PHS0001

Applications of Calculus Past Catholic 1985 – 2000

1)! 3U85-5ii
A body is moving with simple harmonic motion in a straight line. It has an amplitude of 10 metres and a
period of 10 seconds. How long would it take for the body to travel from one of the extremities of its
path of motion to a point 4 metres away?†

2)! 3U85-6ii
C
A
180 m 200 m

B D
100 m
AB and CD are two buildings situated 100 metres apart on level ground. Their heights are 180 metres
and 200 metres respectively. An object is projected from point A at an angle of 45° to the horizontal, and
this object strikes point C. Take the acceleration due to gravity, g, as 10 m/sec2. Show that the time
taken for the object to get from A to C is 4 seconds, and find the value of the initial velocity of
projection.†

3)! 3U86-5iii
The speed v centimetres/second of a particle moving with simple harmonic motion in a straight line is
given by v2 = 6 + 4x  2x2, where x cm is the magnitude of the displacement from a fixed point O.
a. Show that x = 2(x  1).
b. Find the centre of the motion.
c. Find the period of the motion.
d. Find the amplitude of the motion.†

4)! 3U87-7b
A particle moves in a straight line and its displacement, x cm, from a fixed origin point after t seconds is
determined by the function: x = sin t  sin t cos t  2t.
i. Find the initial displacement and velocity of the particle.
ii. Show that the particle never comes to rest and always moves in one particular direction, stating
what this direction is.
iii. Show that the particle initially has zero acceleration and find the first occasion after this when
zero acceleration occurs again.†

5)! 3U88-5
A particle is projected from a point, O, on ground level with the velocity of 20 metres per second at an
angle of 60° to the horizontal. After a time T seconds, it reaches a point P, on its upward path, where the
direction of the flight is at 30° to the horizontal. Taking the acceleration due to gravity, g, to be 10 m/s,
2 3
i. show that T = .
3
ii. find the height of P above ground level.
iii. find the greatest height reached by the particle.†

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6)! 3U89-3b
A particle moves in a straight line and at time t seconds, its distance x cm from a fixed origin point O, on
1
the line is given by: x = 1 + cos 2t .
2
i. Sketch a graph of x as a function of t in the domain 0  t  2.
ii. Show that the motion of the particle is Simple Harmonic Motion.
iii. State the centre of motion of the particle.
iv. Find the displacements of the particle when it is at rest and thus determine the length of its path.
v. State the period of motion for the particle.†

7)! 3U90-5d
A certain particle moves along the x-axis in accordance with the law t = 2x2  5x + 3 where x is
measured in cm and t in seconds. Initially, the particle is 1·5 cm to the right of O and moving away
from O.
1
i. Prove that the velocity, v cm/sec, is given by v = .
4x  5
ii. Find an expression for the acceleration, a cm/sec2, in terms of x.
iii. Find the velocity and acceleration of the particle when:
. x = 2 cm.
. t = 6 sec.
iv. Describe carefully in words the motion of the particle.†

8)! 3U91-4a
O is a fixed point on a given straight line. A particle moves along this line and its displacement x cm,
from O at a given time, t secs, after its start of motion is given by: x = 2 + cos2t.
i. Show that the acceleration is given by: x = 10  4x.
ii. State the centre of motion.
iii. State the first two occasions when the particle is at rest and the displacements on these
occasions.
iv. State the amplitude and period of motion.†

9)! 3U91-5a
A stone is thrown from a point O which is at the top of a cliff 20 metres above a horizontal beach. The
stone is thrown at an angle of elevation ° above the horizontal and with a speed of 35 ms–1. The stone
hits the beach at a point which is distant 140 metres horizontally from the point O.
3
i. Taking g, the gravitational constant, as 10 ms–2, show that tan  = or tan  = 1.
4
ii. Hence find the two possible times for which the stone is in the air, giving your answers in exact
form.†

