SYDNEY

BOYS
HIGH
SCHOOL

YEAR 9
2021 HALF YEARLY
ASSESSMENT TASK

Stage 5.3 Mathematics

Sample Solutions

NOTE: Some of you may be disappointed with your mark.

This process of checking your mark is NOT the opportunity
to improve your marks.
Improvement will come through further revision and practice,
as well as reading the solutions and comments.

Before putting in an appeal re marking, first consider that the mark is not
linked to the amount of ink you have used.

Just because you have shown ‘working’ does not justify that your
solution is worth any marks.
 2021 YR9 HYE Section A Solutions and Comments
Answers in pencil and/or with white out will NOT have their marks changed.
1. Simplify (𝑎2 )3. 1
Solution Comment(s)
(𝑎2 )3 =𝑎 6 No half marks.

Students generally did well on this question.

2. Write with a positive index: 3−2 1

Solution Comment(s)
1 Common error(s):
3−2 =
32 • Writing the answer as
1
.
9

3. Write 14 830 000 000 in scientific notation. 1

Solution Comment(s)
14 830 000 000 = 1.483 × 10 10 Common error(s):
• Writing 1.483 as a number greater than 10,
e.g. 1483 × 107 .

4. Simplify:
A. 4√7 − √7 1
Solution Comment(s)
4√7 − √7 = 3√7 No half marks.

Students generally did well on this question.

B. 3√72 1
Solution Comment(s)
3√72 = 3√36 × 2 Common error(s):
= 3 × √62 × √2 • Leaving the answer as 9√8 without further
simplification.
= 3 × 6 × √2
= 18√2
 2021 YR9 HYE Section A Solutions and Comments
Answers in pencil and/or with white out will NOT have their marks changed.
5. Expand and simplify: 12 − 4(2𝑥 + 4) 1
Solution Comment(s)
12 − 4(2𝑥 + 4) = 12 − 8𝑥 − 16 Common error(s):
= −4 − 8𝑥 • Incorrectly expanding the minus sign.
• Misinterpreting the question as a binomial
expansion.
• Incorrectly expanding the expression to
8(2𝑥 + 4).

6. Factorise 10𝑎𝑏 − 35𝑏 2 + 20𝑏𝑐. 1

Solution Comment(s)
10𝑎𝑏 − 35𝑏 2 + 20𝑏𝑐 = 5𝑏(2𝑎 − 7𝑎 + 4𝑐) No half marks.

Common error(s):
• Not factorising completely.
• Attempting to factorise the expression into
binomial products.

 23 + 8.5 
7. Evaluate 4.7    correct to 2 significant figures. 1
 5.6 
Solution Comment(s)
23 + 8.5 Students generally did well on this question.
4.7 × ( ) = 26 (2 𝑠. 𝑓. )
5.6

6 y5  y7
8. Simplify . 1
10 y 2

Solution Comment(s)
6𝑦 5 × 𝑦 7 6𝑦 12 Common error(s):
= 6
10𝑦 2 10𝑦 2 • Forgetting to simplify the .
3𝑦10 10
= • Incorrectly simplifying the indices.
5
 2021 YR9 HYE Section A Solutions and Comments
Answers in pencil and/or with white out will NOT have their marks changed.
9. A length of fabric is measured to be 12.56 metres. 1
Given the possible error in the measurement, between which two measurements
does the true length lie?
Solution Comment(s)
Absolute error: Common error(s):
0.01 • Not specifying that 12.555 is included, but
= 0.005
2 12.565 is excluded in the range of values.
Hence, for the true length 𝑙, the range of • Incorrectly using the inequality symbols, e.g.
measurements are: 12.555 ≥ 𝑙 > 12.565 and
12.56 − 0.005 ≤ 𝑙 < 12.56 + 0.005 12.555 ≤ 𝑙 > 12.565.
12.555 ≤ 𝑙 < 12.565

10. A teacher must mark the papers of her 28 students. 2

In the first 40 minutes, she marked 5 papers.
If she keeps up at this rate, how long will it take to finish the task?
Solution Comment(s)
40: 5 = 8: 1 Students who answered 3 hr 4 min or equivalent were
Hence, the rate is 8 minutes per paper. also awarded full marks.
8: 1 = 𝑥: 28
∴ 𝑥 = 224 𝑚𝑖𝑛 Students who rounded their answer to 3.73 or
= 3 ℎ𝑟 40 𝑚𝑖𝑛 equivalent were penalised due to it not being exact.
Part B
Part C
4
1. Which of the following is the same as 27 3 ? (1m)
4
4 3 3 4  27  4
A. 27 B. 27 C.   D. 27
 3 
Answer is B

2. The mass of one atom of oxygen is 2.7 ×10−23 grams. (2m)

What is the mass of 8.5 ×1029 atoms of oxygen?
Answer in scientific notation correct to 3 significant figures.

