MATHEMATICS ADMISSIONS TEST

For candidates applying for Mathematics, Computer Science or one of their

joint degrees at OXFORD UNIVERSITY and/or IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Time Allowed: 2½ hours

Please complete the following details in BLOCK CAPITALS

Surname

Other names

Candidate Number M

I am applying to

Y/N Oxford University For the degree course:

Y/N Imperial College London For the degree course:

This paper contains 7 questions of which you should attempt 5. There are directions
throughout the paper as to which questions are appropriate for your course.

A: Oxford Applicants: if you are applying to Oxford for the degree course:
• Mathematics or Mathematics & Philosophy or Mathematics & Statistics, you should
attempt Questions 1,2,3,4,5.
• Mathematics & Computer Science, you should attempt Questions 1,2,3,5,6.
• Computer Science or Computer Science & Philosophy, you should attempt 1,2,5,6,7.

Directions under A take priority over any directions in B which are relevant to you.

B: Imperial Applicants: if you are applying to Imperial College for any of the Mathematics
courses: Mathematics, Mathematics (Pure Mathematics), Mathematics with a Year in
Europe, Mathematics with Applied Mathematics/Mathematical Physics, Mathematics with
Mathematical Computation, Mathematics with Statistics, Mathematics with Statistics for
Finance, Mathematics Optimisation and Statistics, you should attempt Questions 1,2,3,4,5.

Further credit cannot be obtained by attempting extra questions.

Question 1 is a multiple choice question with ten parts. Marks are given solely for correct
answers but any rough working should be shown in the space between parts. Answer
Question 1 on the grid on Page 2. Each part is worth 4 marks.
Answers to questions 2-7 should be written in the space provided, continuing on to the blank
pages at the end of this booklet if necessary. Each of Questions 2-7 is worth 15 marks.
Do not write on this page
 MATHEMATICS ADMISSIONS TEST
Wednesday 6 November 2013

Time Allowed: 2½ hours

Please complete these details below in block capitals.

Surname

Other names

Centre Number

Candidate Number M

UCAS Number (if known) _ _

d d m m y y
Date of Birth _ _

Please tick the appropriate box:

I have attempted Questions 1,2,3,4,5

I have attempted Questions 1,2,3,5,6
I have attempted Questions 1,2,5,6,7

Administered on behalf of the

University of Oxford and Imperial
College London by The Admissions
Testing Service

_________________________________________________________________________

FOR OFFICE USE Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7

ONLY
1. For ALL APPLICANTS.

For each part of the question on pages 3—7 you will be given four possible answers,
just one of which is correct. Indicate for each part A—J which answer (a), (b), (c),
or (d) you think is correct with a tick (X) in the corresponding column in the table
below. Please show any rough working in the space provided between the parts.

(a) (b) (c) (d)

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A. For what values of the real number a does the quadratic equation

x2 + ax + a = 1

have distinct real roots?

(a) a
= 2; (b) a > 2; (c) a = 2; (d) all values of a.

B. The graph of y = sin x is reflected first in the line x = π and then in the line y = 2.
The resulting graph has equation

(a) y = cos x; (b) y = 2 + sin x; (c) y = 4 + sin x; (d) y = 2 − cos x.

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C. The functions f , g and h are related by

f ′ (x) = g(x + 1), g ′ (x) = h(x − 1).

It follows that f ′′ (2x) equals

(a) h(2x + 1); (b) 2h′ (2x); (c) h(2x); (d) 4h(2x).

D. Which of the following sketches is a graph of x4 − y 2 = 2y + 1?

y y

x
x

(a) (b)
y y

x x

(c) (d)

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E. The expression

d2
4 5 d  4 2
2 
(2x − 1) (1 − x) + (2x + 1) 3x − 2
dx2 dx
is a polynomial of degree

(a) 9; (b) 8; (c) 7; (d) less than 7.

F. Three positive numbers a, b, c satisfy

logb a = 2, logb (c − 3) = 3, loga (c + 5) = 2.

This information

(a) specifies a uniquely.

(b) is satisfied by two values of a.
(c) is satisfied by infinitely many values of a.
(d) is contradictory.

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G. Let n
2 be an integer and pn (x) be the polynomial

pn (x) = (x − 1) + (x − 2) + · · · + (x − n).

What is the remainder when pn (x) is divided by pn−1 (x)?

n n+1 n2 + n −n
(a) ; (b) ; (c) ; (d) .
2 2 2 2

H. The area bounded by the graphs

√ √  √
y= 2 − x2 and x+ 2−1 y = 2

equals √
sin 2 π 1 π π2
(a) √ ; (b) −√ ; (c) √ ; (d) .
2 4 2 2 2 6

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I. The function F (k) is defined for positive integers by F (1) = 1, F (2) = 1, F (3) = −1
and by the identities

F (2k) = F (k), F (2k + 1) = F (k)

for k
2. The sum

F (1) + F (2) + F (3) + · · · + F (100)
equals
(a) − 15; (b) 28; (c) 64; (d) 81.

J. For a real number x we denote by [x] the largest integer less than or equal to x.

Let n be a natural number. The integral

n
[2x ] dx
0

equals

(a) log2 ((2n − 1)!); (b) n2n − log2 ((2n )!); (c) n2n ; (d) log2 ((2n )!),

where k! = 1 × 2 × 3 × · · · × k for a positive integer k.

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2. For ALL APPLICANTS.

(i) Let k
= ±1. The function f(t) satisfies the identity

f(t) − kf (1 − t) = t

for all values of t. By replacing t with 1 − t, determine f (t).

