MT105 A 2023 Commentary

Examiners’ commentaries 2023 (May)
Examiners’ commentary 2023 (May)

MT105a Mathematics 1
Important note
This commentary reflects the examination and assessment arrangements for this course in the
academic year 2022–23. The format and structure of the examination may change in future years,
and any such changes will be publicised on the virtual learning environment (VLE).
Information about the subject guide and the Essential reading

references
Unless otherwise stated, all cross-references will be to the latest version of the subject guide (2011).
You should always attempt to use the most recent edition of any Essential reading textbook, even if
the commentary and/or online reading list and/or subject guide refer to an earlier edition. If
different editions of Essential reading are listed, please check the VLE for reading supplements – if
none are available, please use the contents list and index of the new edition to find the relevant
section.
General remarks
Learning outcomes
At the end of this half course and having completed the Essential reading and activities you should
have:
• used the concepts, terminology, methods and conventions covered in the half course to solve
mathematical problems in this subject
• the ability to solve unseen mathematical problems involving understanding of these concepts
and application of these methods
• seen how mathematical techniques can be used to solve problems in economics and related
subjects.
Showing your working
We start by emphasising that you should always include your working. This means two things.
First, you should not simply write down the answer in the examination script, but you should
explain the method by which it is obtained. Second, you should include rough working (even if it is
messy!). The examiners want you to get the right answers, of course, but it is more important that
you prove you know what you are doing: that is what is really being examined.
We also stress that if you have not completely solved a problem, you may still be awarded marks for
a partial, incomplete, or slightly wrong, solution; but, if you have written down a wrong answer and
nothing else, no marks can be awarded. So it is certainly in your interests to include all your
workings.
1
Covering the syllabus and choosing questions
You should ensure that you have covered the syllabus in order to perform well in the examination: it
is bad practice to concentrate only on a small range of major topics in the expectation that there
will be lots of marks obtainable for questions on these topics. There are no formal options in this
course: you should study the full extent of the topics described in the syllabus and subject guide. In
particular, since the whole syllabus is examinable, any topic could appear in the examination
questions.
Expectations of the examination paper
Every examination paper is different. You should not assume that your examination will be almost
identical to the previous year’s: for instance, just because there was a question, or a part of a
question, on a certain topic last year, you should not assume there will be one on the same topic this
year. Each year, the examiners want to test that candidates know and understand a number of
mathematical methods and, in setting an examination paper, they try to test whether the candidate
does indeed know the methods, understands them, and is able to use them, and not merely whether
they vaguely remember them. Because of this, every year there are some questions which are likely
to seem unfamiliar, or different, from previous years’ questions. You should expect to be surprised
by some of the questions. Of course, you will only be examined on material in the syllabus, so all
questions can be answered using the material of the course. There will be enough, routine, familiar
content in the examination so that a candidate who has achieved competence in the course will pass,
but, of course, for a high mark, more is expected: you will have to demonstrate an ability to solve
new and unfamiliar problems.
Answer the question
Please do read the questions carefully. You might be asked to use specific methods, even when
others could be used. The purpose of the examination is to test that you know certain methods, so
the examiners might occasionally ask you to use a specific technique. In such circumstances, only
limited partial credit can be given if you do not use the specified technique. It is also worth reading
the question carefully so that you do not do more than is required (because it is unlikely that you
would get extra marks for doing so). For instance, if a question asked you only to find the critical
points of a function, but not their natures, then you should not determine their natures. Be careful
to read all questions carefully because, although they may look like previous examination questions
on first glance, there can be subtle differences.
Graph sketching
Some examinations in this subject ask you to sketch the graph of a function. Any sketching of
graphs should be done in the answer book. Graph paper is not needed. Indeed, as we have
mentioned often in the Examiners’ commentaries, the plotting of points in order to graph a function
is not the correct approach. A sketch of the graph of a function should indicate its shape, its
position with respect to the axes, and its intercepts on those axes: it need not be drawn to scale.
Graph paper is not necessary for this.
Calculators
You are reminded that calculators are not permitted in the examination for this course, under any
circumstances. The examiners know this, and so they set questions that do not require a calculator.
It is a good idea to prepare for this by attempting not to use your calculator as you study and revise
this course.
2
Examination revision strategy
Many candidates are disappointed to find that their examination performance is poorer than they
expected. This may be due to a number of reasons, but one particular failing is ‘question
spotting’, that is, confining your examination preparation to a few questions and/or topics which
have come up in past papers for the course. This can have serious consequences.
We recognise that candidates might not cover all topics in the syllabus in the same depth, but you
need to be aware that examiners are free to set questions on any aspect of the syllabus. This
means that you need to study enough of the syllabus to enable you to answer the required number of
examination questions.
The syllabus can be found in the Course information sheet available on the VLE. You should read
the syllabus carefully and ensure that you cover sufficient material in preparation for the
examination. Examiners will vary the topics and questions from year to year and may well set
questions that have not appeared in past papers. Examination papers may legitimately include
questions on any topic in the syllabus. So, although past papers can be helpful during your revision,
you cannot assume that topics or specific questions that have come up in past examinations will
occur again.
If you rely on a question-spotting strategy, it is likely you will find yourself in difficulties
when you sit the examination. We strongly advise you not to adopt this strategy.
3

