OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
B.Sc. (Mathematics) Degree Mid-Semester Examination
Harmattan Semester, 2021/2022 Session
MTH 101-Elementary Mathematics I

Time Allowed - 1 Hour

Type 1
Instructions: Use HB pencils ONLY. Write and Shade your Names and Registration Number in
the spaces provided on the OMR sheet. Shade the Question type. Attempt all questions: Shade the
option E if none of the options A-D is correct.
All notations have their usual meanings.

1. If the universal set U = R, and III. n(A ∪ B) = n(A) + n(B) − n(A ∩ B).
A = {x ∈ R : x2 + 1 = 0}. Which of the fol-
lowing statement(s) is/are not true? (A) I. only (B) III. only
I. A is a finite
√ set√ (C) I. and III. only (D) I., II. and III.
II. A ̸= {− −1, −1}
III. A = { } Solution
IV. A ⊆ R
V. Ac ̸= R. Answer: D
4. Let A = {1, 4, 9} and B = {−3, −2, −1}. If
(A) I. and III. (B) II. (C) IV. (D) V. the propositional function p(x, y) on A × B
means x = y 2 . Which of the following from I.
to IV. about the relation f = (A, B, p(x, y))
Solution is/are true?
I. f is a function from A to B
Answer: D II. f is not a function from A to B
x2 + 1 = 0 has no real solution. Thus, A is III. Solution set of f is
an empty set. But R = U, so that Ac = R. {(−3, 9), (−2, 4), (−1, 1)}.
Hence, Ac ̸= R is not true.
(A) I. only (B) II. only
2. The following define the symmetric difference
(C) I. and III. only (D) II. and III. only
A∆B of sets A and B except
(A) (A − B) ∪ (B − A)
(B) [(A ∩ B c ) ∪ B] ∩ [(A ∩ B c ) ∪ Ac ] Solution
(C) (A ∩ B) − (A ∪ B)
(D) (A ∪ B) ∩ (Ac ∪ B c ) Answer: A
f is a function from A to B.
Solution
5. If A and B are respectively the largest possible
Answer: C domains of the real-valued functions f and g
of real variable x defined by
A∆B ̸= (A ∩ B) − (A ∪ B) x−3 1
f (x) = and g(x) = .
3. The cardinality of an arbitrary finite set X is x2 − 9 x+3
denoted by n(X). Which of the following from Which of the the following reasons from I. to
I. to III. is/are true? III. justify why f is not the same as g?
I. n(A) = n(A − B) + n(A ∩ B) I. A ̸= B II. A ⊂ B III. B ⊂ A
II. n(A ∪ B) = n(A − B) + n(A ∩ B) + n(B − A)

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 (A) I. only (B) I. and II. only Answer: A
(C) I. and III. only (D) II. only. Clearly, series is an arithmetic series with
(N − 2) terms. The sum is given by
(N − 2)
Solution SN −2 = −116 = (2×3+(N −3)×(−5))
2
Answer: B =⇒ −232 = (N − 2)(21 − 5N ) =⇒ N = 10.
Domain of f is A = {x ∈ R : x ̸= −3 and 3} 9. Suppose α and β are the roots of the equation
Domain of g is B = {x ∈ R : x ̸= −3} x2 − 2sx + 3s2 + r2 = 0, given that s and r are
Clearly, A ̸= B and A ⊂ B. real numbers. Then
N
(A) α, β ∈ R and α ̸= β
6. Evaluate N , given that
X
(5 × 2k ) = 315. (B) α = β
k=0
(C) α, β ∈ C − R
(A) 8 (B) 7 (C) 6 (D) 5 (D) α and β are undefinable

Solution
Solution
Answer: C
Answer: D The discriminant D ≡ b2 − 4ac is
Clearly, this is a geometric series with first
D ≡ 4s2 − 4(3s2 + r2 ) = −(8s2 + 4r2 ) < 0.
term a = 5, common ratio r = 2. The sum
is given by Hence, α, β ∈ C − R.

(rN +1 − 1) 10. Suposse α and β are the roots of the equation

S=a = 315 5x2 − 3x − 1 = 0. Which of the following is the
r−1
α2 β 2
value of + ?
β α
=⇒ 315 = 5(2N +1 − 1) =⇒ N = 5. 72 18 9 3
(A) − , (B) − (C) − (D) − .
N
25 5 5 5
X 3N 2 + N Solution
7. If Uk = . Evaluate U15 .
k=1
2
(A) 345 (B) 144 (C) 45 (D) 44 Answer: A
Recall that α3 + β 3 = (α + β)3 − 3αβ(α + β)
α3 + β 3 72
Solution =− ,
αβ 25
where α + β = 3/5 and αβ = −1/5.
Answer: D
1
Clearly, 11. x in the inequality < 2 satisfies two of
3 × (15)2 + 15 x−1
S15 = = 345 the following inequalities:
5 I. x − 1 < 0
2
3 × (14) + 14
and S14 = = 301. II. (x − 1)(2x − 3) < 0
2
U15 = S15 − S14 = 345 − 301 = 44. III. (x − 1)(2x − 3) > 0
IV. 2x − 3 < 0
N
X
8. Evaluate N , if (18 − 5n) = −116.
(A) I. and II. only (B) III. and IV. only
n=3
(A) 10 (B) 9 (C) 8 (D) 7 (C) I. and III. only (D) II. and IV.
Solution
Solution Answer: C

