Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
1. In this question you are asked to look at what happens to given numbers when you
repeat a set of instructions several times.
In each case, when the instructions are repeated many times, a certain number is
approached. This number is called the limit.
(a)
Divide by 2 Add 1 Write down
(i) Starting with the number 7, the following numbers are calculated by
repeating the instructions in the diagram.
7 4.5
4.5 3.25
3.25 2.625
2.625 2.3125
2.3125 p
p q
Calculate the exact values of p and q . [2]
(ii) Start with the number0.5 and repeat the above instructions six times, setting
out your working as in part (i). [3]
(iii) In parts (i) and (ii) the limit is the same whole number. Suggest the value of
this limit. [2]
(b)
Divide by 5 Add 1 Write down
Start with the number 8 and repeat the instructions in the diagram several times.
The limit in this case is an exact fraction. Find the limit. [3]
(c)
Divide by 4 Add 1 Write down
Start with any number and repeat the instructions in the diagram several times. The
limit is another exact fraction. Find this limit. [2]
(d)
Divide by n Add 1 Write down
Use your answers to (a), (b) and (c) to find the limit, in terms of n , in this case. [3]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
2. The numbers 1 to 64 are arranged in a grid as shown.
A rhombus is placed in various positions on the grid to enclose five of the numbers.
Two possible positions of the rhombus are shown.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56
57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
(a) The rhombus is placed so that the number at the top is 13.
Find the sum of the five numbers in the rhombus. [2]
(b) Given that the number at the top of the rhombus is x ,
(i) Write down an expression, in terms of x , for the number at the bottom, [2]
(ii) Find and simplify an expression, in terms of x , for the sum o the five numbers.
[2]
(c) The rhombus is placed in a position such that the sum of the five numbers is 215
(i) Use your answer to part (b) (ii) to write down an equation in x . [2]
(ii) By solving this equation, or otherwise, find the number at the bottom of the
rhombus. [2]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
3.
After Day 1 After Day 2 After Day 3
Perimeter (m) 2(1+3)¿ 8 2(3+5 )¿ 16 2(5+7 )¿ 24
5 ×7=35
Area (m²) 1 ×3=3 3 ×5=15
A large is to be paved with blocks each one metre square.
On Day 1, three blocks are placed in a line, as shown in the diagram.
Each following day the paved region in enlarged by adding blocks to surround the
previous day’s region, as shown above.
The perimeter and area of the total region covered by the blocks, after the completion
of each day’s work, are calculated as in the table.
By considering the paved regions and the patterns developing in the table, answer the
question below.
(a) Find
(i) the perimeter after Day 4 and after Day 5, [2]
(ii) an expression, in terms of n , in its simplest form, for the perimeter after
Day n . [2]
(b) Find
(i) the area after Day 4 and after Day 5, [4]
2
(ii) an expression, in the form an −b, for the area after Day n , [3]
(iii) the total number of blocks which will have been used after Day 15, [1]
(iv) after which day the area will be 399 m². [2]
(c) How many blocks will be added during Day 18 ? [2]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
4. In an Olympic diving competition, 7 judges each award a mark between 0 and 10 for
drive. The final score for the dive is found by following the instructions below.
Consider Delete Calculate Multiply by Score
all 7 highest mean ‘difficulty factor’ for
marks and of of dive drive
(a) 3 competitors obtained marks for their first dive as shown in the table below.
Competitors Marks Mean ‘Difficulty Score
factor’
Claus 6.8 8.0 7.0 7.3 7.0 8.0 7.7 7.4 1.5 11.1
Erik 7.2 6.9 7.3 6.8 7.1 6.7 7.0 a 1.8 b
Javed 4.9 4.3 4.7 5.2 5.1 5.1 5.3 c 2.3 d
The score for Claus has been worked out.
Calculate the values of a , b , c and d . [4]
(b) Miguel performed a dive with ‘difficulty factor’ 2.2.
The marks from the judges were 8.0 , 7.7 , 6.5 , 7.3, 7.6 , 8.2 and x .
The lowest and highest marks were 6.5 and 8.2.
The score for the dive was 16.5.
Calculate the value of x . [4]
(c) Tarik’s marks for the dive were 7.0, 7.1, 7.1, 7.1, 7.1, y and z .
When the highest and lowest marks were deleted, the mean of the remaining 5
marks was 7.2.
