202010 SUSTech Math MCQ

NO. 1

Solve the quadratic equation x² - 7x + 5 = 0 leaving your answer in surd form.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Mark scheme

Explanation

Simply apply the formula .

NO. 2

What is the centre of the circle with the equation x² + 6x + y² - 2y - 22 = 0?

A. (3, -1)

B. (-6, 2)

C. (6, -2)

D. (-3, 1)

Mark scheme

Explanation

Complete the squares in the given equation to get it in the form (x - a)² + (y - b)²

= r². The centre is at (a, b).

NO. 3

For which of these domains is the mapping f(x) = sin x a function?

A. 0° < x < 360°

B. x ∈R
C. -1 ≤ x ≤ 1

D. -180° < x < 180°

Mark scheme

Explanation

sin(x) has only one value for each value of x and is defined for all values of x so

its domain is the set of real numbers.

NO. 4

What is the range of the function f(x) = 2 - x² over the domain x ∈ R?

A. f(x) ≤ √2

B. f(x) ∈R
C. f(x) ≤ 2

D. -√2 ≤ f(x) ≤ √2

Mark scheme

Explanation

x² is always ≥ 0 so the maximum value of f(x) will be 2 (when x = 0).

NO. 5

In the diagram above, the centre of the circle is at C, (-1, 2). The red line is a tangent to

the circle at B, (3, 5). What is the equation of the red line?
 A. 3x + 4y + 19 = 0

B. 4x - 3y + 5 = 0

C. 4x + 3y - 27 = 0

D. 3x - 4y + 11 = 0

Mark scheme

Explanation

The radius BC is perpendicular to the red line (because the red line's a tangent to

the circle). So, first calculate the gradient of the radius. The gradient of the

tangent will be -1 over this value. Now work out the equation for the red line

knowing that it passes through the point B, (3, 5).

NO. 6

Use the graph to determine which line equation has exactly one solution when solved

simultaneously with the circle equation (x + 1)² + (y - 2)² = 25.

 A. 2y = x + 5

B. 4y = 3x - 14

C. 4y + x + 20 = 0

D. y = 6

Mark scheme

Explanation

A pair of simultaneous equations have just one solution if they intersect/touch at

just one point. In the diagram, the orange line, with the equation 4y = 3x - 14 is a

tangent to the circle i.e. touches it so this equation is the answer.

NO. 7

A large, circular cookie, radius 15 cm, is divided into a number of equal sized pieces

(sectors). If the area of each piece is 25π cm², how many pieces is it divided into?

A. 9

B. 15

C. 6

D. 12

Mark scheme

A
 Explanation

Use the formula to find the angle (in radians) of each sector. Divide 2π (the

total angle at the centre of the circle) by this angle, for the answer.

NO. 8

What is π/4 expressed as degrees?

A. 90°

B. 45°

C. 60°

D. 30°

Mark scheme

Explanation

Divide by π and multiply by 180 to convert radians to degrees.

NO. 9

-1
Find the value(s) of sin (x) between 0° and 360° when x is equal to .

A. 45°, 225°

B. 45°, 315°

C. 45°, 135°

D. 135°, 315°

Mark scheme

C
 Explanation

Use the inverse sin function on your calculator. Then, apply your knowledge of

the sin graph to determine the solutions in the given interval.

NO. 10

A ball is thrown. Its velocity vector is v = i - √3j. What's the direction of the velocity?

A. 60° below the horizontal

B. 30° below the horizontal

C. 30° above the horizontal

D. 60° above the horizontal

Mark scheme

Explanation

If θ is the angle between the vector and the x-axis then tan(θ) = -√3. (Draw a
diagram if you're not sure).
NO. 11

Find the distance between the points with position vectors and .

A. 11

B. √101

C. √73

D. √89

Mark scheme

Explanation

Using Pythagoras' theorem, the distance between the position vectors and

is .

NO. 12

The position vector of a point A is and of B is . What is ?

A. √14

B. √26

C. 3√2

D. √62

Mark scheme

B
 Explanation

Using Pythagoras' theorem, the distance between the two points and

is .

NO. 13

7 9
What is the coefficient of x in the expansion of (2+x) ?

A. 168

B. 288

C. 144

D. 672

Mark scheme

Explanation

Use the Binomial Expansion Formula, with a

= 2, b = x, n = 9 r = 7.

NO. 14

What is the sum of the series with first term -7.5, last term -15 and common difference

-0.75?

