Paper Reference(s)

6666/01
Edexcel GCE
Core Mathematics C4
Silver Level S1
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials reuired !or examination "tems included #ith uestion
$a$ers
Mathematical Formulae (Green) Nil
Candidates may use any calculator allowed by the regulations of the Joint
Council for Qualifications. Calculators must not have the facility for symbolic
algebra manipulation, differentiation and integration, or have retrievable
mathematical formulas stored in them.
"nstructions to Candidates
Write the name of the examining body (Edexcel) your centre number candidate number
the unit title (!ore Mathematics !") the paper reference (####) your surname initials
and signature$
"n!ormation !or Candidates
% boo&let 'Mathematical Formulae and (tatistical )ables* is pro+ided$
Full mar&s may be obtained for ans,ers to %-- .uestions$
)here are / .uestions in this .uestion paper$ )he total mar& for this paper is 01$
%dvice to Candidates
2ou must ensure that your ans,ers to parts of .uestions are clearly labelled$
2ou must sho, sufficient ,or&ing to ma&e your methods clear to the Examiner$ %ns,ers
,ithout ,or&ing may gain no credit$
Su&&ested &rade 'oundaries !or this $a$er:
%( % ) C * E
6+ ,- ,3 4+ 40 34
Silver 1 )his publication may only be reproduced in accordance ,ith Edexcel -imited copyright policy$
3455064578 Edexcel -imited$
1. f(x) 9
) " (
7
x +
|x| : "$
Find the binomial expansion of f (x) in ascending po,ers of x up to and including the term in
x
8
$ Gi+e each coefficient as a simplified fraction$
/60
1une 200-
2. (a) ;se the binomial theorem to expand
8
7
) 8 / ( x
1 x :
8
/

in ascending po,ers of x up to and including the term in x

8
gi+ing each term as a
simplified fraction$
(5)
(b) ;se your expansion ,ith a suitable +alue of x, to obtain an approximation to
8
(0$0)$
Gi+e your ans,er to 0 decimal places$
(2)
1anuar3 2004
3. f(x) 9
) " < (
#
x
|x| :
"
<
$
(a) Find the binomial expansion of f(x) in ascending po,ers of x up to and including the
term in x
8
$ Gi+e each coefficient in its simplest form$
/60
;se your ans,er to part (a) to find the binomial expansion in ascending po,ers of x up to
and including the term in x
8
of
(b) g(x) 9
) " < (
#
x +
|x| :
"
<

/10
(c) h(x) 9
) / < (
#
x
|x| :
/
<
$
/20
1une 2012
(il+er 7= 1>74 4
4. (a) Find the binomial expansion of
8
(/ < ) x |x| :
/
<
in ascending po,ers of x up to and including the term in x
8
$ Gi+e each coefficient as a
simplified fraction$
/60
(b) ;se your expansion to estimate an approximate +alue for
8
0755 gi+ing your ans,er to
" decimal places$ (tate the +alue of x ,hich you use in your expansion and sho, all
your ,or&ing$
/30
1une 2013 /50
,. )he cur+e C has e.uation
7#y
8
? <x
4
y @ 1"x 9 5$
(a) Find
x
y
d
d
in terms of x and y$
/,0
(b) Find the coordinates of the points on C ,here
x
y
d
d
9 5$
/+0
1une 2012
6. Water is being heated in a &ettle$ %t time t seconds the temperature of the ,ater is A!$
)he rate of increase of the temperature of the ,ater at any time t is modelled by the
differential e.uation
d
dt

9 (745 6 ) B 755
,here is a positi+e constant$
Gi+en that 9 45 ,hen t 9 5
(a) sol+e this differential e.uation to sho, that
9 745 6 755e
6t
/40
When the temperature of the ,ater reaches 755 A! the &ettle s,itches off$
(b) Gi+en that 9 5$57 find the time to the nearest second ,hen the &ettle s,itches off$
/30
June 2!"
(il+er 7= 1>74 8
+.
6i&ure 3
)he cur+e C sho,n in Figure 8 has parametric e.uations
x 9 t
8
6 /t y 9 t
4
,here t is a parameter$ Gi+en that the point A has parameter t 9 67
(a) find the coordinates of A$
/10
)he line l is the tangent to C at A$
(b) (ho, that an e.uation for l is 4x 6 1y 6 < 9 5$
/,0
)he line l also intersects the cur+e at the point B$
(c) Find the coordinates of B$
/60
January 2#
(il+er 7= 1>74 "
4. With respect to a fixed origin O the line l has e.uation
78 4
/ 4
7 7

