STEP Prep Thread 2016 (Mark. II)

Question is 1 root not atleast. English muons idea is the best I feel, I would write it like this,
the curve is strictly increasing hence does not turn and come back for another root.
-infinity to infinity so it crosses atleast once, since it is strictly increasing it crosses exactly once.
For the atleast once root you can just say complex solutions come in pairs hence atleast one real root.

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I said that you use bolzano's theorem with the fact that the function is strictly increasing thus 1-1.
Edit: actually what I said was your second solution just in a more formalistic way.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 841

EnglishMuon

16

Original post by physicsmaths

Question is 1 root not atleast. English muons idea is the best I feel, I would write it like this,
the curve is strictly increasing hence does not turn and come back for another root.
-infinity to infinity so it crosses atleast once, since it is strictly increasing it crosses exactly once.
For the atleast once root you can just say complex solutions come in pairs hence atleast one real root.

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Original post by Vesniep

I said that you use bolzano's theorem with the fact that the function is strictly increasing thus 1-1.
Edit: actually what I said was your second solution just in a more formalistic way.

Ah ok, thanks for advice :smile:

Reply 842

IrrationalRoot

20

A question about STEP III 2015

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Reply 843

username1162972

18

Original post by IrrationalRoot

A question about STEP III 2015

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perfectly fine. I actually said this a few posts ago :smile:

although for a different question.

Reply 844

jjsnyder

10

Original post by ComputerMaths97

Thanks for the words of hope mate :smile:

What did he get in his A levels?

He did get 3A*s so that may have contributed, not sure. His step score wasn't good though I know that, he was certain he hadn't got in when he got his step results (they come out a few hours before A-Level/UCAS)

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Reply 845

16Characters....

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Original post by Vesniep

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Reply 846

sweeneyrod

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Original post by 16Characters....

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Reply 847

16Characters....

13

Original post by sweeneyrod

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Reply 848

Vesniep

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Original post by 16Characters....

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Didn't do it as well , for the same reason.

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Reply 849

16Characters....

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Original post by Vesniep

Didn't do it as well , for the same reason.

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Reply 850

Number Nine

12

Original post by jjsnyder

He did get 3A*s so that may have contributed, not sure. His step score wasn't good though I know that, he was certain he hadn't got in when he got his step results (they come out a few hours before A-Level/UCAS)

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dont they update at 12 midnight on results day morning same as ucas track?

Reply 851

EricPiphany

17

Original post by Number Nine

1,2,3,5,7,8

Well done.

I did STEP III 2015 yesterday, feel like I did quite well, finishing 5 questions and doing the first part from a sixth. But I'm scared to look at the mark scheme.

Reply 852

fa991

3

Anyone have advice for binomial expansion questions? As in finding general terms when two expansions are divided etc

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Reply 853

username1162972

18

Original post by Number Nine

dont they update at 12 midnight on results day morning same as ucas track?

Na, step is out at 12, UCAS updates at 8am.

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Reply 854

username1162972

18

Original post by fa991

Anyone have advice for binomial expansion questions? As in finding general terms when two expansions are divided etc

Posted from TSR Mobile

I guess it really does just come down to case work tbh.

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Reply 855

fa991

3

Original post by physicsmaths

I guess it really does just come down to case work tbh.

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Ah I see, I think I just assumed there were neat tricks but I suppose case work isn't too bad

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Reply 856

EnglishMuon

16

Has anyone come across any interesting/challenging qs from the older papers now theyve finished the new ones? I just had a look at I '98 and some of the qs couldve come straight from an A level paper.

Reply 857

jjsnyder

10

Original post by Number Nine

dont they update at 12 midnight on results day morning same as ucas track?

I remember he got his STEP at midnight, but UCAS didn't come until later for some reason. They closed it as they had problems with too much traffic I think. Which I've heard happens quite regularly.

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Reply 858

IrrationalRoot

20

Original post by EnglishMuon

Has anyone come across any interesting/challenging qs from the older papers now theyve finished the new ones? I just had a look at I '98 and some of the qs couldve come straight from an A level paper.