Maths Methods :

Here are a few illustrative examples :

1.Application of Differential Calculus :
The position of a particle, P, x metres from the origin, at time t seconds is given
by
x t t t = + +
3 2
5 8 5
here
t 0
.
!a" #ind the initial position.
Initial position occurs when time is zero i.e. at the beginning.
So when t =0,
( ) ( )
( ) x = + +
3 2
0 0
5 8 0 5
= 5 metres
!b"
$f velocity e%uals
d&
dt
, find the initial velocity.
( )
First we must find
dx
dt
Initial velocity means when t = 0
dx
dt
= ! 8m" s

# $
dx
dt
t t = +
= +
3 %0 8
3 %0 0 8
2
2
0
! c " #ind hen and here, to ' decimal places, the velocity of the particle is
(ero.
&his means that we want to find where the particle is when
dx
dt
dx
dt
'sin( the )uadratic formula for an e)uation of the form

In our case a = 3 * = %0 c = !8 + we solve for t

#ne(ative value is re,ected since time
can only *e positive$
seconds
-nd when t =
#*y su*stitutin( th
=
= + =
=

= + +
=

=

=
+
+
=
0
3 %0 8 0
.
2
%0 %00 . 3 8
2 3
%0 22/
/
%0 22/
/
%0 22/
/
2 .
2
2
2
0
# $# $
# $

0
t t
x
b b ac
a
y ax bx c
t
t
x m e value of t into the ori(inal
e)uation at the start0$
!d" )ho that hen the particle is 1*m from the origin its velocity is '+m,s.
&his is implyin( that
i0e0
1y su*stitutin( values into the e)uation we find that t = !% is
a factor
so #usin( lon( division to wor2 out the values$
or #!% and ! / are re,ected since time is positive$
3ow we need to show that velocity is 2.m" s at this time
i0e0

dx
dt


x t t t
t t t
t t t
t
t
t t
m s
= + + =
+ =
+ + =
=
=
= + = +
=
3 2
3 2
2
2 2
5 8 5 %4
5 8 %2 0
% . %2 0
% 2 /
2
3 %0 8 3 2 %0 2 8
2.
# $# $

# $ # $
"
!e"
-hen ill the acceleration of the particle be 1.ms /
!note: Acceleration !
d &
dt
" of a particle ith respect to time
may be found by ta0ing the derivative of
dv
dt
. "
1'
'
'
5o to solve this pro*lem we differentiate the derivative

6hen acceleration e)uals %/ms i0e0


&he acceleration of the particle will *e %/ms after % second
!2
!2
dx
dt
t t
i e
d x
dt
t
d x
dt
So t
t
= +
= +
=
+ =
=

3 %0 8
/ %0
%/
/ %0 %/
%
2
2
2
2
2

0 0

0
'. Probability :
2o& 1 contains 3 hite and 4 blac0 balls. 2o& ' contains 4 hite and + blac0
balls. 5ne ball is selected at random from 2o& 1 and placed in 2o& '. A ball is
then selected at random from 2o& '.
!a" #ind the probability that:

!i" the ball chosen from 2o& ' is hite
It7s pro*a*ly *est to draw out a simple picture ,ust to see what is
happenin(
5o now if the 2
nd
*all chosen is (oin( to *e white there are 2 ways of
that occurin(
we (et a white *all from the %
st
*ox then a white from the 2
nd
*ox or
we (et a *lac2 *all from the %
st
*ox then a white one from the 2
nd
*ox
3 white
5 *lac2
one *all ta2en
5 white
. *lac2
one *all ta2en
8
i0e0
w = white
* = *lac2
9r # 6hite *all $ =
w : w * : w
3
8
/
8
5
8
5
%0
.3
80

=
!ii" The ball chosen from 2o& 1 and the ball chosen from 2o& ' are blac0
&his can only have one way of occurin( first a *lac2 *all is chosen from
the %
st
*ox then a *lac2 *all is chosen from the 2
nd
0
i0e0
9r # 1lac2 *all chosen twice $ =
* : *
5
8
5
%0
5
%/
=
!iii" The ball chosen from 2o& ' is hite, given that the ball chosen from
2o& 1 as also hite
&his part re)uires the use of the formula
9r - 1
- 1$
9r#1$
=
9r#

i0e0
9r 2nd *all is white %st *all is also white
9r#white white chosen from 1ox %$
9r#white chosen from 1ox %$
#referral to the picture a*ove will definitely help
understand the principle *ehind the calculations here0$
=
=

3
8
/
%0
3
8
3
%0
!b" A second ball is then chosen from 2o& ' ithout replacing the first ball. #ind
the probability that, of the ' balls chosen from 2o& ',
!i" a blac0 and hite ball are chosen
'nderstandin( of what is actually happenin( here is really important so
constant referral to the dia(rams is necessary;
a(ain for the purposes of understandin(
w = white
* = *lac2
so
9r# one *lac2 one white $ =
9r# white then *lac2 $ : 9r# *lac2 then white $
=
3
8
w : w : * * : * : w * : w : * w : * : w

%st possi*le scenario the other 3 scenarios possi*le

/
%0
.
<
5
8
5
%0
5
<
5
8
5
%0
5
<
3
8
.
%0
/
<

#what we have considered here are the various possi*le scenarios:
e0( we (et a white *all from the %st *ox then a white *all from
from the 2nd *ox followed *y a *lac2 *all from the 2nd *ox=
and we ,ust consider the other 3 scenarios possi*le$
=
%<4
3/0
!ii" both balls are the same colour
-(ain we use principles and thin2in( similar to the previous part
9r# 1oth are the same colour $
= 9r # *oth white $ : 9r # *oth *lac2 $
=
w : w : w * : w : w w : * : * * : * : *