_ _

+

, ,
r
,here is a scalar parameter$
)he point A lies on l and has coordinates (8 6 4 #)$
)he point P has position +ector (6pi ? 4p7) relati+e to O ,here p is a constant$
Gi+en that +ector
PA
uuur
is perpendicular to l
(a) find the +alue of p.
/40
Gi+en also that B is a point on l such that :BPA 9 "1A
(b) find the coordinates of the t,o possible positions of B$
/,0
1une 2013
T8T%L 685 9%9E5: +, M%5:S
E;*
(il+er 7= 1>74 1
<uestion
;um'er
Scheme Mar7s
1.
( )
( )
( )
7
4
7
f "
"
x x
x

+
+
M7

( ) ( )
7
4
$$$
" 7 $$$

+ ( )
$$$ 7
7 $$$
4
+ or
( )
7
4 7 $$$ +
C7
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
4 8
8 8 1 7 7
4 4 4 4 4
7
4
$$$ 7 $$$
" 4 " 8D "
x x x
_

_ _ _
+ + + +



, , ,
,
M7 %7ft
ft their
"
x
_

,


4 8
7 7 8 1
$$$
4 7# 41# 45"/
x x x + + %7 %7 (#)
/6 mar7s0
(il+er 7= 1>74 #
Euestion
Number
(cheme Mar&s
FF represents a constant
(,hich must be consistent for first accuracy mar&)
2. (a)
( ) ( )
7 7
8 8
7 7
8 8
8 8
/ 8 / 7 4 7
/ /
x x
x
_ _


, ,
)a&es / outside the
brac&et to gi+e any of
7
8
(/)
or
4
$
C7


1 7 4 7 4
4 8 8 8 8 8 8 7
8
( )( ) ( )( )( )
4 7 ( )(FF )G (FF ) (FF ) $$$
4D 8D
x x x

+ + + +
' ;

#ith
FF 7
Expands
7
8
(7 FF ) x + to gi+e
a simplified or an unH
simplified
7
8
7 ( )(FF ) x +
G
M7G
% correct simplified or an
unHsimplified } {
$$$$$$$$$$
expansion ,ith
candidate*s follo,ed
through ( ) FF x
%7

1 7 4 7 4
4 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7
8 / / /
( )( ) ( )( )( )
4 7 ( )( ) ( ) ( ) $$$
4D 8D
x x x

+ + + +
' ;

{ }
4 8 1 7 7
/ #" 718#
4 7 G $$$ x x x Either { }
7
/
4 7 $$$$$$$$ x
or
%7G

4 8
7 7 1
4 G $$$
" 84 0#/
x x x
anything that
cancels to
7
4 G
"
x
(implified
4 8 1 7
84 0#/
x x
%7
=,
>
(b)
7
8
4 8
7 7 1
(0$0) 4 (5$7) (5$7) (5$7) $$$
" 84 0#/

Attempt to substitute
5$7 x into a candidate*s
binomial expansion$
M7

4 5$541 5$5558741 5$55555#175"7##$$$

7$<0"#/5<<$$$
a,rt 7$<0"#/75 %7
=2
>
+ mar7s
(il+er 7= 1>74 0
Question
Number
Scheme Marks
3. (a)
( ) ( )
7
4
f $$$ $$$ $$$ x x

M7

( )
7
4
# < $$$

7
4
#
<

#
8
4 or e.ui+alent C7

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )
8 8 1 7 7
4 8
4 4 4 4 4
7
4
$$$ 7 G $$$
4 8D
kx kx kx
_
+ + + +