(ii) Consider the new identity

f (t) − f(1 − t) = g(t). (∗)

(a) Show that no function f (t) satisfies (∗) when g(t) = t.

(b) What condition must the function g(t) satisfy for there to be a solution f (t) to (∗)?

(c) Find a solution f(t) to (∗) when g(t) = (2t − 1)3 .

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3.  

 MATHEMATICS 

 
MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS
For APPLICANTS IN ONLY.

 MATHEMATICS & PHILOSOPHY 

 
MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE

Computer Science and Computer Science & Philosophy applicants should turn to
page 14.

Let 0 < k < 2. Below is sketched a graph of y = fk (x) where fk (x) = x(x − k)(x − 2).
Let A(k) denote the area of the shaded region.

x
0 k 2

(i) Without evaluating them, write down an expression for A(k) in terms of two integrals.

(ii) Explain why A(k) is a polynomial in k of degree 4 or less. [You are not required to
calculate A(k) explicitly.]

(iii) Verify that fk (1 + t) = −f2−k (1 − t) for any t.

(iv) How can the graph of y = fk (x) be transformed to the graph of y = f2−k (x)?

Deduce that A(k) = A(2 − k).

(v) Explain why there are constants a, b, c such that

A(k) = a(k − 1)4 + b(k − 1)2 + c.

[You are not required to calculate a, b, c explicitly.]

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4.  
 MATHEMATICS 
For APPLICANTS IN MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS ONLY.
 
MATHEMATICS & PHILOSOPHY
Mathematics & Computer Science, Computer Science and Computer Science & Philos-
ophy applicants should turn to page 14.

(i) Let a > 0. On the axes opposite, sketch the graph of

a+x
y= for − a < x < a.
a−x
(ii) Let 0 < θ < π/2. In the diagram below is the half-disc given by x2 + y 2  1 and
y
0. The shaded region A consists of those points with − cos θ  x  sin θ. The
region B is the remainder of the half-disc.

Find the area of A.

B B
-1 1
-cosΘ 0 sinΘ

(iii) Assuming only that sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1, show that sin θ cos θ  1/2.

(iv) What is the largest that the ratio

area of A
area of B
can be, as θ varies?

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 y

-a a x

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5. For ALL APPLICANTS.

We define the digit sum of a non-negative integer to be the sum of its digits. For
example, the digit sum of 123 is 1 + 2 + 3 = 6.

(i) How many positive integers less than 100 have digit sum equal to 8?

Let n be a positive integer with n < 10.

(ii) How many positive integers less than 100 have digit sum equal to n?

(iii) How many positive integers less than 1000 have digit sum equal to n?

(iv) How many positive integers between 500 and 999 have digit sum equal to 8?

(v) How many positive integers less than 1000 have digit sum equal to 8, and one digit
at least 5?

(vi) What is the total of the digit sums of the integers from 0 to 999 inclusive?

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6.  
 COMPUTER SCIENCE 
For APPLICANTS IN MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE ONLY.
 
COMPUTER SCIENCE & PHILOSOPHY

Alice, Bob and Charlie are well-known expert logicians; they always tell the truth.

In each of the scenarios below, Charlie writes a whole number on Alice and Bob’s fore-
heads. The difference between the two numbers is one: either Alice’s number is one
larger than Bob’s, or Bob’s number is one larger than Alice’s. Each of Alice and Bob
can see the number on the other’s forehead, but can’t see their own number.

(i) Charlie writes a number on Alice and Bob’s foreheads, and says “Each of your
numbers is at least 1. The difference between the numbers is 1.”

Alice then says “I know my number.”

Explain why Alice’s number must be 2. What is Bob’s number?

(ii) Charlie now writes new numbers on their foreheads, and says “Each of your numbers
is between 1 and 10 inclusive. The difference between the numbers is 1. Alice’s number
is a prime.” (A prime number is a number greater than 1 that is divisible only by 1 and
itself.)

Alice then says “I don’t know my number.”

Bob then says “I don’t know my number.”

What is Alice’s number? Explain your answer.

(iii) Charlie now writes new numbers on their foreheads, and says “Each of your numbers
is between 1 and 10 inclusive. The difference between the numbers is 1.”

Alice then says “I don’t know my number. Is my number a square number?”

Charlie then says “If I told you that, you would know your number.”

Bob then says “I don’t know my number.”

What is Alice’s number? Explain your answer.

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7.  
COMPUTER SCIENCE
For APPLICANTS IN ONLY.
COMPUTER SCIENCE & PHILOSOPHY

AB-words are “words” formed from the letters A and B according to certain rules. The
rules are applied starting with the empty word, containing no letters. The basic rules
are:

(1) If the current word is x, then it can be replaced with the word that starts with
A, followed by x and ending with B, written AxB.

(2) If the current word ends with B, the final B can be removed.

(i) Show how the word AAAB can be produced.

(ii) Describe precisely all the words that can be produced with these two rules. Justify
your answer. You might like to write Ai for the word containing just i consecutive copies
of A, and similarly for B; for example A3 B2 = AAABB.

We now add a third rule:

(3) Reverse the word, and replace every A by B, and every B by A.

For example, applying this rule to AAAB would give ABBB.

(iii) Describe precisely all the words that can be produced with these three rules. Justify
your answer.

Finally, we add a fourth rule:

(4) Reverse the word.

(iv) Show that every word consisting of As and Bs can be formed using these four rules.
Hint: show how, if we have produced the word w, we can produce (a) the word Aw, and
(b) the word Bw; hence deduce the result.

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