Year 11 Paper 5: Sequences, Trigonometry and Proof
Covers algebraic manipulation, sequences, matrices and transformations, non-right-angled triangle trigonometry, and geometric proof.
Year 11 here means a typical teaching order, not a syllabus rule. No exam board defines what belongs to Year 11, and schools sequence the course differently. Check it against your own scheme of work before using it to decide what a class has covered.
Questions
Question 1 [2 marks]
Matrices and Transformations
A is the matrix with rows (5, -2) and (1, 3).
B is the matrix with rows (-3, 4) and (2, -1).
Find A - B, writing your answer as a matrix.
Question 2 [3 marks]
Geometric Proof
ABCD is a kite with AB = AD and CB = CD.
Prove that triangle ABC is congruent to triangle ADC.
Question 3 [3 marks]
Algebraic Manipulation
Expand and simplify (x - 5)(x + 5) - (x - 3)^2.
Question 4 [3 marks]
Non-Right-Angled Triangle Trigonometry
In triangle DEF, DE = 8 cm, DF = 10 cm, and angle EDF = 55 degrees.
Find the length of EF, giving your answer to 3 significant figures.
Question 5 [4 marks]
Geometric Proof
Triangle LMN and triangle LPN share the side LN.
Angle MLN = angle PLN, and LM = LP.
Prove that triangle LMN is congruent to triangle LPN.
Question 6 [3 marks]
Sequences
A geometric sequence has first term 5 and common ratio 3.
Find the 6th term of the sequence, and find the sum of the first 6 terms.
Question 7 [4 marks]
Geometric Proof
Triangle ABC is right-angled at B.
The point D lies on AC such that BD is perpendicular to AC.
Prove that triangle ABD is similar to triangle ABC.
Question 8 [4 marks]
Matrices and Transformations
The point Q(4, -1) is transformed by the matrix with rows (-1, 0) and (0, 1).
Find the coordinates of the image of Q, and describe fully the single geometric transformation that this matrix represents.
Question 9 [4 marks]
Algebraic Manipulation
Simplify fully (x^2 - 9)/(x^2 + x - 6).
Question 10 [5 marks]
Sequences
A geometric sequence has second term 6 and fifth term 162.
Find the common ratio and the first term of the sequence.
Question 11 [5 marks]
Geometric Proof
AB and CD are two chords of a circle with centre O that are equidistant from O.
Prove that AB = CD.
Question 12 [5 marks]
Sequences
A geometric sequence has third term 20 and sixth term 160.
Find the common ratio and the first term of the sequence.
Question 13 [5 marks]
Matrices and Transformations
M is the matrix with rows (k, 3) and (4, k - 1), where k is a constant.
Given that M is singular, find the possible values of k.
Question 14 [6 marks]
Sequences
The first three terms of a geometric sequence are (k + 1), (k + 4), and (3k + 2), where k is a positive constant.
Find the value of k, and find the common ratio.
Question 15 [6 marks]
Geometric Proof
In triangle ABC, D is the midpoint of AB and E is the midpoint of AC.
Prove that DE is parallel to BC and that DE = (1/2)BC.
Question 16 [6 marks]
Non-Right-Angled Triangle Trigonometry
Triangle ABC has AB = 9 cm, BC = 14 cm, and AC = 19 cm.
Find the largest angle of the triangle, giving your answer to 1 decimal place, and state which vertex it is at.
Question 17 [6 marks]
Geometric Proof
Triangle ABC is right-angled at B.
The point D lies on AC such that BD is perpendicular to AC.
Prove that BD^2 = AD x DC.
Question 18 [6 marks]
Algebraic Manipulation
Solve the equation (2x - 1)/(x + 3) = x - 3.
Show each step of your working and give both solutions.
Model solutions
| Question 1[2 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| subtracting corresponding entries | M1 |
| the matrix with rows (8, -6) and (-1, 4) | A1 |
| Question 2[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| stating AB = AD (given) | B1 |
| stating CB = CD (given), and AC is common to both triangles | B1 |
| concluding triangle ABC is congruent to triangle ADC by SSS | B1 |
| Final answer: Congruent by SSS: AB = AD, CB = CD (given), AC common | |
| Question 3[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| expanding (x - 5)(x + 5) to x^2 - 25 | M1 |
| expanding (x - 3)^2 to x^2 - 6x + 9 | M1 |
| 6x - 34 | A1 |
| Question 4[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| using the cosine rule EF^2 = DE^2 + DF^2 - 2(DE)(DF)cos(55) | M1 |
| substituting to get EF^2 = 164 - 160cos(55) | M1 |
| EF = 8.50 cm | A1 |
| Final answer: EF = 8.50 cm (3 s.f.) | |
| Question 5[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| stating angle MLN = angle PLN (given) | B1 |
| stating LM = LP (given) | B1 |
| stating LN is common to both triangles | B1 |
| concluding triangle LMN is congruent to triangle LPN by SAS | B1 |
| Final answer: Congruent by SAS: angle MLN = angle PLN, LM = LP (given), LN common | |
| Question 6[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| using T6 = ar^5 = 5 x 3^5 | M1 |
| T6 = 1215 | A1 |
| the sum of the first 6 terms = 1820 | A1 |
| Final answer: T6 = 1215; sum of first 6 terms = 1820 | |
| Question 7[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| stating angle ADB = 90 degrees, since BD is perpendicular to AC | B1 |