,
M7G %7ft

4
4 7 $$$
<
x
_
+ +

,
or
"
4
<
x + %7

4 8
" " "5
4 $$$
< 40 04<
x x x + + + + %7 /60
(b) ( )
4 8
" " "5
g 4 $$$
< 40 04<
x x x x + + C7ft /10
(c) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
4 8 " " "5
h 4 4 4 4 $$$
< 40 04<
x x x x + + + + M7 %7 /20

4 8
/ 7# 845
4 $$$
< 40 04<
x x x
_
+ + + +

,
=->
(il+er 7= 1>74 /
<n Scheme Mar7
4. /a0
{ }
( )
7
8
8
(/ < ) / < x x Po,er of
7
8
M7
7$
( )
7 7
7
8 8
8
< <
/ 7 4 7
/ /
x x _ _


, ,
( )
7
8
/ or
4
C7
4$

{ }
1 7 4 7 4
4 8 8 8 8 8 8
( )( ) ( )( )( ) 7
4 7 ( ) ( ) ( ) $$$
8 4D 8D
k x k x k x
1 _
+ + + +
1
, ]
M7 %7
{ }
4 8
1 7 4 7 4
8 8 8 8 8
( )( ) ( )( )( ) 7 < < <
4 7 $$$
8 / 4D / 8D /
x x x
1
_ _ _ _
+ + + +
1

, , , ,
1
]
4 8
8 < "1
4 7 G $$$
/ #" 174
x x x
1
+
1
]
4 8
8 < "1
4 G $$$
" 84 41#
x x x + %7G %7
/60
/'0 { }
8 8
8
0755 75 07 75 (/ < ) so 5$7 x x
Writes do,n
or uses
5$7 x
C7
When
5$7 x

8
(/ < ) x
4 8
8 < "1
4 (5$7) (5$7) (5$7) $$$
" 84 41#
+ M7

4 5$501 5$554/741 5$5557010/741

7$<4457707<
(o
8
0755 7<$445770<7<$$$ 7<$4457 (" dp) 7<$4457 cso %7 cao
/30
=->
(il+er 7= 1>74 <
Question
Number
Scheme Marks
,. (a) Iifferentiating implicitly to obtain
4
d
d
y
ay
x
t
and>or
4
d
d
y
bx
x
t
M7

4
d
"/ $$$ 1" $$$
d
y
y
x
+
%7

4 4
d
< < 7/
d
y
x y x xy
x
+
or e.ui+alent C7
( )
4 4
d
"/ < 7/ 1" 5
d
y
y x xy
x
+ +
M7

4 4 4 4
d 1" 7/ 7/ #
d "/ < 7# 8
y xy xy
x y x y x
_


+ +
,
%7 /,0
(b)
7/ # 5 xy
M7
;sing
8
x
y

or
8
y
x


4
8
8 8
7# < 1" 5 y y
y y
_ _
+

, ,
or
8
4
8 8
7# < 1" 5 x x
x x
_ _
+

, ,
M7
-eading to

"
7# /7 7#4 5 y + or
" "
7# 4 5 x x + M7

"
/7
7#
y or
"
7# x

8 8

4 4
y or
4 4 x
%7 %7
(ubstituting either of their +alues into
8 xy
to obtain a +alue of the
other +ariable$
M7

8 8
4 4
4 4
_ _


, ,
both %7 /+0
=12>
(il+er 7= 1>74 75
<uestion
;um'er
Scheme Mar7s
6. ( )
d
745 755
dt

/a0
7
d d
745
t

or
( )
7
d d
745
t



C7
( ) ln 745 G t c +
or ( )
7
ln 745 G t c

+
M7 %7G
M7 %7
{ } 5 45 t ( ) ln 745 45 (5) c +
M7
( ) ln755 ln 745 ln755 c t
then either... or...
( ) ln 745 ln755 t ( ) ln755 ln 745 t
745
ln
755
t

