ar [269 marks]

The first three terms of an arithmetic sequence are u1 , 5u1 − 8 and 3u1 + 8.

1a. Show that u1 = 4. [2 marks]

1b. Prove that the sum of the first n terms of this arithmetic sequence is a [4 marks]
square number.
 Helen and Jane both commence new jobs each starting on an annual salary of
$70, 000. At the start of each new year, Helen receives an annual salary increase
of $2400.
Let $H n represent Helen’s annual salary at the start of her nth year of
employment.

2a. Show that H n = 2400n + 67 600. [2 marks]

At the start of each new year, Jane receives an annual salary increase of 3% of her
previous year’s annual salary.
Jane’s annual salary, $Jn , at the start of her nth year of employment is given by
Jn = 70 000(1. 03)n−1 .

2b. Given that Jn follows a geometric sequence, state the value of the [1 mark]
common ratio, r.
 At the start of year N , Jane’s annual salary exceeds Helen’s annual salary for the
first time.

2c. Find the value of N . [3 marks]

2d. For the value of N found in part (c) (i), state Helen’s annual salary and [2 marks]
Jane’s annual salary, correct to the nearest dollar.

2e. Find Jane’s total earnings at the start of her 10th year of employment. [4 marks]
Give your answer correct to the nearest dollar.

1
R
 Consider the series ln x + p ln x + 13 ln x + …, where x ∈ R, x > 1 and
p ∈ R, p ≠ 0.

Consider the case where the series is geometric.

3a. Show that 1 [2 marks]

p=± .
√3

3b. Given that p > 0 and S∞ = 3 + √3, find the value of x. [3 marks]
 Now consider the case where the series is arithmetic with common difference d.

3c. Show that p = 23 . [3 marks]

3d. Write down d in the form k ln x, where k ∈ Q. [1 mark]

−3 ln
3e. The sum of the first n terms of the series is −3 ln x. [6 marks]
Find the value of n.

The nth term of an arithmetic sequence is given by un = 15 − 3n.

4a. State the value of the first term, u1 . [1 mark]

th −33
4b. Given that the nth term of this sequence is −33, find the value of n. [2 marks]

4c. Find the common difference, d. [2 marks]

5a. Show that 1 [2 marks]

p=± .
√3
5b. Hence or otherwise, show that the series is convergent. [1 mark]

5c. Given that p > 0 and S∞ = 3 + √3, find the value of x. [3 marks]

2
5d. Show that p = 23 . [3 marks]

5e. Write down d in the form k ln x, where k ∈ Q. [1 mark]

( )
 The sum of the first n terms of the series is ln( 13 ).
5f. [8 marks]
x
Find the value of n.
 This question asks you to explore some properties of polygonal numbers
and to determine and prove interesting results involving these numbers.

A polygonal number is an integer which can be represented as a series of dots

arranged in the shape of a regular polygon. Triangular numbers, square numbers
and pentagonal numbers are examples of polygonal numbers.
For example, a triangular number is a number that can be arranged in the shape
of an equilateral triangle. The first five triangular numbers are 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15.
The following table illustrates the first five triangular, square and pentagonal
numbers respectively. In each case the first polygonal number is one represented
by a single dot.

For an r-sided regular polygon, where r ∈ Z+ , r ≥ 3, the nth polygonal number

Pr (n) is given by
( r−2 ) n2− ( r−4 ) n
Pr (n)= 2 , where n ∈ Z+ .
( 4−2 ) n2− ( 4−4 ) n
Hence, for square numbers, P4 (n)= 2 = n2 .

6a. n ( n+1 ) [2 marks]

For triangular numbers, verify that P3 (n)= 2 .

351
6b. The number 351 is a triangular number. Determine which one it is. [2 marks]

6c. Show that P3 (n)+P3 (n + 1)≡ (n + 1)2 . [2 marks]

6d. State, in words, what the identity given in part (b)(i) shows for two [1 mark]
consecutive triangular numbers.

=4
6e. For n = 4, sketch a diagram clearly showing your answer to part (b)(ii). [1 mark]

6f. Show that 8P3 (n)+1 is the square of an odd number for all n ∈ Z+ . [3 marks]
 The nth pentagonal number can be represented by the arithmetic series
P5 (n)= 1 + 4 + 7 + … +(3n − 2).

6g. n ( 3n−1 ) [3 marks]

Hence show that P5 (n)= 2 for n ∈ Z+ .
6h. By using a suitable table of values or otherwise, determine the smallest [5 marks]
positive integer, greater than 1, that is both a triangular number and a
pentagonal number.

( )
6i. A polygonal number, Pr (n), can be represented by the series [8 marks]
n
Σ
m=1(1 +(m − 1)(r − 2)) where r ∈ Z+ , r ≥ 3.
( r−2 ) n2− ( r−4 ) n
Use mathematical induction to prove that Pr (n)= 2 where n ∈ Z+ .

( )= x , ∈R > 0, >1
 Consider the function f(x)= ax where x, a ∈ R and x > 0, a > 1.
The graph of f contains the point ( 23 , 4).

