UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS UNIVERSITEITSEKSAMENS

university
of south africa

October/November 2024

MAT1501 -FUNDAMENTAL MATHEMATICS

Duration : 3 Hours 100 Marks

EXAMINERS :
FIRST : PROF AR ADEM
SECOND : MR TW SEKGOBELA
EXTERNAL : PROF B MUATJETJEJA

Closed book and online examination, which you have to write within 3 hours and submit online.

Use of any calculator is NOT allowed.

This web based examination remains the property of the University of South Africa and may not be distributed
from the Unisa platform.

This examination allows typed in text and/or attached documents as part of your submission.

Save frequently while working.

Declaration: I have neither given nor received aid on this examination.

The examination will take place on the Online Assessment tool located in your module examination site on
myModules in myUnisa.
Once you finish click on the submit for grading button to submit your exam
This examination question paper consists of 6 pages.

Answer All Questions and Submit within the stipulated timeframe.

Late submission will not be accepted.

This paper consists of 6 pages.

 QUESTION 1

Suppose A = {x ∈ R : x > −3} and B = (−4; 5].

(a) Sketch each of A and B on separate number lines. (1)

(b) Write A ∪ B in set builder notation. (1)

(c) Sketch A ∪ B on a separate number line. (1)

(d) Write A ∩ B in set builder notation. (1)

(e) Write A ∩ B on a separate number line. (1)

[5]

QUESTION 2

The sketch shows a circle, a parabola, which is the graph of f , and a straight line, which is the graph of g. The
parabola has xintercepts -2 and 6, and y-intercept 6. Its turning point is C. The circle has its centre at the origin
and it passes through the point A, which has coordinates (−2, 0). At point B both the circle and the straight line
cut the x-axis. The straight line has y-intercept 1.

[TURN OVER]
(a) What are the coordinates of B? (1)

(b) What is the equation of g (2)

(c) Write down the equation of the line that is perpendicular to the graph of g and passes through B. (2)

(d) Find the equation that defines f . (2)

(e) Show that C has coordinates (2, 8). (1)

(f ) What is the distance between A and C? (1)

(g) Find the midpoint D of AC: (1)

(h) Write down the equation of the circle that has AC as diameter. (2)

(i) Find the maximum vertical distance between the graphs of f and g on the interval x ∈ [0, 6]. (2)
[14]

QUESTION 3

(a) Obtain the sum of the series 8 + 11 + 14 + · · · + 56. (2)

(b) A geometric sequence of positive terms has first term 2, and the sum of the first three terms is 266. (3)
Calculate the common ratio.

(c) An arithmetic sequence, A, has first term a and common difference 2, and a geometric sequence, B, has (3)
first term a and common ratio 2. The first four terms of each sequence have the same sum. Obtain the
value of a.
[8]

QUESTION 4

Evaluate the following limits:

 3

(a) lim sin(x2 ) + x 3ex + 6 (2)
x→2

p
(b) lim u3 + 3u4 + 6 + cos(u) (2)
u→π

x2 − 4
(c) Let f (x) =
|x − 2|
(i) Find lim− f (x). (3)
x→2

(ii) Find lim f (x). (2)

x→2+

(iii) Discuss lim f (x). (3)

x→2
[12]

[TURN OVER]
 QUESTION 5

6
(a) Use the method of first principles to determine the derivative of f (x) = (3)
x

(b) Use an appropriate method of differentiation to determine the derivative of the following functions (sim-
plify your answers as far as possible):

(i) f (x) = cos2 (x)etan(x) (3)

tan−1 (2x)
(ii) g(x) = (3)
4x2 + 1
(iii) h(x) = (x3 − 9)50 ex (3)
 
1 − cos x
(iv) p(x) = x ln (3)
1 + sin x
[15]

QUESTION 6

The curve with equation y = x3 − 3x2 + 2x + 5 is shown in figue below.

(a) Write down the coordinates of P, the point where the curve crosses the y-axis . (1)

(b) Determine the equation of the tangent to the curve at P. (3)

(c) Find the coordinates of Q, the point where this tangent meets the curve again. (3)
[7]

[TURN OVER]
 QUESTION 7

Suppose the functions f, g, h and l are defined as follows:

f (x) 4x2 − 5x + 1
=
r
x
g (x) = 2 2 − − x
2
1
h (x) = − x + 3
2
l (x) = log4 (x + 3) − log4 (x − 2) .

(a) Write down Df and solve the inequality f (x) ≤ 0. (4)

(b) Solve the equation g (x) = −4. (4)

(c) Solve the equation 4h(x) = 8. (4)

1
(d) Write down Dl and solve l (x) = . (4)
2
[16]

QUESTION 8

A glass tank is 25 cm long, 20 cm wide, 30 cm high and contains water. The surface of the water is 5 cm below
below the top of the tank. After a solid spherical metal ball B1 , has carefully been placed into the tank , the surface
of the water is now 3 cm below the top of the tank.

(a) Provide a sketch to illustrate the above given information. (3)

(b) Find the volume of B1 . (2)

(c) Determine the radius R1 of the ball B1 . (2)

(d) Suppose that the radius R2 of a second solid metal ball B2 , is half the radius of the ball B1 . Assume
that the ball B2 is now placed into the tank of water instead of B1 as initially suggested.

(i) Would the surface of water be 4 cm below the tank the top of the tank? Give reason(s) for your (4)
answer.
[11]

[TURN OVER]
 QUESTION 9

(a) The TOUR de France is happening on the 26th June 2021 from BREST to MÜR DE BRETAGNE. Mark (6)
cycles from Brest to MÜR DE BRETAGNE and Jay cycles to the opposite direction. Knowing that the
distance between BREST and MÜR DE BRETAGNE is approximately 131 Km and that both cyclists
start cycling towards each other at the same time. Assuming that Mark cycles twice as fast as Jay does.
If both cyclists meet one and half hour later, then at what average speed is each one of them traveling?

(b) Suppose that a body with T1 temperature is placed in surroundings with temperature T0 different from (6)
that of T1 . The body will either cool or warm to temperature T (t) after time t, in minutes, where

T (t) = T0 + (T1 − T0 )e−kt .

A cup of coffee with temperature 40.56◦ C is placed in a freezer with temperature −17.78◦ C. After 5 min,
the temperature of the coffee is 21.11◦ C.What will its temperature be after 10 min?
[12]

TOTAL MARKS: [100]

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