2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

9758 H2 Mathematics
Topic 9: AP/GP
Tutorial Questions
Practice Questions
1. Write down the 10th term, the sum of the first 10 terms and the number of terms in
(a) the A.P. given by 8, 5, 2, …, 37
(b) the G.P. given by 2, – 6, 18, …, 354294
[Ans: (a) 19 ; 55 , 16 (b) 39366 ; –29524; 12]

[Solution]
(a) U10  8  9( 3)  19
10
S10   2(8)  9( 3)   55
2
U n  8  ( n  1)(3)  37
n  16

(b) U 10  2(  3) 9   39366 ;
2(( 3)10  1)
S10  = –29524
3  1
U n  2( 3) n 1  354294
n  12

2. The first term of a geometric progression is 3 and the common ratio is r , where r  1 . The
8
sum of the first three terms of the progression is the sum of the first six terms. Find the sum
9
to infinity.

[Ans: 6]

[Solution]
Given a = 3, since S n 

a 1 rn 
. So S3 

3 1 r3  and S6 

3 1 r6 
1 r 1 r 1 r
8
Given S3  S6
9
3 1  r  8  3 1  r 6  
3

  
1 r 9  1 r 
 
8 8
1 r3 
9
1  r 6   1  r 3  (1  r 3 ) (1  r 3 )
9
r 1  9=8+8r 3

1 3
 r= .  S  1  6
2 1 2

3. [Proving a sequence is a G.P.]

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2 n 1
The sum of the first n terms of a series is given by the expression 6  . By finding an
3n 1
expression for the nth term of the series, or otherwise, show that this is a geometric series and
state the value of the first term and the common ratio. Find the sum to infinity of the series.
[Ans: 2, 23 ,6 ]
[Solution]
2n 1  2n  2n
un  Sn  Sn-1  6  n 1   6  n  2   n 1
3  3  3
un 2n 2n 1 2
 n 1  n 2   constant
un-1 3 3 3
2 2
Thus series is geometric with a  u1  2, r  ,S  6
3 1  23

4. Evaluate the following using the formula for the sum of an A.P. or a G.P.
13 10 10
1 1
(a)   3r  1
r 1
(b) 
r 1 2
r
(c) 
r 5 2
r

1
; (c) 2 6  1  16  ]
1
[Ans: (a) 260; (b) 1  10
2  2 
[Solution]
13
13
(a)   3r  1  2  5  8  ...38  2  2  38   260
r 1

(b) (c)
10 10
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

r 1 2
r
  2  ...  10
2 2 2   5
 4  ...  10
r 5 2 2 2 2
r

1
2

1   12 
10
 1
 1  10 2
1
5 
1   12 
16

 1 
 26 1  16 
1 2 1 2 1 2 1
 2 

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5. [N2003/P2/Q4]
The first, second and fourth term of a convergent geometric progression are consecutive terms
of an arithmetic progression. Prove that the common ratio of the geometric progression is
1 5
.
2
The first term of the geometric progression is positive. Show that the sum of the first 5 terms
of this progression is greater than nine tenths of the sum of infinity.

[Solution]
Let the first term be a and the common ratio be r . Since series is convergent, r  1 .
u n  ar n 1 , u1  a , u 2  ar 1 , u 4  ar 3
u1 , u2 , u4 are consecutive terms in an AP.

 u2  u1  u4  u2 Alternatively,
ar  a  ar  ar
3 ar  a  ar 3  ar
r  1  r ( r 2  1) (  a  0) r  1  r 3  r (  a  0)
r  1  r ( r  1)( r  1) r 3  2r  1  0
1  r ( r  1) ( |r|<1 i.e. r  1)
Let f r   r 3  2r  1
r  r 1  0
2

f 1  13  21  1  0
1  12  4 1 1   r  1 is a factor.
r
2 f r   r  1r 2  r  1 by inspection.
1  5
r
2
rejected  |r|<1 r  1r 2  r  1  0
r  1 , rejected since r  1 .
1  5
or r 
2
(shown)
or r 2
 r  1  0
1  12  4 1 1
r
2
1  5 1  5
r rej.  |r|<1 or r  (shown)
2 2
a
S 
1 r

a 1  r 5 
S5 
1 r
 a    1  5 5 
 1  r  
5
  1  r  S  1  
5
  S  0.910 S  0.9 S  shown 
 1 r    2  
 

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6. [N2007/P1/Q10]
A geometric series has common ratio r , and an arithmetic series has first term a and
common difference d , where a and d are non-zero. The first three terms of the geometric
series are equal to the first, fourth and sixth terms respectively of the arithmetic series.
(i) Show that 3r 2  5r  2  0
(ii) Deduce that the geometric series is convergent and find, in terms of a , the sum to
infinity.
(iii) The sum of the first n terms of the arithmetic series is denoted by S . Given that
a  0 , find the set of possible values of n for which S exceeds 4a .
[Ans: (ii) 3a, (iii) n    : 6  n  13 ]
[Solution]
(i) u1 of GP  a , u2 of GP  a  3d , u3 of GP  a  5d

a  3d  ar -----(1) a  5d  ar 2 -----(2)
1
From (1), d  a  r  1 . Substitute into (2):
3
1 
a  5  a(r  1)   ar 2
3 
3  5r  5  3r 2 ( a  0)
3r 2  5r  2  0 (shown)

