RC 1 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Express the sum to infinity of the series 2 - 0.2 + 0.02 -

0.002 + 0.0002 - . . as a rational number.
ANSWER: 20/11
[exponential series a = 2, r = -0.1, S∞ = a/(1 – r) = 2/(1 +
0.1) = 2/1.1 = 20/11]

2 The function y = ax2 + bx + c has gradient 2x – 2 and

has a minimum value of 0. Find the values of a, b and c.
ANSWER: a = 1, b = -2, c = 1
[dy/dx = 2ax + b = 2x – 2, 2a = 2, a = 1, b = -2, for
minimum, dy/dx = 2x – 2 = 0, x = 1, hence a + b + c = 0,
1 – 2 + c = 0, c = 1]

3 Solve the trigonometric equation cos2x = 3/4 for the

interval 0 < x < π
ANSWER: x = π/6, 5π/6
[cosx = ±√3/2, cosx = √3/2, x = π/6, cosx = -√3/2, x = π –
π/6 = 5π/6]

RC 2 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Solve 2cosx - 1 = 0, for the interval 0 < x < π

ANSWER: x = π/3
[cosx = 1/2, x = π/3]

2 Find the interval on which f(x) = x3 – 2x2 - 7x +3 is

decreasing.
ANSWER: {x: -1< x < 7/3}
[df/dx = 3x2 – 4x – 7 < 0, 3x2 – 7x + 3x – 7 = x(3x – 7) +
1(3x – 7 =
(3x – 7)(x + 1) < 0, -1 < x < 7/3]

3 Find the inverse of the linear transformation (x, y) →

(2x + 3y, 3x + 5y)
ANSWER: (x, y) →(5x – 3y, -3x + 2y)

[A = , det A = 10 – 9 = 1, A-1 = , (x, y)→(5x –

3y, -3x + 2y)]
RC3 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Solve the equation (cosx + 1)(sinx – 1) = 1, for x in the

interval 0 < x < π.
ANSWER: x = π/2
[ sinx – 1 = 0, sinx = 1, x = π/2, cosx + 1 = 1, cosx = 0, x
= π/2]

2 Find the equation of a curve with gradient (6x2 – 2x + 5)

and passing through the point A(1, -6)
ANSWER: y = 2x3 – x2 + 5x – 12
[ y = 2x3 – x2 + 5x + C, -6 = 2 – 1 + 5 + C, C = -12, y = 2x3
– x2 + 5x – 12]

3 Find the inverse of the matrix A =

ANSWER: A-1 = [det A = -9 + 10 = 1, A-1 = ]

RC 4 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find an integer solution of the equation x2(x + 1) = 392,

by factoring the right-hand side.
ANSWER: x = 7
[392 = 72(8) = x2(x + 1), x2 = 72, x + 1 = 8, x = 7]

2 Express 5/(2 + 3tan30°) as a surd in a simplified form.

ANSWER: 10 - 5√3
[5/(2 + 3/√3) = 5/(2 + √3)= 5(2 - √3) = 10 - 5√3]

3 Find the area of the finite region bounded by the curve

y = (4 – x2) and the
x-axis.
ANSWER: 32/3
[4 – x2 = 0, x = ± 2, A=

RC5 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find an integer root of the equation x4 + x3 = 108

ANSWER: x = 3
[x3(x + 1) = 108 = 334, x3 = 33, x + 1 = 4, x = 3]

2 Find the value of n if 135n = 5910

ANSWER: n = 6
[n2 + 3n + 5 = 59, n2 + 3n – 54 = (n + 9)(n – 6) = 0, n =
6]

3 Find the greatest value and the least value of y = 4cosx

-3
ANSWER: greatest value = 1, least value = -7
[greatest = 4 – 3 = 1, least value = -4 – 3 = -7 ]

RC 6 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find the gradient of the curve x2 - 2xy – 3y2 = 10.

