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Completing the square · extended
Write x 2 + 6x + 5 in the form (x + p )2 + q .
2 marks
Show worked solution (x + 3)2 = x 2 + 6x + 9, which is 4 more than x 2 + 6x + 5 (M1) So x 2 + 6x + 5 = (x + 3)2 − 4 (A1) Answer: (x + 3)2 − 4
More on this topic Completing the square · extended
Write x 2 − 8x + 3 in the form (x + p )2 + q .
3 marks
Show worked solution Half of −8 is −4, so start with (x − 4)2 = x 2 − 8x + 16 (M1) Subtract 16 and then add the original 3: x 2 − 8x + 3 = (x − 4)2 − 16 + 3 (M1) = (x − 4)2 − 13 (A1) Answer: (x − 4)2 − 13
More on this topic Completing the square · extended
Write x 2 + 4x − 1 in the form (x + p )2 + q , and hence solve x 2 + 4x − 1 = 0, giving exact answers.
4 marks
Show worked solution (x + 2)2 = x 2 + 4x + 4, so x 2 + 4x − 1 = (x + 2)2 − 5 (M1) Completed square form: (x + 2)2 − 5 (A1) Set (x + 2)2 − 5 = 0, so (x + 2)2 = 5 and x + 2 = ±√5 (M1) x = −2 ± √5 (A1) Answer: (x + 2)2 − 5, so x = −2 ± √5
More on this topic Completing the square · extended
The curve y = x 2 − 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 Complete the square: y = (x − 5)2 − 25 + 27 (M1) y = (x − 5)2 + 2 (A1) The bracket is zero when x = 5, so the minimum point is (5, 2) (A1) The minimum value of y is 2 (A1) Answer: Minimum point (5, 2), minimum value y = 2
More on this topic Completing the square · extended
Write 2x 2 + 8x + 5 in the form a (x + p )2 + q .
3 marks
Show worked solution Take out the 2 from the first two terms: 2(x 2 + 4x ) + 5 (M1) Complete the square inside the bracket: 2((x + 2)2 − 4) + 5 (M1) Multiply out: 2(x + 2)2 − 8 + 5 = 2(x + 2)2 − 3 (A1) Answer: 2(x + 2)2 − 3
More on this topic Completing the square · extended
Solve 2x 2 + 8x + 5 = 0 by completing the square, giving your answers in surd form.
4 marks
Show worked solution From the completed form: 2(x + 2)2 − 3 = 0 (M1) So (x + 2)2 = 3/2 and x + 2 = ±√(3/2) (M1) √(3/2) = √6 ÷ 2, so x = −2 + (√6 ÷ 2) (A1) The second root is x = −2 − (√6 ÷ 2) (A1) Answer: x = −2 ± (√6 ÷ 2)
More on this topic Completing the square · higher
Solve 2x 2 − 10x + 7 = 0 by completing the square, giving your answers in the form (a ± √b ) ÷ c .
4 marks
Show worked solution Take out the 2: 2(x 2 − 5x ) + 7 = 2((x − 5/2)2 − 25/4) + 7 (M1) Multiply out: 2(x − 5/2)2 − 25/2 + 7 = 2(x − 5/2)2 − 11/2 (M1) Set equal to zero: (x − 5/2)2 = 11/4, so x = 5/2 ± √11 ÷ 2 (A1) Write over one denominator: x = (5 ± √11) ÷ 2 (A1) Answer: x = (5 ± √11) ÷ 2
More on this topic Indices and surds · core
Evaluate (a) 68 ÷ 65 (b) (32 )4
3 marks
Show worked solution (a) Subtract the powers: 68 ÷ 65 = 68 − 5 = 63 (M1) (b) Multiply the powers: (32 )4 = 32 × 4 = 38 (M1) 63 = 216 and 38 = 6561 (A1) Answer: (a) 216 (b) 6561
More on this topic Indices and surds · extended
Evaluate (a) 70 (b) 5−2 (c) (2/5)−1
4 marks
Show worked solution (a) Any non-zero number to the power 0 is 1, so 70 = 1 (A1) (b) A negative power gives a reciprocal: 5−2 = 1/52 (M1) (b) 1/52 = 1/25 (A1) (c) Invert the fraction: (2/5)−1 = 5/2 (A1) Answer: (a) 1 (b) 1/25 (c) 5/2
More on this topic Indices and surds · extended
Evaluate (a) 491/2 (b) 271/3 (c) 163/4
3 marks
Show worked solution (a) A power of 1/2 is a square root: 491/2 = √49 = 7 (B1) (b) A power of 1/3 is a cube root: 271/3 = 3 (B1) (c) 163/4 = (161/4 )3 = 23 = 8 (A1) Answer: (a) 7 (b) 3 (c) 8
More on this topic Indices and surds · extended
Simplify √50 + √18 − √8, giving your answer in the form k √2.