Important note

references
section.
Comments on specific questions – Zone A
Candidates should answer all EIGHT questions: all SIX questions of Section A (60 marks in total)
and BOTH questions from Section B (20 marks each). Candidates are strongly advised to
divide their time accordingly.
Section A
Answer all six questions from this section (60 marks in total).
Question 1
Use row operations to solve the following system of equations:
x − y + z = −3
−3x + 4y − z = 2
x − 3y − 2z = 7.
Reading for this question
The relevant background material is discussed in Chapter 6 of the subject guide.
4
Approaching the question
Reducing the augmented matrix:

   
1 −1 1 −3 1 −1 1 −3
−3 4 −1 2  → 0 1 2 −7
1 −3 −2 7 0 −2 −3 10
 
1 −1 1 −3
→ 0 1 2 −7 .
0 0 1 −4
So, from the final matrix, we have z = −4, y = −7 − 2z = 1, x = −3 + y − z = 2.
This is probably a good point at which to make some general comments about how questions are
marked. Clearly, in a question like this, it is easy to get the wrong answer. (Though it should be
noted that in this particular question, you can always substitute the values that you have found
into the original equations, and this will show whether these are correct or not. So you can tell if
you have the wrong answer and, if you have time, you can then re-work the calculation.)
Examiners understand that arithmetical errors can be made, especially in the stressful
circumstances of an examination. Quite probably, the examiners themselves would make some
mistakes if they sat the paper. So, although there are marks for correct calculation, there are
also marks for using the right method (even if you make a mistake). So, here, for instance,
examiners will award marks if you can indicate that you know how to start to solve the equations
(by writing down an augmented matrix); that you know what row operations are; that you know
what it is you want to achieve with row operations (the reduced matrix, that is); and that you
then know how to work from that reduced matrix to determine the required solutions. There are
marks for all these things.
Be sure to understand that only certain types of operations qualify as valid row operations. In
particular, a number of candidates made the mistake of thinking that subtracting a fixed
constant from each entry of a row is valid. It is not. (And, if you don’t know what we mean by
that, then you’re probably not doing it, which is good!)
It is also important to answer the question. The question explicitly asks you to use row
operations. Given this, other approaches to solving the system of equations are not acceptable
because to take such an approach is not to answer the question.
Question 2
The function f is defined by

f (x) = x2 ex − 3ex .
Find the values of x at the critical (or stationary) points of f . Determine, for each
critical point, whether it is a local maximum, local minimum, or inflexion point.
See Chapter 3 of the subject guide.
We have that f (x) = x2 ex − 3ex , so:

f 0 (x) = 2xex + x2 ex − 3ex .
We solve f 0 = 0. Since f 0 (x) = ex (x2 + 2x − 3), this amounts to x2 + 2x − 3 = 0, with solutions:
x = 1, −3.
5
These are the x-coordinates of the critical points.
We can determine their natures by examining the behaviour of the derivative around each point,
or by using the second derivative test. We have:
f 00 (x) = ex (x2 + 2x − 3) + ex (2x + 2).
So, f 00 (−3) < 0 and f 00 (1) > 0. This means −3 gives a local maximum and 1 a local minimum.
Alternatively, we can use the sign of the derivative rather than the second derivative: since f 0
changes from positive to negative at −3, this is a local maximum; and since it changes from
negative to positive at 1, this is a local minimum.
Question 3
Find the integrals

