GCSE & iGCSE Notation & Substitution worksheet

Algebraic notation and substitution worksheet for GCSE and iGCSE maths: forming expressions, substituting negatives and key vocabulary. With solutions.

A complete notation and substitution worksheet for Pearson Edexcel GCSE (1MA1) and International GCSE (4MA1), written so one resource works for both tiers. Every section is clearly labelled Foundation or Higher, and questions get harder as you go.

What’s covered — Foundation

Writing expressions using algebraic notation
Forming expressions and formulae from words
Substituting positive and negative numbers into expressions
Knowing the words term, expression, equation, formula and identity

What’s covered — Higher (grades 6 to 9)

Identities using ≡
Substituting expressions rather than numbers
Disproving with a counterexample

How it’s structured

A. Worked examples & Your turn — a model solution beside a matching question to try
B. Fluency — core skills
C. Reasoning — explain it
D. Problem solving — unfamiliar, multi-step questions
E. Exam practice — exam-style questions with mark allocations

124 marks across Sections B to E (63 Foundation, 61 Higher), with a progress tracker on the front page so students can record their score per section. The vocabulary is taught explicitly rather than assumed, since both specs examine the difference between an equation, a formula and an identity directly.

How to use it

Works as a full lesson, homework, a cover lesson or targeted intervention. Because each tier is labelled, you can set the Foundation sections to one group and the Higher sections to another from the same print.

What’s included

12-page worksheet (PDF, printable, with answer spaces)
6-page full worked solutions (PDF) — complete method for every question, not just final answers
No calculator

Specification

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (1MA1) and International GCSE Mathematics (4MA1), Algebra. All questions are original.