THe instructions given to hide apps do not fit with what is coming up on my screen. IT says go to purchases and then click on the x next to the app you wish to hide. There is no x next to the icons on my screen. Please help.

Not sure where you are.

If you wish to remove an app from your iPad you need to touch and hold any app icon on the home screen until it starts to jiggle. Then you can tap the x that appears to the upper left of the icon for any apps you wish to remove from your iPad. These apps will still be available from your account in the iTunes store, but you will have to redownload them to use them.

Reread the instructions. You cannot hide purchases on the iPad itself if you are running iOS 6 or higher. You have to hide the purchases in iTunes on your computer - not on the iPad.

iTunes Store: Hiding and unhiding purchases - Support - Apple

Would using Restrictions do what you want to do?

 Cheers, Tom 😉