ANSWER: dy/dx = (x – y)/(x + 3y) [2x – 2(y +
xdy/dx) – 6ydy/dx = 0,
(x – y) = (dy/dx)(x + 3y), dy/dx = (x – y)/(x + 3y)]

2 In a throw of 2 fair dice, find the probability of

obtaining either a total score of 5, or 10. ANSWER:
7/36
[A = {(1, 4), (2, 3), (3, 2), (4, 1), (4, 6), (5, 5), (6, 4)}, n(A)
= 7, P(A) = 7/36]
3 Given that sinA = 5/13 and sinB = 3/5 with A acute and
B obtuse, find
sin(A + B) ANSWER: 16/65
[cosA = 12/13, cosB = -4/5, sin(A + B) = sinAcosB +
cosAsinB = (5/13)(-4/5) + (12/13)(3/5) = (-20 + 36)/65 =
16/65]

RC 7 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 A binary operation ∗ is defined on the set Z of integers

by
a∗b = a + 2b – 3ab. Evaluate 3∗2
ANSWER: -11
[3∗2 = 3 + 2(2) – 3(3)2 = 7 – 18 = - 11]

2 Find the value of x and the value of y given 3x2y = 108

ANSWER: x = 3, y = 2
[3x2y = 108 = 27(4) = 3322, equate powers, x = 3, y = 2]

3 Find the sum to infinity of the series 2 - 4/3 + 8/9 -

16/27 + . . .
ANSWER: 6/5
[a = 2, r = -2/3, S∞ = a/(1 – r) = 2/(1 + 2/3) = 2/(5/3) =
6/5]

RC 8 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Simplify (1 + tan60°)/(tan60° – 1)
ANSWER: 2 + √3
[(1 + √3)/(√3 – 1) = (1 + √3)2/2 = (1 + 3 + 2√3)/2 = 2 +
√3]

2 Water from a fountain rises to a maximum height of 20

m. Find the speed of the water as it leaves the nozzle.
(Take g = 10 m/s2)
ANSWER: 20 m/s
[u2 = 2gh = 2(10)20 = 400, u = 20 m/s]
3 Find the equation of a curve with gradient 6x2 – 4x + 5
and passing through the point A(0, - 9)
ANSWER: 2x3 – 2x2 + 5x - 9
[dy/dx = 6x2 – 4x + 5, y = 2x3 – 2x2 + 5x + C, C = -9, y =
2x3 – 2x2+ 5x – 9]
RC 9 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 A particle moving in a straight line with uniform

acceleration covers a distance of100 m while speed
changes from 5 m/s to 15 m/s. Find the acceleration.
ANSWER: 1m/s2 [(a = (v2 – u2)/2s = (225 – 25)/2(100) =
1 m/s2]

2 Evaluate the limit

ANSWER: -4
[(x2 + 2x – 3)/(x + 3) =(x + 3)(x – 1)/(x + 3) = x – 1, Limit
= -3 – 1 = -4]

3 2 fair dice are thrown, and the total score is 8. Find the
probability both scores are odd numbers.
ANSWER: 2/5
[S = {(2, 6), (3, 5), (4, 4), (5, 3), (6, 2)} A = {(3, 5), (5, 3)},
P(A) = 2/5]

RC 11 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find the next three terms of a sequence defined by the

recurrence relation,
Un = 2Un - 1 + 5, U1 = -3
ANSWER: U2 = -1, U3 = 3, U4 = 11 [U2 = 2U1 + 5 = 2(-
3) + 5 = -1,
U3 = 2U2 + 5 = 2(-1) + 5 = 3, U4 = 2U3 + 5 = 2(3) + 5 =
11]
2 Evaluate (tan56° – tan26°)/(1 + tan56°tan26°). Simplify
the answer.
ANSWER: √3/3
[tan(56 – 26) = tan30 = 1/√3 = √3/3]

3 In triangle ABC, the side a = 8, b = 6, c = 12. Find cosA.

ANSWER: cosA = 29/36
[ cosA = (b2 + c2 – a2)/2bc = (36 + 144 – 64)/2(6)12 =
116/144 = 29/36]
RC 12 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find the area of a rhombus if one diagonal has length

