MODEL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Final / Day Program — Mathematics Examination Preparation
1. Progressions
a) Three numbers are in arithmetic progression. Find the numbers if their sum is 30 and the sum of
their squares is 332?
Solution:
Let the three numbers be a − d, a, and a + d.
From the given sum:
(a − d) + a + (a + d) = 30 ⇒ 3a = 30 ⇒ a = 10
From the sum of squares:
(10 − d)2 + 102 + (10 + d)2 = 332
100 − 20d + d2 + 100 + 100 + 20d + d2 = 332
300 + 2d2 = 332 ⇒ 2d2 = 32 ⇒ d2 = 16 ⇒ d = ±4
Thus, the numbers are: 6, 10, 14.
b) Calculate the following sum: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + ··· + 37
Solution:
This is an arithmetic progression (AP) where the first term a1 = 1, the common difference d = 2, and the last
term an = 37.
First, find the number of terms (n):
an = a1 + (n − 1)d ⇒ 37 = 1 + (n − 1)2
36 = 2(n − 1) ⇒ 18 = n − 1 ⇒ n = 19
Now, calculate the sum (Sn):
Sn = ½ n (a1 + an) ⇒ S19} = ½ × 19 × (1 + 37) = 19 × 19 = 361
The sum is: 361.
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c) Consider (un)n∈N as an arithmetic progression such that u8 = 27 and u2 + u3 + u4 = 21. Calculate
the common difference d, and write un as a function of n.
Solution:
Using the general term formula un = u1 + (n − 1)d:
1) u8 = u1 + 7d = 27
2) u2 + u3 + u4 = 21 ⇒ (u1 + d) + (u1 + 2d) + (u1 + 3d) = 21 ⇒ 3u1 + 6d = 21 ⇒ u1 + 2d = 7
Subtracting the second equation from the first:
(u1 + 7d) − (u1 + 2d) = 27 − 7 ⇒ 5d = 20 ⇒ d = 4
Substitute d = 4 back into u1 + 2d = 7:
u1 + 2(4) = 7 ⇒ u1 = −1
The general function formula is:
un = −1 + (n − 1)4 = 4n − 5
Common difference (d) = 4; Function: un = 4n − 5.
d) Find the 12th term of the geometric sequence whose 8th term is 192 and the common ratio is equal to
2.
Solution:
The general term formula for a geometric sequence is an = a1 · rn−1.
The relationship between the 12th term and the 8th term is:
a12 = a8 · r12−8 = a8 · r4
Substitute the given values:
a12 = 192 × 24 = 192 × 16 = 3072
The 12th term is: 3072.
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2. Limits
a) Evaluate: limx→4 ( √(2x + 8) − 4 ) / (x − 4)
Solution:
Direct substitution yields 0/0. Multiply the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the numerator:
limx→4 [(√(2x + 8) − 4)(√(2x + 8) + 4)] / [(x − 4)(√(2x + 8) + 4)]
= limx→4 (2x + 8 − 16) / [(x − 4)(√(2x + 8) + 4)]
= limx→4 [2(x − 4)] / [(x − 4)(√(2x + 8) + 4)]
= limx→4 2 / (√(2x + 8) + 4) = 2 / (√16 + 4) = 2 / 8 = 1/4
The limit is: 1/4.
b) Evaluate: limx→∞ ( (5x − 1) / (5x + 3) )x + 2
Solution:
Rewrite the inner expression as 1 − 4 / (5x + 3). This forms an indeterminate form of 1∞:
limx→∞ (1 − 4 / (5x + 3))x + 2 = elimx→∞ (x + 2)(−4 / (5x + 3))
Evaluate the exponent limit:
limx→∞ (−4x − 8) / (5x + 3) = −4/5
The limit is: e−4/5.
c) Evaluate: limx→1 ( (x2 + 3x − 3) / (2x2 + 1) )x + 5
Solution:
Apply direct substitution since it is not an indeterminate form:
Base = (12 + 3(1) − 3) / (2(1)2 + 1) = 1/3
Exponent = 1 + 5 = 6
Limit = (1/3)6 = 1 / 729
The limit is: 1/729.
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d) Evaluate: limx→3 (x4 − 81) / (x − 3)
Solution:
Factor the numerator using the difference of squares:
x4 − 81 = (x2 − 9)(x2 + 9) = (x − 3)(x + 3)(x2 + 9)
Substitute back into the limit and cancel out (x − 3):
limx→3 [(x − 3)(x + 3)(x2 + 9)] / (x − 3) = limx→3 (x + 3)(x2 + 9)
= (3 + 3)(32 + 9) = 6 × 18 = 108
The limit is: 108.
