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Completing the square · extended

Write x2 + 6x + 5 in the form (x + p)2 + q.

2 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (x + 3)2 = x2 + 6x + 9, which is 4 more than x2 + 6x + 5 (M1)
  2. So x2 + 6x + 5 = (x + 3)2 − 4 (A1)

Answer: (x + 3)2 − 4

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Completing the square · extended

Write x2 − 8x + 3 in the form (x + p)2 + q.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Half of −8 is −4, so start with (x − 4)2 = x2 − 8x + 16 (M1)
  2. Subtract 16 and then add the original 3: x2 − 8x + 3 = (x − 4)2 − 16 + 3 (M1)
  3. = (x − 4)2 − 13 (A1)

Answer: (x − 4)2 − 13

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Completing the square · extended

Write x2 + 4x − 1 in the form (x + p)2 + q, and hence solve x2 + 4x − 1 = 0, giving exact answers.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (x + 2)2 = x2 + 4x + 4, so x2 + 4x − 1 = (x + 2)2 − 5 (M1)
  2. Completed square form: (x + 2)2 − 5 (A1)
  3. Set (x + 2)2 − 5 = 0, so (x + 2)2 = 5 and x + 2 = ±√5 (M1)
  4. x = −2 ± √5 (A1)

Answer: (x + 2)2 − 5, so x = −2 ± √5

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Completing the square · extended

The curve y = x2 − 10x + 27 has a minimum point. Find the coordinates of the minimum point and state the minimum value of y.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Complete the square: y = (x − 5)2 − 25 + 27 (M1)
  2. y = (x − 5)2 + 2 (A1)
  3. The bracket is zero when x = 5, so the minimum point is (5, 2) (A1)
  4. The minimum value of y is 2 (A1)

Answer: Minimum point (5, 2), minimum value y = 2

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Completing the square · extended

Write 2x2 + 8x + 5 in the form a(x + p)2 + q.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Take out the 2 from the first two terms: 2(x2 + 4x) + 5 (M1)
  2. Complete the square inside the bracket: 2((x + 2)2 − 4) + 5 (M1)
  3. Multiply out: 2(x + 2)2 − 8 + 5 = 2(x + 2)2 − 3 (A1)

Answer: 2(x + 2)2 − 3

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Completing the square · extended

Solve 2x2 + 8x + 5 = 0 by completing the square, giving your answers in surd form.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. From the completed form: 2(x + 2)2 − 3 = 0 (M1)
  2. So (x + 2)2 = 3/2 and x + 2 = ±√(3/2) (M1)
  3. √(3/2) = √6 ÷ 2, so x = −2 + (√6 ÷ 2) (A1)
  4. The second root is x = −2 − (√6 ÷ 2) (A1)

Answer: x = −2 ± (√6 ÷ 2)

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Completing the square · higher

Solve 2x2 − 10x + 7 = 0 by completing the square, giving your answers in the form (a ± √b) ÷ c.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Take out the 2: 2(x2 − 5x) + 7 = 2((x − 5/2)2 − 25/4) + 7 (M1)
  2. Multiply out: 2(x − 5/2)2 − 25/2 + 7 = 2(x − 5/2)2 − 11/2 (M1)
  3. Set equal to zero: (x − 5/2)2 = 11/4, so x = 5/2 ± √11 ÷ 2 (A1)
  4. Write over one denominator: x = (5 ± √11) ÷ 2 (A1)

Answer: x = (5 ± √11) ÷ 2

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Indices and surds · core

Evaluate (a) 68 ÷ 65 (b) (32)4

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (a) Subtract the powers: 68 ÷ 65 = 68 − 5 = 63 (M1)
  2. (b) Multiply the powers: (32)4 = 32 × 4 = 38 (M1)
  3. 63 = 216 and 38 = 6561 (A1)

Answer: (a) 216 (b) 6561

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Indices and surds · extended

