298 problems found
A bus has the shape of a cuboid of length \(a\) and height \(h\). It is travelling northwards on a journey of fixed distance at constant speed \(u\) (chosen by the driver). The maximum speed of the bus is \(w\). Rain is falling from the southerly direction at speed \(v\) in straight lines inclined to the horizontal at angle \(\theta\), where \(0<\theta<\frac12\pi\). By considering first the case \(u=0\), show that for \(u>0\) the total amount of rain that hits the roof and the back or front of the bus in unit time is proportional to \[ h\big \vert v\cos\theta - u \big\vert + av\sin\theta \,. \] Show that, in order to encounter as little rain as possible on the journey, the driver should choose \( u=w\) if either \(w< v\cos\theta\) or \( a\sin\theta > h\cos\theta\). How should the speed be chosen if \(w>v\cos\theta\) and \( a\sin\theta < h\cos\theta\)? Comment on the case \( a\sin\theta = h\cos\theta\). How should the driver choose \(u\) on the return journey?
Two long circular cylinders of equal radius lie in equilibrium on an inclined plane, in \mbox{contact} with one another and with their axes horizontal. The weights of the upper and lower \mbox{cylinders} are \(W_1\) and \(W_2\), respectively, where \(W_1>W_2\)\,. The coefficients of friction \mbox{between} the \mbox{inclined} plane and the upper and lower cylinders are \(\mu_1\) and \(\mu_2\), respectively, and the \mbox{coefficient} of friction \mbox{between} the two cylinders is \(\mu\). The angle of inclination of the plane is~\(\alpha\) (which is positive).
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A circle \(C\) is said to be bisected by a curve \(X\) if \(X\) meets \(C\) in exactly two points and these points are diametrically opposite each other on \(C\).
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If \(s_1\), \(s_2\), \(s_3\), \(\ldots\) and \(t_1\), \(t_2\), \(t_3\), \(\ldots\) are sequences of positive numbers, we write \[ (s_n)\le (t_n) \] to mean
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The numbers \(a\) and \(b\), where \(b > a\ge0\), are such that \[ \int_a^b x^2 \d x = \left ( \int_a^b x \d x\right)^{\!\!2}\,. \]
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A particle of mass \(m\) is projected due east at speed \(U\) from a point on horizontal ground at an angle \(\theta\) above the horizontal, where \(0 < \theta < 90^\circ\). In addition to the gravitational force \(mg\), it experiences a horizontal force of magnitude \(mkg\), where \(k\) is a positive constant, acting due west in the plane of motion of the particle. Determine expressions in terms of \(U\), \(\theta\) and \(g\) for the time, \(T_H\), at which the particle reaches its greatest height and the time, \(T_L \), at which it lands. Let \(T = U\cos\theta /(kg)\). By considering the relative magnitudes of \(T_H\), \(T_L \) and \(T\), or otherwise, sketch the trajectory of the particle in the cases \(k\tan\theta<\frac12\), \(\frac12 < k\tan\theta<1\), and \(k\tan\theta>1\). What happens when \(k\tan\theta =1\)?
Solution: \begin{align*} && v_{\uparrow} &= U\sin \theta - g t \\ \Rightarrow && T_H &= \frac{U \sin \theta}{g} \\ \\ && s_{\uparrow} &= U \sin \theta t - \frac12 g t^2 \\ \Rightarrow && 0 &= U\sin \theta T_L - \frac12 g T_L^2 \\ && T_L &= \frac{2 U \sin \theta}{g} \end{align*} \(T = U\cos \theta / (kg)\) is the point when the particle's horizontal motion is reversed.
The diagrams below show two separate systems of particles, strings and pulleys.In both systems, the pulleys are smooth and light, the strings are light and inextensible, the particles move vertically and the pulleys labelled with \(P\) are fixed. The masses of the particles are as indicated on the diagrams.
