OCR AS Mathematics Problem solving
Section 1: Solving problems
Section test
1. Multiplying a number by 2 is the same as adding 12 to the number. If x is the number,
which of the equations below does x satisfy?
(a) x + 2 = 12x
(b) 2x = x + 12
x
(c) = x + 12
2
(d) 2x + 12 = x
2. The cost of hiring a bike is £6 for the first hour and £4 for each hour after that. Which of
the following formulae give the cost of hire C in pounds, in terms of the number of hours
hired, h?
(a) C = 6 + 4h
(b) C = 10h
(c) C = 6 + 4(h – 1)
(d) C = 6 + 4(h + 1)
3. In the diagram the letters A, B, C, D represent the area in
cm2 of each shape. Which of the following equations is
true? Choose as many as appropriate.
(i) C + D = 15 – A – B
(ii) A + B = 15 – C + D
(iii) A + C + D = B
(iv) C + D = A
4. You have two lists of numbers, list A and list B.
List A contains 6 numbers and the average is 4.
List B contains 4 numbers and the average is 5.
What is the average of all the numbers in list A and list B?
5. Tony has a number of tokens to use at the fair. He gives a third of them to Nada. She uses
4 of them and then has 3 left.
If T is the number of tokens that Tony had at the start, which of the equations below does
T satisfy?
T −4
(a) =3
3
T
(b) −4 =3
3
T −3
(c) =3
4
T
(d) −3 = 4
4
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OCR AS Maths Problem solving 1
6. The perimeter of this equilateral triangle is 18 cm.
This shape is made up of two such triangles, overlaid
symmetrically. What is its perimeter?
7. Ellen arrives to cross the river (at time 0 mins) just as the first ferry is leaving. It is an
unusually busy day and she joins a queue as the 101st person. The ferry runs regularly
until Ellen reaches the front of the queue 30 mins later. Which of the graphs below is
likely to be the most accurate representation of the number of people in front of her at
any time?
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
8. Marcus thinks of a number between 5 and 10. He multiplies the number by 4 and adds
20. He takes this answer, multiplies it by 4 and adds 20. He repeats this process a number
of times and gets 868. What number did he begin with?
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9. A list of n numbers has average m. The number 6 is added to this list. In terms of n and m
what is the average of the new list?
m+6
(a)
n
m+6
(b)
n +1
mn
(c)
n +1
mn + 6
(d)
n +1
10. The diagram below shows a number line. The lengths of the red lines double in length
from left to right below. What is the value of x?
x 7 25
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OCR AS Maths Problem solving 1
Solutions to section test
1. Multiplying the number x by 2 gives 2x
Adding 12 to the number x gives x + 12
So 2x = x + 12
2. £6 for the first hour
£4 for the remaining h – 1 hours
so cost is C = 6 + 4(h − 1)
3. The area of the rectangle is 3 5 = 15
So A + B + C + D = 15 and this can be rearranged as
C + D = 15 − A − B or as A + B = 15 − C − D .
So (i) is correct but (ii) is not.
The rectangle can be split into two as shown. A is half
of the top rectangle, and C+D is half of the bottom
rectangle. This means that A + B + C is half of the
large rectangle, and B is the other half.
So A + C + D = B and statement (iii) is true.
(iv) is not true. It would be true if the two smaller rectangles shown above were
the same size, but there is no evidence that this is the case.
4. Total of numbers in list A is 6 4 = 24
Total of numbers in list B is 4 5 = 20
Total of both lists is 24 + 20 = 44
There are 10 numbers in total
44
Average of all the numbers = = 4.4
10
5. Tony has T tokens
T
He gives a third of them to Nada, so she has tokens
3
T
She uses 4 so she now has −4
3
T
She has 3 left, so −4=3
3
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OCR AS Maths Problem solving 1
6. The length of each side of the triangle is 6 cm
3 3
3 3
3 3
3 3
Perimeter = 3 8 = 24 cm
7. When passengers are getting on the ferry, the number of people in front of Ellen
reduces quickly. Then while the ferry is crossing, the number of people remains
the same until the ferry comes back, and then more people get on.
This is shown in graph (c).
Graph (a) is wrong because it shows the queue moving at constant speed. Graph
B is wrong because it shows the queue reducing by 20 people instantaneously,
which is not realistic as it will take some time for them to get on the ferry. Graph
(d) is wrong because it shows 20 people getting on the ferry at one point, and
then 60 people getting on the next time – you would expect the same number of
people to get on each time, to fill up the ferry.
8. To undo the process, subtract 20 and then divide by 4, and repeat.
868 − 20 = 848 848 4 = 212
212 − 20 = 192 192 4 = 48
48 − 20 = 28 28 4 = 7
The number is 7.
9. Total of original numbers = mn
When 6 has been added, total is mn + 6 and there are n + 1 numbers.
mn + 6
Average =
n +1
10. Let the number marked between 7 and 25 be k.
Then the length of the longest red line is 25 − k and the length of the middle red
line is k − 7 .
The longest line is twice the length of the middle line,
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so 25 − k = 2(k − 7)
25 − k = 2k − 14
3k = 39
k = 13
The length of the middle red line is 13 − 7 = 6 ,
so the length of the shortest line is 3
Therefore x = 4
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