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SL Paper 1

Mia baked a very large apple pie that she cuts into slices to share with her friends. The smallest slice is cut first. The volume of each successive slice of pie forms a geometric sequence.

The second smallest slice has a volume of 30cm3. The fifth smallest slice has a volume of 240cm3.

Find the common ratio of the sequence.

[2]
a.

Find the volume of the smallest slice of pie.

[2]
b.

The apple pie has a volume of 61425cm3.

Find the total number of slices Mia can cut from this pie.

[2]
c.



Solve the equation 2lnx=ln9+4. Give your answer in the form x=peq where p,q+.




Consider the series lnx+plnx+13lnx+, where x, x>1 and p, p0.

Consider the case where the series is geometric.

Now consider the case where the series is arithmetic with common difference d.

Show that p=±13.

[2]
a.i.

Given that p>0 and S=3+3, find the value of x.

[3]
a.ii.

Show that p=23.

[3]
b.i.

Write down d in the form klnx, where k.

[1]
b.ii.

The sum of the first n terms of the series is -3lnx.

Find the value of n.

[6]
b.iii.



The nth term of an arithmetic sequence is given by un=15-3n.

State the value of the first term, u1.

[1]
a.

Given that the nth term of this sequence is -33, find the value of n.

[2]
b.

Find the common difference, d.

[2]
c.



In an arithmetic sequence, the first term is 3 and the second term is 7.

Find the common difference.

[2]
a.

Find the tenth term.

[2]
b.

Find the sum of the first ten terms of the sequence.

[2]
c.



Consider  ( 11 a ) = 11 ! a ! 9 ! .

Find the value of a .

[2]
a.

Hence or otherwise find the coefficient of the term in  x 9 in the expansion of ( x + 3 ) 11 .

[4]
b.



Juan buys a bicycle in a sale. He gets a discount of 30% off the original price and pays 560 US dollars (USD).

To buy the bicycle, Juan takes a loan of 560 USD for 6 months at a nominal annual interest rate of 75%, compounded monthly. Juan believes that the total amount he will pay will be less than the original price of the bicycle.

Calculate the original price of the bicycle.

[2]
a.

Calculate the difference between the original price of the bicycle and the total amount Juan will pay.

[4]
b.



Last year a South American candy factory sold 4.8 × 108 spherical sweets. Each sweet has a diameter of 2.5 cm.

The factory is producing an advertisement showing all of these sweets placed in a straight line.

The advertisement claims that the length of this line is x times the length of the Amazon River. The length of the Amazon River is 6400 km.

Find the length, in cm, of this line. Give your answer in the form a × 10k , where 1 ≤ a < 10 and k ∈ Z .

[3]
a.

Write down the length of the Amazon River in cm.

[1]
b.i.

Find the value of x.

[2]
b.ii.



A hydraulic hammer drives a metal post vertically into the ground by striking the top of the post. The distance that the post is driven into the ground, by the n th strike of the hammer, is d n .

The distances d 1 ,   d 2 ,   d 3   ,   d n  form a geometric sequence.

The distance that the post is driven into the ground by the first strike of the hammer, d 1 , is 64 cm.

The distance that the post is driven into the ground by the second strike of the hammer, d 2 , is 48 cm.

Find the value of the common ratio for this sequence.

[2]
a.

Find the distance that the post is driven into the ground by the eighth strike of the hammer.

[2]
b.

Find the total depth that the post has been driven into the ground after 10 strikes of the hammer.

[2]
c.



Consider the function fx=ax where x, a and x>0, a>1.

The graph of f contains the point 23,4.

Consider the arithmetic sequence log827 , log8p , log8q , log8125 , where p>1 and q>1.

Show that a=8.

[2]
a.

Write down an expression for f-1x.

[1]
b.

Find the value of f-132.

[3]
c.

Show that 27, p, q and 125 are four consecutive terms in a geometric sequence.

[4]
d.i.

Find the value of p and the value of q.

[5]
d.ii.



Iron in the asteroid 16 Psyche is said to be valued at 8973 quadrillion euros EUR, where one quadrillion =1015.

James believes the asteroid is approximately spherical with radius 113km. He uses this information to estimate its volume.

Write down the value of the iron in the form a×10k where 1a<10 , k.

[2]
a.

Calculate James’s estimate of its volume, in km3.

[2]
b.

The actual volume of the asteroid is found to be 6.074×106km3.

Find the percentage error in James’s estimate of the volume.

[2]
c.