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This question concerns the inequality \begin{equation} \int_0^\pi \bigl( f(x) \bigr)^2 \d x \le \int_0^\pi \bigl( f'(x)\bigr)^2 \d x\,.\tag{\(*\)} \end{equation}
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By simplifying \(\sin(r+\frac12)x - \sin(r-\frac12)x\) or otherwise show that, for \(\sin\frac12 x \ne0\), \[ \cos x + \cos 2x +\cdots + \cos nx = \frac{\sin(n+\frac12)x - \sin\frac12 x}{2\sin\frac12x}\,. \] The functions \(S_n\), for \(n=1, 2, \dots\), are defined by \[ S_n(x) = \sum_{r=1}^n \frac 1 r \sin rx \qquad (0\le x \le \pi). \]
Solution: \begin{align*} && \sin(r + \tfrac12)x - \sin(r - \tfrac12) x &= \sin rx \cos \tfrac12x + \cos r x\sin\tfrac12x - \sin r x \cos \tfrac12 x + \cos rx \sin \tfrac12 x \\ &&&= 2\cos r x \sin\tfrac12 x \\ \\ && S &= \cos x + \cos 2x + \cdots + \cos n x \\ && 2\sin \tfrac12 x S &= \sin(1 + \tfrac12)x - \sin \tfrac12 x + \\ &&&\quad+ \sin(2+\tfrac12)x - \sin(2- \tfrac12)x + \\ &&&\quad+ \sin(3+\tfrac12)x - \sin(3 - \tfrac12)x + \\ &&& \quad + \cdots + \\ &&&\quad + \sin(n+\tfrac12)x - \sin(n-\tfrac12)x \\ &&&=\sin(n+\tfrac12)x - \sin\tfrac12 x \\ \Rightarrow && S &= \frac{\sin(n+\tfrac12)x - \sin\tfrac12 x}{2 \sin \tfrac12 x} \end{align*}
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For positive integers \(n\), \(a\) and \(b\), the integer \(c_r\) (\(0\le r\le n\)) is defined to be the coefficient of \(x^r\) in the expansion in powers of \(x\) of \((a+bx)^n\). Write down an expression for \(c_r\) in terms of \(r\), \(n\), \(a\) and \(b\). For given \(n\), \(a\) and \(b\), let \(m\) denote a value of \(r\) for which \(c_r\) is greatest (that is, \(c_m \ge c_r\) for \(0\le r\le n\)). Show that \[ \frac{b(n+1)}{a+b} - 1 \le m \le \frac {b(n+1)}{a+b} \,. \] Deduce that \(m\) is either a unique integer or one of two consecutive integers. Let \(G(n,a,b)\) denote the unique value of \(m\) (if there is one) or the larger of the two possible values of \(m\).
Solution: \(c_r = \binom{n}{r}a^{n-r}b^r\) \begin{align*} && c_m &\geq c_{m+1} \\ \Rightarrow && \binom{n}{m} a^{n-m}b^m &\geq \binom{n}{m+1} a^{n-m-1}b^{m+1} \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{1}{(n-m)}a &\geq \frac{1}{m+1}b \\ \Rightarrow && (m+1)a &\geq (n-m)b \\ \Rightarrow && m(a+b) &\geq nb -a \\ \Rightarrow && m &\geq \frac{n(b+1)-a-b}{a+b}=\frac{n(b+1)}{a+b} - 1 \\ \\ && c_m &\geq c_{m-1} \\ \Rightarrow && \binom{n}{m} a^{n-m}b^m &\geq \binom{n}{m-1} a^{n-m+1}b^{m-1} \\ \Rightarrow && \frac{1}m b &\geq \frac{a}{(n-m+1)} \\ \Rightarrow && (n-m+1)b &\geq ma \\ \Rightarrow && (n+1)b &\geq m(a+b) \\ \Rightarrow && m &\leq \frac{(n+1)b}{a+b} \end{align*} Since \(m\) lies between two values \(1\) apart is is either equal to one of those two values or is the unique integer between them. Let \(\displaystyle G(n,a,b) = \left \lfloor \frac{b(n+1)}{a+b} \right \rfloor\), so
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