Problems

Filters
Clear Filters
1960 Paper 4 Q210
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

A sequence of polynomials \(P_j(x)\) satisfies the relations \[P_j(x) = \frac{d}{dx}P_{j+1}(x)\] and \(P_j(x)\) is of degree \(j(j = 0, 1, 2, \ldots)\). Show that \(\sum_{j=0}^{m-1} \theta^j P_j(x)\) is identical with the first \(m\) terms of the expansion of \(A(\theta)e^{\theta x}\) in powers of \(\theta\), where \(A(\theta)\) is a certain polynomial in \(\theta\). Show further that \[\sum_{k=0}^j P_k(y)\frac{(x-y)^{j-k}}{(j-k)!}\] is independent of \(y\).

1960 Paper 4 Q301
D: 1500.0 B: 1474.1

The roots of \(x^2 - sx + p = 0\) are \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\). By considering $$\frac{1}{1-\alpha y} + \frac{1}{1-\beta y},$$ or otherwise, show that $$\alpha^n + \beta^n = \sum_{0 \leqslant 2r \leqslant n} (-p)^r s^{n-2r} \{ 2(r,n-2r)-(r,n-2r-1) \}$$ where \((i,j)\) denotes the binomial coefficient \((i+j)!/i!j!\) if \(i\) and \(j\) are positive, and is defined to be zero if \(j = -1\).

1960 Paper 4 Q302
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

\(f(x)\) is a polynomial of degree \(n > 0\), and \(f'(x)\) is its derivative. Every (real or complex) root \(x\) of \(f'(x) = 0\) also satisfies \(f(x) = 0\). Prove that \(f(x) = 0\) has a single root of multiplicity \(n\).

1960 Paper 4 Q303
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

A sequence of integers \(a_n\) is defined by $$a_1 = 2,$$ $$a_{n+1} = a_n^2 - a_n + 1 \quad (n > 0).$$ Prove:

  1. \(\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{a_n} = 1\);
  2. If \(m \neq n\), then \(a_m\) and \(a_n\) have no common factor greater than 1.

1960 Paper 4 Q304
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

\(A\), \(B\) and \(C\) are the three angles of a triangle. Show that $$\begin{vmatrix} \sin A & \sin B & \sin C \\ \cos A & \cos B & \cos C \\ \sin^3 A & \sin^3 B & \sin^3 C \end{vmatrix} = 0.$$

1960 Paper 4 Q305
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

If \(x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_n\) denote the complex \(n\)th roots of unity, evaluate $$\prod_{i< j} (x_i - x_j).$$

1960 Paper 4 Q306
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

Let \(f(x)\) be a real differentiable function defined for \(a < x < b\) and suppose that $$f(a) = f(b) = 0.$$ Show that there is at least one number \(\xi\) in \(a < \xi < b\) for which $$|f'(\xi)| \geq \frac{4}{(b-a)^2} \left| \int_a^b |f(x)| dx \right|.$$

1960 Paper 4 Q307
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

Evaluate the following integrals, where \(z\) is any real number and \(n\) is any positive integer: $$\int_{-1}^{+1} \frac{dx}{\sqrt{(1-2xz+z^2)^{}}}, \quad \int_0^{\pi} \frac{\sin nx}{\sin x} dx.$$

1960 Paper 4 Q308
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

Solve completely the following differential equations:

  1. \(y' = y + e^{-x}\);
  2. \(x^3y'' + xy = 1\);
  3. \(y' = \frac{2x+3y}{3x+8y}\).


Solution:

  1. We can see the general solution of \(y'=y\) is \(Ae^x\), therefore we are looking for a particular integral of the form \(y = Ce^{-x}\), so \(-Ce^{-x} = 2e^{-x} \Rightarrow C = -2\). Therefore the general solution is \(y = Ae^x-2e^{-x}\)
  2. First consider \(x^2y'' + y = 0\). Consider solutions of the form \(y = x^t\), so \((t(t-1)+1)x^t = 0\), ie \(t^2 - t + 1 = 0 \Rightarrow t = \frac{1 \pm \sqrt{-3}}{2}\), ie the general solution is \(Ax^{\omega} + B x^{\omega^2}\). Now we seek a particular integral for \(x^2 y'' + y = \frac{1}{x}\). Trying \(y = \frac{C}{x}\) we find \(\frac{2C}{x} + \frac{C}{x} = \frac{1}{x} \Rightarrow C = \frac{1}{3}\).Therefore the general solution is \(y = Ae^x - 2e^{-x} + \frac{1}{3x}\)
  3. \begin{align*} && \frac{\d y}{\d x} &= \frac{2x+3y}{3x+8y} \\ y = vx: &&v + x\frac{\d v}{\d x} &= \frac{2+3v}{3+8v} \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{\d v}{\d x} &= \frac{2-8v^2}{x (3+8v)} \\ \Rightarrow && \int \frac{2}{x} \d x &= \int \frac{3+8v}{(1-2v)(1+2v)} \d v \\ &&&=\frac12 \int \left ( \frac{7}{1-2v} - \frac{1}{1+2v} \right) \d v \\ \Rightarrow && 8\ln |x| &= -7\ln|1-2v| - \ln|1+2v| + C \\ \Rightarrow && 8 \ln |x| &= - \ln |(1-2v)^7(1+2v)| +C \\ \Rightarrow && C &= \ln \left (x^8\left(1-2\frac{y}{x}\right)^7\left(1+2\frac{y}{x}\right) \right) \\ \Rightarrow && K &= (x-2y)^7(x+2y) \end{align*} Alternative method: Notice that \(\dot{y} = 2x+3y\) and \(\dot{x} = 3x+8y\), which is the equation \(\begin{pmatrix} \dot{x} \\ \dot{y} \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 3 & 8 \\ 2 & 3 \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \end{pmatrix}\). This has eigenvalues \(\lambda = 7,-1\) and eigenvectors \(\binom{2}{1}\) and \(\binom{-2}{1}\), therefore \(\begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \end{pmatrix} = Ae^{7t}\begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} + Be^{-t}\begin{pmatrix} -2 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix}\). So we can write: \begin{align*} && x(t) &= 2Ae^{7t}-2Be^{-t} \\ && y(t) &= Ae^{7t}+Be^{-t} \\ \Rightarrow && 4Ae^{7t} &= x+2y \\ && 4Be^{-t} &= 2y-x \\ \Rightarrow && (2y-x)^7(x+2y) &= K \end{align*}

1960 Paper 4 Q309
D: 1500.0 B: 1500.0

If \(y_m(x)\) is defined as a function of \(x\) by the equation $$y_m(x) = (-1)^m e^{x^2} \frac{d^m}{dx^m} e^{-x^2},$$ show that \(y_m\) is a polynomial in \(x\) and that $$y_{n+1}(x) = -\frac{d}{dx} y_n(x) + 2xy_n(x).$$ Deduce, by induction on \(n\) or otherwise, that $$\frac{d^2}{dx^2} y_n(x) - 2x \frac{d}{dx} y_n(x) + 2ny_n(x) = 0.$$