2012-AL-A MATH

APPLIED MATHEMATICS
ADVANCED LEVEL

INTRODUCTION
This syllabus serves to examine candidates’ knowledge and skills in introductory mathematical and statistical methods, and their
applications. For applications of mathematical methods, candidates are required to have specific knowledge in theoretical mechanics. In
addition, candidates should understand the methods well enough to be able to apply them in other disciplines, but in such cases no
prerequisite knowledge of these other disciplines is required. Candidates are expected to have acquired knowledge of the subject matter in
the Mathematics syllabus of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. In addition, they are also expected to have a knowledge
of the following topics : exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometry (including compound angle formulas, sum and product
formulas), basic operation of complex numbers in standard and polar forms, elementary calculus.

THE EXAMINATION
The examination will consist of two equally-weighted papers of 3 hours each. In each paper there will be two sections. Section A
(40%) will consist of 6-8 short questions, all of which are to be attempted. Section B (60%) will consist of 5 long questions, of which
candidates will be required to answer 4.

Note : Unless the terms of the questions impose specific limitations,

a. a candidate may use any appropriate method,
b. calculators* may be used in the examination.

THE SYLLABUS
Notes : 1. The following syllabus is an examination syllabus and is not to be interpreted as an exact and exhaustive teaching syllabus.
2. The syllabus is to be viewed as a whole and, in particular, the length of a section is not an indication of its weight in the
examination.

* See Regulation 5.15.

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2012-AL-A MATH
Paper 1

I. Theoretical Mechanics

1. Vectors in R2 and R3

Vector addition and subtraction.

Multiplication by a scalar.
Resolution of vectors.

Position vectors and unit vectors. Use of the unit vectors i , j , k . Vector equation of a line.

Scalar product and orthogonality.

Vector product and parallelism. a × b = | a | | b | sin θ n .

a × b = –b × a .

a × (b + c) = a × b + a × c. (Proof not required)

Differentiation of a vector function with respect Knowledge of the following formulas is expected :
to a scalar variable.

d du d v
(u + v) = +
dt dt dt

d dλ du

( λ u) = u+λ
dt dt dt
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2012-AL-A MATH
d . du . dv
(u v ) = v + u.
dt dt dt
d du dv
(u × v ) = ×v+u×
dt dt dt

Integration of a vector function with respect to a Knowledge of line integrals is not required.
scalar variable.

2. Statics

Force. Moment and couple.

Resultant of system of forces. Reduction of a system of forces to a resultant and a couple.

Equilibrium of particles and rigid bodies under a Candidates are expected to be able to set up independent
system of coplanar forces. equations and inequalities from a given physical situation.

3. Kinematics

Motion of a particle in a plane. Displacement, velocity and acceleration.

Angular displacement, angular velocity and angular
acceleration.
Velocity and acceleration components in tangential-normal
form are not required.

Relative motion. Simple problems on the motion of two bodies.

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2012-AL-A MATH
Resolution of velocity and acceleration along Derivation and application of the formulas
and perpendicular to radius vector.
r& = r& er + r θ& eθ
1 d 2&
&&r = ( r&& − rθ& 2) er + (r θ ) eθ .
r dt

Detailed knowledge of orbit problems is not required.

4. Newton’s laws of motion Questions involving variable mass will not be set.

The three laws of motion.

Work. Energy, momentum and their
conservation laws.

Rectilinear motion of a particle.

Simple harmonic motion. Damped oscillations.

Motion of a particle in a plane. Questions involving Cartesian or polar coordinates may be

set.

Motion of projectile under gravity. Two-dimensional problems involving resistive media will
not be set.

Circular motion. Motion in a vertical circle.

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2012-AL-A MATH
5. Impact

Direct and oblique impacts. Questions involving impulsive tensions will not be set.

Elastic and inelastic impacts. Coefficient of restitution.

6. Friction

Laws of static and kinetic friction. Application to statical and dynamical problems involving

Coefficient of friction. Angle of friction. particles and rigid bodies.

Limiting positions of equilibrium. Knowledge of stability of equilibrium is not expected.

7. Motion of a rigid body

Rigid body as a system of particles.

Centre of mass. Centre of mass of uniform bodies using symmetry or
integration. Centre of mass of a composite body.

Moment of inertia. Parallel and perpendicular Moment of inertia of uniform bodies using integration.
axes theorems. Moment of inertia of a composite body.
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2012-AL-A MATH
Angular momentum. Law of angular momentum. Conservation law.