16 and a side has length 10.
ANSWER: 96 (d/2)2 + 82 = 102, (d/2)2 = 100 – 64
= 36, d/2 = 6,
d = 12, Area = (1/2)(12)16 = 12 x 8 = 96]

2 Find x given log(x + 2) + log(x – 1) = 1

ANSWER: x = 3
[(x + 2)(x – 1) = 10, x2 + x - 12 = (x + 4)(x – 3) = 0, x = 3]

3 Differentiate y = (2x – 3)/(x + 1)

ANSWER: dy/dx = 5/(x + 1)2
[dy/dx = (2(x + 1) – 1(2x – 3))/(x + 1)2 = 5/(x + 1)2]

RC 13 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Evaluate (sin73°cos27° + cos73°sin27°)/cos10°

ANSWER: 1
[sin(73 + 27)/cos10 = sin100/cos10 = cos10/cos10 = 1]

2 Find the value of n if 123n = 6610

ANSWER: n = 7
[n2 + 2n + 3 = 66, n2 + 2n – 63 = (n + 9)(n – 7) = 0, n =
7]

3 Find a relation between y and x given that 3log5y =

2log5x + 3
ANSWER: y3 = 125x2
[log5y3 = log5x2 + log5125 = log5(125x2), y3 = 125x2]

RC 14 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Given x2 + 2xy + 2y2 = 7 find the gradient dy/dx .

ANSWER: dy/dx = -(x + y)/(x + 2y) [2x + 2(x(dy/dx) + y)
+ 4y(dy/dx) = 0, (dy/dx)(2x + 4y) = -(2x + 2y), (dy/dx) =
-(x + y)/(x + 2y)]

2 Triangle ABC has sides of lengths a = 5, b = 7, c = 8.

Find cosA
ANSWER: cosA = 11/14
[cosA = (b2 + c2 – a2)/2bc = (49 + 64 – 25)/2(7)8 =
88/14(8) = 11/14]

3 Express (2x – 1)/(x + 1) in partial fractions

ANSWER: 2 – 3/(x + 1)
[(2(x + 1) – 3)/(x + 1) = 2 – 3/(x + 1)]
RC 15 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 A binary operation ∗ is defined on the set Z of integers

by a∗b = a + b – ab.
Evaluate (1∗5)∗(2∗3)
ANSWER: 1
[1∗5 = 1 + 5 – 1(5) = 1, 2∗3 = 2 + 3 – 2(3) = -1, 1∗-1 = 1
+ (-1) – 1(-1) = 1]

2 Find the equation of the image of the line y = x after a

reflection in the point
A(3, 2).
ANSWER: y = x - 2
[(x, y)→(6 – x, 4 – y), 4 – y = 6 – x, y = x – 2]

3 If tan(x + y) = 3/5 and tanx = ½ , find tany

ANSWER:1/13
[tany = tan(x + y – x) = (tan(x + y) – tany)/(1 + tan(x + y)
(tany) =
(3/5 – ½)/(1 + (3/5)(1/2)) = (6 – 5)/(10 + 3) = 1/13]

RC 16 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find a cartesian equation in x and y given x = 5cost,

and y = 4sint
ANSWER: x2/25 + y2/16 = 1
[cost = x/5, sint = y/4, cos2t + sin2t = x2/25 + y2/16 = 1]

2 Find the lengths of the bases of an isosceles trapezium

if the legs are 10 cm and the altitude is 8cm and the area
is 128 cm2.
ANSWER: 10 cm, 22 cm
[½ (2a + 12)8 = 128, 2a + 96 = 256, 16a = 160, a = 10, b
= a + 12 = 22]

3 Find the value of n if 123n = 3810

ANSWER: n = 5
[n2 + 2n + 3 = 38, n2 + 2n – 35 = (n + 7)(n – 5) = 0]

RC 17 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Solve for x and y from the equation (7x + y)(3x – 2y) = 7 ×
81
ANSWER: x = 2, y = -1
[7x + y = 7, x + y = 1, 3x – 2y = 34, x – 2y = 4, 3y = -3, y = -1,
x – 1 = 1, x = 2]