2.7 ×10−23 × 8.5 ×1029= 22.95 ×106

22.95 ≈ 23.0 to 3 significant figures
23.0 ×106 = 2.30 ×107 grams

Note: Nearly all students made at least one mistake by not writing their answer correct to 3 significant figures and
also in scientific notation. Many did not do both of these things. Some students failed to realise that scientific notation
requires the number in front to be greater or equal to one and less than 10.

3. Find the exact value of 0.83   − 2 without a calculator. Show all working. (2m)
11
  , then 100 x = 83.83
Let x = 0.83  .
100 x −=x 83.83   − 0.83

99 x = 83
83
x=
99
83 2 83 18 65
Then we have − = − , which equals .
99 11 99 99 99

2   without showing any working

Note: This was generally done well but some students wrote the fraction as 0.18
11
and received no marks for this part of the question.

1 3 1 2 
4. Subtract  x − 4  from  −6 + 2 x  (2m)
3 5 4 3 

Note: This is another question that most students lost

marks on. Some students could not turn a mixed
fraction into an improper fraction correctly. Often the
sign of the constant term in the second pair of brackets
was incorrect when students took the brackets away
and a small number of students subtracted the wrong
expression.

–2–
5. If 28 + 7 =A , show that A = 63 (2m)

2 7+ 7=A
3 7= A
32 × 7 = A
63 = A

Note: This was mostly done very well.

6. Simplify (2m)

1 6
8 x x −3 = 2 x 2 x −3
3 3

= 2 x −1
2
=
x
Note: This was done reasonably well. Some students did not apply the cubed root to the 8 and some did not know how
to correctly interpret the negative power.

7. Simplify 32 − 98 − 50 × 72 (2m)

2 × 4 2 − 2 × 7 2 − 2 × 52 × 2 × 6 2 = 4 2 − 7 2 − 5 2 × 6 2
=−3 2 − 5 × 6 × 2 × 2
=−3 2 − 30 × 2
−3 2 − 60
=

Note: This was done reasonably well by most. A common mistake was that students failed to realise the last term
becomes an integer.

–3–
Part D:
5
1. Rationalise the denominator: (1m)
2 3

Comment:
Well done, apart from leaving your answer in the simplest form.

2. Evaluate (23 + 2−3 ) −2 and round to 2 significant figures. (1m)

Comment:
Many students rounded to 2 decimal places instead of 2 sig. fig.

−30a 7b 4 c −1
3. Simplify and write with positive indices: (2m)
18a 3b −2 c

Comment:
Many students forgot about the c2.
 1
4. Simplify: 75c 3 d 4 + 10c 2 d 2 3 c (2m)

Comment:
Very poorly done.

5. Expand and simplify:

(a) (3 x − 2)(3 x + 2) − (4 x − 1)(2 x − 5) (2m)

(b) (7 5 − 2 3) 2 (2m)

Comment:
Very well done.
 1 1 1 1
6. Find the exact value of the sum: + + + ... + (2m)
1+ 2 2+ 3 3+ 4 99 + 100

Comment:
Very poorly done.
 6
1. Rationalise the denominator and simplify: (2m)
2 2 +3 5

Sample answer:
√6 (2√2 − 3√5)
=
�2√2 + 3√5� �2√2 − 3√5�

2√12 − 3√30
=
8 − 45

3√30 − 4√3
=
37

Comments:
• Most students recognise rationalising denominators by multiplying both numerator and
denominator by (2√2 − 3√5) then use the formula (𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏)(𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏) = 𝑎𝑎2 − 𝑏𝑏 2
• A few students multiply by (2√2 + 3√5) or √6 and will be rewarded 0 marks
• Students should simplify 2√12 = 4√3. The answer 2√12 will be deducted 0.5 marks
• The negative should not be in the denominator

2. Expand and simplify: ( x + y )( x 2 + 3 xy + 2 y 2 ) − ( x + y ) 2 (3m)

Sample answer:
= 𝑥𝑥 3 + 3𝑥𝑥 2 𝑦𝑦 + 2𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 2 + 𝑥𝑥 2 𝑦𝑦 + 3𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 2 + 2𝑦𝑦 3 − (𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 2 )
= 𝑥𝑥 3 + 4𝑥𝑥 2 𝑦𝑦 + 5𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 2 + 3𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 2 + 2𝑦𝑦 3 − 𝑥𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦 2

Comments:
• This question is generally well done in the first line of working out particularly expanding
(𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)2
• The most common mistake is when expanding the bracket (𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 2 ) with negative
sign. The answer should be −𝑥𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦 2 − 6 × 2
• A few students do not collect like terms after expanding (𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)(𝑥𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 2 ) or
make mistakes when collecting like terms

–2–
 2a + 2 − 4
3. Simplify (2m)
2a − 1
Sample answer:
2𝑎𝑎 22 − 4
=
2𝑎𝑎 − 1
4(2𝑎𝑎 − 1)
=
2𝑎𝑎 − 1
=4
Comments:
• Some students recognise 2𝑎𝑎+2 = 2𝑎𝑎 22 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 2𝑎𝑎 4 and will be rewarded 0.5 marks
• A few students attempt to multiply both numerator and denominator by 2𝑎𝑎 + 1 but this
question does not require rationalising
• The common mistake is 2𝑎𝑎+2 = 2𝑎𝑎 +22
• Most students did well in the first line of working out but did not take 4 out as a common
factor in the numerator
• Answer 4 without correct working out will be awarded 1 mark

4. The sums of money in the hands of 3 card players, A, B and C, are in the ratio
7 : 6 : 5 at the beginning of the game and 6 : 5 : 4 at the end of the game.