ex dx √
Z Z
and x2 x − 2 dx.
(1 − ex )(1 + ex )
We use substitution for the first integral. We can let u = ex . (The substitutions u = 1 − ex or
1 + ex will also work.) Then du = ex dx and the integral is:
Z
du
.
(1 − u)(1 + u)
Partial fractions means there are A, B such that the integrand takes the form:
A B
+ .
1−u 1+u
We find (by a number of possible methods) that:
1 1
A= and B =
2 2
and hence the integral is:
Z
1/2 1/2 1 1
+ du = − ln |1 − u| + ln |1 + u| + c
1−u 1+u 2 2
1 1
= − ln |1 − ex | + ln |1 + ex | + c.
2 2
For the second integral, we might also make progress
√ with a substitution. There is more than one
substitution that will work. We could use u = x − 2 or u = x − 2. For example, let u = x − 2.
We then have du = dx and:
√
Z
I = (u + 2)2 u du
Z
= (u2 + 4u + 4)u1/2 du
Z
= (u5/2 + 4u3/2 + 4u1/2 ) du
2 7/2 8 5/2 8 3/2

= u + u + u +c
7 5 3
2 8 8
= (x − 2)7/2 + (x − 2)5/2 + (x − 2)3/2 + c.
7 5 3
6
We could alternatively use integration by parts (twice). We have:

Z
2 4
I = x2 (x − 2)3/2 − x(x − 2)3/2 dx
3 3
Z
2 2 3/2 8 5/2 8
= x (x − 2) − x(x − 2) + (x − 2)5/2 dx
3 15 15
2 2 8 16
= x (x − 2)3/2 − x(x − 2)5/2 + (x − 2)7/2 + c.
3 15 105
Question 4
Use the Lagrange multiplier method to determine the values of x and y that
minimise 2x + y subject to the constraint x2 y 3 = 27.
The Lagrangian is L = 2x + y − λ(x2 y 3 − 27). The first-order conditions are:
2 − 2λxy 3 = 0, 1 − 3λx2 y 2 = 0 and x2 y 3 = 27.
The first two equations imply that:

1 1
= 2 2
xy 3 3x y
and so y = 3x. (It’s clear that the constraint is not satisfied when x or y is 0, so we can assume
they are non-zero.) Then, x2 (3x)3 = 27. This is x5 = 1. So x = 1 and y = 3.
Question 5
The function f is given by
f (x, y) = 3x2 − 2x3 y + y 2 .
Find the critical (or stationary) points of f and determine, for each, whether it is a
local maximum, local minimum, or a saddle point.
We have:
fx = 6x − 6x2 y and fy = −2x3 + 2y.
We solve fx = fy = 0. This means:
x(1 − xy) = 0 and y = x3 .
Substituting y = x3 into the first of these equations, x(1 − x4 ) = 0, which means x = 0 or x = 1

or x = −1. Correspondingly, y = 0 and y = 1 and y = −1. So the critical points are:
(0, 0), (1, 1) and (−1, −1).
7
The second-order derivatives are:
fxx = 6 − 12xy, fxy = −6x2 and fyy = 2.
The Hessian is:

2
H = fxx fyy − fxy = (6 − 12xy)(2) − (−6x2 )2 = 12(1 − 2xy − 3x4 ).
At (0, 0), H = 12 > 0 and fxx > 0, and so we have a local minimum.
At (1, 1), H = 12(1 − 2 − 3) < 0 and so we have a saddle point.
At (−1, −1), H = 12(1 − 2 − 3) < 0 and so we have a saddle point.
Question 6
A sequence of numbers x0 , x1 , x2 , . . . is such that x0 = 3 and, for each n ≥ 1,

1
xn = xn−1 + 2.
2
Show that xn can be written in the following form, for some numbers a and r
(which you should find):
xn = ar n + 2(1 + r + r 2 + · · · + r n−1 ).
Hence, or otherwise, find an explicit expression for xn in terms of n, simplifying

your answer as far as possible. Describe the behaviour of xn as n → ∞.
Chapter 7 of the subject guide gives the required background material.
We have:

1
x1 = 3+2
2
2
1 1
x2 = 3+ 2+2
2 2
3 2
1 1 1
x3 = 3+ 2+ 2 + 2.
2 2 2
In general: !
n n−1
1 1 1
xn = 3 +2 + ··· + +1 .
2 2 2
So a = 3 and r = 1/2.
This simplifies to:

n n n n
1 − (1/2)n

1 1 1 1
3 +2 =3 +4 1− =4− .
2 1 − 1/2 2 2 2
As n → ∞, the sequence increases and tends to 4 because (1/2)n decreases and tends to 0.
8
Section B
Answer both questions from this section (20 marks each).
Question 7
(a) The function f is given by