3 marks
Show worked solution √50 = √(25 × 2) = 5√2 and √18 = √(9 × 2) = 3√2 (M1) √8 = √(4 × 2) = 2√2, so the expression is 5√2 + 3√2 − 2√2 (M1) 5√2 + 3√2 − 2√2 = 6√2 (A1) Answer: 6√2
More on this topic Indices and surds · extended
Rationalise the denominator of (a) 1/√3 (b) 10/√5
4 marks
Show worked solution (a) Multiply top and bottom by √3: 1/√3 × √3/√3 = √3/3 (M1) (a) = √3/3 (A1) (b) Multiply top and bottom by √5: 10/√5 × √5/√5 = 10√5/5 (M1) (b) 10√5/5 = 2√5 (A1) Answer: (a) √3/3 (b) 2√5
More on this topic Indices and surds · extended
(a) Expand and simplify (2 + √3)2 . (b) Rationalise the denominator of 3/(2 + √5).
5 marks
Show worked solution (a) (2 + √3)2 = 4 + 4√3 + 3 (M1) (a) = 7 + 4√3 (A1) (b) Multiply top and bottom by the conjugate 2 − √5: 3(2 − √5)/((2)2 − (√5)2 ) (M1) (b) The denominator is 4 − 5 = −1, so the fraction is −3(2 − √5) (M1) (b) = 3√5 − 6 (A1) Answer: (a) 7 + 4√3 (b) 3√5 − 6
More on this topic 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 (a) 82/3 = (81/3 )2 = 22 (M1) (a) So k = 2 (A1) (b) Multiply top and bottom by √5 + 1: (√5 + 1)2 /((√5)2 − 12 ) (M1) (b) = (5 + 2√5 + 1)/4 = (6 + 2√5)/4 (M1) (b) Divide top and bottom by 2: (3 + √5)/2 (A1) Answer: (a) k = 2 (b) (3 + √5)/2
More on this topic Quadratic equations · core
Solve x 2 − 7x + 12 = 0.
2 marks
Show worked solution Find two numbers with product 12 and sum −7: they are −3 and −4, so (x − 3)(x − 4) = 0 (M1) x − 3 = 0 or x − 4 = 0, giving x = 3 or x = 4 (A1) Answer: x = 3 or x = 4
More on this topic Quadratic equations · core
Solve 3x 2 − 12x = 0.
3 marks
Show worked solution Take out the common factor: 3x (x − 4) = 0 (M1) 3x = 0 gives x = 0 (M1) x − 4 = 0 gives x = 4, so the two roots are 0 and 4 (A1) Answer: x = 0 or x = 4
More on this topic Quadratic equations · core
Solve x 2 = 5x + 24.
3 marks
Show worked solution Rearrange so one side is zero: x 2 − 5x − 24 = 0 (M1) Factorise: (x − 8)(x + 3) = 0 (M1) x = 8 or x = −3 (A1) Answer: x = 8 or x = −3
More on this topic Quadratic equations · extended
Solve 2x 2 + 4x − 1 = 0, giving your answers in surd form.
3 marks
Show worked solution Use x = (−b ± √(b 2 − 4ac )) ÷ 2a with a = 2, b = 4 and c = −1: x = (−4 ± √24) ÷ 4 (M1) Simplify the surd: √24 = 2√6, so x = (−4 ± 2√6) ÷ 4 (M1) Divide every term by 2: x = −1 ± (√6 ÷ 2) (A1) Answer: x = −1 ± (√6 ÷ 2)
More on this topic Quadratic equations · extended
A ball is kicked and its height above the ground after t seconds is h = 12t − 5t 2 metres. Find the two times when the ball is 4 m above the ground.
3 marks
Show worked solution Set 12t − 5t 2 = 4 and rearrange: 5t 2 − 12t + 4 = 0 (M1) Factorise: (5t − 2)(t − 2) = 0 (M1) t = 2/5 or t = 2 (A1) Answer: t = 2/5 s and t = 2 s
More on this topic 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 Let the width be x cm, so the length is x + 5 cm and x (x + 5) = 84 (M1) Expand and factorise: x 2 + 5x − 84 = 0, so (x + 12)(x − 7) = 0 (M1) x = 7, because x = −12 is impossible for a length (A1) The rectangle is 7 cm by 12 cm (A1) Answer: 7 cm by 12 cm
More on this topic Quadratic equations · higher
Solve 4x 2 − 12x + 7 = 0, giving your answers in the form (a ± √b ) ÷ c .