3. Derivatives
Calculate the derivative of the following functions:
• a) y = ex + (3x2 − 2)/x
Simplify first: y = ex + 3x − 2x−1
Differentiate: y' = ex + 3 + 2/x2
• b) y = √(x2 + x + 37)
Using the chain rule: y' = (2x + 1) / (2√(x2 + x + 37))
• c) y = (2x − 1)4
Using the power/chain rule: y' = 4(2x − 1)3 × 2 = 8(2x − 1)3
• d) y = (2x + 4) / √(1 − x2)
Using the quotient rule: y' = (4x + 2) / (1 − x2)3/2
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e) Use the second-derivative test to find all maximum and minimum points of the function: y = x3/3 +
x2/2 − 2x + 1
Solution:
Step 1: Find critical points by setting the first derivative to 0.
y' = x2 + x − 2 = 0 ⇒ (x + 2)(x − 1) = 0 ⇒ Critical points at x = 1, x = −2
Step 2: Find the second derivative.
y'' = 2x + 1
Step 3: Test critical points.
• At x = 1: y'' = 2(1) + 1 = 3 > 0 → Local Minimum.
Original function value: y(1) = 1/3 + 1/2 − 2 + 1 = −1/6. Point: (1, −1/6).
• At x = −2: y'' = 2(−2) + 1 = −3 < 0 → Local Maximum.
Original function value: y(−2) = −8/3 + 2 + 4 + 1 = 13/3. Point: (−2, 13/3).
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4. Parametric Derivatives at t = π
Calculate the derivatives dy/dx at t = π:
a) x = etsin(2t), y = etcos(t)
Find parametric derivatives with respect to t:
dx/dt = et(sin(2t) + 2cos(2t))
dy/dt = et(cos(t) − sin(t))
At t = π:
dx/dt = eπ(0 + 2(1)) = 2eπ
dy/dt = eπ(−1 − 0) = −eπ
dy/dx = (dy/dt) / (dx/dt) = −eπ / (2eπ) = −1/2
Result: −1/2
b) x = (2t + 1)sin(2t), y = (t2 − t + 1)cos(t)
At t = π:
dx/dt = 2\sin(2t) + 2(2t+1)\cos(2t) ⇒ dx/dt|t=π = 4π + 2
dy/dt = (2t-1)\cos(t) - (t^2-t+1)\sin(t) ⇒ dy/dt|t=π = 1 − 2π
dy/dx = (1 − 2π) / (4π + 2)
Result: (1 − 2π) / (4π + 2)
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5. Integrals
Calculate the following integrals:
a) I + J and I − J such that I = ∫ cos2x dx and J = ∫ sin2x dx
I + J = ∫ (cos2x + sin2x)dx = ∫ 1dx = x + C1
I − J = ∫ (cos2x − sin2x)dx = ∫ cos(2x)dx = ½sin(2x) + C2
b & c) ∫ (2x + 3)/(2x + 1) dx
= ∫ (1 + 2/(2x + 1))dx = x + ln|2x + 1| + C
d) ∫ (3x4 − 2x + 7)dx
= (3/5)x5 − x2 + 7x + C
e) ∫12 (x2 + 2x − 3)dx
= [x3/3 + x2 − 3x]12 = (8/3 + 4 − 6) − (1/3 + 1 − 3) = 2/3 − (−5/3) = 7/3
6. Area & Integration by Parts
a) Find the area bounded by y = x2 + 1 and the line x + y = 3 on the interval [0, 2].
Solution:
Intersection occurs where x2 + 1 = 3 − x ⇒ x2 + x − 2 = 0 ⇒ x = 1 within [0, 2].
The area is split into two regions:
Area = ∫01 (3 − x − (x2 + 1))dx + ∫12 ((x2 + 1) − (3 − x))dx
= [2x − x2/2 − x3/3]01 + [x3/3 + x2/2 − 2x]12
= 7/6 + 11/6 = 18/6 = 3
The total area is: 3.
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b) Evaluate: I = ∫1e x ln(x)dx
Solution:
Using integration by parts (∫ u dv = uv − ∫ v du):
Let u = ln(x) ⇒ du = (1/x)dx, and dv = x dx ⇒ v = x2/2.
∫ x ln(x)dx = [(x2/2)ln(x)] − ∫ (x2/2)(1/x)dx = (x2/2)ln(x) − x2/4
Applying bounds from 1 to e:
I = [(e2/2)ln(e) − e2/4] − [(12/2)ln(1) − 1/4]
= (e2/2 − e2/4) − (0 − 1/4) = e2/4 + 1/4 = (e2 + 1)/4
The final result is: (e2 + 1)/4.
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