Find a possible pair of values for y and z . [2]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
5. Give exact answers to each part of this question.
k ( k +1 ) (2 k +1)
It is given that 12 +22 +32 +… … … .+k 2= .
6
(a) Substitute k =100 in the formula above to find the value of
1 +2 +3 +… … … .+100 . [2]
2 2 2 2
(b) 22 +4 2 +62 +… … … .+100 2=2(12 +22+ 32 +… … … .+n2 ).
(i) Write down the value of n . [1]
(ii) Hence find the value of 22 +4 2 +62 +… … … .+100 2. [1]
(c) Use your answers to parts (a) and (b) (ii) to find the value of
1 +3 +5 +… … … .+99 . [2]
2 2 2 2
(d) Use some of your previous answers to find the value of
1 −2 −3 −4 −5 −6 +… … … . 99 −100 . [2]
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
6. A “Pythagorean triple” is a set of three whole numbers that could be the lengths of the
three sides of a right-angled triangle.
(a) Show that {5 , 12, 13 } is a Pythagorean triple. [1]
(b) Two of the numbers in a Pythagorean triple are 24 and 25.
Find the third number. [2]
(c) The largest number in a Pythagorean triple is x and one of the other number is
x−2.
(i) If the third number is y , show that y= √ 4 x−4 . [3]
(ii) If x=50 , find the other two numbers in the triple. [2]
(iii) If x=101, find the other two numbers in the triple. [2]
(iv) Find two other Pythagorean triples in the form { y , x−2, x } , where x <40 .
Remember that all three numbers must be whole numbers. [4]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
7. (a) As the product of its prime factors, 1080=2× 2× 2× 3× 3 ×3 ×5 .
Write 135 , 210 and 1120 as the product of their prime factors. [4]
(b) Copy this grid onto your answer paper.
a=1 b=¿ c=¿
d=¿ e=¿ f =¿
g=¿ h=¿ i=8
The nine digits 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 are to be placed in your grid in such a way that
the following four statements are all true.
a × b × d × e ¿ 135
b × c × e × f ¿ 1080
d × e × g × h ¿ 210
e × f × h × i ¿ 1120
The digits 1 and 8 have already been placed for you.
Use your answers to part (a) to answer the following questions.
(i) Which is the only digit, other than 1, that is a factor of 135, 1080, 210 and
1120 ? [1]
(ii) Which is the only letter to appear in all four statements above? [1]
(iii) 7 is a factor of only two of the numbers 135, 1080, 210 and 1120.
Which two? [1]
(c) Now complete the digit you have drawn on your answer paper. [3]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
8. Given the formula:
1
T n= n(n+1).
2
(a) Copy and complete the table below. [4]
n Tn T n−1 T n−T n−1 T n+ T (n−1) T n ²−¿ T (n−1) ²
1 1 0 1 1 1
2 3 1 2 4 8
3 6 3 ………. ………. ……….
4 ………. ………. ………. ………. ……….
5 15 10 5 25 125
(b) Write down the value of
(i) T 6 [1]
(ii) T 7−T 6 [1]
(iii) T 11 +T 10 [1]
(iv) T 100 ²−T 99 ² [2]
(c) What is the name given to the sequence of numbers in
(i) the second column, [2]
(ii) the fifth column, [1]
(iii) the sixth column. [1]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
9. The table shows some terms of several sequences.
Term 1 2 3 4 8
Sequence A 9 20 31 42 a
Sequence B 1 8 27 64 b
Sequence C 15 9 3 3 c
Sequence D 1 4 9 16 d
Sequence E 3 5 7 9 e
Sequence F −2 −1 2 7 f
(a) Find the values of a , b , c , d , e and f . [6]
(b) Find the nth term of the sequence
(i) A, [1]
(ii) B, [1]
(iii) C, [1]
(iv) D, [1]
(v) E, [1]
(vi) F, [1]
(c) Which term in sequence A is equal to 548 ? [2]
(d) Which term in sequence F is equal to 10199 ? [3]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
10. The diagram shows the first 3 stages in building up a pattern when laying a floor with
black and white tiles.
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
(a) Copy and complete the following table for first four stages. [5]
Stage 1 2 3 4
Black
1 ........ 9 ……..
Tiles
White
0 4 …….. 36
Tiles
Total
1 …….. …….. 49
Tiles
(b) Write down the number of black tiles at stage five. [2]
(c) Write down a formula for the number of black tiles at the nth stage. [2]
(d) Write down a formula for the total number of tiles at the nth stage. [2]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
11.