Show that  ( 2 n 1 ) 2 + ( 2 n + 1 ) 2 = 8 n 2 + 2 , where n Z .

[2]
a.

Hence, or otherwise, prove that the sum of the squares of any two consecutive odd integers is even.

[3]
b.



Consider fx=4cosx1-3cos2x+3cos22x-cos32x.

Expand and simplify (1-a)3 in ascending powers of a.

[2]
a.i.

By using a suitable substitution for a, show that 1-3cos2x+3cos22x-cos32x=8sin6x.

[4]
a.ii.

Show that 0mfxdx=327sin7m, where m is a positive real constant.

[4]
b.i.

It is given that mπ2fxdx=12728, where 0mπ2. Find the value of m.

[5]
b.ii.



Consider the binomial expansion (x+1)7=x7+ax6+bx5+35x4++1 where x0 and a, b+.

Show that b=21.

[2]
a.

The third term in the expansion is the mean of the second term and the fourth term in the expansion.

Find the possible values of x.

[5]
b.



The first three terms of a geometric sequence are u 1 = 486 ,   u 2 = 162 ,   u 3 = 54 .

Find the value of r , the common ratio of the sequence.

[2]
a.

Find the value of n for which u n = 2 .

[2]
b.

Find the sum of the first 30 terms of the sequence.

[2]
c.



Show that 2x-3-6x-1=2x2-5x-3x-1, x, x1.

[2]
a.

Hence or otherwise, solve the equation  2sin2θ-3-6sin2θ-1=0  for  0θπ, θπ4.

[5]
b.



The volume of a hemisphere, V, is given by the formula

V 4 S 3 243 π ,

where S is the total surface area.

The total surface area of a given hemisphere is 350 cm2.

Calculate the volume of this hemisphere in cm3.

Give your answer correct to one decimal place.

[3]
a.

Write down your answer to part (a) correct to the nearest integer.

[1]
b.

Write down your answer to part (b) in the form a × 10k , where 1 ≤ a < 10 and k  Z .

[2]
c.



In an arithmetic sequence, the first term is 8 and the second term is 5.

Find the common difference.

[2]
a.

Find the tenth term.

[2]
b.



Sergei is training to be a weightlifter. Each day he trains at the local gym by lifting a metal bar that has heavy weights attached. He carries out successive lifts. After each lift, the same amount of weight is added to the bar to increase the weight to be lifted.

The weights of each of Sergei’s lifts form an arithmetic sequence.

Sergei’s friend, Yuri, records the weight of each lift. Unfortunately, last Monday, Yuri misplaced all but two of the recordings of Sergei’s lifts.

On that day, Sergei lifted 21 kg on the third lift and 46 kg on the eighth lift.

For that day find how much weight was added after each lift.

[2]
a.i.

For that day find the weight of Sergei’s first lift.

[2]
a.ii.

On that day, Sergei made 12 successive lifts. Find the total combined weight of these lifts.

[2]
b.



Consider any three consecutive integers, n-1, n and n+1.

Prove that the sum of these three integers is always divisible by 3.

[2]
a.

Prove that the sum of the squares of these three integers is never divisible by 3.

[4]
b.



In the Canadian city of Ottawa:

97%  of the population speak English, 38%  of the population speak French, 36%  of the population speak both English and French.

The total population of Ottawa is 985 000 .

Calculate the percentage of the population of Ottawa that speak English but not French.

[2]
a.

Calculate the number of people in Ottawa that speak both English and French.

[2]
b.

Write down your answer to part (b) in the form a × 10 k where 1 a < 10 and k  Z .

[2]
c.



Let p = cos x + sin y w 2 z ,

where x = 36 ,   y = 18 ,   w = 29  and z = 21.8 .

Calculate the value of p . Write down your full calculator display.

[2]
a.

Write your answer to part (a)

(i)     correct to two decimal places;

(ii)     correct to three significant figures.

[2]
b.

Write your answer to part (b)(ii) in the form a × 10 k , where 1 a < 10 ,   k Z .

[2]
c.



Consider the functions fx=1x-4+1, for x4, and gx=x-3 for x.

The following diagram shows the graphs of f and g.

The graphs of f and g intersect at points A and B. The coordinates of A are (3, 0).

In the following diagram, the shaded region is enclosed by the graph of f, the graph of g, the x-axis, and the line x=k, where k.

The area of the shaded region can be written as ln(p)+8, where p.

Find the coordinates of B.