(ii) 3r 2  5r  2  0   r  1 3r  2   0
2
r  1 (rejected as r  1) or
3
2 a
Since r  , r  1 . Hence the GP is convergent and S    3a .
3 (1  23 )
(iii) From (1),
a  3d 2
  3a  9d  2a
a 3
1
d  a
9
n
S  2a   n  1 d 
2
n  1 
  2a   n  1   a  
2  9 
an
 18   n  1 
18 
an
 19  n 
18
an
S  4a  19  n   4a
18
n
Since a  0, 19  n  4
18

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Since n is an integer, we can use the GC,

 

 
 
The set of values for n = n    : 6  n  13 .

Examiners’ Comments
(i) Many candidates scored full marks on this part, carefully setting up a quadratic in r
as requested by eliminating a or d from initial equations. A significant number
eliminated r between their equations, despite the answer given involving r. Other
successful methods included replacing r 2 and r from initial equations into
3r 2  5r  2 and proving that zero resulted.

(ii) Most candidates scored well on this part. Errors often involved the incorrect solution
of the given quadratic, the incorrect reason for rejecting r  1 and the use of r  1
for convergence in place of the expected 1  r  1 , or even 0  r  1 in this case.
Other candidates used the nth term of the series tends to 0 as a justification of
convergence.

(iii) This part discriminated well between those candidates who failed to use earlier
equations to set up an equation involving a and d, those who set up a quadratic
inequality involving a or d only, those able to solve this inequality and those who
realised that n had to be an integer. Very few candidates scored full marks. A number
also failed to realise that, as d  0 , the inequality dn2  19dn  72d  0 becomes
n2  19n  72  0

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7. [N2009/P1/Q8]
Two musical instruments, A and B , consist of metal bars of decreasing lengths.
i) The first bar of instrument A has length 20 cm and the lengths of the bars form a
geometric progression. The 25th bar has length 5 cm . Show that the total lengths of all
the bars must be less than 357 cm , no matter how many bars there are.

Instrument B consists of only 25 bars which are identical to the first 25 bars of instrument
A.
ii) Find the total length, L cm , of all the bars of instrument B and the length of the 13th
bar.
iii) Unfortunately the manufacturer misunderstands the instructions and constructs
instrument B wrongly, so that the lengths of the bars are in arithmetic progression with
common difference d cm . If the total length of the 25 bars is still L cm and the length
of the 25th bar is still 5 cm , find the value of d cm and the length of the longest bar.
[Ans: (ii) L = 272, T13  10 , (iii) d  0.491 , 16.8]

[Solution]
i) Let the common ratio of the GP be r .
a = 20, u25  5 20r 24  5
1
r 24 
4
1

r2 12

a 20
S    356.3 cm  357 cm
1 r 
1
1 2 12

   1  25 
20 1   2 12  
   
ii) L  S 25   1
 272.2573062  272 cm (3 s.f.)

1  2 12
12
 1  1
u13  20  2 12   20    10 cm
  2
iii) Let the longest bar which is the first term of the GP to be A .
S25 of AP  272.2573062
25
 A  5  272.2573062
2
A  16.78058449  16.8 cm (3 s.f.)

u25 of AP  5
A  24d  5
d  0.491 (3 s.f.)

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Examiners’ Comments
Candidates dealt with this problem-solving question extremely well. Problems associated with
premature approximation were largely ignored in this case so that, for example, candidates
rounding the length to 272 in part (ii) and using that in part (iii) were not penalized if their answers
were accurate from a length of 272. Indeed, any length found in part (ii) was carried forward to
part (iii) where candidates could get full marks based on the length they had found. However
candidates should beware in general of using rounded results in later parts of a question. It is better
to use the full accuracy from a GC.
(i) This was very well answered, with only a few candidates using S n instead of the sum
to infinity. Candidates using S n could gain the marks if they were precise in showing
what their answer led to, but this was rarely seen.

(ii) Again this part was well-answered. Some candidates read the question as finding L as
the length of all the bars plus the 13th bar (thus including the 13th bar twice), but such
candidates could gain the rest of the marks as this length was then carried forward to
part (iii). Again a G.C. was used for the length of the 13th bar with candidates missing
the obvious method leading to the exact value of 10 and not answers which rounded to
10.

(iii) A significant minority of candidates took the first length to be 20, clearly
misunderstanding what was being asked for. The rest of the candidates were able to
set up equations in a and d and attempt to solve them (often by using a G.C.) to a
required degree of accuracy.

8. [N2011/P1/Q8]

i) A company is drilling for oil. Using machine A, the depth drilled on the first day
is 256 metres. On each subsequent day, the depth drilled is 7 metres less than the
previous day. Drilling continues daily up to and including the day when a depth
of less than 10 metres is drilled. What depth is drilled on the 10th day, what is
the total depth when drilling is completed?

ii) Using machine B, the depth drilled on the first day is also 256 metres. On each
8
subsequent day, the depth drilled is of the depth on the previous day. How
9
many days does it take for the depth drilled to exceed 99% of the theoretical
maximum total depth?

