MATHS SAMPLE ASSIGNMENT

(Each question has been answered on the separate page)

Q1. Find the equation of the angle bisector of the angles between the lines 2x + y = 5 and x 2y = 1
Answer 1.
We can rewrite the equations of the lines as:
2x + y 5 = 0 and x 2y 1 = 0
The concept behind finding the equation of the angle bisector is that any point (x,y) on the angle bisector
of these two lines will be equidistant from both the lines. Hence, we can find the equation of the angle
bisector by equating the distance of point (x,y) on the angle bisector from both the lines.

2 x + y5
x2 y 1
= 2
2
2
2 +1
1 +(2)2
This is the equation of two angle bisectors (angle bisector of interior and exterior angles)
Simplifying the above equation, we get the equations as;
x + 3y = 4 and 3x y = 6

Q2. An awning that covers a sliding glass door that is 88 inches tall forms an angle of 50 degrees
with the wall. The purpose of the awning is to prevent sunlight from entering the house when the
angle of elevation of the Sun is more than 65 degrees. Find the length of the awning.
Answer2.
The given problem can be depicted in the following figure:

L
50
0

105
0

88
25
0

65

Ground

Here, we have assumed the length of the awning to be L inches. The angle made by the Suns rays with
the ground is 60o as mentioned in the question. Thus, the angle it makes with the wall will be (90 o-65o) =
25o. This has been shown in the diagram above. Hence, the third angle of the triangle = 180 o 25o 50o =
105o. This has also been shown in the diagram above.
This problem will be solved by using the Law of Sines. According to the law of sines, if we have a
triangle as shown in the following figure,

Here, a,b,c are the sides and A,B,C are the angles.
Then, according to the law,

sin A sin B sinC

=
=
a
b
c

Applying this law to our problem,

38.5 inches

sin105 sin 25
=
88
L

=>

0.95 0.42
=
88
L

=>

L=

Q3. In how many ways can 5 boys and 3 girls be seated in a round table so that no girls are
together?
Answer 3.
We will start by seating the boys first. 5 boys can be seated around a circular table in (5-1)! ways.
Now, we have to seat 3 girls in the 5 gaps (between boys) so that no two girls are sitting together.
This can be done in (5C3 * 3!) ways.
Thus, total number of ways = 4! * 5C3 * 3! = 24 * 10 * 6 = 1440 ways

Q4. Prove that all medians of a triangle are concurrent.

Answer 4.
Let us assume a triangle as shown in the following figure:

Here, ABC is a triangle and points D, E and F are the mid points of sides AC, BC and AB
respectively.
First, we draw the medians AE and BD and also join DE.
1. Consider triangle ABC and triangle DEC.
Here, Angle ACB = Angle DCE;
AC = 2CD; BC = 2CE;
Hence, triangle ABC is similar to triangle DEC (Side-Angle-Side Similarity)
2. Consider triangle ABC and triangle DEC.
Angle CBA = Angle CED; Angle CAB = Angle CDE (since triangles are similar)
Thus, we can conclude that DE is parallel to AB.
3. Since DE is parallel to AB (as proved above),
Angle GAB = Angle GED; Angle GBA = Angle GDE

(Vertically Opp. Angles)

4. We see that medians BD and AE intersect at G.

This implies that Angle DGE = Angle AGB (Vertically interior angles)
Thus, triangle EDG is similar to triangle ABG
(Angle-Angle-Angle Similarity)

5. Since triangle ABC is similar to triangle DEC,

AB/AC = DE/DC;
AC = 2DC (since D is the mid-point of AC)
Thus, DE/AB = 1/2
Since, triangle EDG is similar to triangle ABG,
DE/AB = GE/GA = 1/2
=>
GE = GA
=>
GE = 1/3 AE
Using the same logic, GD = GB
=>
GD = 1/3 BD
6. We can now repeat the procedure by selecting the other two medians of the triangle and
we will find that each pair intersects at a point that cuts each median into a ratio of 2:1.
This point is the CENTROID of a triangle and we know that each triangle has only 1
centroid.
Hence, we can say that the point of intersection of all the medians of a triangle is
concurrent.

Q5. Show that n2 2 < 2n for all integers n > 2.

Answer 5.
We will use Mathematical Induction to prove this.
We have to prove that

n2 2 < 2n

This may be rewritten as

2n n2 + 2 > 0

Let mathematical statement P(n) = 2n n2 + 2 > 0

Base case:

P(3) = 23 32 + 2 = 8-9+2 = 1 which is > 0. So P(3) is correct.

Hypothesis:

Let k be a positive integer which satisfies the given statement.

Hence, P(k) = 2k k2 + 2 > 0

Induction:

(1)

We will now calculate the statement for P(k+1) and show that it is correct.
P(k+1) = 2(k+1) (k+1)2 + 2

P(k+1) = 2.2k (k2 + 2k + 1) + 2

P(k+1) = 2.2k k2 2k 1 + 2
P(k+1) = 2.2k k2 +(k2 k2) 2k 1 + 2
P(k+1) = 2.(2k k2 + 2) + k2 2k 3
P(k+1) = 2.(2k k2 + 2) + (k-3)(k+1)

(Add and Subtract k2)

The first part of this statement is >0 (from hypothesis statement above). This second part of the
statement is > 0 for all positive integers greater than 3.
Hence we can have proved that P(k+1) > 0
Thus, by mathematical induction, 2n n2 + 2 > 0 for all positive integers greater than 2.

