2.

MATRICES*, FUR1 2013 VCAA 9 MC

FURTHER MATHEMATICS
Alana, Ben, Ebony, Daniel and Caleb are friends. Each friend has a different age.
MATRICES
The arrows in the graph below show the relative ages of some, but not all, of the friends. For
Matrix Applications example, the arrow in the graph from Alana to Caleb shows that Alana is older than Caleb.
Teacher: Richard Poulton
Exam Equivalent Time: 44.25 minutes (based on VCE allocation of 2.25 min/mark for
FUR1, and 1.5 min/mark for FUR2)

Questions
1. MATRICES, FUR1 2018 VCAA 3 MC
Five people, India ( ), Jackson ( ), Krishna ( ), Leanne ( ) and Mustafa ( ), competed in a table
tennis tournament.
Each competitor played every other competitor once only.
Each match resulted in a winner and a loser.
Using the information in the graph, it can be deduced that the second-oldest person in this group of
The matrix below shows the tournament results.
friends is
A. Alana
B. Ben
C. Caleb
D. Daniel
E. Ebony

A 1 in the matrix shows that the competitor named in that row defeated the competitor named in that
column.
For example, the 1 in the fourth row shows that Leanne defeated Jackson.
A 0 in the matrix shows that the competitor named in that row lost to the competitor named in that
column.
There is an error in the matrix. The winner of one of the matches has been incorrectly recorded as a
0.
This match was between
A. India and Mustafa.
B. India and Krishna.
C. Krishna and Leanne.
D. Leanne and Mustafa.
E. Jackson and Mustafa.
3. MATRICES, FUR1 2020 VCAA 9 MC 4. MATRICES, FUR1-NHT 2019 VCAA 2 MC
Five competitors, Andy (A), Brie (B), Cleo (C), Della (D) and Eddie (E), participate in a darts tournament. Four teams, blue ( ), green ( ), orange ( ) and pink ( ), played each other once in a competition.
Each competitor plays each of the other competitors once only, and each match results in a winner There were no draws in this competition.
and a loser.
The results of the competition are shown in the matrix below.
The matrix below shows the results of this darts tournament.
There are still two matches that need to be played.

The letters , and each have a value of 0 or 1.

A 1 in the matrix shows that the team named in that row defeated the team named in that column.
A 0 in the matrix shows that the team named in that row was defeated by the team named in that
A ‘1’ in the matrix shows that the competitor named in that row defeated the competitor named in column.
that column.
A dash (–) in the matrix shows that no game was played.
For example, the ‘1’ in row 2, column 3 shows that Brie defeated Cleo.
The values of , and are
A ‘…’ in the matrix shows that the competitor named in that row has not yet played the competitor
named in that column. A.

The winner of this darts tournament is the competitor with the highest sum of their one-step and two- B.
step dominances. C.
Which player, by winning their remaining match, will ensure that they are ranked first by the sum of D.
their one-step and two-step dominances?
E.
A. Andie
B. Brie
C. Cleo
D. Della
E. Eddie
5. MATRICES*, FUR1 2007 VCAA 8 MC 6. MATRICES*, FUR1 2011 VCAA 2 MC
There are five teams, and , in a volleyball competition. Each team played each other The graph below shows the one-step dominances between four farm dogs, Kip, Lab, Max, and Nim.
team once in 2007.
In this graph, an arrow from Lab to Kip indicates that Lab has a one-step dominance over Kip.
The results are summarised in the directed graph below. An arrow from to signifies that
defeated

From this graph, it can be concluded that Kip has a two-step dominance over
A. Max only.
B. Nim only.
C. Lab and Nim only.
D. all of the other three dogs.
E. none of the other three dogs.

