Category Archives: Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Partial Fractions

Integration Using Partial Fraction Decomposition

Partial fraction decomposition is the process of taking a rational function and decomposing it into simpler rational expressions which are easier to integrate.

We only use partial fractions if the rational function is proper. If

f(x)=\frac{p(x)}{q(x)}

then the degree of p(x) must be less than the degree of q(x).

Types of Partial Fraction Decompositions

FactorTerm in Partial Fraction
ax+b\frac{A}{ax+b}
(ax+b)^n

    \[ \frac{A_1}{ax+b} + \frac{A_2}{(ax+b)^2} +\cdots+ \frac{A_n}{(ax+b)^n}\]

Irreducible quadratic
ax^2+bx+c

    \[ \frac{Ax+B}{ax^2+bx+c} \]

Example

    \[ \int \frac{3x+5}{x^2-x-2}\,dx \]

Find

Factorise the denominator:

    \[ x^2-x-2=(x-2)(x+1) \]

Write

    \[ \frac{3x+5}{(x-2)(x+1)} = \frac{A}{x-2} + \frac{B}{x+1} \]

Multiplying through by

(x-2)(x+1):

    \[ 3x+5=A(x+1)+B(x-2) \]

Let x=-1:

    \[ 2=-3B \]

    \[ B=-\frac23 \]

Let x=2:

    \[ 11=3A \]

    \[ A=\frac{11}{3} \]

Hence

    \[ \frac{3x+5}{x^2-x-2} = \frac{11}{3(x-2)} - \frac{2}{3(x+1)} \]

Integrating:

    \[ \int\frac{3x+5}{x^2-x-2}\,dx = \int \left( \frac{11}{3(x-2)} - \frac{2}{3(x+1)} \right) dx \]

    \[ = \frac{11}{3}\ln|x-2| -\frac23\ln|x+1| +C \]

Example

Find

    \[ \int\frac{3x+2}{(x-1)^2}\,dx \]

Write

    \[ \frac{3x+2}{(x-1)^2} = \frac{A_1}{x-1} + \frac{A_2}{(x-1)^2} \]

Multiplying through by (x-1)^2:

    \[ 3x+2=A_1(x-1)+A_2 \]

Let x=1:

    \[ 5=A_2 \]

Let x=0:

    \[ 2=-A_1+5 \]

    \[ A_1=3 \]

Therefore

    \[ \int\frac{3x+2}{(x-1)^2}\,dx = \int \left( \frac3{x-1} + \frac5{(x-1)^2} \right) dx \]

    \[ = 3\ln|x-1| -\frac5{x-1} +C \]

Example

Find

    \[ \int \frac{2x-5} {(x-1)(x^2+1)} \,dx \]

Write

    \[ \frac{2x-5} {(x-1)(x^2+1)} = \frac{A}{x-1} + \frac{Bx+C}{x^2+1} \]

Multiplying through:

    \[ 2x-5 = A(x^2+1) + (Bx+C)(x-1) \]

Let x=1:

    \[ -3=2A \]

    \[ A=-\frac32 \]

Let x=0:

    \[ -5=-\frac32-C \]

    \[ C=\frac72 \]

Let x=-1:

    \[ -7=-3+\left(-B+\frac72\right)(-2) \]

    \[ -4=2B-7 \]

    \[ B=\frac32 \]

Hence

    \[ \int \frac{2x-5} {(x-1)(x^2+1)} \,dx = \frac12 \int \left( -\frac3{x-1} + \frac{3x}{x^2+1} + \frac7{x^2+1} \right) dx \]

    \[ = \frac12 \left( -3\ln|x-1| +\frac32\ln(x^2+1) +7\arctan(x) \right) +C \]

    \[ = -\frac32\ln|x-1| +\frac34\ln(x^2+1) +\frac72\arctan(x) +C \]

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Filed under Algebra, Integration, Polynomials, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Complex Numbers – Roots of Unity

    \begin{equation*}z^n=1, z\in\mathbb{C}\end{equation}

In polar form 1=cis (2\pi)

Hence,

    \begin{equation*}z^n=cis(2\pi k), k\in\mathbb{Z}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}z^n=cis(\frac{2\pik}{n})\end{equation}

For example,

    \begin{equation*}z^4=1\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}z^4=cis(2\pi k)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}z_k=cis(\frac{2\pi k}{4})=cis(\frac{\pi k}{2})\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}z_0=1\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}z_1=cis(\frac{\pi}{2})=i\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}z_2=cis(\pi)=-1\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}z_3=cis(\frac{3\pi}{2})=-i\end{equation}

The roots of unity are spread evenly (\frac{2\pi}{n} or \frac{360}{n} apart) around a circle of radius 1.

