Paper I, 1988 September 1, 2014 2

Section A: Pure Mathematics

1 Sketch the graph of the function h, where

ln x
h(x) = , (x > 0).
x
Hence, or otherwise, find all pairs of distinct positive integers m and n which satisfy the
equation
n m = mn .

2 The function f and g are related (for all real x) by

1
g(x) = f(x) + .
f(x)

Express g′ (x) and g′′ (x) in terms of f(x) and its derivatives.
If f(x) = 4 + cos 2x + 2 sin x, find the stationary points of g for 0 6 x 6 2π, and determine
which are maxima and which are minima.

3 Two points P and Q lie within, or on the boundary of, a square of side 1cm, one corner of
which is the point O. Show√ that√the length of at least one of the lines OP, P Q and QO must
be less than or equal to ( 6 − 2) cm.

4 Each of m distinct points on the positive y-axis is joined by a line segment to each of n distinct
points on the positive x-axis. Except at the endpoints, no three of these segments meet in a
single point. Derive formulae for

(i) the number of such line segments;

(ii) the number of points of intersections of the segments, ignoring intersections at the end-
points of the segments.

If m = n > 3, and the two segments with the greatest number of points of intersection, and
the two segments with the least number of points of intersection, are excluded, prove that
the average number of points of intersection per segment on the remaining segments is

n3 − 7n + 2
.
4(n + 2)
Paper I, 1988 September 1, 2014 3

5 Given that b > a > 0, find, by using the binomial theorem, coefficients cm (m = 0, 1, 2, . . .)
such that
1
= c0 + c1 x + c2 x2 + . . . + cm xm + · · ·
(1 − ax) (1 − bx)
for b |x| < 1.
Show that
a2m+2 − 2(ab)m+1 + b2m+2
c2m = .
(a − b)2

Hence, or otherwise, show that

1 + abx
c20 + c21 x + c22 x2 + · · · + c2m xm + · · · = ,
(1 − abx) (1 − a2 x) (1 − b2 x)

for x in a suitable interval which you should determine.

6 The complex numbers z1 , z2 , . . . , z6 are represented by six distinct points P1 , P2 , . . . , P6 in the

Argand diagram. Express the following statements in terms of complex numbers:
−−−→ −−−→ −−−→ −−−→
(i) P1 P2 = P5 P4 and P2 P3 = P6 P5 ;

−−−→ −−−→
(ii) P2 P4 is perpendicular to P3 P6 .
−−−→ −−−→
If (i) holds, show that P3 P4 = P1 P6 .
Suppose that the statements (i) and (ii) both hold, and that z1 = 0, z2 = 1, z3 = z, z5 = i
and z6 = w. Determine the conditions which Re(z) and Re(w) must satisfy in order that
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 should form a convex hexagon.
Find the distance between P3 and P6 when tan(∠P3 P2 P6 ) = −2/3.

7 The function f is defined by

f(x) = ax2 + bx + c.
Show that
1 1



f ′ (x) = f(1) x + 2 + f(−1) x − 2 − 2f(0)x.

If a, b and c are real and such that |f(x)| 6 1 for |x| 6 1, show that |f ′ (x)| 6 4 for |x| 6 1.
Find particular values of a, b and c such that, for the corresponding function f of the above
form |f(x)| 6 1 for all x with |x| 6 1 and f ′ (x) = 4 for some x satisfying |x| 6 1.
Paper I, 1988 September 1, 2014 4

8 ABCD is a skew (non-planar) quadrilateral, and its pairs of opposite sides are equal, i.e.
AB = CD and BC = AD. Prove that the line joining the midpoints of the diagonals AC and
BD is perpendicular to each diagonal.

9 Find the following integrals:

Z e
ln x
(i) 2
dx ,
1 x

cos x
Z
(ii) √ dx.
sin x 1 + sin x
Paper I, 1988 September 1, 2014 5

Section B: Mechanics

10 A sniper at the top of a tree of height h is hit by a bullet fired from the undergrowth covering
the horizontal ground below. The position and elevation of the gun which fired the shot are
unknown, but it is known that the bullet left the gun with speed v. Show that it mustphave been
fired from a point within a circle centred on the base of the tree and of radius (v/g) v 2 − 2gh.
[Neglect air resistance.]

11 Derive a formula for the position of the centre of mass of a uniform circular arc of radius r
which subtends an angle 2θ at the centre.

