NORTH SYDNEY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL

2014
Preliminary Mathematics
Assessment Task 1

Name:_______________________ Mathematics Class:________

Student Number: _________________

Available marks: 57

Time allowed: 50 minutes + 2 minutes reading time

Section I 5 marks
Attempt Question 1-5

Section II 52 marks
Attempt Questions 6-9

General Instructions
 Start each question in a new writing booklet.
 Show all necessary working.
 Work down the page and do not work in columns
 Leave a margin on the left hand side of the page
 Marks may not be awarded for untidy or poorly arranged work

Question 1-3 2-5 6a-d 6e-g 7a-d 7e 8a-c 8d-f 9a,b 9c-f Total

P3
/3 /7 /11 /6 /4 /31

P4
/2 /6 /2 /7 /9 /26

/57

Preliminary Mathematics Term 1 2014

Section 1

5 marks
Attempt Questions 1-5
Use the multiple-choice sheet for Questions 1-5
______________________________________________________________________________

1 What is 7.09654 correct to three significant figures?

(A) 7.09

(B) 7.10

(C) 7.097

(D) 7.0965

1
2 Which of the following is equal to ?
5 2 3

5 2 3
(A)
7

5 2 3
(B)
7

5 2 3
(C)
47

5 2 3
(D)
47

3 What are the solutions to 5 x 2  7 x  1 ?

7  29
(A) x
10

7  29
(B) x
10

7  69
(C) x
10

7  69
(D) x
10

2
 5x 
3

4 The expression simplifies to

2 x 1
2
(A)
5x 2

2
(B)
125x 2

1
(C)
10x 2

1
(D)
250x 2

m2 k 2
5 If k is positive, and   1 , then k is equal to
16 9

3
(A) m 2  16
4

4
(B) m 2  16
3

3
(C) 16  m 2
4

4
(D) 16  m 2
3

3
SECTION II

48 marks
Attempt Questions 6-9

In Questions 6-9, your responses should include relevant mathematical reasoning and/or calculations.

Question 6 (13 marks) Use the writing booklet provided.

a) Evaluate 16  895  108  (5 13)5 giving the answer in scientific 2

notation, correct to 2 significant figures.

b) Simplify 96 . 1

c) Find the exact value of x 3  3 x  2 when x  2 . 2

d) Express 1.57 as a reduced improper fraction, showing working. 2

2  2 b  if a  2 and b  3 , expressing the answer as a

a 1
e) Evaluate 2
simplified fraction.

f) A furnace is at three quarters of its normal operating temperature, in  C , 2

when the power goes off. Two hours later the temperature of the furnace
has dropped by 100  C and the furnace is now five-eighths the normal
operating temperature. What is the normal operating temperature of the
furnace?

2x
3
 3 xy 2
g) Simplify fully . 2
6x y

4
Question 7 (13 marks) Use a separate Writing Booklet.

a) Factorise fully

(i) 3x2  2 x  5 1

(ii) x 3  64 2

(iii) x4  x3  8  8 x 2

3 2
b) Write in the form a  b 2 . 2
5 2

c) Simplify ( 5  3) 2  7 5 . 2

x  3 5  2x
d) Simplify  . 2
8 6

A2 B
e) Find the exact value of 3 where A  12 , B  12 , C  12 2 . 2
C

Question 8 (13 marks)

t 2 t 3
a) Solve  2 . 2
7 2

b) Solve x 2  6 x  1  0 by completing the square. 2

c) Solve 2 x 2  9 x . 2

6 x 2  11x  7
d) Simplify . 2
14  6 x

e) A stone is thrown vertically upwards from the ground in such a way that after 2
t seconds, it is at a height s metres where s  40t  5t 2 . Find the values of t when
s is 75.

f) Solve simultaneously 2 x  3 y  27 and 3x  2 y  28 3

5
Question 9 (13 marks) Use a separate writing booklet

a) Expand and simplify 5  x 2  4 x  3  3  2 x 2  7 x  1 . 2

Factorise and simplify  x  2    x  5  .

2 2
b) 2

c) Solve the simultaneous equations y  7 x2  8 x  1 and y  3  4 x . 3

d) A tank can be filled by using one or two pumps. Pump A operates at 45 litres 2
per minute and pump B at x litres per minute. Pump B can be used to fill the tank
or empty it.
It takes 3 hours to fill an empty tank if both pumps are used to pump water in. If,
however, pump A is filling the tank at the same time as pump B is pumping water
out of the tank, then the tank will be empty after 8 hours. Find the value of x.

12n  32 n
e) Simplify fully. 2
6n

f) After two successive increases of x% each year the price of electricity rose 2
from 12.3 cents per kilowatt hour to 16.8 cents per kilowatt hour. What was the
price of electricity after the first increase?

END OF TEST