SFC1005: Data Handling

SFC1014: Data Handling for Forensic Scientists

Prof Nathan Patmore

Maths Test Worth 25% of Module Mark

January 2022

Name:

Student Number:

Course:

Answer all questions showing your working as clearly and completely as possible.
You may attempt the questions in any order.
You may use a calculator but you MUST show your working to gain full marks.

An equation of the form: ax 2+bx +c=0 has roots such that:

−b ± √ b2−4 ac
x=
2a

This questions are intended to be completed in 1 hour but 2 hours are allocated for the
test.
1. Aisha, Diane, and Gemma use their calculators to work out the value of

19.78× 317
6.295× 9.58

Aisha gets 103.97, Diane gets 88.56, and Gemma gets 130.57.
By rounding each number to 1 significant figure, use approximations to show which one
of them is correct. You must show your working.

19.78× 317 20 ×300 6000

= = =100(2marks )
6.295× 9.58 6 ×10 60

The approximate solution to the equation is 100, which is closest to Aisha’s answer.
Therefore, Aisha is correct. (1 mark)

(3 marks)
2. A math teacher bought 25 scientific calculators at £14.99 each, and a number of
normal calculators costing £7.99 each. In total she spent £518.57.
(a) How many of the cheaper (normal) calculators did she buy?

( 25 ×14.99 )+ ( x ×7.99 ) =518.57 (x = number of cheaper calculators)

( 374.75 ) + ( 7.99 x )=518.57

7.99 x=518.57−374.75=143.82

143.82
x= =18 calculators
7.99

(3 marks)
(b) The total spent (£518.57) includes 20% VAT (value added tax). What was the
cost of the calculators prior to the addition of tax?

518.57
=432.14667=£ 432.15
1.2

(2 marks)
Turn Over

2
3. (a) Write out the following numbers to 3 significant figures and 3 decimal
places

(i) 27.48994

27.5 to 3 sig fig

27.490 to 3 d.p.

(ii) 0.0037486

0.00375 to 3 sig fig

0.004 to 3 d.p.

(4 marks)

(b) A floor is covered by 80 tiles, with each tile covering an area of 10 cm2. How
many square tiles with sides of length 5 cm would be needed to cover the same
floor?

Floor area = 80 x 10 = 800 cm2

Area of a 5 x 5 square tile = 25 cm2

800
Number of 5 x 5 square tiles needed to cover floor = = 32 tiles
25

(2 marks)

4. Solve the equations

−49
(a ) =7
x

−49
−49=7 x , x= =−7
7

x 3
(b ) =
4 2

3 ×4 12
x= = =6
2 2

(2 marks)

3
 Turn Over
5. Simplify
(a) a7  a2

7−2 5
¿a =a

(b) x3  x5

3+5 8
¿x =x

(c) (b3y)3  (2b–3)

9 3 −3 6 3
¿ b y ×2 b =2 b y

(3 marks)
6. (a) Factorise x 2−2 x−35

Find two numbers that add up to –2 and multiply to give -35  –7 and 5

 x 2−8 x +12=( x−7)(x+ 5)

(2 marks)

(b) Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation x 2−2 x−35=0

( x−7 )( x +5 )=0

So, ( x−7 )=0 , x=7

or ( x +5 )=0 , x=−5

(2 marks)
Turn Over

4
 (c) The equation y=x 2−2 x−35 passes through a minimum. By differentiating
dy
(finding ), determine at what values of x and y this occurs.
dx

dy
=2 x −2(1 marks)
dx

dy
Minima occur when =0 (1 mark)
dx

∴ 0=2 x−2 ,−2 x=−2 , x=1(1 mark )

2
When x=1, y=1 −2 ( 1 ) −35=1−2−35=−36(1 mark )

The minimum occurs at x=1 , y=−36

(5 marks)
7

(e) Solve the definite integral ∫ x −2 x−35 dx

2

−5

[ ]
3
x
−x −35 x 7
2
3 −5

¿ [ ( 7 )3
3
2
−( 7 ) −35 (7 ) −
3][
(−5 )3 2
− (−5 ) −35(−5) ]
¿
[ 343
3
−49−245 −
−125
3 ][
−25+175
]
[
¿ −179
2
3 ][ ]
1
− 108 =−288
3

5
 (4 marks)
Turn Over
7. (a) Each of the following expressions can be simplified, without the need for a
calculator, to give a single expression, log x. Determine the value of x in each
case. (REMEMBER, you MUST show your working)
(i) log(x) = log(5) + log(4) + log(3)

log x = log (5 x 4 x 3)
= log 60
x = 60

1 mark

(ii) log(x) = log(4) − 4log(2) + log(8)

log x = log 4 – log 24 + log 8

= log ( )
4
16
+ log 8

= log ( )
4
16
× 8 =¿ log ( )
32
16
= log 2
x=2

2 marks

(3 marks)
(b) By taking logs of both sides of the equations solve the following equations to 3
decimal places:
x
(i) 38=3
x
log 38=log 3
log 38=x log 3
log 38
x= =3.311 to 3 d.p.
log 3
(1 mark)

2−x
(ii) 38=9
2− x
log 38=log 9
log 38=(2−x)¿
log 38
=2−x
log 9

6
 log 38
x=2− =0.344 to 3 d.p.
log 9

(2 marks)
(3 marks)
Turn Over
8. (a) Remove the brackets and simplify:

(i) (x−7)(2 x−2)

2
¿ 2 x −2 x−14 x+14
2
¿ 2 x −16 x+14

(1 mark)

(ii) 2−¿

¿ 2− [ ( x−3 )( x−3 ) ]
¿ 2− [ x 2−6 x +9 ]
2
¿ 2−x +6 x−9
2
¿−x + 6 x−7

(2 marks)

(3 marks)

(b) Factorise 8 x 2−10 x−3

Need two numbers that add up to -10 and multiply to give -24  2 and -12
2
¿ 8 x + 2 x−12 x−3
¿(8 x ¿¿ 2+2 x)−(12 x−3)¿
¿ 2 x(4 x +1)−3( 4 x +1)

¿(2 x−3)(4 x +1)

7
 (3 marks)
Turn Over
7. A piggy bank contains 50 coins, all either 2p or 5p. The total value of coins in the
piggy bank is £1.87.

(a) If the number of 2p coins is x and the number of 5p coins is y write down an
equation for the number of coins in the piggy bank.

x + y=50

(1 mark)

(b) Write an equation showing the total value of the coins in the piggy bank in terms
of x and y.

2 x+5 y =187

(1 mark)

(c) Use this information to find the number of 2p and number of 5p coins in the piggy
bank.
(Hint: you have generated two simultaneous equations in parts (a) and (b) which
can be solved to determine x and y)

x + y=50(1)
2 x+5 y =187(2)

(1) x 2:
2 x+ 2 y =100(3)

(2) – (3):
( 2 x+5 y ) −( 2 x +2 y )=187−100
3 y=87
y=29

Sub back into (1)

x +29=50
x=50−29=21

8
There are 21 2p coins and 29 5p coins in the piggy bank.

(4 marks)
End of Test