2 Differentiate y = (x2 – 2/x2)-10

ANSWER: dy/dx = - 10(2x +4/x3)(x2 – 2/x2)-11
[dy/dx = -10(2x +4/x3)(x2 – 2/x2)-11]

3 A and B are acute angles with sinA = ½ and sinB = 4/5

evaluate sin(A – B)
ANSWER: (3 - 4√3)/10
[ sin(A – B) = sinAcosB – cosAsinB = ½(3/5) – (√3/2)(4/5)
= (3 - 4√3)/10]

RC 18 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find the cosine of the angle between the vectors a = 8i

+ 15j and
b = 12i – 5j
ANSWER: 21/221
[cosθ = (a.b)/|a ||b | = (8(12) – 15(5))/(17)(13) = (96 –
75)/221= 21/221]

2 Solve for n from the equation nC2 = 190 (NB: Read as n

combination 2 equals 190)
ANSWER: n = 20
[n(n – 1)/2 = 190, n(n – 1) = 380 = 20(19), hence n = 20]

3 Find the stationary point(s) of the curve y = x3 – 3x2 - 9x

+8
ANSWER: (3, - 19), (-1, 13)
[dy/dx = 3x2 – 6x – 9 = 0, x2 – 2x – 3 = (x – 3)(x + 1) = 0, x
= 3,
y = -27 – 27 + 27+ 8 = -19, (3, -19), x = -1, y = -1 – 3 + 9
+ 8 = 13, (-1, 13)]

PC 19 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Triangle ABC has sides of lengths a = 5, b = 8, c = 7.

Find cosB
ANSWER: cos B = 1/7
[cosB = (a2 + c2 – b2)/2ac = (25 + 49 – 64)/2(5)7 = 10/70
= 1/7]

2 Find the set of values of k for which the equations,

x + ky = 10 and kx + 9y = 6 have a unique solution.

ANSWER: {k: k ≠ ±3} [A = , detA = 9 – k2 ≠ 0, k ≠

± 3]

3 Find the sum to infinity of the series 7 + 7/4 + 7/16 +

7/64 + 7/256 + . . . .
ANSWER: 28/3
[exponential series a = 7, r = ¼, S∞ = a/(1 – r) = 7/(1 – ¼)
= 7/(3/4) = 28/3]

RC 20 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find the general term Un of a linear sequence given that
second term is 7 and fifth term is -2.
ANSWER: Un = 13 – 3n [a + d = 7, a + 4d = -
2, 3d = -9, d = -3,
a = 7 + 3 = 10, Un = (10 – 3(n – 1) = 13 – 3n]

2 Find the gradient of the function y = (x3 – 3x2 + 1)10

ANSWER: dy/dx = 30x(x – 2)(x3 – 3x2 + 2)9
[dy/dx = 10(3x2 – 6x)(x3 – 3x2 + 1)9 = 30x(x – 2)(x3 – 3x2 +
1)9]

3 2 fair dice are thrown. Find the probability that the

scores are both even given that the total score is 10.
ANSWER: 2/3
[S = {(4, 6), (5, 5), (6, 4)}, A = {(6, 4), (4, 6)}, P(A) = 2/3]

RC 21 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find the gradient (dy/dx) of the curve x3 – x2y2 + y3 =

12)
ANSWER: (dy/dx) = (3x2 - 2xy2)/(2x2y – 3y2)
[3x2 – (2xy2 + 2x2y(dy/dx)) + 3y2(dy/dx) = 0, (dy/dx)(2x2y
– 3y2) =
3x2 – 2xy2, (dy/dx) = (3x2 - 2xy2)/(2x2y – 3y2)]

2 A number is selected randomly from the numbers 1, 2,

3, . . . , 21. Find the probability that the number selected
is either a multiple of 3 or a multiple of 5.
ANSWER: 10/21
[A = {3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 21}, P(A) = 10/21]

3 Find the solution set of the rational inequality (x – 1)/(x

+ 2) < 0
ANSWER: {x: -2 < x < 1}
[(x – 1)(x + 2) < 0, -2 < x < 1]

RC 22 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Differentiate y = (2x2 – 3)/(3x2 + 2)