2
−y 2
f (x, y) = ex cos(x2 + y 2 ).
Find the partial derivatives

∂f ∂f
and .
∂x ∂y
Show that
∂f ∂f
y −x = 4xyf (x, y).
∂x ∂y

This involves material from Chapter 5 of the subject guide.
2
−y 2
We have that f (x, y) = ex cos(x2 + y 2 ). So:
∂f 2 2 2 2
= 2xex −y cos(x2 + y 2 ) + ex −y (−2x sin(x2 + y 2 ))
∂x
2 2
= 2xex −y cos(x2 + y 2 ) − sin(x2 + y 2 )

and:
∂f 2 2 2 2
= −2yex −y cos(x2 + y 2 ) + ex −y (−2y sin(x2 + y 2 ))
∂y
2 2
= −2yex −y cos(x2 + y 2 ) + sin(x2 + y 2 ) .

So:
∂f ∂f 2 2 2 2
= 2xyex −y cos(x2 + y 2 ) − sin(x2 + y 2 ) + 2xyex −y cos(x2 + y 2 ) + sin(x2 + y 2 )

y −x
∂x ∂y
2
−y 2
= 4xyex cos(x2 + y 2 )
= 4xyf (x, y).
(b) A firm is the only supplier of two goods, X and Y , and the demand equations
for these goods are
2x + pX = 152 and 4y + pY = 200,
where pX and pY are the prices of X and Y and x and y are the quantities of X
and Y (respectively). The firm’s joint total cost function is
C(x, y) = 4x2 + 4xy + 6y 2 + 10.
Find an expression, in terms of x and y, for the firm’s profit function.

Determine the values of x and y that maximise the profit.
What are the corresponding prices?

9

We have:
pX = 152 − 2x and pY = 200 − 4y.
It’s vital to get the prices in terms of the quantities so that the final expression for the profit
is only in terms of x and y. So:
Π(x, y) = xpX + ypY − C(x, y)
= x(152 − 2x) + y(200 − 4y) − (4x2 + 4xy + 6y 2 + 10)
= −6x2 + 152x − 10y 2 + 200y − 4xy − 10.
We find the critical points, where Πx = 0 and Πy = 0.

We solve:
−12x + 152 − 4y = 0 and − 20y + 200 − 4x = 0
hence
3x + y = 38 and x + 5y = 50.
Solving these, x = 10 and y = 8.
We should verify that we have a maximum. The second-order derivatives are:
Πxx = −12, Πxy = −4 and Πyy = −20.
We have:
H = Πxx Πyy − Π2xy = (−12)(−20) − (−4)2 > 0
and Πxx < 0, so it is indeed a maximum.
The corresponding prices are pX = 152 − 2x = 132 and pY = 200 − 4y = 168.
Question 8
(a) With quantities k and l of capital and labour (respectively), a firm produces a
quantity q(k, l) = k1/2 l3/2 of its product. Each unit of capital costs 4 dollars and
each unit of labour costs 3 dollars.
Use the Lagrange multiplier method to determine the values of k and l that
minimise the cost of producing 200 units of the product.
What is this minimum cost?
What, approximately, is the minimum cost of producing 201 units of the
product?

We need to minimise 4k + 3l subject to k 1/2 l3/2 = 200.
The Lagrangian is:
L = 4k + 3l − λ(k 1/2 l3/2 − 200).
The first-order conditions are:
1
Lk = 4 − λk −1/2 l3/2 = 0
2
3
Ll = 3 − λk 1/2 l1/2 = 0
2
Lλ = −(k 1/2 l3/2 − 200) = 0.
10
Eliminating λ, we have:
λ
= 4k 1/2 l−3/2 = k −1/2 l−1/2
2
so l = 4k.
k 1/2 l3/2 = 200 means k 1/2 (4k)3/2 = 200 and hence 8k 2 = 200, so k 2 = 25 and hence k = 5
and l = 4k = 20.
The minimum cost is therefore 4k + 3l = 4(5) + 3(20) = 80.
We can use the value of the Lagrange multiplier to make the required estimate. We know
that λ = dCmin /dQ, which is approximately ∆Cmin /∆Q.
And λ/2 = k −1/2 l−1/2 , so:
2 2 1
λ= √ √ = √ = .
5 20 100 5
So:
1
∆Cmin ' (1) = 0.2.
5
So the new minimum cost is approximately 80.2.
(b) The number of fish in a lake (which, for the purposes of modelling, need not be
a whole number) is modelled as follows. There are 10,000 at the start of 2023.
Each year, 5% of the fish who were alive at the start of the year die and 1000
new fish are born.
Find an expression, in as simple a form as possible, for the number of fish in the
lake N years after the start of 2023.
Describe what happens to the number of fish in the lake in the long run.

