The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship

by Japanese Grant Aid (JDS)

Basic Mathematics Aptitude Test
2019
Solution

Note:
 You have 60 minutes to complete.
 No calculators are allowed.
 Show all your work and write your answers in the designated space.
 Part I and Part II are ‘Basic Math,’ and Part III and Part IV are ‘Applied
Math.’

Name :
(Please show all your work here and write your answers in the designated space)

[PART I] Calculate the followings.

1. (1 − 3) × (−5) × (2 − (1 − 3))

= (−2) × (−5) × 4 = 40

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ 40

7 2 1 1 5
2. (5 ÷ 15 − 2) × 3 − 2

7 15 1 1 5 21 1 1 5 10 5 20 − 15 5
=( × − )× − = ( − )× − = − = =
5 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 3 2 6 6

5
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶
6

2
3. (√3 − √2) + √24

= 3 − 2√6 + 2 + √24 = 5 − 2√6 + √24 = 5 − 2√6 + 2√6 = 5

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ 5

−3
1 −1 1 0.5 1 2
4. ((8) ÷ (16) ) ÷ (3)

1 2 9
= (23 −2 )−3
÷2 ÷ ( ) = 2−15 × 9 =
3 32768

9
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶
32768
(Please show all your work here and write your answers in the designated space)

[PART II] Answer the following questions.

1. Solve the following equation for w.

5−w
=3
2w
5
6w = 5 − w  7w = 5  w = 7
5
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ w=
7

2. Solve the following simultaneous equations for x and y.

−x + 3y = 7
−2x + 2y = 6

x = −1, y = 2

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ x = −1, y = 2

3. Consider the straight line in the (x,y)-plane that passes through the points (0,a) and
(b,0). Assume 2a = 3b and a ≠ 0. Find the slope of the straight line.
a 𝑎 3 3
The slope of the straight line is described by − b = − 2𝑎 = − 2. Thus, the slope is − 2.
3

3
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ −
2

4. Solve the following equation for x.

|x − 5| = 3

𝑥 − 5 = ±3  𝑥 = 2, 8

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ x = 2, 8
(Please show all your work here and write your answers in the designated space)

[PART III] Answer the following questions:

1. Find the region of x satisfying the following inequality.

8x 2 − 5x < 9x − 3

1 3
(4x − 1)(2x − 3) = 8𝑥 2 − 14x + 3 < 0  <𝑥<2
4

1 3
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ <𝑥<
4 2

2. Solve the following equation for x.

log 2 (x) = log 2 (6x − 5)

x = 6x − 5  x=1
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ x=1

3. Find the minimum integer x satisfying the following inequality.

x
k
∑ ( ) > 100
𝑥
k=1

1 1 x(x+1) x+1
∑xk=1 k > 100  > 100  > 100 
x x 2 2

x + 1 > 200  x > 199  200

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ 200

4. Consider the following five values,

{−10, 25, 30, −25, 0}.
Suppose that the average of these five values is log 3 (x). Find the value of x.
−10+25+30−25+0
= 4 = log 3 (x)  x = 34  x = 81
5

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ x = 81
(Please show all your work here and write your answers in the designated space)

[PART IV] Answer the following questions:

1. Determine the first-order derivative of the following. Note that e is a mathematical

constant which is the base of the natural logarithm.

y = x 3 + e3x + log e x

1
y ′ = 3x 2 + 3e3x + x
1
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ y ′ = 3x 2 + 3e3x +
x

2. Solve the following equation for z.

2z
∫ ex dx = ez+5 − 1
0

2z
∫0 ex dx = e2z − 1 = ez+5 − 1. Thus, e2z = ez+5  2z = z + 5  z = 5.

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ z=5

1 2 1 0
3. Let A = [ ] and B = [ ]. Find A−1 B.
1 1 0 2
1 1 −2 −1 2
det(A) = 1 − 2 = −1  A−1 = −1 [ ]=[ ]  A−1 B =
−1 1 1 −1
−1 2 1 0 −1 4
[ ][ ]=[ ]
1 −1 0 2 1 −2
−1 4
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ [ ]
1 −2

4. Consider the following function, F(x, y) = xy. Assume that x + y = 10. Find (x, y)
at which the value of the function is maximized.

F(x, y) = xy = x(10 − x). The first-order condition is: 10 − 2x = 0 

x = 5, y = 5.

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ x = 5, y=5
[PART V] Fill in the following blanks with correct answers.

1. Find the first derivative of the following.

f(x) = 5sin(5x).

Solution
f ′ (x) = 5 cos(5x) × 5 = 25 cos(5x).

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ 25 cos(5x)

2. Consider a sequence {ak }∞

k=1 with a k = r
1−k
. Find the value r which satisfies
∞

∑ ak = 10
k=1

Solution
1 r 10
We have ∑∞ ∞
k=1 a k = ∑k=1 r
1−k
= 1−1/r = r−1 = 10  r = 10r − 10  r = 9

10
𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ r=
9
3. Suppose that a⃗ = (x, 1) and ⃗b = (2, y − 2) are vertical and that x + y = 4. Find x
and y.

Solution
The inner product of a⃗ = (x, 1) and ⃗b = (2, y − 2) must be zero.
a⃗ ∙ ⃗b = 2x + y − 2 = 0.
Since x + y = 4, we have x = −2, y = 6.

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ x = −2, y = 6

4. There are 12 adults and 10 kids in a room. Find the number of ways you can select
three persons from them. The choice must contain two kids and one adult.

Solution
10×9
10C2 × 12C1 = 2×1
× 12 = 540.

𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 ∶ 540