A Level Questions of a Problem-Solving Variety

1. Prove from first principles that

𝑑𝑦
a. If 𝑦 = 3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥, then 𝑑𝑥 = 6𝑥 + 2
b. If 𝑔(𝑥) = cos⁡(𝑥), then 𝑔′ (𝑥) = ⁡ −sin⁡(𝑥)

2. A colony of ants grows exponentially according to the formula

𝑃 = 𝐴𝑒 𝑘𝑡
Where 𝑃 is the number of ants in the colony (measured in thousands), 𝑡 is time measured in
days and 𝐴, 𝑘 are both constants. Initially, the colony of ants numbers 1000 and after 10 days
the population has risen to 1500.

a. Compute the population of ants in the colony after 15 days.

In a different colony of ants, a graph of log 𝑃 against 𝑡 is plotted resulting in a straight line. The
gradient of the line drawn is 0.012 and it is known that the initial population of ants is equal to
that in the previous population.

b. Find the difference between the number of ants in both colonies after 10 days.
c. Calculate the total number of days required for this colony of ants to first exceed the
number of ants after 10 days in the first colony.

3. Equivalent expressions when using logarithms are 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑏⁡ ⟺ 𝑥 = log 𝑎 𝑏. By considering a

logarithm of base 𝑐 (𝑐 ≠ 𝑎),
log 𝑏
a. Show that log 𝑎 𝑏 = log𝑐 𝑎.
𝑐

Hence, find the exact value of

log4 8
b. log4 2
.

And show that

log6 24
c. log6 12⁡
= 1 + log12 2.

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d. Without using a calculator, explain why 1 + log12 (2) < 1.

4. The position of a particle is modelled by the parametric equations

𝑥 = 1 + 2 sin 𝑡⁡ and 𝑦 = 1 + 2 cos 2𝑡

Where 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋. The particle traces out a trajectory, 𝐶, from 𝑡 = 0 to 𝑡 = 2𝜋.

a. Show that the trajectory 𝐶 satisfies the equation 𝑦 = 3 − (𝑥 − 1)2

b. By considering the domain and range of 𝐶, sketch the curve 𝐶, clearly indicating the
minimum point.
 c. Find an expression for the gradient of the trajectory and deduce that for 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝜋, the
gradient function is a decreasing function. (You do not need to be concerned about the
𝜋
situation when 𝑡 ≠ 2 ).

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5. Explain why the choice of 𝑥 = is valid in the Binomial Expansion of 𝑓(𝑥), where
2
1 + 2𝑥
𝑓(𝑥) = 3
√8 − 4𝑥
Hence, by computing the first three terms of the binomial expansion of 𝑓(𝑥), find an
3 4
approximation for √⁡3.

6. Without using differentiation, find the maximum and minimum values of 𝑔(𝑥), where

𝑔(𝑥) = 1 + 2 cos 𝑥 + 3 sin 𝑥 ⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡⁡{𝑥 ∶ 𝑥 ∈ ℝ⁡, 𝑥 > 0}

and find the first value of 𝑥 for which a maximum and a minimum occur, correct to one decimal
place.

7.
a. By first finding the partial fractions within the integral, find, giving your answer as a
natural logarithm
1
𝑥+9
∫ ⁡ 𝑑𝑥⁡
0 9 − 𝑥2

b. Find the value of

1
9 − 𝑥2
∫ ⁡ 𝑑𝑥
0 𝑥+9

Giving your answer in an exact form.

8. Prove the Newton-Raphson formula for finding an approximate solution to the equation 𝑓(𝑥) =
⁡0.

9. In this question, you may assume that there is only one root of 𝑓(𝑥). Using the Newton-Raphson
formula, find an approximation to the solution of 𝑓(𝑥) = sin(𝑥 2 ) + 𝑥 − 1.

10. Money is invested in a bank account that pays 1.2% interest per annum. Initially, I invest £1,000.
The total amount in the account after 𝑛 years is given by 𝑇𝑛 , where 𝑇𝑛 is a geometric sequence.
a. Show that 𝑇𝑛 = 1000 × (1.012)𝑛−1
b. Find how many years I will have to wait for the amount in the account to first exceed
£1,300.