Let yN be the population N years after the start of 2023. (This precise formulation is not
necessary: no need to introduce formal notation yN .) Then we have:
y0 = 10,000,
y1 = (0.95)10,000 + 1000,
y2 = (0.95)((0.95)10,000 + 1000) + 1000 = (0.95)2 10,000 + (0.95)1000 + 1000,
y3 = (0.95)y2 + 1000 = (0.95)3 10,000 + (0.95)2 1000 + (0.95)1000 + 1000.
In general:
yN = (0.95)N 10,000 + (0.95)N −1 1000 + · · · + (0.95)1000 + 1000.
Simplifying:
1 − (0.95)N

N
yN = (0.95) 10,000 + 1000 .
1 − 0.95
This is:
10,000(0.95)N + 20,000(1 − (0.95)N ) = 20,000 − 10,000(0.95)N .
This increases with N , converging to 20,000.
11

Important note

references
section.
Comments on specific questions – Zone B
Candidates should answer all EIGHT questions: all SIX questions of Section A (60 marks in total)
and BOTH questions from Section B (20 marks each). Candidates are strongly advised to
divide their time accordingly.
Section A
Answer all six questions from this section (60 marks in total).
Question 1
Use row operations to solve the following system of equations:
x − y + 2z = −6
−3x + 4y − 2z = 4
x − 3y − 4z = 14.
The relevant background material is discussed in Chapter 6 of the subject guide.
12
Reducing the augmented matrix:

   
1 −1 2 −6 1 −1 2 −6
−3 4 −2 4  → 0 1 4 −14
1 −3 −4 14 0 −2 −6 20
 
1 −1 2 −6
→ 0 1 4 −14 .
0 0 2 −8
So, from the final matrix, we have z = −4, y = −14 − 4z = 2, x = −6 + y − 2z = 4.
This is probably a good point at which to make some general comments about how questions are
marked. Clearly, in a question like this, it is easy to get the wrong answer. (Though it should be
noted that in this particular question, you can always substitute the values that you have found
into the original equations, and this will show whether these are correct or not. So you can tell if
you have the wrong answer and, if you have time, you can then re-work the calculation.)
Examiners understand that arithmetical errors can be made, especially in the stressful
circumstances of an examination. Quite probably, the examiners themselves would make some
mistakes if they sat the paper. So, although there are marks for correct calculation, there are
also marks for using the right method (even if you make a mistake). So, here, for instance,
examiners will award marks if you can indicate that you know how to start to solve the equations
(by writing down an augmented matrix); that you know what row operations are; that you know
what it is you want to achieve with row operations (the reduced matrix, that is); and that you
then know how to work from that reduced matrix to determine the required solutions. There are
marks for all these things.
Be sure to understand that only certain types of operations qualify as valid row operations. In
particular, a number of candidates made the mistake of thinking that subtracting a fixed
constant from each entry of a row is valid. It is not. (And, if you don’t know what we mean by
that, then you’re probably not doing it, which is good!)
It is also important to answer the question. The question explicitly asks you to use row
operations. Given this, other approaches to solving the system of equations are not acceptable
because to take such an approach is not to answer the question.
Question 2
The function f is defined by

f (x) = x2 e−x − 3e−x .
Find the values of x at the critical (or stationary) points of f . Determine, for each
critical point, whether it is a local maximum, local minimum, or inflexion point.
We have that f (x) = x2 e−x − 3e−x , so:

f 0 (x) = 2xe−x − x2 e−x + 3e−x .
We solve f 0 = 0. Since f 0 (x) = −(x2 − 2x − 3)e−x , this amounts to x2 − 2x − 3 = 0, with
solutions:
x = −1, 3.
13
These are the x-coordinates of the critical points.
We can determine their natures by examining the behaviour of the derivative around each point,
or by using the second derivative test. We have:
f 00 (x) = e−x (x2 − 2x − 3) − e−x (2x − 2).
So, f 00 (−1) > 0 and f 00 (3) < 0. This means −1 gives a local minimum and 3 a local maximum.
Alternatively, we can use the sign of the derivative rather than the second derivative: since f 0
changes from negative to positive at −1, this is a local maximum; and since it changes from
positive to negative at 3, this is a local maximum.
Question 3
Find the integrals