Evaluate (a) 70 (b) 5−2 (c) (2/5)−1

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (a) Any non-zero number to the power 0 is 1, so 70 = 1 (A1)
  2. (b) A negative power gives a reciprocal: 5−2 = 1/52 (M1)
  3. (b) 1/52 = 1/25 (A1)
  4. (c) Invert the fraction: (2/5)−1 = 5/2 (A1)

Answer: (a) 1 (b) 1/25 (c) 5/2

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Indices and surds · extended

Evaluate (a) 491/2 (b) 271/3 (c) 163/4

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (a) A power of 1/2 is a square root: 491/2 = √49 = 7 (B1)
  2. (b) A power of 1/3 is a cube root: 271/3 = 3 (B1)
  3. (c) 163/4 = (161/4)3 = 23 = 8 (A1)

Answer: (a) 7 (b) 3 (c) 8

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Indices and surds · extended

Simplify √50 + √18 − √8, giving your answer in the form k√2.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. √50 = √(25 × 2) = 5√2 and √18 = √(9 × 2) = 3√2 (M1)
  2. √8 = √(4 × 2) = 2√2, so the expression is 5√2 + 3√2 − 2√2 (M1)
  3. 5√2 + 3√2 − 2√2 = 6√2 (A1)

Answer: 6√2

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Indices and surds · extended

Rationalise the denominator of (a) 1/√3 (b) 10/√5

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (a) Multiply top and bottom by √3: 1/√3 × √3/√3 = √3/3 (M1)
  2. (a) = √3/3 (A1)
  3. (b) Multiply top and bottom by √5: 10/√5 × √5/√5 = 10√5/5 (M1)
  4. (b) 10√5/5 = 2√5 (A1)

Answer: (a) √3/3 (b) 2√5

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Indices and surds · extended

(a) Expand and simplify (2 + √3)2. (b) Rationalise the denominator of 3/(2 + √5).

5 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (a) (2 + √3)2 = 4 + 4√3 + 3 (M1)
  2. (a) = 7 + 4√3 (A1)
  3. (b) Multiply top and bottom by the conjugate 2 − √5: 3(2 − √5)/((2)2 − (√5)2) (M1)
  4. (b) The denominator is 4 − 5 = −1, so the fraction is −3(2 − √5) (M1)
  5. (b) = 3√5 − 6 (A1)

Answer: (a) 7 + 4√3 (b) 3√5 − 6

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Indices and surds · higher

(a) Given that 82/3 = 2k, find the value of k. (b) Rationalise the denominator of (√5 + 1)/(√5 − 1), giving your answer in the form (a + b√5)/c.

5 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (a) 82/3 = (81/3)2 = 22 (M1)
  2. (a) So k = 2 (A1)
  3. (b) Multiply top and bottom by √5 + 1: (√5 + 1)2/((√5)2 − 12) (M1)
  4. (b) = (5 + 2√5 + 1)/4 = (6 + 2√5)/4 (M1)
  5. (b) Divide top and bottom by 2: (3 + √5)/2 (A1)

Answer: (a) k = 2 (b) (3 + √5)/2

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Quadratic equations · core

Solve x2 − 7x + 12 = 0.

2 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Find two numbers with product 12 and sum −7: they are −3 and −4, so (x − 3)(x − 4) = 0 (M1)
  2. x − 3 = 0 or x − 4 = 0, giving x = 3 or x = 4 (A1)

Answer: x = 3 or x = 4

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Quadratic equations · core

Solve 3x2 − 12x = 0.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Take out the common factor: 3x(x − 4) = 0 (M1)
  2. 3x = 0 gives x = 0 (M1)
  3. x − 4 = 0 gives x = 4, so the two roots are 0 and 4 (A1)

Answer: x = 0 or x = 4

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Quadratic equations · core

Solve x2 = 5x + 24.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Rearrange so one side is zero: x2 − 5x − 24 = 0 (M1)
  2. Factorise: (x − 8)(x + 3) = 0 (M1)
  3. x = 8 or x = −3 (A1)

Answer: x = 8 or x = −3

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Quadratic equations · extended