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36
A 3 by 3 square can be chosen from the 6 by 6 grid above.
x b c
d e f
g h i
(a) One of these squares is
8 9 10
14 15 16
20 21 22
In this square, x=8 , c=10 , g=20 and i=22.
For this square, calculate the value of
(i) (i−x )−¿ ( g−c ), [1]
(ii) c g−xi . [1]
(b)
x b c
d e f
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g h i
Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
(i) c=x +2. Write down g and i in terms of x . [2]
(ii) Use your answers to part (b)(i) to show that (i−x )−¿ ( g−c ) is constant. [1]
(iii) Use your answers to part (b)(i) to show that c g−xi is constant. [2]
(c) The 6 by 6 grid is replaced by a 5 by 5 grid as shown.
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25
A 3 by 3 square can be chosen from the 5 by 5 grid.
x b c
d e f
g h i
For any 3 by 3 square chosen from this 5 by 5 grid, calculate the value of
(i) (i−x )−¿ ( g−c ), [1]
(ii) c g−xi . [1]
(d) A 3 by 3 square chosen from an n by n grid.
(i) Write down the value of (i−x )−¿ ( g−c ). [1]
(ii) Find g and i in terms of x and n . [2]
(iii) Find c g−xi in its simplest form. [1]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
12.
Total
Row 1 1 ¿ 1
Row 2 3 +¿ 5 ¿ 8
Row 3 7 +¿ 9 +¿ 11 ¿ 27
Row 4 13 +¿ 15 +¿ 17 +¿ 19 ¿ 64
Row 5
Row 6
The rows above show sets of consecutive odd numbers and their totals.
(a) Complete Row 5 and Row 6. [2]
(b) What is the special name given to the numbers 1, 8, 27 , 64 …….? [1]
(c) Write down in terms of n,
(i) how many consecutive odd numbers there are in Row n , [1]
(ii) the total of these numbers. [1]
(d) The first number in Row n is given by n2 −n+1.
Show that this formula is true for Row 4 . [1]
(e) The total of Row 3 is 27 . This can be calculated by (3 ×7 )+2+ 4.
The total of Row4 is 64 . This can be calculated by (3 ×7 )+2+ 4+6 .
The total of Row7 is 343. Show how this can be calculated in the same way. [1]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
(f) The total of the first n even numbers is n(n+1).
Write down a formula for the total of the first (n−1) even numbers. [1]
(g) Use the results of parts (d), (e) and (f) to show clearly that the total of the numbers
in Row n gives your answer to part (c)(ii). [2]
13.
The natural numbers 1, 2,3,…… are written, in a clockwise direction, on a circular grid as
shown in the diagram.
There are four numbers in each ring.
The numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are in the first ring.
The numbers 5, 6, 7 and 8 are in the second ring.
The following numbers fill up the other rings in the same way.
(a) Write down the numbers in the fourth ring. [2]
(b) Write down the largest number in the tenth ring. [1]
(c) The sum, Sn, of the four numbers in the n ring, where n=1, 2 and 3, is given in the
th
table below.
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
n 1 2 3 4
Sn 10 26 42
(i) Write down the value of S4 . [1]
(ii) Find, in its simplest form, an expression, in terms of r , for Sr . [2]
(iii) In which ring is the sum of the four numbers equal to 1080 ? [1]
14. Three integers, a , b and c , are such that a< b<c .
The three integers are said to form a Pythagorean Triple if c 2=a2+ b2 or c 2−b 2=a 2.
For example:
3, 4 , 5 form a Pythagorean Triple because 52−42 =¿(5−4 )(5+ 4)¿ 1 ×9=9=3 2
and 5, 12, 13 form a Pythagorean Triple because 132−122(13−12)(13+12)¿
1 ×25=25=5 .
2
(a) In the same way, show that 7 , 24 and 25 form a form a Pythagorean Triple. [1]
(b) Form a form a Pythagorean Triple
(i) in which the last two integers are 40 and 41 , [1]
(ii) in which the first integer is 11. [1]
(c) (i) Simplify (n+1)²−n2. [1]
(ii) Hence form a Pythagorean Triple in which the first integer is 101. [2]
(d) It is also possible to form a Pythagorean Triples in which the last two integers differ
by 2.
For example:
8 , 15, 17 form a Pythagorean Triple because 172 −152=¿(17−15)(17+15 )¿
2 ×32=64=8 .