A. -123.75

B. -108.75

C. -116.25

D. -101.25

Mark scheme

Explanation
 Use the formula where a is the first term, l is the last term and n is the

number of terms. To work out n, use the formula . You should

find n = 11.

NO. 15

By sketching the graph of y = x³ - x, determine the range of values for which the
4 2
function x - 2x is increasing.

A. x < -1, x > 1

B. -1 < x < 0, x > 1

C. x < -1, 0 < x < 1

D. -1 < x < 1

Mark scheme

Explanation

The question is about an increasing function so firstly, differentiate the main

function and consider the gradient > 0. You should get the inequality x³ - x > 0.

Which makes sense as we're told to sketch the graph of y = x³ - x. So, the values
4 2
of x for which this graph lies above the x-axis will be the values for which x - 2x

is increasing.
NO. 16

Differentiate with respect to x.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Mark scheme

Explanation

Rewrite using and . Differentiate using the formula

and finally, apply the laws of indices again to write it as a fraction and

a root.

NO. 17

What is the formula to calculate the volume, V, of the solid formed when the area

enclosed by the curve y = f(x) and the lines is rotated 2π about the

y-axis?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Mark scheme

C
 Explanation

You need to know this formula.

NO. 18

What is ?

A. 6x + 10 + c

B. x³ + 5x² - 8x + c

C. 3x³ + 10x² - 8x + c

D. 6x³ + 10x² - 8x + c

Mark scheme

Explanation

Expand the brackets and then use the formula on each separate

element. Differentiate your answer to check it gives the original expression.

NO. 19

Using the graph, find the solution to the inequality |2x + 1| < |x - 1|

A. -2 < x < 0

B. x < -2, x > 0

C. x = -2, x = 0

D. -0.5 < x < 1

 Mark scheme

Explanation

Firstly, solve the equation |2x + 1| = |x - 1| by looking at the intersection points. of

the graphs. Then, find the section of the red graph, y = |2x + 1| which lies below

the blue graph, y = |x - 1|. This range of x is the solution to the inequality.

NO. 20

Express as partial fractions.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Mark scheme

Explanation

can be written as . To calculate A, B, add the partial fractions

and then equate to the original, cancelling the denominators. Set x = 2 to cancel

out A and so find B and then x = -1 to find A in the same way.

NO. 21

8
For what values of x is the binomial expansion of (2x - 5) valid?

A. |x| < 0.2

B. |x| < 0.4

C. x ∈R
D. |x| < 2.5
 Mark scheme

Explanation

n
If n is a positive integer, the binomial expansion of (a + bx) is valid for all values

of x.

NO. 22

The Black dotted graph is that of y = ln(x). What's the equation of the Green graph (B)?

A. y = ln(x) - 4

B. y = ln(x + 5)

C. y = ln(x/4)

D. y = -ln(x)

Mark scheme

Explanation

The Green graph (B) is the Black dotted graph, y = ln(x) shifted by 5 to the left

along the x-axis. So, the transformation is that of f(x) to f(x + 5).

NO. 23

Express as a single logarithm: 2(log 48 - 3 log 2)

 A. log 24

B. log 36

C. log 12

D. log 64

Mark scheme

Explanation

b
Firstly, deal with the terms in the brackets. Use the fact that log a = b log a and
b
that subtracting logs means dividing to get: log (48 ÷ 8) = log 6. Now use log a =

b log a again.

NO. 24

Which of these statements is true of the graph of y = sec(x)?

A. All of them

B. Local minimum points at y = 1

C. Periodicity of 2π

D. Local maximum points at y = -1

Mark scheme

A
 Explanation

You should know the graph of y = sec(x) (in blue). Its minimum points occur at

the maximum points of y = cos(x) (in red) and vice versa.

NO. 25

If cos A = c, find an expression for cos 2A in terms of c.

A. 1 + 2c

B. 1 + 2c²

C. 2c² - 1

D. 2c²

Mark scheme

Explanation

Try to remember the double angle formulas. If you can't, then use the addition

formulas (given in the exam) to work them out.

NO. 26

If , what is ?

A.

B.
 C.

D.

Mark scheme

Explanation

Use the chain rule: with , u(x) = x³ + 1.

NO. 27

What is when y = sec(x²)?

A. -2x sec(x²) tan(x²)

B. 2 sec(x²) tan(x²)

C. -2 sec(x²) tan(x²)

D. 2x sec(x²) tan(x²)

Mark scheme

Explanation

Use the chain rule: . Here put y = sec(u), u(x) = x².

NO. 28

Integrate 1 - tan(x) with respect to x.

