Give the slope of the line through (−4,2) and (−7,8).
Answer:
12
Make t the subject of the formula v=u+at.
Answer:
13
Write −5x+5y=6 in the form y=mx+c.
Answer:
14
A phone plan with m minutes of calls costs K=4+0.25m euros a month. What is K when m=40?
Answer:
15
Give the equation of the line through (8,−7) and (12,−9), in the form y=mx+c.
Answer:
16
Give the y-coordinate of the point where the line 3x+2y=−12 crosses the y-axis.
Answer:
17
Solve for x:5(x−9)=4x+8
Answer:
18
The graph of y=x2−9 passes through the point (p,27), with p>0. Find p.
Answer:
19
Where do the lines y=−2x and y=x+9 intersect? Give the point.
Answer:
20
Give the slope of the line through (1,−4) and (4,−5).
Answer:
21
A taxi ride of d km costs C=5+2.5d euros. For which d is C=95?
Answer:
22
Give the equation of the line through (1,−3) that is parallel to y=−4x−8, in the form y=mx+c.
Answer:
23
Solve for x:5x+8=6x−9
Answer:
24Not on OMPT-E
Solve: 2x+2>12
Answer:
25
Make w the subject of the formula P=2l+2w.
Answer:
26
Write −2x+5y=9 in the form y=mx+c.
Answer:
27
Solve for x:5(x+5)=2x
Answer:
28
Give the equation of the line through (−6,−7) and (−9,−13), in the form y=mx+c.
Answer:
29
A candle that has burned for t hours is h=20−3t cm tall. What is h when t=5?
Answer:
30
Give the x-coordinate of the point where the line x+2y=4 crosses the x-axis.
Answer:
Answers
Every answer below was re-derived independently before this page was built.
1
Answer:92.5
Substitute d=31:C=15+2.5×31=15+77.5=92.5.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Left out the fixed amount → 77.5
Added the two numbers before multiplying → 542.5
2
Answer:3
On the x-axisy=0, so 5x=15 and x=3.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Gave the other intercept → 5
Divided the coefficient by the constant → 31
3
Answer:y=−23x+1
The slope is m=−6−(−2)10−4=−46=−23. The point (−2,4) lies on the line, so 4=−23⋅(−2)+c, which gives c=1. The line is y=−23x+1.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Inverted the slope (run over rise) → y=−32x+38
Found the slope but left out the intercept → y=−23x
Got the sign of the intercept wrong → y=−23x−1
4
Answer:2
The point is on the graph, so its coordinates fit the formula: 12=p2+8, so p2=4 and, as p>0,p=2.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Forgot to take the square root → 4
Gave the negative root → −2
5
Answer:(−5,4)
Both give the same y there: −3x−11=−4x−16, so x=−5. Then y=4: the point is (−5,4).
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Moved the x term across without changing its sign → (75,−792)
Found x and gave it as both coordinates → (−5,−5)
6
Answer:−17
Expand the bracket: 4x+28=2x−6. Put the x terms on the left and the numbers on the right, changing the sign of each term that crosses over: 2x=−34, so x=−17.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Multiplied only the x by the number outside the bracket → −213
Moved the number across without changing its sign → 11
7
Answer:8
Multiply both sides by 28 to clear the denominators: 7(x−4)=4(x−1). Expand: 7x−28=4x−4. Collect: 3x=24, so x=8.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Multiplied out 4(x−1) as 4x−1, multiplying only the x → 9
Cross-multiplied the wrong way, writing 4(x−4)=7(x−1) → −3
8Not on OMPT-E
Answer:x>6
Collect the x terms on the left and the numbers on the right: −6x<−36. Divide by −6 — a NEGATIVE number, so the inequality sign turns round: x>6.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Did not reverse the inequality when dividing by a negative number → x<6
Moved the number across without changing its sign → x>310
9
Answer:12
Put K=35 and solve for m:35−5=2.5m, so m=30÷2.5=12.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Divided by the rate before taking the fixed amount off → 9
Added the fixed amount instead of subtracting it → 16
10
Answer:y=5x−20
Parallel lines have the SAME slope, 5. Through (4,0):y=5(x−4), which is y=5x−20.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Used the perpendicular slope → y=−5x+54
Kept the intercept of the given line → y=5x+4
11
Answer:−2
m=x2−x1y2−y1=−7−(−4)8−2=−36=−2.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Inverted the fraction (run over rise) → −21
Subtracted the coordinates in opposite orders → 2
12
Answer:t=av−u
