MATHEMATICS

MATERIAL FOR GRADE 12

ALGEBRA
QUESTIONS
COMPILED BY EXPERTS: K. NCUBE & T. MJIKWA

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QUESTION 1

1.1 Solve for 𝑥:

1.1.1 (𝑥 2 − 4)(𝑥 − 2) = 0 (3)

1.1.2 1 − 𝑥 − 𝑥 2 = 0 (3)

1.1.3 2 x2  2 x2  2 x  42 (4)

1.2 Solve for 𝑥 in the following:

1.2.1 √4𝑥 − 11 = −1 (1)

1.2.2 √4𝑥 − 11 = 2 − 𝑥 (4)

1.3 −𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 ≤ 4 (5)

1.4 Determine an ordered pair (𝑥; 𝑦) which satisfies the equation.

(2𝑞 + 𝑥)2 = 4𝑞 2 + 12𝑞 + 𝑦 (5)
[25]
QUESTION 2

2.1 Solve for 𝑥 in the following:

2.1.1 4𝑥 2 = 25 (2)
2.1.2 (a) 𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 = 2 (4)
(b) Hence, or otherwise, solve (𝑥 − 2)2 − 5𝑥 + 8 = 0. (3)
2.1.3 (2 − 𝑥)(𝑥 + 4) ≥ 0 (3)
1
2.1.4 3𝑥+1 − 4 + 3𝑥 = 0 (5)

2.2 Solve for 𝑥 and 𝑦 simultaneously:

2𝑥 − 𝑦 + 1 = 0

𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 4 − 𝑦 = 𝑦 2 (6)

± √𝑏2 − 9
2.3 Given: 𝑥 = −2

Determine the value(s) of b for which 𝑥 is a real number. (3)

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QUESTION 3

Solve for x:

3.1.1 ( x  1)( x  8)  10 (4)

4
3.1.2 4x   11  0; x  0
x
(Leave your answer correct to TWO decimal places.) (4)

6 x  3x2 (5)
3.2
Solve for x and y simultaneously:

3.2.1 3  x  2 y and x2  4 y 2  2 xy  7 (7)

3.2.2 For which values of m will x  y be a factor of x m  y m ? (2)

[22]

QUESTION 4

4.1 Given x 2  2 x  0

4.1.1 Solve for x (2)

4.1.2 Hence, determine the positive values of x for which

x 2   2x (3)

4.2 Solve for x:

2x 2  3x  7  0 (correct to TWO decimal places) (4)

14
4.3 Given: k  5 
k

4.3.1 Solve for k. (3)

14
4.3.2 Hence, or otherwise, solve for x if x5 5  .
x5 (3)

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4.4 Solve for x and y simultaneously if:

1 1
  3 and
x y

1
x y 
2 (7)

−2 ±√4−20𝑘
4.5 The roots of a quadratic equation is given by 𝑥 = . Determine the value(s)
2
of k for which the equation will have real roots. (2)
[24]

QUESTION 5

5.1 Solve for 𝑥:

5.1.1 x2  x  0 (3)

5.1.2 x2  x (4)

5.1.3 x2  3x  10  0 (3)
1

5.1.4 x 1  x 2
 20 (4)
5.2 Solve for x and y if y  x  2 and x 2  y 2  20 . (6)
x
5.3 Solve for if 2 x2  7 xy  4 y 2  0 . (Give your answer correct to 2 decimal
y
places). (4)
[24]

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QUESTION 6

6.1 Solve for x in each of the following:

6.1.1 2 x(3x  5)  0 (2)

6.1.2 x 2  3x  7 (Give answer correct to TWO decimal places) (4)

6.1.3 2x  5 x  3 (6)

6.1.4 2 x (3x  1)  0 (3)

6.2 Calculate, without using a calculator 2100  2 99 (3)

6.3 Solve for x and y simultaneously:

2 x  y  3 and
x 2  5 xy  y 2  15
(6)
[24]

QUESTION 7

7.1 Solve for 𝑥:

7.1.1 𝑥(𝑥 − 1) + 2( 𝑥 − 1) = 0 (2)

7.1.2 1 + 3𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 = 0 (3)

7.1.3 √2𝑥 − 1 = 2𝑥 − 3 (4)

2 x  3
2
7.1.4  64 (3)

7.1.5 (2 − 𝑥)( 1 − 𝑥 )2 ≤ 0 (4)

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 7.2 Solve for 𝑥 and 𝑦 simultaneously.

𝑦 + 3 = 2𝑥 and 𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑦 + 2𝑦 2 = 4 (5)

7.3 Given that 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑏𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 4 and 𝑔(𝑥) = −𝑥 − 1, calculate the value(s)

of 𝑏 for which the graph of 𝑔 will intersect the graph of 𝑓. (4)

[25]

QUESTION 8

Solve for x:

8.1.1 7 x (2 x  1)  0 (2)

8.1.2 2 x2  x  4 (Leave your answer correct to TWO decimal places.)

(4)

8.1.3 ( x  4)( x  5)  0 (3)

8.1.4 2 1 (4)
3x 5  5 x 5  2  0

Solve for x and y simultaneously:

2x
 1; y   1 and (3x  y)( x  y)  0
1 y (6)

3
Given: f ( x)  and g ( x)  3x  2 . Explain why
x2
f ( x)  g ( x) will have only ONE root. Motivate your (3)
answer.
[22]

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QUESTION 9

9.1 Solve for 𝑥.

9.1.1 𝑥(5𝑥 + 2) = 0 (2)

9.1.2 𝑥(2𝑥 − 3) = 4 (correct to TWO decimal places) (4)

9.1.3 𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 6 ≥ 6 (4)

9.2 Solve for 𝑥 and 𝑦 simultaneously if:

𝑥 − 𝑦 = 3 and 𝑥 2 + 𝑥𝑦 − 2𝑦 2 = 0 (5)

9.3 The solution of a quadratic equation is given by:

−2 ± √13 − 2𝑘
𝑥=
3

Determine the largest integral value of 𝑘 for which these 𝑥-values will be rational. (3)

9.4 Determine the value(s) of a for which the graphs of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3 and

𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 + 𝑎 will not intersect each other. (5)

[23]

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