10)! 3U92-5a
i. A ball is thrown from a point O on the edge of a cliff which is 20 metres above a beach. The ball
1
is thrown with speed 15 2 ms at an angle of 45° above the horizontal. Taking g = 10 ms2
show that the ball hits the beach at a point 60 metres along the beach.
ii. A second ball is thrown horizontally from 0 and hits the beach at the same point as the first ball.
Taking g = 10 ms2 find the speed of projection of the second ball. (Standard results about
projectile motion can be quoted without proof.)†

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11)! 3U93-2c
A particle is moving in a straight line with Simple Harmonic Motion. If the amplitude of the motion is
4 cm and the period of the motion is 3 seconds, calculate:
i. the maximum velocity of the particle;
ii. the maximum acceleration of the particle;
iii. the speed of the particle when it is 2 cm from the centre of the motion.†

12)! 3U93-3c
i. At any time t the rate of cooling of the temperature T of a body, when the surrounding
dT
temperature is P, is given by the equation  k (T  P ) , for some constant k. Show that the
dt
solution T = P + Ae–kt, for some constant A, satisfies this equation.
ii. A metal bar has a temperature of 1340° C and cools to 1010° C in 12 minutes, when the
surrounding temperature is 25° C. Find how much longer it will take the bar to cool to 60° C,
giving your answer correct to the nearest minute.†

13)! 3U93-7b
A particle moves in a straight line. At time t its displacement from a fixed point O on the line is x, its
velocity is v and its acceleration is a.
d 1 2
i. Show that a = ( v ).
dx 2
ii. If a = 4x  4 and when t = 0, x = 6 and |v| = 8 show that v2 = 4x2  8x  32.
iii. Use the expression for v2 to find the set of possible values of x.
iv. Describe the motion of the particle in each of the cases
. when t = 0, x = 6 and v = 8.
. when t = 0, x = 6 and v = 8.†

14)! 3U94-5a
A body is moving in a straight line. At time t seconds its displacement is x metres from a fixed point O
1
on the line and its velocity is v ms–1. If v = find its acceleration when x = 0·5.†
x

15)! 3U95-3c
A particle moves in a straight line so that its displacement x metres from an origin O at time t seconds is
πt
given by x = 10 sin .
2
d 2x π2
i. Show that 2   x .
dt 4
ii. State the amplitude and the period of the motion.
iii. Find the maximum speed of the particle.†

16)! 3U95-5b
At time t the temperature T° of a body in a room of constant temperature 20° is decreasing according to
dT
the equation   k (T  20 ) for some constant k > 0.
dt
i. Verify that T = 20 + Aekt, A constant, is a solution of the equation.
ii. The initial temperature of the body is 90 and it falls to 70 after 10 minutes. Find the
temperature of the body after a further 5 minutes.†

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17)! 3U95-7
y

V R

 
O x
A stone is projected from O with velocity V at an angle  above the horizontal. A straight road goes
through O at an angle  above the horizontal, where  < . The stone strikes the road at R. Air resistance
is to be ignored, and the acceleration due to gravity is g.
i. If the stone is at the point (x, y) at time t, find expressions for x and y in terms of t. Hence show
gx 2 sec 2 
that the equation of the path of the stone is y = x tan   .
2V 2
ii. If R is the point (X, Y), express X and Y in terms of OR and . Hence show that the range OR of
2V 2 cos sin(   )
the stone up the road is given by OR = .
g cos 2 
1 π
iii. Show that OR is a maximum when  = (θ  ) , and interpret this result geometrically.
2 2
V2
iv. Hence show that the maximum value of OR is .†
g (1  sin  )

18)! 3U96-4a
N is the number of animals in a certain population at time t years. The population size satisfies the
dN
equation   k ( N  1000 ) , for some constant k.
dt
i. Verify by differentiation that N = 1000 + Ae–kt, A constant, is a solution of the equation.
ii. Initially there are 2500 animals but after 2 years there are only 2200 left. Find the values of
A and k.
iii. Find when the number of animals has fallen to 1300.
iv. Sketch the graph of the population size against time.†