ANSWER: dy/dx = 26x/(3x2 + 2)2
[dy/dx = (4x(3x2 + 2) - 6x(2x2 – 3))/(3x2 + 2)2 = 26x/(3x2
+ 2)2]

2 Find the greatest and least values of sin2x + 8sinx – 4

ANSWER: greatest value = 5, least value = - 11.
[(sinx + 4)2 – 20, greatest = 52 – 20 = 5, least = 32 – 20 = -
11]

3 Given that f(x) = √(x + 2) and g(x) = x2, find an

expression for g(f(x)) and state its domain.
ANSWER: (x + 2), domain = {x: x ≥ -2}
[g(f(x)) = (f(x))2 = (√(x + 2))2 = x + 2, domain = {x: x ≥ -
2}]

RC 23 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 A point A is reflected in the x-axis and the image point

is B(-3, 5). Find the coordinates of the point A.
ANSWER: A(-3, -5)
[Reflect B in x – axis to get A, (-3, 5)→(-3, -5)]

2 Find the length of a side of a triangle if the altitude to

that side is twice the length of that side, and the area is
25 cm2.
ANSWER: 5 cm
[(1/2) (2a)(a) = a2 = 25 , a = 5]

3 Two fair dice are thrown. Find the probability that both
scores are prime numbers given that the total score is 8.
ANSWER: 2/5
[S = {(2, 6), (6, 2), (3, 5), (5, 3), (4, 4)], A = {(3, 5), (5,
3)}, P(A) = 2/5]

RC 25 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 A straight line makes an angle of 150° with the positive

direction of the x-axis. Find the slope of the line.
ANSWER: -√3/3
[m = tan150 = -tan30 = - 1/√3 = -√3/3]

2 The area of a circle is increasing at a steady rate of (2π)

cm2/s. Find the rate of increase of the radius when the
radius R = 4 cm
ANSWER: ¼ cm/s
[A = πR2, dA/dt = 2πR(dR/dt) = 2π, dR/dt = (2π)/(2πR)
= 1/R = ¼ cm/s]

3 Rationalize the denominator of (5 - 2√3)/(5 + 2√3)

ANSWER: (27 - 20√3)/13
[(5 - 2√3)2/(25 – 12) = (25 + 12 - 20√3)/13 = (37 -
20√3)/13

RC 26 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Find the value of the gradient of the curve y = x3 – 3x2 +

4x – 2 at the point
x = 2 on the curve.
ANSWER: 4
[dy/dx = 3x2 – 6x + 4, at x = 2, dy/dx = 12 – 12 + 4 = 4]

2 Given that sinA = 2/3, find cos2A.

ANSWER: 1/9
[cos2A = 1 – 2sin2A = 1 – 2(2/3)2 = 1 – 8/9 = 1/9]

3 Find the inverse of the linear transformation (x, y)→(2x

– y, 3x - y)
ANSWER: (x, y)→(-x + y, -3x + 2y)

[A = detA = -2 + 3 = 1, A-1 = , (x, y)→(-x + y, -

3x + 2y)]

RC 27 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Given the vectors a = 3i – 4j and b = i + j, find the
magnitude of the vector
b – a.
ANSWER: 2√5
[b – a = (i + j) – (3i – 4j) = -2i + 4j, |b – a| = √(4 + 16) =
√20 = 2√5]

2 The line y = 2x - 1 is a tangent to the curve y = x2 - 2x +

3. Find the coordinates of the point of contact of the
tangent with the curve.
ANSWER: (2, 3)
[dy/dx = 2x – 2 = 2, x = 2, y = 3, (2, 3)]

3 A linear sequence is given by -8, -5, - 2, 1, . . .

What term of the sequence is 34?
ANSWER: 15th term
[-8 + 3(n – 1) = 34, 3n = 45, n = 15, hence 15th term]

RC 29 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Evaluate the limit

ANSWER; -4
[(x – 3)(x + 1)/(x +1) = x - 3 , limit = -1 – 3 = -4]