[5]
a.

Find the value of k and the value of p.

[10]
b.



The expression 3x-5x can be written as 3-5xp. Write down the value of p.

[1]
a.

Hence, find the value of 193x-5xdx.

[4]
b.



In this question, give all answers to two decimal places.

Karl invests 1000 US dollars (USD) in an account that pays a nominal annual interest of 3.5%, compounded quarterly. He leaves the money in the account for 5 years.

Calculate the amount of money he has in the account after 5 years.

[3]
a.i.

Write down the amount of interest he earned after 5 years.

[1]
a.ii.

Karl decides to donate this interest to a charity in France. The charity receives 170 euros (EUR). The exchange rate is 1 USD = t EUR.

Calculate the value of t.

[2]
b.



The first two terms of an infinite geometric sequence are u1 = 18 and u2 = 12sin2 θ , where 0 < θ < 2 π , and θ π .

Find an expression for r in terms of θ.

[2]
a.i.

Find the values of θ which give the greatest value of the sum.

[6]
c.



The company Snakezen’s Ladders makes ladders of different lengths. All the ladders that the company makes have the same design such that:

the first rung is 30 cm from the base of the ladder,

the second rung is 57 cm from the base of the ladder,

the distance between the first and second rung is equal to the distance between all adjacent rungs on the ladder.

The ladder in the diagram was made by this company and has eleven equally spaced rungs.

M17/5/MATSD/SP1/ENG/TZ1/05

Find the distance from the base of this ladder to the top rung.

[3]
a.

The company also makes a ladder that is 1050 cm long.

Find the maximum number of rungs in this 1050 cm long ladder.

[3]
b.



Consider the geometric sequence u 1 = 18 ,   u 2 = 9 ,   u 3 = 4.5 ,   .

Write down the common ratio of the sequence.

[1]
a.

Find the value of u 5 .

[2]
b.

Find the smallest value of n for which u n is less than 10 3 .

[3]
c.



Let  g ( x ) = p x + q , for x p q R p > 1 . The point  A ( 0 a )  lies on the graph of g .

Let  f ( x ) = g 1 ( x ) . The point B lies on the graph of f and is the reflection of point A in the line y = x .

The line L 1 is tangent to the graph of f at B .

Write down the coordinates of B .

[2]
a.

Given that  f ( a ) = 1 ln p , find the equation of L 1 in terms of x , p and q .

[5]
b.

The line L 2 is tangent to the graph of g at A and has equation  y = ( ln p ) x + q + 1 .

The line L 2 passes through the point  ( 2 2 ) .

The gradient of the normal to g at A is  1 ln ( 1 3 ) .

 

Find the equation of L 1 in terms of x .

[7]
c.



The speed of light is 300 000 kilometres per second. The average distance from the Sun to the Earth is 149.6 million km.

A light-year is the distance light travels in one year and is equal to 9 467 280 million km. Polaris is a bright star, visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The distance from the Earth to Polaris is 323 light-years.

Calculate the time, in minutes, it takes for light from the Sun to reach the Earth.

[3]
a.

Find the distance from the Earth to Polaris in millions of km. Give your answer in the form a × 10 k with 1 a < 10 and k Z .

[3]
b.



A sphere with diameter 3 474 000 metres can model the shape of the Moon.

Use this model to calculate the circumference of the Moon in kilometres. Give your full calculator display.

[3]
a.

Give your answer to part (a) correct to three significant figures.

[1]
b.

Write your answer to part (b) in the form  a × 10 k , where 1 ≤ a < 10 , k Z .

[2]
c.



The first three terms of an arithmetic sequence are u1,5u1-8 and 3u1+8.

Show that u1=4.

[2]
a.

Prove that the sum of the first n terms of this arithmetic sequence is a square number.

[4]
b.



Consider an arithmetic sequence where u8=S8=8. Find the value of the first term, u1, and the value of the common difference, d.




Consider the numbers  p = 2.78 × 10 11 and  q = 3.12 × 10 3 .

Calculate p q 3 . Give your full calculator display.

[2]
a.

Write down your answer to part (a) correct to two decimal places;

[1]
b.i.

Write down your answer to part (a) correct to three significant figures.

[1]
b.ii.

Write your answer to part (b)(ii) in the form a × 10 k , where 1 a < 10 ,   k Z .

[2]
c.



Give your answers in this question correct to the nearest whole number.

Imon invested 25000 Singapore dollars (SGD) in a fixed deposit account with a nominal annual interest rate of 3.6%, compounded monthly.

