STEP II, 2003 2

Section A: Pure Mathematics

1 Consider the equations

ax−y − z = 3 ,
2ax−y − 3z = 7 ,
3ax−y − 5z = b ,

where a and b are given constants.

(i) In the case a = 0 , show that the equations have a solution if and only if b = 11 .

(ii) In the case a 6= 0 and b = 11 show that the equations have a solution with z = λ for
any given number λ .

(iii) In the case a = 2 and b = 11 find the solution for which x2 + y 2 + z 2 is least.

(iv) Find a value for a for which there is a solution such that x > 106 and y 2 + z 2 < 1 .

2 Write down a value of θ in the interval π/4 < θ < π/2 that satisfies the equation
√
4 cos θ + 2 3 sin θ = 5 .

Hence, or otherwise, show that

√ √
π = 3 arccos(5/ 28) + 3 arctan( 3/2) .

Show that
√
π = 4 arcsin(7 2/10) − 4 arctan(3/4) .

3 Prove that the cube root of any irrational number is an irrational number.
1/(3n ) √
Let un = 5 . Given that 3 5 is an irrational number, prove by induction that un is an
irrational number for every positive integer n.

Hence, or otherwise, give an example of an infinite sequence of irrational numbers which

converges to a given integer m .

[An irrational number is a number that cannot be expressed as the ratio of two integers.]
 STEP II, 2003 3

4 The line y = d , where d > 0 , intersects the circle x2 + y 2 = R2 at G and H. Show that the
area of the minor segment GH is equal to
 
2 d p
R arccos − d R 2 − d2 . (∗)
R

In the following cases, the given line intersects the given circle. Determine how, in each case,
the expression (∗) should be modified to give the area of the minor segment.

(i) Line: y = c ; circle: (x − a)2 + (y − b)2 = R2 .

(ii) Line: y = mx + c ; circle: x2 + y 2 = R2 .

(iii) Line: y = mx + c ; circle: (x − a)2 + (y − b)2 = R2 .

5 The position vectors of the points A , B and P with respect to an origin O are ai , bj and
li + mj + nk , respectively, where a, b, and n are all non-zero. The points E, F , G and H
are the midpoints of OA, BP , OB and AP , respectively. Show that the lines EF and GH
intersect.

Let D be the point with position vector dk, where d is non-zero, and let S be the point of
intersection of EF and GH. The point T is such that the mid-point of DT is S. Find the
position vector of T and hence find d in terms of n if T lies in the plane OAB.

6 The function f is defined by

f (x) = |x − 1| ,
where the domain is R , the set of all real numbers. The function g n = f n , with domain R , so
for example g 3 (x) = f (f (f (x))) . In separate diagrams, sketch graphs of g 1 , g 2 , g 3 and g 4 .

The function h is defined by

πx
h (x) = sin ,
2
where the domain is R . Show that if n is even,
Z n

2n n
h (x) − g n (x) dx = − .
0 π 2
 STEP II, 2003 4

7 Show that, if n > 0 , then Z ∞

ln x 2
n+1
dx = 2 .
e1/n x n e
ln x
You may assume that → 0 as x → ∞ .
x
Explain why, if 1 < a < b , then
Z ∞ Z ∞
ln x ln x
dx < dx .
b xn+1 a xn+1

Deduce that
N
e ∞ 1 − x−N
Z  
X 1
< ln x dx ,
n2 2 e1/N x2 − x
n=1

where N is any integer greater than 1.

8 It is given that y satisfies

t2 − 3t + 2
 
dy
+k y=0,
dt t+1
where k is a constant, and y = A when t = 0 , where A is a positive constant. Find y in terms
of t , k and A .

Show that y has two stationary values whose ratio is (3/2)6k e−5k/2 .

Describe the behaviour of y as t → +∞ for the case where k > 0 and for the case where k < 0 .

