Y11X Unit 2– B 2024 Markscheme

Name:____________________
Sequence, Series, and Growth
PLEDGE: I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this piece of work:

Signature: ______________________________

Descriptor (the student is able to) Questions

i. generalise and make connections using appropriate mathematics; All

ii. provide opportunities for students to demonstrate critical thinking and

All
logic skills;

iii. provide opportunities for students to practice mathematical writing

All
skills;

iv. provide justification and/or proof of results or the need for further
1", 2", 3", 4
investigation based on their inquiry.

v. use mathematics to create models that represent real world scenarios. N/A

Formulas:

Sequences and Series

USE OF GDC IS EXPECTED AND REQUIRED. Initial working is expected, and partial credit
may be awarded if correct initial working is shown.
1) [ Maximum Marks: 9]

"
Consider the sequence defined by (! = !(!$").
a) Write the first five terms of the sequence, and write your answers as fractions in the
simplest form. [ marks: 2 ]

! #!
Al at least

-
:

1
three correct

2
Al : all correct

4 it = to
5
56 5 =

b) Evaluate the value of the sum of the first * terms, write your answers as fractions in the
simplest form. [ marks: 2 ]

! $!
Al at least
t
:
1
three correct
2 +
A2 : all correct
3 -+
4
&
5 +
c) Hence find a formula for the *&' partial sum +! of this sequence. [ marks: 1 ]

SAS
d) Use your formula to calculate +"( .

e) Based on your results, write a conjecture about the behavior of +! as * approaches

[ marks: 1 ]

infinity. [ marks: 1 ]
1 At
As n approaches infinity ,
In approaches .

f) Explain and justify your solution to part e). ML [ marks: 2 ]

The absolute difference between Su and I is it

RI
0
which is a
sequence approaching .
This means S
,
appraches 1.
2) [ Maximum Marks: 13 ]
1
Given, Tn = n(n+1) , denotes the nth triangular number.
2
a) Write out the first 16 triangular numbers (several have been done for you).
Al at least
:
seven correct A2 all correct
: [ marks: 2 ]

15212845556678105120136
1, 3, 6, 10, ______, ______, ______, 36, ______, _____, ______, ______, 91, ______, ______, ______
b) Calculate the following differences, [ marks: 3 ]

i) (-) )) − (-" )) ii) (-* )) − (-) )) iii) (-+ )) − (-* ))

38 -

p 62 -

3 10-62
9 -
1 36 -

9 100 -

36

E Al
Z A1
LEDA1
c) Without calculating it, Little Josie thinks (-, )) − (-- )) will equal 216. Explain how she did
this. [ marks: 1 ]
the subtraction the cube of
The result of is the index
RL
of the first triangular number in the expression :
(Ts) :
(T = 6= 216 ·

d) Complete the following equation: (-! )) − (-!." )) = _____________ .

ri Al
[ marks: 1 ]

e) Based on your results above, write a conjecture. [ marks: 2 ]

The difference of the

squares of
two constantive triangular
numbers is
equal to the cube of the larger triangular number .

At

f) Prove your conjecture. Al M2 [ marks: 4 ]

=2n ))-

((t)"
(Tr)2 (I (n)(n 1)) f(n n) + (n" 2n n)
=

+)
(1)
= + =
+ =
+ + +
n+
-

(n -1) ((n y)(n))= (n - n) -(n" 2n my

=
-

+ 4

Al - 6
 As I am sure everyone is all aware, one of the BEST websites in the
world, Wolfram Alpha, has a really cool logo, Rhombic
Hexecontahedron. The goal of this investigation is to see if we can
construct a shape similar in nature!

We shall begin with something a little easier, the Koch snowflake,

which is a fractal curve and one of the earliest fractals to have been
described by the Swedish mathematician Helge von Koch.

The Koch snowflake can be constructed by starting with an equilateral triangle, and then
recursively altering each line segment as follows:
a) divide the line segment into three segments of equal length.
b) draw an equilateral triangle that has the middle segment from step 1 as its base and points
outward.
c) remove the line segment that is the base of the triangle from step 2.
The first three iterations, 1" , 1) , 1* are shown below respectively.

