1977 A-Level Pure Mathematics Paper I

1. Given

positive

mn

r 0

integers

m,

n,

x r (1 x ... x m ) n

let

(*)

(a) Find expressions for the following in terms of m and n only :

mn

(i) a r
r0

(b) By

differentiating
mn

mn

(ii) (1) a r

(iii ) 2 a

r0

the

identity
mn

(*),

mn a r 2 r a r
r 0

(c) Show that

mn

r0

or

otherwise,

show

that

r 1

m
if m is even.
m

2
( 1) r r
r 1
( m1) if m is odd.

mn if m is even.
2 (1) ra r
r 1
0 if m is odd.
mn

Hence, or otherwise, show that

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2. (a) Find the value of the determinant

(b) Given real numbers q , r , not both zero , show that the system of equations

qy rz

(E) rx qz
qx ry

in x , y , z has

(i) a unique solution if q + r 0 , and

(ii) more than one solution if and only if q + r = 0 and
.

(c) Given 1 and

in each of the following cases :
(i) q = r = 1 ,
(ii) q = 1 , r = -1.
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2,

solve the system of equations ( E )

3. For any positive integers m , p such that m p 1 , let

(1 x m )(1 x m 1 )...(1 x m p 1 )
G ( m, p )
.
(1 x )(1 x 2 )...(1 x p )
(a) Show that G(m,p) = G(m, m-p) for m > p.
(b) Suppose p m-1,
(i) Show that G(m,p+1) - G(m-1,p+1) = x m p 1G (m 1, p) .
(ii) By putting p+1, p+2, p+3 ,... for m in (i) , or otherwise, show that
G (m, p 1) G (p, p) xG (p 1, p) x 2 G (p 2, p) ... x m p 1G (m 1, p)

(c) Use induction on p to show that G(m,p) is a polynomial in x for any positive integer m such that
m p 1 .

4.

Let M be the group of real, non-singular 2 x 2 matrices under the operation of matrix multiplication. A
mapping d : M R \ {0} of M into the set R \ {0} of all non-zero real numbers is defined as
a 12
a 11
in M, d ( A ) a 11 a 22 a 12 a 21 .
follows: for any A
a 22
a 21
Show that
(a) d (AB) = d (A) d (B) for any A , B in M ,
(b) the mapping d is surjective but not injective.
(c)

the subset K = {

(d)

multiplication,
For each

A M : d( A ) 1} is a group under matrix

A M , A K A 1 K , where A K A
is the set of all matrices of the form ABA 1 for some B K.

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n i1

n 1 n

A i j A i j
i1 j0 j0 i j1

5. (a) Prove by induction on n that

for n = 1, 2,

3, ... .
n

(b) Let

(i)

f (x) ci x i
i 0

Deduce from (a) that

(ii)

Let the roots

be a real polynomial of degree n.

f (x)f () n1 n j i j1
ci x
x j0 i j1

1 , 2 , ... , n

f (x)
k 1 x
k

of

for any number

f(x)

be all real. Show that

f ' (x)
(iii)

1 , 2 , ... , n

Let
n

sp k

n 1
'(x)

be

all

non-zero

and

let

(p = 0, 1, ..., n). Using (i) and (ii) or otherwise, show that

k 1

x ci si j1
j0 i j1

Hence

deduce

that

( j1)c j1 c i s i j1
i j1

for

j = 0, 1, ..., n-1.

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6. (a) There are m apple trees in an orchard. Each of them bears at most n apples. Find the probability that
at least two of them bear the same number of apples.
(b) Two evenly matched basketball teams play a series of games to decide the championship. For any
game, each team has the probability 0.5 of winning. The championship is decided as soon as one team
wins four games.
(i) Find the probability that the championship is decided in just four games.
(ii) Find the probability that seven games have to be played in order to decide the championship.
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7. (a)

Show that for any complex numbers z1 , z 2 , z1

for any complex numbers z 1 , ... ,z n , R

z 2 z1 z 2

z 1 z 2 ... z n z 1 z 2 ... z n

. Hence deduce that

(b) Let 0 ,1 , ... , n ( n 0) be real numbers . By considering the modulus of the left
hand side of the equation
z n sin n z n 1 sin n 1 ... zsin 1 sin 0 2 , show that if t
1
is any root of the equation, then t .
2

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8. Let R 3 be the real vector space of all ordered triples of real numbers. For x ( x 1 , x 2 , x 3 ) in R , the
2
3
length of x is x x 12 x 22 x 32 . The unit sphere S2 in R 3 is defined by S {x R : x 1} .
(a) Show that for any x in R 3 and any positive real number , x x .
1
3
2
(b) Prove that the equation p( x ) x x defines a mapping
.
3

p :R \ {0} S

S2 {xR 3 \ {0} : p(x) x}

2
3
If i : S R \ {0} is the inclusion mapping (i.e.

(c) Show that

i(x) = x for all x S 2 ), what is the composite

mapping pi?
(d) A relation ~ in
(i)

R 3 \ {0} is given by x ~ y if and only if x = y for some positive number . Show that

~ is an equivalence relation on

R 3 \ {0}

(ii)

p(x) = p(y) if and only if x ~ y .