19)! 3U96-6b
A particle moving in a straight line is performing Simple Harmonic Motion about a fixed point O on the
line. At time t seconds the displacement x metres of the particle from O is given by: x = a cos nt, where
a > 0 and 0 < n < .
After 1 second the particle is 1 metre to the right of O, and after 2 seconds the particle is 1 metre to the
left of O.
i. Find the values of n and a.
ii. Find the amplitude and period of the motion.†

20)! 3U96-7b
A B C

h V


O
In the diagram an aircraft is flying with constant velocity U at a constant height h above horizontal
ground. When the plane is at A it is directly over a gun at O. When the plane is at B a shell is fired from
the gun at the aircraft along OB. The shell is fired with initial velocity V at an angle of elevation .
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i. If x and y are the horizontal and vertical displacements of the shell from O at time t seconds,
show that if g is the acceleration due to gravity,
1
x = Vt cos  and y = Vt sin   gt2.
2
h
ii. Show that if the shell hits the aircraft at time T at point C, then VT cos  =  UT .
tan
iii. Show that if the shell hits the aircraft then 2U(V cos   U)tan2 = gh.†

21)! 3U97-3c
A particle moving in Simple Harmonic Motion starts from rest at a distance 10 metres to the right of its
centre of oscillation O. The period of the motion is 2 seconds.
i. Find the speed of the particle when it is 4 metres from its starting point.
ii. Find the time taken by the particle to first reach the point 4 metres from its starting point, in
seconds correct to 2 decimal places.†

22)! 3U97-5b
A particle is moving on a straight line. At time t seconds it has displacement x metres from a fixed
point O on the line, velocity v ms–1 and acceleration a ms–2. The particle starts from O and at time t
seconds v = (1  x)2.
i. Find an expression for a in terms of x.
ii. Find an expression for x in terms of t.
iii. Find the time taken for the particle to slow down to a speed of 1% of its initial speed.†

23)! 3U97-7a
When a particle is fired in the open from a point O at a speed of 40 ms–1 and at an angle  above the

horizontal, where 0    , you may assume without proof that the horizontal displacement
2
(x metres) and the vertical displacement (y metres) of the particle from O at time t seconds after firing are
given by x = 40t cos  and y = 40t sin   5t2. If the particle is fired with the same speed from a point O
on the floor of a horizontal tunnel of height 20 metres, find the maximum horizontal range of the particle
along the tunnel.†

24)! 3U98-4a
The temperature T C of a body after t minutes is given by T = 20 + 60e0·1t.
i. Find the initial temperature of the body.
ii. Find the time taken for the temperature of the body to fall to one half of its original value,
giving the answer correct to the nearest minute.†

25)! 3U98-6b
A particle P is performing Simple Harmonic Motion. At a time t seconds its acceleration is given by
d 2x
 4( x  3) , where x metres is the displacement from the origin O. Initially the particle is at O and
dt 2
its velocity is 8 ms–1.
i. Find the centre and period of the motion.
ii. Show that v2 = 64 + 24x  4x2, where v ms–1 is the velocity of P. Hence find the amplitude of
the motion.
iii. Find the maximum speed of the particle.†

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26)! 3U98-7a
O and Q are two points 2h metres apart on horizontal ground. P is a point h metres directly above O. A
particle is projected from P towards Q with speed Vp ms–1 at an angle  above the horizontal. At the
same time another particle is projected from Q towards P with speed VQ ms–1 at an angle  above the
horizontal. The two particles collide T seconds after projection.
Vp


