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Problem Solving Solutions JC
Problem Solving Solutions JC
Problem Solving Solutions JC
2. Using proof by superposition show The students could use a number of approaches. A It would be worth discussing
that the area of a triangle is simple one might be to choose a rectangle with the students why the
1
Area base height
Area base height . Now a diagonal divides this in diagonal divided a rectangle
(or any parallelogram) into
2 two so the area of the resulting triangle(s) is two triangular regions of
base height equal area.
2 . These triangles are right-angled The answer can be illustrated
Now this can be generalised by taking any triangle and using the attached GeoGebra
constructing its perpendicular height. This gives two file.
right-angled triangles of base x and y respectively.
x y is the base of the big triangle
1
Area x h
2 1
Area yh
2
h
x y
1 1
Total Area y h x h
2 2
1
2
h x y
1
2
h base
3. A trapezoid is a four-sided object with b2 As in the problem above the
two sides parallel to each other. An question creates a nice link
back to algebra through the
b2 h use of common factors.
While the Trapezoid (per se)
is not on JC but as it has been
h b1
defined here and as it is made
up of two triangles it is a
Area of Trapezoid Area of 1 Area of 2 combination of 2D shapes
b1 1 1 listed in the JC syllabus it is a
b1 h b2h
example of a trapezoid is shown 2 2 reasonable question, I think.
1
above.
h b1 b2
2
4. True/False. A triangle can have two A 90 o ,B 90 0 The idea is that the students
obtuse angles. Justify your answer. False. should look up the definition
A B 180 0
of obtuse angles. The link to
inequalities should also be
made
5. In the diagram below find the measure 180o Ask the students do they
of the angle if AB = AC and AE = 2 think that the answer is
CE = BC reasonable. Check out using
5 180 0 an accurate drawing and a
36 0 protractor and then use
GeoGebra.
6. If the length of a rectangle is halved Original area is A1 xy , the new area is given by This addresses the concept of
and the width is tripled how is the proportional reasoning The
x
area of the rectangle affected? A2 3y students should also be asked
2 to consider the effect of
3xy increasing the length is
6 increased by two and the
3A1 wide reduced by three.
2
The area is reduced by a factor of 1.3.
7. A mathematics test has 25 questions. Say the student answers x questions correctly and y Most students would use trial
Four points are given for each correct incorrectly. Then: x y 25 and 4x y 35 . Etc and error here. So use this
answer1 point is deducted for each opportunity to get them to
incorrect answer. If Brad answered all structure their trial and error
questions and scored 35. How many in an orderly fashion by
questions did he answer incorrectly? making out a table such as
√ χ Points
25 0 4(25)
24 1 4(24) + 1(1)
23 2 4(23) + 1(2)
Etc.
8. A playground has 3 entrances, each Each child has three choices and so the probability that Ask the students how this
equally likely to be used. What is the 1 1 1 question could be made more
probability that two children entering both use the same entrance is complicated. Such as, if there
3 3 9
the playground will use the same were more entrances or
entrance? finding the probability of
them entering using different
entrances……
9. The yearly change in the yield of milk Say the farm produces 100 units to begin with and It might be best, to begin
on a dairy farm over four consecutive assuming that the percentage change is 10% each time. with, to deal with particular
years was as follows: An increase of At the end of year 1 The yield 110 and at the end of values of x (say 10%)
x% in each of the first two years, year 2,
followed by a decrease of x% in each 10
of the next two years. Assuming that Yield 110 110
at least some milk was produced 100
during the period described what has 121 units
happened to the yield of milk from the 10
beginning of the four-year period to Yield 121 121
At the end of year 3 100
the end?
108.9 units
10
Yield 108.9 108.9
At the end of year 4 100
98.01 units
11. A pile of gold dust is divided among 13 It works better if Bobby gets 14
three prospectors. Calamity Jane and Bobby gets of the total (x). Now grams. I’d suggest you use 14 in
20 class
2 1 13
Wild Bill get and of the dust x 14
5 4 20
respectively. Bobby "Nugget" Smith 20 14
gets the remaining 14 grams. How x grams
many grams does Calamity and Wild 13
Bill each get? 2 20 14
Jane gets grams . Wild bill gets the rest.