_


,
755
ln
745
t

,
745
e
755
t

755
e
745
t

dddM7
755e 745
t

( ) 745 e 755
745 755e
t
t

%7 F
leading to 745 755e
t

/40
/'0 { } 5$57 755

5$57
755 745 755e
t
M7

5$57
745 755
755e 745 755 5$57 ln
755
t
t

_


,
7 745 755
ln
5$57 755
t
_

,
;ses correct order of
operations by mo+ing
from
5$57
755 745 755e
t

to gi+e
$$$ t
and
ln t A B

,here
5 B >
dM7
7 7
ln 755ln1
5$57 1
t

_

' ;

,

7#5$<"80<$$$ t
9 7#7 (s) (nearest second) a,rt 7#7 %7
/30
=11>
(il+er 7= 1>74 77
Questio
n
Number
Scheme Marks
7 (a) %t A
4
7 / 0 J ( 7) 7 (07) x y A +
(07) A
B1
(1)
(b)
8 4
/ x t t y t

4
d
8 /
d
x
t
t

d
4
d
y
t
t

4
d 4
d 8 /
y t
x t

)heir
d
d
y
t
di+ided by their
d
d
x
t
M1
!orrect
d
d
y
x
A1
%t A 4
4( 7) 4 4 4
m( )
8( 7) / 8 / 1 1



T
(ubstitutes for t to gi+e any of
the four underlined oe=
A1
( ) ( ) ( )
= their 7 their 0
T
y m x T
or ( )
< 4 7"
1 1 1
7 0 7 c c +
Kence
< 4
1 1
= y x T
Finding an e.uation of a tangent
,ith their point and their
tangent gradient
or finds c and uses
(their gradient) L L y x c +
$
dM1
gi+es
= 4 1 < 5 x y T
%G
4 1 < 5 x y
A1 cso
(5)
(c)
8 4
4( / ) 1 < 5 t t t
(ubstitution of both
8
/ x t t
and
4
y t into T
M1
8 4
4 1 7# < 5 t t t
{ }
4
( 7) (4 0 <) 5 t t t +
% realisation that
( ) 7 t +
is a factor$
dM1
{ } ( 7) ( 7)(4 <) 5 t t t + +
{ }
<
4
7 (at ) at t A t B
<
4
t
A1
( ) ( )
( )
4
< < 04< ""7
4 4 / /
4
< /7
4 "
/ 8# 11$741 or a,rt 11$7
45$41 or a,rt 45$8
x
y


!andidate uses their +alue of t
to find either the x or y
coordinate
ddM1
Mne of either x or y correct$ A1
Coth x and y correct$ A1
Kence ( )
/7 ""7
/ "
B
a,rt
(6)
[12]
(il+er 7= 1>74 74
<uestion
;um'er
Scheme Mar7s
4.
78 4
= / 4
7 7
l
_ _

+

, ,
r
( ) 8 4 # A

5
4
p
OP
p
_

,
uuur
/a0 { }
8
4 5
# 4
p
PA
p
_ _




, ,
uuur
{ }
8
5 4
4 #
p
AP
p
_ _




, ,
uuur
Finds the difference
bet,eenOA
uuur
and OP
uuur
$
Ngnore labelling$
M7

8
4
# 4
p
p
+ _

,

8
4
4 #
p
p
_

,
!orrect difference$ %7

8 4
4 4 # 4 " # 4 5
# 4 7
p
p p
p
+ _ _

+ +



, ,
M7

7 p
%7 cso
/40
/'0
4 4 4 4 4 4
" ( 4) " or ( ") 4 ( ") AP AP + + + + M7
(o
or PA AP
8# or # cao %7 cao
Nt follo,s that { } L#L AB PA
or
{ }
L# 4L 4 PB PA
C7 ft
ONote that
L#L 4(the modulus of the direction +ector of ) AB l
P

8 4
4 4 4
# 7
OB
_ _

t

, ,
uuur
or
78 4
/ 8 4
7 7
OB
_ _

, ,
uuur
and
78 4
/ 0 4
7 7
OB
_ _

, ,
uuur
;ses a correct method in
order to find both possible
sets of coordinates of B$
M7

