2017 Prelim Paper 2 Comments for Students 

Section A
s/n Solution
1 3a 3a
S1  b  b  k …(1)
(i) 2! 2
3a a 2 5
S2  b  b  k  k  k …(2)
3! 2 3 3
(2) – (1),
a  3a  5
    k k
2  2 3
2
 a k
3
3a 3 2 
 bk  k   k   2k
2 2 3 

1 2k
Sn  2k   
(ii)  n 1!
un  S n  S n 1
 2k   2k 
  2k     2k  
  n  1!   n! 
2k 2k
 
n !  n  1 !
2k  1 
 1  
n!  n  1 
2k  n 
  
n!  n  1 
2kn

 n  1!

1 n
2k
(iii) u
r 1
r  S n  2k 
 n  1!
1
As n   ,  0.
 n  1!
2k
 S n  2k   2k
 n  1!

Hence the series u  converges.
r 1
r

Page 1 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
2 2 z  3w  20 ...(1)
(i) w  zw*  6  22 i ...(2)
20  3w
From (1), z 
2
Substitute into (2),
 20  3w 
w  w*  6  22i
 2 
2w   20  3w  w*  12  44i
2w  20w * 3ww*  12  44i
Let w  a  b i
2( a  b i)  20( a  b i)  3( a  b i)( a  b i)  12  44 i
2 a  2b i  20 a  20b i  3(a 2  b 2 )  12  44 i  
 3a 2
 18a  3b 2    22b  i  12  44 i
Comparing real and imaginary parts,
22b  44
 b2
3a 2  18a  3(2)2  12
3a 2  18a  12  12
3a  a  6   0
a  0 (rejected since a  0), a  6
w  6  2i
20  3  6  2 i 
z
2
z  1  3i

2 Let P and Q represent the complex numbers z and w respectively

(ii)

Im

  

O Re
  

Page 2 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
3 f ( x)  3sin x  cos x
(i)
R sin( x   )  R sin x cos   R cos x sin 
R cos  3 …(1)
R sin  1 …(2)
(1)2 + (2)2,
 R  ( 3)2 12  2
1
(1) / (2), tan   ,
3


6
 
Hence f ( x)  2sin  x  
 6

3 y
(ii)

1
 

x
O

1

2
 

When y  2 ,

2sin( x  )  2
6

sin( x  )  1
6
  2
x   x 
6 2 3
 2 
 turning point is   ,  2 .
 3 
Rf  [  2, 3)

Page 3 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
3 5 1  
Since   x  ,
(iii) 2 2
1 1 O
g( x )   x  1  x 
2 2
Rg  [3,0]

Df  (  , )
6  
Since R g  D f , fg exists.

x
O

1
1.2344

2
 

D Rg  restricted Df restricted Rf  Rfg

 g
 
[ 52 , 12 ]  [3, 0]  [2,1]
 R fg  [2,1]

3 From the graph,

(iv) 2 
largest domain for f  [  , )
3 6

Let y  2sin( x  )
6
 y 
x  sin 1   
2 6
 x 
f 1 : x  sin 1    , x  ,  2  x  3 .
2 6

Page 4 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
4  4   2   2  1
(i)        
 2    0    2   2  1 
 1  1  4   2 
       
 1   1  1 
     
r .  1    2  .  1   7 p
     
 2   4   2 

 Cartesian equation of p is x  y  2 z   7 .

4 x  y  2 z  7
q
(ii) x  2y  z  2
Using GC, l
a vector equation of l is
 4   1
    p
r   3    1 ,   .
    1
0  

4  4   
(iii) 
 
OB   3    q
  
 
 4     1
l

    B
AB   3      2 
   4 p
   
  3
 
   5
  4 
 
   3   1
  
   5  .  1  0
   4   1
  
 3 5   4  0    4
0

 
 OB   1   j  4k
 4  
 

Page 5 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
4 1
(iv)   q
Equation of q : r .  2   2
  
1 l
 4  3  1  B

   
AB   4  5    1 p
 4  4  0 
   

 length of projection of AB on q is


1
1  
AB  2
6  
1
1 1
1    
 1  2
6    
0 1
 1
1  
  1
6  1
 

1
6
 3
2

2

4 Vector equation of line through A and perpendicular to q is

(v)  1 1
   
r   2     2  ,   . q
   1
 
4   A'
Since line passes through q ,
C
 1     1  B
  
 2  2  .  2   2
 4   1 
  
1
 
2

Page 6 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
 1

 1   1   2

  1    1 9
 OC   2    2    1    i  j  k
 4  2 1   9  2  2 
     
 2 
Using Mid-point Theorem,
 
 OA  OA '
OC 
2
 1
  2   1   0 
        
OA '  2 OC  OA  2  1    2    0 
 9   4  5
     
 2 
 0 0  0 
  
     
A ' B  OB  OA '   1    0    1 
 4   5   1
     
 equation of required line is
0 0 0 0
       
r   0     1  ,   or r   1     1  ,  
    1     1
5    4  
 cartesian equation is x  0 , y  5  z .