ln(2x + 1)
Z Z
√ dx and x3 ln(x2 − 1) dx.
2x + 1
For the first integral, we could make the substitution u = 2x + 1. The integral becomes:
Z
1 ln u
I= √ du.
2 u
We then use integration by parts:
√ √ 1
Z
I= u ln u − u du
u
√
Z
1
= √ du
u ln u −
u
√ √
= u ln u − 2 u + c
√ √
= 2x + 1 ln(2x + 1) − 2 2x + 1 + c.
The second integral x3 ln(x2 − 1) dx can be done using a substitution, followed by integration
R
by parts. (It can also be done directly by integration by parts.) We show two substitutions that
work.
Method A: substitute u = x2 − 1.
Let u = x2 − 1. Then du = 2x dx. The integral is:

Z
1
(u + 1) ln u du.
2
Now we can use parts:
1 u2
Z Z 2
1 1 u 1
(u + 1) ln u du = + u ln u − +u du
2 2 2 2 2 u
u2

1 2 1 u
= u + u ln u − − + c.
4 2 8 2
14
So the answer is:

(x2 − 1)2 x2 − 1

1 2 1
(x − 1)2 + (x2 − 1) ln(x2 − 1) − − + c.
4 2 8 2
Method B: substitute u = x2 .
Let u = x2 . Then du = 2x dx. The integral is:

Z
1
u ln(u − 1) du.
2
Now we can use parts:
u2
Z Z
1 1 2 1
u ln(u − 1) du = u ln(u − 1) − du.
2 4 4 u−1
Now we can substitute v = u − 1 to see that:
u2 (v + 1)2
Z Z Z 2 Z
v + 2v + 1 1
du = dv = dv = v + 2 + dv.
u−1 v v v
This is:
v2 (u − 1)2
+ 2v + ln |v| + c = + 2(u − 1) + ln |u − 1|.
2 2
So the answer is:
1 2 (u − 1)2 1 1
u ln(u − 1) − − (u − 1) − ln |u − 1| + c
4 8 2 4
1 4 (x2 − 1)2 1 1
= x ln(x2 − 1) − − (x2 − 1) − ln |x2 − 1| + c.
4 8 2 4
Question 4
Use the Lagrange multiplier method to determine the values of x and y with
x, y ≥ 0 that minimise x + y subject to the constraint x2 y 4 = 16.
The Lagrangian is L = 2x + y − λ(x2 y 4 − 16). The first-order conditions are:
1 − 2λxy 4 = 0, 1 − 4λx2 y 3 = 0 and x2 y 4 = 16.
The first two equations imply that:

1 1
= 2 3
2xy 4 4x y
and so y = 2x. (It’s clear that the constraint is not satisfied when x or y is 0, so we can assume
they are non-zero.) Then, x2 (2x)4 = 16. This is x6 = 1. So x = 1 and y = 2.
Question 5
The function f is given by
f (x, y) = 2xy 3 − x2 − 3y 2 .
15
Find the critical (or stationary) points of f and determine, for each, whether it is a
local maximum, local minimum, or a saddle point.
We have:
fx = 2y 3 − 2x and fy = 6xy 2 − 6y.
We solve fx = fy = 0. This means:
x = y3 and y(xy − 1) = 0.
Substituting x = y 3 into the second of these equations, y(y 4 − 1) = 0, which means y = 0 or

y = 1 or y = −1. Correspondingly, x = 0 and x = 1 and x = −1. So the critical points are:
(0, 0), (1, 1) and (−1, −1).
The second-order derivatives are:
fxx = −2, fxy = 6y 2 and fyy = 12xy − 6.
The Hessian is:

2
H = fxx fyy − fxy = (−2)(12xy − 6) − (6y 2 )2 = 12(1 − 2xy − 3y 4 ).
At (0, 0), H = 12 > 0 and fxx < 0, and so we have a local minimum.
At (1, 1), H = 12(1 − 2 − 3) < 0 and so we have a saddle point.
At (−1, −1), H = 12(1 − 2 − 3) < 0 and so we have a saddle point.
Question 6
A sequence of numbers x0 , x1 , x2 , . . . is such that x0 = 3 and, for each n ≥ 1,