3
(e) For each x
, denote by [x] the equivalence class of x by ~. Denote by Q the set of all

R \ {0}

equivalence classes [x]. Prove that the equation q([x]) = p(x) defines a mapping q : Q S2 and that q is
bijective.
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1977 A-Level Pure Mathematics Paper II

1. (a) Let f(x, y) = 0 and g(x, y) = 0 be the equations of two plane curves intersecting at points
P1 ,P2 , . . . ,Pn . Show that, for any real constants a, b, the curve a f(x, y) + b
g(x, y) = 0 passes through each of the points P1 , P2 , ... , Pn .
(b) Using (a) or otherwise, find the equations of the two circles (C1 ),(C 2 ) with the same radius
24 which pass through the two points of intersection of the circles
x 2 y 2 4
3 x 0, x 2 y 2 4
3 y 0 .
(
C
),
(
C
)
(c) Find the angles between the tangents to
at each point of intersection.
1
2
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2.

(a) Find the equation of the tangent line to the parabola y x 2 at the point (a ,a 2 ) . Show that
the tangent line intersects the parabola at one point. Is there any straight line other than a tangent
line that meets the parabola y x 2 at one point only? If your answer is 'yes', prove it. If your
answer is 'no', give a counter example.
(b) Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve y x 4 at the point (a , a 4 ) . Is it true that
the tangent line intersects the curve at only one point? Prove your answer.
(c) State which of the following is a correct description of the point (0, 0) on the curve y x 4 :
(i) a local minimum point,
(ii) a local maximum point,
(iii) a point of inflexion.
Explain your answer.
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3. (a) Evaluate

(1 t t

... t

n 1

)dt

(b) Show that 1 + (1 - x) + (1 x ) 2

i1 i1
n 1
...(1 x) (1) x
i1 i

n

where

n n!

i i ! ( n i) !

and 0! = 1. Using the substitution x = 1 - t in (a), show that

n
n
n
n

1 1 1 1 1 1n 1
1 . . (1) .
2 3 n 1 2 2 3 3 n n
2m

(c) Prove by induction that

m.

i 1

1
m
1
i
2

for any non-negative integer

 n 1
(1)
i 1
i i
n

(d) Find a positive integer n so that the value of

i1

n 1
(1)
i 1
i i
n

positive integer M, no matter how large, will the value of

less than M as n becomes larger and larger?

Explain your answer.
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4.(a)

Let

exceeds 1000. Given any

i1

always remain

y e ax sin bx where a 0 , b 0. Prove

that , for any positive integer n ,

n
dn y
(a 2 b 2 ) 2 e ax sin ( bx n)
n
dx

where
a

cos

(b)

, sin

b
a

b2

For a function u , we define the n-th derivative

dnu
by u ( n ) and define u ( 0 ) u . Prove that , for
n
dx

( )n n (n )k ( )k
(u v) u v ,
k 0 k

any positive integer n ,

where

n n!
and0!1.
k k!(nk)!

(c)

Making use of (a) and (b) , show that

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nk k k
2
(a b ) sin(bx n) a b sin(bx ).
k 0 k
2
n

n
22

5. (a) Let m and n be positive integers . Using integration by parts , prove that

( x 1) m ( x 1) n dx ( 1) n

(b) Show that

m!n!
2 m n 1
( m n 1)!

cos n 2 x
sin n 2 x
n 1
2
dx

2
0 (sin x cosx ) 2 ( n 1) dx .
cos 2 ( n 1) x

(c) Using (a) and (b) , or otherwise , evaluate the integral

2
0

sin n 2 x
dx .
(sin x cosx ) 2 ( n 1)

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1
. With the aid of your sketch , show that for any positive number
x
r 1
1
dx
1

r,
.
r
r 1
x
r
r 1
1
1
1

.
(b) Deduce from (a) that 0 log
r
r 1
r
r 1
1
1
1

...
, show that
(c) Given that a n 1
2
3
n

6. (a) Sketch the graph of

2n 1
1 1 1
1
1
1 ...

a 2 n a n
r n 1 r
2 3 4
2n 1 2n

(d) Deduce from (b) and (c) that

1
1
1
1
1
1

...

)
2
3
4
2n 1
2n
2n
1
1
1
( 1) n 1
Hence show that log 2 = lim(1 ...
)
n
2
3
4
n

0 log 2 (1

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7. (a) Show that , for any real numbers a and x ,

(1 a ) 2 1 2a cos x a 2 (1 a ) 2

(b) For any real number a such that

I(a )

(i) By using (a) , show that

, let

log(1 2a cos x a 2 )dx .

log(1 a ) 2 I(a ) log(1 a ) 2 ,

I (a ) 0 .
and deduce that lim
a 0
(ii) Show that I(a) + I(-a) = I(a 2 ) and I(-a) = I(a) .
1
2n
Hence show that I(a ) n I(a ) for all positive integers n.
2
(iii) Show that I(

1
) I(a )2 log a
a

(iv) Deduce from (i) , (ii) and (iii) that

I ( a )

if a 1

2 log a if a

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8. Let f ( x )

x2 3
x2 1

be a real valued function defined on the real line.

(f ( x ) x )0.
(a) Show that lim
x
(b) Find the local maxima and minima of f(x).
(c) Make use of (a) and (b) to sketch the graph of y = f(x).
(d) Find the area of the portion bounded by the curve y = f(x) and the lines y = 0 , x = 0 , x = 1 .
(1977)