Section B
s/n Solution
5(i) X ~ N  7, Var( X ) 
Y ~ N  7, Var(Y ) 
P( X  10)  P(Y  6)  
 10  7   67 
P Z    P Z   
 Var( X )   Var(Y ) 
 3   1 
P Z    P Z   
 Var( X )   Var(Y ) 
 
 
 
 
  0 0
 

Page 7 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
3  1 
  
 Var(Y )   
Var( X )  
3 Var(Y )  Var( X )
Hence Var( X )  9Var(Y ) (shown)

(ii) Var( X )  9(1)  9  

X ~ N  7, 9   
 P( X  9)  0.748
6(i) P Y  2 
 2P  X 1  2 and X 2  0   2P  X 1  3 and X 2  1
 2P  X 1  2  P  X 2  0   2P  X 1  3 P  X 2  1
 1  1   1  1 
 2     2    Since X 1 and X 2
 8  2   8  4 
are independent.
3

16
(ii) P  max of 2 scores  1
 P  X 1  1 P  X 2  1
2
1
 
8
1

64
Let Y be the sum of scores.
When sum of scores is prime, then Y = 2, 3 or 5 .
3
From (i), P Y  2  
16 Note that  2 and 1 are
P Y  3   2P  X 1  0  P  X 2  3  not prime numbers.

 1  1 
 2  
 2  4 
1

4
P Y  5   2P  X 1  3  P  X 2  2 
 1  1 
 2  
 8  4 
1

16
 Expected gain
 1   3 1 1
 16    3      2
 64   16 4 16 
 0.25
Hence expected gain is $0.25 .

Page 8 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
[Or expected loss is $0.25 .]

Alternatively,
Expected gain
 1   3 1 1   1 3 1 1 
 (16  2)    (3  2)      2 1       
 64   16 4 16    64 16 4 16  
 0.25
Hence expected gain is $0.25 .
[Or expected loss is $0.25 .]

7(i) No. of ways  10 C8  8  1 !  226800

(ii) Method 1: (method of complementation)

No. of ways  7 C5  8  1 !  7 C5 3! 6  1 !  90720
   
No. of ways No. of ways
without restriction with 3 particular beads
[5 other beads, and all together
together with 3 [5 other beads, with 3
particular beads particular beads grouped
arranged in a circle] as 1 unit and 3! ways to
arrange among themselves,
and all 6 units arranged
in a circle]

Method 2: (method of slotting)

Case 1: (all not next to one another) x
No. of ways x x
 7 C5  5 1 !  5
C3 3!  30240
 
5 other beads used 3 out of 5 slots x x
as seperators, and for 3 particular
arranged in a circle beads, and 3! ways
to arrange among
themselves

Case 2: (2 together, 1 not)

No. of ways  C5  5  1 !   C2 2!  5 C2 2!  60480
7 3
 
5 other beads used 2 of 3 particular 2 out of 5 slots
as seperators, and beads together, for 3 particular
arranged in a circle and 2! ways to beads grouped
arrange among as 2 units (2
themselves together, 1 not),
and 2! ways to
arrange among
themselves

 total no. of ways  30240  60480  90720

(iii) If spherical beads and cubic beads alternate, then there must be 4 spherical beads
and 4 cubic beads.
No. of ways
 5 C4  4  1 !  5 C4 4!  3600
 
4 spherical beads and 4 cubic beads,
arranged in a circle and 4! ways to
arrange among
themselves

8(i) Method 1: (using permutations)

10  9  8  7 63
Probability   [or 0.504]
10 4 125

Page 9 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
Method 2: (using probability)
10 9 8 7 63
Probability      [or 0.504]
10 10 10 10 125

(ii) Method 1: (using permutations)

thousands
hundreds
tens unit

No. of ways 9 9 1 5

3 ways to arrange digit same as last even digit

[(9  9  1)  3]  5
Required probability 
10 4
243
 [or 0.1215]
2000

Method 2: (using permutations and combinations)

Case 1: The other 2 digits are different
thousands
hundreds
tens unit

No. of ways 1 5

3! ways to arrange

[( 9C2 1)  3!] 5 27

Probability   [or 0.108]
104 250
Case 2: The other 2 digits are the same
thousands
hundreds
tens unit

No. of ways 1 5

ways to arrange

[( 9C1  1)  3!2! ]  5 27
Probability  4
 [or 0.0135]
10 2000
27 27 243
Required probability    [or 0.1215]
250 2000 2000

Method 3: (using probability)

Case 1: The other 2 digits are different
9 8 1 5 3! 27
Probability       [or 0.108]
10 10 10 10 2! 250

Page 10 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
Case 2: The other 2 digits are the same
9 1 1 5 3! 27
Probability       [or 0.0135]
10 10 10 10 2! 2000
27 27 243
Required probability    [or 0.1215]
250 2000 2000
(iii) Let A be the event '4 different digits with 1st digit greater than 6'.
Let B be the event 'odd and even digits that alternate'.

