King’s College

Half-Yearly Examination 2007-2008

Pure Mathematics I
Secondary 6B, 6C Date: 10-1-2008
Class No.: _____________ Time: 8:30a.m. – 10:30a.m.
Name: _________________________ Time allowed: 2 hrs.

Section A (60 marks)

Answer ALL questions in this section.
1. Given that n ≥ 2 .
1
(a) Resolve C n into partial fractions.
2

 n 1 
(b) Hence, find n→∞ ∑ C r
lim  .
 r =2 2 

(8 marks)

Define 0! = 1. Let P(n) be the statement that C r is an integer for 0 ≤ r ≤ n where n and r are
n
2.

non-negative integers.
(a) Prove that P(0) and P(1) are true.
(b) Prove by induction that P(n) is true for all non-negative integers n by induction.
(8 marks)
3. Define a sequence {an} where
a0 = 1; a1 = 8; a2 = 36 and
an = 2(3an – 1 – 6an – 2 + 4an – 3) for n ≥ 3 .
Prove by induction that an = (1 + n)2．2n for all non-negative integers n.
(7 marks)
n −1
(a) Prove that C1 + 2C 2 +  + nC n = n ⋅ 2 .
n n n
4.

(b) (i) For k ≥ 3 , show that

k 3 C kn = n( n − 1)( k − 2) C kn−−22 + 3n( n − 1) C kn−−22 + nC kn−−11

(ii) Hence prove that

n

∑r C 3 n
r = n 2 ( n + 3) ⋅ 2 n −3
r =0

(11 marks)
5. Let f(x) = x + hx + k and g(x) = x + kx + h, h ≠ k .
2 2

Prove that if f(x) and g(x) are not relatively prime, then x3 + (hk – 1)x – hk is the L.C.M. of f(x)
and g(x).
1
 (9 marks)
6. (a) By using Binomial Theorem, or otherwise, prove that nn-1 – 1 is divisible by (n – 1)2 for all n
= 3, 4, …
(b) Hence find the remainder when nn+1 – 1 is divided by (n – 1)2 for all n = 4, 5, ….
(9 marks)
 f ( x ) = x 4 − 2 x 3 − 4 x 2 + 6 x + 1
7. Let  .
 g ( x) = x − 5 x − 3
3

(a) Prove that f(x) and g(x) are relatively prime.

(b) Hence find polynomials m(x), n(x) such that m(x)f(x) + n(x)g(x) = 1.
(8 marks)
Section B (40 marks)
Answer ALL questions in this section
Each question carries 20 marks.
8. Let x1, x2 and x3 be the roots of the equation x3 + px + q = 0.
(a) (i) Prove that (x1 – x2)2 = -4p – 3x32.
(ii) Express (x1 – x2)2(x2 – x3)2(x3 – x1)2 in terms of p and q.
(iii) Use the result of (a)(ii) to prove that the equation x3 + px + q = 0 has repeated root if
4p3 + 27q2 = 0 (13 marks)
(b) (i) By substituting x = y + h, transform x3 – 4x2 – 3x + 18 into the form of y3 + py + q.
(ii) By using the results of (a)(iii) and (b)(i), state whether the equation
x3 – 4x2 – 3x + 18 = 0 has repeated root. (7 marks)

9. (a) Prove that for any positive integers n, k, and n ≥ k ≥ 2 ,

C kn + 2C kn−1 + C kn− 2 = C yx for some integers x and y. (4 marks)

(b) Prove that for all non-negative integers n,

n! n
( − 1) k C kn
=∑ for all x ∈ R \ {0, -1, -2, …}. (4 marks)
x( x + 1)( x + 2 )  ( x + n ) k =0 x + k
1 A B C
(c) (i) If ( x + k )( x + k + 1)( x + k + 2 ) = x + k + x + k + 1 + x + k + 2 , find the values of A, B

and C.
(ii) Using (a), (b) and (c)(i), deduce that
n
( − 1) k C kn ( n + 2) !
∑
k = 0 ( x + k )( x + k + 1)( x + k + 2 )
=
2 x( x + 1)  ( x + n + 2)
(9 marks)

( − 1) k C kn++11
n

(d) Hence evaluate ∑ ( . (3 marks)

k = 0 k + 2 )( k + 3)

End of Paper
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