2r

2h

r r

A plane framework consisting of a rectangle and a semicircle, as in the above diagram, is

constructed of uniform thin rods. It can stand in equilibrium if it is placed in a vertical plane
with any point of the semicircle in contact with a horizontal floor. Express h in terms of r.

12 A skater of mass M is skating inattentively on a smooth frozen canal. She suddenly realises
that she is heading perpendicularly towards the straight canal bank at speed V . She is at a
distance d from the bank and can choose one of two methods of trying to avoid it; either she
can apply a force of constant magnitude F , acting at right-angles to her velocity, so that she
travels in a circle; or she can apply a force of magnitude 12 F (V 2 + v 2 )/V 2 directly backwards,
where v is her instantaneous speed. Treating the skater as a particle, find the set of values
of d for which she can avoid hitting the bank. Comment briefly on the assumption that the
skater is a particle.
Paper I, 1988 September 1, 2014 6

13 A piece of circus apparatus consists of a rigid uniform plank of mass 1000 kg, suspended in
a horizontal position by two equal light vertical ropes attached to the ends. The ropes each
have natural length 10 m and modulus of elasticity 490 000 N. Initially the plank is hanging
in equilibrium. Nellie, an elephant of mass 4000 kg, lands in the middle of the plank while
travelling vertically downwards at speed 5 ms−1 . While carrying Nellie, the plank comes in-
stantaneously to rest at a negligible height above the floor, and at this instant Nellie steps
nimbly and gently off the plank onto the floor. Assuming that the plank remains horizontal,
and the rope remain vertical, throughout the motion, find to three significant figures its initial
height above the floor.
During the motion after Nellie alights, do the ropes ever become slack?
[Take g to be 9.8 ms−1 .]
Paper I, 1988 September 1, 2014 7

Section C: Probability and Statistics

14 Let X be a standard normal random variable. If M is any real number, the random variable
XM is defined in terms of X by
(
X if X < M,
XM =
M if X > M.

Show that the expectation of XM is given by

E(XM ) = −φ(M ) + M (1 − Φ(M )),

where φ is the probability density function, and Φ is the cumulative distribution function of X.
Fifty times a year, 1024 tourists disembark from a cruise liner at the port of Slaka. From
there they must travel to the capital either by taxi or by bus. Officials of HOGPo are equally
likely to direct a tourist to the bus station or to the taxi rank. Each bus of the bus coorperative
holds 31 passengers, and the coorperative currently runs 16 buses. The bus coorperative
makes a profit of 1 vloska for each passenger carried. It carries all the passengers it can,
with any excess being (eventually) transported by taxi. What is the larges annual bribe the
bus coorperative should consider paying to HOGPo in order to be allowed to run an extra
bus?

15 In Fridge football, each team scores two points for a goal and one point for a foul committed by
the opposing team. In each game, for each team, the probability that the team scores n goals
is (3 − |2 − n|) /9 for 0 6 n 6 4 and zero otherwise, while the number of fouls committed
against it will with equal probability be one of the numbers from 0 to 9 inclusive. The numbers
of goals and fouls of each team are mutually independent. What is the probability that in some
game a particular team gains more than half its points from fouls?
In response to criticisms that the game is boring and violent, the ruling body increases the
number of penalty points awarded for a foul, in the hope that this will cause large numbers
of fouls to be less probable. During the season following the rule change, 150 games are
played and on 12 occasions (out of 300) a team committed 9 fouls. Is this good evidence of
a change in the probability distribution of the number of fouls? Justify your answer.
Paper I, 1988 September 1, 2014 8

16 Wondergoo is applied to all new cars. It protects them completely against rust for three years,
but thereafter the probability density of the time of onset of rust is proportional to t2 /(1 + t2 )2
for a car of age 3 + t years (t > 0). Find the probability that a car becomes rusty before it is
3 + t years old.
Every car is tested for rust annually on the anniversary of its manufacture. If a car is not
rusty, it will certainly pass; if it is rusty, it will pass with probability 12 . Cars which do not pass
are immediately taken off the road and destroyed. What is the probability that a randomly
selected new car subsequently fails a test taken on the fifth anniversary of its manufacture?
Find also the probability that a car which was destroyed immediately after its fifth anniversary
test was rusty when it passed its fourth anniversary test.