P VQ
h

O 2h Q
i. For the particle going from P towards Q, the equations of motion are x  0 and y   g . Use
calculus to show that at time t seconds, its horizontal distance xp from O and its vertical distance
1
yp from O are given by xp = (Vp cos )t and yp = (Vp sin )t  gt2 + h.
2
ii. For the particle going from Q towards P, write down expressions for its horizontal distance
xQ from Q and its vertical distance yQ from Q at time t seconds.
V p 2sin   cos 
iii. Hence show that  .†
VQ 2sin cos

27)! 3U99-4b
A particle is moving in a straight line. At time t seconds its displacement x metres from a fixed point
O on the line is such that t = x2 – 3x + 2.
i. Find an expression for its velocity v in terms of x.
ii. Find an expression for its acceleration a in terms of x.†

28)! 3U99-5b
A machine which initially costs $49 000 loses value at a rate proportional to the difference between its
current value $M and its final scrap value $1000. After 2 years the value of the machine is $25 000.
dM
i Explain why   k ( M  1000 ) for some constant k > 0, and verify that
dt
M  1000  Ae  kt , A constant, is a solution of this equation.
ii Find the exact values of A and k.
iii Find the value of the machine, and the time that has elapsed, when the machine is losing value
at a rate equal to one quarter of the initial rate at which it loses value.†

29)! 3U99-6c
A particle moving in a straight line is performing Simple Harmonic Motion. At time t seconds its
displacement x metres from a fixed point O on the line is given by x  2 sin 3t  2 3 cos 3t .

i. Express x in the form x = R sin(3t –) for some constants R > 0 and 0 <  < .
2
ii. Describe the initial motion of the particle in terms of its initial position, velocity and
acceleration.
iii. Find the exact value of the first time that the particle is 2 metres to the left of O and moving
towards O.†

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30)! 3U99-7b
y

O p q x
A particle is projected with velocity V ms from a point O at an angle of elevation . Axes Ox and Oy
–1

are taken horizontally and vertically through O. The particle just clears two vertical chimneys of height
h meters at horizontal distances of p metres and q metres from O. The acceleration due to gravity is
taken as 10 ms–2 and air resistance if ignored.
i. Write down expressions for the horizontal displacement x and the vertical displacement y of the
particle after time t seconds.
5 p 2 (1  tan 2  )
ii. Show that V 2  .
p tan   h
h ( p  q)
iii. Show that tan   .†
pq

31)! 3U00-6a
After t years, t  0, the number N of individuals in a population is given by N = 1000 –Ae–kt for some
constants A > 0, k > 0. The initial population size is 200 individuals and the initial rate of increase of the
population size is 80 individuals per year.
i. Find the values of A and k.
ii. Sketch the graph of N against t.†

32)! 3U00-6b
A particle is moving with Simple Harmonic Motion in a straight line about a fixed point O. At time
t seconds, t  0, it has displacement x metres from O given by x = a cos(2t + ) for some constants
 
a > 0, 0 <  < . Initially it is 4 metres to the right of O. After seconds it is 3 metres to the left
2 4
of O.
i. Show that a cos  = 4 and a sin  = 3
ii. Find the exact value of a, and the value of  correct to two decimal places.†

33)! 3U00-7a
A garden sprinkler is positioned at the centre of a large, flat lawn. Water droplets are projected from the
sprinkler at a fixed speed of 20 ms–1 and at an angle  above the horizontal. The acceleration due to
gravity is 10 ms–2.
i. Use integration to show that the horizontal displacement x metres and the vertical displacement
y metres of the water droplets after time t seconds are given by x = 20t cos  and y = 20t sin –
5t2.
ii. Show that the horizontal range R of the water droplets is given by R = 40 sin 2.
iii. If the angle of projection varies between 15 and 45 above the horizontal, find the exact area of
that part of the lawn, which can be watered in this way.†

