New Century Mathematics (Second Edition)

S3 Question Bank
3A Chapter 4 Linear Inequalities in One Unknown

Level 3

<code=10127272>
<bk=3A><ch=4><ex=4A><type=L3><mark=7><title=10127272><content>
4 5 1
Given that a > b >  , prove that < .
5 6  5a 1  b
(7 marks)
Solution:
4
b> 
5
 4
5b > 5   1M
 5
5b > –4
5 + 5b > 5 – 4 1M
∴ 5 + 5b > 1
∵ a>b
∴ 5 + 5a > 5 + 5b 1A
Obviously, 1 + (5 + 5a) > 5 + 5a.
∴ 6 + 5a > 5 + 5a
∴ 6 + 5a > 5 + 5b > 1 1M
1 1
∴ <
6  5a 5  5b
1M
5 5
<
6  5a 5(1  b)
1M
5 1
∴  1A
6  5a 1  b
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<code=10127329>
<bk=3A><ch=4><ex=4A><type=L3><mark=10><title=10127329><content>
(a) Prove that if z > x and z > y, then z2  xz > yz  xy.
(b) The figure shows a right-angled △PQR, where N is a point on PR such that QN  PR.
P
N

Q R

Using the result of (a), prove that QN + PR > PQ + QR.

(10 marks)
Solution:
(a) ∵ z > x
∴ zx>0 1M
z>y
z(z  x) > y(z  x) 1M
z2  xz > yz  xy 1A

(b) Refer to the notations in the figure.

P
N d
b
a

Q c R

Area of △PQR with base c = area of △PQR with base d

bc ad
= 1M
2 2
bc
a= 1A
d
∵ △PQR is a right-angled triangle where Q = 90.
∴ PR must be the longest side.
i.e. d > b and d > c 1M+1A
∴ From (a), we have:
d 2  bd > cd  bc 1M

bc 
d(d  b) > d  c  
d 

bc
db >c 1A
d
db>ca
a+d>b+c
i.e. QN + PR > PQ + QR 1A
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© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2017 3A Chapter 4 Level 3 P.44

<code=10127354>
<bk=3A><ch=4><ex=4A><type=L3><mark=6><title=10127354><content>
David has three straight fences of different lengths. He wants to use the three fences to surround a
region in the shape of a right-angled trapezium ABCD in front of a wall.
(Example of formation is shown below.)
B
fence

C
fence
region
fence
A D
wall
Show that the area of the region is maximized when the longest fence is taken as the height of
trapezium ABCD.
(Hint: Consider the areas of all the possible regions formed by choosing different fences as the
heights.)
(6 marks)
Solution:
Let p, q and r be the lengths of the three fences, where p > q > r.
(q  r ) p
When p, q and r are taken as the heights, the areas of the regions formed are ,
2
( p  r )q ( p  q)r
and respectively. 1M
2 2
∵ p>q
∴ pr > qr 1M
pq + pr > pq + qr 1M
(q + r)p > (p + r)q
(q  r ) p > ( p  r ) q 1A
2 2

Similarly, we have (q  r ) p > ( p  q )r . 1A

2 2

∴ ( q  r ) p is greater than both ( p  r ) q and ( p  q )r .

2 2 2
i.e. The area of the region is maximized when the longest fence is taken as the height of
ABCD. 1A
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© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2017 3A Chapter 4 Level 3 P.45

<code=10127412>
<bk=3A><ch=4><ex=4B><type=L3><mark=8><title=10127412><content>
A non-negative number x satisfies the equation 2 x  k  5 x  7  x  k , where k is a positive
3 4 6
integral constant. How many possible values of k are there?
(8 marks)
Solution:
2 x  k = 5x  7 x  k

3 4 6
 2 x  k  =  5x  7 x  k  1M
12  12  
 3   4 6 
8x – 4k = 15x – 21 + 2x + 2k
8x – 15x – 2x = –21 + 2k + 4k
–9x = –21 + 6k
 21  6k
x= 9
7  2k
= 1A
3
∵ x is non-negative.
7  2k
∴ 0
3
1M
7 – 2k  0 1M
–2k  –7 1M
1
k 3 1A
2
∵ k is a positive integer.
∴ The possible values of k are 1, 2 and 3. 1A
i.e. There are 3 possible values of k. 1A
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© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2017 3A Chapter 4 Level 3 P.46

<code=10127546>
<bk=3A><ch=4><ex=4B><type=L3><mark=9><title=10127546><content>
A telecom company provides two international telephone service plans as follows:
Plan Basic monthly fee Free airtime* Charge for each extra minute of airtime*
A $95 1 600 min $0.4
B $175 3 000 min $0.2
*Note: Time less than 1 min is counted as 1 min.
Mr Lee chooses plan B and he uses more than 3 000 min of airtime in a month. Based on the table
above, he finds that if he chooses plan A, his monthly charge will at least be tripled.
(a) Find the maximum possible airtime used by Mr Lee.
(b) Can Mr Lee’s monthly charge exceed $320? Explain your answer.
(9 marks)
Solution:
Let m be the number of minutes of airtime used by Mr Lee, where m is an integer.
(a) When choosing plan A, monthly charge = $[95 + 0.4(m – 1 600)] 1M
= $(0.4m – 545)
When choosing plan B, monthly charge = $[175 + 0.2(m – 3 000)]
= $(0.2m – 425)
0.4m – 545  3(0.2m – 425) 1M
0.4m – 545  0.6m – 1 275
–0.2m  –730 1M
m  3 650 1M+1A
∴ The maximum possible airtime used by Mr Lee is 3 650 min. 1A

(b) From (a), maximum airtime = 3 650 min

Maximum monthly charge = $(0.2  3 650 – 425) 1M
= $305 1A
< $320
∴ Mr Lee’s monthly charge cannot exceed $320. 1A
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© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2017 3A Chapter 4 Level 3 P.47

<code=10127583>
<bk=3A><ch=4><ex=4B><type=L3><mark=10><title=10127583><content>
The table below shows the information about a packet of brand P candy and a packet of
brand Q candy sold in a shop.
Number of jelly beans Number of chocolate beans Selling price
A packet of
20 30 $40
brand P candy
A packet of
28 12 $25
brand Q candy
Mr Wong has $300 and he buys some packets of candy of the two brands from the shop. If at least
4 packets of brand Q candy are bought, can he obtain more than 200 chocolate beans in total?
Explain your answer.
(10 marks)
Solution:
Suppose Mr Wong bought m packets of brand P candy and n packets of brand Q candy.
40m + 25n  300 1M
40m  300 – 25n 1M
300  25n
m 1M
40
60  5n
m 8 1A
Total number of chocolate beans obtained = 30m + 12n 1A
60  5n 
 30     12n 1M
 8 
= 225 – 18.75n + 12n
= 225 – 6.75n 1A
i.e. Total number of chocolate beans obtained  225 – 6.75n
∵ n4
∴ 225 – 6.75n  225 – 6.75  4
= 198 1A
i.e. Number of chocolate beans obtained  198 1M
∴ He cannot obtain more than 200 chocolate beans in total. 1A
<end>

© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2017 3A Chapter 4 Level 3 P.48