WHITE GROUP MATHEMATICS

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A WHITE GROUP MATHEMATICS PUBLICATION
www.whitegroupmaths.com

THE QUESTION LOCKER
SELECTION VOLUME
5
(PREVIEW)

WHITE GROUP MATHEMATICS

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A FEW WORDS A FEW WORDS A FEW WORDS A FEW WORDS

Never for a moment thought the series would go this far, but it has with your generous support.
In this 5
th
volume, topics included are: AP/GP, complex numbers, graphing techniques,
applications of integration, applications of differentiation, series/sequences, functions, system of
linear equations, differential equations, vectors, Maclaurins Series, hypothesis testing and
Binomial/Poisson/Normal distributions. It is my sincere hope that you will find my work useful (As
always, solutions were all personally written by me). Peace.
Humbly,
Frederick Koh
BEng (Hons)
BSc (Hons)














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1. The first term of a geometric progression is ,
2
1
and its common ratio is . r The sum to nterms
has a value of .
256
255
On the other hand, if the reciprocal of each term of the original progression is
considered instead, the sum to nterms of this new series would have a value of 510. Find the
value of . r

SOLUTION :
( )
( )
) 1 (
128
255
1
1
256
255
1
1
2
1
=

r
r
r
r
n
n

When every term of the original progression is inverted, the new series is still geometric in nature;
however its first term is now equals to 2 and the common ratio is defined as .
1
r

Hence, 510
1
1
2
510
1
1
1
1
2
=
(

(
(

\
|
r
r
r
r
r
r
n
n
n

510
1
1
2 = |

\
|
|
|

\
|

n
n
r
r
r
r

1
255
1
1

=

n
n
r
r
r

Comparing with (1), it is observed that
1
255
128
255

=
n
r or
128
1
1
=
n
r
Multiplying both sides by r , we have ) 2 (
128
=
r
r
n

Substituting (2) into (1) :
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128
255
1
128
1
=

\
|

r
r

( ) r
r
= 1
128
255
128
1
Rearranging the terms gives
128
127
64
127
= r

2
1
= r (shown)


2. The sum of the first nterms of a series is given by the expression ( ). 3 1
2n

(i) By finding the nthterm of the series, ,
n
T show that the above series is a geometric progression.
(ii) Find the least value of k such that the sum of all terms beginning with the kth term is less than
.
3000
1

(iii) Find

=
|
|

\
|
N
n n
T
1
1
in terms of . N

SOLUTIONS :
(i) | | | |
n n n n
n n n
S S T
2 ) 1 ( 2 ) 1 ( 2 2
1
3 3 3 1 3 1

= = =
( ) ( )
n n n n 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 8 1 3 3 3 3
+
= = = (shown)

| |
( ) 9
1
3
3
3
3 8
3 8
2
2
2 2
2
) 1 ( 2
` 1
= = = =

+
+
n
n
n
n
n
n
T
T

Clearly the above is a geometric progression with common ratio .
9
1
(shown)

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(ii) ( )
k
k
T
2
3 8

=
Sum to infinity with first term as
( ) ( )
( )
k
k k
k
r
a
T
2
2 2
3 9
9
8
3 8
9
1
1
3 8
1


= =

=
For this to be less than ,
3000
1
( )
3000
1
3 9
2
<
k


27000
1
3
2
<
k

( ) |

\
|
<
27000
1
ln 3 ln ) 2 ( k
644 . 4
2
1
3 ln
27000
1
ln = |

\
|

\
|
> k
Hence, minimum value of . 5 = k (shown)


(iii)
N
N
n n
T T T T T
\ 3 2 1 1
1
.... ..........
1 1 1 1
+ + + + =
|
|

\
|

=


( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
N 2 6 4 2
3 8
1
..... ..........
3 8
1
3 8
1
3 8
1

+ + + + =
| |
( )
( ) 1 9
64
9
1 9
1 9 3
8
1
3 ... .......... 3 3 3
8
1
2
2 6 4 2
=
(

= + + + + =
N
N
n
(shown)


3. Let S denote the sum of the first 120 terms of an arithmetic series with first term aand common
difference . d It is also known that the 9
th
term is 14 and the sum of the first 40 even-
numbered terms is given by 780
6

