JC1

HL Revision Questions (Binomial Theorem, Combinatorics, AP/GP, Roots of Polynomials) + Solutions

The use of a calculator is permitted unless told otherwise.

1. A group of 14 people consists of 7 married couples. Find the total number of different
possible arrangements in which each man stands next to his wife.

[3]


2. Find the number of ways in which the letters of the word ENTERTAINMENT can be
arranged if

(i) the E's are separated.







[2]

(ii) between any two E's there are exactly four letters.


[3]


3. Mr and Mrs Robinson took out a $450,000 loan from a bank to purchase an apartment.
The bank charges a monthly interest rate of 0.25% on the outstanding loan at the
beginning of each month.
Mr and Mrs Robinson pay $m at the end of each month until they have fully repaid the
bank loan.

(i) Express, in simplified form in terms of n and m, the amount of outstanding loan the
couple have at the end of n months.





[4]

(ii) Find the value of m, correct to the nearest dollar if the couple wish to complete their
loan repayment at the end of 20 years.




[3]


4. Prove that
!

!!!

Deduce that

!
!

!!!

!
2!
=

!!
!

!
!

2!
.
!

[4]


5. The polynomial 1 ! + ! ! ! ! + + ! !" ! !" may be written in the form

!! + !! ! + !! ! ! + + !!" !!" + !!" !!"

using the transformation ! = ! + 1 where the !! s are constants. Find the value of !! . [5]
















!
!
!+1
6. Prove that
+
=
by using a combinatorial argument.

[3]
!+1
!
!+1


7. A password of 11 terms is formed using all the letters and digits below only once:

A, C, F, Q, S, T, 9, 8, 3, 4, 5

In how many such passwords are the letters in alphabetical order and the numbers in
ascending order.







[2]


8. Without using a calculator:
(i) Solve the equation
! ! + 4! ! + 6! ! + 4! ! + ! = ! ! + 3! ! + 3! + 1
[3]
(ii) Find the product of the non-real roots of
! ! 4! ! + 6! ! 4! = 2016

9. A textbook writer wants to set a question of the type:

[3]

"The sum to infinity of a geometric series is 1, and the second term of the geometric
series is x. Find the value of the common ratio."
He wants to select a value of x so that there is only one answer to this question. What is the
possible value of x?

10. If !, !, ! and ! are the roots of the polynomial equation ! ! + 2! ! 3! ! + ! + 5 = 0,
find the equation with roots !"#, !"# , !"# and !"#.

[4]

[4]

11. The sum of the first p terms of an arithmetic series is q and the sum of the first q terms of the
same arithmetic series is p, where pq. Find the sum of the first (p + q) terms of the series. [5]


Solutions
1. 7!(2!)7 = 645120 (i.e. 7 couples can each be arranged in 2! ways)

Alternatively

(14) (1) (12) (1) (10) (1) (8) (1) (6) (1) (4) (1) (2) (1) 141210 2 = 645120
(i.e. Any of the 14 can be in the first position but beside them must be their spouse. Any of the
remaining 12 can be in the third slot etc)
Note: 141210 2 = (72)(62) (12) = 7!2!

2. 13 Letters: 3E's, 3T's, 3N's, R, A, I, M
!"!

(i)_T_T_T_N_N _N_R_A_I_M_ !!C! !!!! = 16632000 arrangements.

(ii) Case1: E _ _ _ _E_ _ _ _E_ _ ; Case2: _E_ _ _ _E_ _ _ _E_; Case3: _ _E_ _ _ _E_ _ _ _E
!"!

3 !!!! = 302400 arrangements.

4. Using a combinatorical argument: There are

2!
ways of selecting n people from a total of
!

n women and n men.

Alternatively , Each time k men are selected from the n men, n ! women must be selected
!
!
from the n women for 0 ! ! giving !!!!
such selections.
! !!
Alternative approach:
Consider the coefficient of n in the expansions of (1 + !)!! and (1 + !)! (1 + !)! .

!
!
=

!
!!


5. ! = ! + 1 ! = ! 1.

1 ! + ! ! ! ! + + ! !" ! !" =

!!! !"
!!!

!!(!!!)!"
!

!!!

!!! !"
!!!

!
!

!
=
!!

!!!

!
!

2!
.
!

where ! = ! + 1 ! = ! 1.

The coefficient of ! ! , !! , in 1 (! 1) + (! 1)! + (! 1)!" (! 1)!" is obtained
18
from the coefficient of ! ! in the expansion of (! 1)!" , i.e.
= 816.
3


Alternatively
1 (! 1) + (! 1)! + (! 1)!" (! 1)!" = 1 + (1 !) + (1 !)! + + (1 !)!"

The coefficient of ! ! , !! , in 1 + (1 !) + (1 !)! + + (1 !)!" is obtained from
summing the coefficients of ! ! from (1 !)! for 2 ! 17
2
3
4
17
!
i.e. !! =
+
+
+ +
= !"
= 816 using GDC.
!!!
2
2
2
2
2

6. Billy wants to invite k + 1 of his n + 1 friends to his party. He could make his decision in
!+1
ways.
!+1
Alternatively since one of Billys friends, Alice, is prone to cause arguments, Billy could decide
first whether to invite her before considering the rest of his friends.
!
If he invites Alice, he must then choose k friends from the remaining n in
ways.
!
!
If he does not invite Alice he must choose k + 1 friends from n in
ways.
!+1
!
!
!+1
Hence
+
=
.
!+1
!
!+1
7. The number of required arrangements is

!!!
!!!!

11
= 462
5

8.(i) Using the Binomial Theorem:
! ! + 4! ! + 6! ! + 4! ! + ! = ! ! + 3! ! + 3! + 1 !(! + 1)! = (! + 1)!

(! + 1)! [!(! + 1) 1] = 0


(! + 1)! (! ! + ! 1) = 0

!! !

! = 1 or ! = ! .

(ii) ! ! 4! ! + 6! ! 4! + 1 = 2017 (! 1)! = 2017 -(*)

(! 1)! 2017 = 0 (! 1)! 2017 (! 1)! + 2017 = 0
The non-real roots of (*) are the roots of (! 1)! + 2017 = 0
the product of the non real roots is 1 + 2017.


!
!
9. S! = !!! = 1 where ! = !" and ! = ! < 1.

!
!!
!

!!

= !!! = 1 !! ! + ! = 0

!
This has one real root if discriminant 1 4! = 0 ! = !.