2
(i) Copy and complete the following statements:
…….., 35, 37 form a Pythagorean Triple because 372 −352=¿(..........)(..........)¿
……….× ……….¿………. ¿………. . [1]
16, ………., ………. form a Pythagorean Triple because ……….−¿………. ¿
(……….)(……….) ¿ 2 ×………. ¿……….¿ 162. [2]
(ii) Simplify (4 n2 +1)²−¿(4 n2−1)² and hence express it as a perfect square.
[2]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
(iii) Form a Pythagorean Triple in which the first integer is 400 and the other two
integers differ by 2. [1]
15. This is a Fibonacci sequence
1, 3, 4 , 7 , 11, 18, 29, 47 , ……..
(a) Write down the next three terms in the sequence.
(b) The matrix M is [ ] 11
10
(i) 11 and 18 are two consecutive terms.
Pre-multiply them by M , that is, work out [2]
[ ][ ]
11 18
10 11
.
(ii) Choose another pair of consecutive terms and pre-multiply them by M .
[2]
(iii) Describe what happens when two consecutive terms in the Fibonacci
sequence are pre-multiplied by M . [2]
(c) (i) Work out M 2, [2]
(ii) Work out M 2 [ 1811], [2]
(iii) Describe what has happened in (c) (ii). [1]
(d) Show how this process will continue with M 3 and M 4 . [4]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
16. A series of diagrams of shaded and unshaded small triangles is shown below.
The shaded triangles are those which have at least one side on the edge of the big
triangles. All of the other small triangles are unshaded.
Diagram 1 Diagram 2 Diagram 3 Diagram 5
Copy the table below, which shows numbers of small triangles.
Diagram 1 2 3 4 5 n
……..
Number of shaded triangles 3 6 9 …….. x
Total number of triangles 4 9 16 25 y
……..
Number of unshaded triangles 1 3 7 …….. z
(a) Complete the column for Diagram 4 in your table. [1]
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
(b) By considering the number patterns in your table
(i) Complete the column for Diagram 5, [2]
(ii) Find, in terms of n , expressions for x , y and z . [3]
(c) Find the number of unshaded small triangles in diagram 100. [1]
17. This question is about numbers and the digits that make them up.
The numbers will be underlined.
Their digits will not be underlined.
So, for example: The number eighty-three will be shown as 83 .
Its digits will be shown as 8 and 3.
(a) Copy the following statements and fill in the blank spaces. [1]
83 ¿ 10 × 8 +¿ 3
22 ¿ 10 × …..... +¿ ……..
46 ¿ ……... × …….. +¿ ……..
Sometimes the digits will be represented by letters.
So, for example:
f g will represent a number whose digits are f and g.
(b) Copy the following statements and fill in the blank spaces. [1]
fg ¿ 10 f × g
hk ¿ …….. × k
rst ¿ 100 r × …….. +¿ ……..
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
(c) (i) Express in the same form as in part (b) above
a. pq, [1]
b. qp . [1]
(ii) Hence, given p>q , show that
pq−qp=9( p−q). [2]
(iii) Verify this result for the numbers 83 and 38. [3]
(d) (i) Express tsr in the same form as part (b) above. [1]
(ii) Given r >t , find an expression, in its simplest form, for
rst−tsr . [2]
(iii) Hence, or otherwise, find a number rst for which
rst−tsr=99. [3]
(e) (i) Given u> x , show that
uvwx−xvwu
is a multiple of 9 . [3]
(ii) By considering a special case of part (e) (i) with v=w , or otherwise, find
a number uwwx for which
uwwx− xwwv=1998 . [3]
18.
1m 1m
2m 2m 2m 2m 2m 2m 2m
1m 1m 1m
L metres
The diagram shows wooden beams which support the roof of a house.
(a) Complete the table below. [4]
Length of roof ( L metres) 1 2 3 4 5 6
Number of 2 metre beams ( x ) 2 4 …….. …….. 10 ……..
Number of 1 metre beams ( y ) 1 3 …….. …….. 9 ……..
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Mathematics Problem-solving and patterns
2010
Total length of wood (T metres) 5 11 …….. …….. 29 ……..
(b) When L=10 , find the values of x , y and T . [3]
(c) Write down a formula for
(i) x in terms of L, [1]
(ii) y in terms of L, [1]
(iii) T in terms of L. [2]
(d) When T =83 , find the value of L. [1]
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