P1 P2 P3
& ~

I I

- -

-
-

I ↑

-
-

Perimeter Investigation:
The subsequent shapes, 1+ , 1- , 1, , … are produced in a similar way, i.e. by dividing a side segment
into 3 equal lengths, adding a triangle to the middle section, and removing the base.

3) [ Maximum Marks: 12 ]
Complete the following table for the iterations of Koch’s Snowflake below with exact values.
[ marks: 3 ]

Shap Number of Length of each Perimeter

n
e sides side (cm) (cm)

1 1" 3 1 3

2 1)
12 - 1 ** = 4

3 1*
48 ↓ 485
↑ ↑ T
Al Al Al
a) Describe in words the pattern of change in the number of sides as you move from shape
1" to 1) to 1* . [ marks: 1 ]
iteration to the next
The number of sides from one

is
multiplied by 4 Al .

b) Describe in words the pattern of change in the length of each side as you move from shape
1" to 1) to 1* . [ marks: 1 ]

The
length of each side from to the next
iteration
one

is divided by 3
.

c) Calculate the exact value of the perimeter of 1+ . [ marks: 1 ]

P bas 48x4 =
192 sides . The length of each side
is et
64

Therefore the
perimeter of Pp is
12 .
Al

d) Find a recursive formula for the perimeter of Koch’s Snowflake [ marks: 2 ]

P = PA
P ,
=
3 Al

e) Use your formula to find the perimeter of 1-( . [ marks: 2 ]

Po = =

(49 -
3- 397300t ...

M1 Al
=
1 P47
x - -
-

f) What happens to the perimeter of 1! as * → ∞? Justify your answer. [ marks: 2 ]

The perimeter of Ph is
increasing .

RI
As r
= and as
>1 ,
the
sequence of pewmeters in

divergent geometric
a series
4) [ Maximum Marks: 16 ]
We have explored nested square roots and continued fractions in the past (unit 1), so now we
will re-examine those cool concepts through the lens of sequences and series.

√)."
It is clearly obvious that √2 = 1 + (√2 − 1), which may also be written as √2 = 1 + . With a
" -

little bit of algebra, we can un-rationalize the denominator (or, in other words, rationalise the

#
-
√)." "
numerator), thus can be written in the form .
" "$√)

"
Consequently, √2 = 1 + "$√).

Using this logic, let us explore the generalized statement that

7−1
√7 = 1 +
1 + √7

a) Using the 89+ = :9+ method (hint: you can start from either side), verify that
[ marks: 3 ]
ML 7−1

as
√7 = 1 +
1 + √7
Let's write I which results in

in a
:
the
factor
me
RHS out

A1AL
=
= LHS
 b) Hence prove that [ marks: 2 ]

H
7−1
√7 = 1 +
2+
7−1
=
1 + √7
We call this the second iteration of √7. *
2 1 + 1=

from part (a) this

+F
,

RHS I
equal to o
:
is .

shown in part (a)

E u 1+
From the previous part ,
we have x =

Then o the RHS with this

expression gives
replacing
1

=
x -

AG

c) Write down the third iteration of √7. [ marks: 2 ]

=
d) Write down a recursive formula for √7. [ marks: 2 ]

Un
A
e) Write down an expression for the value of √2. Make sure that the pattern can clearly be
seen! [ marks: 2 ]
Let X= 2

~ As

f) Hence write down an expression for √2 − 1. [ marks: 1 ]

Subtracting I
from both sides :

E 1 =

+ As
-

..

g) Given that 7 > 0, calculate that value of 7 given that [ marks: 4 ]

1
7=

O
1
2+
2+⋯
=
X

X =
2 ML
(x)(2 x) + = 1

2x x = 1
M1
1A]
+

x + 2x
have
0
-

the Q F
Using
we
.,
.

-1 =
have
X =

Al
Given that x > 0
,
we