7a. Show that a = 8. [2 marks]

7b. Write down an expression for f −1 (x). [1 mark]

Find the value of f −1 (√32).

7c. [3 marks]

log 27 , log , log , log 125 ,

 Consider the arithmetic sequence log 8 27 , log8 p , log8 q , log8 125 , where
p > 1 and q > 1.

7d. Show that 27, p, q and 125 are four consecutive terms in a geometric [4 marks]
sequence.
7e. Find the value of p and the value of q. [5 marks]

= =8
8. Consider an arithmetic sequence where u8 = S8 = 8. Find the value of [5 marks]
the first term, u1 , and the value of the common difference, d.

An arithmetic sequence has first term 60 and common difference −2. 5.

9a. Given that the kth term of the sequence is zero, find the value of k. [2 marks]
9b. LetSn denote the sum of the first n terms of the sequence. [3 marks]
Find the maximum value of Sn .
 A large underground tank is constructed at Mills Airport to store fuel. The tank is
in the shape of an isosceles trapezoidal prism, ABCDEFGH.
AB = 70 m , AF = 200 m, AD = 40 m, BC = 40 m and CD = 110 m. Angle
ADC = 60° and angle BCD = 60°. The tank is illustrated below.

10a. Find h, the height of the tank. [2 marks]

3
10b. Show that the volume of the tank is 624 000 m3 , correct to three [3 marks]
significant figures.

Once construction was complete, a fuel pump was used to pump fuel into the
empty tank. The amount of fuel pumped into the tank by this pump each hour
decreases as an arithmetic sequence with terms u1 , u2 , u3 , … , un .
Part of this sequence is shown in the table.

10c. Write down the common difference, d. [1 mark]

13th
10d. Find the amount of fuel pumped into the tank in the 13th hour. [2 marks]

10e. Find the value of n such that un = 0. [2 marks]

10f. Write down the number of hours that the pump was pumping fuel into the[1 mark]
tank.

3
 At the end of the 2nd hour, the total volume of fuel in the tank was 88 200 m3 .

10g. Find the total amount of fuel pumped into the tank in the first 8 hours. [2 marks]

10h. Show that the tank will never be completely filled using this pump. [3 marks]

=5 = 11
 In an arithmetic sequence, u2 = 5 and u3 = 11.

11a. Find the common difference. [2 marks]

11b. Find the first term. [2 marks]

11c. Find the sum of the first 20 terms. [2 marks]

π
 Consider f(x) = √x sin ( π4 x) and g(x) = √x for x ≥ 0. The first time the graphs
of f and g intersect is at x = 0.

12a. Find the two smallest non-zero values of x for which f(x) = g(x). [5 marks]

( )= ( )
 The set of all non-zero values that satisfy f(x) = g(x) can be described as an
arithmetic sequence, un = a + bn where n ≥ 1.

12b. At point P, the graphs of f and g intersect for the 21st time. Find the [4 marks]
coordinates of P.
12c. The following diagram shows part of the graph of g reflected in the x- [4 marks]
axis. It also shows part of the graph of f and the point P.

Find an expression for the area of the shaded region. Do not calculate the value of
the expression.
 The first terms of an infinite geometric sequence, un , are 2, 6, 18, 54, …
The first terms of a second infinite geometric sequence, vn , are 2, −6, 18, −54, …
The terms of a third sequence, wn , are defined as wn = un + vn .

225 m
∑ ∑
The finite series, k=1 wk , can also be written in the form k=0 4rk .

13a. Write down the first three non-zero terms of wn . [3 marks]

13b. Find the value of r. [2 marks]

13c. Find the value of m . [2 marks]

John purchases a new bicycle for 880 US dollars (USD) and pays for it with a
Canadian credit card. There is a transaction fee of 4.2 % charged to John by the
credit card company to convert this purchase into Canadian dollars (CAD).
The exchange rate is 1 USD = 1.25 CAD.

14a. Calculate, in CAD, the total amount John pays for the bicycle. [3 marks]
 John insures his bicycle with a US company. The insurance company produces the
following table for the bicycle’s value during each year.

The values of the bicycle form a geometric sequence.

14b. Find the value of the bicycle during the 5th year. Give your answer to [3 marks]
two decimal places.

14c. Calculate, in years, when the bicycle value will be less than 50 USD. [2 marks]
 During the 1st year John pays 120 USD to insure his bicycle. Each year the
amount he pays to insure his bicycle is reduced by 3.50 USD.

14d. Find the total amount John has paid to insure his bicycle for the first 5 [3 marks]
years.

14e. John purchased the bicycle in 2008. [3 marks]

Justify why John should not insure his bicycle in 2019.

= 1.3 = 1.4 = 31.2

 In an arithmetic sequence, u1 = 1.3 , u2 = 1.4 and uk = 31.2.

15a. Find the exact value of Sk . [2 marks]

 Consider the terms, un , of this sequence such that n ≤ k.
Let F be the sum of the terms for which n is not a multiple of 3.

15b. Show that F = 3240. [5 marks]

= + a + a +… ∈ Z+
15c. An infinite geometric series is given as S∞ =a+ a + a
2 + …, a ∈ Z+ [5 marks]
√2
.
Find the largest value of a such that S∞ < F.
 In an arithmetic sequence, u1 = −5 and d = 3.