Solve 2x2 + 4x − 1 = 0, giving your answers in surd form.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Use x = (−b ± √(b2 − 4ac)) ÷ 2a with a = 2, b = 4 and c = −1: x = (−4 ± √24) ÷ 4 (M1)
  2. Simplify the surd: √24 = 2√6, so x = (−4 ± 2√6) ÷ 4 (M1)
  3. Divide every term by 2: x = −1 ± (√6 ÷ 2) (A1)

Answer: x = −1 ± (√6 ÷ 2)

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Quadratic equations · extended

A ball is kicked and its height above the ground after t seconds is h = 12t − 5t2 metres. Find the two times when the ball is 4 m above the ground.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Set 12t − 5t2 = 4 and rearrange: 5t2 − 12t + 4 = 0 (M1)
  2. Factorise: (5t − 2)(t − 2) = 0 (M1)
  3. t = 2/5 or t = 2 (A1)

Answer: t = 2/5 s and t = 2 s

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Quadratic equations · extended

A rectangle is 5 cm longer than it is wide. Its area is 84 cm2. Find the dimensions of the rectangle.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Let the width be x cm, so the length is x + 5 cm and x(x + 5) = 84 (M1)
  2. Expand and factorise: x2 + 5x − 84 = 0, so (x + 12)(x − 7) = 0 (M1)
  3. x = 7, because x = −12 is impossible for a length (A1)
  4. The rectangle is 7 cm by 12 cm (A1)

Answer: 7 cm by 12 cm

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Quadratic equations · higher

Solve 4x2 − 12x + 7 = 0, giving your answers in the form (a ± √b) ÷ c.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Use the formula with a = 4, b = −12 and c = 7: x = (12 ± √((−12)2 − 4 × 4 × 7)) ÷ 8 (M1)
  2. The discriminant is 144 − 112 = 32, and √32 = 4√2, so x = (12 ± 4√2) ÷ 8 (M1)
  3. Divide every term by 4: x = (3 + √2) ÷ 2 (A1)
  4. The second root is x = (3 − √2) ÷ 2 (A1)

Answer: x = (3 ± √2) ÷ 2

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Reverse percentages · core

In a sale a jacket is reduced by 20% and now costs £72. Find the price of the jacket before the sale.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. A 20% reduction leaves 80%, so £72 is 80% of the original price (M1)
  2. Original price = 72 ÷ 0.8 (M1)
  3. = £90.00 (A1)

Answer: £90.00

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Reverse percentages · core

After a pay rise of 6%, a worker earns £477 per week. Find the weekly pay before the rise.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. £477 is 106% of the old pay, so the multiplier is 1.06 (M1)
  2. Old pay = 477 ÷ 1.06 (M1)
  3. = £450.00 (A1)

Answer: £450.00

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Reverse percentages · extended

A shop reduces a bicycle by 15% in a sale and sells it for £357. Find the price of the bicycle before the sale.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. A 15% reduction leaves 85%, so £357 is 85% of the original price (M1)
  2. Original price = 357 ÷ 0.85 (M1)
  3. = £420.00 (A1)

Answer: £420.00

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Reverse percentages · extended

The price of a laptop includes 20% VAT and is £486. Find the price before VAT and the amount of VAT charged.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. £486 is 120% of the price before VAT, so the multiplier is 1.2 (M1)
  2. Price before VAT = 486 ÷ 1.2 (M1)
  3. = £405.00 (A1)
  4. VAT = 486 − 405 = £81.00 (A1)

Answer: Price before VAT £405.00, VAT £81.00

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Reverse percentages · extended

A shop sells a chair for £138 and makes a profit of 15% on the cost price. Find the cost price of the chair and the profit.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. The selling price is 115% of the cost price, so the multiplier is 1.15 (M1)
  2. Cost price = 138 ÷ 1.15 (M1)
  3. = £120.00 (A1)
  4. Profit = 138 − 120 = £18.00 (A1)

Answer: Cost price £120.00, profit £18.00

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Reverse percentages · extended

In a sale a television is reduced by 20%. The sale price is then reduced by a further 10%, and the final price is £432. (a) Find the original price. (b) Find the overall percentage reduction.

