Hard maths questions for higher maths GCSE

Original post by ByronicHero

Arriving at a correct value for N takes seconds, and I'm sure you managed that, it is the process of showing how to get the answer beyond trial and error that is difficult. I'd need to see the mark scheme but I'd wager many people failed to answer it.

I don't know though. I'm about as fart away from an expert in maths as you're likely to find on this forum :lol:

Indeed. Many people found it difficult. There was a big cry out and hitler videos and hastags and everything.

Original post by thefatone

i'm afraid my page of work about a year ago during my GCSE has probably been binned

Oh I see. Incorrectly though you did it recently as a mock.

Reply 122

HapaxOromenon

2

Original post by ByronicHero

Arriving at a correct value for N takes seconds, and I'm sure you managed that, it is the process of showing how to get the answer beyond trial and error that is difficult. I'd need to see the mark scheme but I'd wager many people failed to answer it.

I don't know though. I'm about as fart away from an expert in maths as you're likely to find on this forum :lol:

It's not hard, in fact, extremely trivial. If you can't do it, it's because you have just been drilled to answer questions like a monkey and don't actually understand any mathematics.

Reply 123

Original post by ByronicHero

Arriving at a correct value for N takes seconds, and I'm sure you managed that, it is the process of showing how to get the answer beyond trial and error that is difficult. I'd need to see the mark scheme but I'd wager many people failed to answer it.

I don't know though. I'm about as fart away from an expert in maths as you're likely to find on this forum :lol:

that's pretty far you've diffused everywhere

Reply 124

Kvothe the Arcane

Original post by HapaxOromenon

It's not hard, in fact, extremely trivial. If you can't do it, it's because you have just been drilled to answer questions like a monkey and don't actually understand any mathematics.

He did it mentally quite quickly.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 125

Original post by HapaxOromenon

It's not hard, in fact, extremely trivial. If you can't do it, it's because you have just been drilled to answer questions like a monkey and don't actually understand any mathematics.

It is very easy if you know how to do it. I think the fact it deviates considerably from how most similar questions work means it can reasonably be called a hard question, in the context of GCSE exams. :dontknow:

Original post by Kvothe the arcane

Indeed. Many people found it difficult. There was a big cry out and hitler videos and hastags and everything.

Oh I see. Incorrectly though you did it recently as a mock.

Oh, it was one of those. It is always amusing when there is outcry about a difficult question - even if I couldn't always do them :lol:

Original post by thefatone

that's pretty far you've diffused everywhere

Reply 126

Original post by HapaxOromenon

It's trivial, and if you can't do the derivation you're stupid. I guess you really are the opposite of an expert in maths...

hey it's only 1 question

Original post by Kvothe the arcane

He did it mentally quite quickly.

D isn;t it?

Reply 127

Original post by HapaxOromenon

A function, defined on the set of positive integers, is such that f(xy)=f(x)+f(y) for all x and y. It is known that f(10)=14 and f(40)=20. What is the value of f(500)?

sounds like maybe you need to make some simultaneous equations?

Reply 128

Kvothe the Arcane

Original post by thefatone

D isn;t it?

Yes

Reply 129

Original post by Kvothe the arcane

He did it mentally quite quickly.

I would guess D on the basis of each exterior angle being 360/(number of sides) and that being two angles added together?

Reply 130

Original post by HapaxOromenon

A function, defined on the set of positive integers, is such that f(xy)=f(x)+f(y) for all x and y. It is known that f(10)=14 and f(40)=20. What is the value of f(500)?

so far i've tried xy=14 then x+y=10 and tried subsituting but i don't think that's right

lets call @Zacken @Student403

Reply 131

Shanaynay and Dakwonda play a game in which they take turns filling entries of an initially empty 2008 × 2008 array. Shanaynay plays first. At each turn, a player chooses a real number and places it in a vacant entry. The game ends when all the entries are filled. Shanaynay wins if the determinant of the resulting matrix is non-zero; Dakwonda wins if it is zero. Which player has a winning strategy?

Reply 132

DylanJ42

18

Original post by HapaxOromenon

A function, defined on the set of positive integers, is such that f(xy)=f(x)+f(y) for all x and y. It is known that f(10)=14 and f(40)=20. What is the value of f(500)?

Never done a spoiler on the mobile app so hopefully this works;

Spoiler

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 133

Zacken

22

Original post by Kvothe the arcane

f(x)=c \log(x)

It's usually written as

f(x) = \log_a x

, but that's not really the wanted solution here.

Reply 134

Original post by Kvothe the arcane

f(x)=c \log(x)

Original post by Zacken

It's usually written as

f(x) = \log_a x

, but that's not really the wanted solution here.

not quite sure if logs was the way to go :/

Reply 135

Zacken

22

Original post by thefatone

not quite sure if logs was the way to go :/

It's not.

f(500) = f(50 \times 10) = f(50) + f(10) = \cdots

or something along those lines.

Reply 136

Original post by Zacken

It's not.

f(500) = f(50 \times 10) = f(50) + f(10) = \cdots

or something along those lines.

but don't the x and y values both have to satisfy both given equations?

Reply 137