S
. Find the value of . d


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SOLUTION :

| | | | d a d n a
n
S ) 1 120 ( 2
2
120
) 1 ( 2
2
+ = + =
| | ) 1 ( 119 2 60 + = d a
Also, ) 2 ( 14 8 = + d a
For the first 40 even numbered terms, they constitute an arithmetic progression with common
difference d 2 and first term d a + (ie second term of the original series is the first even term of the
new series)

Sum of first 40 even numbered terms is
( ) | | ( ) ) 3 ( 80 2 20 2 ) 1 40 ( ) ( 2
2
40
780
6
+ = + + = d a d d a
S

From (2), d a 8 14 =
Substituting this into (1) gives | | d S d d S 6180 1680 119 16 28 60 + = + =
By (3), ( ) d a
S
80 2 20 780
6
+ = becomes
| | d d
d
80 ) 8 14 ( 2 20 780
6
6180 1680
+ =
+

| | d d d 80 16 28 20 780 1030 280 + = +
d 1280 560 + =
Rearranging gives 500 250 = d
2 = d (shown)

4. From a string, pieces of decreasing lengths are cut. These lengths follow an arithmetic
progression with the 6
th
piece and 26
th
piece being 19cm and 15cm respectively.
(i) Find the length of the first piece cut and the common difference of this arithmetic progression.

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(ii) Assuming that the string is sufficiently long, find the number of such pieces that can be cut
from it and hence determine the least possible length of the string.

SOLUTIONS :
(i) ) 1 ( 19 5 = + d a
) 2 ( 15 25 = + d a
(1) : ) 2 ( ,
5
1
4 20 = = d d 20
5
1
5 19 = |

\
|
= a (shown)
(ii) The length of pieces cut from the string become successively smaller due to a negative
common difference. When the smallest piece is cut, it must still be . 0 >
0 ) 1 ( > + d n a
( ) 0
5
1
1 20 > |

\
|
+ n
Solving gives 100 101
max
= < n n (shown)
Least possible length of string is 1010
5
1
) 1 100 ( ) 20 ( 2
2
100
=
(

\
|
+ cm (shown)


5. The sum of a hundred numbers of an arithmetic progression with first term a and common
difference d is given by S . When every fourth term of this progression is considered, ie
,
4
T ,
8
T ,
12
T . ,
100
T the sum of these 25 terms is found to be . 75
4
+
S
Find the value of
d .


SOLUTION :
| | ( ) ) 1 ( 4950 100 99 2 50 ) 1 100 ( 2
2
100
+ = + = + = d a d a d a S
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Also, ( ) | | ) 4 )( 1 25 ( 3 2
2
25
75
4
d d a
S
+ + = +
( ) d a d a 1275 25 102 2
2
25
+ = + =
Multiplying both sides by 4 gives ) 2 ( 5100 100 300 + = + d a S
: ) 1 ( ) 2 ( 2 150 300 = = d d (shown)


6. A function is defined by , ) (
2
b x
a x
x f

= where aand b are both positive constants. Find the

equation of the asymptotes, and hence draw the graph for ) (x f when (i) a b >
2
(ii) a b <
2
.
(You do not need to calculate the exact coordinates of any existing turning points)


SOLUTIONS :
y
a x
b x
b x
a x
x f y

=

= =
2 2
) (
When , y 0 b x .
Hence, the vertical asymptote is given by b x = . (shown)
Also,
( )
b x
a b
b x
b x
a b b x b b x x
b x
a x
x f

+ + =

+ +
=

=
2 2 2
) (
) (
When , x 0
2

b x
a b

Hence, the oblique asymptote is given by b x y + = (shown)




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(i) a b a b > >
2
or a b < :
y





b

b
a

b a 0 a b x

b x y + = b x =

(ii) a b a a b < < <
2

y




b
a

b


a b 0 b a x
b x y + = b x =

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7. The graph of ) ( ' x f y = is given below:
y




0 2 x


It is further noted that
3
1
y as , x and . 3 ) 2 ( = f Sketch the graph of ) (x f y = .

SOLUTION :
Certain observations are made:
(i) A point of inflexion exists in each of the two regions 2 x and . 2 < x
(ii) ) (x f y = is strictly decreasing for 2 x and strictly increasing for . 2 < x
(iii) (2,3) is a turning point of the curve ) (x f y = .
(iv) A horizontal asymptote
3
1
= y is present.
y
3

) (x f y =



3
1
= y
0 2 x
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8. The transformations ,
1
T
2
T and
3
T are defined as follows:
:
1
T A translation of 2 units in the negative x -direction.
:
2
T A reflection about the x -axis.