In 2007, the team that had the highest number of two-step dominances was
A. team
B. team
C. team
D. team
E. team
7. MATRICES*, FUR1 2013 VCAA 5 MC 8. MATRICES*, FUR1 2014 VCAA 4 MC
Four people, Ash (A), Binh (B), Con (C) and Dan (D), competed in a table tennis tournament. The directed graph below shows the results of a chess competition between five players: Alex, Ben,
Cindi, Donna and Elise.
In this tournament, each competitor played each of the other competitors once.
The results of the tournament are summarised in the directed graph below.
Each arrow shows the winner of a game played in the tournament. For example, the arrow from to
shows that Con defeated Ash.

In the tournament, each competitor was given a ranking that was determined by calculating the sum
of their one-step and two-step dominances. The competitor with the highest sum is ranked number
one (1). The competitor with the second-highest sum was ranked number two (2), and so on.
Each arrow indicates the winner of individual games. For example, the arrow from Alex to Donna
indicates that Alex beat Donna in their game.
The sum of their one-step and two-step dominances is calculated to give each player a dominance
score. The dominance scores are then used to rank the players.
The ranking of the players in this competition, from highest to lowest dominance score, is

Using this method, the rankings of the competitors in this tournament were A. Ben, Elise, Donna, Alex, Cindi

A. Dan (1), Ash (2), Con (3), Binh (4) B. Ben, Elise, Cindi, Donna, Alex

B. Dan (1), Ash (2), Binh (3), Con (4) C. Ben, Elise, Donna, Cindi, Alex

C. Con (1), Dan (2), Ash (3), Binh (4) D. Elise, Ben, Donna, Alex, Cindi

D. Ash (1), Dan (2), Binh (3), Con (4) E. Elise, Ben, Donna, Cindi, Alex

E. Ash (1), Dan (2), Con (3), Binh (4)

9. MATRICES, FUR1 2016 VCAA 8 MC 10. MATRICES, FUR1 2017 VCAA 5 MC
The matrix below shows the result of each match between four teams, A, B, C and D, in a bowling Four teams, , , and , competed in a round-robin competition where each team played each of
tournament. Each team played each other team once and there were no draws. the other teams once. There were no draws.
The results are shown in the matrix below.

In this tournament, each team was given a ranking that was determined by calculating the sum of its
one-step and two-step dominances. The team with the highest sum was ranked number one (1). The
A 1 in the matrix shows that the team named in that row defeated the team named in that column.
team with the second-highest sum was ranked number two (2), and so on.
For example, the 1 in row 2 shows that team defeated team .
Using this method, team C was ranked number one (1).
In this matrix, the values of , and are
Team A would have been ranked number one (1) if the winner of one match had lost instead.
A.
That match was between teams
B.
A. A and B.
C.
B. A and D.
D.
C. B and C.
E.
D. B and D.
E. C and D.
11. MATRICES*, FUR1 2015 VCAA 8 MC 12. MATRICES*, FUR1 2009 VCAA 9 MC
There are five teams in a table tennis competition. Five soccer teams played each other once in a tournament. In each game there was a winner and a
loser.
Every team played one match against every other team, and each match had a winner and a loser.
A table of one-step and two-step dominances was prepared to summarise the results.
The results of the matches are summarised in the directed graph below. For example, an arrow from
Lions to Eagles indicates that Lions defeated Eagles.

One result in the tournament that must have occurred is that

A. Elephants defeated Bears.
In determining the ranking of these teams, the total of each team’s one-step dominances and two- B. Elephants defeated Aardvarks.
step dominances will be calculated.
C. Aardvarks defeated Donkeys.
The team with the highest total will be ranked first.
D. Donkeys defeated Bears.
The team with the next highest total will be ranked second, and so on.
E. Bears defeated Chimps.
The ranking of these five teams from first to last is
A. Lions, Rebels, Dingoes, Eagles, Heavies
B. Lions, Rebels, Eagles, Dingoes, Heavies
C. Rebels, Lions, Dingoes, Eagles, Heavies
D. Rebels, Lions, Eagles, Dingoes, Heavies
E. Eagles, Lions, Rebels, Dingoes, Heavies
13. MATRICES, FUR2 2021 VCAA 2 14. MATRICES*, FUR2 2006 VCAA 2
The main computer system in Elena's office has broken down. The five musicians, George, Harriet, Ian, Josie and Keith, compete in a music trivia game.
The five staff members, Alex ( ), Brie ( ), Chai ( ), Dex ( ) and Elena ( ), are having problems Each musician competes once against every other musician.
sending information to each other.
In each game there is a winner and a loser.
Matrix below shows the available communication links between the staff members.
The results are represented in the dominance matrix, Matrix 1, and also in the incomplete directed
graph below.
On the directed graph an arrow from Harriet to George shows that Harriet won against George.