Properties of the roots of Unity

All the roots of unity can be generated by powers of a single root \omega=cis(\frac{2\pi}{n}). The roots form the sequence 1, \omega, \omega^2, \omega^3, ..., \omega^{n-1} Note: \omega \ne 1

For example,

    \begin{equation*}z^4=1\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\omega_1=cis(\frac{\pi}{2})\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\omega_1^2=cis(\pi)=-1=\omega_2\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\omega_1^3=cis(\frac{3\pi}{2})=-i=\omega_3\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\omega_1^4=cis(2\pi)=1=\omega_0\end{equation}

A root that can generate the remaining roots is a primitive root.

\omega^k is a primitive root if n and k are coprime.

The sum of the n^{th} roots of unity is always zero.

    \begin{equation*}\Sigma_{k=0}^{n-1}1+\omega+\omega^2+...+\omega^{n-1}=0\end{equation}

The product of the n^{th} roots of unity is

    \begin{equation*}\Pi_{k=0}^{n-1}\omega^k=(-1)^{n-1}\end{equation}

It is 1 when n is odd and -1 when n is even.

Example WATP 2024 Question 7a

(a) Evaluate (4\omega^2+3)(4\omega+3) where \omega is a complex root of unity, \omega\ne 1.

    \begin{equation*}(4\omega^2+3)(4\omega+3)=16\omega^3+12\omega^2+12\omega+9\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}16\omega^3+12\omega^2+12\omega+9=16(1)+9(\omega^2+\omega+1)+3\omega^2+3\omega\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}16\omega^3+12\omega^2+12\omega+9=16+9(0)+3(\omega^2+\omega)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}16\omega^3+12\omega^2+12\omega+9=16+3(-1)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}=13\end{equation}

Remember the sum of the roots is zero, \omega^2+\omega+1=0 hence \omega^2+\omega=-1

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Filed under Algebra, Complex Numbers, Roots of Unity, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Find the Equation of a Plane Given Three Points

Find the Cartesian equation of the plane containing the points A(1, 2, 3), B(-3, 0, 2) and C(2, -4, -1)

Find \overrightarrow{AB} and \overrightarrow{AC}
\overrightarrow{AB}=\begin{pmatrix}-2\\0\\2\end{pmatrix}-\begin{pmatrix}1\\2\\3\end{pmatrix}=\begin{pmatrix}-3\\-2\\-1\end{pmatrix}
\overrightarrow{AC}=\begin{pmatrix}2\\-4\\-1\end{pmatrix}-\begin{pmatrix}1\\2\\3\end{pmatrix}=\begin{pmatrix}1\\-6\\-4\end{pmatrix}

Find the cross product \overrightarrow{AB}\times \overrightarrow{AC}
\begin{pmatrix}-3\\-2\\-1\end{pmatrix}\times\begin{pmatrix}1\\-6\\-4\end{pmatrix}=\begin{pmatrix}2\\-13\\20\end{pmatrix}
This is the normal, overrightarrow{n}, to the plane.
We know A is on the plane

    \begin{equation*}\overrightarrow{n}\cdot (\overrightarrow{r}-\overrightarrow{OA})=0\end{equation}


Hence \overrightarrow{n}\cdot \overrightarrow{r}=\overrightarrow{n}\cdot \overrightarrow{OA}
\overrightarrow{n}\cdot \overrightarrow{r}=\begin{pmatrix}2\\-13\\20\end{pmatrix} \cdot \begin{pmatrix}1\\2\\3\end{pmatrix}=38
Therefore the Cartesian equation of the plane is

    \begin{equation*}2x-13y+20z=38\end{equation}

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Filed under Algebra, Cross Product, Vectors, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Complex Loci