5 marks

Show worked solution
  1. The two reductions give a single multiplier: 0.8 × 0.9 = 0.72 (M1)
  2. Original price = 432 ÷ 0.72 (M1)
  3. (a) = £600.00 (A1)
  4. (b) The final price is 0.72 of the original, so the reduction is 1 − 0.72 = 0.28 (M1)
  5. (b) = 28% (A1)

Answer: (a) £600.00 (b) 28%

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Reverse percentages · higher

The value of a painting fell by 10% in the first year and then rose by 5% in the second year. After the two changes it was worth £15,120. (a) Find the value before the two changes. (b) Find the overall percentage change in the value.

5 marks

Show worked solution
  1. The two changes give a single multiplier: 0.9 × 1.05 = 0.945 (M1)
  2. Value before the changes = 15,120 ÷ 0.945 (M1)
  3. (a) = £16,000.00 (A1)
  4. (b) 0.945 = 1 − 0.055, so the value is 5.5% lower than at the start (M1)
  5. (b) 5.5% decrease (A1)

Answer: (a) £16,000.00 (b) 5.5% decrease

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Sequences and the nth term · core

Find the nth term of the sequence 5, 8, 11, 14, ...

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. The terms go up by 3 each time, so the nth term starts with 3n (M1)
  2. Compare with 3n: 3, 6, 9, 12, ... and each term is 2 more than this (M1)
  3. So the nth term is 3n + 2 (A1)

Answer: 3n + 2

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Sequences and the nth term · core

A sequence has nth term 4n − 7. (a) Find the 15th term. (b) Which term of the sequence is 41?

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (a) Substitute n = 15: 4 × 15 − 7 (M1)
  2. (a) = 60 − 7 = 53 (A1)
  3. (b) Solve 4n − 7 = 41, so 4n = 48 (M1)
  4. (b) n = 12, so 41 is the 12th term (A1)

Answer: (a) 53 (b) the 12th term

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Sequences and the nth term · core

Is 100 a term of the sequence with nth term 3n + 4? Show your working.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Suppose 3n + 4 = 100 (M1)
  2. 3n = 96, so n = 32 (M1)
  3. 32 is a whole number, so yes: 100 is the 32nd term (A1)

Answer: Yes, 100 is the 32nd term

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Sequences and the nth term · extended

Find the nth term of the sequence 2, 7, 14, 23, 34, ...

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. First differences are 5, 7, 9, 11 and the second difference is 2, so the nth term contains n2 (M1)
  2. Subtract n2 = 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 from the terms: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 (M1)
  3. The remainder is the linear sequence 2n − 1 (A1)
  4. So the nth term is n2 + 2n − 1 (A1)

Answer: n2 + 2n − 1

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Sequences and the nth term · extended

Find the nth term of the sequence 3, 10, 21, 36, 55, ...

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. First differences are 7, 11, 15, 19 and the second difference is 4, so the nth term contains 2n2 (M1)
  2. Subtract 2n2 = 2, 8, 18, 32, 50 from the terms: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (M1)
  3. The remainder is the linear sequence n (A1)
  4. So the nth term is 2n2 + n (A1)

Answer: 2n2 + n

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Sequences and the nth term · extended

The nth term of a sequence is n2 + 3n. (a) Find the value of n for which the term is 40. (b) Decide whether 88 is a term of the sequence.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. (a) n2 + 3n = 40, so n2 + 3n − 40 = 0 (M1)
  2. (a) (n + 8)(n − 5) = 0, so n = 5 (A1)
  3. (b) n2 + 3n = 88, so n2 + 3n − 88 = 0 and (n + 11)(n − 8) = 0 (M1)
  4. (b) n = 8, so 88 is the 8th term (A1)

Answer: (a) n = 5 (b) yes, 88 is the 8th term

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Sequences and the nth term · higher

A gardener plants trees in rows. The first row has 3 trees, the second row has 8, the third row has 15 and the fourth row has 24. (a) Find the nth term for the number of trees in row n. (b) How many trees are in row 12? (c) Which row has 143 trees?