2 Expand (1 + x – x2)5 in ascending powers up to x2

ANSWER: 1 + 5x + 5x2
(1 + 5(x – x2) + 10(x – x2)2 + . . . = 1 + 5x + (10 – 5)x2 = 1
+ 5x + 5x2]

3 A curve has gradient (3x2 + ax - 5) and has a stationary

point at (1, -2).
Find the equation of the curve.
ANSWER: y = x3 + x2 – 5x + 1
[y = x3 + ax2/2 - 5x + C, 3 + a - 5 = 0, a = 2, y = x3 + x2 -
5x + C,
-2 = 1 + 1 - 5 + C, C = 1, y = x3 + x2 – 5x + 1]

RC 30 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 The sides of a triangle lie on the lines x + y = 6, x – y =

4, x – 2y = 12. . Find the coordinates of the vertices
of the triangle.
ANSWER: (5, 1), (-4, -8), (8, -2)
[x + y = 6, x – y = 4, 2x = 10, x = 5, y = 1(5, 1), x - y = 4,
x - 2y = 12, y = -8
x = -4, (-4, -8), x + y = 6, x – 2y = 12, 3y = -6, y = -2, x =
8, (8 , -2)]

2 Simplify 6/(√(x + 3) - √(x - 3)) by rationalizing the

denominator .
ANSWER: √(x + 3) + √(x – 3) [6(√(x + 3) + √(x –
3))/((x + 3) – (x – 3)) = 6(√(x + 3) + √(x – 3))/6 = √(x + 3)
+ √(x – 3)]

3 In a triangle find the length of an altitude if the altitude

is 3 cm longer than the corresponding side and the area
is 27 cm2 ANSWER: 9 cm
[(1/2)h(h – 3) = 27, h2 – 3h – 54 = (h – 9)(h + 6) = 0, h =
9 cm]

RC 31 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Solve for x given log2(2x + 1) = log2(x – 1) + 2

ANSWER: x = 5/2
[log2(2x + 1)/(x – 1) = 2, (2x + 1)= 4(x – 1), 2x = 5, x =
5/2]
2 Find the gradient of the implicit curve x2 + 2xy - y2 =
15
ANSWER: dy/dx = (x + y)/(y – x)
[2x + 2(y + x(dy/dx) – 2y(dy/dx) = 0, (dy/dx)(2y – 2x) =
2x + 2y,
dy/dx = (x + y)/(y – x)]

3 Evaluate (sin47°cos15° – cos47°sin15°)/cos58°

ANSWER: 1
[sin(47 – 15)/cos58 = sin32/sin32 = 1]

RC 32 ROUND: 2 SPEED RACE

1 Find the radius R and the coordinates of the center C of

the circle
x2 + y2 - 4x + 8y = 16
ANSWER: R = 6, C(2, -4)
[(x – 2)2 + (y + 4)2 = 4 + 16 + 16 = 36, R = 6, C(2, -4)]

2 The volume of a sphere is increasing at a constant rate

of 40π cm3/s. Find the rate of increase of the radius R
when the radius R = 10 cm
ANSWER: (1/10) cm/s, or 0.1 cm/s
V = 4πR3/3, dV/dt = 4πR2dR/dt= 40π, dR/dt =
40π/4π100 = 1/10 cm/s]

3 Evaluate ANSWER: -3
[(x + 2)(x - 2x + 4)/(x + 2)(x – 2) = (x2 – 2x + 4)/(x – 2),
2

limit = (4 + 4 + 4)/-4 = - 3]

RC 33 ROUND 2: SPEED RACE

1 Evaluate the integral
ANSWER: 6

[x3 – 2x2 + 5x = (8 – 8 + 10) – (1 – 2 + 5) = 10 – 4 = 6]

2 Find the equation of a line through the point A(2, -5)

and perpendicular to the line 2x + 5y = 8
ANSWER: 5x – 2y = 20
[5x – 2y = k = 10 + 10, 5x – 2y = 20]

3 A circle has center C(-5, 3) and radius 5. P(x, y) is a

point inside the circle. State the condition satisfied by the
coordinates of P.
ANSWER: (x + 5)2 + (y – 3)2 < 25