5 13
12. Which of the following must be an 46 (a) This problem offers a nice
even integer? (a) May not be even-use a counter example 5 opportunity to look at general
2 principles: The sum of two even
a. The average of two even
numbers looks like 2m 2q
integers
23 5 where m and q are positive integers.
b. The average of two prime (b) May not be even-use a counter example The average is then
2 2
numbers
c. The average of two perfect (c) May not be even-use a counter example: 9+16 is 2m 2q 2 m q
squares odd, for example, and the answer follows 2 2 and we
d. The average of two multiples of (d) Must be even:- Now we need to solve this in general. mq
4 The sum of two multiples of four must look like don’t’ know anything about m q
e. The average of three 4n 4m where m and n are positive integers. Therefore
Note: The purpose of these
consecutive integers 4m 4n 2 2m 2n questions is to get the students to
, which is even see the power of the counter
2 2 example. If an hypothesis fails once
Explain your reasoning or show a counter 2m 2n it is sufficient reason to discard it.
example in each case (e) Not necessarily even use a counter example On the other hand if one wants to
prove something true in general a
1 2 3
3 rigorous treatment is required
2
(e) This is worth exploring further,
as the students might explore any
other properties of the sum of three
consecutive integers
13. Six identical rectangles with height h The triangles PAQ and XYZ are similar and so
and width w are arranged as shown. 4h 1
The line segment PQ intersects the
3w 2
vertical side of one rectangle at X and
h 3
the horizontal side of another
rectangle at Z. If the right-angled w 8
triangle XYZ is such that Y Z = 2XY,
h
find the value of . P
w
X
A Y Z
h
Q
w
14. A gumball machine that randomly The maximum possible number of gumballs dispensed This question prompts additional
dispenses one gumball at a time before a third ball of either red blue or white must occur interesting ones. For example, what
is the minimum possible number
contains 13 red, 5 blue, 1 white, and 9 is 7 one such example is 2R,2B,W,2G whatever ball before three of the same colour may
green gumballs. What is the least now emerges must be either R, G or B. And so the be dispensed or the number to
number of gumballs that a customer required number is 8. guarantee that three of the same
must buy to guarantee that he/she colour is dispensed one after the
receives 3 gumballs of the same colour? other?
15. In the diagram, the two circles are The key ideas here are:-
centred at O. Point S is on the larger (a) A diameter at right angles
to a chord bisects the
circle. Point Q is the point of chord
intersection of OS and the smaller O (b) The use of Pythagoras
circle. Line segment PR is a chord of r having recognised that
x [OS] and [OR] are radii
the larger circle and touches (that is, is
Q 6
tangent to) the smaller circle at Q. Note P
4 R
that OS is the perpendicular bisector of
PR. If PR = 12 and QS = 4, find the S
length of the radius of the larger circle.
16. A palindrome is a positive integer The smallest three-digit palindrome is 101, the largest is The problem provided interesting
that is the same when read forwards or 999 opportunities for conversations
around what are the features of a
backwards. For example, 545 and three-digit number (it can’t begin
1331 are both palindromes. Find the with 0, for example) and around the
difference between the smallest and total number of both three digit
largest three-digit palindromes. numbers and palindromic three
digit numbers etc.
17. A 51 cm rod is built from 5 cm rods The approach here involves recognising that the total This question should lead to
and 2 cm rods. All of the 5 cm rods length formed the 2cm rods is even and the remaining discussions about the properties of
numbers generally:
must come first, and are followed by length is an odd multiple of five (and so ends in five). Sum and product of even numbers
the 2 cm rods. For example, the rod So the possible lengths are Multipes. How do we know if a
could be made from seven 5 cm rods
followed by eight 2 cm rods. How
5 46 1 5 23 2 number is odd (or even)
How do we know (without
many ways are there to build the 51 15 36 35 18 2 division) that a number is a
25 26 5 5 132
multiple of2, 3, 4 5 and so on.
cm rod?
35 16 7 5 8 2
45 6 15 5 32
18. Three pumpkins are weighed two at The two bigger numbers must be consecutive positive
a time in all possible ways. The integers as the sum of the lightest with these differs by
weights of the pairs of pumpkins are 1. The middle number must be two greater than the
12 kg, 13 kg and 15 kg. How much smaller as when it is added to the larger the sum is three
does the lightest pumpkin weigh? greater than when it is added to the smaller.