A. x + ln|sin(x)| + c

B. x - ln|sin(x)| + c

C. x + ln|cos(x)| + c

D. x - ln|cos(x)| + c
 Mark scheme

Explanation

This uses the fact if y = f(x) then and .

NO. 29

Integrate 6x sin(x²) with respect to x.

A. -3 cos(2x) + c

B. -6 cos(x²) + c

C. -3 cos(x²) + c

D. 3 cos(2x) + c

Mark scheme

Explanation

Here, use the chain rule in reverse: with f(u) = cos(u), u(x) = x².

NO. 30

What is ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Mark scheme
 A

Explanation

This uses the chain rule in reverse, i.e. with

NO. 31

Using the Trapezium Rule, you've estimated the area under a curve to be 28.89.

Calculating the integral exactly, the area is 32.03. To 1 d.p., what is the percentage

error using the Trapezium Rule?

A. 8.7%

B. 10.9%

C. 7.6%

D. 9.8%

Mark scheme

Explanation

To find the % error use the formula .

NO. 32

The equation x³ - 2x - 3 = 0 has a root close to 1.9. To 4 d.p., what is the value of the

first iteration of the formula ?

A. 1.882

B. 3.5404

C. 1.8815

D. 1.8816

Mark scheme
 D

Explanation

In the formula, replace the occurrences of xn with 1.9.

NO. 33

Using λ as a scalar, what is the equation of the line r that is parallel to the vector

and passes through the point ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Mark scheme

Explanation

The equation of a line passing through the point a and parallel to the vector b is r

= a + λb where λ is a scalar.

NO. 34

The number of bees, B, in a hive is increasing over time, t, at a rate directly

proportional to the number of bees at a given time. Find a differential equation to show

this information using k > 0 as a constant.

 A.

B.

C.

D.

Mark scheme

Explanation

The rate of change is . It's proportional to B so, for some constant k it equals

kB (with k > 0 because it's increasing).

NO. 35

Find the general solution to the differential equation = y.

A. y = ln(x) + c

B. y = c ln(x)
x
C. y = e + c
x
D. y = ce

Mark scheme

Explanation

Separate the variables into the form f(x)dx = g(y)dy so we can solve by

integrating both sides. There's no x term so integrate 1 with respect to x.

NO. 36

The stem and leaf diagram represents the marks (out of 100) of 23 male and 17 female

students in a test. If an A grade was awarded for scores of 80% and above, what
 percentage of students achieved an A?

A. 5%

B. 25%

C. 30%

D. 15%

Mark scheme

Explanation

Count the number of marks greater than or equal to 80 i.e. the bottom two rows.

Divide by the number of students (40) to convert to a percentage.

NO. 37

Over a 3 week period, the daily number of hours of sunshine has been recorded on 4

holiday islands, Albany, Burbage, Clinton and Dingle. The box plots show the results.

Which island had the greatest interquartile range?

 A. Clinton

B. Albany

C. Burbage

D. Dingle

Mark scheme

Explanation

The interquartile ranges of the islands are as follows: Albany 4 hours, Burbage

6.5 hours, Clinton 4.5 hours, Dingle 5.5 hours.

NO. 38

Gino has recorded the ice cream flavour and topping chosen by his last 100 customers

(each customer had ice cream + topping). A customer is picked at random. Given that

they chose strawberry ice cream, what's the probability that they topped it with

sprinkles?

Ice

Cream
Vanilla Chocolate Strawberry

Topping Total

Sprinkles 12 13 12 37
 Hot 14 17 7 38

Fudge

Nuts 8 12 5 25

Total 34 42 24 100

A. 0.32

B. 0.5

C. 0.37

D. 0.12

Mark scheme

Explanation

Use the formula . A is choosing nuts as the topping and B is

choosing strawberry ice cream.

NO. 39

X ~ B(n, p) with n = 50, p = 0.12. Find Var(X).

A. 2.3

B. 5.28

C. 6

D. 4.4

Mark scheme

Explanation

If X has a binomial distribution, i.e. , then Var(X) =

npq.
NO. 40

X is a random variable and X ~ N(μ, σ²). Approximately of the values of X lie in which

interval?

A. μ - 2σ ≤ X ≤ μ + 2σ
B. 0 ≤ X ≤ 2σ

C. -σ ≤ X ≤ σ

D. μ - σ ≤ X ≤ μ + σ

Mark scheme

Explanation

The blue area is equal to P(μ -σ ≤ X ≤ μ + σ) i.e. values of X that lie within 1
standard deviation, σ, of the mean, μ.