[Solution]
i) AP a  256 , d  7
Depth drilled on the 10th day  u10  256  9  7   193 m

Let n be the last day of drilling.

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un  10
256   n  1 7   10
263  7 n  10
253  7 n
n  36.1
n  37
Drilling stopped on the 37th day.
37
Total depth  S37   2  256  36  7    4810 m
2 
8
ii) GP: a  256, r 
9
256
Maximum theoretical depth  S   2304
8
1
9
S n  0.99 S
a (1  r n ) a
 0.99
1 r 1 r
 1  r  0.99
n

8
 ( ) n  0.01
9
ln 0.01
n  n  39.1
8
ln( )
9
Ans: On 40th day.

9.  [N2012/P2/Q4]

On 1 January 2001 Mrs A put $100 into a bank account, and on the first day of each
subsequent month she put in $10 more than in the previous month. Thus on 1 February she
put $110 into the account and on 1 March she put $120 into the account, and so on. The
account pays no interest.
(i) On what date did the value of Mrs A’s account first become greater than $5000?

On 1 January 2001 Mr B put $100 into a savings account, and on the first day of each
subsequent month he put another $100 into the account. The interest rate was 0.5% per
month, so that on the last day of each month the amount in the account on that day was
increased by 0.5%.
(ii) Use the formula for the sum of a geometric progression to find an expression for the
value of Mr B’s account on the last day of the nth month (where January 2001 was the
1st month, February 2001 was the 2nd month, and so on). Hence find in which month
the value of Mr B’s account first became greater than $5000.

(iii) Mr B wanted the value of his account to be $5000 on 2 December 2003. What
interest rate per month, applied from January 2001, would achieve this?

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[Solution]
i)
nth month Amount put in ($)
1 100
2 100  10
3 100  2 10 
 
n 100   n  110 
S n  5000
n
 2(100)   n  110    5000
2
n 2  19n  1000  0
-42.52 23.52
n  42.52  rej. as n  0  or n  23.52
Least n  24
The value of Mrs A’s account became greater than $5000 on 1 Dec 2002.

ii)
nth month Amount put in Amount at end of the month ($)
($)
1 100 100 1.005 

100  100 1.005   1.005   100 1.005   100 1.005  

2 100 2

3 100 100  100 1.005   100 1.005 2  1.005 

 
 100 1.005   100 1.005   100 1.005 
2 3

100 100 1.005     100 1.005   100 1.005 

n n 1 n

100 1.005 1.005n  1

Amt in account on nth month =   20100(1.005n  1)
1.005  1
20100(1.005  1)  5000
n

Algebraic method: GC method:

50
1.005n  1 
201
50
1.005n  1 
201

n

ln 1  50
201 
ln 1.005 
n  44.541
 least n  45  least n  45

45 months = 3 years 9 months

Hence the value of Mr B’s account first became greater than $5000 in September 2004.

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iii) Let r % be the interest rate per month.

r
Let v  1 
100
nth Amount Amount on 2nd day of the month ($) Amount on last day of the
month put in ($) month ($)
1 100 100 100v
2 100 100  100v  100  100v  v  100v  100v 2 
3 100 100  100v  100v 2
100v  100v  100v
2 3

n 100 100 1  v n

100  100v    100v n 1 
1 v

100 1  v36 
When n  36 ,  5000
1 v
Since   1 , we adjust the Windows of the GC accordingly.

Using GC, v  1.0179576

r
 1.0179576  1   r  1.79576  1.80 (to 3 s.f.)
100
Hence the interest rate per month should be 1.80%.

Examiners’ Comments
(i) Most candidates tackled this by finding the sum of an arithmetic progression, and the
majority found that the number of months had to be greater than 23.5, or at least 24.
Many candidates were correct to this point then gave the wrong answer of 1 January
2003. A small minority of candidates tackled the question by working out the value
of the account every month from 1 January 2001, often arriving at the correct answer,
or at 1 January 2003.

(ii) Most candidates made an attempt at the sum of a GP, although some wrongly used
0.005 as the common ratio, rather than 1.005. Other candidates had difficulty with
the interest rate, using a common ratio of 1.05 or 1.5. Since in this part interest is
added on the last day of the month and the value of the account on the last day of the
month is required, the correct GP involves a term of $100.5. Although this was
recognised by any candidates, many others used 100 instead of 100.5. Some
candidates did not then convert their value of n into the right month and year.

(iii) This differed from part (ii) in requiring the value of the account on 2 December 2003,
rather than the end of a month, so a correct answer involved a $100 term. Some

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candidates did this by solving the equivalent question of first finding the month in
which the value of the account first came to over $4900. Quite a number of
candidates worked in terms of the common ratio, as in earlier parts; they were not
able to gain marks unless they converted their answer into a monthly percentage
interest rate. Quite a number of candidates were not able to work out that 36
payments were involved: 35, 24, 23 were all seen from time to time.

