Past-STPM Questions (Paper 1)

Chapter 1 Numbers and Sets

1. Determine the value of a if

√ 2+ai is a real number and find this real number.
1+ √ 2 i
[4] (STPM 1999)

2. Simplify (1 + 2√ 3 i )5 – (1 – 2√ 3 i )5.
[4] (STPM 2000)

3. Show that a2 + b2 ≥ 2ab.

1
If x +y + z = c, show that x2 + y2 + z2 ≥ 3 c2.
[2] (STPM 2001)

4. Express √ 59−24 √ 6 as p√ 2 + q√ 3, where p and q are integers.

[7] (STPM 2002)

5. If (x + iy)2 = i, find all the real values of x and y.

[6] (STPM 2003)

6. Using the laws of the algebra of sets, show that, for any sets A and B,
(A – B) ∪ (B – A) = (A ∪ B) – (A ∩ B).
[6] (STPM 2004)

7. Using the laws of the algebra of sets, show that

(A ∩ B)' – (A' ∩ B) = B'.
[4] (STPM 2005)

8. The complex numbers z1 and z2 satisfy the equation z2 = 2 – 2√ 3 i .

(a) Express z1 and z2 in the form of a + bi, where a and b are real numbers.
(b) Represent z1 and z2 in an Argand diagram.
(c) For each of z1 and z2, find the modulus and the arguments in radians.
[6, 1, 4] (STPM 2005)

9. If A, B and C are arbitrary sets, show that

[(A ∪ B) – (B ∪ C)] ∩ (A ∪ C)' = ∅ .
[4] (STPM 2006)

10. If loga ( ax ) = 3 log 2 – log (x – 2a), express x in terms of a.

2 a a

[6] (STPM 2007)

11. Simplify
2
( √ 7+ √3 ) 2(1+3 i)
(a) (b) , where i =√ −1
2( √7 + √ 3) (1−3i)2
[3, 3] (STPM 2007)