5 marks

Show worked solution
  1. First differences are 5, 7, 9 and the second difference is 2, so the nth term contains n2 (M1)
  2. Subtract n2 = 1, 4, 9, 16 from the terms: 2, 4, 6, 8, so the remainder is 2n (M1)
  3. (a) The nth term is n2 + 2n (A1)
  4. (b) Row 12: 122 + 2 × 12 = 144 + 24 = 168 (A1)
  5. (c) n2 + 2n = 143, so (n + 1)2 = 144 and n = 11 (reject n = −13 because a row number must be positive) (A1)

Answer: (a) n2 + 2n (b) 168 trees (c) row 11

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Simultaneous equations · core

Solve the simultaneous equations 2x + 3y = 12 and x − y = 1.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Rearrange the second equation: x = y + 1 (M1)
  2. Substitute into the first: 2(y + 1) + 3y = 12, so 5y = 10 and y = 2 (M1)
  3. Then x = 2 + 1 = 3 (A1)

Answer: x = 3, y = 2

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Simultaneous equations · core

Solve the simultaneous equations 3x + 2y = 16 and x + 2y = 12.

3 marks

Show worked solution
  1. The y terms match, so subtract the second equation from the first: 2x = 4 (M1)
  2. x = 2 (M1)
  3. Substitute back: 2 + 2y = 12, so y = 5 (A1)

Answer: x = 2, y = 5

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Simultaneous equations · core

Three coffees and two teas cost £13. Two coffees and three teas cost £12. Find the cost of one coffee and the cost of one tea.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Let a coffee cost c and a tea cost t: 3c + 2t = 13 and 2c + 3t = 12 (M1)
  2. Multiply the first equation by 3 and the second by 2: 9c + 6t = 39 and 4c + 6t = 24 (M1)
  3. Subtract: 5c = 15, so c = 3 (M1)
  4. Then 6 + 3t = 12, so t = 2 (A1)

Answer: A coffee costs £3 and a tea costs £2

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Simultaneous equations · extended

Solve the simultaneous equations 4x + 3y = 25 and 3x + 2y = 18.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Multiply the first equation by 2 and the second by 3: 8x + 6y = 50 and 9x + 6y = 54 (M1)
  2. Subtract the first from the second: x = 4 (M1)
  3. Substitute back: 16 + 3y = 25, so 3y = 9 (M1)
  4. y = 3 (A1)

Answer: x = 4, y = 3

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Simultaneous equations · extended

Solve the simultaneous equations 2x + 3y = 13 and 3x − 2y = 0.

4 marks

Show worked solution
  1. From the second equation y = 3x ÷ 2 (M1)
  2. Substitute into the first: 2x + 3(3x ÷ 2) = 13, so 13x ÷ 2 = 13 (M1)
  3. x = 2 (M1)
  4. Then y = 6 ÷ 2 = 3 (A1)

Answer: x = 2, y = 3

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Simultaneous equations · extended

Solve the simultaneous equations y = x + 1 and x2 + y2 = 25.

5 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Substitute y = x + 1 into the second equation: x2 + (x + 1)2 = 25 (M1)
  2. Expand: 2x2 + 2x + 1 = 25, so x2 + x − 12 = 0 (M1)
  3. Factorise: (x + 4)(x − 3) = 0 (M1)
  4. x = 3 gives y = 4 (A1)
  5. x = −4 gives y = −3 (A1)

Answer: x = 3, y = 4 and x = −4, y = −3

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Simultaneous equations · higher

A rectangle has a perimeter of 26 cm and an area of 40 cm2. Find its length and width.

5 marks

Show worked solution
  1. Let the sides be x cm and y cm: x + y = 13 and xy = 40 (M1)
  2. Substitute y = 13 − x into the area equation: x(13 − x) = 40 (M1)
  3. Rearrange and factorise: x2 − 13x + 40 = 0, so (x − 5)(x − 8) = 0 (M1)
  4. x = 5 or x = 8 (A1)
  5. The sides are 5 cm and 8 cm, whichever way round they are taken (A1)

Answer: 5 cm by 8 cm

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