Calculate the value of Imon’s investment after 5 years.

[3]
a.

At the end of the 5 years, Imon withdrew x SGD from the fixed deposit account and reinvested this into a super-savings account with a nominal annual interest rate of 5.7%, compounded half-yearly.

The value of the super-savings account increased to 20000 SGD after 18 months.

Find the value of x.

[3]
b.



Consider  f ( x ) = x sin ( π 4 x ) and  g ( x ) = x for x ≥ 0. The first time the graphs of f and g intersect is at x = 0 .

The set of all non-zero values that satisfy f ( x ) = g ( x ) can be described as an arithmetic sequence,  u n = a + b n where n  ≥ 1.

Find the two smallest non-zero values of x for which f ( x ) = g ( x ) .

[5]
a.

At point P, the graphs of f and g intersect for the 21st time. Find the coordinates of P.

[4]
c.

The following diagram shows part of the graph of g reflected in the x -axis. It also shows part of the graph of f and the point P.

Find an expression for the area of the shaded region. Do not calculate the value of the expression.

[4]
d.



In an arithmetic sequence,  u 2 = 5 and  u 3 = 11 .

Find the common difference.

[2]
a.

Find the first term.

[2]
b.

Find the sum of the first 20 terms.

[2]
c.



In an arithmetic sequence, u1 = −5 and d = 3.

Find u8.




Explain why any integer can be written in the form  4 k or  4 k + 1 or  4 k + 2 or  4 k + 3 , where k Z .

[2]
a.

Hence prove that the square of any integer can be written in the form  4 t or  4 t + 1 , where t Z + .

[6]
b.



The following diagram shows [CD], with length b  cm , where b > 1 . Squares with side lengths k  cm ,   k 2  cm ,   k 3  cm ,   , where 0 < k < 1 , are drawn along [CD]. This process is carried on indefinitely. The diagram shows the first three squares.

N17/5/MATME/SP1/ENG/TZ0/10.b

The total sum of the areas of all the squares is 9 16 . Find the value of b .




A comet orbits the Sun and is seen from Earth every 37 years. The comet was first seen from Earth in the year 1064.

Find the year in which the comet was seen from Earth for the fifth time.

[3]
a.

Determine how many times the comet has been seen from Earth up to the year 2014.

[3]
b.



In the expansion of (x+k)7, where k, the coefficient of the term in x5 is 63.

Find the possible values of k.




The first three terms of a geometric sequence are ln x 16 , ln x 8 , ln x 4 , for x > 0 .

Find the common ratio.




Show that lo g 9 ( cos 2 x + 2 ) = lo g 3 cos 2 x + 2 .

[3]
a.

Hence or otherwise solve lo g 3 ( 2 sin x ) = lo g 9 ( cos 2 x + 2 ) for 0 < x < π 2 .

[5]
b.



Consider the curve with equation y=(2x-1)ekx, where x and k.

The tangent to the curve at the point where x=1 is parallel to the line y=5ekx.

Find the value of k.




The diameter of a spherical planet is 6×104km.

Write down the radius of the planet.

[1]
a.

The volume of the planet can be expressed in the form πa×10kkm3 where 1a<10 and k.

Find the value of a and the value of k.

[3]
b.



Consider two consecutive positive integers, n and n+1.

Show that the difference of their squares is equal to the sum of the two integers.




Tomás is playing with sticks and he forms the first three diagrams of a pattern. These diagrams are shown below.

M17/5/MATSD/SP1/ENG/TZ2/05

Tomás continues forming diagrams following this pattern.

Tomás forms a total of 24 diagrams.

Diagram n is formed with 52 sticks. Find the value of n .

[3]
a.

Find the total number of sticks used by Tomás for all 24 diagrams.

[3]
b.



Jashanti is saving money to buy a car. The price of the car, in US Dollars (USD), can be modelled by the equation

P = 8500   ( 0.95 ) t .

Jashanti’s savings, in USD, can be modelled by the equation

S = 400 t + 2000.

In both equations t is the time in months since Jashanti started saving for the car.

Jashanti does not want to wait too long and wants to buy the car two months after she started saving. She decides to ask her parents for the extra money that she needs.

Write down the amount of money Jashanti saves per month.

[1]
a.

Use your graphic display calculator to find how long it will take for Jashanti to have saved enough money to buy the car.

[2]
b.

Calculate how much extra money Jashanti needs.

[3]
c.