. possi*le scenarios
3
8
/
%0
5
<
5
8
5
%0
.
<
3
8
.
%0
3
<
5
8
5
%0
.
<
%/3
3/0

=

Chemistry
Here is an example :
Chemical 6uantities and )toichiometry:
2alance the folloing e%uation and determine the mass of silver chloride hich
should precipitate out of solution hen '4ml of 7.17 M 2aCl
'
!a%" is added to
'7ml of 7.14 M Ag85
3
!a%".
5o the *est way to start is to write out the reactants
1a>l
2 #a)$
: -(3?
3 #a)$
8888888
&hen we have to fi(ure out the products
1a>l
2 #a)$
: -(3?
3 #a)$
-(>l
#s$
: 1a#3?
3
$
2 #a)$
- *it too )uic288 &his step of findin( the products should not *e too hard
we7re already (iven the tip in the )uestion that silver chloride is formed
i0e0 -(>l or somethin( similar to that formula
?nce we (et that then we chec2 for char(es on *oth atoms #-( + >l$ to see that they
*alance out # i0e0 positives and ne(atives cancel out$
&hen we loo2 at the remainin( atoms #1a and 3o
3
!
$ and *alance them out too
i0e0 in this case 1a3?
3
3ow we *alance the e)uation
1a>l
2 #a)$
: 2-(3?
3 #a)$
2-(>l
#s$
: 1a#3?
3
$
2 #a)$
?@ now we firstly loo2 at the mole ratio
1a>l
2 #a)$
: 2-(3?
3 #a)$
2-(>l
#s$
: 1a#3?
3
$
2 #a)$
Aole Batio : % : 2 : 2
Cata : we need to see which reactant is in excess
i0e0 which one has some of itself remainin( after the reaction
&hen to calculate we use n = cD
1a>l
2 #a)$
: 2-(3?
3 #a)$
2-(>l
#s$
: 1a#3?
3
$
2 #a)$
25ml of 20ml of
00%0 A 00%5 A

205 %0
!3
mol 300 %0
!3
mol
6hen we compare n#1a>l
2
$ + n#-(3?
3
$ it loo2s li2e -(3?
3
is in excess0
9oever, we must also consider the mole ratios of the two reactants0
for % mole of 1a>l
2
205 %0
!3
mol is present
for 2 mole of -(3?
3
300 %0
!3
mol is present
n#-(3?
3
$ reactin( : n#1a>l
2
$ reactin( = 2 : %
n#-(3?
3
$ re)uired to react with 1a>l
2
= 2 n#1a>l
2
$
= 2 #205 %0
!3
$
= 5 %0
!3
mol
5o 5 %0
!3
mol of -(3?
3
is needed to react with all of the 1a>l
2
0 However only
300 %0
!3
is supplied so it is not possi*le for all the 1a>l
2
to react
it will *e in excess0
-(3?
3
in this case is 2nown as the limiting reagent i0e0 it limits or controls how far the
reaction will (o0
5o all of the -(3?
3
will react with some 1a>l
2
remainin(
1a>l
2
is in excess
If you find the a*ove confusin( see if you can consider the followin( dia(rammatic
explanation:
reactants :
:
we need : % mole : 2 mole of to have a suita*le reaction 0
of 1a>l
2
-(3?
3
Eiven our data we 2now that for % F*loc27 of 1a>l
2
we need 2 F*loc2s7 of -(3?
3
to
react0
2:T our (iven amounts of reactants #1a>l
2
+ -(3?
3
$ do not match up as re)uired0
we have % F*loc27 of 1a>l
2
+ only % + a *it F*loc27 of -(3?
3
0
i0e0 : can7t react totally
5o if it reacts : will have will *e all (one
some left
5o to find out how much 1a>l
2
has *een left over we can su*tract the amount reactin(
from the initial amount0
6e need to use the principle of mole ratio here:
i0e0 % mol : 2 mol
1a>l
2
: -(3?
3
limiting reagent
8 : 3 %0
!3
mol
2 mol of -(3?
3
is re)uired to react with % mol of 1a>l
2
# i0e0 2 F*loc2s7 of -(3?
3

need to react with % F*loc27 of 1a>l
2
$
5o 1a>l
2
would react %05 %0
!3
mol which is % F*loc27
-(3?
3
reacts 2 F*loc2s7 i0e0 2 #%05 %0
!3$
mol = 300 %0
!3
mol0
Becall
1a>l
2 #a)$
: 2-(3?
3 #a)$
2-(>l
#s$
: 1a#3?
3
$
2 #a)$
1a>l
2
1a>l
2
-(3?
3
-(3?
3
Initially : 205 %0
!3
mol : 300 %0
!3
mol 888 : 888
Beaction : %05 %0
!3
mol : 300 %0
!3
mol 300 %0
!3
mol : %05 %0
!3
mol
#usin( the mole ratio priniciple$

Final : %00 %0
!3
mol : 0 300 %0
!3
mol : %05 %0
!3
mol

'sin( m = nA
m = #300 %0
!3
$#%04:35$
= 7.+3g