In separate diagrams, sketch the graph of y for t > 0 for each of these cases.
 STEP II, 2003 5

Section B: Mechanics

9 AB is a uniform rod of weight W . The point C on AB is such that AC > CB . The rod is
in contact with a rough horizontal floor at A and with a cylinder at C . The cylinder is fixed
to the floor with its axis horizontal. The rod makes an angle α with the horizontal and lies in
a vertical plane perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. The coefficient of friction between
the rod and the floor is tan λ1 and the coefficient of friction between the rod and the cylinder
is tan λ2 .

Show that if friction is limiting both at A and at C, and α 6= λ2 − λ1 , then the frictional force
acting on the rod at A has magnitude

W sin λ1 sin(α − λ2 )
.
sin(α + λ1 − λ2 )

10 A bead B of mass m can slide along a rough horizontal wire. A light inextensible string of
length 2` has one end attached to a fixed point A of the wire and the other to B . A particle
P of mass 3m is attached to the mid-point of the string and B is held at a distance ` from A .
The bead is released from rest.

Let a1 and a2 be the magnitudes of the horizontal and vertical components of the intial
acceleration of P . Show by considering the motion of P relative to A , or otherwise, that
√
a1 = 3a2 . Show also that the magnitude of the intial acceleration of B is 2a1 .
√
Given that the frictional force opposing the motion of B is equal to ( 3/6)R, where R is the
normal reaction between B and the wire, show that the magnitude of the intial acceleration
of P is g/18 .

11 A particle P1 is projected with speed V at an angle of elevation α (> 45◦ ) , from a point in
a horizontal plane. Find T1 , the flight time of P1 , in terms of α, V and g . Show that the time
after projection at which the direction of motion of P1 first makes an angle of 45◦ with the
horizontal is 12 (1 − cot α)T1 .

A particle P2 is projected under the same conditions. When the direction of the motion of P2
first makes an angle of 45◦ with the horizontal, the speed of P2 is instantaneously doubled. If
T2 is the total flight time of P2 , show that
2T2 p
= 1 + cot α + 1 + 3 cot2 α .
T1
 STEP II, 2003 6

SECTION C: Probability and Statistics

12 The life of a certain species of elementary particles can be described as follows. Each particle
has a life time of T seconds, after which it disintegrates into X particles of the same species,
where X is a random variable with binomial distribution B(2, p) . A population of these
particles starts with the creation of a single such particle at t = 0 . Let Xn be the number of
particles in existence in the time interval nT < t < (n + 1)T , where n = 1 , 2 , . . ..

Show that P(X1 = 2 and X2 = 2) = 6p4 q 2 , where q = 1 − p . Find the possible values of p if
it is known that P(X1 = 2|X2 = 2) = 9/25 .

Explain briefly why E(Xn ) = 2pE(Xn−1 ) and hence determine E(Xn ) in terms of p. Show
that for one of the values of p found above limn→∞ E(Xn ) = 0 and that for the other
limn→∞ E(Xn ) = +∞ .

13 The random variable X takes the values k = 1, 2, 3, . . . , and has probability distribution

λk e−λ
P(X = k) = A ,
k!
where λ is a positive constant. Show that A = (1 − e−λ )−1 . Find the mean µ in terms of λ
and show that
Var (X) = µ(1 − µ + λ) .
Deduce that λ < µ < 1 + λ .

Use a normal approximation to find the value of P (X = λ) in the case where λ = 100 , giving
your answer to 2 decimal places.

14 The probability of throwing a 6 with a biased die is p . It is known that p is equal to one or
other of the numbers A and B where 0 < A < B < 1 . Accordingly the following statistical
test of the hypothesis H0 : p = B against the alternative hypothesis H1 : p = A is performed.

The die is thrown repeatedly until a 6 is obtained. Then if X is the total number of throws,
H0 is accepted if X 6 M , where M is a given positive integer; otherwise H1 is accepted. Let
α be the probability that H1 is accepted if H0 is true, and let β be the probability that H0 is
accepted if H1 is true.

Show that β = 1 − αK , where K is independent of M and is to be determined in terms of A

and B . Sketch the graph of β against α .