3
T : A scaling parallel to the y -axis ( x -axis invariant) by a factor of 2.
A curve undergoes in succession, the transformations ,
1
T
2
T and
3
T and the equation of the
resulting curve is .
2
) 7 ( 2
+
+
=
x
x
y Determine the equation of the curve before these tranformations
were effected.


SOLUTION :
Reversing the transformation process,
Before
3
T , equation of curve is given by
2
) 7 (
2
) 7 ( 2
2
1
+
+
=
(

+
+
=
x
x
x
x
y
( A scaling parallel to the y -axis by a factor of
2
1
is carried out)
Before
2
T , equation of curve is given by
2
7
2
) 7 (
+
+
=
(

+
+
=
x
x
x
x
y
( A reflection about the x -axis is carried out)

Before ,
1
T equation of curve is therefore given by
x x
x
x
x
y
5
1
5
2 ) 2 (
7 ) 2 (
+ =
+
=
+
+
= (shown)
(A translation of 2 units in the positive x -direction is carried out)



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9. The sketch below show the graph of ). (x f y = The curve intersects the y axis at the point
|

\
|

2
11
, 0 , has a maximum point at ) , ( b a and a minimum point at ). , ( d c The equations of the
asymptotes are , 1 = x 2 = x and 3 = y .
y

) (x f y =
3 = y



) , ( d c
0 x
1 = x
2
11
) , ( b a 2 = x



On separate diagrams, sketch the following graphs indicating the points corresponding to the
stationary points, asymptotes and axial intercepts where necessary.
(i)
) (
1
x f
y = (ii) ) ( ' x f y =






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SOLUTIONS :
(i) y |

\
|
d
c
1
,


3
1
= y


-1 0 2 x


11
2

) (
1
x f
y =

|

\
|
b
a
1
,
y
(ii)



) ( ' x f y =


0 a c x
1 = x 2 = x



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10. By using the fact that 1 + x is a factor of , 1
3
+ x express
1
2
3
2
+
+
x
x
in partial fractions.
Deduce the coefficient of
n
x
3
for the ascending series expansion of ( )
1
2
1

+ x x
where , 0 = n 1, 2..

SOLUTIONS :

) 1 )( 1 (
2
1
2
2
2
3
2
x x x
x
x
x
+ +
+
=
+
+


2
1 1 x x
C Bx
x
A
+
+
+
+
=
By the cover-up rule, letting , 1 = x
( )
( )
1
1 ) 1 ( 1
2 1
2
2
=
+
+
= A
Let , 0 = x then 1 1
1 0
2 0
= + = + =
+
+
C C C A
Let , 1 = x then C B
A C B A
+ + =
+
+
+ =
+
+
2 1 1 1 2 1 1
2 1
2 3
2

Substituting in , 1 = A 1 = C gives 0 1
2
1
2
3
= + + = B B
Hence,
2 3
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
x x x x
x
+
+
+
=
+
+
(shown)

1
1
1
2
1
1
3
2
2
+

+
+
=
+ x x
x
x x


( ) ( )( ) ( )
1
1
3 2
1
2
1 1 2 1


+ + + = + x x x x x
( ) 2
2
+ = x ( ) ( )
(

+

+

+ ........ ..........
! 3
) 3 )( 2 )( 1 (
! 2
) 2 )( 1 (
1
3
3
2
3 3
x x x

(

+

+

+ .........
! 3
) 3 )( 2 )( 1 (
! 2
) 2 )( 1 (
1
3 2
x x x
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( ) 2
2
+ = x ( ) ( ) .. .......... 1 .. .......... 1
3 2 9 6 3
+ + + + x x x x x x
.. .......... 1 ........ .......... 2 2 2 2 .... ..........
3 2 9 6 3
+ + + + + + = x x x x x x

Terms of the structure
n
x
3
, , 0 = n 1, 2, .
..... .......... 1 ... ..........
9 6 3
+ + + = x x x
By observation, coefficient of
n
x
3
is therefore given by , ) 1 (
n
, 0 = n 1, 2, . (shown)