10. [N2014/P2/Q3(ii)]
In a training exercise, athletes run from a starting point O to and from a series of
points, A1 , A2 , A3 ,..., increasingly far away in a straight line. In the exercise, athletes start at
O and run stage 1 from O to A1 and back to O, then stage 2 from O to A2 and back to O,
and so on.

O 4m 4m A2 8 A3 16
A1 m m A4
Fig. 2
In the exercise, the distances between the points are such that
OA1  4m , A1 A2  4m , A2 A3  8m and An An 1  2 An 1 An (see Fig. 2). Write down an
expression for the distance run by an athlete who completes n stages. Hence find the
distance from O, and the direction of travel, of the athlete after he has run exactly 10 km.

Stage Distance run at that stage

1 2(4)
2 2  2  4    4  22 
3 2  2  2  4     4  23 
 
n 4  2n 

Total distance after n stages

 4  2   4  2 2   4  23   4  2 4     4  2 n 
 4  2  2 2  23  2 4    2 n 
 2  2n  1 
 4   8  2n  1
 2  1 

After running 10 km,

8  2n  1  10000
2n  1251
lg1251
n  10.288
lg 2
Athlete completed 10 stages, which constitute 8  210  1  8184 m

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Distance from O after completion of 10 stages ==1816 m

Distance remaining after completion of 10 stages  10000  8184  1816 m
Distance run at the 11th stage  4  211   8192 m
1
 OA11   8192  4096
2
Therefore, the athlete has not reached A11 .
After running 10km, the athlete is 1816m away from O and running away from O
towards A11 .

Comment: Please note that in this context, n   .

When the athlete has completed 10.5 stages, the athlete is at A11.
Distance covered by athlete when he is at A11 = 8184+4096=12280
The distance covered after 10 and a half stages should NOT be computed using n=10.5,
8  210.5  1  11577.24 (< 12280, so the athlete has not reach A11 yet)
Hence, students should not use the value of n=10.288 alone to conclude the direction of
travel.
 
E.g. 8 210.52  1  11739  12280 i.e. although n  10.52  10.5 , the athlete has not reach
A11 yet.

11. [N2015/P1/Q8]

Two athletes are to run 20 km by running 50 laps around a circular track of length 400 m.
1 3
They aim to complete the distance in between 1 hours and 1 hours inclusive.
2 4
(i) Athlete A runs the first lap in T seconds and each subsequent lap takes 2 seconds
longer than the previous lap. Find the set of values of T which will enable A to
complete the distance within the required time interval.

(ii) Athlete B runs the first lap in t seconds and the time for each subsequent lap is 2%
more than the time for the previous lap. Find the set of values of t which will
enable B to complete the distance within the required time interval.

1
(iii) Assuming each athlete completes the 20 km run in exactly 1 hours, find the
2
difference in the athletes’ times for their 50th laps, giving your answer to the
nearest second.

[Solution]
(i) Let n be the number of laps and Tn be the time taken for the nth lap in seconds.
For Athlete A,
n Tn
1 T
2 T+2
3 T + 2 + 2 = T + 2(2)

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

…
n T + (n – 1)(2)

Hence, Tn follows an arithmetic progression with first term T and common

difference 2.
Total Time, S A
50
 T  T  2(50  1) 
2
 25(2T  98)

To complete within the required time interval,

3 7
hours  S A  hours
2 4
3 7
 3600  S A   3600
2 4
5400  S A  6300
5400  25(2T  98)  6300
216  2T  98  252
118  2T  154
59  T  77
Hence, T   | 59  T  77
(ii) Let n be the number of laps and tn be the time taken for the nth lap in seconds.
n tn
1 t
2 t (1.02)
3 t (1.02) 2
…
n t (1.02) n 1
Hence, tn follows a geometric progression with first term t and common ratio 1.02.
Total Time, S B
t  (1.02)50  1

1.02  1
 50t  (1.02)50  1
To complete within the required time interval,
3 7
hours  S B  hours
2 4
5400  S B  6300
5400  50t  (1.02)50  1  6300
108  t  (1.02)50  1  126
63.845  t  74.486
Hence, t   | 63.9  t  74.4

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

(iii) If S A  S B  5400 ,
t  63.845 and T = 59
For the 50th lap,
Difference
 T50  t50
 59  2(49)  63.845(1.02) 49 
 11.475
 11s (to nearest second)

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

12. [Specimen Paper/P1/Q4]

A science student is investigating the elasticity of a new compound. She drops a ball
made of the new compound vertically onto a hard surface and measures the height
reached by the ball after each successive bounce. She drops the ball from an initial height
8
of 200 cm and she estimates that the height the ball reaches after each bounce is of the
9
height reached by the previous bounce.

(i) Find the total distance that the ball has travelled when it reaches the highest point
after the fourth bounce. Give your answer correct to the nearest centimetre.

(ii) The ball is considered to have stopped bouncing when the next bounce results in
the height the ball reaches being less than 0.01 cm. Find how many bounces the
ball has made and the total distance that the ball has travelled in this case. Give
your answer correct to the nearest centimetre.