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34)! 3U00-7b
A particle is moving in a straight line. After time t seconds it has displacement x metres from a fixed
1  x2
point O on the line, velocity  ms–1 given by and acceleration a ms–2. Initially the particle is
2
at O.
i. Find an expression for a in terms of x.
2 1 1
ii. Show that   and hence find an expression for x in terms of t.
1 x 2
1 x 1 x
iii. Describe the motion of the particle, explaining whether it moves to the left or right of O,
whether it slows down or speeds up, and where its limiting position is.†
[[End Of Qns]]

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[Answers]
« 1·5 seconds » gt 2
« i) x = Vt cos , y = Vt sin  
« Proof, 25 2 ms–1 » 2
« a) Proof b) x = 1 c) 2  secs d) 2 cm » ii) X = OR cos , Y = OR sin  iii) Proof. For
« i) x = 0 cm, v = 2 cms–1 ii) Proof, negative maximum range, the angle of projection  of the
direction iii) 1·31 seconds » 
stone bisects the angle  + iv) Proof »
40 2
« i) Proof ii) m iii) 15 m »
3 1 5
« i) Proof ii) A = 1500, k = Ln( )
« 2 4
i) iii) 14·4 years (to 1 d.p.)
x N
3 2500
2
1 1000
2
t
π  3π 2 t iv) »
2 2 
« i) n = , a = 2 ii) Amplitude = 2 metres,
3 1 3 1 3
ii) Proof iii) x = 1 iv) x = , , , ,... Length of
2 2 2 2 Period = 6 seconds »
path = 1 cm v)  secs » « Proof »
4 1 « i) 8 m/s ii) 0·30 seconds »
« i) Proof ii) iii) ) v = cms–1,
(4 x  5) 3
3 t
« i) a = 2(1  x)3 ii) x  iii) 9 seconds »
4 1 4 t 1
a=  cms–2 ) v = cms–1, a =  cms–2
27 7 343 « 80 3 metres »
iv) The particle moves in the positive direction with « i) 80 C ii) 11 minutes »
a negative acceleration retarding its motion.» « i) x = 3, T =  secs ii) 5 m iii) 10 ms1 »
5  « i) Proof ii) xQ = (VQ cos )t,
« i) Proof ii) x = iii) t = 0, x = 3 and t = ,
2 2 yQ = (VQ sin )t  0·5gt2 iii) Proof »
1 1 2
x = 2 iv) Amplitude = cm, Period =  secs » « i) v  ii) a  »
2 ( 2 x  3) ( 2 x  3) 3
« i) Proof ii) 4 2 seconds and 5 seconds » 1
« i) Proof ii) A = 48 000, k  ln 2 iii) $13 000,
« i) Proof ii) 60 ms1 » 2
8 16 2 4 3 4 years »
« i) cms 1 ii) cms 2 iii) cms 1 
3 9 3 « i) x  4 sin (3t  ) ii) Initially the particle is
» 3
« i) Proof ii) 139 minutes » 2 3 metres to the left of O, moving to the right at
« i) ii) Proof iii) x  4 iv) ) The particle starts 6 m/s and accelerating at 18 3 m/s2
6 units to the right of O. It accelerates to the right.

) The particle starts 6 units to the right of O. It iii) t  seconds »
moves to the left, slows to a stop 4 units to the right 18
of O, then accelerates to the right. » « i) x = (V cos )t, y = (V sin )t – 5t2
« 8 ms–2 » ii) iii) Proof »
N
« i) Proof ii) Amplitude = 10 m,
Period = 4 seconds iii) 5 ms–1 » 1000
« i) Proof ii) 62 (to nearest degree) »

200
« i) A = 800, k = 0·1 ii) O t
»
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« i) Proof ii) a = 5,  = 0·64 »

« i) ii) Proof iii) 1200 m2 »
x3  x 1  e t
« i) a  ii) x  iii) Initially the
2 1  e t
particle is at O, moving at 0·5 m/s to the right and
slowing down. The particle continues to move to the
right for x < 1 and continues to slow down. The
limiting position of the particle is 1 m to the right
of O. »

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