1976 A-Level Pure Mathematics Paper I

1. Let p and q be two real numbers.

(a) (i) Show that the system (E) of linear equations

x y z 6

(E) 3x y 11z 6 in x , y , z has a unique solution if and only if p 4
2 x y pz q

(ii) Let p = 4 in the system (E) . Find q such that the system (E) has no solution. Find q such that
the system (E) has infinitely many solutions.

(b) Show that for all values of p and q , the system ( E ' ) of linear equations

x y z 6

(E ) 3x py 11z 6 in x , y , z has a unique solution. (1976)
2 x y pz q

2. (a) State De Moivre' s Theorem for a positive integral index.

(b) Find a polynomial f(x) such that cos 5 cos f (cos) . Determine the values of (0 ) such
that f (cos)0 .
3 7 9 1
(c) Using (b) or otherwise, show that (1 cos )(1 cos )(1 cos )(1 cos ) .
10 10 10 10 16
3 1
Hence show that sin sin . (1976)
10 10 4

3. (a) A student taking examinations in mathematics, English, physics and philosophy estimates that the
probabilities of his getting a grade A in these subjects are respectively 0.1, 0.5, 0.3, 0.7. Assume that
the gradings of the subjects are independent of each other. Find the probability that the student receives
(i) no A's, and (ii) exactly one A.
(b) A box contains 40 balls in 4 different colours. There are 10 balls in each colour and they are marked from
1 to 10. If 5 balls are taken from the box, find
(i) the probability p 1 that all 5 balls are of the same colour,
(ii) the probability p 2 that exactly 3 balls are marked with the same number, and
(iii) the ratio p1 : p 2 . (1976)

4. Let p (p 0 ,1) be a real number, and

2p p 2 1

A 1 0 0
0 0 1

 n
Let x 0 0 and x n kp k 1 for all positive integers n.
k 1

(a) Prove that

(n 1)p n np n 1 xn

A n np n 1 (n 1)p n x n 1 for all positive integers n.
0 0 1

(b) Let y 0 a , y1 b and y n 1 2py n p 2 y n 1 1 for all positive integers n. Verify that

y n 1 y n

y n A y n 1 .
1 1

Hence show that y n bnpn 1 a (n 1)p n x n 1 for all positive integers n, and verify that
1npn 1 (n1)p n
x n1 . (1976)
(1p) 2

5. (a) Let f (x) be a polynomial with real coefficients, f ' (x) its derivative and r a real number. Prove that
f (x) has r as a multiple root if and only if f (r) = f ' (r) = 0.
(b) f (x) and g (x) are polynomials with real coefficients without multiple roots , and f (x) , g (x) has no
common root. Let
F (x) = f (x) g (x) k where k is a positive integer greater than 1.
(i) Show that if F (x) and F ' (x) are expressed in the form
F (x) = g (x) k 1 P (x) , F '(x) = g (x) k 1 Q (x) ,
then P (x) and Q (x) are polynomials having no common roots.
[ You may assume that (a) holds when r is a complex number. ]
(ii) Show that g (x) is a greatest common factor of the polynomials P (x) and Q (x) - k P ' (x) , i. e. that
g (x) is a factor of both polynomials and every common factor of the two polynomials is a factor of
g (x). (1976)

6. (a) Let x be a non-zero real number greater than - 1. Prove by induction that for any integer n greater than
n
1, ( 1 + x ) > 1 + nx

(b) Let t be any fixed positive number. Consider the sequence a 1,a 2 ,...,a n ,... where a n n t ,the positive n-th

root of t.

(i) Let t > 1. Show that n

t 1 .

Putting n
t 1 x n and using (a) or otherwise , show that
 t 1
1 n
t 1 for n 2 .
n

Hence show that for t > 1, lim a n 1.

n

(ii) Show that for all t > 0, lim a n 1. (1976)

n

7. Let n be a positive integer, and a k and b k the coefficients of x k in (1x ) n and (1 x ) n 2 respectively.
(a) Show that, for 0 k n2 , b k 2 a k 2a k 1 a k 2 .
n! n (1) k a
(b) Show that k
.
x(x1)...( xn ) k 0 x k
(c) Using (a) and (b) or otherwise, show that
n (1) k a k (n 2)!
. (1976)
k 0 ( x k )( x k 1)( x k 2) 2x ( x 1)...( x n 2)

8. Let R be the set of all real numbers and M the set of all 2 x 2 real matrices. A mapping f: R M is defined
cos sin
by f ()
sin cos
for all R. Denote by X the direct image
{m M : m = f() for some R}
of R under f.
(a) Show that f ( ) f ()f () for all , R . Hence or otherwise, show that X forms a commutative
group under the usual multiplication of matrices.
(b) Let ~ be the relation in R defined by ~ if and only if is a multiple of 2.
Show that
(i) ~ is an equivalence relation.
(ii) f () f () if and only if ~ .
(iii) the mapping F : R/~ X defined by F(/~) = f() is bijective.
[Here /~ denotes the equivalence class of and R/~ denotes the set of equivalence classes.]
(1976)