[Solution]
(i) Total distance required
2 3 4
8 8 8 8
 200  2   (200)  2   (200)  2   (200)    (200)
9 9 9 9
 8 4
8  8 8  2

 200 1      2   (200) 1     
  9   9  9  9  
 1277 cm (to nearest cm)

n
8
(ii) Height ball reaches after nth bounce  200  
9
n n
8 8
200    0.01     5(105 )
9 9
8
n ln    ln 5(105 ) 
9
n  84.08
Least n = 85

Total distance travelled Alternatively,

8 8
84 Since the height in the next bounce is
 200  2   (200)  ...  2   (200) less than 0.01, and the ball is
9 9 considered to have stopped, the total
   
2 89 (200) 1  89 
84
distance can be estimated to the
 200    nearest cm using the sum to infinity.
1  89 Total distance travelled
 3399.83  3400 cm (to nearest cm)

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

 
8  1 
 200  2   (200) 
9 8
1  
 9
 3400 cm (to nearest cm)

Supplementary Exercises

n
1. The sum of the first n terms of a series is given by the expression [13n  11] . By finding an
4
expression for the nth term of the series, or otherwise, show that this is an arithmetic series and
state the value of the first term and the common difference. Find the sum from the 10th to 20th
terms of the series.
13
[Ans : n  6 ,1006.5]
2
[Soln]
n n 1
un  Sn  Sn 1  [13n  11]  [13  n  1  11]
4 4
1
 13n 2  11n  13  n  1  11 n  1 
2

4  
1
  26n  13  11
4
13
 n6
2
13n 13  n  1
un  un 1  6 6
2 2
13
  constant
2
1 13
Therefore, this is an arithmetic series with first term and common difference .
2 2
Sum from the 10th to 20th terms of the series  S 20  S9
20   13   9   13  
 1  19     1  8   
2   2  2   2 
 1006.5

2. [N96/I/13] An athlete is considering two plans for a training program.

Plan I. Run 2000 m on day 1, 2400 m on day 2, and on each successive day increase the
distance run by 400 m.
Plan II. Run 2000 m on day 1, 2200 m on day 2, and on each successive day multiply the
distance run by a constant factor 10
11
.
(i) For Plan I, find in the form of A( n  B ) , where A and B are constants to be
determined, the distance, in meteres, run on day n. [1]

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

(ii) For Plan I, find in the form Cn ( n  D ) , where C and D are constants to be
determined, the total distance, in metres, run on days 1 to n inclusive. [1]
(iii) For Plan I, find the least value of n for which the total distance run on days 1 to n
inclusive, exceeds 200 000 m. [3]
(iv) For Plan II, find an expression for the distance, in metres, run on day N. [1]
(v) For Plan II, find the least value of N for which the distance run on day N
exceeds 16 000m. [2]
[Ans : (i) 400[ n  4] (ii) 200n[ n  9] (iii) 28 (iv) 2000 ( 10 ) (v) 23]
11 N-1

[Soln]
(i) For Plan I , distance run is an AP, a = 2000, d= 400
un  (2000)  ( n  1)(400)  400[ n  4]
(ii) Total distance run for n days is
S n  n2 [2( 2000)  ( n  1)( 400)]  200n[n  9]
(iii)
S n  200 000
200n[n  9]  200 000
n 2  9n  1000  0
9  4081 9  4081
n (rejected since n    ) or n 
2 2
n  27.44
Least n  28
(iv) For Plan II, distance run is a G.P., A = 2000, r = 11
10 .
Distance run on day N = Ar N-1 = 2000 ( 10 )
11 N-1

(v) To find least N such that 2000 ( 10 ) > 16000

11 N-1

N 1
 11 
  8
 10 
lg 8
N 1   21.8
lg1.1
N >22.8 so least N = 23

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

3. [SRJC/Midyear 2013/P2]
In the diagram, a ball rolls down a slope from its initial point O from rest.

Subsequently the distances traveled between successive seconds on the slope form an AP as follows:
10 cm, 30 cm, 50 cm, …
Determine
(i) the time it will take for the ball to roll a total distance of 10 m on the slope.
(ii) the distance traveled by the ball on the slope between the 11th and the 12th seconds.
At the end of 12 seconds, it is given that the ball will reach the end of the slope at P, after which the
ball travels on a horizontal surface. On the horizontal surface, the ball first passes over a distance of
2
9 cm from P in one second and subsequently travels of the previous distances between successive
3
seconds.
(iii) Find, in terms of n, the distance travelled by the ball n seconds after it leaves P and state
the distance travelled after it comes to rest.
  2 n 
[Ans : (i) 10s (ii) 2.30m (iii) Dist. travelled  27 1     , 27]
 3 
 
[Soln]
(i) The distance travelled follows an AP with first term 10 cm and common difference 20 cm.
Let n1 be the time taken to travel 10 m.
n
1000  1  2(10)  ( n1  1)20
2
20n12  2000  0
n12  100
n1  10 or  10 (rejected)
Thus the ball will take 10s to travel 10 m down the slope.