11. By first writing the expression 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑥 in the form of an exponential with base 𝑒, show that
𝑑𝑦
a. 𝑑𝑥
= 𝑎 𝑥 ln 𝑎
1
b. ∫ 𝑎 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = ln 𝑎 𝑎 𝑥 + 𝑐
c. Prove the result in a. again, but this time taking natural logarithms first.
 d. Hence, find an expression for the exact value of 𝑥 for which the curve 𝑦 = 3𝑥 takes has a
gradient of ln 2.

12. Let 𝑘 ∈ ℤ+ and

2𝑘
1
𝐼=∫ 𝑑𝑥⁡
𝑘 (2𝑥 + 1)2

a. Explain why
i. 𝐼 < 0 for all values of 𝑘.
ii. 𝐼 → 0⁡as 𝑘 → ∞
b. How are your answers to a. affected if instead, 𝑘 ∈ ℤ− ?

13. The vector ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑂𝐴 = 2𝐢 + 3𝐣 + 𝐤 and ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

𝑂𝐵 = −4𝐢 + 2𝐣 − 3𝐤. The vector ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑂𝐶 has the same magnitude
and is parallel to the vector 𝐴𝐵 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ , whilst the position vector of the point 𝐷 is parallel to 𝐵𝐶
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ and
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ |: |𝐵𝐶
|𝑂𝐷⁡ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ | = 1: 2.

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⁡and ∠𝐷𝑂𝐵.

Find the vector 𝐷𝐴

14. A conical tank of radius 𝑟 = 1m and height ℎ = 2m is initially full. At time 𝑡 = 0,⁡the tank begins
to link from three holes: the first leaks at a rate of 10% the current volume, the second at a rate
of 20% the current volume and the third at a rate of 30% the current volume. To stop the tank
from running empty, liquid is added at a rate of 1m3/s.
a. Explain why, for all times, ℎ = 2𝑟.
b. As time progresses, the level of water in the tank settles to a volume 𝑉𝑇 , where the input
of 1m3/s is balanced by the loss of liquid from the tank. Find the value of 𝑉𝑇 ;
i. Without solving the differential equation at all.
ii. By first solving the differential equation.
c. Show further that
𝑑𝑟
2𝜋𝑟 2 = 1 − 0.4𝜋𝑟 3
𝑑𝑡
and by solving the differential equation above, find the radius of the liquid in the tank
and hence the height of liquid in the tank as the volume approaches its limiting value.
d. Can you find the same result by not solving the differential equation above?

15. Baby weight, 𝑤, is conjected to increase logarithmically with time, 𝑡. The population of baby
weights are grouped into percentiles, with a baby on the 91st percentile for their weight meaning
that they are among the top 9% of baby weights nationally. Immediately after a birth, the weight
of a baby fluctuates and settles down usually after a couple of weeks.

For a baby tracking the 91st percentile after 2 weeks, they would weigh 4.5kg and after 52 weeks
they would weigh 11.1kg. After 6 months, a baby following this weight gain line would be
expected to weigh around 9.2kg.

To test the conjecture, a model of the form

𝑡 = 𝐴𝑒 𝑘𝑤
Is proposed.
a. Why could such a model be proposed when a ‘logarithmic increase’ is stated?
 b. Comment on the accuracy of the model by comparing the model at 6 months
against the real-life data.

16. A logistic equation is defined by the rate of change of 𝑃 being proportional to the product of 𝑃
with 1 − 𝑃. In this logistic equation, for all time, 0 < 𝑃 < 1 and assume that 𝑃 is a continuous
variable.
𝑃0
Suppose that at 𝑡 = 0, 𝑃 = 𝑃0 and that at time 𝑡 = 1, 𝑃 = 3
, where 0 < 𝑃0 < 1 is a constant.
Assume further that the model is valid only for 0 < 𝑡 < 1.