Undo what is done to t in reverse order, the same to both sides: take u off both sides, v−u=at, then divide by a. So t=av−u.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Added instead of subtracting u → t=av+u
Divided only u by a → t=v−au
13
Answer:y=x+56
Move the x term across, changing its sign: 5y=5x+6. Then divide EVERY term by 5:y=x+56.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Divided only the number by the coefficient of y → y=5x+56
Lost the sign of the x term moving it across → y=−x+56
14
Answer:14
Substitute m=40:K=4+0.25×40=4+10=14.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Left out the fixed amount → 10
Added the two numbers before multiplying → 170
15
Answer:y=−2x−3
The slope is m=12−8−9−(−7)=−42=−21. The point (8,−7) lies on the line, so −7=−21⋅8+c, which gives c=−3. The line is y=−2x−3.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Inverted the slope (run over rise) → y=−2x+9
Found the slope but left out the intercept → y=−2x
Got the sign of the intercept wrong → y=−2x+3
16
Answer:−6
On the y-axisx=0, so 2y=−12 and y=−6.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Gave the other intercept → −4
Divided the coefficient by the constant → −61
17
Answer:53
Expand the bracket: 5x−45=4x+8. Put the x terms on the left and the numbers on the right, changing the sign of each term that crosses over: x=53.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Multiplied only the x by the number outside the bracket → 17
Moved the number across without changing its sign → −37
18
Answer:6
The point is on the graph, so its coordinates fit the formula: 27=p2−9, so p2=36 and, as p>0,p=6.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Forgot to take the square root → 36
Gave the negative root → −6
19
Answer:(−3,6)
Both give the same y there: −2x=x+9, so −3x=9 and x=−3. Then y=6: the point is (−3,6).
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Moved the x term across without changing its sign → (−9,18)
Found x and gave it as both coordinates → (−3,−3)
20
Answer:−31
m=x2−x1y2−y1=4−1−5−(−4)=−31.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Inverted the fraction (run over rise) → −3
Subtracted the coordinates in opposite orders → 31
21
Answer:36
Put C=95 and solve for d:95−5=2.5d, so d=90÷2.5=36.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Divided by the rate before taking the fixed amount off → 33
Added the fixed amount instead of subtracting it → 40
22
Answer:y=−4x+1
Parallel lines have the SAME slope, −4. Through (1,−3):y=−4(x−1)−3, which is y=−4x+1.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Used the perpendicular slope → y=4x−413
Kept the intercept of the given line → y=−4x−8
23
Answer:−93
Multiply both sides by 30 to clear the denominators: 6(x+8)=5(x−9). Expand: 6x+48=5x−45. Collect: x=−93.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Multiplied out 5(x−9) as 5x−9, multiplying only the x → −57
Cross-multiplied the wrong way, writing 5(x+8)=6(x−9) → 94
24Not on OMPT-E
Answer:x>5
Collect the x terms on the left and the numbers on the right: 2x>10. Divide by 2, a positive number, so the sign stays: x>5.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Forgot to divide the number side by 2 → x>10
Moved the number across without changing its sign → x>7
25
Answer:w=2P−2l
Undo what is done to w in reverse order, the same to both sides: take 2l off both sides, P−2l=2w, then divide by 2. So w=2P−2l.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Divided only 2l by 2 → w=P−l
Took off l instead of 2l → w=2P−l
26
Answer:y=52x+59
Move the x term across, changing its sign: 5y=2x+9. Then divide EVERY term by 5:y=52x+59.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Divided only the number by the coefficient of y → y=2x+59
Lost the sign of the x term moving it across → y=−52x+59
27
Answer:−325
Expand the bracket: 5x+25=2x. Put the x terms on the left and the numbers on the right, changing the sign of each term that crosses over: 3x=−25, so x=−325.
Common mistakes, and the answer each one gives:
Multiplied only the x by the number outside the bracket → −35
Moved the number across without changing its sign → 325
28
Answer:y=2x+5
The slope is m=−9−(−6)−13−(−7)=36=2. The point (−6,−7) lies on the line, so −7=2⋅(−6)+c, which gives c=5. The line is y=2x+5.