Observation the leads to the numbers 5,7,8
19. The sum of four numbers is x. a b c d x The idea here is to reinforce the
Suppose that each of the four numbers
is now increased by 1. These four new
3 a 1 b 1 c 1 d 1 3 a b c d 4 link between algebra and number
generally and that students realise
numbers are added together and then 3x 4 that algebraic solutions are the most
powerful because they hold in
the sum is tripled. What is the value, 3x 12 general
in terms of x, of the number thus
formed?
20. In the figure below, ABCD is a The discussion points around this
rectangle. The points A, F, and E lie problem include recognising the
congruent triangles that result from
on a straight line. The segments DF, b the construction:-drawing the
BE, and CA are each perpendicular to horizontal line segment at right
FE. Denote the length of DF by a and u angles to the diagonal of the
the length of BE by b. Find the length rectangle. These triangles can then
of FE in terms of a and b. be used to relate the area of the
rectangle to that of the required
a
triangles.
u u
21. The average age of a group of mathematicians Say there are x Computer Scientists and y
and computer scientists is 40. If the Mathematicians, therefore
mathematicians' average age is 35 and the
computer scientists' average age is 50, what is x 50 y 35
40
10x 5 y
the ratio of the number of mathematicians to x y and x 5 1
the number of computer scientists?
50x 35 y 40x 40 y y 10 2
22. A rectangle with unequal sides is x 2x
placed in a square so that each vertex
lies on a side of the square and divides
the side in the ratio 1:2. Find the x
fraction of the area of the square that
is covered by the rectangle. 2x
2x
2x x
Area of the square is 3x 3x 9x 2 . The area of the
1
smaller triangles is 2 x 2 x 2 while that of the larger
2
1
triangles is 2 4x 2 4x 2 . So the fraction covered is
2
5x 2 5
9x 2 9
23. (a) How many 10-digit positive (a) the required number is (a) The number can’t begin
integers use each and every one of 9 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 with 0 and so there are only 9
the ten digits 0, 1, _ _ _ , 9 once and (b) there are choices for the first position.
once only? 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 , ten-digit As 0 can be included in the
(b) How many 10-digit numbers are numbers second position and we have
there? 9 choices, then 8 choices etc
24. Richie's King Henry training shoes There are 16 lacings running diagonally each of length:-
have 9 eyelets on each side, spaced x 1.4 2 0.7 2
0.7 cm apart. Using the standard
lacing shown below. Richie laces 1.565cm
his right shoe so that there is 1.4 Thee is also one horizontal lace of length 1.4 cm and so
cm between the two parallel rows the total lengths is
of eyelets. This leaves 15 cm of 15 15 8 1.565 1.4 43.92 cm
lace free on each side for tying.
How long is the lace?
25. What is the area of the shaded x x It should be noted that E,F G
square shown if the larger square and h are the midpoints of the
has sides of length 1? sides of the outer square.
x
1 Get the students to construct
x
the figure using pen and
b paper and then GeoGebra.
q 2 x
x h
y
x x
1
So the triangles have area A
2
2x x x 2
Now if we take two of these triangles we are left with
the two quadrilaterals labelled 1 and 2 in the diagram.
To find the area of either of these it requires that we take
the area of two of the triangles labelled q in the diagram
from the area of the large triangles. We can see that
x 1
tan y and the area of the triangle is
2x 2
1 1
2
base height b h
2
1 b
tan y , therefore 2b h and Area b
2
2 h
b 1
sin y
x 5 5
1
x
b y
5
2
x2
Area of q . Therefore the area of quad 1 is given
5
2
2x 3x 2
by x 2 . The area of the inner square is given
5 5
3x 2 3x 2 4x 2
by:- 4x 2 2x 2
5 5 5
11
26. Without using a calculator or a 3211 2 16
computer, determine which of the
two numbers 3111 or 1714 is 3211 3111 211 1611
larger? 8 2 4 2 4 1611
8 1613
Now 17 14
17 17 as 17 8 and 17
13 13
1613 it follows
that 1714 3211 and the result follows
27. A machine-shop cutting tool has
the shape of a notched circle, as
shown. The radius of the circle is
50 cm, the length of CD is 6 cm,
and that of BD is 2 cm. The angle 50
6
CBD is a right angle. Find the
distance from D to the centre of the
circle (A).