1
xn = xn−1 + 2.
2
Find an explicit expression for xn in terms of n. Hence describe the behaviour of xn
as n → ∞.
Chapter 7 of the subject guide gives the required background material.
We have:

1
x1 = 3+2
2
2
1 1
x2 = 3+ 2+2
2 2
3 2
1 1 1
x3 = 3+ 2+ 2 + 2.
2 2 2
16
In general: !
n n−1
1 1 1
xn = 3 +2 + ··· + +1 .
2 2 2
This simplifies to:

n n n n
1 − (1/2)n

1 1 1 1
3 +2 =3 +4 1− =4− .
2 1 − 1/2 2 2 2
As n → ∞, because (1/2)n tends to 0 and decreases, the sequence increases to 4.
Section B
Answer both questions from this section (20 marks each).
Question 7
(a) The function f is given by

2
−y 2
f (x, y) = ex ln(x2 + y 2 ).
Find the partial derivatives

∂f ∂f
and .
∂x ∂y
Show that, for x, y 6= 0,
1 ∂f 1 ∂f
− = 4f (x, y).
x ∂x y ∂y

This involves material from Chapter 5 of the subject guide.
2
−y 2
We have that f (x, y) = ex ln(x2 + y 2 ). So:
∂f 2 2 2 2 2x
= 2xex −y ln(x2 + y 2 ) + ex −y 2
∂x x + y2

2 2 1
= 2xex −y ln(x2 + y 2 ) + 2
x + y2
and:
∂f 2 2 2 2 2y
= −2yex −y ln(x2 + y 2 ) + ex −y 2
∂y x + y2

2 2 1
= −2yex −y ln(x2 + y 2 ) − 2 .
x + y2
So:

1 ∂f 1 ∂f x2 −y 2 2 2 1 x2 −y 2 2 2 1
− = 2e ln(x + y ) + 2 + 2e ln(x + y ) − 2
x ∂x y ∂y x + y2 x + y2
2
−y 2
= 4ex ln(x2 + y 2 )
= 4f (x, y).
17
(b) A firm is the only supplier of two goods, X and Y , and the demand equations
for these goods are
4x + pX = 200 and 2y + pY = 152,
where pX and pY are the prices of X and Y and x and y are the quantities of X
and Y (respectively). The firm’s joint total cost function is
C(x, y) = 6x2 + 4xy + 4y 2 + 20.
Find an expression, in terms of x and y, for the firm’s profit function.

Determine the values of x and y that maximise the profit.
What are the corresponding prices?

We have:
pX = 200 − 4x and pY = 152 − 2y.
It’s vital to get the prices in terms of the quantities so that the final expression for the profit
is only in terms of x and y. So:
Π(x, y) = xpX + ypY − C(x, y)
= x(200 − 4x) + y(152 − 2y) − (6x2 + 4xy + 4y 2 + 20)
= −10x2 + 200x − 6y 2 + 152y − 4xy − 20.
We find the critical points, where Πx = 0 and Πy = 0.

We solve:
−20x + 200 − 4y = 0 and − 12y + 152 − 4x = 0
hence
5x + y = 50 and x + 3y = 38.
Solving these, x = 8 and y = 10.
We should verify that we have a maximum. The second-order derivatives are:
Πxx = −20, Πxy = −4 and Πyy = −12.
We have:
H = Πxx Πyy − Π2xy = (−20)(−12) − (−4)2 > 0
and Πxx < 0, so it is indeed a maximum.
The corresponding prices are pX = 200 − 4x = 168 and pY = 152 − 2y = 132.
Question 8
(a) With quantities k and l of capital and labour (respectively), a firm produces a
quantity q(k, l) = k3/2 l1/2 of its product. Each unit of capital costs 3 dollars and
each unit of labour costs 4 dollars.
Use the Lagrange multiplier method to determine the values of k and l that
minimise the cost of producing 800 units of the product.
What is this minimum cost?
What, approximately, is the minimum cost of producing 801 units of the
product?
18

We need to minimise 3k + 4l subject to k 3/2 l1/2 = 800.
The Lagrangian is:
L = 3k + 4l − λ(k 3/2 l1/2 − 800).
The first-order conditions are:
3
Lk = 3 − λk 1/2 l1/2 = 0
2
1
Ll = 4 − λk 3/2 l−1/2 = 0
2
Lλ = −(k 3/2 l1/2 − 800) = 0.

