What you need to know
Check yourself against these “I can” statements.
- I can simplify expressions involving surds
- I can expand brackets involving surds
- I can find unknown values by comparing both sides, like √2(3 + a) = b√2 + 4
- I can rationalise denominators, including ones like 2/(3 + √5)
Practise this topic
6 resourcesAdvanced Surds
Surds in problems: missing sides from an area, Pythagoras, similar shapes and volumes, linear and simultaneous equations with surd coefficients, substituting, finding unknown integers, surds with letters, indices, quadratic…
⚙️ WorksheetOperations with Surds
Simplifying, adding, multiplying and squaring surds, expanding brackets, rationalising denominators (a√b and a + b√c), dividing surds, adding and dividing surd fractions, and writing expressions in the form k√n. Fourteen…
⬢ BlockbustersAdvanced Surds Blockbusters
Blockbusters with the questions from the Advanced Surds worksheet: choose its levels for the ordinary hexagons and for the harder ★ ones. Show the answer and the worked solution, or play against the computer with multiple choice.
🔤 Fill the GapsFill the Gaps: Maths Vocabulary
A sentence explaining one of the unit’s key words, with gaps. Pick the right word for each gap from the words scattered round it: the right ones and plenty of wrong ones. A deck for every unit.
⬢ BlockbustersOperations with Surds Blockbusters
Blockbusters with the questions from the Operations with Surds worksheet: choose its levels for the ordinary hexagons and for the harder ★ ones. Show the answer and the worked solution, or play against the computer with multiple…
🧩 ConnectionsSurds
Match surds with the same value, from √50 and 5√2 to √2 × √25 and 10/√2. Near-misses like 5√2, 2√5 and √10 from Standard; rationalising on Hard.
These are the pages for Surds in the GCSE scheme of work, following Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Mathematics, Higher tier (1MA1). Open this topic in Mr Wells Maths to see it alongside the rest of the course.