(a) Who won and who lost? (2m)

Sample answers:

A B C
Before 35 30 25
After 36 30 24

Therefore, A won and C lost

Comments:
• This question is generally well done and students has used their knowledge and
understanding of ratio
• Many different solutions are provided, but B should remain the same
• Students provide the answers without reasoning will be rewarded 1 mark

(b) If one of the players won $120 find how much each of the players had at the (2m)
beginning of the game.

Sample answer:
1 part = $120
𝐴𝐴 = 35 × 120 = 4200
𝐵𝐵 = 30 × 120 = 3600
𝐶𝐶 = 25 × 120 = 3000
Comments:
• Students could use their answers in part (a) to solve part (b)
• This question is well demonstrated and most students provided correct solutions in
different methods

–3–
 x− y x+ y x− y
5. Show that = (2m)
x+ y x− y x+ y

Sample answer:

Method 1
(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦)�𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 =
(𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)�𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦
�𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦
=
�𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦
𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦
= � = 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦
Method 2
(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦)2 (𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = �
(𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)2 (𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦)

𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦
= � = 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦
Method 3

2
(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦)2 (𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)
(𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿) =
(𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)2 (𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦)
(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑦𝑦)
= = (𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅)2
(𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)
Therefore, LHS = RHS as required

Comments:
• Students have attempted to solve this question using various methods
• A few students did method 3 and expand the bracket after the first line of working out but
made some common mistakes in cancelling the numerator and denominator, therefore,
they will be deducted marks
• Most students used the second method and achieved the correct results
𝑥𝑥+𝑦𝑦 𝑥𝑥+𝑦𝑦
• A few students recognise that �𝑥𝑥−𝑦𝑦 = √𝑥𝑥−𝑦𝑦 and will be rewarded 0.5 marks for this
√
working out
• Students cannot make assumptions that this is true then square both sides or solving the
equations

–4–
Section F Solution

Marking Scheme:
1 mark for correct working out.
1 mark for the correct answer for a + b + c + d.

Marker’s comments:
- Many candidates found 2 × 3 × 5 × 7 =210 which doesn’t lead to the correct answer. No mark was
given.
- Some candidates whom successfully found a, b, c, d did not answer the question a + b + c + d.
Half a mark was penalised.

Marking Scheme:
1 mark for correct working.
1 mark for correct answer.

Marker’s comments:

- Many candidates took out a (-1) out from (d - 1)2 and (c - 1)4, however it should be (-1)2 and (-1)4
respectively which is taking out 1. Any candidates whom wrote out two negatives were penalised as
part of incorrect working.
- Significant number of candidates need to take more care with multiplication index law i.e.
multiplying two equal bases means adding the powers, not multiply the powers.
- Candidates who expanded (d − 1) 2 and (c − 1) 4 did not receive any extra marks for the working as it
did not contribute to the correct solution.
Marking Scheme
- 2 marks for correct working.
- 1 mark for the correct exact percentage.
Marker’s Comments
- Candidates whom showed the above working with actual amounts (rather than ratio or fractions) for
each step were more successful in answering the question correctly.
- Significant number of candidates need to revise their percentages, the use of approximation symbol
2 •
and recuring decimals. If candidates did not mention equal to 66 % or 66.6 % or approximately to
3
66.67% , they were penalised.
Marking Scheme
- 2 marks for correct working out.
- 1 mark for correct answer.
Marker’s Comments
- This was done poorly by majority of the candidates.
- Significant number of errors occurred around index laws and silly mistakes.
3
- Candidates who changed all the numbers powers into its meaning e.g d 4 = 4 d 3 without any further
progress did not gain any marks.
- Just because you have shown ‘working’ does not justify that your solution is worth any marks.

Marking scheme
- 1 mark for finding the correct ratio of speeds (or equivalent).
- 1 mark for the correct value of time that the racehorses meet with correct reasoning.
- 1 mark for the correct answer.
Marker’s comments:
- This was done poorly by many candidates.
- Significant number of candidates wrote that Phar Lap had travelled more than 1km, in a 1km race!
- Candidates who only wrote 950m in the difference of distance travelled between the two racehorses
were not given any marks, as it was not enough to contribute to the correct solution.