Sketch on an Argand diagram

    \begin{equation*}\lvert{z-6}\rvert-\lvert{z+6}\rvert=3\end{equation}

where z\in \mathbb{C}

Let z=x+yi

    \begin{equation*}\lvert{x+yi-6}\rvert-\lvert{x+yi+6\rvert=3\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\lvert{x-6+yi}\rvert-\lvert{x+6+yi\rvert=3\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\sqrt{(x-6)^2+y^2}-\sqrt{(x+6)^2+y^2}=3\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\sqrt{(x-6)^2+y^2}=3+\sqrt{(x+6)^2+y^2}\end{equation}

Square both sides of the equation

    \begin{equation*}{(x-6)^2+y^2=9+6\sqrt{(x+6)^2+y^2}+(x+6)^2+y^2\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}x^2-12x+36+y^2-9-x^2-12x-36-y^2=6\sqrt{(x+6)^2+y^2}\end{equation}

(1)   \begin{equation*}-24x-9=6\sqrt{(x+6)^2+y^2}\end{equation*}

From equation 1 we know -24x-9\ge0

Hence x\le\frac{-3}{8}, which means we only have the left section of the hyperbola.

    \begin{equation*}-8x-3=2\sqrt{(x+6)^2+y^2}\end{equation}

Square both sides of the equation

    \begin{equation*}(-8x-3)^2=4((x+6)^2+y^2)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}64x^2+48x+9=4x^2+48x+144+y^2\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}60x^2-y^2=135\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{4x^2}{9}-\frac{y^2}{135}=1\end{equation}

(2)   \begin{equation*}\frac{x^2}{\frac{9}{4}}-\frac{y^2}{135}=1\end{equation*}

Remember, we have the left part of the hyperbola.

The x- intercept =-\sqrt{\frac{9}{4}}=-\frac{3}{2} and the asymptotes are y=\pm \frac{\sqrt{135}}{\frac{3}{2}}x

y=\pm 2\sqrt{15}x

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Filed under Algebra, Complex Numbers, Simplifying fractions, Sketching Complex Regions, Solving Equations, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Function Composition

If g(f(x))=\frac{x}{x+1} and f(x)=\frac{1}{1-2x}, find g(x).

    \begin{equation*}g(f(x))=g(\frac{1}{1-2x})=\frac{x}{x+1}\end{equation}

Sometimes you can do this type of question by inspection, but this one is a bit harder. I am going to use a variable substitution.

Let u=\frac{1}{1-2x}

    \begin{equation*}u=\frac{1}{1-2x}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}1-2x=\frac{1}{u}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}1-\frac{1}{u}=2x\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{u-1}{u}=2x\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}x=\frac{u-1}{2u}\end{equation}

Therefore

    \begin{equation*}g(u)=\frac{\frac{u-1}{2u}}{\frac{u-1}{2u}+1}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}g(u)=\frac{\frac{u-1}{2u}}{\frac{u-1+2u}{2u}}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}g(u)=\frac{u-1}{3u-1}\end{equation}

Therefore

    \begin{equation*}g(x)=\frac{x-1}{3x-1}\end{equation}

Let’s test it

g(x)=\frac{x-1}{3x-1} and f(x)=\frac{1}{1-2x}

    \begin{equation*}g(f(x))=\frac{\frac{1}{1-2x}-1}{\frac{3}{1-2x}-1}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}g(f(x))=\frac{\frac{1-(1-2x)}{1-2x}}{\frac{3-(1-2x)}{1-2x}}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}g(f(x))=\frac{2x}{2+2x}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}g(f(x))=\frac{x}{x+1}\end{equation}

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Filed under Algebra, Composition, Functions, Simplifying fractions, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Complex Locus Question

My Year 12 Specialist students are working on complex loci again. The following type of question always creates confusion.

Let z \in \mathbb{C}, w_1=1+i, and w_2=1-i
(a) Show that the locus of points satisfying

    \begin{equation*}arg(z-w_1)-arg(z-w_2)=\frac{\pi}{6}\end{equation}

is the arc of a circle.
(b) Find the centre and radius of the circle, expressing your answers in exact form.

arg(z-w_1) is the angle the vector from w_1 to z makes with the positive x- axis, likewise for arg(z-w_2).

I am going to plot a possible z and try to see the geometry that works.