4 marks
Show worked solution Use the formula with a = 4, b = −12 and c = 7: x = (12 ± √((−12)2 − 4 × 4 × 7)) ÷ 8 (M1) The discriminant is 144 − 112 = 32, and √32 = 4√2, so x = (12 ± 4√2) ÷ 8 (M1) Divide every term by 4: x = (3 + √2) ÷ 2 (A1) The second root is x = (3 − √2) ÷ 2 (A1) Answer: x = (3 ± √2) ÷ 2
More on this topic 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 A 20% reduction leaves 80%, so £72 is 80% of the original price (M1) Original price = 72 ÷ 0.8 (M1) = £90.00 (A1) Answer: £90.00
More on this topic 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 £477 is 106% of the old pay, so the multiplier is 1.06 (M1) Old pay = 477 ÷ 1.06 (M1) = £450.00 (A1) Answer: £450.00
More on this topic 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 A 15% reduction leaves 85%, so £357 is 85% of the original price (M1) Original price = 357 ÷ 0.85 (M1) = £420.00 (A1) Answer: £420.00
More on this topic 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 £486 is 120% of the price before VAT, so the multiplier is 1.2 (M1) Price before VAT = 486 ÷ 1.2 (M1) = £405.00 (A1) VAT = 486 − 405 = £81.00 (A1) Answer: Price before VAT £405.00, VAT £81.00
More on this topic 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 The selling price is 115% of the cost price, so the multiplier is 1.15 (M1) Cost price = 138 ÷ 1.15 (M1) = £120.00 (A1) Profit = 138 − 120 = £18.00 (A1) Answer: Cost price £120.00, profit £18.00
More on this topic 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 The two reductions give a single multiplier: 0.8 × 0.9 = 0.72 (M1) Original price = 432 ÷ 0.72 (M1) (a) = £600.00 (A1) (b) The final price is 0.72 of the original, so the reduction is 1 − 0.72 = 0.28 (M1) (b) = 28% (A1) Answer: (a) £600.00 (b) 28%
More on this topic 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 The two changes give a single multiplier: 0.9 × 1.05 = 0.945 (M1) Value before the changes = 15,120 ÷ 0.945 (M1) (a) = £16,000.00 (A1) (b) 0.945 = 1 − 0.055, so the value is 5.5% lower than at the start (M1) (b) 5.5% decrease (A1) Answer: (a) £16,000.00 (b) 5.5% decrease
More on this topic Sequences and the nth term · core
Find the n th term of the sequence 5, 8, 11, 14, ...
3 marks
Show worked solution The terms go up by 3 each time, so the n th term starts with 3n (M1) Compare with 3n : 3, 6, 9, 12, ... and each term is 2 more than this (M1) So the n th term is 3n + 2 (A1) Answer: 3n + 2
More on this topic Sequences and the nth term · core
A sequence has n th term 4n − 7. (a) Find the 15th term. (b) Which term of the sequence is 41?
4 marks
Show worked solution (a) Substitute n = 15: 4 × 15 − 7 (M1) (a) = 60 − 7 = 53 (A1) (b) Solve 4n − 7 = 41, so 4n = 48 (M1) (b) n = 12, so 41 is the 12th term (A1) Answer: (a) 53 (b) the 12th term
More on this topic Sequences and the nth term · core
Is 100 a term of the sequence with n th term 3n + 4? Show your working.
3 marks
Show worked solution Suppose 3n + 4 = 100 (M1) 3n = 96, so n = 32 (M1) 32 is a whole number, so yes: 100 is the 32nd term (A1) Answer: Yes, 100 is the 32nd term
More on this topic Sequences and the nth term · extended
Find the n th term of the sequence 2, 7, 14, 23, 34, ...
4 marks
Show worked solution First differences are 5, 7, 9, 11 and the second difference is 2, so the n th term contains n 2 (M1) Subtract n 2 = 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 from the terms: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 (M1) The remainder is the linear sequence 2n − 1 (A1) So the n th term is n 2 + 2n − 1 (A1) Answer: n 2 + 2n − 1
More on this topic Sequences and the nth term · extended
Find the n th term of the sequence 3, 10, 21, 36, 55, ...