Method 1: (using permutations)

Case 1: 1st digit is even, i.e. 8, and odd and even digits alternate
thousands
hundreds
tens unit

No. of ways 1 5 4 4
1 5  4  4 1
Probability  4
 [or 0.008]
10 125
Case 2: 1st digit is odd, i.e. 7 or 9, and odd and even digits alternate
thousands
hundreds
tens unit

No. of ways 2
2  55 4 4 4 4 2
Probability   [or 0.016]
104 125
1 2 3
Hence P  A  B     [or 0.024]
125 125 125
P  B   P  'odd,even,odd,even ' or 'even,odd,even,odd' 
2  (5  5  5  5)

104
1
 [or 0.125]
8
P  A  B  125 3
24
 P  A | B   1  [or 0.192]
P B 8 125
Method 2: (using probability)
Case 1: 1st digit is even, i.e. 8, and odd and even digits alternate
1 5 4 4
Probability      0.008
10 10 10 10
Case 2: 1st digit is odd, i.e. 7 or 9, and odd and even digits alternate
2 5 4 4
Probability      0.016
10 10 10 10
1 2 3
Hence P  A  B     [or 0.024]
125 125 125

Page 11 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
P  B   P  'odd,even,odd,even ' or 'even,odd,even,odd'
5 5 5 5
 2    
 10 10 10 10 
 0.125
P  A  B 3
24
 P  A | B   125
 [or 0.192]
P B 1
8 125

9(i) Assumptions
 The probability of a randomly chosen glass stone being chipped is constant.
 Whether a glass stone is chipped or not is independent of that of any other glass
stones.

(ii) X ~ B  361, p 
P  X  2   0.90409
Using GC,
p  0.00300

 
(iii) P  X  2   1  P  X  2   1  0.90409  0.09591
Let Y be number of boxes with more than 2 chipped glass stones, out of 20 boxes.
Y ~ B  20, 0.09591
P Y  5   1  P Y  5   
 1  0.9907736392
 0.0092263608
 0.00923
 
(iv) Let A be the number of rejected batches, out of 50 batches.
A B  50, 0.0092263608
E  A   50  0.0092264   0.46132
Var  A   50  0.0092264 1  0.0092264   0.45706
Let M1  A1  A20
Since n  20 is sufficiently large, by CLT,
M1 N  20  0.46132, 20  0.45706 
 N  9.2264, 9.1412  approximately
Let M2  A21  A52
Since n  32 is sufficiently large, by CLT,
M 2 N  32  0.46132, 32  0.45706
 N 14.76224, 14.62592  approximately

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 s/n Solution
Let T  10M1  20M2
T N 10(9.2264)  20(14.76224), 10 2 (9.1412)  20 2 (14.62592) 
Hence
 N  387.5088, 6764.488  approximately
 P T  250  0.952729  0.953

10 y
(i)
0.0252

0.00029
20 90 x

(ii) The scatter diagram displays a curvilinear relationship which suggests the presence
of a maximum point. Hence a linear model is inappropriate.

(iii) r  0.9999984 (7 decimal places)  

(iv) m  65 . Of the 3 negative r values, the r value corresponding to m  65 is closest to

1 .
(v) Using GC with m  65 ,
a  0.0022309408  0.00223 (to 3 s.f.)
b  3.624598888  3.62 (to 3 s.f.)

 ln y  0.0022309408( x  65)2  3.624598888  

When x  45 ,
ln y  0.0022309408 45  65  3.624598888
2

 4.516975208
 y  0.0109220106  0.0109 (to 3 s.f.)

Since x  45 is within data range and r  0.9999984 is very close to 1 , the

prediction is reliable.

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 s/n Solution
11 Using GC,
(a) Unbiased estimate of the population mean,
(i) x  124.4 g

Unbiased estimate of the population variance,

s 2  2.7255405752
 7.428571429
 7.43 (3 s.f.)  

(ii) Let  g be the population mean mass of a box of blueberries.

H0 :   125
H1 :   125

Under H0, test statistic

X  125
Z ~ N  0,1 approximately by CLT
7.428571429
50
Level of significance: 10%
Critical region: Reject H0 if p-value  0.1

Since p-value  0.0598  0.1, we reject H0 and conclude that at the 10% level of
significance, there is sufficient evidence that Yummy Berries Farm has overstated
its claim.

Page 14 of 15 
 
 s/n Solution
No assumptions about masses of boxes of blueberries are needed. Since n  50 is
sufficiently large, by Central Limit Theorem, the mean mass of boxes of
blueberries will follows a normal distribution approximately.
(b) Let 1 g be the population mean mass of a box of raspberries.
H0 : 1 170
H1 : 1  170
Under H0 , assuming n is large,
Y  170
test statistic Z  ~ N  0,1 approximately by CLT
15
n
Level of significance: 5%
Critical region: Reject H0 if p-value  0.05

i.e. Reject H0 if z -value  1.959963986 or z -value  1.959963986

0.025
0.025

0
–1.959963986 1.959963986
165  170 165  170
15
 1.959963986 or 15
 1.959963986
n n
n  5.87989 or n  5.87989 (rejected)

 n  34.573
Hence least n is 35.
 

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