Pure Mathematics Unit 1 – Module 1 (Practice Questions - Solutions)

1. (a) Without using a calculator simplify √80 − √180 + √500, writing your answer in the form 𝑎√𝑏 .
√80 − √180 + √500 = √16 × 5 − √36 × 5 + √100 × 5
= 4√5 − 6√5 + 10√5
= 8√5
√5+2
(b) Rationalize the denominator of 3−2√5
√5+2 √5+2 3+2√5 3√5+2(5)+6+4√5 7√5+16 7√5+16
= × = 2 = =
3−2√5 3−2√5 3+2√5 32 −(2√5) 9−20 −11

(c) The function f(x) is defined as follows:

2𝑥 − 3 , 𝑥 ≤ 0
𝑓 (𝑥) = {𝑥 3 − 5𝑥, 0<𝑥≤6
5𝑥 − 7, 𝑥>6

Determine the value of the following

(i) 𝑓 (−2)
𝑓 (2) = 2(−2) − 3 = −4 − 3 = −7
(
(ii) 𝑓 4 )
𝑓 (4) = 43 − 5(4) = 64 − 20 = 44
(iii) 𝑓𝑓(3)
𝑓 (3) = 33 − 5(3) = 27 − 15 = 12
𝑓 (12) = 5(12) − 7 = 60 − 7 = 53
∴ 𝑓𝑓 (3) = 53

2. (a) Using the standard results show that ∑𝑛𝑟=1 12𝑟 2 (1 + 𝑟) = 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(𝑛 + 2)(3𝑛 + 1)
∑𝑛𝑟=1 12𝑟 2 (1 + 𝑟) = ∑𝑛𝑟=1(12𝑟 3 + 12𝑟 2 )
= ∑𝑛𝑟=1 12𝑟 3 + ∑𝑛𝑟=1 12𝑟 2
= 12 ∑𝑛𝑟=1 𝑟 3 + 12 ∑𝑛𝑟=1 𝑟 2
𝑛 2(𝑛+1) 2 𝑛(𝑛+1)(2𝑛+1)
= 12 + 12
4 6
= 3𝑛2 (𝑛 + 1)2 + 2𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(2𝑛 + 1)
= 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(3𝑛(𝑛 + 1) + 2(2𝑛 + 1))
= 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(3𝑛2 + 3𝑛 + 4𝑛 + 2)
= 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(3𝑛2 + 7𝑛 + 2)
= 𝑛(𝑛 + 1)(𝑛 + 2)(3𝑛 + 1)

(b) Hence, or otherwise calculate ∑20 2

𝑟=5 12𝑟 (1 + 𝑟)
∑20 2 20 2 4 2
𝑟=5 12𝑟 (1 + 𝑟) = ∑𝑟=1 12𝑟 (𝑟 + 1) − ∑𝑟=1 12𝑟 (𝑟 + 1)
= (20(20 + 1)(20 + 2)(3(20) + 1)) − (4(4 + 1)(4 + 2)(3(4) + 1))
= 20(21)(22)(61) − 4(5)(6)(13)
= 563640 − 1560
= 562080
3. Given that 𝑝 ∗ 𝑞 = 𝑝 + 𝑞 − 𝑝𝑞
(a) Evaluate (5 ∗ 2) ∗ 3
5 ∗ 2 = 5 + 2 − 5(2) = −3
−3 ∗ 3 = −3 + 3 − (−3)(3) = 0 + 9 = 9
∴ (5 ∗ 2) ∗ 3 = 9
(b) Determine whether the operation * is commutative over the set of real numbers
𝑁𝐵: 𝐴𝑛 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑎 ∗ 𝑏 = 𝑏 ∗ 𝑎
𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑎, 𝑏 𝜖 ℝ

𝑎 ∗ 𝑏 = 𝑎 + 𝑏 − 𝑎𝑏 𝑏 ∗ 𝑎 = 𝑏 + 𝑎 − 𝑏𝑎
= 𝑎 + 𝑏 − 𝑎𝑏
=𝑎∗𝑏

𝑎 ∗ 𝑏 = 𝑏 ∗ 𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 ∗ 𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠

(c) Determine the value(s) of x such that (𝑥 ∗ 6) ∗ 𝑥 = 21 where 𝑥 > 0.