49.64
2. Now DB. DB 50 49.64
28. The numbers 1447, 1005, and 1231 The solution involves looking a number of mutually The main thing to consider
have something in common: each exclusive cases: here is that the use of
is a four-digit number beginning Numbers where 1 is repeated diagrams to solve this type of
with 1 that has exactly two (a) 1 first and second:- 1 1 9 8 . The other cases problem is very useful. So if
identical digits. How many such (first and third and first and last also have the same the students mark out four
numbers are there? number of possibilities). The total number is 3 72 boxes and considers all of the
(b) Matching numbers (other than1 second and third). ways that they can be filled
We get 1 9 1 8 . Now the other cases:- matching without repeating any of the
numbers second and last and third and last also earlier cases
yield these numbers of possibilities. So the total is
3 72 .
The grand total is 3 72 3 72 6 72
29. The diagram below shows the The big issue here is to
number of employees plotted discuss why the value
against their length of service with assigned to each dot is
a given company. The vertical axis immaterial as long as it is
indicates the number of employees consistently applied. Again
but the scale was accidentally underpinning the power of an
omitted from this graph. What algebraic approach.
percent of the company’s
employees have worked there for 5
years or more?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Q (5 ,1 2)
larger circle and the point P 0 ,s
is on
the smaller circle. If , what is Q (0 ,s )
AB 3
the value of s?
A B
The radius length of the inner circle is 10 i.e. 13 3 .
Therefore s 10
40. In the diagram, there are 26 levels, Level A This is an example of
labelled . There is one dot
A, B ,C ,K ,Z
exponential growth where the
on level A. Each of levels Level B base is 2. This type of
B, D , F , H ,K
contains twice as
, and Z
Level C problem is particularly
many dots as the level immediately Level D fascinating in that mitosis in
above. Each of levels biology obeys this type of
contains the same behaviour-without the skips
There are 13 levels where the doubling takes place. Level B
C , E ,G ,K ,and Y
42. A hybrid car can run on petrol or on The petrol car has a consumption of 11 kilometres per
ethanol. It can drive for 495 litre at a cost of 11 1.61 ó17.71
kilometres on 45 litres of petrol and it The ethanol car has a consumption of 20 kilometres per
can drive 280 kilometres on 14 litres litre and so
of ethanol. If the price of petrol € 1.61
20 cost / l 17.71
per litre, find the price per litre of
ethanol which will give the same cost 17.71
per kilometre as petrol?
cost / l ó0.886l 1
20
43. Determine which of the following (a) Not true as 2 p 5q is not a multiple of ¸
statements is true for any two integers (b) True as divides by
p and q where 11 divides into 2 p 5q
2 p 5q
2
2 p 5q
(e) 2 p
divide into 11
5q
44. The circles shown below are Once the marksman hits the
concentric and have radii of length 3 target, the only point of
cm, 4cm, 5cm and 6 cm respectively. interest is the area of the
What is the probability that a random inner circle compared to the
shot that hits the target at will hit the
rest. The problem assumes a
bull’s eye (i.e. land in the innermost
random distribution of shots
circle)?
on the target area, and
perhaps the use of the word
marksman isn’t really
The area of the inner circle is 0.25 of the total area. appropriate! Follow up
32 9 1 questions might include, what
Therefore the probability of a bull’s-eye is
6 2
36 4 would the probability of
0.25 1 hitting the outer ring? Etc. A
nice extension question
3 5 would be to ask the students
7 9 11 to figure out the probability
of hitting France when a dart
13 15 17 19 is thrown at the map of
mainland Europe.
(a) k 2 1 is always greater than k. k is a positive number
45. Let k be a integer. Which of the 2 (a) For what integer(s) is
following is always greater than k? greater than or equal to k. and so the result follows. k k2
(a) k 2 1 (b) 2k isn’t always greater than k. If k is negative 2k is less
(b) 2k than k.
(c) k 100 (c) k 100 is always greater than k. This is true as 100 is an even
3
(d) k 1 power and as k is a whole number and k 100 is a positive
whole number greater than k.
Explain your reasoning
(d) k 1 is also always greater than k for more or less the
3
same reason(s)