(ii) Distance travelled between the 11th and the 12th seconds = 10  (12  1)20
= 230 cm = 2.30 m

2
(iii) The distance travelled after P follows an GP with first term 9 cm and common ratio
3

Distance travelled after n seconds =


9 1   23 
n
  27 1   2  
n

   
1  23  3 
Distance travelled after coming to rest = 27 cm

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

4. [2009/HCI/P1/Q8]

A1 A1 A1
2cm
A2 A2
A3

2cm
Diagram 1 Diagram 2 Diagram 3

(i) Show that the areas of the shaded squares A1, A2, … , An in the nth diagram form a
geometric progression.
4 1 
(ii) Show that the total area of the shaded squares in the nth diagram Sn is 1  n  .
3 4 
Let S be the total shaded area in the nth diagram as n   . Find the value of S.
(iii)
(iv)Find the least value of n for which the difference between Sn and S is less than 1% of
S.
4
[Ans : (iii) (iv) 4]
3
[Soln]
2 2 2
 1  1    1    1 3   1 n 1 
2 2 2
1 1
A1  1 , A2    , A3          , A4     ,  , An      n 1
2
(i)
2  2  2    2    2    2   4
1
An n 1 1
 4  (a constant)
An 1 1 4
4n  2
 The areas form a G.P.

(ii) Sn 

1 1  41n 
4 1 
 1  n 
1 41 3 4 

1 4
or S   lim  1  n  
(iii) 4 1 4
S  1

1 4 3 n  3  4  3

(iv) S n  S  0.01S
Since S  S n ,
4 4 1 
n
4 Alternatively,
 1      0.01  Use GC table
3 3   4   3 n
1
1
n n = 3,    0.01563  0.01
   0.01 4
4 n
1
ln 0.01 n = 4,    0.00391  0.01
n  3.32 4
ln 0.25
 Least n = 4

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

5. [TJC Prelims 2007/P1/Q8]

The twelfth term of an arithmetic progression is 52 and the sum to the first eighteen terms is
756. If the nth term of the progression is more than 2000, find the least possible value of n.
[Ans: 500]
[Solution]
Given u12  a  11d  52    (1) and
18
S18   2a  17 d   756  2a  17 d  84    (2)
2
Solving (1) and (2) using the GC, a  8, d  4
We want un  2000  8   n  1 4  2000
 n  499
Therefore least n is 500.

6. [N81/P1/Q3b]
The first two terms of a geometric progression are 3 and -2. Write down an expression for the
sum to n terms and evaluate the sum to infinity of this progression. Find the least value of n
for the sum to n terms to be within 2% of the sum to infinity.
9 1  ( 23 ) n  9
[Ans: Sn  , S  , Least n  10 ]
5 5
[Solution]
Given a GP with a  3, r   23
31  (  23 ) n  91  (  23 ) n  3 9
Sn   and S  
1  (  23 ) 5 1  ( 3 ) 5
2

9
For S n  S   (0.02)
5
9 9 9
5
1  ( 23 ) n   
5 250
9 2 n 9
( 3 ) 
5 250
1
( 23 ) n 
50
1
( 23 )n 
50
n ln( 3 )  ln( 501 )
2

n  9.6

 least n  10

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7. [AJC/2014/Prelim/I/2]
A circular cake of radius r is cut into 22 sectors. The areas of the sectors form an increasing
arithmetic progression. The area of the eighth sector is twice the area of the smallest sector.
1
Find, in terms of , the angle of the largest sector. [Area of Sector = r 2 where  is the
2
angle of the sector]
7 Let the areas of the sectors be A1, A2, …… A22 Alternative :
A8 = 2 A1 A1+A2+…….+A22 = r2
A1+7d= 2A1 7d+8d+……+28d = r2
A1=7d …….. (1) 22
7d  28d    r 2
2
Sum of all the areas = area of the circle 385d   r 2
22
 2 A1  21d    r 2 r2 
385d
2 
1135d    r since A1=7d
2
1
A22  r 2  28d
1 2
d  r2 56 d  8
385   2  56d  
A22 = A1 + 21d = 28d r 385d 55
1 2  1 
r   28   r2 
2  385 
8

55

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8. [ACJC/2014/Prelim/II/4]
A loan company wishes to encourage its customers to repay their loans as soon as possible. By
the middle of the month if the customer can repay part of the amount owed, then at the end of
the month the company will charge an interest of 5%, only on the remaining amount still owed
by the customer.
Mr Tan owes the company $5000 at the beginning of the first month. He wishes to repay a fixed
amount of $x, by the middle of every month until the loan is repaid in full.
(i) Find the least value of x (to the nearest dollar) for which the total amount owed is paid off
after the second payment.
th
(ii) Show that the value of x for which the whole amount owed is paid exactly after the  n  1

5000 r n
payment is given by x  , where r is to be determined.
21r n  20
(iii) If Mr Tan wishes to settle the amount owed in at most 10 payments what is the minimum
amount (to the nearest dollar) he should pay each month.