16. Find u8. [2 marks]

Consider a geometric sequence with a first term of 4 and a fourth term of −2.916.

17a. Find the common ratio of this sequence. [3 marks]

17b. Find the sum to infinity of this sequence. [2 marks]

Sergei is training to be a weightlifter. Each day he trains at the local gym by lifting
a metal bar that has heavy weights attached. He carries out successive lifts. After
each lift, the same amount of weight is added to the bar to increase the weight to
be lifted.
The weights of each of Sergei’s lifts form an arithmetic sequence.
Sergei’s friend, Yuri, records the weight of each lift. Unfortunately, last Monday,
Yuri misplaced all but two of the recordings of Sergei’s lifts.
On that day, Sergei lifted 21 kg on the third lift and 46 kg on the eighth lift.

18a. For that day find how much weight was added after each lift. [2 marks]
18b. For that day find the weight of Sergei’s first lift. [2 marks]

18c. On that day, Sergei made 12 successive lifts. Find the total combined [2 marks]
weight of these lifts.
 f (x) = e2 sin( 2 ) , for x > 0.
πx
Let
The k th maximum point on the graph of f has x-coordinate xk where k ∈ Z+ .

19a. Given that xk + 1 = xk + a, find a. [4 marks]

19b. n [4 marks]
∑
Hence find the value of n such that k=1 xk = 861.
 A new café opened and during the first week their profit was $60.
The café’s profit increases by $10 every week.

20a. Calculate the café’s total profit for the first 12 weeks. [3 marks]

A new tea-shop opened at the same time as the café. During the first week their
profit was also $60.
The tea-shop’s profit increases by 10 % every week.

20b. Calculate the tea-shop’s total profit for the first 12 weeks. [3 marks]
 The 3rd term of an arithmetic sequence is 1407 and the 10th term is 1183.

21. Calculate the number of positive terms in the sequence. [3 marks]

It is known that the number of fish in a given lake will decrease by 7% each year
unless some new fish are added. At the end of each year, 250 new fish are added
to the lake.
At the start of 2018, there are 2500 fish in the lake.

22a. Show that there will be approximately 2645 fish in the lake at the start [3 marks]
of 2020.
22b. Find the approximate number of fish in the lake at the start of 2042. [5 marks]

In an arithmetic sequence, the first term is 8 and the second term is 5.

23a. Find the common difference. [2 marks]

23b. Find the tenth term. [2 marks]

 Rosa joins a club to prepare to run a marathon. During the first training session
Rosa runs a distance of 3000 metres. Each training session she increases the
distance she runs by 400 metres.

24a. Write down the distance Rosa runs in the third training session; [1 mark]

24b. Write down the distance Rosa runs in the nth training session. [2 marks]

A marathon is 42.195 kilometres.

In the kth training session Rosa will run further than a marathon for the first time.

24c. Find the value of k. [2 marks]

24d. Calculate the total distance, in kilometres, Rosa runs in the first 50 [4 marks]
training sessions.

Carlos joins the club to lose weight. He runs 7500 metres during the first month.
The distance he runs increases by 20% each month.

24e. Find the distance Carlos runs in the fifth month of training. [3 marks]
24f. Calculate the total distance Carlos runs in the first year. [3 marks]
 The company Snakezen’s Ladders makes ladders of different lengths. All the
ladders that the company makes have the same design such that:
the first rung is 30 cm from the base of the ladder,
the second rung is 57 cm from the base of the ladder,
the distance between the first and second rung is equal to the distance between
all adjacent rungs on the ladder.
The ladder in the diagram was made by this company and has eleven equally
spaced rungs.

25a. Find the distance from the base of this ladder to the top rung. [3 marks]
25b. The company also makes a ladder that is 1050 cm long. [3 marks]
Find the maximum number of rungs in this 1050 cm long ladder.

In an arithmetic sequence, the first term is 3 and the second term is 7.

26a. Find the common difference. [2 marks]

26b. Find the tenth term. [2 marks]

26c. Find the sum of the first ten terms of the sequence. [2 marks]
 Tomás is playing with sticks and he forms the first three diagrams of a pattern.
These diagrams are shown below.

Tomás continues forming diagrams following this pattern.

27a. Diagram n is formed with 52 sticks. Find the value of n. [3 marks]

Tomás forms a total of 24 diagrams.

27b. Find the total number of sticks used by Tomás for all 24 diagrams. [3 marks]

, , … =1 ≠0
 An arithmetic sequence u1 ,u2 ,u3 … has u1 = 1 and common difference d ≠ 0.
Given that u2 ,u3 and u6 are the first three terms of a geometric sequence

28a. find the value of d. [4 marks]

Given that uN = −15

28b. N [3 marks]
∑
determine the value of r=1 ur .
 The 1st, 4th and 8th terms of an arithmetic sequence, with common difference d,
d ≠ 0, are the first three terms of a geometric sequence, with common ratio r.
Given that the 1st term of both sequences is 9 find

29a. the value of d; [4 marks]

29b. the value of r; [1 mark]