Eliminating λ, we have:
λ
= k −1/2 l−1/2 = 4k −3/2 l1/2
2
so k = 4l.
k 3/2 l1/2 = 800 means (4l)3/2 l1/2 = 800 and hence 8l2 = 800, so l2 = 100 and hence l = 10
and k = 4l = 40.
The minimum cost is therefore 3k + 4l = 3(40) + 4(10) = 160.
We can use the value of the Lagrange multiplier to make the required estimate. We know
that λ = dCmin /dQ, which is approximately ∆Cmin /∆Q.
And λ/2 = k −1/2 l−1/2 , so:
2 2 1
λ= √
√ = √ = .
40 10 2 100 10
So:
1
∆Cmin ' (1) = 0.1.
10
So the new minimum cost is approximately 160.1.
(b) The number of online book retailers in a country (which, for the purposes of
modelling, need not be a whole number) is modelled as follows. On the first day
of 2023 there are 1000 retailers. During each subsequent year, the number of
new such retailers grows by 30, but by the end of the year 2% of all the online
book retailers that were in business at the start of the year will have closed
down.
Find an expression, in terms of N (and in as simple a form as possible) for the
number of online book retailers N years after the first of January 2023.
What happens to the number of such retailers in the long run?

Let yN be the number of booksellers N years after the first day of 2023. (This precise
formulation is not necessary: no need to introduce formal notation yN .) Then we have:
y0 = 1000,
y1 = (0.98)1000 + 30,
y2 = (0.98)((0.98)1000 + 30) + 30 = (0.98)2 1000 + (0.98)30 + 30,
y3 = (0.98)y2 + 30 = (0.98)3 1000 + (0.98)2 30 + (0.98)30 + 30.
19
In general,
yN = (0.98)N 1000 + (0.98)N −1 30 + (0.98)N −2 30 + · · · + (0.98)30 + 30.
Simplifying:
30(1 − (0.98)N )
yN = (0.98)N 1000 + .
1 − 0.98
This is:
1000(0.98)N + 1500(1 − (0.98)N ) = 1500 − 500(0.98)N .
This increases with N , converging to 1500.
20

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Examiners’ commentaries 2023 (May)

Examiners’ commentary 2023 (May)

Information about the subject guide and the Essential reading

Showing your working

Covering the syllabus and choosing questions

Expectations of the examination paper

Answer the question

Examination revision strategy

Examiners’ commentary 2023 (May)

Information about the subject guide and the Essential reading

Comments on specific questions – Zone A

Use row operations to solve the following system of equations:

Reading for this question

The relevant background material is discussed in Chapter 6 of the subject guide.

Approaching the question

Reducing the augmented matrix:

The function f is defined by

Reading for this question

See Chapter 3 of the subject guide.

Approaching the question

We have that f (x) = x2 ex − 3ex , so:

These are the x-coordinates of the critical points.

Find the integrals

Reading for this question

See Chapter 4 of the subject guide.

Approaching the question

2 7/2 8 5/2 8 3/2

We could alternatively use integration by parts (twice). We have:

Reading for this question

See Chapter 5 of the subject guide.

Approaching the question

The Lagrangian is L = 2x + y − λ(x2 y 3 − 27). The first-order conditions are:

2 − 2λxy 3 = 0, 1 − 3λx2 y 2 = 0 and x2 y 3 = 27.

The first two equations imply that:

The function f is given by

f (x, y) = 3x2 − 2x3 y + y 2 .

Reading for this question

See Chapter 5 of the subject guide.

Approaching the question

x(1 − xy) = 0 and y = x3 .

Substituting y = x3 into the first of these equations, x(1 − x4 ) = 0, which means x = 0 or x = 1

(0, 0), (1, 1) and (−1, −1).

The second-order derivatives are:

fxx = 6 − 12xy, fxy = −6x2 and fyy = 2.

The Hessian is:

At (1, 1), H = 12(1 − 2 − 3) < 0 and so we have a saddle point.

At (−1, −1), H = 12(1 − 2 − 3) < 0 and so we have a saddle point.

A sequence of numbers x0 , x1 , x2 , . . . is such that x0 = 3 and, for each n ≥ 1,

Hence, or otherwise, find an explicit expression for xn in terms of n, simplifying

Reading for this question

Chapter 7 of the subject guide gives the required background material.

Approaching the question

This simplifies to:

Answer both questions from this section (20 marks each).

(a) The function f is given by

Find the partial derivatives

Reading for this question

2x + pX = 152 and 4y + pY = 200,

C(x, y) = 4x2 + 4xy + 6y 2 + 10.