In this matrix:
the '1' in row , column indicates that Alex can send information to Brie
the '0' in row , column indicates that Dex cannot send information to Chai.

a. Which two staff members can send information directly to each other? (1 mark)

b. Elena needs to send documents to Chai.

What is the sequence of communication links that will successfully get the information from Elena
to Chai? (1 mark)
c. Matrix below is the square of and shows the number of two-step communication links a. Explain why the figures in bold in Matrix 1 are all zero. (1 mark)
between each pair of staff members.
One of the edges on the directed graph is missing.
b. Using the information in Matrix 1, draw in the missing edge on the directed graph above and clearly
show its direction. (1 mark)
The results of each trivia contest (one-step dominances) are summarised as follows.

Only one pair of individuals has two different two-step communication links.
List each two-step communication link for this pair. (1 mark)

In order to rank the musicians from first to last in the trivia contest, two-step (two-edge) dominances
will be considered.
The following incomplete matrix, Matrix 2, shows two-step dominances.
 VCE Mathematics examination questions reproduced by permission, VCAA. VCE is a registered trademark of the VCAA. The VCAA does not
endorse or make any warranties regarding this study resource. Current and past VCE exams and related content can be accessed directly at
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au.

c. Explain the two-step dominance that George has over Ian. (1 mark)

d. Determine the value of the entry in Matrix 2. (1 mark)

e. Taking into consideration both the one-step and two-step dominances, determine which musician
was ranked first and which was ranked last in the trivia contest. (2 marks)

15. MATRICES, FUR2 2021 VCAA 4

Five staff members in Elena's office played a round-robin video game tournament, where each
employee played each of the other employees once. In each game there was a winner and a loser.
A table of their one-step and two-step dominances was prepared to summarise the results.

Consider the results matrix shown below.

A '1' in this matrix shows that the player named in that row defeated the player named in that
column.
A '0' in this matrix shows that the player named in that row lost to the player named in that column.
Use all of the information provided to complete the results matrix. (2 marks)
Worked Solutions 3. MATRICES, FUR1 2020 VCAA 9 MC

1. MATRICES, FUR1 2018 VCAA 3 MC

2. MATRICES*, FUR1 2013 VCAA 9 MC

4. MATRICES, FUR1-NHT 2019 VCAA 2 MC

5. MATRICES*, FUR1 2007 VCAA 8 MC

6. MATRICES*, FUR1 2011 VCAA 2 MC 8. MATRICES*, FUR1 2014 VCAA 4 MC

7. MATRICES*, FUR1 2013 VCAA 5 MC

9. MATRICES, FUR1 2016 VCAA 8 MC 11. MATRICES*, FUR1 2015 VCAA 8 MC

♦ Mean mark 42%.

10. MATRICES, FUR1 2017 VCAA 5 MC

12. MATRICES*, FUR1 2009 VCAA 9 MC 14. MATRICES*, FUR2 2006 VCAA 2
a.

♦♦♦ Mean mark 18%.

MARKER’S COMMENT: The
critical step here is to realise that if b.
Team A beats Team B, then Team
B’s one-step dominances become
Team A’s two-step dominances.

13. MATRICES, FUR2 2021 VCAA 2

a.

c.
b.

c.
d.

e.
15. MATRICES, FUR2 2021 VCAA 4

Copyright © 2016-2023 M2 Mathematics Pty Ltd (SmarterMaths.com.au)