0 7
4 and #
" /
_ _




, ,
Coth coordinates are
correct$
%7 cao
/,0
=->
(il+er 7= 1>74 78
Question 1
)his pro+ed a suitable starting .uestion and the maQority of candidates gained 1 or # of the
a+ailable # mar&s$ Nearly all could obtain the index as
7
4

but there ,ere a minority of

candidates ,ho had difficulty in factorising out " from the brac&ets and obtaining the correct
multiplying constant of
7
4
$ !andidates* &no,ledge of the binomial expansion itself ,as good
and e+en if they had an incorrect index they could gain the method mar& here$ %n
unexpected number of candidates seemed to lose the thread of the .uestion and ha+ing earlier
obtained the correct multiplying factor
7
4
and expanded
7
4
7
"
x

_
+

,
correctly forgot to multiply
their expansion by
4
7
$
Question 2
Nn part (a) a maQority of candidates produced correct solutions but a minority of candidates
,ere unable to carry out the first step of ,riting
( )
7
8
/ 8x as
7
8
8
4 7
/
x
_

,
$ )hose ,ho did so
,ere able to complete the remainder of this part but some brac&eting errors sign errors and
manipulation errors ,ere seen$
Nn part (b) many candidates realised that they ,ere re.uired to substitute 5$7 x into their
binomial expansion$ %bout half of the candidates ,ere able to offer the correct ans,er to 0
decimal places but some candidates made calculation errors e+en after finding the correct
binomial expansion in part (a)$ % fe, candidates used their calculator to e+aluate the cube
root of 0$0 and recei+ed no credit$
<uestion 3
% small number of candidates used the binomial expansion ,ith index
7
4
but the great
maQority used the correct index
7
4
and ,ere able to expand an expression of the form
( )
7
4
7 kx

correctly to obtain at least three mar&s$ %lthough many dealt ,ith the < correctly
ta&ing
7
4
<

outside a brac&et some did not combine it correctly ,ith the # multiplying their
binomial by 7/ rather than 4$ Full mar&s ,ere common in part (a)$ Nn part (b) most realised
that a change in signs ,as necessary but many changed the sign of the term in
4
x as ,ell as
the terms in x and
8
x $ Part (c) ,as less ,ell done than part (b) and many multiplied all three of
the terms in x
4
x and
8
x by 4 instead of by 4 " and / respecti+ely$ Euestions li&e parts (b)
and (c) ha+e rarely been set on these papers and it ,as clear that many candidates ,ere not
able to thin& their ,ay into a solution that did not re.uire a practised techni.ue$
Question 4
)his .uestion ,as generally ,ell ans,ered ,ith about 0#R of candidates gaining at least # of
the < mar&s a+ailable and about 70R of candidates gaining all < mar&s$ Part (a) ,as
accessible ,ith most candidates scoring all # mar&s and part (b) ,as discriminating and
challenged the more able candidates$
(il+er 7= 1>74 7"
Nn part (a) most candidates manipulated
8
) < / ( x to gi+e
8
7
/
<
7 4
,
_

x
,ith the 4 outside
the brac&ets sometimes ,ritten incorrectly as either 7 or
4
7
and a fe, incorrectly used a
po,er of
4
8
$ Many candidates ,ere able to use a correct method for expanding a binomial
expression of the form (7 ? ax)
n
$ % +ariety of incorrect +alues of a ,ere seen ,ith the most
common being
/
<
$ (ome candidates ha+ing correctly expanded
8
7
/
<
7
,
_