8 Amount owed at the start of 2nd month is paid off after second payment :
(i)
 5000  x 1.05  x
5000(1.05)
x  $2561 (nearest dollars)
2.05
Amount owed at the start of third month

(ii) =   5000  x 1.05  x 1.05  5000(1.05)2  (1.052  1.05) x

Amount owed at the start of (n+1) th month
 5000(1.05)n  (1.05n  1.05n 1  ........  1.05) x

 5000(1.05)n 

1.05 x 1.05n  1 
0.05

 5000(1.05)n  21x 1.05n  1 
Amount owed is paid exactly after the (n+1)th payment:


5000(1.05)n  21x 1.05n  1  x 
5000(1.05) n 5000(1.05)n
x 
 
21 1.05n  1  1 
21 1.05n  20 
r =1.05
At most 10 payments, n= 9
5000(1.05)9
x  616.69
(iii)  
21 1.059  20

Miminum amount he should pay is $617 per month

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9. CJC/2014/Prelim/I/3
The design of a decorative screen for a Zen garden consists of bamboo poles of decreasing heights,
joined together at their sides.
(i) The first pole of the screen has height 2 metres and the heights of the poles form an arithmetic
progression such that the 7th pole has height 1.82 metres. Find the common difference of the
arithmetic progression.
(ii) It is given that the last pole of the screen has height 1.10 metres. Show that the total number of
poles used for the design of the screen is 31.
Unfortunately the manufacturer misunderstands the instructions and constructs the decorative
screen wrongly, such that the heights of the poles are in geometric progression with common ratio
r.
(iii) Given that the total number of poles used and the heights of the first and last pole remain the
same, find r, giving your answer correct to 4 decimal places.
(iv) The bamboo poles cost $20 per metre.
Find the difference in cost between the original and wrongly constructed design
9(i) Let d be the common difference.
2  (7  1) d  1.82 6d  0.18
d  0.03
Hence the common difference is negative 0.03 metres.
(ii) Tn  2  ( n  1)( 0.03)  1.10
( n  1)( 0.03)  0.90
( n  1)  30
n  31
(iii) T31  2 r (311)  1.10

r 30  0.55
r  0.980269...  0.9803 (4 d.p.)
(iv) Original cost
 31 
 (20)    2(2)  (31  1)( 0.03) 
 2 
 $961.00

Modified cost
 2 1  0.980269348231  
 (20)  
 1  0.9802693482 
 
 $934.29

Difference
 $961.00  $934.29  $26.71

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 2017 EJC JC1 H2 Mathematics

10 DHS/2014/Prelim/I/9
(a) A sequence of positive numbers x1, x2 , x3 ,..., xn is a geometric progression. Show that

the sequence of numbers y1 , y2 , y3 ,..., yn given by the relation,

yn  log k xn  k , where k is a positive constant,

is an arithmetic progression.

(b) Thomas takes an education loan of $20 000 from a bank for his undergraduate
studies. Starting from the month he obtained the loan, Thomas makes a monthly
payment of $x to the bank in the middle of every month. At the end of each month,
the bank charges him an interest of 1% for the remaining amount owed. The repayment
plan continues until he has fully paid for his loan.
(i) During his studies, Thomas is only able to make a monthly payment such
that the amount owed remains at $20 000 at the end of every month after
the interest is charged. Find the value of x for this payment plan.

After completing his studies, Thomas still owes the bank an outstanding amount of $20
000. He adjusts the repayment amount in the month after completing his studies so that
he can repay his loan in full after a certain time.
(ii) Show that starting from the month the repayment amount is adjusted, the
monthly payment of $x such that the loan is fully paid after the n th payment is
given by
200(1.01n1 )
x .
1.01n  1
(iii) Hence determine the monthly amount that Thomas should make to fully pay up
the loan in exactly 3 years’ time.

10(a) yn  yn1
 
 log k xn  k  (log k xn1  k )

 log k xn  log k xn 1
xn
 log k  
xn 1
 log k r (a constant, where r is the common ratio)

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Since the difference between any two consecutive terms is a constant, { yn }  is an arithmetic 

sequence. 

10b(i) 1.01(20000  x)  20000

1.01x  0.01(20000)
x  198.02
10b(ii)
No. of
Amount owed after each payment in the
paym
middle of the month
ents
1 20 000  x
1.01(20 000  x )  x
2
 1.01(20 000)  1.01x  x
1.011.01(20 000)  1.01x  x   x
3
 1.012  20 000   1.012 x  1.01x  x
…
1.01n 1 (20 000)  x(1.01n 1  1.01n 2  ...  1.01 
1.01n  1
n  1.01n 1 (20 000)  x
1.01  1

1.01n  1
For the loan to be paid in full after the nth payment, 1.01n 1 (20 000)  x 0
1.01  1
1.01n  1
1.01n1 (20 000)  x
0.01
200(1.01n1 )
x (shown)
1.01n  1

Alternatively
No. of
payment Amount owed at the end of each month
s
1 1.01(20 000  x )
1.011.01(20 000  x)  x 
2
 1.012 (20 000)  1.012 x  1.01x
…