| stating angle ABC = 90 degrees, given the triangle is right-angled at B | B1 |
| stating angle BAD (equal to angle BAC) is common to both triangles | B1 |
| concluding triangle ABD is similar to triangle ABC by the AA condition | B1 |
| Final answer: Similar by AA: angle ADB = angle ABC = 90 degrees, and angle A is common to both triangles | |
| Question 8[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| multiplying the matrix by the column vector (4, -1) | M1 |
| the image (-4, -1) | A1 |
| identifying the transformation as a reflection | B1 |
| stating the mirror line is the y-axis | B1 |
| Final answer: Image (-4, -1); reflection in the y-axis | |
| Question 9[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| factorising the numerator as (x - 3)(x + 3) | M1 |
| factorising the denominator as (x + 3)(x - 2) | M1 |
| cancelling the common factor (x + 3) | M1 |
| (x - 3)/(x - 2) | A1 |
| Question 10[5 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| writing T2 = ar = 6 and T5 = ar^4 = 162 | M1 |
| dividing to eliminate a, giving r^3 = 27 | M1 |
| r = 3 | A1 |
| substituting back into ar = 6 to find a | M1 |
| a = 2 | A1 |
| Final answer: common ratio r = 3; first term a = 2 | |
| Question 11[5 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| stating OA = OC, since both are radii of the circle | B1 |
| stating OM = ON (given the chords are equidistant from O), where M and N are the feet of the perpendiculars from O to AB and CD, and noting angle OMA = angle ONC = 90 degrees | B1 |
| concluding triangle OMA is congruent to triangle ONC by RHS | M1 |
| concluding AM = CN, and that M and N are the midpoints of AB and CD respectively (since the perpendicular from the centre bisects a chord) | A1 |
| concluding AB = 2AM = 2CN = CD | A1 |
| Final answer: Triangles OMA and ONC are congruent by RHS (OA = OC, OM = ON, right angles at M and N), so AM = CN, and since M and N bisect the chords, AB = 2AM = 2CN = CD | |
| Question 12[5 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| writing T3 = ar^2 = 20 and T6 = ar^5 = 160 | M1 |
| dividing to eliminate a, giving r^3 = 8 | M1 |
| r = 2 | A1 |
| substituting back into ar^2 = 20 to find a | M1 |
| a = 5 | A1 |
| Final answer: common ratio r = 2; first term a = 5 | |
| Question 13[5 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| writing the determinant k(k - 1) - 3(4) | M1 |
| expanding to k^2 - k - 12 | M1 |
| setting the determinant equal to 0, since M is singular | M1 |
| factorising as (k - 4)(k + 3) = 0 | M1 |
| k = 4 or k = -3 | A1 |
| Question 14[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| using the geometric sequence property (k + 4)^2 = (k + 1)(3k + 2) | M1 |
| expanding the left side to k^2 + 8k + 16 | M1 |
| expanding the right side to 3k^2 + 5k + 2 | M1 |
| rearranging to 2k^2 - 3k - 14 = 0 and solving, rejecting k = -2 since k is positive | M1 |
| k = 3.5 | A1 |
| common ratio = 5/3 | A1 |
| Final answer: k = 3.5; common ratio = 5/3 | |
| Question 15[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| stating AD/AB = 1/2, since D is the midpoint of AB | B1 |
| stating AE/AC = 1/2, since E is the midpoint of AC | B1 |
| stating angle DAE (equal to angle BAC) is common to both triangles | B1 |
| concluding triangle ADE is similar to triangle ABC by the SAS condition (two sides in the same ratio with the included angle equal) | M1 |
| concluding angle ADE = angle ABC (corresponding angles in similar triangles), so DE is parallel to BC | A1 |
| concluding DE = (1/2)BC, from the scale factor of the similarity | A1 |
| Final answer: Triangle ADE is similar to triangle ABC (SAS, ratio 1/2), so DE is parallel to BC and DE = (1/2)BC | |
| Question 16[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| identifying that the largest angle is opposite the longest side AC, so at vertex B | B1 |
| using the cosine rule AC^2 = AB^2 + BC^2 - 2(AB)(BC)cos(B) | M1 |
| substituting to get 361 = 277 - 252cos(B) | M1 |
| rearranging to cos(B) = -84/252 | M1 |
| cos(B) = -0.333 (3 s.f.) | A1 |
| angle B = 109.5 degrees (1 d.p.) | A1 |
| Final answer: largest angle = 109.5 degrees (1 d.p.), at vertex B | |
| Question 17[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| stating angle ADB = angle BDC = 90 degrees, since BD is perpendicular to AC | B1 |
| using angle ABC = 90 degrees to write angle DBA + angle DBC = 90 degrees | M1 |
| using the angle sum of triangle ADB to write angle DAB + angle DBA = 90 degrees | M1 |
| concluding angle DAB = angle DBC | A1 |
| concluding triangle ADB is similar to triangle BDC by the AA condition | M1 |
| writing the ratio AD/BD = BD/DC from the similarity, hence BD^2 = AD x DC | A1 |
| Final answer: Triangle ADB is similar to triangle BDC (AA), giving AD/BD = BD/DC, so BD^2 = AD x DC | |
| Question 18[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| cross-multiplying to give 2x - 1 = (x - 3)(x + 3) | M1 |
| expanding the right side to x^2 - 9 | M1 |
| rearranging to x^2 - 2x - 8 = 0 | M1 |
| factorising as (x - 4)(x + 2) = 0 | M1 |
| x = 4 | A1 |
| x = -2 | A1 |
| Final answer: x = 4 or x = -2 | |