IS102CAT Mid-Term Test

Sample 2

Please write clearly your name and SMU user ID in the spaces provided below now.
Name: ________________________________

UserID:_______________
Seat Number:_______________

Time: 1.5 hours

Requirements: Open book, Computer with Excel.
Restrictions: No communications of any kind (i.e. mobile phone, email, chat, etc.).
This test comprises question 1 (8 marks), question 2 (9 marks) and question 3 (8
marks), giving a total of 25 marks.
Please do not turn over this page until the professor gives the instruction to do so.

For each question, it is advisable to read through the whole question first before doing
any of its parts.
Write your answers in the space provided in each question.
Softcopy submission of your working is not required.

Question

Mark

1
2
3
Total

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Question 1 (8 marks)
Ron and Darrell mow lawns to earn money in the summer. Ron has a motorized riding
mower. He charges $18 for each front yard and pays his little brother $7 a day to help.
He is able to do up to 9 yards in a day. Darrell has a walking mower. He charges $20 a
yard and is able to do up to 6 yards a day.
a) Sketch an Excel model for the case. List the key cell formulas.

(3 marks)

Formulas for the following cells are:

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b)

Based on the given data only, who do you think would do better? Explain your
answer.
(2 marks)

c) Who do you think would do better in real-life? Explain how the model may be further
improved to support your conjecture.
(2 marks)

d) Compare the answers in part b and c. Can there be a situation where the first model
(in parts a and b) is more applicable? Elaborate.
(1 mark)

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Question 2 (9 marks)
Mabel and her mom went shopping on Saturday. They bought one item from each of the
3 departments they visited. Mabel gave the clerk $120 and she got back $24.74 in
change. The department and their wares are as listed below:
HOUSEWARES
Dishtowels: $11.38
Curtain Rods: $12.98
Bath Mats: $29.58

CLOTHING
Shirt: $30.98
Dress: $49.90
Slacks: $39.90

TOOLS
Hammer: $17.90
Saw: $23.90
Drill: $25.78

What items did they buy? Think about how much they spent. NO TAX TODAY!
a) Sketch an Excel model for the case. List the key cell formulas.

(4 marks)

Formulas for the following key cells are:

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b) By trial and error, determine the items they bought.

(2 marks)

c) Now if the change is $11.76 instead and they actually bought at least one item from
each department, what are the items bought now?
(2 marks)

d) Explain how you can, using Excel, do better than trial and error.

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(1 mark)

Question 3 (8 marks)
Marina went to the store with a $5 bill. She spent $2.70. The relevant Singapore
currency denominations used by the store are restricted to the following: notes $2 and
$1, and coins 50 cents, 20 cents and 10 cents. An Excel model was build to evaluate
this situation.
a) List below all the possible ways she could get her change. How many ways are there?
(3 marks)

b) Of these, in how many of the ways are the denominations are used not more than
only once each. List them.
(1 mark)

c) List the ways that uses the least number of coins.

(1 mark)

d) List the ways that uses the least number of items (i.e. notes and coins).

(1 mark)

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e) A table was formed to simulate how the change may be (randomly) given. List the
key cell formulas of this table.
(2 marks)

Formulas for the following key cells are:

Random Possibility

B8

= ____________________________

No. of $2 notes

C8

= ____________________________

No. of $1 notes

D8

= ____________________________

No. of 50 cent coins

E8

= ____________________________

No. of 20 cent coins

F8

= ____________________________

No. of 10 cent coins

G8

= ____________________________

Total change value

H8

= ____________________________

No. of notes

I8

= ____________________________

No. of coins

J8

= ____________________________

No. of notes and coins

K8

= ____________________________

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