1.01n 1 (20 000)  x(1.01n 1  1.01n  2  ...  1.01)

n1 1.01(1.01n 1  1) 
 1.01n 1 (20 000)  x  
 1.01  1 

For the loan to be paid in full after the nth payment, then

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1.01(1.01n 1  1)
1.01n 1 (20 000)  x x0
1.01  1
1.01(1.01n 1  1)
1.01n1 (20 000)  x x
0.01
1.01(1.01n 1  1)  0.01
x  1.01n 1 (20 000)
0.01
1.01  1
n
x  1.01n1 (20 000)
0.01
200(1.01n1 )
x (shown)
1.01n  1

10b(iii) For the loan to be fully paid in 3 years (n = 36 months),

200(1.01361 )
x
1.0136  1
x  657.709
Hence, for Thomas to fully pay up the loan in exactly 3 years, he should be paying a
monthly amount of $657.71

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11. IJC/2014/Prelim/I/2
It is given that x, y, z are the first three terms of a geometric progression. When the three terms
are
arranged in the order of z, x, y, they form three consecutive terms of an arithmetic progression.
2
z z
(i) Show that       2  0 .
 y  y
(ii) Hence determine if the sum to infinity of the geometric progression exists.

11(i) Since x, y, z are the first three terms of a geometric progression,

y z

x y
y 2  xz
y2
x
z
Since z, x, y are three consecutive terms of an arithmetic progression,
xz  yx
2x  y  z
Solving the 2 above equations,
 y2 
2   y  z
 z 
2 y 2  yz  z 2
Dividing throughout by y 2 :
 z   z2 
2  
 y   y2 
2
z  z

    2  0 (shown)
y  y
(ii) z
Geometric progression has common ratio r  .
y
2
z z
Solving       2  0 gives r  1 or  2 .
 y  y
Since r < 1, so sum to infinity of geometric progression does not exist.

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12 MJC/2014/Prelim/II/1
Andrew decides to buy an apartment that costs $350 000. He pays a deposit of 5% to the developer
and finances the remaining amount by taking a bank loan on 1 January 2014. The bank charges
interest at a rate of 0.25% per month at the beginning of each month, starting from 1 January 2014.
In the middle of each month, he pays $x to the bank. The repayment process is repeated every
month until the loan is repaid in full.

Show that the outstanding amount owed at the end of the nth month is
$ 332 500(1.0025) n  400 x 1.0025n  1  .

Deduce the least monthly repayment amount x, rounded off to the nearest dollar, required to pay
off the entire loan by the end of the 30th year.
When Andrew receives his first statement from the bank at the end of the first year, the outstanding
loan amount is $325 556. Explain why the amount shown on the statement is so near to the loan
amount.

12 Loan amount = 0.95(350000)  332500

Interest rate per month = 0.25%

Month Start of month End of month

1 (332500)1.0025 (332500)1.0025 − x
2 [(332500)1.0025 – x]1.0025 332500(1.00252 )  1.0025x  x
= 332500(1.00252 )  1.0025x

3  332500(1.0025 )  1.0025x  x 1.0025

2
 332500(1.00253 )  1.00252 x
 332500(1.00253 )  1.00252 x  1.0025 x  1.0025 x  x

At the end of the nth month, the outstanding amount owed

 332500(1.0025n )  1.0025n 1 x  ...  1.0025 x  x
= 332500(1.0025n )  x(1  1.0025  ...  1.0025n 1 )

1.0025n  1
= 332500(1.0025) n  x
1.0025  1
 
= 332500(1.0025)  400 x 1.0025n  1 (shown)
n

To pay off the entire loan by the 30th year, the outstanding amount owed at the end
of the 360th month must be less than or equal to 0.
332500(1.0025)360  400 x 1.0025360  1  0
400 x 1.0025360  1  332500(1.0025)360
332500(1.0025)360
x
400 1.0025360  1
x  1401.83

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The least monthly installment is $1402.

Loan amount = 0.95(350000)  332500

Interest rate per month = 0.25%

Month Start of month End of month

1 (332500)1.0025 (332500)1.0025 − x
2 [(332500)1.0025 – x]1.0025 332500(1.00252 )  1.0025x  x
= 332500(1.00252 )  1.0025x

3  332500(1.0025 )  1.0025x  x 1.0025

2
 332500(1.00253 )  1.00252 x
 332500(1.00253 )  1.00252 x  1.0025 x  1.0025 x  x

At the end of the nth month, the outstanding amount owed

 332500(1.0025n )  1.0025n 1 x  ...  1.0025 x  x
= 332500(1.0025n )  x(1  1.0025  ...  1.0025n 1 )

1.0025n  1
= 332500(1.0025) n  x
1.0025  1
= 332500(1.0025)  400 x 1.0025n  1 (shown)
n

To pay off the entire loan by the 30th year, the outstanding amount owed at the end
of the 360th month must be less than or equal to 0.
332500(1.0025)360  400 x 1.0025360  1  0
400 x 1.0025360  1  332500(1.0025)360
332500(1.0025)360
x
400 1.0025360  1
x  1401.83

The least monthly installment is $1402.

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