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 1 Clearly, we have
The inequality < 2 is equivalent to
x−1
x3 − 2x2 − 7x + 12
= x2 + x − 4 = 0
(x − 1) x−3
< 2 =⇒ (x − 1) < 2(x − 1)2 √
(x − 1)2 −1 ± 17
=⇒ x = .
2
=⇒ (x − 1)(2x − 3) > 0.
14. If a and b are non-negative real numbers and
We thus have a2 + b2 = 23ab, then log a + log b is
3
x < 1 and x > 
a+b
 
a+b

2 (A) 2 log (B) 2 log
5   2 23 2 
=⇒ x − 1 < 0 and (x − 1)(2x − 3) > 0.

23 a +b
(C) log (D) log
a2 + b 2 5
12. Evaluate the values of the constants a and b
for which Solution

6x3 − 8x + 5 37 Answer: A
= 3x2 + 6x + 8 + .
ax + b ax + b Note that
(A) a = 2, b = −4 (B) a = 2, b = 2 (a + b)2 = a2 + b2 + 2ab = 23ab + 2ab = 25ab
(C) a = 2, b = 4 (D) a = 2, b = −2
(a + b)2
=⇒ ab =
Solution 25  
a+b
Answer: A =⇒ log a + log b = 2 log .
5
The equation implies 15. The expression
x3 − x2 − 3x + 5
6x3 − 8x + 5 =
(x − 1)(x2 − 1)
3ax3 + 6ax2 + 8ax + 3bx2 + 6bx + 8b + 37. has the form (A, B and C are constants)
By comparison, we have A B C
(A) 1 + + 2
+
a = 2 and b = −4. x − 1 (x − 1) x+1
A B C
(B) 1 + + +
x−1 x−1 x+1
13. A solution of the equation A B C
(C) + 2
+
x − 1 (x − 1) x+1
x3 − 2x2 − 7x + 12 A B C
=0 (D) + +
x−3 x−1 x−1 x+1
is Solution
Answer: A
(A) x = 3
(B) x = −2 √ 16. If a, b > 0 and a ̸= b, solve for x satisfying
−1 + 17 ax = bx−y and 2 − y = 0.
(C) x =
√2
1 − 17 −2 log b 2 log b
(D) x = (A) x = (B) x =
2 log b/a log a/b
2 log b −2 log b
Solution (C) x = (D) x =
log b/a log ab
Answer: BONUS Solution

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 Answer: C 19. If a and b are two real numbers such that
a + b = 1. Which of the following inequali-
ax = bx−2 =⇒ x log a = (x − 2) log b ties are true?
2 log b
x= . (A) 4ac ≤ 1 and a2 + b2 ≥ 1/2
log b/a (B) a2 + b2 ≤ 1/2 and 4ac ≥ 1
√ (D) 4ac ≥ 1 and a2 + b2 ≥ 1/2
17. Evaluate the imaginary part of 40 + 42i,
where i2 = −1. (D) 4ac ≤ 1 and a2 + b2 ≤ 1/2

Solution
(A) ±3 (B) ±5 (C) ±7 (D) ±9
Answer: BONUS
Solution
Answer: A Recall that a2 + b2 ≥ 2ab and it is given that
√ a + b = 1. Thus, we have
40 + 42i = x + iy, where x, y ∈ R.
2 a2 + b2 + 2ab = 1 =⇒ a2 + b2 = 1 − 2ab ≥ 2ab
=⇒ (x + iy) = 40 + 42i

=⇒ x2 − y 2 = 40, xy = 21 =⇒ 4ab ≤ 1.
=⇒ x = ±7, y = ±3. Also, a2 + b2 = 1 − 2ab ≥ 1 − 1/2 = 1/2.
Hence, imaginary part is y = ±3.
20. Suppose "·" is the multiplication sign on any
18. If x, y ∈ R, find x satisfying the equation pair of real numbers (eg. 2 · 5 = 10). Which of
the following is true concerning the solution x
x(3 + 4i) − y(1 + 2i) + 5 = 0. of the equation
(A) -2 (B) -3 (C) -4 (D) -5
0 · x = 0?
Solution
(A) x is undefinable
Answer: D (B) Equation has infinite number of solutions
(C) Equation has only one non-zero solution
The equation x(3 + 4i) − y(1 + 2i) + 5 = 0
(D) The only solution is x = 0
implies solving the system of equation

3x − y = −5, 4x − 2y = 0. Solution

The value of x = −5. Answer: B