(𝑥 ∗ 6) ∗ 𝑥 = 21 ⇒ (𝑥 + 6 − 6𝑥) ∗ 𝑥 = 21
⇒ (6 − 5𝑥) ∗ 𝑥 = 21
⇒ 6 − 5𝑥 + 𝑥 − (6 − 5𝑥)𝑥 = 21
⇒ 6 − 4𝑥 − 6𝑥 + 5𝑥 2 = 21
⇒ 5𝑥 2 − 10𝑥 − 15 = 0
⇒ 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3 = 0
⇒ (𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 + 1) = 0
⇒ 𝑥 = 3 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = −1
∴ 𝑥 = 3 𝑎𝑠 𝑥 > 0

4. (a) The expression 4𝑥 3 − 𝑥 2 + 𝑎𝑥 + 2 leaves a remainder of 𝑏 when divided by 𝑥 + 1 and when the same
expression is divided by 𝑥 − 2 the remainder is 2𝑏. Find the values of a and b.
𝑓(−1) = 4(−1)3 − (−1)2 + 𝑎(−1) + 2 = 𝑏
⇒ −4 − 1 − 𝑎 + 2 = 𝑏
⇒ −𝑎 − 3 = 𝑏
⇒ 𝑎 + 𝑏 = −3 − − − 𝑒𝑞[1]

𝑓 (2) = 4(2)3 − (2)2 + 𝑎(2) + 2 = 2𝑏

⇒ 32 − 4 + 2𝑎 + 2 = 2𝑏
⇒ 30 + 2𝑎 = 2𝑏
⇒ 𝑎 − 𝑏 = −15 − − − 𝑒𝑞[2]

𝑒𝑞[1] + 𝑒𝑞[2] ⇒ 2𝑎 = −18 ⇒ 𝑎 = −9

𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏 = 4 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑞[1] ⇒ 𝑎 + (−9) = −3
⇒ 𝑎= 6
 (b) Factorise 64𝑥 3 − 125 completely
64𝑥 3 − 125 = (4𝑥)3 − 53
= (4𝑥 − 5)((4𝑥)2 + 4𝑥 (5) + 52 )
= (4𝑥 − 5)(16𝑥 2 + 20𝑥 + 25)
5. Solve the following
(a) |2𝑥 + 1| = |3𝑥 − 5|
Method 1 Method 2
(2𝑥 + 1)2 = (3𝑥 − 5)2 2𝑥 + 1 = 3𝑥 − 5 𝑜𝑟 2𝑥 + 1 = −(3𝑥 − 5)
2
(2𝑥 + 1) − (3𝑥 − 5) = 02 2𝑥 − 3𝑥 = −5 − 1 𝑜𝑟 2𝑥 + 1 = −3𝑥 + 5
((2𝑥 + 1) − (3𝑥 − 5))((2𝑥 + 1) + (3𝑥 − 5)) = 0 −𝑥 = −6 𝑜𝑟 2𝑥 + 3𝑥 = 5 − 1
(2𝑥 + 1 − 3𝑥 + 5)(2𝑥 + 1 + 3𝑥 − 5) = 0 𝑥 = 6 𝑜𝑟 5𝑥 = 4
(−𝑥 + 6)(5𝑥 − 4) = 0 4
𝑥 = 6 𝑜𝑟 𝑥=
−𝑥 + 6 = 0 𝑜𝑟 5𝑥 − 4 = 0 5
4
𝑥 = 6 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 5

2𝑥+3
(b) 3𝑥−5
<0

Method 1 Method 2 – Graphical Method

𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠
−3 2𝑥+3
2𝑥 + 3 = 0 ⇒ 𝑥 = 3𝑥−5
<0
2
5
3𝑥 − 5 = 0 ⇒ 𝑥 = 3 2𝑥+3
3𝑥−5
× (3𝑥 − 5)2 < 0 × (3𝑥 − 5)2
−3 −3 5 5 (2𝑥 + 3)(3𝑥 − 5) < 0
𝑥< <𝑥< 𝑥>
2 2 3 3
𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠
2𝑥 + 3 -ve +ve +ve 2𝑥 + 3 = 0 ⇒ 𝑥 =
−3
2
3𝑥 − 5 -ve -ve +ve 5
2𝑥+3 +ve - ve +ve 3𝑥 − 5 = 0 ⇒ 𝑥 = 3
3𝑥−5
 ✓ 