x
forgot to
multiply their expansion by 4$ (ign errors brac&eting errors and simplification errors ,ere
also seen in this part$
Nn part (b) the maQority of candidates sol+ed the e.uation
8
) < / ( x 9
8
7055 to gi+e an
ans,er of x 9 60//$ )hese candidates substituted this +alue of x into the ans,er they had
found in part (a) e+en though the .uestion states that the binomial expansion is only +alid for
x :
<
/
$ Mnly a minority of candidates realised that they needed to simplify
8
7055 to 75
8
7 $ 0 before deducing that they needed to substitute x 9 5$7 into their binomial expansion$
Most of these candidates achie+ed the correct approximation of 7<$4457 although a fe,
forgot to multiply by 75 at the end and ,rote 7$<445$
<uestion ,
%s has been noticed more than once in recent years the topic of implicit differentiation is ,ell
understood and full mar&s in part (a) ,ere +ery common$ Mista&es mainly concerned the
differentiation of
4
<x y in+ol+ing a misinterpretation of the product rule$
Part (b) pro+ed a test e+en for the most able$ Most recognised that the numerator of their
ans,er to (a) had to be e.uated to Sero and obtained
8 xy
or an e.ui+alent but then many
Qust ga+e up then immediately$ Nt ,as disappointing to see a significant minority of those ,ho
realised that they should sol+e the simultaneous e.uations
8 xy
and
8 4
7# < 1" 5 y x y x +
started by transforming
8 xy
to
8 y x
$ )hose ,ho did start correctly often had problems
,ith the resulting algebra and had difficulty reaching the correct
"
7# x or
"
/7
7#
y $ )hose
,ho got this far often failed to realise that these e.uations ha+e t,o solutions$ )hose ,ho had
correct +alues for either x or y could complete .uic&ly by substituting into
8 xy
but some
made extra ,or& for themsel+es by either starting all o+er again and finding the other +ariable
independently or by substituting into
8 4
7# < 1" 5 y x y x + $ )he latter ,as particular
unfortunate if x had been found first as this resulted in a cubic in y ,hich is difficult to sol+e$
)his .uestion ,as a +ery discriminating and it may be ,orth noting that the proportion of
those ,ho gained full mar&s on this .uestion ,as slightly less than the proportion of those
gaining the e.ui+alent of a grade % on this paper$
Question 6
)his .uestion ,as generally ,ell ans,ered ,ith about 10R of candidates gaining at least / of
the 77 mar&s a+ailable and about 80R of candidates gaining all 0 mar&s$ % minority of
candidates made no creditable attempt in part (a) and then scored full mar&s in part (b)$
(il+er 7= 1>74 71
Nn part (a) those candidates ,ho ,ere able to separate the +ariables ,ere usually able to
integrate both sides correctly although a number integrated
7
745
incorrectly to gi+e
( ) ln 745 $
Many candidates substituted
5 745 t
immediately after integration to
find their constant of integration as ln755 and most used a +ariety of correct methods to
eliminate logarithms in order to achie+e the printed result$ % significant number of
candidates ho,e+er correctly rearranged their integrated expression into the form
745 e
t
A

before using
5 745 t
to correctly find A$ !ommon errors in this part
included omitting the constant of integration treating as a +ariable and incorrect
manipulation in order to fudge the printed result$ %lso a number of candidates struggled to
remo+e logarithms correctly and ga+e an e.uation of the form 745 e e
t c

+ ,hich ,as
then sometimes manipulated to 745 e $
t
A

Nn part (b) most candidates ,ere able to substitute the gi+en +alues into the printed e.uation
and achie+e
7#7 t
seconds$ (ome candidates made careless errors ,hen manipulating their
expressions ,hilst a number did not round their ans,er of 7#5$<"$$$ to the nearest second$
Fe, candidates substituted the gi+en +alues into their incorrect ans,er from part (a)$
<uestion +
Part (a) ,as ans,ered correctly by almost all candidates$ Nn part (b) many candidates
correctly applied the method of finding a tangent by using parametric differentiation to gi+e
the ans,er in the correct form$ Fe, candidates tried to eliminate t to find a !artesian
e.uation for C but these candidates ,ere usually not able to find the correct gradient at A$
Nn part (c) fully correct solutions ,ere much less fre.uently seen$ % significant number of
candidates ,ere able to obtain an e.uation in one +ariable to score the first method mar& but
,ere then unsure about ho, to proceed$ (uccessful candidates mostly formed an e.uation in
t used the fact that
7 t +
,as a factor and applied the factor theorem in order for them to find
t at the point B$ )hey then substituted this t into the parametric e.uations to find the
coordinates of B$ )hose candidates ,ho initially formed an e.uation in y only ,ent no
further$ % common misconception in part (c) ,as for candidates to belie+e that the gradient
at the point B ,ould be the same as the gradient at the point A and a significant minority of
candidates attempted to sol+e
4
4 4
8 / 1
t
t