Show that the constant of proportionality is

1 − 𝑃0
𝑘 = ln | |
3 − 𝑃0
1 𝑑𝑝
and deduce in the case of 𝑃0 = 2, that 𝑑𝑡 < 0 for the specified domain.

𝑥2
17. Recall that for small values of 𝑥, cos 𝑥 ≈ 1 − 2
. By considering the first three non-zero terms of
a binomial expansion and picking a suitable value of 𝑥, find an approximate value for √sec(0.8),
correct to three decimal places. Comment on the accuracy of your result by comparing the
approximate value against the true value.

18. Find the greatest possible domain of the function 𝑓(𝑥) = √1 − 4𝑥 + 𝑥 2 . For the domain 𝑥 ≥
1
5 + √3, find the range of the function 𝑔(𝑥) = .
𝑓(𝑥)

19. Let
𝑥 = 2𝑡 − 𝑡 2 and 𝑦 =4+𝑡

Where 0 < 𝑡 < 2, be parametric equations of the curve 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥).

a. Give a reason why the range of the function 𝑓(𝑥) is 4 < 𝑓(𝑥) < 6.
b. Show that the domain of 𝑓(𝑥) is 0 < 𝑥 ≤ 1.
c. Find the values of 𝑡 for which 𝑓(𝑥) is an increasing function. Find also the values of 𝑡 for
which 𝑓(𝑥) is a decreasing function.
d. Using parts a. to c., sketch the curve 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥).
e. Show that 𝑥 = 10𝑦 − 𝑦 2 − 24 and hence deduce a form for the curve 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥). What
type of function is 𝑓(𝑥)

1 𝑥−2
20. Let⁡𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 +2⁡ and⁡𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥+1. By considering the partial fractions of⁡𝑔𝑓(𝑥), find an
expression for the integral⁡∫ 𝑔𝑓(𝑥)⁡𝑑𝑥⁡.
1 1 𝑥
(Hint: you will, at some point, need to use the fact that ∫ 𝑥 2 +𝑎2
= 𝑎 tan−1 𝑎 + 𝑐; see the formula
book)

21. The radiation received on Earth from a Pulsar has Intensity 𝐼 and for 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑇 is modelled by
𝐼 = 4 + 2.8 sin 𝜔𝑡
 Where 𝜔 is a constant.
a. State the values of the maximum and minimum intensity of the radiation received on Earth
and find, in terms of 𝜔, the times at which the first two maxima and minima occur.
b. Given also that 𝐼 = 𝐼0 when 𝑡 = 0 and when 𝑡 = 𝑇 and that exactly one maximum and
2𝜋
minimum occur during the time interval 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑇, explain why 𝜔 = 𝑇
.

22. The points 𝐴(3, 2, 4), 𝐵(1,0,1) and 𝐶(2, 4, −3) are the coordinates of the vertices of the triangle
𝐴𝐵𝐶⁡in three dimensions.
Find both the perimeter and area of the triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶.

23. The position of a particle is modelled by the parametric equations

𝑥 = sin⁡(3𝑡) and 𝑦 = cos⁡(2𝑡)

Where 𝑡 is time in seconds and 0 < 𝑡 ≤ 𝜋. The trajectory of the curve is given by 𝐶, an
expression of the form 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥). The diagram below shows the position of the particle for
various times 𝑡 throughout the specified domain.

Find the gradient of the curve at the times when 𝑥 is zero and comment on their value. Is this
implied by the graph of 𝐶 above?

Find an expression for the trajectory of the curve 𝐶 for those times which the trajectory is a
decreasing function.
𝑥
24. Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 , 𝑥 ∈ ℝ and 𝑔(𝑥) = 1−𝑥, 𝑥 ≠ 1 and 𝑥 ∈ ℝ.
a. Solve 𝑓𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑔−1 𝑓(𝑥)
b. Consider the equation

𝑔−1 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 5
i. Show that 𝑥 = 0 is a root.
ii. Show that a non-zero root, 𝛼, to the equation exists between 0 and 1.
iii. Show that a Newton-Raphson formula to find an approximate value of the root
is given by
4𝑥𝑛5 + 2𝑥𝑛3 + 1
𝑥𝑛+1 = ⁡
5𝑥𝑛4 + 3𝑥𝑛2
 and hence find, using a suitable first approximation to the root, the value of 𝛼
correct to three significant figures.