We want arg(z-w_1)-arg(z-w_2)=\frac{\pi}{6}

I am going to take advantage of some triangle geometry

Using the External Angle Theorem, we know \alpha=\beta+\theta

    \begin{equation*}arg(z-w_1)-arg(z-w_2)=(\alpha+\frac{\pi}{2})-(\beta+\frac{\pi}{2}0=\alpha-\beta=\theta\end{equation}

Therefore \theta=\frac{\pi}{6}

So we want all of the z values that have an angle of \frac{\pi}{6}

Now we are going to use some circle geometry -The angle at the circumference subtended by the same arc are congruent. So we need to find a circle that has those three points (z, w_1 and w_2) on the circumference.

Hence the locus is

Now we need to find the radius and centre of the circle.

Using another circle theorem, the angle at the centre is twice the angle at the circumference.

The triangle must be equilateral (it is isosceles with a vertex angle of \frac{\pi}{3})

Hence the radius is 2.

h=\sqrt{2^2-1^2}=\sqrt{3}

Hence the centre is (-\sqrt{3}+1, 0)

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Filed under Circle Theorems, Complex Numbers, Geometry, Interesting Mathematics, Pythagoras, Sketching Complex Regions, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Complex Numbers and Trig Idenities

My Year 12 Specialist Students are using complex numbers to prove trigonometric identities.

Things like

    \begin{equation*}sin(5\theta)=16sin^5(\theta) -20sin^3(\theta)+5sin(\theta) \end{equation}

Method 2 might be a little bit easier depending upon how your brain works.

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Filed under Algebra, Binomial Expansion Theorem, Complex Numbers, Identities, Trig Identities, Trigonometry, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Complex Loci Question

A sketch of the locus of a complex number z is shown above, determine the maximum value of arg(z) correct to two decimal places where 0\le z \le 2\pi

Draw tangent lines from the origin to the circle.

Remember tangent lines are perpendicular to the radii

The maximum argument is this angle

I am going to find the angle in two sections

From the diagram the radius of the circle is 2 and the centre is (4, 3). Hence the distance from the origin to the centre is 5.

    \begin{equation*}sin(\theta_1)=\frac{2}{5}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\theta_1=0.412\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}sin(\theta_2)=\frac{3}{5}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\theta_2=0.644\end{equation}

Hence maximum arg(z)=1.06

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Filed under Complex Numbers, Right Trigonometry, Sketching Complex Regions, Trigonometry, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Logistic Growth Worked Example

A brumby is a free-roaming wild horse found in large number in parts of Australia. The culling of brumbies was banned in the year 2000. At this time the estimated population of brumbies in
Kosciuszko National Park was 1600. Scientists have modelled the population, P(t), of brumbies in
Kosciuszko National Park t years since the ban, by

    \begin{equation*}P(t)=\frac{18000}{10.25e^{0.15t}+1}\end{equation}

(a) Use the model to determine how long it will take the brumbies to increase to a number that is triple the number when the ban came into effect.

(b) From this model, determine the estimated long run number of brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park.

It can be shown that the growth rate of the population of brumbies can be expressed as

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}=\frac{1}{r}P(k-P)\end{equation}

(c) Determine the values of the constants r and k.

(d) Determine the greatest growth rate for the population of brumbies.

ATAR 2024 Specialist Mathematics Question 13

(a) 1600\times 3=4800
4800=\frac{18000}{10.25e^{0.15t}+1}
t=8.8 years.

(b) \lim_{\limits_{t \to \infty}\frac{18000}{10.25e^{0.15t}+1}=18000

(c)k is the carrying capacity (long run number of Brumbies), therefore k=18000.
Remember,

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}=rP(k-P)\Longleftrightarrow P=\frac{KP_0}{(k-P_0)e^{-rkt}+P_0}\end{equation}

We have \frac{1}{r} instead of r.

Therefore,

    \begin{equation*}0.15=\frac{1}{r}\times 18000\end{equation}

r=120000

(d) The greatest growth rate occurs when P=\frac{k}{2}=9000

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}=\frac{1}{r}P(k-P)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}=\frac{1}{120000}(9000)(9000)\end{equation}

The greatest growth rate is 675 Brumbies per year.

