http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/exams/mathematics/2008specmath1-w.pdf
Q9. a) why can't I find the area from 0 to pi/2 based on the y axis(dy) with cos(y)?
and can anyone please explain Q10.c.?
Many thanks 
I shall try my best to answer

If you took the value from the y axis, and multiplied it by 2, you would be finding this area (red - attached), which does not match the blue area. If you've read the solutions, you will notice that, like they say, it is half of a rectangle.
10c)
Hint 1: "Real constants" Conjuagate root theorem aplies. As the question says "z = w" then we already know (from the previous question) that two solution will be z = 1 + √3i and z = 1 - √3i
Hint 2: The solutions satisy |z
3| = 8, therefore, solving this, z = 2 or z = -2. Not both though. The complex number is to degree three, so can have a maximum of three solutions.
Therefore, z's that satisfy |z
3| = 8 are z = 1 ± √3i and one of z = 2 or -2
Hint 3: P(z) = (z - (1 ± √3i)) (z - a) where a is going to be -2 or 2.
Expand, (z
2 - 2z + 4) (z - a)
Expand again.
z
3 -z
2(a + 2) + z(2a - 4) - 4a
Looking at the info we're given in the question, a + 2 ≠ 0 (because of
non-zero real constants)
therefore, a ≠ -2 (this satisfies the requirement "show these are the only values")
Subbing a = 2 back into (z
2 - 2z + 4) (z - a) we get:
z
3 - 4z
2 + 8z - 8
May I ask where you got this formula from? Is this assumed knowledge of some sort?
Never seen it o.O
Googled "angle between two lines" :p
Edit: I have a question, if two particles are going to collide, do we equate their position vectors or velocity vectors? I always thought it was velocity, but this question says position. In what scenarios (not really sure how to describe this question) do we use velocity vector opposed to position vector for something? Thanks. ^ Don't worry, I remember why I thought this.