−3 5
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 2
<𝑥<3

−3 5
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 2
<𝑥<3
 (c) log 4 𝑥 + log 𝑥 16 = 3
Method 1 Method 2
changing to base 4 changing to base x
log 𝑥 𝑥
log4 16 + log 𝑥 16 = 3
log 4 𝑥 + log4 𝑥
=3 log 𝑥 4
2 1
log 4 𝑥 + log =3 + log 𝑥 42 = 3
4𝑥 log 𝑥 4
𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚 = 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝟒 𝒙 1
2 + 2 log 𝑥 4 = 3
𝑦+𝑦 =3 log 𝑥 4
𝑦 2 + 2 = 3𝑦 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚 = 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒙 𝟒
1
𝑦 2 − 3𝑦 + 2 = 0 + 2𝑦 = 3
(𝑦 − 1)(𝑦 − 2) = 0 𝑦
𝑦 = 1 𝑜𝑟 𝑦 = 2 1 + 2𝑦 2 = 3𝑦
log 4 𝑥 = 1 𝑜𝑟 log 4 𝑥 = 2 2𝑦 2 − 3𝑦 + 1 = 0
𝑥 = 41 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 42 (2𝑦 − 1)(𝑦 − 1) = 0
1
𝑥 = 4 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 16 𝑦= 𝑜𝑟 𝑦 = 1
2
1
log 𝑥 4 = 𝑜𝑟 log 𝑥 4 = 1
2
1
𝑥 2 = 4 𝑜𝑟 𝑥1 = 4
𝑥 = 42 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 4
𝑥 = 16 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 4

1 1 1 1 2𝑛 −1
6. Prove the following by mathematical Induction 2
+ 4 + 8 + ⋯ … + 2𝑛 = 2𝑛
𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 1: 𝑇𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚 (𝑛 = 1).
𝐿.H.S. R.H.S.
1 1 21 −1 2−1 1
21
=2 21
= 2
=2
𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚 (𝑛 = 1)

𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 2: 𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑘 𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚 (𝑛 = 𝑘)

1 1 1 1 2𝑘 −1
𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡: + + +⋯+ = 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑘 𝜖 ℕ
2 4 8 2𝑘 2𝑘

𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 3: 𝑇𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑡 (𝑘 + 1)𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚, (𝑛 = 𝑘 + 1)

𝑀𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑑 1: 𝐿. 𝐻. 𝑆. 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑐ℎ OR 𝑀𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑑 2: 𝑅. 𝐻. 𝑆. 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑐ℎ

𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒: 2𝑘+1 −1
𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑠:
1 1 1 1 1 2𝑘+1 −1 2𝑘+1
2
+ 4 + 8 + ⋯ + 2𝑘 + 2𝑘+1 = 2𝑘+1 1 1 1 1 1 2𝑘 −1 1
2
+ 4 + 8 + ⋯ + 2𝑘 + 2𝑘+1 = 2𝑘
+ 2𝑘+1
2𝑘 −1 1
2𝑘
+
2𝑘+1 2𝑘 −1 1
= +
𝑘
2 −1 1 2𝑘 2×2𝑘
= 2𝑘
+
2×2𝑘
2(2𝑘 −1)+1
𝑘
= 2×2𝑘
2(2 −1)+1
= 2×2𝑘 2×2𝑘 −2+1
= 2𝑘+1
2×2𝑘−2+1
= 2×2𝑘 2𝑘+1−1
= 2𝑘+1
2𝑘+1 −1
= 2𝑘+1
(𝑅. 𝐻. 𝑆. )
𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 4: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛 = 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛 = 𝑘 + 1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒
𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑛.
7. Copy and complete the table below showing the truth values of ~(𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) ∨ (𝑝 ∨ 𝑞)
p q 𝑝∧𝑞 ~(𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) 𝑝∨𝑞 ~(𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) ∨ (𝑝 ∨ 𝑞)

T T T F T T

T F F T T T

F T F T T T

F F F T F T