Q6. Give an example of that x|yz implies x|y x|z is not valid.
Answer 6.
This is a case of conditional interdependence. We have to give an example of the fact that
occurring of event x, given events y and z occur does not imply that x occurs given y alone and x
occurs given z alone.
Let x be an event of Taking a shower and y is the event of availability of water and z is the
event of availability of soap. Then, while it is true that a person will take shower if water and
soap are available. But it does not mean that the person will have a shower if only water and only
soap are available.
This can also be interpreted as a problem of conditional probability. In that case, the example
will remain the same and we shall talk about the probability of a person taking shower when both
water and soap are present and probability of taking a shower when only water is available AND
probability of taking a shower when only soap is available.

Q7. If y = f (x) is defined on a x b, suppose we rotate the graph of this function around
X axis. Calculate the surface are of solid generated
Answer 7.
y=f(x)
Rb
f(x)

Ra
a

dx

The given problem is shown in the diagram above. y = f(x) is shown as the dark black curve.
When it will be rotated around the x-axis it will form a solid as shown above with its lower
boundary shown in RED. It will have two circular ends at x=a and x=b.
Let us assume that the radius of the circular ends are Ra and Rb at point a and b respectively.
Thus, Ra is nothing but the value of the function at point a.
Ra = f(a)
Similarly, Rb = f(b)
Surface Area of the two circular ends = Area of the two circles
2
2
S.A of ends = f ( a ) + f (b)

(1)

Now, to calculate the area of the curved surface, we select an area of negligible width dx at point
x. Since the thickness is very less, it can be considered as a horizontal cylinder of height dx and
radius of f(x).
S.A. of the differential part = 2 . f ( x ) . dx

(Using formula Area =

2.pie.r.h)
We integrate this from limits a to b to find the actual area:
b

SA of curved surface

2 . f ( x ) . dx
a

(2)

Thus, combining equations (1) and (2),

b
2
2
Total surface area = f ( a ) + f ( b ) + 2 . f ( x ) . dx
a

Q8. Let > 1 and M 0. Suppose f : R R satisfies |f (x) f (y)| M |x y| for all x, y
R. Prove that f is a constant function?
Answer 8.
|f (x) f (y)| M |x y|
For x y, from the above inequality we have

|f ( x )f ( y )|
1

|x y|

M |x y|

So then,

f ' ( y )= lim
xy

| |

This implies that,

f ' ( y )=0

f ( x )f ( y )
f ( x ) f ( y )
=lim
lim M |x y|=0
1
1
x y ( x y )
x y
( x y )

for all

y R

Hence, f is constant.

Q9. 0 < < 1, prove x L([0, 1]), and calculate

x . dx
[0,1]

Answer 9.
Let y(x) = x

For 0 < < 1, we have to prove that y(x) lies between 0 and 1

y ( x )=

1
x

For, 0 < < 1, the graph of this function is as follows:

y(x)
1

Thus, we see that the value of the function lies between (0, 1). Hence proved.
1

x +1
1 +1
0 +1
1
x . dx= + 1 = +1 + 1 = 1
0

| |
2

Q10. Prove that

x y
|x|+| y|
4
4
x +y

Answer 10.
We assume that the above statement is true. Then, the above problem can be re-written as:

| |
2

| y|

x y
|x|+| y|
4
4
x +y

Dividing both sides by | y| ,

| || |

x2 y 2
x
+1
4
4
y
x +y

We see that the RHS of the above expression is always greater than 1 since

| xy|

is positive.

Now we see the LHS:

| |

x2 y2
LHS= 4 4
x +y

This can be rewritten as:

x2 y2
4
4
x +y

x 4 + y 4x 2 y 2
x4 + y4

(x + y ) + x y
4
4
x +y

LHS= 11+

LHS= 1

LHS= 1

2 2

|
2

|
2

We see that this term will always be less than 1 because

( x 2+ y 2)2 + x 2 y 2
x4 + y4

is positive.

Hence we see that LHS is RHS, which is the assumption we started in the first place.
Hence Proved.

Q11. Is f (z) = zn + nz one-to-one?

Answer 10.
In this problem, we understand that z is a unit circle and ||=1
To check if the function is one-to-one or not, we select z1 and z2 such that z1 z2 within the unit
circle z.
Now,
n

f ( z 2 )f ( z 1 )=( z2 + n z 2 )( z1 + n z 1 )

f ( z 2 )f ( z 1 )=( z n2 zn1 ) +(n z 2n z1 )

z i2 z n1i
n
1
n1

i=0

f ( z 2 )f ( z 1 )=( z 2z 1 )
n1

In this expression, we can easily say that the absolute value of

than n.
Hence, f ( z 2 ) f ( z 1)
Thus, f(z) is one-to-one.

z i2 zn1i
1
i=0

is less