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Filed under Differential Equations, Logistic Growth, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics

Deriving the Logistic Growth Equation

The logistic differential equation

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}=rP(k-P)\end{equation}

where r is the growth parameter and k is the carrying capacity.

And the maximum rate of increase happens when P=\frac{k}{2}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}=rP(k-P)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{P(k-P)}=r dt{\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\int \frac{dP}{P(k-P)}=\int r dt{\end{equation}

I am going to separate the denominator on the left hand side

\frac{1}{P(k-P)}=\frac{A}{P}+\frac{B}{k-P}
Hence,
\frac{1}{P(k-P)}=\frac{A(k-P)+BP}{P(k-P)}
1=A(k-P)+BP
When P=0,
1=Ak\Rightarrow A=\frac{1}{k}
When P=k,
1=BK\Rightarrow B=\frac{1}{k}

So our equation is,

    \begin{equation*}\int \frac{\frac{1}{k}}{P}+\frac{\frac{1}{k}}{k-P} dP=\int r dt\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{1}{k}\int \frac{1}{P}+\frac{1}{k-P} dP=\int r dt\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\int \frac{1}{P}+\frac{1}{k-P} dP=\int kr dt\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}ln\lvert{P}\rvert-ln\lvert{k-P}\rvert=krt+c\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}ln\lvert{\frac{P}{k-P}\rvert=krt+c\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{P}{k-P}=e^{krt+c}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{P}{k-P}=e^{krt}e^{c} \end{equation}

When t=0, P=P_0,

    \begin{equation*}\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}=e^{c} \end{equation}

The equation is now

    \begin{equation*}\frac{P}{k-P}=\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}P=\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}(k-P)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}P=k\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}-P\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}P+P\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}=k\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}P(1+\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt})=k\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}P=\frac{k\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}}{1+\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}P=\frac{k\frac{P_0}{k-P_0}e^{krt}}{\frac{k-P_0+P_0e^{krt}}{k-P_0}}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}P=\frac{kP_0e^{rkt}}{k-P_0+P_0e^{rkt}}\end{equation}

Divide by e^{rkt}

    \begin{equation*}P=\frac{kP_0}{(k-P_0)e^{-rkt}+P_0}\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}}\frac{dP}{dt}=rP(k-P)\Longleftrightarrow P=\frac{kP_0}{(k-P_0)e^{-rkt}+P_0}\end{equation}

Proving the Maximum Rate of Increase Happens When P=\frac{k}{2}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}=rP(k-P)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{d^2P}{dt^2}=r\frac{dP}{dt}(k-P)+rP(-\frac{dP}{dt})\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{d^2P}{dt^2}=\frac{dP}{dt}(rk-rP-rP)\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{d^2P}{dt^2}=0\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}(rk-rP-rP)=0\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}r\frac{dP}{dt}(k-2P)=0\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{dP}{dt}(k-2P)=0\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}rP(k-P)(k-2P)=0\end{equation}

Hence P=k or P=\frac{k}{2}

(1)   \begin{equation*}\frac{d^3P}{dt^3}=\frac{dP^2}{dt^2}(rk-2rP)+\frac{dP}{dt}(-2\frac{dP}{dt})\end{equation*}

Substitute P=k into equation 1

    \begin{equation*}\frac{d^3P}{dt^3}=rk(k-k)(rk-2rk)(rk-2rk)-2(rk(k-k))^2=0\end{equation}

Hence, not a maximum.

Substitute P=\frac{k}{2} into equation 1

    \begin{equation*}\frac{d^3P}{dt^3}=rk(k-\frac{k}{2})(rk-2r\frac{k}{2})(rk-2r\frac{k}{2})-2(rk(k-\frac{k}{2}))^2=0\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{d^3P}{dt^3}=-2(rk^2-\frac{rk^2}{2})^2\end{equation}

    \begin{equation*}\frac{d^3P}{dt^3}=-2\frac{r^2k^4}{4}\end{equation}

-2\frac{r^2k^4}{4}\le 0 For all values of P, r and k.

Hence maximum when P=\frac{k}{2}

We will look at a worked example in the next post.

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Filed under Differential Equations, Differentiation, Implicit, Logistic Growth, Optimisation, Product Rule, Uncategorized, Year 12 Specialist Mathematics