Potential and kinetic energy.

Motion of a rigid body about a fixed axis.

Paper 2

II. Differential Equations

For all types of differential equations below, candidates are expected to be familiar with examples of their formulation from
practical situations, as well as the interpretation of their solutions. However, candidates are not expected to have particular
knowledge of a practical situation, but will be given a description sufficient to formulate an equation.

1. First order differential equations

Solution of

(a) equations with variables separable,

(b) linear equations Use of the integrating factor is expected.

dy Candidates will be expected to be able to use a given
+ p ( x ) y = q( x ). substitution that reduces an equation to one of the above
dx
types.
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2012-AL-A MATH
2. Second order differential equations

Solution of

(a) homogeneous equations with constant Use of the auxiliary equation is expected.
coefficients
d2 y dy
a 2
+b + c y = 0,
dx dx

(b) non-homogeneous equations with constant n px

f ( x) will only be of the form x , cos px , sin px , e , or a
coefficients
linear combination of these functions. Candidates will be
d2 y dy expected to be able to deal with cases when p is a root of
a 2
+b + c y = f ( x), the auxiliary equation. The method of undetermined
dx dx
coefficients is expected.

Candidates will be expected to be able to use a given

substitution that reduces an equation to one of the above
types.

Candidates will be expected, for both homogeneous and

non-homogeneous equations, to be able to find the general
solution, and the solutions to either an initial value problem
or a boundary value problem.
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2012-AL-A MATH
(c) system of two first order differential Only simple systems which may be reduced by elimination
equations. to a second order linear differential equation are expected.

III. Numerical Methods

1. Approximation

Interpolating polynomials. Including Lagrangian interpolating polynomial and its error

term.

Approximation of functions using Taylor’s Candidates will be expected to estimate the error.
expansion.

2. Numerical integration

Trapezoidal rule, Simpson’s rule and their Candidates will be expected to estimate the error.
composite formulas. (Derivation of the error formulas is not required.)
Candidates may be expected to employ other integration
rules but not to derive them. Such rules will be given in the
examination.

3. Numerical solution of equations The determination of the order of convergence is not

required.

Method of false position and secant method. Detailed treatment of the convergence and error estimation
is not required.
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2012-AL-A MATH
Method of fixed-point iteration. Newton’s Candidates will be expected to estimate the error. The
method. following sufficient condition of convergence for the
method of fixed-point iteration is expected :
(1) The iterative function g(x) is continuous and
differentiable on an interval I ;
(2) g(x) ∈ I for all x in I ;
(3) There exists a positive constant k such that
| g′(x) | ≤ k < 1 for all x in I .
Treatment of Newton’s method as a particular example of
the method of fixed-point iteration.

IV. Probability and Statistics

1. Basic statistical measures

Mean, mode and median. Candidates are expected to know the calculation of the
Standard deviation and variance. combined mean and variance from two or more sets of data.

2. Probability laws

Sample points, sample space and events.

Equally likely events.

Ways of counting. Permutations and combinations.

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2012-AL-A MATH
Sum and product laws. Use of tree diagrams.
Mutually exclusive events and independent Candidates are expected to know the formulas
events. (i) P(A′) = 1 – P(A)
Conditional probability. (ii) P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B) – P(A ∩ B)
(iii) P(A ∩ B) = P(A) P(B | A)

Bayes’ Theorem. Derivation of the theorem is not required.

3. Probability distributions

Random variables. Probability and distribution functions of a discrete random

variable.
Probability density and distribution functions of a
continuous random variable.
Expectation and Variance.
Candidates are expected to know the formulas
E(aX + bY) = aE(X) + bE(Y) and
Var(aX + bY) = a2Var(X) + b2Var(Y)
for independent random variables X and Y.

Binomial and Normal distributions. Bernoulli trials. Binomial probability.

Use of standard normal distribution table.
The normal distribution as an approximation to the
binomial distribution, including the use of the continuity
correction.
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2012-AL-A MATH
Derivation of mean and variance in normal distribution is
not required.
Knowledge that a linear combination of two independent
normally distributed variables is also normally distributed is
assumed.
Particular knowledge of other probability distributions is
not required.

4. Statistical inference

Estimate of a population mean from a random

sample.

Confidence interval for the mean of a normal

population with known variance.

Hypothesis testing. The notions of test statistic, critical region and significance
level. Type I and Type II errors. Only one-sample
problems involving the use of normal distribution will be
set.