4 marks
Show worked solution First differences are 7, 11, 15, 19 and the second difference is 4, so the n th term contains 2n 2 (M1) Subtract 2n 2 = 2, 8, 18, 32, 50 from the terms: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (M1) The remainder is the linear sequence n (A1) So the n th term is 2n 2 + n (A1) Answer: 2n 2 + n
More on this topic Sequences and the nth term · extended
The n th term of a sequence is n 2 + 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 (a) n 2 + 3n = 40, so n 2 + 3n − 40 = 0 (M1) (a) (n + 8)(n − 5) = 0, so n = 5 (A1) (b) n 2 + 3n = 88, so n 2 + 3n − 88 = 0 and (n + 11)(n − 8) = 0 (M1) (b) n = 8, so 88 is the 8th term (A1) Answer: (a) n = 5 (b) yes, 88 is the 8th term
More on this topic 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 n th 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 First differences are 5, 7, 9 and the second difference is 2, so the n th term contains n 2 (M1) Subtract n 2 = 1, 4, 9, 16 from the terms: 2, 4, 6, 8, so the remainder is 2n (M1) (a) The n th term is n 2 + 2n (A1) (b) Row 12: 122 + 2 × 12 = 144 + 24 = 168 (A1) (c) n 2 + 2n = 143, so (n + 1)2 = 144 and n = 11 (reject n = −13 because a row number must be positive) (A1) Answer: (a) n 2 + 2n (b) 168 trees (c) row 11
More on this topic Simultaneous equations · core
Solve the simultaneous equations 2x + 3y = 12 and x − y = 1.
3 marks
Show worked solution Rearrange the second equation: x = y + 1 (M1) Substitute into the first: 2(y + 1) + 3y = 12, so 5y = 10 and y = 2 (M1) Then x = 2 + 1 = 3 (A1) Answer: x = 3, y = 2
More on this topic Simultaneous equations · core
Solve the simultaneous equations 3x + 2y = 16 and x + 2y = 12.
3 marks
Show worked solution The y terms match, so subtract the second equation from the first: 2x = 4 (M1) x = 2 (M1) Substitute back: 2 + 2y = 12, so y = 5 (A1) Answer: x = 2, y = 5
More on this topic 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 Let a coffee cost c and a tea cost t : 3c + 2t = 13 and 2c + 3t = 12 (M1) Multiply the first equation by 3 and the second by 2: 9c + 6t = 39 and 4c + 6t = 24 (M1) Subtract: 5c = 15, so c = 3 (M1) Then 6 + 3t = 12, so t = 2 (A1) Answer: A coffee costs £3 and a tea costs £2
More on this topic Simultaneous equations · extended
Solve the simultaneous equations 4x + 3y = 25 and 3x + 2y = 18.
4 marks
Show worked solution Multiply the first equation by 2 and the second by 3: 8x + 6y = 50 and 9x + 6y = 54 (M1) Subtract the first from the second: x = 4 (M1) Substitute back: 16 + 3y = 25, so 3y = 9 (M1) y = 3 (A1) Answer: x = 4, y = 3
More on this topic Simultaneous equations · extended
Solve the simultaneous equations 2x + 3y = 13 and 3x − 2y = 0.
4 marks
Show worked solution From the second equation y = 3x ÷ 2 (M1) Substitute into the first: 2x + 3(3x ÷ 2) = 13, so 13x ÷ 2 = 13 (M1) x = 2 (M1) Then y = 6 ÷ 2 = 3 (A1) Answer: x = 2, y = 3
More on this topic Simultaneous equations · extended
Solve the simultaneous equations y = x + 1 and x 2 + y 2 = 25.
5 marks
Show worked solution Substitute y = x + 1 into the second equation: x 2 + (x + 1)2 = 25 (M1) Expand: 2x 2 + 2x + 1 = 25, so x 2 + x − 12 = 0 (M1) Factorise: (x + 4)(x − 3) = 0 (M1) x = 3 gives y = 4 (A1) x = −4 gives y = −3 (A1) Answer: x = 3, y = 4 and x = −4, y = −3
More on this topic 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 Let the sides be x cm and y cm: x + y = 13 and x y = 40 (M1) Substitute y = 13 − x into the area equation: x (13 − x ) = 40 (M1) Rearrange and factorise: x 2 − 13x + 40 = 0, so (x − 5)(x − 8) = 0 (M1) x = 5 or x = 8 (A1) The sides are 5 cm and 8 cm, whichever way round they are taken (A1) Answer: 5 cm by 8 cm
More on this topic