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Matrices
Questions

Q1.

(a) Find M–1 giving each element in exact form.

(2)
(b) Solve the simultaneous equations

2x + y – 3z = –4

4x – 2y + z = 9

3x + 5y – 2z = 5
(2)
(c) Interpret the answer to part (b) geometrically.
(1)

(Total for question = 5 marks)

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Q2.

(In this question you must show all stages of your working.)

A college offers only three courses: Construction, Design and Hospitality.

Each student enrols on just one of these courses.

In 2019, there was a total of 1110 students at this college.

There were 370 more students enrolled on Construction than Hospitality.

• Construction increased by 1.25%

• Design increased by 2.5%
• Hospitality decreased by 2%

In 2020, the total number of students at the college increased by 0.27% to 2 significant
figures.

(a) (i) Define, for each course, a variable for the number of students enrolled on that course
in 2019.
(ii) Using your variables from part (a)(i), write down three equations that model this
situation.
(4)
(b) By forming and solving a matrix equation, determine how many students were enrolled
on each of the three courses in 2019.
(4)

(Total for question = 8 marks)

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Q3.

The population of chimpanzees in a particular country consists of juveniles and adults.

Juvenile chimpanzees do not reproduce.

In a study, the numbers of juvenile and adult chimpanzees were estimated at the start of
each year. A model for the population satisfies the matrix system

where a is a constant, and Jn and An are the respective numbers of juvenile and adult
chimpanzees n years after the start of the study.

(a) Interpret the meaning of the constant a in the context of the model.
(1)
At the start of the study, the total number of chimpanzees in the country was
estimated to be 64 000

According to the model, after one year the number of juvenile chimpanzees is 15 360
and the number of adult chimpanzees is 43 008

(b) (i) Find, in terms of a

(3)
(ii) Hence, or otherwise, find the value of a.
(3)
(iii) Calculate the change in the number of juvenile chimpanzees in the first year of
the study, according to this model.
(2)
Given that the number of juvenile chimpanzees is known to be in decline in the country,

(c) comment on the short-term suitability of this model.

(1)
A study of the population revealed that adult chimpanzees stop reproducing at the age of
40 years.

(d) Refine the matrix system for the model to reflect this information, giving a reason for
your answer.

(There is no need to estimate any unknown values for the refined model, but any known
values should be made clear.)
(2)

(Total for question = 12 marks)

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Q4.

M= where a is a constant

(a) Show that M is non-singular for all values of a.

(2)
(b) Determine, in terms of a, M–1
(4)

(Total for question = 6 marks)

Q5.

where k is a constant.

(a) Determine, in simplest form in terms of k, the matrix M N.

(2)
(b) Given that k = 5
(i) write down M N
(ii) hence write down M-1
(2)
(c) Solve the simultaneous equations

(2)
(d) Interpret the answer to part (c) geometrically.
(1)

(Total for question = 7 marks)

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Q6.

Given that I is the 3 × 3 identity matrix,

(a) (i) show that there is an integer k for which

AB − 3C + kI = 0
stating the value of k
(ii) explain why there can be no constant m such that
BA − 3C + mI = 0
(4)
(b) (i) Show how the matrix C can be used to solve the simultaneous equations

−5x + 2y + z = −14
4x x + 3y + 8z = 3
−6x + 11y + 2z = 7
(ii) Hence use your calculator to solve these equations.
(3)

(Total for question = 7 marks)

Q7.

(a) Find the values of k for which the matrix M has an inverse.
(2)
(b) Find, in terms of p, the coordinates of the point where the following planes intersect

2x – y + z = p

3x – 6y + 4z = 1

3x + 2y – z = 0
(5)
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(c) (i) Find the value of q for which the set of simultaneous equations

2x – y + z = 1

3x – 5y + 4z = q

3x + 2y – z = 0
can be solved.
(ii) For this value of q, interpret the solution of the set of simultaneous equations
geometrically.
(4)

(Total for question = 11 marks)

Q8.

(i) A is a 2 by 2 matrix and B is a 2 by 3 matrix.

Giving a reason for your answer, explain whether it is possible to evaluate
(a) AB
(b) A + B
(2)
(ii) Given that

where a, b and λ are constants,

(a) determine

• the value of λ
• the value of a
• the value of b

(b) Hence deduce the inverse of the matrix

(3)
(iii) Given that

determine the values of θ for which the matrix M is singular.

(4)
(Total for question = 9 marks)
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Mark Scheme - Matrices

Q1.
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Q2.
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