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Chain Reaction Level 1 Hard maths puzzle involving answers, chain, questions and sequential reasoning

Chain Reaction – Level 1 – Hard

Home » Puzzles » Chain Reaction » Level 1 - Hard » Chain Reaction – Level 1 – Hard
Topics: answers, chain, questions, sequential reasoning

Each answer you find is used inside the next question. Work through the full chain carefully – if you get one wrong, it affects the rest!

Your Workings For Chain Reaction

1) Solve: -x(2x + 1) + (x + 6)² = -x² + 16x – 19

A =

2) Use your answer from Q1 as “a”. Now solve: (a + x)(x – 1)(x + 5) + (x + 2)(x – 7) = x3 + 16x² + 40x – 141

B =

3) Use your answer from Q2 as “b”. Find the coefficient of x in the expansion of: (2x + b)(x + 4)

C =

4) Use your answer from Q3 as “c”. Now solve: (x + 3)² – (x – 1)(x + 7) + c(x – 2) + 2x(x – 5) – (x + 4)(x – 5) = x² + 13x + 20

D =

5) Use your answer from Q4 as “d”. Now factorise: 2x² + dx + 10

E =

Reveal the Answer

Reveal Answer
Additional instructions for Chain Reaction (Level 1, Hard)

Chain Reaction – Hard

Translate the instruction first: in Hard puzzles, the wording matters as much as the algebra.

  • “Solve” → isolate the variable and compute.
  • “Simplify” → expand/collect terms; do not solve unless asked.
  • “Coefficient of x” → simplify, then take the number multiplying x.
  • “Factorise” → rewrite into brackets (and check by re-expanding mentally).

Check: many Hard mistakes come from answering the wrong thing for the step.

Full help: Chain Reaction

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