25. The parabola defined by 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) passes through the points (⁡0⁡, 0⁡), (⁡1⁡, 4⁡) and (⁡2⁡, 5⁡). The
point 𝐴 lies on the curve and has coordinates (3, 𝑎). Find the exact value of 𝑎.

26. A parabola is symmetric about the line 𝑥 = 2 and has a repeated root. The parabola also passes
through the point (⁡1⁡, 3⁡). Find the exact value of the 𝑦-intercept of the parabola.

27. A circle has centre (⁡4⁡, 2⁡) and passes through the points (⁡7⁡, −2⁡). The tangent to the circle at
the point 𝐵 is parallel to the tangent at the point (⁡7⁡, −2⁡). Find the equation of the tangent at
the point 𝐵.

28. The function⁡𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 𝑘, where 𝑘 ∈ ℝ has domain 0 < 𝑥 < 2. Prove that the range of
1
𝑓(𝑥) is 𝑘 − 4 ≤ 𝑓(𝑥) ≤ 𝑘 + 2 and hence find two possible domains in 0 < 𝑥 < 2 for which 𝑓 is a
one-to-one function.

29. Let 𝑔(𝑥) = √1 − 8𝑥 − 𝑥 2 . Find the range of 𝑔. Find the domain of the inverse function, if the
domain is restricted to 1 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ −4 + √17.

30. Prove that there are infinitely many prime numbers.

31. Prove that √2 is irrational.

32. Prove that √5 is irrational.

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33. Let 𝑥 = log 2(log 1 ). Show that 𝑥 = 1 + log 2 3.
2 64

34. A cylinder of height ℎ⁡ = ⁡1m is to be produced so that when 2m3/s of liquid is added to the
cylinder and 80% of the volume is lost at that given instant in time, the cylinder remains
𝑑𝑟
perfectly full. Assume that the cylinder is initially empty. Show that 2𝜋𝑟 = 2 − 𝜋𝑟 2 ℎ and
𝑑𝑡
hence find the radius, correct to one decimal place, of the cylinder.

35.
a. Find the value of
1
5
∫ ⁡𝑑𝑥
0 (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 3)

b. Find the value of

1
𝑎+𝑏
∫ ⁡𝑑𝑥
0 (𝑥 + 𝑎)(𝑥 + 𝑏)
And by picking suitable values of 𝑎 and 𝑏, show that your answer to part a. matches with
the answer in part b.
 𝜋
36. Let 𝑥 = sin⁡(𝑡) and 𝑦 = cos 2(𝑡) for 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2 . Using parametric integration, find the value of
∫ 𝑦⁡𝑑𝑥
For the values of 𝑡 for which 𝑥 and 𝑦⁡are defined.

37. Let
𝑑2 𝑦
= ln 𝑥
𝑑𝑥 2
𝑑𝑦
and suppose that the curve 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) satisfies the conditions that 𝑦 = 𝑑𝑥 = 1 when 𝑥 = 1. Find
the exact value of 𝑦 when 𝑥 = 2.

38. Let 𝑁 = 𝑎𝑒 𝑏𝑡 + 𝑐, where 𝑎, 𝑏 and 𝑐 are constants. Show that

𝑑𝑁
= 𝑏(𝑁 − 𝑐)
𝑑𝑡
And hence deduce that

𝑑4 𝑁
= 𝑏 4 (𝑁 − 𝑐)
𝑑𝑡 4

39. The function 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 𝑥 2 has exactly two stationary points, and let 𝛼 and 𝛽 be the 𝑥-
coordinates of those stationary points. Let 𝛼 < 𝛽. Show that 0 < 𝛼 < 1, that 3 < 𝛽 < 4 and by
using Newton-Raphson iteration, find the values of 𝛼 and 𝛽, correct to two decimal places.