to find t at the point B$

Question 8
Nn general this ,as the most poorly ans,ered .uestion on the paper ,ith about 41R of
candidates failing to score$ (ome candidates did not seem to ha+e a firm grasp of ,hat ,as
re.uired and many produced pages of irrele+ant ,or&ing$ )his .uestion did discriminate ,ell
bet,een candidates of a+erage to higher abilities ,ith about 1"R of candidates gaining at
least " of the < mar&s a+ailable and only about 75R of candidates gaining all < mar&s$ Part (a)
,as found to be fairly accessible and part (b) ,as challenging to all but the most able
candidates$ Many ,ere unable to thin& about the .uestion logically or produce a clear diagram
and establish the relationship bet,een the length of AB (and>or PB) and the length of PA.
Nn part (a) the +ector
PA
uuur
(or
AP
uuur
) ,as usually found although sign slips adding
OP
uuur
to
OA
uuur
and mixing up of the i ? and 7 components of
OP
uuur
,ere common errors$ Many candidates
found the correct +alue of p by applying the correct scalar product bet,een
PA
uuur
(or
AP
uuur
) and
(il+er 7= 1>74 7#
the direction +ector
4 4 + i ? 7
and setting the result e.ual to 5 although some candidates
used OA
uuur

4 4 + + i ? 7
or
78 / + + i ? 7
instead of
4 4 $ + i ? 7
Mther errors included ta&ing the
dot product bet,een
OA
uuur
and
OB
uuur
or deducing
7 p
from a correct
" " 5$ p
)hose candidates ,ho attempted part (b) usually managed to find the magnitude of PA and
many dre, a diagram of triangle PAB correctly and deduced
$ PA AB
From this point
ho,e+er many candidates did not &no, ho, to proceed further resulting in a lot of incorrect
,or& ,hich yielded no further mar&s$ (ome candidates ho,e+er ,ere able to form a correct
e.uation in order to find both +alues of $ Nt ,as unfortunate that a fe, ha+ing found the
correct +alues of
8
and
0
then substituted these into
8 4
4 4
# 7

_ _

+

, ,
instead of the
e.uation for the line l$ )he most popular method for finding correct +alues of ,as for
candidates to form and sol+e a Pythagorean e.uation in of
# AB
or
4
8#$ AB Mther
successful methods for finding included sol+ing # 4 PB or sol+ing a dot product
e.uation bet,een either PA
uuur
and
PB
uuur
or AB
uuur
and
PB
uuur
$
Fe, candidates realised that the length AB ,as t,ice the length of the direction +ector of the
line l and applied t,ice the direction +ector
4 4 + i ? 7
in either direction from A in order to
find both positions for B$
Statistics !or C4 9ractice 9a$er Silver Level S1
Mean score for students achieving grade:
Qu
Max
score
Modal
score
Mean
%
ALL A* A B ! " #
$ 6 83 4.96 5.59 5.19 4.77 4.16 3.41 2.12
% 7 73 5.12 6.21 5.13 4.28 3.51 2.96 1.65
& 9 74 6.65 8.56 7.64 6.85 6.06 5.05 3.92 2.32
4 9 66 5.97 7.61 6.28 5.73 4.45 4.18 3.11 1.32
' 12 63 7.60 11.50 9.41 7.62 5.96 4.53 3.16 1.69
6 11 11 64 7.04 10.81 9.8 7.67 5.12 3.26 1.97 0.88
( 12 60 7.25 8.99 6.53 5.57 4.20 3.05 1.29
8 9 0 41 3.71 7.65 5.45 3.63 1.93 0.97 0.53 0.21
(' 64 48)&* '+)&( 48)&' &8)$4 %+)86 %%)$$ $$)48
(il+er 7= 1>74 70